122218 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

DECEMBER 22-25, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 101 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

USA

DATELINE Gov. Brown appoints 2 Filipina judges to California Superior Court benches FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Defense chief: Review PH-US treaty

by NATHALIE

Appellate attorney Audra Ibarra becomes the first Filipina to serve as a Bay Area superior court judge AFTER the historic 2018 midterm election in which a record number of women and people of color were elected to office across the country, the California superior courts just got a little more diverse as well.

Before he hands the governorship to Audra Ibarra Gov.-elect Gavin Newsom, longtime California Gov. Jerry Brown on Friday, Dec. 7 filed for 13 Superior Court judgeships, including two Filipinas: Audra Ibarra of the Bay Area and Rohanee Zapanta of San Diego.

Audra Ibarra, a Palo Alto attorRohanee Zapanta ney with more than eight years of appellate experience, became the first Filipino-American woman to be appointed a superior court judge in the Bay u PAGE A2

Filipina-American judge sentenced to jail for $1.4-M mortgage fraud Jessica Arong O’Brien had made history for being first Filipina judge in Cook County, Illinois A FORMER Filipina-American judge in Cook County, Illinois this week has been sentenced to jail for one year for her involvement in a $1.4 million mortgage fraud scam.

Jessica Arong O’Brien — who made history when she was elected as the Jessica Arong O’Brien first FilipinaAmerican judge on the Circuit Court of Cook County in 2012 — received her sentencing from U.S. District Judge Thomas Durkin on Thursday, December 20.

A federal jury found the 51-year-old Filipina guilty earlier in February for lying to lenders to receive $1.4 million in mortgages

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ROBLES

AJPress

PH Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana

DEPARTMENT of National Defense (DND) Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Thursday, December 20 called for the review the 1951 Philippines’ Mutual Defense Treaty with the United States amid conflict between China and the U.S. in the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“Since we have a Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S. we Philstar.com photo might get involved in their con-

has an ambivalent stand regarding the Philippines’ maritime domain and territorial issue in the West Philippine Sea, also known as the South China Sea. “The U.S. is very ambivalent there. The U.S. has always said it will not meddle into territorial disputes. They would not care about that [dispute]. We are thinking about that also we really wanted to review that also.

I think we have been discuss-

flict because it is [happening] in our turf. It is within the West Philippine Sea, within our sovereign jurisdiction in the WPS,” Lorenzana said as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer.

He added, “We are going to (review it) we’ll need to look at the provisions there, discuss with the end view of reviewing to make it stronger.”

The defense secretary emphasized the importance of reviewing the said treaty since the U.S.

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41 lawmakers named proponents of Road Board projects

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

A DOCUMENT released on Thursday, December 20 named at least 41 members of the Philippine Congress as proponents of projects under the allegedly graft-ridden Road Board.

According to House Majority Leader Rolando Andaya Jr., Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara were allegedly identified by Road Board Executive Director Luisito “Chito” Clavano as having endorsed lighting and road projects in 2017 and 2018 ranging from P16 million to P86 million and PBA party-list Jericho Nograles with appropriations over P405 million.

A P16 million national road lighting program of the Benigno Aquino Jr. Avenue or the Iloilo Diversion Road in Region 6 was listed under Drilon’s name.

Meanwhile, Angara as well as his aunt, Aurora Rep.

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CHRISTMAS AT THE PALACE. Children of Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom) personnel pay their respects to President Rodrigo Duterte by doing the traditional “mano po”, during the Christmas Party with the Sergeant Majors from the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), soldiers wounded in action (WIA), and children of WestMinCom personnel at the Malacañan Palace on Thursday, December 20.

Malacañang photo by Alfred Frias

29,000 human trafficking victims stopped from leaving PH

Catriona Gray meets Duterte ahead of New York City flight MISS Universe 2018 Catriona Gray on Thursday, December 20 paid a courtesy call on President Rodrigo Duterte at the Villamor Airbase in Pasay City.

The newly-crowned Miss Universe and the president met at the Kalayaan Hangar.

Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo released photos of the meeting to the members of the press. He said Duterte gave Gray flowers during their meeting.

“They are just exchanging pleasantries. He thanked her for bringing the crown. He said everybody is euphoric about her win,” Panelo was quoted by Malacañang reporters as saying.

Gray flew to New York City on Thursday to fulfill her duties as the new Miss Universe.

She will return to the country early next year for her grand homecoming.

Gray is the fourth Filipina to win the Miss Universe title. (Rosette Adel/Philstar.com)

by AJPRESS

COURTESY CALL. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray poses with President Rodrigo Duterte during her courtesy call at the Villamor Airbase, Pasay City on Thursday, December 20.

Photo courtesy of Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo

THE Bureau of Immigration (BI) on Wednesday, December 19, said that close to 29,000 suspected human trafficking victims were stopped from leaving the country in the first 10 months of this year.

According to BI Port Operations Division chief Grifton Medina, a total of 28,467 people, including 151 minors, were prevented from boarding their flights. This is after they were found to be non-compliant with requirements for overseas-bound passengers under the Guidelines on Departure Formalities for International-Bound Pas-

sengers set by the Department of Justice.

Most of the underage victims misrepresented their ages, Medina noted.

He also said that Immigration, for the past few years, has been implementing these requirements as part of its efforts to curb human trafficking and illegal migration in the country’s ports of exit.

“What we are trying to prevent here is allowing the departure of victims of human trafficking and illegal recruitment,” Medina said.

“We are considered the last line of defense inside our country to protect our people,” he added. ■

‘Simbang Gabi’ gaining popularity in other countries

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

The Philippine tradition of Simbang Gabi (dawn mass) is getting popular abroad.

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

SIMBANG GABI (dawn mass) has always been a popular tradition during Christmas in the Philippines, but it is now getting popular in other countries as well — enough that Filipino priests are being requested to celebrate the mass abroad during the Yuletide season.

According to Archdiocese of Manila Office of Communications head Fr. Roy Belen, Filipino Catholics based in other countries also want to experience the traditional

dawn masses and they want a Filipino priest to be the celebrant.

“I have been hearing of Filipino priests being ‘borrowed’ from Manila to hold nine-day dawn masses in other countries because their chaplains are not Filipinos so they would not understand the Filipino culture,” Belen said on Wednesday, December 19.

He noted that they would be writing to the priests and inviting them to officiate the dawn masses abroad as early as September or October. They would also be seeking permission from the priest’s

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A december 22-25, 2018 • LA WeeKeNd ASIAN JOUrNAL

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE Gov. Brown appoints 2 Filipina judges to California...

PAGE A1 t Area when Brown appointed her to the Superior Court of Santa Clara County. (She is also the first Filipino-American ever to serve in the county’s superior court.)

The 49-year-old former assistant U.S. attorney has also been counsel at the California Appellate Law Group since 2012 as well as a sole practitioner since

2010. Previously Ibarra was the deputy chief of the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force at the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of California.

Ibarra is not officially affiliated with any political party.

Before Rohanee Zapanta was appointed to the San Diego County Superior Court, she was a deputy public defender at the

county’s public defender’s office, where she had been serving since 2005. She was also an associate at the Law Offices of Ray Bulaon and Price Law Group.

Zapanta fills the vacant seat left by Judge Judith F. Haynes, who retired this year. Zapanta is a registered Democrat.

Ibarra and Zapanta are two of the 10 women (out of 13 in total) who were appointed earlier this month.

Brown also appointed the first Korean-American judge in Alameda County in Eumi K. Lee, who works as a clinical professor at UC Hastings’ College of Law. Also appointed was Joginder Dhillon who became the first Sikh judge ever appointed in Sacramento County. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Defense chief: Review US-PH...

PAGE A1 t ing that with our staff inside the Department of National Defense (DND),” he said.

In a news conference at Camp Aguinaldo, he said encounters between American and Chinese forces in the area were “very concerning,” particularly the recent near-collision of destroyers from both countries.

“Recently, U.S. and China destroyers almost figured in a colliPAGE A1 t sion and that is very concerning bishop or parish priest. because if they go into a shooting Belen also said that aside war, we can be involved because from Rome, Italy, some parts of it happened in our backyard,” the United States, as well as the Lorenzana pointed out.

Middle East, observe the nineThe need to review the 67-yearday Simbang Gabi, which runs from December 16 to 24.

There have also been some instances where the priest would be asked to stay until the PAGE A1 t and pocketing $325,000 during New Year.

Despite the shortage of the purchase of two properties priests in Manila and the high in Chicago’s South Side over a demand for priests during the decade ago, before she was a sitbusy month of December, Belen ting judge.

“I am an embarrassment,” said priests are allowed to travel O’Brien said in her statement in abroad during this time.

In Rome, they would at times court on Thursday.

She also tearfully spoke of seek permission from the pope for permission to hold the Sim- bringing shame to her family and bang Gabi at St. Peter’s Basilica, ruining her career. (She is marsince many Filipinos consider ried to Cook County Judge Brenattending at least one dawn dan O’Brien.)

“Of course, I have remorse as mass as part of their celebration to my stupidity,” she also said, of Christmas.

While some nationalities hold according to the Chicago Tritheir Simbang Gabi at night, bune.

The former judge was born in there are others who don’t.

“You have to understand that Cebu, Philippines and migrated the staff (in the church) are not to the United States, where she Filipinos so you would be dis- first enrolled in community colturbing them just to be able to lege and went on to pursue a hold early morning masses,” bachelor’s of science in hotel and food management from Boston Belen said.

Simbang Gabi usually takes University, as mentioned in her place between 3 a.m. and 5 a.m., Asian Journal feature in 2016.

“The best thing that ever hapwhile anticipated dawn masses are held between 7 p.m. and 9 pened to me was coming to the U.S. because before that, I never p.m. n

‘Simbang Gabi’ gaining...

VISIT AT IGLESIA NI CRISTO CENTRAL TEMPLE. President Rodrigo Duterte receives a warm welcome from Iglesia Ni Cristo (INC) leader Eduardo Manalo during the President’s visit at the INC Central Temple in Co m m o nwe a l t h , Q u e z o n C i t y.

Malacañang photo

old treaty stemmed from the exclusion of the islands, shoals and reefs in the WPS that comprise of the Kalayaan Island Group in the West Philippine Sea that the country is claiming.

“An armed attack on either of the Parties is deemed to include an armed attack on the metropolitan territory of either of the Parties or on the Island territories under its jurisdiction in the Pacific Ocean, its armed forces, public vessels or aircraft in the Pacific,” the treaty stated.

The Permanent Arbitration Court in The Hague gave the country jurisdiction over Panganiban (Mischief) Reef, Ayun-

gin (Second Thomas) Shoal and Recto (Reed) Bank. However, in the treaty, Lorenzana said that they are not covered because they were outside the country’s 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone (EEZ).

“So if anything happens, those islands are not covered by the Mutual Defense Treaty,” he added.

The U.S., while sustaining its Freedom of Navigation Operations in the South China Sea directly challenging China’s massive maritime and territorial claim in the region, has been non-committal on whether it will defend the Philippines in the event of an attack. n

Filipina-American judge sentenced... had any direction,” O’Brien said in that interview with the Asian Journal.

She then attended John Marshall Law School where she became the school’s first student to obtain a joint J.D./L.L.M joint degree in tax law. O’Brien became the first Asian elected president of the Women’s Bar Association of Illinois and served on the Illinois State Bar Association’s board of directors. In 2008, she co-founded a foundation that gives scholarships to law students from diverse backgrounds.

In his argument for probation on Thursday, O’Brien’s lawyer, Steve Greenberg, said, “It is an inspirational story. She has fallen as far as she can fall. She has lost everything…There is absolutely no reason to send this poor lady to jail.”

While the alleged fraud was taking place, O’Brien worked full-time as a special assistant attorney general for the state Department of Revenue. She also

worked part-time for Amronbanc Mortgage Corporation as a loan officer, and owned her own real estate company under the name of O’Brien Realty LLC, according to feds.

The prosecutor back in February said O’Brien embellished her income when applying for loans — she once left out a $260,000 mortgage on her primary residence.

In 2012, she was elected to serve the court of Cook County, Illinois, the second-most populous county in the U.S. after Los Angeles County.

“I look at my position as an opportunity to be a part of the system that works,” O’Brien previously told the Asian Journal.

Following her indictment in 2017, O’Brien was reassigned to non-judicial activities before she was convicted in February of this year. O’Brien resigned in September, as Illinois law mandates that an elected official cannot remain in office following a felony conviction. (AJPress)

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DATELINE USA

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 22-25, 2018

A3

3.9 billion people using internet worldwide

by PIA LEE-BRAGO Philstar.com

MISS UNIVERSE ADVOCACY. Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Elisa Gray pose with some children from Tondo, Manila who welcomed her upon arrival at the NAIA Terminal 4 in Pasay City on Wednesday, December 19. Prior to winning the Miss Universe title, Gray has been working with a nongovernment organization in helping impoverished kids in Tondo.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

41 lawmakers named proponents of Road...

PAGE A1 t

Bellaflor Angara-Castillo, were listed as proponents of a P70million asphalt overlay project for the Baler-Casiguran Road, P9 million for its guardrails, and a separate P9 million for the guardrails of A. Castaneda-Ma. Aurora San Luis Road.

Nograles acquired P50 million for the Isabela 4th District, P89 million for the Northern Samar 2nd District, P116 million for asphalt overlay and road signs in various roads under the 1st and 2nd Districts of Ifugao, and P150 million for the similar type of project for Cagayan de Oro Airport Bukidnon Road-Bayanga Section with Region 10 as its implementing office.

Many projects nationwide, including the Road Board, have been referred by Nograles himself. He said he left it entirely up to the agencies concerned to act on “my referred projects.”

He also said he was not aware if there were approvals or disapprovals, claiming it was his “first time” to see the list that had his name.

“The Road Board has to authenticate this,” he said.

A total of P277.44 million for slope protection, road signs, and asphalt overlay projects had been under Ilocos Norte 1st District Rep. Rodolfo Fariñas’ district, but said neither his office nor his district received the money after checking with Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 1 Director Ronnel Tan. Despite their calls not to abolish the agency, Andaya, Minority

MORE than half of the world’s population of nearly eight billion will be using the internet by the end of 2018, reaching a milestone in the digital revolution, according to the United Nations telecommunications agency.

The International Telecommunication Union (ITU) said an estimated 3.9 billion people or 51.2 percent would be using social media by the end of this month.

The increased connectivity would help promote sustainable development everywhere, ITU secretary general Houlin Zhao said.

ROVNER Kaiser Health News

Leader Danilo Suarez nor Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo could not be found in the list of Road Board project requestors.

Pampanga 3rd District Rep. Aurelio Gonzales, Kabayan Rep. Ron Salo, Surigao del Sur 1st District Rep. Prospero Pichay, and Cotabato 2nd District Rep. Nancy Catamco were some of the other lawmakers on the list.

Davao Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, then Speaker, filed House Bill 7436 seeking for the abolition of the Road Board, which supposedly was for overseeing funds from the Motor Vehicle User’s Charge (MVUC) appropriated for road maintenance and improvement of road drainage, installation of traffic lights and road safety devices, and air pollution control.

Duterte to sign bill abolishing Road Board Malacañang on Tuesday said President Rodrigo Duterte is

planning to sign the bill abolishing the Road Board despite the clash of the House and the Senate on the fate of the graft-ridden entity.

According to Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo, Duterte will sign the bill abolishing the Road Board if it reaches his desk. He also said that the president was against the release of the P45 billion road user’s tax.

“Yes, that’s what is needed.

We want that the fund be returned to the treasury and then let the Congress appropriate again for specific purpose,” said Panelo in a palace briefing.

Lawmakers insist that the road user’s tax has been a huge source of corruption.

“We’re against it, the release,” Panelo said.

Duterte would sign the bill “as soon as it is given to him,” the Palace official added. ■

percentage of population using the internet, from 51.3 percent in 2005 to 80.9 percent in 2018,” the ITU said.

Despite this progress, the ITU said a lot of communities worldwide still do not use internet, particularly women and girls.

Statistics show that older people disproportionately remain offline, as do those with disabilities, indigenous populations and those living in the world’s poorest places.

In a bid to reduce inequalities, the agency sought infrastructure investments from the public and private sectors and to focus on ensuring that access remains affordable for all.

5 ways nixing the Affordable Care Act could upend the entire health system

by JULIE

Sen. Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon were allegedly identified by Road Board Executive Director Luisito “Chito” Clavano as having endorsed lighting and road projects in 2017 and 2018 ranging from P16 million to P86 million. Inquirer.net photo

ITU global and regional estimates for 2018 are “a pointer to the great strides the world is making toward building a more inclusive global information society,” Zhao said.

The latest figures also spotlight Africa, showing the strongest rate of growth in internet access from two percent in 2005 to more than 24 percent of the African population this year.

Europe and the Americas are the regions with the slowest growth rates, though the current figures show that 79.6 percent and 69.6 percent are online, respectively.

“In developed countries, slow and steady growth increased the

IF Friday night’s district court ruling that the Affordable Care Act is unconstitutional were to be upheld, far more than the law’s most high-profile provisions would be at stake.

In fact, canceling the law in full — as Judge Reed O’Connor in Fort Worth, Texas, ordered in his 55-page decision — could thrust the entire health care system into chaos.

“To erase a law that is so interwoven into the health care system blows up every part of it,” said Sara Rosenbaum, a health law professor at the George Washington University School of Public Health. “In law they have names for these — they are called super statutes,” she said.

“And [the ACA] is a super statute. It has changed everything about how we get health care.”

That concept was developed by Abbe Gluck, a professor at Yale Law School.

The decision is a long way from implementation. O’Connor still must rule on several other aspects of the suit brought by 18 Republican attorneys general and two GOP governors. And a group of state Democratic attorneys general has promised to appeal O’Connor’s decision, which would send it to the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals and, possibly, the U.S. Supreme Court. The high court has rejected two previous efforts, in 2012 and 2015, to find the law unconstitutional.

Meanwhile, here are five ways

that eliminating the ACA could upend health care for many, if not most, Americans: 1. Millions could lose coverage directly More than 20 million Americans who previously were uninsured gained coverage from 2010 to 2017. Some of that was due to an improving economy, but many also gained the ability to buy their own coverage through the law’s federal subsidies to defray the cost of insurance. Other provisions of the Affordable Care Act played a significant role, including its ban on restrictions for people with preexisting medical conditions, expansion of the Medicaid program to more low-income adults and allowing adult children to stay on their parents’ health plans until reaching age 26.

If the law were reversed, federal funding for Medicaid and individual insurance subsidies would stop, and insurers could once again refuse coverage to people with health problems or charge them more.

2. Fundamental changes to the health care system could be stymied The impact of eliminating the ACA could be felt well beyond those people who are the direct beneficiaries of the law.

Gail Wilensky, who ran the Medicare and Medicaid programs under President George H.W. Bush, said such a change “would be very disruptive because so much [of the ACA] has affected the way health care is

organized and delivered and the way insurance is provided.”

For example, said Rosenbaum, the increase in coverage meant that “suddenly it became possible for health care systems to care for, by and large, an insured population.”

Previously many hospitals, doctors and other health providers spent considerable time and effort figuring out how to treat those without insurance and not go broke.

After the ACA kicked in, these providers began to worry less about whether they would get paid, and the federal government started pushing them to create new efforts aimed at improving the quality of care.

Those include measures basing some federal payments on patient outcomes rather than each individual procedure performed and strategies to improve health across the population through initiatives like improving the availability of healthful food, bicycle paths and preventive care.

If millions of people lost insurance, she said, those health providers “would have to go back to wondering how they will be able to pay their bills.”

3. Medicare and Medicaid would be dramatically altered The popular Medicare program — which covers an estimated 60 million seniors and people with disabilities — was a major focus of the ACA. Elimination of the law would PAGE A6

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$1.5 billion US aid to promote human rights cited

by JAIME LAUDE Philstar.com

A FILIPINO-American advocacy group yesterday lauded the passage by both U.S. houses of Congress of an act that will help IndoPacific countries, specifically the Philippines, to promote the values of democracy, human rights and the rule of law through a $1.5-billion annual funding.

U.S.-based immigration Filipino The new law specifically offers $210 million annually in financial assistance to civil society groups, lawyer Rodel Rodis, president of universities, multilateral institutions and non-government organizations to promote human rights the national advocacy group U. and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific nations.

Photo courtesy of the U.S. Embassy in Manila S. Pinoys for Good Governance (USPGG), described the passage of the Asia Reassurance Initiative Act (S.2736) on Wednesday, December 19 as a “morale booster” and “a Christmas gift” to human rights defenders, journalists and civil society groups in the Philippines and other states in Asia that are persecuted by their governments.

Once signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump, the new legislation will appropriate a $1.5billion security assistance annually to Asian countries, including the Philippines, to help counter the Chinese government’s economic bullying and military aggression in the region.

Out of this amount, the new law specifically offers $210 million annually in financial assistance to civil society groups, universities, multilateral institutions and nongovernment organizations to promote human rights and the rule of law in the Indo-Pacific nations.

Rodis said geopolitically, the law will send a stern warning to Chinese President Xi Jinping to end his imperial dreams in Asia.

Likewise, the law, according to Rodis, will also have direct bearing on the Duterte administration’s alarming human rights records resulting from his brutal war against illegal drugs in the country.

The new U.S. legislation, Rodis added, has found “unacceptable human rights developments” in the Philippines with “continued disturbing reports of extrajudicial killings” – alongside Myanmar’s ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya people and the Chinese government’s massive forced disappearance, “omnipresent surveillance” and lack of judicial due process.

Rodis also said the “powerful” legislation also calls on the American president to “impose target financial penalties and visa ban sanctions” on human rights violators and persons who “engage in

POLICE ORDER. Police stand in formation during an inspection and accounting of personnel by the regional police chief at the police district of Manila. Police officers do no have to seal their gun muzzles during the New Year’s Eve revelry but should be responsible enough not to fire them indiscriminately as what has been the practice in previous years, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Oscar Albayalde said.

ManilaTimes.net

Filipino priest suspended over upsetting homily for teen who killed himself

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

A FILIPINO priest in Michigan has been suspended by the Archdiocese of Detroit from speaking at funerals after he upset the family of a teenager who killed himself by including in the homily, questions of whether those who die by suicide can be forgiven by God. Father Don LaCuesta of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Temperance, Michigan presided over the Saturday, December 8 funeral for Maison Hullibarger, 18, who passed away just days before on Tuesday, December 4.

Rather than celebrating the life of the teenager who was a criminal justice student at the University of Toledo, an athlete, son, and brother to five siblings, LaCuesta focused more on the issue of suicide, according to the teenager’s father.

The word “suicide” was mentioned by LaCuesta a total of six times during the homily. This, despite the parents having met with LaCuesta prior to the funeral to discuss what they wanted in the homily. LaCuesta even took notes, they said.

In a copy of the homily released by the archdiocese on Monday, December 17, LaCuesta said, “If we Christians are right in believing that salvation belongs to Jesus Christ, that it does not come from us — and that our hand canu PAGE A5 not stop what God allows for us, then yes, there is hope in eternity even for those who take their own lives.”

LaCuesta then continued, “Having said that, I think that we must not call what is bad good, what is wrong right. Because we are Christians, we must say what we know is the truth — that taking your own life is against God who made us and against everyone who loves us. Our lives are not our own. They are not ours to do with as we please.”

“The finality of suicide makes this all the worse. You cannot make things right again,” LaCuesta added.

He did later attempt to reassure the family by saying, “Nothing — not even suicide — can separate us from the unconditional love of God.” But that did nothing to help the situation, said the family which later gave their own blessings at the teen’s gravesite.

Jeff Hullibarger, the teenager’s father, told the Detroit Free Press that he had at one point went up to the pulpit and whispered to

Rev. Don LaCuesta of Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church in Temperance, Michigan Photo courtesy of Archdiocese of Detroit

LaCuesta to stop, but LaCuesta continued to make statements on suicide and salvation.

“There were actually a couple of younger boys who were Maison’s age who left the church sobbing,” said the teen’s father.

In a statement, the Archdiocese of Detroit said that it regrets that LaCuesta was “unable to bring comfort” to the Hullibarger family.

“Our hope is always to bring comfort to situations of great pain, through funeral services centered on the love and healing power of Christ,” the statement read. “Unfortunately, that did not happen in this case.”

It added that LaCuesta would not be preaching at funerals for the foreseeable future and would have all other homilies reviewed by a priest mentor. It said that LaCuesta also agreed to “pursue the assistance he needs in order to become a more effective minister in these difficult situations.”

LaCuesta responded in a statement admitted that he “fell short” of providing the family with the comfort needed.

“Instead, I added to their pain,” said LaCuesta. “I deeply regret that, and I am sorry.”

Addressing the fact that many — including the Hullibarger family — have called for his removal from the parish, LaCuesta said that he preferred to stay and is working with the archdiocese to

“ensure that [he] can serve more effectively in the future.”

Adding to the family’s pain, the teen’s high school football coach Jeff Wood — who was accused of bullying players on the team and was asked not to attend the funeral — showed up against the family’s wishes.

After being asked to leave, Wood lashed out on social media, and was later removed from his job.

“If you need someone to blame, I’m your man. I’m your fall guy. This is how society is when things go not as planned, we blame others for our own shortcomings,” Wood wrote in a now-deleted Facebook post.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), suicide remains the 10th leading cause of death in the U.S. In 2016, suicide claimed the lives of nearly 45,000 people — a number more than double that of homicides in the same year.

From years 1999 to 2016, the total suicide rate increased 28 percent according to the CDC. The rate remained nearly four times higher among males than among females.

If you or a loved one is experiencing thoughts of suicide, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 (TALK). Additional resources can be accessed at www.SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources. n

No-go on drunken driving: States deploy breathalyzers in cars to limit road deaths

by ANA

B. IBARRA Kaiser Health News

’TIS the season to be a little too merry, and law enforcement officials across the country are once again reminding revelers not to drive if they’ve been drinking.

Along with those warnings comes a bit of good news: Deaths involving drunken driving are only about half of what they were in the early 1980s, though they have ticked back up in recent years. The long-term decline is largely attributable to greater public awareness, stricter seat belt enforcement and the establishment in 2000 of a national blood-alcohol threshold of 0.08 percent — far below the 0.15 percent standard commonly used before then.

Another factor that seems to be helping prevent alcohol-fueled road deaths is the growing use of gadgets known as ignition interlock devices, which are breathalyzers mounted on the steering wheel of a vehicle that prevent it from starting if the driver’s blood-alcohol reading is above a predetermined level.

On Jan. 1, California will join the majority of states that have laws requiring drivers with drunken-driving convictions to

install one of these devices in their vehicles.

In California, the breathalyzers will be mandatory only for repeat offenders. Five other states — Georgia, Indiana, Massachusetts, Montana and Ohio — have similar laws. Thirty-two states and D.C. require the devices even for first-time offenders.

State Sen. Jerry Hill (D-San Mateo), the author of the California law, said breathalyzers in cars will make roads safer than under the current law, which generally relies on license restrictions and suspensions.

“We’ve seen people on a suspended license continue to drive and continue to cause destruction,” said Hill, who lost his best friend to drunken driving in the 1980s.

There is some evidence that the breathalyzers have an impact.

Nationally, from 2006 to 2016, ignition-locking breathalyzers prevented 2.3 million attempts to drive by people with a bloodalcohol level at or above 0.08 percent — the legal threshold for driving under the influence — according to a 2017 report by the advocacy group Mothers Against Drunk Driving.

Emma McGinty, an associate professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public

Health, found that laws requiring interlocks for all DUI offenders were associated with a 7 percent drop in the rate of fatal crashes caused by drunken drivers. Another study found that laws covering all offenders were associated with 15 percent fewer alcohol-related fatalities compared with states that have less stringent laws.

Federal data show that in some states the number of alcohol-related deaths was lower a few years after the implementation of ignition interlock laws.

But the declines could have been caused by multiple factors. In other states, crash deaths were higher. And in some, the number has bounced up and down.

New Mexico was the first state to implement an interlock law that applied to all offenders, including first-timers. The state saw a significant drop in DUIrelated deaths about three years after its law took effect in 2005.

The biggest dip came seven years after the law took effect, but then the number started to creep up again.

Texas, which enacted an alloffender law in 2015, has seen drunken-driving fatalities rise since then — but that meshes with the national increase re-

u PAGE A6

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Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 22-25, 2018

A

Facebook launches Messenger translations in Filipino

by JANVIC

MATEO Philstar.com

FACEBOOK Messenger users will now be able to translate conversations to Filipino.

The social media company yesterday announced that Filipino will be one of the five languages that may be translated on Messenger, along with English, Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Facebook said the system, called M Translations, is available to people using Messenger in the United States, Mexico, France, Spain, Brazil and the Philippines.

“Message translations are automated using Facebook’s own translation engine based on neuForeign Affairs Secretary Teodoro Locsin Jr. meets with U.S. Secretary of State Michael Pompeo at the US Department of State in Washington. ral machine translation technolPhoto courtesy of U.S. Department of State ogy, the same technology that translates posts and comments on Facebook and Instagram,” the company said.

“Translations are a meaningful milestone for M Suggestions and will enable people to connect with people they would not be able to its artificial islands that lie within sation in October, Department of seamlessly communicate with

by PATRICIA LOURDES VIRAY Philstar.com the Philippines’ exclusive eco- Foreign Affairs spokesperson Elmer Cato said. nomic zone.

The two top diplomats also FOREIGN Affairs Secretary A recent survey from Social Teodoro Locsin Jr. met with Weather Stations found that 61 discussed cooperation on counUnited States Secretary of State percent of Filipinos believe that terterrorism, as well as regional PAGE A4 t Michael Pompeo in Washington the United States will defend the concerns such as the situation in censorship” of the news media in to discuss issues of mutual con- Philippines in case of invasion by the Korean Peninsula. the region.

Locsin also conveyed the Philcern, including the South China another country. The two counSection 408 of the law urges Sea issue. tries have been allies for more ippines’ appreciation for the re- Trump to “terminate, suspend, othcent return of the Balangiga bells erwise alter…economic assistance Pompeo reaffirmed the alli- than seven decades now. ance between the two countries, “Secretary Pompeo and Sec- to the country. to any country that has engaged in The historic church bells of Bal- serious violations of human rights including Washington’s commit- retary Locsin also explored opment to the 1951 Mutual Defense portunities to increase people- angiga, Eastern Samar were tak- or religious freedoms.”

Treaty, U.S. Department of State to-people ties between our two en by American soldiers as war The Philippine National Podeputy spokesperson Robert Pal- countries, our longstanding com- booty in 1951. The bells are now lice was identified under the U.S. ladino said in a statement. mitment to human rights, and back in its home at the Church of legislation’s Section 201e as havThe U.S. has been conducting our cooperation to strengthen San Lorenzo de Martir. n ing no counternarcotics fundfreedom of navigation operations the Philippines’ energy security,” in the South China Sea, part of Palladino said. which is the West Philippine Sea, The meeting between Locsin in a bid to challenge China’s ag- and his American counterpart on gression in the region. Beijing Thursday, December 20, was a has installed military outposts on follow-up to their phone conver-

Locsin, Pompeo reaffirm US-Philippines alliance, discuss South China Sea

M Translations, is available to people using Messenger in the United States, Mexico, France, Spain, Brazil and the Philippines.

Photo from Facebook.com

otherwise,” it added.

With the update, users who receive a message in a language that is different from their default language in Messenger will receive an option to translate the message in their preferred supported language.

“If you say yes, M will then offer to auto-translate all future foreign-language messages in that conversation. Auto-translations

are enabled on a per-conversation basis and you can opt-out of auto-translation at any time,” Facebook said.

Facebook launched M Translations for Marketplace conversations in the US and Mexico in May. It said the translations would enable entrepreneurs using Messenger to connect and reach people around the world. n

$1.5 billion US aid to promote human rights...

Lamar Odom is coming out of retirement to play for a Philippine-based squad in a Dubai tournament.

Photo from Instagram/@lamarodom

Ex-NBA star Lamar Odom to play for Philippines’ Mighty Sports in Dubai tiff FORMER NBA star Lamar Odom announced his return to professional basketball, saying he will suit up for a Philippine teem seeing action in the Dubai International Basketball Championship in February next year.

The 39-year-old Odom, who last played for the New York Knicks in 2014, took to Instagram to make the announcement, confirming his stint with Mighty Sports in the Dubai tournament.

Odom said he originally intended to lend his services to the Chinese Basketball League, but was still physically not ready. He added that he will be using the Dubai tournament as a preparation ground for BIG3, a major

3x3 league in the U.S. Drafted fourth overall by the Los Angeles Clippers in 1999, Odom went on to play for the Dallas Mavericks, Los Angeles Lakers and Miami Heat and the Knicks, winning championships with the Lakers in 2009 and 2010 as a vital cog for the squad playing alongside Kobe Bryant.

Other highlights of his career include being named the Sixth Man of the Year in 2011 and being part of the U.S. national team that won the gold medal in the 2010 FIBA World Championships in Turkey.

He has been involved in a variety of off-court controversies but has since been on recovery.

(Philstar.com)

Carina Dayondon is the first Filipina woman to climb the highest peak of every continent.

Photo from Facebook/Carina Dayondon

Filipina conquers seven highest peaks in the world MOUNTAINEER Carina Dayondon is the first Filipino woman to climb the seven highest peaks of each continent.

The UP Mountaineers announced the feat on their Facebook page on Thursday, December 20.

Dayondon reached the summit of Mount Vinson in Antarctica on December 16.

She was among three women to be the first Filipinas to scale Mount Everest in 2007, the tallest mountain in the

world According to the post, she also climbed Mount Denali in 2006; Mount Elbrus in 2013; Mount Kosciuzko in 2014; Mount Kilimanjaro in 2015 and Aconcagua in 2018.

The first Filipino male to accomplish the seven climbs was Romy Garduce in 2012.

Dayondon is originally from Don Carlos, Bukidnon and a graduate of Xavier University in Cagayan de Oro City. (Ryan Macasero/Philstar.com)

ing assistance unless the Duterte administration implements a counter-narcotics approach that is “consistent with international human rights standard, including investigating and prosecuting individuals who are credibly alleged to have ordered or covered up extrajudicial killings.”

Rodis said more than 25,000 Filipinos, mostly poor suspected drug dealers and suspected drug users, have been reported to have

been killed over the past two years under Duterte’s bloody drug war.

“We thank the leaders of USPGG, Filipino-American Human Rights Alliance, Samahang Magdalo U.S., Movement for a Free Philippines, Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, religious ecumenical groups, community organizations and our American friends for their successful lobbying efforts in Washington over the past two years,” Rodis said. n

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UN experts to probe alleged human rights violations vs De Lima

by GAEA

KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

THREE United Nations special rapporteurs are set to investigate the alleged human rights violations committed against detained lawmaker Leila De Lima, one of the most outspoken critics of President Rodrigo Duterte.

This, after the UN Human Rights Council Working Group on Arbitrary Detention formally referred De Lima’s case to the three special rapporteurs after it found sufficient grounds that violate her rights as a senator and a human rights defender.

The referral was part of the recommendations contained in the opinion officially adopted by UNHRC-WGAD last August 24.

It was published last November 30.

David Kaye, UN special rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of expression, would probe the alleged violations committed against the senator “after she expressed her intention to

investigate the extrajudicial killings under the so-called war on drugs.”

Special rapporteur on violence against women, its causes and consequences Dubravka Simonovic was tasked to investigate the alleged discrimination committed against De Lima due to her political opinion and her status as a rights advocate and a woman.

“The working group expresses its particular concern at the sexist statements and attacks on her personal life by President Rodrigo Duterte and his political allies that cast serious doubt on the government’s solemn undertaking to ensure the equal right of men and women to the enjoyment of all civil and political rights,” the opinion said.

Meanwhile, Diego GarciaSayan, special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, was assigned to look into violations of De Lima’s rights for a fair trial.

The UN working group, moreover, asked the Philippine

government to immediately free De Lima and ensure an independent investigation of the circumstances surrounding her deprivation of liberty.

De Lima was arrested on Feb. 24, 2017, over her alleged involvement in the proliferation of illegal drugs in the New Bilibid Prison. The senator, who is currently detained at Camp Crame, has repeatedly denied the charges.

Malacañang on Thursday ac- HERE COME THE GIANTS. Mall shoppers, particularly children are delighted with towering carnival characters like the “Gigantes” during the cused the United Nations of Grand Christmas Carnival Christmas Parade at the Atrium of SM City Masinag Mall, on Sunday, December 16.

PNA photo being used by groups critical of Duterte as a “tool for vilification.”

“We are fed up with this practice of using the UN as a PAGE A3 t platform to parrot baseless criti- corded in 2016 and 2017. Some cism of local interest groups researchers think the strength of who are supported by politi- the economy can influence fatalcians belonging to the oppo- ity statistics. “One thing that is sition. UNSRs should be less often speculated is that as the gullible as this reinforces the economy gets better, people president’s contempt for them drive more,” McGinty said. “By who have consistently manifest- virtue of having more people on ed bias against the Philippines,” the road, [we’re] likely to see an Duterte’s spokesman, Salvador uptick in crashes.”

Panelo, said. n Oregon enacted its interlock law in 2008, when the state recorded 137 DUI-related fatalities. Two years later, the number of alcohol-involved crash deaths had dropped by almost half, to OVER 17 YEARS 70. But by 2015, it had spiked back up to 154 deaths.

The new California law builds on a pilot program in four counties — Alameda, Los Angeles, Sacramento and Tulare — which have required interlock devices in the vehicles of all DUI offend- a month to maintain. But the But even as is, “the law will ers since 2010. law provides for a sliding scale make a difference,” said Frank The statewide law requires in- based on people’s income, so Harris, director of state governstallation of an interlock device low-income drivers would end ment affairs at Mothers Against for one year after the second up paying only a small percent- Drunk Driving. “If a person gets DUI offense, and for six months age of the total cost. a DUI, the next day they can get after a first offense if somebody Advocates of interlock laws an ignition interlock device and is injured. After a first DUI with say they would rather see a state- drive, go to work, go to their Darrick V. Tan, Esq. no injury, the driver can choose wide California law targeting all kid’s soccer games. The tradeto avoid license restrictions by DUI offenders, not just repeat off for society is that those folks Licensed in California for installing a device in his car for offenders. McGinty’s research are driving sober.” over 17 years six months. shows a much smaller decline in This story was produced by Licensed in Nevada for Installation of the breathalyz- alcohol-related fatal crash rates Kaiser Health News, an editoriover 12 years* ers runs from $70 to $150, and associated with repeat-offender ally independent program of the UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political Kaiser Family Foundation. n Science with Cum Laude honors they cost another $60 to $80 laws.

No-go on drunken driving: States deploy...

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5 ways nixing the Affordable Care Act...

PAGE A3 t take away some popular benefits the law conferred — everything from free preventive care to the closing of the “doughnut hole” in Medicare’s prescription drug coverage. The doughnut hole refers to a coverage gap that had previously exposed large numbers of beneficiaries to thousands of dollars in drug costs.

The law also changed the way Medicare paid for hospital, home health and outpatient care. Many current payment policies are based on authority provided by the ACA, and if it went away, Medicare would have to rewrite those payment regulations. Millions of beneficiaries belong to accountable care organizations that were created under the health law, and it is unclear how their care would be affected.

The biggest change in the Medicaid program would be the elimination of the expansion of coverage. Loss of the ACA would also roll back a 23percentage-point boost in Medicaid prescription drug rebates, which has saved states billions of dollars, according to Cindy Mann. She ran Medicaid under President Barack Obama and is now a partner at the health consulting firm Manatt Health.

The ACA required states to calculate Medicaid eligibility differently — changing what counts as income — so all the work states did to alter their information systems would have to be recalculated, she said.

4. Wide array of health programs at risk Shorthand descriptions of

the health law often stop at its provisions providing consumer protections and expanding Medicaid. But the ACA included sweeping changes to other parts of the health system that rarely get mentioned.

For example, it created the first pathway for Food and Drug Administration approval of generic copies of expensive biologic drugs, by incorporating the Biologics Price Competition and Innovation Act of 2009. Biologic drugs are more difficult to reproduce than other types of medications.

Also hitching a ride on the ACA was a long-delayed bill providing permanent spending authority for programs provided by the Indian Health Service, which serves Native Americans.

And the law included a series of grant programs to help train more health professionals who would be needed to treat the millions of newly insured Americans.

All those programs would be thrust into doubt by invalidating the law.

Loss of the ACA also would impact a popular program that predates Obamacare: the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, or HIPAA. The ACA’s protections for preexisting conditions — banning insurers from charging people with health problems higher premiums or refusing to sell to them altogether — built on similar protections for people with employer insurance. Congress included those protections in HIPAA, which was enacted in 1996. And far more people are touched by HIPAA than by the

ACA, because far more people get health insurance through their employer than the individual market.

However, when Congress wrote the ACA, it incorporated HIPAA safeguards into the preexisting condition provision.

That means if the ACA is struck down, the HIPAA protections might disappear as well.

5. even the Trump administration’s health agenda could be compromised President Donald Trump has railed against the health law, but his Department of Health and Human Services has a priority list that relies in some significant ways on the continued existence of the ACA. For example, efforts to address the opioid epidemic — one of the administration’s top health challenges — could be seriously set back if the Medicaid expansion were to end.

Medicaid is the largest single payer for mental health and substance abuse problems.

Much of the president’s efforts to limit drug prices flows through the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Innovation (CMMI), which was created by the ACA and would lose its legal authority if the law became invalid.

Similarly, the administration is using this center to pursue “bundling” payments for certain surgical procedures to try to get more value for dollars spent.

KHN senior correspondent Phil Galewitz contributed to this story.

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

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 22-25, 2018

DATELINE PHILIPPINES

A

MMDA hikes illegal parking fine for 2019

by AJPRESS

PACMAN’S BIRTHDAY. President Rodrigo Duterte poses with Senator Emmanuel Pacquiao and his family during the Senator’s birthday celebration at the KCC Convention and Events Center in General Santos City on Monday, December 17. Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano

Palace: UN expert’s report ‘reckless & irresponsible’

by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

MALACANANG responded to the statement of the United Nations Special Rapporteur Michel Forst on Tuesday, December 18, claiming that the report is “reckless and irresponsible” for urging the government to stop the stigma against human rights defenders.

According to The Philippine Daily Inquirer, Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the report the Special Rapporteur released compromised the reputation of the entire UN system.

“The recent call of United Nations Special Rapporteur (UNSR) Michel Forst not only is reckless but irresponsible as well for it not only demeans the integrity of the UNSR system but the entire UN mechanism itself,” Panelo said.

“We are fed up with this practice of using the UN as a platform to parrot baseless criticisms of local interest groups who are supported by resentful politicians belonging to the opposition,” he added.

The spokesperson claimed that the facts presented by Forst were in dire need of verification as he continued that human rights defenders in the Philippines have a convenient and safe platform to address their sentiments.

Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo Inquirer.net photo

“If Mr. Forst only checked his facts first, he would have known that organizations presenting themselves as so-called human rights defenders never had it so good under the Duterte administration,” he said.

“They continue to fully exercise all their rights to air issues and concerns related to their advocacies in an environment that is free and secure from any threat or harassment,” he added.

Panelo, also President Rodrigo Duterte’s chief legal counsel, urged those who have complaints to file a case against the administration.

“Local groups that have been feeding Mr. Forest with false information to submit their alleged cases of violations against their

members to proper authorities such as the Inter-Agency Committee under Administrative Order 35 (s.2012),” Panelo explained. “(Inter-agency committee) is in charge with handling cases of extrajudicial killings, torture, enforced disappearances and other grave violations of the right to life and liberty,” he added.

“Unless they can properly do so, we stand by our firm admonition of these groups to refrain from making a fool of these UNSRs, a mockery of the UN, as well as using their allegations as leverage to secure financial resources from over-trusting funding institutions,” he said.

Panelo said that the likes of Forst “should be less gullible as this reinforces the President’s contempt for them who have consistently manifested bias against the Philippines.” According to the spokesperson, the UN has “been used by these detractors as a tool for vilification.”

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) also reacted to Forst’s report noting that the administration is adamant in ensuring that due process is followed and the Constitution is held in highest regard.

“As we are currently seeking clarification on the nature of report of the Special Rapporteur to

u PAGE A10

THE Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) announced on Wednesday, December 19, that it will increase its fines for illegal parking beginning January 7 next year.

MMDA General Manager Jojo Arturo Garcia Jr. said that the new illegal parking penalties will be around five times its previous amount. Apprehenders will have to pay P1,000 instead of P200 for attended illegal parking while P2,000 will be charged for unattended illegal parking from the previous P500.

“Pero hindi porket January 7 ‘yung pagtaas ng fine, hindi tayo manghuhuli. Tuloy-tuloy pa rin, pero discounted pa sila ngayon (Implementation of the fine hike on January 7 doesn’t mean we will stop issuing tickets now.

We will still enforce the law but the fines would be at discounted rates),” Garcia said as reported by Rappler.

He also expressed confidence that with the implementation of higher penalties, the roads will be less crowded and traffic flow would improve.

“Mas luluwag na po ang ating mga kalsada, mas bibilis na po ang [traffic]. Tuloy pa rin ang ating clearing operations and mas intensified na ang pag-issue ng tickets. Siguradong madami nang takot lumabag [sa traffic rules] (The roads will be decongested, the traffic flow will run smoothly.

We will continue the cleaning operations and we will intensify the issuance of tickets. I’m sure more will be afraid to violate the traffic rules),” he said as reported by The Manila Times.

MMDA spokesperson Celine Pialago said that the penalties will help resolve traffic jams caused by illegal parking. She said motorists who caused road obstruction may be fined P1,000 or more than 500 percent higher than the previous P150 fine and another P150 for ignoring traffic signs.

Aside from increasing the fines for illegal parking, the MMDA also hiked the penalty for violators of the yellow lane policy from P500 to P1,000 for private vehicles and P300 for public utility vehicles.

The said agency will also iron out procedures on how motorists can settle the fines.

With the new policy, the MMDA can also issue a new ticket to an erring motorist every three hours if he fails to remove an illegally parked vehicle after being notified of the violation. A motorist can be apprehended up to twice in a day.

Initially, the spokesperson said that the new penalties should

have been implemented yesterday. However, the motorists complained that they were not aware of the new fines and decided to postpone its implementation to Jan. 7, 2019.

Garcia said that the higher fines for illegal parking were approved by the Metro Manila Council on December 7. n

A8 DECEMBER 22-25, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

Downsizing

FEATURES

THE trend has been going on for some time now, with Saudi Arabia taking the lead: foreign workers are losing their jobs in several Middle Eastern countries. With global warming threatening the planet, the world is moving, gradually but inexorably, toward renewable energy. And the shift is being felt by economies that have been powered for decades by petrodollars.

As top crude oil producers see economic growth decelerate, jobs are being cut, and citizens are being given priority over foreign workers in employment. “Saudization” has put thousands of overseas Filipino workers out of jobs in Saudi Arabia. Similar trends are being seen by OFWs in other Middle Eastern states.

From January to October this year, according to Leyte Rep. Henry Ong, this has meant a drop of over $1 billion in OFW remittances from the Middle East. The figures, according to data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, are down by 11.1 percent from OFWs in Saudi Arabia, by 18.2 percent in Kuwait, 9.6 percent in Bahrain and 11.1 percent in the United Arab Emirates. Ong took note of the drop as he stressed the importance of the remittances to economic activities in his home province.

Another lawmaker pointed out that OFW remittances from other countries are up and there is continuing demand for Filipino workers around the world. The Middle East, however, is the top destina-

tion for OFWs, and the shrinking of the labor market in the oil-producing region will have a heavy impact on Filipino workers.

The Philippines must prepare for the consequences, especially because experts have also been warning about a slowdown in business process outsourcing in the country. Displaced workers need support in skills retraining and job matching so they can quickly find new employment.

While the government finds new or expanded markets for OFWs, it must also intensify efforts to create decent jobs right here in the country and upgrade the skills of the workforce. Agribusiness and tourism can generate decent jobs in the countryside.

OFWs can also be supported in becoming micro entrepreneurs.

For long-term employment security, the country must not wait for jobs to open up overseas. The jobs are best created right here. There will always be Filipinos who will want to work abroad, but this should be a matter of personal choice and not due to the lack of opportunities in their own land. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Gifts of love: Spreading the true reason for the season like the late President George H.W. Bush

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS AMID all the negative vibes from transgressions made by elected and appointed officials — despite being accorded the public trust through their post in public service — it sure feels good to read a story so close to home about the goodness of people.

This holiday season, one of those stories that I have posted on social media that has been shared by my family, friends and followers involves a poor Filipino boy from the Motherland who had the privilege of feeling the gift of love from across the Pacific, coming from no less than the late U.S. President George H.W. Bush.

CNN broke this story about the 41st president who sponsored a then 7-year-old boy in the Philippines for 10 years

using a pseudonym or alias “G.Walker” to protect the kid.

Through Compassion International, a nonprofit organization that uses local churches to help children in poor communities around the world, Bush sponsored a boy named Timothy.

According to CNN, the former president sent funds that went toward Timothy’s education, extracurricular activities and some of his meals. But the late president gave more than money. He actually sent handwritten letters to Timothy to share messages of love and hope, even gifts like an art set.

The CNN report narrated how Bush first got the idea to sponsor a child in 2001 when he attended a Christmas concert in Washington.

“Because the musicians were mostly Christian, they believed in our mission,” Wess Stafford, the former president of

Compassion International told CNN. During intermission, “they would tell the audience about us, and ask them if they would like to sponsor a child,” he said.

“All of the sudden, Mr. Bush, who was sitting only a few rows back and surrounded by security, raised his hand and asked for a pamphlet.”

One such letter was the first Press. Bush sent to Timothy was his first letter once the sponsorship began. CNN published this January 24, 2002: “Dear Timothy, I want to be your new pen pal.

I am an old man, 77 years old, but I love kids; and though we have not met I love you already.

I live in Texas - I will write you from time to time - Good Luck. G. Walker” The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America”

reported on Friday, December 21, that the little boy Timothy, whose full name is Timothy Villalba, is now a 25-year old Barangay Manager who is now married and with a young daughter.

Timothy did not know his sponsor was, in fact, the former president until his graduation.

He intimated that as a young boy, he really did not understand the letters well (all written in English) but was happy to get the handwritten letters.

He said Bush inspired him to do well in school while easing his poor family’s burdens. The art set given to him as a gift even sparked his creative side which paved the way to his moonlighting as a musician.

Such a sweet selfless way to speed love exemplified by the late president.

WE, TOO, can share that gift of love by helping poor children back home through ABS-CBN

Foundation’s “Gifts of Love” program. Here is the letter: Dearest Kapamilya, Your gift of love will provide a child with nutritious meals for one month, school supplies, and new shoes for just $30. These are necessities that are easily taken for granted, but are so crucial in ensuring proper child development, with regards to both health and learning. The communities that are selected are communities where we have established programs and relationships, or those that have contacted us seeking support.

Our campaign was born out of two of our current projects, our supplementary feeding program and #gustokomagaral (I want to learn) initiative.

While we had initially wanted to raise funds for holiday gifts for children in the Philippines, we recognized that because of the level of poverty present in the Philippines, making sure

food and school supplies were available to children needed to come first.

Our goal is to raise enough donations to support two different projects serving 1,000 children each. That would be 2,000 individuals donating $30 each, to reach a total of $50,000.

We are confident that with your generosity, we can make and even exceed this goal!

Happy Holidays, Your ABS CBN International Foundation Family (AFI Family) TO DONATE: Go to https://abscbnfoundation.org/programs/ gifts-of-love MALIGAYANG PASKO, Kapamilya! *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Sitting in the chair of privilege

Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “Life is a battle – you must enter into it fully, and do what needs to be done. You cannot shrink from your duty. Life presents difficult, sometimes horrendous situations, unwelcome tasks, and obstacles of every sort. Despite this harsh reality, you must resolutely go forward.” - Pierro Ferrucci I HAVE wrongly believed life for years that life is a battle, in which I have to face all the challenges every day by myself. It was much later in life that I realized that my Universal Partner is always with me and that I have the capacity to create my own life of privilege.

I have often wondered what it is like to sit in “The Chair of Privilege,” wherein one’s checkbook is freely accessible towards a donation to a church project or a non-profit cause. Or perhaps where one’s circle already includes the ‘sifted and the centrifuged’ crème de la crème of society. They can be folks who have endured their own life’s challenges, embraced them, and now are at a point of coming to their privileged time, harvesting the fruits of their labor.

Or simply folks who are children of elites, who have no financial barriers yet still, have interior challenges of living a life of purpose, fulfilling their own goals using motivation and determination that we all must have

to reach ours.

When I was going to the University of the Philippines’ College of Home Economics to pursue a science degree in food technology, I was part of a different universe. Some of my classmates were children of elites, chauffeured by their own drivers, to the university campus. At the end of the day, the drivers were prompt in picking them up.

Unlike them, I was trained by my working parents and my elder sister to take the bus and to ride the “ikot jeepney” to reach one end of the campus, and back to the dorm. It was a sheltered life: go to classes, go to mass, go to the cafeteria, do laboratory experiments and sleep in the dorm. Our weekends were spent at Ma Mon Luk for siopao and mami and the movies. Anything more than that is not within our allowances, unless I prevail on my mother to give me extra to get an ice cream sundae at Magnolia.

Though I lived a sheltered campus life, I felt discontented.

I kept comparing myself to the children of elites, as if I had much less. My mindset was quite wrong. Somehow, I expected a rich person to reorient my life to work for me. I did not educate myself to look at my parents as my role models. Not having that secure belief in my family and myself hindered me.

Was it my Christian education in the early sixties, wherein the nuns emphasized a life centered on academics and prayers, but

not quite service to the country and its poor? Now they do emphasize service to the poor.

Was it my university education which emphasized having the skills to work abroad, but not quite the skills and mindset to improve the industries in the Philippines? Though my core college education gave me skills, I did not have the inner fortitude of staying put in my country and not aspiring to go abroad. Then, the industries to apply one’s degree in science and food technology were limited.

It was not until I got to the United States, away from my birth country, that I came to realize how much my father, Eleazar, sacrificed to get his higher education in law. He was an orphan, and without financial means of support from his parents, he befriended hunger. It was his daily companion. He walked barefoot several miles to go to school. He had water but no food. He believed that his higher education was his ticket out of poverty. And it was by divine providence that he got to eat.

His active imagination helped him visualize a better life for himself. He then met my mother, Asuncion, who herself was determined to have a better life.

She burned the midnight oil to get her master’s degree in science, while teaching full-time and raising us, all five girls. She showed me by example how to work hard to reach our goals.

When the youngest girl was five, my mother’s adventurous spirit served her well and she went

Photo taken by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz by the California coast during one of her road trips with husband, Enrique Delacruz.

abroad to give us a much better future.

While both those parental examples were rich ones to learn from, I took them for granted.

I incorrectly viewed myself as poor, yet I was richly endowed with their examples of patience, perseverance, true grit and imagination.

Because of what they showed me, I instinctively knew I should and I can pursue higher education. Because of how my dad and my mom sacrificed, I knew I can achieve, with sacrifice and hard work.

Life of gratitude with God’s grace showering My life turned around when I became grateful for what God gave me: my own skills, talents

and knowledge. It even became a life of meaning, of purpose when I served others, mentoring them to reach their own life’s goals. I continue to do that to today, four decades later.

I realized that my own poverty of imagination and good spirits stopped me from having a life of privilege: one that is connected to the Higher Source of imagination and creativity.

I also stopped desiring what others have. I started cultivating my own gifts of imagination and creativity, and have been writing a column for ten years now.

So here goes now, my life begins with an ambitious climb of 282 steps. This overlook trail was created by the collective foresight of the community and

the state government’s good governance principles of land conservation and benefitting the public good.

It took over a decade for the community to gain this public victory. How? The Baldwin Hills’ African American community persisted, and sustained their community efforts not to fall apart to division. They solidified their ranks, through social ties, and with their own creative skills of coming together through coffee klatches, movie nights and dinner potlucks. With their solidified ranks, they succeeded in stopping the development of 241 homes over 50 acres of private land.

It was not till the land was

u PAGE A9

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OpiniOn & FeatUreS

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DEcEmbER 22-25, 2018

A

Alejano wants July 12 declared as ‘West Philippine Sea Victory Day’ idated China’s “nine-dash line” claim on the entire South China Sea. MANILA — Magdalo Rep. “It is important that we preGary Alejano has filed a bill seek- serve the significance of the ing to declare July 12 as “West ruling; to ensure that our rights Philippine Sea Victory Day.” and access over the resources House Bill No. 8809 aims to (in the West Philippine Sea) are mark the country’s victory last upheld,” he asserted in a stateJuly 12, 2016 when the Perma- ment on Thursday, December nent Court of Arbitration (PCA) 20. in The Hague, Netherlands invalUnder the proposed measure,

by CONSUELO

MARQUEZ

Inquirer.net

the Department of Foreign Affairs is tasked to plan and implement activities for the West Philippine Sea Victory Day to “ensure its meaningful observance.”

It also mandates the Department of Education (Deped) and Commission on Higher Education (Ched) to have the history of the Philippines’ victory in the PCA included in their curriculum. n

Sitting in the chair of privilege

PAGE A8 t

bought, and state rangers became part of this park and nurtured its development, did the community finally recognize they preserved 50 acres of land for public good, through their organizing efforts.

Today, this overlook scenic trail is enjoyed by folks of diverse ethnicities, of different ages, of families persisting to have their own lives rich in imagination, rich in creativity, but mostly, rich in connections with their Universal Partner.

Here is where I found a 78year-old poet, running up the stairs and working through her own issues of poverty, unbeknownst to her, utilizing her own writing skills, as she is presently stumped by her own grief, and expecting folks to like her. I was glad to have struck a conversation with her and even if for a moment, lightened the load in her heart.

Here is where I also found a couple, almost a century old, yes, almost a hundred, with their walking canes, holding hands and whose formula for life is not about viewing challenges, but to take a step at a time, by loving one another for 64 years and smiling while they walk together.

They appear to have of privileges, connected to their Universal Partner, the source of all Goodness.

This Christmas Season, I have a lot to be grateful for, starting with my precious almost fouryear-old granddaughter. The other day, she corrected me, “Grandma, I am not a baby,” she said, as I mistakenly referred to her as my grandbaby and then, with a smile, she acknowledged it when I called her my granddaughter.

Then, her questions – “Grand-

PMA SILENT DRILL PERFORMS ROUTINE. The Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Silent Drill Company performs their routine exercise during the Silent Drill Competition held at Camp Emilio Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Wednesday, December 19.

PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

Duterte relaxes rules on foreigners in Subic

by RALPH

VILLANUEVA ManilaTimes.net

The Baldwin Hills overlook trail in Culver City, CA

ma, did my mommy come from your tummy? What about my Uncle Carlo – did he come from your tummy too? Grandma, what about me – did I come from your tummy?”

I said, “yes, your mama and your uncle came from my tummy but you my precious granddaughter came from your mom’s tummy.” She smiled and then she said, “You are my family, Grandma!” That made my day and I felt like I hit the jackpot, in my own virtual chair of privilege!

Merry Christmas to all of you!

As every Christmas for 11 years now, I hit the jackpot when I finish all nine novena masses at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, at 5 a.m. By the morning of Dec.

Photo by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz

24th, I feel like I hit the lotto, with a heart so open to accept the divinity of Jesus! *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong.

She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the US, in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has signed an executive order (EO) amending the measure that governs the admission and stay of foreign nationals as temporary visitors in the Subic Bay Freeport Zone, giving them more flexibility.

Duterte signed EO 72, which amends EO 271 of former President Fidel Ramos, on December 18, copies of which were given to members of the media two days after.

Under the EO, foreigners who have no visas may now present their marine vessel tickets among the other regular requirements to be able to enter the zone and stay for a maximum period of 14 days.

The regular requirements are their passports and certificates of identity or travel documents valid for at least six months beyond the intended stay in the Zone.

Before, foreigners were required to present only confirmed onward flight tickets to be able to enter the free port.

It also amended Section 2 of EO 271, opening the Subic Bay Piers and Wharves to foreigners.

Before, foreigners were only allowed to leave from the Philippines through the Subic Bay International Airport.

“The Subic Bay Piers and Wharves have emerged as new destinations for international

cruise ships, as shown by the number of cruise ship arrivals in 2018, with each international cruise ship carrying an average of 1,600 passengers and 1,000 crew members,” the measure read.

“It is anticipated that there will be a continued increase in cruise ship arrivals in the Subic Bay in 2019 and onwards,” it added.

It also said that the Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration and Subic Bay

Metropolitan Authority would implement the EO. The agencies will then have a consultation with the National Intelligence Coordinating Agency to issue guidelines, to ensure that there will be no “detriment to national security in the implementation of the EO.” The measure also said that if the amendments would be deemed invalid or unconstitutional, the remaining provisions would not be affected. n

A10 December 22-25, 2018 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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Duterte not taking terrorism lightly – Palace MALACANANG on Thursday, December 20, assured the public that the government was doing its best to serve and protect the government even after the Global Terrorism Index 2018 ranked the Philippines 10th among countries most affected by terrorism.

In a statement, Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said the report was a reason why peace and order remained a “primordial concern” of the President.

“Terrorism knows no time, geography or circumstances. No matter how prepared a country or its government is, damage will inevitably be incurred if terrorism befalls in a locality within its jurisdiction,” Panelo said.

Panelo said that the government was not taking terrorism sitting down and was doing its best to quell attacks.

“Our goal is to totally eradicate rebellion by crushing it as well as by providing better services and opportunities for all to achieve a state where there would no longer be a need for any uprising or armed struggle,” Panelo said.

“Amid baseless denunciations by critics, we can assure our people that the President remains focused and steadfast in

creation of a national task force to end local communist armed conflict, as well as the adoption of a national peace framework that will contain policies addressing the root causes of insurgencies.

“All of these form part of the Duterte Administration’s comprehensive approach in achieving inclusive and sustainable peace throughout the Philippines,” Panelo said.

Duterte said in a speech during Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s 40th birthday celebration at the KCC Convention Center in General Santos City on Monday that there would be “some movements” in Mindanao to attain peace in the region.

He said he was “in a hurry” to attain the peace and order he SUMMIT ON GOOD GOVERNANCE. Barangay officials listen to President Rodrigo R. Duterte as he delivers his speech during the Barangay Summit needed to “go higher.” on Good Governance Region 11, held at the RMC Petro Gazz Arena in Davao City on Tuesday, December 18.

He added that if the BangsamMalacañang photo by Karl Norman Alonzo oro Organic Law (BOL) would pass in the plebiscite, he would still need time to talk to Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) founding chairman Nur Misuari.

by NEIL JAYSON SERVALLOS “Nur Misuari is my friend. I ManilaTimes.net am open to any other arrangement, but that would not intrude THE crackdown on erring into the sovereignty… a disseverment of the Republic of the tourism establishments has paid Philippines,” he said. (Ralph Vil- off, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Thursday, Decemlanueva/ManilaTimes.net) ber 20.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said the government’s thrust in improving tourist spots led to the successful rehabilitation of Boracay island and certain areas in El Nido, Palawan and Panglao, Bohol.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat Philstar.com photo ang Bedol, is undergoing trial “For me it was very positive for the electoral sabotage case not only around the country, don’t know, really want to main- mpn. Registering above 1,000 filed against them before the but abroad. Around the country tain Boracay,” she said. mpn level is risky.

Pasay City court in line with al- I noticed lalo na noong nagbuThe coliform count in beaches The tourism secretary said leged cheating in the 2007 mid- kas ang Boracay (when Boracay in Panglao and El Nido also went the government would start adterm election. reopened), the netizens, sila na down. dressing the environmental conThe same court dismissed mismo ang nagre-report ng isPuyat said a quality check cerns on several tourist spots in similar charges slapped against sues on kalat sa pinupuntahan by the Department of Environ- La Union, Baguio, Puerto Galera, former Commission on Elections nila (they are the ones reporting ment and Natural Resources Coron and Siargao. chairman Benjamin Abalos Sr. on garbage issues in the places in October in Panglao’s Alona “We have to broaden the focus and the late Maguindanao gov- they have visited),” she said.

Beach yielded a coliform count from a single island — Boracay ernor Andal Ampatuan Sr. Puyat said the government re- of 16,000 most probable number — to the greater vision of the Abalos could not be charged duced the coliform count in Bo- (mpn) while Buena Suerte in El entire country. We also have to for lack of evidence, the court racay from thousands to 50.

Nido had 1,300 mpn. look past the pressure to just apsaid, while Ampatuan – also im“Napakalinis, nakapaganda The normal water quality for peasing the present but rather to plicated in the 2009 Maguindan- (It’s s clean and beautiful). I’ve beaches is 100 mpn, while swim- see to it that the future is even ao massacre — died of illness. noticed that a lot of people, I ming pools usually have 400 better,” she said. n The hearing on the case has been going on for over seven House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo years since it was filed in NoInquirer.net photo vember 2011.

The court allowed Arroyo If the demurrer to evidence by

by EVELYN MACAIRAN Fox has been battling for her Arroyo is denied, the trial on her to post bail, despite electoral Philstar.com continued stay since she was arelectoral sabotage case will con- sabotage being a non-bailable rested by BI intelligence agents tinue and her camp must pres- charge, after the prosecution MANILA — The Department of in April 16. She was then ac— the Department of Justice ent witnesses.

Justice (DOJ) will issue a resolucused of allegedly taking part in Arroyo, along with former Ma- — failed to present strong evition on the petition for review of partisan political activities such guindanao election officer Lint- dence against her. n the deportation complaint filed as rallies promoting the interest by the Bureau of Immigration of farmers and indigenous peo(BI) against Australian nun Sister ples (IPs).

Patricia Anne Fox by next year.

When her missionary visa exJustice department spokesman pired last Sept. 5, she was given Undersecretary Mark Perete a temporary visitor’s visa by the said yesterday they decided they BI that was only valid for 59 days would prioritize other urgent or until Nov. 3. cases pending before the Office Sister Patricia Anne Fox Philstar.com photo At that time, BI spokesperson of the DOJ secretary and issue peal from the deportation order Dana Sandoval said the nun’s the resolution on the deportation issued against her will have to name would be included in their case of the 72-year-old Fox by wait for next year.” blacklist and she would no lonnext year.

Fox, who is the provincial su- ger be allowed to return to the Perete said recently, they re- perior of the Sisters of Our Lady country. ceived the memorandum filed by of Sion and has been living in the Just before she left the country, the camp of Fox and “because of Philippines for the past 27 years, Fox had said that she will take a this, and considering that in the left the country last Nov. 3 after few months’ vacation in Australia meantime, other equally impor- the BI denied the extension of and might return early next year. tant but more urgent petitions her temporary visitor’s visa.

“I will look at the situation. It defor review have been filed with She returned to Australia even pends on the deportation case. the Office of the Secretary of Jus- without seeing the resolution of If I could come back I will come tice, the resolution of Fox’s ap- her deportation case. back.” n fulfilling his constitutional mandate to serve and protect the Filipino people,” he added.

The spokesman also underlined several measures the government took to address terrorism in the country, such as declaring martial law and suspending the writ of habeas corpus in Mindanao and extending it for years.

“Amid laudable efforts of our law enforcers on the ground to thwart rebellion, the latter remains and various groups continue to sow terror and chaos in Mindanao, with remnants of Abu Sayyaf Group, Daulah Islamiyah, and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters members still struggling to pursue their goal of establishing an Islamic state and ousting the Philippine Government,” Panelo said.

“This persistent and continuing threat to public safety has compelled the President to push for the extension of martial law in the region,” he said.

Panelo also said that this was why Duterte issued Memorandum Order (MO) 32, which reinforced the guidelines of the AFP and the PNP in implementing measures to suppress and prevent such lawless violence; Executive Order 70 directing the

DOT: Gov’t crackdown led to cleaner beaches

Gloria Arroyo camp seeks dismissal of poll sabotage case

by GHIO

ONG Philstar.com

MANILA — The camp of former president and House Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo has asked a court in Pasay City to dismiss the case of electoral sabotage filed against her.

Arroyo’s demurrer to evidence filed by her lawyers, including Ferdinand Topacio, is now being reviewed, Pasay City Regional Trial Court Branch 112 officer-in-charge Dana Lyne Areola told The Star on Wednesday, December 19.

A demurrer to evidence is filed after the prosecution rests its case and the defense camp is given the opportunity to move for the dismissal of the case.

The prosecution has also filed its comment on the demurrer to evidence, Areola said, adding the court’s presiding judge Jesus Mupas might already issue a resolution acting on the motion anytime soon.

ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

DOJ to resolve Patricia Fox’s petition in 2019

Janet Napoles insists on staying at Camp Bagong Diwa

by ELIZABETH

MARCELO Philstar.com

MANILA — Businesswoman Janet Lim-Napoles has insisted that she must remain at the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP)’s detention facility at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig pending the finality of the Sandiganbayan decision convicting her of plunder in connection with the multibillion-peso pork barrel fund scam.

In a reply paper submitted to the Sandiganbayan First Division, Napoles, through her lawyers, maintained that her life and security are at risk at the Correctional Institution for Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong where she is set to be transferred following her conviction.

Napoles was replying to the opposition paper submitted by the Office of the Ombudsman’s prosecution panel, blocking her motion to remain at the BJMP Female Dormitory at Camp Bagong Diwa as she appeals her conviction.

In its paper, the prosecution said Napoles must already be transferred to the CIW, a national prison facility under the Bureau of Corrections (BuCor), following her conviction, even if she still has the right to file an appeal.

The prosecution said Napoles failed to substantiate her claim that her impending transfer to the CIW would put her life and security at risk.

The prosecution also noted that Napoles’ motion filed on Dec. 7 does not bear any notice of hearing, thus it is considered “a mere scrap of paper” that does not deserve the court’s consideration.

The prosecution pointed out that under Sections 4 and 5, Rule 15 of the Rules of Court, a movant must always set the time and place of the hearing of a motion in order to provide due process to both the prosecution and the defense.

In her reply, Napoles said that while her motion indeed does not bear a notice of hearing, “such absence was not intended to deprive” the prosecution

Janet Lim-Napoles

Palace: UN expert’s report ‘reckless...

PAGE A7 t

enable us to respond more properly, we would like to reiterate the full commitment of the Philippine Government to upholding the rule of law and ensuring that human rights violations are properly investigated, including those allegedly committed by state actors, to make the perpetrators accountable,” the DFA statement read.

Forst’s report encouraged the government to “cease immediately the public stigmatization of hu-

man rights defenders, which can incite perpetrators to act against them, and instead to publicly recognize the legitimacy and importance of their work.”

He further noted that the country should continue to take a second look at its laws that could possibly restrict freedom of opinion, expression, assembly and association.

“The government should review and desist from employing counter-insurgency measures

Philstar.com photo

of its right to object on the motion. Napoles said her lawyers even personally furnished the state prosecutors with a copy of her motion when it was filed.

“It must be stressed that the main reason for such filing is… the extreme urgency of the said motion, considering (that) the order of this honorable court is to immediately transfer (her) to the Correctional Institution for Women, Mandaluyong City,” Napoles’ reply letter read. n

which result in extra-judicial killings, enforced disappearances, and human rights violations,” the rapporteur said.

“In doing so, the government should recognize the specific needs and circumstances of groups of defenders facing high risks, such as women human rights defenders, indigenous human rights defenders, land and environmental rights defenders, and journalists,” the report added. n

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A12 December 22-25, 2018 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

JOURNAL

How the Quantum MMFF entry saved Jessy’s life and career

by RICKY LO Philstar.com

NO thanks to bashers for driving Jessy Mendiola into depression and almost quitting her career. And thanks to Quantum Films producer (lawyer) Joji Alonso for, without her even knowing it, saving Jessy when she cast her in “The Girl in the Orange Dress,” one of the eight official entries in the 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) with Jericho Rosales as leading man. Like Jessy, Jericho is a true professional. Although

feeling bad, he showed up at the movie’s presscon, only to rush to the hospital afterwards running a high-grade fever (it was dengue!).

In the movie, Jericho is Rye del Rosario, a big movie star who’s getting fed up with his life in showbiz. One night, he meets a girl in an orange dress at a party. He leaves with her and they end up spending the night together in a hotel. The girl, Jessy as Ana, doesn’t know that he is a well-known celebrity and treats him just like some ordinary guy and Rye likes it.

But soon, the girl disappears and he doesn’t even know her name. So he looks for her and refers to her as the girl in the orange dress who regards him as a real person and not as just this big-name actor.

The Jay Abello film, which is the first team-up of Jericho and Jessy, appears to take place mostly inside a hotel, where their characters Rye and Ana devise a plan to evade the press eager to figure out the identity of the mystery woman.

“The Girl in the Orange Dress” is a co-production among Star

Catriona reaches 3 million followers on 3rd day as Miss Universe

by ROSETTE

ADEL

Philstar.com

FILIPINO beauty queen Catriona Gray once again recorded an impressive social media milestone on her third day as Miss Universe.

Gray earned a million additional followers and currently has over 3.2 million followers on Instagram.

“How I’m feeling now that there’s 3MILLION of you on this journey!,” Gray wrote on an Instagram post accompanied with a happy photo of her.

Gray earned around 2 million followers on Instagram in less than a week.

On the eve of the Miss Universe coronation last Sunday, Gray reached 1 million followers. She also made it to the 2-million mark after she was crowned as the fourth Filipina Miss Universe.

Her social media numbers continue to rise as her Facebook page also now surpassed the 1million mark. Her followers were

only about 900,000 before she won, and gained 33 percent more almost overnight.

Gray’s Twitter followers also doubled from less than 200,000 to around 406,000.

The 24year-old Filipina-Australian earlier thanked the Philippines and Filipinos who supported her in her Miss Universe Catriona Gray Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray journey.

“I just wanna say thank you to released by the Miss Universe the Philippines, my country. You Organization. know you guys have supported Gray was crowned Miss Unime all through this and if not for verse on Monday after besting out you I would have not had the in- 93 women from all over the world surance or the spirit to do what I in the final competition held in do,” she said in a message video Thailand’s capital.

Cinema, Quantum Films, and MJM Productions.

Excerpts from an interview with Joji: Why did Quantum choose The Girl in the Orange Dress for the MMFF? “After the script was presented to me, I fell in love with the material. It’s a feel-good romance with lots of comic touches. But more than that, the film serves as a critique on the celebrity culture because there are times that fans and the media overstretch or cross boundaries to support their idol or go for a scoop and forget that celebrities are human beings who deserve some privacy in their personal lives.”

Obviously, Jericho is a QuanPAGE B2

Quantum Films producer Joji Alonso between Jessy Mendiola and Jericho Rosales, stars of her company’s MMFF entry “The Girl in the Orange Dress.”

Philstar.com photo

B DECEMBER 22-25, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

EntErtainmEnt

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For Jak and Barbie – love is all they need for Christmas

by LHAR

SANTIAGO ManilaTimes.net

JUST like most couples, Barbie Forteza and Jak Roberto are carefully planning how to spend their second Christmas together as a couple. But unlike last year, the young stars in love agreed to do away with exchanging of gifts.

They explained they simply want to spare each other the stress of thinking about the perfect gift to get.

“Instead sa ibibigay namin ng gift, we’ll just use the money for other things like isang handa sa pasko. I think it’s more practical that way. Exchange of love na lang,” Barbie shared laughingly.

Little did Barbie know that Jak is still thinking of surprising her with gift this Christmas.

Jak intimidated to Showbuzz, “I haven’t decided yet what I will give her. Tinitingnan ko kung ano ‘yung mga nila-like niya sa social media, ano ‘yung mga hilig niya lately. That is where I’m gonna base kung ano ang ibibigay ko sa kanya.”

But they have already agreed that they will have no exchange gift, haven’t they?

To that, Jak answered, “Sometimes you have to break the agreement if you know that you will make her happy. Saka alam mo naman ‘yan, sasabihin niya, wala, then suddenly, you will just be surprised that she prepared something. Basta ako, I’ll make sure that I have a gift. Christmas kasi and I cannot imagine myself not giving anything to the girl I

LJ Reyes had a whimsical maternity shoot with an “expectation versus reality” theme.

Photo courtesy of Nice Print Photography

LJ Reyes, Paolo Contis stage hilarious ‘expectation vs reality’ maternity shoot On her Instagram account, LJ posted photos of the shoot saying: “Yung gandang ganda ka sa KAPUSO actress LJ Reyes had mga pictures mo, kala mo talaga fun doing her maternity shoot may autumn sa pinas with falling with the theme “Expectation leaves effect pa! Pero ang totoo versus Reality” with the help of may matitindi kang supporters her boyfriend Paolo Contis and sa labas ng frame na totoong son Aki. naghihirap para sa magandang “A concept so fitting for these photos mo!”

2! LJ being the soft spoken, very For his part, Paolo said he Photo from Instagram/@jakroberto lady like pretty momma and Paolo knows how hard pregnancy is scenes that we will do. I hope we being the ever funny, kwela daddy so he would do anything for her will be able to finish the pilot,” that he is,” Nice Print Photog- girlfriend and support her through Barbie said. raphy wrote on their Facebook the rest of the way. “‘Yung editor namin, talagang page.

“Mahirap ang pagbubuntis.. pinas-iisipan kung paanong pagmumukhaing natural ‘yung effects. Pero ang ganda naman pag na-execute ng tama ang lahat ng plans. The viewers will really like it,” Jak finally added.

by JAN MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

Barbie Forteza and Jak Roberto

love.”

Meanwhile, it is no secret that before the end of December, Barbie and Jak will start taping for their new GMA series.

“Medyo madugo ‘yung series technically. Maraming requirements sa editing at sa pag-execute ng mga scenes. There are so many good plans for the

madaming pagdadaanan! Suka, hilo, gutom, etc! Tapos manganganak pa! kaya dapat pag buntis, inaalagaan mabuti at laging pinaparamdam na maganda sila! Yan ang trabaho ko! Kaya kahit sa pictorial, todo support ako! Sabi nga nila ‘Behind a beautiful IG picture is a supportive jowa’ buti na lang may masipag akong alalay! Ang mahal nga lang ng suhol..!!”

Paolo and LJ announced that they are expecting their first child last August.

Here are more photos of their whimsical maternity shoot.

How the Quantum MMFF...

PAGE B1 tum favorite. Why so?

“Well, he’s a perfect fit for the role of a matinee idol who fell for an ordinary girl. Plus Jericho is such an amazing actor and a professional through and through, it’s a breeze to work with him.”

Jessy credits Quantum for “saving” her career and helping her spring from depression.

Were you aware of this?

“Sadly, I wasn’t even aware that she had undergone depression. That is a state that I wish,

no one would ever have to go through. If this film, in any way, would uplift her spirit and help her go back on track, then producing this film makes it even more worthwhile.”

Considering that in real life they have different partners, how credible are they as lovers in the movie?

“I was really afraid that it would show. But when I watched the rushes of the film, I was relieved! They have great chemistry onscreen. It probably helped that in real life, Jessy has idolized

Echo over the years. So it was like literally stepping into the shoes of the two lead characters in the film.”

Quantum is a perennial MMFF favorite. Please explain why.

“I think I would be incompetent to answer the question. It’s ‘This Christmas will be busier than the previous ones because of next year’s elections,’ says Sen. Cynthia Villar whose daughter Camille is best addressed to the selection running for Las Piñas congresswoman. Mark: ‘Camille is used to meeting people so she needs not much advice.’ committee. What I am certain though is that Quantum never gets tired of trying to find materials that have something new to offer, films that are commercially

by RICKY LO viable yet outside the box.”

Philstar.com

How the Villars spend Christmas

LIKE every Filipino family, the Villars traditionally spend Christmas together (all accounted for, yes!). But unlike Filipino families, the Villars usually spend the holidays abroad.

“We have been doing it since 1984,” Sen. Cynthia Villar told a select group of movie writers during a breakfast tete-a-tete the other day. “This year, we are again going to L.A. and after two weeks come back to celebrate New Year.

Around 30 to 40 middle-management employees are going with us so it will be an educational trip for them and vacation at the same time since they are visiting the U.S. for the first time.”

Since nobody in the family is a good cook, the group will be having their meals and snacks at the family’s favorite coffee shop and Japanese restaurant in Glendale.

Sen. Cynthia and her husband, former Speaker Manny Villar, don’t usually give each other gifts.

“But,” added Sen. Cynthia, “we give the children gifts, usually money.”

With Sen. Cynthia at the gettogether (which the Villars have been doing during Christmas for several years) were son DPWH Sec. Mark and daughter Camille who’s running for Las Piñas congresswoman. Asked what pointers they could give Camille who is a relative political neophyte, Sen. Cynthia smiled, “She’s a natural so I remind her to just be herself.

She’s used to being exposed to the public because she has been in showbiz.”

What does Mark have to say?

“Actually, mas sanay siya sa pulitika kaysa sa akin. She has been doing several projects for the poor.”

As one-time co-host on Willie

The Villars during their annual get-together with friend movie writers the other day, seated from left: Camille, Sen. Cynthia and DPWH Sec. Mark sandwiched by Tessa Mauricio-Arriola (leftmost) and Janice Navida (rightmost), with Nestor Cuartero; and back row, also from left: Ervin Santiago, Nickie Wang, Mario Dumaual, Dinah Ventura, Gorgy Rula, Vinia Vivar, Wilson Lee Flores, Ricky Lo, Jun Nardo, Lolit Solis, Ambet Nabus, Isah Red, Jojo Panaligan, Dondon Sermino, Ian Fariñas, Neil Ramos and Jun Lana.

Philstar.com photo by Ricky Lo

Revillame’s show (then on TV5), Camille assured her friend movie writers that she’s ready for the rigors of the campaign where mudslinging is usually the norm. Told that politics can be as “cruel” as showbiz, Camille simply shrugged off the observation.

“I was lucky that when I was on TV, I didn’t experience (that cruelty). I’ve been as much exposed to showbiz as I have been to politics because, as you know, I grew up in a family of politicians.

In showbiz, I consider Willie my mentor. I bear in mind what he told me…talk to people, listen to them so you will understand their needs and concerns.”

Inevitably, because the topic was brought into focus by Catriona Gray’s answer to a question during the Top 5 segment of the Miss Universe pageant, Sen. Cynthia was asked what her stand is on the legalization of marijuana.

“It is for Congress to decide,” she said, “kasi many people look at marijuana as a kind of drug and

not medicine.”

In a report, Senate Pres. Tito Sotto was quoted as saying that there’s “no need for a new law of medical marijuana” because the country’s Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act already allows it. “The policy is implemented through the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) circular providing the guidelines for the issuance of a compassionate permit,” adding, “FDA Circular 2014-009 provides for access to drugs and medicines not registered in Philippines for compassionate use.”

Since Catriona’s advocacy of getting education for poor children in Tondo has also been highlighted, Sen. Cynthia revealed that she has actually been pursuing projects for the residents of Baseco (in Tondo) for three years now.

“The main livelihood of the residents is peeling garlic (nagbabalat ng bawang), tambak-tambak ang mga balat. What we do is rePAGE B3

Ruru Madrid is thankful for this year

is something light. It’s a romantic-comedy project that’s why I’m THIS year has been a good so excited.” year for Ruru — he was able to The series reunites do big projects and win awards Ruru with his onscreen for his past works. partner Kylie Padilla “I really have a lot to be thank- whom he shared a sucful for. When I look back, ang cessful team up in the daming magagandang nangyari former fantasy series sa buhay ko, especially with my “Encantadia.” career this 2018. I just wish that “During the story it would continue in the coming conference, nag-usap year,” Ruru admitted. na kami ni Kylie. PareOne blessings is his new GMA ho kaming natutuwa series, “TODA One I Love.” kasi magka-katrabaho A far cry from his serious roles ulit kami. We are really in past projects, Ruru shared, comfortable working “Dito sa ‘TODA One Love,’ I play with each other,” the the role of a tricycle driver. This actor noted.

Ruru Madrid

by LHAR

SANTIAGO ManilaTimes.net

Photo from Instagram/@rurumadrid8

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 22-25, 2018

B3

(Front row, L to R) GMA International Assistant Vice President for Programming Cheri Domingo, GMA Kapuso Foundation EVP and COO Rikki Escudero-Catibog, Heart Evangelista, Howie Severino, GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, and GMA First Vice President and Head of International Operations Joseph Francia together with the 2018 FYLPro delegates during the immersion tour and Thanksgiving dinner the GMA team hosted.

“ABANDONED” PETITION SUCCESSFULLY REOPENED 10 YEARS LATER BY ATTY. MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL. Elsinore (left) was petitioned by his father back in 2001. However, when his younger sister, Elvie (center), checked the petition status online in 2005, she found out it was denied due to “abandonment.” USCIS had sent a notice to petitioner’s old residence requesting additional documents, but the petitioner never received the notice because he had moved, and therefore did not respond. Their first lawyer’s motion to reopen was denied for being untimely, so their mother, an avid viewer of “Citizen Pinoy,” suggested they retain leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch this success story on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Pinoy celebrities and their bluest Christmas RICKY LO Philstar.com

by

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

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

• Quezon City Vice Mayor Joy Belmonte: All my four Christmases as a college student at the Ateneo were all blue. If referring to “saddest,” however, my bluest Christmas was the first one I spent after my mother, Betty Go Belmonte, passed away. Not only was it the first one in which she was not with me but it was also the first one spent away from my family because I decided not to come home for Christmas while I was in Grad School in London in order to save money.

• James Yap: Dapat every Christmas ay masaya kasi Christmas is for and with the family, di ba? No, I won’t have a blue Christmas this year. Masaya pa rin naman kahit na…’yon na nga!

• Roselle Monteverde: This is something I want to think about because as far back as I can remember, my saddest Christmas was when I was nine years old.

I wanted to have a walking doll as a gift from my parents but I never got it. However, after that all my Christmases have been wonderful.

• Carlo J. Caparas: After Donna’s farewell, dark blue has been the color of my every Christmas.

(Carlo’s wife Donna Villa died of cancer on Jan. 27, 2017.)

• McDonald’s Philippines president George Yang: My “bluPAGE B4

Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez, Ai-Ai delas Alas, Gabby Concepcion, Ruffa Gutierrez, Kuh Ledesma, Jaclyn Jose, Albie Casiño and Kyline Alcantara

Carlo J. Caparas at the grave of his wife Donna Villa (inset) at a memorial park in Cebu.

Quantum Films producer lawyer Joji Alonso with Jessy Mendiola and Jericho Rosales, stars of “The Girl in Orange Dress”, her company’s 2018 Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) entry.

Philstar.com photos

James Yap and his five-month-old daughter Francesca Michelle.

How the Villars spend Christmas...

PAGE B2 cycle them into handmade paper, just as we do also with water lilies which we gather from Laguna Bay. I installed a machine there for the procedure. We have put up similar recycling machines nationwide, one in Las Piñas for

Luzon, one in Iloilo for the Visayas and the third in Cagayan de Oro for Mindanao.”

As we all know, Sen. Cynthia has been doing wonders not just with water lilies but also with plastics (bottles, straws, etc.) which are recycled into chairs, etc.

Tempo’s Nestor Cuartero casually asked Sen. Cynthia how she dealt with “plastics” in politics.

“I just don’t mind them,” she replied, smiling. “I just do my work. Why would I mind them?

Otherwise, mamamatay lang ako kaagad.”

GMA Network holds immersion tour for young Fil-Am leaders

GMA Network recently hosted a successful immersion tour for the 2018 Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPro) delegates which consisted of ten outstanding young U.S.-based professionals.

The immersion tour, led by GMA’s global arm GMA International, gave the delegates an overview of GMA’s programs as well as its contribution to the broadcast industry in the Philippines. They visited the set of Kapuso flagship newscast “24 Oras” and had a brief chat about pursuing a career in the industry with Rovilson Fernandez, the host of GMA News TV program “Ang Pinaka”. For a truly Pinoy experience, they also went to the set of “Mars” and the Mars Bazaar which showcased local products from small businesses.

Some of the delegates even got the chance to be interviewed

by Kapuso hosts Suzie EntrataAbrera and Camille Prats during the ‘Ask Mars’ segment.

Moreover, the FYLPro delegates engaged in a meaningful panel discussion with GMA News Pillar Howie Severino, GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, and Kapuso actress Heart Evangelista about content creation in the Philippines and how it can be relevant to other parts of the globe. And in true Filipino-American spirit, the immersion tour concluded with a Thanksgiving dinner in celebration of Thanksgiving Day in the U.S.

“We once again open our doors to the FYLPRO delegates at a time when we are now in the so-called experience and sharing economy. We hope that you enjoy your interaction with our executives, stars, and staff as we share ideas on how best to respond to the challenges of the Filipino community in the US,” GMA International Head Joseph Francia said in his welcome remarks.

Heart Evangelista expressed her appreciation for having the opportunity to talk about the topic on GMA Pinoy TV’s panel discussion on Philippine television and the global Pinoy audience.

“As an actress of 20 years, I am passionate about conversations on the entertainment industry. I think nowadays, it’s becoming more and more necessary to stay educated about media because of how relevant it is in our daily lives,” she said in an Instagram post.

“This is one way for GMA to find out what kind of content and programming preferences young Filipinos have or are developing. Kasi tayong producers dito, kadalasan, ang iniisip lang natin ‘yung audience natin dito sa Pilipinas. Nakakalimutan natin na ang audience natin global na. It’s good that we’re hearing this kind of feedback and insights,” Howie Severino also added.

One of the delegates, Baron Lloyd Cabalona, who was born and raised in Tacloban and is now based in Chicago as a musi-

cal director, shared how he enjoyed their visit. “This is my first time in GMA and it feels really good. The discussion we had was very refreshing because it’s nice to know that a company such as GMA is willing to adapt and hear the youth’s voice especially that of Filipino-Americans,” he said.

Fellow delegate Catherine Sy Luib echoed the same sentiment and said that they were amazed with the program. “FYLPRO is a very important platform wherein we can share our legacy projects.

This is a wonderful opportunity for the delegates,” the San Diegobased physician said.

Aside from Cabalona and Luib, this year’s delegates are second generation Filipino-Americans, among which include a fellow doctor in Chicago, a PR expert in Arkansas, an educator and entrepreneur in Boston, an IT expert in New York, a multimedia and graphic designer in Washington, D.C., a policy director in New Jersey, a U.S. Air Force officer in Hawaii, and a TV producer in Los Angeles.

The FYLPro delegates are selected each year by the Philippine Embassy in the United States, in cooperation with Ayala Foundation Inc. Under the program, the delegates visit and engage in a dialogue with the country’s policymakers, industry leaders, media, cultural experts, and social entrepreneurs for them to maintain a grassroots approach to working locally in various industries which will have an impact nationally and globally.

B4 DECEMBER 22-25, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Pinoy celebrities and their...

PAGE B3 est” Christmas was in 1985. My father passed away in November that year. For the first time, the family was not complete to celebrate Christmas.

• Qualibet CEO/philanthropist Pinky Tobiano: My bluest Christmas was the year when both my Mom and I had cancer together.

Seeing how my family was hurting and in pain, hiding their tears from us, as they were trying to be strong for me and my mom…that

was my bluest Christmas. But today, my Mom and I are both survivors because of my family’s love…the greatest miracle of Christmas.

• Kuh Ledesma: The bluest Christmas for me was when I was already separated from Louie (Gonzalez) and I let (our daughter) Isabella spend Christmas with him because they didn’t see each other much. It was the only lonely Christmas for me but now, having Christ in my life, I hardly get sad

no matter what the occasion is. It is in believing that He (Jesus) will never leave me nor forsake me.

• Tacloban City Mayor Cristina Gonzales-Romualdez: Blue Christmas would be if I am away from my family. For me, Christmas is for family representing the birth of Jesus in Bethlehem and the Holy Family.

• Ai-Ai delas Alas: Hindi Pasko ang bluest ko but New Year because my father died on Dec. 31 and my mother naman Dec. 30.

I see to it na masaya ang Pasko namin kasi birthday ni Lord.

Christmas is my and my children’s favorite time of the year.

• Gabby Concepcion: I was away from the Philippines for 13 years. I came home to see my father and was hoping to spend Christmas with him for the first time in 13 years. He died in September that year.

• Ruffa Gutierrez: My bluest Christmases were those I spent in Istanbul, Turkey, without my family by my side. My ex-husband never celebrated Christmas so it was naturally a lonely time for me. I would always look forward to visits from my parents and talk to them every day. Mas masaya ang Pasko sa Pilipinas! There’s really no place like home. (Ruffa’s marriage to Yilmaz Bektas was annulled.)

• Kyline Alcantara: My first ever Christmas here in Manila was my bluest kasi galing po ako ng Bicol at sanay ako that I would be with my grandparents every Christmas. But when I got here and I celebrated my first Christmas without them, nanibago po ako at na-miss ko sila. Na-miss ko po ’yung aginaldo nila, hehehe!!!, mga luto nila every Christmas, mga yakap nila. I really miss them po.

• Albie Casiño: My bluest Christmas was easily in 2010. My (paternal) grandpa Daddy Ben died on Dec. 14 and Christmas has never been the same since then.

• Joji Alonso: My bluest Christmas was when I spent half of the day lending support to a client who was imprisoned for a nonbailable crime. Even if the people there tried to make things appear normal (sharing food, laughing, etc.), ramdam mong mabigat ang pakiramdam. I was specifically affected by the innocent children who didn’t even understand what was going on.

• Jaclyn Jose: This is my bluest Christmas. You could not imagine how blue it is. It’s dark.

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Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS HOLIDAYS are upon us once again and food abound everywhere we go. This is also the season where gastroenteritis from food contamination is more common, especially from unprotected, unrefrigerated food and leftovers.

What is food poisoning?

Food poisoning is a variety of illnesses caused by eating food contaminated with bacteria, toxins or chemicals. This is more common during holidays and summertime. The symptoms usually include diarrhea, abdominal pains and vomiting.

The diarrhea and vomiting could be so severe as to cause extreme dehydration, which, if untreated and unabated, could be fatal.

How does bacterial contamination occur?

Raw food may have bacteria in it or may be contaminated by unsanitary handling. These bacteria then grow and multiply, and when the “infected” food is eaten, the growth and multiplication of the bacteria continue in the stomach or bowel, producing symptoms of food poisoning.

This leads to abdominal pains, diarrhea and vomiting, which are part of the body’s defensive ways of getting rid of the offending bacteria. The most common bacteria causing food poisoning is listeria salmonella, usually from poultry or infected eggs, specifically duck eggs), clostridia (contamination by dirt or flies), and shigella and escherichia coli (fecal contamination of food and/or water).

What about toxins?

Food that is kept in a warm place, or improperly preserved, can produce chemicals called toxins. One of the commonest is the staphylococci toxin from staphylococci bacteria that can be transmitted by a food careless handler with a boil or infected wound full of the staph bacteria.

Botulism (due to clostridium botulinum), from badly tinned or bottled food, is not very common but can be fatal. When the contaminated food is ingested, severe gastrointestinal symptoms may occur.

What chemical poisons are found in food?

There are some common food items that contain natural chemical poisons. Some fungi are very poisonous even when eaten in tiny quantities, causing irregular heartbeat, coma

MOONLIGHTING

Food contamination

or even death. The green areas on potatoes which have been exposed to the light, uncooked kidney beans, some nuts, etc. contain poisonous chemicals, which can cause symptoms of food poisoning if inadequately cooked. Not properly washing fruits and vegetables that are contaminated with pesticides can also cause food poisoning.

Some mushrooms are poisonous and not edible.

What bacteria grow on cooked rice?

Bacillus cereus thrives and multiples in cooked rice and can cause food poisoning. The bacteria produces chemical toxin which is very resistant and not destroyed even by high temperatures. The best way to prevent this is by refrigerating left over rice, which should be consumed within 48 hours. The symptoms of food poisoning usually start fairly suddenly with abdominal pains, frequently cramping in nature and soon followed by diarrhea. The pains can be persistent for a few days and become worst before an episode of diarrhea or vomiting.

Throwing up may cease after a few hours but the diarrhea may continue for days. If the illness is due to bacterial contamination, the symptoms appear about 1224 hours after ingestion, but if it is due to toxins, the onset of symptoms comes rapidly, usually within minutes after eating the contaminated food. Severe botulism begins after about 12 hours with vomiting, abdominal cramps, and may culminate in paralysis and coma.

Is food poisoning dangerous?

Obviously yes, as discussed above. In young children and among the elderly, dehydration is the main danger. Vomiting and diarrhea can result in a rapid loss of body fluids and electrolytes. This can disrupt the very delicate chemical balance in the body and, if not treated early, can lead to coma and even death.

Botulinum and staph toxins are in themselves dangerous, and the poisoning can be fatal, if not managed in a timely and proper fashion.

How do we prevent food poisoning?

Good environmental and personal hygiene, proper food preparation, handling and storage, avoidance of questionable food (fruit or potato salad and dishes sautéed with tomato that have been exposed for more than an hour at a party or picnic under hot weather, mussels and other shelled foods that remain

closed after cooking, poultry or meats (hamburgers, etc) that are not thoroughly cooked, and can goods that are of questionable freshness, that are “expired,” or with bulging top, are some basic preventive measures that can be taken to prevent food poisoning. The prudent practice and common sense dictum is “if in doubt, discard.”

What is the mainstay of therapy?

This depends on the cause of the food poisoning: bacteria, toxin or chemical. But basically, oral and/or intravenous fluid replacement is the key to prevent further dehydration from fluid and electrolyte loss from diarrhea and vomiting, which could be life threatening. Young children and the elderly can become very ill fast, since they succumb rapidly to dehydration, so medical consultation, or even hospitalization, may be needed early. Antibiotics may be given where indicated to clear up the infection, but as a rule they are usually not used because they may sometimes worsen the condition. Fortunately, most of the food poisoning cases respond well to fluid replacement. Possible botulism patients should be hospitalized without delay.

The stomach may be pumped out and botulism anti-toxin given to counteract paralysis. Those who are very ill may need ventilator support in the ICU. An antidote may be needed for fungal food poisoning.

All the evaluation and decision on the management are best handled by the attending physician. After surviving the acute stage, the patient is expected to recover fully with excellent prognosis. However, just like most other illnesses, food poisoning is best prevented. In majority of situations, this is within our power.

Here’s wishing you, your loved ones, and the whole of humankind, a wonderful Christmas and a new year filled with love, good health, joy, prosperity and peace *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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

For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Gifts this Christmas

THE holiday spirit comes to us wrapped, not in tissues and ribbons, but in cherished events of ceremony, celebration and connections, and parties that constellate about the holiday seasons.

Guests who trooped in all sizes and shapes — of race, color and creed — display effulgence that intoxicates, sizzles and Gen Ronald Bato de la Rosa “had his hands full” with Cecile Ramos and this writer during his electrifies the holiday revelers. drop by at the Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown as its guest speaker.

It could be a small cozy, intimate gathering or there are the large parties that generally abound during the season.

Some of these parties are an institutional imperative, often likely that the ratio between the people you know, and the people who are there becomes smaller and smaller.

Upon entering, you scan the horizon anxiously in search of a familiar face and once you find one, you’re not even qualified to defend yourself with panache, on how to deal with that party’s dizzying phase.

So, here we go again, gearing up for the holidays upon us. Who said a holiday-in-laws summit and alcohol don’t mix?

Try explaining why people seem to be pretty giggly for no apparent reason.

Singing what is to ride on a one-horse open sleigh. That’s ludicrous! I have never roasted chestnuts on an open fire. And Al Pedroche’s last Christmas party was bittersweet, as all retirement celebrations are. what of the Wandering Wise Men, that could truly make one suspicious. Why is it called the ‘Epiphany’?

There have been stars in my eyes lately. But I’ve never seen an angel, just the addicting ruckus of my holy terrors, aged 7 and 9. Or dreaming of a White Christmas, I’ve never known.

You see, the Christmas that I’ve known lately has never been really great. Yet, I am too old to believe in it and too young to give it up. And for the sake of what it brings, the grace of humility is the most precious gift! *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol. com

Elma Cayton leads Christmas revelers at the Bonnie Brae Convalescent Hospital.

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COMMUNITY JOURNAL

The emergency B-2 Tourist Visa THE B Visa is a nonimmigrant visa to temporarily enter the United States for business (B-1), as a visitor (B-2), or as a combination of both (B-1/2). An applicant must apply for the B Visa and appear for an interview at a United States Embassy where the examining official will determine if the applicant qualifies.

The B-1 Visa is commonly issued for individuals to consult with business associates, attend a scientific, educational, professional, or business convention or conference, settle an estate, or negotiate a contract.

It is important to note that the B Visa holder cannot engage in gainful employment in the United States. Also, upon entry to the country, B Visa holders commonly receive authorized stays of six months.

The B-2 Visa is typically used for tourism, vacations, visits with friends or relatives, medical treatment, participation in social events hosted by fraternal, social, or service organizations, participation by amateurs in musical, sports, or similar events or contests, if not being paid for participating, and enrollment in a short recreational course of study, not for credit toward a degree.

When an urgent need to travel to the United States arises, the B-2 Visa provides a vehicle for a person to enter the United States for expedited medical care, to accompany a relative receiving medical care, or to visit a relative suffering from an immediate life threatening medical condition.

For example, a person donating an organ and bone marrow for transplant to a family member in the United States is a medical or emergency situation where the B-2 Visa is appropriate.

Other situations where the need for an Emergency B-2 Visa arises include when the purpose of travel to the United States is for a funeral or to make arraignments for repatriating a body of an immediate family member.

Further, the B Visa may be used for urgent business travel when the need for travel was not anticipated, and for students or ex-

Your Immigration Solution ATTY. MICHAEL BHOTIWIHOK change visitors to return to the United States to attend classes or resume working in a timely fashion.

An emergency reason to travel to the United States does not result in a waiver of any of the standard visa processing requirements through the United States Embassy. Despite the expedited or emergent need for a B-2 Visa, the burden is on the

“The B-1 Visa is commonly issued for individuals to consult with business associates, attend a scientific, educational, professional or business convention or conference, settle an estate or negotiate a contract.” applicant to prove that he or she qualifies for the visa.

Section 214(b) of the Immigration and Nationality Act provides that “every alien shall be presumed to be an immigrant until he establishes to the satisfaction of the officer, at the time of the application for a visa… that he is entitled to nonimmigrant status.”

To overcome the intending immigrant presumption, applicants must demonstrate 1) the purpose of the trip is to enter for business or pleasure; 2) temporarily entering for a specific, limited period of time; 3) evidence of financial funds to cover expense; and 4) a residence outside the United States along with binding ties to his or her home country. An applicant must provide enough evidence for the United States Embassy to conclude that one’s ties to his or

her home country (family relationships, employment, possession, etc.) will bring them back at the end of a temporary stay in the United States.

Visa applicants must qualify on the basis of the applicant’s residence and ties abroad, rather than assurances from U.S. family and friends. Since each person’s situation is different, evidence of adequate ties to one’s home country comes in many forms.

In the same vein, an applicant for an Emergency B-2 Visa must provide specific documentary evidence to prove the urgent, bona fide need to travel to and enter the United States.

A different yet similar option to the Emergency B-2 Visa is the Visa Waiver Program, which allows citizens of participating countries to travel to the United States without obtaining a visa, for stays of 90 days or less for tourism or business. However, even with eligibility to travel on the VWP, one may prefer having a visa in the passport and may still apply for a B-2 Visa.

To understand the B-2 Visa process from start to finish, an applicant with an emergency need to travel to the United States should consult with an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney.

Without the proper preparation and specific documentary evidence to establish an urgent need to enter the United States, an applicant runs the risk of being unable to enter the country for the emergency reason. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China.

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

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

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 22-24, 2018

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C DECEMBER 22-24, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Minding Your Finances ATTY. RAYMOND BULAON WITH credit card debt approaching $1 trillion according to the Federal Reserve, there is no doubt that thousands and thousands of families who can’t pay their credit card debts are struggling financially. The average family now carries a balance of a little more than $16,000. I see people all the time who owe 2-5 times (sometimes even more) than this amount!

Now this may not seem like a lot, but for families who are living paycheck to paycheck and are barely covering their living expenses, it’s a struggle to carry this much debt.

Getting into credit card debt is fairly easy because the credit card companies make it so. You can even fill out an online application in some cases and get an approval within minutes- without ever talking to anyone!

What happens next is almost predictable. Most people start using their credit cards to pay for things they normally wouldn’t buy with cash and before they know it, they’re maxed out. The minimum payments are no lon-

Barrister’s Corner ATTY. KENNETH URSUA REYES TO many people, the New Year signifies a chance to have a fresh beginning. People dispose of old personal items and clean out the closet in order to make room for the new. This is also the time of the year many people realize when a marriage is not working out and it may be time to start a new life as a single person whether or not you have children. You can decide to take action and file a divorce.

Before you take any action, you need to think about your situation carefully. First, you should decide whether you should you move out of the family residence or not? If you and your spouse are communicating and have some type of respect left with one another, it may be more economical to continue residing in the same household until you

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

Are you feeling the burden of excessive credit card debt?

ger affordable because they’re so high. To avoid defaulting, they then keep up with these high credit card payments but because they are still making the same amount of money as when they first started getting into debt, now they can’t pay their rent, mortgage, car payment and sometimes even basic necessities for the household.

Unfortunately, when people get to this point, they are often embarrassed to seek help because they fear being judged by others. They realize they’ve made a big mistake but don’t know where to turn for help. So they suffer in silence hoping that their family and friends will never find out about their financial problems.

I completely understand how this happens and as bankruptcy attorney, I am always sensitive to people’s feelings about their situation because I know that no one ever wants to be in their shoes. It’s an awful feeling when you feel trapped with no way out.

This can cause you to lose sleep at night because you are always worried about your debt problems. You may be concerned about losing everything that you have worked so hard for.

If you are in this situation, what I’d like to say to you, however, is that seeking help when you can no longer help yourself is NOT a sign of failure or weakness. Oftentimes I see a lot of situations where someone could have done something sooner before their situation got worse if they had just taken the time to know their legal options. In some cases, bankruptcy may be the only answer but there are situations where it can still be avoided. Don’t deplete your savings and your retirement plan to pay debts if this is only going to be a temporary solution. If doing so doesn’t get you out of debt and you still end up having to file bankruptcy anyway, I suggest you consult with a bankruptcy attorney before tapping into what may be the only retirement savings that you have.

If your credit card accounts have been turned over to collection agencies, there may still be a chance to negotiate a settlement if you are able to. A lot of people dread speaking with bill collectors before they are often rude and they want to put a lot of pressure on people who don’t have the money to pay.

VICTOR SY, CPA, MBA

LISTEN to friends and neighbors : Your friend had just hit the big time with a red-hot stock tip. This is big money. Mucho dinero. You follow suit and buy this random stock on impulse. There are some problems here. First, your friend is probably not telling you the whole story. Yes, he may be boasting about his gains but not his losses. You may have the impression that he is doing great but he may not be.

What to do: Research, research, and research some more.

Research solid companies with good fundamentals and revenue, profit, cash, and EPS (Earnings per Share) growth.

Follow the crowd: Your neighbor bought a stock which increased its value by 20%. Your co-worker bought the same stock which has appreciated by 50%. Everyone is talking about this stock and it’s making a lot of noise in the news. Will you invest in that stock too? What you may not know is that that stock has climbed to overpriced u PAGE C3 territory and that your neighbor exits (meaning sell) as you enter (meaning buy). Ugh.

Starting the new year fresh with a divorce

resolve the issues in the divorce case. However, if your relationship is heated and riddled with conflict, then someone should to move out. If your spouse has threatened you, hurt you, or committed domestic violence, you may file a domestic violence temporary restraining order and request the court to order your spouse to move out of the house.

In the same application, you may also request for custody, support, and attorney’s fees. If on the other hand you decide to be the one to move out, you should move somewhere close to your spouse if you have children to make it easier for both of you to co-parent with the children.

Second, you should decide whether your spouse is the type who will disclose all the financial assets or not after you file for divorce. Although the family code (family code 2100 et seq.) imposes a duty to disclose all material facts and information, spouses’

How to lose money in the stock market

Tax Stocks Tech Tips

are not always forthcoming in disclosing completely all assets, debts, income and expenses specially after a divorce case is commenced. What sometimes happens is once a divorce case is commenced, assets are either not disclosed, disappears, or documents/ bank statements are not produced even with formal discovery. You should gather and make copies of all financial documents before filing the divorce.

Third, there is an automatic temporary restraining order (ATROS) in place once you file and serve your spouse with the divorce papers. The four standard mutual restraining orders are 1) removing their minor children from the state without the prior written consent of the other party or a court order. family code Section 2040(a)(1) 2) restraint from transferring, encumbering, hypothecating, concealing, or in

(Part 1 of 4) Cheap penny stocks are tempting to beginners with limited funds but are quite dangerous because they are open to pumpand-dump scams. All it takes are a few positive reviews and a few media to spread the news to unsuspecting investors like you and me. As the stock moves up, hedge funds sell, market drops, you sell, you lose.

What to do: Research. For example, if you are buying biotechnology stocks, follow their studies and drug trials to see how the phases are progressing and how they are faring with the FDA (Food and Drug Administration). *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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What to do: Research before going long (meaning buy).

Listen To Outdated News: You Googled a certain stock.

An article pops out with a great rating - a strong buy. A neat buy.

But the stock takes a dive thereafter. Startled, you go back to the article and find out that the news item is a year old. What a bummer.

Caution: Most articles disclose their dates even before you click to open; sadly, some don’t.

What to do: Always look for the dates (which may have been grayed out) before you open article.

Follow Biased Analysts: A company may hire a PR (Public Relations) firm to get positive coverage in the media. It may pay analysts to write positive coverage and pay media outlets to cite the analysts’ work. Unsuspecting investors may take the bait (and they do), buy high and see the shares dive as hedge funds unload their holdings. Ouch!

What to do: Don’t buy stocks from a positive review by one analyst. Read several articles from various brokerage houses and form a consensus to buy or skip.

This way, you tune out noise.

Buying Penny Stocks:

“Mary Christmas”

The Prophetic Voice REVEREND RODEL G. BALAGTAS

THERE wouldn’t Christmas without Mary. There wouldn’t be Christmas without her fiat—her absolute “yes” to be the Mother of God so that Jesus, the Son of God, would be born to bring salvation to the whole humankind and the world.

It was in in God’s plan that His Son Jesus would be born from the womb of Mary as Prophet Micah in this Sunday’s First Reading (MI 5:1-4A) foretold: ‘Therefore the Lord will give them up, until the time when she who is to give birth has borne, and the rest of his kindred shall return to the u PAGE C3 children of Israel.” It’s the same prophecy that Isaiah announced to the people of Israel: “Therefore the Lord himself will give you this sign: the virgin shall conceive Photo courtesy of Catholicism.org and bear a son, and shall name Our Lady of the Pillar him Emmanuel.” (IS 7:14) in spreading the Gospel to the This coming Christmas, let’s True Christians can’t deny Hispanic region of Zaragosa. She be Mary to each other. Let’s carMary’s significant role in the his- asked him to build a shrine on ry Christ within our hearts and tory of salvation. Therefore, she the spot she appeared, and as a spread the Good News of his love deserves our praise and honor for sign of her help to the region, left to everyone. Let’s allow Jesus to being the Mother of our Savior, a marble column or pillar topped be born in a society that is thirsty Jesus Christ. And so, it makes by a small statue of herself hold- for love, care, justice, and peace! us sad to hear fellow Christians ing her Infant Son (Source: amerLet’s remind people what not recognizing and appreciating icaneedsfatima.org).

Christmas is all about: it’s more her major part in our redemption What a powerful message of than the gifts we share with one and contribution to our faith. To Mary on leaving of an image of another, the parties and the famgive her our highest honor as the herself holding her infant son! ily gatherings we hold. It’s about Mother of God should be a task of This shows what Mary’s heart the birth of our Savior, the Prince every Christian believer! and role are about: it’s to bring of Peace, who showed us the way Mary even continued to fulfill her all people to her Son, Jesus, to to a joyous and meaningful life role as the Mother of God after believe in Him as the Son of God on earth until our eternal life with Jesus’ Resurrection and after she and to follow his words, teach- the Almighty God and His angels died. ings, and life! and saints in heaven!

In one of the Marian shrines Later on, the Catholic Church Have a Blessed Christmas!

I visited last summer I came to would continue to attest Mary’s *** know and appreciated the story miraculous apparitions, such From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverof Our Lady of the Pillar, the ear- those of Fatima in Portugal and end Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to liest Marian apparition that the Lourdes in Spain—all these to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary Catholic Church has recognized. continue emphasizing her role as in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at According to tradition, Mary, the first ‘evangelizer’—the bearer St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); who was still alive and living in of the Good News, Jesus Christ, St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Jerusalem, appeared to the Apos- the Son of God. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1991tle James the Greater as he was It’s for this reason that Mary 2001). In 2001, he served as Adminispraying by the banks of the Ebro is the symbol of Advent par ex- trator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in in Zaragoza, Spain in 40 AD. A cellence. Pregnant with Jesus, Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment troop of angels carried her from her womb, her maternal love, as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Jerusalem to Spain through a and most of all, her obedience Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 throne of bright clouds on which to God’s plan and would become years. His term as Associate Director she sat to encourage the Apostle the ground for the coming of the of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s James to continue her Son’s work Messiah.

Seminary began in July 2014.

The Metamorphosis

“Heaven on Earth” experiences this Christmas (Part 2 of 2)

ERNIE D. DELFIN LATELY, I have spent more time with my two beautiful intelligent granddaughters Olivia, now 8; and Sofie, now 6; and they have made me a more loving and authentic person. With their natural innocence and childlike behaviors devoid of any ounce of bias or prejudice or judgment that we adults often exhibit, I am drawn by their natural simplicity.

Their spontaneity and joy with what they have on hand remind me of my own carefree and happy growing up years in the Philippines. Then, probisyanos (village people) like me were contented and happy with toys like tops or tin cans as cars that our parents or relatives made for us. We did not even realized then that we were poor, unlike the American kids that have hundreds of toys that they often take for granted.

Young as they are, my apos

are so simple and innocent that they do not really know the difference of toy from a Dollar Tree store versus toy that was bought from Barnes & Noble. A dollar toy gives them the same enjoyment as a $49.95 toy! They seem to enjoy more buying two or more toys from the Dollar Tree, than just one from Barnes and Noble. They are learning how to choose what they really want that fit their allowances.

They have to think harder and select one over the other, as they could not have everything all the time.

Furthermore, as they love playing outside the house, I have made a “sandbox” where they pretend to be in the “beach” in my farmyard. With the sand, my apos, especially the younger one, Sofie, pretends she makes “pancakes” out of it. After months playing in the box, the sand are now scattered all over the yard and Sofie

wants more. So she requested that the three of us go to Home Depot to pay more bags of play sand! So I told their parents that it will be my Christmas gifts for them, costing me only $4.25 per bag. I can just predict that these cheap bags of play sand will give them more fun and activity than a much more expensive gift this Christmas! *** During this month, parties and dinners happen everywhere.

Two Saturdays ago, we were invited to four of them! But one person can only be in one place at a time, so we opted to go to the Annual Peace and JusticePrison Ministry Appreciation Dinner at the Christ Cathedral, hosted by our Diocese of Orange. An internal invisible thermostat prodded me to choose that event, as we preferred to be with friends and people we

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 22-24, 2018

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Are you paid correctly for work during holidays? E-2 Treaty investor visa allows for Q: I WILL be working on Christmas and New Year days.

Am I entitled to holiday pay?

A: Hours worked on holidays are treated like hours worked on any other day of the week.

The law does not require payment of overtime or other special premiums for work during holidays, unless such work goes beyond 8 hours per workday or 40 hours per workweek. The law also does not require that employers pay employees for holidays that are not worked.

The employer chooses when to be open and closed for business. They are not required to close their businesses or give employees the day off on any holiday. If the employer is open on a holiday and schedules the employee to work that day, the law does not oblige the employer to pay the employee anything but the employee’s regular pay.

However, if by working on a holiday the employee incurs overtime hours, then the employee should be paid the overtime premium for all overtime hours worked.

The employer may pay a premium rate for working on a holiday if the employer adopts such a policy or practice. If the employee is subject to a collec-

Debt Relief

ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG THE client is 65. She still works middle management and earns $37,000 yearly. Although she is married, I would say that she has some kind of money agreement with her beloved husband that arrangement works well for one side only, and that’s not her side.

She herself owes $24,000 of credit cards. She needs to pay at least $800 a month of minimum interest payments to keep the $24,000 current every month. With her monthly gross of $3,000, her net take-home pay is $2,500, more or less. From her net pay of $2,500, she has to pay 100 percent of the mortgage of $1,600, leaving her $900 for utilities, food and monthly necessities for both herself and her husband.

The client feels overwhelmed by the burden of paying $900 a month for credit cards at her age of 65. In the next year, she can retire and get full social security benefits. SS benefits, of course, will be about $1,600 in her case, which is less than her current take-home pay of $2,500. If she still has to worry about $24,000 of credit cards next year, half her social security would have to go to card payments. This is not something she looks forward to, to say the least. Despair and depression would be a more accurate description of how she feels right now. I tell her not to feel so bad because truthfully, she owes her creditors money only, not her enjoyment of life!

“We have strength for all things in Christ who empowers us — he infuses us with inner strength and we are self-sufficient in Christ’s sufficiency!”

— Philippians 4:13 I wanted to say this because the client was so depressed and I could see her depression clearly on her face. Please, it’s not the end of life and of the world, as we know it. We all can rely on Jesus who will help us. So, cheer up! Together, we can solve this problem and get rid of this burden.

For the husband’s part, he gives her $1,000 a month as his share of all the household expenses plus the mortgage. And he doesn’t want to file bankruptcy even if he himself owes $40,000 of credit cards. Supposedly the $1,000 a month he gives her is half his take-home pay.

The other 50 percent he uses to

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights ATTY. C. JOE SAYAS, JR. tive bargaining agreement or an employment contract that provides for premium pay for hours worked on holidays, then the employer must pay a premium rate for working on a holiday.

Some employers (bless them!) choose to close their business on major holidays and give their employees paid time off equivalent to 8 hours of work at the employee’s regular rate. Many employees are subject to a collective bargaining agreement or an employment contract which provides that the business be closed on holidays and employees be paid time off from work.

Employees are smart to be vigilant about their rights to correct wages. Aside from inquiring into whether they are correctly paid for working on holidays, employees should also ask whether they are in fact paid for all the hours they have worked. Are they paid correctly for any of the following?

1) off-the-clock work 2) missed meal or rest breaks 3) work-related travel time 4) preliminary or postliminary work (such as time spent putting on uniforms or washing tools) 5) work done “at home” 6) controlled on-call or standby time 7) not being provided at least 5 hours of uninterrupted sleep while on a 24-hour duty Having said all that, we wish all employees and their families Happy Holidays! May you continue to enjoy good health and fairness in the workplace! *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic.

All inquiries are confidential and at nocost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.]

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Senior needs Chapter 13 relief for $24K credit cards pay his $40,000 of credit cards, which require at least $1,200 a month of minimum payments.

He’s still short $200. Perhaps he drives for Uber for the extra $200?

Well, let’s just say the wall is about to break even if Mexico did pay for it. Even if the POTUS used American-made cement and American citizen workers, the wall will still break under the load of too much credit card debt for this family. Can the client file for bankruptcy herself to handle her $22,000 of credit cards? Yes. Non-filing husband will be left to his own resources to handle his $40,000 of credit cards. They have $230,000 of equity in their house. Her homestead exemption is $175,000, so that still leaves $55,000 of nonexempt equity.

This means that she cannot do a Chapter 7 to discharge the $24,000. If she did Chapter 7, the trustee would sell her house, give her $175,000 in cash then use the rest of the sale proceeds to pay off the $24,000.

Who wants to lose their house because of credit cards? Certainly, not this client and none of my clients want to lose their house in a Chapter 7. She can, however, file for Chapter 13. In Chapter 13, she will pay $400 a month for 60 months. At the end of the plan, she will be fully paid, because there is no interest in Chapter 13, and the court will give her a discharge order, meaning no more credit card debt! This is $500 less than $900, which is a minimum interest payment only. After paying $900 a month for 60 months, or $54,000, she would still owe the very same $24,000 at the age of 70.

Whereas, if she made all the Chapter 13 plan payments of $400 for 60 months, she would have paid $24,000 only which is all principal, and at the age of 70, she would owe ZERO credit cards. So, I hope the client will feel a lot better now that there is light at the end of the tunnel.

She can look forward to a good retirement with no credit cards to bother her.

Formerly rich seniors need Chapter 7 relief The next clients are spouses who are both 64. They have a million dollar house, which unfortunately also has a million dollar mortgage. This mortgage was taken 10 years ago with nothing down and interest only

for 10 years. The problem is two months from now, 10 years would have been reached and the interest-only portion expires.

When the interest-only portion expires, guess what? You have to start paying the principal too.

With principal payments, mortgage payment will double, from $3,000 to $6,000. It’s time to let the house go. There is minimal equity. Clients have listed the house for sale for over a million with no offers. Just some dogs sniffing around, and stray cats looking for food. No serious buyers. As POTUS would tweet out “NOT NICE!” There is a second mortgage of $150,000. And credit cards of $60,000. If the house is not timely sold for the right price, the right price being, at least $1.15-M, then eventually the first mortgage holder will foreclose. When that happens, they will not owe anything on the $1.0-M first mortgage, but they will still owe the $150,000, which becomes an unsecured debt, like a credit card debt. So, if the house is not sold, clients will owe about $200,000 of unsecured debt.

I suggest a Chapter 7 to wipe out all debt. Let the house go if it is not sold, and go look for another residence now that is more reasonable in mortgage payments. They have two successful children who will help them purchase the new house anyway. God blesses them with two children who care for them.

What more can they ask for?

Good health and children who care for them. Our God has blessed them with abundance.

Yes, I did not forget that clients were formerly rich. They had $750,000 of retirement funds. But alas, they lost all of it in the stock market. I feel bad for them losing this fortune. Losing this fortune is another story. But they do have two children who are good enough to buy them a new house, so that makes up for the lost fortune. God takes care of them through their children. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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Starting the new year fresh with...

PAGE C2 t

any way disposing of any property, real or personal, whether community, quasi-community, or separate without the other party’s written consent or court order; fam code 2040(a)(2) 3) restraint from cashing, borrowing against, canceling, transferring, disposing of, or changing the beneficiaries of any insurance or other coverage, including life, health, automobile, and disability held for the benefit of the parties and their child for whom support may be orders. Fam C 2040(a)(3). 4) restraint from creating a nonprobate transfer or modifying a nonprobate transfer in a manner that affects the disposition of property subject to the transfer without the other party’s written consent or court order. fam c 2040(a)(4). There are exceptions to the above restrictions. One exception is for

property transfers in the usual course of business or for the necessities of life. Examples would be property transfers as part of your usual business operations or to pay for usual household living expenses. Another exception is payment of reasonable attorney’s fees. fam c. 2040(a)(2). If you need to do any transactions that may violate the ATROS, it is best to do it prior to filing and serving the divorce petition provided you do not breach your fiduciary duty to your spouse.

If you are thinking of filing a divorce, it is best to consult an experienced family law attorney before taking any action.

intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

*** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is *** located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Please note that this article is not Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 legal advice and is not intended as or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit legal advice. The article is intended our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. to provide only general, non-specific (Advertising Supplement) legal information. This article is not

stay in US along with family

DEAR Attorney Tan, I would like to know if there is any way for my family and I to stay in the US if I invest in a US business. While I do have some money to invest, I do not have the $500k-$1m that I read was necessary to get a green card through investment. Do I have any other options? - S.K. Dear S.K., You should consider the E-2 Treaty Investor visa, which is a non-immigrant visa that allows a person to be admitted to the US with investment of a “substantial” amount of capital in either a new or existing US business.

A main objective of the E-2 Treaty Investor classification is to promote and encourage investment in the US. Accordingly, the Treaty Investor must demonstrate that he/she is actually investing a substantial amount of capital in the US enterprise. The Treaty Investor must show that he/she is placing capital at risk with the objective of generating a profit; the capital must be subject to loss if the investment fails.

There is no specific amount of money that is required to be invested to be considered “substantial.” Whether an investment is considered “substantial” is determined on a case-by-case basis.

The benefits of an E-2 Treaty Investor visa include an indefinite period of stay in the US with extensions of the E-2 visa. An E-2 Treaty Investor is allowed a maximum initial stay of 2 years, and requests for extension can be obtained in increments of 2 years. There is no limitation to the number of extensions an E-2 Treaty Inves-

Legal Advice ATTY. DARRICK TAN tor may request. The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is a non-immigrant visa, and accordingly, the Treaty Investor must maintain an intent to depart the US whenever the E-2 status expires.

Another important benefit for an E-2 Treaty Investor is the ability to be accompanied to the US by his/her spouse and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. An E-2 Treaty Investor’s spouse may apply for work authorization in the US, and no restriction is placed as to where the E-2 spouse can work. The spouse can work for another employer.

Further, children who are under 21 years of age may enroll in US schools. The immediate family come to the US under the E-2 classification as dependents of the Treaty Investor. The family members will have the same duration of stay as the Treaty Investor.

In addition, an employee of a Treaty Investor may come to the US under the E-2 classification providing that he/she is the same nationality of the Treaty Investor, and either has duties of an executive or supervisory character or has other special qualifications.

What are the general requirements to obtain an E-2 Treaty Investor Visa? To obtain E-2 Treaty Investor status, a person: 1) must be a national of a country with which the US maintains a treaty of commerce or naviga-

tion, 2) either has invested or is in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital in a US enterprise, and 3) seeks to come to the US to develop and direct the enterprise in which he/she is investing or is going to invest.

Consideration of the E-2 Treaty Investor visa is made on a case-by-case basis.

The assistance of an experienced attorney who can assess the proposed type of business in which investment is contemplated as well as the amount of investment is therefore recommended.

– Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association.

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

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

Email: info@dtanlaw.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

Are you feeling the burden of excessive...

PAGE C2 t

Eventually, you can get sued for not paying and that’s when things get worse. If a creditor obtains a judgment against you, they now have the legal right to garnish your wages, wipe out your bank account or put a judgment lien on your home. Filing bankruptcy will not automatically wipe out a judgment lien once it is recorded against your

property although there may be grounds to remove it if you file bankruptcy.

If you are struggling with credit card debt and don’t know what to do, I’d like to offer you a free debt analysis and let you know what I think is the best solution for your situation. For a free office consultation, please call TollFree 1-866-477-7772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and

Valencia.

*** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

C4 DECEMBER 22-24, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

“Heaven on Earth” experiences this...

PAGE C2 �

respect, admire and engage in more meaningful conversations.

Indeed, it was a wise decision as the dinner was complimentary for all guests, with great food and good company, without wearing expensive dress for women or tuxedos for men! For a retired person, like me, who does not savor those “dressedto-kill” events, the event’s Christmas dinner was perfect!

Lastly before the year is over, we are also invited to attend a Christmas dinner party aboard a yacht in Balboa Bay in Newport Beach, that will cost $100 each plus (optional cocktail drinks that can easily cost $10 each

including tips) that will last three hours or so, plus gas and parking fees! We have experienced those kinds of parties in the past and they were also enjoyable. As I am finishing this column, I have not yet decided whether my wife and I will attend or not. The only great motivation is to be able to see some business friends I have not seen for some time. Yet, there is a silent voice in my authentic me, whispering that that amount for three hours of “fun” (?) is enough to ship at least three balikbayan boxes of books to needy elementary schools in the Philippines! And now I am torn between two “lovers” — what to do?

Calendar of Events across

Dear readers, to have another kind of Christmas experience this month, should we attend or not?

When this Asian Journal issue is out, I have at least a week to decide, let me have a fun survey (that does not cost you anything to participate). Please e-mail or text me at (714) 746-3088. What do you think? Your feedback or any comment will be my best “gift” as a columnist from you, dear readers!

MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY, PROSPEROUS AND PEACEFUL NEW YEAR! *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com websites: www.gkerc.org www.edelfin.globalgn.com

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS D EC E M B E R 1 6 -23

Simbang Gabi at Saint Anne Roman Catholic Church in Las Vegas Come and join Simbang Gabi from December 16-23 at Saint Anne Roman Catholic Church in Las Vegas.

D EC E M B E R 1 8

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

D EC E M B E R 22

UPAAGLA annual holiday party in LA The University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles invites you to the 2018 UPAAGLA Annual Holiday Party on Saturday, December 22, 2018 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m. at Silver Lake Medical Center (1711 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA). The cost is $25 and attire is festive. Please register at: https://upaagla2018xmasparty.eventbrite.com. *Net proceeds from the event will benefit the UPAAGLA Scholarship Fund. For inquiries, please contact Ethel Rubio, President-Elect at upaagla.rsvp@gmail.com or at (818) 640-2946.

Simbang Gabi at St. Bridget Church in Las Vegas Bishop George Leo Thomas will celebrate Simbang Gabi at St. Bridget Roman Catholic Church on Saturday, December 22. Mass will begin at 5 p.m. followed by a potluck at the courtyard of the church. The church is located at 220 N. 14th St. Las Vegas, NV 89101. For more information, please call Andre at (702) 498-2934.

D EC E M B E R 29

UP Alumni Association Berkeley Chapter Celebrates 50th Anniversary The University of the Philippines (UP) Alumni Association (Berkeley Chapter) is celebrating its Golden Jubilee with a luncheon party from 11am to 4pm on December 29, 2018 at the Oakhurst Country Club in Clayton, California. All present and former members are invited, including alumni or graduates of the university’s high schools in Manila and Diliman, and the different institutes, colleges and campuses of the University. Interested parties are requested to get in touch with the following: Daisy Rodriguez (916) 768-9955, Henrietta Fajardo-Boyd (925) 433-3359, Diosy Rey (707) 315-2351 or Jay Castro (925) 899-8881.

D EC E M B E R 3 0

SIPA and #HashtagLunchbag host food drive in LA Give back to the Los Angeles community by volunteering with Search Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and #HashtagLunchbag on Sunday, December 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as we spread love by making sandwiches for those who need it the most! Join us as we assemble sandwiches, create notes of encouragement, decorate bags, and ensure that homeless people have a meal. The event will be happening at 3200 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026. Parking is available on Dillion/Temple and Robinson/Temple. Donations of $5+ are not required, but are highly suggested so that we can continue to have community service events like these. For any questions, contact Maria Carmel Valendez at mvalendez@esipa.org.

JA N UA RY 5

Fil-Am Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA hosts Gala in Burbank, CA Enjoy the glitz, glamour and allure of Hollywood at the Gala Night of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACC-GLA) on Saturday, January 5. Come dressed to the nines inspired by your favorite Cinema icons for a fun evening in an evening of dancing, good food and camaraderie for only $65 at the renovated Los Angeles Marriott Burbank Airport (2500 N Hollywood Way, Burbank, CA 91505). FACCGLA members bring your friends and family, non-members welcome! Doors open at 6 p.m. Prefer to be a VIP donor?

Sponsorship packages available at faccgla.org.

JA N UA RY 1 8

Santo Nino Celebration at St. Catherine Laboure Church in Torrance, CA Most Rev. Bishop Oscar A. Solis will celebrate the holy sacrifice of the Mass on Friday, January 18 at St. Catherine Laboure Church (3846 Redondo Beach Blvd. Torrance, CA 90504) at 7 p.m. The Novena prayers and Chaplet will follow after the Mass. The parish has an exact replica of the Infant of Prague (Santo Nino) clothed in a relic of the Holy Robe that adorns the original statue in the shrine at Prague. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own statues; the devotion of touching them to the Holy Robe will conclude the celebration. For more information, please contact Lorna Arceo at (310) 345-4637, Maria Quan (310) 714-6537 or Vicki & Romy Balliyut at (310) 406-6575.

JA N UA RY 1 9

Sto. Niño celebration at St. Finbar Church in Burbank, CA Please join us for Sinulog on January 19, 2019 at 10:30 a.m. at St. Finbar Church (2010 W Olive Ave, Burbank, CA 91506). Bring your statues of the Infant Jesus. Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m.

If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com

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(818) 502-0651 â&#x20AC;˘ (213) 250-9797 â&#x20AC;˘ http://www.asianjournal.com

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ DECEMBER 22-24, 2018

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Amateur radio operators group CNARN/Magellan actively promoting ways to be more useful and significant

by MANNY ILAGAN

W1BOY

CNARN/Magellan recently held its Christmas Party last Sunday, December 16 at Josephineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Restaurant in Cerritos, California.

With almost 100 members and guests in attendance, it was one of the most successful group events to date. The groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s membership is composed of amateur radio operators â&#x20AC;&#x201C; also called amateur â&#x20AC;&#x153;hamâ&#x20AC;? operators â&#x20AC;&#x201D; from all over Southern California.

Amateur radio â&#x20AC;&#x201C; by its nature â&#x20AC;&#x201C; is a hobby and, by law, completely non-commercial. Individual amateur â&#x20AC;&#x153;hamâ&#x20AC;? radio operators pursue the avocation for personal pleasure through building their own radio stations and communicating with their fellows globally, and for self-improvement via study and practice of electronics, computers, and radio and TV wave behavior. Radio amateurs are, thus, â&#x20AC;&#x153;amateursâ&#x20AC;? in the true sense of the word: the pursuit of activity only for the love of it.

Although amateur radio operators are licensed by a governmental regulatory authority, they cannot broadcast or transmit music and other general public entertainment programming.

The amateur radio operatorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; use of the airwaves is for personal sat-

isfaction and for forwarding the â&#x20AC;&#x153;state of the artâ&#x20AC;? of electronics and communications techniques.

These operators can be detected in designated bands throughout the radio spectrum, using a variety of modulation methods including Morse code, voice and digital modes, and image modes such as television and facsimile.

While still considered a hobby whose scope is limited for personal use, throughout the history of amateur radio, it has been noted that amateur radio enthusiasts have made significant contributions to science, engineering, industry, and social services. They too have founded new industries, contributed to economies, empowered nations, and saved lives in times of emergency.

Over the years, the CNARN/Magellan Group (C-M-G) has tapped its resources and skills by providing assistance to those who need it most in times of emergency, calamities and natural disasters through its off-grid radio communications not only locally but also around the world.

CNARN/Magellan Group (C-M-G) operates and maintains 9 Digital & Analog Amateur Radios and 1 GMRS repeater throughout California and Nevada including Las Vegas area.

Year over year for more than a de-

Members of the CNARN/Magellan Ham Radio Club celebrates Christmas at Josephineâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s in Cerritos, CA on Sunday, December 16, 2018.

cade, the group extends its help in communications and technical solutions to District 37AMA (American Motorcycle Association) Los Angeles-Barstow-Las Vegas offroad race every November as well as the Baker to Vegas B2V Challenge Cup Relay Race in March.

B2V is the worldâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s most presti-

Feast of Santo NiĂąo on Jan. 20, 2019 ON Sunday, January 20, 2019 at 3:30 pm, the Santo NiĂąo Cruzada USA will sponsor a mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels to be presided by its Pastor, Fr. David Gallardo, and to commemorate its 32nd year anniversary of the solemn Feast of Santo NiĂąo, the Divine Infant Jesus. Participating are the choir of St. Paul the Apostle Church from Chino Hills, The Southern California Sinulog Dance Co., The Saint Junipero Serra Province Knights of Columbus, and various religious organizations. We also offer the mass to the late Cardinal Ricardo Vidal of Cebu who gave the Santo Nino statue that we use for this event to Cardinal Roger Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik.

Although the devotion to Santo NiĂąo has roots in Europe, Filipino immigrants brought their Santo Nino images to America for spiritual recourse and assistance

Photo couretsy oflasagradaexpedicion

celebrating their fervent devotion religious and civic festivities. Our path to success is through the dedication and commitment of officers and members whose goals are to promote devotion to Santo NiĂąo, provide individual sanctifications, be united with other Santo NiĂąo groups, support religious vocations and give assistance to those in needs.

We celebrated the first Feast of Santo NiĂąo in 1988 at then Saint

Vibianaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cathedral in downtown Los Angeles. For more information of this celebration, please contact any of the following members: Romy & Tess Esturas (213) 2190590; Rey & Tess Edpao (818) 469-7292; Carmen Estrada (213) 413-2881; Fe Montano (323) 218-1587; Lilia Figuracion (626) 341-3373; Fe Reyes (213) 4135286; Cherry Montenegro (213) 747-6508; Tessie Cruz (213) 3610937; Vicky Samia (818) 8512262; Cherry Nicodemus (323) 304-6195; Lourdes Cronin (310) 880-6069; Purita Prather (626) 641-1619; Belen Chavez (213) 500-3502; and Cecille del Rosario (213) 387-6982.

Let us keep the faith, share the love and show compassion to one another. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a child in each and every one of us. Let the spirit of Santo NiĂąo be with us throughout 2019â&#x20AC;? n

gious and unique law enforcement foot race.

CNARN/Magellan merged from two distinctly separate amateur radio groups only two years ago, but collectively have been very active for almost 30 years.

Magellan Group started the coveted International Grand Eyeball

QSO which recently had its 25th continues year of existence.

Recently, the group embraced OMEGA ARC headed by Lenz Casilian KC6PWI adding more coverage, complimenting an already wide range of existing network of repeaters. Joel Limjoco Pastor WJ1P DU1X is the groupâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s

Photo by Albert Vargas

president with Dr. Jun Sison W6EMS and Chito Pastor WW6CP as Trustees.

If you like to inquire about membership to CNARN/Magellan Group, please email us at cnarnmagellan@gmail.com or visit our Facebook Page at https://www. facebook.com/cnarnmagellan/ n

SIPA and #HashtagLunchbag host food drive in Los Angeles

GIVE back to the Los Angeles community by volunteering with Search Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) and #HashtagLunchbag on Sunday, December 30 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. as we spread love by making sandwiches for those who need it the most! Join us as we assemble sandwiches, create notes of encouragement, decorate bags, and ensure that homeless people have a meal. The event will be happening at 3200 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

Parking is available on Dillion/ Temple and Robinson/Temple.

Donations of $5+ are not required, but are highly suggested so that we can continue to have community service events like these. For any questions, contact Maria Carmel Valendez at mvalendez@esipa.org. n

60 COUNTRIES. OVER 100 CITIES WORLDWIDE. THATâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S INTERNATIONAL.

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C DECEMBER 22-24, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 22-24, 2018

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

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D1

January 2019 priority dates Fitch affirms Philippines’ investment grade but warns overheating risks ‘remain in place’

Immigration Corner

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: FAMILY CATEGORY:

ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ

First Preference

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 last 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 Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card.

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

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

February 15, 2008

March 1, 2007

by IAN

NICOLAS CIGARAL Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Fitch Ratings on Thursday, December 20 kept the Philippines’ invest(2A) Spouse and ment-grade rating, pointing to the nation’s “favorable” growth prosSecond Preference minor children (below December 1, November 8, 21 years old) of green 2017 2016 pects even as it flagged that overcard holder heating risks “remain in place.”

The international debt watcher (2B) Unmarried sons said it has affirmed the Philipand daughters (21 December 15, June 22, 2007 years old or older) pines’ long-term foreign-currency 2007 of green card holder issuer default rating at “BBB,” which signifies adequate capacMarried sons and ity for payment of financial comJune 1, 1997 July 22, 1995 daughters of US Third Preference mitments that could be impaired Citizens. by adverse business or economic conditions.

Brothers and Fitch also kept its ratings outlook April 22, 1997 September 1, Fourth Preference sisters of US on the Philippines at “stable.”

1995 Citizens.

This aligns the agency’s ratings on the Southeast Asian country Application Visa Issuance LABOR CERTIFICATION: with the other two of the soFiling Date Date called “big three” debt watchers, Moody’s Investors Service and Current Current Second Preference Advanced Degree (Masters) S&P Global Ratings. A higher rating can lower the cost of borrowProfessional/ August 1, 2017 June 22, 2017 ing in foreign currencies and can Third Preference Skilled Workers increase the country’s ability to attract foreign investment.

Non-Skilled August 1, 2017 June 22 , 2017 Other Workers “Growth prospects remain faWorkers vourable, supported by strong domestic demand and increasing *** regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, infrastructure investment,” Fitch said in a statement. over 35 years and is licensed, and an active established with any reader.

“However, Fitch believes that member of the State Bar of California and New WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com York. All immigration services are provided by, Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and overheating risks remain in place, or under the supervision of, an active member Twitter @GurfinkelLaw highlighted by rapid credit growth of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice

Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “When people call our call center, our reps don’t have scripts, and they don’t try to up-sell. They are just judged on whether they go above and beyond for the customer and really deliver a kind of personal service and emotional connection with our customers.”

—Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos

This Nov. 9, 2018 file photo shows the Mandaluyong-Makati skyline. Fitch Ratings this week said that Philippines’ investment-grade rating, pointing to the nation’s “favorable” growth prospects even as it flagged that overheating risks “remain in place.”

Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas

and a widening current-account deficit, although the central bank’s stated intention is to remain vigilant against developments that could affect the inflation outlook,” it added.

Red-hot inflation and surging borrowing costs have already weighed on consumer spending, which has traditionally been the driving force behind growth in the Philippines, and crimped economic expansion to a three-year low of 6 percent in the third quarter.

Last July, Fitch warned a widening current account deficit, high inflation and rapid credit growth as signs of overheating.

In the same statement, the credit rater expects inflation to remain elevated this year before returning to the government’s 2-4 percent target range in 2019 and 2020, as previous monetary responses continue to work their way through the economy and as the impact of excise tax hikes in 2018 dissipates.

Similar to other countries in the region, Philippine economic growth could “come under downward pressure,” Fitch said, citing the slowdown in China and escalating trade tensions with the US, as well as rising domestic and global interest rates. ■

Bulacan, Clark airport deals up for further NEDA review

tional Airport expansion were on the agenda during Wednesday’s NEDA Investment Coordination THE Bulacan and Clark air- Committee-Economic Developport projects will be up for fresh ment Cluster meeting.

“Both will be discussed with the National Economic and Development (NEDA) Board discussions NEDA Board,” Dominguez said.

The board, which is chaired by despite both having secured prior President Rodrigo Duterte and approval, a Cabinet official said.

Finance Secretary Carlos includes the chiefs of the SocioDominguez III told reporters that economic, Finance and BudSan Miguel’s Corp.’s (SMC) P735- get departments, approved the billion Bulacan airport project and two projects in April, with San Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III Manilatimes.net file photo the government’s Clark InternaPAGE D3

by MAYVELIN

U. CARABALLO Manilatimes.net

D DECEMBER 22-24, 2018 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

BSP: No risk of overheating economy

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

Accredited Boracay rooms register past 10,000 mark

by CATHERINE

TALAVERA Philstar.com

This December 18, 2018 photo shows traffic at Welcome Rotonda in Manila. The Philippine economy is not facing any material threat of overheating, a central bank official said Thursday, in response to a global debt watcher’s warning that the nation is still at risk of expanding at a rate that is unsustainable.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel Antonio N. De Guzman

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippine economy is not facing any material threat of overheating, a central bank official said Thursday, December 20 in response to a global debt watcher’s warning that the nation is still at risk of expanding at a rate that is unsustainable.

Fitch Ratings on Thursday kept the Philippines’ investment-grade rating, pointing to the nation’s “favorable” growth prospects.

However, it flagged that overheating risks “remain in place,” citing rapid credit growth and a widening current account deficit.

Reacting to Fitch’s statement, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said that while credit is growing, the pace of increase is within levels “considered manageable based not only on the BSP’s own metrics but even on international benchmarks.”

“Additionally, credit growth in the country is driven not only by consumption, but more importantly by investment activities which boost the economy’s productive capacity,” Guinigundo said.

“As such, we see growth in demand continually and sufficiently being matched by rising supply,

thereby continuing to dampen demand-side inflationary pressures moving forward,” he added.

Overheating occurs when production in a fast-growing economy is not able to keep up with rising demand, igniting sharp rise in prices.

The BSP has delivered rapidfire interest rate hikes of 1.75 percentage points since May, among the most forceful actions in Asia.

Higher interest rates discourage people from borrowing money and from spending, causing a decline in demand which, in turn, tempers inflation and can even slow down the country’s economic growth to avoid overheating.

Stubbornly high inflation and surging borrowing costs have already weighed on consumer spending, which has traditionally been the driving force behind growth in the Philippines, and crimped economic expansion to a three-year low of 6 percent in the third quarter.

According to Fitch, the economy will continue to be supported by strong domestic demand and increasing infrastructure investment.

The credit rater added that inflation is expected to remain el-

evated this year before returning to the government’s 2-4 percent target range in 2019 and 2020, as previous monetary responses continue to work their way through the economy and as the impact of excise tax hikes in 2018 “dissipates.”

But like other countries in the region, Philippine economic growth could “come under downward pressure,” Fitch said, citing the slowdown in China and escalating trade tensions, as well as rising domestic and global interest rates.

“We expect growth to remain solid in the years ahead, owing in part to the BSP’s commitment to price and financial stability, which provides an enabling environment for businesses to thrive and for consumers to keep their purchasing power intact,” BSP Governor Nestor Espenilla said of Fitch’s outlook.

“We acted pre-emptively to address any brewing demand-side pressures and potential secondround effects ahead. This proactive move will help ensure that inflation settles within target, at least over the next two years,” Espenilla added. (Ian Nicolas Cigaral / Philstar.com) n

MANILA, Philippines — The number of Boracay hotel rooms that have been cleared to operate has breached the 10,000 mark, an updated list by the Boracay Inter-Agency Task Force (BIATF) showed.

Based on the latest Boracay Bulletin, six more hotels have complied with the requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR), the Department of Interior and Local Government(DILG) and the Department of Tourism (DOT).

This brings the number of accredited Boracay accommodation establishments to 285 with total of 10,076 rooms.

Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat earlier said the BIATF would continue to accredit compliant accommodation establishments.

“More rooms will be available as we continue with Phase 2 and 3 of the Boracay rehabilitation. We are making sure the task force’s requirements are complied with 100 percent,” Puyat said.

The task force urged the public to avoid booking with establishments that have no permits from the DOT, DENR and DILG.

According to Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat, the latest Boracay Bulletin showed that six more hotels have complied with the requirements of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources(DENR), the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the DOT. Philstar.com photo by Cesar Ramirez

Before the island’s closure in April, Boracay had roughly 15,000 to 16,000 available rooms.

Puyat said they are not setting a limit on the number of accredited accommodation establishments.

The government is limiting the number of tourists in Boracay to ensure the sustainability of the island, which was reopened in October after it was closed for rehabilitation for six months.

A study commissioned by the DENR showed that Boracay’s carrying capacity is only 55,757 people per day, including its resi-

dents. Only 19,215 tourists are allowed to be on the island at a certain time, with 6,405 tourists allowed to enter the island per day.

Last week, Puyat said she is not confident of hitting the 7.4 million foreign arrivals target this year mainly due to the closure of Boracay She added that having a carrying capacity would definitely affect arrivals figures since it would be unlike before when an unlimited amount of tourists could enter the island at a given time. n

Philippines gets P20.5 billion insurance coverage for government assets

by MARY

GRACE PADIN

Philstare.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Philippines has successfully purchased a parametric insurance policy from the international reinsurance market which will provide a maximum coverage of P20.49 billion to protect the government’s assets against the impact of natural disasters, according to the Department of Finance (DOF).

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez, National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said the government has placed its Parametric Insurance Policy, which will enable 25 catastrophe-vulnerable provinces and the national government to act faster and respond better in times of natural calamities.

The policy, which became effective on Wednesday, December

19, includes coverage for national and local government assets such as public elementary and high schools in the disaster-prone areas.

According to De Leon, the government was able to achieve a higher amount of coverage this year as more reinsurers provided support for the policy.

These include Nephila Capital Ltd., Munich Re Group, Swiss Re Group, AXA, Hannover Re, Hiscox Re, Allianz Re Switzerland, Tredje AP-Fonden (AP3) and SCOR SE. “With the increased market participation, we were able to achieve a tighter multiple this year compared to last year’s transaction,” De Leon said in her report to Dominguez.

She said the premium payment for the program amounting to P2 billion was lodged under the National Disaster Risk Reduction and

Management Fund for 2018.

De Leon said this development also augurs well for the planned indemnity and catastrophe bond (cat bond) issuance of the government.

Earlier, the DOF said it is exploring the possibility of sponsoring a cat bond issuance to help bridge the financing gap faced by the government in light of natural disasters.

Depending on the insurance coverage and its trigger, the Philippines as sponsor of the cat bonds will get paid the principal contributed by investors if a catastrophe occurs. But if there is no trigger, then investors would make a positive return on their investment in the bonds.

The Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) provides catastrophe risk insurance covPAGE D3

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PH on track to end 2018 with largest Toyota exec hopes sales will net dollar outflows since 1999 grow 10 percent in 2019

Inquirer.net file photo

by ROY

Inquirer.net file photo

by DAXIM

L. LUCAS

Inquirer.net

MANILA, Philippines – The recent appreciation of the peso against the U.S. greenback helped draw in more hard currency in November, but failed to derail the Philippines’ steady trek towards recording its largest full year net dollar outflows since central bank records became publicly available 19 years ago.

Data from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed the country’s overall balance of payments position yielded a surplus of $847 million in November 2018, marking a reversal from the $44 million deficit recorded in the same month last year.

Despite the surplus for last month, the cumulative dollar flows position for the January-November 2018 period registered a deficit of $4.75 billion, which is higher than the $1.78 billion deficit recorded in the comparable period in 2017.

Central bank planners expect to end 2018 with a balance of payments deficit of $5.5 billion — the widest gap in the BSP’s publicly available database that goes back to 1999.

Over the last 19 years, the coun-

try has only posted yearend net dollar outflows in 2000 and 2001, at the height of the Estrada political crisis; in 2004 during the Arroyo fiscal crisis; in 2014 with the end of the U.S. Federal Reserve’s quantitative easing policy; and in 2016, 2017, and this year.

“The higher cumulative balance of payments deficit for the [Jan-Nov. Period] may be attributed partly to the widening merchandise trade deficit, based on the Philippine Statistics Authority’s preliminary data, for the first 10 months of the year that was brought about by the sustained rise in imports of raw materials and intermediate goods as well as capital goods to support domestic economic expansion,” the central bank said.

For November alone, the inflows stemmed mainly from the BSP’s foreign exchange operations and its income from its investments abroad during the month. These were partially offset by the payments made by the national government for its foreign exchange obligations and its net foreign currency withdrawals during the month in review.

The reported balance of payments position reflected the final gross international reserve level

of $75.68 billion as of end-November 2018.

At this level, the dollar reserves represent a more than ample liquidity buffer and are equivalent to 6.7 months’ worth of imports of goods and payments of services and primary income. It is also equivalent to 5.6 times the country’s short-term external debt based on original maturity and 3.9 times based on residual maturity.

Only six months ago, the central bank said it expected net dollar outflows by yearend to hit $1.5 billion which was, itself, already an adjusted projection from the original expectation of a $1-billion deficit for 2018.

This gap was attributed to the country’s yawning trade deficit as the economy imported more goods and services to help fuel the growing economy, amid only a modest performance turned in by the Philippines’ traditional dollar-earning exports.

For next year, the central bank expects net dollar outflows to continue and reach a total of $3.5 billion. Because of this, bankers and economists expect the peso to gradually weaken against the U.S. dollar during this timeframe.n

STEPHEN C. CANIVEL Inquirer.net

AFTER vehicle sales dropped for the most part of the year, Toyota Motor Philippines Corp. is hoping that the upcoming election campaign would help the company grow its sales volume by 10 percent in 2019, an official said.

TMP First Vice President Rommel Gutierrez told reporters during a lunch briefing earlier this week that many purchases are made during the election season as commercial vehicles are used for the campaign.

“I think we’ll hit 10-percent

next year from whatever is the actual [year-end] figure for this year,” he said in a mix of English and Filipino.

“We have to,” he said when asked why the company is optimistic over next year’s outlook, adding that it’s election time next year.

“A lot of people purchase [vehicles] for campaigns,” he said, adding that these are mostly commercial vehicles, a segment which takes up the majority of the total industry market.

He did not elaborate how much of the sales of next year could actually be attributed to campaignrelated expenses.

However, this might finally be the light at the end of the tunnel, after even the prospects of the country’s top vehicle company got dimmed by tax reform and an inflation-wary consumer market.

According to official data, sales of Toyota vehicles dropped 16.9 percent from January to November this year, selling 138,476 units as opposed to 166,601 units in the same period a year ago.

The decline, which has prevailed for the most part of the year if not the entire 2018, might make it easier for the company to grow next year, given the low base figure expected by yearend. n

Bulacan, Clark airport deals up for...

PAGE D2t Miguel’s unsolicited proposal greenlit on the condition that the concession deal be subject to a final review.

Both projects have been touted as alternatives to Metro Manila’s congested Ninoy Aquino International Airport.

Dominguez declined to provide further details but said: “There is no concession agreement yet that was submitted.” Asked to comment on a report that the deal was being renegotiated, Transportation Undersecretary Reuben Reinoso replied: “Just revision of provision on fee adjustment exclusion of LGU (local government unit) in adverse gov’t action.”

In September, the Finance chief

aired concerns over the viability of the Bulacan airport project, to be built by San Miguel unit San Miguel Holdings Corp. (SMHC), and also said that the government was giving priority to the Clark expansion.

Dominguez claimed that SMHC was “financially at this point incapable of undertaking a P700-billion project” and urged its parent firm to provide guarantees. San Miguel promptly replied that it would “abide by the Department of Finance’s demands.”

The Bulacan airport project involves the construction, operation and maintenance of an international airport with an area of about 2,500 hectares in Bulakan, Bulacan.

The expansion of Clark International Airport in Pampanga, meanwhile, is being undertaken by the Megawide-GMR consortium that won a bidding with a P9.36-billion offer, lower than the government’s projected cost of P12.55 billion.

It will complement the New Clark City development, one of the Duterte administration’s flagship “Build Build Build” projects, that is envisioned to be a “city of the future.”

During Wednesday’s meeting, the ICC was said to have discussed the reasonable rate of return for the expansion project, specifically for its operations and maintenance under a public-private partnership arrangement. (With a report from Lisbet K. Esmael) n

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Century Properties launches Filipinos want brands to take a stand P1.6-billion Asian Century Center

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held on Tuesday, December 18 for the opening of the Asian Century Center office building, developed by Century Properties Group and Asian Carmakers Corp.. In photo (from left) are Luis Miguel Gonzales of Century Properties Management and Construction Corp., CPG director Rafael Yaptinchay, Taguig City deputy chief of staff Maricar Loinaz Sarmiento; Asian Carmakers chairman of the board Bienvenido Santos, Philippine Economic Zone Authority director general Charito Plaza, CPG chairman and CEO Jose E.B. Antonio, CPG director Ricardo Cuerva and CPG chief operating officer Marco Antonio.

Philstar.com file photo

by IRIS

GONZALES Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Century Properties Group Inc., the listed property firm of the Antonio family, on Tuesday, December 18, unveiled its newest project, the P1.6 billion Asian Century Center.

Company chairman and chief executive officer Jose E.B. Antonio said the green office building, a partnership with Asian Carmakers Corp., addresses the demands of locators that are looking for office space.

The project is a 21-story development at the 27th Street corner 3rd Avenue in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig, which is now 75 percent leased out.

Four IT companies are among the tenants of the building.

Asian Carmakers plans to put

up a showroom of Peugeot on the ground floor. It is expected to contribute about P500 million in annual revenues to CPG’s leasing portfolio once it is fully leased out.

Accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), the building meets PEZA’s strict requirements. These include having 100-percent backup power, high-speed internet and infrastructure, and a building management system.

The tower has been pre-certified for the core and shell rating of LEED (or the Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design), a globally recognized green building and sustainability certification system.

Pre-certification is awarded to projects with achievable sustainable targets that demonstrate the

PAGE D2 t erage to 25 disaster-prone provinces in the country under the government’s parametric insurance program.

Areas covered by the program are Albay, Aurora, Batanes, Cagayan, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Cebu, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Dinagat Islands, Eastern Samar, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Isabela, Laguna, Leyte, Northern Samar, Pampanga, Quezon, Rizal, Sorsogon, Surigao del Norte, Surigao del Sur and Zambales.

The World Bank, through its International Bank for Reconstruction and Development, acts as the intermediary to transfer or cede GSIS risks to the global reinsurance market, thus minimizing risks for the government.

Its Disaster Risk Financing and Insurance Program provided the preparation work for the program with financial support from United Kingdom’s Department for International Development.

In turn, the BTr is the designated policyholder, representing the 25 provinces and the national

project’s commitment to LEED certification. Asian Century Center is working toward a LEED Silver status.

Leechiu Property Consultants, the real estate brokerage services firm, has been appointed as the leasing manager for Asian Century Center.

The Asian Century Center will expand CPG’s recurring income, which has increased at a doubledigit rate.

From its current completed gross floor area of about 133,000 square meters, the portfolio will increase to a gross floor area of about 300,000 sqm by 2020 once its leasing projects are completed.

Aside from Asian Century Center, the 58,618-sqm Century Diamond Tower is slated to open in 2019. n

Philippines gets P20.5 billion insurance...

EMPLOYMENT

government.

Finance Assistant Secretary Paola Alvarez said this allows the program to have quick-disbursing payouts, which amounts will depend on the estimated loss triggers determined through the Philippines’ Catastrophic Risk Model, as well as damage reports from the ground.

“Since the Bureau of Treasury is the policyholder, the funds will be mobilized faster to the first responders, namely, the national government and the LGUs,” Alvarez said. n

FOR RENT

Inquirer.net file photo

by ANNELLE

TAYAO-JUEGO Inquirer.net

ZERO poverty, quality education, and good health and wellbeing are the three social issues that Filipinos care most about— and they expect brands to become more involved in addressing these issues, too.

This is one of the key findings of “Purpose In Asia,” a report published recently by global market research company Kantar, which looks at the role brands play in issues that matter highly to their Asian consumers. The study also looks at the impact of brand purpose and authenticity on business.

Through an online survey conducted by digital data collection company Lightspeed, the research gathered insights from more than 3,000 respondents over the age of 18 in nine markets: Australia, India, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Taiwan.

To ensure alignment on the definition of social issues, the study used the framework of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals. Social media analysis was also conducted.

The research shows that 90 percent of the region—and 97 percent of Filipinos—favor brands that are engaged in social

issues, provided that these are causes that they care personally about.

While climate change and gender are the two topics that dominate global media, Kantar’s findings show that in Asia, the issues that matter are those that are closer to home.

Here in the Philippines, people are concerned about eradicating poverty; their health and well-being (especially with vaccination scares surrounding dengue); and quality education, as it is “seen as a stepping stone out of poverty (similar to other developing markets such as India, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand).

The study adds that brand engagement with such issues will result in better business, as almost 80 percent of Filipinos surveyed said they would buy brands aligned with their views, while over 70 percent said they would be happy to pay “a little more” for brands with sustainability credentials.

For the majority of respondents across the region, TV still reigned as the king of information dissemination on different issues.

However, when it comes to facilitating active participation among consumes, social media is the rising star—66 percent of Filipino respondents said they

had liked posts on social media around an issue they cared about; 63 percent said they had shared a post or an article.

Facebook, unsurprisingly, is the favored social media site of the majority of respondents across the region (85 percent).

The study classifies those surveyed into four personalities based on how they interact with issues online: 1) Not Involved (43 percent), or those who are less likely to take any issues-based action and interact on social media (usually 45 years and older, and come from developed markets such as Australia, Singapore and Korea); 2) Direct Action (12 percent), those who are most likely to do something about issues that concern them both offline and online (Gen Z-ers, millennials under 34; emerging markets such as India); 3) Social Media Follower (18 percent; slightly higher in the Philippines at 25 percent), those highly active on social media, but less so offline, and are less likely to change their behavior based on something they’ve read about an issue (across all ages); and 4) Campaigner (27 percent), those who actively share their views on issues across different social platforms and expect brands to do so, too (younger market; more in Thailand and the Philippines compared to other countries).n

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