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JULY 18-24, 2019

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

Volume 30 - No. 29 • 16 Pages

2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Duterte invokes defense treaty with US

by AJPRESS PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, July 17, has called on the United States to invoke its Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) with the Philippines amid the maritime tension in the disputed West Philippine Sea. “I’m calling now America.

I’m invoking the RP-U.S. pact.

I would like America to gather all their 7th Fleet in front of China. I’m asking them now. I will join them,” he said in an interview with Pastor Apollo Quiboloy.

The Philippines and the United States held the 8th bilateral strategic dialogue from July 15 The Seventh Fleet is the largto 16 in Manila.

Twitter/U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim

USA

DATELINE ICE raids targeting 2,000 quietly go underway FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

No signs of massive raids in Los Angeles, other major cities OVER the weekend, the Trump administration said that federal immigration officials have begun a nationwide operation targeting undocumented immigrants in 10 cities who have been given a court order to be deported.

According to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials, targeted operations were planned in Atlanta, Baltimore, Chicago, Denver, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New York and San Francisco. ICE agents were expected to detain an estimated 2,000 undocumented immigrants in raids that the Trump administration said started Sunday, July 14 for an undetermined amount of time.

ICE officials emphasized that those targeted already had orders by immigration courts

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GRAND ARRIVAL. Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao on Tuesday, July 16 arrived at the MGM Grand Garden Arena ahead of his fight against Keith “One Time” Thurman on Saturday, July 20.

Photo by Ryan Hafey / Premier Boxing Champions

PH won’t withdraw Pacquiao remains confident ahead from UNHRC – Locsin of July 20 fight against Thurman

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

by RAE

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday, July 16, said the Philippines will remain in the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) despite the Council’s approval of a resolution calling for an international review of the country’s war on illegal drugs.

“UNHRC vote is a small and harmless matter,” Locsin said on Twitter.

“We’re staying in UNHRC as a pedagogical duty to teach Europeans moral manners. We’re NOT severing diplomatic relations with any country. If we did, where’s the conversation? How do you insult those who insulted us if you cut them off?” he added.

Locsin on Sunday, July 14, floated the idea of the country’s withdrawal from the Council following the vote.

“No embassy in Iceland. Nor does Iceland have an embassy here. Iceland took the place of the U.S. after it withdrew from the Human Rights Council. I think we need to follow America more,” he said.

Left to our own devices Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, cautioned the government against any plans to withdraw from the UNHRC.

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ANN VARONA AJPress

WITH less than a few days to go until Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao’s fight with Keith “One Time” Thurman, Pacquiao assured that he was feeling good and finishing training camp strong.

“They’re very excited. It’s the biggest challenge they’ve had in a long time,” said Pacquiao’s longtime publicist, Fred Sternberg, on Thursday, July 11.

Having spent nearly four weeks training in the Philippines, Pacquiao recently came back down to Los Angeles to do some final training at Hollywood’s Wild Card Boxing Club with his coach Freddie Roach. He held a media day training on Wednesday.

Sternberg added that Pacquiao’s current training camp may be “their best camp in many, many years.”

Keith Thurman at the fighter grand arrivals at the MGM Grand on July 16 in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Photo by Frank Micelotta/Fox Sports/PictureGroup

Pacquiao (61-7-2, 39 KOs) and Thurman (29-0, 22 KOs) are set to fight at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on July 20, and the fight has been hyped up as being a fight between a

boxing legend, and a possible legend in the making.

Aside from holding the title of boxing’s only eight-division world champion, Pacquiao has

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US committed to help PH in Boracay flNash BfloodJshows more time needed for rehab ‘evidence-based’ drug war by

ASSISTANT Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell on Tuesday, July 16, said the United States is committed to working with the Philippines on “evidence-based” approaches to reducing drug demand, as both countries face the same challenge of illicit drug use.

“We remain committed to working together on evidence-based approaches to reducing drug demand by improving prevention, treatment and rehabilitation services,” he said during the two-day Eighth U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) in Manila.

“I want to continue sharing information and best practices to jointly combat this common challenge in a manner that will respect human rights and the rule of law,” he added.

Stilwell’s statements came after Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. questioned Western commitment since their allies in Europe are “deadset” on insulting the Philippines in the United Nations.

On Thursday, July 11, the UN Human Rights Council adopted a resolution initiated

by Iceland to investigate the “drug war” killings in the Philippines. It was rejected by the

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ESTOR URGOS AJPress

R

THE inter-agency task force managing the rehabilitation of Boracay Island appealed to tourists and residents on Wednesday, July 17, to give the rehabilitation more time after flash floods brought by heavy pour hit the island on Tuesday, July 16.

“We are appealing to tourists … until the middle of next year, our situation will be like this and we may face some flooding,” Natividad Bernardino, general manager of the Boracay Interagency Rehabilitation Management Group, said in a press conference broadcasted by livestream from the island.

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In celebration of Women’s Month last March, advocates, led by Sen. Risa Hontiveros, call for measures penalizing acts of gender-based sexual harassment in public spaces, eventually prompting both houses of Congress to ratifiy the proposed safe streets and public spaces law.

Photo from the Office of Sen. Risa Hontiveros

Panelo: Duterte will be the first one to obey ‘Bawal Bastos’ law

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Some roads in Boracay have been submerged in floods due to the effects of Tropical Storm Falcon.

Philstar.com photos by Tonette Zoning

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, July 16, said that President Rodrigo Duterte will be the first to follow the recently signed “Bawal Bastos” law, which penalizes catcalling and other gender-based harassment in public spaces and

online.

According to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Duterte recognized the need to prevent gender-based sexual harassment when he signed Republic Act 11313 or the Safe Streets and Public Spaces Act. “Since the president signed

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Panelo: Duterte will be the first...

PAGE 1 that law, it means that he recognizes the need [for] that law. And since he is the chief enforcer of all laws of the Philippines, he will be the first one to obey the law,� he said during a Palace briefing.

Duterte is known for flirting with women and kissing them in public as well as joking about rape. Just this May, he had gotten flak for cracking a rape joke

while pardoning cadets at the Philippine Military Academy during their graduation rites.

Panelo, for his part, defended the president’s wont to crack lewd jokes. “Unang-una kasi (First of all), you’ve assumed that the president is bastos (inappropriate), naging bastos (became inappropriate). He never was bastos (inappropriate). When he cracks

From The FronT Page

jokes, it was intended to make people laugh, never to offend. If you will just listen to the jokes of the president talagang matatawa ka eh, matatawa ka (you will really laugh). Audience ‌ ‘di ba, they give a hearty laughter. Hindi naman bastos (He wasn’t being inappropriate),â€? he said. “Iba kasi iyong pambabastos (Being inappropriate is something else). You women should know that. Iba ang dating ng bastos at saka iyong nagpapatawa lang (Being inappropriate is different from just being funny),â€? he added.

Panelo also said that Duterte is respectful to women. “You will be surprised ha, this president reacts violently, or negatively rather, to people who offend women. Mahal na mahal niya ang nanay niya; magalang sa mga girls. Magalang siya. Nagpo-po nga iyan sa lahat ng ladies (He really loved his mother, he is respectful to girls. He says ‘po’ to all the ladies),� he said.

Valuing the dignity of every person Duterte signed the “Bawal bastosâ€? law on April 17, but MalacaĂąang only released the information to the media on Monday, July 15. “It is the policy of the state to value the dignity of every human person and guarantee full respect for human rights. It is likewise the policy of the state to recognize the role of women in nation-building and ensure the fundamental equality before the law of women and men,â€? the new law stated. “The state also recognizes that both men and women must have equality, security, and safety not only in private, but also on the streets, public spaces, online, workplaces, and educational and training institutions,â€? it added.

Under the Safe Spaces Act, no unwanted and uninvited sexual actions or remarks against any person will go unpunished.

Among these acts include catcalling, wolf-whistling, unwanted invitations, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist slurs, persistent uninvited comments or gestures on a person’s appearance; relentless requests for personal details, statement of sexual comments and suggestions; public masturbation or flashing of private parts, groping, or any unwanted advances.

PAGE A4

MANILA’S FINEST. Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno� Domagoso leads the flag raising ceremony at the Bonifacio Shrine beside the Manila City Hall on Monday, July 15. On the first two weeks since he assumed office, Moreno had been going around the city and ordered the clearing of obstruction and illegal vendors on Manila’s streets.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Duterte invokes defense treaty...

PAGE 1

est of the U.S. Navy’s forward deployed fleets, having at least 60 ships, 300 aircraft, and 40,000 Navy and Marine Corps personnel. “I will ride on the boat where the admiral of the U.S. is. I will drag along Carpio and the rest.

When the Americans say, ‘We’re here now, ready,’ I will press them,� he added, referring to Supreme Court Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio who has been calling for Duterte to make a stronger stance against China in the West Philippine Sea. “Maybe that would be the

end of Palawan. Palawan may be devastated, occupied or their will be nuclear bombs. We will dry up. So nothing will grow here, we can just wait, just like a big hole coming our way, to suck us to eternity and then we can sing the ‘Mona Lisa.’ And they just lie there, and they die there,� Duterte continued.

The Philippines and U.S. signed the MDT in 1951, binding both countries to aid each other in the event of foreign aggression.

Under Article 4 of the MDT, each party recognizes that an armed attack in the Pacific area on either of the Parties would

be dangerous to its own peace and safety and declares that it would act to meet the common dangers in accordance with its constitutional processes.

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo assured that the U.S. would respond to “any armed attack on Philippine forces, aircraft or public vessels in the South China Sea.�

Suggestions about invoking the MDT with the U.S. were initiated after a Filipino fishing boat was hit by a Chinese vessel near Recto Bank. The 22-man crew of the fishing boat was left adrift in the open sea for hours until a Vietnamese boat helped

Boracay flash flood shows more time..

PAGE 1 Natividad said the task force could only implement “mitigating� measures to address the flooding on Boracay due to unfinished drainage and other projects. “The rehabilitation of the drainage system is ongoing and while the construction is ongoing, we will implement the mitigating measures,� she told the

INQUIRER in a telephone interview.

These include putting up pumps and temporary outfalls drainage canals, especially in low-lying and flood-prone areas, to flush flood water into the sea so that the water will recede faster. “Let is just help each other,�

Natividad said in the press conference.

The flash floods triggered an outcry from residents, who posted on social media photographs of residents and tourists wading in flood.

They also decried what they perceived as the slow pace of the rehabilitation projects even after the island was closed to tourists for six months from April 26 to October 25, 2018, for rehabilitation. n

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PH won’t withdraw from UNHRC...

PAGE 1 “At the rate we are withdrawing from the UN bodies, it could only be a matter of time when we will be left to our own devices,” Lacson said Monday.

“We would not know when, what and how, but being a developing country, we may need to ask for help from the community of nations sooner or later,” he added.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III, on the other hand, expressed his support for the move.

He said the possible withdrawal of the Philippines from the UNHRC could benefit the body as it will be forced to review its rules, particularly on the voting on motions and resolutions.

“We will be saving the country P445 million a year if we detach ourselves from the UN,” the senate president added, referring to the Philippines’ $8.2 million man-

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr.

Dateline USa

Inquirer.net photo

have an embassy there and them, here,” he said.

Sen. Francis Tolentino shared Panelo’s sentiment, saying everything depends on the president.

“Everything depends on the president as the chief architect of our diplomatic relations under the Constitution. Our standing and reputation as a sovereign state in the community of nations must be anchored on national interests and dignity,” Tolentino said.

The Philippines was elected to the UNHRC in October 2018. It will sit on the Council until 2021.

Not legally binding According to Malacañang, the UNHRC resolution was not legally binding.

“How can that be legally binding? It is not,” Panelo said Monday, adding that it was up to the Philippine government if it would allow probers inside the country.

He also said it is up to the government if it would respond to the UN panel that would investigate the war on drugs.

“If we feel that the question is legitimate, we will respond,” he said.

“But if the question is only designed to fish information that it will use — by the inquiring country — to embarrass this government, certainly we will not oblige,” he added.

According to Panelo, the government has been transparent with everything happening on the drug war.

“We are not hiding anything, even before. What more can we show them? Like what we have said, everything that is happening in the anti-drug war is recorded.

So, all they have to do is to ask us, not to prejudge us,” he said. n

This is nothing new. It’s a daily reality for us,” Jennaya Dunlap of the Inland Coalition for Immigrant Justice in Ontario, California told CNN. The deportation operation was previously postponed after congressional Democrats urged the president to delay to delay the raids last month. Trump said he would delay them until two weeks or until Congress agrees on a solution for the crisis at the U.S.-Mexico border.

Since the administration’s threat to undergo these raids, leaders from sanctuary states and sanctuary cities — jurisdictions that prohibit law enforcement and officials from cooperating with

and aiding immigration officials in operations — have pledged support for immigrant families.

“Our president has failed to build a wall, so instead he’s going to go back to his old play book of trying to rip families apart. Here in Los Angeles we will not participate in that,” Garcetti said last month.

According to a piece in the LA Times on Monday, July 15, residents in immigrant communities have noticed less people on the streets due to fear of the publicized raids. News of the raids left many undocumented immigrants in fear of leaving their homes, and many have skipped work.

(Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

datory contribution to the UN. Up to Duterte On Monday, July 15, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the decision on whether or not the country would withdraw from the Council would be made

by President Rodrigo Duterte.

“Final, final decision on this matter [will be up to him, because] he is the architect of the country’s foreign policy,” he told reporters, adding that the decision would be made based on the “best interest” of the Philippines.

Panelo also said the country should “take a serious look at our relationship with Iceland.”

According to him, there would be minimum consequences should the Philippines cut ties with the country.

“How will it affect us? What are our relations with Iceland in the first place? We do not even

ICE raids targeting 2,000 quietly go...

PAGE 1

for deportation and undocumented immigrants who have violated immigration law.

“As always ICE prioritizes the arrest and removal of unlawfully present aliens who pose a threat to national security, public safety and border security,” an ICE official told CNN over the weekend.

But despite the White House’s announcement that the raids were underway, immigrant advocates from the cities listed reported no such activity over the weekend.

“The way we see it with all the rumors and hysteria, we’re telling the community that ICE is always conducting operations.

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 18-24, 2019

FLOODING DUE TO FALCON. Heavy downpour triggered by tropical depression Falcon caused gutter-deep flooding along Molino Boulevard in Bacoor, Cavite on Tuesday, July 16. As of the latest monitoring of the weather bureau, Falcon is now off the coast of Aparri, Cagayan. It would bring moderate to heavy rains to Luzon.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Suspect arrested in broad daylight killing of 70-year-old Filipino man in LA

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

THE suspect in the deadly attack of a 70-year-old Filipino man was arrested on Thursday, July 11 after being detained in downtown Los Angeles.

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) authorities said that Gerson Carrillo Torres, 22, has been booked on suspicion of murder with his bail set at $2 million following his arrest around 3rd and Wall Streets.

The attack of Fil-Am Julius Rondez happened the afternoon of Tuesday, July 2 around the corner of East Temple and North Alameda Streets when the assailant “hooked his right arm around the victim’s neck, striking him,” according to officials.

Photos of the assailant — who was initially suspected to be homeless — were shared following the attack and revealed a man of about 150 pounds, 5 feet 8 inches, with dark hair.

Rondez, an employee of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) for over 30 years, was on his way home before he was struck. He was quickly taken to a hospital in critical condition where he passed away the following night.

An autopsy revealed that Rondez’s death was a result of blunt head trauma from hitting his

head when he fell to the ground.

According to a bulletin sent to LADWP staff, Rondez was employed as a senior commercial field representative in meter services and field operations, and was a huge fan of the Dodgers and Lakers.

In the bulletin, LADWP General Manager David H. Wright described Rondez as being someone “known for his happiness, sense of humor and one-ofa-kind personality.”

“He was kind, peaceful and a family man who took great pride in his loved ones,” he continued.

He reportedly had plans of retiring in six months.

Rondez was also getting ready to go on vacation the day he was attacked, his daughter Janice Rondez told KTLA. “He was every to us,” added Janice. “My father didn’t deserve this. I don’t think anyone does.”

Rondez’s son Charles told local CBS Los Angeles that their father was strong for his age and enjoyed running marathons and biking every day.

Torres has not been determined homeless, but Rondez’s family also urged Los Angeles city leaders to act on the homeless crisis for the sake of safety.

Janice Rondez told CBS that their father — who was a foster child in the Philippines — would have wanted the same.

Julius Rondez Photo courtesy of the Rondez family

“There’s so many people on the street that have no other options because their options are getting cut,” said Janice Rondez. “Instead of being upset and angry, he would want us to tell everybody that they should help because that’s what he would’ve done.

According to an obituary posted on memorial park Forest Lawn’s website, Rondez was born in Davao City, Philippines.

His funeral will be held at Forest Lawn in Glendale, California.

Rondez is survived by his wife, and his three children and five grandchildren. n

JUly 18-24, 2019 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAl

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

PH among most violent places for civilians — NGO Filipino priest elected head of

by Alexis

And

RomeRo edith RegAlAdo Philstar.com

THE Philippines is a dangerous place for criminals and the corrupt, according to Malacañang, as it countered a report stating that the country is one of the most dangerous places in the world in terms of violence that target civilians.

A report by the United Statesbased non-government organization Armed Conflict Location and Event Data (ACLED) Project said the Philippines has the fourth highest number of civilian-targeting events so far in 2019.

The Philippines had a total of 345 violent incidents, just behind India’s 1,385; Syria’s 1,160 and Yemen’s 500, according to the report.

The group recorded nearly 7,700 violent events targeting civilians from Jan. 1 to May 17 across the globe, resulting in over 8,200 reported fatalities.

“I agree, our country is dangerous to criminals, to the corrupt, including the drug syndicates,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Monday, July 15, when asked to react to the report.

“Our law enforcers will not stop their fight against criminals and drug lords, pushers who are destroying the fabric of our society. It’s really dangerous here if you are a criminal or a member of a syndicate,” Panelo added Panelo also disputed claims that the drug war deaths have reached 27,000, saying the data included those who were killed in accidents and homicide incidents perpetrated by ordinary civilians. He reiterated that the killings are not state-initiated.

“Almost 100 policemen have died. More than 700 others are in serious condition... I can’t understand why they are not considering these (data). If (they) were self-initiated, no policeman would be killed,” he said.

Panelo also expressed support for official police data, which pegged the number of drug-related deaths at more than 6,000.

ACLED’s ranking ‘unfounded’ Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde on Monday, July 15, branded as unfounded ACLED’s findings, saying the analysis has no basis, given the country’s improved peace and order situation.

“I think that is unfounded.

That cannot be covered by data.

I really don’t know what is their basis,” Albayalde told reporters at a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City.

The ACLED said the Philippines is among the countries unsafe for civilians because of the drug war.

Albayalde, however, disputed ACLED’s ranking, saying another survey conducted by HSBC Expat placed the Philippines 24th in the list of countries safe to live in and do business, just a notch below the U.S. The crime volume, which went down by six percent in the first semester of the year, is another proof that disputes ACLED’s findings, according to Albayalde.

“There should be chaos if we are ranked fourth,” he said.

Albayalde believes the research firm probably based its report solely on the allegations by critics of the administration.

“They probably based ’yung mga sinasabi nila roon lang sa mga maninira na, unfortunately, ay kapwa natin Pilipino (what they’re saying is based from those who are critizing, unfortunately, they are our fellow Filipinos),” he said. (With Emmanuel Tupas, Ramon Efren Lazaro)

US committed to help PH in ‘evidence-based’...

PAGE 1 Philippines, describing it as “tiny majority-approved and one-sided” resolution.

The BSD is the principal forum for discussing the full range of political, security and economic cooperation between the Philippines and the U.S. This year, Foreign Affairs Undersecretary for policy Enrique Manalo and Defense Undersecretary Cesar Yano co-led the Philippine delegation, while Stilwell and Assistant Secretary of Defense for Indo-Pacific Security Affairs Randy Schriver co-led the U.S. delegation.

‘We’re waiting’ On the second and last day of the BSD, Locsin requested Stilwell to “concretize” amity into action by selling M16 rifles to the Philippines.

“I told him that to concretize words of U.S.-PH amity into action is to sell us what Pompeo was told we need and want to buy 74,000 brand new M16s – w/3 clips each. And Duterte will finish all security threats to our democracy. Not a gift; we will pay. We’re waiting,” Locsin said on Twitter.

Last month, President Rodrigo

Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell with U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim during U.S.-Philippines Bilateral Strategic Dialogue (BSD) in Manila on Tuesday, July 16.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila

Duterte had a change of heart about procuring weapons from its traditional ally and said he would reconsider purchasing weapons from the U.S., since he likes U.S. President Donald Trump.

Both countries acknowledged the importance of a strong Philippines-U.S. alliance in enhancing security cooperation and promoting regional stability and prosperity. They pledged to enhance their already robust defense cooperation as well as reaffirmed their commitment to uphold freedom of navigation,

overflight and other lawful uses of the South China Sea. “Noting this, senior officials discussed a wide variety of issues of mutual interest and reaffirmed their commitment to deepening the alliance and expanding areas of cooperation,” the PhilippinesUnited States Eighth Bilateral Strategic Review Joint Statement said.

The Philippine and U.S. delegations also stressed the importance of the rule of law, human rights and fundamental freedoms.

(Ritchel Mendiola/AJPress)

Dominican Order worldwide FILIPINO priest Fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III has been elected the new Master of the Order of Preachers (OP), more popularly known as the Dominicans.

Timoner, now the first Asian Master of the Dominican Order, was elected on Saturday, July 13, in Bien Hoa in Vietnam where Dominicans from more than 80 countries are holding their general chapter or world conference until Aug. 4.

Timoner will succeed the Very Rev. Bruno Cadore, a French physician and bioethicist who has been serving as OP Master since 2010.

An OP Master is elected to a nine-year term without reelection.

With his election, Timoner becomes the 88th successor of St. Dominic de Guzman, the Spaniard who founded the mendicant friar movement with the Italian St. Francis of Assisi in the 13th century.

Together, the Dominicans and Franciscans helped reform the Church.

During the Age of Conquest in the 15th and 16th centuries, the two friar-orders were among the first missionaries to evangelize the “New World,” such as the Americas and, eventually, the Philippines.

Timoner is Cadore’s socius or assistant for the Asia-Pacific and has been based in Santa Sabina church, the Dominican curia in the Aventine Hills in Rome, since 2017.

Since 2014, Timoner has also been the lone Philippine member of the International Theological Commission (ITC), an advisory body to Pope Francis.

The last Filipino member of the ITC was Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle.

Bicol roots Father Timoner was born on Jan. 26, 1968, in Daet, Camarines Norte.

He earned his philosophy degree at the Philippine Dominican Center of Institutional Studies in Santo Domingo Church in Quezon City in 1991, and his theology degree at the University of Santo Tomas (UST) in 1994.

He was ordained to the priesthood on May 14, 1995.

Fr. Gerard Francisco Timoner III has been elected the new Master of the Order of Preachers (OP), more popularly known as the Dominicans.

Inquirer.net photo

He obtained his Licentiate in Sacred Theology and Master’s in Intercultural Theology from the Catholic University of Nijmengen in the Netherlands in 2004.

In Nijmengen, Timoner met Fr. Edward Schillebeeckx (19142009), the controversial Belgian Dominican who dominated theological thought in the last quarter of the 20th century.

After his ordination, Timoner was assigned to UST, where he served several posts, including rector of the UST Central Seminary.

In 2012, he was elected prior provincial of the Philippine Dominican Province.

Influential order As Master of the Dominican Order, Timoner will oversee the various ministries worldwide of the Dominican friars, who number some 6,000 across more than 80 countries.

He will also be the father of the “Dominican family” of active sisters, contemplative nuns, tertiary order of laymen and clerical fraternities numbering in the thousands.

In Vietnam alone, the Dominican lay order has at least 40,000 members.

The Dominicans run parishes, schools and universities, hospitals, think tanks, philosophical and theological formation houses, and pastoral ministries.

In the Philippines, Dominican friars run UST, Asia’s oldest university, and Letran College, which will mark its 400th anniversary next year.

Dominicans also run two gen-

eral hospitals (UST and Aquinas in Legazpi), a charity hospital (San Martin de Porres in San Juan). They have been chaplains at Tala Leprosarium.

Founded during the medieval ages, the Dominicans saw the rise of universities in Europe and often occupied influential academic chairs.

Because of their intellectual stress on “contemplation and sharing the fruits of contemplation,” Dominicans became known for their learning and scholarship.

Eminent Dominican thinkers include St. Thomas Aquinas, St. Albert the Great, the mystic Meister Eckhart, Cardinal Tomas Cajetan (who crossed intellectual swords with Martin Luther), and Fray Francisco Vitoria, the father of international law and human rights, whose bust graces the United Nations in New York.

During the Age of Conquest, Dominicans defended the conquered natives from the excesses of colonization, such as Fray Bartolome de las Casas in the Americas and Bishop Domingo Salazar of Manila.

In the 20th century, the Belgian Dominican Fr. Dominique Pire was given the Nobel Peace Prize in 1958 for his work with refugees.

Polish Pope now Saint John Paul II, who helped end the Cold War and was instrumental in the collapse of the Soviet Union and communism, was a product of the Dominican pontifical academy in Rome, the Angelicum. (Lito B. Zulueta/Inquirer.net)

Panelo: Duterte will be the first...

PAGE 2

Those who would commit cursing, wolf-whistling, catcalling, leering and intrusive gazing, taunting, unwanted invitations, misogynistic, transphobic, homophobic and sexist slurs, will be fined P1,000. They will also be required to do 12 hours of community service and attend a gender sensitivity seminar as first-time violators.

For second-time violators, a six to 10 days imprisonment or a fine of P 3,000 will be imposed, while jail for up to 30 days and a P10,000 fine will be imposed on third-time violators.

Those who would commit offensive body gestures and exposing private parts, public masturbation, groping and similar lewd actions, will be fined P10,000.

They will also be ordered to do 12 hours of community service and attend a gender sensitivity seminar as first-time offenders.

Second-time offenders will be fined P15,000 and jailed for 11 to 30 days. Third-time offenders, meanwhile, will be fined P20,000 and jailed for one month and one day.

The Safe Spaces Act also penalizes stalking and brushing against any part of the victim’s body.

First-time violators will be fined P30,000, imprisoned for 11 to 30 days, and required to attend a gender sensitivity seminar. Second-time violators will be fined P 50,000 and imprisoned for one month and one day up to six months, while third-time violators will be fined P100,000.

Gender-based sexual harassment in the workplace will be punished, as well. The new law requires employers to post a copy of the law in the workplace, as the new decree orders the Department of Labor and Employment and the Civil Service Commission to conduct yearly spontaneous inspections to ensure compliance of both employers and employees to the law.

It also authorizes the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to cancel the license of a person found guilty of committing sexual harassment in public utility vehicles as well as allows the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) to suspend or cancel the franchise of operators who commit similar actions. n

Pacquiao remains confident ahead...

PAGE 1 garnered an incredible boxing career by fighting and defeating some seven current or future Hall of Famers like Marco Antonio Barrera, Miguel Cotto, Ricky Hatton, Oscar De La Hoya, Juan Manuel Marquez, Erik Morales, and Shane Mosley.

Pacquiao, 40, has also been named a three-time Fighter of the Year and remains the Boxing Writers Associations of America’s reigning Fighter of the Decade. On the side, he also serves as a senator in the Philippines.

Thurman, on the other hand, is currently the longest reigning welterweight world champion and has been described as one of the welterweight division’s most dangerous boxers.

The 30-year-old has also won all of his professional fights, with the exception of a non-recorded win from a No Contest with Mexico’s Francisco Garcia back in 2009.

With a 10-year age difference between the two, boxing fans have been curious as to what has changed in Pacquiao’s performance over the years.

“That’s what I’m trying to prove this time because we know there are people doubting my capability at the age of 40,” said Pacquiao on Thursday.

He added, “But at the age of 40, I’m not thinking about my age. I’m thinking about making my fans happy.”

Pacquiao has before told the Asian Journal that training has, for the most part, remained the same with a few adjustments in recovery. On Thursday, he assured that he had no concerns over his performance.

“My body’s reaction is okay.

My mind and everything is fine, and I’m a big believer of God. This is a blessing,” said Pacquiao.

Asked what keeps him motivated and always ready, Pacquiao said it’s been easy given that he loves exercising.

“I really love exercise. I’m addicted to exercise and even if I do not have a scheduled time, I almost everyday exercise like playing basketball four to five hours almost every day,” said Pacquiao, adding that he usually doesn’t hit the boxing gym until he has a scheduled fight.

“So when the time comes in and I have a scheduled fight, I’m so motivated to work hard, play hard, and focus for the rest of the fight,” said Pacquiao.

In the weeks leading up to the fight, Thurman has vowed to be the fighter to send Pacquiao into retirement. He recently told ESPN that he predicts needing less than six rounds to knock out Pacquiao.

But Pacquiao — who has heard his opponents make similar predictions many times before — has remained unfazed by the comments.

“I’m not angry with him. I’m just motivated,” said Pacquiao, adding that Thurman’s words have at times gotten to his mother Dionesia Dapidran-Pacquiao.

But for him, it’s just feed for his motivation.

“It gives me more motivation to focus on the training and how hard I push in training,” said Pacquiao. “This will be a very interesting fight.”

Thurman’s most recent win came earlier this year by major-

ity decision, even after coming from a 22-month hiatus resulting from a couple elbow and hand injuries. Now, he’s expected to come to the ring with even more power and preparation.

To Pacquiao, that just means an even better fight.

“I understand that it’s hard to start again, but this time around, he’ll work hard and will be prepared for this fight,” said Pacquiao. “I’m expecting him to work hard and prepare.”

As for his own preparation, Pacquiao is also using experience and strategy to finish strong.

“My style is still the same, but I’m more experienced. But [I’ve gotten] strong in timing,” said Pacquiao.

Roach chimed in and said that Pacquiao’s motivation to train has been very serious and that they’ve had to make sure he didn’t overtrain.

“He’s unbelievable. He wants to work out every day, but we have to hold back a little bit,” said Roach. “We’re on a tight schedule right now and we’ll give him a couple extra days off and try not to have him overtrain because he does have a tendency to do that, but we’re ready to go.”

“I already accomplished what I’ve wanted to accomplish in boxing, and I’m continuing my career because boxing is my passion,” said Pacquiao. “God gave me blessings, and I’m thankful for the good health, speed, and power.”

The Pacquiao-Thurman fight will take place on Saturday, July 20 (Fox PPV, 9 p.m. ET) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. n

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 18-24, 2019

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

D ateline PhiliPPines Poll: 8 in 10 Filipinos trust, approve

of Duterte after Recto Bank

MANILA — An overwhelming majority of Filipinos trust and approve the performance of President Rodrigo Duterte despite criticism on his handling of the Recto Bank incident, results of the latest Pulse Asia survey suggest.

Pulse Asia reported that 85% of the 1,200 adult respondents are appreciative of the performance of the chief executive. Only 3% said they disapprove of Duterte’s performance, while 11% said they were undecided.

This is just two points below the 87% he recorded in March 2019 and within the ± 2.8 percent error margin.

Eighty-five percent of the respondents also trust the president, unchanged from his trust rating in March.

The poorest segment of Filipinos continues to trust and approve of Duterte’s performance, with 86% of respondents Class E saying they trust the president. Of those surveyed, 87% said they are appreciative of his performance.

Highest rating in Mindanao The performance ratings of Duterte in Luzon (82%) and the Visayas (90%) have been unchanged. Eighty-one percent of resident in Metro Manila said they appreciate the performance of the president.

His highest approval rating was in Mindanao, where 91% approve of his performance.

This, however, was seven points lower than the 97% he received in March.

Duterte’s highest trust rating was also recorded in his bailiwick from 96% in March to 91% in June.

His trust rating improved in Metro Manila from 77% to 83% in June and the Visayas from 87% to 89% in June, while his score in Luzon remained the same at 81%.

A separate poll by Social Weather Stations showed that public satisfaction with Duterte reached a fresh record high in the second quarter of 2019 with 80% of adult Filipinos satisfied with his performance.

The survey was conducted from June 24 to 30, few weeks after a Chinese vessel rammed a Filipino fishing boat near Recto Bank in the West Philippine Sea and a week after Duterte downplayed the incident as a “little maritime accident.”

Majority trust, approve of Robredo, Sotto The same survey showed that a majority of Filipinos also trust and support Vice President Leni Robredo.

Robredo received a 55% approval rating and a 52% trust

rating, an increase from the 49% and 47% she recorded in March 2019.

Pulse Asia noted that the vice president enjoys majority approval in most geographic areas and socio-economic groupings, with only resident of Metro Manila and those in class ABC withholding majority scores from her.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III enjoyed a huge increase in his performance and trust ratings. His approval rating was up by 12 points from 65% to 77% in June, while his trust ratings also spiked to 73 percent last month from 61% in March.

Distrust in former House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo was expressed by practically half of the respondents (49%). Only 22% said they trust the former leader of the lower chamber.

She also received the lowest approval rating of 26% among top government officials. Nearly half of Filipinos or 47% said they disapprove of Arroyo’s work.

Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin, meanwhile, received a slight increase in his approval rating, obtaining 41% from March’s 38%. His trust rating remained unchanged at 35%.

The Pulse Asia survey has a ± 2.8 percent error margin. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/Philstar.com)

Lorenzana to go on ‘shopping spree’ in Europe for arms, equipment DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana is on a “shopping spree” as he will be flying to fivemember European countries to buy weapons and secure deals for the military.

Lorenzana said he would be visiting in September the Czech Republic, France, Spain, Portugal and United Kingdom – all member-states of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO).

In an interview on the sidelines of Bastille Day on Sunday, July 14, at the French Ambassador’s residence in Makati City, Lorenzana said the Philippine Navy was considering France as a possible source for its submarine acquisition program.

“We will canvass first. [We will] window shop [first] if they have equipment that we need and want that goes with the budget we

have at hand,” the Defense chief told reporters in a message on Wednesday.

It was reported that Lorenzana would go to Czech Republic and France, but on Wednesday, July 17, he added Spain, Portugal and UK to his itinerary.

“They have many offers but we will look and evaluate them first,” he said.

During the Asian Defense and Security (ADAS) exhibition in 2018, Prague’s defense company Excalibur Army displayed its scale models of military vehicles such as the Pandur 2 military tanks.

E x c a l i b u r A r m y ’s J a k u b Cmuchalek had said that it has been offering the Philippine Department of National Defense and the Philippine Army its products since 2017.

Cmuchalek had also said that

it was also offering the Philippine Air Force its short and long-range primary and secondary radars.

The two first-ever anti-submarine helicopters, the AgustaWestland “Wildcat” 159 for the Philippine Navy, arrived early this year from London, where Vice Admiral Robert Empedrad, Navy chief, first conducted an inspection.

There were also reports that another C-295 plane will be arriving later this year, which will come from Madrid.

The Czech Republic, Spain and UK were among the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) member-states that voted in favor of adopting the resolution filed by Iceland to launch an investigation into the rights situation in the country. (Dempsey Reyes/ManilaTimes.net)

CLEARING, CLEANING ESTEROS. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu (center), Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso (right), and DENR Undersecretary Benny Antiporda (left) inspect the estero (estuary) under the demolished houses in Barangay 718 Estero de San Antonio Abad Malate in Manila on Saturday, July 13. The local government of Manila, with the help of other government agencies, is starting to clear and clean water channels in the city to mitigate flooding, especially with the onset of the rainy season.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

DOH declares national dengue alert

by Ritchel

Mendiola AJPress

THE Department of Health (DOH) on Monday, July 15, declared a national dengue alert after 450 people, including infants and a centenarian, died in the first six months of the year due to rapidly increasing cases of dengue in several regions.

“This is the first time we’re declaring a national alert because the objective is clear: We want to raise awareness among the public and, more importantly, in communities where signs of early dengue increases are evident,” said Health Secretary Francisco Duque III at a press briefing.

DOH records show that from Jan. 1 to June 29, 106,630 cases were reported nationwide, including 456 deaths.

“This is 85 percent higher compared to the same period last year, which is 57,564,” Duque said.

The biggest number of reported dengue cases came from Western Visayas (13,164), Calabarzon (11,474), Central Visayas (9,199), Soccsksargen (9,107) and Northern Mindanao (8,739).

Duque also announced that Code Blue Alert has been raised

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) FOR LEGAL SERVICES, RFP P19052

by AJPress

PRIMARY CONTACT PERSON(S): Note: Contact with any other SNRHA staff other than the named here, including SNRHA’s Residents and Board of Commissioners will result in your Proposal being rejected.

The Philippines’ population is likely to double to more than 216 million by the year 2058, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

Philstar.com photo

reducing poverty incidence.

“Our total fertility rate has likewise gone down over time — from 6.4 in 1969, to 4.1 in 1994, and now down to 2.7 children (per woman of reproductive age) in 2019. Our target fertility rate is 2.1 children. This will be feasible if we can ratchet up modern con-

traceptive use,” Pernia said.

“This had gone up from 24.9 percent in 1993 to 40 percent in 2017. Fortunately, there are now more users of modern contraceptives. There are also now more rural than urban women who use modern family planning methods,” he added. n

komprehensibo na Emergency Medical Services System (This has been the dream of every Filipino, to have an emergency number where we can seek help from the government. We have the 911 hotline formed by President Duterte.

We will strengthen this by means of institutionalizing a comprehensive Emergency Medical Services System),” Go said.

The bill, he added, aims to set up a system that would give government the necessary tools and capabilities to respond to medical emergencies.

Under the measure, all local government units (LGUs) are mandated to establish an emergency medical service system, as well as dispatch centers.

They shall also ensure the availability of adequate emergency transport vehicles or ambulances with qualified EMS personnel. A nationwide emergency hotline number will be established to enable the public to access emergency medical services.

The bill also states that a dispatch center would be set up for all LGUs, which would be fully

integrated and connected to the National Command Center. The dispatch centers will link all Filipinos with the emergency resources of the government.

Once the bill is passed into law, an EMSS council will be established, with the secretary of the Department of the Interior and Local Government as chairman of the council and the secretary of the Department of Health as cochairman. The heads of the Department of Transportation, Office of Civil Defense, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, Commission on Higher Education, Philippine Red Cross, Department of Information and Communications Technology and Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

The EMSS council will serve as the primary agency responsible for promoting and crafting a national policy and system of emergency medical response.

Funding for the creation and implementation of the EMSS will be sourced from appropriations of all concerned agencies and local government units. (Javier Ismael/ ManilaTimes.net)

Linda P. Simpson, Contracts Administrator Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority Contracts & Purchasing procurement@snvrha.org or Wanda Beckett, Contracts Administrator wbeckett@procurement@snvrha.org

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Go files bill on emergency system SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has filed a bill that aims to institutionalize an emergency medical services system to respond to urgent medical needs of Filipinos nationwide.

In filing Senate Bill 394 or the “Emergency Medical Services System (EMSS) Act of 2019,” Go explained that the government should provide an effective and organized EMSS to properly address the immediate concerns of Filipinos, who encounter medical emergencies.

“Dapat maging mabilis, maayos at maaasahan ang serbisyo ng gobyerno pagdating sa oras ng sakuna at iba pang medical emergencies (Government service should be fast, orderly and affordable during calamities and medical emergencies),” he said.

“Matagal na itong pangarap ng bawat Pilipino na magkaroon ng emergency number kung saan makakahingi tayo ng tulong mula gobyerno. Meron na tayong Emergency 911 hotline na itinatag ni Pangulong Duterte. Mas palakasin pa natin ito sa pamamagitan ng pag-institutionalize ng isang

such as migration and climate change.

“Dengue globally is a huge issue. More than half of the world’s population is living in areas where there is exposure to dengue,” he said.

“There are lots of efforts we can do and we can alleviate severity of dengue outbreak. Like if we pursue some of the simple community measures – search and destroy the breeding sites of mosquitoes and self protection against mosquito bites,” he added.

Senate President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Monday proposed that screened windows and doors be installed in public schools to prevent the spread of dengue.

“During school days, one in four Filipinos are in public schools,” Recto said, citing his computation from 27 million students taught by 830,000 teachers in about 47,000 schools this year.

“If Filipinos congregate there, then we should make sure that mosquitoes don’t go to school with them. Aedes aegypti should not be enrolled, or if they’re there, they should be expelled,” he added. n

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PH population to double by 2058 THE Philippines’ population is predicted to grow twice its size by 2058, according to Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia.

Since the last census conducted in 2015, the country’s population rate has already slowed down at 1.76 a year.

“Under this growth rate, our population, which is now 108.1 million, is expected to double in 39 years,” Pernia said in a speech during World Population Day on Thursday, July 12.

The Philippines had already become the 13th most populous country in the world, with Filipinos now accounting for 1.4 percent of the global population, according to Pernia, who heads state planning agency, the National Economic and Development Authority.

He urged the full implementation of the reproductive health law to ensure that the increase of the Philippine population will not hinder the government’s goal of

as well for the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) health cluster.

With this, there will be heightened surveillance by the DOH’s regional offices for dengue and heightened implementation of anti-dengue strategies. Half of all hospital personnel will also report for duty.

Regions that have exceeded the epidemic threshold are Mimaropa (Mindoro, Marinduque, Romblon and Palawan), Western Visayas (Region VI), Central Visayas (Region VII) and Northern Mindanao (Region X).

Meanwhile, regions being monitored after having exceeded the alert threshold are Ilocos, Cagayan Valley, Calabarzon (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon), Bicol, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Cordillera Administrative Region.

A global issue According to World Health Organization (WHO) country representative Gundo Weiler, the Philippines must brace for severe dengue this year.

He said the rise in dengue can be attributed to various factors

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OPINION

The benefits of ecotourism

FEATURES

ONCE again, Palawan has earned recognition from travelers.

Readers of Travel+Leisure magazine ranked Palawan second among the world’s best 15 island destinations — an improvement from last year’s sixth place.

Earlier this year, Palawan’s El Nido together with Boracay were also named among the best beaches in Asia by TripAdvisor’s 2019 Traveler’s Choice Awards.

The accolades are well deserved. Palawan is home to two UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Subterranean River National Park in Puerto Princesa and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park in Sulu Sea. El Nido and Coron have world-class snorkeling and diving sites. Limestone formations that dot Palawan waters provide spectacular sceneries.

The challenge is to prevent the province from becoming a victim of its own success. Following the rehabilitation of Boracay Island, a similar effort is underway notably in El Nido, to clean up the beach, modernize the sewerage system and enforce coastal easement rules.

Access to the top destinations in the province is being regulated, but there are lesser known destinations that also need to be protected from overdevelopment. Uncooperative local government officials must face sanctions.

Sustainability is always a challenge. This year’s second place ranking is down from Pala-

wan’s top spot in the same magazine in 2013 and 2017. The slide may be due to the emergence of other attractive destinations, but the goal must always be to hold on to the top spot.

Apart from protecting the environment, ecotourism should include promoting the welfare of indigenous communities. They should be given opportunities to participate in tourism programs and to reap the benefits of a highly profitable industry. Preserving their culture should be part of any tourism development program in the province.

Palawan residents are also custodians of rich biodiversity. With ecotourism as the lifeblood of the province, residents can understand that their livelihoods depend on protecting their natural blessings, from the extensive coral networks to the lush forests and mangrove areas.

There are threatened wildlife that need nurturing, such as pangolins, the bear cat and hornbill. Those who are tempted to maximize commercial profits should realize that the long-term viability of their business depends on the health of the environment. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MGA KABABAYAN, many of you are Republicans, holding onto conservative principles, especially those anchored on our Christian faith which is very important to us. This is one of the reasons why many Filipinos support the Republican Party and Republican President Donald J. Trump.

But where and when do we draw the line between our support to the conservative principles we hold dear to the core of our soul, and to the rhetoric, action and values of the president when there are clear dissonance and incongruence between the two?

When will you call out racism and discrimination that this president has emboldened among Americans who still have deep-seated disdain, hatred and resentment against immigrants because of the color of our skin through his own examples in shameless violation of the very principles of “all men are created” equal enshrined in the Declaration of Independence and protected by the U.S. Constitution in the 14th Amendment mandating equal protection of laws for ALL Americans — the very foundation of the Rule of Law that Republicans and Conservatives defend and protect?

George Conway, the Filipino

Commentary

JASON TENGCO IN 2016, only 50 percent of eligible Filipino American voters participated in the presidential election. Let me repeat: only half of us voted in 2016.

As a community, we can — and must — do better this time around. From the economy to health care, climate change to the Supreme Court, there’s simply too much at stake for us to sit on the sidelines.

As we gear up for the 2020 elections, I urge my fellow FilAms to pay close attention to what the candidates are saying around all issues, but especially immigration.

Philstar.com photo

Dear Filipino Americans: When are you going to call out President Trump for racism and discrimination?

American lawyer who is one of the leaders and defenders of conservatism in the Republican Party and also happens to be the husband of Trump’s senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, penned an op-ed in the Washington Post on July 15, which profoundly intimated his childhood experience as a person of color.

Many kababayans and other immigrants can relate to his experience, especially during the Trump presidency. These are our brothers and sisters who have experienced the hatred, disrespect, discrimination, now being normalized by the president who just told four people of color in Congress, “Go back to your country.”

George Conway wrote: “To this day, I can remember almost the precise spot where it happened: a supermarket parking lot in eastern Massachusetts. It was the mid1970s; I was not yet a teenager, or barely one. I don’t remember exactly what precipitated the woman’s ire. But I will never forget what she said to my mother, who had come to this country from the Philippines decades before. In these words or something close, the woman said, ‘Go back to your country.’

“I remember the incident well, but it never bothered me all that much. Nor did racial slurs, which, thankfully, were

rare. None of it was troublesome, to my mind, because most Americans weren’t like that. The woman in the parking lot was just a boor, an ignoramus, an aberration. America promised equality. Its constitution said so. My schoolbooks said so. The country wasn’t perfect, to be sure. But its ideals were. And every day brought us closer to those ideals.

“To a young boy, it seemed like long ago that a descendant of slaves had prophesied, five days before I was born, that his “four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” We would be there soon enough, if we weren’t there already. I couldn’t understand why colleges required applicants to check boxes for race or ethnicity. I’m also part Irish and Scottish. What box should I check? Should I check one at all? Will that help me or hurt me? Never mind, not to worry, those boxes would someday soon be gone.

“How naive a child could be.

The woman in the parking lot — there were many more like her, it turned out. They never went away. Today they attend rallies, and they post ugliness on Facebook or Twitter. As for the victims of historic racial oppression, no matter how much affirmative action (or reverse

discrimination, or whatever you want to call it) the nation offered, they, too, had resentments that never went away — in part because of people like the parking-lot woman. Those resentments often led to more, not fewer, charges of racism as the years passed — charges of institutional racism and ‘white privilege.’”

Trump’s fans argue that this president is not racist, but his bullying of the brave women of color who would not kiss his a$$ and instead called him out for his rhetoric and behavior that goes against the Constitution is not an isolated case.

Trump’s long history even before he was catapulted to the presidency would prove this.

Let Conway’s piece refresh your memory: “And how naive an adult could be. The birther imaginings about Barack Obama?

Just a silly conspiracy theory, latched onto by an attention seeker who has a peculiar penchant for them. The ‘Mexican’ Judge Gonzalo P. Curiel incident? Asinine, inappropriate, a terrible attack on the judiciary by an egocentric man who imagined that the judge didn’t like him. The white supremacists’ march in Charlottesville? The president’s comments were absolutely idiotic, but he couldn’t possibly have been referring to those self-described Nazis as ‘good people’;

in his sloppy, inarticulate way, he was referring to both sides of the debate over Civil War statues, and venting his anger about being criticized.

“No, I thought, President Trump was boorish, dim-witted, inarticulate, incoherent, narcissistic and insensitive.

He’s a pathetic bully but an equal-opportunity bully — in his uniquely crass and crude manner, he’ll attack anyone he thinks is critical of him. No matter how much I found him ultimately unfit, I still gave him the benefit of the doubt about being a racist. No matter how much I came to dislike him, I didn’t want to think that the president of the United States is a racial bigot.

“But Sunday left no doubt.

Naivete, resentment and outright racism, roiled in a toxic mix, have given us a racist president. Trump could have used vile slurs, including the vilest of them all, and the intent and effect would have been no less clear. Telling four non-white members of Congress — American citizens all, three natural-born — to “go back” to the “countries” they “originally came from”? That’s racist to the core. It doesn’t matter what these representatives are for or against — and there’s plenty to criticize them for — it’s beyond the bounds of human decency. For anyone, not least a president.

“What’s just as bad, though, is the virtual silence from Republican leaders and officeholders. They’re silent not because they agree with Trump. Surely they know better. They’re silent because, knowing that he’s incorrigible, they have inured themselves to his wild statements; because, knowing that he’s a fool, they don’t really take his words seriously and pretend that others shouldn’t, either; because, knowing how damaging Trump’s words are, the Republicans don’t want to give succor to their political enemies; because, knowing how vindictive, stubborn and obtusely self-destructive Trump is, they fear his wrath.

“But none of that is good enough. Trump is not some random, embittered person in a parking lot — he’s the president of the United States. By virtue of his office, he speaks for the country. What’s at stake now is more important than judges or tax cuts or regulations or any policy issue of the day. What’s at stake are the nation’s ideals, its very soul.” *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.

Relos

Why Fil-Ams should care about the 2020 Elections Let me start with the facts.

There are more than 300,000 Filipinos in the Philippines waiting to reunite with their loved ones here in the United States.

These include wives and husbands, daughters and sons, and sisters and brothers that are separated from their families.

The Philippines has the second highest number of family-sponsored waiting list registrants in the world, second only to Mexico. Furthermore, Filipinos suffer some of the longest wait times of any group: more than 20 years.

In addition to family reunification, we cannot forget that there are an estimated 310,000 undocumented Filipinos living in America. These include more than 5,000 young Filipinos that have benefitted from Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals

(DACA), giving them work authorization and protection from deportation. A separate Obama Administration proposal called Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) would have granted similar protections to certain undocumented parents, but was rescinded by the current administration.

As we head into another contentious presidential election cycle, there is plenty of talk on both sides of the aisle about the need for comprehensive immigration reform. Let’s begin by looking at the campaign websites of the four Democratic candidates currently polling the highest: Joe Biden, Kamala Harris, Elizabeth Warren, and Bernie Sanders.

• Biden focuses on pursuing “a humane immigration

policy that upholds our values, strengthens our economy, and secures our border.”

• Harris commits to “fight to pass immigration reform with a pathway to citizenship for the 11 million people living in our communities and contributing to our economy.”

• Warren highlights that “we need expanded legal immigration that will grow our economy, reunite families, and meet our labor market demands.”

• Sanders emphasizes the need to “expand DACA and DAPA, including providing immediate legal status for young people eligible for the DACA program.”

In comparison, Trump’s website details how: • “President Trump called on Congress to fully fund a wall

along the Southern border, to close legal loopholes that enable illegal immigration, to end chain migration, and to eliminate the visa lottery program.”

• “The Department of Homeland Security took action to wind down the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program in an orderly fashion, following the assessment of the Department of Justice (DOJ) that DACA lacks legal authorization.”

• “The Trump Administration rescinded the unlawful Deferred Action for Parents of Americans (DAPA) program.”

As the candidates begin campaigning and participating in debates, we should hold them accountable by demanding specifics about their immigration plans. It’s incumbent upon us

to remain informed and to have honest conversations about how these proposals will impact us as a community.

But no matter where we stand politically, I think we can all agree that these presidential candidates should keep the interests of the Fil-Am community in mind both on the campaign trail and, if elected, once they occupy the highest office in the land. *** Jason Tengco is a Senior Advisor and former Executive Director of the National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA). He is currently pursuing his Master’s in Public Affairs (MPA) at the University of California, Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy. Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of the Asian Journal, NaFFAA, and UC Berkeley.

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

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Build bridges, new Philippine diplomats told Army chief on coup plot: It’s all talk

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. asked the new diplomats of the country to “build bridges” and decide whether to obey blindly or defend the country when the two are in contradiction.

Locsin, called out by lawmakers for his insults and impertinence, emphasized the role of the 29 new Foreign Service Officers (FSOs) in the conduct of diplomacy, building bridges and the value of honesty in the foreign service.

“Build bridges — I hate that cliché, but it is a true one; I have seen it at work. Establish your contacts and nurture networks.

The work is international; not solitary. Be the best diplomats you can be,” Locsin said in his keynote address at the closing ceremony for the FSO Cadetship Course (FSOCC) Batch XXVI earlier this month.

For many years to come, the new diplomats will find that the Foreign Service will be a series of thresholds, according to the foreign affairs chief.

“I urge you equally to pay the most careful attention to whatever task you are given; the devil of diplomacy is in the details; and the satisfaction will come from doing the best you can

with the task — small or big, important or not — at hand. Call it mindfulness, living fully in the moment of a particular task: the Zen of diplomacy,” he said.

Locsin added that the FSOs would assume greater responsibilities when they assume their respective positions at Foreign Service posts.

“You are not expected to express, let alone act on your own opinion of a diplomatic issue; but try to form an intelligent one and then keep it to yourself,” Locsin said. “The day will come when you must make a decision: to obey blindly or to defend your country when the two are in contradiction.”

The secretary stressed that being honest is important when dealing with representatives of other nations even if it means saying things they would dislike. As fellow diplomats, they will understand that while diplomats may disagree, honesty is deemed necessary for the nation that one represents.

“And never lie for your country. The man who described diplomacy as the art of lying abroad was a lousy diplomat.

What your foreign counterparts will respect is candor. They will understand why you had to take a position they dislike,” he said.

The diplomats were also re-

minded that they are expected to perform their best at all times, and in all possible scenarios.

Locsin witnessed the closing ceremony of the Foreign Service Institute’s intensive training program for the latest batch of the newly commissioned FSOs. Twenty-nine new FSOs completed the FSOCC Batch XXVI, which was held from Jan. 7 to June 27.

The group has taken Hinabi as its batch name, as it is composed of 29 individuals from diverse backgrounds, including lawyers, journalists, educators, government workers, economists and a registered nurse.

“Hinabi,” the Filipino word for weave or woven material, boasts of colorful and beautiful designs symbolizing unity and hard work. Each member of the batch is likened to a thread, each with his or her own color, working together, just as how threads complete an intricate design when woven together, as interpreted by batch member Paola Belle Ebora.

In her opening remarks, FSI officer-in-charge Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat congratulated the FSOs for completing the cadetship course and reminded them to take to heart all the lessons they learned during the six-month intensive training. n

Implementing rules for Ease of Doing Business law signed MANILA — The government on Wednesday signed the implementing rules and regulations, or IRR, of the Ease of Doing Business law.

President Rodrigo Duterte in May last year inked Republic Act 11032 or the Ease of Doing Business Act of 2018. The new law amended the Anti-Red Tape

Act of 2007.

The government say that RA 11032 would correct bureaucratic red tape that burdens businesses.

The new law would also address “the failure of the Anti-Red Tape Act to solve the perennial problem of bureaucratic red tape in our government institutions,” Duterte

said.

According to the 2019 edition of the World Bank’s report on economies’ competitiveness in ease of doing business, the Philippines ranked 124th out of 190 economies tracked, down 11 places from 113th in the previous year (Ian Nicolas Cigaral/Philstar. com)

Ex-VP Binay files poll protest vs Makati Rep. Peña MANILA — Former Vice President Jejomar Binay filed an electoral protest to challenge the win of Rep. Romulo “Kid” Peña Jr. (Makati City) in the Congress.

In a statement, the defeated Makati representative said his lawyers filed on Tuesday, July 16, a verified election protest against Peña before the House of Representative Electoral Tribunal.

“Binay’s lawyers sought the nullification of Peña’s proclamation as a member of the House of Representative in the first dis-

trict of Makati by the Makati City Board of Canvassers last May 14,” the statement read.

Binay’s camp asked the tribunal to “order the conduct of manual recount of ballots cast and other election documents in all of the 235 clustered precincts.”

The former vice president lost to Peña by around 6,000 votes.

The former vice president garnered 65,229 votes. Peña got 71,035 votes.

This is the Binay patriarch’s second election loss after failing to

win the presidential seat in 2016.

Last May 20, days after the midterm polls, Binay said that they will reveal “facts, data and evidence that would show why the election result does not reflect the true will of the voters” in Makati City’s First District “at the proper time.”

He stressed that surveys by independent and reputable firms also showed that he would win against Peña who was then former acting mayor of Makati.

(Kristine Joy Patag/Philsatar. com)

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by Jaime Laude Philstar.com

MANILA — It’s just all talk with no substance.

This was how Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto described the reported coup plot against President Duterte’s administration.

“It’s all talks. Only from these talks that we heard of it,” Alberto said before the weekend on the reported coup plot claim that originated from Communist Party of the Philippines founding chairman Jose Ma. Sison.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo entertained Sison’s idea claiming a possible plot against Duterte.

The Army chief explained that events and conditions in the past that pushed some members of the military to destabilize governments have entirely changed for the better under the present dispensation.

“I can assure you that 100 percent of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) are loyal

to the flag and Constitution,” Alberto said.

And if there are indeed people plotting the ouster of the president, he said they are those who simply want to throw the country in chaos again, just to advance their own personal interests.

He was apparently referring to Sison, who recently claimed that the political situation in the Philippines is ripe for the United States government to order its followers in the AFP and the Philippine National Police to launch a coup and unseat Duterte.

Insofar as the Philippine Army is concerned, Alberto said there have been no reports that soldiers are being recruited to destabilize the government.

“Our soldiers are more professional and are highly satisfied with the current political leadership. Our soldiers will never attempt to join any military adventurism against the government,” Alberto said.

In an event that some individuals will have the courage to recruit soldiers to destabilize

President Rodrigo Duterte with Philippine Army chief Lt. Gen. Macairog Alberto Philstar.com photo

the government, these people run the risk of being unmasked immediately. This is because the soldiers themselves will report them to higher authorities, he said.

“They cannot sweet-talk our soldiers anymore because they will be reported immediately to us,” Alberto said. n

Comelec searching for new poll technology

by WiLLiam dePasuPiL ManilaTmes.net

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is scouting for a new technology that can be used to improve its automated election (AES) system in preparation for the 2022 presidential election.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said on Monday, July 15, that Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas and other officials of the poll body had the chance to view the latest election technology at a recent AES technology fair.

“This is the kind of insight we need as we look forward to the elections of 2022,” Jimenez quoted Abas as saying. “It shows us solutions we have not seen before, and it shows us new strategies for using the technology we already have.”

The fair was organized by the Department of Information Communication Technology and the Comelec Advisory Council with the theme “One Citizen. One Vote.

One Count.”

Several election technology providers joined the event, including Smartmatic Corp., Indra Sistemas S.A., mobile voting solutions provider Voatz and homegrown election system provider Boses.

Smartmatic is the supplier

Teachers test a vote counting machine last May 8, 2019 at the Araullo High School in Manila.

ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina

of Comelec’s more than 95,000 vote counting machines (VCMs), among other elections supplies, since it started automating the electoral system in 2010.

Indra Sistemas was Smartmatic’s bitter rival in the P7.8-billion contract for the supply of 70,977 units of optical mark reader counting machines for use in the 2016 presidential polls.

“The various exhibitors presented new technologies and new implementations of old technologies. All of these solutions show great promise, and the Comelec

will be evaluating each one to see how well they meet the Philippines’ unique circumstances,” Jimenez said.

The midterm elections in May was marred by end-to-end problems, as VCMs and secured digital cards bogged.

With these problems in mind, Abbas said the Comelec was making plans to ensure that these issues would not be repeated.

“We are looking at using the VCMs again or rent new machines or bundle anew to synchronize everything,” Abbas said. n

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July 18-24, 2019 â&#x20AC;˘ lAS VEGAS ASIAN JOuRNAl

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MEDIA PROTECTION. Undersecretary Joel M. Sy Egco (second from left), Executive Director of the Presidential Task Force on Media Security (PTFoMS), and ACT-CIS Party-list Representative NiĂąa O. Taduran (second from right) sign a memorandum of agreement on media security at Maxâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant in Quezon Memorial Circle, Quezon City on Wednesday, July 17. The ACT-CIS Party-list is pushing for the passage of the Media Workers Welfare Act which will provide equal protection and standardized renumeration. Also in photo are PTFOMS chief of staff Abraham A. Gamata (left) and Garreth Tunglo (right) representing ACT-CIS Rep. Jocelyn Tulfo.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;A hungry stomach knows no lawâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;: Estrada defends allowing vendors on Manila streets

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Former Manila Mayor Joseph â&#x20AC;&#x153;Erapâ&#x20AC;? Ejercito Estrada on Monday, July 15, defended his administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s efforts to clear the capitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s streets.

With his performance being compared against that of his successor, Francisco â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iskoâ&#x20AC;?

Domagoso Moreno, Estrada said he did not drive vendors away from the capitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s busy streets out of consideration for their welfare. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kung â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yung sasabihin mo saâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;kin na yung mga vendors nalinis, naayos lahat e hindi ko kayang gawin yun hanggaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t walang kapalit na hanap-buhay sila (If you will tell me that the vendors are no longer on the street... I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do that unless they had alternative livelihood),â&#x20AC;? Estrada said in an interview with GMA Newsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; â&#x20AC;&#x153;24 Orasâ&#x20AC;?. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kayang-kaya. Utusan mo lang hindi ba puwedeng sumunod sa mayor ang pulis saka mga bumbero? Orderan mo lang â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yan. Sandali lang â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yun, pero isipin mo naman yung damage na kawawa naman yung mga mahihirap dun lang umaasa sa pagkain nila (Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very easy. Just order them, canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t the police and firemen follow the order of the mayor? Just order them to clear the streets. That will be done quickly, but you have to consider the damage... the poor who rely on that for their food will suffer),â&#x20AC;? he added.

Now just an ordinaryâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;except he is wealthyâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; citizen, Estrada, said he salutes Moreno but stressed that â&#x20AC;&#x153;a hungry stomach knows no law.â&#x20AC;?

â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;I also did clearing operations during my timeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Estrada said he also conducted clearing operations while he was mayor. â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2122;Di na ako magpakita pa pero may ginagawa ako, (I donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t publicize the things I am doing),â&#x20AC;? Estrada said.

In July 2017, Estrada drew flak from online users after an ABSCBN report showed that a scene of him joining the Manila Bay cleanup drive was staged.

The video showed a woman intentionally throwing garbage into the bay and two divers ensuring that the trash floated near the boat Estrada was on so he could pose for pictures while â&#x20AC;&#x153;cleaningâ&#x20AC;? the bay.

Estrada, however, said that what happened was â&#x20AC;&#x153;sabotage.â&#x20AC;?

Meanwhile, Moreno, who was Estradaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vice mayor during his first term as local chief executive, has been reaping praise as well as criticism for his aggressive move to clean up the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; capital.

He recently removed the vendors from known shopping areas and busy streets such as Divisoria, Quiapo, Blumentritt, Lagusnilad Underpass and the areas near Bonifacio monument.

Some lauded him for decongesting these areas while others worry about the clearing operationsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; effect on the livelihood of the vendors. â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Vendors in clearing ops are not poorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Moreno, however, defended his move saying it is not anti-poor because most of the vendors removed from the street can afford

rent. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s be honest, 95 % sa kanila hindi mahirap (Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s be honest, 95% of them are not poor),â&#x20AC;?

Moreno said in a separate interview with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho,â&#x20AC;? which aired on Sunday, July 14.

The new Manila mayor said these vendors can afford to pay up to P30,000 for a table and for rights to sell. He also claimed they can afford to pay P350 and P500 a day to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eddie and Patty.â&#x20AC;?

Asked who Eddie and Patty are, Moreno replied â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eh â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;di siyaâ&#x20AC;ŚPati mga kasama niya,â&#x20AC;? referring to corrupt syndicates collecting money. Moreno explained these syndicates are now called â&#x20AC;&#x153;organizers.â&#x20AC;?

Estrada said he also heard of the so-called organizers during his term. He added that there were even barangay officials involved in the bribery system but he said they already stopped the illegal acts. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Nawala naman dunâ&#x20AC;Śnuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ng panahon ko, ewan ko wala (They are now gone. During my term, they disappeared),â&#x20AC;? he said.

For his part, Moreno said his administration has a plan for the Manila vendors removed from the sidewalks. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Paghahanda naman ng Maynila which is mangyayariâ&#x20AC;Ś hindi madali, hindi agad na meron naman kaming lugar base sa infrastructure projects namin na kung saan namin sila ilalagak (Manila has a preparation plan which will happen, not easy, not fast, but there are areas based on our infrastructures where they [vendors] will be placed),â&#x20AC;? he said. n

60 COUNTRIES. OVER 100 CITIES WORLDWIDE. THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INTERNATIONAL.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 18-24, 2019

10

July 18-24, 2019 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN JOuRNAl

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VEGAS&STYLE

Journal A new Darna is ready to soar Eugene is happy with LDR romance

by Iza IglesIas

by Boy

aBunda Philstar.com

ManilaTimes.net

AFTER months of auditions nationwide, Star Cinema finally announced on Wednesday, July 17, that newbie actress Jane de Leon was officially starring in the muchawaited remake of Mars Ravelo’s beloved superheroine “Darna.”

The movie outfit’s Managing Director Olivia Lamasan personally named de Leon on ABS-CBN News, adding that almost 300 celebrities auditioned for the part, which had originally been given to Liza Soberano.

It can be recalled that prime time star Liza Soberano withdrew from the project on April 4 citing a finger injury sustained on the set of teleserye “Bagani.”

Soberano revealed how six steel plates had to be inserted in her right index finger following the accident, which even required a follow up surgery this month.

Meanwhile, Darna has given de Leon her biggest break to date considering how she is practically new in the business. So far, her most notable portrayal has been as Jericho Rosales’ little sister Maggie Bartolome in the hit series “Halik.” Before then, she appeared in the 2017 fantasy series “La Luna Sangre” as one of the moonchasers, and Regal Entertainment’s teen flicks “The Debutantes” (2017) and coming-of-age movie “Walwal” (2018).

Darna director Jerrold Tarog (who also replaced original reboot director Erik Matti in October 2018) described de Leon as an “instinctive actress.”

In addition, Lamasan recalled how de Leon stood out from her batch of talents the first time she saw her.

“Pinresent na si Jane sa amin (Jane was presented to us) a couple of years ago, and among all the 13 noon na Mr. M (Johnny Manahan) presented from Star Magic, natatandaan ng isang talent handler na napansin ko na siya noon (I noticed her even then). I even said itong batang ito

Jane de Leon

pwedeng sumali ng (this child can join) beauty pageants.

“And then I saw her again in ‘Halik.’ Sabi ko, ‘itong batang to, meron.’ (I said to myself that this child has something.) There’s something about her.”

De Leon underwent a series of call backs after her audition until Tarog finally presented her audition tapes to ABS-CBN management for deliberation.

“In the end, it was a unanimous decision among all of us [for Jane to be the new Darna among hundreds of auditionees,” continued Lamasan.

“Natuwa nga ako na isa siya sa mga nag-audition (I was glad that she was one of those who auditioned). Pati si Direk Lauren (Dyogi) said there’s something about her. Bilang filmmakers, may nakikita kami. Malakas ang instinct ng bata (As filmmakers, we see something. The child’s instincts are strong).”

ABS-CBN photo

Moreover, Lamasan said a newbie was perfect for the movie, because “yung story natin ngayon (our story now) is a genesis story—a coming of age. Ang requirement talaga is somebody na (The requirement is) young and with an air of innocence but at the same time a strength of character.”

Lamasan finally shared that when ABS-CBN management asked de Leon how committed she was to do Darna, the lucky and deserving actress replied, “I will do everything and anything for the role because I believe in her, I believe in what Darna stands for.”

The 20-year-old officially follows the footsteps of top actresses Angel Locsin, Marian Rivera, Vilma Santos and Lorna Tolentino in playing the iconic comic book character of legendary writer Ravelo and artist Nestor Redondo.

WHILE many agree that maintaining a long-distance relationship (LDR) is often a herculean task, Eugene Domingo finds it easier to make her love life with Italian Danilo Bottoni a happy and rosy one even if they are thousand miles away from each other.

Technological advancement has helped in keeping their communication line open at all times.

“These days, there are different (digital) applications where you can regularly communicate so it’s (distance) not a problem anymore,” said Eugene, also popularly known as Uge, after the media gathering for “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken”. “Plus, ipon-ipon lang din ng pamasahe to be with him (laughs).”

Kidding aside, Eugene also believes that being creative is another way to make LDR successful “because sometimes, it’s not really the distance that causes problems in the endurance of your love life or relationship.”

She is hoping that her now three-year romance with the Italian film critic will lead to swapping of “I do’s” in the future.

“Lahat naman tayo di ba nangangarap ng kapayapaan pagdating sa aspeto ng settling down.

But as of this moment, I am very happy and I’m very thankful na, ayun na nga.”

The actress revealed that she has not experienced yet having a Filipino boyfriend from showbiz or being in a relationship as serious as what she has now. But she often hears people telling her that

she’s meant to find true love in a foreigner.

“I don’t understand why they keep on telling me, ‘Alam mo ikaw kaya hindi ka nagkakaroon ng boyfriend na Filipino, kasi pang foreigner ka. Hindi ko maintindihan ‘yun. I didn’t plan this. I base on my (gut) feeling regardless if he’s a Filipino or Italian. When I saw him, I knew that he’s the one.”

She is certainly happy and truly in love with her boyfriend. The two met during the Far East Film Festival where Eugene’s film Barber’s Tales was featured. “Ang saya, ang sarap saka tamang-tama lang.

Hindi naman kami masyadong nagmamadali sa lahat ng bagay.

Sakto lang. We are still young,” she quipped.

However, Eugene neither confirmed nor denied about being engaged to Danilo. She was initially at a loss for better words to explain, and later on she said, “We’re almost there. It’s like he is my life.”

Asked what if her boyfriend would decide to propose to her, Eugene replied that she would say “Yes” right away. “I’m in the right age to marry. Ano pa bang iniingatan n’yo sa akin (laughs)?”

Would she also be willing to live in Italy?

“Of course,” she responded quickly, adding, “But I’m not saying I’m gonna retire as an actress because an actor never retires. It’s not like work that when you reach 60 years old, you’ll stop and then receive your pension. You can act until you reach 100 (years old). But if it will call for more time to be spending in Italy, then yes.”

Speaking of acting, Eugene didn’t hesitate about reprising

Eugene Domingo says she has a smooth-sailing romance with Italian boyfriend Danilo Bottoni for three years now and she is willing to settle down with him in Italy some day.

Photo courtesy of Eugene Domingo

Eugene Domingo

GMA photo

her role as a megalomaniacal and egotistical version of herself in “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken” knowing fully well that it will be part of the digital series of the streaming content platform iWant. The first two installments of Ang Babae sa Septic Tank became hits among moviegoers.

Eugene is aware that digital series is the trend these days so “kailangan sumasakay, sumasabay in order to reach a lot of people. We need to reach those people whose only time is to watch movies or series through iWant. So, sali tayo d’yan.”

Although it’s a pressure to be at her acting best in “Septic Tank 3,” Eugene said she’s more excited knowing that it will reach a wider market “at mas makapal ang pupuntahan dahil series ito na aabot sa seven episodes.”

Written by Chris Martinez and directed by Marlon Rivera, the mockumentary series documents the step-by-step process in making a historical biopic. Eugene’s character pushes the boundaries of her talents and dares to direct, portray the lead character and produce her own film about the Irish mestiza Bracken known as the great love of Jose Rizal.

Eugene is joined by Tony Labrusca, Joanna Ampil, Mylene Dizon who will portray as Jose Rizal, Narcisa and Saturnina, respectively. Director Joey Reyes portrays himself and as direk Uge’s screenwriter who becomes her unwilling partner in crime.

Direk Chris, in the press release, stated, “In this era of fakery, fake news and faking history, “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank: The Real Untold Story of Josephine Bracken” is easily the funniest, most relevant and most entertaining series you can find on iWant.”

Filipino historian Ambeth Ocampo will provide historical facts to ground viewers on the true stories and shocking trivia surrounding the historical characters.

Pia, Catriona share self-love tips

by denI and

Rose BeRnaRdo Jan MIlo seveRo Philstar.com

IN time for Wellness Month this July, Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach and Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray recently reminded their fans to stay positive and strong in the face of bashers and critics.

In a recent interview, Pia revealed to Philstar.com and other media outfits her idea of self-love.

“Self-love for me is to do nothing, basically,” she said. “Even when I’m just sitting down, nagiisip pa rin ako, my mind is still at work. It’s actually a challenge more for me to stop.”

As a special guest in the launch of Centuria Medical’s “#WeSelfLove” campaign, Pia led the declaration of the campaign’s Self-Love Manifesto.

The campaign highlights Centuria Medical’s mission of promoting health and well-being beyond tests, diagnoses and medication. “It starts from a deeper understanding and appreciation of one’s value as a person — or simply, self-love,” the lifestyle center says in a statement.

“One of my mentors just told me, ‘Pia, please listen to your body.’ It’s simple, but it’s actually something we usually don’t do or forget,” said Pia. According to her, self-love means listening to one’s body especially when one needs to take a break and not find solutions when one is already feeling bad.

For her, self-care should be preventive, so she shared her detox and self-love routine.

“Mental health also needs detox,” she stressed. “Putting your phone down is a big detox. Taking a social media break is a detox.”

Meanwhile, days after Thai beauty queen Coco Arayha Suparurk called her “fat,” Catriona has spoken up on the body shaming issue.

Catriona Gray and Pia Wurtzbach

In a question and answer with fans in her Twitter account while experiencing black out in New York, Catriona gamely answered her fans’ questions regarding different matters.

“What is your stand about online bullying and body shaming?” a fan asked Catriona.

“Obviously, I stand firmly against any form of bullying and bashing — online and off. It is never, ever okay to put someone down for the sake of ‘expressing your opinion.’

With words come power and we should be using those words to build someone up and not pull them down,” Catriona replied.

The beauty queen from Bicol also gave an advice to everyone who has also been called “fat.”

“You are so much more than your body! You are you mind and your unique talents and your character and your life experiences and your personality! You are so, so much more than the exterior! And

Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach

people will always remember how you made them feel and not how you looked,” Catriona said.

Catriona confessed that she knows how it feels to be bodyshamed because she experienced it several times.

“Bodyshaming is hurtful and should never be tolerated. If anyone reading this too has been bodyshamed, I know how it feels.

I’m sorry you’ve had to experience that. But know that you are more than your appearance. You are a capable, unique and worthy person. And you are never alone,” she assured.

She also gave an advice on how to be confident.

“Confidence isn’t something you’re born with or that people ‘just have.’ It’s like a ‘muscle’ that you have to decide to use and it strengthens the more you work on it. So continue to work on yourself, embrace your uniqueness and be kind and positive!”

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Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS LIFE is not possible without the sun, but it could also be our nemesis, if we are not wise and careful. Make the sun our friend.

Summer is a sun-filled and fun-filled time of the year, with friends and/or family. But behind the façade of the celebration starting from the summer solstice, lurks various health hazards everyone has to be aware of. Below, I have listed some common dangers to watch out for in order to enjoy your memorable vacation or staycation with friends and family.

Around 65,000 Americans go to the emergency room annually for the treatment of heat stroke and other summer “injuries.”

Besides sun-related health hazards, the others are allergies, BBQ fire burns, insect bites, drowning, falls and fractures, firework injuries, food poisoning, car/bicycle accidents, and boating injuries, etc. Our column today will focus on sun-related health hazards.

Sun injuries The sun and its ultraviolet (UV) radiation — rays that result in sunburn after prolonged exposure — is also harmful to our eyes. Excessive UV-A and UV-B radiation could cause photokeratitis (sun burn of the eyes), which is very painful and could lead to serious vision problems, like blurriness and cataract formation. Those whose lens were removed by cataract surgery are more vulnerable to retinal damage and even blindness when exposed to intense degree of UV radiations from the sun or from solarium, sun lamps, and sun beds in tanning salons or at home. Practically all skin cancers (99 percent of non-melanoma and 95 percent of melanomas) are caused by UV radiation from those same natural and manmade sources of UV radiation.

It does not make sense to die in the pursuit of a good tan.

What is heat stroke?

Heat stroke is a preventable but potentially fatal medical emergency, a more severe form of heat exhaustion. It happens when the person is exposed for a prolonged period to high temperature (from the sun or other mechanical sources of high heat) and the body reaches 104 degrees Fahrenheit (40 C), unable to cool down. This is seen among athletes, avid sunbathers, and those doing exercises or physical activities under an

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA Part 1 of 2 IF you’re a woman who believes in secret in such things as love-at-first sight and happilyever-afters, TAKE HEART. Even during this cynical, jaded Age of Information when nothing seems sacred or mysterious any more, there are still countless women (and maybe some men) the world over just like you, who believe in the magic and mystery spun by that ancient, invisible force called LOVE. It is written in our DNA. So don’t fight it. It’s just that modern women (and some men) probably won’t admit being romantic in public, for fear of ridicule. They will say, “Bah, humbug!” with a straight face and then watch every romantic comedy on the sly.

That is probably why the Hallmark Channel is at the forefront of this storytelling genre.

Some have cheesy, predictable plotlines completed in about an hour and twenty-two minutes viewing time.

Women are a captive audience and these women, in turn, drag their partners, more than likely, kicking and screaming because they would rather watch violent movies oozing with blood and gore. Yeah, yeah. Talk about women coming from Venus and men, from Mars. That’s what makes the chemical attraction between straight genders so compelling and fascinating — repelling and binding at the same time.

Deep within most women, despite all that they’ve seen and been through, some, despite being scarred beyond belief by past toxic liaisons, if they don’t let bitterness and acrimony permeate their hearts, that thing called LOVE, still rules and does so mightily.

Romantic comedies churned out fairly regularly from the Hollywood story factory seem to come from a well-worn template, copy-fitted in about 90 minutes of predictability. After a while,

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Sun: Friend or foe? intense hot sun. The body normally automatically adjusts to its normal temperature of 98.6 degrees F (37 C) but when one is dehydrated, or exhausted from previous activities or lack of sleep, or weak from an illness, exposure to the hot sun quickly leads to a heat stroke. The body is overwhelmed and unable to adapt. Children under 4 and seniors are also more prone to develop heat stroke. When it occurs, it is an extreme emergency that requires immediate medical professional care. If not treated right away (within 20 to 30 minutes), it could rapidly result in permanent damage and death.

How common is heat stroke?

Between 1979 and 2013, there were more than 9,000 documented heat stroke deaths, but many more are not reported as such. The number is increasing and majority of deaths are among seniors. The average rate of heat stroke death the past 3 decades is 1 per 2 million people in the U.S. alone. The rate goes up when severe heat waves and/or humidity come.

What are the symptoms?

The common symptoms, following exposure to heat, are any combination of these: feeling unwell, rapid breathing and fast heart rate, cold pale clammy skin or dry flushing skin, altered sweating, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle cramps, changes in mood and behavior, confusion, unable to think clearly, feeling faint, and even passing out.

How to prevent summer hazards?

For heat stroke, prevention, as with any medical condition, is best. Be well-hydrated using water (not alcoholic or energy drinks or soft drinks, which are poison liquid candies, sugar bombs, that increase the risk for Metabolic Syndrome). Drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day is healthy. Electrolyte drinks like Gatorade can help prevent electrolyte deficit also outdoors.

Partially or fully freezing bottles of water or tea the night before will provide cool drinks outdoors.

Remember, alcoholic drinks dehydrate the body. Drinking about 16 ounces (about a bottle or 500 ml) every hour is prudent.

Wear the proper gear for outdoor summer ventures: “ventilated” wide-brim hat, sunglasses (with UV protection, maybe polarized), sun-block lotion or spray, every 2 hours, well-vented light cotton clothing, and insect repellant, if needed.

If possible stay under a shade when heat is extreme, or go indoors every hour or two after sun

exposure to cool down, sooner and more often for children and seniors.

Deaths among infants and children left in the car with all windows shut during summertime are all too common. Suffocation and heat stroke kill them.

Parents could be prosecuted when they leave their infant or children unattended in a car, literally a heat box, a pressure cooker, and oven on wheels.

The sun is strongest between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.. It is best to be outdoors outside of this time frame. It is also advisable to wear a broad spectrum sunscreen of at least SPF 30, even up to SPF 80 for UVA and UVB protection all over the face, ears, and body and limbs even if the sun is not shining during the day.

Employ safe supervised (undistracted) swimming for children, even at home, to prevent accidents, which, according to CDC, is the leading cause of death among ages 1 to 4. There must be a designated watcher/ life guard for kids, who should also wear life vest.

To prevent food poisoning, everyone must wash their hands thoroughly. Meats, vegetables, condiments (mayo, other dairies) must be refrigerated and when barbequing, be careful when lighting the grill to prevent burns. After cooking, the food must be covered to prevent flies from contaminating them.

Meat, especially pork, must be cooked thoroughly to prevent trichinosis (parasitic worm). A lot of vegetables should be part of a cookout for their overall health benefits. Leftovers must be refrigerated. Cooking on a special burn-resistant grill liner is safer than directly on the grill to prevent meat oil from dripping to the charcoal, which will cause carcinogenic (cancer-causing) fumes to soar up to the meat.

This, and the black-burnt part of the meats, are two of the probable causes of deadly pancreatic/ colon cancers.

Life is short. Enjoy all the seasons of the year to the maximum possible. In summer, stay cool as you enjoy nature and the wonderful sun. *** 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

Romantic comedies and that thing called love “The past is prologue.”

—Shakespeare they taste like prepackaged burgers, food enough for the starving romantic soul, but hardly satisfying.

After you have seen a few, you can very well interchange the characters and the plots and subplots like pieces of Lego. It’s a formula that keeps on giving: girl meets boy; a delicious attraction sizzles; a situation sets up a series of conflicting, seemingly complicated twists and turns made more tenuous by a third opposing character, just like Bluto, in the Popeye, Olive Oyl triangle.

There is always that horrible antagonist that prevents the girl and the guy from coming together. The couple almost gives up trying but then an unexpected twist happens, some deus ex machina, a manipulation by the love god, that resolves the conflict and zaps away all obstacles e.g. a can of spinach that rolls from nowhere, that energizes Popeye to pummel Bluto; guy gets girl or whoever is doing the hot pursuit; and finally, the way is then made clear for the de riguer wedding scene. Sigh. THE END. Disney has pretty much scoured the bottom of the barrel in spinning out modern versions of animated stories from ages past. In medieval times, when marriage, the nunnery or spinsterhood were the choices that were available, most young girls dreamt about that rich, dashing knight riding on a horse, that would slay the dragon, overcome overwhelming forces, sweep them off their feet, ride out into the sunset and live happily ever after. For a few centuries, that was how it was.

But we all know, real life tells far different stories. The fairy tales turn out to be more like Gothic novels. Girl and guy don’t always end up happy. The

depressing d’s descend on every life: divorce, deceit, despair, discouragement, disillusionment, darkness and death. And we’re left disappointed.

But for all that, hope springs eternal in the human heart and keeps the romcom writers busy.

We have this need to believe even if we begin to view with a jaded eye that the concept of happilyever-after is just a myth, long after the harsh facts of reality beat us into submission in a staredown. Slowly, warily, we learn to separate fact from fiction.

Our world has changed from the simple to the utterly complicated present times. We now live with ubiquitous social networks available to our fingers where we can engage electronically in our pajamas and unmade beds, engage with one another instead of what used to be face-to-face interpersonal relationships when we need to be right where we need to be to make our case.

We facebook and twitter all day long electronically creating, maintaining or killing off disposable internet relationships, that can defy space and time constraints, that can either bloom and thrive or take shallow roots and die in an instant. It doesn’t really matter. The next thing is just a click away.

It remains to be seen what will come out of this relatively new phenomenon that is rewriting how this generation and the succeeding ones will find their mates that are right for them.

There is no precedent, no formulas, no template, no books to copy from.

(To be continued in the next issue …) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 18-24, 2019

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 J U LY 1 8 -AU G U ST 1 0

Tagalog classes in Los Angeles This Filipino Language & Culture Pilot class is hosted by Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and is organized by the Filipino Language Movement led by Ms. Ivy Daulo. This is the only community-based Filipino language & culture ADULT program in the City of Los Angeles in collaboration with the Filipino Language Movement. This is a 5-session program that starts July 13 to August 10, 2019. (*Schedule is subject to change based on the number of enrollees). Come and bring your entire family and learn Tagalog together! Student benefits include certificate of completion, handouts / workbook provided, learn with other peers (adults and youth are not mixed); family learning opportunity; taught by university Filipino language instructor and lifetime member of Council for Teaching Filipino; practical language learning tips & application each week Limited slots! Hurry and register now! Prices are for all 5 sessions: Individual Adult: $150 each for 5 sessions; bring a [artner: $250 for 5 sessions ($125 each adult); parent + child: $200 for 5 sessions ($150/parent + $50/child). We urge everyone to do the whole program so you can learn more but if it’s not possible to attend all 5 Saturdays, you can choose the dates you want to join us. $30 / session for adults or $10 / session for children.

Payment methods: Cash, Check (payable to: SIPA), Venmo (SIPALA) and Credit/Debit Cards are accepted. Send check payments to: SIPA at 3200 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Please register by emailing Fidji Victoriano (fidji@sipacares.org) if paying outside of Eventbrite.

SIPA is located 3200 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Limited free parking on surface lots along Robinson St. and Dillon St. Street parking is also available around the area. Please see posted signs for details.

J U LY 1 9 -2 1

International San Beda alumni grand reunion in Las Vegas The 3rd International San Beda Alumni Grand Reunion will take place on July 19 to 21 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Bedan alumni from all over the world are invited to join the celebration.

The highlight of the weekend affair is the Gala Night on July 20 at the Nevada Ballroom of Harrah’s Hotel & Casino. Other activities include welcome socials at The Piano Bar of Harrah’s, a golf tournament at Bali Hai Golf Club, tour of the Hoover Dam, lunch at the D’Pinoy Joint and mass at the Guardian Angel Cathedral. Organized by the San Beda Alumni Association of Southern California, this grand reunion will bring together Bedan alumni from different cities in the United States and other countries, including Manila, to reconnect with fellow Bedans and renew ties with their alma mater, San Beda University. This international grand reunion is made possible by Duty Free Philippines, Jun Castillo, and the GS ’72 & HS ’76 Batch of San Beda University. For inquiries and reservations, interested parties may call Philip Policarpio at (818) 536-9898 or Rey Castillo at (714) 749-2971.

J U LY 2 0

The Ibaan Association USA-Canada gala dinner in LA The Ibaan Association USA-Canada will hold its 32nd Annual Gala Dinner & Dance July 20, 2019 from 5 p.m. to 12 a.m. at the Hilton Los Angeles / Universal City - Ballroom A at 555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, California 91608. For reservations call Monica Benitez at (323) 697-3731 / email: monica_benitez03@yahoo.com or Irene May Villafranca at (323) 423-2299 /email: imay02@yahoo.com. Tickets are $85 for Adults and $40 for Children (3 to 10 years old).

Please make checks payable to: Ibaan Association USA-Canada and mail to: Merly Pagunsan at 5025 Heintz St. Baldwin Park, CA 91706. For sponsorship information on our 2019 Souvenir Program please contact President Noli Reyes at homesbynoli@gmail.com or call (818) 458-7888.

Please RSVP by April 12, 2019.

J U LY 2 1

FACRC’s Pentecost Celebration in Granada Hills, CA The Filipino American Charismatic Renewal Community (FACRC) will have its pentecost celebration on Sunday, July 21 at St. John Baptiste De La Salle Church in Granada Hills, CA. With the theme “Holy Spirit, Set Our Hearts On Fire,” there will be a mass with Auxiliary Bishop Alex Aclan beginning at 1:30 p.m., followed by a speech by keynote speaker Fr. Ramon Valera and healing led by Bro. Robert Canton. The program will last until 7 p.m. Registration is $10 per person. St. John Baptiste De La Salle Church is located at 10738 Hayvenhurst Avenue, Granada Hills, CA 91344. For more information, please contact Ging Mangaliman at (213) 453- 2595 or May Mallari at (323) 401-0886.

Free eye screening in Las Vegas The Las Vegas China Town Lions Club is offering free eye screenings to the public on Sunday, July 21 from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. It will be held at the Chinatown Mall at 4255 Spring Mountain Road, Las Vegas, NV 89102. Please contact Grace Tam if you have questions at ( 702) 338-9969.

J U LY 24

Panel Discussion: Breaking Through Global Success Panel Discussion: Breaking Through Global Success on Wednesday, July 24 at 6:30 p.m. is hosted by the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA).

Esteemed guests will speak about eCommerce, Logistics and the Supply Chain. Attendees will benefit from networking, making elevator pitches and a Q and A with the speakers. Register online at www.faccgla.org. Early Bird tickets purchased by July 19 are $25 for members (regularly $30) and $35 for future members (regularly $40). Venue is Public School 818 Restaurant and Bar at 15300 Ventura Blvd, Sherman Oaks, CA. Please, no cash at the door, kindly register online.

J U LY 24 -28

40th annual Philippine Nurses Association of America National Convention in Atlanta, GA The Philippine Nurses Association of America (PNAA) will have its 40th annual national convention from July 24 to 28 at the Atlanta Marriott Marquis in Atlanta, GA, hosted by the PNA-GA chapter. More information and details TBA. To learn about the PNA-GA, please visit: https://pnaga.wildapricot.org/.

AU G U ST 1 - 9

University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International Convention & Alaskan Cruise The University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association International, Inc. (UPNAAI) will have its 40th convention on a cruise aboard Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas. The theme will be “In the New Millennium - UPNAAI at 40: Evolving and Emerging Nursing Roles.”

On Aug. 1. it will be UPNAAI Volunteers Service Day in Seattle, then 2-9 will be a cruise from Seattle, Juneau, Skagway, Endicott Arm & Dawes, Victoria, and back to Seattle. Convention Fee $100 for Alumni in addition to cruise pricing. No convention charge for friends and family members. Contact Hours will be provided for the educational conference. For more information/to register and view cruise rates, please visit https://www.upnaai.com/.

AU G U ST 2

Masskara Festival in Long Beach, CA The Long Beach Bacolod Association (LBBA) will be having its second annual Masskara Festival event in Long Beach, CA at the Long Beach Marriott Hotel on Friday, August 2 located at 4700 Airport Plaza Drive, Long Beach from 6 p.m. to midnight. As a sister city organization, dignitaries from both Bacolod, Philippines and Long Beach will be in attendance. The dinner ball will also feature live entertainment and Masskara dancing. For tickets please call Malou Mariano at (562) 335-2587.

AU G U ST 3 - 4

Travel, Trade & Consumer Expo in Carson, CA The second annual Travel, Trade & Consumer Expo is back on Saturday, August 3 and Sunday, August 4 at the SouthBay Pavilion in Carson, CA. The two-day event is Southern California’s largest B2B expo showcasing tourism, trade, and investment opportunities in the USA and Philippines. It will feature networking opportunities for business-to-business, business-to-government, and business-to-consumer. The event is powered by the Asian Journal and Balikbayan Magazine. For more information, please visit https://traveltradeconsumer.com/.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

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Anne on playing transgender role: Rico bares the real reasons behind ‘Love should always come first’ his self-imposed two-year break by

by

Ryan aRcadio

Inquirer.net

Inquirer.net

ANNE Curtis stood up for members of the LGBTQ+ community, after portraying a transgender man on the drama anthology, “Maalala Mo Kaya”.

“Love should always come first,” the “It’s Showtime” host said in her Instagram post last Saturday, July 13.

“No matter the gender or how people identify themselves as,” the actress stated. “At the end of the day, we are all humans who deserve to live in a world of LOVE and RESPECT.” She also expressed her gratitude to Marzz Balaoro, the transgender man whose life she portrayed on the show.

“Maraming Salamat Marrz Balaoro sa pagpayag [niyo] po na gampanan ko ang kwento ng buhay [niyo],” Curtis added. “At sa @mmkofficial sa tiwala na binigay [niyo] po sa akin sa special episode na [ito]. (Many thanks Marrz Balaoro for your permission to let me portray the story of your life and to @mmkofficial for the trust you gave me, for this special episode).”

Balaoro is a transgender man who started the FilGuys Association in Hong Kong. He is also an advocate for the rights of the

Anne Curtis

LGBT community, as per a video posted on the Instagram page of “Maalala Mo Kaya” last Friday, July 12.

Filmmaker Barry Gonzalez

Photo from Instagram/@annecurtissmith

directed the episode starring Curtis alongside actress Bianca King. The episode entitled “Embracing Me” aired last Saturday, July 13.

Judy Ann to join Coco in ‘Ang Probinsyano’

by Jan

Milo SeveRo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Judy Ann Santos will join ABS-CBN’s longest-running teleserye “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano.”

ABS-CBN AdProm manager Eric John Salut posted on his Instagram account a photo of Judy Ann with the series’ star Coco Martin.

“Ang pinakaabangang pagsasama ng hari at reyna! Abangan sina Coco at Juday sa ANG PROBINSYANO!!!” Eric wrote in the caption.

An Instagram page dedicated to Judy Ann, @officialjudayph, also posted a photo of the two stars.

“Good morning! On the set of FPJ AP! Abangan!” the fan page wrote.

ABS-CBN entertainment reporter MJ Felipe also posted photos of the two celebrities on

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allan PolicaRPio

FOR the first time in a long while, during his self-imposed, two-year break, Rico Blanco found himself listening to music—not to pick it apart or as a creativity exercise—but for the sheer joy it brings.

“I was like a kid all over again.

And because there wasn’t any pressure on me, I actually ended up writing more songs than usual,” he said in a recent interview.

As a result, his voice notes app is filled with hundreds of songs, completed and otherwise. One of those is “Nagbabalik,” his latest single that features the pop-funk group, IV of Spades.

The song talks about capitulating to feelings that are supposedly already buried. But its title could also be construed as an apt representation of his current mindset.

“It’s about me … the music scene in general. It’s the song that made me want to come back.

I didn’t decide to come back and then write a song about it … I sort of stumbled upon it. And I thought, ‘Why not do this song with Spades?’” recalled the rock musician, who has nothing but good words for the burgeoning young band.

“They’re so full of imagination,” he said of IV of Spades’ Zild Benitez, Blaster Silonga and Badjao de Castro.

It has been almost four years since Rico released his last album, “Dating Gawi.” But he’s not in a rush to produce one.

“I’m not hearing an album in my head at the moment—not for myself, at least. I’m hearing something, but for a different persona.

Not for Rico Blanco,” the singer-

Rico Blanco Photo from Instagram/@ricoblanco100

songwriter pointed out, perhaps referring to a concept similar to Fiesto Bandido, the alter-ego he assumed onstage for his “Galactick Fiestamatik” album, early in this decade.

For the meantime, he will be taking the singles route in releasing new material, which has become more prevalent with the advent of music streaming.

The former vocalist and chief songwriter of the iconic 1990s alternative rock band Rivermaya recently assigned his catalog of some 70 songs—including those from Rivermaya’s 2000 album “Free” onward—to Viva Music Publishing, which will be managing it for the next couple of years.

And one of the side deals, Rico related, was a string of collaborations with Viva artists.

“I’m meeting with Sarah Geronimo soon. I have this song I wrote 20 years ago, which I don’t think I can do,” Rico said. “But I think it would suit Sarah. Her or maybe

Alex laughs off offer of breast implants

ALEX Gonzaga found humor in an offer from a Korean medical plastic surgery agent.

The actress and YouTube star shared on her Instagram Stories Judy Ann and Coco at the set of ‘FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano’ Photo from Instagram/@ericjohnsalut on Monday, July 15, an email The “Queen of Pinoy Soap requesting for a collaboration the set of the series in his Twitter Opera” also played in an action regarding breast implants. account.

“LOOK: Coco Martin and Judy teleserye, “Basta’t Kasama Kita,” Gonzaga placed laughing emoji Ann Santos discussing about in 2003 with Robin Padilla. on a screenshot of the email and Her last teleserye was “Huwag said, “How hurtful! Why would Juday’s character as she enters primetime TV series ‘Ang Probin- Ka Lang Mawawala,” a meloda- you think I need [one]!! This rama series aired in 2013. She reached even Korea?” syano’,” MJ captioned his post.

It is not clear, however, what was joined by Sam Milby, KC Gonzaga previously poked fun kind of role Judy Ann will play in Concepcion and John Estrada in at her being flat-chested. During the show. the series. her 2015 concert at the Araneta

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someone like Gary Valenciano.”

Meanwhile, he clarified that it was not burnout, fatigue or a dwindling love for music that prompted him to go on a lengthy hiatus. He simply wanted to slow down and recalibrate, do all the things he had put on the backburner, and map out his life beyond the daily grind of the music industry.

“I was doing more shows, more songs … an album. These are all good things and I had nothing to complain about. But it was just more of the same; there was no real shift in my life,” he said. “So sometime in 2016, I thought it was time to put on the breaks and do the things—simple things—I have always wanted to do.”

“I wanted to spend more time with my family and friends. I wanted to travel, explore the country and the world; now is the best time to do it because I’m getting older.

I wanted to finally get my diving certification, which I had been putting off for the longest time due to my schedule,” he added.

Now, Rico returns to the scene with a “peace of mind” that comes with knowing what to do with his life, should he finally hang up his guitar.

“I was able to plant seeds for the long-term during those two years: In a few months, I’m going to move to La Union and, ultimately, to El Nido. I want to live near the beach,” he said. “And perhaps build a studio.”

He can say that he’s at his happiest and most content at the moment. He’s not exactly rich, but he has been able to build a safety net for his family.

All Rico ever really wanted was to hear his song on the radio. And he did just that—and more.

Coliseum, her bra was seen sliding down under her crop top.

Later in the show, Vice Ganda poked fun at the wardrobe malfunction, stating that her hair was thicker than her chest. Gonzaga joked back that she was wearing her mom’s bra.

Although the email stated that there would be no plastic surgery involved, it seems Gonzaga would rather focus on other funny topics for the entertainment of her 3.8 million YouTube subscribers. (Niña V. Guno/In- Alex Gonzaga Photo from Instagram/@cathygonzaga quirer.net)

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 18-24, 2019

13

From skin-colored ternos to Philippineinspired scents: Pulo Project rolls out second wave of art and design installations in LA

By Christina M. Oriel / AJPress FILIPINO exhibition series Pulo Project is back until August with a new set of art, design and fashion from Filipino and Filipino American creatives.

Born as a “passion project”

by Filipina American curator and designer Michelle Aquino, Pulo Project popped up at the downtown Los Angeles flagship of luxury retail store Please Do Not Enter, as well as The Lab, its gallery inside the NoMad hotel starting in May. The series was further supported after a trip Aquino took to the Philippines with Please Do Not Enter’s French owners, Nicolas Libert and Emmanuel Renoird, earlier this year.

The first round featured Aquino’s Bohol-inspired outfits, furniture and accessories by Kenneth Cobonpue and Luisa Robinson, installations by contemporary artist-designer Leeroy New, jewelry

by Ken Samudio and clutches by Neil Felipp.

“This show was also a challenge to the American audience, meaning what do you know about the Philippines? Are you ready to go and learn about it? People are really impressed,” Libert previously told the Asian Journal. “It’s

also a challenge to the Filipino designers because we asked some of them to work on the show as a tribute to the Filipino aesthetic and the craftsmanship and to give us their own vision and what they could bring to the table. That’s something that connects the Philippines to America.”

The second chapter of Pulo, which debuted on July 9, again takes over both the flagship and NoMad locations and runs until August 4.

“The feedback was good for the first round as the clients definitely gravitated more toward the accessories and it prepped me for this one,” Aquino, who also serves as store director for Please Do Not Enter, told the Asian Journal. “I was aware of what was needed, which was more so the descriptions and how to tell the stories of the artists.”

Inside the Please Do Not Enter flagship store are pieces by Filipino American designer Carlyle Nuera and MAAARI, an accessories and home goods brand by three Filipina Americans.

“What I would like guests to experience is a different take on Filipino American designers,

Rita Nazareno of ZACARIAS 1925 during the opening night of Pulo Project on Tuesday, July 9.

Photo by Adrian Martin

Scent stations by Barratt Riley & Co, a Los Angeles-based brand that created custom scents, using sampaguita, kalamansi and other botanicals inspired by memories of the Philippines.

AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

where I feel we are all trying to figure out our roots and connect with Filipino culture and have it in our products and designs,” Aquino said.

Carlyle Nuera Nuera, lead designer for Barbie Signature at Mattel, makes his debut as an individual artist and designer with ‘Panit’ — the Waray word for skin — a collection of five ternos showing a range of Filipino skin tones.

“The range of skin tones is a common experience for all Filipinos. If you’re dark, your family tells you to stay out of the sun. But when you’re light, you are upheld as a vision of mestizo beauty,” Nuera told the Asian Journal. “In my work, whatever it may be, I always want to have some kind of meaning behind it. It’s not just visually arresting, but emotionally arresting too.”

The ternos, which are made from silk organza, are positioned in a row of mannequins “within a context with each other” and are intended to be sold all together (priced at $6,500) as more of an art piece to show that there is no one singular idea of what the Filipino/Filipina should look like.

Going to the Philippines for the first time this past June confirmed Nuera’s notions about ‘colorism’ and he witnessed firsthand the skin whitening products sold at drugstores and the one-dimensional images on billboards and advertisements that don’t

accurately portray the diverse appearances and skin tones of everyday Filipinos.

“All of that just validated the concept that there is still this colonial mentality that white skin is deemed better,” Nuera said. “But it’s not about denigrating pale skin, typically those thought of as pretty ones, because they’re still Filipino also. The point is to bring all of us to the forefront.”

He hopes that his terno collection will start conversations amongst non-Filipinos who may not “have a frame of reference for colorism” and for Filipinos to see that it is possible to pursue a career in the creative field.

Nuera’s Mutya Barbie doll, which was part of Mattel’s Global Glamour Collection in 2015, as well his original sketches are also on display at Please Do Not Enter.

“This project has given me inspiration and momentum to continue to explore my Filipino identity through using fashion as the medium,” Nuera said. “Hopefully, if this collection sells, I can use that money to invest in the next collection.”

MAAARI “When I learned about MAAARI, I was interested because, for me, it definitely speaks to traditional Filipino design in a more contemporary way,” Aquino said of bringing the brand on board for Pulo Project.

PAGE 14

Inside The Lab at the NoMad Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles are handwoven bags by ZACARIAS 1925, pieces by Zacarapata under the brand’s collaboration with artist Garapata, and scents

by Barratt Riley & Co. AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

Jeanette Sawyer, co-founder and chief design officer of MAAARI, poses next to the Lunar Jewelry collection Photo courtesy of MAAARI

Carlyle Nuera, lead designer for Barbie Signature at Mattel, debuts ‘Panit,’ a collection of five skin-colored ternos to represent the skin tone range of Filipinos.

Photo by Peter Jung

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July 18-24, 2019 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN JOuRNAl

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Tsismis aims to be NYC’s newest Filipino hangout by

MoMar G. Visaya / aJPress

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

“We’re all about promoting food and culture here in New York City,” remarked executive chef Jappy Afzelius, who started this concept with the owners Stephen Young and reggie Aguinaldo. the name tsismis or chismis comes from the Spanish word chisme, which means to gossip.

As in every filipino meal, tsismis is that extra spice that makes the gathering over good food and drinks a more fun experience.

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

With only a little more than a month since their opening last June, Jappy already has his share of the usual restaurant problems and challenges, from staffing issues to undelivered ingredients and broken plates and glasses.

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

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

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

“It has to be a little bit different. Not better because there is nothing better than your mother’s or grandmother’s cooking. We don’t aspire to compete with that.

We just want to showcase what we have created and have a place for you to come and hang out,” he added.

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

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

It dawned on him that during his college days back in the Philippines, people used to love to go out, eat and talk. He wanted to share that side of filipino culture where family and friends would have a good time, share a good meal and have some drinks, whether it is wine or San Miguel Beer. the idea of opening a casual, french style bistro serving filipino cuisine in New York has been percolating in Jappy’s mind since then. Lucky for him, he says, he met the right team and made the project grow and flourish. It took a little while, and now tsismis is fast becoming a favorite hangout of filipinos in the area.

“So far, the neighborhood of the Lower east Side has been very welcoming,” Jappy said. “they love the concept, the food and they’re starting to love filipino culture as well.”

Also among the specials at Tsismis are Jappy’s Wings (signature chicken wings with their Tsismis hot mango salsa), Kale Laing (local kale instead of taro leaves, sautéed with shrimp paste and coconut milk) and Silvanas (cashew meringue wafers with buttercream and cookie nut crumble).

Misconceptions As a chef, Jappy feels that filipino cuisine is so far behind our Asian neighbors like thailand and Vietnam but with the current influx of chefs in europe and America, he believes that the cuisine has started to get the recognition it truly deserves. the misconceptions do not help at all: that filipino dishes are too oily, everything is deep fried, everything is rice heavy.

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

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

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

“We’re not traditional, we’re not modern. We’re kinda in between,” Jappy said when asked about how he would describe the dishes they serve. “It’s eclectic style. Our place highlights filipino culture as well through the artworks we have all over the restaurant.”

The dishes A cursory look at the menu would show the different sections, from pica pica or pulutan (appetizers) to salads, soups and platos (main entrees). It is quite an extensive menu and Jappy shared that the menu has gone through tremendous editing. there’s a plato de queso and salumeria (cured meat) along with traditional filipino favorites like lumpia (vegetarian spring rolls), pinsit frito (fried pork dumplings with a sweet and spicy dipping sauce) and kale laing (local kale instead of taro leaves sautéed with shrimp paste and coconut milk) among the appetizers. for salads, they have salted egg, tomato and mango salad, something that Jappy remembers eating when he was growing up in Negros Occidental; Pinoy Caesar with tuyo dressing (served with romaine lettuce, garlic croutons, tuyo flakes, and a spicy Caesar dressing) and

Pinakbet Salad served with bagoong (fermented baby shrimp) vinaigrette.

Under the “sopas” section is their version of Pancit Molo, along with what he calls a refined version of Monggong Sabaw, a vegan dish using yellow beans with a light mushroom broth, similar to lentils soup. for the main courses, Jappy said they wanted to showcase filipino favorites, hence their version of kare kare, chicken adobo, and sinigang na salmon, served with poached eggplant, daikon, and bok choy along with reggie’s Pasta Aligue (al dente angel hair pasta tossed with crab fat sauce and lump crabmeat), a dish taken from the owner’s pioneering recipe adaptation of mixing a local filipino delicacy with Western style noodles.

“I’m also very happy with the pritong isda, we use the milkfish (bangus) belly and I think you won’t find it anywhere else,” he said. “then we have our inihaw na ribs, and we use our own marinade from Negros.” there’s also a tasting menu available by reservation at an eight-seat “chef’s table” outside the open kitchen, featuring select and seasonal dishes with sake and wine pairings.

The journey of Tsismis It took a while before tsismis was able to open its doors. there were a lot of hurdles, among them problems with permits, which delayed the opening for about seven months. finding the right team members was also tough since filipino cuisine is not up there yet, and people had doubts.

“I made a point to them that this was our dream and no matter what, we will persevere,” Jappy shared. “We will work extra hard to build our name so that when we open, it is going to be easier to invite people to come.” training was essential to the crew, specially those who do not have any idea about filipino cuisine and its ingredients. tsismis wanted to highlight the filipino ingredients they use in their dishes so it was essential for the servers to know these unfamiliar items, among them calamansi, bagoong, and banana catsup. this is why tsismis joined the filipino restaurant Week last year where they hosted pop ups at Ugly Kitchen for two weeks and they also joined the Philippine Street food festival at the UN. this year, they provided food at the opening event of frW and were active in catering for some events held at the Philippine Consulate.

So on opening night they were more than ready. It was a product of more than a year-long preparation. the delays helped them

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

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

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

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

to fine tune the dishes and the service crew. “this is a dream come true for me, seeing our own place where we are doing our best so that more people are able to experience and appreciate filipino cuisine,” Jappy said. for now, he is busy cultivating

yet another dream: that of opening a tsismis in the Philippines in a year or two. “then we can start really sharing ingredients and ideas because when we go there, we will bring a slice of the Lower east Side culture that we can share with the Pinoys,” he said.

From skin-colored ternos to Philippine-isnpired...

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founded by filipina Americans Jeanette Sawyer, Ivy Ocampo and Samantha roxas, MAAArI is a “uniquely filipina” modern accessories and home goods brand that pays homage to traditional design and cultural practices.

MAAArI partners with filipino-American and Philippinebased artisans and designers, such as La roca in the romblon province and the t’Boli community in South Cotabato, to hand produce the line’s pieces with a mindful and sustainably-focused approach.

“By taking and preserving traditional filipino craftsmanship, we give them a new market access so they can sustain their livelihoods,” said Sawyer, a graphic artist and exhibition designer based in LA. “We present elevated and modern pieces that we would wear ourselves but in a respectable manner.”

Sawyer, together with jeweler Misty Summers, crafted a special Lunar Jewelry line for Pulo Project, using healing and grounding stones like onyx that are for “empowering women” and absorbing negative energy. Some pieces on display and for sale include the Lunar Collar, Lunar BBS (lunar stud earrings), Lunar Drops (pendulum earrings) and ethically sourced mother of pearl hoop earrings made by women in southern Cebu.

Ocampo, a creative based in New York who handles the branding for MAAArI, designed

the ceramic products for the brand, such as the Banga Collection that is available at Please Do Not enter. the vases and pots — traditionally used for cooking, water, food storage and bartering — are a “testament to the strength and altruistic nature of the filipina spirit,” Ocampo said in an email.

MAAArI’s funeral masks were exclusively made for Pulo Project, drawing upon the centuries-old indigenous ritual of covering the faces of deceased loved ones with gold masks. “they were a beautiful aid in the grieving process so we made ritual Mask Burners to honor this act,” Sawyer said.

Bayabas (guava) leaves from local wellness company Herbalaria are also sold as a recommended smudging tool, as those were used in ancient filipino practices similar to sage or palo santo.

“We hope our line can show that filipinos are on the design map. We grew up as filipina Americans who were curious about the Philippines and what we could do to support the talent back there consciously so we’d like to merge those two worlds,” Sawyer said.

Zacarapata (Zacarias 1925 x Garapata) Meanwhile, a few blocks down is the Lab, Please Do Not enter’s gallery and gift store at the bottom of the NoMad Hotel.

“When working with the filipino artists coming in from the Philippines, they’re all trying to go outside of the country and

Carlyle Nuera’s Mutya Barbie and original sketches are on display at Please Do Not Enter’s flagship store alongside MAAARI’s Banga ceramics.

AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

are going toward a more contemporary thrust. there are two different dynamics at play here,” Aquino noted.

Zacarapata is a collaboration between filipino street artist Dex fernandez, known as Garapata, and Zacarias 1925, a handbag line by creative director rita Nazareno. the line debuted at Aphro in Manila last year as a commentary on “the global infestation and coupling of art/ design/fashion world commercialization,” the artists said. fernandez’s multi-legged caricature of the garapata (tick) is emblazoned on Nazareno’s wicker bags and other objects, such as lamps, fans and desk ornaments.

“Garapata has simple line drawings and mixing those with a 3-D bag becomes this intricate object born out of simplicity,” Nazareno, whose grandmother started famed filipino brand S.C. Vizcarra in 1925, said. “A big part of what I do, why I do it and how I live my life is trying to find the fun in everything. I hope there’s a wit to the bags that I make.”

All of the pieces are made at Zacarias 1925’s workshop in the Philippines and are influenced by her global travels, art, architecture (e.g. one bag modeled after the frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao) and cinema.

“My bags have different shapes and weaves, they’re very architectural, but the material itself connotes beach bags or nostalgia. the people who buy my bags have a discerning quality where they see the wit or reference behind the bag or perhaps get the unusual shapes,” Nazareno said. the designer said Pulo Project visitors will learn about the “skill and creativity of our weavers” as well as “how filipino Americans are bridging the arts and culture between their two identities.”

“Our craftsmanship in the Philippines is bar none and there are so many examples of that,” Nazareno said. “It’s a very creative country. the work we make by hand has character and soul.

You hope more of that energy comes out for more people to

enjoy. Our products are global and well-designed that can speak to people beyond race or with where you were born.”

Barratt riley & Co. Los Angeles-based candle and aromatherapy brand Barratt riley & Co. — founded by psychologist Dr. tyler Barratt and Beverly Hills beauty guru Christian fitzgerald riley — introduces four custom scents evoking the Philippines to tie the visual experience inside the Lab with an aromatic dimension.

“I wanted to create an experience where the minute people come inside the space, they feel something, a sense of the Philippines,” Aquino said of working with the artisanal brand for this limited-edition line. “the only way I felt that you could do that besides visual is by smell.”

Inside the Lab, visitors can find stations, adorned with plants common to the Philippines, inviting them to smell and share reactions to the scent creations. though they haven’t been to the Philippines themselves, Barratt and riley have been exposed to filipino culture and food through friends over the years.

“We’ve been around elements of filipino culture and through the experience of making these scents and research, the culture has become part of our own too,” riley said. the four scents — Pulo, Manila, Kalamansi and Sampaguita — are the results of research on the flora and fauna of the Philippines (one book called “flora de filipinas”

by Spanish friar and botanist francisco Manuel Blanco was particularly helpful) and interviews with Aquino and other filipinos who shared stories of the country and growing up filipino.

In the Pulo blend, ylang ylang, jasminum sambac (also known as the national Philippine flower, Sampaguita) and green herbs were used and are naturally fragranced by 100% pure botanical essential oils. the Manila scent — which has a smoky element to it — captures the hustle and bustle of the capital city using palmarosa, labdanum and cedarwood. Kalamansi, considered the

Bags, home goods and lamps by Zacarapata, a collaboration between ZACARIAS 1925 and Garapata, as a commentary on “the global infestation and coupling of art/design/fashion world commercialization.

Photos by Adrian Martin

MAAARI’s Ritual Mask Burners, which honor the Mindanaoan indigenous funeral masks ritual.

Philippine lime, has a blend of different citruses, basil and elemi essential oil. the Sampaguita, which is a blend of essential oils and perfume grade fragrance, fuses the flower with honeysuckle and white musk. they are sold in botanical mist (perfect to use anywhere to cleanse and relax), candle, body oil, salt scrub and essential oil forms. “these are interpretations of the stories people entrusted with us, whether it was the emotions or the smells they remembered from their grandma’s house or their travels back to the Philippines,” Barratt added. “through the line, they’re experiences and memories, not just products.”

With the warm feedback on the inaugural Pulo Project, Aquino promises that it’s just the begin-

ning with a second phase coming in summer 2020, organized alongside Clarissa esguerra, associate curator of costume and textiles at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA).

We can expect an experience that will combine filipino and fil-Am “wellness, fashion and culinary elements,” Aquino said. *** Pulo Project can be viewed at the Please Do Not Enter Flagship from Monday to Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. at 549 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013 and the Please Do Not Enter / The Lab / inside NoMad Los Angeles from Monday to Saturday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Sunday 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at 649 S. Olive Street, Los Angeles, CA 90014.

More information can be found at https://puloproject.com/

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July 18-24, 2019 • lAS VEGAS ASIAN JOuRNAl

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