080818 - Southern California Midweek Edition by Asian Journal Community Newspapers

August 8-10, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 60 • 3 Sections - 24 Pages

DATELINE USA

‘National ID system to cut red tape’ by RALPH

VILLANUEVA ManilaTimes.net

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Census could overlook millions of Californians in 2020 count, new report says Proposed citizenship question could affect overall count in certain geographic 2020 is shaping up to be one of the most crucial years in the history of American democracy. Coming up in the next year and a half, Americans will be participating in two important events: the presidential election and the census survey. There are more or less 40 million people — citizens and otherwise — living in California, a population that has grown twice in size since Gov. Jerry Brown first became governor in 1975. The federal census — the overall count of all peoples living in the United States that’s taken every 10 years — will hopefully provide answers to the exact count. Each household is given a questionnaire in which residents must answer questions concerning the amount of people currently living in the household, race and ethnicity, gender, age, education, employment etc. But what was supposed to be a standard procedure has become a point of contention given the proposed changes by the Trump

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Mendocino Complex Fire in California is now the largest in modern state history CALIFORNIA fires have again been making ground, less than a year after a record breaking fire burnt through parts of Southern California’s coast. As of Tuesday morning, August 7, the Mendocino Complex Fire covered over 290,000 acres in Northern California’s Mendocino and Lake counties, making it the largest fire in California’s modern history. Made up of two neighboring fires being the Ranch Fire and River Fire which erupted less than two weeks ago, it has burned through an area nearly the size of Los Angeles, and almost 10 times the size of San Francisco. It overtook last year’s Thomas Fire which devastated parts of the Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, leaving over 282,000 acres burned. So far, 143 structures have been destroyed by the flames including 75 residences, and 68 other structures. Thousands of people have

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MALACAÑANG on Monday, August 6, assured Filipinos the national identification system set to be implemented by the Duterte government would be secure from security breaches and would curb red tape. President Rodrigo Duterte signed the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) Act into law on Monday in Malacañang, saying it would protect Filipinos from “social menaces.” “This will not just enhance [administration and governance]but reduce corrupSenate President Vicente Sotto III (3rd from left), Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (3rd tion, curtail bureaucratic red tape and profrom right and other lawmakers applaud as President Rodrigo Duterte signs the Philippine mote the ease of doing business. It will also Identiﬁcation System law. Malacañang photo avert fraudulent transactions, strengthen

financial inclusion and create a more secure environment for our people,” he said. Duterte urged Filipinos to support the PhilSys and not feel threatened by it, because the information posted there would “not be any different” from the information already with the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) and other government agencies that had issued IDs. The PSA will also work closely with the National Privacy Commission, the Department of Information and Communications Technology and the multi-agency PhilSystem Policy and Coordination Council, Duterte said. “There is therefore no basis at all for the apprehension about the Phil ID unless that

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Napoles daughter back from Indonesia, to face US cases by ELIZABETH

MARCELO Philstar.com

MANILA — Jeane Catherine Napoles, the youngest daughter of detained businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles, returned to the Philippines on Friday, August 3, one of the family lawyers said. “Jeane arrived at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport at exactly 3:35 a.m. on Friday. I personally fetched her for the reason that the family is concerned of any eventuality in light of her recent indictment in the U.S.,” counsel Ian EncarnaJeane Catherine Napoles cion told The Star. Philstar.com photo On Friday, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra told the media that Jeane Cath-

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28TH CABINET MEETING. President Rodrigo RDuterte presides over the 28th Cabinet Meeting in Malacañang Palace on Monday, August 6. Duterte on Monday signed into law the Philippine Identiﬁcation System Act, which aims to make public service delivery more efﬁcient. The signing coincided with the presentation of the President of the newly signed Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to the leadership of the various Moro front groups and key Mindanao stakeholders. Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

3 Filipino families affected Bishop hits Pacquiao for ‘wrong interpretation’ of Bible on death penalty in Italy road explosion THE apartments of three Filipino families were affected when a fuel tanker exploded in a highway in Bologna, Italy, the Department of Foreign Affairs said on Tuesday, August 7. A total of 10 Filipinos, including two minors and two infants, were affected by the blast but were not injured. The apartment units of the Filipino families sustained ma-

jor damage from the explosion, according to Consul General in Milan Irense Susan Natividad. According to Natividad, the doors and windows of the apartments of the three Filipino families were blown off. “There were no injuries reported among the family members who were evacuated by authorities and accommodated at a local hotel,” the DFA said.

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SENATOR Manny Pacquiao has a “wrong interpretation” of the Bible and is “misleading” the public on his understanding of it, an official of a Catholic-based group said on Monday, August 6. “It is just unfortunate that Senator Pacquiao has a wrong interpretation of the Bible. He is actually misleading the public on his own understanding of the scriptural passage. This is what is dangerous. The Senator should ask his staff to do some solid research before sharing his thoughts on any

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Sen. Manny Pacquiao

Philstar.com photo

Palace wants Mocha Uson ‘disengaged’ from federalism info campaign by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — From the outset, the “little president” was against tapping Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson for the federalism information drive, and she has been asked to “disengage” from the campaign. Communications Secretary Martin Andanar revealed that Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea got angry upon hearing that Uson would help spread information about federalism Communications Secretary Martin Andanar revealed that Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea got angry upon and Charter change. “It was a Saturday [August4] when hearing that Uson would help spread information about federalism and Charter change. Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos I last talked to Executive Secretary

Bimbong Medialdea and he was asking me who appointed Mocha,” Andanar told radio station dzBB. “Executive Secretary is not pleased,” he added. Andanar said he gave Medialdea the contact number of of Ding Generoso, the spokesman for the consultative committee (Concom) formed to review the 1987 Constitution. Generoso previously said Uson could help raise public awareness about federalism because she has numerous online followers. “It was Ding who tapped her. I was not the one who appointed Mocha to become spokesperson. So, I told

Ding you have to disengage because ES (Executive Secretary) is already angry. In fact, I think ES has already called him,” Andanar said. Uson drew flak over an episode of an online show that critics said poked fun at federalism. Drew Olivar, a blogger and co-host of Uson in the “Good News Game Show,” touched his crotch and chest while chanting “I-pepe” and “i-dede.” He then shouted “I-pederalismo!” at the end of his dance number. “Pepe” is Filipino childspeak for the female genitalia while “dede” pertains to the breast.

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From the Front Page

Palace wants Mocha Uson...

PAGE A1 Several users of social networking sites lambasted the video, calling it a cheap way of promoting federalism. Other critics chided Uson for allegedly wasting taxpayers’ money and insulting the Filipinos’ intellect. Uson, who has been accused Communications Assistant Secretary Mocha of using her blog to spread false Uson Philstar.com photo information and propaganda,

has claimed that the online show is not part of the Concom’s information campaign for Charter change. Andanar clarified that Uson is not an official spokesperson for the interagency communication group formed for the public awareness campaign. “The interagency (group) did not talk to Mocha. So, therefore, it’s not official. Kaya medyo nga na-bad trip si ES (That’s why the Executive Secretary was annoyed) while I was talking to him BRIEFING FOR 2019 NATIONAL BUDGET. Senator Loren Legarda (middle), chair of the Senate Committee on Finance, along with other senators listen because there was no official to the presentations made by the members of the Development Budget Coordination Committee in relation to the proposed 2019 national budget announcement that there would during a hearing on Tuesday, August 7. The 2019 national budget, the first cash-based budget of the government, is pegged at P3.757 trillion. In be spokespersons,” he said at a photo with Legarda are (from right to left) Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon, along with Senators Risa Hontiveros, Cynthia Villar and Sherwin press briefing at Malacañang. Gatchalian. Senate photo by Cesar Tomambo Andanar said the communications group has agreed that the talking heads on federalism should be members of the Concom, selected Cabinet secretaries and advocates approved by PAGE A1 ments after Duterte signed the tect the database,” Roque said. the Department of the Interior fear is based on anything that “This time around, there is a national ID system into law. and Local Government. borders on the illegal. If at all, privacy law and in the law itself “This is a landmark legisla“The work of the PCOO is to the [national]ID will even aid it is specified that government tion. We won’t be asked to presdisseminate (information). We the drive against social menaces has the obligation to protect the ent multiple government-issued will serve as the media platform — poverty, corruption, criminal data gathered because of the IDs for any transaction anyof federalism messages. The issues as well as terrorism and National ID System. That’s why more. Disadvantaged individuPCOO will not be the messenger. violent extremism,” he said. we are confident that this time als previously unable to access We are just merely the bridge,” The national ID system was around it will pass the test of support and assistance from he said. first proposed during the Ramos constitutionality,” Roque added. the government can now have Uson was also criticized by ne- administration through Execusomething to count on, in such Fingerprints, iris scans tizens for her inaccurate claims tive Order (EO) 308. It did not Under the law, the govern- a small package that not only fits regarding federalism and sys- push though after the Supreme ment will be able to start issuing in a bag, but also fits in a wallet,” tems of government in Southeast Court declared it unconstitution- national IDs containing basic de- Aragones, a former journalist, Asian nations. al for lack of legislation. tails of the holder, such as name, said in a statement. “We are being left behind by Another attempt was made sex, birth date, birthplace, adBut for Rep. Sarah Elago of our neighbors in terms of gov- during the term of former presi- dress and nationality. Kabataan party-list, the national ernance, as we are the only na- dent Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo The card will also contain ID system law should be contion in Southeast Asia that is through EO 420, synchroniz- biometric information of the demned because it is aimed at under a unitary form of govern- ing all government-issued IDs holder. The law authorizes the suppressing dissent and remiment, which places the coun- and calling it the Unified Multi- collection of photographs, fin- niscent of the cedula system that try’s problems to be solved only Purpose Identification System gerprints, and iris scans as de- the Spanish colonizers used to by the hands of a few leaders, (UMID). termined by the Implementing control the movement of people and manipulated by ManilaThe UMID is still being issued Rules and Regulations. and suppress their democratic based oligarchs,” she wrote in by select government agencies The collection of data on mari- rights. a recent newspaper column in but does not serve as a national tal status, mobile number and “In the hands of [President The Star. ID. email address, however, is op- Rodrigo] Duterte, the nationCorrecting the inaccuracies, Constitutional al ID system is bound to be a tional. fact-checker VERA Files said This time, the PhilSys law “For the ordinary Juan de weapon of suppression, mass almost all of Southeast Asia has would be deemed constitutional la Cruz, the signing of this act monitoring and surveillance to been described as unitary coun- by the Supreme Court, Malaca- means that he will no longer track everyone’s movement, if tries with government power ñang said. have to present multiple iden- not bribery and arm-twisting on concentrated at the center, citIn a news briefing, Palace tification cards simply to prove Duterte’s critics and dissenters. ing Indonesia, Myanmar, Thai- spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said his identity. This streamlining This is an attack on the civil and land, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, there would be a safeguard to of information makes it likewise political rights of the Filipinos,” Timor-Leste and Brunei as ex- protect the people from security harder to commit identity theft Elago said in a statement. amples, the last country being issues. “If the priority of government or fraud,” Roque said. governed by a constitutional “I would like to assure the is to provide everyone with ‘Like the cedula’ monarchy. people [this will be]unlike the Access to government servic- free public health, free educaOnly Malaysia has a federal National ID Bill which was ear- es should significantly improve tion, free public housing, public form of government while Singa- lier declared unconstitutional by with the national identification transportation and so on, there pore is a city-state and has no lo- the Supreme Court in Ople vs the system law, a lawmaker said. is no need for a national ID syscal government, according to the Executive Secretary, because Rep. Sol Aragones of Lagu- tem for the people to benefit facts shared by VERA Files. n there were no safeguards to pro- na issued the statement mo- from these,” Elago added. n

‘National ID system to cut...

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Dateline USa

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Bishop hits Pacquiao for ‘wrong interpretation’... PAGE A1 issue,” said Albay Bishop Rodolfo Diamante, executive secretary of the Episcopal Commission on Prison Pastoral Care (ECPPC), on Pacquiao’s statement that the Bible allowed the government to enforce capital punishment on those who would commit crimes. Diamante said Pacquiao was

elected by the people to protect and improve the quality of life and not to extinguish it. Diamante issued the statement after Pacquiao, a born again Christian, expressed his continuous support of the death penalty even after Pope Francis said that the death penalty was “inadmissible.”

The ECPPC is a commission under the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) responsible for monitoring and analyzing on-going activities involving correctional work for the purpose of providing recommendations on legislations and policies to government. (ManilaTimes.net)

Mendocino Complex Fire in California is now the largest...

PAGE A1 been evacuated, but no deaths have yet been reported. As of Tuesday morning, the Mendocino Complex Fire was only 34 percent contained. Officials initially hoped to have the fires out by mid-August, but on Tuesday said that containment looked more likely to happen early September. According to AccuWeather, heat and poor relatively humidity will continue to pose a challenge for firefighters. “Firefighters continue to battle the River and Ranch fires. Crews worked throughout the night to reinforce containment lines while the fire behavior remained extreme,” the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection (Cal Fire) said Tuesday. Cal Fire added, “Weather conditions will continue to challenge firefighters as hot, dry and windy conditions persist.” Stronger California fires High temperatures and prolonged drought have been fueling bigger and stronger fires in the

state. Nine of the top 20 largest California wildfires have occured within the last decade, according to Cal Fire data. In Northern California’s Shasta County, the still burning Carr Fire moved through over 167,000 acres as of Tuesday, becoming the 12th largest recorded in California. Around 1,600 structures have been destroyed and seven deaths have been recorded — the seventh being a Pacific Gas & Electric worker who died on Saturday, August 4 while doing restoration work. The Trump administration in response, announced a disaster declaration that makes federal funds available to Shasta County residents. Philippine Consul General Henry Bensurto in San Francisco reported a week after it started that no Filipinos had been affected by the fire which threatens the nearby city of Redding, home to a small community of about 227 Filipinos. Entering its third week, the

Ferguson Fire killed two people, injured 11 others, and prompted indefinite closures at parts of Yosemite National Park and Yosemite Valley. In Southern California, the Holy Fire broke out in Orange County on Monday afternoon, August 6 and quickly burned through 4,000 acres in the Cleveland National Forest. It was two-percent contained as of Tuesday morning. President Donald Trump gave his thoughts on Twitter, pointing to California’s environmental laws and management of water resources as being a culprit behind the fires. “California wildfires are being magnified and made so much worse by the bad environmental laws which aren’t allowing massive amount of readily available water to be properly utilized. It is being diverted into the Pacific Ocean. Must also tree clear to stop fire spreading!” Trump tweeted without giving further detail on Sunday, August 5. Environmental advocates, including some politicians, on the other hand have put weight on climate change as being a leading factor. California Governor Jerry Brown said last week that the fires were evidence of climate change happening “in real time.” “[The] predictions that I see, the more serious predictions of warming and fires to occur later in the century, 2040 or 2050, they’re now occurring in real time,” said Brown at a news conference in Sacramento last Wednesday, August 1. “You can expect that — unfortunately — to continue intensifying in California and throughout the Southwest. We are part of that process,” added Brown. A 2016 study in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences cited human-caused climate change as a key driver for forest fire, saying it doubled the amount fires along western U.S. forests since 1984. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

COMFORTING VISIT. President Rodrigo Duterte consoles Mud Monda, whose parents Muid and Hadji Monda died in the car bomb explosion in Lamitan, Basilan onJuly 31, 2018. The Mondas, members of the Civilian Armed Forces Geographical Unit, were among the 10 blast fatalities. The President, accompanied by his special assistant Christopher “Bong” Go, promised Mud educational assistance and a monthly allowance. Malacañang photo

Census could overlook millions of Californians in... PAGE A1 administration, including asking a question about citizenship, a question never before asked on any census, as previously reported by the Asian Journal. And, because of this proposed measure, politics researchers warn that millions of Californians may not be counted. A study from the nonpartisan group Public Policy Institute of California measured that a possible miscount in individual census tracts may occur in small regions in the state, drastically affecting the overall population count. Any error in miscounting could result in decreased federal funding or a loss of a seat in Congress since states’ populations dictate its allotted number of congressional representatives. Researchers posited that as many as 45 percent of residents may not respond, largely due to fear that declaring non-citizenship status would open them up to government scrutiny. “Part of the reason there’s so much at stake for California is that so many Californians fall into groups that have been historically underrepresented,” Tess Thorman, a Public Policy Institute research associate for the study, told the Los Angeles Times. Earlier this year, the U.S. Dept. of Commerce (DOC) announced in an eight-page memo that it would “restore a question about citizenship” in the 2020 census questionnaire, which sparked outrage among lawmakers and organizations. “We know that adding that question on citizenship status will

cause participation in the upcoming census to plummet, and that vulnerable communities that are already hard to count will be most significantly impacted,” Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of the Leadership Conference Education Fund, said in a press call after the DOC’s announcement. And Gupta is right. In 2010, the census overlooked approximately one million young children, and about 400,000 were Latino, according to Arturo Vargas, executive director of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials. Additionally, the 2010 census also found the profound discovery that Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) — 90 percent of which are immigrants or children of immigrants — were the fastestgrowing ethnic group, and had grown 46 percent since 2000. It’s figures like that that call for easing the census procedure in order to get an accurate count of all peoples living in California, according to John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice. The Public Policy Institute created an interactive map of the state that estimated the predicted rates of non-responses in each county. According to the map, the counties with the highest rate of predicted non-responses — including Fresno (32.7 percent), Kern (27.2 percent), Los Angeles (33.4 percent), San Bernardino (28.8 percent) and Imperial (43.3 percent) — are communities with among the largest shares of undocumented immigrants and

people of color. “For decades, census directors under both Democratic and Republican administrations abided by department policy and did not include a citizenship question,” California Secretary of State Alex Padilla said in a statement last week. “The Trump administration’s decision to include a citizenship question on the 2020 census completely disregards science and proven methodology.” Additionally, those areas with abundant populations of immigrant and people of color also tend to be those which are overcrowded and have housing that isn’t visible, like back units, trailers, mobile homes or garages that could be missed by surveyors. “In the 2020 census housing will be a major issue,” Thorman said. “There are a lot of people with the housing crisis living in overcrowded rental housing. People in mobile homes tend to be undercounted.” The Public Policy Institute’s report found that many of these areas of high likelihoods of miscount belong in Democratic districts; only one of the congressional districts with people least likely to fill out a census questionnaire is headed by a Republican. Internet access has also become an issue in the bias associated with the census. The 2020 census is the first time that the Census Bureau hopes to count a majority of residents, but rural areas with poor internet service or households that don’t have access to it may miss out on the count. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

3 Filipino families affected in Italy... PAGE A1 In its latest update, the DFA said that the Office of Civilian Protection in Bologna informed the Philippine Consulate General in Milan that no Filipinos were injured in the blast.

Italian police said one person has died in the incident while 60 to 70 people were injured, with serious burns, when a tanker truck carrying explosive materials was in a traffic accident.

Italian news agency ANSA reported that the tanker was carrying liquefied petroleum gas. The explosion sent flames soaring into the air. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com with Associated Press)

Napoles daughter back from Indonesia, to face...

PAGE A1 erine left the Philippines on July 27 based on records of the Bureau of Immigration. Guevarra, however, said he had no knowledge of where Jeane was heading. Jeane’s departure from the Philippines came days before the US Department of Justice announced on Wednesday her indictment by a federal grand jury for conspiracy to commit money laundering, domestic money laundering and international money laundering concerning the wealth that her mother supposedly amassed from the pork barrel fund scam. Also indicted by the jury were Napoles, her two other children Jo Christine and James Christopher and her brother Reynaldo Lim and his wife Ana Marie. Guevarra said that aside from Jeane, all the other indicted members of the Napoles family are still in the Philippines. Encarnacion confirmed Jeane left for Indonesia on July 27, but stressed that the trip had no connection with her recent indictment. “It was a purely business trip. She sourced raw materials for a clothing business of a friend. The flight was booked sometime in June when we had no knowledge yet of any indictment,” Encarnacion said. Encarnacion said Jeane’s return on Friday was also scheduled and not out of fear that she might get arrested on foreign soil. “She is ready to face the cases against her. We will exhaust all legal remedies available to prevent her possible extradition to the U.S. We maintain her innocence and we look forward to having these cases dismissed,” Encarnacion said. Justice Secretary Guevarra confirmed Jeane Catherine returned to the country last Friday. “She flew back from Denpasar, Indonesia via Zest Air,” Guevarra said. Jeane Catherine has no pending cases in the Philippines following

the Court of Tax Appeals’ dismissal of her P17.46-million tax evasion cases in December last year. Encarnacion also revealed that he and some other lawyers were on the way to Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig to meet with Napoles and the other members of the family. “We will be having initial discussions on our legal strategy, on how we will go about these new cases and the possibility of extradition,” Encarnacion said but refused to elaborate. Napoles is detained at Camp Bagong Diwa on five counts of plunder and multiple counts of graft and malversation pending before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam. Jo Christine and James Christopher are also facing graft and malversation cases at the Sandiganbayan in connection with the pork scam but they are currently out on bail. Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang earlier said they have jurisdiction over the Napoles family members facing cases at the anti-graft court. This means their extradition may only come after the cases are resolved. When asked if the Sandiganbayan can temporarily relinquish its jurisdiction over the Napoleses in light of an existing Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty (MLAT) between the Philippines and the U.S., Tang said: “That is something that has to be studied. There is no SC (Supreme Court) decision yet on that issue that can guide us.” On the possibility that Napoles would be extradited, Guevarra said the DOJ would provide security for whistle-blower Benhur Luy if he would have to give his testimony before the U.S. courts. “If he’s requested to testify by U.S. prosecutors, we can make the proper security arrangements,” Guevarra said. Another option is for the prose-

cutors from the US government to come to the Philippines to personally get Luy’s sworn statement. “U.S. prosecutors may simply take his deposition in the Philippines in the presence of defense counsel,” Guevarra added. Luy had testified that he sent government funds to the alleged accounts of Napoles in the US. He said public funds from former senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. reportedly went to the implementing agencies while some were wired to the U.S. In its statement released on Wednesday, the U.S. justice department said that based on investigation, Napoles had some $20 million she had amassed from the pork barrel fund scam transmitted to her US bank accounts. The amount was used for the purchase of assets including real estate and dozens of luxury vehicles. The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Central District of California said Napoles and her family members attempted to quietly liquidate their assets in the U.S. and secretly repatriate most of the resulting funds back to the Philippines and to other accounts in the U.S. and the United Kingdom when the issue came to light in the media. It also said part of the amount was withdrawn and used to finance the lifestyle and open a fashion business for Jeane Catherine. Napoles, the report added, had also used the money for her real estate binge, purchase of shares in numerous businesses and for financing the lifestyle of her other family members. It was reported that in 2015, the U.S. government won a court order to freeze the $12.5 million worth of assets bought by Napoles and others using the alleged stolen funds. The DOJ had earlier turned down Napoles’ application for witness protection in her bid to be a state witness in the pork scam. (Evelyn Macairan/Philstar.com)

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Cayetano open to ‘debate’ on West Philippine Sea by Patricia lourdes Philstar.com

BANGSAMORO ORGANIC LAW. President Rodrigo R. Duterte poses for a photo with the legislators and negotiators in the peace process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), as well as top officials from the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police during the presentation of the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL) to the MILF at Malacañan Palace on Monday, August 6. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

SWS: ‘Very good’ rating for Duterte administration by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

MANILA — The Duterte administration’s net satisfaction rating remained “very good” in the second quarter of the year, according to the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS). The survey, conducted from June 27 to 30, showed that 72 percent of adult Filipinos were satisfied with the performance of the administration, against only 13 percent who said otherwise. This resulted in a net satisfaction score of +58, classified by the SWS as very good. It was similar to its very good +58 (69 percent satisfied, 11 percent dissatisfied) net satisfaction rating last March. The administration’s net satisfaction rating remained excellent in Mindanao, President Duterte’s home region. It went up by four points from +72 last March to +76 in June. It stayed very good in balance Luzon (areas in Luzon outside Mega Manila), also up by four points from +50 in March to +54 in June. But it fell in Metro Manila by one grade from very good to good, +58 to +47. It stayed very good in the Visayas, hardly moving from +57 in March to +56 in June. Satisfaction with the government rose by one grade from very good to excellent in class ABC, higher by 25 points from +56 last March to +81 in June. It remained very good in class

E, from +54 in March to +62 in June. It also stayed very good in class D, although it dropped by two points from +58 in March to +56 in June. The administration of Duterte obtained a very good net satisfaction rating on: building and maintenance of public works (+62), reconstructing the war-torn Marawi City (+55), promoting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (+55), helping the poor (+54) and promoting women’s rights (+52). It was good on: protecting human rights (+48), transparency in government activities (+43), having clear policies (+40), fighting terrorism (+39), ensuring that no family will ever be hungry (+39), foreign relations (+39), fighting crimes (+37), ensuring an efficient public transportation system (+36), fulfilling commitments in internal treaties (+33), deciding quickly (+33), reconciling with Muslim rebels (+31) and eradicating graft and corruption (+30). It received moderate scores on the following issues : reconciling with communist rebels (+27) and defending Philippine sovereignty in West Philippine Sea (WPS), +20. It garnered a neutral score on fighting inflation (+1). The administration’s net rating rose by two grades from moderate to very good on promoting women’s rights, up by 24 points from +28 in December 1995 to +52 last June. It rose by one grade from moderate to good on transparency in

government activities, up by 20 points from +23 in September 2015 to +43 last June. It also improved by one grade from moderate to good on deciding quickly, up by 18 points from +15 in October 2015 to +33 last June. Likewise, it rose from moderate to good on ensuring that no family will ever be hungry, up by 17 points from +22 last March to +39 in June. However, it fell by one grade from very good to good on fighting terrorism, down by 19 points from +58 last March to +39 in June. It also fell by one grade from very good to good on protecting human rights, down by six points from +54 last March 2018 to +48 in June. It also dropped from good to moderate on reconciling with communist rebels, down by 10 points from +37 last March 2018 to +27 in June. It also fell from good to moderate on defending Philippine sovereignty in the WPS, down by 14 points from +34 last March to +20 in June. It stayed good on eradicating graft and corruption, although down by 16 points from +46 last March to +30 in June. It also remained neutral on fighting inflation, although down by seven points from +6 last March to -1 in June. The SWS survey used face-toface interviews of 1,200 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide. n

Viray

MANILA — While urging former President Benigno Aquino III to join public discussions on the West Philippine Sea dispute, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said that he is also open to discussions on the issue. Aquino and Cayetano have been engaged in a word war for the past week when the former challenged the latter to be transparent on his politics. “I’m also ready anytime, any place, if you would like a one-onone debate. If you’d like to bring (former Foreign Affairs) Secretary (Albert) Del Rosario or Sen. (Antonio) Trillanes, it shouldn’t even be a debate, it should be a discussion,” Cayetano said in a press briefing in Taguig City on Tuesday, August 7. Cayetano stressed that Aquino should also attend hearings and to testify on what really transpired during the 2012 Scarborough Shoal standoff.

The DFA chief, however, acknowledged that the Aquino administration also did “a lot of good things, even some great things.” “Having said that, his administration was not infallible. They did mistakes and rather than just keep saying the policy is wrong, it’s easy to say that our policy is wrong but you have to understand first — what was the take off point of the Duterte administration’s policy,” Cayetano said. He reiterated that the Philippines lost control over Scarborough Shoal under Aquino’s presidency and insisted that there were no complete records of what transpired during the standoff with China in 2012. Cayetano, meanwhile, expressed his gratitude to Acting Chief Justice Antonio Carpio and Rep. Gary Alejano (Magdalo Partylist) for their statements on the possible joint exploration with China in the West Philippine Sea. Carpio earlier told the govern-

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano Philstar.com photo

ment to make sure that the country’s sovereignty would not be compromised in the proposed 60-40 sharing scheme with Beijing. “As long as the joint development complies with the Philippine Constitution and there is no waiver of our sovereign rights PAGE A7

A6 AUGUST 8-10, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

A national ID

FEATURES

BRUSHING aside privacy concerns, President Rodrigo Duterte has put in place the national identification system. In signing the new law, the president called for public support for a measure that he said would cut red tape and reduce corruption and fraudulent transactions. The new law is also seen to strengthen the campaign against criminality and terrorism. With the signing of the Philippine National Identification System Act, every Filipino must register for a physical national ID or PhilID and obtain a unique, randomly generated permanent ID number or Common Reference Number. Information contained in the PhilID will include biometrics. A history of transactions made by the ID holder, such as travels by air or water as well as claims made with government agencies, will also be recorded. This has raised concern among certain sectors over privacy intrusions and data breaches, but lawmakers have reassured the public that there are enough safeguards designed into the law. For others, the bigger concern is the efficient rollout of the IDs. With the PhilID, Filipinos need only a passport and driver’s license as separate government identification documents. There was a

long wait, however, for the release of driver’s license cards. This was a nuisance for those who needed to use the driver’s license as the government document in obtaining certain goods or services such as in buying international plane tickets or getting a security clearance. Biometrics were also taken for voter’s ID cards several years ago, many of which were never delivered. Authorities must also make sure that fears over data breaches and identity theft will prove unfounded. The new ID system, as the President stressed, is also a tool for fighting criminality and terrorism. But the system must be protected against breaches of its integrity. This is the first time that a national ID system is being implemented in this country. Those in charge of the rollout must see to it that any birth pains and glitches will be minimal. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

‘Collusion’ alert: Did Trump just admit his campaign sought Russia’s help to win the 2016 US presidential election?

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS DID PRESIDENT Donald Trump just hand Special Counsel Robert Mueller an admission that indeed, his campaign sought to get Russia’s help to get dirt on Hillary Clinton in order to win the 2016 U.S. presidential election. On Sunday, August 5, Trump tweeted: “Fake News reporting, a complete fabrication, that I am concerned about the meeting my wonderful son, Donald, had in Trump Tower. This was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics - and it went nowhere. I did not know about it!” This is after layers of lies he and his administration have fabricated on several contacts made with Russians which that have evolved and contradicted each other. The particular private meeting President Trump tweeted about was arranged by Trump’s eldest son Donald Jr. with a Russian lawyer connected to the Kremlin on June 9, 2016 at Trump Tower in Manhattan — two weeks after the real estate mogul/reality star clinched the Republican nomination. Donald Jr. was excited and enticed to move forward after he

was promised “dirt” on Hillary Clinton. Also in attendance among members of the Trump’s campaign were Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and his campaign chairman Paul Manafort. Their version of the truth evolved from the meeting never happened to the meeting was all about the Russian adoption program after the New York Times contacted the campaign with information about it. The statement released by Donald Jr. and Kushner, however, did not mention anything about discussions with reference to the campaign. In his statement as reported by the New York Times, Donald Trump Jr. said: “It was a short introductory meeting. I asked Jared and Paul to stop by. We primarily discussed a program about the adoption of Russian children that was active and popular with American families years ago and was since ended by the Russian government, but it was not a campaign issue at the time and there was no follow-up.” He added: “I was asked to attend the meeting by an acquaintance, but was not told the name of the person I would be meeting

with beforehand.” However, the “version of the truth” about the true objective of the meeting again evolved a few days later when The Times published emails between Donald Trump Jr. and Rob Goldstone, a British-born former tabloid reporter and entertainment publicist who helped arrange it. Mr. Goldstone said he had “something very interesting” — sensitive information that “is part of Russia and its government’s support for Mr. Trump.” The White House was then still holding on to the “adoption” “version of the truth” when President Trump surprised everyone with a revealing tweet on July 17, 2017, saying: “Most politicians would have gone to a meeting like the one Don jr attended in order to get info on an opponent. That’s politics!” Trump then intensified his attack against the media reporting on these exposes that made them change their narrative of what transpired during the meeting, and as the Mueller probe of the alleged collusion progressed to include indictments and guilty plea from Russian officials and some members of his campaign,

he started vilifying and undermining the Mueller investigation calling it a “witch hunt”. The president of the United States even chose to believe Russian President Vladimir Putin’s denial that Russia interfered in the 2016 U.S. elections by cyber attacks and continue to assail our democratic institutions and processes to continue creating discord and chaos in the country and in our relations with our allies — a fact that has been revealed by the U.S. intelligence agencies. He went on to change his narrative again to say there is no such crime as “collusion”, but claimed he did nothing wrong. However, he remained elusive in agreeing to sit down for an interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller. As the Mueller probe gathers more evidence testimonies, including a claim by Trump’s former attorney/fixer Michael Cohen alleging that Trump knew about the meeting in Trump Tower, Trump intensified his rant on Twitter, claiming that Don Jr.’s meeting with the Russian in Trump Tower” was a meeting to get information on an opponent, totally legal and done all the time in politics - and it went nowhere.

I did not know about it!” Trump must either be ignorant of the law or ill-advised to state this claim, because what his son did was against the law, according to Title 52 Section 30121 of the U.S. Code which says,”It shall be unlawful for a foreign national, directly or indirectly, to make a contribution donation money or other thing of value in connection with a federal, state, or local election, or for a person to solicit, accept, or receive contribution or donation described above from a foreign national.” Analysts say, soliciting information like “hacked email” or dirt on an opponent from a foreign government— and an adversary at that like Russia, is a clear violation of the U.S. Code. It need not produce any results to be a crime — the mere attempt to do it is already a violation. Don Jr., with his email exchanges agreeing to meet with Russian lawyer who promises dirt on Clinton must then be in legal trouble. BUT he is not alone. What about President Trump? Mueller has reportedly been examining all his tweets and actions during the campaign and after he was elected president.

When did Trump find out about the meeting? Did he dictate the press statement lying about the true reason for the meeting? Did the “blocked call” Don Jr made as gathered by investigators a secret call made to Trump? Why did Trump announce he was giving a major speech that would reveal about the wrongdoings of Clinton just a few days before the meeting in Trump Tower? Why did he fire FBI Director James Comey? Why did he lash out at Attorney General Jeff Sessions when he recused himself from the Russia probe? Why did he tweet about Sessions having to STOP the Russia probe? Why couldn’t he stand up to Putin to defend the United States against Russia’s assault in our democracy? Why so many lies, misrepresentations, denials, falsehoods, and cover up? What is Trump hiding? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Victory in Cambodia polls and need for unity gov’t, 4 premiers unite in Nepal, middle class Filipinos in US

PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. (Part 1 of 2)

WE had a three-week gruelling journey for an 81-year-old through Southeast Asia (Cambodia), South Asia (Nepal), and the Middle East (Iran and Qatar), with about two-hour stop-overs in airports in Bangkok, Doha, and Ho Chi Minh (formerly Saigon). We were joined on the last leg by wife, Gina (former President of the Congressional Women’s Association), to serve as international observers to monitor the Cambodian parliamentary elections and a visit with the seriously injured (from a car accident) former Premier-Prince Norodom Ranariddh of Cambodia, older half-brother of the current younger King Norodom Sihamoni, both sons of the legendary King, our late friend Norodom Sihanouk. The tentative Cambodian election results indicate a major win for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP). Election observers from Asia, Latin America, and Europe, and a small number from the U.S. said the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) perhaps made the miscalculation of boycotting the elections when they could have perhaps

achieved appreciable results as in the last elections in 2013. It is uncontested that the longserving Hun Sen is regarded as a strong leader, responsible for insuring the country’s stability, considering Cambodia’s recent history of a most violent civil war, Vietnamese occupation, and the bloody Khmer Rouge rule which killed more than 2-million Cambodian civilians. Among international observers who proposed economic diversification and more political inclusion in Cambodia were Nepal’s former Premier Madhav Nepal, former Minister Ek Nath Dhakal, former Iran Vice-President and Energy Minister Hassan Ghafoori Fard, former Minister, now in the Thai opposition and current Vice-Chairman of the Asia-Europe Political Forum, Dr. Nalinee Taveesin, Turkey civil society leader Ms. Gozde Dizdar, Indonesian former Parliament Speaker Agung Laksono, former Air Marshal Pieter Wattimena, Parliamentarian Yasril Ananta Baharuddin, and Indian ruling party official V.J. Jolly. Nonetheless, we in the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), composed of more than 300 ruling, opposition, and independent

parties in Asia and officials of the Centrist Democrats International (CDI) based in Belgium, the latter, led by the eminent former Colombian President Andres Pastrana, could only hope that Premier Hun Sen, perhaps in the final term of his rule, could invite elements of the opposition, including those living abroad to come home and join a genuine Government of National Unity. This will further sustain and enlarge the credible economic and social growth of Cambodia, estimated by the Asian Development Bank at 7.1 percent, among the highest in Asia including the muscular performance in the construction, tourism, agriculture, and garments sectors and the further surprise diversification to electronics and auto parts. On our first three days in Kathmandu, Nepal, in the Himalayas, at the foothills of Mount Everest, the world’s highest mountain, we had the lucky fortune of conferring at the same time, with our old friends, Nepal’s current twotime Premier K.P. Oli, former Maoist-wing Premier Pushpa Kamal Dahal “Prachanda”, former Marxist-wing Premier Madhav Nepal and former Premier Jhala Nath Khanal, all of whom

at one time or another were serious rivals. We were with American Thomas Walsh, Chairman of the New York-based Universal Peace Federation (UPF), and a director of the Washington Times; Seoulbased Chong Sik Yong, head of UPF Asia, and former Nepal Minister of Peace and Reconstruction Ek Nath Dhakal, who is married to a Filipina, Blessie Dhakal of Zamboanga City. We were also joined by UPF Philippines Chair Julius Malicdem from San Carlos City, Pangasinan, and we were preparing the ground for a global Summit in Nepal on Nov. 21-23, 2018, hopefully to include parliamentarians and civil society leaders from Asia, Africa, Europe, North America, Latin America, and Australiasia. When it was our turn to speak, we pointed out that Nepal, with its 30-million people, perched between two of the world’s population giants, China and India, each with more than 1.3-billion people, had stolen a march on the Philippines: the Nepalis had actually already brought peace to their land by merging their two quarrelling Marxist and Maoist Communist parties into a single party, while holding the opposi-

tion Congress Party at bay; the latter, a close geographic political cousin of the old Gandhi and Nehru-ruled Indian Congress Party of India, and the parties made history and successfully converted Nepal today into a Federal state. These are also two strategic objectives of the Philippines under President Rodrigo Duterte but we assured the Nepalis that the Filipino people, the first to achieve independence in Asia after World War II, are not far behind and are enroute hopefully to achieving a final peace pact with the Communist New People’s Army, after the signing of two previous partial agreements, and if survey polls improve, in the coming months, a final achievement as well on a Federal system of government. It is a question really of President Duterte, Vice-President Leni Robredo, the Senate and the House, the heads of the main political parties, the business leaders, civil society, religious leaders, the Muslim-separatist and Communist groups, being invited and meeting together in a grand one-week to two-weeks of meetings at the Summit to endorse and create a people-supported Government of National

Unity. Difficult but certainly not impossible. We believe that now, sooner than later is the time to hold and conclude a Summit of great expectations as the next definitely combative presidential elections are still almost four years away. From Nepal, we moved on to Tehran via Muscat, capital of Oman, and joined our son Jose de Venecia III, and our assistant, former Congress technocrat Aldwin Requejo, for meetings with Iran’s former senior political and Muslim religious leaders: former Parliament Speaker and current senior Muslim religious leader Nategh Nouri; former Foreign Minister, former Ambassador to the United Nations, and current Chairman of the Strategic Council on Foreign Relations Khamal Karazi; former Deputy Speaker and current religious leader Abu Torabi Fard; Deputy Minister and President of the Organization for Investment, Economic and Technical Assistance of Iran Mohammad Khazaei; and Deputy Petroleum Minister for International Affairs and Trade Amir Hossein Zamaninia, who visited Manila with Fard years ago when we then headed the House of Representatives. (To be continued next week)

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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Economic managers warn of federalism rush’s fiscal risks

HAKAB NA! 2018. Hundreds of mothers simultaneously breastfeed their babies at the ‘Hakab Na! 2018’, held in observance of the National Breastfeeding Awareness Month at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Sunday, August 5. The event, organized by non-government organization ‘Breastfeeding Pinays’ in partnership with the Department of Health, aims to promote the importance of giving support to breastfeeding mothers, establish the Philippines as a breastfeeding nation and create a world record as it was held simultaneously in 40 registered locations across the country. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Poe says she is against call to scrap PCOO budget by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

MANILA — Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday, August 7, expressed her opposition to the proposal to remove the budget allocation for the Presidential Communications Operations Office despite her concerns about the agency’s request for an increased appropriation in 2019. “Mayroon din naman talagang tapat sa kanilang tungkulin [na nagtatrabaho diyan] at hindi din naman dapat i-zero budget,” Poe said. She was reacting to the call of Rep. Tom Villarin (Akbayan party-list) to scrap the budget

of PCOO amid the furor on the controversial video on federalism by Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson and her blogger cohost. “If this is where our taxes go, perhaps it’s time to remove its budget and use it for what our people truly need,” Villarin said. But Poe raised questions on the proposal of PCOO to increase its 2019 budget to P1.41 billion from 1.38 billion in 2018. “Pero sa tingin ko naman, maluho rin naman na isipin natin na uunahan pa natin ang ibang ahensiya na direktang nakakatulong at uunahin natin ang isang ahensiya na hindi naman sikmu-

ra ang tinututukan,” she said. While she said she understands the importance of communication, Poe asked the PCOO to justify the proposed hike in its budget. “Sa tingin ko sa ngayon kailangan talaga nilang patunayan na kailangan nila iyan dahil para sa amin at lalung lalo na sa akin, importante na mabigyan ng budget ang pagkain, kalusugan at edukasyon kaso ‘yun ang mga pinuputulan ng budget, kaya nakapagtataka,” Poe said. The latest controversy of Uson did not sit well with senators, with lawmakers calling it “downright vulgar” and “disturbing.” n

Cayetano open to ‘debate’ on West... PAGE A5

under the arbitral ruling, I have no objection,” Carpio said. Alejano, on the other hand, warned that a joint exploration with Beijing would solidify its claim on the contested waterway. “Just because the Philippines will presumably take a larger share given the 60-40 scheme being proposed, does not guarantee that we are going to be on the winning end,” Alejano said. Cayetano assured Carpio and Alejano that any agreement with Beijing would be in accordance

with the Philippine Constitution. “We cannot come up with any agreement that is unconstitutional. That just cannot be done,” Cayetano said. He added that standard contracts in the oil and gas industry are 50-50 sharing scheme but the Philippines’ starting point would be the Malampaya project. The Duterte administration is seeking for a better agreement than Malampaya. Going back to Aquino, Cayetano clarified that he did not mean to disprespect the former president and urged him once again

to answer his questions. “It’s a disservice to the Filipino people to just say, ‘Google it,’” Cayetano said. Cayetano blamed Aquino for starting their argument, claiming that it was the latter who first said in an interview that the DFA chief’s politics should be “transparent as his hairstyle.” Aquino, however, was only responding to Cayetano’s earlier question on Del Rosario’s transparency during the previous administration’s negotiations with China following the Scarborough Shoal standoff. n

MANILA — Two of the Philippines’ economic managers on Tuesday, August 7, warned against rushing into the planned shift to a federal form of government, which some say could have negative implications for the country’s public finances. In hundreds of hours of speeches, President Rodrigo Duterte has boldly declared the Philippines must overhaul the 1987 Constitution and shift to a federal system of government to address the country’s widening wealth gap and empower regional governments. Duterte last month approved the draft federal constitution crafted by a consultative committee or Con-Com. The charter reviewers, whom Duterte appointed, proposed that federated regions be given a share of not less than 50 percent of all national taxes. But in a recent television interview, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia stressed that while federalism could unlock economic benefits, it could also spell disaster for some regions not prepared for such a transition and “wreak havoc” on the country’s balance sheet. At a Senate hearing, Pernia made it clear that his remarks were his “personal opinion.” “I spoke rather liberally as an academic... As I said, I do not object. I was just pointing out that the rush is not good. It’s not good to rush into this,” Pernia said. For his part, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III told senators that while the Duterte administration’s economic team has no official position yet regarding federalism, he agrees with Pernia on the potential fiscal risks of the proposed change in form of government. “If we don’t manage this correctly, this can end up to be a fiscal nightmare. So I think the legislature, in its wisdom, can sort those issues out,” Dominguez said. “I’m happy that it is being discussed now because the original draft, for me, from a fiscal point of view leaves much to be desired.” The finance chief then recalled his recent meeting with members of Con-Com where he highlighted his concerns on the draft federal charter from a fiscal point-ofview. “Number one, during a meeting with some members of the commission, I asked them, ‘who is going to pay for the national debt? Who is going to pay for the military? Who is going to pay for the [Department of Foreign Affairs] and the central bank? I mean if it

needs additional capital, who is going to put it up?’ And their response was, ‘the sharing with the local governments or the states will be after those expenses,’” he said. “But I said: ‘You know, when I read the draft, it doesn’t say so there. It just says 50 percent.’ So I said: ‘You know, that’s what you say but how come it’s not in the draft?’” he added. Last month, international debt watcher Moody’s Investors Service cautioned that federalism could present downside risks to

the country’s institutional and fiscal profile. “The shift to federalism would also likely incur an expansion in the aggregate size of the government and, hence, public expenditure,” Moody’s said. “At the same time, there may be a gap between the national and local levels of government with respect to their ability to manage fiscal resources, posing a risk to the improved fiscal discipline that has characterized national government finances over the past decade,” it added. (Phistar.com)

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ParaĂąaque projects to provide 10,000 jobs by Lisbet

K. esmaeL Manilatimes.net

AROUND 10,000 direct and indirect jobs would be opened when the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s biggest commercial complex and the fifth casino project inside the 100-hectare Entertainment City opens this year and in 2022, officials of the host city said. ParaĂąaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the entry of Hong Kong-listed Landing International Development Ltd. which will build a $1.5-billion resort with a casino in the Philippine capitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainment district is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;very positive development for the city in terms of job creation, revenue and tourism.â&#x20AC;? The Philippine Amusement

ParaĂąaque Mayor Edwin Olivarez said the entry of Hong Kong-listed Landing International Development Ltd. which will build a $1.5-billion resort with a casino in the Philippine capitalâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s entertainment district is a â&#x20AC;&#x153;very positive development for the city in terms of job creation, revenue and tourism.â&#x20AC;? File photo by Philstar

and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) recently issued a provisional gaming license to Landing International to build the $1.5 billion integrated resort, Nayon

u PAGE B6

NAIA rehab pushed by richmond

mercurio Philstar.com

THE consortium of seven conglomerates which offered to rehabilitate the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) is raring to start the upgrade of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main international gateway, and is urging the government to approve its proposal at the soonest possible time. NAIA Consortium spokesperson Jimbo Reverente said â&#x20AC;&#x153;time is of the essenceâ&#x20AC;? because every yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s delay would cost the country opportunity losses in terms of trade, investments, tourism and employment. He said only the grant of an original proponent status (OPS) is needed for the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s private proposal to move forward. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are ready to start construction right after we get the notice to proceed (NTP) and deliver the first phase of expanding NAIAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s capacity by 2020. We can make this hope and dream into a reality in just two yearsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; time from NTP issuance,â&#x20AC;? Reverente said.

File photo by Philstar

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) has recommended the grant of OPS to the NAIA Consortium composed of Aboitiz InfraCapital Inc., AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., Alliance Global Group Inc., Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Emerging Dragon Corp., Filinvest Development Corp., JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Metro Pacific Investments Corp. DOTrâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s recommendation, however, is not yet final, as approval from the Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA)â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s board of directors is still required. In a text message over the weekend, MIAA general manager Ed Monreal told The STAR that the OPS has

u PAGE B6

Second quarter economic growth seen at 6.6% In a report, Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Analytics said the economy likely sustained its expansion in the second quarter on the back of robust remittances as well as higher consumer and government spending. File photo by Philstar.com by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

THE research arm of Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Investors Service and British banking giant HSBC said the Philippine economy may have grown by a slower 6.6 percent in the second quarter from 6.8 percent in the first quarter. In a report, Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Analytics said the economy likely sustained its expansion in the second quarter on the back of robust remittances as well as higher consumer and government spending. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Consumer spending is healthy, thanks to steady inflows of overseas worker remittances and a firm labor market. Investment has been robust and is likely to remain strong,

as the government boosts infrastructure development. External demand has remained solid,â&#x20AC;? Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Analytics said. It said there is a need to closely monitor inflation that continue to exceed the two to four percent target set by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although these factors likely supported a 6.6 percent GDP growth in the second quarter, rising price pressures need to be watched,â&#x20AC;? Moodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Analytics said. For its part, HSBC said the economic expansion in the second quarter may be slower due to weak exports and slower private consumption growth due to rising inflation. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weak export growth alongside elevated capital goods and raw materials imports

likely dragged headline growth. Meanwhile, higher inflation and taxes this year are also likely to continue to restrain private consumption in the second quarter,â&#x20AC;? HSBC said. HSBC said the GDP growth is seen picking up in the second half and may average at 6.8 percent this year, slightly faster than last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6.7 percent. The BSP sees inflation rising further to a range of 5.1 to 5.8 percent in July from 5.2 percent in June due to higher utility rates, oil price and fare hike, imposition of higher excise tax on tobacco products, and more expensive food prices particularly rice.The consumer price index averaged 4.3 percent in the first half, exceeding the two to four percent target set by the central bank. n

Language issue hampering PH tourist market by reiceLene Joy ignacio Manilatimes

FILIPINOS are missing opportunities in the growing tourism industry because they lack the skill to speak foreign languages especially Chinese, according to a Department of Tourism (DoT) official. The ability to speak the Chinese language is becoming a must for Filipinos so they can service the increasing number of Chinese tourists, said Benjamin F. Santiago, DoT Regional Office V director.

Local tourism is growing with the majority of visitors coming from China, Santiago said. But Filipinos, especially tour guides, donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know how to speak Chinese, he noted. Because of this, Santiago said the DoT should tap the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), which could come up with sufficient courses to teach Filipinos more foreign languages such as Russian and Korean. The Philippines ranked ninth on the top destinations for Chinese outbound tourists,

according to Chinese travel agency TravelChinaGuide. In February this year, the DOT recorded 256,880 arrivals of Chinese tourists in the Philippines, next to Koreans at 354,700 and by Americans at 193,985. Meanwhile, Santiago said they are asking the Tourism Promotions Board for more funding to push Bicol as one of the investment destinations in the country. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the pipeline, we are asking the Tourism Promotions Board for some funding to promote our region,â&#x20AC;? Santiago said. n

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

Business news

B AUGUST 8-10, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

Grab secures $2 billion funding by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

GRAB Holdings Inc. has raised $2 billion from a slew of leading global financial institutions to fund expansion of its services in Southeast Asia. The company said global financial institutions OppenheimerFunds, Ping An Capital, Mirae Asset-Naver Asia Growth Fund, Cinda Sino-Rock Investment Management Company, AllStars Investment, Vulcan Capital, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Macquarie Capital, and other investors have joined Toyota Motor Corp. in Grab’s current financing

Barrister’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 spouse’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 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

round. “The investment by these leading global financial institutions reflect their belief in Grab’s longterm growth opportunity, and the company’s unique ability to unlock the region’s growth potential through Grab’s industrychanging O2O (online-to-offline) and transportation platform,” Grab said. Grab said it would use the funds raised to expand the range of O2O services it provides in Southeast Asia and grow into becoming the “everyday super app of choice” for millions in the region. The company intends to use

a significant portion of the proceeds, in particular, to continue investing in Indonesia. Grab provides access to safe and affordable transport, food and package delivery, mobile payments and financial services. It offers services in Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, and Cambodia. For its local unit, Grab Philippines, voluntary commitments are currently being finalized with the Philippine Competition Commission to address the anti-competition concerns raised by the antitrust authority regarding Grab’s acquisition of rival Uber. n

Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuse to sign? 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 your spouse’s signature is if your spouse files a response to your divorce petition. This is called “contesting” the divorce. If your divorce is contested by your spouse, you can resolve the case either by “settlement” or by “trial.” 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 es sence 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 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. * * * 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. (Advertising Supplement)

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

Business instability might scare away investors – lawmaker by daRRyl

esgueRRa Inquirer.net

DEPUTY Speaker Sharon Garin said foreign investors could veer away from the Philippines over any perceived “instability” in the business environment that could arise from the second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act. “Magandang bill ito pero nakakatakot kung ikaw yung investor di ba? Ano bang manyayari? Baka next year iba na naman yung tax natin o baka next year wala na ‘yung (tax) incentives natin,” Garian said Sunday, August 5, in an interview over Radyo Inquirer. “Ang instability ng ating business environment is the biggest

What’s New Arlene Al-os, CPA, MBA YOU have not filed your income tax returns for the current year and previous years because: 1) you decided you are not required to file? 2) You are a victim of identity theft and therefore excused? 3) You know you will owe taxes and you will have to pay when you file, decided not to file; 4) You were out of the country and you forgot to file? 5) Any other excuses. If you are unsure if you are required to file, go to the IRS website and read on Publication 17 or ask your tax professional. If you owe taxes on your tax return and cannot pay in full, you can establish payment agreement with the IRS if you are required to file and owe a balance. Here are the reasons why you should file. What happens if you do not file by the due date and you are required to file? • Unless there is reasonable cause and not willful neglect, you are subject to failure to file penalty of 5% of tax owed of each month up to a maximum of 25% with minimum penalty of $210 if more than 60-days late filing. • There is also failure to pay penalty of 0.5% of each month up to 25% of unpaid tax owed from due date until fully paid.

File photo by Inquirer.net

downfall nitong proposal ng DOF (Department of Finance),” she added. Garin urged the DOF to fully explain the proposed law to avoid any misunderstanding. She noted that the “insecurity” of businessmen – more than the effect of the law – could affect the decision of foreigners to do business in the county. The House Committee on Ways

and Means recently approved “in principle” the second package of tax reforms, which aims to rationalize fiscal incentives and lower corporate income taxes. A technical working group will be created to craft a substitute bill that would combine all of the inputs gathered after the hearings with the DOF officials, lawmakers and other stakeholders. Garin added that she hoped the substitute bill would be passed as soon as possible to help lure foreign investors. “Sana maayos na natin sa Technical Working Group para hindi aatras yung mga (foreign) investors… It’s the insecurity of the business environment, more than the effect of the actual law,” she said. n

You have not filed your income tax returns for years? • Interest is assessed from the original filing date on taxes not paid by due date. • File your income tax returns before the extension ends. If you don’t the IRS will file a return for you and accrues taxes based on their records. You will receive a bill based on their calculation. • If you are due a refund, there is no penalty for failure to file BUT you could lose your refund. • There is a statute of limitation in claiming for refund even you did not file your income tax returns. • Refund Statute: You have to file your income tax returns within 3 years from the due date to claim the refund either issuance of check or application of overpayment to subsequent year/s tax liabilities. • If you have not filed your income tax returns for Tax Years 2012 and prior, and you are due with a refund, you will have to say bye-bye to those tax years’ refunds since it is already beyond the refund statute. • Filing after Refund Statute: You lose the refund and can no longer receive a check nor apply the overpayment to your future tax liabilities. • There is no statute of limitation if you fail to file your income tax returns. This only means that the IRS can still audit and collect taxes for all years you did not file

your income tax returns. It will be a nightmare! • Consider filing Form 1127 Application for Extension of Time for Payment of Tax Due to Undue Hardship. Meaning it will be inconvenient and you will suffer financial loss if you pay in full. Supporting documentation. You will be required to attach: 1) statement of your assets and liabilities, and 2) an itemized list of your income and expenses for each of the 3- months prior to the due date of the tax. If you are not sure ask your tax professional. • Do not ignore your tax bill it could just be an error. It is important that you review and if there is an error, write to the IRS office using the address on the notice within the time allowed. *** Disclaimer: Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication is neither intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid taxrelated penalties. *** Al-os & Associates Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals, corporations, LLCs and business entities. The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies. (Advertising Supplement)

*** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com websites: www.gkerc.org www.edelfin.globalgn.com

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

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA CARE to dance? Most people have rhythm embedded in their DNA. Music moves them emotionally and physically. Music is a powerful gravity-defying force that can speak to the soul. Watch when people listen to an upbeat Michael Jackson tune or even a Strauss waltz piece and before long, they will transform any empty space into a dance floor, dancing by themselves, or even trip the light fantastic if they are lucky enough to be with someone who shares their love for music and dancing. Test yourself if you have rhythm in you. See if a few strains of any kind of music move you emotionally and get you busting a few moves yourself. Want to see real honest to goodness dancing? Check out the video on youtube titled “Old movie stars dance to Uptown Funk” sang by Bruno Mars. It is this wonderfully edited and seamlessly spliced YouTube video of the Hollywood stars of a past golden era, exhibiting real talent in dancing. I just love watching the mixing of dance talent and current modern beat. The video editor, whoever he or she may be, deserves praise. Kudos! Fred Astaire, in my opinion, is beyond compare. There will never be another Astaire on earth who can take to the dance floor and make it look so easy. Sigh … The music he danced to seemed welded into his bones. But such perfection in movement didn’t come without a price. He must have practiced until his bones and muscles at the end of each rehearsal day cried out for mercy. He must have burned out so much energy that accounted for his lean physique and lightness of feet. But we don’t’ have to be that great of a dancer to enjoy the music and move to its beat. Dancing is exhilarating. If you want real justification to ‘bust a move’ as they say, dancing is real good exercise and is fun! Exercise, as you probably know, is one of only 2 ways (laughter being the other one) that the body naturally

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 final disposition of that matter. So, the trustee transferred the

BUSINESS NEWS

The bucket list Let the music move you (Eleventh of a series)

“... And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. —Ascribed to Friedrich Nietzsche

produces endorphin — that feelgood, healthy hormone that is still by far, the best medicine for both body and spirit. We all have it in us and is absolutely free. So go ahead, even if you have two left feet, and tend to step on your partner’s feet when dancing. Shed your inhibitions and DANCE! Let the music move you. With dedicated repetition and practice, you might even surprise yourself one day with a dance routine. Cut back the time spent online. We fritter away much of our time browsing and imbibing toxic things from the internet that wear away and erode the joy of our souls during our time here on earth. Get off your backside and listen to music that resonates with your body as you cook, clean your car, clean out the garage or do other mind numbing chores. If all else fails, start humming as you work. My cousin, who has been a dentist for decades and is still active professionally in her early eighties, hums as she works on her patients’ mouths. She enjoys what she does and it shows. The music pours out of her. When her husband was alive, they would hit the dance floor at parties whenever they could. Music makes things easier as the arduous tasks get done. If you do mental work like writing or analysis that needs intense focus and you tend to get easily distracted, listen to soft, unobtrusive instrumental music so the words don’t get in the way. On hot summer nights when sleep is elusive and the air conditioning is busted, listen and fall asleep to the sounds of gentle rain on your smartphone. It’s hypnotic. This beats having to drink those dangerous sleep aids with horrid side effects. Not all music soothes the soul though. Choose wisely. There

is a smorgasbord of music to choose from and like anything else, our choices determine the outcome. It is no wonder that the younger generations who grew up listening to that so-called music genre of troubling, raspy, jagged sounds that focus on the seedy side of life such as blood, sex, violence, gang culture and others have strayed so far away from what is good. It was said that there were celestial strains of music by a host of angels floating above the stable in Bethlehem at the time Christ was born more than two thousand years ago. My wild guess is it may have been musical strains of Handel’s “Messiah.” Was there music in the Garden of Eden? Perhaps yes before sin came to be and Eden went dank and dark. And if you are living and trying to get to heaven, you may wonder if there is going to be music and dancing there as well? If lightness of being and freedom from the stranglehold of gravity and earthly concerns characterize life beyond death, the answer is probably a big resounding YES. So while alive and your body and limbs are functional, dance with sheer abandon as you let good music move you. It is purely speculative but I have a gut feeling there is going to be a lot of dancing on an immense celestial dance floor as you bust your heavenly moves on a conga line. Stand aside, Fred. You’ve got some serious competition up there. Next week: Back to yet another idea to consider for The Bucket List … *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

Client files adversary against debtor for $370K

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 mon-

ey left, unsecured creditors share equally proportionlately. The legal problem that normally surfaces a secured creditor 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 hold-

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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.

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 8-10, 2018

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS 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.

AU G U ST 1 2

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.

AU G U ST 1 7

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.

AU G U ST 1 8

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!

AU G U ST 1 9

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.

AU G U ST 25

Fil-Am of SCV holds annual cultural festival in Valencia, CA You are cordially invited to Fil-Am of SCV’s biggest event of the year, its annual FACE (FilAm Academic & Cultural Enhancement) Program’s Cultural Festival on Saturday, August 25! This year, the organization has partnered with the Santa Clarita Valley’s International Program. This year’s theme is “KULTURA PILIPINAS, Kasaysayan at Sayawan”, celebrating the history of Philippine cultural dances. The popular and inspiring Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts dancers will beautifully interpret the renditions of Philippine history and culture through the art of dance. The event begins at 5 p.m. at West Ranch HS Theater (26255 Valencia Blvd, Valencia CA 91381). $50 for VIP Seats / $25 General Admission. For tickets & sponsorship information, please call: Cecile Ocampo at (818) 439-9392; Zeny Justiniano at (661) 645-0948; Josie Maglalang at (661) 607-5665 or Zony Gordon at (661) 312-3422. This event will benefit Fil-Am of SCV’s Scholarship Program and SCVIP’s Sister City Program for Sariaya City, Philippines.

SEPTEMBER 16

Los Angeles Skyline Lions Club holds masquerade ball The Los Angeles Skyline Lions Club (District 4-L3) cordially invites guests to join the masquerade ball to celebrate its 15th anniversary of continued support to local and global communities, alongside the annual fall harvest festival and installation of new club officers. Please join the fun celebration on Sunday, September 16 at the Signature Banquet Hall, 11130 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills, CA. Doors open at 4 p.m. For any inquiries, you may call PDG Sol “Sunshine” Santiago at (213) 500-1927. See you all there and be ready to unmask your night!

O C TO B E R 7

Serenata Filipina Ver. 2 at LA’s Ford Amphitheatre “Serenata Filipina Ver. 2” is the only Filipino music concert at the famed Ford Theatres’ Summer Season. Features female OPM stalwarts: jazz diva Louie Reyes, vocal powerhouse Annie Nepomuceno, hitmaker Odette Quesada and many more, backed by a live band. Part of the proceeds benefits Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, and other community partners. Grounds open for picnicking at 4:30 p.m., show is at 6:30pm. Tickets are $100 VIP, $70, $55, $40 and $35 for students. Buy online at www.fordtheatres.org or by calling the box office at (323) 461-3673.

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B AUGUST 8-10, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

The Metamorphosis

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Coming full circle at my Client files adversary against debtor... alma mater after 50 years PAGE B3 t

(1st of a series of articles on my recent Philippines visit)

ErniE D. DElfin LIKE thousands of Filipinos living in America, I also visit the homeland as often as I can. I just completed a month-long visit doing many things that were not just the typical “rest and recreation” events, but several activities that were never planned. When a person visits a place, he makes plans that do not even consider the occurrence of typhoons or flooding during such journeys. That exactly what happened when I was in the Philippines last July. Man has gone to the moon and might have “conquered” many things, but he is no match against natural phenomenon. Despite all these, however, Filipinos remain happy and ever smiling. A few months ago, Rev. Father Clarence Marquez, OP, president and Rector of my alma mater Colegio de San Juan de Letran and Jhennie Villar, Alumni Affairs Director, visited Los An-

EMPLOYMENT

geles and met with us Letran alumni to drum up interest and be a part of the 400th anniversary of the college’s foundation in 2020. Briefly conversing with them that time planted a small “mustard” seed in me to visit them in Manila. Prayerfully, that mustard seed will grow into a tall and wide plant in the near future where some birds can rest and even build their nests. Only time will tell. This serendipitous and memorable visit is the theme of this column, that “God is in control,” and that He still determines the ending of our plans. Despite the flooding and closures of roads, schools and offices for over a week in many parts of Luzon, including Manila, my days in the Philippines were very productive as I had many hours of reflecting during this unplanned silent solitary “retreat” discerning what I must do to add meaning to the remaining years of my life. In 1968, exactly half a century ago this year, I graduated from Colegio de San Juan de Letran

with a BSC Major in Accounting, along with less than 10 fellow accounting majors, that was followed by passing the CPA exams. Coming from a financially challenged family, I was only able to afford to enroll in this prestigious college for boys, then, as a “famulo” scholar (After my graduation, Letran started accepting women, now the women seem outnumber the men!). During my time as a “famulo, there were about 15 Dominican priests assigned in Letran, mostly Spaniards. During that time only four Filipinos priests that included Rev Fr. Rogelio “Roger” Alarcon, OP, the first Filipino Dominican to be the provincial (head) of the Philippine Dominican Province. Hence, most of us famulos then could engage in conversational Spanish after a year working for them! Those were very challenging years as a working student. Looking back, however, those kinds of work at Letran were no match to the real back breaking hard work in helping my parents

u PAGE B6

EMPLOYMENT

er 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 mon-

ey 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

EMPLOYMENT

HOME AGENCY

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)

B5 AUGUST 8-10, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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People and Events

Receive 10 free trees by joining the Students engineer treatment system Arbor Day Foundation in August to remove drug from water supply NEBRASKA C i t y , N e b . – Spruce up your landscape by joining the Arbor Day Foundation in August. Everyone who joins the nonprofit Arbor Day Foundation with a $10 donation will receive 10 free Colorado blue spruce trees or 10 white flowering dogwood trees through the Foundation’s Trees for America campaign. The trees will be shipped postpaid between October 15 and December 10, depending on the right time for planting in each member’s area. The 6- to 12-inch trees are guaranteed to grow or they will be replaced free of charge. “Colorado blue spruce trees truly provide year-round beauty

to your yard throughout the year, with their showy spring flowers, scarlet autumn foliage, and red berries that attract songbirds in the winter.” New members of the Arbor Day Foundation will also receive The Tree Book, which includes information about tree planting and care, and a subscription to Arbor Day, the Foundation’s bimonthly publication. To receive the free Colorado blue spruce trees, send a $10 membership contribution to: Ten Free Blue Spruces OR Ten Free Dogwood, Arbor Day Foun- Cal State Fullerton faculty adviser Sudarshan Kurwadkar, from left, with students Ben Chan, Brian Motts, Austin Emrich, Khuong Truong and for any landscape,” said Matt dation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska Andreana Romero with their treatment system to remove carbamazepine from the water supply. Harris, chief executive of the Ar- City, NE 68410, by August 31, “It’s been a great opportunity uate next year. A TEAM of engineering stubor Day Foundation. “Dogwood 2018, or join online at arborday. This spring, Truong presentto work with Dr. Kurwadkar bedents at Cal State Fullerton is trees will add color and beauty org/august.■ ed the project and won an Outcause he is helping me to underfocused on solving an environmental public health issue by de- stand how theoretical knowledge standing Student Award, given veloping a wastewater treatment is applied to practical models,” in memory of Intel’s Terry Mcsystem that removes residual noted Khuong Truong, a civil en- Manus, at the WERC Environmental Design Contest at New pharmaceutical drugs found in gineering major. The faculty-student research Mexico State University. The the water supply. The undergraduates are work- project is a hybrid treatment sys- multidisciplinary project, which ing under the guidance of faculty tem that includes a pump-based, involves environmental, meadviser Sudarshan Kurwadkar to continuous-flow photocatalytic chanical and electrical engineerdesign and build a system that reactor design that utilizes twin ing principles, as well as optical would remove carbamazepine, a strategies for effective removal physics and chemistry, also won commonly prescribed drug used of carbamazepine from water the 2018 Most Innovative Award at the CSUF College of Engineerto control epilepsy and seizures, sources. In the first phase, water that ing and Computer Science’s and to treat bipolar and nerve contains carbamazepine passes annual spring student project disorders. “This drug is routinely de- through a reactor, which has an showcase. “By working with other senior tected in wastewater, and since ultraviolet light source to destroy it is a bioactive compound, it the drug, Kurwadkar explained. students, I’ve not only improved could pose a serious ecological In the second phase, water pass- my time-management skills, but risk to aquatic microorganisms,” es through a granulated-activat- also how to work well others, artists after the program and Entertainment was awesome. We said electrical engineering major ed carbon material that absorbs which will help me to get a good job in environmental engineerwere given souvenirs from GMA’s should have that kind of show on Brian Motts, the project’s team any remaining carbamazepine. international channels GMA Pi- every Ambassadors tour. Fil-Ams lead. “It’s imperative to remove “The bench-scale module that ing,” Truong added. Motts also noted that the projnoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA miss these kinds of shows,” she this compound from wastewa- was developed can be used at ect gives students real-world, News TV International. the community level for removal said. ter before it reaches other water Held last July 8 to 15, the 12th of drugs from wastewater, which hands-on experience and the The participants also visited bodies.” Ambassadors’ Tour 2018 was some of the top tourist destinaThe annual consumption of would help maintain clean water opportunity to collaboratively headed by the Los Angeles Con- tions in the country such as Car- carbamazepine in the United resources and minimize adverse explore and discover the STEM sulate Office under the leadership car, Sibonga, and Argao in Cebu. States is about 50 tons per year, environmental impacts,” said disciplines to “reimagine engiof Consul General Adelio Cruz. They were also able to experi- said Kurwadkar, associate pro- Motts, an electrical engineering neering.” “Research projects help stu“I would like to extend my pro- ence the Loboc River cruise and fessor of civil and environmental major. found gratitude to GMA Network visit the Tarsier Conservation engineering. Motts, who works as a research dents to develop personal and inand the men and women of GMA Center, Baclayon Church, and “Once administered, nearly 9 engineer, laid the groundwork terpersonal skills, and challenge International for facilitating the Chocolate Hills in Bohol. percent of this drug is released for the project in spring 2017. us to learn on our own,” he said. The researchers are continuparticipation of highly talented With a total of 320 participants through urine to the environ- This past academic year, stuartists from GMA-7 during the from North America, the tour was ment,” he added. “Consequent- dents Ben Chan, Austin Emrich, ing to test the system for removal 12th Ambassadors’ Tour, much attended by several VIPs headed ly, carbamazepine has been Andreana Romero and Truong, of other pharmaceutical comto the enjoyment of its partici- by Philippine Ambassador to the routinely detected in wastewa- all civil engineering majors, pounds, Kurwadkar said. “There is a potential that the pants. Their performances were US Jose Manuel G. Romualdez ter, surface water and ground- joined the project. truly world class!” said Cruz. “It’s been a great opportunity idea can be commercialized,” along with public servants, stu- water.” One of the tour participants, dent leaders, community leadAdvanced technologies have to work with Dr. Kurwadkar be- Kurwadkar added. “But since Eleanor Zara Dullas, expressed ers, influencers from different been tested for removal of carba- cause he is helping me to under- this is a bench-scale version, how she loved the Kapuso artists’ fields of expertise, as well as lo- mazepine, Kurwadkar continued, stand how theoretical knowledge long-term studies and funding performances. “The artists con- cal Philippine public officials and but none have proved a universal is applied to practical models,” are required to fine-tune the nected so well with the audience. business executives. ■ said Truong, who is due to grad- project.” ■ solution.

GMA Network welcomes Filipino-American leaders at the 12th Ambassadors’ Tour

GMA Network, through its international arm GMA International, warmly welcomed FilipinoAmerican leaders, balikbayans, and tourists during the kick-off of the 12th Ambassadors’ Tour 2018. The annual tour, which gives an opportunity for local government officials to showcase the beauty as well as the genuine warmth and hospitality of their constituents, was organized by the Philippine Embassy and the Philippine Consulate Generals in the U.S. During their welcome dinner in Quezon City, GMA presented world class Filipino talent as Asia’s Romantic Balladeer Christian Bautista, Kapuso diva Maricris Garcia, and Kapuso actress Kris Bernal took the stage. Christian surely made the gathering more special and memorable for all the visiting Kapuso abroad as he serenaded them with during his performance. Maricris, in turn, showed her singing prowess as she belted out a popular movie soundtrack and an OPM song which hit close to home. Meanwhile, Kris’s upbeat musical numbers energized the crowd as they enjoy the rest of the evening. The participants also had the chance to take photos with the

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Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County receives $305,776 Pro Bono Innovation Fund Grant WASHINGTON – The Legal Services Corporation (LSC) announced today that Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County will receive a $305,776 Pro Bono Innovation Fund grant. LSC’s Pro Bono Innovation Fund is intended to encourage and expand robust pro bono efforts and partnerships to serve more low-income clients. Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County will use its grant to support its Antelope Valley Online Community Assistance Team. The project employs technology to connect private attorneys in Los Angeles to rural clients in the Antelope Valley. Pro bono volunteers will assist low-income clients on a variety of legal issues, but particularly focus on helping remove barriers to employment. “We are grateful to Congress for establishing the Pro Bono Innovation Fund and for increasing funding by $500,000 this year,” said Jim Sandman, President of LSC. “These grants stimulate more volunteer participation by the private bar, leverage the federal investment in civil legal aid, and allow our grantees to reach more people in need of civil legal assistance.” Members of the California congressional delegation applauded the grant:

Courtesy photo by www.lsc.gov

Senator Kamala Harris: “Legal Services Corporation is critical to ensuring that every American, regardless of their circumstance, can rely on that great American promise of equal justice under law. I’m proud that Bay Area Legal Aid, Legal Aid Society of Orange County and Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County are being supported by LSC and Congressional funding, and will bring more justice and access to justice to Californians.” Representative Steve Knight: “I’d like to congratulate Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County on receiving this grant from the Legal Services Corporation. Legal representation and advice is a vital asset for any business, family, and citizen in the United States. The money

awarded in this grant will go a long way towards ensuring clients in the Antelope Valley have a wide array of legal services.” Representative Norma Torres: “The residents of Los Angeles County deserve access to justice and equal protection under the law, regardless of their income. I’m proud our community is receiving this grant, which will help the Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County provide thousands of low-income individuals and families in our communities with the free legal representation they need.” Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles County is one of 15 recipients of grants from LSC’s $4.5 million Pro Bono Innovation Fund, a competitive program that invests in projects that identify and promote replicable innovations in pro bono for low-income legal aid clients. This is the fifth year LSC has awarded Pro Bono Innovation Fund grants. Legal Services Corporation (LSC) is an independent nonprofit established by Congress in 1974 to provide financial support for civil legal aid to low-income Americans. The Corporation provides funding to 133 independent non-profit legal aid programs in every state, the District of Columbia, and U.S. territories. n

Parañaque projects to provide... PAGE B1 t

Landing. The facility will feature a casino, an indoor cultural theme park, a water park, Asia’s first and largest “indoor movie-based theme park,” a convention center, luxury hotels as well as retail and dining spaces, according to Landing International chairman Yang Zhihui. Landing also operates the Jeju Shinhwa World casino resort in Jeju, South Korea. The new addition will be the fifth casino resort project in the Philippines’ downsized version of the Las Vegas Strip. A groundbreaking ceremony has been set for Aug. 7. Entertainment City, a 120hectare area of reclaimed land, currently houses three integrated resorts – Bloomberry’s Solaire Resort and Casino, Melco’s City of Dreams Manila and Universal Entertainment’s Okada Manila.

Malaysian developer Genting is also developing a resort, dubbed Westside City Resorts World. “This investment is an ideal opportunity for us to strategically expand Landing’s footprint into Southeast Asia, hence taking a major step toward Landing International’s aspiration to be a leading premium integrated resort operator in the region,” said Yang. “Nayon Landing 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 added. For his part, Olivarez said they are now on track to meeting the city’s targeted revenue that could amount to more than P6 billion soon when Ayala Malls, the country’s largest commercial complex, opens this year and Nayon Landing, opening by 2022. City administrator Ding So-

riano said the city government can also raise enough funds to finance infrastructure projects and their commitments on education, health, and other forms of social services without increasing its taxes. Soriano said the hotel and casinos will not only generate income for the city and tourism revenues, but will likewise generate jobs for city residents, as the law stipulates that they comprise as least 40 percent of the workforce of new establishments. He added the city now has savings of P3.9 billion due to growing businesses in the gaming complex. City officials also expressed optimism that Parañaque will attract more investments in 2019 following a recent sisterhood agreement with the city of Haeundae in South Korea and the City of Carson in California, USA. n

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NAIA rehab pushed PAGE B1 t

yet to be granted to the proposal of the NAIA Consortium. Monreal said there is also no target at the moment as to when the proposal would be given the OPS. The grant of OPS to the NAIA Consortium would give the group the right to match offers from other parties when a Swiss challenge is conducted for the project. The group initially offered to spend P350 billion for the NAIA’s upgrade for a concession period of 35 years under the proposal submitted to the DOTr on Feb. 12. The proposal promises to have

a NAIA capacity to match the 2020 projection of 47 million and then bring it up to 65 million by 2022. NAIA’s four terminals currently handle far more passengers than they were built for, having a capacity for 31 million passengers per year but handled 42 million last year. Reverente said the consortium can act quickly because it already has the design, the funds, the technical partner (Changi Airport), and the people to make NAIA what it should be. He said the consortium’s proposal also does not need any government guarantee, and since it privately funded, the govern-

ment can use instead its funds for other projects like building roads, bridges, schools, and offering other social services like free education. “The government and the private sector can work together on airport development for quick completion since the stringent rules of the procurement law does not apply to private proponents,” Reverente said. “We see a NAIA that has more space to make flying a pleasant and memorable experience, just like when we go through airports abroad, including the one in Singapore which Changi Airport operates,” he said. n

Coming full circle at my alma mater... PAGE B4 t

ing my time as a “famulo, there were about 15 Dominican priests assigned in Letran, mostly Spaniards. During that time only four Filipinos priests that included Rev Fr. Rogelio “Roger” Alarcon, OP, the first Filipino Dominican to be the provincial (head) of the Philippine Dominican Province. Hence, most of us famulos then could engage in conversational Spanish after a year working for them! Those were very challenging years as a working student. Looking back, however, those kinds of work at Letran were no match to the real back breaking hard work in helping my parents in the fields, rain or shine. Fast forward on a rainy day last July, I checked in as a special guest (without the Dominican habit) of the eight all Filipino Dominican friars assigned in Letran by their by Prior (CEO) of their Dominican Philippine Province. All the priests there are younger than this alumnus, except a former professor in Theology, Fr. Raffy Quejada, OP, who is still working as the “chaplain” of the elementary department. The youngest priest among them (I think) is Fr. Paul Lovell Javier who was just ordained in 2012 and assumed the office of VP for Religious Affairs. He was in charge of “indoctrinating” the freshmen and new students of the college during the so-called “Binyag Arriba Letran” that I witnessed at the opening of classes. Interacting with these Dominicans in 2018 was certainly quite different from 1968! As I was billeted by the Dominican Friars in their living

quarters that were off limits to students and employees, the staff and employees even addressed me as “Father” Delfin, which I could not help but smile. I liked my very modest and simple but airconditioned room, without TV, and reminded me of Franciscan retreats in Serra Retreat House in Malibu or in San Damiano Retreat in Danville, California, unlike our famulos’ quarters then! For days that I was with them, I also joined priests during their 7 a.m. mass (but did not serve as a sacristan) where many students in their uniforms were also in attendance before their classes. After the mass, I joined them in their breakfast and also during lunch and dinner (unless I was meeting businessmen/friends or fellow Rotarians for a meeting). I was also introduced to several deans of the college, who are much younger than me. The Dean of College of Business Administration and Accountancy, Prof. Kenji M. Asano, Jr., held a business symposium, “Entrepreneurship 101,” where I was the sole lecturer, attended by about 200 business, entrepreneur and marketing students. Even without any power point presentation, I think my lecture — that was sprinkled with personal experiences as a business owner and entrepreneur for over 30 years in America — went very well. I gleaned in students’ feedbacks written at the back of the index cards that were used to raffle a dozen business and marketing books that I gave away. I think I have challenged them as they have guts to e-mail me more questions, comments or re-

quests for some guidance how to become an entrepreneur. Many liked the “ENTREPRENEURS CREDO” that I also shared with them. That afternoon was definitely the most re-energizing event for me that month as I felt like a 20year-old college student again! I hope to do it again next year upon! Lastly, this Letran homecoming is indeed “Coming Full Circle” for me. It started over 50 years ago, when I entered the portals of the Letran as a working student. Leaving as a fresh young graduate in 1968 and coming back in 2018, as a “brother” of the Dominican Friars and an unexpected guest lecturer, where once upon a time I was a student is a priceless and profound experience that I will never forget. For this grateful “famulo” beneficiary of the Dominicans, I cannot ask for more! As a follower of Christ, who believes in our Colegio’s motto: DEUS, PATRIA, LETRAN, I pray that I will find my next calling where I can discover my deepest joy meeting the greatest need of my people and homeland. My homecoming visit last month is helping this writer in discerning where that place may be. As we Letran alumni and students prepare for thecelebration of Letran’s 400th birthday in 2020, May the Merciful and Almighty God bless and guide her to last another 400 years! God is an awesome God, I praise Him and glorify HIM forever! *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com websites: www.rotary.org www.gkerc.org

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mdwk The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018

Not just another rom-com: “Crazy Rich Asians” pushes Asian representation in Hollywood by Christina

“CRAZY Rich Asians,” which hits theaters nationwide on August 15, has already made history as the first major Hollywood film in 25 years to feature an all-Asian cast. In this issue of MDWK Magazine, the Asian Journal explores what “Crazy Rich Asians” means for succeeding Asian representation in Hollywood and sits down with author Kevin Kwan, leading man Henry Golding and the Philippines’ “Queen of All Media” Kris Aquino (who plays Princess Intan) who all share their experiences working on the film. Based off the best-selling book of the same name by Kwan (who served as an executive producer of the film), the romantic comedy follows American-born Chinese economics professor Rachel Chu (Constance Wu, “Fresh Off the Boat”) as she joins her boyfriend Nick Young (Golding) on a trip back to his hometown Singapore for his best friend’s wedding. Nick forgets to tell Rachel a minor detail, however, that his family is one of the wealthiest in the country. The trip opens Rachel’s up to a new world and she becomes the target of jealous socialites and Nick’s mother Eleanor (Michelle Yeoh, “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” “Star Trek: Discovery”). In addition to Wu, Golding and Yeoh, the Warner Bros. film — directed by Jon M. Chu— lines up an international cast, including Gemma Chan (“Humans”), Lisa Lu (“The Joy Luck Club”), Awkwafina (“Ocean’s 8”), Ken Jeong (“The Hangover”), Sonoya Mizuno (“La La Land”), Chris Pang (Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon: Sword of Destiny”), Jimmy O. Yang (“Silicon Valley”), Ronny Chieng (“The Daily Show”), Remy Hii (“Marco Polo”), and FilipinoAmerican Nico Santos (“Super-

M. Oriel / AJPress

store”). Kwan and Chu — whose directorial credits include “Now You See Me 2,” “Step Up 2: The Streets” and “Justin Bieber: Never Say Never — in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter revealed that they turned down a big payday from Netflix, which included “artistic freedom, a greenlighted trilogy and huge, seven-figure-minimum paydays for each stakeholder, upfront.” Instead, the duo opted for Warner Bros., as they believed that the story should be shown on a big screen first, instead of from the push of a button at home. “We knew that putting it on the big screen still means something. Cinema still means something to tell people it is worth your time and energy to gather your friends or family or by yourself, leave your house, find parking, go pay for food... and say, ‘tell me a story.’” Chu said during a filmmaker roundtable in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, August 5. “It says this romantic couple and cast of all-Asian characters are worth your energy to do that and when you put something in a museum in the glass box, it still trickles down to everything else and says a lot.” Kwan, who said that he hoped his book would be made into a film one day, said that the story has resonated across generations with family members passing down the book and bonding over the experience of reading it. “I wanted this to be a community experience first of all, and also, this was the first chance we had in 25 years... I wanted this to be an experience that future generations could look at and say, ‘look, we achieved this.’ We’re watching a red carpet of amazing Asian

(L-R) Sonoya Mizuno as Araminta, Chris Pang as Colin, Henry Golding as Nick and Jimmy O. Yang as Bernard during the wedding scene. Photo by Sanja Bucko

Director Jon Chu, comedian Awkwafina (Peik Lin), Constance Wu (Rachel Chu), Filipino-American Assemblymember Rob Bonta, and Henry Golding (Nick Young) attend a Warner Bros. Pictures screening of “Crazy Rich Asians” on Monday, August 6 in Los Angeles. Bonta, who is the chair of the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus, has pushed for legislation requiring film and television projects to report diversity statistics if they apply for film tax credits. (Photo courtesy of the Office of Assemblymember Rob Bonta)

actors walk up and down it, in the same way that any other Hollywood movie would get. We want that treatment too because ultimately we want to inspire,” he said on Sunday. In the same The Hollywood Reporter feature, the process of finding the right producers for the film was detailed, including a bit about how one producer had told Kwan to reimagine the lead female character as white. Wu, who’s best known for her role in ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat,” was the filmmakers’ first and only choice for the lead role as Rachel. For Chu and Wu, the film was about exploring visiting Asia for the first time from the Asian American perspective and that identity. “But for me personally, my journey as an Asian American going to Asia for the first time was something that I really wanted to explore. The way through that would be Rachel so Rachel was really personal to me of watching her go into Singapore. It was also my first time in Singapore and to see all these different Asians from all around the world converge on this island,” Chu said at the roundtable. In a Twitter post, Wu wrote how both “Fresh Off the Boat” and “Crazy Rich Asians” have changed her career and have made history in terms of Asians depicted on screen. “My dear Asian American friends, we are building our own damn houses. We got the tools, the ability and we definitely got the style. Just because others don’t see it, doesn’t mean we don’t have it,” Wu wrote, adding “I hope Asian American kids watch CRA and realize that they can be heroes of their own stories. I know CRA won’t represent every Asian American. So for those who don’t feel seen, I hope there is a story you find soon that does represent you.” Even with the all-Asian cast, the story is universal and is a “cinematic experience,” producer Nina Jacobson said. Screenwriter Adele Lim said, ”How do we show the conflict of [Rachel] being an ‘other’? It came back to that otherness and it came back to Eleanor’s fear of losing her son, so in a way, it’s a foreign culture but when you get right down to it, the fierce family dynamics below it, it’s something that someone everybody can relate to.” Jacobson’s production company Color Force acquired the movie rights to the novel in 2013 and said that they did not intend for it to just cater to one demographic or region in the world because it was “The Asian markets are huge and of course, everybody wants their movie to perform globally and get a chance to have the exposure and upside of a global release that includes these very powerful Asian markets,” she said. She added, “For us, we’re very much an inside-out approach to the movies and TV that we make — do we love it and if we love it and relate to it, do we think that experience will be contagious for audiences everywhere? And so, we just went for it and honestly make the best movie we could make that was the most relatable movie in hopes that people would relate to it all around the world and not in any one particular market.”

(L-R) Henry Golding as Nick, Constance Wu as Rachel and Nico Santos as Oliver.

Photo by Sanja Bucko

(From L-R) Screenwriter Adele Lim, author and executive producer Kevin Kwan, and director Jon Chu join a press roundtable in Beverly Hills, California on Sunday, August 5 to discuss the importance of Asian representation on screen, among other topics. Also at the event were producers Nina Jacobson, John Penotti and Brad Simpson and Peter Chiarelli, who wrote the screenplay with Lim. AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel

(L-R) Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor, Henry Golding as Nick and Constance Wu as Rachel in Warner Bros. Pictures’ and SK Global Entertainment’s and Starlight Culture’s contemporary romantic comedy “Crazy Rich Asians,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo by Sanja Bucko

Though it’s a romantic comedy and you want to root for Rachel and Nick’s relationship, the movie explores strong female characters, from Eleanor Young’s protective instincts to Astrid’s decision with her marriage to Rachel sticking up for herself. “What we found at the end of the movie was that we didn’t want these women to depend on some man and the decision had to be their own decision. That is something that Adele [Lim, screenwriter] and Nina [Jacobson, producer] talked about a lot. This is not about getting the guy ultimately for both Rachel and Astrid,” Chu added. “It’s about self-worth, knowing that you’re worth everything and you deserve anything you want. Rachel goes through that and she actually instigates that in Astrid as well.” #GoldOpen The last film to have an allAsian cast was “Joy Luck Club” in 1993. One would hope that in 25 years, the representation and opportunities for Asians and Asian Americans to appear on screen should have opened up. However, a USC Annenberg study of 900 films from 20072016 found only 5.7 percent had Asian characters with speaking roles and 3 percent (or 30) of the films were directed by an Asian or Asian American. Recent legislation pushed by the California Asian Pacific Islander Legislative Caucus seeks to address this problem in Hollywood by requiring film and television projects to report diversity statistics and anti-harassment and retaliation policies if they apply for state film tax credits. The program, which would provide $330 million in tax credits a year, was signed by Governor Jerry Brown on June 27 and will take effect in 2020. Sharing with The Hollywood Reporter why the caucus pushed for this provision, Filipino-American Assemblymember Rob Bonta said, “We want to see our stories being told by API writers, directors, producers and actors, and this [reporting provision]

isn’t a crazy or overly aggressive ask. This is a fair ask, exceedingly achievable and doable.” The USC Annenberg study offered solutions to fix the inequality problem — one of them being “consumers can support content” that is driven by or features underrepresented groups. At the roundtable on Sunday, the filmmakers discussed that for future projects, while putting diverse backgrounds on the team — whether they’re Asian or any other ethnic group — is a priority, groups should also find allies within Hollywood who can champion that. Chu recommended that studios should place some budget emphasis on looking for more Asian actors beyond the same faces. “That’s the problem with movies is people get lazy and you get the same 10 Asian actors that are presented to you and you say there are no Asian actors out there,” Chu said. “They’re all out there, they just don’t know the opportunities are there.” Producer Brad Simpson of Color Force said that worlds “we don’t know” are attractive in scouting for stories because “…you’re looking for stories that have specificity and I think one of the things that make people feel exhausted is they’re seeing the same stories being told with the same characters.” He added, “It wasn’t important just to have one Asian person involved. I think that’s the mistake people often make when they’re doing something. They’ll hire one person of color and that person will become the spokesperson. You create actually a competition for that role amongst people of color, but also you don’t get the dialectic.” One of the prime examples of the dialogue that happened within the “Crazy Rich Asians” cast and crew was the removal of a line about Rachel’s character not having dated Asian men in the past, which Wu had called for in a strong email. (It

was thoroughly explained in the book, but given the short time frame of a movie, it could’ve been misinterpreted.) “It was because there’s a conversation going on and I think that’s the important thing that I would say when you’re representing cultures that aren’t your own…” Simpson added. “You need to set up something that is a conversation where you’re not just relying on one voice throughout.” Days before the Hollywood premiere of “Crazy Rich Asians” on August 7, the hashtag #GoldOpen — initiated by digital media entrepreneur Bing Chen — began circulating on social media to drum up support for the movie and call on audiences to buy tickets. “100+ creatives, founders, and leaders have bought out theaters nationwide to show the world: Representation means business,” read a poster, listing Asian American names and organizations who have contributed, posted on Chen’s Twitter. “Go because you have a love for movies. Go because you want to be told a fantastic tale, a story of love. Go because you want to support the community,” Golding told the Asian Journal. “This movie will go down as being a classic.” Early tracking for the movie, which cost $30 million to produce, has it at a $20 million debut when it opens next week. Both Chu and Kwan have stated that the success of this will help open doors for future Asian projects to move forward. “We are poised with this unique opportunity now where we’re breaking through these floodgates. Now that this movie has become part of a movement, the more that we can prove to the establishment that people want these stories, the more that people come out on opening weekend to support the film, the more chances we will have in the future to tell these stories. It begins with setting the bar high with “Crazy Rich Asians,” Kwan told the Asian Journal.

“Crazy Rich Asians” author Kevin Kwan on his extravagant world coming to screen and highlighting Filipino high society in trilogy by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

Since the novel “Crazy Rich Asians” was released in 2013, a lot has come toward author Kevin Kwan’s direction in the past five years. The best-selling satirical novel, which has sold over 1 million copies worldwide and has been translated in over 20 languages, spiraled into subsequent novels, “China Rich Girlfriend” (2015) and “Rich People Problems” (2017). “I called the book ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ because I didn’t want it to be specific to just one country. I really wanted in my trilogy to hop around to show the different cultures [and countries] of Asia...and

also the very different ways they have class structures in each country,” Kwan said in a recent interview with the Asian Journal. The author has traveled to the Philippines to promote his books and has on numerous occasions called Filipinos his “superfans.” The last book in the trilogy includes Filipino socialite characters in Manila and a substory that takes place in Palawan. “The Philippines is a prime example. I really felt like it’s kind of a place that is not very much portrayed in Western media. It’s such a rich culture and blend of East and West. I’ve always had an amazing time because I think the Filipinos are some of the warmest, if

not the warmest, people in the world,” he said. “They really roll out the red carpet for visitors and it’s such a beautiful, diverse country that I wanted to showcase it. And also showcase the style. Some of most fashionable women I know are Filipina so I just wanted to celebrate that how I could and have cool Filipino characters and also really feature the country in the [third] book.” This August, Kwan’s “crazy rich” world as introduced in the first book comes to life in a Warner Bros. Pictures film and is slated a hit. Through the outsider, American-born character of Rachel Chu, the story introduces audiences to privileged, powerful and well-educated

When it’s part of the reality of Asian characters from Singawhat’s happening in Asia right pore and takes them inside now.” their homes, lavish parties, However, Kwan intends the country’s most-anticipated wedding of the year, and more his work and the film to give insight into Asian culture and extravagant visuals to illustrate show that there are commonhow the wealthy live. alities underneath it all. “It’s funny when I hear “I hope that people who people say they don’t find the don’t know this world see book to be believable because every single story is based on Continued on Page 4 truth,” Kwan said. “It’s either based on a story I’ve heard, that has been verified, or something I’ve personally witnessed. It just shows the gulf between East and West and that Author Kevin Kwan’s trilogy, “Crazy Rich Asians” (2013), “China Rich people think this Girlfriend” (2015), and “Rich People Problems” (2017). is totally made up. Photo courtesy of Kevin Kwan

Kevin Kwan served as executive producer for Warner Bros. Pictures’ romantic comedy film version of his novel, “Crazy Rich Asians.” Though he was not directly involved with the screenplay writing, he consulted on a multitude of aspects from shooting locations, wardrobe, jewelry, and more. Photo by Sanja Bucko

How first-time actor Henry Golding became Nick Young by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

WITH â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asiansâ&#x20AC;? predicted to become a hit with audiences and at box offices in the U.S. and abroad, male lead Henry Golding is on his way to becoming one of the biggest stars of 2018. In the film, Golding plays Nick Young â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Singaporeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most eligible bachelor and heir of one of the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s wealthiest families â&#x20AC;&#x201D; who brings his girlfriend Rachel Chu back home with him. The 31-year-old British-Malaysian actor grew up in England and spent several years as a hairdresser, before moving back to Asia, where he developed an on-screen career as a travel host and TV presenter, with credits including BBCâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Travel Show.â&#x20AC;? For the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asiansâ&#x20AC;? production, finding the right Nick â&#x20AC;&#x201D; someone who could believably play a Singaporean educated in England â&#x20AC;&#x201D; was a challenge, as thousands of actors around the world and online were auditioned. Film director Jon Chu then received a suggestion to take a look at Golding after someone from the casting team saw the latter on TV. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was a travel show host, doing cool adventure stores,â&#x20AC;? Chu said of Golding. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you watched him talking with people on the street, he was truly a person of the world with

Henry Golding landed his first acting role as the male lead Nick Young in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asians.â&#x20AC;? Photo by Sanja Bucko

such easy charisma.â&#x20AC;? Golding recently revealed on â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Viewâ&#x20AC;? that he was invited to audition for Nick, but initially turned the opportunity down because he believed it was meant for someone else. After landing the role and getting into the script, he quickly realized how Nick â&#x20AC;&#x153;was much closer to my personal character than I thought,â&#x20AC;? he told the Asian Journal in a recent interview. â&#x20AC;&#x153;He really wanted to distinguish himself away from his familyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pressures. He wanted to be independent, he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want to defined by who he was in Singapore, and he didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want his girlfriend Rachel to judge him upon that so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

his fault as well for not telling her and informing her who he exactly was,â&#x20AC;? he continued. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was amazing to have such a grounded character and above all, he held himself in such a respectable manner. He had that regality as the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Prince William of Asiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but he never used that to his advantage. He always used that as just a personal trait.â&#x20AC;? He said he â&#x20AC;&#x153;grew every single dayâ&#x20AC;? while filming under the guidance of Chu and working alongside actors like Constance Wu (who plays Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s girlfriend Rachel) and Michelle Yeoh (who characterizes Youngâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s protective mother Eleanor). â&#x20AC;&#x153;When we got into the

Michelle Yeoh as Eleanor and Henry Golding as Nick in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asians.â&#x20AC;? Golding said this scene was one of his favorites in the film because it shows Eleanorâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character as a protective mother. Photo by Sanja Bucko

thick of things, it was just phenomenal to be able to sit in and be comfortable and work with my fears,â&#x20AC;? he remarked. Without dishing any spoilers, Golding shared some of his favorite scenes in the movie, including one with Yeoh, when they have a mother-son moment in Nickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s childhood bedroom. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We just have this moment when you realize what Eleanor is all about. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s being [that way] to Rachel because she wants to protect her son, she wants to protect the golden treasure. Sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the dragon mum, sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gonna fight tooth and nail to ensure heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not making any mistakes,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;You just see where that comes from in that scene and Michelle plays it so well.â&#x20AC;? The themes of love, loyalty and family â&#x20AC;&#x201D; while dominant in Asian cultures â&#x20AC;&#x201D; are universal and thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what can draw audiences of diverse backgrounds to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asians,â&#x20AC;? Golding said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Love is the true testament to everything. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what we tried to achieve. Because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s an Asian story doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t mean people arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t going to be able to relate. Youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re rooting for this young couple to be able to love each other,â&#x20AC;? he said. Though â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asiansâ&#x20AC;? is his first undertaking, acting appears to be part of Goldingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s destiny. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Say â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yes.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; That was my biggest takeaway. I kept saying â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;noâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; but when I said â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yes,â&#x20AC;&#x2122; amazing things happened,â&#x20AC;? he said. After â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Rich Asiansâ&#x20AC;? wrapped up filming last summer, Golding landed the male lead in â&#x20AC;&#x153;A Simple Favor,â&#x20AC;? directed by Paul Feig and starring Anna Kendrick and Blake Lively, which will be out in mid-September. Golding plays Sean Nelson, the husband of Livelyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character Emily who disappears. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Again itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s pushing the boundaries of leading men... Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not dependent on who I am as my ethnicity. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m just a leading man, I play Blakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s husband,â&#x20AC;? he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re pushing the boundaries [instead] of normalizing these leading men stereotypes. We donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have

entertainment

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018

to have blonde hair and blue eyes to get the woman.â&#x20AC;? As for more leading Asians on screen, Golding said thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be â&#x20AC;&#x153;more and more of thatâ&#x20AC;? to come. The budding actor noted, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jon always says it so well, â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a director, direct. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a writer, write. If youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a storyteller, tell a story. If

youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re an actor, get out there and act. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sit questioning yourself. Donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t consider just because Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m Asian, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not going to have my voice heard.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; You donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to happen. Now is the climate where anything is possible and thereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s such people power when it comes to these big studios now.â&#x20AC;?

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entertainment Kris Aquino bares experience filming her role as Princess Intan and being a global Filipina ‘icon’

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

The Philippines’ “Queen of All Media” Kris Aquino was in Los Angeles this week to attend the red carpet premiere of “Crazy Rich Asians,” in which she plays Princess Intan. Before the premiere on Tuesday, August 7 at the Grauman’s Chinese Theatre in Hollywood — which would be first time she saw the final film and her scene — Aquino sat down with the Asian Journal to talk about how she landed the royal part and what we can expect from her in the future. “I may never get the chance to portray a princess… God [gave me] this once-in-alifetime opportunity,” she told the Asian Journal of how the film led her to cross off an item on her bucket list. At the premiere, dozens of Filipinos were reported to greet Aquino at the sidelines of the red carpet and wave the Philippine flag. Aquino said she was “touched” that she had a fan base in LA to support her and the film. She walked he red carpet, alongside her younger son James “Bimby” Yap Jr., in a Filipinana-inspired yellow gown made by Filipino designer Michael Leyva to highlight Philippine fashion and artistry. The media personality, who was in the news a few weeks ago for medical reasons, said she pushed through and flew out to LA as a chance to represent Filipinos globally, even though Warner Bros. offered to do a special red carpet and screening for Aquino in the Philippines. “I want to try the Chinese Theatre and walking there so that naman represented tayo (we are represented),” she said. Her son Bimby during the interview said it was “cool” how much attention is surrounding the film and his mom’s involvement, especially how she was included in a Teen Vogue article on the actors and the characters they play. “We really want to highlight who we are as a people… My heart feels it that when bits and pieces came out about what my role was, for any Filipino, whether you like me or not, the fact that a Filipina got to play that role, will matter,” she said. “Now that the opportunity is here, I really want to savor the moment.” “Crazy Rich Asians” culminates in the wedding of the year with Colin Khoo (Chris Pang) and Araminta Lee (Sonoya Mizuno), which Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) and Nick Young (Henry Golding) come to Singapore to attend. Chu, who is made to feel like an outsider, is told by Nick’s mother Eleanor that there is no more seating room in their row so she finds an empty row next to Princess Intan. Of the wedding scene — where the church is turned into a tropical paradise with a lot of plants and flowers — Aquino said the decorations and how the bride enters the scene made her think, “Wow, how is this happening? That’s really movie magic.” “I was told to walk in such a manner... In my mind, I was wearing really high platform heels and then my gown had

WEDDING SCENE. Kris Aquino as Princess Intan and Constance Wu as Rachel Chu in “Crazy Rich Asians,” which comes out across the U.S. on August 15. Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures

a long cape behind me so I kept thinking, ‘Dear God, don’t make me trip, please,’” Aquino shared. Last year, Aquino recalls waking up on a Thursday to texts from several individuals, including Iza Calzado and the older sister of Jose Mari Chan, who asked if she was interested in auditioning to be part of a Hollywood movie. “I wasn’t aware they were casting anything at that time...I wasn’t sure until I saw that they were coursing it through Jhett Tolentino who has already won a Tony Award and a Grammy so I said, ‘ay parang (it seems), legit,’” she said. After realizing it wasn’t a scam message and being told it was for “Crazy Rich Asians,” Aquino — who is a fan of Kevin Kwan’s book — and her team were interested and saw that an audition tape needed to be sent by Saturday. There was no script but they said the character will be “very rich and very regal,” she said. Her house was under renovation at the time so her team went on an ocular inspection that very afternoon to find a shooting location. As fate would have it, the presidential suite at the Peninsula Manila was available. “I remember I had the shoot Friday and then I said, ‘We have to shoot something that doesn’t look like I’m just staring at the camera and reading lines,’” she added. “From Ms. Kris’ vision, she wanted to really make sure that when she gave it her all, it has to be an all-out type of production and how she would read the lines and how she would portray the role. So it was really a legit set-up and not just reading lines,”Aquino’s manager Nicko Falcis said. Her audition tape of three scenes (afternoon tea, pretend cocktail dinner and sitting in a living room), which made the deadline by Saturday, was so professionally shot — she used a director who does commercials — and edited that she said director Jon Chu told her, “Did you know the camera you used, it’s the same camera that we’re using [in the film]? You’re the only one who gave something like that.” “I said, ‘okay, if we’re going to do this and this is just one chance, let’s do it,’” she said, describing that her team scoured her closet for clothes that would look the part. “Basing it off the book, I knew they didn’t want someone who is flamboyant so it had to be conservative.” Three weeks later, Aquino and her team flew out to Singapore to shoot her scene

Filipino fans hold banners to welcome Aquino to Los Angeles.

in the film. There have been reports that she left an impression on other cast members because she arrived to a lot of fan fare in the city. “You have to remember, we shot in Singapore. All of the frontliners at the hotels, all the restaurants...those in middle management, the nurses... they’re all Filipinos and I was the only Filipino passport carrying person there. They couldn’t understand why there are so many people here having their picture taken with her so it’s just an assumption that [the Filipino fans] checked Instagram,” she explained. In the book, Princess Intan is described as a Muslim princess and since Aquino is not of that faith, she “made that specific request that we did not want to offend any of our brothers and sisters who are of the Islam faith because syempre diba (of course right) they would want someone who is really Islam to represent them.” The writers ended up not naming what country the princess is from, but simply just said she was a Malay princess for some ambiguity. In the wedding scene, Princess Intan dons a yellow — the color usually worn by a Malay princess — gown with a cape that was designed by Filipino designer Michael Cinco. “We’ve been given a chance for a Filipina to portray [this role]...if it’s how we look at society in the Asian culture, a Filipina actress was chosen to be the one head and shoulders above everybody else... the one wearing a crown is a Filipina. So it was my duty to make sure that on that set, I looked worthy because I know I am representing everyone,” she said. Referencing The Hollywood Reporter article in which novel author Kevin Kwan says he turned down a large payday from Netflix to have the film made by Warner Bros. Pictures instead. “That’s why Kevin and I hit it off because we both go for broke,” she said. “Grabe yung (It’s extreme the) guts and the courage...The fact that, based on that article, he’s not getting any upfront money for the rights of the book. He needs it to do well for him to earn anything...The winners take big risks.” She and the author had met a few years ago when he went to the Philippines to promote the sequel book, “China Rich Girlfriend.” The two have “kept in constant communication” and thanked him and Warner Bros. for giving her the opportunity. “It was luck but Kevin also championed us. I have to give credit and we Filipinos have to say thank you to him,” she said of her “pivotal role” and how it was a way to appreciate the book’s Filipino “super fans.” After “Crazy Rich Asians,” Filipinos are wondering what they can expect from the Queen of All Media. It’s been two years since she announced she would be leaving ABS-CBN after 20 years to focus on her health, family, and her businesses. “People had written me off and that was two years ago

Aquino and her sons, Josh and Bimby, were greeted by dozens of Filipino community members on Monday, August 6.

but look at where I [walked on Tuesday]. I want everyone who ever felt all doors are closing, it was useless to keep going, I went for it because I felt there was nothing to lose,” the media personality said. “Thank you all for allowing me to have this next chapter in my life... that’s why I want to share it with all of you.” Falcis hinted that “there are a lot of options and opportunities that are happening now but at the end of the day, our priority is really her.” Aquino added that she had quite a few projects lined up because she is the type to not say “no,” despite her physical limits, which has prompted her siblings to tell Falcis to remind her to rest and stop taking on too much. She and her team announced that in two weeks, she will have her videos streaming on the subscription platform iflix, which is available in Asia and Africa. Her manager chimed in, ”That’s why it takes a village.” “If this will be the last movie listed in my screen credits in my filmography, don’t you think mom would be so proud that the last movie is a Hollywood movie for someone who has dreamt of this career since she was 2 years old?” Aquino recounted a conversation she had with her siblings. As she savors her participation of the film, she notes her main priority is to listen and take care of her own self. Despite her family history and her decades-long career, at the end of the day, what does she want her legacy to be? It’s a question to which Bimby jokingly said, “being my mom.” Aquino said, “There’s something that life has taught me. In order for you to become a true person, you have to know where you stand and what you stand for. In doing that, though, there’s no need to step on anybody else to reach your goals. I hope that with how ever long God plans me to be doing this, that people will realize that and that I never failed to say thank you because all of this is really a gift.”

Kris Aquino graces the red carpet during the premiere of “Crazy Rich Asians” on Tuesday, August 7, wearing a yellow Filipinana-inspired gown by Filipino designer Michael Leyva. Makeup was done by RB Chanco and hair by Pin Antonio. Photo courtesy of KCAP

“Queen of All Media” Kris Aquino visits the Asian Journal’s headquarters on Monday, August 6 to discuss her role as Princess Intan in “Crazy Rich Asians.” Aquino was in Los Angeles this week to attend the movie premiere. AJPress photo by Andy Tecson

Kris Aquino shared on her Instagram account a behind the scenes look at filming the role of Princess Intan for “Crazy Rich Asians.” “This once in a lifetime blessing is for me, my way of honoring [my mom’s] memory. If you ever do get to watch the movie, you’ll understand what I mean because those few sentences of dialogue i got to deliver are a reflection of what Cory Aquino symbolized & championed,” she wrote. (Photo courtesy of Instagram/@KrisAquino)

“Crazy Rich Asians” author Kevin... From Page 2 this movie come away with a deeper understanding, first of all, and an appreciation for Asian culture and people. But ultimately to see that we’re all alike, whether you’re crazy rich or a crazy Asian or whatever you are, we all have same hopes and dreams. We all feel like outsiders at times. We all feel that we want the acceptance and approval of our parents,” he said. Before writing his own novel, Kwan worked for Martha Stewart Living, Andy Warhol’s Interview magazine, and established his own creative studio. Kwan, who was born and raised in Singapore and later migrated to the United States at age 11, said “Crazy Rich Asians” is his “valentine” to the island country and a tribute to his family heritage. “For me when I wrote the book, it was important to show the Singapore that I knew. That’s the Singapore that’s off the tourist’s beaten path — this is the Singapore of the real families who live there and who participate in the culture of the island,” he explained. “So much of it is being in people’s houses, private clubs, very exclusive restaurants that could happen to actually be hawker stalls. It’s not about how much you spend at the meal, it’s about how special the meal is and sometimes the most special meal can be $3. I feel like Singapore really is a character in my books.”

In the weeks leading up to the August 15 release, Kwan has been traveling across the U.S. to get a feel of the early reactions to the film and has not encountered any negative remarks yet. “It’s been phenomenal. Literally I feel like pinching myself because we have not heard, or at least I have not heard, a single negative thing nor even a lukewarm thing. There has been complete excitement, enthusiasm, and love for this movie,” he said. He went on to share an anecdote after a screening in Philadelphia when two middle-aged men told him how “they both cried” and “never thought they would be affected by the movie.” Kwan served as an executive producer of the film and was on hand to consult on aspects like character details, location scouting, access to designers and jewelry collectors. “I was intimately involved every step of the way. In every major creative decision, they came to me for advice. I had a vote at the table, with casting, with choosing the writers, working with the screenwriters and working with [director] Jon Chu,” he said. Of the importance of filming on location in Singapore, Kwan wanted that to portray the authenticity of the story. “I had very specific ideas of where they should shoot, how they should shoot and Jon as much as possible tried to stay

faithful to that,” he recounted. “We went to hawker markets and hunted down these stalls and had these amazing food scenes. In the same way, [Jon] shot scenes at the Raffles Hotel, a beautiful, historic Colonial hotel that has a such a great literary tradition, like Ernest Hemingway stayed there... all these great writers passing through. So much of historic Singapore is featured and I wish we could have featured even more.” Kwan’s abundance of details and character descriptions provided a lot of source material for the film, but it became a question of how to translate that into screen when you have a fleeting amount of time to show something. In terms of the script and gave complete freedom to writers Peter Chiarelli and Adele Lim to develop it. “The food scenes translated well. It made me hungry. But ultimately it was the performances of our tremendously talented cast. Their stories and their emotions really ran through and it really touched people, it touched me. Starting with Henry Golding, a man who’s never acted before, started action from the first day to Michelle Yeoh, who is just so amazing, to Constance Wu, who brings such an intelligence and ferocity to her performances. It’s a dream team cast and they all delivered,” he said. Kwan disclosed that the Continued on Page 6

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018

Nora Aunor: ‘Never take intrigues seriously’ a lot of the young stars are going through depression and she only Philstar.com had this to say: “They have to be Without a doubt, Nora Aunor strong and never take intrigues seriously. Sa akin yata naranasan is one of the pillars of the entertainment industry. Her colorful ex- ko na lahat na (ng klaseng intriga). Pwedeng may matinding ikasira perience as an actress is enough pero di dapat pansinin. They for the young stars to take to should instead focus on their heart every piece of advice that work.” she would gladly give. She, too, Another best thing to do, the is willing to share how to handle veteran actress said, is to have detractors without creating a faith in God. negative image. In this day and “And one more thing, don’t age, young stars are easy targets forget the fans who believe in of social media bashing. “I think it’s a lot harder to deal you, and of course, the press, with controversies during my time dahil kung wala sila, wala din sigurong isang Nora Aunor,” she pero lumilipas din,” began Nora added. after the formal launch of the Asked if she noticed some cast of GMA’s latest drama series changes in the industry today, Onanay. “Pero ang mas marami Nora said that not much has ngayon yata ay ‘yung mga bashchanged except during media ers.” call. “Ngayon, inaasikaso talaga Nora added that it is imporng network ‘yung mga artista, tant to be strong amid whatever challenge an actor has to face. “A pinapagawan ng damit at pinalot of things can happen in our life pauyusan. Noong araw hindi; kanya-kanya.” but, of course, you cannot really What would she remind newcompare what you are going comers so they could stay long in through to that of the others. the industry? Kaya kailangan lang kayanin “Like what I always say, they natin.” should never forget to look back Nora, who is also popularly called as Ate Guy, also knows that where they started and to always by Bot

GLorioso

Nora Aunor (second from left) stars in the latest GMA 7 drama series Onanay with newcomer Jo Berry in the title role. It will premiere tonight on the Kapuso Telebabad block. With co-stars (from left) Gardo Versoza, Mikee Quintos, Jo Berry and Kate Valdez. Photo by GMA

love their work. Ako nga walang pagmamahal sa trabaho pag naiin love, hahaha!” Meanwhile, Nora is happy to be back on GMA 7 two years after her last drama series Little Nanay that saw her in poignant scenes as a mother to Kris Bernal. This time, the Superstar is once again portraying a mother role to newcomer Jo Berry in Onanay. Continued on Page 6

Walking the Via Dolorosa Mount Zion at the room of the Last Supper, and moved north of Golgotha. The Via Dolorosa — Latin By the 13th century, a for “way of sorrow/suffering” new route was established or “painful way” — is one of and is the one currently folthe holiest sites in the Christian lowed today. Beginning at St. world. It’s a path that pilgrims Stephen’s Gate, the path winds and travelers alike take in homwestward towards the Church of age to the journey Jesus took the Holy Sepulcher. to His crucifixion and burial, all The path is further marked while carrying His own cross. by fourteen stations symbolLocated within the Old City of Jerusalem, the path begins at izing events that occured on the the ancient ruins of the Antonia path to the hill of Fortress, and snakes up to the Golgotha. Among Church of the Holy Sepulchre the fourteen stawhich is widely believed to be tions on the Via the location of Jesus’ death, Dolorosa, nine are burial, and resurrection. found along the The tradition of embarking route and five are on the pilgrimage along Jesus’ found inside the route began in the Byzantine Church of the Holy period — between the 4th and 7th century. Processions would Sepulchre. The Via Dolopass through Kidron Valley, from rosa is an momenGethsemane to the Golgotha. tous symbol of From the 8th to 12th cenJesus’ final times tury, the procession began on by EmiL

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“Crazy Rich Asians” author Kevin...

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018

Nora Aunor: ‘Never take intrigues... From Page 5 “I am thankful to GMA for giving me another opportunity to make a drama series with them. Okay itong aming bagong proyekto. If you loved Little Nanay, I am sure you will doubly like our new show that truly touches the heart.”

In Onanay, Nora is Nelia, Onay’s supportive mother who will do anything for her child. The story revolves around Onay, a woman with Achondroplasia or a bone growth disorder, which impedes her growth. Because of this, she is often the subject of ridicule but she chooses to remain

positive in life. Onay gave birth to two daughters who are different from each other. Despite the tragedy and traumatizing events, Onay’s motherly love remains pure and unconditional. “If you saw me as a cool mom in Little Nanay, here you will see me fighting for my daughter who is often belittled by the people around her. The show is more serious.” Given her stature in the industry, is there anything Nora wishes to do? “As an actress, there is nothing I could ask for because I’ve done so many movies that I can truly be proud of. Di man lahat pero meron na rin namang naipagmalaki natin sa ibang bansa. At dahil na din ito sa mga direktor na napunta sa akin. I’d also like to do an autobiography, naghahanap pa lang ako ng makakatulong sa akin.”

From Page 4 film version of his novel has exceeded his expectations and was all praises, especially for the performances of the allAsian international cast. Though the window for storytelling on screen is limited to two hours, he said that he hopes there will be future opportunities to flesh out the other characters. (There are 3,000 characters in the book, including the riveting backstories of Nick Young’s cousins and relatives.) “I wish we had more time to tell the stories of the other characters...like Alistair’s story, Jacqueline Ling’s story and really see more of Astrid’s story. But hopefully there will be many more pictures to come where we can explore that,” he said. For example (without giving any spoilers away), the movie hints at more to the character of Astrid Leong — Nick Young’s cousin who is an audience favorite from the book as

she is the epitome of style and beauty. Played by Gemma Chan, Astrid has a defining moment in the movie that Kwan considers a favorite scene. When he saw the movie again a few days ago before this interview, he remembered the audience reacting to her performance. “It’s so gratifying to see that other women were so inspired by what she had to say and that to me really encapsulates the character arc that she goes through,” he said. The good news for Kwan doesn’t stop with the release of “Crazy Rich Asians” as a Hollywood film. At the beginning of August, it was announced that he and STXtv have received a script-to-series order from Amazon Studios to create and write a drama series about a powerful family in Hong Kong and its business empire. For those who are waiting for more material from him, he said, “I’ve been working on this

Amazon series now for a year so we hope to go into production early next year. I’m trying to tell stories in new ways. With TV, we can do 10-12 stories in one season. It’s a new challenge, new characters, and I’m really looking forward to presenting a whole other world that’s very different from the world of [‘Crazy Rich Asians.’]” With the success surrounding his work, Kwan said it came from being “true to [himself]” in the process and not thinking about creating for anyone else. “When I started writing my book, I never thought it would be published. I wasn’t writing it thinking how marketable it was or where it would fit into the marketplace. I was just writing from the heart and my truth and I think that’s what came through — that authenticity is why people have connected to,” he said. “I just want to say to everyone, tell your truth and be proud and see what happens. It has certainly been rewarding for me.”

Vic, Coco, Maine set to conquer the big screen by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTimes.net

There’s no stopping Vic Sotto and Coco Martin in joining forces to conquer the big screen with the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival entry “Jack Em Popoy.” And definitely, the inclusion of phenomenal star Maine Mendoza further adds to the super celebrity draw of what is already being dubbed as this year’s “biggest MMFF movie.” All three headliners were present at “Jack Em Popoy’s” story conference on July 28 at a five-star hotel in Quezon City. Besides Vic, Maine and Coco, the movie further boasts of big-named actors in comedy and beyond like Jose Manalo, Wally Bayola, Paolo Ballesteros, Tirso Cruz III, Cherry Pie Picache, Ronaldo Valdez, Mark Lapid and child stars Ryza Mae Dizon and Baeby Baste. “Jack Em Popoy” is a threeway production among Coco’s CCM Creative Productions, Vic’s M-Zet Productions and APT Entertainment under the helm of Mike Tuviera. As brilliant an idea it is to bring two of the annual MMFF’s favorite actors together, this

collaboration did not happen overnight. Story goes that there had been feelers from both camps of Vic and Coco for the two big stars to make a movie together but nothing materialized. “Parating hindi natutuloy kasi magka-iba kami ng network,” Vic gave the most obvious explanation. “But this time, everything has fallen into place. We both have the blessings of our networks kaya nagpapasalamat ako.” For his part, Coco enthused he had long wanted to do a movie with Vic. It was, as he put it, always been his dream. In fact, it was Coco who thought of the concept for the movie, which prompted him to find a way to reach out to the veteran comedian. The first person he approached was Vic’s good friend and APT Entertainment big boss, Tony Tuviera. “I talked to Mr. T,” Coco recalled, referring to the seasoned producer who is also behind “Eat Bulaga.” “Hindi ko po kasi alam kung paano ko makaka-usap si Bossing [Vic]. I told him I have a concept for the two of us and then nagpalitan po kami ng kanya-kanyang kwento kung

paano pagagandahin ‘yung pelikula. Then he told me he’d present it to Bossing kung magugustuhan. After that, three started meetings started for the collaboration.” The movie’s complete title is “Jack em Popoy: Vic Sotto, Maine Mendoza and Coco Martin—MMFF’s dream team, Pulis Credibles,” here with the author. ManilaTimes.net photo and it revolves around the lives of two policedling and firing lessons, which men. Coco is Jack and Popoy is she immensely enjoyed. “That Vic, while Maine is the latter’s was the first time that I held a daughter Emilie who is an aspir- gun and I found firing very exciting policewoman. ing. At first nagulat ako when “Mga ‘pulis credibles’ I fired the gun. I didn’t know kami,” Vic continued, quoting na may bala pala. Hindi sinabi the tagline. “Most of the time, sa akin. Unang putok, muntik di’ba, medyo unpleasant yung na yata akong bumaligtad! But nababalitaan natin tungkol sa I’m proud to say na malapit pulis. This time, we want to saang tama ko sa target,” she lute them and show people that beamed. they’re on our side.” The three lead stars promMaine, as Emilie, has taken ised they will give moviegoers it upon herself to look after her their money’s worth come Dedad and idol. “I am a very caring cember. “We’re giving them a daughter to my dad. So parang good story and scenes that are ako, lagi kong susubukan na sometimes funny, sometimes gawin ang best ko para maprotouching and sometimes actiontektahan ang father ko and so packed. They leave the movie he won’t be put in danger.” theater smiling because they For this role Maine had to will be entertained and satisfied undergo training on gun hanwith the movie.”

Let Super Vacation take you on a fiveday trip through Oregon & beyond THERE is more to exploring the United States’ West Coast than just California. Take Oregon for example — home to scenic byways, captivating vistas, and even incredibly blue waters. From California’s world renowned Wine Country, to Oregon’s most treasured Crater Lake National Park, Super Vacation has you covered this summer with its five day trip through some of the West Coast’s most famous outdoor destinations. Here are just some of the highlights featured in Super Vacation’s 5 day Oregon—Crater Lake Deluxe Tour: Sequoia National Park Located in central California, Sequoia National Park is rightly nicknamed as the World of the Giants. While there, visit the General Grant (named after 18th U.S. President, Ulysses S. Grant), the second largest tree by volume after the General Sherman Tree also found in Sequoia. The General Grant’s long history of inspiration has further dubbed it the Nation’s Christmas Tree. Napa Valley Also known as the world famous Wine Country, Napa Valley has long been a California getaway destination. See an endless view of grape vines before enjoying some picks from local winery favorites. Redwood National Forest Entering Redwood National Forest brings you into the “Avenue of the Giants”, a world-famous scenic drive that runs through acres of spectacular

redwoods. Crater Lake National Park The only national park in Oregon, Crater Lake National Park is a prized destination of the state as evident by its image on the license plates of many Oregon residents. Around 400,000 people visit yearly to see it’s blue waters — among the bluest in the world. Reaching 1,949 feet deep, Crater Lake is also the deepest in the nation and was formed from the collapse of

volcano Mount Mazama some 7,700 years ago. Mount Shasta Get a view of the enormous White Mountain Peak which stands 2,000 feet over Mr. Fuji, before exploring the fascinating Lake Shasta Caverns. Formed roughly 200 million years ago by flowing water, the entire cave is made of limestone with its wide variety of formations, stalagmites, soda straws, and flowstone. Also pay a visit to the world’s largest sundial at the translucent glass decked Sundial Bridge! Roaring Camp Railroads What better way to get a final view of the West Coast’s redwood groves than by old fashion sightseeing train. Take a morning ride on the Roaring Camp Railroads in Santa Cruz through redwood groves, all the way to the top of Bear Mountain. 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.americanasia.com.

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 8, 2018