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DECEMBER 6-12, 2018

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 29 - No. 46 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

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

PH Senate divided as House moves to approve martial law extension

by JESS

DIAZ Philstar.com

Various groups from Mindanao picket Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, December 4 to call for the lifting of martial law in Mindanao.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

DATELINE

USA

MANILA — The House of Representatives will approve a request from PresidentRodrigo Duterte to again extend martial law in Mindanao.

“If the president will ask for it, then chances are it shall be given.

The concurrence will be expe-

Starbucks issues apology after customer complains to corporate office A STARBUCKS location in Vacaville, California has apologized to a Filipino-American customer after a barista wrote down a stereotypically Asian name on his order.

Johncarl Festejo, an 18-year veteran of the Air Force, took Air Force veteran Johncarl Festejo Photo courtesy of Johncarl Festejo a morning trip to Starbucks with his 12-year-old daughter Milan on Monday, Nov. 26. Festejo used his first name, John, which was also on the Starbucks mobile app he used to pay for his order.

“A few minutes later, I was just waiting in that area, and next thing I know, I hear,

by NATHALIE

Philippines makes up largest number of green card holders in US THE Pentagon will be sending backlogs of green card holders in the military services to basic recruit training in order to comply with a new federal court order. The new order suspends a Trump administration policy that called for lengthy background checks on immigrants looking to serve.

The U.S. Department of Defense said it would now follow a preliminary injunction that was filed in federal court last month in the District Court for the Northern District of California. The November 30 memo by Judge Jon S. Tigar requires the military services to return back to the policy in which green card holders were allowed to attend basic training while background checks were still pending.

Lawful permanent resident recruits challenged the Trump administration’s October 2017 rule change, arguing that the policy was unfair in that it did not apply to U.S. citizens.

Tigar, in his November 16 order, said that the Department of Defense failed in provid-

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Sen. Sonny Angara said he was open to the proposal but sought an extensive briefing from security officials before making a firm decision on the matter.

Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon thumbed down the plan, saying a second extension of martial law is unconstitutional.

“There is no basis for a second

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ROBLES

AJPress

MALACAÑANG defended President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, December 4, stating that the leader can make jokes in public speeches just like everyone else.

“Everybody is entitled to a joke,” Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said as reported

by ABS-CBN News.

This was after the top leader drew criticism for stating that he takes Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo Inquirer.net photo marijuana to keep himself awake. The spokesperson and chief executive’s legal counsel said that the lack of logic in the president’s statement implies that he is joking.

“Like the one on marijuana, we know it’s not a stimu-

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NEW CHIEF JUSTICE. President Rodrigo Duterte administers the oath of office to newly-appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin during a ceremony at the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday, December 4. During the ceremony, Duterte told Bersamin and other newly-appointed officials that” we are all workers of government and so let us work to preserve the nation and to protect the people.”

Malacañang photo by Simeon Celias

Robredo tells lawmakers: Focus on lowering prices, not Charter change

by AJPRESS VICE PRESIDENT Leni Robredo urged the House of Representatives to find ways to bring down prices and give more jobs to Filipinos rather than change the Constitution.

“Imbes na maghain ng mga solusyon sa mga problemang dulot ng batas na ito, malinaw na usap-politika ang mas mahalaga para sa liderato ng Kamara, na siya nitong ipinakita sa pagpasa ng House Resolution na nagtuPhilstar.com photo tulak sa Cha-Cha. (Instead of of-

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Pentagon to allow green card holders to attend recruit training following court order

during the deliberations,” Andaya said.

Senators, however, are divided on the proposal to extend martial law for another year.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito said he was in favor of extending martial law as it limited the movement of private armies and has somehow addressed the proliferation of loose firearms in Mindanao.

Palace defends Pres. Duterte: ‘Everybody is entitled to a joke’

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am Air Force veteran claims Starbucks barista wrote a racist name on order

dited if the military and the police will renew their commitment to respect the constitutional rights of every individual in the territory covered by the declaration,” Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. said on Tuesday, December 4.

“The inputs and views of congressmen from Mindanao, who represent the people directly affected, will carry much weight

Vice President Leni Robredo

fering solutions to the problems caused by this law, it’s clear that diplomacy is more important for the leaders in Kamara, which is shown through the submission of a House Resolution that pushes for Cha-cha),” Robredo in a statement said on Wednesday, December 5.

The House approved on second reading the proposed draft federal charter on Tuesday.

“Ang dapat tutukan ng ating Kongreso ay ang mga panukala na magpapababa sa presyo ng mga bilihin, at magbibigay ng trabaho sa ating mga kababayan.

(The one thing that the Congress should focus on is the proposal for bringing down prices of goods, and providing more jobs to the Filipino people),” she said.

“Unahin na natin ang ating mga kababayan, at mga alalahaning pinakamalapit sa kanilang bituka at pamumuhay, kaysa sa pamumulitika. (Let’s prioritize our countrymen, and their concerns closest to their stomachs and living, instead of diplomacy),” she added.

According to Robredo, she found out while going around the country that the main sentiment

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Philippine senators open to legalizing medical marijuana House approves federalism

by AJPRESS SENATORS Grace Poe and Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday, December 4, said they were open to legalizing medical marijuana in the Philippines.

Poe cited cases of marijuana being used for medical purposes on patients, but also noted that it could not yet be considered a cure.

In an interview with ANC television, she said marijuana could be distributed through hospitals, but its use and dispensation should be under a doctor’s supervision so that “not just anyone can get it.”

She added that if a doctor had an allotment and gives prescriptions to, say, 100 people per month, there would be a record of the Senators Grace Poe and Panfilo Lacson on Tuesday, December 4, said they were open to

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legalizing medical marijuana in the Philippines.

Inquirer.net photo

bill on second reading

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE House of Representatives on Tuesday, December 4, approved the Resolution of Both Houses (RBH) 15, a proposal to shift to a federal government, on its second reading.

“Many provisions of the 1987 Constitution have already served, if not outlived, their purpose, hence the sustained clamor over the years for amendments to or revision of the constitution finds justification in the need to provide, among other much needed socio-economic and political reforms, a long-term solution to the decades-old conflict in Mindanao and regional economic development in the countryside,” RBH 15 stated.

The proposal was approved through voice voting, where lawmakers vote with “ayes” or “nays.” The votes of each lawmaker were not recorded because they were only called and asked to vote on the said measure. The House only resumed the deliberation on federalism late

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A

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december 6-12, 2018 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL

Poe, Lacson open to legalizing...

PAGE A1 recipients.

“That is a way to prevent a doctor from selling on the side,” Poe said.

However, she also talked about how marijuana could be abused if it were legalized.

“If you have marijuana, that’s so accessible, people will just stay perhaps at home and then bench

out,” she said.

Lacson, who supports the medical — not recreational — uses of marijuana, echoed Poe’s sentiment.

“Yes, the intention may be good, for medical use, but it may lead to [the] proliferation of marijuana for recreational use. That would defeat the purpose,” he said.

He urged Congress to find ways

From The FronT Page

to prevent abuse.

A bill that would establish community-based programs in dealing with drug problems that included a provision allowing medical use of marijuana was previously filed by Senator Risa Hontiveros.

Tacit support for bill Poe and Lacson spoke about medical marijuana a day after President Rodrigo Duterte said he uses marijuana to stay awake and keep up with the tight schedules — only to withdraw the statement later, saying it was a joke.

However, his statement, whether a joke or not, could open the view of approaching the country’s drug problem from a health perspective and it could be interpreted as a tacit support for a bill to legalize the medical use of cannabis, according to two opposition lawmakers in the House of Representatives.

House Bill No. 6157, or the proposed Philippine Compassionate Medical Cannabis Act, which was authored by Akbayan Rep. Tom Villarin and Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman among others, had been archived after Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, one of its principal sponsors, was ousted as Speaker in July.

“It might be retrieved from the archive because the statement of the president that he has taken marijuana is an endorsement of the medical marijuana bill,” Lagman told reporters on Tuesday.

“But if we are serious about fighting illegal drugs, we should not be joking about taking marijuana,” he added.

Marijuana, which contains both mind-altering, or psychoactive, compounds like tetrahydrocannabinol and other compounds like cannabidiol, can be consumed for medicinal purposes to relieve pains, such as the chronic pain that affects people with cancer, nausea and other symptoms of various ailments.

It has also been approved as a treatment for two rare and severe forms of epilepsy by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Countries that have legalized or decriminalized marijuana for medical purposes under various systems of regulations include Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland, United Kingdom and Zimbabwe. n

MMA FIGHTERS AT THE SENATE. Senate President Vicente Sotto III (6th from right) and other senators pose with the Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Eduard “Landslide” Folayang (8th from right) during a courtesy call at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday, December 3. The Senate passed Resolution No. 958 congratulating Filipino MMA fighters Folayang and Brandon “The Truth” Vera (not in photo) for emerging victorious in their respective weight divisions in the Conquest of Champions event held at the Mall of Asia Arena last Nov. 23.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

PH Senate divided as House...

PAGE A1 extension of martial law as there was no ground that necessitated the first extension,” Drilon said.

Sen. Francis Pangilinan said the military should justify its request for martial law extension with “hard and justifiable facts.”

Pangilinan also warned the country is heading toward the midterm elections in May next year, and the extension could be used to harass opposition candidates in Mindanao.

The lawmakers were commenting on reports that the military and the police were recommending the extension of martial law in Mindanao for another year.

President Duterte is reportedly considering the recommendation.

He declared martial law in the south in early 2017. Congress first extended his declaration up to the end of last year and then up to the end of this year.

Duterte on Monday said Mindanao remains a troubled land, which is why martial law must be extended for another year.

“We are facing a revolutionary front, one that is motivated by territorial, land and the other is driven by the extremist, the ISIS (Islamic State). And it is still in Mindanao, it remains to be a troubled land for everybody. And Mindanao will always be a pain in the… government,” the president

said.

No legal basis Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman said a third request from Duterte for a third martial law extension would “mock the Constitution for wanton absence of constitutional bases which are the presence of actual rebellion and public safety requires the extension.”?“Rebellion does not persist in Mindanao and consequently public safety is not imperiled,” he said.

Lagman said both Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., chief of the Armed Forces, and Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana had not formally recommended to the president any extension.

“Galvez and Lorenzana are foot-dragging in recommending another martial law extension because it appears that it is not of critical immediacy and another extension is an admission that the military has failed to achieve the purported objectives of the previous martial law extensions,” Lagman told a news conference. ?He said Galvez’s justification that “there is public clamor for the extension is flawed because popular clamor is not a ground for martial law or its extension.”?“Moreover, the alibi that ‘terrorists are still lurking in the area’ is not also a basis for extension because terrorism is not rebellion and the threat of terrorism, like the imminent threat of rebellion, is not

a constitutional ground for martial law or its extension,” Lagman explained.

He said the old ground of “imminent threat of rebellion” has been removed in the 1987 Constitution because “threat is contingent, self-serving and nebulous.”

Lagman announced that he and his colleagues would question before the Supreme Court a third extension of martial law in Mindanao.

The congressmen challenged the president’s martial law declaration, but the high court upheld Duterte’s proclamation.

Former solicitor general Florin Hilbay said the proposal to extend martial law for another year is getting to be a habit.

“Let’s not normalize martial law,” Hilbay said on his Twitter account.

“This is patently unconstitutional since there’s no invasion or rebellion at the moment. So what reason will they give this time to justify their request?” he said.

Militant groups held a protest rally in front of Camp Aguinaldo, accusing the military of abuses against lumad people and workers’ groups in the region during martial law implementation.

Lorenzana, for his part, said they are checking out reports that would justify the extension of martial law in Mindanao. n

Fil-Am Air Force veteran claims Starbucks barista...

PAGE A1 ‘Is there a Chang here? Is there a Chang? We got a hot cocoa,” Festejo told KCRA3, adding he didn’t pay attention to the name.

The barista, again, called out for “Chang” twice more, and then Festejo realized it was his order, saying, “Then, I hear again, ‘Banana nut bread for Chang.’ I’m like, OK, probably the same order. Then, followed by that was the chocolate frap.”

Festejo approached the cashier to ask if that was indeed his order, he said asking the employees, “Is this some kind of joke?

For real?” According to Festejo, the barista who took his order snickered when he pointed out the name discrepancy.

The daughter asked that they leave before the situation escalated, so he took her to school. But that encounter seemed to linger for both Festejo and Milan.

“When I went to school, I started to think about it,” Milan told KCRA3. “How could they get John and Change messed up? I think it was really mean, because I never went to a place where they called me something else.”

After dropping his daughter off at school, Festejo contacted Starbucks corporate to let them know what happened that morning and to voice concerns over how customers are treated.

According to the Starbucks district manager, that employee has not been assigned any shifts pending an investigation. The Starbucks corporate office and the district manager both apologized to Festejo.

“At Starbucks, we take great pride in providing a warm and welcoming environment for everyone who enters our stores and expect our partners to uphold our values and follow through on our commitment. We have a zero-tolerance stance on discrimination of any kind, and the experience in question was not reflective of our mission and values,” a spokesperson for Starbucks said. “We have reached out to the customer and shared our deep regret for their experience, are conducting an investigation into the matter and will take the appropriate actions.”

In response to the Vacaville incident, the Asian Pacific Islander American Public Affairs (APAPA), issued a statement condemning “any instances of racial bias and

Fil-Am Air Force veteran Johncarl Festejo shared a photo of his Starbucks cup after noticing a stereotypically Asian name associated with his order.

Photo courtesy of Johncarl Festejo

stereotyping” and suggesting that Starbucks complete a “thorough investigation.”

“If this event was in fact true, Starbucks should make an immediate public apology to the individual, and continue to develop its trainings to address such instances of racial discrimination,” APAPA wrote.

The Vacaville incident joins a string of controversies for the coffee power house.

In May, a similar incident in La Canada Flintridge occurred when a barista was accused of printing a racial slur on a Latinx’s order. The customer, who gave his name as Pedro, found that “Beaner,” a known racial slur against Mexicans in the U.S., had been printed on his order.

Priscilla Hernandez, a coworker of that barista, told CNN that she “was really upset about it, because that isn’t OK.” “Out of all the names they could’ve put on his coffees for ‘misunderstanding’ him they decide to put ‘beaner,’” said Her-

nandez, who filed a complaint against her coworker.

In April, two black customers asked to use the restroom of a Philadelphia Starbucks but were denied because they hadn’t bought anything yet.

An employee asked them to leave, but when they declined that employee called the police, who put the men in handcuffs (despite them not committing a criminal offense) and escorted them out of the coffee shop, as seen in a viral video of the incident.

On May 29, thousands of Starbucks locations across the country were closed for “racial bias education training” following the Philadelphia incident. Back in 2015, the coffee chain’s Race Together campaign — which encouraged its baristas to discuss race and its political implications with customers — prompted skepticism and derision; the company quickly dropped the initiative. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

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A3

Freddie Roach excited to work with Manny Pacquiao again

by JOAQUIN

HENSON Philstar.com

FREE AGAIN. Act Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and former congressman Satur Ocampo narrate how they were arrested in Davao de Norte at a news conference in Quezon City on Sunday, December 2. The two and several others were charged with child abuse last week but were allowed to post bail.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

Palace defends Duterte: ‘Everybody is...

PAGE A1 lant to wake a person up. The fact alone that it is not a stimulant, there is no logic in what he said that he uses it to be awake, so the people [yesterday] laughed,” Panelo explained as reported by The Manila Times.

Panelo added that Duterte jokes during his speeches to hype the audience because those events are generally boring. Those people who fail to laugh at Duterte’s jokes, according to Panelo, might be offended.

“He does it because usually, events are boring. He is joking because he wants us to laugh.

Now, if [he told a joke and] no one laughed, that means they were offended,” he said.

Although the president’s camp clarified that the chief executive is only joking, some people still questioned if there is some truth behind the leader’s proclamation. Panelo said that he has yet to discuss the matter with the president. However, he further explained that he doesn’t have to “because we’ve been together for 30 years.”

Panelo also clapped back at those who might have taken the jokes seriously. He said that the president has set a good example by being a good leader.” The strong-mouthed leader called those who believed his jokes as fools. He further noted that he will not change just because people do not like his “style.”

“If I want to joke, I will joke. now, if you believe that, you are fools. Pero nobody can stop me from just doing my style. You may say it’s misogynist, I was just joking, that’s my style. It’s too late to change,” the president said.

Panelo also added that Duterte was joking when he called saints fools and drunkards during All Saints Day. The public voiced out the irony of Duterte’s remark since the president has been vocal on his opposing stand with illegal drugs even before he was elected for office. His war on drugs focused on illegal drug trade and usage. However, the president expressed his support in the use of marijuana for medical purposes. ■

House approves federalism bill on...

PAGE A1 November this year.

As any legislation must be approved on three readings, the recent approval from the lower house comes after the Palace commented that they have confidence that the shift to a federal form of government will be approved.

“It’s the call of Congress. If they believe in the president, they will perform their duty and continue what they started,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III said earlier that the Senate is now focused on the passage of the proposed General Appropriations Bill for 2019. The House, from where legislation of

the national budget bill begins, passed its version of the bill in November.

Federal branches of gov’t The RBH 15 provides that the Federal Republic of the Philippines will have a presidential-bicameralfederal system. Thus, the president and vice president will be elected in tandem but will retain the same power, authority and functions as indicated in the 1987 Constitution.

The legislative functions will still be performed by the two chambers of Congress: House of Representatives (HOR) and Senate. The lower house (HOR) will be comprised of 300 members, 80 percent of which are from legislative districts in the country while 20 percent are

party-list representatives. While that of the Senate constitute 24 members.

Members of the judiciary in the Supreme Court and lower courts will be appointed by the president from a list of at least three nominees prepared by a Judicial Appointments and Disciplinary Council. The said institution will replace the Judicial and Bar Council.

In a report by The Philippine Star, members of the Supreme Court were said to be allowed to serve for a term of 10 years or until they reach the mandatory age of 70. All branches of the government will continue to function in a transitory capacity until all successors are elected. ■

LOS ANGELES — Freddie Roach said the other day he can’t wait to work with WBA welterweight champion Sen. Manny Pacquiao again after a nearly 1 1/2-year separation and they’re due to get together at the Wild Card Gym here before Christmas in the final three weeks of preparation for the title defense against Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Jan. 19.

“I’m excited,” said Roach. “I hadn’t talked with Manny since the (Jeff) Horn fight (in July last year) then we met up two weeks ago when he went to L.A. for the second stop in the press tour to promote the Broner fight. We spoke for about 15 minutes. It’s up to Manny how he wants me to be involved with the team. I’m just happy to be back. He’ll be working out at the Wild Card Gym which is like his home.”

Roach said he’ll be in Pacquiao’s corner for Broner but he’s not likely to be the man inside the ring in between rounds. “That would be Buboy (Fernandez),” he said. “Buboy did a good job with Manny in getting him ready for (Lucas) Matthysse and the result was a knockout. I’ll be ready to do whatever Manny wants me to do.

It’s not a long training period for Manny, like eight weeks in total.

We’re rushing it but Manny will be fine. There’s time to prepare.

It won’t be a problem.”

Roach, whose mother Barbara passed away late last year, predicted Pacquiao to beat Broner decisively. “Manny will kill Broner,” he said. “You can bet

“It’s up to Manny how he wants me to be involved with the team. I’m just happy to be back,” coach Freddie shared on being reunited with the Filipino boxer.

Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales

your house on it. Broner tries to fight like (Floyd) Mayweather but he’s nowhere near the skill level.

He even uses the shoulder-roll.

Broner’s the type who can make an opponent look bad so Manny can’t take him lightly.”

Roach said if Pacquiao fights like the way he did against Matthysse, there’s a big possibility that Broner will end up on his back. “It could be a knockout,” he said. “Manny looked good in taking out Matthysse and he wants to make an impressive showing against Broner because he has Mayweather on his mind. Manny wants that rematch. Whether Mayweather will fight him again is a question mark. You’ll never know with Mayweather.”

Roach said in his recent 15minute meeting with Pacquiao at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Beverly Hills, they talked like old times. Last Saturday, Roach was in Tyson Fury’s corner for the fight against WBC heavyweight

champion Deontay Wilder at the Staples Center here. He was outside the ropes during the intervals in between rounds and served as cutman. He’ll probably be in the same situation with Pacquiao against Broner not as a cutman but as a second to Fernandez. Pacquiao may bring back Dr. Ed de la Vega as cutman. De la Vega was in Pacquiao’s corner for the Matthysse fight in Kuala Lumpur.

“Tyson wanted me on his team because his trainer Ben Davison is only 25 and he needed my experience,” said Roach. “Right now, I’m working with two world champions, both from Puerto Rico under Miguel Cotto’s management.

One is WBA superfeatherweight champion Alberto Machado (210, with 17 KOs) and the other is WBO lightflyweight champion Angel Acosta (19-1, 19 KOs).”

Fury survived two knockdowns to hold Wilder to a split 12-round draw. ■

Robredo tells lawmakers: Focus on...

PAGE A1 of the people is the unabated price increases of basic goods and services.

“Umaasa sila na ibubuhos ng pamahalaan ang kakayahan nito para pagaanin ang kanilang dalahin sa araw-araw. (They’re hoping that the administration would exert effort into giving them relief in their everyday burdens),” she said.

However, she noted that lowering of prices does not seem to be a priority of the government.

“Delayed na nga ang ayuda para sa mahihirap, binawi pa ang

suspensyon ng fuel excise tax sa January 2019. (Not only was the aid for the poor delayed, the suspension of fuel excise tax on January 2019 was also recanted),” she said.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, December 4, approved the imposition of the second round of fuel tax increases beginning on January.

The government, for its part, has taken an effort to solve joblessness in the country with the Ease of Doing Business Act that Duterte recently signed.

The Ease of Doing Business

Act or Republic Act No. 11032’s aim is to “streamline business processes and reduce processing time in all government agencies to make the country more conducive to investments thereby creating more and better jobs for our people.”

The rice tariffication bill was also recently approved by the Senate which seeks to lift restrictions on rice importation to help the country’s rising inflation. It is is expected to alleviate the impact of the nine-year high inflation and address the country’s rice shortage. ■

A

december 6-12, 2018 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL

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Borderline shooting victim Alaina Housley Number of unauthorized immigrants in US reaches historic low, study says laid to rest, honored at memorial The Fil-Am Regents scholar was the youngest of the 12 victims

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

Family, friends and classmates of Borderline Bar shooting victim alaina Housley mourned her passing on Wednesday, Nov. 28 in a memorial service at Pepperdine University, where the 18year-old was in her first year. as previously reported in the Asian Journal, Housley — whose mother is Filipina — was the youngest of 12 victims who were killed in a mass shooting on Nov. 7 at the Borderline Bar & Grill in Thousand Oaks. (The bar hosted an 18+ college event that night.)

Housley had been attending Pepperdine as an English major since august 2018 but quickly acclimated with the student community, joining the school choir and mock trial.

Wednesday’s memorial followed Housley’s funeral in her hometown of Napa, California.

Housley was a Regents Scholar and English major at Pepperdine where both her parents and aunt and uncle went.

On the night of the shooting, Housley’s parents said the last they heard from their daughter was before she left to go to Borderline for line dancing.

Her father, arik Housley, said that “she was invited to go line dancing at a place we used to go whenâ€? he and Housley’s mother, Hannah Housley (nĂŠe Punzalan),

Fil-Am student Alaina Housley was among those killing during a mass shooting at a local bar in Thousand Oaks, California.

Photo courtesy of the Housley family

used to frequent when they attended Pepperdine. “We would encourage her, and we would do it all again. We would encourage her to go to Pepperdine, to go line dancing and to try new things,� her father added.

Tamera mowry-Housley of “Sister, Sister� fame and her husband former Fox News correspondent adam Housley expressed grief following the death of their niece. mowry-Housley also co-hosts “The Real� on Fox, returning on monday, Nov. 26 and, through tears, shared memories with her late niece. “i met alaina when she was 5,

and the Housleys — we were a group of 10, meaning whenever we were together, we were together,� mowry-Housley shared. “i’m very blessed to have an amazing mother-in-law, father-inlaw, sister-in-law, brother-in-law.

So, they are my family, along with my immediate family.� “We all get along, and alaina was my little sister,� she continued. “She was my niece from marriage, but she was my friend and my sister from my heart.�

The grieving aunt also acknowledged the frequency of mass shootings in the United States and called for general action to eradicate these tragedies. “i believe that it starts from within,� she said. “Our country – and it’s sad to say this – but you have to be living underneath a rock to not believe these words: our country is sick. it’s diseased, it needs healing. it needs healing from within.�

The Housley family has started “alaina’s Voice� to honor gun violence victims. “We as a people in the U.S. must learn to be present, enjoy your loved ones, Be kind to one another, We will advocate for the media to stop celebratizing (sic) the shooters,� the campaign’s website said. as of this writing, the GoFundme page created has raised over $97,000, exceeding its initial $50,000 goal. n

Pentagon to allow green card holders to attend recruit...

PAGE A1 ing evidence that lawful permanent residents were of a greater risk than U.S. citizens. “if there was no evidence that [lawful permanent residents] posed a greater risk, this policy change is by definition arbitrary and capricious,� said Tigar. in a statement made monday, December 3, Pentagon spokesperson lt. Col. Carla Gleason said that lawful permanent resident recruits were slated to be assigned to initial entry training “in the same manner as any other recruits, based on the availability of training slots, open class dates, career field quotas, and recruit preferences, all of which may affect a particular individual’s ship date.�

“Pursuant to an implementation memorandum signed on November 30, the Services have been directed to implement the order, and they have begun the process of doing so,� said Gleason.

Fought by the american Civil liberties Union and lawyers of prospective enlistees from China and Jamaica, the injunction brings easement to thousands of potential troops who have hoped to join in service for self improvement and critical skills, or as a path to U.S. citizenship.

Green card holders in the states come from countries with which the U.S. has had friendly ties with—the Philippines provides the largest number of legal permanent residents in the na-

tion. according to data obtained by the Washington Post, about 656 green card holders are hopefully waiting to attend Navy boot camp are from the Philippines. a significant number of immigrant recruits also come from China, Jamaica, Nigeria, and mexico.

The Post reported Pentagon officials saying that roughly 18,000 U.S. troops were green card holders at the start of the Trump administration. Waiting to start basic training are over 2,800 green card holders. according to the judge’s ruling on the federal case, approximately 5,000 legal permanent residents enlist in the U.S. military every year. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

a REPORT from the Pew Research Center released this week found that the number of unauthorized immigrants in the United States has fallen to the lowest level in more than a decade, refuting President Trump’s claim that the Central american migrant caravans are amid an “invasion.�

Pew cited the sudden drop “entirely to a sharp decline in the number of mexicans entering the country without authorization.�

The study — which used 2016 federal data — found that there were 10.7 million unauthorized immigrants living in the U.S. that year, compared to the 12.2 million figure in 2007.

The 2016 sum is the country’s lowest since 2004. Pew found that the decline of unauthorized immi-

grants meant that “their share of the total U.S. workforce over the same period� also decreased.

Despite the overall drop, Pew found that the number of immigrants from El Salvador, Guatemala and Honduras has increased by 375,000 from 2007 to 2016; a majority of the immigrants in the highly publicized migrant caravans that have spent months traveling to the U.S.-mexico border to seek asylum (which is legal per federal and international law) are from these countries.

The study also found that there was also a decline in recent arrivals, which the study categorizes as those who migrated to the U.S. within the last five years. in 2007, recent arrivals accounted for 32 percent of all unauthorized immigrants (from all continents and regions) from, and in 2016, that

figure dropped to 20 percent.

There was no change in the number of undocumented asian immigrants, a group that had 1,300 unauthorized immigrants in 2007 and in 2016. But there was an increase in the number of recent arrivals; in 2007 it was 13 percent undocumented immigrants, and in 2016 that had risen to 22 percent.

The study posited that this would put a strain on what experts call “mixed-status households,� families in which the children were born in the U.S. to unauthorized immigrant parents. “as their typical span of U.S. residence has grown, a rising share of unauthorized immigrant adults – 43 percent in 2016 compared with 32 percent in 2007 – live in households with U.S.-born children,� the study’s researchers wrote. n

Pope Francis: Philippines a great Catholic nation THE Philippines is one of the greatest Catholic nations in the world, Pope Francis has said. “indeed, the noble church in the Philippines now stands among the great Catholic nations in the entire world. Hence, no wonder, she continuously sends missionaries to other regions,� the pope told Osaka archbishop Thomas manyo Cardinal maeda in a letter.

The pope also told maeda, his envoy to the upcoming 60th anniversary celebration of the post-war manila Cathedral in intramuros, manila, that his predecessor Gregory Xiii would not have thought how prosperous the

Catholic Church would be in the entire archipelago. in his letter posted by the manila Cathedral on its Facebook page, Pope Francis explained why he chose maeda to be his representative. “We appoint you by means of this letter to be our special delegate to that solemn feast – you whom we know to be an eminent pastor, always concerned about the welfare of the church throughout the world,� the pontiff told maeda. “you are to act in our name, therefore, on the eighth day of December, more than four years since we have visited it, at the Ca-

thedral in manila – also called the minor Basilica of the immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin mary – giving thanks to God for the beauty of this temple, but most importantly for the lively faith of the pastors and of the Christian faithful,� he said.

The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines announced that maeda will celebrate mass on the Solemnity of the immaculate Concepcion on Dec. 8.

The current vice president of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Japan, maeda also celebrated mass in the cathedral on april 12. a month later, he was named cardinal by the pope. (Philstar.com)

Pope Francis

Photo courtesy of Vatican Media

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A

Dateline PPalace hiliPPines praises gov’t anti-crime

drive, disregards survey results

by AJPress

administration in the past two years. He added that the toughtalking leader would remain dedicated to resolving the country’s crime and drug problem until his term ends. “this achievement, however, will not render us complacent. as Prrd said, his campaign against criminality and illegal narcotics shall be pursued until the last day of his term to ensure that our streets are completely safe from criminals, drug personalities and other rogue elements,” the spokesperson explained.

He also clapped back at the critics of the administration, noting that they are either guilty of committing illegal activities or non-receptive with regards to the achievements of the government. “it also becomes clear that those who remain to dissent the president’s policies are either people who are connected with illegal activities or politicians belonging to the opposition, as well as their blind followers, who cannot accept the feats of the government,” Panelo said as reported by rappler.

SWS shows 1.4M families as crime victims the sWs survey released on thursday, november 29, revealed that around 1.4 million families or 6.1 percent claimed that they were victims of common crimes — pickpocket or robbery of personal property, break-ins, carnapping, and physical violence in the past six months. the said figures proved to be higher than the 1.2 million reported in June 2018. the said survey also showed that 159,000 families reported physical violence during the same period. this is significantly higher than the estimated 50,000 families reported in June of this year. results also stated that about 52 percent of Filipino agreed with the statement, “in this neighborhood, people are usually afraid that robbers might break into their houses.” Meanwhile, 46 percent agreed that people fear for their safety on the streets at night. the survey also showed that 41 percent agreed that there are too many addicted to illegal drugs in their neighborhood. n

Presidential spokesperson salvador Panelo on saturday, december 1, claimed that the government has made “significant strides” in its campaign against criminality even though results of the social Weather station (sWs) survey suggested otherwise. “significant strides have been made by the current administration through its war against criminality, including those related to illegal drugs,” Panelo said as reported by The Manila Times. the spokesperson said that the BACK TO P9. A jeepney driver receives a payment from one of his passengers. The Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) decided on Monday, December 3, to cut the jeepney fare rate to P9 from P10 following successive fuel price rollbacks.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan Filipinos feel secured with the policies implemented by President rodrigo roa duterte (Prrd) since the leader is seen as vocal with his desire to curb crime in the Philippines. ment Program funded by dOst overseeing all national issues and

by AJPress “indeed, Filipinos now feel activities related to the use of space and monitored by the dOst-PhiltHe House of representatives science and technology applica- ippine Council for industry and safer knowing fully well the govapproved House Bill 8541 oth- tions (ssta). the ssta is referred emerging technology research ernment’s stance against crimierwise known as the Philippine to in the bill as the “scientific and development is responsible for nals and drug pushers,” Panelo space development act on its principles and their applications the “frameworks and foundations” added.

Panelo said the government third and final reading on tuesday, to space science, engineering, and of the proposed first central space would not remain “complacent” agency in the country. other allied fields.” december 4. in an article from rappler, the despite the achievements of the the measure also proposes a the HB 8541 served as “an act establishing the Philippine space framework on space policy that program is said to be implemented development and utilization policy focuses on six key development ar- through a collaboration between and creating the Philippine space eas including national security and the University of the Philippinesagency (Philsa), defining the pur- development, hazard management diliman, the dOst-advanced scisen. Paolo Benigno “Bam” ng bawat proyekto (Which of the we pivot to China. Gumanda nga pose and scope of its activities and and climate studies, space research ence and technology institute, aquino iV on tuesday, december Build, Build, Build projects have ba? Hindi naman (Part of their and development, space industry Hokkaido University, and tohoku appropriating funds.”

4 cautioned the duterte admin- pushed through? How much is promise is that our economy will University. capacity building, space education Philsa will become a national although the Philippines have yet istration against entering into the interest rate for each proj- improve if we pivot to China. Has agency in charge of space science, and awareness and international ect)?” aquino asked, referring to it improved? I don’t think so),” to establish a central space agency, secret deals with China. cooperation. engineering, and other related the duterte administration’s cen- he added. the government, according at present, several agencies are it did not impede the country’s fields. the said agency will be manto the senator, must ensure that terpiece infrastructure program. “darami raw ang trabaho. advances in space science. diwata currently shouldering the funcdated to look after the development “ilang Chinese workers na the welfare of Filipinos is made a dumami ba? Hindi naman (They and promotion of the Philippines’ tions that are often entrusted to 2, the second Philippine-made, priority in a joint oil exploration ba talaga ang nandito? lahat projected that there will be more earth-observing microsatellite space agencies. some functions national space program. in the south China sea and other iyan, hindi malinaw sa atin (How jobs. Were there additional jobs? I the policy that encapsulates the include disaster risk manage- was launched last October 29 many Chinese workers are here don’t think so),” aquino said. agreements with Beijing. from tanegashima space Center. ment under the national disaster bill aims to be “the country’s priexactly? All of these are not clear “there must be no secret deals.

He challenged the senate to mary strategic roadmap for space risk reduction and Management diwata 2 is created to capture imthat should be clear when it to us),” he added. take the lead in investigating the ages of earth for environmental Council (ndrrMC), astronomical development.” it also seeks to make Over 3.12 million Chinese tour- government’s dealings with China comes to territory, economy and the Philippines a “space-capable science studies under the Philip- assessment. it is specifically used job opportunities,” aquino said ists have arrived in the country and look into whether the country to monitor the extent of damage pine atmospheric, Geophysical, and space-faring nation within the since 2016. in a forum. will benefit from them. and astronomical services admin- from disasters. next decade.” the department of labor and He cited the government’s On sept. 19, 2016, aquino HB 8541’s counterpart in the istration (PaGasa) and mapping Under the wing of the departemployment said it had issued “unclear policy” regarding its terfiled resolution 158 seeking to ment of science and technol- under the national Mapping and upper house — senate Bill 1211 ritorial dispute with China in the 115,652 alien employment per- clarify the country’s foreign— introduced by senator Paolo resource information agency ogy (dOst), HB 8541 provides Benigno “Bam” aquino iV is now south China sea (West Philippine mits from 2015 to 2017, almost policy direction and determine the establishment of Philsa as (naMria). sea) as well as the agreements 50 percent of which were issued the administration’s position on on the committee level. n the national space developthe central government agency entered into with President ro- to Chinese. the south China sea and several aquino said the country’s econ- other issues. drigo duterte during the recent visit of Chinese President Xi omy has not improved since the sen. loren legarda, the chairgovernment decided to pivot to man of the senate Committee Jinping. “ano sa mga Build, Build, China. on Foreign affairs, has not acted relief efforts for Haiyan victims negative issues for the government

by AJPress “Kasama sa kanilang pangako, upon on aquino’s resolution. showed some footage from Bey- but, again, made no allegations of Build projects ang natuloy na?

Magkano ba ‘yung interest rate gaganda ang ekonomiya natin if (ManilaTimes.net) a United nations (Un) spe- ani’s press conference but it does misusing funds. cial rapporteur this week has re- not quote him directly.

Beyani returned to work as a sponded to claims that the Un had the Facebook post also claimed professor at the london school accused the Philippines’ then-rul- that the Un said the lP misused of economics after his tenure as ing liberal Party (lP) of misusing donations given to the Philippines a special rapporteur ended in disaster relief funds for election to recover from super typhoon 2016. campaigning in 2016.

Cecilia Jimenez-damary, the Haiyan, which took thousands of this comes after a video posted lives and flattened entire towns current Un special rapporteur on Facebook on October 30, 2018. back in 2013. on the human rights of internally took footage from a press conferthe lP, led by then-President displaced persons, told aFP that ence in 2015 given by Chaloka Benigno aquino iii, was previously no such allegation had been made Beyani, who was then-Un special in power but is now in the opposi- against the lP nor aquino. rapporteur on the human rights of tion after its candidate lost the “the office of the Un special C<>8C @DD@>I8K@FE `j X 9@> @JJL< k_\j\ [Xpj% D8EP `e fli Zfddle`kp E<<; internally displaced persons. rapporteur on the human rights of 2016 presidential elections. in July 2015, Beyani visited the pfli j\im`Z\j% K_\i\ Xi\ k_fljXe[j n_f dXp nXek kf \og\[`k\ k_\`i i\j`[\eZp fi the post, which was promoted idPs, as an independent mandate Philippines to look into a range of on a page presenting itself as a and based on the visit of Prof. glijl\ ]lcc Z`k`q\ej_`g Ylk [feËk befn _fn kf Y\^`e Xe[ n_\i\ kf ^f% issues in relation to internally dis- supporter of President rodrigo Chaloka Beyani to the Philippines

placed people, and presented his duterte, said, “even the Un has in 2015, has not stated that the findings to the United nations. asked where the almost trillion- liberal Party nor aquino used the at the end of his trip, Beyani worth of global donations to Yolan- Haiyan funds for their election gave a press conference, which da victims went to.” campaigns,” Jimenez-damary said was reported by aBs-CBn. “COnFirM! Funds for Yolanda in an e-mail.

8J@8E AFLIE8CËJ GIF=<JJ@FE8C J<IM@:<J ;@I<:KFIP# n`cc efn Y\ the rapporteur, however, said used by the yellows to campaign according to a spokesman for ilee`e^ n\\bcp# \m\ip K_lij[Xp f] CXj M\^Xj <[`k`fe% that he never made that claim, nor in the elections, according to Un,” OHCHr, the body did not make did his report on the Philippines, the caption next to the screenshot any allegations against the liband that the screenshot used in the in the false Facebook post read. eral Party in regards to misusing false post is from a tV news clip “Yellows” usually refer to the Haiyan funds.

8AËj GJ; ZXe _\cg PFL i\XZ_ flk kf k_\d X]]fi[XYcp Xe[ \]]\Zk`m\cp% available online. “there was certainly nothing lP. “neither my statement nor my Beyani’s report that was sub- from OHCHr or the rapporteurs,” report made any mention of the mitted to the Un gave a detailed OHCHr spokesman rupert Colville use of funds for rebuilding the analysis of the government’s re- told aFP by email. areas affected by typhoon Haiyan sponse to the disaster. a search of the Un’s press reby a political party. it is regrettable aFP analyzed the report and leases and Un’s general website that part of the video of my press confirmed there is no allegation further showed that the organizaconference was used to cover this of a political party misusing relief tion did not make any announce8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej allegation. i categorically did not funds. ments on Haiyan donations, nor pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j% say that at all,” Beyani told aFP a statement following his trip statements on the typhoon that in an email. was also released by Beyani mention the Philippine lP. according to aBs-CBn, the through the Office of the Un High the false Facebook post has Fli gi`ek \[`k`fej ile `e kXe[\d n`k_ 8AËj Gi`ek <[`k`fe Fec`e\% report which focused on raising Commissioner for Human rights gained more than 4,500 shares as Fec`e\1 _kkg1&&`jjll%Zfd&Xj`XeaflieXc[`^`kXc\[`k`fe criticisms about the government’s (OHCHr). it listed positive and of this writing. n

House okays bill to create PH space agency

Bam Aquino warns gov’t vs. secret deals with China

UN officials did not accuse Liberal Party of misusing Yolanda funds

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Imelda Marcos posts P300,000 bail as she appeals graft conviction FOrMer first lady and graft convict imelda Marcos posted the P300,000 bail bond on Wednesday, december 5, for her provisional liberty while she appeals her conviction on seven counts of graft. according to a report in The Star, Marcos posted the bond through her lawyer. receipts also show Marcos paid P4,500 in legal fees in addition to the bail bond. she also filed another notice of appeal requesting her records of the case be forwarded to the supreme Court for further proceedings.

Marcos’ first appeal to elevate the case to the supreme Court was denied on november 28. “the notice of appeal filed by Marcos is premature as the court has not yet resolved her motion for leave to avail herself of post-conviction remedies,” the sandiganbayan said then. “therefore, the court cannot take action on the same.”

On november 16, the court allowed Marcos to post a P150,000 bail bond for her provisional liberty while the court was deciding if she

Former first lady Imelda Marcos

would be allowed a post-conviction bond. the sandiganbayan allowed Marcos to appeal her graft convictions on december 1–either through a motion for reconsideration before the anti-graft court or through a notice of appeal directly before the supreme Court. she was, however, directed to double her bond to P300,000 to enjoy temporary liberty. the 89-year-old ilocos norte

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

representative was convicted on november 9 by the sandiganbayan on seven counts of graft over stolen public funds between 1978 and 1984.

Marcos, widow of ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, was the minister of human settlements from 1976 to 1986 and concurrent Metro Manila governor from 1978 to 1984, during her husband’s term.

(Ryan Macasero with reports from Elizabeth Marcelo/Philstar.com)

A6

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OPINION

Violence against women and girls

FEATURES

THE World Health Organization has expressed concern over the deaths of at least 18 children including infants in a remote village in Malapatan, Sarangani over the past month. The children reportedly showed symptoms of measles.

Officials of Barangay Upper Suyan said about 100 measles cases were recorded in their village alone.

The deaths followed measles outbreaks recorded throughout the year by the Department of Health in various areas of the country including the Davao region, Negros Oriental, Zamboanga City and a village in Taguig. The DOH reported that from January to November, measles cases went up by 367 percent from the previous year, from 3,706 to 17,298.

With the year approaching its end, immunization rates have plummeted nationwide, thanks to the scare triggered by the scandal that erupted over the administration of the Dengvaxia anti-dengue vaccine to more than 830,000 public school students, many of them in grade school.

The concern is not unfounded; pharmaceutical giant Sanofi Pasteur belatedly issued qualifications for the safe use of the first-ever vaccine developed against dengue. Officials of the previous administration are facing charges in court for what accusers say was the careless and hasty implementation of the anti-dengue vaccination program.

Claims of deaths caused by the vaccine have

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS SPECIAL COUNSEL Robert Mueller may now be in the stage of putting the pieces of the Russia probe evidence together and with this, President Donald Trump has gone ballistic in his tweets against those conducting the investigation on the alleged collusion between the Trump campaign and Russia to discredit his political opponent Hillary Clinton and help Trump win the presidency.

This week, Trump spewed tweets involving two of his former allies — one is in praise of the ally who refuses to cooperate in the Russia probe, and the other in a sentencing mode against his former loyal attorney and fixer Michael Cohen, who just pleaded guilty to lying before federal in-

Commentary

FRANCISCO TATAD DURING the U.S. Prohibition era, the Feds could not bring down Al Capone, Chicago’s “Public Enemy No. 1,” for the Valentine’s Day massacre and other murders, so they prosecuted him for tax evasion. He was convicted and jailed for 11 years, got sick and died not much later.

“What lesson can we learn from this?” my 16-year-old U.S.-based grandson Raf asked his 14-yearold brother Matt during a parlor game. “Pay your taxes before you start killing people,” Matt answered with quick wit. This brought the house down.

Rappler on the block It seems the Department of Justice has decided to take a leaf from Al Capone’s saga when it filed tax evasion charges against Rappler, the online media platform, and Maria Ressa, its executive officer. The Duterte government has been trying to overcome Ressa and Rappler’s fiercely independent reporting, by questioning the legality of their corporate funding. This has gotten the government nowhere.

Apparently the government hopes to do better on its tax evasion charges, which carry a fine and a prison sentence.

If found guilty, Ressa could serve time and, for the duration, be physically prevented from functioning as a journalist and as Rappler’s executive officer. This could mean one major source of critical reporting and analy-

been made but remain unproven.

But the claims have set off a scare bordering on hysteria, which has dealt a serious blow to all the immunization campaigns of the government and posed risks to public

health.

DOH personnel are still trying to explain to the public that the vaccines for dengue and the many other illnesses that have been tamed by immunization are different. But public apprehensions persist. WHO officials estimate that from a high of 93 percent in 2015, vaccine confidence among Filipinos has plummeted to 32 percent this year. From zero incidence in 2015, measles has re-emerged in epidemic proportions.

The DOH reports that this year, the government has fallen way below its annual target of vaccinating 85 to 90 percent of children against a wide range of diseases other than dengue. This problem should be confronted with urgency before the lack of immunization triggers a spike in child mortality.

(Philstar.com)

Philstar.com photo

Fil-Am lawyer George Conway leads conservative and libertarian lawyers to call out Trump’s attack on the rule of law vestigators about the true nature of Trump’s business interests in Russia.

Trump tweeted on Monday, December 3: “’I will never testify against Trump.’

This statement was recently made by Roger Stone, essentially stating that he will not be forced by a rogue and out of control prosecutor to make up lies and stories about ‘President Trump.’

Nice to know that some people still have ‘guts!’”

This tweet runs contrary to his previous statements during the campaign whereby he chastised Clinton allies who invoked the “Fifth Amendment,” saying that those who used their “right to remain silent” must be hiding something and must, therefore be guilty of the crime.

On the other hand, Trump stated in two tweets:

“‘Michael Cohen asks judge for no Prison Time.’ You mean he can do all of the TERRIBLE, unrelated to Trump, things having to do with fraud, big loans, Taxis, etc., and not serve a long prison term? He makes up stories to get a GREAT & ALREADY reduced deal for himself, and get........his wife and father-in-law (who has the money?) off Scott Free. He lied for this outcome and should, in my opinion, serve a full and complete sentence.”

And the president yet again boosted his attack against Mueller: “Bob Mueller (who is a much different man than people think) and his out of control band of Angry Democrats, don’t want the truth, they only want lies. The truth is very bad for their mission!”

These tweets do not sit well not only among Democrats, but even

The DU30 death squads ses less for the administration.

But it’s too early to tell. DU30’s problems with the media arise not so much from the fact that he has more critics than paid or principled defenders, as the fact that he does not have a good narrative to tell.

He tends to shoot from the hip instead of dealing with issues on the basis of facts and reason.

He has made himself his own irrepressible spokesman, and allowed someone like Salvador Panelo to share the honor. And he has allowed the Philippine National Police (PNP) to get involved in the handling of media affairs. That has not helped either.

The case vs ABS-CBN I refer to Interior Secretary Eduardo Año’s and PNP Chief Oscar Albayalde’s recent tangle with ABS-CBN and the producers of the widely popular “Ang Probinsyano” teleseries on what it should and should not contain.

For a while the PNP suspended its logistical support for the series, while Año, who has administrative supervision of the PNP, threatened to sue its producers and ABS-CBN, if they did not change its plot and storyline which, according to him, cast the police in a bad light, and was destructive of their morale.

“Ang Probinsyano” is based on a 1997 blockbuster by the late “movie king” Fernando Poe Jr., who nearly became president in 2004; it has been airing on ABS-CBN since 2015. It portrays the adventures of an honest and hardworking policeman, Senior Police Officer 2 Cardo Dalisay, played by actor Coco

Martin, against the venal forces within and outside the fictional national police organization.

Dalisay has to contend with a corrupt chief of police and corrupt politicians. Anyone who has followed the series should have known that the good guy in the story is a policeman, even though the bad guys are also policemen and corrupt politicians. And it is the good guy who wins.

An imagined coup Some have suggested that Año’s and the PNP chief’s adverse reaction might have been provoked by an episode in which the fictional PNP chief conspires with the fictional vice president to overthrow the fictional president. It is a political scenario that could actually happen here, thus, the sharp reaction. But it is pure fiction.

In the U.S., many films have taken the liberty of portraying fictional attempts to take down the president in order to install somebody else, including a foreign power. For instance, in the movie “Olympus Has Fallen,” the White House is taken over by armed North Korean terrorists, the president is taken hostage, and only a U.S. secret service officer is left to save the president. None of these films have provoked the slightest protest from the government, the Pentagon, the CIA, the FBI, or the police who are not always portrayed in the best light.

In one recent film (“Hunter Killer”), hypothetical U.S. Navy seals rescue the fictional Russian president after he has been captured by the Russian

among Republican legal experts as well, by nature of their content and intent. They posit that the president’s tweets could represent an illegal attempt to influence a witness in the special counsel’s investigation.

One of these legal experts is the president’s now vocal critic in the Republican Party who is the husband of Trump’s adviser Kellyanne Conway.

On Twitter, Conway replied to Trump’s tweet, suggesting that the president violated portions of the U.S. code governing witness tampering and obstruction of justice, stating: “File under “18 U.S.C. §§ 1503, 1512”, a statute referring to threatening and intimidating witnesses: “Whoever corruptly, or by threats or force, or by any threatening letter or communication, endeavors to influence, intimidate, or impede

any grand or petit juror…” (law. cornell.edu) In fact just last November, Conway organized a group of conservative and libertarian lawyers to form “Checks and Balances”, a group that grew from their need to publicly reaffirm the importance of the rule of law, which they feel is being threatened by the Trump administration.

As the Washington Post reported, the group “rallies behind the notion that it is important for lawyers who see President Trump’s actions as unconstitutional to speak up.”

Checks and Balances wrote in their mission statement: “We believe in the rule of law, the power of truth, the independence of the criminal justice system, the imperative of individual rights and the necessity of civil discourse.

We believe these principles apply

regardless of the party or persons in power. We believe in ‘a government of laws, not of men.”

It is about time. Donald Trump — the celebrity, reality show star, businessman, president and commander-in-chief of the United States — is NOT above the law.

As the spineless Republicans in Congress continue to condone and enable the President’s attacks against the rule of law, as well as the democratic institutions and processes of the United States — we, the people, should open our eyes and ears, speak out and hold him and his cohorts accountable. ***

defense minister in a military coup intended to set the stage for launching a nuclear war. No one in Russia has denounced the American filmmaker’s attempt to plant treasonous ideas in the minds of Russian military officials. And not even Hillary Clinton has denounced the ungodly idea of the U.S. Navy risking the lives of its men to rescue a captured Russian president, whose hackers in real life reportedly interfered in the last U.S. presidential elections.

Año’s threat to sue ABS-CBN and the producers of “Ang Probinsyano” and the PNP’s withdrawal of logistical support from the series drew sharp reactions from the public, including the Concerned Artists of the Philippines (CAP), which denounced the attempt to intervene and dictate the narrative in favor of the PNP as “tantamount to censorship and suppression of creative freedom.” It sends “a chilling message to all TV producers, writers and directors,” the group said.

Año’s U-turn It is to Año’s and Albayalde’s credit that they finally took a u-turn, and reaffirmed support for the teleseries, which has become a regular Monday to Friday evening fare for countless Filipino televiewers.

So long as the portrayal is purely fictitious, no matter how negative it may look, no drama series should be able to destroy the PNP’s morale, reputation and prestige. The actual conduct of its officers and men, if it shines, would belie any negative film characterization of it.

But the officers and men should make sure that no slander or false rumor against them goes

unanswered, and that nothing dark in their past follows them in their present assignments.

Año and Albayalde should take the lead in this.

For example, in Albayalde’s last posting as provincial police director of Pampanga, his men were reported to have seized a big shipment of drugs, estimated at not less than 300 kilograms. However, the postoperation report, according to anti-drug intel sources, acknowledged only 36.681 kg.

The discrepancy was reportedly recycled by the team that had seized it. This was reportedly investigated by then-CIDG director Benjie Magalong, who recommended dismissal from the service of all those involved.

But the “dismissal” was reportedly downgraded to mere “suspension,” allegedly upon the intervention of the provincial police director.

I have heard positive things about Albayalde, and I find this hard to believe; but I am in no position to say it is “fake news.”

It is best that he clarifies this matter before it ends up as a fictional episode in the tele-series.

Decriminalizing the death squads Most of DU30’s problems are self-inflicted. To his many such injuries, his latest addition takes the cake: the “Duterte death squads” against the New People’s Army (NPA), with whom the Armed Forces of the Philippines is still engaged in an armed conflict. What does this mean? The creation of a “death squad,” whatever its target, can only be the act of a crime boss, never that of a constitutionally elected president of a democratic and republican State.

What will DU30’s death squad do? Assassinate suspected NPA members, without recourse to the just rules of war, as governed by international conventions and treaties? It doesn’t make any sense.

DU30 has gone to great lengths to deny accusations that as Davao City mayor, he had organized the “Davao death squad” to eliminate his enemies and that the DDS had killed thousands. Lawyer Jude Sabio, supplemented by party-list Rep. Gary Alejano, has filed a “communication” before the International Criminal Court at The Hague accusing him of “crimes against humanity” for the alleged murders committed by this DDS. DU30 has responded by announcing his withdrawal from the Statute of Rome, which created the ICC, although there is no sign the ICC will give him a free pass.

He has called God “stupid” for the bishops and priests who have denounced the extrajudicial drug killings, savaged every dignitary who ever showed an interest in the same. And now this. Has he come to believe that by announcing, matter-offactly, that he has created the “Duterte death squads” for the NPA, he has thereby legalized what was illegal, monstrous and murderous, and freed himself from any responsibility for all the DDS murders and those that had been committed and will yet be committed by his anti-drug police and so-called vigilantes?

Where is the law in all this? Isn’t it time for the ordinary law enforcement officer to take a stand and say, “we cannot obey an illegal order, Mr. President.”

(ManilaTimes.net)

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

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Journal

Maine Mendoza’s Christmas wish What’s next for Kelsey Merritt after making history as the isn’t for herself—and here’s why first Filipina model in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show by allan

PolicarPio Inquirer.net

TELEVISION host-actress Maine Mendoza took the stage looking bubbly and comfortable as she delighted her throng of supporters at the Times Square Food Park in Araneta Center Cubao with a song number.

She performed “Last Christmas”—Ariana Grande’s electronic beat-laden version— “for the millennials out there,” she said.

But what does Maine think about the idea of releasing her own original Christmas song?

“Probably not this holiday season because it’s already too late—it would be difficult [to find time] to record at all,” Maine, who signed with Universal Records earlier this year, told the Inquirer in a brief chat after the event.

“But let’s see, maybe next year,” the 22-year-old star added.

Christmas for Maine is usually spent at home with her mother’s side of the family. “We organize a get-together—we eat a lot and catch up with each other,” she said. “It’s a simple but very happy celebration.”

But since entering showbiz in 2015, Maine has also experienced spending the holiday season at the cinemas as part of the Metro Manila Film Festival. She was part of the comedy flick “My Bebe Love #KiligPaMore” in 2015, and is now one of the lead stars of this year’s entry “Jack Em Popoy: The Puliscredibles.”

“I will be busy working, promoting the movie this Christmas,” related Maine, who’s teaming up with Vic Sotto and Coco Martin for the said film.

Christmas on Display, which features heartwarming familyoriented stories that are told by way of moving mannequins, is back this year in Araneta Center, where it debuted in 1966 as Manila COD. The shows are set to run until Jan. 6.

What’s her wish this coming Christmas? Maine said she can’t

By MoMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

Maine Mendoza Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm

ask for anything more. “If I do make a wish, it wouldn’t be for myself,” she stressed. “I just hope that everyone going through hardships in life—whatever they may be—get through them.”

PAGE B2

KELSEY Merritt made history on November 8 when she became the first Filipina woman to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show, an annual spectacular event that highlights some of the best and well-known fashion models in the industry including stalwarts such as Adriana Lima, Gigi Hadid, and Kendall Jenner among others.

And finally this past weekend on Sunday, December 2, the rest of the world saw the fashion show (from pink-carpet interviews, model profiles and a behind-thescenes look at the making of the event included) shot and produced live at Pier 94 in New York City, as it was screened online and on ABC network.

Kelsey was the fourth model to walk during the PINK segment of the show as singer Bebe Rexha performed “I’m A Mess.”

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The historic casting is not lost on the 22–year–old model who grew up in Pampanga watching the fashion show as an impressionable teen.

“Siyempre lumaki ako sa Pilipinas, lahat ng mga Pinoy superfan ng Victoria’s Secret tapos wala pang Pinay na naging Victoria’s Secret so nung lumipat ako sa New York, gusto ko maging unang Pinoy na makapasok, naging goal ko talaga na maging part nito kasi wala pang nakagawa nun (I grew up in the Philippines and every Filipino is a super fan of Victoria’s Secret and no Filipina has walked the fashion show

so when I moved to New York, I wanted to be the first one to get in, it became my goal to be a part of it because no one has done it yet), ” she remarked in a recent interview with the Asian Journal.

Back in July 2017, Kelsey tweeted, “Mark this tweet.

Makakapag VS din ako balang araw (I’ll be a VS model too someday) #lawofattraction ” One can call it destiny, claiming it, or in her own words, law of attraction. She achieved her dream a little more than a year later.

PAGE B2 Kelsey Merritt

Photo by Troi Santos

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What’s next for Kelsey Merritt after making history...

PAGE B1 On September 7, she posted on her Instagram account the big news that she has been working on since she moved to New York.

“WE DID IT PHILIPPINES,” she wrote, followed by exactly six exclamation points and three Philippine flags. “What an honor it is to be the first Filipino to walk in the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show 2018!!! Ahhhhhh I can’t believe this!!”

“When I booked it, I was so happy and more than that, everyone else was happy. Parang there was nothing more accurate than me saying that my success felt like the success of the whole country,” she added.

Behind the hard work First, it was not a walk in the park.

To say that she had to go through the wringer would be an understatement.

“I am not exaggerating when I say that this is literally the hardest job you can get in the world. It was so hard that there has never been a Filipino in it. I can’t explain how much hard work I put in on this,” she said.

Since she was already represented by an agency, she was told a couple of months before the casting process began that she was “pre-approved”, meaning she did not have to go through the casting cattle calls with hundreds of other models.

They choose a select number of girls to do the first casting and when they told her that she was going through, she told herself ‘This is it. This is my chance.’

Her agent then told her three

things: she had to prepare herself, she had to work out and she had to, well, look her best.

So she did. She worked out regularly and changed her diet, removing pizza and burger out of the equation.

The thing with the fashion show is that there was actually no guarantee as to who gets to go through, even for girls who are already working for the brand.

But she was hopeful.

Kelsey went on the second day of casting and that’s when the models learn if they get a callback for the next round of screenings.

She hurdled that step. Next was the runway walk.

“The callback happened a week after the first casting. It was the real deal, the big girls fighting for spots. I go in this room and I see all these girls that I follow and admire,” Kelsey recalled. “We all want the same job. It was freaking me out, I never imagined I’d be in that situation.”

Faced with her competition, Kelsey realized she was already telling herself that if ever she didn’t get in, it was already a great experience to be in that room with all of the girls.

She found out the good news a few days later when she went to her agency for another casting job.

“I saw the flowers and they told me I got the show. It was the most nerve-wracking thing.

The anticipation was killing me,” she shared.

Journey to modeling Kelsey was born in Pampanga.

She grew up there and that’s where she went for her high school studies. She didn’t know about modeling and how there was an industry behind it.

“I was so detached from Manila that I was living in my own world in Pampanga,” she admitted.

A friend of hers did modeling and she would go to Manila for modeling jobs.

“I found it interesting so I started going with them and my career started there,” she recalled.

Kelsey began doing fashion shows, photo shoots, editorials and ad campaigns. Then she moved to Manila when she enrolled for college at the Ateneo, where she took up communication. She graduated in 2017.

The Fashion Show For two months, Kelsey preModel Kelsey Merritt announced on Instagram pared and worked hard to prepare that she will be the first Filipina to walk in for her Victoria’s Secret runway the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show.

debut.

On the night of the show, she was worried that her nerves might take over, although she knew that with the preparation she had to do for the show, she felt ready. Then she relaxed.

“All I could feel was that I was excited to be there. I was expecting to be nervous but I wasn’t,” she shared. “The energy backstage was so good and everyone was lifting each other up. It was a good atmosphere and I was so excited and thankful to be there.”

The moment she was on the runway, she relished it although she couldn’t really see the crowd and all she could see was the lights and the cameras.

She also shared a story that happened during rehearsal.

Kelsey looks up to Adriana Lima and back when she was still based in the Philippines watching the VS fashion show, she would copy the poses Adriana would do.

On the sidelines, she watched Adriana, the quintessential Victoria’s Secret girl, as she did her thing.

“She is beautiful and so amazing on the runway. It was an emotional time because it was her last show and VS gave her a tribute. Every model at the rehearsal was crying,” Kelsey said. “To be able to walk with her on her last show…I felt honored. This was someone I looked up to growing up and I couldn’t believe I was a part of it. It meant a lot to me.”

Inspire young girls “Never did I imagine that I’d be on that runway,” Kelsey said, after achieving her dream of working with Victoria’s Secret and walking the runway for the VS fashion show. “Coming from my experience, this is something that I never thought would be possible.”

“If I could go back and tell myself, I would tell her ‘Dream hard, dream big!’ Don’t limit yourself to what you think you can only do,” she added.

Kelsey had brunch recently with her parents who are both still based in Pampanga and they told her that they’re so proud of her.

“My mom is my number one stalker. For her to see me grow from a small town girl to now a Victoria’s Secret model. She’s my number one fan,” she said.

Pinay New Yorker Kelsey’s life has changed throughout this whole process.

A day in the life of this VS

Kelsey shared on her Instagram account a few photos taken during the fashion show, reminding her followers to watch the show when it airs on ABC. Kelsey also posted her photo with boyfriend Conor Dwyer, a two-time Olympic gold medallist in swimming.

Photos from Instagram/@KelseyMerritt

model: “When I wake up, I have my coffee, then go to the gym. If I have casting, then I do that. I usually do my workouts before work so I don’t have to think about it anymore.”

She lives a healthy lifestyle and works out every day to accommodate the occasional cheat meals, which is usually just desserts and sweets. “That’s the hardest thing I had to give up in preparation for the show. I could give up pasta, burgers no problem. I have to have it every day,” she said.

When she’s not working out, she’s at home, which is her place to go unwind.

“I am a homebody, I love staying at home reading books. New York is great but it also crazy,” she explained.

For her comfort food? “Pinoy food talaga, Pinoy siyempre (Pinoy food really, Pinoy always),” she said laughing. “I love bistek, super. Adobo, sinigang, lahat (all of it).”

In her apartment, she only cooks Filipino dishes.

“Pag pumupunta ako sa Filipino restaurant dito, parang hindi siya parehas, parang gusto ko ako yung nagluluto. Alam ko yung gusto ko, yung lasa at timpla (When I go to a Filipino restaurant here it’s not the same, I like it when I cook. I know what I want, the taste and the exact blend),” she quipped.

Next goal So, what’s up next for her?

Her initial next goal after VS was to work with Vogue, which

also happened as well with a recent feature on Teen Vogue. So she recalibrated to focus on her next goal now.

“Maybe do a designer show, like walk for Dior or Dolce & Gabbana. Something big, something I never thought I’d ever do” she said, putting it out there like she did when she tweeted in July 2017 her Victoria’s Secret aspirations.

For now, it’s sky is the limit for this young model, keeping a positive outlook despite comments

from netizens and bashers that her Victoria’s Secret casting was not revolutionary because she looks more white than Filipina.

Kelsey chooses to engage with fans and supporters instead, particularly those who have been with her since day one.

“You guys have always been there for me. I hope I can meet all of you when I go home to the Philippines. Sobrang thank you sa lahat ng support ninyo (Thank you to all of your support),” she said.

Edward: Maymay shines brighter than any star in the sky

by Jan

Milo Severo Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA young star Edward Barber wrote an appreciation post for his onscreen partner Maymay Entrata after her successful Dubai fashion show stint.

On his Instagram account, Edward wrote it was a pleasure sharing the journey with Maymay.

“You’re a star. An absolute star.

I know this is long overdue but you shouldn’t forget this: Nagdala ka ng karangalan sa ating bansa at ipinakita mo sa mga tao kung paano yakapin ang totoong pagkatao nila,” he wrote.

“You’re an inspiration to many, not just me. It’s an absolute pleasure to share this journey with you.

You went into PBB as a girl with a dream, just a girl looking at the stars. Eventually you became one of them,” he added.

The Kapamilya teen actor was proud of his partner’s accomplishment, especially with Maymay’s stint at Arab Fashion Week in Dubai.

He also said that after the fashion show, Maymay’s star shines

Edward Barber and Maymay Entrata, also known as the love team MayWard.

Photo from Instagram/@edward_barber

brighter.

“And after Dubai... you’re shining brighter than any star in the sky.

I’m happy I get to be the moon who gets to watch you from afar. Forever

your number 0 fan,” Edward said.

The young actress is the first Filipina to walk in what is considered as the most prestigious fashion show event in the Middle East.

Are they next? Sarah Geronimo, Matteo Guidicelli attend Christian Bautista’s Manila wedding reception FANS are gushing over the sweet pictures of celebrity couple Sarah Geronimo and Matteo Guidicelli at the Manila reception of Christian Bautista and Kat Ramnani’s wedding on Sunday, December 3, at The Manila Hotel.

It can be recalled that last November 15, Pangmasa’s Aster Amoyo asked in the title of her column, “Rated A,” if Sarah and Matteo would be next to tie the knot. Meanwhile, here are the couple’s sweet moments at Christian and Kat’s wedding reception.

After getting married in an intimate ceremony in Bali, Indonesia last month, Christian and Kat held a second wedding reception in Manila. Their marriage in Indonesia was only attended by families and close friends, but they made sure that their friends will witness the celebration of their love at their Manila wedding reception.

Wearing a matching outfit designed by Francis Libiran, the newly weds acknowledged their guests in the Champagne Room of the hotel.

Celebrities such as Lea Salonga, Ogie Alcasid, Matteo Guidicelli, Sarah Geronimo, Tom Rodriguez, Carla Abellana, Kuh Ledesma, Jed Madela, Nyoy Volante, Tippy Dos Santos, and Morisette Amon, to name a few, were present to witness the couple’s milestone.

“You walked the streets of San Francisco, i rode the rides in Jakarta but we keep comin back to Manila. Anywhere and everywhere, you are my world,” Christian post on his Instagram account.

In a past interview with Philstar.com, Christian said he is willing to marry his wife over and over again.

“Meron. Marami!” Christian said when asked if Matteo Guidicelli and Sarah Geronimo at the Manila wedding wants to get married in the Philippines. (Philstar. reception of Christian Bautista and Kat Ramnani.

Photo from Instagram/@niceprintphoto com)

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Are Jodi Sta. Maria and Jolo Revilla back together? A suklay sent Katrina off to stardom

by Cody

Cepeda Inquirer.net

IT was back in June when speculations surrounding Jodi Sta. Maria and Jolo Revilla’s breakup surfaced, thanks in part to the latter’s birthday message that seemingly carried a somber tone and a cryptic hugot (sentimental) post on Twitter. Revilla, then, was absent in Sta Maria’s birthday celebrations and made his message known through Instagram.

His love for Sta. Maria, however, seemed to never have waned, as he admitted back in July that he still loves her. Today, however, many of the couple’s fans may delight and find hope in the thought that the two may be back together — as per columnist and talent manager Lolit Solis.

Solis took to her Instagram on Dec. 2 where she shared the news that Sta. Maria and Revilla may be back together.

“Type ko iyon balita na nagbalikan sila Jolo Revilla at Jodi Sta Maria… Alam mo ba na hoping ako they will end up together?

(I like the news of Jolo Revilla and Jodi Sta. Maria getting back together… Did you know that I am hoping they will end up together?)” Solis wrote on her post that showed a picture of the couple during happier times.

“Maganda ang influence nila sa isa’t isa, they looked good together at they have been together for the longest time na comfortable na sila sa isa’t isa. (Their influence on each other is good, they looked good together and they have been together for the longest time that they are comfortable with each other.)”

Solis further explained why the two seemed to be a good match for each other, saying “Maganda ang samahan ng mga anak nila at pareho nilang mahal ang kanilang mga anak. (Their children share a beautiful bond with each other and they both love their children).”

Solis’ claims could not get any truer, as Sta. Maria has treated

by BaBy

a. Gil

Philstar.com

Jodi Sta. Maria and Jolo Revilla

Photo from Instagram/@jolo_revilla

Revilla’s son Gab as if he were her own. Back in February, she shared a picture of her enjoying a painting session with son Thirdy and Gab, and called the two “my boys.”

“They dream together, pursue their dreams holding each other’s hands,” Solis said. “You cannot do anything if it is not meant, but you cannot do anything also if it was fate.”

The veteran talent manager and columnist added that if the two are meant to be, then it would happen. “Kung hindi wala tayo magagawa. But let it flow naturally, huwag hadlangan, huwag kontrahin, huwag din itulak.

Hayaan lang silang dalawa. Either

fate will work, or it won’t. (If they are not [meant to be], we cannot do anything. But let it flow naturally, do not prevent it nor fight it, but do not push it also. Let the two be. Either fate will work, or it won’t).”

Revilla, on his end, has since shared back in October that perhaps, he and Sta. Maria just both need time. He also said that when it comes to finding love once more, he must love himself first before anybody.

“Dahil syempre paano ka magmamahal ng iba kung hindi mo mahal ang sarili mo?” (Because of course, how will you love someone else if you don’t even love yourself?)

THERE is just no telling what may happen after you upload a certain video on the web. Perhaps a like or two from your friends. On the other hand though, even the most trivial of these can result in enormous life-changing repercussions. Take the case of what happened to young power singer Katrina Velarde.

Katrina or Kat had developed the habit of taking video selfies of herself while performing just to make sure she is doing things right. One day, about two years ago, she decided to do one while getting ready to go out. Since she was then combing her hair, she struck a pose with her purple suklay or comb as her pretend microphone and sang her heart out before her phone. Then she uploaded the video into the Net and forgot all about it.

But there were people who saw it and liked what they saw and heard. So, they shared the video among their friends, who in turn, also shared it with theirs and with others. It came to a point that after all of the sharing everywhere, Kat’s video had amassed millions in views and she had become known as the Suklay Diva. She had become the hottest singer in town, because of that comb. Though she is still wondering how it all came to be, Kat is happy, even ecstatic that after years of trying, her dreams are finally coming true.

Kat told her story before her regular set at the packed Music Hall on Metrowalk in Ortigas last Wednesday. Her fans never miss her gigs and that night was special because it would be her last at Music Hall for a long time.

“I am the fourth of six children,” relates Kat. “I grew up poor in Solis, Tondo. My father is a carpenter and my mother made Sampaguita leis. I used to help her out earning P2 per piece. But I learned how to make more money singing later.”

It was Kat’s mother who noticed that her daughter could sing.

“My mother told me that when I was around three years old, I

Katrina Velarde has a hit song out, the Philpop finalist “Tama Na”, and is working on her first album.

Philstar.com photo

would sit close to the speaker of the radio and sing along. Later on, I moved to singing videoke at our neighbor’s house. That was when she told my father I could sing. I was five years old when I joined my first contest.”

Being a “kontesera” (contest regular) like Nora Aunor and Regine Velasquez gave Kat her first taste of success. “I joined everything, sa mga fiesta sa mga barangay, sa mga probinsya.

There was even a time when we rented a place in Batangas during the fiesta season and I went to contests from town to town. I always won so I earned well. The people were very generous.”

Winning amateur contests stopped when Kat, then 16 years old joined “X-Factor Philippines”. She did not win that one but it gave her the break she needed to appear on television and get gigs as a professional.

She also met pop star Gary Valenciano who mentored Kat’s group. Though his mentor duties ended with the show, Gary V continued to give valuable advice and guidance to Kat. She also signed up with Genesis, who

is in charge of Gary’s management and then later with Viva Communications.

It was around this time that the petite Katrina’s Suklay Diva video materialized on the web and turned her into one hot ticket.

Now she gets standing-room only gigs like that one at Music Hall where audiences are in awe over the way she is able to take on any song and then make it her own.

Beyoncé, Regine Velasquez, Jessie J, etc. Kat does them all but Suklay Diva style.

She has a hit song out, the Philpop finalist “Tama Na”, and is working on her first album. Then there is her first solo concert on Feb. 1, 2019 at the New Frontier Theater in Araneta Center, Quezon City.

“Gusto ko sana sa maliit na lugar lang,” she says. “But then I feel so grateful na maraming naniniwala sa akin and they think that I can pull off a big concert. I have to work very hard.”

The show is titled “SiKat Ako”.

She is now sikat indeed. Well, it is all because of that comb. But thank heavens she has the flawless pipes to merit the diva tag.

Christmas,” while some of his fans blew bubbles in the air.

But it wasn’t just the song that won the audience over. The 6year-old child star showed professionalism when his minus one track stopped midway through the num-

ber. Baste was seemingly unfazed by the technical mishap and simply continued to sing—a cappella.

“Thank you for joining and singing along with me, because my music disappeared!” he told the crowd.

Cherie Gil bares her rules of showbiz Maine Mendoza’s Christmas wish isn’t for... etiquette: ‘Don’t call me tita’

book recently to share the wise words of Gil, who gave her own Inquirer.net rules when it comes to the acIN the entertainment industry, cepted behavior of actors toward not everything is taught in acting her and the people they work with workshops. For veteran actress in the industry.

“Written by my friend, the inCherie Gil, however, certain actors’ etiquette should just well comparable Cherie Gil,” Salonga wrote on Dec. 3, sharing Gil’s be.

It was Tony Award-winning actors’ etiquette.

What could be the first on Gil’s singer-actress Lea Salonga who took to actors’ etiquette, one may ask.

Face- Firstly, she urged that she not be kissed out of courtesy or be called a “tita.”

“NEVER ever kiss me in greeting, out of so called politeness and courtesy, if I don’t know who the hell you are!” Gil wrote.

“Introduce yourself first! And pllleeeaaasssee don’t call me TITA unless we are blood related (or super super close fam friends).”

Gil also believes that what the director instructs an actor should not be repeated to

by Cody

Cepeda

Cherie Gil

GMA photo

a co-actor.

“Never TEACH your co actor or tell her/him how he should do the scene or his part UNLESS you need something from the actor which would help you in your own process. BUT ask kindly and humbly.”

The use of cellphones and “retouching” is a no-no for Gil, too, especially when during blocking or a reading of a scene. “I promise I’ll either slap you or walk out on you,” she said menacingly in Lavinia fashion. Lavinia is the mean character she played in the 1985 film “Bituing Walang Ningning.”

Being a veteran actress herself, Gil reminded fellow artists that they should never make any actor wait for them when called to the set. “ESPECIALLY senior actors,” she emphasized.

Art, she believes, is a collaboration. “There is always room to learn from and grow with one another. So… please throw your effing ugly EGO out the window.”

Gil also added that there are different types of ego and one must learn to know the differences of each.

“KEEP the good kind which is necessary for creativity and your own preservation of self worth!”

Ditto.

Catriona Gray hints ‘national costume’ related to Christmas

by Rosette

adel

Philstar.com

PHILIPPINE bet to Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray gave hints on her national costume attire for the prestigious pageant.

In a Facebook live, the Bicolana beauty who is now in Bangkok, Thailand for the pageant said her costume is related to the Christmas season.

“It’s never been done before by a Filipino candidate. And usually, the only hint that I give is that it’s buong Pilipinas or whole of Philippines but another hint that I’ll give just for this Facebook live is that a part of it represents Christmas,” Gray said in a Facebook live.

Gray added that her costume is heavy.

The Miss Universe 2018 national costume competition will be held on December 10 in Pattaya, Thailand.

Gray shared that Pattaya is a three-hour drive from Bangkok.

“I’m really really excited because I’ve never been to Pattaya and it would be really great to explore another corner of Thailand,” Gray said.

Gray is set to compete at the 2018 Miss Universe on December 17. It will be held at the Impact This image shows Miss Universe-Philippines Catriona Gray’s official photo for the pageant.

Arena in Bangkok.

Photo from Facebook/Miss Universe

PAGE B1 Adorable performance Aside from Maine, the event was also attended by “Eat Bulaga!” cohost Baeby Baste, who delivered an adorable performance of “Have Yourself a Merry Little

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Katarina Rodriguez loses to Venezuela at Miss World’s Head-to-Head challenge

by Deni

Rose BeRnaRDo Philstar.com

Kylie Padilla and Aljur Abrenia

Photo from Instagram/@kylienicolepadilla

Robin Padilla gushes over Kylie, Aljur’s pre-nup shoot

by Jan

Milo seveRo

Philstar.com

KAPAMILYA actor Robin Padilla cannot hide his excitement on the upcoming wedding of his daughter Kylie Padilla to Aljur Abrenica.

On his Instagram account, the “Bad Boy of Philippine Cinema” reposted a photo of his daughter wherein she thanked the team behind her and Aljur’s pre-nuptial photos.

“Alhamdulillah Praise God napakaganda ng aking umaga dahil sa post na ito @kylienicolepadilla. Nasa iyo anak ko ang malalim kong paggalang at paghanga,” Robin wrote.

“Saludo ako sa pag ibig at pagsuko mo sa magiging asawa mo. Masyado na akong nasasabik sa araw na aking pinakahihintay.

Maraming salamat sa iyo o aming Nag iisang Dios na lumikha AMEEN!” he added.

In an interview with Philstar. com with the veteran actor last

June, Robin said he is happy for Kylie and Aljur.

“Pero siyempre ako’y masaya dahil ‘yun lang naman ang kaligayahan ng lahat ng ama na makitang pinakasalan ang kanyang anak at lumalakad sa altar. Kung saan man ‘yan, tubig man yan, basta lumakad siya,” he said.

Kylie has been posting photos of her with Aljur on Instagram.

Netizens were quick to comment that those photos are their prenuptial shots.

Although Kylie confirmed that they are now shooting their prenuptial photos, it was unclear if the photos posted recently on her Instagram account were included in the pre-nup shots.

In an interview with the media, including Philstar.com, during the recently held ABS-CBN Ball, Aljur said he is grateful that they have Kylie’s mom, Liezl, in their home to guide them and take care of Alas when they are not around.

“Napagusapan namin ni Kylie na kung pu-pwede magbigay siya ng panahon sa amin kasi taon na hindi niya nakasama si Kylie at ang apo niya. Parang one-yearold na noong nakasama niya,” he said.

“Ngayon nandoon siya sa bahay and I’m grateful na ginagabayan kami, pinagluluto kami.

Nabigyan pa kami ng oras ni Kylie katulad ngayon kasi may mapagkakatiwalaan kaming pagiiwanan kay Alas,” he added.

The celebrity couple walked on the red carpet together in the recent celebrity ball even though the actress is from the rival network.

Nonetheless, Aljur said that GMA-7 approved Kylie’s appearance in the ball.

“Yes, nagpaalam. Last minute lang siya pinayagan,” he said.

“Biglaan kasi. Kasi hindi naman talaga siya pupunta, so last minute siya naghanap ng gown pero keri pa rin.”

No off-season for Miss Earth 2017 Karen Ibasco

by Mylene

MenDoza-DayRit Philstar.com

eating and diligent training habits haven’t faltered.

IT seems like yesterday when Here’s how she stays fit.

Karen Ibasco was crowned Miss The Star: What keeps you moEarth 2017. A university instructor tivated to stay fit? by profession, she outshone all the Karen Ibasco: My motivation early favorites to take a surprise comes from wanting to have a good win. She enjoyed an incredible life. And to achieve that, I have to reign, visiting different parts of the take good care of myself. Having a world and raising awareness on her fitness routine is very important, but advocacy — energy conservation. you have to be consistent.

She recently passed on the What workout routine has crown to her successor Miss Earth worked best for you?

2018 Nguyen Phuong Khánh of I work out with my coach, esVietnam. However, Karen’s clean pecially when I’m training and

preparing for pageants. I focus more on full-body workouts. We do functional workouts. For pageants, we focus on specific parts of the body to enhance shape, but not make it too muscular. I don’t follow a specific workout. I don’t have a specific diet, but I eat healthy and I eat clean. I don’t do paleo or keto.

I avoid fatty foods and too much sugar. When I want to lose weight, I lower my carbs intake, but I still eat kamote, saba and brown rice.

I just avoid white rice as much as PAGE B6

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

MISS World Philippines 2018 Katarina Rodriguez has failed to win against Miss Venezuela Veruska Ljubisavljevic at the second round of Miss World’s Head-toHead challenge, which could have been Katarina’s ticket to snagging a slot in the pageant’s top 30.

In a Facebook post, Katarina apologized to her fellow Filipinos for being unable to win in the challenge and to get a spot for the Philippines in the semifinals.

“Sa kababayan ko, sorry for not being able to win my head-to-head match-up with Venezuela but I believe she is a kind girl and she deserved the win earlier,” Katarina wrote.

“Sa kababayan ko, I remain positive. I have been giving it my all in the last two weeks so far. With one week left in this journey, I hope you remain by my side, so together we make big strides for the future.

Laban lang! I know because I’m doing this for the country and for the children of Marawi.”

After winning the second round of the Head-to-Head showdown, Miss Venezuela now advances to the top 30 or the semi-final round.

Rodriguez moved to the second round of the Head-to-Head challenge after winning in the Group

Philippines’ Katarina Rodriguez versus Venezuela’s Veruska Ljubisavljevic at the second round of Miss World’s Head-to-Head challenge.

Photo from Facebook/Miss World Philippines

4 of the first round.

In the Head-to-Head challenge, which is the first challenge in the pageant, each candidate showed an introduction video. The beauty queen from Davao showed her hometown as well as the beauty of the Philippines in her video. She also described how she loves her grandparents in the video and how they raised her.

In the second round of the Head-to-Head challenge, Katarina discussed her Beauty with a Purpose video about Project Become, her advocacy to help the war-torn city of Marawi build schools and provide instruction materials for the children.

Miss World 2013 Megan Young from the Philippines was among the judges shown in the video of the second round of the Head-toHead challenge.

Nonetheless, Katarina’s Project Become also failed to win or make it in the top 25 of the Beauty with a Purpose challenge. Miss Nepal Shrinkhala Khatiwada won in the challenge for her fundraising project that was able to construct a health post for a needy community near her birthplace.

Miss Nepal also won in the Multimedia challenge, which made her secure a spot in the finals on December 8 in Sanya, China. (Jan Milo Severo/Philstar.com)

What it’s like for Rayver to return to GMA after 18 years by oliveR

PuluMBaRit Inquirer.net

ACTOR Rayver Cruz always wanted to prove that there’s more to him than dancing. With his drama series “Asawa Ko, Karibal Ko,” he’s finally getting that chance—and he’s enjoying every minute of it.

“Well, there are developments—as time goes on; the show gets deeper, and becoming more serious,” he told the Inquirer in Filipino, prior to shooting scenes at a hospital in Quezon City. “Kaabang-abang. I enjoy it, because there’s a mix of emotions, especially whenever there are fight scenes between Kris (Bernal) and Thea (Tolentino).”

It gets even better when his Rayver Cruz character is caught in that emoPhoto from Instagram/@rayvercruz tional “conflagration,” the 29-

FOR RENT

SERVICES

year-old actor added.

“For me, when the three of us share a scene, it feels really good.

Napakahusay ng dalawa,” he said of his costars.

The afternoon soap, about a love triangle involving a transgender woman, Venus (Thea); her husband, Gavin (Rayver); and former wife, Rachel (Kris), has gotten positive reactions on Twitter, since its debut a month ago.

“I’m happy. There’s no criticism from [trans people], so far,” he said. “Gets nila (They get it).”

On Janine Gutierrez’s (his rumored girlfriend) post welcoming him back to GMA 7 and plugging the show on Instagram, Rayver expressed gratitude, saying that industry friends tend to promote each other’s projects.

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Your Immigration Solution ATTY. ERIC WELSH DONALD Trump has made a political career on demonizing immigrants, and his actions in office have been consistent with his bombastic hardline rhetoric: killing DACA, separating families at the border under a “zero tolerance” policy, and now, issuing a Proclamation that America will ignore its international obligation (not to mention moral duty) to offer safe refuge to persons fleeing persecution. This time, Trump may have gone too far.

On November 8, 2018, Trump’s new Acting Attorney General (Matthew G. Whitaker) and the Secretary of Homeland Security (Kirstjen M. Nielsen) promulgated a regulation that renders ineligible for asylum any person whose entry into the U.S. is prohibited by a Presidential proclamation concerning the southern border.

Not coincidentally, the President issued just such a proclamation the very next day (November 9, 2018), suspending the entry of persons without inspection along the southern border between the U.S. and Mexico. Together, the regulation and the Proclamation bar any person who enters the country without permission at the southern border from applying for asylum in the United States.

The Proclamation and the new regulation are prospective, meaning that they only apply to entries after November 9, 2018.

The legality of Trump’s Proclamation and the new regulation are in serious doubt. The Proclamation and the regulation appear to be in clear conflict with the U.S. federal asylum statute, which unambiguously states that any alien who is physically present in the U.S. or arrives at the U.S. “whether or not at a designated port of arrival” and “irrespective of such alien’s

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA JOSHUA was excited with his new job at the inn. It sure beats having to herd sheep this time of the year when the cold nights chilled his bones on the hillside pasture where he tended his family’s small herd of sheep and cattle. The job fell to his younger brother this time.

Jacob, the owner of the inn was his father’s friend who had asked if Joshua could help him mind the inn for a little while as he and his wife will be going on a long journey. Jacob liked and trusted Joshua like the son he never had. The young man was a good worker and a natural who quickly picked up the ropes of the business.

Not long after, Jacob and his wife left for their journey to the town north of the country where they were born many miles away to comply with the Roman emperor Augustus’ decree that everyone be counted for the census.

Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS DEPRESSION is a most significant risk factor in suicide. In today’s busy, impatient, materialistic, and fast-paced society, people are subjected to various stressors in life everyday. Encumbered by their personal circumstance, some are unable to adjust and cope, and develop depression. Suicide is a senseless option and a preventable alternative.

What is depression?

Depression is a state of emotion where the individual has some or all of the following senses, feelings, or moods: downhearted, unhappy, anxious, irritable, unable to concentrate, socially withdrawn, empty inside, has inordinate fatigue and reduced interest in activities which used to be fun, hopelessness, indecision, impaired sleep, misery, helplessness, confusion, monosyllabic speech or abnormally quiet.

What is the prevalence of depression?

In the United States, about 9 percent, or 28 million American adults “have feelings of hopelessness, despondency, and/or guilt that generate a diagnosis of depression,” according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Three percent or 9.6 million of adults have major depression, a chronic and severe form of depression. In the Philippines, the rate is about 5.3 percent.

Worldwide, the rate is between 2.6 percent to 29.5 percent, a pandemic, actually, according to an international study conducted by the World Health organization.

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Trump’s assault on asylum and the battle for the American spirit status” may apply for asylum.

Additionally, the regulation that makes the Proclamation effective was promulgated without the required 30-day notice-andcomment period (the President and the agencies asserted “good cause” for bypassing notice, as well as an exception for matters relating to “foreign affairs”).

The same day that Trump issued his Proclamation, the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) filed a complaint for declaratory and injunctive relief in U.S. District Court. First, the ACLU noted the obvious: the persons seeking U.S. protection at the southern border are coming from some of the most dangerous places on earth, most from the “Northern Triangle” (El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras), a region that is experiencing “epidemic levels of violence” that most human rights groups have compared to active war zones.

Most of those who leave are fleeing “life-or-death situations,” including “violence against women by criminal armed groups,” and many have legitimate claims to asylum under our existing laws.

Next, the ACLU noted that entry at a lawful port is difficult or impossible for most refugees.

Many lack formal education and are not aware that designated locations exist, and even when they do, those locations are hard to find and difficult to access. Many news sources have reported that asylum-seekers have been refused access to lawful ports by Customs and Border Protection (CBP), or were arbitrarily denied asylum or subjected to excessive delays in processing. When asylum-seekers try to enter the U.S. “the right way,” they face threats, intimidation, and deliberate misinformation. They are forced to wait in Mexico, sometimes for four to six weeks, before an agent will even consider their claim.

As the ACLU notes, these delays can be life-threatening, since the region of Mexico near the border is “a particularly violent area with limited law enforcement capacity,” and there have been numerous reports of asylum seekers turned away at the border who are raped, beaten, and kidnapped and held for ransom by Mexican cartel members.

Mexico is no safe refuge, and by ignoring its legal and moral responsibility to provide humanitarian relief, the U.S. has exposed these refugees to additional harm. Trump’s hardline approach to immigration has forced America to confront an identity crisis: are we a fearful nation of isolationists, disdainful of cultural and ethnic diversity and unwilling to help families fleeing violence and persecution? Or are we willing to live up the proud creed engraved at the base of the Statue of Liberty: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to be free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!”

The courts may be instructive, but ultimately, We the People must decide what kind of country we want to be. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

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

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A Christmas Story: The Innkeeper’s Untold Tale “As he told the story of that wondrous night to Luke, Joshua carefully removed himself from the narrative.

It was to be between him and God alone” Few, if any, in Israel dared disobey the mighty Roman Empire.

The inn was busy. People for miles around were on the move going back to their own hometowns. The brisk business brought by overnight travellers in their otherwise sleepy town tired him out. Yet, he felt pretty proud of himself of the work he was doing.

Today, just before sundown, he had filled the 12 modestly furnished rooms with tired and hungry travellers. He thought of meeting up with his shepherd friends in the pasture once he had turned over the inn’s affairs to the night attendant. He had heard his shepherd friends on night watch talk about an unusually bright

star that has been moving in the heavens for many nights now.

They said it was a spectacle to behold and he wanted to see it for himself.

The rumor buzzing around town was that the soothsayers in King Herod’s palace studying the unusual heavenly display were cowering in fear, loathe to tell the king the meaning of the unusual star. Eventually, they had to tell the king for nothing escapes him.

Herod did not suffer fools gladly.

The prophecy will come to pass. The king to rule all kings was to be born very soon within the kingdom. It was no wonder King Herod was in a vicious mood. Joshua thought the ruthPAGE B6

Depression and suicide In general, women are 70 percent more prone to develop depression, in part due to hormonal changes, especially during menstruation, after pregnancy, and menopause.

In the past 50 years, the rate has catapulted from 3.33 percent to 7.06 percent, from 1991 to 2002.

The rate for the various types of depression in the United States are: Postpartum – 10 to 15 percent; SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder) – 4 to 6 percent; Bipolar – 2.6 percent; Dysthymia (minor depression that lasts 2 years or longer) – 1.5 percent; Psychotic depression (most severe form) – 5 percent.

Are there screening tests for depression?

Yes, there are. Mental health specialists can administer preliminary tests, such as the BDI (Beck Depression Inventory), or the HRS (Hamilton Rating Scale), which is composed of 20 questions to screen the patient. Today, computerized phone interviews are gaining effectivity as a screening tool. These tests are only a small part of the evaluation process, because the specialists have the symptoms of the patient and other criteria to aid them make the correct diagnosis.

Don’t we all get depressed sometimes?

To some degree, some situations in life trigger depression, and normal people develop a mild form of depression, which is transient, selfterminating, and not a disease. As long as the resultant symptoms are trivial and temporary, and do not debilitate the person, the condition is not clinical illness and does not need any medical treatment What foods relieve depression?

Foods that are high in trypto-

phan, an amino acid involve in serotonin production, provide relief to some people with depression. Niacin (Vitamin B3), which is essential in the production of tryptophan, can be found in dried peas, beans, whole grains, dried fortified cereals, and especially in oily fishes like salmon and mackerel. It is reported that Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in fish oil may actually reduce depression.

PMS Escape, a high carbohydrate drink, was claimed to increase tryptophan level and would control the depression related to pre-menopausal syndrome has been found to have impurities by the FDA and subsequently withdrawn from the market. Calcium supplements and Vitamin B-12 have been reported to reduce pre-menstrual depression. Also, some studies showed that among depressed people who drink caffeinated beverages have a lower incidence of suicide, which seems to suggest that coffee or tea reduces depression.

How about exercises?

Believe it or not, physical exercises may be as effective as psychotherapy in the management of mild to moderate depression. Prolonged aerobic workouts lead to higher levels of serotonin, adrenalin, endorphins and dopamine in the brain (producing the popular term “runner’s high”). Physical exercises, brisk walking, ballroom dancing, yoga, tae-bo, etc. lead to better emotional health. As an extra bonus from physical exercises, weight loss and improved muscle tone lead to the sense of well-being and higher self-esteem. Those individuals with strong spiritual faiths have a relatively lower predisposition to depression. These people might PAGE B6

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JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles features Sou Fujimoto: Futures of the Future exhibition JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is pleased to announce the upcoming SOU FUJIMOTO: FUTURES OF THE FUTURE exhibition, taking place Oct. 27 - Dec. 12, 2018 at JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles, located at Hollywood & Highland. Named the Wall Street Journal’s Architecture Innovator of The Year in 2014, Fujimoto has designed public and private buildings around the world since establishing his atelier in 2000. This exhibition is a showcase of over 100 models and largescale photographs of past and current projects by the celebrated Japanese architect. Fujimoto addresses many opposite concepts, including the recurring theme the “primitive future.” This apparent contradiction refers to the primordial, intuitive moments that reconnect us with our own humanity, and open us up to new possibilities. His designs often feature juxtapositions of outside and inside, nature and urbanity, objects and spaces, public and private. And, his work considers the macro and micro: when does an object become a space? Exhibition dates from Oct. 27 to Dec. 12 are from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. daily, except Sunday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (Closed Thanksgiving Day 11/22). JAPAN HOUSE Los Angeles is located at 6801 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90028 (inside Hollywood & Highland). Admission is free. For more information, please call (800) 516-0565 or visit https://www.japanhouse.jp/losangeles/events/.

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

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Visayan Voices “Concert for a Cause” in LA The Filipino American Media & Entertainment (FAME), in cooperation with 24/7 Keep In Touch Homecare, Inc. is producing a Concert for A Cause known as Visayan Voices on Friday, Dec. 7 6 p.m. at the Filipino Cultural Center located at 1740 W. Temple St., Los Angeles. All the singers are Visayans with Jo Awayan as the main performer who will be singing some Visayan songs like “Usahay,” “Matud Nila,” “Gimingaw Ako” and some Original Pilipino Music (OPM) songs like “Bukas Kita Mamahalin,” written by Jimmy Borja. Other Visayan performers are: Ciamara Morales, Usher Turek, Lani Sapphire, Athena Durano, Judy D’ Novelty Entertainer, Bona Montemayor, Caren Mempin & Kara Felicity. Diane “Didi” Caneda will perform belly dancing and Justin Rivera will do a comedy magic. It will be hosted by Celine Cortez. There will be a disco ballroom dancing, music by April Velasco and the Hearts of Rhythm after the concert.

There is a $45 entrance fee which includes dinner, show and dance. A part of the proceeds will be donated to the landslide victims in Naga City, Cebu. For more information, you may contact Freddie at (818) 350-9609, Jhoy at (714) 683-3219, Lani at (323) 427-0262 or Lotlot at (760) 486-7911 or email, famecorp888@gmail.com.

D EC E M B E R 8

Free oil filter exchange in Hacienda Heights, CA ATTENTION ALL HACIENDA HEIGHTS RESIDENTS: Free Oil Filter & Motor Oil Recycling Event! Everyone is invited to bring in their used motor oil and used oil filters on Saturday, December 8 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. All those who recycle their used oil filter will receive one FREE new Oil Filter. Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean. So don’t miss out – we’re making it easier for you to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently. It will be held at O’Reilly Auto Parts at 15840 E Gale Ave., Hacienda Heights, CA 91745.

D EC E M B E R 9

Food for Action: A Filipino food movement gathering in Culver City, CA NextDayBetter + Los Angeles is back on Sunday, December 9 from 3 to 7:30 p.m. with a gathering where culinary tastemakers, foodies, storytellers and changemakers come together to push the Filipino diaspora forward. Together, we feast over Filipino inspired food, libations, stories, and world-changing ideas. The event will feature a fireside chat with Allie Cuerdo, the director and producer of “ULAM: Main Dish,” followed by a Filipino food movement panel with Alvin Cailan (The Usual NYC/Eggslut), Chase Valencia (LASA), Adrienne Borlongan (Wanderlust Creamery), Barb Batiste (Big Boi / B Sweet), and Johneric Concordia (The Park’s Finest). The conversation will be moderated by SOSUPERSAM. The event will take place at Playa Studios (11260 Playa Ct, Culver City, CA 90230). Early bird tickets are $35, regular price is $40. Ticket price comes with access to panel plus food and drinks from popular LA vendors. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit http://nextdaybetterla.splashthat.com/.

D EC E M B E R 1 5

Long Beach Parol Lantern Festival The inaugural Long Beach Parol Lantern Festival will be held on Saturday, December 15 from 5 to 10 p.m. along Pine Ave. and 4th Street in Long Beach, CA. Celebrate and learn about the Filipino holiday tradition in Downtown Long Beach. There will be parol making lessons, food, entertainment, and more!

Inspired by the SF Parol Lantern Fest, Chef Romeo Garcia of Rome Chocolates forged a team of people in the Long Beach community to assist in getting his vision for this event off the ground and onto Pine Ave. The Long Beach Bacolod Association is the non-profit partner for this inaugural event which is sponsored by Romeo Chocolates and First District Councilwoman Lena Gonzalez. For more information, please visit http://www.lbparollanternfest.com.

PAFCOM’s 3rd Annual ‘Pasko sa Hudson Mall’ in Jersey City PAFCOM is inviting the community to join ‘Pasko sa Hudson Mall’, on Saturday, December 15 from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be health screenings (blood pressure, blood glucose, BMI/weight screening and general health counsellors will be present. There will be Zumba from 11:00 a.m. to 12 noon and line dancing from 12 noon to 1:00 p.m. There will also be live music and caroling, face painting and tattooing for the entire family.

“Simbang Gabi” at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels in LA The Filipino Ministry leaders of San Gabriel Pastoral Region, this year’s sponsoring region and the Archdiocesan Filipino Ministry Council would like to invite our whole Filipino community to our traditional Archdiocesan “Simbang Gabi” at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels with our beloved Archbishop Jose Gomez as the main celebrant, the Regional Bishops and the Clergy of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Saturday, December 15. The procession of the parols begins at 6:30 p.m. with the liturgy at 7 p.m. It will take place at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels (555 West Temple St., LA, CA 90012). Filipiniana/Barong attire is encouraged but not mandatory.

D EC E M B E R 1 5 -23

Simbang Gabi at Saint Anne Roman Catholic Church in Las Vegas Come and join Simbang Gabi at 8:30 p.m. from December 15-23 (except on Sundays at 5 p.m.) at Saint Anne Roman Catholic Church located at 1901 S. Maryland Pkwy, Las Vegas, NV 89104. Complete nine days novena Mass with Christmas carols and a community feast!

For more information, please contact the parish at (702) 735-0510 or Cris Pelayo at (702) 2456235.

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

Features

B december 6-12, 2018 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL

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

Asian Community Development Council Health What it’s like for Rayver to return to...

Navigation Program offers free health insurance enrollment assistance during open enrollment LAS VEGAS — Combined, there are approximately 46,000 Asian Pacific Islander Americans (APIA) and Native Hawaiians (NHs) who do not have health insurance in Nevada. Lack of insurance prevents adequate health care access and leads to health disparities among the APIA and NH communities.

To address the issue, the Asian Community Development Council (ACDC) has launched its Health Navigator Program. In the state of Nevada, Open Enrollment starts from November 1 to December 15, 2018 for the 2019 Health Insurance Plans. ACDC has 2 licensed Health Navigators, Ryan Liu, and Rose Ann Apellido, both trained by the Nevada Health Link who can assist with health insurance eligibility screening, enrollment assistance and information on how to purchase health insurance coverage. The service is completely free and offered in Chinese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, Korean, Thai, and Spanish.

Email healthcare@acdcnv.org or call (702) 489-8866 now to schedule an appointment free of charge and to get more information on how to get health insur-

OPEN ENROLLMENT CHECKLIST • Valid Nevada’s driver’s license - Student ID for dependent children - Permanent Resident or Alien Registration Card • Social Security Card - Dates of birth for all tax household members • Proof of NV residence - i.e., phone or power bills • Household income estimate - Estimate for one year • Current health insurance - Employer information if job-based coverage ance coverage.

Email healthcare@acdcnv.org or call (702) 489-8866 now to schedule an appointment free of charge and to get more information on how to get health insurance coverage.

Meet ACDC Health Navigator, Rose Ann Apellido Rose Ann is a Licensed Health Navigator at Asian Community Development Council (ACDC).

As a Health Navigator, she helps

No off-season for Miss Earth...

PAGE B4 possible. I avoid fast food, sugar and fat.

What are some of your staple foods?

Steamed kamote, chicken breast and steamed fish. I also love egg whites. I don’t like red meat so much because I was food poisoned before so I was traumatized.

How do you manage your fat intake?

As much as possible, I avoid it.

What’s the secret to your incredible core and leg development? This seems to be your forte.

What I do for core is I do different workouts with my trainer, Bench Ortiz. For legs and glutes, we do deadlifts and squats. We also focus on glutes because not all people have it and because it took me so much time develop it.

It’s one of my gifts/assets. You can say I’m genetically blessed in that aspect.

How often do you train in a week?

I train four to five times a week when I’m competing. I’m always in the gym. Now, I just make time even though I’m busy. Sometimes it’s two to three times a week.

What’s the one food you can’t live without and how do you handle food cravings? Staple cheat meal?

I can’t live without sweets. I love sweets — cakes and ice cream. And these are the hardest food items to let go when I’m competing. It’s hard, but there’s no way for me to incorporate it into my diet.

How’s your diet now that you’re not competing?

When I cheat, I make sure to run or work out. I convert food into energy.

How do you balance your fitness regimen and your work?

I used to be a university instructor and Physics major as well. I guess what’s important is to make time or do it intentionally. You’re

PAGE B4 He disclosed, “She’s also busy.

‘Victor Magtanggol’ just ended.

It’s great that she’s supportive of me. I’m glad, too, because she has a lot of followers.”

Some of those fans fondly call the pair “JanVer.” Elaborating on his bond with the actress, Rayver said, “We’re OK. We’re closer, taking things slow. Still dating. When

we have free time, we hang out, usually during weekends.”

A former child actor in the GMA sitcom “Kiss Muna,” which counted Joey de Leon, Ara Mina and Elizabeth Oropesa among its cast members in the early 2000s, Rayver said that returning to the network after 18 years wasn’t difficult, thanks to generally nice coworkers.

Rayver amicably left ABS-CBN, grateful for his time with the company, and for being allowed to pursue other career options with GMA. “Nakakapanibago. After a few weeks, naka-adjust na,” he said of being part of the Kapuso family again. “I felt it. The talents may be with different networks, but it’s still the same industry.”

Depression and suicide

PAGE B5 benefit from meditation, yoga, and other techniques for obtaining spiritual security, inner peace and happiness. Severe depression needs medical treatment.

Does depression play a role in suicides?

Yes, very significantly. Depression is present in about 90 percent of the more than 40,000 suicides that take place in the United States annually, and for every two homicides, there are 3 suicides.

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States overall and the second leading cause of death in the age group 10 to 34. According to CDC, 1.3 million adults attempted suicide

consumers navigate health insurance coverage options free of charge, through the Marketplace, including completing eligibility and enrollment forms. Born and raised in the Philippines, Rose Ann graduated at Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila with a Bachelor’s Degree in Mass Communication. She can speak Tagalog and English. You can email her at roseann@acdcnv.org or call PAGE B5 (702) 489 8866. less king would remove all threats to his kingship by all means fair or foul. It was bad enough he had to bow to the superior might of the Roman conquerors who had allowed him to be king within his territory.

Just as Joshua was about to lock up for the night, a couple came in. The man, visibly tired and leaning on his staff with one hand, was supporting the woman who was heavy with child with his other hand. The woman looked to be in some pain. Still, Joshua noted the stately calm, grace and beauty about her. There was this mysterious glow. The man asked Karen Ibasco, university instructor turned Joshua for a room and told him beauty queen.

Philstar.com photo his wife was about to give birth. always going to have overtimes, Alas, the last room has been let but at least keep your weekends and Joshua told him so.

Joshua glanced at the woman free or work out whenever you have free time. At St. Luke’s, we and his heart was filled with pity. had a gym upstairs so I worked He thought quickly of his own out despite not getting enough home for them to stay for the sleep, and as much as possible I eat night but it was some distance right. Of course, sleep is one of the away. He had to think and act things I can’t compromise. Sleep quickly. It looks like the woman and hydration are very important. was about to give birth at any I recommend six to seven hours moment. Joshua had seen to his own mother at childbirth. He had of sleep. helped his own father deliver some of his brothers himself.

“Maybe, I have something for you. It’s not much but it would get you through this cold night at least,” he told the couple. “Come with me.”

Joshua gathered some blankets and sheets quickly. He gave instructions to his attendant to heat water. He then gathered food and other provisions. He moved in haste leading the couple to an empty stable a few yards at the back of the inn.

Earlier in the day before the sun was up, he took to clearing the stable himself. He didn’t know why he did it. But now he was glad he did so. He thought the squalid stable with its walls and roof can shield this poor couple

in 2014. About 78 percent of them are men, more than 4 times the rate for women. Depression lowers the mental threshold for self-destruction.

Do you have depression?

If you do, it is most prudent to seek medical help, not necessarily psychotherapy. The first thing to do is to consult your family physician, who can help guide you. With early proper medication and/or advice, depression in most cases can be managed effectively and eliminated faster than one can imagine. Physicians today have invaluable tools in their armamentarium for the diagnosis and treatment of depression. Many individuals with depression, who

have sought medical care, are so “cured” with simple oral medications that they look, behave, function and live as normally and happily as anybody else, lost in the sea of anonymity. *** 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

A Christmas Story: The Innkeeper’s... from the cold night as the woman delivers her child.

Joshua gave the man the blankets and clean sheets, the warm water and some extra oil for the lamp to burn through the night.

He set a makeshift table for the bread, fish and wine and lit the lamp in one corner.

He moved quickly as he helped the man make his wife comfortable. He could see the woman’s face etched in pain for the birth pangs seem to be stronger now.

Beads of sweat lined the woman’s brow. He knew he wasn’t going to be able to meet up with his friends tonight. Somehow he knew his place was right here where he was needed for the long night ahead.

Just before he went back to the inn to fetch a few more things, he said to them, “I’m Joshua. Let me know if you need anything else.” The man replied, “I’m Joseph and this is Mary. Thank you.

You have done more than you can possibly know. The Lord’s light burns bright in you.” Mary looked up at Joshua and smiled through her pain. For as long as he lived, Joshua will never forget that smile.

Mary’s child was born that night. Joshua could not remember a night more filled with wonder, mystery and myriad points of light.

It was a night like no other.

Joshua’s entire being was engulfed with the mystery happening before his very eyes. He remembered Mary wrapping her child gently in swaddling clothes and placing the child in a manger. The child was bathed in light. The whole stable was filled with warmth. Soft, sweet music seem to emanate from a choir of angels above the stable and a sweet heavenly fragrance wafted through the air.

Joshua’s shepherd friends came to visit the child. How could

they have known? His friends told him that an angel told them about the good news. They were led to the stable where they found the child.

Filled with awe, they knelt before the child who was to be king. Later on that night, three men garbed in royal splendor and bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh travelling from afar, came to pay the child homage. They had been following the bright star hovering about the heavens for many nights leading them to that dusty town called Bethlehem.

Many years later in his old age, the memory of that night still stayed with Joshua. He had remained the innkeeper. He had struck a friendship with a man called Luke, a physician who was a regular guest at the inn. He observed that the thoughtful, quiet Luke was always writing in rolls of papyrus in his room.

Not wanting to keep the wonders of that night to be forgotten when he passed, Joshua told the story to Luke. As he told the story of that wondrous night, Joshua carefully removed himself from the narrative. It was to be between him and God alone.

Joshua’s life was never the same again. The light of that bright night burned in his soul forever. He could not have known at the time he was witness to the unfolding of the greatest mystery on earth.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ONE AND ALL! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com. To read past articles, click on the link Online: http://issuu.com/ asianjournaldigitaledition” http://issuu. com/asianjournaldigitaledition or you can do searches in the least invasive search engine duckduckgo or bing or yahoo even before agenda-driven google.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • dEcEmbER 6-12, 2018

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B8 DECEMBER 6-12, 2018 â&#x20AC;˘ LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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