LA Midweek Edition -- September 09 -- 11, 2015

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September 9-11, 2015

Volume 25 - No. 70 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

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Philippine growth forecast lowered For 2015 – down to 5.7% from 6%

by MayvElin

u. caRaballo ManilaTimes.net

SELFIE WITH PNOY. President Benigno S. Aquino III gamely joins Inquirer employees for a selfie following the Multimedia Forum at the Inquirer Office in Makati on Tuesday, Sept. 8. Aquino III said Tuesday that the Philippines is ready to help refugees from conflict-stricken Syria.

MalacaĂąang photo by Joseph Vidal

DATELINE

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS SS AMEric MEricA ricA

Immigrants encouraged to naturalize despite barriers Los ANGeLes – 8.8 million lawful permanent residents are eligible to naturalize in the United states, but only 8 percent apply. of that qualified population, 2.5 million are in California and 800,000 in Los Angeles County alone. though naturalization is an ideal goal for most immigrants, obstacles still hinder the process of becoming a Us citizen. Among them: cost, language barriers and low access to information.

A roundtable discussion on thursday, september 3 hosted by New America media, the New Americans Campaign and several city-based organizations at Los Angeles City hall emphasized the urgency of getting immigrants to apply, especially with the elections coming up in 2016. “I can’t even remember when the idea of citizenship has been disparaged in the po-

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mooDY’s Investors service adjusted downward its growth forecast for the Philippine economy this year to 5.7 percent from its previous projection of 6.0 percent, citing slow exports, government underspending and the impact of el Niùo on agriculture. the credit watcher also sees the overall export outlook on Asia Pacific weakening on the back of a slowdown in China. moody’s revised forecast for gross

domestic product (GDP) for full-year 2015 is also below the 6.1 percent expansion achieved last year and the 7 percent to 8 percent growth assumption by the government for this year.

GDP in the first quarter fell below expectations both by private economists and the government, which had to revise the figure down from a previously reported 5.2 percent to 5.0 percent.

In a report, moody’s said weak demand from China has dampened the overall export outlook for the Asia Pacific region, which includes the

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Ombudsman to SC: Duterte retiring, won’t seek presidency Bail for Juan Ponce Enrile mocks justice

by Edith

REgalado Philstar.com

by MichaEl

punongbayan and MaRvin sy Philstar.com

mANILA – In granting bail to senate minority Leader Juan Ponce enrile, the supreme Court (sC) paints “a picture of injustice, inequality, partiality and preference,� the office of the ombudsman said monday, sept. 7.

Based on this argument, prosecutors led by overall Deputy ombudsman melchor Arthur Carandang have asked the sC to reverse its Aug. 18 decision. “It makes a mockery of justice,� read the motion for reconsideration. “It confirms to our very kababayans that a different kind and

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DAVAo CItY – this is the final word: mayor rodrigo Duterte is retiring from politics and will not run for president next year. “I would like to categorically state now... that I am not running for president,� Duterte told a press conference at the Grand menseng hotel here on monday, sept. 7. “I have no ambition to become president. I’m sorry to all of you who believe in me, who spent money and toiled tirelessly to advertise my name.� he is retiring from politics, and is not seeking any national or local post, Duterte said. “I believe it is no longer my time to be in politics,� he said. “I

will retire after my term. thank you.� he hopes that his pronouncement would end the long wait of his supporters, some of whom have spent huge amounts of money for his possible presidential run next year, Duterte said. “I have talked with my family regarding the matter and after talking to them, I decided I am not running at all,� he said. “After talking to my family and to all persons interested in my career as a politician, I would like to categorically state now and also to put a stop to the agony of those who believe in me that I am not running for president.� he also talked with his daugh- Davao City Mayor “Rody� Duterte rated himself “very ter, former mayor sara Duterte- good� and graded possible presidential candidates only

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“good.�

Facebook.com/Rody Duterte

Marcos to benefit from Duterte’s backing out of the Presidential race

by JEffERson

antipoRda ManilaTimes.net

seN. ferdinand marcos Jr., on tuesday, sept. 8, admitted that Davao City mayor rodrigo Duterte’s statement saying he is not running for President would somehow help him and his camp decide on what to do in 2016. marcos, who is currently weighing his options in 2016, said Duterte’s

decision will have a big difference in his planning since it doesn’t only change the political situation but also removed one of the many variables in next year’s elections. “that (Duterte’s declaration) will somehow clarify the situation and will have an effect of course on the decision we will be making,� marcos said in an interview with reporters af after attending the Bangsamoro Basic

Law (BBL) campus forum held at the marikina Polytechnic College (mPC).

Duterte, who was earlier reported to be eyeing the presidency, declared on monday he is not running for president and that he will retire from public life for good. the Davao City chief executive said he arrived at the decision after talking to his family and people close to him.

Duterte is a member of the Partido

Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban).

Marcos on Duterte’s declaration But marcos said he doesn’t know how to take Duterte’s pronouncement because the latter has been known to change his mind so he would rather talk to the mayor personally and find out for himself. “I would like to wait until I could

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Obama extends sick paid Aquino: PH ready to help Syrian refugees leave to over 300,000 PRESYONG Sulit Deals! federal employees oN Labor Day 2015, President obama unveiled a new executive order that will require federal contractors to offer employees up to seven days of paid sick leave.

Contrasting with republican economic policies, obama’s plan could benefit more than 300,000 federal Us workers, who currently receive no paid leave, the White house said. “right now, you have parents who have to choose between losing income or staying home with a sick child,� obama said to a crowd of hundreds during the annual Greater Boston Labor Council breakfast, sponsored by the AfL-CIo. At the breakfast, the president was met with applause when he said he had signed the paid sick leave executive order on Air force one. he chose Boston to make his appeal because “voters in the state approved a paid leave pol-

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President Benigno S. Aquino III

mANILA – President Benigno s. Aquino III said tuesday, sept. 8 that the Philippines is ready to help refugees from conflict-stricken syria.

In a media forum aired on state-run People’s television, Aquino noted that the Philippines helped other asylum-seekers in the past.

Aquino cited the case of the 2,700 Vietnamese boat people who sought refuge in the Philippines in the 1970s. he also mentioned the over 1,200 european Jewish refugees who were saved by the Philippines from Adolf hitler’s Nazi Germany during the holocaust. “We have proven, as a country, that we are ready to assist,� Aquino said.

But with limited resources and millions living in poverty, Aquino said the Philippines can only do so much. “the history is there, the culture is there. We just want to make sure that we manage it properly, that we don’t take more than what we can handle,� he said. “Vast majority of our people are still living in poverty. We would like to take our resources to better our people and do our fair share,� the president added.

(Philstar.com)

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LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2015

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Philippine growth forecast… Marcos to benefit from Duterte’s…

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Philippines.

The latest data from the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA) has shown a 4.7 percent decline in cumulative merchandise exports in the first half of this year to $28.804 billion from $30.233 billion in the year-earlier period.

Repeated misses Fiscal underspending continued to be an issue in the Philippines, Moody’s said, noting that the government has repeatedly missed its targets.

As of end-July, government spending stood at P1.282 trillion, or 11 percent higher than the year-ago level. However, disbursements for the seven months fell short by 15 percent from the P1.517 billion target for the period, according to data from the Department of Finance.

“Slowing export growth and fiscal underspending weighed on

output in the first half of the year in the Philippines,” Moody’s said.

It pointed out that economic growth in the first half lost steam to 5.3 percent from 6.2 percent a year earlier.

Moody’s said it expects fiscal disbursements to accelerate in the second half, and to see further progress on infrastructure development related to the government’s public-private partnership program.

“On the supply side, the El Niño-related dry spell hurt agricultural production, contributing to our lower GDP growth forecast of 5.7 percent for 2015,” it said.

Earlier, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned it would revise downward its growth outlook of 6.2 percent for the country to reflect the government’s own downward adjustment on the first-quarter

Ombudsman to SC: Bail for…

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quality of justice indeed applies to the rich and powerful.”

The motion for reconsideration was filed last Friday, the last day for the filing of the motion, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales told reporters at the Senate.

“There were three main reasons,” she said.

“We were wondering why they had to grant the petition because the ground given by the court was not even considered by the Sandiganbayan or by Enrile himself. He hasn’t raised that. He has raised that fragile state of health and his motion to be confined in a hospital but not in a motion to file bail or petition for bail.”

The other ground for the motion for reconsideration is the violation of the equal protection of the law clause under the Constitution, Morales said.

“That special favor that they gave to the senator should also be given and has not been given to any Tom, Dick and Harry that

was in a similar situation before,” she said.

The filing of the motion for reconsideration just so happened to be “analogous” or similar to the dissenting opinion of Supreme Court Associate Justice Marvic Leonen and was not necessarily “parroting it,” Morales said.

Prosecutors said the SC must correct its decision granting bail to the 91-year-old lawmaker and resolve the case with “unquestionable impartiality, undisputed fairness and unassailable wisdom.”

“The decision granting bail to petitioner was premised on a factual finding that he is not a flight risk, on a determination that he suffers from a fragile state of health, and on other unsupported grounds unique and personal to him,” they said.

“In granting bail to petitioner on the foregoing grounds, the decision unduly and radically modified constitutional and procedural principles governing bail

Duterte retiring, won’t…

PAGE A1 t

Carpio about her political plans, Duterte said.

“In 2016, Inday and I have an understanding that I will ask her to run for the mayorship,” he said. “In 2016 I will retire from public life for good.”

Duterte’s son, Sebastian, is also being groomed to run for Congress in the city’s third district.

Duterte hurriedly left the Grand Menseng Hotel after making the announcement that last-

ed for about 10 minutes.

He refused to answer any question regarding his decision.

However, he will continue to push for a shift to a federal form of government, Duterte said.

He thanked supporters from different parts of the country that he had visited for his listening tour.

He will push for the senatorial candidacies of his good friends Representatives Mark Villar of Las Piñas, Roman Romulo of Pasig City, and Samuel Pagdilao of ACT-CIS, Duterte said. n

GDP performance.

Five of the seven analysts who had commented on the second quarter GDP figures also released reduced forecast figures for 2015, citing weak exports and uneven global growth as risks.

Analysts from the Bank of the Philippine Islands, Metropolitan Bank and Trust Co. (Metrobank) Research, Singaporean bank DBS, London-based research consultancy firm Capital Economics, and United Kingdombased investment bank Barclays now expect the year’s GDP growth in the range of 5.5 percent to 6.2 percent.

Meanwhile, analysts from Fitch Group’s think tank BMI Research and Standard Chartered Bank had chosen to keep their 2015 GDP outlook unchanged at 6 percent and 5.7 percent, respectively. n

PAGE A1 t

talk to him (Duterte) and find out from him what exactly is his plan,” Marcos said.

The Senator noted that it is important to know what everybody else is planning to be able to see the political terrain before he makes a decision.

Marcos said he is going to make the most important decision on his political career that is why it is very important for him to consider all variables before deciding.

Senator Aquilino Pimentel 3rd, President of PDP-Laban, on the other hand, admitted that they are still hoping Duterte will change his mind regarding his political plans.

Pimentel said he is not totally convinced Duterte will fully give up politics because according to his friends in Davao, the mayor has been known to make lastminute changes on his deciwithout sufficient constitutional, sions. legal and jurisprudential basis.”

The SC’s decision “openly ignored and abandoned the constitutionally mandated procedure for determining whether a per- PAGE A1 t son accused of a crime punish- litical forum the way it is being able by reclusion perpetua such disparaged now…We think, what as plunder can be granted bail,” do we do? How do we respond? prosecutors said.

What do we say? It is so imporEnrile’s actions disproves the tant that we encourage all of our SC decision granting him bail on colleagues, relatives, friends and grounds that he is not a flight risk audiences to take the idea of citiand is of frail health, they added. zenship seriously,” said Sandy Enrile “reports for duty with Close, executive director of New strength and vitality, exhibiting America Media. none of the weaknesses and frailAs Citizenship Day approaches ty” that he claims to be suffering, on September 17, community orprosecutors said. ganizations are sustaining a push Granting temporary freedom to increase citizenship applicato Enrile despite being charged tion rates in minority immigrant with plunder is contrary to the communities by hosting accesstrict requirements of the Consti- sible workshops and providing tution, prosecutors said. in-language outreach and infor“The decision violates the peo- mation. ple’s constitutional right to due Overcoming barriers process of law since it was based A main hurdle to citizenship on grounds not raised in the peti- that many immigrants mention is tion and therefore never refuted the application fee, which is curor contested,” they said. rently $680.

“The decision gave preferential Nasim Khansari, citizenship treatment and undue favor to pe- project director of Asian Amerititioner in a manner inconsistent cans Advancing Justice — Los with the equal protection clause Angeles (Advancing Justice — LA) said that the cost could of the 1987 Constitution.”

Prosecutors described Enrile potentially rise, but there is adas “nothing less than a towering vocacy being done to consider a figure in our country’s history,” sliding scale based on household whose criminal case involves income and family size.

“There are immigrants out “nothing less than one of the biggest and high-profile corruption there that want to become US citizens, but they just don’t have cases in recent years.”

“Equality before the law is an the $680 to be able to do so…,” elusive ideal, but it will always she said. “That’s a real-life barbe an ideal worth pursuing,” rier we’re dealing with when it comes to naturalization.” they said.

Khansari gave an example of a Prosecutors have also filed a motion for reconsideration as- Filipino couple (who requested sailing the SC decision granting not to be identified by name in Enrile’s motion for a bill of par- this article) ineligible to apply for a fee waiver because their ticulars. n

“My concern is the campaign for the presidency is different from the campaign for mayor, he may be able to pull last minute changes off in the mayoralty campaign but for presidency, it will be difficult,” Pimentel said in a separate interview.

Down to three Political analyst Professor Ramon Casiple also doesn’t buy Duterte’s announcement saying the Mayor is likely to pursue his plan to run for a higher position in 2016, the only question is the particular post he is eyeing.

“It’s not over until is over, October 16 is still far away,” Casiple added.

Election Lawyer Romy Macalintal is also not assured of the Davao City mayor’s recent declaration noting that Duterte may just be waiting for the proper time.

He also added that Duterte’s political ads are still being aired in several television and radio stations even after he made the

announcement on Monday.

“I believe that his supporter should not be discouraged by the Mayor’s pronouncement and continue to convince him to reconsider his decision,” he added.

Both Casiple and Macalintal admitted it is hard to tell which presidential candidate will gain in case Duterte really decided to quit politics.

But Senate President Franklin Drilon is confident that the Liberal Party (LP) will gain from Duterte’s decision saying the move will favor LP standardbearer Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas 2nd.

“The field is now down to three, I assume, with Senator (Grace) Poe as part of it. It is better. We are the administration.

You would have two representing the opposition,” Drilon said referring to Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA). n

Immigrants encouraged to naturalize…

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household income is $400 above the government poverty level.

The couple has reached out to Advancing Justice — LA for application assistance, but has repeatedly been denied by US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS).

To apply for a fee waiver, individuals must fill out a I-912 form and meet one of three requirements: a means-tested benefit (i.e. government programs such as food stamps or Medi-Cal); household income is at or below the 150 percent poverty level; or financial hardship that prevents you from paying the filing fee (having to pay for medical expenses, for example).

“Cost is definitely a factor, but I don’t think people should be dissuaded by that,” Linda Lopez, chief of the Office of Immigrant Affairs at the LA Mayor’s Office, said. Lopez said that there are other avenues to seek out assistance, like credit unions that offer microloans to those who do not qualify for the fee waiver.

Another barrier is the lack of awareness within immigrant communities of the process that goes into becoming a citizen.

“A lot of immigrants don’t even know where to begin the process.

They don’t know a non-profit organization that offers free or low-cost services even exist, so that’s why we need the media’s help to get these organizations’ names out there to let the community know there are a lot of services providers, particularly in Los Angeles County, coupled with Mayor’s Office, partnering

together here to make citizenship as accessible as possible,” Khansari said.

Advancing Justice — LA, which is one of 20 organizations in LA part of the New Americans Campaign, hosts free citizenship clinics at its office in downtown every first three Fridays and the last Saturday of each month.

Lopez cited an initiative by the LA Mayor’s Office to “integrate immigrants local in our civic, political, economic and social fabric” by making citizenship materials available at every city public library branch.

The materials include flyers in English, Spanish, Chinese and Vietnamese, naturalization test brochures, naturalization applications and more. She remarked that there has been an increase in citizenship interest in the city, as the immigration office has been tracking the number of people who go to the libraries for citizenship workshops and the information.

In 2014, 20,000 residents used the resources; it has since doubled this year, Lopez said. Advancing Justice — LA also hosts English as a Second Language (ESL) classes at various libraries for residents who have had their green cards for at least four years.

Despite the common obstacles to naturalization, the benefits of citizenship outweigh them. Naturalized citizens no longer have to fear deportation or circumstances that would cause their legal permanent residence status to

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Immigrants encouraged to naturalize… Obama extends sick paid leave to over 300,000…

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be revoked.

Additionally, naturalized citizens tend to experience a nearly 20 percent increase in income.

Some studies have shown that naturalized citizens earn more than non-skilled counterparts and are more likely to be employed in high-skilled jobs, which are attractive factors for highlyeducated immigrants who seek opportunities at par with those back in their countries of origin.

Alenoush Bidrousian, a newly naturalized citizen originally from Iran, shared at the roundtable that she was motivated by the opportunities given to women in the US, especially when it comes to higher education, jobs and owning a business “The most important thing as a citizen is that there are more job opportunities, especially government jobs…also being more engaged in the city’s activities and the presidential elections [next year] and I’m looking forward to it. I think it’s our responsibility as a person living in the United States to be more active in any way that [you] can,” Bidrousian said.

More Filipino immigrants should consider the advantages of being a citizen, the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) Executive Director Yey Coronel noted, including the ability to petition family members from the Philippines and bring them to the US faster.

“A lot of Filipinos tend to not apply for food stamps or other welfare benefits because they’re worried that would affect not just their immigration [status], but also their citizenship, so FASGI will be starting another initiative soon to dispel those notions,” she said.

An issue Coronel mentioned is that the vulnerable immigrant communities need to be guarded against the scams that target them. FASGI, which is a community organization that partners with the city of LA to provide English and Tagalog assistance, is trying to be more vigilant when processing applications. A notable scam is notaries or individuals, claiming to be lawyers, who charge too much for application processing.

Business impact of citizenship In addition to the personal benefits of naturalization, there is said to be an effect on the US work environment.

The National Immigration

Forum has launched the New American Workforce to work with businesses who have eligible immigrant employees and assist them with the citizenship process.

According to Laura Barrera, the LA organizer of the New American Workforce, the initiative “engage[s] employers [and] business owners that this is indeed a service to strengthen not only our community, but our workforce.”

Currently, it is operational in eight cities with large populations of legal permanent residents, including Los Angeles, New York City and Miami. The program, which includes information workshops, one-on-one application assistance and civics instruction, is offered on the worksite either during employee breaks, before or after work hours.

“It’s a win-win situation for their workforce to transition from [lawful] permanent residents to citizens. Our project is unique in that it’s helping change a typical conversation in the community to one that will open the doors to employment sites and changes the way human resources looks at the benefits of citizenship. We hope that through this, it will not only change the dialogue…[and] re-educate employers about why citizenship is important,” Barrera said.

In September 2014, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti challenged 25 businesses to partner with the New American Workforce and educate 25,000 legal permanent residents about opportunities that citizenship provides and help them apply.

Through immigrant integration and increasing workplace diversity, business profitability is positively impacted, according to the New American Workforce.

Political engagement With presidential candidates starting to campaign for 2016, immigration has already become a hot-button issue that has led to many controversial remarks being covered in the news.

Despite the anti-immigrant rhetoric — Donald Trump’s deportation proposal or Jeb Bush’s ‘anchor babies’ comment, for example — eligible immigrants shouldn’t be detracted from applying for citizenship.

“The fact is, immigrants want to become US citizens, regardless of if someone is disparaging them or not. There is already an interest. But we do know that negative politics lead immigrants

to be more motivated to get involved,” said Elisa Sequeira, director of national civic engagement programs for the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) Educational Fund.

Once immigrants become naturalized, community assistance doesn’t stop there. It’s just “the beginning of a journey of civic participation,” Sequeira said.

Foreign-born citizens are even less likely to register to vote, she said, citing a University of Southern California study by Manuel Pastor and Jared Sanchez. However, the study found these citizens would participate in elections if they do get registered.

“We have an important election year next year and a lot of our new citizens will be participating for the first time in electing the candidates and voting for laws that will affect our everyday life,” she said. NALEO provides civic education for the new citizens regarding voter registration, key issues and laws and political candidates.

Never too late Another key takeaway from the roundtable discussion was that there is still time for older legal permanent residents to become citizens.

Saul Montoya, who is originally from Mexico, became a citizen in June after 35 years of being a green card holder.

“You are always under the impression that you will go back [to your home country],” Montoya said of why it took him so long to become a citizen, but he was grateful that the US gave him opportunities such as a home, job and security.

He was also motivated by his wife (also a US citizen) who convinced him that he still ran the risk of being deported as a green card holder.

Manok Cha shared that she came to the US from Korea in 1996 after her daughter petitioned her, and obtained legal permanent resident status in 2007.

“Living in a new country, I realized that the United States is a nation that protects the rights of its people and ensures opportunities for its [residents]…Slowly I began thinking about becoming a US citizen,” Cha said, adding that she initially had hesitations about applying because she was not fluent in English, which is among the considerations in the citizenship eligibility interview.

However, with the help of the

PAGE A1 t

icy state-wide, which took effect on July 1 and is expected to affect 900,000 workers who didn’t have the option before,” according to the White House.

Under the executive order, workers on federal contracts would be eligible for paid leave if they are sick or tending to a sick relative. They will earn one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked, with a maximum of seven days a year, depending on how many hours they work, officials said.

The order would take effect with new contracts after Obama leaves office in early 2017.

The White House did not specify the cost to implement the order, but the Labor Department said “any costs would be offset by savings that contractors would see as a result of lower attrition rates and increased worker loyalty.”

The Obama administration has been working on the executive order for months, as the president works to enact what policies he can before his term ends next year, despite Congressional resistance to some of his previous executive orders to improve conditions in the workplace.

The push has reverberated in the 2016 presidential campaign, where Democrat and Republican candidates seek to show the better support of the middle class.

Obama’s order drew a sharp Korean Resource Center, Cha was able to become a citizen in 2012. Though she was already a senior citizen when she naturalized, she said it’s not too late for older immigrants and noted some benefits that could be afforded to them like housing and government assistance.

Since 2011, the New Americans Campaign and its partner organizations have completed nearly 169,000 naturalization applications for legal permanent residents, and have helped them save $118 million in legal fees and $31 million in USCIS application fees.

Data from the Migrant Policy Institute released back in June revealed that Asians have one of the highest naturalization rates in the country, with 59 percent of the immigrant population becoming citizens.

As of 2013, 1.26 million Filipinos are US naturalized citizens; 43,489 of whom were naturalized that year. (Christina M. Oriel/AJPress)

Pres. Barack Obama

contrast between his administration’s policies and those of Republicans. “The GOP believes the best way to stimulate the economy is to cut taxes and loosen regulation,” he said.

“Republicans who say they fight for the middle-class are making big claims, but they have to walk the walk. The values that built the middle class are working people’s values.”

“There are certain Republicans that said we can’t afford to do this,” said Labor Secretary Thomas Perez, lamenting how paid leave is seen as a “partisan issue” in the US despite broad support in Europe. “The Republican Party is out of step with similar conservative governments around the world.”

The Labor Day announcement also came with a renewed call for Congress to follow President Obama’s lead and pass the Health Families Act, which would require all businesses with more than 14 employees (not just contract workers, and excluding the smallest US businesses) to similarly offer seven days of paid sick leave.

About 40 percent of the privatesector workforce does not have paid leave, the White House said.

The act would benefit roughly 44 million private-sector workers currently without leave.

The idea has gained little traction on Capitol Hill. In recent

years, Obama has frequently used his executive authority to apply policies--such as worker discrimination based on gender and sexual orientation--to federal contractors that he lacks the authority to enact nationwide. His aim is to lay the groundwork for those policies to be expanded to all Americans.

Through labor groups have applauded the acts, many remain skeptical of the president’s push to secure sweeping new trade deals with the Asia-Pacific region and with Europe.

Many unions have warned that the deals could lead to the widespread elimination of certain types of jobs.

“The administration has an obligation to get the most out of every federal tax dollar,” said Cecilia Munoz, director of the White House Domestic Policy Council.

“The benefits with respect to businesses will more than offset the costs and ultimately make them, as employers, more productive and more efficient and, therefore, more valued to the taxpayer.”

Obama’s 2016 budget also includes $2 billion for states to expand paid sick leave, as well as create laws that would allow employees maternity, paternity, and eldercare leave. (Allyson Escobar/AJPress with reports from the Washington Post, NBC News, Associated Press, KTLA5)

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OpiniOn

Features

Home stretch

AFTER occupying the highest and toughest job in the Philippines for six years, Pres. Benigno Aquino III made it clear that he might be ending his political career after next year’s elections. But with a few months left in his reign, Aquino will be working under a microscope.

In the early years of his leadership, Aquino enjoyed the highest approval ratings, gaining as much as 85 percent approval from the Filipino public. It is highest rating ever recorded by any individual included in trust probes since 1999, something that any politician would aspire for.

Traditionally, when a president is about to step down, his or her approval ratings get lower. In 2009, a year before former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo ended her term, her ratings dropped to an all-time low of -11 percent. Aquino’s mother, the late former President Corazon “Cory” Aquino’s rating plunged to -1 in 1991.

Although the Aquino administration has been bloodied by unfortunate events in the past few months, the President still enjoys the support of majority of Filipinos at 54 percent. However, as the numbers go down, this also means that Aquino may be lauded for his accomplishments, but will be remembered for his shortcomings.

In a gathering with reporters and editors during the Meet the Inquirer forum on Tuesday, Sept. 8, Aquino described being the country’s president as “very daunting” but that the Filipinos’ cooperation

made his task easier.

The President also admitted that the job almost took its toll on him.

“No matter what you did, no matter what risks you took, no matter what energy you expended it seemed you couldn’t change anything. So I have gotten to that point in time that you were getting to be cynical and jaded,” Aquino revealed.

Despite the early successes of his “daang matuwid (straight path)” mantra, Aquino has also been under fire over his standing on controversial issues such as the country’s sea dispute entanglements and woes in the transportation sector and infrastructure. He is also criticized for the limited progress made in crucial areas such as corruption and poverty.

It’s really impossible to measure a politician’s performance. There are so many subjective factors to identify how formidable a politician can be. It is unjust to base the relationship of a leader and his followers on approval ratings alone. What matters more is the successful negotiations and compromises both parties extend to each other.

If the numbers are positive, the leaders are subjected to discernment. They are given an option to

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

either be complacent or work even harder to make a lasting impression to the public. If the numbers are unfavorable, the ratings serve as a wake-up call.

Aquino may have gotten the best grade compared to his predecessors, but the work obviously doesn’t stop there. Before he embarks on a sab-

batical, Aquino should focus on ironing out kinks on his reforms, and make sure tangible and reliable results are felt by his constituents. In return, Filipinos should continue to join Aquino’s undertaking, to aid him in this final stretch of the race.

(AJPress)

Pope Francis makes marriage annulment easier, faster & cheaper for estranged couples 2. Giving bishops the ability to fastAFTER Pope Francis’s controversial track and grant the annulments themstatement allowing priests during the Year The Fil-Am selves in certain circumstances -- for of Mercy to “absolve” sins committed by example, when spousal abuse or an contrite women who have had abortions, Perspective extramarital affair has occurred. the leader of the Catholic Church has now 3. The process should be free, except radically revised the process by which for a nominal fee for administrative Catholics may annul their marriages to costs, and should be completed within make it easier, faster and cheaper.

45 days.

This is especially significant for Filipinos Gel SantoS-reloS Pope Francis reaffirms the “indissolback home who cannot remarry because divorce is not yet legal in the Philippines. The only option for ubility of the marriage bond,” but also says that “charity estranged couples is to seek marriage annulment in court, and mercy demand that the Church, as mother, be close the price of which is not affordable to most Filipinos. But to her children who consider themselves separated.”

As CNN stated in its report, this move is part of a seeven if the marriage is annulled judicially, Catholic couples cannot re-marry through Catholic rites unless the Church ries of reforms by Pope Francis “as he seeks to make the church more responsive to the real needs of lay Catholics, declares their previous marriage null and void.

Without going through Church annulments, Catholics especially those who have long felt marginalized by the who remarry through civil rites are banned from receiv- hierarchy”.

The Pope said that in the end, the Church’s many laws ing the Holy Communion, deemed by many as “a painful and institutions must be aimed at one chief purpose -exclusion from the church’s chief sacrament.”

“Some procedures are so long and so burdensome and “the salvation of souls.”

Do you laud Pope Francis in his reforms to make the people give up”, Pope Francis said in 2014, as reported Catholic Church more welcoming and inclusive to people

by CNN. The Catholic Church announced on Tuesday, Septem- — saints and sinners alike? *** ber 8, that the following changes will become part of Catholic canon law on December 8, 2015 — the begin- Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions ning of Francis’ declared “Year of Mercy”: expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and 1. Eliminating a second review by a cleric before a mar- not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilriage can be nullified.

AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Pope Francis

The INC protest rallies, best and worst case scenarios THANKFULLY, the protest rallies of Street the Iglesia ni Cristo at EDSA have been Talk called off. INC’s leaders have declared that they have reached an “agreement” with the government – without GreG B. MacaBenta providing any details – while a Malaca ñang spokesman has insisted that “no special concessions” were given for the cessation of the rallies.

That, of course, leaves the public with more questions than answers. We can expect both sides to give a positive spin to their respective versions in order to save face.

Fortunately, the INC leadership was apparently not inclined to provoke a violent confrontation with the government, and the latter obviously had no taste for it either. But it could have escalated into a bloody mess. All it needed was for sinister quarters to explode a bomb in the crowd. Then all hell would have broken loose.

In hindsight, it is easy to say that “effective crowd control” and “police monitoring” would have prevented that from happening – but hindsight is a perfect science. The wise crisis manager prepares for both the best and the worst case scenarios. The memory of the bombing of the Boston Marathon should serve as a stark reminder for the optimists and the naïve.

The question is: While the worst case scenario hovered like a sword of Damocles, what could or should President Benigno S. Aquino III have done to prevent it from falling on our collective heads?

Aquino eventually called a meeting of key officials, and that seem to have resulted in the peaceful resolution of the escalating crisis.

Why it took several days and much infernal inconvenience for Metro Manilans before that meeting was convened, and what was finally agreed on to defuse the situation, will remain the subject of speculation.

When presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda declares that he has no personal knowledge of the agreements, we can be sure that he has been made to swear by the Code of Omerta. As mischievous pundits put it, you can tell what Lacierda knows by the length of his nose.

At any rate, all’s well that ends without bloodshed. We can only hope that the amicable agreement entailed the following: (a) ensuring that the rule of law would prevail, (b) protecting the interests of the public in future protest rallies, (c) cleaning up the garbage and filth at EDSA at the expense of the INC, (c) a fair and just hearing of the grievances and apprehensions of the INC, as well as of those who filed suit against it, (d) a reiteration of support for the duties of the Justice department and (e) a reassurance of a transparent and just resolution of the legal issues. Of course, the “transparency” part may be wishful thinking.

There are those who will insist that Aquino did the right thing by initially “keeping his hands off” the deteriorating situation. In fact, one prominent columnist commented that Aquino’s

legendary obstinacy was exactly what was needed because he showed “who’s the boss.”

That kind of macho attitude is only admirable in retrospect – in this case, because the crisis did not spin out of control. But it could have.

In May 1967, a small religious sect called Lapiang Malaya staged a protest march on Taft Avenue in the vicinity of De La Salle University. The confrontation with the Philippine Constabulary turned bloody, claiming 33 dead and 47 wounded.

In January 1987, less than a year after Cory Aquino assumed the presidency, the Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas, joined by leftist and activist groups, staged a violent rally on Mendiola, virtually at the gates of Malaca ñang. In the skirmish with government authorities, 13 demonstrators were killed and scores were wounded.

The media dubbed the incident The Mendiola Massacre.

I think it serves a good purpose to try to understand what triggered the INC protest action, the better to defuse similar situations in the future. One thing is certain, if one were to depend mainly on social media, TV, radio and newspaper reports and commentaries on an issue – any issue – one would end up confused or drawing the wrong conclusions.

At any rate, as far as I can tell, the INC demonstration targeting Justice Secretary Leila de Lima was ignited by the rumor that the Department of Justice was set to arrest the top leaders of the INC for “illegal detention,” based on a complaint of an INC minister. That, in turn, started with a conflict within the INC that also involved pos-

sible violations of the law. Thus, part of the problem was truly an “internal” issue. On the other hand, part of it did require the intervention of the justice system.

The “impending arrest” was denied by the DOJ, clarifying that only the court can issue an arrest warrant. But the tendency of Secretary De Lima to bask in the media limelight, as well as the tendency of certain media to sensational vague statements and speculate on their implications, appear to have blown the issue out of proportion.

The problem with our justice system is that it suffers in terms of credibility.

Worse yet, there have been too many allegations of “selective justice” being inflicted on political enemies.

Note that, according to the revised penal code, illegal detention beyond 5 days is a non-bailable crime (until the 2006 suspension of the death penalty, it was also punishable by death).

Under the prevailing environment of distrust and perceived unequal application of justice, if you were leaders of the INC and you are threatened with nonbailable confinement, like that imposed on former President Gloria Arroyo, Senators Bong Revilla and Jinggoy Estrada and, until recently, Senator Juan Ponce Enrile, wouldn’t you have reacted in the extreme?

Whether or not that extreme reaction is legal or rational is not the immediate issue that should have been addressed.

As the CEO of a company or of a country, when you are confronted by a serious problem involving your people, it doesn’t matter whose fault it is. The first thing you do is contain the problem, control the damage, and find a solution for it. Retribution should follow

– but only after the problem has been solved or at least minimized.

This is where Noynoy Aquino, as chief executive, should have immediately acted. One pines for those days when then Defense Secretary Fidel Ramos went out of his way to personally meet with the leaders of an attempted military coup to listen to their grievances and to negotiate a de-escalation of the conflict. In that respect, President Cory Aquino was more fortunate than her son. She had Ramos to decisively take up the cudgels for her.

Some kibitzers will say that reaching out to the INC would have been like giving a special concession to a powerful political sector - but that attitude ignores the fact that, whatever their voting clout and their political inclinations, the members of the INC are citizens of the Philippines. As such, they deserve a respectful hearing from the president of the country.

The situation was most certainly more deserving of personal presidential intervention than the surrender of alleged super scammer Janet Napoles. She was granted a meeting in Malaca ñang with no less than DILG Secretary Mar Roxas escorting her to the palace.

The harsh fact is that a group that can muster thousands for a massive demonstration that threatens to escalate into anarchy should never, never be taken for granted. In fact, one hostage taker with a gun, threatening the lives of a busload of innocent tourists, should never, never be taken for granted.

Aquino should have learned a lesson from the Luneta crisis. On second thought, maybe he did. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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COMMUNITY Journal

Business News

More Philippine CEOs bullish on business growth – survey

by Richmond

S. meRcuRio

Philstar.com

MANILA – The top business executives in the counrty are more optimistic about the future of their businesses as opportunities are seen to widen despite threats of increasing tax burden, overregulation, and skills shortage, a joint study by the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) and Isla Lipana & Co. showed.

In a press briefing on Monday, Sept. 7, MAP and Isla Lipana officials unveiled the results of the 2015 Philippine CEO Survey Report which studied factors affecting the business community based on the perspective of the leaders of large corporations and small and medium enterprises.

The report revealed 73 percent of CEOs surveyed are very confident about their business growth in the next 12 months, while 62 percent are very optimistic on growth prospects in the next three years.

The report further showed

The 2015 Philippine CEO Survey Report revealed 73 percent of CEOs surveyed are very confident about their business growth in the next 12 months, while 62 percent are very optimistic on growth prospects in the next three years.

Philstar.com file photo

these CEO’s are slightly more confident in the growth of their business than the revenue growth prospects of the industry where they belong over the near term.

“This optimism of the CEOs is further evidenced by their ability to see more opportunities to

grow. Eighty-five percent of the CEOs we surveyed say there are more opportunities today than three years ago, compared to 56 percent who say there are more threats,” the study showed.

Among the biggest opportuni-

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PH classified as lower middle income country

by Ted

ToRReS Philstar.com

MANILA – The Philippines has been classified as a lower middle income economy, based on a World Economic Forum (WEF) 2015 report.

The WEF’s Inclusive Growth and Development Report presents a new framework for assessing countries’ efforts to foster economic growth that raises the living standards of entire societies.

The rating was based on six pillars including education and skills, employment and labor compensation, asset building and entrepreneurship, financial intermediation of real economy investment, corruption and rents,

basic services and infrastructure, and fiscal transfers.

The report covers 112 countries, wherein the Philippines was grouped with the lower half of the countries.

Overall, the top 10 advanced economies (based on average rankings) are: Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Luxembourg, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Singapore and Switzerland.

In the education and skills category, the leader is Finland; in term of employment and labor compensation, the leader is Norway.

In terms of asset building and entrepreneurship, Finland took top spot. In terms of financial intermediation of real economy,

the leader is Canada.

In terms of corruption and rents, the leader is Luxembourg, and in terms of basic service and infrastructure, the leader is Switzerland. The Netherlands was top in the fiscal transfer category.

WEF managing board member Rick Samans said the report offers policy-makers, business leaders and other stakeholders a clearer sense of the extent to which their country is exploiting the available policy space and best practices in relation to its peers.

“The report aims to make discussions about inequality, less about aspiration and more about concrete action,” Samans said.

Overall, several findings

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Business news

More Philippine CEOs bullish…

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ties for growth seen by the country’s business leaders are the untapped local market for banking, demand for basic services such as telecommunications, and the upcoming establishment of an Asean Economic Community.

“Progress in the Philippine economic landscape is also seen to present growth enablers to businesses. The country’s economy grew remarkably during the past few years. Businesses have learned to identify opportunities by responding to the megatrends in the increasingly global market.

And as the country and business players strive to compete and remain relevant, more growth opportunities will emerge,” the report said.

Meanwhile, CEOs have identified increasing tax burden, overregulation, geopolitical uncertainties, and access to affordable capital as their top concerns in terms of economic and regulatory risks.

As far as business-related

threats are concerned, availability of key skills, cyber dangers, speed of technological changes, and high power costs were cited as their top worries.

“The majority of the respondents at 87 percent expressed concern regarding the increasing tax burden. The country has the highest corporate tax rate in Asean that is why CEOs are worried about the competitiveness of the Philippine tax structure and increasing taxes. Some CEOs think the tax regime should be revisited to be more business friendly and to encourage more investments,” the study said.

The majority of the CEOs surveyed at 78 percent believe good governance should be the government’s top priority moving forward.

This is followed by adequate physical infrastructure at 72 percent and internationally competitive and efficient tax system at 52 percent.

Internally, the country’s business leaders see innovation as

key to their growth and survival in the coming years.

The report said 84 percent of the CEOs who participated in the study consider innovation critical and important to their organization’s growth.

As such, the study said companies which view innovation critical and important allocate a larger percentage of their revenues for research and development and innovation initiatives.

When asked for the reasons behind innovating, the study revealed about 96 percent of the CEOs say they innovate to stay on top of competition, remain relevant and grow revenues.

MAP president Francisco del Rosario Jr. said the Philippine CEO Survey Report, the first of a series of annual CEO surveys, is expected to benchmark the changes in how CEOs think, react and innovate.

The study pooled a total of 96 business leaders, 70 percent of whom came from large corporations. n

emerged from the report.

All countries have room for improvement. There is considerable diversity in performance not only across, but also within countries.

“It is possible to be pro-inclusiveness and pro-growth at the same time. This is demonstrated, for example, by the fact that several of the strongest performers

in the Forum’s Global Competitiveness Index also have a relatively strong inclusive growth and development profile,” he added.

Meanwhile, effective promotion of social inclusion is not solely a luxury of high-income countries. In many sub-pillars – such as business and political ethics, financial system inclusion, and educational quality and

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

IN the fading light of the evening hours on Good Friday in 2014, Shield of Roses, a group that holds vigils on the sidewalk in front of an abortion facility along a quiet street in Glendale, California, held its 29th Annual Good Friday Stations of the Cross led by Fr. Thomas Cusack.

There were about several dozen people, young and old, including whole families, who stood gathered on the sidewalk before the entrance of the building housing the abortion clinic.

There they stood steadfast and bowed in fervent prayer in front of a sizable crucifix held by 2 young boys each taking his turn to hold it up.

After the Stations of the Cross, the group leader, Ana Maria, told the assembly how early in the morning of the same day while a light drizzle fell on a very gray day, the abortion facility was busy (Translation: Humming with equity – some developing coun- murderous activity.) Many womtries do better than others with en had come to the clinic seeking much higher incomes. to terminate their pregnancies.

The report observed there Of those who came, only one had are significant regional simi- a change of heart, did a U-turn larities. This suggests a strong vowing never to come back. role of shared culture, historiBelow is a post on the group’s cal traditions or political-econ- FB. It is, perhaps, in reference to omy reflexes, in areas such as that day. tax systems in Eastern Europe “It was tough out there today. and educational equity in Latin Sadly, there were more women America. n going in than the usual Friday

PH classified as lower middle income…

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Abortion, an abomination “Every civil law is based on the recognition of the first and most fundamental right, the right to life.”

— Pope Francis

count. The atmosphere was quite gloomy (both physically and spiritually) and there was an unusual tension. I rarely, actually do not think I have ever been cursed at, but today explicit words were being flung at me like arrows. I just kept thinking of our sweet Lord, His innocence and humility... Just as we were finishing up I noticed a van go down the street. I decided to head that way and approach them as they got out. Fifty long minutes later she, her husband and their two little boys left the sidewalk never to return! At one point he said to me “excuse me lady, but you are wasting your saliva and time, she has made up her mind and she is very stubborn.” I replied “don’t worry I have plenty of saliva and God gave me strong legs to stand here as long as I need to and as a matter of fact, when it comes to being stubborn I am definitely one of God’s most stubborn donkeys so it’s okay”. Please pray for M. and her family. All thanks and praise be to God! Just before the Good Friday group dispersed, a woman gave a heartfelt testimony of how she nearly had an abortion years ago but through the intercession of the Shield of Roses decided against it and grateful for having done so. At the time, she was in an abusive, violent relationship and she thought it best to terminate her pregnancy. She brought her beautiful daughter along. She says being with her daughter now gives her so much joy and peace.

Pope Francis calls abortion an abominable crime. On April 11, 2014, he told an Italian pro-life organization that human life is “sacred and inviolable” and “every civil law is based on the recognition of the first and most fundamental right, the right to life.”

“The unborn child in the womb is the most concrete example of innocence,” he said.

He doubles down and reiterates the unflinching position of the Catholic Church from Vatican II which was called by Pope (now newly minted Saint) John XXIII in January 1959, “From the moment of its conception, life must be guarded with the greatest care, while abortion and infanticide are unspeakable crimes.”

That was 55 years ago. He further said, “It is therefore necessary to reiterate the strongest opposition to any direct attack on life, especially the innocent and

defenseless…”

“If you look at life as something that is consumed,” Pope Francis said, “it will also be something that sooner or later you can throw away, with abortion to begin with.”

“Human life, however, is ‘a gift from God’ and if it is accepted as such, then you have before you a valuable and intangible asset, to be protected by all means and not to be discarded.”

Pope Francis goes further and deeper than his predecessors. He connects the dots. He links the pro-life message of the Church to his view of the global economy and its throwaway culture—a major thrust of his pontificate.

Socialists and liberals have sadly latched onto his deep and abiding concern for the poor and disadvantaged by trying but failing to spin his love for mankind to align with their warped view of seemingly caring for the poor but actually controlling the poor for political gain. The socialist spin is being done in the hope of gaining traction by riding with the authority and the increasing popular acceptance of this pope.

Awake the Christian soldier in you! If the Holy Spirit moves you to stand for life as a gift of God and want to be a prayer warrior and/or to act and get behind the increasingly strong pro-life movement, currently experiencing quiet seismic shifts around the world, look locally for opportunities to protect the unborn.

Shield of Roses is a Catholic pro-life charitable organization promoting the Church’s teachings concerning the sanctity of the pre-born child. Its members have steadfastly stood witness to abortion facilities where babies, like our Lord Jesus Christ, are led to their deaths. Members try to talk to the women but if words fail, then their prayerful presence, like the presence of St. John, St. Mary Magdalene, and our Blessed Mother standing at the foot of the Cross, continue to stand witness to the dignity of the innocent and defenseless lives being lost in abortion clinics.

If you want to know more, visit www.shieldofroses.com or you can call Anna Maria at (818) 242 3912. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

Peso falls below P47 to the dollar

THE Philippine peso fell below P47 against the dollar on Tuesday morning. Sept. 8, trading after weeks of continuous weakness, foreign exchange data showed.

The local currency opened at P47 to the dollar at 9 a.m., Tuesday, weaker than the P46.92 close on Monday, September 7. 2015. It last hit that level in 2010.

As of 10:50 a.m., the peso was

at P47.019 after hitting P47.04 earlier, data from the website of the Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. showed.

A weaker peso gives families of overseas Filipino workers more buying power, but makes imports like oil more expensive. It also tends to diminishes effects of lower oil prices in the global market.

(Inquirer.net)

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Community Journal

Atty. LAwrence yAng

Signs of a company headed toward failure and important ways to fix the problems

SOMETIMES companies get into financial trouble. They have leadership issues, they have failures by suppliers, and they have cash flow problems. Companies have a lot of problems, often every day. Most of the time, companies get past their problems and move on, they continue to make money, pay their employees and the owners take home some money.

Sometimes the problems are just too big to fix without serious legal assistance. That is where Chapter 11 reorganization can allow a company to rebuild. Her are some examples of what Chapter 11 reorganization can do: – Creditors cannot demand payment of past due debts. The threatening letters and phone calls stop.

– Most creditors cannot be paid without permission of a United States bankruptcy judge.

– Creditors have to wait while the company reorganizes itself, takes care of its problems and then announces a financial plan to pay creditors money.

– Unprofitable contracts and leases (including building leases) can be rejected.

– A company can rebuild itself and can bring in new employees, new products, new ideas and new vendors.

– In some instances, a company can sell its assets free and clear of creditors to third parties who take over the company’s business.

The third parties can be the owners of the companies. With disclosure of this fact, and a fair price for the circumstances, a federal can approve the sale.

– While there are things about Chapter 11 that are not good, e.g., the reorganization may fail, a Chapter 11 gives a chance to a struggling company to rise from failure to the road to success.

Debt Relief

Here are some signs of a business headed toward either failure and shutting down or toward reorganization, a second chance: • Product/service quality declines; customer complaints rise.

• Over expansion leads to working capital shortage.

• Stale inventory; • Sales stagnate; • Profit margin erodes; • Aging of receivables increases; • Payables paid with difficulty; • Advertising and sales budgets cut; • Payment of payroll taxes deferred; • Cash balance declines; float played; • Credit difficult to obtain; • Creditor lawsuits begin; • Lender turns matter over to problem loan department; • Employee morale low; key

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Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes

Will a domestic violence finding affect my claim for sole or joint custody of our children?

AN action under the DVPA (Domestic Violence Protection Act) seeking a restraining order often is necessary to protect parties from abuse or domestic violence perpetrated by the other spouse or significant other. At times, it is effective in preventing harm to one of the parties. At the same time, this process is sometimes abused by family law litigants as a strategy for obtaining an advantage in a child custody case. The basis for this is the presumption against sole or joint custody under California family code section 3044.

California Family Code Section 3044 (a) provides “Upon a finding by the court that a party seeking custody of a child has perpetrated domestic violence against the other party seeking custody of the child or against the child or the child’s siblings within the previous five years, there is a rebuttable presumption that an award of sole or joint physi-

cal or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child, pursuant to Section 3011. This presumption may only be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence.

In determining whether the presumption in family code 3044(a) has been overcome, the court shall consider all of the following factors:(1) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has demonstrated that giving sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to the perpetrator is in the best interest of the child.

In determining the best interest of the child, the preference for frequent and continuing contact with both parents, as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 3020, or with the noncustodial parent, as set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 3040, may not be used torebut the presumption, in whole or in part.(2)

Barrister’s Corner

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2015

Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a batterer’s treatment program that meets the criteria outlined in subdivision (c) of Section 1203.097 of the Penal Code. (3) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a program of alcohol or drug abuse counseling if the court determines that counseling is appropriate. (4) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a parenting class if the court determines the class to be appropriate. (5) Whether the perpetrator is on probation or parole, and whether he or she has complied with the terms and conditions of probation or parole.

(6) Whether the perpetrator is restrained by a protective order or restraining order, and whether he or she has complied with its terms and conditions. (7) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has committed any further acts of domestic violence.

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B SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Calendar of Events across

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS SEPTEMBER 13

PHii Tribute 2015 Awardees’ Orientation The Philippine Heritage Institute International invites Tribute 2015 awardees to a luncheon and orientation on September 13, at the Holiday Inn Select, 14299 Firestone Blvd., La Mirada, CA 90638. Networking and fellowship are first on the agenda among PHII Trustees and honorees. Marc Jonathan de Jesus will have an audio-visual presentation about PHII. Overall chair Norma Merza and co-chair Lily Lara will acquaint awardees with necessary information about Tribute 2015 onOctober 3, at the Sheraton Cerritos Hotel. For questions, contact: president Josie E. de Jesus (714) 272-0300;joestarisdejesus@gmail.com; event overall chair Norma Merza (562) 947-0248; norma.merza@yahoo.com; or co-chair Lily Lara at nogardc@aol.com.

SEPTEMBER 19

Citizenship Day 2015 The Legal Aid Society of the Orange County Bar Association is having a FREE Citizenship Day event on September 19, from 10:00am to 3:00pm, to assist low-income, 18+ immigrants eligible for US citizenship with the full naturalization process. Every case will be reviewed by a legal attorney. Please call us at 407-841-8310 ext. 3123 for an appointment and any questions you may have. Thank You!

Heal the Bay Coastal Cleanup Day Heal the Bay, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization dedicated to protecting the health and safety of Southland beaches and waterways, will host the 26th annual Coastal Cleanup Day on Saturday, Sept. 19. More than 10,000 Southland residents and volunteers will mobilize from 9am to noon at more than 50 cleanup sites, from Compton to Malibu, to help remove trash along Los Angeles County beaches and inland waterways, parks, creeks, lakes, highways and alleys. Coastal Cleanup Day participants have collected more than 1 million pounds of trash in Los Angeles County since 1990. By removing debris from beaches and inland neighborhoods, volunteers reduce blight, protect marine animals and bolster the regional economy. Join the world’s biggest single-day volunteer event! Attendees will receive hands-on education about the easy steps they can take to local watersheds and neighborhoods clean, and participants will be given a voucher for free sustainable seafood tacos at any Rubio’s restaurant while extensive supplies last. For volunteers, Cancer Treatment Centers of America will be distributing free tubes of sunscreen at all sites, and Heal the Bay will be hosting a number of community-building activities, such as a sand castle-building contest. Heal the Bay seeks volunteers of all ages and physical abilities, and no special equipment or experience is necessary. For registration information and cleanup tips, please visit www.healthebay.org/ccd.

Contact Alys Arenas, (310) 451-1500, x148, aarenas@healthebay.org, or Matthew King, (310) 451-1500, x137; cell: (310) 463-6266 for more details.

PiLiPinO inTER-CLuB OPEn invitational Golf Tournament The 11th annual PILIPINO INTER-CLUB OPEN (PICO) is open to fellow master golfers from the tri-state area. The charity tournament will be held on Saturday, September 19, at Royce Brook Golf Club (201 Hamilton Rd, Hillsborough Township, NJ 08844). It will be a shotgun start @ 1:30 pm. Registration is $120 each player; includes golf cart and food after the game. Come early for registration, refreshments, and mini contests. Come and join the quest for individual and team honors by class. 100% of the proceeds will benefit the Family Center Christian Church, and donations are 100% tax deductible. Sign-up now at http://www. spgolfclub.com/PICO. For more details, please contact Ed Badiola 908-531-7377, or Justil Cruz 973-926-1400.

uBLA: Kaaldawan of the 41st Penafrancia Fiesta 2015 Most Reverend Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, D.D., V.G., former Bishop of the San Fernando Valley Pastoral Region, will preside over a concelebrated High Mass to highlight the Kaaldawan (Feast Day) of the 41st Annual Penafrancia Fiesta on Saturday, September 19, at 10:00am, through the United Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA). Bicolanos are inviting all Marian devotees, Filipinos and other Catholics regardless of ethnicity, to join them in the day-long fiesta in honor of their regional patroness, Our Lady of Penafrancia, in the open air of Lincoln Park and Lake: 3529 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031 (corner E. Valley Blvd.) near downtown. There is a solemn Eucharist Mass schedule with music by Saint Anthony Claret Holy Rosary Choir, followed by a kaaldawan celebration including a novena, Fluvial parade of the Holy Virgin, lunch, and cultural entertainment highlighting Bicolano and Filipino culture.

The 8-day novena will start on the afternoon of Friday, September 11 at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Hollywood. The 2015 Penafrancia Fiesta will end on Sunday, September 27, with a fellowship ball at Montery Hill Restaurant (3700 W. Ramona Blvd., Monterey Park, CA 91754) at 5:30pm. For a full schedule, novenas, and more information, please contact UBLA President Lanie Berrei (818) 281-3169.

SEPTEMBER 20

Virgen De Los Remedios 59th Canonical Coronation Anniversary

When: Sunday, September 20, (2:30 PM Assembly for procession) Where: Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012) Contact: Vidal Aguas, aguadelosangeles@aol.com.

S E P T E M B E R 24

Laudato Si (Praise Be To you, O Lord) caring for our common home Laudato Si (Praise Be To You, O Lord!) is Pope Francis’ encyclical on “CARING FOR OUR COMMON HOME” which addresses the grave impact of climate change in world’s communities and ecosystems. On Thursday, September 24, Climate Scientist, Dr. Josh Fisher, from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory will explain the scientific foundation of climate change, which is well-aligned with Pope Francis’ letter. The event will take place 7 to 9 PM at Holy Name of Mary Parish in San Dimas (724 E. Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, CA 91773). All are invited, and free refreshments and childcare will be provided. For more information, please contact Charlie Martinez, Director of Pastoral Ministries at charlie@hnmparish.org.

S E P T E M B E R 2 0 -26

CELEBRATE LOCAL with San Diego Restaurant Week!

This September, San Diego Restaurant Week, presented by Lexus Dealerships of San Diego, will CELEBRATE LOCAL... keepin’ it fresh - really fresh. San Diego Restaurant week returns September 20th - September 26th for ONE WEEK ONLY to “Celebrate Local” at all 180+ participating restaurants. Choose from a three-course dinner or two-course lunch deal to satisfy your cravings. NEW THIS YEAR, San Diego Restaurant Week will be partnering with Jacobs and Cushman San Diego Food Bank to provide backpacks for children in need within the San Diego community during the ALL FOR KIDS campaign. Ditch the dirty dishes and join over 150,000 fellow diners as we celebrate San Diego’s thriving culinary scene and the homegrown, local businesses that provide us with the produce and products we love! Tickets are not necessary for this delectable week of discounted dining, but reservations are recommended! Visit SanDiegoRestaurantWeek.com for more information, including a list of participating restaurants, or to make your reservations in advance!

S E P T E M B E R 25 -26

2nd Grand Reunion GOT (RETiRED) from Cerveza San Miguel uS CHAPTER Where: Gold Coast Casino & Hotel (4000 Flamingo Rd. Las Vegas, NV 89103) When: Sept. 25 and 26; Grand Reunion Sept. 26 at 7:00 pm For details and information, please contact Renato Umayam at 323-841-3516, Nida Matias at 818-394-9178, Greg Lacondola at 702-334-8068, or Arnold Navarro at 318-779-6254.

O c TO B E R 1 0

LA Builder Lions Club 25th Anniversary The Los Angeles Builder Lions Club will celebrate their 25th Anniversary and Annual Outstanding Parents Night on October 10, 2015 at the Almansor Court banquet hall (700 S Almansor St, Alhambra, CA 91801). Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band.

For further questions, please call Lion Bill Menor (323) 465-0613, Lion Yoli Ramo (213) 3051332, chairpersons or Lion Tita James, co-chair at (818) 203-2325.

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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People and Events

UCLA Pilipino Alumni Presents Scholarship to Josh Manansala ON Saturday, August 22nd, several UCLA Pilipino Alumni (PAA) Board Members presented Mr. Joshua Manansala with the 2015 UCLA Pilipino Alumni / Lovell Sevilla Scholarship Award Certificate at the UCLA PAA Send-Off event that took place at Heritage Park in Cerritos, California. Mr. Manansala will receive a $4,000 scholarship for his outstanding academic, leadership, and community service achievements. A recent graduate of Capital Christian High School in Sacramento, California, Mr. Manansala realized that for him, education was more than just taking hard classes and earning good grades—he wanted to use his education to serve his community. As a freshman, he got involved in Student Council and as a senior, he served as the Student Body President of Capital Christian High School. As soon as he was elected, he knew that he wanted to create an inclusive and giving environment on campus that would allow all students to excel academically and socially. To do this, he would need to lead in the most effective manner. The best way to lead is by example, and in his opinion, the best example is to be a servant.

Throughout Mr. Manansala’s high school years, he cofounded a nonprofit organization called Keys4Hope. Keys4Hope has a dual fold purpose. First, to teach children how to successfully play instruments, and second, to donate 100% of the money raised from its music lessons to

From left to right: Joshua Manansala, UCLA student and scholarship recipient, and Bobby Rimas, UCLA Pilipino Alumni Scholarship Director

other organizations that benefit children in need. Most recently, Keys4Hope paid for three Guatemalan children’s surgeries.

At the UCLA PAA Send-Off, Mr. Manansala received a warm welcome and advice from alumni and UCLA staff members regarding his new journey at UCLA. The UCLA PAA Send-Off was an event where incoming UCLA students met and asked questions of current students, parents, and alumni who will help them build their new peer network. This event was a fond farewell to stu-

dents at the beginning of their incredible UCLA journey and a day for UCLA students, alumni, and parents to come together to make new friends, build community, and join in celebrating the UCLA Bruin family.

Questions or donations for the UCLA Pilipino Alumni Endowment which supports the UCLA Pilipino Alumni / Lovell Sevilla Scholarship Program should be directed to Bobby Rimas, UCLA Pilipino Alumni Scholarship Director at Bobby.Rimas@alumni. ucla.edu. n

Students on caring for the environment

LOS ANGELES, Calif. – In response to Pope Francis’ encyclical, “Laudato Si” (Praise Be To You!) - Caring For Our Common Home, various communities, ministries and schools are welcomed to attend a seminar that will address environmental stresses that brings about a grave impact to the world’s ecosystems and communities. This event will be held on Thursday, September 24th, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM at Holy Name of Mary Parish, 724 E. Bonita Avenue, San Dimas, CA. Dr. Josh Fisher, a Climate Scientist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena will explain the scientific foundation of climate change, which is aligned with

Pope Francis’ letter.

Some school communities have shown interest in participating in this event. One of these schools is St. Joseph Elementary in Pomona. At this school, students from Grades 6 to 8 are involved in the dialogue on climate change in their own simple ways. Relevant to Catholic Social Teachings and school wide learning expectations, students are taking part by expressing their desire for a better environment through essays and poster illustrations. Eight Grader Logan Morales said, “ To be a good steward of the earth, a person must be aware of what he does on a daily basis.

It can be as simple as turning

off the faucet when not in use; emptying trash and knowing which to separate from recyclable and non-recyclable materials. It can be turning off the air-conditioner when no one is using the room. It is just making ourselves aware on what we do everyday.” Sarah May Vetus agreed. She added,” There is much loveliness in our world but human beings make decisions that destroy it. For us to see the world thrive, we ought to make responsible choices.”

The seventh and sixth grade students also expressed their thoughts on caring for their environment. Jesus Anaya, Sasha Diaz and Olivia Cabrera, from

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Signs of a company headed toward…

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employees seek new jobs; • Layoffs begin; • Business failure imminent; • Company leaders do not want to go to work, they not want to hear about the problems and it hurts to go to work. Their families are nervous or scared.

They are having their own financial problems.

Chapter 11 is serious business.

To win, that is to reorganize the company under an order of a United States bankruptcy judge, certain things must happen: • A plan must be confirmed.

Creditors may be paid in part or in full at one time or in payments over time.

• A careful strategy must be put into place before the Chapter 11 case begins. Some of the issues are:

• How does the company go into the Chapter 11?

• Who are the important creditors and vendors?

• How much money does the company need to have in the bank?

• With whom does the company ally?

• Who will the problem creditors be? And • How does the company get out of Chapter 11? In other words, before going into Chapter 11, the company and its legal team Develop what they believe is the company’s best exit strategy?

“For to us a Child is born, to us a Son is given, and the government will be on His shoulders.

And He will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Ever-

lasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

— Isaiah 9:6 *** Lawrence Bautista Yang and Steven R. Fox are experienced attorneys with deep bankruptcy experience.

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, OR at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.

Steven R. Fox has represented companies and individuals in Chapter 11 for over 25 years both locally and nationally, representing businesses and business creditors. He is a well-known writer and speaker on bankruptcy issues. His office is located at 17835 Ventura Blvd., Suite 306, Encino, CA 91316. Tel (818) 774-3545 Fax (818) 774-3707. His website is www.foxlaw.com.

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Will a domestic violence finding affect my…

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A person has “perpetrated domestic violence” when he or she is found by the court to have intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily injury, or sexual assault, or to have placed a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to another, or to have engaged in any behavior involving, but not limited to, threatening, striking, harassing, destroying personal property or disturbing the peace of another, for which a court may issue an ex parte order pursuant to Section 6320 to protect the other party seeking custody of the child or to protect the child and the child’s siblings.The requirement of a finding by the court shall be satisfied by, among other things, and not limited to, evidence that a party seeking custody has been convicted within the previous five years, after a trial or a plea of guilty or no contest, of any crime against the other party that comes within the definition of domestic violence contained in Section 6211 and of abuse contained in Section 6203, including, but not limited to, a crime described in subdivision (e) of Section 243 of, or Section 261,262, 273.5, 422, or 646.9 of, the Penal Code.The requirement of a finding by the court shall

also be satisfied if any court, whether that court hears or has heard the child custody proceedings or not, has made a finding pursuant to subdivision (a) based on conduct occurring within the previous five years.

In Christina L v. Chauncey B, 229 Cal. App 4th 731 (2014),the Court of appeal held that because a Domestic Violence restraining order must be based on a finding that the party being restrained committed one or more acts of domestic abuse, a finding of domestic abuse sufficient to support a DVPA restraining order necessarily triggers the rebuttable statutory presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child. Cal. Fam. Code §§ 3044. The presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child changes the burden of persuasion, but may be overcome by a preponderance of the evidence showing that it is in the child’s best interest to grant joint or sole custody to the offending parent. Cal. Fam. Code § 3044.

In that case, the father had a history of perpetrating domes-

tic violence against the mother.

Domestic Violence restraining orders has been issued multiple times over the years including within the last 5 years. The trial court ignored both the existing restraining order, the legal effect of such a judicial finding, and failed to apply the family code 3044 presumption and instead awarded joint custody to father. The Court of appeal reversed and remanded the case back to the trial court. (copyright 7/7/15) *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

*** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information.

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

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PeoPle & events

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2015

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Bishop Wilkerson: High Mass presider at 41st LA Penafrancia Fiesta LOS ANGELES, Calif. – Most Reverend Gerald Eugene Wilkerson, D.D., V.G., Bishop of the San Fernando Valley Pastoral Region until his retirement two months ago at age 75, will preside over a concelebrated High Mass to highlight the Kaaldawan (Feast Day) of the 41st Annual Penafrancia Fiesta in this city, 10 o’clock in the morning, Saturday,

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September 19, under the auspices of the United Bicolandia Los Angeles (UBLA).

The Bicolanos are inviting all Marian devotees, Filipinos and other Catholics regardless of ethnicity, to join them in the whole-day fiesta in honor of their regional patroness, Our Lady of Penafrancia, in the open air of Lincoln Park and Lake,

3529 N. Mission Road, Los Angeles, CA 90031 (corner E. Valley Blvd.).near the downtown area.

The eucharistic mass, set to the music of the Saint Anthony Claret Holy Rosary Choir and attended by thousands of the faithful, is the most solemn part of the fiesta. The rest of the activities is socialization among old friends

Students on caring for the…

the 6th grade class would like to see a world that is free from poisonous gases. “ We breathe air that fills our lungs but the air we breathe is dirty. This affects our lives and our future. We care about trees, plants, animals and all God’s creation.” Joseph Basilio, a seventh grader thoughtfully added: “ We need to listen to what mother nature is expressing. Just imagine the hurricanes, typhoons, earthquakes, fires, and those people who need food, clothing and shelter. We can do better in being good stewards of the earth.”

Pope Francis urgently appeals to all for a dialogue that will

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shape the planet. It includes everyone. We are called to action in addressing pollution, climate change, lack of clean water, and loss of biodiversity. In closing, it is deemed appropriate to end this article with a section from Pope Francis’ “A Prayer For Our Earth” so that we may all respond to his call from our hearts.

“All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.

You embrace with your tenderness all that exists. Pour out upon us the power of your love that we may protect life and beauty.

Fill us with peace, that we may live As brothers and sisters, harming no one. “ For more information, please call Charlie Martinez, Director of Pastoral Ministries at (909) 5991243 Ext. 140 or send an e-mail at: charlie@hnmparish.org About the contributor: Jo Solomonson is the Director of Vessels of Mary Sacred Movement/Cultural Group based at Holy Name of Mary Parish/ San Dimas. She teaches Junior High Religion and Art at St. Joseph School/Pomona. You may call her at (626) 627-6672 or send an e-mail at: josefina.b.solomonson @gmail.com. n

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and new acquaintances, including strangers and visitors.

The kaaldawan schedule, approved by the UBLA board chaired by Tony Martires, was announced last week by the 2015 overall Penafrancia executive committee chairman Serry Sabocor, as follows: 8 am – 9th day novena, a continuation of the daily novenas of the previous 8 days.

9 am – Fluvial parade, the aquatic event during which the Virgin’s image is placed onboard a pagoda (improvised gaily decorated barge) that is rowed around the lake, accompanied by a foot procession at the perimeter of the lake.

10 am – High Mass. Bishop Wilkerson is just the latest of a succession of top LA prelates and some visiting Bicolano bishops to grace the occasion. Most prominent was LA Archbishop Roger Cardinal Mahony in 1999, and again last year when he had already retired.

12 noon – Lunch. Food for all fiesta-goers is served hometown style by some 30 hospitality booths put up by Bicolano support organizations.

1:00 pm – Cultural entertain-

Bishop Gerald E. Wilkerson

ment presentation of songs, dance, comedy skits and other solo or group numbers highlighting Bicolano and Filipino themes.

3:00 pm – Anticipated mass.

The festival actually starts in the afternoon of Friday, September 11, at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (IHMC), 4954 Santa Monica Blvd., LA in Hollywood, with the “traslacion” which transfers the Virgin’s image from its side altar shrine to the main altar, followed by a mass and the

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first day novena. The prayers are said for the next 8 novena nights until Friday, Sept.18. Details of the IHMC novenas may be had from UBLA president Lanie Berrei (818) 281-3169.

There are 4 more venues for devotees who live or work too far from Immaculate Heart: Carson/Torrance: Private Residences. Contact Vic Martires (310) 618-0837.

Anaheim: Saint Anthony Claret Church, 1450 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim. Contact Mercy Eslinger (929) 254-4861.

West Covina: St. Martha Catholic Church, 444 N. Azusa Ave.,, La Puente. Conrtact Linda Angeles (626) 641-5938.

Long Beach: St. Cyprian Church, 4714 Clark Ave., Long Beach. Contact Evelyn Enriquez (562) 298-3839.

The 2015 Penafrancia fiesta culminates on Sunday, September 27, 5:30 in the evening, with a fellowship ball at the Montery Hill Restaurant (next to Luminarias), 3700 W. Ramona Blvd., Monterey Park, CA 91754.

For further info, please contact Serry / Zeny Sabocor 323222-6531. (Mits San Jose, UBLA PRO)

B SEPTEMBER 9-11, 2015 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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

The Asian Journal

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - September 9, 2015

Owning turns: How life’s deviations led a young Fil-Am musician to research

by Agnes ConstAnte / AJPress

For some people, life unfolds in a linear and planned out path.

For others, life unravels with a number of twists and detours.

The latter is how it was for 26-year-old Menchie Caliboso, a Filipino-American who is a member of musical group Bootleg orchestra, co-founded an organization called the Society for Long Beach Music, and recently departed from Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles as a music therapist.

In addition to her versatile resume, Caliboso is currently focused on completing her final year of graduate school at Cal State Long Beach, where she is studying psychological research with an emphasis in stress management in lowincome communities. After graduating, she hopes to use data science to make healthcare more efficient.

Though she’s set out on a path to make a difference in

her community and beyond, it took a couple of switches before the Fil-Am decided to pursue the direction she is going in today.

Born and raised in Long Beach, California, Caliboso describes her former years as ones where music played a significant role. At the age of 6, she began taking piano lessons. At 11 years old, she experienced the best day of her life when her dad gifted her with a guitar. For 20 years and counting, music has always been a big part of her life.

As a teenager, like most, Caliboso dealt with a variety of emotions. And to her, songwriting was where she found comfort.

“I realized that I liked music so much because it was literally my therapy,” she said.

Eventually, she went on to attend Berklee College of

Music in Boston where she obtained her degree in music therapy.

But that wasn’t where she kicked off her college career.

After high school, Caliboso enrolled at San Francisco State University to major in biology.

Then she dropped out to take a one-year break.

In that time, she escaped to Seattle for about five months, stayed with her cousin, pondered on what she was doing with her life and prepared for her audition at Berklee. In the next chapter of her life, Boston became Caliboso’s home for three years.

“I’ve had quite a few turns, but I feel very lucky to have been able to do those things.

I mean it’s nice that other people have a straightforward path, whereas other people maybe feel pressured to do a

Menchi Caliboso with other members of the Bootleg Orchestra: Chris Walker and Vanessa Acosta.

linear path, but I felt very supported by my parents throughout all of this,” she said.

From music therapy to research Among the turns in Caliboso’s journey stemmed from a direction she was recently following. Having worked a collective total of one-and-a-half years at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles as a music therapist made her realize she actually wanted to do research.

While at the hospital, Caliboso would use music to help patients explore their feelings and encourage a positive way of thinking, among other things.

For immobile patients or those with brain injuries, music would be used to encourage speech and singing. For children who are closed-off, Caliboso would ask them to choose their favorite song so

Photos courtesy of j3collection

they could analyze lyrics together, as a means of identifying feelings and situations. one of the biggest reasons she studied music therapy is because of the “interesting” neuroscience behind the music.

For instance, when an individual is walking while listening to a song, the person is more likely to walk at a certain pace unconsciously. And adults with brain injuries may be unable to talk but will be able to sing, as each action is processed in a different part of the brain.

“It’s cool that something as beautiful as music can facilitate those health benefits and promote those treatment goals,” she said.

Despite the fascinating science involved, Caliboso decided to return to school for research after noticing that many of her patients, who showed improvements while at the hospital, would come back.

“They would progress well in optional, but when they go back to their communities they don’t have the resources to thrive,” she said. “A lot of them are also low income.

So it made me wonder what it is they’re missing in their community that’s not allowing them to thrive. Why do they keep coming back? A lot of low-income communities have their own unique stressors and we’re seeing new research that states mental health and stress has a huge effect on your illness. It’ll make the difference when you have [conditions like]

cancer.”

While Caliboso is looking to contribute to streamlining the healthcare system by using data-driven evidence, she also wants to help reduce the health disparities she witnessed during her time at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles.

Bootleg Orchestra, Society for Long Beach Music Another reason Caliboso decided to leave her most recent job as a music therapist was so she would have time for her own music.

A member of three-member Bootleg orchestra (a group whose name derives from the fact that the music is created using electronics), Caliboso and her group mates Vanessa Acosta and Chris Walker have already released a five-track extended playlist via Bandcamp.

Through the lyrics in its music, Bootleg orchestra tries to convey a theme of, ‘do something about the world.’

Acosta bears the responsibility of writing the words for the group’s tunes, but she and Caliboso both discuss what their songs will be about.

The Fil-Am pulls inspiration from music produced during the Civil rights Movement, because many musicians in the ‘60s used music to talk about the situation and to challenged people to do something, Caliboso said.

Continued on Page 3

features

Owning turns: How life’s deviations...

From Page 2

The chorus of the group’s song “Phenomenon,” for instance, is about needing a revolution and people rising up to demand change: “We need a phenomenon/a place that we all belong.” “i don’t want to make music any other way. i want music to reflect what’s going on in society and i want my music to be able to resonate with listeners and ask them to become a little more critical of the world, why things are they way they are,” Caliboso said. although she isn’t tasked with creating the lyrics for Bootleg orchestra, the Fil-am musician did take an active hand in writing “Here We are,” a song on the eP it released in may: “Here we are/What we’ll bring/history unfold me.”

The song essentially asks people what they’d like to see after they’re gone.

“You’re not just here for yourself, you’re here for family,” she said.

The group is not too explicit with its lyrics, Caliboso noted, though she thinks they should be to reach a broader audience. She describes “Here We are” as the most explicit

the group has gotten. in addition to performing music, Caliboso is a co-founder of the Society for Long Beach music, an organization that examines the cultural value of music from the South Bay city.

“There [are] a lot of huge musical contributions that come out of Long Beach, but [they’re] not talked about,” she said, citing jazz artist nat King Cole as an example.

Through a variety of outreach methods, the organization seeks to celebrate and explore the people, places and histories that have contributed to Long Beach pop music throughout the last three decades. drive to succeed in the years that Caliboso relocated to different cities – San Francisco, Seattle and Boston – she said her parents were hesitant about her moving multiple times. Yet even if they tried harder to prevent her from going, she said she still would have gone.

“Ultimately, when i made those decisions, i was very convinced that nothing was going to stop me. i had that attitude and i think [my parents] knew

that about me,” she said. as a musician and researcher, Caliboso’s sights are set on making the world a better place by enhancing social settings and health disparities.

She also hopes to spark a cultural shift: Given the rising cost of living, education, among other things, she describes the american dream – an ideal she does not strive for – as “almost unattainable.”

“What i am after is ... a reality in which all people have the right to a quality of life and the right to self-determination. a reality free of oppression.

That is why i enjoy the process of using music and research to uplift communities and create cultural change. i know this can happen when people with different backgrounds can come together and muster solutions,” she said.

While Caliboso’s journey did not follow a linear path, she said she “owns” all the turns she made and credits her detours for where she is today.

“Where i am now, i wouldn’t be here without all those years where i would just learn something new about myself and take a risk,” she said.

Purificacion albano Suguitan celebrateS 99th birthday. on September 10, 2015, mrs. Purificacion albano Suguitan will be joyfully celebrating her 99th birthday! The 3rd oldest child of Vicente and antonina espejo albano, she was born in the town of Vintar, ilocos norte, Philippines in 1916. mrs. Suguitan received her Bachelor of Science in education degree from arellano University in 1955 and studied at northwestern College in a master of arts Program in education. Upon graduation, mrs.

Suguitan dedicated herself to her passion for teaching and was an admired and respected teacher in the Vintar school system for many years. She was married to the late Gregorio P. Suguitan on June 10, 1955 and has 5 children; ethel, oscar, marie Lou, Rabbi and Pugre amor, 12 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

She immigrated to the United States in 1978. affectionately referred to as “mommy Ping”, she is truly beloved by her immediate and extended families and by the countless colleagues, students and friends she has met throughout the years. a woman of faith, she is the embodiment of endless wisdom, strength, and character. above all, her devotion to her family is unparalleled. may the Lord bless her with more birthdays to come! “She opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. She looks well to the ways of her household and does not eat the bread of idleness. Her children rise up and call her blessed. Charm is deceitful and beauty is vain, but a woman who fears the Lord is to be praised.” Proverbs 31:26-31.

3

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - September 9, 2015

Vice Ganda: Rivalry with ‘Eat Bulaga,’ ‘AlDub’ ‘healthy’ Comedian Vice Ganda, one of the hosts of the aBSCBn noontime show “it’s Showtime,” has admitted that he sees competition in rival show “eat Bulaga” of Gma-7 amid the phenomenal popularity of “Kalyeserye” segment featuring love team “aldub.” aldub, the pairing between actor alden Richards and newcomer maine “Yaya dub” mendoza, has been credited for the recent surge in ratings of the 36-year-old noontime show.

“Bago pa naman nagkaaldub, talagang may kumpetisyon na ang aBS at ang Gma,” Vice Ganda was quoted in a

report by the Philippine entertainment Portal (PeP). (even before there was aldub, aBS(CBn) and Gma already had a competition.)

“Hindi lang naman Showtime saka eat Bulaga. Teleserye nila, kakumpitensiya ng teleserye namin… lahat.

Kaya napakaipokrita, napakaipokrito na pagka sinabi ko, ‘naku, walang kumpetisyon!” she said. (it’s not just Showtime and eat Bulaga. Their teleseryes and our teleseryes… everything…(are rivals). i don’t want to appear a hypocrite and say that there is no competition.)

Vice Ganda

“may kumpetisyon ‘yan, and it’s a healthy competition (There is competition and it’s healthy),” she added. (Inquirer. net)

Can ex-lovers, now co-stars Sam and Jasmine rekindle romance? by

Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com

maniLa—Sam Concepcion and Jamsine Curtis-Smith cannot say if it’s possible for them to rekindle their romance.

The ex-lovers were asked about the possibility of reconciliation during the press conference of their upcoming theater show “no Filter 2.0,” a rerun of Sandbox Collectives’ monologue series “no Filter,” on Tuesday. “i don’t know. We would like to avoid conflicts, so for future references if you’ll gonna ask these questions, we want to avoid conflicts,” Sam said, smiling. it was early this year when Sam and Jasmine broke up, although the two chose to keep the reason of the split to themselves.

Some reports said it was due to anne Curtis-Smith’s disapproval of Sam, which Jasmine and Sam both has denied.

For the rerun of the show, Sam will be alternating with

Jasmine. Surprisingly, the aBS-CBn artist’s inclusion in the show was Jasmine’s choice.

The TV5 actress was part of the original run of “no Filter” last month.

Jasmine explained she won’t be able to fully commit to “no Filter 2.0” since she’ll start working on her teleserye “my Fair Lady” on TV5, thus requiring a need for an alternate.

“So we were brainstorming who will be the best alternate, they gave a few names and i didn’t feel comfortable with them and we thought about guys, and i take a look, we have a list and Sam is part of that,” she recalled. “i chose him because i was comfortable with him, handing him my monologues,” she added. as for Sam, he didn’t hesitate to accept the offer to do the show since he wanted to do “something that scares the hell out of me.” “i said yes because first i haven’t been in the theater

stage for years now,” he said.

“This is actually my very first straight play. This is the first time that i’ll be standing there and sharing myself. i wanted to do this is because i wanted to do something that scares the hell out of me, and sometimes when you do something that scares you it turns out to be great.”

Sam has done a number of stage musicals in the past, including the lead role in 2011’s “Peter Pan” and 2007’s “High School musical.” Before winning the aBS-CBn reality show “Little Big Star” in 2005, Sam starred in the local stage musical adaptation of “The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe.” “no Filter 2.0” also stars mikael daez, Lauren Young, Carla Humphries, Saab magalona-Bacarro, Paolo Valenciano, Cai Cortez, Sarah Facuri, micah munoz, and Khalil Kaimo. it will run from october 3 to 25 at the Power mac Black Box Theater in Circuit makati.

4

features Mango Mix Greeting the fall season The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - September 9, 2015

by Martin

Jason L. ita-as

FAll! The season of change. it’s like nature’s old jacket has gotten too old and it decides to discard it in a beautiful display of

orange, red and brown.

Fall is a season that transitions from the green and heated summer time to a much cooler temperature. it truly is a time of change. But while the fall time may seem like a time to relax and stay cozy under a blanket, it’s also a time for people to start working

extra hard to prepare for the influx of changes nature is going through as well as the approach of winter as well. let’s get set up and review some of the ways you can get ready to greet the season of falling leaves: Leaves in bunches Sensing the changes in the climate and the atmosphere, plants (especially trees) go through a phase where all of their current foliage changes color and falls off. it’s an annual occurrence.

But while it happens yearly, stray autumn leaves can prove to be quite a nuisance and even dangerous if not properly taken care of. from becoming a hindrance to the walkways and around the gutters to making people slip on them when they get wet from a little snow.

Autumn-proofing the house You may have left your home bare to accommodate to the hot summer weather, but now its time to bundle up not just your families and selves, but your homes as well. Sunlight is going to get a little intense during the season, so switch your flimsy, translucent drapes with a few thick and opaque ones. Your

home will look a little classier if it has a beautiful embroidered design too. Hunt around for places where drafts and cold air can slip in. look out for small openings where rodents and small animals looking for warm shelter in the winter might sneak in. trade in the bedcovers and blankets for material of the thick and warm variety. Remember that these changes will also be carried over to the winter time, so prepare thoroughly!

Setting the garden Aside from inside and around the house, tend to your garden and front lawn before things get a little hectic. locate small toys, tools decorations and and other knick knacks to move into

trade in your spring and summer fashions with the winter and autumn clothes you have in storage. look into clothes that provide warmth, are easy to move in even when layered and of course things that looks good on you no matter the chilly occasion. Bring out your thick socks, thermal undies, wool hats, colorful sweaters, boots, anything and everything that will keep you warm for the rest of the year. Don’t forget to bring compact umbrellas on a trip out cause you never know when you need protection on your home to ensure they will be the go.

Animal care avoided under heaps of leaves Fall is the perfect time to let and eventually snow. if you’re an your little fuzzy friends explore avid gardener, look into winter the outside once more after care for your plants to ensure keeping them cool inside the they live to bloom another season. look also into pre winter home from the previous seacare for things like fountains, fish son. Go out and walk your dog. let your little kitty play around ponds and more to avoid seethe small leaf piles. Bring your ing them filled up with autumn birdcage/fishbowl/hamster cage leaves. if you’d like to do a little outside fro some fresh air. But the last minute gardening, look into autumn is not without danger as bulbs that bloom in the spring that you can leave under the cold well. Avoid losing sight of your little friends because this is the dirt like a pretty time capsule time when poisonous mushrooms (some springtime bulbs require and rodent killing pellets pop all a few weeks under cold ground over the place. Snakes during this so make sure to ask your local gardener or read about it online) time are easy to agitate too, so avoid letting them (and your kids) Closet switch it’s time to flip the page and Continued on Page 5

Convenience at the forefront of LBC’s service

FilipinoS fly abroad to seek greener pastures and support their families back home. But sometimes, in their pursuit to work hard to provide better opportunities for the loved ones they leave behind, they miss the operating hours of their trusted courier services. lBC Express, inc., the philippines’ trusted payments, remittance, courier products, mail, parcels, and cargo logistics service is giving Filipinos in north America bigger reasons to smile as they’re extending their pick-up hours in Canada, California, new York, new Jersey, and Chicago.

As part of its improved services, branches will offer box pick-up services as early as 7:30am up to as late as 8:30pm.

“As part of our pledge to move the lives of Filipinos in north America, we decided to extend our pick-up hours in order to accommodate more customers and make sure they can send their packages,” says Hugo Bonilla, Senior Vice president of lBC north America. “We understand that many of them are here so they can support their family in the philippines, so we want to make it more convenient for them to send their padama.”

The move to extend hours is part of lBC’s commitment to providing clear, certain, and convenient service. To date, Filipinos around the world rely on its 6,400 branches, partners, and agents in over 30 countries. in north America alone, lBC

has 176 branches, partners and agents. For added convenience, customers can simply call the nearest branch, partner, or agent to schedule a pick-up, or log on at www.lbchome.com.

To ensure the proper delivery of balikbayan boxes, lBC advises customers to select the right box based on the size and items to be packed.

Heavier items must be put at the bottom, while fragile and easily-damaged items have to be secured in bubble wrap.

Sharp items must be padded and empty spaces be filled with crumpled newspaper or Styrofoam peanuts. it is also important to not overstuff the box and sneak in undeclared items, as these will not be insured. lBC also advises customers

not to bring prohibited items like illegal and prohibited drugs, firearms, jewelry, pornographic materials, fake and counterfeit goods, perishable goods, toxic and flammable items, and other items that may be held by the Bureau of Customs. “lBC is the overseas Filipino’s partner in reaching out to their loved ones back home,” shares Bonilla. “As the trusted name in courier, we want to make it faster, more efficient, and more convenient for our customers. Extending our hours for pick-up is just the first step.”

For more information on lBC, please visit http://www. lbcexpress.com; or call 1-800241-1312 Extn. 7007. *Advertising Supplement

Moonlighting

features 5 The worship of style

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - September 9, 2015

by Mylah

women spend aggregate years of shopping because our purchases make us feel less puny.

We are fragile so we shop and fix ourselves up to make up I AM reluctant to write about for our weaknesses. fashion. It does not fascinate And while you don’t need all me; on the contrary, I find the that stuff to make a super life, subject repellent. you need it for admiration. As But I did not choose the they say, if you are not around times I live in, nor do I choose people with taste, you can’t get what I am compelled to write. it -- you have to let the good In reportage, I’m committed stuff sink on you. to speak about my own experiA lot of self-delusion probence. ably happens when we read I am not an authority in the fashion magazines. I think mini history of fashion, but the perim- skirts are the best thing to ever eters of experience do not end happen to women (for some with what is immediate. women at least). Short skirts are In the fashion world, almost fun and young. everything connects. But what Can you dress sexy at my truly gives a woman style? What age? I don’t see why not. You gives them that personal magcan never look as succulent as netism and allure, which makes a young décolletage, even if them dominate a room from a you have the bosom or a V-neck footstool? with chains and pearls.

How do they do it and what Good stockings on your can you learn from them? spring legs is a possibility for There is something ridiculous our age. If it makes you happy, in this worship of style, in seeing why fight time warps? a woman wear an outfit, which You have to stay attune to she has just seen advertised as fashion, then learn to make do the latest fad. with what is there!

It is profoundly wrong if you A decent goal of female think that money and labels clothing design is to enhance a could get everything fixed and woman, but in the mid-90s the you’d henceforth look incredstyles have made a grotesque ible. distortion.

Good taste does not mean Extravagant colors and being showy, but keeping it superfluous add-ons have resimple. placed graceful flow.

I think there is a little dayWith all the elements to dreaming and fantasizing, even making a great dress (materiat our age, about chic clothing. als and tailoring), imagination Bringing in appropriate stuff seems to have become dehas a tinge of adventure in it and graded and have given way de

leon

From Page 4

to ubiquitous logos, which are plastered all over accessories and jacket backs.

Designer Jean Paul Gaultier was the first to make corset-like bustiers for Madonna, which was regarded then as a good joke.

These days, further variations on both underwear and outerwear have taken over runways. Not only are skirts scanty, the bare midriff has also become prominent.

The micro-mini phenomenon gave way to fancy tights, see-through lace tops and highwaist baby doll dresses. The fake, innocent look and Peter Pan collar also became trendy for a while.

Now, downtown chic has taken over, concentrating on jarring outfits that need translation.

Interviewed by the press, designers said that their current efforts are for women who are too busy with important things and do not have time for adornment.

One of the most common rules is that there shouldn’t be a day when you don’t feel happy or proud of yourself for what you’re wearing.

Enjoying clothes is an honorable enterprise. It cheers up older women, survives killer love affairs, dumb marriages, money woes, job disasters and family trials.

Give something of yourself away! ***

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol.com

Greeting the fall season

play in dark and hidden place where they might lurk. If you have animals that stay outside like horses, bunnies or maybe farm animals, cover their homes in a wind resistant waterproof tarp and feed them extra portions of food that can help ward off the chilly nights.

Now that you’re armed and

ready with this knowledge, get out there and start the routine! fall is just around the corner and you know you’ll need to be ready to welcome the incoming change. *** Mango Tours is a provider of quality, affordable and convenient travel services that include low-priced airline tickets, customized Philippine and International Tour Packages, Cruises, Land Transfers, Passport and

Visa Concerns. It is the #1 producer of reliable travel services particularly when it comes to Philippine travel arrangements to the Filipino-American community in the US Mango Tours is able to provide its customers with a number of travel options at affordable rates because of its consolidator contracts with over 11 airlines.

Book your travel bookings with Mango Tours by calling its 24/7 U.S. toll-free number at 1-866-2-MANILA (1866-2-626452). Visit www.mangotours.com to know more about its latest promos and travel offers.* *Advertising Supplement

6

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - September 9, 2015

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