110819 - New York & New Jersey Edition

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N OVEM BER 8-14, 2019 Volume 13 - No. 1 • 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

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Robredo as drug czar: Are you ready for me?

MANILA — Vice President Leni Robredo on Wednesday, November 6, accepted President Rodrigo Duterte’s offer of a lead role in his brutal war on drugs, even though, she said, she expected his administration would try to make her fail.

Announcing her decision at a news conference, Robredo, 54, said she would use her position as cochair of the InterAgency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs to stop the killings

DATELINE

in the president’s crackdown on narcotics and bring the killers to justice.

“Even if we say this offer is playing politics and that agencies will not follow me and they will do everything for me to fail, I am ready to endure all this because if I could save at least one innocent life, my principles and my heart are telling me, I should give this a try,” Robredo said.

Taking a chance She said she was skeptical

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Groups sue Trump admin for making it ‘much harder’ for low-income immigrants to get citizenship fee waived THE city of Seattle, Wash. and five legal organizations have filed a lawsuit in California on Wednesday, October 30 against the Trump administration for changing the requirements for naturalization, which would make it difficult for immigrants to qualify for the fee waiver when applying for citizenship.

This comes after another effort to tighten the United States immigration system when the Trump administration on Friday, Oct. 25 updated the requirements to get naturalization fees waived, which the lawsuit cited as “a sudden and unlawful policy change.”

“The American promise must be open to all,” Seattle Mayor Jenny A. Durkan said in a statement. “Wealth is not and should never be a requirement of being an Ameri-

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about the president’s motives but would take a chance.

“I am against the killings of the innocent, I am against abuses committed by officials.

He knows my criticism. He knows what I plan to fix,” Robredo said.

The president appointed Robredo to the interagency committee against illegal drugs on Oct. 31, but Malacañang announced the appointment only CHALLENGE ACCEPTED. Vice President Leni Robredo makes her way to the Office of the Vice President in Quezon City on Wednesday, on Tuesday, November 5.

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November 6. Robredo accepted the challenge of President Rodrigo Duterte to take a role in the government’s campaign against illegal drugs.

Philstarc.om photo by Michael Varcas

Duterte to Western countries: Driver who killed Stop shipping trash to Asia New Jersey Fil-Am family

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, November 4, told Western countries to stop shipping their garbage marked as “recyclables” to developing Asian countries, listing the

sentenced to probation

Philippines, Malaysia, and Indonesia among the nations that have become dumping grounds for hazardous trash from the West.

“If we are talking about improving the ecology of the place, the environment, then we must take into account what we

A MARYLAND truck driver who drove across a median on a Delaware highway and caused a crash that killed a Filipino American man and his four daughters and injured his wife was sentenced on Friday, Nov. 1 to one year of probation.

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Duterte eyes war vs ‘plastic’

by GAEA

NEW MAYOR OF BERGENFIELD. The borough of Bergenfield, New Jersey has just elected its new mayor, council member Arvin Amatorio (second from right) along with his team Buddy Deauna and Ora Kornbluth who both got reelected to the borough council. Photo shows Amatorio and his team with New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy who visited Bergenfield on Tuesday, November 5. Amatorio is the second Filipino American to serve as mayor of Bergenfield after Robert Rivas who won as mayor in 2000.

Photo from Arvin Amatorio for Mayor Campaign

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte is considering banning single-use plastic, a major source of pollution.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said the chief executive “floated the idea to ban the use of plastics, which according to him would require legislative action” during the 43rd Cabinet meeting on Wednesday, November 6.

There are at least seven bills in the Senate and 20 bills in the House of Representatives seeking to regulate or ban single-use plastic products. All pro-

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Duterte eyes...

PAGE 1 posed legislation remain pending at the committee level.

Some local governments have passed ordinances to regulate the use of plastic products.

Plastic pollution is a problem in the Philippines. The country—along with China, Vietnam and Indonesia—is frequently listed among the top contributors to marine plastic pollution.

Every year, almost 59.8 billion pieces of plastic sachets are used in the Philippines, according to a study on the country’s pollution problem by the Global Alliance

From the Front Page

PAGE 1 It came after the president blasted Robredo for saying in an interview with Reuters on Oct. 23 that his war on drugs had overwhelmingly targeted the This file photo shows a man wading through the sea of trash. poor and that police were being Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas allowed to abuse their power. in the country is pegged at 16.5 for Incinerator Alternatives Robredo said the crackdown The report also showed that billion a year. was obviously not working, as According to the Plastic Atlas the drug problem remained more than 17 billion shopping bags are used across the coun- by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung prevalent. try and 1.1 billion diapers are and Break Free From Plastic, a The Philippine National Podiscarded every year. The use total of 9.2 billion tons of plastic lice acknowledges the killing of of smaller, thinner and often were produced between 1950 more than 6,000 mostly poor transparent plastic bags or labo and 2017. n users and peddlers in antidrug operations, but human rights groups say the real figure could be as high as 20,000.

In the Reuters interview, Rowhen the country shipped going to the North American bredo said international help, inmore than 2,000 tons of haz- continent. And I told them that cluding from the United Nations ardous wastes to the Philip- if they do not accept their gar- and the International Criminal pines. The two countries’ bage, then you just drop the Court, should be sought if the years-long diplomatic row only container near their ports,” government refused to change ended in May, when Duterte Duterte said. tack.

During the summit, he also ordered the Western country Nothing to lose to take back 69 containers of gave the suggestion of conOn Wednesday, she said she ducting regular meetings to had nothing to lose. trash.

“When I was told that this gather opinions and recom“In the end, the most imgarbage has been sent to us mendations from experts as portant consideration for me is by some counties, I ordered well as discourage developed simple: If this is the chance to immediately that they’d be nations from shipping their stop the killings of the innocent shipped out on the first ship trash to Asia. n and to bring to account those responsible, I will take upon this challenge,” she said.

“Mr. president, only two and a half years remain in your administration. It’s not too late. We can still work on this together,” she said.

She added: “They are asking me if I am ready for this job?

My question is: Are you ready for me?”

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Robredo would be welcome in the Cabinet.

“Her acceptance shows she is smarter than her colleagues in the opposition,” Panelo said in a text message.

In blasting her for her criticism last month, president Duterte said he would turn over his law enforcement powers to Robredo and make her lead the crackdown as his drug czar.

But her allies noted on Tuesday that her appointment was not as drug czar but as cochair of the interagency committee headed by Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) chief Aaron Aquino.

Her spokesperson, Barry Gutierrez, also said the position mentioned in her appointment was nonexistent, as the executive order that established the committee had no provision for a cochair of the panel.

Panelo said there was no need to amend the executive order to create a position for a cochair of the committee because

Duterte to Western countries: Stop...

PAGE 1 dump,” Duterte said during the Special Lunch on Sustainable Development at the 35th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Thailand.

“I think, Mr. Chair, this is as good as any other time and any place to tell the other countries, the Western countries, to be more circumspect,” he added.

A few years ago, Canada drew the ire of the president

Robredo as drug czar...

Vice President Leni Robredo addressed the media on Wednesday, November 6, to announce that she is accepting the designation to lead the anti-illegal drug campaign.

Photo from the Office of the Vice President

the president had continuing authority to reorganize the bureaucracy.

Gutierrez also pointed out that the appointment paper sent

by Malacañang to the Office of the Vice President did not describe the responsibilities and powers of the committee cochair.

On Wednesday, Panelo, answering reporters’ questions, said the scope of Robredo’s authority and responsibilities would be discussed by the President and the Vice President.

Panelo referred to Robredo as “drug czar” and said she would be “on top” of the government’s crackdown on narcotics.

Equal rank with Aquino Asked if Robredo and the PDEA’s Aquino were equal in rank on the committee, Panelo replied: “If they are cochair, then they’re the same.”

Aquino was presiding over a meeting of the committee on Wednesday when Robredo announced her acceptance of her appointment as his cochair.

“Everyone was happy,” he said, adding that all agencies on the committee gave assurance that they would support Robredo.

On Monday, Aquino said in a television interview that Robredo would fail as drug czar because she had no experience in law enforcement.

On Wednesday, however, he said he had wanted the Vice President to accept the job so they could “work together” to end the drug problem.

‘How can she fail?’

Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra said the talk that Robredo was being set up to fail should be dismissed.

“How can she fail? She cannot fail on her own. She is a member of the committee, she is cochair. So if all these illegal drug campaigns fail, then it is

not her failure alone, it’s the failure of the entire government,” Guevarra said.

He said he expected Robredo to serve in the enforcement cluster that had oversight on actual antidrug operations.

“She’ll probably sit there basically to see what’s going on, to ensure that the campaign is being done in accordance with law,” Guevarra said.

The officer in charge of actual operations, he said, is another presidential appointee — the commander of the National Task Force on Illegal Drugs.

“The Vice President is not being appointed to that position of overall commander. She is being appointed as cochair of the interagency committee and that spells a lot of difference because that includes policy-making as well. That’s where the Vice President can help, being a lawyer,” Guevarra said.

The PNP also welcomed Robredo’s acceptance of her appointment.

Sen. Ronald dela Rosa, the former PNP chief who pursued the drug war at the peak of the killings, said he was optimistic that Robredo would be able to contribute to the effort to eradicate the drug problem.

But he warned that deaths could not be avoided in the fight against drugs.

“War is not a bed of roses.

You cannot go into it by just looking cute,” he said.

In a statement, the Liberal Party, which is headed by Robredo, said that if the Vice President is given the powers she needs, the drug war can become part of the war against poverty. (Reports from Jhesset O. Enano, DJ Yap, Dona Z. Pazzibugan, Jeannette I. Andrade, Marlon Ramos, Melvin Gascon and Tetch Torres-Tupas/Inquirer. net)

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Dateline USa

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Give GCTA a chance –world Press freedom in PH dead if accused in Maguindanao massacre prisons association chief

by William

Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

The Good Conduct Time Allowance (GCTA) Law will give convicted prisoners a chance to reform and go back to society.

International Corrections and Prisons Association (ICPA) President Peter Van der Sande said during the opening of the 12th ICPA Conference this week in Buenos Aires, Argentina, that every prisoner is a human being who should be treated equally.

In a chance interview with The Manila Times, Van der Sande said even the most hardened criminal should be given a chance “to go back, reintegrate into mainstream society and reform.”

When asked about the “GCTA for sale” controversy in Philippine prison facilities, Van der Sande said what was important for the government was to correct the system and not deprive prisoners of their right to change.

“Despite the imperfections of the system, prisoners must not suffer since there are many convicts who are very much willing to begin a new life,” he said.

“I want to like to let you know and it is important to keep in mind that that anybody can change for the better even the guy who committed the serious crimes, so after [a] long period of

ICPA President Peter Van der Sande Photo from ICPA.org

imprisonment, it is good to reassess this person and maybe he becomes another person and keeps the possibility to build himself a new life in society,” Van der Sande added.

In his message to the conference delegates, Van der Sande urged every country to strengthen its correctional system since some great leaders themselves have tasted and suffered imprisonment. he cited the case of the great Nelson Mandela, who was imprisoned, regained his freedom and became the president of South Africa. he said there were countries whose penal systems

fell below international standards during his eight years as ICPA chief executive.

Van der Sande, however, explained that there was room for improvement of prison facilities around the world, citing that observing rules was one of the pillars of the justice system. “[W]e need to continue our common efforts in making aware the other countries of the importance of meeting the standards, making them aware that the basic rules are not disposable commodities, that they don’t ignore these principles if they don’t like them, that they cannot reject them in times of a session, these laws and the foundation of the correctional work, the pillars of the justice system,” he said.

The controversy over the sale of the GCTA to Filipino prisoners in exchange for their early release surfaced during a Senate inquiry in September, when witnesses testified that they shelled out as much as P50,000 to ensure the freedom of their convicted kin.

The GCTA Law was passed to benefit convicted prisoners who have shown exemplary conduct, and aging and sick inmates housed in the minimum security compound.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte had ordered the return of all inmates freed under the GCTA pending a review of their cases. n

Driver who killed New Jersey Fil-Am family...

PAGE 1 If Alvin hubbard III, the truck driver, does not satisfy the terms of his probation, he will face an upwards of 14 years in prison, Judge Calvin L. Scott ruled.

In 2018 following a trip to Ocean City, Maryland for the Fourth of July, the Filipino family — the Trinidads of New Jersey — was driving north on Route 1 in Delaware to their home in Teaneck, when a Ford F350 traveling southbound crossed over to the northbound lanes.

“Today, I feel my family was killed all over again,” the widow and mother and sole survivor of her family Mary Rose Ballocanag, told WCBS/Channel 2 News in response to the light sentencing.

hubbard, who admitted to being drowsy at the time, first struck a sedan, injuring the driver. Then, in a matter of seconds, hubbard crashed into the Trinidad’s minivan, killing 61-year-old Audie Trinidad and his daughters, Kaitlyn, 20; Danna, 17; and twin sisters Allison and Melissa, 13.

Trinidad’s wife, Mary Rose Ballocanag, 53, sustained injuries and was the only one in her family to survive the collision. In court, she detailed her injuries and despite undergoing eight surgeries will never be able to work as a nurse. “his one life will never be enough for the five people he killed,” Ballocanag said through tears in court.

“My physical pain is nothing compared to the mental pain and anguish of losing my entire family.”

In court, hubbard, who works as a welder, was also tearful. In November 2018, he was indicted on five counts of second-degree vehicular homicide, three counts of vehicular assault and charges of inattentive driving, driving across a median and disobeying traffic devices.

Originally, hubbard pleaded not guilty, but when the state returned with lesser charges — five counts of operating a vehicle causing death, one count each for second-degree and thirddegree vehicular assault — he changed to a guilty plea. (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

OPINION

The lawyer for the victims of the 2009 Maguindanao massacre — where 58 persons including 32 journalists were killed — said that press freedom in the Philippines should be considered dead if the accused are not convicted of murder.

According to lawyer Nena Santos, the essence of press freedom and democracy dies if people responsible for the killing of media people are allowed to get away.

“If there would be no conviction, I am sorry to say that press freedom in the Philippines is dead,” Santos said during a forum about the massacre on Tuesday, November 4, in Quezon City, which was organized by the National Union of Journalists in the Philippines (NUJP).

“Impunity, if no one gets into jail because of killing media people, so where is democracy there, where is

press freedom there when you can kill anybody?” she added.

Santos handled the case for 38 of the 58 victims, which include relatives of former governor and now Maguindanao 2nd District Rep. esmael “Toto” Mangudadatu, reporters and bypassers who happened to be at the site of the attack in Sitio Masalay, Ampatuan in Maguindanao.

The incident occurred last November 23, 2009, when the convoy was on its way to Shariff Aguak to file then Buluan town vice mayor Mangudadatu’s certificate of candidacy. he was seeking to challenge the Ampatuan clan’s stronghold in the province.

The convoy was flagged down and gunned down, despite the presence of several women including Mangudadatu’s wife.

The lawyer is hoping that the Quezon City Regional Trial Court (RTC), which has jurisdiction over the case,

would decide on the case either before the year ends or in early 2020. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra previously said that they are expecting the same.

“Tapos na ang kaso (the case is finished), we are just waiting for the promulgation of judgment for the 104 accused,” Santos said. “We are hoping that promulgation of judgment would be (made) this November, in time for the 10th year anniversary of the Ampatuan Maguindanao massacre.”

“Thus far, we have not received any motion and TRO (temporary restraining order) or any pleadings from the prosecution stopping the promulgation,” she added.

Over 200 individuals including former Gov. Andal Ampatuan Sr. and his son, Andal “Unsay” Jr. — considered as masterminds of the attack — were charged with multiple murder in the world’s deadliest single attack on journalists. n

THIRTY years may seem like a long way off, but it’s never too early to prepare for a cataclysm predicted by scientists.

Research conducted by U.S. science organization Climate Central showed that rising seas due to global warming could affect three times more people than previously projected.

More worrisome for Filipinos is that the research, published on Tuesday, November 5, in the journal Nature Communications, also showed that approximately 70 percent of people at risk of being inundated by rising seas are in only eight countries in Asia, including the Philippines.

Filipinos already know that coastal areas in the cities of Manila, Malabon and Navotas and, increasingly, parts of Bulacan province have been gradually sinking into the sea. Warming temperatures, however, could accelerate the sea rise and threaten many other coastal areas in this archipelago of 7,100 islands.

Under a new system of calculating land elevation and with the help of artificial intelligence, Climate Central estimated that up to 150 million people worldwide currently live in

PAGE 1 can citizen. Seattle will fight for the promise of America and against a pay-to-play approach to citizenship.”

The five legal service providers include the Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc. (CLINIC), Central American Resource Center of California (CAReCeN), Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC), OneAmerica and Self-help for the elderly.

The Dept. of homeland Security (DhS) — through United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — revised the “request for fee waiver” qualifications, eliminating a 2010 rule that allowed immigrants who receive certain government benefits to automatically qualify for a fee waiver.

USCIS Acting Director Ken Cuccinelli reasoned that the agency uses the fee to cover the costs of processing applications, and that the new rule “will improve the integrity of the program and the quality and consistency of fee waiver approvals going forward.”

Currently, the application fee for naturalization is $725, and USCIS said that

individuals may still request a fee waiver if they present proof that the annual household income is at or below 150% of the federal poverty line or if “they demonstrate financial hardship.”

In 2010, USCIS placed rules that automatically allowed lawful permanent residents — aka green cardholders — who receive certain government benefits like food stamps, subsidized housing or Medicaid to receive a waiver for the required fee for applying for citizenship.

Immigrant advocacy groups and elected officials denounced the rule change, noting that it puts a burden on lawful, low-income immigrants.

Legal and civil rights organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice (AAJC) estimated that the revised rule will impose “significant barriers” to naturalization for “tens of thousands of non-wealthy applicants each year.”

“This rule change is about changing the complexion of future immigrants from black and brown to white and furthers a class-based society that is discriminatory and unwelcoming,”

John C. Yang, president and executive director of AAJC, said in a statement.

“We cannot allow our government policies to reject the time-tested promise on the Statue of Liberty of a country that is accepting of the potential of the tired, poor, and huddled masses who year to breathe free in America.”

The USCIS fee waiver rule change comes after a slew of controversial immigration proposals the Trump administration has announced regarding lowincome immigrants.

Last month, the DhS announced it would require incoming immigrants to present proof of health insurance or proof that they can afford health insurance before applying for green cards.

As previously reported by the Asian Journal, the DhS has also sought to revise the terms of the public charge test administered to immigrants that determines whether or not they will need certain government benefits; federal courts, however, ruled against the policy and it has not been enacted. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

The Fil-Am Perspective

pabico Inquirer.net

lalu

5

FEATURES

Wiped out by 2050

not convicted – victims’ lawyer

by Gabriel

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019

areas that would be below hightide water level by 2050. That means nearly all of southern Vietnam including Ho Chi Minh City being wiped out as well as Mumbai in India and central Shanghai in the Chinese mainland.

Climate Central, based in New Jersey, is urging governments to ramp up defensive measures. Other Asian countries projected to be most affected by rising seas are Bangladesh, Indonesia, Japan and Thailand, with major cities among the most vulnerable.

At this point, according to the study, approximately 110 million people already live in places that are below the high tide line. In several areas, defensive measures have been put in place such as seawalls and levees. But the study pointed out that these are not always enough to stop inundation, as shown in the destruction of the levees in New Orleans during the onslaught of Hurricane Katrina.

A better, long-term response, as suggested by the study, is the relocation of coastal communities to higher ground inland. This has been done to a limited extent in the coastal villages devastated by Super Typhoon Yolanda in November

Editorial

Trump threatens to cut off federal aid to California wildfires after offering Groups sue Trump admin for making it ‘much... Putin help with Siberia’s forest fire

GEL SANTOS-RELOS PRESIDENT Donald Trump has threatened to cut off federal aid to California, home to the biggest population of Filipinos in the United States.

Almost 100,000 acres of wildfires have been raging

across the state since the last week of October alone, beginning with the Kincaid fire in Northern California.

As the Independent reported, “more than 198,000 acres of land has been destroyed across the region this year, with fires forcing people to flee their homes as 115 structures are razed to the ground in the last ten days alone.”

Three people have died and dozens have been injured in the 6,190 fires in 2019.

California has recently been seeing consistently destructive fires more often than ever before, wildfires are burning longer and harder to control.

From October to December, it is still expected to have the greatest fire potential as the Diablo winds and the Santa Ana winds pick up.

Climate scientists and fire behavioral experts have warned that heavy rains from months early in the year have produced PAGE 10

Philstar.com photo

2013. Relocation, however, is complicated, whether in Manila’s coastal barangays or in rural villages where people are dependent on the sea for their livelihood.

Still, it’s a challenge that no country at risk

can ignore. The sea cannot be rolled back, but disaster mitigation is possible. Scientists have been sounding the alarm for some time now.

It’s never too early to prepare for approaching catastrophe. (Philstar.com)

Robredo as a convenient distraction Commentary

ANTONIO P. CONTRERAS PEOPLE know that I am not a fan of Maria Leonor Robredo. I was at the forefront in exposing the mathematical anomalies that attended her ascension to the vice presidency. But unlike many of her critics, I find it unnecessary to focus on her character flaws, although many of which are actually jarring. I refrain from

calling her names. I openly criticize her for her policy pronouncements, or the lack of it, and her public statements, many of which are incoherent or simply eyebrowraising.

But obviously she has become the favorite target for ridicule by the pro-Duterte base in social media. She has been scorned for her manner of speaking, and her inanities, including her mathematical booboos. I have not openly attacked her personal relationships, but it is actually hard to focus on what she is saying when the optics

she evinces negates whatever logic one can divine from her pronouncements.

Frankly, there are many times when I kind of agree with what she is saying, like her criticisms of the war on drugs, but the moment she opens her mouth I really have to try hard to accept that we are on the same page.

I admit that this is patent prejudice. It emanates from the fact that I know so much about her, since I am also a native of Camarines Sur. As they say, familiarity breeds contempt. This is why when 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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Dateline PhiliPPines

PH to file protest vs China’s firing flares

CLEAN LAWTON UNDERPASS. Photo shows the newly painted underpass leading to Park ‘n Ride (Liwasang Bonifacio side) and Lawton Underpass (near City Hall). Manila Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso signed an executive order mandating all barangays and frontline service offices to conduct a weekly clean-up drive in the capital city.

PNA photo by Gil Calinga

Philippines posts 48% acquittal, 38% conviction rates in drug cases

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA — Despite the government’s massive antidrug campaign, an astounding rate of 48 percent of drug cases in courts have resulted in the acquittal of drug defendants while only 38 percent ended up being convicted.

Data for 2017 provided by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to the committee on dangerous drugs of the House of Representatives prompted lawmakers to ask authorities for an explanation on the low conviction rate of drug suspects.

“The problem mostly is with the law enforcers. They were not able to comply with the very strict requirement regarding the chain of custody

rule,” lawyer Francis del Valle of PDEA told the committee headed by Surigao del Norte Rep. Robert Ace Barbers.

Del Valle blamed some government prosecutors who acted as defense counsels of suspects as well as regional trial court judges who either invoke technicalities or who have a contrary view regarding the case undergoing trial in their sala.

“According to our witnesses, sometimes these prosecutors acted as defense counsels, especially if they are not familiar with the case. Although it is also very rare that prosecutors acted as defense lawyers,” Del Valle said.

Ako Bicol party-list Rep. Alfredo Garbin Jr. said he agrees with Dasmariñas City Rep. Elpidio Barzaga Jr. that

there is something wrong with the four pillars of the justice system.

Barzaga wants to file a House resolution for a random drug testing for congressmen.

“This is one way of preventing politicians from using drugs because their refusal will be deemed that they are drug-dependent,” Barzaga said, calling the Department of the Interior and Local Government as well to do random testing for governors and mayors.

Barzaga, chairman of the House committee on environment and natural resources, said the “existing reality” is that even clerks of court in cities and provinces have been infiltrated by drug lords, not to mention the police organization. n

Mexico wishes to renew diplomatic ties with Manila MANILA — The city governments of Mexico and Manila expressed willingness to “renew and reactivate” their diplomatic agreements.

“We wish to renew and reactivate the diplomatic ties of Acapulco and Manila,” Mexican Ambassador Gerardo Lozano Arredondo was quoted as saying during his courtesy call with Manila Mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso last Tuesday, November 5.

Arredondo said that like Manila, they also have a new leader in the capital.

He said Acapulco is willing

to cooperate and collaborate with the city of Manila.

The two nation capitals have been sister cities since 1969.

“We also have more programs, social programs,” the Mexican envoy said.

“We have to do something, we have to help the government,” he added.

Arredondo praised Moreno for his efforts to clean and revive Manila, as well as the city government’s effort to boost the tourism through the proposed creation of “tourism circuit” or the Manila Heri-

age Trail.

“You have to feel very proud because when people want to visit the Philippines, the first place they want to visit is Fort Santiago,” the ambassador said referring to the famed tourist destination inside the walled-city of Manila in Intramuros.

For his part, Moreno said he wanted to protect the history.

Arredondo is the 19th foreign ambassador to visit Moreno’s office and pay a courtesy call. (Rosette Adel/ Philstar.com)

MALACAñANG on Wednesday, November 6, said the Philippine government would file a protest over China’s reported firing of warning flares against a Philippine military aircraft patrolling the West Philippine (South China) Sea, saying such action is “provocative.”

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the government, through the Department of Foreign Affairs, would fire a diplomatic protest against China once the Department of Defense confirms the report.

“We’ll take the stand of the SND (Secretary of National Defense). We’ll have to validate what exactly happened there.

If that’s true we have to object to that,” he told reporters.

“Why not? If you’re doing things that will aggravate the situation there, there is already tension there. Precisely that is the common stand of the ASEAN members that there should be an exercise of selfrestraint among the claimants so that it will not aggravate the situation. Anything that will aggravate the situation, it

Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. plans to file a diplomatic protest against China against the alleged firing of warning flares against Philippine military aircraft patrolling the West Philippine Sea. ManilaTimes.net photo by Jeenah Moon

is [a provocative action],” the spokesman added.

ASEAN is the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Panelo made the statement after Armed Forces deputy chief of staff for Intelligence Reuben Basiao revealed that China fired flares against a Philippine military aircraft conducting maritime patrols in the disputed sea.

During a meeting with the

House Committee on National Defense and Security, Basiao said China had been making “significant improvements” in staking its claims in the West Philippine Sea. “Recently, Beijing has also issued flare warnings against Philippine aircraft covering these areas, and from January to June 2019, there have been six flare warnings against PhilPAGE 8

November 8-14, 2019 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

Robredo as a convenient...

PAGE 5

people ask me why I dislike her so much when we come from the same place, my simple answer is precisely because of what I know about her.

But beyond the prejudice emanating from familiarity, I also firmly believe that she doesn’t deserve to be vice president. And it is not because she doesn’t have the qualifications. After all, we are a country known for electing unqualified people to various positions, from local officials, to Congress, to even the presidency. It is simply because until now I am convinced that her ascension to the vice presidency was marred by massive and widespread electoral fraud.

I would have been more forgiving of her ineptitude and her personal flaws had she been elected fairly and above suspicion.

This is why it is simply frustrating to watch the painfully slow process that the electoral protest filed against her by former senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is taking. It is already half-way past the term of the post being contested,

and what has been finished is only the recount in the pilot provinces.

It is clear that there are many serious questions about the 2016 elections.

And these issues go beyond the protest of Marcos against Robredo. In fact, allegations of influence peddling and bribery were lodged against former Commission on Elections (Comelec) chairman Andres Bautista, which led to his impeachment by the House. Allegations of election anomalies even led to numerous hearings conducted by Congress. Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd even vowed to produce star witnesses to corroborate these claims.

Yet, nothing significant came out of this. Bautista, who would have provided a treasure trove of information about the alleged anomalies, was allowed to leave the country. Smartmatic remained as the service provider for our 2019 automated elections.

And Sotto never ever called his star witnesses.

Robredo has always been on the target range of President Duterte. He has been

Dateline PhiliPPines

quoted as saying that he would advise people not to vote for Robredo if she runs again. He has belittled her abilities. But it appears he is showing some restraint by not reminding her of the allegations of election fraud being hurled against her.

If there was one major beneficiary of this alleged fraud, it would be Robredo. And if there were indeed a genuine attempt to get rid of her, it would be easier to expose the fraud than to undermine her credibility by maligning her capabilities.

Yet, the President appears to be lukewarm about declaring war on election fraud. He did nothing when Bautista just resigned and left the country, despite being impeached. Given the chance to appoint a reformist Comelec, he stuck to appointing people he knows and not those who can bring in fresh and reformist ideas. He justifies his seemingly detached stance by making it appear that he is respecting the separation of powers, in that Comelec is an independent body, yet he showed no restraint in threatPAGE 10

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MUSIC AND LIGHT. Promenaders are dazzled by hundreds of lights as Ortigas East opened on Tuesday, November 5, the Christmas Street Light Musical Tunnel, which signals the nearing Christmas holiday.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

‘Hardworking’ Duterte needs rest — Palace PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte deserves some rest as he has been “working very hard,” Malacañang said on Wednesday, November 6.

Speaking to reporters, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said other world leaders expressed concern about Duterte’s health during the recently concluded regional summit in Thailand.

“If you will ask me, he really needs to rest kasi parang may mga comment dun sa mga leaders eh, parang yung (because there’s these comments from other world leaders that), ‘Your President looks overworked.

Don’t let him work too much,’” Panelo said during a press conference.

“Sabi lang naman namin, actually yeah he’s working very hard, and at the same time he had an accident. So that contributed to what you’re seeing now,” he added.

The Palace official said there was no final plan yet if

Duterte would take a leave for a week.

“Wala pa (There’s no plan yet). I’ll ask him. We’ll be talking anytime now,” Panelo said of Duterte, who will be presiding over a Cabinet meeting in Malacañang today, Wednesday.

“Eh workaholic yun eh.

Ayaw papigil magtrabaho nang magtrabaho. Tsaka maraming ano, you know the job of the President is just reading the briefers adn signing papers.

Matagal na trabaho yun. Most likely, he will lessen his volume of work para hindi siya masyadong pressured,” he added.

Panelo made the statement to allay anew public fears on the physical condition of the President, who had been diagnosed with muscle spasms after he underwent a magnetic resonance imaging and medical evaluation.

He said previously that the President was advised by

PH to file protest vs China’s...

PAGE 7 ippine maritime patrols have been noticed,” Basiao told the House panel on Tuesday.

According to him, China also deployed 17 research vessels in Philippine waters from January to June.

He said China’s operations had expanded to the Philippines’ eastern seaboard, particularly east of the Philippine rise.

“Other South China Sea claimants are likewise undertaking efforts to safeguard their claimed territories,” Basiao added.

In September, Greek-owned

oil tanker Green Aura manned

by Filipinos was “harassed” by a “Chinese naval warship” near Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal on its way to China.

A Chinese Coast Guard ship had also blocked in Ayungin (Second Thomas) Shoal three Philippine vessels that were on their way to replenish the supply of personnel on board the BRP Sierra Madre, a marooned rusty wartime ship in the Spratly Islands, according to a report from the Department of National Defense.

At least nine Chinese warships have sailed in Philippine

doctors to “rest for a couple of days and limit his physical activity, particularly avoiding standing or walking for long duration.”

Duterte, 74, had cut short his visit to Japan and returned to Manila after he complained of “unbearable pain in his spinal column” following his motorcycle accident.

The President visited Japan last month for the fourth time to attend the enthronement of Japanese emperor Naruhito.

Some world leaders have expressed concern over Duterte’s health after he fell off his motorcycle within the Presidential Security Group compound at Malacañang earlier last month.

Duterte will take a one-week break from activities when he returns to the Philippines after the 35th Asean Summit, his former top aide and now Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go had said. (Catherine Valente/ManilaTimes.net)

waters since February, with some of these ships failing to inform local authorities or even deliberately turning off their navigation systems to evade detection. Manila has protested their presence several times.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea, including parts of the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone in the West Philippine Sea. Beijing’s claims, however, had been found to be without basis by a The Hague-based arbitral tribunal created under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. n

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOvEmbER 8-14, 2019

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November 8-14, 2019 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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COMMUNITY Journal

United Nations body honors SEC for 6 years after Yolanda, shelter still a problem initiative on sustainability reporting

by MiriaM

DesacaDa Philstar.com

panies’ contributions toward achieving universal sustainability targets like the 2030 SDGs, as well as national policies and programs like AmBisyon Natin 2040.

“We are indeed elated and grateful for our recognition as one of the top recipients of the ISAR Honors 2019,” SEC chairman Emilio Aquino said.

“While we, the Philippine SEC, consider our sustainability reporting initiative as a reward in itself coupled with our belief that the responsibility to create a sustainable environment is an imperative that need not even be in our regulations, as it seeks the preservation of humankind, we accept this award with gratification as it would serve as an impetus to galvanize other organizations in our part of the world to take the same route and pursue this noble aim with much resolve.”

Launched in 2018, the ISAR Honors seek to support efforts on enhancing the quality and comparability of companies’ Securities and Exchange Commission chairman Emilio Aquino; Rachel Esther GumtangRemalante, OIC of the Corporate Governance and Finance Department, and securities reporting on sustainability isspecialist Karen Rocha receive the ISAR Honors from the United Nations Conference sues and on the 2030 Agenda on Trade and Development, represented by Mario Abela, during the recent 36th for Sustainable Development meeting of the Intergovernmental Working Group of Experts on International Standards and its usefulness for monitorof Accounting and Reporting at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland. ing the implementation of the Contributed photo SDGs. (Philstar.com)

THE United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) has recognized the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for promoting best practices in sustainability and reporting on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

UNCTAD presented the ISAR Honors to the SEC particularly for the issuance of the Sustainability Reporting Guidelines

for publicly listed companies through Memorandum Circular 4, Series of 2019.

The guidelines set forth the information that publicly listed companies will have to disclose in relation to their non-financial performance across the economic, environmental and social aspects of their organizations.

It also provides a framework for the reporting of the com-

Trump threatens to cut off federal aid to...

PAGE 5 an excess of vegetation. As the LA Times reported, this would lead to a lot of fuel that would become an abundance of dry fuel later in the year as the fire season gets underway.

According to the U.S. Forest Service and Interior Department officials in a report

by CNN, early projections indicated that the fire season would possibly be worse than the previous year.

Amid this ominous threat, Trump chose to berate and pick a fight with California Governor Gavin Newsom, asking the Democratic public official on twitter to “get his act together.”

In a barrage of attacks on Twitter against the largely liberal state, The Independent reported that Trump would again hammer on his old complaints of forest management, including recommending better cleaning of the forest floors, as he first did in 2018.

Highlighting the role of the environmental crisis in spreading the fires, Newsom responded on Twitter by saying, ”You don’t believe in climate change. You are excused from this conversation.”

Trump has been a climate

change denier, and has, in fact, formally told the United Nations on Monday, November 4, that the United States is pulling out of the Paris climate accord, a deal that was signed

by President Barack Obama.

The notice filed by the U.S. claimed the 2015 deal signed by 200 countries placed an “unfair economic burden” on the U.S. economy.

BUT WAIT! Did you know that Trump offered Putin help with Siberian wildfires? Reuters reported on July 31, 2019: “The U.S. president offered Russia cooperation in fighting forest fires in Siberia,” the Kremlin statement said.

“President Putin expressed his sincere gratitude for such an attentive attitude and for the offer of help and support.”

Think about this. California is the BIGGEST TAXPAYER among all the states of our nation, the richest state in the country and the 5th biggest economy in the world.

California is also among the states whose residents and public officials stand up to Trump and his pro-rich, profossil fuel, pro-gun and anticlimate change, anti-immigrant policies and his defiance of the Constitution and the rule

of law.

Russia, on the other hand, has assaulted our democracy, interfered in our elections and democratic processes and institutions to help Trump win.

And yet Trump is so subservient and meek as a lamb to Putin, making decisions and orders that benefit Russia’s interests more than the American people.

Digest this for a while. Tell me if you don’t see anything wrong with this picture. Tell me if you support and enable this politically and personalinterest motivated policy and action of this president.

If you don’t, then speak up and call him out. This is our nation, our world, our planet.

We have to fight for it, even if and especially if the threat is coming from the President of the United States. ***

GUIUAN, Eastern Samar — Six years have passed since Super Typhoon Yolanda hit the Philippines and Eastern Visayas’ economic rise is more visible than ever, yet families still suffer from a housing crisis in the region.

With no trace left of the destruction brought by the disaster, high-rise buildings, commercial establishments, malls and grocery stores can be seen in many cities in the region.

On Nov. 8, 2013, Yolanda, one of the strongest typhoons to reach the Philippines, unleashed its wrath on Eastern Visayas and plowed through central Philippines.

Unleashing heavy rains and powerful winds at 315 kilometers per hour at their peak, Yolanda made landfall at about 9 a.m. In a short while, it left the flooded islands of Samar and Leyte a ghastly wreck, killing an estimated 6,300 people, leaving more than 4.4 million homeless and the rest stunned in disbelief.

They lost their houses and their loved ones to Yolanda.

Through six long years, they have held on to the promises of politicians that they will be provided with new houses at a relocation site to regain a semblance of dignity. To this day, these Yolanda victims remain homeless – and neglected.

In Guiuan town, Regina Ortela and her five children luckily survived the onslaught of Yolanda by clinging to their neighbor’s rooftop as 10foot high floodwaters swirled around them at around 6 a.m. that fateful day.

In the aftermath of the super typhoon, Regina and her kids have had to move on to survive the wasteland. The Ortela family, together with thousands of

11

Philippines’ Health and Wellness CONFEX roadshow coming to America

On November 8, 2013, Yolanda, one of the strongest typhoons to reach the Philippines, unleashed its wrath on Eastern Visayas and plowed through central Philippines.

Philstar.com photo by End Gumban

similarly homeless families, clung to their hope for government help.

Hundreds of units in a housing project at Barangay Sapaw in Guiuan were unfinished and left to rot with neglect. Millions of taxpayers’ money have been wasted on the project that was supposed to be awarded to the homeless and displaced Yolanda victims.

A teary-eyed Regina could only sigh in despair. “We have been calling concerned local and national government officials to act on this. We should have been residing in these houses,” she lamented in Waray dialect during an interview with Opinion 8 this week.

Former Guiuan mayor Sheen Gonzales, in a separate interview, said that during his term, the town’s chief executive had no power to fast-track the project of the National Housing Authority (NHA). What he could do then was only to issue the necessary permits as required, he said.

The NHA had projected to construct more than a thousand housing units in three sites. The one at Barangay Sapaw had the highest allocation with at least 600 units. But the project contractor, Macasuhot Construction, failed to

finish the project for reasons undisclosed.

“Well I was surprised myself. I’m disappointed because this project had gone to waste.

The homeless and displaced families during Yolanda could have been living here already,” Gonzales said.

Those who grew tired of waiting decided to return to the place where they had their houses when Yolanda swept these away.

“They have no other option but to return to where they were before in order to survive. They only restored their destroyed houses there,” Gonzales added.

In Tacloban City, there are NHA housing projects that are among the most problematic sites in the region. The city government has been undergoing a process of revalidation of housing beneficiaries due to allegations that some barangay chairpersons committed anomalous selection of beneficiaries endorsed to the NHA. Ted Jopson, chief of the city government’s housing division, said that at least 12,000 out of 14,000 housing units given to Yolanda victims were already occupied, while the list for the remaining units is being revalidated. n

Robredo as a convenient...

PAGE 8 ening the courts against issuing TROs on some of his actions. It would not have been out of character had he also threatened corrupt Comelec officials.

Congress also appears to Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, be lukewarm to the idea of public service and educational broadcasting unearthing the buried secrets since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now of the 2016 elections. One serving the Filipino audience using different can remember the manner in platforms, including digital broadcasting, which some of its members and print, and is working on a new public tried to stifle the voices of service program for the community. You Glenn Chong and others who may contact her through email at gelrelos@ were trying to present eviicloud.com, or send her a message via dence of massive fraud. ConFacebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos. gress stood by as the Comelec renewed the contract with Relos.

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019

Smartmatic, despite the allegations made against it.

And it is here that one is tempted to entertain the thought that perhaps Robredo is being kept around as a convenient distraction.

After all, idiotic ideas are not her monopoly, as it also runs deep in the administration bench, like this ill-conceived proposal to tax even dried fish.

In the end, it is plausible that Robredo is being tolerated as an object to be trolled, like when she was offered to run the drug war. She is that clown who runs across the

arena to distract the bull to enable the matador to escape unharmed. She is the comic relief, the punching bag offered to divert attention away from more dangerous thoughts.

After all, it would not be farfetched to think that many of those who are in power and want to stay that way, or who crave it, would rather have a Robredo as vice president than a Marcos. This is simply because Robredo, compared to Marcos, would be safer for their political interests and ambitions. (ManilaTimes.net)

IS THERE HOPE FOR A PERSON WHO WAS SENT BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES, AIRPORT TO AIRPORT, FOR ADMITTING THEY WORKED IN THE U.S. ON A PREVIOUS VISIT? THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION AND MORE ON “CITIZEN PINOY: YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT!” The first batch of Kapamilya who attended the “Citizen Pinoy” taping in Virginia get the chance to have their questions answered this Sunday. Find out whether someone who jumped ship 16 years ago, but who now has a U.S. citizen son, can acquire her green card. Get answers to these and more on a brand new episode of — “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday at 6:15 p.m. PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ IN a previous article, I discussed some situations where there could still be hope (or a chance) even if the case was denied. Here are more examples: Petitioner died. Ordinarily, if the petitioner dies, the petition dies with him. However, in certain circumstances, the beneficiary may be eligible to apply for humanitarian revalidation or reinstatement of his petition. Or if the beneficiary

Is there hope after a denial?

Part 2

was in the U.S. when the petitioner died and has continued to live here after the death of the petitioner, it could be possible to process the case without even needing to seek humanitarian revalidation.

Case is denied because of fraud. If a person commits fraud in connection with seeking or obtaining an immigration benefit (such as assumed name entry, fake or altered documents, etc.) their case

could be denied. However, if they have a spouse or parent who is a U.S. citizen or immigrant, and can demonstrate “extreme hardship” on that relative, it could be possible to have a fraud waiver granted and the case approved.

Fraud waiver was denied.

Sometimes, a person files a fraud waiver, but it is denied because the officer was not satisfied with the documents PAGE 12

If a person is sent back to the Philippines, airport to airport, does that mean they are banned for life?

Get the answer to this question this Sunday on — ”Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot!”

“CITIZEN Pinoy,” the most popular immigration program on television, just finished several successful tapings with Kapamilya in Virginia.

This Sunday, get the answers to questions from the first batch of attendees, who likely have the same concerns and questions as you.

Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel

answers audience questions like “How can someone who jumped ship 16 years ago, but now has a U.S. citizen son, legalize their stay in the U.S.?,” or “My visa was approved when my sons were still minors, but due to lack of financial resources, the children were unable to go to the U.S. immediately. Can that same approval apply to them now

that they are in their 30s?”

The answers to these questions and more will be answered on an all-new episode of the information-packed, public service program on television —”Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot” — this Sunday at 6:15 p.m. PST/ EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

THE Health and Wellness CONFEX, a global campaign that seeks to promote the Philippines as a worldclass health and wellness center, is officially coming to America!

Originally launched in Dubai in 2018, this promotional roadshow produced its first conference-expo in Manila earlier this year in April.

Next year, for 2020, in collaboration with the Asian Journal Media Group, the Health and Wellness CONFEX will mark its official entry into the US market at the 3rd annual 2020 International Travel Trade and Consumer Expo. Dubbed “TTCE”, the grand event ignites, drives, and fuels businessPAGE 12

Shown above during the partnership signing ceremonies are Raphael John Oriel and Roger Lagmay Oriel of TTCE and Maricris Soriano, Joyce Selga, Cory Quirino, and Vilma Selga of HWC.

Shown from left during the partnership signing ceremonies are: Raphael John Oriel, Maricris Soriano, Joyce Selga, Cory Quirino, Vilma Selga and Roger Lagmay Oriel.

Asian Journal’s Travel Trade & Consumer Expo (TTCE) will be held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena (Los Angeles), California on August 8-9, 2020 featuring Health and Wellness Confex (HWC).

12

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NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA THINKING of coming home for a visit?

Many would if they could, especially retirees, who now have the time and the resources and in many cases, still in good health.

Travel requires one to still have the ability to move around, drag and heft 2 pieces of 50-pound luggage and carry-on pieces. If unable to do so, there are always baggage handlers that can be tipped generously to help you.

Well, why not? In good times and bad, there’s no Christmas quite like a Philippine Christmas.

In the best scenarios, a 3 week- whirlwind trip to the Philippines is what most Filipino expatriates living and working in the US or elsewhere in the world can shoot for. Aside from putting together the somewhat hefty logistical requirements (translation: money, whether in cash, debit cards or “kaskas” meaning credit cards), one truly needs to be a proactive tactician in mapping out how a Philippine trip pans out. So move over, Marco Polo. This is one of the ways it’s done, Pinoy style.

How do you make a Philippine trip memorable? For the jaded traveler who routinely goes back and forth

13

Getting the most out The entrepreneur awareness: It’s Jasmine’s time to shine Chito, Neri open up about cheating Finding your deepest why on mainstream cinema of a Philippine Visit

By Jan Milo Severo Philstar.com

Discovering my “why”

(Part 1 of 2)

“Travel makes one modest.

You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.”

— Gustave Flaubert several times a year, either for business purposes or as a jet setting lifestyle choice, the question is moot and academic.

But for the majority of expatriates who can only go on rare occasions because of personal circumstances affecting finances, workloads or family responsibilities, an expensive transcontinental time-out such as this merits thought — lots of it.

A Philippine trip should result in a treasure trove of feel-good experiences and ultimately, golden memories — that make the journey worth all the effort and time spent in excruciating detail, worth all of the expense and maybe, more importantly, worth every nanosecond of one’s hurried and harried expatriate life. The trip must be so good that it must be worth doing it all over again.

There’s much to see and do, remembering all too well that we lose a day going there which we regain on the return trip. We have

to make allowances for the effects of jet lag to settle in.

How does one get the best homecoming experiences?

In a word, PLANNING. Know that well-meaning friends and relatives already have first dibs on your limited time. So map out your itinerary (the places and experiences that you must see and do that are on the top rung of your priority list) and itemize your to-do list in detail, way in advance with the proviso that you must be open and flexible in your schedule.

The fine art of travel is remembering that an itinerary is just a guide and not necessarily etched in stone.

If need be, you must be able to revise on the fly when the occasion calls for it.

Going on a trip is like any other project. It needs a blueprint. It involves the mind-body-spirit connection. You have to be physically fit and mentally agile.

Consult your doctor before going on a regular exercise and diet routine a month PAGE 13

Philippines’ Health and...

manufacturers of health and wellness products can meet with US importers to explore business opportunities and forge mutually beneficial partnerships.

But the collaboration between the Asian Journal and the Health and Wellness World team does not just involve the Pasadena event. The Asian Journal will also help promote among to their global audience the other initiatives of the HWW team – including the Health and Wellness Confex2020 that will be held on September 11 & 12 next year at the SMX Convention Center, Metro Manila’s principal exhibition venue. After all, although based in California, the Asian Journal Media Group is headed by Filipinos who will be most happy to see the Philippines emerge as a leading health and wellness center.

(Advertising Supplement)

PAGE 11 to-business, business-togovernment, and businessto-consumer networking, direct sales and marketing, and brand engagement opportunities and collaboration between the US and Philippines.

To be held at the Pasadena Convention Center in Pasadena, California on August 8-9, 2020, is a two-day event powered and presented by the Asian Journal Media Group. The event will feature a Health and Wellness CONFEX Pavilion where sustainable wellness, beauty, tourism, fashion, food natural and green living products and services from the Philippines will be showcased including Internationallyaccredited Philippine hospitals, award-winning wellness resorts and specialty clinics

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019

manned by top Filipino dermatologists and cosmetic surgeons will have booths in the pavilion as well to provide a preview of the various services they offer which are already attracting a rapidly growing traffic of health and wellness tourists to the country.

This should prove particularly helpful for USbased Filipinos planning to go to the Philippines for health and wellness reasons.

As balikbayans, they can avail themselves of medical, dental, and even beauty and anti-aging services that are as good as, if not better than, the services they can get in the US – at a fraction of the cost.

The Travel Trade and Consumer Expo 2020 will also have a B2B matching session where Philippine

One Global Academy JONATHAN OBOZA PETALVER THE biggest and 1st question you have to ask yourself is “WHY” do you want to be an entrepreneur? Why will you provide this kind of service or sell this kind of product? The pitfalls I saw in more than decades of doing management consulting and conducting consultative and strategic learning programs to entrepreneurs is that, some entrepreneurs started strong but eventually folded out because they have a weak Mission Statement. Their WHYs are big but not deep.

Simon Sinek, one of the greatest thought leaders wrote in his book, “Start with Why” mentioned that understanding your deepest why will completely change your world view and restore your passion to a degree multiple times. Maybe your next question is “WHY start with WHY?”, what is the significance and advantages? In any business, bottom line is always profit. However, as your business grows, it is your WHY that will sustain its growth.

Some of the entrepreneurs

are lost when you ask their Mission Statement. The reason being is that they do not have a specific structure one learns when they enroll themselves in a Business School.

The terms and words are jargons for them. What they can share with you in full clarity is what they do and how they are going to achieve it. The only 2 questions they have are 1) What is my Mission all about and 2) How am I going to accomplish the mission.

In this article, let me guide you on how to discover your deepest WHY by giving you some points and tips on how to create your Mission Statement in the quest of providing your strategic value proposition. But first, please answer the following as to WHY you want to be an entrepreneur and start offering your products and services.

Why do I want to become an entrepreneur?

1.

What do I have to accomplish all these 1.

How I intend to start 1.

Peter Drucker, the father of modern day business management, did pioneering studies with some successful businesses and mentioned that asking the question “What is your business?” is synonymous with asking “ What is your Mission State-

Is there hope...

PAGE 11 or evidence submitted and was not convinced the qualifying relative will suffer extreme hardship. Sometimes it’s possible to seek reconsideration and submit new, additional, and stronger evidence. The person could also consider filing a new fraud waiver with a better presentation. Finally, they could appeal the denial to the Administrative Appeals Office (AAO) in Washington DC. Person was ordered deported/removed. Even if a person was ordered deported or removed, there could still be hope. For example, were there any procedural defects or irregularities in connection with their hearing? Are there any forms of relief available that were not asserted or not in existence at the time (such as just married a U.S. citizen

for love, U.S. citizen child just turned 21, etc.)? Perhaps the trial attorney will agree to reopen the case to allow the person to apply for relief. The case can also be appealed to the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA) if meritorious grounds exist and the appeal is timely filed.

These are only a few examples of where there could still be hope after a denial.

Although there cannot be any “guarantees” of success, if your case was denied, you should consider consulting with an attorney, who can evaluate your situation, and determine if there is hope in overcoming that denial and assisting in helping you reverse the denial and your case approved. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is

ment?”.

A Mission Statement is a concrete and enduring statement of PURPOSE that distinguishes you and the organization you represent from others. It clearly and deeply defines your “reason for being and purpose of existence”. In fact, a Mission Statement is your anchor all the time when times are tough as it helps you establish your objectives and assist you in formulating your key strategies in sustaining your competitive advantage.

In the book of Fred & Foster David, they call it a Creed Statement, a statement of purpose, a statement of philosophy, a statement of business principles, or a statement of “defining or business”, a Mission Statement reveals what an organization wants to be and whom it wants to serve that is why starting with knowing the WHY will guide you through the process of crafting your Mission Statement.

In the next article I will share with you the importance of having a clear Mission Statement and how to craft one. *** Jonathan Oboza Petalver is the Founder and CEO of Petalver Management Consultancy Services. He is also the President and Dean of One Global Academy U.S.A. (Advertising Supplement) 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 reenactments) 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)

By ChriStina alpad ManilaTimes.net

JASMINE Curtis Smith has appeared on every available medium for an actress — television, digital and the movies. Ever present and ever active in showbiz since she started in 2010, it should come as a surprise that “the movies” she starred in pertained to a filmography of indies.

Yes, she is locally and internationally recognized for critically acclaimed performances in the indie titles “Transit,” “Dementia,” “Bonifacio: Ang Unang Pangulo,” “Baka Bukas” and “Maledicto,” but save for a supporting role in the mainstream movie “Siargao,” the name Jasmine Curtis Smith has never landed a lead in a commercial film.

All that changes today though when cinemas across the country begin to screen APT Entertainment’s and Cignal TV’s romantic drama “Cara X Jagger,” where she shares top-billing with GMA Network’s popular primetime actor Ruru Madrid.

“I think it was just the right timing — I had to build myself first in the supporting roles [and] the cameos.

I had a few lead roles on TV and even in indies and

Jasmine Curtis Photo from Instagram/@jascurstissmith

I guess [the latter is how] I’ve been branded and marketed. Like we’ve chosen to really focus on the route of indie films [rather than the mainstream],” Smith told The Manila Times at the sidelines Cara X Jagger’s media conference.

Looking back at her almost decade-long career, Smith said it was only when she signed up with GMA in 2018, after seven years with TV5 Network, that she seriously considered doing more mainstream projects movie-wise.

“We started by doing

Getting the most out...

PAGE 12 before leaving.

Your immune system will be severely taxed, so a word to the wise — wash your hands often with a sanitizer you keep with you at all times in your travel purse. Get your flu shot.

It’s no guarantee but your layer of protection is better.

Whether it was just the placebo effect or not, as some dubious studies claim, I can swear by the efficacy of Airborne effervescent tablets.

Airborne, after all, seems just Vitamin C pumped up to the max and sold with a good, homey storyline. Do what works for you. Your immune system should be braced for the assault on your body particularly in self-contained, confined spaces like airplanes and waiting rooms where air is re-circulated.

No one is totally immune from the cold and flu virus, so be on the defensive. If at all possible, stay away

from the obviously afflicted. If you yourself are down for the count, then isolate yourself. And for heaven’s sake, wear a mask. Hydrate always, well, maybe not during the 16-hour direct plane trip when holding your water in your bladder can be tricky.

You estimate and gather the money required. Fudge the figure twice as much and be warned. Your money will be as fluid as water gushing out of a broken water main.

Have one or two credit cards with you for backup and call the 800 number and give them a heads-up to let them know that you will be in the country during a particular period. Fraud units of credit card companies study your spending patterns and much to your dismay, may put a hold on your credit card transaction if it registers you are buying far away from your place of residence. You will end up calling their number to

some work for Regal and then “Siargao” [the 2017 Metro Manila Film Festival entry starring Jericho Rosales and Erich Gonzales] but this time, first time na mainstream lead ako, which I am really thankful for because it’s a really good story to act out and tell the audience,” the 25-year-old remarked.

In the romantic drama, Curtis plays Cara opposite Madrid’s Jagger — a former couple still enduring the pain of their breakup. Cara does everything she can to forget the dreadful event that ruined her relationship with Jagger, who in turn is struggling to remember his past after losing his memory in an accident.

“It’s a very different kind of love story,” Smith proudly said of the movie.

“Cara X Jagger is character-centric and though the conflict between Cara and Jagger is quite unusual, their story still represents what love is all about which is loving someone unconditionally and moving on no matter how painful a relationship becomes,” she added.

No regrets Asked by The Manila Times how she feels over PAGE 15

prove your identity, which is not an 800 number, and for which you will pay for the long distance call.

Make sure you bring dollars in near-mint condition because shopping mall moneychangers will refuse old, tattered currency with cuts or writing. A lot of non-mall shopping transactions will be in cash, so be prepared to bring cash on your person or in a zippered, discrete purse you keep with you at all times.

Vigilance is the key when out in public. Thieves have trained eyes and can home in on a hapless victim.

Keep your purse on the side of your body where your shopping companion walks. Beware of distractions and scripted street dramas designed to keep you off guard.

(To be continued in next week’s issue…) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send com m e n ts , e -m a i l m on e tte . maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.

FORMER actress and now entrepreneur Neri Naig Miranda opened up about cheating issues and her experiences with husband Chito Miranda.

In her video blog on her YouTube channel, the former ABS-CBN actress admitted that Chito had so many girls before they got married.

“Si Chito kasi noong boyfriend-girlfriend pa kami, may mga kausap siya sa phone, may ka-text. Ang dami! Hindi lang isa, super dami! Hinayaan ko lang siya. Nagtimpi ako.

Never ko kinonfront ‘yung mga girls. Ang gagawin ko lang talaga, ‘Hi! I’m Neri,’ aabot ko kamay ko, maghahandshake. Hindi ako ‘yung mag-i-iskandalo,” Neri revealed.

“Show them kindness.

Show them ‘yung reasons kung bakit ikaw ang mahal,” she added.

Chito, meanwhile, defended himself, saying that flirting is different from cheating.

Chito Miranda and Neri Naig-Miranda

“Ang pagiging malandi tingin ko likas ‘yan sa isang lalaki, na mag pa-cute lang kahit sa mga babae. They love the fact that they are attractive. It’s an ego boost.

It’s normal. Tingin ko human nature ‘yan. Pero pagiging malandi lang ‘yun.

Cheating starts when you start doing stuff behind her back,” the Parokya ni Edgar frontman explained.

“Ako mayabang ako, e.

Philstar.com photo

Never ko tinago sa ‘yo. Sa harap mo, sasagutin ko ‘yung phone. So ‘pag lumalandi ako sa harap mo, it’s not cheating. It means kupal lang talaga ako,” he added.

Nonetheless, he confessed that what he did was still cheating: “Meron pa din cheating. ‘Yung fact na may mga tinatago ako sa ‘yo before. Like, bago umuwi dadaan ako sa bahay ng ibang girls.”

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(212) 655-5426 (212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com N E W http://www.asianjournal.com YO R K / N E W J E R S• EY N OV E M B E R 8 , 2 0 1 9

NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019

JM admits, ‘I am a lucid dreamer’ Filipino-American dance...

By Nathalie tomada Philstar.com

people events arts culture entertainment

ROBERTO VILLANUEVA, FOUNDER OF BALASOLE DANCE COMPANY

Filipino American dance artist gives back to his homeland

R

by MOMAR

G. VISAYA /AJPress

OBERTO Villanueva, acclaimed Filipino-American dance artist, is set to embark on a mission trip to the Philippines to offer master classes, lectures and workshops as his way of giving back to the country of his birth.

“About five years ago, I did some assessment of my life, career, experiences, and future. Then I asked myself the question “what have you done to positively impact others?” Villanueva shared.

For the past few years, he has been grappling with this thought and this year, he arrived at the decision of pursuing a mission trip to the Philippines to share his skills and knowledge with the dance community as a professional artist.

Villanueva thought of BalaSole Dance Company, a non-profit dance organization he launched in the U.S. back in 2010 and how it has

been helping a lot of dance artists, as well as young and elderly people. This organization provides visibility and mentoring to dance artists who are marginalized and overlooked because of their size, shape, color, age and style.

“I also asked myself another question—“Are there opportunities for me to do more?” Then I had the idea of doing a mission project/ trip outside of the U.S. and I immediately thought of the Philippines,” Villanueva shared. “At that time I also came to the realization the discipline and strong work ethic that led to my successes were attributes to my upbringing and formative

years in the Philippines.”

Born in the Philippines, Villanueva left the Philippines in 1984 and didn’t revisit the country again until after about two decades. He recalls instantly reconnecting with his roots and the culture after his initial visit and he has been doing his annual visits ever since.

He has 28 years of professional experience in the field of dance as a producer, director, performer, choreographer, adjudicator and educator in the U.S., Europe and Asia, as well as 25 years of professional background in business, financial, non-profit, operations, organizational and arts management.

Villanueva currently serves as Director of Dance and Adjunct Professor at the College of Mount Saint Vincent and as Group Sales Manager for the world-renowned Dance Theatre of Harlem. He trained at the Alvin Ailey School, SUNY Purchase Conservatory of Dance and University at Buffalo, where he received his B.A. in Dance Performance. Villanueva has produced and directed 19 New York City concert seasons for BalaSole Dance Company.

From November 8 - 16, 2019 he will be donating his performances, lecture presentations, workshops and master class to some of the top universities in Manila —namely University of the Philippines (UP), De La Salle University (DLSU), De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde (DLS-CSB), and Ateneo de Manila University (AdMU).

Villanueva has thought of a Photo by multi-pronged approach for the Eric Bandiero classes he is planning to hold, in

order to maximize impact.

For the master dance classe s , h e

wants t h e students to learn a different style of contemporary dance and efficient approach to movement. For the lectures, he wants the students to have a more holistic understanding of the professional field of dance—the creative process, the business aspect, its value, career options, financial sustainability and physical longevity.

For the workshops, he wants the students to understand and recognize the interdisciplinary aspect of and innovative thinking in the field. For the show/ performance, he wants the students to witness and learn about how he applies everything that he covers in his master classes, lectures, and workshops.

Hailed for his technical virtuosity and compelling personality, Villanueva has received several accolades from various critics in the dance community.

According to Villanueva, he attributes the successes in his personal, corporate and artistic life to his upbringing and formative years in the Philippines.

He has performed with dance companies such as Complexions Contemporary Ballet, Alpha Omega Theatrical Dance Company, Steeledance, Marie-Christine Giordano Dance, Pick of the Crop Dance, and Buffalo City Ballet. He has worked/mentored artists from world renowned companies including the Martha Graham Dance Company, Limón Dance Company, Lucinda Childs Dance, Parsons Dance, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Lar Lubovitch Dance Company, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Joffrey Ballet, Les Ballets Trocadero De Monte Carlo, Ballet Frankfurt, Paul Taylor Dance Company, Twyla Tharp Dance, Giordano Dance PAGE 15

Photo by Joseph Pe

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JM de Guzman is starring in a Cinema One Originals 2019 filmfest entry titled Lucid, which tackles the theme of lucid dreaming.

In the film, Alessandra de Rossi plays a lucid dreamer whose “boring” waking life and “exciting” dream life begin to blur when she meets the character of JM. “It’s called Lucid for lucid dreaming, the ability to control your dreams and you can go anywhere,” said director Victor Villanueva in a C1 Originals presscon.

During lucid dreams, a dreamer is said to be aware that he or she is dreaming. “It’s based on real-life stuff,” Victor also said.

Lucid dreaming may be a novel or strange idea to some, but JM believes in it and sometimes practices it.

“Yes, I am a lucid dreamer. I listen to meditation frequency in the brain to trigger lucid dreaming. There’s music, there’s a humming sound,” the 31-year-old actor recently told The STAR. “Yes, I remember my dreams. Very vivid. Sometimes, kahit paghinahawakan ako, nararamdaman ko because I’m aware that I’m dreaming.”

Asked what he likes to dream about, he said happy things.

“Gusto ko masaya, gusto ko mga amazing but so far, napapanaginipan ko ay puro war. Like, may mga submarine-like planes na pang army. Tapos biglang may kuryente… (In my dreams), I see in one view, lahat sila bumabagsak. Then in another view, biglang babaha na.

“Minsan, nagkaroon ng anarchy,” JM shared.

“Nightmare daw sabi ng psychiatrist ko,” he said with a laugh.

“Ang sabi kasi kailangan ilista mo daw, pero di ko malista, so I would draw the details.”

How did he get into lucid dreaming? “Before pa yan, bata pa ako because I used to meditate through (methods like) Isochronic tones… where you relax your brain and focus. Then, I encountered (the topic of) lucid dreaming and out-of-body experience. I’m a very curious person.”

That’s why, when the film project Lucid was offered to him, “nagustuhan ko because I believe in it.

At the moment, JM de Guzman tries to stay positive and focus on improving himself further. It’s no showbiz secret what he went through to become sober for three years now. He dreams of building a house for his family and has started a mixed martial arts business. ‘For now,’ says JM, ‘my short-term plan is to give back first. I really felt the grace and blessing from God. I plan to give back to others. I’m trying to fix that.’

Philstar.com photo

The director didn’t know (I was into it). He was also surprised.”

Does he try to dream about the future? “In my daydreams, yes,” he answered.

JM went on to share, “I dream of a simple life, to secure a home for my family and their education. And ayun, lahat ng pinagdaanan ko sa buhay, parang simulation… Dun ko i-apply na ililihis ko sila sa pinagdaanan ko.”

No, he doesn’t dream about settling down and finding a lifetime partner.

“Not yet, maybe 10 years from now. Save first.”

But when asked if he’s in a relationship, JM confirmed yes.

“Yes, I’m in a relationship,” he said, “with God.” “He’s a very jealous type,” he added.

So, there’s no truth to rumors that he’s in a romantic relationship with actress Ria Atayde.

“She supports me naman in my relationship. She’s a very good influence. With the level of closeness in our friendship, she improves something in me as a person. I would like to believe I’m also like that to her. We learn from each other, we pinpoint each other’s mistakes and we support each other. For now, it’s a very treasurable (situation). We enjoy each other’s company. She’s a rare find.”

JM is also very close to Ria’s family, including her brother Arjo, mom Sylvia Sanchez and even her father Art Atayde.

So close that Ria’s father could tease JM about the case filed against him that stemmed from a bar brawl incident last May, without him getting offended.

“Basta tinitigan lang niya ako, kumusta ka? Mabait ka na ba? Tapos (sabi ko) may kaso ako. ‘Makukulong ka na (laughs).’ Sabi ko, ayoko!”

Nevertheless, JM readily admitted that the pending case made him anxious.

“Na-a-anxious ako kasi marami na siyang damage na nagawa sa akin, emotionally, career-wise, and in my image which I tried to clean up for so many years and dinumihan niya.”

He further told the press, “You know me. If I made a mistake, I would tell you, yung baho ko. Pagdadaanan ko yung hirap, from the very bottom, to prove myself, that I didn’t mean it.”

He confirmed he counter-filed a case. “So ngayon may ganyan, I will fight (to defend myself).”

At the moment, JM tries to stay positive and focus on improving himself further.

It’s no showbiz secret what the actor went through to become sober for three years now.

He dreams of building a house and has started a mixed martial arts business with Sylvia.

JM said, “For now, my short-term plan is to give back first. I really felt the grace and blessing from God. I plan to give back to others. I’m trying to fix that now.”

PAGE 14 Chicago, and Rockettes.

Villanueva won the national title “Mr. Dance of America” from Dance Masters of America. He has been nominated for The Outstanding Filipino Americans in New York Award under the Arts & Culture category for his achievements as a dance professional. He also received a “Distinguished Alumni Award” from the University at Buffalo’s Theater & Dance Department for his contributions in the field of dance.

Follow Villanueva’s journey in the Philippines in the following venues: • November 8, 2019, De La Salle University – Villanueva will be providing solo performances and brief lecture presentations for physical education students as part of DLSU Culture and Arts Office’s “Art in Action” Program. The lecture presentations will cover topics such as Value Proposition, Creative Process, and Careers in Dance, and The Business of Dance.

• November 11, 2019, University of the Philippines – Villanueva will be conducting a Contemporary Dance master class and a lecture presentation on “The WellRounded Dance Professional” for UP College of Music Dance Program students.

The lecture presentation will provide the students valuable insight and holistic perspective on the professional field of Dance and cover topics such as Value Proposition, Audience Engagement & Creative Process, Basic Financial Literacy, Strategic Career Trajectory, The Business of Dance, The Optimal Body, as well as other key

concepts/practices taught in business schools and corporate settings as they relate to the field of Dance.

• November 12, 2019, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde – Villanueva will be providing DLS-CSB School of Design and Arts Dance Program students and other field experts a lecture presentation on “The WellRounded Dance Professional.” The lecture presentation will provide the students valuable insight and holistic perspective on the professional field Dance and cover topics such as Value Proposition, Audience Engagement & Creative Process, Basic Financial Literacy, Strategic Career Trajectory, The Business of Dance, The Optimal Body, as well as other key concepts/practices taught in business schools and corporate settings as they related to the field of Dance.

• November 14, 2019, Ateneo de Manila University – Villanueva will perform several solos in the remake of his one-man show titled “Pieces of Me: An Inside Look At A Filipino-American Dance Artist’s Journey on November 14, 8PM-10PM, at Doreen Black Box, Soledad V. Pangilinan Arts Wing, Areté. The production, an evening of solos, is being sponsored and presented

by Areté and the School of Humanities, Loyola Schools, Ateneo de Manila University. To further expand the involvement of the Philippine dance community, Villanueva will personally select five local Filipino artists to also perform his solos in the program. Through Villanueva’s personal commentaries, the audience will get a unique glimpse of his

life as a dance artist in New York City, his perspective on the challenges and imbalances in the field of concert dance, and his inspiration for each solo. Never one to hold back, Villanueva’s show is distinguished for its intelligence and honesty, and designed to reveal both his artistic strengths as well as his personal vulnerabilities.

Villanueva will also perform and premiere his new solo “Arugain” as a tribute to his mother, other mothers worldwide, and his motherland. Tickets are free for students upon presentation of an ID card, or PHP 200 for non-students (Buy tickets at bit.ly/piecesofme19).

• November 15-16, 2019, Ateneo de Manila University – Villanueva will conduct two workshops on “Design Thinking For Everyone Through Dance Making” for dancers and non-dancers on November 15, 6PM8PM, and November 16, 10AM-12PM, at 2F William and Claire Tan Untiong Performing Arts Studio, Areté – Ateneo’s Creative Hub. This dance-making workshop is for anyone who wishes to explore design thinking and innovation through movement as a tool to express ideas, develop themes, tell stories, visualize phenomena, and create products.

The workshop is ideal for people who desire to explore interdisciplinary work in or between the arts and the STEM/business fields. After a familiarity with movement patterns, participants get the chance to design their own movement sequences to reveal unique insights on a given subject. Tickets are P150 (Register at bit.ly/DTDMArete).

It’s Jasmine’s time to...

PAGE 13 waiting a long time to land a lead in mainstream cinema, Smith candidly replied, “OK lang because I’m not the type to rush. I wasn’t looking for that in my career; I was just really looking for good stories to be part of and good projects to be casted in.”

Contrary to what others may think, for Smith, progressing via the indie route proved to be very valuable for her.

“I think it allows you to grow more and to be patient with yourself kasi I think if you rush or pressure your-

self to immediately get that, mas malaki yung chances of disappointment. But if you just give yourself the chance to breathe and just accept what’s in front of you, you’ll be able to enjoy it and you’ll be able to give it more value.”

Smith further revealed she was earlier offered to star in a mainstream movie with Alden Richards.

“Before Cara X Jagger, I was offered [to do lead roles] maybe three times and it just so happened na either, hindi natutuloy. I was also meant to do a film four or five years ago, with APT and Alden —

that was meant to be my first mainstream role but tingnan mo naman — fours years pa ulit bago natupad yung project with APT.” In ending, the most important lesson Jasmine Curtis Smith has learned in pursuing a showbiz career: “Everything is timed perfectly. I just feel like [my experience] gave me so much room to grow within and outside the professional world, which I think so important. Kasi pag nandito ka na sa industriyang ito, sunod sunod na rin, makakalimutan mo rin yung sarili mo labas sa trabaho.”

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NOVEMBER 8-14, 2019 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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