071418 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

July 14-17, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 57 • 4 Sections – 32 Pages

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Report: Hate crimes increase by 17 percent in California Experts attribute the increase to the uprising of white supremacy amid the Trump era

ACCORDING to a new report from the California attorney general, reported hate crimes across the state have increased for the third year in a row, jumping by 17 percent in 2017.

The 2017 California Criminal Justice Data Report from Attorney General Xavier Becerra’s office found that there were 1,093 reported hate crimes in California last year

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US government misses first family reunification deadline

Nearly half of kids in youngest age group deemed ‘ineligible’ due to safety concerns

NEARLY half of the immigrant children under five years old who were separated from their parents at the U.S. border were unable to be reunited, as the U.S. government struggled to meets its first reunification deadline.

The Trump administration said on Thursday, July 12 that all “eligible” children under age five were reunited with their parents, but 46 kids were not.

This, they said, was due to safety concerns.

The numbers came a couple days after its missed reunification deadline of Tuesday,

PH won’t give up its national territory, says Malacañang

by JULIUS

VILLANUEVA ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines will not be a province of China as it will “continue to assert [its]sovereignty and sovereign rights,” Malacañang said on Thursday, July 12, after Metro Manila woke up to

a string of tarpaulins hanging on foot bridges around Metro Manila with the text: “Welcome to the Philippines, province of China.”

“Because we continue to assert our sovereignty and sovereign rights. But we decided to move on on issues which are non-controversial because we know

that the final resolution particularly on the issue of sovereignty on the disputed islands will take many years to resolve since this was not the subject of the arbitral ruling that we won two years ago,” Palace Spokesman Harry Roque Jr said in a statement, referring to the second anniversary today of case that

the Philippines filed and won against China before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague involving the exercise of its sovereign rights over the disputed territories on the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Roque called the tarpaulins “absurd”

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Duterte unfazed by the drop in satisfaction rating

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte was unfazed when a new survey revealed that his satisfaction rating dropped to a new low in the second quarter of 2018.

The nationwide survey was conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) from June 27 to 30. It showed 65 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied and 20 percent are dissatisfied with Duterte’s performance for a net satisfaction score of +45.

His score was down by 11 points from the +65 he received in March.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque merely shrugged of the result and said Duterte does not work to raise his popularity ratings. According to him, Duterte is not a “survey-driven” leader.

“Our president does not govern for the ratings. He is fulfilling his promise and his promise is simple: anti-corruption, anti-il- FALSE STATEMENT. Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) personnel remove a banner saying, ‘Welcome to the Philippines: Province of China’ at the legal drugs and a more comfortable life East Rembo footbridge along C-5 Kalayaan, Makati City on Thursday, July 12. Banners welcoming visitors to the Philippines as a “province of China” were for everyone,” Roque told radio dzRH on seen hanging on several footbridges in Metro Manila on Thursday, on the second anniversary of The Hague’s ruling that invalidated China’s claim to nearly

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all of the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

Manilatimes.net photo by Andrea De La Cruz

‘Recent killings of local officials not due to war on drugs’

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

FOUR local officials in the Philippines were killed in a time span of less than two weeks, fueling concerns that the administration’s anti-drug campaign has

been emboldening some people to carry out killings.

Al Rashid Mohammad Ali, vice mayor of Sapa-Sapa in Mindanao’s Tawi-Tawi province, was shot and killed by two motorcycle-borne gunmen on Wednesday, July 11, making

him the fourth local official to be killed in just ten days. The third, Vice Mayor Alexander Lubigan of Trece Martires in Cavite, was shot just three days before.

Malacañang Palace said Thursday, July 12 that the Duterte ad-

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PH Senate divided on whether to postpone 2019 midterm elections Precondition for the introduction of the federal system

by LEILA

B. SALAVERRIA

Inquirer.net

THE Senate is divided on the question of canceling or postponing next year’s midterm elections to clear the way for the introduction of federalism in the Philippines.

Malacañang, however, is firm about the holding of the midterms as required by the Constitution.

“As long as the date for the elections, as provided for in our Constitution, is unchanged, President Duterte will implement this and the 2019 elections will push through,” presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said on Thursday.

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Filipino activists, accompanied by Vietnamese groups, protest China’s claim in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) in front of the Chinese AJPress photo by Klarize Medenilla Consulate in Koreatown, Los Angeles on Thursday, July 12.

Two years after Hague ruling, AAPI activist groups rally in LA against China in Philippine Sea conflict Raucous protest calls for Fil-Ams, US lawmakers to stand with the Philippines on the second anniversary of the tribunal’s ruling

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

Senate President Vicente Sotto III (5th from right) receives a draft of the proposed Federal Constitution from former Supreme Court Chief Justice and Consultative Committee (ConCom) Chairman Reynato Puno (6th from right) Thursday, July 12. Sotto said senators would receive a copy of the draft so they could discuss how to include it in their schedule. Also in photo is former Senate photo by Joseph Vidal Senate President Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. (4th from right).

TWO years after the Philippines scored an historic win at The Hague against China over the Philippine Sea dispute, Filipinos around the world are pressuring the Philippine government to uphold sovereignty in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

On Thursday, July 12, Filipino activist groups staged a worldwide protest which had three purposes: encourage other Filipinos to rally against China’s claims, urge U.S. lawmakers to assert “freedom of navigation,” and call on Duterte to maintain The Hague’s 2016 ruling.

For years, the Philippines has contended that the body of water — which includes islands, reefs,

banks and other maritime features and viable resources like oil and natural gas — to remain international waters and should not belong to the People’s Republic of China.

The territorial dispute dates back to the 1970s but has escalated in recent years. In 2016, an arbitration tribunal conducted by The United Nations Convention

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From the Front Page

PH won’t give up its national...

PAGE A1 t and said that the enemies of the government responsible for the stunt should try again and do a “better gimmick than that.”

Roque assured the public that the Philippines has not given up on our territory because we will “continue to assert [our] sovereignty and sovereign rights.”

“They [the enemies of the government]are propagating a lie that we have given up on our national territory. It’s very far from the truth. The president has said repeatedly that we will stand up for what is ours,” he said.

Former Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario criticized the government and said that it continued to be a “willing victim

of China” because it refused to enforce the Hague ruling two years after the Philippines won the landmark case. But the palace spokesman questioned Rosario’s authority on the subject.

“I don’t know what makes him an authority to give that view.

I’m not sure what they mean by enforcing an arbitral decision because an arbitral decision is binding on parties thereto. It clearly underscores the fact that some individuals including the former secretary of foreign affairs does not fully understand the nature of arbitration,” he said.

“Whether or not China will acknowledge it [arbitration case], China is bound by it,” he added.

The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) clarified that it did not issue permits for the banners. MMDA said the tarpaulins may have been “mistranslated” and that they were meant to be welcoming banners for Chinese delegates on a tour in the country.

President Rodrigo Duterte previously joked that he wanted the Philippines to be a province of China.

“If you want, just make the Philippines your province, like Fujian so we will not have a problem,” Duterte said in a speech in February.

Duterte said that the disputed waters were “really ours” despite the installation of military facilities

by China in the troubled waters.

While reiterating that “there was no question that the West Philippine Sea was indeed ours,” Duterte said that the Philippines could only be “diplomatic” in dealing with China.

Duterte blamed the former administration for allowing China to build its facilities in the West Philippine Sea. n

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CHECK FOR KIDS WITH CANCER. Cherry Kawajiri (3rd from right) hands over a check of PHP500,000 to Dr. Maridee Sebungan (4th from left) of the House of Hope Foundation as assistance to children with cancer during the DDS-Global event, “Pasasalamat: Pagpugay sa ating Kapulisan, Sandatahang Lakas, at Hudikatura”, held at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Multi-Purpose Building, Camp Crame in Quezon City on Thursday, July 12.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

PH Senate divided on whether...

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Roque was referring to Section 8, Article VI of the 1987 Constitution, which states that the election of the senators and the members of the House of Representatives shall be held on the second Monday of May every three years.

Alvarez’s idea Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, President Duterte’s right-hand man in the House, told reporters on Wednesday that it was difficult for him to say if the midterm would be held next year, as things depended on the choice of priority: the elections or the proposed shift to federalism through constitutional amendments.

He said it might be “practical” to postpone the elections to ease

the change to federalism.

Roque said the elections could be canceled only if the proposed federal Charter was ratified earlier, in which case the 1987 Constitution would no longer have legal effect.

“But while there is no new Constitution yet, the President will see to it that there will be an election,” he said.

After questioning the suggestion of Alvarez on Wednesday, citing the constitutional provision setting the date for congressional elections, Senate President Vicente Sotto III said on Thursday that it was possible to pass a law to postpone the midterms.

Sotto noted that the provision included the phrase “unless oth-

Duterte unfazed by the drop...

Wednesday, July 11.

He also mentioned that Duterte’s score is still higher compared to the latter’s predecessors.

However, the SWS survey results showed that that was only true for two former Presidents: Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Joseph Estrada.

Presidents Corazon Aquino and Fidel Ramos scored bet-

ter than Duterte two years into their terms, with the former garnering +64 in February 1988 and +57 August 1988, while the latter got +67 in April 1994 and +55 in August 1994.

Roque further claimed that Duterte’s score is not poor because “the people are still satisfied.”

“Regardless of numbers, we assure everyone that the President and the members of his

Cabinet would continue to work double-time in bringing the fruits of a better and more inclusive economy, and in strengthening the government’s drive against illegal drugs, crime and corruption,” he added.

Duterte, for his part, said survey ratings no longer interest him.

“I do not care. Make it (a) 15 (-point drop). It no longer matters to me,” he said on Tuesday

erwise provided by law.”

‘I stand corrected’ The phrase means there is no need for constitutional amendment to postpone the elections, he said.

“A law by both houses of Congress may be able to postpone elections, so I stand corrected” Sotto told reporters after receiving the draft federal Charter.

He said, however, that there should be determination first if Congress had enough time to discuss proposed changes to the Constitution or whether it really needed to defer the elections.

But Sen. Francis Escudero said Congress had no power to postpone the elections through a simple law, as it would need an

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“It does not interest me at all,” he added.

Duterte also said that he was just “coasting along.”

“I just coast along. Just traveling... and with the new suggestion since I’m not popular anymore, Congress might decide to find a popular one. You want a popular president? Fine. Good,” he told reporters in Clark, Pampanga. n

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 14-17, 2018 A3

Two years after Hague ruling, AAPI activist...

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on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) ruled against China in Philippines v. China, but that tribunal did not declare ownership or boundaries of the region.

In Los Angeles, a small but determined group of Filipino and Vietnamese protesters gathered in front of the Chinese Consulate in Koreatown garnered much attention from passersby as they ranted and raved well into the street, prompting cops to intervene.

Organized by community leaders Art Garcia and Vange Lara, the group of high-spirited activists demonstrated their contempt on Thursday for the Chinese government’s refusal to recognize The Hague’s July 2016 ruling. Moreover, the protests are a condemnation of the recent spike in militarization of China in the West Philippine Sea region.

“The imminent threat now is the occupation of China of seven islands in Spratly and the Scarborough Shoal, and it is the most potent threat to [the Philippines’] national security,” community leader Art Garcia told the media at the rally, adding that China has “turned islands into missile batteries” which is “a real threat to all Asian countries.”

The July 12 protest exemplifies the global Filipino community’s fervor for China to back off in the dispute and for Duterte to contend for the Philippines’ jurisdiction over the West Philippines Sea. According to a recent survey from Pulse Asia, 73 percent of

Protestors carrying colorfully abrasive signs to show contempt for China’s refusal to sanction the tribunal’s ruling in 2016.

“Get out of the Philippines!” protesters chanted outside the Chinese Consulate, causing a stir along Shatto Place.

Filipinos agree that the “the Duterte administration should assert our rights and protect our territorial sovereignty” in the conflict.

“Now we are Filipino Americans, and we live here, so we have an opportunity to approach the lawmakers of the greatest democracy in the world and hopefully someday they will understand what’s going on in South East Asia because the impact is not only for Asian countries. The impact is global,” Lara shared with reporters at the rally.

The United States government sides with the tribunal ruling and the Philippines on this issue, with a group of U.S. senators — Sens.

Marco Rubio (R-Fla.), Cory Gardner (R-Colo.) and Ed Markey (DMass.) — recently condemning China’s rapid militarization of the South China Sea. In May, the senators has been urging the defense and state

departments to respond to Beijing on this issue, and have also condemned President Donald Trump’s proposed trade deals with China, in part, because of the maritime conflict.

“By placing weapons on these artificial islands—Fiery Cross, Subi Reef, and Mischief Reef— China has increased the risk of conflict between itself and the five other claimants in the Spratlys,” the senators wrote in a letter to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis on May 25. “Moreover, the missiles that China keeps in the Spratly’s are not solely for defense. Increasing its offensive firepower in the South China Sea gives the Chinese government an additional element of coercion in its disputes with its neighbors, including our allies in the Philippines and our partners in Vietnam and Indonesia.” ■

One of the organizers, activist Vange Lara, directs the group of protesters across the street.

The Los Angeles rally was one of several global protests against China’s refusal to recognize the 2016 ruling at the Hague that the West Philippine Sea/South China Sea should remain international waters.

AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla

PEACEMAKERS MEET. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff General Carlito Galvez Jr., known for his peace efforts while heading various units in Mindanao, shakes hands with Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) Chairperson Ghazali Jaafar during a courtesy call of the BTC in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Thursday, July 12. The military reaffirmed its commitment to the peaceful resolution of all conflicts and the achievement of lasting peace and development in the Bangsamoro region.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Report: Hate crimes increase...

PAGE A1 t compared to the 982 in 2016. Records show that hate crimes have increased every year since 2014, and that there was a 44 percent jump since then.

The FBI defines a hate crime as “a traditional offense like murder, arson or vandalism with an added element of bias” and that bias could be based on “race, religion, disability, sexual orientation, ethnicity, gender or gender identity.”

More than half of the reported hate crimes in California involved racism, but crimes against victims based on sexual orientation and religion have also suddenly increased.

Anti-Asian crimes comprise of only 3.4 percent of the hate crimes reported last year — crimes targeting blacks and Latinos were 27.6 percent and 11.5 percent, respectively. But antiAsian sentiments have been exemplified more and more in the form of harassment, with many Asian Americans posting stories on social media about people telling them to “go back to your country.”

Experts have correlated the sudden uptick of hate crimes with the disconcerting rhetoric toward minorities by President Donald Trump and the nationwide resurgence of white supremacist groups after Trump’s

election.

“The current Administration’s anti-immigrant, anti-China, and anti-Muslim rhetoric have certainly affected our Asian American and Pacific Islander communities,” civil rights and legal organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles said in a statement sent to the Asian Journal. “Through our hate tracker, we have received several reports of AAPIs being told to ‘go back to China’ or who have been verbally harassed with racial slurs.”

Filipinos have been among the many targets of this harassment.

Last month, the Asian Journal reported that a Bay Area Filipino and Mexican-American family was chided by an American woman at the grocery story who told them to “go back to your country” because [immigrants] “steal our food, steal our money, steal our jobs.”

Last year, Filipina-American Quiggle Ignacio, a registered nurse, was sitting in her car at the Eagle Rock Plaza in Los Angeles when a white couple hit her car with a shopping cart. When Ignacio looked at the couple, the white woman reportedly yelled at her, “what are you looking at, b*tch? F*ck you, you chinky Asian!”

Ignacio then confronted the couple, asking why she was yelling at them, to which the man

called her “stupid” and told her to “go back to your country,” according to a video Ignacio posted on Facebook. The woman then reportedly hit Ignacio multiple times on her face, which caused facial bruising, as seen in photos Ignacio posted. (Ignacio reported the crime to the police.)

“I’m a good person and a hard worker, follow the law and take care of my patients like my own. There’s no race or color that would change my service to them. I take care of them just like how I would take care of my family,” said Ignacio, according to NextShark. “What did I do to get hit in the face? I didn’t do anything wrong or bad to them. I was the victim but then I got hurt and I got discriminated. At this point, I really pray that people stop being racist and stop hurting other people.”

When Trump first announced his presidential campaign in 2015, he touted his plans to build a border wall along the U.S.-Mexico border with a callous message that brought his campaign early criticism for generalizing Mexican and Central American immigrants as “criminals” and “rapists.”

“When Mexico sends its people, they’re not sending their best… They’re sending people that have lots of problems, and they’re bringing those problems with us. They’re bringing drugs.

They’re bringing crime. They’re

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Dateline USa

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If high court reverses Roe V. Wade, 22 states poised to ban abortion

by Julie

RovneR Kaiser Health News

Firefighters at the scene of a two-vehicle crash that killed four people.

Photos courtesy of Santa Maria Fire Department

3 Filipinas among 4 dead in Santa Maria crash

SANTA MARIA, California – Four people, including three Filipino women, died in a twovehicle collision in a local intersection last Friday, July 6.

The crash occurred at about 11:20 p.m. a Toyota Tundra and a Cadillac Escalade collided in the intersection of Stowell and Blosser roads, according to a report by KSBY. Three people in a Cadillac died at the scene: Necitas Santa Maria of Seattle, Leonicelle Abaigar of Texas, and her 13-year-old daughter, Andrea.

The driver of the Cadillac, was reportedly taken to a local hospital but did not suffer serious injuries.

The driver of the Tundra pickup, 27-year-old Jesse Angel Plata, Jr. of Arroyo Grande, died a few hours later at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital.

Police say an officer spotted Plata driving the Tundra recklessly just prior to the crash.

Traffic investigators are asking anyone who may have seen the collision to contact the Santa Maria Police Department at (805) 928-3781, ext. 2297. (Inquirer.net)

Leonicelle Abaigar of Texas, and her 13year-old daughter, Andrea, were among the fatalities.

WHAT would the U.S. look like without Roe v. Wade, the 1973 case that legalized abortion nationwide?

That’s the question now that President Donald Trump has chosen conservative Judge Brett Kavanaugh as his nominee to replace retiring Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy.

Reversing the landmark case would not automatically make abortion illegal across the country. Instead, it would return the decision about abortion legality to the states, where a patchwork of laws are already in place that render abortion more or less available, largely depending on individual states’ political leanings.

“We think there are 22 states likely to ban abortion without Roe,” due to a combination of factors including existing laws and regulation on the books and the positions of the governor and state legislature, said Amy Myrick, staff attorney at the Center for Reproductive Rights, which represents abortion-rights advocates in court.

“The threat level is very high now,” Myrick said.

Kavanaugh never opined on Roe v. Wade directly during his tenure on the U.S. District Court in Washington, D.C. In his 2006 confirmation hearing for that position, though, he said he would follow Roe v.

Wade as a “binding precedent” of the Supreme Court — which lower-court judges are required to do.

Abortion opponents are buoyed by the pick.

“Judge Kavanaugh is an experienced, principled jurist with a strong record of protecting life and constitutional rights,” said a statement from Susan B. Anthony List President Marjorie Dannenfelser. She spearheaded support for Trump in his presidential campaign after he promised to appoint to the Supreme Court only justices who would overturn Roe v. Wade.

Kennedy, by contrast, was a swing vote on abortion issues.

He frequently sided with conservatives to uphold abortion restrictions. However, in key cases in 1992 and 2016, he sided with liberals to uphold Roe’s core finding that the right to abortion is part of a right to privacy that is

embedded within the U.S. Constitution.

Even now, with Roe v. Wade’s protections in place, a woman’s ability to access abortion is heavily dependent on where she lives.

According to an analysis by the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive-rights think tank, 19 states adopted 63 new restrictions on abortion rights and access.

At the same time, 21 states adopted 58 measures last year intended to expand access to women’s reproductive health.

Since 2011, states have enacted nearly 1,200 separate abortion restrictions, according to Guttmacher, making these types of laws far more common.

As of now, four states — Louisiana, Mississippi and North and South Dakota — have what are known as abortion “trigger laws.” Those laws — passed long after Roe was handed down — would make abortion illegal if and when the Supreme Court were to say Roe is no more.

“They are designed to make abortion illegal immediately,” said Myrick.

Another dozen or so states still have pre-Roe abortion bans on the books.

Some have been formally blocked by the courts, but not repealed. Those bans could, at least in theory, be reinstated, although “someone would have to go into court and ask to lift that injunction,” said Myrick.

States could simply begin enforcing other bans that were never formally blocked, like one in Alabama that makes abortion providers subject to fines and up to a year in jail.

At the same time, Myrick said, “there are 20 states where abortion would probably remain safe and legal.”

The path to the high court Several major challenges to state abortion laws are already in the judicial pipeline. One of these will have to get to the Supreme Court to enable a majority to overturn Roe v. Wade.

“It’s not a question of if, it’s a question of what or when,” said Sarah Lipton-Lubet, vice president for reproductive health and rights at the National Partnership for Women and Families.

The cases fall into three major categories.

The first — and most likely type to result in the court taking

a broad look at Roe v. Wade — are “gestational” bans that seek to restrict abortion at a certain point in pregnancy, said LiptonLubet.

Mississippi has a 15-week ban, currently being challenged in federal court. Louisiana enacted a similar ban, but it would take effect only if Mississippi’s law is upheld. Iowa earlier this spring passed a six-week ban, although that is being challenged in state court, not federal, under the Iowa Constitution.

The second category involves regulations on abortion providers.

One pending case, for instance, involves an Arkansas law that would effectively ban medication abortions. Finally, there are bans on specific procedures, including several in Texas, Arkansas and Alabama that would outlaw “dilation and evacuation” abortions, which are the most common type used in the second trimester of pregnancy.

Myrick and Lipton-Lubet agree that there is no way to predict which abortion case is likely to reach the high court first.

The case that’s actually closest to the Supreme Court, noted Myrick, is a challenge to an Indiana law that would outlaw abortion if the woman is seeking it for sex selection or because the fetus could be disabled. A federal appeals court found that law unconstitutional in April.

Many analysts also agree that even with the court’s likely philosophical shift, Roe v. Wade might not actually be overturned at all.

Instead, said Lipton-Lubet, a more conservative court could “just hollow it out” by allowing restrictive state laws to stand.

“The court cares about things like its own legitimacy,” said Myrick, “and how often a precedent has been upheld in the past.” Given that Roe’s central finding — that the decision to have an abortion falls under the constitutional right to privacy — has been upheld three times, even an anti-abortion court might be loath to overrule it in its entirety.

Kaiser Health News’ coverage of women’s health care issues is supported in part by The David and Lucile Packard Foundation.

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

Anti-abortion activists hold signs next to an abortion-rights activist during the March for Life in January in Washington.

Photo courtesy of Kaiser Health News

Recent killings of local officials...

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ministration and its anti-drug campaign should not be blamed for the recent publicized killings, saying that extrajudicial killings have long been happening in the Philippines.

“Panahon pa po ni GMA [Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo], may problema na tayo sa extrajudicial killings, so hindi po masisisi sa war on drugs ang extrajudicial killings. Nariyan na po ‘yan sa ating lipunan (We’ve had this problem of extrajudicial killings since the time of GMA, so the extrajudicial killings can’t be blamed on the war on drugs. It’s been in our society),” said Presidential spokesman Harry Roque.

Roque dismissed concerns as speculation and said that despite the “high profile” killings, the percentage of crimes have actually gone down.

Earlier this month, the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) cited the administration’s war on drugs as being a contributor to a 25 percent crime rate decline in Metro Manila during the first half of 2018.

“Sunod-sunod (they’re one after the other) because it’s high profile, but if you look at the statistics, the number of homicides have actually declined, marami lang kasing prominente na natatarget (there are just a lot of

PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde

prominent people being targeted),” said Roque on Thursday.

Like in a press briefing earlier this week, Roque again attributed the recent killings to the starting election season. The Philippines has been gearing up for the upcoming elections next year.

“Whether or not we have the war on drugs, the killings would have happened especially now that we are nearing elections,” said Roque.

The Philippines has been known to be a dangerous place for politicians.

At least 33 people were killed and 19 others injured from election-related violence in May as the country prepared for its nationwide local elections, the country’s police chief Oscar Al-

Inquirer.net photo

bayalde reported then.

Up to 16 mayors and vice mayors have been killed since President Rodrigo Duterte entered office in July 2016, with reported motives for the killings being split for the most part between either drug involvement or political reasons.

Of the local officials killed in recent days known to be involved in drugs was Tanauan Mayor Antonio Halili, who had also been previously placed on the president’s list of over 100 narco-politicians.

Other reported mayors killed prior were Reynaldo Parojinog of Ozamiz City, Rolando Espinosa Sr., of Albuera, and Samsudin Dimaukom of Datu Saudi Ampatuan. n

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Filipino security guard in SF shot dead while on FaceTime with wife SAN FRANCISCO — A 61-year-old Filipino security guard at a public housing complex was shot and killed on July 2 while he was conversing with his wife on FaceTime.

Rolando Romero of Hayward, California was killed near Fitzgerald Avenue and Arelious Walker Drive around 5 a.m. in the Bayview District.

A suspect, Cardell Coleman, 24, pleaded not guilty of murder on July 10. Coleman lived at the housing complex.

He allegedly shot Romero two times while the victim was video-chatting with his wife. His motive for the killing hasn’t been disclosed, according to a report by KTVU News.

Romero was an overnight security guard at an area of the Alice Griffith public housing development that was under construction.

Officers found Romero suffering from gunshot wounds.

He was pronounced dead at San Francisco General Hospital.

Surveillance video helped police connect Coleman to the crime. Plainclothes officers arrested him the following day, July 3.

The San Francisco Police Officers Association has donated $1,000 to the GoFundMe page created by Romero’s family in order to help bury him in the Philippines. ColeRolando Romero of Hayward, California was shot dead in man remains in custody with- a San Francisco housing complex where he worked as a SEIZED ILLEGAL DRUGS. A Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) personnel pulls out an estimated 10 grams of shabu worth PHP68,000, which was seized in Barangay Addition Hills in Mandaluyong City last July 10, during a press briefing held at PDEA headquarters in Quezon out bail. (Inquirer.net) security guard.

Contributed photo City on Wednesday, July 11.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Filipina arrested on federal child porn charges in New Mexico ALBUQUERQUE, New Mexico – Jade Tiffany Laurezo, 34, a native of the Philippines, made her initial appearance July 5, 2018 in federal court in Roswell, New Mexico, on a criminal complaint charging her with possessing child pornography.

Laurezo, who has been in the United States for several months on a visitor’s visa, remains in federal custody pending a preliminary hearing and a detention hearing, both of which were scheduled for July 11, 2018, in Las Cruces, New Mexico.

According to the criminal complaint, the investigation

Donaire, 35, hasn’t fought in the 118-pound division in seven years or since he outpointed Argentina’s Omar Narvaez to retain his WBC/WBO bantamweight unified championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2011. He was in devastating form as a bantamweight in mowing down Fernando Montiel in two rounds and Volodymyr Sydorenko in four.

Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos

Donaire signs up for Super Series

by Joaquin

Henson Philstar.com

FORMER five-time world boxing champion Nonito Donaire, Jr. is chasing a new dream to become the undisputed bantamweight titleholder with his inclusion in the eight-man Super Series, a knockout tournament where the ultimate prize is a $10 Million reward.

Donaire, 35, hasn’t fought in the 118-pound division in seven years or since he outpointed Argentina’s Omar Narvaez to retain his WBC/WBO bantamweight unified championship at Madison Square Garden in New York City in 2011. He was in devastating form as a bantamweight in mowing down Fernando Montiel in two rounds and Volodymyr Sydorenko in four.

After losing to Carl Frampton on points for the interim WBO featherweight crown in Belfast last April, Donaire decided to drop down two weight classes to regain his optimum power.

“It’s no problem going down to 118,” said Donaire. “I’m walking around at 128-129. When I start training, it shouldn’t be difficult to go back to bantamweight.

Since the Frampton fight, the opportunity opened up to participate in the Super Series and it’s a blessing.”

In 2017, event company Comosa AG launched the World Boxing Super Series in an attempt to unify the championships in the cruiserweight and supermiddleweight divisions. Ringstar CEO Richard Shaefer, who is now Donaire’s promoter, is involved in the project with Comosa CEO Roberto Dalmiglio. Comosa will now try to unify the titles in the bantamweight and lightwelterweight classes.

Donaire will fly to Moscow on July 17 to attend the draw for the second season of the Super Series. The draw will determine the matchups, brackets and schedules of the eliminations leading to the final where the Muhammad Ali Trophy awaits the survivor. The Super Series format doesn’t allow a draw so a fourth judge is designated to break any possible tie.

“I’m excited to do this,” said Donaire. “I’m grateful to Richard for making me a part of this Super Series. The format is simple – it’s one loss and you’re out. So you’ve got to keep winning. There’s a guaranteed purse for every fight.

The top bantamweights of the world are participating so in the end, the winner will be the undisputed champion.”

So far, seven of the eight fighters in the Super Series have been named. They are Donaire, WBO ruler Zolani Tete of South Africa, WBA regular champion Naoya Inoue of Japan, IBF titleholder Emmanuel Rodriguez of Puerto Rico, WBA “super” king Ryan Burnett of Northern Ireland, Jason Moloney of Australia and Juan Carlos Payano of the Dominican Republic. Tete, 30, has a 27-3 record, with 21 KOs. Inoue, 25, is unbeaten with a 16-0 mark, including 14 KOs. Rodriguez, 25, is also undefeated with an 18-0 slate, including 12 KOs. Burnett, 26, is another unbeaten fighter with a 19-0 card, including nine KOs. Moloney, 27, is the fourth undefeated contender with a 17-0 tally, including 14 KOs. Payano, 34, has a 20-1 record, with nine KOs. Donaire is the most experienced fighter in the cast with a 38-5 mark, including 24 KOs. n

PH Senate divided on whether...

PAGE A2 t

amendment of the Constitution.

“I believe you cannot legislate it because it is clear in the Constitution that the term of a congressman lasts for three years and there should be elections every three years,” Escudero said in news forum in the Senate.

Sen. Grace Poe, in a television interview, said she believed the Senate would reject the cancellation of the elections.

The people should not accept it either, Poe said.

“We cannot really have a noelection … it’s in the Constitution. Even if they amend it in the …. House, it would still need the approval of the Senate,” she said.

‘Farcical’ Sen. Risa Hontiveros also bucked moves to postpone the midterms to allow Congress to focus on amending the Constituion, describing the moves for a change to federalism as “farcical.”

Hontiveros said there were more important issues that deserved the legislators’ attention,

such as the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law now being blamed for rising prices of basic goods.

“Instead of advancing narrow political interests such as prolonging terms of public office through an unnecessary postponement of elections, what Congress needs to do is protect the people’s economic rights and welfare,” she said.

The opposition in the House said on Thursday that the suggestion of Alvarez to postpone the elections showed the real motive behind the effort to amend the Constitution.

“Term extension. This is a reward for members of Congress who will support the shift (to federalism). The conflict of interest is very clear,” Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, who had announced plans to run for the Senate next year, said in a Twitter post.

ACT Teachers Rep. Antonio Tinio echoed this point, saying Alvarez’s remark was “useful in that it reveals the self-interested motives of the advocates of Duterte’s push for Charter change.” n

leading to Laurezo’s arrest began in March 2018, when the Chaves County Sheriff’s Office (CCSO) followed up on a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children regarding an email address subscribed to a Roswell residence where Laurezo was residing that allegedly was used to upload three files of child pornography. On June 27, 2018, the CCSO executed a state search warrant at the residence.

While executing the search warrant, the officers seized a cellular phone, which allegedly belonged to Laurezo. On July 3, 2018, the

CCSO executed a state search warrant on the cellular phone and found that it contained four videos of child pornography.

If convicted of possession of child pornography, Laurezo faces up to ten years of imprisonment and will be deported after completing any prison sentence imposed. Charges in criminal complaints are merely accusations and defendants are presumed innocent unless found guilty in a court of law.

This case was investigated by the Roswell office of the FBI, Homeland Security Investigations, and the Chaves County Sheriff’s

Office. Assistant U.S. Attorney Alexander B. Shapiro of the U.S. Attorney’s Las Cruces Branch Office is prosecuting the case as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice (DOJ) to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse.

The case also was brought as a part of the New Mexico Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force’s mission, which is to locate, track, and capture Internet child sexual predators and Internet child pornographers in New Mexico. (Inquirer.net)

Dateline USa

A july 14-17, 2018 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAl

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Dela Hoya recalls the fighter who sent him to retirement

by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

BOXING legend Oscar Dela Hoya has fought some of the best fighters of his era. He defeated many of them. He lost to only a few.

But no one beat him so badly than Manny Pacquiao, who turned out to be Dela Hoya’s final opponent, in a bout that’s a sad ending to an illustrious 16-year career.

The multi-division world champion and now Hall of Famer — in town to promote Pacquiao’s title fight with Lucas Matthysse — on Thursday sat down with select Filipino scribes at a lounge inside the Le Meridien Hotel for an interview session. There, the retired boxer and now top promoter got to talk extensively about Sunday’s fight, which is being co-promoted by his Golden Boy Promotions and Pacquiao’s MP Promotions.

It just so happened that the star of that card’s main event

was the fighter who sent Dela Hoya to retirement.

“When I fought him (Pacquiao), I thought he was gonna get tired. He never got tired,” Dela Hoya, slumped on a couch, recalled that fateful night in December 2008 when he suffered the worst beating of his career — a ninth round TKO loss to Pacquiao.

A significantly faster Pacquiao battered Dela Hoya from pillar to post in a one-sided bout that ended up with the bigger Dela Hoya unable to answer the bell in the ninth canto.

Up to this day, Dela Hoya — who also lost to fellow greats Felix Trinidad, Shane Mosley, Bernard Hopkins and Floyd Mayweather Jr. — considers the Pacquiao fight as the most difficult he’s ever had.

“Pacquiao’s very tricky.

He has a very unique style,” Dela Hoya said, adding that at Pacquiao’s prime, the Filipino icon was the total package.

“His conditioning, his skill, his power, his speed, his footwork.”

Nearly 10 years later, a contented Dela Hoya has no regrets fighting Pacquiao in what initially was a fantasy bout.

“When I fought Pacquiao, he was the best. He was probably one of the fighters I most appreciate,” said the promoter.

“When I fought Manny, he made me get old. I’m still in pain from when I fought him.

It still hurts,” he joked.

An Olympic gold medalist, Dela Hoya ended his professional career with a record of 39-6, with 30 KOs. He won multiple world titles six weight classes — eclipsed only by Pacquiao himself, who won belts in eight divisions.

In 2014, he was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

“I wish I would have had the record but another great fighter came along in Manny Pacquiao. Not bad company.” n

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Manny Pacquiao and Lucas Matthysse pose with the latter’s WBA welterweight championship belt during the final press conference at the Hilton in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Thursday, July 12.

Philstar.com photo by Abac Cordero

Matthysse to Pacquiao: Brace for ‘The Machine’

by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

WORLD BOXING ASSOCIATION (WBA) welterweight champion Lucas Matthysse has sent a clear message to Manny Pacquiao: You haven’t faced anyone like me.

Matthysse is partly right, as he will be the heaviest puncher to lock horns with Pacquiao in recent memory by the time the two fighters step on the ring on Sunday, July 15 at the Axiata Arena in Malaysia.

The question is: will the 35year-old Argentinean connect?

Matthysse and his camp are confident about his chances.

“Pacquiao is a great fighter, but he hasn’t faced ‘The Machine’ yet,” the reigning titlist told a packed press conference at the Hilton Hotel on Thursday, July 12.

Nicknamed “La Maquina,”

PAGE A1 t

Matthysse is entering the Sunday showdown armed with a high knockout percentage, which likely makes him the most dangerous opponent for an ever-vulnerable Pacquiao. Of Matthysse’s 39 wins, 36 came by way of knockout.

He didn’t travel to the other side of the world to lose.

“I’m honored to face him (Pacquiao). But I’m here to defend my title,” said Matthysse, the pride of Chubut, Argentina.

Matthysse’s purse for fighting Pacquiao is estimated to be at $2 million, but it’s not about the money for the champion.

“We got everything ready to go. Lucas Matthysse is not here for a paycheck. He is here to bring his title back to his people,” said Matthysse’s trainer Joel Diaz.

Pacquiao, for his part, is unfazed. In fact, he again stressed that he picked Matthysse for his exciting style.

“I believe we can create good

action in the ring so the fans will be happy,” said Pacquiao, who is coming off a one-year hiatus and looking for redemption after a controversial loss to Jeff Horn in Australia.

Both camps are satisfied with the work they’ve put in, and it’s just a matter of fine-tuning leading to the official weigh-in on Saturday.

The odds are 2-1 in favor of Pacquiao, which is as close as it can get. For Oscar Dela Hoya, whose Golden Boy Promotions is co-promoting the fight with Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, it’s a toss-up.

“I do know that Matthysse is focused and determined. This is the fight of his life. So it’s all gonna depend on how Pacquiao reacts when the first bell rings. Are we gonna see a distracted Pacquiao or are we gonna see a Pacquiao who we’re used to see?” Dela Hoya said. n

US government misses first family...

July 10 which was set by U.S. District Judge Dana Sabraw in San Diego.

At the Tuesday deadline, the government reported that only four of the expected 102 migrant children under five were reunited with their parents, saying that more would be reunited at the end of the day.

“These are firm deadlines. They’re not aspirational goals,” said Sabraw who gave the government a 14-day deadline for the first wave of reunifications, and a 30-day deadline for older children.

The government is further expected to reunite with their parents, over 2,000 children ages five to 17 by another quickly approaching deadline of July 26.

The Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) said safety concerns were the reason for the delay and said it was better the process not be rushed.

“Our process may not be quick as some would like, but there is no question it is protecting children,” said Chris Meekins, a senior official at DHHS. The department said it had found parents unsuitable for reunification because of issues found during criminal back-

ground checks.

“If we had just reunited kids with the adults, we would be putting them in the care of a rapist, a kidnapper, a child abuser, and someone who was charged with murder in their home nation,” said Meekins.

Of the parents not reunited, government officials said 12 had been deported and are in the process of being contacted, eight were in the custody of U.S. Marshals Service for different offenses, and one’s location was not known.

The department said that eight adults had serious criminal histories including murder, robbery, narcotics, or child cruelty; five were determined not to be parents; and one was accused of child abuse.

But others are reported to have had less serious charges like driving under the influence, which has been argued as not necessarily being grounds for separation.

Reports have also described instances in which parents were not aware that they were being separated from their children.

The Los Angeles Times reported of a father who was deported back to his home country without his daughter. Immigration Customs

Report: Hate crimes increase...

PAGE A3 t rapists. And some, I assume, are good people,” Trump said.

That message set the tone for his campaign — and, eventually, presidential — rhetoric and political outlook. In August 2017, a group of white supremacists rallied in Charlottesville, Va. and spewed racist, nativist messages, which prompted counter protestors, one of whom was killed by a white supremacist who drove a car into the crowd.

Trump hesitated when condemning the act, saying that there was violence “on both sides” and that there were some “very fine people” within the white supremacists, a comment that received wide criticism from Americans of all political leanings.

While the president has walked back on his more controversial statements which were perceived as racist, the perceived correlation between the sheer volume of hate crimes and harassment to-

Enforcement said he had agreed to be sent home without her, but the father said he doesn’t recall ever making an agreement.

Despite the delay, Sabraw said on Tuesday that everyone was “rowing in the same direction,” but added that “families were improperly separated” as a result of President Donald Trump’s “zero tolerance” policy that allowed the separation of families.

After receiving wide criticism including from members of his own party, Trump signed an executive order last month on June 20 to stop the separations.

On Tuesday, asked by reporters about his reaction to the delay, Trump replied, “Well, I have a solution.”

“Tell people not to come to our country illegally. That’s the solution,” said Trump. “Don’t come to our country illegally. Come like other people do. Come legally.”

The orders and deadlines by Judge Sabraw to reunite children with their parents came as a response to a lawsuit against the Trump administration by the American Civil Liberties Union.

Sabraw was expected to voice an evaluation of the government’s efforts Friday, July 13.

(Rae Ann Varona / AJPress) wards minorities in the last three years and the rise of Trump cannot be discounted.

“I think people, particularly with bigots, they are now more emboldened and we are seeing this across a spectrum of data points,” Brian Levin, director of the Center for the Study of Hate and Extremism at Cal State San Bernardino told the Los Angeles Times. “If you look at bigoted social media posts, if you look at the number of white nationalist rallies across the nation and in California.” (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

SC ON SOUTH CHINA SEA ARBITRATION. Justice Antonio Carpio(center), Acting Supreme Court Chief Justice, discusses the topic on Observance of a Rules-Based Order in the South China Sea during the South China Sea Arbitration forum at Manila Polo Club, in Makati City on Thursday, July 12. Also in photo (left) are Dr. Jay Batongbacal, Director University of the Philippines Institute for Maritime Affairs and Law of the Sea; and Marites Vitug, author of the book “Rock Solid: How the Philippines Won its Maritime Case vs China”.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

A

Supreme Court tells Comelec: Poe has second thoughts about seeking reelection Explain 25% ballot shading scheme by leila

salaverria Inquirer.net

by Jomar

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

The Supreme Court (SC) on Thursday, July 12 ordered the Commission on elections (Comelec) to explain the 25-percent shading scheme pushed by Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo.

The order was given in connection with a poll protest filed by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against Robredo over the battle for the vice presidency in the May 2016 elections.

The Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) had asked the SC, sitting as the Presidential electoral Tribunal (PeT), to deny Robredo’s plea to lower the threshold percentage for valid votes in an ongoing manual recount of votes

in three pilot provinces.

In a six-page resolution obtained by The Manila Times, dated July 10, 2018, signed and promulgated by edgar Aricheta, Clerk of Court of the PeT, the high court gave the Comelec 10 days to file its own comment, independent of the OSG’s move.

The PeT has discovered irregularities in Camarines Sur and Iloilo, two of the pilot provinces chosen by Marcos.

The OSG, led by Solicitor General Jose Calida, had requested the PeT to affirm its April 10, 2018 resolution declaring that Robredo’s motion for reconsideration for the lowering of the current 50 percent threshold to 25 percent has “no basis” where determination of valid votes is concerned.

It pointed out that the Comelec Random Manual Audit guidelines that apply the 25 percent threshold are not applicable to election protests and that the SC is the sole authority over election protests.

Marcos lost to Robredo by 263,473 votes. he later accused her of massive electoral fraud.

Meanwhile, the Presidential electoral Tribunal has junked a plea of the Marcos camp to investigate an “outing” sponsored by Robredo for more than 20 PeT head revisors and other officers at a resort in Pansol, Laguna.

It said it conducted a prior investigation even before the complaint was filed by the Marcos camp. n

Boracay rehab boon to PH – Go The rehabilitation of Boracay island will bring long-lasting benefits to locals and the entire country, Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said Thursday, July 12.

Go, who supervised the giving of financial assistance to displaced Boracay workers, said he was instructed by President Rodrigo Duterte to check the progress of the island’s rehabilitation.

“Iniisip ni Presidente ang kapakananan ng nakararami as always. So kung ano mang plano para sa Boracay, kapakanan ng karamihan at kabutihan ng bawat Pilipino lalo ng residente ng Boracay ang isinasaalang-alang (The President always puts the interest of the majority at the forefront. Whatever his plans are for Boracay, rest assured that they will be for the betterment of every Filipino, especially the Boracay residents),” he said.

Before going to Boracay, Go was in Cagayan de Oro and Dumaguete where thousands of his supporters gathered to urge him to run for senator in 2019.

But he said it is too early to discuss politics.

“Trabaho lang muna po ako.

Tumutulong ako sa kampanya ni Presidente para labanan ang drugs, criminality and corrup-

tion. Trabaho lang din kaya ako nakikita sa publiko dahil my job is to help (My focus for now is doing my job. I’m advancing the President’s campaign against drugs, criminality and corruption. It’s only because of my job to help that I’m usually seen in public),” he said.

Go appealed to thousands of students in Dumaguete City to shun illegal drugs.

“Likayan gyud nato ning droga kay mugamay gyud ang utok nato ani (We must avoid illegal drugs because they shrink our brains),” he said.

Go was guest of honor and speaker during the Nutri-Fest 2018, a project of the local government of Dumaguete headed

by Mayor Felipe Antonio Remollo, in line with the celebration of Nutrition Month this July.

In his brief message, Go said the Duterte administration remains committed to curb the problem of illegal drugs and corruption in government.

On peace and order, he reiterated that the declaration of martial law in Mindanao was needed to crush terrorism and attain peace.

“Kung wala niya to gihuman ang giyera sa Marawi, delikado ang Manila, ang Davao, ang GenSan, ang Cagayan (If he (Duterte)

SAP Bong Go

ManilaTimes.net photo

did not finish the war in Marawi, areas like Manila, Davao, Gensan and Cagayan would have been in danger),” he said.

Go also urged local officials to join hands and fight illegal drugs when he represented the President at the Anti-Drug Summit in Victorias, Negros Occidental.

“Importante po ang mga barangay officials, barangay kagawad at Sangguniang Kabataan sa pagpapatupad ng kampanya laban sa droga dahil sila po ang nakakaamoy kung sino po ang mga involved sa droga. Kung ayaw po ng mga local officials sa droga, hindi po mangyayari iyan (Barangay and SK officials are important in the success of the campaign against illegal drugs because they are the ones who know the persons involved in drugs. If the local officials are against drugs, it will not fester in their locality),” Go said.

(ManilaTimes.net)

DeSPITe topping surveys on senatorial candidates, Sen. Grace Poe is having second thoughts about seeking reelection in next year’s elections.

Poe said she was not sure at this point if she would run in the midterm elections because of the concerns of her husband Neil Llamanzares.

“I think that he — more than us — I think he’s traumatized by what happened during the last elections,” Poe said in an interview with ABS-CBN News Channel. her husband had also noted that her pet bills in the Senate have become law, such as the one providing for a feeding program for schoolchildren.

In the run-up to the 2016 elections, presidential candidate Poe was hounded by questions on her status as a naturalborn Filipino as she had been a foundling later adopted by actors Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces.

Reacquired citizenship She was also questioned for giving up her Philippine citizenship to become an American. She later reacquired Filipino citizenship.

The senator said she was not banking much on the fact that she had topped recent surveys on the voters’ preferred senatorial candidates.

“The numbers will not necessarily be the same next year.

It’s not really indicative of your placement in the actual time of elections, that can’t just be the sole basis,” Poe said.

According to her, even a single issue could diminish her lead in the polls. Trust and satisfaction ratings are more important, she said.

“What I am more gratified with is the approval ratings and the trust ratings. That’s not available to the public, but when I see it, that’s the one that is most heartwarming. how much I am trusted, and that’s what I want to keep,” she said.

Independent candidate But in case she runs for the Senate, Poe said she would remain independent, though she would be grateful if another

party adopted her.

So far, nobody has invited her to be a guest candidate, she said.

She believes she could mount a national campaign on her own since she had gone around the country extensively when she ran in the 2016 elections.

This gives her the advantage of knowing in detail the issues that concern the regions, she said.

She also said she did not intend to deviate from her character just to accommodate certain political mindsets. She would lose her message if she did this, she added. n

A8 JULY 14-17, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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O PINION A matter of human rights

FEATURES

THE full implementation of the reproductive health law is part of President Duterte’s 10point socio-economic agenda. With the Supreme Court sitting on a petition against the RH law, however, the President had to issue an executive order to go around the SC’s anythingbut-temporary restraining order, which was aggravated by an interminable wait for the Food and Drug Administration to determine the safety of certain contraceptives.

Today the RH program, also called the responsible parenthood or family planning program, is still crawling along. Women with the financial means, education and access to health care facilities don’t need the program; they enjoy reproductive health care and understand the choices they have in spacing childbirths as soon as they reach reproductive age.

Republic Act 10354, the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012, was supposed to give the same rights and choices to millions of impoverished Filipino women. Nearly six years after the enactment of RA 10354, however, the right to reproductive health remains largely a promise rather than reality for the majority of poor Filipino women.

Observing World Population Day on July 11, the United Nations reminds the international community that family planning is a human right. The

UN began observing the special day 50 years ago after the global population hit five billion, putting pressure on limited resources particularly in poor countries. Today the global population stands at 7.6 billion and continues to grow.

The UN Population Fund or UNFPA stresses: “Family planning is not only a matter of human rights; it is also central to women’s empowerment, reducing poverty and achieving sustainable development.” Yet the UNFPA estimates that some 214 million women in developing regions still lack safe and effective family planning programs.

Gender equity is one area where the Philippines ranks high. But it could rate even better with the full implementation of the RH program.

All Filipino women, regardless of social standing, should enjoy the same right to family planning.

(Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Trump embarrasses America in Europe: Will he now confront Putin over the new Mueller indictment against 12 Russians for meddling in our elections?

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS STATESMANSHIP seems to be an alien word in the Trump universe. His trip to Europe to meet with our allies and world leaders has yet again embarrassed most Americans, except, of course, his loyal fan base.

He went to the NATO summit and acted “pa-macho” and treated the leaders of our allied countries like a king berating his subordinates. He rushed to have a news conference spreading fake news that took credit that our NATO allies had agreed to the increased defense spending “at levels they never thought of before”, only to be contradicted by French President Emmanuel Marcon that such claim is not what the official communique released by member states stipulated. Marcon said the communique just reaffirmed “a commitment to 2 percent in 2024.”

Ahead of the NATO summit, The Guardian reported that the European Council President Donald Tusk “warned Trump not to mix up his friends and his rivals

as he meets with NATO leaders, then Russian President Vladimir Putin.”

“I would like to address President Trump directly, who for a long time now has been criticizing Europe almost daily for, in his view, insufficient contributions to the common defense capabilities,’’ Tusk was quoted by The Guardian after signing a cooperation agreement between the European Union and NATO. “I want to dispel the American president’s argument which says that the U.S. alone protects Europe against our enemies, and that the U.S. is almost alone in this struggle,” Tusk said.

Our NATO allies came to the rescue of the United States after it was attacked on U.S. soil on September 11, 2001 and had sent their own troops to fight with the U.S. military in Iraq and Afghanistan.

“Dear America, appreciate your allies. After all, you don’t have that many. And dear Europe, spend more on your defense, because everybody expects an ally that is well-prepared and equipped,” the EU leader said.

Psychologist Sigmund Freud would probably agree that Trump could be projecting his anxiety on the Russia probe to Germany when he said Germany is “a captive of Russia”.

German Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed back against Trump’s tirade saying, “I have experienced myself how a part of Germany was controlled by the Soviet Union. I am very happy that today we are united in freedom, the Federal Republic of Germany.

Because of that, we can say that we can make our independent policies and make independent decisions. That is very good, especially for people in eastern Germany.”

During Trump’s visit to the United Kingdom, British news media reported how Trump kept his host, Queen Elizabeth, standing in heat as she waited for 10 minutes for Trump who arrived late. The U.S. president was also reported by British media to have broken protocol when he walked ahead of the queen while inspecting troops from the Coldstream Guard and did not bow when he met her.

Trump also reportedly criticized Britain Prime Minister Theresa May on her home soil, saying in an interview with The Sun that she ignored the [unsolicited] advice he gave her regarding Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (Brexit). Trump called this report by the British “fake news”, only to apologize for something he claimed he never did.

Trump, however, did not apologize about what he said about immigrants in Europe. ““I know it is politically not necessarily correct to say that, but I will say it and I will say it loud...

I think it’s been very bad for Europe. I think Europe is a place I know very well and I think what has happened is very tough. It’s a very tough situation,” Trump said.

“I just think it’s changing the culture. It’s a very negative thing for Europe.”

British Prime Minister Theresa May, who was standing next to Trump during the press conference, pushed back on the U.S. president’s assertion and pointed out that immigration has had an overall “good” impact on the United Kingdom.

Trump skipped London after knowing that he felt “unwelcomed” there, especially after he berated London’s mayor hours after seven people were killed and 48 injured last year.

As The Guardian reported “a spokesman for Sadiq Khan said the mayor had “more important things to do than respond to Donald Trump’s ill-informed tweet that deliberately takes out of context his remarks”.

On the day of Trump’s visit to the UK, 100,000 protesters took to the streets of London, launched a blimp depicting Donald Trump as an orange, snarling nappy-wearing baby flew outside the British parliament in London on Friday, and called Trump an “idiot,” “aggressive,” “racist,” “misogynist,” and “homophobic.” They expressed in more ways than one that “Trump is not welcome here.”

BUT what really concerns our NATO allies and what should really alarm the American people is the fact that Trump will meet with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin for a summit in Helsinki, Finland next week — one-on-one— with

nobody to chronicle what the two leaders would be talking about that could have far-reaching global security implications and consequences.

With the news that came out on Friday, July 13, that the Mueller probe has indicted 12 Russians with high military ranks for interfering with the U.S. presidential election by hacking into the Democratic National Committee, the Clinton campaign, and a good number of state election websites stealing voter information — all to damage Hillary Clinton and help Trump win — will Trump finally confront Putin for assaulting our democratic institutions and processes? How would the American people know when no one would be there other than him and Putin??

THINK ABOUT IT. (To be continued.) *** 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

Philippine Chamber Singers-LA’ s heart- cramping Original Pilipino Music Revisiting Baguio City overflows with love for country, family, friends and musical heritage Street Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. (Part I of II series)

“The only thing that makes life worth living is the possibility of experiencing now and then a perfect moment. And perhaps even more than that, it’s having the ability to recall such moments in their totality, to contemplate them like jewels.” - Paul Bowles, The Spider’s House IN two series, I will be writing about the founders of the Philippine Chamber Singers-LA (PCSLA), their immigrants’ journey of survival, their courage to pursue their dreams and their boldness to sing in world-class stages, their inner self-worth to believe that they are worthy of those perfect moments of being a harmonious vocal group.

When I asked what propelled them to seek spaces at Carnegie Hall, Hollywood Bowl and Dis- Founding members of PCS-LA during from their first wedding gig: (From L-R, back row) Gelo Francisco, Dale Francisco, Dino Padallan); (From L-R front row): Anna Hurn, Marivic Belo ney Hall, their collective refrain Francisco, Ana Burog.

Photo courtesy of Ana Burog is “Why not?”

Ana Burog, Gelo Francisco, stretched to six and half hours, boses mo (You are so ugly, so Dino Padallan, Emman Miranda with this writer making dinner ugly is your voice too),” said and Dale Francisco, all found- for all to share and rehearsal for Dino Padallan’s third-grade ing members, came one summer three hours at a West Hollywood teacher. Would you be able to to this writer’s home. What was Church, a few days later. sing again, after these wounding planned as an hour interview “Pangit ka na, pangit pa ang words? Would you be trauma-

tized at a tender age of 9 years old, with yet-to-come emotional intelligence?

Padallan suffered trauma from this teacher’s cruel words that it took two mentors to build his confidence and hone his musicality, along with his youthful efforts.

Gloria Aldana, a teacher declared: “You will be the cantor for every mass,” and a cantor was valiantly born.

Rodel Bugarin, a geometry teacher, offered to mentor Padallan, after he saw him win a Yamaha singing competition. He mentored Padallan while at Don Bosco Makati during his high school years. Padallan became Makati’s representative to the Don Bosco singing contest and won.

As karma would have it, one of the judges was the erstwhile third-grade teacher. Padallan mustered his nerve to approach this judge and said, “Do you recall saying how ugly I was and even uglier, my voice?” It made for quite a redemptive moment as the teacher-judge cried while looking at a winner, now standing up to this trauma-inflicting, mean bully, aka a teacher.

Padallan overcame that challenge, only to be tested some more. Just as his work authorization visa was about to be approved, he was laid off. With no savings to fall back on, and

u PAGE A9

Talk

GREG B. MACABENTA BAGUIO City is one of the genuine tourism treasures of the Philippines. But for those of us who haven’t been to the City of Pines for years (especially those living overseas), the horror stories told about Baguio are enough to discourage any plans to make a trip.

The only attraction left unspoiled, according to the horror stories, is the cool climate, which the first American GovernorGeneral of the Philippines, William Howard Taft, described “as bracing as Adirondacks or Murray Bay.” Recalled Taft, “...temperature this hottest month in the Philippines on my cottage porch at three in the afternoon - sixtyeight.”

That’s 68 degrees fahrenheit or 20 degrees celsius. Residents of Northern California like my family call that “San Francisco weather.” or natural airconditioning.

The rest of Baguio’s attractions, we are told, like Burnham Park, Camp John Hay, Mines View Park, Session Road, the souvenir market, the vegetable plantations, and the pine trees have all been overwhelmed by squatters, pollution and Manila-style traffic.

For the millennials, Boracay is

supposed to be the destination of choice. Only the hoi polloi or the unsophisticated would be willing to suffer the seven-hour drive to Baguio (of which two hours would be wasted just getting out of Metro Manila).

I hadn’t been to Baguio in over three decades. My family had last been to Mines View Park when our youngest child was 10 years old. He is now in his mid-40s.

My last significant experience with the city was in November 1983, when I chaired the the 8th Philippine Advertising Congress.

It was held at the Hyatt Terraces Plaza which was totally destroyed in the Luzon earthquake of 1990.

Ad Congresses were traditionally held at the venerable Pines Hotel, a place as historic as the Manila Hotel. Unfortunately, it was gutted by fire in October 1984, claiming many lives.

At any rate, in spite of the unflattering tales, on this recent visit to the Philippines, I felt a nostalgic rush within me at the mention of Baguio City. It evoked images of Lake Tahoe in the summer, with its pine trees and zigzag roads.

Baguio brought back visions of boat rides at Burnham Park, biking and riding ponies, Igorots wearing g-strings, fresh fruits and vegetables, especially strawberries, plants and flowers like the everlasting, wood carvings by native artists, folks wearing sweaters and jackets in contrast to the sweaty, suffering people from the “low-lands.”

u PAGE A9

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OpiniOn & Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 14-17, 2018

A

Philippine Chamber Singers-LA’ s heart...

PAGE A8 t

without an employer to sponsor him, he relied on his faith in God and the goodness of his fellow kababayans (countrymates), Ana Burog and Gelo Francisco.

Burog helped him secure a part-time job, while Francisco sustained him with lodging and food. It took working six parttime jobs, seven days a week, subsisting on only five hours of sleep to survive and reapply for his green card, which cost $2,500 per application.

Today, he is grateful he has a green card and works full-time, and even more grateful for the PCS-LA’s members who became his safety net.

Los Angeles is the quintes-

sential La-La Land Folks dream big to perform in Hollywood. You will find here a beautiful waitress waiting for a callback from an audition. As you converse with her, she hands your food, and perhaps even sing a few verses for you. Impressed?

Equally impressive are PCSLA’ s members who overcame their obstacles as immigrants and are now full-time professionals, with some holding jobs unrelated to music, while caring for their families, but quite focused in creating musical spaces to share their musical talents. They believe that these gifts are Godgiven and must be shared with others for God’s glory.

LAPhil.com described the

The Philippine Chamber Singers-LA (PCS-LA) will perform at the Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday, August 17. Members include sopranos: Marivic Francisco, Charmaine Normandia, Kit Buhion, Annie Jeanette Dwight and Ana Hurn; altos: Ana Burog, Lisa Ulanday, Apple Nazareno, Jennifer Morelos, Judith Guerrero and Kim Bautista; tenors: Louie Ulanday, Noel Anzures, Hero Emolaga, Aris Canlapan, *Oscar Pantaleon Jr., and *Gerry Francisco; and bass: Dino Padallan, Dale Francisco, Medard Obida, Dennis Quiambao, and Novem Cabios. (*Indicates guest singers) Photo courtesy of The Philippine Chamber Singers-LA

group as a “dynamic, diverse, and decorated group of Filipino singers,� which performs at the Cathedral of Angels in Los Angeles, bishops’ special events, and even invited by LA Philharmonic’s preeminent conductor, Gustavo Dudamel, to perform with LA’s musicians at the Hollywood Bowl and now, Walt Disney Concert Hall for their Hibang Sa Awit (Mad About Songs) Concert on August 17.

As you know, Disney Hall is reserved for masterful artists; the last Filipino artist to grace this stage was Lea Salonga in July 2008. Lea , if you recall, created the role of Erzulie (goddess of love) in the latest Tony Awardwinning play, “Once on This Island,� a role that she performed from Dec. 2017 to June 2018 in New York.

PCS-LA performed their first Disney Concert Hall concert in 2014, marking their 10th anniversary to almost two thousandstrong audiences.

With “iconic silver sails� in its exterior, a beautiful garden designed by LA’s finest landscape architects, one of whom is Larry Moline, including a mosaic rose cup in ceramic, its interior boasts of a “transparent, light-filled living room for the city opening onto the sidewalk,� and its website reveals, “its fir-lined Douglas interior are 2,265 seats in a vineyard seating style, with a sound amplification and sound distribution technology costing $2.2 million.

This time, PCS-LA’s Friday, August 17, concert at Disney Concert Hall is dedicated to Original Pilipino Music (OPM). “OPM refers to the popular music from [the] 1960s to the present, [which includes] Kundiman, an art song, [sung] more in the classical genre. They share a similar element – works by a Filipino composer,� Emman Miranda, PCS-LA’s resident conductor, explained.

The August 17 concert will include composers like Ryan Cayabyab, Willy Cruz, George Canseco, Ruben Federizon and Robert Delgado.

The mere mention of Ryan Cayabyab has become synonymous to excellence brought about by two decades of teaching musical theory at the University of the Philippines and more than a decade of mentoring students to harness their talents in songwriting, composing and per-

URBAN FARMING LAUNCH. In support of her program on urban farming, Senator Cynthia A. Villar leads the launching of the second Urban Vegetable Farming 2018 at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor City, Cavite. The senator, chairperson of the Senate Agriculture and Food committee, has been encouraging residents in communities to grow fruits and vegetables in their backyards and in any available space. She emphasizes that urban gardening is an effective tool for the poor urban communities to become healthier and more food sufficient.

Senate photo

PAGE A8 t

Revisiting Baguio City

Baguio City is also rich in history and culture. It was Baguio that was designated the Summer Capital of the Philippines by the American governors-general. And it was in Baguio where General Yamashita, the Tiger of Malaya, surrendered to American forces. The people of the Cordilleras continue to cherish and nurture their indigenous cultures, so reminiscent of the Native Americans in the U.S. I had often compared the way U.S. environmentalists have cared for Lake Tahoe to ensure that the water remains clear enough to see the bottom of it, and the way the Philippine government and we as a people have allowed our streams, rivers, lakes and forests to be spoiled and virtually prostituted. It was thus that I cheered the decision of President Rodrigo Duterte to put a stop to the degradation of Boracay, another Philippine tourism treasure.

Because my family and I have often driven up to Lake Tahoe, we have invariably been reminded of the Mountain Province and Baguio City. And in spite of the horror stories told to us, we continued to cling to our recollection of the romantic mountain retreat of decades past.

Thus when the prospect of a weekend out-of-town drive was brought up, my family and I decided on Baguio City.

We are glad we did.

The horror stories are partly true. The crowds. The traffic. But the drive up SCTex (Subic-ClarkTarlac Expressway) and TPLEx u PAGE A10 (Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Ex-

pressway) was a joy - in sharp contrast to the two-hour torment from ParaĂąaque to the North Luzon Expressway. ‘ To our pleasant surprise, Baguio City has not lost its old charm.

In the cool evening, Burnham Park offers an opportunity for a leisurely stroll, while folks paddle around the lake in ridiculously cheap, two-dollar boat rides (three dollars with a rower). The Mansion House, the summer retreat of American governors-general and Philippine presidents, is reminiscent of European manors.

And the souvenir market just off Session Road still offers a wealth of pastries and native sweets, fruits and vegetables, t-shirts and novelty items, as well as the indispensable walis tambo, One thing we learned about visiting Baguio: don’t try driving around the city yourself. You will get lost and your GPS will only confuse you, And the traffic will exasperate you, assuming you manage to survive the tangle of cars, jeepneys, motorcycles and trucks that are as bad as Manila’s carmageddon.

Instead, do as we did. We hired a local driver to take over our vehicle and bring us to the best sights in the city. We were lucky to find a young off-duty travel agent named Joseph Gallego, a former low-lander who had found a wife in Baguio and a place to love and raise a family in.

Joseph provided interesting insights about Baguio traffic and the crowds that mill wherever you go. According to him, the badmannered ones, the ones honk-

ing their car horns and tying up the traffic, are from the low-lands, meaning Manila and neighboring provinces. Native Baguio folks don’t honk their car horns, he said, and don’t play vehicular chicken at intersections.

Joseph brought us to BenCab’s museum, a treasure house of his art pieces and those of other artists, as well as native carvings and bolols (native deities), Camp John Hay, Fort del Pilar or the Philippine Military Academy, the Mansion House, the Lourdes Grotto, and the public market.

How he negotiated the tangle of vehicles without getting into an accident is one of the advantages of hiring a local.

Admittedly, my perspective on Baguio City is seen through the rose-colored lens of nostalgia, along with a degree of frustration that so much tourism potential, so much beauty, and so much history are not being creatively harnessed or fully developed - just like so many other tourism treasures around the country. The Tagalog term for the feeling is nakapanghihinayang.

Maybe the new tourism secretary, Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, can view these treasures through the same lens as an old traveler like me. Even without the infrastructure that the Duterte government has promised to build, build, build, there is so much potential in what our country already has.

She just needs to revisit them the way my family and I revisited Baguio City. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)

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A10 july 14-17, 2018 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAl

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

Duterte, Robredo approval, trust ratings up in June – Pulse Asia

by Ralph

VillanueVa ManilaTimes.net

THE approval and trust ratings of both President Rodrigo Duterte and Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo are up, according to a survey in June.

Duterte’s approval rating went up eight percentage points to 88 percent from 80 percent in March.

The President’s trust rating also surged from 79 percent to 87 percent in the same period.

Robredo’s approval rating increased seven percentage points — from 55 percent in March to 62 percent in June. Her trust rating also increased from 53 percent to 56 percent in the same period.

Malacañang on Friday, July 13, said it welcomed the results.

“The President views these latest survey results with all humility; however, he is not leading the country for the sake of high or good ratings. The Chief Executive is simply fulfilling his campaign promises with the best interest of Filipinos in mind,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque, Jr. said in a statement. “[President Duterte] is working double time to rid society of drugs, criminality and corruption to achieve his goal of bringing comfortable life for all,” Roque added.

Pimentel, Alvarez ratings also rise but Sereno falls Former Senate president Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel 3rd’s approval and trust ratings also increased significantly, at 72 percent and 64 percent respectively, 11 percentage points higher compared to March.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez’s approval and trust ratings got a boost, at 47 percent and 45 percent respectively from 41 percent and 36 percent in March.

Meanwhile, ousted Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno saw a dip in her trust rating, from 22 percent in March to 19 percent in June.

Pulse Asia said Sereno was not included in the survey on the approval rating because she was on indefinite leave.

The survey by Pulse Asia Research, Inc. from June 15 to 21 came amid the suspension of the peace negotiations between the government and the communists, the arrest of around 7,000 loiterers (tambay), the killing of Fr. Richmond Nilo, the approval on third and final reading at the House of Representatives of a bill strengthening the powers of the Office of Solicitor General, calls for the suspension of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (Train) law and the Supreme Court’s final ruling on the ouster Sereno, among others.

The polling firm’s nationwide survey has a + 2 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level. Subnational estimates for the geographic areas covered in the survey have the following error margins at 95 percent confidence level: + 6 percent for Metro Manila, + 3 percent for the rest of Luzon and + 5 percent for each of Visayas and Mindanao. n

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.

FINAL JOURNEY. Family, friends and supporters of Mayor Ferdinand Bote join the funeral march in General Tinio, Nueva Ecija. The slain mayor was laid to rest amid strong calls for justice.

Photo by DJ Diosina

Raps readied vs local officials on narco list

by Roy

naRRa ManilaTimes.net

UNLIKE what it did with a narco list of barangay (village) officials, the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Wednesday, July 11 said it had no plans of publicizing its narco list of officials of local government units (LGUs).

Instead, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino said, he plans to file charges against those on the narco list of LGU officials once the list is validated.

He admitted that publicizing the names of village officials involved in illegal drug activities “did not turn out so well.”

The narco list involving 207 village officials was released publicly on April 30 supposedly for the list to serve as a guide for voters in the village elections on May 14.

“I have an experience with the [village narco list]and it did not turn out well so what I want to have now is just to conduct case build-up [against]these narco politicians then file charges silently without disclosing and revealing their names,” Aquino said.

If President Rodrigo Duterte mandates the PDEA to publicize its own list, Aquino said, they have no choice but to follow the order.

“If he [Duterte] gives me a direct order again, I have no choice, but personally, I want to do it on my own,” he added.

Aquino revealed that the list on LGU officials ranging from councilors to governors had been trimmed down from 87 to 93.

He cited deaths and arrests of some of the officials listed.

The list initially included slain

mayors Reynaldo Parojinog of Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental; Rolando Espinosa of Albuera, Leyte; and Antonio Halili of Tanauan City, Batangas.

Aquino said PDEA had confirmed that two congressmen and one mayor are indeed involved in the drug trade.

He did not identity them.

Aquino previously said mayors topped the second narco list, with most of them coming from Northern Mindanao, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Calabarzon.

Officials and human rights groups have criticized the release of the village narco list.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson described the list is “dumb and cruel.”

The Commission on Human Rights said the release of the narco list was “unfortunate” because the PDEA did not file charges first. n

Philippine Chamber Singers-LA’ s heart...

PAGE A9 t forming. His name parallels the growth of the OPM industry in the Philippines, with much of his compositions sung by celebrities and featured in commercials, film scores and television shows.

He has performed flawlessly for King Hassan II of Morocco, King Fahd of Saudi Arabia, King Juan Carlos and Queen Sophia of Spain, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands and U.S. President Bill Clinton. In 2013, he was bestowed the Papal Award, Pro Ecclesia et Pontifice for his compositions of religious music.

George Canseco composed songs that were sung by Basil Valdez, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Martin Nievera and Pilita Corrales. A popular composition was “Child,” the English version of Freddie Aguilar’s signature song “Anak.”

You will hear a Basil Valdez medley in this August 17 concert.

It takes a village and family to nurture musicality Just about everybody in the Francisco family is a musician.

Much like Andrea Morricone — an Italian composer-son of Ennio Morricone, who speaks with a sense of certainty, in sharing himself “as perhaps already swimming in music,” while in the womb of his mother, Maria and listening to his father, Ennio who played the trumpet — Anthony Angelo “Gelo” Francisco has similar roots of “swimming in the musically-gifted womb” of Herminia, a coloratura (soprano skilled in opera), his mother, and listening to Gerardo, his father, a singer.

Francisco related how his father, Gerardo, was born into his own family of means, that his father took piano lessons. He sang at the Mandaluyong Polyphonic Society (MPS-top choir of the city), performing at exclusive Cardinal’s events. At MPS, he met Herminia and they became a couple, giving birth to the youngest, Gelo, who has four older siblings, all with gifts of musicality.

As the youngest, Gelo had years of listening to three of his four siblings perform in MPS’ events, while Gerry, another sibling, performed as part of the De La Salle Greenhills’ Kundiranan group.

“I watched my two other siblings join intercollegiate competitions and perform while at UST,” he said.

Francisco was steered away from music and instead, persuaded to take up nursing to follow in the footsteps of a sibling who is a doctor. Francisco learned music by osmosis, ouido, and acquired his innate talent by ear.

After two years of nursing, music became compelling. Gelo auditioned at the UP College of Music and became part of the famed UP Madrigal Singers, where he met Emman, who became a founding member of PCS-LA. UP Madrigal Singers was founded in 1963 by the National Artist Prof. Andrea Veneracion.

The group has been to several countries to participate in international competitions and brought home the top prizes

from global competitions. To this day, they continue to reap global awards.

Gelo and Emman credit Veneracion as their mentor who taught them self-discipline, how to sing and produce good music in harmony, and how to be respectful and respectable citizens of the world.

She inculcated in them the group discipline that rehearsals are a must, as that is where they would learn how to make music as a group, how to make music together and become harmonious voices.

As part of UP Madrigals, Emman and Gelo not only brought home the prized awards but also learned the art of pakikisama. the Filipino concept of hospitality and fellowship, a shared feeling of solidarity and trust that imparts a sense of warmth, and an abiding feeling that we are linked in human heart and spirit. The term comes from the words paki, meaning “please” and sama, meaning “coming together for the sake of harmony.

It is a cultural trait of finding oneself in harmony with others, by offering to do chores, to exercise self-restraint not to simply do “what I want” but to do “what is right” by all members.

“I learned to cut someone’s hair, or do laundry and even cook,” Francisco shared.

“I learned self-discipline,” Miranda added.

Gelo, PCS-LA’s creative music director, sings exceptionally well, both with his voice and his hand. He is a tenor, sometimes a baritone, frequently at consulate’s events, the cathedral’s, and choice community events. He performed the lead role in The Romance of Magno Rubio’s play staged in Singapore and also at the Ford Amphitheater in Los Angeles.

I asked the founding members what are PCS-LA’s code of conduct and their acquired lessons in life. In their own words, they appear below: 1.

If there is a challenge, that is personal character development. Keep moving forward with faith in God. 2. Put the group’s interests first: grupo muna bago ang sarili ang mananaig. (Group first, before one’s self-interests prevails.)

The organization is bigger than the individual endeavors, although the organization is made up of individuals.

3.

Commitment is key. Individuals decide if our group’s reputation is good or bad – it is not so much that the individual singer is good as it takes a lot for a choral group to sound well.

Commitment is the deciding factor, as all are welcome, provided each person commits.

4.

Respect for each other – many of us are good, but we all respect one another, we even finish each other’s sentences.

5.

Every member believes we are here to promote our Filipino culture, we as FilipinoAmericans also contribute to our heritage of music.

6.

Rehearsals are sacred grounds. It is where the magic

happens. Sometimes we are students, too, not just teachers. When we dissect the music – this is where we are making music together. This is where we get the sound, and as a choral group, it is imperative that we sing together, this is how we attain our highest level of standard or even surpassed it.

7.

There is no sight-reading, for when we do, there is no emotional investment and no nuances in the way we sing. If with more rehearsals, the clarity of sound is achieved, along with the timbre, style and pitch.

8.

Even if one is the best singer that we have, it does not exempt that singer from rehearsals, because nobody is indispensable.

9.

A professional singer gives life to the song. There is no competition in the choral group, we make music together, we are here to make the sounds together, not to pound our notes, “hindi buga ng buga” (not to simply sound off the highest volume), but to achieve together the body, the texture, the dynamics, the tone, and timbre.

10. In solo practice, you learn the music by yourself. In rehearsals, we discover more what the music is about, we get to explore what the music can offer us, but first, a basic commitment is a must from all of us.

Gelo — aka “Tatay”, the father of the group — synthesized the group’s wisdom: “If it takes a village to raise a child, the same with a community; it takes a country to raise a choral group. In California, this state is a good nurturing ground for communities to come together.

When we sing, we represent our country, our family, and our community. We assert our identities through these projects. That’s why we can do this and we are not held back by how difficult it is, but how possible it could be. It is a testament of how [to be] positive, how giving is, and through our faith, our commitment to our craft becomes a test of character of each individual. Gaano ka katatag? How tenacious are you? How determined are you?

Ganito ang tunog diyan – kaya iyan, mas mag-enjoy kami this second time. (This is the sound.

We can do this. This time, this second time around, we would enjoy it more.) Why? These are gifts of the Holy Spirit and we are here to share these gifts.” *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”

She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong.

She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.

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Palace spotlights gains in fighting corruption amid shadow cast by ‘recycling’ fired execs MANILA — First, there’s ‘Build, Build Build.” Then there’s ‘Jobs, Jobs, Jobs.’ Now, there’s ‘Fire, Fire, Fire.’

Despite criticisms that President Rodrigo Duterte is recycling the officials he fired, Malacañang claimed that the administration has made “significant gains” to stamp out corruption and promote good governance. “‘Sibak, Sibak, Sibak (fire, fire, fire) has been the President’s consistent battlecry with officials including those holding Cabinet rank not spared from the Administration’s anti-corruption drive,” presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a statement.

Roque said 17 local officials are facing charges in connection with the environmental woes in Boracay, which is now undergoing rehabilitation.

A total of 186 local officials have been stripped of their authority to supervise the police while 57 complaints against local officials were investigated.

Duterte has promised not to tolerate even a whiff of corruption in his administration and has fired several officials, including cabinet members, tagged in irregularities.

However, doubts have been cast on the seriousness of his anti-corruption campaign after some of the officials he dismissed were given new positions.

They include agriculture undersecretary Jose Gabriel “Pompee” La Viña, who was dismissed as Social Security System commissioner over costly project proposals. La Viña has denied abusing state funds.

Also given a new post is

Melissa Aradanas, a cousin of Duterte’s partner Honeylet Avanceña. Aradanas was dismissed from the service after Duterte revamped the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor over its officials’ unnecessary trips and their supposed failure to conduct meetings.

Former military officer Nicanor Faeldon, who resigned as customs chief while the Senate is probing the smuggling of P6.4 billion worth of shabu or crystal methamphetamine, is now civil defense deputy administrator.

Faeldon has denied involvement in smuggling and narcotics trade.

A recent report by the Associated Press said about a quarter of the nearly two dozen officials dismissed by Duterte have been rehired. (Philstar.com)

SC defers ruling on administrative case vs Sereno MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has deferred ruling on the administrative case it initiated against ousted chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno over her earlier public attacks against her colleagues.

Justices of the high court tackled the case in their session but failed to come up with a decision, according to an insider.

The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of authority to speak for the Court, revealed that the magistrates have agreed to penalize Sereno “for transgressing the sub judice rule and for casting aspersions and ill motives to the members of the Supreme Court” but were divided as to the penalty to be imposed on her. The insider said some justices suggested the imposition of the lightest administrative sanction of “reprimand” on Sereno, while others wanted a harsher penalty of suspension from law practice.

Because of this lack of consensus – as required in administrative cases – the SC justices decided to reset deliberations for their next session on Tuesday next week.

The high court is expected to rule that the ousted chief justice violated the Code of Professional Responsibility and Code of Judicial Conduct with her public attacks against the justices who voted for her ouster after earlier testifying in the impeachment case against her before the House of Represen-

tatives, according to the source.

The insider further bared that several justices wanted to impose “reprimand” – the lightest form of penalty in administrative cases – to Sereno “out of pity.”

“The other members want harsher penalty of suspension from law practice for several months. There was no consensus so the case was reset,” the source explained.

Still, the justices agreed to penalize Sereno and not just issue an admonition, which is just a warning and not a sanction.

The SC initiated the administrative case and issued a show cause order against Sereno when it ordered her removal from office and invalidated her appointment to the top judicial post in 2012 through a decision last May 11, which became final last June 19.

In her compliance filed last month, Sereno asked the Court not to penalize her as she did not violate any rules.

She claimed that public statements she made was in response to attacks against her, including accusations from Solicitor General Jose Calida.

She argued that she could not be faulted for explaining her side to the public after her demands that she be given the right to due process were repeatedly rejected by the House justice committee in the impeachment hearings.

Sereno also claimed she was

Former chief justice Maria Lourdes Sereno Philstar.com photo

denied her right to be heard by the Senate sitting as an impeachment court and her right to be heard by an objective and impartial tribunal when the six justices still participated in the proceedings against her.

The six magistrates accused

by Sereno of biases against her were Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo-de Castro, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Francis Jardeleza, Noel Tijam and Samuel Martires. She argued that she “cannot reasonably be expected to keep her silence despite vigorous assaults on her integrity.”

Sereno added that her public statements about her case were made as “party-litigant” and not as counsel or judge.

She believed it would be the “height of injustice” if her calls for fairness would be the basis to remove her license as a lawyer.

(Philstar.com)

BRAND OF CHANGE, EMPATHY AND UNITY. Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr.,Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel “Manny” Piñol, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones, DSWD Acting Secretary Virginia Orogo, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Interior and Local Government Secretary Eduardo Manahan Año, Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III, and other government officials do the clenched fist during “Tatak ng Pagbabago: A Pre-SONA 2018 Forum” held at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City on Wednesday, July 11.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Palace snaps back at Robredo: No problem with PH economy

by Nestor

Corrales Inquirer.net

MALACAñANG on Thursday, July 12, hit back at Vice President Ma. Leonor “Leni” Robredo after she told President Rodrigo Duterte to focus on fixing the economy rather than insult her and God. “Unang-una po, Madam Vice President, wala pong problema ang ekonomiya. (First of all Madam Vice President, there is no problem with the Philippine economy),” Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a Palace briefing.

“All economies in the world po will agree that we are a darling economy,” Roque said.

MANILA — A total of 46,366 individuals were rounded up for violating local ordinances on smoking, drinking and urinating in public places; curfew and being half-naked on the streets in Metro Manila over the past month, an official said.

National Capital Regional Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Superintendent Guillermo Eleazar said the 46,366 persons were apprehended from June 13 to July 12.

After receiving flak for its campaign to round up tambays or loiterers, the Philippine National Police (PNP) started referring to them as ordinance violators.

President Duterte ordered the PNP to accost tambays, saying

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)

OCTOBER 18 to Nov 1, 2018 SPIRITUAL CHAPLAIN: REV. ANTONIO FLORES

Oct 19, 2018 (Fri) Day 2 – Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv/Tiberias After we clear Immigration and Customs, we will meet our local guide, who will be with us during our stay in Holy Land. enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean. We will spend our first night 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. In the New Testament book of Revelation, it is referred as the sites of the “final battle”. From there, we will continue our drive into Nazareth, where we will have Mass in the Church of the Annunciation ,the Cave of the Annunciation and and visit Joseph’s Workshop and Then we will move on to Cana of Galilee, where Our Lord performed His first miracle: changing water into wine at the wedding feast. We will invite couples to Bless their marriage vows,Continue to Mount Tabor ,site of Jesus Transfiguration. Afterward, we 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 enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Then to the Church Primacy of St Peters. ( BB, D) Oct 22, 2018 (Mon) Day 5 – Magdala Full day retreat, Focus will Include programs based on the historical and Religious value of the Magdala sites . More info coming up as we get closer to the dates.

MAGDALA, Israel – 2009 Discoveries from a new archaeological dig are creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the home of Mary Magdalene.”She lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue dating back to the time of Jesus. According to archaeologists, it’s the first one discovered in the Galilee.

Oct 23, 2018 (Tues) Day 6 – Jordan Valley/ Jericho/ Bethany/Jerusalem Mass at the Church in Bethany After breakfast, we head to Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. View the Mount of Temptation, where Jesus spent 40 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 Eucharist at the Church of St. Lazarus.

Then we will visit the Baptismal site in River Jordan. Upon arrival in Mount Scopus meaning Mount of the Watchmen/Sentinels, is a mountain in northeast Jerusalem. Enjoy the first view of Jerusalem. After the day’s tour, we 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 of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.” (John 19:17) 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, visit Golgotha and the Tomb of Our Lord. After mass, we return to the hotel for breakfast.

After breakfast, we will enter the Old City, sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Then we will visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostratos (where the soldiers played the Game of Kings) and the Arch of the “Ecce Homo”.

Dinner/Overnight Oct 25, 2018 (Thurs) Day 8 – Jerusalem Mass at the Holy Eucharist Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...” (John 1:14) We will walk to view the Dome of the Rock from the outside, and visit the Western Wall,( Wailing Wall ) the only part of the Herodian Temple still standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. Then, we will drive to Mt. Zion, to visit the Upper Room, revered as the site of the Last Supper, then survey the Dormition Abbey, and the Church of St. Peter in Gallicantu, The site where Peter denied Jesus three times. After the day’s tour, 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 “O mountain of God, receive me, a mother, with my child.” (Protoevangelium of James 22:3) We will arrive at the Mount of Olives, to enjoy another view of Jerusalem, visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus Flevit (“God wept”) sanctuary.

Next, we’ll walk the Palm Sunday Road to the Garden of Gethsemane, and visit the Rock of Agony and the Church of all Nations.

In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Bethlehem, a

president)? Look, I will not resign because it will make her president. My resignation is addressed to the people para makapili sila ng gusto nila (so that they can choose who they want). Siya, I don’t think she can ever be ready to govern my country. Reason?

Incompetence.”

Roque refused to label the president’s remark as an insult, saying “It’s just a frank, honest, objective assessment of the President.”

“It’s not an insult, it’s an objective assessment of a person who has served 40 years in government,” Roque said, comparing Duterte’s long government service of the President to Robredo’s three years in government. n

46,366 tambays nabbed in Metro Manila over past month

FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS Oct 18, 2018 (Thur) Day 1 – Lax to Tel Aviv, Israel Trans-Atlantic flight from L AX to Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Israel. (Meals served in-flight)

“As I have always said, it’s a matter of record that we are the second fastest growing economy in the world, level optimism is all-time high, manufacturing output is an all-time high,” Roque added.

He downplayed the high inflation rate of 5. 2 percent in June, saying it was triggered by the increase in oil prices among others.

‘Honest and objective’ Roque said Robredo may have been hurt when the president commented that the vice president was “incompetent.”

In an ambush interview on July 10, the president said, “Siya ang mag-presidente (She will become

city whose name is recognized around the world. After celebrating Mass at the Church of Nativity, we will see the Manger; visit the Church of St. Catherine, the Grotto of St. Jerome and the Shepherds’ Fields.

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 Jerusalem.

Up next is a trip to Ein Karem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist, to see the Visitation Church, where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat”. We will end our day by returning to our Hotel. (B/D) Oct 27, 2018 (Sat) Day 10 – Jerusalem/ Dead Sea/ Qumran/ Masada Mass at the Church of all Nations After breakfast, we will celebrate mass at the Church of all Nations 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 stronghold against the Roman. Return to Jerusalem for dinner 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 will go to the Baptismal Site at Bethany, which Pope John Paul II visited in 2000. Then, it’s on to Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land.

Our next stop will be the Church of St. George in Madaba, which hosts the famous mosaic map of the Holy Land. Then we will drive down to Aqaba.

Overnight in Aqaba (B/D). Movenpick Resort & Residence.

Oct 29, 2018 (Mon) Day 12 – Aqaba/Petra Mass at Stella Maris Church – Aqaba After breakfast, we will journey through the Siq, until we get our first glimpse of the Khazneh (Treasury). Then will we walk down to 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 dinner (B/D). Movenpick Resort & Residence (CALL FOR COMPLETE COPY OF THE ITINERARY)

they are potential troublemakers, on June 13.

Eleazar said a total of 5,626 people were accosted for drinking in public places, while 15,473 persons were collared for violating the smoking ban and 6,925 individuals for being half-naked on the streets.

He said 7,174 minors were rounded up for violating curfew and 11,167 people were also taken to police stations for violating other ordinances.

The NCRPO said the Eastern Police District, which has jurisdiction over the cities of Pasig, Mandaluyong, Marikina and San Juan, accosted the most number of tambays at 21,374, followed by the Southern Police District with

8,675 and Manila Police District with 6,423.

The Quezon City Police District recorded 5,871 persons accosted for violating ordinances and the Northern Police District rounded up 4,023.

Eleazar clarified that of the 46,366 individuals rounded up, 27,851 or 60.07 percent were considered first-time violators and were merely warned about their violations while 13,179 or 28.42 percent were fined and the rest were charged.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde said while critics allege that the campaign is anti-poor, “many of our kababayans are happy, especially those working at night.” (Philstar.com)

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

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

- USA - ROME - Rome Upon our arrival in Rome, our Tour Escort will welcome us to Italy. Rome is the heart, home and the spiritual capital of over one billion Catholics all over the world.

After a short panoramic orientation of this Eternal City to us Roman Catholics, we will have our dinner and overnight rest at this great ancient City.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) Day 3 – 14 Nov 2018 (Wed) – Rome / Papal Audience/ Rome

This morning before we continue with our tour, we will have a Papal Audience. Then after, we will visit the famous Coliseum and see the Forum, the Trevi Fountain 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 Fountain, before heading to our Hotel DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 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, and even ancient Greek and Roman artists. the largest church in Roman Catholicism, St. Peter’s Basilica.

Holy Eucharist at ST Mary Major, Followed by visit of the Basilica. We continue to visit the rest of the major Basilicas within the walls of Rome, and St. John Lateran, 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 steps that Christ ascended to receive Pilate’s unjust condemnation. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) Day 5 – 16 Nov 2018 (Fri)–Rome /San Giovanni Rotondo 2018 is the 100th Anniversary of the stigmatization of St Pio. Church Will have Monthly Pastoral Program of Activities for the whole year .

San Giovanni Rotondo, the home of St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina from 28 July, 1916 until his death on 23 September, 1968. Enjoy the drive going to San Giovanni, after we check in our Hotel.

We visit the Shrines of St Padre Pio of Pietralcina as well as the places associated with him , such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace that contains his tomb. Here, we spend some time meditating, see his room, his confessional box and the crucifix that gave him his supernatural Crucifying stigmata, Celebrate Holy Eucharist (Hotel Gran Paradiso ) DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN San Giovanni Ro-

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

tondo (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.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO (Hotel Gran Paradiso) Day 7–18 Nov2018 – (Sun) – San Giovanni Rotondo / Lanciano /Loreto MASS AND BREAKFAST. We arrive at Lanciano, famous for the Miracle of the Eucharist. Near the Piazza Plebiscito, the Miracle is inside the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle. The miracle took place during the 8th century when a Basiline monk doubted the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. He found himself holding the host that had changed into Real Flesh and the Wine on the altar had changed into Real Blood. We continue our pilgrimage to the great Marian shrine of Loreto to see the famous sacred home of the most Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Since 1294 the holy home has been located inside the Basilica of Loreto. Celebrate Holy Eucharist in Lanciano DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN Assisi Day 8 –19 Nov 2018 – ( Mon) Loreto/ Assisi Today we explore the hilltop birthplace of St Francis of Assisi. In the Crypt of St Francis Basilica lies the tomb of one of the most humble and beloved Saints of all times, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Eucharist at the Crypt of ST Francis See the Basilica of St Clare, with her incorrupt body, and the little Church of St. Damiano and its Crucifix from which Jesus spoke to Francis about his mission in 1206: “Go, Francis, and rebuild my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.” We visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, located in the lower plains of Assisi, and the place where the miracle of the Eucharist of Assisi took place in 1240. The small Church of the Porziuncola is inside the Basilica itself. Pope Honorius III granted a plenary indulgence for those entering this humble Church on August 1st and 2nd every year, with Confession, 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 in the 13th century, it is a treasure chest of the Renaissance 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 medieval squares. Continue to Florence. (BB,D) We start with a guided walking tour of Florence, this fascinating city with its Piazza, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist.

Rest of the day free (BB,D) Day 10 – 21 Nov 2018 (Wed) – Florence / Rome Leave Florence around 2PM Arrived Rome almost dinner time (BB.D) Day 11 – 22 Nov 2018 (Thurs) – Rome / USA End of our wonderful Pilgrimage .

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE Journal

Tom Rodriguez, Carla Abellana preparing for family life

by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

It’s now the future that sweethearts tom Rodriguez and Carla Abellana are preparing for, quietly making plans in raising a family. Of late, the couple had been spending much time in looking for an ideal house.

“I’m looking for a bigger house. I want, at least, a four-bedroom house. Bigger than what I have right now,” Carla said, referring to the townhouse she bought a few years ago in Quezon City where she stays.

“What Carla means by a bigger house is one that is not only for her but for us and our future family,” tom qualified. “We have decided to look for a house which will be our home. We are into planning already. I am also researching, asking around for houses that are available in the market.”

Gloria (middle) and Emilio Estefan (2nd left) join actors Mauricio Martinez and Christie Prades and the cast during the opening night of “On Your Feet!” at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre on Tuesday, July 10.

Photo by Chelsea Lauren

‘On Your Feet!’ — musical based on Gloria and Emilio Estefan — lands in LA tHE hit Broadway musical “On Your Feet” — based on the life story of seven-time GRAMMY® winning international superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband, 19-time GRAMMY® winning producer-musician-entrepreneur Emilio Estefan — opened at the Hollywood Pantages theatre this week. the production will be in LA until July 29, before it does a twoweek engagement in Costa Mesa at the segerstrom Center for the Arts (August 21-september 2). the tour production stars Cuban-American Broadway actress Christie Prades as Gloria Estefan, and acclaimed stage and television actor Mauricio Martínez, as Emilio Estefan.

Directed by two-time tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell (“Kinky Boots,” “Hairspray”) and and choreographed by tony Award nominee & Olivier Award winner sergio trujillo (“Jersey Boys,” “Memphis”), with an original book by Academy Award winner Alexander Dinelaris (“Birdman,” “the Bodyguard Musical”), “On

Your Feet” follows the Estefans’ journey to superstardom.

It’s hard not to dance and sing along as the musical features chart-topping, smash hits, including “Rhythm Is Gonna Get You,” “Conga,” “1-2-3,” “Get On Your Feet,” “Mi tierra,” Don’t Want to Lose You Now,” and “Reach,” in addition to an original song written by Gloria and her daughter Emily Estefan. the cast also stars Broadway veteran Nancy ticotin (“West side story,” “In the Heights”) as Gloria’s mother, Gloria Fajardo; Debra Cardona (tV’s “Crazy ExGirlfriend” as Hector’s Mom, “Mary Poppins,” “In the Heights”) as Gloria’s grandmother, Consuelo; Jason Martinez (“Jersey Boys,” “the Capeman”) as Gloria’s father, José Fajardo; Ana-sofia Rodriguez and Carmen sanchez as Little Gloria; and Carlos Carreras and Jordan Vergara as Nayib/Young Emilio.

Rounding out the ensemble are Anthony Alfaro, Michelle Alves, Jonathan Arana, skizzo Arnedillo, Danny Burgos, sarita

Colón, shadia Fairuz, Adriel Flete, Devon Goffman, Ilda Mason, Claudia Mulet, Eddie Noel, Marina Pires, Jeremey Adam Rey, Gabriel Reyes, Joseph Rivera, Maria Rodriguez, shani talmor and Claudia Yanez.

Multiple Grammy Award-winning musicians from Miami sound Machine are also on the road with the national tour of “On Your Feet!” including Music Director Clay Ostwald (keyboards), who is Assistant Music Director of Miami sound Machine, teddy Mulet (trombone), Mike scaglione (reeds), Jorge Casas (bass), who is Music Director of Miami sound Machine, and Edwin Bonilla (percussion). the other members of the orchestra include Emmanuel schvartzman (Associate Music Director/keyboards), Jose Ruiz (trumpet), stephen Flakus (guitar), Jean- Christophe Leroy (percussion) and Colin taylor (drums).

“On Your Feet!” which was at the Marquis theatre on Broadway had 780 performances and made PAGE B2

PAGE B5

Tom Rodriguez and Carla Abellana

GMA photo

EntErtainmEnt

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Will Megan and Mikael walk down the aisle soon? HBO announces call for entries for 2019 Asian Pacific American Visionaries short film competition they have talked about it, said Megan. “if you’ve been in a relationship This week, the Duke and that’s as long as ours and you Duchess of sussex, Prince harry haven’t talked about that, then and Meghan Markle, are in ire- there’s something wrong with land, at around the same time as that. so, yes, of course, we’ve actors Meghan Young and Mikael talked about that.”

Daez are in Paris. how is it working with her real in a recent interview, Philstar. life love interest on the set of the com asked Megan if she can relate GMA TV series “The stepdaughto her namesake (at least in pro- ters”? nunciation) Meghan in any way, “it’s fun, because i know that and she said, she gets inspiration he knows me, so no ilang facfrom all women around her – even tor.” from her fans.

Megan and Mikael have been When asked if Mikael is her together for almost seven years Prince harry and will they also since 2011, and their tricks for walk the aisle anytime soon, Miss lasting long are constant comWorld 2013 said: “Yes, of course! munication, understanding each i always hope for that every day. other’s dynamics, openness and Yes, i wish and do hope for that honesty, said Megan. every single day.”

“These also apply in friendAlthough the lovebirds have ships, not only in romantic relanot set a date yet for the big day, tionships,” she enthused.

by Deni

Rose BeRnaRDo Philstar.com

Megan Young and Mikael Daez

GMA photo

Bea Binene ready for mature roles

by Honey

oRio-escullaR Philstar.com

in her latest soap titled Kapag nahati ang Puso premiering July 16, Bea Binene could not imagine what to do if she were in the shoes of her character Claire, who will become a fierce rival of another woman she would later find is her long-lost mom. The two women vie for the attention and affection of one man.

“Actually, i haven’t thought about it because i think it’s impossible to happen to me. But i don’t know. i think it depends on the situation, depende sa panahon, sa tao,” said the Kapuso homegrown artist who was wearing a cleavagebaring royal blue gown during the recent grand presscon at GMA 7.

Playing Claire is her first mature role. so, expect an all-grown-up Bea. After all, she is turning 21 this year.

“Hindi naman po pwedeng forever pa-tweetums lang. Kelangan talaga nag-e-evolve yung role m o. That’s why i’m thankful and at the same time i’m very willing to take on this challenge because i also want to explore other things. i hope ma-portray ko siya nang maayos (because) it’s challenging,” she noted but was quick to add that “doing a mature role doesn’t only mean you have to bare skin or do intimate scenes.”

Bea, however, revealed that she and her leading man Benjamin Alves, whom she works with for the first time, already had a kissing

scene during their screen test.

“Unang-unang eksena namin ni Ben yun so for sure we have a kissing scene. i don’t know yet if there will be love scenes.

But i’m sure there will be limitations po. Basta ako i’m giving my best on this show. i can do it with the help of direk Gil (Tejada Jr.) and the whole production and the creative teams.”

Aside from studying her character, Bea had to prepare also physically. Losing weight was her most challenging.

“Up to now, nagpapapayat pa rin ako kasi ang laki ko sa TV. Ang hirap kasi e. i did everything already.” Bea is on a vegan diet.

“Na-pe-pressure po ako ‘pag nakikita ko si Ms. shine kasi even if she’s a mom, she is so fit and sexy. she’s my fitspiration. And it made me more eager and inspired to work out and lose weight,” she said of her co-star sunshine Cruz who portrays as Bea’s mom. “i’m happy in all aspects of my life, except sa pagpapayat, hehehe!” Bea quipped, which prompted reporters to ask her if she means her lovelife is also doing great that’s why she is blooming.

Bea only hinted that the guy is nonshowbiz but did not reveal if he is her suitor or boyfriend already. “i don’t want to say anything regarding (my lovelife) because i realized that it’s better to keep it private para mas konti lang ang nakakaalam,” she said. “All i can say is that i’m happy and contented

Bea Binene

GMA photo

right now kasi nag-school po ako, i’m planning to open a business and of course, i have a career.

As an actress, i am learning and trying to be better.”

Even if “Kapag nahati ang Puso” will keep her busy, Bea is bent on enrolling again this semester as an AB Film sophomore student at Mint College in Taguig. she doesn’t mind juggling work and studies. “i’ll try po. i still have to check the available skeds at school. if i have tapings on MWF, school should be TThs, and i can also do my school work while waiting on the set. Education is very important. Actually now, i’m torn between work and school kasi i know that it is very important dahil ‘yun ka e, it defines you. Whatever it is that you achieve in showbiz, parang iba pa rin talaga if you are able to finish school and receive your diploma.”

Three winners will have their works premiere on HBO

nEW YORK, nY — hBO, home to the shows that everyone is talking about, announced on Thursday, July 12 the call for entries for its third annual Asian Pacific American Visionaries, the leading short film competition showcasing cinematic storytellers of Asian and Pacific islander descent.

The top three winners will receive cash prizes and the opportunity to premiere their works on hBO (and/or its on-demand, digital and/or social platforms).

For complete rules and guidelines, visit www.hbovisionaries. com. All submissions are due

by Wednesday, november 14 at 11:59 p.m. EsT. Follow the conversation on social media using #hbovisionaries.

Established in 2016, hBO Visionaries provides an unprecedented platform for emerging filmmakers to share their unique and diverse perspectives of the community. For this year’s competition, hBO is seeking innovative storytellers whose works reflect the modern Asian Pacific American experience. serving as the ambassador and spokesperson for the 2019 hBO Visionaries program is indian American actress sujata Day. Previous ambassadors have included Westworld’s Leonardo nam and silicon Valley’s Jimmy O. Yang. submission criteria for hBO Visionaries includes: • Running time: 10-15 minutes, inclusive of credits • Films must have been directed by a person of Asian or Pacific islander descent • Director must be a resident of one of the 50 United states or Washington, D.C.

• Films must be in the English language or contain English subtitles (common phrases acceptable) • Films must be a major festival premiere • Films must have commenced principal photography on or after October 1, 2017 • Films must not have had any previous exhibition on broadcast or cable • Employees of hBO and other WarnerMedia entity and their immediate family members are not eligible to participate Judges for the competition include hBO executives and representatives from leading Asian American media organizations including the Center for Asian American Media (CAAM), the Coalition of Asian Pacifics in Entertainment (CAPE) and Visual Communications. “hBO Visionaries is a terrific example of a proactive approach towards addressing Asian American representation,” said sujata

Day, who has also produced, written and directed a number of short films. “Although we’re seeing more APA faces in mainstream films and television these days, it’s also important that our stories are being told authentically and that’s where this competition comes in.” “it’s been a watershed year for Asian Americans in hollywood and we plan to continue building on that momentum through hBO Visionaries,” said Jackie Gagne, VP Multicultural Marketing at hBO. “hBO is proud to present a competition that is not only contributing to the conversation but also discovering some incredible talent along the way.”

“Competitions like hBO Visionaries offer our community the chance to share our stories with a mass audience,” said stephen Gong, executive director of CAAM. “We’re thrilled to be working with hBO to help seek out a new generation of APA directors.”

Thailand cave rescue to be turned into Hollywood movie LOs AnGELEs — The mission to rescue 12 boys and their soccer coach from a Thai cave is to get the hollywood treatment in a movie announced by faith-based production house Pure Flix.

Managing partner Michael scott, who lives in Thailand and was at the rescue site in Chiang Rai as the boys were being pulled to safety, made the announcement late Tuesday on Twitter. “i couldn’t be more excited.

This story has meant so much to me as i have followed it in Thailand this summer,” he said in a video filmed at the scene of the flooded cave in the country’s north.

“My wife actually grew up with the Thai navy sEAL that died in the cave. To see all that heroic bravery in the cave, and to get

all the divers out, it’s just such a touching event and so personal to me.” stunning video footage emerged Wednesday of several of the “Wild Boars” team — aged 11 to 16 — being freed from the Tham Luang cave on stretchers, ending a successful three-day rescue.

They are in good physical and mental health, say doctors, despite a harrowing 18 days inside the dank, dark cave before a risky rescue operation that was dubbed “Mission: impossible.” scott’s wife has been involved with planning the funeral for saman Kunan, the former sEAL that died on July 6 while helping install oxygen tanks in preparation for the extraction.

“We’re here really looking at

this as a movie that could inspire millions of people across the globe,” scott added.

“And we’re here witnessing the events, gathering some contacts and everything, to really tell a story about an international effort, the entire world coming together to save (12) kids trapped in this Thai cave.”

Pure Flix co-founder David A.R. White told The Wall street Journal the company — which was behind the 2014-18 “God’s not Dead” trilogy — was talking to actors, writers and potential investors.

“Pure Flix joins the rest of the world in thanking God for answering prayers for the successful rescue of those trapped in the cave in Thailand,” the company said in a statement. (ManilaTimes.net with reports from AFP)

Anne Curtis just relishing role as wife first by claRizel aBanilla Inquirer.net

UnLiKE other celebrity couples who aim for babies after marriage, Anne Curtis has always been open in saying she does not want to rush things.

But contrary to speculations that she opts to bear a child rather later due to physical demands of work, the “showtime” host clarified that she does not prevent having a baby if it should happen.

The “Buy Bust” star said she just wants to enjoy being a wife first to her husband, food blogger Erwan heussaff, before becoming a mom. “no, hindi dahil sa pelikula, it was more of i truly believe in enjoying your first year of marriage first. Ganun kami lalo na we still want to travel together, mag-ho-honeymoon pa kami so hindi pa. (No, not because of the movie, it was more of I truly

believe in enjoying your first year of marriage first. That’s how we are especially that we still want to travel together, we will still go on a honeymoon so not really, for now),” she said at the recent press conference for the upcoming action film “Buy Bust.”

Asked if she’s avoiding pregnancy, the actress answered: “no, not at all. ‘Di naman ako bata na at kasal naman na ako. (No, not at all. I’m not that young anymore and I’m married anyway).”

Curtis then mentioned how excited her husband is for her soon-to-be-shown action movie. she even relvealed that, for the first time, her husband blocked off his work schedule to make sure that he’d watch the film on its premiere night. she gushed when she shared that her husband takes care of her when she comes home exhausted from the shoot, and that he treats Anne Curtis with husband Erwan Heussaff Photo from Instagram/@annecurtissmith her like a baby.

‘On Your Feet!’ — musical based on...

PAGE B1

its final show on August 20, before the national tour.

Born and raised in Miami to Cuban immigrant parents, Christie Prades understudied the role of Gloria in the Broadway production of “On Your Feet!” her past regional credits include “in the heights” (Vanessa - Broadway World Award winner), “West side story” and “The D*Word.”

Mauricio Martínez is an award-winning actor and recording artist, who stars in nBC Universo’s first original scripted TV series “El Vato” (available on netflix) and was recently seen in the hit series “señora Acero 2” on Telemundo. Mauricio has starred in Mexican productions of several Broadway plays and musicals, including “Beauty and the Beast,” “saturday night Fever,” “The Drowsy Chaperone,” “sweet Charity,” and the spanish-language premieres of “The Last 5 Years” and “songs From An Unmade Bed.” he made his U.s. theatre debut in Kansas City Repertory’s production of “Evita” as ‘Che’ in 2016.

Mauricio Martinez and Christie Prades, as Emilio and Gloria Estefan, in the national tour of “On Your Feet!”

Photo by Matthew Murphy

The performance schedule for “On Your Feet!” is Tuesday through Friday at 8 p.m., saturday at 2 p.m. & 8 p.m., and sunday at 1 p.m. & 6:30 p.m.

“On Your Feet!” is recommended for ages 8 and up. (Children under 5 will not be admitted to the theatre. All patrons must have

a ticket, regardless of age.)

Tickets for “On Your Feet!” are now on sale, and available at www.

HollywoodPantages.com/OnYourFeet and www.Ticketmaster. com, by phone at (800) 982-2787 or in person at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre Box Office (Opens daily at 10 a.m. PT).

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Winwyn Marquez thinks Miss Universe should be for ‘natural-born women’ WHILE some people were happy to see a transgender woman finally competing in this year’s Miss Universe pageant, it may appear that one has a different opinion about it — 2017 Reina Hispanoamericana titleholder Teresita Ssen “Winwyn” Marquez.

This comes after Angela Ponce, a transgender woman from Spain, is set to compete in the renowned pageant.

Marquez said in a Glitz.ph interview that while she loved the idea of Spain allowing Ponce to join, she thinks “Miss UniTHE UPS AND DOWNS, AND THE BITTERSWEET ENDING OF A SPECIAL CASE ABOUT A SPECIAL SON WHO HAD AUTISM ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN verse per se” should be given PINOY!” When Norma immigrated to the U.S., she had to leave behind their autistic son, Michael because he aged out. The separation broke to “natural-born women.” She her heart. Norma and husband Joy (left) went to three other attorneys who were unable to deliver results, until they decided to retain leading also clarified that she has nothU.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, who was finally able to bring Michael to the U.S., to be reunited with his parents. Watch the ing against transgenders. The heartfelt journey of Michael and his family that led to a pleasant reunion, but with a painful ending, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” interview was posted on YouTube – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. by entertainment blogger MJ De Leon yesterday, July 12.

“Kasi (Because) there is Miss International Queen, tama ba (is that right)? It’s a prestigious pageant also… let’s just give it (Miss Universe) for natural bornPALA, CA — Continuing its nated beef in teriyaki sauce and Friday and 11 a.m. to 4 a.m. on women and for transgenders to renovation, Pala Casino Spa & onions; the Seafood Delight, a Saturday. have their own prestigious pagPala Casino Spa & Resort eant,” she explained. “Pero kung Resort today announced it has combination of shrimp, scallops, expanded its popular Noodles squid, fish cake and seasonal includes a Las Vegas-style ca- a-allow naman ng (But if it would Asian Restaurant and named mixed vegetables flavored with sino with 2,250 slot machines, be allowed by) Miss Universe Chef Tzin “Ken” Kao the new a light garlic sauce, and Salted 84 table games, seven poker pageant, then we should accept Shrimp, wok-fried whole shrimp tables and a 15,000-square-foot it also.” room chef.

In the expansion, Pala has with scallions and spicy garlic smoke-free casino area; a 507Marquez’s opinion was met room hotel; five swimming pools with some opposition. Transgendoubled the size of the kitchen salt.

A popular soup is a Thai en- with two hot tubs and 14 luxury der model Xtina Superstar was and the number of cooking woks, more than doubled the number trée, Spicy Chicken Tam Kah. It cabanas; a 10,000-square-foot, one of those who questioned it. of seats in its dedicated dining offers vermicelli noodles served full-service spa and salon that She answered the beauty queen room from 45 to 105 and in- with shrimp, fish cake, scal- features 17 treatment rooms, two via Twitter yesterday: “Girl, just stalled a larger take-out counter lops, squid, fresh mushrooms in cabanas and a state-of-the-art cut the bs and say that you don’t lemongrass, lime juice and chili- fitness center. Pala also offers 10 agree to it, wag mo na echosin for to-go orders. .

Chef Ken becomes the new flavored broth. Two Vietnamese restaurants and 40,000 square ng (don’t sugarcoat it with) ‘nothNoodles room chef after serving favorites are Beef Pho, rice stick feet of meeting and conven- ing against transgenders’ or ‘I refor the past eight years as the noodles served with a slice of tion space. Pala Casino Spa & spect the Lgbt’ keme, nakakairita Asian chef at Pala’s Choices the flank steak in traditional beef Resort is an AAA Four-Diamond lang (it’s just annoying).”

Buffet. A native of Taiwan, he broth, and Banh Canh, shrimp, Award winner for 15 consecuMeanwhile, a fan named Cherbegan his culinary career under scallops, squid and fish cake tive years. The new Pala RV ry Ann D. Santos (@CheJoshthe tutelage of Master Chef Chen served in an egg Lobster broth. Resort opened May 23, 2016, Gabe) agreed with Marquez that Noodles offers six appetizers, and offers 100 parking sites for the pageant should be solely for and came to the United States in 1982, Prior to joining the Pala Shrimp and Vegetable Egg Rolls RVs and trailers from 55 to 70 “real women.” culinary team in 2010, he served that are deep-fried and served feet and full-service amenities But @xtinasuperstar answered as a chef for leading Asian res- with sweet and sour sauce; for RVers. Pala RV Resort has back: “Transwomen are women, taurants in Orange County, CA, Stuffed Crab Claws, stuffed been rated a perfect 10/10*/10 no such thing as ‘real’ women; the with shrimp and served with by Good Sam, the national RV fact that you just used ‘real’ like and Salt Lake City, UT. “For a number of reasons, plum sauce; Chinese Barbecued Resort rating publication for it’s an upgrade to a woman’s femculinary creativity, excellent food Spare Ribs; Shrimp Wontons, three consecutive years. Trailer ininity does not make sense.” quality, economic pricing and either deep-fried or steamed; Life and MotorHome magazines Back in 2012, the Miss Unifast, efficient service, Noodles Fried Tofu, and a Vietnamese awarded Pala RV Resort its Gold verse pageant stirred controversy has grown to become one of Hand Roll made with shrimp, Awards for 2016 and 2017 as when a Canadian transgender our most popular restaurants. vermicelli and fresh vegetables Best RV Resort Casino and Best model, Jenna Talackova, was disCampground Resort. Its state- qualified from the pageant. The Expanding its size and menu wrapped in rice paper.

Noodles serves a variety of of-the-art Pala Spa was named organization later reversed the under the leadership of Chef Ken Kao extends Pala’s reputation hot and cold non-alcoholic and the number one spa in the casino for impeccable guest service,” alcoholic beverages including industry and number two spa in said Bill Bembenek, Pala’s chief soft drinks, soy milk, hot tea, North America for 2017 by Spas Thai Iced Tea, Fresh Juice, of America. The ranking marked executive officer.

A visit to Noodles becomes an Vietnamese Iced Coffee, Sake the twelfth consecutive year that Asian smorgasbord experience. and a selection of imported and Pala Spa has been ranked in the Top 100 and Top 10. Pala Casino Noodles provides Asian special- domestic beers.

“Our menu is diverse and Spa & Resort was voted Best Caties from five cultures, Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese continues to evolve. Our staff sino in San Diego by the public and Thai, and menus are printed represents many backgrounds. in the 10News.com annual A-List in four languages, English, Chi- But, we work together to create poll sponsored by KGTV-TV 10 the best of each culture,” Chef News in San Diego. For more nese, Vietnamese and Korean. information, visit http://www.

A sampling of Chef Ken’s Ken said.

Noodles is open from 11 palacasino.com. popular entrees include Teriyaki Beef featuring stir-fried mari- a.m. to 2 a.m., Sunday through (Advertising Supplement)

Pala expands Noodles Asian Restaurant Tzin ‘Ken’ Kao named new room chef

Aegis celebrates 20 years in the biz

by NATHALIE

TOMADA Philstar.com

TWENTY years. That’s how long Aegis has been surviving, thriving and representing Original Pilipino Music.

“It’s a big honor for us,” vocalist Juliet Sunot said of being part of the Philippine music industry this long. “Dito nagka-anak, nagka-pamilya, nagkaroon ng bahay, nagkaroon ng sasakyan. Dito din, sa musika, nakuha namin ang aming mga pangarap.”

Aegis is made up of the Sunot sisters Juliet, Mercy and Ken (singers), Stella Pabico (keyboardist), Vilma Goloviogo (drummer), Weng Adriano (bassist) and Rey Abenoja (lead guitarist).

Once described by critics as baduy or too masa, Aegis has vindicated itself by becoming one of the country’s most enduring artists, with its pop-rock music strongly resonating with Filipinos. The band has since crossed over to other genres and inspired an orchestral concert Aegis in Symphony with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) that was staged twice at the Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP), and Rak of Aegis, the longest-running musical of the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) with six runs and over 300 shows.

Their songs have the ability to express intense, deep-seated emotions that singing them can be quite the cathartic experience for many karaoke-loving Filipinos.

Aegis members hailed from different cities and provinces like Cagayan de Oro (the Sunot sisters), Misamis Occidental (Stella), Southern Leyte (Rey), Pampanga (Rowena), Vilma (Manila), and previously belonged to other bands while working as entertainers and musicians in Japan.

They were eventually formed into a group initially named AG’s Soundtrippers (after their manager’s initials) and then renamed Aegis in 1998 by the band’s man-

Aegis in an old music video

ager and Alpha Records. That was also the time Aegis returned to the country to record the debut album Halik, which carried many of the band’s greatest hits and received quadruple platinum record status. During the late ‘90s to early 2000s, the pre-digital era, such accomplishment equaled to nearly half a million physical albums sold.

Just as lasting as the music is the band members’ close bond.

Aegis never underwent a change in line-up let alone considered disbanding. It only saw the addition of Ken six years ago. According to Ken, she’s “very lucky” to have never experienced the early struggles of the band.

Mercy said they are grateful to God for blessing them with career longevity.

For her part, Stella said they are not mindful of the years they’ve been together.

If there are problems, they said, these are resolved once they hit the stage.

Music keeps them together, Juliet stressed.

“We need this job that’s why we’re also together,” they laughed.

Amidst all the laughter, it’s no joke how they managed to reach this far in the music business.

Stella recalled that prior to becoming Aegis, in the late ‘80s to early ‘90s, they got paid as little

Philstar.com photo

as P32 per show.

After successfully working in Japan, their management decided to bring them home in 1998 to record an album.

They could now laugh at the memory of playing in no-name bars because “no popular bars were willing to accept us.”

When one established bar finally did, they recalled feeling nervous and intimidated by its “classy” crowd. “Nanginginig pa kami kasi sanay lang kami sa tabi-tabi. Sanay kami na nagtsitsinelas lang yung mga tao at lasing (laughs),” Juliet shared.

However, they were not allowed to perform their original songs. The owner agreed to let them sing originals but on a Sunday, thinking it would be a slow day. It turned out they were able to fill up the venue, with the audiences requesting for their song one after another.

They also remembered agreeing to do a mall show for P80 just so they could sell their first album. Eventually, the mall didn’t want to have them because the crowd became too much to handle.

They have also experienced performing in a rice field. And they used to lug around their equipment and packed them into taxis, even jeepneys. Vilma said.

Stella believes these were all PAGE B7

decision and allowed Talackova to join, citing Canada’s legal gender recognition requirements which Talackova appeared to have satisfied, as explained by Trump’s special counsel then, Michael Cohen. (Katrina Hallare/Inquirer.net)

Winwyn Marquez Photo from Instagram/@teresitassen

B juLy 14-17, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAL

The hardworking members of Kalayaan Incorporated, who pulled all the stops to produce an unforgettable celebration.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 14-17, 2018

B

From left to right: Bobby Reyes, Rosalie Caratao, Lady Hope Robillos, Ceny Reyes, Techie Emperador, Edith Sajor, Gil Mislang, Jessica Caloza Standing from the left, Nerissa Rosete, Eva de la Cruz, Susan del Rio Rosete, Francis Rodriguez, Lourdes Rodriguez, Larry Espiritu, Marian Espiritu, Bona Valerio, Eddie Tagle, Susan Espiritu Dilkes, Brenda Staana, Brendali Espiritu Sta.Ana, Grace Du, Teresa Espiritu, Ferdie Espiritu, Jon de la Cruz, Jun Sta. Ana, Raffy Espiritu, Ernesto Rosete, Licarion Espiritu Jr, Jun Rosete.

L-R: Cerritos Mayor Mark Pulido, Mr. & Mrs. Mendoza, Marissa Castro-Salvati, Claremont Councilmember Corey Calaycay, Board Member, Jone Jade A. Bautista, 3rdDist.,Bohol, Phil.,Susan E. Dilkes, Van Dichoso, West Covina Councilmember James Toma

Carmelita Paule, Susan E. Dilkes, Lolita Bandong, Marilou Perez, Rene Galano Carson Councilmember Elito Santarina, Madame Catherine Cruz, Cora Soriano

Phil. Consul General Adelio Cruz, 3rd from L; Bettie Francisco, 5th from L;Madame Catherine Cruz, Triny Florante, Ben Miranda, Roger Oriel

Dr. Marilou and Van Dichoso Susan E. Dilkes, Raffy Espiritu, CEO/Pres.IMPEC Group

Consul General Adelio Angelio S. Cruz, Keynote Speaker

Pedro Ramirez, Annie Cuevas-Lim

L-R: Bona Valerio, Eva dela Cruz, Brendali Sta. Ana

3rd from L: Judge Mel Recana, Judge Teresa Magno, Atty. John Portillo

1st from L: Mr. & Mrs. Manny Ilagan 2nd from L:seated,Erlinda Granada-Sabah, Standing-2nd from Left Marilou Perez

Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles Staff

Fil-Am Association of Santa Clarita Valley, From L-R: Cecille Ocampo, Lucille Ford, Zeny Justiniano, Mul Tayuba, Josie Maglalang, Zony Gordon, Jo Reyes, Emie Carillo, Myra Miranda

Features

B juLy 14-17, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS What are the primary generations in our society?

Our society today is composed of five primary generations. Each generation appears to have its own philosophy, goals, values, lifestyle, behavior, work ethics, expectation, and outlook. Some share same characteristics of generations before and after their own. Here are the five generations: • Gen Z, iGen, or Centennials: Born 1996 and later • Millennials or Gen Y: Born 1977 to 1995 • Generation X: Born 1965 to 1976 • Baby Boomers: Born 1946 to 1964 • Traditionalists or Silent Generation: Born 1945 and before.

Based on this classification, I belong to the Silent, Traditional, Generation.

But like countless people around the world, I consider myself to be hardly silent, mostly traditional, but not totally, and conservative in many ways, with a tinge of reasoned liberalism. This stratification of our society is very interesting, accurate, and makes a lot of sense. The world today is what it is because of this mix, a recipe of a variety of ingredients providing a menu of high-calorie diversity in a mosaic of some clashing cultures, traditions, and politics. Hopefully, the 6th generation would be Generation LUC — Generation of Love, Understanding, and Compassion — to achieve world peace and prevent annihilation of our planet.

Is the alcohol consumption limit too high?

The current guidelines in the United States for the recommended reasonable upper limit alcohol consumption may not be low enough to be safe, according to a study published in Lancet. Review of data from 83 prospective studies on 600,000 drinkers who did not have any baseline cardiovascular disease, followed up for a median of 7.5 years, showed roughly 7 percent died and 7 percent had their first cardiovascular event.

The report says: “For both men and women, consuming 100 grams of alcohol (or about 7 servings) or less per week was associated with lowest all-cause mortality. In the U.S., this is about half the recommended upper limit for men and equivalent to the recommended limit for women.

Men and women who exceeded the U.S. recommended limits had shorter life expectancies of 2.7 years and 1.3 years, respectively, at age 40. Higher intake was associated with elevated risk for

Cancer, flu and PPI most cardiovascular outcomes except myocardial infarction (heart attack).”

Does healthy lifestyle still help cancer patients?

The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) Oncology study reported that “patients who adhere to a healthy lifestyle after colorectal cancer diagnosis, as recommended by the American Cancer Society (ACS), may have improved survival. ACS guidelines for cancer survivors call for a healthy body weight, regular physical activity, and high intake of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains.”

The study involves 1000 patients undergoing chemotherapy for stage III colon cancer. Patients whose lifestyle were most concordant with ACS guidelines had 42 percent lower mortality risk compared to the non-compliant ones.

Added recommendations include “5-6 servings per day of fruits and vegetables and about 150 minutes per week of exercise.” So, never give up, and beat that cancer.

Is there a blood test to detect early cancer?

CBC (Complete Blood Count), Blood protein testing (electrophoresis for immunoglobulins) and Tumor Marker tests are indirect tests to aid in diagnosing the presence of cancer. So, we are yet to have a blood test that can detect early stage cancer directly.

Here’s a great prospect: Illumina, famous for gene sequencing announced that “it’s launching a new company to develop a blood test that will detect early-stage cancers in asymptomatic (no symptoms) patients. Called Grail, the company will use DNA sequencing to look for genetic mutations that occurs when cancer is first developing, thus enabling earlier treatment…the goal being the development of a ‘pan-cancer’ test, a universal test.”

This potentially life-saving test is expected to be in the market in 2019 at about $500. Among the investors of Grail are Microsoft founder Bill Gates (net worth 92.1 billion) and Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon (net worth is $139.4 billion).

Do acid-reflux pills harm the kidneys?

Popular and widely used PPIs (Proton-pump Inhibitors) for acid reflux, to reduce the acid production in the stomach and heartburns, is associated with 20 to 50 percent increased risk for developing chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to an observational study in the JAMA Internal Medicine. The study followed over 10,000 individuals originally free of any kidney disease, who subsequently took PPIs for acid reflux for 14 years, showed 14.2 percent developed CKD versus 10.7 percent among PPI non-users. Users also had higher rates of acute renal injury.

Physicians usually prescribe ACE (angiotensin converting enzyme) inhibitors or ARBs (angiotensin receptor blockers) for PPI users to protect the kidneys. Painkillers (like ibuprofen, naproxen, which are nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) used daily can damage the kidneys. PPI users are advised to have renal function (blood and urine tests) monitoring and serum magnesium level testing. If needed, the physician might switch the patient to H2 receptor antagonist pills to treat the acid reflux.

What is this new drug that kills flu virus?

Good news: Possibly available before the end of 2018, a new drug marketed by Roche that kills the flu virus within 24 hours and end infectious transmission also within that period, Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil), is waiting for final FDA approval. This could be the first anti-flu approved from a new class in two decades. This drug has already been approved in Japan. Its novel mechanism, unique efficacy, and ability to end transmission within a day are most impressive and beneficial to the whole world in its fight against influenza.

According to the study “Xofluza is given only once, instead of five days at twice-daily dosing required by Roche’s own flu stalwart Tamiflu. And, with just that one pill, the drug managed to relieve symptoms and bring down fever in time on par with Tamiflu, a 1,436-subject phase 3 showed. What’s more important, the drug can suppress the flu virus level in just 24 hours, while it takes Tamiflu 72 hours to do the same. Besides, it could treat some Tamiflu-resistant strains from avian flu viruses H5N1 and H7N9. Furthermore, its quick virus-killing action could stop the virus from spreading to others sooner, and packing such power in a one-time regimen could also mean convenience for patients.”

Should soft drinks be banned?

All kinds of soft drinks, cola or uncola, diet or regular, caffeinated or decaf, have been found to be unhealthy, for both adults and children. They increase the risk for metabolic syndrome. Should they be banned? We want to get your personal feedback. Please e-mail us what you think. *** 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. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

Tom Rodriguez, Carla Abellana preparing for...

PAGE B1 It’s not just the size that Carla considers but security as well.

“I want a secure neigborhood. Mahirap yung bigla na

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lang may dumadaan na hindi mo kilala. Security is very important especially that we are planning to start a family in that house.

Aside from security, I want a

place na maraming puno, yung napakapreskong tingnan kasi siyempre, gusto ko maganda yung lugar for my family,” she explained.

With these talks, people must be right in saying that marriage for them is in the offing.

“I hope soon,” Tom said with a smile. “We’re talking about it but we have decided to make a checklist first before we settle down.

Among those in the checklist is buying a house so pag nakabili na kami, we’ll go to the next item in the checklist then eventually get married.”

In two weeks, Tom will be done taping for his primetime series “The Cure” on GMA. But that doesn’t mean that he and Carla can devote more time in looking for a house together.

“I won’t be busy as much after this and it’s Carla who will be devoting much time to work in her new soap, so ako, I will just rest, stay in my condo and draw,” Tom enthused.

It’s been quite a while since Carla had a regular drama series so the new project brings her a different kind of excitement.

“I have already discussed the project with the creative team and I can just say that the project is big. Parang in the tradition of a big Hollywood series. The other day, I was told who the other stars will be so the more that I felt really excited. I cannot wait to work with my co-stars. Some of them I haven’t worked with so it will be a new experience for me,” Carla shared.

As Carla prepares for her upcoming series, Tom wraps up work with “The Cure”.

“When we were about to start taping, I was very happy because ‘The Cure’, I felt, was not the usual fare that networks offer to the viewers. Now that it is about to finish, I still feel excited about the story. The ending might just be not the type that the viewers are thinking. Ang dami pang mangyayari so better keep on watching. As I have always said, ‘The Cure’ is something different from the usual TV series,” assured Tom.

L-R: Sofia (in pink) with coach Tammy Gambill (world renowned Olympic coach). Sofia with coach Jean Yu (international coach; former South Korea Olympian and two-time World Champion competitor). Sofia at the 2018 Showcase for Skaters. Natasha (in blue) with coach Denise Moore. Natasha and Sofia’s action shots; both girls are now being trained at the official U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.

Meet young Fil-Am ice skaters Sofia Lexi and Natasha Jolyn Frank

By Monet

Lu

I RECENTLY came across the hashtag “#startthemyoung” and I say that I truly support it. I’m a firm believer of dreaming big and going after your dreams. I was reminded of that once again when I crossed paths with a friend of mine whose kids are currently being trained to compete for a skating competition.

As she and I talked about her and the girls, I finally found my #startthemyounggoals. Today, I am honored to feature these two young athletes.

Meet future Olympians Sofia Lexi Frank and Natasha Jolyn Frank.

“Sofia is 12 years old and Natasha is 10. Both girls are competing in Anaheim, Glacier Falls by end of July and in the 2018 Showcase Nationals and regionals in October. They have been training really hard here in Colorado Springs. The altitude here is tough but is the best training ground for them. They have been skating 6-8 hours a day doing on-ice and off-ice training. They are taking stretching classes, and ballet and contemporary dance classes. They usually wake up at 4 in the morning, skate 5 am, then go to school then back on ice training after school, till about 6-7 pm.” Precious Frank says when I asked her about her daughters.

Preciousa Tongko - Frank is a former Bb. Pilipinas candidate.

She competed in 1990 and won “Ms. Photogenic.” She was also an actress and a PMAP professional model for 10 years. She now works as a Principal Consultant for Med Tech Solutions.

Her husband, Noah Frank was a former Junior Olympian Skier.

He used to work as the Director of Guest Services at the Peninsula Beverly Hills Hotel and an Assistant Manager at Beverly Hills Hotel. He gave all that up and got work at the Pasadena Ice skating Center as a hockey coach to get the girls more ice time to practice.

“Noah is no stranger to ice sports. One day we took Sofia to the ice rink to skate. He took her on the ice and after the public session there were ice skating lessons. When Sofia saw the lessons and the little girls in pretty dresses, she begged us for lessons. That was how it started. Natasha saw her big sister skating and of course, wanted to copy her so she did.

Sofia started skating at 3 years old and Natasha started at 2,” Precious added.

At such as an early age the girls were taught to train hard if they want to succeed and achieve their goals.

“Just put it this way, when other kids would still be waking up to get ready for school, the girls (Sofia and Natasha) have had already skated for 2-3 hour, then they go to school. That is really hard - They have been doing this for 8 years. If that is not dedication, I don’t know what is.”

Sofia is in 8th grade while Natasha is in 5th grade. Sofia, an A-student, wants to be an Olympic coach and physical therapist. Natasha is an animal lover, and wants to be a veterinarian specializing in dogs and cats.

“Sofia is a good singer. She loves to sing in the shower. I think given a chance she would love to be in a TV show or commercial.

I showed the girls my portfolio and some of my old movies and commercials. She pretends to act on stage all the time. Both of the girls would make up programs and perform at home in front of family and friends. Natasha loves animals. She loves dogs and cats.

She also loves watching wrestling wrestling (WWE). She knows everyone in it. She would love to see a live wrestling match. Both of them are great skiers. We try to go up the mountains every year to ski.”

Sofia and Natasha have been featured in LATV. “That was her first exposure to Filipino TV. I want the Filipino people to be proud of them. It is hard work and dedication. The girls are proud to be half Filipinos. They eat Bagoong and fish heads. “ “If you ask them, they know what their Olympic year is! (laughs). Sofia is 3 years away from that and Natasha is 7 years.

Baby steps. Figure skating takes a lifetime to learn. It takes a minimum of 14 years to master the skill. Their main focus now is training. Sofia is being coached by Tammy Gambill (see photo). She brought 3 Olympians in Korea. We were training with her in Riverside. Last June, she was asked to move to Colorado Springs to work in the US Olympic Training Center, so we packed up our house and moved to Colorado Springs. We arrived here in Colorado Springs June 29 and started Training right away. It was a no brainer. Now, my girls are training in in the U.S Olympic Training Center, with different Olympic coaches and is skating with the best of the best skaters in the world. It’s amazing! It’s one step closer to their dream. As a parent all I can do is support them so they can make their dream a reality.”

And while the girls have amazing coaches and trainers, they have the BEST coach one can ever have – their Mom. And she has this to say to her young skaters: “Believe in yourself, pray and believe in God. With God you can do anything. Hard work pays off. When you fall, get up and try again. When it gets to hard, just look at the wall (it says US Olympic Training Site). [I tell them]: you are so close in achieving your dream. Hang on and work harder and be better that anyone in the ice rink.”

Such an inspiration. All I can say is, I believe in hard work and passion. And these lovely young ladies have them – plus they are lucky to have the best parents in the world who would go through lengths to support their kids.

To Precious and Frank, keep up the good work! And to the girls, Natasha and Sofia: the best days of your life is ahead of you. Good luck and stay dedicated. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns.

Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

PH acts to enliven ‘Asia’s Got Talent’ anew WITH the act from Philippines El Gamma Penumbra winning the first season of “Asia’s Got Talent” as well as runner-up DMX Comvaleñoz in the second season (won

by Indonesia’s The Sacred Riana), producers of the continent-wide reality show expect only the best when open auditions were held in Manila on June 30.

From a cultural troupe of 22 to an umbrella-wielding dancing grandpa, hundreds of talented Filipinos gave their best shot for a chance to secure a spot on the third edition of the show.

“The Philippines has a proven track record of success on Asia’s Got Talent with El Gamma Penum-

Group of 22 or Group of 5 doesn’t matter in ‘AGT’

TNT Boys

bra winning the first season and DMX Comvaleñoz as runner-up in Season 2. We expected the best from the Philippines and the acts certainly exceeded our expectations at the open auditions with their high level of passion, talent and enthusiasm,” Sony Pictures Television Networks Asia Vice President for Production Derek Wong said.

“Each act has a compelling story that’s waiting to be told and we are looking forward to discovering the next Pinoy star

this season,” he added.

The regional “Asia’s Got Talent” audition tour made stops in Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur with online auditions extended until July 16.

It talent show is entered in the Guinness World Records as the Most Successful Reality Television Format in history with 70 local versions produced across Europe, Asia Pacific, the MiddleEast, Africa and the Americas airing 186 countries. (ManilaTimes.net)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 14-17, 2018

B

RK Bagatsing not ‘using’ Kuya Raymond Ellen Adarna’s lawyer: Actress gave birth last June 27

by Boy

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

aBunda

Philstar.com

RK Bagatsing was on the hot seat of “Tonight With Boy Abunda” several nights back with his Team RK happily settled in the audience area supporting him with applause and occasional oohs and aahs in reaction to our conversation which interestingly delved into the witty, intelligent, sexy and serious aspects of his life and career.

It’s not surprising though to hear members of Team RK expressing their heartfelt support to their idol. They have several reasons why they so admire the actor.

They blurted out superlatives like, RK is excellent in acting, he is sexy, humble, mabait (kind), gwapo (handsome), and a lot more.

For RK, his favorite remark is “mabait.”

Do you realize that you are sexy? I asked.

“Well, they asked me to take off my shirt. There must be a reason,” RK shot back, adding that he doesn’t oblige most of the time whenever somebody asks him to do so. But no mistake about it, RK is comfortable with his body as evident in ‘Wildflower’, where his character Arnaldo was often seen half-naked from the waist up, showing a well-built physique that complemented his A1 acting performance. In fact, he was hailed as Best Actor in a Drama Series at the 16th Gawad Tanglaw Awards for TV. Before he succeeded in entering into showbiz, RK worked in a BPO (business process outsourcing) company for four years. He was doing good then but at the same time he was feeling the void; that something was missing.

There was also a strong urge in him to “explore” before he completely committed to his job.

“I started acting when I was 10 years old as part of a youthoriented show in another channel and since I was still young, I didn’t know yet what I really wanted to do,” he shared. “Then eventually, I fell in love with basketball and so I became (part of) a varsity. I forgot about acting and went on to basketball until I had a knee injury that made me forget about basketball. Then I started to work.”

Everyone knows that Raymond Bagatsing is his brother but RK chose not to “use” the former to get public recognition in a snap.

He did numerous rounds of auditions for TV shows, movies and commercials, hoping to get a spot

AFTER weeks of speculation, Ellen Adarna’s lawyer has confirmed that the actress has given birth on June 27.

News 5 showbiz reporter MJ Marfori posted on her Instagram story and Twitter account her interview with Ellen’s lawyer, Atty.

Rebo Saguisag.

Saguisag confirmed Ellen gave birth to her child with on leave Kapamilya actor John Lloyd Cruz and that is the reason why the actress cannot attend to her child abuse and cybercrime cases.

“Actually, after the hearing, sinabi namin, nanganak na siya, two days after. Talaga namang

RK Bagatsing

in the acting arena.

“Pumila ako and I was one of those thousands who auditioned for (a slot in) ‘PBB’, and of course, maraming indies, go-sees here at ABS.” He experienced rejection, not once but so many times to the point of feeling down and depressed.

“I gave myself a time frame. In two years, I was rejected many times that led me to become numb and then I started to question my abilities, my looks. I stayed in my room and I couldn’t even talk to my family.”

Thankfully, RK was able to cope with his situation when he began to open up to his family. He knew he needed help from loved ones who truly care. Raymond was also there to listen and help.

“A lot of times, I think I owe a lot to him the most kaya ako nandito kasi siya ang tumayong second daddy ko. He gave me a lot of perspectives and looking back, I’m so lucky because I was able to open up my mind sa ganoong tao. I’m just really thankful he was there in those times that’s why I was able to move forward.”

What one lesson his brother taught him as an actor and as a person?

“Believe in yourself.”

How about when it comes to girls?

“Be a gentleman. I think that’s the most sexiest thing you can offer to a girl.”

As to the kind of boyfriend that he is, RK proudly told that he is sweet, caring and in his own words, “yung pupunuin

ABS-CBN photo

kita ng love na tipong hindi mo makakalimutan ‘pag sa gabing ‘pag tulog, mapapanaginipan mo pa rin ako.”

Asked what does he think matters more between love and career, RK said it depends on what stage of life he is now. At the moment, it is career over love for him. And no one can blame RK as televiewers of “Precious Hearts Romances: Araw Gabi” are beginning to notice his acting anew as the character David Garcia. In fact, the 30year-old Kapamilya star cannot be thankful enough to televiewers for making the afternoon romantic drama series the most-watched show on iWantTV. RK also starred in the fourth anniversary special of “Ipaglaban Mo” with Kim Chiu as his leading lady for the first time. The said episode was shot in Korea.

Meanwhile, RK gamely revealed more about himself in 5 in 45. Read on.

• I’m scared of cockroaches, especially those that fly.

• My most favorite lately is Mediterranean food — Kebab with spicy sauce.

• Lately, I am also addicted to eating chicken tenders, especially with the hottest sauce.

• I don’t know what’s happening to me but lately I couldn’t finish watching a series anymore because I often fall asleep.

• S o b ra n g s t a r s t r u c k a k o kay Kim Chiu, halfway na nag-uusap kami, nag-fake ako na nakatulog ako nasa bus kami papunta sa location kunwari nakatulog ako. Alam mo na ngayon, Kim, hahaha.

wala kaming dahilan... Sinasabi nila, ‘delay.’ Maybe ‘delay,’ for her to be able to have a safe delivery. And in due time, mahirap i-biyahe, e. It’s a matter of days pa lang e,” Saguisag said.

Ellen’s lawyer did not give more details about the model-actress giving birth. But reports said Ellen and John Lloyd’s baby is a boy, and the latter was reportedly seen buying a baby stroller and a car seat recently in a Cebu mall.

Recently, John Lloyd also slammed Inquirer.net for falsely publishing that their baby was already baptized.

The actor posted “F*** FAKE NEWS” on Instagram, tagging along @inquirerdotnet and @ preen.ph.

Ellen Adarna

ABS-CBN photo

Aegis celebrates 20 years...

PAGE B3 “good experiences because we learned a lot when we were just starting.”

To promote the Halik album, friends would call up radio stations during the wee hours of the morning to request for their songs. Radio deejays would decline requests because they found their songs too loud and noisy.

Aegis also had some critics that dismissed their music as too masa or baduy. One R&B performer refused to share the stage with them because supposedly, unlike Aegis, “their music is meant for the class A.” “Pero ano ba talaga ang baduy? Baduy ang kanta or baduy ang personality or baduy yung pananamit namin? Dun ako nalilito… Kasi pag sinabi pang-masa yan, sinasabi kaagad baduy yan,” asked Weng on why their masafriendly songs were being equated to baduy by others.

Of course, the band used to get offended by such comments but have learned to just let them go because “you can’t please everyone.”

Rey said, “We don’t mind. Basta as far as we know, ang audience namin ay all walks of life, A-B-C-D-E.” Unknown to many perhaps, the main composer of Aegis songs was Rey’s brother Celso Abenoja, who unfortunately passed away 11 years ago. “Ang dami niyang pangarap, ang iba natupad. For example, it was his dream to hear his songs on the radio. Ngayon natupad na. When he was still alive, he used to tag along to our gigs. Although at that time, di pa

kami kasikatan.”

Rey further revealed, “Actually, sad to say, he became a drug dependent during his college days in Olongapo. Ang brain damage niya, according to his doctor, di na kaya.”

Even with his condition, Rey’s brother would make all these searing, emotionally-charged — hugot in Pinoy parlance — songs about love, loss and pain based on real experiences, and which are fittingly interpreted by the Sunot sisters’ power vocals.

Rey said his brother Celso would write three kinds of songs: “love songs, angry songs and super angry songs.”

The story behind BasangBasa Sa Ulan, he related, “Nagdadala siya ng sariling banig at gitara niya kasi tuliro na siya. Napadpad siya sa Quezon City, sa may UP Village, and nabugbog siya.”

He then returned home, bloodied and soaking wet because it was raining, Rey recalled. The next day, his brother penned the song as triggered by the incident: “Heto ako ngayon, nag-iisa Naglalakbay sa gitna ng dilim Lagi na lang akong nadarapa Ngunit heto, bumabangon pa rin.”

From these lyrics, there’s something so easy to learn and relate to — about being down and out, and yet trying to battle personal demons and pick oneself up.

Rey said, “Kung buhay siya ngayon... matutuwa siya.”

Celso’s memory lives on through the songs, and in a way, their continued success is a tribute to him.

Recently, ABS-CBN’s Sunday musical-variety show “ASAP” also paid tribute to the contributions of Aegis to the music industry.

A rerun of “Rak of Aegis” is also playing at the PETA Theater.

The band credited the wildlysuccessful musical for expanding their audience base.

When members were first informed that their music would be used in the musical in 2014, they were both shocked and surprised.

First thought was, “Why us?”

“Sa dinami-daming banda, bakit yung kanta namin ang napili? ‘Baduy’ kami dati, ni-lolook down kami, tapos ginawan kami ng musical,” Juliet said.

The orchestral show Aegis in Symphony with the PPO at the CCP last year brought them to tears.

Rey said, “That was the time na umiyak talaga ako ng husto. You know why? Because me and my brother, we were always together. Sabi niya, gagawa ako ng music na balang araw matutupad ito sana. He called it ‘space music.’ He had imagined a fourpiece band but may ibang tugtog sa likod,which is nangyari sa orchestra (referring to the different ensembles of instruments). Naiyak talaga ako.”

So, how do they see Aegis in the next decade or two?

“Ten years kaya pa ba? 20 years?” Juliet, Mercy, Ken, Vilma, Weng, Stella and Rey asked each other, before adding, “sana tangkilikin pa rin nila yung music (hope they continue to support our music) so that we will still be here.”

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COMMUNITY Journal

Families belong together – but what are their rights on arrival?

MANY people have been saddened over the last few weeks when they saw the way that immigrants were treated upon their arrival in the United States.

Children have been separated from their parents, people have struggled to present their cases for asylum with limited time and resources, and there been have general feelings of fear and chaos surrounding issues at the border.

There have been protests throughout the U.S. over the Trump administration’s “zero tolerance” policy, but there are still so many things we do not know, such as what is actually happening to children after their parents are deported. It is important to try and become familiar with the process in general when a foreign national is trying to enter the United States.

Foreign nationals will be inspected upon their arrival at a legal place of entry, officially referred to as a port-of-entry. It is during this inspection that an officer from U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) will make the decision whether to admit the foreign national to the United States. Many people are shocked to learn that travelers with valid visas are sometimes denied entry to the United States after long journeys. It is important to remember that a visa is not a guarantee of admission to the United States. Rather, every traveler seeking entry is subject to inspection at the port-of-entry.

It is CBP’s function to determine whether the traveler’s purpose in coming to the United States is compatible with their visa or whether the person is inadmissible for some reason, such as a criminal history or for having an intent incompatible with their visa.

Non-immigrants who are denied admission to the United States, as well as those who are caught trying to the enter the United States without authorization, do have the option of requesting asylum. A person

Your Immigration Solution Atty. Devin M. Connolly makes a request for asylum when they are afraid that they will be harmed if they are forced to return to their native country.

Applicants with this subjective fear of returning to their home country should clearly express their fear and should then be paroled into the U.S for an interview to determine whether they have a viable claim.

The applicant should notify CBP of their fear of return at the port-of-entry, or at the time they

resident being allowed to enter the United States so that a judge will be able to decide their case.

It is important for the returning resident to remember it is their right to see a judge and to assert this right when necessary.

It is generally not advisable for a foreign national to agree to return to their native country with the belief that they will be able to lawfully return in the near future. Unfortunately, returning to the United States after deportation, or perhaps even after a person requests to withdraw their application for admission and leave “voluntarily,” may not ever be possible.

It is true that immigrants attempting to enter the United States do generally have less rights and protections than people who are already living in the United States. However, that does not necessarily mean that deportation is automatic because certain rights and options do still exist, even for those people who have attempted to enter the United States without authorization. If you or a loved one is concerned you might be refused admission (or have been refused admission), it is recommended that you speak with a reputable and experienced immigration attorney to determinethe best options for your case.

“It is important to remember that a visa is not a guarantee of admission to the United States.” are apprehended if they have attempted to enter the United States at a location other than an official port-of-entry. The result will likely be a period of civil immigration detention before an interview by an asylum officer. While in custody the person will be able to contact family and representatives. Of course, the prospect of detention is not anyone’s idea of fun. It is essential that only those with credible and actual fear of return to their home country raise such a claim.

Frivolous or non-meritorious claims will result in detention followed by deportation and will not benefit in any way.

The rights of returning lawful permanent residents are far more robust than those of nonimmigrants and those who do not have a visa at all. The returning permanent resident always retains the right to request to see an immigration judge. This request to see an immigration judge will result in the returning

*** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com website: www.rreeves.com *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 14-17, 2018

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C jULY 14-17, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Do hobby loses attract IRS audits?

YES, it does. Losses from hobbies attract IRS audits. It’s cool to run a business that you enjoy, such as photography, dance studio, martial arts, dog-breeding, farming, and other leisurely activities. If you convert that stressreducing pastime into a regular business, try to make some money; otherwise, you may attract an IRS audit, especially if your new enterprise consistently generates losses from year to year. IRS may claim that you have a hobby - an activity not engaged in for profit and therefore not deductible for income taxation.

There are two ways to avoid disallowance of hobby loss.

• The first way is to show a profit in at least three out of five consecutive years (two out of seven years for breeding, training, showing, or racing horses).

• The second way is to have a profit-making objective. Run the venture in a businesslike manner. Show that you intend to turn it into a profit-making venture, rather than operate it as a mere

Minding Your Finances Atty. rAyMond BUlAon THE word “bankruptcy” is packed with all sorts of negative emotional triggers.

It sounds bad — even dirty. It’s embarrassing. (What if people find out?!) People paint ugly pictures of what their lives will look like post-bankruptcy.

But it’s not true.

Bankruptcy is an opportunity to close one chapter of your life and open a new chapter — a better chapter. In this new chapter of your life, you get to make choices without the constant pressure of creditors breathing down your back. Your days will feel easier, your responsibilities more manageable, and your choices more abundant. How’s that for a change?

To make the most of this new chapter, though, you have to face your fears. What I mean by “facing your fears” is this: Instead of worrying about how your bankruptcy will impact your life, make a plan so that you are in control.

Intentionally set a course of action to make sure that your bankruptcy does not negatively im-

Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA

hobby. Open a bank account.

Create books of account such as ledgers and trial balances. Generate financial statements. If you run a corporation, hold board of directors meetings as legitimate entities do. If it walks like a duck…

Under hobby loss rules, you can still claim usual deductions that are available whether or not the enterprise is engaged in business for profit (state and local property taxes). However, your deductions for business-type expenses (rent or advertising) will be limited to the excess of your gross income, meaning that you will not end up with a loss.

Deductible hobby expenses

are claimed on Schedule A of Form 1040 as miscellaneous itemized deductions subject to a 2%-of-AGI floor (beware of audit risk if you take big ticket items under Miscellaneous Expenses of Schedule A). By contrast, if the company is not affected by hobby loss rules, allowable expenses would be deductible on Schedule C, even if they exceed income from the company. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Common bankruptcy fears and what to do about them

pact your life.

What does “facing your fears” look like? Below are some practical suggestions that might help.

Number 1: Start by making a list of all the things you are worried about with respect to your bankruptcy. This is important because it gives you the power to begin taking action steps to mitigate this fear. If the fear exists in your mind, but you have not put it to paper, you will continue ruminating about all of the whatifs. This will cause your feelings of fear to intensify.

Instead, make a simple list of your fears. This list might include things like: I am worried that my friends and my family will find out.

I am worried that my boss will find out.

I am worried that I will not qualify for loans or credit cards.

I am worried about my credit score.

I am worried that I will be unable to get a job.

Number Two: Now, for each item on the list, make a list of all the things that are within your control that you can do to manage your fears.

For instance, let’s say that you are worried that your friends and

your family will find out (which is highly unlikely). What are the things that are within your control that you can do to manage your fears?

You might decide that you will feel better if you tell them directly about your bankruptcy. If this is your decision, you can then go about deciding when and how you will tell them.

On the other hand, you might decide that because friends and family members are unlikely to find out about your bankruptcy, you will refrain from telling them but, instead, create a plan for responding to their inquiries should they somehow find out (which, again, is highly unlikely).

There is no right or wrong answer here. The important part is that you face your fears and determine what you can do that is within your control to address them. Having a plan will put many of your fears to rest.

What are some of the other things you can do to face your fears? If you are worried about the impact the bankruptcy will have on your credit score, you can learn everything you can about credit-scoring, budgeting, and managing finances so that

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The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS THE poetic words of Psalms 85:11-12 strike a chord in many of us today: “Kindness and truth shall meet; justice and peace shall kiss. Truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven.” In a time when we seem to have lost civility in government and society, and have regressed to intolerance, barbarity, racism, and anti-immigrant sentiments, our hearts long again for the days and the era when “kindness and truth meet; and justice and peace kiss.”

Indeed, what has happened to our society? Why is there a resurging hatred for people of other color and immigrants in the United States? I thought that

Regressing as a society we’d gone a long way in this 21st Century of living a life of inclusivity, acceptance, and inter-cultural relations. Aren’t many citizens of this country seeing the second wave of immigrants—Hispanics, Asians, Africans, and others-also enriching the culture, the education, the commerce, and the economy.

Scenes of hatred toward immigrants are going viral in social media. “Go back to your country, you’re taking our jobs, and our foods,” one elderly woman in Daly City told an immigrant couple in a grocery store. “Leave my country!” one Caucasian woman yelled at people in a bus somewhere in the mid-west.

People are catching these antiimmigrant and racist remarks on their smartphone cameras. It’s disturbing and disheartening to see and hear them.

I’ve lived in the United States for more than three decades now, and I’ve never witnessed

these strong anti-immigrant sentiments and racial tensions until now. My experience of education in this country has been one that has promoted multicultural, intercultural, openness, and welcoming attitudes and values. So why are we now in this state of affairs? Who’s to blame and what cause these tensions?

I’ll agree with some journalists and pundits that it’s the people at the top of the government that we should blame. Their words and rhetoric influence our thoughts and behaviors. They divide a nation. They promote segregation, violence, and ill feelings towards other people. They may raise the flag of nationalism, but their speeches and comments on social media cause disharmony and division among us citizens and immigrants of this nation.

I agree that the country’s borders have to be secured and that people should migrate legally to

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Reinstating a deceased petitioner’s family-based petition IT is very common for beneficiaries of family based petition to wait many years before their petition’s priority date becomes current. This is usually the case with U.S. Citizen parent petitions to adult son or daughter. This is also common among petition’s between Siblings. What happens when the Petitioner dies?

Are all those years of waiting wasted? Not quite. Normally, the Petition is automatically revoked once the Petitioner dies.

However, all is not lost by the death of the Petitioner. The beneficiary has a couple of options depending on whether they are inside the U.S. or outside the U.S. The beneficiary may either avail of the INA § 204(l) which was signed into law in 2009 if the beneficiary is inside the US at the time the petitioner’s death and continues to reside inside the US. Alternatively, if the beneficiary is outside the US, beneficiary may seek to reinstate the petition based on humanitarian grounds. The DHS (Dept. of Homeland Security) may exercise discretion “for humanitarian reasons” to reinstate the petition and to allow the Affidavit of Support requirements to be satisfied by the qualifying I-864 of a spouse, parent, mother-inlaw, father-in-law, sister-in-law,

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS brother-in-law, grandparent, or grandchild or legal guardian of the beneficiary, as long as the petition was “approved” prior to the Petitioner’s death.

If the beneficiary is inside the U.S. either in legal status or grandfathered by INA §245(i) and the priority date on the petition is current, the beneficiary may apply for adjustment of status. The beneficiary may also apply for an employment authorization card.

DHS discretion does not mean “guaranteed” approval.

The case will be evaluated on a case by case basis. Some of the factors that the DHS may consider are 1) disruption of an established family unit; 2) hardship to U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents; 3) beneficiary is elderly or in poor health; 4) beneficiary has had lengthy residence in the U.S.; 4) beneficiary has no home to go to; 5)undue delay by USCIS or consular officer in processing petition and visa;

6) and Beneficiary has strong family ties in the United States.

The beneficiary must be prepared to show proof of the original I-130 that was filed, proof of I-130 approval if approved, a copy of the Petitioner’s death certificate, proof of substitute sponsor’s relationship to the beneficiary, and meet all the I-864 requirements. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association.

He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 3881611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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Community Journal

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Should food delivery drivers be classified as independent contractors?

TECHNOLOGY has dramatically changed the way that people work and earn a living in the 21st century. Instead of the traditional employer-employee model, companies who need services obtain them from the general public, leading to the formation of what is called the “on-demand economy” or “gig economy.” This has allowed the rise of alternative work arrangements, which include “free lancers,” on-call workers, and temporary help agency workers. Examples of high-profile companies who participate in the gig economy are Uber and Lyft – companies who provide ride-share services, and GrubHub, which is an on-demand food delivery service.

More often than not, workers in the gig economy are not considered “employees” in the traditional sense. Many of them are labelled “independent contractors” (or ICs) and do not have the same rights and protections that employees enjoy. IC’s are not entitled to minimum wage, to overtime pay for working more than 8 hours per day or 40 hours per week, protection from unlawful deductions, protection from unlawful discrimination and harassment, reimbursement for business expenses, workers’ compensation protection, additional benefits such as sick pay, health insurance, retirement and profit-sharing plans, and the right to the employer’s share of the social security, unemployment and disability taxes.

There are several factors that determine whether a worker has been correctly classified as an independent contractor.

The most important factor is the employer’s right to control the worker’s manner and

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. c. Joe SAyAS, Jr. means of performing the job. If the employer dictates how the worker should do the work, what tasks to accomplish and how to accomplish them, then the worker is an employee and not an independent contractor.

The issue of “control” is the reason why many of the gig companies, including Uber and Lyft, have been sued in court. Their workers have accused them of misclassification, i.e., that even though these companies call them independent contractors, the companies continue to control the means and manner of doing the job. The most recent gig company to fall afoul of California’s misclassification laws is DoorDash, another on-demand food delivery service that is the main competitor of GrubHub. DoorDash drivers, called “dashers,” sued the company alleging that they were incorrectly classified as “independent workers.” This misclassification allowed DoorDash to avoid paying the dashers the minimum wage or overtime hours worked and allowed the company not to reimburse the workers for business expenses. These, despite the fact that delivery drivers were regularly treated like employees – being directed in the many details of their work, instructed where to report for their shifts, how to dress, and where to go to pick up and await deliveries. The drivers claimed that driver services “are fully integrated into DoorDash’s business, and without the drivers, DoorDash’s business would

not exist.”

DoorDash insisted that the on-demand drivers were independent contractors rather than employees and that the company had complied with the Labor Code.

Rather than proceed to trial, the the company agreed to pay $5 million to settle the case. The company will pay class members $3.5 million with an extra $1.5 million if the company is profitable for an entire year, is acquired or goes public. The settlement will benefit 33,744 drivers, including drivers who were categorized as independent contractors who worked for the company and completed one delivery or more.

Employees misclassified as ICs lose big time – in money and legal protection. Thus, workers classified as ICs should carefully examine the nature of their working relationship with their companies. If they are really employees, they are entitled to back wages, reimbursements for expenses, and the value of employment benefits such as health insurance, retirement or pension benefits. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.]

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Senior seeks Chapter 7 relief for $60K credit cards but what is the status of residence?

THE client is 57 and is recently divorced with two children, one in high school the other in college. She makes $40,000 yearly in middle management for a large corporation. She has $50,000 in credit card debt accumulated while she was still married.

The ex-husband had good income. So, when she was still married, her husband paid for her credit cards. The minimum monthly is $1,500 to keep them current. That’s almost $20,000 a year, which is half of her $40,000 annual gross income. Needless to say, there is no way that she can keep on paying for these cards.

Fortunately for her, she lives in a house that, shall we say, doesn’t belong to her but all she has to do is pay the mortgage of $800. The mortgage also is not in her name. It is not her debt.

Who is the owner of this house that she lives in?

Her parents are on the title to the house and the mortgage is also in the name of the parents.

In addition, parents have been paying the mortgage for the last 20 years. The mother died five years ago, while the father died two years ago.

The parents gave the house to her son seven years ago by grant deed. However, the son has no income right now because he is still in college. As a result, the client paid the mortgage for the last two years and claimed the mortgage interest as her deductions in her tax returns. Since this house is almost fully paid, the ownership of the house makes a big difference in the client’s bankruptcy. If the client owns this house, then she won’t be able to qualify for a chapter 7. She would have to file under Chapter 13. In Chapter 13, the client will be required to pay $1,000 a month for 60 months; a 100 percent payment of the credit cards without interest because the non-exempt equity is more than $60,000.

Let’s analyze this case more.

Although the client is now paying for the mortgage, she has

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrence yAng

only paid that for two years. In addition, she doesn’t own the house. Both the legal and equitable title to the house belongs to her son who is in college because her parents gave the house to her son, not to her. Under this analysis, the client would have a proportionate ownership share equivalent to two years, which is not much. That’s probably about 10 percent because two out of 20 years is 10 percent. Her homestead exemption is at least $100,000, which is more than enough to cover 10 percent.

But what if her mortgage payment for the last two years is considered rent, because her son owns the house. This analysis is also plausible and has legs to stand on. If those payments were considered rent, she would have zero ownership interest in the house. Either way, the client would qualify for Chapter 7 without worrying about losing a roof to live under.

Another senior seeks Chapter 13 relief for $50K in credit card debt The next client is 72. He looks slim and younger than his age.

He has no health problems but his wife is sick and he takes care of her. He owns a house with non-exempt equity of about $25,000. He owes $50,000 of credit cards. He actually wants a Chapter 7 discharge. However, I cannot recommend it. I can only recommend a Chapter 13 where he will pay $450 a month for five years. If he files Chapter 7, there is a chance that he may lose the house because of the non-exempt equity of $25K. Of course, in Chapter 7, the trustee has to give him his exemption of $175,000 when the house is sold. But he

still wants to live in the house.

So, there is no sense in assuming this kind of risk. He now pays $1,500 a month for $50K of credit cards. That eats up 40 percent of his household income, which consists of a combination of social security and pensions.

It would have been better for him to file for Chapter 7 in 2010 when he was 66. At that time, the fair market value of his house would have been at least $50,000 lower than today such that his homestead exemption would surely cover all of his homestead equity then. Had he filed a Chapter 7 then, he would have discharged all of the $50,000 without any problems with the house.

How much money would he have saved if he filed for Chapter 7 in 2010? Well, let’s do the math: $1,500 a month is $18,000 a year of minimum credit card payments. Six years of that is $108,000 saved! But he says that he’s been paying for the $50,000 credit cards for 15 years. Therefore, he would have saved, if he filed for Chapter 7 at the age of 66, the grand total amount of $162,000! He says he paid for 15 years at $1,500 a month, but right now, he still owes the very same $50,000! What can I tell you?

The client should have filed his Chapter 7 in 2010 because $162,000 is a lot of money. $162,000 saved up in your pocket and invested in a diversified fund giving you a 5 percent return or $687 a month of dividend income certainly gives you more security than $50,000 of credit cards eating up $1,500 of your social security at the age of 72. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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Regressing as a society PAGE C2 t

this country. But the anti-racial and anti-immigrant attitudes and behaviors of people make me sad and distressed. They even make me unnecessarily conscious my cultural makeup and color as I go around the city in restaurant and shopping malls.

We must resist this wretched phenomenon. We can’t go back to the painful times of segregation, white supremacy, and cruelty to strangers or other nationalities. We can’t do this alone. We must work together to voice out our aversion to these disturbing and perilous matters.

As Jesus in this Sunday’s Gospel sent out his disciples two by two, we all must join forces together to fight the evil of hatred in the world.

This Sunday’s Scriptures also tells us to persevere in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Some may not agree with it, but the Gospel is clear regarding our response to people’s rejection of it: “Whatever place does not welcome you or listen to you, leave there and shake the dust off your feet in testimony against them.”

Then we should keep preaching and practicing the Gospel of love, openness, harmony, forgiveness,

compassion, and peace. *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 14-17, 2018

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Residing removal/ deportation order to allow for adjustment status WE have all heard the popular saying, “Timing is everything.” Unfortunately, this saying often adversely applies to those persons who have found an avenue from which to obtain a green card, only to be prohibited from doing so because he/she has a prior removal/deportation order.

A typical scenario involves a person who entered the U.S. years ago on a B-2 tourist visa, overstayed, and was ordered removed by the Immigration Court. Fast forward to today, that person who was ordered removed finds true love and marries a U.S. Citizen.

Seemingly close to finally obtaining permanent resident status, he/she is precluded from doing so because of the prior removal/ deportation order. What options does one have in such a case? A motion to reopen the removal/ deportation proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order can be filed in Immigration Court. If the motion to reopen the proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order is successful, the alien can pursue whatever relief from removal/deportation that is available to him/ her. For the scenario cited in the first paragraph, the relief would be adjustment of status to permanent resident via marriage to a US citizen spouse.

The relief would be presented in Immigration Court, with the Immigration Judge to decide the merits of the adjustment of status application. Alternatively, if an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can be obtained to terminate the proceedings,

Legal Advice Atty. DArrick tAn a decision on the adjustment of status application can be made outside Immigration Court, by the USCIS. Generally, a motion to reopen removal/deportation proceedings must be filed within 90 days of the date of entry of the removal/deportation order. However, several bases upon which a motion to reopen may be filed past 90 days exist, and are discussed below.

Under 8 CFR § 1003.23(b)(4), a motion to reopen can be filed at any time if notice of the proceedings was not received by the person subject to the removal/deportation order, and a removal/deportation order was entered in his absence. Written notice of the time and place of removal proceedings must be given in person to the alien, or shall be given by certified mail to the alien or to the alien’s counsel of record. INA §242B(a)(2)(A).

Further, written notice of the proceedings, if provided by certified mail, must be provided at the most recent address reported by the alien. Matter of Grijalva, Interim Decision 3246 (BIA 1995).

The requirements for notice of removal/deportation proceedings are strict, and careful analysis of a person’s immigration court file often results in finding evidence that DHS did not comply with required procedure, which can be the basis for reopening the re-

moval/deportation proceeding.

Further, the Immigration Judge has discretionary authority to reopen or reconsider cases on his or her own motion (“sua sponte”) at any time providing a valid basis can be shown. 8 CFR § 1003.23(b)(1). Careful analysis of not only the immigration court file, but also the specific facts and circumstances of the case is necessary to put forward a valid basis on which the Immigration Judge can rely to reopen the proceedings. Some bases upon which cases I have been able to reopen cases include improper section cited by the DHS attorney in the charging document, insufficient evidence presented by the DHS attorney in proving up the case against the alien, and hardship and humanitarian concerns.

If you have a prior removal/ deportation order which is preventing you from adjusting status, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced attorney to ascertain the bases upon which a motion to reopen can be filed. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 6390277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

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Common bankruptcy fears...

PAGE C2 t

you feel empowered to make strong financial choices and build a better future for yourself and your family. You can talk to your bankruptcy attorney and ask for tips and advice.

You can read books, take courses, or go online and search for free information.

The truth is: People file for bankruptcy all the time, and they go on to live lives that are filled

with happiness, laughter, and financial security. Your bankruptcy will not be a negative force if you make a proactive decision to face your fears and recover through bankruptcy. If you decide right here and now that your bankruptcy is going to be a positive force, then it will be!

If you need help in figuring out your debt relief options, please call Toll-Free 1-866-477-7772 and let me review your situation.

We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

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C4 jULY 14-17, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Calendar of Events across

America

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

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People and Events

Make a splash with swimming pool safety

Annual inspections by a licensed electrician or pool contractor is the safest answer to the hidden threats presented by faulty and unbonded lighting and equipment

J U LY 6 -26

Solo exhibit of Fil-Am Artist Lynda A. N. Reyes in Burbank The Betsy Lueke Creative Arts Center, the municipal gallery of Burbank, is proud to present the Solo Exhibit of artist Lynda A. N. Reyes from July 6 to the 26,2018. The public is invited to the opening reception on Friday, July 6 from 7:00-9:00 p.m. The gallery is located at 1100 West Clarke Avenue, Burbank, California 91506. The exhibit will highlight her watercolor and oil paintings that have been featured in museum exhibits in California, Wisconsin, Louisiana, Pennsylvania and Montana and in national juried shows in Berkeley, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Burbank, Sherman Oaks, Tarzana, Sta. Monica, Glendale, Brea in Orange County and in international shows in Kentucky, Canada, Maryland, Wisconsin, Colorado and New York. Paintings that have given her recognition, as well as new works will all in one big venue. For more information about the artist, visit www.lyndaanreyes.com or contact her at lyndaanreyes@gmail.com. For information about the gallery, call 818-238-5397 or visit www. burbankca.gov/cac. The gallery hours are Mondays through Thursdays 9 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturdays 9 a.m.-1 p.m. and closed on Sundays.

J U LY 1 4

COFACC to host SoCal Family Picnic in San Dimas, CA The SoCal Family Picnic organized by the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC) will be held at 4 p.m. at J. Bonelli Park, San Dimas, CA. Friends and family are invited to join in some fellowship and camaraderie to strengthen bonds with the five Filipino-American Chamber chapter members from Greater LA (FACCCGLA), Orange County (FACCOC), San Bernardino, LA and Riverside (FACC-Tri-County), San Diego (FACC San Diego) and Hollywood (FACCHollywood).

7 Mile House presents: 2nd Annual Adobo Cook Off For A Cause in Brisbane, CA 7 Mile House’s famous pork adobo will be challenged by other adobo recipes nominated by customers for the second annual “7 Mile House Adobo Cook Off”! The event will be held on Saturday, July 14 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at 7 Mile House Sports Bar & Grill (2800 Bayshore Boulevard. Brisbane, CA 94005). The ticket price ($25) includes all you can drink San Miguel beer, all you can eat jasmine rice, tastings of each adobo entry, including 7 Mile’s, and one vote for your favorite adobo. Last year, all proceeds from the event benefited Salupongan International (SI), and helped provide educational tools and supplies to Salupongan’s READ (Right to Education, Autonomy and Dignity) Program. This year the Adobo Cook-off 2018 will benefit St. Paul of the Shipwreck Church. To purchase tickets, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/2nd-annual-adobo-cook-off-for-a-cause-tickets-47011120527. For more information, please visit https://www.7milehouse.com/ or contact Vanessa Garcia at (415) 467-2343.

J U LY 1 8

FACC Tri-County to hold presentation in Ontario, CA The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Tri-County (Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino Counties) will host a ‘Land Banking Presentation,’ a free workshop on July 18, 6 p.m., at the Inland Valley Church of Christ Conference Room (1550 N. Palmetto Avenue, Ontario, CA 91762). “Southern California’s next major land boom is underway!” says speaker Tony Taverrite, Director of Sales & Marketing-Professional Land Corp. “Don’t you owe it to yourself to learn more?” added another speaker, Femie Cupit, Land Banking Sales Agent, a member of FACC Tri-County. For more information, contact Femie (858) 220-5487 or FACC Pres. Merwynn Montenegro (909) 319-3145.

J U LY 1 9

FACCGLA hosts import and export seminar in Sherman Oaks, CA Join the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA) on Thursday, July 19 for the e-commerce, logistics, and compliance seminar. Learn how to import and export to and from the Philippines! This will be a prelude to the Trade, Trade & Consumer Roadshow on Aug. 4-5 at the SouthBay Pavilion. It will be held from 6:30 to 8:20 p.m. at 5121 Van Nuys Blvd., Sherman Oaks, CA 91403. To join and register, please go to www.faccgla.org or call (888) 670-7717 or visit www.ecferrer.net / call (562) 422-6492.

J U LY 2 1

UPAAGLA Boodle Feast Fiesta in North Hills, CA University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) welcomes alumni of the University of the Philippines and their friends and family to meet, mix, mingle at this fun afternoon at 4 p.m. at 15255 Knapp St, North Hills, CA. Register on eventbrite.com or call President-Elect Ethel Rubio (818) 640-2946 or (800) 611-5705. Connect with UPAAGLA on Facebook or visit www.upaagla.org.

J U LY 2 2

Valentine in July concert in Los Angeles This two-and-a-half hour concert on Sunday, July 22 will feature two of the music industry’s best Singer-Songwriters then and today, David Pomeranz and Rey Valera. Their timeless and classic love songs became the movie/tele-serye themesongs in the Philippines. The event will be held at the Aratani Theater (244 S San Pedro St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are available via www.thesgprod.com or by calling (424)232-6781.

J U LY 28

LA Builder Lions Club to hold installation of new officers The Los Angeles Builder Lions Club will hold their 28th Installation on new officers on Saturday, July 28 from 11:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. at the Oxford Palace Hotel (745 S. Oxford Ave, Los Angeles, CA). Music will be provided by Lion Willie Manacsa. Please RSVP to any of the following officers: Lion President Ken Marchand (818)749-1076; Lion Tita James (818)203-2325 or PZC Lion Yoli Ramo at (213)305-1332.

AU G U ST 3 - 4

University of the Philippines International Nursing and Healthcare Forum in New Jersey Join the 2nd annual University of the Philippines International Nursing and Healthcare Forum on August 3 and 4 at the Double Tree by Hilton (2117 Route 4 Eastbound / Fort Lee, NJ 07024). Soiree and welcome reception will be from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday (registration fee is $50). On Saturday, there will be a breakfast educational program from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (registration fee is $50 with CH Credits and $30 without CH Credits). The day will end with a dinner & dance from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. (registration fee is $100). Mail your registration and payment to UPINHF c/o Iren Bobis Roldan at 26931 Fort Apache Circle, Lake Forest, CA 92630. Make checks payable to UPINHF INC. For more information, please visit www.upinhf. org.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

When around power lines, long-handled tools should be carries horizontally and kept their length and at least 10 feet away from those power lines.

(Photo courtesy of Edison International)

by PAUL

NETTER SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA EDISON WHEN it comes to swimming safely, Stephen Little has a lot to say. And when it comes to swimming pool electrical safety, he has even more to say. Little, who runs Poolwerx Palm Desert and is a strong advocate for safe swimming, said owners “are just absolutely stupefied by how dangerous pools are” when they discover the potential electrical hazards of not having annual inspections done by licensed professionals.

“I would say straight across the board that homeowners express a huge surprise because they can be complacent [about inspections],” said Little.

Avoiding this complacency is where electrical safety for pools, spas and hot tubs begins for Little in preventing the injuries and at least 21 electrocutions that the Consumer Product Safety Commission says have taken place in swimming pools since 2002.

“Annual inspections by licensed electricians or pool contractors are paramount when it comes to electrical safety in swimming pools,” said Paul Jeske, Southern California Edison’s director of Corporate Health and Safety. “Electrical inspections should never be

done by pool owners or cleaning crews.”

Little, a state-licensed pool contractor for nearly 20 years, has inspected thousands of pools, particularly in the Coachella Valley, Redlands and San Bernardino, and says the biggest problems he sees are faulty — or even nonexistent — ground fault circuit interrupters (GFCIs) and unbonded equipment.

He stresses that inspections like those done by him and other licensed professionals are the best way to ensure “that all metallic components of the pool shell are bonded and grounded” and that pool owners have “working, operable GFCIs” that automatically shut off power when they detect an electrical issue.

And what is his response when no GFCIs — he recalls about two dozen instances — are present.

“We immediately disconnect the power to the pool lights and say either we have to fix or you have to hire a licensed person to fix it, but if I find it that way, I don’t leave it that way,” Little said.

As for those underwater pool lights that GFCIs actually protect swimmers from, Little has another strong recommendation, encouraging all pool owners with 110-volt or higher lights to downgrade to 12-volt lights “that will illuminate your pool just as good but dramatically reduce

the potential hazards.”

Outside-the-pool hazards that Little, like all safety experts, strongly discourage are electronic appliances or devices around the pool. They believe only battery-operated devices should be used around a pool and, when that’s not possible, electronics should be kept 20 to 30 feet away from the water’s edge.

A recent trend that fits very much into that proximity-to-thepool category is backyard string lights. “I’ve seen an uptick in the string lights, where people take 110-volt lights and string them over the pool to create ambiance in their backyard,” said Little.

“And I go, wow, that’s just an extension cord and if it breaks and falls into the pool, everybody in the pool is [at great risk].”

Little, a big proponent of safe swimming as the founder and chairman of Swim to Win and a trustee of USA Swimming Foundation, is encouraged by new laws regarding personal GFCI protection and the advent of lowvoltage lights, but he and Jeske would be happiest with more annual pool inspections.

“Potential pool, spa and hot tub electrical accidents are 100 percent preventable with annual inspections by a licensed electrician or pool contractor,” said Jeske. “We strongly urge our customers to have them done.” ■

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Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ ON July 5, 2018, the USCIS issued a Policy Memorandum (PM), providing guidance to officers or adjudicators on when to issue notices to appear (NTA), which is the document placing a person in removal/deportation. This new PM should raise concerns for anyone applying for any immigration benefit (such as a petition, application, extension, etc.), because if USCIS denies that benefit, the person could be placed in removal/deportation.

Please note that this PM provides guidance to the USCIS, which is supposed to be the agency within the Department of Homeland Security that deals with providing immigration benefits. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) were the agencies created for enforcement. Under this PM, USCIS is putting aside its function of providing benefits, and is getting heavily into enforcement. That is why if you are applying for any immigration benefit, you should seek the advice of an attorney, who can evaluate your eligibility, and perhaps even accompany you to any interviews, because the stakes are now so high if USCIS denies your case, which could include deportation/removal.

The PM lists a number of aliens now considered “prioritized for removal,” including those who:

USCIS to start deporting people for being out of status, fraud, or denial of adjustment of status or naturalization

1. Have been convicted of any criminal offense. But what does “any” criminal offense mean? Technically, jaywalking, shoplifting, and other minor infractions could be considered a “crime.” While it is understandable that a person could be removable if they committed an aggravated felony or other serious crime, this PM says a person could be subject to removal for “any” criminal offense.

2. Have been charged with any criminal offense that has not been resolved. Ordinarily, under our justice system, a person is considered innocent until proven guilty. There have also been many instances where a person has been “charged” with a crime, but the charges were later dropped or, after trial, they were declared innocent.

Does this now mean that if a person is merely charged with a crime, they could face removal, and possibly be removed before having their day in court?

3. Have committed acts that constitute a chargeable criminal offense. It is unclear how a person can be removed from the U.S. based on having committed acts that constitute a chargeable offense. Does this mean they did an unlawful act but were never charged with it?

Maybe the person had a domestic dispute or argument with his or her spouse, the police were called, but no charges were ever pressed. I suppose that could have been considered “domestic violence,” and thus, the person could be placed in removal even though no charges were ever filed?

4. Have engaged in fraud or willful misrepresentation in connection with any official matter or application before a governmental agency.

Some people committed fraud in connection with immigration benefits, such as entering the U.S. under an assumed name, etc. What ordinarily happens is when they apply for a particular benefit, such as adjustment of status, they include a fraud waiver, seeking forgiveness based on the extreme hardship a U.S. citizen or immigrant spouse or parent would suffer.

If the fraud waiver is granted, their case is approved. Does this PM now instruct officers to place the person in removal proceedings even though they are applying for a fraud waiver?

5. Have abused any program related to receipt of public benefits. Many aliens give birth in the U.S. and their child is auPAGE D3

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- Bill Gates, founder of Microsoft Corporation

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PH growth to fall below 7-8% target Majority of Filipinos still have no Duterte comments, policy changes a major bank accounts, says Bangko Sentral concern – Capital Economics by eD

Velasco

ManilaTimes.net

PHILIPPINE economic growth will likely stay “decent” over the medium term but fall short of the government’s 7.08.0 percent target, research consultancy Capital Economics said.

In its latest “Emerging Asia Economic Outlook,” the London-based firm forecast gross domestic product (GDP) growth of 6.5 percent for 2018, down from last year’s 6.7-percent result, and a further easing to 6.0 percent in 2019 and 2020.

A trade war between China and the United States is “not the only headwind to Asian growth,” it noted with GDP growth across emerging Asia still likely to slow as weaker export demand would offset monetary policy actions.

‘Larger concern’ For the Philippines, Capital Economics said a “larger concern … is the string of inflammatory comments and policy changes by President [Rodrigo] Duterte that have raised concerns in the minds of investors over the president’s judgment and commitment to the rule of law.”

“There are signs this is having an impact,” it added, pointing to the country’s worsening

global competitiveness ranking, sharp drops in foreign investment approvals and the stock market’s underperformance.

“The Philippines’ own history shows how poor leadership and political uncertainty can hold back an economy,” Capital Economics declared.

“The biggest risk for the Philippines is that history now repeats itself.”

Still, government spending under its “Build Build Build” program is expected to support GPP growth as revenues have been bolstered by the implementation of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law.

Planned changes to corporate taxes are also expected to provide further support.

Capital Economics noted, however, that the infrastructure drive and tax reforms had led to problems such as higher inflation, a weaker peso and a deterioration in the capital account.

Q3 rate hike seen With inflation expected to average 5.0 percent this year, substantially higher than 2017’s 2.9 percent, the consultancy expects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to implement another 25 basis point rate hike in the third quarter, bringing its overnight rate to 3.75 percent by the end of 2018.

The rise in consumer prices is expected to return to the government’s 2.0-4.0 target band in 2019, averaging 4.0 percent, and drop to 3.5 percent in 2020.

“With infrastructure spending set to increase further but export growth likely to continue to struggle, we think the current account will remain in deficit,” Capital Economics said.

“As a result, the peso is likely to come under further downward pressure over the coming year,” it added.

Weaker peso, stock market The peso was forecast to weaken to P57 to the dollar by the end of 2018 and P59.50 the following year before recovering some ground to P58 in 2020.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index is also expected to fall and stay below 7,000, hitting 6,975 by end-2018, 6,225 in 2019 and 6,525 in 2020.

Government bond yields — at 3.2 percent and 4.1 percent, respectively, for two-year and 10-year bonds as of July 11 — were also forecast to hit 3.8 percent and 4.5 percent by the end of the year.

Further increases to 4.0 percent and 4.8 percent are expected as of end-2019 before these moderate to 3.2 percent and 4.0 percent in 2020.

Vehicle sales seen rising by 12%

by Ronnel

W. Domingo

Inquirer.net

THE volume of vehicles sold in the Philippines is primed for a 12-percent growth this year to reach about 577,000 units amid a government drive to upgrade jeepneys and increase in domestic production, according to Frost & Sullivan.

The US-based consultancy firm said the projected Philippine economic growth of up to 7 percent yearly over the next five years would drive sales of new passenger cars.

Paulo Jose Mutuc, senior consultant on mobility at Frost & Sullivan, said in a statement the manufacturing industry in the Philippines had grown by

over 7 percent since 2010, and that Toyota Motor Corp. and Mitsubishi Motors Corp. were increasing their local production capacity through their subsidiary’s participation in the government’s Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy (CARS) program.

Mutuc said that this, along with the introduction of new models planned for this year, was expected to boost new car sales.

Even then, regulations that result in limiting the number of vehicles used in ride-sharing services are expected to dampen demand for passenger cars, he said.

“There is also concern that the new tax reform law approved

in December 2017 will significantly raise car and fuel prices, and the cost of other goods,” Mutuc said.

“But while that tax reform raises prices of entry-level models, it excludes pickup trucks and lowers personal income taxes, so there should be no big reduction in the number of new car sales in total,” he added.

Also, Frost & Sullivan sees government efforts to modernize the public utility vehicle sector contributing to growth in commercial vehicle sales.

Mutuc noted in particular that PUV modernization required the replacement of about 200,000 jeepneys with units equipped with engines compatible with Euro 4 emissions standards.

by Daxim

l. lucas

Inquirer.net

ONLY one-fourth of all Filipinos own bank accounts that facilitate their participation in the financial system, while the rest cite the lack of funds or lack of need as their primary reasons for not having one, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Wednesday, July 11.

In a statement, the central bank said the results of its latest Financial Inclusion Survey showed that about 15.8 million Filipino adults had funds deposited in banks and other financial institutions as of the end of 2017.

Representing 22.6 percent of the country’s total population, this marks a slight improvement over the 22 percent of Filipinos who had bank accounts in the survey’s first edition in 2015.

“Ownership of an account that can be used to save money, receive salary, send or receive remittance, and pay bills is a basic indicator of financial inclusion,”

the BSP said.

Banks posted a higher share (11.5 percent) in account penetration than nonbanks such as microfinance nongovernment organizations (8.1 percent), cooperatives (2.9 percent), and nonstock savings and loan associations (0.3 percent).

Only 1.3 percent of adults have electronic money (e-money) accounts.

Of the 52.8 million adults who do not have accounts, 60 percent reported not having enough money as the main reason, followed by the perceived lack of need (21 percent) and absence of documentary requirements (18 percent).

Other reasons cited are high cost (10 percent), lack of knowledge in account opening (9 percent), unemployment (8 percent) and lack of awareness (8 percent).

The survey also showed that Filipino adults saved more and borrowed less in 2017. The percentage of adults with savings

rose to 48 percent from 43 percent in 2015, while incidence of borrowing fell to 22 percent from 47 percent in 2015. The share of borrowers obtaining credit from informal sources fell to 40 percent in 2017 from 72 percent in 2015.

“Among account owners, only 18 percent are receiving salary, 12 percent are sending or receiving money,” the central bank said.

Nearly 9 out of 10 adults have payment transactions of which 60 percent are paying in cash. Over the counter remittance transactions are prevalent among senders and receivers of money as 93 percent used remittance agents in sending money while 83 percent used them for receiving money over the past six months.

About half (46 percent) of account holders who have access to the internet are ambivalent about e-payments due to issues such as hacking, personal security breaches, and unsafe access.

DOTr completes P6 billion port projects by catheRine

talaVeRa Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The government has completed 129 commercial port projects worth over P6 billion in the first two years of the Duterte administration, according to the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

In 2016 alone, 68 projects worth P3.17 billion were completed, it said.

These include port expansion projects worth P309 million in Puerto Princesa, Palawan; P272 million wharf extension in Lapaz, Iloilo City; as well as Phase III of the rehabilitation and improvement of the Tacloban City Port.

“Several improvement projects were also carried out in Mindanao, which is poised to be the center of the Duterte administration’s infrastructure buildup or the Build Build Build program,” the DOTr said.

Among these are the construction of a passenger terminal building and installation of a lighting system in the port of Glan in Sarangani; construc-

tion of a ro-ro ramp in Dapitan, Zamboanga del Norte; wharf extension in Masao, Butuan City; and improvement of the power system in Nasipit, Agusan del Norte.

Meanwhile, 40 port projects worth over P2.9 billion were completed in 2017.

These include the P476-million gantry crane project in Zamboanga City and P593-million crane project in Makar, South Cotabato; P157-million port expansion in Larena, Siquijor; and the P48-million wharf widening project in the Pasig River.

PPA general manager Jay Daniel Santiago said the government is pouring in billions in the next five years to improve and modernize ports in the country.

“We have been injecting so much investment in our ports.

We are thanking the President and Secretary Tugade for these projects,” he said.

For the first four months alone, 21 projects have been completed, including the provision of a baggage X-ray room at the screening area of the

Dapitan Port in Zamboanga del Norte, port road widening in Dumangas, Iloilo, and alternate access road project in Iligan, Lanao del Norte.

Apart from the completed port projects, the DOTr also reported that it’s Maritime Sector has completed four social/tourism port projects worth P45 million in 2017.

Among these are the causeway construction and widening in the Badoc Port in Ilocos Norte and Mongpong Port in Sta. Cruz, Marinduque; port rehabilitation of the San Jose Port in Camarines Sur; and wharf extension of the Talisay Port in Batangas.

It added that 24 more social/ tourism ports are undergoing construction, while 59 others are programmed to be constructed this year.

In addition, there are 46 port development projects ongoing amounting to over P7.1 billion.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade said better port facilities would strengthen tourism in the country and bolster the Philippines’ appeal as a cruise destination.

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PAL sees 20% cost savings on long- Philippines urged to roll out haul flights with new Airbus A350 more infrastructure projects,

by Daxim

security assistance with China

L. Lucas

Inquirer.net

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines expects to make significant cost savings on its long-haul routes, especially the soon-tobe-launched Manila-New York direct flights — with the delivery later this week of its new Airbus A350 jets.

In an interview with the Inquirer, PAL president Jaime Bautista said the new wide-bodied aircraft will be at least 20 percent cheaper to operate than the Boeing 777, thanks mainly to the former’s more efficient engines and lightweight construction using advanced materials.

“With the A350, we will be able to fly non-stop from Manila to New York without having to make a technical (refueling) stop in Vancouver, Canada, as we are doing today,” he said, adding that the direct flights to the US east coast will begin in October.

At an average list price of $371.4 million for each of the A350-900 aircraft, PAL’s order for six of Airbus’ newest model will cost $1.9 billion before the discounts normally extended to buyers. PAL also has options for an additional order of six A350 aircraft.

Further A350 deliveries will be made at a pace of once a month in August, September and October, while two will be delivered in 2019.

by charmie Joy

PaguLong Philstar.com

PAL President Jaime Bautista says the new wide-bodied new Airbus A350 jet will be at least 20 percent cheaper to operate than the Boeing 777.

Photo by A. Doumenjoj

Pending the introduction of the Manila-New York flights, the new jets will be used on regional flights and possibly on the Manila-London route. Flights between Manila and the US west coast will, however, remain the exclusive domain of the Boeing 777 due to its higher passenger capacity.

In addition to its 14,800-kilometer range, Airbus claims new aircraft has the quietest cabin among commercial airliners currently in service.

PAL’s business class cabin with 30 seats has a 1-2-1 configuration providing direct aisle access. Seat pitch is at 44 inches and seat width is 23-24. The seat – which reclines to a full flat measuring 78 inches in length – has an

adjustable air cushion to adjust seat firmness, lumbar massage feature, additional storage for personal items and power ports.

The premium economy class cabin has 24 seats on a 2-4-2 configuration. Seat pitch is at 38 inches ad seat width is at 19 inches. Premium economy seats – which have a recline of 8 inches – are equipped with leg rest and footrest, additional front pockets for personal items, bottle holder, reading light and power ports.

Economy seats total 241 on a 3-3-3 configuration. Seat pitch is at 33 inches, seat width at 18 inches and a recline of 6 inches.

Features include a four-way headrest and USB power ports.

All seats on the Airbus A350 have personal TV screens.

USCIS to start deporting people for...

PAGE D1 tomatically a U.S. citizen. The alien then applies for as many government benefits as are available, such as having U.S. taxpayers pay for the birth of the child, food stamps, welfare, housing, etc. These could be considered “public benefits,” and the person might find themselves subject to removal if they applied for and/or obtain these benefits.

6. Are now out of status because of USCIS’s denial of any petition or application.

If a person is applying for adjustment of status, or even an extension of non-immigrant status, and the application is denied, that could result in the person being considered out of

status or “not lawfully present in the U.S.” In such cases, USCIS could place the person in removal proceedings.

7. Had their naturalization application (N-400) denied based on a lack of good moral character. In addition, if a person obtained their green card through fraud, and their naturalization is denied on that ground, it could also trigger removal/deportation. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and 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 re-enactments) 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 attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

XIAMEN, China – A senior advisor at the World Bank has urged the Philippine government to make use of China’s “One Belt, One Road” (OBOR) Initiative by rolling out more infrastructure projects and national security assistance with China.

Dr. John Vong, senior advisor of the World Bank’s Southeast Asia Region and founder and chairman of the International Conference for Managing the Asian Century (ICMAC), told The STAR that the Philippines and China should work together in those two major areas that could contribute to the “Rise of Asia” and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

“The Philippine workforce is very skillful already. What is needed now is for China to help the Philippines build infrastructure in their country and get help from the Chinese police academy in the matters of national security, if the Philippines will allow it,” he said during the 2018 ICMAC Conference held in this Chinese province last July 6-7.

“Infrastructure is the way for the Philippines with China because it has many islands. The Philippines need to have connectivity and establish chain with these islands, and that is the way to connect,” he added.

Vong also cited the “Rise of Asia” vision under the OBOR framework, encouraging entrepreneurs from ASEAN (Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Singapore, Philippines, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos and Brunei) and China to contribute to the rise of Asia through trade and economics.

ICMAC, he said, is a platform to build and promote ASEAN and China relations in the three key fields of study for the development of the “Rise of Asia” – education, biotechnology and financial services.

Themed “Linking The Belt and Road with Smart Biotech,” this year’s ICMAC summit focused on advanced concepts and latest achievements, advanced technology and products and medical equipment, biotechnology investment market, potential investment orientations in Xiamen. The discussions emphasized how “Asian

nations collaborate on developing inventions and digital innovations for growth across Asia.”

Government and medical representatives, entrepreneurs, science enthusiasts, and management experts from Asia and other countries attended the two-day event held at the Double Tree by Hilton Hotel Xiamen to exchange ideas and promote the prosperity of the biotechnology industry in Asia under the OBOR initiative.

The event also boosted Xiamen’s tourism industry and smart biotech as a booming business at the Haicang district.

Xiamen City was elevated to Tier 1 status in 2017 due to its rapid progress and innovation. As one of the four original special economic zones in China and part of the Fujian Free Trade Zone, the city boasts the seventh largest container port in China (top 15 in the world) and placed sixth among the Top 100 E-Commerce Cities in China.ICMAC was founded in 2013 and is headquartered in Singapore. The organization focuses on smart nations, smart cities, smart innovations, technology and finance, education and information technology.

Philippines remains at bottom half of global innovation survey

by LoueLLa

DesiDerio Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines retained its ranking in this year’s edition of the Global Innovation Index (GII) as it placed 73rd out of 126 countries.

Co-published by Cornell University, graduate business school INSEAD and the World Intellectual Property Organization, the GII serves as the benchmarking tool for the state of innovation of countries.

In last year’s GII, the Philippines got the 73rd spot as well.

Within the Southeast Asian region, the Philippines had a better ranking this year compared to Indonesia (85th) and Cambodia (98th), but was behind Singapore (fifth), Malaysia (35th), Thailand (44th), Vietnam (45th) and Brunei Darussalam (67th).

The GII ranks countries based on innovation capabilities and results using the following pillars: institutions, human capital and research, infrastructure, market sophistication, business sophistication, knowledge and technology outputs and creative outputs.

For the institutions pillar which covers the political, regulatory and business environment, the Philippines ranked 93rd.

In terms of the human capital and research pillar which looks into the level and standard of education and research activity in a country, the Philippines got the 86th spot.

As for the infrastructure pillar which covers information and communication technologies, general infrastructure and ecological sustainability, the Philippines placed 67th.

The Philippines ranked 100th in terms of market sophistication which involves availability of credit, investments, as well as trade, competition and market scale.

For the business sophistication pillar which looks into knowledge workers, innovation linkages and knowledge absorption, the Philippines got the 44th spot.

The Philippines placed 49th in terms of the knowledge and technology outputs pillar, while it ranked 92nd in creative outputs.

Overall, Switzerland continued to top the GII. This was followed by the Netherlands which placed second, while Sweden got the third spot.

Meanwhile, Yemen placed 126th or at the bottom of the list.

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Showtime Auto Sales & Leasing makes it stress-free to own a car

New neighborhoods now open at Park Place in Ontario

(ONTARIO, CA) – Make your way to Park Place, a new collection of homes that have it all in Ontario Ranch! Surrounded by acres of parks and modern amenities, Park Place introduces a fresh take on comfortable and convenient living in Ontario with six all-new neighborhoods. With up to 3,086 square feet, up to five bedrooms and open-concept floor plans available, the spacious home designs at Park Place provide extra room to spread out and enjoy daily life. Plus, every home at Park Place comes with ultra-high-speed fiber-optic broadband at gigabit speeds, allowing you to stream, download and upload from multiple devices without slowing down. Come by today to visit these exciting new neighborhoods, tour the 19 model homes available and discover all that Park Place has to offer. This is also your chance to explore the newly opened Celebration Park North in the heart of this stunning community with plenty of green space to roam, walking paths and so much more.

Park Place proudly presents six new home collections: Camden

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by Woodside Homes. Extending from approximately 1,800 to 3,086 square feet, this dynamic range of residential designs offers three to five bedrooms and two-and-one-half to four baths plus spacious two- or three-car garages, making them ideal for growing or multigenerational families. Prices begin in the mid

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$400,000s.

Besides lightning-fast internet speeds that are 100 times faster than today’s average broadband connection, Park Place offers many other top-tier amenities. All residents enjoy The Parkhouse, a world-class 14,500-square-foot central community clubhouse that features a resort-caliber swimming pool, fully equipped fitness and business centers, Wi-Fi, multiple game rooms, a library and a state-of-the-art movie theater with club seating. And a masterfully appointed catering kitchen and adjoining multipurpose room are ideal for hosting special celebrations in style.

Three acres of beautiful grounds surround The Parkhouse and are home to tennis courts, a creative play area and a dog park. Picnics with friends, family and neighbors are a delight at Celebration Park North and Celebration Park South, where kids and adults alike enjoy outdoor play, relaxation and socializing.

Plans at Park Place include a future elementary school within walking distance of each neighborhood. Not only is Park Place served by an award-winning school district, but it is also located near many universities and higher-education institutions, including Azusa Pacific University; Cal Poly Pomona; Chaffey College; Mt. San Antonio College; Platt College; Riverside Community College; The Art Institute of California; University of California, Riverside; Western University of Health Sciences; and the highly acclaimed Claremont Colleges, one of which is among the nation’s top ten.

Park Place is located within

the greater community of Ontario Ranch, which will span over 8,000 acres and is planned to offer modern amenities and abundant recreation, including an expansive park and trail system. Proposed plans include retail and business spaces, along with nearly 1,000 acres dedicated to public open space, parks and schools.

Directions to Park Place: If traveling on the 15 freeway, exit on Limonite Avenue and head west. Proceed on Limonite Avenue for approximately 2.5 miles and turn right at Archibald Avenue. Travel approximately 0.5 miles and turn right at Merrill Avenue. Continue for approximately 0.25 miles and The Parkhouse sales center will be on the left.

If traveling on the 60 freeway, exit on Archibald Avenue and head south. Proceed on Archibald Avenue for approximately 3.25 miles and turn left at Merrill Avenue. Continue for approximately 0.25 miles and The Parkhouse sales center will be on the left.

Call (888) 855-6249 for more information or visit www.parkplaceontario.com.

Park Place at Ontario Ranch reflects the vision and experience of Lewis Community Developers and Stratham Communities.

Park Place is a true collaborative effort between award-winning homebuilders CalAtlantic Homes – A Lennar Company, Christopher Homes, Taylor Morrison, The New Home Company, TRI Pointe Homes and Woodside Homes.

We understand the wants and needs of today’s families because we have families of our own. We designed and built a community that we would live in.

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