112318 - Northern California Edition

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

Volume 17 - No. 47 • 3 Sections – 20 Pages

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USA

DATELINE Fil-Am Gina Ortiz Jones concedes in close House race FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

AFTER a tight race, Gina Ortiz Jones, Filipina-American congressional candidate for Texas’ 23rd congressional district, conceded on Monday, November 19 to Republican incumbent Will Hurd.

Nearly two weeks after Election Day, Ortiz Jones hoped to flip the seat blue, but trailed behind two-time incumbent Hurd by 1,150 votes out of the 209,000 cast.

“I remain committed to serving my community and country, and I wish Will Hurd the courage to fight for TX-23 in the way in which our district deserves,” Ortiz Jones said in a statement on Monday.

She attempted to make history by becoming the first Filipina-American to be elected to Congress, as well as the first first openly gay, first Iraq War veteran and first woman House representative from Texas’ 23rd district, which runs along the state’s border with PAGE A2

San Francisco puts money in Filipino heritage district

by WILFRED

GALILA

Inquirer.net

SAN FRANCISCO – Since its establishment on April 12, 2016, SOMA Pilipinas has been on a steady path of creating the Filipino cultural heritage district in the South of Market.

To begin activating the area and jumpstart the district’s economic activity, SOMA Pilipinas together with Kultivate Labs, a non-profit business accelerator that aims to create a thriving commercial ecosystem for business-

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N O V E MBE R 2 3 - 2 9 , 2 0 1 8

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

Poll says Filipinos trust the US most, China least

THE latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey revealed on Tuesday, November 20, that among five specific countries, Filipinos’ public trust rating fared highest for the United States and lowest for China.

The public trust rating for the five countries namely the U.S., China, Japan, Malaysia and Israel were all measured in September. A “very good” rating was received by the U.S., “moderate” for Japan, Malaysia and Israel and “poor” for China.

The highest net trust rating was at +59 for the U.S. It decreased by six points from a +65 score in June.

Japan now had a +28, a leap from its previous -35.

Malaysia and Israel registered +15 and +13, respectively, while China posted a net trust score of -16.

The results of a poor public trust rating to China was attributed to the issues that tied the two countries. A lot of people who were aware of the rift regarding the West Philippine Sea had a higher distrust for China.

“Distrust in China was higher among those who already knew that the Philippines is unable to prevent Chinese fishermen from fishing in the West Philippine Sea before the survey, compared to the neutral -3 among those who just learned about it,”

SWS said as reported by The Philippine Star.

Issues including Chinese coast guard personnel taking away the catch of Filipino fishermen, Beijing transforming Manila-claimed features in the Spratly Islands into military outposts and other territorial disputes were among the factors that possibly influenced such results.

Palace questions survey’s timing Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the release of the SWS timing seemed off considering that it was on the same day as the first ofPAGE A2

Bill that provides incentives to OFWs filed in Senate

by BERNADETTE

E. TAMAYO

Manilatimes.net

SEN. Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino 4th wants a law that will provide incentives and benefits to overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) who wish to start a business in the country.

The senator filed Senate Bill 2101 or the “Business Incentives for OFWs Act” following the suggestion of an OFW from Batangas City during a local consultation session.

“Ito’y isang reporma na hiniling mismo ng ating mga OFW. Marami sa kanila ay nais magkaroon ng kabuhayan sa Pilipinas at makapiling ang pamilya (This is a reform that OFWs specifically requested. Most of them wanted to put up their livelihood and

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WARM WELCOME. Chinese President Xi Jinping is greeted by MIAA General Manager Ed Monreal during the arrival honors for his two-day state visit at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City on Tuesday, November 20. Among the welcomers are Finance Secretary Carlos “Sonny” García Domínguez, AFP Chief of Staff Carlito Galvez (right) and other government officials.

PNA photo by Avito Dalan

NDF, peace panel cancel return to PH due to arrest threat Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives in the Philippines NATIONAL Democratic Front (NDF) Peace Panel chairman Fidel Agcaoili, NDF Senior Adviser Luis Jalandoni and Peace Panel member Coni Ledesma canceled their scheduled return to the Philippines due to the impending arrest threat from President Rodrigo Duterte.

Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) Founding chairman Jose Maria Sison shared on the NDF website about how Agcaoili and his constituents were scheduled to return on Monday, November 19. However, the government has yet to clarify that no arrest or harassment will be made.

“Fidel (Agcaoili) also feels insecure and wants to be assured that there will be no threat against him from the military or police despite assurance of

safety from (presidential peace adviser) Jess Dureza and Bebot Bello (government chief peace negotiator) that there is no pending charge against him,” Sison said as reported by The Philippine Star.

“But Louie (Luis Jalandoni) and Coni (Ledesma) have already decided not to return to the Philippines due to threats of arrest from General Año (Interior Secretary Eduardo Año),” Sison added.

Agcaoili, Jalandoni and Ledesma are supposed to meet with Duterte so that they could resume the peace talks they had before. However, no assurance was given to ensure that the Philippine National Police (PNP) or the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) will keep their hands off them during their stay in the

Trillanes bares ‘draft’ of China-PH pact for fuel search in South China Sea framework agreement, released

by Senator Antonio Trillanes on Tuesday, November 19, did not CHINA has allegedly prepared cite specific agreements but only a framework agreement to jointly mentioned key principles.

For one, it states the Philipexplore oil and gas in the disputed South China Sea with the pines and China “have agreed to conduct joint oil and gas exPhilippines.

The alleged copy of the draft u PAGE A3

by NESTOR

CORRALES Inquirer.net

Philippines.

In a statement, Dureza said President Duterte has ordered them to meet Agcaoili and Jalandoni should they come to the Philippines. The peace process adviser even set the meeting between Duterte and NDF leaders next week.

“President Duterte has tasked me and secretary Panelo to meet with them in an informal chat. I am now on my way to head the Philippine delegation to the United Nations General Assembly in New York so the planned meeting may take place upon my return next week,” Dureza said.

Dureza assured that he had checked and found that Agcaoili and Jalandoni had no pending warrants of arrest. He even added that the petition filed at

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CHINESE President Xi Jinping arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday, November 20, for a two-day state visit to address the issues that tie the two countries together including the West Philippine Sea rift.

As Xi arrived at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Terminal 1, he was welcomed

by Philippine Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Philippine Ambassador to China Chito Santa Romana, and Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jianhua.

Xi is the first Chinese president to make a state visit to the Philippines after 13 years. Former Chinese president Hu Jintao visited in 2005, during the Arroyo administration.

The Chinese president praised

the current administration of President Rodrigo Duterte noting that the Philippines-China relations improved after Duterte was elected in office in June 2016.

“Our relations have now seen a rainbow after the rain,” Xi said in a statement as reported by The Philippine Star.

“As we speak, it is already

winter in the northern part of the globe but here we are still enjoying refreshing breeze and exceptional scenes and this is exactly what China-Philippines relationship is like today. I am satisfied to see the growth in our relations and indeed I have been looking forward to this trip a long time

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NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From the Front Page

Poll says Filipinos trust the US...

PAGE A1 t ficial state visit of Chinese President Xi Jing Ping.

“We find the timing of the release of the results of the survey conducted by Social Weather Stations (SWS) last September 15-23 suspect considering that such was made public on the day of Chinese President Xi Jing Ping’s first state visit to the Philippines,” Panelo said as reported by Rappler.

“Time adds credence to the commonly-held belief that polling firms could be wittingly or unwittingly used for partisan purposes,” the spokesperson added.

Panelo also criticized the one question that he perceived as slanted, giving the notion that the government is not fighting for its claim in the ruling regarding the

BICAM ON UNIVERSAL HEALTHCARE BILL. Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito, (left) Chairman of the Senate Committee on Health and Demography shakes hands with Davao Rep. Karlo Alexei Bendigo Nograles (center) while Health Secretary Francisco Duque III (right) looks on during the Bicameral Conference Committee deliberations to reconcile the disagreeing provisions of S. No. 1896 and H. No. 5784 (Universal Healthcare Bill) at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday, November 19.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Fil-Am Gina Ortiz Jones concedes in close...

Filipina-American congressional candidate for Texas’ 23rd congressional district Gina Ortiz Jones conceded to Republican incumbent Will Hurd.

PAGE A1 Mexico.

“I would be honored to be the first but it is important that I am not going to be the last because I am only here because of the opportunity my community, my country afforded for me. This is very much about protecting those opportunities for others that are just as talented, just as hungry and need a little bit of help,” Ortiz

Jones told the Asian Journal in an interview leading up to the midterm election.

Last week, the veteran had filed a court motion to have a deadline to make provisional ballots official but was denied by a judge.

As the Asian Journal previously reported, Ortiz Jones attended orientation for new House members last week despite ballots still being counted. Her campaign

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said she was invited by the Committee on House Administration, which allows candidates in undeclared races to participate in new member events.

Following her concession, Hurd said, ”I want to thank my opponent and her supporters for engaging in the democratic process.” He added that “whether you voted for me or not, I will need your help.” (AJPress) n

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West Philippine Sea issue.

“Pabayaan na lang ang Tsina na panatilihin ang mga imprastraktura at militar sa mga inaangking mga teritoryo – ay tama o hindi na pamamaraan na gawin ng gobyerno ng Pilipinas upang malutas ang pagtatalo ng Pilipinas at Tsina tungkol sa West Philippine Sea (Leave China alone with its infrastructures and military presence in the claimed territories – right or not right for the Philippine government to do in resolving the conflict between the Philippines and China about the West Philippine Sea),” the question stated.

However, the polling firm stood by their objectivity claiming that they are unbiased in their intentions and that what they do is

purely out of public service.

“The Social Weather Survey items on people’s opinion about the West Philippine Sea conflict were non-commissioned. They were included on SWS’s own initiative and released as a public service,” the survey firm said.

SWS considers net trust ratings of +70 and above as “excellent,” +50 to +69 “very good,” +30 to +49 “good,” +10 to +19 “moderate,” +9 to -9 “neutral,” -10 to -29 “poor,” -30 to -49 “bad,” -50 to 69 “very bad,” and -70 and below “execrable.”

The survey was conducted from September 15 to 23 using faceto-face interviews among 1,500 adults nationwide with sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages. (AJPress) n

San Francisco puts money in Filipino...

PAGE A1 es in the district, launched UNDISCOVERED SF, a seasonal and monthly creative night market on April 18, 2017 using a $125,000 grant from the city and an additional $41,000 raised from a crowd funding campaign.

The night market proved to be a runaway success, generating $250,000 of economic activity and drawing 35,000 people to the district.

With the huge economic potential of SOMA Pilipinas validated, San Francisco again recently gave its support through the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and the Mayor’s Office of Housing and Community Development (OHCD) with a total investment of $316,250 for the district’s continuing economic development.

The funding will allow SOMA Pilipinas to move forward with plans to start a merchant association, a pop-up to permanent retail incubator program, more events, and to conduct neighborhood marketing.

Expanded opportunities “Investments like these expand opportunities for local emerging entrepreneurs, celebrate the rich cultural history and experience of the Filipino community, and create local attractions to bring people to this neighborhood,” says OEWD Director Joaquín Torres.

“Through food and art, we are supporting the vitality of the Filipino cultural district and nurturing a diverse generation of new small businesses in San Francisco,” Torres added.

Separately, the National Endowment for the Arts issued a $100,000 grant to be used to identify and design place-making opportunities in the district.

On October 2018, SOMA Pilipinas pole banners with images of prominent members of the community went up around the district as the initial result of the arts grant.

UNDISCOVERED SF, returning as a holiday pop-up for the winter season on December 1 at Colorbloq, an event space in SOMA opening to the public for the first time, also received an additional $30,000 grant from The San Francisco Foundation this month.

Bounded by Market Street to the north, Brannan Street to the south, 11th Street to the west, and 2nd Street to the east, SOMA Pilipinas is a testament to over a century of Filipino history and presence in the South of Market.

According to Kultivate Labs executive director and economic development chairman of SOMA Pilipinas, Desi Danganan, UNDISCOVERED SF was the first step in their economic develop-

ment plans “to aggregate our emerging entrepreneurs in one place and identify winning concepts to invest in to accelerate their growth in the cultural district. Unlike the old ways of nepotism that have plagued our mother country, we allow the market to decide who we should invest in and not because you’re somebody cousin or brother-in-law.”

Business accelerator The second step in the economic development plan is a business accelerator program known as SOMA Economic and Entrepreneurial Development (SEED) by Kultivate Labs in partnership with the Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center.

SEED was launched in September 2018 and six food or retail businesses were selected among 17 applicants from an “online call for applications for SOMA Pilipinas based businesses.”

“We narrowed them down to 10 possible candidates that we interviewed and whittled down to the final six,” says Danganan.

“It was tough to get down to the final six, but the most important criterion was could we help them with the resources available to us and could our impact be measured.”

The final six businesses are two Filipino pop-up restaurants, Pinoy Heritage and Alchemy Kitchen; The Sarap Shop, a Filipino food truck and catering business; Arkipelago Books, one of only two Filipino specialty bookstores in the country and a neighborhood institution for 20 years; Mestiza Taqueria; and Covo, a co-working space.

With the success of UNDISCOVERED, OCHD “has given us a modest $35,000 to test our next step—investing directly in the success of our businesses.” Danganan says that they are working with each business to map out growth and determine business elements that are lacking and generate the necessary steps to make it happen.

“You could be an extremely successful food truck with sales over a $100,000 a month, but in the rush to generate revenue that food truck never setup proper accounting to track their expenses to ensure they are truly profitable,” says Danganan. “What SEED will do is actually create your accounting system, managing it for a few months, then teach you to run it properly.”

SEED benefits The first batch of entrepreneurs in the SEED program is unanimous about the benefits that it will bring to their business as well as to the district.

“We love the program!” says The Sarap Shop co-founder and CEO, Kristen Brillantes. “Developing this cultural district is tough work and it’s important

that it’s filled with representation from local Filipino business owners.”

“It encourages Filipino/Fil-Am entrepreneurs to not only own and operate their businesses within the district, but to be a part of our great community. Without community, there is no growth,” says Alchemy Kitchen chef and owner, Ronnie Taylor.

“We are so thrilled to be a part of it! It’s really refreshing to see an accelerator that supports nontech companies,” says Covo CEO, Rebecca Pan. “It’s rare, but there are so many companies like mine that can really use the boost this program provides.

They are seeing to benefit the most from the marketing and public relations (PR) components of the program.

“With San Francisco being oversaturated with restaurants and being a pop-up restaurant, Marketing and PR is absolutely needed to succeed,” says acclaimed chef and Pinoy Heritage owner Francis Ang. “With Renaissance and Kultivate Labs’ assistance, I’d like to create awareness that there is a new wave of Filipino owned establishments here in San Francisco,” says Taylor.

“We will be leveraging the marketing and PR components the most, to launch a new program here at Covo,” says Pan “This program will help entrepreneurs maintain momentum and build resilience.”

More exposure It is their hope that the program will generate more exposure needed to grow their business and to eventually gain the stability to thrive in a district that they represent and belong to.

“We hope the program will help us sell out our weekly popups and eventually help us gain a brick and mortar in the near future,” says Ang. “My intention for this program is not only to gain exposure to the general public through our food and story, but to also prove SOMA Pilipinas can ‘kultivate’ sustainable Filipino owned food and beverage institutions,” says Taylor.

The first SEED batch of entrepreneurs and the success of the program are extremely crucial to the long-term plans of Danganan and his team.

“We want to develop measurable results for our incubated companies. We want to turn our $35,000 into $70,000 in revenue or cost savings for our six companies so we can continue to do this program and offer it to more businesses so we can accomplish our long-term vision of populating SOMA Pilipinas with a variety of vibrant and resilient Filipino owned companies.” (Wilfred Galila/Inquirer.net) n

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Dateline USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018

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The “Sleeping Giant” awakens: AAPI civic engagement reaches historic highs Dispelling the AAPI electorate’s stereotypes and how to further mobilize AAPI voters in the future

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

IT’S 2018, and Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters will not be silenced.

As previously reported by the Asian Journal, the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund reported the initial results from a post-election survey of AAPI voters that measured the changes in voting behaviors, attitudes and turnout of the fastest-growing electorate.

The survey focussed on six crucial states with battleground races with significant AAPI populations: California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Nevada and Arizona.

Unsurprisingly, it found that the AAPI electorate continued its trend of voting majority blue: 70 percent voted for Democrats and 25 percent voted Republican in House races.

But a key finding of the survey was the lead-up to the midterms yielded historic highs in civic engagement. Seventy-three percent of AAPI voters in district races encouraged family or friends to register and/or vote.

Notably, health care cost was the No. 1 issue this time around for AAPI voters, coinciding with the ongoing battle between Democrats and Republicans on the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which, if eliminated as Trump has pledged to do, would wipe millions of Americans off their healthcare.

“The poll finds AAPI voters are alarmed with the direction the country is headed in and expressing their dissatisfaction with President Donald Trump,” said EunSook Lee, Director of the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund. “Out of enthusiasm for the democratic process, they are showing their power at the polls and through other forms of participation, which has contributed to the Democratic takeover of the House. With AAPIs activated in momentous levels, it will be important to see how this newfound civic activism will impact public policies in the months to come.”

But why is mobilization of the AAPI electorate important?

Paul Ong, Melany Dela CruzViesca and Don Nakanishi of UCLA’s Asian American Studies described the AAPI electorate as the “sleeping giant,” a steadily growing subset of eligible voters that could swing elections, in a 2008 study that explored civic engagement among the electorate.

The 2008 election of Barack Obama was a huge milestone in the history of American politics, but it also marked the arrival of Asian Americans as a pivotal voting bloc that has the power to swing elections.

Although Asian Americans count for only about 6 percent of the overall American population (according to the Census data); by 2040, the AAPI population is expected to double, increasing its electoral impact.

Moreover, high concentrations of Asian Americans exist in some of the most pivotal regions,

including those surveyed in the 2018 AAPI Civic Engagement Fund exit poll.

But despite the poll’s results that may provide important foresight into future electoral politics, it’s striking to know the decadeslong effort to mobilize AAPI voters and shirk misconceptions of the community at large.

The correlation between citizenship and eligibility to vote is direct; in order to vote, you have to be a citizen. Asian Americans gained the right to vote in 1952 when the federal government officially eliminated the federal policy that barred Asian immigrants from becoming U.S. citizens. (These policies began to lift in 1943, but a majority of Asians in the U.S. were granted the right to naturalize in 1952.)

Then in 1965, the Voting Rights Act (VRA) was signed into law and outlawed racial discrimination at the polls. In 1992, the VRA expanded in 1992 to include language protections for regions with significant populations of non-English or limited English speakers.

“It’s part of the history of nonAAPIs having preconceived notions about who Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are,” Taeku Lee, managing director of Asian American Decisions and one of the key researchers in the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund election eve poll, told the Asian Journal in a recent interview. “Specifically, for a long period of time, there was [a] prevailing stereotype that Asian Americans were not interested in politics, and that’s why they were under participating in electoral politics.”

Among the stereotypes attributed to the lack of attention given to Asian American voters by candidates, pollsters and non-AAPIs in general are the notions that Asian Americans either don’t care about American politics or that they’re only interested in the politics of their motherlands; two misconceptions that Lee says are “patently untrue.”

For example, if you’re a Philippine-born voter and you’ve expressed interest in the politics of the Philippines, you’re likely to also be engaged in American politics, Lee posits.

“So it’s not a zero-sum tradeoff, the idea that being interested in politics of the home country means you won’t be interested in U.S. politics,” Lee said. “The opposite is true: that if you’re more politically-engaged, you’re just more politically-engaged, in any context.”

Overcoming barriers to voting Lee pointed out three interconnected barriers that, to this day, obstruct AAPI voter mobilization for political campaigns and pollsters: cultural competence, technical know-how and cost.

He explained that the overall heterogeneity of the AAPI electorate means that you would need bilingual interviewers, sample lists of people who may Asian Americans and translate in several languages.

“It’s cost coupled with the

NDF, peace panel cancel...

PAGE A1 the Department of Justice (DOJ) to declare the CPP, its armed wing New People’s Army (NPA) and the NDF as terrorist groups remains pending and still not implemented However, Secretary Año seemed to contradict the peace process adviser. He claimed that the two communist leaders have both pending warrants of arrest

in Quezon province and would be arrested unless President Duterte orders otherwise.

Sison also added that the NDF lawyers were threatened since Jalandoni and Ledesma are included in the list of 600 proscription cases connected with Proclamation 374. The legal consultants said that the two might face court summonings as soon as they arrive in the country. (AJPress) n

Trillanes bares ‘draft’ of China-PH...

PAGE A1 t ploration in relevant sea areas in the South China Sea” and will establish “inter-governmental joint Steering committee and an inter-entrepreneurial Working Group.”

The committee, it noted, will be led by “the ministries of foreign affairs with the participation of relevant agencies, including energy departments of the two parties.”

The alleged copy of the draft framework agreement also claims that joint exploration, should be “conducted by the two parties and the outcome shall only be shared by the two parties.”

“The joint oil and gas exploration shall not affect the respective position on sovereignty and maritime rights and interests of the two parties,” it said.

Section 6 of the draft agreement mentioned about contract signing, saying working group will discuss the details of the joint exploration.

“The two parties’ entrepreneurs are to sign contract based on the discussion. The contract is

to be performed upon ratification of the Committee,” it said.

“Any document, information or data concerning the joint maritime oil and gas exploration between the two parties shall be kept confidential, unless the two parties decide otherwise,” it added.

Further, the draft agreement states: “Any dispute consenting the implementation or interpretation of the agreement or any other relevant disputes shall be settled through friendly consultation by the two parties.”

Without prejudice to their respective position, “the two parties shall, based on the outcome of the joint exploration, make arrangements for relevant bilateral cooperation including joint exploitation,” according to the draft.

“Any other matters shall be consulted and agreed upon by the Committee as well as the Working Group or through diplomatic channel,” it also said.

Malacañang, however, has not confirmed the existence of such framework. n

idea that this is a sufficiently small segment of the electorate that it doesn’t make any difference if we don’t get any data on them,” Lee said, adding that the AAPI electorate is growing “so exponentially” that it’s becoming more difficult for candidates and campaigns — especially in certain jurisdictions where the concentration is more saturated — to adhere to that logic.

For the Filipino-American electorate, in particular, it’s all the more difficult, primarily because of the Spanish surname.

Aquilina Soriano Versoza, executive director of the LAbased Pilipino Workers Center, discussed the stereotypes that could put off campaigns and pollsters from taking advantage of the AAPI vote.

The model minority myth, which is often applied in an academic context, can also explain the lack of attention the AAPI community receives, especially in terms of issues like health care cost, jobs and wages and public programs.

However, the widely-accepted veneer of the “well-off” AAPI ignores the concerning realities of many AAPI families and, in turn, could deter campaigns from reaching out to them at all.

“I think that there’s this stereotype of the Asian business owner,

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CLEAN-UP DAY. Employees of the Department of Public Works and Highways clean a portion of the Araneta Underpass in Cubao, Quezon City, whose paint had been blackened by soot.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada

Chinese President Xi Jinping arrives...

PAGE A1 t ago,” Xi added.

In his opening remarks, Xi stated the history between the Philippines and China as he begins the expanded bilateral meeting with Duterte.

“China and the Philippines are close neighbors with a thousandyear history of exchange; good neighborliness, friendship, and winning cooperation is our only correct choice,” Xi said as reported by Rappler.

Xi stayed at the Shangri-la The Fort, Bonifacio Global City during his two-day visit. All official activities was held at the Malacañang Palace on the first day, after the wreath-laying ceremony at Rizal Park, Manila.

The Chinese president’s schedule included the official welcome ceremony, signing of the guestbook, expanded bilateral meeting, witnessing of the signing or exchange of agreements, joint press statements with no ques-

tion-and-answer and restricted meeting and exchange of gifts and state banquet with toast remarks.

The activities on the second day involved the joint call of House Speaker and former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and Senate President Vicente Sotto III followed by a photo opportunity with leaders of the Filipino-Chinese Community at the Shangri-La, Bonifacio Global City in Taguig City. (AJPress) n

A

NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

The “Sleeping Giant” awakens: AAPI... FBI sued for records on 1981 Seattle PAGE A3 t and that most Asians are conservative that not only has this effect of ‘We’re not going to make this effort’ but also this idea that, ‘Oh, we don’t want to mobilize that vote because it’s going to work against us,’” Soriano Versoza told the Asian Journal in a recent interview.

Soriano Versoza, last year along with Fil-Am philanthropist Alex de Ocampo and communications consultant Marco Meneghin, established the Fili-

pino Voter Empowerment Project (FVEP) which seeks to encourage more civic engagement and voter turnout among Filipino American voters and to make that electorate more visible.

“But the reality is that we have so many working families and those are the people who aren’t as visible, and we have so many Asian Americans who are so spread out, especially the Filipino-American community,” she added.

“That’s our goal with FVEP

to provide a link to the community to address things like the complicated process of voting, increasing voter contact within the Filipino-American community and to ultimately strengthen those voting muscles to make civic engagement more of a habit rather than a chore,” Soriano Versoza said.

It’s safe to say that — after the 2018 midterm elections — AAPI voters are more mobilized than ever before, and the results from the AAPI Civic Engagement Fund’s survey inspires innovative methodology to increase engagement.

In 2008, Obama and Organizing For America demonstrated the positive effects of a strong ground game — i.e. door-todoor canvassing, voter contact via phone calls and text messages — that involves the campaign team (especially the candidate themselves) making the effort to personalize the mobilization.

Lee described this direct contact as “the best way to convert someone from a couch sitter to an active voter.”

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders famously mobilized voters in the 2016 primary election by employing a comprehensive ground game that involved visiting key districts, knocking on doors, increasing contact with previously ignored electorates and utilizing social media to further mobilization, especially among millennials.

Notably, Democratic senatorial candidate Beto O’Rourke of Texas took it a step further and made diversity a cornerstone of his campaign. This was coupled by strategic social media mobilization which brought his campaign national attention.

(Although he lost, O’Rourke won 66 percent of the AAPI vote and, from the looks of it, is likely going to remain a tastemaker in American politics going forward.)

“If you’re going to reach out to an AAPI voter, you’re likely to succeed if it’s an AAPI volunteer on the other end of the phone or on the other side of the door or if it’s someone who is a neighbor or someone who you attend church services with,” Lee offered. “The more personal you can make the connection, the likelier you are to convert someone into an active voter, and that’s another thing we’re seeing that has been effective.” n

murders pinned on Marcos regime

SEATTLE — A Seattle lawyer and a documentary filmmaker sued the FBI on Friday, Nov. 9 for allegedly withholding documents to help cover up the sensational 1981 murders of Filipino American cannery-union leaders who were also militant critics of Philippine dictator Ferdinand Marcos.

The suit was filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle by attorney Michael Withey, author of newly published “Summary Execution: The Seattle Assassinations of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes” (WildBlue Press 2018), and Sharon Maeda, who is working on a film about the murders.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Seattle, asks for the release of more than a thousand pages of FBI documents, including ones previously requested through the Freedom of Information Act but denied, in relation to its role in the fatal shootings of Silme Domingo and Gene Viernes in the Pioneer Square headquarters of the ILWU Cannery Workers Local 37 on June 1, 1981.

Withey and Maeda specifically want to know why FBI informant LeVane Forsythe, now deceased, tried to derail the murder trial by testifying for the criminal defendants by saying he was present near the murder scene and saw someone else other than the defendants leaving the scene.

Withey said he later discovered through his own research of more than three decades and FBI records that Forsythe was an FBI informant with a specific identification number. He said one of the lingering questions is how Forsythe happened to be at the scene of the murders, whether it was tied to work for the FBI, and whether bureau operatives had prior knowledge of the planned assault.

The FBI in 1973-1982, the complaint said, was conducting a “foreign counter-intelligence operation” against the Union of Democratic Filipinos (KDP), the anti-Marcos organization led by Domingo and Viernes in Seattle.

Domingo’s name and activities are referred to at least eight times in this investigation.

The FBI refused to make a statement, telling the Seattle Times that it does not comment on ongoing litigation.

Domingo and Viernes, both 29, militant critics of the Marcos government, were pushing for reforms in the union, which

Silme Domingo (left) and Gene Viernes, Seattle labor leaders and anti-Marcos militants murdered In 1981.

Contributed photos

Lawyer-author Michael Withey and filmmaker Sharon Maeda sued the FBI on Nov. 9.

sent Filipino workers to Alaska’s fish canneries. They also successfully lobbied for the International Longshore and Warehouse Union’s support for the then-largely underground trade union movement in the Philippines. Viernes had returned from a visit with labor activists in the Philippines shortly before his murder.

Two defendants, Jimmy Ramil and Ben Guloy, members of a Filipino gang that ran gambling operations in the canneries, were convicted of the murders.

Later, the union local’s president Tony Baruso, a town mate of Ferdinand Marcos, was also convicted as principal conspirator, and died in prison.

During Ramil and Guloy’s trial, FBI informant Forsythe appeared as a surprise witness in their defense. However, Forsythe was discredited when his link to the notorious hoax “Mormon will” of billionaire Howard Hughes was exposed.

After the criminal trial, the celebrated Domingo v. Marcos civil suit went to trial in Nov. 1989, and a federal court jury found former Philippine dictator

Ferdinand Marcos liable for the murders and awarded $15.1 million in damages to the estates of the slain men.

Federal Court Judge Barbara Rothstein found two Marcos allies liable for the murders, stating that they participated in a civil conspiracy initiated by Marcos against the anti-Marcos forces in the U.S. by paying for and/or providing the murder weapon for the murders.

At the trial the plaintiffs proved that the murders were paid for out of an intelligence slush fund set up by Marcos with allies in San Francisco to pay for “special security projects.” It is the first and only time a foreign head of state has been held liable for the murders of U.S. citizens on U.S. soil.

Rep. Pramila Jayapal, D-Seattle on Oct. 30 wrote to the Department of Justice, in support of Withey and Maeda’s efforts: “Mr. Withey hopes to use these documents to further understand the FBI’s connection with the Domingo and Viernes case so that he might provide closure for the families of the victims.”

(Inquirer.net) n

US offers additional P37.3-M aid for ‘Ompong’ victims

The U.S. Embassy’s Deputy Chief of Mission John Law addresses media representatives, partners, and landslide-affected families in Itogon, Benguet. The U.S. government, through the United States Agency for International Development, is providing P37.3 million in new assistance for families that lost their homes and livelihoods during Typhoon Ompong in Benguet and Cagayan provinces. US Embassy released photos

THE United States government will be providing an additional P37.3 million worth of assistance to families who lost their homes and livelihood in the onslaught of Typhoon Ompong (international name Mangkhut) last September.

This brings the total assistance of the American government to Typhoon Ompong victims to P42.5 million, the U.S. Embassy said in a media release.

Through the U.S. Agency for International Development, the funding will provide six months of emergency home rental assistance for 375 families in Benguet who were displaced by land-

slides.

In partnership with World Vision, the funding will also be used to buy seeds for 1,400 small-scale farmers in Cagayan for them to plant new crops.

“The U.S. government is honored to provide shelter, to support the reestablishment of livelihoods, and to walk alongside those in need on their road to recovery,” U.S. Embassy to the Philippines Deputy Chief of Mission John Law said.

Law met families in Itogon, Benguet who were affected by the landslides, along with Mayor Victorio Palangdan, Manny Flores of the Diocesan Social Ac-

tion Center and representatives from Catholic Relief Services.

Dozens were buried under the mud following a massive landslide triggered by the typhoon in the mining town of Itogon two months ago.

Washington was among the first to respond when the disaster hit northern Luzon, providing hygiene supplies for 5,500 people who were displaced in Cagayan.

The U.S. government also initially provided 1,000 metric tons of food to disaster-stricken families in partnership with the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the United Nations World Food Programme. n

Bill that provides incentives to OFWs...

PAGE A1 t be with their families),” Aquino said.

If the bill becomes law, OFWowned enterprises will be given benefits and incentives once they decide to invest in the Philippines, including exemption from payment of income tax for five years.

Other benefits for an OFWowned business enterprise include 50-percent reduction on real property taxes and tax and duty free importation of raw materials, capital equipment, machineries and spare parts exclusively used in the operation.

Enterprises owned by OFWs will also receive preferential access to financing from government financial institutions.

“Isa sa mga pagkukunan ng kabuhayan ng ating OFWs ay ang pagkakaroon ng matagumpay na negosyo (One of the sources of livelihood of our OFWs is having a successful business),” Aquino said.

“Bigyan natin sila ng pagkakataong magkaroon ng kabuhayan sa Pilipinas upang makasama nila ang kanilang pamilya at makitang lumaki ang kanilang mga anak (Let us give them the chance to

have their livelihood in the Philippines so that they can be with their families and see how their children grow),” he said.

Aquino earlier filed SB 648 or the “Migrant Workers and Overseas Filipino Assistance Act” to boost support for the OFW community and the families they leave back home.

SB 647 aims to integrate programs on livelihood, entrepreneurship, savings, investments and financial literacy to the existing efforts of embassies to equip OFWs with knowledge to start their own business. n

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

A5

MILF chairman makes historic visit to Camp Aguinaldo

HISTORIC VISIT. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chairman Al-Hajj Murad Ebrahim poses for a group photo with Armed Forces Philippines (AFP) Chief of Staff Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr. and other AFP and MILF officials during a visit to Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday, November 19.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

invitation of Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Armed Forces chief of staff.

Philstar.com The visit, Galvez said, was a gesture of reciprocity. The AFP MANILA — Moro Islamic Lib- chief had visited the MILF’s Camp eration Front Chairman Al Haj Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat last Murad Ebrahim was nostalgic and month, where he was honored as expressed happiness at setting the first military chief welcomed his foot in Camp Aguinaldo, the to the group’s main camp. headquarters of the Armed Forces Ebrahim and his party were led of the Philippines that for decades by Galvez to the Balangiga Hall in was the rebel group’s fierce ad- the main headquarters, where he versary. was given different mementos and Ebrahim arrived at the head- tokens as a gesture of the AFP’s quarters of Camp Aguinaldo with gratitude for the visit.

Bangsamoro Transiiton CommisThe MILF chairman and memsion Chairman Ghazali Jaafar and bers of the BTC later sat in a other ranking MILF leaders on the closed-door conference with

by ROEL

PAREÑO

Galvez and other ranking military officials.

“Well, it’s both happiness and sentiment. As what I have said, I never thought I will be walking around this camp,” Ebrahim told media right after a press briefing with Galvez.

The MILF chairman also visited Malacañan Palace in 2014 when he witnessed the signing of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the peace deal between the government and the MILF. ‘Now, we are here’ Ebrahim admitted that during PAGE A6

DELAY ON 2019 NATIONAL BUDGET. Senator Panfilo Lacson tackles the delay of the deliberations on the proposed 2019 National Budget during the Senate hearing in Pasay City on Monday, November 19.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

20 presidential appointees at Customs resign ABOUT 20 presidential appointees at the Bureau of Customs (BoC) tendered their courtesy resignations, a spokesman for the agency said on Monday, November 19.

Lawyer Erastus Sandino Austria, also Port of Manila collector, said Commissioner Rey Guerrero

did not name names as “a courtesy to these individuals.”

Austria said the 20 current presidential appointees in the BoC were now subject to the evaluation of the appointing authority.

Among the presidential appointees at the BoC are the

commissioners and deputy commissioners, the director of the Customs Intelligence and Investigation Service (CIIS), director of the Enforcement and Security Service (ESS) and a number of district collectors, among others.

(William Depasupil/ManilaTimes. net) ■

FORMER Special Assistant to the President (SAP) Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has proposed the creation of a department with the sole purpose of protecting the welfare of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs).

“The Department of OFW Affairs, if created, will be a onestop shop that will provide government services to cater to the needs of our modern-day heroes,” Go said over the weekend.

The Philippines is seventh in the world in terms of population of international migrants, third in terms of receiving remittances and first in labor exportation, according to the Blas F. Ople Policy

Center and Training Institute.

Go said there is a need to enhance coordination of all offices working for OFWs by putting them together under one roof.

This move, he added, can put an end to the current problem of OFWs being passed from one agency to another just to avail of government assistance.

The proposal of having a Department of OFW Affairs came as Go vowed that justice will be served to the Filipino masseurs recently rescued from three spas allegedly engaged in human trafficking in Kuwait.

As narrated by the victims, they were employed in three spas owned by a Santi Santero,

who promised them decent jobs, only to have their engagement involve sexual services.

They were reportedly asked to provide “happy endings” to their customers.

The masseurs were also made to perform oral and anal sex acts, depending on how much the customer paid their employers.

As the “massage” work was their only source of income, the victims said they could not decline the requests.

The masseurs, having lost contact with their employment agency, reached out to Raffy Tulfo’s TV-radio program months ago.

PAGE A6

AFP monitoring SCS activities Bong Go pushes department solely for OFW concern

by EVELYN

MACAIRAN JAIME LAUDE Philstar.com

MANILA — The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is not blind to alarming developments in the West Philippine Sea where China has set up several military installations and restricted movement of Filipino fishermen.

AFP spokesman Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo made the clarification amid insinuations the military was doing nothing in the face of China’s new construction activities – like installing weather stations – on seven man-made islands within the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone.

Arevalo said some field reports reaching the office of AFP chief Gen. Carlito Galvez are deliberately withheld from the public.

“There are reports reaching the chief of staff and other heads agencies and departments, only that some of these reports did not reach the spokesman and the AFP Public Information Office,” Arevalo said over the weekend.

He said the military was discriminate in making statements so as not to further stir tensions in the region.

The Task Force for the West Philippine Sea headed by National Security Adviser (NSA) Secretary Hermogenes Esperon Jr., Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), Department of National Defense (DND) and AFP have all declined to issue any statement on China’s reported establishment of weather stations.

Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. had said he would ask Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

about the matter but taunted the media to do the verification themselves.

China itself has issued a statement confirming its establishment of weather stations on occupied islands.

The AFP, however, has made it clear that any civilian trip to certain areas in the West Philippine needs to be cleared with the military.

“You can always seek permission because we need to provide you with appropriate security. We need to provide you too with appropriate information,” Arevalo said. He also pointed out that the DFA is not the proper agency that grants non-military trips to critical areas in the West Philippine Sea. In a related development, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) PAGE A6

A

NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

AFP monitoring SCS activities PAGE A5 said it would establish a hotline with the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) to improve their coordination especially in search and rescue (SAR) operations as well as anti-drug trafficking and piracy in the West Philippine Sea. “The two agencies agreed to put up a hotline of communication mechanism which will

provide real time 24/7 communication using radio and video conference. The system seeks to facilitate coordination in search and rescue, piracy, drug trafficking and environmental protection,” PCG commandant Admiral Elson Hermogino said.

With a hotline with Chinese coast guard, PCG spokesperson Captain Armand Balilo said:

“We can talk via video conference and this could also be replicated in the districts.”

“The West Philippine Sea is vast so it is good that there would be more Coast Guard units that would be monitoring the area,” Balilo said. “We would be able to calibrate our responses and avoid miscalculation. n

Bong Go pushes department...

ASEAN SEED CONGRESS DELEGATES AT SIPAG FARM. Former Senate President Manny Villar, Senator Cynthia A. Villar and daughter Camille Villar led the delegates of the 25th ASEAN Seed Congress to a tour at the “vegetable and flower gardens” at the Villar SIPAG Farm School in Bacoor, Cavite. Eighty foreign delegates from 49 countries saw the ‘quality products- the flowers in bloom and the healthy vegetables as results of using quality seeds. Photo below in the ribbon-cutting ceremony to usher the“Field Day” opening shows Sen. Cynthia A. Villar with the following (L-R) Henk Hermans, East-West Seed General Manager; Camille Villar; Dra. Mary Ann Sayoc, East-West Seed Public Affairs Lead Convenor and Michelle Devaerrewaere, East-West Seed VP. East West Seed is one of the top seed companies in the world which has been helping the senator in her advocacy in pushing for reforms to spur agricultural growth and alleviate the lives of farmers.

Senate photo

PAGE A5 t The media anchor sought the assistance of Go, who then referred the case to the National Bureau of Investigation and other concerned agencies.

“Hinding-hindi natin palalampasin ang isyu ng human trafficking na ito. Masakit para sa akin na makita ang mga OFWs na iniiwan ang kanilang mga mahal sa buhay para lamang makapagtrabaho sa mga malalayong bansa. Tapos, ganyanin lang sila, lolokohin lang pala sila [We will never let this issue of human trafficking pass. It pains me to see OFWs who leave their loved ones for employment in other countries. Only for them to be treated that way and toyed with],” Go said.

Coordinated efforts between the NBI, Department of Justice and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration led to the arrest of Santero.

Santero is detained at the Manila City Jail and cannot post bail because human trafficking is a non-bailable offense.

Go extended legal and medical assistance to the masseurs upon their arrival in the Philippines.

In a recent interview with Tulfo, he reiterated his “malasakit” stance for OFWs and the need to make access to government services easier for them.

Go said OFWs have various concerns, which the government should address such as adequate legal assistance for those in distress, reintegration services and

shared database system to aid in tracking their status and concerns.

His statements calling for easier access to government assistance for the poor and the needy mirrors his Malasakit Center initiative–a one-stop-shop service for citizens seeking medical assistance.

The Malasakit Center is a onestop shop program of President Rodrigo Duterte to speed up delivery of medical services and give poor patients access to free medicines.

A fast lane making senior citizens and persons with disabilities a priority is also available.

Currently, there are 15 established Malasakit Centers nationwide. (ManilaTimes.net) n

MILF chairman makes historic...

PAGE A5 the height of their revolution, their focus was to destroy the camps of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. “But now, we are here.”

He said his sentiment against the military started in 1969, when he was 19 years old.

Ebrahim was a student at Mindanao State University and later transferred to Notre Dame College, both in Central Mindanao.

He said that what led him and others to join the revolution was the series of massacres at the time.

“We felt there was a genocidal campaign against the Moro people. So we were forced to organize ourselves to defend,” Ebrahim said.

He said that they had generally been on defensive mode until the attacks against the Moro people worsened after martial law was declared in 1972.

“So many Moros were killed, so we organized already a liberation organization – thus the birth of the Moro National Liberation Front,” Ebrahim said.

The MILF split from the MNLF

in 1977.

‘Final stage of Moro struggle’ The MILF chairman said that walking towards the Philippine military’s headquarters and shaking hands with its commanders and officers made him think about the pending plebiscite on the Bangsamoro Organic Law, the law that will imlplement the 2014 peace deal by creating a new region to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“I thought this is a signal from Allah that it’s already the final stage of our struggle,” Ebrahim said.

“I do not remember anyone in the MILF hierarchy—except for Ghadzali Jaafar, who visited last July as chairman of BTC—who has been to Aguinaldo,” Ebrahim said.

Galvez said Ebrahim’s visit was his way of reciprocating his visit to Darapan, where arrival honors stretched five kilometers.

“That was the longest foyer honors that I have received from any camp,” Galvez said.

He said the visits done by the AFP and MILF leadership mani-

fest their strongest cooperation towards justice and lasting peace for the Bangsamoro region.

Galvez assured Ebrahim that, while the AFP will soon change leadership when he retires, it will continue to support the peace process with the MILF. “I will always said that for the rest of my life I will always dedicate my services for the peaceful resolution of our place, particularly the Bangsamoro,” Galvez, who has said he will campaign for the ratification of the BOL when he retires, said.

Galvez was commander of the 6th Infantry Division and later of the Western Mindanao Command before being appointed AFP chief of staff in April.

He was chairman of the government panel of the Coordinating Committee on the Cessation of Hostilities and helped “negotiate a ceasefire, separate the two contending forces, assist in the evacuation of casualties, assess the situation of internally displaced persons, and help stabilize the situation” after the Mamasapano clash in 2015. n

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018

BUSINESS NEwS

A

Philippines expects exports of buko to US soon...

by Catherine

talavera Philstar.com

IN a potential boost to the country’s coconut industry, green coconut or buko and other fibers are likely to be exported soon to the U.S. Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol said the U.S. market would soon be open for buko from the Philippines as relayed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney during their meeting Wednesday, November 14. “Undersecretary McKinney said that there are just a few more quarantine protocols which need to be completed before Filipino coconut farmers could start shipping green coconuts or buko to the U.S.,â€? PiĂąol said.

PiĂąol said green coconuts from the Philippines could be sold in Filipino and Asian grocery stores across America starting 2019.

He said buko is a high value product which has carved a niche in the health-conscious U.S. market. “The Philippine coconut industry, however, failed to catch up with the demand of the market and focused mainly on the production of copra which is

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol said the US market would soon be open for buko from the Philippines as relayed by U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Undersecretary for Trade and Foreign Agricultural Affairs Ted McKinney during their meeting Wednesday, November 14.

Photo from www.igov.ph

processed to produce oil,� Piùol said.

He said supply in the market is currently monopolized by Thailand because of their aggressive marketing efforts and market-oriented agriculture.

Thailand has also been able to export other high value products to the U.S. such as coconut water, coconut syrup, among others.

Piùol said the Philippines is the second biggest producer of coconuts with a total of 3.5 million hectares planted and a production of 15 million metric tons, while Thailand is currently ninth – producing only one million met-

ric tons from only 216,000 hectares.

In the same meeting, the USDA official also presented a prototype of housing block materials made out of coconut fibers and dirty plastic, PiĂąol said.

This serves as a potential for the Philippine coconut industry to supply a product, other than copra, the main product produced by Filipino farmers. “This will be a major shift for the Filipino coconut farmers which is aimed at weaning them from their reliance on copra production alone for their income and introducing other high value products from which they could generate greater income,â€? PiĂąol said.

The agriculture chief said the Philippine Coconut Authority earlier developed hollow blocks made out of coconut fiber and is currently working on the development of other roofing materials.

He added that the country’s coconut industry is also working on the development of other products such as coconut sugar, coconut syrup, coconut milk, dessicated coconut, coconut chips, virgin coconut oil and coco coir production for the growing greenhouse farming industry in the U.S., Europe, Japan and South Korea.n

Philippine growth to recover amid headwinds

by Mayvelin

U. Caraballo Manilatimes.net

INCREASED foreign direct investments (FDI) and sustained government infrastructure spending will allow the Philippine economy to ride out current headwinds, the country’s Finance chief said.

In a recent speech, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III tagged elevated inflation, a strong U.S. dollar and higher global oil prices as the biggest hurdles facing the economy.

Still, he claimed that the Philippines remained among the strongest economies in Asia. “We are poised to recover our growth momentum, aided by investments in modernizing our infrastructure and strong inflows of foreign direct investments,�

Dominguez said.

Philippine economic growth eased to 6.1 percent in the third

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III Manila times.net file photo

quarter, the lowest in three years. Despite this, the National Economic and Development Authority said the country was still one of the fastest-growing economies in Asia, next to Vietnam’s 7.0 percent and China’s 6.5 percent.

Based on latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data, net FDI inflows slumped to their lowest

level in five months in August at $752 million. Nevertheless, it brought the year-to-date tally to $7.422 billion, 31 percent higher compared to the same period last year.

The government, meanwhile, has reported that infrastructure and capital spending totaled P337.6 billion in the first eight months of the year, 11.9 percent higher year on year.

The Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build Build Build� infrastructure program aims to boost economic growth, which economic managers recently revised to a lower 6.5-6.9 percent this year from 7.0-8.0 percent previously. “We are ready to grow. Be assured that, regardless of shortterm challenges, this administration is determined to push through with its strategy for economic growth,� Dominguez said. n

ALMOST CHRISTMAS. Shoppers buy Christmas dĂŠcor and trinkets at a shop in La Loma, Quezon City as preparations for the most awaited holiday heat up.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger RaĂąada

PH will no longer import for the rest of 2018 – Piùol by eireene Jairee

GoMez

Manilatimes.net

EXCEPT for rice, the Philippines will no longer import agricultural goods in the remaining weeks of the year as both supply and prices of basic commodities continue to stabilize, according to Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol.

In an interview, PiĂąol said the Department of Agriculture (DA) was not seeing the need for the country to import amid stabilized prices of goods, particularly rice, chicken and vegetables, in markets nationwide. “As of the moment, we really don’t feel the need to import. We have stable supply of chicken and pork in our markets, and prices of rice and vegetables have really gone down. For rice, we’re just still waiting for our year-end imports to arrive starting December 15,â€? PiĂąol said.

His statement came despite the fact that multiple holidays and festivities during the so-called “-ber�months usually cause the tight supply of several goods in the market.

Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel PiĂąol Manila times.net file photo

September, October, November and December have always been a period when supplies of agricultural commodities contract and prices of goods increase due to the festive season.

Pork products, particularly ham, are among the most consumed in the period.

To recall, PiĂąol in early August said the DA was planning to import up to 10,000 metric tons (MT) of pork to supply the local market with more stocks in preparation for the onset of the “-berâ€? months.

But since sky-high prices of

rice and vegetable have already been addressed, PiĂąol said the country would not be importing for the rest of 2018.

The agriculture chief attributed the stable settings of basic goods on the arrival of galunggong (round scad) imports as well as the facilitation of DA’s TienDA ‘Malasakit’ Food Outlets selling agricultural products at farmgate prices in many regions in the country.

Of the 17,000 MT galunggong imports scheduled to arrive in the country until end-December, 14,000 MT have already been shipped in the start of November, according to latest update from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).

PiĂąol said the nationwide implementation of suggested retail prices (SRP) on rice, and several fish species and vegetables had helped ease prices of goods.

Included in the SRP are milkfish or bangus (P150 per kilogram), (P100/kg), galunggong (P140/kg), red onion (P95/kg), white onion (P75/kg), imported garlic (P70/kg) and local garlic (P120/kg). n

SSHRB COMMUNITY NEEDS OUTREACH MEETING FY 19-20 CDBG Action Plan The City of Alameda’s Social Service Human Relations Board (SSHRB) serves in an advisory capacity to the City Council and is responsible for assessing the needs of residents, facilitating community collaborations, and informing and connecting individuals and families to resources so they live well and thrive in Alameda. The SSHRB works with the community to activate meaningful change and foster inclusivity in our island city.

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PUBLIC COMMENT IS ENCOURAGED AND INVITED SSHRB invites all community members to participate in a meeting to identify Community Development Block Grant and other Housing and Community Development needs in the City of Alameda for the upcoming July 1, 2019 – June 30, 2020 period. The Social Service Human Relations Board will meet on: Thursday, November 29 at 7pm City Council Chambers, City Hall 2263 Santa Clara Avenue Alameda, CA This is an opportunity for Alameda residents, service providers, and advocates in our community to participate and provide input on the needs in our community. No RSVP is necessary to attend. Residents are also welcome to email comments to Ana Bagtas at abagtas@ alamedaca.gov.

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NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Return of the bells

FEATURES

AFTER more than a century, it looks like the Bells of Balangiga are finally headed back to the Philippines. This week a symbolic handover was done in the U.S. state of Wyoming, where two of the bells are displayed as spoils of a brutal war. A third bell is in South Korea.

All three are expected to be back in Eastern Samar’s Balangiga town by next month.

The bells were taken during America’s foray into colonial rule.

When the United States supplanted Spain as the new foreign ruler of the Philippines, freedom fighters resisted in Samar and several other provinces. A vicious guerrilla attack on U.S. troops that was heralded by the tolling of the church bells of Balangiga prompted U.S. General Jacob Smith to order Samar turned into “a howling wilderness.”

Much has changed since then in bilateral relations. Even as a segment of the Philippine population continued fighting for full independence from the U.S., other Filipinos embraced the so-called 50 years of Hollywood, learning English and the ways of Western democracy, and enjoying corned beef and Coca-Cola.

The two sides fought as allies during World War II, going through the same ordeal. Even when the Philippines gained full political independence af-

ter the war, the two allies remained bound by a mutual defense treaty and shared values on democracy and human rights. Millions of Filipinos now live in the United States, with most members of the younger generations born there.

The Balangiga bells, however, remained a sore point in the alliance. Previous administrations had tried to recover the bells, but were rebuffed by U.S. war veterans’ groups and their families especially in Wyoming, home state of most of the American forces killed in Balangiga.

While the deaths of 48 U.S. soldiers were tragic and unfortunate, citizens of the world’s bastion of democracy would understand that the Filipino guerrillas were fighting for freedom. Filipinos were also killed during the attack and in the “howling wilderness.” sad, ugly chapter in the two countries’ relations.

Returning the bells would bring closure to that Filipinos eagerly wait for the bells to toll again,

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS POST-MIDTERM elections, President Donald Trump finally forced Attorney General (AG) Jeff Sessions to resign, and at the heart of this was Sessions’s recusing himself from the Russia probe because of conflict of interest.

Trump had repeatedly lashed out at Sessions, saying had he known Sessions would do so, he wouldn’t have appointed him for this top Justice Department post.

The president then appointed Matthew Whitaker, the chief of staff of Sessions, to be acting AG. This appointment bypassed the line of succession statute which mandates that should there be a vacancy, the Deputy Attorney General should replace the AG, and that official is Rod Rosenstein.

Rosenstein became the acting AG, overseeing the Russia probe when Sessions recused himself, and was instrumental in appointing Special Counsel Robert Mueller to head the investigation in the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to interfere and influence the 2016 presidential election.

Trump has been undermining the Russia probe, calling it a “witch hunt”, and has now picked Whitaker to be acting AG who will now oversee the Mueller probe, instead of Rosenstein.

The problem with Whitaker is

THE Supreme Court did not excise so-called “Filipino” (a.k.a.

Tagalog) from the curriculum.

No court has any business doing that. Courts do not resolve curricular issues. What it did though was decide that the petition to interdict the implementation of the K to 12 curriculum — involving a college curriculum that no longer prescribed Filipino — lacked legal warrant. The petition to enjoin having been dismissed, the result, of course, is that the CHEd-ordained curriculum that does not require Filipino stands.

My brilliant friend Antonio Contreras asks why we even prescribed a “national language” in the fundamental law, and he is right in raising the question.

It was wrong, I maintain, to prescribe a “national language” in our Constitution. A nation does not need one national language to survive and to flourish as a nation. If anything at all, it is the imposition of the ill-contrived that spawns violence and triggers divisiveness. Since it was Manila that formulated policy, Manila chose the language with which

this time in friendship, in the church of Balangiga.

(Philstar.com)

As the Republican leadership refuses to protect the Mueller probe, Senate Democrats sue President Trump for defying the Constitution in appointing Whitaker that he has made public statements in the past discrediting the Mueller probe, and has expressed that the DOJ should limit the scope of the probe and slash its budget to cripple the full investigation wherever the facts and evidence take it.

Republican and Democratic senators filed a motion to protect Mueller from being fired, yet Republican Majority Leader Mitch McConnell refused to subject the motion to a vote.

Now, a group of Senate Democrats filed a lawsuit that seeks a court order preventing Whitaker from continuing to serve as the acting attorney general.

This complaint joins other legal challenges and is the first that squarely addresses Whitaker’s appointment.

The lawsuit filed by U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal, Sheldon Whitehouse and Mazie Hirono — all members of the Senate Judiciary Committee — contend that Whitaker was ineligible to step in as the interim attorney general because his past role as a Sessions aide did not require Senate confirmation.

Senator Blumenthal tweeted on Monday, November 19, “Americans prize checks and balances.

Trump’s dictatorial appointment of Whitaker denies Senators from completing our constitutional obligation to scrutinize the nomination of our top law enforcement official. We are left with no choice but to seek recourse through the

courts.”

The Senate Democrats sue Trump to challenge the constitutionality of Trump’s appointment of Whitaker as the acting AG on November 7.

According to the complaint, “the Constitution’s Appointments Clause requires that the Senate confirm high-level federal government officials, including the Attorney General, before they exercise the duties of the office”.

As the National Law Journal reported, “The lawsuit highlighted Whitaker’s past involvement as an adviser to a company that shut down after being accused by the Federal Trade Commission of bilking consumers out of $26 million.

Critics also contend Whitaker is predisposed, based on media appearances and written comments, to curtail Special Counsel Robert Mueller III’s ongoing investigation of Donald Trump’s campaign ties to Russia.”

The DOJ defended the appointment of Whitaker in a statement: “President Trump’s designation of Matt Whitaker as Acting Attorney General of the United States is lawful and comports with the Federal Vacancies Reform Act, the Appointments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, Supreme Court precedent, past Department of Justice opinions, and actions of U.S. Presidents, both Republican and Democrat. There are over 160 instances in American history in which non-Senate confirmed persons performed, on a tempo-

rary basis, the duties of a Senateconfirmed position. To suggest otherwise is to ignore centuries of practice and precedent.”

In a Fox News interview, Trump denied any knowledge of Whitaker’s previous statements against the Mueller probe, despite such statements had been made public online, on print, and on television. In the same interview, Trump said that having known now, it would not change anything. “No collusion,” the president insisted.

The Senate Democrats pointed out in their complaint: “The stakes are too high to allow the president to install an unconfirmed lackey to lead the Department of Justice — a lackey whose stated purpose, apparently, is undermining a major investigation into the president.”

“Donald Trump cannot subvert the Constitution to protect himself and evade accountability.”

Trump’s attack on the credibility of Mueller and Rosenstein escalates, even when these two men are registered Republicans and have earned the respect of the Republicans, Democrats and Independents for their impeccable integrity.

Trump also continues to attack the Mueller probe, and will not sit down for a face-to-face interview with Special Counsel Robert Mueller, contrary to his earlier statements that he would fully cooperate because he is innocent and has nothing to hide.

His attacks against the investigation and the people overseeing the investigation negate his claim of innocence. What is he so angry about and afraid of?

Maybe it is because the Mueller probe, which calls a “witch hunt” has now indicted or gotten guilty pleas from 32 people and three companies — composed of four former Trump advisers, 26 Russian nationals, three Russian companies, one California man, and one London-based lawyer.

As reported by Vox: - Six of these people have pleaded guilty. Four of these are ex-Trump aides who struck plea deals with Mueller — Manafort and Gates were charged with a series of offenses related to their past work for Ukrainian politicians and their finances. Papadopoulos and Flynn both admitted making false statements with investigators to hide their contacts with Russians.

- The probe has also filed two major indictments of Russian nationals and a few Russian companies for crimes related to alleged interference with the 2016 election: the troll farm indictment, and the email hacking indictment.

- Konstantin Kilimnik, a longtime Manafort associate, has been charged with obstruction of justice.

- Michael Cohen and Sam Patten struck plea deals after Mueller referred their investigations

elsewhere.

- If you also count investigations that Mueller originated but then referred elsewhere in the Justice Department, you can add plea deals from two more people to the list.

- Other reported focuses of Mueller’s investigation — such as potential obstruction of justice by the Trump administration — have also not resulted in any indictments yet.

The Vox rightly pointed out, “It’s a sprawling set of allegations, encompassing both election interference charges against overseas Russians, and various other crimes by American Trump advisers. However, Mueller hasn’t yet alleged any crimes directly connecting the two — that is, alleging that Trump advisers conspired with Russian officials to impact the election. He is continuing to investigate that.”

Mueller has seen evidence nobody has seen. He knows the big picture. He puts all the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle together. His independent investigation needs to be completed without interference. The American people need to know the truth. And that is what Trump is so afraid of. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Once more, on Filipino languages

Commentary FR. RANHILIO CALLANGAN AQUINO

Philstar.com photo

it was most familiar, decreeing it to be the language of a people who have always had different languages.

In many ways, this anomalous and truly unjust situation has its roots in the mistake of calling Ibanag, Pangasinan, Waray, Cebuano, etc. “dialects,” implying of course that they are variants of one language. Any decent source on languages will show that Ibanag, as most other Philippine languages, belongs to the Austronesian family of languages. It has its own rules of syntax; it has its own semantic complications and it has pragmatics all its own.

Our policymakers ignored all this.

Gave Tagalog the habiliments of, first Pilipino, and later Filipino, and canonized it as the language of an entire nation.

It worked — in the sense that the media deluged the towns, cities and barangays with Tagalog programs. The national government did its share in this assault on indigenous languages: It decreed that Tagalog would be the medium of instruction in the rather ridiculous belief that once Tagalog was known by all, it would make students understand lessons more easily and

teaching more effective. But Tagalog had to be learned in nonTagalog regions, while the facility with which our pupils and students spoke, read, wrote and discussed in English steadily and cumulatively declined. Just as the rest of the world was rushing to learn English, we were running in the opposite direction — foreswearing it, in the name of some moronic version of nationalism that equates being a nation with speaking one language.

Are we better off for all this hoopla over Tagalog? Res ipsa loquitur. Our world standing, academically, remains mediocre, and a growing number of graduates cannot find jobs because the English they speak and write is labored and laborious — and that, most certainly, is not good enough for regional and global business. So much literature is in English — so much information in the sciences and in various other disciplines. What were the proponents of this mad proposition even thinking: That this formidable intellectual corpus would be translated into Tagalog and, in consequence, better understood by Ilocano, Ibanag, Cebuano, Waray, Chabacano,

Hundreds of students wave the Philippine and Korean flags during the Korean Culture Caravan held at the Pasay City National Science High School on Friday, November 16. The caravan aims to boost cultural exchange between Filipinos and Koreans.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Tausug students?

So, Tagalog is no longer required in college. Good. Then let us get on with the task of undoing an ambivalent language policy in higher education that has really proved to be our undoing! Let us, like Asean, make the firm decision that we shall do business — teach, read, study, write and discuss — in English. It need not be

the King’s English. The datu’s will do, provided that it is English that is grammatically sound for grammar is not, after all, some nicety with which one can dispense. It is the guarantee of intelligibility.

With educational policy finally regaining its sensible bearings, the other, equally original, equally indigenous, equally worthy Philippine languages can thrive and

flourish. There is no reason that they should perish. There is no reason that this cultural invasion of Tagalog into every barangay and purok should define our future national life. We are a country of a myriad islands and we are a nation of distinct ethnicities and languages as distinct. That fact will not divide us. Stupidity will!

(ManilaTimes.net)

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

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 23-29, 2018

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SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

Friday, November 23, 2018

Photo courtesy of Cirque du Soleil

SF

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

Meet Fil Am designer Zaldy, costume designer for Cirque du Soleil’s “Volta” and “RuPaul’s Drag Race” by

MoMar G. Visaya / AJPress

FOR over a decade now, renowned designer Zaldy Goco has straddled the twin genres of fashion and costume design to create unforgettable, timeless, and beautifully crafted clothing.

A decade earlier, he was moving seamlessly between music and fashion, creating a tapestry that could very well be a major accent to his finale dress. That is if we look at his life’s trajectory as a runway fashion show.

While making a name and creating a fierce brand, Zaldy (according to the New York Times, he dropped his last name when he was in high school) has also become a two-time Emmy Award-winning costume designer through his work on “RuPaul’s Drag Race”.

He has also been actively collaborating with Cirque du Soleil and the partnership has been growing through the years.

Zaldy’s third major project with the famed group is “Volta”, which just opened last week at the AT&T Center in downtown San Francisco. Prior to “Volta”, Zaldy worked on Michael Jackson “The Immortal World Tour” and “Michael Jackson ONE”.

The fabric of “Volta” “The message of ‘Volta’, ‘Find your Free,’ is really the muse of the show,” Zaldy said when we asked about his inspiration behind the stunning designs for “Volta”.

“The different families we discover along the journey of Waz (the main character in Volta) and his inner and outer struggle take us to worlds that have specific signifiers,” he added.

“For example the Free Spirits are meant to live off the land so I wanted to create looks that reflect D.I.Y, up-cycle, recycle attitudes to dress. As if they found all of these discarded pieces of backpacks, rope, net

etc. and creatively fashioned looks for themselves.”

The themes of alienation and self-realization are also evident in the numerous costumes in the show, to fit what Waz has to go through in order to find his true self.

With “Volta” as his third Cirque du Soleil show, Zaldy had to make a few necessary adjustments when it came to costume design.

“My first two shows for Cirque du Soleil—Michael Jackson ‘The Immortal World Tour’ and ‘MJOne’—are very different to Volta since the inspiration comes from the life and work of a real person,” he said. “Though the muses of the shows are very different my design aesthetic remains the same: I approach costume design the way I do fashion design where my goal is to create desirability.”

“Of course, I must take into account our athletes particular performance needs, but the end result for me should be something you might want to walk away with,” he added.

Zaldy & RuPaul Zaldy launched his namesake collection in 2002 and has since imagined stage looks for many of the most celebrated and diverse performers of this era: Michael Jackson, Madonna, Beyonce, Lady Gaga, Mary J. Blige, RuPaul, Katy Perry, Gwen Stefani and Britney Spears among them.

From 2004 to 2007, Zaldy was the head designer of Gwen Stefani’s highly successful L.A.M.B. collection, which fused streetwear with elements of the singer’s glam-punk look.

It was through his work with RuPaul that he first got nominated for an Emmy Award in 2016. He lost, but because of his consistently great design work, he was nominated again last year and he won. At the re-

cent Emmy Awards, Zaldy won for Outstanding Costumes for a Variety, Nonfiction, or Reality Programming, a special back to back win and it took a little while before everything sunk in.

“It’s very surreal still... we never set out thinking this show would end up, 10 years later, with all of this acclaim and attention,” Zaldy revealed.

“We were really doing this to have fun with our friends! This really shows how even when walls seem to be closing in, the general public has evolved in attitude and me along with it!”

Asked about his relationship with RuPaul and what his creative process with him is like, Zaldy replied with a simple yet meaningful “I love Ru!” Zaldy’s early work with Ru started with his single ”Supermodel” (the 1993 video credited for launching RuPaul’s career) and that has created a bond of trust between the two, to the point where Zaldy even gets to create what he thinks is best for RuPaul without sketches or fittings.

“We often have referred to our creative work together as telepathic! It’s a very rare relationship I have with only a handful of clients that imbue that much trust in me,” he explained.

That relationship has moved to yet another level as they have just started work on their new Netflix series with creator Michael Patrick King (the man behind “Sex and the City”) called “AJ and the Queen.”

“This is more of a traditional approach, in a way, where I do create sketches to share so people have an idea of what they will be shooting, however Ru and I are really left to create the best character we can together,” Zaldy said.

A June 2018 feature on Vogue titled “Zaldy Is the Designer RuPaul Wouldn’t Go Anywhere Without” retraced how RuPaul and Zaldy met in

the late ’80s at La Palace de Beauté, a nightclub in Union Square. Zaldy said he approached Ru to talk clothes.

“Ru had worn the same outfit two nights in a row, and when I brought it up, Ru told me, ‘When it works, it works’,” he recalled.

Looking back “I think once I knew what a designer was, I knew I wanted to design clothes,” Zaldy shared, looking back on the days when he was drawn to fashion and costumes even as a young child.

Born in Cheshire, Connecticut, Zaldy grew up with his two sisters. He told the Times that it was an idyllic childhood, fishing the lake and ice skating in winter.

He remembers his early days of watching Cher with his grandmother Presentacion (a dentist who had her own fashion school in the Philippines called Paris Manila Fashions) and they would always talk about her looks and outfits.

“Even though I clearly was an artistic child, I was convinced I was going to be a doctor or a plastic surgeon,” he shared.

Since he comes from a family of doctors who are married to doctors, he thought his career path was already mapped out for him.

“Of course this all changed the more sure I was with who I was and where I wanted to go,” Zaldy affirmed.

He studied fashion design at Parsons School of Design in Los Angeles and the Fashion Institute of Technology in New York.

Before he became a designer, Zaldy also dabbled in fashion modelling with designers like Vivienne Westwood, Jean Paul Gaultier and Thierry Mugler getting him to modeling women’s clothes for them.

In 1995, he was featured as a model in a British television

Contributed Photo

ad for Levi’s, an ad campaign that was way ahead of its time, according to Zaldy who posted the now 23-year-old ad on his Instagram account recently.

The advertisement was banned in the United States and was shown only late at night in the United Kingdom.

Fashion forward Aside from the new Netflix series “AJ and the Queen” starring RuPaul and from the creator Michael Patrick King, Zaldy has his hands full creating custom looks for Katy Perry for “American Idol,” designing looks for Lady Gaga’s Las Vegas residency, and creating two more projects with the founder of Cirque du Soleil,

Guy Laliberte.

“Unfortunately, I don’t get to the Philippines too much.

I work so much! Even when travelling, it’s difficult even if I’m already in Japan or China working,” Zaldy said with a hint of disappointment.

But he remains hopeful that he gets to return and visit his parents’ motherland someday soon.

“Maybe a project will bring me specifically to the Philippines. That would be amazing!”

(Cirque du Soleil’s “Volta” is at Under the Big Top, AT&T Park in San Francisco from November 15, 2018 to February 3, 2019 and will be at the Santa Clara Fairgrounds from February 13 to March 19, 2018.)

Fil-Am brings girl power Dingdong and Dennis duke it out in ‘Cain at Abel’ to Guns N’ Roses

by Nathalie toMada

by tessa Mauricio-arriola

Philstar.com

ManilaTimes.net

MELISSA Reese is being celebrated in rock circles as the first and only female member of the iconic American rock band Guns N’ Roses (GnR). And she’s half-Filipina.

The 28-year-old classically-trained musician joined the band in 2016 as a keyboardist while also playing the synthesizer, sub-bass and back-up vocals.

She’s now traveling the world with GnR who recently came to the Philippines for the first time for the Manila stop of the group’s ongoing “Not in This Lifetime… Tour.” The reunion concert of the band behind such hits as “Sweet Child O’ Mine”, “Patience” and “November Rain” has brought together classic line-up members Axl Rose, Slash and Duff McKagan.

Melissa has “more than one job,” also composing and scoring music for videogames, commercials, films and music videos such as Taylor Swift’s “Bad Blood” and the Eminem-produced movie “Bodied.” And did we say Melissa is half-Filipina?

If she’s become a source of #PinoyPride for Pinoy fans of GnR, it’s because she’s proud to be Pinoy as well. She credits her Filipino side for her passion in music.

Her attitude towards work is also credited to her Pinoy DNA, said her older sister Stephanie Reese, who accompanied Melissa on her second visit to their mom’s home country (her first was when she was 12).

Stephanie is already a familiar face in the entertainment scene because the singer-actress (she was Kim in a German production of “Miss Saigon”) has been here to do charity concerts.

“It was our (Filipina) mom who said, it doesn’t matter if you’re the best because there are so many talented people

NOT that they explicitly mentioned the name Coco Martin, nor his ABS-CBN program’s title, “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano,” but GMA Network’s biggest male stars were unable to escape addressing the fact that they are indeed, going head to head with the reigning champ of the prime time ratings game.

They obviously didn’t want to touch on the subject because it effectively steals the thunder from what should be the day’s big news: That Dingdong Dantes and Dennis Trillo — two of this generation’s most important actors — have teamed up to headline an action-packed drama series for the very first time via “Cain at Abel.”

All the same, the majority of questions that met them at the show’s grand media launch practically alluded to one thing.

“How do you feel being pitted with Probinsyano?” “Do you Melissa Reese Photos from Facebook/ Guns N’ Roses think Cain at Abel can finally topple Cardo?” “Are you ready for battle?”

Ever dignified and diplomatic, GMA Prime Time King Dingdong replied, “Wala naman po kami dito para makipagkompitensya kanino man kasi naniniwala ako na ang mga manonood may sari-sarili at ibaibang gusto at iba’t ibang panlasa. And para doon na magugustuhan ang Cain at Abel, I can guarantee, gagawin namin ang lahat para maibigay sa kanila yung gusto nilang programa.”

Giving a peek into the obvious plot of sibling rivalry from the Biblical title, he added, “I think it’s important to say that in as much as maraming action Melissa Reese is being celebrated in rock circles as the only female member of the iconic American rock dito, the action is just incidental band Guns N’ Roses. because the real core of the be afraid. And I think that’s also story is what I believe na dapat and there are always bet(Melissa’s) Filipino culture,” said aabangan dito. It’s why I acter people but just work the cepted the role besides the fact the proud sister during STAR’s hardest. Because if you’re the hardest worker, you will never Continued on Page SF7 that I’ll finally get to work with

Dennis Trillo and Dingdong Dantes

Dennis.”

Similarly, his versatile co-star put in, “Bukod sa makakatrabaho ko si Dingdong Dantes, yung project mismo ang naging exciting para sa akin dahil ngayon lang ako ulit gagawa ng action-drama on TV.” And possibly in a bid to prove that neither he nor Dingdong considered the project as GMA’s answer to ABS-CBN’s seemingly unbeatable Probinsyano, Dennis declared, “To be honest, nung umpisa po, hindi naman namin alam kung saang timeslot kami ilalagay. That’s why ang mindset namin is to come up with a show na kahit saang timeslot pa kami ilagay, kahit ano pang itapat na show, eh tatayo at lalaban pa rin siya.”

Rounding it up, Dong effectively ended the issue by saying, “Kaya mas gusto po namin na sa quality kami naka-focus in doing Cain at Abel at hindi sa kung ano mang bagay. Kasi yon naman ang trabaho namin — gampanan ang role and hindi mag-monitor ng mga ratings.”

According to the production notes from GMA’s creative team, Cain at Abel is an action-family drama about two brothers, Daniel (Dingdong)

GMA photo

and Miguel (Dennis), who grew up in two very different worlds.

As children, they were separated by fate—Daniel was raised comfortably in the city by his father, while Miguel was taken by his mother who later changed his name to Elias.

They relocated to a poor fishing village where they struggled to make ends meet.

Years later, Daniel and Elias are drawn together by mutual affections: the father who tore them apart, the mother they yearn for, and the woman they both love.

Besides Dingdong and Dennis, a smoking hot cast has been assembled to bring this story to life, starting off with their respective leading ladies, Solenn Heusaff and Sanya Lopez.

Leading the veteran stars on the other hand are Eddie Gutierrez, Chanda Romero and Dina Bonnevie, along with Ronnie Henares, Tommy Abuel, Bing Pimentel, Marc Abaya and Boy 2 Quizon, among others.

Helmed by GMA favorites Don Michael Perez and Mark Reyes, it was revealed at the launch that former “Probinsyano” director Toto Natividad is also part of the project.

Your Immigration Solution Eric r. WElsh THE 2018 midterm elections are now over, and we have a split Congress. Democrats are in the majority in the House of Representatives while Republicans still control the Senate. What does that mean for immigration laws and policies? Are we any closer to seeing comprehensive immigration reform?

There is a broad consensus that the country’s immigration system needs to be revamped.

It is commonplace to hear complaints that the laws are outdated, confusing, and full of loopholes. Does a viable solution exist to this problem?

And if so, will Republicans and Democrats be able to work together to find it? After all, President Trump is interested in border security, Democrats want a permanent solution for the Dreamers, etc.

The reality is that we may not see any major immigration reform passed for at least the next two years. While a majority of Americans do not want to see more family separations, that may be just about the only thing on which we can agree.

So, what should you do now if you are still hoping to be granted permanent resident status? Instead of continuing to wait, it is advisable to explore options that may be available to you right now.

Here are just a few of the many ways to immediately obtain a green card.

One option available to undocumented immigrants is Cancellation of Removal for Non-Permanent Residents (“Cancellation”). Cancellation allows qualified individuals to obtain a green card if they have lived in the U.S. for at least 10 years, have good moral character, and can show that their U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident parent, spouse or child would suffer exceptional and extremely unusual hardship if the applicant were forced to leave the

Thanksgiving: A celebration of immigration United States. Applicants are eligible to obtain employment authorization as soon as their application is filed. With work authorization, one may apply for a social security number, work legally and even obtain a state-issued driver’s license.

Another option for those patiently waiting for comprehensive immigration reform to pass is filing a family-based immigrant petition. In conjunction with an approved immigrant visa petition is the possibility of obtaining a provisional waiver if the foreign citizen is not eligible for adjustment of status.

A provisional waiver helps intending immigrants who are unable to adjust their status but will invoke the 3-year or 10-year unlawful presence bar upon leaving the United States. Most waivers require that the immigrant submit the application for any waiver from outside the United States. Provisional waivers allow the applicant to submit the request from inside the U.S. and wait for the decision here. Once approved, the applicant departs for their immigrant visa interview at a U.S. embassy abroad. This pre-approved waiver avoids lengthy separation of family members.

It is also important to remember that the provisional waiver does not only apply to family-based petitions. It has been expanded to also apply to petitioners from employers. Therefore, if you have an approved I-140 with a current priority dates, a provisional waiver might be an option.

There are also lesserknown options that may also be a viable way of obtaining a green card. One such option applies to people who have been physically or emotionally abused. The “Violence Against Women Act,” (“VAWA”) applies to both men and women and it allows certain spouses, children, and parents of

U.S. citizens and permanent residents to file a petition for themselves without any assistance from their relative. This self-petition allows victims to immediately seek both safety and independence from their abuser. And their abuser will not be notified about the selfpetition.

Finally, for permanent residents, now is the time to consider applying for naturalized U.S. citizenship. Having a green card is a wonderful thing, but it does not carry with it the rights of U.S. citizenship. In addition to things like not being able to vote, permanent residents can lose their lawful status and be deported. While it is true that permanent residents are most commonly deported for criminal offenses, that is not always the case. It is also possible to lose your green card for innocent mistakes, such as spending too much time outside of the U.S. Remember that more than one million individuals obtain permanent resident status each year. The ways in which they do so varies, but they all have a willingness and desire to improve their immigration status in the U.S. Consult with a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney today to find out what options are available to you. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

For more Information please call (800) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

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

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

Enzo Pineda ready for mature roles

by Ricky caldeRon ManilaTimes.net

ABS-CBN actor Enzo Pineda is sporting a new look with a shaven head, and a mustache and beard. Though a far cry from cute, well-groomed and matinee-idol-image he brought to the GMA Network talent search, “Starstruck,” some years ago, this scruffier look fits him to a T. Asked about it, Enzo told Roving Eye his transformation is a requirement of his upcoming solo movie under BG Productions International. Titled “Hipnotismo,” it is a horror flick directed by Joey Romero from a script of Eric Ramos with Beauty Gonzales as his leading lady.

“For the longest time, I only had one look – the matinee idol type. I want to look different naman this time,” said Enzo, adding, “this is the real me.”

Moreover, he believes it gives the impression that he is ready for more mature roles, and that he be “both naughty and nice.”

“I can do anything and I can play anything pero hindi ko nilalaro ang puso,” teased the big screen’s next lead actor, who also admitted he is loveless at the moment.

“I had a [non-showbiz] girlfriend for four years… but we remain friends,” he opened up. “Nasa position lang kami ng buhay na hindi kami magkatugma.”

Concentrating on his career, Enzo is grateful for this big movie break from BG Films, especially since horror is a genre he has never done before.

Looking back on his journey to headlining a movie, he ended, “I have encountered many challenges and transitions in my career but these made me a better person. And I’d like to thank people who continually believe in my talent.”

Enzo Pineda sporting a new look because he can be ‘both naughty and nice.’

ManilaTimes.net photo

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

celebrity world

Kim Chiu confirms relationship with Xian Lim

By Ferdie Villar AFTER so many years of speculation, actress Kim Chiu has finally confirmed her relationship with actor Xian Lim. In an episode of “Tonight With Boy Abunda” last November 14, TV host Boy Abunda was able to make the actress admit the real status of her relationship with Xian.

Abunda also asked Kim why it was so hard for them to admit their relationship to the public.

The actress said, “Alam naman na...oo naman. Alam naman na ng mga tao.” Kim also jokingly added that, “...

Grabe po yun, mahirap po yun sa 28 years old.”

When asked if she thinks Xian is “the one” and if they have plans of settling down, Kim said that they haven’t talked about marriage.

“Ay grabe! Hindi ko pa alam, Tito Boy. Wala pa yung isip ko sa ganun,” the actress said. “Hindi namin pinaguusapan din. Kasi siya din.

Marami pa kaming priorities, marami pa kaming gusto sa buhay. And bata pa naman (kami).” *** Congratulations to singer Christian Bautista who tied the knot with non-showbiz girlfriend Kat Ramnani last Saturday, November 17 in Bali, Indonesia.

The couple met through a common friend in Mandaluyong City and officially became a couple on November 18, 2015. Christian proposed to Kat on October 30 last year at the cliffs of Santorini, Greece.

Their wedding was ushered in on Friday, November 16, with a welcome dinner

in a Balinese-Indian-themed party at a venue overlooking the Indian Ocean. There were around 80 guests in attendance, which included family members, a few close friends and colleagues who flew from India, England, Manila, Jakarta, Singapore, U.S. and Korea.

The evening culminated with a speech by Christian’s parents Ebert and Jo Bautista and Kat’s sister Aryana.

Christian’s friends from showbiz were also in attendance including stage actress and singer Cris Villonco, singers Erik Santos, Mark Bautista and Sam Concepcion. Indonesian superstar Bunga Citra Leatari and husband soap star Ashraff Cinclair were also among the guests.

The couple will have their honeymoon in Africa next year.

Actress Kim Chiu finally confirmed her relationship with rumored boyfriend Xian Lim.

Edsel Padilla (far right), son of Daly City Filipino community leaders Edwin (third from left) and Brenda (far left) Padilla, recently celebrated his 17th birthday which was held at Kome Restaurant. Also in photo is his sister Eren (second from left).

“Eat! Bulaga” co-host, actor and impersonator Paolo Ballesteros will celebrate his birthday on Thursday, November 29.

Singer Christian Bautista tied the knot with non-showbiz girlfriend Kat Ramnani last Saturday, November 17 in Bali, Indonesia.

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

Multi-awarded actress Jean Garcia is one of the lead stars in GMA 7/Pinoy TV’s teleserye, “IkaLimang Utos.”

Actor Jason Abalos is one of the lead stars in the newest teleserye on GMA 7/Pinoy TV, “Asawa Ko Karibal Ko.”

LONG ago, on a visit to my father’s grave site on Father’s day, my husband, daughter and I trudged along several tombstones of husbands and wives who lived in the 1850’s and died just before the mid-1900’s buried side by side on a quiet, lush, manicured patch of Forest Lawn Glendale.

My daughter noted the pattern in the headstones of a generation ago. I commented that it is getting harder to find such longevity of devotion these days among younger married couples of the current generation.

Call this the Age of Distraction. Perhaps it is because the young ones are engaged in far too many distractions and mired in too much self-absorption living in a popular culture that fosters self-love and to a point, extreme narcissism. It has become a struggle for many couples just to stay together.

One might argue that the generations before us didn’t have the same challenges that we are having. True. It may have been a far simpler time compared to the complexities we are all faced with. And yet they leave behind lessons of love that result in devotion and fidelity. Surely, we can learn a lot about nurturing human relations from those who have gone before us.

This I have learned from an older generation at an early age.

Of all the powerful words in the English language, the words “Thank you” are like magic wands in helping transform human relationships, marriage in particular, happier. Not perfect … just happier.

You don’t even have to say the words. You can acknowledge anything good done for you by your partner by a sweet gesture, a nod, a smile, a touch or anything else that works for you that says “thank you.”

In short, don’t take your partner for granted. Whether you’ve been together 50 days or 50 years, those words never get old.

If you want that most powerful emotion called love to live on, treat your partner like a gardener takes care of a plant.

Most plants cannot survive without water, light, soil and other optimum conditions kept at a consistent basis. The human heart is like that. It grows strong and beautiful with constant, devoted care.

Saying “thank you” to your partner in life as often as you can, simply means you appreciate him or her. You are validating his worth as a person. Perhaps,

Filipina singer for all occasions Tess Gregorio celebrated her birthday last Monday, November 12 at Newark Buffet. Shown in photo are (L-R) Jojo Gregorio, Shirley Castro, Ethan Mouloudi, the celebrant and Mari Gregorio.

Two Magical Words (First of 2 parts)

“… And I think about those people who mean so much to me And for so many years have made me so very happy And I count the times I have forgotten to say “THANK YOU” And just how much I love them.”

— “Sometimes”, Richard & Karen Carpenter being appreciated and shown respect is next on the list of the most basic needs of a human being after the needs of food, clothing and shelter are met.

The words may not come naturally to you and your partner may be stunned at first but go ahead. Give it a try and say “thank you.” Say ‘em like you mean ‘em. Look for the small gestures such as giving you a cup of coffee, opening your car door, doing housework, cleaning your car or filling up your gas tank. Just don’t take what he does for you as a given. Or how about taking the initiative yourself? If you do it long enough and often enough, he might mirror your behavior. What goes around comes around.

If he brings home the paycheck that pays for your family life, then treat him like a king.

Often, the goodhearted partner will treat you like his queen.

There are exceptions, of course.

It is only the jerks and the jackasses who abuse their positions of strength. That holds true for both sexes.

If there is constant, sincere appreciation shifting back and forth between partners, you are, in effect, cementing a foundation for a relationship that would be tough to crack even if a threat to your marriage, like a pretty, young vixen with milelong legs comes along making a play for your partner. Likewise, a smooth talking, slick Pepe Le Pew character with washboard abs would smell more like Brad’s sweaty armpit and would have no chance with a woman who already has a man at home she can canoodle with.

What is good for the gander is good for the goose. There may be scores of women out there right now who feel neglected by their spouses. Maybe there’s another woman or man waiting in the wings. But more often than not during this Age of Distraction, the disaffection is rooted in self-absorption. And there lies the problem. Women need, want and crave appreciation just as much as men, if not more.

Self-love takes many forms — whether it is playing video games or social networking on FB or some such platform on the internet for hours on end; binge drinking; gambling; watching or playing golf or any other sport;

vain, self-obsession as a health nut or on becoming an Adonis body-building hunk or going to the deep end of things, deviant sex and pornography. Excessive time spent on these obsessions is time stolen from nurturing the love relationship. Watch out for these modern-day distractions and addictions that are just too many to list. Okay, let’s call a spade a spade. These are sins.

Admit them if you have them and break the bonds with firm resolve. If you want true love and happiness, strive for balance and moderation.

In all cases of neglect, love is left to wither and die. Women who feel neglected, if driven to their limits, may throw all caution to the wind and look for love from the first opportunistic guy that comes along ready to engage in mild flirtation, an occasional dalliance or a full blown affair and gives them the attention and validation they crave. Such women can make disastrous, life-changing decisions that cause not only personal damage but also leave behind in the wake of a messy split, massive psychological, irreversible damage to children and other people involved in the couple’s orbit.

Say “thank you” and mean it. Don’t just do it out of habit.

Cut off the cellphone “umbilical cord” and make eye contact.

Open your eyes and see the good in your partner. Wisdom, as they say, is knowing what to overlook. Rein in that critical sharp tongue. The tongue is a small yet powerful muscle that can lash out, slash and burn a relationship forever. The effect is amplified a million times when you write it down or use the web to vent your fury. When you document your anger on paper and more frequently these days online, you have entered “scorched earth” territory. There is little chance of ever going back.

(To be continued in next week’s issue …) *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com. To read past articles, click on the link Online: http://issuu. com/asianjournaldigitaledition or you can do searches in the least invasive search engine duckduckgo or bing or yahoo even before google.

Thanksgiving is a time for giving thanks articles and television show, “Citizen Pinoy.” I am happy to be of service to you, and I will continue to support Filipino events and causes.

Thank you to ABS-CBN, TFC, and the entire crew of atty. MiChael “Citizen Pinoy,” who share GurFinkel, eSQ my vision of providing a THANKSGIVING is when public-service program to the people step back and reflect Filipino community concerning on all of the wonderful things immigration information. It and events to be grateful for, makes me so proud and happy and to give thanks to those when people come up to me, people who played such a saying they watch “Citizen key role in helping us achieve Pinoy” every single week, and them. have learned so much from At this Thanksgiving, I the real life stories and queswould like to once again give tions and answers presented. thanks to all of the people I thank all the crew of “Citizen who have been so kind and Pinoy” for their hard work, supportive of me and my imdedication, and passion for migration law practice. this worthy public service.

Thank you to all of my Thank you to all of our clients. You are the reason I friends in the media, who am able to remain in business. through their prestigious pubI also know how important lications, enabled us to reach your immigration matter is in those who need our services your life and in the life of your and inform the Filipino comfamily. I appreciate your trust munity about newsworthy and confidence in my office, immigration information. You in allowing us to handle such serve as an avenue to help an important matter.

“BRING FAMILIES TOGETHThank you to the entire ER” and help “MAKE THE Filipino community. I truly AMERICAN DREAM COME appreciate your warmth and TRUE.” support, and I thank you for Thank you to my staff. all of your letters and emails Your tireless efforts and deditelling me how you enjoy my cation to our clients are the

Immigration Corner

Health@Heart

Your heart

ergy is used up, which is within about 4 minutes. It then ceases movement.

PhiliP S. Chua, What is the normal heart MD, FaCS, FPCS rate?

This varies from individual HEART, the symbol of love, to individual, depending on the age, condition of the body, of Valentine’s Day, even of and the health of the person. religious adoration, is always A well-conditioned athlete fascinating but still a mystery may have a heart rate of 35 a to most of us. The amazing facts about our most loyal and minute and feel great, but this dedicated heart are mind-bog- rate would cause almost all of us, non-athletes, to feel faint gling and a constant source and pass out, or in the very of wonderment. Winning least, feel very dizzy and weak. hearts, stealing hearts, breakOn the average though, the ing hearts, and for us cardiac surgeons, mending hearts, are normal resting rate (medically speaking) is from 60 to 100 easier to understand and do, beats per minute. Anything than to comprehend fully the below 60 is called bradycardia wonders of this hardworking, (too slow heart rate), and a ceaselessly pumping, untirrate higher than 100 is tachying, and unique muscle in our cardia (too fast a heart rate). body.

Among children the range How large is our heart? is between 90-120 beats a The size of the adult heart minute. is about the volume of two How much blood does a hands clasping each other, person have? with the fingers intertwined.

The adult human body has In children, it is the size of the about 5.6 liters (6 quarts) of kid’s one fist. The heart is loblood in the circulation. These cated, not to the left, as often 6 quarts completes a full round thought of, but in the middle of circulation throughout the of your mid chest, enclosed body about every 20 seconds. in its own compartment, an envelope called pericardial sac, The blood travels a total of about 19,000 kilometers and located between the left (12,000 miles) in 24 hours, and right chest cavity, where which is about four times the the left and right lungs are, distance from California to respectively. Its tip is pointed New York, or roughly five times slightly to the left. the air miles from San FranDoes the heart ever rest? cisco to Manila. About one milThe heart beats about lion barrels of blood is pumped an average of 70 beats per by the heart in an average life minute, 4,200 an hour or span, a volume enough to fill about 100,800 times in one more than three super tankers. day, roughly about 36 million Where does the blood go? times in a year. In an average The blood pumped by the life span, the human heart will heart goes out through the beat about 2.5 billion times. ascending aorta, the largest arBut contrary to what seems tery in the body (about half the obvious, the heart rests for a split second in between beats. size of an average wrist), that This happens between contrac- is connected to the heart, and circulates through the various tions, when the heart relaxes arterial branches and capillarto accept more oxygenated ies to the brain and to all other blood from the lungs, and prepares to pump blood out of vital organs (liver, pancreas, kidneys, adrenals, intestines, its chambers again.

How powerful is the heart sex organs, etc.). The capillaries are terminal or end arteries, contraction? the size of which is about oneThe heart contraction is so tenth the size of the human powerful that it approximates hair. These are the tiny vessels the force one needs to give that actually bring blood to the a tennis ball a hard and full tissues and cells of the various squeeze with all your might.

The cardiac muscles work twice parts of the body.

How does blood get oxyas hard as the leg muscles of a person running full speed. The gen and nutrition?

The nutrition and oxygen hydraulic force generated is necessary to propel rapidly the in the blood are used up by the tissues and cells. The used blood that circulates about 13 blood (now containing much kilometers per minute, or 780 kilometers per hour, about four less oxygen and more carbon dioxide, lactic acid and other times the speed of the fastest “waste products”) travels back racing car there is.

Will an isolated heart beat from the tissues and cells to lungs for oxygenation. Then on its own? blood goes to the heart for The muscle of the heart is pumping to all organs, like the a specialized one that beats liver where toxins will be deon its own (automaticity) and toxified, to the kidneys that will one that has its own rhythm (rhythmicity), even when cut off filter the waste products and passed out through the urine, from the body and lying on a to the stomach and intestines surface. The isolated heart in this situation will beat continu- where it will be replenished ously until its own residual enContinued on Page SF6

main reasons we can continue to provide quality service to our many loyal clients.

Thank you to my wife, Millie. People say that behind every successful man, there is a Filipina wife. After many years of marriage, I know it’s true. Words cannot express my gratitude for your help, support and dedication to our business. You are the “wind beneath my wings.”

And most of all, thank you to the Almighty. Without His blessings, benevolence, and guidance, none of this would be possible. May He allow me to continue to assist people with their problems, and allow the prayers of all people to be answered and fulfilled. *** 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 reenactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any

community

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

FATHER AND DAUGHTER REUNITE AFTER 40 YEARS OF LIFE-CHANGING CHOICES AND “MISFORTUNES” ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY”! Decades ago, Tatay Rolando left his wife and daughters in the Philippines to seek a better life in the U.S. After getting his green card, he petitioned his family, except for Anna Lyn (center) who had turned 21, and was left behind. The years that followed became a series of rough twists and turns for Anna Lyn, including being caught attempting to enter the U.S. on a fraudulent visa. After a fraud waiver prepared by another attorney was denied, leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel put together a convincing fraud waiver package that was quickly approved, paving the way for the much-awaited, happy reunion of this family on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @ GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US:

1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

USCIS set to continue new policy memo for issuing Notices To Appear

validating departure from the United States.”

To recap, a Notice to Appear, or an NTA, is a document that instructs an individual to appear before an immigration judge and is the first step in Atty. LiLLi BerBAno BAcuLi, eSQ starting removal proceedings.

According to this Policy MemoBEGINNING November 19, randum, USCIS may issue NTAs 2018, the United States Citizen- on denied status-impacting ship and Immigration Services applications, including but not (USCIS) may issue Notices to limited to Adjustment of Status Appear (NTA) based on denials Applications and Application of certain applications, such as to Extend or Change NonimApplications for T Non-immimigrant Status. The June 2018 grant status, U Non-immigrant NTA Policy Memo will not be status, Petition for Amerasian implemented with respect to or Widower, and Application to employment-based petitions Register Permanent Residence and humanitarian applications (Adjustment of Status). and petitions at this time. ExThe most common of these isting guidance for these case applications is the Adjusttypes will remain in effect. ment of Status Application, for USCIS will continue to beneficiaries who are present prioritize cases of individuals in the United States. Accordwith criminal records, fraud, ing to the New Policy Memo or national security concerns. issued on June 28, 2018, if There has been no change to certain applications are denied the current processes for issuand the applicants, beneficiaring NTAs on these case types, ies, or self-petitioners are “no and USCIS will continue to use longer in a period of authorits discretion in issuing NTAs ized stay and do not depart the for these cases.

United States, USCIS may issue As a reminder, being maran NTA.” USCIS will send out ried to a United States Citizen denial letters for applications or having a child who was or petitions that are denied “to born in the United States does ensure adequate notice regard- not automatically “save” an ing period of authorized stay, individual from being placed checking travel compliance, or in removal proceedings.

The CTV Files

From Page SF5 with new nutrition. The used blood then flows back to the lungs. After the oxygenation, the blood flows into the heart, ready to be pumped back into the circulation once again. And the cycle goes on.

How strong is our heart?

A healthy heart can take a lot of beating (no pun intended). It is one of the most powerful pumps in the world, even when compared to the

EMPLOYMENT

Your heart... mechanical ones built by man.

Self-contained, self-propelled, energy-efficient, the heart works without stopping, and can survive grave insults and abuses we, humans, subject it to day in and day out.

Is mechanical heart better?

Certainly not. Not yet, anyway. The man-made hydraulicdriven artificial or mechanical heart prosthesis available today is still no match to

Moreover, having a U.S. Citizen spouse or child(ren) does not automatically grant anyone lawful permanent resident status without first going through the process, beginning with filing certain applications with USCIS. Now more than ever, we urge people to seek legal and competent counsel especially with regard to their immigration concerns, and in particular, in their immigration applications. Do not submit applications before first consulting with a licensed, experienced, and knowledgeable immigration attorney who will be able to walk you through your and your family’s immigration questions. ***

Vice Ganda Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

Vice Ganda speaks up on removal of Filipino, Panitikan as core college subjects

MUCH noise has surrounded the Supreme Court’s decision of declaring the K-12 program constitutional, which renders Filipino and Panitikan (Philippine Literature) excluded from the Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associcore subjects in college. ate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A From professors to lawmakProfessional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a ers, many have surely given their full service law firm with offices in San take. Celebrities’ sentiments, Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and too, are not unheard in the issue, Philippines. The information presented in as the likes of comedian Kakai this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal Bautista, and now Vice Ganda, have also given their opinion advice nor the formation of an attorneyregarding the court’s decision. client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for Vice Ganda used noontime an in-person or phone consultation to variety show “It’s Showtime” last discuss your particular situation and/or Nov. 14 as his platform to share how their services may be retained at his thoughts, going back and (619) 955-6277; (415) 495-8088; (916) forth with co-host Vhong Nav449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys.com; www. arro on the matter. Navarro, at chuatinsayvega.com.

(Advertising Supplement) one point, told Vice Ganda that kids these days are more inclined to speak English.

“Eh kasi ngayon diba sabi ko nga sayo yung mga kabataan ngayon hindi na nila alam yung the one we were born with. ibig sabihin ng Tagalog, lahat Besides being a bulky foreign alam nila English,” Navarro said. body and made of hardware (Isn’t it that these days, like not as soft and tender as our I’ve told you, children no longer body tissues, it also requires know what Tagalog means, all electrical energy from outside they know is English.) the body and the use of antiVice Ganda echoed Navarcoagulants to prevent thromro’s sentiments, saying that some bosis (blood clots, which can would even ask what panitikan cause stroke). The mechanical means. heart is also prone to infection “Pag sinabing panitikan, and not as durable as a natural ano ba yung panitikan? Mas heart. At the present, the artificial heart leaves too much alam yung literature kesa sa Continued on Page SF7 panitikan,” said Vice Ganda.

“At tsaka ang daming college students na mas magaling mag Ingles kesa managalog at mag Filipino.”

(When we say panitikan, what is that? Literature is better known over panitikan. And there are so many college students who are better in English compared with their fluency in Tagalog or Filipino.)

He then posed the question whether Filipinos truly know the Filipino language or not: “Ang Pilipino ba talaga ay alam na alam na talaga ang lahat, ang pasikut-sikot tungkol sa wikang Filipino o hindi ba?”

(Is Filipino truly already known by all? The intricacies of the Filipino language, or not yet?)

He also brought up the matter of the Korean language being taught in public high schools, as per a memorandum of agreement that the Department of Education and the Embassy of the Republic of Korea signed last June 2017.

“Masakit pa diyan kaya maraming tumatalak kasi tatanggalin daw yung Filipino pero iniisip nilang isama ang Korean language para pag-aralan.”

(What is even more painful, and why a lot are making noise, is that Filipino will be allegedly removed while Korean is being considered to be taught.)

For Vice Ganda, it seemed as if learning other languages is prioritized, even though he said that there is nothing wrong

EMPLOYMENT

SERVICES

by Cody Cepeda Inquirer.net

in learning a language different from one’s own.

Navarro, on his end, brought up other people’s false notion that a person is more classy if they speak in English, one that Vice Ganda called nothing but a load of “kag*guhan” (silliness).

In the end, Vice Ganda expressed his hopes that the issue be looked into and studied more closely, saying, “Pag-aralan sana, pag-aralan kung ano talaga ang makakabuti.” (I hope it gets studied; I hope [the authorities] get to analyze what would really be for the good.)

Meanwhile the Commission on Higher Education (CHEd) last Nov. 14 stated that it will be looking into the Supreme Court’s decision of excluding the subjects from the college curriculum.

Their statement comes after various group’s plans on working to reverse the ruling came to light, arguing that CHEd violated the Organic Act of the Komisyon ng Wikang Filipino, the Education Act of 1982, and the Organic Act of the National Commission for Culture and the Arts.

The Supreme Court, however, stated that the groups’ allegations that CHEd removed the subjects were “incorrect.”

As per the court, the changes in the core subjects were done to ensure that Filipino and Panitikan will not be duplicated in grade school, high school and college.

Fil-Am brings girl power...

From Page SF2 interview with Melissa a day before the sold-out GnR concert at the Philippine Arena.

Here is The STAR’s exclusive interview with the Seattle, Washington-born Melissa: On how Melissa got to be part of Guns N’ Roses: “I got a call. That’s exactly what happened. I met Axl before and my composing partner Bryan ‘Brain’ Mantia was the drummer before. They knew of me as a producer and heard about my poetry work. I knew a lot of people in their camp. It just came up as an idea: what about her? I thought it was a joke. (They lost their keyboardist right before the reunion happened.) That’s how the music industry works in general. For producing or composing gigs, film and all that, you say yes to everything but it’s not necessarily a real question. Literally, nine times out of 10, it means nothing. But then, it wasn’t a joke.

“Axl also put in a call to my composing partner, ‘Do I have your blessing on this? I’m going to take your composing partner away, all of these stuff, can she pull it off?’ Of course, he vouched for me. But behind the scenes, he was, ‘Dude, it’s gonna be heavy and you should be prepared. It’s a really intense thing. You’re you and you’re used to being in a studio.’ So, you really, really have to be strong and deal with not being settled like constantly traveling all the time.”

On “coming home” and performing for Filipinos: “The hospitality, the culture, a really beautiful sort of happiness. I really get where my mom’s sunshine comes from.

That vibe — I never knew that before. But it’s really cool. Real talk: I have no sleep, but it’s fine. Everything has just been so pleasant. It’s awesome! I shall return.

“It’s funny because one of the executives at Gibson Guitars texted me, is your DNA buzzing? You know, I feel like, if anything, I’m learning and going, this should be something I should know about, identify with and be proud of.

“I’m not trying to be a d***, but I pay people for assistance and stuff but everybody here sincerely cares, I’m like, why?

But you really do (care). The whole other thing — that my mom is a sunshiny thing. That’s what other people, friends of mine, some band members who met my mom (who loves to bring the GnR lumpia) love about her. It could be the most horrible situation and she’s like (laughs) happy.”

On where she got her musical genes: “From my lola. My mom’s mother from Camalig, Albay.

She sang to us religious songs.

Heart of Jesus. There was a song that focused on the Sorrowful Mystery. I loved her voice. Even our mom’s dad, my lolo, he’s almost like hip-hop today, he does three notes. Not so much melody, but he did what he could musically. I find it comforting.”

On her family’s reaction to her being part of GnR: “I forced (Stephanie) to keep it a secret. They didn’t know at first because our dad would tell everybody. Like the band is really tightlipped on the press and about saying certain things for obvious reasons. And everybody

is always trying to infiltrate and get info about these people because they’re these musical icons or gods basically…

Nobody was supposed to know that I was part of a surprise, that they are getting back together and there’s this new girl.

“I tasked Steph to not say anything and just bring (my parents) to Vegas for a big show.

Because I used to do these little things for them, I pay for them to go on these little vacations, it wasn’t weird for them to be sent to Vegas. It happened Steph was with them and took care of them. They thought it was business as usual. And when it was revealed… (I was) in the band, dad was like, wait a minute, what’s going on? He didn’t know anything! It was in an arena with 40,000 seats. He was like what are we doing? My mom was just jumping up and down. She’s just super happy.

Our parents have met (GnR) a lot of times.”

On her first-ever show with GnR: “It was in L.A., a surprise show. It was on April Fools’ Day (2016). People were like anticipating it being a thing. I was pretty freaked out in my mind but also just getting into the work mode and telling myself to keep it together. So, I was doing my thing and the whole place was packed and heavy.

Axl broke his foot on the second song and powered through and finished the show like a badass.

No one knew a reunion was happening. The whole top-tier of the rows (was) the who’s who of Hollywood. Then, there was paparazzi running after you. I really had to hide out. It was a pretty heavy situation. There were people in that show who had been to every single show for the last three years. And they cry, they freak out, they’re like the same since that Day 1.

They just love the music and the band so much. That first show was just so crazy!”

On being the first and only female in the band: “I think it’s awesome. I feel that there are two sides to that coin. Sometimes, it’s a little heavy being the only chick but obviously, you also have the opportunity to be yes, girl power!

You know what I mean? And I think that’s the most important thing to take away from it, for both the fans and for me. It is to be like, I’m repping for chicks, you know, and for young people around the world. That you can work as hard as you can and get to like a level like this for your own thing. This is possible!

Break the glass ceiling!”

On performing with the rock legends: “Not to be repetitious, but they’re iconic. It just feels like larger than life. It doesn’t feel real sometimes. At this point, too, there is so much happening on stage musically and little things going on between band members, you’re so into the music, you forget you’re before 100,000 people.

“I remember in Peru, the tickets were expensive, people saved up to watch us. That was also a touching thing how much these people who really have nothing saved all their money to come to the show. My tech, the dude that helps me set up everything, said, check that out, Blue, they call me that. There’s this huge sea of people and you can see this mountain, they look

Your heart...

From Page SF6 to be desired.

When is artificial heart used?

Mechanical heart is helpful as a bridge to heart transplantation, implanted temporarily (for a few weeks or so) while a transplant patient waits for a human donor heart, but not as a long-term, permanent, heart replacement. Obviously, of course, a suitable permanent mechanical heart with as close inherent features as those of the human heart is the ultimate goal of ongoing researches around the world. When that day comes, a dying cardiac patient would not have to wait for a compatible donor to die before getting heart transplant. The cardiac surgeon then would simply ask the operating room nurse for the appropriate size artificial heart from the shelves (much like asking for a pacemaker today) to be implanted on the patient.

By then too, coronary bypass, heart valve surgery, and most cardiac surgeries, would be a thing of the past, and the millions of lives lost annually around the globe today from severe and end-stage heart diseases would be saved. As a cardiac surgeon, I can’t wait for that dream to come true. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indianwa and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society.

He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua. com; comments questions: scalpelpen@ gmail.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

like stars, thousands of lights, and he said, those are the people who can’t afford. But you can see their cellphone lights, and they’re trying to hear the music from the mountain, and it was so touching. God!” On what she has learned from GnR: “What do you not learn from these people? They are a gem, they keep their bodies in check, they work on themselves. Of course, they’re GnR. There’s also a need to preserve that attitude, still this iconic thing being looked up to. In music these days, I feel like a lot has been missing, I don’t want to say marginalized, but I’d like to say homogenized because everybody is able to do it which is a great thing to do, YouTube, Soundcloud and all the musical stuff. Everybody is a legend in their own line. But this thing is one of the things that still exist where for people, they’re still up there. This hope, this nostalgia.

I can look up to this greatness and be like whoa, dude, I need to get my act together and work that hard to be that rad. To have that look, that vibe, I mean it doesn’t just happen anymore, you know what I mean?

“I think what I learn is to also just how to carry that with grace because they really do and to be hardworking, to have healthy boundaries. And just be really good people, be smart and really normal underneath it all.”

community

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

Jake Cuenca, Will Devaughn tested for drugs by PDEA

by Krissy AguilAr Inquirer.net

JAKE Cuenca and Will Devaughn of upcoming film “KontrAdiksyon” went through voluntary drug test on Sunday, November 18 at the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Laboratory Service in Quezon City, said a report from the agency.

KontrAdiksyon is an actionpacked movie that tackles the country’s controversial war on drugs.

It was written and directed

by Palanca Award-winning writer-director Njel de Mesa, who also wrote the screenplay for Cinemalaya 2017’s Best Film “Respeto.”

KontraAdiksyon serves as the comeback film of newly relaunched Bell Films, the film production arm of Universal Records Philippines, after a 23-year hiatus.

Bell Films produced the 1974 film “Twin First for Justice” starring Vilma Santos, “Sige… Ihataw Mo” (1994) and its sequel “Ibigay Mo ng Todong-Todo” (1995).

KontrAdiksyon starring Kris

Lead star Jake Cuenca poses with PDEA agents at the agency’s Laboratory Service in Quezon City.

Will Devaughn at PDEA’s Laboratory Service in Quezon City. Photos courtesy of PDEA

Bernal, Katrina Halili, Paolo Paraiso, John Estrada, among

others is expected to premiere this 2018.

SF8

entertainment The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS N OV E M B E R 23 - D EC E M B E R 1 2

JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles features Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future exhibition JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is pleased to announce the upcoming SOU FUJIMOTO: FUTURES OF THE FUTURE exhibition, taking place Oct. 27 - Dec. 12, 2018 at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, located at Hollywood & Highland. Named the Wall Street Journal’s Architecture Innovator of The Year in 2014, Fujimoto has designed public and private buildings around the world since establishing his atelier in 2000. This exhibition is a showcase of over 100 models and large-scale photographs of past and current projects by the celebrated Japanese architect. Fujimoto addresses many opposite concepts, including the recurring theme the “primitive future.” This apparent contradiction refers to the primordial, intuitive moments that reconnect us with our own humanity, and open us up to new possibilities. His designs often feature juxtapositions of outside and inside, nature and urbanity, objects and spaces, public and private. And, his work considers the macro and micro: when does an object become a space? Exhibition dates from Oct. 27 to Dec. 12 are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, except Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed Thanksgiving Day 11/22). JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (inside Hollywood & Highland).

Admission is free. For more information, please call (800) 516-0565 or visit https://www.japanhouse.jp/losangeles/events/.

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Art exhibit inspired by Filipino food movement in Santa Ana, CA In “Super Sarap” — from November 3 to December 15 at Gallery 6/67 — three artists Mik Gaspay, Jeanne Jalandoni, and O.M. France Viana revisit commonplace objects and food within Filipino cooking. Through sculpture and photography, the artists elicit personal and collective memories and offer cultural connections that go beyond the Philippine diaspora.

The exhibition title, “Super Sarap,” fuses both English and Tagalog together, to hold multiple meanings. It can convey something that is extremely delicious, an expression of excitement and affirmation. Artists in “Super Sarap” play with these definitions and mutate symbols, making them both strange and familiar, challenging the expectations of cultural norms. It is guest curated by Patricia Cariño Valdez, an independent curator based in Oakland, CA. In addition to the exhibit, there will be two art and culinary events: an intimate four-course gourmet dinner prepared by acclaimed Orange County Chefs, Ross Pangilinan of Mix Mix Kitchen Bar on November 15 and Chef Ryan Garlitos of Irenia Restaurant on December 9 combined with an exhibition walk-through. The opening reception for Super Sarap will be on Saturday, November 3 from 6 to 9 p.m. Gallery 6/67 is located at 404 West 4th St., Suite K (2nd floor), Santa Ana, CA 92701. Gallery visits are by appointment. For more information about the exhibit and related events, visit https://www.gallery667.com.

PG&E readies for Thanksgiving week storms, more than 2,000 personnel continue to support Camp Fire response

SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) is readying for the most rainfall since early April across Northern and Central California starting Wednesday and continuing through the Thanksgiving weekend.

PG&E electric crews and vegetation contract crews are on alert for potential outages and will be ready to respond to outages, and local emergency operations centers will activate as needed.

The company’s storm response won’t affect PG&E’s continuing restoration work in response to the Camp Fire in Butte County. As of Sunday, Nov. 18, more than 2,000 PG&E employees and contractors are doing gas and electric restoration work and removing hazardous trees in the fire zone.

“PG&E has been preparing for storms such as this for many months. PG&E has a plan, and we want to encourage our customers to have a plan as well,” said Michael Lewis, PG&E’s vice president of electric distribution operations.

PG&E’s meteorology department utilizes a storm outage prediction model that is an effective tool to help the company respond to power outages more efficiently. The tool utilizes data sources to provide estimates on the potential timing, location and number of outages that we expect to see during a storm event.

PG&E is utilizing technology to help us restore power more quickly and efficiently after a

storm. This includes the installation of automated equipment that “self-heals” the grid as well as timely and accurate outage data from our SmartMeter network.

These wet and windy conditions might cause trees, limbs and other debris to fall into power lines, damage equipment and interrupt electric service.

Heavy rainfall in areas impacted by the wildfires over the last several years might produce risk of mud slides and debris flows. PG&E reminds customers to heed all warnings from first-responders. PG&E meteorologists and seismologists will be monitoring the weather forecast closely and working with our Electric and Gas Operations team to understand the risk during each storm event.

PG&E’s meteorologists forecast that rain showers will spread across Northern and Central California on Wednesday with a stronger, wetter storm moving in late on Thanksgiving day and into Friday. Current forecast models suggest about two to four or more inches of widespread precipitation across the elevated terrain of Northern California is possible through Friday, which will decrease fire danger across the territory.

Stay safe during an outage Here are some tips for PG&E customers in case outages do occur: • Treat all downed power lines as if they are energized

and extremely dangerous. Keep yourself and others away from them. Call 911, and then notify PG&E at 1-800-743-5000.

• During a power outage, use battery-operated flashlights instead of candles due to the risk of fire. If you must use candles, keep them away from drapes, lamp shades and small children and never leave them unattended.

• Unplug major appliances during a power outage to prevent possible damage when the power is turned back on. Keep a light on to let you know when power is restored.

• If you have a generator, inform PG&E and do not use it unless it is installed safely and properly. If it is not, you risk damaging your property and endangering yourself and PG&E line workers who may be working on nearby power lines.

Information on the safe installation of generators can be found on our website at http://www. pge.com/generator.

About PG&E Pacific Gas and Electric Company, a subsidiary of PG&E Corporation (NYSE:PCG), is one of the largest combined natural gas and electric energy companies in the United States.

Based in San Francisco, with more than 20,000 employees, the company delivers some of the nation’s cleanest energy to nearly 16 million people in Northern and Central California. For more information, visit www.pge.com/ and www.pge. com/en/about/newsroom/index.page.

N OV E M B E R 24

Quarter Madness at Holy Name of Mary Parish in San Dimas, CA Quarter Madness is a fundraiser on Saturday, November 24 that is full of fun and excitement. It will be held from 10:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Holy Name of Mary Parish at 724 E. Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, CA 91773. Those who attend may find themselves raising bidding paddles for items that they may want to get. There are several vendors with a variety of items to bid for. Vendors will put up items and if you are interested on these items, you make a bid using quarters only. There will be many items for yourself and/or for your friends.

Come and celebrate with us this day as we raise funds for the poorest of the poor in Bagong Silang, Philippines. Your support will provide livelihood tools, and feeding programs. FCHNM projects include winter shelter and faith formation programs. Ticket donation: $20 includes lunch, dessert, bidding paddle. The event is sponsored by Bagong Silang Mission/ Philippines and Filipino Catholics of Holy Name of Mary Parish. For contact information, please contact Nora Prescott at (909) 525-2124.

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Healing Mass with Rev. Fr. Corsie Legaspi in La Puente, CA Come experience the healing power led by Rev. Fr. Corsie Legaspi on Friday, November 30 at 7 p.m. It will be held at St. Martha Catholic Church (444 N. Azusa Ave., La Puente, CA 91744). Contact Rainier Valenzuela at (626) 964-4313 for more information.

D EC E M B E R 1

NAFFAA hosts civic leadership forum in Carson, CA The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) will have a civic leadership forum on Saturday, December 1 in Carson, CA from 1 to 5 p.m. It is a free event focused on civic leadership and empowerment within the Filipino-American community. Following the forum will be a reception from 5 to 7 p.m. It will be held at the Carson Community Center on 801 E. Carson St. Carson, CA 90745. To RSVP, visitnaffaa.org/events.

“Pasko Na Naman” in Glendale, CA The Federation of Filipino Rosary Groups will sponsor a fundraiser entitled: “Pasko Na Naman 3” on Saturday, December 1, 2018 at Incarnation Community Center (214 Fairview Avenue, Glendale, CA 91208) starting at 3:30 p.m. The presentation’s theme is: Tapestry of Music and Dance which will show a variety of music and dances in the Philippines especially at Christmas time. The show is filled with talented artists who give to the community with generous hearts. Bre Harris and Matt San Jose will portray the role of friends who happened to have shared a common denominator about life in the Philippines; depicted through choral singing and folk dancing. The performers are: Malaya Filipino American Dance Arts, Holy Family Adult Choir under the direction of Tom Makiling and the Spirit of God Community under the direction of Ralph Santiago. “Ninangs” and “ Ninongs “ will also be presented.

Pasko na Naman presentation is on its third year. This show will bring nostalgia especially to those who miss their families at Christmas time. Benefactors of proceeds include but are not limited to: Channel of Charity feeding and scholarship programs, FFRG faith formation events and projects. Come one! Come all! Feel the scents and sights of Filipino Christmas.

The audience will also enjoy “merienda cena” at intermission. Ticket donation is $20.00 per person. For souvenir ad and ticket information, contact Tess Domingo at (909) 855-2208 or Carol Evangelista at (909) 969-3316.

D EC E M B E R 2

UPAA-NJ biennial general assembly, election & holiday party in Iselin, NJ UPAA-NJ will hold its biennial General Assembly / Election / Holiday Party on Sunday, December 2, 2018 from 12:00 – 5:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Woodbridge Hotel at 515 US Highway 1 South in Iselin, NJ. The organization will honor distinguished alumni, induct a new set of officers and Board of Trustees and feature local UP alumni talents who will provide entertainment, lead line dancing and render DJ services for an afternoon of dancing. Come and learn more about future UPAA-NJ projects and initiatives. Meet old friends, make new ones. For tickets and more information, please contact any of the following: Daisy Macadaeg (201) 446-7767, keanemac@yahoo.com, Lani Benedicto: (201) 745-6829, benedicto78@yahoo.com, Minnie Corpuz-Castillo: (551) 587-2815, mcorpuzcastillo@gmail.com, Johnny Ferrer: (201) 323-1303, juancferrer09@yahoo.com.

D EC E M B E R 3

Healing Mass with Rev. Fr. Corsie Legaspi in Los Angeles Come experience the healing power led by Rev. Fr. Corsie Legaspi on Monday, December 3 at 7 p.m. It will be held at St. Bernard Church (2500 W. Ave 33, Los Angeles, CA 90065).

Contact Puri Narvaez at (818) 543-1831 for more information.

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

MEETING OF ROTARY CLUBS. Honorary member Joe Santos of the Rotary Club of Daly City Colma, State Commissioner Dr. Fel Amistad, Consul General Henry Bensurto Jr, Guest of Honor & Speaker Rotary International Director Raffy Garcia, Daly City Commissioner Bradley M. Roxas & Joseph Rosquites @ Joint Annual Meeting of The Rotary Clubs of Daly City/Coma Evening, Pacifica & South San Francisco held at The Lake Merced & Country Club.

Valley Concert Chorale presents Annual Holiday Concerts Dec 8 & 9

“Christmas Treasures: The Greatest Christmas Choruses” LIVERMORE, CA – The Valley Concert Chorale, celebrating its 56th season as the Tri-Valley’s premier chorus, will perform its annual holiday concerts of the greatest Christmas Choruses and traditional audience sing-along.

Details are as follows: Saturday, December 8, 2018, 7:30 p.m.

First Presbyterian Church 2020 Fifth Street, Livermore Sunday, December 9, 2018, 3 p.m.

Trinity Lutheran Church 1225 Hopyard, at Del Valle Parkway, Pleasanton “Our December concerts “Christmas Treasures” feature choruses from some of the greatest works ever composed for choral voices,” says John Emory Bush, VCC Artistic Director.

“The concerts will take audience through a journey of music history from the 15th century featuring Sweelinck’s joyous “Hodie Christus Natus Est” to the most recent work of Eric Whitacre’s ever popular “Lux Aurumque”, a truly melodically inspirational piece.”

The chorus will also perform Handel’s well-known “Hallelujah Chorus” from his choral masterwork “Messiah” and a recent discovery, Biebl’s beautiful “Ave Maria”, brought to our attention by the Bay Area’s world-class men’s ensemble, Chanticleer.

“There is a rich variety of music for all to enjoy and audience members can join in singing familiar carols,” says Bill Leach, VCC President. “These choral gems will engage the listener as they explore our best choral repertoire for Christmas.”

Leach adds, “The audience carol sing-a-long has been a

traditional portion of the holiday concerts for over 50 years. It’s obvious that our audience feels the spirit of the season. We can see it in their faces as they sing, and that makes the experience very special for us.”

Tickets Tickets for the December and March concerts are $25 in advance and $30 at the door. High school and college students $10 with valid student ID. Children are free. Advance tickets may be ordered by visiting the Chorale’s website at www.valleyconcertchorale.org, or by calling the Chorale’s information number at (925) 866-4003 to order tickets.

More information about the Valley Concert Chorale is available at www.valleyconcertchorale.org, or by calling the general information line at (925) 866-4003.

About Valley Concert Chorale The Valley Concert Chorale is in its 56th season as the Tri-Valley’s premier chorus. Under the direction of John Emory Bush, the Chorale has offered a variety of musical performances to serve the diverse musical tastes of its audiences.

Valley Concert Chorale’s

mission is to engage audiences in the transforming power of music by sharing our passion and joy in live performance. We are dedicated to excellence in singing choral music of all genres, nurturing the next generation of singers, and supporting musical endeavors in our Tri-Valley community.

The all-volunteer, non-profit chorale receives financial support from grants, ticket sales, membership dues, and donations.

About the director John Emory Bush has been the Artistic Director and Conductor of the Valley Concert Chorale since 1998. He holds a Master’s degree from the Juilliard School of Music and is also trained as a pianist, organist and harpist. He was Music Director and Conductor of the San Francisco Concert Chorale for eighteen seasons and Director of Music and Organist at St. Matthew’s Episcopal Cathedral in Dallas from 2000-2010.

Mr. Bush is Music Director of Music and Organist at First United Methodist Church, McKinney, Texas. For the past fifteen years, Mr. Bush has divided his time between the Bay Area and Dallas, contributing to both musical communities.

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018

SF9

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - November 23, 2018