122019 - Northern California Edition

Volume18 18- -No. No.17 17••22Sections Sections––16 16Pages Pages Volume

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Volume18 18- -No. No.44 47••22Sections Sections––16 16Pages Pages Volume

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USA DATELINEUSA DATELINE FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Californians Palace slamshave Midler yetDuterte to find favorite for criticism

presidential candidate, finds new poll

MALACAĂ‘ANG on Sunday, November 24, slammed singer-actress Bette Midler for describing President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the world’s most detestable leaders as well as lumping him together with the likes of U.S. President A NEW poll released on Monday, December Donald Trumpthat andno Nazi leader Adolf Hitler. is a 16, showed presidential candidate “She,favorite however, no right she in is inclear yet has among likely as voters Calicompetent and a gullible head as well, fornia. The results cometalking days before a schedonuled matters concerning foreign leaders she has Democratic debate in Los Angeles, and noa few personal knowledge of,â€? said primary presidential months before California elecspokesperson Salvador Panelo. tions take place in March. “She be Research circumspect an infl uencer Theshould Change pollaswas conducted and refrain outlet from giving and for should public media KQED one-sided over the course judgmental on internal affairs of of five days,comments and surveyed 1,565 likely general another sovereign state, especiallyincluding if her referelection voters in California, 862 ences false narratives coming from the polikelyare Democratic primary voters. litical opposition andinsome biased media Closely leading popularity amongoutlets Califorwhose agenda is toprimary besmirchvoters President Rodrigo nia Democratic in December were Bernie Sanders (26%), Elizabeth Warren u PAGE A2 (23%), and Joe Biden (19%). Following were

Governor Newsom announces US donorEarly turnsChildhood over Policy Councilpaintings and a teamto Amorsolo toPhilippine develop master plan for consulate early learning and care

u PAGE A2

TWO works of National Artist Fernando Amorsolo have been turned over to the PhilipSACRAMENTO – Governor Gavin Newsom consulate general San Francisco by the onpine Friday, November 22,inannounced the selecU.S.ofHomeland Security Investigations tion diverse experts, practitioners and(HSI)’s parCultural Property, Art and Antiquities ents to guide California’s efforts on early Investilearngations Division. ing and care.

The Governor today appointed 20 An anonymous donor new from Early the San Francisco members of the state’s Childhood Bay Area turned the paintings to the HSI. Policy Council and over advisory committees, includThe paintings havepractitioners, themes of harvest time in ing national experts, and parents.

Philippine countryside.

Hethealso announced the creation of an Early ReportsAction said the donor’s father Childhood Research Team to bought developthe a Amorsolo when heand wasCare, serving as a Master Plan paintings for Early Learning which

PAGEA2 A2 uuPAGE

Firing VP akin to EJK — Lagman ‘US Senate resolution in

support of De Lima trash’

by JESS

DIAZ Philstar.com

OPPOSITION Rep. Edcel Lagman of Albay on Tuesday, November 26, likened to an extrajudicial killing President Duterte’s removal of Vice President Leni Robredo as co-chairperson of the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD). “The summaryby dismissal of ACAIRAN the vice president as EVELYN M ICAD co-chair withoutPhilstar.com any valid reasons and due process is akin to an extrajudicial killing. Like EJK victims, Robredo fought and criticized thethe Duterte THE U.S. Senate resolution calling for release administration’s bloody war the on dropping drugs,� of Lagman of Sen. Leila de Lima and charges said. against Rappler’s Maria Ressa has no bearing, JusHe that the president fired to ticeclaimed Secretary Menardo Guevarra saidRobredo Wednesday, hide from her 18. data on the anti-drugs campaign.

December Guevarra described the U.S. resolution as “trash� and has no weight in the cases of De Lima and Ressa that are pending before the courts.

The US Senate committee on foreign relations passed Resolution No. 142 calling on the Philippine government to drop all charges against Ressa

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

AJPress

SENATOR Franklin Gabi Drilon(night on WHILE Simbang Tuesday, said mass) hasNovember been held 26, four times he of Representatives at House the Saint Peter’s Basilica isin oVatican blame City, for the mishaps in this it was the first time year’s AsianFrancis Games that it Southeast was led by Pope on which the December country is 15. hosting.

Sunday, According to thetheopposition In his homily, Pope acsenator, the House of Represenknowledged the role of Filipino atives was late inin submitting migrant workers the growth he proposed national budget of Catholicism, saying that while nthe December, containing some Simbang Gabi has been held P95 billion in pork barrel that fuin the Philippines for centuries, eled debates.

This delay, “in recent decades, thanks some to Filicongressmen claimed, led to the pino migrants, this devotion has SEAG blunders. crossed national borders and has “If there was any delay, it was arrived in many other countries.� because them,�

Drilon and said sisin “You,ofdear brothers Filipino. ters, who have left your land in Last December, some memsearch of a better future, have a bers of the House of faith Represenspecial mission.

Your should atives were accused Presibe leaven in the parishby communidential Spokesperson Salvador

by

CONTRARY to Malacaùang’s reasons for firing Vice President Leni

by BEN O. DE Robredo VERA, as cochair of the Inter-Agency Committee on DONA Z. PAZZIBUGAN & Anti-Illegal Drugs the Philippine RONNEL(ICAD), W. DOMINGO National Police on Inquirer.net Tuesday, November 26, said they did not see Robredo make any “missteps� during her 18-day as the FINANCE Secretary Carlosstint Dominguez administration’s anti-drug III on Tuesday, Dec. 17,czar. expressed confi“During her potential stay as co-chair of ICAD, dence that investors would we not haven’t reallyoffnoticed report or misbe turned with theany government’s push steps,� said PNP spokesman Bernard Banac to renegotiate the onerous provisions of in an withagreements ANC’s “Early Edition.� theinterview concession with the two “But the continuing discussion, of waterindistributors in Metro Manila and course, there is that exchange of ideas and nearby areas. insofar as discussion on to a higher level, the Dominguez sought calm the markets PNP not really involved anymore so we asisJustice Secretary Menardo Guevarra leave it to the higher authorities,� heMayniaddassured Manila Water Co. Inc. and ed. lad Water Services Inc. that the governAccording Presidential spokesperson ment was to “not even thinking� of replacSalvador Panelo, Robredo committed seving them as water concessionaires.

The administration wants tothe renegotieral ‘missteps’ including seeking advice ate their concession agreements to reof certain foreign institutions and person-

uPAGE PAGEA2 A3 u

Panelo of employing diversionary tactics such as accusing Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno of irregularities in the preparation of the 2019 national budget.

Drilon, however, pointed out that there are only three opposition members in the Senate — not enough to delay the passage of the budget.

Furthermore, he said that even if the budget was delayed, most of the funds used for the SEA Games infrastructure were from separate loans. “I really do not understand the relationship between the blunders and the budget delay,�

Drilon said.

Some of the mishaps experiPope Francis enced cial launch of I ties tobefore whichthe youoffi belong.

Today the regionalyou sports event include encourage to increase oppormembers ofmeeting foreign to delegations tunities for share your toculture the sporting eventwealth complainand spiritual while ing about awful accommodations

blackouts can cripple PH R M by

ITCHEL ENDIOLA AJPress MENDIOLA AJ Press

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) onHontiveros Tuesday, on DeSENATOR Risa cember November 17, said that public Monday, 25,the warned might“China-made cast doubts on blackouts� martial law hat and its atrocities following the could paralyze the country’s econSandiganbayan’s recent dismissomy, vital communications system al of a P200-billion forfeiture and even the electoral system.

gayan de Oro City, said Robredo’s removal was “rather unfortunate.� “President Duterte’s experiment in appointing her was doomed from the very start. The VP is leader of the opposition, a lawyer and an advocate of human rights. Her views on the anti-illegal drugs campaign were diametrically opposed to the current thrusts of the administration,� he said.

Rodriguez said Duterte’s “Allresolution Boys Clubwould was thereGuevarra doubted the U.S. have fore the least, onruling her entry into the any worried, effect on to thesay progress and of the cases picture.� against De Lima and Ressa. “To them, herby appointment was totally “If we abide their interference, theirunacceptsuggesable. now business as usual,�the he rule added. tion, So weit’s would not be following of law,�

The militant Guevarra said.group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan) saidfollowing the people awaiting re“We are theare proper, legalRobredo’s and judicial port on the drug war.would (With we Rhodina Villanueva) ■processes.

So why suddenly drop (the charges). Why don’t you just let the process come to its whole termination, up to the very end. Why would you say ‘to withdraw’ or ‘to release’ when the process is not yet over. That is against the law, that is against the process, that is against the rule of law,â€? he added. â–

ITCHEL ENDIOLA AJPress

CHR on Marcos case ‘China-made’ dismissal: ‘Public might Hontiveros: think martial law atrocities is fake news’

by RITCHEL

Her dismissal “is similar to the extrajudicial killing of some victims to silence them and cover up incriminatory information known to them,� he said.

Lagman belongs to the opposition Liberal Party (LP), which Robredo chairs.

Another LP leader, Jose Christopher Belmonte of Quezon City, who is the party’s secretary general, said the vice president was fired as she might have “discovered significant information on the root of and De Lima. ourItnation’s drugfor trade.� also called De Lima’s release from deten“What important herdischarge was putting stop to tion and was to allow her toto fully hera legislathe That’s why she talked to the right peotivekillings. mandate. ple,De coordinated with the right agencies, asked the Lima is facing charges on a non-bailable right questions. shewhile suddenly removed?� offense of drugWhy traffiwas cking Ressa, as chief Belmonte executiveasked. officer of online news site Rappler, is Another congressman, Rufus Rodriguez of Cafacing charges of cyberlibel.

Guevarra said the U.S. resolution “absolutely had no weight� and he believed that even the courts that are hearing the cases against De Lima and Ressa would not abide by it. “That is trash. That is non-existent as far as we are concerned,� he said.

R M replacing DOJ: Gov’t not water concessionaires

MILITARY ACQUISITION. President leadsleaders the inspection the newlyof acquired military the and 84thRepublic anniversary of the Armed LINKED TOGETHER. President RodrigoRodrigo DuterteDuterte joins other from theof Association Southeast Asianassets Nationsduring (ASEAN) of Korea President Forces of the Philippines at the Camp General in Quezon of City on Tuesday, December 17. Duterte nation and to rally behind Moon Jae-in as they pose for(AFP) a family photo prior to the Emilio start ofAguinaldo the ASEAN-Republic Korea Commemorative Summit at the asked Busan the Exhibition Convention the Armed forces November for its signiďŹ MalacaĂąang photo byby Richard Center on Tuesday, 26.cant role in national security and disaster response.

MalacaĂąang photo ArmanMadelo Baylon

Drilon says House to blame for SEA Games mess Pope Francis celebrates ‘Simbang Gabi’ inbudget the Vatican by by RITCHEL ENDIOLA AJPM RESS

Also published published inin LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY Also

case filed against the Marcos family.

According to her, with China On Monday, December 16, the controlling 40 percent of the NaSandiganbayan Fourth Division tional Grid Corp. of the Philippines dismissed Civil Case No. 0002 (NGCP), it has the capability to filed by the Presidential Comundermine national security and mission on Good Government “even topple the government.�

(PCGG) in July 1987 against Hontiveros the warnthe Marcosesgave dueout to lack of eviing after deliberating on the

uPAGE PAGEA2 A3 u

and delayed transportation after their arrival in the Philippines, inadequate food served to the athletes, and unfinished venues. ‘Apology not enough’ Sen. Christopher “Bong� Go, for his part, said that the organizers of SEAG this year will be made “answerable� for “apparent inefficiencies� that happened in the past few days. “They said before, the preparation, venues, and everything that will be used for the games were almost ready and complete. As of October 30, 2019, PHISGOC stated that preparations are 90% complete. How come these have happened?� he said in Filipino on Monday, Nov. 25.Inquirer.net photo the time parties, remember, at“To theall same allowing yourone’s failure the failurebyofthe us all. selves to beisenriched exLet me remind everyone you periences of others,� he that added. will be answerable to u the PresiPAGE A2

u PAGE A2

Pharmaceutical firms offtoerteach to cut drug pricesanew by 75% Senate bill seeks GMRC bybySM HEILA CRISOSTOMO ARION RAMOS Philstar.com Inquirer.net

IN an attempt block has the SENATOR PanfilotoLacson mandated price ceilings on medifiled a measure institutionalizing cines,manners pharmaceutical companies good and right conduct have offered to reduce prices by (GMRC) as a separate subject for up to 75 percent for at least 150 pupils from kindergarten to Grade medicines for 36 diseases.

3 to counter the negative effects Members of the Pharmaceutiof the internet on the attitude of cal Healthcare Association of the young Filipinos.

Philippines are willing to provide In filing Senate Bill No. 1185, price reductions to the public if Lacson said no less than Educathe Department of Health (DOH) tion Secretary Leonor Briones had will agree, according to PHAP pointed out that “technology withexecutive director Teodoro Paout good manners is a disaster� dilla. and that “online or technologyAmong the drugs covered by driven pedagogy� could not inculthe proposed price cuts are those cate social values and skills among for heart diseases, diabetes, kidyoung students. ney ailment, asthma, psoriasis, Strong values neurologic disorders, HIV and By having a separate GMRC infectious diseases. subject, he said students would Padilla saidthe medicines for be able to understand “human dig-

various types of cancer such as nity, respect for oneself and giving breast, colorectal, lung, cervical, oneself to others in the spirit of kidney, ovarian, lymphomas and community, for the effective and prostate are also covered by the holistic development of the deciprice reduction. sion-making skills of the child.â€? “The price reductions are ex“It is the aim of this act‌ to betpected to be felt throughout the ter mold our youth to have strong supply chain from manufacturers values and moral foundation which down to the government and priwill contribute in shaping a revate retail drug stores dispensing spectable society,â€? read a portion

medicines directly to the public,â€? of Lacson’s bill, a copy of which he said. was furnished the media on SunGovernment hospitals have day, November 24. been the source of the cheapest “The teaching method shall be medicines because they puractual or situational, rather than chase in bulk from pharmaceuticonceptual, thereby allowing the cal companies, Padilla said. [students] to directly relate to the “For instance, an anti-choleslessons, readily incorporate them terol tablet costs only P0.35 in in practice and make such behavPAGE A2 ior commonplace,â€? heuadded. â–

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DECEMBER 20-26, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page Californians have yet to find favorite...

PAGE A1 Pete Buttigieg (12%), Andrew Yang (4%), Michael Bloomberg (3%), Tulsi Gabbard (3%), Julián Castro (3%), and Tom Steyer (2%).

Breaking support down by age, Sanders had the lead among 18-34 year-old voters in California (39%), followed by Warren (26%), and Yang (13%). Sanders also had more support among 35-49 year-old voters (32%), followed by Biden (26%) and Warren (13%).

However, among voters 50-64 years old, Warren (26%) took the lead followed by Biden (9%) and Buttigieg (9%). Warren also took the lead among voters 65 years and older (27%) over Biden (26%) by one point, followed by Sanders (17%) and Buttigieg (17%).

The statewide online poll was the first to be conducted since California Senator Kamala Harris announced she was dropping out of the race earlier this month. In October, Harris came in fifth with 8% support.

Strong AAPI support for Biden and Yang For surveyed Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters, most reported support for Biden (32%) and Yang (28%). Sanders followed with 17% support, with other candidates receiving less than 10% support.

Among black voters, Biden far surpassed other candidates with 47%, followed by Warren (13%) and Cory Booker (12%). Sanders was the leader among Latino voters at 37%, followed by Warren (17%) and Biden (16%). For white voters, Warren (31%) lead Sanders (23%), Buttigieg (21%), and Biden (15%).

“Interesting to note that when it comes to nonwhite voters, we see that Julián Castro and Andrew Yang can count on widespread

support from Latino/Asian voters respectively, but the same is not true for African American voters who as in South Carolina, overwhelmingly support Biden,” Change Research co-founder Pat Reilly told KQED. Eyeing the AAPI vote in 2020 Earlier this year, the California Secretary of State announced that California hit a new record for voter registration, surpassing a 20 million threshold — a number the secretary said was greater than the population of Texas and Florida.

Included in that growing number are members of the AAPI community who have been seen as having potential to influence the outcome of California’s 2020 primary election in March. According to voter registration numbers, AAPI voters made up about one out of every six voters in California as of February.

This influence potential has already been proven during the midterm elections last year when 77% of AAPIs brought over a “blue wave” by voting Democratic candidates, according to an NBC News exit polling. This, compared to 24% who voted for Republicans.

In Southern California’s Orange County, AAPI voters were seen as being responsible for turning the longtime GOP stronghold to one represented entirely by Democrats.

But with the 2020 election cycle fast approaching, experts say there’s still much to be addressed.

For one, there are still many who remain unregistered to vote. In California where Filipinos remain the largest AAPI population, only 33% were registered to vote in the last election cycle.

And even with the noticeable growth and influence potential of the growing AAPI community, many voters remain persuadable.

AAPI Data, an organization that publishes policy research and AAPI demographic data, found that many AAPI voters remained undecided as of October.

According to the October survey by AAPI Data, AAPI eligible voters in California held a mostly unfavorable rating towards President Donald Trump, with the exception of the Vietnamese community. Yet while a Sanders and Biden received higher percentages of favorability, a high percentage of AAPI respondents said that they also “haven’t heard enough” or didn’t know enough about the other Democratic candidates.

Another AAPI Data survey in 2018 revealed that the majority of AAPIs were not contacted by either Democratic or Republic parties. This has been attributed to lack of awareness, lack of staff and resources, and willingness to outreach.

Hasan Minhaj, host of the Netflix show “Patriot Act,” dove into the issue last week and explained that despite the AAPI community’s growing numbers, they’ve continued to be ignored by politicians and mainstream media.

“Some of the lack of mobilization is also because the majority live in deeply blue states like California, New York, New Jersey, and Illinois where presidential elections have not been very competitive,” said Minhaj. “But even in non-presidential elections, both Democrats and Republicans have been very late to the game when it comes to investing heavily in AAPI outreach.”

In September, Democratic presidential candidates Yang,Gabbard, and Tom Steyer, made an effort to reach out to AAPIs by participating in what was billed as the firstever Democratic national forum for the AAPI community. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) n

PAGE A1 a government hospital while a medicine for hypertension can be sold for as low as P0.19,” he said.

The DOH has proposed the inclusion of 122 “most expensive but commonly needed medicines” in the second phase of the Maximum Drug Retail Price (MDRP) to reduce prices by as much as 50 percent.

The first MDRP was imple-

mented in 2009 covering only five medicines.

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III has assured the public that through the MDRP, the mandated price cuts would be implemented throughout the entire supply chain – from the manufacturers and distributors to retailers and sellers.

Padilla said the government has been acquiring medicines at lower prices through bulk pro-

curement. He cited a medicine for cancer, which was procured at a discounted price of 74 percent.

With a partnership between the government and PHAP, Padilla said there is no need to impose price controls on medicines.

He believes that prices of medicines in the Philippines are now comparable with other countries in Southeast Asia. n

CAMP AGUINALDO ART EXHIBIT. Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Chief-of-Staff, Gen. Noel Clement (right), looks at the paintings during the Art Exhibit dubbed as “Sining at Kagitingan: Isang Pagpupugay sa ika-84 na Anibersaryo ng Sandatahang Lakas ng Pilipinas” at the Dimalupig Hall, Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, December 17. The four-day exhibit showcases paintings depicting the different aspects of soldiery. Accompanying Clement are AFP spokesperson, Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo (left) and Esther Garcia of Dynamic Art Group (middle).

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

US donor turns over Amorsolo paintings...

PAGE A1 military policeman in the Philippines. After his death a few years ago, his family deemed Filipinos deserve to own and appreciate the Amorsolo paintings.

According to the HSI, there was nothing unlawful about the turnover of the paintings.

Consul General to San Francisco Henry Bensurto Jr. received the paintings last month and signed a Deed of Donation with HSI Special Agent in charge Tatum King.

In his remarks, Bensurto thanked the HSI for its work and welcomed its officers and guests

from the Filipino American community to the formal turnover of the paintings.

He revealed a Museo ng Lahing Pilipino or Museum of the Filipino Race is being developed by the consulate general to showcase to younger generations of Filipinos in the United States the rich Philippine history and cultural heritage.

“Through the Museo ng Lahing Pilipino and programs of the Philippine government, particularly the Sentro Rizal in San Francisco, we aim to increase awareness and appreciation of our Philippine history and cul-

ture,” Bensurto said. Indonesian Consul General to San Francisco Simon D.I. Soekarno also attended the event.

Amorsolo is the first National Artist awardee. The award is conferred on Filipinos who have made a significant contribution to Philippine arts.

HSI’s work also covers investigating illicit importation and distribution of cultural property and art. The office has also been coordinating with foreign governments for the return of cultural objects illegally acquired by some traders under its jurisdiction. (Pia Lee-Brago/ Philstar) n

Pharmaceutical firms offer to cut drug prices... Pope Francis celebrates ‘Simbang Gabi’...

PAGE A1 The Pope also told the Filipinos to “continue being smugglers of faith,” referring to how overseas Filipino workers “smuggle” their faith even to places where it is dangerous to be Catholic like the Middle East.

Father Ricky Gente, chaplain of Filipinos in Rome, expressed his gratitude to the Pope before the end of the mass.

“Almost 500 years ago, European missionaries planted the

seed of faith in our beloved Philippines. We are happy and blessed because after 5 centuries, we are here in Europe and throughout the world, transmitting the joy and the beauty of the Gospel,” he said.

“Yes, it is true, we carry with us, wherever we go, the torch of faith of the Gospel in the world — the same faith and Gospel that has been transmitted to us,” he added.

This was the first time a pope led a Simbang Gabi, highlighting

even further the mark the Philippines is making on the global Catholic map after Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle was appointed as the new prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples by Pope Francis.

“In many spots on the Catholic map, including parts of the U.S., Filipinos today are the new Irish, meaning missionaries who keep local churches alive,” Veteran Vatican analyst John Allen had noted after Tagle’s appointment. n

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 20-26, 2019

A

Customs issues import procedures for foreign donations

by Consuelo

Marquez

Inquirer.net

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) on Tuesday, December 17 issued guidelines for importing international donations to avoid “unnecessary charges.”

According to the BOC, foreign donations require “payment of customs duties and taxes, and to normal procedures for the processing of imports.”

Foreign donations are exempted from payment duties and taxes if the consignee is: • a national government agency • a foundation or relief organization registered with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) of the Philippines • a non-stock, non-profit educational institution • a disabled person To avail duty and tax exemption for importation, BOC said a tax exemption indorsement (TEI) should be secured from the Department

Inquirer.net file photo

of Finance-Revenue Office.

Here are the requirements for the application of TEI: • a recommendation or endorsement for duty or tax exemption from the appropriate government agency (DSWD, NEDA, DepEd, CHED, etc.)

• a request letter addressed to the secretary of the Department of Finance (attention: Director IV, Revenue Office) • import bill of lading (BL) or

airway bill (AWB) • import invoice • packing list (PL) • deed of donation • other documents as may be required by the DOF The approved TEI will be submitted by the Central Records Management Division of the DOF to Tax Exempt Division of the BOC for transmittal to the proper BOC Collection District for processing. n

DACA beneficiaries could stay in the US for years Whatever Supreme Court decides, legal remedies can help

by Pilar

Marrero Ethnic Media Services

WHILEe hundreds of thousands of immigrants with DACA permits await the decision of the Supreme Court on the future of the program, lawyers and immigrant advocates argue that the vast majority of them have sufficient legal rights to remain in this country for several years and maybe, indefinitely.

At a Dec. 11 press briefing organized by Los Angeles County and Ethnic Media Services (EMS), experts urged immigrants protected

by DACA or who once had it, but did not renew it, to get immedi-

ate advice from the county Office of Immigrant Affairs or with any local organization regarding their legal rights, possible financial aid and process to extend their status.

“It is very important that immigrants with DACA renew the program as soon as possible,” said Judith Vásquez, representative of county supervisor Hilda L. Solís.

“We know that the federal government has announced its intention to raise the cost of the DACA fee from $495 to $765 and it is best that they renew now before that happens,” Vasquez added, pointing to the fact that Los Angeles County “has more immigrants

DOJ: Gov’t not replacing water...

PAGE A1 move the onerous provisions, Guevarra said.

Dominguez said Manila Water and Maynilad, which operate the east and west concessions, respectively, “have themselves said that they are willing to do the review.”

“In fact, let me tell you, just to show you that this review is acceptable: when we bid out the contract for the water concession in New Clark City, these onerous terms were not there. And yet, Manila Water bid,’’ the finance secretary said on the sidelines of Sulong Pilipinas Agribusiness Summit 2019 in Davao City.

“So it must be acceptable to them,” he added.

Regular review Dominguez said the review would be “a good signal to the rest of the investing community that people look at the interest of the nation as a whole. And this is not abrogation of the contracts, but a review of the contracts, which I think should be done regularly.”

Maynilad told the Philippine Stock Exchange on Monday that banks had suspended lending money to the company for its new projects due to uncertainties over its concession contract with the government.

Temporary negative effects The market valuation of four companies with interest in water distribution in Metro Manila and in Cavite and Rizal provinces had declined by more than P128 billion in the past 11 trading days after President Rodrigo Duterte threatened to arrest officials of the concessionaires and charge them with economic sabotage.

After the Department of Justice examined the contracts, the president claimed that these were laden with onerous provisions disadvantageous to taxpayers, including barring the government from intervening in setting rates and allowing the concessionaires to seek compensation should they be barred from raising tariffs.

Another provision allows the companies to pass on to consumers expenses not directly related to water distribution.

In Manila, Guevarra acknowledged that the administration’s ultimatum to the two concessionaires had resulted in “temporary negative effects” in the business community.

But the government “couldn’t care less” anyway about foreign investors who are only after profit, he said. “What we want are foreign investments with a sense of corporate social responsibility.”

Last week, Dominguez said he preferred a frequent assessment and fine-tuning of long-term contracts entered into by the government with private companies amid changing economic conditions.

“This is my personal opinion: the contracts should recognize that times change and you cannot fix the return on a fixed basis. It should be referenced to what the interest rates were at that particular time,” he said on Friday, Dec. 13.

Former officials said the agreements signed in 1997 reflected the economic situation then when water distribution was not appealing to investors and the state-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System (MWSS) was not delivering water to many residents of the metropolis.

Hence, the allegedly onerous provisions served as sweeteners to lure in investors at the time.

“That’s probably correct, but times have changed so you must change with the times,” Dominguez said.

Adjust rate of return “At that time [in 1997], the Philippines was paying 700 basis points over the benchmark of 6 percent. So we were paying a 13-percent interest rate when we borrow. So 12 percent looks OK. But 12 percent doesn’t look OK now. Our best spread is now 32 basis points over benchmark of 1.7 to 1.8 percent. You have to adjust also to be fair to consumers,” he pointed out.

Asked if he was open to grant the contracts to the same concessionaires in case negotiations go well, Dominguez replied: “I’ve actually talked to the Ayalas and one of the partners of Maynilad, and I already told them, ‘You guys should also put yourselves in our position, and see what items are disadvantageous to the government. Then, you should make your proposals already so we don’t have to go through this long-drawn-out discussions.’”

Guevarra said the government would entertain new concession bids if the renegotiation with the two companies fell through and only after a court had officially rescinded the existing agreements.

Amid the threats hurled by the president against them, Metro Manila’s water concessionaires are carrying on.

Not for sale Earlier this week, Maynilad chair Manuel V. Pangilinan reportedly said at a company gathering that his group would neither sell its business nor bow down to pressures to do so.

When sought for comment, Maynilad president Ramoncito Fernandez declined to elaborate on Pangilinan’s statement.

“It was a simple statement that is being spun around and sensationalized,” Fernandez told the Inquirer in a phone interview.

“Company morale is good, but we need to take care that their (employees’) morale [will remain] good,” he added.

In a regulatory filing, Manila Water said that based on initial evaluation of its cash flows, “we will still be able to sustain our operational needs, while negotiations with the MWSS are [going on].”

“We will discuss with the MWSS regarding the programmed projects and proper disposition of those during this period of dialogue,” the Ayala group subsidiary said.

“We look forward to the early resolution of issues so we can resume execution of the approved projects that will require additional funding.” n

covered with DACA than any other county in the nation, around 82,000 ”.

The experts added that in the event that the Supreme Court rules to end the program, the beneficiaries may still be able to stay in this country for several years, through new permits obtained before their DACA authorization ends and by fighting each case in

u PAGE A4

SHARE THE BLESSINGS. A total of 65,000 bags of goodies were given to the residents of Mandaluyong City from the local government during the annual “Pamaskong Handog” at the city hall complex. Mayor Carmencita “Menchie” Abalos led the ceremonial distribution of the goodies.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

CHR on Marcos case dismissal...

PAGE A1 dence.

According to the Fourth Division, the PCGG merely presented photocopied documents without proof of the existence of the originals and that no witness was presented to testify on the execution or preparation of a few documents which were already admitted by the defense as faithful reproduction of the originals.

“It’s sad because while we respect the decision of the court because they had to dismiss it on grounds of technicality dahil nga yung pinakitang ebidensya (because the shown evidence) was not in conformity with the best evidence rule,” said CHR spokesperson Jacqueline Ann de Guia.

“There might be a danger that the public might think that martial law never really happened and the atrocities committed is

fake news,” she added.

The CHR expressed hope that the remaining 17 civil cases pending before the Sandiganbayan will not be dismissed as well.

“The challenge is for PCGG and OSG to really build-up their cases, make sure that the remaining cases will not be dismissed on mere technicality. Magaling ang mga abugado sa PCGG at OSG, so naniniwala tayo na kailangan pa nilang magpursige (Lawyers of PCGG and OSG are excellent, so we believe they still have to work further),” De Guia said.

Senate to grill PCGG Senator Richard Gordon on Tuesday was not happy with PCGG failing to pursue its cases against the Marcoses, saying he would initiate a Senate inquiry and summon PCGG Chair Reynold Munsayac and the other officials organized to recover the

alleged ill-gotten wealth of the Marcos family.

“Let’s fix [the PCGG] because there seems to be something broken in it,” he said.

“They have to explain… It would appear that they are very cavalier in preparing for the [prosecution of] cases. There’s a case of urgency here. [They] are sending the wrong message to our country, that people get away with [their crimes], and that if you’re patient enough, your cases will be dismissed,” he added.

Gordon also said more competent lawyers should be hired by the agency as well as strengthen its legal research.

“They should get more qualified lawyers because the trick here is in the [legal] research and having good lawyers… those who will do the job,” he suggested. n

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Gender equality: Philippines out of Top 10

Philstar.com file photo by rIchmOnd

mercurIO Philstar.com

WITH fewer women in key government positions, the Philippines has dropped out of the top 10 most gender-equal countries for the first time.

The report found that the political empowerment gap in the country has widened considerably over the past two years, which caused its ranking to drop from 13th to 29th.

“This downgrade is almost entirely attributable to lower female representation in the Cabinet, which declined from 25 percent to 10 percent between 2017 and 2019,” the World Economic Forum (WEF) said.

WEF’s Global Gender Gap Report 2020 showed the country fell eight spots to rank 16th out of 153 economies, from last year’s eighth spot out of 149 countries.

This is the first time that the Philippines ranked lower than 10th in the Global Gender Gap Index.

The country’s lowest rank in the

index prior to this year’s outcome was when it placed 10th in 2017.

It achieved its highest rank in 2013 when it held fifth spot.

“The Philippines has closed 78 percent of its overall gender gap.

Once a member of the top 10 on the Global Gender Gap Index, the country now ranks 16th as a result of a small decline in its score,” the WEF report said.

The Philippines’ overall score of 0.781 ranks second best in East Asia and the Pacific next to New Zealand and is the highest in Asia.

Despite slipping in this year’s ranking, WEF said the Philippines’ performance was strong across three of four dimensions of the index – economic participation and opportunity, educational attainment, health and survival, and political empowerment.

The country closed 80 percent of the economic participation and opportunity gender gap, with women outnumbering men in senior and leadership roles, as well as in professional and technical professions — only one of four

countries to achieve such a feat.

It has also closed both its educational attainment and health and survival gender gaps.

WEF said women in the Philippines could expect to live in good health five years longer than men.

A significantly larger share of women is also enrolled in secondary education and tertiary education compared with men.

“Female representation in the parliament was also slightly down and stood at 28 percent at the beginning of 2019,” it added.

Overall, Iceland remained the world’s most gender-equal country, followed by Norway, Finland, Sweden and Nicaragua. Completing the top 10 in this year’s index were New Zealand, Ireland, Spain, Rwanda and Germany.

The Global Gender Gap Index was first introduced by the WEF in 2006 as a framework for capturing the magnitude of genderbased disparities and tracking their progress over time. It benchmarks national gender gaps on economic, education, health and political criteria. n

DACA beneficiaries could stay in the US...

PAGE A3 court individually.

“We know that 95% of immigrants with DACA do not have a pending deportation order” said Daniel Sharp, director of legal services at the Central American Resource Center (CARECEN). “That means that if the Supreme Court allows the government to continue with the elimination of DACA, the vast majority of the beneficiaries are not in imminent danger of being expelled from the country.”

Sharp explained that “you have to wait for the best and prepare for the worst”.

The attorney was referring to the fact that some DACA holders had previous orders of deportation after being placed into removal proceedings before the benefit existed. When they were approved for DACA, they were momentarily protected from being removed per that order. But U. S. immigration authorities have the power to act immediately on an outstanding order of deportation, without further hearings or process.

But those who were never in removal have a fighting chance in the courts that are already seriously backlogged with pending cases, making their deportation a long-term prospect.

“DACA holders have the right to fight deportation and with the number of cases in immigration courts in Los Angeles, three years is the minimum that would take,” Sharp said.

Thomas A. Sáenz, president and general counsel of MALDEF (The Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund), said that despite many media predictions about a possible negative outcome for DACA in the Supreme Court, “there is no way to antici-

pate the result, moreover, it is irresponsible to do so. ” However, he assured that even if the Supreme Court ruled against DACA (the decision should come before June of next year), young immigrants “will not be alone, there will be thousands of people supporting them and making sure they get their rights to fight deportation by all possible means. ” MALDEF is representing 22 DACA holders from Texas in defense of the program, against a lawsuit by Texas and 6 other states that sought to dismantle the program. The civil rights organization felt the Trump Administration, a defendant in that lawsuit, would not adequately represent the interests of DACA holders and asked the court to interview, which was allowed. That lawsuit is pending, and its resolution would depend on SCOTUS decision on the overall issue.

Support for DACA immigrants The bearers of DACA have the support of the community and of various organizations and institutions in Los Angeles.

Rigo Reyes, executive director of the Los Angeles County Office of Immigrant Affairs, outlined a variety of services for DACA holders and their families. “The county has taken concrete steps to protect and support immigrants,” Reyes said.

Along with legal help, financial assistance is also available to assist those who cannot pay the immigration fees. And the county is also responsible for compliance with minimum wage laws. DACA holders have work permits and are entitled to the same working rights as other workers.

More information can be obtained by calling the Los Angeles

County Immigrant Affairs Office toll free at 1-800-593-8222.

Tiffany Panlilio, DACA legal advisor for Asian American Advancing Justice (AAAJ), said that DACA holders “are scared and often have to choose between paying rent and renewing the benefit,” but that there is support for them to do it.

“We want to ensure that DACA is still standing and that in my organization we have legal support in various languages: Chinese, Thai, Tagalog and Korean,” she added, noting that one in five DACA is Asian. She invited the community to go to a trusted organization to obtain free legal advice. “It is better to know than not to know,” she said.

Francisco Rodríguez, chancellor of the Los Angeles Community College District, reminded the community that there are “Dream Centers” in each of the nine colleges in the system, which has more than 230,000 students.

There, young immigrants can receive legal assistance and mental health “in an environment free of hate and hostility”, he added.

“I am an immigrant and I have benefited greatly from public education,” Rodriguez said. “I invite undocumented students to enroll in our schools. I assure you that all your information is confidential, and we have taken steps to protect it.”

Meanwhile, criminal lawyer Lara Yeretsian reminded DACA beneficiaries that they have a lot to lose if they commit a crime such as driving under the influence (DUI).

“Any mistake can have serious consequences, especially for DACAs,” said Yeretsian. “Do not take risks and always consult a lawyer who understands the immigration consequences of any criminal conviction.” n

MISSA DE GALLO. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle blesses the faithful during the first dawn Mass held on Monday, December 16, at the Manila Cathedral.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

US envoy leads youth meet

by JaVIer JOe Ismael ManilaTimes.net

UNITED States Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim called on the Filipino youth to be active participants in the initiatives to positively transform their communities.

“You the nation’s emerging leaders are the most critical ingredients of this country’s future,” he said in his speech before the plenary session of the IgniteMNL, a summit celebrating the 6th anniversary of the Young Southeast Asian Leaders Initiative (Yseali) at the Far Eastern University in Manila.

The envoy assured the Yseali members of the continuing support of the U.S. Embassy in Ma-

nila to their various undertakings as he noted the fast growth of the group in a span of three years.

“In 2016, there were about 15,000 Yseali members across the country, just three years later, this network has grown to 28,000 members in the Philippines alone, and you have 150,000 in the Southeast Asia region,” Kim said.

IgniteMNL gathered 300 youth leaders from Metro Manila for a series of discussions and workshops on how youth can lead initiatives to positively transform their communities.

It is part of Yseali YOUnified, a yearly Yseali anniversary celebration in which youth leaders all over Southeast Asia conduct community engagement activities.

Launched in 2013, Yseali is

the U.S. government’s signature program to strengthen leadership development and networking in Southeast Asia. Through a variety of programs and engagements, including U.S. educational and cultural exchanges, regional exchanges and seed funding, Yseali seeks to build the leadership capabilities of youth in the region, strengthen ties between the United States and Southeast Asia, and nurture the community of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Yseali focuses on critical topics identified by youth in the region such as civic engagement, environmental and natural resources management, and entrepreneurship and economic development. n

Satellite to boost internet in PH, Asia-Pacific launched

by Ben

O. de Vera

Inquirer.net

THE Asian Development Bank (ADB)-financed satellite that will provide high-speed internet to Asia-Pacific countries, including the Philippines, has been launched into space.

In a Dec. 17 statement, the ADB said Kacific Broadband Satellites International Ltd.’s Kacific1 satellite was launched by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral in Florida, and will orbit above Asia-Pacific within its 15year service life.“The satellite will be able to deliver the most powerful signal ever achieved by a commercial satellite in the region, providing affordable broadband access to people in remote regions, many of whom have never had internet connectivity

before,” the ADB said.

“Remote and rural communities are typically beyond the reach of traditional fiber optics as terrestrial distribution and infrastructure takes time to build and is expensive. Kacific1 will cover these communities in Pacific island-nations and in archipelagic countries like Indonesia and the Philippines. The satellite will also have beams over South Asia, New Zealand and Papua New Guinea,” the ADB added. The ADB earlier signed its first-ever satellite financing worth $50 million with Kacific.

Besides ADB loans, the project will also be financed by the ADBadministered Leading Asia’s Private Sector Infrastructure Fund supported by the Japanese government’s aid arm Japan International Cooperation Agency.

“Satellite internet services, like those that will be provided

by Kacific1, are very effective in reaching the last mile of internet access, connecting remote areas that would otherwise remain isolated and lacking crucial services that can improve livelihoods and incomes,” said Jackie Surtani, infrastructure finance division director for Southeast Asia, East Asia and the Pacific at the ADB’s private sector operations department.

“Information and communications connectivity are powerful tools in fighting poverty through better education, health care and disaster resilience. The ADB sees these innovative technologies as vital channels bringing inclusive development to the most remote corners of our region,” Surtani said. n

Grab slapped with new P16.15-million penalty for breaching price, service quality promises

by Ian

nIcOlas cIgaral Philstar.com

THE Philippine Competition Commission said Wednesday, December 18, it slapped ridehailing firm Grab Philippines with a new round of hefty fine for charging passengers “extraordinary” fares and for excessive driver cancellations.

In a statement, the antitrust agency said it ordered Grab to pay a total fine of P16.15 million for violating its price and service quality commitments from May to August.

Broken down, the PCC said Grab should pay P14.5 million after its price surges went beyond the cap set by regulators, and P2 million for exceeding the allowed driver cancellations to 7.76% instead of the committed 5%.

Passengers who booked Grab rides from May 11 to August 10

this year should receive a refund within 60 days through GrabPay credits, the PCC said.

The competition watchdog likewise told Grab not to pass the cost of settling the penalties to its drivers and riders.

The P16.15 million fine is the latest in a string of penalties imposed by the PCC to Grab. Last month, the country’s antitrust watchdog ordered Grab to pay a penalty of P23.45 million for violating its pricing commitments.

Grab blames lack of supply, worsening traffic In a separate statement, Grab said it would comply with the PCC’s order and that customers would receive the rebates no later than February 10.

Grab also maintained that its pricing remain to be compliant with transport regulator’s fare matrix, adding that lack of supply and “worsening” traffic con-

dition caused the deviation from its commitments.

“Grab is hopeful on fulfilling its commitments to the PCC, however, it highlights that as a platform, pricing will still be influenced by factors such as lack of supply and traffic situation,” it said.

Since Grab took over Uber’s operations in the Philippines and other Southeast Asian countries last year, the PCC has been monitoring its activities.

“The ride-hailing market has seen profound changes in the past year as a result of Grab’s acquisition of Uber,” PCC Chairperson Arsenio Balisacan said.

“With the commitments in place, PCC aims to maintain pretransaction market conditions and will discipline any tendency to exercise monopolistic power with corresponding penalties,” Balisacan added. n

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A

VP defers release of drug war report

by Divina

nova joy Dela ManilaTimes.net

Criz

VICE President (VP) Maria Leonor Robredo has deferred the release of her report on the government’s anti-drug campaign because of the strong earthquake that struck Davao del Sur on Sunday, December 15.

Robredo was set to release the report on Monday, December 16.

However, she said it would not be right to discuss her recommendations amid the search and rescue operations being carried out in quake-hit areas.

“Ngayong umaga, naka-schedule sana ‘yung ating ulat sa bayan.

In fact, nandito na ‘yung report.

It’s a 40-page report na ‘yung usapan sana, sasabihin ko together with the recommendations pero dahil sa nangyaring malakas na paglindol sa Davao del Sur, saka sa mga katabing probinsya, gaya ng South Cotabato, minabuti namin na ipagpaliban muna (The report to the people was scheduled this morning. In fact, the report is here. It’s a 40-page report that I was supposed to share together with the recommendations, but due to the strong quake in Davao del Sur and in nearby provinces like South Cotabao, we decided to postpone it),” Robredo said in a news conference.

She noted that data from the

TOYM AWARDEES. Senate President Vicente Sotto III (8th from right), and other senators commend the 10 Outstanding Young Men (TOYM) of the Philippines in 2019 during their visit at the Senate in Pasay City on Monday, December 16. The awardees, recognized for their dedication in their respective professions that resulted in significant contributions to the Philippine society, are: Reynaldo Seville Abellana, Arts Humanities-Classic Music; Ziaur-Rahman Alonto Adiong of Government Service Insurance System; Alfonso Tomas Araullo, Journalism and Mass Communication - Broadcast Journalist; PHD Casiano Jr Hermopia Choresca Agricultural-fisheries and Agriculture; Dino Carlo Reyes Chua from Business-Tourism; Glenn Fiel Fernandez, PHD Political and Social Science-Youth Participation in Disaster Risk Reduction; Gerardo Gregorios Francisco Jr., Arts and Humanities in Dance; Dr. Marc Paul Jose Lopez, Medicine-Colon and Rectal Surgery; Engr. Aisa Alvarez Mijeno, Science Technology and Engineering - Green Technology; and Rep. Alfredo Paolo Dumlao Vargas III, Public Service.

PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

Vice President Maria Leonor Robredo

Manilatimes.net file photo

report was obtained from her 18day-stint as co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Committee on AntiIllegal Drugs (ICAD). It also contained her recommendations on how to improve the war on drugs.

“Ang sa amin lang, parang napaka-mali sa timing na asikasuhin natin ‘yung report sa ICAD na meron pa namang panahon para pag-usapan ito. Tingin namin mas mabuti na ang pagtuunan ng pansin ng lahat kung paano tayo makakatulong d’un sa mga victim (this is not the right time to release the ICAD report, we can talk about it some other time. It would be

better to give priority to the quake victims),” Robredo said.

But Sen. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go challenged Robredo to release her report.

“Karapatan ng bawat Pilipino na marinig ang report na sinasabi kaya dapat aniyang mailabas na niya ito (It is the right of every Filipino to listen to what Robredo said she would disclose),” the senator said on Monday.

President Rodrigo Duterte also challenged the vice president to speak up and expose what she claimed were her discoveries in the government’s war on drugs. n

a chance” to proceed in the Senate if it aims to amend economic provisions. “[Cha-cha to amend] Economic [provisions]? Yes, [we’ll support].

[But] other provisions? I’m not convinced,” Sotto said in a text message.

Sen. Panfilo Lacson said “the manner of voting must be resolved first before we even participate in the discussion of Charter change.”

“They can always test the Constitution. Nobody can prevent them except the Constitution itself. At the end of the day, the Supreme Court will decide. And yes, the Filipino people,” Lacson said in a text message.

Last week, a still unnumbered resolution was approved by the House Committee on Constitutional Amendments in a closeddoor meeting.

The resolution proposes, among others, to extend the term of the congressmen and local government officials from three years to five years, and to add the phrase “unless otherwise pro-

vided by law” on economic provisions in the Constitution.

Drilon said the non-mention of Cha-cha and federalism in the last state of the nation address of President Rodrigo Duterte “was a clear message to Congress that Cha-cha is no longer a priority of the administration.”

“Apparently, the message was lost on the members of the House of Representatives. I had said it before and I will say it once more, Cha-cha is dead,” he added.

He said it is a self-serving move on the part of the House to propose an extension of their term: “The term extension is illconceived. It extinguishes all the good intentions they may have in mind in pushing for Cha-cha. We will oppose it.”

Drilon stressed that majority of Filipinos were against the proposed shift to a federal system of government, citing a 2018 survey

by Pulse Asia, which showed that 67 percent of Filipinos opposed Cha-cha, with only 18 percent were in favor and 14 percent still undecided. n

Duterte-Duterte in 2022, says pre-election survey

by Divina

nova joy Dela ManilaTimes.net

Criz

DAVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, have emerged as the top candidates for President and Vice President for Visayas and Mindanao voters in 2022, according to a recentlyheld pre-election survey.

The independent and non-commissioned survey was conducted from Nov. 15 to 19, 2019 where 2,000 registered voters from the

two regions were randomly chosen. The survey was released by political consultancy firm PUBLiCUS Asia, Inc., and data was processed by its data science arm, VOX Opinion Research.

Duterte-Carpio emerged on top from a list of 21 potential presidential candidates with 35 percent of the respondents selecting her. She was followed by Senator Grace Poe-Llamanzares with 11 percent, Manila City Mayor Francis “Isko Moreno” Domagoso with 7.8 percent, Sen. Manny Pacquiao

with 5.5 percent, Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano with 4.6 percent and Sen. Christopher “Bong” Go, with 4.5 percent.

For the Vice Presidential race, the older Duterte emerged as the top candidate among 21 potential candidates garnering 11.6 percent. The daughter was a closw second second with 11.5 percent.

Domagoso is thirds with 9.85 percent, Poe with 9.05 percent, Cayetano 8.85 percent, and Pacquiao with 7.25. n

‘Cha-cha is doomed’ – senators Panelo blasts Robredo for meddling in ‘water war’

by BernaDette

tamayo

ManilaTimes.net

SENATE Minority Leader Franklin Drilon on Monday said the Senate and the Filipino people would reject Charter change (Cha-cha).

Echoing the statement made

by Senate President Vicente Sotto 3rd, Drilon claimed that the proposal to amend the 1987 Constitution is not a priority in the Senate.

“If the House of Representatives would insist on passing Chacha, make it a point to include their return address, because the Senate and the Filipino people will not accept it,” the senator said in a statement on Monday.

“Our counterparts in the lower house have the fighting spirit of a Filipino athlete. I do not want to dampen their spirit, but their Cha-cha is doomed,” he added.

Sotto agreed.

“We cannot prevent them from doing so. To each his own,” he said.

But he noted that Cha-cha “has

by Catherine

Marcos urges defense, military to declare unilateral Christmas ceasefire

by BernaDette

tamayo ManilaTimes.net

SENATOR IMEE Marcos on Tuesday, December 17, urged defense and military leaders to declare a two-day unilateral ceasefire with the New People’s Army (NPA) to allow soldiers to spend Christmas with their loved ones.

The senator has asked the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to implement a unilateral ceasefire from December 24 to December 25.

“Malaking bagay ang dalawang araw na ceasefire sa mga sundalo natin (The two-day ceasefire is a big deal with soldiers),” Marcos said in a statement.

“Ang makapiling nila ang kanilang mga pamilya kahit sa loob ng barracks ay sapat na para maipagdiwang nang mapayapa ang Pasko (The chance to be

with their families even in their barracks is enough to spend the Christmas peacefully),” she said.

Marcos also said that if the NPA, the armed component of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), would not declare a ceasefire this Christmas and opt to ambush government forces, it would create a “negative effect” among their ranks and would earn the ire of Filipinos.

“Walang simpatyang makukuha ang NPA kung hindi sila magsasagawa ng sariling ceasefire (The NPA will not get any sympathy [from the people] if they will not conduct their own ceasefire),” she said.

“Magagalit sa kanila ang taumbayan na naniniwala sa kapanganakan ni Hesu Kristo at ang pagdiriwang ng Pasko (The people who believe in the birth of Jesus Christ and the celebration of Christmas will get angry

Senator Imee Marcos Manilatimes.net file photo

with them),” Marcos said.

She expressed support for the Palace statement that the peace talks between the government and the CPP may not proceed if the NPA would continue to attack government troops. n

S. valente ManilaTimes.net

MALACAÑANG told Vice President (VP) Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo to stop meddling in the controversy surrounding the contracts between the government and water concessionaires.

Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Robredo did not know anything about the matter.

“My advice for VP Leni is: don’t dip your hands if you know nothing,” he said.

“The president has made a stand and the stand appears to be very effective. She should know that,” Panelo added.

Robredo has called on the government to take a “calmer” approach in pushing for better water concession agreements, as its confrontational stance against water firms might spook investors.

“If we don’t pursue calmer

talks, this would leave a lot of collateral damage,” Robredo said on her radio program on Sunday.

“If there are bad provisions, let’s renegotiate them and let’s not allow these to continue because it negatively affects the people. But we should always think of how we approach this,” she added.

The government has revoked the extension of concession agreements of Manila Water Co. Inc. and Maynilad Water Services Inc. after they drew the ire of Duterte following Manila Water’s winning an arbitration case against the government in November.

Duterte warned of a military takeover of the water distribution operations from the two concessionaires over their alleged “onerous” concession agreements.

The Philippine government has lost arbitration cases against

Manila Water and Maynilad. Last month, the Permanent Court of Arbitration in Singapore ordered the Philippine government to pay P7.3 billion to Manila Water for its losses.

In 2017, the tribunal also ordered the government to pay Maynilad P3.4 billion for not allowing the company to raise rates.

Duterte earlier threatened to fight the ruling and file charges against the concessionaires over the agreements that he claimed were disadvantageous to the government.

The President has also ordered the Finance department and the solicitor general to draft new concession contracts.

The 25-year concession agreements were signed in 1997 during the term of President Fidel Ramos. In 2009, they were allowed to extend their contracts until 2037. n

A

december 20-26, 2019 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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OpiniOn

Cell phone ban

Features

THE school kids might stage a revolt, but a proposal to ban students from 10th grade and younger from using cell phones and other electronic gadgets in the classroom is worth considering.

Rep. Rida Robes of San Jose del Monte City in Bulacan has filed a bill in the House of Representatives, seeking the ban, which aims to cover students up to 15 years old.

Robes said studies have linked children’s use of phones and other electronic gadgets in school to diminished academic performance, cyber bullying, teenage depression and even suicide.

In contrast, she cited a 2015 study conducted by the London School of Economics and Political Science, which showed a significant improvement in students’ test scores in schools that banned mobile phone use. Robes also noted that last year, France imposed a nationwide ban on cell phone use among students in primary and middle schools to improve academic performance and promote

healthy social development.

Her bill allows students to use their cell phones for emergencies, during special learning sessions, or if the gadgets are needed for medical purposes such as the monitoring of a child’s health indicators as recommended by a physician.

The phones and other electronic gadgets are to be deposited with school authorities for safekeeping until the end of the school day.

It’s a different world and a different generation, for whom the use of electronic gadgets is intuitive.

This proposal does not intend to deprive children of the use of such gadgets, but to allow them to concentrate better on using the faculties they were born with for learning within the controlled environment of a classroom. This ban is a proposal worth considering. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS MALIGAYANG PASKO. This Christmas will be bittersweet for our family as we just lost one very important pillar on my husband’s side of the family. My father-in-law was called back to heaven on December 5 — just when Advent has just started. He was 86.

I know many of you who have mourned the passing of a loved one in the Philippines will be able to relate to and understand the profound grief I am writing about.

My father-in-law Manolo Relos had a heart attack and then a stroke and pneumonia all in one week. My husband, being the doctor in the family, had been guiding my in-laws, including his two siblings also living in America, through FaceTime in explaining to them the treatment options, particularly the angioplasty to remove the blockage in the heart and later, the thoracentesis that would remove the water in his chest cavity to make him breathe better.

Unfortunately, two days after the procedure, we were told he would just sleep and not be responsive at all. Our hearts skipped a beat and were worried he might slip into a coma or just

Profound loss and grief when a loved one dies: The agony of living away from the motherland die and we were all thousands of miles and an ocean away. My husband, my brother-in-law in Portland, and sister-in-law in Boston all agreed it was time to go home.

I was supposed to host “Global Pinoy Idol” for The Filipino Channel and DZMM in Las Vegas the following week but I made the decision to be there for my husband and my in-laws during this most uncertain and difficult time. Hard as it might be to back out from a job I love to do, cognizant of the fact that my role in the show had been widely advertised and promoted, I knew in my heart I had to go home and help ease the burden of my husband and his family. Family would always come first for me.

For the first time in 13 years, all five children of Manolo and Norma Relos were together again with their parents. Miraculously, my father-in-law woke up, and had been responsive and started talking again.

He was so happy to see us all together by his bedside in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the hospital.

My father-in-law said, “wala nang kulang sa mga kaboodle”. “ I feel we are really one family.”

In the ICU, he was surrounded by his children and grandchildren who took care of him, reminisced about the past with him, and laughed at his jokes.

His health improved remarkably as his vital signs became stable. He was allowed to be transferred to a private room where he could be visited by even more family and friends.

On his second day in his private room, my husband and I were awoken by a frantic call from my sister-in-law who stayed with him overnight in the hospital. She said Daddy Manolo had been asking for my husband, and was saying “Pasakay na ako”. This, of course, could be interpreted as he was being picked up (sinusundo na) to be in his journey back to heaven.

My father-in-law then drifted into unconsciousness again and had not been responsive the whole day. My mother-in-law called in the priests of the Sacred Heart Shrine, where Daddy Manolo and Mommy Norma have been serving for decades, to give him the sacrament of extreme unction. My sistersin-law, especially the youngest who had not been home for 13 years, were inconsolable.

And then, another miracle.

He woke up and said “Great things are happening... Miracles are happening!”

He grew stronger and had been able to lift his arms and move his hands. His doctors were happy about his progress as we all were, and was given discharge clearance to go home. Daddy Manolo had always wanted to go home.

And so we prepared the house for him, bought him a hospital bed, oxygen tank, and private caregiver service for day and night to help Mommy Norma and my two sisters-inlaw take care of him.

We got Daddy Manolo settled at home on the Feast of Christ the King. Daddy said when he had a heart attack, the image of Christ the King with the heart of Sacred Heart came to visit him in his dreams and asked him, “Handa ka na ba?” and he said not yet, requesting for a little more time.

Then it was time for us to go back to the United States. My husband had a very solemn talk with his father, affirming he has accomplished his mission, that he had been a good father and husband and servant of the Lord. My husband told him that it was okay to heed the call of Jesus if He calls his name again,

and to follow the light. My husband reassured his father that we would all be okay, and gave him the promise we would all take care of Mommy Norma.

Ten days after we left for the U.S., Daddy Manolo went to be with the Lord.

My husband and his siblings were all grateful and blessed to have spent time with their father before he passed, to let him know and feel how much they love him while he was still alive. We did not wait for him to die to fly back home and bury his remains.

I was not able to do this with my own father when he passed away in 2014. We all thought he was getting better, having been discharged from the hospital to be at home. He died three days after he came home. It would seem that many people want to be in their own home when it was time for them to go back home to heaven. I went home to hug the lifeless body of my own father and had him cremated.

Of course, not everybody would have the opportunity, resources or option to go home during these difficult times.

Some do not have immigration papers to leave the United States without the risk of being

banned entry for staying in the country illegally.

One man without papeles lamented how painful it was that he was in the U.S. as a caregiver taking care of old people when he did not have the chance to take care of his own parents in their dying days because he had to stay in America so he could support his children. Ahhh... the painful choices we have to make.

So this holiday season and Christmas, I pray for our kababayans who have lost their loved ones while they were away from the Motherland.

May you find peace in your hearts knowing our departed loved ones are in a better place now — no more pain and suffering, only eternal life, love, peace and joy in Paradise with our Creator.

Have a merry and blessed Christmas! *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@ icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook.com/Gel.Santos.

Relos.

Update on the US socio-political scene

Postscript

Federico Pascual Jr. WE share some of the noteworthy findings in 2019 of Pew Research Center, a Washingtonbased non-partisan think tank, on varied topics, from demographic and political changes reshaping the United States to the attitudes and experiences of people in other countries.

•The American public renders a harsh judgment on the state of political discourse in the U.S. today. Large majorities of Americans say the tone and nature of political debate has become more negative in recent years, as well as less respectful, less fact-based and less substantive.

President Trump appears to be a major factor in people’s views: A 55-percent majority says Trump has changed the tone and nature of political debate in the country for the worse. Fewer than half as many (24 percent) say he has changed it for the better, while 20 percent say he has had little impact.

• The most active 10 percent of adult Twitter users in the U.S. produce 80 percent of all tweets sent by these users. The median adult user of the platform tweets only twice a month, but a small group tweets much more fre-

Philstar.com photo

The most active 10 percent of adult Twitter users in the U.S. produce 80 percent of all tweets sent by these users. The median adult user of the platform tweets only twice a month, but a small group tweets much more frequently, according to an April study. In a follow-up study that looked at tweets about national politics, 97 percent of tweets that were created by U.S. adults and mentioned national politics came from just 10 percent of users.

Inquirer.net photo

quently, according to an April study. In a follow-up study that looked at tweets about national politics, 97 percent of tweets that were created by U.S. adults and mentioned national politics came from just 10 percent of users.

• Newspaper circulation in the U.S. has fallen to its lowest level since at least 1940, the earliest year with available data. Total daily newspaper circulation — print and digital combined — was an estimated 28.6 million for weekday and 30.8 million for Sunday in 2018. Those numbers were down 8 percent and 9 per-

cent, respectively, from the previous year.

• Despite economic troubles facing the news industry, about 7-in-10 Americans (71 percent) believe their local news media organizations are doing well financially. This belief persists even though only 14 percent of U.S. adults say they personally have paid for local news in the past year, whether through subscriptions, donations or memberships. When asked why they do not pay for local news, 49 percent of non-payers point to the availability of free content.

• The foreign-born share of the U.S. population is at its highest point since 1910. Nearly 14 percent of people living in the U.S. in 2017 were born in another country, extending a steady increase over the past few decades. More than 44 million immigrants lived in the U.S. This foreign-born share, however, is far from the highest in the world. In 2017, 25 countries and territories had higher shares than the US, including Australia (29 percent), New Zealand (23 percent) and Canada (21 percent), as well as European countries such as Switzerland (30 percent), Austria (19 percent) and Sweden (18 percent).

• Hispanics are projected to be the largest racial or ethnic minority group in the 2020 electorate, overtaking the black voters for the first time. Hispanics are expected to account for just over 13 percent of eligible voters, slightly more than the black electorate.

A projected 32 million Hispanics will be eligible to vote in 2020, compared with 30 million black adults. Asian voters will number some 11 million, more than double their 5 million in 2000. Asians will account for 5 percent of next year’s electorate, while all nonwhites will be a third of eligible voters.

• The U.S. no longer leads

the world in admitting refugees.

While Canada resettled 28,000 refugees in 2018 — similar to its total in 2017 – the U.S. welcomed only 23,000, down from 33,000 the year before. It was the first time the U.S. was not the world’s top haven since the Congress created the refugee program in 1980.

The U.S. previously admitted more refugees each year than all other countries combined. The number of refugees resettled in the U.S. is likely to drop further: The Trump administration has set a new cap of 18,000 refugees in fiscal 2020.

• The number of people living in the U.S. without authorization has decreased over the past decade, driven by a sharp decline in unauthorized immigrants from Mexico who used to account for the majority of unauthorized immigrants. By 2017, there were 10.5 million unauthorized immigrants, including 4.9 million Mexicans.

While the number of unauthorized immigrants from Mexico has decreased, the numbers from two regions — Asia and Central America — have risen.

There were 5.5 million unauthorized immigrants from countries other than Mexico in 2017.

• Two-thirds of Americans support the legalization of marijuana, a reversal from two decades ago. Legalizing the drug

— which is banned under federal law — has the backing of a majority of men and women; white, black and Hispanic adults; and Democrats and Democraticleaning independents and Republicans and Republican leaners (though Democrats remain far more likely than Republicans to favor it, 78 percent vs. 55 percent).

An overwhelming majority of U.S. adults (91 percent) say marijuana should be legal for medical and recreational use (59 percent) or that it should be legal just for medical use (32 percent). Some 8 percent prefer to keep marijuana illegal in all circumstances.

• The share of Americans with an unfavorable view of China reached a 14-year high amid a protracted trade dispute between the two countries. Six-in10 U.S. adults have a negative opinion of China, up from 47 percent in 2018 and the highest share since Pew began asking this question in 2005.

Around a quarter of Americans (24 percent) name China as the country or group that poses the greatest threat, double the share who said this in 2007.

China is tied with Russia as the country or group most cited by Americans as a threat. The only other country to measure in the double digits is North Korea (12 percent). (Philstar.com)

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 20-26, 2019

A

China objects to Malaysia’s UN submission on South China Sea claim

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

CHINA urged the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (UNCLCS) not to consider Malaysia’s submission over its territorial waters in the South China Sea. Last week, Malaysia submitted a request to the committee to extend its continental shelf beyond the 200-nautical mile limit, in accordance with the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. “(T)his is a partial submission for the remaining portion of the continental shelf of Malaysia beyond 200 nautical miles in the northern part of the South China Sea. Malaysia and the Socialist Republic of Vietnam had on

6 May 2009 made a joint submission for a portion of the two States’ continental shelf, in the southern part of the South China Sea,” Malaysia said in its submission.

If the committee considers Malaysia’s submission, the issue will be discussed during the 53rd session of the UNCLC in New York from July to August next year.

China, meanwhile, accused Malaysia of infringing its sovereignty as the limits proposed by the latter would pass through the Paracel and Spratly Islands in the South China Sea. In a diplomatic note sent to UN secretary general Antonio Guterres, China’s permanent mission stressed that it has “historic rights” in the South China

Sea, according to a report from South China Morning Post.

The Chinese mission claimed that the country has “internal waters, territorial sea and a contiguous zone” based in the South China Sea islands.

Beijing also claimed it has an exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in the area.

In July 2016, the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration issued a landmark ruling on the Philippines’ arbitration against Beijing’s expansive claims over the South China Sea, including the West Philippine Sea. The arbitral tribunal invalidated China’s nine-dash line claim over the disputed waterway but Beijing refuses to acknowledge this award. n

GIANT LANTERNS. The colorful Christmas display of giant lanterns (parol) at the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas light up this portion of Roxas Boulevard in Manila. The display of lanterns at home and offices is a popular Christmas holiday tradition of Filipinos.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Ifugao governor disputes UN Duterte tells troops on AFP anniversary to crush NPA, Abu Sayyaf on deterioration of rice terrace by ratzieL

san Juan Philstar.com

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte told soldiers to crush state enemies, including the New People’s Army and Abu Sayyaf, during the 84th anniversary of the AFP at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

“At isa pang kalaban natin na sumisira sa buhay natin ay itong mga terorista na kasali na ang NPA, kasali na ang mga kidnap for ransom...ang Abu Sayyaf at lahat na,” Duterte said in his Tuesday address.

(One more enemy that continues to destroy our lives are these terrorists, including the NPA, including those conducting kidnap for ransom operations...and Abu Sayyaf and the rest.)

A government petition to declare the NPA and the Communist Party of the Philippines as terrorist organizations is still pending with a Manila court.

“At ang utos ko sa kanila, at pag sila ay lumaban, durugin para matapos na ang problema ng Pilipino.”

(I’m telling our soldiers if these state enemies resist, crush them so we can end the problem of Filipinos.)

Sen. Imee Marcos, earlier on Monday, December 16 called on the government to declare a unitary ceasefire with the NPA on December 24 to 25 and allow a

universally “peaceful” Christmas celebration.

“Malaking bagay ang dalawang araw na ceasefire sa mga sundalo natin. Ang makapiling nila ang kanilang mga pamilya kahit sa loob na barracks ay sapat na para maipagdiwang nang mapayapa ang Pasko,” Marcos said.

(A two-day ceasefire means a lot to our soldiers. To be with their families even inside barracks is enough to celebrate a peaceful Christmas.)

Aside from the ceasefire call, rights groups are also calling for the resumption of peace talks between the government and communist rebels in order to address the roots of a decades-long armed conflict.

Human rights monitor Karapatan said it welcomed recent pronouncements of the government expressing interest in the revival of peace talks, but stressed that the sincerity needs to reflect in pro-people moves like the release of political prisoners.

Duterte: Drug problem worsening Duterte in his speech also said the drug problem is worsening and requires immediate action for which he alone is willing to take “full legal responsibility” and “go to prison.”

“We are fighting for the survival of our nation. We have to make safe, we have to assure that the next generation will be freed of

President Rodrigo Duterte Philstar.com file photo

these vulgarities of life, especially [drugs], for it will affect the quality of our nation tomorrow,” the president said.

He also provided dubious estimates on the magnitude of the drug problem.

“We cannot afford to get something like one-fourth of the population disoriented, insane because of drugs,” Duterte said.

According to Philippine Statistics Authority figures, the Philippines has an estimated population 100,981,437. A fourth of that is more than 25.2 million people.

There have been more than 5,500 “drug personalities” killed in anti-drug operations as of the latest government data release, but human rights advocates claim the death toll is already approaching 30,000. n

The Ifugao Rice Terraces are classified as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage System (GIAHS) and a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Philstar.com photo by Andy Zapata

in touch with Ifugao province regarding the state of the rice terraces, while assuring that inTHE rice terraces in Ifugao ternational partners are aware of are being cared for, Ifugao Gov. rehabilitation and restoration proJerry Dalipog declared, disputing grams there.

The governor said the P194-mila United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization description lion budget for the rice terraces in of the world heritage site as being 2020 will be sourced from the “in a very critical stage of deterio- Department of Public Works and Highways and the Tourism Inration”.

He said some P194 million will frastructure and Enterprise Zone be allotted in 2020 for the rehabili- Authority.

FAO recognizes the Ifugao Rice tation of the terraces.

FAO said the “continued surviv- Terraces as a Globally Important al of the terraces is threatened by Agricultural Heritage System (GIvarious factors such as environ- AHS), FAO stated.

Sen. Imee Marcos meanwhile mental degradation, unregulated development and neglect brought lamented an apparent lack of govabout by urbanization and chang- ernment attention on preserving the terraces. ing values.”

“I am calling on the local govDalipog said FAO has not been by artemio

dumLao Philstar.com

ernment of Ifugao, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Tourism and even the Department of Agriculture, let us work together.

It is the country’s reputation on the line.”

Marcos, chair of the Senate Comittee on Cultural Communities, said she is afraid that the rice terraces could be erased from the Philippine map with its deteriorating state.

From 1,670 hectares of the terraces stretching from Hungduan to Banaue, 600 hectares are reportedly abandoned and needing rehabilitation.

Marcos is proposing a comprehensive plan and the help of experts to arrest the deterioration of the heritage site. n

A

DECEMBER 20-26, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

SF The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

Friday, December 20, 2019

Photo by Lindsey Byrnes

SF

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

The gentle power of Fil-Am musician Jay Som, the multitalented ambassador for kindness and resilience

by Klarize

Medenilla / AJPress

THE genre-bending Filipina American Melina Duterte on authentic creative expression, listening to herself and overcoming the anxieties of our life and her latest album “Anak Ko” Melina Duterte would like to quash falsehoods regarding how she came up with her nom de plume, Jay Som. “This story gets asked about a lot because there are a lot of wrong information about it,” Duterte, 25, tells the Asian Journal in a phone interview. On the music streaming service Spotify, Duterte’s bio claims that she got the name from a specific name generator inspired by alternative hip-hop artist Childish Gambino.

This isn’t true. She got the name from an obscure baby name generator on the internet, one of the thousands of name generators designed to help parents pick out a name for their baby.

“You know when you’re Googling and you go to the 6th page, like, definitely not one of the top search results,” Duterte says, laughing. “And that’s what I really remembered, and I scrambled a bunch of words and then it came up with Jay Som and the translation was ‘victory moon.’ I thought it sounded great and decided to go with it.”

There is a catch, however.

“Unfortunately, I did find out that there were like 10,000 people actually named Jay Som, but, you know, c’est la vie.”

In any case, it’s probably safe to say that a Google search of Jay Som today will result in top results relating to Duterte’s music, which she’s been recording as Jay Som since 2015.

Yielding the moniker Jay Som from a name generator for babies, specifically, is apropos to the life and career trajectory of the young singer and songwriter

who has cultivated Jay Som as a beautifully maturing musical project that transcends the traditional bounds of genre.

The latest creation, the album “Anak Ko” (“My Child”) released on August 23, is Duterte’s sophomore album, an intimate, quarter-life introspection that not only embraces vulnerability but finds strength in it.

To generically summarize Duterte’s sound would be an act of futility; as is the trend in music today, her sound is complex and fluid and refuses to be categorized by a singular genre.

It refreshing call to kindness that combines elements of postaughts indie rock — as heard in acts such as Death Cab for Cutie and Phil Elverum, and the richness of the euro rock scene of the 1980s à la the Cocteau Twins and The Cure — refined underscored by hazy bedroom pop which has defined the sound of the 2010s.

The soft timbre of Duterte’s voice captures the cool languor of a native Californian with the wisdom of someone with lived experience who is successfully learning to listen to herself.

Since then, she has emerged as a tour de force of tenderness, with her music becoming a balm for a digital world obsessed with clout and racked with social anxiety.

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

From a young age, Duterte expressed deep fascination with music, playing the trumpet and guitar and participating in family karaoke sessions, a rite of

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

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

passage for any young Filipino.

At the age of 12, she began privately writing and recording music in her bedroom, and planned to attend a conservatory program to pursue jazz, but her love of songwriting led her to study music production and recording instead.

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

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

Facing reality through sobriety

Photo by Lindsey Byrnes

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

of your surroundings can feel unbearable.

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

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

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

Finding power in compassion Two years of sobriety later and no intention of falling back on the wagon, Duterte feels like she’s taken full control of her creative work and personal life. By giving up drinking, she learned to find comfort with herself and explore mindfulness as a means of nurturing.

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

“Like with my music, I feel like I’m generating better music and have a straighter sense of what I want and also I know who I want to work with now and what I want from friendships and what I want from working relationships because I think what being sober taught me was you get to face your challenges head-on.

You cannot fix it with a vice and you can’t bottle it up anymore.

It fixed my communication with not just others but with myself, too.”

In 2017, Duterte moved from the Bay to Los Angeles to center herself and mature as a musician, recording her own music

and collaborating with other musicians like Chastity Belt and Sasami. “Anak Ko” is the product of the dramatic emotional shifts Duterte has endured and lessons learned in a relatively short amount of time.

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

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

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

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

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

Jolo marries ‘personal angel’ Catriona to be more in US garden wedding visible in PH after reign by iza iglesias

by arMin P. adina

ManilaTimes.net

Inquirer.net

FOR many pageant aficionados, South African beauty queen Zozibini Tunzi has huge shoes to fill as Miss Universe because last year’s winner, Catriona Gray, set the bar so high.

“I’m very flattered by that comment. I wanted people to look into my year and say, ‘I see Catriona there.’ And I feel that I’ve already done that because I’ve always been community-oriented. And to see people taking notice of that has been very fulfilling,” the 2018 winner told Inquirer Entertainment during her last trip to the Philippines before relinquishing her title.

Zozibini inherited Catriona’s crown when she bested 89 other delegates for the 2019 Miss Universe crown in ceremonies staged at the Tyler Perry Studios in Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States, on Dec. 8 (Dec. 9 in Manila).

“I’m definitely going to continue the work that I’m doing and getting involved in different communities, not just in the Philippines, but also in other communities around the world,”

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray

Catriona said during a Christmas party last month hosted by Filipino fast-food chain Jollibee for children under the care of Young Focus Foundation.

“It’s really the kind of work

ACTOR and Cavite Vice Governor Ramon “Jolo” Revilla III married Binibining Pilipinas 2016 first runner-up Angelica Alita in a garden ceremony held at Pelican Hills Resort in Newport Beach, California on Sunday, December 16.

The groom’s parents, Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. and Bacoor Mayor Lani Mercado, and his siblings were in attendance.

The senator posted a live video of his son’s wedding ceremony on his Facebook page as the couple exchanged vows.

An emotional Jolo said, “Because of you and what you do, you made me a good man.

Thank you for loving me. You made me realize that I don’t need to become someone else Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray and pretend to be someone else. Tanggap mo kung sino that I love doing,” added Catriona, the fourth Filipino woman ako at kung ano ako. Not all to wear the Miss Universe crown. angels are in heaven, mine is here on Earth standing now Miss Universe manager in front of me… Basta kasama Esther Swan, who was always kita, saan man tayo pumunta, Continued on Page SF3

pakiramdam ko lagi akong nasa langit. … Finally God has given me the ultimate gift of finding my own personal angel.”

He continued, “You are the one that I desire. Ikaw na ang matagal kong hinihintay.

Paulit-ulit kong ipinapangako sa iyo, ikaw ang magiging sentro ng buhay ko sa mata ng Panginoon. It’s all because of you I found peace and happiness. You give direction to my life. You’re always there to guide me and inspire me. You bring out the best in me.

“I’ve never been so certain.

Lagi lang pabago-bago ang isip ko sa mga bagay-bagay pero sa iyo, siguradong-sigurado ako. Hindi ko inaasahan na darating ang araw na ito.

Matagal ko na itong hinihintay at ngayon nandito na tayo sa altar, sa harap ng mga mahal natin sa buhay, nangangako na mamahalin natin ang isa’t isa habambuhay. Akala ko noon wala nang magmamahal sa akin. Akala ko wala nang mahuhulog at mai-in love sa akin. Pero napakabuti ng Diyos binigyan ako ng anghel na walang pakpak at ikaw ‘yon.”

Actor-politician Jolo Revilla with new wife, former beauty queen Angelica Alita.

Photo from Instagram/@jolo_revilla

His bride in turn said, “I may appear strong to many but you know my weaknesses and I love you for that. There’s nothing not to love about you.

You are the most caring father, son and brother to your family,” she said, adding that she will also love and take care of Jolo’s son, Gab, from a previous relationship.

Continued on Page SF3

Immigration Corner

January 2020 priority dates The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: Visa Issuance Date

September 15, 2009

January 15, 2009

EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again.

Beginning in October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and USCIS indicates on its website it will use the Application Filing Date for that month).

This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance or Final Action Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. ***

November 01, 2019

Current

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holders

October 01, 2009

February 01, 2009

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens

September 01, 1999

January 01, 1999

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of US Citizens

November 01, 1999

March 01, 1999

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

Second Preference Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

First Preference

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holders

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

January 01, 2019

March 15, 2018

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

January 01, 2019

March 15, 2018

Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty,

guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

Jolo marries ‘personal...

From Page SF2 “Today, I vow to know myself as you and you as myself.

I promise to dream with you and be your biggest supporter, to encourage you and to stand by you from this day forward.

Jolo, hindi ka na iiyak mag-isa.

Kasama mo akong babangon at magpupunas ng iyong mga luha. At higit sa lahat, salamat sa Panginoon for directing you to me because now I finally found my heaven on Earth with

you and Gab by my side. Mahal na mahal ko kayo. Mahal na mahal kita. I love you.”

Jolo first confirmed he is in a relationship with the former beauty queen early this year, and by September already confirmed they had planned to marry before the end of 2019.

The news came as a surprise to the public who had always thought Jolo would reunite with his previous girlfriend of eight years, actress Jodi Sta.

SF

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

Application Filing Date

FAMILY CATEGORY:

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

community

Maria.

Jolo’s son Jose Gabrielle, or Gab, meanwhile, was from an earlier relationship with actress Rosanna Roces’ daughter Grace Adriano.

The guests were a mix of showbiz and government personalities, among them are principal sponsors Leyte First District Representative Martin Romualdez, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Cavite Governor Jonvic Remulla.

IS THERE HOPE FOR A PERSON WHO WAS SENT BACK TO THE PHILIPPINES, AIRPORT TO AIRPORT, FOR ADMITTING THEY WORKED IN THE U.S. ON A PREVIOUS VISIT? THE ANSWER TO THIS QUESTION AND MORE ON “CITIZEN PINOY: YOUR TANONG, MY SAGOT!” The first batch of Kapamilya who attended the Citizen Pinoy taping in Virginia get the chance to have their questions answered this Sunday. Find out whether someone who jumped ship 16 years ago, but who now has a U.S. citizen son, can acquire her green card. Get answers to these and more on an encore episode of — “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

(Advertising Supplement)

Catriona to be more...

From Page SF2 beside Catriona during her reign, told Inquirer Entertainment that she will miss “everything” about the Filipino queen.

“She’s always here (pointing to her heart). ‘I feel Filipina, I am Filipina,’” Esther continued.

Catriona promised to be more visible in the Philippines, but shared that she may pursue opportunities in music and “cause work” outside the country. She said she hoped to weave her love of music into her advocacy.

Aside from Gray, the other Filipino Miss Universe winners are Gloria Diaz (1969), Margarita Moran (1973) and Pia Wurtzbach (2015).

This year’s representative, Gazini Ganados, finished in the Top 20, sustaining the Philippines’ semifinal streak that was started by Miss Universe fourth runner-up Venus Raj in 2010.

Beginning 2020, a new team will select the country’s representative to the global tilt, with 2011 Miss Universe third runnerup Shamcey Supsup-Lee assuming the national directorship for the Philippines.

In her official Instagram account, the 33-year-old multihyphenate and mother of two said, “I am honored with my new role for the organization that brought meaning to my life as a beauty queen and as a woman. I am more than blessed to be the national director of Miss Universe

Philippines.”

The Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc., which has held the Miss Universe license for the Philippines since 1964, issued a statement on its official Facebook page confirming the Miss Universe Organization’s decision not to renew their partnership.

SF

celebrityworld

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

celebrity world

Miss Universe franchise leaves Binibining Pilipinas

By Ferdie Villar A FEW hours after the new Miss Universe 2019 — Miss South Africa Zozibini Tunzi — was crowned, it was announce that the pageant franchise will no longer be under Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. (BPCI). The announcement was made by no less than the newly established Miss Universe Philippines Organization last Monday, December 9.

The BPCI was founded and chaired by former Miss International Stella Marquez-Araneta in 1969.

“The Miss Universe Organization (MUO) expresses its heartfelt gratitude to the Araneta Group and Binibining Pilipinas Charities, Inc. for their more than 50 years of stewardship of the Miss Universe brand and franchise in the Philippines. Both organizations have made an indelible mark in the international pageant scene for celebrating the intelligence, beauty and grace of hundreds of Filipina queens, and for garnering several international titles through the years,” the statement read.

“Undeniably, the most prestigious of these titles continues to be the coveted Miss Universe Philippines. The foundation and fundamentals of Philippine pageantry are known worldwide to be solid and shall endure all because of the hard work and commitment of the Araneta Group and BPCI. “Today is a momentous occasion as the country and the Miss Universe Organization focus their collective gaze towards the future of pageantry. It is but fitting that the path to the future be led with vigor and a vision aligned with the transformative purpose of Miss Universe. The Miss Universe Organization is

EMPLOYMENT

thrilled to announce its partnership with the Miss Universe Philippines Organization — a fresh team that will lead the country towards its continued quest to share the beauty and grace of the Filipina to the rest of the world.”

The MUO appointed former beauty queen Shamcey SupsupLee as national director of the Philippine franchise, joined by designer Albert Andrada as Design Council Head, beauty queen coach Jonas Gaffud as Creative Director, Lia Ramos as Head of Women Empowerment Committee and Charity, lawyer Nad Bronce as Head of Legal Affairs and Mario Garcia as Business Development/Marketing Head.

The new organization promises to bring the franchise to new heights but assures everyone that it will keep true to its foundation.

“Rooted in the same strong foundations that have earned the country title after in past half century, the Miss Universe Philippines Organization is poiesed to bring the Miss Universe franchise to greater heights. More importantly, it is the continued support of the pageant fans and community that inspires the Miss Universe Organization to take this crucial step forward. With the Filipina at the center of it all, a bright and beautiful future lies ahead.”

Speaking of Miss Universe, the Philippines’ representative to the recent pageant Gazini Ganados may not have won the crown, but definitely has won the hearts of the people.

Coming out from her weeklong hiatus from social media, the beauty is back on Instagram where she wrote a heartfelt mes-

sage for her supporters.

“What a wonderful thought it is that some of the best days of our lives haven’t even happened yet. After a week of social media hiatus to give myself some time to rest, I’m definitely back! And I have been wanting to say this: Daghang Salamat! Maraming Salamat Pilipinas! I couldn’t be more proud as our country’s name was called while seeing our kababayans raise our flag in Atlanta,” she wrote.

Although Gazini only made it to Top 12, the beauty queen believes that her journey in the Miss Universe pageant may be over, her fight for her causes will go on.

“Our journey to Miss Universe might have come to its conclusion, but our fight for our cause will forever live on,” she said.

Although Miss Universe Philippines Gazini Ganados only made it to the Top 12 during the pageant’s finals, the beauty queen thanked all her supporters and shared that she will continue to fight for her causes.

EMPLOYMENT

Beauty queen Shamcey Supsup-Lee was appointed by the Miss Universe OrgaMichelle Marquez Dee, Miss Philippines World 2019, landed as one of the top nization as the national director of the pageant’s Philippine franchise, after it 10 finalists in the Miss World 2019 beauty pageant held in London, England announced that it has ended its ties with Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc. Photo from Instagram/Shamcey Supsup-Lee recently.

Mark Anthony Perez, an assistant manager for Tri City Xpress Lube in Brentwood, California, celebrates his birthday on Saturday, December 28.

Angeline Perez, a member of the care staff at The Commons at Dallas Ranch in Antioch, celebrated her 22nd birthday with relatives and friends at the Perez residence recently.

Actor and Cavite Vice Governor Jolo Revilla tied the knot with his girlfriend, former beauty queen and actress Angelica Alita last Sunday, December 15, at Pelican Hill in Newport Beach, California.

Former beauty queen and actress Angelica Alita married actor and Cavite Vice Governor Jolo Revilla last Sunday, December 15, in Newport Beach, California.

PSYCHIC

SERVICES

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

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

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

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

Today, just before sundown, he had filled the 12 modestly furnished rooms with tired and hungry travellers. He thought of meeting up with his shepherd friends in the pasture once he had turned over the inn’s affairs to the night attendant. He had heard his shepherd friends on night watch talk about an unusually bright star that has been moving in the heavens for many nights now. They said it was a spectacle to behold and he wanted to see it for himself.

The rumor buzzing around town was that the soothsayers in King Herod’s palace studying the unusual heavenly display were cowering in fear, loathe to tell the

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

It was to be between him and God alone.” king the meaning of the unusual star. Eventually, they had to tell the king for nothing escapes him.

Herod did not suffer fools gladly.

The prophecy will come to pass. The king to rule all kings was to be born very soon within the kingdom. It was no wonder King Herod was in a vicious mood. Joshua thought the ruthless king would remove all threats to his kingship by all means fair or foul. It was bad enough he had to bow to the superior might of the Roman conquerors who had allowed him to be king within his territory.

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

Alas, the last room has been let and Joshua told him so.

Joshua glanced at the woman and his heart was filled with pity. He thought quickly of his own home for them to stay for the night but it was some distance away. He had to think and act quickly. It looks like the woman was about to give birth at any moment. Joshua had seen to his own mother at childbirth. He had helped his own father deliver some of his brothers himself.

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

“Come with me.”

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

community SF Bela is second to no one The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

BELA Padilla is a cut above the rest. To cite a cliché, she’s yards at the back of the inn. a class by herself. She’s defined Earlier in the day before the not so much by good looks but sun was up, he took to clearing the varied roles that have proven the stable himself. He didn’t her versatility as an actress, know why he did it. But now he such as those in “10,000 Hours” was glad he did so. He thought (as a reporter monitoring the the squalid stable with its walls senator-character played by and roof can shield this poor Robin Padilla), “100 Tula Para Kay couple from the cold night as the Stella” (as the ephemeral fantasywoman delivers her child. girlfriend of JC Santos), “The Day Joshua gave the man the After Valentine’s” (also with JC blankets and clean sheets, the Santos) and in “Miracle in Cell No. warm water and some extra oil 7,” Viva Films’ official entry in the for the lamp to burn through the 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival night. He set a makeshift table (MMFF) in which she plays Aga for the bread, fish and wine and Muhlach’s grown-up daughter lit the lamp in one corner.

Yesha who would defend him in He moved quickly as he court after he is accused of sexuhelped the man make his wife ally assaulting and murdering a comfortable. He could see the little girl. The little Yesha is played woman’s face etched in pain

by Xia Vigor. for the birth pangs seem to be Directed by Nuel Naval (“A stronger now. Beads of sweat Secret Affair, This Time”), the lined the woman’s brow. He movie is a reboot of the heartknew he wasn’t going to be wrenching Korean movie touted able to meet up with his friends as the highest-grossing film in tonight. Somehow he knew his South Korea in 2013 and currently place was right here where he ranked No. 7 in the list of that was needed for the long night country’s huge moneymakers of ahead. all time.

Just before he went back Already, Aga is predicted to the inn to fetch a few more to win Best Actor and Bela Best things, he said to them, “I’m Supporting Actress. Actually, Joshua. Let me know if you need Bela is a replacement for Nadine anything else.” The man replied, Lustre who backed out at the “I’m Joseph and this is Mary. last minute. In Philippine cinema Thank you. You have done more history, the second (or third or than you can possibly know. The whatever) choice turns out to be Lord’s light burns bright in you.” the better…nay, the best!...choice Mary looked up at Joshua and after all. Gina Alajar was the secsmiled through her pain. For ond choice (after Alma Moreno) as long as he lived, Joshua will for the Laurice Guillen-directed never forget that smile.

Salome, and so were Joel Torre Mary’s child was born that (for Albert Martinez) in Peque night. Joshua could not rememGallaga’s “Oro, Plata, Mata,” and ber a night more filled with Bembol Roco (for the late Jay wonder, mystery and myriad Ilagan) in Lino Brocka’s “Maynila: points of light.

Sa Mga Kuko ng Liwanag.”

It was a night like no other.

Oh well, Nadine’s big loss is Joshua’s entire being was enBela’s big win. gulfed with the mystery hapSo what else is new? pening before his very eyes. He As a nod to the movie’s title, remembered Mary wrapping first question is: Has there ever her child gently in swaddling been a “miracle” in your life? clothes and placing the child in a “Every act of kindness I see, Continued on Page SF7 to me, is a miracle.”

that actually matter to me are the things I need to do at hand.”

You play Aga’s grownup daughter (a lawyer), who is your peg for the role?

“I was going to use the original Korean version of me, Park Shin Hye, as my peg. But I heard Kuya Aga didn’t watch the Korean version so he wouldn’t have preconceived notions of the film. So I decided at the last minute not to use a peg and just follow my instinct and my director.”

Bela Padilla Philstar.com photo When and how did you become aware that Aga is a big You appear only in the star (any of Aga’s movies had a beginning, middle and end of big impact on your life)? the movie, and people would “When I was very little, I say it’s “short,” although your watched a heartwarming movie appearance is so markado that starring him and Shaina (Magyou are predicted to win Best dayao)...they would always play Supporting Actress. Long or it on TV. And then when I started short, how much of yourself do acting at 16, I saw how all actressyou put into every role? es wanted to be his leading lady.

“Always more than what is So I was aware very early on.” required of me.”

How was the experience of Does being a “second finally not just meeting but also choice” challenges you more working with Aga? into proving that you are the “Amazing. He’s very down to better…nay, best…choice after earth.” all?

You are among the very “I didn’t see it as anything but another amazing job assignment, few actresses who are substanit doesn’t matter to me who it was tial and intelligent, and leveloffered to first. The only things Continued on Page SF6

SF

people & events The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

MassMutual approves $1.7 billion estimated 2020 policyowner dividend payout MASSAChUSETTS Mutual Life Insurance Company (MassMutual) announced last November 4 that its Board of Directors has approved a $1.7 billion estimated dividend payout in 2020 to eligible participating policyowners and members.

While dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid policyowner dividends every year since 1869. With the 2020 estimated payout, the company will have paid more than $15 billion of dividends over the past decade.

“Being a mutual company enables us to take a long-term approach to doing what’s best for our customers – from the investments we make, to the solutions we offer, to the experience we provide,” said Roger Crandall, MassMutual Chairman, President and CEO. “But more than anything else, our annual dividend payout has been one of the most enduring benefits of doing business with MassMutual. Four years after the Civil War ended, we began paying a dividend annually to our participating policyowners, and each payout has come with the strength and stability our policyowners can count on. We look forward to continuing to put these qualities to work to help millions more secure their future and protect the ones

they love.”

The 2020 estimated dividend payout reflects a dividend interest rate1 of 6.20 percent for eligible participating policies, illustrating MassMutual’s ability to maintain a leading competitive position in a prolonged and unprecedented low interest rate environment.

This is underscored by the company’s strong financial foundation, including record total adjusted capital of more than $25 billion2, its ability to maintain among the highest ratings of any company in any industry3, and its diverse mix of high performing businesses, including its non-participating insurance businesses, as well as its ownership interests in global asset management and other strategic investments.

“For more than 150 years, our policyowner dividend has been a tangible part of delivering on our company’s purpose,” added Crandall. “I am thankful for the leaders before me who helped establish that long-standing commitment, and especially proud of our financial professionals and employees who work each day to help our customers live their lives with greater confidence, dignity and security.”

About MassMutual MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company

Jason Abalos who is now going steady with beauty queen Vicky Rushton.)

How do you assess showbiz life (what do you like and not like about it)?

“I see more things as jobs now and not life-defining moments.”

Have you always wanted to be an actress and what movie made you realize that you wanted to be one (or if not,

Just say no: Legal advice from the internet

could lead to the issuance of a Notice to Appear (NTA)? In SepAtty. LiLLi BAcuLi coLLins, EsQ tember 2018, changes in policy “MY brother’s neighbor’s were put in place allowing imgirlfriend’s uncle had the same migration officers to reject visa that is run for the benefit of exact case and it got approved applications immediately due to its members and participatand they did not use an atmissing or inaccurate informaing policyowners. MassMutual torney.” tion. Previously, USCIS will issue offers a wide range of financial I’ve heard this many times to “Requests for Evidence” (RFE) products and services, includhave developed a well-curated if there are missing information, ing life insurance, disability inresponse: Nothing. A person allowing applicants to address come insurance, long term care who has set out to hear only gaps in their paperwork. “Noticinsurance, annuities, retirement what s/he wants to hear can es of Intent to Deny” were also plans and other employee ben- hear nothing else but what s/he issued, as per prior guidance, efits. For more information, visit wants to hear. Reason and logic which gave applicants a 30-day www.massmutual.com. be damned. warning that their application (1 The dividend and For the most part, technolwould likely be rejected. dividend interest rate (DIR) are ogy has allowed us to gather Applications affected by determined annually, subject as much information as we are these policies and its recent to change and are not guarable to handle at the tip of our changes in policy apply to: (i) anteed. Dividends for eligible fingertips. Yet, neither Google applications and renewals of participating life insurance poli- nor Siri nor Wikipedia can stand temporary (non-immigrant) cies primarily consist of investin front of a Judge as your advisas, and (ii) permanent resident ment, mortality and expense vocate. Most attorneys cannot status (immigrant) visas. Securcomponents. The DIR is used speak about cases they have not ing such visas are required in to determine the investment handled. Each case is unique order for non-U.S. citizen foreign component of the dividend. It – one tiny fact, one tiny detail nationals to legally live and work is not the rate of return on the could change the course of a in the United States. policy and should not be the case. And, in immigration cases Can USCIS refer a file to sole basis for comparing insurwhere the threat of deportadeportation for the issuance of ers or policy performance. tion is very real why would you a Notice to Appear after it the 2 Estimated as of Sept. 30, gamble with your life? Or your case has been denied?

2019. family’s life?

Yes. The U.S. Citizenship and 3 Financial strength ratings New policy for rejecting in- Immigration Services (USCIS) for MassMutual and its subsidi- complete or inaccurate filings. may also issue an NTA when it aries, C.M. Life Insurance ComDid you know that a single finds a noncitizen has not company and MML Bay State Life error could mean a rejected plied with regulations governing Insurance Company are as folapplication? And, more imporadmission or maintaining lawful lows: A.M. Best Company, A++ tantly, that a rejected application status after admission.

(Superior); Fitch Ratings, AA+ (Very Strong); Moody’s Investors Service, Aa3 (high Quality); and Standard & Poor’s, AA+ (Very Strong). Ratings are as bearing gifts of gold, frankinFrom Page SF5 of November 4, 2019, and are manger. The child was bathed in cense and myrrh travelling from subject to change.) light. The whole stable was filled afar, came to pay the child homwith warmth. Soft, sweet music age. They had been following the seem to emanate from a choir bright star hovering about the of angels above the stable and a heavens for many nights leading sweet heavenly fragrance wafted them to that dusty town called what was your childhood/teenthrough the air.

Bethlehem. age dream)?

Joshua’s shepherd friends Many years later in his old “Not really, I was very shy came to visit the child. how could age, the memory of that night growing up. But Closer with they have known? his friends still stayed with Joshua. he had Natalie Portman and Jude Law told him that an angel told them remained the innkeeper. he had was the first film that opened about the good news. They were struck a friendship with a man my eyes, I guess. And then, Meg led to the stable where they called Luke, a physician who was Ryan films. “Somewhere in Time.” found the child. a regular guest at the inn. he obSteve McQueen films. “What Filled with awe, they knelt served that the thoughtful, quiet Dreams May Come.” before the child who was to be Luke was always writing in rolls of How do you keep your sanking. Later on that night, three papyrus in his room. ity in a crazy world like showbiz? men garbed in royal splendor and Not wanting to keep the “I exclude myself from it.”

Bela is second to no one...

From Page SF5 headed. Do you use more of your head than your heart in the name of love?

“Thank you. I can’t say at this point because I’m not in a relationship right now, and haven’t been for two years.” (Note: her last known boyfriend was producer Neil Arce who is now engaged to Angel Locsin. When she was just starting in showbiz, Bela was romantically linked to

The CTV Files

A Christmas Story...

Consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before filing anything.

First things first, do not file anything with USCIS or any other government entity without first seeking advice. Filing for applications “frivolously” can and will come back and haunt you. While certain applications are available online making it easy to access, individuals must nevertheless proceed with caution when filing for any application with USCIS. Just because it is easier now to file for an application does not mean that you should. We urge individuals to pause and take the time to consult with a licensed and experienced immigration attorney before submitting any application with USCIS. ***

Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 9556277; (415) 495-8088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys.com; www.chuatinsayvega.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

wonders of that night to be forgotten when he passed, Joshua told the story to Luke. As he told the story of that wondrous night, Joshua carefully removed himself from the narrative. It was to be between him and God alone.

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

May the true Spirit of Christmas live in our hearts all year round! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019

SF

SF8

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 20, 2019