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FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Criminal investigation is underway over deadly Santa Cruz Island boat fire that killed 34, including Fil-Am family

Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

‘No chance’ for UN probe into Philippines’ drug war, Locsin says

The Labor Day tragedy becomes one of California’s worst maritime disasters AFTER the tragic Labor Day fire on the diving vessel Conception that claimed 34 victims, a joint investigation conducted by federal and state authorities has gone underway, a law enforcement source said on Monday, Sept. 9.

Initial reporting from the Los Angeles Times and the Associated Press said that the Dept. of Justice; the Coast Guard; the FBI, the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office are leading the investigation. The criminal probe follows a search of the company that owns the 75-foot vessel, Truth Aquatics, on Sunday, September 8.

a probe into alleged human rights violations in the Philippines.

The 11 independent experts noted a “staggering THE Philippines’ top diplomat would not allow the number of unlawful deaths” in the conduct of the United Nations (UN) to come into the country and in- Philippines’ war on drugs. vestigate alleged human rights violations linked to the “We are extremely concerned over the high war on drugs. number of killings which are being carried out Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said he across the country in an apparent climate of offiwill not be giving the UN a chance to do so. cials, institutional impunity,” the experts said in a “No – I don’t want them coming here and then say- joint statement. ing that everything they have been saying, but have DFA: Call ‘made in bad faith’ not proved, is true ‘because we saw it,’” Locsin said The Department of Foreign Affairs rejected this in an interview with ANC’s “Headstart” Wednesday, call of the UN special rapporteurs, claiming that it September 11. was “made in bad faith.”

In June, 11 independent human rights experts called The DFA said the call for an independent probe on the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) to launch into human rights violations in the Philippines was

by PATRICIA LOURDES Philstar.com

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

NEXT month, the Trump administration’s changes to the public charge rule will take effect but not before immigrant rights’ groups have a chance to challenge it.

In August, the Dept. of Homeland Security (DHS) finalized the changes made to the federal public charge rule, a test immigration officials use on immigrants to determine whether or not government programs will be incoming immigrants’ sole source of financial, nutritional and shelter support.

A SURVEY by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) released earlier this summer showed that an estimated number of 2.3 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) worked abroad at anytime during the period April to September 2018.

Of the 2.3 million, female OFWs comprised 55.8 percent of the total number.

Additionally, female OFWs were generally younger than male OFWs, with about 47.5 percent of the female OFWs belonging to the age group 25 to 34 years. Male OFWs in the same age group, on the other hand, made up 38.9 percent.

Male OFWs aged 45 years and older comprised 21.2 percent of all male OFWs while the female OFWs in this age group

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The controversial rule change that could affect to take effect Oct. 15

made by parties “who want to undermine domestic process and spread disinformation.”

“This action indicates the refusal of these parties to engage in true dialogue,” the DFA said in a statement.

The UN Human Rights Council, on the other hand, had adopted a resolution mandating a “comprehensive” review of the Philippines’ drug war.

A total of 18 out of 47 member-states voted in favor of the Iceland-led resolution calling on the Philippines “to take all necessary measures to prevent extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances, to carry out impartial investigations and to hold perpetrators accountable in accordance with international norms and standards on due process and the rule of law.” ■

PSA: Filipina overseas workers outnumber males

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Immigrants rights orgs, advocates join forces to fight Trump’s public charge rule

VIRAY

REGIONAL PARTNERSHIP. President Rodrigo Duterte and Republic of Singapore President Halimah Yacob give their joint press statement following their successful expanded bilateral meeting at the Malacañan Palace during the latter’s state visit to the Philippines on Monday, September 9. Duterte expressed his interest on deepening defense and security ties with Singapore by strengthening the defense dialogues and training exchanges between the two countries’ military and special forces.

Malacañang photo by photo by Toto Lozano

Palace: Duterte to certify anti-discrimination, not SOGIE, bill as urgent African swine fever reaches the Philippines

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

was not talking about the SOGIE bill.

“He was referring to an antiMALACAÑANG on Wednesday, discrimination bill, not SOGIE September 11, clarified that presi- bill much like the anti-discriminadent Rodrigo Duterte will certify as tion ordinance existing in Davao urgent the proposed law against passed when he was still the maydiscrimination, not the Sexual Ori- or there,” he said.

Panelo also reiterated this clarientation and Gender Identity or fication during an interview with Expression (SOGIE) bill.

On Tuesday, September 10, CNN Philippines.

“He said, ‘I have that, we have Duterte said he will certify as urgent the SOGIE bill, which seeks that in Davao.’ He was really to shield the LGBT community specifically referring to that antidiscrimination law in Davao,” he against hate and prejudice.

“Yes, whatever would make the said.

A measure seeking to ban “all mechanisms, what would make them happy,” he answered when forms” of discrimination in the country has been filed by Sen. asked about the bill.

However, Presidential Spokes- Sonny Angara.

“Siguro mas maganda iyon, person Salvador Panelo, in a text message, clarified that Duterte kung (perhaps that is better, if

there is a) broader audience. Otherwise baka may problema ka sa (you may have a problem with) class legislation,” Panelo said.

“Basta ayaw niya ng (he dislikes) discrimination, iyon ang (that is) very clear. He’s outraged by any form of discrimination, against any particular class or person,” he added.

The SOGIE bill has been tackled by senators after the temporary detention of a transgender woman who attempted to use the female toilet at a Quezon City mall last month.

Several conservative groups, on the other hand, are opposed to the measure. They cited Biblical doctrine and alleged that the bill would be discriminatory against sectors outside the LGBT. ■

CANLAS ManilaTimes.net

SEVERAL Supreme Court (SC) justices were inclined to oppose the draft decision circulated by Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa dismissing the poll protest filed by former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos against Vice President Leonor Robredo, sources told The Manila Times on Tuesday, September 10.

Caguioa’s draft decision, copies of which were sent to Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin and the 13 associate justices on Monday, September 9 upheld the proclamation of Robredo.

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by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Department of Agriculture on Monday, September 9, confirmed that the African swine fever was the cause of death of pigs in some parts of the Philippines, but quickly reassured that pork in the country remains safe for human consumption.

According to Agriculture chief William Dar, 14 out of the 20 blood samples of dead pigs from some areas in Rizal tested positive for ASF virus based on tests conducted in the United Kingdom.

“Out of the 20 blood samples, 14 are positive with African swine fever,” Dar said in a press briefing.

“We continue to monitor, even beyond the 10-kilometer radius.

So far, so good. No incidents,” he added.

ASF, a highly contagious viral disease among domestic and wild pigs, has no cure and no vaccine.

The Philippine Star reported that mortality rates of ASF are as high as 100 percent.

The virus can be transmitted through direct contact with infected pigs, ingestion of contaminated materials such as food waste, feed or garbage, or contaminated Former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. fomites or biological vectors. InManilatimes.net photo by Rene Dilan fected hogs may experience high

Draft ruling vs Marcos poll protest divides SC

by JOMAR

Health officials assure public that pork meat still safe for consumption fever, depression, loss of appetite, redness of ears, abdomen, and legs, vomiting, and diarrhea that may lead to death.

The DA stressed that, while ASF is confirmed to have reached the country, the Philippines is not in an epidemic stage.

Dar also said that as long as the hogs passed through the proper process of slaughtering and preparation as approved by the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS), pork is safe to eat.

“The public should not fear eating pork,” he said.

Dar, along with other agriculture and health officials, as well as hog stakeholders, and members of the private sector had a boodle fight of different pork dishes for breakfast at the DA headquarters

PH Agriculture chief William Dar ManilaTimes.net photo

in Quezon City to prove pork and processed pork meat were safe for human consumption.

“We hope the public will understand, as we have shown today

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SEPTEMBER 13-19, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

Criminal investigation is underway over deadly...

PAGE A1 “No criminal charges have been filed at this time,” a source close to the investigation told Reuters on Monday.

According to the Times, the investigation will center around the possible safety measures that could have either prevented the fire or mitigated the scope of the tragedy.

Early reports of the investigation found that among those safety deficiencies included the lack of a “roaming night watchman,” which is required in the event of any dangers while at sea.

Authorities have suggested that smoke inhalation was “likely” the cause of death for the 34 victims. The Santa Barbara Coroner’s Office decided to forgo the traditional autopsies and instead ordered DNA analysis to identify the bodies.

On Monday, September 2, the boat, which was anchored about 20 yards away from Santa Cruz Island, caught fire at around 3:15 a.m., according to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department.

Including the ship’s crew, there were 39 people on board at the time of the fire.

Emergency services responded to the scene quickly with firefighters battling the blaze as the ship sank 64 feet, officials reported.

Five crew members of the Conception were able to escape

Victims of the Conception dive boat fire (L-R): Evanmichel Solano, Angela Rose Quitasol, Michael Quitasol, Fernisa Sison, Nicole Storm Quitasol. Christina Quitasol, far right, was not aboard the boat.

the destruction by jumping overboard after which a nearby boat rescued them; one of the escapees suffered a broken leg.

But the tragedy claimed the lives of 34 people in what is now considered one of the worst maritime disasters in California history As previously reported in the Asian Journal, Filipino American Michael Quitasol, 63, was on the boat with his wife Fernisa Sison,

57, and Quitasol’s three daughters from a previous marriage: Evanmichel, 37; Nicole, 31 and Angela Rose, 28. The family of five had been celebrating Quitasol’s 63rd birthday on the boat.

As the massive investigation continues to progress, the FBI is seeking help from anyone who may have information. Those who may have information are urged to call (800) CALL-FBI. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

Draft ruling vs Marcos poll protest divides...

PAGE A1 Unimpeachable sources told The Times that Caguioa, the designated ponente of the case, circulated his 54-page draft decision on Monday. The magistrate adopted a rarely used procedure in distributing his ponencia — each set bears a water mark.

Sources, however, clarified that the draft decision is not final since members of the tribunal have yet to deliberate on Caguioa’s ponencia and later cast their votes whether they agree or disagree with the recommendation.

The next deliberation was set on October 1.

Until the Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), comes out with its final and official ruling, the case remains unresolved, the sources said.

They added that some justices tended to concur with the draft decision, while others said they intend to file their objection.

Some magistrates also asked for more time to study Caguioa’s ponencia.

On Tuesday, Brian Hosaka, head of the high court’s Public Information Office, said the PET had “concluded and finished the recount and revision of ballots in the three test provinces of Iloilo, Negros Occidental and Camarines Sur, involving 5,415 election precincts.”

Hosaka said the tribunal “has not taken any action yet on the report of Justice Caguioa.”

“The tribunal would like to again remind the parties that they are still subject to the subjudice rule pursuant to its resolution dated Feb. 13, 2018 and

//",

March 20, 2018. Hence, they are strictly ordered to refrain from making any public statements to the media with regards to the case,” Hosaka added.

In his protest, Marcos assailed the election results in 39,221 clustered precincts. Based on date from the Commission on Elections, the 39,221 clustered precincts are composed of 132,446 precincts.

Marcos lost to Robredo by only 263,473 votes in 2016. He accused her of “massive electoral fraud, anomalies and irregularities” such as pre-shading of ballots, pre-loaded Secure Digital cards, misreading of ballots, malfunctioning vote counting machines and an “abnormally high” unaccounted votes/undervotes for the position of vice president. n

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Colorful lanterns are on display along Aguinaldo Highway in Dasmarinas, Cavite on Monday, September 9. September is the start of the “ber” months where Filipinos begin their early countdown to Christmas, one of the longest and most important occasions in the country.

PNA Photo by Gil Calinga

PSA: Filipina overseas workers...

PAGE A1 accounted for 14.5 percent.

The survey also revealed an increase in the number of OFWs in elementary occupations, rising to 37.1 percent and making it the biggest among occupation groups of OFWs. Other large occupation groups included the service and sales workers (18.8 percent) and plant and machine operators and assemblers (13.8 percent).

According to PSA, 58.7 percent of female OFWs were in elementary occupations.

Cause-oriented group Lilac Center for Public Interest (Lilac) noted that the rising number of young female workers in elementary occupations, many of who were not able to finish their

elementary or high school education, had led to abuse and maltreatment.

“The data on women domestic workers falling into distress and becoming victims of abuse is alarming, given that Filipino migrant labor is now steadily being feminized,” said Nicon Fameronag, Lilac president.

He called for the revival of Technical Education and Skills Development Authority’s (Tesda) training regulations for the Domestic Work National Certificate (NC) 2, to reinforce the educational attainment requirement for domestic work trainees, and to stop the deployment of those with knowledge, language and skills deficiency.

According to Fameronag, this

requirement must go hand-inhand with Tesda’s strict implementation of training before assessment, particularly for those who are first-time domestic workers, including the enforcement of the rule that a domestic worker trainee must present a training certificate before assessment.

“Tesda’s implementation of the Domestic Work NC 2 training regulations has become lax to the point that instead of a full, no nonsense two-week training, many domestic workers now receive the so-called ‘one-day enhancement training’ package in assessment centers, where they are given a 100-percent assurance that they can receive a National Certificate 2 on domestic work the next day,” Lilac said. n

Immigrants rights orgs, advocates join forces...

PAGE A1 If a legal immigrant uses benefits like Medicaid, housing assistance and/or food stamps for more than 12 months of a 36-month period, they may be deemed a “public charge,” which could threaten their chances at getting a green card or lawful permanent resident status.

The rule is not retroactive, meaning that if an immigrant used these programs in the past, that won’t factor into any future public charge test to which they may be subjected.

Ken Cuccinelli, acting director of the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), reasoned that the rule change is designed to encourage “self-sufficiency” among immigrants and favor “hard-working” individuals and families.

“Throughout our history, selfreliance has been a core principle in America. The virtues of perseverance, hard work, and self-sufficiency laid the foundation of our nation and have defined generations of immigrants seeking opportunity in the United States,” Cuccinelli said in a White House press conference on Aug. 12.

The Trump administration’s rules are set to take effect on Oct. 15, 2019, but pushback from legal and civil rights organizations, statewide government officials and immigration rights activists -- who say that the rule “penalizes” immigrants for using government benefits -- could change the course.

Multiple lawsuits have been filed against the DHS and the USCIS for the public charge rule changes.

Last week, California Attorney

General Xavier Becerra filed a preliminary injunction to get a judge to move forward with the suit, asking for an Oct. 3 hearing.

“This change would dramatically change and reshape our nation’s legal immgiration system and basically institutes a wealth test into our immigration system that’s grounded in racial animus,” Connie Choi, campaign field manager for the National Immigrant Law Center’s (NILC) Protecting Immigrant Families campaign, told ethnic media outlets in a teleconference on Thursday, September 5.

“Only a family of four making $64,000 a year will be deemed fully safe from this rule and an estimated 26,000 families and individuals will suffer the consequences, especially those within black, Asian American and Pacific Islander, Arab, Muslim, South Asian and Latinx communities,” Choi added.

Referencing the Trump administration’s strict immigration proposals as a whole, U.S. Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) said that “the public charge rule is a part of this assault” on immigrant communities.

“It puts a price tag on entering America [and] it’ll make it harder for immigrants to try to make it in this country which means more hunger and more sickness,” Chu said, adding that even before the rule has been officially applied, “it has already inspired fear in jeopardizing [immigrants’] citizenship status.”

In addition to instilling fear among immigrants seeking green cards and visas, the rule change could also affect the U.S. economy. There are 35 million

legal immigrants in the U.S., according to Pew Research Center, and about 10 million utilize public benefits.

A 2018 report from the nonpartisan Fiscal Policy Institute found that the economy could suffer a $33.8 billion loss if 35% of immigrants who use public benefits left those programs.

“Immigrants are a net benefit to our economy and our society,” Thu Quach, director of Asian Health Services, said. “This change is wrong and humane and we are fighting this in the courts, in Congress, on the streets and at the polls in 2020.”

However, the controversial rule change has sparked confusion and concern among immigrants over whether or not they are affected.

Legal and civil rights leaders advise speaking with an immigration lawyer before going on or off any public benefit programs because the rule “does not apply to all immigrant communities.”

Community leaders advise undocumented immigrants who may be affected by the rule change to seek legal assistance before going on or off any public benefit programs.

“Above all please don’t panic, and before you do anything, speak to a community-based immigration attorney,” Amanda Lugg, director of Public Health Services in New York, advised immigrants who may be impacted. “The rule is not yet in effect and may not apply to you. And remember, it only applies to the applicant themself, not to family members, and actually it’s a very small group of people who are impacted directly.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress) n

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US: Chinese political, economic ties eroding sovereignty of nations

by Pia Lee-BRago Philstar.com

THE political and economic leverage that China has on several nations has virtually begun to “erode” their sovereignty, the United States defense secretary said.

During his trip to the Indo-Pacific region, U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper said he saw how China’s “One Belt, One Road” initiative is manifesting itself throughout the region.

“The more dependent a country becomes on Chinese investment and trade, the more susceptible they are to coercion and retribution when they act outside of Beijing’s wishes,” the Pentagon chief recently said at London’s Royal United Services Institute.

The Belt and Road Initiative is a global development strategy adopted by the Chinese government involving infrastructure de-

velopment and investments in 152 countries and international organizations in several continents.

The BRI, seen as the center of China’s economic diplomacy, includes helping countries build infrastructure and facilities.

Esper also warned of the Chinese economic power and Russian aggression and their threats to global security. “(We) cannot stand idly by while authoritarian nations attempt to reshape the global security environment to their favor at the expense of others,” Esper said.

He said this influence ultimately trickles down to the security arena, and leads countries to make sub-optimal defense decisions in fear of upsetting the Chinese Communist Party and being punished through economic measures or political backlash.

The defense chief added that China has stolen technology to push forward military gains.

U.S. Defense Secretary Mark Esper Photo from the U.S. Defense Dept.

Indeed, every Chinese company has the potential to be an accomplice in Beijing’s state-sponsored theft of other nations’ military and civilian technology,” he added.

Esper said Chinese companies also pose a risk to the secure and resilient telecommunications infrastructure on which U.S. allies and partners depend for interoperability, intelligence sharing and mobilization. n

IMPROVING HEALTH SERVICES. A sea ambulance is docked off the coast of Barangay Libjo in Infanta, Quezon on Friday, September 6. The sea ambulance worth PHP3-million, which was turned over by the Department of Health-Calabarzon to the municipal government of Panukulan, Quezon, is part of efforts to ensure faster response to deliver, transport and provide emergency health care to patients from the island-towns of the province, who are in need of immediate treatment.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Pastor in Georgia who served in PH faces child molest charge Wisconsin teacher accused of enslaving Filipina mother and son after bringing them to US

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

A HIGH school teacher from Milwaukee, Wisconsin has been accused of human trafficking and sexual assault after he allegedly forced a Filipina woman and her son into servitude after promising them a better life in the United States.

Christian Mothershead, 46, made his initial court appearance on Tuesday, September 3. He faces two counts of human trafficking, and one count of second-degree sexual assault — both felonies.

According to the criminal complaint filed in the Milwaukee County Circuit Court, the Filipina mother met Mothershead on an online dating website in the summer of 2017.

About a month later, Mothershead visited her in the Philippines for three weeks and promised to marry her, enroll her son in school, take care of her family, and pick her up at the airport with roses if she moved to the U.S.

By November 2018, the Filipina mother and her son arrived in the U.S. but were greeted instead with cleaning supplies and were instructed to clean Mothershead’s home if they wanted to eat.

The complaint described the home as having “piled up garbage and blackened food sitting out” upon arrival.

The complaint also said that the Filipina told investigators that

Mothershead sexually assaulted her that same night.

Mothershead continued to force them to clean and threatened to take away food and water, or send them back to the Philippines if they did not, according to the complaint. They were also banned from watching TV and were told that they should “always be cleaning.”

On one occasion for Thanksgiving, Mothershead allegedly made the mother and son sit on a couch and watch as he and his own son ate an “elaborate meal” the Filipina and her son cooked for everyone.

The reason Mothershead gave was because “Thanksgiving is for Americans.”

When the Filipina’s son — who the complaint said was forced to sleep on mattress with no sheets or blankets — got sick, Mothershead refused to let him see a doctor.

By December 2018, the Filipina mother eventually notified police while Mothershead was at work, and she and her son were taken to a shelter.

Milwaukee Public Schools, which employed Mothershead as a Mandarin Chinese teacher at one of its public high schools, has put Mothershead on unpaid leave as the investigation continues.

Mothershead faces $300,000 in fines and a maximum of 90 years in prison if convicted as charged. He is currently out on bail.

Mothershead’s attorney told re-

African swine fever reaches...

PAGE A1 t during the boodle fight, it is safe [to eat pork],” Dar said.

The Department of Health, for its part, gave assurance that ASF does not pose any risk on human health, reiterating that as long as meat was “thoroughly” cooked, it is safe.

“We want to allay the fears of the public by saying that, as long as pork is bought from re-

liable sources and it is cooked thoroughly, pork is safe to eat,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo also said there is no reason to be alarmed.

“I think there is no need to worry considering the DA secretary has not cautioned us not to avoid or not to eat, or to avoid,” Panelo said. n

porters in a press conference that his client was “in shock” and “angry that these charges have been made against him.”

“There is not a shred of evidence in any of it. And he feels that he’s been victimized at his point by her,” the attorney said.

“I did none of these things,” Mothershead told local Milwaukee news channel WTMJ. “They’re all lies.” n

SANDY SPRINGS, Georgia — Authorities in Georgia arrested a longtime pastor for alleged child molestation.

News outlets report 80-yearold Benjamin “Gus” Harter was arrested Friday, Aug. 30, at his home in Westchester Place in southwest Forsyth on a single charge of felony child molestation.

Forsyth County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Cpl. Doug Rainwater released no details, but he says detectives found “ample probable cause” after their investigation

began last week. He said Harter could face more charges as the investigation is still going on.

Harter has served as pastor of Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church in Sandy Springs since 2014. The church’s website says Harter had led congregations in Kentucky, Florida, Texas, Atlanta and the Philippines.

In the mid-1990s, Harter and his wife began traveling to the Philippines regularly to work with churches there, according to the nta Journal-Constitution.

He later resigned from Bethany

church in May 2000 and moved with his family to the Philippines for several years, according to the Ebenezer Primitive Baptist website.

In the Philippines, the Harters built an orphanage before returning to the U.S. in 2008. The couple adopted 19 children over the years, bringing them back to their home.

An associate pastor told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution on Tuesday that Harter was no longer a pastor or member of the church. (Inquirer.net) n

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WHO calls for intensified campaign vs cervical cancer

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

To eliminate cervical cancer in the Philippines and other countries in Southeast Asia by 2030, the World Health organization (WHo) is pushing for an intensified human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization.

The WHo stressed the need for all countries in the region to expand vaccination, screening and treatment to curb the rising cases of cervical cancer.

“We need to scale up both our capacities and quality for screening, treatment services and palliative care,” WHo Southeast Asia regional director Poonam Khetrapal Singh said.

Vaccination against HPV, early detection and prompt treatment of early invasive cancers and palliative care are proven effective strategies to address cervical cancer, according to Singh.

He said member countries should work toward a target of 90 percent of girls fully inoculated with the HPV vaccine by age 15.

He added that Southeast Asian countries should also be able to screen 75 percent of women who are 35 and 45 years old and 90 percent of women identified with the cervical disease should receive treatment and care by 2030.

“It is necessary to include these services in the essential services packages toward universal health coverage to meet the targets,” Singh said.

Cervical cancer is considered a

Philstar.com file [hoto

significant public health problem in the region, with an estimated 158,000 new cases and 95,766 deaths reported due to illness in 2018 alone.

The WHo is prioritizing cervical cancer elimination as worldwide cervical cancer remains one of the gravest threats to women’s lives.

In the Philippines, the Department of Health (DoH) has been implementing a school-based HPV immunization program.

As this developed, health experts are also campaigning for regular screening to address the high number of lung cancer deaths in the country. oncologist Meredith Garcia said lung cancer is currently the

leading cause of death among Filipino cancer patients. In 2018, over 15,000 deaths were recorded due to lung cancer.

Garcia, however, said the problem can be addressed by early diagnosis and treatment. She encouraged the people to undergo regular screening, considering that some forms of cancer, like lung cancer, is commonly asymptomatic.

Garcia also advised cancer patients against alternative medicine, which, she said, puts patients at greater health risks.

The survival rate among lung cancer patients has significantly improved in the past years with the availability of new treatment, according to medical experts. n

MONDAY TRAFFIC. Vehicles including motorcycles crowd the southbound lane of Epifanio Delos Santos Ave. (EDSA) in Quezon City on Monday, September 9. According to a 2017 Japanese government-funded study, the resulting gridlock in Metro Manila costs about USD67 million daily in lost productivity.

PNA Photo by Gil Calinga

House OKs bill allowing more foreigners to practice profession in Philippines amend Republic Act No. 7042 or the Foreign Investment Act of 1997 if enacted into law. Seven THE House of Representatives lawmakers abstained.

The bill amends Section 4 of gave its nod to a bill allowing more foreigners to practice their RA 7042 to exclude the “practice profession in the country and of professions” from the coverlowering the direct local hires re- age of the foreign investment negative list, which identifies quired of foreign investors.

Voting 201-6, the chamber fa- economic areas or sectors where vored House Bill No. 300 that will foreign participation is restricted or banned.

It also lowers the employment threshold from 50 to 15 direct employees for small and mediumsized enterprises established by foreign investors with a minimum paid-up capital of US$100,000.

In her sponsorship speech of the bill, House economic reform committee chair and AAMBISoWA Rep. Sharon Garin said the measure would attract more foreign direct investments, which, she said, have persistently remained at low levels.

Garin also quelled fears against allowing foreign skilled professionals to work in our country,

by Patricia

ann V. Inquirer.net

roxas

citing Filipinos’ ability to compete overseas and the Professional Regulation Commission’s safeguards on professions.

“By working with professionals from more advanced countries, Filipinos gain fresh perspectives and new knowledge, broadening the skills set they may already have,” the lawmaker claimed.

ACT Teachers Rep. France Castro said she opposed the approval of the bill because it was not thoroughly discussed, and would burden small and medium companies with additional competitors.

“Bibigyan ng bill na ito ang mga maliliit na negosyanteng Filipino ng mga direktang dayuhang kakompitensya na mas may teknolohiya at malawak na kaalaman at karanasan sa negosyo,” Castro said before the plenary.

Buhay Rep. Lito Atienza, meanwhile, questioned the “disjointed” count of congressmen present at the plenary as well as the result of the voting. n

One person dies by suicide every 40 seconds — WHO

Philstar.com file photo

by Pia lee-Brago Philstar.com

NEARLY 800,000 persons die by suicide every year and it is the second leading cause of death among the youth, the World Health organization (WHo) said, prompting the agency to call for action.

WHo’s latest global suicide estimates showed close to 800,000 people die by suicide every year, or one person every 40 seconds.

For each death, there are more than 20 suicide attempts.

The report said every year, suicide accounts for more deaths than war and homicide combined, and is the second leading cause of death among those aged 15-29, behind road injury.

Globally, 79 percent of suicides occur in low and middleincome countries. High-income countries, meanwhile, have the highest rates of suicide.

Incidents are three times higher among men than women in wealthier countries, while these rates are more equal in poorer nations.

Addressing causes, the UN health agency said the link between suicide and mental health is well-established in high-income countries, but “many suicides happen impulsively in moments of crisis.”

“Experiencing conflict, disaster, violence, abuse or loss and a sense of isolation are strongly associated with suicidal behavior” WHo said. Vulnerable groups who experience discrimination show higher rates of suicide and “by far, the strongest risk factor for suicide is a previous suicide attempt.”

The complex issue demands coordination across multiple sectors to boost prevention. Stigma surrounding mental disorders, lack of awareness of suicide as a major health problem and a taboo in many societies to openly

discuss it, mean many people contemplating suicide are not getting adequate help.

WHo recommended better training of health workers and non-specialists in assessing and managing suicidal behavior in its guidelines for prevention, along with early treatment of mental health disorders, effective monitoring of alcohol and substance use, responsible reporting by the media, and reducing access to means of suicide.

WHo Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said “every death is a tragedy for family, friends and colleagues,” yet many more suicides can be prevented. All countries should “incorporate proven suicide prevention strategies into national health and education programs in a sustainable way.”

Pesticide poisoning, which the agency identified as a lesscommonly used but tragically “highly effective strategy,” accounts for 20 percent of global suicides. Due to the high toxicity of many chemicals used in suicide attempts, this method often results in death.

The WHo mentioned how regulations of highly hazardous pesticides in Sri Lanka have cut suicides by 70 percent, saving an estimated 93,000 lives in a tenyear span. It also halved suicide deaths from poisoning in North Korea between 2011 and 2013.

WHo recognizes suicide as a “public health priority.” In 2008, the WHo Mental Health Gap Action Programme was launched as an evidence-based guide to scale up service for mental, neurological and substance use disorders.

WHo’s action plan for 20132020 sets a global target of reducing suicide rates by 10 percent by 2020; in line with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, which sets a target of cutting suicide rates by a third to 2030. n

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Ombudsman metes out suspension on BuCor legal chief, 2 other execs by aJPress OMBUDSMAN Samuel Martires on Tuesday, September 10, suspended the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) legal chief and two other BuCor executives as the investigation into the anomalies surrounding the good conduct time allowance law continues.

Martires gave out three separate orders that imposed six months of preventive suspensions without pay on BuCor legal chief Fredric Santos, Technical Superintendent Maria Fe Marquez, and Correctional Officer III Joel Nalva. “This Office finds that the evidence in the form of testimonies of witnesses and public documents

showing the anomalous release of prisoners convicted of heinous crimes/offenses, appear to be strong,� Martires said.

It was found that Marquez was the one who signed the release orders for three convicts in the Chiong sisters murder case on August 16 while then-BuCor chief Nicanor Faeldon was out of town.

Meanwhile, Santos was grilled by the Senate blue ribbon committee on his role in relaying to Faeldon the information about Department of Justice Order 953, which states that the justice secretary is the final approving authority for the release of inmates sentenced to life imprisonment.

Santos before a Senate inquiry said that he did, however, back-

track when Faeldon denied this.

As reported by Rappler, preventive suspension is the usual first act of the Office of the Ombudsman during an investigation. The eventual acts concern administrative charges which may result in dismissal from the service, and criminal investigation which may result in the filing of charges before the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan.

Martires had also meted out preventive suspensions on 27 other officials, including documents section chief Ramoncito Roque who has been accused of extorting P50,000 from an inmate’s wife in exchange for early release. Roque, for his part, denied the accusation. n

Manila Bay cleanup nets 3,810 tons of trash

7 to Aug. 31: 749.72 tons of garbage from Manila Baywalk and other tributaries; 737.12 tons of MANILA — Some 3,810 tons of garbage and water hyacinth regarbage, water hyacinth and silt moved from Baseco beach area, have been collected from coast- lagoon, and aplaya; 901.85 tons lines and estuaries draining to of water hyacinth and garbage Manila Bay since the Metropoli- from Pasig and San Juan rivers; tan Manila Development Author- 1,422.17 tons of silt from estuarity (MMDA) launched its cleanup ies and drainage laterals to Manila Bay. this year.

MMDA Chairman Danilo Lim In the agency’s Manila Bay rehabilitation report, the following said the agency expects more items were recovered from Jan. garbage from Manila Bay in the

by Marc Jayson

cayabyab

Philstar.com

coming months due to inclement weather. “Garbage has accumulated in Manila Bay after the heavy rains but the rehabilitation of Manila Bay never stops. We are inviting more volunteers to help in our clean-up drive held every Saturday in the Baywalk and Baseco areas,� Lim said.

In the Manila Bay cleanups organized by the MMDA, some 18,457 volunteers have joined from January to August this year. n

Iceland resolution on drug deaths forgiven — Locsin

by Pia Lee-brago Philstar.com

MANILA — The Iceland-initiated resolution to monitor the drug war killings in the Philippines is “forgiven,� Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said. “It was nothing anyway. As I always say, the French always do it better –love and war and anything in between. I’m gonna kiss the hull of that boat,� Locsin tweeted.

The United Nations Human Rights Council adopted in July the Iceland resolution, which the Philippine government dismissed as a “tiny majority-approved and one-sided� resolution.

After hinting at a possible withdrawal from the UNHRC in July in response to the adoption of the resolution, Locsin said the Philippines after all is staying in the council and will not sever relations with any country, including Iceland.

French Ambassador Nicolas Galey said France’s co-sponsoring the Iceland resolution is not the “alpha and omega� of international relations and should not put in danger the friendship between the two countries.

In July, Locsin criticized France and other Western countries for supporting the Iceland resolution which also seeks a comprehensive report on the human rights situation in the Philippines.

Human rights officials have said the resolution did not call for an investigation.

No representative of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) showed up for the traditional diplomatic toast at the celebration of Bastille Day, the French National Day, on July 14 at the official residence of the French ambassador in Forbes Park, Makati.

Sources said the French embassy was informed by the DFA that no one from the DFA would be available for the Bastille Day celebration.

The unusual break with dip-

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. Philstar.com file photo

lomatic tradition in this country was seen as a snub and a show of disapproval toward France for co-sponsoring the Iceland resolution before the UNHRC. ‘Poor nations get blame’ Meanwhile, in a speech at the International Humanitarian Law (IHL) Day celebration yesterday at DFA, Locsin said poor nations get the blame for violence and unrest from the use of weapons sold by rich countries.

He said states that make and sell weapons should share with the “victims� the responsibility of keeping the spirit of international humanitarian law and the Geneva Conventions alive. “But in general, the problem is this: the weapons making and selling states are never blamed by international civil society because it is composed mostly of people who come from those states, and the selling states are so impregnable they need not resort to extraordinary measures of social control,� Locsin said. “So the blame is persistently laid squarely on the weak countries of the victims whose governments are their customers,� he said.

According to Locsin, the commitment of the Philippine government to international humanitarian law is well-established in history “although this sterling record has been cast in the shade, and is today disparaged by those

who are—either actually on the payroll of non-state actors or should be, for the great service they render to protect them and advance their interests.� “Our own city of Marawi fell to one such group when it was attempted to serve a warrant on its leader for drug trafficking. It took our boys six months to take back Marawi in door to door fighting.,� Locsin said. “It is silly to pretend those means are not used by the most advanced states whose civil societies denounce those means only when availed of by lesser states in desperation. On top of which, advanced states can apply unconventional means with more precision and therefore circumspection,� he added.

Also at the DFA event, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) can be trusted to respect and uphold human rights and the International Humanitarian Law even in times of conflict or war. “We assure the people that the defense department, through the AFP, will carry on, continue the conduct of capacity development mechanisms, and troop information and education programs on human rights and IHL at all levels of command. We continue to tap human rights and IHL in this pursuit,� Lorenzana said in a statement read for him by Undersecretary for defense policy Ricardo David Jr. “This celebration reaffirms our commitment, most particularly that of the Philippine IHL Ad Hoc Committee members, in adhering to the internationally accepted norms or conduct on the rules of war giving special treatment or protection to those parties/sectors who are not involved in armed conflict,� Lorenzana’s message read. “We ensure that all officers of the Armed Forces, at all levels and staff assignments, are to be held responsible for their acts and omissions in violations of human rights, IHL, and other relevant laws.� n

A

Mindanao more peaceful because of BOL – Duterte by catherine

s. VaLente ManilTimes.net

ing them to elect their own parliament.

The law would also give the PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte people in parts of the southern has claimed that Mindanao has Philippines that have Islamic become more peaceful follow- majority control over many loing the passage of the Bangsam- cal government functions, inoro Organic Law (BOL), which cluding taxation and education. gives Muslims full autonomy.

It will likewise allow Muslim In his speech during the in- Filipinos to incorporate Sharia President Rodrigo Duterte auguration of a hotel in Davao law into their justice system. n Manilatimes.net file photo City late Friday, September 6, Duterte lauded the “almost� zero incidents of fighting in Central Mindanao. “I was going to give you the factors that would, you know, shape Mindanao whether for the worse or for the better. We have been able to strike a solution in central Mindanao,� the president said. “There is less fighting now because of the BOL. And I’d like to congratulate my brother Muslims, Moros of Mindanao that there has been almost no incident here in the Central Mindanao area,� he added.

But Duterte admitted the New People’s Army (NPA) remains a big problem in the region.

The president formally ended peace talks with communist rebels in March this year. The government has instead formed localized panels to talk with rebels in communities. “The NPAs remain to be a big problem‌ I just hope that we’d be able to do something about it before my term ends,â€?

Duterte said. “‘Yun lang. You have to consider the law and order of Mindanao. I do not recommend any new economic activity or investment on the western side, especially in the islands there.

I do not think that it would be prudent for you to consider it.

Maybe, in the fullness of God’s time, we’d be able to come up with something that’s a workable solution for all,� he added.

On January 21, the people ratified the BOL creating the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the final step in the 2014 peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

The BOL aims to give the impoverished south an expanded autonomous area, offering selfdetermination to the nation’s 4 million Muslims by empower-

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OPINION

Relieve Faeldon of his ‘yoke’

FEATURES

PRESIDENT RODRIGO Duterte’s swift sacking of Nicanor Faeldon as Bureau of Corrections chief was widely applauded.

The applause, however, died down as the president just as quickly picked up his fallen friend, describing Faeldon as a good man.

The president has said that he would not tolerate even “a whiff” of corruption in his administration. In vouching for his loyal friend, he has cited the collection of billions in taxes from cigarette firm Mighty Corp. when Faeldon headed the Bureau of Customs. Faeldon had to be moved out of the BOC, however, amid a scandal involving the release of large shabu shipments through Customs.

Faeldon’s integrity as Bureau of Corrections chief has yet to be established as the Senate continues its inquiry today into what is emerging as a systematic collection of payoffs by BuCor officials for the early release of prisoners based on Good Conduct Time Allowance, especially after the Supreme Court ruled last June that the GCTA law must be applied retroactively. The President himself had hinted that corruption was possible in the release of about 2,000 prisoners under the GCTA, including heinous crime offenders such as the rapist-killers of the Chiong sisters.

While the president is free to express his opin-

ion about his appointees, his statement has fueled speculation that he is again preparing to recycle Faeldon to yet another position in government.

This would be unfortunate for his avowed campaign for good governance. Senators are still trying to determine if there was money involved in the aborted release of former Calauan mayor Antonio Sanchez. Even if Faeldon is eventually cleared of suspicions of graft, his competence for public service is under question.

This is evident in the joke that has spread following his sacking. He should be recycled to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, according to the joke, because when he was BOC chief, large shipments of shabu disappeared; at BuCor, about 2,000 inmates also disappeared from prisons; so as MMDA chief, he might make EDSA traffic disappear.

After being fired from yet another government post, Faeldon claimed he felt relieved of a heavy burden and he could now sleep soundly. The President should not burden his friend further with the yoke of public service. It’s time to put Faeldon out to pasture. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS STUDENTS of today’s generation are so well trained and proficient in a lot of high-tech skills like computer and internet use, camera techniques, music mixing, editing, online publishing and social media distribution — skills that the older generation is just coming to terms and even struggling with.

However, we notice that there seems to be a deficiency in the skills of the youth when it comes to the very skills we were taught by our parents and our teachers early in life from grade school to high school. These are skills that we need in our day to day life like cooking, mending our clothes, washing and ironing clothes, doing repairs in the house, putting air in our tires, and troubleshooting power tripping and outages, etc.

This came to my mind after I came across an article online about the Colegio Montecastelo of Spain published by Racfheed on Facebook.

Commentary

YEN MAKABENTA I REMEMBER the year 1989 well because it was a time of tumult in the Philippines and the world.

At the time, I was serving as editor in chief and associate publisher of the daily newspaper Philippine Daily Globe.

The work kept me awake all day to follow what was happening in the country and the world.

In 1989, the tumult behind the Iron Curtain burst out in earnest; it would culminate in the color revolutions in all of Eastern Europe and in the collapse of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in 1990. The collapse of communism meant also the end of the Cold War. In the movies, James Bond suddenly became old.

In December 1989, then-Col. Gringo Honasan staged his nearly successful coup against the government of President Corazon Aquino, which plunged the Philippines for a time into darkness and confusion.

In 1989, the United Nations (UN) quietly detonated its forecast that planet Earth had only 10 years to go before it imploded on account of global warming. In doing so, the world body rained down grim tidings on a hapless humanity, even forecasting the

Philstar.com photo

Home economics, house repairs and child care: Schools should bring back survival skill classes for ALL students This school offers home economics specifically for boys, teaching them what we learned in “H.E.” during our grade school and high school years — the basics of cooking, sewing, ironing, house cleaning, etc.

The school also teaches the boys those skills that are typically taught to boys like the basics of carpentry, masonry, plumbing, and electrician skills.

This school in Spain wants to stop gender inequality by teaching boys the basics of doing household chores, pointing to how women have always been expected to cook, wash the dishes, do the laundry, take care of the children, while also working full time or part-time job for the family.

Many husbands (not all), especially in the Philippines, would be seen having happy hour with a chilled bottle of beer while watching TV when they come home from work. Both the husbands and the wives are tired from their jobs, but the women are expected to do all the chores as the husband enjoys “me time,” and then

expects the wife to please him in bed at night.

For many families, it seems the explanation for this is that the husbands do not know how to cook, iron the clothes, clean the house, or bathe the babies, because these are chores women have been trained to do. But more than this is the stigma that they will look like “under the saya” or emasculated if they do the chores typically done by the wives. But they contend that they are the ones the wives run to to do house repairs, gardening and changing bulbs.

This delegation is great — men and women having the division of labor and doing chores they are more adept with. However, times are changing. We now have both the husband and the wife taking full-time jobs. There are times when it is the wife who gets a better job opportunity than the husband, but somebody has to stay at home to take care of the kids and do household chores. The man of the house has to step in and do the household chores while the woman helps in providing for the

family. This is what marriage and partnership are all about.

Now what this school in Spain is doing is breaking down the walls of stereotypes institutionally, and this helps the collective psyche of the boys who will grow up to be the men of the house to feel no shame in doing household chores and taking care of the children. It even teaches the lesson to the fathers of these children, no matter how belatedly. After all, it is never too late to learn something good, right?

Many of my followers on Facebook who are in their 40s and older would comment that they remember having these classes when they were still in grade school and high school. Unfortunately, with the cost-cutting because of less budget now being appropriated to education, these subjects — home economics, vocational, music and arts — are the first to go. And with both the husband and wife working, who will really have the time to train the kids consistently and relentlessly in these life skills?

THEREFORE, I hope our

schools will bring these skills back to the curriculum as mandatory subjects. I propose to take this initiative several notches higher.

I think these life skills — household chores, taking care of the babies, basic carpentry, plumbing, electrician skills, changing flat tires, among others, should be taught to ALL students, boys and girls learning together.

Teaching girls skills typically identified with boys will empower them, giving them the confidence that they do not need a knight in shining armor to solve problems in the house, and will not fall prey to unscrupulous repairmen who would charge hefty service fees for a simple job because they think the women know nothing about the issue that needs repairs anyway.

I would like to include financial literacy to the “home economics” aspect of the learning. All students should be taught about budgeting money, how to balance checks, how to live within your means, how to save money, how to invest money, the pros and cons of using credit cards,

and different kinds of loans.

These skills, I believe, will help shape more responsible and independent adults in the future.

They will be more self-reliant, frugal, and will discover the joy of mending, repairing, making things work instead of dumping tattered clothes, appliances and furniture that can still be repaired.

These skills will create better dynamics between couples, siblings, roommates because they all can share in the responsibilities of making and keeping a home.

And as each generation stands on the shoulders of the previous generations, we can expect to have better, happier and more productive homes and families in the future.

Now isn’t this something worth investing in? *** 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

UN should account for doomsday forecast 30 years ago

disappearance of entire countries. This report forced me to sit up at my desk: The Philippines could be one of the countries that would be drowned by the rising sea levels.

It is now exactly 30 years since that eventful year. Mercifully, mankind and planet Earth are still alive and kicking. Communism is banished. And the Philippines is much better than the sick man everyone used to speak of in patronizing tones.

On September 23, the UN will convene its umpteenth Climate Action Summit in New York City to dramatize the urgency of combating climate change and averting climate apocalypse.

Before UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says one more word about the UN’s climate forecast, I believe the world should present him a bill for all the wrong predictions about the climate that the UN made 30 years ago and continues to foist on the world. It is time for a reckoning.

UN prediction of global disaster in 1989 To show what the UN must account for, l am reprinting here the report of the Associated Press on the UN’s forecast of global disaster in 1989.

The report, written by Peter James Spielmann, was issued on June 30, 1989, with the headline, “UN predicts global disaster.”

This is what Spielmann wrote:

“A senior UN environmental official says entire nations could be wiped off the face of the Earth by rising sea levels if the global warming trend is not reversed by the year 2000.

“Coastal flooding and crop failures would create an exodus of eco- refugees, threatening political chaos, said Noel Brown, director of the New York office of the UN Environment Program, or UNEP. “He said governments have a 10-year window of opportunity to solve the greenhouse effect before it goes beyond human control.

“As the warming melts polar icecaps, ocean levels will rise by up to three feet, enough to cover the Maldives and other flat island nations, Brown told the Associated Press in an interview.

“Coastal regions will be inundated; one-sixth of Bangladesh could be flooded, displacing a fourth of its 90 million people.

A fifth of Egypt’s arable land in the Nile Delta would be flooded, cutting off its food supply, according to a joint UNEP and U.S. Environmental Protection Agency study.

“Ecological refugees will become a major concern, and what’s worse is you may find that people can move to drier ground, but the soils and the natural resources may not support life. Africa doesn’t have to worry about land, but would you want to live in the Sahara?’ he

said.

“UNEP estimates it would cost the United States at least $100 billion to protect its east coast alone.

“Shifting climate patterns would bring back 1930s Dust Bowl conditions to Canadian and U.S. wheat lands, while the Soviet Union could reap bumper crops if it adapts its agriculture in time, according to a study

by UNEP and the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis.

“Excess carbon dioxide is pouring into the atmosphere because of humanity’s use of fossil fuels and burning of rain forests, the study says. The atmosphere is retaining more heat than it radiates, much like a greenhouse.

“The most conservative scientific estimate that the Earth’s temperature will rise 1 to 7 degrees Celsius in the next 30 years, said Brown.

“The difference may seem slight, he said, but the planet is only 9 degrees warmer now than during the 8,000-year Ice Age that ended 10,000 years ago.

“Brown said if the warming trend continues, ‘the question is will we be able to reverse the process in time? We say that within the next 10 years, given the present loads that the atmosphere has to bear, we have an opportunity to start the stabilizing process.’

“He said even the most conservative scientists ‘already

tell us there’s nothing we can do now to stop a … change’ of about 3 degrees. “‘Anything beyond that, and we have to start thinking about the significant rise of the sea levels … we can expect more ferocious storms, hurricanes, wind shear, dust erosion.’

“He said there is time to act, but there is no time to waste.

“UNEP is working toward forming a scientific plan of action by the end of 1990, and the adoption of a global climate treaty by 1992. In May, delegates from 103 nations met in Nairobi, Kenya — where UNEP is based — and decided to open negotiations on the treaty next year.

“Nations will be asked to reduce the use of fossil fuels, cut the emission of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases such as methane and fluorocarbons, and preserve the rain forests.”

This would lead eventually to the Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Accord.

Mother of doomsday scenarios I am not alone in monitoring what the UN has been doing during the past three decades in pursuit of its climate agenda.

Other climate skeptics, including top climate scientists, and major writers have been doing the same. They have published statements rejecting the UN’s climate change reports and its climate agenda. I have continu-

ously written on their articles over the last two years to keep readers posted on the debate between the climate alarmists and climate skeptics.

One skeptic, Daniel Hunter, came up with the idea of demanding from the UN an accounting for its wrong predictions and fear mongering. He wrote the following comment on Fox News this week: “Global warming is the mother of all doomsday scenarios. It blew away other environmental issues like candles on a cake….

“Thirty years ago this week, the United Nations issued a global warming report that I distinctly remember. It predicted worldwide disaster… “[H]ere we are 30 years later, and I look back at that 1989 report, I think only this: What happened?

“The predictions in the report were not just a bit ‘off’ — like my calculations in my high school math class, my understanding of Shakespeare, or my failed attempt to high jump. The UN report was flat-out wrong. It was 100 percent, complete opposite, 180-degree wrong.

“Can I get an explanation, please? “[The] UN has a 30-year track record of being wrong on this issue, so I take its reports on climate change and ‘we have 12 years left’ with a grain of salt the size of the Maldives.” (ManilaTimes.net)

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A

4th Chiong convict also freed, but set to yield Filipinos’ trust in government,

other institutions declines

by EvElyn

MacarIan Philstar.com

MANILA — An official of the Department of Justice confirmed yesterday that the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) released last Aug. 16 a fourth convict in the rape-slay of sisters Marijoy and Jacqueline Chiong in Cebu City, but the freed man is expected to surrender this week.

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete confirmed that James Anthony Uy was released from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa by virtue of the expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law or Republic Act 10592.

Perete said Uy is expected to surrender any time this week along with Josman Aznar, also convicted for the rape and killing of the Chiong sisters and released through GCTA. “Just confirmed that he (Uy) was also released, but that he will also surrender with Aznar,” said Perete. Two other convicts in the Chiong case, Ariel Balansag and Albert Caño, have already surrendered to authorities after briefly gaining freedom through good conduct.

President Duterte gave all the 1,914 persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) or those convicted of heinous crimes, who were released because of GCTA since the law’s enactment in 2013, to surrender within 15 days.

The Chiong sisters were raped and killed on July 16, 1997 in Cebu.

In May 1999, a regional trial court in Cebu convicted and sentenced to life in prison the seven accused in the rape and killing of the Chiong sisters: Balansag, Caño, Aznar, Uy, Francisco Juan Larrañaga, James Andrew Uy, and Rowen Adlawan. They were found guilty of the complex crime of kidnapping and serious illegal detention with homicide and rape; and simple kidnapping and serious illegal detention.

The Uy brothers were reportedly minors during the commission of the crime.

When the case was elevated to the Supreme Court (SC), the magistrates raised their punishment to lethal injection. But when the death penalty was abolished, they were sentenced to reclusion perpetua or 40 years in prison.

Larrañaga, a great grandson of former president Sergio Osmeña Sr., being a Spanish citizen has been serving his sentence in

by Ian

Justice Undersecretary Markk Perete confirmed that James Anthony Uy was released from the New Bilibid Prison (NBP) in Muntinlupa by virtue of the expanded Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) law or Republic Act 10592.

Philstar.com photo

Spain.

130 surrenderees The Philippine National Police (PNP) said Monday, September 9 that 130 heinous crime convicts granted freedom under the GCTA law have surrendered so far.

PNP spokesman Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac said those who surrendered included 49 rape convicts, 41 convicted of murder and 13 for robbery with homicide.

Banac appealed to the other convicts who remain at large to surrender and not wait for the last day of the President’s grace period on Sept. 18.

Interior Secretary Eduardo Año earlier said they have received a report that several of those convicts are already abroad.

However, the PNP is not discounting the possibility there are convicts who have left the country as the release orders date back to 2014.

Police authorities will coordinate with the International Police (Interpol) if some of the freed inmates have slipped out of the country.

The National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) would deploy tracker teams to go after convicts released through GCTA when the 15-day period for them to surrender lapses next week.

NCRPO chief Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar said he and his five district directors are sorting out the list of 2,000 released prisoners to trace their residences in Metro Manila to make the job of tracker teams easy after the deadline lapses.

“What we have is the initial list so far, and this is what we are currently working on to facili-

tate the compliance on President Duterte’s order to have them all accounted for,” said Eleazar.

Police said the convicts who recently yielded to authorities in Metro Manila included Joseph Collo, a rape convict released from the NBP in Muntinlupa City through GCTA on June 6, 2018, who surrendered yesterday to the Pasig City police.

Collo, 51, of Narvacan, Ilocos Sur surrendered to Pasig police chief Col. Moises Villaceran at about 10 a.m. yesterday.

Collo, who currently resides in Barangay Malinao, Pasig, was convicted of rape in October 2012 and sentenced to 10 years in jail.

He is now undergoing documentation and will be transferred to BuCor officials.

Five other convicts released through GCTA have yielded to police in Caloocan and Valenzuela City over the weekend.

Ernesto Roque, 54; Elimar Belda, 54; and Gomer Mendoza, 54, surrendered to the Caloocan police while Joel Maliwat, 50; and Rolando dela Cruz, 62, yielded to the Valenzuela police Six other convicts who were released due to the GCTA law have surrendered to authorities in Central Luzon last week.

Col. Rhoderick Armamento, Region 3 police deputy director for operations, identified them as Victorio Pletado, 53, of General Tinio, Nueva Ecija; Cirilo Payumo and Edwin Alejo, both of Plaridel, Bulacan; Angel Mosquite, 59, of Inhobol, Masinloc, Zambales; Nathaniel John Chavez, 30, of Doña Remedios Trinidad, Bulacan and Joel dela Cruz of Camiling, Tarlac. n

nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com

MANILA — Filipinos’ trust in the government slightly fell in the past two years, according to results of the new Philippine Trust Index that also showed lower overall public trust in major institutions.

But despite the small decline in trust for all Philippine institutions, majority of Filipinos still want to remain in the country.

Findings of the PTI, a propriety research by communications agency EON Group, revealed that the “moderate trust” in government sagged four percentage points to 76% in 2019 from 80% in 2017.

Broken down, most respondents said they “extremely” trust the Office of the President among state institutions. The rest experienced a decline in trust levels, with Office of the Vice President hit by the sharpest downturn of about 16 percentage points.

“The informed public is more trusting of the Office of the President, while the general public is more trusting of the Office of the Vice President,” the PTI report read in part.

Aside from the government, the PTI also focused on five other key institutions: the business sector, media, non-government organizations or NGOs, the church and the academe.

All five saw a decline in trust levels.

While traditional media forms remain as primary sources of information for most Filipinos, the PTI found that media’s “trust drivers” deteriorated since 2017, with respondents believing that news outlets are now more susceptible to bribery.

Overall, the media saw a decline to 69% from 78%.

On the business sector, which posted a lower trust rating of 71% from 75% in 2017, trust across industries dropped since 2017, with the mining sector being the least trusted.

Meanwhile, healthcare and food and beverage remain the most trusted industries in the Philippines.

The PTI also reported that trust in NGOs experienced the largest decline in the past two years to 37% from 59% as Filipinos continue to scrutinize this

institution’s agenda.

NGOs scored “very low” with incorruptibility (50%) and being free from political interest (53%), PTI said.

For the church and the academe, both with a three percentage point drop to 90% from 93% keeps the trust level strong and highest among all institutions.

Despite the decline in trust for

all institutions, the PTI showed that “majority of Filipinos still opt to remain in the country” with “86% among respondents that are amenable to leaving the Philippines would do so for work or business, 10% for pleasure, and only 3% for migration.”

“This equates to only 1% of total respondents intending to leave the country for good,” it said. n

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The Liberation of the Philippines: The steep price of freedom 5th Conference on WWII in the Philippines on Sept. 28 at the Univ. of San Francisco

by CeCilia

Gaerlan / Bataan Legacy HistoricaL society

Seventy-five years ago General Douglas MacArthur fulfilled his long-awaited promise of “i Shall Return” to the filipino people. the landing on the shores of Leyte by General MacArthur’s six divisions has been well documented and ingrained in Philippine history especially with his famous words, “People of the Philippines, i have returned!

By the grace of Almighty God, our forces stand again on Philippine soil.”

Leyte Landing actually began not in Leyte but on the islands of Suluan (eastern Samar) and Sinagat (formerly part of Surigao del norte) when troops from the 6th Rangers landed around 8:05 on October 17, 1944. it was not until 13:30 on October 20, 1944 when General MacArthur made his dramatic entrance on the shores of Sogod Bay in Leyte.

But this great return would not have been possible without the help of the U.S. navy’s 7th fleet commandeered by viceAdmiral thomas C. Kinkaid which included units from the Royal Australian navy, new Zealand and the netherlands. But a bigger battle was happening amidst this great landing. thus on October 23, 1944 began the Battles of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history. this was a series of four battles in Sibuyan Sea, Surigao Strait, Samar and Cape engano. it was an all-out battle on both sides, especially for the imperial Japanese navy (iJn) which committed nearly all of its forces, depleting its reserves of fuel oil. the giant strength of the Allied forces’ 800 ships dwarfed the iJn’s 67 ships. the Allied forces’ 3rd fleet was commandeered by Admiral William Halsey who reported to Admiral Chester nimitz while the vice-Admiral Kinkaid of the 7th fleet reported to General Douglas MacArthur. the lack of a unified command structure almost resulted into a strategic disaster. the prelude to the battles took place on October 23 off the Palawan Passage, as iJn’s Center force under vice-Admiral takeo Kurita was detected by U.S. submarines Darter and Dace. At 05:24, Darter fired six torpedoes which hit Kurita’s flagship, the Atago, which sank within half an hour with heavy casualties. Kurita was rescued by one of the iJn’s destroyers, transferred his flag to the yamato and proceeded to Sibuyan Sea. At 08:00 on October 24, Kurita’s Center force was spotted entering Sibuyan Sea (bounded

by Panay, Masbate, Mindoro, Marinduque and Bicol). iJn’s heavy cruiser Myoko was severely damaged and battleships na-

gato, yamato and Musashi were hit with the latter finally capsizing during the late afternoon.

Meanwhile, a Japanese aircraft, Judy, hit the U.S. light carrier USS Princeton at 09:38 and caused a severe fire. At 15:23, just as the light cruiser Birmingham was coming alongside the Princeton to assist with the firefighting, there was an enormous explosion on the beleaguered Princeton which severely damaged the Birmingham, killing 233 and wounding 426. Meanwhile, Halsey’s 3rd fleet’s capability was reduced as vice-Admiral John McCain’s group (father of Senator John McCain) was sent to Ulithi (Caroline islands) to rearm and get provisions. Admiral Halsey believed that the iJn’s northern force commandeered by viceAdmiral Jisaburo Ozawa was the main threat so he headed north leaving the San Bernardino Strait unguarded allowing the remains of Kurita’s Center force to slip through. As it turned out, iJn’s northern force consisting of very few aircraft and crew, served as a bait to lure away Halsey’s 3rd fleet. vice-Admiral Kinkaid’s 7th fleet was left with only escort carriers and old battleships to protect the Leyte Gulf beachhead. the Battle of Surigao Strait took place between October 24 and 25. Southern force under vice Admiral Shoji nishimura traversed Surigao Strait towards the Leyte Beaches and awaiting them was a battle group under Rear Admiral Jesse Oldendorf with six old battleships, five of which were in Pearl Harbor. the fight was over in an hour and a half and nishimura was killed during the battle. the Battle of Samar took place on October 25. Center force’s Kurita entered the coast of Samar unopposed except for the 7th fleet’s (Kinkaid) three escort carrier units which were caught by surprise. Rear Admiral Clifton Sprague directed his task Unit (taffy 3) to launch their planes while the USS Johnston fired its torpedoes at the heavy cruiser Kumano forcing it out of line. Kurita assumed that he was fighting against Halsey’s 3rd fleet when the much smaller Allied fleet exchanged all the firepower they had, coupled with Allied aircraft attacks (albeit older models). Kurita received reports of American carriers steaming north of his position. He ordered his fleet to head north towards San Bernardino strait, thereby losing the chance to annihilate the Allied units off Samar. However, kamikaze aircrafts sank escort carrier St. Lo and damaged others. the Battle of Cape engaño (northeastern point of Luzon)

American soldiers land in Leyte, October 1944.

took place between October 25 and 26. Part of iJn’s northern force under Ozawa consisted of four aircraft carriers, one of which took part in the Pearl Harbor Attack, the Zuikaku. the northern force was not located by the U.S. 3rd fleet until 16:40 on October 24. Around dawn, Ozawa launched 75 aircrafts to attack the 3rd fleet, most of which were shot down. By dawn on the 25th, American carrier groups launched their first strike until the evening when the Zuikaku and other light carriers were lost. the Zuikaku, the symbol of imperial Japanese might sank at 14:14 taking the lives of Rear Admiral Kaizuka takeo and 842 of the ship’s crew. the imperial Japanese navy was crippled beyond repair by the Battles of Leyte Gulf, enabling the Allied forces to continue the liberation of the Philippines and eventually winning the war. in September 1944, the Allied forces started bombing airfields in the Philippines. the imperial Japanese Army started a systematic extermination of prisoners and civilians called “Zonas” or Zonification. On December 14, 1944, as warning sirens sounded off in the Allied POW camp in Palawan, the American prisoners were ordered into the bomb shelters. the Japanese guards doused off the entrances with gasoline and proceeded to burn the prisoners. Out of 159 prisoners, only 11 survived.

Zonas took place in every small town.

Men and women were rounded off and taken to a gathering place (often times a church or a school). A local person wearing a “bayong” (woven basket) to cover his/her face, except for the eyes, would point at suspected ex-USAffe (U.S. Army forces in the far east) soldiers or anyone suspected of having any sympathy for the United States. the Japanese soldiers would then proceed to torture them followed by execution. in some towns, even the old, the infirmed and the young were not spared. in february 1945, 2,298 civilians were executed in Lipa, Batangas by bayonets, gunfire, burial in wells or burning. following the successful rescue of 2,147 Allied civilian prisoners in Los Baños, Laguna on february 23, 1945, the imperial Japanese Army retaliated by slaughtering 1,500 civilians. in the Battle for Manila between february and March 1945, many civilians took refuge in convents and churches. this did not deter the Japanese soldiers from raping, killing and burning them. in one month’s time, an estimated 100,000 civilThe Battles of Leyte Gulf, the largest naval battle in history began on October 23, 1944. Photo shows Ameri- ians perished in Manila from the can soldiers landing on the beach in Leyte.

Photo from Jessie T. Huberty systematic extermination and

shelling. By the end of the war, an estimated 1,000,000 civilians had perished in the Philippines.

Manila became the second most devastated city after the war, next to Warsaw. the extermination of filipino civilians during WWii is an important story that remains to be told. Just as the Jews have told the world of their people’s extermination during World War ii, the filipinos have a sacred obligation to let the world know about these crimes against humanity. Only a handful of veterans and survivors are left to tell the story. Once they are gone, this seminal point in history will be lost forever, thereby robbing future generations of filipinos and filipino-Americans of their precious heritage. that is why Bataan Legacy Historical Society (BLHS) worked successfully with the California Department of education to include WWii in the Philippines in the Grade 11 U.S. History Curriculum framework (part of Chapter 16).

Sample lesson plans including primary documents are available for free through its website www. bataanlegacy.org. to carry out its mission to instill civic pride and engagement in young adults through the lessons of WWii in the Philippines from the perspectives of filipino and American military and civilians, BLHS has two major annual events in the Bay Area – the Commemoration of the Bataan Death March in April and its annual Conference on WWii in the Philippines in September. *Cecilia Gaerlan is the Founder and Executive Director of Bataan Legacy Historical Society. She founded the organization to address the lack of information about the role of the Filipinos during World War II in the Philippines and to seek justice for the Filipino veterans whose benefits were rescinded in 1946. Bataan Legacy Historical Society’s main goal is to educate the public on the historical significance of Bataan and World War II in the Philippines by presenting the war from different perspectives (Filipino, American, soldiers and civilians) through its multimedia presentations, exhibitions, conferences and lectures in schools and different organizations throughout the country. It is also documenting the stories of survivors and veterans of WWII in the Philippines. She was inspired by her father, Luis Gaerlan, Jr. a Filipino veteran (41st Infantry Regiment) of WWII and a survivor of the Bataan Death March.

(Photo credits: Photos from National Archives and Naval History and History Command (unless otherwise specified)

Friendship leads to love for Enrique

by Bot Glorioso Philstar.com

MAny say that friendship is the best foundation for a relationship. enrique Gil couldn’t agree more when he revealed that he and girlfriend Liza Soberano started out as good friends. “yeah, we were just in a barkada level at first,” he recalled. “i mean, our relationship started out from us being friends and for some reason, it became more than that.” their romance has been smooth-sailing for years now with both enrique and Liza expressing their love for each other without fail. it can be recalled how the 26-year-old

actor visited Liza in the U.S. after she underwent surgery for her injured finger. in a video, the actor was seen holding a bouquet of flowers for his girlfriend. the story of their friendship was brought up when enrique started answering questions about friends in line with Greenwich’s celebration of the friendship Month with its Barkada Box Awards. enrique is the latest addition to the growing Greenwich barkada that includes yassi Pressman and Robi Domingo. “i’m the fun guy in the barkada,” he began. “i’m more of the makulit in the group pero ako rin ‘yung kuya who always checks on Continued on Page SF6 Enrique Gil with Liza Soberano

Photo from Instagram/@enriquegil17

A map of Leyte annotated with battle plans.

General Douglas MacArthur and Philippine President Sergio Osmena in Leyte, October 1944. (L-R) Generals Richard Sutherland, George Kenney, President Osmena, Gen. MacArther and Dr. Basilio J. Valdes on the foreground.

Photo from Jessie T. Huberty/Gen. Basilio J. Valdes MD photo collection

Admiral Chester Nimitz with Navy staff.

“The Liberation of the Philippines: The steep price of freedom” 5th Conference on WWII in the Philippines

BAtAAn Legacy Historical Society (BLHS), in collaboration with the yuchengco Philippine Studies Program of the Univ. of San francisco, Memorare Manila 1945 and USf Kasamahan, will hold the fifth annual Conference on World War ii in the Philippines on Saturday, September 28 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.at fromm Hall Conference Center at the University of San francisco. the conference will feature speakers from the Philippines and the United States. topics will include “the role of filipino and American Guerrillas before and during the Liberation” with Prof. Bernard Karganilla of the Univ. of the Philippines and Richard foye, author of foye and the filipino Guerrillas, the “Leyte Landing” with Walter Borneman, author of MacArthur at War and “the Admirals, the Battle of Leyte Gulf” with Prof. Jose Custodio and James Hornfischer, author of the Last Stand of the tin Can Soldiers, “Zonification and War Crimes” with Prof. Mark Hull of the U.S. Army Command and General Staff College and Cecilia Gaerlan of Bataan Legacy Historical Society. the keynote speaker will be Admiral William fallon, USn (Ret.), the current Chair of the naval Historical foundation and former Commander of the U.S. Pacific and U.S. Central Commands. Maj. General Antonio taguba, USA (Ret.) will speak about the filipino veterans Recognition and education Project during the lunch hour. Maj. General eldon Regua, USA (Ret.), this year’s Conference Chair, will act as the Master of Ceremonies. the conference is supported by grants from Ambassador and Mrs. Howard Leach (in Memory of the 40th tank Battalion of Salinas, CA which made up Co. C of the 194th tank Battalion in the Philippines), the Joseph and Mercedes McMicking foundation, Mrs. Consuelo Hall McHugh (in Memory of the 100,000 Civilians killed during the Battle of Manila from february 2 to March 4, 1945) and Wells fargo.

Admission is free for All students, Military, veterans, Grade 11 history teachers and USf faculty. Regular admission is $25 and includes a boxed lunch and parking. Registration is required through www.bataanlegacy.org.

Safeguarding your petition, Part 1 a receipt, there may be problems as to whether it was ever Immigration received by the USCIS. The Corner receipt is important because it has the receipt number, which is how USCIS will track your document.

Atty. MichAel 3. Get the approval noGurfinkel, eSQ tice, check processing times.

After the petition has been MOST family-based filed and the receipt is issued, petitions take years to be keep track of the approval processed and for the priority notice. I have had many situadate to finally become curtions where a person may have rent. For example, it could received the filing receipt, but take nine or more years for not the actual approval notice.

USCIS to process a petition Receiving the approval notice for a married son or daughter depends on how backlogged or a sibling, and then up to the USCIS is and their pro30 years for the priority date cessing times for particular to become current, or visa to petitions. For example, petibecome available. tions by green card holders Meanwhile, there could of their spouse and minor have been changes in circumchildren could take up to two stances that could affect the years to process. Petitions petition and/or could result for a brother and sister of a in the case being denied or US citizens could take at least terminated without the alien’s 10 years before the approval knowledge. notice would be received.

The following are some So, you may not receive the of the more common situaapproval notice right away. If tions I have encountered with your case was filed and it is Filipinos in connection with beyond USCIS’s processing issues they have with their times, but no approval notice petitions. It could help your case if you follow these tips or was received, you could have suggestions to safeguard your issues or problems with your case. petition: 4. Notify USCIS and NVC 1. Make copies and file of address change. If the peby certified or overnight titioner or beneficiary moved mail. I’ve encountered situsince the date the petition was ations where a person came filed, you need to notify the for a consultation stating they “remembered” that some time USCIS and NVC of your new address. It is not enough you back in the early 80s or late give a postcard to the post 90s, Tatay filed some sort of office when you first move, as petition. When I asked for a that notification expires after copy, they state they canone year. You need to give not locate it. Or they did not direct notice to USCIS and the bother making any copies NVC. This is critical because if before filing, and sent it by you do not provide your new regular mail. To establish eligibility for a benefit, you need address, they will send notices to the last address they have documentary proof, not your memory. Therefore, whenever on file. Sometimes the USyou submit anything to USCIS, CIS will request for evidence (RFE) and there is a deadline make copies and don’t send to respond. If you do not it by regular mail. Sending or respond within the deadline, filing by certified or overnight mail at least provides a record/ the case could be denied or terminated. receipt.

For example, a petition is 2. Get the filing receipt. filed, the family moves, and Once a person files a petition, they should get a receipt five years later USCIS sends within a few weeks. If you filed a request for evidence (RFE) something, but never received to the old address, giving the

person 87 days to respond.

The person never receives the RFE, because they moved.

The case is then denied for abandonment. Meanwhile, the family keeps waiting for years and years on the petition, unaware it had been denied.

And you can’t seek reconsideration on the grounds you never received the notice, because it was your responsibility to notify the government of your new address.

Similarly, the NVC will send notices to the last address they have on file for you. If you move, they will send the notices to your old address, giving you one year to respond. If you do not respond, the case is shredded and terminated, and the priority date is lost.

In a future article I will discuss more tips and strategies for safeguarding your petition.

But if you have experienced any of the issues discussed in this article, you may want to seek the advice of an attorney to make sure your petition is still active and moving forward. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 13, 2019

DREAMS OF A FAIRYTALE WEDDING ENDED UP IN A NIGHTMARE OF BATTERY AND ABUSE. Anne entered the U.S. on a fiancé (K-1) visa, hoping to build a beautiful, love-filled life with her U.S. citizen petitioner. But the marriage turned into a nightmare, when the husband became verbally and physically abusive.

Battered and abused, Anne reached out to leading immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch as Anne was able to escape the chains of abuse, through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition that the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel filed and was able to get a green card for Anne….on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

What’s next for Maymay?

more than 20 years.

“Gusto ko lang din po ManilaTimes.net i-share na naging fulfillment ko po ay yung nakita ko yung naMAYMAY Entrata’s career nay ko dahil 20 years na siyang continuously blooms these OFW at sinabi niya sa akin na days. Right after winning “Pinoy ‘sobrang na-appreciate ko yung Big Brother: Lucky 7” in 2017, movie ninyo kasi bilang OFW she fulfilled her ambition of mas marami nang nakakaintindi becoming an actress starring in na tao kung ano yung totoong major roles for TV shows such nangyayari na sakripisyo at as “La Luna Sangre,” “Wansapaghihirap ng mga OFW.’ Kaya panataym’s Ikaw Ang Ghosto maraming salamat po,” Entrata Ko” and “Hiwaga ng Kambat,” told members of the press after and movies like “Loving in her event for Modess Move Tandem,” “Da One That Ghost Camp last week.

Away,” “Fantastica,” and most She also had to thank their recently, in the blockbuster Maymay Entrata director for guiding her despite hit “Hello, Love, Goodbye” Photo from Instagram/@maymay being a newbie in the cast. The as Kathryn Bernardo’s cousin, 22-year-old also enthused that Directed by Cathy Garcia Mary Dale. she has earned a new family Molina, the film beat another On September 3, “Hello, because of the film.

Bernardo starrer, “The Hows Love, Goodbye” was officially “Grabe. Kagabi po kung of Us,” in the box office race. declared as the highest gross“The Hows of Us” also raked in nakita at narinig ninyo yung ing Filipino film of all time. mga speech namin during the a global gross receipts of over ABS-CBN’s movie arm, Star thanksgiving party, nag-iyakan Cinema, announced during the 800 million. kami lahat ng cast ng ‘Hello, On her part, Entrata has film’s thanksgiving party that Love, Goodbye’ lalo na sila dedicated the success of their the Kathryn Bernardo-Alden Kathryn at Kuya Alden kasi movie to her mother who is Richards romantic drama has na-touch talaga sila sa mainit na working in Japan as an overchalked up a worldwide gross (Advertising Supplement) of 880,603,490. seas Filipino worker (OFW) for Continued on Page SF7

by Iza IglesIas

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celebrityworld

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 13, 2019

A “better” Claudine Barretto makes showbiz comeback

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar AFTER all the controversies surrounding her personal life and her health issues, Claudine Barretto is back to her first love, which is acting, and said that she is “a better Claudine.”

Just last April, the actress was seen in an episode of “Maalaala Mo Kaya” and in an interview with Metro Magazine, she confirmed that she is working on her comeback film with actor Piolo Pascual.

“I just wanted to go back.

I feel safe and happy here.

Now, I’m okay. Hopefully this time talaga, tuloy-tuloy na.

My children are very supportive of my work,” she said.

Her new film with Piolo is also their reunion movie, which will be shot in Florence, Italy. She is also hoping that their movie will be something that people could remember.

“I want it to be a movie na matatandaan ng lahat ng tao at maipagmamalaki ng kids ko at ma-a-appreciate ng generations to come,” she added.

Being a “better Claudine” now is all because of the peace in her heart. This is because she has patched things up with her elder sister Gretchen Barretto. She is also proud to share that Gretchen, together with her family and friends, are helping her raise her children.

The way we met, ayaw na naming pag-usapan, kasi para sa’min, kung ano ’yung past, we don’t really want to go back to it kasi negative.

Basta anything na negative na marinig namin ng ate ko, ayaw na namin. Tapos na ’yun. It was God’s perfect timing, ’yun ang sinasabi namin talaga, kung paano nangyari ’yun.

BANKRUPTCY

Oras na talaga para mangyari ’yun. Our parents are very happy,” she said.

“For the longest time, I was doing it single-handedly, but thank God, I have Gretchen in my life now and Dada (Gretchen’s partner, Tonyboy Cojuangco) and her family and her friends to help me raise my children. Hindi ako nahihiya magsabi na she’s helping me raise my children,” she added. *** Veteran actor Lito Legaspi passed away last Sunday morning, September 8 at the Cardinal Santos Memorial Center, San Juan City. He was 77. He would have been 78 last Tuesday, September 10.

According to his friend Pempe Rodrigo, Lito suffered

from a bad cough for two weeks and it led to pneumonia. He was rushed to the hospital after suffering cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead around 10 a.m.

Lito was launched in 1962

by Sampaguita Pictures in the movie “Lab Na Lab Kita” with Susan Roces. After that, he made “Joey, Eddie & Lito” with fellow Sampaguita talent According to actress Claudine Barretto, she is thankful that she has patched up Liberty Ilagan. He later on things with her elder sister Gretchen Barretto. became a freelancer after his contract with Sampaguita expired. He continued to be active in showbiz, both in movies and TV, until his death.

He is survived by his children that include actors Zoren, Kier and Brando, and wife Hershey.

Our condolences to Lito’s family.

Alden Richards, the new Box Office King of Philippine Movies, will be the lead star in GMA Pinoy TV’s newest teleserye, “The Gift,” which will premiere on Monday, September 16.

Actress Claudine Barretto makes her showbiz comeback as a “better Claudine.”

EMPLOYMENT

PSYCHIC

Veteran actor Lito Legaspi, father of actors Zoren, Kier and Brandon, passed away last Sunday, September 8, at the age of 77. He is also survived by his wife, Hershey Legaspi.

Handsome actor Rafael Rosell is the lead actor of ABS-CBN’s new series, “Paradise Island.”

Myrna Diaz Cabrera, a senior tax specialist of Fremont Group in San Francisco, celebrated her 50th birthday with a luncheon party held last Saturday, September 1, at Smith’s Landing Grill and Restaurant in Antioch. Shown in photo are (L-R) Ed Cabrera, Elaine Estabrooks, the celebrant, Michael Cabrera and Ralph Boquilon.

SERVICES

Actor JM de Guzman celebrated his 31st birthday last Sunday, September 8, via a surprise party given by his colleagues led by actress Sylvia Sanchez during their taping of “Pamilya Ko.”

Jake: I respect the law

community

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 13, 2019

by Honey orio-escullar Philstar.com

JAKE Zyrus said he knew what was coming to him even before facing the media recently for the launch of his album titled Evolution under Star Music. Carrying seven tracks including “Diamond”, “Hiling”, “Bagyo”, “DNM”, “Love Even If”, “I’ll Be There” and “Tapestry, Evolution” chronicles his progress not only as a transman but more importantly as a music artist.

Besides talking about his first official album as Jake Zyrus, he also addressed questions on two hotly-debated issues today — the restroom incident involving a member of the LGBT community and the proposed SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Equality) Bill.

“I knew this was coming,” said Jake when asked for his reaction about the restroom issue and which one — male or female comfort room (CR) he goes to.

“I used to think that way.

Pipilitin ko yung sarili ko to go to the male’s restroom but the more I grow older, the more I realized that not everyone thinks the same. Not everyone believes in the same beliefs that you believe in. So, nagsiCR ako kung saan ako dapat mag-CR, at kung ano po yung naiisip n’yo, dun ako nagsiCR. I simply follow the law. I respect the law and if I respect the law, hopefully the government will see it and I hope that everyone follows it kasi madali lang naman eh.”

For Jake, what’s more important is understanding one another and treating each other well. “It’s just the CR and you know, it goes both ways, you know, it’s about behavior. It’s about how we treat each other. This is not about sexuality anymore. This is not about the CR anymore. This is not just about understanding me, understanding the LGBTQI community, this (goes) both ways.”

He stressed his point by quoting an old adage, “Pag

SF

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Continued from last week’s issue…)

There were happy times too and she chose to dwell on them. Elaine imagined herself During the launch of his first official album as Jake Zyrus, the 27-year-old singer shared his views on two most hotly debated issues today — the restroom incident involving a member of the LGBT community and to be like a film editor retaining the proposed SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression Equality) Bill. the reels of fun and laughter Philstar.com photo by Honey Orio-Escullar they had during the early years of their family life.

When asked if he is in fabinato ka ng bato, batuhin She smiles broadly recallvor of separate restrooms for mo ng tinapay,” explaining, ing their wedding, two normal LGBTQIs, Jake said, “Sa totoo “if someone does not unchildbirths, flying kites in the lang, ako po ay agree lang if derstand what you’re going open space and on the beaches it’s for the betterment of our through, if someone does not when the children were growcountry. If it’s going to be a understand who you are, you ing and just countless fun times good thing for our country, simply understand them bethey shared and recorded in if everyone’s going to stop cause we don’t have the right fading photographs and video hating each other because of to push everyone to accept clips. a restroom, nasa gobyerno our beliefs. Paano kung gawin And like the editor of her na po natin yan. Pero yun po sayo yun? Wouldn’t it be that life, she chose to gloss over pabor ako kung okey sa lahat. offending? It’s the same thing and edit out the ugly parts “I still believe na magbawith everything. and leave them on the cutting bago yan. Let’s be contented “So, if I go to a women’s room floor, swept in a bin and with whatever it is that we restroom and they feel awkzapped away from memory. have right now.

So ako, okey ward, it’s not my fault anyPoof. Gone. Forgiven and na ako dun because I know more because I’m just followForgotten. that someday… we don’t ing the law, cause that’s what This is just how I cope and know what the future will they said, right?” how I choose to remember my bring but I’m comfortable Even if Jake identifies as life and times, Elaine thought. with myself.” a transman, he respects the Some couples are deMeanwhile, asked for his fact that he was born female. scribed as two peas in a pod. reaction on the SOGIE bill “Biologically, I am a woman Elaine and Neil were more like being debated in the Senate, so I follow it because I don’t two Mexican jumping beans Jake replied, “For me, when need everyone else’s validatrapped in a pod. She often you say SOGIE bill, it’s for tion of who I am. I transitioned gritted her teeth and bit back a everyone eh.

The problem to transman because it’s a fulretort when things got heated. fillment for myself, an achieve- is, it always focuses on one She didn’t want the children to group. Parang nasasarili, nament for me. nag-come out hear. She turned to prayer, first do-dominate and that’s what ako hindi para isampal sa lahat as an escape valve, and later as I don’t like because I am for ‘o ito, ako yan,’ but because a real comfort and eventually, a anything na makaka-better sa first of all, I’m in show busideep, unfailing source of peace lahat ng tao. If this bill will be ness and I felt like it’s a must. and strength. good for everybody and not It’s a must for everyone to With a solid faith in God just the LGBTQI, if everyone know who I really am. I’m not ‘s mercy and love, peace benefits from it, if there’s pushing everybody to celdid come to their home. A no more discrimination and ebrate with me.” domination, then I’m all for it. deep-seated respect for each He added that he’s thankother quietly slipped in durBut if this bill is going to be ful to people who support his ing their mature and last few taken advantage of, dun mo decision and to those who years together. Elaine placed masasabing mali talaga. don’t, he understands. “But everything in the backburner “Kung ito yung magpaI’m here and I tell you who I when she took care of Neil as am because this is what makes pagulo sa atin bakit ka maghe languished. She felt his pain a-agree di ba?

So, in order me happy and I respect your and for his part, Neil began to happiness.”

Continued on Page SF6 see her in a different light.

OncE upOn a TiME sERiEs

Meet Elaine, The Rock “…Elaine and Neil were more like two Mexican jumping beans trapped in a pod. …”

Theirs was not an all-consuming love affair, which she sometimes thought was the stuff of Hollyweird garbage anyway, but they managed to work out their differences over time. As they mellowed, they became patient and kinder with each other. Eventually, love did come to dwell in their hearts. A sense of overwhelming peace washed over them in the few remaining years left.

During the critical times, Elaine learned to tough it out.

She stood her ground to keep her family together. And yet, she understood the frailty of unions which crack and fall apart at the merest hint of trouble.

Elaine decided early on that she would be the glue to hold her family together — no matter what. The only thing that would break her resolve would be if there was another woman involved. Thankfully, there wasn’t. More than anything, it was personality differences that threatened their marriage.

Their two children turned out right and became upstanding, caring young adults of strong faith. For Elaine, it was all worth the struggle of keeping their family whole.

Two years into her grief, Elaine thought she was finally done with all her struggles.

She expected a season of calm. But fate had other plans.

Life wasn’t done with her yet and another curve ball was headed her way.

Elaine’s younger sister, Joyce and her husband, Jerry, died suddenly, within months of each other, her brother-in-

law in a motor accident and her dear sister, in a rare, aggressive form of cancer that left two teen-agers — a girl and a boy — to fend for themselves.

Elaine had a huge heart and she took the youngsters under her wing and helped them heal after the tragic loss of their parents. She helped them finish school and get onto meaningful career tracks.

She became their mother and the two orphans realized just how great Aunt Elaine was.

They called her Mom. Instead of two children, now she had four who loved her dearly.

As she looked back at her life, Elaine marveled at how she had managed it all. She realized she was never alone during her seasons of struggle over darkness. There was always something guiding her and protecting her – a bright light that shone in her heart and is reflected in her being.

God and His angels have been with her every nanosecond of her valiant. little life. Of this, Elaine is certain.

Elaine didn’t accrue material things for herself. In fact, she gave them away as fast as she could. Yet the one thing she did have is a family cobbled together by nothing more than steadfast love, kindness and a deep, unyielding faith in the goodness of God. Elaine knew she was going to be just fine no matter what.

She would be leaving a small yet beautiful legacy. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

SF

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 13, 2019

Nurses gather from around the world for Global Nurses Solidarity Assembly

NURSES, labor leaders, and activists from across the globe, including representatives from 24 countries and every continent, will gather for the Global Nurses Solidarity Assembly, to be held Sept. 12-15, in San Francisco, Calif. The event is organized by the California Nurses Association/ National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC) an affiliate of National Nurses United (NNU), the largest union and professional organization of registered nurses in the United States.

“While we may be from opposite sides of the globe, we know that as nurses we share a common mission and are all bound by the same fundamental convictions: to heal the sick and injured, and fiercely advocate for the well-being of our patients, our communities, and our planet,” said Bonnie Castillo, RN, CNA/ NNOC and NNU executive director.

“We live in a world where working people are under attack,

where our health systems are threatened by corporations and privatization. But these forces are not inevitable; we have the power to create and transform our world. When we work together in solidarity as a global movement of nurses, there is nothing we cannot achieve,” Castillo added.

Plenary presentations featuring international panels of speakers include: • Global Health, Global Justice • Nurses Fight to Win International Health Care Justice in the 21st Century

the south of the metro.

“I’ve been with them since we were kids; we grew up together so you could just imagine the kind of bond that we have. They’re like my second family. My best friend lives in the house next to us.”

Asked about the three things that would make friendship work, the Star Magic talent replied, “Trust, honesty and having each other’s back no matter what.

Just like a mother who loves her child whatever mistake he/she commits, I’m like that as a friend — na kahit anong gawin, mahal ko pa rin.”

Meanwhile, Enrique shared that he and Liza are not supposed to attend the ABS-CBN Ball on Sept. 14 “because we’re supposed

The attorney-client relationship

in policy were put in place allowing immigration officers to reject visa applications immeAs attorneys, we get diately due to missing or inacfrantic or panicked phone calls curate information. Previously, from our clients worried about USCIS will issue “Requests for their cases. It’s a natural reEvidence” (RFE) if there are sponse – nobody wants to be missing information, allowing in a place of unknowing – and applicants to address gaps we try our best to walk people in their paperwork. “Notices through the process. For the of Intent to Deny” were also most part, the panic comes issued, as per prior guidance, from information gathered which gave applicants a 30from the wonderful world of day warning that their applicathe internet: someone read tion would likely be rejected. this article or watched that Applications affected by video, then later fears are these policies and its recent Photo from National Nurses United confirmed upon speaking with changes in policy apply to: (i) • Racial Injustice--Our a neighbor’s-husband’s-thirdapplications and renewals of National Disease, Our Challenge cousin who had the “same temporary (non-immigrant) for Change exact situation.” Oh boy. visas, and (ii) permanent • Workplace Democracy and Most attorneys cannot resident status (immigrant) Working Class Power speak about cases they have visas. Securing such visas are • Insurgent Feminism: not handled. Each case is required in order for non-U.S. Workers of the World Unite for unique – one tiny fact, one citizen foreign nationals to Gender Equity tiny detail could change the legally live and work in the • Advocacy without Borders: course of a case. And, in immi- United States.

Fighting Inhumane Immigration gration cases where the threat Can USCIS refer a file to Policy • The Global Climate of deportation is very real why deportation for the issuance Emergency--The Fight for would you gamble with your of a Notice to Appear after Environmental Justice life? Or your family’s life? it the case has been denied?

To see the full Global Nurse New policy for rejecting in- Yes. The U.S. Citizenship and Solidarity Assembly schedule of complete or inaccurate filings. Immigration Services (USevents please visit: http://bit.

Did you know that a single CIS) may also issue an NTA ly/gnsa-sched. error could mean a rejected when it finds a noncitizen has application? And, more impor- not complied with regulatantly, that a rejected applica- tions governing admission or tion could lead to the issuance maintaining lawful status after of a Notice to Appear (NTA)? admission. to be flying out to shoot for In September 2018, changes Consult with a licensed something (initially denying that it’s for their upcoming teleserye). But at the last minute, we got a call that we must be there so we will atFrom Page SF5 tend the ball and then fly out other. Kahit hindi mo ako for us to reach that point, the following day,” said Entanggap pero respetuhin mo we all want for this country rique, who will wear a Randy ako, rerespetuhin kita.” to be good, then we all have Ortiz suit.

He continued, “That’s why to be equal. As long as hindi He, too, assured fans I said, what if we will just be nagkakaroon ng ganyan, we during the Greenwich event contented with what we have can’t pass any bill regarding held at Market! Market! that because the more na pinudiscrimination and anything a new teleserye that he is push natin parang the more because even if it’s passed starring in with Liza will air na binabasura, lalong inaalis and approved hangga’t soon. Taping is set to begin kumbaga.” walang nakakaintindi truly at this month with Enrique visJake admitted that he is ibly hesitant about telling that hindi nagiging equal ang lahat, actually “unbothered” by all wala ring silbi yung bill. It’s all some scenes will be shot in the fuss, thanks to his fiancée going to come from us.”

Europe.

Shyre Aquino.

Jake believes that with or “Certainly, it will air by “I’ve been feeling spiritual without the SOGIE Bill, “it’s next year and we will fly out because my fiancée is a Chrisup to us if we treat each other tian. She has been inspiring to, basta (laughs). It will be (nicely), if we understand each me and everything, sobrang super exciting.”

Friendship leads to love...

From Page SF2 everyone na ‘O, kamusta ka na?’ ‘Kumain ka na ba?’ And I am the kuya because I think I’m the oldest in the group but it feels weird sometimes since ako din ‘yung pasimuno sa mga kalokohan, hahaha.”

Enrique also loves playing “harmless” pranks on his closest non-showbiz pals.

“You can see on videos what I do to them while they’re sleeping because my house has somewhat become their house that every time I go home, they’re already there and we would all stay in one room. They sleep in my bedroom so they’re like a part of my family,” he said, referring to his childhood friends who live in the same village where he resides which is located in

The CTV Files

Atty. LiLLi BAcuLi coLLins, EsQ

and experienced immigration attorney before filing anything. First things first, do not file anything with USCIS or any other government entity without first seeking advice.

Filing for applications “frivolously” can and will come back and haunt you. While certain applications are available online making it easy to access, individuals must nevertheless proceed with caution when filing for any application with USCIS. Just because it is easier now to file for an application does not mean that you should. We urge individuals to pause and take the time to consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before submitting any application with USCIS. *** 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) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com; www.chuatinsayvega.com.

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Jake: I respect the law... nag-light yung feeling ko. I’m comfortable with everything because I’m (feeling) good spiritually so I feel calm. I knew what people are gonna say, I knew what they’re gonna post, I knew what they’re gonna comment and that’s when I realized I have to accept this, this is the world now. (I just) go with the flow,” he said.

“I have accepted that this is how it is today. Hindi na natin mababago kaya kung hindi ka na naiintindihan, ikaw na lang umintindi kasi you can’t eh…it’s not in your control anymore.”

people & events SF Toni, Vicki, Hayden fly to Harvard University The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 13, 2019

by Ryan aRcadio Inquirer.net

DR. Vicki Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho jetted off to the United States with Toni Gonzaga, who has announced Photo by Sean Harris that she will be studying at Harvard University. Kho, who is yet to announce the full nature of joining the trip, stated that it is for attending “a special course.”

Gonzaga will be taking classes in the said university

PSMNC, Share+Give Initiative raise funds for medical mission Event features Jocelyn Enriquez and launch of United Against Cancer 2020 Swimwear Calendar

SAN FRANCISCO – The Philippine Medical Society of Northern California (PMSNC) and Share+Give Initiative join forces for a fundraising event to benefit PMSNC’s medical mission in Bacoor, Cavite, Philippines.

The event will showcase special performances by the Queen of Freestyle Jocelyn Enriquez and Bay Area’s very own Maddie B together with a fashion show featuring designers Gia Galicia, Aguida Zanol, Kate Knuvelder, Malibu Dana, Rav Sastre, Manya Nofal and Amped Atelier. The “United Against Cancer 2020 Swimwear Calendar” will also be launched through a fashion

show featuring cancer survivors, advocates, and models.

The event is presented with the help of The Filipino Channel as a media partner.

For more info and tickets, please visit pmsnc.org. Proceeds of the United Against Cancer 2020 calendar benefits the PSRC Breast Cancer Support Services Program in San Francisco. PMSNC has been conducting annual medical missions since 1986.

About PMSNC PMSNC is committed to conducting community outreach programs, both in the Philippines and in Northern California. The 2019 medical mission was held in Candon,

What’s next for...

na-realize na yung mga tao pala ngayon, mas tutok sila sa pagsuporta ng mga tao. Nagsocial media para hindi puro papasalamat din ako lalo na kay negative lang ang papasok sa direk Cathy. Isa sa mga iniidolo utak nila kapag may nagkukong direktor si direk Cathy, comment nang hindi maganda. kahit hindi naging matagal ang Siyempre isa na yung vlog sa shooting ko doon pero yung way para ipakita sa kanila na disiplina bilang isang aktor at go lang dapat nang go. Keep aktres ay hangga’t maari na moving lang. Ang vlogs ay may oras pa ako noon ay talapang-iwas stress lang,” Entrata gang nakikinig ako. Salamat, mentioned. direk,” Entrata said.

ABS-CBN Ball, New York “Yung movie po kasi hindi Fashion Week lang maganda yung kuwento, On the other hand, the kung hindi yung samahan na young star has opened up nabuo namin saka yung journey about her plans for the upcomna meron kami, yung experiing ABS-CBN Ball which will ence. Yun yung isa sa mga happen on September 14 at pinakamagandang experience Shangri-La at the Fort. The ever na hindi ko makakalitheme this year is “Modern Filimutan. Kaya siguro naging piniana” and just like the past matatag yung pagsasamahan years, Entrata will arrive with namin,” she continued. her loveteam Edward Barbers.

On to the next one “Di ko pa po puwedeng Because of her hard work, sabihin ano ang preparations. she along with her onscreen Pero excited ako sa inspirapartner, Edward Barbers, tion ng susuotin ko, pero hindi treated herself to a much-deko pa puwedeng sabihin. Ang served travel to Japan. designer ko ay si Ms. Furne “Nagbakasyon po ako sa One pa rin. Siya rin po ang Japan, kasama ko po yung nadesigner ko last year. Gusto nay ko. Masaya ako kasama ko ko rin magpasalamat kasi Ms. din si Dodong, nakapag-relax Furne One kasi imposible na kami. Nagpapa-healthy kami for siya yung maging designer ko our upcoming concert,” Entrata ulit kasi may sakit siya. Pero enthused. pinush niya pa rin. Kaya ayun, According to Entrata, sobrang thankful ako sa kanya,” their “MayWard” tandmen is she noted. currently preparing for their upIt will be remembered that coming concert dubbed “M.E. Entrata was the fashion muse of and U” on September 27 at the celebrated designer, whose the New Frontier Theater. This Amato Couture Fashion Show was a year after she also held was presented during the Arab her very first solo concert “The Fashion Week in November Dream Maymay In Concert” 2018. on February 2018 which led to In relation to that, during a nationwide tour titled, “The the press conference for the Dream Tour” which started in 20th anniversary of Knowledge April last year.

Channel, which launched her Meanwhile, it was during as one of the hosts of the show their stay in Japan when En“Puno ng Buhay,” Entrata trata thought of doing vlogs on opened up that she recently YouTube just like some of the auditioned for the New York actresses before her. She has Fashion Week. uploaded their mukbang (binge “Nag-audition po ako sa eating) date with Barbers. As of New York Fashion Week,” she this writing, she has garnered said during an interview with more than 260,000 subscribers ABS-CBN. in less than a week and a milAccording to her, she had a lion views for her first video. live audition for the prestigious “Yung YouTube channel ko occasion as a muse for Furne po hindi ko in-expect na ganun One. ang mangyayari. Pero kasi ma“Yung designer pa rin po si higit isang taon ko siyang iniisip Ms. Furne One, parang online gawin. Kasi ako po, nanonood po. Bale pinost lang po yung lang ako ng mga vlogs pero audition ko. Live po yun, hindi hindi ko inisip na magagawa.

Marami kasing nagsasabi. Iniisip lang si Ms. Furne One [ang present] kundi yung mga, sino ko lang kung paano siya gawin nga ba yun? Yung mga nasa baka kasi mawala ako sa sarili ko. Kausap ko lang sarili ko. So New York Fashion Week, mga malalaking tao dun,” Entrata nag-try ako, nagpatulong ako revealed. kay Dong. Tapos nag-advice She shared though that it din si Ms. Alex Gonzaga and is still not sure if she will be Ms. Kim Chiu na dapat kung accepted to walk the New York ano yung personality mo, yun ang ipapakita mo. Di mo naman Fashion Week runways.

“Hindi po biro kasi yun, kailangan na maging maarte so hindi ko pa po talaga alam ka o kailangan mong maging kung sakaling matutuloy po perfect sa kanila,” she said. yun. Kung tanggap ako, e, di “Abangan nila yung baliwtanggap. Pero alamin po nabaliwan ko sa vlogs. Tawa lang tin,” she ended. sila nang tawa. Kasi dun ko From Page SF3

Ilocos Norte. A total of 186 volunteers helped 7,000 indigent patients. The PMSNC also provides scholarships to deserving Filipino-American medical students each year and relies mostly on volunteer hours and donations from individuals and sponsors to help fund its programs.

About Share+Give Share+Give Initiative is a non-profit founded in 2017 to help organizations raise funds for breast cancer, children in foster care, and medical missions through fashion shows Toni Gonzaga with Dr. Vicki Belo and Dr. Hayden Kho and other projects.

together with TV writer Garlic Garcia, as seen in Gonzaga’s Instagram Stories on Sunday, September 8.

On the 16-hour flight to the U.S., Gonzaga and Garcia took the time to finish their required readings while the rest of their company were asleep.

Gonzaga’s husband, director Paul Soriano, and their son Seve also accompanied the actress on her trip.

Kho was also hard at work, “studying” with “laser focus”

in his own plane seat, as seen in Garcia’s Instagram Stories.

“We’re here in Cambridge to attend a special course at the university where @ victoria_belo learned all about lasers some 30 years ago,” he said in his Instagram post today, September 9. “Can you guess what university this is?”

Gonzaga, as per her post on Instagram Stories, was set to start her classes in Harvard University on Monday, September 9.

Photo from Instagram/@celestinegonzaga

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 13, 2019