120917 - Los Angeles Weekend edition

December 9-12, 2017 Volume 27 - No. 99 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

AFP backs martial law extension in Mindanao

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) supports the extension of martial law in Mindanao, a military spokesperson said on Friday, December 8.

In a media briefing, AFP spokesperson Major General Restituto Padilla said the military “similarly supports” the recommendation of the police force to extend martial law in order to address the persisting security threats in Mindanao.

“As far as I’m concerned, there is a recommendation to similarly support the recommendation of the Philippine National Police (PNP),” Padilla told reporters.

The AFP’s recommendation, Members of the Philippine military inspect the heavy damage caused by the according to Padilla, has been clashes between government troops and the ISIS-inspired Maute group in submitted to the Department of Marawi City.

DATELINE

Inquirer.net photo

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WELCOME SURPRISE. President Rodrigo Duterte leads the distribution of appliances to the arriving overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during the Pamaskong Salubong Para sa OFWs at the Clark International Airport in Pampanga on December 7. Also in the photo is Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III. Malacañang photo by Richard Madelo

Duterte pushes for decentralization: Manila will be a ‘dead city’ in 25 years

USA

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Multiple fires continue to plague Southern California

Fires break out in Ventura, Sylmar, Bel Air, Malibu, Oxnard, San Bernardino County, Huntington Beach and San Diego burning more than 116,000 acres

A VIRAL video has been making the rounds on social media that shows fires on the hillside near the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles along the southbound 405 freeway mercilessly burning acres of earth.

Drivers on their morning commutes stare in awe at the hellish landscape torched as the fire showed no signs of calming.

Since the early morning of Tuesday, December 5, fires have broken out all across Southern California’s hillsides, canyons and coastlines, prompting widespread evacu-

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PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, December 7 pitched for the development of other cities outside the capital region, saying that Manila will likely be a “dead city” in 25 years.

In a speech during a food festival in Pampanga, Duterte emphasized the

rehab the place,” the president said.

He added, “You have to disperse the crowd, limit the factories at some time in the future but not really [now] for that would be too early. About 10 years from now, they should close Manila and start to develop [other areas].”

But to do this, Duterte made note that the country’s mass transportation system would first need to be im-

importance of developing industrial cities as he pointed out that Metro Manila would no longer be a viable destination for investment.

With Manila’s apparent hopeless situation, Duterte said the only way to fix the area is to completely overhaul it.

“Manila, I think will be, in about 25 years, will be a dead city. It will start to decay and there is no way that we can

by JAMES

KONSTANTIN ManilaTimes.net

GALVEZ

THE Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court deferred the arraignment of Sen. Leila de Lima on Friday, Dec. 8 after the Department of Justice moved to revise the complaint filed against her.

Prosecutors asked Muntinlupa Regional Trial Court branch 206 Judge Patria Manalastas-de Leon to change the charge from Supreme Court justices, led by Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, enter the SC en banc illegal drug trading to conspira- session hall in Manila during the start of oral arguments on the consolidated petitions to cy to commit illegal drug trad- declare President Duterte’s drug war unconstitutional on Tuesday, Nov. 21.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman ing.

De Lima’s camp also appealed RARE APPEARANCE. Under heavy police guard, Sen. Leila M. de Lima waves the court’s decision on their moat her supporters on Friday, Dec. 8, after appearing before the Muntinlupa tion to dismiss the arrest warRegional Trial Court Branch 206 where her trumped-up charges on illegal rant against the senator. drug trade are being heard.

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Court defers de Lima arraignment

University of California continues Pacquiao says next fight likely in April 2018 support for DACA AJP WHILE Congress was narrowly able to avoid a government shutdown on Thursday, December 7 by passing a bill to extend government funding by two weeks, Democrats in the Capitol stepped up in their demands for Congress to protect DREAMers before the year’s end.

“We will not leave here without a DACA fix,” House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) told reporters on Thursday.

But as the fight to solidify what should become of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, one thing that remains certain is the University of California’s intent to advocate for the roughly 800,000 people brought illegally to the U.S. as children.

proved.

“So Manila is no longer an option for industries. They have to go to the provinces. But the most important thing is there has to be a transport, whether mass or if there are too many cars, then you have to expand the highways,” Duterte said.

Under its ambitious “Build, Build, Build” program, the Philippine gov-

Photo courtesy of Sen. de Lima’s office

IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas poses with Manny Pacquiao during a recent visit to the latter’s Senate office.

Senate photo

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Supreme Court continues oral arguments on drug war

by AJPRESS

FOR the first time since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte by RESS launched his so-called drug war in July 2016, key government ofFANS of Filipino boxing ficials faced the Supreme Court icon Manny “Pacman” Pac- (SC) this week to defend the legalquiao have something to look ity of his administration’s anti-ilforward to next year, as the legal drugs campaign amid thouformer eight-division world sands of killings.

Two groups—the Free Legal champion assured that he will Assistance Group (FLAG) and the still fight.

While he did not drop any Center for International Law (Cennames of possible opponents, terLaw)—challenged the constiPacquiao disclosed that his tutionality of Duterte’s drug war camp is currently negotiating in separate petitions filed before for a comeback match next the high court last October.

The SC began its oral arguyear.

“Siguro mga January malala- ments on the petitions on Noman natin (Maybe we can know vember 21, and held another two

by January),” Pacquiao told hearings on November 28 and u PAGE A5 December 5.

www.TravelTradeConsumer.com Asian Journal’s series of annual events showcasing tourism, trade, and business opportunities in the USA and Philippines.

Petitioners, respondents The first group of petitioners— the FLAG—was represented by lawyer Chel Diokno.

In its petition, FLAG assailed the legality of the Philippine National Police (PNP)’s Command Memorandum Circular (CMC) No. 16-2016, which lays out guidelines for the drug war operations or Project Double Barrel.

FLAG also assailed the legality of Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG)’s Memorandum Circular 2017-112, which establishes a system of anonymous reporting of suspected drug personalities.

The second group of petitioners—the CenterLaw—was represented by lawyer Joel Butuyan.

In its petition, CenterLaw

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A december 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL

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From the Front Page

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AFP backs martial law...

National Defense (DND) and was also forwarded to Malacañang.

The PNP endorsed the extension of martial law in Mindanao for one more year to President Rodrigo Duterte in order to address the continuing terror threats in Mindanao and to facilitate the rehabilitation of Marawi City.

Padilla, however, clarified that the AFP’s recommendation is “separate and different” from the recommendation of the police.

Asked how long the AFP recommended the martial law extension, Padilla did not provide information but confirmed that they want the military rule to be confined to Mindanao.

As for the reason why the AFP wants to retain martial law, Padilla said that terrorists who survived military offensives in Marawi City “still remain a threat though their capability is degraded.”

“Those who survived that siege still remain at large and are attempting to recover by recruiting other members of the society, particularly the vulnerable sector of our population, and they are students, children, women and the like, as well as relatives of those who lost their lives in the fight,” he added.

Duterte declared martial law and suspended the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao on May 23 following the attack of Islamic State-inspired Maute terrorists in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. The president’s 60-day proclamation was initially set to expire last July 22 but was extended by Congress until December 31.

The 1987 Constitution states that the president of the Philippines may place the country under martial law and suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in case of invasion or rebellion but not exceeding 60 days, while Congress has the power to revoke or extend such proclamation or suspension for a period.

Last month, Duterte said the decision to extend martial law in Mindanao anew will be in accordance with the recommendation of the military and the police, as they were the ones deployed in conflict areas.

With both the police and the military expressing support to retain martial law, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III said he is expecting the Senate to receive a formal request from Malacañang regarding the matter.

“I expect formal letter request for extension to be given to Senate on Monday then I immediately will take this up with my colleagues,” Pimentel said.

Congress will adjourn session on December 13 and is set to resume on January 14 next year, but if Malacañang asks both chambers to study the martial law extension for one more year, Pimentel said legislators will have to hold a joint session.

Asked if he is in favor of a mar-

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LIFE GOES ON. Displaced Marawi residents do their chores near their tent homes in the village of Bito Muadi itowa more than a month after the war in the islamic city ended. The government set up temporary homes for residents displaced by five months of fighting between soldiers and the Maute group.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

Duterte pushes for decentralization...

PAGE A1 t

ernment is rolling out P8 trillion-worth of road networks and other infrastructures to enhance the mobility in different parts of the country.

Some of these projects include the Mega Manila Subway, the Mindanao Railway Project, Malolos-Clark Railway Project, the LRT-1 North Extension Project, and the expansion of the Clark International Airport.

Backing Duterte’s call for decentralization, Senator Grace Poe warned that Metro Manila “may have no future if we do not act now.” “(W)e should seriously consider and push for outward development to decongest Metro Manila for the medium to long term but right now we have to jumpstart that initiative,” said the senator in a statement on Friday, December 8.

Poe also expressed optimism that the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program would contribute to easing the traffic situation in the capital region.

“Perhaps with the ‘Build, Build, Build’ projects of President Duterte like the Mega Manila subway, the completion of NLEX, SLEX, etc., we can see a marked improvement in the near future,” the senator said.

Improvement in the agricultural sector In the same speech, Duterte also stressed the need to “improve the manufacturing side” of the agricultural sector to propel the country’s economic growth.

He noted, however, that a lasting development must come alongside with peace.

“We have to improve the manufacturing site of the agricultural sector. That is the only way we can improve things. But we have

Court defers de Lima...

PAGE A1 t Manalastas-de Leon gave both parties 15 days to comment on the pleadings.

De Lima and former Bureau

of Corrections Director Franklin Bucayu, inmate Jaybee Sebastian, Wilfredo Elli, a certain Jose Dera, and De Lima’s former aides and alleged bagmen, Jo-

to have law or peace there,” the president said.

He then took a swipe at the communist rebels for allegedly collecting revolutionary taxes in agricultural areas.

With the country’s agricultural sector “lagging behind, almost to a fault,” Duterte also pointed out that the only way to boost it is by providing more lands to peasants.

He assured that he will continue to push for the government’s agrarian reform program and would not break his campaign promise of helping the landless tillers.

“The only way to improve it really is to give more lands, if you can afford it. I am for land reform. I am for… isa ‘yan sa mga sinabi ko sa kampanya (it’s one of my campaign promises) and I will not renege on it,” the president said. n enel Sanchez and Ronnie Dayan were accused of selling or trading illegal drugs inside the national penitentiary.

The senator is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City. n

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 9-12, 2017

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University of California continues...

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COURTESY CALL. President Rodrigo Duterte receives the credentials of Papal Nuncio-Designate Apostolic Nuncio of the Holy See Most Reverend Gabriele Caccia at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, December 6. Gaccia has been appointed by Pope Francis as the new Apostolic Nuncio to the Philippines. The Apostolic nuncio or papal nuncio is a permanent diplomatic representative or head of diplomatic mission of the Holy See to a state.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Multiple fires continue to...

PAGE A1 t ations and concern from residents and public officials.

With the help of the relentless Santa Ana winds, the Thomas (Ventura County), Creek (Sylmar), Rye (Santa Clarita) and Skirball (Bel Air) fires have scorched a total of 116,000 acres as of Thursday morning.

More than 5,000 firefighters (half of them directed to the massive Thomas fire) have been doing what they can to try to contain the expanding flames, fire officials said. Some 9,000 homes are still without power and school officials have shut down hundreds of schools in at least 15 districts.

At about 132,000 acres (and growing), the Thomas fire is the largest (roughly the size of the city of Denver) and only 10 percent has been contained as of Friday morning. On Thursday, the fire has spread north consuming parts of the Ojai Valley and west in La Conchita, reaching the Pacific Ocean.

More than 400 structures have been destroyed, most of them in the City of Ventura, officials said.

More than 50,000 residents have been evacuated and at least 15,000 homes have been threatened. A female body was found in the burned area near Ojai on Thursday, the known first ca-

sualty of the fires. Officials still have not identified the body.

Filipino-Americans Monica and Paul Salazar had been living in Ventura near Arroyo Verde Park since the 1990s. On Tuesday morning, they were ordered to evacuate.

“We smelled the smoke, that’s what we woke up to. We knew it was close,” Monica Salazar, a retired nurse, told the Asian Journal on Friday.

Their daughter had been calling them to urge them to evacuate as soon as possible. Paul Salazar went outside and remembers “really strong, hot and smoky winds.” He then knocked on neighbors’ doors, alerted them about the fire and urged them to evacuate, too.

“We were in panic mode and wanted as many people to leave because we knew the fire wasn’t going to stop,” Paul Salazar said, remarking on the “intense smoke” that permeated the neighborhood.

They then packed up their belongings and left before the sun was even up.

They’re currently staying with a relative in Culver City, and they remain “anxious” about the state of their home and when they’re allowed to go back. Portions of Highways 150 and 33 remain closed and the evacuations have not been lifted yet.

“It was mayhem,” Paul Salazar said, adding that both he and his wife were in a frenzy and knew they forgot to pack some valuables. “We were both barely awake, but we didn’t want to waste any time.”

“We’re ready to go home, but we have no idea what’s going to happen next,” Monica Salazar said.

The Creek Fire ignited in the Angeles National Forest around 3:45 am on Tuesday and reached a size of 12,605 acres. The fire has been 10 percent contained and officials have ordered the evacuation of 150,000 people.

Officials also confirmed that 15 homes and 30 structures have been destroyed in the stubborn fire which continues to blaze.

“Firefighters are challenged by high winds, poor access and steep, rugged terrain,” said a California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection report.

The Rye fire has consumed 7,000 acres and firefighters have made substantial gains, achieving 15 percent containment.

The mandatory evacuations have been lifted, as of Thursday morning.

Gov. Jerry Brown has issued an official State of Emergency in the Los Angeles and Ventura counties in response to the Thomas, Creek and Rye fires on Tuesday, urging residents to follow procedures delivered by local officials.

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“This is a busy time at the University of California,” said University of California (UC) President Janet Napolitano to reporters on Tuesday, December 5 in a meeting meant to provide updates on the university.

The leading public research university had just closed the application season for the upcoming year’s fall entering class, which Napolitano said was among the largest, and most diverse ever in the history of the institution.

After having set off a course two years ago to increase enrollment by 10,000 students, they are expected to surpass that mark by fall of 2018. Napolitano said that last year’s class enrollment was the largest ever since World War II, with current numbers sitting around 260,000 students in total throughout its ten campuses — roughly 200,000 are undergraduate students.

And applications are coming in full force with the UC system last year getting around 200,000 applications. UCLA, its Los Angeles campus, received the most applications of any campus in the entire country, according to Napolitano.

“We anticipate increasing enrollment by approximately 2,000 more students,” said Napolitano.

Aside from its reputation as the world’s leading public research university, UC has prided itself in providing historically underrepresented student populations with opportunities to pursue a world-class higher education through their “Achieve UC” program, for example.

“We view ourselves as a gateway to opportunity for Californians and we’re proud of that,” said Napolitano.

But perhaps the most notable demographic in light of recent issues of immigration are the university’s undocumented student population. According to Napolitano, approximately 4,000 students are thought to be undocumented — a vast majority are in DACA. For UC, the issue is personal and is especially so for Napolitano who created the DACA program in 2012 while serving as secretary of Department of Homeland Security from 2009 to 2013 under the Obama administration.

“I started DACA because it was clear that Congress was

not going to be able to act to address or form immigration law comprehensively, and that these young people were particularly the victims of that because they had been brought to the country at a young age,” said Napolitano.

She added that the average age at which people were brought to the U.S was around six years old.

“They grew up in the United States, they played by the rules, they’ve done everything that’s

expected of them,” Napolitano added. “They got into the University of California.”

As the program crumbled this year in the hands of the new Trump administration, the university has continued to set in place resources and services to help DREAMers. These services include the DREAM loan program for financial aid, legal services, campus-based student service centers, and enforcing that police or other enforcement

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Dateline USa

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Florida police say mass shooting Desperate for coverage: Are shortby Filipino at mosque thwarted term plans better than none at all?

JACKSONVILLE, Florida – Law enforcement authorities said they prevented a mass shooting at a Jacksonville mosque and arrested a 69-year-old Filipino immigrant who allegedly hates Muslims.

Police charged Bernandino Gawala Bolatete with having a silencer not registered to him in the National Firearms Registration and Transfer Record but obtained from an undercover

officer. The silencer was sold December 1 in the parking lot of Academy Sports and Outdoors at 11901 Atlantic Blvd.

Bolatete, a green card holder, was arrested at his home and faces up to 10 years in federal prison if he is convicted on the weapons charge.

He apparently has only one kidney left and it was no longer functioning fully. Police said this meant that Bolatete did not ex-

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Kaiser Health News

WHEN one of Cindy Holtzmanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clients told the Woodstock, Ga., health insurance broker he was considering dropping his Affordable Care Act plan because next yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s cost approached $23,000 for his family of four, she suggested a new option: a back-to-back set of four, 90-day short-term plans, which would effectively give them a modicum of mediFilipino immigrant Bernandino Bolatete was cal coverage for 2018.

An Obama administration rule arrested in Jacksonville, Florida on a weapons charge. Police say he planned to commit a limited short-term coverage to mass shooting at a local mosque. three months at a time because pect to survive the intended mass it was meant as a stopgap between more substantial policies. shooting.

The complaint stated that Bola- But several insurers, including tete had practiced shooting with the undercover officer at a gun range. They also drove by the Islamic Center and he pointed out to the officer the tower from which the mass shooting could be done. He told the officer he had five guns, including an AR15 that could be converted to an AR-47. He also said Muslims attended the mosque on Fridays, so that would likely be the day of the attack.

The Sheriffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Office worked with the FBI, Florida Department of Law Enforcement and other agencies throughout the investigation. (Inquirer.net)

Supreme Court continues...

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sought the issuance of writ of amparo to protect the families of the 35 residents of San Andres Bukid in Manilaâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;who were killed in drug raidsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;from the alleged harassment of police.

FLAG also filed a petition for writ of amparo for other victims of police drug operations.

On the other hand, the respondents in the petitions included PNP Chief Director General Ronald â&#x20AC;&#x153;Batoâ&#x20AC;? Dela Rosa, DILG Undersecretary Eduardo AĂąo, PDEA Director General Aaron Aquino, and Manila Police District (MPD) Chief Superintendent Joel Coronel.

They were represented by Solicitor General Jose Calida.

Destabilization Tagging the petitions against the drug war as â&#x20AC;&#x153;disingenuous moves to destabilize the Duterte

administration and sow anarchy,â&#x20AC;? the solicitor general claimed that the petitions â&#x20AC;&#x153;will have long-term, catastrophic effects on the nationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stability and security.â&#x20AC;?

The petitions, according to Calida, â&#x20AC;&#x153;intend to drive a wedge between the presidentâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;incites disobedience to the Chief Executive and depriving him of his powers and prerogatives.â&#x20AC;?

He added that the petitions also â&#x20AC;&#x153;emasculate the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s police powers by rendering inutile the PNPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sworn mandate to enforce the law and maintain peace and order.â&#x20AC;?

Neutralizing suspects Petitioners claimed that the PNPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s CMC 16-2016 paves the way for the police to kill suspects in guise of â&#x20AC;&#x153;neutralizingâ&#x20AC;? them during operations. They pointed out that the term â&#x20AC;&#x153;neutralizeâ&#x20AC;? in the memorandum could mean

big players Golden Rule and National General Accident and Health, now are sidestepping that rule by packaging three or four consecutive 90-day plans, with a one-time review of a patientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s medical history. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not pitching this to replace Obamacare, but when youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re telling me youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re going to get nothing,â&#x20AC;? Holtzman said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;I want to throw this into the arena.â&#x20AC;?

As premiums rise and some middle-class families feel they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t bear the costs of a more secure Obamacare plan with its coverage guarantees, brokers and agencies have unveiled a

slew of alternatives.

Consumer interest in other options has grown since the Trump administration stopped paying insurers subsidies they use to lower deductibles for lower-income ACA policyholders, which caused premiums to rise. The administration has also signaled it will soon loosen restrictions for alternative coverage, including ending the rule that limits short-term plans to 90 days.

If the Trump administration ends that 90-day rule, states could push back by imposing stricter regulations on these plans. California would be one of them, said Dave Jones, the stateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s insurance commissioner. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s likely that California would shorten the time period of a short-term policy,â&#x20AC;? Jones said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Generally policymakers in California who work in area of health care coverage donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t believe these [plans] are long-term solutions for people.â&#x20AC;?

Advocates warn shoppers considering these plans to carefully read the fine print and understand what theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re buying.

The plans might not cover what you think.

Betsy Imholz, the director of special projects for Consumers Union in San Francisco, said short-term health plans may

Photo courtesy of Kaiser Health News

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â&#x20AC;&#x153;kill.â&#x20AC;?

CMC 16-2016 states that PNPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Project: Double Barrel aims â&#x20AC;&#x153;to clear all drug affected barangays across the country, conduct no let up operations against illegal drugs personalities, and dismantle drug syndicatesâ&#x20AC;? by pursuing the â&#x20AC;&#x153;neutralizationâ&#x20AC;? of illegal drug personalities and its network backbone.

Calida, however, maintained that the killings of drug suspects were not sanctioned by the state, saying that â&#x20AC;&#x153;â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;neutralizationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; was defined under CMC No. 11-2017 as referring to the arrest or surrender of an illegal drug personality.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Masa Masidâ&#x20AC;?

Under the DILGâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;Masa Masid,â&#x20AC;? citizens can report suspected drug users and sellers in a community drop box.

Associate Justice Marvic Leonen agreed that being included in a drug list is already a violation of a personâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fundamental rights.

Leonen also noted that there is no mechanism for making a case and getting oneâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name off the list.

The drop boxes, Leonen said, violates Section 11, Article II of the Constitution which states that: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The State values the dignity of every human person and guarantees full respect for human rights.â&#x20AC;?

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno also asked the solicitor general if the drug list is subject to habeas data petition, which serves as a remedy for any individual â&#x20AC;&#x153;whose right to privacy in life, liberty or security is violated or threatened by an unlawful act of any official or employee, or of a private individual or entity engaged in the gathering, collecting or storing of data or information.â&#x20AC;?

Calida said the drug list is a matter of â&#x20AC;&#x153;national security,â&#x20AC;? and therefore cannot be covered by the writ of habeas data.

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Multiple fires continue to...

PAGE A3 t “this fire is very dangerous and spreading rapidly, but we’ll continue to attack it with all we’ve got,” Brown said. “It’s critical residents stay ready and evacuate immediately if told to do so.” the Skirball Fire has burned 475 acres of the hillside near the upscale neighborhood of Bel Air. More than 600 firefighters have contained 20 percent (as of thursday) of the fire. In response, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti issued a local State of Emergency for the area and urged residents who may be affected to evacuate and follow safety procedures delivered by officials. “these are the days that break your heart,” Garcetti said as he announced the local state of emergency. “these are also days that show the resilience of our city.”

Four homes have been destroyed with 11 damaged, and more than 700 residents in a 3.2 square mile radius have evacuated, including Josephina and Josh Miranda who live on Chantilly Road. the couple made the decision to evacuate their Spanish revival home (built in the 1940s) early Wednesday morning when they awoke to the neighbors’ dogs barking and saw the early morning sky painted a burnt orange tinge. “the sky looked like it was gonna be engulfed by the fire, too,” Josh Miranda, an engineer, told the Asian Journal on thursday morning. the family is currently staying with a friend in Hancock Park.

Neighbors and friends had been blowing up their phones alerting them of the nearby brush fire that erupted overnight. the Mirandas’ home is further away from the 405 freeway, but they wasted no time packing their valuables in their cars.

“We didn’t want to take any chances,” Josephina Miranda, a culture consultant in the film in-

dustry, said. “We packed up everything we didn’t want to burn and made our way here.”

“My wife woke me up before the sun even came up and told me there was a fire nearby,” said Josh Miranda, an engineer.

“We looked outside and all you saw from the west side of our balcony were flames and smoke everywhere. We looked at each other and just agreed that we needed to leave.”

Unsure of the current state of their house, they are awaiting news from local authorities of when it’s safe to return to their neighborhood. they’ve lived in LA since the 1980s and have “never seen a disaster quite like this.”

“We don’t know when we can go back. We’re waiting to hear from officials and all that, but we still have friends who haven’t evacuated yet,” he added. “We’re both still a little shell-shocked about this whole thing, [and we’re] not even thinking about our home being destroyed.”

On Friday morning, President Donald trump approved a California disaster declaration, ordering federal aid to affected areas. Additionally, the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to direct disaster relief efforts.

Experts pin the cause of the fire on the strong gusts of the Santa Ana winds coupled with the lack of recent rainfall in Southern California, according to the National Weather Service - Los Angeles, which tweeted that there was “hardly any rainfall so far this water year across most of [Southern California], and it’s not looking very promising in the next two weeks either.” the Ventura County Fire Department, however, said in a statement that the Santa Ana winds are predicted to slow down by Saturday.

Fires ignite in other counties New fires in San Diego, Hun-

University of California continues...

PAGE A3 t not contact, detain, question, or arrest individuals based on suspected undocumented status.

When designing DACA, Napolitano said they had no real idea how many would end up being enrolled in the program.

“When we started, we didn’t know whether it would be 5,000 or 50,000. We just didn’t know,” said Napolitano. “It ended up being close to 800,000 DACA enrollees.”

President trump rescinded DACA in September, leaving it up to Congress to pass a bill to save it by the deadline of March 5, 2018.

Shortly after on September 8, UC filed suit in federal court against the trump administration. “the basis is that they violated the administrative procedures act, and the due process clause of the constitution,” said Napolitano who became the only cabinet secretary to have filed a lawsuit against her successor.

Commenting on trump’s decision, Napolitano said, “I think it is inconsistent with the law, it’s inconsistent with good immigration enforcement policy, and it’s inconsistent with our values as a country. “to say I strongly disagree is too understated,” she added. “It’s really quite infuriating.”

Napolitano said that the case is slated to be heard in federal court in San Francisco on December 20, 2017.

“It’s been a very successful program and very popular because Americans as a whole recognize the value and talent that these young people bring,” said Napolitano.

UC efforts As the year comes to an end, the university has had its fair share of issues to deal with. Just this month, results from an investigation prompted by a whistleblower accused Napolitano’s office of meddling in an April audit came in. No evidence was shown to put the office in trouble.

At Napolitano’s meeting with reporters on tuesday, she shared a number of other efforts happening in the UC system.

In regards to student body information, Napolitano shared that 42 percent of UC students are first in their families to go to college. Out of the university’s faculty population, 900 faculty members were themselves the first in their family to attend college.

“From our first generation efforts, we want those students to see others who were once in their shoes, as possible role models,” said Napolitano.

As many universities across the U.S. have had to face issues surrounding sexual harassment

and misconduct, the UC system was not exempt.

“We totally redid the framework for handling those cases, whether they involve students, or faculty, or staff. We reformed the way they’re investigated, they’re adjudicated, they’re sanctioned. We’ve put things on timelines,” said Napolitano.

“We’ve made clear that the complainant has access to what’s going on. We’ve provided survivors all with what we call a care advocate that provides counseling and other types of support. We have our first ever system-wide title 9 officer. We’re now constituting a system-wide student advisory panel. I think we’re making some real progress,” she added.

Free speech has also been a big issue in the past couple of years. Controversial right-wing speaker Milo Yiannopoulos, for example, had been slated to speak at some campuses at the invitation of certain student groups. Many other students did not take it well — students at UC Berkeley particularly started headline-making protests.

“We’re actually standing up something we’re calling the National Center for Free Speech and Civic Engagement. It’s designed to sponsor research on free speech, particularly understanding what students understand free speech to be, what is their understanding of the first amendment, where did those understandings come from, what are best practices in terms of how campuses handle hate speech and at the same time, protect the values of inclusiveness and safety for students,” Napolitano said, adding that they were getting ready to appoint the center’s first group of research fellows.

Of course, Napolitano answered questions regarding the university’s efforts in maintaining its reputation as a research leader.

“We’ve always been at the cutting edge of research. there are new fields that are emerging all the time. And new types of jobs — jobs that we can’t even imagine today — will be jobs that emerge 10 years from now or 15 years from now,” said Napolitano.

“So that’s part of the challenge of the university — to be a premier research institution that actually is helping create that new knowledge on which those new jobs and new technologies will be based,” she added.

“We have a whole initiative dedicated to innovation and entrepreneurship. We do things from funding student competitions, to investing in our own companies that come out of UCrelated research. there’s a lot of activity going on there.” (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress)

Dateline USa

tington Beach, Oxnard and San Bernardino County have ignited as fire officials across the Southland try to contain the evergrowing flames.

In northern San Diego County, the Lilac fire, ignited through sustained Santa Ana winds on thursday, continued to blaze through Friday morning. So far, it has torched 4,100 acres overnight through Bonsall into Oceanside with no containment and 1,000 firefighters on the scene.

On thursday morning, Huntington Beach Fire Department officials responded to a fire in Bartlett Park near Beach Boulevard and Adams Avenue brought on by winds gusting at about 30 mph.

Seventy children and 20 staff members were immediately evacuated from the La Petite Academy, which sustained damage to the roof and attic, according to HBFD Battalion Chief Jeff Lopez.

Within the hour, the fire was extinguished. the fire burned for two acres and no one was injured.

In San Bernardino County, the Liberty, Little Mountain, and Meyers fires burned almost 600 acres of land, but both were contained and no one was injured, according to the local fire officials who responded thursday morning. those who live in the affected fire areas are urged to follow live updates from the city. For evacuation information, visit https://www.lacity.org/blog/fireevacuation-information. (Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 9-12, 2017

A

Ancajas the next Pacquiao, says Arum

by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

It seems top Rank Inc. Bob Arum has found the next version of Manny Pacquiao.

Arum said he has recruited and current IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas into the top Rank stable and is ready to showcase the Filipino rising star.

“He is going to become a top Rank fighter,” Bob Arum recently told Steve Kim of boxingscene. com. the 25-year-old Ancajas is coming off an impressive tKO win over Irish Jamie Conlan last November 18 in Belfast, Ireland to defend his title.

Now, Arum wants to keep Ancajas as busy as possible and give him a wider exposure.

“We’re going to fight him at least three or four times a year,” the veteran promoter added.

Arum’s hopes are so high on

SENATE COMMENDS WBO FEATHERWEIGHT CHAMP. Senators led by Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (3rd from right) join World Boxing Organization (WBO) international featherweight champion Mark Magsayo (middle) in a photo taken during Tuesday’s plenary session on Tuesday, December 5. The Senate had earlier adopted proposed Senate Resolution No. 562, which commended Magsayo for his victory over Shota Hayashi of Japan last November 25, 2017 in Tagbilaran, Bohol. Also in photos are (from left to right) Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, Joel Villanueva, Emmanuel Pacquiao, Antonio Trillanes IV and Joseph Victor Ejercito, along with Magsayo’s wife (3rd from left) and Jane Yap (4th from right), wife of Tagbilaran, Bohol City Mayor John Geesnell Yap. Senate photo by Albert Calvelo

Ancajas that he sees the Cavitebased fighter as the next face of Philippine boxing.

“We call him the ‘Next Manny Pacquiao,” he added.

Ancajas (28-1, with 19 KOs), who also fights under Pacquiao’s MP Promotions, will return in February next year, according to Arum.n

Pacquiao says next fight likely...

PAGE A1 t

ABS-CBN’s Dyan Castillejo.

According to Pacquiao, his match will likely be scheduled sometime within the first half of 2018. “By April may laban na (There will be a match by April),” the fighting senator said.

Pacquiao has not been in the ring since losing his World Boxing Organization (WBO) Welterweight title to Austra-

lia’s Jeff Horn during a match last July in Brisbane.

Pacquiao initially wanted a rematch against Horn but the Filipino boxer reportedly refused to have the fight again in Australia.

Asked about his supposed challenge to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) superstar Conor McGregor, Pacquiao said, “Wala pa kay McGregor (No news yet).”

In a social media post last November 23, Pacquiao teased a possible match next year against McGregor when he used the hashtags “2018” and “real boxing match.”

“Happy thanksgiving! Stay fit my friend. #realboxingmatch #2018 @thenotoriousmma,” the Filipino boxer posted on his Instagram account along with a photo of the UFC Lightweight Champion. n

A december 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline USa

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UN asked to probe Lumad killings in Mindanao tion still in place, and with recent pronouncements of the military endorsing the extension of said HUMAN rights group Karapa- declaration to allegedly quell tertan has asked the United Nations rorist threats, the situation is to probe the reported killings and bound to impact on civilians, espeforced evacuations of indigenous cially indigenous communities in peoples in Mindanao amid the Mindanao, who have experienced grave threats on their lives and secontinuing martial law rule.

In a statement, Karapatan said curity in the past years,” Karapatan that it sent a letter to UN Special Secretary General Cristina Palabay Rapporteur on the Rights of Indig- raised in its letter.

Karapatan asked the UN to enous Peoples Victoria Tauli-Cor“urge the Philippine government puz on December 7.

“With the martial law declara- to stop its military operations in ciby Kristine Joy

Philstar.com

Patag

vilian communities, including the indigenous people of Mindanao.

It said that the “military’s unwelcome presence” is a factor in the “abuses” to the Lumads.

Among the incidents cited by the group are the killing of eight T’boli and Dulangan Manobo farmers by the elements of the 27th and 33rd IBPA in South Cotabato; series of evacuations of Lumad communities in Surigao del Sur “due to military combat operations of the 75th Infantry Battallion-Philippine Army;” and the “incessant attacks of elements of the 73rd IBPA in Blaan communities” in Saranggani.

Karapatan asked the UN Special Rapporteur to “conduct an independent investigation” on the incidents the group cited in its letter.

“These recent incidents and previous cases of extrajudicial killings, illegal arrests, harassment and forcible evacuation of indigenous communities in Mindanao are illustrative of the worsening human rights situation in the country, as exacerbated by the counter-insurgency program and drug war,” the group added.

President Rodrigo Duterte, despite his earlier announcement of Marawi City liberation, has yet to lift the martial law rule over Mindanao.

On Thursday, the Philippine National Police confirmed that it sent its recommendation to the Malacañang to extend martial law for another year. n

MISS U BEAUTIES. Miss Universe 2017 candidates pose with Department of Tourism (DOT) Assistant Secretary Frederick Alegre (left), Skyjet President Dino Ochoa and other officials as they are welcomed by streetdancers and fans upon their arrival at the Mambajao Airport in Camiguin Island to promote tourism in the island province on Friday, Dec. 8.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

AFP backs martial law...

PAGE A2 t tial law extension, Pimentel said: “I’m consulting Mindanao leaders and people. I will give my personal stand in time of session.”

Senators Francis “Chiz” Escudero and Joel Villanueva shared Pimentel’s sentiment.

“Have not yet seen the request and justification for extension.

But should it be given to us, I

Desperate for coverage...

PAGE A2 t help a narrow group of people, but are generally a “dangerous” alternative for most consumers.

There are no benefit requirements, she said, which means coverage varies by plan.

“While premiums may be a good deal less, overall out-ofpocket costs may be far greater due to policy limits and surprise exclusions,” she said.

Advocates warn shoppers to carefully read the fine print and understand what they’re buying.

The plans might not cover what you think.

Most short-term coverage requires answering a string of medical questions, and insurers can reject applicants with preexisting medical problems, which ACA plans cannot do.

Because short-term plans fall short of ACA standards, policyholders are considered unin-

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7136 Haskell Ave., Suite 302 Van Nuys, CA 91406

sured and face a federal tax penalty under Obamacare, which could be hundreds of dollars for an individual or thousands for a family.

“If you absolutely cannot afford [an ACA-compliant plan] — and you are sure you are healthy — look at other plans. But they all come with the caveat that if you get sick, they won’t give you much coverage,” said Joel Ario, a former Pennsylvania insurance commissioner and now a managing director at Manatt Health Solutions, a consulting firm.

To keep premium costs low, the policies set annual and lifetime caps on benefits. Many don’t cover prescription drugs, and most exclude coverage for maternity care, preventive care, mental health services or substance abuse treatment.

Also not covered are preexisting conditions, defined as anything treated — or for which a “prudent person” should have sought treatment — during the previous 12 months to five years, depending on the insurer.

Insurers can also bar coverage for any condition a patient develops during their initial enrollment period, even if they want to sign up again for another term with the same insurer.

Broker Kelly Rector in O’Fallon, Mo., cautions consumers: “Even if they’re healthy enough to get on the plan now, but have a heart attack in a month, they won’t be able to reapply and will be out of coverage for the rest of the year,” until the next ACA open enrollment.

These plans aren’t prevalent in the Golden State. The California Department of Insurance estimates that there are only a few thousand active policies across the state.

will ask that Malacañang and security officials brief the Senate, even in executive session, as to the reason(s) for such extension before I decide,” Escudero remarked.

Villanueva, on the other hand, said, “As we have been saying, we badly need a briefing on this as to the updates and latest assessment, etc. before we can

decide.”

Senator JV Ejercito, meanwhile, noted that residents, businessmen, and government officials in Mindanao are “all satisfied with martial law in Mindanao” based on his conversations with them.

“Warlords, private armies cannot move around and their movements are now restricted. Likewise, [the] problem of thousands of loose firearms in Mindanao can now be addressed with martial law in effect,” Ejercito added. n

That’s because there simply aren’t many carriers willing to offer this option there, said Sean Malia, a senior director at eHealth.com, a private online health insurance marketplace.

“Carriers can’t make those plans work financially in California,” he said. “The state is looking for benefits in these shortterm plans that are almost on par with ACA plans, and that’s not really what the product is intended for.”

Sold elsewhere by a wide range of insurers, the plans usually pay a percentage of the cost for medical care, after the policyholder pays a deductible, which can range from $1,000 to $10,000 or more per contract term.

Already, insurers have begun offering plans that seem to anticipate that the Trump administration will restore the ability to hold short-term plans for 364 days.

National General’s package, for example, guarantees “eligibility for three more consecutive plans.” However, in those packages and similar ones offered by other insurers, the deductible resets every 90 days, so the patient would be on the hook for that amount every three months. That means a $5,000 deductible could grow to $20,000 if the policy were kept for the full year.

Premiums vary by insurer and other factors, including age, the deductible and how much coverage the plan provides.

Holtzman says a National General plan for her 46-year-old client, his wife and two children in Georgia with a $2,500 deductible every 90 days would cost $1,348 a month.

That’s appealing when compared with his current ACA plan, Holtzman said, for which

the premium would be about $1,900 a month next year, with a $3,000 annual deductible.

Still, if the family enrolled in a different ACA plan than his current coverage, the differences narrow.

The least expensive ACA plan in his area would cost his family $1,335 a month, according to government website healthcare. gov, which is about the same as the short-term plan by National.

The ACA plan has a bigger annual deductible — $13,600 for his family — but the gap dwindles if someone falls ill and the family ends up meeting the deductible under the short-term plan in each of the four consecutive terms.

Consumer advocates say an ACA plan would cost the family more upfront but would include benefits for any preexisting conditions and would cover more, noting the short-term plan does not include coverage for prescription drugs and excludes benefits for chronic pain, congenital conditions and immunodeficiency disorders.

“People should be aware,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute. “There’s a huge variety of plans out there from true bottom feeders that are going to take your money and don’t provide any protection to legitimate products that are designed to meet a short-term need.”

Her advice: Find a reputable broker, read the fine print “and look for caps on amounts that they will pay per service, which can leave you holding the financial bag if you have to go to the hospital.”

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

Supreme Court continues...

PAGE A4 t Oplan Tokhang Oplan Tokhang or house-tohouse visitation is among the projects included in the PNP’s Double Barrel.

Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio asked Diokno if conducting a case build up against a person who refused police entry violates the right to privacy, to which Diokno responded in the affirmative.

Leonen, meanwhile, made note that the Oplan Tokhang setup violates the right against self-incrimination, the right to custodial interrogation, and the right to do-

vide information on the number of people under the so-called “deaths under investigation” and micile. And if threats are given to those who were killed in legitithose who refuse entry to their mate operations. residence, Leonen added that it The senior associate justice may be a violation of the anti-tor- asked the information to be subture law. mitted with the respondents’ For his part, Calida said that memoranda 60 days after the last the the police only stay at the day of hearings. gates while implementing Oplan Among the data the high court Tokhang, and that they will just required respondents to provide move to the next door when re- include the gender and ages of fused entry. the killed; place and time of operDeath investigation ations; name of police leader and Based on the data provided by members who participated; prethe PNP, there have been 3,800 operations plan; post-operation deaths since the start of the ad- report; whether search warrants ministration’s campaign against or arrest warrants were issued; illegal drugs in July 2016. and names of the representatives Carpio ordered Calida to pro- issued. n

OFF TO LAW SCHOOL. After announcing her plan to study law next year, Presidential Communication Operations Office (PCOO) Assistant Secretary Mocha Uson appears to be already preparing for it. In a Mocha Uson Blog post on Wednesday, Dec. 6, Uson shared a photo of herself reading and surrounded by law books. She stated that these books were from Public Works and Highways Secretary Mark Villar and Build Build Build Chairperson Anna Marie Yu Lamentillo.

Photo from Facebook/Mocha Uson Blog

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 9-12, 2017

A

D ateline PhiliPPines Bong Revilla pushes for dismissal of his plunder rap PH laments North Korea’s continued weapons use

by Catherine

S. Valente ManilaTimes.net

by elizabeth

MarCelo Philstar.com

MANILA — Citing the Office of the Ombudsman’s “grossly and patently inadequate” evidence, former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. has asked the anti-graft court Sandiganbayan to allow him to file a demurrer which would seek the dismissal of his plunder case over the multibillion-peso pork barrel scam.

In his 57-page “motion for leave to file demurrer to evidence” Revilla maintained that none of the documentary evidence as well as witnesses presented by the ombudsman’s prosecution team could prove that he committed the elements of a plunder offense provided under Republic Act 7080 or the Plunder Law. Revilla, through his team of lawyers led by former Solicitor General Estelito Mendoza, said the prosecution also failed to establish the “combination or series of overt criminal acts” he supposedly committed in order to amass kickbacks or commissions from the pork scam, which based on the charge sheet filed by the ombudsman in June 2014, amounted to P224.5 million.

“No evidence has been presented by the prosecution of any amount allegedly received by Revilla by way of ‘kickbacks’ or commissions from [Janet] Napoles or any of her representatives. On the contrary, the witnesses of the prosecution have denied that any amount of money has been received by Revilla,” the motion, filed before the Sandiganbayan First Division, read.

A demurrer is usually filed by the defense after the prosecution finishes its presentation of evidence. It is a legal strategy employed by an accused to seek the case’s dismissal on the ground of the supposed weak evidence of the prosecution without having the need to present his or her counter exhibits.

But under the Rules of Court, an accused may first seek the permission of the court before filing a demurrer so as not to lose his or her chance to present counter-evidence if the demurrer gets denied.

Revilla, together with his former chief of staff Richard Cambe and the alleged pork scam mas-

Former Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.

termind Janet Lim-Napoles are facing a plunder case before the First Division in connection with the alleged misuse of the former senator’s Priority Development Assistance Fund or pork barrel.

Based on the information of the case, Revilla, through Cambe, received from Napoles a total of P224,512,500 in kickbacks of commissions in exchange for the allocation of his PDAF to the latter’s bogus non-government organizations.

Cambe and Napoles recently filed their own motions also asking the court to allow them to file their respective demurrer.

In seeking the court’s permission to file a demurrer, Revilla pointed out it was not even proven by the prosecution that the kickbacks allegedly received

by Cambe on his behalf indeed reached him.

“Parenthetically, Revilla does not admit the amount allegedly received by Cambe, and emphatically denies that whatever that amount may be, that Cambe received it in his behalf. Like any other alleged fact, these must be proven beyond reasonable doubt,” the motion read.

Revilla further claimed that if the court would closely look into the documentary exhibits of the prosecution, it would appear that only an amount of P36.5 million was received by Cambe on his behalf.

The former senator pointed out that since he and Cambe are the alleged “main plunderers” in the case, the received money must be divided between them, thus his supposed kickbacks would only amount to P18.25 million,

Philstar.com photo

way below the threshold amount of P50 million for a crime to be considered as plunder.

Revilla also washed his hands on the supposed non-implementation of his PDAF-funded projects by his chosen Napoles-linked NGOs. He argued that four government officials presented by the prosecution during his bail hearing all affirmed that a lawmaker’s endorsement of NGOs for PDAF projects “may not be regarded as overt criminal acts” but on the contrary, is an act “authorized and required by pertinent legislation and regulations of the Department of Budget and Management.”

u PAGE A11

MANILA — The Philippine government called on North Korea to commit to making meaningful progress to resolving the tensions in the Korean Peninsula.

Manila also lamented Pyongyang’s continued weapons testing following the latter’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

The Philippines expressed serious concern as such development increases tensions on the Korean Peninsula.

“Meaningful dialogue can only happen when the DPRK ceases such provocative and highly dangerous actions,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said.

Cayetano also reiterated the readiness of ASEAN to play a constructive role to help reduce tensions and promote peace in the region.

The ASEAN foreign ministers had released statements earlier this year urging Pyongyang to halt its weapons development and return to negotiations.

The Philippines’ foreign service posts in Seoul, Tokyo and Osaka are closely monitoring the situation and providing up-to-date information to Filipino communities in South Korea and Japan.

Pyongyang launched another intercontinental ballistic missile from Sain Ni, North Korea and traveled about 1,000 kilometers before landing within 370 nautical kilometers of Japan’s coast.

The United States also strongly condemned North Korea’s launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile which threat-

ened its neighbors, the region and global stability.

“Together the international community must continue to send a unified message to North Korea that the D.P.R.K. must abandon its WMD programs. All nations must continue strong economic and diplomatic mea-

u PAGE A9

A december 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL

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OpiniOn

Features

Cutting off funding

Terrorism, insurgency and organized crime need funds — lots of it.

Cutting off funding is therefore one of the most important weapons against illegal activities. This week the government approved tighter rules that will enhance detection of dirty money used for acts of terrorism as well as drug trafficking, kidnapping for ransom, hijacking, arson and murder.

The Anti-Money Laundering Council had been pushing for some time for tighter registration and reporting guidelines on suspicious transactions. Among those covered by the rules are banks, securities dealers and insurance companies. AMLC officials said penalties imposed in accordance with due process would encourage compliance. The covered entities will be allowed to use new tools to know more about their clients and determine if dirty money is being laundered or used for terrorist financing.

Besides the AMLC, the Bureau of Internal Revenue can help go after violators of those predicate crimes through their tax payments. Local governments and law enforcement agencies can pinpoint suspicious individuals to the BIR for possible in-

vestigation and indictment for tax evasion.

The country can be assured of support from the international community in cutting off terrorist financing. The Philippines came close to being blacklisted by the Paris-based Financial Action Task Force because of the exclusion of terrorism from the crimes covered by the country’s antimoney laundering laws. It took years before terrorism was included in the offenses covered by the Anti-Money Laundering Act, with opposition coming mostly from individuals and groups sympathetic to the communist movement. Now that the anti-money laundering police is being given more teeth to help fight terrorism and other crimes, it must make full use of the weapons. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year: Not Trump but the ‘silence breakers’ The Fil-Am Perspective Gel sAntos-relos Vindicated. Empowered. This is how I feel on behalf of my fellow women, and men who want to do what is right in honor of their mothers, wives, sisters, friends. TIME Magazine choice of the “Silence Breakers” — “for giving voice to open secrets, for moving whisper networks onto social networks, for pushing us all to stop accepting the unacceptable” — made that happen.

As TIME explained its decision to honor the women on the cover over other contenders including President Donald Trump — “the

galvanizing actions of the women in their cover — Ashley Judd, Susan Fowler, Adama Iwu, Taylor Swift and Isabel Pascual— along with those of hundreds of others, and of many men as well, have unleashed one of the highest-velocity shifts in our culture since the 1960s.”

TIME Magazine Editor-in-Chief Edward Felsenthal wrote, “Social media acted as a powerful accelerant; the hashtag #MeToo has now been used millions of times in at least 85 countries.”

Felsenthal looked back to the beginning of 2017 and intimated that “at its outset, did not seem to be a particularly auspicious one for women. A man who had bragged on tape about sexual assault took the oath of the highest office in the land, having defeated the first woman of either party to be nominated for that office,

as she sat beside a former president with his own troubling history of sexual misconduct. While polls from the 2016 campaign revealed the predictable divisions in American society, large majorities—including women who supported Donald Trump— said Trump had little respect for women. ‘I remember feeling powerless,’ says Fowler, the former Uber engineer who called out the company’s toxic culture, ‘like even the government wasn’t looking out for us.’”

But the injustice and victimization were not limited to sexual abuse. The TIME editor wrote, “2017 appear to be especially promising for journalists, who— alongside the ongoing financial upheaval in the media business—feared a fallout from the President’s cries of “fake news” and verbal attacks on reporters.

And yet it was a year of phenomenal reporting. Determined journalists...picked up where so many human-resources departments, government committees and district attorneys had clearly failed, proving the truth of rumors that had circulated across whisper networks for years.”

These collective efforts of women (and some men) have reached a critical mass, building pressure in the business world, entertainment industry and even in politics, to get rid of men who abuse their power and put an end to the oppression, objectification and harassment of women all over the world.

Highlighting this TIME annual tradition, Felsenthal wrote, “The roots of TIME’s annual franchise—singling out the person or persons who most influenced the events of the year—lie in the

so-called great man theory of history, a phrasing that sounds particularly anachronistic at this moment. But the idea that influential, inspirational individuals shape the world could not be more apt this year. ‘I want to show [my 11-year-old daughter] that it’s O.K. to stand up for yourself, even though you feel like the world is against you,’ says Dana Lewis, a hotel hospitality coordinator who is suing her employer over the actions of a serial groper. ‘If you keep fighting, eventually you’ll see the sun on the other side.’ Or as artist and activist Rose McGowan put it, ‘Why not fight back? What else are we doing?’”

Senator Al Franken of Minnesota was the latest powerful man who yielded to pressure coming from his own colleagues in the Democratic Party. When

he announced he would resign after multiple women accused him of sexual misconduct and abuse, he pointed out the irony and hypocrisy of the leaders of the Republican Party regarding this issue.

What happens now to the accountability of the president of the United States who himself has about 16 sex abuse complaints against him? And why did the POTUS even endorse an alleged child molester Roy Moore for senator? And why is the Republican Party complicit in this? *** 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.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Three types of peace: ‘Eleazar Preempting a looming power crisis Street and Daniel are Christmas’ Talk

Rhizomes

Prosy AbArquezDelAcruz, J.D. “PEACE is not the product of terror or fear. Peace is not the silence of cemeteries. Peace is not the silent result of violent repression. Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution of all to the good of all. Peace is dynamism.

Peace is generosity. It is right and it is duty” - Bishop Oscar Romero.

I WAS fortunate to have met these men: my father, Eleazar Abarquez, who raised and taught me generosity; Senator Daniel Inouye who taught me bravery and courage and David Mas Matsumoto who taught me culture and community. I am most grateful for being witnesses to their life examples which speak loudly of peace!

My father, Eleazar Abarquez, died on April 24, 2000. It was three years after his death when I found out that he lost three family members (his parents and a brother) during World WarII. My fraternal grandparents, both Filipino soldiers, were lured into the woods to look for their missing son. But, it was a trap, as the Japanese Imperial Army killed them.

Vigan Church’s pastor refused to bury them, fearful of backlash and retaliation. My grandparents got a decent and dignified Christian burial, only after my father’s persistent advocacy.

Orphaned at a young age, my father moved to Manila. Instead of despairing over the loss of his parents and a brother, he nurtured hope. He walked, barefoot for miles, to get to school and back. Sometimes he had food, other times hunger. His pants were made of recycled rice sacks.

He persisted until his dreams of

a law degree were interrupted when he met the love of his life, Asuncion, and married her.

Theirs was a bond of love, which defied all financial odds. From a two-room place, they later managed to build a two-story home for their children.

He was a labor inspector, tasked with enforcing the labor codes of the Philippines. My mother was a science and math teacher in a public school. But, their dreams were larger than what their careers offered. My mother took the initiative to immigrate first with my eldest sister, Rose, to Los Angeles and the rest of us followed.

My father was left to sell the fruits of their labor: the car, the house, and the lot. Months before martial law was imposed, he got a promotion to become the Southern Regional Administrator, appointed by then-Director of Labor Blas Ople. He was faced with his own dilemma: Should he pursue his new promotion in his career and be away from his family, or be reunited with them and start anew?

Peace is generosity Choosing new beginnings, he joined his family in America and got a counselor’s job at the Veterans Counseling Center in Los Angeles. He advised Vietnam veterans and as he did his work, he found healing from his losses.

After retiring from his job as a counselor, he became the primary caregiver for his grandchildren born in America: Jennifer, Brian, Michael, Paul, Jason, and Jessica. He would pick them up from school, cook dinners, and supervise their homework.

Even with persistent arthritis, he endured his infirmities to care

for them. Jessica wrote a tribute poem for her grandfather about his daily heroic deeds.

It was from him that I learned acceptance of what life hands to you. Instead of negativity, he taught me to transcend challenges by being generous. Year after year, I watched him give away what little he had. And it seemed he never ran out of blessings to share. The biggest beneficiaries were us, his children.

At Christmas, my father would give generously to Catholic nuns who came to our house in the Philippines, to sing Christmas carols. Even if it meant giving away his last cent, he provided for them and their medical needs.

At times, I heard my mom complain about their limited government salaries in the Philippines, and that he should limit giving away our resources. But, my dad believed that God provides, and he remained generous to every Sampaguita vendor or beggar that we would come across when our car was stalled in Manila traffic.

Long after he’s gone, his example still provides me inspiration and guidance. My reward is that precious blessing of peace in one’s heart.

From my father, I learned a code of conduct – contributing to serving others, before oneself.

Peace is the generous, tranquil contribution for the good of all Recall the internment of over 120,000 Japanese Americans, 65 percent of whom were American citizens, that was made possible

by Executive Order 4066, signed

by President Franklin Roosevelt, after World War II was declared?

Yet, with all these injustices the

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It is said that if hindsight is a perfect science, that makes scientists of our country’s national leaders and bureaucrats. In administration after administration, the would’ve-could’ve-should’ve syndrome has been a familiar affliction. In hindsight, everyone in the legislature and in Malacañang has been an expert on how a crisis would have, could have and should have been avoided if “someone” had acted promptly and efficiently.

Sadly, these buck-passers won’t admit that they could have and should have anticipated and acted on the crisis – but didn’t.

Well. Another crisis is looming. And this time it can be and should be avoided. It’s also an opportunity for this government to show that it knows how to manage national affairs, beyond liquidating drug suspects and conducting fruitless legislative investigations.

CNN Philippines has just run a five-part series on the threatening power crisis, entitled, “Powering the Future.” This time, it is a prospective rather than a retrospective situation confronting the government’s energy czars, as well as the legislature and President Rodrigo Duterte.

A situation they can and should promptly act on.

Much has already been said about past power problems that plagued the country, going back to the administrations of Presidents Cory Aquino and Fidel V. Ramos. Our leaders should already have learned the bitter lessons from the insufferable brownouts, the corrosive effect on the national treasury, and the negative impact on the country’s investment prospects and infrastructure programs – lessons that ought to prompt them to act expeditiously and efficiently this time around.

GreG b. MAcAbentA The CNN reports are persuasive: 1) The country’s current dependable power reserve is very low at 5 to 10 percent compared to other Asian countries, like Singapore with reserves at 50 percent.

2) During summer, power outages become unavoidable as supply grapples with the seasonal spike in electricity usage.

Offices and households need more cooling appliances, and establishments have to cope with increased tourism activities.

These, on top of regular household and business power consumption.

3) The Philippines’ power demand has been increasing at a rate of five to eight percent annually, one positive reason being the country’s strong economic growth.

4) The country’s ambitious 2017 to 2022 infrastructure plans and the growth of the power-intensive manufacturing sector will further add pressure on supply.

5) What makes the chronic power supply problem worse is the near depletion of the Malampaya Natural Gas Facility which provides 30 percent of Luzon’s total capacity of 11,218 megawatts (MW). The facility’s gas reserves are expected to run out starting in 2024, posing a serious power supply shortfall.

6) Note that a power deficit of 100 MW can result in a onehour daily rotational brownout.

So, how can these obvious problems be addressed and the

looming crisis averted? Again, the CNN report proposes solutions that any reasonably intelligent and diligent bureaucrat would, could and should understand: 1.

Build more power plants as soon as possible. This would, could and should ensure the steady supply of electricity needed to meet the growing energy demand.

2. Get rid of the disincentives for private sector investments in power plants, mainly, the red tape that unbelievably requires five years. COUNT THEM, FIVE YEARS to process an application for a permit to build a power plant. A power plant investor also needs to secure 162 clearances and 102 permits before any work can start on a facility. COUNT THEM: 162 CLEARANCES AND 102 PERMITS. Mercifully, Senator Sherwin Gatchalian, who has had handson commercial and industrial management involvement and expertise, has filed a bill to nip the bureaucratic red tape in securing power plant permits. He proposes the Energy Virtual OneStop Shop (E-VOSS), a website for all power plants in the country, that will allow a prospective investor to submit documents electronically, monitor the status and pay fees online.

The bill will also impose a 30day deadline to approve a specific permit. The entire process will be shortened to one-and-a-half years, at the most. That’s still a long time in view of the looming crisis but infinitely faster than five years.

Another promising development is the technology-neutral policy that has been adopted by the Department of Energy. This policy promotes various energy sources such as solar, geother-

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

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OpiniOn & Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 9-12, 2017

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Three types of peace: ‘Eleazar and Daniel...

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Japanese-Americans faced in internment camps, they were the most decorated battalion that fought in World War II. Daniel Inouye became one of the most decorated World War II heroes and then a U.S. senator. The 442nd combat unit garnered over 18,000 individual decorations for bravery, 9,500 Purple Hearts for casualties, and seven Presidential Distinguished Unit Citations.

While in camp, they lived in barracks, that were 20 x 120 feet, divided into four to six tiny apartments, with sheetrock walls, sometimes covered, sometimes not, with tar paper on the roof.

These wood shacks had gaps on the walls and on the floors, allowing heat and blistering cold to come in. They had common bathrooms that they had to walk to, traversing the mud with their wooden sandals. In some parts of the West Coast, they were housed in barns where horses were kept.

In Toyo Miyatake’s exhibit from October to December 2017, his black and white photos of that period showed how the Japanese Americans grew foliage and flowering plants to surround their barracks, making their living conditions bearable.

Another photo showed how they created inside the barracks, a community market of fresh fish, supplied twice a month by a Caucasian friend who sent them from Port of San Pedro. The photo’s caption conveyed the fact

that Japanese did not like the taste of the fish supplied in the camp that they made arrangements for other varieties of fish to be delivered.

These interned Japanese Americans taught their families acceptance and a code of behavior, called shushin, giving their lives in camp a sense of dignity.

They recognized that shushin, which is about perseverance, hard work and respect for authority, can now be their code of behavior to pass on. Instead of bitterness, they passed on giri, a strong sense of duty or obligation to others; on, a profound obligation to family, especially parents, a generational duty to do good to others, to look after generations to come. From this collective decision, they served others before themselves.

Instead of anger, the value of gaman, which means to endure adversity and to persevere, was taught by example. At times, it felt like they were passive, but while in camps, they taught their children watercolor paintings. The art of wood making was passed on. Even games of baseball were played. Dances and songs were taught. They centered on arts, spirituality and cultural values in the camps.

The cultural values of gaman and giri empowered the succeeding generations of Japanese–Americans — it is their way of remembering the sacrifices of their ancestors, not for themselves, but for the next generations. It marked the birth of

the Japanese American National Museum that is mostly funded by federal funds, army financial resources, and private donations.

At the Japanese American Museum in Little Tokyo, I saw desert sand of various colors that are encased in acrylic boxes, with artifacts such as boots, sandals, books, accessories of clothing, etc. With one’ s imagination, one might relive what the Issei (the first generation Japanese – Americans) experienced — harsh conditions that moved Pres. George H.W. Bush to say, ” No nation can fully understand itself or find its place in the world if it does not look with HAPPY DAY. Miss Philippines Rachel Peters takes a selfie with Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters clear eyes all the glories and the and children from an orphanage at a fast food chain in Pasay City.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma disgraces of its past. We in the United States acknowledge such an injustice in our history. The internment of the Americans of Japanese ancestry was a grave PAGE A7 t The U.S. and Canada are set to United States remains commitinjustice, and it will never be re- sures,” U.S. State Secretary Rex convene a meeting with the UN ted to finding a peaceful path to Tillerson said in a statement. peated.”

Command Sending States, which denuclearization and to ending Washington also called on includes Japan, South Korea and belligerent actions by North KoIt led to the Civil Liberties Act of 1988, authored by Sena- the international community to other key affected countries to rea,” Tillerson said. tor Inouye, authorizing redress take additional measures to en- discuss how to address North North Korea, meanwhile, conpayments to “surviving intern- hance maritime security aside Korea’s threat to international firmed that it has successfully ees, and which created a public from implementing all Unit- peace. tested new intercontinental baleducation fund to ensure that ed Nations sanctions against “Diplomatic options remain listic missile capable of “striking similar violations of civil liberties Pyongyang. viable and open, for now. The all of U.S. continent.” n will not be repeated against any other group based on race, religion or national origin.”

Peace comes from facing fear I met someone who was a dead ringer for my dad. I thought for a brief moment that my father was alive when I was introduced to Senator Daniel Inouye at a UCLA

PH laments North Korea’s continued...

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Preempting a looming power crisis

PAGE A8 t

mal, wind and hydro, and also includes coal and oil. The objective is to make power supply cost-efficient and reliable.

This is good news for current and potential coal power plant investors. Coal-fired power plants generate a third of the country’s dependable power supply and coal happens to be the most abundant, most reliable and least-cost fuel in the country.

Concerns have been raised about coal, in view of the climate change crisis, but proponents say that the problem can be minimized, with strict observance of the conditions in the Environment Compliance Certificate (ECC), which covers pollution, wastewater and tree cutting.

The emergence of the so-called clean coal technology could also reduce carbon emissions.

Renewable and environmentally ideal energy sources, like solar and wind, while expensive and difficult to set up, offer the prospects of a more sustainable energy program in the long run.

These should not be overlooked.

In sum, anticipating the country’s power needs and promptly acting on them should be given high priority by the government.

While hindsight is a perfect science, foresight is better proof of government efficiency and commitment to public service, For starters, perhaps, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) with its new head, Agnes Devanadera, can expedite ap-

proval of pending Power Supply Agreements (PSAs) to make sure power projects will start moving soon. Utang na loob. Huwag po namang five years, 162 clearances and 102 permits!

The build, build, build infrastructure program of the Duterte administration will sputter to a dead halt without sufficient energy. That is bad enough. But being caught without electricity in the summer heat and in the gloom of night is unforgivable, unless our national leaders act on the looming crisis now.

Lighting a candle in the darkness, instead of cursing it, is a palliative, but not a satisfactory response to a crisis that government would have, could have and should have averted. n

A10 december 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Sereno: Business as usual despite impeachment

by Jomar

Canlas ManilaTimes.net

Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno

Supreme Court Chief Justice maria Lourdes Sereno on Thursday, Dec. 7 urged justices, judges and court personnel to continue with their work despite the continuing impeachment process against her at the House of representatives.

At the 14th metrobank Foundation professorial Lecture on Inquirer.net photo “Judicial Accountability and Disciplinary Action Now and Beyond,” the chief justice said workers in the judiciary should not be distracted by the impeachment proceedings.

“To the men and women of the judiciary and my fellow coworkers, please continue to focus on your work.

Nothing should distract us,” Sereno said. “There is much to be done for this country. Our country is crying for justice and above all, may we continue to trust the Almighty God.” Sereno has refused to participate in the proceedings at the House, saying the complaints filed against her have no basis.

She lamented that the “politics of holding a microphone” can influence or manipulate people.

“There is a microphone in the Senate and in the lower house,” she said, adding that in philippine politics, the president “holds the loudest microphone.”

But Sereno said those people who hold the microphone should know their responsibility.

“They should be reminded about the due process, equal protection, fairness and all the concept of justice in the land,” she said. “I think women understand it intuitively, when a side is fair and when it is not fair,” she added.

The chief justice paid homage to strong women who wielded power.

“We have a fantastic history to look back to – the likes of melchora Aquino who inspired the Katipuneros. Her spirit was so dominant that it fuelled a revolution.”

“Women served as the guiding post for this country, we are expected to lead,” she said, adding that the oppression of one woman means the oppression of all women in the philippines. n

RISA UNDERGOES HIV/AIDS TEST. Akbayan Senator Risa Hontiveros led this year’s commemoration of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)/ acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) awareness at the Rizal Technological University in Mandaluyong City on Monday, December 4.

Hontiveros gets tested for HIV every year to bring awareness and combat the stigma about the disease.

Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

WHO denies endorsing Dengvaxia to DOH by sheila

Crisostomo Philstar.com

mANILA — The World Health Organization (WHO) office for Western pacific region on Tuesday, Dec. 5, denied the claims of the Department of Health (DOH) that the latter was guided by the WHO’s recommendation when it included Dengvaxia in its dengue vaccination program.

In a statement, the WHO said the program was already underway when their position paper on dengue vaccine was published in July 2016, based on recommendations of the Strategic Group of experts (SAGe) on Immunization which met and published preliminary advice in mid-April 2016.

The WHO noted that the position paper also “did not include a recommendation to countries to introduce the dengue vaccine into their national immunization programs.” “rather, the WHO outlined a series of considerations national governments should take into account in deciding whether to introduce the vaccine, based on a review of available data at the time, along with possible risks,” the agency added.

SAGe had recommended that the use of vaccine should only be considered in areas where a high proportion – preferably at least 70 percent – of the community had already been exposed to the virus, that the vaccine should only be provided to people nine years old and above and that people being vaccinated should receive three doses.

“The WHO acknowledged in mid-April 2016 that these conditions appeared to be met in the three regions of the philippines in which the dengue vaccination effort was already ongoing at that time, noting that the decision to roll out the vaccine had been taken by the DOH before WHO’s advice became available,” the agency said.

The Star tried but failed to reach the DOH for comment.

The program was launched on April 4, 2016 by then health secretary Janet Garin in metro manila, region 3 and region 4A where dengue is endemic. prior to this, however, the philippines took part in the three phases of the clinical trial of vac-

Photo shows empty vials of the dengue vaccine Dengvaxia at the Manila Central Vaccine storage room in Sta. Cruz, Manila on Tuesday, Dec. 5.

Philstar.com photo by Krizjohn Rosales

cine manufacturer Sanofi pasteur, which started in 2011 and involved some 3,500 children in San pablo City, Laguna and in Cebu City.

The WHO maintained that it is now looking forward to the advice of SAGe which is set to meet next week to review the new evidence that the vaccine could lead to more severe forms of dengue if given to those who have not had dengue in the past.

“As always, we stand ready to work with the DOH to provide information to affected families and to support the DOH’s deliberations on the future of the dengue vaccination program,” the agency said.

WHO has advised “anyone (vaccinated or not) with signs of dengue disease — high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, nausea, vomiting, swollen glands and/or rash — to seek medical care.”

French advised against Dengvaxia meanwhile, a public body close to France’s health ministry last year advised against the use of the Dengvaxia dengue vaccine in the country’s overseas territories currently at the center of a health scare, regulatory documents have shown.

Concerns surrounding the vaccine, sold by French drugmaker Sanofi, have prompted the philippines to halt its sale and suspend a government program to immunize hundreds of thousands of children.

The WHO said on Tuesday it supported the philippines’ decision until more information was available.

It said its SAGe on Immunization would meet to review evidence next week.

The WHO, which issued a report identifying the vaccine’s safety risks in mid-2016, recommended it only be used in people who had prior dengue infection.

Documents issued in 2016 by the Haut Conseil de la Sante publique, a public body close to the French health ministry, showed France’s overseas territories were also warned of risks linked to the vaccine.

The health body advised in June 2016 the vaccine not be used in territories such as the Caribbean islands of La martinique and Guadalupe and French Guiana on the grounds that its effectiveness was not demonstrated with people who had not previously been exposed to the virus.

In October 2016, it also warned of safety risks.

Dengue is a mosquito-borne tropical disease that kills about 20,000 people a year and infects hundreds of millions more.

Brazil, which shares a border with French Guiana, said on monday it had suggested restrictions on the use of Dengvaxia but had not suspended access to the vaccine.

Dengvaxia has been approved in 19 countries and used in 11. It is currently under review by european health regulators. n

Church leaders to Duterte, NPA: ‘Talk peace instead of war’

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

CabiCo

mANILA — religious leaders on Friday, Dec. 8, called on president rodrigo Duterte and the Communist party of the philippines – New people’s Army to talk peace instead of war.

In a statement, philippine ecumenical peace platform also asked Duterte to revoke proclamation No. 360, which formally terminated the peace negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the philippines.

“This new development is indeed very tragic as there were high hopes a year ago that peace will be achieved through the negotiations between the Government of the republic of the philippines and the NDFp after five decades of armed conflict,” pepp said.

It added: “We thus call on president Duterte to rescind both proclamations and we implore both the Grp and the NDFp to return to the negotiating table—to talk peace instead of waging war.”

In this photo taken Nov. 23, 2016, members of the New People’s Army communist rebels with face painted to conceal their identities, stand in formation during ceremonies before a news conference held at their guerrilla encampment tucked in the harsh wilderness.

Philstar.com photo

The church leaders said that violence will “surely ensue” following the chief executive’s declarations.

“Abandoning principled dialogue and relying on purely military might will be very costly, both in terms of lives and resources. A militarist approach will only fan the flames of the conflict instead of truly addressing it,” pepp stressed.

Holiday truce religious leaders also called on the government and the NDFp to declare and observe the yearly Christmas ceasefire.

“As we approach the day of birth of Jesus Christ, the bearer of hope, let us all pray and work for a just and enduring peace, starting on the call to resume the Grp-NDFp peace Talks,” pepp said.

But Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on December 5 said he will not ask Duterte to declare a ceasefire with the NpA due to heightened guerrilla attacks against state forces.

“No, I will not. Because there was an order by their commanders to intensify operations against us,” Lorenzana told reporters.

The defense chief said suspending military operations against the armed rebels would leave soldiers vulnerable to assaults from the NpA. A self-styled socialist, Duterte reactivated peace talks with communists in August last year.

Both sides have been in on-off negotiations since 1986. n

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EU development fund for Philippines still intact until 2020

by Marichu

VillanueVa Philstar.com

DESPITE President Duterte’s accusations of meddling in his governance and Philippine internal affairs, the European Union is keeping intact its development aid for the country from 2014 to 2020.

The 325-million-euro fund from the EU Development Cooperation will be available for release once “value-based” rules are complied with, EU DevCo officials told a press briefing here on Tuesday night on the next cycle of official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines.

“We’re now reviewing the midterm of the seven-year program that started in 2014 and a lot of things have happened

since then. So we’re looking at whether or not we’re doing the right things,” one of the EU DevCo executives told six members of the Philippine press, including The Star, who were invited under the EU Journalists Program by the EU delegation to the Philippines.

The EU DevCo executives in charge of the ODA package for the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries requested for non-attribution of their comments during the briefing, except for official matters that were discussed.

“The EU itself is not immune from politics. But we cannot let politics leave anyone behind,” the same EU official said.

The next cycle of the ODA program increased from the 2007-2013 period amounting

to 128 million euros.

Bulk of the unreleased portion of the 325-million-euro ODA are allocated to support the ongoing Mindanao peace process, anti-poverty programs, rule of law, human rights and justice projects of the Duterte administration.

Of the total package, 225 million euros are allocated for sustainable energy and growth and job generation, while the balance of 95 million euros is meant for rule of law.

Meanwhile, the release of 99 million euros for the Mindanao peace process largely depends on the final outcome of the peace process involving the passage and implementation of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL), whose timeline runs from 2018 to 2023. n

Opposition on de Lima’s award: You can’t put a strong woman down

by Gaea

Katreena Philstar.com

cabico

MANILA — Opposition senators on Thursday, Dec . 7, congratulated their colleague Sen. Leila de Lima for being recognized as one of the leading global thinkers of 2017 by American magazine Foreign Policy.

They said de Lima’s dedication to the cause of justice and human rights in the country, particularly her public denouncement of the government’s war on drugs, has not gone unnoticed.

“Her steadfast convictions have captured the interest of people all over the world and have started a global conversation that throws into sharp focus the dangers and abuses happening under this administration’s ruthless anti-drug campaign,” opposition senators said.

They added: “This award serves as a reminder to all of us that you can never put a strong

woman down, much less one who sides with truth.”

The senators lauded de Lima for remaining true to her principles despite being detained in Camp Crame.

“We are proud to have such an indomitable spirit among our ranks, and we will stand by her as she carries on with her campaign against injustice and human rights abuses in our country,” they said.

Opposition senators include Bam Aquino, Franklin Drilon, Risa Hontiveros, Antonio Trillanes IV and Liberal Party President Francis Pangilinan.

For two consecutive years, de Lima has been named as one of the leading global thinkers by the magazine.

Malacañang on Tuesday, Dec. 5, said it respects the decision of the magazine to include de Lima as one of the 50 leading global thinkers of 2017 but said the recognition does not

diminish the “serious” charges against her.

The senator, an outspoken critic of the administration, was accused of protecting and coddling drug traders inside the New Bilibid Prision during her stint as Justice secretary. de Lima is facing three counts of violations of the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. She has repeatedly denied the charges. n

BLOODLETTING AT CAMP AGUINALDO. A soldier donates blood at the “Dugo, Dugtong Buhay para sa Kawal”, a joint bloodletting project of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Officers Club Inc. and V. Luna Medical Center, held at the AFP headquarters in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Thursday, Dec. 7.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Bong Revilla pushes for dismissal of his plunder rap PAGE A7 t

Revilla said all that was proven by the testimonies of pork barrel scam primary state witness Benhur Luy and the other whistleblowers was that they were the ones who organized the bogus NGOs, falsified the accomplishment reports for what were supposed to be “ghost projects,” deposited PDAF money to the bank accounts of NGOs and withdrew the money, allegedly upon the order of their boss, Napoles.

“Consistent with the evidence submitted by the prosecution, there would not be any piece of evidence, which would even suggest that accused Revilla was involved, or had even knowledge of what Benhur Luy and the other whistleblowers together with Janet Lim

Napoles did to apparently implement PDAF projects but which turned to be ‘ghost projects’ and ‘misappropriate the proceeds’ thereof,” the motion read.

Revilla further pointed out as admitted by the bank representatives presented by the prosecution as witnesses “the AMLC has not issued any ‘freeze order’ on any of the bank accounts of Revilla or his family, particularly on the ground of ‘unlawful activity.’”

“Since the accused is under detention, for nearly four years now, his release from detention is not just a constitutional right but a vindication that before the Sandiganbayan, the search for justice is not a Don Quixote effort,” Revilla said.

Revilla and Cambe are de-

tained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame, Quezon City while Napoles is detained in Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City.

Just in September of this year, Revilla’s former fellow Sen. Jinggoy Estrada was released from detention after the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division granted his petition for bail. The court said the prosecution failed to present evidence showing that he is the main plunderer in the case filed against him, which also stemmed from the “pork” scam.

Former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, who is also facing a plunder case over the pork scam, was granted bail by the Supreme Court in August 2015 for humanitarian considerations. n

DARE TO INSPIRE. DARE TO LEAD. B E L E G E N D A R Y. Sen Leila de Lima

Senate photo

Three types of peace: ‘Eleazar...

PAGE A9 t

event.

Allow me to share the bravery of Senator Dan Inouye. He was the first successful senator to have accomplished for our Filipino WW II veterans, a provision in H.R. 1, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5), signed by President Barack Obama, which provides 18,000 living Filipino World War II veterans, a one-time payment of $15,000 to American citizens of Filipino descent and $9,000 to Filipino veterans of WW II who are non-citizens – a total of $198 million.

I was listening to an audio recording at the Smithsonian’s exhibit called Price of Freedom in Washington, DC about Senator Dan Inouye’s bravery. It was likewise reported by Robert Asahina in “Just Americans: The Story of the 100th Battalion/442nd Regimental Combat Team in World War II.” “And later he found out he had been shot in the stomach, but he kept climbing up the hill. A machine gun nest was firing at him.

He threw a grenade, knocked out that machine gun nest, another machine gun nest opened up on him. A German soldier stood up with a grenade launcher, launched a grenade straight at Inouye.”

Inouye was carrying a live grenade in his right hand when the German grenade hit him, nearly severing his right arm. [Inouye] grabbed the live grenade out of his right hand with his left hand, threw it into the machine gun nest, blew up that machine gun nest, fell to the ground, crawled up the ground, then got hit a third time by another rifleman before he was knocked out.

For four days and nights they fought their way through these very dense mountains,” says Asahina, who has visited the site.

“The canopy is so dense that when you are in there in the middle of the day, it’s dark. And they were fighting there in the dark,

climbing hills with the Germans firing down on them. It was one of the most heroic battles of the French campaign.”

As for the interned Japanese – Americans, David Mas Matsumoto wrote ” We live with ghosts or spirits all around us, they are a sense of history that bonds all of us. Culture is alive and evolving.

The facts are not as important as the process of change and acceptance…..For we too are simply ordinary people with a universe passing by us and through us.”

The community has, since that period of internment, worked for decades to achieve redress and reparation, much like how the Filipino Veterans and the community supporting them, struggled for equity.

This October 2017, the highest award of Congressional Gold Medal was given to the Filipino World War II veterans, 75 years after their heroic acts were done, some of whom sacrificed their lives to protect and defend American soldiers.

Both movements were made up of cumulative depths and levels of contributions, including solidarity campaigns from many sectors. This Christmas, can we be at peace? Can we say we have experienced any of these forms of peace: serving others, sacrificing our lives for others, being generous to others? *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”

She has been writing for AJ Press for 9 years now. She contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government.

She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 22 national parks in the US, in pursuit of her love for arts.

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal What Rachel Peters wants to teach Moira de la Torre is Breakout Star of 2017 Miss Universe queens about Philippines by

Miss Universe Philippines 2017 Rachel Peters missed on reaching the pageantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Question and Answer portion that she trained hard for. But in an interview with on Thursday, Dec. 7, Rachel was able to showcase the wit and charm the entire universe missed at the coronation night.

During the press conference organized by Filipino food chain Jollibee, Rachel answered a question fromPhilstar.com: â&#x20AC;&#x153;What Filipino traditions and places would you like to teach and show to your fellow Miss Universe candidates?â&#x20AC;?

Peters answered the question with grace and poise, as if answering in the pageantâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Q&A. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the values that make the Philippines great is that Filipinos are so hospitable. We always want to make sure people have a good time. That and the feeling of being a family. When you invite someone into your home, youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re inviting them as a part of your family. so, thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re doing to everyone in the Miss Universe Organization while theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re here. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s something that they can take

BaBy a. Gil Philstar.com

â&#x20AC;&#x153;TiTiBO-tiboâ&#x20AC;? is this weekâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s number one song on spotifyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Philippines Top 50 chart. it is cute perky number about a young tomboyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s confusion about her feelings for a boy composed by Libertine Amistoso. it was the grand prize winner of one million pesos at the recently concluded â&#x20AC;&#x153;Himig Handogâ&#x20AC;? songwriting contest. it is also the latest hit by todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hot music discovery, the La salle College of saint Benilde student Moria de la Torre.

Moira of the sweet and easy singing style, has been around for a few years now doing some gigs and uploading her videos on the net. she was discovered when she joined the first season of â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Miss Universe Philippines 2017 Rachel Peters (left, with Miss Canada) toasts fried chicken back- Voice of the Philippinesâ&#x20AC;? where her rendition of to-back with her Peters â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;sisterâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Miss Universe 2017 Demi-Leigh Nel-Peters (right, toasting with â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hallelujahâ&#x20AC;? deeply impressed the coaches. HowMiss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere).

Facebook/Jollibee Philippines ever, it was only recently that she started coming back and share to people in their about her plans after Miss Uni- up with one big selling song after another. verse, and she said: â&#x20AC;&#x153;iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m taking countries as well.â&#x20AC;?

PAGE B3 Moria de la Torre Though she did not win, she it easy. Christmas is coming up. said she has become stronger itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s time for family and taking a and braver since joining the moment to be thankful for everything.â&#x20AC;? competition. she said she always wanted to â&#x20AC;&#x153;Going through something like that, it takes a lot of bravery. bond with her family in Thailand.

You become more confidentâ&#x20AC;Ś There are rumors that besides You help others around you. concentrating on her coffee shop i think going on any pageant, business in siargao, she will also -/( *VU]LU[PVUHS most especially Miss Universe, enter politics to join her boyfriend, 7\YJOHZL 9LMPUHUJL it changes you, it makes you Camarines sur Gov. Miguel Luis stronger, braver, and more ready Villafuerte. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll see what happens in to face whatever else comes after 2018!â&#x20AC;? she said. (Deni Rose M. the pageant.â&#x20AC;?

Philstar.com asked her again Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)

Philstar.com photo

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Stars grace beauty pageant for special kids

ALDen Richards, Judy Ann santos, Carla Abellana and Billy Crawford were among the celebrities that crowned the winners and

joined the models of Miss Possibilities Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pageant and Celebrity inclusive Fashion show, a beauty pageant and runway

show for special children, held last December 2 at the Henry irwin Theater of the Ateneo University in Quezon City.

Claimed to be the first of its kind in Asia, the beauty pageant and runway show has been designed for women and girls with ages 12 and above. it aims to create â&#x20AC;&#x153;a place where all of us are included and celebrated for all of our differences,â&#x20AC;? said suzanna Pavadee Vichienrut Yuzon, Founder and President of Miss Possibilities Foundation. in a statement, Yuzon said the foundation aims to build â&#x20AC;&#x153;a community filled with unconditional Participants and celebrities at the Miss Possibilities Foundationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Pageant and Celebrity Inclusive love and empathy for every felFashion Show.

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B DECEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Pro race car driver Neil Alberico shares Filipino pride, sets goal to become first Fil-Am in IndyCar

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

But if there’s anything else the Filipino-American race car driver To those in the world of auto is passionate about outside of his racing, the San Clemente-based racing career, it’s the Philippines, Indy Lights racer Neil Alberico and sharing that meaningful asmay come off as a classic Cali- pect of his life.

Ask him about the country, and fornia guy who spends what little free time he has off-season play- he’ll gladly and vividly tell you ing beach volleyball, or catching stories of the many experiences choice waves with his professional he’s had, whether it be trying local delicacies, digging for huge mud crabs, or using liter Coke bottles surfer friends. attached to fishing lines in place of fishing poles.

Despite living in Southern California, the Verizon IndyCar Series prospect is no stranger to the Philippines. Alberico has been going to the country since he was just two years old, spending time on Semirara Island in Caluya, Antique where his mom Nora grew up.

When he went to the Philippines two years ago, he brought along a few of his childhood friends from California, who after hearing about many of his trips to the Philippines, wanted Neil with Philippine Department of Tourism - LA Tourism Attaché Richmond Jimenez, Fay Castro in. (administrative officer) and Jemma Garchitorena (marketing assistant).

AJ Ads 54_Layout 1 10/5/15 12:54 PM Page 1

“They wanted the real local experience so we took the boat to my mom’s island instead of flying the jet. It was like a fourday trip to get there and they were stoked just to kind of see firsthand where my mom came from,” Alberico shared with the Asian Journal.

“It was a really cool experience for me because I got to share with them my heritage and my background,” he added.

As a Fil-Am “ambassador” through the Philippine Department of Tourism in Los Angeles, sharing his love for the country comes naturally, which in part stems from having such a closeknit family.

For Alberico, connecting to his Filipino roots means bonding with family. With over 25 first cousins on his mom’s side, Alberico recalled having numerous activity-packed weekends.

He also shared how his mom came to the U.S. at 28 years old to work, sending money back home to the Philippines, and helping her family get the same opportunities by petitioning them to the land of opportunity — something many Filipinos can relate to.

“Being Filipino and going and visiting the islands since I was 2 years old has been a big part of my private life, so to be able to share that with people, and to show people what it means to be Filipino is going to be really cool,” said Alberico.

“Taking my private life and kind of making it public is really exciting for me. It’s something I’m passionate about because it’s who I am,” he added.

Alberico will once again be heading out to the Philippines this weekend amidst the holiday festivities, but this time, he’ll be focusing on preparing for next year’s 2018 racing season. This includes hopping onto the ABSCBN’s daily sports talk show “Hardball” to chat about his racing career and introduce himself to fellow Filipinos.

Having recently finished his

Indy Lights racer Neil Alberico seeks to enter the Verizon IndyCar Series for 2018.

Neil finished third at the Grand Prix of St. Petersburg this past March.

second consecutive season with Carlin Motorsport, Alberico is fully dedicating his off-season towards his goal of racing in the Verizon IndyCar Series and its premier Indianapolis 500.

A bonus goal that comes with it? Becoming the first FilipinoAmerican in IndyCar since Jovy Marcelo who unfortunately died in a fatal crash while practicing for the 1992 Indy 500.

“I want to be that FilipinoAmerican IndyCar driver and try to fly the flag for us,” said Alberico before giving a shout out to his Carlin racing crew.

He added, “I’ve built such a good relationship with those guys over the years, and they’ve been so good to me.”

To keep in shape, Alberico has been working with a number of different people to work on his strengths and weaknesses not only physically, but technically and mentally as well.

In mid-November, he went back to his karting roots and competed in the USA SuperNationals superkart race in Las Vegas.

His typical off-season day starts off with getting up between 6

age gracefully

Stirring It Up With Cauliflower Tofu and Vegetable Stir-Fry Serves 2–4

BY GRACE O

Is cauliflower the new kale, or just an old favorite rediscovered and reinvented? A member of the nutritionpacked, cruciferous cabbage family along with Brussels sprouts and broccoli, cauliflower is anti-inflammatory and antioxidant-rich, and may boost both heart and brain health. Eating cauliflower provides impressive amounts of vitamin C, vitamin K, beta-carotene, and much more while supporting healthy digestion and detoxification.

It also contains sulforaphane, a sulfur compound that has been linked to killing cancer stem cells, which can slow tumor growth. A great way to enjoy cauliflower is to bake it with olive oil, salt and pepper. I like to add turmeric (another anti-inflammatory) to give it an extra nutrition boost. I also include it in my Tofu Vegetable Stir Fry which provides plenty of health-boosting vegetables. In addition to the cauliflower and proteinpacked tofu, it contains broccoli, a good source of lutein, which can help prevent macular degeneration. Both the cauliflower and the kale in the recipe have phytonutrients that protect against cancer. I like to use a wok to prepare this dish, but a large skillet will do. Enjoy versatile cauliflower which is in season from September to June.

1 package (8 oz.) firm tofu 6 Tbs. peanut oil 1 Tbs. grated gingerroot 2 Tbs. minced garlic 1 cup baby carrots 1 cup snow peas 1 cup broccoli florets, cut or separated into bite-size pieces 1 cup cauliflower florets, cut or separated into bite-size pieces 3 cups chopped kale 2 chopped scallions 2 Tbs. oyster sauce combined with 2 Tbs. water 2 Tbs. cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup cold water

and 7 a.m., eating a nutritious breakfast, and drinking a cup of Bulletproof coffee.

“Diet and nutrition [have] been a big part of my life this offseason,” said Alberico. “Making changes and eating well is a constant reminder of dedicating your life to something and wanting to be better.”

The rest of his day involves spending time at the gym and behind his simulator, or playing some beach volleyball or surfing.

Despite not having driving plans in his upcoming Filipino trip itinerary, Alberico is proud of the country’s car culture. other known names in Philippine racing are F1 driver Marlon Stöckinger and Ferrari Challenge Asia Pacific winner Angie King.

“I think Filipinos have a really cool car culture,” said Alberico, noting the country’s particular interest in the import scene. “[B]eing a Mazda driver for the past six years, I think I’m connected well with the whole Mazda scene,” said Alberico who joined the Mazda Road to Indy in 2012.

Despite having meetings as a priority for the trip, Alberico said he’ll be bringing his helmet in case he does end up driving something.

“Fingers crossed,” he said laughing.

When time does open up again for him to go out and explore the Philippines, Alberico hopes to again get his friends together and explore other areas. “ T h e r e ’ s o v e r 7, 0 0 0 islands. There’s so much to do,” said Alberico, adding that he’s looking forward to surfing and diving during future trips.

1. Drain the tofu and press between paper towels to remove excess water. Cut tofu into 1- to 11⁄4-inch cubes.

Neil (middle) with his parents Loren and Nora Alberico

2. Heat 4 Tbs. of the peanut oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu and fry until golden brown, about 2–3 minutes. Remove tofu from pan and keep warm.

Maine Mendoza still a no-show on ‘Eat Bulaga’

3. Add the remaining 2 Tbs. peanut oil to the pan and sauté the ginger and garlic over medium-high heat until lightly browned, about 2 minutes.

4. Add the carrots, snow peas, broccoli, and cauliflower and cook until just tender but still crunchy, about 7–10 minutes.

5. Add the kale and scallions and continue cooking until kale softens, about 4–5 minutes.

6. Stir in the oyster sauce mixture and cornstarch mixture and cook until a thick sauce forms, about 2 minutes. (If using unfried tofu, add now and cook until heated through, about 2–3 minutes.)

7. Remove vegetables from heat. Fold in tofu.

GRACE O – Combining her passion for food and a commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, GRACE O has created FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness. Grace O is a fusion chef with a mission: to cook up recipes for a long and joyful life that are built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 15 years in the healthcare industry. Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com © 2015 by FoodTrients.com

Neil with some of his Filipino cousins Photos courtesy of Neil Alberico and Rising Star Racing

DESPITE ASSURANCE FROM MOM SHE WILL RETURN

by aRlo

Custodio ManilaTimes.net

MAINe Mendoza’s open letter to fans and followers of AlDub— her phenomenal “eat Bulaga” Kalyeserye team up with Alden Richards—disappointed their most rabid supporters but also gained admiration from a good many celebrities.

Mendoza posted the now viral letter on Twitter on November 26 where she said that while their fans hope they will get together in real life, she and Richards are only friends. That was a Sunday, and while she appeared on “eat Bulaga” the following day, she has not appeared on the noontime show since then.

She has however posted the following sentiments on Twitter, “You are all right. I deserve all the hate in the world because I am such a coward and selfish little brat. I get it and I understand.”

Following her revelation, AlDub fans picketed outside “eat Bulaga’s” studios in Broadway Centrum demanding to see the female half of the showbiz pair, forcing Mendoza’s mom Mary Ann to declare, “Maine will stay.” It was only then the fans calmed down.

Way back when In June, Mendoza deactivated her Twitter account, which she explained was due negative exchanges between AlDub’s supporters and bashers.

“Do you still remember when everything used to be fun there?

When Twitter used to be a harmonious environment for everyone? Anyway, I just cannot stand people’s negativity there lately. I mean, I have enough negativity in my system already to still add and endure those. Lately, some of the fans are the ones to start and engage in conflict; until things start getting blown out of proportion… to the point where fans are quarrelling with fans. Remember the bayanihan days? Kalyeserye days? Tamang panahon? I know things have changed but I hope we get to perpetuate the harmony among each of us.”

She reactivated her Twitter account to her fans’ delight but was driven to frustration over the pressure of getting together with Richards.

“By the end of this letter I am pretty sure majority of you are going to turn your backs on me and probably hate me. Pero sabi

Maine Mendoza Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm

nga nila, speak the truth even if your voice shakes. But I need to be honest, I am at this point where I feel like I live in a box… I just could not take how some people feel so entitled in so many things, hindi lang sa career, ultimo personal na buhay.”

She concluded, “I do hope I PAGE B4

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Super Vacation / America Asia Travel Center, Inc. offers unforgettable getaways at reasonable prices WITH so many places to visit and so many agencies to book with, planning a trip can be overwhelming and worrisome.

However, Super Vacation / America Asia Travel Center, Inc. vows to take away all the stresses that come with vacation planning to promise fun and memorable experiences. One of the country’s leading vacation package providers, Super Vacation offers a boatload of tour packages from a wide variety of tours in the United States as well as long-haul trips to Europe and Asia -- at very reasonable prices.

U.S. tours will be led by tour guides who have at least 10 years of experience and speak fluent English and Chinese. Most tours in the continental U.S. also include transportation in one of the company’s state-of-the-art deluxe coach buses.

“We always have the customers’ best interests in mind and we like to offer them an unforgettable experience but at a reasonable cost,” President Helen Koo said. “We make sure we hire the safest drivers, book 3-star hotels and hire very experienced tour guides. Above all, we want our travelers to be safe and enjoy their vacation. We know they work hard and we want to make their vacation as easy going as possible.”

Vacation goers may opt for the ever-popular Yellowstone National Park, for which Super

Vacation offers four to seven-day tours. They also offer Yellowstone packages that travel to other breath-taking destinations like the Grand Canyon, Lake Tahoe, Antelope Canyon and Mt. Rushmore among others.

Another popular package is a three-day tour to Las Vegas and West Grand Canyon which offers a perfect balance between the kinetic energy of Sin City and the peaceful serenity of the Grand Canyon.

For those looking for an island getaway, Super Vacation offers a unique Hawaii tour package that focusses on the natural wonders of The Aloha State like Maui, the Big Island and parts of Oahu.

And these are only a few packages from the company’s extensive tour catalogue, which includes U.S. tours in the East Coast, Caribbean and Mexican cruises, grand European tours and the ever-popular China tour.

America Asia Travel Center, Inc. was founded in 1981 with three employees and started off as a standard travel agency, booking flights and hotels and tour packages reservations. The company expanded in 1986 when it purchased its first 56-seat tour bus, establishing itself as the first Chinese-operated bus charter company in the U.S. Now branded as Super Vacation / America Asia Travel Center, Inc., the company has more than

170 employees in 16 regional offices throughout the U.S., Canada and China and serves more than 200,000 travelers a year. Today, they own and operate more than 20 touring vehicles including 10 56-seat deluxe coaches.

In addition to offering such a wide range of vacation packages, America Asia Travel Center, Inc. is one of the most reliable agencies with a customer-first policy providing top-quality service.

“We provide customers with all the knowledge, but we also make sure to provide them with high-quality services. The person-to-person relationship is very important to us,” Koo said. “For us, the customers’ happiness and safety are our No. 1 priority.”

The company is your friendly one-stop for all your vacation needs like making reservations for flights, cruise lines, and hotels. Book now!

Super Vacation / America Asia Travel Center, Inc. is located at 117 E. Garvey Ave., Monterey Park, CA. For more information, contact 626-607-0170 or any of their CA offices: Monterey Park 626-571-2988; Rowland Heights 626-810-4388; Irvine 949-5598088; Arcadia 626-821-1986; Cerritos 562-402-2558 and San Diego 619-400-4827.

You may also visit their website at www.americaasia.com.

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Moira de la Torre is Breakout Star...

PAGE B1

Truth to tell, Moira has become so suddenly successful that she is believed to be responsible for a new unwritten rule in the local entertainment scene. This one says that if producers want a hit theme song for their movie releases or TV soaps, then they should call in Moira to do the vocals for their soundtracks.

This all started when Moira’s song “Malaya” was used as the background for a quiet but emotional scene in the motion picture “Camp Sawi” that starred Sam Milby and Bela Padilla. The bittersweet tune, performed by Moira with a voice so full of pain, perfectly fitted the film’s camp for the broken hearted plot. And since there are a lot of broken-hearted’s hereabouts, I believe that they all

gravitated towards “Malaya” and have been listening to the song during their sad introspective moments again and again.

In the wake of the success of “Malaya” came Moira’s cover of the Moonstar 88 oldie but goodie, “Torete”, for the romantic film “Love You To The Stars And Back”. It also became a hit. This was later followed by “Saglit” from the soundtrack of the TV series “The Better Half”. And still one more, “Sundo”, a revival of the big hit by the band Imago that comes from another series, “The Good Son”.

Moira did not sing the theme for the blockbuster “Kita Kita” that starred Alessandra de Rossi and Empoy. “Two Less Lonely People In The World” a big hit from the 80s by the famous group Air Sup-

ply was used. But that did not stop Moira from coming up with her idea for a “Kita Kita” theme.

The song is “Kita Na Kita” which she does as a duet with Jason Hernandez.

As of this writing Moira has four songs in the Spotify hit list and “Titibo-tibo” is in the number one berth in the streaming site. That means it gets more plays than “Havana” by Camila Cabello or Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect” daily. It sure feels good having a Filipino artist up there. And I will not be surprised if more Moira songs get added to the list given the many new fans she will surely make with the infectious “Tititotibo”. In fact, after seeing this list, I now want to check out on her other songs like “Love Me Instead” and “Home”.

AFTER ENTERING THE US IN THE BACKSEAT OF A MINIVAN, PINA’S NEXT HURDLE WAS HOW TO LEGALIZE HER STATUS. Pina (center) entered the U.S. in 2001 through the Canadian border, while seated in the back seat of a minivan. Border patrol asked the driver a few questions, but never spoke with Pina, and let them pass through.

Pina was petitioned by an employer, and eventually married her U.S. citizen husband, John (left), who also petitioned her. Both cases were denied based on the way she entered the U.S. Although she consulted with Attorney Gurfinkel several times, she retained other attorneys, and her case was denied.

She finally retained Attorney Gurfinkel, who was able to obtain her green card through “provisional waiver.” Watch how Attorney Gurfinkel came to the rescue, and help Pina achieve her American dream, on an encore episode of CITIZEN PINOY – on Sunday at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.

No baby plans yet for Anne Curtis

ON Wednesday, Dec. 6, actress and TV host Anne Curtis posted on social media her dismay over an online news report titled “Anne Curtis no time to have a baby.”

In a Twitter post directed to her over 10 million followers, Anne said: “Wow. These people are so harsh. The headline is misleading too. I never said that.”

Anne continued: “Maybe if they read the article they would see what I said was - WE JUST GOT MARRIED, can’t we enjoy that first before making the next big step of becoming parents. It’s our life anyway! Kalerky.”

In the story published on December 4, Anne was asked when she and husband Erwan Heussaff plan to have a baby and she has been quoted as saying: “Oh my gosh…not yet! We just got married, and so first, we will enjoy married life… For the meantime, I will be looking after the children we have been helping through Unicef.”

Anne is a celebrity ambassador for humanitarian organization United Nations Children’s Fund.

Besides the headline, Shealea’s post cited by Anne shows screenshots of comments Anne could be referring to as “harsh.”

Newlyweds Erwan Heussaff and Anne Curtis Photo from Instagram/@annecurtissmith

The comments were directed toward the article.

One netizen said: “Kung ganyan paniniwala mo sana pagdumating yung panahon na gugustuhin mo na eh di ka na magkaron…”

In another screenshot, the comment read: “you are selfish. why marry if you don’t want to be a mother just be an actress…”

The rest of the comment is explicit.

In response to Anne’s Twitter post, actress Angel Locsin commented: “Ano ba yan. Hay nako grrr.”

Angel was a guest at Anne and Erwan’s recent wedding in New Zealand.

In an earlier interview during Anne’s launch as Shiseido Collagen endorser, Philstar.com asked the actress the same question about when she and Erwan plan to have kids.

Her response then was consistent with her answer to the reporter who wrote the article and other reporters during the recent Unicef event: “I love children! I really, really do. But I don’t think I’m going to have one right away.

After getting married, we’d wait for maybe a year so, so we can enjoy muna each other’s company and then travel na kami lang. I have a group of friends who have kids and it really changes eh.

Parang when you want to travel, ‘di na pwede ‘yung basta basta na lang aalis. Or when you book a restaurant, iba ‘pag may baby. So, we will wait for that and just travel more to all the exotic places na gusto naming puntahan.” (Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)

Space for dreams in Maple Grove Build a flourishing business at the 35-hectare Commercial District

Maple Grove Commercial District will have seven open parks putting importance on green spaces.

T

here will be a place south of Manila where what used to be visions can come true.

Vying for space in the already dense and congested commercial districts of the metro to start a business, diversify interests or expand an already large company is one of the challenges meet by entrepreneurs struggling to make it in the big city.

Add up the lack of open and green parks for fresh air and a calming space to think and ideate and frustrations could bubble to the surface.

In finding the ideal place to make that concept a reality, one of the foremost things to consider is location.

Central business districts are the melting pot of various industries and concepts where diversity charms residents and visitors. A central business district is where things happen, where ideas come alive, and where plans become realities.

Inspired by Makati CBD, the country’s premiere financial district, property giant Megaworld is bringing to General Trias, Cavite a 35-hectare business district for dreamers and go-getters.

Located at the heart of Maple Grove, Megaworld’s 21st township, the Maple Grove Commercial District is 30-45 minutes away from Makati via Coastal Road and Cavitex. The 140-hectare township is strategically set at the entry point of the industrial and residential center of the Cavite-Batangas corridor, highlighting the area as a growth center.

Offering 363 prime lots for sale with lots ranging from 360 square meters to 1,008 square meters,

the Maple Grove Commercial District is expected to generate P9 billion worth of inventory.

Knowing how important green spaces are, Megaworld will have buildings in the development that feature vertical and indoor gardens, rooftop gardens, as well as green porches and lawns.

Designed to be the “green city in the south,” Maple Grove will also have seven green and open parks including a “Central Park” slated to be the green jewel of the development.

According to Megaworld VP for Sales and Marketing Rachelle Peñaflorida, the Maple Grove Commercial District will have sub-districts that would lead to a 6-lane main avenue and the streets, composed of secondary and service roads, will be interconnected in a way that everything becomes accessible wherever one comes from.

Promising to be a place where “relaxation and nature perfectly blend with the urban lifestyle,” the Maple Grove Commercial District’s completion is expected in 2022.

To know more about Maple Grove, call 09175253797 or 09989956434. You can also visit its website at www.megaworldinfinite.com/MapleGrove, Facebook at /megaworldinfinitemanila, Instagram at megaworldinfinitemla, and Twitter at @vmegainfinitemla for more information.

B DECEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS TWELVE years ago, we wrote that drinking coffee reduced the risk for type II diabetes, based on a new study then (involving 42,000 healthy men and 84,000 health women from 1980 through 1998) by the Harvard School of Public Health and Brigham and Women’s Hospital published in the Annals of Internal Medicine on January 6, 2004.

Compared to those who did not drink coffee, men who had more than six cups of caffeinated coffee a day lowered the risk of developing Type II diabetes by 50 percent. Among women, there was a 30 percent reduction in the risk.

Caffeinated coffee was found to be more beneficial than the decaffeinated or the hyped-up mocha, cappuccino, or latte, etc., variety.

Unclear rationale The exact mechanism is still unclear. In another research (Nurses Health Study), it shows that the 2000 women coffee drinkers in its survey had significantly lower (13-14 percent levels of C-peptide hormone, a component of insulin in our body, compared to non-coffee drinkers.

Higher level of C-peptide, which indicates the body is unable to use insulin (called insulin resistance) are linked to the increased risk of developing adult-onset diabetes. The good effect was more apparent among obese and overweight women, 22 percent and 18 percent, respectively. So, if coffee reduces C-peptide, then the risk is reduced.

Some hormones This is still not fully understood. Both regular and decaffeinated coffees have a lot of antioxidants in them, like chlorogenic acid (the ingredient that gives the “addicting” coffee flavor), phytoestrogens, and magnesium. These chemicals improve sensitivity to insulin and may play a vital role in lowering adult onset diabetes.

Caffeine itself is also known to affect insulin secretion.

How much coffee?

The Harvard study stated six or more cups per day. The research on the same subject in Finland (which has the highest per capita coffee consumption in the world), involving 15,000 healthy men

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Coffee and longevity Triumphs and tragedies of 2017 and women (ages 35-64), as reported in The Journal of American Medical Association, showed that women who consumed 10 or more cups a day had 79 percent lower risk, and men, about 55 percent.

Effect on longevity Two recent major international studies (U.S. and European) suggested that coffee lovers may also live a longer life compared to those who do not imbibe coffee.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and Imperial College of London, which reviewed more than half a million people with variable habits and customs across 10 European countries, was the first study. This showed “those who drank about three cups a day tended to live longer than non-coffee drinkers; they also had a lower risk of death from any cause, and specifically for circulatory diseases, and digestive diseases.”

The second one, done in the U.S., involved 180,000 subjects of different ethnic, social, and career backgrounds. The findings revealed that drinking coffee “benefits longevity whether the coffee was caffeinated or decaffeinated…and coffee drinkers had a lower risk of death due to heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, and respiratory and kidney disease.” One cup a day drinkers “were 12 percent less likely to die compared to those who didn’t drink coffee; those who drank two or three cups per day saw an even higher 18 percent reduced risk of death.”

“We cannot say drinking coffee will prolong your life, but we see an association,” stated Veronica Setiawan, lead researcher and an associate professor of preventive medicine at the Keck School of Medicine of University of Southern California.

Drinking coffee is reported to impart anti-oxidant benefits and may improve liver function too, but it is not recommended for pregnant women and children.

Also, drinking any very hot beverage in general is suspected to increase the risk for cancer of the esophagus (food pipe).

A professor at the University of Cambridge, David Spiegelhalter, described the research as “huge in size and carefully done,” but nevertheless unable to prove cause and effect. “If these estimated reductions in all-cause mortality really are causal, then an extra cup of coffee every day

would on average extend the life of a man by around three months, and a woman by around a month,” he added.

While drinking coffee appears to help in reducing the risk for Type II diabetes, heart disease, Alzheimer’s, and cancer, and now claimed to prolong life, more clinical studies are still needed to make this an evidence-based medical fact.

Coffee trivia Second to water, coffee is one of the world’s most consumed beverages. Over 16 billion pounds of beans are produced in 70 countries annually. More than 2.25 billion cups are consumed each year globally.

The Netherlands (population: 17,035,938) is the highest consumer of coffee in the world at 260.4 liters per capita, compared to 115.2 per capita in the United States (population: 325,416,914), where about 400 million cups of coffee are consumed each day.

Almost 85 percent of Americans drink coffee daily. Ninety-three percent of households in the Philippines (population: 105,589,888) drink coffee, the country consuming 100,000 metric tons year. Coffee, “first brought to the Philippines by a Franciscan friar in 1749, is the most consumed beverage next to water, and second most bought item next to sauces and seasonings,” according to one study.

How many cups are safe?

Since the long term effects of coffee (especially caffeinated) on diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, other illnesses, and longevity are not totally clear, the so called “safe level” becomes an individual issue. One cup of regular coffee may be too much for one person, who might develop heart beat irregularity, like palpitation, or insomnia, when taken before bedtime. Three cups a day may not be enough to satisfy another. This should be tailored to personal tolerance. The final word on this issue is not settled, but the preliminary results as presented above are most encouraging. More long term studies are definitely needed before this becomes a medical dogma. ***

By Monet

Lu

TODAY I woke up with a smile on my face. Christmas is 18 days away, as of this writing! The sound of Christmas music and the cold winter breeze brushing against my face made sure I remember that. But aside from the stark reminder that I only have a few days to “wrap-up’ my Christmas list, I realize that this is the best time to take a moment and remember the things that have happened this year. I’ve rounded up a few of the good – and the not-so-good – things that have happened in 2017.

Religious communities come together 2017 was a tough year but it was also filled with a number of significant milestones. One of them was the time churches and synagogues offered space, money, and helping hands—raising more than a million dollars to rebuild a mosque’s in Texas which was burned out in January.

The Victoria Islamic Center have broken ground in May and by September they were distributing emergency supplies to victims of Hurricane Harvey. Such remarkable generosity that’s enough to restore our faith in humanity.

Surely, this event made this year really memorable.

Notable scientific advancements Innovations in 2017 include a treatment for ALS and a device to help regrow skin for burn victims.

Remember that challenge where your friends and family tag you to pour a bucket of ice-cold water on yourself and you pass along the challenge until everybody you know has done it and the whole thing goes viral – but for a good cause?

Yes, I am talking about the ALS ice bucket challenge. And 2017 is the year that it led to real progress in treating and curing the disease.

The main objective of this column is to ALS is a rare, lethal disease where educate and inspire people live a healthier motor nerve cells in the brain and lifestyle to prevent illnesses and disabilities, the spinal cord are damaged and and achieve a happier and more productive killed by the body’s glial cells, life. Any diagnosis, recommendation or leading to atrophy, paralysis, and treatment in our article are general medical eventually death from respiratory PAGE B5 failure.

After the famed “ice bucket challenge” helped raise money to research a cure, Israeli scientists at Ben-Gurion University found a way to stop the increased activity of glial cells, restoring the nervous system’s immune defenses and increasing life expectancy, The Times of Israel reported.

Another medical innovation that happened this year was the development of “SkinGun” which is designed to help damaged skin regrow with no scars. Burns are painful to treat and often leave behind obvious scarring which makes this device “heaven-sent.”

As of writing, the device is awaiting FDA approval, but has already proven successful for patients in both the U.S. and Germany, according to Newsweek.

Taiwanese court rules in favor of same-sex marriage

While it was in 2015 when the Supreme Court declared samesex marriage as legal in all 50 states, it was only in 2017 that Taiwan followed suit. Taiwan’s constitutional court has ruled that the country’s civil laws barring same-sex marriage are unconstitutional, giving the legislature two years to fix current laws or enact new ones allowing gay marriage which would make the island nation the first in Asia to do so. If you remember the LGBTQ community rejoicing (so colorfully) when it was officially announced two years ago, it wouldn’t take much for you to imagine how they would have received the news over there in Taiwan. That’s definitely something they can cross off their 2017 bucket list!

A cancer drug breakthrough Any medical advancement or a way to extend life is always good news. Much more if it’s a cure for cancer. This year, for the first time, the Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat any tumor sharing certain genetic characteristics — regardless of cancer type. For years, doctors focused on treating cancer cells depending on where they were in the body. Pembrolizumab (known by its brand name Keytruda) is an immunotherapy drug that blocks the cancer cell’s ability to protect itself from the body’s immune system. Cheers to 2017: the year we found a way to beat the Big-C! Mass shootings, disasters and bombing Incidents There were triumphs in 2017 but there were also tragedies and news that broke our hearts – and will take a while for us to forget. From Texas to Florida to Puerto Rico, Las Vegas and England, the pain was like a nightmare – except it was real. It all happened before our eyes. The extent of the suffering was unfathomable. Houston and Florida are still reeling from sequential hurricanes. Puerto Rico hasn’t gotten to its feet in the wake of Maria. The people of Charlottesville, Virginia watched hate march into town and take one of their own–an event from which they’re still recovering, families (of the victims) of the Manchester bombing incident were still healing from the tragedy that struck them when six months later, a man hauled a cache

of weapons into a hotel room in Las Vegas and unleashed a hailstorm of death on concertgoers below, killing dozens and wounding hundreds. I can only wish that these tragedies will unite humankind and and make us stronger than ever.

• Increase in suicidal rates If there’s one very important reality that we can take away from Linkin Park’s vocals Chester Bennington and Audioslave lead singer Chris Cornell’s death (which both coincidentally happened in 2017), it is the disarming fact that suicide is not predictable. It could happen to anyone, whether you’re an ordinary citizen or you’re an award-winning famous celebrity. As documented in a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide rates have been increasing since 2000 after decades of decline. The World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates that each year approximately one million people die from suicide, which represents a global mortality rate of 16 people per 100,000 or one death every 40 seconds.

It is predicted that by 2020 the rate of death will increase to one every 20 seconds. Death is sad no matter how or when it happens. It is my hope that we will all cherish every moment we spend with our loved ones because we don’t know if and we’d still get to spend another year with them.

Every passing year is an opportunity to remember and be thankful for what we have accomplished, even the things that we didn’t get to do. Because both are reminders that we still have a lot to live for and a reason to thank The Man upstairs for giving us another year to make up and move forward. As we celebrate the holidays ushering us towards the end of 2017, may we all take a moment to reflect and be grateful. *** 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

Maine Mendoza still a no-show on...

PAGE B2 have also given you enough joy for you to give me the freedom I believe I deserve. Freedom to feel what I want to feel, be what I want to be, and do what I want to do.

Alden deserves the same, too.”

On social media, AlDub Nation fanatics—especially Mendoza’s 4.6 million Twitter followers— were divided on the issue. There were those saying that although they are loyal “Dabarkads” [avid “Eat Bulaga” viewers’ moniker] they also wanted her grow as an artist — even if rumors are true that she is planning a transfer to the rival station.

There is also talk that Mendoza is getting cozy with Jake Ejercito who appears on “Eat Bulaga” every so often. Ejercito is the son of former actor and Manila Mayor Joseph Ejercito Estrada and Laarni Enriquez.

Celebrities hail openness Meanwhile, a number of celebrities have hailed Mendoza’s honesty and speaking out on how she feels about the pressures of the love team and losing her individuality.

Sam Pinto, who was said to have dated Richards once thus becoming an “enemy” of AlDub fanatics at some point, said celebrities should be able to control their fans instead of the other way around.

Actress-comedian Ai Ai delas Alas said, “Go girl! Whatever makes you happy support kita and same with Alden. Sabi mo kahit 10 lang ang fans mo, bec[ause] of this pang-11 ako. The secret of happiness is freedom and the secret of freedom is courage.”

Gabbi Garcia, who was bashed

Maine Mendoza

by fans because she was thought to have snubbed Mendoza during the “Bench Under the Stars” fashion show, said one word, “Brave.”

Though not directly naming Mendoza, netizens considered “It’s Showtime” host Vice Ganda’s tweet as a message to the Dubsmash Queen turned TV and movie star.

“Pssssst!!! Mahaba pa ang araw. Madami kang haharapin.

Alam kong stressed ka na. Gusto ko lang sabihin na kaya mo yan!

Smile!” the post read.

Christine Bersola (Ninang Dub) Babao chimed in, “Here for you @ mainedcm.”

Still top trending, even without Alden Per her Twitter post, Mendoza’s latest public appearance (as of press time) was on November 30 at a tech gadget launch.

Her recent appearance in the GMA fantaserye “Daig Kayo Ng

Photo from Instagram/@mainedcm

Lola Ko” as the tale-bearing neighbor “Osang Tsismosa” trended on Twitter with the hashtag #MaineMendozaStarsinDKNLK eliciting comments from the fandom like, “It’s a relief to hear your voice and see your face again tonight kahit na alam ko na taped naman eto.”

One also commented, “There is one more thing this DKNLK episode proved: Maine can express emotions without throwing lines.” Another one said, “Reminds me of the time she wasn’t allowed to speak in EB. Pero ang galing talaga.”

There were also fans who continue supporting AlDub with the hashtag #AlDubPaRin. Reaching more than two million tweets, fans say the loveteam doesn’t need saving.

“How about ‘AlDub loveteam patutunayan ang tibay, Alden at Maine tuloy ang pelikula.’ That to me sounds like a challenge we will gladly accept. Thanks.”

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Lin’s Garden/Thai Vilay: Chinese and Thai food made from the soul in Carson

WHETHER you live in Carson, go wrong with filling up at Lin’s its surrounding areas, or happen to Garden / Thai Vilay, a Chinese and be in the neighborhood, you can’t Thai restaurant that delivers hearty dishes at modest price points.

Located in a strip mall along Lomita Boulevard, Lin’s Garden / Thai Vilay is a homey atmosphere, where you are greeted by the staff who deliver charm and warm hospitality.

The menu is complete with Chinese and Thai items concocted Pad See Ew Noodles- flat rice noodle, egg and

by Vilay Ashimine, partner and Chinese broccoli stir-fried in a house sauce.

Mango Chicken — battered chicken, served with mango sauce.

Thai 7 Sea Soup made with shrimp, crab, clams, squid, scallops, mussels, and fish.

head chef of the restaurant. From traditional Pad Thai, Pad See Ew or mango chicken, each bite packs in a burst of flavors. And if you are adventurous enough, some dishes, like the spicy wings, have kicks of spices.

“Easily, the food is the best tasting and a testament to that is all of the repeat customers in town,” Kerry Doi, owner of Lin’s Garden/ Vilay Ashimine, partner and head chef Thai Vilay, said. “The menu is full of of Lin’s Garden/Thai Vilay Interior of Lin’s Garden/Thai Vilay located in Carson, California good quality food at very competitive prices.”

Doi remarks that Ashimine is one of the most talented individuals in the industry, “who can taste any food and duplicate the recipe instantly.” (The restaurant will eventually just be called Thai Vilay but will still carry Chinese items on its menu.)

With generous servings, dishes are no more than $15 and are suitable for large groups.

Currently, the restaurant has a grand opening special: $5 for chicken Pad Thai, chicken teriyaki, or egg rolls; $10 for Thai Seven Seafood Soup, a popular stew of Spicy chicken wings shrimp, crab, clams, octopus, squid, Pad Thai noodles — thin rice noodle, egg, bean sprouts, onions, tofu, and shrimp scallops, fish and mussels, served over a flame.

Lin’s Garden/Thai Vilay is open seven days a week from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. It is located at 133 E. Lomita Blvd., Carson, CA 90745. For more information or to place an order, please call (310) 513-1418. Delivery is available within a three-mile radius of the restaurant.

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Generous portions at Lin’s Garden/Thai Vilay, perfect for large groups and families.

Stars grace beauty pageant...

PAGE B1

low human being; a place where beauty knows no boundaries.”

Through the pageant and the fashion show, the foundation also targets to create social awareness of people with special needs and their important role in society; build the self-confidence of young people with special needs and celebrate their life accomplishments; redefine the meaning of true beauty and showcase inner beauty; and promote inclusiveness for citizens with special needs in the community.

The pageant received national recognition from GMA, CNN, ABS-CBN and many other media organizations as the first pageant for people with special needs in Asia.

Among the celebrities who gave kids with special needs an early Christmas treat this year were Alfred Vargas, Nina Ricci

Judy Ann Santos at the Miss Possibilities Foundation’s Pageant and Celebrity Inclusive Fashion Show.

Facebook/Miss Possibilities Foundation

Alagao, Pops Fernandez and Anna Roces.

Last year, over 30 celebrities joined the show, including Judy Ann Santos, Team Kramer and Heart Evangelista. (Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com)

Coffee and longevity

PAGE B4

information and not intended to be applicable or appropriate for anyone. This column is not a substitute for your physician, who knows your condition well and who is your best ally when it comes to your health. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to

2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States.

Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

A traditional Thai dessert with condensed milk and tapioca

Chicken egg rolls

AJPress photos by Noel Ty

B6 DECEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Your Immigration Solution ATTY. ERIC WELSH & NANCY MILLER ALL criminal convictions have consequences, but when an immigrant is convicted of a crime, the consequences can be much worse than fines, probation, and imprisonment. An alien (even a permanent resident) convicted of a crime can be detained and deported without eligibility for relief, forcibly separated from their family and their lives in the United States. Not every conviction triggers deportation, and some crime-based bars can be waived.

However, when a conviction would cause deportation or inadmissibility and the bar cannot be waived, the best option to remain lawfully in the U.S. may be through post-conviction relief.

In California, there are several options available to avoid or mitigate the calamitous immigration consequences of a conviction. Some of those options are available before the conviction is ever entered. Governor Brown recently signed into law a bill (AB 208) that will allow a person charged with a simple drug possession offense to accept “pre-trial diversion” without pleading guilty, and go to drug counseling instead of jail. If the person successfully completes the counseling and rehabilitation, the charges are dismissed, and there is no conviction for immigration purposes.

Another law that went into effect last year provides a way for an immigrant who accepted a Deferred Entry of Judgment (DEJ) to eradicate the “conviction” for immigration purposes.

Before the new pre-trial diversion became an option, California courts allowed a person charged with a drug crime to plead guilty and accept DEJ, a sort of probation that, if successfully completed, results in dismissal of the charge. However, under federal immigration law, the person still has a “controlled substance conviction,” even if California recognizes the dismissal. Cal. Penal Code 1203.43 was enacted

Post-conviction relief for immigrants with criminal records

because legislators realized that the DEJ statute provided misinformation about making a plea, leading a reasonable immigrant to believe that DEJ would lead to no adverse immigration consequences. By making a motion under section 1203.43, an immigrant can have the plea withdrawn as legally invalid and therefore no longer a “conviction” for immigration purposes.

Other laws exist to correct or modify a conviction. Modification can be extremely important because many criminal bars and grounds of removal in immigration law require a conviction of a felony, which is generally defined as a conviction for a crime that carries a possible sentence of more than one year imprisonment. In California, all misdemeanor convictions carry a maximum possible sentence of 364 days, and many crimes can be either misdemeanors or felonies. California provides two mechanisms to change a felony into a misdemeanor: “reclassification” under Prop 47, and “reduction” under Penal Code 17(b).

Prop 47 formally reclassifies six specified nonviolent offenses from felonies to misdemeanors, and allows a person who was convicted of a felony prior to the enactment of Prop 47 to have their conviction retroactively reclassified. Penal Code 17(b) allows a person to designate a “wobbler” crime as a misdemeanor. A “wobbler” is a California crime that can be punished either as a felony or a misdemeanor. Unlike Prop 47, this relief is discretionary, meaning that the individual must convince the court that he or she deserves relief or that there is a compelling reason for the court to grant the reduction.

California also provides ways for a person to set aside and dismiss (or “expunge”) a conviction. In general, a “rehabilitative” expungement (i.e., an expungement granted on showing successful completion of probation and other requirements) is NOT recognized for immigration purposes. Even when the state recognizes that a conviction is expunged and erased for pur-

poses of employment, housing, and loans, the federal immigration authorities may still treat the individual as a person convicted of a specified offense.

While a rehabilitative expungement may not help an immigrant avoid adverse immigration consequences, a conviction that is vacated as legally invalid will not be considered a “conviction.” Last year, California enacted Penal Code 1473.7 to allow a person who was convicted and already served a sentence to petition the court to vacate a legally invalid conviction. This may be based on newly discovered evidence of actual innocence (e.g., DNA evidence), or, for immigrants, a showing of prejudicial error that affected the immigrant’s ability to meaningfully understand, defend against, or knowingly accept the actual or potential adverse immigration consequences of a plea (e.g., a defense counsel failed to accurately advise the defendant about specific immigration consequences of a plea, and failed to plea bargain for a “safe” alternative disposition).

Every state has some form of post-conviction relief, and an immigrant with a criminal conviction should consult with an attorney versed in both immigration and criminal law to discuss options to eradicate the devastating consequences. Immigrants with criminal records are especially vulnerable in this political climate, and every option should be explored to protect the immigrant and keep families together. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

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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Community Journal

Bankruptcy: Forget the past to move forward

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon IF you are up to your neck in debt, you may feel that you have no choice but to file for bankruptcy. But perhaps you’re dreading to make that decision because you’re unsure if it’s the right option for you.

One thing I’ve learned is that most people often get conflicting information from the wrong sources– usually from well-meaning family and friends who try to give them legal advice without really understanding their situation.

Making a decision to file or not to file based on misinformation can be bad for you.

The truth is that as much as your friends and family care about you, nothing takes the place of professional advice.

They don’t live your life for you and ultimately, you will need to face the consequences, not them.

Filing bankruptcy right away may not be the best thing to do in some situations. In other cases, however, it is necessary to file immediately in order to protect property, wages, bank accounts and other assets from being taken by creditors.

An experienced Bankruptcy attorney should be consulted with-

Tax Tips victoR sy, cPA, mBA

1. CONGRESS created a new code section called “Revocation or Denial of Passport in Case of Certain Tax Delinquencies.” The idea of this new law is to use travel to enforce tax collections.

It was proposed and rejected in 2012. It was re-introduced in 2015, passed by Congress, and signed by President Obama. It’s taking foothold now under President Trump’s watch.

2. Simply put, the new law authorizes the State Department to revoke or deny passports to taxpayers with seriously delinquent tax debts.

3. Seriously delinquent tax debt is an individual’s legally enforceable federal tax debt total-

out delay when important legal rights are at stake. This is especially true when you have assets that may be at risk if creditors file lawsuits, repossess or foreclose. Judgment creditors may proceed to place a lien against property that you own, garnish your wages or put a levy on your bank accounts.

If you are honestly doing your best to pay your creditors but simply can’t, why suffer when the law allows you to get relief?

This doesn’t mean that everyone should just file bankruptcy as an easy way out.

What I am saying is that being bankrupt is not often a conscious choice that people make.

Rather it is simply a consequence of poor financial decisions that have already been made in the past. But the past is gone and the decisions are irreversible. Life must go on.

Of course, in a lot of cases, it can also be the result of events in life that are beyond our control.

But in those situations where it is not, the willingness to accept responsibility for where you are and the acknowledgement of the fact that where you go from here depends on you 100% are the first steps to financial recovery.

Be willing to forgive yourself for the mistakes you may have made while putting your past where it belongs.

Filing for Bankruptcy relief by wiping out debts you can no longer pay or maybe consolidating all your debts into one affordable monthly payment can be a turning point in your life.

Imagine how much your life can change for the better if you can get rid of your debt burdens and not worry about your finances again. Peace of mind is priceless. Think of the benefits of being able to get a handle on your debt again and start saving for the future if you find yourself in a seemingly hopeless financial situation.

When appropriate, Bankruptcy may be just what you need to turn your situation around quickly and help you get your life back on track. Never lose hope. Like most problems in life, this too will soon pass.

If you are in debt and need to find the best solution for your situation, call toll-free 1-866-4777772 to schedule a free consultation. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

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IRS moves to revoke passports for unpaid taxes ing more than $50,000 (including interest and penalties) for which a Notice of Federal Tax Lien has been filed and all administrative remedies have lapsed or exhausted.

4. IRS does not have the power to seize passports so it notifies the State Department through a new process called certification of seriously delinquent tax debts.

The State Department has not yet seized passports as of December 2017. Certifications are re-scheduled for January 2018.

5. IRS will send a notice to every person with seriously delinquent tax debt. CP508C (Notice of Certification of Your Seriously Delinquent Federal Tax Debt to the State Department) advises you to take care of your tax obligations or suffer passport restrictions.

6. The IRS will provide certification to the State Department.

7. The IRS is also required to notify you in writing to your last know address at the time it sends your certification to the State Department.

8. Upon receiving certification, the State Department can deny your passport application or revoke your current passport.

If you are overseas, the State Department may issue you a limited validity passport good only for direct return to the United States.

9. The IRS will reverse your certification when: • Your tax debt is fully satisfied or becomes legally unenforceable.

• Your tax debt is no longer seriously delinquent.

• Your certification is errone-

HOLY FAMILY CHURCH FAIR 1/4 VFC

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http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

Estate Corner

Atty. BriAn Lerner QUESTION: I wanted to start my own business in the U.S. and in fact, have sufficient money.

However, I was told that I am not able to do so because I am not a citizen of a ‘treaty country.’ Is there anything else I can do?

Answer: Yes, you can try the L-1A which actually requires considerably less money. You will have to either have your own company or start a company in your home country.

Question: What is the L-1A? Answer: The L-1A nonimmigrant classification enables a U.S. employer to transfer an executive or manager from one of its affiliated foreign offices to one of its offices in the United States. The L-1A intra-company transferee classification applies to qualified executives and managers within multinational companies. These individuals can be transferred from their foreign employer to work for up to seven years in the United States for an appropriately affiliated U.S. company.

Question: What if I am not a manager? Is there another type

The Prophetic Voice ReveRend Rodel G. BAlAGtAs MANY residents of Southern California may not feel like celebrating Christmas this year. It’s because of the series of wildfires that destroyed numerous homes and devastated the lives of thousands of people, interrupting their plans for this most celebrated holiday.

This enormous disaster again caught us by surprise and made us think of the temporal nature of our homes, treasures, and other material possessions. Indeed, when the threat of fire comes to destroy our homes, we ask ourselves what we should save and bring with us to safety.

There is not much except for essential documents, jewelry, pets, and photos of family members.

What is important, we say, is that our families are safe, that we still have one another. All our

Not from a treaty country?

Try the L-1 and then the multinational visa petition of L-1?

Answer: Yes. The L1B intracompany transferee classification applies to qualified specialized knowledge employees. Such individuals may be transferred from their foreign employer to work for up to five years in the U.S. for an appropriately affiliated U.S. company.

Question: What is the difference between the L-1A and the H-1?

Answer: Many employers in the United States routinely need temporary workers that are highly skilled. Therefore, there are various temporary work visas such as H1B and L1 (L1A and L1B) that allow the employers to hire foreign workers.

Question: Can somebody on the L-1 apply later for the green card?

Answer: As long as you were employed in a managerial or executive position for one continuous year in the preceding three years (in U.S. or outside the U.S.), you can apply for green card in EB1-C category immediately. Otherwise, you will have to be on L1A visa status for one year before applying for a green card in the EB1-C category.

Question: Does the EB1-C require a $500,000 investment or $1,000,000 investment?

Answer: No. This is not the EB5 which does require that huge amount. The actual investment for the EB1-C and the L-1 are much much lower.

Question: What is the typical investment for the L-1A? Answer: Many times, you can invest $10,000 to $20,000 only and that will be sufficient for the L-1A. The minimum for the E-2 would be about $75,000, so it is much less expensive. Also, businesses that do not qualify for the E-2 may very well qualify for the L-1A. It is just a matter of making sure it is prepared properly. *** Atty. Brian D. Lerner has been an Immigration Attorney for nearly a quarter of a century. He is married to a Filipina and has helped thousands of Filipino families all over the country.

In addition to his offices in Southern California in Long Beach and Carson, he has an office in Quezon City. He is a certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Legal Board of Specialization, California State Bar. The initial consultation is free. Call (562) 495-0554 and/or send an e-mail to blerner@californiaimmigration.us.

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In these painful times of Christmas season “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.” – Mark 1:3

material possessions will vanish in flames, but the memories that we have created together will forever be in our hearts and minds.

Despite these consoling words, we still suffer and feel the pain of other people. We hope and pray to God to stop this natural disaster and any other ones that may come.

As hard as it is to take, the message of this disaster is clear to us: Be always ready for we don’t know when catastrophe, sickness, or death comes. It’s a message that coincides with the theme of the Advent season, like in this Sunday’s Gospel when we hear the words, “Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight his paths.”

To be ready means to always keep God in our hearts, to acknowledge our sins and beg for

God’s forgiveness and mercy. To be ready means to reflect on all the goodness we have done for others and on any more good things that we can do while we live. To be ready means to focus our minds on the things that last such as our profound love and care for God and people and our virtues of diligence, hard work, and strong faith. To be ready means not to be attached to wealth and pleasures of this world, but to live a life of generosity, kindness, and compassion.

The Gospel this Sunday talks about the baptism of John as a baptism of repentance. It calls us to turn away from sins and to accept the offer of someone mightier than John the Baptist: Jesus, the Son of God who came

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(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Community Journal

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 9-12, 2017

C

Sexual harassment can happen in any Can I get a green card if I have a marriage workplace: How to recognize the signs petition denied based on fraud?

BETH Silverman worked as a Deputy District Attorney for the County of Los Angeles since 1994. In 2006, she joined the Major Crimes Division (MCD), an elite trial unit in the DA’s Office that prosecutes complex and high-profile homicide cases. In 2011, Gary Hearnsberger became the Head Deputy of the MCD and Silverman’s supervisor. Silverman and her fellow attorney, Tannaz Mokayef, claimed they were subjected to repeated sexual harassment and unwanted sexual touching

by Hearnsberger. Silverman alleged that Hearnsberger physically touched her on her buttocks, thigh, and chest area on many occasions. Hearnsberger also made sexually inappropriate comments to Silverman, referring to genitalia on many occasions, and made sexually suggestive gestures including simulating oral sex and the sexual act by thrusting out his pelvis.

Silverman also alleged that Hearnsberger created a hostile work environment by engaging in graphic sexual comments with other employees. He also created an environment of sexual favoritism where female attorneys in the unit who engaged in sexually explicit banter with him, allowed him to touch and grope them, or provided sexual favors to him, were, in exchange, given career-enhancing benefits, such as being assigned to high-profile cases or being given high performance ratings. Silverman alleged that the county knew of the supervisor’s behavior to her and to several other women but did nothing to stop it.

When Silverman rejected her supervisor’s physical ad-

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. vances, the latter retaliated by denying her case assignments, criticizing her in the presence colleagues and subjecting her to verbal abuse. Silverman sued her employer and the supervisor for sexual harassment, claiming emotional distress and damage to her career and reputation. After the filing of her lawsuit, her supervisor gave her a poor performance rating even though she had just successfully prosecuted a serial murderer.

The employer and the supervisor denied Silverman’s allegations, that they were fabrications, and that Silverman was a “disgruntled employee.” However, rather than proceed to trial, the county agreed to a total of $700,000 to settle the case.

Although the law is not designed to rid the workplace of vulgarity, specific conduct may cross the line from “vulgarity” into sexual harassment. Courts recognize two types of sexual harassment. The first type is called quid pro quo harassment. This harassment exists when submission to a sexual conduct is made a condition of employment benefits. Silverman’s allegations provide a classic example of quid pro quo harassment. The supervisor provided better assignments and higher evaluations to employees allowed him to touch and grope them or provided sexual favors to him.

The second type involves ha-

rassment created by a “hostile environment.” This claim may arise where unwelcome sexual conduct unreasonably interferes with an employee’s job performance or creates an intimidating, or hostile working environment, even if it does not lead to economic job benefits. In Silverman’s case, the supervisor’s unwelcome sexual comments and inappropriate touching of Silverman despite her requests to stop created a hostile work environment for Silverman (and others who witnessed this interaction), even if there was no threat of termination.

In either type of sexual harassment, the complainant must establish that the sexual conduct is unwelcome, or must create a work environment that would be intimidating, hostile, or offensive to reasonable people. Because it was a supervisor that committed the sexual misconduct, the county as the employer will be deemed liable for the harassment. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.]

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A client wants Chapter 7, but can he avoid the presumption of abuse?

A CLIENT wants Chapter 7, but can he avoid the presumption of abuse?

The client is 55, married with a son and daughter who have just entered college. His income is $5,600 gross a month. The wife’s income is $5,500 gross a month.

So, the combined gross of his household of four is $11,100 a month. His income was actually higher than $5,600 a month until four months ago. Four months ago, his gross income was $6,700 a month. He suffered an income reduction of $1,100 mostly due to the evaporation of overtime. The employer decided to hire another person. That killed the overtime pay. He doesn’t own a house but with two children in college, there are a lot of additional expenses that did not exist before.

For instance, he had to provide his son with a new car for college. He also gave his daughter a new car for college. Both cars are being leased. He himself is paying for a late model car, and his wife also drives a new car. Therefore, the client is paying for four new cars. At $500 per month for each car, the car payments total $2,000 per month. Car insurance for four new cars is almost $1,000 a month. So, four cars plus insurance, is about $3,000 a month.

Even if the household’s gross income is $11,100 a month, after taxes and other payroll deductions, net take-home pay for the household is about $8,000. After $3,000 of car payments, what is left is $5,000 for rent, food and other necessities. Rent is $1,500

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS THE date of separation is one of the most important facts to determine in a divorce case because it defines when the community interest ends and when separate property interest commences in a marriage. All property acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in the State of California is community property. Family Code Section 760. That means any property acquired by either spouse regardless of who’s name it is on is community and each spouse has a half interest on the asset.

That characterization continues until the date of separation. Any property acquired after the date of separation is that spouse’s separate property. If you are the spouse that is not in control of the asset, it would be in your interest to stretch the marriage as long as possible and postpone the date of separation as late as can be so you can characterize more assets as community and also obtain spousal support for a longer duration. If you are the spouse that has control of the money,

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng

so what is left is $3,500. Gasoline for four cars is at least $1,000, so what is left is $2,500. There are still food, medicals, and other stuff that have to be paid. After everything is paid, there’s really no disposable income left to pay for credit card debt, if any.

Unfortunately, client owes $40,000 of credit card debt. The wife owes only $10,000 of credit cards. The client’s $40,000 in credit cards require at least $1,200 of minimum payments to keep them current. Wife’s $10K of credit cards require at least $300 of minimum payments.

There is no $1,200 and no $300 of disposable income left. So what happens now?

Well, certainly husband starts to default on the $40K, but the wife is still valiantly paying her $300 to keep her $10,000 of cards current. The client prefers to get a Chapter 7 fresh start and not pay any portion of the $40,000. The wife prefers to not file Chapter 7 for her $10,000.

This is a good decision because $10,000 of cards is still manageable for them if the husband does get rid of his $40,000. Instead of $1,500, they only have to produce $300 to keep her cards current. If the husband is able to

discharge $40,000 in Chapter 7, then the household would have reduced their credit card debts from $50,000 to $10,000 a reduction of 80 percent. That should be close enough to a fresh start for the family with only the major debtor spouse filing a Chapter 7.

But can client actually qualify for Chapter 7? If you consider that the median income for a family of 4 in California is $6,800 a month and compare that with client’s household income of $11,100, you can see that there’s going to be a problem overcoming or avoiding the presumption of abuse under the means test for Chapter 7. However, even if client’s income of over the median for a family of 4, if he has additional allowable deductions, he might still qualify for Chapter 7. For instance, if the client takes care of a parent by giving that parent $1K a month, the entire $1K is deductible; or, if there is a nondischargeable tax debt that is being paid by installment of $500 a month. That is also deductible. So just these two items can squeeze client through the means test if applicable because they can make any disposable income on the means test disappear altogether.

This kind of case requires a lot of detailed examination of what client’s monthly expenses are. It looks like the client has a 401Kloan repayment of $500 a month.

In Chapter 7, the repayment of $500 cannot be deducted in the means test. But in Chapter 13,

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When am I considered separated from my spouse in a divorce case? it would be in your interest to shorten the marriage as much as possible and to establish a sooner date of separation to minimize the community interest of your soon to be ex-spouse.

So how does the Court determine the date of separation? In the case of Marriage of Davis, the California Supreme Court held that the couple needs to be living separate and apart in order to be separated. The Court looked into the legislative intent of the original statute that was over 100 years old. However, this case holding was abrogated by the state legislature when it enacted Family Code Section 70 effective January 1, 2017 by defining “Date of Separation” in the California Family Code.

Effective January 1, 2017, the “date of separation” is statutorily defined to mean the date a “complete and final break in the marital relationship has occurred,” as evidenced by (i) a spouse having “expressed to the other spouse his or her intent to end the marriage” and (ii) conduct that is “consistent with his or her intent

to end the marriage.” New Fam. C. 70. Fam.C. 70 abrogates prior case law that made living in separate residences an additional, indispensable prerequisite to establishing the date of separation.

[Fam.C. 70(c)] ) It is the intent of the Legislature in enacting this section to abrogate the decisions in In re Marriage of Davis (2015) 61 Cal.4th 846 and In re Marriage of Norviel (2002) 102 Cal. App.4th 1152.

So not only do you have to express to your spouse that you are now separated but you have to act accordingly. You cannot be telling your spouse that you are separated but still going out on “date night” or going on “cruise vacation” as a couple. Your conduct has to reflect your expression of a separation from your spouse. The flip side of the coin is under the new statute, you can be separated even if you are still living together if you have communicated to your spouse that you are separated and you conduct yourself in the house not like a spouse but more like

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DEAR Attorney Tan, I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. He has filed an immigrant visa petition and green card application for me. My husband recently received from USCIS a Notice of Intent to Deny the petition that he filed on my behalf. The Notice indicated that the immigrant visa petition could not be approved since the USCIS had determined that I previously entered into a fraudulent marriage to get a green card several years ago. My ex-husband previously filed an immigrant petition on my behalf several years ago, which was denied since USCIS determined that I only married him to get a green card. My second husband and I truly love each other. What are my options? -- In Love but Out of Status Dear In Love but Out of Status, Under INA Section 204(c), a person who “attempted or conspired to enter into a marriage” in order to receive permanent resident status in the US is prohibited from obtaining USCIS approval of an immigrant visa petition. Simply stated, Section 204(c) prohibits approval of any immigrant visa petition if there has been a finding of “marriage fraud” in a prior marriage-based petition.

Based on the above law, your case seems at first glance like an “open-andshut” case in favor of denial.

However, you still have hope of getting a green card—a person can apply for and get his immigrant petition approved despite the prior finding of “marriage fraud” under certain circumstances.

You may ask, how is this possible? Isn’t Section 204(c) straightforward? Not quite. The answer lies in the fact that USCIS must independently examine the prior finding of “marriage fraud” in considering the subsequently filed immigrant visa petition. Before invoking the Sec. 204(c) bar to approval of a subsequent visa petition, USCIS must make an independent determination of fraud based upon the record, including but not limited to any evidence gathered during adjudication of the prior visa petition, but may not parrot or rely on the conclusions made by other adjudicators. USCIS must have “substantial and probative” evidence of “marriage fraud.”

Matter of Tawfik, 20 I. & N. Dec. 166, 168.

The determination is to be made by the USCIS district director while adjudicating the subsequent visa petition. Matter of Samsen, 15 I.

& N. Dec. 28, 1974 WL 29995 (B.I.A. 1974).

The district director should not give conclusive effect to the determinations made in the prior proceedings, but should reach his own independent conclusion based on the evidence actually before him.

Matter of F-, 9 I. & N. Dec. 684 (BIA 1962).

Darrick V. Tan, Esq. Therefore, in cases such as yours in which the USCIS has indicated it intends to deny the subsequent immigrant visa petition due to the prior finding of “marriage fraud,” new evidence can be submitted that demonstrates that the prior finding of “marriage fraud” was incorrect—i.e., evidence that shows that the prior marriage petition was based on a bona fide marriage, or that explains that the prior denial was based on an incomplete or inaccurate assessment of the facts. In cases in which the subsequent immigrant visa petition has already been denied, this new evidence should be submitted as part of a motion to reconsider. I recommend that you seek an experienced attorney to assist you in properly presenting the law and facts to the USCIS adjudicator to address the Section 204(c) bar. ***

“The district director should not give conclusive effect to the determinations made in the prior proceedings, but should reach his own independent conclusion based on the evidence actually before him.”

Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** 3LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277.

Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

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C DECEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Significant delays in processing removal of conditional residency petitions THE United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) is encountering significant delays in the processing of petitions to remove the conditions from permanent residency. The average processing time for a petition jointly filed by spouses is now anywhere from 13 to 15 months. Waiver petitions are taking even longer. The considerable delays are not just annoying, but can be rather troublesome for those wishing to travel or provide evidence of their employment eligibility.

Conditional residency is a way for the USCIS to prevent marriage fraud from taking place. To prevent people from getting married just for the sake of obtaining a green card, the immigration service issues a green card valid for only 2 years if a couple has not yet celebrated their 2year wedding anniversary.

The imposition of the 2-year conditional residency period is specifically designed to address the common marriage fraud scheme of getting married, getting a green card, and then soon after getting divorced.

Marriages of such short duration are considered suspicious.

To extend the green card, the couple must jointly file a petition with the USCIS within 90 days before the green card expires. If the couple fails to timely file the petition, they must file the petition as soon as possible with an explanation setting forth valid and legitimate good cause as to their lateness. Otherwise, failing to file the petition to remove conditions will result in the automatic termination of the individual’s permanent resident status and initiation of removal proceedings.

The immigration laws, however, also recognize that sometimes legitimate and bonafide marriages just do not work out.

With the high divorce rates in the US, the immigration laws do naturally take into account that many couples experience marital problems, separations, and also divorce.

Accordingly, for an individual who is granted conditional permanent residency and is experiencing marital problems, careful individualized assessment on the best course of action to take must be considered as soon as possible. Individuals who are faced with marital problems cannot fail to file a petition as removal proceedings will be started against them.

For couples who are separated but on good terms, a joint petition that honestly describes their marital strife may be the best course of action so long as both people are willing to actively par-

AmericAn DreAm Allison Aquino-silvA, Esq ticipate in the processing of the petition.

More commonly, however, individuals separated from their spouse need to pursue a waiver of the joint filing requirement as typically a spouse will not agree to filing the joint petition. A waiver is available for individuals who entered into the marriage for legitimate and bona fide reasons, but the marriage has been legally terminated.

away. Another waiver is available for those who have been “battered or subjected to extreme cruelty” by the US citizen spouse. This includes not only physical abuse, but also psychological and emotional abuse.

There is also a waiver available to those who can prove that they would suffer extreme hardship if they were not allowed to retain their green card.

When a joint petition or waiver is filed, the individual is issued a receipt notice that indicates that their permanent resident status is automatically extended for 1 year. Individuals can use the receipt notice, along with their expired green card, to travel internationally and prove that they continue to have authorization to work.

Since it is now taking more than 1 year to process the petition, individuals are encountering problems and are left unclear about their status.

Individuals in this situation do in fact continue to be permanent residents even after the 1 year period. If there is a need to travel or prove employment eligibility, individuals can obtain a Form I-551 stamp from the USCIS to prove their continued permanent resident status.

Moreover, individuals are often eager to proceed with naturalization so that they can then petition other family members. Individuals do not need to wait for the petition to remove the conditional residency to be granted. Rather, they can and should proceed once they are eligible, which is generally 90 days before their 3 year anniversary as a conditional resident. The USCIS will consolidate the two applications so that time is not wasted on becoming a US citizen.

Due to the significant concerns of the USCIS to combat marriage fraud and the delays now being encountered, it is important for individuals to comply with the timely filing of the joint petition or waiver petition. For those who are experiencing marital problems, it is extremely important to seek out guidance well in advance so that a proper course of action can be charted to make an already difficult situation hopefully not too problematic.

“The immigration laws, however, also recognize that sometimes legitimate and bonafide marriages just do not work out.”

This waiver can only be granted once a marriage has been dissolved or annulled by the courts, so it is important for individuals to plan ahead since a divorce in California takes a minimum of 6 months. Waiting too long could result in the inability to timely finalize the waiver, which could lead to the initiation of removal proceedings. While the waiver petition may be renewed in removal proceedings, the situation will certainly create additional anxiety and costly legal fees to adequately defend oneself in removal proceedings.

Given that the 2-year conditional residency was initiated specifically to combat marriage fraud by those who seek divorces soon after obtaining a green card, individuals must realize that a bona fide marriage waiver petition will be strictly and thoroughly scrutinized. The USCIS will expect documentary evidence of the couple’s joint residency and commingling of their marital transactions, such as joint bank accounts, joint credit cards, joint insurance, etc. Lack of such documentation may lead to great difficulty in persuading an immigration officer that an individual has been in a legitimate and bona fide marriage. An individual must also be prepared to furnish an explanation of what led to the break-up of the marriage, which is often emotionally difficult but vital to demonstrating the legitimacy of the relationship.

Other types of waivers also exist should an individual not be eligible for a bona fide marriage waiver. A waiver is available if the US citizen spouse has passed

*** For further information, please schedule an appointment with an attorney at Aquino & Loew, Certified Immigration Law Specialists; (888) 797-1140 or (626) 799-3089; info@aquinoloew. com. Please also visit Aquino & Loew at www.aquinoloew.com, connect with us on Facebook and Twitter, and read about us on Yelp. Aquino & Loew also handles family law and criminal matters. Providing Personalized Service Nationwide & Abroad Since 1996.

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When am I considered separated...

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a roommate including sleeping in separate rooms, not having intimacy, and not going out as a couple.

*** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice.

The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

This article is not intended to cover all

the issues related to the topic discussed.

The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of

the Philippine American Bar Association.

He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 3881611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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here. If the client has good documentation of expenses, he may be eligible for Chapter 7.

I just had a hearing on a Chapter 7 case where I informed the client that there was a possibility that because her income was over the median for a family of two, there could be some headwinds with the U.S. Trustee asking about her expenses. The client was 70 years old. She still works and makes $75,000 a year.

She sends $2,000 a month to her 72-year-old husband who lives abroad. He doesn’t work and has diabetes and hypertension.

The client was fortunate that her case went through smoothly without questions from the U.S. Trustee even though her income was over the median. This is a borderline Chapter 7 case that if there was inadequate documentation of expenses could have been dismissed or converted to Chapter 13. Each case has different circumstances and so may have different endings.

If you need debt relief, set an

appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

“Then he said this is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns & build bigger ones, and there I will store all my supplies of grain.

And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy, eat, drink & be merry.” “But God said to him “You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you.

Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?” This is how will it be with whoever stores up thing for themselves but is not richtowards God.” Luke 12-21 (The parable of the foolish rich man told by Jesus)

A client wants Chapter 7, but can...

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the $500 a month 401K-loan repayment is deductible in the means test analysis. I like to call this 401K-loan repayment paradox. Let’s say the presumption of abuse arises in this case and the disposable income that pops up is $500 a month. The client will not qualify for Chapter 7 because he has $500 of disposable income monthly. But in Chapter 13, we can deduct the $500 401K-loan repayment. Removing the $500 401K-loan repayment in Chapter 13 would actually make the client’s disposable income zero in Chapter 13, making client’s plan payment zero!

If this case is filed as Chapter 7, documentation of expenses must be complete. The $1,000 being sent to the mother must be fully documented. Otherwise, the U.S. Trustee may file a motion to dismiss for abuse of bankruptcy law. At that time, the client will have the option of converting to Chapter 13. So there is some gambling involved

***

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

IRS moves to revoke passports...

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ous.

The IRS will get you off its naughty list within 30 days and provide notification to the State Department.

10. The IRS will not reverse your certification because you pay down your debt below $50,000. You have to reduce

your debt before you are referred to the State Department. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California.

*** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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Your Neighborhood Estate Planning Attorney Atty. GrAce GAil cArA BELIEVE it or not, you have an estate. No matter how large or modest, your estate is comprised of everything you own— your home, car, checking and savings accounts, investments, life insurance, furniture, and other personal possessions.

Estate planning, then, is for everyone. As an estate planning attorney, my goal is to help you transfer as much of your estate as possible to your heirs upon your death. This means reducing (possibly eliminating) federal estate taxes, legal fees, and other court costs.

For many families, their home is the biggest asset they own.

Chances are, you took title to your home as “Husband and Wife as joint tenants.” Joint Tenancy is a co-ownership of property. Each joint tenant owns an equal, undivided interest in that property and each grants a “right of survivorship” to the other tenant(s).

Well, what is a right of survivorship? Let’s say Husband and Wife own their home as joint tenants with right of survivorship.

Upon the death of Husband, by operation of law, the property immediately passes to Wife (the surviving joint tenant). As such, joint tenancy has avoided probate!

Probate is a legal nightmare and should be avoided. Probate is the court process where, upon death, the court transfers your property to your heirs or beneficiaries. It sounds nice, but will cost your heirs an average of $10,000-$50,000 (depending on the value of your estate). And can take anywhere between 9 months to 1 ½ years, or even longer.

But wait, doesn’t joint tenancy avoid probate? NO. It only delays it. In the above example, when Husband passed away, the property immediately passed

What is estate planning?

to Wife. However, when Wife passes away, the property will be probated and transferred to her heirs.

Many people will try to add a child’s name as a “joint tenant” to avoid probate. This is not a good idea.

Step-Up For one, the child will miss out on receiving a step-up in basis or cost basis. What is cost basis? It is a method used in determining capital gains. Why do I need to know how much gain there has been? Because the IRS places a tax on this gain upon the sale of the property. As such, the cost basis is how much you purchased your property, plus capital improvements. Subtract your cost basis from the selling price of the property and you have your capital gain!

To put this in perspective, suppose you purchased your home for $400,000 and the property at death is worth $800,000. You then decide to add your adult child on title as a joint tenant during your lifetime. Your child will miss out on a step-up in basis. This means that instead of receiving the date of death value of the property of ($800,000), they will receive the date of purchase value of the property ($400,000), and will be taxed on that $400,000 gain by the IRS when they sell.

Child Gets Divorced For two, if you attempt to add your married children onto title as a joint tenant, there is the issue of a possible divorce. Assume you add your married daughter onto title as joint tenant and your son-in-law eventually files for divorce, seeking half of your daughter’s assets. Any property your daughter owns, including that property you added her onto as joint tenant is subject to recovery from the divorce.

Creditors For three, there is the issue of creditors. Does the other joint tenant have creditors? Do you have creditors? During a joint tenant’s lifetime, joint tenancy

assets are recoverable by creditors of any joint tenant. For example, if you put your child on title as a joint tenant and your child is involved in a car accident and has no other recoverable assets, a judgment lien may be placed on that child’s interest in the property.

How do I prevent all of this?

One of the ways to properly plan for the passing of your estate is to set up a revocable living trust.

A revocable living trust is a written legal document you prepare during your lifetime. There are no disadvantages since you have complete control over the trust, can add or remove assets, or change its terms during your lifetime. At death, your assets in the trust are entrusted to your chosen “trustee” who will distribute according to your wishes, without probate. Assets placed in your trust, including your home, will receive a full step-up in basis. This means your beneficiaries, depending on when they sell, may not pay any capital gains taxes. Further, your trust maintains your financial privacy because it is a private document, allowing for easy and efficient administration of your assets, and protection of any beneficiaries you may have with special needs.

An elder law attorney can help create a trust that is tailored to your needs and wishes. If you should have any questions about setting up your estate plan, contact your Friendly Neighborhood Estate Planning Attorney. ***

Grace Gail Cara, Esq. is an Estate Planning attorney at Elder Law Services of California. She can be contacted at (310) 348-2995 or grace@ elderlawcalifornia.com. The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the view of the Asian American Journal. The information presented does not constitute legal advice and should not be treated as such.

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In these painful times of Christmas...

PAGE C2 t

to baptize us with the Holy Spirit.

In these hard times, let’s allow Jesus to pour into our hearts the refreshing water of hope, wisdom, courage, and peace. Let our faith not be destroyed by any disaster or misfortune. Let’s keep encouraging one another to remain steadfast and cen-

tered on our relationship with God. Let Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer, be our hope and strength! *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993);

St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

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C DECEMBER 9-12, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

& Saving documents is

Immigration Corner

critical to your case

ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ FOR almost all immigration benefits, you should save and preserve documents to establish eligibility for that particular benefit.

Many people state that, for one reason or another, they no longer have documents relating to their immigration history. They moved several times and lost track of the documents; they got angry because their case was denied and tore up the paperwork, burned it and threw the ashes into the Pasig River; or lost documents or they were destroyed due to natural calamities (e.g. flood, lahar), or termites ate the paperwork, etc.

Had they kept track of the documents or put them in a safe place, their chances of success would have been greater. But now the case could be more difficult and expensive.

Among the documents you should keep are: • Documents showing how you entered the U.S. This would include the passport and visa you entered the U.S. on (even if under an assumed name), I – 94, other documents proving you were “inspected” at your port of entry.

• Documents showing your marriage(s) were bona fide and in good faith. If a person has ever been petitioned by a U.S. citizen spouse, the bona fides of that marriage may come up and be questioned at any later interview.

This is because the law states that if a person has ever been in a fixed marriage, all future petitions will not be approved. Even if you get divorced from your spouse, you should continue to save the pictures, love letters, and other joint documents, just in case that issue arises in the future.

• Documents showing you

worked for the employer. If you obtained a green card through an employer’s sponsorship (PERM/ labor certification) you will need to prove you worked for the employer after being granted your green card. In some cases, a person quits before their adjustment is granted, or they never bothered working for the sponsoring employer. Years later, when they apply for citizenship, one of the first questions asked is whether they worked for the employer after getting the green card and proof of employment, such as paystubs.

• Documents relating to all filings with USCIS, including petitions, applications, approvals, and denials. Some people apply for various immigration benefits, whether they were eligible for them or not. Some may not have even realized what they were filing for. But those previous filings will come up with any future application for immigration benefits. Therefore, if your case was denied, don’t just rip up the denial and throw it in the fire. Save it. If you can no longer locate your documents, there are ways to obtain your file from the U.S. government.

• Documents showing your continuous residence in the U.S. Although there is no “amnesty” at the present time, we are still hoping and praying for comprehensive immigration reform. Almost all of these programs require that a person continuously resided in the U.S. for a certain number of years. Therefore, in case any kind of immigration reform is passed and requires your demonstrating continuous residence, save documents proving that, such as tax returns, doctor bills, rental agreements, phone bills, etc. Save them now, so that when com-

prehensive immigration reform is passed, you already have them available and organized, versus scrambling around trying to locate documents, which you may have lost or thrown out.

These are just a few examples of the type of documents you should be keeping in connection with your immigration case.

Don’t just throw out things or lose track of them, as it may be critical to obtaining certain immigration benefits. In addition to keeping the paper copies of these documents, you may also want to scan and email them to yourself, so you can have access to the documents “in the cloud,” even if the paper copies are lost. And to be sure of the type of documents needed for a particular immigration benefit, you should seek the advice of an attorney who can assist you. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar 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. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does 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: (866)—GURFINKEL

Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES

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Business Quote of the Week “Capital isn’t so important in business. Experience isn’t so important. You can get both these things. What is important is ideas. If you have ideas, you have the main asset you need, and there isn’t any limit to what you can do with your business and your life.” - Harvey Firestone, founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company

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US group warns ‘sugar sweetened beverages’ tax to send wrong signal

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA — A U.S. business group and a think tank have warned of the negative implications of the proposed taxes on sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) on international investors looking at the Philippines as their next investment stop.

In a joint statement, U.S.-ASEAN Business Council president and CEO Alexander Feldman and Center for Strategic and International Studies trustee Ernest Bower said passing the SSB tax under the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) Act would pull the country down in its competitiveness ratings as well as send the wrong message that governance in the Philippines has slipped backwards.

“While American business supports most parts of the TRAIN bill which was passed by the Senate and House, there is one particular part of the bill which could send the wrong signal to international investors and long-term friends of the Philippines,” Feldman and Bower said.

“Specifically, the sections of the TRAIN bill that seemingly overlooked the consumers, who want lower prices for their foods and drinks and the right to choose what they consume. If passed by the bicameral review process this week, the new law would raise prices for Filipinos, restrict choice and result in reduced investment, lost jobs and send a message to investors from around the world that the Philippines is willing to violate

U.S.-ASEAN Business Council president and CEO Alexander Feldman Philstar.com photo

global trading rules. The Congress moved forward despite opposition coming from domestic associations and international players who are long-term investors in the Philippines,” they added.

They said, companies prefer to invest in the Philippines due to the country’s “incredible people and their skills, commitment to hard work, and team orientation.”

Feldman and Bower, however, said companies also base their investment decisions on a range of important factors such as stability and pragmatism of tax and fiscal policies.

“If Congress passes this bill, with the unequal provisions on the sugar-sweetened beverages intact, it won’t be Christmas for the consumers or to companies considering investments in the Philippines,” they said.

“This discriminatory SSB tax provision sends the wrong message at exactly the wrong mo-

ment. If passed, the law will draw complaints in the World Trade Organization (WTO) and have a substantial chilling effect on foreign direct investment. Even the Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs has warned that the two-tier SSB tax structure is discriminatory under WTO rules. These consequences would undermine the Duterte administration’s 10-point socio-economic plan and directly contradict initiatives to improve the investment climate by easing restrictions on foreign investment, reducing red tape, and increasing spending on infrastructure,” they added.

Feldman and Bower said the SSB provisions call for a doubled tax rate on sweeteners that are produced largely outside the Philippines but play a critical role in meeting Filipino demand for high quality and affordable food and beverage products.

If passed as drafted, they pointed out that the legislation would hurt Philippine competitiveness at a time when other countries in ASEAN are stepping up their competitiveness for foreign direct investment.

“There are also unintended economic consequences that could arise from this tax. Attempts at taxing SSBs in countries like Indonesia, Mexico, Denmark, and in cities like Chicago, Philadelphia, among other areas, have resulted in crippled beverage manufacturing industries, significant job losses, loss of revenue for small businesses, backlash against politicians in favor of such taxes, and lower than targeted tax revenues,” they said.

Mobile devices are expected to be smarter and faster next year. Inquirer.net photo

Better smartphones coming up in 2018

by Rica

delfinado Philstar.com

MAUI, Hawaii — Mobile devices are expected to be smarter and faster next year as mobile chipmaker Qualcomm unveiled its latest flagship processor called Snapdragon 845 at its technology summit.

The 845, a direct successor of the very popular Snapdragon 835, will power next year’s major Android smartphones led by market leaders Samsung and Xiaomi.

The San Diego-based chipmaker said its newest processor is faster and more energy efficient, resulting in smarter, safer and more immersive mobile devices.

“Today, smartphone is the

most widely used platform of humankind. It has become the custodian of our digital lives— holding records of our financial transactions, passwords, health even physical activities and many more,” Cristiano Amon, executive vice president of Qualcomm, said in his presentation.

He said global shipment of smartphones is expected to reach 8.6 billion units between 2017 and 2021, spurring a mad dash for the creation of technology that would capture the attention of consumers who are constantly looking for innovative products.

Xiaomi founder, chairman and chief executive officer Lei Jun, who was also in attendance, said

the company’s future flagship devices would use the Snapdragon 845.

“Xiaomi is commited to making devices that combine cutting edge innovations technology and beautiful design, while defying price expectations,and we have chosen Snapdragon 845 to power our next flagship smartphone,” Lei said.

Samsung, the chipmaker’s longtime hardware partner, also confirmed its collaboration with Qualcomm. “As the foundry partner for the Snapdragon 845,we look forward to our continued collaboration,” ES Jung, president and general manager at Samsung Electronics, said.

File photo shows Chinese President Xi Jinping guide the way to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte during a welcome ceremony outside the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, in October 2016.

Philstar.com photo

PH becoming more attractive to Chinese firms, says report by ian

nicolas cigaRal Philstar.com

MANILA — The Philippines is becoming a more attractive destination for Chinese investments, according to a report by the Economist Intelligence Unit as ties between the two countries that had soured over a maritime dispute continue to improve.

In EIU’s report titled “China Going Global Investment Index 2017,” the Philippines ranked 29th this year in terms of attractiveness to Chinese firms.

Manila’s spot this year was better than 2015 and 2013’s 39th place.

The index ranks 60 major economies in terms of their appeal to Chinese investors, drawing on 57 indicators spread across “opportunity” and “risk” pillars.

The Philippines remains a magnet for Chinese investors in the energy, telecommunications, consumer goods sectors, EIU reported.

In terms of financial services, EIU said the Philippines ranked “relatively well,” supported by “reasonable low financial risks and decent returns on assets.”

Meanwhile, Singapore has overtaken the US as the most attractive destination for Chinese

overseas direct investment (ODI), citing the city state’s “superior business environment, access to South-east Asian markets and close links with China.”

The fall in the US ranking is “partly” attributable to higher trade tensions with China, EIU said.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte last May visited Beijing for the second time to attend a summit hosted by his Chinese counterpart to promote the Chinasponsored “One Belt, One Road” initiative.

Duterte has sought warmer ties with Beijing by avoiding confrontation with the Asian power and by setting aside Manila’s legally won entitlements over the disputed South China Sea, in exchange for billion dollars’ worth of Chinese aid and investment.

OBOR aims to revive an ancient silk trading route that would connect Asian markets with economic circles in Europe by investing billions of dollars in infrastructure projects including railways, ports and power grids.

According to EIU, the roll-out of the OBOR has given “additional impetus” for some Chinese companies to venture overseas despite the Asian powerhouse’s “dimming” ODI.

Tycoons confirm NAIA rehab bid Possible solution to congestion problem in aviation sector by miguel

R. camus

Inquirer.net

SEvEN of the country’s biggest conglomerates confirmed they were looking at rehabilitating and redeveloping the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA)— the strongest signal yet from the private sector on the pressing need to upgrade the country’s busiest air gateway.

The companies included Andrew Tan’s Alliance Globe Group Inc., Ayala Corp., Aboitiz Equity ventures Inc., Manuel v. Pangilinan-led Metro Pacific Investments Corp., Gotianun-led Filinvest Development Corp., Gokongwei-led JG Summit Holdings Inc. and Lucio Tan’s LT Group.

Two of those groups, JG Summit and LT Group, own the country’s two largest commercial air carriers, Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines, respectively.

The seven companies responded to earlier reports tagging them as part of a “super consortium” looking at rehabilitating NAIA, which is suffering from worsening congestion. NAIA, through its four passenger terminals, serves more

than 42 million passengers annually, or about 40 percent above its design capacity.

They confirmed their potential participation in separate, similarly worded statements. Without confirming talks with each other, each group said discussions were still exploratory and no formal agreement had been signed.

A source noted that the groups were bound by confidentiality agreements.

“It is exciting and will benefit the Filipino people and the economy significantly,” the source said.

The groups are expected to submit an unsolicited offer, which would later require a competitive challenge.

The cooperation among the country’s tycoons in the aviation sector is at a scale unseen since 1993 when taipans Henry Sy Sr., Lucio Tan, George Ty, John Gokongwei, Andrew Gotianun and Alfonso Yuchengo joined forces in an unsuccessful bid for the NAIA Terminal 3 project.

It also comes amid an uncertain environment for new air gateways PAGE D3

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Pechanga Resort & Casino’s $285-M expansion Del Monte shuts down US vegetable business unveil: The new hotel tower is set to open!

by IrIs

gonzales Inquirer.net

Book now to reserve your stay starting December 22, 2017

WITh the holiday season • Plush robes & slippers Pechanga.com or by calling just around the corner, travel• In-room safe (877) 711-2946, experience ers are planning ahead to book • Molton Brown Bath Prod- “Play On Another Level” at their vacation stay to celebrate ucts Pechanga Resort & Casino. with their families. You can now Book your stay now at www.

(Advertising Supplement) reserve your stay at Pechanga’s new hotel tower and be the first to stay in one of the 568 new hotel rooms and suite starting December 22, 2017. As part of its $285 Million resort expansion, Pechanga Resort & Casino adds an additional 568 hotel rooms and suites; two new restaurants; 68,000 square feet of meeting and event space including a rooftop garden; and a new, 25,000 square foot luxury spa all to open at the end of December. A four and one-half acre pool complex including a Artist rendering of Pechanga Resort & Casino’s new suites lagoon area and waterslides is slated to open in April 2018.

The new hotel wing comprises 96 suites and 472 deluxe hotel rooms. Every room in the new wing offers state of the art amenities and technological capabilities.

Technology: • 55” and 65” hospitalityrated TV - largest currently on the market • USB & charging stations on each nightstand with up to 8 ports to charge – Addt’l outlets in bedside lamps • hDMI cable below TV monitor • Room Cast remote for personal smart devices • Button controlled hotel service & Do Not Disturb indicators • Electronic smart lighting for in-room eco efficiency (adheres to Title 24 of Calif. energy code) Upgraded room amenities: • Keurig coffee makers • Mini bar with space for guest food items

MANILA — Del Monte Pacific Ltd.’s U.S. subsidiary has divested its vegetable business because it was not doing well.

DMPL’s Del Monte Food Inc. divested its Sager Creek vegetable business and consequently shut down the production facility in Siloam Springs, Arkansas.

DMFI also shut its Plymouth, Indiana tomato production facility to improve efficiency and streamline operations. This was meant to improve operational excellence.

On the other hand, the second largest subsidiary, Del Monte Philippines Inc. (DMPI), generated sales of $134 million, up two percent versus the same quarter last year.

DMPI’s sales comprise Philippines sales and exports.

Sales in the Philippines, the

largest market of DMPI, were up in peso terms on better sales of packaged fruit as well as the food service channel.

DMPL achieved second quarter sales of $624.7 million for fiscal year 2018, down 1.8 percent from the previous year due to lower sales in the U.S. which had been affected by unfavorable pricing in food service and increased planned trade promotion spending.

For the first half of FY 2018, the group generated sales of $1.1 billion, marginally lower than the year ago as higher sales in Asia were offset by lower sales in the US. DMFI, which contributed $485.6 million or 78 percent of group sales, saw its sales decline 1.6 percent.

On the other hand, volume was marginally higher driven by the strong performance of the

packaged vegetable and fruit segments ahead of the holiday season.

The group generated a net loss of $2.1 million due to the oneoff expenses for DMFI’s plant closures.

Excluding these one-off expenses, the group would have generated a net income of $11.5 million during the period.

DMPL managing director and CEO Joselito Campos Jr said the company’s actions in the US were necessary.

“We have taken some challenging but necessary steps in the US to realign our manufacturing footprint and strengthen our competitiveness in the long-term, amidst shifts in consumer tastes and shopping preferences,” he said.

The company has also invested in brand-building to support its heritage brands in the U.S.

DOF reports ‘substantial’ progress toward ASEAN taxation agreements

by Ian

nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com

MANILA — Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are inching closer to achieving better cooperation on tax matters after gaining “substantial progress” in discussions on regional taxation agreements, the Department of Finance (DOF) said on Friday, Dec. 8.

The Philippines chairs the ASEAN Forum on Taxation-Working Group (AFT-WG) from 2018 to 2019.

The country hosted the second working group meeting last October 24-25 in Panglao, Bohol. All ASEAN member-states, except for Malaysia, were represented in the meeting.

According to Finance Undersecretary Gil Beltran, certain “initiatives” on cooperation on tax matters were completed so far and

were endorsed by the AFT-WG. Such initiatives, according to Beltran, include “a strategic action plan and a set of annual priorities to move ahead on harmonizing the withholding tax rates among the ASEAN member-states and the exchange of information and training program for tax policy and administration in the region.”

The Kookmin Institute of South Korea offered to host and shoulder the costs of the training program, Beltran added.

Southeast Asia is one of the fastest-growing regional blocs in the world. Intra-ASEAN trade and investments have been on the rise in the past few years, fueled by the region’s goal to create an integrated regional market through the ASEAN Economic Community Upon the endorsement of the

ASEAN finance ministers, the AFT was formed in 2011 in Indonesia to provide the organization a platform to support a dialogue on taxation issues for regional integration, particularly on concerns related to withholding tax and double taxation.

Beltran said the next meeting of the AFT-WG is tentatively set in March 2018, the agenda of which include the presentation of initial results by the global firm Deloitte on the proposed study on the withholding tax structure in the ASEAN for comments and/or refinements.

Also expected to be discussed in the March 2018 meeting are “ASEAN members’ assessment of the training by the Kookmin Institute of South Korea, and the progress on the completion of the double taxation agreements,” Beltran said.

Tycoons confirm NAIA rehab... billion public-private partnership (PPP) project to develop and privaserving Metro Manila and nearby tize operations of NAIA . areas.

There are also calls from the The Duterte administration private sector for NAIA’s eventual has committed to expand Clark closure, to be replaced by either International Airport in Pampanga San Miguel Corp.’s proposal to province, a NAIA alternative. But build a new international airport NAIA’s fate remains hanging. in Bulacan province or the BelleThe Department of Transporta- Solar Group’s project in Sangley tion last year put on hold a P75- Point, Cavite.

PAGE D2

Between the two, SMC’s proposal had advanced, with the group being awarded an original proponent status for its new airport project.

SMC would still need to clear the approval of the board of the National Economic and Development Authority for its P700-billion “aerotropolis,” which it said could be finished in six years.

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Puente Hills Subaru takes a friendly, no-pressure Raymond Orosa joins award-winning approach to helping consumers buy a car Downtown LA Motors Mercedes-Benz family

NO one ever likes buying a car. Next to buying a house, it can be the most exhausting, but one of the most crucial purchases in your life. And many car dealerships can exacerbate that exhaustion.

Most people would describe going to a car dealership as stressful, with salespeople pressuring customers to lock in a deal right away.

But Puente Hills Subaru takes a different, more patient approach.

Putting their tagline “Honesty, Integrity and Transparency...with a new attitude!” into action, Puente Hills Subaru knows that buying a car is one of the largest purchases most people and picking out the right car is no easy feat.

One of the most significant attributes that separates Puente Hills Subaru from most car dealerships is that the sales team never pressures people into buying a car and always opts for an authentic, friendly person-to-person relationship with customers.

“We feel we provide a superior service to other dealerships. We’re not the high-pressure group,” John Everett, Internet Director of Puente Hills Subaru, told the Asian Journal. “We are familyoriented. We see people, not as a buyer. We see people as people. We just want to help, that’s our main key. We tell people, ‘We don’t sell you a car. We help you buy one.’”

On hand are a very diverse group of salespeople ready to cater to the equally diverse East Los Angeles County community. The staff includes Filipinos, Chinese, Latinos and all the cultural groups represented in the area.

Puente Hills Subaru also constantly offers special deals and promotions. The 2017 Crosstrek stick shift is available for as little as $99/month. Subaru also doesn’t offer rebates, making the markups reasonably low, leaving little negotiation required.

Subaru cars are also labeled as among the safest cars, according to industry leaders, making ideal for families looking for a secure ride. All but one Subaru model standard with all-wheel drive, making driving easy whatever the terrain or weather conditions. Subaru also offers an optional EyeSight Driver Assist Technology feature which allows drivers to set the cruise control to any desired length between their car and the car in front, minimizing the potential for accidents.

You may reach Filipino American Product Specialist Christopher Tiusiu at (626) 551-4744.

Puente Hills Subaru also has a diversified used car lot on their property, which includes all car brands.

While most car dealerships with used car lots jack up the prices for the used cars they sell, the used cars at Puente Hills Subaru are priced sell, at or below Kelley Blue Book prices. Car prices are never inflated and are not priced to sit on the lot.

“It’s all about community and it’s about selling cars.

Is there profit involved? Of course, there has to be. But it’s all about moving cars and serving the community,” Everett said.

Subaru is also holding its annual special holiday promotion from November to January called the Share the Love event, wherein for every person who purchases a new Subaru car, they get to choose one of two charities to which Subaru will donate $250.

The charities that Puente Hills Subaru is sponsoring include Circle of Friends, the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Meals on Wheels and the National Park Foundation.

Puente Hills Subaru is located at 17801 Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748 and is open from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. To reach Filipino American Product Specialist Christopher Tiusiu, call him directly at (626) 551-4744. For Internet sales, call (888) 4508814.

(Advertising Supplement)

Puente Hills Subaru is located at 17801 Gale Ave, City of Industry, CA 91748 and is open from Monday to Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.

LOS ANGELES’ Filipino Mercedes-Benz connection Raymond Orosa, has recently joined the award-winning Downtown LA Motors’ Mercedes-Benz family just in time for the holidays. Whether it be getting a new set of wheels, or keeping up with maintenance, Orosa is ready to help fellow kababayans with all their Mercedes-Benz needs.

With 10 years of experience selling Mercedes-Benz vehicles throughout Southern California (and a brief moment selling Porsches), Orosa has helped many fellow Filipinos get behind the wheel of their own new or pre-owned cars, and has become a trusted name in the Filipino-American community.

For Orosa, customers are more than just clients — they’re family, and he makes sure to keep in touch with them constantly throughout their Mercedes-Benz ownership.

“The relationship begins after I sell them the car, but it doesn’t end there — it goes on,” said Orosa.

Downtown LA Motors’ Mercedes-Benz dealership has been in business for nearly six decades and has put over 55,000 vehicles and counting into the hands of satisfied clients. In fact, no other dealership has delivered as many new Mercedes-Benz cars to clients as they have.

Aside from being a leader in sales, the dealership prides itself on having the most qualified technicians in its Mercedes-Benz service department who are ready to handle everything from complex repairs to regularly scheduled maintenance.

And like Orosa, making sure their clients feel like family through building long-lasting relationships, is among the dealership’s core values.

Downtown LA Motors’ Mercedes-Benz dealership has also most recently received its 2016 Mercedes-Benz Best of the Best Dealership Recognition Award, further proving its dedication to quality service and customer satisfaction.

While many Filipinos may be

Raymond Orosa, your Filipino Mercedes-Benz connection. You may call him at (626) 478-3021 .

wary of choosing a MercedesBenz vehicle as their next investment, Orosa assured that it shouldn’t be the case.

“There’s this idea that just because it’s a Mercedes-Benz, it’s not affordable or it’s not attainable,” said Orosa.

“It is affordable and it is attainable,” he added. “We work with different people from the wealthy, to the average such as myself. I do help everybody to make their dream come true.”

Orosa further added that many of his Filipino clients are nurses and employees of the medical field.

In his 10 years of working with Mercedes-Benz, Orosa has also not only had clients come back to him for their next purchase, but have come to him to purchase vehicles for their own kids as well.

“Filipinos are loyal,” Orosa said gratefully. “They like dealing with one person, and they love Mercedes-Benz, that’s for sure.”

So what are the best selling Mercedes-Benz vehicles among kababayans?

Orosa shared that many Filipinos lean towards getting either the sleek

and compact C-class sedans, or the midsize E-class sedans whose timeless design can be attributed largely to Filipino automotive designer Winifredo Camacho.

Among Filipino families, Orosa said that the versatile GLE SUV has been a hit. Among its many features are its easily adaptable cabin and cargo space, and its optional Mercedes-Benz’ 4MATIC system which ensures maximum safety and control.

While Orosa is a new face at Downtown LA Motors’ Mercedes-Benz dealership, he is glad that many of his clients from throughout the years continue to look to him for assistance.

“The majority of it is the car, but a big part is also just them knowing that they have someone they can trust,” Orosa said.

To learn more about getting your new or pre-owned Mercedes-Benz vehicle, call Raymond Orosa at (626) 478-3021, or visit him at Downtown LA Motors’ Mercedes-Benz dealership located at 1801 S. Figueroa St. Los Angeles, CA 90015.

(Advertising Supplement)

D december 9-12, 2017 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL

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