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DATELINE USA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Palace blasts Sanders on human rights issue MALACAÑANG on Sunday, November 17, lambasted U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders for accusing the Duterte administration of committing “abhorrent” human rights abuses against workers.

In a tweet posted on Friday, November 15, Sanders, a self-described socialist who is seeking nomination as Sen. Bernie Sanders presidential candi- Photo from Twitter/@BernieSanders date of the Democratic Party, criticized the Philippines’ alleged crackdown on workers, calling it “a shameful attempt to silence people’s rights and freedoms.”

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

Sea row tops Duterte agenda

by CATHERINE

VALENTE ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines’ territorial dispute with China and other security matters will be President Rodrigo Duterte’s top agenda when he meets other world leaders at the Association of Southeast Asian NationsSouth Korea Commemorative Summit in South Korea next week.

Duterte said the “equilibrium of geopolitics,” including issues such as the tension in the Korean Peninsula and the Spratly Islands, must be discussed during the regional summit, which will be held in Busan from November 25 to 27.

“Security talaga (It’s really about security). And it’s obvious, it is now the equilibrium of geopolitics. You know North Korea then the Spratly Islands. The South Koreans are also against the occupation of the South China (West Philippine) Sea and the claim of China.

This will be taken up because one day, when we decide to really go for it, it will be the Western powers plus Seoul, plus Tokyo, and Australia. Malaysia, I’m not sure of Malaysia if they’ll join the fray,” he told

reporters late Tuesday, November 19.

“If it is to the interest of the Republic that I will commit to any [agreement], then I will. But if it is not to the interest of the people of the Philippines, I will never commit to anything that would even jeopardize one life,” he added.

The Palace earlier announced that Duterte would probably meet with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

Duterte said the bilateral meeting with South Korea was not part of the agenda, but would be a “pull aside” meeting.

He said it was important for him to constantly build the country’s ties with Korea because “many things are at stake.”

“One is that we are buying arms. Second is that there are many assistance on the way, coming. Third is Seoul is a vital partner,” he explained.

On Tuesday, South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong-man noted that the Philippines and South Korea were scheduled to sign several agreements during the bilateral meeting between Duterte and his Korean counterpart.

“After the summit, we are envisioning to have an MoU (memorandum of understanding) signing, regarding the educational cooperation and the social security and also cooperation on fisheries, as well as tourism implementation,” Han said.

He added that the two leaders were expected to discuss ways to increase trade volumes and conclude the free trade agreement between the Philippines and Korea.

“I think we have many potentials to develop our trade and investment. So in the future, we can increase our trade volume up to $200 billion by 2020,” he added.

Defense and logistics cooperation, and efforts to enhance people to people exchange would also be among the topics discussed, he said.

South Korea currently remains the top tourism market for the Philippines with 1.6 million visitors last year.

Han vowed to raise this number up to 2 million visitors before his term as ambassador ends.

The envoy said 450,000 Filipinos visited South Korea last year and an estimated 500,000 were expected to visit this year. ■

De Lima supporters mark her 1000th California sells innovative day in detention, social bonds to assist call for her release u PAGE A2

the homeless

by KRISTINE JOY

SACRAMENTO – California State Treasurer Fiona Ma announced the sale of $500 million in revenue bonds for the State’s No Place Like Home (NPLH) program, a groundbreaking effort to use voter-approved income tax revenues earmarked to help relieve the state’s homeless problem.

The bonds sold on Tuesday, November 19 are designated as “Social Bonds” because they follow the Social Bond Principles adopted by the International Capital Markets Association.

They are the first portion of $2 billion in bonds authorized by Proposition 2, approved by voters

Philstar.com

PATAG

MANILA — Supporters of Sen. Leila de Lima on Wednesday, November 20 marked her 1000th day in detention and called for the dismissal of the drug charges against the lawmaker which they said is trumped up.

De Lima is facing conspiracy to commit drug trading charges before Muntinlupa courts, and has been detained inside the police headquarters in Quezon City since February. 24, 2017.

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LIMITING ROBREDO’S POWERS. President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, November 19, said Vice President Leni Robredo would remain as Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) co-chair but would have limited access to classified information in the fight against the proliferation of illegal narcotics. The information is state secrets, the president said, which include everything from sensitive matters with the Philippines’ relations with other countries like China and the United States.

Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano

Duterte warns judiciary not to mess with vaping, e-cigarettes ban

by NESTOR

CORRALES Inquirer.net

MANILA – President Rodrigo Duterte warned the judiciary on Wednesday, November 20 not to interfere with his order to ban ecigarettes/vaping in the country.

“Judges, I warn you, do not issue restraining orders to the Customs, to the Coast Guard,” Duterte said in a speech during the 80th anniversary of the Department of National Defense at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“I will not obey your order because of the peculiar situation this country finds,” he added.

The President ordered on Tuesday night, November 19 the ban on the use and importation of ecigarettes.

He ordered the police to arrest those who would violate his order.

He said there was no executive order yet on the ban but ordered the police to arrest violators.

“I immediately ordered last night to confiscate and arrest

people vaping in public places,” he said.

“Meaning to say, the safest way to do it is in your house. But if you are not that stupid, when you do that, you contaminate all including your children in the family,” he added.

Duterte said there is a law “which says that you cannot distribute toxic materials in public places.”

“And that is why in public places I told them to arrest,” he said. ■

Robredo says her work continues even without Cabinet rank

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

VICE President Leni Robredo on Tuesday, November 19, said her work continues as the administration’s anti-drug czar despite not being a Cabinet member.

Her statement came following President Rodrigo Duterte’s announcement he was not allowing Robredo to join his Cabinet, expressing concern over Robredo possibly disclosing sensitive information discussed during Cabinet

meetings to various groups.

Robredo, for her part, said she would continue to do her job as drug czar despite not getting the president’s trust, stressing that her focus is on getting the job done and not on squabbling with administration officials who have questioned her inclusion in the Inter-agency Committee on AntiIllegal Drugs (ICAD).

“When I accepted the job, it did not matter to me whether it was of Cabinet rank or not. It’s full steam ahead. I began working on the

first day,” said the vice president in Filipino.

Some officials are also against sharing information with Robredo since she is the leader of the opposition. Among them include Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) Undersecretary Ricojudge Echiverri who said Robredo might sell them out in the future, and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency director general Aaron Aquino who claimed it is beyond Robredo’s mandate as

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Recto: No funds provided for national ID

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

SENATE President Pro Tempore Ralph Recto on Tuesday, November 19, noted that despite the Duterte administration pressing Congress to pass the National ID law and making it the highest priority, it did not provide funds for the bill’s implementation since its enactment in 2018.

“That was two years ago, when we passed the law certified as urgent by the Palace. During the debates then, we were told that the plan was to cover 100 million people in four years,” he said.

“But it now appears that there’s a wide gap between intent and implementation. The proof has always been in the funding. And in the case of the national ID project, it is wanting,” he added.

According to Recto, there will be no 2020 General Appropriations Act entry, no ID, unless the situation is rectified.

Signed by President Duterte on Aug. 6, 2018, Republic Act 11055 (Philippine Identification System Act) – which establishes a single national identification system referred to as PhilSys for all citizens and resident aliens of the country – promotes seamless delivery of service; improves the efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of public and social services; enhances administrative gover-

The proposed Philippine national ID.

nance, reduces corruption and curtails bureaucratic red tape; averts fraudulent transactions and misrepresentations; strengthens financial inclusion; and promotes ease of doing business.

Philstar.com photo

When Recto asked if there were funds for the national ID system during the deliberations on Monday, November 18 for the proposed 2020 budget of the Nation-

MON CARGO 1/32

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ITUC refuse to closely look at the facts at hand, and instead choose to make blanket statements that the Philippine government supposedly violates human rights,” Andanar said in a statement.

“We urge all observers and critics to check their facts as some may fall victim to the lies peddled by communist terrorists — terrorists that have humanitarian organization fronts seeking funding from other legitimate international institutions, only to be used for violence,” he added.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Sanders’ remark was a baseless allegation.

“I think it’s a shameful attempt also on his (Sanders) part to provide information that he did not validate. He was just repeating the things that critics are saying

PAGE A1 The senator is accused of allowing and benefiting from the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prison during her stint as Justice secretary – an allegation she has denied.

As her detention reached 1,000 days, her supporters reiterated the call to drop the charges against De Lima and release her from detention.

Global leaders call for De Lima’s release In a statement published in the Philippine Daily Inquirer on Wednesday, Vice President Leni Robredo, former President Benigno Aquino III and hundreds of leaders across the globe condemned De Lima’s continued detention.

“We condemn the wrongful and indefinite imprisonment of [De Lima] whose cases are on protracted and are prosecuted with the use of dubious testimonies of inmates,” the leaders said in an indignation statement.

“Given the dubiousness of the charges against [De Lima] and the indubitable violations of her rights, we urge the Government of the Philippines to immediately free [De Lima] and to drop the charges against her,” they added.

Philippine opposition lawmakers, European and French parliamentary members, United Nations Special Rapporteur Philip Alston and Hong Kong activist

GIANTS. Colorful giant characters known as “higantes” (giants) parade along the streets of Angono, Rizal in celebration of the “Higantes Festival 2019” on Sunday, November 17. Higantes Festival is celebrated in the city of Angono to honor San Clemente, the patron saint of fishermen.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

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DOLLARS sent home by expatriate Filipinos continued to rise in September as both land- and sea-based workers remitted more cash to their local beneficiaries, according to the latest data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

The central bank said that personal remittances from Filipinos either working or living abroad hit $2.6 billion in September 2019, up 6.3 percent from the $2.5 billion reported in the same period last year.

This brought personal remittances for the first nine months of 2019 to $24.6 billion, up 3.9 percent from $23.7 billion a year ago.

“The growth in personal remittances during the nine-month period was driven by steady remittance inflows from land-based

overseas Filipino workers with work contracts of one year or more, which grew to $18.8 billion from $18.2 billion in the same period last year,” the BSP said in a statement.

The data also showed that remittances from overseas workers—which are said to account for an estimated 10 percent of domestic economic activity, especially consumption—grew for every month of this year, except for a 2.7-percent decline in June.

Remittance inflows from seaand land-based workers with short-term contracts also contributed higher at $5.3 billion this year compared to $4.9 billion a year ago, the monetary regulator added.

Similarly, cash remittances coursed through banks by overseas Filipino workers with work contracts of less than a year rose to $2.4 billion in September 2019

from $2.2 billion last year.

This drove cash remittances — which exclude transfers in cash or in kind by Filipinos who have migrated abroad—higher in the first nine months of this year to $22.2 billion from $21.3 billion recorded in the same period last year.

By type of worker, cash remittances from land- and sea-based workers increased by 3.2 percent to $17.3 billion and 8 percent to $4.9 billion, respectively.

By country source, the U.S. registered the highest share of total remittances from January to September 2019 at 37.5 percent.

It was followed by Saudi Arabia, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Japan, the United Kingdom, Canada, Hong Kong, Germany and Kuwait.

The combined remittances from these countries accounted for 78.3 percent of total cash remittances during the period. n

Recto: No funds provided for national... The startlingly high cost of the ‘free’ flu shot lion would only cover about 42 percent of what is needed to fully meet the project’s objectives and deliverables next year.

Less than half, or 6.3 million Filipinos, will be registered in 2020 instead of 14 million Filipinos, he added.

“And this will trigger a domino effect that will lay in shambles the project’s timetable. The original plan is to enroll 14 million in 2020; 52 million in 2021, including five million overseas Filipinos; and 44 million local residents plus five million overseas Filipinos in 2022,” Recto said.

He explained that to meet the deadline, 4.3 million registrants must be processed every month by the 5,000 registration kits placed in mobile and fixed registration centers. However, future registration quotas will not be met if the critical purchases in the early stages of implementation will not push through due to lack of budget.

“The 2020 scheduled procurement lays the foundation of the project. Without this, the project is crippled, the rollout derailed, its future jeopardized,” Recto said. n

Robredo says her work continues...

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by Daxim lucas Inquirer.net

PAGE A1 al Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Sen. Sonny Angara, chairman of the committee on finance and sponsor of the NEDA budget, replied “zero.”

But according to Angara, there is P2.4 billion allocated for the ID system in the “unprogrammed appropriation” section of the proposed P4.1-trillion General Appropriations Bill for next year.

Recto, meanwhile, said the File photo shows detained Senator Leila De Lima waving to her supporters as she left a appropriation was a tentative alMetropolitan Trial Court branch in Quezon City last August 2.

Philstar.com file photo location dependent on new loans De Lima’s supporters, includ- or if revenues can be raised. He Joshua Wong are among the siging Aquino and former lawmak- also pointed out that the P2.4 bilnatories of the statement.

The signatories also said that ers Erin Tañada and Gary AleDe Lima’s prolonged detention is jano, also attended the mass and persecution, “undeniably caused indignation rally at the University by her exercise of freedoms of of the Philippines Diliman.

PAGE A1 In October 2018, presidential co-chair to get hold of the list of thought, conscience, opinion and expression, and her right to par- spokesperson Salvador Panelo their high-value targets.

Robredo merely shrugged off ticipate in government affairs as dismissed concerns raised by the Inter-Parliamentary Union over their allegations. a citizen and as a Senator.”

“It’s their problem… whatever I In a separate statement, the the cases against De Lima and Human Rights Watch also called then-Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, can do now, I will do it,” she said.

She also countered Duterte’s for the dropping of “bogus” another government critic.

“It is apparent this organiza- claim about her sharing conficharges against De Lima.

“Her persecution is a testa- tion of foreign parliamentarians dential information with foreign ment to the Duterte govern- does not respect the ongoing institutions that have “prejudged” ment’s increasing authoritarian- proceedings being conducted the drug war, saying the Philipism,” HRW said. It also called for by our courts of justice when it pine government had worked with De Lima’s release and said: “She reached an incredible solution agencies like the United Nations has suffered enough for standing on the cases involving senators and the U.S. government before.

“If they do not trust me, why up for human rights in the Philip- De Lima and Trillanes,” Panelo designate me in the first place?” said then. n pines.”

Robredo asked.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson, meanwhile, backed up Robredo, pointing out that she has been “saying and do //", 9Ê /Ê 7 ing the right things” as ICAD cochair.

He also urged the ICAD members to give Robredo their support “for the sake of the overall objective” of fighting drug traffickers and addiction. n

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US highest remittance source

and are being peddled by foreign news agencies,” Panelo said in a radio interview.

Andanar said no one was hurt during the operations against the suspected rebels in Bacolod.

“Authorities did not act rashly in any way and actually gathered actionable intel before conducting the raids on the offices of the organizations,” he said.

“While there were several civilians captured, they were immediately released days after the operations. Hence, the supposed ‘government abuse’ that Sanders and the ITUC claim is already false,” he added.

Andanar said stringent measures were undertaken during operations to prevent armed clashes with the communists.

(Alexis Romero/Philstar.com) n

De Lima supporters mark her 1000th day...

Ang Lungsod ng San José ay pansamantalang ililipat ang mga bagong nangungupahan sa 939-943 Locust Street, San José bilang bahagi ng isang proyekto ng pagsasaayos.

Makikita ang draft ng plano sa paglilipat sa web site ng City Housing Department http://www.sanjoseca.gov/ DocumentCenter/View/88324 Kung naapektuhan ka ng proyekto, mangyaring makipag-ugnay sa coordinator ng proyekto ng lungsod: Steve Pendleton sa pamamagitan ng email steve.pendleton@ cityofsanjoseca.gov o tumawag sa telepono (408) 975-4458.

Ang lahat ng mga komento ay dapat isumite bago magDisyembre 13,2019 11/22/19 CNS-3315231# ASIAN JOURNAL (NORTHERN CALIF.)

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 22-28, 2019

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PH remittances up 3.9% to $24.6-B in 9 months Mayor Breed, President Yee announce ‘Child and

From the Front Page Palace blasts Sanders on human rights...

PAGE A1 t Sanders shared a statement by the International Trade Union Confederation (ITUC) condemning what it described as “a new wave of police repression of Philippine trade unionists” and called for global support on human rights.

The ITUC statement decried the Philippine authorities’ operations against suspected communists in Bacolod City on October 31.

Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Sanders is just “grandstanding on an issue he obviously does not know the details of.”

He also accused the senator of “meddling” in Philippine affairs.

“What we find abhorrent is that Senator Bernie Sanders and the

Dateline DUSa

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In this photo release, Vice President Leni Robredo met with members of the Naga City Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) at City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) to ask for updates in their initiatives in their anti-narcotics campaign.

Photo from the Office of the Vice President

California sells innovative social...

PAGE A1 in November 2018.

“Today’s sale will have a positive impact on our state’s homeless problem,” said Treasurer Ma. “Proceeds raised in this inaugural issuance will translate directly into affordable housing and mental health services for our most vulnerable citizens.”

Net proceeds from the bond sale will be used by the California Department of Housing and Community Development to assist in the production of permanent supportive housing for persons who are experiencing homelessness, chronic homelessness or who are at risk of chronic homelessness, and who are in need of mental health services. Most of the funds will be allocated to counties and developers of this type of housing.

The bonds will be repaid from a portion of a 1 percent state tax on income in excess of $1 million, which was approved by California voters as part of the Mental Health Services Act (Proposition 63) in 2004.

The 15-year fixed rate revenue bonds were sold by an underwrit-

ing syndicate of 15 banks led by Raymond James & Associates, Inc. and Citigroup Global Markets Inc. The bonds are rated Aa3

by Moody’s Investors Service, AA- by Fitch Ratings and AA- by Standard & Poor’s. The all-in true interest rate on the bonds, which are subject to federal income tax, is 2.77%. Yields to investors ranged from 1.896% for the 2021 maturity to 3.034% for the 2034 maturity. The syndicate generated in excess of $2.3 billion of total orders from over 100 unique investors, including $84 million directly from international investors.

“We were very pleased to see $596 million in orders from 13 investors with Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) and Socially Responsible Investing (SRI) objectives,” noted Treasurer Ma, who added, “In addition, we are delighted to have received $200 million in orders from 18 local government investment funds, including 14 from California. This deep and broad base of investors demonstrates the market’s support for the No Place Like Home program.”

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by Phil

Galewitz Kaiser Health News

IN the Byzantine world of health care pricing, most people wouldn’t expect that the ubiquitous flu shot could be a prime example of how the system’s lack of transparency can lead to disparate costs.

The Affordable Care Act requires health insurers to cover all federally recommended vaccines at no charge to patients, including flu immunizations. Although people with insurance pay nothing when they get their shot, many don’t realize that their insurers foot the bill — and that those companies will recoup their costs eventually.

In just one small sample from one insurer, Kaiser Health News found dramatic differences among the costs for its own employees. At a Sacramento, Calif., facility, the insurer paid $85, but just a little more than half that at a clinic in Long Beach. A drugstore in Washington, D.C., was paid $32.

The wide discrepancy in what insurers pay for the same flu shot illustrates what’s wrong with America’s health system, said Glenn Melnick, a health economist at the University of Southern California.

“There is always going to be some variance in prices, but $85 as a negotiated price sounds ridiculous,” he said.

Flu shots are relatively cheap compared with most health services, but considering the tens of millions of Americans who get vaccinated each year, those prices add up.

Health plans pass those expenses to consumers through higher premiums, economists say.

“The patient is immune from the cost, but they are the losers because eventually they pay a higher premium,” said Ge Bai, an accounting and health policy professor at Johns Hopkins University’s campus in Washington, D.C. Bai said the variation in payments for flu shots has nothing to do with the cost of the drug but is a result of negotiations between health plans and providers.

Typically, health insurers’ reimbursements to private health providers are closely guarded secrets. The insurers argue secrecy is needed for competitive business reasons.

But there’s one place those dollar figures appear for anyone to see: the “explanation of benefit” forms that insurers send to members after paying a claim.

KHN reviewed forms that one of its insurers, Cigna, paid for some colleagues to get flu shots this fall in Washington, D.C., and California.

Cigna paid $32 to CVS for a flu shot in downtown Washington and $40 to CVS less than 10 miles away in Rockville, Md. In Southern California, Cigna paid $47.53 for a flu shot from a primary care doctor with MemorialCare in Long Beach. But it paid $85 for a shot given at a Sacramento doctors’ office affiliated with Sutter Health, one of the biggest hospital chains in the state.

Health experts were not surprised insurers paid Sutter more, though they were stunned just how much more.

“Sutter has huge clout in California, and insurers have no other option than to pay Sutter the price,” Bai said.

For years, Sutter has faced criticism that is uses its market dominance to charge higher rates.

In October, it settled a lawsuit brought by the state attorney general, employers and unions that accused the hospital giant of ille-

gally driving up prices.

The $85 was not just far more than what Cigna paid elsewhere but also more than triple the price Sutter advertises on its website for people without insurance: $25.

How does Sutter justify its higher prices as well as different prices for the same shot at the same location?

Sutter officials had no simple explanation. “Pricing can vary based on a number of factors, including the care setting, a patient’s insurance coverage and agreements with insurance providers,” Sutter said in a statement.

Cigna also said many issues are considered when determining its varied payments.

“What a plan reimburses a pharmacy/clinic/medical center for a flu vaccine depends on the plan’s contracted rate with that entity, which can be affected by a number of factors including location, number of available pharmacies/facilities in that area (a.k.a. competition), and even the size of the plan (a.k.a. potential customers),” Cigna said in a statement. “It is important to keep in mind that hospitals and pharmacies have different economics, including the cost to administer.”

It’s also noteworthy that Medicaid, the state-federal health insurance program covering more than 72 million low-income Americans, pays providers far less for a flu shot. In Washington, D.C., Medicaid pays $15. In Connecticut, $19.

Nationally, self-insured employers and insurers paid between $28 and $80 for the same type of flu shot administered in doctors’ offices in 2017, according to an analysis of more than 19 million claims of people under 65 years old by the Kaiser Family Foundation in partnership with the Peterson Center on Healthcare. (Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)

“Your health plan could end up paying more than double the cost for the same flu shot depending on where you get it,” said Cynthia Cox, a vice president at the foundation.

“We see the same pattern for more expensive services like MRIs or knee replacements,” she said.

“That variation in prices is part of what’s driving insurance premiums higher in some parts of the country.”

The wide discrepancy in costs for the same service highlights a major problem in the U.S. health care system.

“We don’t have a functioning health care market because of all this lack of transparency and opportunities for price discrimination,” Melnick said.

“Prices are inconsistent and confusing for consumers,” he said.

“The system is not working to provide efficient care, and the flu shot is one example of how these problems persist.”

An unintended consequence of the health law making flu shots free for insured patients is that health plans have little ability to direct patients to providers that offer the vaccine for less cost because patients have no reason to care, Bai said.

Around the country, retailers like Target and CVS offer various incentives such as gift cards and coupons to entice consumers to come in for their free flu shots in hopes they shop for other goods, too. Some hospital systems such as Baptist Health in South Florida have also started providing free flu shots for people without insurance.

Bai said that while hospitals

California sells innovative social...

PAGE A1

Various studies have shown the link between mental illness and homelessness, including a recent study from the California Policy Lab at UCLA showing that 78 percent of unsheltered homeless people had a mental health condition (https://www.

capolicylab.org/wp-content/ uploads/2019/10/Health-Conditions-Among-UnshelteredAdults-in-the-U.S.pdf).

Information on upcoming state bond sales is available at BuyCaliforniaBonds.com.

(From California State Treasurer Fiona Ma’s office.) n

like Baptist should be praised for helping improve the health of their communities, there are other factors in play.

“There is a hidden motivation to use free flu shots as a marketing tool to improve the hospital’s reputation,” she said. “If people come to the hospital for a flu shot, they may like the facility and come again.”

This KHN story first published on California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. n

Youth Friendly City’ initiative on World Children’s Day

San Francisco to host a Children and Youth Summit in 2020 and join a growing global movement in designing a sustainable city that is centered on children and youth

SAN FRANCISCO, CA — Mayor London N. Breed and President Norman Yee on November 20, World Children’s Day, announced the launch of San Francisco’s “Child and Youth Friendly City Initiative.” As part of a growing global movement, local municipalities around the world are committing to becoming child-friendly cities that center children and youth in decision-making and placemaking.

UNICEF offers a framework for local governments to achieve the “Child Friendly City” designation by ensuring that every child has access to quality social services, education, healthcare, and provides guidance for building safe, secure environments based on child-responsive urban planning and design.

By pledging to become a “Child and Youth Friendly City,” San Francisco will develop a strategic framework and action plan, including concrete policy goals and outcomes that include youth engagement in the process. San Francisco’s Our Children Our Families Council, a body that is co-chaired by Mayor Breed and Superintendent of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), Dr. Vincent Matthews, will lead the implementation of the Initiative.

In addition to the development of a strategic framework and action plan to guide this ini-

tiative, Our Children Our Families Council, in partnership with Mayor Breed and President Yee, will host San Francisco’s 2020 Children and Youth Summit next year. The Summit will be designed to elevate the voices and needs of children, youth and their families, and will bring City, SFUSD, philanthropy, business and community partners together to highlight and celebrate successful efforts to better serve children, youth and their families in San Francisco. It will also be an opportunity to learn about regional, state and national efforts to address the inequities that our most vulnerable populations experience.

“As we plan for the future of our city and develop policies and programs, we need to make sure we’re taking the needs of San Francisco’s children into account,” said Mayor Breed. “From my experience growing up in public housing in the Western Addition, I know how important it is to have spaces that are designed for kids, and that provide a safe place for young people to gather.

Whether that’s the library, playground, or a community center, it’s essential that we design and create spaces with kids in mind and make our entire city safer and more welcoming for youth.

It’s especially important that kids from underserved communities know that San Francisco is their city too, and that they can be

themselves and access programs and services that are tailored to them.”

“San Francisco has been at the forefront of children and youth issues. While that work has never stopped, we need to force a culture shift. As our city continues to grow, we have to re-imagine who we are building for – not just designing for the next market boom, but for generations of young people who will establish roots and families here,” states president Norman Yee. “I am excited by what’s possible. Becoming a truly Child and Youth Friendly City means safer streets, more interactive spaces for youth to roam, youth participatory planning, and ultimately a universally vibrant city that is designed for everyone.”

“This initiative builds upon Our Children Our Families Council’s mission to better coordinate and align systems so that children and their families are at the heart of every policy and decision we make as a city. I’m excited for the opportunity to lead this groundbreaking Initiative that will advance our goals and ensure we create a place that serves our most vulnerable children and youth, putting equity at the center. If we can do better for them, everyone will thrive,” said Dr. Pegah Faed, director of the Our Children Our Families Council.

Over the past four years, Our PAGE A4

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 22-28, 2019

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Drilon blasts P55-million SEA Games cauldron

by BErnadEttE

taMayo ManilaTimes.net

EXTRAVAGANT and unnecessary.

This was how Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon described the cauldron to be lit during the official opening of the 30th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games on November 30.

Drilon on Monday, November 18, questioned the allotment of P55 million for the installation of the giant cauldron outside the New Clark City Stadium in Tarlac.

The senator said the cauldron, designed by the late Francisco “Bobbyâ€? MaĂąosa, National Artist for Architecture, was “too extravagant and strange.â€? “Insofar as I’m concerned, P55 million is an extravagance that is so unnecessary and somebody has to answer for this,â€? he told reporters.

Drilon said the money used to build the cauldron could have constructed 55 schoolrooms. “’Yung isang silid-paaralan ay P1 million (One schoolroom costs [about] P1 million),� he said. “So, 55 silid-paaralan ‘yung nabuo sana kung hindi dahil dito sa pang-aabuso sa pondo ng pamahalaan (So, 55 schoolrooms could have been completed if not for the abuse of government fund),� he said. “Hindi po nila masagot kung may bidding pa ito, kaya dapat na pag-aralan. Ito po ay dapat iaudit nang husto ng CoA (They cannot say if a bidding was done for this. The CoA must audit this thoroughly),� he added, referring to the Commission in Audit.

He said the P55 million was broken down as follows: cauldron’s design, P4.4 million; the foundation, P13.4 million; and construction, P32 million.

But Drilon clarified that he had no intention of stopping the holding of the Games. “No. In fact that is why I terminated my interpellation, because we have to support our athletes.

Hindi naman nila kasalanan itong pang-aabuso na nakikita natin (This apparent abuse [of public funds] is not their fault),� he said. “We need to support them so they can compete and bring honor to our country. But it doesn’t mean that we will not question these expenses,� Drilon added.

But he said he would file a resolution asking the Senate to investigate the matter after the games.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and U.S. Secretary of Defense Mark Esper discuss diplomatic ties and mutual defense treaty at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, November 19.

Philstar.com file photo

PH, US affirm review of Mutual Defense Treaty HOUSE SPEAKER AT SENATE. House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano, Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee chairman, answers queries from Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon during the Senate plenary budget deliberations on Tuesday, November 19.

Drilon is questioning the PHP50-million cost for the construction of the giant cauldron for the country’s hosting of the 30th SEA Games this year. Senator Sonny Angara said the budget was appropriated by Congress for the purpose.

PNA Photo by Avito C. Dalano

“Let us help the athletes compete first and let us support our athletes. There is time for all of these and the time is after the SEA Games.�

Drilon has asked the Senate to summon Tats Suzara, chief operation officer of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) to attend the budget deliberation of the Philippine Sports Commission.

Drilon wants to know why Phisgoc, a private entity, had been allotted P700 million in public funds.

Finish Games first Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino agreed with Drilon that an investigation should be opened after the holding of the 30th SEA Games scheduled on November 30 until December 11. “I hope sana tapusin na lang muna natin ‘yung games, then saka tayo magpatawag ng investigation (I hope we finish the games first before we call an investigation),� Tolentino told The Manila Times through a phone interview.

He defended the building of the expensive cauldron. “Hindi tayo pwedeng kumuha na lang ng kaldero at kawayan dito. Saka hindi naman Palarong Pambansa ang iho-host dito.

Olympic level itong pinag-uusapan dito (We just cannot get a pot and a bamboo here. We are not

hosting the National Game. We are talking about Olympics hosting here),� he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong� Go expressed support toward the development of the New Clark City sports hub since it would benefit Filipino athletes, the country’s sports program, as well as the economy. “It is a good investment, as this facility will be very useful for us well beyond the time that we will be using it during the 2019 Southeast Asian Games,� he said when the Senate scrutinized the budget for the SEA Games funded by the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA).

The BCDA, however, still needs to demonstrate how it would guarantee the return of investment for the sports facilities, Go said. “Pero, tama rin po ang mga punto ni Senator Drilon at kailangan itong tanungin ngayon: paano masisiguro na ang in-invest dito para sa SEA Games hosting ay hindi masasayang sa mga susunod na taon? (Senator Drilon is right in asking what the BCDA will do so that its investment will not go to waste),� he added.

The BCDA spent P9 billion in building SEA Games sports facilities.

Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara, sponsor of the BCDA budget, said the government-owned and -controlled corporation had other assets and sources of revenues. n

MOBILITY PARTNER. Officials of the Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) and Morris Garages (MG) seal a deal that makes MG the official mobility partner of the Southeast Asian Games during a ceremony held at Enderun College in Taguig City on Tuesday, November 19. (From left) MG Philippines president and CEO Alberto B. Arcilla; Mediapro Asia Sherman Tan, head of Business Development; and, Phisgoc director of Support and Operations Joseph “Jojit� Alcazar signed the memorandum of agreement.

PNA photo by Jess M.

Cases vs ‘ninja cops’ up for resolution – DOJ

by EvElyn

Macairan Philstar.com

spondents appeared during Monday’s hearing and affirmed their affidavits before Senior AsMANILA — The Department sistant State Prosecutor Alexanof Justice (DOJ) concluded on der Suarez.

Monday, November 18. its invesIn his 17-page affidavit, the tigation of former Philippine Na- former PNP chief denied that he tional Police (PNP) chief Oscar had direct control and superviAlbayalde and 13 alleged “ninja sion over the questionable raid cops� tagged in the recycling on the house of suspected Koreof at least P648 million worth an drug trafficker Johnson Lee. of drugs seized during a raid in Albayalde maintained that the Pampanga in 2013. complaints against him was inThe charges of graft and il- sufficient in form and substance. legal drugs filed by the CrimiAlbayalde was Pampanga ponal Investigation and Detection lice director when Maj. Rodney Group against Albayalde and the Raymundo Baloyo IV led an antiother police officers have been narcotics operation on Nov. 23, submitted for resolution, accord- 2013. ing to the DOJ. The other members of the Albayalde and the other re- raiding team were Capt. Joven de

by DempSey

reyeS ManilaTimes.net

DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and his United States counterpart, Mark Esper, on Wednesday affirmed the need to review the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT).

At a joint news conference held at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City, Lorenzana said it was he who sought the review of the decades-old treaty because the MDT was made “at the height of

Guzman Jr.; M/Sergeants Jules Maniago, Donald Roque, Ronald Santos, Rommel MuĂąoz Vital, Alcindor Tinio and Eligio Valeroso; S/Sergeants Dindo Dizon, Gilbert de Vera, Encarnacion Guerrero Jr. and Dante Dizon, and Cpl. Anthony Lacsamana.

Suarez said the charges against the respondents would be resolved by DOJ prosecutors, who will determine if there is probable cause to file the cases in court.

The Department of the Interior

by KriStine Joy patag Philstar.com and Local Government earlier said there is no enough evidence to charge Albayalde administratively. MANILA — The cyber libel Albayalde stepped down as trial against Rappler CEO Maria PNP chief on Oct. 14 amid the Ressa and its former researcher will proceed as the Manila court controversy. n handling the case junked their motion challenging the sufficiency of the prosecution’s evidence.

Manila Regional Trial Court Branch 46 in a ruling dated November 15, but made public on Wednesday, November 20, Chinese warship allegedly ha- junked Ressa’s demurrer to evirassed a Filipino-crewed com- dence for lack of merit. mercial ship.

A demurrer to evidence is a According to PCG spokes- legal challenge to the prosecuperson Capt. Armand Balilo, tion’s sufficiency evidence that, Tugade ordered them to inten- if granted, paves the way for the sify patrol in accordance with dismissal of the case halfway the United Nations Convention through the trial, without the on the Law of the Sea. presentation of the defense’s evi“The bottom line is that the dence.

Coast Guard would be in charge The court said the prosecuof the maritime activities relat- tion’s evidence is competent and ed to UNCLOS and on the West sufficient to sustain Ressa and Philippine Sea,� Balilo said ear- the news site’s former researcher lier this month. n Reynaldo Santos’ indictment for cyberlibel.

The case emanated from a complaint filed by businessman Wilfredo Keng assailing an article, first published in May 2012.

The Department of Justice indicted Rappler, Ressa and Santos on cyber libel charges, despite the cybercrime law being signed four months after the publication of the story.

State prosecutors pointed out that the story was updated on

Philstar.com

viray

MANILA — The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) sent off crew members of two multi-role response vessels that will patrol the country’s territorial waters.

A send-off ceremony was held in Palawan on Tuesday, November 19, for BRP Cabra (4409) and BRP Sindangan (4407), which will be deployed to the West Philippine Sea and Sulu Sea.

The patrol vessels will conduct maritime patrol and surveillance in the aforementioned areas to ensure safety and security, the PCG said in a statement.

The two ships will also be used to curb illegal drugs, as well as to counter terrorism and human trafficking in the Philippines.

Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade earlier directed the PCG to take charge of maritime activities in the West Philippine Sea. The directive came after a

Board-Security Engagement Board to be held sometime this year, he said. “It will be a joint cooperative endeavor,� Lorenzana added.

Esper, meanwhile, highlighted the new national defense strategy of Washington that required them “to look at the world differently.� “I think for all those reasons, it could do so and for that, we are such strong and capable allies and we have such great friendship between our militaries and our people,� he said. n

by helen

FloreS, romina Cabrera Philstar.com

The Philippine Coast Guard held a send-off ceremony for BRP Cabra and BRP Sindangan, which will patrol the West Philippine Sea and Sulu Sea. Photo courtesy of PCG

Aquino: Can you appoint someone you don’t trust? That’s a little confusing Philstar.com

MANILA — Why appoint someone you don’t trust?

This was former President Benigno Aquino III’s comment on President Rodrigo Duterte’s admitted lack of trust in Vice President Leni Robredo, who has been designated co-chair of the InterAgency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs but will only get confidential information on the “war on drugs� on a need-to-know basis. “Let us go back to the criteria of why you appoint someone,� he told reporters in Filipino on the sidelines of an indignation run held to call for the release of detained Sen. Leila De Lima. “Why would you appoint someone to a post? We have been there.

First of all, the person can do the job. You trust them to do the job and you believe that they will do the job correctly.�

Aquino said: “If you don’t have all of that, then don’t appoint them.�

At an impromptu press briefing at MalacaĂąang on Tuesday, November 19, Dutetre said Vice President Leni Robredo will not get “drug warâ€? data she has been asking for because of a lack of trust. “My problem with Robredo is she talks too much. If that is the way her mouth behaves there can be no position for her,â€? he said. “The problem is I cannot trust her not only because she is with the opposition. I do not trust her because I do not know her.â€?

Duterte said Robredo’s access to information as ICAD co-chair,

particularly for confidential matters, would be on a need-to-know basis.

Robredo again asked the president to clarify her role in the committee, which she co-chairs with Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Director General Aaron Aquino. “For me, I will do my mandate in the ICAD to synergize the task of the agencies, to harmonize their jobs. And my experience now shows that most of them are very supportive, very cooperative,� she said.

Aquino, on Monday, November 18, stressed: “You made the designation. Can you appoint someone who you don’t trust? That’s a little confusing.� “Normally, if you appoint someone, you trust them.� n

Mayor Breed, President Yee announce ‘Child and...

PAGE A3 t Children Our Families Council has brought together City departments, SFUSD, and community partners to help identify key goals and outcomes to make San Francisco a more livable city for our families, especially those with the most need.

These goals include that every child enters kindergarten ready to learn, and that all children and youth are mentally healthy.

This new initiative supports those goals and also focuses on the importance of built environment.

World Children’s Day is commemorated each year on November 20th. This year marks the 30th Anniversary of the United Nations General Assembly’s adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Currently, 196 countries have ratified this Convention with the exception of the United States. On November 19, the Board of Supervisors unanimously sponsored and adopted a Resolution to commemorate the occasion and reaffirm San Francisco’s commitment to the Convention of the Rights of Children.

by Shiela

CriSoStomo Philstar.com

MANILA — Three more children aged one, two and four years in Mindanao have tested positive for poliovirus, the Department of Health (DOH) said on Wednesday, November 20.

This brings to seven the number of polio cases in the country since a new case was recorded last September, the first in 19 years, according to DOH Undersecretary Eric Domingo.

Domingo said they are looking at water supply as the possible source of infection, since polio is spread through the orofecal route.

In a statement, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the A father watches as a health worker administers polio vaccine on his child during a vaccination Philstar.com file photo samples taken from the children drive at an informal settlers area in Manila last October 14. were sent to the Research Insti- from Cotabato City who manifest- to fully protect them from polio,� tute for Tropical Medicine and ed fever, cough and weakness in he said.

On Nov. 25, the DOH will start then to Japan’s National Institute both legs.

The seventh case is a four-year- another round of door-to-door of Infectious Diseases and they all old girl from North Cotabato who vaccination in Metro Manila and came out positive for poliovirus.

All three cases were admitted had fever, weakness of the right the entire Mindanao. This will be expanded to the rest of the counat the Cotabato Regional Medical leg, neck and facial muscles.

The fifth and sixth cases were try next year.

Center. “We are reiterating to all parPrior to this, the DOH had doc- unvaccinated, while the third reents and caregivers to have their umented four other polio cases ceived incomplete doses. “It is unacceptable that more 0-59 months children immunized that included a three-year-old girl in Lanao del Sur, a five-year-old children are falling victim to this with the polio vaccine from Nov. boy in Laguna, a four-year-old vaccine-preventable disease. We 25 to Dec. 7,� Duque added.

Pediatric Infectious Disease Sogirl in Maguindanao and anoth- are more determined than ever to er three-year-old girl in Sultan make sure that no child shall be ciety of the Philippines president missed during the next round of Anna Ong-Lim backed Duque’s Kudarat.

The victim from Laguna is the Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio call, saying that a majority of considered as an “inactive polio in Metro Manila and Mindanao,� childhood illnesses are preventable through vaccines. case� because he is immuno- Duque noted. “The basic vaccines needed He added that parents and compromised due to multiple peguardians should not be satisfied by our children are available in diatric illnesses.

Rappler CEO and Executive Editor Maria Ressa Philstar.com photo The statement shows the fifth if their children receive incom- health centers. We just have to case is a two-year-old girl from plete or only one or two doses of bring our children there to be Feb. 19, 2014, which puts it un- wrote. vaccinated. Let’s not deprive our The court set the presentation Maguindanao who had fever and polio vaccines. der the “multiple publication “Let us ensure that they receive children of this protection,� Lim of the Rappler’s evidence on De- weakness in both legs, while the rule.� sixth case is a one-year-old boy the complete doses of the vaccine added. n Ressa and Santos, however, cember 6.

Ressa and Rappler are also emraised that there was no substantial change made in the article broiled in a string of legal suits. when it was updated in 2014, but They are facing charges of tax the court said that their argument evasion, tax evasion charges, anis “evidentiary in nature which ti-dummy and violations of the the defense should prove during Securities and Regulations code.

A Quezon City prosecutor had trial.� “It now behooves upon all the recently junked Department of )FMQJOH UIF JOKVSFE BOE UIFJS MPWFE POFT accused to adduce evidence to Agrarian Reform Secretary John complaint controvert those presented by the Castriciones’ libel prosecution in a full-blown trial,� against Ressa and reporter RamManila RTC Branch 46 Presiding bo Talabong for lack of probable Judge Rainelda Estacio-Mendoza cause. n

s )NTEG R ITY s (ONESTY s *USTICE s

Nearly half of Filipinos expect better life in 2020

by Franco luna

Confirmed polio cases in Philippines rises to 7

Cyberlibel trial vs Ressa to proceed as court rejects dismissal plea

Coast Guard sends off patrol vessels to West Philippine Sea, Sulu Sea

by Patricia lourdEs

war and the situation then compared to now is different.�

Esper welcomed the move. “It’s always good to look at these things from time to time.

Review, clarify and strengthen it based on changes in the environment and world situation,� he said.

Lorenzana noted that delegations from the Philippines and the U.S. were already discussing what issues should be looked into.

The MDT review will be tackled during the Mutual Defense

IMPROVISED TRANSPORTATION. Boatmen paddle an improvised raft, the only means to transport a tricycle loaded with merchandise goods, across the river in Barangay Daraitan, Tanay, Rizal. Meanwhile, a dog seemingly enjoys a dip as it swims in the river.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Child-Friendly Cities Initiative The UNICEF Child Friendly Cities Initiative was launched in 1996 to respond to the challenge of realizing the rights of children in an increasingly urbanized and decentralized world. The initiative works by bringing together local stakeholders and UNICEF to create safe, inclusive and childresponsive cities and communities. UNICEF provides a framework, and is one of many models for developing Child-Friendly Cities (https://childfriendlycities. org/). n

MANILA — Nearly half of adult Filipinos expect to have better lives in the next 12 months, the Social Weather Stations (SWS) said in its recent survey.

The poll, taken from Sept. 27 to 30, also found 46 percent of adults who expect their personal quality of life to improve in the next 12 months (personal optimists), and five percent expecting it to get worse (personal pessimists), for a net personal optimists score of +41, classified as “excellent.�

This used to be +42 in June and +47 in March, all classified as excellent (+40 and above).

The net personal optimists score dropped from +42 (excellent) in June to +40 (excellent) in September in balance Luzon.

In the Visayas, it went down from +37 (excellent) to +32 (excellent).

In Metro Manila, it went up from +44 (excellent) in June to +48 (excellent) in September.

It remained at +46 (excellent) from June to September in Mindanao.

Meanwhile, the survey showed 36 percent of adult Filipinos saying their lives im-

proved, termed by SWS as gainers, and 25 percent saying their lives worsened (losers) in the last 12 months.

This gives a net gainers score of +11, from +13 in June and +17 in March, all classified as very high (+10 to +19).

The September 2019 survey also found 41 percent of Filipino adults who foresee an improved Philippine economy in the next 12 months (economic optimists) against 12 percent saying it will worsen (economic pessimists), for a net economic optimists score of +28.

This used to be +33 in June and +35 in March, all classified as excellent (+20 and above). n

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

NOVEMBER 22-28, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

O PINION Clarify her role

FEATURES

PROBABLY because no one expected her to accept the offer, the powers and functions of the new anti-drug czar remain unclear. And because the powers and functions have not been clearly delineated, the co-chairs of the Inter-Agency Committee Against Illegal Drugs are groping their way along, with tension appearing to develop between ICAD members and their new boss, Vice President Leni Robredo.

While the executive order released

by Malacañang designated Robredo as co-chairperson of Director General Aaron Aquino of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency, the country’s second highest official clearly outranks the PDEA chief and all the other ICAD members of Cabinet rank.

Aquino has said he had sought clarification from Malacañang about the functions of the co-chairs shortly after Robredo announced her acceptance of the challenge. As of the weekend, it looks like the clarification has not yet been made. Critics can’t seem to make up their mind on whether Robredo has done nothing so far, or that she has been moving too fast — and consequently endangering the war on drugs.

Despite the lack of clarity, Robredo has set out to establish the baselines for redirecting the anti-drug

campaign. She has consulted with offices of the United Nations and the United States involved in the global war on narcotics, discussing best practices and existing programs of cooperation with the Philippines. This week she is expected to seek cooperation from the Catholic Church.

Aquino and other ICAD members, meanwhile, have not minced words in expressing concern that information they share with Robredo, particularly on the law enforcement of the campaign, might compromise ongoing operations or even be used against some of them. Before the distrust intensifies, it would be best if Malacañang clarifies what exactly is expected of the co-chair of the ICAD. Unless this happens, it could reinforce fears that Robredo’s designation was nothing but a kneejerk reaction to her criticism of the anti-drug

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS “THANK you” may be the BEST prayer, the most powerful force that may change the way we look at the world, and consequently, our life. And yet for many, these two words may be among the hardest things to say after “I’m sorry,” and the most difficult credo to live by.

As we prepare to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday, allow me to share some of the quotes on gratitude that may help unlock the key to true and lasting happiness.

These 40 quotes were compiled

by Jeff Haden, contributing editor to Inc., and the author of “The Motivation Myth: How High Achievers Really Set Themselves Up to Win.” “Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it.” – William Arthur Ward “I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought; and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder.” – G.K. Chesterton “’Enough’ is a feast.” – Buddhist proverb “If you count all your assets, you always show a profit.” – Rob-

Street Talk GREG B. MACABENTA I HAVE been closely following the TV news coverage of the U.S. congressional hearings on the possible impeachment of President Donald Trump and I am reminded of Harry Belafonte’s song, Man Piaba, which goes this way: “When I was a lad of three-footthree, certain questions occurred to me; So I asked my father quite seriously to tell me the story ‘bout the bird and bee.

He stammered and he stuttered pathetically and this is what he said to me: “He said, ‘The woman piaba and the man piaba and the ton ton call back a lemon grass; The lily root, gully root, belly root uhmm — and the famous granny’s scratch scratch!’ ”It was clear as mud and it covered the ground and the confusion made me head go ‘round; So I went to ask an old friend of mine, known to the world as Albert Einstein..”

Einstein’s explanation was also “as clear as mud and it covered the ground,” and so was that of Sigmund Freud, whom the curious lad also asked. In frustration, he concludes: “All good men upon this earth have confused me since my birth.

I’ve been over land and been over sea trying to find the story ‘bout the bird and bee; Now that I am ninety-three I don’t give a damn, you see…”

Philstar.com photo

campaign, and that she is being set up for failure.

There’s still time for the administration — and several of its political allies who seem to have been made insecure by the vice president’s new-

found high profile — to show that the presidential spokesman was sincere in his initial reaction to Robredo’s acceptance of the role: “Her success is our success.” (Philstar.com)

Gratitude: The key that unlocks the door to true happiness

ert Quillen “Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things.”

– Robert Brault “As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words but to live by them.”

– John F. Kennedy “Reflect upon your present blessings, of which every man has plenty; not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” – Charles Dickens “Acknowledging the good that you already have in your life is the foundation for all abundance.”

– Eckhart Tolle “If a fellow isn’t thankful for what he’s got, he isn’t likely to be thankful for what he’s going to get.” – Frank A. Clark “If you want to turn your life around, try thankfulness. It will change your life mightily.” – Gerald Good “Gratitude turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos into order, confusion into clarity...it makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow.” – Melody Beattie “The world has enough beautiful mountains and meadows, spectacular skies and serene

lakes. It has enough lush forests, flowered fields, and sandy beaches. It has plenty of stars and the promise of a new sunrise and sunset every day. What the world needs more of is people to appreciate and enjoy it.” – Michael Josephson “Gratitude is a currency that we can mint for ourselves, and spend without fear of bankruptcy.”

– Fred De Witt Van Amburgh “The way to develop the best that is in a person is by appreciation and encouragement.”

– Charles Schwab “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” – Epictetus “At times, our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us.” – Albert Schweitzer “The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated.” – William James “Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.” – Oprah Winfrey “Let us rise up and be thankful, for if we didn’t learn a lot today, at least we learned a little, and if

we didn’t learn a little, at least we didn’t get sick, and if we got sick, at least we didn’t die; so, let us all be thankful.” – Buddha “Silent gratitude isn’t very much to anyone.” – Gertrude Stein “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness.

Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” – Henri Frederic Amiel “You cannot do a kindness too soon because you never know how soon it will be too late.”

– Ralph Waldo Emerson “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” – Willie Nelson “It is impossible to feel grateful and depressed in the same moment.” – Naomi Williams “One can never pay in gratitude; one can only pay ‘in kind’ somewhere else in life.” -Anne Morrow Lindbergh “Things turn out best for people who make the best of the way things turn out.” – John Wooden “No one who achieves success does so without the help of others.

The wise and confident acknowledge this help with gratitude.”

– Alfred North Whitehead “Piglet noticed that even though he had a Very Small Heart, it could hold a rather large amount

of Gratitude.” – .A. Milne “Forget yesterday – it has already forgotten you. Don’t sweat tomorrow – you haven’t even met.

Instead, open your eyes and your heart to a truly precious gift – today.” – Steve Maraboli “We should certainly count our blessings, but we should also make our blessings count.” – Neal A. Maxwell “In ordinary life, we hardly realize that we receive a great deal more than we give, and that it is only with gratitude that life becomes rich.” – Dietrich Bonhoeffer “The only people with whom you should try to get even are those who have helped you.”

– John E. Southard “I truly believe we can either see the connections, celebrate them, and express gratitude for our blessings, or we can see life as a string of coincidences that have no meaning or connection.

For me, I’m going to believe in miracles, celebrate life, rejoice in the views of eternity, and hope my choices will create a positive ripple effect in the lives of others.

This is my choice.” – Mike Ericksen “Gratitude also opens your eyes to the limitless potential of the universe, while dissatisfaction closes your eyes to it.” – Stephen

Richards “Gratitude and attitude are not challenges; they are choices.”

– Robert Braathe “They both seemed to understand that describing it was beyond their powers, the gratitude that spreads through your body when a burden gets lifted, and the sense of homecoming that follows, when you suddenly remember what it feels like to be yourself.” – Tom Perrotta “Gratitude is more of a compliment to yourself than someone else.” – Raheel Farooq “Keep your eyes open and try to catch people in your company doing something right, then praise them for it.” – Tom Hopkins “In life, one has a choice to take one of two paths: to wait for some special day or to celebrate each special day.” – Rasheed Ogunlaru “This is a wonderful day. I’ve never seen this one before.”

– Maya Angelou ***

vor of impeaching and removing Trump.

Trump’s boast that he could shoot a man in the middle of Manhattan and not lose a single vote among his mesmerized supporters still rings eerily in the ears of the Democrats and enlightened Americans.

It took the quid pro quo armtwisting that Trump allegedly tried to apply on the president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky, that forced Pelosi to finally accede to the mounting demand by her party caucus for impeachment proceedings to be initiated no matter what the political cost. Trump had made a Mafia-like “offer that couldn’t be refused” to Zelensky, pressuring the Ukranian government to dig up dirt on Trump’s potential rival for the presidency in the 2020 elections.

The impeachment process is being aggressively pursued by the Democrats, in spite of the political risk, because IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. The current impeachment hearings are a spectacle of partisanship and obfuscation. The Republicans have gradually altered their defensive posture from denying that there was ever a quid pro quo (in terms of withholding from Ukraine over $400 million in U.S. aid in exchange for dirt on former Vice-President Joe Biden and his son Hunter Biden) to, “so what if there was a quid pro quo, what’s wrong with that?”, to “okay, assuming there was wrong-doing, it isn’t enough ground for impeaching a dulyelected president.”

The Democrats, on the other

hand, have been methodically demolishing the Republican rationalization by presenting witnesses who have attested to Trump’s pressure tactics on the Ukranians. They have also cited the constitutional basis for impeaching Trump, leaving the Republicans and Trump to resort to obfuscation or, in Belafonte’s words, “making the situation clear as mud” and the American public with a “confusion that makes their head go ‘round.”

What is interesting is that the battleground in this high stakes spectacle is in the minds of the American public. The objective of the Republicans is to confuse the U.S. electorate and leave enough doubts in their minds about the justification for impeaching the president. The Trump apologists are hoping that the doubts will translate into a tolerance for his misdemeanors enough to win him a second term.

Indeed, for the average Americans, impeachment is a step into the unknown. And Trump has been painting all kinds of doomsday scenarios should he be removed from office – even the possibility of a violent upheaval among his supporters.

On the other hand, the objective of the Democrats is to make a compelling case for impeachment based on blatant abuse of power and obstruction of justice, all adding up to high crimes and misdemeanors. They have toyed with the idea of throwing in treason among the articles of impeachment but are not sure that there will be enough grounds for this based on the report of Special Counsel Robert Mueller on Trump’s alleged collusion with Russia and Vladimir Putin.

The U.S. media and political pundits refer to these tactical and strategic moves by both parties as a “messaging war.”

It is ironic that an icon of the rule of law like America finds itself caught in a situation where the fate of the president — and, perhaps, of the country itself — depends on the ability of contending parties to obfuscate, to muddle the public perception of events and circumstances, and to leave that perception “clear as mud,” thus making the public’s head “go ‘round.”

Frankly this has boiled down into a communications contest — almost a marketing contest of competing brands — demanding the manipulative skills of wordsmiths and legal shysters, the rule of law and the Constitution be damned.

Donald Trump himself is such a skilled manipulator for whom lying comes naturally. Like a cornered beast, he is expected to lie and cheat, unleash foul blows, and throw his most loyal associates under the bus to survive. Indeed, Trump could be a poster boy for Sun Tsu’s Art of War, where the master of warfare advises that an enemy should be allowed an avenue of escape because, if cornered, he will fight to death.

It is a sad testament that even his worst detractors grudgingly concede that, when the smoke of battle has cleared, Trump could still survive like the indestructible cockroach while they themselves will be smarting in defeat.

However, in spite of that dire possibility the impeachment process should still be pursued and consummated. BECAUSE IT IS THE RIGHT THING TO DO. ***

A spectacle of obfuscation

Isn’t it amusing that something as basic as the sexual relations between man and woman (the bird and the bee) should be obfuscated and muddled by “all the good men upon this earth.” It is a fact.

Try discussing sex with your curious 5-year-old.

But the citizens of the United States — and inevitably the whole world — have no choice but to give a damn about the results of the impeachment hearing on the president of the most powerful country on the planet. America’s economic, military and social influence is so pervasive that it is said that when the U.S. catches a cold, the world comes down with pneumonia.

In other words, the impeachment of a U.S. president will have a resounding impact on the world.

Of course, Trump’s enemies will welcome his ejection from office.

But Trump’s voter base won’t give a damn.

The “never-Trumpers (Trump’s description of those who would like to see him kicked out of office), are painfully aware that although he may be impeached in the Democrat-controlled House of Representatives, the Republican-dominated Senate, which is mandated to conduct the actual impeachment trial, is not likely to render a verdict that will force him out of the White House. It will take a two-thirds vote of the Senate rolls to impeach, an unlikely occurrence, according to political observers.

During the incumbency of President Bill Clinton, a Democrat, the figurative shoe was on the other foot. Clinton was impeached by

a Republican-controlled Lower House but was acquitted by the Democrats who were the majority in the Senate.

What is interesting is that when Republican President Richard Nixon faced the possibility of impeachment in an inquiry initiated

by House Democrats, it was a delegation of fellow Republicans that delivered the harsh message to Nixon. That persuaded Nixon to resign.

Even more remarkable was the fact that it was a bi-partisan Senate Committee that approved the initial investigation into the Watergate break-in that started the scandal.

That bi-partisanship is non-existent in the current impeachment hearings. President Manuel Quezon’s immortal quote, “My loyalty to my party ends where my loyalty to my country begins.” is meaningless to the partisans on Capitol Hill and the White House.

In fact, it was in anticipation of an acquittal of Trump by the Republican-controlled Senate that kept Speaker Nancy Pelosi and many Democrats from pushing sooner for a formal impeachment inquiry. They were also worried that impeaching Trump could result in a voter backlash that could hand Trump a second term in next year’s presidential election, the way Clinton won a second term after being impeached.

The political gamble seemed too risky. Public opinion polls indicate that Trump’s voter base has not been affected by the negative reports about his chaotic governance and only a slight majority of the American public are in fa-

Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community.

You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

(gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

Friday, November 22, 2019

SF2

cover story

Immigration Corner

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

Fil-Am chefs on dishes to bring to the Thanksgiving table BY

I was testing and I’d give her each updated version to try. aligns with what we think of in By the time I got it where I a Thanksgiving meal as well. wanted it to be, she already Jappy Diago Afzelius, left this plane, but I like to Tsismis (New York) think that she’d be proud of “I would contribute Inihaw it. I used it as the base for my ribs, Laing, beef tapa, pork fried chicken sandwich during tocino, Pritong Bangus, Kinilaw my year long pop-up WILD at na tuna. These are dishes that I Canelé back in 2014-2015. I hold close to my heart because haven’t made it much these I grew up eating them either days but whenever I do, I at home with my family or out always think of her.” at restaurants with my friends.”

Carlo Lamagna, Ria Dolly Barbosa, ExecuMagna (Portland, OR) tive Chef of Paramount Cof“I would definitely fee Project (Los Angeles) do inihaw na pusit I would contribute my and liempo. With a pan de sal! It came to be an boodle fight, it should unintentional labor of love. be about the ease I was testing it for about a of eating as well as year when I got it flavor. Anything saucy to where I wanted doesn’t make sense. it to be. My Lola Plus the grilled flavor was not well while

AJPRESS

IT’S Thanksgiving next week and for many Filipino American families, it means preparing a table spread of both traditional holiday and Filipino dishes. It’s not uncommon to see a turkey coexisting alongside a lechon or mashed sweet potatoes with pancit.

For this issue, we asked several Fil-Am chefs around the country what they’d bring to a Thanksgiving boodle fight — a “kamayan” dining experience that forgoes utensils and dishes in favor of our hands and banana leaves.

The ulam and rice are evenly placed on leaves on a long table so diners can grab and partake in a ritual rooted in camaraderie and unity, which

AJPress illustrations by Godwin Gasacao and Jillian Peñalosa

Tonton and Glydel: The un-showbiz couple

by RICKY LO Philstar.com

THEY are in showbiz and yet they are out of it. Isn’t it a contradiction?

“No,” clarify Tonton Gutierrez, 51, and Glydel Mercado, 45, “it’s correct. Showbiz is our bread and butter so that makes us what they call ‘public figures’ but our private life is our own.”

It’s possible, according to the un-showbiz couple, and that has been their lifestyle for 21 years — “Six years as boyfriend/girlfriend and 15 years as husband and wife.” Their very private life is confined to them and their daughters Aneeza, 15, and Aneeka, seven years old, who attend different schools.

“Simpleng buhay…tahimik,” is how the couple sums up their married life.

No, ehem, temptations?

“I must admit that when I was single, I also had fun,” confessed Tonton who has been linked to several actresses, one of them told him that she would have been happier if he was the one she married.

“Been there, done that. Tapos na ako sa ganoon.”

Named after his father (Eddie Gutierrez), Eduardo Antonio married Flordeliza Sanchez in 2004 at the Santuario de San Antonio in Forbes Park, Makati City, witnessed by principal sponsors that included Charo Santos-Concio, former First Lady/Rep. Imelda Marcos and Lolit Solis (the couple’s manager).

“They are very religious,” said Lolit. “They attend Mass seven days a week. Kapag Monday, St. Joseph; Tuesday, St. Anthony; Wednesday, Mother of Perpetual Help; Thursday, St. Jude; Friday, Black Nazarene in Quiapo; Saturday, St. Theodore; and Sunday, Mass with the kids.”

Even their friends are nonshowbiz.

“Our circle of friends doesn’t include anybody from showbiz,” shared Tonton.

“They are mostly our golf buddies.”

When free from work, that’s what keeps them busy golf. Or, they shoot the breeze together with the kids, stroll at the mall, eat out and watch movies together. Otherwise, they stay home and watch or downloaded movies together.

“We watched all the episodes of The Assassination of Gianni Versace in one sitting,” said Tonton.

Conversations sat for an easy-breezy time with the couple several weeks ago when

Tonton Gutierrez and Glydel Mercado

they renewed their contract as star-endorsers of Beautederm.

“I love the couple,” said Beautederm president/CEO Rhea Anicoche-Tan. “Look at their complexion. They are perfect for my products.”

Glydel has her own health regimen mixing five fresh greens (ampalaya, green apple, green pepper, celery and cucumber) and taken in the morning before breakfast.

“It was actually Glyds who introduced me to Beautederm,” said Tonton. “I tried the item she uses on her face and it was effective on me.”

Would you believe that in all these 21 years, they never had any, to quote Venus Raj, ”major, major” fight? Oops!

They actually had, not “major, major” but only a “major” one (over something, they refused to reveal) when they were just going steady. They broke up but soon got back together.

“Boring kami,” said Tonton tongue-in-cheek.

“Oo nga,” agreed Glydel who is close to her mother-inlaw Liza Lorena.

That is, boring in the sense that, unlike most showbiz couples, they don’t wash their dirty linen on social media (they’ve never been enmeshed in ugly issues, have they?), they avoid lavish showbiz parties (unless very necessary), they conduct themselves with propriety whether in private (their neighbors in New Manila can attest to that) and in public (they don’t call attention to themselves but gladly oblige with requests for selfies) and they don’t flaunt showbiz airs, not even a trace of it.

Oh yes, they fight but only

of the squid adds an outdoor, flame quality and the crispy liempo for texture.”

Romy Dorotan, Purple Yam (Brooklyn, NYC) “Sorry, I really don’t like kamayan/boodle fight. And sorry again, I really don’t like turkey. I would recommend lechon pork belly (bone in, skin on) crispy skin (malutong) and very moist, Mang Tomas-style gravy, atsara, pancit, laing, rice... maybe apple cider salabat.

King Phojanakong, Kuma Inn (NYC) “Pinoy Thanksgiving - yesssss!!! Bourbon honey-glazed ham, turkey and/or chicken inasal, prime rib roast, whole grilled branzino, pancit bihon, garlic rice, sautéed baby bok choy, roasted Brussels sprouts with apple and bacon, chorizo wild mushroom stuffing and a couple of pumpkin buko pies.

It’s our Thanksgiving Day menu here at home in NYC. If it was a little warmer out or we were back home in the Philippines I’d set up the long table and banana leaves. These dishes are all so special and celebratory. A true melting pot of Champorado flavors from the Philippines for dessert.” to here. And everyone from Cheryl Baun bunso to lola are happy.” & Paulo MendoNicole Ponseca, author of za, Karenderya “I Am a Filipino: And This Is (Nyack, NY) How We Cook” and founder “Definitely daof Jeepney & Maharlika (NYC) ing na bangus be“I think mini-bibingka or cause we always eat kare-kare. What better way to it with hands anyway, and enjoy the oxtails!” it’s one of our go-to Queenie Peña Bañez, Asin comfort foods. Also (Caldwell, NJ) we thought ribs and “Definitely crispy pata chicken wings would and Aristocrat-style barbecue be fun, too, because chicken. Those are two classic they are the quintesdishes that many Filipinos just sential pulutan, adding love.” to the communal feel Yana Gilbuena, Salo Series of a kamayan feast.”

(Nationwide)

“I’ve made a turkey embutido before with a cranberry sweet and sour sauce. I think it’s a very FILIPINIZED dish. As for Thanksgiving memories, I never celebrated Thanksgiving growing up but in my early twenties after I moved to the U.S., I started attending some and eventually hosting a lot.

My favorite dish was the actual roast turkey because I had one Thanksgiving where my friend donated one but didn’t tell me it was frozen and we had five hours before the dinner. We massaged the whole frozen turkey under a warm water bath until it thawed and I was about to cook it. That was definitely very memorable.”

Ralph Degala, MasterChef contestant Season 9 and YouTube personality (Los Angeles) “I would contribute some lechon manok/chicken Inasal to the noodle fight! Whenever we go back to the Philippines, one thing I must absolutely get there is the local Inasal or lechon manok from Sr. Andoks.

The combination of the slowcooked chicken, homemade Mang Tomas sauce and rice always brings back memories of me eating with family after a long day of basketball or playing in the province.”

December 2019 priority dates The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: Visa Issuance Date

May 01, 2009

November 01, 2008

EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family- and employment-based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again.

Beginning in October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and USCIS indicates on its website it will use the Application Filing Date for that month).

This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance or Final Action Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. ***

October 01, 2019

Current

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holders

June 01, 2009

December 01, 2008

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

March 01, 1999 September 01, 1998

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of US Citizens

First Preference

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holders

June 15, 1999

December 15, 1998

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

Second Preference Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Current

March 01, 2018

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

Current

March 01, 2018

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)

Is it true that after a year of no communication regarding one’s visa application, the petition will be canceled or dismissed?

Get the answer this Sunday on ‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot’

THE third batch of Kapamilya who attended the tapings in Virginia will get their questions answered on the most popular immigration program on television – “Citizen Pinoy”.

What is the fastest way to petition a legally-adopted son from the Philippines, after all necessary paperwork and

From Page SF2 kanya.”

Being both children of cinema, Tonton and Glydel are okay if their daughters follow in their footsteps (Tonton’s mom Liza is one-time Bb. Pilipinas runner-up and awardwinning actress while Glydel practically grew up under the klieg lights, discovered by talent manager Daddy Wowie who introduced Mayor Isko to the late Master Showman German “Kuya Germs” Moreno after he spotted Isko at a wake

by JAN MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR A TNT TO LEGALIZE HIS STAY IN THE U.S.? This Sunday, November 24 viewers will get to hear the immigration questions of the third batch of Kapamilya who attended the Citizen Pinoy taping in Virginia. Tune in to get the most relevant information and answers to immigration concerns on a brand-new episode of CITIZEN PINOY, this Sunday at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Jane De Leon

silang ma-disappoint,” Jane said.

Jane also addressed rumors that she’s a “maldita” and just a pretty face without acting prowess.

“Lumalaban lang po ako ‘pag tama,” Jane said when

Photo from Instagram/@imjanedeleon

asked if rumors are true that she is allegedly “maldita” in real life.

“Ang masasabi ko lang po d’un sa nagsabing puro ganda lang ako at hindi ako marunong umarte, ‘Watch out!’,” Jane added.

Moira on new singers wanting to sound like her

Moira Dela Torre

Photo from Instagram/@moirarachelle

“trend” flattering, Moira says she avoids comparing herself to new songstresses. “To be honest, hindi ko masyadong ina-acknowledge sa sarili ko that they sound like me—or that they’re ‘tunog-Moira’— because I know how it feels to be compared to others.

“It’s flattering. But I see it

as something they have to go through [to find their musical identity]. In my case, as I was growing up, ang dami ko ring katunog sa mga inidolo ko and, eventually, I found my own voice. So, I’m excited for the new singers. If that’s their voice, that’s great. If not, they’ll find it in due time.”

done daring roles but that was before they had children. Not anymore.

“We don’t want to play roles na hindi namin puede ipakita sa kanila,” said Glydel.

“Before Glyds accepts an

offer, she tells me about it first.” And vice-versa. “In a movie she’s doing, she has a rape scene and she’s asking the director kung puede ako na lang ang magri-rape sa Continued on Page SF3

required residency have been fulfilled? What’s the best way for a TNT to legalize his stay in the U.S.? He currently works “under-the-table” and his employer promised to petition him after two to three years. Will this be approved?

Leading U.S. immigration attorney MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL replies to these

and more questions will be answered on an all-new edition of the informationpacked, public service program on television, “Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot,” this Sunday, at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Tonton and Glydel...

Jane answers controversies

ACTRESS Jane De Leon admitted that she felt tired once in showbiz after getting rejections for different roles.

In a recent interview with Boy Abunda in “Tonight With Boy Abunda,” Jane said she felt impatient waiting for a big break in showbiz before landing the Darna role.

“Yes po, Tito Boy. Na-feel ko po na ‘Kakayanin ko pa ba to? May opportunity pa bang mangyayari sa akin?’ Nainip din po ako, Tito Boy, pero siyempre hindi ako tumigil do’n. Lalo pa akong lumaban.

Kung kaya nila, kaya ko rin.

Lahat po gagawin ko para sa family ko,” she said.

She said she’s thankful to ABS-CBN bosses for giving her the opportunity to play the Darna role.

“Hindi ko in-expect itong proyektong ito. Nagpapasalamat ako sa mga nakakataas na may nakita silang Philstar.com photo by Ricky Lo potential at pinagkatiwalaan over petty things. nila ako. Siyempre ayaw ko “Such as what channel to watch,” admitted Glydel.

“Sometimes, gusto niya sports at ako naman teleserye. I would end up sleeping in another room overnight.

Ganyan lang. O kaya kung sino ang tutulong sa mga bata sa

by RITO P. ASILO homework nila, so we decided Inquirer.net to hire a tutor na lang.”

Tonton and Glydel treat GETTING to where she is their daughters as friends. was no walk in the park for “Open sila sa amin,” said Moira dela Torre, the counGlydel. “Open din kami sa try’s most streamed OPM artkanila.” ist. So, it comes as no surprise Glydel recalled that when to go on Spotify these days Aneeza was four years old, she and hear upcoming female and Tonton noticed that she artists singing and sounding would be dressed like a little like the 26-year-old singergirl should be but she always songwriter. carried a basketball. GrowIn fact, even some of ing up, the girl preferred to Moira’s fellow interpreters be in denim pants and rubber at this year’s Himig Handog shoes. That made her parents’ songwriting tilt, whose wincurious. ning song “Mabagal” she So Tonton asked her, sang with Daniel Padilla, “‘Anak, tomboy ka ba? It’s fine “sounded” like her. with us if you are.’ She said, It’s like how it was in the laughing, ‘Of course, no, Dada! ‘90s, when every new “biritI’m a girl...girl na girl, hahaha!’ era” on the block performed We were relieved, at least naher note-scaling runs the way wala ang duda. Aneeza is into Asia’s Songbird did hers. sports kasi sumasama siya sa But Moira is no flash in the amin ni Glyds sa golf. Why was pan. She cut her teeth giving I so frank with her? That’s the her covers of Moonstar88’s way we treat our kids. Times “Torete” or Imago’s “Sundo” have changed. What was taboo a more soulful spin, not to is now okay. With social media, mention her “hugot”-chaneverything is out in the open.” neling renditions of “Tagu“One time,” recalled taguan” and “Malaya.”

Glydel, “I thought Aneeza While she finds the current had a crush on Justin Bieber.

Yon pala hindi as a singer.

The maid told us that Aneeza There’s a “connection.” Donny liked Bieber’s fashion style, is the son of Maricel Laxa, hehehe!”

Donny’s mom who is Tonton’s “Actually,” added Tonton, former girlfriend now hap“may crush siya ngayon...si pily married to Donny’s dad Donny Pangilinan. Ay, bakit Anthony Pangilinan. ko sinabi?” Then, he laughed.

Tonton and Glydel have

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

Application Filing Date

FAMILY CATEGORY:

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

community

in Tondo). Aneeza is attending an acting workshop under Joel Lamangan and is in the cast of the indie film Jolly Spirits Squad with Mayor Isko’s son Joaquin Domagoso.

Incidentally, how does the couple celebrate special oc-

casions (birthdays, weddings, etc.)?

“Simple lang, always with the kids. Glyds is not pa-girliegirlie. She doesn’t expect flowers or chocolates. Walang ganoon. Basta kasama ang family, happy na siya.”

SF

celebrityworld

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

Janine Gutierrez wins best actress at film festival

celebrity world

…)

Fortunately, the dollar’s value is holding up pretty nicely, this time around but don’t go crazy spending like a drunken sailor.

If you are still in the work force, you know deep down in your came about soon after Gerald’s gun lying outside her doorstep bone marrow that each dollar is which leads to a shift in her per- break-up with former girlfriend hard earned. sona due to the sense of power Bea Alonzo last July. SpeculaTame that ego that wants to tion was rife that Julia was she experiences from owning a flaunt your dollar-earning status. the reason for the break-up, gun.

It can trigger jealousy and envy especially since the pair had *** from others. Come down from recently teamed up for a movie, The never-ending speculayour high horse when buying “Between Maybes,” which was tion on the Gerald Andersonstuff but go big-hearted when shown in April.

Julia Barretto romance has giving tips and gifts to others Both Gerald and Julia have everyone looking for clues in your immediate and far-flung denied any involvement by Julia everywhere. orbit especially strangers down in the Gerald-Bea split. Gerald Recently, a netizen sent on their luck. said in an interview that he some captured screenshots to If you have a good-paying and Bea’s constant fights were PEP.ph showing the two young job or a thriving business during responsible for the break-up, stars seemingly wearing similar this booming American economy while Julia released a statement bracelets, which the netizen in the Age of Trump, realize you via Instagram denying any part termed as Gerald and Julia’s are one of the blessed ones. in the break-up which she said “love bracelet.”

Gratitude translates to generosGerald can attest to.

It is not clear though if both ity and benevolence. After all, Ronald Villar (left), son of beauty impresario Ferdie Villar, celebrated his 50th However, there have been Gerald and Julia have been each of us is God’s conduit or birthday with a merienda-cena last November 13 with immediate family in Janine Gutierrez recently bagged the best actress award from the QCinema reports too that have come out wearing the similar-looking tool to spread His graces. attendance. With Ronald in photo above is his father.

International Film Festival. Photo from Janine Gutierrez’ Instagram account that Gerald had a conversation bracelets for a long time or if it Depending on your persuawith Julia’s dad, Dennis Padilla, was just a recent occurrence. sion, God or the devil, is in the where the young actor reportIn the pictures, one of the details. You map out the daily edly admitted that he is courting items pointed out is a wooden schedule from Day One to the his “Between Maybes” co-star. cross bracelet that is normally end date and get all the advance Well, netizens and interested worn by many as a good luck information you need. parties will just have to wait on charm. A look at the social meWhy? Because unlike in the how this story unfolds… but dia pictures of both Gerald and US where information is like that won’t stop the curious from Julia show them wearing their water available on tap, the flow putting two and two together if bracelets at various events. of information in the Philipthey see something interesting It can be remembered that pines, unless you are wired with in social media. the Gerald-Julia speculation a laptop and always in a place with wi-fi access, may be spotty.

Information may be inaccessible.

Paying an extra $20 hotel rate per day for wifi access in your room is a stinker. A better way is to get a cellphone with local access and be good at texting.

Filipinos are champion texters and they will leave you in the dust, if you aren’t. Even the magtataho and tricycle driver owns a cellphone.

Why go to the Philippines when there are a lot of choices out there at far less cost? Ask any emigre. A trip to the native country is in a class by itself when Jeric Gonzales, a handsome and talented actor is now showing his excellent acting abilities in the top-rated GMA Pinoy TV teleserye, “Magkaagaw.”

Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto are rumored to be wearing similar-looking bracelets as reported by it comes to travel choices.

Vina Morales, one of the most beautiful actresses in the Philippine entertainPhoto from Jeric Gonzales’ Instagram account ment world, is playing a motherly role in The Filipino Channel’s, “Sandugo.” investigative netizens. The two were co-stars of the 2019 film “Between Maybes.” Manila Bulletin file photo For many first generation

BANKRUPTCY

EMPLOYMENT

HOUSING EMPLOYMENT

Monette aDeva Maglaya (Continued from last week

By Ferdie Villar LOTLOT de Leon’s daughter, Janine Gutierrez, was recently named as best actress at the QCinema International Film Festival for her performance in “Babae at Baril.”

In a recent interview with Inquirer.net, Janine could not contain her happiness with the honor.

“This was a dream,” she was quoted as saying. “I attended the awards ceremonies in support of the team. Indie movies like this one have small crews, so I have grown fond of them – they’re like my family now.

It’s my way of saying thank you for supporting me and for letting me be part of this project.

That’s why I was so happy when I heard my name called.”

Janine added that it is tough to have expectations when it comes to movie and TV work.

What she tries to do is keep things close to her chest, especially when she sees a role that she wants to pursue.

She is glad that this role fell into her lap, and is thankful for the support of her mom, Lotlot, whom she says couldn’t be prouder of her.

“She was super happy! ‘I knew it!’ she told me. She may be saying that only because she’s my mother, but she’s really proud of me. I showed her the script when I got the role, and I’m glad she believed in me,” Janine revealed in the same interview.

In the movie, Janine tackled the role of a nameless department store saleslady who has become jaded with what’s happening in her everyday life and the constant harassment from men that she has to put up with.

Awakened by a gunshot one night, she rushes out to find a

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

Getting the most out of a Philippine Visit (Conclusion of 2 Parts)

“The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.”

— St. Augustine expatriates, the Philippines holds a special place in one’s heart. It’s a place you’ve seen before but would like to look at again with fresh eyes — notwithstanding the negatives— the seemingly endless spate of negative news, disconcerting tales of horrific traffic congestion, the heat, the pollution, extremes in poverty and wealth and the vicious inanity of politics.

Okay then, it’s not perfect but no place in the world is.

Nonetheless, it’s still a special place. Period. No ifs and buts about it. Warts and all, there are a million and one reasons a Philippine trip is all worth it — particularly during Christmas.

With few exceptions, there can be no happier group of people come Christmastime than Filipinos. Of course, I’m biased.

Anyone else can claim the same.

Nonetheless, it’s a perplexing phenomenon that the world has taken notice of with somewhat of a jaundiced eye.

Christmas begins in September and ends with a bang in January of the New Year, the longest season of merrymaking anywhere in the world. It is as commercial and profit-driven as anywhere else, with cavernous shopping malls and a slew of holiday activities that can give other international shopping malls a run for their money.

Dining out in restaurants can have you wearing clothes 2 sizes bigger in no time at all, if you don’t watch it. There’s just something about the Philippines during Christmas. Despite crass commercialism, Christmas joy among the multitudes seems genuine.

The churches still get filled to the rafters with the faithful, unlike some churches in Europe that are more like empty, tomb-

community SF Our amazing body

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

Health@Heart

us when we are full and to stop eating. When we ingest anything alkaline, the buffer PhiliP S. Chua, system automatically adjusts MD, FaCS, FPCS to neutralize the alkali, to preserve our homeostatic balTHERE is nothing on ance. When we sense danger, earth more amazing, more or are angry or upset, our like museums than churches with wonderful, than the human glands automatically produce just a handful in attendance. In body. Even the most poweradrenalin to prepare us in a largely cynical, jaded world ful computers and artificial protecting our body. When as we have today, JOY as pure, intelligent robots we have we laugh, sing, eat chocolate, unfettered, unfeigned and child- today still pale in comparior are in a happy countelike as all that, cutting across all son. The most sophisticated nance, our system excretes social strata in a poor country, is artificial heart, liver, pancreas, happy hormones that soothe a phenomenon as rare as the ap- kidneys (dialysis machines) us and prevent depression. pearance of Halley’s comet. are so large, bulky, much When exposed to hot or cold Why do we come home? less efficient, cumbersome, weather, our system has an Part of the reason is the people inconvenient, fully dependent auto-adjust thermoregulator — a complex combination of on limited power source, and to keep us comfortable. goodness and wickedness, of in- fraught with complications “Octane” in food telligence and ineptitude and of when implanted, not to menAnd like a vehicle or any humility and pride. In the world tion most expensive and still engine, what fuel we put stage, the Filipino has become impractical. into them (like what food or the unofficial poster child of All our organs are self-con- drink we put into our mouth) what an imported model worker tained within our body, came will greatly determine how is — and for good reason. free with our body when we well the engine (or our body) Our best export is our were born, with its own autofunctions and lasts. Healthy overseas foreign workers, whose power-generator for energy lifestyle must start from the remittances, put together, from (fuel), very efficient, function- womb and dieting initiated in everywhere in the world, have ing automatically, chemically the crib to protect the DNA been propping the Philippine and intricately in-sync with from damage, as advocated in economy, for decades now, IN A our entire system, and rethe pro-active and pre-empHUGE WAY. sponding to our thinking, feel- tive book on disease prevenThere are large numbers ings, and activities. It also has tion, Let’s Stop “Killing” Our of OFWs that come home for a built-in chemical laboratory, Children, which is listed in Christmas just to be with their which processes the food and the U.S. Library of Congress loved ones. The Filipino is an drink we ingest into energy, (featured in amazon.com) amazing worker. Whether we maintaining a healthy level of The common impression like it or not, the work we do has glucose (blood sugar) and all and conventional belief that become our sense of worth. To hormones, enzymes, minerals, major diseases like high blood be sure, we have our fair share of electrolytes, with the help of pressure, diabetes, heart atscumbags and scalawags whose our GI system, liver, pancreas, tack, stroke, Alzheimer’s, and shenanigans make us cringe and and endocrine glands. Medieven cancers, are the “natucower in collective shame. cations we take are converted ral” and expected illnesses We DO have a disproporto molecular substances that of old age is scientifically tionate share of character flaws help heal our ailments. Our inaccurate and flawed. These we laugh off self-deprecatingly body maintains normal home- diseases could be prevented, with jokes we use in spades as ostasis, automatically keeping avoided or minimized by prowe poke fun at ourselves. We our entire internal environtecting the DNA from damagdon’t take ourselves too seriment on an even keel, and es from the time we are born. ously. Maybe it’s time we did, so in maximal electrolyte and The human body, if properly the world will sit up, take notice acid-base balance at all times. cared for from day one by and render to us the respect that Its inherent immune system shielding the DNA from any we deserve. protects it from infections and destruction while in the womb All told and for the most diseases. and in the crib, could be “expart, we are a God-loving and Hormones are produced empt” from developing the God-fearing mass of people by our body when our gluwrongly-termed “natural and — close to 100 million plus cose level is low which tells normal diseases of middle to strong with about 3 million Filour stomach to feel hungry, old age.”

Continued on Page SF7 and another hormone tells Today, living a healthy

lifestyle starts when we reach our teenage years, marking 13 or more years of unprotected or un-maximized DNA protection. A healthy lifestyle must start from the womb and dieting begun in the crib purposely to protect the DNA and stave off having those major illnesses which we now attribute to aging. Yes, future children do not have to acquire those diseases when they grow up to maturity or seniority. The human species can pro-actively preempt these common major illnesses that afflict almost all of us today!

Diet and exercise Exercise is great and most valuable, but diet appears to be of greater significance to many persons when it comes to living a healthy lifestyle.

Of course, not taking in toxic substances such as tobacco, alcohol, illicit drugs and other harmful substances, behavioral modification, and stress management, are vital to health. For those with arthritis and other inflammatory diseases, a variety of vegetables called nightshades cause exacerbation and pain. They include tomatoes, eggplants, potatoes, paprika, and peppers.

Evidence-based clinical data show that together with daily physical exercise, a low-carb diet, consuming a lot of multi-colored vegetables, with some nuts and fruits (calories adjusted for diabetics and weight-watchers), eating minimal or no red meat at all, and staying away from processed meats, is the healthy prescription for optimum health and maximal longevity.

It is obvious that a healthy lifestyle could outweigh genetics in most cases, and that our health is not only within our reach, but is actually in our hands.

Medical self-care Continued on Page SF6

people & events Our amazing body...

SF6

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

Keeping still and carrying on amid McDonald’s commits $500K people & events the current immigration climate in scholarships to Asian and Getting the most out...

The CTV Pacific Islander students Files

caloric intake and medicawere initially given a “CR” or Moreover, USCIS will not actions. She did all this herself conditional resident status, cept or approve applications for for more than 4 decades, foltypically for individuals who Advance Parole request from lowing her physician’s instruclongevity, a strategy worthy From Page SF5 acquired permanent resident DACA recipients. tions. She also took her blood of medical mention.

Talking about a healthy status through marriage to a Card payments now acMy mom had diabetes and pressure and adjusted her lifestyle reminds me of my US citizen.

Current processing cepted for filing fees pills, with the help of my three high blood pressure, but no mother, who passed away in times for Removal of Conditions This may be a relief for sisters, one of them an RN. arthritis until the end.

She was Raleigh, North Carolina on ATTY. LILLI BACULI COLLINS, ESQ on Residence is estimated to be some. USCIS announced in My mother was doing daily a health freak, doing her own November 8, 2019, at age around 17 to 35.5 months. Indi- 2018 that it will accept credit finger-stick herself to monitor exercise, watching and fol102, and was interned last viduals who are required to file cards as a form of payment DAILY news reports fl ooding lowing Leslie Sansone video her blood sugar level three November 15. The way she for their Removal of Conditions for certain applications, such our already fatigued psyches exercises, a routine she did up times a day to guide her on managed her own health was should file their applications as Adjustment Applications.

Continued on Page SF7 have been fixated on Immigraevidently a great factor in her how she should adjust her Previously, USCIS had begun tion, and the way to cut through as soon as they are eligible to do so, during the specifically to accept credit cards as a form the noise and confusion is to limited 90-day fi ling window. of payment for Naturalization keep still and stay focused. alendar of Events Deferred Action (DACA) applications.

Lawful permanent residents and Renewals Consult with a licensed and their families should take note The American Immigration experienced Immigration Atthat for the most part, things Lawyers Association (AILA) torney before filing are operating as usual at the reports that as of January 22, While it is very good news U.S. Immigration and Citizen2019, “the U.S. Supreme court that (1) individuals are still ship Services (USCIS), save for able to file for a whole host of delayed processing times. Here had not taken action on the Trump Administration’s request applications including renewal are the most common applicaDACA requests; and that (2) tions that individuals should pay to expedite a ruling on the court decisions that keep DACA more applications are now payclose attention to for eligibility able via credit card, individuals requirements and filing window. program in place.” The new must nevertheless proceed with Naturalization applications term for the Supreme Court caution when Natufiling for any ralization application applications Note that Naturalization Applications are USCIS. are currently highly scrutinized, and individuals should with Just because estimated at it is easier 10 to 19.5 consult with a licensed and experienced to file for months. Apimmigration attorney with regard to potential now an applicaplicants who N OV E M B E R 22-24 are eligible to issues in their immigration history that may tion does not mean that you fi le for their World Education Summit on Sustainability and Transformation in Las come up in the Naturalization process. should. We Naturalization Vegas urge individuapplication als to pause – at the 3-year The World Education Summit on Sustainability and Transformation is a call to action and and take the time to consult starts this October 2019. For transformation to finding solutions to the challenges of our times. Join on November 22-24 mark or the 5-year mark – are for three days of activities, learning, networking and events, such as panel discussions and with a licensed and experienced encouraged to file their applica- now, “DACA protections will presentations, industry leader keynote speeches, and a dinner and gala featuring an ecoimmigration attorney before likely remain in place” under tion at the soonest time they fashion show. The summit aims to gather stakeholders from educational institutions; business submitting any application with current court rulings. are able to do so, especially and civic organizations; government agencies and international development organizations to USCIS. Individuals who were previgiven the long wait times to galvanize collaborative and strategic partnership to achieve a common goal in environmental *** ously granted DACA may rebe scheduled for an interview. sustainability. We are expecting delegates from different countries. The Summit will serve as quest renewal of their deferred Atty.

Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate atNote that Naturalization Apa collaborative platform to achieve a unified mission. The venue is The Convention Center at action and their employment torney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Profesplications are highly scrutinized, The Orleans Hotel (4500 W Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89103). For more information and authorization with the apsional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full servand individuals should consult to register, please visithttp://worldsummit.info. ice law firm with offices in San Francisco, with a licensed and experienced propriate fee or approved fee N OV E M B E R 24 exemption request at the USCIS San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. immigration attorney with redesignated filing location, and The information presented in this article is gard to potential issues in their #HashtagLunchbag/SIPA food drive in LA in accordance with instructions for general information only and is not, nor immigration history that may in the Form I-821D and form intended to be, formal legal advice nor the come up in the Naturalization The Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and #Hashtag Lunchbag are joining forces I-765 applications. The filing formation of an attorney-client relationship. process. to create positive changes in Historic Filipinotown on Sunday, November 24 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. SIPA will be hosting a Food Drive with #HashtagLunchbag to create letters of enwindow is between 150 to 120 Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone Removal of conditions of couragement, decorate lunch bags, and assemble sandwiches for those in need in Historic days from the expiration of the consultation to discuss your particular situresidence Filipinotown. When finished, they will be giving out lunch bags to homeless youth, women, current DACA grant. ation and/or how their services may be reRemoving conditions on and families. Registration contact and link: Maria Carmel Valendez at maria@sipacares.org or USCIS is not accepting tained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 495-8088; residence is a requirement: (213) 382-1819 ext. 107. requests from individuals who (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys.com; www. this application must be filed have never been granted chuatinsayvega.com. before deadline.

This applicaN OV E M B E R 25 deferred action under DACA. (Advertising Supplement) tion is specific to those who

C

across

America

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

UPAAGLA presents Fil-Am authors on artificial intelligence and sustainability in LA

Two Filipino-American authors, Dr. Cris Liban and Elzar “Dodjie” Simon, on Monday, November 25 will discuss two current and relevant topics: artificial intelligence and sustainability.

Liban is the executive director for environment and sustainability for the LA County Metropolitan Transportation Authority. Simon is director of global infrastructure for New York University. The discussion, moderated by LA Deputy Mayor for Budget & Innovation Miguel Sangalang, will take a deeper dive on: What should you know? Why do they matter to you?

How do understanding and embracing these fields help countries like the Philippines be an emerging market? The event, organized by the University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA), will be from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Los Angeles Public Library -Echo Park Branch (1410 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026). “A.I. Hacked” books will be available for purchase and signing. A portion of books sold will be donated to the UPAAGLA Endowment Fund.

D EC E M B E R 1

Kalayaan Incorporated’s Christmas Party and induction of officers in Monterey Park, CA Kalayaan Incorporated’s Induction of Officers 2019-2020 will be held during its Christmas Party on Sunday, Decemeber 1, from 12 to 4 p.m., at the Monterey Hill Event Center. The hilltop venue offers a spectacular view of the San Gabriel Valley, and is located at 3700 Ramona Blvd., Monterey Park, Calif. 91754. Kalayaan Incorporated, a non-profit public benefit corporation in the State of California, classified as a public charity organization under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, holds the annual celebration in Southern California of the anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence. Chairing the Induction and Christmas Party is Violet Mislang with Lady Hope Robillos, Co-chair, and Nonie Belarmino, Program Coordinator. Cost of lunch is $40.00. For more information, please contact Violet at (562) 644-4073, vmislang@gmail.com; Lady Hope at (310) 500-0917, lhopepr@yahoo.com; or Nonie (310) 357-0222, Idancenonie@outlook.com.

Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown anniversary & Christmas Party On Sunday, December 1, the Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown will celebrate its 13th anniversary and Christmas Party during a major FUNdraising event. Expect a night filled with food, drinks, entertainment and activities such as raffle prizes and silent auction prizes. The Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown was chartered in 2007 originally of Filipino descendants, who are leaders of the community, professionals and entrepreneurs. Today it has members from different cultural backgrounds. Dinner begins at 5:30 p.m. at Capital Seafood Restaurant (50 N. La Cienega Blvd. Ste 130 Beverly Hills, CA 90211). Attire is business casual. Donation is $65.

D EC E M B E R 2

LA County Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony Los Angeles kicks off the holiday season with the County’s annual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony on Monday, December 2 from 5 to 6 p.m at the Music Center Plaza (135 N. Grand Ave). The joyous celebration will include civic speakers, including Fifth District Supervisor Kathryn Barger, and performances by Brass Pacifica and a local school choir. The event is free and open to the public, plus hot cocoa will be served to keep attendees warm!

D EC E M B E R 22

SIPA’s Christmas toy distribution in LA During this season of giving, volunteer with Search to Involve Pilipino Americans on Sunday, December 22 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. as they spread joy in Los Angeles. Join SIPA as they hand gifts out to youth in the Historic Filipinotown community, eat delicious pancakes, and listen to some Christmas tunes! Contact Maria Carmel Valendez at maria@sipacares.org or (213) 382-1819 ext. 107.

D EC E M B E R 29

#HashtagLunchbag/SIPA food drive in LA The Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and #Hashtag Lunchbag are joining forces to create positive changes in Historic Filipinotown on Sunday, December 29 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. SIPA will be hosting a Food Drive with #HashtagLunchbag to create letters of encouragement, decorate lunch bags, and assemble sandwiches for those in need in Historic Filipinotown. When finished, they will be giving out lunch bags to homeless youth, women, and families. Registration contact and link: Maria Carmel Valendez at maria@sipacares.org or (213) 382-1819 ext. 107.

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

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019

In partnership with APIA Scholars, fifty-five college scholarships will be awarded to students in 2020

CHICAGO – McDonald’s announced on Wednesday, November 20 that it has committed $500,000 to establish the first-ever McDonald’s/ APIA Scholarship program in partnership with APIA Scholars. Fifty-five Asian and Pacific Islander American (APIA) college students will benefit from the program, furthering McDonald’s longtime support of providing educational and career resources to bright future leaders.

The McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship program will award 15 four-year scholarships and 40 one-year scholarships to rising college freshmen through APIA Scholars, which will be awarded in Spring 2020. According to APIA Scholars, half of all APIAs have a college degree, compared to a third of all Americans, but there are tremendous disparities within the APIA community, economically and educationally.

Only 25% of Native Hawaiians, Pacific Islanders, and Southeast Asian Americans have college degrees and the top 10% of APIAs earn more than ten times the bottom 10% of APIAs, which is why scholarship programs like the McDonald’s/ APIA Scholarship program are so crucial to the community.

Emphasis will be placed on students who are first generation college attendees and demonstrate high financial need.

“McDonald’s is very excited to launch the McDonald’s APIA Scholarship program to give a platform for APIA students to achieve their higher education dreams,” said William Cho, a Seattle McDonald’s owner/operator. “We believe everyone deserves the chance to go to college, regardless of finances, and McDonald’s is committed to making that happen.”

Founded in 2003, McDonald’s partner, APIA Scholars, is the nation’s largest non-profit organization that provides college scholarships to APIAs with financial need and has distributed more than $150 million in scholarships with the support of partners.

“We are grateful to McDonald’s for their longstanding support and partnership in our mission to make a difference in the lives of APIA students,” said Noël S. Harmon, president and executive director, APIA Scholars. “There are tremendous disparities within the APIA community, both economically and educationally, that are often overlooked. As a found-

ing sponsor of APIA Scholars, McDonald’s has supported our efforts to address these disparities. We are grateful to McDonald’s for recognizing the need and working with us to make a difference.”

APIA Scholars is currently accepting online applications for the McDonald’s/APIA Scholarship at www.apiascholars.org/. The application will be available for the 2020-2021 academic year until January 22, 2020 at 5:00 PM EST. Applicants must meet the requirements below in order to be eligible: • Be of Asian and/or Pacific Islander ethnicity as defined by the U.S. Census • Be a citizen, national, or legal permanent resident of the United States. Citizens of the Republic of the Marshall Islands, Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of Palau are also eligible to apply • Be enrolling as an undergraduate student in a U.S. accredited college or university in the Fall 2020 • Have a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.7 on a 4.0 scale (unweighted) or have earned a GED • Must apply for federal financial aid for the 2020-2021 academic year using the Free Application for the Federal Student Aid (FASFA) by early April 2020 • Submit one letter of recommendation online.

McDonald’s also offers the HACER® National Scholarship for Hispanic students and the McDonald’s Black and Positively Golden Scholarships to students attending Historically Black Colleges and Universities.

In addition to the scholarships offered, McDonald’s Archways to Opportunity program provides eligible employees at participating U.S. restaurants an opportunity to earn a high school diploma, receive upfront college tuition assistance, access free education/career advising services and learn English as a second language.

For more information about McDonald’s support of education, please visit http://www. mcdonald’s.com/people.

About McDonald’s USA McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to more than 25 million customers every day.

Ninety-five percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and

FTC’s tips for happy holiday shopping there may be shipping costs for online orders. Look for Division of Consumer & Business Education coupon codes by searching the store’s name with terms KEEP your holiday shoplike “coupons,” “discounts,” ping merry and bright with an early gift from the Federal or “free shipping.” To save extra money, keep an eye out Trade Commission: tips to for rebates. help you watch your wallet, • Keep track of your shop wisely, and protect your purchases personal information.

Make sure the scanned • Make a list and a price is right, and save all budget your receipts. If you shop Those impulse purchases (looking at you, cozy sweater) online, keep copies of your order number, the refund are less tempting when you and return policies, and have a game plan. Consider shipping costs. Then have how much you’re willing your packages delivered to a to put on your credit card, secure location or pick them and how long it might take to pay it off. If money’s tight, up at a local store. Treat gift cards like cash and keep paying for a gift over time through layaway might help. them in safe place.

• Do your research • Give gifts, not personRead reviews and recal information ommendations about the Protect yourself online product, seller, and warranby shopping only on secure ties from sources you trust. websites with an “https” If you’re shopping online, address. Stick to shopping check for reports that items apps that tell you what they were never delivered or not do with your data and how as advertised. Spreading they keep it secure. Avoid holiday cheer by donating holiday offers that ask you to charity or a crowdfunding to give financial information cause? Look into it first to – no matter how tempting. make sure it’s legitimate.

They might be trying to steal • Look for the best deals your identity.

Check out websites For even more timely tips, that compare prices for sign up for free consumer items online and at your alerts from the FTC at ftc. local stores. Remember gov/subscribe.

by Gretchen AbrAhAm

women. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter @McDonalds and Facebook www. facebook.com/mcdonalds.

About APIA Scholars Based in Washington, D.C., APIA Scholars is the nation’s leading non-profit organization devoted to providing college scholarships for Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIAs).

APIA Scholars works to create opportunities for students to access, complete, and succeed after post-secondary education; thereby developing future leaders who will excel in their career, serve as role models in their communities, and ultimately contribute to a vibrant America. Since 2003, APIA Scholars has awarded more than $150 million in scholarships to deserving APIA students. APIA Scholars manages three scholarship programs: APIA Scholarship, the AANAPISI Scholarship, and the Gates Millennium Scholars/Asian Pacific Islander Americans funded by a grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.

From Page SF5 Ams and several millions more scattered about the globe— who, in droves, contribute to the general good of humanity in an increasing number of places in the world in myriad capacities.

Edith Wharton was right when she said of travel, “ … you find out how many good, kind people there are.” This is true of this Philippine trip. With fresh eyes, you find out that our native land is worth coming home to again and again.

More importantly perhaps, a trip such as this forms part of a lifelong journey of self- discov-

ery. This trip and others I have taken over the years in different other places, reveals to me those secret places about myself that I would not otherwise have known.

I have brought back with me thousands of digital images as a future, foreseeable crutch to my memory, to help me remember over time. I have brought back spare change and worthless trinkets and a string of pearls from the Philippine deep, some burnay pottery and some Ilocano woven cotton blankets from Vigan.

But the intangibles I’ve taken

Our amazing body...

From Page SF6 to her mid-90s.

While she loved pork, she concentrated more on oatmeal for breakfast and mostly ate fish and vegetables for lunch and dinner. She was very compliant with her medications and vigilant in her food intake. She was able to ambulate with a walker and do all this, with her brilliant mind and a memory better than mine, till she developed pneumonia and renal failure

about three weeks ago. Pneumonia is usually deadly for seniors.

I alluded to my mom’s diligence in her own healthcare to highlight the importance of a disciplined self-restricting (no tobacco, alcohol or illicit drugs) behavior, diet, exercise, compliance in medications, and a positive attitude in life. She listened to her body seriously. Whatever imperfections her genes may have had, it seemed obvious

home with me are the best by far — shared experiences of grief, tears and laughter, rekindled friendships, a heartfelt appreciation of people I have met and will probably never meet again, a sense of genuine gratitude for life on both sides of the globe and above all, a deeper, newer and fresh understanding of our tiny, yet brilliant and beautiful place in the universe.

So go ahead, head home this Christmas, kabayan — for a visit or maybe, for keeps. You’ll be glad you did. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com that her system was able to neutralize and compensate for them through a healthy lifestyle. Indeed, living a healthy lifestyle could far outweigh genetics and maximize health and longevity. ***

Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: philipSchua. com and FUN8888.com Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 22, 2019