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ju ly 12-1 8, 2019 Volume 12 - No. 38 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

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UN rights council adopts resolution DATELINE USA Fil-Am former Virginia to review Duterte admin’s drug war delegate gets 2.5 years for from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

defrauding federal govt

Celebrated state delegate Ron Villanueva sentenced to prison former Virginia delegate and Virginia Beach councilman ron Villanueva was sentenced to two-anda-half years in prison on tuesday, July 2 on multiple charges of fraud against the federal Former Virginia delegate and Virginia government.

Beach councilman Ron Villanueva earlier this year, the filipino American republican pleaded guilty to a list of charges including “falsifying records and helping others file false documents,” according to local Virginia news outlet WAVY News.

“You have done good things, but that doesn’t put you above the law,” U.s. District Judge re-

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the UN human rights Council voted to adopt a resolution mandating a “comprehensive” international review of the Philippines drug war, which watchdogs say has killed more than 20,000 people. the Council voted 18 “yes,” 14 “no” and

“15” abstentions.

UN high Commissioner for human rights, michelle Bachelet, will conduct “a comprehensive written report on the situation of human rights in the Philippines” over the coming year.

the resolution faced strong pushback from President rodrigo Duterte’s government, which counters that the crackdown on narcotics has left just 5,300 people dead while retaining the strong support of many filipinos.

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Duterte dares US to declare war vs China

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

PresIDeNt rodrigo Duterte on friday, July 5, dared the United states to declare war against China following criticisms he received over his handling of the maritime dispute between manila and Beijing.

“We can never win a war with China. But I hope that China would not overdo things also because there is always America pushing us, egging us,” he said in his speech at the opening of Chen Yi Agventures rice Processing Center (CYA-rPC) in Alangalang town, Leyte province. “they’re making me the bait. What do you think filipinos are, earthworms?” he added.

Duterte urged the U.s. to fire the first shot, adding that the Philippines would be right

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PEACE MEETING. President Rodrigo Duterte gives a warm welcome to Moro National Liberation Front Founding Chairman Nur Misuari prior to the start of their meeting at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, July 9. Duterte earlier announced that he proposed creating a negotiating peace panel for the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to attain peace in Mindanao.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

DOT: 3.4-M tourists visited Best places to live, work: PH moves up to 24th PH January-May 2019

by AJPress

A totAL of 3,489,270 tourists were recorded to have visited the Philippines for the first five months of 2019, according to the Department of tourism (Dot). tourism secretary Bernadette romulo-Puyat said the numbers — which mark a 9.76 percent increase from Photo shows tourists in Boracay Island after its rehabilitation. Just for the first five months of 2019, a total of 3,489,270 tourists visited the Philippines, marking a 9.76 the same period last year — percent increase from last year’s figures.

Photo courtesy of DOT are very encouraging.

“the numbers are very encouraging. from 3,178,984 tourists recorded from January to may in 2018, we are already close to breaching the 3.5 million mark this year. this only shows that the preservation of our environment can go hand in hand with economic gains,” she said in a statement. the month of may saw a 15.62 percent growth in tourist arrivals, increasing from

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by iRis

Gonzales Philstar.com

the Philippines has made it to the big leagues alongside the United states and China in terms of best places in the world to live and work.

A forbes article cited the 2019 hsBC expat’s annual survey that ranked the Philippines as the 24th best place to live and work, while the U.s. ranked 23rd. China, on the other hand, ranked 26th.

the survey was conducted among 18,000 expats across 163 markets. three major metrics were used: living, career opportunity and family life. “the Philippines jumped up the rankings from 26th place last year. that may come as a surprise to some for a couple of reasons. one of them is that the Philippines has a reputation for sending its own people overseas in droves rather

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From the Front Page

Duterte dares US to declare war...

PAGE 1 behind them because of the U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty.

“Now I say, you bring your planes, your boats to South China Sea. Fire the first shot and we’ll behind you. Let’s do this and see who’s going down,” he said.

“We have an RP-U.S. pact, so let us honor it. Do you want trouble? Okay, let’s do it,” he continued.

According to the president, the Palawan province would be the first to be hit if war broke out over the South China Sea as it is facing the waterway.

“Now he wants us to tickle

China and when this blows up — Palawan will be blown up and sacrificed because they’re all there now because it’s facing the South China Sea. I am not about to order my soldiers to go to the mouths of hell to die unarmed. I cannot do that,” he said.

Duterte also slammed his critics, specifically calling out former Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario, former Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales and Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio, for telling him what to do.

“They are attacking me on the collateral that I should

bar China from fishing, from destroying…They want me to go there. How do I enforce the arbitral ruling? Should I go there with the Navy and I insist and say, ‘Hey, you guys, you go out.’ And China, ‘No, what do you want?’

So, should we have war?” he said.

“I don’t know how they would do it but I would like to turn over the government to Carpio, Del Rosario, and Morales. If the three of them will join together, I would be happy to lead them. If there will really be a war, I will drag them there. We’ll all die anyway,” Duterte added. n

DOT: 3.4-M tourists visited PH...

PAGE 1

537,743 last year to 621,719 this year. It is the highest month-per-month growth rate this year to date.

Korea continues its reign as the country’s number one source market with 788,530 January to May arrivals, chalking up an 11.76 percent

growth rate comprising 22.6 percent of the total arrivals.

Following close behind is China, with 733,769 arrivals for a 30.96 percent increase and a 21.03 percent market share. The United States ranks third with 472,469 arrivals, while Japan places fourth with 281,988.

Taiwan also saw a double digit growth at 27.24 percent or 128,986 arrivals.

Other countries included in the top ten markets are Australia with 123,851; Canada with 114,605; the United Kingdom with 92,914; Singapore with 64,951; and Malaysia with 64,951. n

A FEW MORE STANDING. People pass by a few stalls occupying the roadside of Recto Avenue in Manila. In a swift, classy move to impose change, Mayor Isko Moreno commanded the clearing operation of illegal vendors in Divisoria, Blumentritt, and other clogged streets in the city of Manila a few days after he took his oath of office. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

UN rights council adopts...

PAGE 1 Activists said they had initially hoped the resolution would call for a formal “inquiry,” but compromised on a “report” to raise the prospects of winning a majority.

Duterte called the former UN rights chief, Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein, an “idiot” and a “son of a bitch” after Zeid raised concern about the drug war, which has reportedly included nightly slaying of suspects by police and masked gunmen.

Last week, Duterte spokesman Salvador Panelo described the resolution as the

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Chilean Michelle Bachelet

“latest demonization attempt against the president” and

Photo from Un.org

said Manilla expected it “to fail.” (ManilaTimes.net)

Best places to live, work: PH moves up...

PAGE 1 than attracting foreigners who want to live and work there,” Forbes said in the article published July 6.

Forbes said Manila garnered a high ranking despite being mired in violence amid President Duterte’s drug war.

“Apparently, that isn’t what foreign expats are concerned about. They find it easy to relocate to a country of friendly people and a reasonable cost of living,” Forbes said.

“With its tropical climate and steadily growing economy, the Philippines is quickly

becoming one of the most popular expat destinations in Southeast Asia,” according to the HSBC report.

The Philippines, once dubbed as the sick man of Asia, has been enjoying strong growth over the past year, consistently buoyed by overseas Filipino remittances, the booming business process outsourcing sector and the strong services sector.

“Indeed, the Philippine economy has been booming in recent years. The Philippines’ per-capita GDP was last recorded at an all-time high of $3,063 in 2018, according to Tradingeconomics.com,” the Forbes article added. “It’s expected to reach $3,277 by 2020. That’s well above the A Forbes article cited the 2019 HSBC Expat’s annual survey that ranked the Philippines average of $1,653.98 for the as the 24th best place to live and work, while the US ranked 23rd. China, on the other period 1960 to 2018,” the arhand, ranked 26th.

Philstar.com file photo ticle continued. n

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july 12-18, 2019 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl

Trump administration gets new legal team as fight over citizenship question on 2020 Census continues

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

PRESIDENT Donald Trump’s efforts to include a contentious citizenship question in the upcoming 2020 Census continues as the Department of Justice (DOJ) revealed on Monday, July 8 that a new legal team would now be overseeing the census-related cases.

DOJ Spokesperson Kerri Kupec announced the transition on Sunday, July 7, but did not give a reason for the change.

“Since these cases began, the lawyers representing the United States in these cases have given countless hours to defending the Commerce Department and have consistently demonstrated the highest professionalism, integrity, and skill inside and outside the courtroom,” said Kupec. “The Attorney General appreciates that service, thanks them for their work on these important matters, and is confident that the new team will carry on in the same exemplary fashion.”

Kupec said the new team would be made up of political and career appointees — some of who work in the DOJ’s Consumer Protection Branch.

According to court papers, legal team members include Deputy Assistant Attorney General David Morrell, who previously worked as a lawyer in the Trump White House and is now head of the Consumer Protection Branch; and Christopher Bates who serves as a senior counsel at the DOJ. Also included are four career DOJ attorneys, Glenn Girdharry, Colin Kisor, Christopher Reimer, and Daniel Schiffer.

The change comes amid questions on whether the Trump administration’s efforts on adding the question may

have been motivated by racial bias, with U.S. District Court Judge George Hazel last week ordering a court case looking into the motivation to go forward.

It also comes after the Supreme Court last month blocked Trump’s initial effort to add the question in a 5-4 ruling, with Chief Justice Roberts saying that a sufficient reason for adding the question would be needed. He said that the rationale given by the Trump administration were “contrived.”

With the clock ticking and census forms already printing as scheduled without the question, Trump said last week that he was considering declaring an executive order. He also suggested that the question could be added on to the questionnaire as an addendum if approved later.

Attorney General William Barr told the Associated Press on Monday that he had been in contact with Trump and saw a legal way for the census to ask about citizenship.

“I agree with him that the Supreme Court decision was wrong,” said Barr. He added that he believed there to be “an opportunity potentially to cure the lack of clarity that was the problem and we might as well take a shot at doing that.”

Despite Trump having said last week that the main reason for wanting the question on the census was for electoral district drawing purposes, his administration has for months argued that the question on citizenship would help administer the Voting Rights Act (VRA) of 1965, which is supposed to prevent voter discriminagion against minorities.

Advocates against the question have maintained that the question — which hasn’t been

on the census since it was dropped in 1950 — would discourage a significant amount of people from participating in the census, thus making it likely for certain communities to be misrepresented.

Many have also argued that when it comes to the issue of knowing the non-citizen demographic of the U.S., there are other less-intrusive ways of getting that data.

The decennial count looks for population changes and other information about who makes up the United States — citizens and non-citizens alike.

The census also, more importantly, uses the derived data to address many of the nation’s needs like determining how seats in Congress are set, and how funding for certain programs like Medicaid benefits, law enforcement, and public schools should be allocated.

Speaker Nancy Pelosi, DCalif, on Monday criticized the Trump administration’s continuous efforts towards adding the question, saying that the administration was looking to “make American white again.”

“This is about keeping — you know, Make America, you know his hat — Make America White Again. They want to make sure that people, certain people, are counted,” said Pelosi.

She continued, “What they want to do is to put a chilling effect so that certain populations will not answer the form.”

It is still unclear as of press time what new rationale the Trump administration will introduce or what next steps it will take, but Barr told reporters that the DOJ would reveal “in the next day or two” how it will proceed. n

Fil-Am former Virginia delegate gets 2.5 years...

PAGE 1 becca Beach Smith told Villanueva at Tuesday’s hearing.

According to court documents, Villanueva wrongly helped two Virginia companies— SEK Solutions, which marketed weapons and industrial storage products and Karda Systems, which sold tactical gear — secure special government contracts through a U.S. Small Business Administration program that directs funding to women- and minority-owned companies only.

Previously, Villanueva served as vice president and president of SEK and as a board member for Karda Systems. Court docu-

ments note that the scheme took place from May 2005 to December 2014 when Villanueva was a councilmember for the Virginia Beach City Council and then in the House of Delegates.

For years, Villanueva worked with Kahlil Naim of SEK and Samuel Caragan of Karda Systems (Villanueva’s brother-inlaw) to file multiple false statements to the SBA. At his hearing, Villanueva was given 45 days to report to prison to start his 2.5-year sentence, and upon his release will be on probation for three years. Villanueva must also pay more than $524,000, which is

the amount he received from the fraudulent contracts.

“I’m telling the judge everyone is entitled to second chances. I’m sorry, and I am thankful for all my support here,” Villanueva, 49, told WAVY News on Tuesday before his hearing.

“My story is not done. We are defined by our maker and not defined by our mistakes.”

Villanueva served as a delegate from 2010 to 2018. He was the first Filipino American elected to Virginia state government. In 2017, he was voted out of office and replaced with Kelly Fowler, a Filipina American Democrat. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Dateline USa

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

United States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

Sung Kim to become next US envoy to Indonesia

sia,” it said on its website.

“Ambassador Kim’s extensive history of public service THE White House on Thurs- at the Department of State, day, July 11, announced that including as Ambassador to United States President Donald the Republic of Korea, Special Trump is planning to nominate Envoy for the Six-Party Talks, U.S. Ambassador to the Philip- Director of the Office of Korean pines Sung Kim as the new Affairs, Special Representative for North Korea Policy, and ambassador to Indonesia.

“Today, President Donald J. Deputy Assistant Secretary Trump announced his intent of State in the Bureau of East to nominate the following indi- Asian and Pacific Affairs,” the viduals to key positions in his White House added.

Kim assumed his post as Administration: Sung Y. Kim of California, to be Ambassador the ambassador of the U.S. to Extraordinary and Plenipoten- the Philippines in November tiary to the Republic of Indone- 2016 following the nomination

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

of former President Barack Obama.

The announcement did not mention who will next serve as Washington’s top diplomat in Manila.

On Tuesday, July 9, the U.S. Embassy denied rumors that Mina Chang, deputy assistant secretary for the Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations of the U.S. Department of State, will replace Kim as the next envoy to the Philippines.

“We’ve seen this claim. It is not true,” U.S. Embassy deputy press attaché Trude Raizen said. n

Amal Clooney to represent Rappler’s Maria Ressa in press freedom fight

by AJPress PROMINENT international human rights lawyer Amal Clooney will join the legal team representing Maria Ressa, the award-winning Filipino journalist currently facing several criminal charges along with online news site Rappler.

“Maria Ressa is a courageous journalist who is being persecuted for reporting the news and standing up to human rights abuses. We will pursue all available legal remedies to vindicate her rights and defend press freedom and the rule of law in the Philippines,” Clooney said in a press statement released

by London-based law firm Doughty Street Chambers.

According to the statement, Clooney will work with a team of international lawyers as Ressa’s counsel and coordinate with attorneys in Manila.

Ressa, named Person of the Year by Time Magazine in 2018, is the co-founder and editor of Rappler, which has gained distinction for its un-

Maria Ressa with Amal Clooney and her husband George Photo from Twitter/@mariaressa

flinching coverage of President Rodrigo Duterte’s war against illegal drugs. She has been arrested twice this year on cyber libel and tax evasion charges.

In a statement, Ressa said: “I am delighted that Amal Clooney and her team will be representing me at the international level to challenge the violations of my rights and those of the media organisa-

tion I represent.”

Clooney was appointed special envoy for media freedom by the British government. She has previously defended Reuters journalists Wa Lone and Kyaw Soe Oo who were jailed for more than 16 months in Myanmar under the country’s Official Secrets Act for reporting on a massacre of Rohingya civilians. They were freed in May. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 12-18, 2019

Features

OpiniOn

Collateral damage THE police chief of Rodriguez town in Rizal and 19 of his men have been relieved and are facing investigation for the death of a three-year-old girl during a drug sting over a week ago.

The anti-narcotics team claimed Myka Ulpina was carried away as a human shield by her father Renato Ulpina, a suspected member of a drug trafficking gang, as he tried to flee while shooting at the raiders. Renato was shot dead at the scene; Myka succumbed to a gunshot wound in the head a day later in a hospital. Senior M/Sgt. Conrad Cabigao, the undercover cop who posed as a buyer, also died together with Renato’s alleged drug ring cohort, Enrique Kahilig.

We can believe cops when they say that nobody wants to see a young girl killed. Not wanting it, however, must be complemented by efforts to prevent such tragedies from happening.

The country is not a war zone, and firearms must be discharged with utmost care. The possibility of causing serious injuries and even death – as in the case of Myka Ulpina and countless oth-

ers in the past years – can never be taken for granted, especially in crowded communities.

Relatives of the Ulpinas said the girl was asleep when the gunfire erupted. The public can only hope that probers will unearth the truth and justice will prevail. Investigators must disregard the comment on Myka’s death by the principal implementer of Oplan Tokhang, PNP chief-turned-senator Ronald dela Rosa: “S**t happens.”

Give Dela Rosa an A for candor, and a D-minus for sensitivity. Accidents – and especially accidental deaths in the course of law enforcement – can be avoided or minimized. The PNP is supposed to have rules of engagement and guidelines on how to handle cases involving children.

It’s not unusual for fleeing suspects to use human shields. The PNP must fine-tune its rules when children are used as shields in an armed encounter. In law enforcement, human life as collateral damage must be avoided at all costs.

(Philstar.com)

Editorial

Commentary

Philstar.com photo

A broken sense of ‘kapwa’ Babe’s Eye View

and mayhem, and we continued our daily routine.

We saw this during “Ondoy” and “Yolanda,” when in the Antonio P. ContrerAs face of death and wanton need THERE is evidence to argue for shelter and food, when that we are a country where government was momentarily political community is bound immobilized, we relied on less by the state and our laws ourselves and on one another. than by our enormous sense of Neighbors helped neighbors.

Volunteers self-mobilized. And “kapwa.”

We saw this when for a few in the middle of it all, we saw days in 1986 we didn’t have the the spirit and will to survive, semblance of a government af- seen in people still able to smile ter former President Ferdinand and laugh, play basketball, celMarcos left for Hawaii, and for- ebrate a birthday, and wave at mer President Corazon Aquino journalists for the world to see had yet to assemble a working a people unbent and undauntgovernment. Our political com- ed. This led Anderson Cooper munity did not unravel, there to comment that we are a rewas no widespread violence markable people, a powerful

lesson for others on how to rise up and live.

I see this driving everyday, where order on the roads emanates less from the traffic lights and signs than from what Sikolohiyang Pilipino refers to as “kapwa,” “pakikipagkapwa,” “pakikiramdam” and “pagbibigayan.” When there is a breakdown of order, we do not say that it is because people do not obey traffic rules. What we say is that there is a breakdown of that sense of “pagbibigayan.”

This is nowhere more pronounced than what happens in the intersection of Osmeña and Buendia in Makati, where there are no traffic lights and where PAGE 7

US: ‘We will never divorce’

BABe romuAldez IN one of my regular engagements with key people from the U.S. Defense and State Departments, one of the officials from the Department of Defense half-jokingly told me: “We will never give you a divorce.” To which I replied: “That’s alright – we don’t have divorce in the Philippines anyway.”

Obviously, this conversation uniquely underscores the fact that the United States will always look at the Philippines as an important part of their

national defense and security strategy. The U.S. needs us just as much as we need them, knowing that our strategic location is significant in maintaining maritime peace and security, and keeping the balance of power in the Asia Pacific region.

This is a reality that has long been acknowledged by U.S. officials such as former Obama Defense Secretary Ash Carter who said the Philippines is a “central part” of the United States’ pivot to Asia policy. The same also holds true for the Free and Open Indo-Pacific Strategy of the Trump administration since our country is an important

location for American military presence especially in light of China’s emergence as a “strategic competitor,” as described in U.S. 2018 National Defense Strategy documents.

No less than President Trump admitted this when he said that it is “important to remain allied with the Philippines,” which he described as “a most prime piece of real estate from a military standpoint.”

In other words, the relationship between the Philippines and the United States is considered as something that is more special than others. And obviously, majority of Filipinos PAGE 7

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

Delisted martial law victims, kin confront lawyer Swift

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

DelisteD martial law victims and their relatives on tuesday, July 9, confronted American lawyer Robert swift about why they were taken off the official list of people to be awarded compensation after winning the Hawaii class action suit that resulted in a nearly $2-billion award for some 6,000 martial law victims.

“We were one of the first to join the Hawaii lawsuit in 1986, but why were we delisted? there are a lot of us from Region 3 who were delisted. Our husbands are still missing. Until now we have no justice. there were a lot of true victims who were denied,” said Helena Jimenez in Filipino during a forum at the University of the Philippines law Center.

According to her, she only received compensation once, through Republic Act No. 10368 or the Human Rights Victims Reparation and Recognition Act of 2013, managed by the now-defunct Human Rights Victims’ Claims Board (HRVCB). she was not awarded compensation when a New York federal court ordered the distribution of $13.75 million to Marcos human victims earlier

Martial law claimants lawyer Robert Swift hands over a check to a martial law victim at the Commission on Human Rights on Tuesday, July 9. The lawyer is wrapping up the third round of distribution of checks worth $13.75 million to some 6,500 class suit members.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

this year.

Jimenez was not alone — of the initial class members of close to 10,000, only around 6,000 received compensation after they had completed the requirements for registration.

A requirement to claim compensation was submitting claim forms twice, first in 1993, and again in 1999. swift, for his part, said: “i would have been delighted to only require the 1993 class filing but the court required the second filing.” “it wasn’t until 2011 when there was money to distribute that the court made the ruling as to eligibility, saying that people must have filed in both years,” he added.

Carol Araullo, a claimant, said she never got a notice to

register a second time despite never changing her address. swift explained that the delisting due to circumstances beyond the control of lawyers, such as the failure of the postal system to deliver letters in time. “they only gave me five weeks. We tried to get the word out, we sent letters to class members, we worked furiously to do that,” he said.

He also said that there was not much he could do as he had to abide by a court order. “there was an order and i have to abide by that order,” swift said. “in litigation, you don’t always get what you want. You try hard, but ultimately it’s up to the court to decide that,” he added. n

Locsin calls ICC a fairytale endeavor

by AJPress FOReigN Affairs secretary teodoro locsin Jr. on tuesday, July 9, justified the Philippines’ exit from the international Criminal Court (iCC), likening it to a ‘fairy tale endeavor.’

“Better we stick to real science instead of fairy tale endeavors like the iCC which like the Queen in Alice in Wonder-

land cries out, ‘First the judgment, then the trial.’ Why i got us out. i will keep doing that,” he posted on twitter.

His statement was in response to the Philippines securing a seat by acclamation in the 40-member international Oceanographic Commission (iOC) executive Council, which is under the UN education, scientific and Cultural Organization (UNesCO) for the period

Lombard By The Bay is a joint venture development project between Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development Corp. and Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

2019-2021. the Philippines withdrew from the iCC on March 17, a year after the Philippines formally submitted its letter of withdrawal from the Rome statute — the founding treaty of the iCC — after a preliminary examination into the alleged crimes against humanity of President Rodrigo Duterte and his men was launched by the tribunal’s chief prosecutor. the court, however, can still investigate alleged crimes against humanity in relation to the president’s anti-drug campaign.

According to iCC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda, the court retains its jurisdiction over crimes committed in the context of the war on drugs even after its withdrawal from the Rome statute. earlier this year, Malacañang said iCC investigators would be barred from entering the country if they insist on probing the alleged extrajudicial killings tied to Duterte’s war against DFA photo illegal drugs. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 12-18, 2019

9 in 10 Filipinos believe regaining China-held US: ‘We will never... islands in West Philippine Sea important

by AJPress A RECENT survey revealed that 93% of adult Filipinos believe that it is important for the Philippine government to take back control of islands occupied by China in the West Philippine Sea According to the survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations from June 22 to 26, 74% of the respondents said this is “œvery important,” while 19% said this is”somewhat important.”

Only 1% said it is “somewhat not important.” Another one% said “not at all important,” while 4% were undecided.

The survery also noted that the perception of Filipinos on regaining control of islands in the West Philippine Sea has “increased steadily in four surveys since June 2018.”

The figure was 89% rating

in December 2018, and 87% in September 2018 and in June 2018.

The survey also revealed that 89% of the respondents said it is not right for the Philippines to leave China alone with its infrastructures and military presence in the claimed territories.

With regards to militia, 92% said the country should strengthen its military capability, especially the Navy.

Majority of the respondents are urging the government to take some forms of actions such as taking the issue to international organizations — to which 83% voted for — and forming alliances with other countries to help in defending the West Philippine Sea — to which 84% of Filipinos agreed with.

However, President Rodrigo Duterte’s stance on China’s

A broken sense of...

PAGE 5 despite the absence of traffic enforcers a sense of order from what others would see as chaos emerges. Drivers give way to other drivers, and rely on “pakiramdaman.”

This is what is characteristic of our political landscape.

The strength of our political community lies less on law but more on our enormous sense of community subsisting on our deep sense of “kapwa,” or shared self.

And it is this very sense of “kapwa” that is now being threatened and eroded. While political contestations had emerged before, the divisiveness and vitriol were not as alarming as what we are seeing now. Two things may have contributed to the intensification of a deeply polarized political culture. First is the pent-up resentment of people frustrated with elite politics, and angry at the failure of our leaders to deliver what was promised when the elites kicked out Marcos. Second, and more importantly, is its juxtaposition with modern social media technology that made the expression of such anger more immediate, and in real time, where anonymity is allowed, and the threat of actual retaliation or of suffering the consequences of uttering hate speech or a personal attack is remote. In the past, one had to participate in actual political mobilization to express a grievance. All it takes now is a laptop or a mobile phone to launch a political attack, without the fear

of being tear-gassed, or of being slapped or physically manhandled for calling someone an idiot or a moron.

And thus we see the intensification of gutter politics where there are no more rules, except that imposed by Facebook. We now see partisans abandoning logic to launch ad hominem attacks on their opponents. We see critics of the president labeling anyone who praises him as a blind apologist and a “Dutertard,” simply because they do not see the good things that he does.

And we see loyal supporters of the president attacking anyone who dares criticize him — even if done fairly and with basis — as a hater and a “dilawan” simply because they are in this perpetual state of being defensive that any such attack is an attempt to oust the president and install Leni Robredo as in his place. They suspend their autonomy and reason, shut out valid criticism, and take on the position that the president could not possibly be wrong, and even if he is, it is their sworn duty to rationalize his actions and defend him at all cost.

We end up being dominated by ad hominem labels, and focusing less on the substance of political discourse and more on people’s physical defects or personal misfortunes or impairments that have nothing to do with the validity, or lack thereof, of their arguments.

For example, people focus on Franklin Drilon’s sleepi-

presence in the West Philippine Sea has remained unchanged.

On Monday night, he said he might use the State of the Nation Address this month, his fourth, as an opportunity to “educate” Filipinos on the West Philippine Sea. “What they are saying that it is unconstitutional... maybe on my SONA I will educate people that what I said ‘You (China) can fish (in the EEZ)’...

I am right,” he said, referring to him allowing the Chinese to continue fishing within the country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ) due to its friendship with China.

While critics were quick to point out Duterte’s pronouncement was a violation of the constitution, the President defended himself and said: “What I did was not unconstitutional.

As a matter of fact, it was in keeping with the law.” n

ness rather than on his political position on issues and his advocacies. Instead of divining what Leni Robredo is trying to say, she is derisively dismissed by simply calling her “lugaw.”

Rather than focusing on the president’s pronouncements and dissecting the flaws of his China policy, his critics would rather launch ad hominem attacks.

And the vitriol and hatred are so alarmingly palpable — the name-calling, the shaming, the credential-bashing, the personal attacks — that one has to wonder if our Republic will ever recover and be whole again, if our sense of “kapwa” will survive three more years of being eroded and broken in the name of political partisanship.

Some people would rather escape this by avoidance. They stay away from social media.

Others like me do the drastic step of purging our social media landscape of people who stress us with their vitriol and ad hominem attacks or propagation of hatred. But these are simply escapist remedies and while it can give someone peace of mind, it will not necessarily arrest the erosion of our sense of “kapwa.”

The challenge to elevate our political discourse is indeed daunting. But it has to be done. presidents come and go. President Duterte’s term will end in 2022, and it behooves all of us to make sure that our sense of community and “kapwa” will remain. (ManilaTimes.net)

PAGE 5 would like to keep it that way.

A recent survey conducted after the “incident” involving 22 Filipino fishermen — whose boat was rammed from behind by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank within our exclusive economic zone — showed that the trust level of Filipinos for the U.S. as a dependable ally has gone up to 92 percent.

This is significantly much higher than the results of the latest Social Weather Stations survey that showed 71 percent of Filipinos having much trust in the US, while the latest Pulse Asia survey had 84 percent of Filipinos saying that they trust the U.S. the most. While Filipinos don’t really mind doing business with China and are more receptive when it comes to economic ties, they continue to regard the United States as the only ally when it comes to military partnership.

During the recent ASEAN summit in Bangkok, President Duterte stressed the need to craft a Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea to keep tensions from escalating in disputed maritime territories.

This is particularly significant considering ASEAN’s goal of centrality and its adoption of

the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific that seeks to consolidate the regional bloc’s economic power. In a speech in Leyte the other day, President Duterte dared the United States to fire the first shot at China if it really sees them as a major threat to peace and stability in the region.

The president is constantly reminded of what happened in Scarborough Shoal when we were advised by the U.S. to leave and they promised China will do the same. We left, the Chinese did not.

President Duterte was also reminded about a U.S. State Department official in the Obama administration stating, “We do not get involved with territorial disputes. Those are just rocks, anyway.”

Today, those rocks are now Chinese military bases. Nonetheless, there is no doubt the Trump administration has changed its attitude towards the region, perhaps learning from the past. There is no question the United States today is more than ever committed to their treaty allies.

ASEAN’s economic goals will be hard to achieve if tensions particularly in the South China Sea keep escalating.

Even our ASEAN neighbors recognize the importance of continued U.S. presence for maritime peace and security, and in protecting freedom of navigation and maintaining a rules-based order in disputed maritime territories. In other words, stability and security are important, which is why the U.S. continues to make its presence felt and will keep strengthening its alliances with key players in the IndoPacific region.

While we pursue relations and seek engagements with other nations in keeping with the president’s independent foreign policy, the relationship with our one and only treaty ally — the United States — remains unique and irreplaceable, enduring despite the ups and downs that have shaken but not sundered our longstanding friendship. That’s because of the deep peopleto-people ties that bind our two nations, manifested in the fact that an estimated 4.3 million Filipino-Americans reside and work in the U.S., or that every other Filipino has a relative in the U.S. or want a visa to visit the U.S. Judging from the huge atPAGE 10

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Poe files bill seeking to promote PH movies PhilHealth chief told: Start purge

by Ritchel

by daRwin

Pesco ManilaTimes.net

Mendiola

AJPress

TWo separate bills seeking to promote local movies and film tourism have been filed by Senator Mary Grace Poe. Under the proposed Philippine Independent Film Incentives Act of 2019, up to P5 million in incentives will be granted to production outfits of award-winning movies. P5 million will also be granted to full-length award-winning films, while P3 million will be granted to short feature films.

“This bill seeks to further promote the production of Filipino indie films and provide support to filmmakers, including aspiring ones, who operate on meager budgets to produce their artistic craft,” said Poe in the bill’s explanatory note.

The Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) will be tapped to provide a P50-million fund for the incentives.

Meanwhile, the proposed Philippine Film and Television Tourism Act of 2019 will generate jobs and promote the country at the same time.

EMPLOYMENT

Senator Grace Poe

“We have sparkling beaches, imposing waterfalls, historical heritage sites, where many of our movies have been shot. We should grab the opportunity to market these so that movie fans will also be travelers to these destinations,” Poe said.

A Philippine Film and Television Tourism Authority (PFTTA) will be established to promote the country as a location site for films and television programs, under the measure. There will also be an Inter-Agency Committee on Film and Television Tourism to be its governing body.

THE new president and chief executive officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth) said President Rodrigo Duterte had told him to set an example by pursuing corrupt officials of the state health insurance system.

“The exact word of the president is ‘sampolan mo’ (Make an example of these officials),” former military major general Ricardo Morales said.

In a news briefing, Morales said sustainability was the chalInquirer.net photo lenge of the organization, as Poe is the daughter of Na- negative image of the health tional Artist for Film the late insurance body welcomed him Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan when he took office.

Roces, an award-winning He gave assurances that he actress. Before becoming a senator, she headed the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board. “our family is indebted so PAGE 7 much to the industry, this is tendance during the recent the reason why we cannot U.S. Fourth of July and Filignore it,” she said.

American Friendship Day “With intervention from celebration hosted by U.S. the government, we have to Ambassador Sung Kim at the work together to help the Rizal Ballroom of Shangri-La Philippine film industry get Makati with over a thousand back on track to excellence guests, this close affinity to and profitability,” the senator the U.S. is as strong as ever. added. n People I have not seen for

would practice consensus and consultation in his leadership, pointing out that his assignment now was “not a combat operation.”

Morales said reorganizing PhilHealth was his top priority.

He mentioned doing away with face-to-face transaction, which was susceptible to fraudulent actions, and making sure that every claim of every member was legitimate through a biometric identification system.

According to him, even developed countries such as the United Kingdom still faced problems with their health insurance system. on the case of WellMed Dialysis and Laboratory Center, Morales said the agency had

suspended the accreditation of the establishment and had filed criminal charges against 10 individuals, three of whom were arrested and seven are under investigation.

Currently, he added, the agency had 12 lawyers who were handling 15,000 cases, which makes it hard to process all the cases.

Morales, meanwhile, said he was ready to face the Senate once a hearing would commence in the chamber.

The president appointed Morales to be the chief of the government-run health insurance agency after the resignation of Roy Ferrer and six board members over bogus claims of kin of dialysis patients, who had already died. n

US: ‘We will never...

FOR RENT

years during such occasions literally showed up to signify their support and appreciation for Ambassador Kim whose tour of duty in the Philippines is ending by year-end. (See photos in This Week on PeopleAsia at the Allure Section of the Philippine Star today.)

As articulated by Foreign

SERVICES

Affairs Secretary Teddy Locsin, America is “all we have,” likening the relationship to having a “spouse” that you “can’t live without” even though “sometimes you wish you could.”

In other words, this is a marriage that hopefully, will remain strong and long lasting. (Philstar.com)

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COMMUNITY Journal

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Deported because extension denied Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ MANY people visit the U.S., and upon arrival are allowed to remain for six months. Near the end of that six months, some people decide they want to stay longer, either to spend more time with family, or visit other places within the United States. Accordingly, they file for an extension.

If the extension is approved, there is no problem.

The person is allowed to visit for another six months. But what if the request for extension is denied?

Recently, several people have consulted with me, where they applied for either an extension of status or change of status, and the request was denied. They were then sent an appointment notice to go to an Application Support Center for fingerprinting, at which time they were served with a notice to appear (NTA), placing them in deportation/removal proceedings. Other people did not bother showing up for the fingerprinting ap-

pointment, and the NTA was mailed to them.

The NTA notes that they had entered as a visitor on a particular date, and were authorized to stay until a particular date. They filed for an extension (Form I-539) which was later denied. As a result, the person is alleged to have remained in the U.S. beyond their authorized stay “without authorization“ from USCIS, and they no longer possess a valid visa or other entry document allowing them to enter or remain in the U.S. They are also assigned a hearing date before a judge.

If they decide to leave the U.S. before the hearing, it could be considered that they have “self deported.� If they attend the hearing, they may not have any “form of relief� to enable them to remain in the U.S. and might have to take “voluntary departure.“ This seems to be a new development under the Trump administration, because in the past, if someone’s application for extension or change of status was denied, all the person received was the denial. Now, they’re also being placed in deportation proceedings. Therefore, if anyone is thinking about applying for an extension, be aware of these new develop-

ments. If you have already been placed in deportation, you may want to consult with an attorney, to determine if you have any forms of relief or if there are any other options available to you. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories�, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

TRADING AN OLD EMPLOYER FOR A NEW ONE STILL GOT THEM THE PRIORITY DATE FROM THE PREVIOUS EMPLOYER, THUS CUTTING WAIT TIME. Husband and wife, Jon (left) and Jen (center), were working for an employer who agreed to sponsor their employment petition. However, the work became increasingly difficult that their quality of life suffered, making the couple quit their jobs. Faced without a sponsor, no jobs, and two deaths in the family that they could not go home for, was a tremendous burden for the family. When they asked the advice of leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, he told them to look for another employer who would be willing to sponsor them. Fortunately, Jon and Jen found a new employer that gave them new hope and a new lease on life. Atty. Gurfinkel was also successful in transferring the priority date on the first employer’s case to the new employer’s petition, saving years of additional waiting time. Watch this success story on an all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy� – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

(Advertising Supplement)

Lessons in retaining or transferring priority dates for employment-based petitions on a brand-new episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy’ THIS Sunday’s episode of “Citizen Pinoy� discusses how one may retain or transfer priority dates for employment-based petitions, even if an applicant may have changed employers or it’s a different type of job.

Jon was petitioned by his employer in August 2006, but when they parted ways in April 2008, the I-140 petition had been approved by then. However, without an employer to continue the sponsorship, Jon and her

wife, Jen, and their daughter, Trisha, seemed like they were facing an uncertain future.

Leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel them that they needed to find another employer who would be willing to sponsor them anew.

Fortunately, Jon and Jen were able to find another employer who was willing to sponsor them. Once the couple found a new sponsor, the Law Offices of Michael

J. Gurfinkel was able to file all the necessary paperwork and Jon and Jen retained their original August 2006 priority date from the previous employer’s petition, thus cutting years of waiting for a “new� priority date to be current.

Watch this success story on an all-new episode of “Citizen Pinoy� — on Sunday 6:15 p.m. PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select cable/ satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

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JULY 12-18, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Gerald Anderson excited over Bea-John Lloyd screen reunion

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

GERALD Anderson reacted on the on-screen reunion of his girlfriend Bea Alonzo and John Lloyd Cruz.

In an interview with the media during a Skechers event — he endorses the sneaker brand — Gerald said he knew the project all along and he’s hoping that the two Star Magic artists will reunite on the big screen soon.

“Matagal ko na alam yun e. Yun ang ginawa nila, yung brand na ini-endorse nila ngayon. Exciting no? Namimiss sila nang maraming tao. Sabi ko nga ‘dapat nga gumawa na kayo ng pelikula e’ kasi dun kayo nakilala talaga eh, yung partnership niyo, yung team work niyo, love team niyo so maraming nakaka-miss sa inyo,” Gerald said.

“Sobrang refreshing diba? Si John Lloyd matagal nawala, sobrang na-miss natin siya sa mga movies niya, sa mga ginagawa niya so it’s good to see them together,” he added.

Gerald added that he’s a big fan of the John Lloyd-

Celebrity couple Gerald Anderson and Bea Alonzo

Bea love team. True to it, he said that a John Lloyd-Bea movie was the first Tagalog movie he saw in theaters.

“Oo naman. Yun ang unang movie na pinanood ko.

‘Now That I Have You’ sa sinehan nagbayad talaga ko.

Fourteen or 13 years old ako nun,” Gerald said.

He added that Bea was his crush back then, so when he learned that a movie starring the actress was then showing in cinemas, he grabbed the chance to watch it.

“Crush ko na siya nun eh.

Hindi ko siya kilala pero napanood ko lang sa TV tapos sabi ng kaibigan ko, ‘tara may movie sila na pinapalabas’ sabi ko ‘talaga? May

Photo courtesy of Star Magic

movie sila?’ kasi hindi ko pa alam na malaking artista sila tapos takbo kami papunta sa mall. Ayun ang unang pelikula na Tagalog na napanood ko,” Gerald said.

Despite being busy with their respective professional commitments — Gerald also has a stint with the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League — Gerald said he and Bea always make time for each other.

“Pag gusto mo laging may paraan diba? Sacrifice, time management, understanding, napakahirap ng schedule namin so ginagawa namin yung best namin. That’s all we can do at maging positive lagi,” he said.

Danilo: From Streetboy to farm boy By ricky lo Philstar.com

HAVE you ever wondered whatever happened to Streetboys, the dance group managed by director Chito Roño?

Well, the group has long disbanded and the members have gone different ways, most of them have families of their own.

Still visible on TV as “It’s Showtime” co-hosts are reelected Makati Councilor Jhong Hilario and Vhong Navarro, both of whom star in movies every now and then. Meynard Marcellano is reported to be performing at the Universal Studios in Singapore while two other members have opted to stay in the UK after appearing in the West End production of “Miss Saigon.”

What about Danilo Barrios, said to be the cutest among the Streetboys?

He’s now living in a farm 20 kilometers from Tarlac City with his wife, Regina Soqueño, and their two children aged five (kindergarten) and

Danilo Barrios

Photo from Instagram/@sbdanbarriosjr

three (nursery), plus Danilo’s 15-year-old daughter with a former girlfriend (not the dancer who is now happily married to a politician in Pampanga).

“Masaya at tahimik,” is how Danilo and Regina described their present life far from the maddening crowd.

“So different from showbiz,” added Danilo. “Less stress, quiet and simple. We own our time, no pressure.”

The couple recently met with a handful of movie writ-

ers to talk about the thriving family business — actually four businesses: Tatioactive DX Beauty & Wellness Center (in Quezon City), Ysabelle (food supplements, etc.), Hugo (pillows and blankets, etc.) and My Precious One (jewelry).

“Managing a business is just like being in showbiz,” admitted Danilo. “Both are hard, parehong mahirap.

The only difference is that in showbiz, you are tied to a schedule. In our own busi-

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

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Once Upon a Time Series Beatrice’s Fight for Survival

“ … You need a divorce,” the doctor told her.

BEATRICE was good with numbers and Jim was more of an artist. He played in a band and made a good living with short-term gigs. She made a good living as an accountant and was content with a pretty predictable work schedule.

Bea, as she was called fondly, was financially savvy and fiercely loyal to the bone to those around her immediate orbit. She bought only branded, top of the line items she could meticulously care for, keep and use for a long time. Bea thought that high quality items, even if expensive than most, pay for themselves, over the course of long-term use. She meant to pass them on still in tip-top shape to her nieces and favorite people. Bea was careful with her beautiful stuff as she was with hers and Jim’s life.

They were good together in high school and they got married after college. They spoke the same language of the heart. Life was normal for about a decade. For some reason, they had no children but they accepted it and got along well, neither one seeking blame for their childless marriage.

One day, the doctor told Jim who was thirty at the time, after running a series of tests that his kidneys were failing and unless he had a kidney transplant from a matching donor, he would be undergoing dialysis three times a week for the rest of his life.

As fate would have it, there was a donor for Jim, a young man who lost his life in a car accident and whose kidneys matched Jim’s. It was an organ match made in heaven and the timing couldn’t have been more accurate. Yet the couple knew that life would never be the same again.

They would have to take real care of how they were to live their lives, from the food they

eat to the amount of stress they can manage. Jim and Bea rose to the challenge.

They became two peas in a pod.

The doctor sat down Beatrice and told her outright what was in store for her as Jim’s wife and default primary caregiver. “If you can’t handle this challenge, you need a divorce,” the doctor told her.

He was forthright about the consequences of the surgery: a total change of lifestyle when it came to food, hygiene, personal and private life and even mobility.

Bea would have to take the cudgels and fight for both their survival. She had no choice. She would essentially be the dominant life force in the marriage when it came to making a living and managing finances and even getting from place to place. It would be a total reversal of roles.

Bea thought about it and prayed earnestly about how she can handle it all. Peace came to her as she offered her situation to God. “God, please give me the strength and fortitude,” she prayed.

Bea and Jim did what they had to do to live quietly following their doctor’s admonitions on what clean, careful living would be for someone with a transplanted organ.

It isn’t easy — not by a very long shot. The daily grind of following the do’s and don’t’s can strain one’s soul and marriage, both for the afflicted and the caregiver. They would have to fend off infection at all costs. There will be friction and fatigue but if there is an ounce of love between them, it oils out the tension and the strain. They can beat the odds together.

They are likely to have a very good run for many years, much longer than what the doctor predicted.

And they have indeed. It has been more than 30 years

since Bea accepted her lot and Jim, for his part, followed the doctor’s orders strictly and lived to tell the tale of how love truly conquers all.

The same doctor is in awe of the sterling record of survival that Jim and Bea hold to this day.

Popular myth ascribes heroism to those who fought in wars or those who have done dramatic things heralded in the media, Hollywood and the internet. The truth is, heroism and the generosity of the human spirit come in many shapes and forms, often in untold ways. This is one of them. There are those among us who quietly and victoriously fight their personal, private wars daily with joy and grace with none of the empty hype and fanfare.

We meet them. We live with them. Their stories of love and endurance inspire us and teach us to keep going no matter how rough things may be.

So next time we meet a stranger, BE NICE. We have no idea of what he or she may be going through. When people ask for prayers, pray for them in spades. God blesses both the ones you pray for and YOU as the supplicant as well. Prayer, as a force, is both geometric and nuclear in its effects, like ripples in a giant cosmic pond. God answers all in His own good time and in his unfathomable ways.

More than likely in many human lives, there is an untold wonderful story of love, courage, endurance and ultimately, victory, that is begging to be told for all the world to know.

A story can inspire. This one does. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc. com.

ness, sarili namin ang oras.”

Married for more than five years, Regina and Danilo were introduced by Regina’s friend when she was 16 (a few years younger than Danilo).

They lost track of each other and met again through Facebook after a few years.

“At first,” confessed Regina, “my parents and my lola were strict; they didn’t

approve of Danilo kasi daw may anak na. I learned that he was a dancer only much later. But I love him; he’s my first love, so we eloped.

Danilo is shy, kulang sa kapal ng mukha, so we didn’t really have a long courtship. In December, we will celebrate our sixth wedding anniversary. No regrets.”

No, said Danilo, he doesn’t

really miss showbiz, not now anyway.

“I focus on our business(es) and our children, who are fast growing up. What I miss about showbiz is the camaraderie, the friendship. I miss my fellow Streetboys. It’s good that we reunite once in a while for special occasions, just like when Kuya Chito celebrated his birthday.”

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people events arts culture entertainment

Tsismis aims to be NYC’s newest Filipino hangout

A

by

MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

fter a long and arduous journey, Tsismis NYC finally opened its doors last month to hordes of hungry diners. We went on their third week and noticed that the hostess turned away at least five parties wanting to eat because the restaurant was running full house that evening.

“We’re all about promoting food and culture here in New York City,” remarked executive chef Jappy Afzelius, who started this concept with the owners Stephen Young and Reggie Aguinaldo.

The name Tsismis or chismis comes from the Spanish word chisme, which means to gossip. As in every Filipino meal, tsismis is that extra spice that makes the gathering over good food and drinks a more fun experience.

Whether it’s about catching up on each others’ activities or about politics and showbiz here and back home, we’re all about the latest cheese, tsismis that is.

With only a little more than a month since their opening last June, Jappy already has his share of the usual restaurant problems and challenges, from staffing issues to undeAlso among the specials at Tsismis are Jappy’s Wings (signature chicken wings with their Tsismis hot mango salsa), Kale Laing (local kale instead of taro leaves, sautéed with shrimp paste and coconut milk) and Silvanas (cashew meringue wafers with buttercream and cookie nut crumble).

livered ingredients and broken plates and glasses.

He has also received complaints from some well-meaning, yet critical guests.

As we already all know, Filipinos are among the most (hard to please and) stringent critics of Filipino cuisine.

“Ang daming comments, from ‘This is not traditional’ to ‘This is not how my Lola cooked this’ or ‘I grew up eating something different’. I always tell them, we are a restaurant so we should be not exactly similar to home cooking because why then would you come to us when you can have it at home,” Jappy explained.

“It has to be a little bit different. Not better because there is nothing better than your mother’s or grandmother’s cooking. We don’t aspire to compete with that. We just want to showcase what we have created and have a place for you to come and hang out,” he added.

Happy Hour: Five Thirsty Aside from pushing Filipino cuisine, Jappy and his team wanted to revive “Five Thirsty,” a happy hour concept made famous in the Philippines back in the 90s.

Jappy trained in Paris under famed chef Alain Ducasse at Chez Allard Bistro and he used to hangout with fellow Filipinos and they would go to French bistros, eat, drink and gossip about the kitchen life, what was going on in the food scene in the Philippines, what Filipino chefs were doing in America and what their dreams were.

It dawned on him that during his college days back in the Philippines, people used to love to go out, eat and talk.

He wanted to share that side of Filipino culture where family and friends would have a good time, share a good meal and have some drinks, whether it is wine or San Miguel Beer.

The idea of opening a casual, French style bistro serving Filipino cuisine in New York has been percolating in Jappy’s mind since then. Lucky for him, he says, he met the right team and made the project grow and flourish. It took a little while, and now Tsismis is fast becoming a favorite hangout of Filipinos in the area.

“So far, the neighborhood of the Lower East Side has been very welcoming,” Jappy said.

“They love the concept, the food and they’re starting to love Filipino

culture as well.”

Misconceptions As a chef, Jappy feels that Filipino cuisine is so far behind our Asian neighbors like Thailand and Vietnam but with the current influx of chefs in Europe and America, he believes that the cuisine has started to get the recognition it truly deserves.

The misconceptions do not help at all: that Filipino dishes are too oily, everything is deep fried, everything is rice heavy.

“Vegetables are predominant in our cuisine. We just need to use them more because we’re brainwashed into thinking that Filipino cuisine is all about sisig, liempo, lechon, bagnet and inasal that we tend to forget, masarap din ang pinakbet, or pinapaitan salad or salted egg salad,” he said. “These dishes can shine, we just have to put them on the center and allow them to shine.”

After his training in Paris, he was sent to New York to work at Benoit, another Ducasse restaurant. He also worked in David Burke’s Fabrick and then eventually at Manila Social Club in Brooklyn where he honed his skills in Filipino cuisine, using the French techniques he has learned along the way.

After his stint at Manila Social Club, he had the opportunity to travel to Italy and Japan where he did pop ups to promote Filipino cuisine and upon his return to New York, focused on opening Tsismis.

“We’re not traditional, we’re not modern. We’re kinda in between,” Jappy said when asked about how he would describe the dishes they serve. “It’s eclectic style.

Our place highlights Filipino culture as well through the artworks we have all over the restaurant.”

The Dishes A cursory look at the menu would show the different secPAGE 15

Tsismis, the newest Filipino restaurant in New York City is located in the Lower East Side neighborhood of Manhattan.

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

Executive Chef Happy Afzelius shows a lechon de leech for a small party that evening at Tsismis. His dream now is to open a Tsismis in the Philippines, where there will be an exchange of ideas, ingredients and recipes between New York and Manila.

Among the dishes that Tsismis offers are (clockwise): Tinapa Croquetas (deep fried smoked fish balls), Inihaw na Ribs (grilled baby back ribs in a Pinoy BBQ marinade served with vegetables and garlic rice), Pancit Bihon (vegan, wok fried mung bean vermicelli with sautéed vegetables and tofu) and Ensaladang Pampagana (salted eggs, mangoes and tomatoes in a calamansi vinaigrette).

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EntErtainmEnt

Bela ‘happy’ for engagement of ex

By Niña V. GuNo Inquirer.net

BELA Padilla assured fans that she was fine after ex Neil Arce got engaged to Angel Locsin in June.

The “100 Tula para kay Stella” actress stated her sentiments about her exboyfriend’s happy news.

Padilla was doing a Q&A on Instagram on Wednesday night, July 10, when she was asked, “How’s your heart knowing that your ex is already engaged?”

She replied, “Why would you assume that I’m affected? I’m happy for them.”

Arce and Padilla were

in a relationship for four years until early 2017.

Arce, a writer and producer, worked with Padilla on films such as “Luck at First Sight” and “Camp Sawi.”

Romance rumors between Locsin and Arce began in 2017. They had been friends for years before Locsin confirmed in February 2018 that they were a couple.

It seems the three have always had an amicable relationship. Padilla said she and Locsin were friends on “Tonight with Boy Abunda” in April 2017 and said she was OK with Arce dating again.

15

Paulo, Janine to star in movie ‘If We Don’t Make It’

By Niña V. GuNo Inquirer.net

Bela Padilla Photo from Instagram/@bela

What makes K Brosas & Angeline tick

By Boy aBuNda Philstar.com

K BROSAS and Angeline Quinto have a lot in common.

Both are talented, funny and articulate. K is dubbed as the Ultimate Entertainer for her gift of gab and impressive singing while Angeline wasn’t named the “Star Power” grand winner for nothing.

Her vocal power is notable that makes teleserye theme songs all the more affecting.

Plus, her witty remarks never fail to elicit laughter.

It’s just but right to put them together in the musical concert dubbed Angeline K ‘To, Concert Namin ‘To happening on July 12 at the Araneta Coliseum. John Prats is in-charge of manning the show.

Angeline and K have a natural chemistry in bringing hilarious entertainment to everyone. So, expect to witness a showcase of excellent vocal performance and perfect comedic timing on stage. Certainly, their being close friends in real life makes everything they say or do to come out as natural as can be.

Did you know that a silicone bra was instrumental at how the beautiful friendship of K and Angeline started?

K recalled having seen Angeline struggling hard to hide the straps of her bra in one of their out-of-the-country events for Kapamilya TFC subscribers. The latter was then fresh from winning in the singing search and it was her first time to do a show abroad.

“She was wearing a backless gown and I saw her on the corner pulling the straps of her bra to hide them on the

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 12-18, 2019

PAULO Avelino and Janine Gutierrez have been paired up for their first movie together.

The actors from rival networks will work in T-Rex Entertainment’s new project “If We Don’t Make It,” the indie production company announced on Tuesday, July 9.

The story involves “two people who are more than friends but less than lovers.”

During the press conference in Quezon City, the two actors posed together, with Gutierrez in a denim dress and Avelino in a black outfit, sporting shoulder-length hair.

The film is written by Jen Chuaunsu and directed by Prime Cruz, who both worked together on “Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B” and “Can We Still Be Friends?”

Janine Gutierrez with Paulo Avelino

Gutierrez and Avelino are the latest in ABS-CBN and GMA’s recent crossover teamups. Major pairings this year have included Kathryn Ber-

Photo courtesy of T-Rex Entertainment

nardo and Alden Richards in “Hello, Love, Goodbye” and Maine Mendoza and Carlo Aquino in “Isa Pa with Feelings.”

Tsismis aims to be NYC’s newest...

K Brosas and Angeline Quinto

side toward the underarms so they wouldn’t show in her outfit. Good thing, I had an extra so, I offered it to her kasi dapat talaga ganun ang suot para walang makikita ‘pag kailangan strapless (bra) sa damit,” shared K and then Angeline poked fun at herself through a revelation that until now she does not own one.

“Sumunod na nun pati eye liner ko, pagtapos mascara, sabi ko, ‘Bakit ‘di mo na lang kunin ‘yung make-up kit ko ‘day?’ (laughs),” added K. Kidding-aside, K was truly impressed with Angeline’s singing ability and described her style as “halimaw.”

For her part, Angeline appreciated K’s kindness by telling how she looks up to her as a big sister.

No wonder, the two truly feel oh so comfortable sharing details about each other without any one of them getting offended. K admitted that Angeline is the better singer compared to her.

“Kaya kong lumaban pero ‘di ko kayang taasan,” said K, obviously referring to Angeline’s ability to hit the high notes like she did when she effortlessly belted her hit single “Lipad ng Pangarap”.

K, on the other hand, dis-

Contributed photo

played her torch singing skills where the notes are relatively lower but the style is sexier. “Hindi kailangan laging mataas; kailangan patapon,” she explained.

When it comes to riches, Angeline revealed K is more well-off with the latter’s newly-built four-storey house as one proof. However, Angeline reminded that she is an extravagant lover and the most lavish gift she’s given a guy is an expensive watch.

“But (through installment) two gives. It’s not yet paid until now even if it’s been three years already since we’ve broken up,” she quipped.

What’s nice with Angeline is her candor. She is not afraid to show her true persona. It was a riot when K and Angeline obliged to pose for the camera like a model to determine who is sexier between them. They were initially asked to throw a fierce personality to shine through in the shoot and Angeline asked, “Fierce? Takot?” with K asking her back while laughing, “Fierce? Takot?

Ilan takot? Marami, fierce, hahahaha.”

With K and Angeline together, there’s absolutely a whole lot of fun.

PAGE 14 tions, from pica pica or pulutan (appetizers) to salads, soups and platos (main entrees). It is quite an extensive menu and Jappy shared that the menu has gone through tremendous editing.

There’s a plato de queso and salumeria (cured meat) along with traditional Filipino favorites like lumpia (vegetarian spring rolls), pinsit frito (fried pork dumplings with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce) and kale laing (local kale instead of taro leaves sautéed with shrimp paste and coconut milk) among the appetizers.

For salads, they have salted egg, tomato and mango salad, something that Jappy remembers eating when he was growing up in Negros Occidental; Pinoy Caesar with tuyo dressing (served with romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, tuyo flakes, and a spicy Caesar dressing) and Pinakbet Salad served with bagoong (fermented baby shrimp) vinaigrette.

Under the “sopas” section is their version of Pancit Molo, along with what he calls a refined version of Monggong Sabaw, a vegan dish using yellow beans with a light mushroom broth, similar to lentils soup.

For the main courses, Jappy said they wanted to showcase Filipino favorites, hence their version of kare kare, chicken

adobo, and sinigang na salmon, served with poached eggplant, daikon, and bok choy along with Reggie’s Pasta Aligue (al dente angel hair pasta tossed with crab fat sauce and lump crabmeat), a dish taken from the owner’s pioneering recipe adaptation of mixing a local Filipino delicacy with Western style noodles.

“I’m also very happy with the pritong isda, we use the milkfish (bangus) belly and I think you won’t find it anywhere else,” he said. “Then we have our inihaw na ribs, and we use our own marinade from Negros.”

There’s also a tasting menu available by reservation at an eight-seat “chef’s table” outside the open kitchen, featuring select and seasonal dishes with sake and wine pairings.

The Journey of Tsismis It took a while before Tsismis was able to open its doors.

There were a lot of hurdles, among them problems with permits, which delayed the opening for about seven months. Finding the right team members was also tough since Filipino cuisine is not up there yet, and people had doubts.

“I made a point to them that this was our dream and no matter what, we will persevere,” Jappy shared. “We will work extra hard to build our name so that when we open, it is going to be easier to invite people to come.”

Training was essential to the

crew, specially those who do not have any idea about Filipino cuisine and its ingredients.

Tsismis wanted to highlight the Filipino ingredients they use in their dishes so it was essential for the servers to know these unfamiliar items, among them calamansi, bagoong, and banana catsup.

This is why Tsismis joined the Filipino Restaurant Week last year where they hosted pop ups at Ugly Kitchen for two weeks and they also joined the Philippine Street Food Festival at the UN. This year, they provided food at the opening event of FRW and were active in catering for some events held at the Philippine Consulate.

So on opening night they were more than ready. It was a product of more than a yearlong preparation. The delays helped them to fine tune the dishes and the service crew.

“This is a dream come true for me, seeing our own place where we are doing our best so that more people are able to experience and appreciate Filipino cuisine,” Jappy said.

For now, he is busy cultivating yet another dream: that of opening a Tsismis in the Philippines in a year or two.

“Then we can start really sharing ingredients and ideas because when we go there, we will bring a slice of the Lower East Side culture that we can share with the Pinoys,” he said.

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JULY 12-18, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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