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OC TO BER 11 -17, 2019 Volume 12 - No. 50 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

Marcos poll protest can’t be manipulated, Supreme Court assures public

by KRISTINE JOY

Philstar.com

PATAG

MANILA — Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin on Thursday, October 10, assured the public that there is no manipulation at the Supreme Court, which

sits as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal, as it continues to deliberate on a protest questioning Vice President Leni Robredo’s electoral win.

“Don’t worry, ‘di ko niluluto ‘yan. Di pwede lutuin yan (I’m

USA

DATELINE Immigrants who can’t afford health care may be denied visas FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

New Trump rule set to take effect Nov. 3

IN a new controversy that combines two of the hottest-button issues — immigration and healthcare — President Donald Trump on Friday, October 4 announced that incoming immigrants will be turned away if they can’t prove they’re covered by health insurance or have the means to afford insurance.

The latest in a consistent to-do list of immigration restrictions says immigrants are required to show that they have or can afford health insurance within 30 days of entering the country.

Trump provided the current political battle over healthcare as a reason for the proclamation. In other words, the government shouldn’t exacerbate a problem by risking increasing the pool of uninsured, the president said.

“While our healthcare system grapples with the challenges caused by uncompensated care, the United States government is making the problem worse by admitting thousands of [immigrants] who have not demonstrated any

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not manipulating that. You cannot manipulate that),” Bersamin said, referring to former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.’s poll protest.

Bersamin was asked about

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World Bank cuts PH growth forecast

by CATHERINE

VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

THE World Bank downgraded anew its 2019 Philippine growth forecast because of a slowdown in public investments, weakening global economic growth, and effects of the trade tension between the United States and China.

In its Philippines Economic Update released on Thursday, October 10, World Bank cut the country’s economic growth projection to 5.8 percent this year from the previous 6.4 percent.

“The downward revision considered the

VIGILANT. Supporters of Vice President Leni Robredo gather at the Supreme Court compound in Manila on Tuesday, October 8, to await the electoral tribunal’s ruling on the poll protest case. Sources in the high tribunal said the decision would be finalized during an en banc session on Oct. 15, three days before the retirement of Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin and 11 days before the retirement of Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio.

Inquirer.net photo

PH to be ‘international lawbreaker’ if death penalty revived — expert

by RATZIEL

SAN JUAN Philstar.com

MANILA — An expert on international law on Thurs-

u PAGE 2 day, October 10, said that if

Report: HIV cases rise in the Philippines as more people turn to dating apps

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

HIV in the Philippines is spreading faster than any other country in the world, and health advocates are saying that dating apps — along with the lack of education — may be part of the problem.

Citing numbers by the United Nations’ AIDS agency, the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that the estimated number of new HIV infections in the Philippines has more than doubled from 2013 to 2018, especially among young

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the Philippines would be in violation of an international treaty if it brings back capital punishment.

Professor William Schabas pointed out in a livestreamed speech at the National Congress Against the Death Penalty that the Philippines ratified the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights in 1986 and the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR in 2007.

Schabas has taught international law and human rights in universities across more than five countries. His writings on capital punishment have been cited in judgments by national and international tribunals,

Professor William Schabas on Oct. 10, 2019 said that if the Philippines reimposed capital punishment, the country would be in violation of an international treaty.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

including the supreme Courts of the Philippines, the United States, and Canada.

By signing the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR, the Philippines voluntarily bound itself not to revive the death penalty. The protocol

took effect on Feb. 20, 2008.

Reviving the death penalty would mean the Philippines would be unable to enter future international treaties because it would earn a reputation globally as a country

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From the Front Page

Marcos poll protest can’t...

PAGE 1 the protest on the sidelines of the SC’s launch of the Judiciary Memorabilia Hall.

Reporters asked the chief justice if the court en banc had taken action on Associate Justice Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa’s report on the initial recount of the protest.

He explained: “Taking no action is also taking action... I know everybody is so keen expecting some announcements but... you know the en banc is very deliberate about serious matters. This is a matter of national impact so that is all I can share with you.”

Last Tuesday, October 8, the SC again deferred voting on Marcos’ protest, more than a month since Caguioa submitted his report on the revision, or recount, of ballots from Marcos’ three pilot provinces.

Following Rule 65 of PET rules, the recount result will determine whether Marcos’ protest will be dismissed or not. If there is a big discrepancy between the official tally and figures from the revision, the PET would expand the coverage of the recount to 24 other

Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin

provinces and cities, covering 30,000 poll precincts.

Voting on October 15?

Bersamin also said that there “probably” will be voting on the high-profile case next en banc session, October 15.

He explained that the said vote will be on something that divides the court, and not about “housekeeping matters” such as “certain aspects of the case.”

The chief justice said that the public can expect “something definite” next week.

Bersamin had earlier said that Marcos’ poll protest has been on the en banc’s agenda every Tuesday.

Philstar.com photo

Pressure at the SC? He stressed however that the members of the PET do not feel the pressure even if there is a rally right outside the SC’s gates every time they meet in full court and deliberate on the case.

“We know there is pressure there, but we are very mature members of the SC, so if anyone of us feels pressured, we would just help the pressured member... All of us are pressured to some degree but the pressure we experience [is] bearable because if it is not, we would just resign,” Bersamin added. n

Members of the Power for the People Coalition hold a rally in front of the Sofitel Hotel where officials of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations gathered on Wednesday, October 9, to press Japan to stop supporting coal use.

ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina

World Bank cuts PH growth...

PAGE 1 impact of the recent global development in the Philippine economy, as well as the sharp slowdown in investments growth in the first half of 2019,” said World Bank Senior Economist Rong Qian.

“While the government is trying to accelerate public investment to compensate for

the underspending in the first half of the year, there’s still implementation challenges that might prevent a full catch up,” she added.

World Bank’s forecast fell below the 6.0 to 7.0 percent downwardly adjusted to the economic growth target of the government.

Qian said however that eco-

nomic growth was expected to recover to 6.1 percent in 2020 and 6.2 percent in 2021.

“Economic growth is expected to surpass 6 percent in the next two years as the impact of the budget delay dissipate assuming timely passage of the new budget,” said Qian. n

Report: HIV cases rise in the Philippines as...

PAGE 1 men. This, despite a decline in infections being seen worldwide.

Of the total 67,395 people diagnosed with HIV since the infection first surfaced in the country in 1984, more than three-quarters were diagnosed in the past five years, according to Philippine government data.

The vast majority of those who contracted the virus from a sexual encounter were gay and bisexual men between the ages of 15 to 34.

While the government doesn’t record how people meet their partners, interviews with patients, doctors, and epidemiologists reveal that most meet online.

One 27-year-old who was interviewed by the WSJ said he was diagnosed with HIV in 2017 and believes he contracted HIV after having unprotected sex for the first time with a man he met on Grindr, a dating app that caters to the gay, bi, trans, and queer community.

“Young people are on dating apps these days, and they will have sex,” Jigg told WSJ.

“We need to equip them with the knowledge and resources that come with it.”

Like in many countries in Asia, young people in the Philippines have turned to the internet due to the wide availability of smartphones, intuitive apps, and cheap data plans.

The internet, as the WSJ reported, has been an empowering platform for members of the LGBTQ community in the Philippines who have otherwise found it difficult to find the same support and access to meeting partners of the same gender offline.

But as the article highlighted, the uptick in online activity has clashed with the majority Catholic country’s lack of sex education and HIV screenings.

In response to the epidemic, Philippine lawmakers just this year passed a bill that lowered the HIV screen age from 18 to 15. It also encouraged sex education in schools.

The Philippines’ health ministry also recently joined HIV testing nonprofits who bring finger-prick HIV tests

outside to gay clubs and gay beauty pageants, and offered antiretrovirals to those who test positive. Antiretrovirals — though often challenging to get — prevent the virus from progressing.

But outside the government, many young men have been taking education and the promotion of screenings into their own hands and through the same platforms that brought them a sense of community.

Desi Andrew Ching was diagnosed HIV positive in 2007, a time he noticed infections rising among his gay peers.

He told the WSJ that while the internet allowed those in the gay community to venture out and meet others, HIV infections began to increase as cheap smartphones became accessible to more people.

“I couldn’t sit around and do nothing,” Ching told the WSJ. So he quit his job with JPMorgan Chase & Co., and founded the nonprofit HIV & AIDS Support House (HASH) to promote HIV screening.

Because talking about HIV was still taboo, Ching used

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Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Report: HIV cases rise in the Philippines as...

PAGE 2 apps like Grindr and Tinder, to not only encourage men to get screened, but to actually meet with men and get them screened.

Social media sites like Facebook and Twitter were also successful platforms in reaching out to other young men.

Many volunteers, with training funded by UNAIDS, began creating app profiles asking people to swipe right for free HIV tests.

Philippine Marine Corps officials lead the opening ceremony of the third edition of “Kamandag” or “Kaagapay ng mga Mandirigma ng One volunteer, Romar Dagat (Cooperation of Warriors of the Sea)” at the Subic Bay International Airport on Wednesday, October 9.

Valentine Torres, amassed Inquirer.net photo by Joanna Rose Aglibot 13,000 followers on Twitter and began using his following to dispel myths about HIV and promote sex safety and A 10-day joint military train- that will run until Oct. 18, ac- humanitarian projects. education. But his encounTroops from the Japan Self- ters on social media have not ing involving more than 1,500 cording to Capt. Felix Serapio, Filipino and American troops director of the Marine Corps Defense Forces are also joining the war games. officially began in Subic Bay Public Affairs Office.

The participating forces will Maj. Gen. Ramiro Manuel on Wednesday, October 9.

The military drill was dubbed Rey, chief of the Northern Lu- engage in assault amphibious “Kamandag” or “Kaagapay ng zon Command, led the open- vehicle and low-altitude air de- PAGE 1 mga Mandirigma ng Dagat ing ceremony of the exercise at fense training, Serapio said. unable to abide by its word, The training will be held si- Schabas said.

(Cooperation of Warriors of the Subic Bay International the Sea) is on its third edition. Airport here on Wednesday multaneously in different locaIn March 2018, the Philiptions, including Cavite, Tarlac, pines announced the withThe training is a Philippine- morning.

According to Serapio, the Nueva Ecija, Zambales, Pam- drawal of its ratification of led military training exercise between the Armed Forces of drill focuses on combined in- panga and Palawan. (Joanna the Rome Statute, which crethe Philippines and U.S. forces teroperability activities and Rose Aglibot/Inquirer.net) ated the International Criminal Court, after the tribunal’s chief prosecutor launched a preliminary examination into alleged crimes against humanPAGE 1 tion,” Larry Levitt of the Kaiser attack on the immigrant com- ity linked to the government’s ability to pay for their health- Family Foundation explained. munities and installation of “war on drugs.” care costs,” the proclamation Immigrants who are on fear that prevents lawful imSchabas said that in ratifynoted. “Immigrants who enter Medicaid would also not qual- migrants from seeking assis- ing the International Covenant this country should not further ify. tance. (According to the White on Civil and Political Rights, saddle our healthcare system, Throughout his presidency, House’s written proclamation, “the Philippines knew that this and subsequently American Trump has made cutting both “lawful immigrants are about was a permanent commitment taxpayers with higher costs.” legal and illegal immigration three times more likely than and that it was impossible to The White House bolstered programs and processes a U.S. citizens to lack health in- return.” the argument by saying that priority. The border crisis, his surance.”)

“That was known to the govthe proclamation protects plans to cut family reunificaThe National Immigration ernment,” he stressed. “health care benefits for Amer- tion programs and the contro- Law Center responded in a The House of Representaican citizens,” fitting squarely versy surrounding the 2017 tweet, saying, the proclama- tives on March 7, 2017 apin the president’s “America termination of the Deferred tion is nothing but a way to proved on third and final readFirst” promise.

Action for Childhood Arrivals “distract” from the president’s ing House Bill 4727, which, if Trump said that the ban (DACA) program have colored recent scandals involving for- passed into law, would revive only applies to people seeking the 45th president’s first three eign leaders that have led to a the death penalty for drug-reto enter the U.S. with an immi- years House impeachment inquiry. lated crimes. grant visa and does not apply “Trump is yet again pointThis new rule comes at the However, the proposed law to refugees, asylum seekers, heels of the Trump admin- ing the finger at immigrant — if enacted — can be amendunaccompanied minors, Iraqis istration’s controversial de- communities to distract us ed to include other crimes in or Afghans seeking a Special cision to change the public from his scandals. This lat- its scope.

Immigrant Visa or those on charge rule which says that est attack on immigrants is A total of 19 bills in Contemporary visitor visas. incoming immigrants may be not good for hospitals, it’s not gress seek to reinforce capital Employer-based or indi- turned away if there’s a strong good for patients [and] it’s not punishment in the Philippines. vidually-purchased insurance likelihood they’ll require food good for the health and well- Seven bills were filed in the would be permitted per the stamps, subsidized housing being of communities across Senate, while 12 were filed in new order, and it can be for and other government assis- the country,” the NILC said. the House of Representatives. long- or short-term coverage. tance programs. That rule is Democrats also denounced Consequences But it can’t be through the Af- set to take effect on Tuesday, the proclamation, including The problem is most treaties fordable Care Act, which both October 15.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cor- don’t have claws against states the GOP and the Trump Ad“People who come here tez of New York, who has en- that wish to withdraw from ministration have been fight- shouldn’t immediately be on dorsed universal health care, these, Schabas said. ing to tear down. public assistance. We should tweeted on Oct. 5, “The United “I don’t think that anyone “They will need health in- bring people here who con- States doesn’t ever even offer should be dismissive or cavalier surance to be in the country tribute and not drain resourc- guaranteed healthcare for *its about this harm [left by a] state legally [and] the only way they es,” a White House official told own citizens,* yet wants to de- that deliberately and clearly demay be able to afford coverage POLITICO. mand it from people of other fies its treaty obligations.” is with ACA subsidies. But if As with the public charge national origins. Hypocrisy, If the Philippines goes ahead they buy insurance with ACA rule, immigrant rights orga- xenophobia, and barbarism all with its death penalty measure, subsidies, it won’t count as nizations decried the procla- in one policy.” (Klarize Mede- it would be the first country insurance under the proclama- mation, calling it yet another nilla/AJPress) after North Korea to openly

US-PH military drill kicks off in Subic Bay

been without hate mail and threats.

“A lot of Filipinos are still very conservative and they don’t like to see people talking about sex,” Torres told WSJ. Danvic Rosadino, a program manager at a nonprofit LoveYourself, said that such conservatism has been reflected in the efforts to introduce preventative HIV medicine and antiretrovirals.

One drug, PrEP (Pre-exposure prophylaxis), has been used in other Western countries including the U.S., which approved its use in 2012.

Rosadino said that LoveYourself, which is authorized by the Philippine government to distribute antiretrovirals, attempted to bring the drug

to the Philippines for years and now is the only organization in the country distributing it. Pharmacies don’t carry it and it isn’t covered by government insurance.

“People were opposed because they believe it would encourage more promiscuous behavior,” told the WSJ. But for those who are among the growing number of young men seeing HIV as being a reality around them, HIV screenings are becoming part of a much needed conversation.

“Many people are afraid to get tested,” a 29-year-old call center worker named Marigona said in the report.

“I’d rather know than live in fear.” n

PH to be ‘international lawbreaker’ if...

Immigrants who can’t afford health care...

challenge a global treaty and would be known worldwide as an international outlaw, the professor said.

Global treaties cover not only capital punishment but a whole range of other topics. Regardless of nature, the Philippines would have trouble entering any future treaties if it earns a reputation as an “international outlaw,” Schabas said.

“Now it may come as a disappointment to some people in the Philippines to realize that the government in 2007 made a commitment that could not be changed,” Schabas said. “[But] it was well informed of what the consequences were when it ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.”

Death penalty in the Philippines The Philippines in 1987 became the first Asian country to abolish capital punishment.

Death penalty convictions were reduced to reclusion perpetua, or a sentence of from 20 to 40 years.

However, Republic Act 7659 in 1993 revived the death penalty as a punishment for 21 heinous crimes.

The Philippines set a new record in 2006 when it became the first country to abolish and revive capital punishment and then abolish it again through RA 9346.

Punishment for death penalty convictions then were reduced to reclusion perpetua.

The Philippines, during the presidency of Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR without reservations.

The protocol commits sig-

natory states to never execute any person within their government’s jurisdiction and to take the necessary steps to abolish all death penalty measures.

It states: “No reservation is admissible to the present Protocol, except for a reservation made at the time of ratification or accession that provides for the application of the death penalty in time of war pursuant to a conviction for a most serious crime of a military nature committed during wartime.”

Despite the Philippines being a party to the treaty, President Rodrigo Duterte placed the reinstatement of death penalty among his administration’s legal agenda, urging lawmakers to draft the law. “‘Yung hanging, once the spine is ripped off inside, wala na. Just like putting off a light (Kill them by hanging.

Once the spine is ripped off inside, they’re gone. Just like putting of a light),” Duterte said in May 2016 during his first press conference since election day.

The first bill filed in the 17th Congress after Duterte took office was HB 1 on Jun. 30, 2016. It sought to repeal RA 9346 and restore death penalty for certain heinous crimes.

Among its authors is former House Speaker and Duterte ally Pantaleon Alvarez.

The bill was consolidated into and substituted by HB 4247, which was passed on third and final reading in March 2017.

Duterte did not include the revival of the death penalty in the priority bills mentioned in his 2019 State of the Nation Address. n

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OPINION

FEATURES

Here to stay CONSIDERING the culture and the environment, perhaps President Duterte was just being realistic when he said that violent fraternity initiation or hazing is here to stay.

This, however, shouldn’t be seen as a statement of surrender. Law enforcement and the toughest penalties have not completely eradicated any crime. The President himself has said that drug trafficking will continue beyond his administration – an acknowledgment that it is not possible to deliver on his campaign promise of eradicating the drug menace whether in six months or the six years of his watch.

Certain crimes are committed out of necessity; some arise from greed. The lure of big money in drug trafficking has made people risk capture, incarceration and even capital punishment. Other crimes are perpetrated due to psychological or emotional problems, the influence of drugs or alcohol, or twisted concepts such as those behind fraternity and sorority hazing.

5

Around the world, the continuing commission of crimes has led to the crafting of relevant laws as well as better ways of crime prevention and control. Scientific methods of criminal investigation have led to the conviction of killers and rapists and at the same time have saved innocent people from capital punishment.

Technological developments have improved surveillance and strengthened the fight against terrorism and human trafficking. International cooperation and better regulation have boosted the fight against money laundering. Laws and weapons against cyber crimes are evolving with the technology.

Yes, hazing may be here to stay. But if the perverted sense of brotherhood and sisterhood that leads to violent initiation rites will persist, there should also be no let-up in the efforts to prevent them from happening. Environments that enable the beastly hazing to thrive can be changed. There’s a new law that can save peo- ous injury. The new law has stronger wording, ple – especially youths – from death and seri- wider coverage and tougher penalties against

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

hazing, and it deserves to be fully implemented. (Philstar.com)

Why impeach Trump? Let the Founding Fathers and framers Chirac and the Muslim mosque in the south; of the US Constitution count the whys and the ways brief Qatar visit and tension in Persian Gulf The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AS NEWS HEADLINES banner the contentious dealings President Donald Trump had with foreign countries to dig dirt against his political opponents for his personal gains just to win elections and stay in power, a lot of our Kababayans are asking what the 45th president of the United States did to deserve the threats of impeach-

ment.

Trump’s loyal fan base, including his cohorts in the Republican Party, parrot the talking points he has been hammering throughout his presidency, amid reports critical of his leadership, policies, character and performance as president.

They echo Trump’s words that he is the victim here, that the Democrats, mainstream news media, our allies in democracy, and even our own national intelligence community, are all in a mission to unseat him to take away the power from the American people.

The latest and most serious

threat to his presidency is the latest developments about his call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, which comes from the same playbook as his dealings with Russia, Australia, and now even China, as well as his questionable relationships with Saudi Arabia and North Korea, among others.

What did the president do, his followers ask, that the Democratic-lead House of Representatives has already launched and impeachment inquiry against Trump? The short and simple answer: THREATS TO NATIONAL SECURITY. Foreign countries interfering PAGE 10

PeaceMaker FORMER SPEAKER JOSE C. DE VENECIA, JR. (Part 1 of 2) WE were in Paris with wife Gina when former French President Jacques Chirac passed away. He was 86 years old.

World leaders including German Chancellor Angela Merkel, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Russian President Vladimir Putin joined French President

Emmanuel Macron in paying tribute to Chirac, with Macron hailing the late two-term President as a “great Frenchman.”

Chirac, one of the most popular public figures in France and Europe, whose political career spanned some 50 years, served his country as president for 12 years, twotime prime minister, mayor of Paris for 18 years, and Cabinet Minister in various capacities. He was also an officer in the French Army during the Algerian War. The late French leader strongly opposed the U.S.-led war in Iraq in 2003, which was

considered by many as one of his most notable foreign policy decisions as president. He was also a steadfast advocate of the European Union.

This columnist as then Speaker of the House of Representatives remembers with honor and gratitude receiving in Paris in 2005 from then President Chirac the prestigious French Legion of Honor, the Grand Cross, which was also previously awarded to President Fidel V. Ramos, President Corazon Aquino, President Manuel Quezon, General and Foreign Minister Carlos P. Romulo, and Press PAGE 10

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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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 11-17, 2019

Dateline PhiliPPines

De Lima: ‘US senators’ move to ban Sandiganbayan junks P1-B my oppressors not a PR tour de force’ forfeiture case vs Marcoses

by Cathrine

Gonzales Inquirer.net

SENATOR Leila De Lima disputed on Wednesday, October 9, the pronouncement of Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin that the proposal of the United States Senate appropriations committee to ban Filipino officials who are behind her detention from setting foot in the country is “obviously a PR tour de force” and an act of “interference.”

“No, Sir. It’s nothing like that. It’s about standing up, in concrete terms, for human rights and accountability. It’s a matter of truth and justice,” De Lima said in a statement.

“These principles, which are revered in democratic societies like the U.S., are be-

ing discarded like garbage by the increasingly authoritarian Duterte regime,” the opposition senator said.

The U.S. Senate committee approved on September 27 an amendment to a bill seeking to deny entry to Filipinos behind what it calls “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima, who has been detained since February 2017 as she faces drug charges for her alleged involvement in the drug trade at the New Bilibid Prison when she was Justice secretary.

De Lima has since denied the accusation and claimed it was motivated by political persecution as she has been a vocal critic of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I hope that our function-

Senator Leila De Lima

aries, especially those whose very mandate is to dispense justice in this country and those who directly deal with the diplomatic community, are sensitive and clear-minded enough to appreciate the dimensions and underlying sentiments behind the concerted efforts abroad to stand by me and my causes,” said De Lima.

The detained senator said it is “unfortunate” that Bersamin “would choose to downplay as a mere PR feat the clear-cut significance of the U.S. senators’ action.”

“Perhaps, a self-reflection on the part of the institutions with varying roles in facilitating Duterte’s vendetta against me, is called for,” she added. n

Senate photo

Manila is 3rd among 56 cities with lowest quality of life – report

by Krissy

aGuilar Inquirer.net

MANILA ranked poorly at third place among 56 cities worldwide with the lowest quality of life, research published by Deutsche Bank has shown.

Based on its May 2019 report, Deutsche Bank said the top three cities with the lowest quality of life were Lagos, Nigeria; Beijing, China; and Manila, Philippines.

One the other hand, the cities with the highest quality of life, according to the research, were Zurich, Switzerland; Wellington, New Zealand; and Copenhagen, Denmark.

Manila also lagged in other indices from Deutsche Bank’s report, ranking 53rd in terms of purchasing power, 46th in safety index, 45th in both health care index and property price to income ratio, 51st in traffic commute time, 54th in pollution index, and 47th in climate index.

In terms of cost-of-living index, the country’s capital ranked 10th out of 56 countries but lagged in terms of monthly salary (net of taxes) ranking 50th out of 55 cities.

The Deutsche Bank report stated that the net monthly salary in Manila dropped to $480 in 2019 from $498 in 2018.

Other cities with the lowest net monthly salaries indicated in the report were Istanbul, Turkey with $433; Bangladesh, Dhaka with $375; Jakarta, Indonesia with $362; Lagos, Nigeria with $236; and Cairo, Egypt with $206.

San Francisco in the United States, meanwhile, was ranked as the city with the highest monthly salary at $6,526 followed by Zurich in Switzerland at $5,896.

Deutsche Bank clarified the research “makes no representation as to its accuracy or completeness” though it assured the information and its public sources are “believed to be reliable.” n

by reina leanne

tolentino ManilaTimes.net

THE Sandiganbayan has dismissed for lack of evidence the P1.052-billion forfeiture case filed by the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) against former president Ferdinand Marcos, his wife Imelda, and Rustan’s Corp. founders Bienvenido Tantoco Sr. and Gliceria Tantoco The court’s Second Division junked Civil Case 008 filed in 1988. The government sought the forfeiture of expensive works of art and jewelry, real estate properties in New York, Hawaii, Rome, Italy and Forbes Park in Makati City, three Cessna planes, as well as duty-free shops franchises, Rustan International Marketing, Eagle Mining Corp., Rustan Pulp and Paper Factory, cars and cash.

Also charged were Bienvenido Tantoco Jr., Maria

Lourdes Tantoco-Pineda and Dominador Santiago.

The court ordered the substitution of Marcos’ heirs after his death in 1989.

“After circumspect evaluation of the evidence on record, the Court is constrained to rule that the plaintiff Republic failed to prove the allegations,” the court said in a 30-page decision promulgated on Sept. 25, 2019.

The anti-graft court said the documents presented as evidence by the government were not sufficient to prove the guilt of the accused.

“The plaintiff was not able to prove by preponderance of evidence that defendants Tantocos, Tantoco-Pineda, Tantoco Jr., and Santiago by themselves and/or in unlawful concert with the defendants Marcoses collaborated in ‘schemes, devices and stratagems’ to appropriate and conceal the ownership of illegally obtained assets,” it said.

The PCGG had claimed that the accused acted as dummies of the Marcoses to conceal allegedly illegally acquired assets.

“There is likewise insufficient evidence to prove that the defendants acted as dummies, nominees and/or agents of defendants Marcoses in acquiring works of art, clothes, jewelry or real estate worth billions of pesos,” it added.

Associate Justice Michael Frederick Musngi penned the decision, which was concurred in by Associate Justice Oscar Herrera Jr., who leads the Sandiganbayan’s Second Division, and by Associate Justice Lorifel Pahimna.

Government to appeal Malacañang on Tuesday, October 8, said the government might appeal the court’s decision.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the Office of the Solicitor General had the PAGE 8

october 11-17, 2019 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Sanofi appeals revocation of Dengvaxia’s registration

by Sheila

CriSoStomo Philstar.com

MANILA – Pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur has filed an appeal with the Office of the President on the permanent revocation of the certificate of product registration (CPR) of Dengvaxia vaccine, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III revealed on Wednesday, October 9.

Speaking during the Kapihan sa Manila Bay media forum at the Cafe Adriatico in Manila, Duque said Sanofi has not re-filed an application for CPR to bring back the anti-dengue vaccine to the Philippines, although the pharmaceutical company submitted an appeal to Malacañang.

In August, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to uphold the revocation of the CPR of Dengvaxia due to the failure of Sanofi to comply with post-marketing requirements.

Duque said the permanent revocation of the registration is “without prejudice to applying for a new CPR and also ensuring they are compliant with all the documentary requirements.”

He reported that from Jan. 1 to Sept. 21, around 320,000 dengue cases were recorded

by the Department of Health (DOH).

Duque said the huge number of cases is not only being experienced in the Philippines, but in other countries in Asia as well like Singapore, which is known for cleanliness.

Citing reports of the World Health Organization, Duque said the People’s Democratic Republic of Lao, Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Singapore, on the average, are seeing 300 to 400 percent increase in cases.

“This is horrible. In Malaysia and the Philippines there are about 100 to 200 percent increase. Not as horrible as our other neighboring countries,” he said.

Garin: Dengvaxia prevents dengue The controversial Dengvaxia vaccine prevents dengue, although it reportedly did not work on the daughter of President Duterte, House senior deputy minority leader and Iloilo Rep. Janette Garin said.

Duterte’s daughter Kitty contracted dengue despite having received Dengvaxia, which prompted the president to rush back from his official visit to Russia last week.

Garin, former health secretary who is facing multiple

cases of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide and graft over deaths attributed to the vaccine, stood firm on her position that Dengvaxia is effective.

She reiterated that the vaccine would protect children from dengue.

“Those who can afford the (Dengvaxia) vaccine should be given the option to have it. That way, we protect them from severe dengue with major and sometimes fatal complications,” Garin replied when asked to comment on Kitty’s case.

In August this year, Duterte said he is open to the resumption of the government’s Dengvaxia vaccination program to avert a national dengue epidemic that had claimed over 600 lives nationwide since January.

Duterte said Kitty and his granddaughter Sabina, daughter of Davao Rep. Paolo Duterte, both got Dengvaxia shots.

President Duterte, meanwhile, has taken time off this week after a five-day official visit to Russia to watch over his dengue-stricken daughter.

Kitty, however, is reportedly recovering fast since her hospitalization last Sunday. n

This file photo shows the Marcos family during former first lady Imelda Marcos’ birthday at the Ynares Sports Center in Pasig City.

Contributed photo

Lombard By The Bay is a joint venture development project between Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development Corp. and Omnicor Industrial Estate & Realty Center, Inc.

Sandiganbayan junks P1-B forfeiture...

PAGE 7 option to file a motion for reconsideration.

“Meron pang appeal. Hindi pa tapos ‘yan. Sandiganbayan pa lang ‘yan (The government can appeal. It’s not over. It’s

only with the Sandiganbayan),” Panelo said, adding that it was the government’s policy to run after ill-gotten wealth.

This is the second forfeiture case against the Marcoses and their friends that was

dismissed by the court this year.

In August, the same division threw out the P102-billion forfeiture case against Marcos’ kin and alleged cronies. n

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 11-17, 2019

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Dateline PhiliPPines

october 11-17, 2019 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

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Why impeach Trump? Let the Founding Fathers... BuCor, police demolish prisoners’ shanties in Bilibid PAGE 8 in our elections, especially at the behest or invitation of the president, compromises our security and national interest — a clear violation of the oath taken by Trump when he was sworn in.

When we talk about national security, we as Americans need to look at this as a non-partisan issue because it involves all of us and the security of our nation. When partisan colors cloud the way we objectively assess what is happening now in America in the age of Trump and decide what should be done, we need to go back to the spirit of the law in the Constitution, as stated by the Founding Fathers against a corrupt government.

As National Public Radio (NPR) reported, “The founders of American democracy could not have anticipated the technology of the 21st century or many of the other changes that have redefined the republic they created.

“But they clearly foresaw one challenge that faces the inheritors of their handiwork – the threat of foreign interference in our elections. The fear of foreign interference was a driving issue in the conversations of the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia in the summer of 1787.”

Quoting some of these statements in their discourse as they were drafting the US Constitution as reported by American Progress: George Washington, in his farewell address at the end of his presidency, said: “one of the greatest dangers to the United States involved the “insidious wiles” of foreign powers and their multiple avenues to improperly influence our political system. Washington urged Americans “to be constantly awake, since history and experience prove that foreign influence is one of the most baneful foes of republican government.”

Thomas Jefferson also sounded the alarm about “entanglements” between the United States and foreign governments, which he and other founders viewed with “perfect horror” due to the corruption that could result. Jefferson knew that a republic could not function if its chief executive would abuse his office—and the public trust—by soliciting personal political assistance from a foreign government.

John Adams had similar beliefs, writing to Jefferson in 1787 that he understood Jefferson’s apprehension about “foreign Interference, Intrigue Influence.” Adams, too, was

concerned about corruption in the political system, leading him to assert that America should not conduct elections too often. “As often as Elections happen,” Adams wrote, “the danger of foreign Influence recurs.”

Alexander Hamilton warned specifically about a foreign power’s ability to cultivate a president or another top official. In Federalist Paper Number 68, published in 1788, Hamilton wrote: “These most deadly adversaries of republican government might naturally have been expected to make their approaches from more than one quarter, but chiefly from the desire in foreign powers to gain an improper ascendant in our councils. How could they better gratify this, than by raising a creature of their own to the chief magistry of the Union?”

The framers of the U.S. Constitution, therefore, fearing that presidents or other executive officers might prove disloyal to the country and Constitution they were sworn to protect, drafted the Constitution to include clauses to protect the democracy of the nation.

One such way was through the principle of checks and balances mandated by the Constitution among the three branches of government so that no one person or institution would abuse the power and public trust accorded to them by the government position they hold. The point of checks and balances was to make sure no one branch would be able to control too much power, and it created a separation of powers.

Another guardrail was the Emoluments Clause, prohibiting any government officers from accepting a title or a gift from any foreign government.

As PBS reported, “That part of the Constitution had come to seem antique, as the norms and presumptions of American politics long ago made it hard to imagine a sitting president actually being bribed by a foreign power.”

The report explained how in the present time, with Saudi Arabia and other foreign governments routinely spending lavishly for accommodations at Trump Organization properties in Washington and elsewhere, the word “emolument” has returned to the news.

It cited how “two federal judges at the trial court level have refused to disallow lawsuits (one filed by the District of Columbia and the state of Maryland and another filed by about 200 members of Con-

gress) charging that the Trump businesses are violating the Emoluments Clause. Both courts accepted the definition of emolument as “any profit, gain or advantage.”

Then there is the impeachment clause. The PBS report further discussed how “the framers also feared that presidents or other executive officers might prove disloyal to the country and Constitution they were sworn to protect.

The report stated that the impeachment clause, as originally written, singled out the crimes of treason and bribery as grounds for impeachment.”

The phrase “high crimes and misdemeanors” was added late in the convention process at the urging of Virginia delegate George Mason, who thought naming just two crimes too restrictive. The more general “high crimes and misdemeanors” was, as historian David O. Stewart has noted, “already archaic in 1787 and has grown more opaque in the years since.”

TRUMP had been investigated in the Mueller probe for Russia’s interference in the 2016 elections — and he said he did not care about such interference. In fact, he sought it because Russia wanted to help him by digging dirt on Hillary Clinton to damage her campaign and help Trump win. In fact, Trump even sided with President Vladimir Putin in his denial of Russia’s assault on our democracy, despite the findings of our own US intelligence community, including the Mueller probe.

Now Trump is at it again. It is either he does not know our Constitution and the laws of the land, or he does know but thinks he is above the law, and will, therefore, doing anything and everything to win the election and stay in power, even if he sells the soul of America and the democracy that this nation has worked so hard for to win and protect, pursuant to the Constitution.

If we are to be faithful to the Constitution, Trump needs to be impeached because our national security and interest are more important than the personal political and financial interest of one man named Donald Trump.

Trump has to go. ***

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

Relos

MANILA — Authorities on Wednesday, October 9, ordered the demolition of “kubols” or luxury cottages and illegal structures at the New Bilibid Prison.

Bureau of Corrections Director General Gerald Bantag, Police Maj. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar and Maj. Gen. Amando Empiso led the demolition of the illegal structures within Bilibid’s Maximum Compound.

Eleazar is director of the National Capital Region Police Office while Empiso is chief of the elite police Special Action Force. SAF are stationed at the Bilibid in an effort to curb illegal drug activities inside prison walls.

The BuCor, in a statement, said that the operation started at 5 a.m. and involved 1,800 personnel from law enforcement agencies and from the Department of Public Works and Highways.

Demolition equipment from

the DPWH, fire trucks from the Bureau of Fire Protection and two police armored personnel carriers were also used in the demolition.

According to the bureau, there are 18,000 prisoners detained inside the maximum security compound, which houses those who are considered highly dangerous or pose high security risks. .The bureau said that the illegally built structures “breed corruption” since prisoners pay personnel to allow construction materials in.

“It was noted that, in the past, the roving personnel find it hard to conduct custodial functions because of these shanties thus, empowering the convicts or Persons Deprived of Liberty to continue their unlawful activities,” BuCor said.

Bantag earlier said in an interview with GMA that bribery of officials continues at the NBP. He said drug lords continue

paying prison officers, despite the change of leadership at the bureau.

Early in October, Bantag relieved more 300 jail guards at the Maximum Security Compound of the New Bilibid Prison.

“We have a directive coming from the president for a total revamp and to clean up the BuCor. There are allegations of irregularities, so we relieved them,” BuCor spokesperson Wena Fe Dalagan said.

Asked for comment, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said Bantag has “personal knowledge of facts on the ground.”

The Justice chief added that moneyed inmates would continue to “buy convenience, luxury, and freedom to engage in nefarious activities while in detention.”

Eradicating corruption in the country’s penitentiaries is Bantag’s challenge, Guevarra added. (Philstar.com)

Chirac and the Muslim mosque in the south...

PAGE 8

Secretary Teodoro Benigno, who used to work for the Agence France Press (AFP) in Manila.

We are also happy to note that in 2008, as co-president of the French Legion of Honor Association in the Philippines and with then French Ambassador to Manila Gerard Chesnel, we contributed even in a modest way to help rebuild the first Muslim mosque in the Philippines, located in the deep southern Tawi-Tawi, built in the first years of Islam in the Philippines by Muslims from the Arab world and converts in Indonesia and Mindanao.

The mosque was built in 1380, some 141 years before the arrival of the Spanish colonizers in the Philippines in 1521.

Our good friend Ambassador Chesnel and we considered it a “small, humble project but it symbolizes Christian-Muslim solidarity in a strategic isle of the Sulu Sea where Islam began in the Philippines.”

We said to him that while we achieved something noteworthy in the country’s deepest south, we should also consider doing something that could be noteworthy in our country’s farthest north in the Batanes islands. We should talk to our old friend, former Congressman and Secretary Butch Abad, about building a modest memorable project that we and France could

perhaps undertake in our farthest north to match our memorable project in the farthest south.

We also regarded the project in the southernmost isle as a “dramatic expression of friendship and confluence of Philippine and French foreign policy.”

We should speak with the new well-regarded French Ambassador Nicholas Galey whether we could again work with France to establish a joint modest project in the farthest north in Batanes to match our modest little work in the deepest south at the end of the Sulu archipelago.

The French Legion of Honor is an order of chivalry established by French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte in 1802 and is the oldest and highest ranking medal of honor in France. *** After recovering from flu at a now almost age 83, and missing a speech before the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) in Baku, Azerbaijan three weeks ago, we moved on to the south of France and to Lourdes for a month-long vacation, our first after several years of hectic speaking engagements in the international community. We were with wife Gina, sister-in-law Chona Ampil, stepson Philip Cruz III, business executive Tony Reyes, and our Assistant Joy Cristobal.

We accepted a kind and

most enjoyable invitation from the famous couple, Christian Baverey, scion of a great industrialist French family from Lyon and his wife, Tetta Agustin, who is highly-regarded in Europe’s prestigious fashion houses and who continues to do active charity work when she and her husband visit the Philippines every year.

We boarded their yacht Tosca, named after their bright and beautiful daughter, lawyer and successful entrepreneur in Brazil and Portugal, and sailed the Mediterranean with brief stops in Nice, Monaco, the Italian coastal waters of San Remo, Lavagne, Portofino, and Sta. Margherita in the French and Italian Mediterranean.

We wished we sailed further to Athens, Greece where in the mid-70s, we scored a coup as an aggressive entrepreneur by purchasing an old cruise ship, docked in Piraeus, Athens, without an engine, and which we purchased for $5.6-million to house our 3,000 workers in Jeddah for the operation of the Port of Jeddah, then a much-needed project in the mushrooming newly oil-rich Middle East.

The port was so busy that without our army of stevedores and port managers, cargo ships docked offshore had to haul their cargo onshore through helicopters, a most expensive way of stevedoring.

(To be continued next week)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 11-17, 2019

COMMUNITY Journal

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ Some people who are in the U.S. with immigration problems/issues, such as being out of status, in deportation/removal, or they are outside the U.S. hoping to immigrate one day, are reluctant to do anything about it because they don’t want to spend money and/or they think it may be “too expensive” to fix their problem. They are putting a monetary value on their immigration status.

But there are so many benefits to lawful immigration status, which these people need to consider.

Therefore, they should consider other factors and realize the true value of being legal, which far outweigh the cost: • Legal status brings peace of mind. If a person is out of status, they are anxious and nervous.

Some lay awake at night, fearful of getting caught and deported/removed.

How many people are afraid of being pulled over while driving, a knock on the door late at night, and afraid they may be reported and turned over to ICe? • Legal status allows a person to safely travel to the Philippines to visit family. many people who are out of status are alone in the U.S., while their family misses them in the Philippines. They may communicate with their spouse and children via Facetime, Facebook, Viber, etc., but nothing compares with hugging your child or aging parents being there for important events like birthdays, anniversaries, etc.

• Legal status could possibly allow your family to join you in the U.S. If a person can legalize their status, it may also include their spouse and children, who may possibly qualify for immigrant visas to join the person in the U.S. • Legal status provides a better life and opportunities for your family, especially your children. most

11

The value of being legal and legal services “Legal status enables a person to work at a well-paying job equal to their education or experience. If a person is out of status, they may have to accept any kind of low-paying job just to survive and pay their bills.

If they legalize their status, they could possibly work anywhere and/or at a well-paying job equal to their education or experience.” people came to the U.S. primarily to make a better life for their children. But if they are all out of status, what future is there for their children? While some may temporarily get by on DACA, or the parents hope the child will marry a U.S. citizen, it could still be possible for the parent to do something about their own legal status which would also benefit their children.

• Legal status enables a person to work at a wellpaying job equal to their education or experience.

If a person is out of status, they may have to accept any kind of low-paying job just to survive and pay their bills. If they legalize their status, they could possibly work anywhere and/or at a well-paying job equal to their education or experience.

There are so many other benefits to being legal, that a person has to really put a value on those benefits.

What is the value of having peace of mind? Isn’t it worth the expense, if it is possible to legalize your status? Think of all the other things that people spend money on, whether it is the latest Apple product, large-screen TV, vacations, etc. Was that money well-spent compared to the value of spending money to get legal?

I am not stating that everyone is qualified or eligible to clear up their immigration problems and/or legalize their status. But

given the value of legal status, a person should at least explore their options and chances, rather than doing nothing because of the monetary cost. You should consult with an immigration attorney who can evaluate your situation and determine if there is hope and if you have chances, because legal status is priceless! *** 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)

Trading an old employer for a new one sTill goT Them The prioriTy daTe from The previous employer, Thus cuTTing waiT Time. husband and wife, Jon (left) and Jen (center), were working for an employer who agreed to sponsor their employment petition. however, the work became increasingly difficult that their quality of life suffered, making the couple quit their jobs. faced without a sponsor, no jobs, and two deaths in the family that they could not go home for, was a tremendous burden for the family. when they asked the advice of leading u.s. immigration attorney michael J. gurfinkel, he told them to look for another employer who would be willing to sponsor them. fortunately, Jon and Jen found a new employer that gave them new hope and a new lease on life. atty. gurfinkel was also successful in transferring the priority date on the first employer’s case to the new employer’s petition, saving years of additional waiting time. watch this success story on an encore episode of ciTiZen pinoy – on sunday at 6:15 pm (psT) on Tfc. (advertising supplement)

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OCTOBEr 11-17, 2019 • NEW YOrK AND NEW JErSEY ASIAN JOUrNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WITH the various diets flooding the market out there, each claiming to be “the right one” or “the best diet” for health, the public and some healthcare providers themselves are confused. The Atkins diet, South Beach Diet, Hollywood Diet, Keto diet, and the various other youname-it-diets, provide choices that only add to the dilemma. Some of the too detailed and complex “formulas” are hard to remember and impractical.

Others are very expensive.

Some are even downright unhealthy and dangerous, in the long term.

The Atkins diet, for instance, allows you to eat all the pork, beef, eggs, cheese and creamy sauces (which are all very rich in saturated fats) as much as you want, with basically no calorie ceiling, so long as you severely restrict your carbohydrate intake.

It is supposed to help lose weight. But weight control is only half of the story.

Atkins neglected to focus on the adverse health effects of such high-fat, highcholesterol intake, as it increases the risk of heart attack, stroke, other cardiovascular diseases, and cancer.

Low carbs is in Eating carbohydrates (like white rice, refined sugar, pasta, bread, and especially sweets, which, strictly speaking, should include all soft drinks!) could easily add pounds to your weight and inches to your waistline, which is unhealthy. Carbohydrates are rapidly metabolized by the body to generate energy.

The high glycemic effect of carbohydrates shoots the blood glucose level sky high fast, which is unhealthy, also a risk for T2diabetes.

Vegetables also have carbohydrates (the healthier kind) in them. Advocating a high-fat diet instead is, to me, illogical and unsafe like encouraging people to smoke marijuana or Shabu, opioids, instead of cigarettes.

High fat diet is deadly There is no longer any doubt that diet rich in saturated fats causes and speeds up arteriosclerosis (hardening of the arter-

Which diet is best?

ies), which is responsible for heart attack, stroke, leg gangrene, besides hypertension (high blood pressure), premature aging, etc. Eating red meat also increases the risk for cancers of the pancreas, colon, etc., besides Alzheimer’s.

The flawed theory The theory behind the Atkins diet is, to my mind, and in the minds of experts in cardiovascular nutrition and physiology, flawed. It is controversial because the current evidencebased data we have highlight the health dangers of animal fats and cholesterol in our diet. While it may be effective in weight reduction, the Atkins diet may well cause more harm than good to the body and its cardiovascular system.

This diet was developed by cardiologist Robert C. Atkins in the 1960s. He had high blood pressure and died on April 17, 2001 at age 72 of heart attack, congestive heart failure, as stated by the New York Medical Examiner’s office post-mortem report.

The non-meat proteins The high protein feature of the Atkin’s diet would not have been objectionable if the proteins in them were not derived from red meats that are loaded with saturated fats and cholesterol. If the proteins in them came from fish, legumes (dried beans and peas), tofu and soy-bean products, nuts, whole wheat, barley, rye, then the diet would be healthy. For one thing, the protein from fish contains a lot of omega 3 fatty acids, which have been found to be a mild blood thinner and cardioprotective. The fat from fish is excellent for our total body health.

Vegetables and fruits and some nuts provide high-fiber and high antioxidants (anti-cancer too) polyphenols and flavonoids in them and fish is a source of good protein and fish oil. Many fast food chains and restaurants are now offering “beyond-meat”, no red meat, “hamburger” sandwiches, etc., using healthier alternatives to red meat.

Over-all strategy Besides eating the right diet to maintain normal weight and cholesterol/triglyceride level, the strategy towards a healthier lifestyle should include abstinence from tobacco, daily regimented physical

exercise (the simplest and effective one of which is walking in a pace you desire), stress management with behavioral modification, psychological and philosophical reinforcement, abstinence from or moderation in alcohol intake, enjoying a hobby or two, a general positive outlook in life, and regular activities which involves family and friends.

The sensible diet Considering the available scientific data today, I strongly feel that the most sensible diet includes a lot of fish and a small to moderate amount of other sea foods (preferably not fried), plenty of green leafy vegetables, legumes (beans, etc.), fruits, some nuts, as low-salt as your taste could tolerate, and as little white rice as possible (especially for those who are overweight), or better yet, no rice. The healthy diet should minimize, or exclude, red meat, processed meats (hot dog, bacon salami, etc.), and limiting eggs to two a week. However, if you can abstain from red meats and eggs, it will even be better. With this diet, the main source of protein is fish and other non-meat items listed earlier. For snacks, if desired, raw cucumber, celery, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, jicama or sinkamas, other fruits are healthy in-between meals. All varieties of soft drinks are toxic.

Filtered water is the best choice. Coffee and tea are health drinks. Diabetics and those who require special diets should consult their physician.

Let’s Fight This War Besides the proper quality of food, the right quantity of the daily calorie intake is also very important. Weighing yourself once a week (same day, same time, preferably naked or wearing the exact same outfit) will monitor your weight properly and guide you, whether to cut down on the total calorie intake or maintain the same. Drinking a tall glass of cold water before each meal distends the stomach some, which induces the appetite center in the brain to be satisfied sooner, and thus help reduce the total calorie intake. But diet alone, without the over-all strategy I outlined above, will not optimize your goals

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya

Angels Among Us (Second of 4 Parts)

“Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings.”

— From Frank Capra’s film “It’s a Wonderful Life”

(Continued from last week …)

The belief in the presence and power of angels to intervene is strong in popular conservative culture. In a remarkable 1999 Hallmark film, “A Season for Miracles,” an angel plays a pivotal role in helping a loving aunt to two children whose incarcerated, drug addicted mother places them in a situation forcing them to run and escape from the foster care system that threatens to split them apart during Christmas. The film is based on a novel by Marilyn Pappano and scripted by Maria Nation. It was very ably directed by Michael Pressman.

It is a heartwarming story set in a small town called Bethlehem during Christmas with engaging characters like Agatha and Corrina. For those with a penchant for romance, the story has spades of it as well. So check this film out on youtube whether it is Christmas or not. In my opinion, this is a timeless piece of good work worth watching a hundred times. It will be an hour and some minutes to lighten your load and feel the presence of angels in your life as well.

Suspend disbelief. That is the only way to enjoy stories about angels.

Trawl the internet and social media and read about how angels, though unseen in many instances, can be felt by many who believe in them. There are many instances when the presence and oftentimes the direct interventions of one’s personal guardian angel are a part of the twists and turns of the unraveling story of many people’s lives.

Many have written about their encounters with angels, documenting how their guardian angels are a real part of their lives guarding, guiding and protecting them

from harm and on many occasions, even from death, because their time had not yet come. I am sure many others have their own personal stories to tell about this unseen entity that can be ascribed to the presence of God himself – an ever-present help to aid us in navigating life on earth.

The common image of an angel is a beautiful heavenly being with piercing eyes, big white pair of wings and long cascading golden hair, robed in androgynous white gown and who is neither male nor female but to which we ascribe the word “he” just for convenience.

An angel, who is an eternal celestial being, is not subject to the constraints of gravity, time, space or language problems. Communication between protector and protectee is often wordless and automatic. Some are messengers and some bring punishment and death but each has a definite purpose, most of which are beneficial to humans.

Some claim to have seen their angels appearing differently from the common image we believe of winged beings.

Some morph into human form to lend a hand, to protect from danger or avert disaster then disappear quickly.

They appear specially when the humans they are protecting find themselves in dire straits and need help. As one might imagine, angels are extremely busy considering the weakness of humans and their predilection to stray from the straight and narrow.

In Frank Capra’s classic Christmas film, “It’s a Wonderful Life,” Clarence, a portly, bumbling character aspiring to become an angel

must earn his wings by doing something good for a human being in desperate need and contemplating suicide. “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings,” is a memorable line in this classic film that is intended never to get old and aptly becomes new again for a new generation around the Christmas season.

On the other hand, in the warped imagination of liberal film makers, “Michael” supposedly about Michael, the Archangel, the highest seraphim who fought Satan and flung him to the burning sulfurous depths of hell and believed to be the protector of the nation of Israel, is portrayed as somewhat of a sleaze who is more human than angelic.

In this film, Archangel Michael can charm females because he smells of cookies and who is a bit of a Lothario to boot. It may be somewhat funny to color outside the lines in portraying angels but don’t be fooled by the liberal yarn on angels. Hollywood, in my opinion, has no gravitas on angelic matters.

Trust your own instincts.

Your own personal experience will color the lens with which you view and relate with your personal guardian angel. God so loved the world, He sent His only son to redeem us from sin and death so we may gain eternal life. Angels are sent to help us during our time here on earth towards this arduous journey to eternal life. (to be continued …) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.

for a healthier lifestyle that will ward off, or dramatically lower your risk of, cardiovascular disease and cancer, and provide you a happier, more productive life, and a maximum longevity possible.

While our individual war against unhealthy lifestyle and bad habits is not easy by any means, requiring a lot of discipline and sacri-

fices, it is one we cannot afford not to wage. Our health, happiness, and our life literally depend on it.

I, therefore, sound this clarion call to all of you out there: let’s put on our full battle gear today, join forces in this crusade, and fight this good war. After all, this is nothing but selfdefense and self-preservation.

*** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus b ased in Nor thwes t In diana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/ author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com and philipSchua. com Email: scalpelpen@gmail. com

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Carlo says he might have led on Angelica

Meet Sarah G’s most ‘Unforgettable’ co-star

By niñA v. Guno

By TessA MAuriCio-ArriolA

Inquirer.net

IT seems the ice has yet to thaw between former lovers Carlo Aquino and Angelica Panganiban, even as Aquino admits he has had some wrongdoing. He also finally admitted that his girlfriend is Trina Candaza.

Last January, Panganiban said she was avoiding her ex-boyfriend and “Exes Baggage” co-star after fans’ supposed criticism over her posts about self-love, which some took as a sign that Aquino had soured their relationship.

In March, she said she and Aquino were not on speaking terms after the actor claimed in a separate interview that they were “OK.” An interview on “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on Monday, Oct. 7, extracted more answers from Aquino about the breakdown of his relationship with Panganiban. He appeared on the talk show with Maine Mendoza, who stars opposite him in their upcoming movie “Isa pa with Feelings.”

Talk show host Boy Abunda asked if Panganiban’s statement about him “not existing” in her life was “fair.” Aquino seemed to respect her sentiments, explaining, “Kung nasaktan ko siya, karapatan niya ‘yon. Karapatan niyang pagdaanan, karapatan niyang ramdaman iyon.

“Hindi ko dapat pigilan ‘yon. Kaya nung sinabi niya ‘yon, tapos nakarating

ManilaTimes.net

Angelica Panganiban and Carlo Aquino have yet to reconcile.

Photo from Instagram/@jose_liwanag

sa akin, sabi ko, ‘OK lang naman. OK lang.’”

(If she was hurt, that is her right. It is her right to go through it, to feel that way.

I should not stop that. That is why when she said those things and it reached me, I said, “It is OK.”) When asked if he might have been “paasa” or led her on, he hesitated and said, “Siguro po. Siguro (Maybe, maybe).”

He was then asked to explain “what went wrong” in their friendship. He said he loved her, but preferred that they stay as friends. “Natatakot lang talaga kasi ako masaktan siya ulit (I was afraid that she would get hurt again),” he explained.

Abunda wondered if Aquino’s relationship with Trina Candaza had a hand in the fallout with Panganiban.

Aquino said yes and added, “Na-meet ko si Betrina bago mag-start yung movie. Tapos

biglang hindi kami nagkita ng ilang buwan. Tapos after nung movie kami nag-reconnect.”

(I met Betrina before the start of the movie. We suddenly did not see each other some months. After the movie we reconnected.)

He also said “oo” (yes) when Abunda asked if Candaza was his girlfriend. This comes months after speculations of their relationship in the start of the year.

As of July, Panganiban remained firm in refusing to reunite with Aquino. The two dated in their teens for six years and broke up in 2006.

The CarGel tandem was brought back with “Exes Baggage,” which premiered in September 2018. The actors also starred together in the TV series “Playhouse” from September 2018 to March 2019, even if their relationship was rocky in the latter part of the show.

Gladys: I am more of a comedienne in real life

By Dolly Anne CArvAjAl Inquirer.net

IF there’s an honor roll for the top 10 “kontrabidas” of show biz, Gladys Reyes will definitely be on the list.

She unleashes her onscreen power anew in GMA 7’s afternoon soap, “Madrasta” (weekdays after “Prima Donnas”). She portrays Elizabeth Ledesma—a successful aesthetic surgeon and protective mom of Sean (played by Juancho Triviño).

Catch the fiercest rivalry between the wife and the present love as they vie for a spot in the life of one man.

Liaisons dangereuses à la

13

Pinoy.

Here’s my chat with Gladys: What would you be like if you were a madrasta? I will play it cool. I won’t try too hard because I don’t want them to feel like I’m replacing their mom. I pray that we will all get along.

How do you handle it when you’re working with a ham actor? If, despite giving my best, I felt my coactor was not responding the way I expected him to respond, I just let it be. It’s the director’s call if we need to do it all over again and if so, I try to be patient.

How do you detach from PAGE 15

Gladys Reyes

GMA photo

SHE may have had a trio of blockbuster movies with John Lloyd Cruz, but it seems like the multi-talented singer and actress Sarah Geronimo has decided on someone else as her most unforgettable co-star.

His name is Milo and he’s a Jack Russel Terrier.

A self-confessed dog lover, the Popstar Royalty animatedly talked about working without a leading man in her upcoming movie, “Unforgettable,” but just the same, a very talented furry friend.

“It’s actually a dream come true for me to work on a fulllength dog movie,” Geronimo said. “Matagal ko na po talagang gusto makagawa ng project na ganito.”

Conceptualized and co-directed by the multi-awarded and internationally acclaimed director Jun Lana (“Die Beautiful,” “Bwakaw”) and award-winning filmmaker Perci Intalan (“Bwakaw,” “Distance,” “Dementia”),

Sarah Geronimo’s newest ‘leading man’ is the handsome and talented Jack Russel Terrier, Milo.

Contributed photo

Unforgettable casts the actress as Jasmine.

The story follows her jour-

ney to Baguio where her sick grandmother lives. Jasmine’s PAGE 15

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OCTOBER 11-17, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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people events arts culture entertainment

Filipino fashion brands showcased at Premiere Classe in Paris

I

Aranaz @ Premiere Classe

Amina Aranaz explains that the components used in their bags and purses come from different artisan communities in the Philippines. She hopes to further raise awareness in the international fashion accessories community that products from the Philippines have stories that take pride in the creativity and craftsmanship of Filipinos.

Merriam Batara’s eye for details is evident in her jewelry design, particularly her tassel earrings.

New York-based Rafe Totengco also joined this season’s show at the Jardine des Tuileries in Paris.

AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

BY

MOMAR G. VISAYA / AJPRESS

was on my way back to New York from a quick European jaunt when I saw a friend’s Facebook post about Premiere Classe at the Jardin des Tuileries in the heart of Paris. I had eight hours in the city of lights after my train ride from Brussels to catch my flight back to JFK. Took the RER train from Gare du Nord to the city and found myself back at the Louvre, walked more blocks along Rue St. Honore, ending up near Place de la Concorde where I met up with Rosemarie Oamil, the other half of Mele+Marie, one of the Filipino fashion brands participating in the annual show.

Held annually since 1989 and happening in the midst of Paris Fashion Week, Premiere Classe showcases fashion design and accessories by 450 brands and designers from all over the world, handpicked for their creativity, originality and style.

The international accessories trade show registers over 10,000 visitors each year including buyers and media editors over the course of four days. It is an international platform for fashion accessory designers to present their products in categories that include jewelry, footwear, bags, leather goods and ready-to-wear items.

This year, a group of Filipino fashion accessory and ready-to-wear brands are part of the show, renowned in the fashion world for its curated high quality selection.

Organized by the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (DTI-CITEM), the Philippines was represented by Aranáz, Beatriz Accessories, Mele + Marie, Joanique, Zacarias 1925, Merriam Batara and Filip +

Inna.

I also saw Rafe Totengco with his eponymous brand Rafe.

In the short time that I had, I was able to have quick chat with some of them.

Aranáz, which was founded by Becky, Amina and Rosanna Aranaz in 1999, has enjoyed a steady local following over the years and continues to gain popularity internationally. The brand’s handmade bags have perfected that signature balance of polished and artisanal while bringing to the spotlight the use of indigenous materials like abaca, raffia, and wicker.

“Our products are all handmade in the Philippines, and our raw materials are sourced from the different parts of the country. You’ll never get a bag that’s sourced just from Manila,” Amina Aranaz told the Asian Journal, as she picked up a bag from her display.

“Some parts of this bag, for example, the handle comes from Cebu.

This one’s made of woven abaca T’nalak f r o m South Cotabato and the raffia is from Bicol.”

For the show, Aranaz brought their S/S 2020 collection called Fresh

Catch. This is the company’s third year to join this show in Paris and brought in about 90 styles for the show.

Aranaz also shared that their family was in the manufacturing business for the past 40 years, supplying to American brands. They started their own brand in 1999 to be able “to bring Filipino brand, not just the products that carry American brands but are made in the Philippines products.”

They keep on returning to Paris to be able to meet the needs of the customers who brought from them in the past and to be able to meet potential new buyers.

“I hope that Filipino brands would rise more and become more popular so that people would see and know that some respectable fashion accessories

brands are from the Philippines,” Aranaz said. “I always say that our brands are our way of sharing Filipino culture to the world, that’s who we are and that’s what we do best. You can become stylish while using products that are meaningful and different from mass market products.”

Mele + Marie’s roster of elegant purses made their way to Premiere Classe as well and the family behind the brand was in full force in Paris.

Created by the husbandand-wife team of Melecio and Rosemarie Oamil, the brand’s bags boast refined artistry through the use of iridescent abalone shells and lightweight acrylic.

The couple, along with their daughters took the opportunity to showcase their wares in Paris and planned a vacation, visiting the countryside after the four day trade show.

PAGE 15

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 11-17, 2019

Filipino fashion brands showcased... Pia writes book based on

PAGE 14 Jewelry designer Merriam Batara, founder and head designer of her eponymous label, comes from a family with a background in crafting fine jewelry and hand-beaded accessories.

Her work emphasizes the immense detail and precision of hand beading, as seen in her collection of shoulder-grazing earrings.

Batara is grateful for the opportunity to showcase her designs in Paris for the very first time and put the spotlight on Filipino artistry through her hand-beaded and embroidered accessories. She is immensely proud that a simple woman like her from Bulacan is able to compete with the giants in the global market.

“Dati parang wala kang chance pag nasa province ka, but because of the internet, mas naging level ang playing field,” she told the Asian Journal.

“Showcasing Filipino creativity and craftsmanship in Paris through our handcrafted collection— amongst the best of the best in the world to the most prestigious markets—is a dream for us, and Premiere Classe is the stage to make that all happen,” shared Batara. “We are so proud of our products, all unique and handmade and we make sure that every single detail is looked after.”

Batara’s boho-luxe tasseled earrings have become a signature of the brand and for her Spring/Summer 2020 collection, the designer took a decidedly fresh turn. Inspired by the flora and fauna of the Philippines, the earrings, cuffs,

her pageant struggles

By Niña V. GuNo Inquirer.net

Rosemarie Oamil of Mele+Marie @ Premiere Classe AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

and other jewelry in this collection are made with a mix of freshwater pearls, gold-dipped shells and metal hardware, gemstones, woven indigenous fabrics, chains and glass beads that all come together through beading, hand-embroidery and wirework.

Filip + Inna’s Lenora Cabili, on the other hand, lives by her mission of preserving and promoting the age-old techniques and garments of the Philippines’ indigenous groups through her clothing line.

Her latest collection seamlessly combines indigenous weaves, patterns and traditional garb reimagined through contemporary silhouettes like chic separates and breezy tunics.

Embroidery and beadwork techniques from the T’boli, Tagakaolo and B’laan ethnic groups based in Mindanao, where Cabili grew up, are also celebrated through key

pieces in the collection.

For Cabili, presenting abroad is more than just the sale of her brand’s products.

“Selling our collection to the international market has been a most rewarding experience,” she shared. “The opportunity to show the world a side of the Philippines that not a lot of people know about is an honor and responsibility I am most grateful for. We are defining and creating a visual of the Filipino culture through the garments produced by the indigenous groups.”

For four days in Paris, these Filipino brands had meetings with repeat and potential clients and showcased the best of artisan Filipino craftsmanship to the fashion community.

Tirelessly, the men and women behind thes brands promoted not just their own products but Filipino design in general.

Gladys: I am more of a...

PAGE 13 the kontrabida roles you play? Once the camera stops rolling, I shake it all off, no matter how intense the scene was. Bitaw na agad sa character ‘pag ‘Cut’ na. Ayokong bitbitin pauwi ang katarayan ko sa scenes (laughs).

I am far from what I usually portray because I am more of a comedienne in real life. I talk nonstop and love to laugh. I’m so hyper.

Tell us about your kids.

Christophe is 13; an old soul who likes to sing Beatles, etc. and play the guitar; a member of his school’s varsity team; [and] has a You-

15

Tube channel, Christophe.

Aquisha, my mini-me, is 11. She plays Dorothy in her school’s version of “The Wizard of Oz” and is a K-pop fanatic.

Grant is turning 9 and is into football. He is the sweetest. He always tells his dad and me that he will take care of us when we grow old.

Gavin is 2. He is the most talkative and likes mimicking us.

Tell us about your resto.

Estela is on Brickroad St. in Cainta. It’s open TuesdaysSundays 11 a.m. to 12 mn.

Specialties are pan-seared salmon, chicken curry kebab, gambas and salpicao.

We will soon serve baby back ribs, vongole pasta, ox tail kare-kare.

What makes your marriage work? Prayers, patience, partnership and our faith.

What stands out in your memory about your “Mara Clara” days with Judy Ann Santos? How our friendship blossomed, and we were able to preserve it over time.

What’s the best advice has she (Judy Ann) given you? We don’t give advice to each other, but she gave me simple, easy-to-prepare baon tips for the kids since she is an expert in the kitchen.

BEAUTY queen, actress, and now, novelist.

Pia Wurtzbach is set to publish her own fictional work, she announced today, Oct. 10, after signing a contract with ABS-CBN Publishing.

“I will be writing a fiction novel about a girl who faced a lot of struggles to get to her dream… I’m sure you’ll relate to this,” she said on Instagram.

Wurtzbach teased the plot of the book during the contract signing with the publisher on Thursday, October 10, as per a statement from ABS-CBN: it will be about a girl who enters a beauty pageant.

“It’s not my life story but it’s based on my experiences and the stories that I’ve heard and seen from other girls who have also joined,” she explained.

“I made this story really juicy, so these are all very real things that could happen to a girl when she joins.

It’s really her dreams.”

The Miss Universe 2015 titleholder started writing her book in August, though it had already been planned for over a year.

A title and release date have yet to be announced.

Wurtzbach is no stranger

Pia Wurtzbach

to writing as she previously wrote lifestyle articles for the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

Wurtzbach joins the roster of Filipino celebrity

Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach

authors who include Vice Ganda (“Tutoy”), Dimples Romana (“Dimps Tips”) and Alex Gonzaga (“Dear Alex, break na kami. Paano?!

Love, Catherine”).

Meet Sarah G’s most

PAGE 13 goal is to bring a dog named Happy to her lola because she believes he will be instrumental to the latter’s healing. After all, the moment the four-legged creature came into her life, she’s had nothing but a shower of blessings.

As the two make their way to the City of Pines, they meet different kinds of people.

With Jasmine’s sharp memory and Happy’s remarkable skills, they are able to help these individuals somehow, touching lives everywhere they go, and with every step bringing them closer to the person whose life they want to save the most.

“Iba siyang magmahal” is Unforgettable’s tagline, and Geronimo cannot agree more. The movie shows the special bond that is but natural between human and animal, which she herself expe-

rienced on the set with Milo.

“Jasmine’s definitely a very challenging role for me,” said the A-list celebrity, who incidentally won this year’s PMPC Star Awards for Best Actress for her role in the Philippine remake of the Korean hit “Miss Granny.”

Asked if working with Milo was the most challenging part of the movie, Geronimo giggled and said she actually found the dog very focused and professional on the set.

“It’s very different role lang po talaga kasi,” she humbly replied.

On the other hand, Geronimo feels a certain sense of pride that this particular movie isn’t hinged on a love team but the story itself. This is not to belittle Milo as a co-actor however since this handsome fellow has actual starred in numerous viral videos as well as Vice Ganda’s box office hit “Fantastica” in 2018.

In fact, as early as 2017, Milo has been appearing in various TV programs, showcasing his ability to play dead, roll, spin nonstop, jump through his master’s arms, remove his master’s socks, do a massage, and even pray before eating. According to his trainer Daryl Tristan Huertas, Milo was only two months old when he started to train him.

Given Milo’s fame, Geronimo admitted she was very excited to meet Milo and looked forward to working with him every day on set.

Besides the lead stars, Unforgettable will also see big stars like Regine Velasquez, Anne Curtis, Cherie Gil, Tirso Cruz 3rd, Yayo Aguila, Ara Mina, Kim Molina, Meg Imperial and Gina Pareño completing the cast.

And as Sarah Geronimo promises, the movie will live up to its title.

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