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M AY 17-23 , 2019 Volume 12 - No. 30 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858
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Comelec to announce winners within the week DATELINE USA Cayetano, Bato, Doc WIllie top PCGNY results
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
by AJPRESS
Asian Americans spent $1 trillion last year and brands are taking Aquino back in ‘Magic 12’ notice, says report of partial, official tally AS the members of the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC) continue to process the election results which as of writing is at 53.29 percent, the Commission on Elections (COM-
A NEW report released by Nielsen on Thursday, May 9 said that Asian Americans spent $1 trillion last year — a testament to the demographic’s growing spending power and influence in mainstream U.S. culture. Linking the correlation between the growing population number and high spending, the report — titled “Informed Influencers and Powerful Purchasers: The Asian American Consumer Journey” — added that at a current population of 22.6 million, spending power among Asian Americans is expected to reach $1.3 trillion by 2023. It added that in the last decade alone, the Asian American population has grown by seven million people — the most of any ethnic group in the nation. Whereas the total U.S. population saw an 8% percent growth, Asian Americans saw an uptick of 45% for the same time period. The report said that in addition to growing as a demographic, Asian American households are also 17% bigger than the average U.S. household. “In fact, Asian American households boast
by ROSETTE
ELEC) planned to announce the winners this week. COMELEC Spokesperson James Jimenez said that they finished canvassing 89 Certificate of Canvass (COCs) out of the total 167 COCs. He further noted that they estimated that they “will
know the winners this week.” Jimenez said that the poll commission has yet to decide when to formally proclaim the elected senators and party-lists. He emphasized that COMELEC have a separate scheduled date for
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ADEL
Philstar.com
MANILA — Re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino on Thursday, May 16, returned to the top 12 of the Commission on Elections’ partial and official count of the May 2019 senatorial race. Aquino, the lone senatorial candidate of Otso Diretso in the winning circle, made it back to the 12th spot with 11,001,047 votes. The Liberal Party bet also managed to enter the so-called “magic 12” on Tuesday during the first session of the National Board of Canvassers. However, he slid to the 13th place on Wednesday, May 15. As of Thursday, the Commission on Elections, sitting as the NBOC, canvassed a total of 129 certificates of canvass out of 167. The COCs canvassed are now at 77.25%. In the latest partial and official tabulated rankings of the senatorial race, another re-electionist, Sen. Nancy Binay, climbed to rank 11th while her fellow incumbent Sen. JV Ejercito, Partial and unofficial 2019 midterm election results from PPCRV-Inquirer Transparency Server as of 9:11 p.m. on Thursday,
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May 16, 2019.
AJPress infographic by Kendrick Tan
‘Duterte and the war just won’ Political dynasties crumble; Estrada clan shut out FOREIGN Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday, May 14, said President Rodrigo Duterte and his drug war won as administrationbacked senatorial candidates led the race in the 2019 election polls. “The Senatorial elections were not a referendum in favor of Charter Change either, the death penalty, and jailing minors. The elections were a referendum on Duterte and his war on drugs. He & the war just won,” he posted on Twitter. He also told the public to
“shut up” about the subject already as the drug war “goes on.” At least eight candidates endorsed by the president are leading the race for 12 Senate seats in the latest update of partial and unofficial tally of votes from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting (PPCRV) — among them are reelectionist senator Cynthia Villar, former presidential aide Bong Go, Taguig Rep. Pia Cayetano, former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Bato dela Rosa, reelec- Newly elected Pasig City Mayor Vico Sotto (center), Manila Mayor Francisco Domagoso aka ‘Isko Moreno’ and Vice Mayor Honey
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Lacuna (left) and Quezon City Mayor Joy Belmonte and her vice mayor, Gian Sotto.
ManilaTimes.net photos
by REY
GALUPO AND JOSE RODEL CLAPANO Philstar.com
THIS year’s midterm elections saw the downfall of some political clans in Metro Manila after they were toppled in their quest for top posts in different cities. The decades-long reign of the Estradas ended after they were unseated in both Manila and San Juan. Former president and incumbent Mayor Joseph Es-
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may 17-23, 2019 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL
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From the Front Page
Asian Americans spent $1 trillion last year... Duterte and the war just... PAGE 1
the highest incomes of any racial or ethnic group in the U.S. — incomes that have boosted the buying power of Asian Americans by 68% since 2010,” said the report. But at the core of what makes the growing ethnic group so influential is its ability to connect, said the report, which looked at the group’s internet usage and digital consumption trends. Asian Americans as a group have a higher percentage connected to the internet with 99% having internet connectivity compared to the U.S. average of 93%. Percentages are also higher when it comes to ownership of devices: 97% of Asian Americans own a smartphone compared to 91% of the total population, and 89% own a computer compared to 76% of the total population. “Given this demographic’s connected lifestyles, it should come as no surprise that Asian Americans’ usage of internetconnected devices outpaces the average U.S. consumer,”
the report said. Looking at media consumption practices, the report found that not only are Asian Americans spending the most time watching television at almost 23 hours a week, they’re also at the forefront of the shift from traditional cable and over-the-air viewing to “broadband only” viewing and consumption through subscription video on demand services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime. “These platforms are extremely popular with Asian American households, with 81% subscribing to at least one of them (19% higher than the total population),” said the report. On social media where younger Asian Americans have been found to be especially savvy, the report highlighted that Asian Americans as a group particularly outpace the general U.S. when it comes to online shopping. According to the report, 26% agreed that social media had an important role in their discovery about products,
19% agreed that rating or reviewing was an important reason for social media use, and 22% agreed that receiving offers and other discounts were important on social media. Furthermore, Asian Americans said they enjoyed sharing advice on purchases and their opinions on products with others. With electronics and technology, 43% agreed that they gave advice to others looking to buy new devices. For food, 71% said that they typically recommended food products they liked to people they knew. And while online shopping was found to more importantly offer a sense of cultural connection for Asian Americans in that many reported using the internet to buy hard-tofind products from Asia, the report further found that such purchase trends were making a hit in U.S. mainstream culture. For example, trending among non-Asians in the U.S. are Japanese snack box sub-
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tionist senator Sonny Angara, former Ilocos Norte governor Imee Marcos, former presidential adviser for political affairs Francis Tolentino, and reelectionist senator Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. The opposition senatorial candidates, however, believe that the midterm elections result is a “referendum on the Duterte administration.” Duterte endeavored to achieve stronger leverage in the traditionally more independent Senate so as to bolster his legislative agenda — this includes propositions such as the return of the death penalty, lowering the age for criminal liability below the current 15, and revising Philippines’ 1987 Constitution
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.
to allow a shift towards federalism. Opposition senators managed to block various proposed bills last year that they thought would undermine civil liberties. To veto Duterte’s emerging majority in the upper
Inquirer.net photo
chamber, the remaining opposition senators whose seats are not up for election need to get backing from leading independent aspirants since at least seven senators are needed to block any proposal by Duterte’s camp to revise the Constitution. n
Comelec to announce election winners... PAGE 1 the formal proclamation. “Dalawang magkahiwalay na bagay kasi ‘yung malaman mo kung sino ‘yung nanalo at saka ‘yung formal proclamation. So hindi ko lang masabi kung ano ‘yung date ng proclamation (It’s one thing to know who the winners are and another thing to set the date of the proclamation),” the spokesperson said as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer. Earlier, the COMELEC spokesperson said they are planning to officially proclaim the poll winners “roughly within two weeks” after the elections. Results from New York In the ten states covered by the Philippine Consulate General New York, Pia Cayetano took the top post, garnering 4,548 votes, followed by Bato dela Rosa, Doc Willie Ong, Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe. Otso Diretso’s Bam Aquino placed 8th and Mar Roxas ranked tenth. Others in the winning circle are Sonny Angara, Bong Go, Francis Tolentino, Imee Marcos and Koko Pimentel. Just outside the Top 12 are Chel Diokno, Erin Tanada and Serge Osmena. Bong Revilla (686) and Jinggoy Estrada (516) are among the five candidates who received the least number of votes. Voter turnout in the states covered by PCGNY is at 20.6% with around 8,800 ballots received out of the 42,758 registered voters. Among those who rushed to the consulate on Sunday was
Susan Pensoy of Jersey City. “Alang-alang sa ating inang bayan. Malay mo, yung isang boto ko pala ang magpapanalo sa kandidato ko,” she said, adding that she voted for candidates who were “makaDiyos, makabayan, makatao, may moral values at modelo ng mga kabataan.” Pensoy and her family’s ballots were returned to the consulate because they had moved residences and the forwarding of mails to their new address has elapsed. “Kahit ang lakas ng ulan, we made sure to be here. We called and made sure na nandito yung balota,” she added. The Pensoys’ ballots are among the 2,500 ballots that were returned to the consulate by the U.S. Postal Service Tomasa Villaruel expected their ballots to arrive in the mail last week and when they did not receive their mail, they went to the consulate to ask what happened. “Gusto talaga naming maka boto. At least kahit last day na nandito kami,” she said. It turns out that their ballots were returned because of a typographical error in their address: instead of the number 7, the number 4 was used. After ten years of living in New York, Happy David exercised her right to vote. She was automatically registered when she renewed her passport last year. She also brought with her three ballots from her friends. “I wanted to make sure that our votes matter. It’s our duty. I have been complaining but this is the first time in my ten
years here in the States that I am voting,” she said. Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate said that there were many reasons why 2,500 ballots were returned to them, citing the cases of Pensoy and Villaruel. “From not updating us on their current address to as simple as typographical errors, these are some things that we can avoid,” he said. “We need a way to update the addresses of voters and we will work very closely with the Comelec. Next elections, it will be more accurate.” Partial and unofficial results As of 5:06 pm on Thursday, May 16 (PH time) a total of 97.55 percent of votes were tallied ranking the following senatorial candidates and their respective political parties. Still topping the list is Cynthia Villar (NP) with 24,977,319 votes; followed by Grace Poe (Independent) with 21,816,010 votes; Bong Go (PDP-Laban) with 20,309,599 votes; Pia Cayetano (NP) with 19,526,109 votes. Fifth on the list is Bato dela Rosa (PDP-Laban) with 18,661,932 votes; Sonny Angara (LDP) with 17,950,996 votes; Lito Lapid (NPC) with 16,784,905 votes; Imee Marcos (NP) with 15,646,420 votes. Followed by Francis Tolentino (PDP-Laban) with 15,251,777 votes; Bong Revilla (Lakas-CMD) with 14,443,360 votes; Koko Pimentel (PDPLaban) with 14,438,328 votes and Nancy Binay (UNA) with 14,373,317 votes. n
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may 17-23, 2019 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL
Dateline USa
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Political dynasties crumble; Estrada clan...
RANDOM AUDIT. Public school teachers process ballots during the random manual audit of votes at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on Wednesday, May 15. The random audit is being held by the Commission on Elections, Legal Network for Truthful Elections and Philippine Statistics Authority. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili
Two Chinese vessels spotted during BRP and USCGC training by AJPress Barko ng republika ng Pilipinas (BrP) Batangas and kalanggaman along with United States Coast Guard Cutter (USCGC) Bertholf on Tuesday, May 14, spotted two Chinese coast guard vessels seemingly monitoring the exercises. The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) said that the two Chinese Coast Guard vessels were seen near Bajo de Masinloc or Scarborough Shoal during the capacity-building exercises 50 nautical miles from Subic Bay. They claimed that at one point, one of the Chinese ships got as close as 2.9 nautical miles from the BrP Batangas. However, the Chinese vessels did not interact with the Philippine ship. BrP Batangas Commanding officer Commander Gary Dale Gimotea said that the capacity exercises were the first PH-U.S. engagement of its kind in the West Philippine Sea. The trainings included a rescue simulation and com-
munication exercise. “The U.S. has their capacity to conduct maritime law enforcement and maritime security, and the Philippines has its own set of protocols to do the same. By working together, we learn from each other and develop working harmony involving mutual interest of both countries,” he said. He added that they were not bothered by the Chinese presence in the area. according to him, “they’re just trying to observe what we’re trying to do with the capability exercise involving the U.S. Coast Guard.” “We still continue to do what we need to do. We have a job to protect and we are not really concerned with what they are doing there as long as we are doing our mandate within the law,” Gimotea explained as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer. The commanding officer emphasized that the concern of the coast guard lies solely on the safety of the people and the immediate maritime environment.
“The coast guard is a humanitarian agency and is focused on saving lives. almost all coast guards are one at sea and helping and keeping maritime security, maritime safety and environmental protection,” Gimotea said. “It’s mutual interest between countries aimed at helping the people who use our maritime environment,” he added. Scarborough, dubbed by Filipinos as Panatag Shoal and by the Chinese as Huangyan Island, has been a disputed area since 2012 when Manila sent its biggest warship to chase off Chinese poachers. Filipino fishermen reported that some Chinese Coast Guard ships drove them away from the shoal as wooden ships that bore China’s flag harvested giant clams. With Chinese government ships watching from a distance, one of the U.S. Coast Guard’s biggest and most advanced vessels conducted drills with Philippine counterparts near the Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea (WPS). n
Asian Americans spent $1 trillion last year... PAGE 2
scriptions and korean baby seats. Market sales of asian sauces and condiments also each grew 6% last year. “Products such as readyto-drink green tea and curry spices have seen impressive dollar and unit volume far outpacing that of overall beverages and spices,” said the report which included ghee, kombucha, naan, asian
dumplings, sushi, sesame cooking oil, jasmine rice, and curry paste among asian foods finding mainstream appeal. “asian americans are reshaping the american path to purchase, traversing the consumer journey fortified with their status as trailblazers in innovative internet connectivity, e-commerce with a global perspective, and holistic
PAGE 1 trada lost by a wide margin to his former ally, Francisco Domagoso, more popularly known as Isko Moreno, in the mayoral race. The Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Tuesday, May 14, proclaimed Domagoso, a former scavenger from Tondo, as the 27th elected mayor of Manila at the San andres Sports Complex. Domagoso received 357,925 votes against Estrada’s 210,605. alfredo Lim ranked third with 138,923 votes. Domagoso’s running mate, incumbent Vice Mayor Honey Lacuna, also won with 394,766 votes. Her opponent, amado Bagatsing, got 267,286 votes. “I thank God and every Manileño who participated in this democratic process. We have received the mandate of the people and we are faced with a great challenge to uplift the lives of the people of Manila,” Moreno told The STAR. Estrada could hardly believe the results of the elections after he lost even in his own barangay. Poll results from precinct 2591-B at the P. Burgos Elementary School in Barangay Sta. Mesa where Estrada voted showed that he received 451 votes while Moreno got 515. Zamora defeats Ejercito In San Juan, Estrada’s granddaughter, incumbent Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito, was defeated by Francis Zamora in the mayoralty race. Zamora ended the five-decade rule of the Estrada-Ejercito clan in San Juan. Zamora garnered 35,060 while Ejercito got 24,813 votes. Estrada started the family’s rule of San Juan in 1969. Ejercito’s bid was an attempt to continue the grip on power in San Juan from out-
Former Vice President Jejomar Binay
going Mayor Guia Gomez. Ejercito is the eldest daughter of former senator Jinggoy Estrada, who is trailing in the senatorial race. The former president’s daughter, Jerica Ejercito, who ran for councilor in Manila, also suffered defeat. Estrada’s nephew, Er Ejercito, lost in the gubernatorial race in Laguna. only Jana Ejercito, Estrada’s niece, won and topped the race for councilors in the Second District of San Juan. “We have done our best. We have to accept it. The voice of the people is the voice of God. I hope it is really the voice of the people,” the former president told his supporters. Estrada refused to concede to Moreno. “Why should I concede? I was the target of a project. all surveys from the start showed I was winning, and now all of a sudden Isko?” he said. “The numbers could have been manipulated.” Sotto topples Eusebio a son of a showbiz couple ended the 29-year reign of the Eusebio political clan in Pasig City. Victor Marie “Vico” Sotto
Philstar.com photo by Mong Pintolo
won by a landslide as he registered 204,611 votes. Incumbent Mayor Bobby Eusebio got 118,571 votes. Sotto is the son of comedian Vic Sotto and actress Connie reyes. Eusebio’s brother, incumbent rep. ricky Eusebio, was defeated by roman romulo. Sotto said he would establish a new kind of leadership as soon as he assumes office on July 1. “all transactions at the city hall would be transparent as I promised during the campaign period,” he said. The Eusebio patriarch, Vicente, won as Pasig mayor in 1992. No sweep for Binays In Makati, former vice president Jejomar Binay lost to rival kid Peña in the race for first district congressman. Peña got 71,035 votes against Binay’s 65,229. Even Peña was surprised at his victory, calling Binay an institution in Makati politics. Binay’s daughter abby won the mayoralty race over brother Junjun. Her husband Luis Campos took the second district congressional race. (With Non Alquitran, Robertson Ramirez) n
Aquino back in ‘Magic 12’ of partial...
PAGE 1 who broke into the 11th place of the winners’ circle yesterviews of diet and consump- day, fell to the 14th spot. tion,” concluded the report. Ejercito was followed by his “Despite a greater percent- brother former Sen. Jinggoy age of asian americans un- Estrada at the 15th rank with der 35 being U.S. born, cul- 8,654,021 votes. ture sustainability driven by Meanwhile, former Sen. multigenerational influences Bong revilla backed by adand the ability to blend cul- ministration party Hugpong tures to create an evolved ng Pagbabago rose to the U.S. culture in their own im- 13th place. revilla is conage is having a profound ef- sistently in the “Magic 12” fect on american society.” of the Comelec’s partial and (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) unofficial tally.
The partial and official tally of the NBoC also showed that incumbent Sens. Cynthia Villar and Grace Poe maintained their leads. Villar garnered 19,383,224 votes while Poe had 17,043,889. They are joined by the following HNP and independent candidates in the magic 12: • Bong Go - 15,685,847 • Pia Cayetano 15,330,363 • Bato dela rosa 14,529,585
• Sonny angara 14,023,811 • Lito Lapid - 12,628,054 • Imee Marcos 12,618,428 • Fra n c i s To l e n t i n o 11,975,435 • koko Pimentel 11,283,357 • Nancy Binay 11,041,386 The NBoC adjourned its Thursday session and would resume tabulating the remaining CoCs at on Friday, May 17. n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
Duterte: Vote buying an ‘integral part’ of PH polls by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
ACCORDING to President Rodrigo Duterte, vote buying is an “integral” part of elections in the Philippines, with the practice being fairly normal among Filipinos. He made the statement on Monday, May 13, after casting his vote in his hometown of Davao City. “Well, ganito iyan (it’s like this), if they are caught, they should be prosecuted to the full length of the law. Now, the practice of buying votes has been an integral part of an election in the Philippines,” he said. “‘Yang pagboto, lahat yan. Walang hindi nagbibili ng boto dito, maniwala ka... Ituro mo kung sino ang hindi nagbili ng boto (Everybody is guilty of vote buying here. Believe me. Tell me who here never bought votes),” he added. Under the Omnibus Election Code of the Philippines, vote buying is defined as: “Any person who gives, offers or promises money or
anything of value, gives or promises any office or employment, franchise or grant, public or private, or makes or offers to make an expenditure, directly or indirectly, or cause an expenditure to be made to any person, association, corporation, entity, or community in order to induce anyone or the public in general to vote for or against any candidate or withhold his vote in the election, or to vote for or against any aspirant for the nomination or choice of a candidate in a convention or similar selection process of a political party.” At least 147 people — including Vincent “Bingbong” Crisologo, Duterte’s candidate for Quezon City mayor, and several alleged supporters of incumbent Mayor Abigail “Abby” Binay — were arrested for buying and selling votes ahead of Monday’s midterm elections. However, Duterte stated that giving money does not automatically mean that one is vote buying. “You know when you start
to give money, as I told Comelec (Commission on Elections), that’s not because I’m buying the vote of the fellow. It’s because I’m giving him money to go to the precinct, cast his vote, and go home. Not all people have money. Or you send food to your leaders who are here sacrificing and waiting for the food to eat so they can last until the last vote is counted,” he explained. The president also said that vote buying will persist as long as Filipinos are poor. “It can take many forms... for as long as the Philippines remains to be a poor country, for as long as the feudal system exists lalo na sa (especially in) rural areas aggravated by the communists... We are becoming poorer and poorer,” he noted. Filipinos on Monday voted for the 12 members of the 24-seat Senate, the entire House of Representatives, the country’s governors and vice governors, provincial board members, mayors and vice mayors, and councilors. n
Duterte to children: Get out of politics by alexis
RoMeRo, edith Regalado
Sara Duterte-Carpio would take his place when he steps down, the President warned her against running for president. “The presidency will not educate you. It will just destroy you,” Duterte said. The president’s children won by a landslide in the elections here. Carpio succeeded in her reelection bid as she got 565,284 votes. Her opponent Jun Marcellones garnered only 4,165 votes. The tally is from 97.01
percent or 1,105 of the 1,139 clustered precincts. Carpio’s runningmate and brother Sebastian, who ran unopposed, got 543,317 votes. Paolo, a former vice mayor, got a total of 195,074 votes as representative of the first district of this city. Carpio’s partymates in Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod, Vince Garcia and Isidro Ungab, ran unopposed as second and third district representatives, respectively. n
Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, Sara “Inday” Duterte-Carpio and Paolo “Pulong” Duterte.
Philstar.com photos
Philstar.com
DAVAO CITY — Despite the decisive victory of his children in the elections, President Duterte said it is better for them to get out of politics. “The earlier... the better,” Duterte told reporters after voting at the Daniel Aguinaldo National High School on Monday, May 13. On the possibility that his daughter Davao City Mayor
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MAY 17-23, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
FEATURES
Ugly traditions must end VOTE buying, according to President Rodrigo Duterte, is an “integral part” of Philippine elections. Having spent much of his adult life as a politician, the President must know whereof he speaks. He issued the statement in a chance interview, near the end of voting, when the Philippine National Police had arrested hundreds of people, including candidates and supporters, on charges of buying and selling votes. The president did say that vote buying is an election offense and violators would be prosecuted. But he said all candidates engage in some form of vote buying. Last week he said he saw nothing wrong with giving voters P50 each for their transport fare to and from the polling centers. He may be correct about vote buying being a tradition in this country, but this does not mean that people should stop trying to put an end to it. This is why laws were passed against buying and selling votes. What is lacking is enforcement. Candidates themselves should welcome the strict enforcement of the law, since it would
mean lower expenses for them. Problems, however, crop up when the law is selectively enforced. The country imposes tough penalties for election-related offenses, particularly for the relatively new crime of electoral sabotage. But if even one candidate with the right connections is allowed to break the law and regulations of the Commission on Elections, giving the candidate an edge over political opponents, then the floodgates are open for electoral offenses. The president has said that those arrested for buying and selling votes would face prosecution. People have taken the trouble of reporting cases of vote buying, believing that their complaints would be acted upon, as indicated by the Comelec. The PNP has done its part; now the prosecution service, which is under the executive, should pursue the cases. Candidates who engaged in buying votes must be disqualified and permanently barred from holding public office. Unless offenders are convicted and punished, vote buying will never stop. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Filipino American lawyer George Conway calls Trump a ‘malignant narcissist’for approach on Mueller probe “sick and unlawful.” Conway has called out Trump more than the president’s enablers in Congress and in the administration — including his own wife, Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway — for being a “malignant narcisGEL SANTOS-RELOS sist” who could only view spePRESIDENT Donald Trump cial counsel Robert Mueller’s is yet again engaged in a Twit- investigation “purely in terms ter war with Filipino Ameri- of your own ego.” The Fil-Am can attorney and conservative lawyer argued that the actions leader George Conway, after Trump took in his own self-inthe president declared the terest to win the 2016 presi22-month long Mueller probe, dential election against Hill-
The Fil-Am Perspective
ary Clinton should be enough to remove him from office. Conway, known for his work in defending conservative principles, had been one of the most outspoken critics of Trump. He organized a group called “Checks and Balances” in November 2018, made up of more than a dozen members of the conservativelibertarian Federalist Society, which had been instrumental in selecting candidates for the Trump administration to apPAGE 7
Philstar.com photo
Commentary
The CIA and Namfrel: Should this dog survive its scandalous past?
Intelligence Agency (CIA) for Southeast Asia. This is YEN MAKABENTA perhaps so because the Philippines has always been reROLAND Simbulan’s lec- garded as a stronghold of U.S. ture, “The CIA in Manila: the imperial power in Asia. Since CIA’s Covert Operations and the Americanized Filipinos Hidden History in the Philip- were under the spell of Ameripines” was delivered at the can culture, they were easy to University of the Philippines recruit without their realizing they were committing treason Manila on Aug. 18, 2000. Simbulan opens the talk to their own people and counwith these words: “For a long try.” “Easy to recruit,” “comtime, Manila was the main station, if not the regional mitting treason to their own headquarters, of the Central people and country.” The lec-
ture hurts at the get-go. It gets worse and worse as you read the entire story. Simbulan’s revelations are extensive and explosive. I will summarize here the key observations and highlights. Marcos rule and Marcos’ health 1. CIA human intelligence assets in Manila are said to have provided vital information to Washington at crucial times. According to declassified documents under the PAGE 7
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OpiniOn and Features
NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • mAY 17-23, 2019
The CIA and Namfrel: Should this dog survive...
LITTLE ATHLETES. The Philippine Army (PA) Little Athletes on parade during the opening ceremonies of the 2019 Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-Philippine National Police (PNP)-Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Olympics held at Lapu-Lapu Grandstand in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Wednesday, May 15. The AFP Office of the Chief Special Services will administer the conduct of the 2019 AFP-PNP-PCG Little Olympics summer games for the dependents of all active military and civilian personnel. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
Filipino American lawyer George Conway calls... PAGE 6 point to federal courts. According to the report of The New York Times, “Checks and Balances” is “urging their fellow conservatives to speak up about what they say are the Trump administration’s betrayals of bedrock legal norms.” One of the members of the group, John Bellinger, contended that “Conservative lawyers are not doing enough to protect constitutional principles that are being undermined by the statements and actions of this president.” Conway had previously posted on Twitter that Trump has “narcissistic and anti-social personality disorders,” which allegedly incapacitate him in discharging the duties and obligations of the Office of the President. Trump replied on Twitter: “George Conway, often referred to as Mr. Kellyanne Conway by those who know him, is VERY jealous of his wife’s success & angry that I, with her help, didn’t give him the job he so desperately wanted. I barely know him but just take a look, a stone cold LOSER & husband from hell!” Here is the thread of the Twitter war between Trump and Conway on May 12, 2019: TRUMP: “Think of it. I became President of the United States in one of the most hard fought and consequential elections in the history of our great nation. From long before I ever took office, I was under a sick & unlawful investigation concerning what has become known as the Russian…” “…Hoax. My campaign was being seriously spied upon by intel agencies and the Democrats. This never happened before in American history, and it all turned out to be a
total scam, a Witch Hunt, that yielded No Collusion, No Obstruction. This must never be allowed to happen again!” CONWAY: “Think of it. The Russia investigation was a legitimate investigation, with a legitimate basis, into how a hostile foreign power tried to interfere with and undermine our democracy. It was in the best interests of the nation— in the interests of all Americans, no matter who …” “they voted for—that this investigation be allowed to proceed to its rightful conclusion, without improper attempts to obstruct it, if only so that we could all know what really happened and take steps to see that it never happens again. But because ….” “… you are a malignant narcissist—a person with both narcissistic and antisocial personality disorders—you couldn’t view it that way. Instead of complying with your oath of office, and instead of taking stock of what was in the best interests of…” “the nation whose Constitution and laws you swore to uphold, you viewed the matter purely in terms of your own ego: You viewed the investigation as casting doubt on what you perceive as your great election victory (in which your opponent garnered…” “... nearly three million more votes than you did), and so you took multiple steps to obstruct, and repeatedly lied about, the investigation from the outset. Even today, despite the well-founded assessments of the intelligence community, and despite the …” “... damning evidence laid out in the Mueller report, you refuse to take what the Russians did seriously. Instead,
you continue to lie, calling the investigation a “hoax” and an “attempted coup,” and you didn’t even mention Russia’s …” “... conduct in your recent 90-minute conversation with Putin, the man who seeks to undermine our institutions. Put simply, you put your own perceptions of your self-interest above the national interest, which you seem unable to comprehend or respect…” “... That is your greatest offense against the country, an offense that incorporates but vastly exceeds the statutory crimes you’ve committed. It is the ultimate high crime or misdemeanor under the Constitution, and under the Framers’ wise design,…” “... it is an offense for which you should pay with your office, regardless of whether you are ultimately brought to justice in the courts of law.” Last April, Conway said Trump’s misconduct was “worse” than the misconduct that led to former President Nixon’s resignation. KUDOS to George Conway for having the testicular fortitude to call out Trump for his transgressions against the country, something that his spineless enablers like his staff in the White House, his cabinet secretaries in the Executive Department, and the Republican leadership in Congress would not do because of their hawkish grip to power and personal political expediency and interests and power play. *** 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
PAGE 6 Freedom of Information Act, on Sept. 17, 1972, a CIA asset in the Philippines who was in the inner circle of Marcos informed the CIA station in Manila that Ferdinand Marcos was planning to proclaim martial law on Sept. 21,1972. The CIA station in Manila was also provided in advance a copy of Proclamation 1081—the proclamation that declared martial law in the country. The CIA’s assessment of the Sept. 21, 1972 declaration of martial rule boosted the prestige of the CIA station in Manila. In 1982, the CIA was able to verify from a high-ranking Philippine immigration officer the names of the two doctors who visited the Philippines to treat Marcos for kidney failure, giving the CIA a clear picture of Marcos’ health problems. CIA goes beyond original mission 2. The CIA is the covert overseas intelligence agency of the United States government and is likewise an “action-oriented” vehicle of American foreign and military policy. The 1975 Church Committee Report of the U.S. con-
gressional investigations into the CIA’s covert activities abroad revealed how countless foreign governments were overthrown by the CIA; how the CIA instigated a military coup d’état and assassinated foreign political leaders like Chilean President Salvador Allende, who merely tried to safeguard the interests of their own country; and how “special ops” and paramilitary campaigns contributed to the death, directly or indirectly, of millions of people, as a result of those actions. The CIA has gone beyond its original mission of gathering intelligence and was conducting Mafia-type operations not only in its own territory but against foreign governments and their leaders. CIA covert action in the Philippines The CIA in the Philippines has engaged in countless covert operations for intervention and dirty tricks, particularly in Philippine domestic politics. On top of all this is the U.S. diplomatic mission, especially the political section that is a favorite cover for many CIA operatives. CIA front companies also provide
an additional but convenient layer of cover for operatives assigned overseas. The agency’s assets and technical infrastructure in Manila were drastically affected by the withdrawal of the bases in 1992 because, before this, the CIA operated jointly with the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) major listening posts into most of Indochina and southern China. The loss of the bases in the Philippines was a tremendous blow to the CIA’s Asian infrastructure, if not a major setback. Legitimation of colonial domination The U.S. places a high premium on the ideological legitimation of its continuing neocolonial domination over the Philippines and, as such, depends heavily on U.S.-financed and U.S.-sponsored institutions, especially on the ideological front. Thus, grants are generously poured in by such agencies like USAid, National Endowment for Democracy, Asia Foundation and the big business-sponsored Ford Foundation. The objective is to constantly lure and lull the PAGE 10
may 17-23, 2019 • NEW yORK aND NEW JERSEy aSIaN JOURNaL
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MAY 17-23, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
Calendar of Events across
DATELINE PHILIPPINES
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 M AY 1 7-1 9
Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii The Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Global Association (SMISGA) and the Santa Marians of Hawaii are sponsoring the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 17-19, 2019. The festivities will start with a meet and greet on May 17 at 5 p.m. at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom to be followed by a gala night on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai Ballroom. A picnic is also scheduled at Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island on Sunday, May 19 starting at 10 a.m. The ticket to attend all the events is $130.00 per person. Due to limited space, reservations must be made not later than March 31, 2019. Hats and t-shirts will also be on sale for $20. For further information, call Nena Empleo at (808) 384-0394, Carlito Soria at (808) 487-3370, Alex Pena at (702) 373-9522 or Orlino Baldonado at (865) 789-8324. Leave a message if there’s no answer. Additional information is also on SMISGA.com and Facebook @ SMISGA19FB. Proceeds from the events will be for various projects in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur and in Hawaii. Donations are tax deductible since SMISGA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
M AY 1 8
Free oil filter & motor oil recycling event in East Los Angeles ATTENTION ALL EAST LA 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, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be held at O’Reilly Auto Parts (722 S. Atlantic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90022). Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean. So, don’t miss out – we’re making it easier for you to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently.
Pan Asian Citizenship Event in Monrovia, CA Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) will be hosting a free Pan Asian Citizenship Clinic on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Anita YMCA (501 South Mountain Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016). The clinic will provide attendees free citizenship services, including: eligibility screenings, application assistance, and legal review by qualified immigration attorneys. Services will be offered in seven Asian languages and Spanish. Appointments are required - for more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call: (888) 349-9695 for English or (855) 300-2552 for Tagalog.
M AY 25
Marist School Marikina to celebrate 55th anniversary in Buena Park, CA Marist Alumni Abroad, coordinated by Arthur ‘Jojo’ P. Armada ‘77, invites alumni, family and friends, and the public who are interested, to the 55th anniversary grand reunion of the Marist School Marikina, to be held on Saturday, May 25, at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel (7675 Crescent Ave., Buena Park, CA 90620). The event’s theme is “Celebrating Our Marist Life...The Legacy Continues,” hosted by Marist Alumni Abroad. Dinner and dance: 6 pm to 11 pm; donation: $55/pax (per person). Contact person is overall chair Jojo P. Armada at (626) 216-3529 or email: armadaarthur@yahoo.com.
M AY 25 -26
Bulacan high schools reunite in Rosemead, CA The 2019 Global Gathering of Marcelo H. Del Pilar High School (MHPHS) of Malolos, Bulacan will be held on May 25-26, 2019 at the Double Tree Hotel in Rosemead, CA. For further information, please contact any of the following: Lourdes Ople-Smith at lourdesosmith@gmail.com / (310) 662-1948; Charito Aldaba-Gabriel at chato_gabriel1019@ yahoo.com / (818) 653-6047; Leni Flor Cruz-Florentino at lenflorcruz529@yahoo.com / (818) 282-0928; Tristan Zafra at tristan@trisoftco.com / (714) 686-3345; Gerry Torres, Jr. at gerrytorres50@gmail.com / (213) 249-1633; and Perfecto T. Martin at perfecto.martin@ gmail.com.
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PH pulls out envoys in Canada after delay in trash shipment MANILA — In an unprecedented move, the Philippines’ top diplomat ordered the recall of the country’s ambassador and consuls to Canada following the delay in the shipment of garbage back to the North American country. Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said Canada missed its May 15 deadline to ship back the remaining 69 containers of trash that it has dumped in the Philippines between 2013 and 2014. The recall order is despite a large number of Filipinos residing and working in Canada. DFA data as of December 2017 showed that there are 892,481 Filipino workers in the North American country, equivalent to about 2.4% of its total population. “At midnight last night [May 15], letters for the recall of our ambassador and consuls to Canada went out,” Locsin tweeted on Thursday morning, May 16.
“They are expected here in a day or so. Canada missed the May 15 deadline. And we shall maintain a diminished diplomatic presence in Canada until its garbage is ship bound there.” Locsin said the Philippine envoys to Canada are expected to return to the country in a day. The secretary added that the Philippines will maintain a “diminished diplomatic presence” in Canada until the garbage issue is sorted out. According to Locsin, the government’s consideration of a two- to a three-week delay of the shipment of containers of garbage does not extend the deadline. What triggered Locsin to recall diplomats was Canada’s absence in a supposed meeting with the Bureau of Customs. “At the Japanese enthronement ceremony, [Department of Finance] informed me that Canada did not show up at a meeting with Customs and
that was the trigger,” Locsin said on Twitter. Last month, President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to sail to Canada and “dump their trash there.” “They have been sending their trash to us. Well, not this time. We will quarrel with each other. So what if we quarrel with Canada? We’ll declare war against them, we can beat them,” Duterte said in Pampanga. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo earlier warned that Canada’s disposal of garbage to the Philippines is “dangerously disruptive of our bilateral relations.” This was in response to the statement of the Canadian Embassy that Ottawa has been working with Manila to address the waste issue “with a view to a timely resolution.” On May 1, Locsin tweeted that the waste sent to the Philippines six years ago will be shipped back to Canada in 15 days. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar)
The CIA and Namfrel: Should this dog survive... PAGE 7 masses into the elite-dominated electoral process, thus legitimizing the neoliberal economic system and its political apparatus, producing a fragile social peace and a “peaceful mechanism for competition among the Filipino elite and oligarchy.” CIA fronts in Manila Among the most prominent CIA fronts in Manila is the Asia Foundation with offices at Magallanes Village, Makati. According to a former U.S. State Department bureaucrat William Blum in a recent book, the “Asia Foundation is the principal CIA front” and funding conduit in Asia. The Asia Foundation funds and supports known anti-communist groups or influential personalities, i.e. academics, journalists, local officials and institutions. Simbulan said his interviews with former CIA operatives in the Philippines in 1996 confirm the active use of this foundation for the “Agency.” A complete cut-off after 1967, however, would have forced the foundation to shut down, so the agency made it the beneficiary of a large “severance payment” in order to give it a couple of years to develop alternative sources of funding. Tancangco report In her 1992 book, The Tancangco Report: The Anatomy of Electoral Fraud (Matrix
Manila, 1992), Luzviminda G. Tancangco, a former commissioner of the Commission on Elections, provides firsthand documentation on Namfrel’s work as a watchdog of Philippine elections. Because of its well-documented association with the CIA in the Philippines, Namfrel tried to scrub its history by alleging that it started election watching only in the snap elections in 1986. This way, it sought to wipe away its shadowy activities in previous national elections. But even the historical revisionism was insufficient for cleansing. In the 1986 snap elections, it promptly returned to its old ways. It became a partisan for the presidential campaign of Corazon Aquino. It took part in a plot to deprive Marcos of victory and propagandize a fictitious Cory Aquino victory. No matter what it did Namfrel could not credibly document the alleged Aquino victory in a way that would invalidate the official Comelec count of the votes, which saw Marcos as the victor. The most that the Aquino partisans could do was claim that Marcos had stolen the snap election. To this day, foreign correspondents like Tony Lopez of the defunct Asiaweek, will swear that Marcos won the snap 1986 elections. Tancangco in her book doc-
uments Namfrel’s numeracy. She noted: “Comelec charged that Namfrel tabulated spurious election returns and that it withheld results from the Kilusan ng Bagong Lipunan bailiwicks. “Namfrel was finally charged with engaging in trending or extrapolation of results, and hiding of election returns favoring the KBL, and resorting to selective posting.” In the subsequent 1987 election, Tancangco noted a twist in the image of Namfrel. Its image as a countercheck on possible fraud by the ruling KBL as changed to that of a possible collaborator with the ruling coalition under the Aquino administration. The shortcomings of Namfrel as an election watchdog in the 1986 and 1987 elections are documented in the Tancangco Report. It could never attest to the credibility or accuracy of its election count. It had no authentication process in the various stages of vote tallying and vote aggregation. To this day, the questionable and incomplete Namfrel count is the only documentation available for Cory Aquino’s alleged victory in the February 1986 snap elections. Was Namfrel in 1986 still doing work for the CIA? Was it receiving U.S. funding? ■
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 17-23, 2019
COMMUNITY Journal
Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ
June 2019 priority dates The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY: First Preference
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line� for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,� but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards� and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. Beginning last October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.� If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and USCIS indicates on its website it will use the Application Filing Date for that month). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card.
Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
April 22, 2008
June 22, 2007
(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below March 08, 2019 July 15, 2017 21 years old) of green card holder (2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holder
July 01, 2008
November 15, 2007
Third Preference
Married sons and daughters of US Citizens.
November 01, 1997
February 01, 1997
Fourth Preference
Brothers and sisters of US Citizens.
March 01, 1998 June 01, 1997
LABOR CERTIFICATION:
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
Second Preference
Advanced Degree (Masters)
Current
Current
Third Preference
Professional/ Skilled Workers
January 01, 2019
November 01, 2018
Other Workers
Non-Skilled Workers
January 01, 2019
November 01, 2018
*** 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 reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute
HER “AMERICAN DREAM� SHATTERED WHEN HER CASE WAS DENIED AND HER TWO ATTORNEYS TOLD HER THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO JUST “HIDE.� Mariel (left) was devastated when her adjustment of status was denied after USCIS concluded she was out of status. Distraught and lost, especially after her first two lawyers’ only advice was to “hide,� Mariel decided to consult with “Attorney-of-Last-Hope� Michael J. Gurfinkel who sought reconsideration and was able to get Mariel her elusive green card in record time. Watch Mariel’s dream come true on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy� – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook. com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @ GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)
Philippine National Bank opens its new Los Angeles office
THE right place at the right time bodes good things for the right endeavor. PNB puts itself right smack dab in the heart of the Filipino American community. This is wonderful news. It is, by and large, a terrific calculated business move to be closer and be accessible to the people that PNB serves. PNB’s office is now located at 3435 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 104, at the foot traffic level of the Equitable Plaza
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Building in Los Angeles, California 90010. Why is this a great move? It is the same building where the Philippine Consulate holds office. If things pan out in due time, an office for the Philippine Social Security Administration will likely be in the same location. And about time too ‌‌ Those who regularly remit to family and friends in the Philippines and who live and work in the neighborhood will
find it easier to go to this location once it is set up to do so. Its accessibility to the consulate makes required documentation for business, travel and other matters more convenient. The move is also brilliant and propitious. The economy is on the uptick in both the US and the Philippines. It is a trend worth noting particularly for those mulling the possibilities ofstraddling both counPAGE 12
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MAY 17-23, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
Health@Heart PhiliP S. ChuA, Md, FACS, FPCS WEDNESDAY last week, while waiting at O’Hare Airport in Chicago for our flight to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to attend the graduation of our granddaughter Sydney; my wife, Farida, and I saw a cute, cheerful, very active toddler, who reminded us fondly of our five children and ten grandchildren at that age. As a pediatrician, Farida guessed the baby girl’s age correctly, as we overheard the father telling a lady “16 months old.” Personally, I find them most enjoyable and adorable between ages one to three, and especially challenging at age two: Terrible Two, when they start to develop their personality and love to say “no!,” asserting their independence. The stage I truly marvel at, even today, is the initiation of life when the sperm meets the ovum which starts fertilization from one cell, geometrically and progressively dividing, eventually growing into an embryo, then fetus. How a new human being comes to life and how DNA maps and guides the entire process are amazing and mind-boggling, to say the least. To me, it is nothing short of a miracle. The progress of the fetal development compounds the excitement and interest. And the curiosity and the queries abound. What is the timeline of fetal development? The cells in the embryo begin to organize themselves into the fetus’s brain, face, eyes, ears, and nose between the 4th and 5th week of pregnancy. The heart starts to beat at about 22 days after conception, but on the ultrasound, the beating heart of the fetus is seen in about 5 weeks from the last menstrual period of the mother. At 18 weeks, the baby begins to hear, more sensitive at week 24 when the ears are developing better. Between weeks 25th and 26th, it responds to voices and noise in the womb. The baby at this stage is able to hear music, the mother’s breathing, motion, stomach growls, and heartbeat. Outside sounds are muted by half in the uterus, muffled by the amniotic fluid (like a shock absorber), where the baby floats. Constant exposure to loud noises could cause hearing defect in the fetus. The mother’s voice is the most significant, familiar and soothing sound the baby
Miracle of life
hears, which the baby in the womb can recognize by the third trimester (28 weeks). Its heartbeat increases when the mother is speaking, showing their awareness and alertness. How large is the fetus at 25 weeks? At 25 weeks of gestation, the fetus is about 13.1 inches tall and 1.7 pounds in weight. They already look like a human being, a very tiny version of a full term baby. Normal full term delivery is 40 weeks (10 months). Those born at 25 weeks are tiny and fragile, but with modern neonatology care, most make it, but some do not survive. What are the items not to eat/drink when pregnant? Some of the foods/drinks to minimize or, better yet, to avoid during pregnancy, a vital and truly delicate stage in the life of a woman and her baby, include: high-mercury contaminated fish (swordfish, tune, especially albacore tuna, king mackerel, shark. The USFDA recommends 8-12 ounces of fish low in mercury, like salmon, shrimp, cod, catfish, tilapia, canned-light non-albacore tuna. These fatty-fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, healthy, and important to the growing fetus. Soft drinks are toxic. To avoid bacterial and parasitic infections for herself and the baby, expectant mothers should totally avoid undercooked or raw fish, raw meat, raw eggs, raw sprouts, unwashed produce, unpasteurized milk and dairy products, processed meats (hot dogs, ham, bacon, sausages), and organ meats. Some of the infections from any foods could lead to premature or stillbirth. Caffeine intakes should be less than 200 mg, about 2 cups a day. Of course, smoking (cigarettes or e-cigs) and alcohol intake are absolutely prohibited, since they increase the risk for premature/still birth, low-birth weight, mental deficiency, increased risks for respiratory and many other diseases. Why the title of my book? I have been asked countless times why I chose to title my book “Let’s Stop ‘Killing’ Our Children,” when in fact it is a home health reference manual for healthy lifestyle and disease prevention at the cellular (DNA) level of children and adults as well. It is a preemptive-proactive strategy for parents to save their children, no matter the age, from unhealthy habits and behaviors and illnesses. It has nothing to do with abortion or murdering children. My rationale: If
we do not teach our children by example (like parents who smoke, drink alcoholic beverage beyond one or two drinks a day, who do not watch their diet and weight, who do not exercise, and who allow their children to consume soft drinks of any kind, which are literally toxic), are obviously exposing their children to bad habits and unhealthy behavior…thus contributing to, and increasing, their to risk to develop diseases, shortened life span and premature death. The word “killing” (as in killing or pampering or spoiling children in the name of love) is in quotation marks as a metaphor. Children are best nurtured with wisdom-guided love and care. Parents and guardians not positively contributing to their children’s health by default are certainly shortening their potential longevity. (Reference available at philipSchua.com, amazon. com, and at central.com.ph) How should society manage population growth? The total world population is more than 7.7 billion and the global population clock is continuously ticking (about 200,000 growth a day) as new births and deaths are officially counted. If society wants to manage global (or even domestic) population growth for the survival of the human species, it is certainly wiser and more compassionate to achieve the goal by avoiding pregnancy and providing excellent environment and healthcare for all people, especially for children and our senior population. Not by ethnic cleansing, murder, or any form of termination of life. The most important tenet in the Hippocratic Oath we took as physicians is Primum non nocere, a Latin phrase meaning, “First, to do no harm,” a sacred, solemn, and poignant promise healers thousands of years ago and today have made. If we are unable to do anything to help a fellowman or any living creature, the least we can do, as healthcare providers, or even as ordinary people anywhere in the world with integrity and compassion, is to respect life and do no harm. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com
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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA WHAT does it cost to be kind to others? We often think that being kind costs us something — whether it is time, money, connections or any of what we consider to be our personal resources becoming depleted. Being kind does not diminish us. On the contrary, it adds a certain glow to our persona. Have we ever thought at all about the physical and psychological benefits of acts of kindness that flow right back to us? It’s one of those mysteries of the amazing human body and of life itself. Recent medical studies indicate that both the giving and receiving of kindness have positive effects on a person’s well being. It helps produce oxytocin, a naturally occurring hormone in the human body that boosts our immune system and causes other good residual effects on blood pressure and the body’s general homeostatic balance. In women, it has positive effects on childbirth and lactation. Studies now seem to prove that it can help in autism and the ability to handle social anxieties. Another feel-good substance called endorphins is produced in the human body by laughter and exercise. Acts of kindness, specially the pure ones, those that are done without any thought of payback or return, can produce the substance as well. Endorphins running in our bloodstream is good for the heart and the mind as it counteracts the effects of free radicals wreaking havoc in our bodies as we go
The Power of Kindness “Kind people are the best kind of people.” through the ravages of the aging process. It does not mean however, that kindness and endorphins insure us against aging. It just means that we can be happy and perhaps, even content over the long haul. It just means that the residual effects of habitual kindness can substantially slow down the aging process along with a good diet, and regular age -appropriate exercise. Of course, wisely steering clear of moving vehicles, toxic relationships and such known elective, addictive poisons such as cigarettes, drugs and alcohol all help to arrive at a high quality of life in one’s sunset years. In the same way joy shows in our faces specially our eyes, so does GRIEF. Sorrow and pain can become deeply etched and alas, no amount of plastic surgery can erase it. Those of us who live in big cities and are subject to the stresses of the fast pace and killer demands of modern life to “perform and deliver” in our home and work environments are more than likely to suffer from diseases and infections. It’s the curse of big city living and the rat race. Because of such demands that can exceed individual human capacities, many feel exhausted and cannot think beyond their personal needs and wants. Remember too that this technological age has spawned the “Selfies Generation.” The trend these days in social media is to focus on the self. Many are becoming stars in their deluded minds and in the web firmament
thinking that the number of “likes” they get is proof positive of their popularity and social status. The result is that many are becoming hardwired and laser focused on just their individual images to the exclusion of others. This selfobsession—today’s equivalent of the biblical golden calf of idolatry—strangely leads to depression. Those who have seen the light, however, and have decided that kindness is beneficial to others and inadvertently, to themselves, practice it quite naturally, most times, without fanfare. After all, genuine kindness is often quiet and does not need to go viral. But when acts of kindness captured on video do go viral because a disinterested third party uploaded the clip on the internet and is viewed by millions around the world, this becomes a teachable moment when kindness gets amplified with the ripple effect. Kindness without an agenda can inspire others to be kind to the people in their immediate spheres of influence. Kindness, like the flu, can be truly contagious. Unlike the flu though, kindness is good all around. Go natural whenever possible. LAUGHTER, EXERCISE and KINDNESS, often at little or no cost, can go a long way in getting back to that wonderful state of happily ever after. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc. com.
Philippine National Bank opens...
PAGE 11 tries — of enjoying their lives living part of their retirement years in America and part of the time in the Philippines. Philippine real estate developers know that Filipino Americans who have worked practically all their lives are having more of the resources and the wherewithal in the current bullish economy, to buy property in the Philippines and would need readily available financing. This is where PNB comes into play. With its unique OPHL proPAGE 15
In attendance were The BIG GUNS for PNB from the head office in the Philippines and the US-based PNB RCI. From L to R: Nelson V. Javier, newly appointed CEO and President of PNB Remittance Centers, Inc.; Atty. Erwin Go; EVP Bernie Tocmo, Head of PNB’s Retail Banking Sector; Atty. Manny Bahena, PNB’s Chief Legal Counsel, and Ms. Edith Manalad, First Vice President and General Manager of PNB-Los Angeles Branch.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 17-23, 2019
Around the world is now around the corner: McDonald’s worldwide favorites menu is cleared for landing in the US
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This summer, US customers can get their hands on four global menu items
CHICAGO – It’s for real, or as our friends in the Netherlands would say, “Het is echt!” Pack your taste buds and save room in your travel itinerary for a journey to the nearest McDonald’s next month. We are bringing some of our most popular global menu items to participating restaurants nationwide. Our food is at the heart of what we do and it connects us to our millions of customers that we serve around the world each day. Beginning June 5, McDonald’s Worldwide Favorites will be touching down at participating U.S. restaurants nationwide for
EMPLOYMENT
a limited time. “We know our U.S. customers are curious about McDonald’s international menu items. Because we are always innovating our menu, we are thrilled to leverage our global scale and offer popular f lavors from around the world next month,” said Linda VanGosen, McDonald’s Vice President of Menu Innovation. “We are committed to creating everyday feel-good moments for customers no matter what McDonald’s restaurant they walk into anywhere in the world.” Our American customers will have their pick of four craveable and delicious
menu items from several of our international menus including: • Stroopwafel McFlurry (The Netherlands): Our creamy vanilla soft serve, mixed with a rich caramel swirl, featuring authentic chopped Dutch Daelmans Stroopwafel caramel waff le cookie pieces. Cookies and soft serve? Yes please. • Grand McExtreme Bacon Burger (Spain): A quarter pound* of 100 percent fresh beef** topped with thick cut Applewood smoked bacon, smoky McBacon Sauce, real Gouda cheese and slivered onions served on a freshly toasted sesame seed bun. • Tomato Mozzarella
EMPLOYMENT
FOR SALE
Chicken Sandwich (Canada): Made with a grilled or crispy all white meat, juicy and tender chicken, the Tomato Mozzarella Chicken Sandwich is topped with tomato & herb sauce, creamy mozzarella cheese, slivered onions, fresh lettuce and sliced Roma tomatoes served on a freshly toasted artisan roll. • Cheesy Bacon Fries (Australia): Look familiar? That’s right, Cheesy Bacon Fries are back! After such a positive customer reaction to Australia’s Cheesy
Bacon Fries in the U.S., they’re taking a victory lap. Don’t miss our World Famous Fries topped with real cheddar cheese sauce and chopped Applewood Smoked bacon. While rotating favorites from around the world are on the menu at McDonald’s global headquarters restaurant in Chicago’s West Loop neighborhood, this marks the first time Worldwide Favorites are featured on U.S. menus nationwide at participating restaurants.
SERVICES
These limited time additions are the latest step in continuing to build a better McDonald’s for our customers. We can’t wait to show customers more of the international celebration we have in store this summer! No passport required. *Weight before cooking 4 oz. **Available at most restaurants in contiguous US. Not available in Alaska, Hawaii and U.S. Territories.
(Advertising Supplement)
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MAY 17-23, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
(212) 655-5426 N E W http://www.asianjournal.com YO R K / N E W J E R S• EY M AY 1 7, 2 0 1 9
people events arts culture entertainment
Filipino Restaurant Week 2019 is in full swing
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BY
MOMAR G. VISAYA/ AJPRESS
his year’s Filipino Restaurant Week is up and running, and this year’s incarnation is bigger than ever, expanding to seven states with 23 restaurants participating. “Last year, we expanded to Philadelphia. This year, I am happy to announce that our Filipino Restaurant Week is happening in seven states in the east coast,” Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate said at the official launch last week.
Mighty Bowl offers the Sisig Bowl and Bicol Express Bowl for Filipino Restaurant Week
Chef Aris Tuazon of Ugly Kitchen
Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate
Purple Yam is serving Laing with mango, jicama and silly salad
Asin is offering their pinangat using crab meat wrapped in collard greens and cooked in thick coconut cream
Lorraine Reyes and Jorgo Tore of The Buren in Brooklyn is another newcomer to Filipino Restaurant Week 2019. AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya
Aside from participating restaurants in New York and New Jersey, FRW is also happening in Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC. For the first time since FRW’s inception five years ago, the launching was held outside the Philippine Center at High Bar, the rooftop of DoubleTree Hotel in Hell’s Kitchen. The expansion to the seven states is also another first as the project has grown even beyond the borders of the Philippine Consulate General in New York and its ten state jurisdiction, with restaurants from Washington, DC and Maryland participating as well. “And yet another first is highlighting an ingredient common in Filipino cooking, the coconut,” said Consul Arman Talbo, who hosted the launch. First-timers One of the newcomers this year is Asin, a restaurant in Caldwell, New Jersey. Queenie Banez, a dentist by profession, co owns Asin with her husband, Dr. Vincent Banez. She is also the resident chef. “I was a practicing dentist in Manila for 30 years until I joined by husband here back in 2012,” Banez shared. “I also joined and won in national cooking competitions back home, which gave me a chance to showcase our cuisine in Malaysia, Bangkok and Singapore.” The restaurant’s bestsellers are ukoy, kare kare and crispy pata. For Filipino Restaurant Week, they are serving pinangat (crab meat wrapped in
collard greens and cooked in coconut) to conform with the highlighted ingredient. “We want to set our identity apart and we would like to be known as a place that serves really good, authentic, home cooked Filipino food. We just want to bring out the best in Filipino cuisine,” Banez added. Supporters and frequent diners can make the most out of FRW by visiting the participating restaurants from 13 to 26 May 2019 and get a chance to win a trip to the Philippines by filling out their FRW passport (which they can get from the participating restaurants or from the Philippine Consulate General New York beginning 13 May). Lorraine Reyes reached out to the Philippine Consulate last year when she found out about Filipino Restaurant Week. She and her husband Jorgo Tore opened The Buren in the Bushwick neighborhood of Brooklyn around August of last year. Reyes said they were hands on in creating the menu, which is a nod to both their heritage (she is Filipino and her husband is Greek), hence the Filipino/ Mediterran e a n options t h a t they have been offering. “We tried
every dish with the help of our chefs and our goal was to have a diverse selection for our diners, sharing our common love for food. A number of our dishes have a lot of Filipino and Greek influences,” Reyes said. She cited as an example their version of lumpiang shanghai where they substituted pork with falafel, which Jorgo said is one of their bestsellers. Also among the most ordered is their waffle, which they serve with ube dressing. “We want Filipinos to come and try us so they will see the diversity we put into our food, how we mix Mediterranean and Greek influences with Filipino and we would like to
see their reaction,” Jorgo added. For FRW, they are offering sinigang, Bicol express, falafel spring rolls and buko pandan. The wide spectrum of Filipino cuisine is represented in this year’s FRW, from the authentic and the traditional home style meals to fusion dishes and more modern take on the cuisine. Filipino Restaurant Week runs from May 13 to 26.
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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 17-23, 2019
Filipinos go on ‘epic’ martial arts showdown with Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick 3’ By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com
HOLLYWOOD actor Keanu Reeves is back for another installment of the actionpacked “John Wick: Chapter 3–Parabellum” and this time, he is facing Zero, a vengeful antagonist played by Filipino American actor Mark Dacascos. Known for its action-packed fight scenes, the movie’s third installment showcases Keanu in a kill fest with opponents, most especially, Dacascos. Keanu and Mark had an epic martial arts showdown in the latter part of the movie. Before they met for a fight scene, Keanu also had an encounter with two of Mark’s personnel, which also seem like Filipinos since they greeted John Wick in a Philippine provincial dialect. The Filipino-American Dacascos has been popular for his roles as Mani in the French film “Brotherhood of the Wolf,” Toby Wong in the 1997 film “Drive and Ling,” and in the 2003 film “Cradle 2 the Grave.” He is also known as The
Mark Dacascos (right) with Keanu Reeves and Koa Dacascos Photo from Instagram/@dacascosmark
Chairman in the Food Network’s hit show, “Iron Chef America.” He also directed the 2016 movie “Showdown in Manila,” starring Casper Van Dien, Alexander Nevsky, Filipino-American actress Tia Carrere, and Filipino actors Iza Calzado, Jake Macapagal, Mon Confiado, Don Gordon Bell and Monsour del Rosario. “John Wick: Chapter 3– Parabellum” is now showing in SM Cinemas nationwide.
The third installment of the John Wick film series picks right up after the events of “John Wick: Chapter 2.” After killing Santino D’Antonio on Continental grounds, John Wick is declared “excommunicado” and goes on the run with a $14 million global contract for his death. With a horde of the world’s top assassins on his tail, John must find his way around the city of New York and try to make it out alive.
Nora to young people: Love God and your moms By rito P. aSilo Inquirer.net
Nora Aunor
GMA photo
NORA Aunor knows a thing or two about failure— and rising above it. The rags-to-riches tale of the country’s one and only Superstar, as relayed in exciting detail to us by avid Noranians, Nestor de Guzman and Cinema One best supporting actor awardee Andy Bais, deserves nothing less than a cinematic rendering like “Bohemian Rhapsody” (on Freddie Mercury) or “Rocketman” (about Elton John). And knowing how many of her exceptional films and portrayals have helped shape Philippine cinema, we’d even go out on a limb to say how happy we would be to see her conferred the coveted and elusive National Artist Award. Her filmography is nothing to scoff at, after all: “Himala,” “Ina Ka ng Anak Mo,” “Tatlong Ta-
ong Walang Diyos,” “Bona,” “‘Merika,” “Thy Womb,” “Atsay,” “T-Bird at Ako” and “Minsa’y Isang Gamugamo.” To say the least, it hasn’t been an easy climb for her. The first time Nora tried out for “Tawag ng Tanghalan” in the mid-’60s, she aced the preliminary round by singing “You and the Night and the Music,” but she failed to edge out then-defending champion Jose Yap. The diminutive singer, who will turn 66 on May 21, sang Barbra Streisand’s “People” on her second try and bested 11-week defending champion Oscar Antonio. This was followed by a long run of wins that culminated on May 29, 1967, when she sang “Moonlight Becomes You” and was declared grand champion. Even her legendary recording career didn’t start out well. Reception to her recordings of “Moonlight
Philippine National Bank opens...
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PAGE 12 gram (Own a Philippine Home Loan) which they have been offering efficiently and effectively to many US expatriates for decades now can and do provide this financing. The timing is close to perfect. A cursory look at the mushrooming vertical and horizontal developments found in the Philippine metropolis and other parts of the country indicate increasing confidence among consumers looking to buy Philippine property. There is positive indication of a significant segment right here in the Greater Los Angeles County that is in a position to buy property through their savings, pensions, income from social security or sizable nest eggs. These are serious buyers who are looking to secure loans to flesh out their dreams of owning a home or perhaps, even add to their investment portfolio. PNB Los Angeles Branch, headed by its First VP and General Manager Edith Manalad, officially opened its doors at this new office on April 29, 2019. Its blessing, grand opening and inauguration was held the following day with a good number of friends and associates in the business community gracing the occasion and enjoying the sumptuous food spread, the treats, the great ambience and even grabbing the lucky coins that were tossed for good luck at the well-planned and seamlessly executed inaugural event. PNB LA also put out the welcome mat for visiting high-ranking officials from the Philippines among whom was Executive Vice President Bernie Tocmo and his party who flew in to grace the event and inspect the new office. Cutting the ribbon is Consul General Adel Cruz of the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles with the assistance
of Edith Manalad, First Vice President/General Manager of PNB LA. Fr. Percy of the Missionaries of Jesus and the Parish Priest of St. Kevin Church blessed the office premises. Also in attendance is Nelson V. Javier, President & CEO of PNB Remittance Centers, Inc., a PNB bank affiliate, which is charged with overseeing the multiple branches of the biggest, if not one of the biggest remittance companies serving the Filipino community in the US. PNB LA aims to serve not only its existing customer base built over the years but also the banking needs of the Filipinos and Filipino-Americans who transact business with the Philippine Consulate. The new office will allow PNB LA to cater to more clients for bank
services as it will soon accept over-the-counter remittance transactions. The transfer to the new location is also in line with the Bank’s strategic plan to laser focus on its home loan known as the Own a Philippine Home Loan (OPHL), a home financing program available for all US-based persons who are interested to invest in real estate in the Philippines. Turn around time will be shorter because of its proximity to the consulate, one floor up, where loan documents are submitted for consularization, which is simply the process of authenticating any legal document. For further information, call (213) 026 8227. Or email pnblagroup@pnb. com.ph
Becomes You,” “There’s Just Forever,” “No Return, No Exchange,” “You are My First Love,” “I Almost Called Your Name” and “I Only Came to Say Goodbye” was either cold or lukewarm. But Nora’s cover of “The Music Played” signaled a sweet reversal of fortune that would eventually change the course of her career—and that of Philippine show biz! She launched her first LP “Nora Aunor Sings” in April 1969, acted in her first movie “All Over the World,” got her first starring role
with Tirso Cruz III in Carling Marquez’s “D’ Musical Teenage Idols!”—and the rest is fabled show biz history. Ate Guy was feeling a bit under the weather when we talked to her for this article last Thursday. But she said she couldn’t let the opportunity to share her thoughts about her mother, Mamay Tunying Villamayor, pass. “Pasensya ka na for the late reply,” she told us. “Hindi naging maganda ang pakiramdam ko nitong mga nakaraang
araw—at hanggang ngayon.” The Superstar said she couldn’t have risen above those initial debacles on her fairy tale-like climb to movie queendom without the doting love and support of Mamay Tunying—and she said she wanted the young generation of fans to know how her mom helped see her through their humble beginnings. For her followers to fully appreciate her recollections, we’re printing Ate Guy’s message in Filipino.
The Management and Staff of PNB at their new office on Wilshire Boulevard. They are now ready to serve the Filipino American community with their remittances and more specially, walk a Philippine property buyer through the process of the OPHL (Own a Philippine Home Loan) program.
Ribbon Cutting: From L to R: Consul General Adel Cruz of the Philippine Consulate - Los Angeles, Father Percy of the Missionaries of Jesus and the parish priest of St. Kevin Church, Los Angeles, Mr. Gerry Palon, President of the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce and Edith Manalad, First Vice President/General Manager of PNB LA.
(Advertising Supplement)
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MAY 17-23, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL
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