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Volume 11 – Issue 33 • 16 Pages

JUNE 8-14, 2018

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No nationwide martial law for now – Palace

by NESTOR

CORRALES Inquirer.net

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque

Inquirer.net photo

USA

DATELINE China warns US against provocations following B-52 flyby FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

THE United States is being accused by of militarizing the South China Sea after two American B-52 bombers flew close to a disputed Chinese-held shoal in a show of force.

The bomber flew this week over Scarborough Shoal, which China took from the Philippines in 2012, came days after U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis accused Beijing of “intimidation and coercion” in the South China Sea. China claims the sea as their territory, almost entirely despite overlapping claims from neighbors including the Philippines, Vietnam and Taiwan.

Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying warned the U.S. against “hyping up militarization and stirring up trouble” on Wednesday, June 6, and promised that China

THERE are no ongoing discussions to declare a nationwide martial law, Malacañang said on Thursday, June7, after President Rodrigo Duterte warned there would be “radical changes” in the country’s public order and security in the coming days.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said there would be “serious efforts” to stop the recent spate of criminality in the Philippines but declaring a nationwide martial law was not an option for now.

“No, martial law is [in] Mindanao,” Roque said when asked if expanding the coverage of martial law in Mindanao to the whole country has been discussed with the president.

There are no ongoing discussions to declare a nation-

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Citing public order, Duterte says ‘radical changes’ to happen soon

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

FOLLOWING his trip to South Korea this week, President Rodrigo Duterte warned that he will “make radical changes in the days to come.”

“There will be changes in the coming days including public order and security. There are simply too many crimes and too many claiming to be this and that,” he said on Wednesday morning, June 6.

The warning came with the implication of martial law.

“Well, remember that there is — there’s

A new study shows that many people in the early stages of breast cancer with lower likelihoods of recurrence may safely abstain from chemotherapy

no difference actually between martial law and a declaration of national emergency. So I’ve been warning all. I’m warning all including the Human Rights, it’s either we behave or we will have a serious problem again,” Duterte said.

Duterte declared Mindanao a state of national emergency due to lawless violence in September 2016 and placed the entire island group under martial law on May 2017 despite criticisms from rights groups and Bass player Francis Anthony Lapidario; drummer Percy Paa; former Tacloban City mayor Alfred Sison opposition figures.

Romualdez; vocalists Theresa Robel, Princess Belleza, and Gamaliel Gobenciong; guitarist/music Article VI, Section 23 of the Constitution director Edwin Espiño; and former Tacloban city disaster management office Derrick Anido.

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UP, Ateneo, La Salle slip in QS world university rankings

by PATRICIA LOURDES Philstar.com

VIRAY

MANILA — The University of the Phil-

u PAGE A3 ippines remains the top university in the

Study: Some early stage breast cancer patients may forego chemotherapy

NEW INTERNATIONAL GATEWAY. President Rodrigo Duterte takes a tour inside the Mactan-Cebu-International Airport (MCIA) Terminal 2 during its inauguration in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu on Thursday, June 7. Joining the President are Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Michael Dino, Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC) President Manuel Ferrer, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Puyat, Transportation Secretary and GMCAC Board Chairman Srinivas Bommidala.

Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi

country but its overall ranking in the world dropped from 367th in 2017 to 384th in 2018, according to the latest QS World University Rankings.

The premier state university garnered an overall score of 28.8 this year, a 4.1point drop from its 32.9 overall score last year.

“UP Diliman is not only the home of diverse colleges, offering 94 graduate and undergraduate courses, it also runs several centers of research, many of which

have been declared by the Commission on Higher Education as National Centers of Excellence,” QS said on its website.

Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU), De La Salle University (DLSU) and University of Santo Tomas (UST) were also listed in the top 1,000 universities in the world.

UP Diliman’s Katipunan neighbor ADMU ranked second among Philippine schools with a ranking of 651-700, also a drop from its 551-600 ranking last year.

DLSU also experienced a lower ranking this year with 801-1000, a decline from its 701-750 ranking last year.

Ranking fourth among local schools,

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Former Tacloban City mayor Alfred Romualdez recalls challenges following typhoon Haiyan Brings ‘I Love Tacloban’ band as token of thanks

mar, continues to be regularly traveled. Some of the cargo vessels that have washed ashore IT’S been five years since Ty- have turned into memorial markphoon Haiyan (also locally known ers. Businesses have even named as Yolanda) hit the city of Taclo- themselves after Haiyan. ban, but the city for the most part Alfred Sison Romualdez, who is back on the rise with malls, served as mayor during the city’s hotels, cafés, and other establish- deadliest and toughest catastroments getting normal traffic. phe, can still recall many of the Its famous San Juanico Bridge challenges he faced. that stretches from Leyte to Sau PAGE A2

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

‘PH not capable of defending territories’ — defense chief

A MAJORITY of early-stage breast cancer patients may opt to skip chemotherapy which could result in a sharp decline for the treatment option, according to a massive, highlyanticipated new study on the disease published on Sunday, June 3.

The study — conducted by the New England Journal of Medicine — found that patients who in the early stages of invasive breast cancer may skip chemotherapy if they score in the mid to low range for risk as measured by a widely-used genomic test.

According to the decade-long study, patients who fall within the “intermediate risk zone” are likely to do as well with hormone therapy alone as they would with both chemotherapy and hormone therapy post-surgery.

This was the most extensive breast cancer treatment trial conducted thus far and dem- Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Friday, June 1, met with his American and Southeast Asian counterpart at the sidelines onstrated that low-risk patients, through a of the annual Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The Shangri-La Dialogue, hosted by the International Institute for Strategic

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AJPress photo by Jillian Peñalosa

Studies, is Asia’s premier defense summit.

Philstar.com photo

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippines is not yet capable of defending its territory in the disputed South China Sea amid China’s continuing aggressiveness in the disputed area, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said on Monday, June 4.

In an exclusive interview with ABS-CBN News, the defense chief said it may take some time for the Philippines to acquire the ships, weapons and equipment needed to defend claimed areas in the South China Sea. “At present, we don’t have capabilities to even just demonstrate to others that we are

capable, because we are not capable,” Lorenzana said.

According to him, Manila is looking at upgrading the runway on Pag-asa Island, which is part of the Palawan province.

“Our sole airstrip in Pag-asa is still very short, and it’s still unpaved. We’re trying to pave that so that we can bring in our aircraft anytime,” he said, adding that it will take the runway five days of sunny weather to be hard enough for aircraft to land on.

‘Nothing we can do’ The Philippines cannot do anything about China’s claims in the South China Sea, according to Lorenzana.

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A

June 8-14, 2018 • neW YORK AnD neW JeRSeY ASIAn JOuRnAL

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

From the Front Page

No nationwide martial law...

PAGE A1 wide martial law, MalacaĂąang said onThursday, after President Rodrigo Duterte warned there would be “radical changesâ€? in the country’s public order and security in the coming days.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said there would be “serious efforts� to stop the recent spate of criminality in the Philippines but declaring a nationwide martial law was not an option for now. “No, martial law is [in] Mindanao,� Roque said when asked if

expanding the coverage of martial law in Mindanao to the whole country has been discussed with the President.

In September 2016, Duterte signed a proclamation putting the Philippines under a state of emergency on account of lawless violence. “If at all, ‘yun nga po ika-clarify ko, ‘yung state of national emergency kung ito ay na-suspinde na at kinakailangan pang mag deklara for the whole Philippines,� he said.

In his media briefing on Tues-

day night upon arrival from a three-day official trip from Seoul, South Korea, Duterte said he might declare a state of national emergency to solve the rampant criminality in the country. “Ang sabi po niya possibly state of national emergency, sinabi po niya sa speech niya pero iche-check ko nga lang po kasi meron nang earlier, at titingnan ko po kung kinakailangan pang mag impose ng bago.

That’s why I will issue a statement this afternoon,� Roque said. n

Citing public order, Duterte says...

PAGE A1 says: “In times of war or other national emergency, the Congress may, by law, authorize the President, for a limited period and subject to such restrictions as it may prescribe, to exercise powers necessary and proper to carry out a declared national policy. Unless sooner withdrawn by resolution of the Congress, such powers shall

cease upon the next adjournment thereof.� “Somehow, even with this meager emergency power, I will use it to the hilt and put things in order,� he vowed. “For those offices that are beyond control, I will place you under the Office of the President.

I will be in front of you every day,� he continued.

Duterte has been clearing government agencies of corrupt officials.

On May 21, he fired Transportation Assistant Secretary for Railways Mark Tolentino, Government Corporate Counsel Rudolf Philip Jurado on May 28, and Noel Patrick Sales Prudente, a deputy commissioner of the Bureau of Customs, on May 30. n

UP, Ateneo, La Salle slip in QS world...

PAGE A1 only UST maintained its ranking of 801-1000.

Garnering an overall score of 100, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) remains the top university in the world for the seventh consecutive year. “MIT is now an independent, coeducational, privately endowed university organized into five schools (architecture and planning; engineering; humanities, arts, and social sciences; management; science). Yet the principle of educational inno-

vation remains at the core of MIT’s educational philosophy,�

QS said.

Also in the top 10 are Stanford University, Harvard University, California Institute of Technology, University of Oxford, University of Cambridge, ETH Zurich - Swiss Federal Institute of Technology, Imperial College London, University of Chicago and University College London.

Meanwhile, the top universities in Asia are National University of Singapore (11th), Nanyang Technological Univer-

sity (12th), Tsinghua University (17th), The University of Tokyo (23rd) and The University of Hong Kong (25th).

The QS World University Rankings rank 1,000 of the world’s top universities every year using six different indicators: academic reputation (40 percent), employer reputation (10 percent), faculty/student ratio (20 percent), citations per faculty (20 percent), international faculty ratio (5 percent) and international student ratio (5 percent). n

‘PH not capable of defending territories...

PAGE A1 “I think all we can do now is (file a) diplomatic protest, and talk to them. There is nothing we can do,� he said, citing China’s refusal to honor the ruling of the arbitral tribunal invalidating Beijing’s nine-dash line claim in the disputed sea. “But since China won’t accept it, what can we do? And China, in fact, during the pendency of the arbitral ruling, they double

timed the reclaiming of the reefs,� he said.

Lorenzana met with U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis during the International Institute for Strategic Studies’ 17th Asia Security Summit, also known as the Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore. The pair discussed measures to boost information sharing and maritime domain awareness cooperation.

According to Mattis’ spokes-

man Captain Jeff Davis, the two defense chiefs also reviewed the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy and its implications for the alliance. “Both leaders emphasized the need to keep the Indo-Pacific free and open and highlighted the central importance of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) in upholding the rules-based order,�

Davis said. n

FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS Madaba,Mt Nebo,Petra,Aqaba,Jordan

(Tiberias, Ceasarea, Haifa, Meggido,Magdala, Nazareth, Cana, Mt Carmel, Capernaum, Mt Beatitude, Jericho, Bethany, Mt.Tabor, Mount Zion, Mt. of Olives, Old & New Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Masada Dead Sea,Allenby Bridge, Madaba, Mt Nebo Petra, Aqaba Jordan)

BACK FROM KOREA. President Rodrigo Duterte strikes his signature pose with ACTS-OFW Party-list Representative Aniceto Bertiz III, Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez, Sec. Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato Dela PeĂąa, Presidential Chief Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo and Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque while on board the Philippine Airlines commercial flight PR469 upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport on Tuesday, June 5 following a successful three-day official visit to the Republic of Korea.

MalacaĂąang photo by Ace Morandante

Former Tacloban City mayor Alfred Romualdez...

PAGE A1 Though born in San Juan, Manila, Romualdez is a full fledged Taclobanon as anyone who knows his family name can attest. The Romualdez name has been a familiar one in the region for a number of generations. His father Alfredo is the brother of the famed Imelda Romualdez Marcos, wife of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos. The Tacloban City Airport, also known as the Daniel Z. Romualdez Airport — is named after Imelda’s first cousin.

In 1998, Romualdez became congressman while his father was serving as mayor. Following his father’s term, he himself was elected mayor in 2007 which brought him to the city full time. “At that time, there were still a lot of things to do in Tacloban City,� Romualdez told the Asian Journal in a recent interview.

A capital of the province of Leyte, Tacloban is the center for trade, tourism, culture, education, and government in the Eastern Visayas region. Among his most satisfying achievements as mayor was campaigning Tacloban from a component city, into a highly urbanized city a year into his term. The city became to first to do in the Eastern Visayas re-

Oct 19, 2018 (Fri) Day 2 – Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv/ Tiberias Ćž "/ 4" )" / **&$/ 1&,+ +! 201,*0Çž 4" 4&)) *""1 ,2/ ), ) $2&!"Çž 4%, 4&)) " 4&1% 20 !2/&+$ ,2/ 01 6 &+ ,)6 +!Ç˝ "+',6 1%" - +,/ *& 3&"4 ,# 1%" "!&1"// +" +Ç˝ " 4&)) 0-"+! ,2/ Ćœ /01 +&$%1 in Tiberias. Dinner and overnight (D). Beach Holy Eucharist Oct 20, 2018 (Sat) Day 3 – Tiberias/ Meggido/ Nazareth/ Cana/ Mt Tabor We will have short stop in Meggido and the Plains of We will have short stop in Meggido and the Plains of Armageddon, known in Hebrew as Meggido, a giant fortress and City built by King Solomon.

+ 1%" "4 "01 *"+1 ,,( ,# "3") 1&,+Çž &1 &0 /"#"//"! 0 1%" 0&1"0 ,# 1%" ČŠĆœ + ) 11)"Č‹Ç˝ /,* 1%"/"Çž 4" 4&)) ,+1&+2" ,2/ !/&3" &+1, Nazareth, where we will have Mass in the Church of the Annunciation ,the Cave of the Annunciation and and visit Joseph’s Work0%,- +! %"+ 4" 4&)) *,3" ,+ 1, + ,# )&)""Çž 4%"/" 2/ ,/!

-"/#,/*"! &0 Ćœ /01 *&/ )"Çż % +$&+$ 4 1"/ &+1, 4&+" 1 1%" 4"!Č’ ding feast. We will invite couples to Bless their marriage vows,Con1&+2" 1, ,2+1 ,/ Çž0&1" ,# "020 / +0Ćœ $2/ 1&,+Ç˝ Ćž "/4 /!Çž 4" will head to Tiberias. Dinner and overnight in Tiberias. (B/D).

Oct 21, 2018 (Sun) Day 4 – Tiberias/Mount Beatitude/ Multiplication / Primacy/ Capernum/Boat Ride “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven�

Early AM departures to Mt. Beatitude Drive up to Mount Beatitudes, visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people., Eucharistic Celebration . "+',6 0 "+& , 1 /&!" /,00 1%" " ,# )&)"" 1, -"/+ 2*Çž %,*" ,# 2/ ,/! !2/&+$ %&0 *&+&01/6Ç˝ Ćž "/ 3&0&1&+$ 1%" 6+ $,$2" where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the ), 3"0 +! Ćœ 0%"0Ç˝ %"+ 1, 1%" %2/ % /&* 6 ,# 1 "1"/0Ç˝ Č› Çž Čœ Oct 22, 2018 (Mon) Day 5 – Magdala 2)) ! 6 /"1/" 1Çž , 20 4&)) + )2!" -/,$/ *0 0"! ,+ 1%" %&01,/&Č’ ) +! ")&$&,20 3 )2" ,# 1%" $! ) 0&1"0 More info coming up as we get closer to the dates

Çž 0/ ") Č” Ç—Ç•Ç•Çž &0 ,3"/&"0 #/,* +"4 / % ",),$& ) !&$ are creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the %,*" ,# /6 $! )"+"ǽȋ %" )&3"! %"/" +! 0%" *"1 "020 %"/" and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue dating back to the 1&*" ,# "020Ç˝ ,/!&+$ 1, / % ",),$&010Çž &1ȉ0 1%" Ćœ /01 ,+" !&0 ,3Č’ "/"! &+ 1%" )&)""Ç˝ Oct 23, 2018 (Tues) Day 6 – Jordan Valley/ Jericho/ Bethany/ Jerusalem Mass at the Church in Bethany Ćž "/ /" (# 01Çž 4" %" ! 1, "/& %,Çž 1%" ,)!"01 &+% &1"! &16 &+ 1%" 4,/)!Ç˝ &"4 1%" ,2+1 ,# "*-1 1&,+Çž 4%"/" "020 0-"+1 ǙǕ days fasting in the desert. We will visit the ancient ruins of the wall.

We will continue to Bethany and will have mass to celebrate Holy 2 % /&01 1 1%" %2/ % ,# 1Ç˝ 7 /20Ç˝ %"+ 4" 4&)) 3&0&1 1%" -Č’ 1&0* ) 0&1" &+ &3"/ ,/! +Ç˝ -,+ //&3 ) &+ ,2+1 ,-20 *" +&+$ Mount of the Watchmen/Sentinels, is a mountain in northeast Je/20 )"*Ç˝ +',6 1%" Ćœ /01 3&"4 ,# "/20 )"*Ç˝ Ćž "/ 1%" ! 6ȉ0 1,2/Çž 4" will check in at our hotel in Jerusalem (B/D) Oct 24, 2018 (Wed) Day 7 – Jerusalem (Old City)/ Via Dolorosa/ Mount Zion Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place ,# 0(2))Çž 4%& % &0 ))"! &+ 1%" " /"4 ,)$,1% ǽȋ Č› ,%+ Ç–ÇžÇżÇ–ÇœČœ We will enter the Old City of Jerusalem and will follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) and say the Station of the Cross to the holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, 3&0&1 ,)$,1% +! 1%" ,* ,# 2/ ,/!Ç˝ Ćž "/ * 00Çž 4" /"12/+ 1, the hotel for breakfast. Ćž "/ /" (# 01Çž 4" 4&)) "+1"/ 1%" )! &16Çž 0&+$ %6*+ &+ 1%" Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Then we will 3&0&1 1%" % -") ,# ) $")) 1&,+Çž &1%,01/ 1,0 Č›4%"/" 1%" 0,)!&"/0 -) 6"! 1%" *" ,# &+$0Čœ +! 1%" / % ,# 1%" ČŠ " ,*,Č‹Ç˝ Dinner/Overnight

Oct 25, 2018 (Thurs) Day 8 – Jerusalem Mass at the Holy Eucharist Church of St Peter in Gallicantu ČŠ %" ,/! " *" Ć? "0% +! !4")1 *,+$ 20ǽǽǽȋ Č› ,%+ Ç–ÇżÇ–Ç™Čœ " 4&)) 4 )( 1, 3&"4 1%" ,*" ,# 1%" , ( #/,* 1%" ,210&!"Çž +! visit the Western Wall,( Wailing Wall ) the only part of the Herodian Temple still standing and the most sacred place in the world for "40Ç˝ %"+Çž 4" 4&)) !/&3" 1, 1Ç˝ &,+Çž 1, 3&0&1 1%" --"/ ,,*Çž /"Č’ 3"/"! 0 1%" 0&1" ,# 1%" 01 2--"/Çž 1%"+ 02/3"6 1%" ,/*&1&,+ "6Çž +! 1%" %2/ % ,# 1Ç˝ "1"/ &+ ))& +12Çž %" 0&1" 4%"/" "1"/ !"+&"! "020 1%/"" 1&*"0Ç˝ Ćž "/ 1%" ! 6ȉ0 1,2/Çž we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Jerusalem (B, D) Oct 26, 2018 (Fri) Day 9 – Mount of Olives/ Gethsemane/ Bethlehem/ Jerusalem (New City)/ Ein Karem Mass at the Church of Nativity ČŠ *,2+1 &+ ,# ,!Çž /" "&3" *"Çž *,1%"/Çž 4&1% *6 %&)!ǽȋ Č› /,1,Č’ "3 +$")&2* ,# *"0 Ç—Ç—ÇżÇ˜Čœ " 4&)) //&3" 1 1%" ,2+1 ,# )&3"0Çž 1, "+',6 +,1%"/ 3&"4 ,# "/2Č’ salem, visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the ,*&+20 )"3&1 țȊ ,! 4"-1Č‹Čœ 0 + 12 /6Ç˝ "51Çž 4"ȉ)) 4 )( 1%" )* 2+! 6 , ! 1, 1%" /!"+ ,# "1%0"* +"Çž +! 3&0&1 1%" , ( ,# $,+6 +! 1%" %2/ % ,# )) 1&,+0Ç˝ + 1%" Ćž "/+,,+Çž 4"ȉ)) !/&3" to Bethlehem, a city whose name is recognized around the world. Ćž "/ ")" / 1&+$ 00 1 1%" %2/ % ,# 1&3&16Çž 4" 4&)) 0"" 1%" +$"/Č€ 3&0&1 1%" %2/ % ,# 1Ç˝ 1%"/&+"Çž 1%" /,11, ,# 1Ç˝ "/,*" +! 1%" %"-%"/!0ȉ &")!0Ç˝ Then we will return to Jerusalem (New City), to view the Temple Model to see how it looked during the time of Jesus. Here, we will gain a better understanding between the old and new cities of "/20 )"*Ç˝ - +"51 &0 1/&- 1, &+ /"*Çž &/1%-) " ,# 1Ç˝ ,%+ the Baptist, to see the Visitation Church, where Mary proclaimed %"/ # *,20 ČŠ $+&Ćœ 1Č‹Ç˝ " 4&)) "+! ,2/ ! 6 6 /"12/+&+$ 1, ,2/ Hotel. (B/D) Oct 27, 2018 (Sat) Day 10 – Jerusalem/ Dead Sea/ Qumran/ Masada Mass at the Church of all Nations Ćž "/ /" (# 01Çž 4" 4&)) ")" / 1" * 00 1 1%" %2/ % ,# )) 1&,+0 and then we will drive to Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herod’s fortress and the Jew’s last 01/,+$%,)! $ &+01 1%" ,* +Ç˝ "12/+ 1, "/20 )"* #,/ !&++"/ and Overnight (B, D) Oct 28, 2018,(Sun) Day 11 – Jerusalem/ Allenby Bridge/ Madaba /Jordan/ Mt. Nebo/ Aqaba Mass at Mount Nebo On this day, we head to Allenby Bridge and cross into Jordan. We 4&)) $, 1, 1%" -1&0* ) &1" 1 "1% +6Çž 4%& % ,-" ,%+ 2)

3&0&1"! &+ ǗǕǕǕǽ %"+Ǟ &1ȉ0 ,+ 1, ,2+1 " ,Ǟ 4%"/" ,0"0 3&"4"!

1%" /,*&0"! +!Ç˝ 2/ +"51 01,- 4&)) " 1%" %2/ % ,# 1Ç˝ ",/$" &+ ! Çž 4%& % %,010 1%" # *,20 *,0 & * - ,# 1%" ,)6 +!Ç˝ Then we will drive down to Aqaba. Overnight in Aqaba (B/D). Mov"+-& ( "0,/1 Ç” "0&!"+ "Ç˝ Oct 29, 2018 (Mon) Day 12 – Aqaba/Petra Mass at Stella Maris Church – Aqaba Ćž "/ /" (# 01Çž 4" 4&)) ',2/+"6 1%/,2$% 1%" &.Çž 2+1&) 4" $"1 ,2/ Ćœ /01 $)&*-0" ,# 1%" % 7+"% Č› /" 02/6ČœÇ˝ %"+ 4&)) 4" 4 )( !,4+ 1, visit the Temple and view the many caves all around the Theater.

At the end of the tour, we will drive back to Aqaba for overnight and !&++"/ Č› ČĄ ČœÇ˝ ,3"+-& ( "0,/1 Ç” "0&!"+ " Oct 30, 2018 (Tues) Day 13 – Aqaba/ Jerusalem We Cross the Jordanian Border to return to Jerusalem. Dinner/ Overnight Oct 31, 2018 (Wed) Day 14 – Jerusalem /Yad Vashem Museum/ TLV/ LAX Ćž "/ /" (# 01Çž 4" 4&)) 3&0&1 1%" ! 0%"* 20"2*Çž&0 0/ ")ȉ0 ,Ć› & & ) *"*,/& ) 1, 1%" 3& 1&*0 ,# 1%" ,), 201Ç˝ 1 &0 !"!& 1"! to preserving the memory of the dead; honoring Jews who fought $ &+01 1%"&/ 7& ,--/"00,/0 +! "+1&)"0 4%, 0")Ć? "00)6 &!"!

Jews in need; and researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding 02 % "3"+10 &+ 1%" #212/"Ç˝ Ćž "/ 1%" "01"/+ ))Çž ! 0%"* &0 1%" 0" ,+!Č’*,01Č’3&0&1"!

0/ ")& 1,2/&01 0&1"Ç˝ "12/+ 1, 1%" %,1") #,/ )2+ % +! /") 5 1&,+ &+ -/"- / 1&,+ #,/ ,2/ /"12/+ Ć? &$%1 ( 1, 1%" Ćž "/ !&++"/ 4&)) " 1/ +0#"//"! 1, 1%" &/-,/1 #,/ ǖǿǕǕ * )&$%1 ,3 ǖǞǗǕǖÇ? Č› %2/0! 6Čœ

New Year’s Eve. But the challenges naturally continued to pile up after the storm as millions of newly displaced people were left disoriented and struggled to make sense of what would happen next. Due to Haiyan’s intensity, even the local government was paralyzed, he said.

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper, who did extensive coverage on the typhoon, described the situation as being “among the most desperate� he’d seen in the last couple of years he’s covered natural disasters prior to Haiyan.

Being the capital, it’s customary that everyone flocks to Tacloban when there’s a storm, said Romualdez. Tropical storms are common in the region that consists of six provinces. In fact, Haiyan was the country’s 25th typhoon to hit that year, and it was only March. “I’m a hands on guy,� said the former mayor, recalling the moments after the typhoon. He said he and his team had been driving a payloader around trying to clear a way back to the city. This was made difficult as evacuations centers and the city itself was jam packed with people. “How do we move all this de-

u PAGE A4

Pilgrimage to Some of ITALY’s Highlights and Miracles of the Eucharist Nov 12, 2018 to Nov 22,2018 Spiritual Director REV.JOEL BUGAS

OCTOBER 18 to Nov 1, 2018 SPIRITUAL CHAPLAIN: REV. ANTONIO FLORES Oct 18, 2018 (Thur) Day 1 – Lax to Tel Aviv, Israel / +0Č’ 1) +1& Ć? &$%1 #/,* 1, "+ 2/&,+ +1"/+ 1&,+ ) &/-,/1Çž ") 3&3Çž 0/ ")Ç˝ Č› " )0 0"/3"! &+Č’Ć? &$%1Čœ

gion, and the 34th in the Philippines.

But as the city began to reach its peak, it was quickly swept under the waves of Typhoon Haiyan, or Super Typhoon Yolanda as it is more commonly referred as in the Philippines. “It was very hard as a leader,� said Romualdez, who was serving his second mayoral term during the typhoon. “I couldn’t show them that I was devastated. It’s like being captain of the ship. We go down with the ship.�

Haiyan had become the strongest tropical cyclone to ever be recorded when it hit. Reaching over 300 km/h at its highest, it ransacked everything in its path.

Flattened coconut tree farms and washed up cargo boats were common images in international media. Pulling out his cellphone, Romualdez played back videos of the ordeal including a clip of the waters reaching the second floor balcony of a building.

Haiyan’s aftermath further revealed it to be the deadliest with death toll reports ranging anywhere from 6,000 to 15,000 depending on the source. Many agree though that its exact number may never be known. Romualdez said the last body he personally buried was just last

Day 1 – 12 Nov 2018 – (Mon) Day 2 – 13Nov 2018 – (Tues)

- USA - ROME - Rome -,+ ,2/ //&3 ) &+ ,*"Çž our Tour Escort will wel,*" 20 1, 1 )6Ç˝ ,*" &0 the heart, home and the spiritual capital of over one billion Catholics all ,3"/ 1%" 4,/)!Ç˝ Ćž "/ short panoramic orienta1&,+ ,# 1%&0 1"/+ ) &16 1, 20 ,* + 1%,)& 0Çž 4" 4&)) have our dinner and overnight rest at this great ancient City.

Č› Çž Čœ Day 3 – 14 Nov 2018 (Wed) – Rome / Papal Audience/ Rome

This morning before we continue with our tour, we will % 3" - ) 2!&"+ "Ç˝ %"+ Ćž "/Çž 4" 4&)) 3&0&1 1%" # Č’ *,20 ,)&0"2* +! 0"" 1%" ,/2*Çž 1%" /"3& ,2+1 &+ and the Pantheon, one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the world. Celebrate the Holy Eucharist at St Peter Basilica St Joseph Chapel .Short stop in Trevi ,2+1 &+Çž "#,/" %" !&+$ 1, ,2/ ,1")

Č› Çž Čœ Day 4 – 15 Nov 2018 (Thurs) – Rome / Basilicas We will visit the Vatican Museum this morning and the Sistine Chapel to admire the awesome masterpieces of Michaelangelo, +! "3"+ + &"+1 /""( +! ,Č’ man artists. the largest church &+ ,* + 1%,)& &0*Çž 1Ç˝ "1"/ȉ0 Basilica. Holy Eucharist at ST Mary ',/Çž ,)),4"! 6 3&0&1 ,# 1%" Č’ silica. We continue to visit the rest ,# 1%" * ',/ 0&)& 0 4&1%&+ 1%" 4 ))0 ,# ,*"Çž +! 1Ç˝ ,%+ 1"/Č’ an, St Paul Outside the Wall.

We will also pray at the Scala Santa or the Holy Stairs. St. Helena transported the steps from Jerusalem; the same 01"-0 1% 1 %/&01 0 "+!"! 1, /" "&3" &) 1"ȉ0 2+'201 ,+Ȓ demnation.

Č› Çž Čœ Day 5 – 16 Nov 2018 (Fri)–Rome /San Giovanni Rotondo Ç—Ç•Ç–Ç? &0 1%" Ç–Ç•Ç•1% ++&3"/0 /6 ,# 1%" 01&$Č’ matization of St Pio. Church Will have Monthly Pastoral Program of Activities for the whole year . + &,3 ++& ,1,+!,Çž 1%" %,*" ,# 1 Č’ !/" &, ,# &"1/") &+ #/,* Ç—Ç? 2)6Çž ǖǞǖǛ 2+Č’ 1&) %&0 !" 1% ,+ Ǘǘ "-1"* "/Çž ǖǞǛÇ?Ç˝ +',6 1%" !/&3" $,&+$ 1, + &,3 ++&Çž Ćž "/ 4" check in our Hotel.

We visit the Shrines of St Padre Pio of Pietralcina as well as the places associated 4&1% %&* Çž 02 % 0 1%" %/&+" ,# 2/ !6 ,# / " 1% 1 contains his tomb. Here, we spend some time meditat&+$Çž 0"" %&0 /,,*Çž %&0 ,+#"00&,+ ) ,5 +! 1%" /2 &Ćœ 5 that gave him his supernatural Crucifying stigmata, Cel" / 1" ,)6 2 % /&01 Č› ,1") / + / !&0, Čœ

+ &,3 ++& ,1,+!, (BB,D) Day 6 – 17 Nov 2018 (Sat) – SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO This Morning we visit the new and Modern Basilica of St Padre Pio, See his uncorrupt body .Celebrate Holy Eucharist Spend some time meditating in this awesomeBasilica.

Č› ,1") / + / !&0,Čœ Day 7–18 Nov2018 – (Sun) – San Giovanni Rotondo / Lanciano /Loreto Ç˝ " //&3" 1 + & +,Çž # *,20 #,/ 1%" &/ )" ,# the Eucharist. Near the Piazza Plebiscito, the Miracle is inside the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle. The mira)" 1,,( -) " !2/&+$ 1%" Ç?1% "+12/6 when a Basiline monk doubted the " ) /"0"+ " ,# ,2/ ,/! &+ 1%" 2 % /&01Ç˝ " #,2+! %&*Č’ 0")# %,)!&+$ 1%" %,01 1% 1 % ! % +$"! &+1, " ) )"0% +! 1%" &+" ,+ 1%" )1 / % ! % +$"! &+1, " ) ),,!Ç˝ We continue our pilgrimage to the great Marian shrine ,# ,/"1, 1, 0"" 1%" # *,20 0 /"! %,*" ,# 1%" *,01 ,)6 *&)6Çž "020Çž /6Çž +! ,0"-%Ç˝ &+ " ǖǗǞǙ 1%" %,)6 %,*" % 0 ""+ ), 1"! &+0&!" 1%" 0&)& ,# ,/"1,Ç˝ ")" / 1" ,)6 2 % /&01 &+ + & +, DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN Assisi Day 8 –19 Nov 2018 – ( Mon) Loreto/ Assisi ,! 6 4" "5-),/" 1%" %&))1,- &/1%-) " ,# 1 / + &0 ,# 00&0&Ç˝ + 1%" /6-1 ,# 1 / + &0 0&)& )&"0 1%" 1,* ,# one of the most humble and beloved Saints of all times, 1Ç˝ / + &0 ,# 00&0&Çž ,)6 2 % /&01 1 1%" /6-1 ,# / + &0 "" 1%" 0&)& ,# 1 ) /"Çž 4&1% %"/ &+ ,//2-1 body, and the little Church of St. Damiano and its Cru&Ćœ 5 #/,* 4%& % "020 0-,(" 1, / + &0 ,21 %&0 *&0Č’ 0&,+ &+ ǖǗǕǛǿ ČŠ ,Çž / + &0Çž +! /" 2&)! *6 %,20"Çž 4%& % 0 6,2 0"" &0 # ))&+$ &+1, /2&+ǽȋ " 3&0&1 1%" 0&)& ,# 1Ç˝ Mary of the Angels, located in the lower plains of Assisi, and the place where the miracle of the Eucharist of Assisi 1,,( -) " &+ ǖǗǙǕǽ %" 0* )) %2/ % ,# 1%" ,/7&2+ ,Č’ ) &0 &+0&!" 1%" 0&)& &10")#Ç˝ ,-" ,+,/&20

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a plenary indulgence for those entering this humble %2/ % ,+ 2$201 Ç–01 +! Ç—+! "3"/6 6" /Çž 4&1% ,+#"0Č’ sion, reception of the Eucharist and no attachment to venial sins. (BB,D) Day 9 – 20 Nov 2018 – (Tues) – Assisi / Siena / Florence We will spend half day in Siena. Begin in the old town center with a visit to the Basilica of San Domenico. Built &+ 1%" ǖǘ1% "+12/6Çž &1 &0 1/" 02/" %"01 ,# 1%" "+ &0Č’ sance art and dedicated to St Catherine of Siena. You will learn about the city’s history while admiring it’s cathedrals, Museum, and libraries .Also you will admire the famous piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s great *"!&"3 ) 0.2 /"0Ç˝ ,+1&+2" 1, ),/"+ "Ç˝ Č› Çž Čœ " 01 /1 4&1% $2&!"! 4 )(&+$ 1,2/ ,# ),/"+ "Çž 1%&0 # 0Č’ cinating city with its Piazza, the Cathedral of Santa Maria !") &,/"Çž &,11,ȉ0 ")) ,4"/Çž 1%" -1&01"/6 ,# 1Ç˝ ,%+ the Baptist.

"01 ,# 1%" ! 6 #/"" Č› Çž Čœ Day 10 – 21 Nov 2018 (Wed) – Florence / Rome " 3" ),/"+ " /,2+! Ç— //&3"! ,*" )*,01 !&++"/ time (BB.D) Day 11 – 22 Nov 2018 (Thurs) – Rome / USA End of our wonderful Pilgrimage .

Please call QTS Tour and Travel NOW at 1 (714) 288-0800 or (714) 761-6280 1095 N Main St. Suite O, Orange, CA 92867

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

Dateline USa

INFLATION DISCUSSION. Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno discusses the TRAIN, Inflation, and Poverty during the press briefing on the May 2018 Inflation Report at the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) office in Manila on Tuesday, June 5. Also in the photo are (left) National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon and Department of Finance (DOF) Assistant Secretary Tony Lambino.

PNA photo by Jess Escaros Jr.

Canada ‘stupid’ for raising human rights concerns in helicopter deal – Duterte

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is still angry at Canada over the botched $233-million helicopter deal, months after a Canadian company cancelled on him.

Before the Filipino community in South Korea on Sunday, June 3, Duterte said in a speech how “stupid” Canada was for raising concerns that the helicopters would be used against rebels.

“We ordered Bell helicopters from Canada. They said they will deliver the Bell helicopters but you cannot use [them] against your own citizen[s],” Duterte said.

Sixteen Bell 412EPI utility helicopters were supposed to be purchased by the Philippines from Canada, but Duterte scrapped the deal in February after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau ordered a review over fears of human rights abuses.

“How stupid can you... Why would you say that I cannot use it against my own citizens when there are citizens in my country who are trying to overthrow my government?” Duterte demanded.

According to Duterte, Filipinos are joining the New People’s Army and terrorist groups.

“They are fighting the government and killing my soldiers, my policemen and civilians. It’s a dirty war and the people are dying... My Moro brothers, on the other hand, joined terrorist forces and went to Marawi,” Duterte said.

The government is considering purchasing helicopters from South Korea, according to the president.

Duterte’s first instance of calling Canada “stupid” over the helicopter deal was in March.

“Look at how stupid the Canadians are, very stupid. They

China warns US against...

PAGE A1

will take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty.

The U.S. “doing whatever they want is risky and China will not be threatened by any military warships,” Hua told reporters at a daily briefing in Beijing.

China announced last month that it had dispatched warships to drive away two U.S. Navy vessels sailing close to Chinese holdings in the Paracel Island chain, where China recently announced it had landed strategic bombers on an airstrip for the first time.

The naval confrontation came shortly after the Pentagon uninvited China to participate in multinational naval exercises near Hawaii due to China’s militarization in the South China Sea. Despite the rising tensions, Mattis is still expected to o visit Beijing at an unannounced date.

According to him, he will travel soon at China’s invitation.

China’s Defense Ministry, for their part, said it would welcome Mattis and hoped for continued exchanges with the U.S. military.

(Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

Study: Some early stage breast...

PAGE A1 genomic test of their tumors, can skip chemotherapy and avoid its immobilizing side effects.

“This information really addresses a major unmet medical need to have a very high level of evidence to make potentially life-saving decisions,” oncologist and lead author of the study Dr. Joseph Sparano said. “This has very important public health implications. It helps direct patients to the right therapy, so that we’re treating the right people with the right therapy at the right time.”

The genomic test used for this type of breast cancer, Oncotype DX, which was first introduced in 2004, measures gene expression in 21 genes in tumor tissue removed during surgery and determines the risk of recurrence on a scale of 0 to 100. According to early research of the test, patients with a high-risk of recurrence would score 26 to 100 and would most benefit from chemotherapy, and patients on the lower end of the spectrum, 0 to 25, would not.

But that left many patients in the “intermediate risk zone”, about 65,000 patients annually in the United States, unsure if they should or should not opt for chemotherapy.

The new study, called TAILORx, used a randomized trial of thousands of patients and found that patients who fit in the middle, who scored between 11 to 25, had a similar rate of cancerfree survival as those who had chemotherapy in tandem with hormone therapy, which deems chemotherapy unnecessary for these patients.

This ground-breaking discovery means that 70 percent of patients can save themselves from the worry over whether or not to get chemotherapy, according to hematologist and oncologist Dr. Kathy Albain, who co-authored the study.

Breast cancer is the most common cancer in women in the U.S. and the world, according to the World Cancer Research Fund International. Breast cancer diagnoses account for 12 percent of all new cancer cases and a quar-

ter of all cancers in women.

Breast cancer rates in AAPI community Asian Americans, in particular, have been experiencing a steady increase in breast cancer rates over the last 15 years, according to a 2017 study from the Cancer Prevention Institute of California (CPIC).

Although they don’t have nearly the highest frequency of the cancer, Filipino women are more likely to die from breast cancer than “their major Asian American counterparts,” according to a 2010 study from the Hawaii Medical Journal.

In general, the later a diagnosis is determined, the higher the mortality rate for every cancer patient. The Hawaii Tumor Registry found that 35 percent of Filipinas (compared to 29 percent and 22 percent of Chinese and Japanese women, respectively) were diagnosed at a late stage, which increases their mortality rate.

The escalated mortality rate can be attributed to biological and genetic, socio-economic and cultural factors, the study said.

The CPIC study mirrored the Hawaii Medical Journal’s study in that its researchers found an increase in late-stage diagnoses among Filipinos as well as Koreans and South Asians, which suggests “a need for higher rates of mammography screening in these populations.”

“These patterns warrant additional attention to public health prioritization to target disparities in access to care, as well as further research in identifying relevant breast cancer risk factors for specific breast cancer subtypes,” lead researcher of the CPIC study Scarlett Lin Gomez said in a statement. “In particular, studies should investigate risk factors, perhaps early-life exposures, underlying the higher rates of breast cancer among young Filipino and Japanese women, with attention to possible genetic susceptibility.”

Individuals at risk for breast cancer are advised to consult their primary care physician and undergo a screening. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

agreed to sell the helicopters.

But when they were due to be delivered, they said, ‘Ah but you cannot use these for military or punitive actions by the police,’” he said during the general assembly of the League of Municipalities of the Philippines.

According to Canada’s International Trade Minister Francois-Philippe Champagne, the deal was done in 2012 on the understanding that the helicopters would be used for search and rescue. n

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 8-14, 2018

A

PH, US to boost drive vs human trafficking THE Philippines and the United States vowed to prioritize the fight against human trafficking under the bilateral Child Protection Compact (CPC) partnership forged between the two countries in April this year.

The commitment was made during the meeting between Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra and U.S. Embassy Chargé d’Affaires Michael Klecheski in May wherein the two officials pledged to “do more on this issue.”

Klecheski recognized the efforts of the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte in fighting human trafficking that resulted in a Tier 1 ranking in the 2016 and 2017 Trafficking in Persons reports.

The meeting was the culmination of a week of human traf-

ficking-focused engagements between the government, civil society, and visiting U.S. officials on the continued commitment to prevent abuses, protect victims, and prosecute abusers.

“We are pleased to partner with the Philippines to fight traffickers and build a better future for vulnerable Filipino children,” the U.S. embassy official said.

The two officials pledged their continued support for the CPC partnership, a bilateral agreement aimed at eliminating online exploitation of children and child labor trafficking.

The U.S. State Department’s Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons committed $3.5 million (P175 million) while the Department of Justice’s Inter-Agency Council Against

Trafficking in Persons committed $800,000 (P40 million) to meet the four-year CPC partnership’s objectives.

The U.S. will continue to work with IACAT and other participating departments during the partnership that will focus primarily in Metro Manila and Central Visayas.

TIP in its report released in June 2017 said the Philippines was able to comply with the minimum standards for the elimination of international human trafficking thus retained its Tier 1 ranking.

It also acknowledged the efforts of the Philippine government in going after traffickers, preventing trafficking, and identifying and assisting victims of trafficking. (Jefferson Antiporda/ ManilaTimes.net)

US military provides new equipment to Philippine marines THE U.S. military has provided new equipment worth P178 million to the Philippine marines, which will provide increased protection for their operations.

The U.S. turned over 525 sets of ballistic vests, lightweight ballistic plates, tactical ballistic helmets and accessories to the Philippine Marine special operations group (MARSOG) and inshore boat battalion at Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City last May 31, according to the U.S. Embassy.

The personal protective equipment were turned over through the Counterterrorism Train and Equip Program.

“The recent force protection equipment delivery will fill critical equipment gaps for Marine

Operators within MARSOG, a key Counterterrorism and Special Operations unit within the Philippine Marine Corps,” the U.S. Embassy said in a release.

Having been allies for 70 years, the U.S. has been providing grant assistance and expedited sales of arms and munitions to the Armed Forces of the Philippines.

This also assists the Philippine military’s modernization goals and urgent counterterrorism and humanitarian assistance and relief requirements.

The Philippines and the U.S. recently concluded its annual joint military exercises in the country. American troops were among the first to assist Filipino soldiers when ISIS-inspired local

Members of the Philippine Marine Corps conduct inventory of the 525 sets of Personal Protective Equipment provided by the U.S. military.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

terrorists sieged Marawi City last year. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

A

June 8-14, 2018 • neW YORK AnD neW JeRSeY ASIAn JOuRnAL

Philippines’ $14 billion ‘pollution-free’ city will be larger than Manhattan

Dateline USa

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

The sustainability-driven New Clark City will be the answer to Metro Manila’s escalating pollution problem

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

Anyone who has been to the Philippines has experienced the country’s crowded population and its overwhelming pollution.

Like many other global countries battling low air quality and intense population density, the Philippines is becoming increasingly at risk for both natural and man-made disasters.

But the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA), the Philippines’ government agency responsible for driving the economy through constructing developments and building projects, has a solution: building a new city that promotes sustainability in all areas of city life.

The green municipality, called new Clark City (nCC), is funded through private and public entities and is slated to be located 75 miles from Manila. The new 23,350-acre city will be larger than Manhattan (22.82 square miles) and is described as “a destination where nature, lifestyle, business, education and industry converge” and will feature driverless cars, sophisticated public transportation, drones, natural green spaces, low consumption

commercial buildings and housing and massive athletic complexes. nCC will also be designed to resist climate catastrophes; the central green spaces will give space for flooding and the buildings will be made to withstand earthquakes and other natural disasters. This merging of nature and urban metropolis in what developers call the “city of the future” is estimated to cost $14 billion and is aimed to counter the traffic jams and poor air quality of Manila.

At 13 million people, Manila has the highest population density of all the major cities in the world with about 107,000 people per square miles, according to statistics from the United Kingdom Statistics Authority. (new york City has a population density of 27,000 per square mile.)

The concept of the green city was a direct result of the growing global concern over the human impact on the overall increase in the earth’s temperature, a.k.a. global warming. For decades, scientists have tracked the increased release of greenhouse gases through vehicle emissions, factory pollution and a whole host of human activity that contributes to the warming of the planet.

establishing green initiatives city by city is a growing trend.

“More than two-thirds of total investment in infrastructure in the next 15 years will be made in cities,” former nyC Mayor Michael Bloomberg wrote in an op-ed for Cnn. More people are flocking to cities like Portland, oregon, San Francisco, California, and Stockholm, Sweden for utilizing renewable resources, improving public transportation (which lessens traffic congestion) and establishing “green space” such as public parks and nature reserves.

The BCDA is trying to complete nCC by the 2019 Southeast Asian Games, planning to modify and update the urban plans as technology advances and new green initiatives are introduced.

The goal of nCC in a country that has one of the world’s worst environmental records is to exemplify how Manila can transform itself into a sustainable city with stronger infrastructure, less deadlock traffic and improved air and water quality.

If built as promised, nCC is poised to set an example for the rest of the Philippines to make environmentally-conscious construction the standard. n

35TH SAF ANNIVERSARY. Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief Director General Oscar Albayalde (center) is escorted by Special Action Force (SAF) Director Noli Taliño (right) during the 35th anniversary of the SAF with the theme “35 years of Committed Service for the Filipino, a Culture of Heroism and Gallantry” held at the National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) Parade Grounds in Camp Bagong Diwa, Taguig City on Tuesday, June 5.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

HRW: Duterte’s latest tirade vs UN expert ‘same old rhetoric’

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

HUMAn Rights Watch slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for lashing out at the United nations expert who warned that the judicial independence in the country is under threat after the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno as the country’s top judge.

In a statement, HRW Asia Division researcher Carlos Conde said that Duterte’s tirade against Diego García-Sayán, Un special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, is the “same tired, old rhetoric” designed to frustrate attempts by international bodies to look into the victims of extrajudicial killings in the government’s war on drugs.

“President Duterte has been trying to evade accountability for these killings by subjecting Un

experts and investigators as well as human rights defenders to relentless attacks,” Conde said.

He then called on the Un not to be deterred and initiate an investigation into Duterte’s continuing anti-narcotics campaign.

Before departing for South Korea on a three-day official visit, Duterte said that García-Sayán can “go to hell” for allegedly meddling in the affairs of the country. “[García-Sayán] is not a special person and I do not recognize his rapporteur title. Tell him not to interfere with the affairs of my country,” he said.

The Un rapporteur on Friday said that the landmark decision of the high court granting the quo warranto petition against Sereno filed by Solicitor General Jose Calida seemed directly related to the threats made by Duterte against the former chief magistrate.

“The derogatory statements and threats by President Duterte, which have been televised, broadcast on radio and carried by newspapers, constitute a vicious attack on the independence of the judiciary,” the former Justice and Foreign Affairs minister of Peru said.

Although he repeatedly denied having a hand in Sereno’s expulsion, Duterte declared that the former chief justice should be “out of the Supreme Court” in response to her insistence that the president was involved in moves to oust her.

Duterte maintains that he had nothing to do with it.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said García-Sayán was misinformed, stressing that Duterte’s dislike of Sereno “is not an attack to the judiciary or an affront to judicial independence.” n

US, Mexican drug syndicates dumping supplies in PH; airports alerted DRUG syndicates from the U.S. and Mexico are trying to dump their supplies in the country, according to Philippine Drug enforcement Agency (PDeA) on Tuesday, June 5.

Photo shows a mock-up of New Clark City, a green municipality located 75 miles outside of Manila that is slated to be larger than Manhattan.

“We have been coordinating Photo courtesy of the Philippine Bases Conversion and Development Authority with the [U.S. Food and Drugs Administration] regarding the groups supplying drugs here.

There is an information that

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there are Mexicans involved here,” PDeA Director General Aaron Aquino said in a mix of Filipino and english at a press conference.

Aquino disclosed this after his operatives seized P78.8 million of shabu from Cavite and Parañaque City.

Aquino said that the confiscated drugs came from California.

He said he has been coordinating with various airports in the country to prevent the spread of illegal drugs.

“We will be coordinating with other airports in the country.

Maybe it is not only in nAIA where the drugs are entering.

We are also going to look out for airports in Davao and Cebu,” Aquino said. (ManilaTImes.net)

Former Tacloban City mayor Alfred Romualdez...

PAGE A2 bris with all these people in the streets?,” Romualdez recalled thinking. In effort to free up space, he said he even began asking for humanitarian flights

by Philippine Airlines and Cebu Pacific to help fly people out to relatives outside the city.

“I was on the street the very first day clearing debris, clearing routes to the hospitals,” he added. In the clearing process, bodies continued to reveal themselves, adding to the death toll.

Derrick Anido, the city disaster management officer at the time, likened the streets to scenes one would only wish to see in movies.

“In less than an hour, I saw two dump trucks just full of bodies,” said Anido. “It was a scene you would’ve only seen in the movies.

Worse than that. It was unbelievable.”

Romualdez said the challenges were compounded as he found it difficult to find common ground with the national government.

For one, Romualdez believes that more effort should have immediately focused more on building a community plan rather than just housing.

“Building a community is quite different from just building housing,” he said.

Another instance he shared, came as the Department for Social Welfare began giving 50 kilos (110 pounds) of rice a month to families regardless of how many children were in the household.

Being in excess of rice, Romualdez said that many began to sell portions of their rice to buy other needed things like clothes and medicine. And because it was prohibited to sell relief goods, many were also arrested.

“That’s not the way to do it,” said Romualdez while commending the USAID process of distributing goods depending on the number of family members in a household.

He said USAID were among the first to give assistance — giving foods that were immediately edible.

“Doesn’t taste that great, but its nutritious in that it’s going to help you survive if even for a couple of days,” he said. “you’re not giving rice because you want them to feel happy. you want them to eat it, right?” he said.

Recovery and Resilience In the weeks, months, and even years following the disaster, Taclobanons and the Waray people in general were praised for their resiliency.

“What I see with Tacloban now is a city that is resilient because of its people,” said Romualdez.

“Here’s what I always tell people,” he added. “Why is Tacloban, or any city strong? It’s because of its people. So we have to invest in our people.”

As the region’s population began to rebuild themselves, Romualdez said he wanted to make sure that sustainability was in the city’s near future.

“The best way to get back — as I’ve told people — is to start opening shop,” he said. “open shop, open your stores.”

Among the first to open up again was Coca-Cola which spent around $7 million, he added.

While most of the help financially was going to municipalities around Tacloban rather than in Tacloban itself, he said that what was more important was that the spending was happening in Tacloban because they already facilities up and running.

“We had groceries open, we had the mall opening,” Romualdez added. “This is what we pushed. That’s why we’re able to sustain it.”

Currently, two malls developed by one of the nation’s leading property developers Robinsons Land Corporation, stand in the city. According to the company, the second mall was a testament to the trust the company had in the city’s resilience.

“I had hopes from the very start,” said Romualdez. “I said I’m not leaving. We’re going to build this city back and we did. And I’ll do it again.

‘I Love Tacloban’ Amidst a visit to Fil-Am and Taclobanon communities in California this May and June, traveling with Romualdez was the I Love Tacloban band, an ensemble formed after Haiyan. The band consists of six members — most of whom are typhoon survivors.

The band, Romualdez said, was just part of his many projects. He also has the I Love Tacloban Foundation.

The general message being spread by the band is that of thankfulness to those who have helped the city. At the same time,

they’re also representing the city of Tacloban.

Asked why he chose a band to be a part of his efforts, Romualdez responded, “First of all, it’s accessible.”

“It’s something that demonstrates human relation to people. As you can see now, it even shapes society,” he added, mentioning the music of the 60s to now.

“It’s a good way to communicate and it inspires people,” he said. one of the lead vocalists, Gamaliel Gobenciong, cited the common idea of music as therapy. Music has always been a big part of his family. A survivor himself, he recalled his family being taken by surprise given that Tacloban was always hit by typhoons and storm surges. edwin espiño, guitarist and music director of the group, pointed to the Filipino culture of music.

“All over the Philippines, music is a lifestyle. It’s part of our life as Filipinos,” said espiño. “especially in Tacloban, people gather — relatives, friends — and they drink and they sing. That’s what makes us happy. And that’s what makes the family closer.”

While the band sings many popular songs by artists like Bruno Mars and Adele, Romualdez said they also sing Filipino songs including in Waray which many — especially those who have migrated to the states — may not have heard in a while.

Romualdez also expressed that he would also like to encourage Taclobanons to get involved with the rebuilding and growth of Tacloban. Among the organizations being visited by him and the band are the Waraynon Initiative network, and the Taclobanon Association of Southern California.

“I’d like people to come back. Share their ideas, their views, their visions,” said Romualdez. “That’s how you make a city strong. you have to work on the people.”

While in California, the group had several performances lined up including for the Love of Country Global Ambassadors Program on Sunday, June 3 at the Levo entertainment Center in Burbank, CA, and an open-to-thepublic performance at the Westin Long Beach hotel on Friday, June 8. n

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A

DOH urged to demand P3-billion refund from Dengvaxia maker

by Jess

diaz Philstar.com

GETTING READY. Senator Manny Pacquiao displays some lightning punches during his morning workout session at the Acharon Sports Complex, GenSan. Pacquiao is preparing for his showdown against Argentina’s Lucas Matthyse on July 15 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Senate photo by Wendell Alinea

Former President Aquino: I can’t stop thinking I’ll be jailed too

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

Former President Benigno Aquino III on monday, June 4, urged the Department of Justice (DoJ) to junk the criminal complaint brought against him

by President rodrigo Duterte’s supporters over the P3.5-billion Dengvaxia controversy.

After attending the preliminary investigation at the DoJ, Aquino said in a press briefing that “the only weapon we have is the truth” and that “with the help of God, we will overcome these challenges.”

Aquino, assisted by lawyers, appeared before the DoJ panel of prosecutors along with former Health Secretary Janette Garin and former Budget Secretary Florencio Abad to submit their counter-affidavits personally.

Aquino maintained in a 27page counter-affidavit, that the complaint should be tossed out for the supposed failure of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc. (VPCI) to present “sufficient bases in fact and law” to prove their allegations.

According to him, his and his cabinet’s decision to launch the dengue immunization program was “in accordance with law and the pertinent rules and regulations, and animated solely by good faith.”

“At the outset, I categorically deny all of the complaint’s factual allegations, particularly regarding my purported illicit involvement and participation in the commission of the offenses charged,” Aquino said.

In addition, he argued that the criminal complaint against them should be dismissed outright due to forum-shopping, noting that similar complaints were filed by the same groups in the Commission on elections and the office of the ombudsman.

They were accused of graft, malversation of public funds and multiple homicide and physical injuries through negligence for the supposed Dengvaxia-related deaths of children by the VACC and the VPCI. Defending his cabinet officials who approved and carried out the dengue immunization program, Aquino denied that it was designed to bolster the candidacies of his colleagues in the

Former President Benigno Aquino III Philstar.com photo

Liberal Party in the may 2016 elections.

“We should ask the question, ‘Is it all right to disregard the dangers posed by dengue to the people because we’re having an election?’ Was it rushed? I don’t know how anyone could claim it was rushed because we have had antidengue programs even before we came in,” he said.

When asked if he was concerned that he might end up in jail like De Lima, Aquino answered: “I cannot avoid thinking about that.” n

‘Boracay can be both agrarian reform, tourism area’

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

BorACAy can be a land reform area without sacrificing tourism.

Department of Agrarian reform (DAr) Secretary John Castriciones on Wednesday, June 6, said they would still maintain Boracay as a “tourist destination.” However, they would have to limit it in the beach areas since “these are where the tourists spend time and linger. These are areas wherein they are more interested.”

The DAr has found that there are agricultural lands that have been developed for commercial purposes, Castriciones revealed.

According to him, limiting tourism to certain areas would prevent conversion of agricultural lands as these will now be covered by the government’s agrarian reform program.

DAr Undersecretary for Policy, Planning and research David erro, for his part, said that a map is being developed by the department. This map serves as their guide where tourism sites in Boracay would be maintained and which areas could be placed under the Comprehensive Agrarian reform Program (CArP).

A team from DAr already verified that 845 hectares of land in Boracay can be subjected to CArP. “out of this figure, 25 hect-

ares can be immediately covered by the land reform program and distributed to around 80 Aetas as beneficiaries within three months, or even less. This will just be phase 1 of the land distribution,” erro said.

Phase 2 will entail distribution of 220 hectares of agricultural lands while phase 3 will consist of 600 hectares to be distributed to farmer-beneficiaries, he added.

Phases 2 and 3, however, will involve lands where structures, including commercial establishments, have been built, so removal of these structures will have to be done first.

“It will take a while before they can be distributed,” erro said. n

Duterte hits back at critics: You’re all just jealous

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

reSPoNDING to the backlash he received over the controversial kiss he shared with a Filipina in South Korea, President rodrigo Duterte said those who are making an issue out of it are jealous.

He brushed aside the huge flak he got and said kissing women has been his style since his days as mayor of Davao City.

“During the campaign in my mayorship days, I kiss every woman there, lips to lips...Not only smack. other women really wanted romance. That’s my style. Find your own style,” he said.

The president also clarified that there was no malice in the kiss, so he didn’t understand why people made a big deal out

of the incident.

“There is nothing wrong with a simple kiss,” he said.

“They’re just jealous. Tell them to go change their dentures,” he added.

When asked how his commonlaw wife Honeylet Avanceña reacted to the incident, Duterte, however, got irritated.

“That’s not a question. That’s something a pervert would ask.

Why do you have to dwell on kissing?...Next question,” he said.

Bea Kim has been identified as the woman Duterte kissed.

According to Kim, she did not feel violated by the president’s gesture. She also said that meeting the president was a once in a lifetime experience.

Women’s groups and members of the opposition, however, said that the act was inappropri-

ate for a president. Some critics also pointed out that the kiss was demeaning and humiliating to women Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV gave his take on the incident and said he “found it hard to swallow” that majority of Filipinos were titillated by the kiss between Duterte and a married woman during an event before members of the Filipino community in Seoul. “more likely there were more people who were disgusted,” Trillanes added.

He also stressed that the act was highly improper, despite what the Palace is trying to spin to the media.

Presidential spokesman Harry roque insisted that the kiss was merely “a playful act” accepted in Filipino culture. n

Lorenzana on ‘least peaceful’ PH: ‘I don’t think so’ DeFeNSe Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday, June 7, refuted a report of an Australia-based think tank that the Philippines was among the “least peaceful” countries.

“I do not think so,” Lorenzana told reporters when sought for his comment on the report of the Global Peace Index 2018 of the Institute of economics and Peace (IeP).

The Philippines ranked 137th , second to North Korea, which was the “least peaceful state” in the Southeast Asian region.

The study cited President ro-

drigo Duterte’s crackdown on illegal drugs and the five-month siege in marawi City in 2017.

“I cannot believe that [report]because a lot of people can go around very peacefully.

I think [the IeP]was using some parameters that are not present in the Philippines, just because there is war on drugs it’s already least peaceful,” Lorenzana said.

“In fact, a lot of people are saying that their lives are more peaceful now because of the war on drugs,” he said.

Based on the recent numbers released by the government, more

than 4,000 alleged drug suspects have been killed in police operations while more than 1,000 were killed during the onslaught in marawi City

by IS-inspired terrorists.

Lorenzana also questioned why North Korea was the least peaceful country in the study.

“If you ask the North Koreans, they will say that they are also peaceful because there are no killings there, right? So, I don’t think their study is very conclusive and the methods [used]is at most faulty,” the Defense chief said. (Dempsey Reyes/ManilaTimes.net)

to dilly-dally on this because time is of the essence and lives are at stake,” he said. mANILA — Health officials The DoH has said its funds have been asked to demand were already “overstretched.”

P3 billion in full refund from Nograles called on the French pharmaceutical giant DoH to continue profiling all Sanofi Pasteur for the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine. rep. Karlo Nograles, chairman of the House committee on appropriations on Wednesday, June 6, said the government should pursue a full refund and not just the amount that Sanofi returned for the unused vaccine.

Nograles said the government is entitled to a full refund so it could help thousands of schoolchildren who received the vaccine in 2016 and 2017.

These children are at high risk of contracting diseases including dengue.

Citing a report of the World Health organization (WHo), Nograles said such risk is highest on the third year from the date of vaccination.

Sanofi has refunded P1.2 billion, which the House wanted to be allocated for the treatment of children inoculated with the vaccine.

The treatment will not only cover dengue, but all other diseases that may be contracted by these children.

Lawmakers have passed a supplemental budget bill containing the amount, but the Senate failed to approve it.

The two chambers will now have to wait until the start of their third and last regular session on July 23 to have the measure approved.

In the meantime, Nograles said the DoH should use relevant appropriations in its 2018 budget to help children who would get sick.

“It is quite unfortunate that the Senate was not able to pass the Dengvaxia victims’ assistance budget, but we all have to move on and make do with what we have at present. The DoH should do everything to assist the Dengvaxia victims even as we await the approval of the supplemental budget in two months. We cannot afford

900,000 children inoculated with Dengvaxia in four regions – metro manila, Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog and Cebu. of the additional P1.2-billion funding, P946 million will be PAGE A7

A6

JUNE 8-14, 2018 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

New school year, same problems

FEATURES

THE public has been warned to brace for the usual traffic “carmageddon” in Metro Manila as schools opened on Monday, June 4. The congestion is not just on the roads, however, but even in schools. While education officials say the government is all set for the school opening, the Alliance of Concerned Teachers says the country continues to face shortages of classrooms and teachers.

Holding classes in the shade of a tree may now be a thing of the past as both the government and private donors construct more classrooms and school buildings. The additional facilities, however, still cannot keep pace with the continuing growth of the student population. Teachers’ salaries have also been raised in recent years, but the increases are rarely enough, and higher pay in other countries continues to lure educators away from the Philippines. The shortage is most acute in conflict zones, where teachers are specifically targeted for kidnapping and execution by bandits such as the Abu Sayyaf.

Education officials say the textbook shortage has been addressed and there are continuing efforts to boost school facilities for information and communication technology. Even the government, however, acknowledges that more can be done to improve school facilities. In underdeveloped areas,

there are schools that lack even access to water and electricity.

Apart from facilities, the overall quality of Philippine education suffers in comparison with some of the country’s neighbors. The Philippines used to be a regional center for quality education. With the exception of a handful of higher learning institutions, the Philippines has lost that edge. This has contributed to the country’s slide in international competitiveness rankings.

This school year marks the start of free tertiary education in certain local colleges and universities. Republic Act 10931 or the Universal Access to Quality Tertiary Education Act of 2017 provides free tuition and other fees in the participating schools. Free, however, should not mean substandard education. The operative word in RA 10931 must be “quality” – whether in terms of facilities or the teaching. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Duterte’s controversial ‘presidential’ kiss: Different perspectives a crowd.” ReFILIPINOS all uters’ headline over the world The Fil-Am read: “Philipare talking about pines’ Duterte the controversial Perspective stirs controvideo that shows versy by kissPhilippine Presiing woman on dent Rodrigo lips” and there Duterte playfully GEL SANTOS-RELOS are many kissing the lips more… of an overseas Presidential Spokesperson Filipina worker, who is reportedly married, in front of a cheering Harry Roque defended the presicrowd of kababayans when he de- dent’s controversial kiss, saying it livered a speech on stage in Seoul, was an endearment kiss without malice and that the president was South Korea.

Even legitimate international just entertaining the big crowd.

Responding to critics who lamedia organization reported on this. CNN ’s headline read: “Philip- bel the kiss as a disrespectful and pines President Duterte sparks out- misogynous act not befitting of rage with ‘misogynist’ kiss.” Fox the honorable position he holds News wrote: “Philippine President as president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte slammed for kiss- Roque said “The lady who was ing married woman before huge kissed has clearly expressed that audience.” The New York Times she was honored with the kiss,” published: “Critics Slam Rodrigo Roque said in an interview with Duterte for Asking a Woman to CNN Philippines on Monday, Kiss Him Onstage.” The Indepen- June 4.

Roque also quoted an interview dent’s headline stated: “Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte pres- with the OFW, identified as Bea sures overseas worker into kissing Kim, who said she believed “there was no malice” in Duterte’s kiss. him on lips at public event.”

In another press conference, Britain’s BBC banner read: “Philippine President Duterte con- Roque said, ”I don’t think there demned for kissing overseas work- is anything immoral. After all, er.” The Washington Post head- the president has reiterated he is line stated: “Philippine President single (Reporter heard off-cam: Rodrigo Duterte kissed a random But the woman is married.) But woman on the mouth in front of the woman volunteered and the

woman said she was very proud of that experience,” as quoted by Rappler, branded by Duterte’s allies as their nemesis.

ON THE OTHER HAND, not everybody was happy and proud of this. This is the Facebook post of Filipina Cili Borlaza, who is pursuing her doctorate degree in South Korea: “I think I just had the worst experience of my year yesterday.

I don’t usually post politically-related stuff on social media but this was borderline traumatic for me.

I need to do something, anything really, about it. There’s no one else to blame in this situation but me. I’ve miscalculated my threshold and I wanted to give the benefit of the doubt.

For anyone who’s reading, I’m currently an expat in South Korea.

I’m in my final year of Ph.D. under a Korean Government Scholarship. I was also a DOST scholar in the Philippines. Having said that, it has always been in my heart to give back service to my country in any way I can. Yesterday, I was a student volunteer in an event for the Philippine president’s visit in Seoul. It was my way of engaging into volunteerism for my country, even if I’m not exactly a fan of the current administration.

In his speech, our president... used foul words so many times

that I’ve lost count. He pulled perverted jokes several times (even used the word “libog”). He made remarks about pretty ladies who performed and [were] in the crowd as if bragging about his womanizing skills. He even kissed someone [on] the lips.

This was extremely difficult to watch. But, it was heartbreaking to see my fellow countrymen cheering for it. Every curse, every perverted joke, every “papatayin ko talaga sila” remark was received with applause and cheering. Mga kababayan, this is how far we’ve gone. This is how terrible our judgments have become. I’m utterly disappointed and disgusted, really.

It’s painful to be represented by him. I wish Filipinos would have some amount of self-worth. This is not the kind of representation we deserve!

For those who find this rant distasteful, please feel free to exercise your right to unfollow, unfriend, and/or block me. #disgustedbyPRRD” *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

FOR FALLEN SOLDIERS. President Rodrigo Duterte lights incense at the National Cemetery in Seoul, South Korea. The lighting of incense is part of the wreath-laying ceremony for fallen soldiers.

Malacañang photo

Should we join America in facing off with China?

Opinion

RICARDO SALUDO SHOULD the Philippines join the United States in its campaign to counter China’s actions in the South China Sea? Washington’s posse against Beijing’s reclamation and military deployment in disputed waters just got bigger, with Britain and France set to sail with the United States and its Quadrilateral allies, Japan, Australia and India, against what critics call Chinese militarization on the high seas.

U.S. Defense Secretary John Mattis escalated the rhetoric at the Shangri-la Dialogue security forum in Singapore last week, accusing China of coercing and intimidating its neighbors, and weaponizing manmade islands.

Washington is considering more “freedom of navigation operations” (fonops) to challenge Beijing’s claim over nearly all the South China Sea, including territorial waters reaching 12 nautical miles around the three Chinese-reclaimed islands in the Spratlys.

In these fonops, the U.S. Navy sails close to the 12-nm line,

which is not valid under international law, since reclaimed land around shoals cannot have territorial waters.

In response, Chinese ships and planes confronted the Americans. The PLA has also installed anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles on the reclaimed island at Fiery Cross Reef. Separately, long-range bombers made trial landing and takeoffs at Woody Island in the Paracels, taken by Chinese troops from the Vietnamese decades ago.

Further stoking the word war was the remark by Lt. Gen. Kenneth McKenzie, director of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff office, that “the United States military has had a lot of experience in the Western Pacific taking down small islands.”

Beijing let loose its own verbal volley against claims of Chinese militarization. “The United States military presence in the South China Sea is greater than that of China and other countries that surround the seas combined,” Chinese foreign ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said. And defense ministry spokesman Ren Guoqiang retorted that the U.S. was “turning a blind eye to the facts and hyping up” militarization.

‘No better ally’ than America While mobilizing allies against Chinese actions, Secretary Mattis claimed that Washington was not asking Asian nations to choose sides in the tiff with Beijing. But many may ask, Who’s he kidding?

At the Rim of the Pacific in Hawaii last month, the U.S. disinvited China and added Quad ally India to the 26 nations in the world’s largest military exercises. And the new Pacific Command chief, Admiral Phil Davidson, declared: “To our allies here in the Indo-Pacific, you will have no better ally.”

In fact, advocates of toughness toward China have pushed for joining U.S. patrols, and boosting America’s military presence and use of Philippine bases under the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

This despite Washington’s longstanding non-involvement in territorial disputes, as Mattis himself reiterated.

Asked if America would stand by the Philippines in an armed conflict over disputed waters, the defense chief said: ““We stand by our treaty allies but this is a discussion between the current administrations in Manila and in Washington. It’s not one

that can be answered as simply as your question would indicate,” Yet certain quarters continue to urge the government to partner with the U.S. in challenging China.

And at the Singapore security forum, Secretary Mattis underscored the Philippines’ key role in security. “Without the cooperation of the Philippines, the U.S. will find it difficult to achieve the goal of its regional strategy,” wrote Dr Rommel Banlaoi, the president of the Center for Intelligence and National Security Studies.

Plainly, if the Duterte administration continues to stall full EDCA implementation, the U.S. Pivot-to-Asia plan to move 60 percent of its naval assets to Asia cannot happen.

To side or not to side So, going back to the opening question, should the Philippines join America in confronting China, as Japan, Australia, India, Britain, and France have done?

Well, let’s look at the pros and cons.

Many Filipinos may feel safer as the Seventh Fleet escalate rotations in our islands and move their grunts and gear into bases next to Cebu, Puerto Princesa,

and Cagayan de Oro, and in Pampanga and Nueva Ecija.

As long as China and North Korea target American forces and base facilities with ballistic and cruise missiles.

Certain quarters would call on the U.S. to help enforce the July 2016 ruling recognizing the Philippines’ sovereign rights over our 200-nm exclusive economic zone and 320-nm extended continental shelf under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Except that the U.S. has not ratified UNCLOS. And while pro-American circles may feel thankful for U.S. military protection, their sense of security may just dwindle once they realize that hosting American forces comes with the danger of getting dragged into their conflicts in Asia, including flashpoints in Taiwan, North Korea, and the Senkaku/Diaoyutai islands held by Tokyo, but also claimed by Beijing.

And the cons of joining America’s posse against China? Well, look at Cuba, which allied with Russia against the U.S., nearly hosting Moscow’s nukes. Washington punished the island with a half-century economic embargo, and blocked its access to development assistance.

If the Philippines harbors nuclear-capable American warships, submarines, aircraft, missiles and drones, threatening vital sea lanes and China itself, would the Philippines be more kindly treated than Cuba?

But the biggest negative of rolling out the EDCA is not the debacle for the Philippines, but then devastation that could come to Asia and the world.

If Washington is able to move its massive forces into Asia to confront Beijing, the PLA would surely build up even more fearsome armaments to defeat the escalating American threat. And getting other nations to join forces against China would further steel its resolve.

Indeed, the current U.S.-led group of seven nations is sure to recall the ugly history of Western domination in China, when Western nations and Japan extracted embarrassing concessions and took bits of territory from imperial China. No leader and no government in Beijing can survive if it ever capitulated to foreign powers.

If the Philippines ever became Uncle Sam’s military platform in Asia, we may well pave the way for global war. (ManilaTimes. net)

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JUNE 8-14, 2018

A

It’s final: SC upholds constitutionality of De Lima’s arrest Robredo lawyer tells Marcos camp to read

by Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

ground reports before claiming poll fraud

PAtAg

MANILA — The Supreme Court has affirmed its earlier ruling upholding the constitutionality of the arrest of Sen. Leila de Lima over her drug charges.

The SC Public Information Office on Tuesday, June 5, made public the one-page En Banc notice of a court resolution dated April 17 that denied with finality De Lima’s motion for reconsideration.

The SC said that the “basic issues raised” in De Lima’s appeal “have been passed upon by this Court and no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned Decision.”

“No further pleadings will be entertained,” the SC added.

This confirms an earlier The Star report which noted that the high tribunal, voting 9-5, threw out De Lima’s appeal last April during an en banc session in Baguio City.

In October last year, the SC voted 9-6 to junk De Lima’s petition challenging the jurisdiction of the Muntinlupa regional trial court in issuing a warrant of arrest against her. De Lima is facing drug charges over her alleged involvement in the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice secretary.

She had argued that considering her position as senator, it is the Sandiganbayan that has jurisdiction over her person. But

by Audrey

MorAllo Philstar.com

Sen. Leila de Lima, the fiercest critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, has since been detained since February 2017, but has yet to undergo arraignment in any of her cases.

Philstar.com photo

the SC ruled that the Muntinlupa RTC has exclusive jurisdiction over the drug charges against De Lima, even if her position with salary grade higher than 27 is under the jurisdiction of the Sandiganbayan.

In acting on her motion for reconsideration, nine justices voted to junk the appeal, while five voted to reverse the ruling. Following the denial of the motion for reconsideration, an entry of judgment will follow marking the finality of the ruling.

The detained senator, in April, vowed that she will “continue fighting for [her] innocence.”

The senator lamented: “[I]t is difficult to understand how an impartial tribunal can allow a citizen to remain under detention when even they themselves cannot agree on the nature of charge.”

De Lima, the fiercest critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, has since been detained since February 2017, but has yet to undergo arraignment in any of her cases. n

MANILA — A lawyer for Vice President Leni Robredo said on Thursday, June 7, that the spokesman of former Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. should read reports from the ground before issuing statements alleging irregularities in the electoral protest he filed against her.

Vic Rodriguez, a spokesman for Marcos, recently described as “deeply disturbing” the discovery of alleged irregularities in the ballots from Iloilo province, particularly reports of voting papers placed inside plastic containers commonly used for storage.

“We are deeply disturbed as to these kinds of reports and are in serious discussion whether there are still authentic documents left to be examined after they were observed to have been placed in ordinary plastic containers that are readily available in supermarkets instead of the much hyped tamperproof VCM’s or official ballot boxes of Smartmatic as required by law,” Rodriguez said in a statement.

This did not sit well with Maria Bernadette Sardillo, an election lawyer for the vice president, who said: “We gently remind our counterpart to read

the reports from the ground as it would explain the so-called anomalies that he announced to the media.”

Both parties have been issued show-cause orders by the Supreme Court, which sits as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, for giving statements on an ongoing case. Both parties have responded to the order but have also continued to talk to media about the electoral protest.

A Commission on Elections official from Miagao, Iloilo reported last year that several ballot boxes and their contents were destroyed by rainwater due to a hole in the roof of the warehouse where they were stored.

In a report, Jessie Borro Jr., an Election Officer IV, informed Elizabeth Doronilla, the provincial election supervisor of Iloilo, that a recovery team discovered that “numerous” ballot boxes and their contents were totally destroyed due to flooding caused by rainwater.

He said that the team drained, dried, cleaned and labeled the ballot boxes and their contents, adding that their transfer was completed on Sept. 23, 2017.

The report by Glenda Losanta, who was the acting municipal treasurer of Miagao, said that the boxes and their contents were wrapped in plastic bags

and placed in carton boxes and properly identified to prevent further damage and deterioration, explaining Rodriguez’ allegation of irregularities.

Losanta’s report was attached to the memorandum sent by Borro.

The camp of Marcos also received the same report, according to Sardillo.

Iloilo, Camarines Sur and Negros Oriental are the three pilot provinces identified in the election protest filed by Marcos, a former senator as well as the son and namesake of the late dictator.

For his case to proceed to a wider recount of votes, Marcos has to demonstrate a substantial recovery of votes in the three pilot provinces.

This is not the first time that Marcos alleged irregularities in the discovery of wet ballots.

In April, he said that wet ballots from Camarines Sur were proof that the poll boxes had been opened and tampered with, a claim dismissed by Romulo Macalintal, a veteran election lawyer who is Robredo’s lead counsel.

Macalintal said that wet ballots are common in poll cases in the Philippines and protesters could just resort to the digital images of the election papers for their cases. n

DOH urged to demand P3-billion refund...

PAGE A5 set aside as medical assistance for Dengvaxia recipients who would get sick.

‘Dengvaxia caused kids’ death’ Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) chief Persida RuedaAcosta insisted anew that Dengvaxia was the cause of death of at least 60 schoolchildren documented by her office.

Acosta contested the claim of former president Benigno Aquino III and health secretary Janette Garin that the deaths could not be attributed to the vaccine, as the causal link has not been established.

In their answers to criminal charges filed by anti-corruption groups Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption

and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution Inc., Aquino and Garin said that the exhumation and autopsy of cadavers of Dengvaxia children were not the proper way to determine the causal link.

They said the WHO set blood sampling and examination as the proper method.

Acosta said the method prescribed by the WHO was not applicable to the first 57 cases that the PAO documented.

“Those 57 were already embalmed and could no longer be subjected to blood sampling as the cadavers were contaminated with substances apart from formalin,” she said.

Acosta said the deaths from Dengvaxia documented by their office were caused by internal organ bleeding, edema

and hemorrhage – which are adverse side effects of the vaccine as admitted by Sanofi.

She said the DOH even declared 87 deaths possibly caused by the vaccine as of last month.

Fishing expedition Garin parried off several cases lodged against her in connection to Dengvaxia, saying her accusers are merely engaging in a “fishing expedition.”

In an interview with One News aired on Cignal TV on Tuesday, Garin reiterated the cases against her, Aquino and several health officials and employees are weak.

She said the investigation on DOH’s dengue vaccination program started six months ago but it is not progressing because “there is no evidence

Ballots are transported to the staging from different districts of Iloilo province as rain continues to pour.

Photo from Office of the Vice President

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June 8-14, 2018 • neW YORK AnD neW JeRSeY ASIAn JOuRnAL

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

JUNE 8-14, 2018

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Cover photos by Boyet Loverita

An Asian Journal Magazine

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Dinagyang, Manggahan Festival provide more fun to PH Independence Day Parade

F

ilipinos across the northeastern United states trooped to Madison Avenue on sunday, June 3 to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the declaration of Philippine independence.

Two groups from Western Visayas in the Philippines – Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo and Manggahan Festival of Guimaras – added the much-needed flair, color and sound to the annual parade and festival held in New York City every first sunday of June.

Manggahan Festival, represented by Hubon Manguguma has 29 members, and Dinagyang Festival, represented by 2018 champion Tribu Panayanon of the Iloilo City National High school and some members of Tribu salognon from Jaro National High school has 26 members who all brought the festive atmosphere to the Manhattan parade. officials led by Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez, Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro locsin, Jr., Department of Foreign Affairs representative, Ambassador Claro s. Cristobal and Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate joined elected

by MoMar

G. Visaya/AJPress

officials from Iloilo and Guimaras led by Guimaras Governor samuel Gumarin and Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III and wife Gina sarabiaEspinosa.

The annual parade is organized by the Philippine Independence Day Council Inc. (PIDCI), an umbrella organization of FilipinoAmerican organizations in cooperation with the Philippine Consulate General in New York. on Friday, an unofficial coalition of Ilonggos in New York and New Jersey led by Boy Dinzon, Joji Jalandoni and Agnes Jamora got together to raise funds for the high school students who are members of both the Dinagyang and Manggahan groups. Ilonggos from Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Washington D.C. also showed up to air their support for the two festival groups.

The local governments of both Iloilo and Guimaras helped in funding the trips of the group members, which is why Friday’s fundraising dinner was important for the organizers.

“It is definitely worth it, after seeing the parade and how much happiness it brought to our kababayans here,” said Jalandoni,

Ambassador Jose Manuel Romualdez with New York Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney, Ambassador Mario de Leon, Jr. and Guimaras Rep. Lucille Nava.

a former president of PIDCI. she was instrumental in bringing in Dinagyang to New York in the previous parades.

Guimaras Gov. samuel Gumarin at the fundraising dinner took pride and shared that the best and sweetest mangoes in the world come from his province. He explained that the Manggahan Festival, a much-awaited event celebrated province-wide annually from May 11-22, depicts the island province’s bountiful produce of mangoes.

Officials and guests start the day with a flag raising ceremony outside the Philippine Consulate General on Fifth Avenue.

Photos by Boyet Loverita

Ambassador Romualdez with (from left) PIDCI President Ner Martinez, Ambassador de Leon, Grand Marshall Resty Estacio, Deputy Consul General Kerwin Tate, Ambassador Locsin, Ambassador Claro Cristobal and guests, high-ranking New York officials Gil Quiniones, President and CEO of the New York Power Authority and Aries dela Cruz, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo’s Manhattan regional representative.

Members of the Knights of Rizal waving the Philippine flag

On the street and on stage, members of the Dinagyang and Manggahan festivals danced and performed with so much fun and flair.

Floats decked with local beauty queens added color to the annual independence day parade.

Ambassador Romualdez and Ambassador and Mrs. Mario and Eleanor de Leon.

Ambassadors Locsin, Cristobal, Romualdez and de Leon cut the ceremonial ribbon prior to the start of the parade along Madison Avenue.

Philippine government officials and PIDCI officers pose for posterity along Madison Avenue.

Supporters and critics of President Rodrigo Duterte also joined the parade, both carrying placards and banners expressing their sentiments. The Malaya Movement staged a one minute die-in in front of the parade stand to protest what they call Duterte’s fascist dictatorship.

Photos by Boyet Loverita

Fil-Ams on connecting with their heritage on PH Independence Day by rae

ann Varona /AJPress

Also known as “Araw ng Kasarinlan” or “Araw ng Kalayaan”, Philippine Independence Day is held every June 12 — the same date the country declared independence from spain in 1898, following four centuries under its colonial rule. That independence though was very short lived, as those familiar with Philippine history know.

Philippine Independence Day traces back 300 years ago when the Philippines — under General Emilio Aguinaldo — declared independence from spain on June 12, 1898. But as Filipinos began to celebrate through national anthem fanfare and flag raising, they again quickly found themselves under another ruler. spain had let go of its reign while it was at war with the United states. Upon losing, spain had then given the Philippines to the U.s. as part of the 1898 Treaty of Paris Agreement which involved a payment of about $20 million. The Philippines, thus became a U.s. territory. The Philippine-American War would Photo by Boyet Loverita rise up a year after.

Ironically on July 4, 1902, President Teddy Roosevelt declared victory over the Philippines. He would though, five years later, give into pressure of granting the Philippines their independence by proclaiming general amnesty between the two countries.

Yet it was again postponed as William Howard Taft, backed by a party who wasn’t too keen on granting independence. By 1912, Taft was defeated

by President Woodrow Wilson who brought talks of possible independence back on the table. But it wasn’t until 1946 did the Philippines finally gain sovereignty through the Treaty of Manila, and the day it was given its independence so happened to be again on July 4 — the same day its newly former colonizer celebrated Independence Day. But the shared independence date would only be celebrated together for 15 years. In 1962, Philippine President Diosdado Macapagal decided to officially change the date back to June 12.

Continued on Page 5

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ If a person is ever caught in a fixed marriage (married solely to obtain immigration benefits), the consequences (or punishment) could be severe. A fixed marriage finding by the USCIS could result in a lifetime ban from ever having any other petition approved. for example, if a person was caught in a fixed marriage, but later divorced that American and married a different U.S. citizen for love, the second U.S. citizen spouse would not be able to petition the person.

Similarly, if a person was caught in a fixed marriage, and years later, their U.S.-born child turns 21, the child also could not petition them.

However, there have been many cases where the marriage was real, but for one reason or another (perhaps miscommunication, misunderstanding, confusion, lack of documents), the USCIS concludes the marriage was fixed.

If you are in a real marriage, but your case was denied because USCIS incorrectly concluded your marriage was fixed, you should fight that decision. (Of course, if the marriage WAS fixed, then there really would be nothing to fight for.)

The laws concerning fixed marriages could be very helpful to people finding themselves being wrongly accused of entering into a fixed marriage. The key to the “viability of the marriage” (or whether it was real) is whether the marriage was valid at its inception, even if the couple is now separated and the marriage is no longer viable. This means if you walked

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAGlAyA [Select a handful of those things in your bucket list that have the highest chance of coming to fruition given your time frame.

In tech speak, this means before your life’s energy goes into ‘low batt mode’ and life has run out of sockets to plug into.]

YOU gaze at the photos on the

What is a fixed marriage? down the aisle on your wedding day with “love in your heart,” then your marriage would be valid even if it soon deteriorates. Think about the 72–day marriage between Kim Kardashian and Kris Humphries.

That marriage, although short in length, was valid at its inception and if Kim was an alien being petitioned by Kris, it would still have been considered a valid or viable marriage.

As long as the marriage was valid at its inception, and they intended to have a life together, it should not be considered “fixed.” Even if the couple is already separated (but not yet divorced), and the marriage is no longer viable at the time of the adjustment interview, the case could still be approved. So long as the marriage was viable at its inception (and can be proven and documented as such), a person still could pursue their green card.

Courts have recognized that “marriages for green cards [may be] genuine. An intent to obtain something other than or in addition to love and companionship from that life does not make a marriage a sham.

Rather, the sham arises from the intent not “to establish a life together.” Therefore, even if one of the reasons you got married is to obtain a green card, it does not necessarily mean the marriage is fixed, as long as on your wedding day, you intended to have a life together with your spouse.

In another case, involving an elderly couple, they never consummated their marriage. The U.S. citizen married because he needed a housekeeper and was sick, and his wife took care of him.

He paid for the food, and she paid for everything else. The BIA ruled

Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

Write your story

(Second of a series)

“Healing begins with forgiveness. It can make us whole again. And when we are whole and bathed in God’s light, darkness no longer holds power over us.” graduations — so many happy, wonderful memories frozen in print. Now you have them too in Continued on Page 5

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that “The reasons for the marriage appear to be far sounder than exist for most marriages.”

I know so much confusion can take place at an interview because the person is extremely nervous and the couple may give conflicting answers, or the questions are confusing Also, if you are called back for several marital interviews, or if DHS visits your home early in the morning or interviews your neighbors, that shows your case is in trouble, and you’re likely under suspicion and investigation.

As you can see, it’s sometimes like walking through a minefield in connection with marriages, especially if they were viable at the inception but then fell apart. If this situation applies to you, or you’re being called back for a “second” interview, you may want to seek the advice of an attorney who can hopefully salvage your case, by proving the marriage was not fixed – only broken. ***

The bucket list

walls, dig up the albums in storage boxes – memories of days gone by, milestones — the springtime of one’s life: birthdays, anniversaries,

An Asian Journal Magazine

AN ENCORE EPISOdE ABOUT A “SPECIAL CHILd” ON CITIzEN PINOY! When Mommy Conchita (center) immigrated to the U.S. in 2007, she had to make a difficult decision of leaving her special needs daughter, Nina (left) behind in the Philippines. It was a difficult time, because mother and daughter had never been separated before. Nina was left behind with her older sister Ruth, who was later about to migrate to Australia in May 2016. With Mommy Conchita and Ruth gone, who will take care of Nina?

Find out how leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to bring Nina to the U.S. through Humanitarian Parole, on an encore episode of Citizen Pinoy on Sunday 6:15pm PST on TFC.

Comcast expands number of int’l channels available nationally Comcast makes 42 international channels available coast-to-coast for Xfinity TV customers; coupled with the recent sling international integration, the international experience on Xfinity X1 now offers more than 415 networks in more than 20 languages

PHILADELPHIA, PA – Comcast today announced that it has expanded the number of international channels that are available to Xfinity TV customers by including 42 networks, now available nationally on Xfinity X1 and through the Xfinity Stream TV app and portal on mobile devices, computers, and Roku devices in the home. from Bollywood movies and Chinese news, to Russian cinema and Brazilian telenovelas, X1 customers can now find and enjoy foreign language content such as STAR India PLUS, Zee TV, TV Asia, Globo, Record TV, TV5Monde, TV JAPAN and Willow sports content.

Coupled with the recent addition of Sling International

on X1, the new international experience on X1 now includes over 415 networks in more than 20 languages and the content is organized and curated in a way that makes search and discovery by geography or language simple and easy.

X1 customers can just say “International” to go directly to the International destination on Xfinity on Demand. Additionally, customers can use their voice to discover programming relevant to a specific region of the world - “Asian Entertainment,” “South Asian Entertainment,” “European Entertainment,” or “Brazilian Entertainment” are all voice commands that take the viewer directly to a curated assortment

of channels, shows, movies, music and more. With more than 1.5 billion voice commands generated in the first quarter of 2018 alone, X1 customers are using the X1 voice remote more than ever to find the content they love.

“Xfinity X1 is now the go-to platform for the best international programming and viewing experience,” said Rebecca Simpson, Executive Director, International Strategy for Comcast Cable. “With the demand for multicultural content increasing, we are thrilled to complement our existing array of international programming by adding more channels all Continued on Page 5

An Asian Journal Magazine

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On the PEP Front

People, Events, Places

Crispina Martinez Belen: the grand dame of Philippine Celebrity World

BoBBy T. yalong Six of the cast members of Ocean’s 8 - Anne Hathaway, Mindy Kaling, Cate Blanchett, Sandra Bullock, Awkwafina and Sarah Paulson with the film’s director Gary Ross.

TO change the world by either uprising or hostile acts is remotely impossible with the advent of journalistic influences that bridge the communication gap between people and places. It can’t be denied that journalism has played a great positive (‘though negative at times) impact in any social setting. It is a more instantaneous short-term bludgeon that offers the most powerful impact that could either correct misinformation or fortify the records of history. chronicling what actually happens around and sharing one’s scrutiny with personal remark and opinion is what makes a trueblooded journalist and a committed member of the press. They say bad news are the real news and if a

AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

Ocean’s 8: A love letter to New York A film franchise successfully reboots with an all-female cast

By MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

OcEan’s 8 - the third incarnation of the ‘Ocean’ franchise – after Frank sinatra and the Rat Pack back in 1960, then George clooney and his posse back in 2001 – is back on the silver screen with an Crispina Martinez Belen, the journalist behind Former director Nards Belen and wife Crispina with multi-awarded director Brillante all-star, all-female cast led by sandra Bullock.

Celebrity World Mendoza six of the cast members – Bullock, cate Blanchett, anne Hathaway, sarah Paulson, Mindy Kaling and awkwafina - made it back to new York, to the scene of the crime to be exact, one fine day a couple of weeks ago.

It was for the film’s press conference and photo call for international and national entertainment journalists so we were mixed with colleagues from across the globe like Japan, chile and Italy.

The idea of an all-female Ocean’s film came six years ago, The Grand Dame of Phil.

Movie Press with QC Journalist couple Crispina and Nards with their sons Walden and Lester after The Hunger Games, said Gary Mayor Herbert Bautista Ross who directed the movie. Ross dedication to her career… not to journalist could kill our imagination Manila and at the defunct national said he found himself wanting mention her instinctive charismatic with an honest coverage easily then cooperative Bank. to explore more films starring appeal her peers and celebrities he could also threaten our lives with as if her mounting school powerful, female protagonists with alike, admired the most. blatant lies and bogus reporting. assignments and part time jobs The then moment of bliss instantaneously complex upbringings and brought The eldest among 8 siblings The paucity of truly dependable weren’t enough to pin her down became a merely fleeting memory his idea to the director of the of nicolas Martinez and Juliana and upright reporter is widespread for that much-needed respite, Ocean’s trilogy, steven soderbergh.

Velasco-Martinez, crispina was in the world of media but still a crispina still managed to write The six actresses, along with born on October 24, 1940 in major assemblage of devoted press essays, anecdotes, and sketches of asingan, Pangasinan (a second people dominates the scene. human interest that she contributed Ross and his co-screenwriter Olivia Milch, gamely responded to the class municipality in the Province of to leading publications like Manila a faultless paradigm in this area Pangasinan, (some 192 kilometers is the Philippines’ Grand Dame of Bulletin (Yes, Virginia, she was already media’s questions at the presscon held at the Temple of Dendur of / 119.3 miles from Manila). crispina the entertainment press, crispina a regular contributing writer of MB) finished Journalism at the historic Martinez Belen, Manila Bulletin’s and Bannawag, (meaning “dawn”), a the Metropolitan Museum of arts in new York, right at the scene of University of santo Tomas in 1967. prime link to the movie world via her weekly magazine which contained Unbeknownst to many, she daily column celebrity World, a wellserialized novels, novels, short stories, the heist staged during one of new started her course at Manuel L. patronized two-page entertainment poetry, and entertainment written in York’s most coveted and covered events, the annual costume Quezon University (MLQU) for a year Ilocano, her native tongue. section she handled for forty-five Institute Benefit at The Met or more before she transferred to UsT for years and nine months prior to her It was in one of those rare famously known as The Met Gala. accessibility to both her part time semi-retirement in 2014. occasions while submitting her One of the issues discussed was job and school. To help augment her article at Liwayway Publications What used to be a single-page the diversity of the cast. family income while simultaneously (another Manila Bulletin Publishing section when she took over in 1968 “We’re celebrating eight supporting her way to college progressively became a spread corporation’s weekly Tagalog distinct women from eight distinct (including her siblings), crispina following crispina’s enthusiastic magazine) that changed her life. backgrounds, and this is what worked for a law firm in Escolta, endeavor and perpetuating The profile of a responsible journalist Continued on Page 6 the world looks like, not just what

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Hollywood has made the world look like,” Ross said.

Hathaway added, “You can’t underestimate the power of visual representation. so, to an 8-year-old girl, we’re not trying to say, ‘Go have a life of crime,’ but we’re saying, ‘Go do what you want. Go do what you want [because] there’s space for you. There’s space for you to do it with your friends. and there’s room for all of you.’”

Milch agreed and said that aside from the diversity in the cast, the film also featured all five boroughs of new York city to show a diversity of backgrounds.

Which is why we see beautifully shot scenes of Jackson Heights in Queens, cartier’s flagship store on 52nd street, the Red Hood and Bushwick neighborhoods in Brooklyn (the Bushwick United Methodist church’s annex was transformed into Blanchett’s character’s loft and the gang’s de facto HQ), Vogue’s new HQ at the World Trade center, Bergdorf Goodman’s department store and the new York Times’ 52-story tower.

The production also had an unprecedented access to The Met and filmed there for 10 days, longer than any other production.

“If we hadn’t shot at The Met, I think it would have been almost impossible to do this. But the fact that we were able to get in there was a huge advantage,” Ross shared.

The gals had to eat too, and restaurants like Veselka in the East Village, Junior’s in Brooklyn, casa Lever on Park avenue, among others made it to the final cut.

“If you’re going to shoot a movie about new York city, you have to go to new York city,” Bullock said. “new York has an energy all its own, it ignites something in you and keeps you on your toes.”

Passing the Bechdel Test Continued on Page 6

Health@Heart

Are generic drugs safe?

counterparts, many about 85 percent less. Between 2007 to 2016, the United States health care system has saved $1.67 trillion. The more PhiliP S. Chua, pharmaceutical companies come MD, FaCS, FPCS up with more generic versions, the greater the competition and the WHAT are generic drugs? lower the cost of the generics drugs Generic drugs are medications will be. which have been evaluated and Do brand name companies approved by the Food and Drug make generic drugs?

Administration (FDA) of the Yes, about half of the proprietary United States as a genuine copy of (brand name) companies also brand-name (proprietary) drugs, produce generic drugs and sell in dosage, effects, safety, strength, them at the competitive price of how it is taken, quality, performance, generic drugs in the market. They intended use, and side-effects and can reduce the price at this time complications. because they already made the Are generic drugs as safe? profits with their exclusive rights Generic drugs use the same during the patent period. active ingredients and dosage, and Why do generic drugs look have the same efficacy. They pose different? the same risks and provide the Trademark laws in the United same benefits as their brand-name States prohibit generic drugs to counterparts. look exactly like their brand name Do they take longer to work? counterparts. But the laws require No, since generic drugs have the the generic drugs to duplicate exact same composition as brand exactly the active ingredient and name drugs, they work as fast. dosage in brand-name drugs. The Are generic drugs as effective? flavor, color and some inactive It is a requirement by the FDA ingredients may be different. for generic drugs to have the same Do generic drugs expire quality, strength, purity, and stability sooner? as brand-name drugs, so they are as No, generic drugs do not expire effective. sooner or have shorter shelf life.

Are generic drugs inferior in Basically, generic drugs are the same quality? as proprietary medications.

No, generic drugs are not Are generic drugs good for inferior to proprietary (branded) children? medications. The FDA makes sure Most of the generics drugs the two versions of the drugs are were tested among adults. There equally effective and safe. Most are generic drugs used for children, healthcare providers themselves use but more studies are being done generic medications for themselves to make sure generic drugs are as and their family. efficacious and safe for children, Why are generic drugs including infants. For any concern, cheaper? the prudent option is to discuss Generic drugs are less expensive the issue with your children’s because their manufacturers do pediatrician. not have to spend for research, Do all brand name drugs have development, marketing and generic version? promotions, which are very costly.

No, not all proprietary drugs This large investment is made by have generic equivalent. Many the original, “new drug inventor and come only in the brand-name developer,” who patented the drug version. Part of the reason is the to have the exclusive and sole right duration of the patent of these to distribute and sell it. When the other brand-name drugs. As long as patent expires, usually after 20 years, the patent is in effect, FDA will not generic drug manufacturers apply to allow any generic manufacturer to the FDA to manufacture and sell the produce the generic version. But generic version. When the generic even after the patent has expired, version is approved, a greater the generic equivalent must also competition comes into the market pass through the stringent testing, and this lowers the cost even more. evaluation, and approval by the FDA Presently, almost 50 percent to protect the consumers. of the prescription in the U.S. are Why can’t all drugs start as filled with generic drugs. As always, generics? the integrity and reputation of the The very prohibitive cost manufacturer of generic drugs, of research and development, anywhere in the world, will reflect marketing and promotion, makes the quality of the medications they it financially impossible for drug produce. manufacturers to produce the How much cheaper are original medications and sell generic drugs? them at the “generic price.”

Generic medications are typically This is unrealistic to expect and lesser expensive than their branded economically not feasible.

How are generic drugs approved?

According to FDA rules: “Drug companies must submit an abbreviated new drug application (ANDA) for approval to market a generic product. The Drug Price Competition and Patent Term Restoration Act of 1984, more commonly known as the HatchWaxman Act, made ANDAs possible by creating a compromise in the drug industry. Generic drug companies gained greater access to the market for prescription drugs, and innovator companies gained restoration of patent life of their products lost during FDA’s approval process.”

How does the FDA monitor generic drugs?

Here is the verbatim policy of the U.S.-FDA: “The FDA Generic Drugs Program conducts a rigorous review to make sure generic medicines meet these requirements.

In addition, FDA conducts 3,500 inspections of manufacturing plants a year, ensuring compliance with the agency’s regulations on good manufacturing practices.

FDA staff also continually monitor drug products to make certain the medicines at all levels of the supply chain, from active pharmaceutical ingredients (API) to products being sold to consumers, are safe, effective, and high quality. In the event of reports of negative patient side effects or other reactions, the FDA investigates and, when appropriate, may require changes in how a medicine (both brandnname and generic versions) is used or manufactured.”

Are generic drugs outside of the U.S. as good?

Each country’s version of the FDA would have their own rules, criteria and requirements, but basically I suspect they will be similar to those of the U.S. FDA’s. However, I am unable to ascertain this, and therefore cannot verify that generic drugs manufactured outside of the United States are as good. The Philippine Bureau of Food and Drugs (BFAD), in my opinion, is a credible institution that safeguards and protects the health and wellbeing of the people in our country. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

Comcast expands number...

From Page 3 thoughtfully curated into an easy way to navigate, discover and enjoy.” X1 customers can access the current international programming that is part of their subscription, or quickly subscribe to additional channels and/or packages of interest, which include: TV shows and movie collections from countries including Brazil, China, France, Germany, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Asia, and Vietnam.

Multicultural networks available on the Sling International X1 app, featuring content from different countries in 21 languages, including Chinese (Beijing TV, CCTV News and iCable News), South Asian dialects (GEO

TV, Jus Punjabi, Aaj Talk, and Bollywood News), and Arabic (Al Jazeera, ART Movies, and MBC).

Programming, music and more from around the world from popular streaming services Netflix and YouTube available over the internet on X1.

Starting at $6.99 per month, International channels and packages can be added to a customer’s Xfinity TV subscription by visiting the International destination on X1, going to https://www.xfinity.com/ international, or by contacting the Comcast Call Center (1-855755-2212), which also provides inlanguage support for Cantonese, Mandarin, Korean, Tagalog and Vietnamese speakers.

Comcast Corporation (Nasdaq: CMCSA) is a global

The bucket list From Page 3 digital form, thousands of images and videos, trapped in computer hard drives and smart phones or spread far and wide via social media for all to see. Then there are also the awful ones encrusted in your memory, the things you would rather forget. These are your raw materials to get this project going.

So here’s one suggestion to sum it all up while you still can — something you may want to include in the top tier of your bucket list.

WRITE YOUR STORY. So many stories to tell… So little time… Though you may think that your life is generic like plain vanilla, if you are honest and dig enough, there are so many tiny montages, vignettes of a past life. Uniquely yours, these may be sweet, sour and even bitter moments of one’s life. Imperfect as it is, you have lived through it all. Somehow, by God’s grace, you made it through. That is victory enough.

A bit of caution! You don’t have to write a tedious, biographical

tome, so boring you may induce flat lining even yourself to early death.

I would recommend choosing a typical day, a significant year or seasons which reflect the peaks and valleys of your life. You can paint your story in broad brush strokes at first and fill in the details later, like a painter would, with the precision of a palette knife.

Write in your own style. If they block the creative flow, forget grammatical rules, syntax, and the rigid rules for writing, for the time being. It is like recording streams of memories. There is no grading system here. Be honest. One rule I recommend that should apply at all times — REFRAIN from causing even more hurt, if somehow, someone else reads your story when you’re gone.

Believe it or not, the written word is precise and like a laser sword, it can slice a heart or like a soothing miraculous balm, heal brokenness. Choose wisely. How you choose reflects the beauty or ugliness of your soul.

Kindness is a car that can get

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Comcast Cable is one of the nation’s largest video, high-speed internet, and phone providers to residential customers under the XFINITY brand, and also provides these services to businesses.

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(Advertising Supplement) you to heaven. The Good Samaritan is a case in point. Is it a Pollyana view of life on earth? It sure is. But life can be brutal and in some cases, so cruel we need all the kindness we can get from one another.

Or if you live a relatively charmed life and have a generous spirit, dispense acts of kindness to strangers without fanfare. Someone wise once said to choose those who can never repay you back. No one has to know. If you do it for applause and recognition, then you have cashed in your reward prematurely. Don’t post on social media for all to know. But if you do, remain anonymous. Your act of kindness can go viral and inspire others to do likewise. Focus on the act to squeeze the max out of it.

Memories can be faulty. The way each of us sees things is uniquely processed through a set of largely emotional filters that may not align with how others in our immediate orbit remember them.

In story writing, it is called POV or Point of View. Remember that in the eternal scheme of things, only God’s POV knows the pure, unvarnished, unadulterated truth.

Your stories are all there buried

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Piolo abstaining from food, water and sex—and here’s why

by Marinel r. Cruz Inquirer.net

NO food and water. No sex, too.

Actor Piolo Pascual admitted to have been abstaining from these things since Ramadan, the Islamic tradition that began this year on May 15.

As for sexual abstinence, however, “this has been going on for years now,” the actor told reporters during a recent media gathering.

“It’s not surprising because I have no love life,” explained the actor, who used to date actress Shaina Magdayao. “I stay away from temptations by surrounding myself with productive people. To keep a clean conscience and not think of impure thoughts, I simply focus on work.”

But, how does he react whenever he meets someone he finds physically attractive? “I don’t party anymore. I don’t go out of the house much. At 41, I still live with my mom,” he pointed out. “I really don’t have time for dating right now.”

Piolo decided to abstain from food and liquids “in order to pay respects” to the Muslims he is working with on a movie he’s cowriting with filmmaker Joyce Bernal. Fasting officially ends during Eid al-Fitr (on June 15).

“Joyce and I are doing this to understand how they feel while we’re writing the script,” Piolo explained. “It’s a struggle not to drink water, especially while I’m taping for my TV series. I can’t rehydrate. I can’t spit or swallow.

This is why I don’t exercise during

Piolo Pascual

the day—I do it at night.”

The actor, however, felt he didn’t need to consult his doctor or dietician “because I’m used to fasting, anyway.” He said he once tried the 21-day Daniel Fast and the 40-day fast, which are traditionally done by Catholics during Lent.

A Born Again Christian, Piolo clarified that fasting has nothing to do with religion this time.

“It’s all about understanding the human spirit. While it’s important that we know our faith, we should also recognize other people’s beliefs and practices,” he noted.

Aside from the primetime

ABS-CBN photo

series “Since I Found You,” Piolo is a regular of the Sunday variety show “ASAP” and the sitcom “Home Sweetie Home.” His film, “Ang Panahon ng Halimaw” by Lav Diaz, is currently being shown in local cinemas. Three movies, which he is cofinancing via Spring Films, are currently in production.

The movie on Muslims and the Marawi siege will be Spring Films’ first export. “We want it to be appreciated not only by local moviegoers, but also by foreign audiences. It’s budget is relatively higher than our other films because we plan to cater to a bigger market.”

Fil-Ams on connecting with...

From Page 2

“July 4 seemed tantamount to the celebration of Philippine subjection to and dependence on the United States which served to perpetuate unpleasant memories,” wrote Macapagal sometime after.

“I felt too, that July 4 was not inspiring enough for the Filipino youth since it recalled mostly the peaceful independence missions to the United States,” Macapagal further wrote. “The celebration of independence day on June 12, on the other hand, would be a great inspiration to the youth.”

Hence, June 12 stuck as the official date for Philippine Independence Day. July 4 then began to be referred to as FilipinoAmerican Friendship Day. Celebration of Fil-Am identity Despite the long history of colonial rule, the relationship between the once colonized Philippines and its colonizer for the most part remain good. Over four million Filipinos currently live in the U.S., making the second largest Asian American group in the nation.

While those in the Philippines celebrate the holiday with a day off from classes and work, Filipinos in the U.S. take it as an opportunity to celebrate their Filipino identity despite being thousands of miles away from their motherland.

Along the West Coast’s California, Fil-Am communities of Carson, San Francisco, and Stockton have been gearing up for their own Philippine Independence Day celebrations — all of which be held on Saturday, June 9.

And of course, included are food booths, cultural performances, and entertainment

by beloved Filipino artists. The City of Carson’s 120th Philippine Independence Day celebration will be featuring entertainment headlines by ABS-CBN talents Sam Milby and Jona.

In New York, Filipinos and New Yorkers in general, celebrate the holiday earlier on the first Sunday of June. Having been celebrated annually since 1990, the Philippine Independence Day Parade and celebration held along Madison Avenue and in Madison Square Park has become the largest among Philippine Independence celebrations in the U.S. “This year’s Philippine Independence Day Parade Celebration was great. Filipinos and FilipinoAmericans came together and showed love for this yearly celebration of our freedom,” said Richard Baccay, who goes by his artist name of R1CH. R1CH was one of the performers at the parade, along with his fellow Filipino producer and manager Paulo Gernarde who goes by his artist name ISTANZA. The two performed original Filipino rap music inspired by life experiences and struggles as Filipinos.

Other featured performers included dancers representing the Dinagyang Festival of Iloilo City, and the Manggahan Festival of the island province in Guimaras.

Born and raised in Pasig City, but now residing in New York, R1CH said the celebration was important in that it serves as a reminder to Filipinos — especially to those who grew up in New York and throughout the U.S. — of their roots and culture.

Also in the crowds of Fil-Ams and general New Yorkers were

visiting Filipinos like 26-yearold Carlo James B. Salina, an ICU nurse in the Philippines on vacation in the Big Apple.

“Definitely one for the books,” said Salina, though adding that he was a bit confused about its early celebration.

It being his first Philippine Independence Day outside the Philippines, Salina said the event made him proud to be Filipino.

“I even roamed around the busy streets of New York, rode the subway and went home with my little Philippine flag sticking out of my backpack,” said Salina.

Like Baccay, Salina found the celebration’s importance as being a reminder — especially to the youth — of what was involved in creating the Filipino identity. He encouraged young Filipinos, especially those living outside of the Philippines, to be learn more about the Filipino culture and history.

“This hard-fought freedom that we are enjoying now should not be taken for granted,” he said. “It should always be cherished and be claimed with dignity and pride.”

As the New York Filipino community swarmed around Madison Avenue and Madison Square Garden, waving their Filipino flags, letting out the occasional “Mabuhay!”, and partaking in the variety of Filipino foods, Salina said he was proud to have witnessed such Filipino pride among Fil-Ams. “These things just made my heart swell with pride,” said Salina. “It was that time when I experienced a sense of belongingness, and at the same time, a sense of identity in a melting pot of culturally diverse people.”

deep within you. The early sunset years when you still have a sound mind in a sound body are probably the best time to write your story.

Those neurons firing in our noggin are still sharp but we know, these have a definite shelf life.

Don’t do it as an ego trip listing your accomplishments but put pen to paper or chase a cursor like mad on your laptop as an exercise in validating your life, putting into words, those memories that sparkle like diamonds, like the joys that you have caused to make others glad and appreciate life and how others made you a better person.

Accolades are fine but those you leave behind who feel eternally grateful to God for the life you lived as it left a mark on their own lives even when you’re gone are probably the highest tribute to your time on earth.

I guess these are the things

that make God smile. You’ll be one of those good and faithful servants.

The act of recording your life story reveals to us God’s presence in every minutiae, facet and seasons of our lives. You realize that even in your darkest moments when all seemed lost, God is always there for us all. You begin to see clearly your purpose in life.

Of course, as in any story, there are parts you want to share because they are happy and inspiring. There are parts that must remain secret by choice, known only to you, the God of your being and the characters of those tragic, dark vignettes you would rather forget, locked away forever or better yet, erased for all eternity.

Let go of these, if you can.

Healing begins with forgiveness.

It can make us whole again. And when we are whole and bathed in God’s light, darkness no longer holds power over us.

Life is a mural of many colors and infinite designs. Savor yours during these precious sunset years.

There are so many twists and turns and variations and, if taken in one go, can seem like a blur on a whitewater tube ride. Scoop up a few golden snippets and record them. This could be well worth your while.

Become the writer/editor of your life story. Dare to write it.

Edit it. Even critique it, if you wish.

Don’t worry about other people’s criticism. You are your own target audience for the time being.

Someday when you’re gone, your story might have the power to inspire someone else.

Next week: An idea for The Bucket List… *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

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GALA AT CIPRIANI. Menchie Gaw, Menchie Portillo and Loida Nicolas Lewis pose for a posterity photo at the Friends of the Philippines Society Unity Gala held at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street.

Asian Journal Publisher Roger L. Oriel with Menchie Gaw and Menchie Portillo Peralta

Menchie Portillo Peralta with ABC7 reporter and host Nina Pineda Friends of the Philippines Society Unity Gala held at Cipriani’s.

Permanent Representative to the United Nations Teodoro Locsin, Jr. (right) with Mrs. Louie Locsin (third from right) and (from left) Edwin Josue, Hollywood Foreign Press Association’s Ruben and Janet Nepales and Menchie Portillo Peralta are all smiles at the Friends of the Philippines Society Unity Gala held at Cipriani’s on 42nd Street.

Ocean’s 8: A love letter...

on a level that we never ever would have been given a chance [to From Page 4 connect on] because we — women, Carter complete the titular eight you know, there’s five roles [in and together, they plan and “You guys all know about the Hollywood] and we’re all looking mastermind the biggest jewelry Bechdel test,” Kaling said. “This for them, and they’re all lone little heist they could imagine, one that passes it with flying colors. I mean, islands, and here we were, Hawaii, Bullock’s character Debbie Ocean the fact that we’re orchestrating a and all the other islands,” Bullock has been concocting and plotting crime as opposed to fighting over for ‘five years, eight months, 12 days said a man. There’s isn’t even a specter Mindy Kaling shared that and counting’. Their main target? It’s of a man.” called “The Toussaint,” a $150 million she had to learn to speak Hindi, a The Bechdel-Wallace test language she doesn’t speak in real dollar necklace created by Cartier, asks if a film contains two female life. the world-famous Paris-based characters who talk about “I think everyone maybe thinks jeweler. something other than a man.

The eight wonderfully complex, because I’m Indian I was raised And of course she is speaking an Indian language, but I smart and funny women will take exaggerating. Not about the wasn’t. That part was challenging. the viewers on their own journey, Bechdel test part, but the tere isn’t But it was fun, because I always play complete with all the twists and a specter of a man part, because these delusionally overconfident there are two male characters who turns that follow. characters, and this character is just “I wasn’t just casting individual make the lives of the eight ladies a little harder and more complicated. roles; I was putting together a band like, ‘I get to be involved?!’ So that Richard Armitage plays the role who all had to sound great together. was very nice, to play someone who It was exciting from the beginning,” is more shy and gets to come out of of Claude Becker, an artist who is her shell. No one’s ever accused me Ross shared.

Hathaway’s character’s date at the of being shy before, so this was a The excitement was palpable Met Gala and James Corden as John nice character.” even after the stars have shot the Frazier, an insurance investigator Blanchett interjected and trying to put the pieces of the story film and it was felt at the presscon jokingly told her co-star, “Oh, you where they would crack jokes and together. laugh and share memories of them should have told me, I’m fluent,” Aside from them, it’s all about eliciting laughter from the reporters shooting the film. the women.

“I think we managed to connect in the room.

Rihanna and Helena Bonham

Filipina migrant stories featured at Euroasia Shorts 2018 kickoff WASHINGTON, D.C. — The highly-anticipated EuroAsia Short Film Festival (EuroAsia Shorts) 2018 kicked off Monday, June 4 with the screening of Filipino and Spanish short films at the Former Residence of the Ambassadors of Spain.

Now on its 13thyear, the EuroAsia Short Film Festival spotlights the stories of WomenWorldWidethrough a weeklong screening.

“This year’s festival looks at the uniqueness and universality of women’s experiences, contributions, and perspectives in all aspects of life. Women, whether artists or family members, professionals or visionaries, everyday people or extraordinary heroines -- it’s time the world paid attention,” reads a portion of the 2018 festival statement.

The Philippine entries for the first day of the festival are Johnny Loves Doloresand Nanay, which were written and directed by Filipino filmmaker Clarissa de los Reyes. Both films tackle the struggles and aspirations of Filipino women who make their living abroad.

“We are proud to present Johnny Loves Doloresand Nanayon the first day of the EuroAsia Shorts 2018 with the

Philippine Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer, Ms. Darell Artates and Embassy of Spain’s Head of Cultural Office, Ms. Maria Molina engage in a short discussion and Q&A session after the first screening night of the 2018 EuroAsia Short Film Festival featuring short films from the Philippines and Spain on Monday, June 4.

theme WomenWorldWide. Clarissa de los Reyes is an engaging and talented storyteller who is able to dissect the Filipino migrant experience into unique but relatable parts”, said Ms. Darell Artates, the Embassy’s Public Diplomacy Officer.

“The feminization of migration is very pronounced in the Philippines. Johnny Loves Doloresand Nanay both highlight the consequences of this phenomenon for the migrant women themselves,” she further said during the post-film discussion that she co-led with Ms. Maria Molina, the Head of the Cultural Office of the Embassy of Spain.

The Spanish short films Free

Liza Soberano hits the gym for Darna role

by Clarizel

abanilla Inquirer.net

KAPAMILYA beauty Liza Soberano finally revealed how she shed pounds and toned up for her starring role as the next Darna.

In her Instagram posts on Wednesday, June 6, she showed herself doing stretches, boxing, and lifting weights.

Contrary to her usual glamorous poses, she showed herself in simple gym clothes.

She said, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it won’t change you.”

It’s been over a year since Soberano took on the role. As the project dragged on, some thought it would be scrapped.

It has been a little over a year since it was confirmed that Soberano will be playing Darna.

Since then, the actress has been

Liza Soberano

hard at work to get into shape for the part.

In a previous interview with ABS-CBN News, Soberano said she will undergo intensive physical training, as well as acting and dialogue workshops, in preparation for the movie.

“I want to look physically strong,” she said, adding that she

Crispina Martinez Belen...

ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

Kickand MAIwere also very wellreceived and enjoyed by the audience.

The EuroAsia Shorts (originally the Asian-European Short Film Showcase) remains a collaboration between a small group of Washington, D.C. embassies and cultural center staff. Since 2006, the festival has presented more than 200 short films, including many award-winning shorts making their US debut. It will culminate in the showing of short films from the eight participating Embassies and the United States on 8 June 2018 at the Embassy of Italy. For more information, please visit http://awoj15.wixsite. com/euroasia-shorts.

From Page 4 A serendipitous encounter with another writer inevitably paved way to a seemingly original piece for a storybook that could merit not only pages in the magazine but the wide screen, as well.

“I could still vividly recollect that sweltering summer afternoon as I was ushered in an air-conditioned room of the editor’s office when I noticed a guy seated in one of the typing tables who never took his eyes off me since the very moment I entered,” Crispina fondly reminisced with glistening eyes laced with a coy smile. “I became a bit timid and conscious with my movements. I was so uncomfortable and my moves were measured.”

Crispina took a brief pause and after gathering her thoughts, resumed: “Maybe the editor noticed my awkwardness (since I was always relaxed every time I was in his office)…and the scenario did not escape his keen scrutiny. He casually introduced me to the guy named Leonardo “Nards” Belen, a weekly columnist of Bannawag Magazine.

That brief encounter readily unlocked our unfamiliarity followed by constant meetings until we found ourselves exclusively dating,” she candidly admitted, punctuating her statement with a crispy laugh.

Her painstaking pursuit for the diploma she aspired to hold was copiously coupled with diversely rigorous challenges and excruciating trials that she successfully dodged and defied… until that most-awaited moment when she finally earned her degree in 1967.

It was actually Nards who encouraged her to apply for the vacant position in Manila Bulletin which she hastily did. “I was so tense upon the sight of the editor who was Felix Gonzales. With a domineering, strict, and stern demeanor, he asked me straightforwardly: ‘What made you think you can handle the daily column?’ I tried to muster enough courage and furtively took a deep breath before positively responding in total composure,” she recounted gaudily.

The daily column, Celebrity World,” easily found its way to the hearts of Crispina’s readers since.

No day was complete without getting hold of Manila Bulletin’s Celebrity World section in search of which movie stars were featured, what movies are promoted, new faces discovered, newly opened establishments and eateries, and not to overlook, the final paragraph where all birthday celebrators of the day were listed.

Her daily routine included attending luncheon, movie

presscons, private meetings with producers or politicians, rushing to the office to meet her deadline for the following day, and in the evening she had to retouch, change her outfit at a fast pace (or oftentimes not at all especially when time was limited) for a dinner appointment or sometimes even two… and these did not include events like weddings, baptisms, awarding ceremonies, visiting movie sets and TV tapings, invitational gala, etc.

Looking at Crispina’s schedule book could put to shame a President’s itinerary. Every single minute of the day was booked, every week was hectic, and all months are greatly engaged and occupied.

What are the usual problems she encountered every day?

“Nothing much really…my system and body clock were used to my daily routine. But if ever there were such, those would be time management, meeting deadlines, tardiness of a scheduled subject or an extended interview, and the worst could be when I really could no longer get off of bed due to either illness or over exhaustion,” the amiable lady editor said.

Everything in her almost glamorous life could have had been perfect if not for a sudden blow on September 3, 2015 that almost collapsed her world. Their almost 46 years of wedded bliss (blessed with two boys: Walden and Lester) was cut short by Nards’ untimely demise.

Like a pillow that cushioned her, Nards was a supportive life partner and supporter. For a long while the world around her turned void and colorless.

Nards left behind a slew of worth-reading literary articles and a remarkable legacy in the film industry plus a couple of films he wrote and directed: “Ginauhaw Ako, Ginagutom Ako “(1977), “Mag-ingat Ka, Ikaw Ang Susunod” (1977), “Stop Abortion”(1986), and “Pinoy Super Kid” (2012).

Incidentally, Crispina, who was used to interviewing celebrities and business honchos, felt quite reluctant and timorous answering questions thrown at her especially when she knew her opinions might offend or hurt those concerned although she chose to expound her response when necessary without requesting her to do so. She had actually mastered the rule.

To make it much easier to assess the real persona of Crispina M. Belen, I asked her some pertinent questions which she readily answered without batting an eyelash. Read on!

Asian Journal (AJ): Among the celebrities you had interviewed,

Photo from Instagram/@lizasoberano

would like to do her own stunts.

A release date for the “Darna” movie, which will be produced by Star Cinema and directed by Erik Matti, has yet to be released.

At present, Soberano top-bills the Kapamilya fantaseries “Bagani” with on-screen love team Enrique Gil. (With reports from ABS-CBN News) who was the most remarkable and exciting to talk to and why?

Crispina Martinez Belen (CMB): Easily that would be Sharon Cuneta. She’s so upfront, witty, and loquacious. She never gave me a single-word response…always broadly elaborated and with sense.

Kris Aquino and Vilma Santos also…if you”ll ask for more.

Among the mainstream actors, I single out Jacky Chan. I got the opportunity to interview him thrice: in Hollywood, Taiwan, and Hong-Kong. He’s amusing with such peculiar accent.

AJ: Did you ever experience losing your notes or questionnaires when you needed them for deadline?

CMB: Honestly, it never happened. I had everything in mind and at times I took note of quotes and dates.

AJ: How do you handle a no nonsense interview?

CMB: Turning a modestly blunt interview into a smashing article was my duty as a journalist…but not to the extent of changing almost everything especially the very essence of what the subject wanted to express. Sometimes, quoting a subject’s quote verbatim is usually boring especially when the message is merely a simple fact. It’s my obligation to “lace” it with suitable adjectives and dash it with creativity to build an interesting quote.

AJ: Being an ace journalist gave you the opportunity to travel and interview international celebrities.

What places became close to your heart courtesy of movie junkets?

CMB: Oh, I love to travel! Such great experience! Aside from Asia, of course, I love Johannesburg, South Africa, the USA, and United Kingdom.

AJ: Have you had any publication credited to your name?

CMB: Yes, I already published a 120-page book called “Anthology of Short Stories.”

AJ: What are your plans now that you’re semi-retired?

CMB: During my first day of retirement I suddenly felt very tired… really exhausted when I was already free from heavy load.

Mas nakakapagod pala ang walang ginagawa! Now I’m in the process of writing another book and about to start two commissioned biographies of a businessman and a politician.

With less press responsibilities, I have more time to attend to my backyard garden, be with friends and family I missed during times when I was busy, and fly back and forth to New York to be with my son and my grandchildren.

For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@yahoo. com.

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