081619 - Northern California Edition

Volume 18 - No. 17 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Volume 18 - No. 31 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

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AUGUST 16-22, 2019

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CHR to government: Best reply to USA Filipino postal activism is to act on grievances worker Joseph Ileto DATELINE

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

remembered 20 years after killing

With race and hate crimes on the rise, Ileto family calls on Asian American inclusion in conversations AUGUST 10, 1999 was a hot day. It was a Tuesday, and Filipino American letter carrier for the United States Postal Service (USPS) Joseph Ileto — who originally had the day off — was called into work to cover for a fellow mailman.

While on route delivering the mail in Chatsworth, at the nearby North Valley Jewish Community Center in Granada Hills, a

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New rule change may affect millions of legal residents seeking citizenship or permanent residency THE Trump administration has focused a lot on actions to curb illegal immigration in the last two years, but new regulation changes released on Monday, August 12 may have a dramatic effect on immigrants seeking legal permanent residency or U.S. citizenship.

Set to go into effect in mid-October, the new rule essentially expands who may be considered a “public charge� — a term used since

by GABRIEL

PABICO Inquirer.net

LALU

strate that the government is working to the best interest of every Filipino, thereby also dispelling any call to topple any administration,â€? De Guia MANILA, Philippines — The Commission on Hu- said in a statement on Thursday, August 8. man Rights (CHR) challenges the government to adDe Guia issued the statement after Interior Secdress grievances brought up by legitimate organiza- retary Eduardo AĂąo floated the idea of restoring tions instead of going after activists. the Anti-Subversion Act (Republic Act No. 1700) “In the end, the best response to dissent is to ef- to curb the alleged recruitment of children by the fectively address legitimate grievances, and demon- communist New People’s Army (NPA).

But according to De Guia, there is a danger in bringing back the law as individuals with contrary opinions may be considered subversives. Restoring the Anti-Subversion Act would also mean that affiliation with the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) would be illegal. “We strongly warn the government of the possible dangers of framing activism or merely having

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Locsin: PH can’t ban marine survey ships

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

FOREIGN Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. on Tuesday, August 13, backtracked on his previous statement that he has banned foreign marine surveys in Philippine waters, explaining that the country cannot ban marine surveys under an international sea treaty.

In a tweet, he said: “I am reliably informed that under UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea) we cannot ban marine surveys but that marine surveys need our permission to be conducted.� “This is then is the new rule: if we grant permission to one legitimate say U.S. concern we will grant to France, China, Japan, any non-haosiao survey,� he added.

Following recent sightings of Chinese vessels sailing through the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone (EEZ), Locsin announced Monday, August 12 that he has banned marine survey ships even of China, adding that granting an exception to one country “will automatically lift ban universally� and will “invite bribes.�

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FIGHTING DENGUE. Department of Health (DOH) Secretary Francisco Duque III checks on the dextrose of one of the dengue patients admitted at the Quezon Medical Center in Lucena City, during his rounds in regional rounds to government hospitals. Data from the Regional Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit of the DOH in Calabarzon shows that the province of Quezon has recorded 3,604 dengue cases with nine deaths from January 1 to August 3 this year. Also in the photo is Health Assistant Secretary Maria Francia M. Laxamana (center) and DOH-Calabarzon Regional Director Eduardo C. Janairo (in blue jacket).

Photo courtesy of DOH-Calabarzon

Report environment lawbreakers — tourism chief Robredo keeps options open for 2022 presidency habilitated Boracay Island. Another woman was seen in the video burying the child’s soiled TOURISM Secretary Berna- underwear.

Puyat said the incident is dette Romulo-Puyat on Wednesday, August 14, urged those wrong, regardless of the nationwho see any tourist breaking ality of those involved. She then environmental laws to report it asked anyone to readily call the attention of the authorities so to authorities.

A video that went viral on they can deal with it. “If you see (similar incidents), Monday showed a Chinese tourist who let her child defecate please report it to authorities, to along the shores of newly re- police,� Puyat said.

by RALPH

EDWIN VILLANUEVA Philstar.com

“We encourage stakeholders to report (such incidents) to report it to authorities, regardless of nationality,� she added.

She said it “could have been anybody.�

Municipal Ordinance No. 311, series of 2012, prohibits littering, urinating, defacating, spitting, vandalizing and dumping trash in public places.

Violators will face imprisonment, paying of fine, or both. â–

US Homeland Security lifts security alert on NAIA

by AJPRESS THE United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has rescinded the public notice it issued on the security conditions at Manila’s Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

A news release on Thursday, August 8 said Acting Secretary of Homeland Security Kevin K. McAleenan has ordered “effective immediately, rescission of the Public Notice regarding security conditions at Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines (MNL) issued in December.�

This development comes after the December 27, 2018 notice that alerted travelers that NAIA failed to “adequately implement and maintain international secu-

rity standards and recommended practices.�

Since then, the Philippine government has cooperated to improve the airport’s security operations. “Both the Manila International Airport Authority and the Government of the Philippines civil aviation security uthorities have demonstrated they are willing to work toward sustaining those improvements,� the DHS said.

Thursday’s announcement notes that the U.S. State Department has provided $5 million to help fund airport security improvements through training and technology at the Manila airport.

Meanwhile, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has provided aviation security advisors to help the Philippine government

implement other corrective measures for the airport’s security. “DHS and TSA remain committed to working with the Government of the Philippines to help ensure a strong security posture at MNL and enhance global aviation security,â€? the release added. â–

A 54-year old lawyer with an economics degree, Robredo first entered politics as a congressVICE President Leni Robredo woman in 2013 — a year after on Tuesday, August 13, said she her husband, Interior Secretary is keeping her options open re- Jesse Robredo, died in a plane garding the 2022 presidential crash.

She won the vice presidency race.

In a Bloomberg article writ- with her anti-poverty platform, ten by Andreo Calozo, Robredo promising to help those in the said she was ready for the presi- fringes of society. She defeated dency but would decide later on whether to stand as the opposition Liberal Party’s main candidate in elections three years from now, when Filipinos will vote on Duterte’s successor. “If you ask me now, I have no plans, but I am leaving everything open,� she said. “I wouldn’t have ran for the vice presidency if I didn’t feel I was ready for the presidency,�

Robredo added. !.$2%7 " 3().

by AJPRESS

former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. by more than 200,000 votes.

In a June interview, Robredo said her top priority is addressing the country’s present problems, not the 2022 presidential elections.

However, she did not rule out the possibility of running for

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AUGUST 16-22, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

CHR to government: Best reply... Filipino postal worker Joseph Ileto remembered...

However, a student who was allegedly taken away by partylist group Anakbayan showed up to prove that she was never kidnapped and that her decision to move away from home was a personal one.

Earlier, the spokesperson of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, said there should be no distinction in the treatment of CPP, NPA, and the National Democratic Front (NDF), as they believe that the actions of the CPP were coordinated with the armed movement.

The resurrection of the AntiSubversion Act has been rejected by critics for the same reasons that De Guia mentioned.

Even Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said that affiliation with CPP could not be considered a crime unless they venture into the armed struggle. “Activism as a means to bring about social change is a crucial facet of a democracy,� De Guia stressed. “It can be mani-

PAGE A1 a contrary opinion as an automatic expression of wanting to overthrow the government,� she noted. “This is a very limited view of how a democracy works.� “We remind the government that mere association — in this case, to any leftist organization — is not a crime,� she added. “And being part of an organization and believing in the principles they espouse is an exercise of the right to freedom of thought, assembly, and association and may affect all other rights when curtailed, such as the right to free speech, expression, and movement among others.�

Accusations of recruiting “child warriors� were bolstered when Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, a former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief, presented parents who claimed that their children had been kidnapped and brainwashed into fighting against government forces.

//",

fested through demonstrations and protests to contest an issue or advocate for a cause. It is a constitutionally-protected right, especially when used to petition the government for redress of grievances.�

She also reminded government officials that laws were put in place to ensure that those who would take a step further in promoting ideologies — like taking up arms — would be sanctioned. “But, at the same time, should there be any wrong committed in furtherance of a belief, there are already laws in place that penalizes these acts,� De Guia said. “We cannot have a government that operates merely on suspicion and disadvantages its citizen for exercising a right that they are entitled to,� she added “There must always a balance between upholding national security and respecting human rights.

Laws are set to protect our rights — not violate them.� n

9ĂŠ /ĂŠ 7

PAGE A1 white supremacist walked into the center’s lobby and fired 70 shots using a semi-automatic weapon, wounding five people including three children.

The shooter, Buford O. Furrow of Lacey, Washington, then fled the scene. He made his way to where Ileto was a few miles away and approached the mailman to ask him to mail a letter for him.

As Ileto agreed, Furrow took out a handgun and fatally shot Ileto nine times in a murder that Furrow later confessed was raciallymotivated. (He said he thought Ileto was Latino or Asian.)

Furrow later turned himself into the FBI in Las Vegas and is serving two life terms plus 110 years without the possibility of parole.

The proceeding’s judge told Furrow, “Your actions were a stark and brutal reminder that bigotry is alive, if not well.�

The aftermath of the shooting was a wake up call to many state and federal lawmakers and signaled a national push for gun control. Additionally, the shooting prompted the need to combat anti-Semitism and racism.

But what gets left out of the narrative is the one casualty of the shooting. At the time of his death, Ileto was 39 years old. He was the eldest son of Lilian Ileto, and while

The Ileto family and Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles host a candle-lit vigil in front of the Joseph Ileto mural on Friday, August 9.

working for the USPS, he was also studying engineering at Cal Poly Pomona.

Continuing the conversation And for the last 20 years, the family has sought to cultivate a legacy for their fallen brother to make sure his untimely death didn’t go in vain.

The Ileto family has spent the last two decades ensuring that the murder of their son, kuya and tito never be forgotten, building his legacy into something greater than themselves. They’ve attended marches, spoken at schools, met with numerous advocacy groups

and lobbied to lawmakers all in the name of common sense gun control and combating racism.

And as the amplification of reactionary rhetoric on race and immigration continues to permeate, the family’s mission to push for the Asian American community to stand up against racism and to be a part of the conversation has never been more relevant. “When my brother was killed, the description of him was just a postal worker, not of his heritage and the main reason he was killed was the color of his skin, and I

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New rule change may affect millions of legal...

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PAGE A1 1996 to describe an individual likely to become “primarily dependent� on the government through public cash assistance or long-term institutionalized care funded by the government.

Whether one is a public charge determines whether one can become a legal permanent resident.

Through the expanded definition, visa and green card applicants who have accessed benefits like food stamps, housing vouchers, or most forms of Medicaid, may be denied a green card or entry into the U.S. Under the “totality of the circumstances� aspect of the new rule, factors like health, family status, assets, resources and financial status, and education are further among the considerations that may deem an individual to be a public charge.

Exempt from the change are asylum-seekers and refugees.

For supporters, the new rule is a way to modernize the family-based immigration system and save taxpayers billions of dollars.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli said during a White House briefing that the expanded definition would encourage and ensure “self reliance and self sufficiency for those seeking to come to or stay in the United States.� “Our current law, which is generations old, recognizes that some new arrivals to our country need the help of their family and community,� said Cuccinelli. “It requires some of those who seek to live and remain in the United States, to have a sponsor who will be financially responsible for them.�

But critics of the expanded definition say that the new rule was made to punish immigrant families and will result in many

families having to choose between maintaining immigration status or meeting basic needs like food.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice, an affiliation of five civil rights organizations, called the policy racist and said it prioritizes wealthy immigrants. “Public benefits are essential to helping families stay healthy and thrive. Weighting the likelihood of future benefit use, along with discriminatory factors such as English proficiency is unjust,�

Advancing Justice said in a statement. “The administration has intentionally sought to scare immigrants and their families from using public benefits,� it added.

Since the rule change was proposed in October of 2018, over 13% of immigrant adults have reportedly dropped their use of public benefits out of fear of potentially losing their chances at

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A

Filipino postal worker Joseph Ileto remembered...

PAGE A2 just thought that was an insult to him as a Filipino American and to our family as Asian Americans and to our whole community,” Ismael “Ish” Ileto, Ileto’s younger brother, told the Asian Journal on Friday, August 9.

The younger Ileto and other family members were present at a commemorative dinner for the late postal worker hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles, which has provided the Iletos legal and emotional support since 1999.

Shortly after Joseph Ileto’s death, the Ileto family attended an event hosted at the Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills for the signing of five new state gun control bills. In attendance of this highly-publicized event were then-Governor Gray Davis, police chiefs from every county in California and numerous state and city officials.

State officials talked about what happened and the bills they’re signing into law and that if these laws had been put in place earlier, it could have made a difference at the North Valley Jewish Center, full stop. Nothing about Ileto, the only casualty in the incident, was mentioned. Not even his name.

“We were invited to this event and we had front row seats, and the Jewish American representatives were on the other side of the aisle but they only mentioned what might have happened with the Jewish community center,” Ismael Ileto said.

And as the event concluded and people were filing out of the auditorium, Gov. Davis quickly mentioned, “Oh, by the way the Ileto family is here.” And that’s not the first time that’s happened.

Ismael Ileto recalled an event at the Museum of Tolerance, a live radio-broadcasted discussion on the Aug. 10 shooting and raciallycharged violence.

“I wasn’t up there [on the stage], and it was only the Jewish community representatives. They started

talking about the shooting again, and nothing about my brother.

And they all know that this is connected to Joseph who was killed by the same guy, yet there was no mention [of Joseph],” Ismael Ileto said.

He added, “Here we are and getting killed and harmed and yet the mainstream media is not recognizing who we are. It gave us a feeling of we don’t count. That’s what fuels us to speak out.”

But as Filipino Americans, as soon as they began speaking out, attending gun control marches and vocalizing the need to end racially-charged violence, the Iletos found themselves in a precarious situation. They soon started receiving hate mail and death threats from white supremacists, causing the family to move homes.

For years, they lamented the erasure of the Filipino American and Asian American community when it comes to issues of race and hate crimes, both of which are typically associated with other communities like blacks, Arabs and Latinos.

Pushing for Asian American and Filipino American inclusion on these issues has, to this day, been proven to be difficult, but that hasn’t slowed the family down yet.

“But then I was told that my skin wasn’t dark enough to know what racism is, but yet we had a white supremacist in our life telling us to go back home because we took up their schools and took up their jobs and we don’t belong here, so it made us want to speak out more,” Deena Ileto, Ismael’s wife, said.

“You know, our families teach us, ‘don’t say anything, don’t speak because we’ll look like troublemakers and they’ll retaliate or do something against us,’ but it made us want to work harder to reach out to the communities and students to build a stronger and safer community for everyone because it’s happening more and more,” she said.

Locsin: PH can’t ban marine...

PAGE A1t The foreign affairs chief maintained that he does not want to “show preference for or bias against any country” and that the country’s policy in the contested waters should apply to “everybody or nobody.”

“The principle of our policy in the South China Sea is this: we will never look like we favor anybody and I mean anybody alien; it will always be all or nothing; everybody or nobody. Period. Duterte has ordered: no bribe-taking nor the appearance of it by selectivity.

Period,” Locsin tweeted.

He also said that through a consultation with a Singaporean expert from the International Institute for Strategic Studies, he learned that “foreign navies enjoy freedom of navigation through our EEZ (exclusive economic zone).”

Afterwards, he asked Filipino maritime law expert Jay Batongbacal to “double check this.”

In response, Batongbacal said that under UNCLOS, all States – whether coastal or Land-locked – enjoy freedom

of navigation and overflight, other high seas freedoms, and related internationally lawful uses in the EEZ of coastal State.

“Exercise of such freedoms must be with due regard to the rights of the coastal State (particularly EEZ) and comply with coastal State rules and regulations adopted in accordance with UNCLOS and other international law not incompatible with UNCLOS EEZ provisions,” he tweeted.

“Yes, foreign navies and merchant ships entitled to FON (freedom of navigation) thru all EEZs; one purpose of UNCLOS is to ensure maritime mobility,” Batongbacal added.

Locsin then stated that the country would grant permission based on the “surveyor’s seriousness and capability.

“I refuse to show a preference for or bias against any country.

The rule should not change with circumstances,” he said.

“If marine surveys require PH permission it is only to determine surveyor’s seriousness and capability; not our fears and favoritism,” Locsin added. n

The family has bestowed an acronymically-named title for their cause and fight for Joseph Ileto’s legacy: Join Our Struggle, Educate and Prevent Hate, Instill Love, Equality and Tolerance for Others.

Ileto’s 20-year anniversary of his death comes a week after a 21-year-old white nationalist targeting Mexicans shot and killed 22 people at a Walmart in El Paso, Texas. Since Ileto’s tragic murder, there have been countless incidents of gun violence, mass shootings and hate crimes that have propped up, targeting a wide variety of different communities.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, in 2017 a majority of reported hate crimes were motivated by race, ethnicity and ancestry of the targets (58%).

And the number of those crimes increased — in 2016, there were 3,489 incidents and in 2017, there were 4,131.

Speaking at the dinner, the mother Lilian Ileto shared the lifelong struggle of losing her son and the pain and fear it’s brought to her and the Ileto family. But she also noted the necessity to keeping up the fight against gun violence and hate crimes, and encouraged the Asian American community stand in solidarity with them.

“Although our family lost our beloved Joseph to a senseless hate crime, we do not want any other family to suffer a similar loss,” the mother said. “That is why every year, on the anniversary of his death, we speak out to remind the community that we all must work together to overcome prejudice, intolerance and hate.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

FINANCIAL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM FOR AFP. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno (left), Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Inspector General Lt. Gen. Antonio Ramon Lim (middle), and Banco De Oro (BDO) Foundation, Inc. president Mario Deriquito (right), sign the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) governing the institutional commitments in crafting financial education tools for AFP personnel. The ceremonial signing was held at Dimalupig Hall, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, August 13.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

New rule change may affect millions of legal...

PAGE A2t becoming green card status, according to Advancing Justice.

Heng Lam Foong, senior policy manager with the Health Access Project at Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, told the Asian Journal last October that about 3.8 million Asian American and Pacific Islander immigrants relied on some form of public benefit to make ends meet.

Many at the time saw the thenproposed change as a potential public health crisis in that many legal immigrants would similarly find themselves choosing to skip medical appointments in fear that they’d risk endangering their immigration status.

“This could affect our most vulnerable residents: the disabled, seniors, and children. Sacrific-

ing care would lead to worsening medical conditions in which patients could end up in emergency rooms or at health care centers that do not receive federal funds,” Los Angeles County Supervisor Hilda L. Solis said in a statement on Tuesday, August 13.

Asked whether the policy unfairly targeted lower-income immigrants, Cuccinelli responded: “We certainly expect people of any income to be able to stand on their own two feet, so if people are not able to be self-sufficient, then this negative factor is going to bear very heavily against them in a decision about whether they’ll be able to become a legal permanent resident.”

He then suggested that the “totality of circumstances” test made it so lack of self-sufficiency

wasn’t the main deciding factor on whether one would be able to become a legal permanent resident.

“A poor person can be prepared to be self-sufficient; many have been, through the history of this country. So let’s not look at that as the be-all and end-all. It’s not the deciding factor, which is why we continue to use the totality of circumstances test,” said Cuccinelli.

Legal action is expected, especially by those who see the rule change as discriminatory. Solis said that LA County Counsel is currently analyzing the rule and will be making recommendations to possibly join legal action.

“LA County will continue to defend, protect, and fight for its most vulnerable residents,” said Solis.

(Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) n

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Governor Newsom announces climate pollution continues to drop below 2020 target while state’s economy grows Latest California greenhouse gas inventory shows alternative energy surpasses fossil-powered electricity

NAAC/NDC RALLY & PRESSCON IN CALIFORNIA STATE CAPITOL. The National Asian American Coalition and the National Diversity Coalition held a press conference and victory rally in front of the South Steps of the California State Capitol in Sacramento, CA on August 12, 2019 to celebrate their recent court victory that returns $331 million to the National Home Mortgage Special Fund (NHMSF) which is intended to aid distressed homeowners in California. Led by executive director NAAC/NDC president and CEO Faith Bautista, Robert Gnaizda, NDC General Counsel Steven Sugarman, pastors from different churches, and members of the NAAC/NDC, the organizers called on CA Governor Gavin Newsom to consult with HUD-approved agencies and homeowners regarding the disbursement and distribution of the funds, and to follow through on his promise to assist distressed homeowners in the state. Several members of the Republican State Caucus from the Assembly and the Senate attended the presscon and gave brief remarks, including Assembly Republican Leader Marie Waldron, Assemblymember Tom Lackey, Assemblymember Jim Patterson, AssemblymemberJay Obernolte, and Assemblymember Devon Mathis; and Senate Republican Leader Shannon Grove, Senator John Moorlach, Senator Patricia Bates and Senator Ling Ling Chang. Officials from the NAAC and NDC were also scheduled to hold meetings with state officials as well as Democrats and Republicans from both the Assembly and the Senate to present their proposals to strategically and effectively use the funds to help distressed homeowners in California. Photo above shows NAAC/NDC officials, pastors, and members at the event.

AJPress by Joseph Peralta

Palace vows help to Filipinos in Israel

by Catherine

S. Valiente ManilaTimes.net

MALACAÑANG on Monday, August 12, vowed to provide assistance to some 600 Filipino families who have lost their residency status in Israel and are facing deportation.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Duterte administration would extend help through the Department of Foreign Affairs.

“I’m sure the Secretary of Foreign Affairs (Teodoro Locsin Jr.) will do something about it. Hindi natin pababayaan iyan (We will not neglect them),” Panelo told reporters.

He issued the remark after the United Children of Israel reported that 600 Filipino families could face expulsion after losing their residency status.

Around 28,000 Filipinos in Israel work as caregivers and domestic workers.

The Filipinos, with the support of native Israelis, recently staged

a protest in Tel Aviv against the policy of deporting Israeli-born children of migrants.

Arrested Among those facing deportation are Rosemarie Perez and her Israeli-born teenage son. They were in the process of being deported on Sunday night after successive court appeals failed, a nongovernment organization lobbying for children of migrants said.

Perez was arrested by immigration officials along with her 13-year-old son Rohan on Tuesday for overstaying her work visa.

On Sunday night, the two were under escort at Ben Gurion International Airport, near Tel Aviv, waiting to be put aboard an El Al flight to Hong Kong, from where they would fly to Manila, said Beth Franco of United Children of Israel (UCI).

“They’re flying out tonight,” she said, adding that Rohan had never been outside the Jewish state before.

On Sunday, a court rejected Perez’s latest plea to stay, immigration authority spokesman Sabine Haddad said.

“She has been here illegally for 10 years,” Haddad said.

UCI argues that it is cruel to send Rohan — and other children of migrants — to a country they have never seen and where they do not speak the language.

Ronan has “never been to the Philippines, he doesn’t speak the language, Hebrew is his first tongue,” said Franco, adding that it had been his dream to serve in the Israeli army.

“He sees this country as his own,” she said.

She said that Rohan’s father was a Turkish national who left Israel several years ago.

Many of the 28,000 — largely Christian — Filipinos in Israel arrived to work as caregivers and domestic workers, but according to UCI, some 600 families could now face expulsion after losing their residency status. (With reports from AFP) n

SACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom on Monday, August 12, announced that greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in California continued to fall ahead of schedule in 2017 as the state’s economy grew ahead of the national average, according to the California Air Resources Board’s latest state inventory of climatechanging emissions.

The data also shows that for the first time since California started to track GHG emissions, the state power grid used more energy from zero-GHG sources like solar and wind power than from electrical generation powered by fossil fuels. In addition, the data demonstrates that emissions from the transportation sector did not rise as fast as in previous years.

“California is proving that smart climate policies are good for our economy and good for the planet,” said Governor Newsom.

“As the Trump Administration attempts to obliterate national climate protections, California will continue advancing the cause of American climate leadership.”

In 2017, the California economy grew at 3.6 percent – 1.4 percent above the national average, according to the state Department of Finance. 2017 was also the second year in a row in which GHG emissions fell below the 2020 reduction target of 431 million metric tons established by the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (Assembly Bill 32).

GHG emissions came in at 424 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent in 2017, a decrease of five million metric tons from 2016.

“This is further evidence that California’s groundbreaking climate regulations are helping to deliver the greenhouse gas reductions needed to meet our 2020 target – and give us a running start at our even more ambitious 2030 target, too,” said California Air Resources Board Chair Mary D. Nichols.

In addition, the carbon intensity of the state’s economy (the amount of carbon pollution produced per million dollars of economic output) also continued its decline, by 4.5 percent since 2016, and the per capita emissions continued to drop, by 2 percent to 10.7 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per person (the national average is 19.9 tons of carbon dioxide equivalent per person.) This year’s full GHG Emissions Inventory has complete details, but highlights include: Electricity Emissions from electricity generation made up about 15 percent of 2017 statewide greenhouse gas emissions. In 2017, those emissions fell 9 percent from 2016, the largest decline of any economic sector. A large increase in zero-emission energy resources drove the reduction.

Those clean sources powered 52

percent of all California’s electricity consumed in 2017.

Transportation Vehicle tailpipe emissions accounted for 37 percent of California’s 2017 GHG emissions. Those emissions rose, but showed signs of leveling off. The 2017 increase was 0.7 percent, down from 2 percent the preceding year. Most of the greenhouse gas emissions increase came from passenger vehicles.

Industry Industrial emissions over multiple sectors showed a slight reduction or remained flat. California’s industrial sectors generated 21 percent of state GHGs in 2017. Oil and gas refineries and hydrogen production were responsible for one-third of those emissions. The rest came mostly from oil and gas extraction, cement plants, glass manufacturers and large food processors.

Agriculture Livestock emit more than 50 percent of the methane in California. Methane has up to 25 times the heat-trapping capacity of CO2 and is the most common short-lived climate pollutant (super pollutant) in the state.

The California Department of Food and Agriculture is implementing programs that include incentivizing dairy manure digesters to reduce emissions from industrial dairies by replacing open waste lagoons. The digesters enable dairy operators to capture manure methane and either use it for onsite power generation or inject this renewable natural gas into a pipeline for use as transportation fuel.

Though some dairy methane emissions have declined, small annual increases in overall methane emissions have continued.

Therefore, California has gone beyond just dairy digesters.

CARB has adopted a regulation to reduce methane emissions from oil and gas production, processing and storage facilities, as well as regulating methane emissions from landfills and emissions of hydrofluorocarbons from commercial refrigeration equipment.

Super pollutants Emissions continued to rise from other super pollutants, such as refrigerants used in au-

tomobile, commercial and residential air conditioners, as well as methane. This group of gases captures heat at many times the level of carbon dioxide, the most common climate pollutant.

Super pollutants provide an opportunity, too. They reach the atmosphere in small amounts compared to CO2, but because they can have such a dramatic warming impact, reducing them can provide a proportionately larger benefit in the short term, giving us additional time to control the sources of carbon dioxide.

Background The state GHG Emissions Inventory compiles data on GHG emissions, including carbon dioxide and climate super pollutants. The inventory helps to track emissions across all major sectors of the economy. Due to the schedules of various government agencies that supply data needed for estimating GHG emissions, the GHG inventory is generally updated 18 months after the end of each calendar year.

AB 32 set a GHG reduction target of a return to 1990 levels by 2020. The state reached that goal in 2016. Senate Bill 32, signed into law in 2016, set a 2030 emissions reduction target 40 percent below 1990 levels.

The state currently reduces GHG emissions through an integrated set of regulations and programs designed to address sources from every sector, including the cap-and-trade program, the Low Carbon Fuel Standard (LCFS) and the zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) program.

California’s long-term goal is to become carbon neutral by 2045 following an Executive Order issued by Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. and passage of Senate Bill 100 in 2018. In order to keep the rise in global average temperatures below 2 degrees Celsius and avoid the worst impacts of climate change, scientists agree that emissions and sinks of carbon emission must be net zero by the second half of the century.

More information on the trends in California GHG emissions are found in the Trends in Emissions and Other Indicators report at www3.arb.ca.gov n

Robredo keeps options open for 2022...

PAGE A1 president, maintaining that the presidency is a matter of destiny.

“Everything is possible. But it’s not something that is planned, I think it’s destiny,” Robredo said.

“The presidential election is still very far. In a year, many things could happen, much more in three years,” she added.

At present, Robredo is facing an electoral protest filed

by Marcos as well as a sedition complaint filed by the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group. n Vice President Leni Robredo

Photo courtesy by Philstar.com

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Dateline PhiliPPines

PH a hotspot for fake drugs? Recto seeks Senate probe

by BernaDette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto has filed a resolution prodding the Senate to investigate a United Nations report that the Philippines has became a hotspot for fake medicines.

The 2019 report of the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime titled Transnational Organized Crime in Southeast Asia: Evolution, Growth and Impact said the Philippines has the “highest incidence” of fake medicines in Southeast Asia.

The report depicted the Philippines as “a hotspot for knockoff drugs.”

Recto said the report is alarming because it claims that from 2014 to 2017, fake medicines, mostly from Pakistan, India and China, entered the Philippines through an illicit trade network.

“On top of this is the reported market penetration of locallymanufactured counterfeit overthe-counter medicines,” Recto said.

He said government should unmask which of “these misbranded, spurious, fake, and falsely-labeled drugs” have entered the market and duped Filipinos.

“In 2018, no less than President Rodrigo Duterte described the availability of counterfeited paracetamol brands in the country as a growing threat and ordered the arrest of their makers and sell-

Former Senator Gregorio Honasan

ers,” Recto said.

He said if reports are true that fake medicines are sold cheap in sari-sari (neighborhood) stores, “then they are victimizing the poor who often have to borrow money to buy medicines or cost-cut by buying doses lower than what the doctor has prescribed.”

Recto said the trade in fake medicines was “a large scale swindle of the cruelest kind, as their victims are of the illusion that they are taking authentic medicines that will cure them “and not something made of flour.”

Recto said the staggering amount of money Filipinos spend yearly for medicines and pharmaceutical preparations should prod the government to protect their health, safety and money.

He noted that about P187 bil-

Philstar.com file photo

lion, or half of the P372.8 billion “out-of-pocket” health expenditures of Filipino families in 2017 went to pharmacies.

“Households buy half a billion pesos worth of drugs a day. Hindi pa kasama ang binibili ng mga pribadong ospital, gobyerno at insurance companies na nasa bilyun-bilyong piso din ang halaga taun-taon (This does not include those being bought yearly by private hospitals, government, and insurance companies that are worth billions of pesos),” he said.

Recto said the Senate investigation’s aim “is to know the gravity of the problem and formulate remedial measures that will strengthen the capacity of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and all law enforcement agencies to defeat this problem. n

Zero corruption on ‘pork,’ Cayetano asks colleagues

by Jess

Diaz Phiistar.com

MANILA — Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano is asking members of the House of Representatives to avoid corruption in the use of pork barrel funds and other taxpayer’s money allocated to their districts or constituencies.

“My message to you is that I will do as much as I can to spread out the development and attend to the concerns of the districts and party-list groups. But we have to heed president Duterte’s appeal: absolutely no corruption,” he appealed as the House expects to receive the President’s budget proposal for 2020 in one week.

He also told his colleagues over the weekend that: “We made it very clear at the start that there are things we can give and take but there are lines we have to draw. When it comes to corruption, the line is drawn: no party affiliation, no friendship, we will not protect each other.”

The Speaker also vowed to have the House approve the proposed P4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 “on time” before the end of the year to sustain the country’s economic growth.

“We had six years of good growth during the Aquino administration and four years under President Duterte. So if we pass the budget on time, we can make up for what we lost last year. If we sustain growth for 18 years, believe me, we will see a different Philippines,” he said without explaining why his horizon for

Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano

economic expansion is 18 years, which is beyond the six-year term of Duterte.

According to sources in the chamber, the proposed budget would include at least P35.2 billion in pork barrel funds for 24 senators and 305 House members.

The Department of Budget and Management has asked lawmakers to submit their project list in advance for inclusion in the budget to avoid last year’s spectacle of the Senate and the House quarrelling over billions in alleged fund insertions in this year’s outlay.

The congressional allocation for 2020 would still be P100 million for every House member and P200 million for each senator.

Of a congressman’s allotment, P70 million is for “hard” or infrastructure projects like multi-

Philstar.com file photo

purpose buildings and road construction, while P30 million is for “soft” programs like medical and educational assistance.

In the case of a senator’s P200 million “pork,” P100 million is for “hard” and P100 million for “soft” projects.

The congressional pork barrel used to be a lump-sum fund, the details of which were supplied after the annual budget was enacted by lawmakers, who also meddled in project implementation.

The Supreme Court prohibited such practices in November 2013.

Several former senators and congressmen are facing plunder and graft charges before the Sandiganbayan for allegedly pocketing billions in commissions and kickbacks from their pork barrelfunded projects. n

Spread of fake news ‘more insidious’ in 2019 elections — report by ian

nicolas cigaral Phiistar.com

MANILA — The Philippines saw a “more insidious and camouflaged” proliferation of socalled “fake news” during the 2019 midterm polls than in 2016, a new study found, increasing the urgency for reforms to purge disinformation campaigns that could threaten democracies.

President Rodrigo Duterte’s allies took most of the 12 Senate seats available during the May polls, strengthening his clout in Congress and signaling strong public support for the firebrand leader.

According to a report published last week by academic blog New Mandala, the distribution of fake news had evolved into “undercover operations” targeting small groups of potential voters while staying undetected by factcheckers and content moderators.

The researchers said micro-influencers — or social media personalities who lack mainstream fame — were “weaponized” during the 2019 polls by taking advantage of their “more authentic and trustworthy” image and their “small yet intensely dedicated followers.”

The report said that since macro-influencers have already been placed in the spotlight and shamed in congressional probes, micro-influencers were tapped

by PR strategists for digital political campaigns aimed at small groups.

“What micro-influencers lack in broader reach, they gain in

Philstar.com file photo

maneuverability and ‘contrived authenticity,’” read the report authored by professors Jonathan Ong of University of Massachusetts Amherst, Ross Tapsell Australian National University and Nicole Curato of University of Canberra.

“This makes it easier for them to infiltrate organic communities and evade public monitoring,” it added.

The proliferation of false news has been widely seen by experts as a major global threat with its ability to manipulate elections and imperil democracies.

Known as the world’s social media capital, the Philippines has been called “patient zero” by one Facebook executive amid the growing number of fake news peddlers in the country.

Bloomberg in 2017 reported that Facebook’s “political team” allegedly trained the camp of then-presidential candidate Duterte on how to maximize the platform for a campaign.

Last year, Facebook started blocking websites that are suspected of promoting false information in the country. Some of the banned domains support Duterte.

In the same report, New Mandala qualified that disinformation tactics in the Philippines are “fast-evolving, creative, and increasingly undetectable.”

“Even in the best of circumstances, regulation on content moderation, among others, can only do so much to anticipate innovations of digital underground operations designed precisely to circumvent existing rules. The challenge, therefore, is broader and more systemic,” it said.

“Avenues for reform need to take more seriously the enabling environment for disinformation to thrive, from the vulnerabilities of digital workers that drive them to join underground operations to the ethics of the advertising industry that allows unscrupulous practices unchecked,” it added. n

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O PINION Modern slavery IF the government wants evidence of worker abuse, the surveillance video footage provides graphic proof: a Chinese, handcuffed to window grills, managed to loosen the grills from the wall. He slipped out through the opening in what clearly looked like an attempt to escape.

But he was still handcuffed to the iron grills. Either he deliberately jumped from the sixth floor, or the weight of the grills sent him plummeting down to the ground. He died hours later in a hospital.

Authorities are still investigating who handcuffed Yang Kang to the grills, and the circumstances that brought him to the building in Pamplona, Las Piñas where he was illegally detained. Initial police investigation indicated that the 27-year-old information technology employee wanted to leave his job, but his Chinese employer reportedly demanded that he first pay the money advanced for his recruitment.

The Chinese embassy, in a strongly worded statement last week, decried the working environment akin to “modern slavery” under which many of their citizens toil in the Philippines, most of them in the online gaming industry whose principal clients are Chinese. The embassy said some of the workers have also suffered kidnapping, torture and even murder.

Government officials have given assurance that

FEATURES

protection will be given to Chinese and other foreigners working in the Philippines. The Chinese reportedly secure tourist visas upon arrival in this country before working for Philippine offshore gaming operations or POGOs. It is not clear if Yang Kang worked for a POGO. Whether he was recruited by a Chinese or Filipino, however, the government must address one point raised by the Chinese embassy in its statement: Chinese laws make it illegal for their citizens to engage in all forms of gambling including online, whether in their country or overseas, and whether as operator, bet caller or player. Under Chinese laws, all Chinese employed in POGO establishments are working illegally.

The embassy said Beijing is cracking down not only on gambling, whether at home or offshore, but also on the money laundering that illegal earnings engender. Part of the gambling earnings, the embassy noted, could be laundered through real estate and other assets.

While protecting all foreigners from “modern slavery,” the Philippine government also cannot afford to be complicit in activities considered to be criminal in another country. The Chinese embassy statement calls for a review of the Philippine policy on POGOs. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS LISTEN, MR. PRESIDENT. The people of the grieving communities of El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio are speaking up.

For the first time just listen to their pleas instead of being obsessed with crowd sizes, ratings, getting more publicity mileage than your political foes, and cheap photo-ops like when you used a baby who just lost both his parents in the mass shooting as a prop while you were grinning while showing off a thumbs up.

You inspired the gunman to massacre the victims in El Paso because of your hateful rhetoric demonizing immigrants and scaring people of a “Hispanic invasion” and “infestation”.

This is not about the issue of illegal immigration anymore. After all, your own wife Melania came to the United States and worked as an undocumented immigrant. After all, her parents were able to obtain their legal papers through what you call as “chain migration” because they happen to be the first lady’s

Commentary

YEN MAKABENTA THE British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher made a telling comment while recounting her experience in dealing with Chinese leaders during her visit to China. She wrote: “The Chinese never mince words in their own public statements, but they expect everyone else to do so.”

I thought of her words as I tried to comprehend the amazingly rude response of Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua to President Duterte’s announcement that he would bring up the the Hague Permanent Court of Arbitration ruling on the Philippine dispute with China over the South China Sea (SCS) when he meets with President Xi Jinping in Beijing later this month.

As if to warn our President off the subject, Ambassador Zhao declared: “Beijing’s position on the arbitration has been clear since it was filed before the Hague-based international tribunal.

“When the result of the arbitration came out, we also expressed that we will not accept it and we will not recognize it and that position has not changed and it will not be changed,” Zhao told reporters on Friday.

Zhao then suggested that China, despite its position on the matter, has magnanimously agreed to

Philstar.com photo

Trump could heal wounds and win the trust of the American people after mass shootings — if he would do these things parents and do not qualify under the merit-based policy the Trump administration has been pushing, instead of the family-based petitions.

Listen, President Donald J. Trump, to the people who have lost their parents, children, spouse, friends and neighbors to mass shooting not only in El Paso and Dayton, Ohio but all over the country. Listen to the American people living in fear that their communities may be targeted next by a deranged trigger happy shooter who has a lot of hate in his/her heart, especially those who emulate you and follow your suggestions by virtue of the power of the Office of the President of the United States.

I have been listening to many grieving people of El Paso, public officials and politicians and these steps are what they hope you would do to heal wounds, regain their trust and help solve the mass shooting epidemic in the United States: 1. OWN UP to your share of culpability in the mass shooting.

Your hateful words and demonization of immigrants have been

dividing this nation that is built by immigrants. Your vilification of people of color, with different religions and nations of origin, and asylum seekers running from the violence of their own countries to save their children — they have become vulnerable to the people who listen to you and those who have anti-immigrant sentiments. These shooters do NOT differentiate between documented and undocumented immigrants.

They will hurt and kill those who do not look like them, especially true during the rise of violence and hate crimes perpetrated by white nationalists, domestic terrorists and white supremacists.

2. APOLOGIZE to the American people for your words and actions that have betrayed the dignity and honor of the Office of the President and the provisions of the Constitution of the United States of America that prohibit discrimination. Your hateful and divisive rhetoric does NOT unify or inspire people. On the contrary, they bring out the worst from the American people.

After issuing a sincere apology, CHANGE, Mr. President, and live

Questions for Ambassador Zhao continue working with the Philippines on enhancing friendship and cooperation.

“The differences over the South China Sea only constitutes 1 percent of our overall relationship,” the Chinese envoy added.

Duterte’s vow With equal attentiveness, Ambassador Zhao would do well to consider the spirit and context in which the arbitral ruling will be raised.

Duterte made the announcement in a speech at the mass oath-taking of newly elected officers of the Federation of FilipinoChinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. last Tuesday. ‘’Yung arbitral ruling pag-uusapan natin ‘yan. That’s why I’m going to China.” (We will talk about the ruling. That’s why I’m going to China.)

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo elaborated that the President would raise the arbitral ruling when he discusses a proposed 60-40 sharing with China in a planned joint oil and gas exploration in the South China Sea. Zhao’s remarks, coming as they did following weeks of Filipinos’ indignation and furious agitation for a stronger response to the sinking of a Filipino fishing boat

by Chinese vessels, and perceived Chinese bullying, deserve a fitting response.

It will not do to diplomatically set them aside and put them in the back burner.

As one journalist who has been

monitoring the South China Sea issue for some time now, I want to pose the following few questions to Zhao in response to his remarks: 1: Does China recognize and respect the exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of the Republic of the Philippines, as this is defined in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), to which China is also a signatory?

2: Does China claim parts of the Philippine EEZ, in line with its claim over the entire South China Sea? What is the basis for this sweeping territorial claim?

3: Does China also claim sovereign rights to exploit the resources in the Philippine EEZ? If so, on what basis?

4: Why has China never apologized for the sinking of the Filipino fishing boat at the Reed (Recto) Bank,which is inside the Philippine EEZ? 5: Why has China massed its vessels around Pag-asa Island, which is sovereign Philippine territory? Does China also include it in its sweeping claim over the waterway?

6: China has its own exclusive economic zone (EEZ) under Unclos. How does China understand the word “exclusive”?

The good ambassador does not mince words in asserting China’s position on the Hague arbitral ruling.

Stop mincing words Our government should similarly not mince words in asserting

up to the honor and dignity of the office you are holding.

Our Founding Fathers stipulated the “The Want, Will, and Hopes of the People” of America in the Declaration of Independence. “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

The Constitution, meanwhile says, as paraphrased: “The Fifth Amendment has an explicit requirement that the Federal Government not deprive individuals of ‘life, liberty, or property,’ without due process of the law and an implicit guarantee that each person receive equal protection of the laws.”

“The Fourteenth Amendment explicitly prohibits states from violating an individual’s rights of due process and equal protection. Equal protection limits the State and Federal governments’ power to discriminate in their employment practices by treating employees,

former employees, or job applicants unequally because of membership in a group, like a race, religion or sex. Due process protection requires that employees have a fair procedural process before they are terminated if the termination is related to a “liberty,” like the right to free speech, or a property interest.” (FindUSlaw. com) 3. TELL CONGRESS Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell that it is OK to debate and vote on the bipartisan gun control law passed by the House, supported by both Democrats and a few Republicans.

This will NOT take away guns from people as the powerful and rich gun lobby group National Rifle Association has been misleading people about using scare tactics.

The legislation will just implement a common-sense regulation that will make sure guns will not go to the hands of mentally ill and criminal people, that the purchase, ownership, and continued ownership and use of guns will have to go through a stringent

process. Also, assault rifles and high capacity magazines are weapons intended to be used in war zones, not by civilians. Ban these for civilian use.

These dangerous and powerful weapons have killed so many people in a few seconds in the mass shootings. We do not need those to fulfill the Second Amendment rights to protect ourselves.

It is about time President Trump and the Republicans in Congress serve the interests and well being of the American people they have sworn to serve and protect, and not bow down to the National Rifle Association that has been contributing millions and millions of dollars to their campaigns.

Can and will you do this, President Donald Trump, and be a true leader worthy of the honor of the Office of the President of the United States? ***

national rights over our EEZ, and in rejecting all Chinese intrusions and bullying inside the zone.

It’s time we take the gloves off in assessing and responding to China’s behavior in the SCS. We should start talking publicly about the abuses committed by China in the SCS against rival claimants to parts of the waterway.

It is good that President Duterte has directly accused China of deliberately delaying the approval of the proposed Code of Conduct (COC) in the South China Sea, by subverting discussions at the Asean summit.

It is indeed our national policy to do business with China as a valued and friendly neighbor, in the same way that we do business with other countries, including the United States. But this friendly policy does not include kowtowing to China’s wishes.

There was a time in the distant past when China’s relations with its neighbors required obeisance to her wishes. In the present century, our countries are sovereign over their own affairs and in their relationships.

Fence-mending exercise In an article last Saturday (August 10), the South China Morning Post reported that China is seeking to repair ties with the Philippines after the angry backlash over the sinking of the Filipino fishing boat.

Laura Zhou of the SCMP wrote: “Observers said the visit could be a fence-mending exercise after the incident, in which a Chinese trawler was accused of ramming the other ship before it fled the

scene, leaving 22 Filipino fishermen in the sea until a passing Vietnamese boat came to the rescue.

“The incident triggered a strong backlash in the Philippines, and opposition politicians demanded a stronger response to China’s increasingly assertive stance after years of increasingly warm ties under Duterte.

“The visit to Beijing will be Duterte’s fifth as president and he said he would use it to address all South China Sea issues, including the 2016 ruling that rejected China’s claim to the waters.

“The decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague in 2016 triggered a serious diplomatic crisis until Duterte, who came to power a month before the ruling was delivered, visited Beijing and said he would ‘set aside’ the ruling.”

Kang Lin, director of the Hainan Institute for Regional Development and Governance, as quoted

by Zhou, said: “The ruling could be a reasonable political tool for Duterte as he is halfway through his six-year term and is now under intense pressure over tensions with China in the South China Sea.” Ambassador Zhao’s statement in Manila harkens to an old and different view of the issue. It seeks to douse cold water on Duterte’s plan to raise the arbitral ruling during his meeting with Xi. If the object of Zhao’s harsh words was to stop all discussion, they should intensify even more our President’s resolve to discuss all issues during his visit to

China.

Significantly, Xu Liping, director of the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences Center for Southeast Asian Studies, as again quoted by Zhou, says intense domestic pressure prompted by the ship’s sinking could be an ‘urgent factor’ behind Duterte’s upcoming visit to China, the second since April.

Xu said in Zhou’s article: “The two sides will try to avoid any misunderstandings and miscalculations over the South China Sea issues … as Duterte is now facing enormous political pressure. “‘This can hardly be fully resolved by Duterte alone and a joint effort with China is also needed to ensure negative sentiment [against China] does not grow.’

“Beijing has tried to play down the collision between the two vessels, with the Chinese embassy in Manila insisting that the Chinese ship had tried to rescue the fishermen but fled after being ‘suddenly besieged by seven or eight Filipino fishing boats.’

“Xu said Beijing may also want to review its way of handling the crisis, which had ‘a big room for improvement.’ “‘There was no apology nor explanation from the Chinese side and that’s why there has been deep negativity towards China,’ Xu said.”

The state and prospects of China-Philippine relations look much better when you set aside the illconsidered words of Ambassador Zhao. I hope my questions will merit a response from him. (ManilaTimes.net)

Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

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SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

Friday, August 16, 2019

SF

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

In Netflix’s ‘Happy Jail,’ Fil-Am filmmaker Michele Josue shows Cebu jail is more than viral dancing inmates an ex-convict as a management consultant.

What was intended to be a WHILE the Philippine ography, what actually goes documentary on the dancing island of Cebu boasts some on inside the prison? Filipina program evolved into “an inof the best beaches in the American filmmaker Michele depth, humanistic document country, it has also gained Josue had the same quesinternational attention for tion, which led to the creation of the complexities of life at CPDRC,” Josue said. its jail that features dancing of “Happy Jail,” a five-part In a recent interview with as a recreational activity for documentary series premierthe Asian Journal, the Filipina inmates. ing globally on Netflix on American filmmaker walks us Cebu Provincial Detention Wednesday, August 14. through the filming process and Rehabilitation Center After finishing the docuand shares hopes it will bring (CPDRC), a maximum security mentary “Matt Shepard is a prison, made headlines in Friend of Mine” — which won more nuanced Filipino and 2007 after a video of around the Daytime Emmy Award for Fil-Am stories to a global platform like Netflix.

1,500 inmates dancing to “Outstanding Special Class Asian Journal (AJ): Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” Special” in 2016 as well as 10 What were some influences went viral. Twelve years Best Documentary and Audigrowing up that led you to later, that original video has ence Choice Awards globally become a filmmaker? reached 58.5 million views.

— Josue shifted gears to the Michele Josue (MJ): My Visitors have also flocked to Cebu jail and spent three parents are from the Philipthe jail to watch the inmates years filming there. In that pines… a very small town in dance live; at one point, time, the Philippine govNegros [Occidental] called monthly performances were ernment ushered in a new Sagay City. My mom got a job open to the public. administration and CPDRC at the International Monetary But beyond the chorefaced scrutiny when it hired Fund in D.C. so she came over to the states in her 20s and my dad followed. They wanted to start a new life.

We were born and [lived in] Maryland. Through my mom’s work, I got the opportunity to study abroad at an international boarding school in Switzerland and it was there where my love of art, story and theater took place…A foundational part of our curriculum at that school was Photo courtesy of Netflix learning about the arts and seeing important works in museums…I started writing my own plays and casting my friends in them and that’s when I discovered I had a lot more fulfillment being behind the scenes. Then I applied to film school at Emerson and it goes on from there. I discovered documentary many, many years later.

AJ: How did you land on documentaries as your form of storytelling?

“Happy Jail” features the famous dancing program at Cebu Provincial Detention and Rehabilitation MJ: It’s really interesting Center (CPDRC) in Cebu, Philippines.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

by Christina

M. Oriel / AJPress

Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Michele Josue Photo courtesy of Netflix

because I went to film school in the ‘90s. There was such a good wave of films back then, especially independently speaking — just really well-written films. [Quentin] Tarantino was coming up and I thought that was going to be my avenue. Through a job I got doing short documentaries for schools and universities, like branded content, I realized for me, I loved connecting to real people, being open and listening to them.

I found that real people and real stories were just so much more fascinating and layered than anything I could write.

I feel that was something I enjoyed and found satisfying.

AJ: After “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine,” what was next in finding another story and developing ‘Happy Jail’ based on the viral video in 2007?

MJ: Both of these stories were happening at the same time, at least for me.

I wanted to make “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine” when I was ready and I had the blessing of Matt’s family.

That was around 2007, which

“Happy Jail” by Filipina American filmmaker Michele Josue is a five-part docu-series available globally on Netflix.

Photo courtesy of Netflix

was when the viral YouTube video of “Thriller” came out.

I found that equally compelling but I wanted to focus on Matt Shepard. When I felt that could truly stand on its own legs, I switched focus to the dancing inmates. It was something that stuck with me even through the whole “Matt Shepard is a Friend of Mine” filming period. I saw the video and was so fascinated by it and had so many questions. How was it possible that the inmates were able to dance so joyfully and [be] united together within this jail system? I knew

I would go back to that as soon as I was ready.

AJ: What the process in terms of planning out how you would film and get access to the Cebu jail as well as to local politicians and public figures?

MJ: The first step was having to see [the jail] with my own two eyes. It’s one thing to see it on YouTube, but another to actually be there in person and see if this is really a worthy endeavor. I went to the Philippines with my family in the summer of 2014 and saw [the inmates] dance this Continued on Page SF3

community SF Ryan Cayabyab receives Ramon Magsaysay Award 2019 for ‘defining Filipino music’ The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

by Deni Rose M. AfiniDAD-BeRnARDo Philstar.com

NATIONAL Artist and Original Pilipino Music icon Ryan Cayabyab is among the recipients of this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Awards, considered as Asia’s Nobel Prize.

Cayabyab was chosen THE THIRD BATCH OF KAPAMILYA WHO CAME TO THE “CITIZEN PINOY” TAPING IN ILLINOIS GET THEIR QUESTIONS ANSWERED THIS SUNDAY! Can a mother still use the same petition she filed for her son back in 1992, even if the son did not pursue the case back then because he got married?What is the fastest way for for “nurturing the gift and a mother to bring her two aged-out children to the U.S.? What happens if an applicant diligently completed his Employment-Based Visa Application (EB3), only unifying power of music,” the to find out that his lawyer never filed the case? Get answers to these and more on an encore episode of — “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday at 6:15 p.m. PST/EST Ramon Magsaysay Awards (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement) Foundation said in its website.

“In electing Raymundo Pujante Cayabyab to receive the 2019 Ramon Magsaysay Award, the board of trustees recognizes his compositions and performances that have defined and inspired Filipino popular music across generasubmitted, but now, years later, WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com USCIS said it was not?

Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw tions; his indomitable, undeImmigration terred confidence to selflessly The Denial noted that even and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Corner though he had submitted eviCall Toll free to schedule a consultation seek, mentor and promote young Filipino musical genius dence/proof of joint documents for anywhere in the US: for the global stage; and his in connection with his first mar1-866-487-3465 showing us all that music riage, including joint tax returns, (866) – GURFINKEL Atty. MichAel can indeed instill pride and joint utility bills, joint bank stateFour offices to serve you: Gurfinkel, eSQ ments, dozens of pictures, etc., LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW joy, and unify people across MANY people believe that the many barriers that divide this evidence/documentation YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES once they obtain a green card now did “not reflect an ongoing (Advertising Supplement) them,” the foundation said. through marriage, they are relationship existed outside of “home free” as far as their legal the documentation.” The Decistatus is concerned. They are sion concluded that because the now green card holders. They person did not establish by clear can get divorced, remarry, file and convincing evidence that he a petition for their new spouse, had a bona fide marriage with seek naturalization, etc. his first wife, or that he and his Imagine a green card first wife shared the emotional, holder’s surprise when USCIS economic or domestic bonds “reopened” his file, dug into his normally associated with marpast, and concluded he obtained riage, his current petition for his his green card through a fixed second wife was being denied. marriage. This may be a sign of What can also happen is he things to come under Trump, could now be placed in deportawhere a person’s immigration tion/removal proceedings, with status and file (whether green USCIS attempting to revoke his card holder or US citizen) could green card on the basis it was be reopened, re-examined, and obtained “unlawfully” through a revoked. fixed marriage.

In that case, a Filipino marGiven this new era of ried a U.S. citizen and obtained Trump’s strict immigration lawful permanent residence enforcement, including going through her petition in 2013. The back and reopening a person’s couple later divorced in 2015, old immigration file, people and he married another woman should consider seeking the in 2016. He then petitioned his advice and representation of second wife in the F-2A category attorneys, rather than trying to as the spouse of a lawful perdo it themselves. In the past, it manent resident. Unfortunately, may have been considered a USCIS denied the petition based relatively simple case of a spouse on the petitioner’s prior “fixed petitioning a spouse. Who would marriage” with his first wife. have thought, that a person who What was interesting in the was already granted a green denial was USCIS concluded that card because the evidence was the petitioner had “submitted sufficient at that time, that USCIS sufficient evidence that estabwould take a “second look” and lished a bona fide relationship” determine the previous evidence between himself and his new is now insufficient, and the wife. However, the problem was person (even if now a petitioner) he “did not establish by clear obtained a green card unlawfully, and convincing evidence” that his green card could be revoked his marriage to his U.S. citizen and be placed in removal/deporfirst wife was bona fide. In other tation? words, even though he had a *** green card for several years, Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorand, in approving the green ney for over 35 years and is licensed, card, USCIS was satisfied his first and an active member of the State Bars marriage was bona fide, USCIS of California and New York. All immigrareopened HIS adjustment case as tion services are provided by, or under part of processing his petition for the supervision of, an active member of his second wife, and concluded the State Bar of California. Each case is his first marriage was fixed. different and results may depend on the USCIS noted that “little evifacts of the particular case. The informadence was submitted to establish tion and opinions contained herein (inthe claimed relationship.” In oth- cluding testimonials, “Success Stories”, er words, he supposedly did not endorsements and re-enactments) are provide sufficient documentation of a general nature, and are not intended concerning the bona fides of his to apply to any particular case, and do first marriage. If that were the not constitute a prediction, warranty, case, why did USCIS approve the guarantee or legal advice regarding the case in the first place? Why was outcome of your legal matter. No atthe documentation and evidence torney-client relationship is, or shall be, sufficient when it was originally established with any reader.

Petition denied based on petitioner’s prior fixed marriage

In Netflix’s...

From Page SF2 beautiful, 45-minute Michael Jackson medley and I got goosebumps. I was looking at different inmates in the crowd and seeing their faces…so happy to be performing, to hear the music and to be moving like that was when I knew that yes, this is something I indeed wanted to do and explore but it was only a few years later when I could devote the amount of time it needed.

We took a spec trip to the jail in 2016 and tried to get the lay of the land. It wasn’t like a methodically thoughtout process. It was more of we took it very slowly over many years. We started this project as more straightforward on the dancing inmates and that program but

because of the timing and what was happening at the jail, it just grew bigger and things kept unfolding. As a whole team, we pivoted and followed the action wherever that led us. That took us to speaking with the local government officials and just doing whatever we could to follow the story. It was more of a long, organic process than something that was plotted out ahead of time.

AJ: Was there any pushback or any challenges during the production?

MJ: Surprisingly no! That still blows my mind. They were very welcoming and they let us have full access to the jail. We tried to be as low-key as possible and I very strongly believe in building Continued on Page SF5

and traditional native songs.

Heeding his mother’s admonitions to shun the musician’s financially unrewarding career, Ryan took up a business management course, but to help pay for his university studies he took on side jobs as pianist or accompanist for musical artists. The parents of one such artist were so impressed with his talent that they gave Ryan a full scholarship to pursue a degree in music instead.

From this point on, music National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab would be his life-work.

Contributed photo Ryan started to write music in the late 1970s, making Born in Manila as one of four siblings, Ryan’s father was his mark when his signature song “Kay Ganda ng Ating a government employee, his Musika” (“How Beautiful is mother an opera singer and Our Music”) won the grand music teacher. Though the prize in the first Metro Manila family’s circumstances were popular music festival in 1978 modest, theirs was a home and in an international song filled with music, particularly since his mother took in music festival in South Korea in the same year. students as boarders.

He went on to win in other Everyone in the house competitions and performed seemed to be either singing widely in the Philippines and or playing an instrument, and abroad. As head and artistic Ryan grew up listening to Continued on Page SF6 classical music, opera arias,

SF

celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

Kris Aquino, Gabby Concepcion star in new movie

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar AFTER taking a short break from making movies, the Queen of All Media Kris Aquino is coming out with a new film with no less than matinee idol Gabby Concepcion. In a video blog entry last Tuesday, August 13, Kris and Gabby shared a few details about their project.

Kris surprised her new costar on his first shooting day of their new movie, “(K)ampon,” by bringing him some gifts. “(K)ampon” is a horror film wherein Gabby and Kris will play as husband and wife.

“The whole premise of this movie is nagkamali ka,” said Kris to Gabby, who plays the role of Clark. “May nabuo. Nag-suffer ako.”

The actor added, “Well, may nangyari kasi prior to us. so hindi ko naman alam na may nabuo. That was before us, so nung nagkita na tayo, hindi ko naman alam na may nabuo pala.”

According to Gabby, the story line of their new film is very interesting. Kris agreed with him.

“Without revealing too much, I’d like to make it clear that what attracted me to this is that sometimes, in marriage, you also develop a friendship. Kasi sometimes, ang dalas nating kasi na, ‘We’re together because of the kids.’

Kawawa naman ‘yung mga bata.

But sometimes, you do stay together because best friends na kayo. And I think ‘yun ang naging relationship ni Clark at ni Grace.

She also added, “’Yung din ang mata-tackle natin dito, na there are many forms of love and there are many types of marriages. At ‘yun ang mapapanood ninyo dito. But along

the way kaya nga siya tinaway na ‘(K)ampon’ at kaya naging horror ito, malalaman ninyo kung ano iyong pinagdaanan at pinagbayaran nilang dalawa ng dahil sa isang gabing pagkakamali. So warning na iyan sa inyong mga lalaki.

Originally, the role of Clark was given to Derek Ramsay, but the actor had to back out because of conflict of schedule. “(K)ampon” is made by Quantum Films and Spring Films and is an entry for the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival. *** Even having been in showbiz for over two decades, Kapamilya actress Shaina Magdayao admitted that she almost quit her career.

During a press conference for her new teleserye, “Nang Ngumiti Ang Langit,” the actress shared that she once asked herself if it was still worth staying in the industry.

“Five, four years ago,

that’s when I started questioning. Parang ano ba talagang ginagawa ko? Whenenver I talk about this, parang sinubo lang sa akin ang showbiz. when I was younger, para lang naglalaro.

“Then it started to feel like work. Lalo na nung napupuyat na ako, I started questioning.

And then dumating din sa point na parang nagawa ko na lahat,” she said.

However, one of the reasons why she decided to stay is because she continues to get offers for good projects. “[Just] when I started questioning that, I was give, good serious roles. [So] I took it as a challenge,” she added.

The actress was also asked about her personal life, in which she only replied, “If it’s meant to happen, walang makakapigil.

So when it happens, of course I will tell you, I will tell everyone pero sa ngayon, wala pang isang taong pwedeng magclaim non.”

Filipina community leader Dorie Cachuela Paniza is shown in photo with boxing champ Manny Pacquiao’s mother, Dionesia Pacquiao, during the recent fight of her son in Las Vegas.

Matinee idol Gabby Concepcion is Kris Aquino’s co-star in their new horror film, “(K)ampon.”

The Queen of All Media Kris Aquino recently shared via her video blog that she has a new project with matinee idol Gabby Concepcion.

Kapamilya actress Shaina Magdayao recently shared that she once thought of quitting showbiz.

Handsome and talented actor Wendell Ramos is the lead star of GMA Pinoy TV’s teleserye, Prima Donnas,” which will start on Monday, August 19.

Beautiful and talented actress Maja Salvador is the lead star in the newest teleserye, “The Killer Bride.”

Twenty-four-year-old Jin Macapagal of Cebu was hailed as the Ultimate Bidaman of the “Bidaman: The Big Break” grand finale on “It’s Showtime” last Saturday, August 10.

The 8th Annual PAPC Plaridel Awards call for entries Submission deadline extended to August 31, 2019

SAN FRANCISCO — The Philippine American Press Club USA is proud to announce the eighth Plaridel Awards which will be held on Thursday, October 3, 2019 in San Francisco.

Call for Entries are now in full swing. Entries for this year’s competition must have seen print or had been broadcast through a Filipino American or mainstream media anywhere in the U.S. between June 1, 2018 thru May 31, 2019. Deadline for submission has been extended to August 31, 2019.

Established in 2012, The Plaridel was created to inspire and empower journalists of Filipino descent by acknowledging and celebrating outstanding journalism. Now in its 8thyear, The Plaridel has become a benchmark among Filipino American journalists in rating news and contents nationwide.

With the caliber of the judges chosen for The Plaridel, PAPC is confident that winning articles are outstanding in content, form and style among other

aspects of good journalism.

Trophies will be given to the winners with the best written articles or reportage that provide a unique perspective on the issues and concerns of Filipino Americans and/or the community at large.

Categories for print and online articles include Investigative/In-Depth Story, Commentary or Editorial Essay, International Reporting, Entertainment Story, and Youth Voice among others. For Broadcast TV and Radio, the categories are Community Reporting, and Documentary. Last but not least, there is a category for Photojournalism. Writers can submit entries for three different categories in the Plaridel Awards.

Philippine American Press Club, U.S.A. (PAPC) is now in its 31st year of providing a venue for its members to network and affirm their journalistic endeavors as they chronicle the lives and times of their compatriots,promote and share

their culture and history, champion their causes and provide a vehicle where readers/listeners can voice their concerns and ideas for the betterment of the community and society at large.

The name Plaridel was chosen in honor of Marcelo H. Del Pilar, a Filipino patriot, journalist and publisher who brought his craft and zeal as an expatriate to Europe in the late 1800s. He was a prolific writer who kept his constituents abreast of the goings on in their expat community as well as in their homeland. In him PAPC has found a hero – a person to emulate and an inspiration to Filipino American writers and publishers everywhere, who continue in their journalistic aspirations and service to their constituents in the new land they now call home.

For more information on The Plaridel Awards, including entry forms, rules/regulations and categories, please visit www.papcusa.org.

From Page SF3 trust and rapport on camera, as well as off-camera. We were there at the right time, or the wrong time, depending on how you look at it.

They trusted us so there really wasn’t any pushback. It was just when the jail was changing and the administration was changing when we were starting to feel that from a production standpoint so access was not as open by the end of our show’s narrative.

AJ: How did Netflix get involved to have “Happy Jail” as a five-part series versus a full-on documentary?

MJ: Our conversations with Netflix happened pretty early on, which was amazing.

Our executive producer Joe Amodei has a very good relationship with Netflix so

when we started filming, Joe brought this to their attention in the early days and it was something that piqued their interest…Netflix [is] an amazing, powerful platform…[with] some of the boldest stories out there so we thought this would be a perfect home for “Happy Jail.”

AJ: The Netflix catalog has the popular series “Orange Is The New Black” and they’ve done documentaries on prisons around the world. Where does “Happy Jail” fit into Netflix’s offerings and what can we learn as viewers about the Philippine jail system and even Filipino culture?

MJ: We’re at the forefront of that movement, in my opinion. Netflix is wonderful in that it’s so diverse both within their stories and their

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

STORIES make up the fabric of human life. Each life story is one thread in this vast cosmic tapestry of billions of stories all of humanity is weaving from one generation to the next.

We are born in this world with our own unique set of circumstances. We like to believe that each of us is created for a purpose wired into our DNA, like a GPS directing us to a destination — a state of being — whatever that may be.

In the age old fairy tale of “Sleeping Beauty,” Princess Aurora’s life was protected

by Three Good Fairies: Flora, Fauna and Merryweather.

They have gifted her and her Prince Charming with the weapons to fight off the evil

(Advertising Supplement) of the villainess, Maleficent.

In real life, from princes to paupers, most people like to think that they too have been given gifts that serve as shincultural offerings. Netflix is ing weapons when they do go around the world and our through those dark periods show will be available in 190 in every season of life. The countries…The world is inter- darkness can range from just ested in what’s happening on being lonely and isolated for the other side of the globe. periods of time to the more There are so many amazextreme and detrimental ing filmmakers and storytellnegative emotions that drive ers from the Philippines and people to insanity or worse, we’re starting to get our sto- to suicide. ries out there and we’re startWe want to have those ing to tell it the way we want weapons to deal with those it to be told. It’s awesome to inner struggles in order to have a champion in Netflix do battle with deep, dark which understands that and depression and fend off those can provide those stories to international audiences. most vulnerable people AJ: At the end of the in society without a voice. day, what is the call to acI’m proud of “Happy Jail” tion after watching “Happy providing them that platform.

Jail?”

There are people suffering, MJ: “Happy Jail” is an communities suffering and extraordinary story and “Happy Jail” puts a human one that we definitely don’t face to that. But there’s also see in the mainstream. The this inspirational element inmates are some of the to it as well that I think is a

In Netflix’s “Happy Jail,”...

community SF Whatever happened to ‘happily ever after’?

(Part 1 of 3)

“ … All the lonely people Where do they all come from? … All the lonely people Where do they all belong?…”

—Eleanor Rigby, Lennon-McCartney eerie voices that urge the afflicted to inflict self-harm or even worse, to kill others as well.

We would like to become courageous, even bold, as we come out swinging with our blessed swords slaying our dragons every time they rear their ugly heads. Until finally at the end of all earthly struggles, we become happy and content as we stride off into the sunset, victorious and fulfilled. Well, there you have it. There’s that happily-everafter ending to the life stories we seek.

Alas! How we wish most of life’s stories end happily.

These days, instead of happily ever after endings, we have sad stories, cautionary tales, even horror stories to drive us out of our wits’ end.

It’s like being trapped in our seats, strapped tight, in the Theatre of the Macabre and watching grim Tim Burton stories unfolding onscreen on repeat mode.

What is causing all this

darkness, all this loneliness that seems to affect so many people in the world today?

You scratch your head and wonder who let those rabid monstrous creatures out from the gates of hell? It seems the gates are wide open, unleashing all the evils that can be conjured from a witch’s brew simmering in a big black cauldron. All the evils are unleashed from Pandora’s box with just one thing left at the bottom of the box — HOPE. There is an onslaught of overwhelming assaults that come in all forms from just everywhere, facilitated by the startling phenomenon of social media and the ease of anything going viral through the internet. This warped, perverse world we live in today seems to delight in mischief and mayhem.

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

touchpoint for Filipinos all around the world that they understand we are able to find joy, happiness and hope in the face of incredible challenges and hardships. That is what “Happy Jail” does very well. The world is better served recognizing that.

Also representation

— just showing people that this is happening and making them aware and connecting to it on a human level so that it may resonate deeply and that they may want to get more educated and see what can be done. Just think about these things in a more Continued on Page SF7

SF

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

Immigration updates: F2A category current for July, DACA, USCIS Manila Field Office

The CTV Files

Atty. LiLLi BAcuLi coLLins, EsQ

F2A CATEGORY (FAMILY-SPONSORED PREFERENCE CASES) CURRENT FOR JULY 2019.

The Department of State posted the Visa Bulletin for July 2019, showing the Final Action Date chart for family-sponsored preference cases (Chart A) for family-based F2A preference category is CURRENT for all countries for the month of July 2019. The F2A category include the spouses and children of lawful permanent residents.

FamilySponsored

All Chargeability Areas Except Those Listed

CHINA - mainland born

INDIA

MEXICO

PHILIPPINES

F2A

C

C

C

C

C

This means that those with approved I-130 Petitions under this category are now able to visa process (apply for their immigrant visas at a U.S. Embassy) if they are outside of the United States. For those who are in the United States, this means that 26TH ANNUAL PISTAHAN PARADE & FESTIVAL. One of the Filipino American community’s significant events in downtown San Francisco, the annual Pistahan individuals under this category Parade & Festival, took place on August 10-11, 2019 at the Yerba Buena Gardens. The festival featured a parade, multiple pavilions (art, culinary, dance, will be able to file for their Adhealth, innovation, leadership, sports), entertainment featuring local and Philippine-based artists, and booths offering services, products and Filipino cuisine.

This year, the TFC Hour featured singers Morissette Amon and Billy Crawford. Photo above shows event organizers, partners/sponsors, and special guests as justment of Status applications. certificates were handed out on stage by California State Treasurer Fiona Ma (2nd from left) and Marjan Philhour, Senior Advisor to SF Mayor London Breed We encourage people to (4th from left). With State Treasurer Ma and Philhour in photo are (from left) Genevieve Jopanda, Chief of Staff for State Treasurer Ma; Al Perez, president of seek competent legal advice Filipino American Arts Exposition and member of the SF Entertainment Commission; Pati Navalta Poblete, 2019 Pistahan Hermana Mayor; Sabrina Pacheco, from an experienced immigra2019 Pistahan Parade Director; Henni Espinosa of Balitang America, representing premier sponsor ABS-CBN/TFC; and Consul General Henry Bensurto, Jr. of the tion attorney or immigration Philippine Consulate General of San Francisco. Both Mayor Breed and ConGen Bensurto were Parade Grand Marshalls of the 2019 Pistahan. law firm, what it means when AJPress photo by Joseph Peralta the Visa Bulletin is “Current” and what their immigration options are under current immigration laws.

Deferred Action (DACA) renewals

by MJ Marfori According to the American ManilaTImes.net Immigration Lawyers AssociaRHIAN Ramos may be returntion (AILA), the Supreme Court ing to primetime via GMA Netconsolidated and granted work’s upcoming drama series certiorari in several cases last “Love Of My Life,” but she tells week, challenging the Trump The Times it’s pretty ironic she’s Administration’s rescission doing tearjerkers. of the DACA program. AILA “Honestly when I was young further reports that there are and not in showbiz yet, I grew no new changes to the DACA up watching shows like ‘Saturday program at this time, and is Night Live!’ and I thought one still being implemented on the day I’d grow up and be a comedienne. So I don’t know how it happened, naging dramatic actor ako,” she gave a hearty Rhian Ramos is back in Manila after taking acting courses in New York. laugh.

From Page SF3 Photo from Instagram/@whianwamos Comedy is actually the director of the San Miguel that movie mainly because tatlo reason why Rhian had been miss- stay in the Big Apple for almost Foundation for the Performing two months after completing her lang kaming Filipino in it — me, ing in action for more than four Arts, he acted as conductor, Karla Humphries and Dante course so she could attend the months in the spotlight. arranger, and composer of its red carpet premiere of her latest Basco. The others were actors “I studied Improvisational award-winning Philharmonic from Hollywood, and what sets film “Empty By Design,” which Comedy in New York. At least Orchestra and Master Chothis film apart is how the foreign rale. Subsequently, he would I’m still trying to keep the dream won Best International Feature actors portrayed Filipino roles! I alive by going there and learning Film at the SOHO Film Festival be involved in training singers guess it resonated well with so as. more about it.” and music groups that have “I’m so proud to be a part of many audiences in the U.S.” Rhian in fact extended her won significant national and

Rhian sharpens her comedic skills

terms of the prior court rulings.

The Supreme Court will be issuing a decision following oral arguments, likely sometime in the beginning of 2020.

Individuals who were previously granted DACA may request renewal of their deferred action and their employment authorization with the appropriate fee or approved fee exemption request at the USCIS designated filing location, and in accordance with instructions in the Form I-821D and form I-765 applications.

USCIS is not accepting requests from individuals who have never been granted deferred action under DACA. Moreover, USCIS will not accept or approve applications for Advance Parole request from DACA recipients.

USCIS Field Office in Manila In June 2019, USCIS announced that the field office in Manila, Philippines will permanently close on July 5, 2019.

The office began redirecting Forms I-130 Petitions on May 14, 2019. According to the USCIS announcement, the U.S.

Embassy in Manila will assume responsibility for certain limited services previously provided by USCIS to individuals residing in the Philippines.

Consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before filing We urge individuals to pause and take the time to consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before submitting any application with USCIS, and to make clear what options they have or are able to avail of under current immigration laws. *** Atty. Lilli Baculi Collins is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 495-8088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys.com; www.chuatinsayvega.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Ryan Cayabyab receives Ramon... international recognition.

At home in diverse genres and media — choral and orchestral works, musical theater, opera and ballet, television programs, film scores, commercial recordings of popular music — Ryan has influenced the shaping of Philippine music culture. An instance is the role he has played in the

OPM movement to promote a culturally distinct, contemporary Filipino popular music.

The movement arose in the 1970s with the Metro Manila Popular Music Festival, continuing to this day with Philpop Music Festival. Ryan has played a leading role in these and other festivals, Continued on Page SF7

Community fundraiser for indigenous & environmental rights advocate Family and friends urge US Embassy in the PH to provide protection for American citizen who is in critical condition

THE San Francisco Committee for Human Rights in the Philippines and Malaya Movement NorCal will hold a community fundraiser for indigeous and environmental rights advocate Brandon Lee on Friday, August 13, 6 p.m. at Bindlestiff Studio, 185 6th Street, San Francisco.

Lee is in critical condition following four gunshots to the back and spine sustained early Tuesday morning, August 7, Pacific time. He is the first United States citizen believed to be the target of an extrajudicial assassination attempt by the regime of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

Lee is a journalist and Chinese American San Francisco

native who has been living in Ifugao, Philippines and serves as a paralegal for the Cordillera Human Rights Alliance.

Lee grew up in the Sunset District where his family still lives, and attended Lincoln High School and San Francisco State University.

Prior to the Tuesday shooting, Lee was “redtagged” by the Philippine military incursions 2015 for his advocacy to protect the land and rights of indigenous people in the Cordilleras, and has been subject to surveillance and threats over the past four years.

Supervisor Mar joined Lee’s family and community to call on Congressional sup-

port from Speaker Pelosi and Senators Feinstein and Harris for immediate security protections from the U.S. Embassy and an investigation of his shooting.

There have been over 30,000 reported extrajudicial killings in the Philippines under President Duterte. Most of the victims are alleged drug users or dealers, as well as administration citics and human rights advocates, killed without due process. In April of this year the San Francisco Labor Council and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors each unanimously passed resolutions condemning the killings under the Duterte regime.

in the future?

MJ: I’m not quite sure as we’re kind of taking it day by day. I’m an independent filmmaker through and through and I’ve never worked at this level where something I’ve created is going to be seen or available around the globe simultaneously…It’s very overwhelming so I’m trying to be as open and as grateful to the opportunity as I can. I would love to do more ‘Happy Jails’ as possible. I see there are endless amounts of fascinating stories coming out of the Philippines and especially with the dancing inmates.

I do hope to create more stories that amplify the Filipino and Filipino American experience but other than that, I am hoping for the best for the show and I hope it helps other shows like it come to light as well.

AJ: What have you learned about yourself as a filmmaker through this and any advice for aspiring storytellers?

MJ: I think it’s the same lessons that keep repeating itself to me over and over throughout my career. You always have to be a champion for yourself and not expect someone else to come in and be that superman or superwoman for you. No one is going to be a bigger advocate for yourself and your voice than you. So knowing and leaning into that is always my ultimate lesson.

It’s really what you put into the project. I’m passionate, tenacious and hardworking and I think that comes across in my work. I would say to anyone to just know

Ryan Cayabyab receives...

From Page SF6 which have been important in inspiring and promoting thousands of singers and songwriters in the country.

Ryan is driven by a passion to mentor, educate, and contribute to the flourishing of Filipino musical talent. He has served in the music faculty of the University of the Philippines, runs a music studio with his wife, and has conducted free workshops for thousands of students all across the country. He is a moving force in the Philpop Musicfest Foundation and the Elements Music Camp, major initiatives dedicated to music training, promoting Filipino music abroad, and fostering Filipino cultural identity through music. Honored in 2018 as Philippine National Artist for Music, he was cited for his music that “extols the exuberance of life and human happiness, thus capturing the very essence of our Filipino soul.”

Versatile, a consummate professional, and universally liked, Ryan Cayabyab is virtually omnipresent in the Philippine music industry today. For over four decades, his contributions as a composer, arranger, music director, conductor, performer, and educator have been huge.

For “pushing OPM to greater heights,” Cayabyab was conferred the title National Artist last year by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

An inspiration and guiding light to many, Ryan said, “The next generation should be better than us for our country to move forward. For this to happen we must teach them everything we know at every possible instance. I like teaching, I like sharing what I know, and I like playing music. When I’m doing all these, I’m very happy.”

Apart from Ryan, among those who received this year’s Ramon Magsaysay Award were Myanmar journalist Ko Swe Win, Thai human rights advocate Angkhana Neelapaijit, South Korean businessman Jong-ki Kim, Indian journalist Ravish Kumar, East Timor humanitarian Maria de Lourdes Martins Cruz, Filipino social entrepreneur Howard Dee, Indian doctor Bharat Vatwani, Vietnamese advocate for differently-abled people Vo Thi Hoang Yen, and Indian education reformist Sonam Wangchuk.

The Ramon Magsaysay Award, considered as Asia’s premier prize and highest honor, aims to celebrate greatness of spirit and transformative leadership in Asia.

In the past six decades, the award has been bestowed on over three hundred outstanding men, women and organizations whose selfless service has offered their societies, Asia, and the world successful solutions to some of the most intractable problems of human development.

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019

‘To be a better man’: Gerald remains positive amid controversy

by Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

DESPITE the ongoing controversy on his split with actress Bea Alonzo, Kapamilya actor Gerald Anderson shared he remains positive in life, saying his goal is to become a better man.

In an interview with the press during the Skechers Performance Run 2019 on Sunday, August 11, Gerald said that he has no choice but to have a positive outlook in life.

“Sa daming negativity, alangan namang pati ako maging nega rin. The only way to fight negativity is being positive. Thinking positive vibes and doing something positive also.

Siyempre ang daming negative energy, but if you channel it the it’s not easy but it’s worth right way, may magagawa kang it and you do have to have mabuti. So ayon ‘yung goal ko, that passion and drive. In the to come out a better man and end, it really, really is worth a better person,” Gerald told it and it’s important what we Philstar.com. do…for people to see stories He, however, admitted that like this because otherwise, he is still affected by the latest they won’t know about it. brouhaha involving his former This interview has been girlfriend Bea and “Between edited and condensed for Maybes” co-star Julia Barretto. clarity.

In Netflix’s “Happy Jail,”...

From Page SF5 empathic way. Ultimately that’s our job as storytellers to provide that opportunity for people to step into other people’s shoes that they may not normally get to relate to at all.

AJ: Without giving too much away, are there any particular moments/scenes within the episodes that continue to resonate with you?

MJ: Absolutely! It’s really hard to answer that without giving it away for sure. But I’ll say one funny thing, anytime we went to start filming for the day…we’d have maybe a 30-minute drive up to the mountain to the jail and we’d talk as a crew about what we would prepare for and what we were going to film. But we always knew that as soon as we got there, things would change.

It reminds me of an episode in “The Simpsons,” how an episode starts one way and then it pivots and becomes about something else.

I take that with me, just how the pace is so fast and it kept me on my toes. There are so many moments I can pinpoint to throughout the show where I could say, “Oh yeah, that was totally unexpected,” especially at the end of episode 3 — we did not see that happening. A lot of dances were wonderful and I’ll always take that with me.

AJ: “Happy Jail” drops on August 14 and the organization FilAm Arts is holding a community screening in Los Angeles for it the day after. What else can we expect from you and any other projects you’re working on

people & events

Gerald Anderson

“Siyempre but more than me ‘yung mga tao sa paligid ko, ‘yung mga mahal ko sa buhay, ‘yung pamilya ko, ‘yun ang mas masakit eh. Kasi kung ako lang parang okay lang sanay naman na ko. Pero mahirap ‘pag ‘yung pamilya mo. That’s the power of social media, pwede siyang maging kakampi mo, pwede siyang maging weapon so we have to use it in a right way,”

ABS-CBN photo

Gerald said.

He said he is hopeful that he will learn more from the controversy since he believes that challenges are always there for him to become a better person.

“Kapag may challenge na dumarating sa buhay mo, laging may natututunan tayo. Ang importante ‘don, we learned something from all of this,” he said.

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - August 16, 2019