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DATELINE Emmy hosts call out Hollywood’s diversity problem: ‘Why no Filipino nurses on ER?’

by CHRISTINA

MENDEZ

Philstar.com

CHANGE OF HEART. President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the former rebels who were presented to him during his visit to Camp Melchor F. Dela Cruz in Gamu, Isabela on Tuesday, September 18. The president also led the inspection of the ďŹ rearms recovered from the former rebels.

MalacaĂąang photo by King Rodriguez

President Duterte admitted that he is afraid of dying as he extolled a Medal of Valor awardee for bravery during a visit to Camp Melchor Upi in Gamu, Isabela last Tuesday, September 18.

Since Duterte couldn’t join Gen. Bartolome Vicente Bacarro’s birthday celebration Wednesday, September 19, he directed his special assistant Christopher Go to give Bacarro a gift. “I am giving him something beautiful‌ not a woman, but a beautiful present,â€? the president instructed Go in Filipino. “Sir, I hate to disappoint you. I want to have dinner with you but we are in the field. But if you’d allow me to invite you one of these days,â€?

Duterte told Bacarro.

The president then gave Bacarro a salute. “I have faith in Valor awardees because I am, myself, a coward. I am afraid to die. I idolize everyone who is brave,� Duterte said.

Duterte has declared that he wants to die a hero for the country – willing to take the bullet for the Filipino people – to emulate Dr. Jose Rizal.

He has wished for a heroic death rather than dying of old age or disease.

Duterte saluted Bacarro after he was informed that it was the military official’s birthday.

When Bacarro was a young lieutenant in 1991, he led the 6th Citizen Armed Force Geographical Unit (CAFGU) Active Auxiliary company of the 21st Infantry Battalion in fighting 150 communist PAGE A3

Number of people in Philippines affected

by Typhoon Ompong reaches over 800,000

by RAE

PAGE A3

Fil-Am nurse sentenced for $1-M Ponzi scheme

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Pres. Duterte says he’s afraid to die

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

WE are living through the most impactful push towards minority representation in entertainment, so it’s not surprising that jabs at Hollywood’s lack of diversity made it to this year’s Emmy Awards monologue on Monday, September 17.

During their monologue, co-hosts Colin Jost and Michael Che of Saturday Night Live made a point about the oddly homogenous casting of the hospital dramas like “ER� and “Grey’s Anatomy.�

Che quipped, “TV has always had a diversity problem. I mean, can you believe they did 15 seasons of ER without one Filipino nurse? Have you been to a hospital?�

The joke garnered a strong response from the audience, especially on social media where

S E P T E MBE R 2 1 - 2 7 , 2 0 1 8

ANN VARONA AJPress

A FILIPINA-AMERICAN nurse from Dallas, Texas was sentenced last week for orchestrating a Ponzi scheme that cost victims — many of whom were also Filipino nurses — over $1 million.

Nemelee Liwanag Jiao on Wednesday, September 5, was sentenced by a federal judge to eight years and a month, plus three years of supervised release for devising a Ponzi scheme that cost at least 35 “investors� about $1.9 million.

Jiao, originally from San Fernando, Pampanga, Philippines, was indicted in May 2017 for wire fraud, and pleaded guilty last December 2017. Her sentencing comes five months

THE number of people in the Philippines reported to be affected by the recent Typhoon Ompong — known internationally as Typhoon Mangkhut — has reached over 800,000, according to the latest National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) report released Tuesday morning, September 18.

According to Philippine National Police numbers, the death toll reached 74 on Tuesday, though that number is expected to rise. Most of the deaths have been coming from the Cordillera Administrative Region which as of Tuesday, had 60 fatalities. Both Metro Manila and the Ilocos Region had one death recorded each, Central Luzon had two, and Cagayan Valley recorded 10.

From the total of affected 3,237 barangays in the NCR, Ilocos Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and

u PAGE A3

PAGE A2

DAY AFTER TYPHOON OMPONG. Residents collect bamboo timber from the garbage washed ashore during the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong, at the Manila Bay on Sunday, September 16. “Ompong�, which barreled through northern Luzon, left the Philippine Area of Responsibility on Saturday, September 15.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dala

Gov’t official admits PH’s lack of Sotto suggests revision of PH National Anthem preparedness for major disasters the Upper Chamber’s deliberations on the proposed amendment to Republic Act 8491 or the Flag and SENATE President Vicente Sotto Heraldic Code of the Philippines. fect of the impending climate III on Tuesday, September 18, sugThe last two lines of Lupang gested a revision in the lyrics of the Hinirang are: “Aming ligaya na change. “Because of global warming Philippine National Anthem. ’pag may mang-aapi, ang mamatay Sotto asked his colleagues to nang dahil sa ‘yo (But it is glory the intensity of the typhoons may increase but the numbers may consider amending the last two ever, when thou art wronged, for lines of “Lupang Hinirang� during not,� he noted.

He stated that global warming would pose more danger as typhoons tend to be wetter and more intense. The director emphasized how the increase in temperature would cause both the dry and rainy season all at the same time as explained by the water cycle. “Also because of the warmer temperature there will be faster evaporation, meaning more rains and also more extreme droughts,� Senate President Vicente Sotto III !.$2%7 " 3().

Philstar.com photo by Geremy Pintolo PAGE A2

by AJPRESS

by AJPRESS Amid the vulnerability of the country to natural hazards, Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOCS) director Renato Solidum Jr. admitted on Monday, September 17, that the nation remains unprepared for major catastrophes, one of which is the most recent, Typhoon Ompong.

Solidum explained that the country still lacks the necessary precautions in dealing with the extreme weather conditions brought about by its geographical location and structure. He further discussed his point by comparing

the Philippines to a boxer as reported by The Philippine Star. “If you’re a boxer like Senator Manny Pacquiao who has fought many different weights, he has to prepare differently for different opponents. If his opponent is large and heavy then his preparedness must be different and if it’s a heavyweight, your preparedness should also be heavyweight,�

Solidum said in an interview with One News’ “The Chiefs.�

The PHILVOCS director who also happened to be the science undersecretary for disaster risk reduction and climate change warned the public to be on alert for more catastrophes as an ef-

New Census data shows more than four million Filipinos in the US Foreign-born population increases

THE U.S. Census Bureau this week released its latest American Community Survey (ACS) data, showing that there are an estimated 4,037,564 Filipinos in the United States.

The ACS estimates, made public on Thursday, September 13,

are based on data collected from January 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017.

The data show statistics on over 40 topics, including income, poverty, health insurance, citizenship status, among others.

u PAGE A2

us thy sons to suffer and die).�

According to Sotto, these lines are rather defeatist. A composer himself, he suggested to replace the last line with “ang ipaglaban kalayaan mo (to fight for your freedom).�

However, he noted that changPAGE A2

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SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

Number of people in Philippines affected... Sotto suggests revision of PH National....

PAGE A1 Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR), a total of 218,492 families, or 893,944 individuals were reported affected, according to the NDRRMC. As of Tuesday, a total of 236,060 individuals were reported being served by 1,780 evacuation centers. The number broke down to 162,339 reported being served inside the evacuation centers, and 73,661 being served outside.

Furthermore, a total of 1,264 houses were recorded damaged with 130 classified as totally damaged, and 1,134 being partially damaged.

The NDRRMC also reported Tuesday that agricultural damages reached Php14.3 billion in the regions of Ilocos, Cagayan, CAR, Calabarzon, and Central Luzon.

In CAR alone, the damage as of Monday, September 17 was Php2.8 billion, affecting approximately 171,932 farmers and much of the regions rice and corn. Not yet recorded are the number of farmers affected in the other re-

gions.

“Mababago pa ‘yan (That will still change) because those are just estimates,” said Office of Civil Defense Spokesperson Edgar Posadas in a Monday press briefing. “We have procedures on a more structured assessment later on as we are focused right now on response.”

World’s strongest storm of 2018 Sustaining Hurricane wind speeds of up to 170 miles per hour, the 550-mile wide storm remains the world’s strongest storm this year so far.

After hitting its hardest in the Philippines’ northern province of Luzon on Saturday, September 15 Ompong made way south to Hong Kong and Macau, before downgrading to a tropical depression in China where state news media reported four people dead.

On Monday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte met with families of some typhoon victims in the CAR province in Benguet where around Php25,000 worth of

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PAGE A1 ing the lyrics does not need to happen right away.

“I’m not suggesting it right now. I’m just saying that perhaps you have looked into this (Philippine flag), might as well look into the entire law,” Sotto said, referring to Republic Act No. 8491.

President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with his RA 8491 determines not only supporters upon his arrival at the Provincial the code of the national flag, but Capitol in La Trinidad, Benguet on Monday, also of the national anthem in September 17 where he presided over a situation briefing to discuss the disaster response measures on the aftermath of Typhoon ‘Ompong.’

Malacañang photo by Robinson Niñal Jr.

goods and burial assistance were distributed, according to Special Assistant to the President Bong Go. Another Php20,000 in cash was distributed to families.

Outside the Philippines, condolences were sent including by U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim, who tweeted on Saturday, “Our thoughts are with those affected by Typhoon Ompong. The U.S., as a friend, partner, and ally of the Philippines, stands ready to assist.”n

9Ê /Ê 7

Chapter 2, Section 36.

Sen. Richard Gordon, who coauthored the Senate Bill 102 that aims to increase the sun rays on the Philippine flag from eight to nine as a representation for Muslim leaders, did not oppose Sotto’s suggestion to revise the national anthem.

Gordon agreed that the last line of the anthem is defeatist and should be revised, and even offered to file a separate bill about

Sotto’s suggestion.

He also said the famous quote “The Filipino is worth dying for” made by the late senator Benigno Aquino Jr. should be added to the anthem.

“Lupang Hinirang” was composed and arranged in 1898 by Julian Felipe. Jose Palma wrote its lyrics. It was declared as the Philippine’s national anthem by former President Ramon Magsaysay in 1956. n

Gov’t official admits PH’s lack of...

PAGE A1 Solidum said.

Solidum also noted that the country is used to prepare for less threatening hazards. He urged them to now focus more on addressing disasters with the maximum damages and even casualties.

“I think we will find out that many of our preparedness is for lightweight disasters. We need to prepare for the large-scale ones,” he said.

Environmental planner and landscape architect Paulo Alcazaren in the same interview encouraged the local government units to “recalibrate” their disaster preparedness measures.

“Planning before was based on historic disasters, which are now

erased. You have to raise the bar, so to speak, in terms of what the historic levels from the floods are, what the strength of the storm is, we have to recalibrate. It is an enormous task,” Alcazaren said.

Alcarazen said that they initiated the program but in order to resolve the possible issues catastrophe might entail, the program must be continuous.

“We’re already starting but it has to be continuous up to a point that we can address the possible repercussion of climate change,” he added.

Both Solidum and Alcazaren also urged the passage of a National Land Use Act to be able to mitigate the risks brought by natural calamities.

“The National Land Use Act

needs to be pushed and needs to embed all the disaster risk mitigation elements as part of planning, not as an afterthought but already as we plan,” Alcazaren said.

The architect also explained that without the law, they are unable to aid should there be a disastrous incident.

“If they cannot enforce the law (on land use) we can’t do anything.

We can assist technically, the national government can aid and professional organizations can help, but the policing power is really with the LGUs. If the mindset is not there, nothing will happen,” he said.

Solidum also informed the public that such law is included in the plans of President Rodrigo Duterte while he is in office. n

New Census data shows more than four million...

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PAGE A1 “The American Community Survey provides a wide range of important statistics about all communities in the United States,” Census Bureau Social, Economic and Housing Statistics Division Chief David Waddington said in a statement. “It gives communities the current information they need to plan investments and services. Retailers, homebuilders, fire departments, and town and city planners are among the many private- and public-sector decision-makers who count on these annual statistics.”

According to the data, there are an estimated 21,646,070 Asian Americans in the United States, and Filipino Americans make up the third-largest Asian American subgroup behind Chinese (5,219,184) and Indian (4,402,362) Americans.

The five states with the larg-

est Filipino population include: California (1,651,933), Hawaii (367,364), Texas (194,427), Washington (178,300), and Nevada (169,462).

“The newest data from the American Community Survey reaffirms what we already knew: Filipino Americans are an emerging population not just within the Asian American community, but throughout America as a whole,” said Brendan Flores, the national chairman of the National Federation of Filipino American Association, in a statement. “However, while we continue to grow in numbers, we have hard work to do in terms of civic engagement and representation. NaFFAA’s commitment has always been, and will continue to be, harnessing the energy and passion of the more than four million Filipinos who call America home, and uniting us with one strong, clear voice.”

Other findings of the ACS include that immigration — both legal and undocumented — comprised 13.7 percent or nearly one out of seven U.S. residents in 2017. This is the highest percentage since 1910.

Since 2010, there has been a 4.6 million increase in the number of immigrants, making the total to 44.5 million. Of immigrants who have arrived since 2010, 13 percent or 1.3 million came from Mexico. The regions with largest numerical increases since 2010 were East Asia and South Asia (each up 1.1 million), the Caribbean (up 676,023), Sub-Saharan Africa (up 606,835), South America (up 483,356), Central America (up 474,504), and the Middle East (472,554).

The Philippines was among the countries with the largest increases in the number of immigrants coming to the United States, up 230,492. (AJPress)

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2018

A

Number of migrant children detained in shelters skyrockets to 12,800 Capacity at shelters for migrant children has been quietly increasing since the summer, the New York Times reported

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

DESPITE a court order that required the Trump administration to release hundreds of migrant children who were separated from their families at the border, the number of children of immigrants has climbed to 12,800, according to a bombshell New York Times report on Wednesday, Sept. 12.

Wednesday’s report means that the total has increased fivefold from May 2017 when approximately 2,400 children were in custody.

Data from the Department of Health and Human Services shows that the huge accumulation of children in detention is due to the number of children being released to live with sponsors or families in the U.S., and not because of a sudden influx of children crossing the border.

A majority of the children crossed the border alone, or without their parents or guardian and are currently being housed in a detention system that includes more than 100 shelters across the U.S. Most of these shelters have been near capacity for months, and on Tuesday, September 11 the Trump administration announced that it would triple the size of a shelter in Tornillo, Texas to house 3,800 children for the remainder of 2018.

Additionally, the administration has proposed to build new shelters and use military bases to handle the overflow, which will likely be expensive; the Times

reported that detention facilities cost three times the amount for a typical shelter or about $750 per child, per day.

The Times reported that a new policy enacted in June that requires potential sponsors to submit fingerprints to immigration officials has significantly caused a drop in the release of children.

And, even when sponsors or family members submit fingerprints, they still endure long wait times in a lengthy vetting process that has exacerbated backlogging in the release of migrant children.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the Trump administration boasted in April a new brand of American immigration labeled a “zero-tolerance” policy in which its primary goal is to limit the influx of Central Americans seeking asylum from wartorn and violence from their native countries.

A mandate in this policy would automatically criminally charge adults who crossed the border and hold them in a separate detention center from their children under the age of 18, overseen by the Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR).

Video, audio and photographic footage was released on social media showed children as young as 3 years old in large chain link cages, which sparked intense national outrage over the Trump administration’s policy.

ProPublica released audio of children crying and calling out for their parents in a shelter in Texas sparked national protests, marches and demands from lawmakers

An aspirin a day can be risky for older people, finds new study by rae

ann Varona AJPress

TAKING aspirin has for a long time been believed to help stave off heart attack and strokes. But results from a new study says that taking a daily aspirin may actually bring some risks for some people.

A new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that rates of heart disease, disability, or dementia were not brought down by taking a daily “baby” aspirin. It also found that taking the aspirin increased the risk of death — primarily from cancer — in those 65 years or older.

“Clinical guidelines note the benefits of aspirin for preventing heart attacks and strokes in person with vascular conditions such as coronary artery disease. The concern has been uncertainty about whether aspirin is beneficial

for otherwise healthy older people without those conditions,” said Richard J. Hodes, director of the National Institute on Aging.

“This study shows why it is so important to conduct this type of research, so that we can gain a fuller picture of aspirin’s benefits and risks among healthy older persons,” he added.

The study involved over 19,000 people from Australia and the U.S. who were ages 70 years or older (65 years and older among Hispanics and blacks in the U.S.), and who did not have cardiovascular disease, dementia, or disability. Half of the participants took a low-dose aspirin of 100 milligrams daily, and the other half took a placebo.

The three-part study, which took place over a span of five years from 2010 to 2014, did not see much of a difference between the groups when it came to dementia PAGE A4

Fil-Am nurse sentenced for $1-M...

PAGE A1 after it was scheduled to happen in April.

The scheme dated back to February 2009 and continued through September 2016 with Jiao convincing people to invest in promissory notes supposedly issued by two nonprofit schools, Shepherd’s Light Learning Center and Lord of Peace Learning Center, which are located in the in the cities of San Fernando, Pampanga and Santo Tomas, Pampanga in the Philippines.

The accumulated money instead went towards Jiao’s own personal benefits and expenses like country club memberships.

The schools reportedly did not know that their names were being used in her scheme.

According to the 10-page indictment, Jiao falsely told investors that she was a representative of Shepherd’s Light and Lord of Peace, and lured individuals into making investment contracts while promising investors return rates of 10 percent to 100 percent on investments.

Jiao also promised her victims repayment of principal and interest resulting from the investment within 30 days to one year following the investment. Jiao also went as far as having many of the investment contracts notarized in attempt to make them appear legitimate.

The indictment also said that the investors were directed to write

checks and wire funds to bank accounts that were controlled by Jiao.

In persuading investors to maintain their investments, Jiao’s tactics included persuading them to invest additional funds, and falsely blaming Shepherd’s Light and Lord of Peace for lack of payment of interest and principle, despite knowing that the school was in no way involved.

The case was investigated by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Following her sentencing, Jiao was sent to an all women federal prison camp in Bryan, Texas.

The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) defines a Ponzi scheme as an investment fraud, involving “the payment of purported returns to existing investors from funds contributed by new investors.”

According to the SEC, Ponzi scheme fraudsters — similar to those of pyramid schemes — focus on attracting new money to make promised payments to earlier investors or participants to make it seem like they are profiting from a legitimate business.

Some warning signs include high investment returns with little or no risk, overly consistent returns, unregistered investments, unlicensed sellers, secretive/and or complex strategies, issues with paperwork, and difficulty receiving payments. (Rae Ann Varona/ AJPress)

Pres. Duterte says he’s afraid to...

PAGE A1 rebels in Isabela.

Despite being wounded, Bacarro scaled a wall surrounding a compound where his CAFGUs were pinned down by enemy fire.

He commandeered a truck and rammed the wall, giving the CAFGUs an exit point, and had his wounded men evacuated, along with a wounded civilian.

His 50-man force suffered

three casualties; the communist rebels, 16.

In 2016, Bacarro testified in the Senate and discredited the testimony of alleged Davao death squad member Edgar Matobato, who linked Duterte to extrajudicial killings when he was Davao City mayor.

Bacarro, commanding officer of the 502nd Infantry Brigade of the 5th Division, is a member of the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1988. n

and citizens to stop separating children from their families.

In July, the Senate Judiciary Committee questioned Trump administration officials about the family separation policy and one official suggested that many of those involved in the architecture of the zero-tolerance policy expressed qualms about the emotional and psychological turmoil children may endure if separated from family members.

Sen. Richard Blumenthal (DConn.) asked Commander of the U.S. Public Health Service Commissioned Corps Jonathan White, who is in charge of reuniting detained families, if any of the officials expressed concern over the separation mandate, that “maybe this isn’t such a good idea.”

White responded, “During the deliberative process over the previous year, we raised a number of concerns in the ORR program about any policy which would result in family separation. Due to concerns we had about the best interest of the child, as well as whether that would be operationally supportable with the bed capacity we had.”

Blumenthal, then, asked, “You told the administration that kids would suffer as a result, that pain would be inflicted, correct?

White replied, “There’s no question that separation of children from parents entails significant potential for traumatic, psy-

WALK OF SHAME. Members of the Aegis Juris fraternity make their way to a hearing at the Manila Regional Trial Court on Tuesday, September 18, over a year after the death of hazing victim Horacio Castillo III. ManilaTimes.net photo by Andrea De La Cruz

Emmy hosts call out Hollywood’s diversity...

PAGE A1 Filipinos — who know all too well about the stereotype that all Filipinos are nurses or are pressured to be nurses — circulated the joke.

One Twitter user posted a captioned screengrab and wrote, “This is the realest Filipino-American content I’ve ever seen.”

Although it’s often communicated as a joke, the nurse stereotype is based on fact. According to AJ+, Filipinos comprise 20

percent of the nursing force in California, a state that is 4 percent Filipino.

Entertainment reporter Yong Chavez of ABS-CBN said on Twitter, “I’ve tweeted about the lack of Filipino nurses in U.S. medical shows so many times. Glad it finally made it as an Emmy joke.

Now please take it seriously now, Hollywood.”

Diversity was the theme of television’s biggest night. Filipino-

American actor and “Glee”-alum Darren Criss won “best actor in a limited series or movie” for his role as Andrew Cunanan in the FX mini-series “The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story.”

Korean-Canadian actress Sandra Oh was also the first Asian woman nominated for an acting award at the Emmy’s for her work in BBC’s “Killing Eve.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

A

SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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Filipino veterans of World War II honored in New York

CHORALE WINNER. The Bayugan City Educators Chorale from the Department of Education Division of Agusan del Sur won the grand prize of Php200,000 during the 118th Philippine Civil Service Anniversary held at the Cultural Center of the Philippines on Tuesday, September 18.

PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

An aspirin a day can be risky for older people...

PAGE A2 or disability as a result of taking aspirin. It did though, see a higher risk of bleeding from those that took aspirin, compared to those that took the placebo (3.1 percent compared to 2.7 percent).

“The use of low-dose aspirin as a primary prevention strategy in older adults resulted in a significantly higher risk of hemorrhage and did not result in a significantly lower risk of cardiovascular dis-

ease than placebo,” said a conclusion of the study which was published in three papers.

When it came to the overall death rate, 5.9 percent of aspirin takers placed higher than the 5.2 percent of the placebo takers. In regards to death from cancer, those in the aspirin group were more likely at 3.1 percent, compared to the 2.3 percent in the placebo group.

“The increase in cancer deaths

in study participants in the aspirin group was surprising, given prior studies suggesting aspirin use improved cancer outcomes,” said Leslie Ford, M.D. associate director for clinical research, NCI Division of Cancer Prevention. “Analysis of all the cancer-related data from the trial is under way and until we have additional data, these findings should be interpreted with caution.” n Presidential photo by Toto Lozano

NEW YORK — Fifteen (15) Filipino World War II veterans were honored in a ceremony organized by the Philippine Consulate General headed by Consul General Claro S. Cristobal and the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) led by General Antonio Taguba (ret.) held at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center on September 8.

Capt. Pablo Barros, surviving WW II veteran, and the family of 14 other veterans received a U.S. Mint replica of the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) awarded by the U.S. Congress to Filipino veterans of WW II, as well as a copy of Public Law 114-265 otherwise known as the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015.

In his remarks, Consul General Cristobal expressed his most profound gratitude to the Filipino Veterans of World War II for the extreme sacrifices and bravery they unselfishly showed to protect freedom and democracy.

He said, “We and the generations of Filipinos to come owe you our thanks and respect. Because of you, we are able to enjoy the fruits of progress, freedom and democracy.”

He likewise thanked the family members of veterans who have passed or unable to attend the ceremony. “Rest assured that their services to our country and people will never be forgotten,”

Consul General Cristobal (2nd R-L) and General Taguba (1st R-L) present the CGM to Capt.

Pablo Barros (3rd R-L).

Photo by NYPCG

Consul General Cristobal said.

The Consul General acknowledged the efforts of Gen. Taguba, the FilVetREP, and all those who lobbied and supported the passage of the bill in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives, particularly those in the U.S. Northeast. The law brought into fruition the efforts of various groups in the Fil-Am community and the Philippine Foreign Service Posts the U.S. led by the Philippine Embassy in Washington DC. Gen. Taguba said that FilVetREP has conducted 44 awarding ceremonies across the U.S. since October 2017 when the lone Congressional Gold Medal was presented and collectively awarded by the U.S. Congress.

He said that the group is now de-

veloping an education program that will educate the public on the historic importance of the contributions of Filipino veterans of World War II. The following veterans were the recipients of the CGM: Major Jose Falco, Abelardo Perucho Andal, Santiago Hipolito, Filemon T. Magracia, Andres S. Friginal, Moises M. Santos, Romeo Guitterez, Leopoldo T. Osano, Capt. Pablo Barros, Mario J. Valdeavella, Fidel A. Ansay, Jaime B. Aban, Avelino Tanjutco, Jacobo Tanjutco and Ramon Pelaez Sobrepeña.

Filipino World War II veterans or members of their family who have not received the award may get in touch with FilVetREP through their website: http://filvetrep.org. n

Consul General Claro S. Cristobal (2nd row standing, 3rd L-R) and Major General Antonio Taguba (ret., 2nd row standing, 4th L-R) with Capt.

Pablo Barros (seated 2nd L-R), surviving World War II veteran, and family members of other veterans who received the Congressional Gold Medal Award on 8 September 2018 at the Philippine Center in New York.

Photo by Lambert Parong

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2018

Gov. Brown signs sidewalk vending bill

by AJPRESS CALIFORNIA Governor Jerry Brown signed a bill on Monday, September 17 that prohibits criminal penalties for sidewalk vending and treating vendors like other businesses in the state.

The Safe Sidewalk Vending Act (Senate Bill 946) — introduced by state Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) in February — allows municipalities to establish permit programs for vendors, and they may require sidewalk vendors to obtain a business license and abide by state tax laws, just like other businesses.

The governor’s signature comes after both the state Assembly and Senate passed the bill with bipartisan support. It was then given to Brown in late August for his consideration.

“With Senate Bill 946 we can start seeing sidewalk vendors

for who they are – women and seniors, single parents, and micro-business owners taking that first step to starting their own business,” said Lara in a statement. “Governor Brown’s signature validates that thousands of sidewalk vendors are an important part of our economy, whose hard work supports their families and gives California its unique flavor.”

Lara introduced SB 946 in response to stories of arrests and harassment of vendors, such as the incident last year when ICE agents detained a sidewalk vendor and mother of four in Rancho Cucamonga after she was arrested for selling corn. An immigration judge ordered her release after community protests.

Vendors who were previously convicted under local anti-vending laws may petition the court for dismissal of the sentence.

A recent survey of Los Angeles

vendors found that 80 percent are women and many are seniors. Earlier this year, the City of Los Angeles voted to abolish criminal penalties for vending and create a permit process.

SB 946 had support from more than 60 groups including the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign members East L.A. Community Corporation, Public Counsel, the L.A. Food Policy Council and Leadership for Urban Renewal Network.

“I feel very emotional with the news of Governor Brown signing SB 946,” said Caridad Vasquez, a Los Angeles sidewalk vendor and a leader of the Los Angeles Street Vendor Campaign. “Now the thousands of vendors can come out of the shadows and contribute to our economy openly as the small businesses we are.”

With Brown’s signature, the law will become effective on January 1, 2019. ■

De Lima asks ICC, UN: End impunity in PH

DETAINED Sen. Leila de Lima has urged the international community to take urgent action to end impunity in the Philippines, particularly the government’s bloody war against illegal drugs.

“It is imperative for the International Criminal Court (ICC) and relevant United Nations bodies and mechanisms to work and work urgently not only to frustrate Duterte’s plans but more importantly and ultimately to shrink the space for impunity in the Philippines,” she said.

De Lima made the remarks in a message read on her behalf on the sidelines of the 39th UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) session held in Geneva, Switzerland last week.

Her message, titled “Shattering the Consensus of Silence: Let’s Take Urgent Actions Against Impunity in the Philippines,” called on the ICC and the UNHRC to end impunity in the country.

A fierce critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, De Lima claimed that more than 20,000 suspected drug users and pushers were killed in the government’s war on illegal drugs.

“There is no sign that the killings will ever stop as Mr. Duterte has even vowed in his recent State of the Nation Address in July that his drug war would remain ‘relentless and chilling’ as on the day it began,” she said.

She asked: “Thus, as high

Sen. Leila de Lima

Inquirer.net photo

officials and agents of government themselves are involved in this spate of killings and attacks against our people, can we honestly expect the wheels of justice to turn?”

De Lima is hopeful that the UNHRC would pass a resolution condemning the extrajudicial killings in the Philippines and deploy an independent fact-finding mission here.

Earlier this month, she wrote a letter to the UNHRC memberstates to urge them to send an independent fact-finding mission to the Philippines to investigate the extrajudicial killings.

The senator also called on the ICC to expedite its preliminary

investigation on the human rights situation in the country, even as the government had unilaterally withdrawn its ICC membership.

She said the President’s ploy was to discredit international organizations, which had the will to exact accountability from him.

Protect human rights “More than the appeal to actions from governments and intergovernment bodies, there is a cogency in the call for international solidarity and mobilization of public support to uphold, defend and protect human rights in the Philippines,” De Lima said.

She added: “We have to move—move with utmost urgency and in solidarity with each other. With political leaders themselves demonizing their own people and instigating human rights violations, the need for all of us to stand together and fight for the basic values of human dignity and equality of everyone everywhere has now become absolutely urgent.”

She pointed out the need to take a stand against human rights abuses, especially if other legal means of redress fail.

“Where do the Filipinos go now? Expectedly, we have to turn to those avenues which seem available and appear viable to us: to each other, to the international community and to the various instruments of global justice,” she said. (Julie Aurelio/Inquirer.net)

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REPATRIATED OFWS. Officials from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) and Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) assist the 109 repatriated overseas Filipino workers from Dubai, United Arab Emirates shortly upon their arrival at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 2 in Pasay City on Wednesday, September 19.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Sister Patricia Fox testifies against Duterte gov’t before int’l tribunal AUSTRALIAN nun Patricia Fox testified against the Duterte government before an international tribunal on Tuesday, September 18, narrating the political persecution she experienced.

Fox is among the 31 witnesses who were slated to testify before the International Peoples’ Tribunal in Belgium from September 18-19.

The witness list also includes a Marawi sultan named Hamidullah Atar.

A video recording of Fox’s testimony was presented before the international court by lawyer Kathy Panguban, who is among the missionary’s legal counsels.

The proceedings were streamed live on Facebook.

The 71-year-old nun who has worked for the welfare of laborers, land reform and peasant rights in her 28 years as a missionary in the Philippines caught President Rodrigo Duterte’s ire for joining rallies.

The nun was ordered deported and placed on the immigration blacklist after Duterte directed the Bureau of Immigration to investigate her.

But the nun said the political activities that made her an undesirable alien are a part of being religious.

“As a human being, especially as a religious, we have to stand with the oppressed and what I was doing was listening to... the workers who are just asking to be [regularized]... the tribal people who are being sent off their land,” she said.

“So to me, it’s a human rights issue. To me, it’s what you do as a human rights defender, particularly as a religious.”

Asked why she thinks the president wanted her deported, Fox attributed it to Duterte’s sensitivity to criticisms.

“I think President Duterte is particularly sensitive about any criticism and particularly that’s in Mindanao... because the human rights abuses in Mindanao are increasing under martial law... I was there and I was listening and I was supporting the people who... are endorsing a report of what was happening there and particularly he doesn’t like outsiders, what he terms outsiders, criticizing [him],” she said.

Palace unfazed Malacañang, meanwhile, was unfazed by human rights group Karapatan’s announcement that a sultan would testify against the Duterte administration before the international court, dismissing it earlier Tuesday as a “propaganda” by leftists.

The rights group said Atar would be testifying about the “human rights violations committed by the Duterte regime to the Meranaws during the Marawi City siege, and the declaration of martial law in Mindanao.”

Karapatan described the IPT as a “global court” convened by the European Association of Lawyers for Democracy and World Human Rights, Haldane Society of Socialist Lawyers, International Association of Democratic Lawyers, IBON

International and the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines.

Presidential spokesman Harry Roque belittled Karapatan’s announcement and described the trial to be conducted by the tribunal as a “sham.”

“Because that’s not an official proceeding; that’s a propaganda proceedings by the Left,” Roque said in a press briefing.

Roque said he does not know the sultan who would testify against the administration.

“It seems there’s one sultan that they selected amongst themselves.

I was a godfather to a royal wedding recently and I think I met all the royal families, so to speak.

Although the Constitution prohibits really the grant of nobility,” the presidential spokesman said.

“I don’t know who he is, and that’s a sham proceeding because it’s not an official proceeding, it’s for propaganda purposes,” he added.

Aside from Atar, Jerome Succor Aba, chairman of militant group Suara Bangsamoro, would testify on his allegation that he suffered religious discrimination, arbitrary detention and torture in the hands of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol.

Karapatan said the verdict from the IPT would be submitted to the International Criminal Court, the European Parliament and the United Nations Human Rights Council. (Alexis Romero/Philstar. com)

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September 21-27, 2018 • NOrCAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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D ateline PhiliPPines Makati court wants authenticated copy of 2011 article on Trillanes’ filing of amnesty

by Kristine Joy

Patag

for a warrant against Sen. Antonio marked as evidence in the hearing Trillanes IV over a rebellion case last week.

Judge Elmo Alameda of Makati MANILA — The Makati court has ordered GMA News to provide handling the government’s plea a copy of a news article that was Regional Trial Court Branch 150 Philstar.com

ordered the executives of GMA Network News TV to produce the “duly authenticated copy” of a GMA News report published in 2011.

The court specifically issued a “subpoena duces tecum,” a summon to a person to bring relevant documents, for GMA News to give an authenticated copy. Inparticular, the board of the news firm was directed to furnish an authenticated copy of the story titled “Trillanes avails of amnesty, admits ‘breaking rules.’”

The said article was published on Jan. 5, 2011, and was written

by Mark Meruenas.

The article was in the footnotes of Proclamation 572, which voided the amnesty granted to Trillanes based on his alleged failure to file an application form and admit guilt.

The senator has disputed the basis of the proclamation.

September 14 hearing During the hearing on September 14, state prosecutors and Reynaldo Robles, legal counsel of Trillanes, each presented pieces of evidence that might be used in supporting their arguments in court.

Acting Prosecutor General Richard Fadullon cited the news article as one of the pieces to be marked as evidence in the case.

In the said news article, Trillanes was quoted as saying: “I would like to qualify that we did not admit to the charge of ‘coup d’etat’ or anything na finile sa amin because we

Makati Regional Trial Court Branch 150 on September 14 deferred the decision on whether it will issue a warrant for the arrest of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, whose amnesty for mutinies against the Arroyo administration has been voided by President Rodrigo Duterte’s Proclamation 572.

Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales

believe hindi iyon ang nararapat na charge sa ginawa sa amin.”

Fadullon said to the court that “the article will be authenticated.”

Robles, for his part, wanted to submit a video showing his client, Trillanes, filed an application form and that it was received by a certain Josefa Berbigal as evidence.

But Alameda pointed out that the video is not authenticated.

The judge also stressed: “The court needs the actual application form,” as it would be the primary evidence in the case.

Robles said that they would try to secure an affidavit from Berbigal, in relation to the video of Trillanes’ filing.

Alameda signed the order on September 18.

The news company is ordered

to submit a copy to the court and the Office of the Prosecutor General at the Department of Justice not later than Wednesday, September 19.

Makati RTC Branch 150 has also allowed both parties time to expound on their arguments by filing additional pleadings.

The DOJ was given five days to file their reply on Trillanes camp’s opposition to their motion on the issuance of a warrant and hold departure order. While Robles was also given five days to file their rejoinder on the DOJ’s reply.

State prosecutors also failed to secure a warrant and travel ban last Thursday, September 13.

Makati RTC Branch 148 Judge Andres Soriano also gave both parties time to submit pleadings. n

No plan to challenge Arroyo’s leadership

by Mary

gleefer Jalea ManilaTimes.net

MARINDuquE Rep. Lord Allan Velasco refuted allegations that he was set to replace House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo amid reports that she would be unseated over a budget feud among top lawmakers.

“I categorically deny any involvement in any plan whatsoever to unseat the Speaker… I didn’t aspire for such position then, in the same way that I am not aspiring for the Speakership now,” Velasco said on Tuesday, September 18.

His name previously floated as potential contender when thenHouse Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez was ousted and later replaced by Arroyo.

“I assure Speaker [Arroyo] that I am not behind any plot to challenge her leadership, and I wish to put to rest all further rumor-mongering,” Velasco said, reiterating his support for Arroyo “since Day One.” His statements came a day after top lawmakers debated heatedly over an alleged P55billion in “pork” inserted in the P3.757-trillion national budget, sparking rumors of Arroyo’s possible ouster.

Sources previously said the ouster plan came from groups who wanted to insert the fund in the 2019 budget, disagreeing with Arroyo’s inclination to have fair distribution among lawmakers.

The issue led to a suspension of the supposed plenary deliberations sponsored by House Ap-

House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo Inquirer.net photo

propriations Committee Chairman Karlo Nograles after a heated caucus with Majority Leader Rolando Andaya and Arroyo.

According to House sources, there were two versions of the national budget: one prepared

by Nograles that included the P50-billion funds allocated for the respective districts of some congressmen, and the other one allegedly prepared by the House leadership without the proposed amount.

Andaya clarified that Arroyo had “no intention to reduce the amount of the presented budget but will instead investigate the misplaced insertion.”

“There is no slash to be talked about. The President’s [Rodrigo Duterte] budget in terms of aggregate amount is intact and the Speaker has no intention to reduce that amount of budget as presented… we only want to align the budget based on the policies of the president,” he previously said. n

Mining a monster – Duterte PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, September 18, reiterated his call to end mining, saying the practice could no longer continue because it had “created a monster in the country.”

Duterte’s statement came a day after he called on Congress to “abrogate” the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, in response to a landslide that killed dozens of trapped miners in Itogon, Benguet.

In Isabela for a situation briefing in the aftermath of Typhoon “Ompong,” Duterte said “the time has come when our motherland is overused and abused” by miners, and that “this cannot go on.”

“Even before, I wanted to stop [mining] but [could] not for the fact that it is allowed by law. If it is allowed by law, little could I do anything about it. I cannot stop mining because I am not allowed to abrogate any law here, but I want to stop it because it has created a monster in this country,” the President said.

Duterte also said P70 billion in annual earnings from mining was nothing compared with the damage it had caused.

“How much [will] P70 billion [do] to the country if you compare it to the losses of the Philippines because of mining.

There are a lot of holes [in the lands],” Duterte said.

He also called mining “obnoxious, if not downright stupid.”

“Whether it is really boring the hills and mountains from the inside, or carving out as it widens and widens … contrary to what they say, [in mining areas there

is no] reforestation,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“It is, to me, obnoxious, if not downright stupid, these mining people, occupying and mining watershed areas,” he added.

On Monday, September 17, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) ordered the suspension of mining operations in the Cordillera Administrative Region.

Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu also revoked the permits of all 10 small-scale mining operations in the region.

A priest called on the government on Tuesday, September 18, to order mining companies to “fix” the damage caused by the landslide in Benguet.

“We need to make mining companies accountable. Justice means reparation for the damage,” said Fr. Edu Gariguez, executive director of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines’ National Secretariat for Social Action, in an interview.

“The landslide site was a mining site of Benguet Corp. It was one of the areas ordered closed by then Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Gina Lopez in 2017 for not complying with environmental laws,” said Gariguez.

The site, the priest claimed, was subcontracted by Benguet Corp. to small miners.

On Monday, however, the mining company said it had written several letters to the Itogon miners to abandon the area, as it had been classified by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau as a geohazard location prone to landslides.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

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HEARING AT MUNTINLUPA. Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima waves as security police escort her inside the Muntinlupa Hall of Justice to attend the resumption of the public hearing on the politically-motivated illegal drug trade charges lodged before Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court Branch 206 on Tuesday, September 18. At the court hearing, De Lima hopes that the Court would rule on her Motion to Disqualify Witnesses where she raised the fact that most of the Prosecution’s witnesses are convicted felons who are, by law, disqualified to be admitted into the Witness Protection Program because they have been convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude.

Senate photo

Pacquiao to Mayweather: Easy fight, huh?

by AbAc

cordero Philstar.com

MANILA – Manny Pacquiao’s eyes lit up trying to imagine himself inside the ring with Floyd Mayweather Jr. in a rematch that should happen as soon as possible.

“Easy fight, huh?” Pacquiao said at around 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, September 18 after a long night of chess with friends at his rented mansion in Dasmarinas Village in Makati.

“Tingnan natin kung hindi pa niya ma-occupy lahat ng sulok ng ring (Let’s see if he doesn’t end up occupying all corners of the ring),” he said of Mayweather, the most elusive boxer in history.

Pacquiao also confirmed plans of staging his next fight in the United States, regardless of his tax issues and opponent.

“Kahit hindi si Floyd, sa US and laban (Even if it’s not Floyd, it’s the U.S.). Matagal na ako hindi nakapunta sa U.S. eh (It’s been a while I’ve gone there),” Pacquiao said.

The last time Pacquiao fought

PAGE A6

in the U.S. was in November 2016, against American Jessie Vargas. He may be looking at Las Vegas as venue.

Pacquiao wants to fight on December 8 but said he could push the date to January 12 or January 19, especially if it’s against Mayweather.

“Kaya naman (It’s possible),” said Pacquiao, who plans to begin light training by the end of the month. He added that there’s no need for a tune-up fight if he’d face Mayweather next.

“Bakit pa? Eh, kakalaban ko lang nung July (What for? I just fought last July),” said Pacquiao, coming off an impressive TKO win over Lucas Matthysse.

Mayweather, he said, won’t need any tune-up fight as well, even if the 41-year-old American hasn’t fought since beating Conor McGregor in August 2017.

“Mayabang ‘yun (He’s a braggart). He said it’s an easy fight,” said Pacquiao, hoping to seal his next fight this week — Mayweather or someone else.

“All the others are available,” said Pacquiao, who moved his

family to nearby Dasmarinas Village while their Forbes Park home is under renovation.

Prospects of a rematch of their highly-lucrative 2015 encounter shot up after Mayweather and Pacquiao bumped into each other during a rave party in Tokyo last Saturday, September 15.

“Maganda kasi nagkahamunan at nagkaprangkahan (It was nice because we challenged each other and there was taunting),” he said.

Mayweather announced that he’s coming out of retirement to face Pacquiao in December, and vowed to take away the Filipino’s WBA welterweight crown.

“Easy fight, easy payday,” Mayweather said.

Pacquiao hinted that talks are on but said there’s a very slim chance he would see Mayweather when the latter visits Manila this week.

“Nasa GenSan ako (I’ll be in General Santos),” said Pacquiao.

“Kung December, dapat mafinalize na (If it’s December, we need to finalize it),” he said.

But he prefers Mayweather. n

Mining a monster – Duterte

In a Palace news briefing, the President’s spokesman, Harry Roque Jr., said the suspension of mining in the Cordillera Region was “akin to rehabilitation.”

“It’s akin to rehabilitating the mined-out areas of the Cordil-

leras and it would be an attempt to actually allow the environment to recover; because this is actually a result of environment degradation. I think everyone agrees that while the rain was too much, there are also manmade contributions to this di-

saster,” Roque said.

Ompong bore down on northern Luzon over the weekend, affecting 218,492 families or 893,844 individuals, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. (ManilaTimes.net)

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • SeptembeR 21-27, 2018

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SEPTEMBER 21-27, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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FEATURES

OPINION

Justice, but still no closure TWELVE years after student activists Sherlyn Cadapan and Karen Empeño disappeared in Bulacan, their families are getting justice. On Monday, September 17, Malolos Regional Trial Court Branch 15 Judge Alexander Tamayo convicted Jovito Palparan of kidnapping and serious illegal detention and sentenced the retired Army major general to life in prison. Convicted together with Palparan were Lt. Col. Felipe Anotado and S/Sgt. Edgardo Osorio.

Palparan, who was dubbed “The Butcher” by human rights advocates, has denied ordering the kidnapping, detention, rape and torture of the two University of the Philippines coeds in June 2006 when he was the infantry division commander in Central Luzon. He has also defended his methods, likened by critics to a dirty war, which he employed against insurgents.

There is still no closure for the families of Cadapan and Empeño, who are among the desaparecidos in this country. Unwilling to give up on the possibility that the two victims might still be alive, and unable to give them a formal farewell, the relatives remain suspended in a limbo of sorrow.

With his continuing insistence on his innocence, Palparan is unlikely to provide the grieving relatives any clue regarding the two victims’ fate. Hurling invectives at the judge, Palparan is set to appeal his conviction all the way to the Supreme Court. It could take another 12 years before final judgment is rendered. At least his offense does not allow him to post bail while his case is on appeal.

Besides the search for justice, Palparan’s conviction should inspire a reassessment of the military mindset and methods in fighting insurgencies. Palparan’s counterinsurgency methods enjoyed support from a certain segment of the population. He was singled out for praise in the State of the Nation Address of Gloria Macapagal Arroyo during her presidency. He became a party-list congressman representing Bantay. When Palparan was first ordered arrested by the Malolos court, military officers were suspected to have helped him hide for three years until he was nabbed in the city of Manila.

Violent methods and egregious violations of human rights in quelling rebellions tend to have diminishing returns. Such methods have contributed to making the communist insurgency in the Philippines one of the longest running of its kind in the world. The ideology may now be unrecognizable, but the unrest and discontent behind the armed dissent are still there. Punishing those who engage in dirty wars is just a laudable step in ending the rebellion for good. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Admiral John McCain and the unprecedented PH Dollar Remittance Program PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. (Part 2 of 3)

OUR original plan anticipated the exponential growth of the job market and the dollar remittances from overseas Filipinos. We tinkered with the formula and expanded its scope.

We raised the national target to $300 million a year in remittances and sent then President Ferdinand Marcos an urgent memorandum explaining the ambitious plan and its mechanics. On the accompanying note we summed up the proposal: “How to raise an additional yearly $300 million or more for the CB-PNB complex to finance Philippine economic and infrastructure development and service RP foreign debts, etc. and to totally dry up the black market.” Black market dollars had been known then to finance soft-goods smuggling to the Philippines through Sabah, and worse, subversion activities in Southeast Asia.

President Marcos asked us to see him for an additional briefing. “Your proposal looks excellent but I need further study,” the president told us.

We told Marcos that the dollar-remittance agreement with the United States would be “immediately beneficial to Philippine economic, political, security and defense interests – and we were recommending its urgent implementation.”

We thought Manila needed to allay Washington’s fears about the program’s possible harmful impact on the U.S. economy. In later years, we remembered something we told the U.S. and Philippine governments that proved to be prescient: “It is our view that the American turnover of dollars to the CB-PNB will in fact constitute and ensure a ‘return flow’ of dollars to the United States because 95 percent of Philippine dollar reserves are deposited in U.S. banks. The remittance program, far from stopping the flow of dollars across the Pacific, would in fact enlarge it.”

We could not have said it better then. Our series of presentations impressed and eventually persuaded the succeeding

TENSIONS have been running high in the Philippines these past few weeks, or to be completely honest, these past few years. For a country that was promised that corruption would be stamped out and that peace and order would be restored, it’s ironic to note that the complete opposite seems to have happened. In the past few years the death toll has increased dramatically, violence is even more prevalent than ever, corruption looks to be at an all time high, prices have skyrocketed, and there is less peace and order than there has been in a very long time.

It’s sad that we have placed ourselves in a position wherein the peso is reaching all new lows and there doesn’t look to be any reprieve in sight. A position where our countrymen can’t even afford the basic goods and necessities they need to survive and where a super typhoon threatens our shores and the lives of count-

resenting U.S expenditures to support the U.S. base complex in the Philippines and which sum should be absorbed by CB-PNB; • $100 million yearly in peso expenditures of some “two million” U.S. seamen at liberty in the Philippines through multiple entries.

Following further refinement that incorporated American concerns, the program evolved in 1969. By then, we had identified more dollar sources such as PNB remittances from Canada and CB-PNB-Development Bank of the Philippines, proposed dollar bond-selling programs for Hawaii, Canada and the U.S. mainland. The program had taken on a convincing format. Giving the program the highest priority, the finance officials and us worked out approval in mid-1969 during the presidency of Richard M. Nixon.

We vividly remember the crucial meeting where the final U.S. action was indicated, presaging concurrence by the State Department, the Pentagon and the U.S. Treasury.

This came at a conference between PNB President Roberto Benedicto, Minister James Wil-

son and Allan Ford, the political-military officer of the U.S. Embassy in Manila, William Pieace of the U.S. Treasury and us. In succeeding talks, the procedure to carry out the plan was finessed. The talks involved the government’s top economic, foreign affairs and military advisers and the country’s leading bankers. We gave them a full briefing on the program’s details and strategy.

Those who sat in on the meeting with the president at various stages were Foreign Secretary Carlos P. Romulo, who succeeded Narciso Ramos, foreign Undersecretary Jose D. Ingles, Finance Secretary Eduardo Z. Romualdez, Central Bank Governor Alfonso Calalang, Roberto S. Benedicto, Representative Pablo Roman (chairman of the House Committee on Banks), DBP Chairman Gregorio Licaros, Defense Secretary Ernesto Mata, Justice Secretary Claudio Teehankee, Presidential Economic Staff Director General Placido Mapa Jr., Labor Undersecretary Raoul Inocentes, PNB Assistant Vice President Isidro Villanos, Pastor Alvarado, and ourself. The registry was a veritable who’s

who of Philippine economic and political braintrust.

Due to our spadework at home and abroad, our brainchild was moving to such success that Roberto S. Benedicto, Marcos’ closest ally and classmate, proposed that it be called the “Marcos Dollar Plan,” because Marcos was running for reelection in 1969 and his team viewed the program as a political asset.

(One of my assistants quietly protested and proposed that it simply be called the “Philippine Dollar Plan” without names mentioned, including mine).

One afternoon, we were asked by the Monetary Board at the old Central Bank to explain the program’s details and its potential impact on the national economy. We repeated the data we had earlier supplied Washington on the sources of dollars. We spoke for three hours, answering their questions and putting to rest all their doubts. We were well prepared. When we gained the Board’s unanimous approval, we saw our work of over a year coming to full fruition.

(To be continued next week)

Amnesty granted cannot be revoked

INTROSPECTIVE

TONY KATIGBAK

Foreign Ministers Narciso Ramos and Carlos P. Romulo, the succession of Central Bank Governors (Alfonso Calalang, Andres Castillo, Gregorio Licaros) and Manila-based U.S. officials, but we now faced a greater hurdle. Washington predictably asked for further data; it wanted a greater scrutiny of the program before it could give official U.S. concurrence. In particular, it asked us to identify the sources of the dollar remittances. We replied with a memo identifying the following possible sources: • $25 million in additional dollar remittances to PNB from some 14,000 Filipino retirees living in the Philippines; • $27 million yearly in additional PNB dollar remittances and “X” dollar amounts in dollar bonds to be purchased by some 10,000 to 12,000 Filipino seamen employed worldwide by the U.S. Navy; • $45 million in yearly contracts awarded by the U.S. government to Filipino contractors for expansion, repair and modernization of U.S. base facilities in the Philippines, which sum should be deposited with or serviced by CB-PNB; • $100 million yearly rep-

less Filipinos. And instead of being front and center and promoting relief operations, as the government should be, they are instead still arguing amongst themselves.

To be quite frank the song has remained the same and it is getting quite tiresome.

There is no synergy in the way politicians work in the Philippines. Let’s face it no one is perfect, and many politicians have made mistakes, but it seems that whenever we elect new officials they are more intent to taking apart what their predecessor built instead of improving on it. Don’t get me wrong – that’s not to say that past mistakes should not be fixed – but the reality is we never seem to be moving forward, we always remain rooted in the past.

Currently what is under contention now is the amnesty of Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. President Duterte has claimed that the amnesty granted to Trillanes is invalid and has been seeking to have him arrested. When this blew up all over the news (and continues to do so) it felt like 2007 all over again. Is this still where

we are? With everything else that is happening are we back to the military uprisings that happened over a decade ago?

Does the president truly feel this is where he should channel his energy when so many Filipinos are suffering? The priorities of the current administration are quite mindboggling.

President Duterte has claimed that Trillanes’ amnesty should be void because Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin signed it instead of the president, at the time Benigno Aquino. Former president Aquino, however, has said that the amnesty process for Trillanes followed the same procedure that all former presidents used including Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. He said that if this amnesty is seen as invalid then all the amnesty grants by his predecessors should be invalid as well.

However, despite President Duterte’s earlier claims about who signed Trillanes’ amnesty, what appeared on Proclamation No. 527 is that the amnesty was invalid because

Trillanes did not apply for amnesty. His application appears to be lost and this was the basis for the president signing the proclamation. However, during his privilege speech in the Senate, Trillanes showed photo and video evidence of him filing the application so now many are wondering why the Department of National Defense can’t seem to find the papers. Former National Security Adviser Jose Almonte said that Trillanes should not be punished solely on the basis that his application can’t be found and that an investigation into the missing papers should commence right away.

There is obviously no love lost between President Duterte and Senator Trillanes. The latter has been quite vocal about his issues with the current Commander-in-Chief and has been pushing, for quite some time, for an investigation into some of the president’s activities like his alleged P2.4 billion bank accounts and the Davao Death Squad. He has not been afraid of calling the president a mass murderer and has not backed down from statements against the admin-

istration. Naturally this makes him a prime target as one of the main, and one of the loudest, voices of dissent.

It’s not surprising that the president does not like him, but I feel he has devoted far too much time trying to find ways to get “rid of him.” Does he feel threatened because the senator does not appear to be afraid of him like many others? Although Trillanes is fighting for his legal rights and preserving the amnesty he was granted, he has also said that he is not afraid of being arrested because he is not afraid of the president.

I think that the administration should tread carefully when it comes to pursuing this. At present there seems to be no legal basis for revoking the senator’s amnesty and unless they can prove, legally, that there is a reason to void it then perhaps they should take a step back. I’m hoping we are not heading for a constitutional crisis if the administration continues to push for what they want despite no legal precedence or standing.

In the end, I think it’s more important for the government

and for our president to focus on the real problems facing our country and channel his efforts into addressing these instead of going head to head with those who oppose him.

We’ve all experienced hard times before but these days it just seems to be getting worse and worse. The government needs to find ways to address the soaring inflation, the crippling rice shortage, and the increase in violent crimes.

If the president really wants to do good things for the Philippines, and I believe that he does, than he needs to let go of all his wild paranoid destabilization fears and get to work.

People are angry and they want improvements. There will always be voices of opposition because things aren’t improving, they are only getting worse. If the president really wants to silence his opposition then he needs to focus on what really matters. New strong economic policies and revisiting policies that may not work are what is needed to address untamed inflation, not giving all his attention to would-be “plots” and “conspiracies.” (Philstar.com)

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • SeptembeR 21-27, 2018

BusinessRemittances newsrecover in July 2018

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

BSP assistant governor Francisco Dakila said the country’s balance of payments (BOP) account (CA) shortfall is manageable as the country’s gross international reserves (GIR)

PERSONAL remittances from overseas Filipinos bounced back in July, rising by 4.5 percent to $2.67 billion from $2.56 billion in the same month last year, according to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP).

This brought the first seven months’ tally to $18.46 billion, $529 million higher than the $17.92 billion recorded in the same period last year. Personal remittances consist of cash and non-cash items that flow through both formal or via electronic wire and informal channels such as money or goods carried across borders.

“The rise in personal remittances during the first seven deficit is “financeable,” while the current months of 2018 was supported remain well above international standards. by an increase of 2.8 percent Philstar.com file photo and four percent in remittance inflows from land-based workers with work contracts of one year or more and sea-based workers and land-based workers with Redentor Paolo Alegre, head of the BSP’s Department of Economic Statistics, reported on Friday, September 14, the country’s current account deficit amounted to $3.09 billion or 1.9 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in the first half of the year.

Data showed the CA shortfall from January to June already matched the projected $3.1 billion CA deficit for 2018 and almost 25 times the $133 million deficit equivalent to 0.1 percent of GDP booked in the same period last year.

The wider shortfall was attributed mainly to the widening deficit in the trade-in-goods account and lower net receipts in the primary income account, which more than offset the higher net receipts in the trade-inservices and secondary income accounts.

The trade-in-goods deficit widened 27.9 percent to$23.3 billion as imports of goods jumped10.7 percent to $48.7 billion while exports of goods slipped 1.6 percent to $25.3 billion.

As a result, the country’s balance of payments position (BOP) yielded a deficit of $3.3 billion in the first half of year, more than four times higher than the $706 million recorded in the same period last year.n

Forex buffer enough to cover deficits — BSP

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

THE ballooning trade and current account deficits arising from strong imports are still manageable as the country’s foreign exchange buffer remain sufficient, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

BSP assistant governor Francisco Dakila said the country’s balance of payments (BOP) deficit is “financeable,” while the current account (CA) shortfall is manageable as the country’s gross international reserves (GIR) remain well above international standards.

Dakila said the GIR level stood at $77.5 billion as of endJune and is enough to cover 7.1 months’ worth of imports of goods and services.

“Reserves remain to be in a very comfortable level. The international norm is just between three and four months so we are pretty much above the international norm,” Dakila added.

The GIR is the sum of all foreign exchange flowing into the country. It serves as buffer to ensure that the Philippines would not run out of foreign exchange that it could use to pay for imported goods and services, or maturing obligations in case of

A

external shocks.

The buffer is also the major source of funds of the BSP to smoothen the volatility of the peso in the foreign exchange market. The central bank has been active in the market to check sudden and sharp movement of the peso that recently pierced the 54 to $1 mark to hit its lowest level in almost 13 years.

Dakila said there are others structural sources of foreign exchange, including remittances from overseas Filipinos, that usually pick up in the fourth quarter of the year in time for the Christmas holidays.

“Come the fourth quarter of the year, we have a lot of inflows expected,” he added.

He said, the markets have already anticipated additional rate hikes by the U.S. Federal Reserve.

“When you do shift from a structural CA position and we are now in a deficit, then some adjustments to the exchange rate is anticipated to take place.

That is what we are seeing when we have quite a strong imports,” Dakila said.

Dakila added the exchange rate would settle at some point as it shifts from one equilibrium to another.

short-term contracts, respectively,” BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla said.

On the other hand, the BSP chief said cash remittances coursed through banks rose by 5.2 percent to $2.4 billion in July from $2.28 billion in the same month last year.

He said cash remittances sent by land-based workers grew by 4.5 percent to $1.9 billion, while those from sea-based workers expanded by 7.8 percent to $511 million.

The cash remittances for July came mainly from the US, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Germany.

For the first seven months, cash remittances inched up three percent to $16.6 billion from $16.09 billion in the same period in 2017.

In particular, cash remittances from land-based and sea-based workers totaled $13.1 billion and $3.5 billion, respectively. More than 79 percent of the total cash

remittances came from the U.S., Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Japan, UK, Qatar, Canada, Germany, and Hong Kong.

The BSP has set a four percent growth target for both personal and cash remittances this year.

Beneficiaries of remittances emerge as one of the winners of the continued weakening of the peso against the dollar.

Remittances continue to boost personal consumption, helping sustain a steady growth. Personal remittances accounted for 10 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) and 8.3 percent of gross national income (GNI) last year.

ING Bank Manila senior economist Joey Cuyegkeng said the capital inflows and the hawkish BSP would moderate or offset the weakening bias resulting from the current account deficit, while moderating private sector growth with higher financing costs. n

A10 September 21-27, 2018

• NOrCAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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

SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

Friday, September 21, 2018

SF

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

One long ride through history The evolution of the automobile in the United States

by Nathalie

Robles / AJPress

IF one would imagine a time when there were no cars to take people places, one would have to travel way back in time to be able to fully perceive what it is like. The invention of the automobile has been a gamechanger throughout the course of history.

The said machinery amped up the meaning of convenience to a whole new level that was deemed impossible back then.

Let us take a long ride back to how it all started.

The first vehicle in the United States that came close to the automobile was arguably built by Oliver Evans in 1805.

The built and structure that Evans created was described as amphibious and therefore could traverse by land and water via wheels and paddlewheels respectively.

Years after, the first American bicycle was manufactured in 1878 at the Weed Sewing Machine in Hartford, Connecticut. It is called the “Columbia Bicycle” according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), an agency under the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the executive department of the United States.

The NHSA issued a timeline that showed the evolution of

vehicles and automobile industry from its invention up until the present. It was around 1885 when the first seatbelt was patented by Edward J. Claghorn of New York. The seatbelt, like its purpose to this day, was intended to hold the passengers in place should the car collide with something, thus reducing the impact of a forceful slam.

For other scholars, the first American car was the Duryea automobile built by the Duryea Motor Wagon Company. It was first demonstrated in Springfield, Massachusetts in 1893.

Frank and Charles Duryea founded the company and built a one-cylinder “Ladies Phaeton,” with four wheels and no roof, making it an open-air car.

It was regarded as the first successful gasoline engine vehicle.

Not long after, the same company created a second Duryea in 1894 and another one on Thanksgiving Day in 1895.

Roughly that year as well, the Duryea Motor Wagon Company started the commercial production of the first American car, as stated in the Encyclopaedia Brittanica.

Due to the demand for the manufacturing of the said machinery, the country had to regulate the use of the automobile, especially on roads and

highways. It was the same year Connecticut created the first statewide traffic laws. The new laws regulated motor vehicles, limiting their speed to 12 miles per hour (mph) in cities and 15 mph on country roads.

After a year, the Oldsmobile otherwise known as the Olds Motor Vehicle Company from Detroit, Michigan, dominated the marketplace. The said company was established in 1897 but only gained popularity in 1902.

The Ford Motor Company launched in a converted factory and built its first American car, the Model A that same year.

The Ford Company gave birth to the idea of the assembly line, which operated by giving each worker the responsibility for one task. Up until this time, employees were assigned multiple tasks on building automobiles and walked around the plants to accomplish them.

William Durant formed General Motors — another automobile manufacturing company in 1908. Meanwhile, the Ford Motor/ Cadillac Company introduced the Model T and in its first year sold over 10,000 cars.

General Motors then bought the Cadillac Automobile Company in 1909 for $4.5 million. In 1910, to further promote driver and pedes-

trian safety, the State of New York introduced the very first drunk driving laws. It penalized drivers for operating a vehicle while under the influence of alcohol, hence the term driving under the influence (DUI).

The Ford Motor Company continued its success as it sold the Model T in 1914. With the assembly line, the Highland Park, Michigan plant produced 300,000 cars in 1914, resulting in Ford to lowering the price of the Model T for 14 consecutive years, making the car affordable to the middle class.

Contrary to the common belief that Henry Ford invented the automobile, historical accounts proved otherwise. He and his company invented the assembly line so automobiles could be accessible to more Americans.

In 1920, three automobile companies rose to the ranks — Ford, General Motors and Chrysler — becoming the “Big Three” car manufacturing companies. Ford, in particular, garnered over eight million registrations. Since then, that year was considered the peak of growth in car ownership.

By the end of the decade, the number of registrants tripled to 23 million.

As the automobile industry grew, several other industries soon followed. There was a

great need for the vulcanized rubber to be used in car wheels. Roads, highways and bridges were deemed necessary so the state and government had to fund public infrastructure for easier transport.

As the government got involved, the Federal Highway Act of 1921 came into the picture. Gas stations and mechanic shops became necessary. The oil and steel industries boosted in numbers as the demand for automobile increased. Long drives were deemed possible so truck stops and motels began to line major highways.

To further regulate the roads and streets, the threeway traffic light with colors red, yellow and green was introduced in the United States in 1930. Not long after, airbags were invented in 1951 as protection for drivers and passengers. Airbags are used to reduce the impact of an automobile crash.

In 1966, the Congress established the Department of Transportation whose stated mission is: “Serve the United States by ensuring a fast, safe, efficient, accessible and convenient transportation system that meets our vital national interests and enhances the quality of life of the American people, today and into the

future.”

Two years after, the Federal Safety Standards for cars took effect as a means to protect drivers against unreasonable risk of crashes occurring as a result of the design, construction or performance of motor vehicles.

The establishment of NHTSA followed suit in 1970. Its primary role is to reduce deaths, injuries and economic losses resulting from motor vehicle crashes. They are able to accomplish such by setting and enforcing safety performance standards for motor vehicles and motor vehicle equipment. They also receive grants from the State and local governments to enable them to conduct effective local highway safety programs. Five years later, the government ordered that the national maximum speed limit be set at 55 mph.

As one backtracks how the U.S. automotive industry developed, one can help but wonder how invention seemed to be faster these days. More and more technological advances are discovered daily and who knows what would appear before our eyes in the near future.

There is no harm in looking back at how humankind has progressed. After all, that is the only way one can see how far we have come.

Haggling your way for the best car price

Tips and hacks on how to negotiate when buying a car ACQUIRING an automobile to take you places can be a necessity, luxury or privilege. It could even be all of the above. Through the years the automobile industry has been creating ways to provide convenience to transport people from one place to another. However, the acquisition of a car proves to be more difficult than it seems.

Car salesmen are a force to reckon with. While some may be honest enough to help you get a vehicle that is both great in quality and price, there are some who are equipped with the necessary charms and convincing prowess to entice buyers with less than desirable options. Here are some some tips how you can develop negotiation skills so that you can get your money’s worth in purchasing a car: Make use of online resources Technology has aided us in more ways than one. The information out there in the world wide web allows us to live life more conveniently than those who came before us. Such holds true as this recent societal breakthrough works in our favor when we decide to purchase an automobile.

Car prices, features and preliminary deals are now made available online. Even rankings of different car models whether it be used or new are displayed so buyers would easily identify which car, truck, minivan, standard utility vehicle (SUV) on the market should they test drive. Buyers should then utilized the said resources to its full extent to ensure that the purchased car would be well within the budget without looking like it is.

Autotrader, a known online marketplace for cars conducted a study in 2016 that analyzes the activities of the average car buyer. The said study showed that at this day and age, a lot of people are using technological devices as means to further ensure that they will acquire the best model with the least price.

Statistics showed that car buyers who shop online spend 59 percent of their time researching for automobiles that would appeal to their liking. The actual research process includes looking through

car prices, finding actual cars listed for sale, comparing different models, finding out the the current car’s worth, and locating a dealer or getting the dealer information.

Have a pre-approved financing offer It is necessary to acquire a pre-approved financing offer from a bank, credit union, or other lender before walking into a dealership. Such offer would help you garner incentives to try to find you a better deal on the automobile you desire. A exemplary credit rating would also entail a great financing deal. Learn to make use of that. If you have not check you credit score. Now is the best time as any.

Ensure an appropriate timing Learn to take advantage of a skill called foresight. Just like majority of businesses, car dealers and salespeople have sales goals at the end of a specific period. May it be the end of the week, month, quarter, semester or year, once they hit specific figures, incentives, commissions and bonuses are in order. If you decide to purchase an automobile at this time frame, you might be in luck as some dealers are trying to reach certain figures.

Explore other dealerships Do not be confined with only one dealership. There are more options out there that you have yet to walk into. Who knows maybe you will score a better deal on the second or third store you check. Never settle for something far from what you want.

Once you decide to walk into a certain dealership, you must most certainly be equipped with the necessary knowledge and preparation beforehand.

Offer a realistic amount Once you started talking about how much you are willing to pay, you have to make sure that it is within a realistic amount. Factoring in the negotiation that is to occur, it would eventually be reduced to your desired price, if everything goes as planned.

Negotiate in small intervals If the salesperson offers an amount far from the perceived one, ultimately the

two parties would try to meet halfway. Once the dealer decreases the price, increase your offer by only a small interval. For instance, if he brings down the offer $500 less, raise your offer a bit let’s say for only $250 or less.

Use your expressions wisely A business transaction like this requires utmost confidence to be able to get the best out of what you paid for. Offer an amount without breaking a sweat or stuttering. However, be polite and respectful still. After all, both you and the salesperson would only want the best deal, regardless if it is for your own self and not for each other.

Reject bad deals but leave your contact information If you and the dealer fail to compromise on an offer and you seem to think there is a better deal elsewhere, politely decline and leave a contact number. The dealer might call back and have something better. Or not.

Either way, never settle for a deal far from your perceived realistic one.

Check the payment breakdown and paperwork Once you get a deal you want, check the payment breakdown and see if there are questionable prices for the items the purchase includes. There are certain incident where dealers charge more for the add ons to make up for the losses they had in the negotiations. Same goes with the paperwork. Make sure there are no loopholes before you sign a deal.

Otherwise, all the hard work in negotiating boils down to nothing.

Negotiation in any form can be tedious and tricky.

Salespersons in automobile shops would often appear calm, endearing and friendly but it could often be a strategy to establish rapport with the purchasing party. Once the salesperson connected with the buyer, haggling for a lower price would prove to be a lot more awkward and anxiety-inducing. However, such decision should be made with proper preparation.

Haggling can be a battle of its own — but the end game is always to win. (AJPress)

Photo from car-brand-names.com

How to choose the right vehicle for you

it the perfect vehicle not only for individuals but also reguAJPress lar-sized families.

Hatchback: This type of BUYING a car is a huge vehicle generally offers an decision. Next to a home, it’s SUV-like space without the probably the second most dynamic and fuel-economy important purchase anyone compromises of larger vehican make. But with the influx of new car models and designs cles. It has a cargo area usually connected to the cabin, being constantly introduced allowing the user to fold down on the market, how do you the second seating row and pick the right one? create more cargo space in When choosing a car, the the process. A hatchback is one you want isn’t necessarspacious enough to accommoily the one you need. Consider your current lifestyle and date up to five people — perfectly suited for individuals, whether or not the car you plan on purchasing can accom- couples, and regular-sized families. modate that or not.

Sport Utility Vehicle Coupe: If you want a car (SUV): If you want a vehicle that makes a statement, a that puts a special emphasis coupe is perfect since it typion cabin space and cargo cally has the most expressive design. It’s a two-door passen- capacity, an SUV might be for ger vehicle that features either you. Because of its size and built, it can can transport betwo or five seating spaces tween five and nine people — across one or two rows. A perfect for families and those coupe’s rear seats are usuwho enjoy going on off-road ally not spacious enough for adults, often reserved for light trips. However, an SUV generally gets poor gas mileage so items only — making it unfit it is not the best vehicle to use for families. for daily commutes.

Convertible: This is anMinivan: This vehicle other type of car that makes is ideal if you want a good a statement. Unlike a coupe, balance between passenger however, a convertible is a space and cargo capacity. A passenger vehicle that allows minivan tends to be associits user to alternate between ated with comfort and size open-air and enclosed modes since it can carry up to nine thanks to its retractable roof.

This is best suited for individu- passengers, making it perfect for large families. als or couples.

Station wagon: A station Sedan: Four doors are definitely a requirement when wagon is basically a sedan with a roof that extends rearward you have kids or planning to over the cabin and cargo area, have some. A sedan’s rear allowing the vehicle to fit in seats can normally accommore cargo in the back. This modate at least two adults or three small children — making vehicle is ideal for regularby Ritchel

MeNdiola

sized families and people who like to do outdoor activities.

Pickup truck: If you need to haul equipment, materials that would dirty up the interior, or cargo too tall to fit in an enclosed vehicle on a daily basis, a pickup is the most popular choice. This can theoretically be a family vehicle but you’re better off with a minivan or an SUV since those offer comfort like none other.

Other factors you have to consider before purchasing a car are: your location and driving style.

According to Unhaggle, if you need a family vehicle but you live in a heavily-populated urban area, a hatchback or sedan would probably suit you best since these vehicles are relatively easy to maneuver in congested streets and park in tight spaces. On the other hand, if you live in a sparselypopulated suburb, a station wagon or a compact SUV might serve you better since your location can handle their slightly bigger size.

If you’re a driving enthusiast who wants to savor every aspect of the driving experience, then a coupe or a convertible are likely to satisfy you the most as they emphasize quickness and handling prowess. If you’re more into comfort, a sedan would serve you better.

The ultimate key here is to write down your preferences and connect the dots. This’ll help you in choosing the right vehicle that can cover your practical bases and accommodate your life.

Obtaining the rights and responsibilities reserved for US citizens

the application is filed, and for three years if the application is being filed by a person living in “marital union” with their U.S. citizen spouse. In addition to these 3 and 5-year requirements, the USCIS may also consider acts prior to that ATTY. AMANDA KWONG period of time.

CONSTITUTION Day is an There are certain criminal American federal observance acts that pose as permanent that recognizes the adoption bars to good moral character. of the U.S. Constitution on For example, anyone who has September 17, 1787. It is a been convicted of murder at perfect opportunity for all U.S. anytime cannot be found to citizens to reflect on the rights have good moral character. and responsibilities of citizen- The permanent bar also apship. plies to someone convicted Some of the many rights of an aggravated felony after that U.S. citizens enjoy are the November 29, 1990, even if a right to free speech, the right waiver had been granted. The to freedom of religion, and only exception to a permanent the freedom of “life, liberty, bar of good moral character is and the pursuit of happiness.” if the applicant was fully parThere are also many respondoned and has demonstrated sibilities that accompany U.S. rehabilitation. citizenship, including the For crimes that are not responsibility to support and considered permanent bars, defend the Constitution, serve such as providing false teson a jury when called, and timony made under oath to defend the United States if obtain an immigration benefit, the need arises. they will then be weighed To obtain all of the rights against positive factors. Acts and responsibilities available that may still be overcome by to U.S. citizens, a noncitisubmitting positive evidence zen may apply to become of good moral character are a naturalized U.S. citizen. failing to register for the There are several requireSelective Service, owing back ments that a lawful permanent taxes to the government, resident (green card) must etc. If good moral character meet for their application issue is a potential issue, it is for naturalization to be apextremely important for the proved. These requirements applicant to present evidence include the applicant being that they do indeed possess 18-year-old or older, meeting good moral character despite continuous physical presence the possible grounds for requirements in the U.S., pos- denial. sess good moral character, An applicant must typidemonstrate knowledge of cally be a continuous perthe English language and U.S. manent resident for five history, etc. In addition, the years to be eligible for U.S. applicant cannot currently be citizenship. However, three in immigration proceedings, years is acceptable if applycannot have an outstanding ing based on living in “marital order of deportation, etc. union” with their U.S. citizen The issue of good moral spouse. There is no requirecharacter is frequently cited ment that the marriage be the by the U.S. Citizenship and basis for permanent resident Immigration Service (USCIS) status. Thus, an applicant when they deny applications who already had their green for naturalization. Good card at the time of marriage moral character is required could apply for naturalization for the five-year period before after three years of living in

Your Immigration Solution

“marital union.” A person who obtained permanent resident status as a battered spouse or child may also apply for naturalization after only three years.

In addition to being a permanent resident for a certain number of years, there are also certain physical presence requirements that must be met. Generally speaking, an applicant must be physically present in the United States for at least half of the three or five years preceding the filing of their application. Unfortunately, it is not always as easy as simply counting the number of days that you have been present in the country. Rather, a person’s continuous residence may be disrupted by one or more lengthy absences from the U.S. A disruption in the continuity of residence will force an applicant to delay the filing of their application.

There are many things to consider when deciding whether to file an application for U.S. citizenship. In addition to all eligibility concerns, a person must also consider whether a denial of their application could potentially lead to deportation proceedings. However, despite the process being difficult and stressful, it is important to remember that the benefits and freedoms that come with U.S. citizenship are paramount.

Consult an experienced immigration attorney today to ask if becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen is an option for you. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

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

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

Darren Criss is first Fil-Am to win lead actor Emmy

Actor recognized for his ‘American Crime Story’ role

by DENI

ROSE M. AFINIDAD-BERNARDO Philstar.com

LOS ANGELES — “The Assassination of Gianni Versace” star Darren Criss, who is of Filipino descent, has become the second Asian-American actor to claim an acting award at the 70th Emmy Awards on September 17, after Riz Ahmed’s win last year for “The Night After,” a notable backto-back outcome.

Criss has won an Emmy for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for starring as serial killer Andrew Cunanan in the second installment of Ryan Murphy’s “American Crime Story: The Assassination of Gianna Versace” in 2018. He beat out Antonio Banderas (“Genius: Picasso”); Benedict Cumberbatch (“Patrick Melrose”); Jeff Daniels (“The Looming Tower”); John Legend (“Jesus Christ Superstar”); and Jesse Plemons (“Black Mirror: USS Callister”) for the Continued on Page SF7 Darren Criss

Photo from Instagram/@darrencriss

SF

celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

celebrity world

Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz now officially annulled

By Ferdie Villar IT’S a little over four years since actress Sunshine Cruz filed for the annulment of her marriage to actor Cesar Montano, and finally her patience paid off.

Last Tuesday, September 18, the court granted the annulment, which was filed by the actress last May 2014, a year after they separated.

Sunshine confirmed the good news via social media posting an image saying, “Lord, thank you for giving me a new day. For the blessings that you have prepared, you do wonderful things thank you for all your love.” Along with the image she wrote, “This day I will never forget. 9-18-08 thank YOU #NewBeginnings #NewChapter #Grateful.”

The former couple were together for 13 years and have three daughters — Angelina Isabelle, Samantha Angeline and Angel Franchesca. Their separation became controversial, with Sunshine accusing Cesar of having affairs with different women. Lately, the actress shared that the actor was barely giving support for their daughters, which Cesar’s camp strongly denies.

At present, Sunshine is with Macky Mathay. *** Amid rumors about whether or not he is running for senator next year, actor Dingdong Dantes finally broke his silence and spoke up on the issue of him running for public office.

The actor clarified the issue through the comment section of Ogie Diaz’s Facebook post last Monday, September 17. The talent manager on his “Mama Ogz Answers” recently discussed some political issues,

including the actor’s rumored plans to run for senator.

“Si Dingdong Dantes, tatakbong Senador, okay ba sa ‘yo Mama Ogs,” Ogie wrote. “-Oo naman. Sobra. Mas disente kesa sa Pepedederalismo.” The talent manager also tagged the actor and expressed his support. However, Dingdong replied, “Salamat sa tiwala, Ogie.

Pero hindi po ako tatakbong Senador.”

To Dingdong’s confirmation of not running for senator, Ogie replied, “Ay sad naman.”

Last week, Dingdong’s wife Marian Rivera told the press that she will support the actor if ever he decides to run for senator. Although the actor has limited political experience, he has been active with his social works and advocacy. *** Talking about politics, another celebrity who has again confirmed that she is not running for any public office is the Queen of All Media Kris Aquino. This is in spite of the rumors circulating that she is considering to run for senator in next year’s mid-term elections.

On her Instagram account, Kris explained to one of her followers @gigiboosh5639 why she is still not ready to enter politics.

“My mom was widowed when I was 12, and she has admitted that among all of us of her 5 kids, I had the most difficult childhood (dad was jailed when I was 19 months old) & my teenage years were all during her presidency (campaign when I was 14, people power less than 2 weeks after my 15th birthday), she peacefully stepped down when I was 21.

“Mom’s reminder & strongly held principle—was that I could go into public service when I am ready to embrace a life of simplicity... for me to reach that—I have some more growing up to do.

“I refuse to disappoint my mom, so if it is God’s plan it will be part of His timing, not mine.

“Until then let me be the best mom possible to the most lovable sons God could have ever blessed me with.”

It is public knowledge that Kris’ family — both Cojuangco and Aquino side — have been part of Philippine politics.

Her late father, Benigno “Ninoy” Aquino was a mayor, vice governor, governor and senator.

Her late mother Corazon “Cory”Aquino became the first woman president in the Philippines from 1986 until 1992.

Her brother, Benigno Simeon “Noynoy” Aquino III became a congressman, senator and eventually president from 2010 to 2016.

Actress Sunshine Cruz recently confirmed via social media that her marriage to actor Cesar Montano has been finally annulled.

Actor Cesar Montano was married to actress Sunshine Cruz for 13 years. Last Tuesday, September 18, the court granted the annulment of their marriage.

Actor Dingdong Dantes finally broke his silence and confirmed via Ogie Diaz’s Facebook page that he is not running for senator next year.

Queen of All Media Kris Aquino again confirmed that she is not running for public office. She added she is not ready and that her late mother, former President Cory Aquino used to tell her that she still has some more growing up to do.

Handsome and talented actor Wendell Ramos has returned to acting via GMA 7/Pinoy TV’s teleserye, “Onanay” together with Superstar Nora Aunor.

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA WE live in the Age of Information. You could say it is both a blessing and a curse to live during what could very well be “the best of times, the worst of times” as Dickens would probably describe it, to have so much information available at our fingertips.

We have terabytes of available information on our smartphones and computers. It is amazing wizardry indeed! All we need is the correct phrase and spelling to look up something and VOILA, there it is.

What is the downside? We think we know everything there is to know about practically everything. Secondly, we feel lost without our mental crutch, our smart phones. Third, we are susceptible to groupthink — to think like the herd does, as trends and memes proliferate in the internet. There is a serious need to dig for the truth.

Raw knowledge is not the same as wisdom as it applies to how we live our lives. We still need our thinking caps to process and filter information and cull out only those golden nuggets of wisdom we could use to live our lives the best way we can. We junk the rest.

Our minds and the collection of life experiences in our memory banks function as the kidneys to filter out the lies and all useless information. The Pareto 80/20 rule applies: 20% of stuff matters and the remaining 80% is chaff and should be trashed if we want our mental faculties to remain healthy and functioning for a long time yet.

With all these ever evolving gadgets and gizmos, most people these days think that they have the smarts to handle practically every life situation.

This may be true — but only up to a point. Life, as we know it, is not so cut and dried.

Pop Princess Sarah Geronimo’s latest hit movie “Miss Granny,” will be shown in movie theatres here in Northern California starting Friday, September 21.

The one and only Megastar Sharon Cuneta celebrated her 40th anniversary in showbiz last Sunday, September 16, in the afternoon show, “ASAP,” on TFC.

The Bucket List Ask for help 15th of a Series

“Don’t be shy about asking for help.

It doesn’t mean you’re weak, it only means you’re wise.”

— Anonymous Self-confidence is good but not when it makes you arrogant and cocky believing that you are better than anyone else. Life has a way of knocking you down off your high horse.

A bruised and battered ego is a good starting point to learn humility and gratitude. This is when the soul begins to grow.

The downside of the Age of Information? Because we have become self –reliant, we feel we don’t need anyone else. We don’t want to ask for help when we are stumped with a problem or a situation that is beyond our abilities to deal with. Society expects us to find our way with the wherewithal and smart tools we have.

Before the advent of GPS (Global Positioning System), most men (yes, men) wandered aimlessly about trying to find an address, refusing to admit to themselves that they are lost. Ask for directions? Bah, humbug!

Why was this so? The short answer: EGO. Most do not want to be perceived as weak or inept or lacking in common sense. Most women seem to be just fine asking strangers or people at gas stations for directions and the men who give the directions seem just happy to oblige.

GPS technology is a blessing. However, there is a caveat about complete reliance on it.

No technology, at this time, no matter how sophisticated can replace good old common sense. You still need to process the information provided to find the best route for yourself.

GPS is a great tool when the freeways are clogged and you need alternate routes to your destination. That said, never

relinquish your chief navigator position.

Navigating our own life’s journey is not that simple however. There are twists and turns in life that throw us out of our smug self-sufficiency. We find ourselves needing help, either from our fellow men or more than likely, from God, when everything we have tried, has failed spectacularly.

Don’t be too proud to ask for help. Sometimes, we go through seasons of darkness when it seems the universe is conspiring against us and everything that is happening weighs us down. We feel helpless as though a Category 5 hurricane is tossing us about like a rag doll and there is no end in sight.

These are the seasons when going down on our knees and doubling down on prayers begging for help from above are the best of any one’s lifetime.

This is a time of building a deeper, more personal relationship with the loving God of our beings, who the psalmist described as the one “who knit us in our mother’s womb,” so that we are each “fearfully and wonderfully made.” All we need to do when lost and helpless, is to ASK for HELP. After all, prayers, heartfelt and unceasing, are the most powerful force in the universe.

To borrow from the slogan that a sportswear company who seems to have lost its way at the moment: JUST DO IT. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

USCIS’s new “denial memo” is now in effect Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ STARTING on September 11, 2018, a new USCIS Policy Memorandum (PM) became effective, instructing officers on how to adjudicate (process and Conquering the fear of unCertainty and six iCe agents knoCking at their door on this sunday’s “Citizen Pinoy!” After they were offered jobs as caregivers, Danilo (left) and Millet (center) took a big gamble when they decided to stay in the U.S. to pursue their American dream. It was not easy, make decisions on) petitions, apespecially after their hard-earned money was lost to a lawyer who hardly did anything to move their case forward. They eventually went out of status, and plications, extensions, etc., when even had iCe agents come knocking on their door. the couple then consulted with atty. Michael gurfinkel, who took over the case, and helped them acquire the initial filing was incomplete their green cards. Leading u.s. immigration attorney Michael gurfinkel (right) was also able to help their two daughters avail of the deferred action for Childor insufficient. The PM creates a hood arrivals (daCa) program, and getting approval on their green cards the same day President trump cancelled daCa. Watch this encore episode of “Citizen dangerous minefield for people, Pinoy” – on sunday at 6:15 p.m. (Pst) on tfC. (advertising supplement) because even if they make an innocent mistake or accidentally forget to include certain documents, the case could now be immediately denied and they and several hundreds of deaths and flavorless liquid, when they could be placed in removal/defrom overdose. were raped. portation proceedings.

Is GHB legal?

What is this drug legitiIn the past, if a person filed PhiliP S. chuA, Twenty states in the U.S., mately used for? a petition, application or other MD, fAcS, fPcS including Illinois and Michigan, GHB, manufactured by request, and an officer believed have banned GHB, allowing po- additional documentation or Orphan Medical, a drug firm in lice to arrest those who manufac- information was required, the Minnesota, was developed for IN news reports on April ture or sell this drug. Eight states person would typically be served the treatment of narcolepsy. In 26, 2018 and on June 8, 2018, have listed GHB as a controlled smaller doses, this drug induces comedian Bill Cosby, now 81, with a request for evidence substance with varying degrees euphoria (a sense of well-beadmitted he gave the drug (RFE), giving that person apof criminal penalties, making it ing). As a date-rape drug, GHB Quaaludes or even Benadryl to proximately 87 days to cure the available only as a prescription women without their knowledge causes the victim to fall into a deficiency, by providing the drug. deep sleep, oblivious of the to have sex with them. Cosby documents or further informaWhat other drugs have sexual assault until they wake up. was found guilty on all 3 counts tion. The new PM allows officers been used?

Some do not even remember of sexual assault and faces up to to skip or dispense with an RFE Ketamine and Rohypnol 30 years in prison. What a way to what had transpired. and deny the case outright. are both controlled substances What is narcolepsy? end a brilliant career and a great While the PM does state it that have been used as dateNarcolepsy is a rare sleep reputation. is not intended to penalize filers rape drugs. Other perpetrators disorder which causes the What are date-rape drugs? for innocent mistakes or mishave tried ordinary sleeping persons to nod off without Date-rape drugs, sometimes understandings of evidentiary pills, which do not act fast notice. They just suddenly and referred to as Party Drugs or requirements, it nevertheless enough and do not induce a rapidly fall asleep. There are simply Ecstasy, are medications “restores to the adjudicators deep enough level of unconabout 100,000 people in the that can be slipped into drinks (officers) full discretion to deny sciousness, thus foiling the rape United States with this ailment. and make a person unconscious applications, petitions, and attempt.

Orphan Medical states that GHB for 15 minutes or so. Quaalude requests without first issuing an Are some sold as dietary can help the patients who have (sedative, sleeping pill) and RFE or a NOID (notice of intent the form of narcolepsy that is ac- supplements?

Benadryl (anti-allergy pills) can to deny).” The policy intends Yes, the Food and Drug Ad- to discourage “frivolous or companied by temporary muscle also lead to drowsiness, sleepiministration of the United States substantially incomplete filings paralysis. ness, the severity dependent on warns the public against “more How safe is GHB? the dosage. There have been used as ‘placeholder’ filings.” In than half a dozen sleeps aids and other words, USCIS believes that Used as a prescription drug reports of dozens and dozens party drugs in the guise of difor narcolepsy and taken as of women in the United States many filings have no merit and etary supplements sold in health are being filed merely to buy directed by the physician, GHB who were under the influence food stores and on the internet”, time or obtain benefits to which is safe. Its abuse as a date-rape of a date-drug known as GHB Continued on Page SF6 the person is not entitled. (gamma hydroxybutyrate), a clear drug has led to countless comas

Health@Heart

Warning: Date-rape drugs

USCIS lists a number of situations where it can deny filings outright: Statutory denials: This is where the person has “no legal basis for the benefit/request sought, or submits a request for a benefit or relief under a program that has been terminated.”

This might include a waiver application where the person does not have a qualifying relative on which to base the waiver (such as a spouse or parent who is a US citizen or lawful permanent resident). Therefore, if a person committed fraud, and submitted a fraud waiver without having a qualifying relative, there is no statutory basis for the filing of a waiver application.

Denials based on lack of sufficient initial evidence: This is a scary and critical change in policy. If all the required initial evidence is not submitted at the time of filing, USCIS can deny the benefit outright without issuing an RFE. This could include a marital petition, but the couple accidentally forgot to include a marriage contract; a family petition and they forgot the birth certificate; or an adjustment of status application (Form I – 485), and they forgot to include the affidavit of support. An outright denial could also be issued when the officer believes there was insufficient supporting evidence.

This could include a hardship waiver, but the officer believed not enough evidence of extreme hardship was submitted. Rather than issuing an RFE asking for more evidence, they can deny outright. Similarly, if a person files a request for an extension of status for a visitor’s visa, and the officer believes they did not provide enough evidence to justify the extension, the extension request can be denied outright.

And the consequences could be severe! With a denial, a person could be considered out of status, and USCIS could issue a notice to appear (NTA), placing that person in deportation. Giv-

en the backlogs in the immigration courts, it could take months or years for the person to get a hearing date. Or, the person might have to file a motion to reopen or reconsider, costing additional time and expense for something as insignificant as not including a marriage contract or birth certificate on the initial filing.

While the USCIS was supposed to be the “benefits” branch of the Department of Homeland Security, tasked with the job of looking for ways to approve cases, it now appears just the opposite is true: USCIS is looking for ways to deny cases. That’s why it is all the more important that you consider having an attorney assist you with your immigration case, as the stakes are so high if any little mistake or oversight is made, it could result in your going out of status, or even being placed in deportation. *** 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 (Advertising Supplement)

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entertainment The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

The CTV Files Atty. Dennis ChuA, esq.

A stepparent may file an immigrant petition for a stepchild even without the stepparent having to legally adopt the stepchild. However, before a stepparent may be able to file an immigrant petition for a stepchild, the stepparent – stepchild relationship should have been created before a stepchild turns 18 years old.

This means that the stepparent and the biological parent of the stepchild must get married before the child turns 18 years old.

If the petitioner can no longer file an immigrant petition for the stepchild because the child has turned 18 years old, the child can still be petitioned by the biological parent after she obtains his or her permanent residency status. The significance of having a U.S. citizen stepparent file for a stepchild is so that they could avoid the visa backlogs for visa petitions filed by legal permanent residents for their minor children (2d

Petitioning children of your spouse from a previous marriage

preference category). But considering the current visa priority dates being processed under the 2d preference category, the stepchild may be able to immigrate sooner than later even if petitioned by a legal permanent resident biological parent.

If the biological parent is about to get married to the U.S. citizen petitioner and the biological parent has a child who is already over 18 years of age, it might be wise to consider postponing the marriage to give the child an opportunity to enter the United States faster.

Instead of marrying the biological parent, the U.S. citizen petitioner can just file a fiancé petition for the biological parent. Once the fiancé petition is approved, both the biological parent and child can be issued the corresponding K visas for them to enter the United States. Upon marriage of the U.S. citizen to the biological parent, both parent and child can file their respective applications for adjustment of status to

Warning: Date-rape...

From Page SF5 which are substances that are unregulated and can maim and kill.

Parents and children alike must be aware and vigilant about this, if date-rape, or even death from this drug, is to be prevented.

Under what other names are they sold?

The FDA cautions the consumers not to use products containing GHB, GBL (gamma butylrolactone) or BD (1,4 butanediol).

Some such drugs are sold under the name Revitalize Plus, Weight Belt Clenaer, GHRE, Serenity, Thunder Nectar, SomatoPro, Enliven, Tetramethylene glycol or 23H)-Furanone di-hydro, and NRG3. These drugs can cause severe nausea, vomiting, danger-

EMPLOYMENT

ously slow breathing or cessation of breathing, unconsciousness, seizures, and death.

Are there date-rape drinks?

Yes, three of them are Cherry fX Bombs, Orange fX Rush, and Thunder Nectar. The claim that these drinks are from Kava plant and are safe is not true. These and other date-rape beverages have BD (1,4 butanediol, an industrial solvent) in them.

How is the date-rape drug used?

The usual modus operandi of the perpetrator is to invite the woman to go out on a date with him. Most of these men are friends or acquaintances of the women. Some target victims are casual pick-ups in lounges

have their status changed from K to permanent resident status.

The decision whether to file a fiancé petition or an immigrant petition is crucial especially if the child is aging out or turning 21 years of age.

The decision to just get married instead of filing a fiancé petition could mean a long wait of at least eight years before the child can be able to immigrate to the United States and join the biological parent. *** Atty. Dennis E. Chua is a partner in The Law Firm of Chua Tinsay and Vega (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Manila. 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 (415) 4958088; (619) 955-6277; (916)449-3923 Dchua@ctvattys.com

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and bars. The drug is discreetly poured into the drink, and moments later the victim is taken from the bar to a vehicle or to a secluded area or motel room, or raped right in her own home or wherever the party was.

Do victims remember the assault?

Some date-rape drug victims do not remember what had happened to them until they physically felt that they were assaulted. The drug blurs the memory somewhat for the most recent event. Some people are so sensitive to the drug that they overdose on it easily even on moderate amount.

Is there an antidote a woman can take?

No, the only “antidotes” a woman can use to avoid daterape drugs or date-rape are

EMPLOYMENT

PSYCHIC

Donny Pangilinan, Kisses Delavin on DonKiss

by Jan

Milo Severo

Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA love team DonKiss, composed of Donny Pangilinan and Kisses Delavin, are happy to finally work with each other in the noontime teleserye “Playhouse.”

In an interview with the media after the launch of their new show, Donny said they are now focused on what they are doing and he is hoping for more projects with Kisses.

“Right now, of course, we’re together so I would say we are love team in the show, so that’s we’re working right now, focus on what we’re doing. Of course we’re hoping for many projects that we can get but as of now hindi pa namin alam ang next na mangyayari sa aming dalawa,” the MYX VJ said.

“Right now I’m very blessed to be with Kisses and I’m hoping that she’s always gonna be happy and whatever’s gonna happen I’m gonna be the best friend that I can be,” he added.

For her part, Kisses said she is so thankful for the opportunity to be working in a teleserye with her onscreen partner.

Kisses Delavin and Donny Pangilinan Inquirer.net photo

“I’m so thankful to be working with Donny, mabait siyang tao, mabait din ‘yung family niya, so thankful talaga po ako kasi ‘di ba, swerte ‘yung babae kapag mabait ‘yung family niya at ‘yung guy,” the former “Pinoy Big Brother” housemate said.

To further strengthen their chemistry as a love team, DonKiss undergoes workshops.

“Ang dami pong workshops na ginawa namin. Like for example, magtititigan lang kayo sa isa’t isa hanggang mawala ‘yung mga nahihiya kayo

or something,” Kisses said.

“Nagshoot po kami ng sasabihin niyo lahat tungkol sa sarili niyo at ang dami kong natutunan kay Kisses, ‘yung pinanggalingan niya, family niya, and it really help me get to know her both as a person and as an actress,” Donny said.

Also starring Angelica Panganiban and Zanjoe Marudo, “Playhouse” revolves around the theme that love is a choice — it is a person’s will to choose someone repeatedly, but it may also change in an instant.

discipline, common sense, will power, and vigilance. There is no medication one can take to ward off the bad effect of date-rape drugs. Some drugs could even be used in cigarettes or “cookies and candies.”

How can women avoid these drugs?

The question may sound trite and the answer obvious, but nonetheless it is a most fundamental one, especially for the young and uninitiated ladies.

The following set of advice may sound an over simplification but could be life-saving: (1) Never go out with a “stranger.” Having a liaison with a man you just met is risky, unhealthy, and dangerous; (2) Also remember that many of the apprehended perpetrators were friends of the victims; (3) When on a date, at a restaurant

or at home (his or even yours) watch your drink and your food with vigilance and care; (4) If you suspect “something,” stop drinking your cocktail and stop eating your food, and excuse yourself and leave, or call a trusted friend to join you ASAP; (5) If you do not feel well at this point, get the assistance of the bar tender, the waitress or any woman; (6) Do not go with your date to the car; (7) If your suspicion is really strong, or if you actually witnessed your date slipping a drug into your drink or food, ask the waitress to “bag” the food for you to take home and have it tested for drugs at the toxicology lab of a hospital; (8) If this tested positive, hand over the evidence to the Police as you file a criminal complaint.

Having said all this, we recom-

mend caution and restraint: one should not be too paranoid, either, and be over suspicious of your date, because this, too, could spell a disaster. Be careful, be smart, and enjoy a safe date. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indianwa and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua. com; comments questions: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

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Angelica Panganiban moves on from alleged ex-boyfriend John Lloyd Cruz

by Jan

Milo Severo

Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actress Angelica Panganiban said she already moved on from her last relationship, which according to reports was with actor John Lloyd Cruz, and is now ready to be in a relationship with the right man.

In an interview with the media after the press conference of her new show with Zanjoe Marudo “Playhouse,” Angelica said: “Feeling ko naman maaliwalas na maaliwalas na ko.

Masayang masaya na. Feeling ko talaga na cleanse na ko.”

Now that her workload has been lessening with her movie’s shooting coming to an end, Angelica said she is ready to commit in a relationship.

“Ngayon kasi patapos na ‘yung pelikula, so gumagaan na ‘yung load ng trabaho ko kaya naiisip ko nang mag-jowa.

Noon kasi workaholic ako e, ngayon kasi na parang konti na lang, ‘pag napapahinga na ko, naiisip kong ‘okay sige ready na ‘ko,’” Angelica said.

The versatile actress is now

ng problema kapag babae ang unang nag-approach sa lalaki, kapag siya ‘yung unang nagaya, ganyan. Parang feeling ko kasi ‘di ba dapat kung wala ka namang masamang intensyon, ang gusto mo lang makilala at lumabas kasama ‘yung taong ‘to, bakit hindi mo gawin, ‘di ba?” she said.

“Playhouse” will revolve around the theme that love is a choice — it is a person’s will to choose someone repeatedly, but it may also change in an instant.

In the series, Angelica and Angelica Panganiban Zanjoe are two college lovers Photo from Instagram/@iamangelicap who will eventually get married. linked to actors Zanjoe, Carlo Nonetheless, their dream of Aquino, JC Santos, and JM de having a long-lasting love will Guzman, but she said no one is be tested by struggles that will courting her right now. eventually lead to their split.

“Hindi naman sila nagsasaApart from the two, teen bing gusto nila ko, so mahirap stars Kisses Delavin and ‘yung ako yung magsasabing Donny Pangilinan will also bring ako yung nagsasabi kung sino “kilig,” to viewers, while other pinakamalapuit sa puso ko. Na- stars include Kean Cipriano, kakahiya,” she said.

AC Bonifacio, Ariella Arida, When asked if it is okay for Dexter Doria, Nadia Monteneher to make the first move for a gro, Ingrid Dela Paz, Jomari man, Angelica said she sees no Angeles, Malou De Guzman, problem with it at all.

Smokey Manaloto, and Maxene “Ako hindi ko nakikitaan Magalona.

community SF Fil-Am contributions take front and center during Filipino American History Month in October The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

DALY CITY, Calif., — October is celebrated as Filipino American History Month across the U.S. because the earliest documented Filipino presence in the U.S. was on October 18, 1587 in Morro Bay, California.

It was the late Dr. Fred Cordova and his wife, Dr. Dorothy Laigo Cordova, founder of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FAHNS), a community-based organization whose mission is “to promote understanding, education, enlightenment, appreciation, and enrichment through the identification, gathering, preservation, and dissemination of the history and culture of Filipino Americans in the United States,” who first introduced October as Filipino American History Month back in 1992.

In 2009, the United States Congress had passed subse-

lo

Philstar.com

“MY 15 years in the business have been colorful,” said Erik.

“There were ups and downs but I can say I am fulfilled as a singer and as a person as well. All those years were full of hope, love and gratitude.”

Admittedly, along the way, Erik has made mistakes that taught him lessons of a lifetime.

“I am a very sociable person and my big mouth at times gets me into trouble,” he confessed.

“There was one instance where I unintentionally offended an important person in my life. I did everything to iron out things with him.” (Conversations knows who the “offended” VIP is but

would rather keep it confidential.)

Asked what he liked most and didn’t like most about showbiz, Erik replied, “I like everything about the industry because it helped me reach my dreams of becoming a singer.

I love the fun, the friendship I was able to build, the glitz and glamour and everything that comes with it. I also love the fact that I am able to do what I love to do the most which is singing. I also get to travel the world and meet different people because of this job. Few things I don’t like in the industry are complex behaviors of some individuals and unprofessionalism.”

As in his previous shows,

Erik has a hand in drawing up the repertoire.

“I am very hands-on with this concert. For the repertoire, I scrutinize everything. We carefully chose the songs based on my branding, genre of music and what my audience likes. We made sure that the people who will watch the concert will enjoy and hopefully be inspired. We want them to feel that the time, money, and effort they spent were all worth it.”

And the three songs that mean so much to him?

1. This Is The Moment. “This song jumpstarted everything for me. I owe everything I have in my career to this song.”

2. I Believe I Can Fly. “This song has been my best weapon.

History Month festivities. The day starts at 8 a.m. by the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument outside the Carson Community Center on 801 E. Carson St. in Carson, California. This will be followed by a wreath-laying ceremony, and a program that highlights their leadership awards in three categories: Community Leadership, Youth Achievement, and Heroism.

Headliners for the program Continued on Page SF8

Darren Criss is...

Erik Santos celebrates 15 years in the entertainment industry by ricky

quent resolutions recognizing October as Filipino American History Month, urging people across the U.S. to celebrate the significant contributions of Filipino Americans to the enrichment of the country.

TFC takes part in four celebratory events during the meaningful month of October.

On October 6, Saturday, the City of Carson will have the kick-off ceremonies for their 9th Annual Filipino American

Erik Santos is celebrating his 15 years in showbiz chronicling his ups and downs, and marking the mistakes that taught him lessons of a lifetime.

Philstar.com photo

It was my audition piece when I joined Star In A Million, and this was also the song I sang during the Wildcard competition.”

3. Pagbigyang Muli. “I can say is my biggest original hit that is why this song is so special to me.”

From Page SF2 award.

“The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story” also won the Emmy for Best Limited Series.

Born to a Cebuana mother and a father of English, Irish, and German descent, Criss was raised in California. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts from the University of Michigan.

The 31-year-old is best known for portraying Blaine Anderson in the hit musical comedy series “Glee.” His cover of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” became “Glee’s” fastest-selling single that reached number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and was certified “gold” in America.

Likewise, he was nominated for an Emmy in 2015 for com-

posing the song “This Time” for “Glee’s” finale.

Apart from being a TV actor and singer, Criss co-owns the musical theater company StarKid Productions, for which he famously portrayed Harry Potter in the musical “A Very Potter Musical.” In 2012, he made a Broadway debut when he replaced Daniel Radcliffe in the play “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.”

In 2015, Darren’s duet with Filipino Tony Award-winning singer-actress Lea Salonga of the Disney classic “A Whole New World,” which Salonga recorded for the animated movie “Aladdin,” went viral on social media.

Darren is engaged to his girlfriend of more than seven years, Mia Swier.

entertainment Fil-Am contributions take front...

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

From Page SF7 are singers Fe de los Reyes and Miguel Vera. Other performers are the CSU Long Beach Filipino American Coalition, Shane Selloria, Jason Farol, Kindreds of Carson, and former “Fil-Ams Got Talent” champions Charishma Marquez, Shekinah Austria, and Therese Masangcay. Keynote speaker is Asian Pacific Studies Professor Dr. Mary Talusan-Lacanlale. Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz and Councilmember Elito Santarina will also grace the kick-off.

Daly City celebrates FilipinoAmerican History Month via Kasayahan sa Daly City at the Marchbank Park from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. There will be food trucks, a family fun zone, arts and crafts, a jump house, a beer garden, several vendor booths, a bubble machine, and entertainment from homegrown talent.

Parking is free at the DC Station Garage on 2001 Junipero Serra Boulevard, and Marchbank Park is accessible on the second floor.

This is a free event, and everyone is invited.

Entertainment throughout the day will be provided by Melvinsings! Maddie B, Kariktan Dance Company, American Center of Philippine Arts, Rudy Kalma, Mike Dayao, Guji, and more.

Headliners to perform at the TFC Hour are “Queen of Freestyle” Jocelyn Enriquez and rapper and spoken word artist Ruby Ibarra.

For more information about this event, call (650) 991-8001 or go to their Facebook events page here.

“12 Million” – a glimpse into the Filipino diaspora through story and song, will be shown in Los Angeles and in the Bay Area on October 20 and 27, respectively. Through artistic expressions of music and drama, the show will offer a glimpse into the real-life experiences of Filipinos from across the globe.

“12 Million” will be shown in at the Aratani Theater at Little

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS S E P T E M B E R 4 -27

SIPA hosts 8-session Entrepreneur Training Program (ETP) in Los Angeles

Tokyo on 244 San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA on October 20, and at the Terra Nova Theater on 1450 Terra Nova Blvd., Pacifica, CA on October 27, 2018. For tickets and other inquiries, visit www.anglahiexploits.com.

On October 27, the 9th Annual Larry Itliong Day Celebration will be held at the Veterans Park, 22400 Moneta Avenue, also in Carson, California. The event is from 8 a.m. until 12 p.m. with the 2018 Larry Itliong Labor Awards as highlight of the day.

Speakers for the day are: Johnny Itliong, director of the Larry Itliong Foundation through Education, and son of labor leader Larry Itliong; Fernando Chavez, founder of the Chavez Law Group and son of union leader and labor organizer Cesar Chavez; and Historian Roger Gadiano, who is also a member of the Filipino American National Historical Society (FANHS)

– Delano chapter.

Silakbo sa Mik Tinig, a local group who performs socially relevant raps about immigration, women, and demilitarization will be performing on that day.

An expression of culture and the recognition of Filipino American contributions take centerstage in these various celebrations of Filipino American History Month this October.

Visit https://www.eventbrite. com/e/kasayahan-sa-dalycity-tickets-49059261572 for more information on the Daly City Filipino American History Month celebration. To learn more about the City of Carson’s Kick-Off and Larry Itliong Day Celebration, call (310) 952-1743 or http://ci.carson.ca.us/content/files/Recreation/upcoming/ phiamerihistory.pdf. And visit http://www.anglahiexploits.com for more information about “12 Million.”

(Advertising Supplement)

The Entrepreneur Training Program (ETP) is an 8-session skills building training program designed for startup entrepreneurs covering the A to Z of starting and running a successful business. This is open to all! If you want to start your own business and don’t know where to start or how to start, this program was made FOR YOU! Don’t miss this amazing opportunity to learn from the experts and from business owners themselves on how to build the business of your dreams! Program details: One time fee of $100 covers food and beverage and training materials for all 8 sessions; 5 FREE slots are available for College/University students and low income families; FREE Parking on site. Parking lot is accessed on Robinson St.; Includes FREE one-on-one business counseling with SIPA’s counselor, Fidji Victoriano; and you will receive a Completion Certificate at the end of the program. The eight sessions will be held on Tuesdays and Thursdays for the whole month of September 2018: September 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25 and 27 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Program will be held at the SIPA Multipurpose room at 3200 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026 (through Robinson St. entrance). For any questions or to register in person, please contact Fidji Victoriano at (424) 235-5011 or e-mail at fvictoriano@esipa.org. This program is brought by Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) in collaboration with the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Hollywood (FACCHO) and the support of Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program (APISBP) and the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA).

S E P T E M B E R 22

Sto. Tomas Batangas Association of Southern California to celebrate 36th anniversary The Sto. Tomas Batangas Association of Southern California will celebrate its 36th anniversary & coronation Night on Saturday, September 22 at the Los Serranos Country Club (15656 Yorba Ave. Chino Hills, CA 91709). Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For attendance, please call Willie Manacsa at (818) 400-7391, Offie Villanueva at (626) 960-8407), Mylee Moncada at (818) 322-9429, Rosalie Nasu at (909)631-9356 or Rosie Sancianco at (951) 898-7628.

Celebration of the Feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila in Lake Balboa, CA Come celebrate with us! The Archdiocese of Los Angeles Filipino Ministry San Fernando Region invites all to the 10th regional celebration of the feast of San Lorenzo Ruiz de Manila on Saturday, Sept. 22 at St. Bridget of Sweden Church (7100 Whitaker Ave and Gault, Lake Balboa, CA 91406). It starts with a procession at 4:00 p.m. and mass at 5:00 p.m. The Principal Celebrant is Rev. Fr. Albert Avenido, Moderator & Chaplain, Filipino Pastoral Ministry-Archdiocese for Los Angeles. A reception and program follows right after mass at the School Parish. For a schedule of the nine-day novena masses prior to the event, please contact Patty Santiago at (818) 472-4288 or Alex Quadra at 818-624-4684 or a.e.quadra@att.net.

S E P T E M B E R 23 -26

Tau Alpha Grand Reunion in Las Vegas

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Tau Alphans everywhere, join D’Argos Adventure in Las Vegas on September 23-26, 2018.

Experience O’le Las Vegas, the Birthplace of the Mob. Most of the four-day event will be held at the Golden Nugget Hotel & Casino on Fremont St. The “Meet & Greet” á la Western style, will be on Sunday, September 23; followed by a Family Picnic on Monday, September 24 at the Madeira Canyon Park in Henderson; a subsequent Nightcap in the Golden Nugget on the evening of September 24; D’Fabulous 50s Nostalgia Dinner-Dance will be in the Golden Nugget and the Gala Dinner/Fraternity Ball will be on Wednesday, September 26 at the Golden Nugget, Bel Air Rooms. There will be a privately hosted Bon Voyage Brunch on September 27. Tau Alpha is the 3rd oldest fraternity in the University of the Philippines. Chartered in 1932 as the College of Engineering Fraternity. Contact Art F. Jorge, chairman of the 2018 Tau Alpha Grand Reunion, at artnmyr@yahoo.com.

S E P T E M B E R 26

United Architects of the Philippines - Southern California chapter hosts UAP president in Monterey Park, CA The United Architects of the Philippines - Southern California Chapter, Inc. (UAPSOCAL) a chartered member by the UAP, the only accredited architectural professional organization recognized by Professional Regulation Commission (PRC) of the Philippines, will host the national president of UAP who will be in Los Angeles in connection with the induction of the incoming chapter officers and new members on Wednesday, September 26 from 7 to 11 p.m. at Monterey Hill Steak Restaurant (3700 W. Ramona Blvd., Monterey Park, CA 9175). Interested UAP corporate members, Filipino-American architects, designers, and allied professionals are welcome to attend the event and join the prestigious organization. For more information please contact Jun Joaquin at (323) 675-5042 / (323) 907-3050 or email at uapsocalchapter@ gmail.com.

S E P T E M B E R 29

PBRC 30th Anniversary in South San Francisco, CA 8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j%

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The Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center (PBRC) will celebrate its 30th Anniversary on September 29, 2018 at the Holiday Inn along South Airport Blvd. in South San Francisco, CA starting at 6 p.m. According to PBRC President Ray Satorre, the event will recognize the organization’s outstanding volunteers, as well as honor Perla Gange Ibarrientos and Monica Abello for their continuous service to the PBRC. Both Ibarrientos and Abello were among the founders of the organization about 30 years ago. Money raised from the event will enable the nonprofit organization to continue their projects, including legal immigration clinics, Tai Chi classes for seniors, senior cultural dance, Eskabo (Filipino martial arts) classes for youngsters and adults, Tagalog classes, and the PBRC outreach project for the Daly City Public Library children and their parents (parol-making or bamboo lanterns). For more information about the 30th Anniversary celebration of the PBRC, call (650) 992-9110 or send email to pbrc333@ sbcglobal.net.

Laoguenian Association of Southern California to hold induction ball in City of Industry, CA The Laoaguenian Association of Southern California, Inc. (LASC) will hold its induction of new set of officers on Saturday, September 29, 2018 at the Pacific Palms Resort & Hotel (1 Industry Hills Parkway, City of Industry, CA 91744). The new inductees are headed by Mario Medina, president-elect. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa & The Midnight Motion Band. For other related questions, please call Sonny Siazon, past president & adviser, at (714) 720-3913.

PHII and JPRMM symposium on modern-day heroes in Rosemead, CA The Philippine Heritage Institute International and the Dr. Jose P. Rizal Monument Movement invite the youth, ages 15-35, to the 12th Annual PHII Youth Congress on Saturday, September 29, 2018, from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Garvey Community Center (9108 Garvey Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770-3337). Join to celebrate the stories and achievements of modernday heroes that inspire our youth to dream, to act, to find, to emulate, or to be just their own heroes. Keynote speaker is Dean Tanglao, Doctor of Physical Therapy; CEO/Founder of Kinda Fit Kinda Fat®. Joining him are featured speakers: Josef T.D. Madrigal, David Geffen School of Medicine, UCLA; Christelle Narvasa, nursing student, Mount San Antonio College; Cristina Narvasa, undergrad student at Cal State Univ., Fullerton majoring in Biological Science; Delilah Dijamco, Financial Advisor, The Prudential Insurance Co. of America; and soon-to-be teen Ryan dela Cruz, 3-time Taekwondo national champion. PHII’s vision is to improve the quality of life affecting Filipino American communities through research, education, and recognition, with the youth as its main focus. Breakfast and lunch will be served. To RSVP, please contact: Josie E. de Jesus (714) 272-0300; Dr. Anna A. Chickey (562) 900-0379; Email Amelia Carpio at ameliacarpio33@yahoo.com or freyabnish@gmail.com.

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

Marin Hinkle of â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,â&#x20AC;? Jonjon Briones of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Versaceâ&#x20AC;? step on Emmy stage in Oliver Tolentino AT last Mondayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (September 17) 70th Primetime Emmy Awards, not only did Darren Criss become the first Filipino American to win a lead acting primetime Emmy, but Fil-Am designer Oliver Tolentino dressed Marin Hinkle and Jon Jon Briones for their walk up on stage when their shows won Emmys.

As most already know, Criss won for an amazing performance as the killer in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Assassination of Gianni Versace.â&#x20AC;? The miniseries won Best Limited Series, with Ryan Murphy winning for Best Directing. Briones, who garnered lots of attention

people & events

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018

SF celebrates National Citizenship Day, expands services to help airport employees and their families apply for citizenship

Winner Darren Criss with Oliver Tolentino at 70th Emmy Awards.

for his performance as the killerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s intense father, joined fellow Fil-Am Criss on stage when â&#x20AC;&#x153;Versaceâ&#x20AC;? won. It was Brionesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; past role as the Engineer in â&#x20AC;&#x153;Miss Saigonâ&#x20AC;? in London (he received a Lawrence Olivier nomination) that led to his casting in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Versaceâ&#x20AC;? miniseries.

Actress Marin Hinkle joined her cast on stage when â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Marvelous Mrs. Maiselâ&#x20AC;? won Best Comedy Series.

Hinkle and Tony Shalhoub Marin Hinkle in Oliver Tolentino at the 70th Emmy play the parents of Midge, Awards 2018 Emmys. Photo by Sthanlee B Mirador the character for which Rachel Brosnahan won Best Comedy Actress. Alex Borstein won Best Supporting Comedy Actress for her role as the manager. Hinkle is probably best known for playing Judith Harper, ex-wife of Jon Cryerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s character, on â&#x20AC;&#x153;Two and a Half Men.â&#x20AC;?

Hinkle stunned in a beautiful deep purple hand-draped silk chiffon gown accented with a deep neck and flowing panels attached at the shoulder to create two trains. The look recalled the elegance of old Hollywood.

Briones dressed to impress in an Oliver Tolentino midJon Jon Briones on Emmys stage in Oliver Tolentino night blue tuxedo, featuring at the 70th Emmy Awards. dark blue satin peak lapels.

Photo by Sthanlee B Mirador

Photo courtesy of Oliver Tolentino

OMA and throughout San Francisco,â&#x20AC;? said Raquel Redondiez, Director of SOMA Pilipinas. â&#x20AC;&#x153;(These) projects strengthen communities by providing opportunities for the arts to be integrated into the fabric of community life. We are pleased to support SOMA Pilipinas, in their partnership with the San Francisco Arts Commission, on public art planning and capacity for artists and cultural organizations, â&#x20AC;&#x153; said Jen Hughes, Director of Design and Creative Placemaking at the National Endowment for the Arts.

With this new grant, SOMA Pilipinas will launch its new brand with hundreds of pole banners throughout the City. They will also be working with the San Francisco Municipal and Transit Authority (SFMTA) and Department of Public Works (DPW) to develop special design crosswalks along 6th Street and Folsom and Howard. New plaques and murals are also underway, like the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kapwaâ&#x20AC;? mural sponsored by the Filipino Mental Health Initiative and SOMA Pilipinas, which is visible from 101 north toward the Bay Bridge.

SAN FRANCISCO â&#x20AC;&#x201C; As cities across the nation celebrate National Citizenship Day, San Francisco announced increased efforts to make applying for U.S. citizenship more accessible to eligible green card holders.

San Francisco is recognized nationally as a leader in inclusive policies and programs. The Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs in partnership with the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative community partners and San Francisco International Airport (SFO) announced an expanded program that will allow San Francisco International Airport employees and their families to apply for citizenship at the airport.

SFO and businesses located at the airport employ thousands of immigrants, and over 2,500 may be potentially eligible for naturalization. The new partnership is part of an ongoing initiative established in 2013 by Mayor Ed Lee to promote citizenship among the Cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s eligible Lawful Permanent Residents (green card holders). In the past five years, the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative has helped more than 8,000 people complete naturalization applications, provided legal screenings to over 12,500 immigrants and trained over 2,000 volunteers.

The Initiative has also saved applicants a total of $3 million in application fees and legal

consultations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are excited to partner with SFO to bring this service to their employees,â&#x20AC;? said Anni Chung, president and CEO of Self-Help for the Elderly, the lead organization for the San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Now more than ever, it is essential that Lawful Permanent Residents eligible for citizenship become citizens and exercise their right to vote.â&#x20AC;?

The first naturalization workshop at SFO will be held on Saturday, September 22, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm.

Fee assistance will include a 50 percent match for applicants that live or work in San Francisco.

The San Francisco Pathways to Citizenship Initiative is also continuing its Lawyers in the Library partnership with the San Francisco Public Library. The next free computer-based naturalization workshop takes place on September 30, 2018, from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm at San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Main Library.

Funded by the City and local foundation partners, the Pathways to Citizenship Initiative has completed 35 citizenship workshops across the City in the past five years.

The next large-scale, free workshop will be held on Saturday, October 27, 2018 at UC Hastings College of the Law, 200 McAllister Street, San Francisco, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. No appoint-

ment is needed.

The free citizenship workshops at SFO, the San Francisco Public Library, and UC Hastings are part of San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebration of National Citizenship Day this month, in partnership with the Naturalize NOW! campaign sponsored by Cities for Citizenship.

San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s immigrant integration efforts have been recognized nationally. The City ranks number one out of 100 cities in policy and number five overall in immigrant integration, according to a new report by New American Economy. San Francisco also earned the highest scores in Government Leadership, Economic Empowerment, Inclusivity, and Legal Support. â&#x20AC;&#x153;In the current anti-immigrant environment, we must continue to celebrate and support the many contributions of immigrants and new citizens to this nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s successâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; this is truly Americaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s strength and greatness,â&#x20AC;? said Adrienne Pon, executive director of the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are fortunate to have role model leadership from Mayor Breed, the Board of Supervisors, our city leaders and community advocates and partners.â&#x20AC;?

In celebration of National Citizenship Day 2018, the lights at San Francisco City Hall, Coit Tower and SFOâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s International Terminal will be lit green.

Pilgrimage to Some of ITALYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Highlights and Miracles of the Eucharist 6SLULWXDO 'LUHFWRU 5(9 -2(/ %8*$6 ĹĄ 1RYHPEHU WR 1RYHPEHU 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 0RQ Ĺ&#x; 86$ 520( 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7XHV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH Upon our arrival in Rome, our Tour Escort will welcome us to Italy. Rome is the heart, home and the spiritual capital of over one billion Catholics all over the world. After a short panoramic orientation of this Eternal City to us Roman Catholics, we will have our dinner and overnight rest at this great ancient City.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY :HG Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 3DSDO $XGLHQFH 5RPH This morning before we continue with our tour, we will have a Papal Audience.

Then after, we will visit the famous Coliseum and see the Forum, the Trevi Fountain and the Pantheon, one of the best preserved ancient monuments in the world. Celebrate the Holy Eucharist at St Peter Basilica St Joseph Chapel .Short stop in Trevi Fountain, before heading to our Hotel. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D)

'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7KXUV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH %DVLOLFDV We will visit the Vatican Museum this morning and the Sistine Chapel to admire the awesome masterpieces of Michaelangelo, and even ancient Greek and Roman artists. the largest church in Roman Catholicism, St. Peterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Basilica. Holy Eucharist at ST Mary Major, Followed by visit of the Basilica. We continue to visit the rest of the major Basilicas within the walls of Rome, and St. John Lateran, St Paul Outside the Wall. We will also pray at the Scala Santa or the Holy Stairs. St. Helena transported the steps from Jerusalem; the same steps that Christ ascended to receive Pilateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s unjust condemnation.

DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN ROME (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY )UL

Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 6DQ *LRYDQQL 5RWRQGR 2018 is the 100th Anniversary of the stigmatization of St Pio. Church Will have Monthly Pastoral Program of Activities for the whole year. San Giovanni Rotondo, the home of St Padre Pio of Pietrelcina from 28 July, 1916 until his death on 23 September, 1968. Enjoy the drive going to San Giovanni, after we check in our Hotel. vWe visit the Shrines of St Padre Pio of Pietralcina as well as the places associated with him, such as the Shrine of Our Lady of Grace that contains his tomb. Here, we spend some time meditating, see his room, his confessional box and the cruciďŹ x that gave him his supernatural Crucifying stigmata, Celebrate Holy Eucharist (Hotel Gran Paradiso) DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN San Giovanni Rotondo (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 6DW Ĺ&#x; 6$1 *,29$11, 52721'2 This Morning we visit the new and Modern Basilica of St Padre Pio, See his uncorrupt body. Celebrate Holy Eucharist Spend some time meditating in this awesome Basilica. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN SAN GIOVANNI ROTONDO (Hotel Gran Paradiso)

'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 6XQ Ĺ&#x; 6DQ *LRYDQQL 5RWRQGR /DQFLDQR /RUHWR MASS AND BREAKFAST. We arrive at Lanciano, famous for the Miracle of the Eucharist. Near the Piazza Plebiscito, the Miracle is inside the Sanctuary of the Eucharistic Miracle. The miracle took place during the 8th century when a Basiline monk doubted the Real Presence of our Lord in the Eucharist. He found himself holding the host that had changed into Real Flesh and the Wine on the altar had changed into Real Blood. We continue our pilgrimage to the great Marian shrine of Loreto to see the famous sacred home of the most Holy Family, Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Since 1294 the holy home has been located inside the Basilica of Loreto. Celebrate Holy Eucharist in Lanciano. DINNER AND OVERNIGHT IN Assisi.

'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 0RQ Ĺ&#x; /RUHWR $VVLVL Today we explore the hilltop birthplace of St Francis of Assisi. In the Crypt of St Francis Basilica lies the tomb of one of the most humble and beloved Saints of all times, St. Francis of Assisi, Holy Eucharist at the Crypt of St. Francis See the Basilica of St Clare, with her incorrupt body, and the little Church of St. Damiano and its CruciďŹ x from which Jesus spoke to Francis about his mission in 1206: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Go, Francis, and rebuild my house, which as you see is falling into ruin.â&#x20AC;? We visit the Basilica of St. Mary of the Angels, located in the lower plains of Assisi, and the place where the miracle of the Eucharist of Assisi took place in 1240. The small Church of the Porziuncola is inside the Basilica itself. Pope Honorius III granted a plenary indulgence for those entering this humble Church on August 1st and 2nd every year, with Confession, reception of the Eucharist and no attachment to venial sins. (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7XHV Ĺ&#x; $VVLVL 6LHQD )ORUHQFH We will spend half day in Siena. Begin in the old town center with a visit to the Basilica of San Domenico. Built in the 13th century, it is a treasure chest of the Renaissance art and dedicated to St Catherine of Siena. You will learn about the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s history while admiring itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cathedrals, Museum, and libraries .Also you will admire the famous piazza del Campo, one of Europeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great medieval squares. Continue to Florence. (BB,D) We start with a guided walking tour of Florence, this fascinating city with its Piazza, the Cathedral of Santa Maria del Fiore, Giottoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Bell Tower, the Baptistery of St. John the Baptist.

Rest of the day free (BB,D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY :HG Ĺ&#x; )ORUHQFH 5RPH Leave Florence around 2PM Arrived Rome almost dinner time (BB.D) 'D\ Ĺ&#x; 1RY 7KXUV Ĺ&#x; 5RPH 86$ End of our wonderful Pilgrimage

Please call QTS Tour and Travel NOW at 1 (714) 288-0800 or (714) 761-6280 1095 N Main St. Suite O, Orange, CA 92867

SF10

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - September 21, 2018