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‘Upset’ Duterte orders shipment of trash DATELINE USA back to Canada even at PH expense Democrats criticize FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Trump’s new immigration plan that would slash family-based petitioning

California Sen. Kamala Harris denounces the perceived “hierarchies” of immigrants the plan would impose AS reported by the Asian Journal last week, the Trump administration unveiled its new immigration plan that focuses on curbing the influx of new immigrants by way of a more restrictive “merit-based” system.

In an uncharacteristically softer tone, Trump addressed the growing problem with the country’s current immigration program, noting that “we want immigrants coming in [and] we cherish an open door, but a big proportion of those immigrants should come in through merit and skill.”

by CHRISTINE

S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the shipping of garbage back to Canada at the Philippines’ expense, as he expressed dismay over the “inordinate delay” and Ottawa’s failure to reclaim tons of trash shipped to Manila about six years ago, his spokesman said on Wednesday, May 22.

Speaking to reporters, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte directed concerned government officials to look for a private shipping company that would “immediately” bring back the waste to Canada.

“President Rodrigo Roa Duterte is so upset about the inordinate delay of Canada in shipping back its containers of garbage. We are extremely disappointed with Canada’s neither-here-nor-there pronouncements on the matter,” Panelo said during a press

briefing.

“Obviously, Canada is not taking this issue nor our country seriously. The Filipino people are gravely insulted about Canada treating this country as a dumpsite. As a result of this offending delay, the President has instructed the appropriate office to look for a private shipping company which will bring back Canada’s trash to the latter’s jurisdiction,” he said.

The Palace official said that the Philippine government “will shoulder all expenses and we do not mind the same.”

“If Canada will not accept the trash, we will leave the same within the territorial waters or 12 nautical miles out to sea from the baseline of any of their country’s shores,” Panelo said.

“The president’s stance is principled as it is uncompromising. The Philippines is an independent sovereign nation [and] must not be treated as trash

by other foreign nations. We hope this message resonates well with other countries of the world,” he said.

Asked about Duterte severing ties with Canada, Panelo said, “I think it is going to that direction if you read his pronouncements.”

Duterte said in April that he wanted the trash shipment from Canada returned, even warning that the issue may spark a war.

The president was referring to 103 containers of Canadian waste, consisting of household trash, plastic bottles and bags, newspapers, and used adult diapers, that arrived in Manila in batches from 2013 to 2014.

The Canadian government said it was working on resolving the dispute.

It amended environmental laws in 2016 to set liability for private companies in such cases and to compel them to take back the waste. ■

Ex-Ombudsman Morales barred from Filipina American Iraq War entering Hong Kong u PAGE A2

veteran announces new bid for Congress seat

A FILIPINA American Air Force veteran announced this week that she is seeking another bid for Congress in 2020, after narrowly losing in the 2018 midterm election.

Gina Ortiz Jones, who caught national attention for running in one of the tightest battleground races in 2018, declared on Tuesday, May 14 that she’s throwing her hat in the ring yet again in an attempt to unseat Republican Rep. Will Hurd for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.

In a Twitter video, the 38-year-old Fil-Am shared that she came 926 votes short in the last

u PAGE A2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJ Press

FORMER Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales on Tuesday, May 21 was detained by immigration authorities at an airport in Hong Kong.

“I was detained. When I arrived, I was brought into a room that was not meant for arriving visitors. I was interrogated and then after I was brought to their detention room.

They asked me to sign papers in Tagalog, and I said I want an English version. When I read it, it said there ‘detention,’” she said.

Morales flew to Hong Kong together with her husband, son, daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren for a family vacation, but was denied entry in the special administrative

u PAGE A2

PROCLAIMED. The 12 newly proclaimed senators pose for a group photo at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC). The Commission on Elections (Comelec), sitting as the National Board of Canvassers (NBOC), issued the proclamation on Wednesday, May 22, 2019, a day after completing the tally of 167 certificates of canvass (CoCs). The winning senators are (from left to right) Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Lito Lapid, Francis Tolentino, Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, Christopher “Bong” Go, Cynthia Villar, Grace Poe, Pia Cayetano, Nancy Binay, Imee Marcos, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III. ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia

Police chief: 27 ‘narco-politicians’ won polls Pangilinan quits LP post over Otso loss, Robredo rejects resignation

by AJPRESS

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) Chief Oscar Albayalde announced on Monday, May 20, that 27 politicians on President Rodrigo Duterte’s “narco-list” won in the recent 2019 midterm elections.

“Out of 47 na nasa narcolist: 37 ang tumakbo, 27 and nanalo (Out of the 47 individuals in the narcolist: 37 ran for a position, 27 won a seat),” the police chief said as reported by The Manila Times.

“We are in close coordination

with the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG), especially in gathering evidence against narco politicians,” Albayalde added as reported by The Philippine Star.

However, the data gathered by the ABS-CBN Investigative and Research Group displayed a slightly different outcome. The media network reported that there were 46 local officials named on the list — with 36 who ran for various local positions, 26 of whom won.

The research group indicated that the winners in the narco list include 18 mayors, three vice

mayors, two congressmen, one vice governor, one provincial board member, and one councilor. Albayalde claimed that some were from Central Luzon and the Southern Tagalog.

The network identified the political alliances of the said officials namely PDP-LABAN (6), National People’s Coalition (6), Nacionalista Party (6), National Unity Party (2), LAKAS (2), Kilusang Bagong Lipunan (1) while the rest ran as independent.

Despite the victory of the said candidates in the recently con-

u PAGE A2

Comelec proclaims winning senators, majority backed by admin

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJ Press

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) declared the winners of the recently concluded 2019 midterm elections on Wednesday, May 22, at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) in Pasay City.

Topping the list is re-electionist Cynthia Villar from the Nacionalista Party (NP) who was endorsed by the administration’s Hugpong ng Pagbabago party (HNP). Villar garnered a total of 25,283,727

votes.

Following Villar is another reelectionist Grace Poe, who ran as an independent candidate and still managed to garner a total of 22,029,788 votes.

Third on the list is former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher “Bong” Go, who got 20,657,702 votes as he ran under the ruling party Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Another HNP-endorsed newlyelected senator is former Taguig City Representative Pia Cayetano,

who got 19,789,019 votes.

Trailing behind Cayetano is former Bureau of Corrections chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa who got 19,004,225 votes, under PDP-Laban. He was followed

by HNP-endorsed re-electionist Sonny Angara, who finished sixth with 18,161,862 votes.

Seventh on the list is actor Lito Lapid who clinched a Senate seat with 16,965,464 votes, followed by former Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, another HNP candidate with 15,882,628 votes. u PAGE A2

by AJPRESS SENATOR Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Tuesday, May 21, resigned as president of the Liberal Party (LP), following the devastating loss of all eight opposition senatorial candidates.

However, Vice President Leni Robredo, LP chair, rejected his resignation along with that of Quezon City Rep. Christopher Belmonte as LP secretary general.

“The Vice President has not accepted Senator Kiko’s and Cong.

Kit’s resignations. Much work remains to be done, and they will do it, together,” said lawyer Barry Gutierrez, spokesperson of Robredo, in a statement.

According to Pangilinan, he “should be held accountable for this inability to win the elections” since he served as campaign manager for Otso Diretso.

“We were unable to accomplish the task so the one charge must be held to account. Tendering my resignation is the signal that I assume full responsibility for the results of the campaign,” he told ANC. Robredo on Sunday, May 19, expressed her disappointment

over the loss of the Otso Diretso candidates in the recent senatorial elections, insisting the need for a “balanced” Senate in the remaining three years of the Duterte administration.

LP, for its part, urged the Commission on Elections to expedite ruling on its manifestation and motion filed on May 17 to have the glitches investigated. The party also sought the release of transparency servers’ audit and system logs as well as the full report on technical glitches.

“We want to get to the bottom of the glitches, we want to get to the bottom of the election returns, malfunctioning VCMs (vote counting machines), corrupted SD cards,” Pangilinan

said.

He also clarified that he will neither quit LP or become inactive after tendering his resignation from his post.

“I have no intention of becoming inactive. We will continue in building the party, building the coalition and preparing for the coming days,” he said.

“There is the issue of charter change, there is this continuing issue of extra-judicial killings, there is the issue of China and our sovereignty. In the next 3 years, these will be even more critical,” Pangilinan added.

No one’s fault According to Sen. Leila de Lima, no one should be blamed

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MAY 24-30, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

Democrats criticize Trump’s new immigration plan...

PAGE A1 Through this plan, nearly 4 million people would be wiped out of the waiting list for a green card, a process that could take decades.

More than a quarter of those people are of Asian descent, and nearly 314,000 of those are Filipinos, according to State Department stats.

“Trump’s immigration plan would hurt Filipino immigrants, who rely heavily on the familybased visas that Trump wants to slash. Filipino Americans stand with the more than 30,000 Filipinos waiting to be reunited with their families — some for as long as 23 years,” Western Regional Press Secretary & Director of AAPI Media at the DNC John Santos said in a statement sent to the Asian Journal.

“Instead of continuing to push his xenophobic immigration policies, Trump should join Democrats in working to fix our broken immigration system.”

Democrats on The Hill also condemned the president’s plan, including 2020 presidential hopeful Sen. Kamala Harris of California,

who is half Indian.

“We cannot allow people to start parsing and pointing fingers and creating hierarchies among immigrants,” Harris said at a meeting with AAPI leaders in Las Vegas.

“The beauty of the tradition of our country has been to say, when you walk through the door, you are equal.”

Other elements of the proposal include doubling down on the border wall construction, regulating the flow of lower-wage workers as a way to protect Americans’ incomes and limit the asylum system.

Some of those qualified immigrants who would be fit within the meritbased system include laborers for important American industries, The proposal does not address any pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children, commonly known as DREAMers.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also criticized the proposal as one of “the worst” of Trump’s immigration policy proposals, noting that the plan has little chance of making

it through the House.

“The White House has repackaged the worst of its past failed immigration plans: greenlighting the Administration’s barbaric family detention policies, reviving the president’s ineffective and wasteful wall, completely abandoning our patriotic and determined DREAMers and gutting our asylum and refugee protections” Pelosi said in a statement.

Pelosi also scrutinized the proposal’s mandate that would cut family reunification programs, questioning what the president defines as an immigrant with “merit.”

“It is really a condescending word. They’re saying family is without merit?” Pelosi told reporters last week. “Certainly we want to attract the best to our country, and that includes many people from many parts of society. So we’ll see what values are reflected there. We’ve only heard titles like merit, which is non-merit. It means merit in the eyes of Donald Trump.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

Filipina American Iraq War veteran...

PAGE A1 t cycle but has “never been one to back down because the promise of our country is worth fighting for.”

“It’s why I served in the military and deployed to Iraq, it’s why I served in President Obama’s administration, and it’s why I’ve dedicated my life to public service,” she said. “And it’s why I’m stepping up again to run for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.”

She grew up in San Antonio, Texas with a single mother, Victorina Ortiz, who is originally from Pangasinan, Philippines. In addi-

tion to her Air Force service, Ortiz Jones was a special adviser at the Defense Intelligence Agency and was a director for investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, before leaving in June 2017.

Ortiz Jones ran last year in an endeavor to make history by becoming the first Filipina American to be elected to Congress, as well as the first first openly gay, first Iraq War veteran and first woman House representative from Texas’ 23rd district, which runs along the state’s border with Mexico.

“I would be honored to be the first [Filipina American] but it is important that I am not going to be the last because I am only here because of the opportunity my community, my country afforded for me. This is very much about protecting those opportunities for others that are just as talented, just as hungry and need a little bit of help,” Ortiz Jones told the Asian Journal in an interview before the midterm election in 2018.

On Wednesday, May 15, her campaign announced that she had raised over $100,000 in the first day. (AJPress) n

Comelec proclaims winning senators...

PAGE A1 Former presidential political adviser Francis Tolentino who was also a PDP-Laban candidate garnered 15,510,026 votes, while re-electionist Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III trailed behind him with 14,668,665 votes.

Securing the eleventh spot is HNP-backed Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. with 14,624,445 votes, while re-electionist Nancy Binay completed the so-called Magic 12 after garnering 14,504,936 votes.

Sitting outside the winning circle are re-electionists JV Ejercito and Bam Aquino, with 14,313,727 votes, and 14,114,923 votes, respectively.

No member of the opposition slate — Otso Diretso — made it to the top 12 as majority or nine out of 12 of the newly-elected senators were endorsed by President

Rodrigo Duterte. As such, political analysts assessed that it will be helpful for policy continuity but questionable in terms of checks and balances in the country.

“The election was widely seen as a test of Duterte’s popularity and as an opportunity for him to consolidate power by gaining control of the Senate, which had proved an obstacle to his policy plans in the first three years of his presidency,” Fitch Solutions said in a commentary.

“The strong show of support for Duterte will both give him the confidence and ability to push ahead with his reform programme,” they added as reported by The Philippine Star.

Other senatorial bets concede defeat Senatorial candidates Romulo Macalintal, Florin Hilbay, Erin

Tanada, Jiggy Manicad and Leody de Guzman thanked their supporters as they accepted their defeat in the recent midterm elections.

Macalintal thanked his family, Vice President Leni Robredo, and his supporters. He also expressed gratitude to senior citizens.

Meanwhile, Hilbay recognized that “the will of the people is supreme, so we respect the results of the elections.” He congratulated the winners as he wished that they “may serve the country well.”

“To all our HILBAYanihan volunteers: You all did whatever it took, and whatever you could. I am sorry that our resources did not match your brilliance, your heart, and your hope,” Hilbay added as reported by Rappler.

On one hand, Otso Diretso be Tañada said that he “would like to concede and congratulate all those who won the elections.”

Manicad also expressed gratitude in a Facebook live video post.

He mentioned those who volunteered during his campaign.

“Gusto ko pong magpasalamat sa inyong lahat. Alam niyo po, ang mahigit anim na milyong boto ay malaki at alam ko po ang hirap din ng mga volunteers. Maraming salamat po sa inyong sakripisyo (I want to thank everyone. You know, 6 million votes isn’t a small feat. I recognize the hard work of the volunteers),” Manicad said.

Labor Win candidate de Guzman emphasized the advantage of the campaign despite failing to secure a spot in the Senate seat.

“Hindi tayo pinalad na makapasok sa winning Circle pero pumasok naman tayo sa puso ng mga kabataang estudyante at organisadong seksyon ng mga manggagawa (We were not fortunate to be in the winning circle, but we were able to get through the hearts of young students and organized labor),” de Guzman said. n

BETTER TIES. U.S. Pacific Air Forces Commander Gen. Charles Brown Jr. (left) shakes hands with Armed Forces of the Philippines chief Gen. Benjamin Madrigal Jr. The two officials discussed increasing multilateral training opportunities between the two countries.

ManilaTimes.net photo

Ex-Ombudsman Morales barred...

PAGE A1 t region of China.

Hong Kong authorities did not give an explanation why Morales, who was told she would have to return to the Philippines on a 6 p.m. flight, was banned from the country.

The family flew back to Manila with Morales after not pushing through with the vacation — a decision which Morales expressed disappointment over as she wanted to see her grandchildren having fun in their trip to Hong Kong Disneyland.

“I was deprived of the opportunity to see my grandchildren enjoy their vacation in Hong Kong,” she said.

The former Philippine official believes her detention was due to the communication she and former Foreign Affairs Secretary Former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales Photo courtesy of google Albert del Rosario filed to the International Criminal Court (ICC) control the South China Sea,” as against Chinese President Xi Jin- well.

Morales said she does not reping for alleged crimes against gret filing the communication humanity.

They called for an investigation against Xi. “That gives us more resolve to into Beijing’s “systematic plan to

pursue the case. That brings the level of the case to crescendo. We will fight for the examination by the Office of the Prosecutor of the communication that the Ambassador and I filed,” she said.

Del Rosario, for his part, likened Hong Kong’s denial of entry to Morales to bullying.

“One of the reasons we had filed our case in the ICC is to be able to push back against the bullying and harassment that we have been encountering from our goliath of a neighbor,” he said in a statement.

“Today, with the holding of Former Ombudswoman Conchita Carpio-Morales by immigration authorities in Hong Kong as a security risk presumably due to the ICC case that we had filed, we are experiencing more of the same,” he added.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said they cannot question the action taken by Chinese immigration officials as “the entry of foreigners or the refusal thereof is the exclusive and sovereign prerogative of any country.” n

PAGE A1 cluded local elections, the police chief remained adamant on filing “administrative and criminal” cases against should there be ample proof of their involvement in the illegal drug trade.

Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Eduardo Año said that the election results reflected the lack of voter maturity in far-flung areas.

“Voters in far-flung areas are

not mature yet. It is now my job to ensure that these government officials will do their jobs in accordance with the mandate of the Local Government Code,” the Interior Secretary said.

Meanwhile, Senator Richard Gordon said that the “massive, flagrant and scandalous vote buying in areas” where the alleged narco politicians won must be further investigated by the officials responsible for matters regarding elections.

“While vote buying may have become commonplace to some people, the inordinate, flagrant and scandalous vote buying in areas where the narco politicians won must be investigated,” Gordon said in a statement.

Among those government agencies were Commission on Elections (Comelec), the Anti-Money Laundering Council, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the PNP. n

PAGE A1 for the opposition’s defeat since the machinery used to destroy LP and the rest of Otso Diretso was too strong.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, LP vice chairman, echoed the sentiment, saying the opposition’s defeat was not Pangilinan’s fault “because he exerted his best efforts with our limited resources.”

“Unfortunately, we were overwhelmed by the resources coming from the majority,” Drilon said. “[Pangilinan] feels bad because despite everything that he did, we

did not succeed. I can understand where he is coming from,” he added.

De Lima lamented the loss but assured they would not back down in fighting the Duterte administration’s authoritarianism.

“With loss comes the opportunity to learn. And we won’t learn anything if we let ourselves wallow in disappointment or give in to hopelessness,” she said.

Commendable Malacañang on Tuesday commended Pangilinan’s resignation, saying it meant the senator accepts defeat.

According to Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, the loss of the opposition was due to the voters not believing in them.

He added that the “overwhelming majority” of the electorate responded to the hugely popular Duterte’s call to support those whom he said would help pass laws supporting his goal “to uplift the masses of our people and give them comfortable lives they richly deserve.”

“The people simply repudiated them,” Panelo said, referring to the opposition candidates. n

Police chief: 27 ‘narco-politicians’ won...

Pangilinan quits LP post over Otso...

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Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act introduced in Congress

by AJPress NEW legislation has been presented in both the Senate and House of Representatives on Wednesday, May 22 to expedite the visa process for children of Filipino World War II veterans.

The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act was introduced

by Senators Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) and Reps. Ed Case (D-Hawaii) and Don Young (R-Alaska) in the House.

Currently, estimates show that there are less than 6,000 Filipino World War II veterans still living in the United States who could potentially benefit from the Act. “During World War II, Filipino soldiers stepped up and answered the call to service, fighting and sacrificing alongside American servicemembers,” Hirono said in a statement.“However, because these family members have been stuck in a decades-long visa backlog, they have not been able to

reunite with their relatives in the United States. The Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act would fulfill our nation’s promise to honor Filipino World War II veterans’ service to our country and reunite these families.”

More than 260,000 Filipino soldiers followed America’s call to fight under the American flag in World War II. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush granted U.S. citizenship to about 26,000 Filipino nationals in recognition of their service to the United States during World War II. However, the 1990 law did not confer citizenship or residency to the veterans’ children, who remained separated from their parents. Due to a visa backlog, Filipino applicants must wait more than two decades before their applications are considered.

Actions taken to address the family separation in recent years have included the Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program in 2016, which intended to reunite veterans and their surviving

spouses with adult children and certain other relatives.

In addition to Senators Hirono, Murkowski, and Jacky Rosen (DNev.), the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act is also cosponsored by U.S. Senators Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii), Catherine Cortez Masto (D-Nev.), Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Cory Booker (D-N.J.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Tammy Duckworth (D-Ill.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Kamala Harris (D-Calif.), Tim Kaine (D-Va.), and Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.).

“The time to reunite our brave Filipino American World War II veterans with their families is running out,” Brendan Flores, National Chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations, said. “We commend Senator Hirono for her unwavering commitment to these veterans, as she reintroduces the Filipino Veterans Family Reunification Act in Congress. We remain prepared to support any efforts to ensure that this time-sensitive legislation comes to fruition.” n

US-China trade war could spill over to South China Sea

by Jose

KatigbaK Philstar.com

WASHINGTON – The trade war between the United States and China is raising the possibility that tensions could extend beyond trade and affect other areas of contention between them including the South China Sea, analysts here warned.

The warning came as guidedmissile destroyer USS Preble on Monday, May 20, sailed within 12 nautical miles of Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal to “challenge excessive maritime claims and preserve access to the waterways as governed by international law,” said a U.S. 7th Fleet spokesman.

It was the second time in the past week that a U.S. warship sailed near Panatag, which Filipinos also call Bajo de Masinloc.

The Coast Guard cutter Bertholf and two Philippine Coast Guard vessels practiced searchand-rescue operations on May 14 near Panatag, the U.S. Navy said.

Since the start of the year, the U.S. Navy is reported to have conducted four freedom of navigation exercises near disputed islands in the South China Sea, most of which is claimed by Beijing even as China and the United States continue trade talks aimed at easing the escalating tariffs each country has imposed on the other.

The Washington Post said the United States for years has relied on economic interdependence with China as a stabilizing force in their ties, with business between the two nations forming a so-called ballast in U.S.-China affairs.

But as their trade dispute escalates and damages economic ties, “there is reduced incentive for stability and restraint in Washington when it comes to China,” it said.

President Donald Trump was the first to impose tariffs on Chinese goods to reduce America’s massive trade deficit with China.

He escalated the tariffs progressively to punish the Chinese for

forcing U.S. and foreign businesses to hand over their priced technology in exchange for access to local markets. China has retaliated every step of the way.

The Chinese foreign ministry said Preble’s sailing near Panatag was trespassing and clearly an “unpopular” move.

“In disregard of the regional countries’ shared aspiration for peace and stability in the South China Sea, the U.S. has been disrupting regional peace and stability time and again under the pretext of ‘freedom of navigation and overflight,’” said foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang at a press conference in Beijing.

“Such action is unpopular. We strongly urge the U.S. to stop such provocation lest it should harm China-U.S. relations and regional peace and stability,” he said.

He added that China would continue to take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and safeguard peace and stability in the South China Sea. “I have to stress again that the trespass of U.S. warship is a violation of China’s sovereignty. It undermines peace, security and good order in the relevant waters. China firmly opposes such move,” Lu said.

Fight for sovereignty In Manila, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the administration will assert the country’s sovereignty in case Beijing pushes through with its fishing ban in the West Philippine Sea. “The policy of the government will always be consistent with its policy that it will assert its sovereignty over the areas claimed to be its own. So, it will always pursue that line,” Panelo said when asked for the government’s response if China extends the ban to waters within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

The fishing ban – which began on May 1 – is until Aug. 16.

Asked if he finds the ban objectionable, Panelo also said, “draw your conclusion, that’s against the sovereignty – that’s our position.”

“In other words, we will always

Unicef to PH Congress: Strengthen Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act

Photo courtsey by un.org

by Katrina

Hallare Inquirer.net

THE United Nations’ Children’s Fund (Unicef) urged Congress to strengthen Republic Act (RA) 9344 or the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act as the Senate will debate to lower the minimum age of criminal liability on Monday, May 20.

“Do not to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility,” Unicef said in a statement. “Congress must support the full implementation the Juvenile Justice and Welfare Act.” Unicef said that on the 13th anniversary of the Juvenile Justice Act, it reminded the people that “all children must be treated with dignity and accorded their inalienable rights with utmost respect and protection.”

According to RA 9344, it promotes a child-friendly justice sys-

tem focused on rehabilitation and restoration rather than punishment.

“The law makes it clear – without a doubt – that there is a need for a separate juvenile justice system where detention is the last resort,” Unicef said. “The erring child must be rehabilitated and reintegrated into society if the child must take responsibility for his or her action and mend the broken relationship with the community and the victim.”

It also pointed out that lowering the minimum age of criminal liability is not the answer, saying: “putting children in prison or detaining them will only cause more harm to the child and to the community.”

“We call on the government to work with child rights defenders and strengthen the juvenile justice system for the sake of all Filipino children,” Unicef said. n

be consistent. But I will leave that to the Secretary of Foreign Affairs to make a direct statement on that,” he said.

Clam poachers back But security is not the only issue bedeviling the South China Sea. Washington-based think tank Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI), in a report, said Chinese clam harvesting vesPAGE A4

WORLD NO TOBACCO DAY. Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate Committee on Economic Affairs, views the exhibit on World No Tobacco Day launched at the Philippine Senate Hallway in Pasay City on Monday, May 20. Gatchalian said funds derived from an increase in the tax of tobacco products could finance the government’s Universal Health Care program. “Experts agree that increasing the tax on tobacco products is the most effective way of lowering the number of smokers in the country,” Gatchalian said.

Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

PNP to int’l critics: See drug war for yourself Slams Netflix show’s negative portrayal of PH

PHILIPPINE National Police (PNP) chief Police General Oscar Albayalde on Monday, May 20, came to President Rodrigo Duterte’s defense, urging the Philippine government’s international critics to visit the country and see for themselves the peace and order and the drug war being enforced here.

This is after American comedian Hasan Minhaj presented

“erroneous narratives” about Duterte and Philippine politics in the May 12 episode of politicalsatire show “Patriot Act” aired on Netflix.

“This is the very reason why our country is being portrayed as a chaotic place. That’s why we challenge these people to come here to our country and see for themselves the situation on the peace and order and the war on

drugs here,” Albayalde said in a press briefing at the national police headquarters at Camp Crame.

According to him, this portrayal of the country is “unfair to the administration and to those working in the country.”

Albayalde also said that it causes “misinterpretation” and “misconception” of the PhilipPAGE A4

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California secures federal major disaster declarations to support communities impacted by floods

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, May 20, announced that FEMA has approved California’s request for Presidential Major Disaster declarations submitted in April to bolster ongoing state and local recovery efforts following severe winter storms that caused widespread flooding, mudslides and damage to critical infrastructure across California.

“I want to thank the President and FEMA for moving quickly to approve our requests,” said Governor Newsom. “This federal aid will get money and resources where they are needed and help communities recover.”

The Presidential Major Disaster declarations will help state, tribal and local governments with recovery projects including the repair and replacement of disaster-damaged facilities and infrastructure, such as roads, bridges and utilities. The declarations include hazard mitigation, which helps state and local governments reduce the risks and impacts of future disasters.

The governor previously declared a state of emergency for 33 counties across the state due to the storms. n

SINGAPORE-BOUND. Sambisig, a 17-year-old captive-bred female Philippine eagle, is one of the raptors that will be sent to Singapore under the Wildlife Loan Agreement (WLA) between the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) and the Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS). DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu and WRS deputy chief executive officer and chief life sciences officer Dr. Cheng Wen-Haur signed the agreement at the DENR office in Quezon City on Monday (May 20, 2019). Born on November 17, 2002 in Mindanao to parents, Sam and Diamante, the female raptor and her partner, Geothermica, will be staying at the Jurong Bird Park in Singapore.

Photo courtesy of The Philippine Eagle Foundation Photo courtesy of fema.org

PNP to int’l critics: See drug war... US-China trade war could spill over...

PAGE A3 t pines to people abroad.

Malacañang earlier slammed Hasan as well as the episode which had the comedian criticizing Duterte’s war against drugs and expressing his thoughts on the President’s senatorial candidates.

“We find it desperate that, on the eve of the Philippine midterm elections, the vociferous detractors of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte would use an American comedy show, aired on Netflix, to demonize the Chief Executive and his government in its episode entitled ‘Brazil, Corruption and the Rainforest’ before the global audience,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement on Tuesday, May 14.

“Mr. Hasan Minhaj, an American comedian and host, maliciously implied that President Duterte is an ‘autocrat’ who ‘every so often goes on a killing spree,’” Andanar added. “He cited an exaggerated figure — 27,000, which is way higher than the official figure — to besmirch the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.”

According to him, there are about 5,050 drug personalities who died during the 115,435 antidrug operations from July 2016 to November 2018 based on government data.

He also cited Philippine National Police’s (PNP) report which detailed that “a large number of deaths were done by the hands of vigilantes due to the rivalry between drug gangs.”

Andanar mentioned the government’s rehabilitation programs, as well, saying there were about 303,533 individuals who graduated from these rehabilitation programs since Duterte assumed presidency in 2016.

“We express outrage that such erroneous narratives, obviously peddled by anti-Duterte haters and trolls, would find their way to the gullible TV host and his comedy show and unwittingly parrot these falsehoods to an audience unaware of the real score in the Philippines,” he said.

“The Philippines, like the USA, is a country where democracy is vibrant and the will of the people reigns supreme. Ultimately, it

is the Filipino people who will choose their own set of leaders and we simply have to respect the results of the elections,” Andanar added, referring to Hasan’s criticism against Duterte’s endorsement of some senatorial candidates.

The Palace official explained that the results of the midterm elections meant that the Filipinos still favored Duterte.

“The president called on the public to vote for those who support his measures to uplift people from poverty and have a stable, comfortable, and peaceful life that they deserve. He also called on the public to dismiss black propaganda against the administration amid the midterm elections,” Andanar said.

“The preliminary results of the nationwide polls affirmed that the public indeed heeded the president’s call. This proves that the voting population continues to believe in the genuine reforms advocated by the candidates endorsed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he added. (Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress) n

PAGE A3 t sels are back in disputed waters – with Beijing’s blessings.

Citing images taken in the last six months, AMTI said China’s “most destructive boats have returned to the South China Sea in force” after a sharp drop in giant clam harvesting activities from 2016 to 2018.

“These fleets, which typically include dozens of small fishing vessels accompanied by a handful of larger ‘motherships,’ destroy vast swaths of coral reef in order to extract endangered giant clams,” the AMTI reported.

The clams are transported back to Hainan province where they fetch thousands of dollars each in a thriving market for jewelry and statuary, it said.

Since late 2018, satellite imagery has shown these fleets operating frequently at Panatag Shoal and throughout the Paracels, including in the Bombay Reef area, the think tank said.

The AMTI said the return of the Chinese poachers to Panatag Shoal remains a particularly sensitive issue between the Philippines and China as the reef was

already extensively damaged by the earlier phase of clam harvesting up to 2016.

“But (satellite) imagery from December 2018 reveals the return of a large number of clam boats. A comparison of imagery from December and March also reveals new scarring on the reef from recent extraction,” the report stated.

Satellite images taken in March appear to show large piles of extracted clams tagged and deposited across the reef for later collection by the Chinese poachers.

The claim piles, visible as irregular white spots scattered around the reef, were not present in previous images.

New poaching method The common method employed by poachers involve anchoring their boats and then dragging the reinforced propellers of their outboard motors across the reef surface to break up the coral, allowing the clams to be easily lifted out while sending sediment drifting throughout nearby waters.

“The ecological results were devastating and, as a result, in July 2016 the arbitral tribunal

that ruled on a case brought against Beijing by Manila found that China had violated its obligations under international law to protect the marine environment,” the AMTI said.

Despite the clear and serious ecological destruction caused by the clam-harvesting vessels, Chinese coast guard ships were not taking any action against the poachers, it said.

While the AMTI has not found clear evidence of new clam harvesting in other parts of the South China Sea, imagery taken last April 7 showed Chinese maritime militia vessels were clustering around Philippine-occupied Kota (Loaita) Island and Melchora Aquino (Loita) Cay. “That suggests that for every clam harvesting operation that is documented in the South China Sea, others will go unnoticed.

But with tens of thousands of acres of reef surface already damaged or destroyed and fish stocks teetering on the brink of collapse, the effects of this wanton destruction of the marine environment will be felt across the region,” the think tank warned.

(With Pia Lee-Brago, Paolo Romero, Christina Mendez) n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

A

Duterte backs passage of mandatory ROTC — Palace No shakeup at Senate once 18th Congress opens

by Bernadette

by Catherine

S. Valente Manilatimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is supporting the passage of a bill requiring a mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program for grades 11 and 12 students in public and private schools nationwide, Malacaùang said on Tuesday, May 21.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo made the statement as he welcomed as “good news� the House of Representatives’ approval of the proposed act mandating the “institutionalization, development, training, organization, and administration� of basic ROTC for senior high students around the country. “That’s good news. The president wants that (bill on mandatory ROTC) passed,� Panelo told reporters during a press conference.

With 167 affirmative votes, four against and no abstentions, the House on Monday approved House Bill 8961, or the proposed measure making ROTC program mandatory to all students in Grades 11 and 12 in public and private educational institutions.

If passed into law, the bill would establish a mandatory two-year basic ROTC program for all senior high school students.

Duterte has repeatedly called for mandatory ROTC training, say-

e. tamayo

ManilTimes.net

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo

ing the program will help prepare young Filipinos defend the Philippines during wartime.

In a speech in November, the president urged lawmakers to pass a bill “so you can instill patriotism and love of country to the youth.� “We are not the only generation who will be soldiers. Ang mga anak natin, kung ‘di mo gawin, walang alam kung magkaupakan (Our children, if we don’t do this, they will have no skills if a battle ensues),� Duterte has said.

The ROTC, mandatory military training in college, was made op-

Manilatimes.net file photo

tional in 2002 following the controversy that resulted in the death of Mark Chua, a University of Sto. Tomas student. He was allegedly killed by course officers after exposing fund mismanagement.

The military has lamented that membership in the country’s reserve force drastically went down when the National Service Training Program (NSTP) Law was passed in 2001.

ROTC is now one of the three components of the NSTP, along with Civic Welfare Training Service and Literacy Training Service. n

THE Leadership of the Senate will not change hands when a new set of legislators — overwhelmingly allied to President Rodrigo Duterte — takes office in July, incumbents claimed on Monday, May 20.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said Sen. Vicente Sotto III would remain president of the chamber following discussions with several senators-elect. “Looks like 99.999 percent,� Recto said.

Sotto, Recto and Zubiri met with former presidential aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong�

Go, former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato� de la Rosa, former Metro Manila Development Authority chief Francis Tolentino and former senator Ramon “Bong� Revilla — all expected to be proclaimed winners — at a dinner hosted by Sen. Emmanuel “Manny� Pacquiao.

Asked whether the incoming

Senate President Vicente ‘Tito’ Sotto 3rd talks with Senators Ralph Recto and Joel Villanueva before session resumed on Monday, May 20.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia

legislators had committed to support his leadership, Sotto replied: “Well, that was how I gauged it because Manny Pacquaio was doing all the talking. He was the one who said we still wanted to support the leadership of Senate President Sotto.� No one expressed interest in the top Senate spot, he added.

Zubiri said Sotto and Recto con-

ducted preliminary meetings with emerging blocs to discuss committee chairmanships. These are the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino, composed of Aquilino “Koko� Pimentel 3rd, Pacquiao, Go, dela Rosa and Tolentino; the “seatmates� comprising Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, RichPAGE A7

Binay ready to reveal ‘facts’ in loss to rival

by Gio

onG Philstar.com

MANILA — Former vice president Jejomar Binay believes he has not fallen out of favor with the voters in Makati.

The camp of Binay made the statement after he lost in his bid to represent the city’s first district against former acting mayor Romulo PeĂąa. “We will reveal facts, data and evidence that would show why the election result does not reflect the true will of the voters of my district at the proper time,â€? Binay said.

He maintained that the outcome of the midterm polls was contrary to the pre-election surveys conducted by independent and reputable firms from September 2018 to April 2019. “The surveys showed that I would win by a considerable mar-

Former Vice President Jejomar Binay

gin over my closest opponent,�

Binay said.

He said the results of the elections also contradicted the endorsements he received from the religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) and other sectoral groups in

Philstar.com file photo

Makati.

The INC is known for voting as a bloc.

Binay lost to PeĂąa by almost 6,000 votes. The former vice president garnered 65,229 votes. PeĂąa got 71,035 votes. n

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OPINION

Senate independence

FEATURES

A COOPERATIVE Congress means smooth sailing for a president’s legislative agenda. Every chief executive wants allies in Congress — the more, the better. Cooperation between the executive and legislative branches, however, is possible without Congress turning into a rubberstamp of Malacañang.

This is what people are hoping for as administration candidates look poised to dominate the Magic 12 winning circle in the senatorial race. Public concerns have been fueled by the behavior of the pro-administration super majority in the House of Representatives – a chamber that critics describe as a Malacañang rubberstamp. The Senate in the outgoing Congress has been perceived as a bulwark against the loss of independence of the legislature. Will this change with the incoming team?

President Duterte is assured of the complete support of at least two of the candidates in the Magic 12. But most of those in the winning circle have found it necessary to issue statements reassuring the public that they would maintain their independence, and would not be remiss in providing the system of checks and balances that

is indispensable in a healthy democracy.

Midway through his presidency, Benigno Aquino III also saw members of his coalition team bagging nine slots in the Magic 12. But throughout the second half of the Aquino administration, the nine largely upheld the reputation of senators as independent republics.

Congressional independence does not mean being an obstructionist; there are many projects and programs of the executive branch that deserve support from the legislature. But lawmakers are expected to draw the line between this kind of cooperation and being a Malacañang rubberstamp.

Most of the candidates in the Magic 12 are promising to show this type of independence.

The nation will be watching, and will be holding them to their promise. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Dear Fil-Ams, did we miss the chance to make a difference in the Philippine midterm elections?

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS SUPPORTERS of President Rodrigo Duterte, either from the Philippines or here in America, have always been up in arms in defending the president, fighting against any form of dissent or nonsupport among Filipinos in America who openly criticize the Duterte administration.

Legitimate factual news has been dismissed as “fake news,” despite videos and actual interviews of protesters and man-onthe-street interviews of kababayans who remain vigilant in following the news back home.

This midterm election was no different.

However, such vigilance and

PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. U.S. President Donald Trump is correct in rejecting the option to engage in war with Iran and to instead pursue the peaceful diplomatic route. He met with Swiss President Ueli Maurer whose nation has served as liaison between the U.S. and Iran which do not have diplomatic relations.

Apparently ignoring some of his White House advisers pushing for outright conflict with Iran, he has opened the door fornegotiations with Tehran, after his apparent earlier mistake of withdrawing the U.S. from the Iran nuclear deal in 2015 that in hindsight had at least kept the peace until now.

We are reminded of Trump’s recent efforts towards peace in Northeast Asia and his meeting in Singapore with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un which at least broke ground and is now paving the way for a likely but still most difficult long-drawn peaceful settlement in the Korean peninsula.

We have been to the Middle East on both sides of the Persian (Arab) Gulf in the last year, long after undertaking several economic development projects in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Kuwait, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as a pioneering entrepreneur in the 1970s, operating the ports of Jeddah and Jubail as a prime contractor on both sides of the Arabian peninsula, drilling for oil in Ajman in the UAE, hospital projects, roads and housing in Iraq and Kuwait, that led to the employment of millions of Filipinos in the Middle East up to today.

We must congratulate Presi-

Philstar.com photo

advocacy seem to have fallen short to make a real difference in the outcome of the midterm election in the Philippines. This is not because there are no protests or criticism of Duterte and his style of governance in the Philippines, but because of the disappointing turnout of votes among eligible Filipino voters in America. We failed to use the legitimate and consequential platform to make our voices heard.

As ABS-CBN’s The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” reported on Tuesday, May 21, all Certificates of Canvas (COCs) have been transmitted to the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) in the Philippines.

The Philippine Embassy in

Washington, D.C. clarified in a statement that the causes of the delayed transmission of COCs, which had hindered the proclamation of winners in both the senatorial and party-list elections, were the four malfunctioning SD cards coming from San Francisco and Los Angeles. Finally, the last replacement card for LA coming in was processed on Monday and all SD cards had been physically delivered to the Embassy on Monday night.

The Embassy also revealed that out of the 228,470 registered voters in the United States, only 39,511 actually voted. This means the dismal turnout was only 17.29 percent.

Looking at the glass half-full, this is an improvement in voter

participation compared to the 2013 midterm elections, when the turnout among registered Fil-Am voters was at 10.55 percent.

Think of it, the more than 200,000 registered voters among Filipinos in America could have made a difference in a close election — if only all Fil-Ams exercised their right to vote.

We can blame voter disenfranchisement due to lost ballots, or the inadequate election information campaign to help eligible voters to cast their ballot, or even alleged election irregularities. These are all valid concerns that the Comelec and the Department of Foreign Affairs should look into.

However, these are just parts

of the problem. The bigger part of the problem is our own accountability as Filipinos living in America. Have we taken a more pro-active role to make sure we vote? Have we chosen to be dual citizens so we can be eligible to participate in Philippine elections? Have we informed the Philippine Consulate of any changes in our address? Have we inquired when we could expect to get our ballots, and if they have our current address?

Have we been more aggressive and pressing for information campaign from our Embassy and Consular offices?

While many of us have been very vocal about our thoughts and prescriptions in helping solve what we deem to be prob-

lems in the Philippines online, not enough have translated this advocacy to the platform that truly matters in making a difference: the ballot box.

Hopefully, this midterm election will serve as a wake-up call for us all. It does NOT matter who we support or who we are up against. What matters is that we VOTE, because, at the end of the day, this vote and its strength in numbers will effect real change, not Facebook posts or tweets. *** 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

Trump is correct in the Middle East and Korean Peninsula but future atill uncertain, RP polls and ICAPP initiatives

dent Trump for not heeding some of the advisers urging military conflict with Iran and instead indicating he is open to talks with the Iranian leadership.

As we have pointed out repeatedly a full-scale war on both sides of the Persian (Arab) Gulf involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Kuwait,Yemen, Iraq, Syria, and most likely including Israel in a wide-ranging Middle East conflict would be disastrous and wreck much of the great economic and industrial gains in the region, painfully achieved over the years. *** We wish to congratulate the winners of our recently-concluded May 13 Philippine elections.

To those who won and others who did not make it, may we quote the late U.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy when he lost the 1976 Democratic Party’s presidential nomination to Jimmy Carter, the “Peanut Farmer from Georgia,”whobecame a great president. Kennedy said “For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

Indeed, when one throws his hat into the political ring, he should be prepared to lose, as ultimately, it is the people who decide a politician’s fate in the elections.

As a politician for many years, having won the Speakership five times, the first in Asia, indeed we have fought many political battles, where we won some and lost some, including the Presidency in 1998, where we came out second in the field of ten.

As a public servant, we have eye-witnessed, even taken part, in ephocal events in our country’s life. We have known upclose, men and women who have shaped our country’s destiny for good or ill.

We also initiated laws and programs that have become landmarks and game-changers in our country’s economic history.

We are most proud of our historic Dollar Remittance Program that killed the dollar black market and that now earns the Philippines some $30-billion a year; the Bases Conversion Law; and the Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) Law. The game-changer Bases Conversion Law has turned the former American military bases on Luzon Island—the biggest of them being Clark Airfield and Subic Naval Base, Baguio’s Camp John Hay and La Union’s Camp Wallace and Poro Point—into thriving export zones and free ports with extensive employment potential.

Under one composite legislation, the initiative also converted the Filipino military camp Fort Bonifacio into the now booming satellite city, Bonifacio Global City (BGC), and the old Nichols Air Base into the now Resorts World Manila.

We were also privileged with others to author the landmark B-O-T (Build-Operate-Transfer) Law, which has become a model for the other developing countries and the formula for “Private-Public Partnerships.” In the Philippines the law has made possible private investments and public-private partnerships in in-

frastructure projectsvalued in excess of $30 billion as early as the mid-1990’s.

Now at age 82, we are also proud that as a 30-year-old Minister and Economic and Press Counselor at the Philippine Embassy in Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City), Vietnam during the Vietnam War, we conceived of, designed, and implemented the historic Dollar Remittance Program for the Philippine overseas workers, which now raises more than $35-billion a year for the Philippines, continuously saving the Philippine economy during recurrent crises, from the major 1970 devaluation through the dark years of Martial Law, through the Asian financial crisis, and the impeachment and coup attempts during the Estrada and Arroyo years, and which program has become a modelfor many Third World countries.

We are most grateful to our beloved constituents in Pangasinan, my colleagues in the House of Representatives and counterparts in the Senate, and the Filipino people for giving us the privilege to serve our country as Congressman in the 7th and 8th Congresses, then as Speaker of the House of Representatives five-times, during the 9th, 10th, 12th, 13th, and 14th Congresses. My wife Gina, who also served for two terms, and we are proud of our son Congressman Christopher who won a second congressional term last week. *** Our International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), which we founded and launched in Manila in September 2000, is postponing to a later date this

year the Special Workshop on Media which we initially scheduled on June 13-15, 2019 in Vladivostok, Russia.

We received a letter recently from Sen. Andrey Klimov, Vice Chairman of ICAPP and Deputy Secretary General for International Relations of the ruling United Russia Party, requesting us to postpone the ICAPP media conference as Moscow has scheduled an urgent meeting of the General Council of the United Russia Party to be presided by its Chairman, Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

The ICAPP Special Workshop on Media, which was supposed to be hosted by Sen. Klimov and United Russia Party in the Russian Far East, is under the auspices of the ICAPP Media Forum, one of our subsidiary groups in ICAPP. We are happy to note that the current Co-Chairman of the ICAPP Media Forum is the Philippines’ Roger Oriel, a veteran journalist and publisher of the Asian Journal, which is circulated in various cities in the U.S. including separate editions in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, and New York. He is also the publisher of Balikbayan magazine.

We are also proud that the former Co-Chair of the ICAPP Media Forum is also a Filipino, the respected writer and Philippine Star columnist Carmen Pedrosa, whose late husband Alberto Pedrosa was our Ambassador to Belgium and Luxembourg.

Besides the ICAPP Media Forum, the other subsidiary groups of ICAPP are the ICAPP Youth Wing, ICAPP Women’s Wing,

ICAPP-COPPPAL (Asian-Latin American) Business Council, ICAPP Program for Disasters Assistance (IPDA), Asia-Europe Political Forum (AEPF), and the Asian Cultural Council (ACC). The AEPF just met in Colombo, Sri Lanka last month and ACC was launched in Siem Reap, Cambodia last January.

We also have a working partnership with the Latin American and Caribbean political parties under COPPPAL or Association of Political Parties of Latin America and the Caribbean; African political partiesunder CAPP (Council of African Political Parties); and a number of European political parties.

We in ICAPP are initiating a working partnership with the U.S. political parties, the Democratic Party and Republican Party, which we hope will eventually lead to a globalorganization of political parties.

The ICAPP has offices in Manila and Seoul, where the Secretariat is based, now led by Secretary General Park Ro-byug, formerly Korean Ambassador to Moscow, who succeeded Chung Eui-yong, now the able South Korean National Security Adviser under President Moon Jae-in who has been active recently in promoting talks with North Korea.

The ICAPP represents some 350 ruling, opposition, and independent political parties from 52 countries in Asia.

This columnist is the Founding Chairman and Chairman of its 39-member Standing Committee since 2000 and we are scheduling ICAPP’s 20th Anniversary in Manila in November 2020. ■

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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A

DND, NSA looking into Huawei ban — Palace

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte will wait for any recommendation from the Department of National Defense (DND) and the National Security Adviser (NSA) on the matter of Chinese telecom giant Huawei.

U.S. President Donald Trump banned U.S. companies from engaging with foreign companies believed to threaten their national security.

Following Trump’s declaration amid a trade war with China, U.S. internet giant Google, which powers Android mobile operating system, decided to cut ties with Huawei.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the concerned government agencies are looking

into the Chinese telecom giant.

“I suppose the Department of National Defense, as well as the National Security Adviser. are studying that matter and the president will be waiting for whatever recommendation they have on that,” Panelo said Tuesday.

Local telecom operators PLDT and Globe Telecom assured Filipino users that their Huawei devices “will continue to function normally” after the U.S. ban.

PLDT and its subsidiary Smart said it will work with Huawei in addressing concerns for future software updates.

“In light of the recent trade ban of the United States government on Huawei products, PLDT

and Smart Communications, Inc. wish to assure its customers who have availed of Huawei handsets and devices via its official channels that said products will continue to function normally on the PLDT-Smart network,” PLDT said in a statement released Monday.

Globe Telecom, on the other hand, said it has received assurances from Huawei that it will continue to provide security updates to its device users using the network.

“We wish to assure our customers that the current situation at Huawei will not impact its network services,” Globe said in a statement. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com with reports from AFP) n

Senate not likely to pass tax bills

by Bernadette

e. tamayo

alty, and imposition of additional taxes.

“Walang pag-asa ang Cha-cha (Cha-cha has no chance to be passed). There was no discussion on death penalty. I’m against [the passage of] any taxes in the next nine days,” he said in a chance interview after their caucus.

Asked about the chances of the proposed bill increasing tobacco tax from P60 to P70 per pack, Recto said, “no taxes.”

“Iyung mga major issues na

‘yan, future Congress na ‘yan (Major issues like that must be tackled in the next Congress).We just elected new senators right? So my personal position is that all major issues [should be discussed in the] next Congress,” he said.

Zubiri said “there is a lukewarm support” for the passage of the sin tax.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, one of the authors of the bill increasing tobacco tax, was hopeful the Senate could pass the measure before it adjourns on June 7.

“The nine session days left for Congress is the best opportunity to pass this bill. All we need is to convince the majority of the senators to support the passage of the measure,” he said in a news conference.

Aside from Gatchalian, Senators Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao and Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito filed separate measures increasing tobacco tax. n

MANILA — The Philippines may soon have its own space agency following the unanimous approval of the Senate.

The upper chamber passed Senate Bill 1983, which seeks to establish a space development policy and create a Philippine Space Agency, during the resumption of sessions Monday, May 20.

The proposed law is expected to serve as the Philippines’ strategic roadmap for space development and propel the country to be space capable in the next decade.

Sen. Bam Aquino, who sponsored the bill, also said the launching of a space program in the country would improve disas-

ter management through satellite monitoring. It is also seen to enhance production and profitability of agribusiness, help conserve and preserve the environment, and improve urban planning and communication networks.

Under the bill, the PhilSA office and its research facilities will be housed in at least 30 hectares of land within the Clark Special Economic Zone in Pampanga and Tarlac.

Its initial funding of P1 billion will be taken from the current fiscal year’s appropriation of the Office of the President.

It will also receive P2 billion— fund sourced from the income of

been a breach in the agreement signed by the two countries,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said in a press briefing.

Panelo said Bello is putting the government in Kuwait to task for the death of Dayag.

“He (Bello) is investigating it and the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs) is waiting for an autopsy report,” the presidential spokesman said.

The 47-year-old household service worker was rushed to the Al Sabah Hospital but died on the way. There were also indications that Dayag was sexually abused before she died, according to the

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). A cucumber was found in her private parts.

A 61-year-old Kuwaiti has been arrested in connection with Dayag’s murder, DOLE said.

Dayag’s death came a year after the Philippines and Kuwait signed an agreement that aims to improve the working conditions of Filipino workers and to provide them legal protection.

Prior to the agreement, the Philippines banned the sending of workers to Kuwait following the death of about eight Filipinos believed to have been maltreated by their employers. n

PAGE A5 ard Gordon, Maria Lourdes Nancy Binay, Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Zubiri; the “macho” composed of Panfilo Lacson, Manuel “Lito” Lapid, Mary Grace Poe-Llamanzares and Sotto; the Nacionalista Party with Cynthia Villar, Imelda Josefa “Imee” Marcos and Pilar Juliana “Pia” Cayetano and Recto; and Lakas’ Revilla.

“So far, the discussion is to retain Senator Sotto for SP (Senate President) and myself as majority leader and Recto as SP Pro Tempore. Status quo,” Zubiri said.

He said there would be minor

committee chairmanship changes as Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Gregorio Honasan 2nd, Loren Legarda and Antonio Trillanes 4th would bow out on June 7.

“We initially discussed the equity of the incumbent rule. So if you have [been leading] that committee it will not be taken away from you if you still wish to remain with your committee,” Zubiri said.

“There’s a lot of jockeying for posts like [chairmanships for] finance, justice, blue ribbon. But Sen. Richard Gordon is well protected by the equity of the incumbent in those committees,” he said.

ManilTimes.net

THE Senate is not inclined to pass in the last three weeks of the 17th Congress any tax measure or bills that require deep study and long debates, some lawmakers said on Monday, May 20.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto and Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said the chamber would maximize the remaining nine session days to pass measures of national importance.

The Senate resumed session on Monday after a three-month break for the midterm elections. It will adjourn sine die on June 7 and will be back on July 22 for the opening of the 18th Congress.

Recto said that based on the caucus of the majority bloc, the Senate would no longer have time to approve the federalism or Charter change, revival of death pen-

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri Manilatimes.net file photo

NOT FOR EATING. Roasted pigs, more popularly known as lechon, were the center of attraction in La Loma, Quezon City on Saturday. Roasted pigs were dressed in Filipino costumes and paraded to mark the annual Lechon Festival.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

Creation of Philippine Space Agency gets Senate nod

the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation and the Bases Conversion and Development Authority—for five years after the law’s effectivity.

The bill was introduced by Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Sens. Aquino, Loren Legarda and Sonny Angara.

The House of Representatives passed House Bill 8541 or the “Philippine Space Development Act” last December.

The two versions will next go to the bicameral conference committee for consolidation before approval by President Rodrigo Duterte. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/ Philstar.com) n

Palace backs review of Kuwait agreement on OFWs No shakeup at Senate once 18th Congress... by alexis

romero Philstar.com

MANILA — Malacañang expressed support for a review of the agreement designed to protect overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) in Kuwait following the brutal death of a Filipina domestic worker in the Gulf state.

The worker, identified as Constancia Lago Dayag of Agadanan, Isabela died this week after suffering various contusions and hematoma.

“I think we should, because according to (labor) Secretary (Silvestre) Bello (III) there has

Zubiri said the finance committee headed by Legarda would be given to Angara. “Almost all were unanimous with Senator Angara [to lead it]. I believe he will be giving up ways and means [committee].”

He said Go wanted to chair the committee on health while dela Rosa sought to head the public order and dangerous drugs panel currently handled by Lacson.

“Sen. Lacson was gracious enough to give it to [dela Rosa],” Zubiri said.

Lacson in turn will head the national defense panel that is currently held by Honasan. n

A

MAY 24-30, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

Friday, May 24, 2019

Cover photo by August thurmer

SF

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

‘Yellow Rose’: An honest, visceral exploration on the complicated definition of ‘American’ Filipina American Diane Paragas’ coming-of-age immigration drama by awarded Grand Jury Prize at three film festivals in a row by

Klarize Medenilla / AJPress

THE much-anticipated feature film “Yellow Rose” by Filipina American filmmaker Diane Paragas premiered at the opening night of the 35th annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) on Thursday, May 2.

“Yellow Rose” takes place in East Texas and tells the story of a 17-year-old Filipina named Rose (masterfully played by two-time Tony Award-nominated Eva Noblezada in her feature film debut) who struggles with her identity as her mother Priscilla (Princess Punzalan) is detained by immigration officials.

Throughout the film, Rose is tasked with finding a safe place to stay (at one point she stays with her estranged Tita Gail, played

by Lea Salonga) while avoiding ICE so that she can stay in the only country she has ever called home.

All the while, Rose is figuring out who she is and she can harness her inherent musical talent to see her dreams of becoming a country music star realized. She meets people along the way who see her potential, including country star Dale Watson who helps propel Rose as a songwriter and performer.

There are fewer things more American than country music which makes the genre

a fitting backdrop for the story of Rose, who, for all intents and purposes is as American as they come. She speaks with an East Texas twang. She wears bootcut blue jeans and cowboy boots. She idolizes Loretta Lynn and Dolly Parton and writes songs that are reminiscent of the country genre of yore a la Lynn and Parton. (The film features original songs written by Noblezada, Paragas and Watson.)

Spiritually Rose is American, but not on paper, an experience shared by so many undocumented youth who know no other country and

and turns it into a coming-ofage story that feels relevant but not preachy. Taking the undocumented experience on a granular level affords the story to feel multipurpose that resonates with anyone who has ever felt they don’t belong in certain spaces.

In the age where there’s a louder call for narrative and casting representation in the stories we see on screen, “Yellow Rose” serves an important role in that shift.

“Yellow Rose” is a reminder for Filipino Americans who may or may not have been born in the Philippines but grew up in the United States that they are seen, that they are heard and that their dreams matter just as much as anyone else’s.

Everything about Rose is subversive to multiple facets of not only American culture, but popular Filipino and Filipino American culture. In a song she writes in the movie, the opening lines “square peg, round hole” emulate feelings of isolation that extend even beyond the undocumented community, viscerally portrayed by Noblezada who delivered a stunning performance throughout the film. “[Noblezada] has a very cinematic way of acting that’s so subtle that it works so well for film. It’s an incredible thing to see in someone who

“Being a filmmaker is like being a parent.

You gestate it. You raise money for it.

You love it and you think ‘God, I just wish the world would love my baby.’ And sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t,” Paragas said after her three wins.

Director Diane Paragas on the set of “Yellow Rose.”

culture than the one they were brought to. Paragas — who grew up in Lubbock, Texas — said that country music was always meant to be the emblem of the film, a subversion of what popular music is within the Filipino community.

The politicization of films today in the age of Trump has become ubiquitous, and oftentimes it fails to effectively capture the human element on a granular level. But Paragas’ film successfully takes the topical issue of immigration

Inquirer.net

“HE’S kind, a good person.

He’s charming and is sweet to everyone. I think anyone can fall for him.”

That was how Winwyn Marquez described her rumored boyfriend Alden Richards.

Winwyn and Alden have known each other since working together in the 2012 series “One True Love,” and have since become close friends.

So, when rumors linking them together surfaced seemingly out of nowhere, the actress couldn’t help but feel amused and bemused.

“I just laughed it off. I was surprised—saan nanggaling ’yun?” she told reporters at a press conference of the upcoming afternoon soap “Dahil sa Pag-Ibig,” which started airing Monday, May 21. “And the funny thing is that some of the things

Noblezada as Rose and Liam Booth as love interest Elliot

has never acted in a feature film before,” Salonga told the Asian Journal in a recent interview. “It’s often not easy to see actors be able to shift their styles from stage to screen so seamlessly, but Eva’s acting works well for both. She was a treat to work with.”

Salonga pointed out that Rose as a disciple of country music contrasts the popular music trends within the Filipino and Filipino American communities who lean more towards hip-hop, pop and R&B genres, noting that country music “comes from left field, but in the most wonderful way.”

Currently, “Yellow Rose” is on a very successful festival circuit, which puts it in prime position for wider release and distribution. At the LAAPFF, it won the Grand Jury Prize on May 10, and on May 11 and 12, it won the Grand Jury Prize at the Bentonville Film Festival in Arkansas (actress Geena Davis’ film festival that focuses Photo courtesy of Diane Paragas on inclusion in Hollywood) and

Winwyn on rumored boyfriend Alden: Anyone can fall for him by allan PolicarPio

Noblezada as Rose and Lea Salonga, who plays Tita Gail.

Laguna, last month.

“I was invited—nabigyan lang ng malisya, they gave it a different meaning … It seems like everyone gets linked to him!” she said.

To be honest, Winwyn admitted, being asked such questions “feels weird,” because she considers Alden a good friend she has no qualms confiding in.

“We talk about personal stuff. We like or comment on each other’s posts on Instagram.

I can ask him for advice and he listens; it’s not all joke time,” she said.

Winwyn Marquez and Alden Richards Prodded if she thinks there’s Photo from Instagram/@wynmarquez a chance that she and Alden may end up being attracted to each I have seen come with these other, Winwyn said she’s happy elaborate stories worthy of Watbeing single at the moment. tpad … in fairness!”

The 27-year-old beauty Showbiz kibitzers started queen, who broke up with actor wondering about the real score between the GMA 7 celebs, after Mark Herras early this year after three years of dating, is relishing Winwyn was spotted attending the opening of Alden’s new fast- her time as a single woman.

Continued on Page SF6 food franchise branch in Biñan,

Princess Punzalan plays Rose’s mother, Priscilla

the Center for Asian American Media Festival (CAAM) in San Francisco, respectively.

“Being a filmmaker is like being a parent. You gestate it. You raise money for it. You love it and you think ‘God, I just wish the world would love my baby.’ And sometimes they do and sometimes they don’t,” Paragas said after her three wins. “So those filmmakers out there who think ‘everyone’s going to think my

Photos courtesy of August Thurmer

baby’s ugly. Nobody’s going to like it’ – it doesn’t matter.

You made a baby and it’s beautiful, and it has a place in this world.”

“It didn’t feel like just my moment. It felt like a Filipino moment. Getting not one, not two, but three standing ovations was crazy! I’m so happy and I do hope it helps get this movie out in a big way in America and across the world,” Paragas added.

Daniel, James tease first project together

by Krissy aguilar Inquirer.net

DANIEL Padilla and James Reid are teaming up for the first time in an “action-packed” project.

The two actors announced their upcoming collaboration in “Doble Hataw” which is set for release on Friday, May 24.

“Tara, samahan niyo kami on-set ng unang project ko kasama si James Reid. Lalabas na ang #DobleHataw ngayong Friday, pero sa ngayon, panoorin niyo ‘to!” Padilla said.

“So thrilled to finally be able to work with Daniel on a project this big and action-packed!

Excited na rin ba kayo para sa #DobleHataw? Watch this!”

Reid said.

In the clip, the two discussed their working experience together and gave hints on what the project is about.

“Sobrang cool. Masaya.

Daniel Padilla and James Reid

Siyempre first time ko din makasama si James. Sobrang chill lang. Masaya and ‘yung buong production, super chill, mabilis magtrabaho, masaya,” Padilla said.

Meanwhile, Reid said: “Siguro ‘yung action, the drifting, driving the cars, that’s definite

Photo from Instagram/@vivaartistsagency

the coolest part of the shoot.”

Padilla and Reid are the other halves of two of the country’s most famous love teams.

Padilla is one-half of “KathNiel” with girlfriend Kathryn Bernardo, while Reid is the other half of “JaDine” with girlfriend Nadine Lustre.

community SF True love (and green card) the second time around on a brand-new episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy!’

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

TRUE LOVE FOUND OVER A CUP OF COFFEE RESULTED IN MARRIAGE, A GREEN CARD, AND A MOTHER AND DAUGHTER’S REUNION. Magoy (center) had been separated from her first husband for over 17 years, and was lonely and guilty for having left her children behind in the Philippines, when she arrived in the U.S. She found love at a random stop in a coffee shop, where she met U.S. citizen Daniel. Magoy was able to get a divorce from her first husband, which allowed her to marry Daniel (without having to obtain an annulment in the Philippines), which, in turn, enabled Daniel to petition Magoy in the U.S. and Magoy’s daughter, Kara, from the Philippines, without having to adopt Kara. Watch this heartwarming story on an all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Employer-sponsored green cards are still available despite H-2B ban

were abusing and/or being abused under the H-2B program: The Philippines has a high H-2B overstay rate, where nearly 40 percent of H-2B visa holders from the Philippines Atty. MichAel overstayed their visa and went Gurfinkel, eSQ TNT. Nearly 40 percent of the THE USCIS has “de-listed” worldwide visas for family (or banned) Filipinos from applying for the seasonal/tempo- members of victims of trafrary H-2B visa. (This visa allows ficking (T-visas) were from U.S. employers to bring foreign Filipinos who came to the U.S. as H-2B visa holders and then nationals to the United States claimed they were victims of to fill temporary nonagricultrafficking. In other words, tural jobs, such as housekeepDHS and DOS are now coners at hotels during the busy cerned about the high volume summer season.) of trafficking victims from the However, this ban DOES Philippines who were originally NOT APPLY to Filipinos seekissued H-2B visas and then ing green cards through the became victims of trafficking. labor certification or PERM So, it appears it is not safe process. That avenue for for Filipinos to apply for H-2B green cards or legalization is visas, as so many claim they still available to Filipinos, as were abused. long as it is a legitimate job “The Philippines’ continued opportunity and you follow the inclusion creates the potential rules and abide by the law. for abuse, fraud, and other The USCIS and U.S. Emharm to the integrity of the Hbassy concluded that Filipinos

Immigration Corner

2A or H-2B visa programs.”

It also may be that many Filipinos were taking advantage of, or abusing, these programs by entering the U.S. on an H-2B visa but violating the visas by overstaying. Then, in an attempt to remain in the U.S., made up stories about being abused or trafficked, so they can remain in America and bring their family from the Philippines to join them.

However, even though Filipinos are banned from applying for H-2B visas (except on a case by case exception), they can still apply for green cards under labor certification or PERM. In fact, I have had several Filipino clients consult with me, who were eligible to be petitioned by an employer, but mistakenly thought they were now banned from doing so. That is not true. Filipinos can still be petitioned for green cards through an employer. The basic requirements are: A financially stable em-

MAgOY had been separated from her first husband for over 17 years. She sacrificed those years working in the Middle East to support her children, while also missing them, feeling the guilt of being away for the important milestones in their lives.

During one opportunity to go on vacation, Magoy took her daughter, Kara for bonding time in the U.S. Little did she know that a random Starbucks coffee break would change her destiny forever.

It was at Starbucks that Magoy met Daniel, a U.S. citizen. It was a chance encounter where love was sweeter the second time around for Magoy. Magoy was able to get a divorce from her first husband in the U.S. (An annulment in the Philippines is not necessary to marry in the U.S.) Her divorce allowed her to marry Daniel, which, in turn, allowed Daniel to petition Magoy and Magoy’s daughter, Kara.

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. gurfinkel did not just focus on getting Magoy her green car, he went beyond that. Watch this

ployer in the U.S. with a real job position, where the alien will work once they obtain their green card. It need not be a Fortune 500 company. It can even be a six-bed board and care facility, sole proprietorship, etc. Typically, the net income on the employer’s tax return should equal the alien’s salary in order to demonstrate an employer’s “ability to pay” the wage.

An alien who is qualified for the particular job position either through education or experience. It need not be Continued on Page SF6

success story on an all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy” –– on Sunday 6:15 p.m. PST/

EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

SF

celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

Herbert ‘Bistek’ Bautista plans showbiz comeback after politics

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar OUTGOING Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista shared that he is planning to go back to show business after 33 years of public service. In an interview with GMA’s “24 Oras,” Herbert said that he feels that he has served the people well during his roles as mayor, vice mayor and councilor throughout the years.

“I’m very much fulfilled kasi ‘yung nine years ko as mayor, ‘yung 12 years ko as vice-mayor, ‘yung six years ko as councilor, total of about 33 years, nakapag-ambag tayo sa unti-unting pag-unlad ng ating lungsod,” he said.

“I hope magkaro’n ako ng trabaho sa entertainment industry because du’n kami lumaki.

Hopefully after my term may mga project na pumasok na babagay naman sa akin,” Herbert added.

EMPLOYMENT

Herbert’s term as mayor will officially end 12 noon on June 30.

The outgoing mayor’s sister, actress and producer Harlene Bautista, previously revealed her brother’s showbiz comeback in a separate interview with Push.

She also mentioned that Herbert wants to spend more time with his children.

“So I guess napaplano sila ng mga trips, ganun. And to support his kids sa kanya-kanyang endeavors, like sa trabaho, sa careers nila, to guide them properly,” Harlene said.

On Herbert’s comeback, Harlene shared that she and his brother have talked about future projects for their production company, Heaven’s Best Entertainment. “(And) sa amin naman, gusto niya...parang napapag-usapan namin yung more about the

productions. Kung ano yung direksyon na gustong mangyari, yung mga pwedeng gawin. And siya, siguro meron pa rin siyang ibang gagwin,” she said.

Heaven’s Best is the producer of the award-winning film, “Rainbow’s Sunset” which starred Gloria Romero, Eddie Garcia and Tony Mabesa.

Apart from their production outfit, Herbert is also hoping to go back to school and finish his doctorate degree in Public Administration. *** After nine years with ABSCBN 2, actress Aiko Melendez is back with GMA 7. Aiko will be a part of an upcoming afternoon series on the Kapuso network entitled, “Prima Donnas” with tween actresses Jillian Ward, Sofia Pablo and Althea Ablan.

“Prima Donnas” is the actress’ first project with GMA 7 after almost nine years. Her last project with the network was when she played the mother of Carla Abellana in the afternoon series, “Sine Novela: Basahang Ginto.”

The actress, however, had a string of projects with the Kapamilya network. These include “Reputasyon” (2011), “Apoy sa Dagat” (2012), “The Gift-Giver” (2014), “Inday Bote” (2015), “Wildflower” (2017), and “Bagani” (2018).

This year, Aiko was supposed to be part of the upcoming Kapamilya series “Sandugo” (with Aljur Abrenica and Ejay Falcon), but had to back out because she wanted to focus on campaigning for her boyfriend, Jay Khonghun who was running as vice governor in Zambales (he won).

The role originally meant for Aiko was given to Vina Morales.

EMPLOYMENT

Outgoing Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista plans to make a showbiz comeback when his term officially ends on June 30.

Actress and producer Harlene Bautista, sister of outgoing Quezon City Mayor Herbert “Bistek” Bautista, shared that her brother has discussed plans of going back to showbiz.

Actress Aiko Melendez is back with GMA 7 after nine years with Kapamilya network, ABS-CBN 2. She is part of the Kapuso’s newest series, “Prima Donnas.”

Daly City Filipina community leader Eva B. Garcia was recently promoted as Catering Sales Manager of Holiday Inn Golden Gateway Hotel in San Francisco.

Multi-award winning actress Jodi Sta. Maria is the lead star of ABS-CBN’s new teleserye, “Sino ang May Sala.”

Actor Edgar Allan Guzman is one of the lead stars of GMA 7’s highly rated series, “Dragon Lady,” with Janine Gutierrez.

SERVICES

Matinee idol Tom Rodriguez will be a guest performer at the Philippine Independence Day celebration on June 1 at Kimball Park in National City, San Diego.

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS IS eating eggs totally safe?

Eggs have been around for eons, even before man discovered they were edible. In many households around the world, eggs have been a routine part of breakfast. One of the concerns about eating eggs (yolk) is its cholesterol contents, the reason some health conscious people eat only the egg white. One Harvard report about five years ago states that the choline in eggs (126 mg per egg) may induce and aggravate inflammation, the initial process in the causation of most, if not all, illnesses, including cancer. A new study of more than 1000 men with early stage of cancer of the prostate “found that men who consumed two and a half or more eggs per week — that’s just like one egg every three days — had a two-fold increased risk of cancer progression and an 81 percent increased risk of lethal prostate cancer.” A study published in the “New England Journal of Medicine,” the Cleveland team who did the famous study on carnitine fed research participants hard-boiled eggs instead of steak, and found that the egg-eaters had a spike in the level of carnitine, choline, and lethicin (same TMAO compounds found in red meat) and increased risk for heart attack, stroke, and death. Although our DNA is unique and there are other factors in our make-up in play, the inference in these recent studies should make us more cautious.

How much alcohol is healthy?

A couple of decades ago, the medical recommendation was not more than two drinks for women (zero for pregnant ones) and not more than three for men. This usually referred to wine, preferably red wine. Pinot Noir was the favorite for its high resveratrol (cardio-protective) content. More recently, studies have asserted that there is actually no safe level for alcohol consumption. Your physician,

Queries from readers

who is familiar with your health, could expound on this matter and advise you accordingly.

Why did you write soft drinks are toxic?

Soft drinks (which I call liquid candies) are all toxic to the body, especially for children, because consuming them increases the risk for metabolic syndrome. Soft drinks, over time, cause drinkers to have high blood pressure, diabetes, arthritis, heart attack, stroke, and even increases the chances of cancer development.

If we, as parents and guardians, are not preventing our children from drinking these toxic beverages, then we are contributing to their unhealthy behaviors, illnesses, and premature death.

The book on healthy lifestyle and disease prevention from the cellular (DNA) level, entitled “Let’s Stop ‘Killing’ Our Children” (philipSchua.com, amazon. com, central.com.ph) expounds on this subject.

Is vaping (e-Cig) a better alternative?

Vaping (vapour products) or use of electronic cigarettes, is advertised as the healthier option to smoking tobacco. This almost 3 billion-dollar industry around the world, up from $4.2 billion five years ago, has the United States, Japan and the United Kingdom as its largest markets. The e-cigarette devise contains nicotine-based liquid which is vaporized and inhaled, as in smoking, is a dangerous alternative to conventional cigarette smoking. Its fumes are like second-hand tobacco smoke that causes cancer among those exposed to that smoke. One of the hundred harmful chemicals in vaping is formaldehyde, a known carcinogen (cancer-causing agent). Studies have shown that switching to vaping (to help in quitting cigarette smoking) only prolongs the nicotine habit and definitely a deadly option.

How did the U.S. measles outbreak start?

The recent measles epidemic is a resurgence of the very virulent, rapidly transmissible, disease in the United States since 2000, when the CDC declared that “measles was eliminated in the U.S.” The current outbreak was attributed to travelers who

brought measles back to the USA from Israel, where there currently is a massive epidemic.

These infected individuals transmitted it to unvaccinated and under-vaccinated communities in New York State. From January first of 2019 to May 10, 2019, there were 839 cases of measles confirmed in 23 States, an increase of 75 cases the week before. Measles are potentially deadly from complications causing encephalitis (brain inflammation). MMR vaccines are very effective in preventing measles.

It has been proven not to cause autism, and declared safe by the CDC. Are expired drugs unsafe?

According to the United States military studies on expired drugs, most drugs are still potent even after reaching, and beyond, their “expiration” date. The only exceptions are vaccines, tetracycline, nitroglycerine, insulin, liquid antibiotics.

Their potency, according to the military studies, “may decrease over time, but much of the original potency still remains even a decade after the expiration date.” Drug companies are mandated by a 1979 U.S. law to stamp an expiration date on medications, a date at which they can guarantee the full potency and safety of the drugs. The U.S. military, with a massive and expensive stockpile of drugs, did a comprehensive study to prevent waste, and “found 90 percent of more than 100 drugs, prescription or over-the-counter, were perfectly good to use even 15 years after the expiration date.” Keeping medications refrigerated helps prolong their potency.

What in weed killer Roundup causes cancer?

The World Health Organization reported in 2015 Glyphosate, the main in Roundup, causes cancer. In August last year, a jury awarded $289 million to a man after he was diagnosed to have Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, following repeated use of Roundup weed killer. The claims against Bayer and Monsanto, makers of Roundup, were based on its failure to warn consumers about the risk of using their product. A California elderly

community SF Maris bares real score with Iñigo, thoughts on love team The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

by Krissy AguilAr Inquirer.net

SINGER-actress and former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate Maris Racal got candid during a press conference on Tuesday, May 21, about her relationship with singer Iñigo Pascual.

“Kinlarify naman namin ni Iñigo na never naman naging kami and sinabi naman namin in front of them na hindi naman kami,” Racal said. “Ngayon lang talaga. Siguro ayaw lang namin na sobrang ma-visible like together as a love team kasi syempre meron din kaming tinatahak na gusto.”

Racal and Pascual are collectively called “MarNigo” by their fans.

Racal pointed out how both of them had been pursuing different career paths as of the moment: “Iba-iba kami ng gusto. Siya, music, international.

Ako, acting and then writing.”

“So ayaw lang namin na sobrang ‘yung mga tao sa paligid namin, hindi mapaghiwalay ‘yung idea of us together. Kasi mahihirapan din kami, like how will we grow?” Racal said. “So the more na mas kayo, kayo, kayo. Hindi na mawawala sa isip nila.”

The 21-year-old singer-actress admitted there had been changes over the past year, but she reiterated their desire to focus on their solo careers.

“Siguro like may changes na lang over one year kasi this time last year, love team, dami couple who used Roundup for years each developed NonHodgkin’s Lymphoma was handed an unparalleled $2.055 billion verdict against Monsanto.

This herbicide is also linked to kidney disease, infertility, diabetes, Parkinson, Multiple Sclerosis, liver disease, leukemia, brain, lung, testicular, thyroid cancers and birth defects. All chemicals (car and home air fresheners,

Iñigo Pascual and Maris Racal

Photo from Instagram/@inigopascual

namin ganap together. Ngayon kasi, yun nga yung sa first answer ko kanina na iba iba kami ng gusto. Iba yung gusto niya, iba ang gusto ko, let’s just accept this,” she said.

Racal also asked their fans to simply support what they release and reminded them not to be “invested” on the idea of having a relationship.

“Ang masasabi ko na lang dyan, sana ‘yung nagsu-support sa’min, support niyo na lang po ‘yung kung ano ‘yung ilalabas namin kasi kung

magiging masyadong invested sila about sa relationship. You know, people change and then maraming natural changes na nangyayari. So dapat kelangan nakaka-keep ka sa ganyan.

Don’t get stuck sa idea na ganon,” she said.

Racal recently released a collaboration with Original Pilipino Music (OPM) icon Rico Blanco titled “Abot Langit,” while Pascual released a song with Chinese-Australian Youtube star Wengie titled “Mr. Nice Guy.”

disinfectants, cleaners, detergents, etc.) we have at home are real hazards to health. Their use also pollutes our environment (air, land, and sea), the air we breathe, the food and drink we ingest every day. Safer and cheaper alternative: ½ cup white vinegar, 1 pint alcohol, and 1 teaspoon dishwashing soap, plus water to make a gallon of spray for general cleaning (not

for granite, varnished hardwood, or anything made of rubber). *** 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: philipSchua.com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

SF6

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

Fil-Am martial arts maestro Mark Dacascos talks going from smaller projects to the box office-breaking “John Wick: Chapter 3”

The CTV Files

Just say no: Legal advice from the internet

of a Notice to Appear (NTA)?

In September 2018, changes in policy were put in place al“MY brother’s neighbor’s lowing immigration officers to reject visa applications immegirlfriend’s uncle had the diately due to missing or inacsame exact case and it got curate information. Previously, approved and they did not USCIS will issue “Requests for use an attorney.”

Evidence” (RFE) if there are I’ve heard this many times missing information, allowing to have developed a wellapplicants to address gaps curated response: Nothing. in their paperwork. “Notices A person who has set out to of Intent to Deny” were also hear only what s/he wants to hear can hear nothing else but issued, as per prior guidance, which gave applicants a 30what s/he wants to hear. Readay warning that their applicason and logic be damned.

For the most part, technol- tion would likely be rejected.

Applications affected by ogy has allowed us to gather these policies and its recent as much information as we changes in policy apply to: (i) are able to handle at the tip applications and renewals of of our fingertips. Yet, neither Google nor Siri nor Wikipedia temporary (non-immigrant) visas, and (ii) permanent can stand in front of a Judge resident status (immigrant) as your advocate. Most atvisas. Securing such visas are torneys cannot speak about required in order for non-U.S. cases they have not handled.

Mark Dacascos as Zero and Asia Kate Dillion as The Adjudicator in “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum” citizen foreign nationals to Each case is unique – one Photo by Niko Tavernise tiny fact, one tiny detail could legally live and work in the up to friends and family mem- change the course of a case. films showcasing his extenUnited States. bers texting you about how sive expertise in martial arts Can USCIS refer a file to And, in immigration cases your film is No. 1 in America. (his father was renowned deportation for the issuance where the threat of deportaI mean, unless you’re somemartial arts instructor Al tion is very real why would you of a Notice to Appear after it one like Keanu Reeves, when gamble with your life? Or your the case has been denied?

Dacascos and from ages 7 to does that ever happen for an family’s life?

18, Mark Dacascos won mulYes. The U.S. Citizenship actor?” Dacascos said, laughtiple championships in karate and Immigration Services New policy for rejecting ing. and kung fu), Dacascos told (USCIS) may also issue an NTA incomplete or inaccurate Dacascos was cast late in the Asian Journal that “John when it finds a noncitizen has filings.

Wick 3” was his biggest break the project, noting a daysDid you know that a single not complied with regulalong turnaround time from to date. tions governing admission or error could mean a rejected “Professionally, this is cer- when he was approached to application? And, more impor- maintaining lawful status after tainly a highlight of my career when he stepped foot on set. tantly, that a rejected applica- admission. and it’s so interesting to wake Consult with a licensed Continued on Page SF7 tion could lead to the issuance ATTY. LILLI BERBANO BACULI, ESQ

“Professionally, this is certainly a highlight of my career.”

by KLARIZE MEDENILLA AJPress

NOT-SO-SPOILER alert: “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum” has a lot of fight scenes.

On its face, the third installment of the wildly popular film franchise seems like your garden variety action film about assassins. But “John Wick 3” proves itself to go beyond purely escapist entertainment and opts to showcase the best in martial artistry and the craft of stunt acting to the highest degree.

Among those in the talented and diverse cast is Filipino American actor and decorated martial artist Mark Dacascos (“Cradle to the Grave,” “Iron Chef America”), who plays Zero, the principal villain to Keanu Reeves’ John Wick, a fearsome and skilled assassin.

Although Dacascos — who is also part Japanese, Chinese and Irish — boasts a 30+ year career acting in a variety of

and experienced immigration attorney before filing anything.

First things first, do not file anything with USCIS or any other government entity without first seeking advice.

Filing for applications “frivolously” can and will come back and haunt you. While certain applications are available online making it easy to access, individuals must nevertheless proceed with caution when filing for any application with USCIS. Just because it is easier now to file for an application does not mean that you should. We urge individuals to pause and take the time to consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before submitting any application with USCIS. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices 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)

Winwyn on rumored boyfriend... Employer-sponsored green cards...

From Page SF2 “I had been in a romantic relationship for the past nine years. Prior to Mark, I was with a nonshowbiz guy,” said Winwyn, who maintained that she and Mark were still friends, although they haven’t been in touch for a while.

This time, Winwyn stressed, it’s all about treating and focusing on herself. “I will go to Korea and Japan soon. I’m rediscovering the joys of traveling alone or with friends,” she said.

Winwyn, who bagged the 2017 Reina Hispanoamericano ti-

tle, is still unsure about trying her luck in Binibining Pilipinas. Show biz is her priority, she said.

“I’m not thinking about that yet. I want to stay focused on work; I don’t want any distractions. I will host a new show called ‘Glow Up’ on GMA News TV and I have ‘Dahil,’ which is heavy drama,” said Winwyn, who plays Portia in the “love, betrayal and vengeance-themed” series, directed by Ricky Davao.

“My character appears to be a villain, but she’s actually more complex—she’s neither black nor white,” she pointed out.

Meanwhile, Winwyn said she’s having mixed emotions about her brothers Vandolph’s and Jeremy Marquez’s contrasting fates in the recent elections: Vandolph won as Parañaque City councilor; Jeremy lost his bid for the vice mayoral seat in the same city.

“I’m sad because I wasn’t able to go up the stage [during the campaign season], because of my busy schedule. But they’re understanding … I pray that Jeremy’s OK. He’s a strong person and I hope he bounces back eventually,” she related.

From Page SF3 a college-level job. In fact, caregivers are also eligible for green cards through employer sponsorship, and right now it takes about the same amount of time as professional or skilled workers (approximately 2-3 years.).

The employer must first make a good-faith effort to locate qualified U.S. workers for the job. If there is no qualified U.S. worker ready, willing, and able to perform the job duties, the job can be “certified” for the alien.

Even if a person is out of status, they may still be eligible to get a green card if they were grandfathered under section 245(i) or qualify for a provisional waiver.

Therefore, if you believe you are eligible, or know someone (such as a relative in the Philippines) who may be eligible, and there is an employer who willing to sponsor the alien, you should consult with an attorney, who can evaluate the case and assist in processing it. But don’t miss out on a green card through an employer based on the H2B ban, as it does not apply to labor certification green cards. *** 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

Calendar of Events across

depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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 24 - J U N E 29

“Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight” exhibit in San Pedro, CA An interactive homage to Indigenous California Habitat will be on exhibit from May 18 to June 29, 2019. Created by LA-based artists-collaborators, champoy and Sarita Doe, it will open on Saturday, May 18th, 2019 from 3:00pm-6:00pm at Pinta*Dos Philippine Art Gallery which is located at 479 W Sixth Street, Suite 108, Historic Arts District, San Pedro, CA 90731. Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight will be the sixth exhibit at Pinta*Dos Gallery since it was inaugurated in June 2017. The Gallery is open from Wednesday to Friday, 3:00pm to 6:00pm except on First Thursdays when it is open until 8pm. It is also open by appointment.

For further information, email Linda Nietes-Little, Founder of the gallery at info@pintadosgallery.com Also visit their website: http://www.pintadosgallery.com , facebook and instagram pages.

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) 2163529 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 atchato_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.

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

people & events

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019

Fil-Am martial arts maestro Mark Dacascos talks...

Governor Newsom announces Santa Clara, Alameda & San Francisco counties will join state’s prescription drug single-purchaser system

SAN FRANCISCO – Governor Gavin Newsom on May 16 joined San Francisco Mayor London Breed and officials from Santa Clara and Alameda counties to announce that the three Bay Area counties, among the largest public purchasers of prescription drugs in California, will partner with the state to use our combined market power to take on drug companies and lower the cost of prescription drugs. Last month, Los Angeles County – the state’s largest local purchaser of drugs – joined in the state’s efforts.

Just moments after being sworn in, Governor Newsom launched a series of first-in-thenation actions to make health care more affordable for all Californians and to move the state closer toward the goal of health care for all. Those proposals included an executive order to create the nation’s biggest single-purchaser system for drugs and to, ultimately, allow all Californians and private employers to sit together at the bargaining table across from big drug companies when negotiating prescription drug prices.

“Californians are coming together to use their market power and their moral power to demand fairer prices for prescription drugs,” said Governor Newsom. “Now we are able to go to the table with massive capacity to leverage the negotiation, drive down costs, put more money in your pocketbooks and make a difference in peoples’ lives.”

The announcement was part of the Governor’s “California for All” Health Care Tour. A week after he released his revised budget that advances these priorities, Governor Newsom is taking his proposals on the road as part of the statewide tour launched Tuesday in Sacramento. The Governor will travel across the state this week hosting events that highlight how the health care initiatives in his budget proposal would help families meet their health care challenges. Each event will focus on one of the proposals in Governor Newsom’s health care package and the tour will host events in San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles and Sacramento.

“In San Francisco and across the nation, high-cost prescription medications often force people to choose between seeking life-saving treatment and putting food on the table for their families,” said San Francisco Mayor Breed. “By opting in to Governor Newsom’s prescription drug single-purchaser system, San Francisco and other counties across California will bring down the costs of these medications and increase access to health care for our residents.”

“Alameda County is pleased to stand with Governor Newsom to leverage the collective bargaining power of the State and its counties to lower the cost of prescription drugs for all Californians,” said Alameda County Health Care Services Agency Director Colleen Chawla.

“Public health systems play an especially important and unique role in delivering care, services and treatment to the patients we serve, especially the uninsured and the underinsured.

We are a safety-net health care system that is proud to offer topnotch care to all who need it. But to do that, we need to explore all opportunities to reduce costs whenever possible so that our limited resources can be better spent to help the homeless, the mentally ill and other vulnerable members of our community,”

said Santa Clara County Executive Dr. Jeffrey V. Smith, M.D., J.D. Governor Newsom’s health care proposals are a central pillar of his broader “California for All” agenda. The Governor believes that the California Dream should be accessible to everyone – not just a privileged few, and the crushing crisis of affordability and rising cost of living are limiting families’ ability to get ahead.

Recent data shows that health care and prescription drugs are chief among those concerns for California families.

Those buying on the individual market will see an average 9 percent rise in health care costs this year, according to Covered California. American families have seen their prescription drug costs nearly double since the year 2000, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation and prescription drug pricing is one of the largest drivers of rising health care costs. In January, a Reuters report found 30 drug manufacturers that did business with the State of California planned to raise their prices in January.

Governor Newsom’s health care proposals take those cost and access concerns head-on.

They include: • California becoming the first state in history to expand Medi-Cal coverage to all eligible undocumented young adults age 19 through 25.

• Expanding financial help for families and individuals to buy health insurance in private market and becoming the first state in America to give monthly discounts to middle-income families buying insurance.

• Taking on prescription drug prices by creating one of the nation’s biggest single-purchaser systems for prescription drugs that allows government, individuals and potentially private employers to sit together at the bargaining table to negotiate drug prices.

• Working with Congress to create a robust federal waiver to allow the state to move toward single payer and creating a commission to do the planning necessary for a transition under a Democratic president.

While the White House attacks reproductive health care, Governor Newsom proposes making a historic $100 million investment in reproductive and sexual health care.

The Washington Post editorial board wrote Governor Newsom’s proposals “would make his state a leader in resisting Republican efforts to unravel the Affordable Care Act,” noting that “Mr. Newsom’s plan is a promising reform that other states – and, if Congress and the president ever come to their senses, the federal government – should consider.” Closer to home, the East Bay Times and San Jose Mercury News editorial board called the governor’s health care proposals “a solid step toward lowering costs, improving health outcomes and moving the state closer to universal coverage.”

From Page SF6 “I’ve had the smallest amount of prep time for the biggest project I’ve been a part of,” Dacascos explained.

“I got a text from Chad [Stahelski, director of the ‘John Wick’ franchise] on a Sunday night, talked with him on Monday, flew from LA to New York on Tuesday, prepped on Wednesday and started filming on Thursday.”

But the brief preparation time was actually a blessing in disguise for Dacascos, noting the “unforgettable” experience he had working with the cast and crew.

“To be able to work with such a high-level, experienced and accomplished cast was just phenomenal, and I mean every actor that Chad had on board I’m a fan of, so I’m happy about how things turned out because that all could have been quite overwhelming had I had time to process it,” Dacascos said.

As of press time, “John Wick 3” has amassed $93.3 million worldwide. It debuted to $57 million making it the first film to beat “Avengers: Endgame” at the top of the box office. And just like its first two installments, it has

been met with high regard from critics and fans alike.

At the start of “John Wick 3” (released Friday, May 17), Wick finds himself “excommunicado” from the assassin society The High Table, who has placed a $14 million bounty on his head.

As Wick fights his way through some of the world’s most deadly assassins, Zero, the odd, yet formidable mercenary formerly for The High Table, is hired by an adjudicator from the High Table to hunt down Wick as well as those who have aided him on this international goose chase.

Throughout the 131minute thrill ride, viewers are treated to some of the most creative and expansive combat scenes seen yet in the John Wick franchise. Stahelski’s stunt production company 87eleven Action Design provided the choreography and coordinated the sequencing for the film and were “extremely collaborative and open-hearted.”

“He’s a highly accomplished stuntman and extremely proficient at different martial arts, and that was a huge advantage,” Dacascos said of Stahelski. “He knows

Fil-Am Mark Dacascos as Zero in “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum,” which came out on Friday, May 17.

how to bridge the gap between what works in real life and what looks good on camera, and it really shows when you see the film, and everyone just approached every sequence with the actors in

mind and it was such a joy.”

This week, production of “John Wick 4” was announced, set for a 2021 release. “John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum” is in theaters now.

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 24, 2019