080418 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

AUGUST 4-7, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 61 • 4 Sections – 32 Pages

Philippines won’t extradite Janet Napoles to US yet

USA

DATELINE Obama endorses Fil-Am TJ Cox for Congress FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Former president endorses first wave of candidates for midterms elections

A TOTAL of 81 candidates for federal and state offices got the thumbs-up by former President Barack Obama on Wednesday, August 1 in his first wave of endorsements focused on candidates across 14 different states.

Among the first wave of endorsees is Fil-Am congresTJ Cox, candidate for California’s 21st sional candidate congressional district TJ Cox who is running for the California’s 21st congressional district, which includes Central Valley areas of Fresno County, Kern County, Kings County, and Tulare County.

“I’m proud to endorse such a wide and impressive array of Democratic candidates u PAGE A3

US jury indicts Napoles, kin for domestic, int’l money laundering

by AJPRESS

FOLLOWING an indictment by a United States federal grand jury this week, Janet Lim-Napoles will not be extradited to the country while she faces trial in the Philippines.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque Philstar.com photo on Thursday, August 2 said Napoles can

Janet Lim-Napoles

only be extradited after her plunder cases before the Sandiganbayan are resolved.

“The charge of money laundering against Mrs. Napoles and her co-defendants shows that there is a reason to believe that they attempted to retain the ill-gotten gains from the Priority Development Assistance Fund scam,” he said.

Likewise, Philippine Justice Secretary Menardo Gueverra said that while they cannot hand over Napoles, the department “will extend all assistance to its U.S. counterpart in prosecuting the money laundering cases, and in ensuring the people’s money is returned in due time to our national treasury.” u PAGE A2

Drugs cases reached over 152,000 - NPS

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

THE National Prosecution Services (NPS) recorded a total of 152,741 drug cases filed under the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

However, a majority of those cases were often dismissed by the courts. If not, the accused commonly gets acquitted.

In a report from Rappler, NPS released their records showing the total number of filed cases while classifying whether they were resolved or dismissed. It identified the number of cases where the accused was prosecuted or acquitted. It also included the number of cases involving minors.

Cases in year 1 In 2016, Duterte’s first year in office, drug cases went up to 68,579. Almost two percent of the total numbers involved minors TOYOTA ANNIVERSARY. President Rodrigo Duterte receives the keys to 20 units of Toyota Vios and 10 units of Toyota Innova from Toyota Motor Corporation with 1,132 complaints.

The courts solved 8,051 of those drug-re- Chairman Akio Toyoda and Toyota Motor Philippines (TMP) Vice Chairman Alfred Ty during the 30th anniversary celebration of TMP Corporation at the lated complaints making up to 12 percent of Grand Hyatt Hotel Manila in Bonifacio Global City (BGC), Taguig City on Wednesday, August 1. Joining the President are Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Malacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo u PAGE A2 Lopez, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, and Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

IN another blow, a U.S. appeals court on Wednesday, Aug. 1 ruled that it is illegal for the Trump administration to retain federal funding from California’s “sanctuary” jurisdictions.

Previously, President Donald Trump issued National Security Council (NSC)

by AJPRESS an executive order in which he threatened to and 69th National Intelligence Cowithhold government funding to cities that DESPITE previous remarks stat- ordinating Agency (NICA) founding identified as sanctuary cities, cities that have ing a visit to the United States was anniversary in the Philippine Interlimited their cooperation with federal immidependent on scheduling, President national Convention Center (PICC), gration agencies.

Rodrigo Duterte said that he cannot Duterte noted that the firearms deal The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in go to the country because of the ex- with an American firm was cana 2-1 ruling, concluded that the president trajudicial killings in the Philippines celed. doesn’t have the authority to issue that reassociated with his administration.

According to a report from the quest.

“I cannot go to America, I am not Philippine Star, the U.S. State “Absent congressional authorization, the sure America would be ready for Department stopped the sale of administration may not redistribute or withthat. The past Congress (had to) ask around 26,000 rifles to the Philiphold properly appropriated funds in order to for permission to go to war,” Duterte pine National Police (PNP), followeffectuate its own policy goals,” Chief Judge Duterte noted that a firearms deal with an American firm was canceled because of protests over the deaths tied said in a speech this week. ing Democratic Sen. Ben Cardin’s In his speech at the joint 68th u PAGE A5 to his war on illegal drugs.

Malacañang file photo PAGE A3

Court ruling: Trump can’t halt funding to Calif. sanctuary cities

‘I cannot go to America’ - Duterte

10-year-old Fil-Am swimmer beats After drawing flak over Philippine rep, Michael Phelps’ record held for 23 years Condé Nast says it takes full responsibility Clark Kent “Superman” Apuada sets new record at Far Western Championships

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

A YOUNG 10-year-old Fil-Am from Salinas, California may very well be on his way to becoming a future Olympic swimmer for the United States.

Clark Kent Apuada, rightly nicknamed “Superman,” swam the 100-meter butterfly event in 1:09:38 at the 2018 Speedo Long Course Far Western Championships in Moraga, California on Sunday, July 29.

His time was 1.1 seconds faster than Michael Phelps’ 1:10:48 time that was set 23 years ago in 1995 — a big accomplishment in a sport where milliseconds are closely watched.

Clark Kent Apuada PAGE A3 Photo from Facebook/Salinas Aquatic Center MCAT

by ROSETTE

ADEL

Philstar.com

AFTER receiving negative criticisms for choosing a representative supposedly inaccurately representing Filipino culture and traditions, the web video series of international travel and lifestyle magazine Condé Nast Traveler released a statement regarding the issue.

Last week, Filipino netizens called out the Filipino representative in a video project “Many People, Many Places” where around 70 countries were asked to translate phrases, words, and

answer some questions in their respective native languages.

Netizens chided the representative for improperly portraying the Philippine culture and “misrepresenting” the country as she answered the questions on “how to count,” translating “happy birthday” and “cheers” in English and not in Filipino. She also said the country does not have its own tongue twister which prompted negative comments from Filipinos.

Due to this, web video series “Many People, Many Places” said it takes full responsibility in u PAGE A2

The representative for the Philippines in the “Many People, Many Places” has been criticized for her lack of knowledge on some Filipino habits and traditions. Screenshot from Many People, Many Places/Facebook video

A august 4-7 2018 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOuRNaL

Drugs cases reached over...

PAGE A1 t 2016’s total. Roughly 28 percent of the solved cases resulted into prosecution as 2,241 led to the conviction of the accused.

A total of 2,617 cases were dismissed which constitutes 33 percent of the settled complaints while 27 percent of those or a total of 2,186 cases absolved the accused.

The remaining 12 percent with 1,007 cases were either suspended due to prejudicial questioning

or transferred to other related agencies.

Numbers in 2017 and currently, 2018 After a year, drug cases filed increased by three percent. In 2017, the NPS filed 70,706 drug cases in courts with 1,645 cases involving minors.

The court resolved 21,383 of those cases, with 7,011 resulting in convictions, 5,270 cases leading to dismissals, and 6,353 acquittals.

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

From the Front Page Proceedings for 2,749 drug cases, which constitutes 13 percent of the resolved cases were either suspended due to prejudicial questioning or referred to other agencies.

The first quarter of 2018 had a total of 13,176 drug cases. Almost 68 percent were resolved by the courts with 9,030 cases. Among those resolved were 5,693 convictions, 1,060 dismissals, and 1,713 acquittals.

Technicality conflicts result in the dismissal of cases Department of Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he was concerned about the high rate of dismissals of court cases.

“Often the main reason for dismissal is technical — that is, failure to observe procedural requirements, particularly on the chain of custody of the drugs seized,” Guevarra said.

Guevarra also urged law enforcers to collaborate with the justice department in order to lessen the number of dismissed cases due to technicalities. n

After drawing flak over...

PAGE A1 t “respectfully representing different aspects of the countries they cover.”

The web video series said it received several comments from around the world, drawing questions about their country’s language and culture, which include Filipinos.

“One of our subjects, a Filipino woman, answered our questions in English rather than Tagalog based on her experience growing up and living in the Philippines,” Many People, Many Places said in a Facebook post.

“We appreciate your feedback and take seriously our responsibility to respectfully represent the many different aspects of the countries we cover at Condé Nast Traveler,” it added.

The producers of the web series said real people from around the world answer questions about their country’s language and culture.

The videos of Condé Nast Traveler were posted early June until July 25 and had only one and same Filipino representative for the series. Other countries were also represented by one and the same individual. n

Philippines won’t extradite...

PAGE A1 t Gueverra added, however, that the relatives of Napoles who were not facing charges in the Philippines may be extradited to the U.S. Napoles and five of her family members were charged in the U.S. for allegedly transferring around $20 million U.S. dollars to purchase real-estate properties, luxury vehicles, and business shares.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California indicted Janet Lim-Napoles; her children Jo Christine, 34, James Christopher, 33, and Jeane Catherine, 28; her brother Reynald Lim, 52, and his wife, Ana Lim, 47, according to a release on Tuesday, July 31.

They were charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering and international money laundering from September 2012 to August 2014, according to the U.S. Department of Justice.

“Approximately $20 million of those funds were diverted to money remitters in the Philippines and then wired to Southern California bank accounts where the money was used to purchase real estate, shares in two businesses, two Porsche Boxsters, and finance the living expenses of three family members residing in the United States: Jeane Napoles, Reynald Lim, and Ana Lim,” the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said in a press statement.

Due to an extradition treaty signed in 1994, the accused might be tried in a U.S. court. United States Attorney Nick Hanna said they will work with the Philippine government to extradite the defendants to the U.S. “The efforts of the Philippine and American investigators demonstrate that there are consequences to abusing the public trust and we hope to deter such conduct in the future. To do this, we will work with our Philippine counterparts to secure the extradition of the defendants to the United States,” Hanna said in a statement.

Unraveling the pork barrel scam The U.S. Department of Justice’s statement noted that an audit in September 2012 first discovered the fraud before Philippine press

Jeane Napoles, the younger daughter of Janet Lim-Napoles, who was among those charged by the U.S. this week.

Philstar.com photo

exposed it in July 2013.

“Napoles and her family members attempted to quietly liquidate the assets in the United States, secretly repatriate most of the resulting funds back to the Philippines and to other accounts in the U.S. and United Kingdom, and disburse some of the funds to Jeane Napoles, who used the money to finance her lifestyle and open a fashion business,” the U.S. Department of Justice wrote.

Federal prosecutors claim that the funds in question were obtained through intricate bribery and fraud scheme, resulting in the implication of the defendants with domestic and international bribery as well as conspiracy.

Court documents show that approximately $12.5 million in Southern California real estate has been seized by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and is subject to a civil forfeiture case pending before United States District Judge James V. Selna.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is currently handling the case, while Assistant U.S. Attorney Daniel O’Brien, Deputy Chief of the Public Corruption and Civil Rights Section is prosecuting the case. The information regarding the name of the defense counsel and/or whether the Napoles family has any is yet to be disclosed.

The money transmitted to the U.S. over the two-year period is believed to be Philippine government funds originally intended to benefit poor Filipino people.

If the court deems the assets

illegally obtained, the U.S. Justice Department will work with Philippine officials to have the funds returned to the PH government.

Janet Napoles, 54, is known as the alleged mastermind behind the infamous “pork barrel scam” — an issue involving the allocation of the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF).

She is currently detained at the Camp Bagong Diwa detention center in Taguig City and is on trial for five counts of plunder, graft, and other cases before the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court.

Five Philippine lawmakers allegedly benefitted from the scheme; three of whom are former Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada. Their cases involved the misuse of funds by transmitting them to non-existent projects of bogus institutions and NGOs. During the graft trial of Napoles and Revilla on Thursday, August 2 at the Sandiganbayan 1st Division, Benhur Luy — Napoles’ cousin and key witness in the pork barrel controversy — that he transferred government funds to Napoles’ U.S. accounts, but did not specify the amount.

“We sent the money to her U.S. account through telegraphic transfer,” Luy told the court in Filipino.

He did not comment on whether he will be a witness to the U.S. case, but is scheduled to testify again next week against Revilla’s plunder and graft cases.

Luxurious properties, lav-

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4-7 2018

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Philippines won’t extradite...

PAGE A2 t ish lifestyle captured on social media In a report by ABS-CBN News, social media posts of Janet Napoles’ daughter Jeane, spurred an investigation by the Philippine Bureau of Investigation (BIR). Photos from Jeane’s Instagram were published by ABS-CBN in 2013, which included a Porsche Cayenne and Porsche Boxster, a total cost of over P4 million.

Apart from the cars, Jeane also posted photos of herself with luxury items such as watches, purses, clothing, shoes and jewelry. Around that same time, videos of her 21st lavish birthday party at the Beverly Hills Hotel surfaced.

The Napoles’ then-lawyer Lorna PROFILING DENGVAXIA CASES. The Department of Health in Calabarzon started the profiling of Dengvaxia cases in different provinces of the region to locate vaccine recipients and establish a post-vaccination baseline database, which will be used in the monitoring of their health status. The DOH-Calabarzon held the Dengvaxia Orientation and Profiling on Tuesday, July 31.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

‘I cannot go to America...

PAGE A1 t concerns over the human rights violations under Duterte.

During former President Barack Obama’s term, he was vocal about Duterte’s war on drugs, prompting Duterte to lash out against the U.S. government.

With President Donald Trump, however, Duterte has seemingly warmed up to the U.S. “He (Trump) is my friend and of course I have been invited to the United States several times,

but you know, it’s not because of anybody or any place there, it has something to do with the schedule,” Duterte said in a speech in during the Asia Pacific Health Islands Conference in Davao City on July 25.

In the same speech this week, Duterte also called out Canada for backing out of a $233-million helicopter deal because the country thought his administration would use it “against the civilians.”

He concluded by pushing officials to ensure a safer country for the next generation.

“We will see to it that the nation that we hand over to the next generation of Filipinos is one that is more stable, harmonious and progressive. Together, let us continue to make great strides as we collectively bring out our countries toward— our country towards a safer and brighter tomorrow,” Duterte said. ■

10-year-old Fil-Am swimmer beats old...

PAGE A1 t On Twitter, Phelps — the most decorated Olympian ever — congratulated Apuada for “smashing that meet record” and encouraged Apuada to “#dreambig.”

The U.S. Olympic Team’s official Twitter handle also gave Apuada a shout out, asking if the young swimmer could be a possible “Future Phelps.” Posted with the tweet was a side-by-side photo of the two donning medals.

Responding to the question, replies overwhelmingly seemed to say yes, with people also saying “records are meant to be broken.”

Aside from his record breaking time, Apuada took first place in almost all of his 10-and-under events at the meet including the 50-meter fly, 50-meter free, 100meter free, 100-meter backstroke,

and 50-meter backstroke.

To the Asian Journal, Apuada’s parents Cynthia and Chris said they were elated and overjoyed upon hearing the announcement of his record breaking swim.

“We prayed and thanked God the moment we saw he got his best time,” they told the Asian Journal on Messenger, adding that they have yet to have a full celebration.

Apuada’s parents said they began to notice his interest in swimming when he was just six years old. Apuada himself made a list of swim clubs in the area to join.

His mother told the Huffington Post that Apuada would memorize the records set by other swimmers.

“He’s the one who said, ‘Look, Mom, Michael Phelps has a record in the Far Western. I can

beat that,’” his mother told the Huffington Post.

The young swimmer does have his eyes set on the Olympics, possibly Paris 2024, or Los Angeles 2028 — a goal his coach Travis Rianda is fully aware of. But the goal comes in addition to two other things.

“It’s the coolest thing in the world because that’s all he talked about,” Rianda told CBS. “It wasn’t like, ‘I want to be better than Michael Phelps’ or anything like that. His first goals were, ‘I want to be a scientist, an Olympic gold medalist for the United States and I want to be a black belt.’ He’s on track for all three of those,” Rianda added.

Phelps was only 15 when he joined the Olympics and has garnered a total of 28 medals in his Olympic career. ■

Kapunan defended that the family was rich because of their businesses abroad. According to Kapunan, the party was a reward for Jeane for finishing her course with honors at the prestigious Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandise, a school that carried a $30,000 annual tuition.

That time, the alleged mastermind of the PDAF scam insisted that their wealth was from legitimate sources, and added that their family co-owned a hotel near Disneyland in Los Angeles.

Napoles’ daughter that time also owned a unit at the Ritz Carlton Residences in Los Angeles, with an estimated value of $800,000 to $9.3 million. She was put on trial in the Philippines for a tax evasion

case involving the unit, but it was dismissed last December for lack of evidence.

Gueverra noted that the younger Napoles left the Philippines on July 27 before the U.S. charges came to light.

“Considering that an indictment has already been made in US courts, the U.S. government has ways of tracking down the defendants anywhere, including tapping the assistance of the Interpol,” Guevarra said of tracking Jeane Napoles’ location, according to a report by the Philippine Star.

Napoles’ two other children Jo Christine and James Christopher still have pending graft and malversation cases before the Sandiganbayan. ■

Obama endorses Fil-Am TJ Cox...

PAGE A1 t — leaders as diverse, patriotic, and big-hearted as the America they’re running to represent,” said Obama.

“I’m confident that, together, they’ll strengthen this country we love by restoring opportunity, repairing our alliances and standing in the world, and upholding our fundamental commitment to justice, fairness, responsibility, and the rule of law,” he added. “But first, they need our votes.”

Included in the list shared widely on Twitter are five gubernatorial candidates, 40 state legislative candidates, several candidates running for secretary of state and attorney general, plus a few others.

While Obama gave endorsements for 22 House candidates, Rep. Jacky Rosen of Nevada’s race against GOP Sen. Dean Heller was the only Senate race endorsed in the list. California Sen. Dianne Feinstein got her endorsement by Obama back in May. Of the gubernatorial candidates are: Gavin Newsom in California, Jared Polls in Colorado, Stacey Abrams in Georgia, J.B. Pritzker in Illinois, and Richard Cordray in Ohio.

Abrams is one of the 48 women endorsees — a group that makes up over half of the total candidates on the list. She would also become the first female African American governor in U.S. history, if elected.

For congressional races, among the endorsees are Harley Rouda for CA-48, Josh Harder for CA-10, Katie Hill for CA-25, Katie Porter

for CA-45, Mike Levin for CA-49, Ammar Campa-Najjar for CA-50, and Fil-Am TJ Cox for CA-21.

Born in Walnut Creek, California to immigrant parents — his mother Perla De Castro from the Philippines, and half-Chinese father from China — Cox is among several congressional Filipino candidates who advanced to California’s general elections.

Like the other endorsed candidates, Cox thanked Obama on Twitter, adding, “let’s take back #CA21 and #FlipTheHouse!”

While Obama did hint possible endorsements after his “first wave” list, many were quick to notice names that were not included.

Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez who took a big win over House Democratic Caucus Chairman Joe Crowley during New York’s Democratic primary, for instance, was absent from the list.

So was Texas Rep. Beto O’Rourke, who has increasingly been picking up gain against Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

November midterm elections less than 100 days away Most of the midterm elections will take place on November 6, and Obama’s endorsements come as Democrats hope to win control of both the House and the Senate which could ultimately give the party more power to investigate matters of the current administration.

Currently, Republicans control the House with 33 governor seats compared to 16 held

by Democrats. Democrats who would have to flip a net of 23

seats to win control.

Of the 35 Senate seats up for grabs this election, 24 are currently held by Democrats, two by Democrat-leaning Independents, and nine by Republicans. There, Democrats would have to hold on to all of its seats plus the Independent seats, and gain two or three Republican seats. Six of those seats are in states where Trump won by large numbers during the 2016 presidential election.

Obama, has kept a low profile since leaving the White House with the exception of private political events and fundraisers. His first major address since leaving the White House barely came in July of this year when he warned in his speech in South Africa of “strongman politics” which many understood to be partly directed at current President Donald Trump.

Reuters reported that Obama pledged to be active on the campaign road ahead, putting him squarely against Trump who also has already been actively campaigning.

Among Trump’s most recent endorsees are Senate contender John James of Michigan , Troy Balderson for Ohio’s 12th Congressional District, and Congressman David Kustoff of Tennessee’s 8th District.

According to a Pew Research Center survey in July, 31 percent of respondents said Obama had has done the best job as a U.S. president during his lifetime, compared to Trump who received 10 percent of respondents saying so. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

Dateline USa

A august 4-7 2018 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOuRNaL

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Filipino doc suspected of aiding Mayweather open to promote Pacquiao ISIS to be extradited to US

by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

by JiM

goMez

Inquirer.net

A PHIlIPPINE court has granted a U.S. government request for the extradition of a Filipino doctor suspected by U.S. authorities of being an Islamic State group sympathizer and plotting bombings and shootings at New york City concert venues, subway stations and Times Square.

Presiding Judge Rosalyn Mislos-loja granted the U.S. request in a July 23 ruling and ordered Russell langi Salic to be extradited to the U.S. to face the charges.

Salic, who is detained in Manila, has denied the charges, opposed his extradition and can appeal.

In the 33-page decision, Mislos-loja ordered the seizure and surrender to U.S. authorities of all items, documents and evidence connected with the offenses for which Salic is charged in the U.S., including cellphones, computers and documents. last year, U.S. prosecutors said Salic was one of three Islamic State group sympathizers who

Russell Langi Salic

plotted bombings and shootings in 2016 in New york before U.S. agents thwarted the plot.

In custody Salic was taken into custody in Manila last year. Canadian citizen Abdulrahman El Bahnasawy was arrested in the U.S. in 2016 and has pleaded guilty, and an American of Pakistani origin, Talha Haroon, was arrested in Pakistan in the same year.

Inquirer.net photo

Salic is alleged to have sent about $423 from the Philippines in May 2016 to an undercover FBI agent posing as an Islamic extremist to help fund the planned attacks. Salic told the agent he intended to continue sending money in support of the Islamic State group, according to court documents that have been made public in New york.

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Floyd Mayweather Jr. may not fight Manny Pacquiao ever again, but he’s willing to be involved in the Filipino icon’s future bouts — as a promoter.

In an interview with Ben Thompson of fighthype.com, the retired boxer said he will call Pacquiao to explore the possibility.

“Actually, I’m gonna get on the phone with Pacquiao after I get off this call and get in touch.

And we can put him in position and get him some...[there’s] a lot of good competition out there that he could fight,” said Mayweather, who outpointed Pacquiao in their financially massive showdown in May 2015.

Pacquiao had longed for another crack at Mayweather, but the latter wanted none of it.

Mayweather fought twice more — beating Andre Berto and knocking out Conor McGregor — then retired again.

Mayweather is now working full time as lead promoter of his Mayweather Promotions.

The fighting senator, for his part, has since moved on, and recently re-entered the welter-

weight picture with an impressive seventh-round stoppage of lucas Matthysse for his first knockout win in nearly a decade.

After taking care of Matthysse, Pacquiao said that while he respects Mayweather’s decision to stay retired, he is open to a rematch if the American decides to come back.

But Mayweather still would not flinch.

“I don’t have anything against Manny Pacquiao. of course he’s supposed to call the Mayweather name. I’m one of the bigger names in the sport of all time, if not the biggest name. When you call the Mayweather name out, I mean, you speaking dollars,” he continued.

“Pacquiao’s a future Hall of Famer. Hell of a champion, hell of a guy. But the best man won.

And I was the best man,” said Mayweather.

After splitting with longtime partner Top Rank Inc., Pacquiao recently declared he’s now his own promoter, with the Matthysse fight being staged by his MP Promotions in partnership with oscar dela Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions.

He could end up working with Mayweather someday.

Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Philstar.com photo

“I wouldn’t mind making Pacquiao-Mikey Garcia,” said Mayweather, referring to the undefeated WBC and IBF lightweight champion (39-0, with 30 Kos) whose camp reportedly has Pacquiao in their crosshairs. n

Ex-boyfriend of missing Virginia Beach Fil-Am charged with murder VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia — Police have arrested the former boyfriend as a suspect in the murder of a Filipino American mother of four, Bellamy Gamboa, who has been missing since July 1. lamont Johnson, 41, was charged with the second degree murder of Bellamyand four counts of contributing to the delinquency of a minor, according to the Virginia Beach Sheriff’s office website. Police did not explain what led to the charges against Johnson.

A Virginia Beach Police department press releasesaid those charges are related to specific events involving Bellamy and Johnson’s infant twins, who reportedly had been under his care since Bellamy’s disappearance. Bellamy’s body has yet to be found.

Johnson was arrested last Sunday, July 29 and is being held at the Virginia Beach Coun-

Missing Fil-Am mother of four, Bellamy Gamboa

Murder suspect Lamont Johnson Photos courtesy of Virginia Beach Sheriff’s Office

ty Jail without bond. Bellamy and Johnson were no longer in a romantic relationship but coparented their infant twins in the same house. The two reportedly argued over the rent before she disappeared.

To provide any information on Bellamy’s case, call the Virginia Beach Police department at 757-385-8175 or Crime Solvers Tip line at (757) 427-0000.

Callers may remain anonymous. (Inquirer.net)

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Dateline USa

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A

Expansion of short-term health plans a non-starter in California And

by Julie Appleby Alex leeds MAtthews Kaiser Health News

THE planned expansion of short-term health plans under a new Trump administration rule unveiled this week is on a crash course with a brick wall in California.

The Golden State’s Democratdominated legislature is close to banning such plans, which offer consumers lower premiums in exchange for skimpier benefits that do not meet the Affordable Care Act’s coverage requirements for other policies sold in the individual marketplace.

A bill that would prohibit the MRT-7. Construction works are ongoing for the Manila Metro Rail Transit-7 (MRT-7), a rapid transit line that will measure 22.8 km and will sale of short-term plans, by state serve 14 stations, taken along North Avenue, Quezon City on Thursday, August 2. The line will run from San Jose del Monte, Bulacan to the Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Unified Grand Central Station in North Avenue, Quezon CIty.  PNA photo by Rico Borja Covina), has already passed the California Senate and is pending in the Assembly, where two committees have given it a green light.

PAGE A1 t “Trump’s team continues to do hibits notifying federal agencies nis Herrera, who described the Sidney Thomas and Judge Ron- — such as the controversial Im- president’s executive order as a everything possible to destabilize ald Gould wrote in the court’s migration and Customs Enforce- “power grab� that violates the our insurance market and compromise the health care of milment (ICE) — of an inmate’s re- Constitution. opinion. “San Francisco’s sanctuary lions of Californians, but I won’t “By its plain terms, the execu- lease from county jail, or sharing tive order directs the agencies of any other information that could policies make our city safer by let that happen,� Hernandez said the executive branch to withhold lead to the detention of certain encouraging anyone who has in a written statement. “This is been a victim or witness to a why the California State Legislafunds appropriated by Congress undocumented immigrants.

The exceptions to that are if crime to tell police,� Herrera ture must pass my measure, SB in order to further the administration’s policy objective of pun- the information is already made said. “When a president over- 910, which would keep this junk ishing cities and counties that public, or the person in question reaches and tries to assert au- insurance out of California.�

Under the Trump administraadopt so-called ‘sanctuary’ poli- has been convicted of any of the thority he doesn’t have under cies,� added Thomas and Gould, 800 offenses — including sexual the Constitution, there needs to tion rule, insurers will again be both of whom were nominated assault, domestic violence, ar- be a check on that power grab. able to sell short-term health by former President Bill Clinton. son and some nonviolent drug The courts did that today, which insurance good for one day less Though the Trump adminis- charges — detailed in a 2013 is exactly what the framers of than 12 months. The action overthe Constitution have in mind.� turns an Obama administration tration hasn’t indicated whether law, the Trust Act. directive that limited such plans The court’s Wednesday rul- (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) or not it will appeal the ruling, Devin O’Malley, a spokesper- ing is likely to be challenged son for the Justice Department, by the Trump administration, deemed the Wednesday ruling legal analysts say, but by the a win for “criminal aliens who off chance the administration can continue to commit crimes doesn’t appeal, the case will reknowing that the state’s leader- turn to the district court where a ship will protect them from fed- nationwide injunction could be implemented. eral immigration officers.�

Many California leaders celeHowever, according to lawmakers, sanctuary laws do not brated the ruling, including San protect criminals, but rather pro- Francisco City Attorney Den-

Court ruling: Trump can’t halt funding to...

Filipino doc suspected of aiding...

PAGE A4 t

The documents said Salic, who used the alias Abu Khalid, allegedly told the agent his ultimate goal was to join the Islamic State group in Syria but that “it would be a great pleasure if we can slaughter� people in New York.

Transaction records obtained by the FBI show that in addition to the $423, Salic allegedly made multiple money transfers in 2015 and 2016 in support of the Islamic State group ranging from $180 to $435 to Australia, Lebanon, Malaysia and Palestine. He also sent money twice to Bosnia in April 2016, according to U.S. court documents.

International money transfers The funds were sent through an international money transfer agency in southern Cagayan de Oro city, the records show. Salic had worked as a doctor in a hospital in Cagayan de Oro. Salic told reporters after a Manila court hearing last November that U.S. authorities may have

mistaken money he sent to a charity as funding for the plots.

An FBI agent who posed as a Muslim online was behind the allegations against him, he said.

The U.S. government sent an extradition request in May last year. The Philippine government, through the Department of Justice, filed the request with a Manila court on behalf of the U.S. in September as specified under an extradition treaty.

Aside from the U.S. charges, Salic also faces separate criminal complaints for alleged involvement in the abduction of six sawmill workers, two of whom were later beheaded, in the southern Philippine town of Butig in Lanao del Sur province in 2016, an allegation that he has denied.

Salic, who is detained at the National Bureau of Investigation in Manila, could face either the U.S. or Philippine case first depending on the decision of Filipino authorities, justice department officials said. n

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to 90 days. It also adds a new twist: If they wish, insurers can make the short-term plans renewable for up to three years.

But the federal rule does not override the regulatory power of the states, which means a California ban on short-term plans would prevail. “States do have the authority to regulate,� said Randy Pate, director of the Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. “We do think some states will move to limit them and some will embrace them.�

Before Obamacare, California had a law on the books limiting short-term plans to 185 days. It later complied with the Obama administration’s 90-day rule, but will revert to the 185-day limit once Trump’s rule is in force.

If the Hernandez bill should become law, and take effect on Jan. 1, all health plans of less than 12 months would be banned in the state.

James Parker, a senior adviser to Health and Human Services

Secretary Alex Azar, said that in the states embracing the Trump administration’s new rule, it will “help increase choices for Americans faced with escalating premiums and dwindling options in the individual market.�

But the plans could also raise premiums for those who remain in the Affordable Care Act marketplace — and the short-term coverage is far more limited. “We make no representation that it’s equivalent coverage,�

Parker said.

The Trump administration’s approach is expected to please brokers and insurers that offer the coverage in the states that allow it. “To restore these to 364 days — as originally drafted — is exactly what we are looking for,� said Jan Dubauskas, general counsel for the IHC Group, an organization of insurance carriers headquartered in Stamford, Conn.

Dubauskas, speaking before the Trump administration announced the rule, said she expects IHC to offer 12-month versions as soon as the rule goes into effect, which will be 60 days after it is published.

Administration officials estimate that premiums on shortterm plans could be half the cost of the more comprehensive ACA insurance. They predict about 600,000 people will enroll in a short-term plan in 2019, with 100,000 to 200,000 of those dropping ACA coverage to do so.

u PAGE A6

A august 4-7 2018 • La WEEKEND asIaN JOuRNaL

Dateline USa

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Beijing wants South China Sea drills with ASEAN, excluding US CHINA wants military exercises and energy exploration with Southeast Asian nations in disputed waters, according to a draft document, but insists on outside countries being excluded in what analysts said was a bid to diminish U.S. influence.

Beijing’s suggestions are part of efforts to expand its influence in the South China Sea, which it claims almost entirely, and push back at Washington, which has backed countries with overlapping claims to the waters.

A code of conduct between Beijing and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to govern behavior in the strategic sea has been years in the making.

The draft document, seen by AFP, outlines different countries’ bargaining positions as they work towards an agreement, and analysts said it represented some initial progress.

In the text, Vietnam offers the strongest opposition to Beijing’s activities – calling for countries to stop building artificial islands and establishing military installations.

But there was little sign of serious resistance from other countries, signaling how opposition to China’s aggressive expansion in the resource-rich waters has ebbed in recent years in Southeast Asia.

Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, Taiwan and Vietnam have rival claims to China’s in the sea.

Tensions have escalated in recent years due to Beijing building artificial islands that can host mili-

tary bases.

Meanwhile the U.S. – traditionally the dominant military power in the area – has more frequently carried out patrols aimed at ensuring freedom of navigation.

In the draft text, Beijing suggests that China and the 10 ASEAN states should carry out joint military exercises regularly.

However, the drills should not involve countries outside the region “unless the parties concerned are notified beforehand and express no objection.”

The suggestion to exclude outside countries “is obviously targeted at the US which has been dominating the waters of the Western Pacific and the South China Sea in particular,” Hoang Thi Ha, from the ASEAN Studies Center, ISEAS Yusof Ishak Institute in Singapore, told AFP. By proposing joint military exercises, China is trying to send a “subtle message to the world that ASEAN and China could work together and things are progressing well, hence there is no need for external involvement in the South China Sea issue,” said Ha. Beijing also suggested that China and ASEAN could carry out joint oil and gas exploration in the waters but again proposed that firms from countries outside the region be excluded from such activities, the document showed.

At a meeting of foreign ministers in Singapore, Beijing and ASEAN announced they had agreed on the negotiating text for the code.

Vietnam has offered some of the stiffest resistance to China in the sea in recent times, regularly complaining about Beijing’s activities on contested islands and in disputed waters.

Tensions reached fever pitch in 2014 when China moved an oil rig into waters claimed by Hanoi.

However, opposition has weakened in other parts of Southeast Asia, with analysts saying that countries are keen to attract Chinese investment and are worried about U.S. commitment to the region under President Donald Trump.

The Philippines, under previous president Benigno Aquino III, had been a leading voice against China’s expansion in the sea and used ASEAN events to pressure Beijing, but current President Duterte has reversed that policy.

Progress hailed Southeast Asia and China agreed on a working text to continue long, drawn-out negotiations over a code of conduct in the disputed South China sea, with officials from both sides lauding it as a “milestone.”

“I am pleased to announce yet another milestone in the COC (code of conduct) process,” said Vivian Balakrishnan, the foreign minister of Singapore who is hosting the meeting of regional leaders and lawmakers from around the world in the city-state.

He said the “single draft COC negotiating text,” agreed at highlevel talks in June but only announced on Thursday, August 2, would serve as the basis for negotiations.

His Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, called the working text “good news” and “great progress.”

Critics say the consensus approach to negotiations on the code could mean a final deal is still years off and works in China’s favor as a delaying tactic to ease scrutiny of its militarization of man-made islands in the region.

Also on the agenda for ASEAN members over the next few days is reaching a cybersecurity deal with Russia, which the U.S. has accused of election meddling, according to a draft of a communiqué seen by Reuters set to be released on Saturday.

The document shows ASEAN will also reiterate its commitment to wrap up a major trade pact backed by China, against the backdrop of protectionist trade policies from the United States, and urge steps towards denuclearization of the Korean peninsula. (Philstar. com)

Lucas Matthysse leaves boxing with a professional record of 39-5, with 36 knockouts.

Photo by Wendell Rupert Alinea/Manny Pacquiao Promotions

After Pacquiao beatdown, Matthysse retires from boxing

by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

MANNY Pacquiao turned out to be the final opponent for lucas Matthysse, who recently announced his retirement from the sport.

In an Instagram post, the former welterweight champion said he is hanging up his gloves after a 10-year career.

According to boxingscene. com’s English translation of Matthysse’s post, the Argentine fighter is proud of his career, which included a short reign as WBA regular welterweight champion.

“Thanks to boxing for chang-

ing my life,” Matthysse said.

“I am proud that I maintained my career for 10 years at the world level, where I fought with the best in boxing and I fulfilled my dream of being a world champion,” he added.

Matthysse, 35, lost to Pacquiao in their fight last month in Kuala lumpur, going down three times en route to a seventh-round TKO setback. It was his fifth defeat against 39 wins.

“Thanks to all those who followed me in my career, for all of their love, because that is the most beautiful thing in this sport of boxing, which is a nice

environment,” continued Matthysse, who has stopped 36 of his opponents, earning him the reputation of being a knockout artist.

The pride of Trelew, Argentina won the WBA welterweight belt last January after knocking out Thailand’s Tewa Kiram, only to lose it to Pacquiao in his first defense.

Matthysse reportedly earned at least $2 million against Pacquiao, the highest purse of his career and, as it turns out, his retirement check.

“Today, I decide to hang up the gloves because another stage in my life is coming,” said Matthysse. n

Filipino doctor nominated for WHO Western Pacific top post A FIlIPINO physician and public health specialist has been included in the official list of nominees for the top post of the World Health Organization in the Western Pacific Region.

The Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed that Dr. Susan Mercado, special envoy for global health initiatives, was nominated for the position of WHO Western Pacific Regional Director.

“The acceptance of Dr. Susan P. Mercado’s nomination by the WHO is proof of her expertise and experience in the field of public health, which was evident when President Rodrigo Duterte appointed her as Special Envoy this year. We wish her all the best in her candidature,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement.

Mercado was undersecretary of the Department of Health and has served the WHO for more than 15 years. She obtained her AB Philosophy degree and graduated as magna cum laude from the University of the Philippines.

She also obtained Doctor of Medicine and Masters in Public Health degrees from the premier

state university.

Other nominees for the position are from Malaysia, Japan and New Zealand. The election for the new Western Pacific director will be in October during the WHO’s regional consultative meetings in Manila.

Mercado said that she will campaigning “on a platform of responsiveness and empowerment.”

“I believe that being approachable and accessible is the key to effective leadership. You cannot lead if you cannot listen.

I believe that the foundation for leadership in a multilateral agency is respecting that each member state—regardless of size or socio-economic status has the authority to identify its own priorities and chart its own destiny,” Mercado said.

The Filipino doctor has served as WHO Western Pacific’s director for noncommunicable diseases and health through the life-course, where she led international public health experts in working with 37 countries across the region.

Mercado said that the WHO can do more on creating public

In a statement, the Department of Foreign Affairs said that the World Health Organization has announced the inclusion of Dr. Susan Mercado, Special Envoy for Global Health Initiatives, in the official list of nominees for the position of WHO Western Pacific Regional Director.

Photo courtesy of DFA

discourse wherein member states can freely discuss public health discourse and governance.

“There are multiple solutions to the health problems we face, and more of our time and attention should go to linking solutions to problems through inclusive dialogue and engagement,” she said.

During her stint with the WHO, she also served as acting regional adviser for health promotion, team leader for the organization’s Tobacco Free Initiative and team leader for urban health equity of the WHO Kobe Center in Japan, the DFA said. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

Expansion of short-term health plans...

PAGE A5 t

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Just over 14 million people are enrolled in ACA plans this year, including about 1.4 million in California’s exchange, Covered California.

Short-term plans are less expensive not only because of their thinner coverage, but also because, unlike their ACA counterparts, insurers selling these policies can reject people with preexisting illnesses or limit their coverage.

Short-term plans can also set annual and lifetime caps on benefits, and cover few prescription drugs. Most exclude benefits for maternity care, preventive care, mental health services or substance abuse treatment.

The plans “barely cover any services and give people a false sense of security,” Hernandez said.

Some policy experts, including those from the Center on Health Insurance Reforms at Georgetown University, warn that allowing increased use of the skimpier coverage offered by short-term plans could leave some patients in financial or medical difficulty.

“If you get cancer, your plan will not cover oncology drugs, which can cost an average of $10,000 a month,” and “if you are pregnant, you will have to find another way to pay for the cost,” averaging about $32,000 for prenatal care and delivery, the center said in a recent post.

Allowing short-term plans to last longer is the latest move to change regulations issued by the Obama administration. In June, the administration released final rules on association health plans, which grants greater leeway to small businesses and sole proprietors to join together to purchase insurance that doesn’t have to

meet all the ACA’s requirements, although these plans are more robust than short-term plans.

In California, association health plans have been relegated to near extinction since the 1990s.

The Trump administration changes to Obama-era rules, along with other congressional actions, are expected to impact the cost of coverage for individuals in the ACA marketplace.

Premiums for the average benchmark ACA plan rose by 34 percent this year, according to a recent Congressional Budget Office report.

Factors driving the increase include medical inflation, but the CBO also cited the administration’s decision last fall to drop payments to insurers for lowering deductibles and other out-ofpocket costs for certain low-income policyholders.

The CBO report projects that premiums for ACA plans will increase 15 percent next year, in part because many consumers may be less likely to buy coverage without the threat of a tax penalty. The tax bill approved last year by Congress ends the financial penalty as of 2019.

Short-term plans, if they appeal to many consumers, could also play a role in driving up premiums.

By drawing younger or healthier consumers out of the ACA marketplace, the short-term plan expansion will lead to a premium increase of up to 1.7 percentage points next year, according to the industry lobbying group America’s Health Insurance Plans.

Short-term plans have been around for decades, meant as a stopgap for job changers, students and others who found

themselves without coverage.

Under the Trump administration directive, insurers can renew the short-term coverage for the same amount of time as the original plan — maxing out at 36 months.

HHS officials said current law allows the plans to have this longer shelf life, although critics are likely to argue that a plan lasting three years cannot be considered short-term.

Some observers say the expansion of short-term plans won’t affect the ACA market as much as critics fear because the plans will mainly appeal to consumers already sitting on the sidelines, or ones who don’t get a subsidy to help pay their premiums.

“Subsidized enrollees, the heart of exchange enrollment, are less likely to be drawn away from ACA plans to short-term plans that have a narrower benefit design as well as a renewal restriction,” Kev Coleman, head of research and data at Mountain View, Calif.-based HealthPocket, said in an email. HealthPocket is a website that allows consumers to compare health plans.

Dave Fear Jr., president of the California Association of Health Underwriters, said the insurance agents and brokers who make up his organization are uncomfortable selling short-term plans that don’t provide coverage for “the big stuff.”

But Fear said his association opposes the Hernandez bill, because people sometimes need short-term insurance for various reasons. “We believe that [the bill] would remove a critical tool for coverage,” he said.

This story was produced

by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 4-7, 2018

Dateline PhiliPPines

A

Sara won’t run for a national post - Duterte Stop collecting P3.3-B tax from Pacquiao, BIR told by aJPress President Rodrigo Duterte assured the public that his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio,won’t seek a national position.

“Ang anak ko, si Inday, I can tell you I know her. Hindi magtatakbo ‘yan ng national. Ganun lang ‘yan (My daughter, Inday.

She won’t seek a national post.

She’s just like that),” the president said.

Duterte mentioned this in his speech at the joint 68th National Security Council (NSC) and 69th National Intelligence Coordinating Agency (NICA) founding anniversary at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on Tuesday, July 31.

He mentioned this after he warned families of politicians not to engage in criminal activities.

“So kung may crime, the crime is repeatedly committed, mga droga. Patatanggalan kita talaga ng pulis. May mga… superstar complex kasi ‘yan eh. Lalo na ‘yung matagal na, [the] family of politicians (If there is a crime, and if the crime is repeatedly committed, with drugs. I will remove your police presence. They mostly have superstar complex, especially those in office for so long, the family of politicians),” Duterte said.

He also expressed his approval of a law against political dynasties in the Philippines.

by elizabeth

MaRcelo Philstar.com

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

“I am in favor of putting up... a dynasty law. I am okay with that. I have no problem,” Duterte said.

A Pulse Asia survey for the 2019 senatorial elections conducted from July 15 to 21 revealed that around 46 percent of the respondents expressed support for the president’s daughter.

The city mayor was among the leading candidates, wavering from third to fifth in the nationwide survey. Duterte-Carpio lags behind Sen. Grace Poe, Taguig City Rep. Lani Cayetano, and Sen. Cynthia Villar.

In a report from the Philippine Star, Duterte-Carpio said that she is overwhelmed by the results of the survey. However, she neither

Inquirer.net photo

confirmed nor denied any desire to run for office. She also failed to mention her plans for the upcoming year so as to deliberately annoy her critics, according to a report from Rappler.

“Huwag lang ako inisin ng mga kalaban ni PRD (As long as the enemies of President Rodrigo Duterte don’t irritate me) then my slot should become available to all the yellows,” Duterte-Carpio had said.

During the 2016 elections, the nation could recall how the president also denied any desire to run and even said that any notion of him seeking a national post was a “wild dream.” A series of last-minute decisions eventually led to his landslide victory and third year in office. n

Duterte warns cops with illegal activities: I will make you my ‘project’

by Nathalie

Robles

AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte in a speech on Tuesday, July 31 strongly warned the members of the Philippine National Police (PNP) to refrain from engaging in illegal activities.

“Huwag kayong pumasok diyan sa droga, ‘yang mga murder-forhire, kasi ipa-project ko rin kayo (Don’t get involved in illegal drugs or murder-for-hire because I will make you my ‘project’, too),” Duterte said.

During the 68th National Security Council and 69th National

Intelligence Coordinating Agency founding anniversary celebration in Pasay City, the tough-talking leader emphasized that uniformed personnel must abide by his warning or suffer the consequences.

“You can be very sure there will be a project for you and really that is to neutralize or terminate you,” Duterte stated.

He explained how such reminder seemed necessary so that police ‘scalawags’ will be punished, as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

“Kung hindi ko ganunin, walang mangyari sa ating bayan

MANILA — The Court of Tax Appeals (CTA) has directed the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to “cease and desist” from collecting the P3.29-billion alleged tax deficiency of Sen. Manny Pacquiao and wife Jinkee for years 2008 and 2009 pending decision on the senator’s petition questioning the BIR’s assessment.

In a 38-page resolution promulgated last July 27, the tax court’s First Division said the BIR committed “several violations and irregularities” when it issued its Final Decision on Disputed Assessment (FDDA) in which it said that Pacquiao and his wife have a total of P3.29 billion in unpaid tax obligations. “(BIR) is hereby ordered to cease and desist from implementing the subject FDDA and from collecting the subject deficiency tax assessments issued against petitioners for taxable years 2008 and 2009 for lack of merit,” the resolution penned by presiding justice Roman del Rosario read.

Associate Justices Erlinda Uy and Cielito Mindaro-Grulla concurred with the ruling.

The First Division also ordered the lifting of the warrants of distraint and/or levy and garnishment that the BIR issued against the Pacquiao couple in 2013 “pending the final disposition of the case.”

The tax court also ordered the cancelation of the tax lien that the BIR issued on the Pacquiao cou-

at this time when we are all bombarded with drugs, nobody seems to obey the law (If I will not do that, nothing will happen to our country at this time when we are all bombarded with drugs, nobody seems to obey the law),” the president said.

Duterte also claimed that “human rights” prevent people from following laws. He went on to compare his term with the previous administration.

“Ang pulis noon, previous administration, walang nahuli, iilan ilang buy-bust. It was only after

u PAGE A10

Sen. Manny Pacquiao

Philstar.com photo

ple’s properties in 2015. The BIR issued the tax lien to prevent the couple from selling or disposing of their properties until the supposed tax liability is paid.

It was in 2013 when then BIR commissioner Kim Henares issued a garnishment or freeze order on the Pacquiaos’ bank accounts and other assets, claiming

that the boxer-turned-politician had a total of P2.26-billion underpayment in his taxes for 2008 and 2009, including those for his earnings in his boxing matches abroad.

In its final assessment, the BIR said the Pacquiaos’ total tax liabilities amounted to P3.29 bil-

u PAGE A10

A8 AUGUST 4-7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

OPINION

Justice versus Janet… in the US

FEATURES

THE wheels of justice as usual continue to move at snail’s pace in the effort to make businesswoman Janet Lim Napoles account for her involvement in the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

Now Filipinos are hoping that Napoles might yet face her day of reckoning in the near future – although not in her own country.

Yesterday the Department of Justice in the United States announced that Napoles and five of her relatives had been indicted by a federal grand jury for domestic and international money laundering as well as conspiracy to transfer to the U.S. $20 million she allegedly made from the scam.

A statement from the U.S. Attorney’s Office in California said a probe conducted by the Federal Bureau of Investigation uncovered evidence that Napoles, her children Jo Christine, James Christopher and Jeane Catherine along with her brother Reynald Luy Lim and his wife Ana Marie conspired to wire the $20 million to several U.S. bank accounts.

The funds were allegedly used to buy real estate property, two Porsche Boxsters and shares in two businesses. Living expenses in the U.S. of Jeane, Reynald and his wife were also drawn from the $20 million, according to the U.S. At-

torney’s Office.

The U.S. government has also seized about $12.5 million worth of real estate from the Napoles family. The U.S. Attorney’s Office said that once the civil forfeiture case is completed, the assets could be turned over to the Philippines.

Napoles still faces three plunder cases in the Philippines in connection with the pork barrel scam and may not be extradited to face trial in the U.S. But Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the Philippine government is working with U.S. authorities to extradite any of Napoles’ relatives who have been indicted.

Jeane Napoles had earlier been cleared of a tax evasion case by the Philippines’ Court of Tax Appeals. She was charged for failure to pay taxes for a farm in Bayambang, Pangasinan and a posh apartment in Los Angeles, California.

Filipinos expect that she will find it harder to get off the hook in the U.S. And Filipinos can only wish that justice could be just as potent in the Philippines. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Is the war on poverty in America really over? Not for ordinary hardworking people!

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PRESIDENT Donald Trump touts the U.S. economy’s high GDP under his term. Bravo! Investors are happy. CEOs are enjoying their bonuses. Companies buy back shares. Bravo!

As the Washington Post reported, the White House even declared that the war on poverty was “largely over and a success,” contending that only a few Americans are truly poor — counting only about 3 percent of the population — and points to the booming economy as the best path upward for those who remain in poverty.

“Over the past 54 years since President Lyndon B. Johnson’s declaration of a War on Poverty, federal spending on welfare programs targeting low-income households has grown dramatically, contributing to a substan-

tial reduction in material hardship,” the White House Council of Economic Advisers wrote, saying that poverty had fallen by 90 percent since the programs began.

The Post further reported that U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley denounced a U.N. report last month, arguing that the 18.5 million number of Americans suffering extreme impoverishment as “misleading and politically motivated.”

The Permanent Mission of the United States to the United Nations and Other International Organizations in Geneva made their case to the U.N. Human Rights Council that there are no more than 250,000 Americans who are in “extreme poverty.”

And what did the Trump administration do instead? Give more permanent tax breaks to the richest people of America, while tightening the purse for those who really need help — the middle class and poor Americans!

Unfortunately for those still in poverty, this same argument is now being used by the White House and Republicans in Congress toward their goal to add work requirements for recipients of food stamps, Medicaid and housing subsidies.

Republicans continue to rationalize this goal by saying that with current low unemployment and high job vacancies, Americans can lift themselves out of poverty by getting jobs.

I have received many comments from kababayans here in the United States who question Trump’s assertion that the war on poverty is over, looking at their own life situations.

With wages frozen for years as the cost of living increasing exponentially, many of them cannot afford decent housing, let alone buy their own homes, despite working two or three jobs just to have a roof on top of their heads and food to feed their family.

Others cannot even afford

health insurance and are afraid of what may happen to their family in case of chronic illness or accidents, heaven forbid.

Many young people are saddling with student loan debts and are still living paycheck to paycheck.

And so they feel the Trump administration’s measure of economic boom is not real in their own day to day lives, and are palpable only among those who are already well-off, especially the millionaires and billionaires who profit most even during a down economy at their expense.

These kababayans echo what critics say that work requirements impose additional barriers to receiving health care and food for those who need such assistance.

According to the Post’s reporting, “they accuse the administration of underestimating the difficulty of climbing out of poverty, even in a robust economy.”

The Post further chronicled that according to the Federal

Reserve report released in May, “4 in 10 adults, if faced with an unexpected expense of $400, would either not be able to cover it or would cover it by selling something or borrowing money.”

This is why the Republican plan to cut back on funding for social service programs will hit ordinary hardworking Americans, including many Filipinos.

According to Melissa Boteach, vice president of the Poverty to Prosperity Program at the leftleaning Center for American Progress, 70 percent of Americans turn to these means-tested federal programs at some point in their lives.

More measures of how poverty has not been won yet in the lives of most Americans as reported by the Post: Anti-poverty advocates cite the lack of health insurance for more than 25 million Americans as evidence that far more people suffer from material deprivation.

Moreover, a study by Princ-

eton University economist Angus Deaton that found about 5.3 million Americans live on less than $4 a day, and this already includes government assistance.

It is about time the Trump administration really look at how most Americans are still living in poverty because not acknowledging this will not help solve this matter of life and death situation for most people.

The GDP, stock market index and unemployment rate numbers may look good on paper, but they do not mean anything unless they translate to equitable living wages that will pay for the basic needs of most hardworking Americans and truly help them toward upward mobity. *** 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

St. Genevieve High School its transformative purpose of building hearts and nurturing students’ potential

Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. Part I of III Series

“St. Paul in his letter to the Ephesians tells them that he kneels before the Father praying, “Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.” He yearns for them to “know the love of Christ which surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” This is exactly what we want for our own hearts, to be filled with this “strength to comprehend with all the holy ones what is the breadth and length and height and depth”

of the love of God. This is what we want for the hearts of all our loved ones, for the hearts of all people. And this is the gift Jesus gives us in giving us his Sacred Heart.” – “Pondering the Word, The Anawim Way: Liturgical Meditations,” 2018.

“Kindness can save a life… don’t let your character change color with your environment.

Find out who you are and let it stay its true color. Go after God. Whatever it takes, do it. And don’t give the excuse, I am just a teenager or I’ll do that when I grow up, because it doesn’t

work that way. God wants to know you NOW.” – Rachel Joy Scott, as told by Beth Nimmo to St. Gen’s Parents/Students Assembly, for their Character Education Speaker Series, on April 12, 2018.

WHAT would it be like if we all “live in, dwell in and remain in” all the fullness of God and the Sacred Heart of Jesus? What if folks are received this way in any environment, especially in a school? Would you perform your absolute best?

Niche’s Ranking of Private High Schools in America places

Dan Horn with the inner circle that includes Marlon Archey, teachers and student leaders, during the Asian Journal interview.

St. Genevieve in Panorama City at #3 of best diverse private 476 high schools in California. Similarly situated high schools at a comparable zip code, like Bishop Alemany High School, ranks #68 of 476 high schools and with higher student density per teacher, while Los Angeles Center for Enriched Studies (LACES), ranks #10 of the best high school magnets in LA and #90 out of 1, 510 public high schools in California.

St. Gen has 600 students in high school and 537 students in elementary with a multiculturally diverse population: “5 percent African American, 9 percent Asian, 8 percent Caucasian, 17 percent Filipino, 52 percent Hispanic/Latino, 8 percent Other/Mixed, and [the] majority are Catholics,” with even some international students from China.

Incoming students at St. Gen learn that hatred and deep rage led to massive loss of lives, as in Columbine’s young martyrs of faith and its opposite: “trust, honesty, compassion, love, and the desire to believe the best about people,” that Rachel Scott wrote about: “My codes may seem like a fantasy that can never be reached, but test them for yourself, and see the kind of effect they have in the lives of people around you. You just may start a chain reaction.”

In “Real Diary of Faith: The Journals of Rachel Scott,” adapted by Beth Nimmo and Debra Klingsporn, they described,

Dan Horn with Fr. Alden Sison and Pastor Brandon Patterson of Maranatha Baptist Church in Plains, Georgia, where former President and Mrs. Carter are long-time members.

Photos taken by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz

“Richard Castaldo was the first person shot and Rachel Joy Scott was the first person killed by Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold at Columbine High School on April 20, 1999. As Richard lay stunned and Rachel attempted to crawl to safety, the shooters began to walk away, only to return seconds later. At that point, Harris grabbed Rachel by her hair, held her head up, and asked her the question, ‘Do you believe in God?’” “‘You know I do, Rachel replied. ‘Then go be with him,’ responded Harris before shooting her in the head. Four bullets from Eric Harris’s gun killed Rachel. Richard described Rachel’s death to his mother in the initial days after the shooting, but has

since blocked those details from his memory. Although Richard survived more than half a dozen gunshot wounds, he remains physically paralyzed and emotionally traumatized as a surviving victim...” of what was considered the most deadly school shooting in U.S. history until the incidents at Sandy Hook Elementary School (2012) in Newtown, Connecticut and Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland Florida (2018).

The lives of Rachel Scott and the survivors of the Columbine High School mass shooting become reflection points at St. Gen’s school year opening retreats, one for incoming girls, and an-

u PAGE A9

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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OPINION & FEATURES

St. Genevieve High School its transformative...

PAGE A8 t

other for the boys. They ponder on the invisible hand of God that continues to create bittersweet symphonies about Rachel’s life, a spiritual giant gone too soon at 17 years old, and with help from St. Gen’s seniors, these freshmen develop their school goals.

A year before Rachel Scott died, she wrote to her friend Sam about having a heavy heart: “I have gotten what I want Lord.

Thank you. The world you have created is making my death. I am a warrior for Christ. Create in me the church so that wherever I go I find sanctuary.”

Rachel drew 13 roses, symbolic perhaps of her prescience that she would be one of the 13 killed, a year after.

“You are free to choose, but you are not free to choose the consequences of your choice,” Craig Scott — brother of Rachel Scott, who witnessed two of his high school friends die that day — said to a packed assembly of students and parents in April 2018 at St. Gen. The killers of Columbine planned to kill 400 to 500 students that day, but their plan failed, as the bombs did not go off.

“These boys were addicted to violence yet, their addictions increased their pain and changed their character,” Scott told the assembly.

He continued, “Shooter was writing about how he was being treated badly at home. What if our world was kinder? We have a lot of heart problems in America.

We have a lot of broken hearts.

He was looking for respect. Hurt people hurt others. They feel so bad about themselves. Bullies are flashing a card: I have no respect for myself.”

Free to be one’s self at St. Gen Anthony, a transfer student from El Camino Real High School in West Hills, captured St. Gen’s impact, “I became who I am because of the people who care for me – there’s no reason not to be who I am. There is no reason to not be myself. This is the environment I embrace. The foundation is welcoming.” He is a baseball player, a football player, takes four honors classes and one Advanced Placement course.

“If you see your teachers working long hours till 6 p.m. with open doors to you, you simply walk in and ask for their help in the topics you did not understand

Dan Horn, Principal with Amanda Allen, Executive Director Photo taken by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz

in class,” Anthony said.

Christian, a sophomore football player who towered at 6’8”, is not just a skilled athlete who is also a graceful liturgical dancer.

He was inspired by Hines Ward, a former Pittsburgh Steeler and MVP of Superbowl XL who has spoken at St. Gen twice.

“When I meet people, I am constantly reinforced. I love it,” he said.

With an affirming and welcoming atmosphere, students learn to respect the school, but mostly respect for one another.

Take a knee Before Dan Horn became the principal, St. Gen was known as the gang-ridden school in the Valley, with low-performing academics and athletics. Why would families come and watch athletes lose a game after another? High school enrollment was at 300, waiting simply for a shutdown. “‘Your athletes make this league look bad,’ one angry principal approached Horn. Then, as Horn listened to the bench-clearing brawl, he realized St. Gen’s girls started the fight, and that made him recognize there was definitely room for some character development,” he wrote in his book, “Anointed Moments.”

Horn recruited a new athletic director, Marlon Archey, and working with him, brought on new hires.

After years of a bad reputation and the longest losing streak in their division’s history, St. Gen’s team had a chance to make playoffs in 2000 if a coin toss would favor them.

“One of the players commanded, ‘Let’s pray to St. Genevieve… take a knee. Following his command, the team, coaches, and I [Dan Horn] went down on one knee, and as this inspiring young man held out his hands to his teammates beside him, ev-

ery man on the ground became connected by hearts as well as hands. The rough patch of asphalt became our holy ground.

The dim glow from the overhead streetlight became a candle. The men kneeling and holding hands were the church, and the baritone voice praying confidently, ‘Sweet Genevieve, help us,’ became our inspiration,” Horn wrote.

These thugs became valiant leaders, but their faith preceded their attitudes and the coin simply followed: the toss came out heads. From then on, their internal software programmed them to be winners.

“From 1990-1999, St. Gen HS had various teams make the playoffs 11 times. From 1999 to Feb. 2014, the various teams make playoffs 101 times, Horn cataloged.

“Coming to St. Gen is an adventure, but also, you leave with a smile,” Archey said to a television reporter.

Nurture their hearts and artistic spirits Archey, the parish school’s athletic director now for 16 years, describes the six pillars of character development they train students at St. Gen: trustworthiness, respect, responsibility, caring, fairness and citizenship.

Archey, during an interview with Dan Horn and his inner circle (St. Gen’s teachers and student leaders) in the school library, shared his coaching intentions: “I am nurturing the souls of these students. I am focused on ingraining in them kindness and how to be welcoming to one another. I am nurturing their spirits, taking where these people are at, this is what they are, this is where they are going to be [for four years]. So why not meet one another, and [know] each of

u PAGE A10

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4-7, 2018

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A10 August 4-7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Alvarez says life goes on after ‘betrayal’ Japan relaxes visa requirements for Filipinos

by Delon

Porcalla Philstar.com

course, being a human being…,” Alvarez told reporters on the sidelines of the PDP-Laban leadership meeting at the Seda Hotel in QueMANILA — Life goes on.

Two years after leading the su- zon City.

Alvarez, a close friend of the per majority coalition in the House of Representatives, former speak- President who earned the ire of er Pantaleon Alvarez admitted his daughter Davao City Mayor yesterday he felt betrayed when he Sara Duterte-Carpio for calling was ousted on the day of President her an opposition member, was Duterte’s third State of the Nation replaced by Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in chaotic Address last week.

“I am now OK… Like I said be- proceedings.

Alvarez, along with PDP-Laban fore, the pain lasted for only 24 hours. After that, wala na. But of stalwarts Sen. Aquilino Pimentel

III, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Ilocos Norte Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas and several others, held a meeting after reported attempts by a disgruntled faction in the party to overthrow them.

The group of PDP-Laban national council chair Rogelio Garcia, accompanied by officials of the party’s regional councils, elected a new set of officials last week and is reportedly eyeing an alliance with the regional Hugpong ng Pagbabago political party of Carpio, which is Mindanao-based.

Garcia proclaimed himself president in place of Pimentel but retained President Duterte as PDP-Laban party chairman in the national assembly, and designated Special Assistant to the President Bong Go as their auditor.

Alvarez was also replaced by the Garcia faction as secretarygeneral.

House reorganization This developed as the new House leadership continues with its minor realignments following the removal of Alvarez and Fariñas as House majority leader.

Newly installed House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., who replaced Fariñas, announced Wednesday night the designation of Leyte Rep. Vicente Veloso as chairman of the House committee on constitutional amendments vice Leyte Rep. Roger Mercado, who is allied with Alvarez.

Cebu Rep. Rodrigo Abellanosa has also taken over the chairmanship of the House committee on environment from Rep. Arnel Ty of LPGMA party-list, while Leyte Rep. Yedda Romualdez was designated chair of the House committee on accounts, replacing Batangas Rep. Elenita Ermita-Buhain, now its vice chair.

Two more House committees — justice and good government — will also undergo changes on the basis that their chairmen, Reps. Rey Umali of Oriental Mindoro and Johnny Pimentel of Surigao del Sur, are identified with the Alvarez-Fariñas group in the House minority.

But Pimentel issued a disclaimer yesterday, claiming he still “belongs to the majority coalition in the House” as Andaya granted his “request to join the majority coalition the same day it was made.”

Dante Roberto Maling is also the acting House secretary-general now, vice Cesar Strait Pareja.

Retired general Romeo Prestoza replaced retired Lt. Gen. Roland Detabali as the House sergeant-atarms. n

MANILA — Japan has eased the visa requirements for Philippine citizens to promote peopleto-people exchanges between the two countries.

The Japanese Embassy in Manila, in a statement, said the number of applicants eligible for multiple entry visas for short term stay has been expanded.

Filipinos who will visit Japan for business and those who are cultural and intellectual figures are

covered by the relaxed policy.

The validity period of the visas has been also extended to 10 years from the previous five years.

The relaxation of visa requirements for Filipinos takes effect this month.

“The abovementioned relaxation of visa requirements is expected to contribute to improvement of convenience for tourists and increase in repeat visitors as

well as further advancement of people-to-people exchanges between Japan and the Republic of the Philippines,” Japanese Embassy said.

The application for multiple entry visa will be announced on the website of Foreign Ministry, the embassy also noted.

Tokyo will host the next summer Olympic games in 2020. (Gaea Katreena Cabico/ Philstar.com)

Duterte warns cops with illegal activities...

PAGE A7 t

I became president… nakita ko ang Pilipino nakapila na by the thousands araw-araw diyan sa television, all contaminated, all sickly, all rendered inutile because of drugs (The police before, in the previous administration, only conducted a few buy-busts. It was only after I became president… that I saw Filipinos lined up, all contaminated, all sickly, all rendered inutile because of drugs),” he said.

Duterte’s warning comes after recent controversy wherein a

policeman was killed while three others were arrested in Taguig City for their alleged involvement in a kidnap-extortion incident.

Despite the international condemnation, the Philippine leader continues his war on drugs campaign.

A line from his State of the Nation Address (SONA) noted that his concern is on “human lives” rather than “human rights” garnered disdain from his critics. Former President Benigno Aquino even commented on the issue, asserting that those two

were inseparable.

In a report from ABS-CBN News, the PNP has long been accused of corruption and inefficiency. As an attempt to address such complaints, the police force is ridding itself of unscrupulous individuals by conducting random drug tests on its personnel.

The PNP Internal Affairs Services (IAS) has recommended the dismissal of at least 85 cops since the war on drugs started its operations. Around 349 police officers tested positive for illegal drug use. n

Stop collecting P3.3-B tax from Pacquiao, BIR told PAGE A7 t

lion, including penalties and surcharges.

The Pacquiaos had earlier questioned before the CTA the BIR’s tax assessment. After conducting several hearings, the tax court issued an order directing the couple to pay more than P3billion cash bond or a surety bond of P4 billion to prevent the BIR from freezing their assets and properties.

This prompted the Pacquiaos to elevate the case before the Supreme Court.

The SC, in its April 6, 2016 ruling, directed the CTA to conduct another hearing to review the BIR’s computation and to assess if the cash or surety bond can already be waived.

In its new resolution, the CTA First Division said the cash or surety bond it earlier imposed against the Pacquiaos can be “dispensed with.”

The First Division said that after conducting another preliminary hearing, it found out that the BIR committed irregularities in its investigation on the Pacquiaos’ supposed tax defficiency.

For one, the court said the BIR failed to issue a Notice of Informal Conference informing a taxpayer of the discrepancies in his tax payments as against his tax obligations.

“Evidently, the taxpayer shall initially be informed in writing of the discrepancies in the payment of his international revenues taxes… In the instant case, however, an evaluation of the records of the case and evidence presented reveals that respondent (BIR) failed to prove that a NIC was issued and served to petitioner,” the First Division said.

The tax court said the BIR also failed to establish that the Pacquiaos committed fraud or tax evasion as well as to “lay the

foundation” on how it arrived at its computation of the couple’s supposed tax deficiencies.

The court said the warrants of distraint and/or levy and garnishment were also prematurely issued by the BIR even before the Pacquiaos were furnished a copy of the FDDA. “Taking all the foregoing into consideration, this Court therefore finds that the respondent, in its assessment of the petitioners’ tax liability, and its efforts of collecting the same, utterly failed to comply with necessary requirements under pertinent laws and issuances,” the CTA said.

The tax court set the pre-trial of the case filed by the Pacquiaos questioning the computation of the BIR on Aug. 30. Both parties are directed to submit their respective pretrial briefs containing the list of evidence and witnesses they intend to present during the trial proper. n

St. Genevieve High School its transformative...

PAGE A9 t

their personalities?”

As the physical education and athletic programs got stronger, Horn was concerned about building the performing arts component. His earlier experience as St. Thomas elementary school’s principal in Pico-Union taught him that performing arts can bring out students’ potentials, illustrated by his befriending Helen Reddy to perform at this elementary school and the children got transformed by these onstage experiences, Horn observed.

Horn convinced St. Gen’s seniors on the football team to sing and dance for the Welcome Freshman Day in August 2000. It became a bonding experience as they spent time practicing but it also encouraged the freshmen to attend football games. Even the Los Angeles Times wrote about the football team’s “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch” interpretation and since then, they have been the media darlings of local television stations.

St. Gen’s values came to be known as: “to know God, to live with honor and to change the world.”

Dr. Gerald Durley, an inspirational speaker invited to the Character Education Speaker Series, was one of Martin Luther King Jr.’s foot soldiers who spoke of “loving ourselves more, to love humanity more, to never

School Wall dedicated to One in a Million Friendships of St. Gen with Pres. Jimmy Carter and Rosalynn Carter and other supporters.

Photos by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz

give up, and to always find the best in ourselves in order to find the best in others. One of his most memorable phrases, always delivered in impassioned style was: The only time you ever have a right to look down on another human being is when you’re offering them help in getting back up,” Horn wrote.

In a Kairos retreat, students often share personal stories about what they have gone through. A student questioned where was God when tragedy happened to him, to which, Horn replied: “It boils down to faith. God is everywhere. God does not cause tragedy, but God is there during the tragic moments. At a time of suf-

Inspirational thoughts, quotes, and posters are prominently displayed throughout the corridors and classrooms of St. Genevieve.

fering, if we look hard enough, we can see God. We can find the spirit of Christ in those who are there to help.”

Horn memorialized in his book, “By revealing what happened to you, it allows us to get you some help and it opens the door for others in the room who have suffered silently to step forward and reach out for assistance in dealing with their own heartaches and pain. You’ve become an angel tonight. Always remember to look for the angels and you will see God.” On October 17, 2003, “St. Gen teachers John Van Grinsven and Maxine Bush took the stage at the Crystal City Marriott across the Potomac River from D.C. to accept the National School of Character Award,” Horn wrote. This accolade made St. Gen “the first high school in California — and the first Catholic school in the nation — a “National School of Character”.

It is now on a huge banner hung at the school entrance heralding for all what this school has gone through, but also, as an aspiration for each incoming school year.

Part II is on the nuggets of wisdom derived at St. Gen and Part III is on their church pastor, Fr. Alden Sison. *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong.

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

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 4-7, 2018

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Such is the Innate Character of His Holiness the Buddha Los Angeles, USA - On June 24, 2018, the flag of the United States was raised over Holy Heavenly Lake in California. That flag was not bought from the street. Rather, it was the very flag that on May 15th was fluttering in the sky above the United States Congress in Washington, D.C.. The same flag was later delivered to the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The raising of that national flag at the Capitol was inspired by the Buddha-character of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. May 15th is the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. That national flag was raised at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. specifically for the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. The flag-raising document stated, “This flag was flown in honor of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, supreme leader of all Buddhism, on the occasion of his birthday.”

In their message congratulating H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III on His birthday, United States President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump stated, “His Holiness Dorje Chang Buddha III, Pasadena, California. Your Holiness, we are pleased to join your family and friends in wishing you a happy birthday! As you celebrate this special occasion, we pray your year ahead is filled with good health, happiness, and the many blessings of our great Nation.

With very best wishes.” A number of senior congressional members from both the House and the Senate also sent letters to congratulate H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III on His birthday, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce, former Chairperson of the Senate Intelligence Committee Dianne Feinstein, the Ranking member of the Senate Committee on Appropriations Patrick Leahy, and others.

Additionally, the United States Postal Service authorized the issuance of a first-day cover to commemorate this significant day of raising the national flag in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. On June 24, 2018 when that flag of the United States was flying above Holy Heavenly Lake in California, several thousand Buddhist figures from all over the world voluntarily congregated at Holy Heavenly Lake. Most of them are dharma masters and religious teachers within Buddhism. The “Celebrating the Birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III” Grand Dharma Assembly was held there.

Buddhists knelt on the ground with khatas in their hands, waiting for the holy presence of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. At around 5:00 in the afternoon, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III arrived. Guarded and protected by multiple-layers of police officers and S.W.A.T. crews, His Holiness the Buddha walked onto the red carpet. All Buddhists kept chanting loudly, “Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III!” Venerable Mozhi, the person in charge of World Buddhism Association Headquarters in the United States, announced at the dharma assembly that a Buddhist city will be built at Holy Heavenly Lake in California. This Buddhist city will be similar to the Vatican, where the Pope of Catholicism resides.

The “True Dharma Temple,” where H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III will reside, will also be built there. Holy Heavenly Lake is a Buddhist treasure-land. Beneath it is a huge underground crystal lake. Below the lakeside of Holy Heavenly Lake, there is also an underground river which is one of the two great underground rivers in the world that flows from south to north.

That place is truly auspicious!

The Buddhist city will accommodate temple clusters, businesses, tourism, hotels, rivers and ferry boats, all threaded together into an aquatic city by nautical waterways. Most important of all, the Ancient Buddha True Dharma Temple— the holy site for spreading true Buddha-dharma—will become the most authentic holy site in the world for propagating true Buddha-dharma!

Who is H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III? Why is His Holiness given such importance by our nation and respected so broadly by the public?

In December of 2002, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the Gold Medal issued

by President George W. Bush to honor His Holiness’ noble ethics and morality, accomplishments in artistry, and outstanding contributions to humanity. In 2010, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the World Peace Prize - Top Honor Prize. In 2011, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was awarded the distinguished Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Legacy Award for International Service and Leadership. In 2018, the status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as the supreme leader of the entirety of Buddhism was once again confirmed!

As early as in 2012, the United States Senate passed Resolution No. 614, formally designating H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III with the honorific title “His Holiness” (abbreviated as H.H.). Such a title indicated recognition of the highest level, unexcelled and most treasured status. This resolution officially placed the status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III at the highest level. I had the good fortune to ask H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, “I heard that Your Holiness has the status of the Pope of Buddhism and that Your Holiness has received the Buddhist Papal Scepter.” H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “Is there any meaning in that? The true Buddhist scepter is to be enlightened and then enlighten others.”

The status of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was conclusively established according to the system of Buddhist recognition in a manner similar to how the Penchen Lama, Karmapa, and others were recognized. Such status is not self-conferred but determined by the system. According to the Buddhist system of recognition, it only takes two rinpoches or lamas to issue a recognition. The recognition is then considered formally established. In the entire history of formal recognitions within Buddhism, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is the one who has received the largest number of recognitions.

No one has ever gotten even one-fifth of the recognitions that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has received. This establishment of the position of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III based on conclusive evidence cannot be affected in any way by anybody’s endorsement or veto. Rather, it is a systemic and ironclad conclusion.

It has been twenty years since H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to the United States from China.

Since it is His vow of conduct not to accept any offerings, His Holiness makes his living mainly from income generated from His paintings and sculptures. His Holiness lives a very simple life yet vigorously supports matters of justice, deeds of benevolence, charity to the needy, and the benefiting of others. His Holiness even sold paintings specifically to cover the expenses of temples and the livelihoods of monastics.

In the early years when H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was in Chengdu, China, living supplies were scarce and people lived on rations. Whenever His Holiness was home, patients with all kinds of illnesses came in an endless stream to seek treatment. Three hundred people registered to seek treatment from Him each day. His Holiness the Buddha always treated patients with no conditions attached and without accepting even one cent. When encountering poor patients who could not afford their medicine, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III even gave His own limited rationed living supplies to those poor and sick patients. Even when His Holiness had nothing to eat and was about to faint, He still refused to accept the food offered by His patients.

In His teenage years, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III used the iambic format of “Nian Nu Jiao” to compose the verse “Immediate Entry into the Universe,” in which He wrote, “Three thousand patients come to my door. Day and night, I apply herbal medicine to do wonders.” That was a depiction of the situation then.

Recently, in the Grand Hall of the Buddha at the Holy Miracles Temple in the United States, Ms. Judy Kuan, who is the younger sister of an important high-level political figure in Taiwan, revealed a deeply hidden secret that people did not know for many years about H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Her reading of the factual account was hosted by dharma masters. Following the beating of the drum and the striking of the bell, in front of the statue of Sakyamuni Buddha and the congregation, she made a grave vow to tell the truth.

Such truth astounded everyone in the audience.

She mentioned that the elderly Mr. Pan Shiao Rui, the ship-dismantling king who was a disciple of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, wanted to present offerings to H.H. the Buddha many times.

Ms. Kuan was always the contact person for him. Mr. Pan Shiao Rui told her that he and Dharma Master Hsing Yun went to Taiwan together in the early years. At that time, Mr. Pan sponsored all the expenses of Dharma Master Hsing Yun as well as the living expenses of his monastic followers.

He was also the sponsor and supervisor of the International Buddha’s Light Association. The affiliated Hsi Lai Temple in the United States was also built mainly from his donations.

In 1999, shortly after H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to the United States, Mr. Pan invited H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to San Francisco to look at a piece of land that he wanted to present as an offering. Real estate in San Francisco was priced like gold!

Mr. Pan first invited H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III to look at a

On May 15th, the United States Postal Service issued a first-day cover to commemorate the raising of the American flag at Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. to celebrate the birthday of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Thousands of people knelt on the ground with khatas in their hands to welcome the Buddha, loudly chanting “Namo H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III.” Heavily guarded by rounds of uniformed and plainclothes police and by an anti-terrorist squad, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III walked onto the red carpet.

piece of land in the suburbs of San Francisco that was more than 2,000 acres. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III declined his offering, using the pretext that the land was too big. Mr. Pan then found another thirty-seven-acre (approximately 201 Chinese mu) piece of land in the city of San Francisco. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III again declined, using a different reason.

Then Mr. Pan found and offered a seven-story Spanish-style building of 65,000 square feet in Oakland, which was again declined by H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Having no way to make his offerings, Mr. Pan resorted to presenting monetary offerings each year in huge sums of over US$1,000,000. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not accept even one of them. His Holiness always told Judy Kuan to give Mr. Pan the bank account number of either a Buddhist organization or a temple. However, what you cannot imagine is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was not even a member of those temples or organizations.

In 2013, the elderly Mr. Pan came for the last time to America to pay respect to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. He said that he had reached an advanced age and was preparing to leave this world.

He had come that time to present a large amount of gold as an offering. Mr. Pan was once the deputy chief of staff to Dai Li, who was a senior official in the Kuomintang (Nationalist Party). Mr. Pan was responsible for managing some business and financial affairs for Dai Li. At that time, Mr. Pan bought a large amount of gold, which was put away in a Hong Kong treasury.

The gold bars weighed two kilograms to five kilograms apiece, and there was a huge quantity. He wanted to present all the gold to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III as an offering. He even discussed with Judy Kuan whether to transport the gold by plane or ship.

You can imagine the vast quantity! H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III immediately refused the entire offering and did not even allow him to mention the word “gold” again.

To stop the elderly Mr. Pan, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III told him not to mention making an offering again; otherwise, his karmic connection with the dharma would be damaged.

Other people would use all possible methods to arouse their followers to make offerings, yet H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III rejected such enormous offerings! Is this something an ordinary person could do? Who can have such selfless, greedless character of holy purity! Think about this: If one were given free of charge such an enormous amount of land, buildings, cash, or gold, if one were given such glittering money and wealth with no strings attached, who could remain unmoved? H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was not only unmoved, He graciously declined all of those offerings!

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to the United States in 1999.

Actually, His life in the United States has always been very arduous, but He has never minded that. All that His Holiness thinks about are the interests of the public. His Holiness serves as a model for others, teaching cultivators with His own words and conduct. For the past twenty years until now, His Holiness has always lived a hard and simple life. I often go to the home office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. Mentioning that office may elicit laughter. It is in a corridor right outside a bathroom. With all kinds of books and other things piled up there, the remaining space is at most only four square meters. When someone is coming through the corridor, those sitting there have to get up to let that person through.

You cannot even imagine that in the twenty years during which H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has lived in the United States, His Holiness has not even had a dining table. He always eats His meals at the kitchen counter. Many Buddhist eminent monastics and greatly virtuous ones have eaten meals with H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. They, too, stood beside the kitchen counter just like H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did.

Almost all of the space inside the home of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is taken up by the storage of Buddhist objects and His Holiness’ accomplishments in the Five

Vidyas. I once personally saw H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III sewing and mending His own clothes. His Holiness said with a smile, “Too bad, I accidentally slit it!” How could an ordinary person fathom the holy purity and greatness of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III? When one is rich, perhaps one can be indifferent toward donations from others. However, what about when one is poor, in need of money, and is presented with a huge sum of money with no strings attached? Only H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can remain unmoved in such circumstances!

In this society, everybody wants to become rich. They dream of becoming rich. When someone else is perfectly willing to give away a huge amount of money and assets with no strings attached, this is everyone’s get-rich dream coming true. H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not even take a look at those offerings and simply refused them with ease. Where else in the world is there a person who does not enjoy what he is able to enjoy, who gives up wealth, and who keeps hardships for himself? Who can attain such virtuous conduct? Perhaps only Sakyamuni Buddha and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can do so.

Before the true identity of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was known to the world, His Holiness the Buddha was already world-famous for having attained the pinnacle of accomplishment in the Five Vidyas.

Just in painting alone, His Holiness single-handedly founded sixteen painting styles used in both Chinese and Western painting. The subject matter of those paintings include people, birds, insects, fishes, nature, still life, mountains, water, and landscape. The brushwork includes realistic fine brushstrokes and freehand brushstrokes, and the techniques include abstract, realist, and impressionist techniques. Each work of art is an accomplishment that is unparalleled.

His Holiness’ paintings, calligraphy, and sculptures are collected by the International Art Museum of America. The H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III Cultural and Art Museum is dedicated to permanently exhibiting artworks created by His Holiness.

This year, senior officials from the White House were guests at the home of His Holiness. One of them asked His Holiness, “Seeing your artistic accomplishments, there is a puzzle that none of us can figure out. Do you spend twenty-four hours every day to create art? Even if you spent twenty-four hours a day, you still could not possibly have created so many artworks!” H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III replied, “I am very ashamed. I am immersed in Buddhist matters every day. I spend so very little time creating art.” That senior official from the White House then asked, “We have seen your artworks. There is one piece that you could not have possibly finished even if you worked on it every day for several decades. That is what we are unable to understand. How did it come into being?” The person in charge of the Office of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III replied, “The piece you saw is only one percent of the artworks created by His Holiness the Buddha.” Upon hearing that, everyone was even more astounded and puzzled. This truly is a fact that cannot be explained through ordinary human thinking.

In fact, be it the zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, sculpture, landscape design, literature, poetry, iambic verses, odes, songs, maxims of philosophy, singing, and other disciplines, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has distinguished expertise in all of them.

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can indiscriminately take into his hands any musical instrument and play it. His Holiness is exceptionally accomplished even in scientific research and culinary skills. The physical strength of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is also quite extraordinary. This year, His Holiness effortlessly picked up with one hand an Earth Vajra weighing 220 pounds and put it on the offering table. More than 2,000 people have tried to pick up the same Earth Vajra, including a gym-trainer of extraordinary strength who is in his twenties and weighs over 200 pounds.

However, until now, nobody has

been able to lift that Earth Vajra off the ground with one hand.

It has been twenty years since H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III came to America. Throughout all these years, His Holiness has been voluntarily serving the public. Although there are designated people who prepare the meals for His Holiness from another work area, whenever the cooks ask H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III what He would like to eat, He always relies, “I eat whatever you prepare. Something simple and in a small amount is fine.” For twenty years, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III has never specified the food that He wanted to eat. Those people are cooks in His Holiness’ own kitchen, yet His Holiness has never had any craving for the joy of food throughout these decades!

The innate character of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III cannot be fathomed by common people.

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III never reveals His true state of Buddhahood to the world. When evil masters slandered His Holiness by saying He is not a Buddha, He did not mind in the least and never manifested His holy realization to prove that He is a Buddha. Last year, some people of evil spirit brought on demonic forces to damage the wisdom-lifeblood of numerous Buddhist disciples.

When someone openly raised questions about that, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III reluctantly manifested the true appearance of Buddha in order to save living beings. White thin hairs instantly emerged between His Holiness’ eyebrows. At the time, some people saw one white hair, while others saw a large tuft of white hairs.

Some saw white spiraling hairs intertwined like pearls. Some saw the hairs radiating and standing like steel needles, emitting white light. During the same time, what each person saw was different. A Caucasian who was a high government official said that he did not see the white hairs but did see two completely different visages of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III within one minute! When H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III manifested His sambhogakaya appearance as a Buddha, His entire face became the bright and beautiful color of red coral. Moreover, the two sides of His face emitted strong light, like that of the sun, causing some people to be unable to open their eyes. His Holiness also manifested the even-teeth appearance, which is one of the thirty-two marks of a Buddha!

H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III truly is an ancient-Buddha Tathagata. No wonder His Holiness has reached the unmatched pinnacle of accomplishment in the Five Vidyas. No wonder His Holiness is perfectly proficient in the sutras and treatises, can do that which is difficult to do, and can endure that which is difficult to endure. No wonder His Holiness has no greed, has no anger, and has not even the slightest mental attachment. His great wisdom is limitless, and His compassion is boundless. All of these qualities are due to the innate character of a Buddha.

Since being recognized as H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III by the leaders of each of the major Buddhist sects and schools, His Holiness has been even more fully occupied with dharma matters.

His Holiness no longer creates any paintings. As always, His Holiness voluntarily serves the public, transmitting dharma and expounding dharma for an average of eight to twelve hours a day. His Holiness often grants audiences to disciples until 2:00 or 3:00 in the wee hours of the night. Even though His Holiness has arduously served others on a voluntary basis over such a long period of time, He nonetheless has never accepted any offerings. It seems that there has never been another person in this world who is so selfless, who always puts benefiting others above all else, and who always serves the interests of others without a care for himself. This is truly quite inconceivable!

In this world, people of talent are not necessarily virtuous.

Moreover, they are usually talented in one particular discipline.

People of virtue may not necessarily be talented. Moreover, the virtue they possess is often ordinary.

However, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III possess perfect and flawless virtue along with talent that has reached the apex of accomplishment. Furthermore, what the world respects and admires most

is that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III saves living beings out of loving compassion. His Holiness has no anger or hatred at all, even toward those who harmed, deceived, or slandered Him. His Holiness even often prays for those people, wishing them happiness.

For example, many years ago H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III was falsely persecuted, which led to the launch of a special investigation by INTERPOL. That was three full years of tribulation. Yet, just as real gold fears no fire, a man of integrity can stand severe tests. The case against His Holiness was dismissed during the 72nd session of the Commission for the Control of Interpol’s Files.

Official written notification was subsequently issued to all member countries of INTERPOL, informing them that they cannot detain H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III. China also submitted a report stating that H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III did not commit any crime, and China requested that INTERPOL withdrawal the case against Him. INTERPOL even specially issued a document to H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III regarding the conclusion of the case. After His Holiness received that document dismissing His case and clearing Him of all the smearing targeted against Him, His Holiness did not agree to show it on the internet.

When asked why not, H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III said, “If my name is cleared, then the names of those who harmed me will not be cleared.” His Holiness the Buddha does not bear any anger or hatred toward those who harmed Him. His Holiness would rather be misunderstood by the world than have those who slandered and harmed Him experience suffering or dreadful consequences.

What selfless, compassionate, and magnificent Buddha-character this is!

This is the way H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III is, personally applying His Buddha-virtue to teach and transform people, inspiring others to be good people, to abstain from all evil, to do all deeds of goodness, to be cultivators, and to be people who benefit others. This is the supreme and unconditioned Buddha-virtue.

Buddha-character comes from the state of Buddha-enlightenment that perfectly integrates Buddha-wisdom, Buddha-merit, and Buddha-virtue. The wisdom of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, His world-astounding accomplishments in the Five Vidyas, and His numerous achievements that are at the highest level are openly witnessed by the world.

The holy realization of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can be seen when His Holiness manifests His sambhogakaya appearance, when His Holiness teaches the dharma of the Tathagata, successfully invokes the presence of Amitabha Buddha, causes holy holy nectar (amrita) to descend to earth, and saves countless living beings. The Buddha-virtue of H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III entails great compassion and forbearance. It is free of greed, anger, and attachment. It is completely devoid of selfishness, and is totally dedicated to benefiting others. Such purity and nobility exceeds even the brightness and purity of the sun and moon!

When we see such inner character of a Buddha in H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III, what can we who are ordinary beings say?

All I can say is that I ask everyone to reflect a bit on the following few questions: Presented with offerings of a huge amount of gold, land, and wealth, His Holiness was completely without greed and remained unaffected. Who can do that?

Holding a document from INTERPOL that cleared Him of all the accusations fabricated against Him, His Holiness simply locked the document into a safe without making any use of it. Who can do that?

Having made the lifetime vow of not accepting any offerings, His Holiness is continuously busy expounding dharma to people and serving the public from early morning till late at night, even up to 2:00 or 3:00 in the morning, without receiving even one cent in return. Who can do that?

The truth is, probably only Sakyamuni Buddha, all Buddhas in the ten directions, and H.H. Dorje Chang Buddha III can do so!

A12 August 4-7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

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Journal Baldwin asks Duterte what he thinks of Justin Bieber marrying his daughter

by Julius

n. leonen Inquirer.net

WHAT does president rodrigo Duterte think about canadian singer Justin Bieber marrying American model Hailey Baldwin?

During a courtesy call, Hailey’s father, Hollywood actor and film producer Stephen Baldwin, asked the philippine president what he thinks of the matter.

Duterte and Baldwin met on the sidelines of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of Toyota motor philippines corporation at the Grand Hyatt manila in Taguig city.

Baldwin, together with communications Assistant Secretary mocha Uson, will star in the upcoming drug-themed film “Kaibigan.”

“During the start of the meeting, mr. Baldwin asked the president’s opinion on his daughter’s (Hailey Baldwin) engagement to

Jay Carlon performing in “CARLON: fold, unfold, refold” at the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater on Thursday, Aug. 2.

Hollywood Actor Stephen Baldwin (center) poses with President Rodrigo Duterte and erstwhile “selfie king” Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go in Malacanang on Wednesday, August 1. Baldwin is in the Philippines to do a drug-themed movie with Filipino actors, led by Cesar Montano. Go says he will appear in a cameo role as a basketball coach of a youth team.

actor, singer, and songwriter mr.

Justin Bieber,” Special Assistant to the president (SAp) Bong Go said.

“The president responded that as long as mr. Bieber truly believes in the sanctity of marriage, mr. Baldwin has nothing to worry about,” Go said, quoting Duterte.

Bieber confirmed in an instagram photo posted last July that he and Baldwin are engaged after dating for a month. in the photo, Baldwin is seen kissing Bieber. The canadian singer had promised to put Baldwin first and calls her the love of his life.

Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company returns to US after nearly 40 years by

rae ann Varona AJPress

After nearly 40 years, the internationally acclaimed leyte Kalipayan Dance company is back in the U.S. for its third tour in the nation to promote the philippine performing arts, culture, and heritage through philippine dance.

Up until the end of August, the company will be showcasing their “Kalipayan” (Happiness) production that features dances from different philippine regions, as well as Spanish dances from the country’s Spanish era among others. in partnership with the Waraynon initiative network (Win)

and other sponsors, proceeds from the show will go towards the continuing efforts of rebuilding their home town of Tacloban city which was destroyed by the record breaking Super Typhoon Haiyan — known internationally as Typhoon Yolanda — in 2013.

58 years of dancing The leyte Kalipayan Dance company has gone a long way since its founding in 1960 by its then choreographer and artistic director Teresita Veloso pil.

Today, the dance company comprises of 31 young dancers, ranging in age from junior high school students to young professionals — all from Tacloban city. originally the leyte Filipini-

ana Dance Troupe, the company in 1965 embarked on its first ten-month U.S. tour as cultural Ambassadors of the philippines under former philippine president Diosdado macapagal. in new York, the company showcased their Tinikling performance in the legendary ed Sullivan Show which was the biggest show in U.S. television at the time. Sullivan described their performance as “charming” while millions of Americans tuned in to watch.

Under former philippine president Ferdinand marcos, the dance company again came to the U.S. as part of the philippine official cultural mission to PAGE B2

The Fil-Am dancer/performance artist exploring the experiences of displaced people LA-based artist Jay Carlon’s piece “CARLON: fold, unfold, refold” premieres at the REDCAT NOW Festival on Aug. 2 in Downtown LA

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

Filipino-AmericAn dancer and performance artist Jay carlon is constantly driven by the curiosity of many things: of forms, of society and of his world.

The ways in which carlon manipulates and reconfigures the senses within a specific ambiance lay the framework for his creative expression. Sounds, in particular, play a primary role in his work, especially in a new performance he unveiled on a sold-out night at the roy and edna Disney/calArts Theater (reDcAT) for the reDcAT new original Works (noW) Festival Thursday, Aug. 2.

This piece, called “cArlon: fold, unfold, refold,” is an experiment of distorted audio and vibrations using a familiar medium to him, dancers on cardboard, in a very unfamiliar setting, an indoor theatre.

“The reDcAT is such a great space for experimental art and ideas, and i wanted to make sure that i could have some kind of

Jay Carlon performing in “CARLON: fold, unfold, refold” at the Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater on Thursday, Aug. 2.

Photos by Vanessa Crocini

a controlled setting, especially with sounds,” carlon, 32, shared with the Asian Journal in a recent interview.

His collaborative dance theatre company, cArlon, put together the piece along with Grammy-winning composer Alex Wand, who served as the sound designer and helped establish the performance’s uncanny mood. “i wanted to the audience to feel like they’re inside of a box,” carlon said. “i was curious to

know how sounds that the dancers are creating can be amplified and distorted and somewhat mimic the disturbing infraction of memories.” like all artists, carlon’s creative mission is to experiment with forms and find ways to portray his own interpretation of nature and humanity. But unlike many artists, his finished product succeeds in exuding the personal and honest nature of his creation.

PAGE B2

EntErtainmEnt

B August 4 - 7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

The Fil-Am dancer...

PAGE B1 Donning uniform navy blue jumpsuits, the four dancers — Carlon, Raymond Ejiofor, Samantha Mohr and Alyson Van — moved across the stage, which has been draped in cardboard taped together.

Within the cardboard are microphones that captured varying decibels of their movements as they impacted the floor through light taps, violent thrusts and body slams that vibrated throughout the room, creating an eerie aural environment.

Upon first impression, the work seems simple, even minimal. But as the performance progresses and the pressure mounts, the work and the narratives told, were anything but simple.

The simultaneously methodical and animalistic dancers (choreographed by Carlon with early assistance from dancer Lindsey Lollie), along with the reverberations they create, make for a visceral audio-visual masterwork that stands out among the works presented at the festival.

His REDCAT premiere is an extension of previous depictions and examinations of similar forms and themes. Carlon was inspired by the experiences of displaced people in the city, including the homeless and im-

Dancer Alyson Van performs during “CARLON: fold, unfold, refold.”

Carlon carries Ejiofor on his shoulder during a climactic moment in “CARLON: fold, unfold, refold.”

Cardboard acts as the canvas on which the dancers perform. Microphones are hidden within the cardboard, and the dancers manipulate the sound and vibrations through their movements.

migrants, whose lives take a hard turn into a world of uncertainty and, often, oppression.

“I just kept working with these ideas of using the floor as a jumping pad, so I kept thinking, ‘how can we make the floor more interesting?’” Carlon shared. “I was thinking about the ways in which cardboard is used in the

(L-R) Performers Samantha Mohr and Raymond Ejiofor synchronize during “CARLON: fold, unfold, refold.”

Carlon collaborated with Grammy-winning composer Alex Wand (background) who served as audio director, amplifying and intensifying the sounds of impact of the dancers to create a fierce soundscape.

City of LA. It’s this materiality that represents displacement, concerning homelessness and even migration. From that, I’ve been thinking a lot about memory and migration work.”

His father was part of the first wave of Filipino immigrants to migrate to the United States, commonly known as the Manong Generation, and established the family in California. Identity discovery is a key venture in his mission as an artist and as a Filipino-American who, like many second-generation Filipino Americans, has embarked on a journey to familiarize himself with his roots.

For his REDCAT premiere, he was driven by “how the trauma involved with leaving one’s place, whether that’s for looking for new opportunities or fleeing a war-torn country. So thinking about my own family’s personal history, along with the political climate surrounding migrants today, it made me think about how cardboard and memory come together to create this visual and aural landscape.”

Carlon grew up in Santa Maria, California and graduated from UC Irvine with a Bachelor’s of Fine Arts in Dance and Cal State Long Beach, where he earned a Master’s of Fine Arts.

Before he was selected to showcase at the REDCAT, Carlon and his collaboration team held public performances in

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Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company...

PAGE B1 the United States’ 1982 World’s Fair.

Tour performances included the formal opening of the famous EPCOT Center at Walt Disney World in Florida, and a special performance during the Presidential Dinner at Washington D.C.’s now gone Corcoran Gallery of Art. Outside of the U.S., the Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company has gone on nearly 25 international tours with performances at the Expo ‘70 in Osaka, Japan; the UNESCO cultural season in Paris, France; and in countries including Israel, Rome, Switzerland, Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain, Bahrain, and Mexico.

Rebuilding Tacloban When Typhoon Haiyan made landfall in the areas of Samar and Leyte, the dance company was among the 11 million people affected.

“The dance company lost everything preserved for over 50 years, and our rehearsal hall we called home for 40 years,” Melissa Braga Montilla, the company’s current president and CEO, told the Asian Journal.

“All the costumes, all our props and instruments were lost as well,” she added. “It was a very devastating experience.”

Fortunately through a project called the Rebuild Kalipayan Project, the company was able to replace a number of its costumes, props, and instruments.

The next goal now is to rebuild a rehearsal home for the dancers which the company hopes will also act as the city’s official places like Santa Monica as well as residencies in prominent art spaces like the Annenberg Community Beach House, The Broad Museum and homeLA. Carlon has also enjoyed success with site-based aerial spectacle theatre company Australia’s Sway Pole, with whom he’s performed at the 2014 Sochi Olympics and the 2018 Super Bowl.

In 2016, he established his collaborative dance theatre group CARLON with the mission to provocatively explore socio-political issues, especially “identity, sexuality, race, gender and mental health,” according to Carlon. He says that his cultural identity has inspired him to undergo future explorations and creative renderings of the

Members of the Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company at the Asian Journal office in Glendale, California on Tuesday, July 31. The 31 member dance company will be performing for their Kalipayan Philippine Cultural Benefit Show in partnership with the Waraynon Initiative Network this Saturday, August 4 at 3 p.m. at the Jack Tygett Theater in Chula Vista, California; and 7 p.m. at the Bristol Civic Auditorium in Bellflower, California. Tickets can be purchased at the door, or in advance by contacting Derrick Anido (562) 805-8152, Lu-Ann Ballais (904) 881-0290, or Tess Agner (949) 350-0111.

center for the arts.

While some proceeds from the fundraising tour will go towards the dance company, money raised would also go towards livelihood projects in Tacloban City being conducted by WIN. WIN was founded five years ago with the purpose of promoting the Waraynon heritage in Southern California — Waraynon refers to the Waray people hailing from the Eastern Visayan islands of Samar, Leyte, and Biliran.

Officially becoming a 501(c) non-profit organization in 2015, WIN has since made its major goal to help cater to the economic and social needs of the Waray people — especially in regards to Typhoon Haiyan. Last year, WIN embarked on medical, surgical, and dental missions to Tacloban City.

Like its current show with Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company, much of WIN’s fundraising is done through concerts and

performances with their own orchestra, choral, and dancers.

Many are alumni of the Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company.

Since starting, WIN has held three cultural shows in Los Angeles with proceeds going to Haiyan survivors.

For the upcoming year of 2019, WIN President Tess Agner said that the organization would be focusing on livelihood projects. With the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) for example, WIN hopes to boost the region’s booming culinary scene through culinary training.

2018 Kalipayan U.S. Tour The Leyte Kalipayan Dance Company will continue touring the U.S. until Saturday, August 25, performing August 4 in Chula Vista and Bellflower, California; August 12 in Las Vegas, Nevada; August 18 in Sacramento, California; August 20 and 25 in San Francisco, California.

experiences of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.

Most recently, CARLON presented a piece on the Santa Monica Beach called “Four Triangles” that deployed sounds from drums and Chladni plates as well as the surrounding beach sand. The inevitability of outdoor ambient noise of pedestrians, vehicles driving by and weather were key elements that added an unvarnished texture to the piece.

For Carlon, being selected for the REDCAT NOW Festival was an opportunity to showcase his work in a totally different context and with a higher level of environment manipulation.

Being inside the theatre with an audience who paid to be there, as opposed to performing

outside for beach passersby, effectively and profoundly captures the theme of displacement in a novel way, proving that the inquisitive, young artist has the remarkable ability to adapt to any and all spaces and contexts.

“It’s really all about being curious and keeping a childlike wonder and a sense of inquiry,” Carlon says of his approach. “It’s asking yourself, ‘What happens if I do this, or if I put these two disparate elements together, how can that be interesting?’

It’s important to always have that sense of curiosity in your development.”

“CARLON: fold, unfold, refold” is shown in nightly performances from Aug. 2-4 at the REDCAT Theatre within Walt Disney Concert Hall in Downtown LA.

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Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 4 - 7, 2018

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Exploring the US East Coast and Canada with Super Vacation

A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE THAT INCLUDED RETROGRESSION OF PRIORITY DATES, AGING OUT, AND THE FATHER SUCCUMBING TO CANCER JUST BEFORE VISA ISSUANCE ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN PINOY!” In July 2007, Raffy’s mother adjusted status in the U.S., hoping to immediately bring her husband and son, Raffy (left) to the U.S. from the Philippines. However, her priority date retrogressed (moved backwards) and the wait stretched for years. Several setbacks occurred, including further retrogression of the priority dates, Raffy aging out, and Raffy’s father being diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately he passed away in the Philippines without seeing his American dream come true. Raffy’s mother then retained the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case from two previous attorneys, who were not taking active steps to move the case forward. Watch how leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to convince the Embassy to reconsider Raffy’s denial, showing he qualified under the Child Status Protection Act, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising supplement)

Don’t say goodbye before pre-planning

by Maria

Cho

IT’S never too early to plan for the important occasions in our life.

In fact, every day we are making plans for our immediate and not so distant future: family dinners, vacations, weddings, visiting children or grandchildren, retirement.

But have you ever considered planning how your loved ones will remember you?

Pre-planning your funeral doesn’t have to be sad. In fact, it can be a celebration of your life and a way to say goodbye on your terms. Pre-planning could be one of the best gifts you leave your family with.

Why future plan?

Planning for a family member or loved one’s death after the fact can be an incredible burden, leaving important decisions and expenses left to those who are grieving.

Often times this leads to disagreements and fighting at a time your family and friends should be comforting each other. Doing your own pre-planning now helps alleviate a lot of stress later.

Nowadays, people usually say that they do not have the money to pre-plan but many do not realize funeral costs are expensive and require a lot of time.

I remember when my mother passed away in 1988. I was an

only child and had no idea how much a funeral cost. Of course, if I had asked others to help me with a wedding, then there would be a lot of help. However, with a funeral, there was none. I ended up having to plan a cremation for my mother. She always told me she NEVER wanted a cremation but at the time I had no choice.

This tragic event is what sparked my passion to want to help others plan for their future. I want to make sure no one has to go through what I did with my mother. And it’s why I want to help make sure people have some peace of mind when their loved ones pass away.

How much do services cost?

In 1998, I bought a cemetery plot for $1,000 plus an additional $3,600 for services at Holy Cross Cemetery. Today those prices are now $16,000-$20,000. That is a devastating increase in price. A funeral service can be planned and purchased in monthly payments as low as $73 a month for burial or cremation.

If you plan for the future now, you will be able to lock in today’s prices. Funeral home prices are constantly changing every year.

Of course, all funeral homes have different prices. An expensive service does not guarantee a pleasant funeral, nor does a lowcost service mean a disappointing

service. But one thing is certain - when you’re stuck having to make quick, last-minute decisions, you will pay more than you would have if you pre-planned.

It’s the same concept as planning a vacation ahead of time - it’s cheaper to buy airline tickets in advance than buying your ticket the day of. So why not plan your ticket to heaven now? *** I am a Pre-Need Counselor and I offer free consultations. Please call me at (310) 987-0736.

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THE East Coast is charming with its many historical attractions, bustling city life, stylish residents, numerous museums, and movie locations — all of which also make it a great summer destination.

In New York, there’s the towering Empire State Building where visitors can get an unobstructed view of the city’s impressive skyline. There’s also the famous Statue of Liberty which though shorter, still gives those who conquer its 354 steps to the top, a full view of New York City along the Hudson River. And of course, there are the Metropolitan Museum, One World Trade Center, the United Nations building, Fifth Avenue, and the Rockefeller Center among many, many others.

Finding nature amidst the buildings can be done through a stroll through beautiful Central Park, or a visit to the majestic Niagara Falls.

A short travel across Upstate New York brings you to Boston, where many of the U.S.’ top universities can be found including the country’s oldest university, Harvard University. Don’t forget to get a photo with its founder’s statue. Also don’t forget to taste the state’s famous delicacies like Boston Cream Pie and its Boston lobster.

And no visit to the East Coast is truly complete without a visit to the nation’s capitol, Washington D.C where visitors can visit the United States Capitol and

the iconic White House. Also make your way around the grassy National Mall, making stops at iconic monuments like the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument, and the Smithsonian museums. Visit the Corning Museum of glass which has a collection of over 45,000 glass objects — some dating back 3,500 years.

As always, Super Vacation makes traveling easier through their carefully curated travel

packages. If you’re short on time, Super Vacation makes it possible to explore famous east coast destinations in just five days — covering over eight must-visit spots! If you’re looking for a more relaxed option, opt for their most popular East Coast 7 Days Deluxe Tour (EC7) package which lasts a whole week which means more museums, more fun, and more time to kick back.

Super Vacation also has an option that brings travelers to Canada in its East Coast & Canada 8 Days Deluxe Tour (ECA8) package. In addition to visiting the East Coast landmarks, you’ll further get to visit the paradise-like Thousand Islands that borders New York and Canada, and make your way through Toronto, Ottawa, and Montreal!

Established in 1981, Super Vacation specializes in travel packages throughout the U.S. and Canada. To book, or get more information on their tours and rates, call them at (626) 571 - 2988, or visit them online at www.americaasia. com.

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B August 4 - 7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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Alana de la Cruz spreads her ‘golden voice’

While in high school, she hid in her bedroom playing her “Miss

By Monet Lu Saigon” CDs over and over while singing along to Lea Salonga’s ALANA Nicole de la Cruz grew role as Kim. Her friends, who up in a small southern Illinois would accidentally hear her, town across the river from St. encouraged Alana to sing a song Louis, MO. At the tender age of from “Miss Saigon” for the school, 2, Alana showed her love of music but her stage fright hindered her by singing and performing with a ability.

After receiving a college mumicrophone in her hand around sic scholarship, Alana gained the house.

The oldest of five children, she more confidence in her abilorganized family performances by ity. With the encouragement enlisting (sometimes against their of university music faculty, her will) her younger brothers and courage and determination to sister into musical productions sing blossomed. Alana pursued for her parents. By the age of 6, music/vocal performance as a Alana’s parents had indulged her minor at the University of Illinois love of music by enrolling her in Urbana-Champaign. New singing both piano and dance classes. opportunities came to her while After one year of dance lessons, studying there. One of her most she performed on a large stage exciting opportunities included with her dance classmates in a being invited to be an official U ballet recital, her first taste of of I National Anthem singer for all performing before an audience. sporting events. By 2004, Alana The exhilaration of the experience finally crushed all her fears after planted a seed in Alana’s heart performing the National Anthem for her largest audience of 6,000 that left her yearning for more.

Her passion for singing grew people during the University’s even stronger, proving that sing- “Pack the Hall Orange” event.

Following her college years, ing was her natural, God-given talent. But there was a catch to Alana had her share of personal Alana’s singing passion: Although trials and tribulations. Nevertheshe loved to sing, she kept it hid- less, she was able to brush herself den from the public. As a teenag- off by the grace of God and forge er, a crippling shyness prevented ahead towards what she always her from performing solo in front knew she was meant to do. For of an audience. Consequently, those who are curious as to what she never received significant those exact trials were, she is roles in high school musicals nor currently working on writing a solo performances in the choir. screenplay based on her life story.

She wanted to stay in the back- Endeavoring to turn her past pain ground, never having the courage into her passionate purpose, Alana also speaks for women’s to sing alone publicly.

Privately, Alana would SING! conferences using her testimony of triumph to help empower other women to discover their real value, have a healthy self-image, self-respect, self-worth and most importantly to recognize the unique brilliance that lies within all of us.

To pursue her career as a performer and studio recording artist and driven to chase after her dreams even more than ever, Alana took a leap of faith to move from Illinois to Branson, MO. She got her first lead role Sandra in the “Nifty Fifties Show.” During that time, she pursued, with a lot of help and support from her parents, additional vocal training and won a soprano role in “Suor Angelica” with the prestigious New York Lyric Opera Theatre in New 1York City.4:42 PM Page 1 Broadthink - AJ Ad_June2018_115_Layout 6/20/18

More opportunities opened up in Branson, as Alana played the coveted role of Atina, Ariel’s sister, in the theatrical production of Disney’s “The Little Mermaid Musical.” That experience kindled a passion for working with children, leading her to start her own children’s entertainment company, “Alana’s Princess Parties.” She found a deep connection with the young children who are enchanted by her professional quality renditions of the songs they adore. Alana is now excited to bring her singing princess talent to the Los Angeles area.

Alana is a classically trained crossover/pop singer. Critics have described her as having a “golden voice” and being “a breath of fresh air.” She most recently performed for both the Miss Little Philippines 2018 and for Miss Philippines USA 2018, where she sang the beloved songs, “Time to Say Goodbye” & “The Prayer.”

Alana’s popularity is ever growing in the Southern California area, and she looks forward to performing or speaking at an event for you in the near future! *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary allnatural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

age gracefully

Indulge Yourself!

Brownies To Live For

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WHERE does oxygen come from?

Oxygen, which makes up about 20 percent of the air we breathe in, is an odorless, colorless, tasteless gas, that is essential for the production of energy and, therefore, to life. Its main source is from living green plants. The ambient air we inhale is absorbed by the lungs that “extracts” and filters oxygen, which then combines with hemoglobin (red pigment in blood cells). The resultant oxyhemoglobin is circulated throughout the body by the pumping action of the heart to supply oxygen to the entire body. Some tissues in our body are more sensitive than others to oxygen deprivation. The brain is super-sensitive to lack of oxygen. It “dies” in about 3-4 minutes after oxygen delivery ceases (as in suffocation, drowning or cardiac arrest).

What causes dandruff?

The cause of dandruff is not known in majority of cases. Excessive greasiness of the skin and hair among adolescents has been found to initiate dandruff. The contributory factors implicated include heredity, diet, hormonal imbalance, poor hygiene. The existing dandruff can be aggravated by stress and emotional turmoil.

A vacation or rest may totally eliminate dandruff. Anti-dandruff shampoos (coal tar- based or those containing selenium sulphide or zinc pyrithione) have been prescribed by physicians to arrest dandruff. Overzealous use of these shampoos is not recommended.

Why do breasts enlarge during pregnancy?

This is nature’s way of preparing the mother for breastfeeding. The placenta makes a lot of estrogen, which, in combination with the other hormones from the pituitary (Prolactin) and other glands, cause the ducts in the breasts to grow larger and form more branches.

At the same, progesterone, also secreted by the placenta, stimulates the breasts glandular tissues to enlarge. The alveoli (sacs) are lined with milk-producing cells, and the colostrum (first milk), and the subsequent milk, flows into the collecting ducts and out through the nipples. The estrogen and progesterone (secreted by the placenta) actually inhibit milk production. Immediately after delivery and expulsion of the placenta, the suppression-effect of these two hormones are gone, and milk is secreted, as the Prolactin from the Pituitary Gland stimulates milk production. Indeed, the complex (and yet simple) physiology of the human body is mind-boggling.

The Global Kababayan G. TönGi

BY GRACE O

Raw Brownie Bites Yields approx. 24 one inch pieces 2 cups medjool dates, pits removed 2 cups raw walnut pieces ¾ cup pure cocoa powder ¼ teaspoon salt, finely ground 1 cup unsweetened coconut flakes

Place pitted dates, walnuts, cocoa powder and salt in a food processor and pulse until moist, crumb-like dough has formed. Add water in small amounts until mixture sticks together easily, one tablespoon at a time, scraping down sides as needed. Pour coconut flakes into a shallow bowl and roll small 1 inch balls of brownie dough until they are covered with coconut. Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes and serve cold.

GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing

© 2018 by FoodTrients.com

You won’t believe these brownie bites are completely raw and fruit-based!

Dates blended with walnuts and cocoa powder create a rich, chocolate indulgence perfect for a special treat, party or holiday. Feel free to roll brownie bites in nuts or other toppings if you do not care for coconut; the possibilities are endless.

You can stop feeling guilty when you want a sweet, rich dessert, and instead try raw coconut brownie bites for Foodtrients like fiber, vitamins, minerals and antioxidants.

wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks — The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won Gourmand’s ‘Best in the World’ Award for Innovation. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

GROWING up in my elementary years in public school in New Jersey, my fondest memories were the Newberry books that we would read as students. I remember devouring Scott O’Dell’s “Island of the Blue Dolphins” and how that book was such a big part of my childhood. Now as an adult, I too introduced the book to my own children.

A Newbery Award-winning book is one that becomes the book to read for the year, so when I heard about this year’s winner, I couldn’t be happier because not only is the author a Filipina, but the main character Virgilio is clearly Filipino.

Representation truly matters and now a whole generation will see themselves as a visible part of the literature landscape believing that one day, they too can pursue becoming an award-winning Newbery medalist because Filipino-American Erin Entrada Kelly paved and led the way to help make it happen.

I am extremely excited to announce that Kelly, the author of “Hello Universe,” will be in Los Angeles this weekend for a Summer Reading Series at the Central Library in downtown Los Angeles on Aug. 5, 2018 from 2-3 p.m.

It is free to go to the reading so bring your children! Arrive early as there will be 100 kids who will get a free book signed by the author.

G: How did your upbringing as a Filipino American contribute to the work you’ve done thus far as a writer?

Erin: I grew up in an area with very few Filipino Americans, so I felt very different from my peers.

I was the only one with an immigrant parent. It’s difficult being an outsider when you’re a kid, so for a long time, I wished more than anything that I had blue eyes and blonde hair. It took me a long time to embrace my heritage — it took maturity, motherhood, and a wider worldview. It’s my hope that

Oxygen, dandruff, female tampons and other facts With all the artificial organs being invented, nothing, even to date, can beat Mother Nature.

What is dyslexia?

“Word blindness” is a term commonly used to describe this condition where the person, starting from childhood, ad extreme difficulty with reading and writing. About 10% of children are dyslexic, and more common among boys. Dyslexia, which may be inherited, is caused by a localized brain lesion, where there is a certain number of brain cells being “faulty,” or there is delayed or incomplete development of the brain. These children are NOT brain damaged. Usually these youngsters are not recognized as dyslexic and may be thought of as lazy, disobedient, bored, problem kids and be relegated to the background as dumb. Early detection is important for those affected to be able to benefit from special schooling and catch up in their learning skills. With early and proper training, many of them can grow up to be very successful individuals.

What is “HELP” syndrome?

The acronym stands for “High Enzyme, Low Platelets,” a condition in a pregnant woman ready to deliver. The blood pressure skyrockets, the liver enzymes go up and the platelets (tissues needed for normal coagulation to prevent bleeding) drops, causing bleeding during delivery. The cause is not known. The condition could lead to severe, uncontrollable hemorrhage, and some maternal deaths have been reported from this syndrome. This is one of the reasons why prenatal medical checkups are very important to rule out any conditions that may complicate an otherwise normal delivery.

Is text messaging bad for our health?

Anything in excess, even water, oxygen, talking, food, rest, etc, is bad for us. Wise and appropriate use of cellphones and their nice features, like text messaging, used appropriately, does not pose any health hazard to the user.

Cell phones and text messaging are technological wonders of our times, which, when utilized properly, provide great convenience, advantage, and security for the users and their family and friends. Exceptions are the use of cellphone while driving or doing activities that require full attention. Accidental deaths have been reported form improper use of cellphones. While on a night out, 100 percent attention on your date is a must. In this situation, the repeated use of a cell phone for calls, or frequent text messaging, could hazardous not only to user’s physical health but

to the relationship. Besides, this unwelcome practice is rude and anti-social, vehemently frowned upon in polite society.

Are female tampons safe?

If used properly, yes, the new tampons are fairly safe. In 1978, a worldwide phenomenon called Toxic Shock Syndrome (TSS) was first described, with symptoms ranging from high fever, skin rash, fall in blood pressure, severe eye infection, headaches, disorientation, joint and muscle pains, diarrhea and kidney failure. The victims were females (average age 23) having their normal menstrual period. A number of deaths from TSS has been reported. Implicated was the use of super-absorbency tampons, which acted as a culture medium for the staphylococcal infection in the vagina. The longer the tampon was left in the vagina, the greater the risk. The toxin or poison produced by the staphylococci caused the serious illness described above. Most patients recovered after appropriate treatment of intravenous fluids and antibiotics, but at a later stage lost the skin of their palms and soles, the face and even the tongue.

Mortality rate for TSS is about 2 or 3 percent. Tampons should be changed 3 to 4 times a day, even if not fully stained to prevent TSS. This makes it a bit too expensive.

A time-proven safer alternative is the use of sanitary pads.

Does owning a pet help premenopausal women?

Yes, this is no fable. It has been shown that pre-menopausal women who owned a pet they could communicate with (like a dog or a cat), and who kept them company, went through this change in their life and physiology with much less pain and agony. The constant companionship and love the pets gave these suffering women provided the much needed love, sense of loyalty and security during this formidable stage in their life. For one thing, these pets do not complain and do not answer back. They give their love totally, genuinely and unconditionally.

Because of these attributes, pets are considered by some people as “better than some friends and family members.” *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua. com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Erin Entrada Kelly: FirstFilipina-American Newbery Award winner in LA this weekend

young people will learn to love their authentic selves as early as possible; if my books do that for readers, then I’ve succeeded.

G: Tell us about the process of winning your Newbery?

Erin: The process of selecting the Newbery Medalist is complicated, guarded, and highly well-respected. I’m not sure I even understand how it works, only that I’m incredibly honored to have been the Medalist this year. My life changed immediately and it’s been a magical whirlwind ever since.

G: How do things change for you as a writer with this prestigious award?

Erin: On a personal level, it’s completely surreal and unbelievable. I’d like to say it’s incredibly validating, which it is, but it’s difficult to feel validated when you’re perpetually astonished to be the awardee. On a practical level, it brings my books to a wider audience and has allowed me to support myself solely as a novelist. This year’s Newbery honorees were all people of color, which makes the honor particularly special.

G: How important is it that Filipino Americans tell their stories through the medium of fiction?

Erin: It’s important for all marginalized groups to tell their stories any way they can — through fiction, nonfiction, film, television, stage, art, poetry. The U.S. is a diverse country. It’s time that our mediums reflect that diversity in an honest, respectful, and representative way. People need to tell their stories before someone else does it for them.

G: Can you share plans about going to the Philippines in August? Have you been before and if not, how are you feeling about going back?

Erin: I have been before, but I’ve never been to Manila, so

Erin Entrada Kelly

I’m very excited. I’m especially thrilled because I’ll see my mom!

She moved to Cebu several years ago and I haven’t seen her since.

I can’t wait to meet Filipino readers ... but I really can’t wait to see my mama.

Make sure to catch Erin at The Philippine Readers and Writers Festival this August 10-12 at the Raffles, Makati if you are in the motherland. For more info go to: www.readersandwritersfestival. com/ And if you haven’t yet, grab the book “Hello Universe” and read it with your family today! *** Giselle Tongi Walters is a familiar face in the Filipino community for her film and television work as an actor, producer and host. She continues to create content that explores the Filipino identity away from the motherland and the cultural implications of migration through her work. With biracial roots, she identifies as having a full Filipina heart.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4 - 7, 2018

B5

A GUIDE TO THE

The Ambassador’s Tour: This is home

by IDA

ROADSHOW AUGUST 4-5, 2018

ANITA Q. DEL MUNDO Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Talented young dancers from various municipalities in Cebu provided entertainment during the welcome dinner hosted by Gov. Hilario Davide III during the Ambassador’s Tour held from July 9 to 15. Each group performed lively dances depicting their local fiestas in a production number reserved for VVIPs – presidents and heads of state – highlighting Cebu’s many festivals, ending of course with the Sinulog.

Now on its 12th edition, the Ambassadors’ Tour is a flagship project of the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the U.S., together with our Departments of Foreign Affairs and Tourism and the Tourism Promotions Board.

The program enjoins FilipinoAmericans from across the U.S. to revisit their homeland and encourages them to promote the beautiful Filipino destinations to their friends and colleagues in the U.S., thus becoming ambassadors themselves.

“Each and every one here is an ambassador of goodwill,” Consul General Adelio Cruz said as he surveyed the crowd of some 320 delegates who enthusiastically took selfies with the young Cebuano performers. “Their love for country is overwhelming.”

The Ambassadors’ Tour this year hosted delegates from Dallas, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Michigan, Hawaii and Guam. Their whirlwind visit started with a wreath-laying ceremony at Rizal Park and a tour of the University of Santo Tomas Museum and the Metropolitan Museum, bringing them from the historical to the contemporary.

In Cebu, the delegation went on a heritage tour straight off the plane. “As soon the over 325 Filipino-American participants from all over the U.S. landed at the Mactan International Airport, we immediately felt the genuine warmth and hospitality of the people of Cebu. Charming and elegantly dressed representatives from the DOT warmly welcomed each member of the tour with genuine smiles, giving a glimpse of what to expect for the next few days,” said Cruz.

Among the stops in Cebu were Fort San Pedro, the oldest triangular fortress in the country built in 1565, as well as the iconic Magellan’s Cross and the neighboring Basilica Minore del Santo Niño. At the Magellan’s Cross, local women said prayers for the delegation, swaying back and forth while waving candles and chanting for good health, success and safe travels for this leg of the

tour.

A Filipino sojourn would not be complete without pasalubong shopping and the delegates filled their baskets to the brim with dried mangoes and other local delicacies after a visit to the Profood Dried Mango Factory.

Day two in Cebu had the group split in two. One group enjoyed a Suroy-suroy sa Sugbu Tour through various cities in the province for more cultural heritage experiences.

In Carcar, the group witnessed bolo making and basket weaving.

They filled their bags with the crispy yet melt-in-your-mouth chicharon that Carcar is known for.

They said a prayer at the Church of Argao as well as the Mother Mary Shrine in Sibonga.

Along the way, they sampled the famous Torta de Argao.

The other group – made up of the more adventurous – left early for Oslob and enjoyed the unique experience of swimming with the whale sharks. Shrieks of surprise and delight could be heard from the boats of tourists and many got underwater selfies with the butanding to show friends back home. The group then had an island feast and admired the clear waters and fine sand of Sumilon.

Cruz said, “Our visit to Cebu, a first for many, was viewed by everyone as a truly exciting event.

For some it was a unique opportunity to see the beautiful sights of the province. For others it was an opportunity to rediscover their roots, meeting long-lost brothers that they hadn’t met for decades.”

For Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commissioner Joel Jacinto, the trip to Cebu became extra special when he spotted, for the first time, a portrait of his grandfather displayed prominently on the fourth floor of the Cebu City Hall. His grandfather was the very first mayor of Cebu, making it a reunion of sorts for Jacinto, who became emotional as he talked of the importance of his roots in the Philippines. Being part of the Ambassadors’ Tour, returning to the Philippines and rekindling his love for the country – “It renews the panata.”

Moving over to Bohol, the delegation had a countryside tour, an excursion to Balicasag Island and of course visited the popular Chocolate Hills. Others chose a farm tour at the Bohol Bee Farm and the Maribojoc Demo Farm.

Previous Ambassadors’ Tours have taken visitors to Metro Manila, Tagaytay and Davao, among others. Representatives from Los

Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel G. Romualdez and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada lead the wreath-laying ceremony in Rizal Park

Angeles-based Filipino organization SIPA (Search to Involve Pilipino Americans), who have joined several Ambasadors’ Tours, were pleased that the tours now focus on the provinces and destinations that they would otherwise not be able to explore. Already, they are planning their next visit to the country, a vacation in Palawan.

Dading Clemente of Rajah Tours has been in charge of the logistics from the very first Ambassadors’ Tour (then called Ambassadors, Consul General, Tourism Director Tour to the Philippines). She shared she was “at the right place, right time” when she was approached by then Philippine Ambassador to Washington Albert del Rosario, with the endorsement of Secretary Alberto Romulo, to organize Consul Generals at Farm Tourism Luncheon Meeting in Nobu Hotel, City of Dreams, Manila AJPress photos by Godwin Gasacao the program in 2005.

“It’s their chance to see new destinations in the Philippines and make the consulate closer to the Filipino community,” she told The STAR. “It’s a very good program to reconnect.”

Clemente noted that through the years, the tourism department has launched programs revolving around bringing a friend to the Philippines to help boost tourism in the country. “We’re bringing 320 friends!” she exclaims.

Rajah Tours’ Jojo Clemente added the Ambassadors’ Tours will only get bigger and better. In the future, he hopes to encourage a younger generation of FilipinoAmericans to join the program by offering tour options that are more geared towards them.

In his speech during the welcome dinner in Cebu, Cruz urged the delegates to consider the Consul General Henry S. Bensurto, Tourism Attache Purificacion S. Molintas and San Francisco group in front of Rizal’s monument.

Philippines not only in terms of tourism, but also for business and investment. “My dear Filipino-Americans, despite adverse external pressures that influence

Consul General Claro S. Cristobal, Tourism Attache Susan J. Del Mundo and the New York group in front of Rizal’s monument.

Consul General Joselito A. Jimeno and the Hawaii group in front of Rizal’s monument.

Consul General Adelio Angelito S. Cruz, Tourism Attache Richmond L. Jimenez and the Los Angeles group in front of Rizal’s monument.

the growth of our Philippine economy, our country is still a great place to invest,” he said.

“I strongly encourage you to consider the province as your next investment destination. Innate natural beauty, rich gastronomic culture and economic assets are what we have to offer.”

Already, the Ambassadors’ Tour seems to be meeting its objectives. Helen, who has already spent more than half her life in Guam, says that she hopes to retire in the Philippines.

Eleanor from Los Angeles agrees. “We have to come back to our country,” she says.

Though tired from the five days of constant touring in some of the most beautiful places in Manila, Cebu and Bohol, the participants of the 12th Ambassadors’ Tour left with joyful hearts.

As they return to their homes in the U.S., they travel to the beat of the Sinulog – two steps forward, one step back – echoing the to and fro of the ocean waves, beckoning them back to the Philippines, a home that they Consul General Mariano R. De Borja and Guam group in front of Rizal’s monument. will continue to return to.

B6 AUGUST 4 - 7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

FEATURES

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

A GUIDE TO THE

ROADSHOW AUGUST 4-5, 2018

Fil-Am businesses on display at Travel, Trade & Consumer Roadshow in Carson, CA Free event on Aug. 4 & 5 features exhibitors, seminars, entertainment & food

AN exciting summer weekend of Pinoy pride is coming up on August 4 and 5 at the South Bay Pavilion in Carson, California!

The Travel, Trade and Consumer Roadshow (TTC) is the brainchild of the Asian Journal’s CEO Roger Oriel, in an effort to showcase and encourage Filipino and Filipino-American business through product and service exhibition and educational sessions, with entertainment for the mall-going public.

The event is free, so mall shoppers are welcome to immerse in Filipino ingenuity and talent in the two-day event that has four zones: The Exhibitor Row, B2B Area, Mainstage, and Sari-Sari Food Pavilion.

Asian Journal’s sought out exhibitors that exemplify Filipino entrepreneurship, and associated organizations and services that benefit the Filipino-American community.

The Exhibitor Row traverses through the main aisle of the mall, along the pathway of shoppers. Multiple sectors are represented, from services, manufacturing, handicrafts, business education to national defense.

The Mainstage will be the center of attraction with various Los Angeles talents performing throughout the day, interspersed with an F21 Red Fashion Show featuring the Love Of Country

Ambassadors, TV show tapings, and the much-awaited raffle.

The coveted prize is a Roundtrip Ticket to Manila courtesy of Philippine Airlines and a hotel stay courtesy of the Department of Tourism. The winner will be announced via a raffle on Saturday, August 4 at 6 p.m.

Media companies on display are The Filipino Channel (TFC), Crossings TV, a new free channel of Filipino content. TFC’s popular TV show “Citizen Pinoy” will go on the mainstage on Sunday afternoon, with renowned Atty. Michael Gurfinkel.

Spectrum/ Charter Channel, home of the National Asian American Coalition’s (NAAC) “Owning A Piece of America,” will likewise be taping a segment on Saturday afternoon, and presenting a fitness demo

by Thalassia Mombeleur.

Iconic Filipino brands are represented by the maker of our favorite cookies and Sky Flakes crackers, Monde MY San, Philippine National Bank, and Lay Bare Salon, whose more than 100 franchises in the Philippines is starting to sprout in the U.S. with its two Los Angeles locations. Free sugaring and Lay Bare’s signature hair removal methods shall be demonstrated at its booth.

All the way from Pangasinan, Philippines, facilitated by EC Ferrer Customs Broker, are handicraft and furniture makers from the region, along with products made of Philippine cacao and bamboo, among others. New products include Nutridense’s Rice Mongo Curls, and IC Green, a supe-

rior and unique kind of oil additive that enhances and increases engine efficiency, invented and patented by a Filipino.

Other industries represented are real estate with Lombard by the Bay and Megaworld; services CSI Professionals, Elder Law Services, and Western Union; and local business House of Seafood. Among the organizations present are the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) along with government entities the U.S. Army and the California National Guard.

Performers scheduled to appear are premiere saxophonist Ner De Leon, vocalist Annie

Nepomuceno, jazz guitarist Ric Ickard, classical singer/actor Glenn Fernandez, jazz singer Bing Martin, teen singer/songwriter/dancer Louisa Tampi, vocal coach and artiste Jona Peralta, 4700 Band member Alvin Reyes, young singer/producer Chris Venegas, acoustic duo Kenneth and Nathan, and professional DJ Josh Evan.

Outside the main Entrance, the Sari-Sari Food Pavilion will be serving Filipino food from White Rabbit, Achara and Neri’s Curbside Cravings, and cool desserts from PopCupz, TastyBlock Hawaiian Shave Ice, Boba Truck and Churrostix.

On the opposite end of the mall from the Mainstage, a booth targeted for free seminars on various business topics is hosted

by Ferdinand Soriano of Planet 63. Take advantage of these free sessions to learn from industry experts about Export Financing, Sourcing and Shipping, Packaging and Labelling, Cross-Cultural Trading, International Trade, Franchising and many more.

Entrepreneur organizations like the Filipino- American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA) and the Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce (COFACC) shall be lend-

ing a hand, and will be on hand as the public’s available source for entrepreneurship questions, along with the Small Business Administration, the government entity that helps owners grow their small businesses.

Asian Journal Publications’ own newspaper and travel and lifestyle publication, Balikbayan Magazine, will be available free to the public, at its booth.

Ribbon-cutting and opening ceremonies are slated on August 4, Saturday at the Mainstage at 11 a.m.

For more information, please visit https://traveltradeconsumer. com. (AJPress)

SoCal-based entrepreneurs share passion for US-PH trade When you can feel the passion of entrepreneurs, putting trust in them can come naturally.

Such is the nature of EC Ferrer Customs Broker (EC Ferrer CB), America Pacific Container Line and Planet 63, businesses led by owners Eddie Ferrer, Jackie Ferrer and Ferdinand Soriano respectively, who clearly stand out as passionate individuals in their purpose to help and grow other entrepreneurs.

The trio, along with the Asian Journal CEO Roger Oriel had first brought a delegation from Pangasinan to Artesia, to its first trade show in 2014 where the products were wellreceived, though challenging.

The positive results inspired them to continue, and streamline procedures to systemize the process for imports to the U.S. from the Philippines, including marketing the products for global appeal.

Eddie Ferrer, Jackie Ferrer and Soriano are crucial forces in bringing participation from the Philippines to the Travel, Trade and Consumer Roadshow, a project of the Asian Journal. This multi-city event is meant to showcase the wide variety of inventive new products made from bamboo, coconut and cacao, from food items, personal products, handicraft, furniture and even motor oil additives.

Bringing a delegation from the Philippines has its challenges, but is something to be done. This is a firm belief often shared by Eddie Ferrer, as opening one’s eyes to the world and learning what standards one must aim for is the beginning of growth.

“Professionalism, Simplicity, Transparency and Trust” are the words emblazoned on the EC Ferrer website. If you meet founder Eddie Ferrer, you would know that he means what he says.

From a career in broadcasting in the Philippines, Eddie Ferrer has become an authority, if not ‘the’ authority, in the importation of goods from the Philippines. Navigating the waters of trade and transport could be a mire of confusion, and Ferrer has made it his business to be the broker you can

Eddie and Rhenee Ferrer

depend on. His focus has been peace of mind for clients, with timeliness and compliance as the top priorities. This is from a man who uses the words “heaven scripted,” humbly acknowledging that his success is not his own.

Hailing from Pangasinan, he has been active in helping local Philippine businesses aim for global standards. As President Emeritus of the Pangasinan Brotherhood USA, he continues his support for the province even past his term.

Moving a product from point A to point B is no easy task.

Whether it’s importing to the U.S. shores or exporting to the Philippines. It takes a diligent, well organized and decisive individual to coordinate, as a freight forwarder, the timely arrival of products being imported or exported.

Jacqueline Ferrer is a veteran at such a young age. She is the director of America Pacific Container Line, an NVOCC (a Non-Vessel Owning Common Carrier). Her vast knowledge creates the trust that she obtains from her clients and that’s very critical in her industry. She graduated from Cal State University Fullerton with a degree in business management. As vital as that may be in her current role in having a degree in business management, nothing can replace the training that she obtained from her very own father, Eddie Ferrer. Her ongoing support for small businesses and her attitude toward empowering entrepreneurs plays a vital role in the in the objective of encouraging more exporting from Philippine manufacturers into the U.S. market.

EC Ferrer CHB and America Pacific Container Line have a strong relationship with Planet 63, an international trade management and marketing company headed by the in-

Ferdinand “Bong” Soriano

Jackie Ferrer

imitable Ferdinand Soriano, whose passion for improving the lives of Filipinos echoes that of Ferrer.

Soriano specializes in sourcing, shipping, and selling Philippine products and facilitating trade transactions between countries, especially from the Philippines to the U.S. Soriano firmly believes that entrepreneurs must delve into how their products can have global appeal.

Soriano’s roots are likewise from Pangasinan, where his father started his business bringing products from Lingayen to the U.S. The eldest son, Soriano picked up where his father left off, for that desire to bring the Filipino into the international market never fades, and continues to grow.

Armed with a team of graphic designers, videographers, and social media experts, Soriano never tires of marketing a product to its full potential.

His roster of clients may surprise you, for what seem to be goods of local flavor, like cacao and coconut oil-based personal products, can be made globally appealing by the expertise of Soriano and his team.

It can be a challenge to bring Philippine products to yonder shores. But, there are at least three individuals, Eddie Ferrer, Jackie Ferrer and Ferdinand Soriano, who will help you wade through, and emerge ready for the world.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4 - 7, 2018

B7

A GUIDE TO THE

ROADSHOW AUGUST 4-5, 2018

Meet the Filipino and Fil-Am performers In addition to networking and hearing from Fil-Am companies and business and trade leaders, the Travel, Trade & Consumer (TTC) Roadshow celebrates the versatile and vibrant talent within the Fil-Am community of Southern California on the Mainstage of the SouthBay Pavilion. On both Saturday, August 4 and Sunday, August 5, guests can expect a full-lineup of musicians, singers, models, and more!

SATURDAY, AUGUST 4

Ner De Leon - Saxophonist (11 a.m. & 12 p.m.)

One can hardly talk about the Los Angeles Filipino-American jazz scene without mentioning Ner De Leon, who hails from a long line of musical pioneers in the Philippine music industry. A consummate musician, recording artist and independent recording producer, he has been playing the saxophone since he was 8 years old. Ner, who has successfully released eight albums, is a recipient of the 2018 Spotlight Award for Best Instrumentalist, and is a recipient of a Certificate of Recognition from the State Legislature Assembly of California. With his extensive accomplishments, Ner takes pride in being a musician-evangelist who plays and produces music that projects the message of love, hope and peace in Jesus Christ, who has the power to change all lives.

Jona Peralta - Singer (12:30 p.m.)

Peralta — who started performing at age 6 — can sing classical, Broadway, pop jazz, dance music, and anything that will showcase her voice. She is currently the owner, director, and vocal coach at Center Stage Vocal Academy and Creative Tots Playhouse. “Being a Filipino- American artist has a big impact in my life. It gave me the opportunity to showcase what we’ve got and make our kababayans proud,” she says.

Glenn Fernandez - Singer (1 p.m.)

Fernandez wears many hats as a singer, actor and ER doctor at several hospitals in the LA area. As a singer, he has sung for the Los Angeles Opera and has a new album out now called “Ave Maria.” As an actor, he was recently on FOX’s new hit show “9-1-1.” He credits Andrea Bocelli, Josh Groban and Patrizian Zanardi from Milan, Italy as inspirations. He plans to keep performing at larger venues, spreading his love for opera around the world, while also pursuing acting and perhaps one day play a superhero in an X-Men film. “The biggest impact being that the Filipino-American culture has made on my life is through my family. I was so close to my family growing up and now as well. Even though, I play different characters on stage and

Fashion show (4:30 p.m.) & entertainment block with the Love of Country Ambassadors (6:30 - 8 p.m.)

Maikee Pronda Singer/model

Michael Keith

Jacob Afable

Singer/model

• Sydney Noelle - Singer/model • Chaeylah Maldonado - Singer/model

Saxophonist/model

• Acie Maldonado - Singer/model • Chloe Cassiana - Singer/model

Johakim “Gabbie” Pangan Singer/model

• Liberty Brielle - Singer/model • Melette Lampino - Model

Ralph Lauren Singer/model

• Violeta Palomo - Model • Teresa Royalwood - Model

SUNDAY, AUGUST 5 especially in the music indus- time,” he says. try because there is a mix of varieties of styles and genre, but it challenges me to practice and be more creative in my approach as a musician to further promote Filipino music in this country,” he shares.

p.m.)

Martin, a physical therapist for over 20 years, started singing back in high school and continued to pursue it until she moved to LA in the 90s. She has recently begun singing again, namely standard tunes, pop, jazz, and bossa nova. In 2014, she recorded an album called “What Moonlight Can Do,” a collection of jazz, standard, and bossa nova songs produced by renowned guitarist Ric Ickard.

“As a Filipino- American artist, I am very proud that I am able to share my passion as a singer and perform at Fil-Am events here in Los Angeles,” she notes.

Alvin Reyes - Singer (12:10 p.m.)

Kenneth Laurente and Nathan Plantilla - Guitarist and singer (11:30 a.m.)

Laurente, 28, is a member of the U.S. Army, who started performing at age 4, taking inspiration from the likes of Maestro Ryan Cayabyab, Ogie Alcasid, and Gary Valenciano.

A member of the Harana Men’s Chorus in LA, Laurente sings Broadway, choral, R&B, OPM and alternative rock. “Whether I sing in a Filipino community Setting or with my fellow Soldiers, it melts my heart that they recognize my talent and I’m just happy to share it to them and give glory to God for the wonderful gift of music,” he says.

By day, 22-year-old Plantilla is a behavior specialist at Adult Program Services, but he enjoys writing and producing music and hopes to pursue those talents more in the future. He jazz, soul, gospel, alternative rock, OPM, R&B, and rap. “Being a Filipino in America is a tough road to take

Chris Venegas - Singer (11:50 a.m.)

Also known as Mr. A, Reyes is an independent event coordinator, show director, singer, and emcee. He can be seen performing or directing many shows in the Filipino-American community, with some past concerts like Joey Albert, Ivy Violan, Djhoanna Garcia, Lirio Vital, and most recently, Arnel Pineda. He plans to sing more OPM songs in jazz grooves while also playing an acoustic micro bass guitar by Gold Tone, as well as release a couple of CDs in coming years.

Venegas, 18, is a recent graduate from the Los Angeles County High School for the Arts and is about to be a freshman in college. He is a music producer, singer, rapper, and songwriter, focusing on the genres of pop, hip-hop/rap, electronic, and R&B. “I want to share messages by music that are inspired by the native sounds and traditions associated with being a Filipino. I have been so moved and humbled by seeing my family in the Philippines when I recently visited that I was inspired to begin an album called ‘Para Sa Kultura’ that essentially pays homage to the culture by mixing in my American roots at the same Bing Martin - Singer (12:30

where he teaches and manages a recording studio. Ric was a recipient of the Philippine government scholarship in classical guitar and composition and was a first prize awardee of both the classical and jazz guitar competitions in the Philippine Guitar Festival by the Yamaha School of Music. He is a featured artist at the annual Chet Atkins Convention in Nashville, Tennessee and was a headlining performer at the Philippine International Jazz Festival. He has recorded, produced and arranged music for Mon David, Charmaine Clamor, Emil Mijares, Tateng Katindig, among others. A veteran musician on cruise ships, restaurants and 5-star hotels, his vast repertoire generate demands among singers and soloists. Aside from being active in all facets of secular music activities, he serves as a music director in various local churches.Ric advocates for the 7-string guitar, asserting that the added string expands the tonal range of the instrument.

p.m.)

Tampi, 16, is a resident of Granada Hills, California, and has been singing since the age of 5 She has performed with Charice Pempengco, Ryan Cayabyab, Paul Jackson Jr., and many more. She choreographs and teaches Urban Dance, is a 3rd degree Black Belt in Tang Soo Do, and has been playing the bass guitar for two years.

She is currently in her school’s show choir and an a capella group known as Sycopella, and is the leader in the Urban Arts Club which provides a space for students to express themselves through dance and singing. She continues to make her own music were she can express herself and her emotions, and hopes to pursue a career in performing arts. “I see myself surrounded by other talented artist, musicians, and singers doing what I love, performing,” she shares. “Being a FilipinoAmerican artist impacts my life because it exposes me to both American and Filipino cultures in music. I can see how different they are and fuse both together when I am performing.”

Suzanne Perez - Mainstage Emcee on Sunday (3 to 6 p.m.)

Ric Ickard - Guitarist (12:50 p.m.)

Richard Alcoy, also known as Ric Ickard, is a Naxos international recording artist who is proficient in diverse music styles, with four CDs to his credit. He is now based in LA, Louisa Tampi - Singer (2:30

Perez, 21, is currently a junior in college studying prelaw, with hopes of eventually becoming an international human rights lawyer. She competes in beauty pageants and has proudly held titles including Miss Fullerton USA. Her biggest pageant achievement so far has been representing California in an international beauty pageant in the Philippines. Suzanne enjoys modeling and hosting and is signed with Prestigious Models Agency. *On both days DJ JOSH will providemusical entertainment. *Schedule and performers list as of press time

B August 4 - 7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND AsIAN JOuRNAL

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

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4-7, 2018

COMMUNITY $3&%*5 $"3% Journal

Your Immigration Solution

A green card is still possible despite a fraudulent entry

zen children would help, but she also knew that her entry to the Devin M. Connolly U.S. under an assumed name MANY people from through- would complicate her case. Reout the world are desperate to gardless, Angela decided that it come to the United States. They was finally time to speak with genuinely believe that entering an experienced immigration atAmerica will lead to a better life torney so that she could legalize because of the employment op- her status in America.

Angela consulted Reeves Millportunities, the education system for their children, etc. With er Zhang & Diza about her case. all the benefits that the United She met with Attorney Devin States has to offer, the decision Connolly, a senior partner of the to migrate to the U.S. often be- firm, and told him her complete comes an easy one. The hard immigration history. Attorney part then becomes actually get- Connolly explained to Angela ting to the U.S. For one Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza client, who we will refer to as Angela to protect her privacy, entering the U.S. proved to be ‘almost’ impossible. She was denied a tourist visa multiple times, did not have any family members of prospective employers in the U.S. that could petition her, and she was feeling hopeless in the Philippines, her native country. Angela was then advised to seek the help of and her family that she was ina travel agent who could assist deed eligible to apply for her her in getting a tourist visa un- green card based on a petition from her U.S. citizen son, who der an assumed name.

Angela knew this was wrong. by this time had already turned She may not have known the 21-years-old. He also explained, specific law she was violating or however, that Angela’s case did that she would have a lifetime present some challenges bebar from ever obtaining perma- cause of her entry to the U.S. nent resident status in the U.S. under an assumed name.

Attorney Connolly informed (green card) because of this fraudulent act, but she still knew Angela that she was eligible to that her actions were not right. apply for her green card in the But she did it anyways. She was U.S. through a process called so desperate to come to the U.S. “adjustment of status.” While so that she could work and sup- this would simplify the process port her family. She decided to since Angela could receive her take advantage of the opportuni- green card in America and not ty to come to U.S. and deal with be required to return to the Philippines, she would still need a the consequences later.

After years of residing in the waiver of her inadmissibility. AtU.S. without valid immigration torney Connolly was very honest status, Angela finally decided to with Angela about the process of do something about it. She knew applying for a waiver. He told that being married to a green her that waivers can be difficult, card holder and having U.S. citi- but that they can definitely be

granted if properly prepared.

Attorney Connolly and Angela began working on proving that Angela’s husband would suffer an “extreme hardship” if her request for a waiver was denied.

They prepared declarations from Angela and her husband about their close, loving relationship and about how Angela’s husband would suffer emotionally if he was separated from his wife. Attorney Connolly also presented evidence of why it was not feasible for Angela and her husband to simply both move to the Philippines. This evidence included difficulties in them finding jobs in the Philippines due to age discrimination and concerns about their safety due to extrajudicial killings. Finally, Angela’s children also provided declarations about what a wonderful mother Angela had been throughout their lives. It is true that any hardship the children would suffer upon their mother’s deportation was not a factor, but this helped to establish that Angela was a person of good moral character despite her one prior fraudulent act so many years ago.

“Many people from throughout the world are desperate to come to the United States. They genuinely believe that entering America will lead to a better life because of the employment opportunities, the education system for their children, etc.”

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

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

(Advertising Supplement)

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C AUGUST 4-7, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon WHEN people are going through financial difficulty and are unable to pay their bills, their first reaction is often to ignore their debts and avoid contact with creditors. They think that by doing this, somehow the creditors will simply give up and go away.

Then one day they get a summons delivered to their home or work and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when they start to panic after learning that theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been sued. The next step of course is a wage garnishment, a bank account levy, a lien against their real property or any combination of the above. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s when they rush to see a bankruptcy attorney to find out what can be done to protect themselves.

If your house is in foreclosure, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s even worse especially if you have not made any plans for where you would be moving after the foreclosure sale. If there is a second mortgage on the property for which you may still be legally liable after youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve lost your home, that issue needs to be addressed as well.

Barristerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRSuA ReyeS THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this question a lot from our family law clients. The fact is that California is a no fault state and you do not need your spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature in order to get a divorce. What is more important is being able to properly serve your spouse with the divorce petition and satisfy the jurisdictional requirement of the Court by showing that either you or your spouse resided in the State for at least 6 months prior to filing the petition and in the County for 3 months prior to filing the petition.

When you file a divorce petition, you have to serve your spouse with the summons and petition. Your spouse then has 30 days to file a response after being served with a divorce petition. If your spouse

Community Journal

Important questions you need to ask when in debt But these issues are best addressed before the foreclosure, not after. There may also be tax issues involved. Will there be tax consequences after a foreclosure or short sale?

The answer varies from case to case. It may be necessary to consult with a tax professional to find out if you will owe taxes to the IRS if you decide to short sell your home or let it foreclose.

Can you imagine losing your home and then find out later on that you have just created another problem for yourself?

Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t rely on your realtor or anyone else for tax advice when it comes to tax or legal matters.

You need to go to a professional who is qualified to give you the advice that you need.

There basically only 4 ways to get out of debt if youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re on the verge of insolvency: (1) increase income so you can start paying larger amounts on your debts to hopefully avoid filing bankruptcy, (2) reduce expenses so that you can increase your disposable income and have more money available for debt repayment, (3) Convert assets you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t need into cash and use the money to negotiate with creditors, and (4)

File bankruptcy to wipe out debts or consolidate your bills (This requires filing either a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13).

If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re feeling paralyzed by debt and canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think clearly at the moment, you need a good attorney who can properly evaluate your situation and recommend possible solutions. The first thing you need to do when you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what to do is to realize that sometimes, you cannot do it on your own. There is nothing wrong with getting legal help.

The sooner you get help, the sooner you would be able to protect your home, your job, your car, your bank account and other assets. For more information and to schedule a free consultation, please call Toll-Free 1-866-4777772. We have offices in Glendale, Valencia and Cerritos.

Tax Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA

IRS scores tax returns for audit. The higher the score, the more likelihood that youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be chosen for audit.

1. Scoring system: The IRS uses a Discriminant Function System (DIF) to determine returns that are most likely to generate additional revenue for the government. Scoring is secret and is known only to top brass at the Agency. What we know is that itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s partly based on Total Positive Income and Total Gross Receipts. A return with a high DIF score is more likely to be audited, since such a score indicates a greater probability that additional revenue will be generated.

Economics.

2. National Research Program ** (NRP): The IRS developed a new None of the information herein is in- NRP to replace the old Taxpayer tended to give legal advice for any spe- Compliance Measurement Procific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has suc- gram (TCMP). NRP developed cessfully helped thousands of clients in new audit criteria from a stratigetting out of debt. For a free attorney fied sample of approximately evaluation of your situation, please call 50,000 individual audits. Data Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 obtained from the NRP audits are being used to score returns (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement) for audit.

3. Exceeding national averages attract audits: Taking deduc-

Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuses to sign? The Prophetic

fails to file and serve you with a response, you can file a request for default against your spouse after 30 days. You can also file a proposed judgment for the court to approve. The default procedure can be done even if there are issues of property division, custody, visitation, and support. However, the Court will still review your proposed judgment and property division to make sure it conforms to the policy towards equal division of community property. Meaning, you have to propose a division of community property that is pretty much equal between the spouses.

If your proposed property division is one sided such as distributing all community property to you and giving all the community debts to your spouse, the Court would probably not grant your judgment.

The Court would probably set a hearing for you to explain why this is an equal division of community property.

The only time you may need

http://www.asianjournal.com â&#x20AC;˘ (818) 502-0651 â&#x20AC;˘ (213) 250-9797

your spouseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature is if your spouse files a response to your divorce petition. This is called â&#x20AC;&#x153;contestingâ&#x20AC;? the divorce. If your divorce is contested by your spouse, you can resolve the case either by â&#x20AC;&#x153;settlementâ&#x20AC;? or by â&#x20AC;&#x153;trial.â&#x20AC;? However, you do not have to settle all the issues in the case at once. Under the concept of divisible divorce, you can settle some of the issues and set the other issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on for trial. Our office try to resolve cases through settlement because it is more cost effective and the parties are usually happier with the outcome. In that situation, the parties may avoid the cost and uncertainty of going to trial by executing what is called a stipulated judgment which is in essence an agreement as to all the issues in the divorce case.

For issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on, you will have to go through the litigation

u PAGE C4

How does the IRS select tax returns to be audited? tions that exceed national averages increases your audit score.

TIP: If you exceed the averages, consider opting out of e-file. Instead, paper file and attach explanation of unusual amounts such as big donations or large medical bills.

4. Other sources of audits: Audits also come from matching programs (unreported W-2 or 1099), return preparer programs (unethical preparers), claims for refund (EITC Earned Income Tax Credit), or separate related-party audits (audit of corporation spills over to shareholders).

5. Employment tax audits: IRS refocuses on worker classification issuesâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;independent contractors versus employees (1099 versus W2).

6. Nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tax gap: The Tax Policy Center estimates gross tax gap (meaning the difference between what taxpayers should pay and what they actually pay) at $458 billion. The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) indicated that the tax gap is even wider since the IRS formulae are unable to include much of the underground economy (workers paid under the table and purchases paid by cash).

7. Tax Gap â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Statistics show

that: A. Failure to report income accounts for 80% of the total gap.

B. Nonfiling and underpayment account for 10% each.

C. More than 80% of individual underreporting comes from understated income.

D. Most of understated income comes from business activities.

E. Individual income tax is the largest source of the gap, accounting for 60% of the total gap.

F. Underreporting is lowest where there is third-party reporting or withholding (W2 and 1099). *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - â&#x20AC;&#x153;HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.â&#x20AC;? Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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On feeding oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s body and spirit

we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t adhere to their advice.

So our health fails.

We are what you eat, what we take in our bodies. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ReVeRend true too concerning our ChrisRodel G. BAlAGtAS tian faith and way of life. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not just bodies; weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re spirits and THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S the tagline that weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve souls. Just like our bodies, we heard for many years. Proper need to feed our spirits and souls nutrition has a lot to do with the with proper nutrients.

That is what Jesus is implying way we feel, with our physical and emotional health. Take for in this Sundayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Gospel (John example the advice that we hear 6:24-35). For sure, Jesus miracfrom doctors, nutritionists, and health coaches: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t overeat food full of sugar and bad fat. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not good if you want to prevent diabetes, lose weight, ulously fed five thousand people and keep a healthy heart.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Eat a with the merely five loaves and lot of vegetables, fruits, and other three fishes that Philip said they organic food. Avoid consuming a had. But if we look deeper into the Gospel of John, Jesus tells us lot of processed food.â&#x20AC;?

Health experts even tell us also that he is offering us more than to take vitamins, enzymes, and material food to feed and heal us.

Jesus is giving us Himself! Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probiotics.

Indeed, what they are saying the food for the journey. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s is the deep connection between the vital nutrient of our spirits what we take in our bodies and and souls. If we take in his Word our health. Many times, however, and the graces of the Sacraments

Voice

â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are what we eat.â&#x20AC;?

of the Church, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have healthy spiritual lives. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll be happier and peaceful. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have fewer tensions, worries, and conflicts.

As Jesus said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t look for food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give youâ&#x20AC;ŚI am the bread of life; he who comes to me shall not hunger, and he who believes in me shall never thirst.â&#x20AC;?

The Eucharist we celebrate every Sunday is one concrete way to feed our spirits and souls.

The Word that we hear every Sunday changes the way relate with others. The Body and Blood of Christ that we receive at Mass strengthen us and nourish our souls.

Nowadays, they say that eating is more than gobbling up food. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eating delightfully, especially in the company of other people. Consuming food has more to do than feeding our bodies. It has a lot to do also with

u PAGE C3

Pilgrimage to Some of ITALYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Highlights and Miracles of the Eucharist 6SLULWXDO 'LUHFWRU 5(9 -2(/ %8*$6 ĹĄ 1RYHPEHU WR 1RYHPEHU 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 0RQ Ĺ&#x; 86$ 520( 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7XHV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH Upon our arrival in Rome, our Tour Escort will welcome us to Italy. Rome is the heart, home and the spiritual capital of over one billion Catholics all over the world. After a short panoramic orientation of this Eternal City to us Roman Catholics, we will have our dinner and overnight rest at this great ancient City.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY :HG Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 3DSDO $XGLHQFH 5RPH This morning before we continue with our tour, we will have a Papal Audience.

Then after, we will visit the famous Coliseum and see the Forum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon, one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the world. Celebrate the Holy Eucharist at St Peter Basilica St Joseph Chapel .Short stop in Trevi Fountain, before heading to our Hotel. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D)

'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7KXUV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH %DVLOLFDV We will visit the Vatican Museum this morning and the Sistine Chapel to admire the awesome masterpieces of Michaelangelo, and even ancient Greek and Roman artists. the largest church in Roman Catholicism, St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basilica. Holy Eucharist at ST Mary Major, Followed by visit of the Basilica. We continue to visit the rest of the major Basilicas within the walls of Rome, and St. John Lateran, St Paul Outside the Wall. We will also pray at the Scala Santa or the Holy Stairs. St. Helena transported the steps from Jerusalem; the same steps that Christ ascended to receive Pilateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unjust condemnation.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY )UL

Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 6DQ *LRYDQQL 5RWRQGR 2018 is the 100th Anniversary of the stigmatization of St Pio. Church Will have Monthly Pastoral Program of Activities for the whole year. San Giovanni Rotondo, the home of St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina from 28 July, 1916 until his death on 23 September, 1968. Enjoy the drive going to San Giovanni, after we check in our Hotel. vWe visit the Shrines of St Padre Pio of Pietralcina as well as the places associated with him, such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace that contains his tomb. Here, we spend some time meditating, see his room, his confessional box and the cruciďŹ x that gave him his supernatural Crucifying stigmata, Celebrate Holy Eucharist (Hotel Gran Paradiso) DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN San Giovanni Rotondo (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 6DW Ĺ&#x; 6$1 *,29$11, 52721'2 This Morning we visit the new and Modern Basilica of St Padre Pio, See his uncorrupt body. Celebrate Holy Eucharist Spend some time meditating in this awesome Basilica. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO (Hotel Gran Paradiso)

'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 6XQ Ĺ&#x; 6DQ *LRYDQQL 5RWRQGR /DQFLDQR /RUHWR MASS AND BREAKFAST. We arrive at Lanciano, famous for the Miracle of the Eucharist. Near the Piazza Plebiscito, the Miracle is inside the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle. The miracle took place during the 8th century when a Basiline monk doubted the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. He found himself holding the host that had changed into Real Flesh and the Wine on the altar had changed into Real Blood. We continue our pilgrimage to the great Marian shrine of Loreto to see the famous sacred home of the most Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Since 1294 the holy home has been located inside the Basilica of Loreto. Celebrate Holy Eucharist in Lanciano. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN Assisi.

'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 0RQ Ĺ&#x; /RUHWR $VVLVL Today we explore the hilltop birthplace of St Francis of Assisi. In the Crypt of St Francis Basilica lies the tomb of one of the most humble and beloved Saints of all times, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Eucharist at the Crypt of St. Francis See the Basilica of St Clare, with her incorrupt body, and the little Church of St. Damiano and its CruciďŹ x from which Jesus spoke to Francis about his mission in 1206: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go, Francis, and rebuild my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.â&#x20AC;? We visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, located in the lower plains of Assisi, and the place where the miracle of the Eucharist of Assisi took place in 1240. The small Church of the Porziuncola is inside the Basilica itself. Pope Honorius III granted a plenary indulgence for those entering this humble Church on August 1st and 2nd every year, with Confession, reception of the Eucharist and no attachment to venial sins. (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7XHV Ĺ&#x; $VVLVL 6LHQD )ORUHQFH We will spend half day in Siena. Begin in the old town center with a visit to the Basilica of San Domenico. Built in the 13th century, it is a treasure chest of the Renaissance art and dedicated to St Catherine of Siena. You will learn about the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history while admiring itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cathedrals, Museum, and libraries .Also you will admire the famous piazza del Campo, one of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great medieval squares. Continue to Florence. (BB,D) We start with a guided walking tour of Florence, this fascinating city with its Piazza, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giottoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist.

Rest of the day free (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY :HG Ĺ&#x; )ORUHQFH 5RPH Leave Florence around 2PM Arrived Rome almost dinner time (BB.D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7KXUV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 86$ End of our wonderful Pilgrimage

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

Community Journal

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Does 5 minutes of unpaid work really matter?

DOUGLASs Troester worked as a shift supervisor of coffee giant, Starbucks Corporation. As shift supervisor, he performed store closing tasks where he transmitted daily sales, profit and loss, and store inventory data to Starbucks’s corporate headquarters. He then activated the alarm, exited the store, and locked the front door.

However, before performing these tasks, he was required

by Starbucks to clock out. After having closed the store, Troester also walked his coworkers to their cars in compliance with Starbucks’s policy. In addition, he occasionally reopened the store to allow employees to retrieve items they left behind, waited with employees for their rides to arrive, or brought in store patio furniture mistakenly left outside.

Troester’s closing tasks required him to work four to ten additional minutes each day.

These minutes were not paid.

Over the 17-month period of his employment, Troester’s unpaid time totaled approximately 12 hours and 50 minutes. At the then-applicable minimum wage of $8 per hour, this unpaid time added up to $102.67.

Troester sued Starbucks on behalf of himself and other nonmanagerial employees claiming unpaid wages.

Starbucks asked that the case be dismissed because Troester’s uncompensated time was so minimal that Starbucks was not required to compensate him. Starbucks argued that under federal law, Troester’s time was de minimis time, which is defined as “insubstantial and significant periods of time beyond the scheduled working hours which cannot as a practical administrative matter be precisely recorded for payroll

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. purposes.” The trial court agreed with Starbucks and dismissed the case. Troester appealed and the case reached the California Supreme Court.

First, the High Court decided that California’s wage and hour laws did not adopt the de minimis doctrine found in federal law. Not only that, California law mandates that employees should be paid “for all hours worked.”

Hours worked means “the time during which an employee is subject to the control of an employer, and includes all the time the employee is suffered or permitted to work, whether or not required to do so.”

Second, given that California has not adopted the federal de minimis doctrine, can some version of the doctrine nonetheless apply to wage and hour claims?

The Court declined to apply the de minimis principle to wage and hour claims across the board.

Instead, the Court looked at the facts of the Troester case and evaluated whether the de minimis doctrine could be applied to this particular case. In light of California’s law to compensate employees for all time worked, including its concern with small amounts of time, the Court ruled that the de minimis doctrine does not apply to the 4 to10 minutes of unpaid work that Mr. Troester regularly performed in each shift.

An employer that requires its employees to work minutes off the clock on a regular basis

may not evade the obligation to compensate the employee for that time by invoking the de minimis doctrine. As demonstrated in this case, a few extra minutes of work each day can add up. Troester is seeking payment for 12 hours and 50 minutes of compensable work over a 17-month period, which amounts to $102.67 at a wage of $8 per hour. The Court opined that this is enough to pay a utility bill, buy a week of groceries, or cover a month of bus fares.

Thus, what Starbucks calls “de minimis” is not de minimis.

Employers have alternatives that allow them to track small amounts of regularly occurring work time, such as restructuring the work so that employees would not have to work before or after clocking out. Also, technological advances may help with tracking small amounts of time. Lastly, it is possible to reasonably estimate work time, for example, through surveys, time studies, or a fair rounding policy – and to compensate employees for that time. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.]

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E-2 Treaty investor visa allows for stay in US along with family DEAR Attorney Tan, I would like to know if there is any way for my family and I to stay in the US if I invest in a US business. While I do have some money to invest, I do not have the $500k-$1m that I read was necessary to get a green card through investment. Do I have any other options? - S.K. Dear S.K., You should consider the E-2 Treaty Investor visa, which is a non-immigrant visa that allows a person to be admitted to the U.S. with investment of a “substantial” amount of capital in either a new or existing US business.

A main objective of the E-2 Treaty Investor classification is to promote and encourage investment in the U.S. Accordingly, the Treaty Investor must demonstrate that he/she is actually investing a substantial amount of capital in the U.S. enterprise.

The Treaty Investor must show that he/ she is placing capital at risk with the objective of generating a profit; the capital must be subject to loss if the investment fails. There is no specific amount of money that is required to be invested to be considered “substantial.” Whether an investment is considered “substantial” is determined on a case-by-case basis.

The benefits of an E-2 Treaty Investor visa include an indefinite period of stay in the U.S. with extensions of the E-2 visa. An E-2 Treaty Investor is allowed a maximum initial stay of 2 years, and requests for extension can be obtained in increments of 2 years.

There is no limitation to the number of extensions an E-2 Treaty Investor may request.

Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is a non-immigrant visa, and accordingly, the Treaty Investor must maintain an intent to depart the US whenever the E-2 status expires.

Another important benefit for an E-2 Treaty Investor is the

as the Treaty Investor.

In addition, an employee of a Treaty Investor may come to the U.S. under the E-2 classification providing that he/she is the same nationality of the Treaty Investor, and either has duties of an executive or supervisory character or has other special qualifications.

What are the general requirements to obtain an E-2 Treaty Investor Visa? To obtain E-2 Treaty Investor status, a person: 1) must be a national of a country with which the US maintains a treaty of commerce or navigation, 2) either has invested or is in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital in a US enterprise, and 3) seeks to come to the US to develop and direct the enterprise in which he/she is investing or is going to invest.

Consideration of the E-2 Treaty Investor visa is made on a case-by-case basis.

The assistance of an experienced attorney who can assess the proposed type of business in which investment is contemplated as well as the amount of investment is therefore recommended.

“ The benefits of an E-2 Treaty Investor visa include an indefinite period of stay in the U.S. with extensions of the E-2 visa. An E-2 Treaty Investor is allowed a maximum initial stay of 2 years, and requests for exyension can be obtained in increments of 2 years.” ability to be accompanied to the US by his/her spouse and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. An E-2 Treaty Investor’s spouse may apply for work authorization in the US, and no restriction is placed as to where the E-2 spouse can work.

The spouse can work for another employer.

Further, children who are under 21 years of age may enroll in US schools. The immediate family come to the US under the E-2 classification as dependents of the Treaty Investor. The family members will have the same duration of stay

*** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 6390277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

On feeding one’s body and spirit PAGE C2 t

promoting a healthy family, friendship, community, and society. It also supports a healthy social and emotional life.

In a way, it’s what we do every Sunday at Mass, and at any Mass we celebrate. We celebrate it together by singing and praying, eating and drinking together. The Mass is a meal and Jesus in Word and Sacrament is the main course. In celebrating it together, we become stronger as a family of God. We support each other in prayers.

And we remind one another of the Word of Life that Jesus preached.

The Mass, however, reminds us of another banquet that we all should be waiting for after our lives here on earth. It’s the eternal banquet in heaven. To reach that banquet, the Lord says, we’ll have to take his teachings and put them into practice.

We are what we eat, what we consume in our bodies and spirits. Let’s take in Jesus in our lives. Let’s delight in his words and sacraments

*** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng

THE client is a foreign company that has been doing business with a California company since 2012.

The client is one of the world’s largest manufacturers of a certain kind of equipment, which the CA company sells and distributes in the United States. Business was good reaching low million dollar figures until the CA company was sued by a person, whose relationship to the California company I am not clear on.

But this plaintiff was able to get a judgment against the CA company for $1.0-M and proceeded to levy the bank accounts of the CA company. The company appealed the judgment saying that the state court judgment was based on fake documents then filed a Chapter 11 case to shield itself from the judgment levy on its bank accounts so that it could continue operating.

The client’s interest in the case is that the client gave the CA company a credit line of $3.0-M for trade financing of its shipments to the CA company.

When the CA company filed for Chapter 11, it owed the client about $400,000 unpaid. The client continued to do business with the CA company despite it being on Chapter 11 and continued shipping its merchandise. The CA company continued paying the client until the trustee forced the conversion of the Chapter 11 case to Chapter 7. When the case was converted to Chapter 7, the client was still owed $250,000, and the CA company had not yet executed the transfer documents for a trademark that the client had bought and paid for in the amount of $120,000.

So, we filed two claims against the Chapter 7 trustee. One claim was for $250,000 of unpaid merchandise, which we claimed was secured because there was a title retention agreement for unpaid merchandise, and a claim for ownership of the trademark, or $120,000. A lot of litigation ensued between the client and the Chapter 7 trustee, and the plaintiff who had a $1.0-M judgment against the debtor.

The court eventually ruled in favor of client on the issue of the trademark ruling that since the client had bought and paid for it, the client owned the trademark.

The trustee agreed to not challenge this and considered it as a

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4-7, 2018

C

Client files adversary against debtor for $370K

final disposition of that matter.

So, the trustee transferred the trademark to the client. However, the unpaid inventory is still an issue and the trial is next month.

There are specific steps that a creditor can take to protect itself in bankruptcy. The first is to make sure that your claim is secured because secured creditors are treated differently from unsecured

creditors. Secured creditors have priority over unsecured creditors in bankruptcy. If there is money left in the bankruptcy estate, secured creditors get paid in full first; then, if there is money left, unsecured creditors share equally proportionately.

The legal problem that normally surfaces a secured credi-

u PAGE C4

USCIS NEW POLICY MAY LEAD TO DENIALS OF APPLICATIONS! The Law offices of Brian Oh, will have a seminar regarding this new policy memorandum on August 18, 2018 and August 25, 2018, from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM which would cover how to avoid the pitfalls concerning the new USCIS Policy Memorandum.

of an adjudicator’s discretion.

The policy implemented in its latest guidance restores to the adjudicator full discretion to deny applications, petitions, and requests without first issuing an RFE or a NOID, when appropriate. This policy is intended to discourage frivolous or substantially incomplete filings used as “placeholder” filings and encourage applicants, petitioners, and requestors to be diligent in collecting and submitting required evidence.

The USCIS in its latest Policy Memorandum (PM), announced that they will reinforce the policy memorandum in 2013 where they will no longer routinely issue request for evidence (RFE) for application and petition filings that have USCIS will continue issuing statutory deficiencies. denials when appropriate without first issuing an RFE or NOID when the Specifically, the latest PM provides applicant, petitioner, or requestor has guidance to USCIS adjudicators no legal basis for the benefit/request regarding their discretion to deny an sought or submits a request for a benefit application, petition, or request without or relief under a program that has been first issuing a Request for Evidence terminated.

(RFE) or Notice of Intent to Deny (NOID) when required initial evidence If all required initial evidence is not was not submitted or the evidence of submitted with the benefit request, record fails to establish eligibility.

USCIS, in its discretion, may deny the benefit request for failure to establish This updated guidance is effective eligibility based on lack of required September 11, 2018 and applies to all initial evidence. Examples of filings that applications, petitions, and requests, may be denied without sending an RFE except for Deferred Action for Childhood or NOID include, but are not limited to: Arrivals (DACA) adjudications, received Waiver applications submitted with little after that date. However, due to to no supporting evidence; or Cases preliminary injunctions issued by courts where the regulations, the statute, or in California and New York, this new form instructions require the submission PM does not change the RFE and NOID of an official document or other form policies and practices that apply to the of evidence establishing eligibility at adjudication of DACA requests. the time of filing and there is no such submission. For example, an Affidavit of USCIS states further in its PM, “For Support (Form I-864), if required, was not too long, our immigration system has submitted with an Application to Register been bogged down with frivolous Permanent Residence or Adjust Status or meritless claims that slow down (Form I-485). processing for everyone, including legitimate petitioners. Through this The latest PM updates Chapters 10.5(a) long overdue policy change, USCIS and 10.5(b) of the USCIS Adjudicator’s is restoring full discretion to our Field Manual and contains an “additional immigration officers to deny incomplete considerations” section. The policy in this and ineligible applications and petitions “additional considerations” section is not submitted for immigration benefits,” new, and is nearly identical to the policy said USCIS Director L. Francis Cissna. contained in the superseded 2013 PM. “Doing so will discourage frivolous If you are interested in attending filings and skeletal applications used to game the system, ensure our resources the seminar, please email us at brian@ brianohlaw.com or call us at (213) 487are not wasted, and ultimately improve our agency’s ability to efficiently 1122. The seminar will have a cover and fairly adjudicate requests for charge of $50.00. Seating is limited so immigration benefits in full accordance please contact us in advance. with our laws.”

Brian Oh, Esq. is a member of the California State Bar and is a U.S. Immigration and The 2013 PM addressed policies for Nationality Law Practitioner. Our office is the issuance of RFEs and NOIDs when the located at 3530 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1720, evidence submitted at the time of filing Los Angeles, CA 90010. did not establish eligibility. In practice, the 2013 PM limited denials without RFEs This article should not be taken as legal advice for or NOIDs to statutory denials by providing any individual case or situation. The information that RFEs should be issued unless there is intended to be general and should not be relied was “no possibility” of approval. This “no upon for any specific situation. For legal advice, possibility” policy limited the application consult an experienced immigration attorney.

C4 AUGUST 4-7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse... Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is now

PAGE C2 t

process which involves obtaining discovery, exchanging declarations of disclosures, and preparing the case for trial. Ultimately, you will obtain your divorce at trial in addition to adjudication of the distribution of community assets and debts amongst other issues. It is in the best interest of the party to retain the representation of competent counsel who will assert his or her rights under the family code. ***

Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. ***

Calendar of Events across

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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America

AU G U ST 2-1 1

SIPA presents Filipino Summer Program (Session 2) in LA Join SIPA’s Filipino Summer Program that showcases LA youth the beauty of Filipino culture and history. Every single day students will learn and gain a better understanding of different aspects of the Filipino culture and community, such as Filipino food, Pilipinx cultural dances, Filipino Martial Arts, etc. The last day of the program will be a SIPA Summer Party where the families can come join SIPA as we celebrate the end of the program with food, music, and fun! Some of our special guests include dancer Megan Batoon, UCLA’s Samahang Pilipino Cultural Night, and Los Angeles Doce Pares Eskrima! Youth ages 6-15 are eligible for the program. Those over the age of 16 can volunteer. Participants do not need to be Filipino.

Breakfast, lunch, and snacks are served for all students! Session 2 is from August 2-11 (excluding Sundays). Registration ends on Thursday, July 26 at 11:59 p.m. Drop-off of children begins at 8 a.m., and pick-up ends by 6 p.m. at SIPA Office (3200 W Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026). The application and more information can be found at bit.ly/sipasummer18.

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University of the Philippines International Nursing and Healthcare Forum in New Jersey Join the 2nd annual University of the Philippines International Nursing and Healthcare Forum on August 3 and 4 at the Double Tree by Hilton (2117 Route 4 Eastbound / Fort Lee, NJ 07024). Soiree and welcome reception will be from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Friday (registration fee is $50). On Saturday, there will be a breakfast educational program from 7 a.m. to 1 p.m. (registration fee is $50 with CH Credits and $30 without CH Credits). The day will end with a dinner & dance from 6:30 to 11:30 p.m. (registration fee is $100). Mail your registration and payment to UPINHF c/o Iren Bobis Roldan at 26931 Fort Apache Circle, Lake Forest, CA 92630. Make checks payable to UPINHF INC. For more information, please visit www.upinhf. org.

University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association hosts 39th annual reunion in Las Vegas, NV Calling all 2018 jubilarians and class coordinators! Save the date for the University of the Philippines Nursing Alumni Association’s 39th annual reunion on August 3 and 4 at the Treasure Island Hotel in Las Vegas. This year’s theme is “Confronting the modern-day challenge of bioethical and other critical health care issues. For more info/registration, please visit UPNAAI.com.

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Travel, Trade and Consumer event in Carson, CA The Travel, Trade and Consumer Exhibition will encompass the bustling SouthBay Pavilion (20700 S Avalon Blvd, Carson, CA 90746), and is free to the public. Presented by the Department of Tourism & the Department of Trade and Industry, the public can participate in promotions and raffles offered by the exhibitors in booths that will line the main mall. Aside from chances to win plane tickets and other exciting prizes, the Mainstage will host a variety of entertainment and interviews by TV personalities. Outdoor food booths shall be serving Philippine delicacies. A B2B area is also available for business presentations. For exhibitor inquiries, please visit www.traveltradeconsumer.com and contact info@asianjournlainc.com.

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UBSCI to celebrate 30th Anniversary The United Batanguenos of Southern California will celebrate its 30th Anniversary & Coronation Night at the DoubleTree Hotel-Whittier (7320 Greenleaf Ave. Whittier, CA) on Sunday, August 12. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For other related questions please call Mylee Moncada (818) 322-9429; Cely Anuran (805) 630-3377; Rose Pascua (323) 382-1124 or Romy Elepano at (323) 498-9333.

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Philippine Chamber Singers-Los Angeles’ “Hibang sa Awit” at Walt Disney Concert Hall in LA Philippine Chamber Singers-Los Angeles (PCS-LA) invites you to a concert celebrating Original Pilipino Music, better known as OPM, at The Music Center’s Walt Disney Concert Hall on Friday, August 17 at 8 p.m. in “Hibang sa Awit” (Mad About Songs). “Hibang sa Awit” highlights the new modern classic Filipino music and the kundiman created by some of the most respected Filipino composers including Ryan Cayabyab, Willy Cruz, George Canseco, Ruben Federizon, and Robert Delgado to name a few. Very special friends including award winning jazz singer, Mon David; esteemed inspirational singer, Edward Granadosin; and a local/community gem, the Immaculate Heart of Mary Children’s Choir; will join PCS-LA as they infuse various musical styles into a treat for the whole family to hear. Tickets available at the box office or at www.musiccenter.org.

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LA County’s Center for Financial Empowerment hosts financial seminar The County of Los Angeles Center for Financial Empowerment (CFE), housed within the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, is proud to celebrate the launch of BankOn Los Angeles County, a program designed to connect residents to safe and affordable financial products, regardless of their immigration status. In honor of the launch, the CFE will host Summer Saturdays, a free event series that will connect Los Angeles County residents to checking accounts and financial empowerment resources. The public is invited to attend the free events at the following CFE community partner locations: Saturday, August 18, 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Barrio Action Youth and Family Center (4927 Huntington Dr. #200, Los Angeles, CA 90032). The CFE and BankOn financial institution partners will help consumers understand the benefits of banking and start the process of opening a checking account. Attendees can also learn about credit, how to save for college and get first-time home buying tips at financial education workshops while enjoying free ice cream!

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4th annual Kultura Festival: Filipino-American Food & Arts Festival in Chicago Kultura Festival, the Midwest’s premier Filipino-American food and arts event, will be held this year on Sunday, August 19 at Logan Square’s Emporium Arcade Bar (2363 N. Milwaukee Avenue, Chicago) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Kultura Festival is in its fourth year, and is produced by food media and events group, Filipino Kitchen. Carefully curated to appeal to those who personally identify with Filipino culture and the merely curious or uninitiated, Kultura Festival aims to highlight the best in Filipino-American food and arts in Chicago and the Midwest.

Early bird tickets for general adult admission will go on sale at a discounted rate of $10 starting Monday, April 23. Only 100 discounted general admission adult tickets will be available for the Early Bird Special. Early bird tickets will be available for one week, or until supplies last. Early bird tickets to Kultura Festival for students, senior citizens, and children between six and 11 years of age will also be available for sale for $5. Children aged five or younger are admitted free at Kultura. To buy Early Bird Kultura Festival tickets, click https://ti.to/filipinokitchen/kultura2018. Stay tuned for more details on chefs, performers and all things Kultura Festival Chicago! For more information, please visit www.kulturachicago.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

Reeves Immigration Law Group We are pleased to announce that Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza has changed its name to Reeves Immigration Law Group. A new name was required due to the departure of one of the firm’s former partners, who has been appointed as an Immigration Judge with the Los Angeles Immigration Court.

Despite the new name, nearly everything else will remain unchanged. Our goal will remain the same as it has been for nearly the past 40 years – providing superior legal services to the immigrant community as a result of our exclusive devotion to U.S. Immigration and Nationality law.

Reeves Immigration Law Group is led by the firm’s four partners: May Zhang, Flomy Diza, Devin Connolly, and Eric Welsh. All four of the partners are certified specialists in Immigration and Nationality Law

by the State Bar of California, Board of Legal Specialization.

In addition to the partners, we also have several highly qualified associate attorneys and a professional team of paralegals who welcome the opportunity to help others.

Everyone at Reeves Immigration Law Group looks forward to the continued opportunity to

assist individuals and businesses in accomplishing their immigration goals. Whether your case involves a visa, permanent resident status, U.S. citizenship, relief from deportation, etc., we can provide excellent legal representation. Contact us today for a confidential consultation!

(Advertising Supplement)

Client files adversary against debtor...

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tor is whether or not its claim is actually secured in the legal sense of the word. For instance, a mortgage that is signed by both parties but not recorded is not a secured debt. It is an unsecured debt. But if the mortgage is recorded, the mortgage becomes a secured debt. Even if there is a bankruptcy, the mortgage holder can ask permission from the Court to proceed with foreclosure on the property if the postpetition mortgage payments are not being made. So, in Chapter 13 if the post-petition mortgage payment has not been made, the creditor can file a motion for relief from the automatic stay. This motion is normally heard in 30 days. If the debtor does not pay the post-petition default on or before the hearing date with certified funds, the court will grant the relief motion and allow the creditor with State law foreclosure remedies.

Senior files Chapter 7 to discharge $40K credit cards The next client is a 62. He still works as a radiology technician and makes about $70,000 a year.

He is single and doesn’t own a house. He has several dependents; his sister and two nieces.

He also sends money abroad to another sister who has a large

family because his brother in law does not work. In other words, the client has a good heart and all his income is spent to care for his family. The choice now is there is a conflict between money that has to be sent to his sister abroad or to pay for minimum payments on his $40K credit cards. He sends $1,200 a month to his sister abroad, while he also needs $1,200 a month to keep his $40K credit cards current.

It’s hardly a choice, is it? The right choice is to continue sending $1,200 a month to his sister with the large family because they have to continue having a roof over their heads and food to eat. Some of the money sent goes to the college education of his nieces and nephews, which is also good. On the other hand, $1,200 a month to keep $40,000 credit cards current is a luxury that the client can no longer afford. He has paid it for at least ten years, which is a grand total of $144,000. $144,000 is more than enough to pay off $40,000 of credit cards, isn’t it? But that’s not how it works. After paying $144,000 for 10 years, clients still owe the very same $40,000 of credit cards! It’s totally unfair.

But whoever said that the world has to be fair? Instead of paying

for credit cards, the client could have bought a house instead, here or abroad so that the house can be used as a family home for his relatives. The client wants to continue working until forever. I can understand that. As long as one is healthy, one will feel the same even in the sixties, one still feels young. It’s all in the mind. I started counting backward a long time ago. Truth be told, I don’t feel a day over 28 but that was a long time ago, yet it feels like that was only yesterday. So this is life. We are only here temporarily and only for a short period of time.

The client decides to get a Chapter 7 discharge, then buy a house here after two years when his credit score is about 650. He’s still paying for a new car, so as long as he pays the car loan on time, his credit score should be over 600 by the second year. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

(Advertising Supplement)

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People and Events Spirit of Bacolod’s MassKara Festival comes alive in Long Beach, CA Bacolod and Long Beach Sister City relationship. The delegations from Bacolod City, Negros Occidental were headed by Vice Mayor El Cid Familiaran with the City Administrator of Bacolod City, Atty. John N. Orola, Jr., who at one time was a Tourism Attaché of the Department of Tourism in Los Angeles and Director of Tourism for North America, Canada and Latin America. The

Bacolod government officials with Tyler Curley of the Office of Long Beach Mayor and Peter Ramirez, the Long Beach Bacolod Association president, posing with festive spirits at the stage of the MassKara Festival.

The Bacolod delegation showing off the famous masks made in Bacolod during the MassKara festival in Long Beach on Saturday, July 28.

The Philippine Women’s Club dancers with singer Michael Keith and community leader and CEO of Pageantry Global, Inc., Trinity Foliente. The club is the oldest club in the USA having been founded in 1961 by Sol Ramirez, the wife of then Consul General Pedro G. Ramirez.

Igorot dancers performed by the famous Philippine Women’s Club of Los Angeles

ON Saturday, July 28, the Long Beach Bacolod Association (LBBA) brought the famous MassKara Festival of Bacolod, Philippines to Long Beach, California. The entire day featured an array of food, cultural dances, entertainment and trade pavilions at the Recreation Park, which was enjoyed by multi-generations of Filipinos and non-Filipinos.

The MassKara Festival is an annual festival held every fourth Sunday of October in Bacolod, with a street dance competition where people from all walks of life troop to the streets to see masked dancers gyrating to the rhythm of Latin musical beats in a display of mastery, gaiety, co-

The MassKara dancers “American” style from the I Dance Studio in Carson wearing authentic original Bacolod masks.

ordination and stamina. Major activities include the MassKara Queen beauty pageant, carnivals, drum, bugle corps competitions, food festivals, sports events, musical concerts, agriculture-trade fairs, garden shows, and other special events organized every year.

The LBBA’s event on Saturday was preceded by a concert and gala night at Cal State University Long Beach, a trade finance seminar on how to export to Asia, and a screening of the film “Stateside.”

The multi-day events were attended by Bacolod City officials to promote the festival and the city’s trade, tourism and invest- Tasty sweets famous in Bacolod can be found at the Bacolod booth of the MassKara AJPress photos by Andy Tecson ment program and to revive the festival.

Bacolod delegation included Councilor Caesar Z. Distrito, Councilor Em L. Ang, Councilor Bartolome N. Orola, Councilor Dindo C. Ramos, Councilor, Renecito S. Novero, Councilor Cindy T. Rojas, City Tourism – Ms. Ma. Elma A. Gerasmo, City Trade and Livelihood Officer – Ms. Brenda Burdeos and Trade Products Specialist – Ms. Blyth Balbin.

C AUGUST 4-7, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

&

Good news: USCIS to postpone implementation of NTA memo

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ IN previous articles, I wrote about a recent USCIS policy memorandum (PM), where USCIS would start issuing notices to appear (NTA) if USCIS denied certain immigration benefits (such as extension of status, change of status, adjustment of status, family petition, employment – based petition, etc.) and, as a result of the denial, the person is considered “out of status.”

Fortunately, on July 30, 2018, USCIS announced that it would postpone implementing (or enforcing) that PM at the present time until the “operational guidance” or instruction on how to carry out this new policy is issued. The PM had originally instructed to create or update their “operational guidance” within 30 days, and since it is still pending, the PM will not yet take effect.

While this is welcome news, it still means this policy will come into effect once USCIS comes up with the guidance. If that is the case, the PM will have very serious, if not devastating, effects on people applying for various immigration benefits, where they could be placed in removal or deportation proceedings if their benefit is denied, such as: • Person on a visitor’s visa applies for an extension, but the extension is denied after their existing status expired.

”It remains to be seen how this new PM will be put into effect once the operational guidance is issued by USCIS.” • Person petitioned by elderly parent, who is earning insufficient income to satisfy the requirements of an affidavit of support, and their case is denied because they’re likely to become a “public charge.”

• Person is being petitioned, but forgets to include a critical document like a birth certificate or marriage contract, and USCIS decides to deny the case without serving a request for evidence (RFE).

• A couple is truly in love, but are nervous at the marital interview, give conflicting answers, and the case gets denied as a “fixed marriage.”

It remains to be seen how this new PM will be put into effect once the operational guidance is issued by USCIS. However, in this era of zero-tolerance, where even merely being out of status makes a person an “enforcement priority,” even the most minor immigration violation or infraction could result in removal/deportation. Even though this new PM is not yet “officially” enforced, it’s possible that officers will already start taking a tough and strict stand when denying a case.

That is why if you have any immigration issues or are applying for immigration benefits,

you should seek the advice of an attorney, who can advise you of your eligibility and chances of success, especially in this new climate of enhanced immigration enforcement, where almost everyone who is not a U.S. citizen is considered an enforcement priority. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

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

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

Business Quote of the Week “Every time you make the hard, correct decision you become a bit more courageous, and every time you make the easy, wrong decision you become a bit more cowardly. If you are CEO, these choices will lead to a courageous or cowardly company.”

- Ben Horowitz, CEO of Opsware

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 4-7, 2018

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Cebu Pacific eyes more China destinations Philippine government spends P352 billion on infrastructure in 6 months

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Cebu Pacific intends to capitalize on the continuing good relations between the Philippines and China as it looks to expand to more destinations in the world’s second largest economy.

Cebu Pacific president and CEO Lance Gokongwei said on Tuesday, July 31 the company is adding 10 aircraft next year which would primarily serve international markets.

He said more routes to North Asia are being planned, including secondary cities in China such as Chengdu and Xi’an.

“There’s really a lot of interest in North Asia especially China to connect to the Philippines.

There’s going to be large opportunities to connect the secondary cities in China outside Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shanghai. To start connecting Chengdu’s and Xi’an to our destinations,” Gokongwei said.

Gokongwei said the new flights may not necessarily be to and from Manila.

“I think Manila is getting a little bit congested so we are going to be adding significant capacity to Clark, to Cebu, and to other destinations. Panglao (airport) also, we’re looking forward to that,” he said.

Cebu Pacific currently flies direct to Beijing from Manila, and also has direct flights to Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Xiamen from Manila.

by maRy

GRace padin Philstar.com

CEBU PACIFIC, DOT LAUNCH JUAN EFFECT. Lance Gokongwei, president and CEO of Cebu Pacific; Tourism Secretary Berna Romulo-Puyat and Environment Undersecretary Sherwin Rigor launch the Juan Effect program of DOT and Cebu Pacific’s social and environmental responsibility arm.

Low-cost carrier Cebu Pacific Air announced its move to replace non-recyclable utensils with eco-friendly alternatives as part of its commitment to sustainable tourism. The JuanEffect is a joint program with the DOT to engage travelers and local stakeholders to mitigate the environmental impact of tourist arrivals.

Philstar.com photo by Walter Bollozos

Meanwhile, the company yesterday announced plans to replace non-recyclable plastic spoons, forks, stirrers and cups for inflight meals and refreshments with sustainable alternatives on all its domestic and international flights starting October 1, 2018 as part of initiatives to push for sustainability.

The carrier also launched a sustainable tourism program in partnership with the Department of Tourism called “Juan Effect.”

The program aims to engage travelers and local stakeholders in mitigating the impact of tour-

ist arrivals on the environment.

On the average, Cebu Pacific mounts about 400 flights daily across 37 domestic and 26 international destinations, resulting in the use of approximately 18,500 pieces of plastic spoons, forks, cups, and stirrers in a day.

“As we continue to help pumpprime local economies through accessible, affordable and available flights, we are also committed to reducing our impact on the environment. We want to cut down on our use of non-recyclable plastic to only what is necessary,” Gokongwei said. n

hensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy Program (CARS) that aimed to transform the Philippines into an automotive manufacturing hub.

Duterte emphasized how the corporation aided in the nation’s economy.

“It is also a major driver of our economy, encouraging investments that spur national development. It is also a key generator of employment, nurturing the skills and talents of over 55,000 employees,” the president added.

The president also praised Toyota’s initiatives, comparing them to the programs of the current administration and noting the similarities.

“I am delighted to know that your initiatives that uplift the

lives of our underprivileged countrymen are in line with my administration’s focus on eradicating illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption in order to encourage business to grow,” Duterte said.

He also lauded the programs initiated by the company that helped improve the lives of many Filipinos.

“Through your corporate social responsibility initiatives such as scholarship opportunities, reforestation projects, annual dental and medical outreach programs, you have pursued a meaningful business that works towards the upliftment of local communities that works towards – and the global environment. I ask you PAGE D3

MANILA, Philippines — The national government spent P352.7 billion on infrastructure in the first half, going beyond its target of P338.3 billion after the completion of road projects and other capital outlays, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) reported on Wednesday, August 1.

Compared to last year, the latest figure was also 41.6 percent higher than the P249.1 billion recorded in the same period in 2017, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

The DBM attributed the aboveprogram infrastructure spending from January to June to the completion of various infrastructure projects, particularly the road projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

For June alone, infrastructure expenditures rose by nearly 24 percent to P71.9 billion from last year’s level of P51.9 billion.

This covers the construction, widening, and maintenance of road networks under the DPWH, the repair and rehabilitation of classroom and school facilities, acquisition of hospital and medical equipment, and construction of rail transport projects and purchase of airport security equipment of the Department of

Compared to last year, the latest figure was also 41.6 percent higher than the P249.1 billion recorded in the same period in 2017, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

Transportation.

According to the DBM, the increase in disbursements related to infrastructure is one of the key drivers of public spending growth in the first semester.

Aside from this, the DBM also cited expenditures in personnel services, which increased 20 percent to P460.5 billion during the period.

As of end-June, total disbursements rose by more than 20 percent to P1.6 trillion from the P1.33 trillion recorded in the same period in 2017. This was also 2.2 percent higher than the spending target of P1.57 trillion for the first half.

“The performance of government spending is unprec-

edented, because we are ahead of the program for the first time in history. This is a result of the reforms we have implemented in planning and budgeting,” Diokno said.

“This quicker spending should translate to more classrooms for our students, better transport systems for our commuters, improved health and social protection programs for the poor, among other public service provisions,” he said.

Like spending, government revenues during the period also climbed by nearly 20 percent to P1.8 trillion from P1.41 trillion a year ago. This also surpassed the revenue program of P1.31 trillion by 8.1 percent.n

Hong Kong firm eyes $1.5-billion Duterte ensures “level playing field” for businesses resort in Philippines

by AJPress PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, August 1, ensured a “level playing field” as he addressed business leaders during the 30th anniversary of Toyota Motor Philippines in Taguig City.

“This government will protect you and your investments and will ensure a level playing field for you to thrive in as long as you obey the laws of the land and safeguard the welfare of your people and the general public,” he said.

In his speech, he applauded Toyota for being the government’s partner in some of its initiatives such as the Compre-

by iRis

Gonzalez Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Landing International Development Ltd., a Hong Kong listed casino company, is making its foray in the Philippines.

The company will pour in $1.5 billion into its planned integrated casino resort dubbed as Nayon Landing, which will rise on a 9.5hectare property inside the 100hectare Entertainment City.

In a disclosure to the Hong Kong Stock Exchange late Wednesday. Landing said it plans to open its integrated casino resort early 2022. It hopes to break ground on Aug. 7 after getting a provisional license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming

Corp. (Pagcor).

The whole resort will feature a Filipino cultural theme park, an indoor waterpark, an indoor movie-based theme park, a convention center, luxury hotels, retail and dining areas, and other commercial and entertainment facilities.

The casino will be another attraction of the integrated resort with a gross floor area of approximately 28,000 square meters with a “sky casino” theme to offer its premium guests an exquisite gaming experience.

A host of different gaming options will be available such as the Baccarat, Blackjack, Pontoon, Roulette, Casino War, Craps, Stud Poker, Big & Small, Money Wheel, Pai-Gow, Pula at Puti,

slot machines, electronic gaming machines and Poker.

Landing will fund the $1.5 billion investment through internal resources or debt financing .

“The momentous and symbolic occasion will mark the first step in the development of the integrated resort. The ceremony will celebrate a key milestone in the company’s history as it continues to strive toward becoming one of the global leaders in the tourism, leisure and entertainment industry,” said Landing International chairman and executive director Yang Zhihui.

Yang said the investment in the Philippines “is an ideal opportunity” for the company to expand its footprint into SouthPAGE D3

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PH manufacturing growth slows PIH Health receives 2018 CALNOC annual performance excellence awards

PHILIPPINE manufacturing growth slowed markedly in July, global research firm IHS Markit said on Wednesday, August 1 as it released the results of the latest Nikkei Philippines Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI).

The latest reading of 50.9 — down from 52.9 a month earlier — “was the lowest for five months and represented only a marginal improvement in the health of the sector,” IHS Markit said.

Results above 50 point to an economic expansion while a reading below that indicates a contraction. The indicator is drawn from a poll focused on output, new orders, jobs, inventories and delivery times.

“New business grew at a much slower rate in July after a solid second quarter, despite a strong pick up in export sales,” said IHS Markit principal economist Bernard Aw. “Input cost inflation remained marked in the manufacturing

sector during July which, in turn, led to further increases in selling prices.”

New business intake was said to have slowed to its weakest pace in survey history despite a surge in export sales. Slower overall sales led to a reduction in production volumes and output growth hit a six-month low, IHS Markit said.

“That said, there was anecdotal evidence that input shortages disrupted production activity,” it noted.

With demand having softened, purchasing activity also fell to its weakest in six months, contributing to a rise in inventories.

Shorter delivery times were also reported for the first time since March.

Lower backlogs pointed to a continued slack in manufacturing, HIS Markit said, adding that the “latest decline in unfinished business was the steepest for 10 months”.

The spare capacity affected hiring and payrolls were leaner for a second straight month, although respondents said that resignations were a factor.

“Higher prices for raw materials, such as diesel, plastics and rice, a weaker peso and effects of the TRAIN regulations all contributed to input cost inflation, which remained well above that seen in recent years,” IHS Markit said.

“Greater cost burdens led firms to raise selling prices further in July,” it added.

Business expectations remain elevated but fell to the lowest in survey history, the research firm said.

“Where optimism was recorded, new products, higher sales forecasts, solid construction activity, planned business expansions and increased marketing efforts were all reported as reasons,” it added. (ManilaTimes. net) n

Duterte ensures “level playing field”...

PAGE D2 to continue doing so as we realize a more sustainable society,” Duterte stated.

In the light of the celebration, the president praised the corporation for being a pioneer in the automotive industry as he assured it of his support.

“As we continue to institute reforms in governance, Toyota Motor Philippines can count on my full support as it continues to bring the standards of the automotive industry to greater heights,” he promised.

Duterte also urged the automotive company to be a role model to other corporations.

“Continue to become an example for other corporations to emulate. Show [everyone] that big corporations can give back to their communities,” he added.

In a report from The Manila Times, Duterte received a gift from Toyota Motor Philippines’ chairman Akio Toyoda before his speech. The company donated a total of 30 Filipino made vehicles to the Office of the President — these include 10 Toyota Innovas and 20 Toyota Vios.donation of 30 Filipino-made vehicles to the Office of the President. These include 10 Toyota Innovas and 20 Toyota Vios.

In his speech, Duterte lauded Toyota Motor Philippines for

reaching the milestone and for not only moving goods and people, but also “in charting the course of our country’s future.”

“Today marks a milestone for one of the leading pioneers in the country’s automotive industry.

I therefore warmly congratulate Toyota Motor Philippines on the occasion of its 30th anniversary.

It is my pleasure to join you in celebrating your legacy of innovation that has set the foundation of a strong and growing automotive industry in the country,” Duterte said.

“Over the past three decades, ‘Toyota’ has become a household name on the road and the homes of many Filipino families.

This speaks volumes about the impact of the [company]not only in moving goods and people, but also in charting the course of our country’s future,” he added.

Duterte also noted how the Japanese automotive manufacturer has been a partner of the government.

“It is also a major driver of our economy, encouraging investments that spur national development. It is also a key generator of employment, nurturing the skills and talents of over 55,000 employees,” the President said.

“The corporation has also been our government’s steadfast partner in many initiatives

such as the Comprehensive Automotive Resurgence Strategy Program or CARS, which aims to attract more investments and implement regulations that will transform the Philippines into an automotive manufacturing hub,” he added.

Duterte also said he was delighted that Toyota Motor Philippines’ initiatives helped uplift the lives of underprivileged Filipinos in line with his campaign against illegal drugs, criminality, and corruption.

“Through your corporate social responsibility initiatives such as scholarship opportunities, reforestation projects, annual dental and medical outreach programs, you have pursued a meaningful business that works towards the upliftment of local communities that works towards — and the global environment. I ask you to continue doing so as we realize a more sustainable society,” he said.

“Continue to become an example for other corporations to emulate. Show [everyone]that big corporations can give back to their communities… As you prepare yourselves for another exciting 30 years ahead, I trust that you’ll be one with me as we bring real and lasting change for the sake of our people,” the president said. n

Healthcare network recognized for reducing hospital acquired conditions

WHITTIER, Calif. — PIH Health has been recognized by the Collaborative Alliance for Nursing Outcomes (CALNOC)— the leading provider of Business Intelligence, and Research on nurse sensitive quality indicators—with 2018 CALNOC Annual Performance Excellence Awards.

CALNOC acknowledged both hospital campuses, PIH Health Hospital - Whittier and PIH Health Hospital - Downey, for their exemplary work in reducing hospital acquired conditions in 2017.

PIH Health Hospital - Whittier was recognized for Best Performance in Preventing Hospital Acquired Infections, based on observed infection rate data, and PIH Health Hospital - Downey for Best Performance in Preventing Injury Falls, based on the percent of reported falls resulting in moderate injury or greater in adult acute care.

“It is an honor to receive these recognitions from CALNOC—an organization that stands at the forefront of patient care excellence,” said PIH Health President and Chief Executive Officer James R. West. “At PIH Health, we work hard across the enterprise to deliver safe, high-quality patient care. These awards exemplify our organization’s mission, vision and values of putting patients first.”

The awards will be presented at the CALNOC Annual Confer-

ence in October 2018 at the Westin Hotel in San Diego.

PIH Health is a nonprofit, regional healthcare network that serves more than 2.1 million residents in the Los Angeles County, Orange County and San Gabriel Valley region. The fully integrated network is comprised of PIH Health Hospital - Whittier and PIH Health Hospital - Downey and features 19 outpatient medical offices, a multispecialty medical (physician) group, home healthcare services and hospice care, as well as heart, cancer, women’s health, urgent care and emergency services.

The organization is recognized by IBM Watson as one of the nation’s Top Hospitals, and

Hospitals and Health Networks as one of the nation’s top hospital systems for best practices, cutting-edge advancements, quality of care and healthcare technology.

Healthgrades®, the leading online resource for information about physicians and hospitals, recently honored PIH Health Hospital - Whittier with the 2018 Distinguished Hospital for Clinical Excellence Award and for the fourth consecutive year, the Outstanding Patient Experience Award (2015-2018).

PIH Health invests millions each year in community education and free and low-cost services to support those with the greatest need. n

Hong Kong firm eyes $1.5-billion...

PAGE D2 east Asia as it strives to become a leading integrated casino resort operator in the region.

Landing operates the Jeju Shinhwa World casino resort in Jeju, South Korea.

“NayonLanding will be able to leverage on the growing brand equity in Jeju Shinhwa World to attract more Koreans and tourists in the region to visit the Philippines,” Yang said.

The grant of a license to Landing comes just months after President Duterte imposed a nationwide ban on the issuance of new casino licenses on concerns

that there are already too many casinos in the country.

Pagcor chairman Andrea Domingo announced the ban during the 2018 International Casino Exhibition London, a global gaming technology event, last February.

Aside from the ban, the project also raised questions on the land deal.

Landing has a land lease agreement with the Nayong Pilipino Foundation for the 9.5-hectare property but industry sources said the Commission on Audit (COA) earlier questioned the deal.

The company, however, has a legally binding contract for

the land, according to GGRAsia. ture projects, particularly the road projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

For June alone, infrastructure expenditures rose by nearly 24 percent to P71.9 billion from last year’s level of P51.9 billion.

This covers the construction, widening, and maintenance of road networks under the DPWH, the repair and rehabilitation of classroom and school facilities, acquisition of hospital and medical equipment, and construction of rail transport projects and purchase of airport security.n

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Philippines can supply blockchain McDonald’s unveils limited edition MacCoin talent, says Union Bank exec to celebrate 50 years of the Big Mac The collectible MacCoin is first fully food-backed global currency

Union Bank of the Philippines President and CEO Edwin Bautista

MANILA, Philippines — Union Bank of the Philippines President and CEO Edwin Bautista recently underscored the importance of training Filipinos to become knowledgeable in blockchain as many organizations are now investing in this technology – resulting in greater demand for professionals who have the necessary technical skills to create and implement blockchain-enabled processes.

Speaking at the “Disruptor or Disrupted: BusinessWorld Economic Forum 2018” held at the Grand Hyatt in Taguig City, the chief of one of the country’s largest banks sees the eventual takeover of blockchain as an opportunity to position the country’s workforce as a major source of blockchain professionals.

“If we can train our highly talented workforce to become well-versed in blockchain, we can become a leading source of blockchain talent for organizations all over the world, just like how we are seen as one of the best destinations for voice business process outsourcing,” Bau-

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tista said.

Bautista’s statement comes amid a skyrocketing demand for blockchain-capable professionals.

In a report published by global freelancing platform Upwork last May, blockchain landed at the top spot in the platform’s list of 20 fastest-growing skills in the first quarter of 2018, posting a 6,000-percent year-on-year growth in terms of demand.

In China alone, demand for blockchain talent rose by almost 10 percent just between January and February of this year.

In addition to this, the number of companies with blockchainrelated vacancies also increased by almost five percent within the same period, lowering the supply-demand ratio to 0.15, according to news reports.

By providing Filipino talents with blockchain education and training, Bautista said the Philippines would be able to get a share of this growing lucrative market.

Bautista said this could help those whose roles are being

File photo by Philstar.com

disrupted by other emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning.

“Those in the industry who get displaced because of AI, for example, one option is to teach them blockchain development, and they will be assured of a job in the next five years,” Bautista said.

Union Bank itself is offering career opportunities to blockchain talents, along with transitioning hundreds of its workers into what are now called “jobs of the future.”

“I will retool people from their existing jobs. I will give them a first crack at other jobs,” Bautista said, stressing that there are many other new careers coming out like design, programming and digital marketing.

“By equipping our workforce with blockchain skills, not only are we creating something that can potentially fuel our economy, we are also ensuring that our talent pool is able to thrive in a fully blockchain-enabled world, which is just around the corner,” Bautista concluded. (Philstar.com) n

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TO celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Big Mac, McDonald’s this week unveiled the MacCoin, a limited edition global currency* backed by the internationally iconic Big Mac that fans across the world can get their hands on starting August 2 to share, collect or redeem. Beginning at lunch time on August 2, customers can receive a MacCoin with the purchase of a Big Mac at 14,000 participating restaurants across the U.S., while supplies last.

Starting on August 3 through 2018, customers can redeem their MacCoin for a free Big Mac at participating McDonald’s restaurants in the U.S. and in more than 50 participating countries.

More than 6.2 million MacCoins will be distributed globally in more than 50 countries while supplies last. These commemorative coins feature five unique designs, each representing a decade of the Big Mac. Each MacCoin design pulls in elements from that time in history, nodding to art, music and pop culture, while the front-side of the MacCoin celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Big Mac. The MacCoin highlights: • The ‘70s, showcasing the decade’s flower power • The ‘80s alluding to pop art • The ‘90s defined with bold,

abstract shapes • The early ‘00s specifically focusing on the technology that was at the forefront of the turn of the century • The ‘10s MacCoin calling attention to the evolution of communication Additionally, the seven languages featured across the various designs represent many of the countries participating: Arabic, English, Indonesian, Mandarin, Portuguese, French and Spanish.

In its 50 years, the legendary taste of the Big Mac has helped it achieve universal recognition and a lasting legacy. No matter where they live in the world, Big Mac fans recognize the two allbeef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles and onions on a sesame seed bun as the iconic burger with a flavor combination that’s just as craveable and delicious as the day it was introduced. It has become such a global icon that The Economist even used the price of the Big Mac to create the Big Mac Index, an economic tool that compares the purchasing power of different international currencies year after year. This global connectivity of the Big Mac inspired the creation of the MacCoin.

“Since it was introduced at a

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family-owned McDonald’s restaurant 50 years ago, the Big Mac has traversed the globe and is enjoyed in cities from Shanghai to Chicago, providing delicious, feel good moments to people all over the world,” said McDonald’s President and CEO Steve Easterbrook. “So we wanted a global celebration as unique as the burger itself. The MacCoin transcends currencies to commemorate our global iconic burger while giving customers all over the world a chance to enjoy a Big Mac on us.”

“When my great-grandfather Jim Delligatti invented the Big Mac at his grill in Uniontown, Pennsylvania, he just wanted to make his local customers happy,” said Nick Delligatti, fourthgeneration McDonald’s owneroperator and great-grandson of Jim Delligatti, the inventor of the Big Mac. “August 2 would have been his100th birthday, and I believe he would be very proud knowing his humble sandwich has made such a lasting impression that people all around the world can enjoy it wherever they find a McDonald’s.” *MacCoin has no cash value and is only redeemable for one free Big Mac at participating McDonald’s restaurants through 2018. n (Advertising Supplement)

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