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Volume 18 - No. 15 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

APRIL 12-18, 2019

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DATELINE

USA

US judge okays reparation for martial law victims by NATHALIE

FEDERAL officials on Tuesday, April 9, dismantled a $1.2 billion Medicare scam peddling unneeded orthopedic braces to hundreds of thousands of unsuspecting elderly and disabled patients through call centers in the Philippines and in Latin America. According to the Justice Department, the scheme — which has been described as one of the largest health care frauds in United States history — relied on overseas call centers to pry Medicare numbers from beneficiaries. Twenty-four people were charged, including

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De Lima ‘humbled, thankful’ over US senators’ plea for her freedom OPPOSITION Senator Leila De Lima on Tuesday, April 9, thanked the U.S. senators who in a resolution sought for her release from jail. “I express my deepest gratitude to the five honorable members of the U.S. Senate

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Harvard admits highest number of Asian Americans in a decade THE amount of Asian American students admitted to Harvard University is the highest its been in the last decade, as revealed by the university’s latest admission cycle results for its undergraduate class of 2023. In announcing the demographics for the

ROBLES

AJPress

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

24 charged in billion dollar Medicare brace scam

Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

A UNITED STATES federal judge approved the transfer of proceeds from late President Ferdinand Marcos’ ill-gotten assets to compensate the human rights victims of the martial law regime on Tuesday, April 9. New York City district court Judge Katherine Polk Failla signed the order that mandates the transfer of $13.75 million or about P715 million from the retrieved properties of the Marcos family to the victims of the dictatorial rule. “The Republic’s OSG (Office of the Solicitor General) sought to kill the settlement and prevent (a) distribution to human rights victims,” the statement from American lawyer Robert Swift, who represented the 9,539 human rights victims, read.

“However, Judge Failla found that the Republic’s New York attorney had actual and apparent authority to bind the Republic to the settlement,” the unified class counsel statement added. Swift, who was the lead counsel for the martial law victims, said that $13.75 million will also cover the fees related to the settlement such as counsel fee, incentive award, collective costs and expenses of counsel, and cost of distribution. “That will leave $10,712,157 for compensation to Class members and the cost of distribution. If the Court directs distribution of $1,500 to each of 6,500 eligible Class members, $762,157 will remain in the Fund,” Swift said. U.S. District Court Judge Manuel Real, who has presided over the Marcos litigation since 1990, signed the order on March 28. The distribution of settlement proceeds will commence in Butuan on

May and will continue in 15 other cities until July. “Filipinos residing in the United States or other countries will receive checks through the mail. Class members in the Philippines will receive letters about four weeks before a distribution advising them of where and when they may come to receive checks,” the lawyers said. The said accumulated proceeds came from the sale of four paintings, one made by French impressionist movement leader Claude Monet and three other paintings sold in November 2018 worth over $3 million. The Monet painting was sold for $32 million by Imelda’s former secretary Vilma Bautista, who was “indicted, convicted and is currently confined in prison in New York for offenses related to the sale.” PAGE A2

Palace to China on PH island: ‘Get away from Kota’ by RALPH

VILLANUEVA ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines has heightened its rhetoric against China, with Malacañang calling on Chinese vessels supposedly seen near the Philippineowned Kota (Loaita) Island to “go away.” In a news briefing on Wednesday, April 10, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Chinese should go away from the Kota and Panata islands in the disputed South China Sea (West Philippine Sea) because “they cannot be intruding in our territorial property.” Panelo said China “had no business being there.” “It is [an assault to the Philippines’ sovereignty,] if they continue to be present in our territory then it is an assault to our sovereignty,” he said. After the sightings are verified, fresh diplomatic DAY OF VALOR. President Rodrigo Duterte salutes the Camp Teodulfo Bautista Memorial Shrine in Jolo, Sulu after leading the wreath-laying Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez protests will be filed by the Department of Foreign ceremony as part of the Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration on Tuesday, April 9. Affairs (DFA) with China, he said. “They will know that we are against it. That we will not allow it. That we will not tolerate such

Palace: Duterte’s threat of revolutionary war an ‘expression of frustration’ Sotto tells US senators: ‘Mind your own business’ u PAGE A2

u PAGE A2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

by MAILA

AGER Inquirer.net

SENATE President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III had this to say to U.S. senators’ meddling in Philippine affairs: “Mind your own business.” In a Twitter post on Tuesday, April 9, Sotto tagged Senator Marco Rubio of Florida, one of five U.S. senators, who called for the release of Senator Leila de Lima. “To our U.S. counterparts – “mind your own business, scratch your own galis (scabies),” that’s what my kalaro (playmate) says when I was young,” the Senate leader said. Sotto said he tagged Rubio in his post because the latter was a signatory to a resolution, which called for De Lima’s release and the dropping of charges against Rappler and its chief Maria Ressa. Other signatories in the resolution were Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Christopher Coons of Delaware. “Akala yata nila Commonwealth pa tayo (They still think we are still part of the Commonwealth),” Sotto said in a

Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III

text message, referring to the period from 1935 to 1946 when the U.S. administered the Philippines prior to the latter’s independence. In another Twitter post over the weekend, Senator Panfilo Lacson also slammed their U.S. counterparts telling them the Philippines is not their “colony.” “A PH Senate resolution is appropriate to call out these 5 U.S. senators. We are not their colony,” Lacson said. “We have a Constitution that

Inquirer.net ﬁle photo by Richard A. Reyes

provides for three (3) co-equal branches and a judicial system where due process is followed, regardless of its flaws and weaknesses,” he added. De Lima has been charged and detained over drug charges while cases have been filed against Rappler and its officials, including Ressa, for allegedly violating the Constitution’s requirement on foreign ownership. Ressa was also arrested but later freed after posting bail for a cyberlibel case. ■

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, April 9, downplayed President Rodrigo Duterte’s threat to declare a “revolutionary war.” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the remark was an “exasperated expression” directed, not at the people, but at the enemies of the state. “The threat, if it is a threat, is not against the people but precisely against their enemies – the criminals, people manning the illegal drug industry, corrupt bureaucrats, greedy politicians, communist rebels, foreign and local terrorists and other enemies of the state,” the spokesperson explained. Last week, Duterte threatened to declare a “revolutionary war,” suspend the writ of habeas corpus, and arrest his critics after Senator Franklin Drilon urged the administration to exercise caution when reviewing government contracts. According to Drilon, no country or entity would forge deals with the Philippines if the sanctity of contracts is not respected. “I have enough problems with crime, drugs, rebellion and all but if you go too far, I will declare a suspension of the writ of habeas corpus and I will arrest all of you,” Duterte said during a convention of prosecutors in Palawan last

week. “Why should I be careful in reviewing contracts that are not in the interest of the people? And the onerous and (burdensome) provisions there that the people will have to honor, so you think I will allow it? Just because we cannot impair the obligation of our contracts?” he added. “I will declare a revolutionary war until the end of my term.” The president drew flak from critics for threatening to suspend habeas corpus. They claimed his threat was just him trying to divert attention from the failures of his administration. Advocacy group Karapatan also pointed out that human rights are not subject to the “personal whims, interests and lunacy” of Duterte. Panelo, for his part, said Duterte

was warning violators of the law that the president would not condone their actions. “When the very democratic institutions are being used to the detriment of the people and have become illusory for the people’s interest; when their safety is imperiled, when the territorial integrity is at stake, and when the enemies of the republic are bent on bringing it down, then it becomes the constitutional duty of the president to quell the attacks on the people and to save the state,” ” the spokesperson explained. “The president’s narrative on the revolutionary war is an expression of frustration and at the same time to put the transgressors of the law on notice that he will not sit idly and watch their transgressions (go) unabated,” Panelo added. ■

APRIL 12-18, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

US judge okays reparation for... PAGE A1 The paintings were believed to have been part of some 200 art collections former first lady Imelda Marcos accumulated over her husband’s 20-year regime. The court were adamant on locating the rest of the paintings. Swift’s co-counsel Rod Domingo urged the court to expe-

dite the reparation process since the family of most of the victims were poor and in need of financial assistance. “Many of the victims of human rights abuses are dead, so the money will provide needed assistance to their families,” Domingo said. The family of those that would claim the settlement proceeds

must bring the letter sent by the lawyers’ team with two valid identification cards bearing their photos. In the case of deceased victims, the next of kin may be able to receive the check. This would be the third round of compensation from the U.S. court for the victims after they were awarded $1,000 and $1,100 in previous wins. n

24 charged in billion dollar Medicare... CYBORG LEGS. Dr. Yoshiyuki Sankai (left), Cyberdyne chief executive officer and Hybrid Assistive Limb (HAL) inventor, says the technology has long been used in Japan and he is looking forward to see many Filipinos benefit from his invention. He presented the robotic limbs during the press conference at Okada Manila, Parañaque City on Wednesday, April 10. PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Palace to China on PH island: ‘Get away... PAGE A1 presence in our territory,” he said. Last week, Lt. Col. Elpidio Factor of the AFP Western Command was reported as saying that about 600 Chinese vessels were circling Pag-asa Island, which is occupied by the Philippines. This prompted the DFA to file diplomatic protests with Beijing. Factor said the ships were “occasionally complemented by Chinese Coast Guard vessels to sustain China’s assertive presence in the vicinity of the sandbars.” The Palace’s recent statements against China had a marked shift in tone. President Rodrigo Duterte, who had called China his “friend,” said last week the Chinese should lay off Pag-asa Island. “This is not a warning, this is just a word of advice to my friends because we are friends with China. So I am requesting… I will not plead or beg, but I’m just telling you to lay off the Pag-asa because I have soldiers there,” Duterte said in a speech in Palawan last April 4. “And, if you touch [the island,] that is another story. I will tell my soldiers to ‘pre-

pare for suicide missions,’”he added. Panelo said the government was hoping for a “positive response” from China following Duterte’s statement. He said the Philippine government would give China a “reasonable time” to respond to the earlier diplomatic protests. “You must remember that our responses were calibrated. We said let’s see first if it’s true; if it’s true, then we will undertake action,” he added. In 2016, Manila won an international arbitration case against Beijing over the disputed waters, but China refuses to recognize the decision. Meanwhile, Gregory Poling, director of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), said China would only change its behavior in the SCS if a “broad international consensus” would declare its actions “illegal” and if this would affect its projection as a global leader. Poling made the statement after the Group of Seven (G7) member nations expressed concern over developments at the disputed South and East China seas. G7 is composed of the United States, the United Kingdom, Japan, Germany, France, Italy

and Canada. The group, in a communique of its foreign ministers, said the Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) ruling on July 12, 2016 that dismissed China’s maritime claims must be the basis for the claimant countries to resolve the dispute. Poling said the statement of the G7 foreign ministers was “largely identical” to the statements issued in the past two years. “This year’s statement slightly strengthened some language about Unclos (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea), demilitarization and environmental concerns, but there were no substantial changes,” he told The Manila Times in an email message. “The only way China will ever change its behavior is if a broad international consensus that its actions are illegal begins to erode its ability to play a leadership role globally,” Poling stressed. “Those costs would then begin to outweigh the benefits of continuing to violate international law and bully its neighbors. So, if the G7 can serve as part of that international effort, then they can play an important role,” he added. (With Dempsey Reyes) n

PAGE A1 doctors accused of writing bogus prescriptions. “These defendants — who range from corporate executives to medical professionals — allegedly participated in an expansive and sophisticated fraud to exploit telemedicine technology meant for patients otherwise unable to access health care,” said Brian Benczkowski, the assistant attorney general for the department’s criminal division, in a statement. The Associated Press (AP) reported that officials said the profits from the scheme were laundered through offshore shell companies and then were used to purchase exotic cars, yachts, and luxury real estate around the world. . They added that the scam was detected last summer after beneficiaries complained to the Medi-

care fraud hotline. Under the scam, telemarketers would reach out to Medicare beneficiaries offering free or low-cost braces. Interested beneficiaries would then be patched through to call centers that are part of an international telemarketing network operating in the Philippines and throughout Latin America, according to AP. Afterwards, they would be connected to telemedicine companies for consultations with doctors, who wrote prescriptions for orthopedic braces, regardless of whether they were necessary or not. The prescriptions would be collected by call centers and sold to medical equipment companies, which would ship out the braces to beneficiaries and bill Medicare. Medical equipment companies would earn $500 to $900 per brace from Medicare.

Officials noted that charges were being brought against people in California, Florida, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and Texas. “The breadth of this nationwide conspiracy should be frightening to all who rely on some form of health care,” IRS criminal investigations chief Don Fort said. “The conspiracy… details broad corruption, massive amounts of greed and systemic flaws in our health care system that were exploited by the defendants,” he added. Healthcare fraud has been costing taxpayers tens of billions of dollars every year. Its true extent is unknown, and some schemes involve gray areas of complex payment policies. The FBI, the IRS, and 17 U.S. attorney’s offices took part in the crackdown of the Medicare scam. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

Harvard admits highest number of Asian... PAGE A1 Asian Americans, which was 1,950 students admitted to the just up less than a percent from university, 25.4% were Asian years prior. American. That’s up from last Not included in this year’s year’s admission cycle of 22.7% count were international stu-

dents who made up 12.3% of the admitted class last year. The number comes as federal Judge Allison Burroughs is expected to determine whether the university’s admission policies discriminate against Asian American applicants by taking the applicant’s race into account over factors like test scores and grades — a practice widely known and practiced with certain limitations as “affirmative action.” In February, arguments from both sides of the lawsuit alleging the discrimination were heard in a federal court in Boston, repeating much of what was said during a nearly month-long trial that ended in November of last year. The lawsuit dates back to 2014 when anti-affirmative action group Student for Fair Admissions sued the Ivy League university for allegedly violating Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, which prohibits racial discrimination in programs that receive federal financial assistance. In 2014, the university admit-

Senator Leila de Lima

Inquirer.net file photo Marianne Bermudez

De Lima ‘humbled, thankful’ over senators’...

PAGE A1 not only for calling out the political persecution I have to endure under the present administration but also the human rights abuses in the country,” De Lima said in a statement. “I am both humbled and thankful for their concerns not just for my plight but for the protection of human rights, democracy, rule of law, and political freedom in the Philippines where the culture of fear and impunity reign,” she added. On April 4, Senators Edward Markey of Massachusetts, Marco Rubio of Florida, Richard Durbin of Illinois, Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, and Christopher Coons of Delaware, submitted a resolution in the U.S. Senate condemning the arrests of De Lima and Rappler chief executive officer Maria Ressa. The resolution reads: “[The senators call for the Philippine PAGE A3 government to] immediately

release Senator De Lima, drop all charges against her, remove restrictions on her personal and work conditions, and allow her to fully discharge her legislative mandate, especially as Chair of the Committee on Social Justice.” Malacañang and some lawmakers, however, were not all too welcoming of the U.S. senators’ move. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, who also serves as President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel, chided the U.S. senators in a statement: “Their resolution is an unwelcome intrusion to the country’s domestic legal processes and an outrageous interference with our nation’s sovereignty…” Meanwhile, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, in a tweet tagging Rubio, said their counterparts must “mind your own business.” Senator Panfilo Lacson, for

his part, said the Philippines has its own judicial system that follows due process, even emphasizing the country is not a colony of the United States. But De Lima said the U.S. senators’ action is not “meddling” since they are “simply advancing universal causes of justice, human rights, and democracy.” “Criticisms over the support I’m getting from the international community, much less the U.S. Senate, will never remove the fact that the five senators and other foreign dignitaries before them are speaking in behalf of all the unjustly treated human rights defenders in the Philippines,” she said. “Instead of bewailing their alleged ‘meddling’, those who negatively reacted to the U.S. Senators’ move should recognize that these foreign entities are simply advancing universal causes of justice, human rights, and democracy,” she added. n

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Dateline USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 12-18, 2019

Bill to ensure diversity in California insurance passes first Senate Committee

SB 534 would require largest insurers to report supplier diversity and governing board diversity

SACRAMENTO – On Wednesday, April 10, the Senate Insurance Committee passed legislation to promote diversity in California’s insurance industry, SB 534, introduced by Sen. Steven Bradford (D-Gardena). The measure, which was supported by testimony from the California Department of Insurance, members of the department’s Insurance Diversity Task Force and The Greenlining Institute, would require the largest players in the state’s $310 billion insurance industry to report on their level of contracting with businesses owned by women, people of color, veterans and LGBT individuals. It would also require insurers to report on

the diversity of their governing boards and set goals for supplier and board diversity. “SB 534 will ensure that California’s insurance providers think about diversity when they make procurement decisions and choose their boards of directors,” said Greenlining Institute Health Equity Director Anthony Galace. “California leads the nation in diverseowned businesses, which creates the ideal environment and opportunity to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion among insurance companies and other large businesses.” Data collected by the Department of Insurance in 2017 showed that 80 percent of ma-

jor insurers’ governing board seats were held by men while just 12 percent were held by people of color. Of nearly 2,400 total board seats, only 14 members self-identified as LGBT, while 13 percent of insurance companies reported zero women and 35 percent reported zero persons of color on their boards. SB 534 is modeled on a number of prior, highly successful diversity initiatives based on reporting and transparency, which have stimulated large increases in corporate contracting with California’s diverse businesses. The bill now moves to the Judiciary Committee. n

Voting for 1.8 million overseas Filipinos starts April 13 by Jess

Diaz Philstar.com

THE one-month overseas absentee voting (OAV) starts on Saturday with 1.8 million Filipinos, working or living abroad, who are registered voters expected to cast their ballots. The lone representative of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Congress on Tuesday, April 9, urged Filipinos abroad to exercise their right of suffrage and vote for candidates who “could best represent and work for their interest and welfare.” “We are appealing to our compatriots, especially OFWs who comprise the bulk of Filipinos stationed abroad, to take advantage of this opportunity and to choose the right leaders for our country,” Rep. John Bertiz of party-list ACTS-OFW said. He hopes that all the 1.8 million registered Filipino voters in other countries could find time within the one-month period to go to the nearest embassy, consulate or other voting centers designed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to cast

their ballots. “The effort and time it took them to register would be put to naught if they fail to vote. If all the 1.8 million registered Filipino voters abroad exercise their right of suffrage, they could influence the result of voting for senatorial candidates and party-list groups,” he said. If they could not personally vote, the law allows them to send their ballots through the postal service, he added. At the same time, Bertiz urged OFWs to vote for partylist groups that could truly work for their welfare and that of their families, push for their advocacies and protect their rights. “There are some people who just want to get elected, but actually have no concrete plans or proven track-record in helping our migrant workers. Let us choose candidates who genuinely care for OFWs and their families, those who truly understand their struggles and dreams,” said the former OFW in Saudi Arabia. He urged his constituents “to use our power to elect leaders who embody our ideals and who will push for the betterment of

The lone representative of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Congress on Tuesday, April 9, urged Filipinos abroad to exercise their right of suffrage and vote for candidates who “could best represent and work for their interest and welfare.” Philstar.com file photo

Harvard admits highest... PAGE A2 ted a percentage of 18.2% Asian Americans with the percentage slightly climbing up in the following years. The group claimed that the university held Asian American students to a higher standard and used a subjective “personal rating” system that may be biased against Asian Americans to limit their admissions. The U.S Department of Justice, in siding with the anti-affirmative action group, once called the scoring system “vague and illusory” and said it scored Asian American applicants lower on the personal rating than white applicants. Harvard, which moved to dismiss the suit, has argued that it looks at university applicants holistically by taking into consideration a wide range of applicant information, including personal essays, which it uses “to understand that applicant’s full life story.” In a previously made statement, it added that the personal rating system looked at information like where the student grew up, what opportunities or challenges they faced in their families or communities, and what “impact they might have both at Harvard and after they graduate, as citizens and leaders out in the world.” Standing with the university, groups like Asian Americans Advancing Justice (Advancing

Justice), have also described the university’s admission process as holistic and benefitting to underrepresented minority students, including Asian Americans. Groups in support of Harvard have reasoned that numerical indicators like grade point averages and SAT scores — which data shows Asian American students excelling at — were not colorblind measures of merit. According to College Board data released last December, the average combined SAT score went up 42 points among Asian Americans — a gain much higher than black and white students who saw gains of five points, and Latino and Native American students who saw a decline in points. In a statement made last year, Advancing Justice said, “Research also confirms that the most promising students are not always the ones with the highest SAT scores or the best high school grades and that non-academic factors that predict success like grit, resourcefulness, creativity, and critical thinking are independent of (or even correlate negatively with) these traditional academic measures.” With Burroughs expected to make her ruling in the upcoming months, many are looking at how the outcome may affect the future of affirmative action in higher education. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) n

our lives.” The OAV voting will end on May 13, the day the nation votes for its next set of lawmakers and local officials. Most of the 1.8 million Filipinos abroad who are registered PAGE A4

PILGRIMAGE ISLAND. One of the tourist destinations and pilgrim sites this Lenten season is the Pilgrimage Island of Jesus at the Saviour National Park in Alaminos City, Pangasinan, where the 56-foot Jesus Christ The Savior statue was put up. Pilgrimage Island also features life-size statues of the Holy Family, the Stations of the Cross, and the Last Supper. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Amnesty International urges Filipinos to elect candidates who champion human rights by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

A HUMAN rights watchdog on Tuesday, April 9, called on the public to vote for candidates who will highlight the protection and fulfilment of human rights in their legislative agendas. In a release, Amnesty International Philippines said the country needs “kinder politics” after being under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte for three years as it launched its May midterm elections project called “Sagot Mo Ba Ako?”

“It is imperative that we bring back the balance and work to end the politics of demonization, which has done nothing but divide us further as a nation,” Olano said. The rights watchdog will focus on issues such as poverty, physical security and gender equality, which are “universal concerns transcending class and creed.” “Amnesty International still believes that respecting, protecting and fulfilling human rights remain the answer to many social ills plaguing the

Philippines today,” Olano said. Various rights groups stressed that the Philippines under Duterte is in its worst human rights landscape since the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos as thousands—mostly urban poor dwellers—have been killed in the brutal campaign against illegal drugs in so short a period. ‘Do your homework’ The Amnesty International Philippines officer urged the public to do their homework by understanding the candidates’ PAGE A4

Dateline USa

APRIL 12-18, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com â&#x20AC;˘ (650) 689-5160

Navy ships sail alongside US warship in South China Sea by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

SEIZED. Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) personnel, led by jail warden Supt. Randel Latoza, prepare for disposal confiscated contrabands such as mobile phones, smart watches, tobacco bricks, tobacco sticks, and cigarettes, sneaked inside the Manila City Jail. The items were seized from inmates during the conduct of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Oplan Linis Piitanâ&#x20AC;? on Tuesday, April 9. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Amnesty International urges Filipinos to... PAGE A3 policy track and keeping watch. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It begins with all of us. If we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t reinvent our mindset in choosing our leaders, we will continue to suffer the consequences. Our vote determines not just the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s future but our own. We need to ask the

right questions now during the campaign period, or we will end up with the same broken promises,â&#x20AC;? Olano said. He also called on Filipinos to remain vigilant even after the polls and make sure the elected government officials stay true to their sworn duty.

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Elected public servants are accountable to the electorateâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; they answer to and for the Filipino people. The governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s obligation to uphold our rights under the constitution and international laws is realized through the work that legislators do,â&#x20AC;? Olano said. n

Viray

THE Philippine Navy showcased its assets as part of the annual Balikatan exercises by sailing through the South China Sea , alongside the United States Navy. Photos released by the U.S. Navy show the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp sailing alongside the Philippine Navyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s landing platform dock BRP Tarlac and offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz in the contested waterway. The Philippines and the U.S. launched the 35th iteration of the Balikatan exercises last week, with an estimated 7,000 soldiers participating. This yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s military exercises brings together about 4,000 soldiers from the Armed Forces of the Philippines, 3,500 American troops and some 50 Australian soldiers. Balikatan organizers earlier announced that this would be the first time that the USS Wasp,

In this April 5, 219 photo, the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) maneuvers alongside the Philippine Navy offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon Alcaraz (PS 16) in support of Exercise Balikatan 2019. Photo U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Daniel Barker

together with the U.S. Marine Corpsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; F35B Lightning II aircraftm, will be used for the Balikatan. The joint military exercises, which will run until April 12, will involve â&#x20AC;&#x153;amphibious operations, live-fire training, urban operations, aviation operations and counterterrorism response.â&#x20AC;? During U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s visit to Manila last month, he assured the Philippines that any armed encoun-

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin

ter in the South China Sea would trigger the Mutual Defense Treaty between the Philippines and the U.S. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We remain committed to supporting not only the Philippines in that effort and the Philippines will need to do its part as well but all the countries in the region so that these incredibly vital economic sea lanes are open and China does not pose a threat to closing them down,â&#x20AC;? Pompeo said. n

Inquirer.net file photo

Locsin: US is and will remain PHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s only military ally by christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

THE United States (U.S.) is and will remain the â&#x20AC;&#x153;only military File photo shows a protester holding a placard that says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Uphold human rights.â&#x20AC;? Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales allyâ&#x20AC;? of the Philippines, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The U.S. is and will remain our only military ally. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t make an ally out of a near powerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;too close for comfort,â&#x20AC;? Locsin said in a Twitter post late Monday, April 8. )FMQJOH UIF JOKVSFE BOE UIFJS MPWFE POFT â&#x20AC;&#x153;The U.S. is and will remain our only military ally. You canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t

s )NTEG R ITY s (ONESTY s *USTICE s

make an ally out of a near powerâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;too close for comfort. Natural allies are U.S. across Pacific and Russia behind China. With China friendship is wisest; never a military alliance. The logic of balance of power. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Natural allies are U.S. across Pacific and Russia behind China. With China friendship is wisest; never a military alliance. The logic of balance of power,â&#x20AC;? he added. Locsinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tweet was a response to a Twitter user who asked him: So would you rather have China

over U.S. in South China Sea? â&#x20AC;&#x153;At least U.S. respected our territorial rights and doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t ban Pilipino people from going in and out of that area,â&#x20AC;? the Twitter user added. This in light of concerns on the presence of Chinese sea militia around Philippine-occupied islands in the West Philippine Sea. Earlier, MalacaĂąang has reaffirmed the decades-long alliance between the Philippines and the United States amid the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s effort to engage warmer ties with China. n

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PAGE A3 voters are living or working in Saudi Arabia, United States, Singapore and Hong Kong. Participation by overseas Filipinos in national elections has been improving since the OAV law was enacted in 2003. This has prompted candidates to include countries hosting large numbers of Filipinos in their campaign sorties. Administration and opposition senatorial candidates separately campaigned recently in Hong Kong. The Comelec also on Tuesday called on national and local candidates to have more consideration when holding motorcades, especially on narrow roads. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We appeal to candidates not to bring their caravans to nar-

row streets. If they must, please consider not making any stops or else youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll become a big blockade,â&#x20AC;? Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said. He added that the streets in Metro Manila are already narrow so they should avoid causing traffic congestion. Jimenez also urged candidates to tone down their noise so as not to cause discomfort and annoyance to the public. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is inconsiderate of the community and it is disruptive of life in the locality. Candidates need to be more considerate,â&#x20AC;? he said. Although the Comelec does not have a policy on the closure of roads to give way to campaign activities, he urged candidates to refrain from doing this.

Meanwhile, Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III is seeking to amend Section 6 of the Fair Elections Act to ensure equitable media access for all electoral candidates and political parties. His amendment states that whenever two or more candidates or political parties are mentioned or played together in an election advertisement, the length of their appearance will be deducted from their individual airtime limits. â&#x20AC;&#x153;By clearly defining limits on a candidateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time in broadcast media, all those who are aspiring for an elective post will be given equitable access to use broadcast media for their campaign platforms,â&#x20AC;? Pimentel said. (With reports from Sheila Crisostomo, Cecille Suerte Felipe/Philstar.com) n

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 12-18, 2019

D ATELINE PHILIPPINES Sara Duterte backs brother Paolo:

Show tattoo upon court order by NATHALIE

ROBLES

“Kung ako, ‘di ko ipapakita yung tattoo ko kasi I have my right to privacy (If it were me, I would not show my tattoo beDAVAO City Mayor and presicause I have my right to privadential daughter Sara Dutertecy),” the Davao City mayor said Carpio on Tuesday, April 9, as reported by The Philippine urged her brother Paolo, not to Star. show the tattoo on his back un“Unless there is a case about less a court issues an order manmy tattoo, kung sinasabi ng judge ipakita mo yang tattoo mo then that’s the only time na magpapakita ako (Unless there is a case about my tattoo and if the judge ordered me to show my tattoo then that’s the only time that I would show it),” she added. This came after the former Davao City vice mayor was dared by Senator Antonio Trillanes IV to dismiss the accusations regarding his involvement with the illegal drug trade in the country by showing the tattoo on his back. According to the opposition senator, Paolo has a dragon-like tattoo on his back that marks his ties with a known drug-trafficking triad. The younger Duterte already admitted that he has a tattoo on his back but declined to show it by invoking his right to privacy. Paolo clapped back at the opposition senator and his critics as he taunted them to get a tattoo for themselves instead of focusing on his body art. “Pakialam gyud akong tattoo? Pabuhat mog inyo uy! (Really, pick on my tattoo? Have one yourselves),” Paolo said in a post on his Facebook account. The presidential son said Senatorial aspirant and former special assistant to the president Christopher “Bong” Go shows his back to reporters to disprove the allegation that he has a tattoo linking him to the that he has not spent years for illegal drug trade. Inquirer.net photo PAGE A7 AJPress

dating him to do so. During a Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) campaign sortie in Surigao, Duterte-Carpio told the reporters that she would not show her tattoos if she were in her brother’s shoes because she has the constitutional right to refuse.

Over 1.49-M foreign tourists visited PH from Jan-Feb by KRISSY

AGUILAR Inquirer.net

ing the Kapihan sa Manila Bay at Cafe Adriatico. MANILA —At least 1.49 milAccording to DOT’s data, lion foreign tourists have visited 1,490,255 foreign visitor arrivals the Philippines over the first two were recorded from January to months of 2019, the Department February 2019. of Tourism (DOT) disclosed on “So this represents almost 6 Wednesday, April 10. percent growth compared to the “January to February, we al- same period last year. [About] ready have 1.49 million foreign 1.4 million last year for the first visitors,” Tourism Undersecre- two months,” Bengzon added. tary Benito Bengzon Jr. said durIn January and February 2018,

DOT recorded 1,406,337 foreign visitors. Bengzon said Korea remains to be the top visitor market of the country while China and the United States trail at number two and three, respectively. “Number one market natin Korea, number two China, number three, U.S., number four Japan, number five Taiwan,” Bengzon said. ■

GOODWILL VISIT. Members of the Philippine Navy band welcome the crew of Russian ships, Admiral Tributs and Admiral Vinogradov upon their arrival at the Pier 15, South Harbor in Manila on Monday, April 8. The two ships, together with large sea tanker, Irkut, are in the country for a goodwill visit which will last until Friday, April 12. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Duterte OKs plan to avert water crisis by CATHERINE

VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has approved a draft “master plan” calling for an “integrated approach” and placing water agencies directly under him to ensure long-term water supply, a Cabinet official said. Cabinet Secretary Karlo Alexei Nograles said Duterte had approved “in principle” the draft master plan, enclosed in an executive order. “The president approved it during the last Cabinet meeting. So the draft has been given to the Office of the Executive Secretary already for vetting. The draft will be finalized and signed by the president,” Nograles said. He said the provisions under the draft master plan would precede the establishment of a Department of Water. Among these provisions is the reconstitution of the National Water Resources Board into a body that would be responsible for policy, direction-setting, and the integration of all government efforts pertaining to water. “The best way to do that is to put them under the Office of the President, so pending Congress passing the Department of Wa-

ter, this is the fastest way that we can resolve all our water resource issues and concerns… We will have an integrated approach when it comes to dealing with our water resources,” he added. Nograles said the plan would also seek a review of agreements with water concessionaires of the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System, namely Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. “We will examine their performance vis a vis what is in the agreement, what the terms are,” he said. Nograles said the creation of the Department of Water should be pushed by the Legislative-Executive Development Advisory Council (Ledac), the consultative and advisory body that helps the President coordinate his legislative agenda with Congress. “This needs to be included in the Ledac agenda because of the fragmented approach [to the water supply issue] that we have,” Nograles said. Otherwise, the next administration could simply set the order aside, he said. “Ideally it has to be institutionalized through the Department of Water. We hope we will have allies in both houses of Congress to pass this bill and

all the other priority legislations,” he said. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia first broached the idea of creating a water department, but Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said on March 18 that there was no need for it since the water shortage in parts of Metro Manila and Rizal had been addressed. Duterte approved the proposal to create a water department during the Cabinet meeting on April 1. A bill seeking for the establishment of a Department of Water, Irrigation, Sewage and Sanitation Resource Management, which would, among other duties, “manage and protect the country’s water resources” is pending in the Senate. In March, tens of thousands of Metro Manila residents serviced by Ayala-led Manila Water formed queues for hours at water rationing stations after their taps ran dry because of increased demand amid the dry season. 35 water bodies In a related development, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has classified 35 new water bodies, PAGE A7

APRIL 12-18, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

FEATURES

Honoring valor

EACH year their numbers dwindle, but a grateful nation is keeping alive the memory of their valor. On Tuesday, April 9, 77 years after the heroic resistance to foreign invaders ended with the Fall of Bataan, those who fought and died in Corregidor or were marched off to Capas in Tarlac are being honored again. Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) is marked by the country side by side with its treaty ally the United States, whose soldiers also died or endured the Death March in defense of the Philippines. The event is also commemorated together with the two countries’ former enemy Japan, which has renounced war in its pacifist constitution and is now the largest provider of official development assistance to the Philippines. War brings out courage and heroism. Sadly, over seven decades after the end of World War II, the Philippines continues to grapple with internal armed conflict, compelling state forces to put their lives on the line in fighting those who threaten national security. These men and women of the uniformed services are also being hon-

ored today, for their brave service to the country. As important as honoring them is promoting the welfare of those who have served, and the heirs of those who gave their lives for the country. President Duterte has done much since assuming power to correct this, but others can also do their part. Limited funding is not the only reason why Filipino war veterans do not get the same special privileges that their counterparts in other countries enjoy. There are still sectors of society that regard state forces chiefly as cannon fodder, with no thought about the sacrifice and love of country that are intrinsic to their mission. Araw ng Kagitingan honors these heroes, ensuring that their sacrifice will not be forgotten. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS THERE IS a humanitarian crisis in the U.S.-Mexico border as President Donald Trump declared, but what is ironic is that he caused this crisis. Yes, there has been an influx of people coming in from Central America — thousands more are arriving as families with women and children in tow to seek refuge from violence and hunger in America. But the way the Trump administration has been trying to address this problem exacerbates the situation and created the humanitarian crisis we now face. While Trump has the right to stop the illegal entry of immigrants coming through the southern border, this president chooses to violate the law by not only reinstating but expanding the policy that has lead to the mass separation of families, with more than 2,700 children being separated from their parents who were taken into custody for criminal prosecution. These refugees took a long journey through Mexico to save their families and took the risk

Trump wants to expand his inhumane policy of separating immigrant families at the U.S.-Mexico border of crossing the border illegally to seek asylum in the United States. This is a LEGAL recourse according to our laws and our treaties, and the asylum seekers can apply for asylum either when they enter the legal points of entry or through the border. Trump chose to call the asylum program a “scam”, and said asylum seekers are some of the roughest people you’ve ever seen…” During the campaign and up to last year, Trump has been demonizing immigrants coming from the southern border, calling them “animals,” criminals, who are invading the country to destroy America and steal American jobs. True to his record, Trump never owned his culpability on this crisis, blaming everybody else except himself. On Tuesday, Trump pivoted back to his default excuse and lies, saying it was former President Barack Obama who had the [policy of separating families and building cages — an allegation already debunked many times. Trump went further to say it was he who in fact

WE certainly are in deep trouble if the two top officials of the land exhibit a serial tendency, which has become a habit, toward making irrational statements. Though expressed in different ways, both President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo have this habit of speech that simply begs the application of some hermeneutic skills, if not deconstruction. The president has on many occasions engaged in what can be construed as incoherent ramblings with incomplete sentences and with a kind of prose and a choice of words that require some skills to decode. This is why he is prone to misinterpretation, and often requires presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo or his cabinet officials to elaborate, interpret or sometimes contradict or negate. President Duterte’s oral skills are characteristic of someone who thinks aloud. His speech is what people who are used to conversing with friends over bottles of beer or gin can easily relate to. And this is why despite the seeming incoherence, there is an air of familiarity with the masses, which is made

ended family separation. “The Obama administration did not do that, no. We did not separate children from their parents,” former Obama domestic policy adviser Cecilia Muñoz told NPR in May 2018, as reported by credible and independent news organizations. Muñoz said this “zero tolerance” policy “puts us in league with the most brutal regimes in the world’s history.” It was then-Attorney General Jeff Sessions who instituted the “zero tolerance” policy at the Southern border in April 2018 and many children up to now have not yet been reunited with their families because the Trump Administration implemented this policy WITHOUT A PLAN on how to reunite the children from their parents. It was only when a federal judge allowed a lawsuit to challenge the policy in June 2018 that Trump issued an executive order to end it. Relentless, Trump pushed for the construction of the border wall to please his base, at the expense of shutting down the government after an impasse with the House Democrats who

would not fund the border wall. Trump then declared a national emergency when in fact there is no emergency that would require a massive expensive wall to be built, because otherwise, he would have asked for it when the Republicans controlled both the Senate and the House before the 2018 midterm elections. However, Americans living at the border, including many Filipinos, as well as state and military officials who oppose funneling money allocated for military projects and disaster relief operations, contend that what is urgently needed now to solve the humanitarian crisis in the border is NOT the wall. But rather, more people are needed to help speed up processing the asylum claims, and a decent living condition at the border that will keep family together while ensuring their safety and basic needs are met. Even worse: CNN reported that during a visit to Calexico, California on Friday, Trump told border patrol agents behind the scenes not to let any migrants in and, if ordered to by a judge, to respond, “Sorry,

judge, I can’t do it. We don’t have the room.” According to the report, “When the agents later asked their commanding officers about the remarks, their superiors said [the] policy was to obey the law and that they would face personal liability if they complied with Trump’s orders.” Then during Friday’s trip to the border, Trump reportedly ordered Homeland Security Secretary Kristjen Nielsen and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to shut down the port of El Paso on March 22, with plans to close other ports later. Trump asked Nielsen to resign after she argued that closing down the ports would simply shut down legal commerce and travel while migrants entered between the ports. Trump reportedly responded “I don’t care,” two people in the room said, according to the CNN report. Nielsen allegedly tried in vain to explain to Trump that migrants from Central America are legally allowed to apply for asylum. CNN further reported that it was Acting White House chief of staff Mick Mulvaney who was

eventually able to talk Trump out of the plan, that was why Trump shifted gears and resorted to refusing entry to asylum seekers. Trump then ordered that asylum seekers be denied entry to the United States and to just wait in Mexico. But as the Washington Post reported, a federal judge on Monday blocked this policy that requires asylum seekers to wait in Mexico while their asylum claims are processed. However Trump would like to spin this issue and lie to the American people about his true intent, NBC News reported that Nielsen’s resignation Sunday night was largely due to Trump pressuring her to resume the separation of parents from their children at the border. Trump argued, “family separation was the most effective deterrent.” *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Presidential ramblings, vice presidential ignorance

Commentary

ANTONIO P. CONTRERAS

Philstar.com photo

even more familiar by the intermittent cursing and vulgarity. Leni Robredo’s manner of speaking is, however, a totally different matter. The Filipino language is such a beautiful way to express ideas, but it seems that it gets murdered every time Robredo uses it. She has this habit of turning what appears to be logical arguments into inane and empty rhetoric. While president Duterte’s incoherent ramblings appear to be a result of a tendency to think aloud, Robredo’s incoherence appears to be emanating from what many allege as the absence of thought. And it could even be fatal to statements that otherwise make sense but lose their logic and turn into inanities the moment she utters them, like what happened to the feminist advocacy statement that rape exists because of rapists. But what is even worse is when Duterte and Robredo appear irrational not because of how they say things, but of what they actually say. Recently, the president threatened to suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus and declare what he labeled as a “revolutionary war.” The suspension of the privilege of the writ is a prerogative of the president as provided in the 1987 Constitution, under Section 18 of Article VII, where he can do so “in case of invasion or

President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Leni Robredo

rebellion, when the public safety requires it.” Under the Constitution, and as commander-in-chief the president can also call the Armed Forces whenever it becomes necessary to prevent or suppress lawless violence, invasion or rebellion. He can also, aside from suspending the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus, declare martial law. However, both the suspension of the privilege of the writ and the declaration of martial law are subject to review and concurrence by Congress, and can be elevated to the Supreme Court on issues of presence or

ManilaTimes.net photos

absence of factual basis. However, there is no construct in political science where a sitting president declares a “revolutionary war.” He is free to call his campaign against crime and drugs as “wars” but they would be mere labels designed for effect, in the same manner that even civil society activists refer to a war against poverty or environmental destruction. After all, the only wars that are formally declared are against other countries, for which it is Congress that has the power and not the president. Civil wars are not formally declared, but they

could be outcomes of a declaration of hostilities by rebel forces against the government. Governments do not declare war against its own people, but simply deploy their monopoly over the legitimate use of violence against rebel forces and enemies of the state. If this is what the President refers to, then it would be perfectly within the bounds of the Constitution as provided in Section 18 of Article VII. But what the president cannot declare is a revolutionary war, simply because it is not the state that initiates a revolution. What he can mount is a palace coup, and oust his own constitutional government, after which he can declare a revolutionary government. This is no longer a constitutional process since it effectively deposes the Constitution. However, while the president’s irrational utterance may just be based on his lack of familiarity with the academic jargon used by political scientists to refer to types of political violence, the irrationality of Robredo is worse. It emanates from a fundamental ignorance of what an extra-constitutional process implies. Robredo expressed her readiness to take over the reins of power in Malacañang if and when the president declares a revolutionary government, because she thinks it is her mandate as vice president. This is evidence no

longer just of an unfamiliarity with the proper jargon, but goes deeper and reveals a fundamental lack of understanding of the concept of a revolutionary government and its implications on political order. Robredo and her cabal of lawyer friends like Romy Macalintal and Florin Hilbay must be told. Constitutional succession no longer exists in the event that a revolutionary government is installed. The basis of the legitimacy of rule is no longer the Constitution but whoever wields the power to mobilize arms and exact compliance from the people. They should be reminded that this is exactly what enabled Cory Aquino, and not Arturo Tolentino who was the legitimate vice president at the time, to become president in 1986 after Ferdinand Marcos was ousted by a coup led by Juan Ponce Enrile and Fidel Ramos. If Robredo wants to become president should Duterte declare a revolutionary government, then she and her allies have to wage a countercoup. However, should they succeed, she must realize that she will also ascend to the post in an extra-constitutional manner. But then again, this is something that Robredo, who evidently lacks understanding of the nature and consequences of an extra-constitutional political transition, would find hard to comprehend. (ManilaTimes.net)

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 12-18, 2019

Duterte: ISIS will never gain a foothold in Philippines again

MANILA — International terrorist group Islamic State of Iraq and Syria will no longer gain a foothold anywhere in the Philippines but remains a cause for concern for government forces, President Rodrigo Duterte said. Duterte cited the military’s gains against the Abu Sayyaf, a local terrorist group involved in bombings and kidnappings that has pledged allegiance to the ISIS. The strength of the Abu Sayyaf has been estimated at about 400. “I am especially pleased with our military’s recent accomplishments against the Abu Sayyaf Group. Your efforts have brought us even closer to our ultimate objective of totally crushing the violent extremism at its roots,” the president said during the commemoration of Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) in Jolo, Sulu on Tuesday, April 9. “With this, I can confidently declare that ISIS will never gain foothold anywhere in the Philippines,” he added. ISIS, which aims to establish a worldwide caliphate, inspired extremists from the Maute group to

occupy the Islamic City of Marawi in 2017, a siege that paved way to the longest urban war in the Philippines since World War II. About 1,000 terrorists and more than 160 soldiers died during the siege, which prompted Duterte to place the entire island Mindanao under martial law. Duterte, nevertheless, said the military should continue its campaign against ISIS and its supporters. “Well of course, there is the ISIS that we have to worry (about) in this part of Sulu, up and down Basilan. We’ll just have to fight and fight,” the president said. “When you fight, I will protect you, the utmost,” he added. Duterte also lauded the soldiers who died and those who were injured during recent military operations in Sulu, a known hotbed of the Abu Sayyaf. “I purposely went here to commemorate the Araw ng Kagitingan. All Filipinos deserve the title “kagitingan (valor).” But here in Jolo, the bravest ones are here. To the gallant men of Jolo, you have my everlasting gratitude for what you are doing to our coun-

including rivers, bays and lakes, that have been identified as potential sources of potable water in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. The Philippines now has a total of 824 classified waters, as contained in a memorandum circular issued by Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu. Republic Act 9275 or the “Water Quality Management Act” mandates the DENR to categorize water bodies — whether freshwater or coastal — according to their quality, area, purpose and vulnerability to pollution. Fresh surface water, which include lakes, rivers and reservoirs, are classified as “AA,” “A,” “B,” “C” and “D,” while coastal and marine waters are classified as “SA,” “SB,” “SC” and “SD.” Under the latest circular, nine rivers in Zamboanga Peninsula (Region 9), namely Batu, Binuangan, Buayan, Catituan, Lambuyong, Logpond, Lutiman, Suloan and Sinusayan were classified as Class “B” and “C.” Class “B” refers to recreational water intended for primary con-

ILLEGAL POSTERS. Personnel of the Department of Public Works and Highways dismantle campaign posters tacked on an electric post in Manila. The Commission on Elections had warned politicians to take down illegal posters or face charges. ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina

BI orders probe of trafficking at Manila airport by William

Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

BUREAU of Immigration (BI) Commissioner Jaime Morante has ordered an investigation of alleged involvement of some imtact recreation such as bath- like coagulation, sedimentation, migration officers assigned at ing and swimming, while Class filtration and disinfection. Also the Ninoy Aquino International “C” pertains to fishery water for classified as Class “A” were Mu- Airport (NAIA) in large-scale hupropagation and growth of fish leta and Aloran rivers in northern man trafficking. Mindanao (Region 10) and Alibuand other aquatic resources. Acting BI Port Operations DiIn Mimaropa (Region 4B), clas- nan River in Iloilo. vision (POD) chief Grifton MeBicol’s Camgat-Surong and dina on Tuesday disclosed that sified either as Class “C” or “SC,” which refers to fishery water for Dinauyan rivers were classified Morente’s order was in reaction propagation intended for com- as Class “C” and “B,” respective- to President Rodrigo Duterte’s mercial and sustenance fishing, ly. Both the Balaong and Madlum special envoy to China Ramon were Sabang River in Sablayan, rivers in Central Tulfo’s column in The Manila Luzon (Region 3) were catego- Times alleging that several midOccidental Mindoro, and Bangon, Gabawan and Bongoy rivers rized as Class “B” or recreational dle-level immigration officials in Romblon. Mimaropa refers to water intended for primary con- are leaders of a human traffickMindoro, Marinduque, Romblon tact recreation. ing syndicate at the NAIA. Portions of Muleta and Aloran and Palawan. At the same time, Medina said Portions of Guimaras and rivers in Region 10 were classi- as head of the POD, he was takIloilo straits in Western Visayas fied either as “A,” “B,” and “C.” ing full responsibility, even as (Region 6) were declared Class Lobo and Pamintahan-Tubig ng “SB” or fishery water suitable Bayan-Sala rivers in Batangas for commercial propagation of were classified as Class “B” and shellfish and intended as spawn- “C,” respectively. Bojo River, the lone water body PAGE A5 ing areas for milkfish and similar classified in Cebu (Region 7), was his tattoo, enduring cries and species. Masbate Bay and Mobo Bay in categorized as “Class B.” sweats of pain, only for critics to In Davao (Region 11), the feast on. Bicol (Region 5) were classified as Class “SC” and “SB,” respec- Mayo River and Mayo Bay were “Are you out of your mind? No classified as “B” and “SB,” re- way, Trillilings,” Paolo said as tively. In Caraga (Region 8), Mamkas spectively. Three rivers in Socc- reported by The Philippine Daily River in Agusan del Norte was sksargen (Region 12) namely Inquirer. categorized as Class “A” or in- Glan, Malapatan and SapuMasla Locsin: Never accommodate tended as water supply source re- were classified as “B,” “C,” and enemies quiring conventional treatments “C,” respectively. n Department of Foreign Affairs

Duterte OKs plan to avert... PAGE A5

try,” the president said. “Let me assure you that the government continues to prioritize your welfare and that of your families,” he added. Duterte: No more talks with CPP-NPA Duterte also reiterated he is not ready to talk to communists, whom he said lack sincerity in pursuing peace. “They (communists) have shown that they do not like it (talks). If they want the two sides to disrespect each other, then let’s not talk anymore. If you want, let’s just kill each other,” the president said. “You cannot even hang on to a barangay for 24 hours. You just hit and run. Why should I be scared of you?” he added of the New People’s Army, which has been engaged in guerrilla warfare against the government since 1969.. The president vowed to continue upgrading the military’s capabilities and to fund programs that would promote their welfare. He promised to look for money so the armed forces can acquire fast craft vessels. (Philstar.com)

he urged that it would be to the best interest of everyone if evidence was presented and formal complaints were filed first. “My stand as chief of the [division is that] I remain accountable and responsible for alleged incidents [of human trafficking] and even [for those] incidents that happened before, even if [they] did not happen during my time,” he told The Manila Times in an exclusive interview. Medina said it was possible that there were cases of human trafficking at the NAIA but added that they were isolated incidents. In his column, Tulfo said the human trafficking syndicate at the NAIA nets P10 million to P50 million a day. But Medina said the figures were “mathematically impossible,” considering the accom-

plishments of BI in preventing human trafficking, which enabled the Philippines to retain its Tier 1 rating for three consecutive years, 2016 to 2018, in the U.S. State Department’s Trafficking in Persons report. Tier 1 rating implies that a country complies with the minimum standards set by the United States Trafficking Victim Protection Act. Immigration records showed that from January 2016 to February 2019, the Traffic Enforcement Control Unit has deferred the departure of 111,912 passengers at the NAIA and other airports and seaports. “If we have no accomplishments and we are not on Tier 1 status, that’s possible. The figures do not match. It’s mathematically impossible for me,” Medina said. n

Sara Duterte backs brother Paolo: Show...

(DFA) Secretary Teodoro Locsin It won’t happen). It is a matter Jr. agreed with the president’s of honor never to accommodaughter and advised the young- date enemies,” Locsin said in a er Duterte not to accommodate tweet. requests from the opposition so A six-minute video documenthat they would not act “self-im- tary detailing Paolo’s involveportantly.” ment in a drug syndicate circu“I won’t even show our notes lated online last week. Duterte’s verbale regarding China, tattoo camp claimed that political enko pa? Manigas na silang lahat emies were behind the release (What more with my tattoo? of the said video. n

April 12-18, 2019 • NOrCAl ASiAN JOUrNAl

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

Friday, April 12, 2019

Photo by Donna Ibarra

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

The multilayered Filipina American experience, as told by rapper Ruby Ibarra that FrancisM was talking about,” she says. “I think it’s learning music production and coming full circle.” “I DON’T feel any more eventually performing publicly In addition to the late free than I do when I’m on at colleges and local venues. By Filipino rapper, Ibarra credits that stage in front of a mi2010, she made her own videos listening to Tupac, Wu-Tang crophone,” Filipina American on YouTube and two years Clan, and Lauryn Hill as furtherrapper and spoken word artist later, she released her debut ing her interest in hip-hop and Ruby Ibarra says. mixtape, “Lost in Translation,” music in general. Wu-Tang’s Before she takes the stage, hosted by DJ Kay Slay, which music inspired her to learn she collects herself and starts more about boom rap and organizing lyrics in her head. It’s premiered that same night on a meditation of sorts until she’s Shade 45 Satellite Radio in New experiment with different lyrical York City. techniques, while “The Miseduout in front of the audience, Ibarra studied biochemistry cation of Lauryn Hill,” was the then it’s “autopilot” mode from and molecular biology at Uni“soundtrack” of Ibarra’s formathere. versity of California, Davis and tive years. “The nerves help give me “Being influenced by that that adrenalin I need to be able is a scientist by day, but turns into this musical force by night and seeing the power of storyto perform. When I lose that and on weekends. She released telling through the medium of sense of nerves, that’s when I “Circa91” in October 2017 unmusic are what inspired me to feel like I should be wondering, ‘Is the passion still there?’” der independent label Beatrock try to delve into that and try to Music, which has Filipino artists make music on my own,” she Ibarra says. “The fact that I get Bambu, Rocky Rivera, Klassy says.  nervous before I get on stage and more in its catalog. She adds, “I find it impormeans I do care about what the The 18 tracks on the album tant more than ever to use my audience will perceive the show — some of which are interludes platform to share my voice beto be and I still very much care that tie together Ibarra’s expecause I can provide that sense about my craft.” rience — were all challenging of identity for someone else, It’s been two years since to write, Ibarra admits. just like how I felt as a little 5the release of Ibarra’s first full“Circa91,” which was fitting- year-old girl listening to Lauryn length album, “Circa91,” but ly titled after the year her family Hill. If I could give, even just 1% she wants the community and migrated to the United States, of that feeling that Lauryn gave music industry to know that was her chance to get raw me to someone else, then I feel she’s “out here” and still has a about the layers of her personal like I’ve accomplished what I’ve lot to say. identity and history, which she wanted to do with my art.” When we have our converMainstream influences sation, Ibarra gushes about her had kept at a distance before the album. The manner in which aside, Ibarra candidly draws anticipation of attending the from her lived experiences teeGrammy Awards the next night she speaks is introspective, yet flows in a way similar to her tering two cultures, questionfor the first time. “Hopefully music wherein she emphasizes ing where she fit in, and being we’ll be at the Grammys next certain words and pauses in raised by a single mother. year again. I’m just going to between statements to let them “These are people who speak this into existence that sink in with the recipient. don’t necessarily have a platsomewhere down the road, She brings listeners into her form to share their experiencwe’ll be on that stage,” she world to learn where Ruby Ibar- es,” she describes. “We never proclaims. ra is coming from and who she hear about the story of a single Ibarra, who was born in Tacloban, Philippines, moved to is, while infusing English, Taga- parent, Filipina immigrant in the log and Waray, the language middle of the Bay Area or we San Lorenzo, California at four spoken in the Eastern Visayas. don’t hear about the story of a years old. For example, the second verse Filipino immigrant who came to One of the tangible remof Playbill$ is entirely in the the U.S. in his 30s and couldn’t nants carried over from the latter language, which she has find a job. Why can’t we glohomeland was her mother said that in addition to Tagalog, rify and amplify those kinds of Evelyn’s cassette tape of voices as much as those we Filipino rapper Francis Magalo- is perfect for hip-hop. “Prior to the album, my hear in the mainstream?” na’s (whose stage name was approach as a rapper was trying In “7000 miles,” she reFrancisM) album “Yo!” Ibarra to prove myself on the mic and counts about her family’s immirecalls being able to recite the show people my lyrical abilities grant experience “7,000 miles lyrics at an early age because and expand my lyricism, but I away from home with language the album was on loop “in the wouldn’t really show people barriers” and trying to fit into background constantly.” who the person was behind the American culture (“Mama said “It somehow introduced microphone,” she says. to learn their way, every day I me to music and I ended up On “Background,” Ibarra emulate / ’Til identity erased, falling in love with it. I ended up narrates the experience of overcome by inner hate”). memorizing the lyrics, being a being scolded after playing in On “Broken Mirrors,” she little kid reciting ‘mga kabathe sun and being scrubbed speaks about growing up withbayan ko.’ I think at the time, by whitening tools like papaya out a father and being raised I didn’t really fully fathom the soap: “They say papaya soap solely by her mother. “Reflecsocially conscious themes that only works when it burns. And tions of a 5-year-old lookin’ in were very much integrated in It burns deep. So scrub harder / the rear view / Wonderin’ why his music,” she narrates. When we played outside on hot she ain’t got a father like her With threads like colordays, our mothers would say peers do,” she bares. ism — the culture of skin tone we smell just like the sun / You “I got to show the vulnerdiscrimination in the Philippines don’t wanna be in the sun… ability and show people what — to unifying Filipinos found in they all say / We are taught to I experienced growing up and FrancisM’s music, Ibarra would fear darkness but ironically find who I truly was,” Ibarra says. continue those conversations “‘Broken Mirrors’ was one of two decades later from the lens solace in the shade / But this skin, was built to change colors the most challenging because I of a Filipina American millennial like chameleons.” really reflected and looked back raised in the Bay Area. “With ’Circa 91’ or the at my personal life.” As a teenager, Ibarra poetry I write, I see how much There are moments when started writing her own pothey are similar to the themes she’s not afraid to get politietry and rhymes, which led to cal with references of what’s going on back in the Philippines, call out rape culture and toxic masculinity, and unpack colonial mentality. On “Taking Names” (feat. Bambu and Nump Trump), she talks about the Philippines and the Filipino people being colonized by Spain and the United States. “From Morro Bay to the East Bay, we stay survivin’ where we stay / They keep invading’ where we lay, there’s no debating’ that we pay / That naval base up in Subic Bay / To all the places that they tried to take / From Magellan’s days to by

Christina M. Oriel / aJPress

Ibarra performs in Oakland in 2018.

Photo courtesy of Ruby Ibarra

A still from the “Us” music video, featuring Rocky Rivera, Klassy and Faith Santilla.

Ibarra joined Reebok’s #BeMoreHuman campaign.

Philip’s raid / When the land was raped and they changed the way.” One of the standout tracks of “Circa91” is “Us,” featuring Rocky Rivera, Klassy and Faith Santilla, which has taken a life of its own and has become an empowering Filipina American anthem. Its music video, which Ibarra directed, features over 100 Pinays, as well as costumes from different regions of the motherland. “Island woman rise, walang makakatigil / Brown, brown woman, rise / They got nothin’ on us (aye!)” Klassy chants in the hook. Early on in the writing process, Ibarra knew she wanted to bring on a “multitude of female voices” after noticing that the woman’s perspective is still largely missing, even in immigrant stories. The first verse has the lyrics: “Yo f*ck a story arc if it don’t involve no matriarchs / Our mothers work from the ground up.” This song was a way to “dismantle the patriarchy and that notion that the Filipina has to always be on the sidelines and be the backbone to the men and always in the background,” Ibarra says. “To have a track like that, where we’re celebrating sisterhood and feminism, we’re showing, not just in rap, but in our community that we’re out here.” Ibarra said that if “Circa91” is any indication, she has a following and people are listening. “It was because of the reception of the last album and these last shows I’ve been doing that have been affirming to me as an artist where I realize there are people who want to hear the things I talk about and who feel like they’re represented through my music and are seen through the music videos,” she said. In 2018, a year she says “gave [her] the best memories of life so far,” she collaborated with SZA on MasterCard’s ‘Start Something Priceless’ commercial leading up to the Grammys. The Filipina American rapper was featured on billboards in New York’s Time Square and across from Madison Square Garden for the campaign. It’s an opportunity she “would have never expected to happen in a million years.” “When we see these big mainstream artists in the spotlight, we believe oftentimes it was an overnight success. That’s really not the case. I can speak for myself that…this is years and years of working on my craft, investing in myself and trying to put myself out there. You have to remember to keep putting in the work and keep practicing and perfecting what you’re doing,” she says. “If you’re authentic in what you do, if you actually speak your truth, then people will take notice of that and people will eventually listen and love what you’re doing.” Ibarra continues to tour “Circa91” nearly two years later around the United States Photo from Instagram/@RubyIbarra (some upcoming performances

Photo courtesy of Ruby Ibarra

Ruby Ibarra was featured on billboards in New York for the MasterCard’s #StartSomethingPriceless campaign. Photo from Instagram/@RubyIbarra

The cover of “Circa91,” Ibarra’s debut full-length album released in October 2017.

this summer include Levitt Pavilion in Los Angeles and the Smithsonian Folklife Festival in Washington, D.C.) and in the Philippines, including Malasimbo Music & Arts Festival this past March in Puerto Galera. Currently, she’s in the process of writing and directing a short film version to accompany the album. Audiences can expect Ibarra to drop another album this October, just in time for Filipino American History Month. “I feel like I’m here at a time when the community has me on their shoulders and I think that completely challenges the notion of crab mentality in our community,” she said. “A lot of people are lifting me up and want to see me succeed and I’m very honored and humbled to see that happen. At the end of the day, I want to see us all rise up together.” She credits seeing Filipinos like Darren Criss sweeping major awards like a Golden Globe, R&B artist H.E.R. winning Grammys, and Bruno Mars selling out arenas around the world as a “pivotal moment for Filipino Americans in the entertainment industry.” “The fact that we’re seeing these representations of people who look like us, we’re seeing a shift in Hollywood as

well. This is the perfect window and opportunity for artists like myself to just jump in and do our thing and support each other more than ever,” she says, putting out a call to support other Filipino American art and stories to “build each other up and increase visibility for us.” From the lolas (grandmothers) who spend their retired time raising the kids to the titas (aunts) who share the role of motherhood to the nanays (moms) who do everything they can to keep the family afloat, Ibarra hopes to honor them with her music. “After having met so many Filipinas this past year who are all inspiring, incredible and powerful, coupled with my experiences with my own mother, when I think about the identity of what it means to be Filipina, it’s to be completely resilient, strong, and selfless,” Ibarra says. “Women are more important than ever and we’re not one-dimensional characters that the media perceive us to be. There are so many stories and so many different voices and it’s important to amplify these different perspectives because when we say ‘woman,’ it’s not just one story that can encompass the identity of all women.”

Your Immigration Solution Devin M. Connolly THE ability to apply for permanent resident status (green card) in the U.S. rather than at the Embassy in your native country is frequently more than a simple convenience. Rather, being forced to depart the U.S. and apply abroad can have lifealtering consequences. By leaving the U.S. an applicant may be making themselves ineligible for the very thing they are leaving the U.S. to apply for – a green card. And no, it does not matter that they only reason you left the U.S. was because you were told that you were ineligible be granted your green card from within the U.S. So it is clear that it is beneficial to apply in the U.S. Not only is it less disruptive to your life and less expensive since you do not have to travel, but you also will not trigger any bars to returning because you would have never left. Unfortunately though, not everybody is eligible to be granted their green card in the U.S. There are many reasons why a person may not be currently eligible to apply for their green card in the U.S. A common reason for this ineligibility is because they were previously ordered deported. Whether they were ordered deported after failing to appear in Immigration Court or because the Immigration Judge denied their application, this outstanding order of deportation will make you ineligible for your green card. It then becomes necessary to have the prior court case reopened. A person will be ordered deported if they fail to appear for their hearing in Immigration Court. This is referred to as an in absentia order of deportation. A foreign national issued an in absentia order of deportation

Get your green card even though you have been ordered deported

has 180 days to file a motion with the Immigration Court requesting that the order be rescinded because their failure to appear was due to ‘exceptional circumstances.’ The term ‘exceptional circumstances’ refers to compelling situations beyond the control of the foreign national, such as serious illness to themselves or serious illness or death of their spouse, child, or parent. As you can see, a case will not be reopened for something as trivial as car problems the day of the hearing or an inability to take time off from work. Rather, it truly must be an exceptional situation for a case to be reopened on this ground.

relief, only to have the Immigration Judge deny their case. The foreign national may even appeal and have their case denied by the Board of Immigration Appeals as well. In this situation a person is required to file their motion to reopen within 90 days of the decision. But what happens if you do not become eligible for your green card for several years, perhaps when your child turns 21-years-old. Despite being well beyond the 90-day limit, it may still be possible to have your case reopened and be granted your green card. You will have to show clear evidence that you are eligible for your green card if the court case is reopened, and it helps to also show compelling evidence why your case should be reopened, such as hardship to family members or significant ties to the U.S. Despite an outstanding order of deportation, a green card may still be within your grasp. It is advisable to consult an experienced and knowledgeable attorney who is dedicated solely to the practice of immigration law so that they may advise you of potential options and their likelihood of success.

Despite an outstanding order of deportation, a green card may still be within your grasp. A second reason an in absentia order of deportation may be rescinded is if the Immigration Court did not provide proper notice of the time, date and location of the hearing. And while many people are indeed notified and simply choose not to appear because they fear the outcome will not be positive, many others are not properly notified. There are no official time limits on filing a motion based on a lack of notice, but a person should make this request to the court in a timely manner after learning that they were ordered deported. It is also important to note that a foreign national is required to inform the Immigration Court when they changes their address, Thus, a person cannot fail to appear after moving and then ask for their case to be reopened because the post office did not properly forward their mail. There are also times when a person appears in court and submits their application for

*** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

community SF Jodi continues to reach her goals in life The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

JODI Sta. Maria started her showbiz career doing support roles in popular youth-oriented TV shows “Gimik” and “Flames.” Her breakout role, however, was as the tomboyish Georgina in the very successful teen drama series “Tabing Ilog,” which ran for four years. After these youth projects, she transitioned into a soap opera star with the phenomenal hit series “Please Be Careful With My Heart” and such critically acclaimed movies as “Chassis” and “Aparisyon,” which earned her Best Actress nominations in Gawad Urian. For TV, she was also nominated for an International Emmy as Amor Powers in “Pangako Sa ’Yo.” But her list of achievements does not end there. In 2017, the actress pursued a Psychology course for pre-med at Southville International School. She finished top of her class with a 3.8 GPA last semester and will be graduate next year. Moreover, she also secured a certification as Acupuncture Detoxification Specialist in October 2018. “After a week of intense training, I found a better appreciation for those actively practicing this. When you start your day healing people from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. you realize that this is hard work. It is when we meet others’ needs that our [own] needs are satisfied in the process. By healing an individual, you heal a community. You need not be a medical practitioner to do this — all you have to be is someone who cares for another person’s well-being,” she wrote in her Instagram account. “I met new people, made new friends, who I know will eventually become family because we share the same advocacy. I am truly grateful for

Jodi Sta. Maria

all that I have learned here and I am fired up to share it with you!” she added. Being a mom is what matters most But while Sta. Maria is pas-

Photo from Instagram/@jodistamaria

sionate about acting and pursuing medical school, she notes that her most fulfilling role was becoming a mother to Thirdy Lacson. Continued on Page SF7

celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

celebrity world

Kris Aquino takes a break from social media

By Ferdie Villar WITH all the controversies surrounding Kris Aquino, it didn’t come as a surprise that she decided to take a break from social media. With her continued health issues (she has been battling an autoimmune disease) and the ongoing legal battle with former project manager Nicko Falcis, the Queen of All Media admitted that she can no longer pretend that she is okay. Kris recently announced that she decided to take time off from all her social media connections for the sake of health. The actress, host and endorser announced her hiatus last Tuesday, April 9, ironically on social media. She posted a photo of a quote that read, “Everybody has a chapter they don’t read out loud.” It continued, “A confession: I’m entering mine...for many months there was a NEED to prove: “they” (not just the enemies you became aware of, but so many others) didn’t break me...yet in the process of protecting myself, I wasn’t allowing myself to heal. “This is a RISK but before coming to this conclusion, I did the math to make sure the people who would be financially affected by my decision to step away, TO LIVE FOR ME, would in no way suffer from my decision.” Kris also said that although she has projects she is looking forward to doing, she does not have enough strength to prove that she is strong to deal with everything. “For so long, bashers and trolls labeled me a “drama queen” and for about a year - they’ve been right. This has

EMPLOYMENT

been my best acting in my life: outwardly showing you that I was keeping it together, when deep inside I’ve been consumed by real depression, primarily because of my complicated medical diagnosis,” she added. She also stated that she has to stop pretending that she is okay, and be able to make peace with what’s broken inside. “And I need to do that PRIVATELY. I’m sure you’re now making bets on how long this will last, BUT I’m taking control, so my return is up to me, when I’m ready,” she said. *** After actress Liza Soberano gave up to be the next Darna due to a injury she sustained during a shoot for “Bagani,” people have started to guess who will replace her for the role. Director Erik Matti (who, by the way, also quit the project, and now replaced by Jerrold Tarog), told Ricky Lo of the The Philippine Star that his next choice is Nadine Lustre. “I really feel that Liza would have been a fresh and exciting Darna. She’s young and embodies a lot of potential to create a modern take for this classic superhero character. “After her, I only see Nadine Lustre so far as someone who can be Darna. Very sultry. She has a lot of female sensuality and at the same time still looks tough and very Filipina. The key to casting Darna has always been someone who can look plain and ordinary in her Narda alter ego but can be tough, spunky and can be very sexy as well when she transforms to Darna. Nadine can look all of that,” he said. In a separate interview, Nadine said that she is happy

that she is one of those being suggested to remake the movie of the Pinay heroine. “My God. I’ve heard about that. I’m really happy that they’re very supportive, but I know naman kasi that the role is going to be given to someone who’s deserving and someone who can do it. I mean, it doesn’t have to be me. It just has to be someone who can give justice to the role,” Nadine said. The Queen of All Media Kris Aquino recently announced that she is taking a break from social media due to her health. Netizens have suggested actresses Kathryn Bernardo (who recently said she doesn’t fit the role), Maja Salvador and former Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach. Liza is the third cast member of the film to quit the production after actress Angel Locsin (who was first casted for the role of Darna) backed out due to a back injury. Direk Erik left the project citing “creative differences.”

Handsome actor Benjamin Alves showed his excellent acting skills in Mel Tiangco’s “Magpakailanman” Lenten offering. He portrayed a devoted husband to actress Megan Young’s character.

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

Actress Liza Soberano backed out of her role as “Darna” after she injured her index finger while she was shooting for her teleserye, “Bagani.”

Actress Nadine Lustre is one of the top choices to replace Liza Soberano as Darna.

Netizens have suggested that actress Maja Salvador is the perfect fit for the role of Darna.

RK Bagatsing is one of the leading actors in the newest ABS-CBN 2 teleserye, “Nang Ngumiti ang Langit.”

San Jose’s fashionable lady Susan Pacifico just returned from her trip to the Philippines after attending their annual family reunion.

SERVICES

What are a green card holder’s rights if they get stuck at the airport when returning to the US? Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ RECENTLY, the American Immigration Lawyers Association (AILA) posted a brochure concerning lawful permanent residents’ (LPR or green card holder) rights when they are detained at a port of entry, such as an airport, border crossing, or ship dock. Here are some of the key points of that brochure: If questions or issues arise at the immigration booth, the person may be sent to “secondary inspection,” where CBP will ask you questions and may collect biographic and biometric data, run record checks, and determine whether you should be admitted to the United States. If you are detained by CBP in secondary inspection, you have the following rights: • If you have a lawyer, you should ask CBP for permission to contact your lawyer. Note, however, that CBP may tell you that you do not have the right to speak to an attorney. • You have the right to review all written statements that are prepared for you, in a language that you can understand, such as Tagalog. • If you do not agree with the contents of any papers or statements that are presented to you, you may refuse to sign them. (In other words, if CBP types of a “confession” for you to sign, but it is not accurate, you should not sign it.) • CBP may search your cell phone, computer, iPad, text messages, and access your email and Facebook and Twitter accounts, to see if you posted anything that affects your admissibility. • If CBP determines that you are an “arriving alien,” you could have problems. An arriv-

ing alien includes the following people, even if a green card holder: • Have abandoned or relinquished your LPR status. (This situation typically arises if a green card holder has stayed outside the U.S. for a year or more); • Have been absent from the U.S. for a continuous period of more than 180 days; • Engaged in illegal activity after departing the U.S.; • Departed the U.S. while in removal proceedings or extradition proceedings; • Committed certain criminal offenses unless you were granted an immigration waiver; or • Are attempting to enter without inspection. Right to a hearing before an Immigration Judge. An LPR who is deemed to be an “arriving alien,” may be placed in removal proceedings, and would have the right to a hearing before an immigration judge. Abandonment of Residence/LPR Status. CBP may attempt to convince you that you abandoned your residence because of your lengthy or repeated absences from the United States and may urge you to sign a Form I-407, Record of Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Resident Status. However, it is important to know: • You cannot lose your LPR status solely because of time spent abroad. • An LPR remains an LPR unless the government proves abandonment by clear, unequivocal, and convincing evidence and an order of removal is issued by an immigration judge and becomes final. • Form I-407 must be signed voluntarily. You may refuse to sign the form and there are no negative consequences if you refuse to sign it. If CBP believes that you abandoned your U.S. residence and you refuse to sign a Form I-407, CBP must issue you a Notice to Appear (NTA)

before an immigration judge who will determine if you have abandoned your U.S. residence. CBP cannot make this decision on its own. If CBP believes that you abandoned your U.S. residence and you sign a Form I-407, you still have the right to request a hearing before an immigration judge. If CBP takes your permanent resident card, you have the right to other evidence of your LPR status, such as a stamp in your passport. Future travel. To avoid delays at the ports of entry or legal issues in the future, you should consult with an immigration attorney prior to traveling if you: • Have a criminal record (criminal convictions or a pending criminal charge). • Have an application pending with U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) or the Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR). • There is anything in your immigration history that was not disclosed during your immigration process or that might cause a government official to question you about the reason for your travel or about your immigration history. *** 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/Gurfinkel-

community

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

“ABANDONED PETITION SUCCESSFULLY REOPENED 10 YEARS LATER BY ATTY. MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL. Elsinore (left) was petitioned by his father back in 2001. However, when his younger sister, Elvie (center), checked the petition status online in 2005, she found out it was denied due to “abandonment.” USCIS had sent a notice to petitioner’s old residence requesting additional documents, but the petitioner never received the notice because he had moved, and therefore did not respond. Their first lawyer’s motion to reopen was denied for being untimely, so their mother, an avid viewer of “Citizen Pinoy,” suggested they retain leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Health@Heart

Natural home therapy

it, as discovered in 1928 by Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming. Today, we shall devote our PhiliP S. chuA, column to exalting the “mediciMD, fAcS, fPcS nal values or therapeutic effects” of regular, ordinary food that NATURE is full of wonders. people all over the world eat as Among them are gems in the a part of their diet. The reported form of many food items, basihealth benefits of some of the cally plant-based, have therafoods we have listed hereunder peutic effects that can provide are anecdotal, passed down from safe relief from pains and other generations after generations, illnesses. and have not been thoroughly A great example: The antiand scientifically proven. But biotic penicillin, which has saved since they are regular food items countless lives around the world, we consume daily, trying them comes from penicillium mold for some of the ailments or situa(fungi) which naturally produces tions they are allegedly effective for is simply natural and safe. As long as one is not allergic to Law and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation them, ingesting these food items does not result in adverse “sidefor anywhere in the US: effects” as could be encountered 1-866-487-3465 in, say, noni juice or some other (866) – GURFINKEL cure-all “food supplements” in Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW the market today. Besides their essential nutriYORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement) tional value, many of the foods

we ingest regularly have “medicinal effects” that we are not conscious about but which help alleviate or correct some diseases or conditions. It is common knowledge that scurvy (vitamin C deficiency), for instance, is cured by eating a lot of citrus fruits, or that hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) among diabetics will be alleviated by eating candies, sugar or other sweets. Or, that banana and apples are good for diarrhea, while papaya, prunes and other fruits, and vegetables are good for constipation. But did you know that onion, hot pepper and tomato are good for common cold? Or that cherries are good for cramps? Or that apple, grapefruit, kalamansi are good for halitosis (bad breath)? Here is a list of medical conditions and the corresponding food items claimed to either prevent, alleviate and/or cure Continued on Page SF7

SF6

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

Love and deportability: Divorce, domestic violence, and immigration laws The CTV Files

ATTY. LILLI BERBANO BACULI, ESQ

WHAT if I do not have legal papers, and my spouse is abusive? If safety is a concern, we urge people to seek help first, particularly if there are minor children who may also be at risk of abuse. For non-emergency calls, individuals may dial 2-1-1 to seek help finding resources for health, mental health, or temporary shelter. Options available for victims of abuse: VAWA SelfPetition. The spouse or child of a U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident, or the parent of a U.S. citizen, who is battered or subject to extreme cruelty may file a self-petition independently of the abusive U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. The spouse or child must demonstrate that he or she resided with the U.S. citizen or Lawful permanent spouse or parent; was battered or subject to extreme cruelty during the marriage (or, in the case of a spouse self-petitioner, the child was battered or subjected to extreme cruelty); the marriage was entered into in good faith; s/he is otherwise eligible for immediate relative or preference status; and has good moral character. In certain cases, though an individual has not suffered any physical harm, abuse can still be argued depending on the circumstances, since â&#x20AC;&#x153;abuseâ&#x20AC;? is not limited to physical harm. Each application will

be reviewed and examined on a case-by-case basis, and given the whole picture, an individual might just be able to show that he or she is a battered spouse or has suffered extreme cruelty from their U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident husband. If so, a VAWA Self-Petition will enable her to adjust her status without having to rely on their spouse. California divorce â&#x20AC;&#x201C; â&#x20AC;&#x153;no fault.â&#x20AC;? California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need the consent of the other in order to file a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) or, in some instances, to get a judgment of divorce. What needs to happen is that the other party (your soon-to-be ex-spouse) needs to be served with process. In proceeding in an action for divorce, there are procedural requirements dictated by law that must be followed to ensure that the other party has notice of the action (that is, that s/he is being brought to court for an action of divorce) and that s/he is given time to respond. However, there is no requirement for the other party to respond. There is no requirement that s/he sign any document at all. All that needs to happen is that s/he is properly served with process according to the rules. Deportability issues for green card holders with domestic violence conviction(s). A non-citizen, even if a Lawful Permanent Resident (green card holder) for ten years, is liable to be deportable if s/he commits or is convicted of certain crimes, even if itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;just a misdemeanor.â&#x20AC;? A conviction for domestic violence can make a non-citizen

deportable. A criminal convictionâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s negative impact on immigration status. The Record of Conviction (ROC) details an individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s criminal history â&#x20AC;&#x201C; his/her arrest, what s/he plead to, and the final judgment/sentence. The relief(s) available to an individual facing removal/deportation proceedings will depend largely on that individualâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s record of conviction. If you are a non-citizen, it is best to consult both with a criminal attorney and with an experienced criminal immigration attorney who handles deportation defense before pleading to anything in criminal court. No two cases are exactly the same. Consult with an experienced and competent family law and immigration attorney immediately, and more importantly prior to filing any applications with the USCIS, or prior to pleading to anything in any court, in order to explore their options and possible legal ramifications that they might be facing. As always, be wary of online tools that offer immigration help or notarios who are not licensed to practice law. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law ďŹ rm with ofďŹ ces in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 495-8088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys.com; www.chuatinsayvega.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Tom dares to discover the unknown by JERRY DONATO Philstar.com

TOM Rodriguez always fits the bill of such roles as a man in love and a man in uniform. In â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maledicto,â&#x20AC;? Tom dares to portray a man of the cloth named Xavi who is bound to debunk or discover the unknown. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s my first time to play a priest, but he is an off-beat type,â&#x20AC;? said the bedimpled actor, in an interview with The Star, â&#x20AC;&#x153;... just putting on the (priestâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) garment, (I felt) there was a weird feeling to it, something new, na parang wow, it was (both a privilege) and (an) honor to wear it.â&#x20AC;? The enthusiasm could be attributed to Tomâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being a Catholic and once an altar boy. Despite his characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quirks, becoming a clergyman on the big screen was, in a way, a wish granted for Tom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve always maintained that he swims between the precipice of belief and disbelief,â&#x20AC;? said Tom of his another meaty role, which is set against the backdrop of horror-thriller. By the way, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maledictoâ&#x20AC;? is coproduced by Cignal Entertainment and Unitel, and directed by Mark Meily. It is the first venture of Fox Networks Group Philippines in producing local content (films). â&#x20AC;&#x153;It seems that anytime he can flip back and forth,â&#x20AC;? Tom added. Before heeding the call of priesthood, Father Xavi was a psychologist â&#x20AC;&#x201D; a man of science â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who believed in objective truth. His past somehow stands in the way of his present work as an exorcist. He would look at his new world â&#x20AC;&#x153;with a mind of a doctor,â&#x20AC;? Tom shared. With that, his faith in the existence of a Higher Being is also being challenged. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He fluctuates,â&#x20AC;? said Tom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He tries to immerse himself in a world he doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand... he (comes) from a religious family.â&#x20AC;? The pragmatic Xavi was against the idea of his mom him becoming a priest. One can say that Father Xaviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inner and mental struggles make him susceptible to unseen things that lurk around. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In a way that rings true with Father Xaviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey in the film,â&#x20AC;? said Tom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;His journey is going from that uncer-

Tom Rodriguez with co-star Jasmine Curtis-Smith

tainty, hindi siya sure whether he believes in it or not, to really knowing for sure that this is a reality.â&#x20AC;? Part of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;self-containedâ&#x20AC;? yet multi-layered narrative of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maledictoâ&#x20AC;? are the personal histories of Sister Barbie, a nun with the gift of charism (played by Jasmine Curtis-Smith), Mara, the sister of Xavi (Inah de Belen) and Agnes, a religious student (Miles Ocampo). â&#x20AC;&#x153;She gets the same thing that happened to my (characterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s) sister that (he) couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t understand and solve before,â&#x20AC;? said Tom of the case of Agnes. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It starts happening to her.â&#x20AC;? Also in the cast are Liza Lorena, Menggie Cobarrubias, Eric Quizon, Nonie Buencamino, Martin Escudero and Franco Laurel. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Each and every line, each and every description informs the characters,â&#x20AC;? said Tom of how the screenplay was crafted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;parang lahat ng nababasa mo dun, pwede mong mahimay, (malalaman mo) na ganyan pala si Father Xavi, hindi lamang sa mga linya mo, kundi kung paano ka pagusapan ng ibang character.â&#x20AC;? Asked if the film is a form of social or cultural commentary, Tom had this to say: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maybe there are certain layers that you can infer from the film. But thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not the main goal or the main point of the film. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here to entertain and to give something that would trigger some primordial senseâ&#x20AC;Ś that fear... (and) at the same time, it (the movie) built a whole world that feels so

Calendar of Events across

Contributed photo

real, that feels so synonymous with our reality, na may mapupulot ka na aral.â&#x20AC;? But what the viewers will wrap their head around is, how the characters will explain and describe the phenomenon they are experiencing. It could be a case of illusion or misperception, you know experiences that are similar to that of visual apophenia and pareidolia, as Tom shared. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll find out in this film if the things that Father Xavi and the peopleâ&#x20AC;Ś are experiencing are all in their minds,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know if the hallucination the characters are experiencing in the film (is) real or a construct of the mind.â&#x20AC;? The film, Tom assured, will answer it within the context of the world it has created. With those interesting insights in place, the word â&#x20AC;&#x153;maledictoâ&#x20AC;? will be explored as words â&#x20AC;&#x153;that corrupt something that is pure and good,â&#x20AC;? said Tom. Aside from the filmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s direction, acting and storytelling, viewers can look forward to the Dolby atmosphere â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maledictoâ&#x20AC;? promises. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m really, really excited to see that part,â&#x20AC;? said Tom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I know horror or even any psychological thriller really hinges, I think for it to be successful, on the auditory (aspect) also... I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think we should discount the gravity of sound design and the auditory stimuli, (like) how (they) affect us.â&#x20AC;? The audiences are in for an immersive movie-watching experience.

America

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

Recycling used motor oil event in Los Angeles, CA Attention all Florence Firestone residents! Everyone is invited to bring in their used motor oil and used oil filters in exchange for a free new oil filter on Saturday, April 13 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will take place at AutoZone at 1262 Firestone Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90002. Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and helps our water stay clean. So, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t miss out - weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re making it easier for you to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently.

A P R I L 22

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West Ranch Music Masters Tournament in Valencia, CA West Ranch High Schoolâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Instrumental Music Program is excited to announce their inaugural Golf Tournament fundraiser to be held on Monday, April 22 at The Oaks Club at Valencia, CA. Check-in and breakfast starts at 10 a.m. with a 12 p.m. shotgun start. The $125 per player fee includes: 18 holes of golf, use of golf cart, practice facilities, lunch and dinner. There will be an optional Mulligan and Magic Putt package for purchase. Additionally, a wide array of silent auction and raffle baskets will be available. The awards dinner will be served starting at 5pm and will feature students performing live jazz music. For those who wish to attend only the dinner and award festivities, the cost is $50. All proceeds go directly to support the West Ranch High School Music Program. To register for the tournament or for more information contact Jean Conway at westranchband@gmail.com or visit westranchmusic.com. Deadline to register is on April 11.

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/.

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

Jodi continues...

From Page SF3 “Ultimately, it’s the role of being a mother and being active in our children’s lives to shape, mentor, and inspire them that matters most,” she noted. It is indeed not easy for her to juggle time being a mother, an actress and a student. But it did not stop her to reach her goals in life. “I’ve been in this profession for the past 21 years. I work three times a week, and then for school once a week lang, so I still have time for other things. Sometimes when you do so much kasi parang you don’t have time to do other things pero for me meron pa naman, and I can still manage. In fact, I still have time to travel and do blogs from it. I really have certain schedules blocked off like Sundays. Hindi siya dapat magalaw because it’s my rest day,” the 36-year-old pointed out during a press conference. “And with that I can say that I’m at a point in my life wherein I’m in between reaching my goals to inspire people and trying to be the best person that I can. Wearing these different hats in my life, I don’t think I can add more roles pa sa buhay ko dahil busy na rin. The things that I’m doing I’m okay with them muna, if I add up pa, I don’t know kung paano pa magpi-fit sa schedule ko. What I am doing now is just really to reach those goals that I have set, let’s say two years ago. Yun muna, after I reached them, I’ll set a new one,” she said. Busy year This 2019, aside from her recent horror movie “Second Coming” which was released in February, Sta. Maria is also busy taping with her teleserye, titled “Sino Ang May Sala?: Mea Culpa” and another horror-thriller

flick called “Clarita” for Black Sheep Films. Aside from her new projects, she is also on an assignment being Ever Bilena’s latest endorser. For this new and enviable job, Sta. Maria will embody the classic Ever Bilena woman whose beauty cut across generations, seasonal trends and styles. Aside from appearing in the brand’s latest digital campaign, her role as brand ambassador is to enjoin Filipinas to embrace their innate beauty and go back to the timeless basics as far as makeup is concerned. “Makeup is a great way to boost one’s confidence. But for me, it should only highlight your natural beauty and not overpower it,” she shared. “Beauty is no longer just about the physical. It’s more of the internal disposition that you have in life na you’re not only beautiful because you’re wearing makeup. Or you’re not only beautiful because you’re wearing a certain hairstyle but it’s really how you relate to the people closest to you and how much of yourself you give to those around you. Beauty can also mean being selfless,” she said. “Motherhood made me realize that it is no longer just about me but about this life in front of you. But that doesn’t mean hindi mo na aalagaan ang sarili mo. First and foremost you have to take care of yourself also because we cannot give what we don’t have,” she added. Indeed, from being a doting mother to a critically acclaimed actress, and a top psychology student, this woman of beauty and grace not only gives her best in every role given to her, she also makes sure to always look good.

Natural home...

From Page SF5 them: 1. Arthritis: Apple, pineapple, cantaloupe, grape, grapefruit, orange, mustard green, strawberry, tangerine, cucumber, lettuce, cherries, celery, cauliflower. 2. Insomnia: Onion, cabbage, celery, avocado, onion, apple 3. Hemorrhoids: Prunes, date, beans, eggplant, plum, sweet potato 4. Nausea: Pineapple, papaya 5. High cholesterol: Soybean (tofu), red wine, oat meal, grapefruit, tomato, apple, eggplant, corn, cabbage, peas, beans, green leafy vegetables, high fiber cereals 6. Indigestion: Plum, papaya, pineapple, banana, apple, grapefruit, cucumber, peach 7. Sinusitis: Onion, hot pepper, tomato 8. Gastric ulcer: Pumpkin, rice, avocado, banana, date, okra, peach 9. Hypertension: Bamboo shoots, guava, pear, tangerine, squash, cherries, jackfruit, peach, celery, orange 10. Impotence: Pumpkin seeds, avocado, seaweeds, date, oyster, hot pepper 11. To lose weight: All variety of fruits and juices, like grapefruit, orange, apple, pineapple, radish, tomato, lettuce, especially when eaten as a substitute for red meat and carbohydrates. 12. Cancer: For prevention, high fiber, low cholesterol diet (fish), plus frequent intake of processed tomato (ketchup, tomato paste), broccoli, apricot, strawberry, cherries, mustard green, okra, apple, carrots, papaya, prunes, spinach, peach, pumpkin, watermelon, green leafy vegetables 13. Heart attack: Just like for cancer prevention, high fiber and low cholesterol diet, plus a lot of fruits (persimmons is one) and most vegetables. 14. Stroke: The same antioxidants as above. 15. Cuts & burns: Sesame Seed Oil, coconut oil, olive oil 16. Dry scalp, skin: Coconut oil, papaya, avocado, sesame seed oil 17. Constipation: Papaya, prunes, green leafy vegetables, peanuts 18. Dizziness: Onion 19. Gall Stones: Soybean, radish, tomato, apricot 20. Headache Beets, cabbage, apple, asparagus These are only a few sample conditions where foods have been taken not only for their fundamental nutritive and caloric value but for their alleged medicinal effects. We want to emphasize that these food items are not substitutes for prescrip-

tion medications. As a general rule, one should never stop taking prescription drugs without consulting with a physician. Diet, smoking and alcohol are the three most important, if not the most notorious, killers of man and the reason why in today’s world we have catastrophic numbers of obesity, hypercholesterolemia, heart attacks, strokes, cancer, depression, infertility, male erectile dysfunction, and degenerative diseases like arthritis, gout, osteoporosis, etc. Of course, there are other factors that contribute to the epidemic of these ailments, but food, even more than heredity, plays a very significant role in the causation of diseases. What we eat, how much we eat, what we do not eat, how we take care of ourselves, or how we abuse our body, determine, to a great extent, how healthy or unhealthy we are, our quality of life, and our longevity. The United States Congress and the Food and Drug Administration are now putting the screws on the so-called “food supplements, alternative medications, herbal and homeopathic therapies,” all of which make up for a flourishing $30 billion business annually. The medical and lay community in the United States are now (finally!) realizing that majority of the so called “food supplements” with purported therapeutic values are mostly useless, and nothing more than a money-making scheme that victimizes hundred of millions of unsuspecting people around the world. The hundreds of food supplements in the market today are still not adequately regulated for efficacy, side effects, and potential complications. They advertised them so attractively, with money back guarantee, etc., just to lure the unsuspecting and misinformed public mostly for profit, not to help people become healthier. As a matter of fact, the use of unneeded substances, could be hazardous to health. The long term side-effects of these supplements, not to mention the money wasted purchasing them, should really concern the public. Living a healthy lifestyles is the best strategy for good health and longevity. *** 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 NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

people & events

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019

Jessy ready to make ‘big decisions in life’

troversial ex-boyfriend JM de Guzman, who shares top billing Inquirer.net with Arci Muñoz. YOU can’t blame poor boxAsked whether she was willoffice results on one particular ing to work with JM again, Jessy actor. replied in the affirmative, but “I This was according to feel as if he is the one who’s not actress Jessy Mendiola, who yet ready. Also, I don’t call the reacted to a comment saying shots. It will really depend on she jinxed her previous two management or on any compafilms—Jay Abello’s romantic ny willing to produce a project comedy “The Girl in the Orange for us. This has not happened Dress” and Miko Livelo’s buddy yet, so I guess it’s not meant to comedy “Tol”—resulting in their be.” lackluster performance at the Jessy said she had a chance tills. encounter with JM in ABS-CBN “These days, we can no two months ago, and hasn’t longer understand what the spoken with him since. audience wants. Some romcoms Jessy Mendiola The actress is now dating Photo from Instagram/@senorita_jessy actor-TV host Luis Manzano. do well compared to the reliable heavy dramas, while sometimes, She also pointed out that “We’ve both been very busy we get surprised when a slap“Orange Dress” was one of the lately, so we rarely see each stick-comedy flick becomes a country’s representatives to the other. If we do, I hope we get hit,” Jessy pointed out. 2019 Osaka Asian Film Festival a chance to chill and really talk. But since January of this in Japan. “If people here didn’t What I would be interested in year, Jessy observed, there appreciate the film, it was defiknowing is whether Luis still has has never really been a big hit, nitely received well in Japan,” future plans for himself,” Jessy except for “Alone/Together.” she declared. told the Inquirer. “You see, he “Let’s be honest. That’s a love Jessy is currently promoting is a generally happy person. I team, and it has a huge followanother rom-com, Ice Adanan’s don’t think I’ve seen him at his ing,” she stressed. “Stranded,” which also features worst.” “It’s sad that these [industry] Arjo Atayde. The Regal EnterAs to what could possibly bashers, instead of supporting tainment-produced film will hit exasperate Luis, Jessy said, “it each other, would always prefer cinemas on April. 10. would have to be the negativity to put each other down. Let’s lift Incidentally, it will directly in people. Luis is someone who each other’s spirit. If films start compete with another rom-com, readily helps those he feels are earning well again, then we’ll all Eduardo Roy Jr.’s “Last Fool in need of it. He is very giving. benefit.” Show,” featuring Jessy’s conHe is also a patient man, so if

by Marinel r. Cruz

you piss him off, that means you’ve done something really hurtful.” Like Luis, Jessy said she would often answer bashers not because she wanted to pick a fight with them, “but because I feel that I have something to clarify. ’Di naman ibig sabihin, patola na ako. It’s more of letting the person know what the truth is. I don’t see anything wrong with that.” She was referring to her recent controversial post that had the caption, “Old endings and new beginnings.” People thought the Kapamilya artist had decided to transfer to rival network, GMA 7. “I’m still very much in touch with my bosses in ABS-CBN, and I am not aware of any offers from the other channel,” she clarified. “The post was about my new business. It’s also about the personal changes in my life. I’m at a point where I feel I need to make big decisions.” Jessy, however, admitted that she has started feeling restless, especially since it has been a while since ABS-CBN gave her a project. “It’s up to you to explore what you can do with your free time. If you feel bored, then think of something productive to do,” she declared.

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - April 12, 2019