121518 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 99 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

USA

DATELINE New FCC rules might block proposed text message tax in California FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Duterte on Ressa’s TIME cover: ‘You can have it’

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday, December 13, alluded to the awarding of Rappler’s CEO Maria Ressa as TIME Magazine’s “Person of the Year” during the birthday celebration of former Senator Manny Villar.

“Time of the what, Time of the magazine, Time THIS week, the California Public Utilities – ‘Woman of the Century’ and all, inyo na ‘yan (you can Commission (CPUC) filed a proposal for a statewide “texting tax” that, if passed, would go into effect next month.

The new surcharge — which is currently presented as less than 7 percent — would not tax per-text message, but rather it would appear as a monthly fee on any cellular bills that

by AJPRESS include fees for text messaging services, according to the 52-page proposal.

A REPORT from Gallup’s “The World’s Most Generu PAGE A3 ous” index revealed that Filipinos are among the least generous people in Southeast Asia in terms of donating money to a charity, volunteering their time to an organization, or helping a stranger or those in need.

According to the report involving 146 countries, the Philippines had a score of only 28 while other Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia, which topped the rankings, scored 59.

Gallup Global Managing Partner Jon Clifton said that the purpose of the report is to showcase the generosity of the world despite the inhumane and terrifying occurrences that have transpired in our society at present.

“The report also sheds light on how generous the whole world is. With all the reports about crime, war and terrorism served up daily in the media, it may surprise you to find out how many people are actively working to make the world a better place,” Clifton said.

The report asked questions through telephone and face-to-face interviews with 1,000 adults per nation.

Former Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and senatorial Their respondents age ranges from 15 years old and

A California commission’s proposal to tax text messages met with strong pushback

have it),” the president said as reported by Rappler.

Ressa was one of the “Guardians” – journalists who have been persecuted for their work” – featured in TIME’s annual “Person of the Year” issue.

“Ako, simple lang ako (Me, I’m a simple man). I am a worker of government and I work for the people. The long and short of my oath is, I have to protect the people of the Republic of the Philippines and I have to preserve

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Rappler CEO Maria Ressa

Philstar.com photo

PH among ‘least generous’ nations in Southeast Asia

candidate Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

Former PNP chief promotes anti-illegal drug drive and senatorial bid in Las Vegas FORMER Philippine National Police (PNP) chief and senatorial candidate Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa on Monday, December 10, visited Filipino-Americans in Las Vegas, Nevada to promote his personal advocacy to campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs as well as talk about his senatorial bid.

“I am roaming around, propagating my personal advocacy which is the campaign against illegal drugs. We are facing a very big problem. We need the help of everyone.

The government cannot defeat this problem without the help of the Filipino people,” dela

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NEW OFFICERS. President Rodrigo Duterte administers the oaths of office for the newly-promoted Generals and Flag Officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Star Rank Officers of the Philippine National Police during a ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, December 12.

Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi

Jollibee takes full control of Smashburger US ‘coldness’ preventing Duterte

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

U.S.-based burger chain Smashburger has been fully acquired by Jollibee Foods Corp. following the purchase of its remaining stake in the Filipinoowned fast-food chain for $10 million (P526 million).

Jollibee first acquired Smashburger with an initial stake of 40 percent, which was later raised to 85 percent back in February.

Jollibee, in a regulatory filing on Friday, December 14, said the remaining 15-percent stake in SJBF LLC, owner of Smashburger, was acquired in cash through its subsidiary Bee Good! Inc. (BGI).

“Jollibee is now the sole owner of the Smashburger business,” the fast-food giant said.

According to Jollibee, it would pour in more capital into Smashburger following its purchase. It plans to convert an $80 million loan held by BGI into equity to support Smashburger’s growth in 2019.

“We look forward to the development of Smashburger into a very strong brand and business in the United States,” Jollibee Chairman Tony Tan Caktiong said.

Jollibee Chief Executive Officer Ernesto Tanmantiong, meanwhile, said, “We look forward to replicating in Smashburger the significant brand and business development that [the group] achieved in practically all its new and acquired businesses in

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from visiting Washington

Salvador Panelo said.

Earlier, Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. said MALACAÑANG on Wednesday, Duterte would only visit the U.S. December 12, said the “coldness” after the historic Balangiga Bells in the United States is stopping are returned to the Philippines.

President Rodrigo Duterte to visit The Balangiga Bells on TuesWashington even after the return day, December 11, were finally of the Balangiga Bells. returned to the Philippines, 117 “What I know is he really years after it was taken by Ameridoesn’t want to go to the U.S. can soldiers as war trophies. apart from whatever reasons he The return of the bells was has in mind. He cannot stand the called on by Duterte during his temperature, the coldness. He re- 2017 State of the Nation Address ally doesn’t like it when it’s really (SONA). cold,” Presidential Spokesperson u PAGE A2

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

Transfer of one bell Pacquiao pushes for tobacco to museum opposed tax to aid healthcare bill

by EVELYN

MACAIRAN Philstar.com

MANILA — Church leaders on Thursday, December 13, expressed their opposition to the proposed transfer of one of the three historic Balangiga bells to the National Museum in Manila.

Bishop Crispin Valdez of the Diocese of Borongan, Eastern Samar, led Church leaders in the region in opposing Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri’s proposal BELLS ON DISPLAY. Students view the Balangiga bells at the Philippine Air Force Museum on to move one of the bells to the Wednesday, December 12. To Filipinos, the three bells are symbols of patriotism and bravery National Museum, pointing out they are the property of the while U.S. troops view them as war trophies of the Philippine-American war in 1901.

Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales Catholic Church.

“We, the bishop and clergy of the Diocese of Borongan, collectively object to and strongly stand against the transfer of one or all of the bells of Balangiga from their historical and rightful habitat, which is the Parish Church of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr, in Balangiga, Eastern Samar,” the diocese said in a statement.

Zubiri filed Senate Resolution 965 seeking to transfer one of the three Balangiga church bells to the National Museum.

“Senate Resolution 965 does violence to history and the sa-

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by AJPRESS SENATOR Manny Pacquiao on Wednesday, December 12, reiterated his call to increase the excise tax on tobacco products to P60 per pack as he pushed for the Senate Bill No. 1599 to aid in the universal health care (UHC) bill.

According to Pacquiao, the increase in the excise tax will help reduce the number of deaths caused by tobacco smoking. The senator said that such a move will help alleviate the number of those who are negatively affected by the said products.

Senator Manny Pacquiao

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Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

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From the Front Page

Transfer of one bell to museum...

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cred character and purpose of the Balangiga bells. It must be rejected,” the diocese said.

“They are also sacred artifacts that call the faithful to prayer and worship. But they especially call them to the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, the highest form of prayer and worship for Catholics. There-

fore, they belong in the Church, not in a museum,” it added.

While aware that the bells hold a “national significance,” the diocese said bells should be installed in their proper place.

“Just as we do not transfer Jose Rizal’s family mementoes from the Rizal residence in Calamba to Manila, nor do we move from Kawit, Cavite the

artifacts of the First Philippine Republic, neither should we transfer any or all of the Balangiga bells from their historical and rightful location: namely, the Roman Catholic Parish Church of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr,” the diocese said.

“Any effort aimed at such a transfer is a disrespectful mangling of history and the right of the Catholic faithful of Balangiga to their private property.

The Balangiga encounter in which the bells played a role happened in Balangiga. It is only right that they be returned to Balangiga and stay in Balangiga,” it added.

Hundreds of Filipino villagers in 1901, armed with bolos and disguised as women, used one of Balangiga town’s church bells to signal the start of a massive attack that wrought one of the bloodiest single-battle losses of American occupation forces in the Philippines. The US Army brutally retaliated, reportedly killing thousands of villagers, as the PhilippineAmerican War raged.

After the violence, the Americans took three church bells as spoils of war that Filipinos would demand for decades to be handed back.

On Tuesday, a giant U.S. Air Force cargo aircraft brought the bells of Balangiga back to the Philippines in a poignant ceremony that saw U.S. defense officials and the American ambassador to Manila return the war relics 117 years after they were seized.

President Duterte, who has had an antagonistic attitude toward the U.S. and has revitalized ties with China and Russia, asked Washington in his State of the Nation Address last year to “return them to us, this is painful for us.”

“Give us back those Balangiga bells... They are part of our national heritage,” Duterte said in the speech, attended by the US ambassador and other diplomats.

On Tuesday, the three bells arrived in a U.S. Air Force cargo plane in a ceremony twith Duterte to supposedly witnessing the handover.

Duterte, however, changed

Duterte on Ressa’s TIME cover...

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the nation,” the president added.

The Rappler CEO has been charged with several tax evasion cases specifically three counts of failure to file returns and one count of tax evasion against Rappler and Ressa.

According to the TIME honoree, such move is an abuse of power on the part of the president.

“They truly need to embrace the Constitution — not to manipulate it for what power wants, but to live by the principles and the spirit our forefathers wanted it to have,” Ressa said.

She also responded to presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo’s claims that the condition of press freedom in the country is robust.

“I urge Atty. Panelo to please look at what freedom of expression and freedom of speech mean,” Ressa challenged.

Panelo then slammed Ressa for using the situation about their reporter Pia Ranada being barred from covering the Palace as a supporting argument to the curtailed press freedom statement.

“She (Ressa) was complaining about Pia Ranada being barred and she says that it’s unconstitutional. First, we said that coming here in the Palace is a privilege and there are certain rules that should be followed by members of the Malacañang Press Corps,” Panelo said.

In February of this year, Duterte barred Ranada from covering Palace events as well as his activities after calling Rappler a “fake news” site.

However, Panelo was quick to defend the president, noting that barring Ranada from covering would not change anything.

“Even if Pia was disallowed from coming here, the fact is, you just saw, she can still ask questions and we are responding, she can still cover, nothing has changed except her physical presence,” Panelo explained.

He went on to question why the incident involving Ranada was “not challenged” before the courts.

Ressa wasn’t the only Asian honoree of the esteemed magazine cover. Young Reuters re-

porters Kyaw Soe Oo and Wa Lone are currently in prison in Myanmar for their consistent reporting on the deaths of 10 Rohingya Muslims amid the ongoing ostracization and discrimination against the minority group in Myanmar.

Also featured in the issue — called “The Guardians and the War on Truth — was investigative Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, whose mysterious killing continues breed speculation into abuse of power among those who may be involved.

The staff at historical Maryland newspaper The Capital Gazette also landed a cover for continuing to “press on” after a gunman entered their newsroom on June 28 and gunned down five of their colleagues.

“For taking great risks in pursuit of greater truths, for the imperfect but essential quest for facts that are central to civil discourse, for speaking up and for speaking out, ‘The Guardians’ are the Person of the Year,” TIME editor Ed Felsenthal wrote. (With reports from Klarize Medenilla / AJPress)

PAGE A1 t “My proposal will help decrease the total number of smokers in the country by one million before the end of president’s term. This goes to show that when the number of smokers in the country declines, the number of people getting sick because of cigarette smoking would therefore decrease,” Pacquiao said.

The boxer turned senator emphasized the importance of the healthcare bill especially among those who cannot afford their medical expenses. However, he noted that there should be a spe-

cific resource that would ensure that they have enough funding.

“UHC is a huge reform that would bring in significant benefits to all Filipinos, particularly the poor, but the government would be needing sustained funding resources to ensure that these promises are realized,” he added.

The reconciled version of the measure was approved by the congressional bicameral conference committee last November 27. Upon a consensus and ratification from the two legislative chambers — the Senate and the

House of Representatives, the bill will be transmitted to President Rodrigo Duterte for signature.

“This would provide a big relief, especially to marginalized Filipino families. By discouraging them from buying higher-priced cigarettes, they would opt to focus on accounting for their basic necessities of their family, such as food,” the senator said.

“In the end, this would also lessen the chance of them acquiring tobacco-related diseases, that would result in health care costs causing a burden to the family,” he added. n

Pacquiao pushes for tobacco tax to...

US alleged Jollibee takes full control... ‘coldness’...

PAGE A1 t the Philippines, China, Vietnam, PAGE A1 t and other countries through the Duterte’s relationship with the introduction of [Jollibee’s] busiU.S., which soured during the ness methods.”

Smashburger has 351 stores term of former U.S. President Barack Obama who criticized worldwide, among them in the Duterte administration’s bru- the U.S., Canada, Costa Rica, tal war on drugs, improved after Egypt, El Salvador, Kuwait, Donald Trump assumed presi- Panama, Saudi Arabia, and the United Kingdom. u PAGE A5 dency. n

In North America, JFC has 435 stores, which comprise 12 percent of its worldwide sales.

“We are preparing for even stronger growth in the United States with [a] higher rate of store expansion led first by Jollibee starting in 2019 and by other brands in the succeeding years,” Tanmantiong added. n

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DATELINE USA

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Census confidentiality concerns worry activists

by MARK HEDIN Ethnic Media Services

BLACK FRIDAY. Employees of the Department of Budget and Management wear black on Friday, Dec. 14, in solidarity with Sec. Benjamin Diokno amidst baseless accusations hurled against him by the members of the House of Representatives. Having served the DBM under three administrations, Secretary Diokno has always upheld the highest standards of integrity, honor, and competence in public service. PNA photo

New FCC rules might block proposed text...

PAGE A1 t Essentially, the applicable texts are traditional text messages, known as SMS or MMS – messages sent via Apple iMessage or WhatsApp won’t count in the tax.

(As iPhone users may know, the “green bubbles” in the iMessage app which denote texting a noniMessage user would be counted in the surcharge.)

A majority of mobile service carriers already offer a flat fee option for texting – this proposal would extend across all carriers.

This proposal would also retroactively put a tax on text messaging data that’s up to five years old, though CPUC didn’t expand this mandate further in their initial filing.

California already taxes phone services, which funds public telecommunication services such as the 911 emergency line and subsidized phone rates for lowincome users; so, this proposal simply seeks to expand that access by including text messaging in that tax.

Since text messaging has surpassed phone calling as the primary mode of communication among Americans, the idea is that the money generated from this text message tax would make up for “lost revenue” the state used to generate from an existing tax on voice calls.

CPUC is the commission that regulates public utilities operating across the state, overseeing a wide range of public services such as communications (including mobile phone carriers), energy, water and transportation over

railways and passenger cars.

Despite what seems to be the greater purpose of the proposal, CPUC has already received pushback for implementing yet another tax.

On Wednesday, Dec. 12, the Federal Communication Commissions (FCC) clarified its definition of text messaging services as “information services” rather than “telecommunications services.”

This means that regulating text messaging services falls outside CPUC realm of control.

Since its announcement the proposal — which contains little detail — has already received pushback from industry trade groups and other business advocacy groups across the Golden State.

The trade association CTIA — which represents AT&T Mobility, Sprint and T-Mobile — is among the most loudest voices opposing the proposal, filing a legal argument on Wednesday, December 12, that if texts are, as the FCC puts it, an “information service” like email, CPUC doesn’t have the jurisdiction to impose surcharges and would therefore violate federal law.

“Subjecting wireless carriers’ text messaging traffic to surcharges that cannot be applied to the lion’s share of messaging traffic and messaging providers is illogical, anticompetitive and harmful to consumers,” the CTIA wrote in its argument.

CTIA also noted that the proposal would complicate the “messaging services” landscape

by creating inequity among wireless carriers and other messaging providers like Apple’s iMessage, Viber, WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Skype or any social media messaging service, all of which utilize wireless Internet rather than cellular data.

“We hope that the CPUC recognizes that taxing text messages is bad for consumers,” Jamie Hastings, senior vice president of external and state affairs for CTIA, wrote in a statement. “Consumers exchanged 1.77 trillion messages in 2017, making text messages one of the most common and effective means of communication for Americans. Taxing this service would burden those who rely on and use this service each and every day.”

President and CEO of the business advocacy group Bay Area Council Jim Wunderman told USA Today that the proposal’s logistics lacks clarity.

“I don’t know how clear the CPUC has been with answering these questions,” Wunderman said. “Does the sender pay? Does the receiver pay? What if you move out of state but you keep the California number? What if you drive down to Reno, Nevada and get a phone? Can you avoid the charge then? These are all things that would be really hard to resolve.”

After the FCC’s Wednesday ruling, CPUC could alter the draft proposal before it goes to a vote on January 10, 2019. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

AS the Census Bureau prepares for its 2020 count, concerns about new plans to question respondents about their citizenship status have taken center stage.

But now, civil rights activists and others focused on the importance of ensuring a full and accurate tally of everybody living in the United States are also worried that current administrators seem to be wavering from a long-standing practice of fiercely safeguarding the confidentiality of census data.

In discussing the implications of government workers asking vulnerable communities about their legal status, Department of Justice officials were reluctant to reassure members of Congress this spring that census confidentiality remains sacrosanct.

“We are alarmed,” Corrine Yu, of the Leadership Conference Education Fund, the country’s oldest coalition of civil rights activists, said. “We are alarmed by DoJ’s position that census confidentiality protections are open to debate. In our view, there is no debate.”

Although census data informs billions of dollars of government spending, the allocation of government representatives, business decisions and more, the Census Bureau’s “culture of privacy” bars sharing information gathered beyond sheer numeric tallies. That prohibition lasts for the lifetime of those who have access to the data, with penalties that include years of incarceration and hefty fines.

But things may be changing in Wilbur Ross’ Commerce Department, which oversees the Census Bureau.

California is only one of many states, cities and others who have filed lawsuits opposing Ross’ intention to add the question about respondents’ citizenship status to the 2020 census questionnaire, a proposal made at a very late stage in the normal, carefully thought-out and fieldtested process.

At a May appearance by John Gore, acting head of the DoJ’s civil rights division, before the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform to discuss that proposed change, California’s Jimmy Gomez (D-Riverside) asked if Justice concurred with findings prior to the 2010

census that “there appears to be no provision in the USA Patriot Act that would supersede or create an exemption to the confidentiality provision of the Census Act.” That opinion was rendered in 2009 to address concerns that the then-recently enacted Patriot Act, created in response to the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, would impact census confidentiality practices.

Gore declined to answer, citing the litigation already filed against the proposed citizenship question. Gomez then asked for a written response.

A June 12 draft of that response, not released but recently uncovered in the course of California’s suit challenging the proposed citizenship question, raised red flags among concerned observers.

“I don’t think we want to say too much there, in case the issues addressed in the OLC opinion or related issues come up later for renewed debate,” Ben Aguinaga, Gore’s chief of staff, wrote. OLC is the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel.

“We are worried about response rates and working to ensure a fair and accurate count.

This affects every state, rural and urban areas alike. That’s why there’s such a groundswell of opposition to the citizenship question. It’s a real problem.”

Current census confidentiality protections, though, Yu said, “are the strongest in federal law.”

Already, the census’ biggest challenge is to follow its mandate, enacted with the U.S. Constitution in 1790, to count every person residing in the United States, whatever their circumstances. Opposition to the citizenship question often focuses on the concern that people won’t trust that they can be honest about their situations without fear of becoming targets of law enforcement, immigration authorities and the like. To bring into question the underlying guarantee of confidentiality only increases the challenge of obtaining the best data possible.

Asked what steps are available to protect census confidentiality, Yu said: “Congress should continue to press senior administration officials, including Cabinet members, for confirmation that they will respect the ironclad confidentiality protections for census responses that are em-

bedded in the Census Act (Title 13, U.S.C.).

“Congress’ efforts could involve oversight hearings, requests for written assurances from relevant Executive Branch agencies, and – if necessary – considering legislation that would remove any doubt about the supremacy of Census Act protections “Advocates will continue to work with Congress, which has constitutional responsibility for the census, and senior Census Bureau and Commerce Department officials, to secure written assurances from the Justice Department and other federal agencies that they fully understand the supremacy of confidentiality protections in the Census Act and that they will respect the need for a positive environment before and during the 2020 Census.”

And asked of any indications of changes already apparent in the government upholding its tradition of confidentiality, she said, “Civil rights advocates and other census stakeholders will be monitoring carefully the public rhetoric coming from the White House and senior administration officials with respect to the constitutional requirement that the census count all persons living in the United States and the statutory requirement that census v cannot be used for any purpose – including national security and law enforcement – other than producing anonymous, aggregated statistics (datasets).

“We also will be monitoring the activities of immigration and other law enforcement authorities as the start of peak census operations approaches and during the census, to be sure there are no activities, such as immigration raids and sweeps of certain communities (other than searches for criminals who are endangering public safety) that could needlessly frighten residents away from participating in the census.”

“Congress has a role to play,” Yu said. “Our hope is that Congress exercises robust oversight of the 2020 census.” She cited concerns about “insufficient and frequently late” funding of census work in recent years to prepare for the 2020 count, with its plans to be the first to which people can respond online.

“We need to make sure the PAGE A5

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PH Navy officials tour US submarine in Palawan PHILIPPInE navy officials went aboard a U.S. navy submarine and a submarine tender during the latter’s port visit to Puerto Princesa City, Palawan earlier this week.

The crews of Los Angelesclass fast attack submarine USS Greeneville and submarine tender USS Emory S. Land hosted Armed Forces of the Phillippines officials for a tour and a meeting with submarine force crew members on December 10.

Capt. Carlos Sabarre—naval

Forces West deputy commander—and Capt. Edwin nera of the navy’s Submarine Group were among the officers who took a tour of the submarine and met its crew, the U.S. Pacific Fleet said in a report.

U.S. navy Cmdr. Terry nemec, USS Greeneville commanding officer, noted that the American and Filipino navies have worked together in the past and continue to participate in bilateral and multilateral exercises.

The Philippine navy officials also toured Emory S. Land, where some of the 139 active duty and civilian crewmen are of Filipino descent.

“The crews of the Greeneville and Land continue to impress our regional partners with their dedication and professionalism during recent visits,” Capt. Michael Luckett, Land commanding officer, said.

USS Emory S. Land is deployed in the U.S. 7th Fleet’s area of operations and conductc maintenance and support for U.S. navy ships in the Indo-Pacific region.

Greeneville measures 360 feet long and weighs more than 6,900 tons, according to the U.S. Pacific Fleet. It was commissioned in February 1996 and arrived at its current homeport at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii in March 1997.

U.S. military ships regularly conduct port visits in Puerto Princesa City, where the AFP’s naval Forces West is stationed.

In June, Spearhead-class joint high speed vessel USnS Millinocket docked in Puerto PrinceUSS Greeneville (SSN 772) crosses the bow of USS Emory S. Land (AS 39) before mooring sa for bilateral training with Philippine marines. (Patricia Lourdes alongside the submarine tender for a port visit in Puerto Princesa.

U.S. Navy photo by MC2 Daniel Willoughby Viray/Philstar.com)

Photo by Grany Wu/World Journal

Economic growth in Asia-Pacific will slow as part of global growth cooldown The bank’s Chief Economist Scott Anderson presents an exclusive 2019 economic outlook for the Pacific Rim customers & Pacific Rim Banking Division Head Yukinori Nishio provides an overview of the state of bank’s Pacific Rim operations

ECOnOMIC growth across the Asia-Pacific region will continue in 2019, but is expected to slow amid a global economic downturn Bank of the West Chief Economist Scott Anderson said at the 24th Annual Pacific Rim Client Appreciation Dinner. Emphasizing its decades-long commitment to the Pacific Rim market, Bank of the West held its annual Pacific Rim Client Appreciation dinner last night in San Gabriel, CA for more than 400 Pacific Rim clients. Attendees – many of whom are Asian immigrant and Asian-American entrepreneurs – heard from Bank of the West executives about the Bank’s commitment to making a positive impact on the communities it serves.

“Global growth is slowing and we are in the late stages of a cyclical expansion,” said Anderson. “Asia, particularly

the most developed countries in the region, will continue to grow faster compared to other regions across the world, but we are seeing signs that the period of strongest growth is over.”

In the United States, Anderson expects the U.S. Federal Reserve will raise interest rates twice throughout 2019, but pause further rate increases as the domestic economy cools.

With U.S. job growth slowing, Anderson estimates the U.S. unemployment rate will rise by the end of 2019 after reaching record lows earlier in the year.

He also projects domestic Chinese GDP growth in 2019 will lag that of other developing Asian countries. For more of Anderson’s economic analysis, follow him on LinkedIn or at the Bank of the West Blog for weekly updates.

Anderson along with Yukinori

nishio, EVP and Head of the Bank’s Pacific Rim Banking Division, Michelle Di Gangi, EVP and Head of Small and Medium Enterprise Banking, and Ryan Bailey, EVP and Head of the Retail Banking Group, also participated in a press event prior to the annual dinner. nishio, at both the dinner and press briefing, provided an overview of Bank of the West’s Pacific Rim business over the last year, including its commitment to customers through representative offices in Tokyo and Taipei, respectively.

“Bank of the West wants to positively support our communities and our customers, whether their needs are local or global in nature,” said nishio. “We are honored our customers see Bank of the West as the bank that is best positioned to help meet the challenges they face in an evolving world.” n

PH among ‘least generous’ nations in...

PAGE A1 t older.

They compiled the “positive” responses into a Civic Engagement Index score for each country. The higher the score, the higher the proportion of the population that is “civically engaged.” The index score for the world overall in 2017 is 30 out of a possible 100.

“Almost 1 billion people reported volunteering their time to an organization in the past month, nearly 1.4 billion said they donated money to a charity and more than 2 billion reported helping a stranger in need,” Clifton added.

Gallup dispelled the notion that the scores were only high in rich countries. They said that other developing countries like Myan-

mar, topped the global rankings when it came to donating to charity, while Libya topped the rankings in terms of helping strangers who needed help.

“Regardless of who you think are the most generous countries in the world, this report suggests one important thing: You don’t need to be rich to give back. Some countries where people have far less to give are among the most generous,” Clifton said.

According to the results, the scores range from the highest: 59 in Indonesia and Australia to a low of 15 in Yemen. Among the countries in the Association of Southeast Asian nations (ASEAn), only Indonesia, Singapore and Myanmar had the highest civic engagement scores.

Myanmar and Singapore scored 54, making them among the most generous in the world.

Thailand had a score of 34, Laos got 20 and Cambodia scored 18.

Other ASEAn nations such as Brunei, Malaysia and Vietnam were not included in the Gallup index.

Other countries found to have the highest civic engagement score in the 2017 report were new Zealand, the United States, Ireland, United Kingdom, Kenya and Bahrain.

The margin of sampling error ranges from ±2 percentage points to ±5.4 percentage points at the 95 percent confidence level. All reported margins of sampling error include computed design effects for weighing. n

Dela Rosa on Monday, December 10, visited Filipino-Americans in Las Vegas, Nevada to promote his personal advocacy to campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs as well as talk about his senatorial bid.

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

Former PNP chief promotes anti-illegal drug...

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Rosa said in his speech.

The former police chief emphasized the importance of informing the Filipino community in the United States regarding the current issues the country faces. He said that the community helped the country, citing that Overseas Filipino Workers’ (OFWs’) remittances have greatly aided our economy.

“Dapat aware sila dahil they’re still Filipinos. Kung ‘di nila alam ang totoong nangyayari sa ating bansa, kawawa sila at kawawa ang pilipinas. Malaki ang naitulong nitong ating mga kababayan — Fil-Ams natin at saka OFWs. Malaking tulong ‘yan sa ating bansa. Take note that ang number one dollar-earner sa ating bansa ay remittance ng mga OFWs natin (They must be aware because they are still Filipinos. If they do not know what is happening in the country, it is bad for them and bad for the Philippines. They have been a great help, our countrymen — The FilAms and OFWs. They were a big help to the country.

Take note that the number one dollar-earner in the country are the remittances from the OFWs),” he added.

The former Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) director-general also amplified his stand against illegal drugs when he was asked on how he would use his experiences in the cabinet posts should he win for senator.

“Doon ko na-realize kung gaano kalalim, gaano kalawak, gaano kabigat, gaano katindi ang problema ng droga sa Pilipinas. You can just imagine nakapag-surrender tayo ng 1.3 million drug users at drug pushers at may mga nahuli tayong more than 130,000 drug offenders. So ganoon talaga kalala ang problema ng droga sa ating bansa (I realized how rooted, broad, heavy and intense the drug problem is in the Philippines. You can just imagine that we made 1.3 million drug users and pushers voluntarily surrender. We also caught more than 130,000 drug offender. That is how we badly have the problem of drugs in our country),” he explained.

“At sa corrections naman doon ko narealize na kailangan pagtuunan ng pansin ang Bureau of Corrections dahil matagal na talaga ‘yang napabayaang ahensya kaya malaking problema. Pagpasok ng inmate doon imbes na ma-correct lalong lumala ang kanyang pagiging sindikato dahil napabayaan talaga (I realized that we need to focus on the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor) because it has been a disregarded agency for so long it became a big problem. When an inmate enters, instead of being correct he becomes more involved in the syndicate because they don’t focus on it much),” the former police chief added.

Dela Rosa also expressed his desire to restore the use of capital punishment as the most extreme sentence for drug traffickers in the country. He promised to author a bill that would reinstate the death penalty.

“On top of my agenda, if ever I win as a senator, is the restoration of the death penalty for drug traffickers, not drug users, not drug pushers, or smalltime drug fiddlers. The ones who are funding our land with shabu,” the senatorial candidate vowed.

“In Bilibid, I have talked to these convicted drug lords coming from China. I asked ‘why did you insist on trafficking drugs to the Philippines.

Why not to Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei’. (They said) ‘If we traffic drugs in these countries we will immediately be killed.

Your laws are too easy’. That is why wait until I become a senator and I will author a bill,” he added.

As the 2019 midterm elections draw near, the aspiring senator stated that his anti-drug advocacy was solely to maintain the peace and order in the Philippines. He promised to do his best for the country.

“We are doing our best to make you proud of our country.

We are doing our best to make everyone safe. We are doing our best for you to become proud of your own people,” dela Rosa said. n

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Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 15-18, 2018

A

Study: Asian American students have highest amount of unmet financial aid need

by Rae

T’NALAK WEAVING ART BY T’BOLI WOMEN. Ms. Julie Mantang Fanulan is a multi-skilled T’boli from Lake Sebu , South Cotabato. The T’bolis are most famous for their dream-inspired and spirit infused T’nalak weaving, an art form perfected over decades of practice by T’boli women.

The T’nalak weavings were on display during the Philippine observance of the 70th Anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), held at the Department of Foreign Affairs, Pasay City.

PNA photo by Rico H. Borja

Census confidentiality concerns worry activists

PAGE A3 t Census Bureau has the resources it needs to do the job well.�

Yu and a colleague, Allyn Brooks LaSure, spoke of how “we blew the top off� of their target of encouraging 100,000 public comments on the citizenship question plan prior to the Aug. 7 deadline for such comments.

A quarter-million voices made themselves heard, they said.

As for what effects that public

outcry may have, Yu said, “The Census Bureau is expected to submit the final 2020 Census questionnaire to the Office of Management and Budget by the end of this month, for approval under the Paperwork Reduction Act. That request will allow for another 30-day public comment period (which is somewhat pro forma), but more importantly, it will address the tens of thousands of public comments sub-

Transfer of one bell to museum...

PAGE A2 t his mind but said he would attend the ceremony in Eastern Samar tomorrow.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Duterte gives more importance to the historic significance of the bells’ return to the country. “The fact that after 117 years, the Balangiga bells, which symbolize the bravery and patriotism of the Filipinos who refused to be subjugated by a foreign power and shed blood to assert the sovereignty of our country, have been returned to their origins where they properly belong,� Panelo said. “The bells are now indeed home.�

Panelo said the President adjusted his busy schedule to join the Filipino community in welcoming the return of the bells. “Due to the persistent requests from the people of Eastern Samar who look forward to President Duterte’s personally bringing the Balangiga bells to the town of Balangiga, the President has decided to attend the turnover ceremony of the Balangiga bells to the local officials on Saturday, Dec. 15,�

Panelo said.

Monsignor Pedro Quitorio III, chairman of the committee handling the return of the bells in Borongan, said the bells would be returned to the Parish

Church of St. Lawrence, Deacon and Martyr.

Quitorio added there are some modifications that need to be done on the belfry to accommodate the three bells. “The bells would temporarily be placed at the garden area of the Church to give way to the reconstruction of the belfry,� he said.

Quitorio said they have been preparing a series of activities for the return of the Balangiga bells. “The overall program is that there would be prayers, welcome talk, unveiling of the bells and the ringing of the bells,�

Quitorio said. “There will also be a oneminute of silence to pray for the dead because there is a cemetery beside the church and the bones of those who died during the massacre are buried there,� he added.

The diocese issued a statement relaying its gratitude to those who contributed for the return of the bells. “Please be assured that we will return the bells to their original religious purpose – and care and cherish them as a precious legacy of the profound faith, heroism and courage of our forebears,� the diocese said. (With reports from Christina Mendez, Jaime Laude)

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mitted previously in response to the proposed questionnaire. “Both comment periods provide an opportunity to establish a strong, clear public record from a broad range of stakeholders and experts who oppose addition of a citizenship question to the 2020 Census.� “Links to the many organizational comments filed this summer can be found here,� Yu said in conclusion. n

ann VaRona AJPress

ASIAn Americans remain the fastest growing population in the U.S., but recently released data by the U.S. Department of Education shows that Asian American students have the largest gap between the cost of college and what they must pay—a gap advocates are labeling as unmet need. “This further illuminates how the Asian ‘model minority’ myth is damaging to the success of Asian American communities and has wide-ranging implications postsecondary financial aid policies,� said the Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP).

In a recent report titled “When Financial Aid Falls Short,� the center found that nearly three in four students experience the unmet need, with the level of unmet need being higher among students of color compared to their white counterparts. Compared to 66 percent of white students, 72 percent of Asian American students at public two-year institutions experience this unmet need.

The unmet need was particularly higher for Asian American students when looking at the dollar amounts. The report said that dependent Asian American earning less than $27,900 and independent Asian American students earning less than $7,200 (which puts them in the bottom income quartile) have an average unmet need of $8,507. “This is significantly higher than the average unmet need of

$6,903 among all students in the bottom income quartile,� reads the report.

It added that the disparity remained true for Asian American students across all types of institution and income quartiles. ‘Model minority myth’ and disaggregated data When taking a closer look at the data, disparities between Asian Americans were further found. For example, rates among Southeast Asian-Americans— particularly Hmong, Cambodian, Vietnamese, and Laotian—were higher than the national average.

Given that roughly half of all Asian Americans have at least a bachelor’s degree, the numbers revealed to be lower for certain Asian American groups. Only 27 percent of Vietnamese American, 17 percent of Hmong and Cambodian Americans, 14 percent of Laotian Americans, and 11 percent of Bhutanese Americans were found to have the same educational attainment level. One third of white in comparison, have a bachelor’s degree or higher. “The model minority myth portrays Asian-Americans as a monolithic group that are both academically and professionally successful when compared to other communities of color,� reads the CLASP report.

It cited the recent lawsuit between a group of Asian Americans and Harvard University regarding the issue of affirmative.

Asian American students claim to be systematically discriminated against in the admissions pro-

cess which caps the number of qualified Asian Americans from attending the school in order to level opportunities for other less qualified students of other ethnicities.

While average and median incomes among Asian Americans is comparable to their white counterparts, looking at income inequality puts them at a greater difference among any other racial or ethnic group. “In other words, the highestearning Asian American have higher incomes on average than the highest-earning white; however, low-income Asian American are poorer on average than low-income whites. The poverty rate among Asian Americans is also greater than white,� the report reads.

Despite reports highlighting the fact that Asian Americans are the fastest-growing population in the U.S. with a record 20 million tracing their roots back to the greater Asia continent, CLASP emphasized the importance of disaggregated data to fuel conversation on what factors would be driving the great levels of unmet need among Asian American students. “Any number of these factors could be driving the high amount of unmet need among Asian American students,� said CLASP. “That’s why we must use disaggregated data to inform the nuanced conversations that’ll help us understand the needs of Asian American students and how financial aid policies are failing them.� n

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PH adopts global migration compact California’s Fil-Am top judge slams

by Bernadette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines appealed to foreign governments to treat migrants “with decency” as it adopted the Global Compact for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration (GSM) that aims to protect the rights of migrants workers and refugees.

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. joined over 160 United Nations member-states in signing the compact or the Marrakech document during inter-governmental conference to adopt the GCM hosted by Morocco.

“Western cities would be cesspools without migrants; and there would be no World Cup as my friend Fernando of Mexico said — or the games would be far inferior to what we have cheered,” Locsin said in a speech.

“This is the enigma of arrival; the arrival of needed migrants — some or even most of them — but not all,” he added.

Locsin said that “there are many ways by which states can regulate the migration process; but only one way to treat mi-

grants; and that is with decency.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reported that there are over 7.9 million Filipinos overseas. The five countries hosting the most number of Filipinos based on a report in 2014 were United States (3.3 million), Saudi Arabia (938,490), Canada (676,775), Malaysia (620,043), and United Arab Emirates (541,593).

“Migrants are not slaves in transport but free human beings on the move, with more courage to improve their condition abroad than endurance to persist in the wretched places they must flee or perish,” Locsin said.

“Sometimes the needs of state and migrants overlap; sometimes not; hence the false and ugly narratives of migration peddled by those who have benefitted from migration but fear too much of it,” he added.

Locsin stressed that “migration is a shared responsibility of sending, receiving, and transit states.”

“And so at the GCM negotiations, the Philippines proposed treating migration as much a

Trump’s attacks on the judiciary

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin ManilaTimes.net photo

SAN FRANCISCO — In her annual meeting with journalists, California’s Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye said President Donald Trump’s attacks on federal judges who rule against him are damaging the rule of law.

Trump has called a Republican judge who ruled against his travel ban as a “so-called judge,” denounced the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals as “hostile” and “in chaos” for rulings on immigration and other issues, and labeled a U.S.-born Hispanic judge as a “Mexican” who was biased against him.

A report by the San Francisco Chronicle said Cantil-Sakauye called such attacks as “doing

matter of migrants’ expectations, as of a state obligation to uphold a standard of decency in rites of migrant passage and arrival,” he said.

“We have defeated the notion that migration is bad; quite the opposite. And we did this with the facts and not frightful fantasies of losses of jobs no westerner would take. We did it with reason by showing that migrants have been useful additions to host countries,” he added.

Locsin admitted that no one WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. state could address the issue of Customs and Border Protection migration alone. n (CBP) is investigating certain imports of stainless steel flanges from the Philippines on “a reasonable suspicion” of evading the payment of antidumping (AD) and countervailing duty OVER 17 YEARS (CVD) duties.

According to CBP, stainless steel flanges sold by a Philippine producer, EN Corporation (also known as “Enlin Corporation”), should be treated under the law as Chinese products for purposes of the AD and CVD duties.

As a result of its findings, CBP has imposed interim measures on certain importers of stainless steel flanges from the Philip-

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rooms.”

The chief justice also praised California Governor Jerry Brown’s more than 600 judicial appointments since 2011 as “fantastic.” More than half have been women, about 40 percent are non-white, and most come from “a whole new generation” in attitude as well as age, she said.

Instead of the “tough-oncrime” stance stressed by previous governors, Cantil-Sakauye said, Brown’s appointees seem more concerned about such issues as climate change and gun violence, seeming to fit the “philosophy of California,” which she described as “people-centric” and “underdog-centric.”

(Inquirer.net)

US Customs probing import of stainless steel flanges from PH

LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN SERVING MY FELLOW KABABAYANS FOR

damage, short-term and longterm, to courts, to the rule of law.” The chief justice is a Filipino American appointee of Republican Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger.

She also reportedly agreed with Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts’ statement, in response to Trump’s attacks on judges, that ‘We do not have Obama judges or Trump judges, Bush judges or Clinton judges,’ but simply “an extraordinary group of dedicated judges.

“We as a branch (of government) need to defend our own,” Cantil-Sakauye said. The best way to do that, she said, is to promote civics education and “invite the public into our court-

Darrick V. Tan, Esq. Licensed in California for over 17 years Licensed in Nevada for over 12 years* UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science with Cum Laude honors Southwestern University Law School, Juris Doctor Admitted to U.S. District Court, Central District of California Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Member, Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles Former Member, Board of Governors, Philippine American Bar Association *Inactive

pines, directing that all such imports will be subject to AD/CVD duties.

Earlier this year, AD/CVD orders were issued against stainless steel flanges from India and China, with combined duties as high as 400%. The stainless steel flanges imported from the Philippine producer were found to have been forged in China and therefore are covered under the existing antidumping and countervailing duty rules.

“We are pleased with the results of CBP’s investigations and the message it sends that AD/ CVD orders will be strongly enforced,” said Daniel B. Pickard, partner in Wiley Rein LLP’s In-

ternational Trade Practice.

Pickard continued: “One of the lessons from CBP’s recent action is that importers must exercise caution in order to ensure that even though merchandise is marked as “Made in the Philippines” or elsewhere, that it is not actually Chinese or Indian forged product. Today’s notices represent an important step in ensuring that these orders are properly enforced and the appropriate duties are paid.”

CBP will continue its investigations of these imports from the Philippines and make a final determination regarding evasion

by August 2019. (Inquirer.net)

SWS: 3 in 5 Filipinos believe US will defend PH by ritchel

mendiola AJPress

ACCORDING to a Social Weather Stations survey released Wednesday, three in five Filipinos believe that the United States’ defense commitment to the Philippines is strong.

The survey showed 61 percent believe the U.S. will defend the country, with 31 percent answering strongly believe, and 30 percent somewhat believe. Meanwhile, 9 percent said they do not believe U.S.’ commitment, and 30 percent were undecided.

It also showed that 53 percent only learned about the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) between the two countries when the survey was conducted. The remaining 47 percent were aware of such agreement, and among them, 80 percent said they believe the US will defend the Philippines if there was an invasion.

Awareness of Mutual Defense

Treaty The highest number of those aware of the MDT was recorded in Metro Manila with 58 percent.

It was followed by balance Luzon with 53 percent. Visayas had 41 percent, while Mindanao had 31 percent.

55 percent were aware of the treaty in urban areas, while 38 percent were aware in rural areas.

When it came to socioeconomic classes, 51 percent of class ABC were aware of the treaty while class D had 49 percent and class E had 34 percent.

Among elementary graduates, awareness of the treaty was recorded at 67 percent; while 53 percent was recorded among non-elementary graduates who were aware.

The survey also registered a higher awareness of the MDT among people who were aware of the West Philippine Sea dispute, with 54 percent.

“The survey also found that previous awareness about the PH-US Mutual Defense Treaty was highest among those with extensive knowledge about the PH-China dispute in the West Philippine Sea (73 percent),” SWS said.

Among those aware of the maritime dispute, 67 percent believe that the U.S. will defend the Philippines should an invasion happen.

The survey was conducted from June 27 to 30. It employed face-to-face interviews among 1,200 adults nationwide, and had a sampling error margins of ±3 percent for national percentages and ±6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

“The Social Weather Survey items on people’s opinion about the PH-U.S. Mutual Defense Treaty were non-commissioned.

They were included on SWS’s own initiative and released as a public service,” SWS said. n

Diwata-2 captures images of Philippines, Earth A GRAY-scale image of the Earth was among the first photos captured by Diwata-2, the second Filipino-made microsatellite launched into space.

The Philippine Scientific Earth Observation Microsatellite (PHLMicrosat) program on Sunday, December 9, released the first images captured by the satellite, which also included snapshots of the fields of Kalinga and a portion of Aurora.

“Diwata-2 has successfully captured images, less than a month after its launch,” said the program in a blogpost. “These images are part of the initial tests and calibration phase of Diwata2’s cameras.”

The image of the Earth was taken using the satellite’s wide field camera and shows large cloud patterns above the South China Sea. The Kalinga image was taken

by Diwata-2’s high precision telescope, while the Aurora image was captured using the space-borne multispectral imager.

The PHL-Microsat said Diwata-2 can capture several images within a cropping season, making it useful for determining

the stages of crops and estimating potential yield as well as assessing the damage brought by flooding, drought and other disasters.

“Images of coasts captured through Diwata-2’s cameras can be used to assess coastal conditions which are key indicators for water quality, ecological health and resource management,” it added.

Diwata-2, built by Filipino space engineers in Japan, was launched from the Tanegashima Space Center on Oct. 29.

It is the second iteration of Diwata-1, which was launched in 2016.

Both Diwata 1 and 2 are Earthobserving microsatellites capable of capturing images of the planet for environmental assessment.

Another Filipino-built satellite – a smaller “nano” cube satellite called Maya-1 – was launched into space earlier this year.

PHL-Microsat said Diwata2 will orbit at a higher altitude than the previous microsatellite, enabling it to have fixed revisit intervals that would make repeated environmental monitoring of specific areas possible.

Like Diwata-1, it also has a

wide field camera, a middle field camera, high precision telescope and space-borne multispectral imager (SMI) that have notable improvements in performance.

“The major features that distinguish Diwata-2 from its predecessor include deployable solar panels for increased power generation output and an enhanced resolution camera which increases the resolution of images taken

by SMI,” said the program.

“Furthermore, it will feature two locally made experimental modules: an amateur radio unit for emergency communications and a satellite orientation module for increased pointing accuracy and future satellite development initiatives,” it added.

The microsatellite was funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) through the Philippine Council for Industry and Emerging Technology Research and Development.

It was built through a collaboration between University of the Philippines-Diliman, DOST-Advanced Science and Technology Institute, Hokkaido University and Tohoku University in Japan.

(Philstar.com)

The first images captured by Diwata-2, one of which shows the coast of Baler, were released by the PHL-Microsat program.

Photo courtesy of PHL-Microsat

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A

Lorenzana: Paolo Duterte’s ouster list is ‘fake news’ House seeks Diokno ouster over 2019 budget irregularities by aJPress

by aJPress

Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday, December 12, called the list of people allegedly conniving to unseat President Rodrigo Duterte posted by former Davao City vice mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte as “fake news.”

“The first time I saw that posting: I said it’s fake news. I still maintain that is fake news,” he told reporters after leading the transfer ceremony of the Balangiga Bells back to the Philippines at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

The president’s son on friday, December 7, posted screenshots of a spreadsheet labeled “AnTIADMInIsTRATIOn GROUP OUsT DUTeRTe MOVeMenT” on facebook.

“Gi-send ra ni sa akoa ha… share lang nako kay para bibo.

(This was just sent to me. I’ll

The house of Representatives on Wednesday, December 12, adopted a resolution calling for the resignation of Budget secretary Benjamin Diokno to quit his post. This is a day after he was summoned for a “question hour” on the irregularities of the proposed 2019 budget.

Minority Leader Danilo suarez filed Resolution 2365 that “urged the office of the President to reconsider the appointment of honorable Benjamin Diokno as secretary of Department of Budget and Management based on the findings during the question hour.”

In a press briefing, suarez said, “Kung ako siya, magreresign na ako. It takes delicadeza[to do it] (If I were the budget secretary, I would resign).”

“During the question hour, the issue on the augmentation in the budget of the Department of Public Works and highways (DPWh) without the DPWh secretary’s knowledge and consent, remains unresolved,” the resolution read.

The controversial P51.792 billion initially allocated for projects of the Department of Public Works and highways (DPWh) — which was part of the “president’s budget” — actually amounted to P75 billion, Diokno on Tuesday night, December 11, admitted.

During the question hour at the house on Tuesday, he was grilled by Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr. regarding the controversial amount to which Public Works secretary Mark Villar allegedly knew nothing about. “[sec. Villar] told me he did not know of the P51 billion worth

Former Davao City Mayor Paolo Duterte Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

share it for fun),” the former vice mayor said.

The list included a mix of administration critics, politicians, and companies like Jollibee and PLDT. The post has already been taken down, but not before it amassed thousands of shares from netizens.

Vice President Leni Robredo, who was included in the list, in

Inquirer.net photos

a statement slammed the list as “irresponsible.”

Presidential spokesperson and Chief Presidential Legal Counsel salvador Panelo, meanwhile, defended defended Paolo Duterte’s decision to post the list, reasoning that it was part of his “freedom of expression.”

Paolo Duterte is running for Congress in the 2019 elections. n

Trillanes leaves PH for US and Europe trip by aJPress senATOR Antonio Trillanes IV has reportedly left the country for trips to the United states and europe on Tuesday, December 11, via an eVA Air flight at the ninoy Aquino International Airport (nAIA) Terminal 1.

The senator presented all the necessary documents before the immigration officers at the airport as he proceed to his flight. he showed his passport and travel clearance as issued by the Makati regional trial court.

Makati RTC Branch 150 Judge elmo Alameda cleared Trillanes as he granted the senator’s request to travel to some parts of europe and the U.s.

“Taking therefore into account the previous conduct demonstrated by senator Trillanes and the purpose of his travel, coupled with the fact that he is not considered a flight risk, the court is persuaded to grant his request to travel abroad,” Alameda said as reported by The Philippine star.

The senator, who is also a known critic of President Rodrigo Duterte, posted a P200,000 bail for his rebellion case after he questioned the president’s Proc-

Wearing a black coat, Trillanes presented to airport immigration officers his passport and travel clearance issued by a Makati judge handling his rebellion case.

Philstar.com photo by Rudy Santos

lamation no. 572 that nullifies the amnesty granted to him.

According to ABs-CBn news, the prosecutor handling the inciting to sedition case against Trillanes withdrew the Department of Justice (DOJ)’s motion for the issuance of a hold departure order for “lack of witness.”

Judge Alameda declared that the hold departure order issued against the former mutineer as temporarily lifted. however, the senator was also sued by the presidential son — Paolo Duterte, charging him with four counts of libel.

The said case was built upon the accusation of Trillanes that Paolo and his brother-in-law —

Manases Carpio, was involved in a scheme to extort money from ride-hailing firms. Trillanes also posted a total of P96,000 as bail before a Pasay court.

Trillanes’ legal counsel Reynaldo Robles requested Alameda to permit Trillanes to attend to his speaking engagements in areas around europe and U.s. The senator is bound for Amsterdam, the netherlands; Barcelona in spain and London in the United Kingdom from Dec. 11, 2018 to Jan. 12, 2019. he will also attend events in California, Washington and Maryland in the U.s. on January 27, 2019 to february 10, 2019 as Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno part of his official duty. n Inquirer.net photo

of budget inserted in the Public Works budget…lo and behold, there was an additional P51 billion which no one now claims,” Andaya told Diokno.

Diokno, for his part, said that the P75 billion was added by the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) to the DPWh appropriation after it approved

some P123.9 billion and another P356.2 billion for the agency’s projects, for a total of P555.2 billion from the proposed P652 billion by the DPWh. “We want an infrastructure budget [that is higher] and we have fiscal space, so we decided to augment or add to the P480

u PAGE A11

A8 DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

One more year of martial law

FEATURES

WITH the two chambers of Congress voting jointly, it was not surprising that the request of Malacañang for yet another yearlong extension of martial law was approved overwhelmingly by the legislature, with the super majority in the House of Representatives leading the affirmation.

The Constitution allows the president to place the country or any part of it under martial law and suspend the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus “in case of invasion or rebellion, when the public safety requires it.”

That situation arose when Maute and Abu Sayyaf terrorists inspired by the Islamic State laid siege to Marawi City last year.

After Marawi was liberated by government forces, did the Mautes still pose such a threat in Mindanao? Congress believed so. Empowered by the Constitution to prolong martial law “for a period to be determined by the Congress, if the invasion or rebellion persists or public safety requires it,” the legislature approved in December last year Malacañang’s request to extend martial law for an entire year all over Mindanao.

With that one year about to end, Congress approved yet another yearlong extension yesterday.

This time, however, the government is invoking the rebellion being waged by communist rebels as a key reason for the extension. Opponents

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

of the move inevitably posed the question: the communist rebellion has been going on for decades, with no resolution in sight. Will martial law be in place for many

more years?

Martial law must be imposed only during periods when the country faces extraordinary security threats. This was clear in Marawi. But the leaders of that siege have been killed and their relatives placed behind bars. What is the security emergency in Mindanao? At the end of yet another year of martial law, what is the objective that is supposed to be attained?

One senator stressed that martial law cannot be the new normal in Mindanao. Another expressed fears that military muscle might be used to influence the elections in May. The government cannot simply brush aside such concerns. Other countries make an effort to show the world normalcy in all aspects. The government must give reassurance that the Philippines is not going in the other direction. (Philstar.com)

Philstar.com photo

Spotlight on Filipina journalist Maria Ressa: One of ‘The Guardians’ of truth honored as Time Magazine ‘Person of the Year’

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS TIME Magazine’s Person of the Year 2018 honored journalists worldwide who have been harassed, imprisoned, or even killed just because they were doing their sacred responsibility of reporting the truth so that people may be better informed.

They are the “guardians” of truth who have courageously been seeking the truth behind every story, despite intimidation, harassment and character assassination or even death threats from the government officials and the powerful elite of society who want to silence the voice of truth and refuse to be accountable to the citizens they have sworn to serve.

One of the “guardians” honored

by TIME is Maria Ressa, a Filipino journalist who founded the online news site “Rappler” in 2012.

I had the privilege of working

with Maria when she was hired as the head of ABS-CBN News, a position now held by another colleague, Ms. Ging Reyes. I had already been anchoring “Balitang America” since 2007 during Maria’s leadership, and all the global newscasts of ABS-CBN The Filipino Channel are all overseen by the Director of News and Current Affairs.

During the time I was working with Maria, I got to respect her even more because of her vision and foresight in making the news organization keep up with the changing technology and platform — strengthening our news organization online presence, maximizing the use of the growing social media platform like Facebook and Twitter to attract the increasing power of the growing millennial audience, market and engagement.

But what I truly appreciate under her leadership (and up to now

under Ging Reyes) was the fact that in my capacity as news anchor for “Balitang America” and as a columnist for the Asian Journal, I was accorded the respect and independence to deliver the news along with our “Balitang America” team, without censorship and restraint, during the term of President Noynoy Aquino and up to now under President Duterte.

Their only requirement is that we report based on facts. Journalism 101 mandates that journalists should be “fair and balance”, and in the very core of this is the TRUTH. Ging Reyes would say, “For every lie, we point out the fact. Truth is non-negotiable and that is our only weapon.”

This respect and independence accorded to me has even been more pronounced in the opinion column that I write for the Asian Journal, which goes beyond just the basic “What, Who, Where,

When, Why, How” of news reporting. As a columnist, I write pieces that call out elected officials if they are falling short in fulfilling their duties and obligations and if they abuse the public trust accorded to them through their positions as public servants.

Maria Ressa founded “Rappler” in 2012 and as TIME Magazine wrote, “She Reported From War Zones. But Covering Philippine President Duterte Might Be Her Most Dangerous Job Yet”.

Let me share with you how TIME Magazine featured Maria Ressa as “guardian of the truth”: When Maria Ressa realized she was about to be arrested for doing her job, she reacted in the manner she had learned reporting from conflict zones throughout her 33-year career in journalism: she took a deep breath and assessed the best way to proceed. The situation was manageable, the charges could be overcome, and Ressa,

as she had done countless times before, says she resolved to “hold the line.”

“I’ve been a war zone correspondent, I’ve planned coverage when one side is shooting against the other side,” the 55-year old told TIME in New York a few days before she returned to the Philippines and on Dec. 3 handed herself in to authorities. “That is easy compared to what we’re dealing with now.”

What Ressa and her colleagues are dealing with is “a direct assault on press freedom in the Philippines” according to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ). Less than two weeks after the CPJ presented her with an international Press Freedom award, the veteran journalist and former CNN bureau chief posted bail for charges of tax evasion. She is expected to be arraigned February next year.

While the Philippine govern-

ment denies a political motivation for the charges against Ressa and Rappler, the news site she founded in 2012, international observers regard them as the latest salvo in President Rodrigo Duterte’s bid to muzzle critical press and silence criticism of his administration’s deadly war on drugs.

For Ressa they are symptom of an even deeper malady in the Philippines, which she describes as “ground zero” in the global war on disinformation. “The kind of civil discourse that used to be necessary for democracy—one, we all agreed on facts, two, we actually exchanged ideas—this is gone,” she says.

Back then Facebook counted 29 million Filipinos among its user base, or a little under a third of the population. Today the social media giant’s grip on the country is near absolute: in part due to subsidies that make Facebook free to

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Jose Antonio Vargas: From Pulitzer-Prize The Grinch who took Christ out of Christmas winning journalist to an American author Street Talk and immigration reform advocate Rhizomes

GREG B. MACABENTA

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “My mother wanted to give me a better life, so she sent me thousands of miles away to live with her parents in America — my grandfather (Lolo in Tagalog) and grandmother (Lola). After I arrived in Mountain View, Calif., in the San Francisco Bay Area, I entered sixth grade and quickly grew to love my new home, family and culture. I discovered a passion for language, though it was hard to learn the difference between formal English and American slang. One of my early memories is of a freckled kid in middle school asking me, ‘What’s up?’ I replied, ‘The sky,’ and he and a couple of other kids laughed. I won the eighth-grade spelling bee by memorizing words I couldn’t properly pronounce. (The winning word was ‘indefatigable.’)” – Jose Antonio Vargas, 2011.

TWO weeks ago, I wrote about how my heart was broken in reading about toddlers in diapers being tear-gassed, along with their fleeing mothers, at the southern border and how I cried inconsolably, while in meditation.

I felt this inhumanity was un-

Jose Antonio Vargas in conversation with Prof. Viet Thanh Nguyen, another Pulitzer Prize winning author, at USC Bovard Hall during the book launch of “Dear America” on Sept. 25, 2018.

Photo taken by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz

American and does not reflect what is America, but rather the hatred of White House’s incumbent policies that keeps corroding his “inner vessel,” — his heart. These were families seeking better lives and immigrants seeking asylum based on claims of persecution from homeland

gangs or persecution from the failure of their own governments protecting them.

One week ago, I wrote about the struggles of Olivia Quido-Co rising from being an immigrant student in cosmetology, cleaning windows and learning eye-

u PAGE A9

“And so it came to pass that a choir of elves appeared in the night sky singing, ‘We bring you good tidings of great joy which shall be to all people for on this night Santa Claus is coming to town.’”

CAN you imagine the Christmas story being told this way? Well, that’s exactly how it is being told in America by politically correct folks, including the occupants of the White House.

They insist on celebrating Christmas without CHRIST. That, of course, leaves only “MAS” – Mainly About Santa. Or Marketing And Sales.

In December 2005, William A. Donohue, president of the Catholic League for Religious and Civil Rights, mounted a media blitz to criticize Pres. George W. Bush for excluding the word “Christmas” in the official White House holiday card sent out - you guessed it - on the occasion of Christmas.

The card stated, “May the light of the season shine bright in your heart now and in the new year.”

But it avoided mentioning Christmas.

Said, Donohue, “At a time when a lot of Christians today are very upset about the way our society is dumbing down Christmas, they certainly don’t want to see the president of the United

States chiming in. We know him as a man of courage. So why is he caving in to the forces of political correctness?”

According to Donohue, it was Pres. Bill Clinton who first did the “dumbing down” of Christmas by sending out a “holiday card” that avoided mentioning “the C word.”

In this regard, Donohue was corrected by the news anchors in his TV appearances. According to them, Clinton and Bush had “not made a departure from the practices of previous administrations.”

In the final six years of Pres. Ronald Reagan’s term, the White House also sent holiday cards that did not mention “Christmas.”

The White House confirmed that in an official statement, pointing out that the Bush holiday card was no different from holiday cards sent out by the office of the president “for the last five years and they went to people of many faiths.”

Pressing the point, anchor Miles O’Brien of CNN’s “American Morning,” asked Donohue, “What if Jesus got this card, what would he do? Would he be angry about it? He’d be okay with it, wouldn’t he?”

To which Donohue replied: “Well, maybe he would, but I’ve never met him.”

It was an exchange between Dumb and Dumber. Apparently, Donohue, despite his spirited crusade on behalf of Christmas, was also unclear on the concept.

Of course, Jesus, the birthday celebrant (because that is what Christmas is – a birthday celebration) would not have been angry.

He would have simply heaved a deep sigh, looked up to Heaven, and said, “Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.”

But there’s more to the issue than that of political correctness.

Christmas is a Christian holiday, just as Hanukkah is a holiday of the Jews, Ramadan of Islam and Kwanzaa of the Blacks.

Would the Jews, Muslims and Blacks feel you are celebrating their holidays with them if you didn’t mention Hanukkah, Ramadan and Kwanzaa by name?

The political correctness police insist that a large segment of the American population would take offense if Christmas were to be observed as a religious holiday.

But that is exactly what it is.

Of course, there’s nothing wrong with celebrating a holiday for Santa Claus. It’s not even wrong coinciding its observance with that of the Birth of Christ. But Santa’s tale is different from the Nativity story – and the latter has to be told for the very reason it was conceived in the first place.

The reason the Nativity came about is something the majority of Americans and the rest of the world, even non-Christians, are familiar with. The Messiah had been long in coming. His advent had been prophesied in the Old Testament. He would come to redeem a sinful world.

And then on a silent and holy night, when all was calm and all was bright, in a little town of Bethlehem, a child was born in a manger. His birth was highlighted by a star and announced by angels to shepherds tending their flock.

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OpiniOn & FeatUreS

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 15-18, 2018

A

Jose Antonio Vargas: From Pulitzer-Prize winning...

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brow threading, to an American citizen-entrepreneur, owning two businesses: a med spa and a storefront for cosmetic products shipped worldwide. She depended on the power of God and the power of tithing, as well as the generosity of her early mentor who helped her with her first business, catapulting her to the current status of looking forward to ‘sky-up’ success.

This week, the focus is on Jose Antonio Vargas, an undocumented immigrant, a Pulitzer-prize winning journalist who wrote a Virginia Tech piece that was collaboratively worked on by the Post Team, published in 2007.

Four years later, he wrote a heart-wrenching piece, “My Life as an Undocumented Immigrant,” published in the New York Times Magazine on June 22, 2011. To some of his friends, it was considered legal suicide.

But, it was to reconcile the different slices of his selves separated by lies and lies and now the truth, the unvarnished truth of who he is.

He recently had three book launches in Los Angeles in Fall 2018 for his Harper Collinspublished-book, “Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen,” with a Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Viet Thanh Nguyen in September at USC; with Robert K. Ross, M.D. at the California Endowment in October; and with Anthony Ocampo, Ph.D. at the Philippine Expressions Bookshop in November.

How they feel, cut up into pieces These book launches created a resonance in the community and empathy as to the psychological states immigrants go through — how they feel, cut up into pieces.

First, they must earn a living, like Mr. Vargas. He felt strongly and committed to writing about facts and was careful that his work reflected what was true: “One way I reconciled the lies I told myself was by taking my work very seriously: getting every fact right, insisting on context, telling the truth as much as the truth could be ascertained.

I may lie about my status as an undocumented worker, but my work is true.”

Second, they must be careful when they drive lest they are discovered without a valid driver’s license.

In Vargas’ book, he wrote about his encounter with a sher-

iff in during the 2008 presidential campaign, when he drove 30 miles above the speed limit and was stopped: “As he [the sheriff] walked away from my car to answer the call, I felt something wet trickling down in my pants. I peed myself.”

Luckily for California’s undocumented immigrants, more than a million are now licensed to drive in California, when Assembly Bill 60 became law in 2015. I wonder if Vargas’ coming out as an immigrant without documents had anything to do with it, as for million others?

Third, as lies and lies are told, the inequities become more flagrant as these undocumented immigrants end up paying state and local taxes while residing in the United States, yet reap no benefits, because of their undocumented status.

In “Dear America,” Vargas documents that out of an estimated three million undocumented immigrants in California, more than $3.1 billion are paid by them as state and local taxes.

He cites the nonpartisan Institute of Taxation and Economic Policy, and writes, “undocumented immigrants in the U.S. pay an estimated 8 percent of their incomes in state and local taxes, while the top 1 percent of taxpayers pay an average nationwide effective tax rate of just 5.4 percent. According to the Social Security Administration (SSA itself, unauthorized workers have paid $100 billion into the fund over the past decade. An estimated seven million people are currently working in the U.S. illegally, of whom 3.1 million are using fake or expired Social Security numbers and also paying automatic payroll taxes.”

Yet the false narrative continues that immigrants without documents result in hemorrhaging of the economy as they even take jobs from American citizens.

They do not.

What is real, according to Vargas’ research is “undocumented workers pay $12 billion to the Social Security Trust Fund.” It is a trust fund, which the Republicans are eyeing for privatization, or outright conversion as profit centers for investment firms, if at all. It is a trust fund wherein working Americans pay into, documented or undocumented, as an upfront deduction of their take-home salaries.

Vargas makes a powerful argument for intersecting race, class

and immigration. He traces the origins of European immigration that were favored and compared them to today’s immigrants who come from Asia and Latin America because of the 1965 Immigration and Nationality Act. Vargas cites John F. Kennedy who wrote, in “A Nation of Immigrants, “All told more than 42 million immigrants have come to our shores since the beginning of our history as a nation.” Vargas then learned from his research that “because of a 1965 immigration law that Kennedy and his brothers, Robert and Ted, championed, more than forty-three million immigrants have moved to America since –let that sink in: forty-two million immigrants in 187 years, then forty-three million in fifty years. That’s a lot of change in a perpetually changing America forever resistant to change. It’s no wonder that we are where we are.”

What the book does not cover is how do we move to resolve these internal contradictions in America where racism is much more manifested since the 45th U.S. president was elected? How do we move from resolving trillion dollar federal deficits that this selfinterested president approved - an income tax reform that reduces the income tax rate for couples earning $600,000 and above from 39.6 percent to 37 percent and reduces corporate tax rate from 35 percent to 21 percent, the lowest since 1939, thereby reducing federal income by $1.5 trillion?

It also does not provide an answer to what this African American woman raised when Vargas spoke in Wilmington, North Carolina and wrote: ”I’m not an immigrant. Our people were brought here against our will.”

Vargas describes: “Then she pulled a piece of paper out of her purse and, in a thick southern drawl, continued, ‘Mr. Vargas, my great-great grandmother landed near Charleston, South Carolina, and was given this.’

She opened the yellowed and crumpled paper. It was a bill of sale. I’d never seen one before.

‘Can you connect the paper she got to the papers you and your people can’t seem to get?’

Ponder on that question for a while and allow it to sink into the molecules of your body, into the recesses of your DNA, into your hearts and in your minds.

Human beings are much more than pieces of paper How is it that a piece of paper

EDUCATION BUDGET. Education Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones delighted as the Senate on Tuesday, December 11 approves in the plenary the proposed P499.5 billion budget of the agency for FY 2019.

Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

PDEA files raps vs former official, 40 others over P11-B smuggled ‘shabu’ THE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) on Thursday, December 13, filed criminal cases against a former official and other personalities allegedly involved in the smuggling of P11billion worth of “shabu” before the Department of Justice (DOJ).

Deputy Director General for Administration Ismael Fajardo Jr., former Customs intelligence officer Jimmy Guban and dismissed Senior Supt. Eduardo Acierto are accused of facilitating the illegal entry of shabu inside magnetic lifters that were found at the Manila International Container Port (MICP) and in a warehouse in Cavite last August.

PDEA also named Police Insp.

Lito Pirote and Joseph Dimayuga as the principal respondents.

Chan Yee Wah, Emily Daprosa Luquingan, Vedastro Cabral Baraquel, Jr., Maria Lagrimas Abelgas Catipan, Alex B. Padlan, Zhauq Quan/Zhang Quan, Gorgonio V. Necessario, Myra C. Tan, Terence L. Uytingban, Avelino S. Tendera and entities SN Logistics and Ben Line Agencies Philippines were charged for the shipment of the magnetic lifters.

He Zhong Consultancy Co. Inc. (Nonito Estorninos, Jr.,Li Jie); Red Day Machinery Parts Corporation (Ramon Tuyay, John Leric Olavario, Maribeth Olavario, Minerva Verso, and Chung-Chun Hsu); Yida Equipment Crane Limited Company (Le Thi Thuy, Luu Thi Thu Huong, Kan Yi Hong); Dong Trieu Trading and Import/Export Service Trading Company Lim-

The Grinch who took Christ out...

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It was an occasion of great joy and so important that three wise men journeyed from afar to offer gifts to the newborn – gold to designate His kingship, frankincense for His divinity, and myrrh to symbolize the suffering and death He would undergo in His mission of redemption.

The gift-giving enhanced the occasion and obviously captured the imagination of people, not the least of them, those with merchandise to sell. Thus did Christmas become a marketing bonanza.

And, so it came to pass that the u PAGE A10

commercial potentials of Christmas overwhelmed its religious intent, and the joy of giving – which is a great thing – drowned out the message of salvation – which is even greater. And nowhere has this been more apparent than in the United States of Political Correctness.

But, hey, when you buy a gift on the occasion of Mother’s Day, do you avoid saying “Mother” because fathers might take offense?

And when someone is celebrating a birthday, do you avoid specifically saying “Happy birthday” in your greeting card be-

ited (Du Quoc Duong); Chen Wei Cheng, Ping Cheung Fung, Roy Wang, John Doe, Leynard Doe, All Systems Logistic, Inc. (Roy Baldon); SMYD Trading (Marina De la Cruz Signapan, Alexander Dames, Katrina Cuasay, Miguella Santos, as real owner), lawyer Zsae Carrie De Guzman, Head, XRay Inspection Project; Benjamin Cajucom, Shift Supervisor, X-Ray Inspection Project; Manuel Martinez, Operator, X-Ray Inspection Project; Dolores Domingo, Appraiser; Chinese No.2 alias Zhou Quan; Chinese No.3 Chen Wei Cheng; Chinese No.4 alias Cory Yibos; Chinese No. 6 alias Francis Doe; Chinese No. 12 alias Glenn Doe; Eric Doe; and Bong Doe are facing complaints over the magnetic lifters that were found in Cavite. (Inquirer.net)

cause some of the guests might resent it?

An occasion that celebrates love and generosity, family solidarity and friendship is a wonderful thing, especially if it is packaged with colorful trimmings, songs and laughter and a jolly fat man bearing gifts.

That’s the “mas” part of Christmas. Nothing wrong with that.

What’s wrong is taking away the “Christ” part.

That’s kicking out the birthday celebrant on His birthday.

Merry Christmas everyone.

And, if it makes you feel better, Merry Santa, too. n

A10 December 15-18, 2018 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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

CHR warns danger of ‘normalization of martial law’ This was the reaction of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) after Congress voted to MANILA — “There is danger approve another extension of in normalization of martial law.” martial law in Mindanao until December 31, 2019.

On Wednesday, December 12, in a joint session, a final vote of 235 for extension, 28 against and one abstention, Congress approved a third martial law extension in Mindanao.

However, CHR disputed the third extension, saying there were reports on human rights violations in Mindanao.

“There have been reports from the ground coming from CHR Chairman Jose Luis Martin “Chito” Gascon human-rights defenders indifferent violations Inquirer.net photo by Grig Montegrande volving

by Consuelo

Marquez

Inquirer.net

such as: massive numbers of internally displaced persons, arbitrary detention, profiling, threats, torture and killings,” CHR Chairman Jose Luis Martin Gascon said in a statement late Wednesday.

CHR also urged the government to look into such reports.

President Rodrigo Duterte placed Mindanao under martial law in May 2017 after the ISISinspired Maute terrorist group attacked Marawi City.

At the request of Duterte, the Congress extended martial law twice, the first extension ended last Dec. 31, 2017 while the second extension will end on Dec. 31 this year. n

Spotlight on Filipina journalist Maria Ressa...

PAGE A7 t access on mobile phones, it has almost 70 million users—or 97% of the Philippines’ Internet-connected population.

But the ease with which the Duterte administration has used social media to manipulate public opinion, and what Ressa sees as the tech giant’s failure to protect its users from manipulation, have fundamentally changed relationships between the news and those who consume it. “Technology has no morals and values,” Ressa says, “And the group that actually figured out how to use it and weaponize it, are the authoritarian style leaders.”

Shortly after Duterte’s election, Rappler began investigating how the Duterte campaign built a network of domestic and overseas social media users who disseminated inflammatory and sometimes fake content created by a team of bloggers.

Two of the team’s most prominent “influencers,” pop star and sex advice columnist Mocha Uson and populist blogger R.J. Nieto, were given official roles in Duterte’s administration after he

took office. Although both have since resigned their posts, they were accused of singling out and smearing journalists who reported on extrajudicial killings, setting off a cascade of online trolls that harassed them with rape and death threats on Facebook.

“The exponential attacks on social media, the inciting to hate just for doing your job,” says Ressa.

“You have no idea when it erupts into real-world violence.”

While real-world violence has long been an occupational hazard in the Philippines—the National Union of Journalists estimates 177 reporters and media workers have been killed since 1986—Duterte made it clear reporters would be at mortal risk under his watch. Shortly before he took office on a promise of wiping out crime and corruption, he told journalists in his heartland Davao City they too could become targets of assassination if found to be a corrupt “son of a bitch.”

Now, Rappler and its founder are paying the price for reporting on Duterte’s regime — just as the president’s critics and opposition leaders have been jailed on flimsy

premises. Senator Leila de Lima, a fierce critic of Duterte’s drug war, was arrested in February 2017 and charged with drug offenses Amnesty International called “pure fiction.” “The lesson is if you want to criticize and oppose Duterte, you can do so behind bars, but not as a free citizen,” de Lima told TIME from her jail cell in September.

Ressa says the Philippines, where dissent can lead to jail time, and where nobody can put a precise figure on the number of people killed in the drug war (estimates of human rights groups range between 12,000 and 30,000 deaths) should be a “cautionary tale” for the U.S. “With a global platform that connects all of us, you can see there is a playbook,” she says, “in the crosshair of controlling the public narrative are journalists.” Crosshairs or not, Ressa is determined to hold the line. ***

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

House seeks Diokno ouster over 2019...

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billion another P75 billion, not P51 billion,” Diokno said.

He also insisted that the additional amount could not be called an insertion since it was part of the poresident’s budget. Andaya, however, pointed out that even President Rodrigo Duterte himself did not have an idea where the amount came from.

“So in this whole tete-a-tete we’re having, it’s clear now that the insertion is not P51 billion but P75 billion. Thank you very much for admitting,” Andaya said.

The almost P52 billion originally allocated for the projects of the DPWH previously made headlines for causing a series of delays in the House deliberation

of the national budget of P3.757 trillion for 2019.

According to Andaya, the House would “most definitely” look for the remaining P24 billion, months after he proposed that the almost P52-billion realigned appropriations from the agency would be “itemized,” and would not serve as lump sum funds for other government. n

SIMULATED BIRTH RECTIFICATION ACT. Senators Risa Hontiveros, Nancy Binay and Bam Aquino, together with their counterparts in the House of Representatives signed today the Bicameral Conference Committee Report of the Simulated Birth Rectification Act which paves the way for the legal adoption of children whose birth records were simulated.

Senate photo

Philippines’ Rule of Law score dips further THE Philippines scored 3.4 out of 10 points in Rule of Law the latest 2018 Human Freedom Index, where the country dropped two places among 162 countries measured.

The report, published by the Cato Institute, the Fraser Institute and the German Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom, rated personal, civil and economic freedom worldwide. In the latest report, the Philippines scored 3.4 for Rule of Law, posting a decline of 0.5 points from 3.9 in 2017.

This was a further decline from 4.05 in 2016.

The HFI uses a 10-point scoring system,where 10 represents “more freedom.”

The Philippines ranked 73rd among 162 countries in the overall human freedom index which combined scores on personal freedom and economic freedom.

The country scored 6.50 in personal freedom—which had 37 sub indexes—ranked 100 out of 162 countries. The country fared better in economic freedom, as it obtained 7.34 rating placing 49th out of 162 countries.

In looking into a country’s personal freedom, the HFI measured rule of law, security and safety, movement, religious freedom, association, assembly and civil society, expression and information and identity and relationships.

Rule of Law There was a 0.5 decline in the Philippines’ score in Rule of Law of 3.4 from last year’s score of 3.9.

A country’s score on rule of law is based on on three sub indexes: Procedural justice, civil justice and criminal justice.

“By including the Rule of Law category, the index more fully captures the extent to which people are exposed to abuse by the authorities, and therefore it provides a measure of whether and by how much one is subject to another man’s will,’” the report read borrowing words from F.A. Hayek, an Austrian economist and philosopher.

Procedural justice: A decline of 1.1 points The Philippines recorded a decline of 1.1 on procedural justice. The country posted a score 2.5 for 2018 while the country obtained 3.6 last year.

Procedural justice has three indicators. First is a person’s “right to life and security,” where “violations by the police or government when conducting an arrest or a search” affect a country’s score.

Under the procedural justice, HFI looked into “due process of law and rights of the accused.”

This indicator looks into the authorities’ respect on the presumption of innocence, arrest people on genuine and formally declared charges, treat suspects humanely in custody and provide the accused full access to evidence.

Freedom from arbitrary interference with privacy—the third category under procedural justice, measured on whether the government may be wiretapping private communications.

Civil justice: 4.7 from 4.5 For 2018’s measure of civil justice, the Philippines scored 0.2 higher—4.7—that 2017’s score of 4.5.

Civil justice, meanwhile, looks into whether the country is free of discrimination, corruption and improper government influence, the accessibility and effectiveness of alternative dispute resolution mechanisms Criminal justice system on impartiality, level of corruption and the degree to which improper government influence is present.

Criminal justice: 3.1 from 3.6 Criminal justice meanwhile looked into issues of “impartiality, its level of corruption, and the degree to which improper government influence is present.”

The Philippines shed 0.5 points in this index.

Philippine Judiciary The HFI said that in measuring the Rule of Law index, it followed the indicators used by the World Justice Project’s Rule of Law Index “that are consistent with our definition of freedom.”

In the 2017-2018 World Justice Project Rule of Law Index, the Philippines registered the most significant drop in rule of law adherence as it dropped 18 positions from its 2016 rankings.

The WJP report read: “The Philippines saw the most significant drops in Constraints on Government Powers, Fundamental Powers, Fundamental Rights, Order and Security, and Criminal

Justice.”

The Philippines has had three chief justices in 2018: Former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno was ousted in May when her colleagues voted in favor of a quo warranto petition against her. This landmark ruling of the SC was widely criticized by several groups and lawmakers.

President Rodrigo Duterte then appointed retired Teresita de Castro to take over Sereno’s seat. She held the top judge post for less than two months.

Currently, the Supreme Court and the Philippine judiciary is headed by Chief Justice Lucas Bersamin.

International Criminal Court It was also in 2018 when the International Criminal Court announced that it is conducting preliminary examination into the communications filed before the tribunal, on alleged crimes against humanity carried out under the Duterte administration.

The ICC, in its annual report released earlier in December, said that the Office of the Prosecutor has been conducting a thorough factual and legal assessment of the information available in order to reach a reasonable basis to believe that the alleged crimes fall within the jurisdiction of the court.

Under the principle of complementarity, the ICC can investigate when national jurisdictions are unable or unwilling to do so.

But the Palace is consistent in denying this allegation.

The government, through a statement by presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, has distanced itself from the ICC deliberations.

“Its democratic institutions, including the judiciary, are fully functioning, and government agencies are working together to address the drug problem, from community-level engagements to rehabilitation, from law enforcement to investigation and prosecution,” the statement read.

The Palace earlier hailed the conviction of three Caloocan cops in the killing of 17-year-old Kian delos Santos as a “triumph of justice.”

Delos Santos’ case is the first recognized case connected to the drug war that has claimed thousands of Filipino lives. (Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com)

Jose Antonio Vargas: From Pulitzer-Prize winning...

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has become a permanent symbol of labeling American citizens as less than, and even making them unworthy except as chattel or slave properties up until the era of Jim Crow?

How is it that a piece of paper is presently being denied to eleven million undocumented immigrants because they are labeled falsely as unworthy of becoming American citizens, even if they have led lives more patriotic than others, like serving in the US military to defend American democracy abroad?

Who determines who is worthy or unworthy of being called Americans? The guy in the White House who is now unindicted co-conspirator of two felonies of paying off two women to hide his affairs and defrauded American citizens as to alter the outcome of the U.S. presidential elections? No wonder the book is entitled Dear America: Notes of An Undocumented Citizen by Jose Antonio Vargas.

America, we have been a nation of absurdities. It is time to make our country more wholesome and correct what is wrong and make everyone who is already here — those who have proven themselves as productive citizens for several years apply to get their legal U.S. work permits and ultimately, after several more years, a permanent green card.

It might take them two decades to qualify until becoming U.S. citizens, but in the meantime, they can operate without being cut up into pieces daily,

because of their fears. Just as American chattel owners of slaves terrorize these slaves to remain as properties, today, our American government continues to terrorize these undocumented immigrants and even the asylum seekers at the Southern border fleeing persecution from gangs in their countries.

These undocumented immigrants have been indefatigable, tireless defenders of the American dream and what is right about it; we now have to do what is right by them. America is after all an ideal, an amalgamation of many million immigrants’ dreams who dared cross the shores and oceans seeking better lives, from the Greeks, to the Italians, to the British, to the Irish, to the Spaniards, to the Chinese, to the Japanese, to the Filipinos and over 188 countries now in its borders.

Vargas asserts, “Home is not something I have to earn. Humanity is not some box I should have to check. It occurred to me that I’d been in an intimate, long-term relationship all along. I was in a toxic, abusive, codependent relationship with America, and there was no getting out.”

For these eleven million undocumented immigrants, America has become their cage, a huge jail they cannot seem to get out from, a jail they cannot leave to even visit their loved ones overseas and to some, a jail where they will die from, away from their birth nations.

This December, as we sit at our family table to celebrate

Christmas, ponder for a moment the travelling Joseph and Mary, who were denied entry into several homes much like how we cast aside and mistreat the eleven million undocumented immigrants who serve us at restaurants, who care for our young children as nannies, who care for our seniors and our sick elderly as caregivers, who wash our cars in the car wash, who wash dishes in the restaurants, who arrange the flowers in the flower shop, who teach, who are scientists, who write newspaper articles, journal pieces and even books, much like Jose Antonio Vargas!

What are we afraid of, America, when we extend them a pathway to get this piece of paper when we have allowed them into the center of our lives already? It is time for comprehensive immigration reform and to treat these 11 million more reasonably and sensibly. *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”

She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also 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, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 15-18, 2018

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Journal 14 years since death, FPJ lives on hearts of families and fans

by Daphne

Galvez Inquirer.net

EVEN after 14 years, the spirit of the late Fernando Poe Jr. (FPJ) remains alive in the hearts of his family and his fans as they commemorate the anniversary of the ‘Da King’s death.

Family and fans gathered at FPJ’s tomb at the Manila North Cemetery to pay their respects and celebrate his life.

Among the crowd is a fan who impersonated FPJ down to his famous sideburns and denim jacket.

Roberto Garcia, also known as “Bobby Henson,” is a fan and and FPJ impersonator. He said he has been impersonating ‘Da King’ since he was in high school.

The 70-year-old impersonator said he would go home after watching one of FPJ’s films the movie house and would act out FPJ’s lines and actions, like how he punches, how he reaches for his gun, and how he delivers his lines.

“Noong high school po ako ginagaya ko na po siya, pauntiunti,” Garcia told INQUIRER.net

in an interview.

“Sabi ng nanay ko ‘dyan kita pinaglihi kay Fernando Poe’ kaya kapag umuuwi ako sa bahay umaarte rin ako pagkapanood ko ng sine. Suntok, pati bunot ng baril. Acting. Lahat po pati dialog, kaya ko po,” he added.

Garcia said since FPJ’s death, he would annually visit the late actor’s tomb in costume to show his respect and love for his idol.

As a fan, Garcia’s favorite FPJ movies are “Bandido ng Sapang Bato,” “Kapag Puno na ang Salop,” and “Hindi ka na Sisikatan ng Araw.”

Catriona Gray slays in swimsuit, long gown at Miss Universe preliminaries by arlo

CustoDio ManilaTimes.net

IT’S not the pageant proper yet, but Philippine bet to the Miss Universe 2018 pageant in Thailand, Catriona Gray, is rocking the internet, especially for her slo-mo turn during the Swimsuit prelimaries on Thursday, December 14.

Confident in her choice of a one-piece pink swimsuit, Gray took the pageant world by storm because of her “lava walk” (named after the flow of Mayon Volcano in Bicol, where she hails from) and slow motion twirl, setting social media ablaze. Cesar Buendia trained Gray for the now-classic walk.

One Twitter user commented, “Catriona Gray was the first-ever contestant to do live slo-mo in [the] Miss Universe [pageant].”

In the evening gown preliminaries, the Philippine bet wore an Ibong Adarna-inspired orange gown created by Mak Tumang, accented by the Miss Universe Mikimoto crown itself.

Miss Universe Philippines Catriona Gray during the evening gown competition.

Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray

The designer said that the mythological creature in Philippine foklore was pulchritudinous blessed with an enchanting voice, just like Gray.

“Catriona has a resilient, tenacious and unwavering spirit. Her voice is truly captivating literally and figuratively. She uses it to influence, advance her timely causes and both melt and heal hearts. Her willpower and burning passion drive her to make every

Filipino proud in whatever she does. She is the blazing Adarna!

Watch her rise in glory along with our hopes and dreams for our beloved country: the Philippines!”

Tumang posted on Instagram on Thursday, with footnote, “Inspired from the Philippine Adarna Bird, Phoenix and Mikimoto Crown.”

Gray was radiant in the modern take of the terno – Filipinana top and Ifugao skirt – for the fourminute preliminary interview of each of the candidates.

The 24-year-old model-singer revealed it went so fast and the candidates had fun. She said she was asked why she wanted to be the next Miss Universe, what she loved most about the title, and her terno.

Gray’s standout performance in the pre-pageant has made even the most discriminating pageant observers on the planet – led by Latin America powerhouse Colombia – to put Miss Philippines as the most likely to win the crown on Monday morning in Bangkok, Thailand.

He shared that he was one of the “extras” in some of FPJ’s movies, including the film “Bandido ng Sapang Bato.”

Garcia also shared that he was once offered P400,000 by one of the movie producers of the movie “Butas ng Karayom” in which FPJ is the lead actor.

The movie producer asked Garcia if he could “double” for FPJ so that they could finish the movie earlier.

Garcia said he refused the offer, which earned him the good spirits of FPJ. “Naghanap ng producer ng do-‘double’, ako ‘yung kinukuha.

Hindi ko magagawa po, malaki respeto ko kay manager (FPJ) kahit na ano pang malaking bayad, hindi ko po magagawa. Hindi ko PAGE B2

Fernando Poe Jr.

Inquirer.net photo

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Jake Cuenca can do more Stars talk about bluest Christmases by

Boy ABundA

Ricky Lo Philstar.com

by

Philstar.com

NO one can stop Jake Cuenca from pursuing what he likes whether it is for his professional growth or personal bliss. Certainly, you still remember those days when the ABS-CBN actor admitted that he has a crush on Erich Gonzales.

So what happened after that?

Did he court her? Did Erich turn him down?

Jake has a valid reason for deciding against courting the young actress. In a tone that echoed a gentleman’s persona, the actor gave a clear, honest and an acceptable explanation when he returned on the hot seat of “Tonight with Boy Abunda (TWBA)”. He said that it became his top priority to be a good leading man even while he’s the villain, referring to the period of working with Erich in the drama series “The Blood Sisters”.

“I really had a crush on her while we were taping for ‘Blood Sisters’. Kung gustong-gusto ko, hindi naman ako mapipigilan. But at that time naging importante na kahit kontrabida ako ay maging mabuting leading man sa kanya,” said Jake.

He further shared that it’s been quite a long time since he last had a romantic affair with somebody from the entertainment circle.

“I’ve realized (that) I don’t want to mix business with pleasure. I

Jake Cuenca: ‘I’m just happy to be given the opportunity to do different things.’

Philstar.com photo

like to keep it that way.”

What remains the same is Jake’s intense passion for acting. His debut theatrical acting performance in Lungs has been earning rave reviews from critics and Jake is thankful for the good words. He described Lungs as a relatable piece as it is something that all millennials are going through right now. By the way, Lungs is a 90-minute dialogue stage play featuring only two people on stage and presents a story about relationships and beliefs.

On TV, Jake is pitting acting talents against veterans and young actors as one of the male leads in Precious Hearts Romances Presents: Los Bastardos.

Televiewers of the sexy drama series see him as Isagani, the eldest son of Ronaldo Valdez’s character, who is destined to fight with his brothers for power and recognition in their family.

“I’m just happy to be given the opportunity to do different things. And I’m just thankful they believe in me that I can carry something like this.”

Even stage roles that require him to do full nudity do not worry Jake at all. He is too willing to portray them without malice.

It instantly came to mind Daniel Radcliffe, who did a naked stage role in the revival of Peter Shaffer’s 1973 play Equus.

So, what more can Jake do?

Let’s wait and see.

Kylie Padilla weds Aljur Abrenica by

niñA V. Guno Inquirer.net

KYLIE Padilla and Aljur Abrenica are getting married, as per social media posts on Tuesday, Dec. 11. Details of the ceremony have yet to be publicly announced.

A post from event stylist Gideon Hermosa in the late afternoon today showed Padilla walking into a hall amid smoke, dressed in a sweetheart neckline white gown and a long veil. The venue was dimly lit and decorated with several candles and red roses.

Hairstylist Renz Pangilinan shared Padilla’s bridal look: her Kylie Padilla and Aljur Abrenica hair was styled in a half ponytail while pink tones in her makeup appears to be presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo. made her light skin glow.

In a shoot that seems to be The groom wore a brown taken to the ceremony, Pacheckered suit.

Behind him, AJ Ads 127 Lemongrass_Layout 1 11/15/18 prior 4:04 PM Page 1 guests could be seen; one of them dilla wore a red robe.

Photo from Instagram/@kylienicolepadilla

Last Dec. 1, Padilla announced that they had had their prenup shoot. The couple was engaged in January 2017 and have one son, Alas, born in August 2017.

age gracefully

Lemongrass: A Stalk to Remember Healing HoneyLemongrass Tea

THROUGH the years We all will be togetherIf the fates allow — from “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas” Unfortunately, “the fates” don’t always allow all of us to be together, not even only during the Christmas season when the absence of a loved one, whether gone for good or gone abroad, is more acutely felt.

Year in and year out, stars have been interviewed about their “white” Christmases and happiest Christmases. For a change, Funfare asked some stars about their “bluest” Christmases.

• Charo Santos-Concio: My bluest Christmas was the year I lost my dad. The feeling was things would never be the same again. Of course, my siblings and I have moved on and now we make sure that our Christmases are “red” and “green.”

• Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos: Our first Christmas after Papa passed away many years ago. He died on Nov. 6, a few days after my birthday.

• Martin Nievera: This will be my first Christmas without a father. Will I be spending Christmas here or elsewhere? I’ll be like Santa Claus flying all over but I will be spending New Year’s Eve at Solaire.

• Derek Ramsay: Christmas is my favorite time of the year. It’s never blue for me because I’m always with family. I’ve been very blessed to have a family that loves me dearly.

• Jessica Soho: My bluest Christmas was in 1972 when we lost our mom to cancer. That may be 46 years ago but the pain remains in our hearts, as the song of Basil Valdez goes.

• Edgar Mortiz: My bluest Christmas was in 1993 when my Mama passed away two days before Christmas. It was the first Christmas that I didn’t taste her cooking.

• Gloria Diaz: Well, this Christmas is both superlative for me and our family. We are all going to France to experience winter and for the baptism of Balty (son of my daughter Isabelle and her husband Adrien Semblat) which fills me with pure inner joy. The sad and unbelievable part is that we are suing some people close to us…” (Note: Funfare opted not to mention the names and what the case is.)

• Mark Bautista: Blue Christmas would probably be not spending it with family. My whole life, it’s always with my family.

• Ali Sotto: My Christmases since my son Miko died in 2003 have all been equally blue. In what is supposed to be this festive season of joy, there is an ache in my heart and a sense of melancholy as lights twinkle and carols fill the air. I empathize with everyone

ABS-CBN photo

Jessica Soho

GMA photo

Batangas Rep. Vilma Santos Philstar.com photo

Edgar Mortiz

ABS-CBN photo

Martin Nievera

ABS-CBN photo

Gloria Diaz

Derek Ramsay

Philstar.com photo

sadly missing someone dear on Christmas Day. • Kean Cipriano: There’s this one Christmas, I think in 2011, when I fell asleep from Dec. 24 (9 p.m.) to Dec. 25 (11 a.m.). I was so tired from work. It sucked because I missed one precious Christmas Eve with my whole family.

• Cathy Garcia-Molina: Well, siguro when my husband died, especially since my late husband’s birthday is the day after Christmas. But we did not let it affect us for a long time because there are still many, many reasons top celebrate and thank God for on Christmas Day. It is still a celebration of LIFE.

Alfred Vargas

GMA photo

Philstar.com photo

• Quezon City Rep. Alfred Vargas: My bluest Christmas was in 2014. It was my first time to spend Christmas without my mom. She passed away earlier that year. I realized then and there during noche buena that Christmas would never be the same again without the person who brought you to this world…your mom. That time, I felt the true meaning of pangungulila (grieving). I miss her so much. Christmas is so incomplete without her.

Good thing that my wife and our kids constantly fill that void in my heart and make me feel whole again. I guess that’s how the circle of life really is.

Zsa Zsa Padilla returns to ASAP

Yield: 2 drinks 1 stalk fresh lemongrass, chopped 1 cup hot water 2–4 Tbsp. honey

by

chRistiA MARie RAMos Inquirer.net

1. Soften lemongrass by simmering in 2 cups of water for about 20 minutes.

2. Remove from heat and pour into a French-press coffee pot.

Depress plunger.

3. Decant into teacups and add honey to taste.

Lemongrass is also popular in Vietnamese cuisine. In one classic recipe, thin beef slices are marinated (for 2 hours in the refrigerator) in a mixture of minced lemongrass, minced garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and vegetable oil and then cooked over tabletop charcoal grills.

I like to add a few tablespoons of minced lemongrass and a pinch of salt to the cooking water when I boil rice. For a fragrant, coconut-lemongrass rice, I substitute half of the water for light coconut milk. Is there any substitute for lemongrass? Lime zest and juice can impart a similar flavor in cooked foods, but you won’t get the same health benefits.

Lemongrass tea is another classic Southeast Asian staple. In my recipe, I pair lemongrass with natural, unprocessed honey because it, too, has antibacterial, antiviral, and antifungal properties. Honey’s fructose content gives it fewer calories than cane or beet sugar, and the body tolerates it better. Honey also contains antioxidants and has been shown to be a natural cough remedy. The combination of honey and lemongrass makes a very tasty drink that not only helps you relax, it also helps heal whatever ails you.

© 2015–2019 by FoodTrients.com

BY GRACE O I love to cook with lemongrass. It adds a wonderful perfume and zingy flavor to both savory and sweet dishes, and it has health benefits, too. It pairs particularly well with coconut milk, ginger, red chiles, chicken, and seafood. Use the white, more tender section of the stalk in recipes where it remains in the final dish. If you’re just steeping the stalk, as in my tea recipe, you can use all of it, including the tougher green part.

Lemongrass also contains vitamins A, B, and C, plus calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous. According to studies, it is a great antioxidant with antifungal and antibacterial properties. Lemongrass has a long history in herbal medicine as a strong anti-inflammatory. It is used in Ayurvedic medicine to detoxify, calm stomachs, reduce cholesterol, and lower blood pressure. You can find fresh lemongrass (a.k.a. lemon grass) at melissas.com and Indian and Asian markets.

In Thailand, lemongrass is added to seafood soups. It’s the star of Tom Yum Soup, a classic Thai dish made with chicken stock, garlic, Thai chili paste, fish sauce, shrimp, cilantro, palm sugar, and kaffir lime leaves.

Charo Santos-Concio

GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks — The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won Gourmand’s ‘Best in the World’ Award for Innovation. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

ZSA ZSA Zsa is set to return to the “ASAP” stage and showcase her singing prowess An Instagram post by the official account of ASAP showed a smiling Padilla with the caption: Handang-handa na ang Divine Diva para sa Linggo!!!

According to earlier reports, Padilla was not considered part of the reformatted version of the noontime musical variety show, ASAP Natin ‘To, which was launched last November 18.

An Instagram post by Padilla a day before the new ASAP format was introduced raised speculations from her followers that she may have been “cut-off” from the show.

“I acted like it wasn’t a big Zsa Zsa Padilla ABS-CBN photo deal, when really it was breaking industry extended their love and comments on her Instagram my heart,” the post read.

Her fans and friends from the support for the singer through post.

14 years since death, FPJ...

PAGE B1 tinanggap,” he shared.

“Kaya noong nagkita kami ni manager, natutuwa po siya sa akin. Nag-usap po kami,” he added.

Also seen in the crowd were 68-year-old Eulogio Magtibay and his 65-year-old wife Mamita, who came all the way from Quezon province to pay their respects for their beloved actor.

They said they have been supporters of FPJ since they were young and have watched all of his movies.

They also supported ‘Da King’ when he ran for the presidency in the 2004 national elections.

“Lahat ng movies ni FPJ sinuportahan namin. ‘Yung mag-ano (tumakbo) siya ng presidente, nandoon din kami para sa kanya,” Mamita Eulogio said.

The couple said their favorite FPJ movies were “Panday” “Ang Probinsyano” and “Perlas ng Silanganan.”

They said they arrived with their children a day before FPJ’s death anniversary and slept in their van overnight.

After the Mass offered for FPJ’s death anniversary, the late actor’s daughter and wife, Senator Grace Poe and veteran actress Susan Roces gave away Christmas gift packs to 200 families in the cemetery.

The packs contained toys for the children and items for noche buena for the families.

This practice is part of the Poe family’s annual holiday tradition to continue what his father had started.

“Alam nyo naman ang diwa ng pasko, ang gusto ng aking tatay ay mabigyan ng kaligayahan lalong lalo na ang ating mga kababayang mahihirap at ang mga bata,” Senator Poe said in his speech, thanking his father’s supporters for attending the ceremony.

Roces said that Filipinos

should make the memory of FPJ as an inspiration because all he wanted was for the betterment of the public.

“Naririto tayo para ipagdiwang ang kanyang death anniversary. Ipagpapatuloy natin kung ano man ang nasimulan niya para sa nakararami. Let’s think positive and let’s make him our source of inspiration,” Roces told reporters in an interview.

FPJ, or Ronald Allan Poe was known for iconic films including the “Panday” series which made him a legend in the local film industry.

He was also posthumously proclaimed a National Artist for Film in 2006 under Proclamation No. 1069 under President Benigno Aquino’s administration.

His proclamation as a national artist was confirmed when then President Aquino signed Proclamation No. 435 in 2012.

“The King of Philippine Cinema” died in Dec. 14, 2004.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 15-18, 2018

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DREAMS OF A FAIRYTALE WEDDING ENDED UP IN A NIGHTMARE OF BATTERY AND ABUSE. Anne entered the U.S. on a fiancé (K-1) visa, hoping to build a beautiful, love-filled life with her U.S. citizen petitioner. But the marriage turned into a nightmare, when the husband became verbally and physically abusive. Battered and abused, Anne reached out to leading immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel.

Watch as Anne was able to escape the chains of abuse, through the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) self-petition that the Law Offices of Michael J. Gurfinkel filed and was “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

MOONLIGHTING

THIS piece began as an act of friendship. It was conversation-interview supposed to draw a portrait of Dr. Linda Grey without physical features.

Everyone knows this already: to describe her wouldn’t be telling anything new.

Last Wednesday, at a gathering of seniors and the Fil-Am community and family services, they were not concerned about how beautiful she is, as ever.

Instead, they were listening to her words, ideas, and dreams.

With her outlook in life and work there is no place you can put her — be it in her clinic or lecturing about this era of managed health care at a time when medicine is becoming more institutionalized and impersonal.

She draws the full spectrum of human emotions evoked by medicine drama, or parrying with outmost courtesy, in the most ungentle maneuver of the corporate in high meetings.

She weathers bad storms as she continues to preside her

Dr. Erlinda Grey on the human splendor of medicine

Maestro Dexter and Dr. Erlinda Grey

way with dignity in her quiet endeavors. She doesn’t diminish this almost ferocious sense of public service.

She is always in pursuit of the good cause, the right reason to serve the community.

She is embodied in hard work

and self-sacrifice and laden with astuteness and determination.

Dr. Grey doesn’t like any form of publicity. We began to chat behind the barriers of conventions and difference, then, PAGE B5

Look your best and reach your aesthetic goals at Radiant Medical Aesthetics

I

T’S no secret that we all deserve to look and feel our best. Such is the motto of Frances Calayan-Cuento, owner of Radiant Medical Aesthetics in Rowland Heights, California.

A nurse practitioner by training, Calayan-Cuento comes from a family of doctors in the Philippines and decided to enter into her own business venture along with her husband, Mariel, who is also a registered nurse.

“We’re very personalized when it comes to the care we offer,” Calayan-Cuento said. “It’s my husband and me doing the services, so when people come in for a consultation, they’ll talk to us and we do it for them.”

Radiant Medical Aesthetics offers an array of services — whether an anti-aging facial or botox to reduce wrinkles and fine lines — to help individuals reach their aesthetic goals.

“People come in here and want to enhance what they have,” Calayan-Cuento said. “It feels good when they leave the place and they’re more confident and are feeling beautiful.”

One of the most sought-after services is microneedling, a cosmetic procedure that involves repeatedly puncturing the skin with tiny, sterile needles. Un-

like other places, Radiant uses a radio frequency (RF) machine,

which is like a laser, skin tightening and microneedling in one

to address skin problems, such as scarring, pigmentation, fine lines, acne, or collagen loss. Clients can also get the treatment using platelet-rich plasma (PRP) — popularly known as a “vampire facial” — which uses one’s own blood to increase collagen production.

The medical spa also offers facials, botox, fillers, IV nutritional therapy (vitamin C and glutathione), and laser and body treatments like lymphatic detox, firming, and spine therapy.

“Since we are a licensed medical spa, we use high-quality, U.S.-made products,” CalayanCuento said.

In addition to the popular treatments, Radiant Medical Aesthetics will roll out more services, such as medical weight loss and hair restoration, and unveil a line of skincare products.

Maintaining your glow and taking care of yourself doesn’t just stop when you leave the clinic, however.

Calayan-Cuento shared her top tips for skincare, such as: Wear sunscreen and avoid sun exposure for long periods, hydrate, and moisturize daily.

“Sometimes there are things you can’t really avoid because as you age, that’s when collagen production decreases, so that’s when you need these kinds of services,” she said.

Radiant Medical Aesthetics is located at 1735 Fullerton Rd., Rowland Heights, CA 91748 (Inside Oya Beauty). Hours are Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (by appointment) and Saturday and Sunday by appointment only. For more information and a full list of services, please visit http://www.radiantmedicalaesthetics.com.

8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

B DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Life Coaching in a Different Perspective Stargazer AFTER talking about negative energies/entities and how to protect against them, let us now move towards clearing our own homes.

The home is where we stay, eat, sleep and spend time with family. This sacred space should

Fixing the energies in your home (Part I of II)

always be kept positive and sacred. As much as possible, good energies must dwell longer in this abode to keep family members in good health and harmony with each other.

But first, let us discuss more what negative energies are.

When one is angry and releases

emotion by shouting, cursing and/or expressing bad wishes or feelings, the air is automatically charged with negativity and gets stuck in the walls of your room or house.

A person who is in deep depression prefers to close the windows, linger in darkness by not turning the light on, and closes the drapes so as not to see the light. He prefers to sleep all the time or wallow in self-pity most of the day if awake. Now try walking into that room blindfolded and you will feel the emotions left in the air. The negative emotions from the person do a transference of energies to the room itself.

Now to get a better comparison between good and bad energies, do this experiment.

Try asking a good friend, who has a more positive attitude towards life if you can visit his personal space like a bedroom or house. Definitely you will be able to feel his positive energies transferred to his bedroom or living room. You will feel more of his happiness and laughter and would want to stay longer because a feeling of warmth that filled the air.

Bad energies are more obvious and easily felt. One can even be visual about the effects of negative energies in a home. Pets can be agitated or plants can be drying out in spite of the care.

Now time to do some quick fixes in your homes — even if there is not too much negative energy, it still pays to do some improvement. Here are simple tips: Put more plants inside the home. If it dries out and dies, just replace them. Do this until the plant doesn’t dry out anymore. The plant absorbs negative energies emanating from us.

Have a pet. It can be a dog, cat or a fish. A dog or a cat can identify dull areas in the house and they can also help keep negative energies away.

If all of a sudden, a fish dies in its aquarium, it must have absorbed bad energies. Replace the fish to keep the good chi circulating.

PAGE B5

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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS LAST February 28, 2018, my wife, Farida, and I arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport from Manila, following our two medical missions in the Philippines. While waiting at the lounge for our flight back to Las Vegas, we received a call from our friend, Lynn Santos, a nurse, who relayed to us the sad news that a close mutual friend, a medical colleague who was 84 and recovering well from a stroke, had collapsed in a grocery store. About half an hour or so later, while we were on board the plane, Lynn called again, this time to inform us that he had passed away.

A testament Our friend’s departure was a devastating loss to his family, friends, and the community.

The health issues this physician and his wife of 53 years experienced as they grew older were a testament to the realities of aging. This natural part of life, aging, is inescapable and an equalizer, as much as death is a part of life, without exception or exemption. In certain ways and instances, we could perhaps alter the progress and reduce the odds to some degree, but the inevitable end is obviously beyond us.

As the clock ticks, we are older by the second. As we grow older, the expected normal wear and tear in our body progress faster and faster, including the reduction in the secretion of our various essential glands and the weakening of our immune system.

Our telomeres – caps at the ends of each strand of DNA that protect the chromosomes, similar to plastic tips at the end of shoelaces, which prevents them from fraying – get damage and the telomeres become shorter as our body is subjected to all assaults internally and externally. The shorter the telomeres, the shorter the lifespan.

The speed of the degenerative changes in us depends on our genes and to a great significant degree, on our lifestyle. That’s why the aging process varies in different individuals. While we cannot (yet) do anything about our genes at this stage

Aging: An equalizer

in science and technology to extend longevity for everyone, we have enough evidence-based medical data today on how to achieve maximal health benefits through healthy lifestyle and extend our life, our telomeres, to the fullest possible.

Physiology of deterioration The degeneration starts in the basic cellular foundation of our body as we grow older, varying in different individuals since people age at different speed, but in general the physiological changes start to manifest when we reach about 40 years of age, more obvious when we reach about 65. As we age, all the systems and essential functions of our body work less efficiently, at suboptimal level.

Inflammation, the precursor of almost all diseases, invades the entire body. All the glands in the body secrete significantly less, if not meager, hormones and other essential substances that regulate the various vital organs in the body. Arteries lose their elasticity and hardened, causing high blood pressure and arterial blockages. The blood gets thicker, increasing the risk for blood clots, coronary heart disease and stroke. Joint lubricants decrease causing aggravating arthritic pains. Male and female hormones drop and lessen sex drive. The dermal collagen and oil production slow down and the skin loses turgor and moisture, becoming thinner and thinner, and wrinkles form.

Most of our biologic functions peak at age 30, declining in a linear fashion thereafter.

This, however, does not materially affect our daily activities at this stage. Only stresses and diseases, and not aging, impact the physiology negatively during this period.

Theory of aging There are a few, but the prominent one is the Free Radical Theory where oxygen-containing molecules called free radicals, with a life span of one-millionth of a second, and are toxic, are damaging our body. Free radicals attack the cell’s DNA, causing the cells to prematurely die. Our body’s natural antioxidant (defense) system mops up free radicals before they could cause damage, but as we grow older, and continue to abuse our body through unhealthy lifestyle and behavior, our body’s immune

system becomes less efficient, allowing the free radical level to increase. This negatively impacts the normal cellular regulation and function, which leads to aging and its physical and physiologic consequences, as well as weaker defense system to diseases. On top of the damages from free radicals, external assaults are caused by sunlight, environmental pollution, stress, and unhealthy lifestyle (high carbohydrate-low vegetable-low fruit and low-nut diet, smoking, alcohol, soft drinks, lack of exercise, and substance abuse). Just to illustrate the damage: From using a single stick of cigarette alone, trillions of free radicals are generated. And if we added all the assaults listed above, many of which are self-inflicted, it would be clear why the body deteriorates as we grow older.

The human body is fundamentally a unique, amazing, efficient, and tough machine, that can withstand a lot of abuses, but it also has its limit.

Discipline and resolve The harder part of the equation in slowing down aging and avoiding preventable diseases to solve is our lack of personal discipline and resolve. Today, most, if not all of us, know which items are good and which ones are unhealthy to eat or drink, and also know that regular physical exercise and destressing are fundamental to our health and longevity. Yet, somehow, we seem to always find enough reasons or excuse to justify our non-compliance with these known and proven scientific principles of healthy living.

As alluded to in the book “Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children,” inflicting harm to our body with self-abusive behavior and by living an unhealthy lifestyle is masochistic. Some of us appear to have programmed our mind to an auto self-destruct or suicidal mode and continue to do things, or perpetuate bad habits, that we know could maim or kill us.

T h e b o o k a l s o p ro p o s e s healthy lifestyle and disease prevention should begin at the cellular (DNA) level starting in the womb and in the crib, to protect the integrity of the DNA as early as possible. Damaging the DNA-telomeres with our unhealthy habits and insults from PAGE B5

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Dr. Erlinda Grey on the...

PAGE B3 she opened up like a flower.

There was often a hint of the confessional in the sound of her voice as she spoke, I imagined her cheeks reddened every time I touched on a topic or delicate questions, but she never refused to reply or seemed indignant.

She’s writing her second book and said, “It is not an amusement, or outlet or relief… I just spilled my heart.”

She is married to Maestro Dexter Grey, renowned pianist, the greatest living interpreter of Frederic Chopin. But more than a portrait of marriage, theirs is about the essence of a union of two fascinating people.

It is not only a love story, but a compendium of everything. But that is another story.

Doctor., rather than an interview, can we have this as a conversation, which I shall ask you certain questions.

How did you evolve?

Every person grows up the way she is. There’s the education they receive, circumstances and influence ideas, feelings and taste.

Here in the U.S. where we’ve lived, there’s the diversity of ethnic cultures, we speak in appreciation of the America where we had flourished, without being unfaithful to the land where we were born. We always go back to where you we born. We always go back to our roots, especially values.

In all the years I’ve been away having traveled halfway around the world, I’ve realized I’m the kind of person that finds it fairly easy to adapt to other peoples’ emotions, traditions and values, which is one means of existence. IT not a necessity in life.

May I digress? Aren’t you afraid of growing old and if

you tell me you’re not, I won’t believe you.

But you must believe me, growing older is interesting.

You won’t be doing some things because you have learned and you know the outcome.

Have you ever regretted something you’ve done?

No, never regret, just like fear is a waste of time. I stay involved with my decisions and take its consequences. When it is impossible, I’m always ready to come to terms with life and its surprises.

A rather brutal question and you don’t have to answer — what if a doctor commits an error?

Doctors at one time in their careers have come across the thin line that separates decisions to the metaphysical. It is what they say, “that you can not improve on God.” Virtue or skill is not an altogether absence of fault, but altogether as in speed and grace with which a fault is recognized…corrected.

Do you find yourself more at east with male or female colleagues?

For me, it is absolutely the same. I see them on the same eyes — as a person, in an absolute plane of equality.

What matters to you as a person?

Qualities that are timeless, where along with brains, courage…and along with courage, dignity, dedication, wisdom and compassion.

You said success is an important thing. Were you provoking?

I never meant to provoke. I say only what I think. I’ve never sought talent in order to get fame and material things. It is the talent and passion that comes with success. We are all born with a talent — which is love, passion in doing your work

gladly, not doing it because you want to be successful.

Is a career more important than, say family?

How can anyone say something as terrible as that — that sounds so horrible, just because career is inevitable bound up with money. In the end, it is what you do for the others that count. What you share without expecting anything in return. A woman does not have to choose one and give up another, being a doctor doesn’t make you a bad wife or a bad mother, I’m simply saying, whatever gift God has blessed you, is yours for the taking. But remember, taken with boundless gratitude by sharing it unselfishly.

What is a happy person, Dr. Grey?

Happiness is a fleeting point of view, a blessing to be able to feel it because those who can say it are few. If used in reference to my profession, it is the humanity in medicine. That is the reason I’ve never stopped working. A doctor’s calling is arduous and complex that needs a kind heart and a clear head, the highest faculties of the mind, while constantly appealing to the highest emotion and feelings. Think about what it’s like to be sick and vulnerable, the isolation.

Doctors are very serious people — perhaps even frail their panacea for all illness and grievances is “ “Someone up there gives the prescription.”

They have that exquisite capacity to put humanity before pleasure, and their lives lived under the conscientious bond of our moral values.

They also reject the redemptive ardor of literature…not of their realm! *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@ aol.com

Aging: An equalizer...

PAGE B4 our environment lead to major metabolic (diabetes, thyroid illness), pulmonary, cardiovascular (heart attack and stroke), and, especially cancer.

With volumes of evidencebased medical data on healthy lifestyle and with our more informed selves today, disease prevention is much easier

to achieve compared to five or more decades ago. We no longer have any excuse not to maximize our health and longevity. To do otherwise is simply asinine. *** 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. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

The Garden and Basilica of Gethsemane

by Emil

PErito

LOCATED at the foot of the Mount of Olives is the Roman Catholic Church of All Nations, also known as the Basilica of Gethsemane. In it lies a portion of bedrock which according to tradition, is where Jesus is believed to have prayed before His arrest and after the Last Supper (Mark 14:32-2).

The church lies on a land of rich history, specifically on the foundations of two earlier churches being the small 12th century Crusader chapel that was abandoned in 1345, and the 4thcentury Byzantine basilica which fell in an earthquake in 746.

When work on the foundation

was being done in the 1920s, much of its earlier fragments were excavated. This included a column nearly two meters below the floor, and parts of its formerly complete beautiful mosaic floor.

Antonio Barluzzi, who designed the nearby Church of Dominus Flevit, continued the construction between 1919 until June 1924. Funding for the construction came from numerous countries, giving the basilica its name “Church of All Nations.” Commemorating their contributions are the 12 national symbols for the donating countries inside the ceiling domes.

Outside, the church’s neoByzantine style is showcased

via its pillars and deep-coloured mosaic illustrations of Jesus as a mediator between God and man.

Next to it is what is widely believed to be the Garden of Gethsemane, a sacred and idyllic site to many Christians. To this day, the garden is rich in olive trees giving truth to the name of “Gethsemane” which means “oil press” in Hebrew.

Established in 1995, Air Plus Travel specializes in religious travel. Join us in one of our private pilgrimages to the Holy Land in March and October 2019. For more information, contact Air Plus Travel at (562) 863-0624, or visit us at www.airplustravel.net (Advertising Supplement)

Fixing the energies in...

PAGE B4 Keep the windows open and drapes drawn to the side for more light and air. Sunlight and fresh air keep the house from having stagnant energies.

We need sunshine to light up our day.

Play relaxing music or listen to inspirational songs on your player. Charge the atmosphere with good positive music that makes a heart smile.

Open the doors of unoccupied rooms to let the sound come in. It also helps from having stagnant air in the unused room.

Color your walls with bright

colors. Warm light colors light up one’s spirits while dull dark ones make you feel depressed.

Avoid dark heavy drapes if possible. If there is no need to, draw the drapes to the side to let light in.

D e c l u t t e r. T h r o w a w a y unused and unnecessary things. Keep all path areas clear to let the energy flow around properly.

Making your homes clutter free, bright and sunny will help it become more charged with positive energy. Positivity means happiness and happiness brings in blessings! Who wouldn’t want blessings and bounty?

*** Stargazer is a life coach, aura reader, psychic/clairvoyant, and lecturer on the paranormal. She uses the aura, energies & vibrations as focal points of her psychic readings. Using several techniques involving the psychological, spiritual, paranormal and her own experience of the intricacies of life, Stargazer makes one get in touch with his inner and understand life in a positive manner. Faith in God and belief in self is what Stargazer emphasizes on.

Currently, Stargazer is a radio anchor of DZMM Teleradyo, the radio arm of ABS-CBN. Her show “Pinoy Vibes” has been airing every Sunday morning since Sept. 2007.

She can be reached at stargazerphils@ gmail.com. For more information, please visit http://stargazer.ph/.

B DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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COMMUNITY Journal

Potential immigration consequences of holiday travel THE holiday season is upon us and it is a time of great comfort for many. Family and friends gather to share their joy with one another by exchanging gifts, eating delicious food or simply being in the presence of one another. Some are lucky enough to live close to family and can celebrate the holidays together. However, there are many of us who live far away from our loved ones and must make travel arrangements to spend the holidays with our parents, children or significant others. But what happens if you have a visa application that is still in process and you want to visit your loved one in the United States? Or maybe you are living in the United States and need to leave the country. Is this even possible?

You may be asking yourself, “Can I travel while my application is pending?”

“Will traveling to the U.S. on a tourist visa affect my immigration visa (green card) application?” Will the officers at the airport put me in custody and ask me to go back to my home country?” These are all questions you should be asking if you are considering travel before your immigration case is decided. Because it is correct that a pending case could affect your travel plans, and also because your pending case could be negatively affected by your potential travel.

Think about the reason you want to travel this time of year.

Perhaps you have a parent who is deathly ill, and this is the likely the last holiday season you will be able to spend with your loved one. Or perhaps you and your fiancée are hoping to have a winter wedding. There are several good reasons to want to travel this time of year, but it is important that you understand immigration rules and procedures to avoid creating problems in your case. There are many things to consider if you are thinking about traveling to/from the United States over the holidays, and an immigration lawyer can eval-

Your Immigration Solution Atty. MAridex e. AbrAhAM uate whether it is safe to travel based on your circumstances and correctly advise you of potential consequences.

Once you start the immigration process, you establish your “intent” to live in the United States permanently. In other words, as

“There are many things to consider if you are thinking about traveling to/from the United States over the holidays, and an immigration lawyer can evaluate whether it is safe to travel based on your circumstances and correctly advise you of potential consequences.” soon as you submit an application for legal permanent residency in the U.S., immigration agencies will be aware that you plan to establish a life in the U.S. If you plan to travel to the U.S. as a visitor or leave the U.S. and return while your application is pending, the officers at the port of entry may give you a hard time even if you have visited the U.S. before. This is because you have an application pending, which shows that your main goal is to live in the U.S. permanently. The officer might be skeptical that you only plan to visit the U.S. temporarily, even if the reason for your travels is to spend the holidays with your family. The officer might refuse your entry, which may create complications in your case moving forward.

Sometimes, there are situ-

ations that are so dire that you have to travel even if your immigration application is not yet approved. If you absolutely must travel while your case is pending, a qualified immigration attorney can guide you on the steps you can take to lessen the potential risks. A lawyer will know the types of applications you must file if you need to obtain permission to travel outside the U.S., as well as the documents you can carry with you to show that you don’t intend to stay longer that permitted. More importantly, a lawyer can advise you of your rights in case you run into problems with the officer at the port of entry.

There are times when the best plan for intending immigrants is to delay traveling until your case is complete. It is difficult for families to be separated during the immigration process, especially around the holidays, but failing to comply with immigration law could potentially result in an even longer wait time. However, not everybody will be forced to wait. Travel may be acceptable in your case! Consult an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney today for help navigating the complicated rules and procedures so that you never have to spend another holiday apart from your loved ones. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

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

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

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C DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Get out of debt safely and legally ARE you sick and tired of being in debt and having bad credit? Do you want to start over but simply don’t know where to begin? Is filing bankruptcy an option for you or are other options available?

These days, you are constantly bombarded with advertising from companies and other professionals offering you their “solution”.

But how do you know who to trust and if you are doing tI find that a lot of people are mostly concerned about the effects of bankruptcy on their credit more than anything else. Most are under the mistaken belief that once they file for bankruptcy, their credit is ruined forever and that they will never be able to buy a house or obtain credit again. Of course, this is simply not true.

Let me explain.

Yes, bankruptcy is reported on your credit record for 7-10 years depending on the type of bankruptcy you are filing but a lot of people quickly bounce back from bankruptcy in as little as 23 years.

I also find that most people who are in debt trouble already have bad credit anyway and filing bankruptcy, if anything, can only help them rebuild their credit in

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon the long run. Yes, in most cases that I see, bankruptcy can actually improve credit by allowing the person a chance to start over after wiping out debts.

I see a lot of people on a regular basis who are scammed by debt settlement companies.

These are the companies that you see on TV, on the internet or hear about on the radio. I say “scammed” because a lot of these people didn’t really understand what they are getting into when they sign up for their services Oftentimes, these companies tell people that bankruptcy is the ‘worst mistake’ that they can make and that by enrolling in their debt management or settlement program, they will be able to help you get out of debt without filing for bankruptcy.

First of all, what they often don’t mention is the fact that you have no legal protection while

you are on their program. That’s right. Creditors can still report your delinquency month after month to the credit bureaus.

You can also get sued anytime by your creditors. And once they get a judgment against you, of course, your creditors can garnish your wages, file a judgment lien against your property and levy your bank accounts.

Secondly, when you make those monthly payments to a debt settlement company, you money doesn’t just go directly to your creditors. After collecting their fees ()which they often don’t clearly explain), the debt settlement company simply puts aside your monthly payments until they have enough to settle with your creditors one by one.

Do you really believe that creditors are willing to wait several years to get paid? No. That is why they often sue and once that happens, you have a big problem in your hands. What about the money that you already paid the debt settlement company? Good luck trying to get any of that money back once they have it.

So if you are in debt and your credit has suffered as a result, it

u PAGE C3

Will incorporating a separate property business during marriage make it community property?

YOU own a successful business, as a sole proprietor, prior to marriage. You later meet the love of your life and decide to marry her. Years into the marriage, you decide to incorporate the business. A common question when the couple later divorces becomes 1) did your separate property business become community property by virtue of incorporating it during the marriage? 2) Was your separate property business “transmuted” to community property by incorporating it during the marriage?

No community property presumption Family Code §760 defines “Community property” as “Except as otherwise provided by statute, all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property. However under Marriage of Koester, the Court held that the community does not “acquire” a separate property business simply because the business is

Barrister’s Corner Atty. KEnnEth uRSuA REyES incorporated during the marriage. The mere incorporation of a business operated by spouse is not a change in its character, for purposes of division of community estate following divorce.

In Koester, the Court stated that he incorporation simply effects a change in the legal form under which the business is conducted and property does not change its character merely because of a change in form or identity. Marriage of Koester (1999) 73 CA4th 1032, 1035, 1038, 87 CR2d 76, 79, 81. The Court in Koester also stated that “In contrast with the way title is taken when a married couple own residential property, the incorporation of a sole proprietorship business is typically

done for reasons extrinsic to the marital relationship. To say ... that an asset was ‘acquired’ by the community ... because some aspect of corporate formation took place during the marriage is to elevate semantics over substance” No transmutation Incorporation of a sole proprietorship business during the marriage can trigger a family code § 2640 tracing right of reimbursement only when it is also accompanied by an unambiguous express written transmutation of the business to community property as required by Family Code § 852. Marriage of Koester, supra, 73 CA4th at 1036–1037, 87 CR2d at 79–80 & fn. 5. Under Family Code §852, a transmutation of real or personal property is not valid unless made in writing by an express declaration that is made, joined in, consented to, or accepted by the spouse whose interest in the property is adversely affected. In Koester, the act of changing the

Tax Stocks Tech Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA

LET’S learn some tips from the greatest investor of all time - Warren Buffet, the Oracle of Omaha.

1. Be greedy when others are fearful and fearful when others are greedy.

• Buffett offered this advice during the recession in 2008.

• At that time, stocks were plummeting which he said was the best time to buy.

• His success can be linked to buying quality stocks when markets are crashing.

• Stocks are cheapest when fear is running high.

• Market downturns and sell-offs present buying opportunities.

2. Stick with what you are comfortable with: • If you learn and become comfortable with trading equities, stick with stocks.

• If you like options, stick with puts and calls.

• But don’t complicate things with cryptocurrencies, derivatives, and other exotic instruments.

• It is more profitable to simply stick with the easy than it is to resolve the difficult.

3. Buy into a company be-

The Metamorphosis

Warren Buffett’s five lessons for ordinary investors cause you want to own it, not because you want the stock to go up.

• Owning stock is like owning the company itself, so treat it as owning part of the business.

• If you own a real estate rental, you wouldn’t sell it based on emotions.

• Treat stocks the same way – buy them only after diligent research.

• You don’t buy a rental from hearsay or noise from social media.

• Research at CNBC, Yahoo finance, MSN Money, Seeking Alpha, Motley Fool, or Zacks.

4. Be patient.

• Buffett describes the stock market as a device for transferring money from impatient to the patient.

• Good investors have boring things in common - patience.

• After you find companies with good fundamentals and attractive growth, wait for them to grow.

• Don’t be bothered by volatility as stocks move up and down.

Stay the course.

5. You don’t need to know much about stocks: • Most investors don’t have business degrees. Most don’t have training in charts or ratios.

• They don’t have enough information about companies to predict their future earning power.

• The typical investor doesn’t need all these skills.

• But successful investors have patience. They research before entering positions.

• If you are new or don’t have the time to track the market, invest in low-fee index funds.

• Try ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) that hold a pool of stocks for a pool of investors.

• Instead of buying FMC or ALB stocks, buy lithium ETF LIT. • Instead of buying CGC or STZ stocks, buy cannabis ETF MJ. *** 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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“Heaven on Earth” experiences this Christmas (Part 1 of 2)

ERniE d. dElfin

THE season that starts from Thanksgiving thru New Year is the best time fine-tuning our true north compass and to reflect on the purpose and meaning of our lives if we can have that needed solitude. For seven decades, this period is indeed a great time to retreat momentarily from this maddening world. This column is one fruit of my own reflection while many people are busy shopping that often causes higher stress and more suicides.

I am one person who dislikes shopping and falling in line just to pay. So, while my family was in the mall, I decided to go on my Prison Ministry class last Monday night. I am glad I did, as it was one of the more meaningful nights I had experienced in this Catholic ministry. Pleasant u PAGE C3 and thought provoking topics

and sharing among the inmates came like the appearance of an unexpected beautiful rainbow inside the County Jail in Santa Ana, California.

Reflecting and discussing the Gospel of Luke, the topic just pivoted smoothly into the blessing or gifts that God gave us, and that we give to God and to one another. Volunteering all these years, I have learned much. Surprisingly I also met very intelligent inmates as well as average and below average intelligence among the hundreds of inmates who attend our classes. They are representative of our population that transcends color, nationality, creed or religion.

The prison population I believe is a microcosm of our society.

What binds them are their experiences that led them to where they are as incarcerated people.

The hundreds of inmates who

attend our Catholic Communion and Bible Studies desire to have a new beginning, and many are successful. Hearing their stories of transformation is quite rewarding that we prison ministers consider as a priceless “compensation” of our time.

Back to the topic of “personal gifts that last” that we had.

Touched by the gospel reading for next Sunday “on what we should do” and the virtue of humility as exhibited by St. John the Baptist in acknowledging that he is not even worthy to loosen thongs of Christ’s sandals (Luke 3:10-18), every inmate had a story to share. Yes, women inmates are more expressive and emotional than men and talked much more (if not professionally managed)! Many times, some women are moved enough that they cry while reflecting past ex-

u PAGE C4

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

Managers, supervisors and administrators are not automatically exempt from overtime A GROUP of Assistant Branch Managers, who worked for JPMorgan Chase in California, sued the bank in a class action claiming they were misclassified as exempt employees. Because of the misclassification, the employees claimed they were denied overtime payment, and they were not provided meal and rest breaks.

In order to obtain more facts about their claims, the employees paid for an online survey of assistant bank managers asking about their activities and hours worked. According to the employees, the online survey showed that assistant bank managers work nearly nine hours of overtime each week and did not receive meal breaks about 60 percent of the time.

The survey also found that 95 percent of assistant bank managers reported that they spent most of their time engaged in non-exempt tasks such as being tellers and clerks.

Under California law, employees are entitled to overtime pay for any work in excess of eight hours in one workday, or 40 hours in any one workweek, unless the employee qualifies for a legal exemption. Specifically relevant are the executive and administrative exemptions: Executive exemption For executive exemption to apply, an employee must be: (1) paid at least twice the state’s minimum wage for full time employment; (2) assigned as primary function the management of the business; (3) responsible for regularly directing the work of 2 or more subordinates; (4) has the authority to hire, fire, give pay treatment or recommend such actions; (5) regularly and customarily exercises discretion-

Debt Relief

Atty. LAwrenCe yAng HOW can you answer a question like this? Let’s comment about debt. The Bible says that one should neither be a lender or a borrower. It does not seem to recommend the assumption of debt. Otherwise, it should say that there’s nothing wrong to be a borrower, but not a lender, or vice-versa. But the Bible is specific. It says do not be a borrower or a lender. Why not be a lender? Because you might end up losing your money. Why not a borrower?

Because debt service might end up destroying your enjoyment of life. Those of you with too much debt know very well how a heavy debt load can destroy the quality of your life. For those who don’t have debt, read on, so you won’t decide to plunge into a sea of debt.

So how much debt is too much?

Well, if you and your spouse have a net combined income of $4,000, are about 40 to 45 years old, have a house mortgage to pay, maybe a second trust deed, one of those home improvement loans or HELOC, have on or two car payments and have children who are about to finish high school, you might examine your debt level now and realize that you are at a major crossroad in your life.

If you have about $30,000 of credit card debt, about 25 percent of your net income or close to $1,000 might be needed to make minimum payments on your credit cards, every month.

What’s left of your net income is $3,000, which is allocated for the house, the cars, food electricity, insurances and other living expenses. After all these expenses, probably, your household has nothing left. The problem is your eldest child is graduating from high school and has good grades, did good on the SAT, and he or she wants to go to college.

If you did not have the $30,000 of credit cards, you would be able

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. ary powers; and (6) devotes less than 50% of work time to nonmanagerial duties.

Administrative exemption To fall under the administrative exemption, an employee must be: (1) paid at least twice the state’s minimum wage for full time employment; (2) charged with the performance of office or non-manual work directly related to management policies or general business operations; (3) regularly exercises discretionary and independent judgment; (4) regularly assists a proprietor or an executive or administrative employee; and (5) works only under general supervision on special or technical assignments and tasks.

Even if the employee performs both managerial and non-managerial tasks, California courts have ruled that employers must classify each task as either exempt or non-exempt. If nonexempt work takes up a large part of a supervisor’s time, the supervisor likely is a “nonexempt” employee, and is entitled to overtime pay.

Tasks may be “exempt” or “nonexempt” based on the purpose they serve within the organization. A task performed because it is “helpful in supervising the employees or contributes to the smooth functioning of the department” is exempt, even though the same task performed for a different, non-managerial reason would be nonexempt.

For example, in a large retail es-

tablishment where the replenishing of stocks of merchandise on the sales floor is customarily assigned to a nonexempt employee, the performance of such work by the manager is nonexempt. Similarly, a manager’s participation in making sales to customers is nonexempt, unless the sales are made for supervisory training or demonstration purposes.

To resolve the claims of its assistant bank managers, JPMorgan Chase Bank NA has agreed to pay $8.3 million to an estimated 2,000 class members.

Managers, supervisors, and administrators who receive monthly salaries and are not paid overtime should evaluate the nature of their jobs.

Labels or job titles alone are not enough. Some employers may use fancy job titles to avoid paying overtime. If they mostly perform non-exempt work, employees should be paid overtime. As this analysis may involve application of legal principles, these employees are well advised to inquire with an experienced employment attorney. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. 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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Do you have too much debt? to provide for his college expenses. But you’re saddled with too much debt as it is.

Indeed, you have too much debt because your children’s college education negatively impacts your debt level. Yes, you might have already sacrificed the future of your children in favor of the future of Visa and Mastercard. You might have to plead guilty to this, just the way, Michael Cohen, pled guilty to several felonies including violating federal election laws at the direction and with the cooperation of Individual-1. Like Mr. Cohen, you might have admitted that you have followed the darkness instead of the light.

Let’s use the same example, but let’s assume that you have no children and that you are a senior citizen going into retirement. Do you have too much debt? How is your debt level affecting your golden years? If you figure that you are setting aside 25 percent of your net household income to service your credit cards, then your debt level has destroyed your ability to set aside money for your retirement when you were younger many years ago.

If you had $30,000 of credit card debt when you were 45 and are now 65 and just starting to receive Medicare, how much money could you have saved up for retirement, instead of paying to keep the $30,000 of credit cards current for the last 20 years? You paid $1,000 a month for 20 years.

In one year you paid $12,000. In 20 years, you paid $240,000. If you had invested the $240,000 in the stock market, it would have double every seven to eight years despite the sometimes very volatile market like it is now.

Let’s just say that you did so poorly in the market that the $240,000 doubled in 20 years.

Then, you would have at least $480,000 now for your use as you go into retirement. $480,000 even at 5 percent growth is $24,000 a year. That means you would be able to use $24,000 of your portfolio of $480 to add to your pension income or social security, without reducing your principal of $480,000.

Because you did not get rid

of your $30,000 of credit card debt 20 years ago, after paying $240,000 of interest for 20 years, you still owe the very same $30,000 of cards! So, you choose what you would rather have. Pay $240,000, and still owe $30,000 after 20 years, or save $480,000 and have $480,000 in your wealth portfolio as you retire.

Don’t think that 20 years is a long time. It’s not. It’s a very short time. For those seniors out there who are now 65, I am sure you remember that you were a young man or woman of 20 just last week. Where did all that time go? You feel the same but when you look at the mirror or pictures of yourself, you can see that you don’t look like you were 20 anymore.

Look at former Pres. Bush who died last week at 94. He was a great and honorable man.

I remember him when he was president in 1990 as he led the American forces that kicked Saddam Hussein out of Kuwait in Operation Desert Storm. It’s now 2018. So 1990 was 28 years ago — 28 years ago, Pres. Bush was only 66.

And a month ago was the 50th anniversary of the battle of Mutter’s Ridge in Vietnam when Robert Mueller, then a young marine, now the special counsel investigating the Russian collusion matter, displayed honor and valor in saving his fellow Marines from a massacre, earning him the bronze medal of valor. That was 1968.

Time waits for no man, not even you. Get rid of your debt now if you are eligible. Or do you choose to be forever “slave to the lender”?

If you need debt relief, call my office for an appointment. I will analyze your case personally. *** 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.

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Will incorporating a separate property...

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legal form under which a business is conducted does not meet the requirements of family code § 852 for a valid transmutation.

Marriage of Koester (1999) 73 CA4th 1032, 1037, 87 CR2d 76, 80 & fn. 5. Incorporation of a sole proprietorship business is typically done for reasons extrinsic to the marital relationship.

Although the mere act of incorporating a separate business during the marriage does not change the character of the business to community property, the community may still acquire an apportionment interest if the value of the business substantially appreciated during the marriage

due to the labor and hard work of the managing spouse during the marriage. The apportionment calculation is done using the formula in the Pereira or Van Camp case where the contributions of effort and return on capital are separated from the value of the business. *** 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 ar-

ticle 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) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 15-18, 2018

C

Reinstatement for surviving beneficiaries of an I-130 petition filed by a deceased relative DEAR Attorney Tan, My US Citizen mother filed an I-130 immigrant petition on my behalf, which has a priority date in February 2000 and which has been approved. She filed the I130 petition after I came to the US in 1999 as a tourist from the Philippines. Since my arrival, I have lived in the US and have been out of status. Since I was petitioned as an unmarried adult daughter, I was advised that I had to wait several years to get a green card. Recently, my mother passed away. Can I still get a green card through my mother’s petition? -Apparently In Limbo Dear Apparently In Limbo, When your mother passed away, the I-130 that was approved on your behalf was revoked by operation of law pursuant to 8 CFR Section 205.1.

However, depending on the facts of a particular case, all is not lost. You may be eligible to get a green card pursuant to INA Section 204(L).

Under INA Section 204(L), relief from an automatic revocation of an I-130 petition is available to certain surviving relatives. Surviving relatives who are eligible to seek 204(L) relief include a 1) principal or derivative beneficiary of an I130 petition that was filed by a deceased permanent resident or U.S. Citizen, and 2) derivative beneficiary of an I-130 petition that was filed by a permanent resident or U.S. Citizen where the principal beneficiary has died.

Section 204(L) relief is also available to derivative beneficiaries in I-140 employment-based petitions where the principal beneficiary has died.

Another requirement for

Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn Section 204(L) relief is that the person seeking relief must have “residence” in the US. What is meant by “residence?” It is your primary home or principal actual dwelling place. At least one beneficiary must have resided in the U.S. when the petitioning relative died, and must continue to reside in the U.S. when seeking Section 204(L) relief. It is worth noting that all beneficiaries of a petition can benefit from Section 204(L) relief as long as at least one of the beneficiaries meets the residence requirement. Further, although “residence” is required, Section 204(L) does not require actual physical presence in the U.S. when the relative died.

In your case, it appears that you are eligible to obtain a green card. You are a principal beneficiary of an I-130 petition filed by your US Citizen mother. Further, you appear to meet the residence requirement in that you have been in the US since your arrival in 1999—you resided in the US when your mother passed away, and currently reside in the US. A check of the USCIS visa bulletin indicates the priority date for the I-130 petition filed by your mother on your behalf is current, so you can file an I-485 adjustment of status application, requesting reinstatement of the I-130 petition filed by your mother pursuant to Section 204(L).

As a sidenote, Section 204(L)

relief is also available if one’s relative died while the I-130 was pending, not only after the I-130 petition was approved. Section 204(L) relief therefore is broader than Humanitarian Reinstatement of a petition under 8 CFR Section 205.1, which can only be requested by the principal beneficiary when the petitioner him/herself has died, and after approval of an I-130.

Relief under Section 204(L) is discretionary, and can be denied if factors in support of relief are not presented properly. It is accordingly recommended that you seek the assistance of an experienced attorney. – 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 Philippine American Bar Association.

LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: 323-639-0277.

Email: info@dtanlaw.com *** 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. *** LAW 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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Get out of debt safely and legally PAGE C2 t may be better for you to just file bankruptcy now and simply prolonging your problems Rebuilding your credit after bankruptcy is not as hard as you think and this is often a better strategy than not paying your bills and letting your credit continue to get worse every single month with no end in sight.

If you’ve been struggling with debt for a while now and nothing has changed, when are you

going to get so sick and tired of your debt problems to finally do something about it?

I can help you decide if bankruptcy is the right solution for your situation. If it’s not, I will be the first to tell you. If that’s the case, I can help you explore other options that may be available to you.

For a free attorney consultation regarding how you can get out of debt with or without filing for bankruptcy, call Toll-Free 1-

866-477-7772 to schedule an appointment. I have offices in Glendale, Valencia and Cerritos. *** 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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C4 DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS D EC E M B E R 1 5

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Simbang Gabi mass at St. Andrew Catholic Church in Pasadena, CA The Filipino-American Ministry of St. Andrew Church in Pasadena, CA invites the public to its annual Simbang Gabi on Saturday, December 15 at 5 p.m. with Rev. Pastor Paul Sustayta as the main celebrant. St. Andrew Catholic Church is located at 311 N. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, California 91103. Banquet to follow after mass in school auditorium.

D EC E M B E R 1 5 -23

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

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

D EC E M B E R 1 8

Simbang Gabi at Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills, CA Come and celebrate Simbang Gabi 2018 at the Church of the Good Shepherd on Tuesday, December 18 at 7 p.m. Most Reverend Oscar A. Solis, bishop of Salt Lake City will be the main celebrant of the mass. A reception will follow after the mass at the Church Hall. This celebration is sponsored by the Fil-Am and multi-ethnic parish community of the Church of the Good Shepherd under the auspices of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles. The Church of the Good Shepherd is located at 505 N. Bedford Dr. (at the corner of Santa Monica Blvd.) Beverly Hills, CA 90210.

D EC E M B E R 22

UPAAGLA annual holiday party in LA The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles invites you to the 2018 UPAAGLA Annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 22, 2018 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Silver Lake Medical Center (1711 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA). The cost is $25 and attire is festive. Please register at: https://upaagla2018xmasparty.eventbrite.com. *Net proceeds from the event will benefit the UPAAGLA Scholarship Fund. For inquiries, please contact Ethel Rubio, President-Elect at upaagla.rsvp@gmail.com or at (818) 640-2946.

Simbang Gabi at St. Bridget Church in Las Vegas Bishop George Leo Thomas will celebrate Simbang Gabi at St. Bridget Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, December 22. Mass will begin at 5 p.m. followed by a potluck at the courtyard of the church. The church is located at 220 N. 14th St. Las Vegas, NV 89101. For more information, please call Andre at (702) 498-2934.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

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

“Heaven on Earth” experiences...

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periences.

Two hours of sharing was not enough to hear them all, but here there some highlights that were totally unexpected. One was grateful that she is now in prison — otherwise she should have been dead as most of her previous gang mates are now killed.

Another said that her “lovers” were the cause of her being imprisoned, the wrong kind of love that she has chosen. Now she knows that true love is not to go with bad people and do evil things.

Several women prisoners remember their families getting together on Christmas and Thanksgiving and they were happy (Most prisoners, I now believe, came from broken or dysfunctional families, where there are no role models especially a good father figure nor teachers to look up to). Sometimes, inmates have several generations (older and younger than they are) who are caught in web of the prison system. Often their exposure to our Bible Studies is their very first time to hear such spiritual lessons. A majority never had the opportunity (and money) to go to private, Catholic or Christian schools where spirituality and morality are taught.

After school, as there was no healthy environment at home, they find their own peers and form a “family” outside the home where they are “accepted and

loved.” Often they are “tested” if they really belong by participating in petty crimes (initially) as a manifestation of their rebellion against society that does not care for them. This situation was aggravated by gang leaders that led them to do worse things fueled by drugs, where they could make fast money for their risky behaviors. Many inmates do not plan to be criminals until they succumb to that temptation to belong by participating in some illegal activities that eventually result into their incarceration.

For many inmates, there seems that they have nothing to lose.

But by swallowing the hook, line, and sinker from their gang leaders, sooner or later their lives gradually change from bad to worse, until they are caught by the web of our government justice and prison system that is a huge business enterprise (that is another very interesting but unknown topic for most citizens).

By being arrested and then incarcerated may be a “blessing in disguise” as it stops the downward spiral. Hence for a few, they are even grateful to be caught and locked in prison.

In many ways, incarceration is better than being homeless, hungry and destitute in the real world. Inside the prison walls food, shelter, clothing and medical care are all provided for, the expense of our “benevolent” government (costing billions of our tax dollars) in exchange for

their civil liberties and freedom.

The one that struck me the most was an unexpected but profound statement from an educated inmate who used to be teacher. She said that “presents that last forever need not be expensive to be appreciated and valued more.” Then, she said that since her out-of-state family could not visit her, she remembered fondly those family gatherings especially during the Christmas season, making her quite sad being alone and in prison. For about 22 hours a day, all this woman’s company is her “bunky” (cellmate), who is not educated as she is, and that makes her lonelier. However, in gratitude, she acknowledged that my presence in their weekly Bible Study class that allows them to be out of their free “hotel” room (aka cell) and attend our Catholic services is one of the best “presents” she could have this Christmas! That touched me unexpectedly, as I was giving them five Christmas cards each with postage already affixed on the envelopes (without any pens as it is “forbidden to give them). That unsolicited and grateful comments from another human being in prison was my most serendipitous and priceless “gift” this week!

(To be continued next week) *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com websites: www.gkerc.org www.edelfin.globalgn.com

People and Events

City offers exclusive opportunity for special needs individuals at Artesia Snow Day ON Saturday, December 15, the City of Artesia will welcome the public to Artesia Snow Day at Artesia Park! In a continued effort to make City events inclusive and accessible to all members of the community, the City is offering a behind-the-scenes look at the event for individuals with special needs, as well as an opportunity to play before the event opens to the general public.

At noon, before Artesia Snow Day opens to the public, individuals with special needs can join

the City and watch preparations for the event. Not only can they watch the snow being put down, but special needs individuals will also have the chance to play in the snow beginning at 12:45 PM – 15 minutes before the event opens to the wider community.

The City is excited to offer this opportunity as part of its efforts to make City events more inclusive.

At the October City Council meeting, the City began offering designated seating for special needs individuals, and will continue to

do so at all City meetings in the future. Additionally, the City will offer early access to events for special needs individuals, beginning with Artesia Snow Day. Artesia Snow Day will take place at Artesia Park on Saturday, December 15, from 1:00 PM – 4:00 PM. Artesia Park is located at 18750 Clarkdale Avenue in Artesia. Residents can enjoy hot cocoa, sweet treats, holiday music, and a photo setting in addition to the snow at this family friendly event. ■

Free Woolsey Fire debris removal available for property owners THE California Department of Resources Recycling and Recovery (CalRecycle), in coordination with Los Angeles County Public Works, will provide debris removal for homes destroyed by the Woolsey Fire at no cost to property owners and residents.

The free removal of non-hazardous fire debris applies to destroyed residential homes with a maximum of one wall standing.

It also applies to mobile homes, as well as vehicles and boats on a property where a home was destroyed. For a complete list of eligible debris, visit lacounty.gov/ lacountyrecovers.

Property owners must opt-in to the program by submitting a Right of Entry (ROE) form. The form provides consent for debris removal teams to access a property.

The ROE form can be accessed in the following ways: • Online at lacounty.gov/lacoun-

tyrecovers; • By phone at 888-CLEAN-LA (888-253 2652); and • In person at the Woolsey Fire Disaster Recovery Centers (DRC), located at Malibu Courthouse (23525 Civic Center Way, Malibu, CA 90265) and the Conrad N. Hilton Foundation Building (30440 Agoura Road, Agoura Hills, CA 91301).

Property owners are encouraged to contact their homeowners insurance providers, as any insurance proceeds for debris removal will be dedicated to off-set costs.

Property owners can submit ROE forms in person at the Woolsey Fire DRCs or via email to woolseyfire@dpw.lacounty.gov.

Deadline for submission is Dec. 31, 2018.

Before the removal of non-hazardous fire debris begins, teams from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the California Department of Toxic Substance Con-

trol and Los Angeles County Fire Department must complete their removal of household hazardous waste from properties affected by the fire. This work is already in progress and does not require property-owner consent.

Property owners are strongly encouraged to participate in the government-assisted debris removal program, as it will be a safer, streamlined process with no-fee administered. If residents choose not to use services provided, there are a number of procedures that must be followed to safely remove debris including the completion of a Local Fire Debris Removal Program Application, which can be found on lacounty. gov/lacountyrecovers.

For questions on fire debris removal programs, contact 888CLEAN-LA (888-253-2652). For additional fire-related resources, visit lacounty.gov/lacountyrecovers. ■

LOS ANGELES - Mending Kids, an international children’s critical surgery charity, out of respect and concern for Mending Kids staff, Gala Committee members, volunteers, medical professionals, board members, donors and the communities affected by the recent and ongoing wildfires, rescheduled their Mending Kids “Imagine” Gala and jumped in to action.

When fires seemed to consume Southern California, Mending Kids was made aware quickly we would not be spared. One of our employee’s homes was in the line of fire and she and her family were evacuated. We soon learned that would not be the only case. Several of our medical professionals, volunteers and even members of the Gala Committee itself, were also directly affected.

Working with Dr. Phillip Frykman, a Malibu resident and volunteer surgeon for Mending Kids, medical supplies (burn treatment and bandages to name a few) were gathered from Mending Kids inventory and delivered to affected needy residents. Mending Kids is also working with Medshare, a provider of medical supplies, and will be delivering much-needed masks to local residents through local agencies.

Mending Kids CEO Chris Johnson stated, “We are very fortu-

nate to have supplies available because of generous medical companies that provide for our medical missions, and supporting our local community is imperative and the right thing to do”.

Mending Kids relied heavily on the gala to support their critical, life-saving and life-changing medical mission programs. In an attempt to lessen the financial impact of rescheduling the Gala to next calendar year Mending Kids hopes an online auction, beginning Friday, November 16 and running through November 30, will attract a lot of attention, and bidding. To visit the auction site and Support Mending Kids go to https://mki.cbo.io to examine items and bid.

About Mending Kids Founded in 2006, Mending

Kids, a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization based in Burbank, CA has provided thousands of free life-saving and life-changing surgeries to children from 63 countries, including the United States. Mending Kids deploys renowned surgical teams on medical missions to developing countries, and brings children to Los Angeles, where they live with volunteer host families during advanced surgical care and recuperation. Mending Kids’ overseas missions also focus on providing pediatric surgical training to help local doctors build long-term sustainable surgical programs.

Funding comes from donations and special events; 90 percent of every dollar goes to the surgical treatment of children. visit www. mendingkids.org ■

Local international charity supports those affected by fires

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 15-18, 2018

C

Glendale Police Officers’ Association “Cops for Kids� toy distribution THE Glendale Police Officers’ Association “Cops for Kids� Program is preparing for its annual holiday toy distribution on Tuesday, December 18, 2018. Chief Carl Povilaitis and members of the Glendale Police Department will be delivering car loads of gifts to families throughout the City of Glendale.

The “Cops for Kids� program targets the needs of the community’s underprivileged, disabled, hospitalized and at-risk children, as well as those who are victims of accidents and/or crimes. Every year, members of the Glendale Police Department adopt families during the holidays, providing Christmas trees, gifts, and holiday meals. The Glendale Police Officers’ Association has distributed over 20,000 toys to children throughout the community as a result of the generosity from Glendale citizens and businesses. “Whether it is the loss of a job or a death in the family, the 14 families were selected after a screening process to be part of our adoption program, said Amy Tate - Cops for Kids Chair Member. “Every family provides a “wish list� to police officers and civilian employees that range from shoes and socks to Barbie’s and Ninja Turtles. With the donation of toys from the community and local businesses, as well as money raised by the Glendale

Police Officers’ Association, the employees have started their shopping spree. We deeply appreciate all the donations to the Cops for Kids program and we look forward to delivering the bundles of presents on December 18th. It will be a Christmas to remember for the families as well as for the shoppers.�

The “Cops for Kids� program is accepting unwrapped toy donations at the following locations: Glendale Police Department Lobby – 131 N. Isabel St., Glendale Coldwell Banker – 1625 W. Glenoaks Blvd., Glendale The Glendale “Cops for Kids�

THE City of Burbank Parks and Recreation Department invites the community to celebrate the completion of the Lincoln Park Public Art Garden with the recently installed public artwork, “The Hats� at Lincoln Park (300 N Buena Vista St) on Tuesday, December 18 at 10:00 AM. Lincoln Park was designed with a rolling topography, meandering sidewalks to include three alcoves intended specifically for art installations. In 2016, through a competitive process, “The Hats� were unanimously approved as the artwork for the art garden by a Site Specific Selection Committee, comprised of various board members and City staff. Ultimately, “The Hats� were approved by the City Council. All funding for “The Hats� came from the City’s Art in Public Places Fund, monies collected from private developers that can only be used for

permanent public art. “The Hats� at Lincoln Park was designed by a team of two artists, Michael Davis and Eugene Daub, who crafted the interactive sculptures to tie into the history of Burbank. As Mr. Daub so intuitively stated in the interview process, this project presents “history in a playful way.� The first sculpture is Abraham Lincoln’s stovepipe hat which pays homage to the name of the park and the former site of Lincoln Elementary School. The second sculpture, a straw worker’s hat, was created to represent Burbank’s history in agriculture.

The third sculpture, a helmet and goggles, was created in honor of Amelia Earhart who lived in Toluca Lake and flew in and out of Burbank’s airport.

The City of Burbank’s Art in Public Places Program was founded in 1992. Per City ordinance, new development proj-

program is a registered nonprofit 501(c)(3) that relies on the generosity of extraordinary citizens and corporations. Monetary donations can be made out to “Cops for Kids� and mailed to P.O. Box 245, Glendale, California 91209.

We urge you to join us in this effort and help bring holiday cheer to many of our Glendale families. With your continued support, we hope to make this year even more successful than years past.

For more information, please contact Amy Tate at atate@glendaleca.gov.

From our police department family to yours, Happy Holidays!

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“The Hats� at Lincoln Park

ects exceeding a construction budget over $500,000 are required to contribute 1% of the total project costs toward qualified on-site art or the percentage of the “art money� can be placed into the City’s Art in Public Place Fund. These non-tax payer dollars are used to enhance, maintain or fund art located on public spaces.

This project is another investment to enhance Lincoln Park but also enrich the overall Burbank community through increased cultural and social value through the implementation of public art.

Today’s youth are encouraged to ask questions about historical people and events, and advised to seek more information at the Buena Vista Library located at Lincoln Park.

For more information, please visit: www.burbankca.gov/parksandrecreation n

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

60 COUNTRIES. OVER 100 CITIES WORLDWIDE. THAT’S INTERNATIONAL.

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C DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 15-18, 2018

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM USCIS could waive marital interviews on

&

D1

ADB retains Philippines growth petitions to remove conditions (Form I-751) forecasts for 2018, 2019

STARTING on December 10, 2018, the USCIS could waive (or not require) an interview for a married couple seeking to remove conditions on a conditional green card.

Generally, when a U.S. citizen petitions a spouse for a green card, and the spouse receives their green card within two years of the date of marriage, they are given a two-year “conditional” green card. Before the expiration of that two-year green card, the couple must then file a joint petition to remove conditions (Form I-751), and submit evidence to demonstrate the bona fides of the marriage, and that the marriage was not entered into to evade U.S. immigration laws. In other words, demonstrate that it was not a fixed marriage.

If the couple cannot file a joint petition to remove conditions, because the marriage broke down, they divorced, etc., the conditional resident would file a “waiver” of the requirement to file a joint petition and seek to remove the conditions on their green card alone.

In adjudicating these petitions to remove conditions, the couple (or the person seeking a waiver of the joint petition) could be required to attend an interview to enable the officer to more fully evaluate whether or not this was a bona fide marriage. However, under a new Policy Memorandum, the USCIS could waive (or not require) a marital interview under certain circumstances: • The petition to remove conditions contains sufficient evidence

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ about the bona fides of the marriage, and demonstrates the marriage was not fixed. This might include extensive joint documents, pictures together, possibly a baby born during the past two years, and other evidence showing this truly was a love marriage, and not one of convenience.

• The petitioner had already been interviewed in connection with the case, either in connection with the original spousal petition (Form I-130) or the adjustment of status (Form I-485).

• There is no indication of fraud or misrepresentation in the Form I-751 or supporting documentation; and • There are no complex facts or issues that require an interview to resolve questions or concerns. Some complex issues might include the couple is not living together, perhaps because of job location; the couple is now separated, maybe one spouse had a child outside of marriage during those two years, etc.

Of course, there is no guarantee or assurance that any interview on removing the conditional status will be waived. However, if you have filed a joint petition to remove conditions (or a waiver of the joint petition and are filing on

your own) and are being called in for an interview, that could be a sign your case has certain problems, whether it is the bona fides of the marriage, possible fraud issues etc. In such a situation, I would strongly recommend to seek the advice of an attorney, who can evaluate your situation, and possibly represent you at that interview and make sure your case is properly documented and demonstrates the bona fides of your marriage. This is especially important because if the petition to remove conditions is denied, USCIS could place the person in deportation/removal proceedings. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-4873465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINE (Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “Team building is vital for cultivating a cohesive culture.

You can control the culture but if somebody isn’t fitting in, no matter how good of a performer they might be, you have to make that tough decision and let them go.”

—Philip M. Kambic, president and CEO of Riverside Medical Center

by CZERIZA

VALENCIA Philstar.com

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB) retained its 6.4 percent growth forecast for the Philippines this year and 6.7 percent in 2019 on the back of strong infrastructure spending and still buoyant consumption despite rising prices.

Economic output assumptions contained in the supplement to its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) were unchanged from the ADO update in September, when growth projections were revised downward from initial expectations of 6.8 percent this year and 6.9 percent in 2019.

ADB noted that Philippine GDP growth remained strong at an average of 6.3 percent in the first three quarters of the year, although moderating from 6.8 percent in the same period last year.

Investment has so far been the biggest contributor to growth, having grown 16.7 percent in the first three quarters of the year, faster than the growth rate of 9.8 percent in the comparative period last year.

“Public and private construction growth quickened, as did investment in durable equipment.

Growth in government spending also picked up on higher social service expenditure and on salary hikes for government work-

Economic output assumptions contained in the supplement to its Asian Development Outlook (ADO) were unchanged from the ADO update in September, when growth projections were revised downward from initial expectations of 6.8 percent this year and 6.9 percent in 2019.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

ers,” said ADB in the ADO supplement.

Next year, GDP growth is expected to be fueled by robust public and private investment, ADB. ADB, however, hiked its inflation forecast for the Philippines this year to 5.3 percent from the September forecast of five percent. It retained its inflation growth expectation of four percent for 2019.

The country saw the growth in consumer prices moderate to six percent in November from a peak of 6.7 percent in October, for an average of 5.2 percent in the first 11 months of the year, well up from 2.9 percent last year.

Food prices rose sharply be-

cause of a combination of weak agricultural output, high oil prices early in the year and new excise taxes.

ADB said the buildup of inflationary pressure is expected to moderate next year as the tight monetary policy created by the successive rate hikes is expected to kick in.

On a regional context, growth forecast for developing Asia remain unchanged at six percent for 2018 and 5.8 percent in 2019 as the region is expected to weather external headwinds.

Softer international commodity prices and domestic factors such as monetary policy kept consumer prices in check regionally.■

Infra spending up 50% in 10 months

by BEN

O. DE VERA Inquirer.net

CONSTRUCTION of more roads, health facilities, school buildings as well as local projects in Mindanao nearly doubled the national government’s infrastructure expenditures in October to P94.4 billion, Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno said on Wednesday.

The latest Department of Budget and Management data

showed that disbursements on infrastructure and other capital outlays jumped 83.4 percent in October from P51.5 billion a year ago.

In a press conference, Diokno explained that “billing claims and payments for completed infrastructure projects were made” that month.

Infrastructure spending in October also exceeded September’s P65.2 billion.

Diokno said among the fin-

ished infrastructure projects in October included the rehabilitation, reconstruction and upgrading of damaged paved national roads, flood control and drainage improvement, construction of bypass/diversion roads as well as road improvement/widening by the Department of Public Works and Highways.

The Department of Health’s health facilities enhancement program, building repairs and PAGE D5

D DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Govt counts costs of reenacted budget Long-term foreign investments

continue record rise in Q3 2018

by Mayvelin

Caraballo Manilatimes/net

ECONOMIC growth could slow substantially next year under a reenacted budget based on estimates made by the government.

“NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) estimates: GDP growth impact of -1.-2.3 ppt (percentage points) in 2019, if budget will be reenacted,” a document obtained by reporters on Monday showed.

The government is pushing Congress to approve the proposed P3.757-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA) before the end of the year, with economic managers last month warning of a first-half slowdown — under a reenacted budget scenario covering three months — as no new projects can be implemented.

No figures were released and officials — who were optimistic that the government would not have to operate for an entire year on the 2018 outlay of P3.767 trillion — said the 2019 gross domestic product (GDP) growth goal of 7.0-8.0 percent would still be achieved via a second-semester surge.

The House of Representatives passed the budget bill last November 20 and the Senate initially complained that it did not have enough time to go over the proposal as Congress would be going on a break starting December 15.

In the wake of reports stating that the final GAA would only be passed by the first week of February at the latest, Senate lead-

A man holds money inside a money changer in Malate, Manila.

Manilatimes.net photo by Dante Diosina Jr.

ers announced that they would be working on a December 13 approval to allow President Rodrigo Duterte to sign the bill before the year ends.

Allegations of “pork barrel” insertions, meanwhile, have again placed the budget bill in the spotlight and the House of Representatives will be questioning Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno today.

The document obtained by reporters, meanwhile, said that the Budget department expects disbursements to be reduced by P219.8 billion and government expenditures decline to P3.526 trillion from the programmed P3.746 trillion under a re-enacted budget.

“The failure of Congress to pass the GAA before December 31 will not allow us to (implement projects) … Add to this the election ban from March to

May and you have a five-month implementation gap for our infrastructure projects,” Diokno said last month.

Employment, meanwhile, could also be reduced by as much 600,000.

“Among sectors, to be affected are the following: construction, public administration and defense, wholesale and retail trade, land transport, and education,” the document states.

An estimated 200,000-400,000 Filipinos could also be pushed into poverty, it claims.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd, meanwhile, still believes that “it’s quite remote to have a reenacted budget.”

“A reenacted budget is certainly not ideal because new projects cannot be embarked upon and old projects cannot be carried forward. So we just hope Congress can catch up,” he said.n

Year-to-date, the country’s trade gap stood at $33.9 billion, wider than $20.13 billion deficit in the comparable period in 2017.

Broken down, exports reversed a previous month’s slide and grew 3.3 percent to $6.11 billion in October, failing to match a 21.4 percent spike in imports $10.32 billion.

“Overall, this remains consistent with our view that still strong domestic demand which reflects more infrastructure spending will sustain a “Subdued export growth due to an ongoing tech downcycle will also contribute, albeit to a

lesser extent, as electronics exports make up around 60 percent of total goods exports, but import content is relatively high, i.e. value-added is low,” Paracuelles added.

Trade gap in the Philippines has been widening since last year amid sustained rise in imports to feed the Duterte government’s ambitious infrastructure program, reversing the nation’s current account surplus to a deficit and weakening the peso.

The country’s economic managers have repeatedly said high imports will “support domestic economic expansion.”

PAGE D3

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

by DaxiM

l. luCas

Inquirer.net

LONG-TERM capital brought by investors into the Philippines continued to grow at a healthy clip in the first nine months of the year, thanks to the sustained confidence of foreign businesses in the country that defied the skittishness of their counterparts managing short-term funds.

According to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, foreign direct investments during the first three quarters of 2019 reached $8 billion compared to the $6.5 billion recorded during the same period last year — a growth of 24.2 percent.

For the first three quarters of the year, FDI net inflows grew by 24.2 percent to $8 billion

Inquirer.net file photo

from $6.5 billion last year “[This was] on account of the increases registered in all FDI components,” the central bank said in a statement. “Investment inflows continued, buoyed by investor confidence in the Philippine economy on the back of strong macroeconomic fundamentals and high growth prospects.”

In particular, investments in debt instruments reached $5.5 billion, representing an increase of 19.6 percent from the $4.6 billion recorded in the comparable period in 2017.

Net equity capital investments also rose by 52.1 percent to $1.9 billion from $1.2 billion a year ago.

The bulk of the equity capital placements during the period

came from Singapore, Hong Kong, the United States, Japan and China.

These investments were channeled largely to manufacturing; financial and insurance; real estate; arts, entertainment and recreation; and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply activities.

Reinvestment of earnings amounted to $614 million during the period.

For the month of September 2018 alone, foreign direct investments registered $569 million in net inflows, which was lower than the $807 million in net inflows registered in the same month last year.

This developed as equity capital withdrawals of $187 million PAGE D5

business and companies,” BCCP Chairman Chris Nelson said.

Under the Trabaho bill, corporate income tax will be lowered from the current 30 percent to 20 percent. The bill however also proposes to remove the 5 percent tax on Gross Income Earned (GIE) of firms inside the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (Peza).

Business chambers earlier expressed their opposition to the said provision of the bill.

“In terms of the Trabaho bill, we do have concerns on that.

We think the Peza has been very good. I think any legislation should take into account the

opinions [of business groups].

We support the other chambers and I hope those will be taken into consideration,” said Nelson.

Nelson however said that at present, the rationalization of fiscal incentives is not a major concern for UK companies. “In terms of linking t to UK companies, most of the companies that we meet are SMEs. They are not looking yet at PEZA zones,” he said.

Nelson said that while the Philippines is also “not an immediate market” for UK firms, the British chamber continuously promotes the country as an investment destination. n

Trade gap balloons to record Govt urged to consider Trabaho concerns $4.21 billion in October by ian

niColas Cigaral Philstare.com

THE Philippines’ trade gap ballooned to a record high in October, after a double-digit rise in imports outpaced improved exports growth during the month, the country’s statistics agency reported Tuesday, December 11.

Trade deficit in October swelled to $4.21 billion, the widest on record, compared with $3.72 billion gap posted in September and $2.59 billion shortfall a year ago, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The gap is expected to put more pressure on the peso.

by anna leah

gonzales Manilatimes.net

THE British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) said business groups’ position on the government’s Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-quality Opportunities (Trabaho) bill should be considered.

“We do have some firms in Philippine economic zones, but we don’t have as many as some of the other chambers like Japan and Korea. Notwithstanding, we fully understand and have some concerns on the rationalization of incentives and we do think there should be considerations on

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 15-18, 2018 D

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Fitch: Outlook for Philippines Insurance firms post 18% ’ LNG plan ‘brightening’ premium growth in 9 months

by Mary

Grace Philstar.com

Padin

THE local insurance industry reported an 18-percent growth in premium income in the first nine months as all life, non-life and microinsurance sectors exhibited strong performance during the period, according to the Insurance Commission.

According to the latest data from the IC, the insurance industry recorded a total premium income of P218.91 billion as of end-September, 18 percent higher than the P185.51 billion recorded in the same period last year.

Insurance commissioner Dennis Funa said all sectors – life insurance, non-life insurance and mutual benefit associations (MBAs) – registered positive growth in terms of premiums collected.

The life insurance sector, for its part, reported P174.15 billion in premiums, which accounted for 79.55 percent of the total premiums collected by the industry.

This was also 20.4 percent higher than the P144.63 billion

posted in the same period in 2017.

Broken down, the life insurance sector collected P130.14 billion in premiums from variable life insurance products and P44.02 billion from traditional life insurance products.

According to Funa, there has been a significant increase in all premium types of variable life insurance products.

“First year, single and renewal premiums of variable life insurance products posted double digit increase of 20.72 percent, 21.27 percent and 29.52 percent, respectively,” he said.

Meanwhile, the net premiums written by the non-life insurance sector also increased by 7.34 percent to P36.83 billion from the P34.31 billion registered a year ago.

Motor car insurance business continued to be the driver for the non-life insurance sector’s growth, contributing more than half or 51.39 percent of the total net premiums.

This was followed by the fire insurance business which accounted for 13 percent, and the

accident insurance business which contributed 9.87 percent.

Lastly, the contributions and premiums collected by MBAs rose by 21.2 percent to P7.93 billion from P6.54 billion in the same period last year.

Funa said the insurance industry‘s total assets as of end-September also rose to P1.55 trillion from P1.54 trillion last year.

Funa noted that other indicators, such as insurance density and penetration, also pointed toward positive growth.

“The insurance density which was P1,768.49 as of end-September last year increased by 16.12 percent to P2,053.58 per capita,” the IC chief said.

“Insurance penetration likewise increase by 0.12 percentage point to 1.76 percent as of end of third quarter this year from 1.64 percent during the same period last year,” he said.

Insurance density is defined as the ratio of premium to the total population. Insurance penetration, on the other hand, is measured as the ratio of premiums to the country’s gross domestic product. n

Tax amnesty bill awaits Duterte nod by ian

nicolas ciGaral Philstar.com

THE tax amnesty bill is now up for President Rodrigo Duterte’s approval after Congress ratified the bicameral report on the measure.

In a statement released on Thursday, December 13, Sen. Sonny Angara said both chambers of Congress ratified the bill, which grants those who have failed to pay for taxable year 2017 and prior years a one-time opportunity to settle tax obligations, including estate taxes, general taxes and delinquent accounts.

“This will give taxpayers more flexibility, which would encourage them more to avail of the amnesty,” said Angara, who sponsored the bill.

Those who avail of the amnesty program will be given a chance at a clean slate, as they will be immune from payment of all taxes and the filing of civil, criminal, and administrative cases and penalties.

Angara said the government is expected to raise up to P41

by ian

nicolas ciGaral Philstar.com

THE outlook for the Philippines’ liquefied natural gas sector is “brightening,” a Fitch Group unit said, as the country races against time to develop gas reserves and prepare for Malampaya’s inevitable decline.

Commissioned in 2001, the Malampaya gas field offshore Palawan supplies all of the Philippines’ current natural gas. But it is forecast to be nearly depleted by 2024.

Hong Kong-based power and utilities firm Energy World Corp. is developing the Philippines’ first LNG hub terminal in Pagbilao, Quezon, which consists of two full containment, onshore LNG tanks.

In a commentary sent to reporters on Thursday, December 13, Fitch Solutions Macro Research said that with the completion of the Philippines’ first LNG import terminal, the nation’s self-sufficiency in natural gas will end in 2019.

But the Fitch unit flagged some delays faced by EWC. “Despite the clear need for more gas and EWC’s repeated commitment to the project, Pagbilao LNG has suffered numerous delays due to issues ranging from volatile LNG prices, funding, regulatory obstacles and confusion over transmission arrangements,” the think tank said.

“Most recently, EWC cited delays to securing government approval to connect to the local grid as holding up the start of its

Natural gas, said to be the cleanest fossil fuel, is usually transported through a pipeline, but if the deposit is large and the market is overseas, the gas may be liquefied for ease of shipping and moved via specialized tankers. Imported LNG is then regasified or reverted to its former state in the country of destination.

Philstar.com file photo

project, despite it being over 90 percent complete,” it added.

The Department of Energy has been trying to encourage proponents of an LNG import terminal ahead of the expected depletion of the Malampaya gas-to-power project.

Natural gas, said to be the cleanest fossil fuel, is usually transported through a pipeline, but if the deposit is large and the market is overseas, the gas may be liquefied for ease of shipping and moved via specialized tankers. Imported LNG is then regasified or reverted to its former state in the country of destination.

EWC’s 650-megawatt power project will also have a dedicated jetty and marine infrastructure for the loading and unloading of

LNG ships as well as regasification, control center and other ancillary facilities.

Last November 28, EWC said the power project in Pagbilao, Quezon was certified as an “energy project of national significance” by the DOE. The certification recognizes that the power plant will be the anchor off-taker of the LNG project, the company said.

“This likely puts the project on track to begin commercial operations within 2019, eight years after it broke ground,” Fitch Solutions said of the certification that EWC secured from the DOE. “From a price standpoint, the next few quarters will be an opportune time for the Philippines to commence LNG imports, with PAGE D5

Trade gap balloons to record...

PAGE D2 t According to Paracuelles, the Philippines’ current account gap will likely widen to 2 percent of gross domestic product this year from 0.7 percent in 2017.

For 2019, he expects a “more modest” current account deficit equivalent to 2.2 percent of GDP. “Slower electronics export President Rodrigo Roa Duterte leads the Ceremonial Signing of the 2018 General Appropriations Act (GAA) and Tax Reform Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) in Malacañan Palace on December growth and strong infrastructure19, 2017.

Presidential file photo by Albert Alcain led domestic demand is a potent billion through the measure, the Tax Reform for Acceleration combination that could push the with proceeds used to fund the and Inclusion Act, or TRAIN law. goods trade deficit wider, but Duterte administration’s massive Meanwhile, P500 million of the there will be significant offsets infrastructure plan and augment generated revenues will be used next year, in our view,” the Noappropriations needed for the exclusively for establishing a tax mura analyst said.

“These include the drop in oil social mitigating measures under database, the senator added. n

prices (which fell more sharply in November and not yet reflected in the trade data), higher overseas worker remittances, which tend to rise in an election year, and an improvement in tourist arrivals,” he added.

The Philippine peso opened at P52.83 against the greenback on Tuesday, slightly weaker than its P52.80-per-dollar finish last Monday, December 10.

Separately, ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said persistent current account deficits will likely “keep pressure” on the local currency in 2019.

“Robust import growth is yet

another sign that the Philippines has moved into a new chapter in its growth story, requiring a shift in the country’s import requirement,” Mapa said. “In the past, import growth was driven largely by fuel and consumer goods with only sporadic flows of capital goods and raw materials outside those used for electronic exports.”

“Going forward, the current account will likely remain deep in the red with the Philippine peso looking to structural flows such as remittances ahead of the holiday season and the capital and financial account for support,” he added. n

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Franchising Retail & Trade Conference PAL wins ‘Airline of the Year’ award from PSTA in Cerritos on February 15, 2019 COFACC spearheads the way for franchise & trade opportunities

Pictured (L-R): Fil-Am Film Director Craig Wilson was welcomed to the LA Trade Conference by COFACC President Gerry Palon along with FACCGLA President Ellen Samson.

THE Coalition of Filipino American Chambers of Commerce aka COFACC unleashes its’ first annual Franchising & Retail Trade Conference on February 15, 2019 kicking off at 9:00 a.m. at the Cerritos Sheraton located at 12725 Center Court Drive South, Cerritos CA 90703.

The program consists of opportunities in business matchmaking, business referrals, special briefings & roundtable discussions, entrepreneurship training programs, and networking & business connections with participants representing both the United States and the Philippines. Registration, sponsorship opportunities, and full program details are available at https://cofacc.org.

Over 250 participants are expected from local business and international delegation. The Philippine Retailer Association (PRA)

and the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) will be present and are looking to mix, mingle, and network with the local US business community. Representation present will also include various local franchisor and franchise business owners, key officials of the U.S. Small Business Association (SBA), the National Asian American Coalition (NACC), the National Diversity Coalition (NDC), the Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program, the Philippine Consulate Los Angeles Office, Philippine Dept. of Trade & Industry PTIC Los Angeles and the Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA).

Business owners, entrepreneurs, corporations, and the general public are all invited to attend. Basic entry is only $10 but can and will vary depending on the participation experience desired by the individual or by the entity that is signing up for

the event Registration for the FRTC is simple and is processed online at by going to https://cofacc.org.

COFACC is a non-profit coalition comprised of the Filipino American Chambers of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles, Orange County, San Diego 2.0, South Bay, Tri-County, and Hollywood with other Filipino Chambers soon to join. Shared knowledge, experience, ideas, and resources are central themes in this effort as their saying goes, “Together We Rise.” The full FRTC (Franchising & Retail Trade Conference) goes from February 15th through February 19th should participants wish to fully engage in all of the activities. However, Friday, February 15th is a must.

Open registration spots are currently available, but quickly filling up so contact COFACC today and don’t trade this opportunity away. n

by the government on infrastructure and other capital outlays from January to October climbed 50.3 percent to P665.1 billion from P442.7 billion during the same 10-month period last year.

“Looking ahead, the public sector will continue to buoy the Philippine economy. Faster and more targeted spending will translate to wider roads and

better mass transport systems, more accessible education and health services and overall better standards of living for our people,” Diokno said.

These investments form part of the Duterte administration’s ambitious “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program and meant that “there is no underspending, as critics falsely claim,” the budget chief said. n

PAL VP for Corporate Communications Josen Perez de Tagle receives the award at the Savoy Hotel-Manila.

THE Philippine Sports Tourism Association (PSTA) recently awarded 4-Star Carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) the “Airline of the Year” award for supporting sporting events in 2018 that generated tourism.

In accepting the award on behalf of Philippine Airlines, PAL VP for Corporate Communications Josen Perez de Tagle expressed the company’s gratitude for the

recognition and cited sports tourism as a growth opportunity for the Philippines. He also conveyed the airline’s commitment to continue investing in sports tourism by supporting international events such as the PAL Interclub Golf.

PSTA Founder Charles Lim presented the award to PAL in ceremonies held at the Savoy Hotel – Manila, with Pacific Asia

Travel Association (PATA) President Roberto Zozobrado joining the rites.

In a statement, PAL President Jaime J. Bautista, said “As flag carrier, we want to help raise the profile of the Philippines as a sportsman’s paradise, and our extensive network enables us to attract athletes and players from all over the world.” (Inquirer. net) n

Long-term foreign investments...

PAGE D2 t exceeded equity capital placements amounting to $69 million.

During the period, equity capital infusions originated largely from the United States, Japan, Macau, Hong Kong and China.

These investments were chan-

neled mostly to real estate; manufacturing; and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply activities.

Meanwhile, debt instruments — consisting mainly of intercompany borrowings or lending between foreign direct investors

and their subsidiaries and affiliates in the Philippines — expanded by 24.3 percent to $609 million from $490 million in the same month last year.

Reinvestment of earnings amounted to $78 million during the month. n

Infra spending up 50% in 10 months Fitch: Outlook for Philippines...

PAGE D1 t equipment purchases of state universities and colleges and the Department of Education’s school building repair and rehabilitation projects also boosted spending that month.

The budget chief also noted the rollout of local infrastructure projects in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

As such, the amount spent

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PAGE D3t global LNG prices set to be mostly anchored over the next two years.”

‘Political element’ In the same report, Fitch Solutions said the “keys” to the Philippines’ second LNG development appears to be held by Tanglawan Philippines LNG Inc., which is reportedly winning the race to be the DOE’s choice to lead the

project.

Tanglawan LNG is a joint-venture between China’s CNOOC and Phoenix Petroleum, owned

by Davao-based businessman Dennis Uy. A third partner being mulled for the project is the Philippines’ largest power distributor Manila Electric Company (Meralco), whose owner, Manuel Pangilinan, had previously been given

preferential rights to join Uy in future LNG ventures.

“The inclusion of CNOOC in the partnership adds a political element to the mix, adding further incentivise for the DOE to approve the project, particularly in light of increasing efforts between Beijing and Manila to improve bilateral ties and boost economic and trade cooperation,” Fitch Solutions said. n

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