081518 - Southern California Midweek Edition

August 15-17, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 64 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am community mourns the death of historian and author, Dawn Mabalon

Dawn Bohulano Mabalon Photo by Jeremy Keith Villaluz

THE FilipinoAmerican community across the United States is mourning the death of Dawn Bohulano Mabalon, a community leader, professor, author, historian and mentor.

Mabalon, 46, died on Friday, August 10 while on a family va-

cation in Kauai, Hawaii.

She was an associate professor of history at San Francisco State University, specializing in Philippine and Filipino-American history, as well as race and ethnicity and food cultures.

A third-generation Pinay, Mabalon was born and raised in Stockton, where her grandfathers settled in the 1920s. Stockton was home to the largest population of Filipinos outside of the Philippines from the 1920s to 1960s.

She graduated from Edison High School

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Wyoming officials refuse to return Balangiga bells WYOMING officials have refused to return the Balangiga bells to the Philippines as they are deemed “memorials” to the casualties of the Philippine-American War. In a statement, the all-Republican delegation comprising of U.S. Senators Mike Enzi and John Barrasso, and U.S. Rep. Liz Cheney, said, “These bells are memorials to American war dead and should not be transferred to the Philippines.”

“We’ve received assurances that the bells will be returned to the Catholic Church and treated with the respect and honor they deserve,” U.S. Embassy press attache Trude Raizen said on Saturday, August 11, in a report from The Philippine Star.

Raizen also emphasized the value of the bells for both Filipinos and Americans.

“We are aware that the Bells of Balangiga have deep significance for a number of people, both in the United States and in the Philippines,” she added.

Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque even welcomed the announcement from

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Duterte: ‘I’m thinking of stepping down’

by JULIUS

N. LEONEN Inquirer.net

chasing corrupt government workers.

“Sinabi ko sa mga sundalo at sa mga pulis (I told the military and police): Guys, I want you to know that I am thinking of stepping down because I’m tired,” Duterte said. “I am not angry [with] anybody. My chase against graft and corruption seems to be endless, and it has contaminated

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, August 14, said he was thinking of stepping down from power.

In a speech at Malacañang, Duterte admitted that he told the military and the police during a command conference that he was growing tired of

almost all government departments and offices.”

On Monday, August 13, President Duterte relieved 20 military officials, including top officials of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), over alleged corruption activities such as anomalous and ghost projects at the V. Luna Medical Center in Quezon

City.

Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said Duterte has ordered the relief of the officials after “it was brought to the president’s attention that alleged corruption activities have been taking place at the V. Luna Medical Center.”

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London-based British Broadcasting Corp. (BBC) has released a video showing a Philippine military aircraft receiving warnings from the Chinese military.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

Palace: PH pilots continue to fly, disregard Chinese warnings

by PATRICIA LOURDES Philstar.com

VIRAY

CHINESE radio warnings cannot deter Philippine military aircraft from flying over the disputed South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea, Malacañang said Monday, August 13.

London-based broadcast network BBC reported that the Chinese military has been warning Philippine and U.S. planes to stay away from Beijing’s artificial islands in the South China Sea.

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ASIAD SEND-OFF. President Rodrigo Duterte flashes his signature pose with the athletes and coaches of the Philippine delegation to the 18th Asian Games as he leads the ceremonial send-off at the Rizal Hall of Malacañang Palace on Monday, August 13. The Philippine delegation is set to compete in Indonesia from August 18 to September 2. Joining the president are Secretary Bong Go of the Office of the Special Assistant to the President, Philippine Sports Commission Commissioner Charles Maxey, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, Philippine Olympic Committee President Victorico Vargas, and Ormoc City Mayor and Philippine Chef de Mission Richard Gomez.

Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet

Go: Duterte upbeat Pinoys Ex-tourism chief claims ‘nothing illegal’ in PTV deal will support federalism

by AJPRESS

by CATHERINE

S. VALENTE

ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is optimistic that Filipinos would support his administration’s push for the country’s shift to federalism, his top aide has said, amid the low public awareness about the proposed change in the system of government.

In a radio interview, Special Assistant to the President Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go said Duterte was confident that he would be able to convince the public by explaining to them the

benefits of a federal government.

“Ito pong mga ganitong usapin tungkol sa pederalismo, inaasahan na ito ni Pangulong Duterte.

Bukas po ang Pangulo kung ano man ang magiging problema nito in the long run, sa mga pagbabagong, lalong lalo na sa transition stage (President Duterte expects this kind of issue regarding federalism. The President is open to whatever its problem will be in the long run, on the changes especially in its transition stage),” Go said during in an interview

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FORMER Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo denied all corruption allegations hurled at her regarding the 60 million-peso advertisement deal with PTV4 at a Senate hearing on Tuesday, August 14.

“With confidence, I can say that there’s nothing illegal in the said contract,” TulfoTeo said.

The former tourism secretary testified before the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee that the accusations against her were only meant to discredit her.

“I have been defamed, maligned and worse, crucified by allegations of corrup- SENATE INQUIRY. Senator Nancy Binay inquires about the tions and competence, all made up to look Department of Tourism ad budget during the Senate Blue Ribbon as truth,” Tulfo-Teo said. hearing on the P60-million Department of Tourism ad placement

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on PTV4 on Tuesday, August 14.

Senate photos

Sara Duterte, Imee Marcos forge 9-party alliance

by MATTHEW

REYSIO-CRUZ Inquirer.net

A SUPERCOALITION is emerging as Hugpong ng Pagbabago, the regional party formed and chaired by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, has forged an alliance with nine other political parties, including those of Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Sen. Cynthia Villar.

Hugpong joined forces on Monday, August 13, with three national parties — Nacionalista Party (NP), Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and National Unity Party (NUP) — and six local parties — Ilocano Timpuyog, Alyansa Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte (second, from left, front row), chair of Hugpong ng Pagbabago, Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos of Ilocano Timpuyog, Sen. Cynthia Villar of the Nacionalista Party and other leaders of political parties Bol-anon Alang sa Kausaban (Abaka), Aggrupation of Party for Progress formalize their alliance in a covenant-signing event in preparation for midterm elections in 2019.

Inquirer.net photo by Earvin Perias (APP), Kambilan, PaDayon Pilipino

(PP) and Serbisyo sa Bayan Party.

The NP is Villar’s political party, while the NPC was founded by tycoon Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr. The NUP was formed by former members of the Lakas-Kampi-CMD and allies of former President and now Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Mayor Duterte, the influential daughter of President Rodrigo Duterte, and representatives of the nine parties signed an agreement to form an alliance at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City.

Among the signatories were Senator Villar; former Batangas Rep. Mark Mendoza of NPC; Reginald Velasco, NUP secretary general; Imee Marcos of Ilocano Timpuyog; Pampanga Gov. Lilia Pineda of Kambilan; Quezon City

Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte, head of Serbisyo Para sa Bayan Party; Norris Oculam of Abaka; Zamboanga del Norte Rep. Seth Frederick Jalosjos of APP; and lawyer Nadya Emano of PP. Also present at the signing ceremony were former first lady and now Rep. Imelda Marcos, Cabinet Secretary Leoncio Evasco Jr. and Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista, among others.

Hugpong was called an opposition party in February by then Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, president of the ruling PDP-Laban. Mayor Duterte countered that it was her father, the President, who had given her and her supporters the go-ahead to form Hugpong.

In July, during the third State of the

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A August 15-17, 2018 • soCal AsIAN JOuRNAL

Ex-tourism chief claims ‘nothing...

PAGE A1 In a report from the Inquirer, Teo said that she did not comment on any of the slanderous criticisms.

“For quite some time, I have kept mum against all the incredible allegations,” she added.

During the hearing, the former tourism chief reiterated she was unaware that the show “Kilos Pronto” with the PTV-4 was produced by Ben Tulfo and co-hosted

by Erwin Tulfo.

She claimed that the transactions involving her brothers’ government television program were valid.

“It’s a government to government contract within the executive department and all payments were paid directly to PTV-4,” Teo pointed out.

The Commission on Audit earlier reported that DOT placed the deal in 2017, however it lacks documents validating its legality.

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From the Front Page During the hearing, Teo said “no” when Senator Risa Hontiveros asked if she personally believed that the money spent on the ad deal must be returned.

She stated that it might be difficult to return the money because it was already distributed to pay for the people who worked on the advertisement. However, she said that the decision would be on Ben Tulfo and PTV4’s terms.

“But at the end the day, it’s still PTV-4 and my brother that will decide kung ibabalik ang pera kasi ang bayad naman po namin ay sa PTV-4 (if they are going to return the money because we paid to PTV-4),” she said.

Gordon: Graft, but not plunder Senate Blue Ribbon Committee chairman Richard Gordon believed that the Tulfo siblings might be charged with graft. He noted the conflict of interest evident in the said deal.

“Dapat nahagip nila na (They should have seen that) there was (a) clear conflict of interest,” Gordon said.

Gordon also doubted the possibility of plunder charges since the money was used for advertising.

“I don’t think you can make a case for plunder,” the senator said.

He also recognized that it was a “business” transaction in nature.

However, he did not disregard the siblings’ family connection.

“Nag negosyo sila, yun ang masama e. Yung negosyo mukhang nabigyan ng ayuda yung negosyo ng kapatid (They have a business.

That business received a boost from the sibling),” Gordon pointed out.

The senator also emphasized that the siblings’ prominence.

He also stated that it could be grounds for corruption.

“The Tulfos are not exactly invisible, they are very prominent so dapat nakita nila agad yun (they should have immediately seen that) and they should have protected themselves from that.

That’s graft and corruption,” Gordon added.

The committee chairman refused to believe Tulfo-Teo’s claim that she was unaware of the program. He said that they would still be held liable even if they return the money.

However, Ben Tulfo is firm in his resolve that he would not return the money as he insisted there was nothing illegal about the contract. n

QUEUING FOR AID. Thousands of evacuees queue for sleeping kits and relief goods from the Department of Social Welfare Development at the Malanday Elementary School on Monday, August 13. The evacuees remain at the school, due to flooding brought by non-stop monsoon rains enhanced by tropical storm ‘Karding.’

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

Duterte: ‘I’m thinking of...

PAGE A1 The president last week fired all board members of Nayong Pilipino Foundation (NPF) over a “grossly disadvantageous” 70-year property lease contract.

The Chief Executive cited the

case of Nayong Pilipino leased government property for a [ridiculously] long period of time, 70 years, beyond the lifetime of anyone, and he considered this as a contract which was grossly disadvantageous to the government.

However, this is not the first time that Duterte declared that he would step down from his position.

He earlier promised to resign from office if he fails to end drugs and criminality in three to six months. n

Palace: PH pilots continue to fly, disregard...

PAGE A1 Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said the Philippine government is yet to verify the report.

“Investigation will be conducted but if the information is true, the good news is that our pilots did not back off despite being told to leave, they still contined their flight because we have territory there,” Roque said in a press briefing.

Noting that the Filipino pilots disregarded the Chinese warnings, Roque said Filipino pilots will continue to assert the country’s sovereignty over the disputed waters.

“That means we are upholding our title, that we’re asserting

our sovereignty because we conducted the overflight over the islands,” Roque said.

According to the BBC report, the Chinese military issued a vociferous warning against a Philippine plane flying nearby.

The radio transmission is suspected to come from Beijing’s artificial islands, where they have powerful communications and surveillance equipment.

“Philippine military aircraft, I’m warning you again. Leave immediately or you will bear responsibility for all the consequences!,” a voice can be heard saying in the video.

The Chinese military, however, used a calmer tone when a U.S. military plane flew over the

area.

“China has sovereignty over the Nansha Islands and adjacent waters. Leave immediately and keep far off to avoid misunderstanding,” the voice said.

Beijing has been calling out Washington for supposedly playing up the militarization of artificial islands in the South China Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry stressed that Beijing will “never attack others unless we are attacked.”

Aside from communications equipment, China has deployed anti-cruise ship missiles, surfaceto-air missiles and electronic jamming equipment to its outposts on the Spratly Islands. n

Wyoming officials refuse to return...

PAGE A1 the U.S. Embassy noting that he hopes it would happen but would still wait on the official word.

Two of the bells of Balangiga are at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming. The third is with the United States Army in South Korea.

A year ago, in his State of the Nation Address (SONA), President Rodrigo Duterte has called for their return.

“They are ours. They belong to the Philippines. They are part of our national heritage,” the president said.

The story behind Balangiga bells In 1901, the U.S. Army soldiers took the bells after an attack killed 48 American troops during the U.S. occupation of the Philippines. In retaliation, the U.S. ordered its troops to turn Samar into a “howling wilderness.” Over 2,500 Filipinos were killed during the attacks.

The Philippines has been trying to have the bells returned even way back during Fidel Ramos’ administration. Years after, a petition for their return was revived in the wake of Ty-

phoon Yolanda in 2013. Samar was among the islands devastated by the super typhoon.

In 2016, the U.S. Military Academy at West Point sent back a bell also taken in 1901 to the Saints Peter and Paul Church in Bauang, La Union, according to a report on Stars and Stripes, a newspaper for the U.S. military community.

“Bells were routinely taken as souvenirs, but at times they were removed for a military purpose – to prevent them from being melted down to make weapons,” Stars and Stripes said. (AJPress)

Go: Duterte upbeat Pinoys will...

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with radio dzBB. He added that Duterte has long been reaching out to the public across the country with hopes to increase awareness about the federal system of government among Filipinos.

“Nasa Kongreso na ho ito. Medyo long shot nga ho ito. Kasi po alam niyo matagal na kaming umikot ng pangulo about sa Federalism 2015 pa hanggang 2016 at alam naman natin na ang pinaka-importante dito ay paano natin maipapaintindi sa mga tao, sa bayan, kung ano itong pederalismo (It’s now in Congress. It’s a long shot. Because you know we have long been going around from 2015 to 2016 to raise public awareness about federalism.

And we all know what’s important here is how are we going to explain to the people, the nation, what really federalism is),” Go said. “‘Yung magiging awareness nito. Kasi umiikot kami noon, hindi sila masyadong nakikinig about federalism. Pinapakinggan nila ‘yung pangulo (The people’s awareness about it. Because when we’re going around, the people did not really listen when we talked about federalism. But they listened to the president),” he added.

Duterte has been pushing for a federal government, saying it would decentralize the government and would empower the regions more.

Last month, the Consultative Committee (ConCom) submitted to Duterte the “Bayanihan Federalism,” which installs a federal government strong enough to glue the various federated regions and make them socially, economically and politically viable and sustainable.

A recent survey, however, showed that Charter change and federalism remain unpopular among Filipinos.

Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go poses with officers and workers of the Navotas Fish Port.

ManilaTimes.net photo

A Pulse Asia poll conducted last June suggested that 67 percent of Filipinos are not in favor of amending the 1987 Constitution while 62 percent are against the proposed shift to a federal system of government.

Malacañang has admitted that much work has to be done to spread awareness on Charter change.

In a recent interview, Palace spokesman Harry Roque Jr. said the information campaign for federalism would start this month and would involve the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO).

“The roadshow for federalism will commence this month of August. Kasama po ‘yung mga materyales na ginawa ng DILG [This will include the materials created by the DILG], in coordination with academics, ‘yung mga miyembro din ng Consultative Committee [and members of the ConCom],” Roque said.

But Sen. Grace Poe, the chairman of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass media, has filed a resolution seeking an inquiry into the funding of the information campaign to be spearheaded by the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) and the ConCom

that drafted the proposed federal Constitution.

Poe cited in her Senate Resolution 821 the controversial and risqué video of PCOO Assistant Secretary Esther Margaux “Mocha” Uson that she said “reeks of impropriety” does not help “elevate public discourse” on the government’s effort to explain federalism.

Uson earlier defended her video, saying it was meant to get Filipinos to talk about federalism.

But ConCom spokesman Ding Generoso said the video was not part of their information drive for federalism.

In his State of the Nation Address on July 23, Duterte justified a federal Constitution, saying it would “truly embody the ideals and aspirations” of all Filipinos and create opportunities for growth.

“I am confident that the Filipino people will stand behind us as we introduce this new fundamental law that will not only strengthen our democratic institutions, but will also create an environment where every Filipino, regardless of social status, religion, or ideology, will have an equal opportunity to grow and create a future that he or she can proudly bequeath to the succeeding generations,” the president said. n

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Fil-Am community mourns the death of historian...

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SELFIE FIRST. Davao City Mayor and Hugpong ng Pagbabago Chairman Sara Duterte takes a selfie with Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos and Nacionalista Party National Director Sen. Cynthia Villar, after signing the alliance agreement with the two parties on Monday, August 13 at The Blue Leaf Filipinas in Parañaque City.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Andrea De La Cruz

Watch out for card skimming at the gas pump WITH the summer travel season in high gear, the FTC is warning drivers about skimming scams at the pump.

Skimmers are illegal card readers attached to payment terminals. These card readers grab data off a credit or debit card’s magnetic stripe without your knowledge. Criminals sell the stolen data or use it to buy things online. You won’t know your information has been stolen until you get your statement or an overdraft notice.

Here are a few tips to help you avoid a skimmer when you gas up: • Make sure the gas pump panel is closed and doesn’t show

signs of tampering. Many stations now put security seals over the cabinet panel. If the pump panel is opened, the label will read “void.”

• Look at the card reader itself. Does it look different than other readers at the station? For example, the card reader on the left has a skimmer attached; the reader on the right doesn’t.

• Try to wiggle the card reader before you put in your card. If it moves, report it to the attendant.

Then use a different pump.

• If you use a debit card at the pump, run it as a credit card instead of entering a PIN. That way, the PIN is safe and the money isn’t deducted immedi-

ately from your account.

• If you’re really concerned about skimmers, pay inside rather than at the pump.

• Monitor your credit card and bank accounts regularly to spot unauthorized charges.

If your credit card has been compromised, report it to your bank or card issuer. Federal law limits your liability if your credit, ATM, or debit card is lost or stolen, but your liability may depend on how quickly you report the loss or theft. For more information, read Lost or Stolen Credit, ATM, and Debit Cards at www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0213-lost-or-stolen-creditatm-and-debit-cards. n

Sara Duterte, Imee Marcos forge...

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Nation Address of Mr. Duterte, Alvarez was ousted as Speaker and replaced by Arroyo.

Hugpong’s senatorial bets The signatories to the agreement pledged to support all the eight senatorial candidates Hugpong would endorse for the midterm elections in May 2019.

Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony del Rosario, Hugpong secretary general, confirmed reports that the alliance would endorse the candidacies of Marcos and Villar for the Senate.

Del Rosario said talks had been going on for weeks with the remaining six senatorial hopefuls.

He declined to name them, saying he did not want to preempt other party officials.

At least two other prospective candidates were present during Monday’s signing of the covenant—reelectionist Sen. JV Ejercito and Taguig Rep. Pia

Cayetano, a former senator.

Last month, Mayor Duterte personally endorsed Ejercito, Sen. Sonny Angara, presidential spokesperson Harry Roque, former Chair Francis Tolentino of the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, and Secretary Martin Andanar of the Presidential Communications Operations Office for the Senate.

No Senate run She denied anew that she would be one of the senatorial candidates.

“I am not running for senator.

We are just really trying to unite everybody who wants to help the administration of President Duterte until 2022,” she said.

The Davao City mayor ranked between fourth and seventh in a Pulse Asia preelection survey released in April, but Del Rosario said on Monday that the she was “definitely” not gunning for a Senate seat.

“We’ve talked about it several

times,” he said. “She doesn’t want to leave Davao City yet.”

Del Rosario said Hugpong was endorsing eight candidates, rather than 12, to allow its allied parties to select four of their own.

Common denominator The common denominator between Hugpong and the nine political parties, which hailed from areas as varied as Ilocos Norte, Bohol, Zamboanga, Pampanga and Misamis Oriental, was their support for Mr. Duterte’s policies, he said.

Imee Marcos said the alliance was the “first step on the road to federalism” as it sought to empower regional parties over “monolithic, hierarchical Metro Manila-based parties.”

She hinted at resurrecting Kilusang Bagong Lipunan, the political party of the late dictator President Ferdinand Marcos, in a talk with journalists in Davao Occidental last week. n

and San Joaquin Delta College.

Fresh out of college in 1999, she, along with Dillon Delvo, co-founded Little Manila Foundation to help save the last remaining buildings and residents of Stockton’s Little Manila.

Mabalon went on to receive a master’s degree in Asian American studies from the University of California, Los Angeles, and a Ph.D. in history from Stanford University. Following her childhood aspirations to become a writer, she authored two books about Filipino-American history: “Filipinos in Stockton” (2008) and “Little Manila Is in the Heart: The Making of the Filipina/o American Community in Stockton, California” (2013), which was born from her doctoral thesis at Stanford.

The latter book — for which she received an honorable mention for the Frederick Jackson Turner Award by the Organization of American Historians — traced the growth of Stockton’s Fil-Am community, the formation of Little Manila and efforts to preserve it.

Her writings were based on oral histories, archives, as well as stories from the generation of her father, Ernest Tirona Mabalon, who passed away at 79 while she was writing the book. Her paternal grandfather, Pablo “Ambo” Mablaon, ran a popular Fil-Am diner, the Lafayette Lunch Counter, in the heart of Little Manila. In the introduction of her book, Dawn Mabalon wrote how she read “America Is in the Heart” in college and soon found out that the author Carlos Bulosan used her grandfather’s diner as his permanent address in Stockton. The diner was later demolished in 1999, prompting Mabalon to explore the community’s history.

Her maternal grandmother, Concepcion Moreno Bohulano, who was the country’s first Filipina school teacher also served as a source.

“They always said I was the little girl who wanted to be a writer. It took a lot of twists and turns and it wasn’t exactly the way I wanted it. I hope it honors them,” Mabalon said in an interview with The Record in 2013. “Their sacrifices made it possible that their children and grandchildren could do whatever they wanted to do. Their sacrifices meant I could create a life to read, teach and write.”

Last October, Mabalon received a bronze replica of the Congressional Gold Medal in Washington, DC on behalf of her late father, who fought in World War II.

Over the weekend, Stockton held its annual Barrio Fiesta event, with the Little Manila Foundation and other community members paying tribute to Mabalon.

“Dawn had represented the best of Stockton and she will be missed very much,” Lange Luntao, a Little Manila Foundation board member, told The Record. “Her research on the Filipino/a neighborhoods and community members in Stockton inspired scholars from around the Dawn Mabalon on the cover of Asian Journal’s SF Magazine on world and put on the August 2, 2013. map in a positive way. There’s a The Center for Asian American lot of work to do to continue her Media (CAAM) worked with Malegacy and highlight Stockton’s balon and her collection of home rich and diverse history.” movies as part of its “Memories As the news of her death spread, to Light: Asian American Home Mabalon’s colleagues and friends Movies” initiative. took to social media to express “Dawn’s knowledge of and contheir grief and devastation. Some nection to Filipino American hisof them used the hashtag #Dawn- tory in Stockton made her a perMabalonisinTheHeart, in refer- fect participant in this project, and ence to her book “Little Manila is luckily, she had some home movin the Heart.” ies to contribute. The film, com“This is a great loss for all of us, missioned by CAAM and made as she gave the world to her fam- by John Liau, talks about how ily, friends, and our community,” Stockton was a hub for Filipino said Allyson Tintangco-Cubales, American labor activism, with Mabalon’s fellow professor at San many who worked in the farm Francisco State University. fields. Folks like Carlos Bulosan Cubales, on behalf of Mabalon’s and Larry Itliong came through family also started a GoFundMe Dawn’s grandfather’s Filipino rescampaign to raise money to cover taurant in Stockton,” Jasmine Lee her funeral and memorial costs. Ehrhardt wrote in an article about It has raised over $60,000 in two Mabalon’s donated home movies. days.

Fil-Am rapper Ruby Ibarra wrote Dr. Kevin Nadal, Mabalon’s in a post, “I will never forget when friend for 15 years and a fellow I first met her, the first thing she trustee of the Filipino Ameri- told me was, ‘I’ve been waiting for can National Historical Society you.’ Since then, she showed me (FANHS), shared, “Dr. Dawn Ma- nothing but love and support, ofbalon was a fierce Pinay scholar ten coming out to any event that I who positively impacted so many was a part of.” lives - from the students in her Actor Tess Paras was emotional classes to the people who read her on her post and recalled the imbooks to the community members pact of Mabalon’s work and acwho listened to her talks on Fili- tivism on many generations to pino American history.” come.

He added, “As the National “I encourage you to read the Scholar of FANHS, she was the books she’s written and learn gatekeeper of Filipino American about the historical sites she’s history - the ‘go to’ manang/ate helped preserve, the marginalwho seemed to know everything. ized voices she amplified, and the Her friends will miss her sharp wit, Filipino American history presenher infectious laughter, her vast tation she was due to give at the knowledge on innumerable topics, U.S. Civil Rights Commission in and her passionate loyalty for the Washington D.C. this very week. people she cared about most. Our Her legacy is widespread and hearts are broken and the world undoubtedly everlasting,” Paras will never be the same.”

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A August 15-17, 2018 • soCal AsIAN JOuRNAL

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China sends warning to US spy plane flying over disputed sea, according to report A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon reconnaissance plane flying 16,500 feet from China’s manmade islands over South China Sea was warned six times by Chinese military to get out of their territory.

The flight included CNN International, which was able to witness the exchanges between the U.S. and Chinese military.

“U.S. military aircraft, this is China. Leave immediately and keep out to avoid any misunderstanding,” a voice said.

The U.S. Navy crew responded with: “I am a sovereign immune United States naval aircraft conducting lawful military activities beyond the national airspace of any coastal state. In exercising these rights guaranteed by international law, I am operating

with due regard for the rights and duties of all states.”

The U.S. plane flew over four of China’s artificial islands — Fiery Cross, Subi Reef, Mischief Reef and Johnson Reef.

“What we saw [include] an incredible amount of infrastructure and development in the three years since CNN last boarded one of these planes and was able to fly through that area,” said CNN correspondent Ivan Watson in his report.

China claims most parts of the South China Sea, including waters close to the shores of the Philippines, Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam.

The ruling on a challenge brought by the Philippines, the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague invali-

dated China’s sweeping claim in July 2016.

But the Duterte administration set aside the ruling in exchange for economic opportunities and friendly ties with Beijing.

Early this year, the Inquirer published close-up surveillance images of China’s reclaimed features now equipped with runways, radar towers, missile shelters and other military facilities. The photos showed that the bases are almost operational and awaiting the deployment of personnel and aircraft.

China insists that the facilities on its man-made islands in the Spratlys are primarily for civilian purposes and they have “indisputable sovereignty” over the area. (Inquirer.net)

Fil-Am community mourns the death of historian...

PAGE A3 wrote.

In his own post, labor leader Gregory Cendana recalled a particular night after the FANHS conference in New York in 2016.

“Hundreds of us were on a boat cruise for the gala and towards the end of the night, the DJ started playing multiple 90s jams in a row. I was on the dance floor and turned to see Dawn taking pictures and encouraging me, ‘Are you about to get hyphy? Get it. Show them how it’s done.’ Little did she know that gave me the permission needed to break it down in my Barong Tagalog. It was a moment

I felt so free,” Cendana wrote.

He added, “Ever since the moment I met Dawn, she spoke truth to power, lit up any room she was in with her smile and laughter and helped people live their best lives.

May we do what we can to build on her legacy.”

In an interview with the Asian Journal in 2013, she shared that it was her hope to reach out to other Filipinas/os around the world to tell their stories. “…Whether you arrived in 2010 or your great-grandparents came as sugar workers to Hawaii in 1907, we are part of a long and proud history of Filipinas/os

in America who have built this country with our sweat and our hard work and our brains. We are building Little Manilas all around the world just like the Manongs and Manangs did in the 1920s, and it is all part of this long and proud history of struggle and hope,” she told the Asian Journal.

“Whether you’re in Daly City or Queens, Dubai, Rome, or Stockton, it’s important to learn where we all came from and the communities that pioneers built before us, and learn how they faced challenges, to learn how to solve the problems that our communities are facing today. (AJPress)

STRANDED. Hundreds of commuters and motorists remain stuck in a traffic gridlock on both sides of Marcos Highway due to floods caused by monsoon rains early Sunday, August 12.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Groundswell of opposition tells Commerce Dept. to scrap the citizenship question on 2020 Census WASHINGTON – More than 250,000 individuals and organizations urged the Commerce Department to remove the citizenship question from the 2020 Census, citing the threat to census accuracy in all communities that will undermine the fair allocation of political representation, public resources, and private investment for the next decade. The organizations represent millions of people from every state and the District of Columbia, as well as diverse urban and rural communities.

Census stakeholders from a

broad range of sectors and geographic areas voiced their concerns about the proposed addition of a new, untested citizenship question as part of a 60-day public comment period before the Census Bureau (an agency of the Commerce Department) finalizes major 2020 Census operations and questionnaire content. Under the public comment process, the Commerce Department must consider and respond (at least in summary terms) to the submissions prior to seeking clearance from the Office of Management and Budget for the 2020 Census plan and questionnaire.

“This egregious citizenship question is a political effort to weaponize the census to redefine American democracy for a narrow set of people, and it must not stand” said Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference Education Fund.

“The Trump administration is trying to fundamentally change what this country is, and aspires to be, by creating different classes of people. The Constitution requires the Census to count each and every person – and the inclusion of this question will sabotage that solemn duty. But it is clear that a diverse community of people and organizations from across the nation are committed to protecting and demanding a fair and accurate census so that no one is left behind.”

“We’re proud to see so many Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders take the initiative to voice their opinion about the extreme harm the citizenship question is likely to have on getting an accurate census count of our communities,” said John C. Yang, president and executive director of Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC. “With so many in our community who are either children of immigrants or immigrants themselves, this might be the first time they are participating in a census. We need to be sure that a potentially toxic, untested and unnecessary question does not deter our community from being counted accurately.”

“Americans across the country have made clear their unequivocal opposition to the politicization of Census 2020 through the addition of a citizenship question,” said Arturo Vargas, chief executive officer of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund. “If implemented, this harmful and costly decision would have far reaching implications for Latinos and all Americans, depressing response rates and threatening the fair and equitable distribution of political representation and billions of dollars in federal funding. As policymakers at all levels — federal, state and local — our nation’s Latino officials rely on a full and dynamic picture of who is residing in their communities in order to focus critical resources and act in the best interests of their constituents. We will continue to fight against the addition of this question in both Congress and the courts to ensure that Latino policymakers are able to do their jobs effectively and that the U.S. Census Bureau’s mission of counting every single person living in this country each decade, regardless of age, citizenship, ethnicity or race, is not compromised.”

“The addition of a citizenship question to the census is yet another attack on immigrants from this administration,” said Jennifer Bellamy, legislative counsel at the ACLU. “Experts agree that the question’s inclusion will dramatically reduce the participation of immigrant communities, stunting their growing political influence and depriving them of economic benefits.

The impact of lower response rates for communities and states with large immigrant populations will be catastrophic and far-reaching, affecting education, transportation, health care, and voting power. We must stop this question from being included,

and ensure that the true purpose of the census—to count all people living in the United States—is protected.”

“The census is an essential tool for understanding and shaping our country’s economic and social realities,” said Thea Lee, president of EPI. “Adding an untested, disruptive, and controversial question, which will certainly deter key groups from participating in the decennial count, is policy malpractice. The administration should listen to the tens of thousands of policymakers, economists, sociologists, and members of the public who have weighed in, and withdraw its flawed proposal immediately.”

“The addition of a citizenship question targets Black communities and other communities of color,” said Rashad Robinson, president of Color of Change.

“Trump and his cronies Jeff Sessions and Wilbur Ross at the Commerce Department are changing the rules with the simple goal: to make Black people, people of color and our communities invisible. If they can say we don’t exist through the Census, then they can chip away at our right to vote, at fair inclusion of our communities in critical resources and make the American Dream that much harder to realize. This is a long held project of the same forces that defend white nationalists who march in American cities and chip away at school integration and voter protection — more than ever we must stand up, push back and hold those who enable this behavior accountable.”

“Donald Trump is trying to use the census to rig elections for Republicans until 2030,” said Heidi Hess, co-director of CREDO Action. “If a discriminatory citizenship question is included in the 2020 census it could result in a major undercounting of immigrant communities. It’s a desperate attempt to supercharge rightwing gerrymandering and voter suppression – and the public sees right through it.”

“Everyday Americans are speaking up for an impartial and accurate Census. Adding a citizenship question will weaponize the census against communities of color, diluting their right to political representation and cutting them off from public spending,” said Karen Hobert Flynn, president of Common Cause. “Experts across the political spectrum, and now over 100,000 Americans, have weighed in against the addition of the question. It is well past time for Secretary Ross to remove the citizenship question from the 2020 Census.”

“A fair and accurate Census is crucial to equitable distribution of our nation’s resources and political power for the next decade, and the last-minute, haphazard addition of a question designed to diminish participation from communities already at high risk of being undercounted must not be permitted,” said Carolyn Fiddler, communications director at Daily Kos. “The government has a constitutional duty to correctly count every person living in the United States, regardless of citizenship status, and questioning respondents’ citizenship will depress participation and skew counts in already-underserved populations. We call on the Department of Commerce to keep this untested, unnecessary question off of the 2020 Census.”

“Thousands of MomsRising members submitted comments to the Secretary of Commerce because we recognize that a discriminatory question that drives down participation in the Census and forces an undercount of immigrants would cause grave harm,” said Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, the online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families. “This is another disgraceful attack on immigrants – another example of the Trump administration using racism and xenophobia to divide us.

PAGE A7

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 15-17, 2018

A

Dateline PhiliPPines

10 dead, 1 million affected after floods, rains due to Habagat

by Dempsey

Reyes ManilaTimes.net

Ten people were reported dead following heavy rains and floods triggered by southwest monsoon rains in most parts of Luzon, the national Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and the police said on Monday, August 13.

In a report, the disaster council identified only two casualties: Dioscoro Camacho, 36, a resident of nangka village in Marikina City and Gloria Borlongan Mendoza, 61, of Old Balara village in Quezon City.

Camacho and Mendoza drowned in floods, the report said.

Police also said Gregorio Quilaton, 50, died after drowning in

floodwaters in Sto. Domingo village in Quezon City.

In Olongapo City, the Office of Civil Defense in Central Luzon said a female allegedly jumped into the river and drowned.

The Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) police reported five dead, mostly because of electrocution and drowning.

Two of the victims were identified as Kimjay Atting 23, of Buguias, Benguet; and eduardo Sobremonte Jr., 30, a resident of Dontogan village in Baguio City.

The CAR police also recorded two drowning incident. The victims were Christopher Lagario, 32 and Mencio Amitem, 57, who was reportedly washed away by a strong current of water along

the canal of Marcos Highway at Lower Dontogan in Baguio City on Saturday night, August 12.

One missing person was reported – edgar Bugaay, 50, of San Antonio village in Quezon City.

Bugaay reportedly fell down a creek and was swept by a strong current at 1 p.m. on Sunday.

The disaster council said a total of 248,080 families or 1,057,767 people were affected in the regions of Calabarzon, Ilocos, Central Luzon, CAR and Metro Manila.

Of the number, 13,724 families or 59,108 persons were inside evacuation centers.

The nDRRMC also said a total of 3,178 houses were damaged in Ilocos and Central Luzon re- STRANDED COMMUTERS. Hundreds of commuters along Marcos Highway in Antipolo City have a difficult time finding a ride on Tuesday, August 14. gions. n PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Pernia wants a ‘more analytical’ draft federal charter BOC chief still enjoys Duterte’s trust

MAnILA — Socioeconomic Planning Secretary ernesto Pernia on Tuesday, August 14 said the draft federal constitution must provide an “analysis” on the impact of the proposed change in form of government on the country’s economy and fiscal profile.

“We, including myself, do not oppose federalism. It may well be the Holy Grail that we are aspiring for. But going to the Holy Grail, it takes time. We would like a more analytical, maybe an annex that provides the analysis,” Pernia said in an interview with AnC. “You cannot rush your approach to the Holy Grail because it takes a lot of preparations.

That’s essentially what we’re saying,” he added.

In hundreds of hours of speeches, 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.

The president last month approved the draft federal constitution crafted by a consultative committee. 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 Pernia earlier 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.

Meanwhile, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III told lawmakers last week that while the economic team has no official position yet regarding federalism, the revamp can end up to be a “fiscal nightmare” if not managed correctly.

Dominguez also flagged the draft federal charter’s “ambiguous” provisions on revenue and expenditure assignment, adding that the federal government would incur a deficit of 6.7 percent and may result to a credit rating downgrade for the Philippines, which currently enjoys an investment-grade rating. (Ian Nicolas Cigaral/Philstar.com)

MAnILA — President Rodrigo Duterte still trusts Bureau of Customs (BOC) Commissioner Isidro Lapeña despite the entry of P6.8 billion worth of shabu in the country, Malacañang said on Monday, August 13.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque said the recent discovery of several magnetic lifters filled with shabu showed that smugglers have new ways of bringing in contraband. He said the new modus operandi made the detection of drugs difficult.

“It shows that our enemies in the war on drugs are really sophisticated because they use magnetic lifters that the x-ray cannot detect,” Roque said. “I think the president’s trust on General Lapeña remains intact.”

Roque said the Philippine Drug enforcement Agency an interagency committee tasked (PDeA) also enjoys the trust and to rehabilitate Boracay would re- confidence of the president. move all illegal pipelines before Duterte wants the BOC to cothe island is reopened to tourists ordinate closely with PDeA to on Oct. 26. identify the people who faciliPresident Duterte has ordered tated the entry of shabu, Roque the closure of Boracay, as he de- said. scribed the waters surrounding “Gen. Lapeña came from the island as a “cesspool.”

PDeA so there is no reason for Año gave assurance that the these two agencies not to have DILG would be strict in granting closer coordination. We have to new business and building per- put an end to this and identify mits. (Emmanuel Tupas/Philstar. who are behind this so we can com) trace them and run after the

‘Some Boracay firms still release wastewater into sea’ MAnILA — Some establishments in Boracay are still discharging untreated wastewater into the sea, according to an official of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“There are still indicators that they release wastewater even though Boracay has long been closed to tourists,” eduardo Año, DILG officer-in-charge, told reporters on the sidelines of the Special Action Force Memorial Day

commemoration at Camp Bagong Diwa on Friday, August 10.

He said divers are scouring the sea to trace where the illegal pipelines are connected.

Año said it is possible these establishments discharge wastewater into the sea at night to avoid being detected.

“They do not want to avail themselves of sewerage system services to save on expenses,” Año said.

He expressed confidence that

drugs that entered the country if there are any,” he added.

Roque said Duterte is “raring” to apply the full force of the law against those behind the entry of the contraband. He also cited the need to be vigilant against international syndicates behind the importation of shabu into the country.

“What he wants is to suppress it (smuggling) to put an end to this practice,” the presidential spokesman said. “But it clearly shows that the problem has an international aspect.”

While admitting that the new strategies of smugglers make it challenging for authorities to monitor illegal drugs, Roque admitted that the BOC may need to reexamine the way it performs its operations.

“Who would think that they (drugs) would be inserted in an equipment that will make it undetectable? So short of opening all shipments, which is impossible, perhaps we need to review the system of Customs,” he said.

BOC chief: Inform proper agency The PDeA earlier explained that it did not pass the information on the P6.8-billion shabu shipment to the BOC because it was still raw data that needed to be verified.

Lapeña yesterday reiterated that there is no communication gap between the BOC and PDeA, headed by director Aaron Aquino. But Lapeña said he could have sounded the alert on all shipping containers if the information reached him.

“If they have information and if it is as serious as this one, they have to inform the agency concerned. even if it was still a tsismis (rumor), you are talking of a big shipment of illegal drugs, that should be taken seriously,” he said.

“I could have alerted all the (shipping containers) at that time if I just received that information,” he added.

Lapeña also said the BOC leadership supports PDeA in identifying corrupt BOC employees, and the BOC conducts internal probe to uncover personnel in cahoots with drug smugglers.

The latest case of shabu smuggling in the BOC was discovered after PDeA operatives seized several magnetic lifters at a warehouse in General Mariano Alvarez, Cavite.

PDeA chief Aquino said he believed that some officials in BOC could be responsible for the smuggling and were in cahoots with a drug syndicate.

PAGE A7

A6 AUGUST 15-17, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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

OPINION

This time, will it work?

FEATURES

TRAFFIC managers tried this several years ago: a ban on vehicles with only one occupant from certain thoroughfares. The idea was to encourage carpooling and reduce vehicle density in the traffic-choked streets of Metro Manila.

This time, with even more vehicles and with public works projects under construction in several areas, the Metro Manila Council, composed of mayors of the mega city, is dusting off the driver-only scheme for implementation during rush hours along EDSA. Harried motorists and commuters may be willing to try anything to ease traffic along the busiest thoroughfare in Metro Manila. The mayors, however, should also consider points raised by opponents of the scheme. One is that it will have no impact on the wealthy who are either driven around by chauffeurs, or who can bring along their household employees in their cars.

Another is that because of the heat, most private vehicles in this country are tinted, so how efficient can traffic enforcers be in implementing the ban? The first time the scheme was implemented, drivers used makeshift dummies and propped them up in the backseat. A senator has also raised concern about the emergence of paid car jockeys or passengers for hire, which could lead to criminal assaults.

There is general agreement about the need to ease traffic congestion on EDSA, where an average of nearly 370,000 vehicles passed daily in

2017. Of that number, single-occupancy vehicles reportedly accounted for 60 to 70 percent. The Metro Manila Council wants to ban driver-only vehicles from the thoroughfare during weekdays from 7 to 10 a.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. A weeklong dry run starts on Aug. 15.

While trying out the scheme, traffic managers should not lose focus on the most important aspect, which is effective law enforcement. Public buses in particular continue to linger too long at various stops throughout EDSA as they unload or wait for passengers, occupying several lanes and blocking intersections. Mayors must crack down on traffic enforcers who look the other way for a fee.

The mayors can also meet with bus operators to put an end to the quota system, which compels drivers to wait forever at various stops to pack buses with as many passengers as possible, because their earnings depend on the number of passengers they pick up. Public support for measures such as the driver-only scheme comes easier if people see that other issues are being addressed to ease traffic gridlocks. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

If you support Trump because of illegal immigration and think he will protect you because you came here with ‘papeles,’ think again

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MANY KABABAYANS who voted for President Donald Trump tell me that they support him because they believe in his fight against undocumented immigrants.

These Filipinos lament that they followed the laws, waited in line, paid their dues and it would be unfair if those who entered and are staying in the United States illegally would bypass those still in line, steal American jobs, and partake in the benefits paid for by their hard earned money.

They contend that so long as Filipinos have the “papeles” (papers), they have nothing to be afraid of because Trump supports legal immigration.

Well, think again. Trump’s rhetoric and action before the election, the people he surrounds himself with, the advisers and aides he hired, and the news media he subscribes to and believes in could very well be indicators that he may not love you as much as you adore him.

As the Trump administration rolls out its proposals to overhaul America’s broken immigration system, you now realize he is not just running after the undocumented immigrants but is gearing up to limit LEGAL immigration into the United States. Let me focus on two important issues

for now.

Earlier, Trump pushed to end family-based petition, the immigration policy implemented by past administrations — Republicans and Democrats — in honor of the long-held value that family members should live together and not be broken apart. Family-based petitions make “family reunification” possible, a benefit recently enjoyed by no less than the parents of First Lady Melania Trump.

BUT Trump now refers to “family reunification” as “chain migration” and said during his January 2018 State of the Union Address: “The fourth and final pillar protects the nuclear family by ending chain migration. Under the current broken system, a single immigrant can bring in virtually unlimited numbers of distant relatives. Under our plan, we focus on the immediate family by limiting sponsorships to spouses and minor children.

This vital reform is necessary, not just for our economy, but for our security, and for the future of America.”

This impacts a lot of Filipino families who rely on family members for support as they navigate their life here in America. Many lolos and lolas are the ones who take care of the young kids as the husband and wife both need to

work to pay for their bills. Some need ate and kuya to help out in taking care of their ailing and aging parents.

Most kababayans also want to give their children a sense of extended family and have the grandparents, uncles, aunties, cousins around just like how we place value on family togetherness and traditions in the Philippines.

These family members who are approved for immigration to the U.S. go through strict background checks to make sure they would not be a burden to society. They work or give domestic and moral support to their family who petitioned them. They also pay taxes and contribute to the coffers of the nation.

BUT NO, if Trump would have it his way, family reunification is not important and family-based petitions should go.

Another proposal by the Trump administration is to deny citizenship to green card holders — immigrants living legally in the U.S. who have ever used or whose household members have ever used Obamacare, children’s health insurance, food stamps and other benefits could be hindered from obtaining legal status in the U.S. Immigration lawyers and advocates and public health researchers point out that this move

“would be the biggest change to the legal immigration system in decades and estimate that more than 20 million immigrants could be affected,” including many Filipinos, particularly immigrants who are working double or even triple jobs that don’t pay enough to support their families.

Also vulnerable will be families who have been victims of the deep recession caused by the greed of many capitalists and policymakers. Even those immigrants who sought public assistance for their American-born children will be at risk.

These people have been paying taxes, contributing to Social Security and Medicare, and yet just because they were in the unfortunate situation of having to rely on public benefits as their lifeline, they are now deemed as “pabigat” and should therefore be denied citizenship and have their legal status and future in the United States be in limbo?

Trump claims he is “the least racist of all people.” WHAT A LIE! He looks down on people of color. He demonizes and vilifies immigrants. He calls them obscene and derogatory labels, questions their intelligence, values, undermines their importance in the greatness and growth of this nation. He looks at them as security risks. He dis-

criminates against them.

He is quick to attack immigrants, people of color and those who support them, but defends white people when they are the ones who cause violence and break the rules and laws of the land. He even appointed a lot of them to office just because they are white or rich, or because they speak great things about him and are loyal to him. Many of them have been in the news for corruption, undisclosed ties with foreign governments including our adversaries, and are facing charges.

So what is in Trump’s heart?

During his trip to England and in a joint news conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Trump warned European leaders that they “better watch themselves” because a wave of immigration is “changing the culture” of their countries.

“I think it’s a very negative thing for Europe. I think it’s very negative,” Trump said. “And I know it’s politically not necessarily correct to say that, but I’ll say it and I’ll say it loud.”

Trump is fighting diversity.

Trump is threatened by the fact that America is not as white as it used to be, and seems to live in the delusion that they, the white people, are the ones who own America when in fact, they too are descendants of immigrants and

asylum seekers from Europe.

Perhaps FOX News — the cable news channel Trump doesn’t call “fake news” because they think the same way — articulated what racist people have been thinking and feeling through Laura Ingraham.

“In some parts of the country, it does seem like the America we know and love doesn’t exist anymore...Massive demographic changes have been foisted upon the American people,” Laura Ingraham said. “Much of this is related to both illegal and in some cases legal immigration that, of course, progressives love.”

DO YOU SHARE THIS SENTIMENT, Kababayans? I hope you do not because the truth is, America is great because of its diversity. This means you and I — we people of color and we immigrants — make this country great through the richness of our heritage and the content of our character, and the values we hold dear. We make this country great through our vision, hard work, integrity. Never forget this TRUTH. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

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 2 of 2)

TWO months earlier we had visited Tehran, and we raised the chances of perhaps an almost impossible dream: we said Allah could certainly bless a dream of centuries: a reunion of Islam’s great Sunni and Shiite populations, akin to Christianity’s Catholic and Protestant wings whose sometimes bloody conflicts raged for centuries in Europe but in God’s time, finally reached a settlement. As we had pointed out in an earlier column, the last bitter isolated battles between Catholic and Protestant partisans were in Northern Ireland but these had come to an end with the Good Friday Agreement, assisted by U.S. mediation, signed amidst great sighs of joy some two decades

ago on April 10, 1998.

Iran leads the Muslim Shiite wing, supported by Iraq, Syria, the majority in Lebanon, and substantial groups in Yemen, the latter wracked today by civil war; while the Muslim Sunnis are at present actively led by the rich oil producers, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait; and by Jordan, Egypt and others. Tiny but big oil producer Qatar is restrained by the Saudi-led Gulf Arabs and Oman is Iran- inclined but quiet.

On both sides of the Persian Gulf, Arab Gulf to the Arabs, there is a continuing state of unease, tension, and on occasion on the Syrian side, bloody battles, that are close, we hope not, to dangerously involving Israeli troops in larger warfare.

After some work at home, we expect to visit Saudi Arabia,

where as we wrote earlier, in the old days we pioneered as prime contractors and not as labor suppliers, competing at the time with some of the better Europe and U.S. companies in the world, operating the port of Jeddah on the Red Sea and the port of Jubail on the Persian Gulf; drilled and discovered onshore oil in the Emirate of Ajman in the United Arab Emirates, the first Filipino drilling initiative with Arab partners overseas; pioneered in Kuwait and Iraq with highways and housing, until we were trapped by the Iraq-Iran war in Basrah, at the boundaries of Iraq, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia, and languished there in the early years of the Iraq-Iran war, when we were later finally able at great loss to repatriate more than 1,000 of our Filipino workers and management teams.

The Iraq-Iran war had caused us unimaginable crises and suffering. Our Filipino workers were not paid and there was constant wailing over the years and we were almost driven to bankruptcy from 1982 to 1990, when again the Second Gulf War broke out, as U.S. and Allied troops came to the rescue of Kuwait to oust Saddam Hussein’s invading Iraqis, and we had completely then lost some $40-million of our roadbuilding, transport and infrastructure equipment in the wars.

Those were our most difficult years of tragedy and hell, after years of business success in the Arab world: Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates, and in Libya in North Africa.

We were finally able to fully pay our thousands of Filipino workers, middle managers and

executives after we won a hardfought, almost two years of legal battles in London and New York and collected payment from our insurers, the Lloyds of London and other U.S. insurance groups with hardly a little left for us, the shareholders. But nevertheless we were thankful to our international lawyers, the renowned White and Case of the U.S., perhaps the leading law firm in the world, which handled and won our case on a rare contingency basis, supported by the prestigious European investment bank, Lazard Brothers.

From the start of our operations, we were the biggest overseas foreign exchange earners at the time for the Philippine Central Bank, that then C.B. Governor Gregorio Licaros flew to Jeddah to honor us with a visit to thank our thousands of Filipino work-

ers in the cities of Jeddah, Jubail, Riyadh, Yanbu, and Gizan.

But our greatest joy as pioneers is that we were able to pave the way in succeeding years until today for the employment since 1975 of tens of millions of Filipinos in the Middle East and their movement later, across the Suez Canal, into the Mediterranean and into Europe as executives, skilled workers, engineers, teachers, doctors, and nurses.

They are a successful sequel to the pioneering, intrepid Filipino workers who journeyed to and worked in the farmlands of Hawaii and California, and the fish canneries of Alaska more than 110 years ago, and who today number perhaps more than 3.5million and who have become executives or largely attained respected middle-class status in the United States of America. ■

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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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 15-17, 2018

Duterte threatens to kick bishops BOC chief still enjoys Duterte’s... in latest rant against Catholic Church MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, August 14 broke anew his promise to refrain from criticizing the Catholic Church, hurling fresh tirades at the religious group of majority of Filipinos.

During the launching of an entrepreneurship alliance in Malacañang, Duterte reiterated that he has his own concept of God. He then asked whether there was a bishop in the audience, which was composed of business leaders, politicians and diplomats.

“Is there any bishop here? I want to kick your a**... and the priest,” the president said.

Duterte then rehashed his allegations against the Church including its supposed failure to account for the money it collected from the public.

He also reiterated that he and his classmates were molested by an American priest in Ateneo de Davao.

“We studied in Ateneo. We were molested all of us,” he said.

Duterte then mocked the Church’s veneration of saints, individuals who are considered by Catholics as models of the faith.

He singled out St. Isidore, the pa-

President Rodrigo Duterte Philstar.com photo

tron of farmers who is very popular in provinces that rely on agriculture.

“We are assigned in every parochial thing, there’s something.

‘Yours is San Isidro. Your saint.’

And who is this s***? You know, they were nomadic tribes at that time. Nomadic. Who is this guy San Isidro that every town fiesta, we kill our cows, carabaos, just to spend because it is the fiesta of San Isidro?” the president said, referring to town feasts in honor of the saint.

Duterte then claimed that he

is no longer a Catholic and he is considering joining another Christian sect. He then joked about religious leaders who have accumulated wealth.

“When I get out of office, I will talk about you every day... I will end up a pastor also buy my own plane,” the president said.

He also repeated his joke about establishing his own religious group Iglesia ni Rodrigo.

“Iglesia ni Rodrigo does not limit anything. Do not believe in hell. If you die you will be a piece of carcass,” Duterte said.

Last June, Duterte stirred controversy for questioning Christianity’s creation account and saying that God must have been stupid for allowing temptation to corrupt his work.

After meeting with his longtime friend and Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines President Romulo Valles last month, Duterte agreed to refrain from lambasting Catholicism. The president has also apologized for his statements about God but stressed that religious leaders should avoid using the pulpit to malign him. (Alexis Romero/Philstar.com)

Groundswell of opposition tells Commerce...

PAGE A4 The moms of America want discriminatory questions removed from the Census so we can get an accurate count, which in turn will support fair distribution of health, housing, education and other resources to our communities.”

“It’s critical that the census provide an accurate picture of every community in our country,” said Marge Baker, executive vice president of People For the American Way. “Adding an untested, politically motivated question about citizenship dangerously undermines that goal.

Adding this question to the census won’t help anyone learn more about the makeup of our country, but it will make more people nervous about participating in the census. That may be good news for political activists who want to dilute the power of communities of color, but it’s very bad news for our country as a whole and for anyone who cares about our democracy.”

“Adding a citizenship question to our census threatens to erase immigrants from our country’s records,” said Bridgette Gomez,

director of Latino leadership and engagement at Planned Parenthood Federation of America. “If you aren’t accounted for, you do not exist as far as resource distribution is concerned. We know immigrants already have a very difficult time accessing health care, as lack of health insurance and fear of detention and deportation have driven communities farther and farther into the shadows under the Trump administration. At Planned Parenthood, we believe that no one’s access to services should be compromised because they belong to an immigrant family or community. We strongly condemn the TrumpPence administration’s addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 census. And we are committed to fighting alongside a bipartisan group of former census directors, our communities, and partners to speak against this injustice.”

“Secretary of Commerce Wilbur Ross directed the Census Bureau to add a citizenship question to the 2020 Census form for one reason only: To intimidate and frighten recent immigrants

– including both citizens and noncitizens – so they don’t fill out their census form. In overwhelming numbers, Americans are denouncing his not-so-disguised anti-immigrant cruelty and demanding the question be removed, so the Census can meet its constitutional obligation to deliver a true and accurate count,” said Robert Weissman, president, Public Citizen.

“The American people will not tolerate the Trump Administration exploiting the census in order to carry out their racist and xenophobic policies,” said Michael Brune, executive director of the Sierra Club. “Donald Trump cannot decide which communities receive support, and which don’t have access to clean air and water. It’s reprehensible that Donald Trump would try to blatantly undermine the Constitution. But together, with our allies and the hundreds of thousands of Americans across the country that have already spoken, we will protect the integrity of the census, protect our democracy, and protect our communities and the environment.” n

PAGE A5 He cited the similarity in the latest smuggling of shabu shipment to the method used to smuggle P4.3 billion worth of shabu seized at the Port of Manila last week.

He said dogs detected traces of illegal drugs in the empty magnetic lifters, similar to the two seized at the Manila International Container Terminal on Tuesday which contained an estimated 500 kilograms of shabu.

Aquino lamented that the ton of shabu that slipped past BOC could already be circulating in the streets.

Despite the intensified operations of the PDEA and Philippine National Police (PNP) against drug trafficking, Aquino said the government is still hard-pressed to curb the menace.

Drug rings operating in the Golden Triangle in the shared borders of Laos, Myanmar and Thailand are believed to be behind the multibillion-peso shabu shipments.

The shipment in Manila was sourced from Taiwan with Malaysia as a transshipment point before entering the country, PDEA said.

The shipment came into the country at the end of June and was dispatched to the warehouse, rented at P150,000 per month for a year, on July 13.

Several men unloaded the illicit shipment on the night of July 15, taking three to four hours to load the drugs into an estimated 17 luggage trolley bags.

A certain Chao Yue Wah, alias KC Chan, Albert Chan or Tony Chan, is said to be a liaison for the drug syndicate.

PNP chief Director General Oscar Albayalde admitted that gathering and monitoring of intelligence information and community support should be improved to prevent entry of illegal drugs.

Albayalde said the information about the existence of containers which contained shabu in Cavite was given to the authorities by the warehouse caretaker or a barangay official.

NBI probe The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) will conduct a parallel probe on the entry of a ton of shabu worth P6.8 billion that again slipped past the BOC.

A

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said he directed NBI director Dante Gierran to form a team of agents to investigate and determine how the shipment of shabu reportedly contained in the seized magnetic lifters in Cavite was successfully smuggled.

“I have directed the NBI to conduct a fact-finding investigation on the latest entry of P6.8billion shabu in the Bureau of Customs pursuant to the policy of President Duterte against illegal drugs,” he bared in a text message.

“Our investigation will consider all government agencies, particularly the BOC, and private shippers, brokers, cargo handlers, warehousemen, even other law enforcement agents, who may have something to do with these unlawful acts,” he added.

The NBI did not investigate the incident reportedly due to a Palace memorandum that tapped the PDEA as sole agency in drug-related operations and case buildups. (With reports from Alexis Romero, Edu Punay, Delon Porcalla, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Evelyn Macairan)

A August 15-17, 2018 • soCal AsIAN JOuRNAL

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BUSINESS& COMMUNITY

SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 15-17, 2018

B

Journal

100 bps rate hike not enough — economists Shashank Mendiratta, economist at ANZ Bank, said the central bank’s Monetary Board may deliver another 25-basis-point rate hike as early as Photo by Michael Varcas/Philstar.com Sept. 27 as authorities have already bumped up their inflation forecasts for 2018 and 2019.

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

ECONOMISTS are not convinced last week’s strong follow-through monetary action by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) via a rate hike of 50 basis points, the biggest in a decade, is enough to rein in rising inflation.

Shashank Mendiratta, economist at ANZ Bank, said the central bank’s Monetary Board may deliver another 25-basis-point rate hike as early as Sept. 27 as

authorities have already bumped up their inflation forecasts for 2018 and 2019. “The BSP also painted a sanguine picture on growth. On balance, the central bank has kept the door open for further rate hikes. We now forecast a further hike of 25 basis points to 4.25 percent at their September meeting,� Mendiratta said.

The BSP has so far raised interest rates by 100 basis points in three consecutive rate-setting meetings to curb rising inflation.

It lifted interest rates by 25 basis points for the first time in more than three years last May 10 followed by 25 basis points on June 20, and 50 basis points last Aug. 9.

The 50 basis point rate hike last Thursday was the biggest since July 2008. This brought the overnight reverse repurchase rate to four percent, the overnight deposit rate to 3.5 percent and the overnight lending rate to 4.5 percent.

u PAGE B3

Foreign investments hit 7-month high in May 2018 the figure reached $1.92 billion.

Inflows in the form of nonresidents’ investments in debt THE Philippines remains on instruments issued by local afthe radar of foreign investors filiates or intercompany borrowas direct investments surged by ings surged by more than 135 143 percent to hit a seven-month percent to $1.3 billion in May high of $1.64 billion in May from from $564 million in the same $677 million in the same period period last year.

Net equity capital investments last year, according to the Bangincreased more than five times to ko Sentral ng Pilipinas. “This reflects continued inves- reach $241 million from $43 miltor confidence in the Philippine lion as equity capital placements economy’s strong macroeco- almost tripled to $257 million nomic fundamentals and growth from $83 million, while withdrawals plunged 62.5 percent to prospects,� the BSP said.

The inflow of foreign direct in- $15 million from $40 million.

Equity capital placements vestments in May was the highest since October last year when were sourced primarily from

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

Singapore, the United Kingdom, Germany, U.S., and Japan and were channeled largely to manufacturing; real estate; electricity, gas, steam and air conditioning supply; financial and insurance; and professional, scientific and technical activities.

Reinvestment of earnings inched up by nearly six percent to $75 million from $71 million.

For the first five months, the BSP said net FDI inflows jumped by 49 percent to $4.85 billion from $3.25 billion in the same period last year.

This was mainly on account of the expansion in net equity capi-

u PAGE B4

Pilgrimage to Some of ITALY’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. Peter’s Basilica. Holy Eucharist at ST Mary Major, Followed by visit of the Basilica. We continue to visit the rest of the major Basilicas within the walls of Rome, and St. John Lateran, St Paul Outside the Wall. We will also pray at the Scala Santa or the Holy Stairs. St. Helena transported the steps from Jerusalem; the same steps that Christ ascended to receive Pilate’s unjust condemnation.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) '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: “Go, Francis, and rebuild my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.â€? 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 city’s history while admiring it’s cathedrals, Museum, and libraries .Also you will admire the famous piazza del Campo, one of Europe’s great medieval squares. Continue to Florence. (BB,D) We start with a guided walking tour of Florence, this fascinating city with its Piazza, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giotto’s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist.

Rest of the day free (BB,D) '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

B2 AUGUST 15-17, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

BUSINESS NEWS

Business groups urge lawmakers to weigh costs of shifting to federalism

by ROY

STEPHEN C. CANIVEL Inquirer.net

LOCAL business groups are worried about the consequences of shifting to a federal form of government, echoing the woes earlier raised by some of the country’s economic managers.

Seven business groups, including the country’s largest business group the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), are urging lawmakers to weigh carefully the costs, risks and uncertainty of the shift.

In a statement on Sunday afternoon, August 12, the local business chambers called for “full, open, and dispassionate dialogues” about federalism, a move that would have far reaching effects in the country and its future.

The call for dispassionate talks came after a member of the consultative committee urged President Rodrigo Duterte last week to fire the socioeconomic planning and finance chiefs for speaking out against federalism.

“We, the undersigned business organizations, appeal to our legislators to weigh carefully the costs, risks and uncertainty associated with the proposed monumental shift to a federal system

of government,” the statement read.

These groups are the following: PCCI, Cebu Business Club, Employers Confederation of the Philippines, Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Makati Business Club, Management Association of the Philippines, and Philippine Exporters Confederation.

According to them, they echo the concerns of fiscal and economic experts about the ambiguous provisions on the division of revenue and expenditure responsibilities between the proposed federal government and its federated regions.

They cited the alarming cost of federalism, which was flagged to as much as P120 billion in term of direct costs by the National Economic and Development Authority.

Under those provisions, which call for a 50-percent share of the regions from the national government’s revenue collections, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the government might incur “a very large” budget deficit.

Asked in a Senate hearing last week what this would do to the country’s credit rating – which acts a measure of creditworthi-

ness – Dominguez said it would “go to hell.”

The groups worry that this might lead to a fiscal deficit of 6.7 percent of the gross domestic product, which is way beyond the target of the economic managers.

“We worry about the dire consequences that such fiscal imbalance could have on the economy and the flagship ‘Build, Build, Build’ program of the current administration,” they said.

The groups commended the transparency of the economic managers and the researchers in the Philippine Institute for Development Studies “in openly sharing their analysis and airing their concerns to the public.”

“We support and join their call for a more detailed analysis of the fiscal impact of federalism to serve as basis for the deliberations in Congress,” they said.

“We encourage full, open, and dispassionate dialogues on this proposed shift in form of government, keeping in mind its longterm impacts on future generations of Filipinos,” they added.

They said the business community would be ready to work with the government in the bid for sustained and inclusive economic growth. ■

Can a conditional green card holder file an immigrant petition?

BENEFICIARY spouse of marriage based immigrant petition’s where the marriage was less than 2 years old at the time of the immigrant visa or status was approved are issued a 2 year conditional green card. In order for these immigrants to obtain their permanent green card, the immigrant has to either file a joint petition to remove the conditional permanent residence before the end of the 2 years or file a waiver.

What immigration petition and applications can a conditional permanent resident file?

Can a conditional permanent resident file an immigrant petition for a qualifying relative?

Other than the requirement to file a joint petition or a waiver, a conditional permanent resident does not affect any aspect of the immigrant’s immigration status. The conditional perma-

Barrister’s Corner ATTY. KENNETH URSUA REYES nent resident may file an immigrant petition for any qualifying relatives such as family based second preference as any permanent residents. 8 CFR 216.1.

8 CFR 216.1 provides …” Unless otherwise specified, the rights, privileges, responsibilities, and duties which apply to all other lawful permanent residents apply equally to conditional permanent residents, including but not limited to the right to apply for naturalization (if otherwise eligible), the right to file petitions on behalf of qualifying relatives, the

privilege of residing permanently in the United States as an immigrant in accordance with the immigration laws, such status not having changed;…” However there is one exception to a conditional permanent resident’s ability to petition, the conditional immigrant cannot petition for another spouse in the second preference within five years of first immigratig to the US as a conditional permanent resident unless the first marriage was terminated by death of the other spouse or the petitioner shows the USCIS that the earlier marriage which was the basis of the conditional green card was not a sham. This rule applies even after the immigrant’s condition has been removed.

In addition to filing immigrant petition, a conditional immigrant may also apply for naturalization

u PAGE B3

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What’s New ARLENE AL-OS, CPA, MBA IN part 1: we defined 1) who are resident aliens, nonresident aliens or both, 2) who are exempt individuals, and 3) closer connection exception.

In part 2: we defined 1) how resident aliens and nonresident aliens are taxed, 2) when is income considered U.S. sourced, 3) withholding requirement and employee issues.

In part 3: we discussed the taxation and withholding rates of nonresident aliens.

You are considered dual-status alien for tax purposes if for the same year you are a resident and nonresident alien.

Dual-Status Alien: • Tax liability: You are taxed on income from all sources for the portion of the year you are resident alien. You are taxed on income from U.S. sources for the portion of the year you are nonresident alien.

• Status: You cannot file a joint return unless you elect to file a

The Metamorphosis

ERNIE D. DELFIN PART 1 of 2 in a man’s life, there comes a time to ponder and evaluate to find the real meaning of life that is quite uniquely personal to him alone. In his book, “Man’s Search for Meaning,” Dr. Victor Frankl, a holocaust survivor, concluded that a man can endure all the pains, depravation and sufferings in his physical life when he finds and embraces the meaning of his own life that he alone can answer to himself.

When we become senior citizens, that is exactly what some of us do.

In his book, “Builder of Dreams” (about Gawad Kalinga [GK] and its founder Antonio Meloto), we learned that Meloto gave up a comfortable corporate life and took that uncommon path and took chances that changed not only his life but thousand others who followed the Gawad Kalinga movement. Through GK,

Resident, nonresident alien status tax wise

(Part 4) • Taxable income: Income worldwide for part of year you are resident and income effectively connected to the U.S. for part of year you are nonresident, are taxed after deductions at applicable rates for citizens and residents.

• 30 percent rate or tax treaty rate whichever is lower: Your income is subject to flat rate lower of 30 percent or tax treaty on income not connected to U.S. trade or business for part of year you are nonresident. ***

joint return with U.S. citizen spouse.

• Deduction allowed: You can itemized allowable deductions but cannot use the standard deduction.

• Exemptions: You are allowed for exemptions both dependents and spouse for portion of the year you are a resident alien.

For resident of Mexico, Canada, India and, South Korea, special rules apply.

• Filing for resident: If you become a U.S. resident at end of year, you must file Form 1040 individual income tax return and attach a statement showing income for portion of the year you are nonresident.

• Filing for nonresident: If you are not a U.S. resident at end of year and have given up residence in the U.S., you must file Form 1040NR nonresident alien income tax return of Form 1040NR-EZ for no dependents and attach a statement showing income for portion of the year you are a resident. Across the top of the return write “Dual-Status Return”.

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)

Gawad Kalinga continues to eliminate poverty one village at a time

(Second of a series on the writer’s Philippines visit) he also found his life’s meaning. There are now many non-CathoGK is now a household name lics who have embraced the GK that connotes positive changes movement. Doing good, espeto not only to the Philippines but cially working, engaging and other countries as well, especial- partnering with the poor is never ly the poor. The GK Movement the monopoly of any one person is now being replicated in other or any organization. That revocountries like Myanmar, Pakistan lutionary change attracted more Indonesia; and soon in Mexico supporters, from across inside and in Europe. In its second de- and outside the Philippines that cade, GK has added programs on cumulatively contributed to the social enterprises development success of Gawad Kalinga.

This writer first heard about in Enchanted Farms as well as agri-industrial enterprises in its this Gawad Kalinga Movement Farm Village University in Angat, from a fellow Rotarian, Jess Cifra (now a Past District 3780 GovBulacan.

Since its first project in Bagong ernor) in 2004 when we invited Silangan, Metro Manila almost him to speak before our club in 20 years ago, GK has now over Cerritos, California. The follow2,500 villages spread all over ing year, when I was then the the Philippines, especially in president of the Cerritos Rotary Visayas and Mindanao. It used Club, the board decided to supto be the “outreach program” port GK by donating money to of Couples for Christ (CFC), but build one house in the Brookthe last decade or so GK has side Rotary International Gawad become a separate and distinct Kalinga Village in Quezon City. non-governmental organization. u PAGE B5

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA WHAT’S your game plan when you retire?

The timing can be one of 3 ways: you yourself planned when it will happen; the government said it’s time you did; or circumstances beyond your control, like the onset of illness, finally put you out to pasture.

Or are you one of those who have decided to keep on going and going simply doing what you do best beating the bushes, like the energizer bunny? There is tremendous life force in you that needs to be spent. You ignore your age and trust your instincts.

You are powered by nothing but chutzpah and prayer, knowing deep down that you will simply wake up one day and decide this is as far as it goes. Enough is enough.

Typically around your early sixties, retirement, as a stage of life, looms large staring at you in the face. If life is like driving on the freeway, it is supposedly a time when you begin to downshift your gears, getting off the fast lane as you move to the middle lane and gradually sidle to the farthest right lane to find your exit.

You head home to the gentle comforts of home sweet home knowing you never have to get up so early starting tomorrow to do the same darn thing you’ve been doing for decades.

Freedom at last!!! Breaking the shackles of the workaday world feels wonderful. There is now time to do the things that you have always wanted to do and maybe flesh out those dreams that have been percolating quietly in the back burner. Now you have the time, adequate resources and, most importantly, the blessing of all blessings, you are still in the pink of health.

Thank God, hallelujah!!! You have run the course with time left over to savor being alive.

You feel like doing cartwheels —that is—if your osteoporotic bones and stiff limbs will let you.

Meh… Probably NOT!

Commentary

LOU MARIE REYES IT is generally taboo to talk about domestic violence within the Filipino community due to certain values and norms that may shape our perceptions about relationships and domestic violence. Victims may stay silent as a result and remain in unhealthy and abusive relationships.

Our goal through this week’s column is to help readers identify different forms of abuse, legal rights, and options and resources if someone needs help. Keep in mind that the information below is not a substitute for legal advice.

For advice about your individual situation, you should consult with an experienced, trustworthy family law attorney.

What is domestic violence?

Domestic violence is abuse between people who know each other or in a relationship, such as between husbands and wives, boyfriends and girlfriends, gay and lesbian partners, both former and current, and even parents and children. It happens when one person, the “abuser,” uses fear and intimidation to control the other person. The fear can be caused by actual abuse or threats of abuse.

Abuse can happen in many forms. Here are some examples: Physical abuse is when the abuser hurts you physically in some way, such as by beating,

Debt Relief

ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG THE first senior is 73. He has been separated from his wife for 30 years but not divorced.

So, for all intents and purposes, he is single because even if his wife makes a ton of money, her income is irrelevant under the means test since the client does not benefit from that income.

Even if his estranged wife makes $1 million a year as Manafort’s financial advisor, that income is not part of the client’s household income under the means test. He says he has no idea where his wife is and has not seen her for 30 years. He comes to see me with a woman who sits behind him in my office.

She smiles a lot. I presume that she must be his girlfriend.

What is his problem now? His

BUSINESS NEWS

The bucket list Grazing in the Grass (Twelfth of a series - 1st of 2 parts)

“...If life is like driving on the freeway, it is supposedly a time when you begin to downshift your gears, getting off thefast lane as you move to the middle lane and gradually sidle to the farthest right lane to find your exit...”

Ideally, you are ready for this stage of life. That is —if you have dotted your i’s and cross your t’s— as you render a full plate of life experiences, good and bad, while trying to balance home life and work life for many years…

Of course, you can always go into denial and think and act young but your contrarian body will probably beg to differ at times yanking you back to face the reality of having logged a lot of miles on your one and only body.

Suddenly you have to deal with aches and pains in places you never thought existed. It doesn’t help that your doctor reads gobbledygook sets of numbers about your blood sugar levels, cholesterol levels, creatinin levels, blood pressure readings, A1C number, kidney and liver health and so forth.

Your medical provider wants to submit you to mammogram and colonoscopy and all types of tests to find out if you are still of sound mind and sound body, purportedly so you can enjoy the rest of your remaining years. It’s something borrowed from the automotive industry: 100 K check, 200 K check to see if all your parts are still in working order and which parts need replacement.

Okay, admittedly, these are not gobbledygook numbers but they indicate that this time around, you have no excuse to ignore the warning signs of your mortality.

All it says is: SHAPE UP OR SHIP OUT. OR ELSE you can go to the wide blue yonder flat on your back sooner rather than later.

SIGH… But there is a serious reason why you hem and haw to put off all these gamut of tests. What if they find something? Oy vey!

You’ve run the full course of life only to deal with another daunting challenge. Also, you ascribe to the belief that what you don’t know won’t hurt you. Or so it

seems.

I have heard of sad stories of people, who after just a few years of retirement, are diagnosed with aggressive stage 4 cancer or some form of serious illness and are left to deal with a very short lease on what is left of life. Of course, these stories are purely anecdotal and isolated but they do happen.

You feel older and if you culled out the nuggets of wisdom from yours and other’s experiences, you’ve become even a little wiser perhaps. You have listened halfheartedly to those financial planners and even those persistent advance funeral planners who have been bugging you about the benefits of being prepared for the inevitable.

You have taken pains to sock away a smidgen of moolah for a long time in your 401K or saved a few bucks by yourself and by your estimates (and provided you are sensible with a tight fixed income), you will remain fiscally viable, without having to rely on a government dole-out, even if the unthinkable happens. You plan to exit this world with your dignity intact.

You hope that a smattering of beautiful memories, yours as well as of those you leave behind, are indelibly marked in a few hearts and minds for a generation or two — strong enough to move them to bring you flowers on your gravesite long after you’re gone. If your life were to be compressed to a 60-second video, you hope that the awful parts were edited out and landed on the cutting room floor permanently deleted. The saddest thing about a life is to be forgotten as though you never lived.

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

Rights for domestic violence victims burning, hitting, pushing, throwing objects at you, or pulling your hair.

Verbal abuse happens when the abuser makes you feel bad about yourself through words.

Examples include calling you stupid, fat, a whore, or ugly.

Emotional abuse occurs when the abuser tries to control you by making you feel afraid and powerless. This includes threats to hurt or kill you or your family and/or friends, or stalking you by following you. It also includes property damage and control such as when the abuser hides, destroys or damages your personal belongings.

Isolation happens when the abuser limits or prevents you from seeing your family and friends. The abuser may become jealous when you talk to other people or falsely accuse you of having an affair.

Financial abuse occurs when the abuser controls all of the finances including access to bank accounts, and credit and debit cards. Sometimes the abuser will not allow you to work in order to keep you dependent on them.

Neglect happens when the abuser refuses to provide you with basic needs such as food, clothing, and medical care. At the same time, the abuser controls the finances, so you are entirely dependent on him.

Sexual abuse is when the abuser forces you to have sex or perform sexual acts when

you don’t want to. This can be through physical force or threats of violence. Even if you are in a dating relationship or married to the abuser, an unwanted sexual act is a rape.

Immigration threats such as threats to call immigration and have you deported if you do not what the abuser says is another form of abuse. The abuser may refuse to help you file for legal status or threaten to withdraw an immigration petition already filed for you. Some abusers threaten to take away your children by having you deported. Abusers will often lie about the immigration process and keep information from you.

What should I do if I am being abused?

You are not alone. It is not your fault. Your first priority is your safety and the safety of your children.

Call the police. If you are in immediate danger, you can call the police by dialing 911. The police may be able to arrest the abuser, give you an emergency restraining order, and give you other information specifically for victims of domestic violence. If you do not speak English, the 911 operators will provide you with interpreters. When the police arrive, they will also have interpretation services available to you.

Find a safe place to stay. This may be with a friend or relative, or you may be able to stay at a

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A tale of two seniors in financial distress

social security benefits have been cut by more than half! Unbelievable is the word. Now that he needs social security to survive, they cut it by 50 percent. I don’t even want to mention figures because the reduced amount that he now receives is not even enough to pay for his room rent of $500. He used to get $1,000 a month of social security. He says he’s appealing the cutback.

I hope he is successful in his appeal because this reduction is not only unbelievable, it’s cruel.

It’s like cutting off the umbilical cord from the unborn child. Despite this misfortune, the client appears to be taking it in stride.

To be precise, his problem now is that he has no money to pay for his $20,000 in credit cards, which need $600 a month of minimum monthly payments to keep them current. Needless to say, he has no money left to

pay for these cards. His reduced $500 social security is enough only to pay for his room rent.

I think we can all sympathize with his financial problem in his golden years. Nobody wants to be in this situation, as one becomes a senior. As a senior, one must have enough to pay for a roof over one’s head and have money left to pay for food and other necessities. And hopefully, have some money left to indulge in what one enjoys doing. Maybe eating out or traveling come to mind as life’s little pleasures that seniors can enjoy. I also know that many seniors feel lonely so they join a seniors club that allows them to have social activities of meeting other seniors and doing activities together.

The client does have one thing going for him. He is in perfect health. No hypertension. No dia-

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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUST 15-17, 2018

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Can a conditional green card...

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three years from the date the immigrant received the conditional permanent residence. A conditional immigrant may apply for naturalization even if the I-751 joint petition is pending. However, the naturalization application cannot be approved before the joint petition is approved. *** Please note that this article is not

legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

Calendar of Events across

*** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 (Advertising Supplement)

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 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 23

Performance Artists Talk with Daito Manabe and Mikiko in Los Angeles Top Japanese DJ, designer, producer, creative genius Daito Manabe of Rhizomatiks + top choreographer and founder of Elevenplay, Mikiko Mizuno will be speaking. Mikiko was featured in 2016 America’s Got Talent. It will take place on Thursday, August 23 from 7 to 8:30 p.m. at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles (6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028) at 5F Salon space (located at Hollywood & Highland). For more information, please contact (800) 516-0565 or visit https://www.japanhouse.jp. Admission is free.

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.

AU G U ST 25 -26

Grand Opening of JAPAN HOUSE in Los Angeles The public is invited on Saturday, Aug. 25 and Sunday, Aug. 26 to participate in tea ceremonies and ikebana floral arrangements, and see the Prototyping in Tokyo exhibition. Kids can take pictures and interact with Pepper, an adorable Japanese humanoid robot providing helpful information about JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles – roaming between the 2nd floor gallery and shop. He is capable of recognizing the principal human emotions and adapting his behavior to the mood of his interlocutor. He’ll make for the cutest robot selfie you’ve ever posted! Times are 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday. Address is JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (located at Hollywood & Highland). For more information, please contact (800) 516-0565 or visit https://www. japanhouse.jp. Prototyping in Tokyo Exhibition: a Visual Story of Design Led Innovation at Japan House Los Angeles runs from Aug. 17th - October 10, 2018. Admission is free.

S E P T E M B E R 1 3 -1 9

Golden Jubilee Anniversary celebration for MVGFC ’68 in Las Vegas CLECSN (now MVGFC) class of ’68 in Cabanatuan City, Philippines will have its golden jubilee anniversary celebration in Las Vegas, Nevada from Thursday, Sept. 13 to Wednesday, Sept. 19. For more information, please contact Eddie C. Talusan at (415) 583-1300 or Cindy Frando Reyes at (949) 705 - 9324.

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

B4 AUGUST 15-17, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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

Rights for domestic violence...

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domestic violence shelter temporarily. Shelters can provide housing, food, and counseling and legal services.

Get counseling and legal assistance. It is important for you and your children to deal with the emotional trauma of domestic violence. Many domestic violence shelters provide counseling even if you are not staying at the shelter. You should also talk to a lawyer right away to find out your legal rights and options.

Get medical treatment. If you are physically injured due to domestic violence, make sure you see a doctor or go to the emergency room for treatment as soon as possible. Emergency rooms

will not turn you away if you don’t have medical insurance or are undocumented. Keep a copy of your medical records and receipts.

What are my legal options?

Even if you are undocumented, you have many of the same family law rights as people who are documented. For example, you can ask for a divorce, child custody, and child support. You can also file for a restraining order, which is a legal paper that says your abuser cannot contact or come near you. In addition, there are several ways that a domestic violence victim can legalize her immigration status without involving the abuser. You should consult an attorney about all of

these options.

If you have questions about your situation or need legal assistance, please contact Advancing Justice - L.A’s Tagalog helpline at 855-300-2552.

tal investments to $1.37 billion from January to May this year, more than five times the $242 million recorded in the same period last year.

Equity placements amounted to $1.51 billion in the first five months, more than four times the $368 million recorded in the same period last year, while withdrawals rose by 10 percent

EMPLOYMENT

to $139 million from $127 million.

Meanwhile, reinvestment of earnings remained steady at $343 million, while investments in debt instruments went up 17.3 percent to $3.13 billion from $2.67 billion.

The five-month net FDI inflows accounted for more than half of the full-year target of $9.2 billion amid the improving global

Glendora’s “safe driving pledge”

*** Lou Marie Reyes is a community legal advocate at Asian Americans Advancing Justice – Los Angeles. She joined the organization in February 2018 and staffs the Tagalog helpline, which prioritizes in-language assistance to the local Filipino community. Ms. Reyes works alongside Advancing Justice – LA’s attorneys that specialize in family law, domestic violence, citizenship and immigration, and employment law.

(Advertising Supplement)

Foreign investments hit 7-month...

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People and Events

perception of the country as an investment destination.

Despite the higher projection, the FDI inflow this year is expected to be lower than last year’s record inflow of $10.05 billion. Last year’s FDI inflows were higher than the $8.28 billion recorded in 2016 as investors continued to view the Philippines as a favorable investment destination. ■

EMPLOYMENT

JOIN the Glendora Police Department, the Glendora Unified School District and the Charter Oak Unified School District to pledge to keep our children safe around the schools this school year. The Glendora Safe Driving Pledge encourages residents of the City of Glendora to drive safely around schools. At the beginning of the 2018/2019 school year, residents can “pledge” on

the City of Glendora website to drive safely.

Residents who make the “Safe Driving Pledge” are entered into a drawing, and the winner(s) will be announced at the Glendora Police Department Open House in May 2019. Prizes will be donated by community organizations. Residents are not eligible for a prize if they have received a traffic or parking citation in the

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

REAL ESTATE

HOME AGENCY

school zones during the school year.

Show others your commitment to Glendora’s Safe Driving Pledge and pick up your FREE car magnet! Magnets can be picked up from the Glendora Police Department at 150 S. Glendora Avenue, or in the office at your student’s school!

Thanks for your pledge to helping keeps kids safe! ■

B AUGUST 15-17, 2018 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL

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A tale of two seniors in financial...

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aging is a chronic illness.

He needs Chapter 7 to wipe out the $20,000 of credit card debt. I’m glad at least I can help him this way. Who needs $20,000 of credit card debt at 73? Time marches on very quickly. We will all become seniors one day.

All we can be is be young at heart and in the mind.

Just like a car that starts breaking down, as it gets older, our bodies will do the same, as we get older. Right?

Chapter 13 for senior no.

2 Senior no. 2 is 79 years old and married to his wife of 55 years.

They are happily married to each other. They have aged well together.

Unlike Trump, who has aged by himself, while his wives get younger & younger. Out with the old and in the new. Maybe that makes him feel like he will live forever. In the client’s case, they own a home with about $300,000 of equity. The mortgage balance is about $400,000. The mortgage payment is $2,500. Their joint social security income is $2,700.

They have no other income. They owe $60,000 of credit cards.

Oops.

Clearly, the math doesn’t add up. $60,000 of credit cards needs $1,800 of monthly minimum payments to keep them current. But SS income is $2,700 while the mortgage is $2,500. This is where

will have to contribute $1,000 a month to the Chapter 13 plan.

At the end of the 5th year, the court will enter a discharge order and clients will owe zero on the $60,000 of credit cards. They will be free of all credit card debt at 82. And they will still have their home, which probably will have gone up by another $200,000.

S o , children stand to inherit $500,000, but they should help out now with $50,000 over five years. Even looking at it as an investment, they invest $50,000 and get ten times back in five years.

And they are able to relieve their parents of unnecessary financial stress, which will make them live longer.

If you need debt relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

Zoie’s story: Support a young girl’s passion for ice skating the costs are expensive. As the emotional and financial demands of skating continue to mount, I must admit, I tried to convince Zoie to quit. Her response surprised me — she double her efforts and showed me how much passion and dedication she has to the sport. She said to me crying, “Mommy, what will I do without skating? I don’t see myself outside skating.”

“He says he’s appealing the cutback. I hope he is successful in his appeal because this reduction is not only unbelievable, it’s cruel. it’s like cutting off the umbilical cord from the unborn child.” the children have to come in and help out because eventually, children will inherit the $300,000 of house equity. So, it’s only fair that the children help out now.

The children can help out by contributing the amount necessary for clients to pay off the $60,000 over five years under Chapter 13 reorganization. They

*** 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)

Gawad Kalinga continues to...

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We were also successful soliciting from other rotary clubs in our Orange County District 5320 to donate. Since then, this writer-Rotarian has been a passionate advocate of GK, especially after 5 fellow Cerritos Rotarians visited this Brookside RI GK Village the following year!

With that as a backdrop, allow me to fast forward a decade later.

In 2011, this writer spearheaded the chartering of GK eRotary Club, as the first and only electronic-based Club of District 3780 and the second of about 10

e-clubs in the Philippines. As GK is also our “first name,” our initial projects were to support GK mission and objectives especially that we had couple dozen charter members of our GK e-Rotary Club. However, as there were practically no physical meetings where fellowship and bonding of members are nurtured nor program speakers to talk about many interesting subjects, many eventually opted not renew their membership. The members who remained, however, believe and practice the core mission of true Service Above Self. Although our club membership declined,

I believe we are doing very well despite the many challenges like many clubs in the Rotary world.

Our GK e-Rotary helped complete a 25-housing in GK Villasis Namnama Village #1 in 2016.

Inspired by GK Villasis’ stellar example, GK Laoac Namnama Village # 2 had a ground breaking last year, and as of this writing about half of the 30 houses were completed and given to the poor but deserving family beneficiaries last July 21, 2018. *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com websites: www.gkerc.org www.edelfin.globalgn.com

Siena College QC Global Event 2018 THE Siena College QC alumni will be holding its first Global Dinner-Dance Event on October 27, 2018 at the Embassy Suites Anaheim-South, at 11767 Harbor Boulevard, Garden Grove, CA 92840.

This event will be a great opportunity to catch up with all our alumni and faculty members from here and around the world.

Let us all come together in the spirit of our school where we can create new memories and revisit

the old.

“Once a Sienan always a Sienan.”

For more information please call: Melba Dyquaiangco at (714) 609-1710 or email: sienaglobal2018@gmail.com. n

ELEVEN-year-old Zoie Macias Gomez’s passion for ice skating has never wavered since she started the sport at the age of four. Starting with recreational skating, her interest grew and she developed into more of a serious skater at the age of six.

Today, she skates four hours a day, five to six days a week. In the interim, she stretches, does off-ice conditioning and training. She also does off-ice jumps four to five times a week and ballet. In addition, she started skating at the age of 4 1/2 as a recreational skating and develop into more of a serious skater at the age of 6.

Through private coaching, Zoie is able to work on her jumps, spins, footwork and choreography. She is starting to do her triple jumps now, but the highest she can do is the double lutz, and is working on the double axel.

She won first place at the 2018 Orange County Championship for pre-juvenile free skate and also bagged the showcase program at the California Championship in May and all-year open championship in June. She is now preparing for the Regional Championship in October.

Zoie is mainly coached by world and Olympic level coach Ming Zhu Li, who oversees her training. We were lucky that Zoie is working with elite level coaches as they are the best. However,

The level of passion my daughter has for skating can only be compared to my love for her and were doing everything we can in making sure her dreams come true.

If you would be willing to be a part of Team Zoie we would appreciate it more than you can imagine. And, we will make sure she does a jump or two for you. (By Larry Tiamzon as narrated by Beau Gomez) n

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 15, 2018

What ails us? The pursuit of understanding health issues among AAPIs

by RAE

THE growing Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population in the U.S. is very diverse — encompassing a large number of unique ethnic identities with their own cultures, languages, and experiences.

According to fact tank Pew Research Center, a whopping 20 million Asian Americans trace back to over 20 countries throughout East and Southeast Asia, and the Indian subcontinent. The 19 largest origin groups together account for 94 percent of the total Asian population in the U.S. Yet despite the population’s vast diversity, AAPIs often get lumped together into one homogeneous group which can be problematic as not all subgroups have the same experiences.

Pew Research Center found, for example, that income inequality in the U.S. to be the greatest among Asians, displacing blacks as the most economically divided ethnic group in the nation.

The same is true in the area of health as not all AAPIs experience health concerns in the exact same way.

When the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Preven-

ANN VARONA / AJPress

tion’s (CDC) National Center for Health Statistics in 2016 came out with a study that reported Asian Americans doing better in health than the general population, experts took it as an opportunity to highlight the differences between AAPI subgroups.

For example, while 16 percent of Asian Americans reported having suffered multiple chronic conditions, 24.1 percent of U.S. total did. But when AAPI subgroups were compared with each other, Filipinos reported suffering multiple chronic conditions at a much higher percentage than its Asian counterparts.

Filipino-Americans were found to have reported suffering from multiple chronic conditions such as hypertension, stroke, diabetes, and coronary heart disease at rates higher than other AAPI subgroups.

The Fil-Ams’ rate was about doubled that of the Chinese Americans.

Just as it is in areas of economic level and education, AAPIs cannot be lumped into one category when discussing issues of health. But there are health issues that have been found to be of concern across all subgroups, despite affecting

them differently.

Cancer, heart disease, and stroke Cancer rates among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders as a whole are generally lower compared to that of non-Hispanic whites, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Minority Health (OMH). But as one of the leading causes of death within the AAPI community, there are apparent disparities in the types of cancers.

Compared to non-Hispanic whites, AAPI men are 40 percent less likely to have prostate cancer, but twice as likely to have stomach cancer, according to OMH. Similarly, despite being less likely to have breast cancer than white women, AAPI women were also twice as likely than white women to have stomach cancer.

AAPIs also have the highest occurrence of liver cancer of any racial group in the U.S. The National Cancer Institute found liver cancer to be prevalent in Chinese, Filipino, Korean, Japanese, and Vietnamese populations with rates ranging from 1.7 to 11.3 times higher than white Americans. Vietnamese men had the highest rates.

Heart disease is also among

the top concerns for the AAPI community, affecting some groups more than others.

While cancer was a leading cause of death among most AAPI female subgroups, heart disease was the leader among Asian Indian women, according to a study posted in the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Among men, Asian Indian men also saw heart disease as a leading cause of death. The same was found for Filipino and Japanese men. This, despite cancer showing as a leading cause of death for Asian males when looking at the group as a whole.

The same study listed stroke as the third leading cause of death among almost every Asian subgroup.

Earlier this year, the American Stroke Association found Asian Americans to be more likely than whites to experience a severe ischemic stroke, adding that the findings were a good first step in the direction of looking into subgroups.

Other health issues While cancer, heart disease, and stroke usually claim the top three spots of health issues for AAPIs, many issues remain on the health radar for all subgroups.

As the issues of mental health awareness gain traction

in the U.S., so too has the issue been increasingly discussed in the AAPI community which has often considered the issue a stigma.

The National Latino and Asian American Study found that Asian Americans were three times less likely to seek out mental health services than white Americans.

Reasons for stigma have often stemmed from pressure to succeed or live up to the “model minority” stereotype, family obligations based on cultural values or traditions, and the problem of mental health concerns as simply being considered taboo among others. These issues, in addition to challenges with accessing resources due to language barriers.

The CDC found that in 2014, suicide was the ninth leading cause of death for aggregated Asian Americans, and the 10th for White Americans.

Chronic hepatitis B has also been found to be experienced by many AAPIs. Despite being less five percent of the total U.S. population, AAPIs account for over 50 percent of nearly one million Americans living with chronic hepatitis B, according to the CDC. It adds that at least one-third of Asian Americans living in the

state may not know they have chronic hepatitis B. And while the U.S. population deals with large numbers of those with diabetes and prediabetes, AAPIs too are looking to curb the risk of diabetes.

According to the American Diabetes Association, AAPIs are at an increased risk for type 2 diabetes, compared to white Americans. Unlike other racial or ethnic groups, AAPIs do not have to be overweight to be at risk for diabetes. Furthermore, weight gain poses a greater risk for diabetes among AAPIs compared to other ethnic groups.

Importance of disaggregated data While the AAPI community has been gaining some recognition as a growing population, it still struggles at times to move past the “model minority” myth, which pits the population as a whole as achieving higher degrees of socioeconomic success and education than the average U.S. population.

When it comes to health, more studies can be made and health experts and advocates hope that through these studies, more understanding of how AAPI subgroups are affected by certain diseases can be achieved.

Is it all in the mind? Time to Filling up with Filipino fruits and veggies talk about mental health

by RAE

ANN VARONA

AJPress

Unpacking the Filipino community’s rocky relationship with mental illness acceptance

challenges are treatable and individuals with mental illness AJPress are able to continue to function in their everyday lives.

HISTORICALLY, the study There are a wide variety of mental illness has often been referred to as “abnormal of professional mental health psychology.” But according to services available, and therapy the World Health Organization and counseling are often the first steps people take when (WHO), 1 in 4 people suffer trying to handle the mental from a mental or neurologiand emotional challenges they cal disorder in their lifetime, making mental illness far more face.

Filipina-American Lea Mencommon than what is sugdoza is a licensed marriage gested by its name. and family therapist (LMFT) First and foremost, mental based in Orange County, illness is exactly that: an illness. Rather than an ailment or and she says that the goal of injury to the physical body, it’s therapy is to help carefully sort out her clients’ lives and to a broad range of conditions that can affect mood, thinking, redirect ways of thinking that productivity, relationships and are narrowly-tailored for each client’s unique needs. behavior. But when it comes “It’s like a car tune up. You to mental health, many of us need an oil change because don’t treat it as an illness that the oil gets gunky, but with needs professional medical the challenges of life, you forcare because of the stigmas get about it,” Mendoza shared still associated with mental in a recent conversation with disorders.

According to data from the the Asian Journal. “It’s the same with healthy coping skills U.S. Census Bureau and the when life gets really tough, so Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, you need a gentle reminder of those so you can go back to more than 2.2 million Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders living your life comfortably.”

Saving face within the (AAPIs) live with a diagnosable community mental disorder.

Within the Filipino comAlthough Asian Americans munity, the stigmatization of report fewer mental health mental disorder correlates to concerns, according to the fear of judgment from others.

Centers for Disease Control It’s not an open conversation and Prevention (CDC), 18.9 Filipinos are wont to have with percent of Asian American family and friends because, to high school students report considering suicide compared admit that they or someone in their family is struggling mento 15.5 white students; 10.8 tally, would reflect badly on percent of Asian American high school students said they them, which often stops them from seeking professional attempted suicide compared help, according to Mendoza. to 6.2 whites.

“As Filipinos, we were Among Filipinos, like many taught and raised to keep a other cultures, mental health good face,” Mendoza shared. a dicey topic that is often “Put on a good front and ignored or packed away for save face and no matter what, fear of indignity and embarshut up and don’t tell anyone rassment within their circles.

Even as many Western cultures about any challenges going on because that’s a reflection of have rallied for more awareweakness.” ness of the gravity of mental She says, when it comes health, the stigma surrounding to Filipino parents with a child mental illness among Filipinos who is struggling, “it’s always persists. about, ‘Oh, what are people But just because it’s not going to think about me?’ being talked about doesn’t but it’s never about, ‘Oh, my mean it’s not happening. poor child, how can I help my A 2014 report from the Asian American Journal of Psy- child?’”

Although the potential for chology found that 13.6 percent of Filipinos are diagnosed shame as a barrier for seekwith depression, and the CDC ing mental health services isn’t unique to Filipinos, it’s found that Filipina mothers are more likely to have “acute a pervasive reason that stops many Filipinos from seeking depression” and young Filipiprofessional help for treatable nas are “more likely” to have mental illnesses. suicidal ideations.

Relying solely on religion So knowing all these facts Another common reason and figures, it’s safe to say that why Filipinos don’t actively mental health is an extremely seek out mental health servicimportant topic to discuss, es is the fact that Filipinos are without judgment, among the extremely religious. The “baFilipino-American community. hala na” mentality is pervasive Whether it’s depression, among Filipinos who solely anxiety, post-traumatic stress entrust their fates to prayer disorder, bipolar disorder or familial and relationship strug- and God, but Mendoza says that you can’t rely on religion gles, mental and emotional

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA

without faith and you can’t have prayer without action.

“If you’re just religious, especially in the Catholic faith, you’re just doing those rituals and up the ante when things aren’t going well, so for those people everything is about prayer, but I don’t think they really connect the dots between asking and doing,” Mendoza said. “Do something to make your life better. Do something to improve your health. You can pray to God asking Him for good health but you’re doing things that don’t improve your health.

Mendoza acknowledges that faith, spirituality and prayer are important to many Filipinos, but depending on those sources to fix all of life’s problems won’t always help and, at that point, it might be time to take action and seek professional help.

“It’s like drinking acid and asking God for a miracle and then getting angry that your insides are burning,” she said.

“If it’s important for you to pray, then yes, pray, but you can’t rely on that.”

Parental influence on children’s behavior Like many LMFTs, Mendoza sees many children and adolescent clients who were brought in by their parents who think there is something wrong with their child, which she a says “is a signal to all therapists that the children aren’t always the problem.”

“It’s the environment.

What are they taught? What kind of behaviors do they see? If a parent screams and yells, why do they expect their children not to do the same?”

Mendoza says.

But when is the right time to seek professional services?

Mendoza says that parents should keep an eye on their children’s behavior, and when things seem to be going awry, then they should have a gentle, judgment-free conversation with their children, who may have fear of reproach if they open up to their parents.

“A person usually has a baseline for their functioning.

Sometimes they dip in their functioning --- and everyone gets sad or nervous or anxious here and there --- but if it’s so significant that the symptoms are causing problems or difficulty at school, work or with friends, then that’s when they might consider professional help,” she said.

It’s not easy to change societal attitudes about mental health overnight, but recognizing that things like depression, anxiety and trauma are illnesses rather than flaws in character is the first step to acceptance.

Mental health, just like Continued on Page 5

Filipino food has, without a doubt, been heating up in the U.S. with Filipinos and non-Filipinos alike enjoying the burgeoning scene on both coasts.

But while dishes like chicken adobo, sisig, lechon, and kare-kare can make mouths water, vegetables and fruits that Filipinos have for long enjoyed also deserve some spotlight as many of them pack many impressive nutrients.

Below is a list of just some of the many fruits and veggies common in Filipino cooking, along with their health benefits: Ampalaya Also called bitter melon, ampalaya has many beneficial nutrients and has been considered by many cultures to be highly medicinal. Many tout its wonders in helping curb diseases like diabetes.

Usually eaten in the Philippines sauteed with egg, garlic, and tomatoes, the bitter vegetable is packed with vitamins C, A, E, B-1, B-2, B-3, and B-9.

It also has a number of minerals like potassium, calcium,

zinc, magnesium, phosphorus, and iron.

Malunggay Commonly sauteed, baked in pan de sal, or added to soups, malunggay (or moringa) is believed to have more vitamin C than oranges, more iron potassium than bananas, and more iron than spinach.

Believed to help fight and prevent problems like diabetes and heart disease, the small-leafed vegetable has been gaining recognition in the U.S. and can be bought as capsules, powder, or as an ingredient in nutritional bars.

Kamote Kamote (sweet potato) has long been a treat for Filipinos who enjoy it fried, boiled, baked on its own, or as an ingredient in pastries. In the U.S., sweet potatoes have too been hailed the healthier counterpart to the regular potato — replacing the latter in fries and chips among other potato dishes.

Though sweet, kamote has a low glycemic index (when boiled), which means eating them won’t cause bloodsugar spikes. The manganese it contains further helps regulate blood sugar levels by helping the body metabolize

carbohydrates.

Kamote can also be great for the heart due to its B6 vitamins, high potassium content, and magnesium which plays a key role in how the body responds to stress.

Pechay Common to dishes across Asia, pechay (also known as snow cabbage, Chinese chard or Chinese white cabbage) also provides a great amount of vitamins. According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, just one cup of raw pechay has 20.5 milligrams of vitamin C, 60 grams of folate and 32.6 micrograms of vitamin K. In other words, pechay is great for a number of things including our immune system, our bones, and even our cells.

Alugbati Alugbati, or Malabar spinach, shares similarities with the common spinach found in markets in that it’s very rich in iron which helps the body produce healthy red blood cells.

It is also high in vitamin B9, or folate, which is beneficial for healthy brain function by helping retain emotional Continued on Page 5

Back-to-school basics: How to make healthy lunches for kids

KIDS are heading back to school starting this week, and the task of packing their lunches falls on their parents again. As much as they want their children to eat healthier, the struggle of getting that balance — healthy but yummy, cheap and easy to prepare — seems to get harder.

Of course, we would like to have our kids to eat organic, but that tab runs a little higher on the budget most of the time. With the morning rush, time also is a problem — the easy peanut butter and jelly sandwiches can only work for so long.

Here are few tips on how to make healthy lunches for your kids — without breaking your budget, or your back: • Plan ahead. Make a list of all the food you think your kids would eat — fruit, vegetables, snacks and everything else — then cross out what you think would work for a healthier lunch. This way, you don’t have to wonder if your kids are actually going to eat what you have prepared for them.

• Make a budget and stick to it. We tend to overbuy stuff and pull out goods from the shelves when we’re grocery shopping only to realize months later that we didn’t use

what we bought. Shopping without a list is a sure way to bust your budget. It would also help if you do the buying alone — minus kids who will only try to trick you by dropping unhealthy snacks in the cart. Also, buying bulk will help you save a few bucks.

• Plan for a taste test. If you want your kids to try a new fruit, snack or vegetable, then allot a day for them to taste what you are planning to prepare for their lunches. This way, you’d know what they like and will help them discover certain food that they actually like!

• Make their lunches interesting. Put lunches in colorful, funny or interesting lunchboxes. Throw in a note or a little mystery game that they can look forward to when

they open their lunch. You are not only feeding your kids’ tummies, but also their minds!

• Prep certain food in advance. If you’re thinking about sending soups or cooked food for lunch, cook them in advance and put them in the freezer. Put the date when you made it, just to make sure you know if they’re still good. Slice fruits and veggies two days before, and package them separately for easy pick up in the morning before they leave for school.

There are many other ways of making sure your kids’ lunches will be something healthy and delicious. Communicating with your kids not only about their lunch but also their day in school is also important because it gives you an idea of what they actually do and need in terms of nutrition and support. (AJPress)

Health & Wellness Imee Ong-maghanOy THEY say we start aging at 30. Now if you are in your 40s to 60s, that would mean about 10 to 30 years of aging process. But do we know how aging manifests in our skin, particularly in our face? And if so, is there a way to somehow delay that process?

Well, today we have yet another interesting and exciting topic because I will be sharing one of my precious beauty secrets by introducing a regimen that in many ways could actually be your facial skin’s new best friend. But before that, let’s talk about facial skin aging for a little bit.

As I’ve mentioned earlier, facial aging may become more noticeable in a person’s 30s when fine wrinkles, light blemishes, and sun spots begin to appear. Changes in the texture and firmness of skin may also become apparent. As aging progresses, more wrinkles and fine lines appear. Your skin can also show changes in texture and

By EdiElyn

Quijano FnP-C Baldwin Park Medical clinic

Prevention is a very important step for staying healthy.

Remember, early detection, meaning early treatment, can help avoid certain conditions. If not, the worst case is that it can lead to death. Examples of this include breast cancer, colon cancer and prostrate cancer.

Visit your assigned primary care physician and talk about your screening guidelines depending on your age appropriate and condition. Please see the summarized guidelines if they are appropriate for you.

Sculptra® Aesthetic: Your facial skin’s new ‘BFF’

color, and begins to sag. They are a result of the aging of the skin which is caused by a reduction in your skin’s collagen.

As skin ages, the dermis thins due to collagen loss, reducing its ability to retain elasticity (from elastin) and moisture (hyaluronic acid).

Elastin is a protein found in connective tissue that is elastic and helps the skin maintain shape. Hyaluronic acid is a substance found in the connective tissue of the body that cushions and lubricates.

Now that we know what causes our facial skin to lose its youthful appearance, let’s talk about how it can be prevented or delayed.

Since hyaluronic acid is important to keep our facial skin looking young, fillers — like hyaluronic acid or bovine or porcine collagen — are used to diminish lines by pushing up the

dermis space beneath wrinkles and creases. Results appear immediately and can last up to several months. Fillers have become increasingly popular, and for good reason. For one, they are affordable and non-invasive, and you can get them done without having to worry about locking yourself out of sight for a few weeks. Each filler has its own specific best use. However, while some people prefer this kind of treatment, others are looking for a more “natural-looking” effect.

Enter: Sculptra® Aesthetic.

Sculptra® Aesthetic is a

entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 15, 2018

collagen stimulator. It works gradually over time for a more youthful-looking appearance.

Unlike hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers, Sculptra helps stimulate your skin’s own natural collagen production to help restore its inner structure and increase the facial volume that has been lost to aging. Most patients notice a more natural look from Sculptra than what they get from fillers.

Collagen stimulators are used to diminish facial wrinkles by helping to restore the deep, underlying structure of the skin.

Results appear gradually over the treatment regime (typically three injections over the course of three to four months) and can last up to two years. Since Sculptra is a collagen stimulator, the procedure is literally fertilizing your collagen. So, imagine your collagen growing, which is basically what our skin needs because collagen tends to diminish as we age. Sculptra is designed to bring back that collagen underneath your skin to give you that youthful look.

The microparticles of polylactic acid initiate the formation

Staying healthy ADULT PREVENTIVE HEALTH SCREENING GUIDELINES 18-29 Years

30-39 years

40-49 years

50-64 years

65+

Start at age 20 Clinic Breast Exam

Mammogram and imaging test for patient who is high risk (First degree relative • breast/ovarian/ endometrial Cancer

Mammogram screening 1-3 years depending on risk factor

Mammogram every 2 years

Mammogram every 2 years till age 74.

Aged 75 discuss benefits and limitation

• Pap smear age 21 earlier • Papsmear Every 3 years though age 29

Pap test HPV test every 3 years

Pap test HPV test every 3 years

Pap test HPV test every 3 years

Pap test HPV test every 3 years

Colonoscopy start age 45 + if high risk family history of colon CA

• Colonoscopy every 10 years, • Sigmoidoscopy every 5 years • Annual FOB every year

Discuss benefits and limitation after age of 75+ based on patient health status

Prostate screening may start 40 depending individual risk

Prostrate Screening for high risk 50- 69 yrs. old

STD screening • Below 25 if sexually active • 25 yrs. old above If at risk

Source: Staying Healthy American Cancer Society

(Advertising Supplement)

of sheets of collagen under the skin. You will start noticing improvement in the next four to six weeks and you will see more improvement the next six to 25 months – the tightness of the skin improves from temple to jawline area, and you’ll notice more volume, plus there’s an improvement in texture and elasticity. This treatment is something you don’t need to do often

yet you’ll see the results after two to four sessions. The best part is that you’ll continue to see improvements over time.

As a Poly-L-lactic acid (PLLA) collagen stimulator, Sculptra Aesthetic works differently. It works with your body within the deep dermis, rather than topically, to help revitalize collagen production and help restore your Continued on Page 4

entertainment No double for Erich Gonzales in action movie

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 15, 2018

Ogie Alcasid wants to write his own musical by allan

PolicaRPio

Inquirer.ner

IN his 30 years in show biz, Ogie Alcasid has written many hits and held sold-out concerts. and direct an action film as well. He has starred in movies and to produce it myself,” said the

by Ricky caldeRon “We Will Not Die Tonight” Kapamilya actress who looks ManilaTimes.net built a formidable television caforward to doing another action had a special preview at Gatereer as a comedian. But there’s way Cinema last Wednesday. film of same magnitude.

“LIVE life to the fullest and still an item on his bucket list Given the opportunity, Erich The film is also one of the official that he has yet to fulfill—writing do what makes you happy,” said entries to thy year’s Pista ng also revealed that she is interKapamilya actress Erich Gonzahis own musical.

Pelikulang Pilipino. ested to write an action script les who outdid herself producFinally, this year, Ogie has ing the badass action film “We begun working toward achievWill Not Die Tonight.” ing that long-standing dream.

Erich said she did spend At a recent press conference quite a fortune for this film for his coming 30th anniversary directed by Richard Somes and concert, “OA,” he revealed that was recently shown at the New he’s currently in the process of York Asian Film Festival. writing a musical that would “I just want to show that feature his enduring love songs, even girls can do tough action as well as some new material. scenes that boys do,” said Erich “It has always been a plan of who prepared hard and long for mine. And a lot of people had “We Will Not Die Tonight.” been actually approaching me Erich pushed herself to the with ideas and possible stories, limit, doing her own stunts and but none of them came to fruifight scenes without double. tion… I can’t tell you much yet, “I was amazed with the story but we have been brainstormthat was presented to me by ing and writing,” Ogie told the Direk Richard Somes so I agreed Erich Gonzales goes all out action in ‘We Will Not Die Tonight.’

Inquirer.

Challenge The creative process is proving to be quite a challenge, he admitted, but is nonetheless “very exciting.”

“It’s hard to create the story and characters if we’re just basing them on the songs. So, we and I hope it happens.” had to come up with a story first

by MJ MaRfoRi Apparently, his new and then look for songs in my ManilaTImes.net series for Amazon will recatalog that would be suitable. volve around Hong Kong LOS ANGELES —It cerI also have to produce new society this time, sill with tainly looks like his bestsellmusic,” the singer-songwriter the aim to bridge the ing novel “Crazy Rich Asians” related. cultural gap between the opened so many doors for He described the concept of east and the west via this Kevin Kwan as he told In the the musical as “contemporary” jet-setting original.

Know he is now in the works with a dose of kilig.

Moreover, with Crazy with Amazon to create a series “We have been studying Rich Asians’ initial sucon more rich people from our how musicals are done and cess landing a whopping continent. found out that most of them 100-percent review in This exclusive interview Rotten Tomatoes, and a took place on a fabulous turquoise carpet especially laid 90-plus audience score, out for the premiere of novel’s Kevin’s follow up books, movie adaptation in Hollywood “China Rich Girlfriend” From Page 3 and “Rich People Problast week. skin’s inner structure and volume. lem” are likely to get Kevin said, “This has been The author Kris Aquino at the ‘Crazy Rich Asian’ gala As the Sculptra Aesthetic PLLA the greenlight for Holmy new quest. To put us premiere last week.

ManilaTimes.net photo microparticles are absorbed, they lywood movie version.

(Asians) in the spotlight!” help stimulate collagen productime,” and with our very own More good news came our It’s in these almost-in-the-bag super sophisticate Heart Evan- tion. Sculptra® Aesthetic is projects that he hopes to cast way when he went on to rave designed to work gradually over gelista, whom he hung out in more Filipinos. So get ready about the Filipino talent and a series of an average of two to Paris a couple of months ago. his plans to cast more of them. for a Pinoy invasion, TinsleDoes it mean that after Kris three treatments. The procedures town!

“Oh I’d love to cast more take approximately 45 minutes. It Aquino’s cameo in Crazy Rich Asked when he’ll be Filipinos! They are so talented is safe and FDA approved. It has Asians, Heart’s landing a Holannouncing these exciting and amazing that I want to been used since 1999. lywood role too? projects, Kevin said he’d be show them to the rest of the Speaking as a realist, I agree We’ll find out soon! doing so “in about two weeks’ world. I really want to do that

Kevin Kwan plans to cast more Filipinos in international projects

takes at least three years to create and polish. While I want to finish the project next year, I’m not rushing things,” said Ogie, whose latest movie, “Kuya Wes,” is an entry in this year’s Cinemalaya film festival.

Luck Looking back at his career, Ogie said he still can’t believe he was able to achieve as much as he did.

“It was clear to me from the beginning that I wanted to be an entertainer. I simply wanted to write songs and sing them in concerts… But I didn’t imagine I would be where I am right now,” said the 50-year-old music artist, who admitted that his longevity isn’t a product of talent alone.

There’s also a good amount of luck involved.

“I have managed to stay in the industry, not because I forced it, but because of God’s blessing—He put me in the right place at the right time,” he surmised. “And I never stopped learning and trying out new things. I’m still a student to this day.”

While he’s primarily a musician, he also attributed a huge chunk of his success to his television work.

Combination of things “It was a combination of a lot of things, really. I was lucky enough to be part of different television projects, which helped me become a household name.

Television carried me through the years,” pointed out Ogie, who considers “Kailangan Kita” his best composition and Angelina—the whiny girl he played in a former “Bubble Gang” segment—his best comedy work. “‘Kailangan Kita’ was prob-

Ogie Alcasid

Inquirer.net photo

ably my best song… It also became the theme of a big film starring Aga Muhlach and Claudine Barretto,” Ogie said. “And Angelina, well, the fact that a grown man is doing something like that is crazy.”

Set to take place on Aug. 24 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, “OA” will be directed by Paolo Valenciano and feature the ABS-CBN Philharmonic Orchestra under the baton of musical director Gerard Salonga.

“For the opening, we will have a fiesta atmosphere with about 80 to 100 performers onstage. I want to celebrate everything Filipino,” he said. “I want that kind of flavor.”

Aside from his guests Rey Valera, Michael V., Vice Ganda, Janno Gibbs, Yeng Constantino and Moira dela Torre, Ogie will be joined onstage by his children Leila, Sarah and Nate, as well as his wife Regine Velasquez. “I will perform ‘When I See You Smile’—a song composed for Leila when she was a baby—with my girls,” he said.

Sculptra® Aesthetic: Your facial skin’s... that there is no way we can stop the aging process. But as a skin innovator and a believer in modern technology, there are ways we can achieve better-looking skin even as we age.

Sculptra® Aesthetic is available at Image Spa MD and Image Body Spa. You may visit our locations at 9227 Haven Ave., Suite 120 in Rancho Cucamonga, tel: (909) 989-8464; or at 8709 Beverly Blvd. in West Hollywood,

California, tel: (424) 382-1002. *** Imee is an established aesthetician, a business owner and a managing partner for Image Spa MD and CEO of Image Body SPA. She has a degree in Biology and Doctor of Dental Medicine. Image Spa is now one of the most reputable medical spa facilities in LA and has branches in Rancho Cucamonga and Encinitas for Image SPA MD and Image Body SPA-West Hollywood. Imee has been in the aesthetics industry for over 20 years.

(Advertising Supplement)

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 15, 2018

‘Vegan Ballerina’ shares her health and wellness tips BAllerinA, vegan, environmental activist, actor, photographer, social media influencer — these are some of the ways to describe Agnes Muljadi, an indonesian-American who is based in los Angeles.Known as @artsyagnes on with over 500,000 instagram fans, Agnes has been the face of numerous brands including Amazon, NFL, Starbucks, Macy’s, True Religion, Reebok, Banana Republic, Lionsgate Studio, Google Photos, and many others. in an interview with the Asian Journal, she debunks misconceptions around veganism and shares her selfcare tips.

AJ: How did you get started as a ballerina?

Agnes: i grew up in a family of dancers and i saw a ballet performance when i was 7. i completely fell in love with the art form — i was hooked — and knew i had to be on stage.

AJ: What does a typical day look like for you?

Agnes: i typically wake up around 8 a.m. and begin my day with a short meditation and stretch. Then i have my breakfast. i try to eat only raw foods in the morning, i feel it sets my

body off in the right direction each day, before heading to my studio to begin the day’s work. i typically check on emails and post on my social media as soon as i arrive at my studio. i continue working until lunch where i usually take either a pilates or gyrotonic or yoga class. i then return to my work until 5pm when i head to my ballet studio to take class and rehearse. each day is pretty hectic and nonstop, but i love the variety in what i do. i wouldn’t have it any other way.

AJ: What are a few misconceptions around veganism?

How has it changed your life?

Agnes: That we can’t get any protein, which is just absurd.

There are so many different plant-based protein these days and they sustain your energy much longer. i’ve also been told by my previous doctor that being vegan is not natural and healthy (a pretty old school doctor!) but contrary to that i’ve never gotten sick since i became vegan and my body has never felt better. i am thankful for the change in my body, my moods and my energy levels since going vegan.

AJ: What’s a way to start a vegan diet especially for Asian Americans?

Agnes: Some Asian cultures

From Page 2 physical health, are the main pillars of overall wellness, and it’s something Filipinos should take seriously, especially if it applies to your children, Mendoza said. “if we’re so averse to the phrase mental health, why don’t we just change that to ‘total well-being?’” she sug-

gested. “if your child is not thriving, it doesn’t matter what the issue is, doesn’t your heart go out to that child instead of saying, ‘tough it up and move on.’? Being tough isn’t necessarily helpful in every single scenario. There are children who bounce out of challenges right away, but there are those who need more help.”

by AllAn

PolicArPio

Inquirer.ner

Agnes Muljadi is a vegan ballerina based in Los Angeles. (Photo by Anthony Evans / @themanuc)

have very meat-based diets, so this may be tough, but reduce your meat and dairy in-take weekly. Possibly start with having meat and dairy only on the weekend and the rest of the week adopt a plant based lifestyle.

AJ: Your self-care tips?

Agnes: A good night’s rest is everything, and meditation is key. Unplugging is also equally important. Find a day a week where you unplug from your daily life, phone and computer to just be out in nature. it’s rejuvenating.

Is it all in the mind...

She added: “So look at your child without comparing them to others, and if you see they are having problems, have a conversation with them, and if you can’t figure it out, don’t put judgment on them.

Ask for help because there are so many resources available now. There’s no shame in asking for help.”

Filling up with Filipino fruits and...

From Page 2 and mental health. Another vitamin alugbati is rich in is vitamin A which helps maintain a healthy immune system and eye health.

Talong eggplant, or talong, is packed with vitamins, minerals, and fiber, making it a very nutrient-dense crop. Just one

cup of a raw eggplant at only 20 calories has three grams of fiber, and is a good source of manganese, folate, potassium, and vitamins C and K. eggplants are also particularly rich in anthocyanins, a pigment that acts as an antioxidant, and is responsible for its color.

Guyabano

labeled as soursop in most U.S. groceries, guyabano is not only delicious, but it’s also packed with a good amount of vitamin C and fiber. it’s also low calorie while having a high content of antioxidants which protect cells against the effects of free radicals and work in lowering chronic disease risks.

Look your best and reach your aesthetic goals at Radiant Medical Aesthetics

I

T’S no secret that we all deserve to look and feel our best. Such is the motto of Frances Calayan-Cuento, owner of Radiant Medical Aesthetics in Rowland Heights, California.

A nurse practitioner by training, Calayan-Cuento comes from a family of doctors in the Philippines and decided to enter into her own business venture along with her husband, Mariel, who is also a registered nurse.

“We’re very personalized when it comes to the care we offer,” Calayan-Cuento said. “It’s my husband and me doing the services, so when people come in for a consultation, they’ll talk to us and we do it for them.”

Radiant Medical Aesthetics offers an array of services — whether an anti-aging facial or botox to reduce wrinkles and fine lines — to help individuals reach their aesthetic goals.

“People come in here and want to enhance what they have,” Calayan-Cuento said. “It feels good when they leave the place and they’re more confident and are feeling beautiful.”

One of the most sought-after services is microneedling, a cosmetic procedure that involves repeatedly puncturing the skin like other places, Radiant uses with tiny, sterile needles. Un- a radio frequency (RF) machine,

to address skin problems, such as scarring, pigmentation, fine lines, acne, or collagen loss. Clients can also get the treatment using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) — popularly known as a “vampire facial” — which uses one’s own blood to increase collagen production.

The medical spa also offers facials, botox, fillers, IV nutritional therapy (vitamin C and glutathione), and laser and body treatments like lymphatic detox, firming, and spine therapy.

“Since we are a licensed medical spa, we use high-quality, U.S.-made products,” CalayanCuento said. which is like a laser, skin tightIn addition to the popular treatening and microneedling in one ments, Radiant Medical Aesthetics will roll out more services, such as medical weight loss and hair restoration, and unveil a line of skincare products.

Maintaining your glow and taking care of yourself doesn’t just stop when you leave the clinic, however.

Calayan-Cuento shared her top tips for skincare, such as: Wear sunscreen and avoid sun exposure for long periods, hydrate, and moisturize daily.

“Sometimes there are things you can’t really avoid because as you age, that’s when collagen production decreases, so that’s when you need these kinds of services,” she said.

Radiant Medical Aesthetics is located at 1735 Fullerton Rd., Rowland Heights, CA 91748 (Inside Oya Beauty). Hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (by appointment) and Saturday and Sunday by appointment only. For more information and a full list of services, please visit http://www.radiantmedicalaesthetics.com.

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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - August 15, 2018