120718 - San Francisco Edition

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

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

Volume 17 - No. 49 • 3 Sections – 16 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Am Air Force veteran claims Starbucks barista wrote a racist name on order 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 a morning trip to Starbucks with his 12-year-old daughter Milan on Monday, Nov. 26. Fes- Johncarl Festejo tejo used his first name, John, which was also on the Starbucks mobile app he used to pay for his order.

PAGE A2

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

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

MalacaĂąang defends Duterte: ‘Everybody is entitled to a joke’

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

MALACAĂ‘ANG 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,â€? Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said as reported by ABS-CBN News.

This was after the top leader drew criticism for stating that he takes 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 stimulant 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 PAGE A2

Robredo: Focus on lowering prices, not Charter change

by AJPRESS

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

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 nagtutulak sa Cha-Cha. (Instead of offering 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 Tues-

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Philippines makes up largest number of green card holders in US

DE C E MBE R 7 - 1 3 , 2 0 1 8

NEW CHIEF JUSTICE. President Rodrigo Duterte administers the oath of ofďŹ ce to newly-appointed Supreme Court Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin during a ceremony at the MalacaĂąan Palace on Tuesday, December 4. During the ceremony, Duterte told Bersamin and other newly-appointed ofďŹ cials thatâ€? we are all workers of government and so let us work to preserve the nation and to protect the people.â€? MalacaĂąang photos by Simeon Celias

House to approve martial law extension; Senate divided House approves federalism bill on second reading

by JESS

DIAZ Philstar.com

THE House of Representatives will approve a request from President Rodrigo 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 expedited 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 Tuesday, December 4. “The inputs and views of congressmen from Mindanao, who represent the people directly affected, will carry much weight during the deliberations,� Andaya said.

Senators, however, are divided

through voice voting, where lawmakers vote with “ayes� or “nays.� The votes of each lawTHE House of Representa- maker were not recorded betives on Tuesday, December 4, cause they were only called and approved the Resolution of Both asked to vote on the said meaHouses (RBH) 15, a proposal to sure. The House only resumed shift to a federal government, on the deliberation on federalism late November this year. its second reading.

As any legislation must be ap“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 reVarious groups from Mindanao picket Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Monday, December 3 to forms, a long-term solution to the call for the lifting of martial law in Mindanao.

Philstar photo by Michael Varcas decades-old conflict in Mindanao on the proposal to extend martial ing martial law as it limited the and regional economic developmovement of private armies and ment in the countryside,� RBH law for another year.

Sen. Joseph Victor Ejercito has somehow addressed the 15 stated. said he was in favor of extendThe proposal was approved !.$2%7 " 3(). u PAGE A2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA 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

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We can help you!

Senators open to legalizing medical marijuana

by AJPRESS

proved 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,

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, buits use and dispensation should be under a doctor’s supervision so that “not just anyone

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From the Front Page

Malacañang defends Duterte...

PAGE A1 t 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. n

PAGE A1 day.

“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

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. n

PAGE A1 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 providing 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 nation. 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) n

Robredo: Focus on lowering prices...

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

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

PAGE A1 t “A few minutes later, I was just waiting in that area, and next thing I know, I hear, ‘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 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

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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 co-worker 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 Hernandez, 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) n

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

House to approve martial law extension...

PAGE A1 proliferation of loose firearms in Mindanao.

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 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.

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, December 3, 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 PAGE A3

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Senators open to legalizing medical...

PAGE A1 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 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 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 FREE AGAIN. Act Teachers party-list Rep. France Castro and former congressman Satur Ocampo narrate how they were arrested in Davao de or decriminalized marijuana for 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 medical purposes under variwere allowed to post bail.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez ous systems of regulations include Argentina, Australia, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Germany, Greece, Italy, Mexico, Nepal, pines will have a presidentialMembers of the judiciary in Netherlands, Peru, Poland, Por- PAGE A1 t tugal, Spain, Switzerland, United they will perform their duty and bicameral-federal system. Thus, the Supreme Court and lower continue what they started,” the president and vice president courts will be appointed by the Kingdom and Zimbabwe. n presidential spokesperson Salva- will be elected in tandem but will president from a list of at least retain the same power, authority three nominees prepared by a dor Panelo said.

Senate President Vicente and functions as indicated in the Judicial Appointments and Disci“Tito” Sotto III said earlier that 1987 Constitution. plinary Council. The said instituaccusing the military of abuses the Senate is now focused on the The legislative functions will tion will replace the Judicial and against lumad people and work- passage of the proposed General still be performed by the two Bar Council. ers’ groups in the region during Appropriations Bill for 2019. The chambers of Congress: House of In a report by The Philippine martial law implementation.

House, from where legislation of Representatives (HOR) and Sen- Star, members of the Supreme Lorenzana, for his part, said the national budget bill begins, ate. The lower house (HOR) will Court were said to be allowed to they are checking out reports passed its version of the bill in be comprised of 300 members, serve for a term of 10 years or unthat would justify the exten- November.

80 percent of which are from til they reach the mandatory age sion of martial law in Mindanao.

Federal branches of govern- legislative districts in the country of 70. All branches of the govern(With Paolo Romero, Michael Pu- ment while 20 percent are party-list ment will continue to function in nongbayan, Rhodina Villanueva, The RBH 15 provides that the representatives. While that of the a transitory capacity until all sucHelen Flores, Edith Regalado) n Federal Republic of the Philip- Senate constitute 24 members. cessors are elected. n

House to approve martial law extension...

PAGE A3 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,

Number of unauthorized immigrants in US reaches historic low, study says

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 immigrants 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

House approves federalism bill on second...

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DFA: No Filipinos hurt in Alaska magnitude 7 quake

by Faye

Orellana Inquirer.net

also in touch with leaders of the Filipino Community in Anchorage who reported that no FiliNo Filipinos were reported pino was among those initially injured following a magnitude reported to have been injured 7.0 earthquake that rocked An- in the earthquake,” the DFA chorage, Alaska on Friday, No- said in a statement. vember 30.

Back-to-back strong quakes The assurance was given by were recorded by the U.S. Geothe Department of Foreign Af- logical Survey, leaving highfairs (DFA) on Saturday, Decem- ways and buildings badly damber 1, as it continues to monitor aged. the situation.

Consul General Henry Ben“The Philippine Consulate surto said more than 25,000 General in San Francisco, which Filipinos are residing in Alaska. has jurisdiction over Alaska, is Bensurto said Filipinos make

up 52 percent of Alaska’s Asian and Pacific Islander population and represents the largest racial minority in Anchorage.

Bensurto has requested the office of Foreign Missions of the Department of State to provide further details on the situation of Filipinos in Alaska following the strong quake.

Filipinos in the area have been asked to seek shelter, prepare for possible aftershocks, and avoid unnecessary road travel for safety purposes, Bensurto said. n

Balangiga bells back in the PH on December 11 Silme Domingo

2019 SEA GAMES COUNTDOWN. Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea (second from right), representing President Rodrigo Duterte, leads the launching of the One year countdown to the 2019 Southeast Asian Games at the Bayanihan Park in Clark, Pampanga. From left are Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Athletes Commission chairman Nikko Huelgas, Philippine Sports Commission chairman William ‘Butch” Ramirez, Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (PhilSoc) chairman Allan Peter Cayetano, Medialdea and POC president Ricky Vargas.

PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.

THE Balangiga bells, which were taken by American soldiers as war booty in 1901, will finally return home to the Philippines in December.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana confirmed that the church bells will arrive in the country by next week. “on December 11, the Balangiga bells will arrive in Villamor Air Base aboard [United States Air Force] aircraft. We don’t know if it’s a C-130 or another aircraft but 9 a.m.,” Lorenzana said in an interview with CNN Philippines’ “The Source” Tuesday morning, December 4.

Last November 15, a military ceremony was held at F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where two of the church bells are located.

Ambassador to the U.S. Jose Manuel Romualdez and U.S. Defense Secretary James Mattis attended the ceremony, which formally marked the beginning of the repatriation of the bells.

“In returning the Bells of Balangiga to our ally and our friend the Philippines, we pick up our

Two of the Balangiga bells are located at the F.E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The church bells taken as war booty by American colonial forces in 1901 will arrive in the Philippines on December 11.

Photo courtesy of DFA

generation’s responsibility to deepen the respect between our people,” Mattis said.

The Philippine government expressed its appreciation for Washington after announcing the return of the bells, which were once used as a signal to attack American troops in the town of Balangiga in Eastern Samar.

The Philippines also paid trib-

ute to both Filipino and American soldiers who fought in World War II. “The significance of this event is the fact that we honor all of those and the kind of relationship that we have with the United States,” Romualdez said, adding that the return of the Balangiga bells signify closure of the Filipino-American war. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com) n

After terribly deadly flu season, California aims to track deaths more closely

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CALIFoRNIA’S Department of Public Health says the flu killed 329 people under age 65 in the last flu season, from october 2017 to August 2018.

But that is likely only a small fraction of the total deaths in the nation’s most populous state because the department didn’t count the hundreds of deaths of people 65 and older. The state figure could account for just 1 in 10 flu deaths.

The federal government’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimated that approximately 80,000 people in the U.S. died from complications from the flu during the 2017-18 flu season — the most since 1976. The vast majority of those who died — about 90 percent — were seniors, ages 65 and up, the agency estimates.

While the federal government uses mathematical modeling to estimate the number of flu deaths, California’s figures have been based on reports of individual deaths.

State officials said they haven’t counted flu deaths among seniors because, in part, health providers were not required to report them.

But this year the California Influenza Surveillance Program is changing how it tracks flu-related deaths. It will base its data on death certificates and count all people whose deaths were classified as flu-related, regardless of age.

The department acknowledged that its new system still will likely result in an undercount.

The flu, an upper respiratory illness caused by various strains of the influenza virus, can cause a high fever, cough, body aches and

gastrointestinal distress. While most people recover within a few days, older people, children and people with compromised immune systems are more vulnerable. Complications from the flu can cause severe illness, hospitalization and death.

Though it was an undercount, California’s figure still shows just how deadly last year’s flu was: About three times the number of Californians died compared with the previous flu season, state data show.

This year, experts predict a more typical, but still deadly, flu season.

So far, the flu is “circulating at low levels” in California, but the percentage of lab-confirmed flu infections are on the rise, a sign that this flu season is gaining momentum, said Dr. James Watt, chief of the Division of Communicable Disease Control at the state Department of Public Health. Using its new methods, the public health department reports that five Californians have died from

the flu since oct. 1.

Last year’s flu season in California was dominated by the H2N3 strain of influenza, but Watt said the state is seeing more infections from the H1N1 strain this year. Based on previous seasons, years in which the H1N1 strain predominates tend to be less severe, he said.

Experts recommend getting a flu shot to reduce the chances of getting or spreading the virus.

“The main thing is people should get vaccinated,” Watt said. “It’s not too late.”

But getting the vaccine isn’t a panacea. The flu vaccine developed every year tends to have 40 to 60 percent effectiveness, so even those who receive the vaccine still might succumb. “If people get sick, they should stay home and not share their virus with friends and co-workers,” Watt warned.

This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n

Virginia Tech sorry for using photo of Fil-Ams in flyer for foreign students HUNTER Gresham, executive director of communications and information technology for student affairs at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia, apologized to the Asian and Pacific Islander (API) community after a photo of the Filipino American Student Association (FASA) was used to represent international students in a promotional flyer.

The Collegiate Times reported that the promotional flyer released by the Cranwell International Center (CIC) was for the International Student Barometer survey and stated, “Help Make Virginia Tech Better for International Students!

Tell us what IS and IS NoT working well.”

However, the photo used was taken at the International Street Fair last spring. All of the Filipino students in the photo are all American, not international students.

According to the Richmond

Times-Dispatch, the issue gained attention after Rajni Kapania, a junior majoring in business information technology, posted the flyer with the caption, “VT stays disrespecting minorities when literally NoNE of these students are international … when is this gonna

end” The Asian American Student Union, a Virginia Tech organization that umbrellas 13 other student organizations, released a statement on social mediathat said “microaggressions make it difficult to feel a sense of community, especially at a predominately white institution (PWI). A university is supposed to be a (home) away from home for students. When Virginia Tech advertises a false narrative, it supports the idea that those who look foreign do not fit the image of an ‘American’. (sic)” Moreover, a second issue that arose was that in the email Gresham wrote, “on the flyer, a photo was taken at the International Street festival by our staff photographer.”

However, the photo the CIC used in the flyer wasn’t actually taken by them, but by Shawn de Lopez, a junior majoring in creative technologies. (Inquirer.net) n

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DATELINE PHILIPPINES

‘Physically impossible’ to sign 2019 budget by December 15 - Sotto

by AJPRESS SENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Monday, December 3, said that it is not physically possible to approve the P3.757-trillion budget for 2019 by mid-December due to time constraints.

“Not physically possible. Printing alone takes days. Assuming we are able to pass [the bill] by next week, how about the [bicameral conference committee and printing]?” Sotto said as reported by the Philippine Daily Inquirer.

The Senate president said that logistical difficulties were caused by the delay from the House of Representatives in transmitting the 2019 proposed budget to the upper house. Sotto said that President Rodrigo Duterte will be unable to sign such into law right on schedule due to the delay from the lower house.

“The House should have considered that when they delayed their transmittal to us,” Sotto said as he explained that the Senate will be unable to present a ratified, consolidated version of the budget measure by December 15.

“The revamp in the Lower House is the major cause of the delay,” the Senate president

Senate President Vicente Sotto III

added as he refers to the transition from the leadership of former Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo during President Duterte’s third State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Senators need more time to discuss the 2019 budget Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson objected the scheduled deadline for the proposed appropriations law. Lacson explained that should the Senate follow the original timetable, lawmakers had to work for 24 hours with no meal breaks.

They would also discuss the budget allocation per agency for only

15 minutes each.

“We would be discussing the budget of one agency, one office in 15 minutes, assuming no breakfast break, no lunch break, no dinner break, no merienda (snacks),” Lacson said.

Senate Majority Leader Juan Miguel Zubiri said on Saturday, December 1, that they are willing to extend their working hours in order to thoroughly review the budget issued to government offices for next year.

“We will not prevent [our peers] from speaking out, but we in the leadership are prepared to work 12-hour days,” Zubiri said.

Lacson proposed a Senate caucus to discuss a revision on the timetable to which Zubiri seconded. The senators called for more time to scrutinize the budget amid allegations that there are lastminute “pork barrel allocations” in the general appropriations bill.

The lower house is scheduled to have its last session day on December 12. However, a revised timeline would extend it for at least another day so that both Houses could ratify the budget measure.

“Last year we were [already] starting on the budget by October. This year we are starting on December 4,” Sotto said. ■

Comelec to regulate social media campaigns

by MAYEN JAYMALIN Philstar.com

MANILA — The Commission on Elections (Comelec) is coming out with new guidelines to regulate the use of social media in the campaign for the coming May 2019 elections.

Comelec spokesman James Jimenez pointed out that while politicians can still use various social mediums in their campaign, the poll body would limit the cost of doing this.

“We are looking at the possibility of strengthening the monitoring of expenses that go into materials which are propagated via social media. The use itself is not regulated. It’s what you put on social media that’s going to be monitored for cost,” Jimenez said in an interview.

He said the commission intends to issue rules that would

enable the Comelec to look into a particular aspect of the material that each politician will post.

As example, Jimenez said, if a politician will feature a singer in a video posted in social media, he or she will have to report to the commission the professional fee and other expenses related to the making of the campaign material.

Under existing election rules, politicians must limit their campaign spending per voter and are required to submit to the Comelec their campaign expenditures whether they win or lose in the elections.

“To say that social media is not covered by the spending limit is not entirely accurate. It’s just that now we do not have social media activity that specifically focuses on it,” Jimenez pointed out.

He added that the Comelec is also studying the possibility of including the use of “troll farms” in

the regulations.

“It’s something that everyone talks about obviously but when you’re going to regulate it then you have to have something more than usap-usapan or conventional wisdom so it’s something that we are exploring,” Jimenez noted.

He said the Comelec would come out with the necessary resolution in time with the issuance of the implementing rules and regulations for the Fair Elections Act. Comelec previously admitted its inability to limit a candidate’s use of social media, in terms of expenditures, due to the absence of a law.

In past elections, the Comelec created a campaign finance office to check on campaign contribution and expenditures of candidates, a number of whom have already been charged for overspending. ■

A5

Duterte rules out pardon for cops in Kian delos Santos slay

by AJPRESS

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, December 3, said he will not pardon the 3 policemen convicted of murdering Caloocan teenager Kian delos Santos.

When asked by reporters if a pardon from him may be expected, he answered: “Of course not.

Maybe one million years from now.”

His promise to police and military personnel that he would pardon them when they are accused of wrongdoing while enforcing his crackdown on illegal drugs was then pointed out, to which Duterte said his promise covers only law enforcers who are “in the performance of their duties.”

“If they commit some acts which can be considered criminal but done in the performance of their duties, hindi ko iwanan ‘yan kasi kung hindi, papatayin ako ng sundalo ko pati pulis kasi ako ang nag-utos sa kanila ng ganoon. (I won’t leave them because if I do,

PO1 Jeremias Pereda, PO1 Jerwin Cruz and PO3 Arnel Oraes take their oath during the Senate inquiry into the killing of Grade 12 student Kian Loyd delos Santos during an anti-drugs operation last August 16, 2017 in Barangay 160, Caloocan City. The policemen claimed they were forced to shoot back at Delos Santos after he fired at them while trying escape.

Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon

the soldiers and police will kill me because I gave the order to them),” he said.

“But for you to murder, hindi kasali ‘yan (that’s not covered),” he added.

Police Officer 3 Arnel Oares, Police Officer 1 Jeremias Pereda, and Police Officer 1 Jerwin Cruz

on November 29 were convicted by a Caloocan court and sentenced to reclusion perpetua, or imprisonment for 20 to 40 years, without eligibility for parole.

The policemen, the couzrt found, killed a helpless Delos Santos and lied about the events that led to his death. ■

DepEd urged to implement comprehensive sex education amid rising HIV cases

by RYAN

MACASERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Due to the rising rates of human immunodeficiency virus in the Philippines, the Department of Health is urging the Department of Education to implement sex education in elementary schools, as mandated by the Reproductive Health law.

“That’s why we’ve been hedging the Department of Education to implement the Reproductive Health law, which mandates DepEd intro sex ed as early as age appropriate,” said Dr. Eric Tayag, Department of Health director of Knowledge Management and Information Technology Service, during an interview with “The Chiefs” of Cignal TV/ One News.

The Reproductive Health bill was signed into law by former President Benigno Aquino III in 2012.

December 1 was marked as the World AIDS Day. As of 2017, UN AIDS recorded an estimated

The Department of Health in cooperation with Aids Healthcare Foundation, Love Yourself, The Red Whistle and the local government unit of Taguig gathered as they mark the celebration of the 30th World Aids Day held at Vista Mall in Taguig on Dec. 1, 2018. The Philippines has confirmed Philstar.com photo by Krizjohn Rosales 52,280 HIV cases from 1984 to 2018.

68,000 Filipinos diagnosed with HIV/AIDS, with an average of 32 new diagnoses a day.

While the number of deaths from HIV/AIDs is dropping globally, the number of infections is increasing rapidly in the Philippines. According to a report

published by the DOH in October, 1,047 people were diagnosed every day in August, compared to 1,021 who were diagnosed daily in January.

Education Secretary Leonor Briones approved a department PAGE A7

A6

DECEMBER 7-13, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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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 ap-

ply 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.

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Business news

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Peso may remain weak as current account gap seen further widening

by Ben

O. de Vera Inquirer.net

THE Philippines’ current account deficit is expected to further widen next year, keeping the peso weak and government securities expensive, the Washingtonbased Institute of International Finance (IIF) said.

“The recent widening of current account deficits has overshadowed the near-term economic outlook of India, Indonesia and the Philippines,” Reza Siregar, head of the IIF’s Asean and India research, said in the Oct. 31 report titled “Economic Update: Asean and India Current Account Challenges.”

“The Philippines’ goods trade deficit rose to 15.6 percent of GDP [gross domestic product] in the second quarter of 2018, the highest in the postglobal financial crisis period,” the IIF noted.

Across the three aforementioned countries, the IIF projected their respective current account deficits to be within the range of 2.1-2.5 percent of GDP next year.

“Addressing current account imbalances may entail wider import curbs, affecting investment imports. Given the high import content of investment activities, taxes on capital and intermediate imports may dampen investment and curtail GDP growth in 2019,” the IIF said.

“Structural current account deficits are expected to sustain depreciation pressures on local currencies and upward pressures on yields of local currency bonds in 2019,” it added.

The peso had fallen to 13-year lows due to market concerns on

Inquirer.net file photo

the widening current account deficit as a result of the also expanding trade-in-goods deficit.

As of June, the current account deficit ballooned to $3.1 billion— equivalent to 1.9 percent of GDP, from $133 million or only 0.1 percent of GDP a year ago.

The government had reported that the trade deficit widened to $3.9 billion in September, the biggest monthly deficit so far this year, as imports jumped while merchandise exports declined that month.

At end-September, the year-todate trade-in-goods deficit stood at $29.9 billion.

In the case of the Philippines, India and Indonesia, the IIF said “the performance of merchandise trade has been the primary contributor to changes in current account balances for these three countries,” citing that “the correlations between quarterly movements of goods balances and current accounts between the first

quarter of 2010 and the second quarter of 2018 are all well above 90 percent.”

“Services balances and transfers are important buffers for current accounts in India and the Philippines. The quarterly surpluses from transfers and services averaged close to 6 percent and 11 percent of GDP for India and the Philippines, respectively, from the first quarter of 2015 to the second quarter of 2018. The Philippines received over 10 percent of GDP in remittances in 2017. The global business process outsourcing (BPO) industry is forecast to reach close to $200 billion in 2018, of which India will account for around 35 percent.

Services, income, and transfers balances have been negatively correlated with the goods balances in India and the Philippines since 2010, providing muchneeded cushions for their overall current account positions,” the IIF said.n

Philippines growth to further slow in 2019 — ING

by Lawrence

agcaOiLi Philstar.com

DUTCH financial giant ING Bank expects the Philippine economy to slow down further next year as inflation is expected to remain elevated while rate hikes may take its toll on growth.

In a report, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) growth may ease to 6.1 percent in 2019 from the projected 6.2 percent in 2018.

He added recent monetary policy adjustments are expected to sap economic growth momentum.

In response to above-target in-

flation in 2018, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) unloaded an aggressive 175-basis point rate hike salvo that would continue to weigh on overall growth momentum in 2019.

“Elevated borrowing costs will sap both consumption and investment momentum and this will be a key theme throughout 2019,” he said.

The economist pointed out inflation is expected to trend lower and eventually fall within target by the second half after monetary and non-monetary policy measures feed into the economy.

For the first half, Mapa said election-related spending would boost growth, but a five-month ban on public spending could

offset the positive momentum.

“Post-election, decelerating inflation will partially restore lost purchasing power while also helping to lead financing costs lower. This should lead to a slightly faster pace of growth in second half as household spending, business investment and government spending accelerate from the first half,” he said.

Mapa said three main threats and opportunities next year include the current account position of the country, the hawkish stance of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, and the pressure on the peso would largely determine whether the country would be able to outpace its growth path or slip below forecast.n

CHRISTMAS SPECTACLE. Children and adults gaze at a house bedecked with lights and decorated with dozens of images of Santa Claus. The house in Mandaluyong City draws huge crowds every night.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

DepEd urged to implement comprehensive...

PAGE A5 t order in August which orders the development of a curriculum on comprehensive sexuality education policy.

Based on the order, the comprehensive sexuality education will have seven core topics: human body and human development; personhood, healthy relationships; sexuality and sexual behaviors; sexual and reproductive health; personal safety; and gender, culture and human rights.

Tayag believes the need to implement the policy is urgent and is in favor of introducing sex ed to students as young as grade 4 or 5.

Tayag told “The Chiefs” that awareness on how people get HIV is “satisfactory” but not “optimal.”

“When we do surveys if people think you can get HIV from mosquito bites and they’ll say yes,” Tayag said. “We ask if they think they can get HIV from public toilets, many said yes.”

Screenwriter and HIV awareness advocate Wango Gallaga, who is open about his HIV-positive status, shared with “The Chiefs” that of some 60,000 diagnosed with HIV, only 58 percent continue with available treatment.

“There was a lot of privilege involved,” Gallaga acknowledged about his own diagnosis. “I was very lucky that my family could afford my medical situation. I had a lot of support with my family, friends,” he said.

While Gallaga said he was lucky enough to have had the family and financial support, there are many others who find out late and don’t have the resources to pay for treatment. “There are some families where they kick them out,” Gallaga said.

Other reasons why people stop treatment, Tayag said could be the adverse side effects of the anti-retroviral drugs or the cost.

Asked how much he had to spend for treatment, Gallaga said it was “easily” over P1 million

over a period of 10 years.

Philippine Health Insurance Corp. or PhilHealth offers an HIV/ AIDS benefit package of P30,000 and can be availed at any accredited HIV treatment facility by an active member or their dependents.

But Tayag said many people were “still not getting tested.”

“They have to deal with family support. There’s depression.

There’s adjustment, especially if there’s discrimination in the workplace, suddenly you’re out of a job. The world comes crumbling down,” Tayag said.

He emphasized the importance of getting counseling: “There is so many things you can do that government can help, then there’s the role of your family and support groups.” Tayag added: “If that fails, then you have this [sic] situation.”

HIV/AIDS is transmitted when body fluids, most commonly blood, semen and pre-seminal fluid enters another person’s body, either through sexual contact or sharing of needles. n

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DECEMBER 7-13, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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Friday, December 7, 2018

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 7, 2018

The Lei Company: Community building and cultural preservation through entrepreneurship I had an ‘aha!’ moment where I realized that the biggest barrier to health for all of my A LEI or a flower garland is more than something you wear clients across the spectrum was around your neck, as it is a mes- their inability to participate in the economy. For different sage of welcome, congratulations, love, sympathy and many reasons their job prospects more. Used around the world, were slim to nil or as in the case of my WIC they worked in the earliest record of flower an environment and under cirgarlands being sold in Egypt were shortly before the birth of cumstances that hindered their ability to make healthy choices.

Christ. However, the proliferaWhen I left public health I knew tion of leis in the United States is due partly to the colonization that I wanted to be a job creator but I didn’t know how to of Hawai’i and the appropriado that so I enrolled in an MBA tion of lei through Tiki culture. program at Meridian UniverFilipino-American Tiffany sity. Meridian University MBA Rose Na’puti Lacsado saw program was a school that an opportunity not only to really wanted to shift business continue the preservation and in a way that was non-extracevolution of the lei, but also to get people in the community to tive and regenerative to the universe, the planet and all of uplift the quality of their lives its inhabitants.” economically.

Lacsado was also struck by “I had a long career in public health. I worked in HIV/AIDS the statistic compiled by the prevention education and then National Coalition of Asian Pacific American Community later as a certified lactation educator with the Marin County Development that showed that during the recession, PasifikaWomen, Infants and Children Melanesian, Micronesian and (WIC) program,” said Lacsado Polynesian poverty increased in an e-mail interview with the 60 percent.

Asian Journal. “At some point “I became really curious as to why that was and it sent me into a rabbit hole of research of looking at poverty, community wealth and understanding what builds community wealth in which entrepreneurship is key,” she shared.

In June 2017, Lacsado founded The Lei Company (TLC) Cooperative, Inc., a California worker-owned corporation based in Oakland. By June 2018 she was selling her products across the continental United States and wanted to expand the marketing, sales and distribution capacity of her cooperative, develop products The School Houz Carnation Lei. by

aJpreSS

The Lei Company Cooperative with Crowdfund Mainstreet Founders.

Photo by Leilua Malieitulua

Tiffany Rose Na’puti Lacsado, CEO and Founder of The Lei Company Cooperative.

for the death care and wedding industries, and start to cultivate her commercial lei garden.

However, Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) regulations were cumbersome and advertising was strictly prohibited under a private equity offering, but she was able to meet her investment need through Title III of the Jumpstart Our Business Startups (JOBS) Act. This allowed her to publicly advertise that she was seeking investment and could receive investment in smaller amounts from unaccredited investors.

Prior to the Title III’s implementation in 2016, private businesses were only able to accept investment from accredited investors. So she turned to regulation crowdfunding’s newest platform – Crowdfund Mainstreet to craft her new securities offering and launch a Direct Public Offering via an investment crowdfunding campaign. Her cooperative’s investment crowdfunding campaign along with four other women led businesses and the platform itself went live on August 24, 2018 in front 300+ audience who attended the Crowdfund Mainstreet launch party held at the Oakland Impact Hub. “Every business needs funding to operate however The Lei Company Coop launched a direct public offering via the Crowdfund Mainstreet platform in hopes that others who have enjoyed lei and used lei as a universal expression of love could become part of our story as investors and share in our success.

“In addition to the economic, cultural, social and environmental impacts that we are choosing to make, the corner stone of our business model and the way that we intend to scale is to become the national brand for school districts – public, private and charter schools, colleges and universities, as well as becoming the preferred brand in the wedding and funeral industries,” Lacsado shared.

Leis have also been made popular as in the case of graduations, by the tastemakers that are the Pasifika community and others who have migrated from all across the Oceania to continental United States. According to the Pacific Community formerly known as the Secretariat of the Pacific, Pasifika indigenous arts represent a wealth of traditions, from ancient practices to contemporary cultural expressions that are produced by indigenous peoples of the Oceania. Handicrafts where lei-making reside include visual arts, fashion, music and dance are amongst the genres popularly exported or cultivated by indigenous Pasifika peoples in the United States.

Lacsado said, “It just made logical sense to me that the economic benefits of the lei

as we know it in the United States should return to the communities whose culture it comes from. The graduation retail industry generated $5.7B in 2017 and although there are no statistics on how much of that number is from lei sales, from anecdotal evidence we know that millions of dollars in lei transactions occur in the marketplace and in the unsanctioned-black market.”

Lacsado also added that they “wanted to disrupt the industry by creating business ownership opportunities that had low barriers to entry.

“The Lei Company is a cooperative corporation because cooperativism does not isolate but encourages and affirms the communal, collaborative and reciprocal values that the Pasifika community holds dear which are values that are very similar in the Filipino community. Cooperativism also provides the scaffolding that allows for members to build their capacity in business development and administration, skills that members can bring with them when they decide their time as a coop member is complete.”

Of course, TLC goes more than economics, as the company cares about the cultural preservation and evolution of lei and other weaving and textile arts. “Our research within the confines of the Bay Area showed that second and third generations of the Pasifika community born in the United States did not know how to make botanical lei with flowers and leaves,” Lacsado shared. “Everyone we surveyed knew how to make candy and other non-perishable lei but they didn’t know how to work with natural materials. We also exist to not only return the economic benefit of lei to the Pasifika community but we also exist preserve and evolve the art lei-making.”

TLC looks into the future with plans on offering licensing and/or franchising opportunities. Admitting that it is a grand vision that involves a substantial amount of money to become a reality, Lascado believes that it is time for TLC to exist because of the feedbacks they have received from schools about lei sales during graduation being unregulated.

“A company like ours limits harm and liability to schools because we go through their procurement process and meet their standards of excellence. In 2017 we became the approved lei vendors for the Oakland Unified School District and to service all 127 schools in addition to smaller charter and private schools, our web store and our branded Amazon store requires quite a bit of overlay of cash. On Amazon our sales are primarily from our money lei which also requires cash to make the product. Our claim to fame is that we were the first company to essentially sell money to consumers on the

The Pinay Pride Solidarity Lei is a unique way to show homage to the Philippine flag.

One of The Lei Company’s top seller and most laborious lei is the Dolla Dolla Bill, an origami lei made completely of $1 bills.

Amazon platform,” explained Lacsado.

Although of mixed heritage (Filipina and Chamorro) and that TLC is a PasifikaMelanasian, Micronesian and Polynesian women’s workerowned lei-making cooperative, Lacsado believes that the community should see it as another example of a “purpose-driven company spearheaded by a Filipina-American that is mabait, matalino at masipag.’”

“What is also important to note is that the Fil-Am com-

munity are huge consumers of lei. Fil-Am buy lei for various occasions throughout the year, not just at graduation time and we hope that when choosing a company to purchase their lei, that they would purchase from us and help support our economic, cultural, social and environmental aims,” she said. *To view or order their products visit www.theleicompany and on Amazon.com.

For investment opportunity log on to www.crowdfundmainstreet.com.

Cherie Gil: ‘Don’t call me tita’

by Copy Cepeda Inquirer.net

IN the entertainment industry, not everything is taught in acting workshops. For veteran actress Cherie Gil, however, certain actors’ etiquette should just well be.

It was Tony Award-winning singer-actress Lea Salonga who took to Facebook recently to share the wise words of Gil, who gave her own rules when it comes to the accepted behavior of actors toward her and the people they work with in the industry.

“Written by my friend, the incomparable Cherie Gil,” Salonga wrote on Dec. 3, sharing Gil’s actors’ etiquette.

What could be the first on Gil’s actors’ etiquette, one may ask. 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 po-

Cherie Gil

liteness 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 a co-actor.

GMA photo

“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 read-

ing 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.

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

Photo from Instagram/@edward_barber

Edward to Maymay: You’re an inspiration to me

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 Continued on Page SF6

Trump’s assault on asylum and the battle for the American spirit Your Immigration Solution Eric r. 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 status” may apply for asylum.

Additionally, the regulation that makes the Proclamation effective was promulgated without the required 30-day notice-and-comment 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) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

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

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Rayver wants to prove that there’s more to him than dancing

by Oliver M. 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 character is caught in that emotional “conflagration,” the 29-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.

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.”

Rayver Cruz

Photo from Instagram/@rayvercruz

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 7, 2018

celebrity world

Kathryn Bernardo: No rush to settle down with Daniel Padilla

By Ferdie Villar ACTRESS Kathryn Bernardo has admitted that she is not ready to settle down with boyfriend Daniel Padilla, although they have been together for six years. According to the 22year-old actress, she is in no rush to get married.

“It’s too early pa naman, and ito yung mga bagay na hindi mo dapat minamadali, kasi kasal yan, e,” she said in an interview with PEP.ph during the grand media launch of her movie with Sharon Cuneta and Richard Gomez, “Three Words to Forever” recently.

“Ang unfair sa iyo, o sa isa, kung pumasok ka sa isang bagay na hindi ka ready, kapag hindi mo napagbigyan ang lahat.”

For Kathryn, knowing the right time will just come.

When asked when will she know, she explained that most likely the feeling will come when it’s time to settle down.

“Mararamdaman mo yun,

feeling ko. Pag ready ka na, ready na ang partner mo,” she said. “Kasi iba-ibang age tayo pwedeng maging ready na pasukin ang marriage. Kasi ibang level yun sa kapag boyfriendgirlfriend kayo.”

The actress also added that a person will see the signs when they find the “right one.”

“For me, kapag nakikita mo yung buhay mo, nakikita mo yung mga bagay na ito na ginagawa mo na kasama yung taong yun, isa yun. Kapag hindi mo makita yung future na wala siya,” she explained and added, “And kapag nakita mo...kapag nandun yung respeto ninyo sa isat isa. And that’s very important.”

She didn’t mention if DJ (Daniel’s nickname) is the one, but with how things are going in their relationship, the actress said that it is a possibility that they will end up together in the future.

For the meantime, Kathryn

said that they are enjoying what they have now, while focusing on their obligations and opportunities. *** Our condolences to actor Tirso Cruz III, wife Lynn Ynchausti and their family for the passing of their eldest son, Tristan Jedidiah “Teejay” Cruz last November 21.

For over six months, Teejay was in the hospital battling cancer, and was only able to come home for four days in September. He went through three sessions of chemotherapy, but eventually succumbed to the disease.

Friends, family and fans of the actor were shocked when they heard the news, because Tirso also had cancer before but was able to survive it. Although the whole family is mourning the passing of Teejay, the couple is at peace knowing that their son is no longer in pain.

Former senator Manny Villar will celebrate his birthday on Thursday, December 13.

Former Miss RP-USA International Marilen Bernardo was the signature model of renowned fashion designer Albert Andrada at the Philippine International Aid (PIA) fashion show held last November 18 at the Grand Hyatt Embarcadero in San Francisco.

Actress Kathryn Bernardo recently admitted that she is not ready to settle down with boyfriend Daniel Padilla.

“Hindi na niya kailangan makipagsapalaran pa. Balik na siya kay Lord,” Lynn said.

Tirso and Teejay’s siblings — Bodie and Djanin — were the ones who took care of the wake and cremation at Manila Memorial Park in Paranaque.

He was cremated last November 25.

Former Miss United Nations International Anna Satorre will celebrate her birthday on Monday, December 17.

Former president of the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California Dr. Carmelo Lim Roco will celebrate his birthday on Tuesday, December 11.

Health Professionals chief accountant Elvie Angeles will celebrate her birthday on Sunday, December 16.

Former Mrs. RP-USA Las Vegas Nina Alberto will celebrate her birthday on Friday, December 28.

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.”

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. 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 ruthless 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 Joshua for a room and told him his wife was about to give birth. Alas, the last room has been let and Joshua told him so.

Joshua glanced at the woman and his heart was filled with pity. He thought quickly of his own home for them to stay Continued on Page SF7

community

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 7, 2018

What do ‘Dates for Filing’ and ‘Application Filing Dates’ mean on the monthly Visa Bulletin?

Immigration Corner

A ROLLERCOASTER RIDE THAT INCLUDED RETROGRESSION OF PRIORITY DATES, AGING OUT, AND THE FATHER SUCCUMBING TO CANCER JUST BEFORE VISA ISSUANCE ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN PINOY!” In July 2007, Raffy’s mother adjusted status in the U.S., hoping to immediately bring her husband and son, Raffy (left) to the U.S. from the Philippines. However, her priority date retrogressed (moved backwards) and the wait stretched for years. Several setbacks occurred, including further retrogression of the priority dates, Raffy aging out, and Raffy’s father being diagnosed with cancer. Unfortunately he passed away in the Philippines without seeing his American dream come true. Raffy’s mother then retained the Law Offices of Michael Gurfinkel, who took over the case from two previous attorneys, who were not taking active steps to move the case forward. Watch how leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to convince the Embassy to reconsider Raffy’s denial, showing he qualified under the Child Status Protection Act, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

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

ASTROLOGER

SINCE October 2015, the monthly Visa Bulletin (priority dates) was revised, adding a new column or chart called the “Application Filing Dates or “Dates for Filing.” (There is also a column or chart called “Final Action Dates” or “Visa Issuance Dates.”)

But what does the Application Filing Date mean? How percent; Dysthymia (minor does it affect the issuance of depression that lasts 2 years or an immigrant visa or granting longer) – 1.5 percent; Psychotic of adjustment of status? Many depression (most severe form) people are confused between – 5 percent. the Application Filing Date and Are there screening tests the Final Action Date. for depression?

Final Action date. This is the Yes, there are. Mental column or chart for what had health specialists can administer been the actual priority dates, preliminary tests, such as the when a visa could be issued or BDI (Beck Depression Inventoadjustment of status approved ry), or the HRS (Hamilton Rating and to calculate a child’s age Scale), which is composed of 20 under the Child Status Protecquestions to screen the patient. tion Act (CSPA).

Today, computerized phone Dates for Filing date. After interviews are gaining effectivthe State Department publishes ity as a screening tool. These the monthly Visa Bulletin, USCIS tests are only a small part of the decides whether it will use the evaluation process, because the Dates for Filing or Final Action specialists have the symptoms Dates for accepting adjustment of the patient and other criteria of status applications for family to aid them make the correct diagnosis.

Don’t we all get depressed condition is not clinical illness sometimes? and does not need any medical To some degree, some situ- treatment ations in life trigger depression, What foods relieve deand normal people develop a pression? mild form of depression, which Foods that are high in is transient, self-terminating, tryptophan, an amino acid and not a disease. As long as involve in serotonin production, the resultant symptoms are provide relief to some people trivial and temporary, and do with depression. Niacin (Vitanot debilitate the person, the min B3), which is essential in

Depression and suicide 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. 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

atty. MiChael GurFinkel, eSQ

EMPLOYMENT

and employment-based petitions. If USCIS uses the “Dates for Filing” chart for a particular month, and the person’s priority date is earlier than the priority date on the Dates for Filing chart, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than when they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance or Final Action Date column) to file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card.

The Dates for Filing column would also be about the time the NVC would send out forms to the beneficiary to be filled out, if the person is applying for an immigrant visa abroad. The Dates for Filing column also reflects when the State Department expects the Final Action Dates to be current 8 to 12 months in the future. In other words, if a person’s priority date is listed in the Dates for Filing column, their priority date would be current in the Final Action Date column in less than a year. However, if a person priority date is current in the Dates for Filing date column, it does not mean they are eligible for a visa or adjustment of status right now. Instead, they might be eligible 8 to 12 months later.

If you have a priority date, and it is close to being current, and you have questions as to which chart applies to you and whether you are eligible to apply for immigration benefits in a particular month, you should seek the advice of an attorney, to make sure you’re not missing out on a critical filing date. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES

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 Continued on Page SF6

EMPLOYMENT

(Advertising Supplement)

SF6

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 7, 2018

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS D EC E M B E R 7 - D EC E M B E R 1 2

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

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

D EC E M B E R 7 - D EC E M B E R 1 5

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.

California divorce with a twist: The military spouse The CTV Files

ATTY. LILLI BERBANO BACULI, ESQ

SAN DIEGO is “military town” and Navy and Marine Corps families abound, as well as retirees from different branches of our military.

The military life is a test of resilience and grit for many families with divorce as almost an expectation rather than the exception.

The following seeks to address or clarify some common misconceptions about military divorce. We urge individuals considering divorce to seek a licensed, competent, and experienced attorney to help guide them through the maze.

“I found out my wife had an affair while on deployment.

I want to file for Divorce but she does not want to. But it’s all her fault.”

California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need the consent of the other in order to file a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) or, in some instances, to get a judgment of divorce.

Note that the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) gives military members a wide range of legal protections not available to the general public, such as postponing court proceedings. This includes divorce and child support. In general, the SCRA covers all active duty servicemembers, reservists and the members of the National Guard while on active duty.

“What? I have to share my retirement earnings? This is mine!!”

Generally, all of your assets

prior the marriage is just your own separate property. However, California is a community property state and so once you get married, all property acquired during marriage is community property. And if anything out of the community property is used towards separate property, the community might turn out to have a claim on part(s) of separate property.

Separate property are “all property acquired before marriage; all gifts, bequests, devise, or descents. All property acquired or exchanged with traceable separate property; and all property acquired after separation.”

For military retirement purposes, the portion of retirement earned during marriage before separation is considered community property. A spouse is eligible to receive a portion of the military spouse’s retirement no matter how long they were married so long as the military spouse was earning retirement benefits while they were married. The Court may divide “disposable” retired pay, which is the “gross” monthly retired pay minus certain deductions.

“S/he is the one who left our family. I shouldn’t have to pay support.”

Issues of marital infidelity and family support can be handled directly within the military, with each military branch having their own guidelines. In California however, since this is a no-fault divorce state. There is no assignment of blame or fault; fault does not factor in the equation in the issue of support. Some of the factors that the Court will look at to determine whether there is basis for support, and if so, in what amount, are – length of marriage, age of parties, if there are minor children in

the marriage, income of both parties.

“I’m smart enough to handle my own divorce. Why do I need an attorney?”

You don’t need an attorney.

There is no requirement that you must have an attorney.

However, in cases involving issues such as military divorce, domestic violence, custody disputes, child support, spousal support, and division of community property assets it would be wise to seek advice from a licensed and experienced attorney so as not to waste your time and money, not to mention the court’s time and resources, especially when you have to keep going back to court because of incomplete or missing documents that could have been addressed from the very beginning by a competent and knowledgeable attorney.

Not all divorce cases are the same. It is important to be properly informed about your rights and responsibilities under California law in divorce proceedings. The wrong advice or information can and will hurt you, and waste your time and money. Consult a licensed and experienced family law attorney to help you navigate through your divorce. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 495-8088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys.com; www.chuatinsayvega.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

A note of gratitude

D EC E M B E R 7

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

4th annual TIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run in Los Angeles During this holiday season, the TIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 15 highlights the fuzzy feels and the festive flavors of Christmas. Open to all ages, gender and races, ABS-CBN TFC presents another platform for Filipino cuisine to shine in.

With Filipino taste stations at every kilometer of this 5K fun run, and a picnic and entertainment past the finish line, there is a lot to savor for every member of the family. A great selection of food trucks and restaurants like Silog, Nova’s Grill, Thai-Mex Cocina, Paella Paella, Ateh’s Pinoy Pusion, Heavenly Ice Cream, White Rabbit, and Goldilocks will be participating.

Fun and nostalgic games will bring back childhood memories, and five choral groups battle it out on the TIKIM stage for A Merry Christmas Choir Competition. Winning group gets $1,000. One of the best things is that by registering and joining the TIKIM fun run, each adult participant would have provided meals for 10 malnourished children in the Philippines. Run starts at 10:00 a.m.; Food Festival starts at 12:00 p.m. It will be held at Los Angeles State Historic Park (1245 N. Spring St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). For more information, visit TIKIM athttps://mytfc.com/tikim.

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

Edward to Maymay: You’re an...

From Page SF2 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 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.

BY MONET

LU

I would like to thank everyone who came, and those who supported the recently concluded Beautiful Life Celebration 2018 last October 6th at the Quiet Cannon in Montebello, California.

The show’s amazing performances and fabulous guests in the A-list world definitely acclaimed that night as one of the most awaited and prestigious awards nights of the year.

The show featured 15 of the most distinguished men and women (of different fields) in the Filipino-American Community. One of the highlights of the night was the coronation of the Queen of Queens and the 10 Most Beautiful FilipinoAmericans of 2018. Congratulations to all the queens and awardees. Mabuhay! *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around

artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural

beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

Depression and suicide...

From Page SF5 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 benefit from meditation, yoga, and other techniques for obtaining spiritual security, inner peace and happiness. Se-

vere 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 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 Indianwa and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society.

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

(Advertising Supplement)

people & events

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 7, 2018

New renter protection policies in Redwood City

WE are all connected: what happens to one part of the community impacts everyone.

Affording a home in Redwood City and the broader Bay Area is becoming increasingly more challenging. The lack of affordable housing threatens our community’s well-being and the City Council’s vision of a community for all ages. Achieving housing security for all in the community is a top priority for the City.

Almost half of the City’s residents rent their home. In

an effort to support housing security for renters, the City Council approved new rental protections this past spring.

These new protections will become law on January 1, 2019.

The City has established minimum rental lease terms and is requiring relocation assistance under certain situations. Rental property owners in Redwood City must provide at least a 12-month lease and rents can only be increased after the 12month lease period ends. This applies to rental properties

with three or more units.

In addition, a new law to support renters requires that if a property owner evicts a renter, under certain situations, the property owner must provide the renter with money equal to three months’ rent.

This applies to rental properties with five or more units.

Read on for more details about each of these new requirements or go to the City’s official web page for more, www.redwoodcity.org/rentalprotections.

San Rafael Santa Cop

ARE you looking for an opportunity to make a charitable contribution to families in need this holiday season? The Santa Cop program, which provides toys and clothing to families in need, is in full-swing–and we need your help! How can you contribute? Well, there are toy drives across the City where you can drop off an unwrapped toy for a child 12 years and

under, you can make a financial contribution (Santa Cop is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit organization), you can help sort and set up the Toy Store where presents will be given away, and you can volunteer to help wrap presents.

The Santa Cop in San Rafael is sponsored by the San Rafael Police Department, the San Rafael Fire Department, the

A Christmas Story...

From Page SF4 for the night but it was some distance away. He had to think and act quickly. It looks like the woman was about to give birth at any moment. Joshua had seen to his own mother at childbirth. He had 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 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 or you can do searches in the least invasive search engine duckduckgo or bing or yahoo even before google.

San Rafael Police Association, the San Rafael Fire Association, and International Footprint Association Chapter 15.

For more information, visit the San Rafael Santa Cop website at https://sanrafaelsantacop.org.

Food for fines

THE San Bruno Library is participating in a Food for Fines food drive from November 1 – December 31, 2018. Bring non-perishable, food items to the San Bruno Library and get your overdue fines waived! All food collected will be donated to Second Harvest Food Bank. Food items must be unopened. No glass accepted. Some restrictions apply. Call the San Bruno Library at (650) 616-7078 for more details about the program.

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 7, 2018