112819 - Las Vegas Edition

LAS VEGAS

We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!

NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2019

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

Volume 30 - No. 48 • 16 Pages

2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

PNP says Robredo did not commit ‘missteps’ as drug czar

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

CONTRARY to Malacañang’s reasons for firing Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chair of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs

Former U.S. Vice President Joe Biden

Photo by Bev Llorente

Former VP and presidential candidate Biden sounds off on Fil-Am issues

AS the U.S. presidential elections draw near, Democratic front runner Joe Biden expressed his message to Filipino American, and pledged to champion their causes.

TFC’s Bev Llorente and the Asian Journal’s contributor for Nevada recently caught up with the former U.S. vice president during his latest visit to Las Vegas.

In Nevada alone, eligible Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters are estimated to account for 10% of the state’s electorate. Filipinos are considered the largest AAPI

u PAGE 5

Pinay filmmaker sues LA’s Catholic Archdiocese over childhood sexual assault by Filipino priest A FILIPINA American filmmaker from Hollywood is suing the Archdiocese of Los Angeles over sexual assault she experienced as a child by a Filipino priest.

The suit is said to be the first civil lawsuit against the nation’s largest Catholic diocese since California passed a law giving childhood sexual assault survivors more time to file civil lawsuits.

Aimee Galicia Torres, 34, said that Filipino Catholic priest Fr. Honesto Bayranta Bismonte began sexually abusing her in 1993 when she was just 8 years old. Bismonte, whom Torres knew as ‘Lolo Nes’ or ‘Grandpa Nes,’ continued to sexually assault her until she was 12 years old.

The assault allegedly took place in the home of Torres’ aunt while Bismonte served as a priest in Gardena’s St. Anthony of Padua

u PAGE 5

missteps,” said PNP spokesman Bernard Banac in an interview with ANC’s “Early Edition.”

“But in the continuing discussion, of course, there is that exchange of ideas and insofar as discussion on a higher level, the PNP is not really involved

(ICAD), the Philippine National Police on Tuesday, November 26, said it did not see Robredo make any “missteps” during her 18-day stint as the administration’s anti-drug czar.

“During her stay as co-chair of ICAD, we haven’t really noticed any report or

anymore so we leave it to the higher authorities,” he added.

According to Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Robredo committed several ‘missteps’ including seeking the advice of certain for-

u PAGE 2

ASEAN, South Korea reaffirm support for denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

BUSAN, South Korea — The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and South Korea have reaffirmed their support for the complete denuclearization in the Korean Peninsula and the peaceful resolution of disputes in accordance with international law.

In a joint statement issued on the last day of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit, the regional bloc and the east Asian country noted that peace and stability in Southeast Asia is linked with that of northeast Asia including the Korean Peninsula.

They agreed to strengthen regional cooperation for peace and stability by continuing their coordination and supporting ASEAN Centrality and ASEAN-led mechanisms.

ASEAN and South Korea also vowed to promote and facilitate dialogue and cooperation “to support

u PAGE 2

LINKED TOGETHER. President Rodrigo Duterte joins other leaders from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in as they pose for a family photo prior to the start of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center on Tuesday, November 26.

Malacañang photo by Arman Baylon

Hontiveros: ‘China-made’ blackouts can cripple PH

by AJPRESS

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Senator Risa Hontiveros

Philstar.com photo

PHILIPPINE Senator Risa Hontiveros on Monday, November 25, warned that “China-made blackouts” could paralyze the country’s economy, vital communications system and even the electoral system.

According to her, with China controlling 40 percent of the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), it has the capability to undermine national security and “even topple the government.”

Hontiveros gave out the warn- House Speaker and Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISCOG)

u PAGE 5

Chairman Alan Peter Cayetano visited on Sunday, November 24, the foreign athletes who suffered logistical problems following their arrival in the country.

Photo from Facebook/2019 Sea Games

Suspect in crash that killed Filipino Drilon says House to blame doctor in Las Vegas pleads not guilty for SEA Games budget mess

by AJPRESS

Family of Marcial Escobia Jr., a Filipino doctor who was killed in a crash caused by an impaired driver, talk to media about getting justice.

Photo by Bev Llorente

THE impaired driver in a crash that killed a Filipino doctor last month in central Las Vegas has pleaded not guilty to murder and several other charges on Tuesday, November 19.

Appearing in a wheelchair before a district judge, 34-year-old Kevin Raspperry of Henderson, Nevada pleaded not guilty to three counts of reckless driving, four counts of driving under the influence, two counts of possession of a controlled substance and two counts of second-degree murder.

Raspperry is the suspect in a seven-vehicle crash that killed 65-year-old Filipino doctor Marcial Escobia Jr. and injured his wife, Nimfa Escobia, who was a passenger in the vehicle.

Raspperry, who had a revoked driver’s license, ran a red light at a high speed around 7:54 a.m. on October 27 near Tropicana Avenue and Rainbow Boulevard, crashing his vehicle into Escobia’s 2013 Toyota Pathfinder, according to police reports.

The Escobias were on their way to church, family members said.

u PAGE 2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

PHILIPPINE Senator Franklin Drilon on Tuesday, November 26, said the House of Representatives is to blame for the mishaps in this year’s Southeast Asian Games which the country is hosting.

According to the opposition senator, the House of Representatives was late in submitting the proposed national budget in December, containing some P95 billion in pork barrel that fueled debates. This delay, some congressmen claimed, led to the SEAG blunders.

“If there was any delay, it was because of them,” Drilon said in Filipino.

Last December, some members of the House of Representatives were accused by Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo of employing diversionary tactics such as accusing Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno of irregularities in the preparation of the 2019 national budget.

Drilon, however, pointed out that there are only three opposition members in the Senate — not enough to delay the pas-

u PAGE 3

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

November 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL

From The FronT Page

ASEAN, South Korea reaffirm support...

PAGE 1

complete denuclearization and the establishment of permanent peace on the Korean Peninsula in a peaceful manner.”

ASEAN said it was ready “to continue to play a constructive role” in contributing to peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula.

Tensions gripped the Korean

Peninsula after North Korea conducted a series ballistic missile tests to show off its nuclear capabilities.

Last year, North and South Korea, who are still technically at war because the 1950s Korean War ended with just an armistice, not a peace treaty, vowed to work together to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.

However, negotiations between North Korea and the United States hit a snag after Washington opposed a demand to relax sanctions slapped on Pyongyang in exchange for partial dismantling of its nuclear program. North Korean leader Kim Jung Un has demanded that the propose a mutually acceptable arrangement by the end of the year.

President Duterte also expressed support for the peaceful resolution of the Korean Peninsula conflict during his bilateral meeting with South Korean President Moon Jae-in.

“He (Duterte) said we support South Korea in its problem in the Korean peninsula,” Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said in a chance interview yesterday here.

“We express our support. We can’t do anything because we are not a nuclear power. Just the fact that we support the denuclearization of the Peninsula, I think, is a strong action from our side,” he added.

Freedom of navigation Although there was no mention of the South China Sea dispute in their joint statement, ASEAN and South Korea affirmed the importance of freedom of navigation and law-based resolution of disputes.

They agreed to “enhance... maritime security and safety, freedom of navigation in and over-flight above the region and other lawful uses of the seas and unimpeded lawful maritime commerce.”

ASEAN and South Korea also vowed to promote peaceful resolutions of disputes in accordance with universally recognized principles of international law, including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. But unlike the Korean Peninsula issue, the South China Sea row was not mentioned during the bilateral meeting of Duterte and Moon, Lorenzana said.

China claims about 90% of the resource-rich South China Sea while the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan have overlapping claims.

China prefers to settle maritime disputes through bilateral negotiations, believing that the issue will become complicated if outsiders, PAGE A5

PNP says Robredo did not...

PAGE 1 eign institutions and personalities that have prejudged the campaign against illegal drugs as a violation of human rights as well as failing to present a program of action in her new role as ICAD co-chair in the three weeks she was in office.

Banac, meanwhile, expressed gratitude to Robredo for her contributions to the ICAD. “In her three week stint as co-chair of ICAD, we were able to gain a lot of ideas from her, especially her advocacy and her desire for community-based rehabilitation of drug users and her desire for more transparency of the campaign against illegal

drugs,” he said.

“Along that line, we would like to also share that her desires and the direction of the PNP matches,” he added.

Banac also assured that Robredo’s firing would not affect the government’s anti-narcotics campaign.

“The PNP will continue on and will pursue the campaign against illegal drugs, especially high-value targets relentlessly,” he said.

Lacson: It’s a pity Senator Panfilo Lacson, for his part, finds it a loss for Robredo to be removed from her post as ICAD co-chair, saying that she was doing the job justice.

“I feel sorry at the loss. I’d say

she was on the right track in addressing the problem of drugs,” he said Monday, Nov. 25.

“It is my opinion that VP was doing the right things. That’s really what ought to be done, you consult with those in the know, that’s really what she did,” he added in Filipino.

As the drug czar, Robredo met with representatives from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, the United States Drug Enforcement Agency, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the U.S. State Department, and the U.S. Agency for International Development to discuss ‘best practices’ in tackling the country’s drug problem. n

Suspect in crash that killed Filipino doctor...

PAGE 1 The Fil-Am’s vehicle reportedly went into a roll and struck three other vehicles. Escobia died from multiple blunt force injuries at a nearby hospital, while Nimfa Escobia is still in critical condition.

Passengers of the other vehicles involved in the crash were taken to University Medical Center for non-life threatening injuries at the time. “[It’s] very tough, we know that we have to go through the struggle. Our pain is definitely permanent but we have to stay strong,” Nimar Escobia, Marcial and Nimfa’s son, said. “For Kevin Raspperry, your decision...did not just impact one family, it impacted many more.”

Raspperry’s blood alcohol level during the crash was 0.205, more than two and a half times

Kevin Rasperry

Las Vegas-based Filipino doctor Marcial Escobia Jr. was killed in late October in a crash caused by an impaired driver. His wife Nimfa, who was a passenger in the vehicle, sustained injuries.

Photo courtesy of Escobia family

the legal limit, the district attorney’s office wrote in a report.

The suspect also tested positive for methamphetamine, ecstasy and marijuana.

He previously has two prior DUI convictions in Clark County. ”Mr. Raspperry’s blood alcohol level after the crash was .205 (.08 is the legal limit), and he also tested positive for methamphetamine, ecstasy and marijuana. Raspperry has two prior DUI convictions in Clark County since 2012, which demonstrates his total disregard for the law,” District Attorney Steve Photo courtesy LVMPD Wolfson told reporters.

Raspperry’s bail was originally set for $100,000 but Nevada prosecutors are pushing for a higher amount as he remains in custody at Clark County Detention Center.

Escobia, who is originally from Bohol, Philippines, was laid to rest on Saturday, November 23. A GoFundMe page had been set up by the family to help with funeral arrangements.

“We want justice [for] what happened to the family,” Jessie Aguilar, a friend of the Escobia family, said. (With reports from Bev Llorente / ABS-CBN News North America bureau)

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline USa

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 28-dEcEmbER 4, 2019

Palace slams Midler for Duterte criticism Filipino fast food giant Jollibee opens North American headquarters in West Covina

by AJPress

MALACAñANG on Sunday, November 24, slammed singeractress Bette Midler for describing President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the world’s most detestable leaders as well as lumping him together with the likes of U.S. President Donald Trump and Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.

“She, however, has no right as she is incompetent and a gullible talking head as well, on matters concerning foreign leaders she has no personal knowledge of,” said presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo.

“She should be circumspect as an influencer and should refrain from giving one-sided and judgmental comments on internal affairs of another sovereign state, especially if her references are false narratives coming from the political opposition and some biased media outlets whose agenda is to besmirch President Rodrigo Roa Duterte and his administration before the global stage,” he added.

Midler is an outspoken critic of Trump and took to Twitter on Saturday, Nov. 23, her sentiments on Trump’s ongoing impeachment hearings and why it should

by AJPress

Bette Midler

be a concern for Americans.

“For Americans who think the impeachment hearings have nothing to do with them, think again. Want to leave the door open to a Hitler? A Stalin? A Castro? A Duterte? A Pol Pot? A Putin? An Assad? A Chavez?

A Kim Jong Un? A Mussolini? A Mugabe? An Amin? #Trump’s the gateway to that,” the singer said in a tweet.

Panelo, in response, lifted some lyrics from Midler’s song to fire back at her.

Photo from Twitter/@bettemidler

“We suggest that she revisit her famous song ‘From A Distance’ and learn from its lyrics that she may look at a foreign leader of a distant country with a positive outlook: ‘From a distance there is harmony & it echoes through the land/ It’s the voice of hope/ It’s the voice of peace/ It’s the voice of every man/ From a distance we are instruments/ Marching in common band/ Playing songs of hope/ Playing songs of peace/ They are the songs of every man,’” Panelo said. n

Drilon says House to blame for SEA Games...

PAGE A1

sage of the budget.

Furthermore, he said that even if the budget was delayed, most of the funds used for the SEA Games infrastructure were from separate loans.

“I really do not understand the relationship between the blunders and the budget delay,” Drilon said.

Some of the mishaps experienced before the official launch of the regional sports event include members of foreign delegations to the sporting event complaining about awful accommodations and delayed transportation after their arrival in the Philippines, inadequate food served to the athletes, and unfinished venues.

‘Apology not enough’ Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, for his part, said that the organizers of SEAG this year will be made “answerable” for “apparent inefficiencies” that happened in the past few days.

“They said before, the preparation, venues, and everything that will be used for the games

were almost ready and complete. As of October 30, 2019, PHISGOC stated that preparations are 90% complete. How come these have happened?” he said in Filipino on Monday, Nov. 25.

“To all the parties, remember, one’s failure is the failure of us all. Let me remind everyone that you will be answerable to the President and most especially to the Filipino people,” he added.

The Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) on Sunday, Nov. 24, issued an apology to the foreign teams that arrived in Manila for the “inconvenience” and “confusion.”

“You can’t fix this with an apology. What we need to do is rouse everyone, we can’t be wimpy here,” Go said.

“I am, therefore, delivering this privilege speech to urge Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), Philippine Olympic Committee, Philippine Southeast Asian Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) and all Filipinos: don’t let this fail,” he

added.

Go stressed that Filipinos should help one another instead of gloating at the organizers’ blunders and playing the blame game.

“It’s sad that many of our countrymen are clapping their hands for the wrong reasons.

They give us applause because they want us to fail,” he said.

“Let’s help each other and show of support for our athletes.

There is a right time for everything. No finger pointing at the moment. But after the Games, we’ll hold accountable those who need to be held accountable,” he added.

Go also said he is ready to conduct an investigation on any anomalies and irregularities that will arise during and after the games.

This will be the fourth time that the Philippines is hosting the biennial regional event in which athletes from 11 countries will compete. The 2019 SEA Games will officially open on Saturday, Nov. 30, and will run until December 11. n

FILIPINO fast food giant Jollibee Foods Corporation (JFC) is setting out to bring more Chickenjoy across North America with the opening of its headquarters in West Covina, California.

The grand opening of the company’s office space on Tuesday, November 19 was attended by JFC executives, dignitaries from the Philippine Consulate in Los Angeles, local elected officials, and Filipino American business leaders.

“This new headquarters is extremely rewarding because it shows how far we have come as a company,” said Beth Dela Cruz, JFC North America – Philippine Brands president at the opening.

The event featured the beloved Jollibee mascot entertaining the crowd, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, and a feast of best sellers from the company’s brands, such as the Jollibee Chickenjoy, Red Ribbon mango cake and Chowking siopao.

Located off the 10 Freeway, the 28,000 square foot space in the 13-story Eastland Tower building will serve as the center of operations for JFC’s brands Jollibee, Chowking and Red Ribbon. The exterior of the building will have signage on both sides put up by February next year.

The headquarters will house a team of 100 employees who were previously operating out of the Red Ribbon manufacturing facility in the City of Industry.

Dela Cruz told the Asian Journal that the targeted space for the headquarters needed to be “highly visible to the public, accessible

With Jollibee Foods Corporation’s new headquarters — located at the Eastland Tower in West Covina, California just off the 10 freeway — the company is focusing on expansion in North America.

we almost packed our bags,” she said. “This new office space marks a milestone in our North American efforts as we look toward a bright future for the continued growth for the Jollibee, Chowking and Red Ribbon businesses.”

Today, JFC operates in 35 countries with over 5,800 stores globally; Jollibee comprises around 1,400 stores alone. It is currently one of the largest and fastest-growing Asian restaurant companies.

In addition to Jollibee, JFC has 15 other brands and franchises under its wing both domestically in the Philippines and abroad, such as Smashburger, Tortas Frontera, Tim Ho Wan, Red Ribbon and Chowking.

In late September, the company completed its $350-million acquisition of American beverage and food retailer Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, marking the company’s largest acquisition to date.

Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf will be the company’s second-largest business after Jollibee. It will add 14% to Jollibee’s global sales and 26% to its total store network. It will also boost the share of Jollibee’s international business to 36% of worldwide sales.

The company is eyeing to be among the top five restaurant groups in the world and has identified North America as a key market to reach that goal.

“Filipino culture is known for being incredibly family-oriented.

That’s why we take such pride in making sure our customers receive a warm welcome and are made to feel at home when they walk into our stores,” Dela Cruz said. “We want every customer Jollibee Foods Corporation executives led by North America President Beth Dela Cruz (center) to feel like a part of the Jollibee and local leaders, such as Philippine Consul General Adelio Cruz, West Covina Mayor Lloyd family, as we continue in our goal Johnson, and Los Angeles Board of Public Workers Commissioner Jessica Caloza, mark the grand opening of the company’s new North American headquarters in West Covina, California of spreading the joy of eating to on Tuesday, November 19.

AJPress photos by Noel Ty everyone.” n to our employees and partners, and large enough to accommodate our growing team.”

“Also, as the home to a sizable Filipino American population, the larger Los Angeles will continue to be a key part of our North American growth, as it’s where we opened many of our first Jollibee stores and has served as the home of our previous headquarters in the City of Industry,” she added.

JFC has articulated plans to have 250 Jollibee stores in North America — 150 stores in the U.S. and 100 stores in Canada — by 2023.

It recently opened two new California locations at the beginning of the fall, one in Hayward and another in Artesia, bringing the total to 46 stores in North America in the past 21 years.

Dela Cruz added that the headquarters is a symbol of JFC’s strength.

“I joined the team in North America when Jollibee was a small, struggling brand. There were years of uncertainties and

November 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Dateline USa

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 28-dEcEmbER 4, 2019

PH-US free trade talks to start in 2020 Culinary scholars sit down with THE Philippines and the United States are seen to start negotiating a free trade agreement (FTA) next year.

American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines Inc. (AmCham) Executive Director Ebb Hinchliffe, on the sidelines of an event in Pasay last week, said U.S. Trade Representatives (USTR) were concluding the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA) first before delving in other trade deals.

“I believe that I can say fairly confidently after USMCA is done, the next country that the U.S. would be looking at would probably be the Philippines ahead of Vietnam and possibly ahead of UK (United Kingdom) for obvious reasons,” Hinchliffe said. He did

not elaborate.

Hinchliffe said he was “hoping” USMCA negotiations would be done by December this year or by “early next year” at the latest.

Hinchliffe expressed confidence negotiations between the countries, which he intends to bring up to the Congress early next year, would not take too long.

“We are common partners, we know each other very well, we know our needs and wants very well. This trade agreement should happen very quickly,” he said.

The AmCham official said the U.S. would be open for bilateral and multilateral agreements.

The Philippines is currently enjoying zero or reduced tar-

iffs to over 5,000 goods or 48 percent of the 10,600 U.S. tariff lines under the U.S. Generalized System of Preferences.

As of end-September, Philippine shipments to U.S. reached $8.57 billion, which showed a 7.4-percent growth from previous year’s $7.98 billion, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority.

U.S. imports to the country, meanwhile, declined by 3.3 percent to $5.80 billion in the first three quarters from nearly $6 billion a year ago for the same period.

As of now, the Philippines’ only bilateral free trade agreement is with Japan under Philippines-Japan Economic Partnership Agreement. (Tyrone Jasper C. Piad /ManilaTimes.net)

Former VP and presidential candidate Biden sounds...

PAGE 1 group in Nevada, with 169,462 Filipinos in the state according to the latest American Community Survey (ACS) released in September 2018.

One of the hottest topics affecting the Fil-Am community is immigration, to which Biden said he would eliminate the long wait times for family-based petitions and provide relief to those affected by the visa backlogs.

“You should be able to be in a position while you are waiting for a green card to come here to take care of a family member who’s been here, who’s aging. You should be able to have that done while waiting for your green card,” Biden said.

As President Donald Trump continues to find ways to cut legal immigration, Biden said he wants to increase the number of legal immigrants.

“There’s direct co-relation be-

tween the sacrifice made. We are the country we are because of immigrants,” Biden said.

He adds that if elected he will make sure the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program (DACA) stays intact. He stressed that the Obama-era DACA has helped so many immigrants, including Filipinos.

Nearly 4,000 Filipinos have been active DACA recipients since fall 2017.

“Everybody thinks DACA is just dealing with the Latino group, it’s not. By the way, the largest group is the AAPI group [and] we just need to make it clear to the American people that this is much broader,” he said.

Besides immigration, Biden also acknowledged the contributions of Filipino World War II veterans to American freedom.

Fighting for their full military benefits is an issue that is very close to the vice president’s heart.

“They helped us won a war, people gave their lives, over 50, 60, 70 thousands fought and when the war was over — they call it the Recission Act — they didn’t get rewarded like other veterans did,” he said. “The generation of America has come along today has no idea [how] instrumental the Filipino military played in defeating the Japanese.”

Biden thanked Filipino Americans for their contributions, saying that immigrants are what make America great.

“You guys are incredible, we are a country that is built by you. And so many people like you. And the reason is, you are determined, you are optimistic, you are resilient, you’ve been through a lot and you still believe we can do this. So I say to you thank you, thank you for making us stronger.” (Bev Llorente/ABSCBN News)

Hontiveros: ‘China-made’ blackouts can...

PAGE 1 ing after deliberating on the 2020 budget of the Department of Energy last week. She discovered that the operations of the NGCP, which runs the country’s electricity grid, can be accessed

by Chinese managers and engineers.

President of the state-owned National Transmission Co. Melvin Matibag also admitted that China can control and even shut down the country’s power transmission system “remotely.”

Hontiveros insisted that this could have devastating effects on the country such as crippling

the society, sabotaging elections, and shutting down communications.

“Imagine a foreign country, which is an unrepentant trespasser and aggressor in our seas and territories, controlling our national electricity grid. It could cripple our entire society,” she said.

“It could sabotage our elections; shut down our access to television, the internet and other communication technologies; cause the collapse of our economy; and undermine our national security. It could even overthrow our government,” she contin-

ued.

“With the flick of a switch, China could plunge the whole Philippines into darkness. By the simple push of a button, our country could be at the mercy of China-made blackouts,” the senator added.

Hontiveros is now calling for a Senate investigation on the matter.

“We want to know if our energy systems are not compromised, and if we have the technical safeguards to ensure that these systems and infrastructure continue to be in our full control,” she said. n

US envoy for Thanksgiving meal

by Christia

Marie Inquirer.net

raMos

WITH a menu inspired by Filipino-American White House executive chef Cristeta Pasia-Comerford, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim shared on Tuesday, November 26, a meal with culinary scholars of the Tuloy Foundation to celebrate Thanksgiving.

“I’m honored that we get to share this beautiful meal to celebrate Thanksgiving… I believe the menu was inspired by a wonderful Filipino-American chef who is the executive chef at the White House so it’s gonna be really good,” Kim told the scholars before they partook of the food prepared by chef-instructors at Enderun Colleges.

Kim also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to have served as ambassador of the United States in the Philippines.

“Thanksgiving is a time for us to think about the good things we have. Just so grateful that I’ve had a chance to live and work in the Philippines for the past three years as the United States ambassador,” he said. “(This is) a tremendous privilege for me to serve as the U.S. ambassador to this very special country I have learned so much,” he added.

Tuloy Foundation, which started with only 12 children in a room in Don Bosco Parish Compound in Makati City, was founded by Fr. Marciano Evangelista 25 years ago.

Under its comprehensive residential program, the foundation takes in poor, abandoned, orphaned, and neglected street children as well as out-of-school youth from poor communities, war-stricken and indigenous tribes to avail of free education and vocational skills training.

The children are guided by a community of religious and lay volunteers, psychologists, and

U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim shares a Thanksgiving meal with Tuloy Foundation culinary scholars on Tuesday, November 26.

Inquirer.net photos by Christia Marie Ramos

social workers.

The foundation has so far served around 20,860 children – 4,400 of them have since graduated from the basic and functional literacy programs.

“Today, of course, in the U.S., Thanksgiving Day is a big sale and a big football game,” Edgardo Rodriguez, president of Enderun Colleges, said in jest.

“In the Philippines, Thanksgiving day means it’s the time you

usher in the last ‘ber’ month. The schedules of the mall all change.

Today, however, let us use this day to break our diets,” he added, eliciting laughter from the room.

“And also, with all of you here to count your blessings and to think about how you can give back, in the future, every thanksgiving, let us remember the friends you’ve met here,” he further said. n

ASEAN, South Korea reaffirm support...

PAGE 2 including international tribunals are allowed to intervene.

In 2016, the Philippines secured a legal victory against China when a Hague-based court voided Beijing’s expansive maritime claim in the South China Sea. When Duterte assumed

power, the Philippines agreed to hold bilateral consultations with China on the dispute.

ASEAN and South Korea also vowed to boost cooperation to address traditional and non-traditional security challenges like transnational crime, terrorism, and violent extremism and to

further strengthen cyber security cooperation.

They also agreed to build a “people-centered community of peace and prosperity” through freer movement of goods and services, mutual understanding people mobility and cultural exchanges. n

:8IG< ;@<D 8KK<EK@FE @DD@>I8K@FE C8NP<IJ C<>8C @DD@>I8K@FE `j X 9@> @JJL< k_\j\ [Xpj% D8EP `e fli Zfddle`kp E<<; pfli j\im`Z\j% K_\i\ Xi\ k_fljXe[j n_f dXp nXek kf \og\[`k\ k_\`i i\j`[\eZp fi glijl\ ]lcc Z`k`q\ej_`g Ylk [feËk befn _fn kf Y\^`e Xe[ n_\i\ kf ^f%

JK8E; FLK =IFD K?< G8:B% 8J@8E AFLIE8CËJ GIF=<JJ@FE8C J<IM@:<J ;@I<:KFIP# n`cc efn Y\ ilee`e^ n\\bcp# \m\ip K_lij[Xp f] CXj M\^Xj <[`k`fe% Photo shows Fr. Bimonte and the plaintiff when she was young Photos courtesy of Jeff Anderson & Associates

Fr. Honesto Bayranta Bismonte during a criminal preliminary hearing in 2003, during which he was sentenced to two years of probation for unlawfully touching two girls ages 8 and 12.

Pinay filmmaker sues LA’s Catholic Archdiocese...

PAGE 1 Church, according to the civil lawsuit filed last week in the LA County Superior Court.

“No matter how much I tried, he was always stronger — pulling me closer and groping me harder,” Torres said at a news conference on Tuesday, November 19.

“I had always wished my aunt would come through the door and stop what was happening to me,” she added. “I carried this big secret for years. I came from a very strict Filipino Catholic upbringing, so how could I tell my family what was going on?”

The lawsuit alleges that the Archdiocese of Los Angeles was negligent in the hiring and supervision of Bismonte in that officials knew or should have known about Bismonte’s assault, and failed to act or discipline him, or prevent him from committing future assaults.

Bismonte, now 90-years-old, was ordained in the Philippines in 1954 and moved to Southern California in 1981 where he began working at Catholic churches in Los Angeles, Gardena, and Pomona.

He was arrested and charged in 2002 for sexually molesting two young girls more than 50 times since 1997.

Bistmonte told the LA Times at the time that the allegations came from cultural misunderstanding, and that hugging and physical contact with children was far more accepted in Filipino culture.

In 2003, Bismonte also pleaded guilty to misdemeanor battery and was sentenced to two years of informal probation in Los An-

geles.

“Fr. Bismonte ingratiated himself into the Filipino American Community and accessed his victims sometimes in their own homes, under the guise of spiritual direction and assistance to the families,” said Toress’ attorney, Mike Reck.

The Archdiocese of Los Angeles said that Bismonte was immediately removed from the archdiocese in 2002 when Torres’ reported the misconduct to her high school campus pastor.

It said that Bismonte’s name was also added to its list of credibly accused predator priests in 2004.

But Torres’ attorneys are demanding full disclosure by the L.A. archdiocese of Bismonte’s current whereabouts and whether Bismonte is still being protected by archdiocesan officials.

The attorneys further demand full disclosure of the identities and histories of all clergy who have worked in the archdiocese and have been accused of child sexual assault.

Child Victims Act The suit is said to be the first civil lawsuit against the Archdiocese of Los Angeles since the Child Victims Act was signed by California Governor Gavin Newsom in October.

Under the new law, other religious, private, and public organizations are exposed to broader legal liability, as limits are lifted for childhood sexual assault survivors who may have not been able to file civil lawsuits before.

More specifically, the law extends the age limit for which a victim can report a childhood sexual

8AËj GJ; ZXe _\cg PFL i\XZ_ flk kf k_\d X]]fi[XYcp Xe[ \]]\Zk`m\cp%

:8CC PFLI 8::FLEK D8E8><I .') .0)$--./ 8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j%

Fli gi`ek \[`k`fej ile `e kXe[\d n`k_ 8AËj Gi`ek <[`k`fe Fec`e\% Fec`e\1 _kkg1&&`jjll%Zfd&Xj`XeaflieXc[`^`kXc\[`k`fe

Aimee Galicia Torres Photo from Instagram/@shotbyaimee

assault from age 26 to age 40.

It further gives victims a threeyear window beginning in January 2020, to reopen claims that may have expired due to the former statute of limitations.

On Tuesday, Torres encouraged other Filipinos who may have been victims of sexual assault to come forward and seek justice.

“As a Filipino American, I want to encourage other Filipinos to come forward, to stop sweeping things under the rug, to stop putting these priests on pedestals and to stop making them feel like they’re above the law, because they’re not,” said Torres.

“I felt so powerless, but today I regained my power that Fr. Bismonte took from me so many years ago,” she said. “Now I get this chance to have my day in court.” (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)

6

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2019 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Security for VIPs

FEATURES

FOLLOWING the killing of a judge in San Fernando, La Union on November 5 for still unknown reasons, the Supreme Court is proposing the creation of a special group patterned after the U.S. Marshals Service, whose members will be assigned exclusively to protect members of the judiciary. A bill supporting the proposal has been filed at the House of Representatives.

Mario Anacleto Bañez was the second judge to be murdered this year, and the 31st since 1999.

While it is clear, however, that certain members of the judiciary can face serious threats to their personal safety in line with their work, this proposal must be seen in the proper context.

Judges aren’t the only ones who face death threats and are actually assassinated in this country. Similar threats are faced by lawmakers, local government executives, labor arbiters and other officials, journalists, environmental advocates, left-leaning activists and even priests. There are reports that several regional officials of the Bureau of Internal Revenue have been kidnapped for ransom in the past months. In the conflict areas of Mindanao, teachers are targeted by Islamic terrorists for hostage taking, rape and murder.

Why should members of the judiciary get special protection? It’s unfair enough that too many members of the Philippine National Police are de-

ployed as personal bodyguards of government officials and even certain private VIPs who can very well afford to pay for their own security detail.

If bodyguards would speed up magistrates’ dispensation of justice, perhaps the proposal could become palatable to taxpayers. But if this measure would be passed, what would stop members of Congress from creating their own special protective force at taxpayers’ expense? Who decides which sector deserves more protection than others?

There are currently 2,561 trial judges, 15 justices of the Sandiganbayan anti-graft court, 70 justices of the Court of Appeals, nine in the Court of Tax Appeals and 15 members of the Supreme Court. How many marshals will be deployed to protect them?

The proponent of the House bill was quoted as saying, in explaining his measure, that “right now, attacks.” But the same could be said of a majority every active judge is a sitting duck, with abso- of the population. The proposed funding for this lutely no protection whatsoever against potential proposal is better spent in improving public safety

Editorial

At Ground Level SATUR C. OCAMPO IN August President Duterte vowed to distribute all agricultural lands equitably through a “unique brand of agrarian reform” to accomplish the program’s primary aim: “uphold the welfare of the landless farmers, promote social justice, and attain sound rural development.”

Moreover, he conflated this ambitious goal with another one — ending the five-decade armed conflict with the CPP-NPA by grabbing from the revolutionary movement “the richest issue of them all — land reform.” Focusing on Negros, where he said the farmers’ struggle for land is deep and protracted because of the feudal system obtaining there, Duterte stated his game plan thus: “Kunin mo ang initiative sa komunista. What they are really parlaying is land. Eh di unahan na natin, ibigay na natin.”

He taunted the CPP-NPA: “You cannot win a fight for social justice or for a better life…if you go to revolution, it won’t work. I am not challenging [you]. You might win or you may lose, but that is

something to be seen.”

Then he made the cryptic statement, “I am serving notice to everybody that in the coming months it will be — not really bloody, but there will be, at least, a little trouble for our country.”

Carrying out his plan, he added, would “make us a magnet for all criticisms” and critics are “waiting for us to commit a wrong.”

Were the simultaneous raids in Bacolod City, on October 1, part of the “little trouble” Duterte warned about in August?

The operations carried out by joint AFP-PNP security forces on the offices of progressive organizations resulted in the arrest of 57 persons, including 14 minors. It was covered by search warrants issued by a Quezon City RTC judge and directed by the National Task Force to End the Local Communist Armed Conflict (NTF-ELCAC, formed via Executive Order 70 and headed

by Duterte).

If the Bacolod operation was “not really bloody,” let us not forget the AFP-PNP operations twice carried out earlier in Negros Oriental (first on Dec. 27 to Jan. 15, then on March 30 this year), during which 48 civilians were killed and several others arrested.

THE U.S. Navy last week, in its actions and official statements, in effect revealed what was really one of the real aims of the Philippines’ arbitration suit that President Aquino III and his foreign secretary Albert del Rosario brought against China in 2013.

It wasn’t to win back for the Philippines islands or reefs it claims to own in the Spratly islands, which it alleges China grabbed from it. The arbitration was intended — other than to demonize China as an evil aggressor in the South China Sea — to provide the U.S. Navy with additional legal justification to undertake its so-called freedom of navigation operations (Fonops) in the South China Sea, a major part of the American “Pivot to Asia” program started by President Obama in 2011.

The Fonop has been the U.S.’ way of challenging what it thinks are territorial waters and maritime zones that countries have declared but which it thinks are illegal. It does this by having a warship sail into such waters and zones to challenge the claiming countries to enforce what they claim are their sovereign rights – which of course they don’t, faced with the might of the U.S. navy.

On November 18, the littoral combat ship USS Gabrielle Gif-

measures in general. Every person in this country deserves protection from lawless elements. (Philstar.com)

‘Not really bloody’ but unjust, repressive

That was a really bloody operation, legally enabled by a hundred search warrants issued by a single RTC judge in Cebu City, in pursuance of Memorandum Order 32, issued by Duterte on Nov. 22, 2018.

Mind these facts: 1) Most of those killed in their homes and arrested in Negros Oriental were landless farmers fighting for land and social justice, advocacies that Duterte vowed to uphold.

2) Among the offices raided in Bacolod was that of the National Federation of Sugar Workers, its leader (among other mass leaders) was arrested. And 3) those arrested in both operations have been charged with illegal possession of firearms and explosives, a nonbailable offense. They all aver that the firearms and explosives were planted in their houses and offices during the supposed searches.

Metro Manila has not been spared: in the nation’s capital, two parallel raids, arrests, and charges were carried out on Oct. 1 and 5. The series of AFP-PNP operations have been promptly denounced, here and abroad, as foul, unjust, and repressive actions taken by the state against progressive organizations critical of certain policies and programs

as well as human rights violations by the government. Preemptive steps, taken by the national offices of the progressive organizations, have apparently deterred wider raids and arrests.

Meantime, the NTF-ELCAC is pursuing another tack. It is now seeking to disperse political detainees, among them NDFP peace consultants, being held in Camp Bagong Diwa in Bicutan, Taguig City by sending them to already overcrowded provincial and local jails in places where trumped-up charges have been filed against them. Thus far, the chief of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology has written to three Regional Trial Court judges to issue court orders for the transfer, and one judge has already acceded to the request to transfer two detainees.

In seeking the transfer of these political detainees to Lucena City; Sta. Cruz, Laguna; Gumaca, Quezon; and Malolos, Bulacan, the BJMP chief cites as ground the “institutionalization of the wholeof-nation approach” under EO 70 that “includes national efforts to prevent opportunities for Communists Terrorist Groups (CTGs) to conduct organized activities while under detention”(emphasis mine) and the “timely resolution”

of the cases against the detainees pending before the regular courts.

In a statement given to media, the Bicutan political detainees accuse NTF-ELCAC of “blatantly interfering in the judicial process, fabricating lies and false scenarios.” The move to disperse them, they say, runs counter to the long-established practice, even during the Marcos dictatorship, of detaining political detainees in “common facilities for practical reasons, including easier monitoring and control by the state authorities.”

Court records, they add, show that most of the political detainees in Bicutan had been transferred there from local jails – such as the couple Frank Fernandez and Cleofe Lagtapon, NDFP consultants from Negros – upon motion of local wardens “who were worried about security risks in holding them.”

As regards “organized activities,” the Bicutan detainees point out that whatever they have undertaken “cannot be anything but legitimate and justified.” They cite political discussion among themselves and their visitors, social gatherings and celebrations, handicrafts and other livelihood projects, sports, and health and

wellness activities.

In my eight years of detention at the former Bicutan Rehabilitation Center during the Marcos dictatorship, we political detainees were able to organize ourselves and manage our day-to-day activities, including cooking our own meals. I was elected spokesperson and chief negotiator with the Command for the Administration of Detainers (headed in succession by Defense Undersecretaries Jose Crisol and Carmelo Barbero, and Col. Jose Sta. Romana). We took up matters relating to our rights and welfare (easing restrictions, improving facilities, health care), priorities in detainee releases from time to time, etc.

In cases of deadlock, we resorted to fasting and hunger strikes. In all instances these militant actions forced the authorities to recognize the reasonableness of our demands, and we prevailed.

So what’s bugging the NTFELCAC? Are they scared of what the political detainees can do, cooped up in such a limited space in a high-security facility in Bicutan? Is it because, as Secretary Año has admitted, the government is losing “in the propaganda war”? (Philstar.com)

US Navy confirms real intent of PH arbitration vs China

Commentary

RIGOBERTO TIGLAO

Philstar.com photo

fords passed by Mischief Reef in the Spratlys, occupied by China on which it has built an artificial island. China as well as the Philippines and Vietnam claim the reef as part of their sovereign territory.

China calls the Spratlys its Nánsh Qúndo, the Philippines its Kalayaan Island Group, and Vietnam, Qun o Trng Sa. The U.S. ship deliberately sailed within 12 nautical miles of the artificial island, or within its theoretical territorial sea.

Navy spokesman While there has been at least a dozen such Fonops in the Spratlys since 2011, what is significant is how the U.S. navy spokesman, Reann Mommsen, justified it this time: “USS Gabrielle Giffords demonstrated that Mischief Reef, a low-tide elevation in its natural state, is not entitled to a territorial sea under international law. Under international law as reflected in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (Unclos), features like Mischief Reef that are submerged at high tide in their naturally formed state are not entitled to a territorial sea.

The land reclamation efforts, installations and structures built on Mischief Reef do not change this characterization under international law. By engaging in normal operations within 12 nautical miles of Mischief Reef, the United States demonstrated that vessels may lawfully exercise high-seas freedoms in those areas.”

That justification, the language itself, was practically lifted straight from the Hague arbitration tribunal’s July 2016 ruling. While Unclos does contain the provision that an LTE is not entitled to a territorial sea under international law, no country can unilaterally declare any specific feature as such. There has to be an international court or an arbitration agreed upon by the two contending parties for a specific feature to be declared as an LTE. For example, Japan’s “Okinotorishima,” the size of a bedroom juts out of the sea only because the Japanese built an embankment around it, and it would be a stretch to claim it has an territorial sea and 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone. Yet Japan does claim it is an island which has a territorial sea and EEZ, which gives it a huge 156,000 sq km of EEZ. Japan even rigorously defends that EEZ, protesting every time a survey ship enters that EEZ. China claims Okinotorishima does not have an EEZ, but Japan simply ignores that claim.

Baker Island Not only Japan. Almost all the major powers have “rocks,” which they claim have EEZs. The U.S. claims Howland Island, Baker Island and Kingman Reef have EEZs which gives it huge areas in the Pacific where it has sovereign right. Australia has McDonald Island, while France, Clipperton Island. Why should there be double standards, one for the “imperialist

powers” and another for China, I can imagine the Chinese to be asking.

The U.S. — even if it didn’t accede to the Unclos — is now claiming that Mischief Reef doesn’t have maritime entitlements because of the PH v. China arbitration ruling that it, together with six other reefs China occupies, are LTEs or rocks, which under Unclos are not entitled to territorial seas and EEZs. In fact, such declaration that specific features are LTEs or rocks is the first time this was done.

But the ruling backfired on the Philippines, as it not only declared that Mischief Reef and other such formations are not entitled to a territorial sea nor an EEZ. What shocked scholars and international law experts is that the tribunal ruled that no feature in the Spratlys was an island, and could not have territorial seas and EEZ. The tribunal ruled them all to be either LTEs or “rocks.” It meant that features we possess that are obviously islands — PagAsa which is the biggest island there, Likas, Parola, Lawak, and Kota — are merely “rocks.” In effect we lost the Kalayaan Group of Islands.

The tragedy here is that it is only the Philippines which agreed to be bound by the arbitration suit, as China refused to participate in it. Only the Philippines will be losing the right to claim EEZs around its islands in the Kalayaaan Group of Islands. Taiwan, whose Taip-

U.S. combat ship Gabrielle Giffords: Free to patrol the Spratlys, thanks to PH arbitration suit.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Navy photo

ing island even has an airport was also ruled as a mere “rock,” can and would obviously ignore the arbitration’s ruling since it is not a part of it. Vietnam which has the biggest number of islands, next to us, will ignore it.

Boon However, the ruling is a big boon for the U.S., which I have argued in several columns brilliantly manipulated Aquino and del Rosario to file the suit. The U.S. even provided its preferred Washington-based law firm to do all the arguing.

The U.S. Navy’s lawyers who have had sleepless nights justifying the Fonops before, can now claim, as it did recently in the case of the Giffords’ recent sailing by Mischief Reef, that the tribunal has ruled that all waters in Spratlys are high seas, not part of any territorial sea claimed by any country, except for the short 500-meter “safety zone” around a “rock.”

That the U.S. Navy’s worries

whether or not its ships are complying with international laws in its Fonops was demonstrated when U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter wrote in December 2015 to Sen. John McCain, who had asked for an explanation of the legality of such operations. Ash in his letter noted that one problem is that there were “factual ambiguities” in the Spratlys, among them that the claimants “have not clarified whether they believe a territorial sea surrounds” features they occupy.

The arbitration tribunal, however, ruled that no feature in the Spratly islands can claim a territorial sea nor an EEZ, making almost all of the Spratly islands international waters that U.S. warships can freely sail in and through. That’s a huge load lifted from the shoulders of the U.S. military lawyers.

And it was even the Philippines which paid over P700 million for lawyers’ fees and other expenses for the suit. (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.

ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board

Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com

Manila Office: 2/F D&E Fort Palm Springs Cond.

30th St., Cor. 1st Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • 856-0397 • Fax: (632) 856-1661

Northern California: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 Burlingame, CA 94010 Tel.: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253

New York office: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (213) 481-0854

Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 201 Las Vegas, Nevada 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

New Jersey office: 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President ELIZABETH HILARIO SISON Chief Financial Officer ROBERT MACABAGDAL Vice President & General Manager Las Vegas Asian Journal MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor German P. Palabyab Advertising and Business Development Director

ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES Asian Journal Publitions, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publition by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases.

Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applible law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation.

Publition of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publition.

Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, uses of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material.

AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publition of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being ncellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republition of the correct advertisement.

Under no circumstances shall Asian Publitions, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLITIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively.

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please ll the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or the Las Vegas Sales Office at (702) 792-6678 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 28-dEcEmbER 4, 2019

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

D ateline PhiliPPines PH, South Korea boost blood brother ties

by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, November 26 invited South Korean President Moon Jae-in to visit the Philippines next year to witness the signing of a proposed free trade deal as he vowed to further strengthen ties with Seoul, which he described as Manila’s “blood brother.”

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said Moon’s visit to the Philippines would be a good opportunity to ink the free trade agreement (FTA), which will make it easier for Philippine products to enter the Korean market.

“President Duterte invited President Moon for a state visit next year. That will be a good timing for the signing of the FTA. As you know, we are still fixing things,” Lopez told reporters after the bilateral meeting of the two leaders here.

To further demonstrate their commitment to finish the trade talks, the two countries signed a joint statement on the early achievement package of the negotiations on the proposed deal.

Negotiations on the proposed trade deal between the Philippines and South Korea started this year. Under the deal, the tariffs for some Philippine agricultural products like bananas and pineapples and industrial goods would be reduced. South Korea, meanwhile, is asking the Philippines to remove tariffs on automobiles and car parts.

Officials had said the proposed trade deal may be finished by September and may be signed this month. Officials had hoped that the deal would be signed on the sidelines of the ASEAN-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said a trade agreement could narrow the trade gap between the two countries.

“I guess the purpose of that is to make trade relations more intense by reducing the trade gap between the Philippines and Korea and increase our exports,” Pernia said in a chance interview.

Trade volume between Manila and Seoul hit $13.7 billion last year, with Philippine exports to South Korea reaching $2.5 billion.

Philippine imports from South Korea, amounted to $11.2 billion.

‘Blood brothers’ During his meeting with Moon, Duterte promised to work to further enhance the relationship between Manila and South Korea. He said the two countries are commemorating 70 years of “meaningful” bilateral relations and have become “blood broth-

President Rodrigo Duterte poses for posterity with Republic of Korea President Moon Jae-in prior to the start of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)-Republic of Korea Commemorative Summit at the Busan Exhibition and Convention Center on Tuesday, November 26.

Malacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo

ers” on the “altar of freedom.”

“Solidarity and mutual aid have been the hallmark of our ties since 1950. It touches us that this remains so,” Duterte told Moon.

“I assure you that the Philippines will continue to find common cause and purpose with the Republic of Korea towards enhancing our bilateral engagement and promoting peace and stability in your region,” he added.

A total of 112 Filipino soldiers died and 313 others were injured while defending South Korea from communist North Korea and China during the Korean War. Duterte also thanked Moon for donating $100,000 to victims of the recent earthquake in Mindanao.

Aside from the FTA joint statement, Duterte and Moon yesterday witnessed the signing of an agreement on social security and the implementation program of a memorandum of understanding on tourism cooperation.

Two other agreements on education and fisheries were also signed on the sidelines of Duterte’s visit here but were not among the documents inked during a ceremony held after his meeting with Moon.

In a recent interview, South Korean Ambassador Han Dongman said the agreement on social security would benefit thousands of Filipino workers here. There are about 58,000 Filipinos in South Korea based on latest government data.

The cooperation on education, meanwhile, is expected to satisfy the demand of Filipinos who want to learn about Korea’s language and culture and to expand existing education facilities.

The fisheries deal, Han said, would enable the Philippines to use Korean technology to develop its fishery resources.

The implementation program on tourism cooperation seeks

to introduce joint programs and activities that will bolster twoway tourism promotion and align tourism efforts between the two countries. The document, valid until 2024, also aims to facilitate deeper and meaningful interaction between Filipinos and Koreans, and strengthen overall cooperation on tourist safety, security and quality assurance.

The tourism department recorded 1,624,251 arrivals from Korea in 2018, equivalent to 22.78 percent of the 7.1 million tourists who visited the Philippines that year.

Strategic partnership Moon said the bilateral ties between the Philippines and South Korea should be elevated to a strategic partnership. A strategic partnership covers cooperation in political, economic and food security matters.

“Based on our history of friendship and trust, the time is right for our countries to think about elevating our relations to a strategic partnership. The elevation of our relations will pave the way for our countries to engage in greater cooperation that will lead us to common prosperity,” Moon said.

“The Philippines is the future of ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) as it continues to achieve an impressive growth rate of six percent this year thanks to your outstanding leadership... I hope to strengthen my friendship with you and expand our bilateral cooperation will contribute further to the development of ASEAN,” he added.

Moon said the Korean people love the Philippines, noting that they are the number one visitors to the country. He said bilateral trade volumes surpassed the $15billion mark for the first time last year and numerous Korean firms are doing business in the Philippines. n

Jobless Filipinos soar to 10 million — SWS

by JAnVic

mAteo Philstar.com

MANILA — The number of jobless Filipinos continued to increase in the third quarter of 2019, reaching an estimated 10 million adults, based on the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

The survey, conducted from Sept. 27 to 30 with the results released yesterday, showed that the adult joblessness rate in the country has reached 21.5 percent, up from the 20.7 percent, or an estimated 9.8 million jobless adults, recorded in June.

It was also higher than the 19.7 percent, or an estimated 9.4 million, jobless adults recorded in March.

According to SWS, “jobless” Filipinos include adults who voluntarily left their jobs, those seeking jobs for the first time and those who lost their jobs due to economic circumstances beyond their control.

The latest survey showed that 4.4 million of those who said they were jobless in the September survey said they voluntarily left their jobs, while 1.6 million were

first-time job-seekers.

The remaining 3.9 million were retrenched, either due to non-renewal of expired contracts, closure of operations of their previous employers or because they were laid off.

SWS said the rise in joblessness was due to increases in Metro Manila, the rest of Luzon and Mindanao, combined with a decrease in the Visayas.

The joblessness rate is highest in Balance Luzon at 25 percent of the labor force (up from 21.7 percent in June), followed by Metro Manila at 24.5 percent (up from 24.3 percent) and Mindanao at 19.9 percent (up from 18.7 percent).

Meanwhile, joblessness fell in the Visayas, from 18.1 percent in June to 11.8 percent in September.

Joblessness rose both in urban and rural areas, from 21.9 percent to 23.4 percent and from 19.8 percent to 20.3 percent, respectively.

It also increased among men and women, with the survey showing an increase in the gender gap, or the difference between the number of jobless men

and women.

Compared to June, adult joblessness among women rose from 28.5 percent to 31.4 percent in September, while the number of men who were jobless rose from 14.3 percent to 14.6 percent.

This translates to a gender gap of 16.8 points in September, up from 14.2 points in June.

Job optimism drops The same survey also showed a decrease in the number of people who believe that there will be more jobs in the next 12 months.

Fifty-three percent of the respondents said they believe that there will be more jobs in the next year, lower than 55 percent recorded in June.

Meanwhile, 13 percent said there would be fewer jobs, one point higher than the 12 percent in June.

The number of those who believe that there will be no change in job availability in the next year decreased from 22 percent to 21 percent.

The survey is composed of 1,800 respondents and a margin of error of +/- 2.3 percent for national percentages. n

SWEET TALK. Representatives from the 28 sugar producing provinces in the country as well as agrarian reform beneficiaries hand over a manifestation to senators led by Senate President Vicente Sotto III (seated, 3rd from left ) thanking them for supporting the group’s plea to scrap the proposed liberalization of the sugar industry. “We are here to thank you for your overwhelming support.

If not for your timely intervention, the death of the sugar industry would have been imminent,” the manifestation read. Also in photo are Senators Ronald Bato, Nancy Binay, Cynthia Villar, Joel Villanueva, Francis Tolentino, Sonny Angara and Senate Majority Leader Migz Zubiri.

Senate photo by Albert Calvelo

This Oct. 31, 2017 satellite image shows China’s construction on Mischief or Panganiban Reef, which is within the 200-nautical mile exclusive economic zone of the Philippines.

Photo courtesy of Asia Maritime Transparency Institute

Satellite image shows China’s aerostat at Mischief Reef

by PAtRiciA louRdes Philstar.com

ViRAy

MANILA — A Chinese aerostat was seen floating above Mischief Reef, one of Beijing’s artificial islands in the disputed South China Sea. ImageSat International posted a photo of the aerostat, which is probably used for military intelligence-gathering purposes.

“The use of #aerostat allows China a continuous situational awareness in this resource-rich region,” ImageSat posted on

Twitter.

The satellite photo dated November 19 is the first evidence of an operational aerostat on Mischief Reef, according to ImageSat. Mischief Reef, along with Fiery Cross and Subi Reefs, are China’s “big three” islands in the Spratly group, which are also being claimed by the Philippines.

In July 2016, the United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal ruled that China interfered with the Philippines’ exercise of sov-

ereign rights over its exclusive economic zone.

Mischief Reef is part of the Philippines’ continental shelf and is located within 200 nautical miles off the coast of Palawan.

Last year, China quietly deployed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missiles on Fiery Cross, Mischief and Subi Reefs in the Spratly Islands in a move to dominate airspace control over the South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea. n

Confirmed polio cases in PH rise to 8 MANILA — Another child in Mindanao has tested positive for poliovirus, bringing to eight the number of polio cases two months after an outbreak was declared in the country.

A nine-year-old girl from Basilan was the country’s eighth confirmed polio case, Department of Health said on Monday, November 25.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III said the child was unvaccinated.

Prior to this, the agency had documented six other polio cases in Mindanao. One case was re-

ported in Laguna.

Health Undersecretary Eric Domingo earlier said the confirmation of polio cases in Mindanao is a cause for concern because “there is an active transmission of the virus within the island of Mindanao and there are children unprotected from the virus.”

The re-emergence of polio in the Philippines after nearly two decades came after the country was hit by measles and dengue outbreaks earlier this year stoked by falling vaccination rates.

According to the DOH, the

initial round of the synchronized polio vaccination reported 96% coverage among children in the National Capital Region. Davao del Sur recorded a 92% coverage, while Lanao del Sur reported an 85% coverage.

Coverage in Davao del Sur is at 92% and 85% in Lanao del Sur. Polio can cause paralysis and can be fatal in rare cases. The disease has no cure and can only be prevented with several doses of oral and injectable vaccines. (Gaea Katreena Cabico with a report from Shiela Crisostomo/Philstar.com)

November 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Dateline PhiliPPines

(702) 792-6678 â&#x20AC;˘ http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ NOVEmbER 28-dEcEmbER 4, 2019

De Lima agrees with Bette Midler: Duterte among worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s detestable leaders

by Darryl John

EsguErra

Inquirer.net

MANILAâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;Opposition Senator Leila De Lima agreed with actress Bette Midler that President Rodrigo Duterte is among the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most detestable leaders, adding that history books would be written with the chief executive being labeled among the â&#x20AC;&#x153;mass murderersâ&#x20AC;? who terrorized millions.

Midler, a known outspoken critic of U.S. President Donald Trump, associated Duterte with the other controversial world leaders such as Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini, and Kim Jong Un in a tweet over the weekend.

MalacaĂąang has already fired back at Midler, calling her â&#x20AC;&#x153;gullibleâ&#x20AC;? with no rights to comment on the internal affairs of other countries.

But for De Lima, Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s staunchest critic, Midler â&#x20AC;&#x153;only speaks the truth.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;History books will be written with Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name alongside the likes of Hitler, Stalin, Pol Pot, Suharto, Marcos, Pinochet, Idi Amin, and all other mass murderers who terrorized millions,â&#x20AC;? she said in a statement on Tuesday, November 26.

Since being elected into power

in 2016, Duterte has made the crackdown on illegal drugs the focal point of his administration, continuing the brutal campaign against illegal drugs which he used in Davao City while he was still mayor.

Over 5,500 individuals have been killed in the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war on drugs, data from the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency said.

But human-rights groups have counted that as much as 27,000 lives have been claimed by the drug war death and by unknown hitmen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Rodrigo Duterte is one of the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most detestable leaders.

Everybody knows this,â&#x20AC;? the former Justice secretary claimed. â&#x20AC;&#x153;If killing 27,000 people, including children and minors, while letting big time drug lords go free does not make him one, then we might as well hail Satan as the epitome of everything good and pure in this world,â&#x20AC;? she added.

The senator also slammed MalacaĂąangâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dismissal of any criticisms from foreign entities on the drug war, branding the Duterte administration as â&#x20AC;&#x153;onionskinned.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Balat sibuyas ang administrasyong ito sa harap ng katotohanang

hindi na ito nagtatagumpay sa pagpapanggap na buhay ang demokrasya sa ating bansa at gumagana ito sa ngalan ng katotohanan at katarungan (This onion-skinned administration could not face the truth that it no longer succeeds in pretending that democracy is alive in our country and that it works in the name of truth and justice),â&#x20AC;? De Lima said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kaya kung may higit mang kasuklam-suklam pa kay Duterte, ito yung patuloy na pagtatanggol at pagbubulag-bulagan sa mga pang-aabuso sa karapatang pantao na ginagawa ng administrasyong ito (Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s more obnoxious than Duterte is the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s continued defense and forbearance to the human rights abuses),â&#x20AC;? she added.

De Lima has been in detention at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center since Feb. 24, 2017 on charges that she was involved in the illegal drug trade.

She has denied the charges, saying they were fabricated in retaliation for her fierce criticism of Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s brutal war on drugs and monitoring of his human rights record since the time she headed the Commission on Human Rights in 2008. n

 Members of the Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) slams TV and radio personality Raffy Tulfo over what they call harassment and bullying of public school teacher Melita Limjuco during a Tulfoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s program which aired on Thursday, November 21.  ManilaTimes.net photo by John Orven Verdote

Raffy Tulfo should be charged â&#x20AC;&#x201C; teachers

by Jan

arcilla ManilaTimes.net

A GROUP of teachers on Monday, November 25, condemned Rafael â&#x20AC;&#x153;Raffyâ&#x20AC;? Tulfoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s bullying of a public school teacher on national television over an alleged â&#x20AC;&#x153;child abuseâ&#x20AC;? incident.

The Alliance of Concerned Teachers (ACT) Philippines said Tulfo should be held liable for harassment. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The trial by publicity launched ing your wastes properly and, if somebody fails to do so, initiating against Ms. [Melita] Limjuco was to pick them up; advocating for unfair, malicious and injudicious,â&#x20AC;? local products; or just planning ACT Philippines said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;As such, we demand that Mr. your next trip to be a responsible tourist wherever you go,â&#x20AC;? she en- Tulfo be administratively and legally held to account for his accouraged,â&#x20AC;? added Puyat.

The Tourism department said by tions,â&#x20AC;? the group added. acting on tourism issues now, the country would be able to sustain its tourism growth.

In 2018, tourism revenue grew

by William B. DEpasupil by 14.3 percent year-on-year ManilaTimes.net and contributed 12.7 percent to the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s gross domestic THE Bureau of Customs (BoC) product. has imposed a total ban on imporAmong the world-renowned tation of electronic cigarettes (enatural wonders in the Philippines cigarettes) and related products are Boracay, Palawan, Siargao and in line with President Rodrigo Vigan. These were named some Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s directive prohibiting of the best tourist destinations vape smoking in public amid in the world by numerous travel warnings from authorities of its publications. adverse health effects.

The country also ranked 8th on Customs Assistant Commisthe 20 Most Favorite Countries in sioner Philip Vincent Maronilla the World of the CNT Readersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; disclosed over the weekend that Choice Awards, earning a 90.63- a â&#x20AC;&#x153;verbalâ&#x20AC;? order has already score among the 600,000 read- been issued to the effect, saying ers of the New York-based travel a formal order would be signed magazine. (Philstar.com) this week.

Tourism depâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t launches â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;bayanihanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; movement THE Department of Tourism (DOT) recently launched a bayanihan movement dubbed as â&#x20AC;&#x153;Saved Our Spots (SOS)â&#x20AC;? in a bid to promote responsible tourism.

The Tourism department said SOS is part of its â&#x20AC;&#x153;More Fun Foreverâ&#x20AC;? campaign that seeks to inspire tourists, businesses and local communities to have a longterm view on tourism by protecting destinations and the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural resources.

SOS also aims to provide livelihood opportunities to the local community. It seeks to ensure that businesses adhere to environmental and quality standards, while tapping the products and services of the local community; and ensuring that tourists enjoy tourism destinations responsibly. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This movement calls for each individual to do their part in acting as a responsible tourist and encouraging the same behavior towards their peers,â&#x20AC;? Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Sustainable tourism as a whole

may seem like an ambitious venture, but every small contribution will go a long way to collectively benefit the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tourism status, precious destinations and valued lives,â&#x20AC;? she added.

As part of the SOS movement, the DOT will roll out various multimedia materials that will be showcased in airports, seaports, vessels and tourist accommodations.

Puyat urged all tourism stakeholders to strengthen their mindset towards sustainable tourism, further noting that the SOS movement could hopefully ensure that the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural resources and cultural heritage continues to live on. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are now living in a time where we are more empowered to create better tourism choices for ourselves and our communities, and inspire others to care more for our tourist destinations,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can start with simple deeds, such as using reusable tumblers instead of single-use plastics; respecting the local culture; throw-

Limjuco, 55, was featured last week on Tulfoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s TV show after a studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relatives complained of alleged child abuse.

The studentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grandmother sought Tulfoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s help, saying the boy was â&#x20AC;&#x153;traumatizedâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;humiliatedâ&#x20AC;? after the teacher sent him out of the classroom.

During the program, the staff called Limjuco who apologized, but the childâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family wanted her punished through revocation of her license.

Tulfo then asked the teacher to choose between facing a child abuse case and resigning from her job.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said the teacher was not accorded due process.

The agency said there are laws and policies in place to protect students and teachers involved in complaints. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Teachers are entitled to due process, which was not given to her during the program,â&#x20AC;? the Education department added.

It noted that the rights of Limjuco were not respected when Tulfo pressured her to make an on-the-spot compromise to avoid a possible criminal case.

The DepEd clarified that teachers, as the substitute parental authority for their students at school, are expected to exercise reasonable supervision, including exercising discipline, while maintaining the dignity and safety of the students. n

BoC bans vape imports He added that all port officials were already under strict orders to be vigilant and â&#x20AC;&#x153;to seize all importation related to e-cigarettes.â&#x20AC;?

According to Maronilla, collection of duties and taxes collected from the importation of vaping products is also quite big, but stressed that the health of the Filipino people is the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s main concern.

Customs records showed that e-cigarette products have come from the United States, China, South Korea, Japan and Europe, among others.

The Philippine National Police

(PNP) has started arresting individuals who vape in public, but they were not detained.

The PNP said lawmen merely confiscated the e-cigarettes and released the vapers.

Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, said because of the sheer number of vapers, hauling them off to jail entail logistics and transport.

He made the statement after a police unit in Cebu confiscated more than 200 vaping gadgets without making any arrest. The gadgets were put on a display at the headquarters of the Cebu City Police Office. n

60 COUNTRIES. OVER 100 CITIES WORLDWIDE. THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INTERNATIONAL.

,1 3$571(56+,3 :,7+ 7+( '(3$570(17 2) )25(,*1 $))$,56 2) 7+( 3+,/,33,1(6 %$/,.%$<$1 0$*$=,1( ,6 12: ',675,%87(' $7 /2&$/ $1' )25(,*1 3+,/,33,1( (0%$66,(6 &2168/$7(6 2)),&(6 $1' 28732676 72 &203/(0(17 285 (;,67,1* ',675,%87,21 &+$11(/6 68&+ $6 %22.6725(6 +27(/ $1' 5(6257 52206 +263,7$/6 %$1.6 &/,1,&6 5(67$85$176 6+236 75$9(/ $*(1&,(6 (9(176 $1' 68%6&5,37,216

^chiV\gVb#Xdb$Vh^Vc_djgcVa

[VXZWdd`#Xdb$6h^Vc?djgcVaEjWa^XVi^dch

il^iiZg#Xdb$Vh^Vc_djgcVaXdb

lll#WVa^`WVnVcbV\Vo^cZ#Xdb

10

november 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

VEGAS&STYLE

Journal Fil-Am environment modeler John The gentle power of Fil-Am musician Aquino on building ‘Frozen 2’ world Jay Som, the multitalented ambassador for kindness and resilience

By Christina

M. oriel

AJPress

With “Frozen 2” now in theaters, viewers once again are transported to the world of Arendelle and accompanying sisters Elsa and Anna along their new set of adventures.

After the success of “Frozen” in 2013, lingering questions remained, including: Why does Elsa (voiced by idina Menzel) have magical powers? together with Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff), Olaf (Josh Gad), and Sven, Elsa sets on a journey that tests the range of her abilities and whether they’re enough for the world. Songwriting duo Filipino American Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez are back with a soundtrack full of catchy hits that will stick like the first movie (“into the Unknown” is easily the new “Let it Go,” for example).

Beyond the characters themselves, the backdrops of “Frozen 2” are equally as spirited and intricate, in part thanks to the work of an environment modeling team that includes Fil-Am John Aquino.

Aquino served as a senior environment modeler on “Frozen 2,” which entailed building the story locations, whether it’s the kingdom of Arendelle or wherever the storyline takes the characters, such as the enchanted forest and dark seas.

While the environment of “Frozen” was mostly cool hues, snow and ice, “Frozen 2” presents an enchanted forest during the autumn season, so there are trees with leaves changing colors and falling to the ground and lush hills. Still, this portrayal of fall is underrated and cool, with orange and red hues that align with the “Frozen” palette. “this time out, Anna and Elsa’s adventures take them outside the borders of Arendelle so i was responsible for building all of the trees, the props, the castle, the cliffs that you see in the movie, huts or houses in the village,” Aquino told the Asian Journal in a recent interview ahead of the film’s release.

Production designer Michael

The genre-bending Filipina American Melina Duterte on authentic creative expression, listening to herself and overcoming the anxieties of our life and her latest album “Anak Ko”

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

MELiNA Duterte would like to quash falsehoods regarding how she came up with her nom de plume, Jay Som. “this story gets asked about a lot because there are a lot of wrong information about it,” Duterte, 25, tells the Asian Journal in a phone interview. On the music streaming service Spotify, Duterte’s bio claims that she got the name from a specific name generator inspired by alternative hip-hop artist Childish Gambino. this isn’t true. She got the name from an obscure baby name generator on the internet, one of the thousands of name generators designed to help parents pick out Walt Disney Animation Studios environment modeler John Aquino, who’s worked on films from a name for their baby.

“You know when you’re “Frozen 2” to “Moana.”

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studio Googling and you go to the 6th Giaimo, along with directors Chris cludes serving as an effects anima- page, like, definitely not one of the Buck and Jennifer Lee, took a trip tor on “hercules,” “Fantasia 2000” top search results,” Duterte says, to Norway, Finland and iceland and “the Emperor’s New Groove.” to study landscapes, people and he then came into his current cultures that would inspire the role as a modeler, having a hand story and environments found in in films like “tangled,” “Wreck-it Ralph,” “Frozen,” “Big hero 6,” the film. the photos and notes they took “Zootopia” and “Moana” before during the trip were then relayed the most recent “Frozen 2”. in his 23 years at Disney, techto the environment modeling team nology has changed the way artto start building. “i want the audience to be ists and modelers have operated, enchanted and enamored by the making more precise and easier in beauty of the world Anna and Elsa some ways. “i used to be a traditional artist, live in and have them feel like this is a real place. With capturing that drawing effects for our 2D films. magical, mystical aspect, it’s some- When the computer age came thing that still resonates once you for the industry and CG was the flavor for the animation industry, leave the theater,” he said.

Born in Manila and raised in i decided to go into environment Southern California, Aquino set his building because [to me] it felt sights on becoming a comic book more artistic and sculptural,” artist, but was enthralled with the Aquino said. “Over the years, from world of film animation. he came ‘Chicken Little,’ which was my first to Walt Disney Animation Studios CG film, to ‘Frozen 2,’ there have in 1996 as an apprentice after fin- been leaps and bounds regarding ishing a Bachelor of Arts degree technology,” he said.

One of the challenges with “Froin graphic arts from Point Loma zen 2”, Aquino described, was the College in San Diego. his early work at the studio inPAGE 13 Jay Som

laughing. “And that’s what i really remembered, and i scrambled a bunch of words and then it came up with Jay Som and the translation was ‘victory moon.’ i thought it sounded great and decided to go with it.” there is a catch, however.

“Unfortunately, i did find out that there were like 10,000 people actually named Jay Som, but, you know, c’est la vie.” in any case, it’s probably safe to say that a Google search of Jay Som today will result in top results relating to Duterte’s music, which she’s been recording as Jay Som since 2015.

Yielding the moniker Jay Som from a name generator for babies, specifically, is apropos to the life and career trajectory of the young singer and songwriter who has cultivated Jay Som as a beautifully maturing musical project that transcends the traditional bounds

of genre. the latest creation, the album “Anak Ko” (“My Child”) released on August 23, is Duterte’s sophomore album, an intimate, quarter-life introspection that not only embraces vulnerability but finds strength in it. to generically summarize Duterte’s sound would be an act of futility; as is the trend in music today, her sound is complex and fluid and refuses to be categorized by a singular genre. it refreshing call to kindness that combines elements of postaughts indie rock — as heard in acts such as Death Cab for Cutie and Phil Elverum, and the richness of the euro rock scene of the 1980s à la the Cocteau twins and the Cure — refined underscored by hazy bedroom pop which has defined the sound of the 2010s. the soft timbre of Duterte’s voice captures the cool languor of a native Californian with the wisdom of someone with lived experience who is successfully learning to listen to herself. Since then, she has emerged as a tour de force of tenderness, with her music becoming a balm for a digital world obsessed with clout and racked with social anxiety.

Musical beginnings Born Melanie Mae Duterte in the Bay Area in 1994, Duterte is the daughter of Filipino immigrants who raised Duterte and her brother with the freedom to chase their passions, contrary to the helicopter parenting of Filipino parental stereotypes.

From a young age, Duterte expressed deep fascination with music, playing the trumpet and guitar and participating in family karaoke sessions, a rite of passage for any young Filipino. At the age of 12, she began privately writing and recording music in her bedroom, and planned to attend a

Photo by Lindsey Byrnes

PAGE 13

Why Lea Salonga can’t perform at the 2019 SEA Games opening by arlo

Custodio ManilaTimes.net

AS early as June 17, it was announced that West End sensation and Broadway star Lea Salonga was to return to Singapore’s Marina Sands for the staging of “Sweeney todd” from November 28 until December 8 at the Sands theater. this prior commitment explains why Salonga, considered Philippines’ most treasured international artist, cannot perform at the 30th Southeast Asian Games opening on November 30, which the country is hosting. in a grand launch of the Games theme song, “We Win As One,” where she lends her voice, Salonga did not mention about the stint in Singapore, although the international media tackled the story many times over to fan excitement to the return of the first artist of Asian descent to also play key tragic roles in the world-renowned musical “Les Miserables” as Eponine in 1995 and Fantine in 2007.

Explaining her own excitement in doing “Sweeney todd” during the press conference of the Stephen Sondheim musical

Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid by a bridge in Ponte Vecchio, Florence.

Lea Salonga

in Singapore in June, the Filipina singer-actress said, “i seem to do well in musicals where i die.”

She was referring to her international breakout role in “Miss Saigon” where she won multiple awards, including a tony and a Laurence Olivier as Best Actress.

Salonga on Monday posted on twitter, “Leaving on a jet plane tomorrow and will begin our 14-show

Photo from Instagram/@msleasalonga

Sweeney run on thursday night. this means i will not be performing at the SEA Games opening ceremonies on Saturday. i won’t be back home til after Sweeney is done.”

Filipinos still hope that she can make it to the 2019 SEA Games closing ceremonies on December 11 and sing the theme song live.

Anne feels baby’s kick: ‘Bizarre, amazing feeling’

by Cha lino Inquirer.net

it appears that Anne Curtis’ child is healthy. the soon-to-be mother shared the “bizarre and amazing feeling” of her child moving inside her body, as her baby’s kicks got stronger. the actress enthusiastically updated her fans on twitter about the development on Sunday, November 24.

“Little one kicking so strong now. What a bizarre and amazing feeling .”

Curtis has been vocal about her journey through motherhood ever since she announced her preg- Anne Curtis Photo from Instgram/@annecurtissmith nancy to the public on Nov. 10. in small snippets, the noontime Curtis said yesterday that she show host regularly gives her fans was adjusting to her body’s need an idea of her pregnancy quirks. for more sleep. As a busy actress

and host, she added that she couldn’t do her daily routine anymore without sneaking in a nap.

“Being someone who’s been so used to working so much. hindi ko na kaya (I can’t do it anymore).” the actress also appeared to be craving a certain food, as per her post on Nov. 18, about her love for potatoes. the weird sleeping patterns are apparently part of the journey. the actress expressed her shock when a fan said: “Wait on your [7th] or 8th month it (sic) your little one will wake you up at 1 [a.m.] or 2 [a.m.].”

Curtis was already in her fifth month of pregnancy when she and her husband celebrity chef Erwan heussaff decided to share the news.

Photos from Instagram/@ogiealcasid

Regine, Ogie fulfill dream Italy honeymoon 9 years later

by Cody

Cepeda Inquirer.net

ASiA’S Songbird Regine Velasquez and Ogie Alcasid seemed to be lost in their own little world during their trip to italy. the lovebirds were with other Kapamilya stars including Gary Valenciano, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Dimples Romana, Jodi Sta. Maria, Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla who flew to italy for their “ASAP Natin ’to Rome” show on Nov. 16.

Alcasid shared to his fans that their dream honeymoon after they got married in 2010 was Positano, a village on italy’s Amalfi Coast. however, they never got to go since Velasquez got pregnant with their son Nate two months after.

“And so, we both said ‘maybe someday,’” said Alcasid via instagram on Nov. 19. “Well, the Lord has blessed us after 9 years of waiting because finally we made it here. it certainly was worth the wait.”

Velasquez and Alcasid wasted no time in reveling in the beautiful sights and scrumptious eats of italy, making sure they did not miss out on the pastas and gelato. the couple also did their fair share of shopping and took to the

luxury outlets at the Mall Firenze in tuscany. they then went sightseeing and took to the Basilica of Santa Maria Novella in Florence before wandering off to Ponte Vecchio, complete with a “tabing ilog” moment.

Velasquez and Alcasid also had the chance to meet with Giorgio Pinchiorri, the owner of 3 Michelin star-awarded restaurant Enoteca Pinchiorri, plus see its wine collection, which is one of the most extensive in the world.

Velasquez did many things

differently or that she would not ordinarily do, during their trip, as per her instagram post today, Nov. 22. Nevertheless, she said she and Alcasid still had a memorable time in their adventures in italy. “i walked ( i hate walking) i ate (a lot) i drank wine ( i don’t really drink). i shopped but didn’t really buy anything for my self. My phone was almost fully charged at the end of the day coz i was talking (a lot) and i was laughing the whole time,” said Velasquez. “to make a long story short i had a great time.”

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA (Conclusion of 2 parts) (Continued from last week’s issue…)

So okay, your partner is the consummate slob and you have to pick up after him. He thinks he has a maid living with him for free. He has this maddening habit of not putting the toothpaste cap back on. That’s easy. Get one with a cap that snaps back on.

The point is to find a way to work around an annoyance or accept the tiny irritations. With time and patience, things get easier. As you get older and hopefully, wiser, your eyes dim and your hearing goes for a reason. You become less critical as you see the bigger picture more clearly. You become tone deaf and refuse to be thin skinned and easily offended.

Love is a two-way street. Note how you behave towards him.

How do you look to him? Do you take the time and the effort to look va-va-voom and give him that look that can make his heartbeat race just a tad? Or do you nag him to death for every little thing? Do you make him feel small with your smartass barbs? Or does he feel he can soar like an eagle when you are around him?

Don’t buy into the modern concept of the throwaway or trade-up society that seems to imply you can change partners every five years or so. Just because you can doesn’t mean you should. It may work for cars and appliances but falls flat for human relationships.

Fix what can yet be fixed.

Nurture what can grow into something beautiful. Eat humble pie, if you have to. There is no shame if you truly love. Ask a Higher Power to help you keep things whole.

Taking your husband, wife or partner for granted is the biggest cause of so many divorces these days. If alarming numbers are to be believed, half the population already live in Splitsville.

There is a disproportionate number of single moms and single

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS While cigarette smoking destroys lungs (first, with recurrent respiratory infections, then emphysema, COPD, and worst, lung cancer) over decades of inhaling more than 4,000 (not 400) different toxic substances, 200 of them carcinogenic (cancer-producing), vaping could kill within weeks, or months. Yes, vaping is a more vicious killer!

What is vaping?

Vaping, also termed JUULing, means using electronic cigarette or other vaping devices (vape pens, advanced personal vaporizers called MODS) to orally inhale substances that contain nicotine and other agents. Many users thought the vaping liquid contained only water and flavoring and did not even know that vaping agents have nicotine in them. It is now obvious that vaping is deadlier than tobacco.

How about e-cigarette smoking?

Electronic cigarette was introduced as a “safe and non-addicting” substitute for cigarette smoking, to transition to finally quitting. The device is batteryoperated and heats up a liquid to form vapors, more like a aerosol or vaporizer inhaler (vaping).

The ingredients include flavorings, nicotine, and in some cases marijuana, and other potentially toxic substances.

On May 15, 2001, we wrote this column below: Smoking is slow suicide Smoking kills. It is that plain and simple. There is no more doubt today that tobacco (cigarette smoking) is the predominant cause of lung cancer, besides other malignancies and cardiovascular diseases that maim and kill. In the United States alone, almost half a million die each year from smoking-related illnesses. These are preventable deaths! Demographic studies have shown that smokers are about 10 times more prone to die premature deaths than non-smokers. This unnecessary loss of lives is at an immense direct cost for non-smokers in terms of increased health risks from passive smoking, in higher health insurance premiums and taxes, not to mention personal and family tragedies in all shapes and forms.

As we have alluded to in a previous column, secondhand smoke is even more dangerous.

Innocent bystanders are forced to inhale cigarette smoke at their workplaces or in public places, thus increasing their health risk.

The Environmental Protection Agency engineers have shown

Two magical words “Gratitude is the memory of the heart.”

— Jean Baptiste Massieu dads worldwide struggling with severely diminished finances and dealing with court-appointed visits, juggling schedules, shuttling children in two locations and in cases of bitter, acrimonious divorces, competing for their children’s affections.

Honestly, who wants to live a life like that? Does anyone in his right mind really want to be disappointed and live cynical lives dealing with what I call the BIG D’s?

These are the doldrums of doubt, darkness, disease, depression, desperation, dejection, disappointment, discouragement and disillusionment. You just wish you can DELETE all that from your life. Sadly, some go to the deep end tragically ending in death.

Love has died. Nothing matters. Yet love, according to the “Desiderata” is as perennial as the grass. While there is life, hope springs eternal. Those who are not put off by a disastrous relationship think that “the right one” is just around the corner.

That may be so. But if they do not learn from their previous mistakes, they are doomed to repeat them. There’s that D again. They will cycle in and out of one disastrous relationship after the other.

Single parenthood is no cakewalk in most cases. Ask around.

Do not believe the distortion of truth in movies spun by Hollywood or this trend of celebrities adopting babies and the media glamorizing the lives of single parents.

That is one tall tale of an ego on steroids. There is no romantic or comedic element in going it alone.

Single parenthood is more like the Theater of the Absurd. The honest truth: there is little glamour or fun in single parenthood – in far too many cases, it is just an endless, harrowing tale of one struggle

after the next.

There are exceptions of course.

Unless fate played a dirty trick on you and you ended up meeting and marrying the partner from hell who is a sociopath, a psychopath, a criminal, a user, a liar, a pervert, a druggie, a murderer, a serial philanderer or just unfit to live in this planet with another human being, the best way to happiness would be to love, appreciate and say “thank you” to the one you’re with every single day of your life together.

And while you’re at it, blow a kiss to the heavens for making you a winner in the love lottery stakes sending you someone you love or can learn to love AND (THE BLESSING of all blessings) who loves you back!

Love is not a 50-50 proposition.

It’s not even giving 110% of yourself to the other. It sounds sentimental, sappy and old fashioned but whether you like it or not, it is giving of yourself without counting the cost. It is the pure, intrinsic nature of life’s greatest mystery – LOVE, beyond all telling.

Those couples buried six feet deep, side by side at Forest Lawn probably understood what love and devotion meant. Their souls may have fused. Their hearts in the hereafter probably beat as one.

That is one story you can believe in.

How to find THE ONE if you’re on the hunt? Or how can you make THE ONE realize that you’re THE ONE for him or her without beating him or her over the head?

That is one story for yet another day. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Vaping: a faster killer! that even the best available ventilation and air-moving equipment were unable to reduce carcinogenic (cancer-causing) air contamination to a safe level for a non-smoker sharing workspace with a habitual smoker. Physical isolation of the smoker is most essential as shown by these scientific studies.

Tobacco use leads to four times as many excess deaths annually compared to all other drugs and alcohol abuse combined, ten times more than all automobile fatalities per year, twelve times more than deaths from AIDS, and much more than all the American military casualties (in all wars) in this century put together. That’s how dangerous and damaging tobacco is to the human body and to society as a whole.

At the beginning of the past century, lung cancer was almost an insignificant health problem for the world. It became a minor problem in the 1930s (death rate of 5 per 10,000). Today, it has become the main killer among men and women. Since women started “really” smoking in the 1950s, “because it was glamorized in ads by actresses and models as a sophisticated and fashionable habit,” lung cancer in females has increased at least six-fold, an alarming rate, with death rate comparable to that in males. Women also have added risks: osteoporosis, thrombophlebitis (vein inflammation and blood clot formation), arthritis, infertility, cervical cancer, and menstrual irregularities. Pregnant smokers face miscarriages, stillbirths, low-birth weight and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) babies. Almost 30,000 female lives are snuffed out every year as a result of smoking. Of the 4 billion cigarette-related deaths in the world each year, about half a billion are women.

It is now the top killer among women. Today, one woman dies from cigarette-related illness every three minutes! And now comes vaping, another killer habit!

Is there a safe way of vaping?

No, there is not! This question is like asking if there is a safe way of shooting oneself in the head or a non-deadly way of swallowing cyanide. As statistics now show, vaping kills, and fast! Nicotine alone jacks up your adrenalin, heart rate, and blood pressure, increasing your risk for a heart attack and stroke. Not to mention the other toxic chemicals in vaping agents, like propylene glycol, and glycerin and flavorings (cinnamon, cherry, vanilla, etc.), plus others. Scientists believe that even the flavorings themselves react with the propylene glycol and nicotine to form

highly toxic liquid disastrous for the lungs fast.

When was death from vaping first reported?

It was in 2016 when the risk of serious events that included death from vaping was reported.

These were the signs and symptoms described: throat irritation, shortness of breath, abdominal pains, blurring of vision, cough nausea, vomiting, rapid heart rate, disorientation, chest pains, fall in blood pressure, seizure, heart failure. This year, 2019, there was an outbreak of severe lung diseases in many states in the USA, linked to vaping. As of November 15, about 2 weeks ago, 39 deaths related to vaping have been confirmed. Many victims were teenagers and young adults. Death toll is expected to rise, unless society as a whole, including the government, does something fast.

How popular is vaping?

The proliferation of vaping has been dramatic, particularly among teenagers. Studies in 2018 show that 37% of high school seniors did vaping, 28% higher than the year before. In 2017, it was estimated that 2.1 million middle and high school students smoked e-cigarettes, which number exploded to 3.6 million in 2018. CDC survey reported almost 7 million adults, 18 and older, used e-cigarettes in 2017.

What are the other consequences of vaping?

Besides the ill-health effects listed above, vaping could adversely affect the developing brain of youngsters and even adults. Some ingredients in ecigarettes increase the risk for cancer. Teens who vape are more prone to smoke cigarettes. Acute nicotine poisoning has been reported among children and some adults due to accidental exposure to liquids in e-cigarettes. There have been reports of explosions and burns while recharging e-cigarette devices due to faulty batteries. Vaping among pregnant women harms the developing fetus.

My question is: Don’t we already have too many diseases today that maim and kill, for us to still invent new ways of hurting ourselves and prematurely ending our life? *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana 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.

Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 28-DECEMBER 4, 2019

11

Las Vegas Rescue Mission to collect thousands of gifts in annual toy giveaway Las Vegas Rescue Mission invites community members to donate holiday gifts to families in need

IN the spirit of giving, Las Vegas Rescue Mission (LVRM) will host its annual Toy Giveaway to bring joy to children who may not otherwise receive gifts during the holiday season.

LVRM will receive donations from now until December 13. The Toy Giveaway will be held on December 14 at 480 West Bonanza RdLas Vegas, NV 89106.

Thanks to generous donors, LVRM receives donations each year during the Toy Drive and wraps over 4,000 gifts with the help of many volunteers, to distribute two toys per child, during the giveaway.

This year, the Mission asks the community to donate fun items not exceeding a value of $20 per item including, but not limited

to: Lego’s, dolls, board games, headphones, plush toys, action figures, or gift cards for children aged 0 to teens. A fun and exciting event, families receiving the gifts will enjoy hot chocolate, cookies, carolers, a clothing giveaway and other entertainment, including a visit from Santa.

The Las Vegas Rescue Mission has been assisting homeless men, women and children in the community for nearly five decades. Since our beginning in 1970, the Mission has been providing food to the hungry every day, shelter to the homeless, and an addiction recovery and backto-work program for those who have lost their way. The Mission started with a small storefront building that included the chapel,

Calendar of Events across

kitchen and shelter that was able to house a few men. Today, the Mission campus takes up two city blocks in Downtown Las Vegas, helping hundreds of men, women and children daily, and providing approximately 30,000 meals each month. As a nonprofit Christian organization, it provides services to all people without regard to race, color, creed, national origin, age, gender, religion or disability.

Community members can drop off gift donations now through December 13th at the Mission.

Companies, organizations or church groups interested in holding in-house drives, please contact Heather Williams at (702) 308-5208.

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 D EC E M B E R 1

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

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

D EC E M B E R 2

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

D EC E M B E R 7

UPHPEIS-AANA fundraising event in Whittier, CA UPHPEIS-AANA (UP High Prep Elementary Integrated System- Alumni Association in North America) is hosting its annual fundraising event with the 8th Annual Grand Reunion on Saturday, Dec. 7, 2019 at the DoubleTree Hilton in Whittier (7320 Green Leaf Ave. Whittier, CA 90602) from 10:30 a.m. through 4:30 p.m. Luncheon buffet includes entertainment, DJ music, dancing, raffle drawing and other fun surprises. Thereafter, guests are invited to more live dancing and fun music provided by the AM FM Band at Noypitz Bar & Grill at 333 S Alameda, LA 90013 in the evening. Funds raised will be use for needed building repairs, classroom and educational projects for UP Diliman students in Elementary and High School, and for the training of public school teachers in nearby communities. Tickets donations are $50.00 each which you can reserve on line through our website at www.uphpeisaana.org, or by calling for Bobby at (562) 607-8839 or Mabel at (562) 852-7116.

D EC E M B E R 22

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

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

12

november 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL

Features

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Your risk is on the rise — secondhand marijuana and vape are harmful THE smell used to give it away — that nasty, unmistakable scent of cigarette smoke. And you knew, somehow, your neighbor’s smoke was drifting in your house. But what if your neighbor vapes? Or smokes marijuana? That’s when the dangerous chemicals from next door become harder to detect or possibly mistaken for something else. All the while, you and your family’s health is at risk, sometimes without you ever knowing it.

Truth is, secondhand smoke is sneaky. It doesn’t need an open door or window to enter your apartment. A neighbor’s smoke can travel through tiny cracks in the floors, walls, pipes, ventilation systems, and even electrical outlets.

Secondhand smoke from cigarettes already kills 41,000 nonsmoking adults and 400 innocent children each year. And now secondhand vape is adding to the amount of toxic particles you could be exposed to every day. Because it’s not actually harmless water vapor. It’s a toxic aerosol that’s also filled with nicotine particles.

To make matters worse, even

Ronald McDonald Care Mobile Dental Van visits Pahrump and Amargosa American First National Bank sponsors vital dental treatment for uninsured children

secondhand marijuana contains many of the same cancer-causing chemicals as tobacco smoke. It’s new forms of secondhand smoke like these that are making it hard for Californians to find room to breathe freely, even in and around their own homes.

You do so much to protect your family already. You install alarm systems. You put baby monitors around the house. But in reality, one of the most dangerous things

If you have ever suffered from a painful toothache, or even the embarrassment of yellowing teeth, then you know what it’s like for children from low-to-moderate income families who cannot afford to go to the dentist. Even worse, untreated tooth decay and other dental issues can turn into costly and dangerous medical conditions.

The mission of the Ronald McDonald Care Mobile is to take critical dental services directly to the children who need them in their home communities — especially in rural Nevada, where few or no dentists reside. The Care Mobile recently spent two days in Pahrump and another day in Amargosa Valley, where it parked right in front of the American moved on from her relationship first National Bank and opened with Gerald and she was thankful its doors to treat children in need for the people who supported her of dental services at no charge to through the healing process.

“Isa ‘ko siguro sa mga tao na hindi ko lagi sinasabi ‘yung nararamdaman ko, but when you free yourself on that void, kahit papaano mayroon kang natutulungan, mayroon din tutulong sa’yo, may mag-console sayo and it feels so much better, feeling mo di ka nag-iisa,” Bea said.

“At saka na-realize ko na sila ‘yung dapat mahiya,” she added.

When asked by Vice on why one needs to believe in love despite hardship, Bea said people are supposed to love and be loved.

“You are supposed to be loved.

You are supposed to give it up to people and parang feeling ko wala ring point mabuhay nang walang pagmamahal. Sabi nga nila, ‘Everything happens for a reason,’ so siguro hinahanda ka na para sa tamang tao at sa tamang Gloria Diaz Photo from Instagram/@its.gloriadiaz panahon.”

their families.

“These critical dental services were made possible because of a generous grant we received from the American first National Bank,” according to Alyson McCarthy, the CEO of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Las Vegas.

“It was wonderful spending the day in Pahrump and seeing these beautiful children get the dental services they needed to have healthy, happy, and confident smiles.”

Nearly 20 children were treated in both communities, and Care Mobile is looking forward to coming back to these communities to serve even more kids in the future.

Besides the Care Mobile Dental Van, which serves more than 1,000 children every year, Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC®) operates the Ronald McDonald

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

FOR RENT

SERVICES

of all may be coming from next door.

So don’t ignore your neighbor’s secondhand smoke, no matter what it comes from. Your family’s health is at stake. And the bottom line is: unless your complex is completely smoke-free, you and your family could be in danger.

Visit SecondhandDangers.org to learn more about the dangers of all secondhand smoke. (MC MUH Dwellers Article)

‘Sila ‘yung dapat mahiya’: Bea speaks up on ex, alleged third party on ‘GGV’

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

ACTRESS Bea Alonzo will never get back with former boyfriend Gerald Anderson.

In an interview with Vice Ganda on “Gandang Gabi Vice,” the host asked Bea if there is still a possibility of rekindling her romance with an ex-boyfriend, which many believe to be Gerald.

“Oh my God, hindi talaga mumsh,” Bea answered.

Vice then asked Angelica Panganiban on what she will do to Bea once she gets back to Gerald’s arms.

“Makukulong ako ng arson kasi pinapasunog niya sa akin ‘yung bahay niya. Sabi niya, ‘Moms, ‘pag binalikan ko sunugin mo ‘yung bahay ko,’” Angelica shared.

Vice also said to Bea that he was concerned with the actress last Halloween because she might see a ghost, pertaining to the “ghosting” that Gerald did

EMPLOYMENT

House in Las Vegas, which provides a temporary “home away from home” to families whose children must travel to Las Vegas to receive critical medical treatment.

In addition, the Ronald McDonald family Room, right on the floor of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Sunrise Hospital in Las Vegas, provides comfort and care to more than 20,000 family members with hospitalized children. RMHC of Greater Las Vegas also makes and delivers 40,000 healthy happy sack lunches to family members at local hospitals each year, and the charity awards more than 200 scholarships to deserving Clark and Nye County high school graduates and continuing college students every year. for more information about our services, or to learn how you can become involved, go to www. rmhlv.org.

Gloria no beauty pageant aficionado

Bea Alonzo Photo from Instagram/@beaalonzo

to Bea. “Wala na, tapos na tayo sa multo. Wala na kong kinatatakutang multo ngayon. Wala na, liwanag na ‘yung nakikita ko. Ang tagal kong nasa dilim eh,” Bea said.

Bea revealed that she really

by rito

aSilo

Inquirer.net

WOULD you believe former Miss Universe Gloria Diaz isn’t a beauty pageant aficionado? This we learned from the actress-beauty queen herself when we crossed paths with her recently.

“No, I don’t follow these things,” she told us. “In fact, I see so many beautiful women in the biz who turn out to be Ms. Philippines winners (laughs).

One time, I saw Kylie Verzosa and said to her, ‘Hi. What’s your name again? I think you should join a pageant.

“Kylie said, ‘Yeah, I did—and I won.’ ‘Which one?’ I said. You see, I’m not good at that—I have a bad

memory for faces. But when I see somebody pretty and tall, I tell her to join the beauty contest.”

Asked what she thinks explains our fascination for beauty pageants, Gloria said, “As they say, beauty is its own excuse for being. for many hopefuls, it’s a step to a better life. If you win, you’ll still be remembered, even when you’re 90 years old already.

“If you ask me about what one should do to win, it isn’t that easy. I always feel it’s fate more than what the contestants do. Definitely, as a beauty queen, hindi naman ako ang pinakamaganda (I’m not the prettiest). But it’s fate. Something happens that makes one win—and it’s not because of anything you do in particular.”

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 28-dEcEmbER 4, 2019

13

The gentle power of Fil-Am musician Jay Som...

PAGE 10 conservatory program to pursue jazz, but her love of songwriting let her to study music production and recording instead.

By 2015, she released her first demo “Turn Into,” a kaleidoscopic dreamscape in which a stream of consciousness discusses facing your fears; and, in 2017 came her second creation, “Everybody Works,” an exuberant album that explores relationships and empathy through a blend of dream pop and grunge.

That release propelled the young artist as a burgeoning independent musician, and she began playing concerts and festivals all over the world, performing alongside indie stalwarts such as Paramore, Mitski and Death Cab For Cutie, the last of which was “a huge source of inspiration for me growing up, so it was kind of amazing to share a stage with them.”

Facing reality through sobriety Although touring is an essential, character-building facet of the job, it has its troubles.

For Duterte, those pitfalls were being away from loved ones for eight months out of the year, unstable income and, most profoundly, the ubiquity of drugs and alcohol which have basically become staples of the music industry.

“It’s normalized,” Duterte says, to drink on the job and so many meetings take place over drinks and, for smaller acts like hers, the talent is often paid in drink tickets.

Cover art for Jay Som’s album “Anak Ko”

“You look outside of that and examine society as a whole, and you see that we normalize drinking into every part of our social lives. I think I was just getting really tired of that and I was blacking out every single time I was drinking. And it got really bad to the point where I really couldn’t do it anymore.”

The experience for Duterte was, well, sobering. The proverbial rockstar whose life becomes synonymous with debauchery wasn’t the future that Duterte wanted for herself, and in November 2017, she made the decision to quit drinking with the patient and nurturing help of her longtime partner, fellow musician Annie Truscott of the band Chastity Belt (with whom Duterte has collaborated).

“She taught me that when you stop drinking you don’t have to tell yourself that you have to stop drinking forever. You just say it’s a break, and for me, that worked. Every time I was taking a break, it got better and the harder times became better, all the emotional communication with other people was easier, like, it really touches every part of your life,” she added.”

But, of course, putting down the bottle for good wasn’t easy. Every emotion is heightened — “when you’re sad, you’re really sad,” — and the newfound blinding awareness of your surroundings can feel unbearable.

“When you’re not drinking, and you’re playing live, you’re like, ‘‘Oh, f*ck. I know exactly what’s going on right now…” Duterte

“Frozen 2” isn’t just ice and snow — the characters encounter the fall season and venture into the enchanted forest.

Jay Som performs an NPR Music Tiny Desk concert in 2017.

shares. “I just became hyperaware of all these people looking at me and listening to me, all these people who paid to see me. And we traveled all the way to, say, New Hampshire to play music for these people.”

She adds, “It gets anxiety-ridden but I try to be as real as I can now.

If I’m sad, I’m not acting like I’m not sad, but I always want to make clear that I’m super grateful that they came because it is hard to get outside the house to get anywhere, so it really means a lot to me that people get out of their house, out of their bed, to see an artist play music. It’s really mind-boggling to me sometimes.”

Finding power in compassion Two years of sobriety later and no intention of falling back on the wagon, Duterte feels like she’s taken full control of her creative work and personal life.

By giving up drinking, she learned to find comfort with herself and explore mindfulness as a means of nurturing.

“I feel way more refined, just in a general sense,” she says.

“Like with my music, I feel like I’m generating better music and have a straighter sense of what I want and also I know who I want to work with now and what I want from friendships and what I want from working relationships because I think what being sober taught me was you get to face your challenges head-on. You cannot fix it with a vice and you can’t bottle it up anymore. It fixed my communication with not just others but with myself, too.”

In 2017, Duterte moved from the Bay to Los Angeles to center herself and mature as a musician, recording her own music and collaborating with other musicians like Chastity Belt and Sasami. “Anak Ko” is the product of the dramatic emotional

shifts Duterte has endured and lessons learned in a relatively short amount of time.

Naming the album “Anak Ko” was a lark. The album was untitled up until the week before she had to turn in the completed album to her label, Polyvinyl, and her manager told her she had to come up with a name. Duterte recounts texting her mom while she was trying to come up with a title when inspiration struck.

“She always greets me with, ‘Hi, anak ko!” or “What’s going on, anak ko?’ It’s a thing she’s always said to me as a kid, and it’s a very endearing term and something that everyone knows with their parents and their own cultures. It felt like a warm blanket to put over my work, and really, I just wanted to have a title that means something special to me.”

From finding her stage name through a baby name generator to cultivating a growing repertoire, Duterte has fostered a special, tender space within the indie music community. Nowadays, she listens to herself and what her mind and body need over what an audience wants.

(Last month, she announced she was postponing her European tour next year in order to “get my mental health in order and appreciate the patience.” ) In a world that often feels at odds with its own self, and in a culture that places attention to the future, Duterte is a reminder that there is strength in kindness and there is no shame in letting your guard down.

The final verse of the last track on “Anak Ko,” called “Get Well,” perfectly sums up that gentle energy: “I will be your friend / Keep you safe instead / I’ll show you a special way / I don’t want to forget.”

In “Frozen 2,” Elsa, Anna, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven journey far beyond the gates of Arendelle in search of answers.

Photos courtesy of Walt Disney Animation Studios

Fil-Am environment modeler...

PAGE 10

handling of the trees in the enchanted forest since a major element was the mysticism in that setting.

“We rely on our proprietary software of making trees but we had to go an extra step in order for them to be more dynamic and more art directed and really following design of almost a flat nature,” he said.

“But really, also with the environments, we had to go into a little bit more detail in order for us to capture [it]. We don’t want it to look too fantasy, we want it to look like it’s a real place too, a real analog place.”

Earlier this year, Aquino had the opportunity to step into the director’s chair with his own short, “Lightning in a Bottle.”

Aquino’s creation comes through Walt Disney Animation Studios Short Circuit, a program that allows employees at the studios to pitch an idea and receive studio support to develop an original short film.

The program is similar to Pixar’s Spark Shorts, which included fellow Fil-Am artist Bobby Rubio’s “Float” this year, featuring the studio’s first-ever Filipino characters.

In Aquino’s “Lightning in a Bottle,” the young boy protagonist captures lightning inside a jar that soon mimics his own actions. He must then decide whether to keep it or release it back into the sky.

For this, Aquino studied electricity and weather patterns to help develop the lightning character.

It was one of six new shorts that debuted at the “Short Circuit” panel at D23 Expo in the summer and screened at the El Capitan Theater in Hollywood. Though, we’ll have to wait until it drops on Disney+ sometime in early 2020.

“As a Filipino American, I want people to know that we have a voice in the animation industry. It takes a village to raise a child as they say, and in this case, I used to think animated films were just done by one person. It’s actually done by multiple people coming together, collaborating, and Filipino Americans are part of that,” Aquino said.

He added, “It’s an exciting time for Filipino Americans at Disney Animation. We are being recognized for our hard work and have been given opportunities for the first time in directing and telling our stories, whether it’s with me directing ‘Lightning in a Bottle,’ or Josie Trinidad being selected as a director for a Disney feature film.”

14

november 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL

Features

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

Dr. Rhigel Tan: Las Vegas’ DZMM Global Pinoy Idol Soaring high: Aviation Institute LAS VeGAS — Dr. Rhigel Alforgque Tan, the first and only Filipino to be elected president of the Nevada Board of Nursing, was recently named Las Vegas’ DZMM Global Pinoy Idol.

Before becoming one of the most successful nurse practitioners in the Silver State, Tan who grew up in the slums of Cebu City, knows he has come a long way.

Also a mental expert, Tan shared that he continued studying as it was the only ticket to seek a better employment in the United States.

“I pursued my studies right away because I really believe na the [educated the person], the brighter the future.”

Tan started as a certified nursing assistant before eventually becoming a nurse practitioner in Nevada.

Matthew Love, a Fil-Am whom Tan met at a local clinic, was inspired by Tan’s passion and perseverance in life that he vecame a registered nurse himself.

“I met him through doing some medical records. he came in to pick some charts [and] introduced himself. I introduced myself as a kababayan and [we] talked about life stories, about growth and my education just furthering professionalism, so he inspired me to be a nurse.”

In 2014, Tan estbalished a mental health clinic, where he took care of people, regardless if they had health insurance or not. he also made sure that fellow Filipinos going through depression and other mental illnesses were helped.

Tan said that adjusting to a new life and new environment in the U.S is challenging. “lalo

of Maintenance addresses global demand for aviation technicians Las Vegas campus offers various programs to start your aviation career training

Dr. Rhigel Tan is acknowledged as Las Vegas’ DZMM global Pinoy idol Photos courtesy of JJF

Jaya

na dito sa U.S. bago sila dito (especially here in the U.S., they’re new here) they have to adjust and many of them felt depressed and most of them or some of them don’t have health insurance so when I finished my doctorate I established my own practice and my own clinic.”

Among those helped

by Tan was this Filipina who went

Inigo Pascual

through depression and was even suicidal at one point.

“When I moved to America, life was very difficult. I was very depressed. I [had] no insurance. I was so scared to go to the doctor because I [had] no money. I was introduced to Dr. Tan. he took good care of me and gave me free medicines and I am very thankful to him,” the Filipina who doesn’t want to be identified said: Tan is also active when it comes to lobbying lawmakers — in the U.S. and in the Philippines — to pass laws that provide free healthcare and medicine, as well education and awareness on illnesses particularly when it comes to mental health.

Tan says that he will continue to advocate and fight for mental health awareness especially for the Filipinos worldwide. “So what it is in the future, for me the battle of helping people relieve from what they felt especially in mental health it will never stop. its an on going quest and an on going passion to reach out to them and let them feel that there is help, with the help their is hope.” (Bev Llorente/ABS-CBN News)

The shortage of aviation maintenance technicians has been mounting for a while and is seen to slide downhill in the next years.

The 2019 Boeing Pilot & Technician Outlook, a respected industry forecast of personnel demand, projects that 769,000 new maintenance technicians will be needed over the next 20 years.

To meet this strong demand, Aviation Institute of Maintenance (AIM) is ready to help aspiring students reach their goals of having an exciting career in aviation.

AIM is a network of aviation maintenance schools that first began in Norfolk and has grown to include campuses from coast-to-coast across the United States.

AIM is proud of their graduates who have been employed with reputable companies in the aviation industry, such as Delta, Southwest, United, Ge, DallasAirmotive, SkyWest Airlines, PSA Airlines and AAR. What they offer The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has one of the world’s highest and strictest standards for training aviation professionals. With this in mind, AIM ensures that the education and training their graduates receive not only meets, but exceeds these standards. All graduates are eligible to take the FAA exams necessary to obtain their mechanic’s certificate with ratings in both Airframe and Powerplant.

AIM can enroll students with an M1 visa, a non-immigrant student attending a non-academic trade or vocational school, which has been approved by the INS to offer

such training. Not on a M1 visa?

Students may still be able to study with AIM. AIM in Las Vegas is located at 5870 S. eastern Avenue and offers Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT), Aviation Maintenance Technician Avionics (AMTA) and Maintenance Technician programs. The AMT program is designed to provide students the knowledge and skills as an aircraft mechanic and prepares them for the FAA test. AMTA prepares students for entry level employment within the aircraft maintenance

and avionics industry, takes him/ her through the basics of aircraft mechanics and dives into the latest technology advances. The maintenance technician course prepares the student for entrylevel employment within a wide variety of maintenance-related fields.

So, are you looking to develop a career as a qualified aviation maintenance technician? Contact the Aviation Institute of Maintenance now! Learn more at www.

AviationMaintenance.edu.

(Advertising Supplement)

(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEmbER 28-dEcEmbER 4, 2019

15

16

november 28-december 4, 2019 • LAS veGAS ASIAn JoUrnAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678