La Midweek Edition -- April 13 -- 15, 2016

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Volume 26 - No. 29 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages

T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r

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Pacquiao defeats Bradley in his final fight DATELINE USA

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fRoM The AJPReSS NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

by Agnes

ConstAnte AJPress

USPS stamps drop 2 cents

The United States Postal Service (USPS) on Sunday, April 10, dropped the price of postage stamps by 2 cents for the first time in almost a century.

Stamps now cost 47 cents each, down from the 49 cents, a decline that’s expected to cost USPS $2 billion this year. The expected loss will make it more difficult for the government mail carrier to compete and provide services sought by customers.

“Given our precarious financial condition and ongoing business needs, the price reduction...exacerbates our losses,” Postmaster General Megan Brennan said in a statement Thursday, April 7, as it filed a petition seeking a new rate-setting process. “This unfortunate decision heightens the importance of the review of our ratemaking system.”

USPS is not funded by taxpayer dollars, and it depends on its own revenue sources – such as postage – to cover its operating costs.

Stamp prices have typically risen to cope with inflation, but customers have paid an “exigent surcharge” in the last two years to help keep USPS alive during the Great Reces-

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USCIS reaches FY 2017 H-1B cap WAShINGToN – US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has reached the congressionally mandated h-1B cap for fiscal year 2017. USCIS has also received more than the limit of 20,000 h-1B petitions filed under the U.S. advanced degree exemption.

USCIS will use a computer-generated process, also known as the lottery, to randomly select the petitions needed to meet the caps of 65,000 visas for the general category and 20,000 for the advanced degree exemption.

USCIS will first randomly select petitions for the advanced degree exemption. All unselected advanced degree petitions will become part of the random selection process for the 65,000 general cap. The agency will reject and return filing fees for all unselected cap-subject petitions that are not duplicate filings.

Before running the lottery, USCIS will complete initial intake for all filings received during the filing period, which ended April 7.

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If Manny Pacquiao’s last time in the ring was indeed on Saturday, April 9, then he has ended his career on a high note.

The filipino fighter who rose to fame in a rags-toriches storyline concluded what he has said would be his 12 final rounds as a professional boxer in a victory against two-time former WBo welterweight champion Timothy Bradley, Jr., an opponent he has faced in the ring on three occasions.

Pacquiao announced he would hang his gloves up after Saturday’s bout to focus on serving the Philippines, where he is seeking to win a senate seat on the May 9 election.

“As of now, I’m retired,” he said. “I am going to go home and think about [fighting again]. I want to go home with my family and serve the people.”

But before he secured his victory, 37-year-old Pacquiao (58-6-2 Kos) gave millions of viewers around the world a fight that included knocking down Bradley (33-2-1) twice, in the seventh and ninth rounds. his performance resulted in a unanimous decision in his favor from the judges, who scored it 116-110. hBo commentators during the fight noticed what they said appeared to be some sort of problem with

FINAL FIGHT. After 12 grueling rounds, Manny Pacquiao emerged victorious via a unanimous against Timothy Bradley Jr. on Saturday, April 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The judges scored 116-110, 116-110 and 116-110 in favor of Pacquiao.

AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

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Six bets clash in the first Vice Presidential Debate RCBC vows to return part of stolen i J money to Bangladesh if found liable

debate about the country’s top issues.

The debate that ran for more than three hours was hosted by CNN Philippines in coby Rosette Adel The first Commision on elections (Com- operation with Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster Philstar.com elec)-organized debate had its vice presiden- ng Pilipinas (KBP) and Business Mirror, and tial leg last Sunday, April 10 held at the Quad- was moderated by CNN Philippines’ chief MANILA – The president of the ricentennial Pavilion, University of Santo correspondent Pia hontiveros and senior an- Rizal Commercial Banking CorpoTomas; with all six bets engaging in a heated u PAGE A3 ration (RCBC) on Tuesday, April 12 promised to compel his bank’s board members to give back part of the $81 million stolen from the central bank of Bangladesh if found guilty of money laundering.

President-on-leave Lorenzo Tan made the vow when asked by Sen. Ralph Recto if the bank is open to the possibility of returning even a part of the $81 million.

“So, if we are found liable, yes, I would recommend to the board to set aside certain sum of money,” Tan said.

Recto first asked Tan about RCBC’s profit last year as well as its market cap and later on asked the bank president if they are affected by the money laundering issue. The senator suggested that Philippine vice presidential candidates squared off on a debate initiated by the Comelec and CNN Philippines on Sunday, April 10 at the University of Santo Tomas in Manila. In photo from (L-R) Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Sen. Chiz Escudero, Sen. its profit and market cap might Gringo Honasan, Sen. Bongbong Marcos, Rep. Leni Robredo and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV. Inquirer.net photo improve if they will return a part

by An AMotillo AJPress

SWS poll: Duterte, Marcos surge to top

by Helen

FloRes Philstar.com

fIve weeks before the May elections, presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidential bet Sen. ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. have surged to the number one spot in the latest quarterly Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

Duterte grabbed the lead from former frontrunner Sen. Grace Poe in the presidential race, the pollster said.

Results of the SWS first quarter survey conducted from March 30 to April 2 showed that 27 percent of respondents preferred the tough-talking Duterte.

Duterte’s rating was four points up from the 23 percent he obtained in the March 8 to 11 poll.

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Philrem in bigger trouble

1

RCBC president-on-leave Lorenzo Tan said it will urge its bank board members to return part of the money to the Bangladesh Central Bank if found liable.

of the $81 million. Tan said the bank earned around P5.2 billion and had a market cap value of around P40 to P45 billion at present but admitted that its value is now 50 percent less of what it should be.

“If we try about $80 million and 30 million masasauli, assuming lang, natira $50 million at rough-

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THURSDAY TO WEDNESDAY z APRIL 14-20

Presyong Sulit!

Now Open in Cerritos & Rancho Cucamonga!

by JeFFeRson

AntipoRdA And MAyvelin U. CARAbAllo ManilaTimes.net

PhILReM, the firm that remitted part of the $81 million stolen from the Bangladesh Bank, found itself in deeper trouble when Commissioner Kim henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) claimed that the firm is operating illegally. henares, one of the resource persons invited by the Senate blue ribbon committee investigating the money-laundering scandal, said Philrem has been using receipts not registered with the BIR. She presented a sample of a receipt issued by Philrem to its clients.

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A APRIL 13-15, 2016 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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WAR VETERANS listen while President Benigno S. Aquino III delivers his speech during 74th Commemoration of the Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor) on Saturday, April 9. This year’s theme is “Isabuhay ang Kagitingan, Kapayapaan ay Pagkaisahan, Kamtin ang Mithing Kaunlaran.”

Malacañang photo by Robert Viñas

Pacquiao defeats Bradley...

PAGE A1 t his right shoulder, which was injured and exacerbated during Pacquiao’s long-awaited match against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather, Jr. However, he dismissed concerns and said he was OK. “I was looking for a knockout in every round,” Pacquiao said.

“He’s a very tough fighter and a very good counter-puncher.

Bradley is a good boxer, a great fighter and a good man. It was not easy tonight, [but] my right shoulder was fine. It gave me no problems.”

Before the fight, Bradley said he planned on fighting at a level similar to the performance he gave during the ninth round of his fight against Brandon Rios in November, which he won with a knockout.

CompuBox reported that Pacquiao connected on 122 of 439 punches, while the Bradley landed 99 of 302.

“Manny is patient … I wasn’t professional enough to be patient myself and I walked into

some shots,” he said following his loss.

“He’s very quick, very explosive and it’s hard to judge him with quick reflexes. He won the fight, much respect to Manny Pacquiao.”

In between the fighters’ postmatch interviews, Pacquiao, who is fond of Bradley, invited his opponent to Sunday prayer breakfast. Yet despite looking sharp after his win, Pacquiao affirmed he was retiring.

Pacquiao’s promoter, Bob Arum, however, said he believes the boxer’s retirement is more of a trial separation.

“He’s torn. His wife wants him to retire. He’s running for office, and if he wins, which he will, there will be tremendous responsibilities that go with that,” Arum said, according to ESPN. Arum also said that Pacquiao may need a big paycheck in the near future. The Filipino fighter reportedly was set to receive $20 million for his third fight against Bradley. For his fight in the ring with Mayweather in May, he re-

portedly earned $160 million.

“He doesn’t have money problems now, but of course he’s going to have money problems if he’s going to be building hospitals out of his own pocket instead of letting the [Philippine] government build the hospitals,” Arum said, according to ESPN. His trainer, Freddie Roach, has said leading up to the match that he would support whatever decision Pacquiao made.

“I loved the way Manny threw his combos. He may be a little rusty, but if he wants to continue fighting, I think he can still go,” Roach said.

After the fight, when a questioner pointed out to Pacquiao that it seemed like his family wanted him to retire more than he did, he laughed.

“In my heart I’m 50-50. But I love my family, and I won’t hurt my family, my kids. I don’t know, I might enjoy my retired life or I might want to come back. It’s hard to say because I’m not there yet. But right now, my decision is to retire,” he said, according to ESPN.

RCBC vows to return part of stolen money...

PAGE A1 t

ly P2.2 billion -- assuming that the RCBC gives this to the Bank of Bangladesh, your five billion profit minus 2.2, kita pa rin kayo ng three billion? And then maybe your market price will improve back to what it used to be and you would gain from that anyway and maybe your stock price will hit whatever value and you make the protocol corrections and maybe you can gain 90 billion more

again,” Recto said.

Although Tan admitted the lowered market cap value, he said it was not entirely because of the money laundering issue but also because of the “fluctuation of the stock.”

“I think our business is an actuarial business. Again, we have 16 products or 16 services that we sell to every corporate or consumer/customer. And we either lose money on bad loans,

bad trades, or operational losses like this one. On the average, we provide one to two billion a year on those types of losses,” he explained.

RCBC has been involved in the money laundering case after stolen multi-million US dollars from Bangladesh suspiciously went through the bank and then got transferred to five account holders in its Jupiter, Makati City branch.

PROJECT BASED WAITING LIST TO OPEN MAY 2, 2016 Accepting Applications The Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach (HACLB) will be accepting applications for its Project Based Communities starting Monday, May 2, 2016 and will remain open until further notice. The HACLB administers the City’s Project Based Rental Housing Assistance Programs in support of specific developments located throughout the city.

How Do I Apply: You may complete an application online at www.longbeach.gov/haclb/apply. Please call the Automated Information Telephone Line for more information — (562) 570.6309.

If a desktop computer is not readily available to you please visit one of our satellite locations listed below to complete your application APPLICATIONS WILL NOT BE AVAILABLE AT THE HOUSING AUTHORITY OF THE CITY OF LONG BEACH OFFICE

Pagtanggap ng mga Aplikasyon Ang Awtoridad ng Pabahay para sa Lungsod ng Long Beach (Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach, HACLB) ay tatanggap ng mga aplikasyon para sa Mga Komunidad na Nakabase sa Proyekto (Project Based Communities) nito simula sa Lunes, Mayo 2, 2016 at mananatiling bukas hanggang magkaroon ng karagdagang paunawa. Pinangangasiwaan ng HACLB ang Mga Programang Tulong sa Paupahang Pabahay na Nakabase sa Proyekto (Project Based Rental Housing Assistance Programs) ng Lungsod bilang pagsuporta sa mga partikular na pagpapaunlad na matatagpuan sa kabuuan ng lungsod.

Paano Ako Mag-aaplay: Maaari mong kumpletuhin ang isang online na aplikasyon sa www.longbeach.gov/haclb/apply. Mangyaring tawagan ang Linya ng Telepono ukol sa Awtomatikong Impormasyon para sa karagdagang impormasyon — (562) 570.6309.

Kung walang desktop computer na magagamit kaagad, mangyaring bumisita sa isa sa aming mga satellite na lokasyon na nakalista sa ibaba upang makumpleto ang iyong aplikasyon WALANG MAKUKUHANG APLIKASYON SA TANGGAPAN NG AWTORIDAD NG PABAHAY SA LUNGSOD NG LONG BEACH

Satellite Locations / Mga Lokasyon ng Maliliit na Tanggapan All City of Long Beach Public Libraries Long Beach Senior Center Cal Rec Community Center United Cambodian Community Houghton Park Community Center Silverado Park Community Center Filipino Migrant Center

1150 E. Fourth Street 1550 Martin Luther King Blvd 2201 E. Anaheim St Suite 200 6301 Myrtle Ave 1545 W. 31st Street 2125 Santa Fe Ave

9:00 am — 2:00 pm M-F 9:00 am — 2:00 pm M-F 9:00 am — 12:00 pm M-F 9:00 am — 2:00 pm M-F 9:00 am — 2:00 pm M-F 10:00 am — 2:00 pm M-F

Requests for reasonable accommodations based on a disability should be made in writing to the Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach, Attn: Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA, 90802.

Ang mga kahilingan para sa mga makatwirang akomodasyon batay sa disabilidad ay dapat isagawa sa pamamagitan ng pag- sulat sa Housing Authority of the City of Long Beach, Attn: Fair Housing Coordinator - 521 E. 4th Street, Long Beach, CA, 90802.

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From the Front Page

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 13-15, 2016

A

Philrem in bigger...

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BURNING APO. Trekkers who evacuated Mt. Apo on Sunday watch from a safe distance smoke from the fire raging in the northwestern side of the country’s highest peak. While authorities have announced that the fire that razed at least 300 hectares of grass and forest land on Mt. Apo is now under control, they could not declare a “fire out” due to smoke that continues to envelope some sections of the mountain.

Inquirer.net photo by Ryan Mark Asturias

USPS stamps drop...

though it delivers less mail today, it still needs to maintain the infrastructure needed to deliver mail PAGE A1 t ever, the increase was only meant to 155 million addresses in the sion, a time when businesses cut to be temporary and is required United States. back on mailing. The agency was to rollback 2 cents this year.

Prices for postage stamps last granted permission to raise rates USPS has been hit hard by the fell in July 1919 when it went in 2014, at which time it tacked transition from written letters to down from 3 cents to 2 cents on 3 cents to bring the price of electronic communication like per ounce. (Agnes Constante/AJstamps up to 49 cents each. How- emails and text messages. Al- Press)

USCIS reaches FY 2017...

PAGE A1 t Due to the high number of petitions, USCIS is not yet able to announce the date it will conduct the random selection process.

USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions that are otherwise exempt from the cap.

Petitions filed on behalf of current H-1B workers who have been

counted previously against the cap, and who still retain their cap number, will also not be counted toward the congressionally mandated FY 2017 H-1B cap. USCIS will continue to accept and process petitions filed to: • Extend the amount of time a current H-1B worker may remain in the United States;

Six bets clash in the first...

PAGE A1 t

chor Pinky Webb.

Senators Alan Peter Cayetano, Chiz Escudero, Gringo Honasan, Bongbong Marcos, Antonio Trillanes and Camarines Sur 3rd District Representative Leni Robredo came with their respective platforms hoping to win the hearts of millions of Filipino people around the world.

It was during the first topic— which was about corruption— when sparks started to fly among the candidates. Marcos took a hit from Cayetano after the latter criticized him over his involvement in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam and the alleged $10 billion stolen during his father’s reign. Marcos denied the allegations and questioned where Cayetano is getting all his figures.

Both Honasan and Escudero believed that in order to eliminate corruption, the Freedom of Information (FOI) bill must be passed in Congress. Robredo stated that the public should know every government transaction, while Trillanes believed that increasing the salary of government officials will prevent them from accepting bribes.

The debate also included a “Yes or No” portion, so candidates can share their stand towards the country’s major issues. For same sex marriage, all six candidates said “no.” Everyone are in favor of passing the Anti-Dynasty Law. All six also agreed that the Philippines is not yet ready to address the issue of climate change.

Cayetano’s audacity and constant beating of Marcos showed his eagerness to win the vice presidential seat and appealed to the

• Change the terms of employment for current H-1B workers; • Allow current H-1B workers to change employers; and • Allow current H-1B workers to work concurrently in a second H-1B position.

US businesses use the H1B program to employ foreign workers in occupations that require highly specialized knowledge in fields such as science, engineering and computer programming. supporters of his running mate, presidential bet Rodrigo Duterte.

Marcos however remained unmoved despite the allegations and contstant booing from the audience who shouted “Never Again!”, an anti-Marcos slogan before the hecklers were escorted outside the venue.

Robredo on the other hand, was praised for her clear and substantive answers, thus winning the approval of many netizens who watched the debate. Honasan was also lauded for his excellence, in relation to his 18 years of experience as a senator and 17 years as a soldier. Escudero and Trillanes did not receive rave reactions from the audience.

Regardless of who wins after the May 9 elections and whoever gets elected as the president of the Philippines, all six vowed that they will assist the future president wholeheartedly.

“First, this is a violation of the National Internal Revenue Code because the receipt should have been registered with the BIR since 2013,” Henares said.

She explained that her bureau had required companies to have their receipts, delivery or acknowledgment registered.

Henares said Philrem is not a registered remittance company.

According to her, the company was registered with the BIR under “other land transportation transactions,” not as a remittance firm.

Philrem, she said, amended its articles of incorporation in 2005 but it did not bother to update its registration with the BIR. Henares noted that the firm is not paying the correct tax because it is providing services that are not based on its registration with the bureau.

Registered The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) also on Tuesday said Philrem is a registered remittance agent but it does not have a license to operate as a foreign exchange dealer or money changer.

Philippine remittance company Philrem Service Corp. President Salud Bautista

“She [Henares] said [Philrem] is not registered with the BIR. That is a different matter,” BSP Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. told The Manila Times in a text message.

“Philrem is registered with BSP as a remittance agent from AMLA [Anti-Money Laundering Act] compliance purposes only,” he said.

Senator Teofisto Guingona III,

head of the blue ribbon panel, subpoenaed Philrem messenger Mark Palmares to appear in the hearing next week.

Guingona was forced to issue the subpoena after Palmares failed to appear in the hearing twice.

Salud Bautista, owner of Philrem, said Palmares was with her when the first tranche of cash was delivered to Wei Kang Xu in Solaire casino.

A APRIL 13-15, 2016 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

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Legislation bolstering small business loans passes Senate Committee SB 936 allows state IBank to back more private lending to small businesses that need it, stimulating economic development

SACRAMENTO – Legislation

by Sen. Bob Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, allowing the California Infrastructure and Economic Development Bank (IBank) to expand the private lending it guarantees for small businesses that cannot qualify for standard loans was passed today by the Senate Business, Professions and Economic Development Committee.

SB 936 makes more private loans possible through the IBank’s Small Business Loan Guarantee Program by adopting the federal standard for leveraging the financing, which means less money is required to back the private loans than under the current state standard. In essence, the change allows the state and federal funding used to guarantee the loans to go further.

“This legislation will help create economic development and jobs,” Hertzberg said. “It is smart public policy to get the most out of private lending for small businesses. SB 936 helps rebuild the middle class and stimulate economic activity in struggling communities across California.”

The bill is sponsored by the Governor’s Office of Business and Economic Development

(GO-Biz).

“The passage of SB 936 is vital to having funds available well into the future to support loans to small businesses, which are 99.2 percent of all employers in the state,” said Teveia Barnes, IBank Executive Director. “Small businesses with big dreams are our innovators and visionaries, pace-setters and disrupters. When small businesses prosper, California prospers.”

The state-backed small business loans are especially beneficial in economically depressed areas where loans with favorable interest rates are hard to come by.

For the year ending June 30, 2015, the state-funded portion of the program made a total of 124 loans, with $21.1 million of loan guarantees supporting $37.4 million in small business loans, according to IBank’s Annual Report to the Governor and Legislature. This guarantee activity contributed to a total of $197.4 million of overall capital that was injected into the state’s small business community, which, in turn, supported 2,813 jobs, the report said.

The federally funded portion of the program issued 252 ad-

ditional loans resulting in $92.8 million of loan guarantees and supporting $130.1 million in small business loans, and that injected $211.6 million of overall capital, which supported 11,781 jobs.

In total for the year ending June 30, 2015, the Small Business Loan Guarantee Program supported 376 loans for $113.9 million of loan guarantees supporting $167.5 million in small business loans and 14,594 jobs.

The program uses state and federal funding to create a loan loss reserve. This loan loss reserve reduces the risk of lending to small businesses, thereby stimulating investment that helps create and retain jobs that are often in low- to moderate-income communities.

Current state law limits IBank’s leverage ratio to 5:1, meaning BANGUS FESTIVAL. Dancers simulate the harvesting of “bangus” (milkfish) during the “Gilon-Gilon ed Dalan” street-dancing competition and that 20 percent of the private parade in Dagupan City. The event opened this year’s edition of the Bangus Festival in Pangasinan province’s premier city. loan must be backed by the loan Inquirer.net photo by Willie Lomibao loss reserve fund. Under SB 936, the leverage ratio will rise to the federal standard of 10:1, meaning that only 10 percent of the private loan must be backed by the loan loss reserve fund.

The bill passed on a bipartisan 5-0 vote and goes next to the Senate Appropriations Commithomes they lived in, as lead levels deciliter of blood.

by Agnes ConstAnte tee. in paint were not regulated until Although Brown approved AJPress 1978. Taking that into consider- funding for the clean up on CHILDREN residing near a ation, along with other risk fac- Wednesday, April 6, some resinow-closed battery recycling tors, the study found that the ef- dents are unsatisfied. plant in Vernon, California have fect of living near the old plant on “I don’t know why it’s taken higher levels of lead in their blood children’s lead levels was smaller so long, you would think by now compared to those living farther but still detectable, according to they would be further along,” away, a new study by California the Los Angeles Times.

Teresa Marquez told EGP News. health officials found.

“While there are multiple “Children are being poisoned.

The analysis, released Friday, sources of contamination harm- We want it done yesterday,” she April 8, by the California State ing southeast Los Angeles chil- added.

Department of Public Health, dren, this report indicates that In addition to Brown’s comfound 3.58 percent of young chil- those living near Exide face an mitment, Exide officials have dren living one mile of the Exide increased burden of lead, likely pledged $50 million to cleanTechnologies plant had greater associated with the facility,” said ing up the neighborhood, but levels of lead in their blood in Jill Johnston, a USC professor of only 200 properties have been 2012 – the last year the facility preventive medicine who stud- cleaned so far. was fully operational – compared ies lead exposure in the affected Rep. Xavier Becerra (D-Los with 2.41 percent of children liv- neighborhoods, according to the Angeles), who represents the ing farther away. The national publication. “Since any expo- Boyle Heights area, said the average is 1.95 percent. sure to lead can cause irrevers- findings require urgent action.

The study examined blood re- ible damage, these results show “Now more than ever, it’s sults from 12,000 children resid- a critical public health threat in imperative that the testing and ing within 4.5 miles of the plant the community.” cleanup of all homes surroundand accounted only those under Exide Technologies in a state- ing Exide happens quickly.”

6 years old, as the group is at ment said it is studying the analBruce Lanphear, a public Has the prevalence of autism the greatest risk for adverse ef- ysis and that it “is not surprised health physician and professor actually risen or does the up- fects of lead, including learning to see that the age of the hous- of health sciences at Simon Frau PAGE A5 disabilities and developmental ing stock – indicating the likely ser University, told the LA Times problems. presence of leaded paint – is an that officials should use blood In response to the findings, important predictor of blood lev- lead data and soil lead levels to Gov. Jerry Brown has commit- els.” identify where to target cleanup ted $176 million to test 10,000 The Centers for Disease Con- efforts. homes, parks, and daycare cen- trol and Prevention considers “Otherwise, they will be shootters within 1.7 miles of the plant levels of lead five or more mi- ing in the dark,” he said. and to clean approximately 25 crograms per deciliter of blood Vernon is a 5.2-square-mile percent of the most contaminat- as significantly high. The study industrial city a few miles southed properties. from the State Health Depart- east of Downtown Los Angeles.

Also contributing to the higher ment found that those living It was the first exclusively inlevels of the poisonous metal within a mile of the plant had 4.5 dustrial city in the Southwestern in children was the age of the micrograms or more of lead per United States.

Analysis: Children near old LA battery plant have higher lead levels in blood

Number of autistic California students has risen since 2002 PALO ALTO - Between 2002 and 2015, the number of public school students in California enrolled in special education due to autism has risen sixfold, according to Kidsdata.org, which released the latest data to mark April as Autism Awareness Month.

The number of students enrolled in special education due to autism rose from 13,276 to 90,794 students in 13 years. In 2002, autism was the 6th most common disability among special education students, but by 2015, it had risen to the third most common disability.

Nationwide, the identified prevalence of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has more than doubled from one in 150 school-aged children in 2000 to one in 68 in 2012, according to

the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Flu season is milder this year, CDC says

by Agnes

ConstAnte AJPress

FLU season isn’t over just yet, but it’s winding down and will go in the books as a relatively mild one, US health officials say.

Lynette Brammer, an epidemiologist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) influenza division, cited three main reasons for the gentler flu season: there were no new viruses this year, so many individuals were immune because they had been vaccinated before; the vaccine this year was a fitting match for circulating viruses; and there was less flu out there overall.

On average, flu season sends more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital.

This year, 40 children were recorded to have died from flu com-

plications thus far, Brammer said, according to United Press International. On average, depending on the severity of a flu season, between 40 to 300 deaths among babies occur per year. Numbers for the total number of people who have come down with the flu and been hospitalized are not yet available. However, last year, an estimated 40 million Americans fell ill to the infection, 1 million were hospitalized and 148 children died, the CDC reported. Last year’s flu season was also particularly hard on people aged 65 and older, officials said.

CDC officials said that the vaccine this year proved to be nearly 60 percent effective against circulating viruses, much better than the 23 percent rate for the last year’s vaccine, which did

not contain the most common circulating virus – the H3N2 strain.

“This means that getting a flu vaccine this season reduced the risk of having to go to the doctor because of flu by nearly 60 percent,” Dr. Joseph Bresee, chief of the CDC’s epidemiology and prevention branch, said in a statement. “It’s good news and underscores the importance and the benefit of both annual and ongoing vaccination efforts this season.”

Although flu season is nearing its end, Brammer advises people who haven’t yet gotten a flu shot to do so.

“At this point there is still a benefit, but not as much as if they had been vaccinated earlier,” she said.

SWS poll: Duterte, Marcos surge...

PAGE A1 t Poe, United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay and Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Manuel Roxas II are statistically tied for second place, with scores of 23 percent, 20 percent and 18 percent, respectively.

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s rating remained steady at three percent.

Poe’s rating went down six points from 29 percent.

Binay’s score also dropped two points from 22 percent.

Roxas lost a point from 19 percent in the previous survey.

The survey used face-to-face interviews with 1,500 adults nationwide – 1,377 or 92 percent of them registered voters.

It has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points.

Results of the latest SWS survey were published in BusinessWorld on Monday, April 11.

Bongbong takes solo lead Marcos, runningmate of Santiago, took the solo lead in the

Presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and vice presidential bet Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. have surged to the number one spot in the latest quarterly Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey.

vice presidential race, garnering 26 percent from 25 percent in the previous survey.

Sen. Francis Escudero, who is running with Poe, and LP bet Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo are statistically tied for second spot with 21 percent and 19 percent, respectively.

Escudero lost seven points from 28 percent in the previous poll. Robredo’s score dropped by three points from 22 percent.

Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, who is running with Duterte, gained a point from 12 percent to 13 percent.

Binay’s runningmate, Sen. Gregorio Honasan, was tied with independent candidate Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV with five percent each.

Duterte camp elated The camp of Duterte said it was elated with the results of the latest

u PAGE A5

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Supreme Court: Courts can stop Ombudsman suspension orders

by TeTch

Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net

THE Supreme Court on Tuesday, April 12 affirmed the power of the Court of Appeals and any court to stop suspension orders issued by the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a resolution, the high court denied the motion for reconsideration filed by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales after the Court of Appeals stopped the implementation of the first preventive suspension order against former Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay in connection with the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall parking building.

“The court denied the motion for reconsideration filed by peSIZZLING WEATHER. Filipino kids cool off on Tuesday, April 12 the hottest day of the year in Metro Manila with a scorching 36.3 degrees titioner Ombudsman Conchita Celsius. Nationwide, the highest temperature for 2016 was recorded in General Santos City at 38.6 degrees Celsius.

Carpio Morales from its decision Inquirer.net photo dated Nov. 11, 2015, which partially granted the petition,” the high court said.

In the same ruling, the high court reaffirmed its November PAGE A4 t 2015 decision abandoning the soAct (IDEA) included autism as Signs. Act Early” program.

In 2012, only 43 percent of called condonation doctrine that ward trend reflect broadened a special education reporting diagnostic criteria and in- category. And while the causes children identified with ASD had been in place since 1959 and creased awareness of the dis- of autism are largely a mystery, received developmental evaluamost researchers agree that tions by the age of three. Black order?

Some researchers point both genetics and environmen- and Latino children tend to reto “diagnostic substitution,” tal factors, such as exposure to ceive diagnoses at even older meaning that a child diag- pesticides during pregnancy, ages. By prioritizing early idenby TeTch Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net tification, children with ASD nosed with autism today may may play a role.

The Centers for Disease Con- can access special services have been dubbed mentally reSENATOR Grace Poe met tarded in years past. It wasn’t trol and Prevention is stressing and support during the crucial until 1992 when the Individu- the importance of early identi- stages of early childhood devel- with President Benigno Aquino III about a week before the als With Disabilities Education fication through its “Learn the opment.

Number of autistic California students...

Dismissed Makati City Mayor Junjun Binay

being used by elected officials to defend themselves from administrative liabilities committed in their previous terms in office.

The condonation doctrine, which was introduced by jurisprudence in 1959, was abandoned by the high court in a ruling last year, but it said the doctrine would be prospective in nature.

The doctrine states that reelected officials cannot be held administratively liable for offenses during a previous term because

their reelection means their constituents have forgiven them for their past wrongdoings.

Binay invoked the condonation doctrine in questioning the preventive suspension order and argued that the alleged anomalies were committed during the first and second phases of the project when he was not yet mayor of the city.

The third and fourth phases, however, were undertaken during his term from 2010 to 2013.

Tatad bares Poe-Aquino meeting at Palace

SWS: Duterte, Marcos surge...

scored 31 percent while Poe obtained 34 percent. Binay’s rating went up by three points from 17 percent, while Roxas’ score inPAGE A4 t sure their support and the results creased by a single point.

SWS presidential survey but main- of the surveys are translated into “Vice President Binay is gratevotes,” Evasco said. tained it cannot be complacent. ful for the results of the survey.

Binay unfazed “While we are elated with the Despite the attacks hurled against Binay’s camp, meanwhile, re- the Vice President, his steady rise results of the recent surveys, we still believe the final arbiter of who mained unfazed as it shrugged shows the strength of his core will be elected as president is the off the results of the latest SWS supporters,” said Quicho. people... that will be known on survey showing Duterte and Poe “He will work harder together election day,” Maribojoc Mayor as the top contenders for presi- with our various support groups Jun Evasco, Duterte’s campaign dent. as election day nears,” he added.

“A closer reading of the SWS manager, said.

Poe, Chiz reassess strategy “We cannot celebrate yet until survey shows downward movePoe and Escudero will adjust the May 9 election is over. It is ments for both Mayor Duterte their campaign strategy after they not over until it’s over,” Evasco and Senator Poe,” UNA campaign both fell to second place in the latspokesman Rico Quicho said. added. est SWS survey.

Quicho said the numbers of He asked the mayor’s supportEscudero said the survey reers to double their efforts with Duterte and Poe actually dropped sults served as a challenge to step less than a month before the elec- and that of Binay increased, com- up their campaign. pared with the SWS poll conducttions.

Escudero said he and Poe “We urge our followers to con- ed on March 30. would reach out to more people In the previous survey, Duterte and explain their platform. tinue to work harder and make

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Poe’s spokesman Valenzuela Mayor Rex Gatchalian said the survey results would guide their team as they plan their next moves.

Robredo worried Robredo said she was worried over the results of the latest SWS survey that showed Marcos topping the poll.

“I’m worried. Even if he’s not at the top, even if he’s in the fourth or fifth places in the survey, I’m still worried because there are still many who believe he deserves to be elected, considering he has yet to atone for their sins in the past,” Robredo told reporters.

Robredo was referring to the alleged hidden wealth accumulated by the Marcoses and the atrocities during martial law. (With Perseus Echeminada, Robertzon Ramirez, Janvic Mateo, Christina Mendez, Paolo Romero)

Supreme Court denied the motions for reconsideration to reverse the March 8 ruling allowing her to run for President, former Senator Francisco Tatad told reporters Monday, April 11.

Tatad said he received information that the meeting took place at Bahay Pangarap, Aquino’s official residence, in Malacañang Palace.

He claimed that the meeting was called so that Aquino and Poe can explore how “to help each other” in the upcoming elections.

Tatad said he also received in-

formation that Aquino had given administration candidate Mar Roxas up to April 25 to improve his standing, or the administration machinery will rally behind Poe. Tatad, together with counsel Atty. Manuelito Luna, went to the Supreme Court to file a second motion for reconsideration to seek a reversal of its ruling that gave greenlight for Poe candidacy.

When asked for Malacañang’s response, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said, “I wish Kit Tatad a long career in fiction writing.”

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OpiniOn

Features

Plan B

EVEN the temptation of a possible rematch—and vengeance— against Floyd Mayweather Jr. will not stop Manny Pacquiao from stepping into retirement, in boxing at least.

Ending his illustrious boxing career on a high note, Pacquiao emerged victorious in his last fight—winning via a unanimous decision against a formidable opponent in Timothy Bradley at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas on Saturday, April 9.

After scoring two knockdowns in rounds 7 and 9, it was no surprise that all three judges had it 116-110, 116-110 and 116-110 in favor of Pacquiao.

“I was looking for a knockout every round. His style is to counter punch. But I countered him.

He was different to the last two fights, and he improved. I can still fight - but I made the decision to retire tonight, work for my people and spend more time with my family,” Pacquiao told his cheering fans as he confirmed that his 66th fight would be his last.

“Thank you to all the fans in boxing, especially the Filipino people. I’ve really appreciated all your help and support,” Pacquiao added.

The 37-year-old Filipino champion vowed to focus on his political career. Pacquiao is a candidate for the senatorial race on the upcoming Philippine elections on May 9.

The whole world stood witness to Pacquiao’s rise to the top: from a struggling 14-year-old boy, who left his home in Mindanao, he became

the best fighter of his generation.

In his journey, Pacquiao managed to have millions of adoring fans.

His followers are so devoted to him that they still find cause to celebrate even in his defeat.

All his hard work has manifested into millions of earnings, a successful showbiz career and a legislative post as Congressman of the Saranggani province. His fame has catapulted him to become one of the most revered Filipino icons of all time.

And why not? After all, his achievements supersede Pacquiao himself—winning eight championships in different weight divisions by beating boxing champions from around the world.

His reign as king of the ring is over. Now, Pacquiao wants his (eligible to vote) Filipino fans to join him on his next endeavor.

Celebrities, who venture into politics, are not an uncommon sight in the Philippines—and Filipino boxing icon Pacquiao is one of them. However, his explosive punches and agility may not be able to guarantee him votes to win a senate seat.

With only a few weeks left until Filipinos cast their votes, Pacquiao must prove why he is worthy to occupy one of the country’s highest legislative posts. (AJPress)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

How to vote in the May Philippine elections

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-reloS YOU care about the Philippines. You want the next president and vice-president to really lead the nation toward progress, peace, order. You want to see more employment opportunities in the Philippines so you can come home and settle down in the Motherland for good, or have a loved one come back and never have to leave again . You want your hard earned dollar that you send to the Philippines really go a long way for your loved ones and not for some thieves in the government bureaucracy.

Channel the frustration into hope, and hope into reality by exercising your right to VOTE.

If you are a Filipino citizen or a dual citizen, then your vote will count in the May 9 Philippine election. You vote may in fact be a swing vote that can decide who will win in the election.

How do you do this? The voting process has become so simple and fast, especially with the voting machines that can now electronically receive your vote and transmit results to the Philippine Commission on Elections. But for your vote to be counted, you have to do what you need to do as a responsible citizen.

The Filipino Channel’s daily newscast “Balitang America” has been airing information stories to guide you in the new voting process.

If you live in a city that is near the Consulate or Embassy, then enjoy the pride and experience

of going there to cast your vote as internationally renowned Pinay Broadway singer and actress Lea Salonga did. If not, let this information from the report by Balitang America’s New York Correspondent Don Tagala serve as your guide: Since April 9, Filipino overseas absentee voters who registered for the 2016 Philippine elections will start receiving voting packets from their respective Philippine consulates.

The packet contains a paper seal, a return envelope, an instruction manual in Tagalog and the ballot itself.

In a press conference, Consul Kerwin Tate said the ballots are shorter than the ones in Philippines because local positions are excluded.

Using only black ink pens, Tate showed how to completely

shade their choices for president, vice president, 12 senators and a party list.

The machine may not be able to count a vote if pencils or any other colors are used and if shading is incomplete.

“If you mark two for the president, that will not be counted.

Not invalid but it will not be counted,” said Tate. “If you mark 13 senators that will not be counted either but if you put 11, that’s an under vote that will be counted.”

Fold the ballot and place it in the return envelope. Do not use any other envelope other than the provided official return envelope.

Seal the envelope and place the provided paper seal sticker on the top flap.

Fill out the blanks on the face of the envelope.

“You will put your signature and write your name, there’s a box where you sign,” added Tate. “There’s a box where you sign your name and then you buy your stamp for the ballot.”

Voters have the option to main in their ballot or deliver the ballot in person to their respective consulates.

On Mondays and Thursdays, voters also have the option to personally feed their ballots into the vote counting machines at their Philippine Consulates between 9am until 5pm.

In accordance with a recent Philippine Supreme Court ruling, a ballot receipt will now be printed after each feeding.

Registered voters who have home address changes or who have not received their ballots may email the Philippine Consulate in New York at vot-

ersid2016@gmail.com or fax their change of address at (212) 764-6010.

“We encourage them to fill up the ballot and to mail it immediately,” said Consul General Mario de Leon.

Whether by mail or hand-delivered, completed ballots must be received at their consulates before 5am on May 9, otherwise late ballots or tampered ballots will not be counted.

SIGE NA! BOTO NA! Let your voice be heard and your vote be counted! *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective. com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.

Relos

The Kidapawan clash: A crisis of leadership

Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta I CAN’T help comparing the clash of farmer-activists and PNP and government authorities in Kidapawan, North Cotabato with the oft-told anecdote about the three priests, a Dominican, a Franciscan and a Jesuit (actually, the roles and the priestly orders vary, depending on who is telling the story).

At any rate, the three were meeting in a room when the light suddenly went out. The Dominican immediately began a philosophical discourse on why the room was suddenly enshrouded in darkness. The Franciscan knelt down and prayed for the light to come back on. And the Jesuit went out to change the light bulb.

While many in mainstream and social media have called the incident a “massacre,” I have prudently avoided using the term because police authorities have characterized it differently. Suffice it to say that there were injuries inflicted on both sides, with the farmers suffering at least three confirmed fatalities (and several disappearances).

As of the last media reports, the parties on both sides of the conflict are still doing what the Dominican did in the anecdote - railing about how and why it happened while hurling blame at each other.

Officials of the PNP insist that they did not start the clash and that they were the victims rather than the oppressors because several peace officers were hurt, some seriously. They have also blamed the New People’s Army for inciting the confrontation.

The Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas has not spared the invectives against the “heartlessness” of the government, in the process endearing the Left among the rural folk. And, the other day, the chief executive of North Cotabato, Gov. Lala Talino-Mendoza, was busy on media blaming everyone for it, except herself. Inexplicably, she also took offense at those who offered food supplies to the farmers, calling the humanitarian attempt “Nakakainsulto” (insulting).

From what I gather, TalinoMendoza resented what she perceived as an attempt by “interested parties” to exploit the incident for political brownie points at her expense and that of the Liberal Party and its presidential candidate, Mar Roxas.

There are also those who, like the Franciscan, have been praying for a peaceful resolution of the conflict and for the proverbial rule of law to prevail – which, frankly, is neither here nor there.

To some extent, Mar Roxas appears to fall in this category.

Roxas was quoted in media declaring that the “first task is to restore order to the area and make sure that no clash happens

again.” He also “called on the PNP and other concerned agencies to investigate as to the true cause of the clash and, if warranted, to punish those accountable.”

And what about the President of the Republic of the Philippines? We are told that His Excellency Benigno S. Aquino III is still waiting to get a full picture of the incident before he makes any statement on it.

Here’s how it is explained by Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office Underscretary Manuel Quezon III (I run of out of breath every time I say the titles of these Malacanang executives): “I do believe the President will refrain from making any statements until he has fully studied the matter and is given and is satisfied with all the answers that he has received as a result of demanding an impartial and thorough investigation.”

Ergo, don’t expect any presidential comments on the incident until after, perhaps, the 40th day after the burial of the fatalities (babang luksa), which would be after the presidential elections, which would make any comments of Aquino meaningless and irrelevant anyway.

And to think Aquino was schooled under the Jesuits and not the Dominicans.

But Aquino is not the only one who finds it more convenient to discuss the hows, whys and wherefores of the problem rath-

er than to confront, address and alleviate the problem.

The question is, at the end of the day (to paraphrase a favorite cliché of Aquino), are these loud noises filling the hungry stomachs of the protesting farmers and their families to address the core of the conflict?

In other words, is anybody changing the light bulb?

There are several reasons why the clash – the conflict – the massacre – call it what you may - came about and, depending on whose version is being told, it’s always the other side’s fault. But at the very heart of this crisis is an even bigger one: A crisis of leadership.

Anyone familiar with the dynamics of conflict and intrigue will tell you that the Kidapawan situation, like many similar situations in the rural areas across the Philippines, was – and still is – a recipe for a grassroots uprising.

The rural poor, punished by the scourge of El Nino, are fair game for being incited and inflamed. Like those who joined Andres Bonifacio and the Katipunan at Biak na Bato, they are ripe for ripping their virtual cedulas. It just takes someone to light the fuse. And the Left is expert at it.

But for the fuse to be lighted and the flames to ignite, it takes a “manhid” and “palpak” (numb and incompetent) set of national and provincial officials to provide the fuel, as well as armed and trigger happy police or

military officers to set the whole situation ablaze.

So how did this become a crisis of leadership?

It takes a leader – seasoned, compassionate, decisive, wise – to understand the dynamics involved. It takes street wise insights to note that any false move – any unthinking decision – could ignite the incendiary situation – mainly because those who brought it about really intend the situation to explode.

What did the Kidapawan farmers want? Rice. Were there stocks available? According to government sources, there were stocks “pre-positioned” for calamities. Why did the provincial government not want to give it to them? Because the palpak and manhid leaders felt that the poor folk were being exploited by some sinister quarters – either political enemies or the Left – and goaded to resort to anarchy.

The provincial government, as well as the national government, could have defused the situation by immediately providing relief to the hungry farmers, thus buying them time to take control of the crisis and deprive the intriguers of their weapon of mass incitement. Instead, they allowed their amor propio, their political agenda and their incompetence to get the better of them – thus falling prey to the other side’s game plan.

Indeed, it takes a seasoned leader to be able to handle a sensitive situation like this. Unfor-

tunately, our current president has proven himself incapable of dealing with a crisis.

And what about the crop of “presidentiables”?

How about someone with an itchy trigger finger, whose idea of bringing about peace and order is by making the “troublemakers” rest in peace? Or how about an ivy leaguer who doesn’t know enough to bring a weather expert along to manage a crisis posed by the strongest typhoon on record?

Or an ailing shrew whose idea of solving a problem is by challenging everyone involved to a debate? And how about a former grade school teacher who would wake up the military command in case of a crisis with a foreign enemy? Does Grace Poe realize that an impending conflict with a foreign enemy is not supposed to catch the military leadership and the national leadership sleeping? Good grief!!!

As far as I can tell, the only presidential candidate who would have known how to defuse the Kidapawan crisis is someone who has fought alongside the Left and knows the dynamics of intrigue and conflict, who has fought on the side of the government, armalite in hand, in the face of near-successful coups and, most of all, who understands that the way to fight poverty is not by killing the poor.

Like it or not – it takes a Jojo Binay. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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BUSINESS& COMMUNITY Journal

Palace welcomes World Bank forecast on PH’s stronger, better economy

In this file photo, Filipino workers arrange metal rods at a government road project in Quezon City. The World Bank sees that the Philippine economy would continue to be among the fastest growing in the ASEAN region in the next three years.

Inquirer.net photo

est easing in economic expansion in the region. “nagpapakita lamang na tumiMalacañang on Tuesday, tibay iyong pundasyon nang ating april 12 welcomed the World Bank ekonomiya at nagiging attractive report that showed the Philippines ang ating bansa sa pamumuhunan will still be one of the fastest-grow- at iyong ating mga macro-ecoing economies in East asia and the nomic fundamentals ay nagiging mas matatag pa, kaya’t ito ang Pacific in the next three years. communications Secretary nagbabadya sa mas maunlad na Herminio coloma said the fore- kinabukasan para sa ating bansa. cast was indicative of the country’s (It only shows the foundation of strong economic foundation and our economy is getting stronger better prospects for millions of Fil- and our country is getting attracipinos in the future, despite a mod- tive to investors and our macroby Yuji

Vincent Gonzales Inquirer

economic fundamentals are also getting stronger. And this predicts a progressive future for our country),” coloma said over state-run Radyo ng Bayan.

World Bank expects the Philippine economy to grow by 6.4 percent this year and 6.2 percent in 2017 and 2018. “among the large developing Southeast asian economies, the Philippines and Vietnam have the strongest growth prospects, both expected to grow by more than 6

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PLDT, Facebook strengthen partnership by louella

DesiDerio Philstar.com

THE country’s largest telco Philippine long Distance Telephone co. (PlDT) and Facebook are looking for ways to strengthen their partnership to make Internet services available to more Filipinos.

In a statement on Tuesday, april 12, the telco said its chairman and chief executive officer Manuel V. Pangilinan recently met with Facebook founder and chief executive officer Mark PLDT chairman and CEO Manny V. Pangilinan meets with Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg at the Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California.

Philstar.com photo

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LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 13-15, 2016

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Business news

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Fitch keeps PH credit rating

by Ben

O. de Inquirer

Vera

FITCH ratings has kept the Philippines’ credit rating at minimum investment grade.

In a statement, Fitch said it had affirmed the Philippines’ sovereign ratings at BBB- on the back of sustained current account surpluses, declining government debt and budget deficit, favorable macroeconomic growth performance during the last five years as well as stronger governance standards under the aquino administration.

Fitch also expects the Philippine economy to grow by about

6 percent in 2016 and 2017.

Moving forward, Fitch said it was closely monitoring if “improvement in governance standards can be sustained following a change in government after elections.” while its rating outlooks remained “positive,” Fitch said ratings could revert to “stable” if the following happen: deterioration in governance standards and/or reversal in reforms implemented under the aquino administration could be credit negative; and instability in the financial system, possibly triggered by a sustained period of

excessive credit growth. a positive outlook indicates a possible upgrade in credit rating within the next 12 to 18 months.

Fitch’s rating of BBB- for the Philippines has stayed the same since March 2013.

In a statement, Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said this latest announcement by Fitch affirmed “President aquino’s commitment to good governance.”

However, “we believe that we are still underrated by at least a notch” as “the Philippines continues to outshine similarly rated The Winners and Highly Commended of the 4th Philippines Property Awards 2016 peer sovereigns amid global volatility,” Purisima added. n

Palace welcomes World Bank forecast...

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percent in 2016,” the world Bank said in a statement, based on its latest east asia and Pacific economic Update.

Coloma said the forecast motivates the government to provide better services and generate more jobs to uplift the lives of Filipinos.

“Kaakibat nang mga forecast na ito, iyung ating pagnanasa na makapagbigay ng mas mataas pang antas ng kalidad ng buhay at iyong paglikha nang mas marami pang trabaho. Iyon ang buod ng ating ginagawa para paunlarin ang ating ekonomiya. Iyong paglikha ng marami pang oportunidad sa paggawa ‘no at paghahanapbuhay. (Together with this forecast, our desire to give a higher status in the quality of life and to create more jobs. That’s the gist of what we are doing to push our economy

to greater heights. To create more opportunities in creating more livelihood and job opportunities),” Coloma said.

“Nariyan iyong sa manufacturing sector na sinisikap nating ma-expand muli ito, dahil mataas nga ang multiplier effects nang manufacturing. Nariyan din iyong sa mga traditional exports oriented industries natin, tulad ng semi-conductors at nariyan din iyong sa services sector — iyong turismo at iyong IT-BPo, iyong Information Technology-Business Process outsourcing. Maraming pinanggagalingan ang forecast na maganda ang ekonomiya. Pero ang focus din natin kasabay niyan ay iyong paglikha ng mas marami pang hanapbuhay. (There’s the manufacturing sector, which we hope to expand once again, because the multiplier effects are

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma

higher. There’s also our traditional exports-oriented industries, like semi-conductors. There’s also the services sector–tourism and ITBPO, the Information TechnologyBusiness Process Outsourcing.

There are so many sources for our forecast for a better economy. But our focus is also simultaneous in creating more jobs),” he added. n

Megaworld and SMDC win big at PH’s biggest real estate awards

Megaworld Corporation took home its first ever Best developer award as well as three more gongs and 13 Highly Commended honours at the fourth annual Philippines Property awards gala dinner.

The dr andrew l Tanled company started the evening with an unprecedented 16 nominations, with Uptown Bonifacio getting six nods. The high end urban township eventually won Best residential architectural design for the Uptown ritz condominium development. last year’s Best developer winner SM group was nominated for 10 awards through its various subsidiaries and eventually took home Best Commercial development (Philippines) for

Manny Villar, chairman of Vista Land group, receives the 2016 Real Estate Personality award from Property Report editor-in-chief Liam Aran Barnes.

SM Seaside City Cebu, a retail project undertaken by its commercial investment arm, SM Prime Holdings Inc. The conglomerate, headed by Henry Sy Sr, the country’s richest man, also won the coveted Special recognition in CSr for providing Filipinos “five star” homes in prime locations around the country, as well as promoting a conducive learning experience for the youth by building and remodelling overpopulated public school classrooms across the islands.

Presented by Hansgrohe, the fourth edition of the Philippines Property awards 2016 welcomed a new category to reward the country’s outstanding boutique developers. In the category for Best Boutique developer, appleone Properties Inc pipped King Properties. Fellow Cebubased firms, Primary Homes Inc and Cebu landmasters Inc, collected several winners and Highly Commended accolades in other categories. with this year’s entries doubling to more than 200 compared to 2015, the time has come to widen the scope of the programme, a move that was welcomed by the independent panel of judges and trusted awards supervisor Bdo. “whilst there’s still an emphasis on Metro Manila, there was an increase in the number of entries from Cebu and also davao,” said lindsay J orr, chief operating officer of Jones lang laSalle Philippines and chairman of the judges. “what we need to do now is to continue to bang the drums and build the awareness for the Philippines Property awards so that next year we make sure that we’ll have an even larger section of entries from other regions.” another highlight of the ceremony was the presentation to former Senate President Manuel B Villar Jr, founder of the Vista land group, of the real estate Personality of the Year award by the editors of Property report. It was the only award not selected by the independent judging panel.

Known for his master planned developments called “Communicities,” the selfmade billionaire saw his construction supplies business in the early 1970s grow into a quality housing developer.

“I am deeply grateful for, and profoundly humbled by, this recognition from the Philippines Property awards,” said Villar. “ For me, the real estate Per-

sonality of the Year award is a testament to how Vista land has been an instrument in improving the lives of Filipinos by providing them homes to live comfortably and communities where necessities are within their reach. “ Proving his company’s worth as a quality housing specialist, Vista land & lifescapes Inc took home the Best Housing development (Philippines) award for Northpoint, located in davao.

This project beat all the residential category winners from across the nation and, along with the other ‘best of the best’ winners from the Philippines, will move on to compete at the South east asia Property awards grand finale in Singapore this November. “as the asia Property awards programme continues to grow in its 11th year, we are proud to accomplish our goal to showcase the finest developers and projects from the established and emerging locations in the Philippines,” says Terry Blackburn, founder of the asia Property awards and managing director of awards organiser Propertyguru International. “we look forward to welcoming more entries from regional developers next year as we celebrate the achievements of Philippine real estate.”

The rise of the country’s emerging markets was featured prominently at the Property report Congress Philippines, a highlevel forum that discussed the past, present and future of the local real estate industry.

It was the first time that the Congress took place in the country after the successful debut in Singapore in 2015. The Philippine conference preceded the blacktie gala gala dinner at the Fairmont Makati and was joined by experts from all over the archipelago and further afield, including current and former winners and Judges from the Philippines Property awards.

Jll Philippines’ orr delivered the keynote address about the exciting prospects in the local market, whilst an indepth workshop on digital marketing for Filipino real estate professionals was given by John w. Mims, chief connector and managing director of The Hunting ridge group. other thoughtprovoking discussions covered the rise of branded residences, the crucial issue of infrastructure problems, the future of green building and the impact of technology in the Philippine property sector. (Inquirer.net)

The Philippines Property Awards 2016 at the Fairmont Makati was attended by more than 200 C-level executives and top real estate professionals.

PLDT, Facebook strengthen...

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Zuckerberg at Facebook headquarters in Menlo Park, California to discuss ways to enhance the two firms’ partnership to introduce Internet to more Filipinos and help change their lives for the better.

PldT through its wireless arm Smart Communications

Inc. was the first telco in Southeast asia to roll out Free Basics via a partnership with Facebook in March last year.

Free Basics aims to make mobile Internet available to twothirds of the world who are not yet connected.

Through Free Basics, which

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Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrsUA reyes IN a divorce proceeding, people sometimes have a misconception that the only assets or properties that have to disclose assets and properties situated in California. Even worst, sometimes parties even think that since an asset or property is situated in a different country or state, that property is not community property and not subject to division in California family court. One has to understand the general community property presumption in California.

Property acquired before marriage is the acquiring spouse’s separate property, as is property obtained during marriage that can be traced to a premarital acquisition. Family.

Code. § 770(a). Rents, issues and profits” of separate property are separate property. All property acquired during marriage and before separation, other than by gift or inheritance, is presumptively community property. Family Code §§ 760, 771(a), 772; Marriage of Bonds (2000) 24 C4th 1, 12, 99 CR2d 252, 258; Marriage of Lehman (1998) 18 C4th 169, 177, 74 CR2d 825, 828.

Pursuant to Family.Code. § 760, community personal or real property is consistently defined no matter where situated. Family Code §760 defines “Community property” as “Except as otherwise provided by statute, all

Community Journal

Disclosure and characterization of overseas assets in divorce property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.” As such, out-of-state community property is community property for all purposes, including intraspousal management and control fiduciary obligations. It does not matter if the property is located in another state or another country.

For the same reason, the parties to a divorce case is required to disclose all property, separate and community, including those outside the state. During the marriage, the parties’ fiduciary duties require full and accurate disclosure of true and full information affecting community property transactions. FamilyCode. §§ 721(b), 1100(e). In addition, disclosure duties arise upon separation in anticipation of dissolution, nullity or legal separation. The post-separation disclosure duties extend to all assets and liabilities in which either party has or may have an interest or obligation, regardless of community or separate property characterization, and to current earnings, accumulations and expenses. These duties “arise without reference to any wrongdoing.” Family.Code. §§ 721(b), 2100(c), 2102(a)(1); Marriage of Feldman (2007) 153 CA4th 1470, 1475–1476, 64 CR3d 29, 33; Marriage of Brewer & Federici

(2001) 93 CA4th 1334, 1342– 1344, 113 CR2d 849, 854–855.

Parties to a divorce case has a duty to provide full and accurate disclosure of all assets and debts including those in other states and other countries. Failure to disclose could result to certain legal consequences to the non-disclosing parties including sanctions and attorney’s fees. If you are contemplating a divorce and you own assets and properties outside the state or country, its best to retain the representation of an experience family law attorney. *** 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.

(Advertising Supplement)

The problem with probate

What’s New Arlene Al-os, CPA, MBA (Part 1)

MAJORITY is concerned with saving money on their taxes, but ignore planning to avoid estate taxes, which can consume at least 40% of a family’s taxable estate before it can be passed on to the children. With proper estate tax planning, you could avoid probate and save wealth in estate taxes.

Estate planning is simply how you want your assets distributed to your heirs after you die with as little time and expense as possible.

There are two major estateplanning challenges that must be addressed: 1. How to avoid probate.

2. How to reduce estate taxes.

How to avoid probate court: The purpose of probate is to transfer your assets to your beneficiaries, decide if the Will is valid, take care of the financial responsibilities, and only affects those assets that are titled under your name for which there is no designated beneficiary, after you have passed away. Instructions in the Will

are typically carried out through probate court. While there may be times when probate is necessary, there are problems with the probate court public process.

How to avoid or reduce federal estate taxes: A person’s estate includes everything that they own at the time of death, including life insurance death benefits. One way to save estate taxes is by using the revocable living trust.

Problems with Probate 1. Time: It takes an average of nine to 24 months to probate an estate. If there are a lot of assets, or any complications, the time could be longer, sometimes even years.

2. Costs: It is estimated that average cost of probate could be as high as 10% of the value of the estate. If the estate can be probated for half that amount, it is still a cost that can be completely avoided.

3. Control: The estate is controlled by the probate court. A Will is your instructions to the court, but because of possible contesting of the will or defects, the court may not follow your request. Your heirs must get court approval before they will have access to your estate.

4. Publicity: All probate court records are open to the public

Calendar of Events across

for their inspection or copying.

That includes all accounting and financial information, i.e., how much your estate is worth, how much you owe, and who you are leaving your estate to and how much you leave them.

You may not want all of this information to be part of the public records.

For these reasons, we usually recommend that probate be avoided by use of a revocable living trust particularly if you own real estate. Assets held in a revocable living trust are distributed according to the trust instructions regardless of the instructions in your Will without court supervision. It is also recommended to execute a durable financial power of attorney if you are the trustee of your own living trust.

In accordance with IRS Circular 230, this communication is not to be considered a “covered opinion” or other written tax advice and should not be relied upon for IRS audit, tax dispute, or any other purpose. *** Sy Al-os Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals, corporations, LLCs and business entities.

The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental (Advertising Supplement) agencies.

America

A P R I L 23

Chino Hills Multicultural Festival Inspired by last year’s successful celebration of the community’s diversity, the Rotary Club of Greater Chino Hills Foundation will host its second Multicultural Festival on Saturday, April 23, from 3 to 9 pm, at the Chino Hills Community Center (14250 Peyton Drive, Chino Hills, CA 91709). Admission is free. There will be food booths, live entertainment, music, dance and performances by an array of participants. Sponsorship and advertisement packages are available for non-profit organizations to fundraise, and for businesses interested in market their products and services. For more information, contact rotary.chinohills@gmail.com or visit www.chinohillsrotaryclub.org. Contact: Ted Alvarez (909) 456-0359, tedalvarez@verizon.net; Tessie Lightholder (909) 576-4152,tessielightholder@gmail.com, or Ginny Mondonedo (951) 212-4624, vmondonedo55@gmail.com.

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Community Mini Health & Resource Fair May is Hepatitis Month, and Asian Pacific Liver Center has teamed up with St. Vincent Medical Center to offer a mini health and resources fair on Saturday, May 7, from 9 am to noon. The event will provide free blood pressure screenings, blood sugar checks and Hepatitis B screenings. It will also feature an educational awareness workshop to promote Hepatitis B prevention. The fair will take place at Center of Hope, 2707 W Temple St. Los Angeles, California 90026. For more information, contact Connie Mored at (213) 298-8067 or Perla Santos (213) 268-3222.

PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global Reunion Attention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 27-29, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends.

For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-5448210 or loiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_santillan@yahoo.com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818-281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at 661-7948906 or rmaghari@gmail.com; Sally Mendoza at323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@ yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honey@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1@ att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808or vee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

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

Debt Relief Atty. lAwrenCe yAng THE one true GOD YAHWEH, created man and woman with free will. He gave us free will to choose what we want to do, because our GOD doesn’t force us to do anything that we do not want to. If we love Him, He wants our love for Him to be a free choice on our part, a love freely given, not forced. Indeed, what a great and wonderful creator we have! He could have made us into drones and robots with no free will, then the whole world right now, all six billion people would be worshipping Him without any free will; a world without terrorists!

All throughout our lives here on earth, we have to make choices. Therefore, we are responsible for our own choices and the consequences of those choices. Even when you drive to work every day, you have to decide which freeway to take. When its time for lunch, you have to decide, what you want to eat. So it is, life is full of choices to make. Will you vote for Hillary, or will you vote for Trump. That’s the choice you have to make. I’m voting for Hillary. That’s the choice I make.

Client no. 1 is 64. He is single and has never married. But he has several dependents. He works in the health care industry and makes a good salary of $80K a year. He has never owned a house because he has a number of dependents. He takes care of his brothers and sisters as well as his nieces and nephews, here and abroad. One niece is now a registered nurse because of him. He paid for his nursing degree. Another nephew is an accountant. He paid for his business degree. Without client’s help, his brothers and sisters, nieces and nephews would not be able to provide a roof over the heads much less pay for their children’s college expenses. In short, without the help given by client, his loved ones, his dependents here and abroad will not be able to get out of poverty. Client is actually the main breadwinner for his extended family. So this is why he never married. His priority was to help his family. If he had his own family, then obviously, he would have to give his wife

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 13-15, 2016

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Clients choose dependents/ house over credit cards Both clients seek chapter 7 relief to discharge credit cards

and children first priority, leaving a small amount as help for his extended family.

Client actually spends $2K a month for his extended family. Even with his $80K gross income a year, he still has to budget carefully. He rents a house, not an apartment, because two nieces and brother live with him. He takes care of them, and he is really happy to be able to provide that help.

And he still sends his sister and her children who live abroad, a significant sum every month.

The problem is that client also has $40K of credit card debt.

He allocates $1,500 a month to keep those cards current. But

ing paid $120K of minimum payments for 10 years, it’s really sad to say that she still owes the very same $30K! She did not think about this situation when she was still working and when her husband was still around. But with her husband gone and with her now retired and receiving just social security, she had to decide if she wanted to keep her house or keep her credit cards.

Let’s see. You can live in your house; it provides you shelter from the elements and a nice place to sleep in. You can’t live in your credit cards, can you?

Needless to say, client decided quickly to file for Chapter 7 to

All throughout our lives here on earth, we have to make choices. Therefore, we are responsible for our own choices and the consequences of those choices. with his age now, he would rather use the $1,500 to save up to buy a house for his extended family, and to be able to continue providing for his extended family. The choice he is faced with is to keep on paying $1,500 a month for $40K of credit card debt for the next 20 years, or get ride of those credit cards now with a Chapter 7 discharge and use the savings of $20K a year to buy a house and to continue providing help to his extended family. If you were him what would your choice be? It makes client happy to help his extended family and to save up for a house for them. His choice is to get rid of his $40K cards now with a Chapter 7 discharge. Smart choice.

Client no. 2 is 70. She owns and lives in a condo. She still owes a hefty sum on the condo. Her equity in the condo is about $100K. She stopped working last year and now gets social security of $1,800. Her mortgage is $1,400, leaving her $600 for the other necessities. The problem is that she owes $30K of credit card debt, which she has been paying $1K a month for the last 10 years, just to keep them current. Hav-

discharge $30K of credit card debt so that she could keep paying her house. She chose to keep her house over her credit cards. It’s a matter of choice, is it not? But the choice you make should be the correct one. Otherwise, you will suffer the consequences. On my way to court his morning, a homeless man was all wrapped up in rags in really filthy blankets, sleeping right there on the sidewalk. I felt bad for him. But that’s his choice. Our God gave him the free will to make that choice.

I hope you make the right choice in your situation. If client had discharged her cards ten years ago, she would $120K save up right now, instead of $30K of cards that need to get discharged. “ “Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior, and my Hope is in You all day long.” — Psalm 25:5 *** 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.

(Advertising Supplement)

B APRIL 13-15, 2016 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA I squirm inwardly when friends and acquaintances introduce me as a journalist. I am not. It is not a badge I am proud to wear. I consider myself just a wordsmith at some journeyman level, still struggling to earn being called a writer one day.

I like things that last — thoughts and things that have a longer shelf life that anyone in any generation can come back to again and again to find inspiration or gain deeper understanding over the course of one’s lifetime. Christ’s parables and aesop’s fables have eternal shelf life. Neither wrote their stories.

But unknown wordsmiths heard them and thankfully for us, put stylus to papyrus.

Words are powerful. they have the potential to build or destroy. they can shine a light or they can obscure truth by a turn of the phrase. Journalists are just human beings after all, whose personal experiences and motivations create the filters through which they see things.

In politics, depending on their persuasion and more frequently these days, depending on which side their bread is buttered, they can spout off agenda-driven opinion pieces intended to influence others.

If someone pays them a living to thrust a predetermined idea or policy to gain traction for gaining money or power, then they may be rightly called political shills or hacks. they use their craft to entice others to their way of thinking by pretending to endorse an idea in which they have a hidden vested interest. “Presstitute” is a new term that the public has coined to describe this vile specie of journalists.

Many journalists, particularly in politics these dark days, have become quite skilled in the art of obfuscation. It is the deplorable practice of hiding the intended meaning of what they really mean to say by deliberately crafting a confusing message. Like legalese and political correctness, obfuscation is a deliberately muddled and muddied way of writing that is essentially intended to cloak the truth and spew lies. thankfully, more and more people in society these days have become savvy at detecting which

Community Journal

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Calling a spade a spade Powerful lessons from China’s richest man Kite Runner

“Speak the truth, but leave immediately after.”

— Slovenian Proverb

ones can be trusted and which ones they can ignore. Many have become wise and are openly decrying the detrimental effects of the scourge of political correctness. Political correctness has been revealed as a leftist, liberal technique that distorts what is true by ascribing labels and public ridicule to shame people into a way of thinking and behaving. truth, like sunlight, is the best disinfectant against the rot that is caused by political correctness. the time has come for truth to finally come out swinging with an ax. It starts by calling a spade a spade. a friend emailed me the prayer below. I had to do some fact checking with some websites that do the digging about the veracity of email content that does the rounds in the internet. after all, the internet is rife with rumors and it is always good policy to verify and dig deeper. this prayer of repentance has gone viral and despite its longevity in the internet, refuses to die a natural death. My guess is that the prayer resonates with many in the country. the truth, as they said, will make us free. this prayer is probably worth amplifying and passing to others during a time when political correctness marginalizes the truth. american society has been conditioned by popular culture to play nice to the extent that we are afraid to confront what must be addressed. Calling a spade a spade is risky in a time when we have strayed as far away as we could from the core values that held this country for more than 2 centuries.

On January 23, 1996, in topeka, Kansas, Pastor Joe Wright of the Central Christian Church in Wichita led a prayer in the Kansas House that stirred controversy and continues to stir a hornet’s nest to this day. It’s a prayer that made legislators, particularly those of the liberal persuasion, very uncomfortable. Pastor Wright said a prayer written by Bob Russell, a Pastor of another Christian church in Kentucky. a member of the legislative body walked out and others were vocal in their criticism of the prayer. Later that

year, a lawmaker in Colorado repeated the prayer and some of his colleagues became angry and walked out in protest. a radio personality, Paul Harvey, picked it up and aired the story and the prayer with some frequency. the response to the prayer is so overwhelmingly in favor of it, his phone system could not handle it. are you curious as to why a simple prayer can rile some lawmakers and make them uncomfortable? are you curious as to why a simple prayer can be so controversial? Here it is in its entirety. Judge for yourself.

A prayer for our nation Heavenly Father, We come before You today to ask Your Forgiveness and seek Your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, ‘’Woe to those who call evil good,’’ but that’s exactly what we have done.

We have lost our Spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.

We confess that; we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it pluralism.

We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building selfesteem.

We have abused power and called it political savvy.

We have coveted our neighbor’s possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the timehonored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Prof. EnriquE Soriano (Part 1 of 2)

Last week was a relatively tough but gratifying week for my family as we were practically living in a suitcase for 6 nights while traversing Osaka, Manila and Hong kong. My Family Business coaching work in Japan and a speaking engagement in Hong Kong to celebrate Julie’s Bakeshop’s 35th anniversary were the highlights of the twin overseas trips. While in Hong kong which is a special administrative Region (saR) of China, I decided to research on the success lessons of Wang Jianlin, China’s newly minted Richest Billionaire with a fortune of $40.7 Billion. Wang is almost 4X richer than our local taipan, mall king Henry sy.

In a Business Insider report, Wang Jianlin, a former People’s Liberation army soldier who is now a real estate mogul and the world’s largest cinema chain operator, is the richest person in China and he’s caught in a riches race with Hong Kong business magnate Li-Kashing to become the wealthiest man in asia.

Wang, born in sichuan Province in 1954 just after the Communist revolution, spent the first few decades of his life in anything but luxury. In 1970, Wang entered the military, where he remained until 1986 when he took a city government job in the city of Dalian in Liaoning Province.

Wang became chairman of Wanda in 1989 at age 35.

His fortune more than doubled following successful public offerings of his real estate firm Dalian Wanda Commercial Properties, which has 125 shopping plazas and 68 five-star hotels, and Wanda Cinema Line, one of China’s largest movie theatre chains. according to a Forbes Magazine report, Wang bought 20 percent of spanish soccer team atletico Madrid and purchased the Us organizer of Ironman triathlons for $650 million. Wang’s Dalian Wanda Group purchased Us movie theatre chain aMC Entertainment Holdings for $2.6 billion in 2012 and took it public in December 2013.

His Wanda Group teamed up u PAGE B5 with the auchan Group to invest

Wang Jianlin, China’s newly minted Richest Billionaire with a fortune of $40.7 billion

3 billion euros, or $3.3 billion, in a business and entertainment center in Paris. the project will be the largest ever in France by a China company, and will include an indoor and outdoor theme park, stage show, hotels, and business and conference centers. the French investment is part of an aggressive push by 60year-old Wang to move Wanda beyond its roots in China’s real estate business. the company has in recent years expanded into entertainment, particularly film and sports, and committed billions of dollars to overseas investments. the project in France will be located next to the Charles de Gaulle airport, about 10 kilometers from downtown Paris. some 14,000 jobs will be created once the facility begins operation.

Wang’s recent book, a compilation of public speeches entitled “the Wanda Way,” claims to give an inside look into his managerial philosophy and the values that turned his company into a giant conglomerate with big global ambitions.

Here are some nuggets of advice from Wang as detailed by sophia Yan in a CNN report: 1. Get tough in the army Wang joined the Chinese military as a teenager in 1970. His gruelling training involved epic marches that took the soldiers through “knee-deep stretches of snow.” He recalls, “We were deprived of everything. In the snow, we had to dig our own hole to spend the night. anyone who faltered could forget about being chosen to move up that year, or

earning your Exemplary Fighter award.” this experience built his “teeth-gritting spirit and a desire to fight until the end,” he says.

Wang suggests there’s a direct relationship between a military background and success, pointing out that many top Chinese entrepreneurs previously served in the military.

2. Differentiate and innovate, like Starbucks “the first key is to understand how you can differentiate yourself from others and be innovative,” Wang said. “For instance, everyone knows how to sell coffee, but starbucks redesigned the coffee-making process, innovated the business model and became a successful chain business.”

Wang disputes the idea that only high-tech companies can lead the way forward -- “No matter whether you are in a traditional or an emerging industry, as long as you’re capable of innovating the existing business model, you can reap super profits.”

(To be continued next week)

***

Prof. Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor, Book Author, Executive Director of ASEAN-based Consulting group, Wong + Bernstein Advisory and former Chair of the Marketing Cluster of the ATENEO Graduate School of Business. He is back in Manila after a 2 week coaching work and book launch in the US where he shared his second book “Ensuring Your Family Business Legacy” to Asian and American Family Business owners. Get Prof Soriano’s book by calling Marianne at +639255224713 or email her at mrevilla@wongadvisory.com. Prof Soriano’s business articles can also be accessed at www.Faminbusiness.com.

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

PeoPle & events

LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 13-15, 2016

B

Calling a spade a spade Dory Cendana-Aoanan: Pangasinan’s first PAGE B4 t

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free. Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of this state and who have been ordained by You, to govern this great state of Kan-

woman entrepreneur passes away at 90

sas. Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of Your LOS ANGELES—Teodora Will.

Cendaña-Aoanan, affectionately I ask in the name of your Son, known as Dory, and popularly The Living Savior, Jesus Christ. touted as the first highly visible ••• woman entrepreneur in DaguNota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is pan City if not the whole provSVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To ince of Pangasinan, passed away send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ on April 2, the eve of the Feast of asianjournalinc.com Divine Mercy. She was 90.

She is survived by her husband of 72 years, lawyer Mariano “Naning Aoanan, a former Dagupan City councilor. After Apart from meeting with his stint as legal attache in HoZuckerberg, Pangilinan also nolulu, Hawaii, the family moved took part in a series of engage- to Los Angeles and settled in Alments with Silicon Valley lead- hambra. The Aoanan patriarch, ers and partners as the telco is now 95 resumed his post at the looking for ways to cater to its Los Angeles Consulate until his subscribers’ digital needs. retirement.

PLDT has set its capital exDory was born on Jan. 7, 1926, penditures at a record P43 bil- in Malasiqui, Pangasinan, Philiplion this year, with investments pines. She spent her early years to be focused on data services in in Baguio City, Philippines amid growing demand for where she met her husband and such. got married on April 30, 1944.

As of end-2015, PLDT had a They initially settled in San total wireless subscriber base Manuel then moved to Dagupan of 68.9 million, consisting of City for greener pastures where over 3.9 million wireless broad- their five children — Victoria, band subscribers and about 65 Ramon, Mariano, Jr. (deceased), million cellular subscribers. n Manuel “Lito” and Virgilio —

PLDT, Facebook strengthen...

PAGE B2 t

is now available in more than 30 countries, individuals can access online sources and services without data charges.

Free Basics allows users to access online information such as news, employment, health, education and other local information.

Millions of users on the Smart network have enjoyed Free Basics since its launch.

Following Free Basics, Smart and Facebook introduced Free Facebook Toggle and Free Instagram, which resulted in a surge in the number of online users.

EMPLOYMENT

were born.

Dory is also survived by her grandchildren Gerald Obien, Jose Bernard Obien, Rebecca Aoanan Gonzales, Francis Obien, Rachel Aoanan, Sarah Aoanan, Isabel Aoanan and Clarisse Aoanan, her daughters-in-law and son-in law, Esther Ramos, Maria Elena Mendoza-Aoanan and Manuel Obien, her grandsons-in- law Thomas Charles Gonzales and Shawn Anderson, great-granddaughter Emma Gonzales and only surviving sister, Lilia Cendana Santos.

While in Dagupan City she established the Dory Cendaña Vocational School while at the same time operated a beauty salon business for more than 25 years. Her business and mentorship provided a safe, educational environment for young women interested in the workplace at a time when women’s rights were practically non-existent.

Because of their senior status in the Filipino community, the husband and wife tandem were affectionately addressed as “kuya” and “atchie,” as in older brother and sister. When

EMPLOYMENT

Kuya Naning was assigned as the Philippine Legal Attaché in Honolulu, Hawaii, Atchie Dory continued with her beauty salon business in Pearl City, Hawaii and again in Los Angeles, California when Kuya Naning was reassigned here.

The couple were very active in their church, St. Thomas More in Alhambra, California. Atchie Dory was especially active with the parish’s Legion of Mary.

They were also active members in the Greater Dagupan Association of Los Angeles Area as well as the Pangasinan BrotherhoodUSA. The 9th day of the Novena was held last Sunday, April 10 in Alhambra. On Monday and Tuesday, April 11 and 12, viewing and rosary was held at the Rose Hills Memorial Park in Whittier, CA. The final funeral service and Mass is on Wednesday, April 13, at the Sky Rose Chapel, Rose Hills Memorial Park, 3888 Workman Mill Rd., Whittier, CA 90601 On Saturday, April 30, on Naning and Dory’s 73rd Wedding

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Anniversary, a Mass for the eternal repose of Dory’s soul will be held at St. Thomas More Parish Church, 2510 So. Fremont Ave., Alhambra, CA 91803. The urn containing her ashes will be present during the Mass. Thereafter, it will be transported to the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012-2707. A celebration of Dory’s life will follow.

All who want to say something about fond memories of her are invited to speak. Venue will be announced shortly. n

B APRIL 13-15, 2016 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL

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

The Asian Journal

MDWK

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 13, 2016

Francisco H. Licuanan iii

chairman and cEO Of GEOEstatE dEvElOpmEnt cOrp.

Giving back by building better communities in the Philippines

by Christina

RetiRement is often viewed as a period to slow down and enjoy the fruits of one’s labor, but such is not the case for mr. Francisco H. Licuanan iii.

After serving as property developer Ayala Land inc.’s founding president for 16 years, mr. Licuanan retired on schedule in 2004. During his tenure, he helped propel the company to its status as the largest real estate developer in the Philippines, overseeing residential and commercials developments, such as Greenbelt and Glorietta in makati and Bonifacio Global City, among many others. though he was supposed to be retired, he spent the next two years dabbling in govern-

Sonria 3 Bedroom Premium Model Unit.

M. Oriel /AJPress

ment and consulting. However, he had his eye set on returning to the real estate business — this time as an entrepreneur.

From there, the Ateneo and Harvard educated investment banker-turned real estate icon founded Geoestate Development Corp. in 2006 as a smaller real estate company that would cater to the middle-income market. “i wanted to get back to business itself but at a different level because when you’re at the corporate level and in a fairly senior position, you wind up getting more and more separated from the actual product itself — from designing the product, making sure it fits the needs of the customers and actually talking to them,”

he told the Asian Journal during a recent interview. “Once you’re at the corporate level and managing a large corporation, you’re sort of detached.

You spend more of your time administering…and less and less time in the actual doing of a business.”

Working downward from the corporate level was refreshing, mr. Licuanan shared, because he could devote more attention to each aspect of the projects, from the designing process to the turnover to buyers.

He brought miriam Katigbak (who had also retired from Ayala Land) on board as president and chief operating officer, while he would be the company’s chair and chief executive officer.

“We made a deliberate decision that we would not become a large company…because that’s not what we wanted to do with the rest of our lives,” he said.

Attention to detail today, mr. Licuanan is 71 years old, and shows no signs of stopping. Rather, his second wind in the real estate business is just heating up.

Despite the years spent in the real estate industry, starting a new venture was not without challenges. Among the top three obstacles mr. Licuanan identified were no track record and established reputation, financial constraints and limited operations.

However, he shared that

Geoestate has overcome them by developing personal relationships with buyers, which in turn helps build that reputation and attracting financial support. in terms of operations, where unlike a corporation, experts are readily available, Geoestate tends to hire people at the start of their careers and do more training.

Keeping the company at its current size has perks, mr. Licuanan said, because it will never have more than three projects on the table simultaneously in order to preserve the attention to detail and customers.

“One of the things we at [Geoestate] pride ourselves in is that we don’t leave the designing to the architects. We work with them. the buildings we build and products we sell are not simply expressions of architects’ artistic desires, but are still functional in the point of view of the actual person who would live there,” he said.

Further, more time can be spent on researching emerging markets before larger companies can do so.

“We look for products that are somewhat unique. i have stress ‘somewhat’ because there is nothing that is totally unique in real estate, but it is something that has not been tried in that particular market or location,” mr. Licuanan said.

“People may perceive that the market is not ready for it.

Again, as a small company, we have to identify opportunities before the big companies do,

and get in and take advantage of the opportunities and offer them to the market.”

Building communities Geoestate currently has three projects: the third and final tower of the Beacon in makati; Sonria, a high-end residential condominium in Alabang; and Soluna, a subdivision community in Bacoor, Cavite. “[W]hen we talk to potential buyers abroad, we look at them as ‘users’ (meaning they will use the condo) or ‘investors.’ From the United States, the buyers tend to be both because they may use the unit for the time being but plan to rent it out. We have to sell them a product, which generates a good rental yield even if they initially plan to live there first,” mr. Licuanan explained.

On the corner of Arnaiz and Roces Streets in business district makati sits the Beacon, a three tower residential development that caters to expats, overseas Filipinos and Filipinos who work in the area. makati was chosen for the company’s first project to capture ‘the

AJPress photos by Joseph L. Peralta

best real estate potential.’

“Basically in the Philippine market, we rent to two people: expats or people who still have not reached the economic level of buying their own homes. in the US, there is a lot of changing of residences and mobility, but in the Philippines, not so much,” mr. Licuanan said. “You have to focus your products close to the business districts because that’s where the potential is — the expats and workers are there. that’s why our first product is in makati. it was not intended solely for the foreign market but it lends itself to that.” the third tower of the Beacon is slated to be finished in 2017, and in keeping with the company’s philosophy, it caters to the middle-class market, yet has amenities that were once only afforded to the upper echelon. Some of the amenities include a 50-meter, Olympic length swimming pool, large entertainment areas and a theater. in Alabang, a southern subContinued on Page 3

features

Dennis Trillo: What you see is what you get

The Asian Journal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 13, 2016

by Bot

Glorioso Philstar.com

“MArrIAgE is not a word. It’s a sentence…a life sentence!”

That is Dennis Trillo talking to his friends like a real Casanova.

He is the kind of guy who charms and smooth-talks his way to the ladies. Oops, before anyone gets upset and starts bashing Dennis on social media, the actor is just portraying his character as the playboy Juan in the gMA 7’s newest primetime “sexy and naughty” comedy series “Juan Happy Love story” that is set to air on May 16. Topbilling with Dennis is Heart Evangelista as Happy.

The Kapuso network invited select members of the entertainment press for a preview of the show’s first few episodes. Everyone burst into laughter in most of the scenes, especially those parts where Juan and Happy were seen engaged in what seemed to be a never-ending fight due to the former’s womanizing ways.

Judging from his colorful lovelife, Dennis indubitably didn’t have a hard time plunging and losing himself into the role. He smiled and said, “I’m happy because this is my first time to be given this kind of project on TV and yes, there’s no need to do research since Juan is just so naughty. I already did naughty roles in the past but this is my naughtiest and I think this is the first time for televiewers to see this kind of treatment and presentation on TV.” According to program manager Hazel Abonita, “Juan Happy Love story” has a different kind of storytelling since it tackles the lead characters’ different points of view on love. “When it comes to love, everything for Happy is romantic while Juan sees it as, no offense meant, everything is sexual. The presentation is also far from usual. May eksenang three times n’yong mapapanood — the he said, meaning from Juan’s point of view, the ‘she said’

3

John Lloyd Cruz champions overseas Filipino workers endorsement deal at the Marriott Ballroom in Pasay City.

He explained that overseas As an actor, John Lloyd Cruz Filipinos have always been close is compelling as can be. Off cam- to his heart what with their overera, he is passionate in making a whelming support in watching difference in the lives of others. his films wherever they may be.

And when these two aspects of Whenever he travels too, whether his personality are combined, the for work or vacation, Cruz said results are outstanding. he will always come across a In 2013 for example, Cruz “kababayan” who will go out of went all the way to suyac Island his or her way to make him feel in sagay, Negros Occidental to appreciated for his most popular personally hand out blankets, roles on the silver screen, such as medicine and clothing to children Popoy in the two-part box office whom he learned had to swim a hit “One More Chance” (2007) good two-kilometers of sea to go and “A second Chance” (2015), to school everyday. He was able with perennial leading lady Bea to do so by enjoining the support Alonzo. of a pharmaceutical company, On a more personal note, whose paracetamol brand he the actor is also very much in helped catapult to the top of the tune with how overseas Filipinos market via his endorsement, thus live having had immediate family making something great out of members residing abroad who something good. yearned for home.

Today, the blockbuster star “In representing Western is bent on making a difference in Union, a company that has grown the lives of Filipinos anew, particu- with Filipinos here and abroad, larly the millions who are workI am challenged to get to know ing and living abroad, as global my kababayans more so that ambassador of money transfer I can effectively do my part in company Western Union in the motivating and helping them to Philippines. uplift their lives, and that of their “I wholeheartedly accept the families,” Cruz said, adding that leading man role of the overhe will surely find ways of using seas Filipino workers—the real this endorsement as an opportulife heroes, the unsung heroes nity to reach out to the country’s of our country,” Cruz declared modern-day heroes. just before he signed his latest Moreover, he related how he

by EudEn

ValdEz ManilaTimes.net

Dennis Trillo, who topbills the GMA 7’s newest primetime offering Juan “Happy Love Story” with Heart Evangelista, says his character Juan is his naughtiest role on TV yet.

from Happy and the scene where they both imagine the possible outcome of their respective thoughts; ’yun naman ’yung mga imaginary scenes.”

Dennis admitted to having a wild streak in his younger years but that doesn’t mean he frowns on marriage.

“I do have plans to settle down but I can’t tell exactly when because I am not rushing it. For me, it’s a sacred matter and once I’ve decided to get married, there’s no turning back so dapat ’yung time na desidido na talaga ako,” he said.

He, too, is not the type who believes that there’s an ideal age or time to take on such an important life event. He believes anytime is the best time but it would have to depend on one’s willingness to do so “because once it hits you, there’s no need to think anymore; bigla na lang mararamdaman at tingin ko mas masaya pag ganun. I don’t think I would be happy if I stay single my whole life and for sure, all of us want to be with somebody we can grow old with.”

Besides, Dennis said he knows that getting married is one of the most important decisions a couple will make together. Does he see his rumored flame, Jennylyn Mercado, as the one he will

be walking down the aisle with?

“Ayokong magsalita ng tapos. All I can say is we’re both happy whatever it is happening to us right now — in our work and personal life.”

However, Dennis is not confirming or denying if they are officially back in each other’s arms.

They are among the celebrity couples who prefer to keep their relationships private. “What you see is what you get. gusto lang namin tahimik at di masyadong pinag-uusapan. We try to separate our private life from work.”

Asked if Jennylyn has already seen his and Heart’s kissing scenes in the show, Dennis said there is nothing to worry about knowing that Jennylyn understands that these things are part of their work as actors.

“Our director (LA Madridejos) gives us the freedom to do what we deem best for the show.

That’s why I’m glad that he also experiments with his shots at hindi puro traditional set-up lang ng kamera.”

Through the show, Dennis is certain that his character will impart lessons to the viewers, especially the men. They will learn a tip or two on how to win the hearts of women and most importantly, as Dennis said, on how to make love lasting.

John Lloyd Cruz hopes to make a difference in the lives of overseas Filipinos in his latest endeavor

has personally experienced the services of Western Union during a trip to Europe some years back.

Cruz recalled, “It was eight years ago, and I think it was in Venice, France. I ran out of cash and all my credits cards were maxed out. Basically, lumalakad po ako sa Europe na walang pera.”

While walking aimlessly, he saw a small Western Union window inside a bus terminal. An idea suddenly came to him to ask money from his family, and in no time, help was on its way.

“I’ve been grateful to Western Union ever since—how it can easily get a kababayan out of trouble like it did for me. so whether here or abroad, it’s all in the service of Filipinos, and I’m eager to do my share for them.”

Western Union senior vice president Patricia Ringgen and marketing director Steve Peregrino for Southeast Asia and Oceania welcome the multi-awarded actor to the company

Soluna Grand Entrance Gate

The Beacon Makati - Swimming Pool

Giving back by building better...

From Page 2 urb of Metro Manila, sonria is the first high-end condominium for the area that is traditionally known for single, detached homes. With 88 units, the intention is to build a community and have residents get to know one another.

Lastly, Mr. Licuanan enthusiastically detailed the progress of soluna, a private community in Bacoor, Cavite. Unlike the two other projects, soluna has 200 homes and is rooted in fostering a safe, neighborhood ambiance, where families can walk around and enjoy amenities no more than three blocks from their home. straying away from the trend of putting common areas at the edges of a development, geoEstate designed to have them at the middle of the subdivision, “because the idea is that you should be able to walk from anywhere in the subdivision to the park, the multipurpose hall, the swimming pool and you are never more than two or three blocks away,” he said.

He added, “it’s convenient and people can walk and don’t have to take their cars. Children can walk to the park from their homes without worrying about crossing busy streets or traffic.”

Managing political and economic transitions With the Philippine national elections less than a month away, Filipinos abroad are closely awaiting the results,

which may influence their investment decisions in the coming year.

However, Mr. Licuanan assures that there is no need to worry about the transition to another president.

“I don’t see any of the candidates changing the policies dramatically. What we’re talking about is who is better at implementation and will get things done quickly. Will there be more or less corruption?” he posed.

Adding, “of course who is president matters…But at the policy level, if you look at all the presidents after Mr. Marcos, what you’ll see is a convergence of policy. Actually, they aren’t that far apart…The bigger questions are going to be the macro conditions external to the country that the president will have to manage.

The world is…a more unpredictable place now.”

As the Philippines continues to position itself as a global player, Mr. Licuanan proposed that the government to figure out “how to take advantage of that period of time where the remittances are keeping the economy stable, while building up the local industries for consumption.”

“We have to build those products efficiently, so that [one day] those industries can stand on their own. That’s our biggest challenge.”

For the real estate industry

in the country, Mr. Licuanan doesn’t see it bubbling up anytime soon.

“In a sense, we mirror the economy but in a saturated way: when the economy is good, real estate is good; when the economy is bad, real estate is bad…so far the trends and prognosis are good,” he said. “But one thing for example is that the Central Bank [of the Philippines] has been aware of that problem, so it has been tightening and trying to make sure it does the tightening before it becomes too late… It has been about two years since both developers and the Central Bank have slowed down on expansion. They haven’t allowed the bubble to build up — they’ve started deflating it.”

As the company completes its projects and announces more in the coming months, for Mr. Licuanan and geoEstate, the current situation in the country is promising.

“The key here is that because we are a private company, we don’t have to worry about stock price and investors.

We only worry about ourselves and our customers. Of course, we have to make money and that shows how well we are doing, but that’s not the objective of the whole company. [Miriam and I] were both retired and we could have spent our time traveling or enjoying ourselves, but we wanted to give back,” he said.

4

Beautiful cherry blossom lands

features

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 13, 2016

Kathryn Bernardo considers Daniel Padilla as her ‘protector’

by Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com

A “protector” – this is how Kathryn Bernardo sees onscreen partner and rumored boyfriend Daniel padilla.

“Parang labas si DJ dun kasi parang lahat ‘yon nasa kanya,” she replied when asked if she can categorize

Mango Mix by martin

Daniel in the classification of friends found in her book “everyday Kath,” in an interview on Sunday after its launch.

“Kasi para siyang tatay na kaibigan mo na ewan. ‘Yong 10 na ‘yon siguro sa mga friends ko mag-a-apply na iba-

Jason L. ita-as

Kathryn Bernardo considers Daniel Padilla as her “protector” and one of the persons who taught her how to be strong in life.

iba ‘yong personalities namin pero na-drive kami together, ‘yon talaga ‘yong perfect combination. then si DJ parang wala siya dun sa top 10 na ‘yon,” she explained.

When asked about the Kapamilya actor’s role in her life, the “teen Queen” replied, “siya ‘yong parang best na pwede mong sabihan ng secrets and then mag-a-advice sa ’yo na di ka i-judge.”

“Siya ‘yong mag-protect sa ‘yo kung sino ‘yong umaway sa ‘yo or something,” she added.

Now that she bid the teenage years goodbye as she turned 20, she learned from Daniel to be strong in whatever challenge that life brings.

“Before kasi medyo fragile ako, e,” she admitted. “Pero because of all the experiences before I think I’ve learned a lot.

And kailangan talaga maging strong ka para mas ready ka to face everyone and para rin sa sarili mo.”

“I’m really thankful na andyan si DJ from day one hanggang ngayon,” she added, smiling. “Nandyan siya to support me… gano’n naman kami, sinusuportahan namin ang isa’t isa.”

Kathryn and Daniel will soon start working on a film that will be shot in Spain.

SmAll blossoms on a tree. pink all over the branches draped. You fall ever softly. the cherry blossom is a subtle yet memorable flower that can be found around certain places in the world. While they are small and easy to shake off from their branches, they are lovely and cover the springtime with beautiful blankets of blush.

Here are some of the places where picturesque cherry blossom trees can be found: Japan one of the places where the cherry blossom (sakura) is a national symbol. In Japan, the shower of these pink petals isn’t just an aesthetic. It’s a way of life. From sakura flavored snacks and sakura themed items, no other country is as crazy about these beautiful petals as the land of the rising sun.

America While not as enthusiastic as Japan is about these tiny pink petals, America nonetheless has its share of beautiful springtime views when the season rolls in. the tidal Basin in Washington

Dc is a romantic lookout where cherry blossoms line the trees around.

South Korea much like its Japanese sister, South Korea has its own dandy streets lined with pinkproducing trees in the country.

A tunnel in Jinhae-gu features some of the most charming sights, with both the little pink blossoms and sharp colored fences that brighten the calming vibe of the street.

London the St. James park in london is a good place to get your pink on with some of their trees sprouting a bushy, rosy foliage that’s just in the season right now. Who said beautiful blossoms like those only grow in Asia or America as other european countries boast a pretty boom of blossom as well.

the gentle blush of the season cannot be missed! Get traveling to see the rosy glow of mother nature in action when you visit these wonderful cherry blossom countries in their springtime. *** 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 (1-866-2-626452). Visit www. mangotours.com to know more about its latest promos and travel offers.* *Advertising Supplement

Is Sharon Cuneta Boy Abunda’s new co-host? by ronniew

carrasco ManilaTimes.net

iii

It was around this time last year when ABS-cBN’s “the Buzz” bade farewell on tV. the show—identified with Boy Abunda and Kris Aquino—aired for nearly 18 years with consistently high ratings and heavy commercial load.

So what was said to have killed it? the answer is social media. Facebook, twitter and Instagram, all potential sources of news about celebrities made readily available.

It was exactly the same fate that befell “Startalk,” “the Buzz’s” rival showbiz-oriented talk show for many years on GmA Network. Interestingly,

King of Talk Boy Abunda renews his contract with ABS-CBN, here with network COO Cory Vidanes and president and CEO Carlo Katigbak

Abunda—who is hailed as the King of talk—was one of the early pillars of “Startalk” back in october 1995 when no one ever knew a college kid named mark

Zuckerberg would change the world within a decade. presently, there are no more showbiz talk show formats on Continued on Page 5

features 5 Las Vegas, a paradise beyond art The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 13, 2016

Moonlighting

by Mylah de

leon

LAs VegAs is a city of a thousand flashing lights racing on and off, bizarre and beautiful, meant to confuse people that there is no time here, no night and day, no past or future. It is just like having arrived at a palace at the end of the world, its oversized antiquitiess, employees wearing costumes, seducing you inside with a game of roulette or craps with the sound of money.

Behind the glitter and neon posts is an incredible array of colorful characters who enhance its mystique larger than life. The tales are taller of their winnings and losses in life as well as on the tables, their extreme experiences, even greater.

The characters both real and imagined, famous and obscure—whether a writer is looking for the classic kitchy Las Vegas of yesteryears, when it was known as the temple of the First American Dream (founded

by Bugsy siegal). There is

a hidden world beyond its popular image ranging from the hilarious to the tragic. We are drawn to the city for the inspiration provided by its spirit and character, for what it says about us and our society whether as a cesspool for the crass or a pleasant palace of the ordinary mortal.

Throw in the world’s best and worst gamblers, ladies room attendants, showgirls, conventioneers (doctors are the lowest tippers), to a haven of sin and vice, to its present incarnation as lower rollers gambling playground of today.

You start pondering about that cocktail waitress with the coiffed dyed hair like she was the chorus line beauty, wise cracking with hard, tired eyes and smile that happen on reflex. You know each person has a story. even as we talked, I could hear the handle of slot machines. They pulled and pulled and pulled, making you wonder where the money comes from, even imagined the possibility of the machine incubating their own coins and giving birth to the money—money while lights flashed and bells rang!

For some reason though, I knew the money could never be mine or yours, even if we had a truck load of coins to

spend and pull the same machines all night long, until kingdom come.

It will be devoured again and again, the nickels, and the dimes, and the quarters it provides for the hungry slot machines, rather than extra cash for the moonlighter. It seems to me that in some great sky, someone had chosen the lucky and the unlucky, the winner and loser. Luck wasn’t given because someone needed or deserved it, or I’ll be the luckiest one alive!

Vegas is the temptress that seduced and beguiled leading to wide doors, but these doors weren’t doors, they were great sucking machines of which money fell out of slot machines, into stacks of chips that grew taller or shorter on green felt tables for winners and losers.

In Vegas, you can do anything. give in to that subsidiary thrill, that almost religious excitement before a game, to flashes of insanity and lunar influence. And even against all odds, you’ll get a great night and the greatest thing about that night is that you’ve done nothing to deserve it. ***

E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@ aol.com

Is Sharon Cuneta Boy Abunda’s new..

From Page 3 any free-TV station, and the networks are neither keen on producing one. To quote a gMA insider, “Creating a showbiz talk show (again) is not in the horizon.”

Had it not been axed, startalk would have celebrated its 20th anniversary in October 2015. “sayang,” the production staff collectively sighed, as a number of big and interesting stories had yet to be followed through at the time, and suddenly, they had no program to feature them.

But while showbiz talk shows

on TV may have disappeared one after the other over the last year, the public’s hunger for “chismis” remains fiercely insatiable with or without the threatening dominance of social media.

And with Abunda signing a two-year exclusive contract with ABs-CBN on April 6, a quiet buzz has begun that he will revive the highly missed format on TV with no less than Megastar sharon Cuneta—an active social media personality—as his co-captain.

Now wouldn’t that be interesting?

Megastar Sharon Cuneta

6

The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - April 13, 2016

Thursday - Wednesday • April 14-20

Valid at Island Pacific West Covina·Panorama·Canoga Park·N. Vermont Los Angeles·S. Vermont Los Angeles·Oxnard·Cerritos·Rancho Cucamonga.

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