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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

Volume 26 - No. 7 • 4 Sections – 32 Pages

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DATELINE

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Filipina killed in San Jose bus crash

A fILIPINA who recently moved to the United states was one of two women killed when a Greyhound bus overturned on highway 101 in san Jose, California on tuesday morning, Jan. 19. fely olivera, 51, was traveling back home to san francisco from Los Angeles, where she had visited her two other sons. she had just immigrated to California from the Philippines in september.

Antonio olivera, 25, fely’s son who is based in the Bay Area, said that he was hoping that his mother was one of the passengers that got injured. “...so I called hospitals in

by Jefferson

AntipordA ManilaTimes.net

seNAtor ferdinand marcos Jr. sees no need for the imposition of martial law to solve the country’s problems.

What is needed, he said, is a strong leader with a clear vision.

In an open forum at the Centro escolar University (CeU) in makati City on friday, Jan. 22 marcos told students that martial law is imposed to

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galvanize the populace when there is war. “there is no need to declare martial law when all we need to do is to instill discipline,” he said in response to a question of a student. the senator, who is running for Vice President as an independent, noted that he understands the student’s concern on the apparent lack of discipline in the country as can be of discipline in the country as can be gleaned from disorder in the streets to the manner

government officials run the country. marcos, however, marcos martial law is not the solution to the problem on the lack of discipline. he noted that filipinos need a leader with a clear vision and who knows where to take the country in the next five to 10 years.

“A leader with the clear understanding of how to achieve that vision, and to impart that vision and galvanize the populace so that we are once again united toward that common purpose,”

marcos said.

“We should think not only of ourselves, of our families or of our party mates. We should be thinking of what is needed to build this nation into a vibrant, a strong and a peaceful society,” the senator added. the elections in may, he said, is an opportunity to change direction and find a good leader who could bring the country toward that vision of unity and progress.

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Long Beach City Council approves minimum wage hike

the Long Beach City Council on Wednesday, Jan. 20, voted 6-2 to create a pathway to gradually raise the minimum wage to $10.50 per hour by 2017, $12 in 2018 and $13 by 2019. the council approved the wage measure Wednesday morning after midnight, following a lengthy meeting that began the evening of tuesday, Jan. 19, involving nearly twoand-a-half hours of public testimony from restaurant owners and low-wage workers who argued for and against the wage raise. supported by Long Beach mayor robert Garcia, the council’s decision follows that of

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Teofilo Mesina, 82, is joined by his wife Irene as he claims a $1 million Powerball prize.

Photo courtesy of Powerball’s official website

Marcos told students that martial law is imposed to galvanize the populace when there is war. The senator, who is running for Vice President as an independent, noted that he understands the students’ concern on the apparent lack of discipline in the country as can be gleaned from disorder in the streets to the manner government officials run the country.

Comelec releases initial list of Presidential, VP candidates Aquino to confer by pAtriciA lourdes Philstar.com

VirAy

mANILA — sen. Grace Poe and Davao City mayor rodrigo Duterte, who are both facing disqualification from the presidential race, made it to the initial list of candidates running for president in the may elections.

Based on the list released on thursday, Jan. 21 by the Commission on elections (Comelec), only eight out of 130 candidates seeking the presiThe initial list of candidates for the 2016 national elections—which includes presidential aspirants Vice dency were approved.

Pres. Jejomar Binay, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, Sen. Grace Poe, former DILG Sec. Mar Roxas and Apart from Poe and Duterte, those Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago—is subject to the outcome of the pending cases before the Commission

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on Elections.

Pacquiao ‘ready to fight’ after securing medical clearance for Bradley fight

by AJpress

IN time for his last match on April 9 against timothy Bradley, manny Pacquiao has received a medical clearance, after undergoing shoulder surgery that forced him out of the ring for almost a year.

Pacquiao underwent arthroscopic surgery for a tear on his rotator cuff on may 6, 2015, just days after the ‘fight of the Century’ against floyd mayweather, Jr., who won by unanimous decision. “manny is 100 percent medically cleared, it’s a complete clearance from the doctor,” top rank Promotions chief Arum said, according to the manila times. “that doctor [Neal elAttrache] was the one who per-

formed manny’s shoulder operation in may last year.”

Pacquiao and Bradley, who will meet in the ring for the third time this April at the mGm Grand in Las Vegas, were on a media tour this week, starting in Beverly hills, California on tuesday, Jan. 13 and ending at madison square Garden in New York on thursday, Jan. 21.

Before heading to New York, Pacquiao had a check-up with elAttrache in Los Angeles. “ready to go, ready to fight,” the People’s Champ told reporters on tuesday, adding that that the examination only took “15 to 20 minutes.”

Pacquiao’s adviser michael Konz said that “the doctor is very pleased with the way the shoul-

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Filipino in Virginia Beach wins $1-M from Powerball

by Allyson

escobAr

AJPress

CAmP osCAr fLoreNDo, La Union — two police officers who were among those killed in the mamasapano incident last year will be awarded the medal of Valor by President Aquino.

Philippine National Police chief Director General ricardo marquez said the medals would be handed over by

WhILe most people were closely watching the national Powerball lottery drawing live on television on Wednesday, Jan. 13, an 82-yearold filipino man from Virginia Beach, Va. was not one of them.

It wasn’t until he checked online when he realized he had a winning ticket. teofilo mesina won $1 million – before taxes – from the record $1.5 billion jackpot, after correctly picking five numbers. he missed only the Powerball number.

“Not many people win that kind of money,” mesina told the Virginian-Pilot on Jan. 19, as he claimed his prize. mesina bought his ticket from a 7-eleven at Lynnhaven Parkway and salem road in Virginia Beach.

“I would buy just sometimes,” he said. “I

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medal of valor on 2 slain SAF commandos

by Jun

eliAs Philstar.com

A JANUARY 23-26, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From the Front Page

Filipino in Virginia Beach wins $1-M…

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played a mix of my own numbers, and some computer pick numbers.”

His numbers – 04, 08, 19, 27 and 34 – were selected from significant dates for loved ones, he said. (A friend was born in April, the fourth month of the year, so he chose number 4.)

When Mesina looked at the numbers, he first thought he was

misreading. He checked with his wife, Irene, then other family members to make sure he had won.

“I was shocked; I couldn’t believe it,” Irene Mesina said.

Including Messina, there were 72 $1 million winners -- 12 of whom are from California -- and eight $2 million winners. More than 635 million tickets were sold for the drawing.

“I finally called my son when I realized the numbers matched,” he told Virginia’s WTKR News Channel 3. “The next day, I talked to a financial advisor so I can decide how to handle my winnings. I wanted to win the whole thing, but I’m lucky because I won a million!”

Three winning tickets in Florida, California and Tennessee will share the largest prizes in the $1.5 billion jackpot.

Wednesday’s drawing marked the first time a ticket matched all five numbers and the Powerball since the jackpot began on

Nov. 7 at $40 million. The pot had been rolled over 20 times before winners emerged during Wednesday’s drawing.

Mesina is retired from working in a sign shop, where he bent glass. After claiming his prize, presented by the Virginia Lottery’s deputy director Randy Wright, he told reporters that he doesn’t any plans yet for how he will spend the money, except to pay off his mortgage first.

As an occasional lottery player, Manny Pacquiao Mesina is not done trying his luck.

“Of course, [I’ll] win some more money,” he said. n

Marcos: PH does not…

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Compared to the five other candidates for Vice President, Marcos seems to have the most extensive experience in public service.

Before being elected senator, he served as governor of Ilocos Norte for three terms and as Second District representative of the

AJPress photo by Ding Carreon

Pacquiao ‘ready to fight’…

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der has healed.”

With 57 wins, 6 losses and 2 draws and a total of 38 knockouts, the 37-year-old Pacquiao province.

He transformed Ilocos Norte is the only fighter to win eight into a first-class province by world titles in as many different harnessing and developing its weight divisions.

Pacquiao and Bradley first potential and embarked on his pioneering project for alternative fought in 2012, where Bradenergy through the now famous ley beat Pacquiao for the WBO Bangui and Pagudpud windmill welterweight crown in a controversial split decision. Two years farms. n

later, in 2014, Pacquiao dealt Bradley his first professional loss in their world title rematch.

“I am looking forward to this fight between Manny Pacquiao and Tim Bradley. We will see how much Manny has recovered from shoulder surgery and whether he has been able to retain all of his power. We saw in Tim’s last fight a new, improved Tim Bradley thanks and largely due to his astute trainer Teddy Atlas. One thing is for sure, this fight will be vastly different from the first two these two warriors have had,” Arum said on Thursday.

After the April 9 fight, Pacquiao will go back to the Philippines to continue campaigning for a senatorial seat. An incumbent congressman, the boxer said that he wants to concentrate more on helping his fellow countrymen.

“I’m hanging up my gloves so I can focus on another responsibility I have, to help other people,” he said.

For Pacquiao’s wife, incumbent Sarangani vice governor Jinkee Pacquiao said Manny’s retirement announcement is an “answered prayer”.

“Noong natalo siya kay Marquez, sinabihan ko na siyang mag-retire na. Hindi lang ako, pati si Mommy D,” Jinkee told the Asian Journal.

However, Arum is not promoting the April 9 fight as Pacquiao’s last, as the Asian Journal reported earlier this week.

“I can’t come to grips with the fact that it would be the last time.

Maybe it will, maybe it won’t, that’s up to Manny,” Arum said.

After Pacquiao’s brief trip to the US, he was scheduled to return to the Philippines for the first half of his training. (With reports from Momar G. Visaya / AJPress)

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From the Front page

MASSACRE REMEMBERED. Farmers from various provinces burn an effigy of President Benigno Aquino III during a rally at Mendiola to commemorate the 29th anniversary of the Mendiola massacre on Friday, Jan. 22. The farmers called for genuine land reform.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russel Palma

Comelec releases initial list of Presidential…

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on the list of presidential bets are Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), Sen. Miriam DefensorSantiago of the People’s Reform Party, Liberal Party (LP) standard bearer Manuel Roxas II, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP) candidate Mel Mendoza, party-list Rep. Roy Señeres of the Partido ng Mangagawa at Magsasaka Workers and Peasants Party (WPPPMM) and independent candidate Dante Valencia.

Duterte is running under the Partido Demokratiko PilipinoLakas ng Bayan. Poe is an independent candidate.

The Comelec listed Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, Francis Escudero, Gringo Honasan, Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Antonio Trillanes IV as well as Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo as the official candidates for vice president.

A total of 19 aspirants filed their certificates of candidacy for vice president in October last year.

In the senatorial race, a total of 52 candidates made it to the list.

They include Raffy Alunan (independent), Ina Ambolodto (LP), Tonyboy Aquino (independent), Godofredo Arquiza (independent), Levito Baligod

(independent), Greco Belgica (independent), Walden Bello (independent), Sandra Cam (PMP), Joel Catmon (PRP), Mel Chavez (WPPPMM), Neri Colmenares (Makabayan), Leila de Lima (LP), Isko Moreno (PMP), Senate President Franklin Drilon (LP), Larry Gadon (KBL), Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian (NPC), Dick Gordon (independent), Sen. Teofisto Guingona III (LP), Risa Hontiveros (Akbayan), Princess Jaafar (independent), Eid Kabalu (independent), Lorna Kapunan (Aksyon), Princess Jacel Kiram (UNA), Alma Moreno (UNA), Panfilo Lacson (independent) and Juror Lagare (independent).

Other senatorial bets are Rey Langit (UNA), Mark Lapid (Aksyon), Dante Liban (independent), Romeo Maganto (LakasCMD), Edu Manzano (independent), Allan Montano (UNA), Mon Montano (independent), Getulio Napeñas (UNA), Susan Ople (NP), Emma Orozco (independent), Sen. Sergio Osmena III (independent), Sarangani Rep. Manny Pacquiao (UNA), CoopNatcco party-list Rep. Cresente Paez (independent), Samuel Pagdilao (independent), Jovito Palparan (independent), Franciso Pangilinan (LP), Jericho Petilla

(LP), Sen. Ralph Recto (LP), Roger Rodriguez (independent), Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez (Lakas-CMD), Pasig Rep. Roman Romulo (independent), Dionisio Santiago (independent), Sen. Vicente Sotto (NPC), Francis Tolentino (independent), Joel Villanueva (LP) and Miguel Zubiri (independent).

There are 120 party-list groups seeking seats in the House of Representatives.

According to the poll body, the list is still subject to verification and editing since there are candidates facing disqualification cases.

The Comelec released the initial list to allow the candidates to check the accuracy of their names prior to the printing of official ballots.

Ballot printing Meanwhile, the Comelec denied railroading the printing of the official ballots for the May polls to favor Poe. James Jimenez, spokesman for the Comelec, said they are not rushing the printing of ballots. Jimenez said since Poe’s disqualification cases remain pending before the Supreme Court, her name could not be removed yet from the official ballot. n

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 23-26, 2016

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Dateline USa

A JANUARY 23-26, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Long Beach City Council approves minimum…

PAGE A1 t the City of Los Angeles’, which last year approved a minimum wage raise to $15 per hour by 2020.

The council further voted to commission a study that would examine the effects of the higher wages on the economy. If it finds that the impacts are positive, the city’s minimum wage would rise to $14 in 2020 and $15 in 2021.

It also voted to ask the city attorney to draft an ordinance that will be voted on next month, according to the OC Register.

Under the proposed measure, employers would be allowed to pay a “training wage” that is 85 percent of the minimum wage to interns for the first 480 hours, or six months, of employment, the Register reported.

Non-profit organizations and

small businesses employing 25 workers or less have an additional year to raise their wages.

Many workers were in support of boosting the minimum wage in Long Beach. Among advocates for the motion was the Filipino Migrant Center (FMC), a non-profit organization dedicated to organizting and mobilizing low-income and workingclass Filipinos that conducted a month-long survey about the issue last November. Ninety-six percent of residents were in support of higher wages, according to the survey.

“We know working families are struggling right now,” said community activist Nikole Cababa, according to Inquirer. “We were pushing for $15 as soon as possible. This victory is a critical step forward to addressing low

wages in Long Beach, but we know strong wage enforcement is necessary.”

Long Beach restaurant worker Roberto Ramirez was also happy with the council’s vote.

“I have spent 17 years working in the kitchens of Long Beach restaurants, but I have never seen real value to my work due to how little I am paid with no benefits,” he said, according to a statement from Raise the Wage, a coalition working to boost the minimum wage to $15, along with enforcement provisions and paid sick days, to lift thousands of workers out of poverty. “I put faith in my city’s leadership to give me a $15/hour wage I can live on to support my family, without having to rely on working two jobs.”

Minimum wage hikes have

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Aquino to confer medal of valor on 2 slain…

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Aquino to the families of the two police officers during the PNP’s 25th anniversary on Monday.

Marquez said the President approved on Thursday the awarding of the highest honors to Senior Insp. Gednat Tabdi and Police Officer 2 Romeo Cempron.

The two were among the 44 operatives of the police Special Action Force (SAF) killed during a firefight with Muslim rebels in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25 last year.

“On Monday we are going to

celebrate the 25th PNP anniversary and at the same time commemorate the heroism of SAF 44. Incidentally, that is also the day the SAF 44 dedicated their lives for peace in our country,” Marquez said during the regional celebration of the PNP anniversary here.

Almost 400 police commandos had swooped down before dawn in the operation to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and local confederate Basit Usman in the remote village in Mamasapano.

But after killing Marwan, the

SAF commandos were ambushed by heavily armed Muslim rebels and villagers.

A total of 44 policemen were killed and 12 others were wounded in the attack. Eighteen rebels and five civilians were also killed.

Tabdi was the leader of Team 1 of the 84th Special Action Company. Even while wounded, Tabdi led his team to accomplish its mission.

Cempron, on the other hand, was the lead gunner of the 55th Special Action Company.

When his fellow commandos

DAWN SKIRMISH. A group of students calling for the junking of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) confront policemen who stopped them from getting near the US Embassy in Manila on Thursday, Jan. 21.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

were already dying, he sacrificed himself as a human shield to allow PO2 Christopher Lalan to survive and move out to safety.

“Our President is gracious enough to approve the Medal of Valor for outstanding, brave and gallant officers,” Marquez said.

He added the other slain SAF will also be awarded with the Medalya ng Kabayanihan (Medal of Heroism).

Marquez said they invited

the families of the SAF 44 to attend the ceremony to receive the medals that will be given by Aquino as the guest of honor and speaker during the PNP anniversary celebration on Monday.

The Senate has scheduled a reopening of the investigation into the Mamasapano incident in the effort to clarify some issues raised

by Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.

Enrile claimed he had evidence and testimonies that President Aquino was directly involved in the botched operation.

According to Enrile, he has information different from the details established during the first Senate hearings into the incident.

Malacañang promised to cooperate with the probe, with Cabinet officials attending the hearing on Jan. 27.

Among the Cabinet members invited to the hearing are Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr., Executive Secretary Paquito Ochoa Jr., Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, National Security Adviser Cesar Garcia and former interior secretary Manuel Roxas II. Military and police officials, among them former SAF director Getulio Napeñas, were also invited to the hearing.

Sen. Ferdinand Marcos Jr. had asked the committee led by Sen. Grace Poe to invite former jus-

tice secretary Leila de Lima and National Bureau of Investigation director Virgilio Mendez to the hearing.

De Lima, for her part, said she had no idea what evidence Enrile has.

“We don’t know yet the purported new evidence of Sen. Enrile. I hope that those who have legitimate motive in the reopening of the hearing may not have hidden agenda, political or otherwise, to embarrass the administration,” De Lima said.

De Lima said she favors the resumption of the hearing if the objective is really to complete the facts and not a demolition job against the administration.

She said the preliminary investigation of the case at the Department of Justice was finished and already submitted for resolution.

“Let’s just wait for the filing of the case in court because there are some 90 respondents,” she said.

Police Director Benjamin Magalong, former chief of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group who headed the team of investigators in the Mamasapano incident, said he has no knowledge about the new evidence of Enrile but admitted that the result of his investigation was lacking because they failed to get the support of the key players of the incident. (With a report from Mike Frialde)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 23-26, 2016

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California to investigate Exxon Mobil climate change case

by Allyson

esCobAr

AJPress

KAMALA D. Harris, Attorney General of California, opened an investigation whether Exxon Mobil Corp. lied to the public and its shareholders about the risk to its business from climate change, and if such actions could amount to fraud and violations of environmental laws.

Harris’ office is reviewing what Exxon Mobil knew about global warming and what the company told investors, a person close to the investigation told the Los Angeles Times.

The move follows published reports, based on internal company documents, that suggest that the DAWN SKIRMISH. A group of students calling for the junking of the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) confront policemen company--then known as Exxonwho stopped them from getting near the US Embassy in Manila on Thursday, Jan. 21.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan -used climate research as part of its planning in the 1980-90s, as well as other business practices, but simultaneously argued publicly that climate-change science was not clear cut.

Those documents were cited in stories by reporters for Cooccupations. soldiers, babysitters, rescuers lumbia University Energy and

by Agnes ConstAnte “As entire industries adjust, (the article notes that robots are Environmental Reporting FelAJPress most occupations are undergo- able to search areas that are inac- lowship, in partnership with the BY the year 2020, humans are ing a fundamental transforma- cessible to humans), and sports- LA Times. The nonprofit Insideexpected to lose a net of 5.1 mil- tion,” according to the report. writers and other reporters.

Climate News also published lions of jobs to robots and artifi- “While some jobs are threatened CNN cited a Bank of America several stories based on the cial intelligence, according to a by redundancy and others grow study stating that there is a 90 documents. report from the World Economic rapidly, existing jobs are also go- percent risk or more of the folShortly after the news reports, Forum (WEF). ing through a change in the skill lowing jobs being replaced: bak- Harris’ office launched the invesIn the report, 15 economies sets required to do them.” ers, butchers, tour guides, tax tigation in response to the findthat make up 65 percent – about Jobs in every industry would collectors, telemarketers, insur- ings, the source said. New York’s 1.9 billion workers – of the total be displaced, according to the ance sales agents, retail sales- Attorney General Eric Schneiderglobal workforce were surveyed. report. But the effects would vary u PAGE A6 man is also investigating the maAbout 7 million jobs will be lost and the most at-risk jobs include while 2 million will be gained data processing and administradue to technological change in tive jobs. Latest findings say that these developed and emerging two-thirds of anticipated losses nations. will probably be in the office and Robots have already begun administrative sectors. taking over manual labor and A Business Insider report jobs, such as cashiers, that in- states that humans could also volve redundant tasks. lose nine jobs to robots: pharHowever, smarter machines macists, lawyers and paralegals, are also jeopardizing more skilled drivers, astronauts, store clerks,

Report: Humans to lose 5 million jobs to robots by 2020

Filipina killed in San Jose…

PAGE A1 t

San Jose and I called emergency rooms but they said my mom was not on their lists,” he told The Associated Press.

Although authorities have not released the identity of the victims, Antonio said he was notified by the Santa Clara County coroner’s office that his mother died after being ejected from the bus.

Antonio shared with The Associated Press that his mother was a stay-at-home mom who loved to take care of her family.

Prior to the crash, he said that his mother had made that trip to Los Angeles three times before.

According to the California Highway Patrol (CHP), the bus crashed around 6:40am during a heavy rainstorm. The Greyhound was in the northbound lanes near the Highway 58 flyover when the bus landed on its right side and straddled the center concrete barrier.

The cause of the crash is still under investigation, but a pas-

senger Gary Bonslater, 22, said that the bus driver had earlier pulled over, complaining that he was tired, according to a report

by SFGate.

Another unidentified passenger also told reporters at the scene that at one time the driver fell asleep. “He pulled over 5 miles back to catch himself, but he didn’t have any energy,” the passenger added.

The bus was carrying 20 passengers and left Los Angeles at 11:30pm Monday with stops planned in Gilroy, San Jose, San Francisco and Oakland, said Greyhound spokeswoman Lanesha Gipson. She added that the company requires operators to rest nine hours between trips.

Officials said that apart from the two fatalities, another person suffered major injuries while three others were moderately hurt. A number of passengers had minor injuries and got patched up at the scene or were taken to a hospital for treatment.

(AJPress)

Long Beach City Council…

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typically received opposition from business groups that argue increases could lead to higher prices for products and services, or layoffs by employers who are unable to keep their number of employees at raised salaries.

However, a study conducted by the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation found that most employers in Long Beach would respond to the wage hike by raising prices rather than laying off employees.

During public testimony on the issue, restaurant owners said employee tips should count toward the minimum wage requirement.

City Attorney Charles Parkin, however, said doing so could result in litigation, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported.

The final public speaker for the evening was a man who identified himself as a restaurant owner.

He said increasing the minimum wage was nothing but a “ludicrous” and inflationary policy, the Long Beach Press-Telegram reported.

“You people that still have jobs will pay $16 for a hamburger,” he predicted.

In addition to the Long Beach minimum wage hike, supporters of raising California’s minimum wage collected more than 600,000 petition signatures to submit a November ballot initiative Tuesday to boost California’s minimum wage, which is currently $10 per hour.

The measure proposes increasing the state’s minimum wage to $11 in 2017, and $1 each year after until it hits $15 in 2021. Upon reaching $15, minimum wage would be adjusted automatically every year based on the cost of living. (Agnes Constante / AJPress)

jor oil company as a result of the published reports.

US Rep. Ted Lieu (D-Torrance), who has called on federal authorities to investigate Exxon Mobil, applauded Harris’ decision. “I commend Harris for taking this action,” he said, adding that he has sent letters appealing to US Atty. Gen. Loretta Lynch and the U. Securities and Exchange Commission, urging a federal investigation of Exxon Mobil, for securities fraud and violations of racketeering, consumer protection, truth in advertising, public health, shareholder protection or other laws.

Lieu said the investigation means that any damages won from Exxon Mobil could greatly benefit California residents.

“I hope the decision by Harris, representing a state with the eighth-largest economy in the world, will prompt other states and the Justice Department to investigate. I think this action will be taken very seriously by Exxon Mobil,” Lieu said.

Legal experts say the SEC requires that “companies disclose the risks of climate change to their business operations,” but that the agency has taken almost no action to enforce it.

The investigations by California and New York are seen as a major step to fill that void.

Exxon Mobil already has received a subpoena for documents dating from 1977 from the office of Eric Schneiderman, who has

at his disposal New York’s Martin Act, which gives the state’s attorney general broad power to prosecute companies for financial fraud. The law also applies to any company doing business in New York.

Unlike federal securities law, the New York statute does not require the state to prove that a company intended to defraud consumers—only that it misrepresented relevant information or withheld it from investors.

Richard Keil, an Exxon Mobil spokesman, has said that the company denies any wrongdoing in regard to the climate change reports.

“We unequivocally reject allegations that Exxon Mobil suppressed climate change research contained in media reports,” Keil said in a statement, issued in response to the letters sent in October by Lieu and Rep. Mark DeSaulnier (D-Concord). Keil also issued a statement with the same quote in early November 2015, when the New York investigation became public.

Exxon Mobil continues to scrutiny from several current and former US lawmakers--including Hillary Clinton, Bernie Sanders and Al Gore--for criminal investigations, based on the media reports gaining attention.It is unclear what approach Harris intends to take in California’s investigation, and a representative declined to comment. n

A JANUARY 23-26, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Gov. Brown warns funding caution in the State of the State

by Allyson

Dateline USa

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

EscobAr

AJPress

IN his address to the state of California, Governor Jerry Brown warned residents about economic downturn, and challenged lawmakers to restrain from spending, despite surpluses in the state budget.

“The challenge is to solve today’s problems without making those of tomorrow even worse,” Brown said on Thursday, Jan. 21 in a speech from the Assembly Chamber in Sacramento. “You are not going to hear me talk today about new programs. Rather, I am going to focus on how we pay for the commitments we have already made.”

True to his word, the California governor stopped short of proposing new state government projects, instead focusing on raising awareness to current issues, including California’s longstanding drought, healthcare, terrorism, worker’s rights and the minimum wage.

Brown, 77, is in the second year of his final term as California governor, with relatively high approval ratings, and about $24 million in his campaign chest, allowing him to factor heavily in ballot measure campaigns this November, before the 2018 elections to succeed him, reported The Sacramento Bee. Two weeks before the pivotal annual speech, Brown sent a $170.7-billion spending plan budget to the Legislature for the fiscal year beginning July, $5.9 billion more than lawmakers had assumed last summer, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Brown asked state legislators to put an extra payment of $2 billion into reserves or debt repayment, rather than commit it to new programs or expanding it to older ones.

“If we are to minimize the zigzag of spend-cut-spend that this tax system inevitably produces, we must build a very large reserve,” he said, blaming the state for setting aside a “token” amount to pay for billions in pen-

Comfort women Narcisa Claveria, 85; Hilaria Bustamante, 90; Felicidad de los Reyes, 87, and Estelita Dy, 85, display Origami paper cranes symbolizing peace during a forum on Friday, Jan. 22 to demand justice, compensation and apology from the Japanese government for their wartime ordeal.

Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos

thiS Week in RevieW - US

Governor Jerry Brown

sions and retirement health benefits.

“It is a moral obligation” to address the state’s liability before it jumps into any new commitments, he stressed.

Pushing the Medi-Cal program and Covered California’s healthcare exchange, Brown noted that the state had “wholeheartedly embraced” President Obama’s Affordable Care Act. “This is a historic achievement,” the Democrat governor said, to applause in the Assembly and Senate.

However, he also warned about rising cost of Medi-Cal, which has grown by $23 billion in ‘four years for the state and federal government, SFGate said, while In-home Supportive Services is expected to jump from $2 to $9.2 billion.

The governor also stressed the importance of raising the minimum wage statewide, currently at $10 an hour, to combat income inequality. He has insisted that throughout his terms, he has enacted laws and programs to help those in poverty.

“In the face of this growing inequality, California has not been passive,” he said.

Brown said little about the two major infrastructure projects he is laboring to push forward: the $68 billion high-speed rail system (between Los Angeles and

San Francisco), and a $15.5 billion project to divert water from underground tunnels around the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta to the southland.

However, he renewed his call for a $77 billion spending plan to be invested in infrastructure (a mix of taxes, fees, and other revenue) to fund road and bridge repairs, office buildings, parks, schools, prisons, and hospitals statewide.

“That means at some point, sooner rather than later, we have to bite the bullet and enact new fees and taxes for this purpose,” Brown said. “Ideology and politics stand in the way, but one way or another the roads must be fixed.”

“It seems a little premature to fix the newest problems with new taxes,” commented Senate Republican leader Jean Fuller (RBakersfield), “in a year in which California enjoys unprecedented revenue.”

Sen. Jim Nielsen of Gerber, the top Republican on the Senate budget committee, told The Associated Press that California can fund the fixes from existing revenues.

“It does appear that there’s going to be additional revenues, particularly for transportation,” Nielsen said. “He focused on having to raise taxes for transportation...We’re not going to go along with that part of the program.”

Applauding Brown for his “very clear-eyed focus on maintaining California’s fiscal stability,” Senate President Pro Tem Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) said, “We also believe that we need to make much-needed targeted investments in human capital for those who have been left behind with the resurgence of the economy.”

“We’ve got to make certain investments in the long run that will lift people out of poverty so they can become income earners and contribute to the state coffers.”

After a 20-minute speech, Brown concluded, “Difficulties remain, and they always will.

That is the human condition. And finding the right path forward is formidable. But find it we will, as we have in the past and as we will again — with courage and confidence.” n

Sarah Palin endorses Donald Trump FORMER Alaska Governor Sarah Palin endorsed Republican presidential frontrunner candidate Donald Trump in Iowa, at a pivotal campaign stop before the Feb. 1st caucuses. In a raucous, energized speech, Palin, who ran for vice president in 2008, asked the crowd, “Isn’t he known for being able to command? Are you ready for a commander in chief…for someone who will secure our borders, to secure our jobs, and to secure our homes? Are you ready to make American great again?

Are you ready to ‘stump for Trump’?” Palin and Trump also made a joint appearance Wednesday in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her support could be a major benefit to Trump’s polls in Iowa, where he is deadlocked with Ted Cruz in a battle to win the caucuses.

East Coast experiences harsh winter storms

FORCE winds and a heavy snowstorm began to hit the East and mid-Atlantic coast on Friday, threatening big eastern cities for days with widespread power outages, icy road blockages, and more than 2 feet of snow. Over 85 million people (1 in every 4 Americans) in at least 20 states were under heavy blizzard, winter storm, strong winds, or freezing rain warnings, according to Weather. com. Airlines canceled more than 6,000 flights over the weekend, including a closure of Philadelphia International Airport, issuing waivers to rebook earlier or later flights to avoid the major storm. Tennessee. North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C. all declared states of emergencies. The storm could rival the biggest snowstorms on record in D.C., potentially topping the city’s record snowfall of 28 inches, in January 1922.

Academy changes structure to promote diversity

AMID the growing #OscarsSoWhite controversy regarding a lack of diversity in the nominees for this year’s Academy Awards, the leading organization--the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences--unveiled several dramatic changes in its structure and voting regulations. Three seats, appointed by current Academy president Cheryl Boone Isaacs, will be added to the 51-member board of governors, and individual members’ voting rights will be reviewed every ten years, in an effort to promote greater diversity in the Hollywood industry. To recruit new members, the Academy will keep its traditional process in which current members sponsor new members, but will also launch a, global campaign to identify and recruit qualified new members who represent greater diversity, including women and minorities, by 2020. The changes were approved unanimously by the Academy board on Jan. 21. “It’s time for big changes,” Isaacs vowed.

Vegas casinos will begin charging for parking

SIN City will soon slash its most basic freebie: parking. Last week, MGM Resorts International announced that it will become the first major casino company to start charging visitors for parking.

The major casino said it would not charge more than $10 for overnight self-parking at most of its properties along the Strip, beginning in the Spring, to coincide with the opening of the T-Mobile Arena in April. Parking fees will be charged at Mandalay Bay, Delano, Luxor, Excalibur, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Vdara, Aria, Bellagio, the Mirage and MGM Grand. Those in MGM’s loyalty program can earn free parking rewards. Valet parking at some hotels will cost more, but some parking at the Circus Circus hotel and the Crystals and Mandalay Bay Place shopping centers will still be free, sources said. Nevada’s Clark County residents will get a grace period.

UberX starts service at LAX

THE Los Angeles World Airports (LAWA) has announced that UberX can now pick up passengers at LAX, starting Thursday, Jan. 21.

Uber -- the world’s largest ride-service provider – becomes the second such operator to be authorized for LAX pickups, giving travelers expanded transportation options.

“We are bringing LAX passengers what they have been asking for — better access to reliable, convenient transportation from the airport...Those options expand dramatically with the arrival of UberX,” said LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. “As we invest billions

to make LAX one of the world’s great airports — and welcome more travelers than ever before — my administration is ensuring the best experience possible for all our visitors.”

The arrival of Uber – and specifically the company’s UberX service – is a key milestone as City officials work to provide additional services and convenience at LAX. Pickups by transportation network companies, or TNC’s, was allowed after a thorough policy development process that included input from stakeholders such as passengers, neighborhood groups, transportation network companies, taxicab and limo companies, and disability and environmental advocates.

“Uber has changed the way Angelenos and visitors to Los Angeles move around our city. Over

the last year we have worked to bring Uber to LAX in a way that is regulated, monitored, and above all, safe. As we continue to break records at LAX, I’m proud to finally welcome Uber and its users to Los Angeles International Airport. It’s what people want, expect and deserve,” said Councilmember Bob Blumenfield, the chair of the Los Angeles City Council’s Innovation, Grants, Technology, Commerce and Trade Committee, which oversees the airport.

Uber’s service begins as passenger activity at LAX hits an all-time high. Last week, Mayor Garcetti and airport leaders announced that in 2015, an estimated 74.5 million people passed through LAX, more than ever in its history.

“LA is continuing to lead the

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Report: Humans to lose…

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people, clerks, accountants and pharmacy technicians.

That report also stated that robots will likely be performing 45 percent of manufacturing tasks by 2025, compared to just 10 percent today.

“To prevent a worst-case scenario – technological change accompanied by talent shortages, mass unemployment and growing inequality – reskilling and upskilling of today’s workers will be critical,” the authors wrote. “It is simply not possible to weather the current technological revolution by waiting for the next generation’s workforce to become

2/2/16

better prepared.”

Jobs involving much social interaction, empathy and intuition are least likely to be replaced by technology, according to CNN. Among these occupations include teachers, artists, mental health care workers, police and detectives, and social workers.

Women are projected to be disproportionately affected, with more than five jobs lost for every one gained throughout the next five years, versus one job gained per three lost for men. This is due to the low participation of women in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. n

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Dateline USa

UberX starts service at…

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way in passenger convenience by allowing ride-hailing companies to operate at LAX,” said Councilmember Mike Bonin, who represents LAX and nearby neighborhoods and who led the Council’s effort to allow ride-hailing companies to have access to the airport. “Ride-hailing companies like Uber add more options for passengers, making it easier and more convenient to get to and from the airport. The agreement negotiated by the Board of Airport Commissioners protects nearby neighborhoods with technology that prevents drivers from parking on their streets while they wait for calls.

This is great news for both passengers and neighborhoods.”

The announcement comes at a critical moment in LAX’s history.

The airport is currently undergoing an $8.5-billion modernization program to renovate nearly every terminal at LAX. Another $5 billion will be invested over the next few years in bringing rail to the airport, and adding a consolidated rent-a-car facility. Now, with Uber beginning pickups, passengers will have even more options for transportation from the airport.

“Mayor Garcetti and the Board of Airport Commissioners have made improving customer service at LAX a top priority,” said Sean Burton, president of the Los Angeles Board of Airport Commissioners.

“Companies, such as Uber, use cutting-edge technology to give passengers an innovative and efficient alternative for leaving their cars at home – enhancing their experience, lessening traffic, and improving the environment for everyone.”

The San Francisco-based company becomes the second rideservice provider to be licensed at the airport, following Lyft’s launch on December 23. Uber will pay the airport $4 per trip, similar to fees paid by other airport transportation providers to maintain roadways and to reduce traffic congestion in the Central Terminal Area.

Deborah Flint, chief executive officer of Los Angeles World Airports, said, “Ride-hailing services are proving to be very popular with our airport guests. Data from the first two weeks of the service show there were nearly 50,000 drop-off and pick-up trips. Travelers benefit, as well as the airport. Revenue gener-

ated will be invested to continue improving LAX.” “We are thrilled to help simplify and modernize the airport travel experience with the launch of UberX ride-service pickups at LAX. Angelenos asked -- and Mayor Garcetti and city leaders listened -- and now the millions of travelers who pass through LAX every year will have the option to push a button and get a safe, reliable and affordable ride when they land,” said Christopher Ballard, general manager of

Uber Southern California.

UberX, the service that contracts with owner-drivers of private vehicles, will pick up and drop off passengers on the Upper/Departures Level ONLY at curbside signs in front of each terminal marked “Ride Service.”

Uber Black, Uber SUV, and Uber Luxe services – which use vehicles of commercially licensed partners (such as limousine and towncar providers) – will pick up and drop off passengers on the Lower/Arrivals Level. n

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OpiniOn

Features

A step forward

FINALLY, a baby step in the right direction. Without fanfare, President Aquino has signed a law reforming the Sangguniang Kabataan.

It would be better to just abolish the SK and save taxpayers a substantial amount, since youths are not lacking in political representation anyway. But probably because most SK members are related to politicians including lawmakers, there was no political will to abolish the youth councils.

The nation may eventually move in that direction. In the meantime, lawmakers have come up with a compromise, which is to ban political dynasties in the SK. Republic Act 10742 bans from the SK youths who are related up to the second degree by blood or affinity to any incumbent elected national or local official down to the barangay level.

This provision could wipe out nearly the entire SK membership nationwide, and allow the infusion of new blood into the youth councils. Long seen as nothing but a training ground, at taxpayers’ expense, of younger members who will perpetuate political dynasties, the SK has long needed an overhaul.

RA 10742 includes provisions for training SK members on transparency and accountability in governance. Whether the training will trump ex-

amples set by crooked public officials, especially those related to incumbent SK members, remains to be seen.

With the enactment of SK reforms, perhaps Congress will be more open to passing laws to curb if not totally ban political dynasties. Congress, in self-preservation, has ignored for nearly three decades the constitutional provision calling for an enabling law banning political dynasties.

The result is that in recent years, dynasty building has taken on shameless proportions, with entrenched families – mistresses included – wanting to control every available elective office not only in their turfs but also in areas where they can claim some ancestral link. Banning dynasties in the SK is a good start in ending the abuse. This law must be properly implemented, and the ban on dynasties expanded to the wider political realm. (Philstar.com)

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Undocumented Filipinos pin hopes on the Supreme Court’s decision to review Obama’s executive action AFTER more than a year of debates and court battles, the US Supreme Court (SC) finally announced last Tuesday, Jan. 19 that it will decide if President Obama exceeded his authority when he announced his immigration programs aimed at allowing millions of undocumented immigrants to apply for programs that could make them eligible for work authorization and associated benefits.

The debate revolves around the implementation of programs that directly affect many undocumented kababayans: The Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) aimed at the approximately 4.3 million undocumented immigrants who are parents of US citizens or lawful permanent residents; and The expansion of the 2012 Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) targeting teenagers and young adults who were born outside of the US but raised in the country.

The hopes of many Filipinos among other un-

documented immigrants have been in legal limbo when fed- The Fil-Am eral courts blocked implementation of Obama’s immigration Perspective measures in response to a challenge brought by Texas and 25 other states.

Legal analysts believe the Supreme Court will likely rule on Gel sAntos-relos the case by early summer. If the Court rules that Obama did not exceed his authority provided for by law, then this means these programs may be considered a centerpiece of the president’s second term, which will go into effect before he leaves office.

“Millions of families have waited nearly a year for these programs to take effect,” said Karen Tumlin of the National Immigration Law Center in a CNN report. “They will now get a full day in court as the nation’s highest court hears this case of tremendous moral and legal importance.”

Daring greatly: From the Capitol Dome to the White House “MUCH of the beauty of light owes its existence to the dark. Rhizomes The most powerful moments of our lives happen when we string together the small flickers of light created by courage, compassion, and connection and Prosy AbArquezsee them shine in the darkness of D elAcruz, J.D. our struggles.“ – Brené Brown, Ph.D., L.M.S.W. None of the founding fathers intended for our White House to be led, exclusively by white males. Yet, how is it that we are predisposed to accept males only to this powerhouse, that some of us believe the falsely made caricatures about this woman presidential candidate, named Hillary Clinton?

Isn’t it a big societal farce that women can give birth to our most important assets: our leaders of this nation and the world, our children, our grandchildren, our great-grandchildren, and yet, in our psychological states of mind, women are structurally barred from leading us in The White House?

But not in 46 countries of the world.

46 out of 196 countries in the world are led by women On January 16, 2016, voters of Taiwan elected its first woman president, Tsai Ing-Wen. Even Aung San Suu Kyi led the National League for Democracy to a majority win in the first openly contested elections in 25 years, in Myanmar, on November 13, 2015.

46 out of 196 countries have now allowed women leaders in positions: Taiwan, Myanmar, Iceland, Great Britain, Germany, Philippines, Tannu Tuva, Mongolia, China, Argentina, Bolivia, San Marino, Malta, Guinea –Bissau, Switzerland, Haiti, East Germany, Nicaragua, Ireland, Burundi, Sri Lanka, Liberia, Ecuador, Guyana, Latvia, Panama, Finland, Indonesia, Serbia, Georgia, Austria, Chile, Israel, India, Gabon, Lithuania, Kyrgyzstan, Costa Rica, Brazil, Kosovo, Mauritius, Malawi, South Korea, Central African Republic, Croatia, and Nepal.

The Philippines had two women presidents, Corazon Aquino and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo (who is now under house arrest for election fraud).

23 percent of these countries have moved forward. If we include women prime ministers or appointed women as governor generals -- like Belize, Canada, Barbados, New Zealand, Saint Lucia, The Bahamas, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, An-

dorra, Antigua and Barbuda, Australia and Grenada -- 57 countries now have had women leaders at the helm of public governance, increasing it to 29 percent, close to a third in the entire world.

Given that a third of the 196 countries are run by women, either elected or appointed, would we now think it is time for America, the perceived leader of the first world, to elect its first woman president in the 21st century?

A compelling president-to-be Hillary Clinton After all, America has a very compelling candidate in Hillary Clinton, given her meritorious qualifications: experiences in non-profits, a private firm, as First Lady, positions at the state and federal levels of the government, and most recently national Secretary of State with foreign policy experience in diplomacy and forging relationships with nations and countries.

In philanthropy, she has supported 26 charities and 30 causes.

From 1977, she has been an advocate for Children and Families, close to four decades of living a life, in service of others.

On her resume, there are a number of firsts, but the best one to my mind, is to be listed as one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America,” and the First Lady who dared to work on the issue that we all need a universal health care insurance system. Albeit, it did not come to fruition under the term of her husband, Pres. Bill Clinton, we see now the benefits of 19 million Americans insured under Obamacare.

Thanks to Affordable Health Care Act, many artists in our communities are now going for their preventative physical check-up and are not afraid for their health and welfare. They are part of the 19 million insured Americans and residents. They seem to be more engaged as artists and are organizing their ad-hoc gatherings, as now they feel, that their families are well-protected, and the critical surgeries they once postponed, can be done.

And their lives can now be lived, and that is no small measure. Should we not continue this progress?

Why the inertia at rest?

Would it really be difficult for progressives, independents and conservatives to embrace this woman candidate, with superior meritorious quali-

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CNN also reported on the other side of the argument, with Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton contending that Obama’s unilateral actions are unconstitutional, adding that his administration also violated the Administrative Procedures Act, a law that sets forth how federal agencies can establish regulations.

Paxton said the programs represent one of the “largest changes in immigration policy in our Nation’s history” and that the state has the standing to bring the case in part because it will bear the burden and cost of issuing additional driver’s licenses.

In a statement on Tuesday, Paxton said that by taking up the case, the Supreme Court “recognizes the importance of the separation of powers.”

The Obama administration’s defended its actions as a valid exercise of prosecutorial discretion

and that Texas and the states lack the legal harm, called “standing,” to challenge them in Court.

CNN reported on the rationale behind the action of the Supreme Court, with SC Solicitor General Donald B. Verrilli presenting his argument in court filings that if the lower court ruling is left undisturbed, this will allow the states “to frustrate the federal government’s enforcement of the nation’s immigration laws.”

Should the Highest Court allow the implementation of Obama’s programs that will benefit many qualified undocumented immigrants, including Filipinos, by allowing them to apply for programs that could make them eligible for work authorization and associated benefits? *** 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

Pacman’s maternity leave proposal is anti-business, anti-labor HAVING Manny Pacquiao in Congress has always been a lot Analysis like having Michael Jordan in a baseball uniform: It’s uncomfortable to watch, and one desperately hopes he figures out on his own that he’s a fish out of water, before someone has to tell him Ben. D. Kritz he’s making a fool of himself.

Although Pacman is a stellar boxer, and in his prime was maybe the best the world has ever seen, the only thing he has ever excelled at in his career as a politician is setting a record for absenteeism (in 2014 he reported for a grand total of four out of 70 sessions). Perhaps that is just as well, because when he does bother to give his legislative job some attention, he will more likely than not propose something completely daft, such as a bill he has filed extending paid maternity leave for government workers from the current 60 days to 180 days.

In another bill that seems set to pass the Senate, the length of maternity leave for all employees public or private is to be extended to 100 days, but Pacquiao does not feel that is adequate, because, according to a report from GMA News, “The lawmaker, who has five children with Sarangani Vice Governor Jinkee Pacquiao, noted the International Labor Organization’s recommendation that the standard length of time for maternity leave should not be less than 14 weeks.”

Fourteen weeks is 98 days, but maybe we should overlook the math on that one; after all, the man’s been hit in the head several thousand times. There are much bigger problems with the whole concept of maternity leave.

Maternity leave is one of those sacred cows of an idea (like the minimum wage) that no one dares question; there may be some debate about details such as how long maternity leave should be, but to suggest that maternity leave shouldn’t even be a thing is considered blasphemy. But maternity leave is an example, maybe the best one, of how regulation of labor— which was originally necessary to curb admittedly gross abuses as the Industrial Age developed—has gone too far into economically negative social engineering.

Harsh as it may sound to the more liberal-minded among us, employment is logically not a social arrangement but a user-resource equation. A forprofit business needs employees to fill process roles; any other objective in having employees is

simple philanthropy.

Indeed, employers should be held accountable for their employees’ well-being to the extent it is relevant to their jobs: That means providing competitive compensation, ensuring that the number of working hours required are not unreasonable and that sufficient rest periods are provided, that the working environment is safe and healthy, and that any harm to employees’ health and well-being arising from the job environment is fully corrected by the employer.

All of those things fall into the category of proper use and care of a valuable resource. Many employers, of course, go well beyond that and do foster a social relationship with their employees, and that’s fine—it’s good business, and employers should be encouraged to go beyond what is reasonably required to the extent their capacity allows. But going beyond the reasonable requirements should be optional. The capacity to reward employees varies from business to business, and the business case for compensation and employment terms beyond those that can reasonably be universally applied varies from job role to job role. Obliging employers to go beyond those is a form of intervention that ignores economic logic.

Even though it does not actually make sense to do so, it is still the prerogative of the government representing the people to decide that a) having a baby is a right, and not a choice; and b) employers, and by extension shareholders and end-consumers, should be required to subsidize that right.

By the same token, since it is impossible to force someone to become an employer, it is the prerogative of would-be job creators to choose not to subject themselves to those impositions, and not employ anyone in the first place.

Which is likely to be the result of measures to extend maternity leave, and may—although it is impossible to determine empirically—already contribute to a dearth of worthwhile employment opportunities for women. If Pacquiao’s proposal passes into law, it will have a chilling effect on hiring for women, and may even reduce job growth in general. If businesses are threatened with the prospect of being accused of discrimination, they may choose to avoid hiring altogether, or turn to other undesirable alternatives such as contractual hiring or outsourcing. (ManilaTimes.net)

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Prosecution junks Pemberton’s plea OLONGAPO CITY — The prosecution panel has found the motion filed by the lawyers of United States Marine Lance Corporal Joseph Scott Pemberton seeking the reversal of his con-viction for the death of transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, saying that there was no evidence of another killer.

In a 12-page petition filed on Jan. 15, Olongapo City Prosecutor Emilie Fe delos Santos, also asked Regional Trial Court Branch 74 presiding judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde to deny Pemberton’s petition for bail.

The 20-year-old US Marine was convicted for homicide on December 1 last year, from the case of murder recommended by the prosecution for the death of Laude on October 11, 2014.

On Dec. 21, Pemberton’s law-

yers asked the court to reverse its Dec. 1 decision and allow their client to post bail and reduce the jail term meted.

In their petition, they said the court ignored the evidence that could establish that another person may have killed the transgender.

The lawyers also manifested in the petition that the judge did not take into account the testimony of one of the defense witnesses, Dr. Raquel Fortun.

Fortun, a forensic expert, testified that Laude did not die from asphyxia caused by drowning on the night of Oct. 11 last year, hours after the transgender checked in with Pemberton at Celzone Lodge located along Magsaysay Avenue here.

They added their client de-

served a lighter sentence citing his immediate surrender to authorities after the incident.

Pemberton and his Marine buddies from USS Peleliu were part of a joint Philippine-US military exercise when the killing occured.

Jabalde downgraded Pemberton’s conviction to homicide because conditions such as cruelty and treachery, which are necessary to qualify the case as murder, were not proven by the prosecution during the trial.

The RTC Branch 74 clerk of court said there is no more hearing scheduled on the case and the judge will make a decision after defense lawyers have submitted their comment on the opinion of the prosecution. (ManilaTimes.net)

Al Gore to visit PH in March to train climate communicators by aries Joseph

Inquirer.net

hegina

FORMER United States Vice President and activist Al Gore will be visiting the Philippines in March to train participants various parts of the globe to become effective communicators who will aid in raising awareness on the effects of climate change in their respective communities.

Gore, who is the chairman of The Climate Reality Project, will lead the training of the new batch of “climate reality leadership corps” which will be held in Manila from March 14 to 16.

He said that the conduct of the training in Manila is significant as it would be held months after the adoption of the historic Paris Agreement last December.

“In December, the nations of the world concluded a bold and historic agreement, demonstrating a strong and unified global determination to solve the climate crisis.”

“My hope for this training is to build upon the momentum from Paris to work toward solutions from all corners of the world, starting with the Philippines—one of the countries most

CAPITOL COMPLEX. Gov. Esmael Mangudadatu and other dignitaries jointly initiated the launching of the new provincial capitol complex project in Buluan town in Maguindanao. The location is at a roadside lot near scenes of ambush attacks in the 1970s to highlight that there is fragile peace now in Maguindanao province.

Philstar.com photo by John Unson

Jinggoy cites Enrile in appealing denied bail

by Marc Jayson

cayabyab

Inquirer.net

SEN. Jinggoy Estrada is taking a last-ditch effort to overturn the denial of his bail from plunder over the pork barrel scam by citing the Supreme Court decision granting the bail of his coaccused colleague Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile.

On Friday, Jan, 22 Estrada filed his motion for reconsideration on the Sandiganbayan Fifth Division’s denial of his bail petition.

Estrada said as in Enrile’s case, his not being a flight risk should have been a consideration for the court to grant his bail.

The Supreme Court granted Enrile’s bail from hospital detention due to his frail health and age, as well as his political statAl Gore.

Inquirer.net file photo ure. vulnerable to the impacts of cli- who will discuss the science of The high court granted Enrile’s mate change,” Gore said in a climate change will be on board bail because his surrender to aufor the training. statement. thorities as well as his social and After the three-day training, political standing made flight risk The Paris Agreement is a legal document signed by negotiators participants are expected to edu- unlikely. from more than 200 countries cate their communities on the Estrada surrendered to auwhich provides limits on tem- effects of carbon pollution and thorities when he was charged perature rise and holds govern- climate change. for plunder in June 2014.

The Climate Reality Project ments accountable to reach the “The issue of flight risk should has trained participants from be considered in determining imposed targets.

Aside from Gore, scientists, 130 countries to become change whether or not the motion for strategists and communicators agents in their communities. n bail should be granted,” Estrada, through his lawyers, said.

“Under the foregoing backdrop, the issue on flight risk should not be considered academic. In the case of (Enrile), the Supreme Court held that risk of flight of the accused must be taken into account in resolving an application for bail,” he added.

Estrada pleaded for the Sandiganbayan to use the method employed by the Supreme Court when it granted bail to Enrile.

Estrada also cited the inconsistencies in the testimony of the witnesses, particularly Benhur Luy, the finance officer of accused pork scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles, and self-confessed agent Ruby Tuason.

While pinning Estrada to the same, Luy has testified that he has not seen him receive kickbacks either from Napoles or his alleged agent Pauline Labayen,

the senator said. Labayen fled her plunder charge.

Estrada also said the court could not rely on Luy’s daily disbursement records, which he said had been tampered with.

Estrada also questioned the testimony of Tuason, his father’s former social secretary, who alleged that she delivered to him bags of kickbacks from Napoles.

Estrada said the court could not rely heavily on Tuason’s testimony considering the latter’s motive to save her own skin from charges.

“It is difficult to perceive how this witness had no ill motive in testifying. In fine and essence, she had every reason to weave a complex web of inconsistent and uncorroborated statements to satisfy the missing details of the story. Her motivation for giving false testimony against Senator Estrada in order to exculpate herself is evident from her own words,” Estrada said.

Estrada also said the court erred in saying the CCTV footage in the Senate, which did not show Tuason carrying any bags of kickbacks to Estrada, gave more credence to her testimony.

“With due respect to the Honorable Court, its conclusion is incorrect. On the contrary, the CCTV footages would effectively rebut Ruby Tuason’s testimony that she was indeed at the Senate building on a particular place and time when the supposed delivery of commissions were made,” Estrada said.

Estrada also said he should not be found guilty just because a witness alleged that the money given to agents was intended for him.

“To conclude that Senator Estrada amassed ill-gotten wealth because Benhur Luy supposedly delivered money to Pauline Labayen, Ruby Tuason and/or other persons, is to find Senator Estrada guilty by mere association.

However, ‘mere suspicion, speculation, relationship, association and companionship do not prove conspiracy,’” Estrada said.

As to the court’s reliance on the

findings of the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) which found that Estrada used alleged conduits to stash away millions of kickbacks, Estrada said Luy had not mentioned the conduit Juan Ng as a middleman.

Estrada also said the court erred in agreeing with the AMLC that the dates Luy purportedly disbursed kickbacks to Estrada coincided or came close to the dates his conduits received millions of cash in their bank accounts.

Also, the Napoles NGO which purportedly transferred P10 million to Ng in March 2010 was not even endorsed by Estrada to implement his project, the senator said.

Estrada, however, did not contend with the court’s finding that his signatures were somehow similar to those of Ng. In showing that Estrada’s signatures and penmanship were similar with Ng’s according to bank checks, the court said Estrada and Ng could be one and the same.

Jinggoy’s alleged use of conduits is reminiscent of the Jose Velarde account, which is supposedly owned by Jinggoy’s father former President Joseph Estrada to stow away “jueteng” kickbacks. The former president was convicted but later pardoned of plunder over the kickbacks during his short-lived term.

The Sandiganbayan denied Jinggoy Estrada’s bail from plunder after over a year of hearings.

According to the court, the prosecution is able to prove strong evidence of guilt, but this does not mean that Estrada is guilty beyond reasonable doubt.

Because of his role in endorsing the bogus foundations that implemented the ghost projects, the court called Estrada “the apex of the PDAF (Priority Development Assistance Fund) scam.”

Estrada is accused of receiving P183 million kickbacks from Napoles. He is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center with coaccused Sen. Ramon Revilla Jr.

Cayetano slams Poe’s ‘inconsistency’

by Maila

ager Inquirer.net

SENATE Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano hit Senator Grace Poe on Friday for her continued refusal to inhibit from the Mamasapano hearing slated next week.

Poe chairs the Senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, which is set to reopen on January 27 its investigation on the Mamasapano incident that left 44 Special Action Force (SAF) men and several others dead on January 25, 2015.

“Sabi nga ni Senator Grace, hindi n’ya pina-inhibit ang mga justices sa SET (Senate Electoral Tribunal) noong naghe-hearing pa lang kasi wala pa silang decision. Pero once na nagdecision na ‘yung mga justices sa SET, hinihingi n’ya ngayon sa SC na huwag na kayong sumali kasi may decision na kayo,” Cayetano said in a press conference in Taguig on Friday.

(Like what she said, she did not ask the SET justices to inhibit from the hearing because they have not decided back then.

But once they have made the decision, she asked them not to join the SC hearing because they have decided already.)

He was apparently referring to Poe’s lawyers petition at the Supreme Court, seeking the inhibition of the three justices— Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio and Associate Justices Teresita Leonardo de Castro and Arturo Brion, who voted at the SET in favor of a quo warranto petition, seeking to unseat Poe as senator.

Voting 5-4, however, the SET dismissed the case but the petitioner, Rizalito David, elevated the case before the high tribunal.

“It’s not about whether or not objective kayo, may decision na kayo e. Hindi ba ganun din naman sa kanya (Poe)? Pumirma na s’ya ng committee report na liable ang Presidente, so kung bubuksan mo ang hearing, meron na s’yang decision du’n e ‘di ba?” said Cayetano, who earlier called Poe and other colleagues running in May to inhibit from the reopening of the Mamasapano probe.

(It’s not about whether you are objective or not, but you have already made a decision. Isn’t that the same in Poe’s case? She already signed a committee report saying that the President is liable. Now, she’s leading the reopening of the probe, didn’t she make a decision already?)

Poe’s committee, along with the committees of peace, unification and reconciliation, and finance, had already come up with a report that found President Benigno Aquino III “ultimately responsible” for the Mamasapano incident.

But on Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile’s motion, the Senate decided to reopen the investigation.

“So that’s what I’ve been pointing out sa ating mamayan, mukhang yung Poe-Chiz tandem, may galing at puso pero inconsistent. ‘Pag sa iba, inhibit kayo, ‘pag kami okay. ‘Pag programa nila it will work, ‘pag program ng iba it won’t work,” Cayetano said.

(That’s what I have been pointing out to the people: that the tandem of Poe and Chiz has competence and heart, but it’s inconsistent. They ask others to inhibit, but they won’t inhibit.

They think that their programs will work, but not the program of others.)

“So I’m very concerned about the hearing next week because we owe it to the SAF 44 to get to the bottom of the truth. We owe it to the whole PNP, and AFP na nagbuwis ng buhay nila (who sacrificed their lives)…We owe it to them na objective ang hearing,” he added.

Cayetano then reiterated his call for his colleagues, especially those running for president and vice president in May, to inhibit from the Mamasapano hearing.

“Allow me to make one last appeal sa mga kasamahan ko, na kung we want to honor the (SAF) 44, the PNP (Philippine National Police), AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines), let’s make this hearing non-partisan…our presence there will affect this. Pabayaan na natin ‘yung mga hindi kandidatong president at vice na itutloy itong hearing na to,” he said.

(I appeal to my fellow candidates, that if we want to honor the SAF 44, the PNP and the AFP, let’s make this hearing nonpartisan. Our presence there will affect this. Let us let those not running for president and vice president to continue this hearing.)

Cayetano earlier said that he would inhibit from Senate inquiries now that he is running for vice president in May. n

Dateline PHiliPPineS

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A11

Miriam to join Bill Gates in elite law group

by Marvin

Sy

Philstar.com

MANILA — Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago has been invited to join several international luminaries in the International Development Law Organization (IDLO) in Rome.

Santiago, who is running for president in this May’s elections, will be part of the IDLO’s International Advisory Council.

IDLO is an inter-governmental body exclusively devoted to promoting the rule of law. Among its members are Microsoft founder Bill Gates; former Ireland president Mary Robinson; former Senegal president Abdou Diouf; Abdel-Latif Al-Hamad, chairman of the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development; Albie Sachs, former justice of the Constitutional Court of South AfCLEARING UP. A man talks to his wife beside their “home”—a wooden cart filled with recyclable materials—in Manila where the city rica; and former US ambassador government has set a target of clearing the streets of homeless people by the end of the month. Clearing the city’s streets is now a 24/7 Thomas Pickering. job for Manila’s Department of Social Welfare (MDSW) said. Starting this week, Pangan said he and the MDSW staff involved in clearing operations would work in shifts every day to achieve the city’s target of “zero street dwellers” by the end of the month.

The IDLO describes the members of the advisory council as “international legal and development professionals.”

“We combine dedication with expertise in a variety of legal sysBernard Mayor Rico Rentuza, which started in August 2014

by Janvic Mateo tems to promote access to justice Philstar.com who is running for Congress with a detailed examination and improve the lives of the most against incumbent Gov. Roger of the contract for the parking MANILA — Opposition par- Mercado (LP). building constructed by the city ty United Nationalist Alliance Rentuza is the former chair- government of Makati when Bi(UNA) on Friday, Jan 22 claimed man of the southern Leyte chap- nay was still mayor. that the exodus of members of ter of LP. He now serves as UNA The building, which was rethe ruling Liberal Party (LP) has provincial coordinator. named as the Makati City Hall II, begun.

Tan said he decided to trans- was found to be overpriced by UNA secretary general JV fer to the opposition party after the Blue Ribbon subcommittee.

Bautista said administration al- LP supposedly mishandled the After the parking building, the lies from southern Leyte led by political arrangements of its subcommittee looked into the vice governor Sheffered Tan and members in the province. other infrastructure projects unprovincial board member Albert dertaken by the Makati City govHearings resume Esclamado have bolted LP in faMeanwhile, now that Binay is ernment as well as the alleged vor of the party of Vice President back on top of a survey on presi- assets of the family of Binay.

Jejomar Binay.

A partial committee report dential candidates, the Senate “We have taken the fight even Blue Ribbon subcommittee has was released by the subcomat the doorstep of our primary decided to resume its hearings mittee in May last year that foadversarial camps from the Vi- on the alleged anomalies involv- cused primarily on the parking sayas,” said Bautista in a news ing the Vice President and his building. conference in Cebu City.

As a result of the hearings, family.

He said UNA will support The Blue Ribbon subcommit- the Office of the Ombudsman the gubernatorial and vice gu- tee has set the hearing for next conducted an investigation into bernatorial bid of Tan and Es- Tuesday, close to five months af- the projects and ordered the clamado. ter the last hearing it conducted removal of the Vice President’s Tan is running against incum- on the issue. son and namesake Jejomar Erbent Rep. Damian Mercado (LP), Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, win Binay Jr. as mayor of Makawhile Esclamado is running who filed the resolution that ti City. against Councilor Coco Yap (LP) paved the way for the investigaThe hearings continued until of Sogod town and Daisy Gama- tion, said the hearing will deal August last year but were susle (Nacionalista Party). with the “total amount plun- pended after the Senate started Bautista said more major can- dered by VP Binay from the conducting hearings on the 2016 didates from different provinces coffers of Makati, which runs to General Appropriations Act. will soon announce their sup- billions of pesos.”

With the hearings on hiaport for Binay, who is running “We have a new witness who tus, the Vice President went against administration bet Man- will attest to this,” Trillanes on the campaign trail and kept uel Roxas II. silent on the allegations raised said.

Also joining the UNA ticket It will be the 25th hearing of against him (With reports from in the province is former St. the subcommittee on the issue, Marvin Sy)

Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago

vulnerable,” according to the IDLO website.

As part of the IDLO International Advisory Council, Santiago will “provide critical, forwardlooking guidance on the issues IDLO tackles in order to make a culture of justice real for all the people of the world,” IDLO director-general Irene Khan said in a letter to the senator.

Khan said its advisory council is composed of “individuals of international reputation for extraordinary leadership in ad-

LP allies in Leyte join Binay party, says UNA

LOS ANGELES

TAIPEI

dressing rule of law, justice and development issues.”

“I am honored yet humbled to receive the invitation from IDLO. It challenges me to place my lifetime career as a lawyer and legislator in a larger frame of service for the pursuit of justice and international development,” Santiago said.

Santiago was previously elected as a judge in the International Criminal Court (ICC), the independent tribunal that prosecutes individuals for war crimes and crimes against humanity.

She was forced to give up her post in the ICC due to her bout with chronic fatigue syndrome and later stage four lung cancer.

Santiago’s ailment has prevented her from attending the plenary sessions of the Senate for more than 18 months.

In October last year, Santiago announced that her cancer has been arrested, and that she is running for president in the 2016 elections.

“If elected in May, and with the consent of IDLO, I expect to serve both as president of the Philippines and member of the International Advisory Council,” Santiago said. n

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The queen is home: Pia Wurtzbach returns to PH

by Yuji

VinCent Gonzales Inquirer.net

THe “most beautiful woman in the universe” is back on Philippine soil where she truly belongs.

More than a month after her much celebrated win, reigning Miss universe Pia alonzo-Wurtzbach was finally home as she returned to Manila from New York early saturday morning, Jan. 23.

Wurtzbach arrived at the Ninoy aquino International airport Terminal 2 around 6am aboard Philippine airlines flight Pr538 from Indonesia. upon arrival, the Filipino titleholder faced the media and gave a short message, saying that she was not able to sleep last night due to excitement.

“I was so excited I wasn’t able to sleep last night. and every time I think about my trip back here, I

the roads and establishments that will be affected by the beauty queen’s parade include Hotel sofitel to V. sotto and Jalandoni, Bukaneg, roxas Boulevard, Padre Burgos, N. Lopez, a. Villegas to Taft avenue, Quirino avenue, Buendia and ayala avenues, the Makati Fire station, rustan’s Makati, and Novo Hotel along edsa.

Wurtzbach will also have a homecoming show at the araneta Center in Cubao, Quezon City. she will stay in the country until Jan. 31 for a series of activities, including charity events and her expected but still unconfirmed attendance to the wedding of her best friend Pauleen Luna and Vic sotto.

Wurtzbach was also scheduled to pay a courtesy call on President Benigno aquino III at Malacañang, senators, congressmen at the House of representatives and “I was so excited I wasn’t able to sleep last night. And every time I think about my trip back here, I tear up a little bit because I feel like it has been so long and I have so many things to share,” Pia shared upon her arrival.

Inquirer.net photo by Yuji Gonzales Metro Manila mayors.

tear up a little bit because I feel like it has been so long and I have so many things to share,” Wurtzbach said.

“Napakasaya ko po na nakauwi na ulit ako dito sa Pilipinas. Grabe para akong lalaban ulit,” she added.

Wurtzbach said she was looking forward to share and elaborate her experiences as Miss universe in a press conference tomorrow at Novotel Hotel in araneta Center, Quezon City.

“I don’t want to reveal too much because I’m saving all my stories and experiences for the press conference tomorrow so I hope you can attend,” she told the media.

Wurtzbach will kick off a grand homecoming parade on Monday, Jan. 25, which will start at 2pm at Hotel sofitel and will traverse various roads in the metropolis. according to Metropolitan Manila Development authority, among

Coco Martin: I’ll ask Cardo to probe MMFF ‘cheating’ Angel Locsin: I’d willingly get slapped, if it’s by Tita Vi

by Marinel

r. Cruz

Inquirer.net

“I assure people that they have nothing to worry about. I will ask Cardo to investigate this.” That was Coco Martin’s flippant remark regarding cheating allegations to boost his film’s (“Beauty and the Bestie”) box-office standing at the recent Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF).

Cardo is Coco’s police character in the top-rating teleserye, “ang Probinsiyano,” on aBs-CBN. On a serious note, Coco (one of the lead stars of “Beauty”) said: “Ours is but a small industry, so it doesn’t look good to see that we’re fighting each other.”

His action-comedy flick with Vice Ganda was one of eight MMFF entries. Its producers, star Cinema and Viva Films, had been accused of orchestrating the swapping of tickets in order to boost the film’s standing in the box office.

“This (cheating) isn’t true. This issue makes me sad,” he said. “I

want to remind people that we create films for the MMFF as gifts to them, not to see whose entry is better or which film earned more at the tills.”

Comedienne ai-ai delas alas had said she refused to believe Vice Ganda’s pronouncement that “Beauty” had beaten “My Bebe Love” in the box-office ranking.

Delas alas said this was because M-Zet Films, the producer of their film, “My Bebe Love,” did not resort to cheating.

“Like what we said while promoting the film, viewers would come out of the movie house happy and smiling. I guess that was what made ‘Beauty’ No. 1.”

Last week, the Metro Manila Development authority (MMDa, which oversees the MMFF) released the festival’s top earners, but did not disclose the specific ranking.

On the decision of the MMDa not to release the exact figures, Coco said: “I don’t want to say

by Marinel

r. Cruz

Inquirer.net

aNGeL Locsin, who plays opposite Vilma santos in her latest big-screen project, “everything about Her,” said it was “part of the job” to get slapped and clawed by the award-winning veteran actress.

In the Joyce Bernal film (which begins its theatrical run on Jan. 27), Locsin plays Jaica, a nurse tasked to take care of Vivian (santos), who is afflicted with bone marrow cancer.

“It was my character that got the beating, not me,” Locsin told reporters during a media gathering hosted by producer star Cinema last sunday, Jan, 17. “If it comes from Tita, I’d willingly take anything.”

Coco Martin plays Cardo in “Ang Probinsiyano” However, Locsin clarified that anything because I have limited santos was “very careful when knowledge of the festival’s rules it came to scenes that required and regulations. I respect whatever physical contact. While actors decision they (organizers) make. I who are less experienced have simply did my job as an actor.” no control, Tita is good at mak-

she still returned to the set the following day.”

Locsin said the first time she worked with santos, who is incidentally the mom of her boyfriend, TV host Luis Manzano, had been nerve-racking.

“I was so nervous! I was afraid that I would not be able to react, because I was too star-struck. I realized that I’m very blessed to be given the chance to work with her. as an actress, she is very generous and helpful, at ‘di nananapaw. I’m nothing compared to Tita.”

Locsin added: “We know how good an actress she is, that’s Vilma Santos and Angel Locsin why to be able to work with her ing it appear that her slaps are is truly a humbling experience. really painful. after every cut, she she treats everyone on the set as would ask if I was OK.” her equal. she is always kind and she then recalled a scene sincere. she never got angry at when santos had to slap a bit anyone, or complained about beplayer six times. “after the scene ing already too tired to continue was finished, Tita hugged and working.” kissed her. I guess the other acLocsin said the star for all tress didn’t take offense, because PAGE B3

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Arnel Pineda adds fun to Chicago’s concert Zanjoe Marudo: I believe in second chances Journey’s Pinoy lead singer jams on two numbers at Chicago’s Big Dome show

by Pocholo

by Joyce Jimenez Philstar.com

mAniLA—Zanjoe marudo believes that everyone deserves a second chance. “naniniwala ako sa second chance, third chance, fourth chance,” he replied when asked if he believes in second chances during the press conference of “Tubig at Langis” on Friday, Jan. 22.

“Lahat naman ng tao kailangan ng chance, ng pangalawa o ilan pang pagkakataon,” he added.

Zanjoe recently revealed that he and Bea Alonzo have called it quits, in an interview in the ABScBn late-night talk show “Tonight with Boy Abunda” on Wednesday,

concePcion

Inquirer.net

AmericAn band chicago still has the chops, more than 40 years after its inception.

The group’s signature brassy sound, played by its original threemember horn section, blasted with life and energy at its one-night concert last Wednesday, Jan. 20 at Smart Araneta coliseum.

James Pankow (trombone), Walter Parazaider (woodwinds), and Lee Loughnane (trumpet) did not need music sheets to recreate the jazz and classical arrangements they brought into chicago’s music— they knew everything by heart, as Pankow teased the crowd with his theatrical dance moves throughout the show. much has happened to chicago amid its long, successful

Zanjoe Marudo Rousing applause from the Filipino audience for Chicago.

went solo in 1985—both incidents even strengthening the band’s resolve to carry on and keep making music.

And while majority in the audience at the Big Dome concert probably felt ambiguous upon hearing a new song from the band’s latest album, “chicago XXXVi: now” (2014)—sung by bassist Jason Scheff, cetera’s replacement—it didn’t feel like just another oldies gig at all. in fact, almost every number sounded fresh, buoyed by a vibrant rhythm section (Tris imboden, drums; Walfredo reyes Jr., percussion), twin keyboards (Lou Pardini and original member robert Lamm), and guitar (Keith Inquirer.net Pocholo Concepcion Howland).

The crowd howled in excitement over the hits—especially the Grammy-winning “if You Leave me now,”the pensive “colour my World” (part of a 13-minute suite titled “Ballet for a Girl in Buchannon”), and the jaunty “Does Anybody really Know What Time it is”—but it was when Lamm called Arnel Pineda to join the band onstage that the fun doubled.

Journey’s diminutive Filipino lead singer exuded a towering presence as he shared vocal chores on “You’re the inspiration” (from 1984’s “chicago 17”); later he went back onstage to jam on “25 or 6 to 4”). it was quite a long show, divided into two parts, and marked by an extended encore which included the bouncy “Saturday in the Park”—a perfect ender that finally got everyone dancing. it was a nice way to soothe one’s nerves on a Wednesday night.

career that boasts more than 100 million records sold: the accidental death of Terry Kath (guitar, vocals) in 1978, and the departure of Peter cetera (bass, vocals) who

Arnel Pineda (right) jams with Chicago’s Jason Scheff.

Inquirer.net Pocholo Concepcion

Jan. 20.

Zanjoe will have his reunion project with cristine reyes through the TV series “Tubig at Langis.” He’ll portray the role of natoy, a guy who marries irene (reyes) despite her being a single mom. Their marriage is doing well until he meets clara (isabelle Daza) and impregnates her.

Asked how he is similar with his role, Zanjoe replied, “‘pag nagmahal si natoy parang si Zanjoe, ‘pag sinabi niyang mahal niya gagawin niya ang lahat para sa mahal niya. ‘Di siya matutukso o ma-in love sa ibang tao.”

“Tubig at Langis” will start airing on February 1 at the afternoon block of ABS-cBn.

Ryan, Judy Ann share photo of baby Luna ceLeBriTY couple Judy Ann Santos and ryan Agoncillo on Friday shared to the public photos of their new baby girl Luna.

Two weeks after Santos gave birth, Agoncillo took to instagram to share photos of their newborn baby, which the actress reposted in her own account. expressing how grateful she is for the new blessing in their family lives, Santos said in the caption of one of the photos: “our universe is complete.. thank you Lord,” Last June, Agoncillo himself confirmed Santos’ pregnancy with their second biological child, whom they decided to name Juana Luisa or Luna.

They have two other children— adopted daughter Yohan and firstborn Lucho. (Inquirer.net)

Juana Luisa Agoncillo

Screengrab from Judy Ann Santos’ Instagram account

Erik Santos and Angeline Quinto dispel sexuality rumors rumoreD couple erik Santos and Angeline Quinto on critics who persistently speculate about their sexuality: “many artists have gone through such rumors, and we’re used to that. We can’t do anything about other people’s opinions; we can’t please everybody. We’re happy when we’re together—and that’s what’s important,” erik told reporters at the press conference for “royals,” the concert he will headline with Angeline, martin nievera and regine Velasquez at Sm mall of Asia Arena on Feb. 13.

Angeline, on the other hand, said she was aware of the issue even before she and erik got close. “i can’t do anything about the people who think of us that way. What matters is that we do our jobs well,” the singer said, adding that she and erik would rather not put a label on their relationship. “erik is special in my AJ Ads 61 Garlic Crab_Layout 1 12/15/15 life—and everybody knows that!”

(Allan 11:12 PM Page 1 Erik Santos and Angeline Quinto Policarpio/Inquirer.net)

age gracefully

Garlic Crab Royale Serves 2–4 2 large Dungeness crabs, cut in half, or 4 small whole crabs 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup mirin (seasoned rice wine) 1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes) Pinch of ground pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Cloves of 1 head of garlic 3 scallions, cut into long strips

1. Steam the crabs in a stockpot for 20 minutes. Smaller crabs may be done sooner. Remove crabs and set aside.

2. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, lime juice, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside.

3. Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat.

Saute the garlic cloves until brown, about 3–4 minutes. Set aside half the sautéed garlic.

4. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok. Add the crabs, cut side down.

Cover wok and cook for 5 minutes.

5. Remove cover and boil crabs for 8–10 minutes.

6. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes.

7. Turn crabs in wok until evenly coated with sauce. Remove and serve with reserved garlic.

Fish and Shellfish Are a Great Catch for Flu Season

BY GRACE O

Fish and shellfish are great immune-boosting foods, so be sure to include lots of them during flu season. Oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams contain significant amounts of the trace element, selenium, which is protective against cancer and helps white blood cells produce cytokines, proteins that help clear the body of flu viruses.

Wild salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting the lungs from respiratory infections.

Crab provides the selenium in this dish while garlic brings a host of impressive health benefits to the table through the compound allicin. Allicin has been shown to lower cholesterol, reduce plaque buildup in arteries, and keep blood platelets from sticking together too aggressively.

I’ve served this dish to presidents and to royalty.

It consistently wins rave reviews.

GRACE O – Combining her passion for food and a commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, GRACE O has created FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness. Grace O is a fusion chef with a mission: to cook up recipes for a long and joyful life that are built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 15 years in the healthcare industry. Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com © 2015 by FoodTrients.com

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 23-26, 2016

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Box A Smile delivered smiles to 3,000 children over the holiday season

THREE PETITIONS BY TWO MOTHERS AND A “SISTER/MOTHER” CREATE VISA CONFUSION — ON A SPECIAL ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” A teenage pregnancy forced Armi (middle) to keep the birth of her son, Kevin (right), a secret. Kevin’s birth certificate listed his grandmother (Armi’s mother) as his mother. Years later, Armi became a US citizen. She petitioned her mother immediately. When Armi’s mother arrived in the US as an immigrant, she petitioned all of Armi’s brothers, including Kevin, who is actually her grandchild (Armi’s son). Armi also filed a sibling petition for Kevin. After much guilt and reflection, Armi decided to come out with the truth to set things straight and admitted to Kevin that she is his biological mother. After that major revelation, Armi filed a petition for Kevin (now as parent-child petition). This resulted in three distinctive petitions filed for Kevin (as a grandchild, Armi’s brother, and son) which caused a major confusion for the National Visa Center. Watch this inspiring story and find out how Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel helped Armi and Kevin on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday, January 24 at 6:15pm (PST) on TFC.

Moonlighting

by Mylah de

leon

IT happened faster than it took her to draw a breath. Anybody can become a widow—there are no special qualifications. It did not require planning to become a wife, mother, or any other part of womanhood.

It was a sunny afternoon when her husband suffered respiratory and cardiac arrest. he slipped into a coma and expired on the tenth day. Suddenly, she was past all actions, all decisions, her eyes were dry but heavy, but hot tears dropped in her heart!

She didn’t believe in signs and portents, but she thought that the atmosphere in the room showed the significant change in her life.

For some reason, she leaned close to her husband’s ear and whispered, “We’ll always be together, and I will always love you.” he raised his eyebrow, gave her a little dimpled smile then he was gone.

She imagined that the tears so long suppressed would flow from her eyes, and her wails would shake the walls; yet she merely sat down next to his body and traced the outline of his nose. he was her husband of 24 years, her ally for most of her adult life. If she could only manage to see all of this as sadness, instead of crippling and horrifying, she would not break in half. The worst moment, after all, had come 10 days before, when she took his healthy body to the hospital for his yearly executive check up in the morning. however, by seven in the evening, he was gone. he used to call his four

The woman in black girls “my chicks.” Now they were hers alone.

She wanted to cry out. When something like this happens to someone so young, one would think that life has been so cruel.

But she knew to do that would dishonor the very reason why losing someone you love is all so sad— which is that life is wonderful. That what makes life special is because of small splendors like jasmine tea, her children that smelled like rain, her books and her music.

While her husband was in peace now, she had somehow forgotten, in the years of her marriage, to observe the line where his life left off and hers began. She felt lame, stupid, at a distance from herself.

As for the children, who lived in a time different from adults, each day was not a step toward healing, but another step away from their father. Through her wall, she could hear the eldest daughter sobbing “Papa, Papa...please!”

The five-year-old came home one day with a secret smile and said, “My friend, Tisha, is a big liar, thinking if you wish on a star, it will come real. I know it won’t come real because I wished on a star for 10 days. It’s just a big story.”

Meanwhile, the roof quite literally fell because of the threatened court battles for the children’s guardianship by the opulent inlaws. her lawyer sarcastically summoned up defense that the inlaws were “protecting” the children against their mother, the matter died down—but not until they exhausted her. She weathered the gale, heard the birds sing after a storm just like the life threatening battle she won over the Big C (cancer), many years ago later in her life.

She had been working as a public relations director for a city mayor and trying to realize the dream of supporting herself with her writing (the foremost thing her husband had encouraged in his life time), but she counted on his support.

When she bungled her first police story, and was promptly sent back to fashion reporting by her editors, in deep humiliation. he sent her to Paris to have an exclusive interview with Veruschka, then the world’s number one mannequin.

Now, she had to figure out how to regroup.

Life seemed smaller compared to what her husband tried to craft for her. All she wanted was to write, cherishing the dream of spinning tales for fun and profit one day. It was a good thing. It was the right thing.

But to do that, she seemed a woman thinking only of herself instead of responsibilities. But to her, making decisions based on fear felt lonely and humbling, not virtuous. Does a good mother teach her children to be timid, to trade down their dreams? Does she teach them that loss should not break their will, even if it breaks their heart?

The girls grew up, raised their own families and are now watching her grow old, molded in the only way their father would have wanted them to be—strong willed, upright, compassionate and forgiving.

She still didn’t believe in signs and portents, nor that there were any more in store for them in this life. On the other hand, her life has made her willing just to be surprised.

Along the years, she had also finally stopped wondering… why was growing old with him too much to ask for?

Angel Locsin: I’d willingly get slapped...

PAGE B1 say bad things about him on Ins- a lot of mistakes. There were also Seasons and governor of Batan- tagram. Reading them made me some scenes that I didn’t know gas spoiled everyone on the set. feel small, because I, too, made how to execute.”

“She takes care of everyone.

She brings food for all. She also enjoys telling funny stories to anyone who would listen. Bangka palagi ’yan,” Locsin recalled. “every day, she would read 20 different tabloids. She also brings a portable TV to the set to watch local channels. It’s nice that she also appreciates the work of new actors.”

Locsin added that she was forced to “level up,” knowing that she would be working with a talented costar. “My only goal was to not disappoint Tita and Direk.

This is such a huge project—I did all I could to help make it a good film.”

To prepare for the film, Angel immersed herself into the role.

Along with Bernal, she tried to learn as much as she could about Vivian’s illness, multiple myeloma. “It also helped that Direk Joyce has a unique technique in handling her actors,” she said.

“It’s hard to break free from the acting style I was used to. Because of Direk Joyce, I learned to be open to different processes in acting. Whatever you will see in me that’s unique in this film, it is all because of Direk.”

Locsin also got to work closely with Xian Lim, who plays Santos’ estranged son, Albert. The actress was aware of Lim’s rumored bad behavior at work, as posted by netizens online, but she said it was through this film that she “discovered how hard-working and dedicated Xian is to his craft.”

“The first time I got the chance to talk with him, I told him that I didn’t think I’d enjoy working with him. Despite what I’ve read, I found Xian to be very humble. he exerted effort to get to know his coworkers. he even attempted to crack jokes, although I didn’t find them funny,” Locsin shared with the Inquirer. “Later, I told Xian to have his bashers watch this film, because he’s really good in it. It’s unfair for people to

The busy holiday season was made extra special with the activation of Box A Smile, LBC’s Christmas Gift-Giving activity during which smiles were delivered to 3,000 underprivileged children in various communities. With the invaluable assistance of Project Pearls, the Box A Smile gift-giving events were a success, drawing volunteers both from the LBC & Project Pearls communities.

Project Pearls, a volunteer, non-government agency headed

by Melissa Villa, gathered children in the various communities of helping Land/Newland, Tondo, Manila, Lubusang Alyansa ng Katutubong Aeta ng Sambales (LAKAS) in Botolan, Zambales, and relocated residents of Ulingan now in Barangay Batia, Bulacan.

A total of 3,000 children were treated to a Christmas party with games and prizes, lots of dancing and singing, and of course, food and drinks.

With these events, an overwhelming sense of community and camaraderie was felt throughout, in keeping with the spirit of giving, the true spirit of the holiday season. Over 3,000 donor participants from the US were engaged, and co-sponsors likewise provided much-needed assistance for the events.

LBC volunteers from various departments and areas participated in the gift-giving activities: from the principals, executives, and their children, to warehouse personnel, associates and frontliners, delivery associates and teams. The LBC family came in full-force, some employees dressed as Santa Claus, enjoining the children and all present that it is indeed FAMILY that truly makes the holiday season special and memorable.

“LBC has been a very important partner for Project PeARLS.

LBC VITAS Warehouse Manager Glenn Garcia as Santa Claus, with the children of Helping Land, Tondo, Manila

LBC USA has generously provided assistance to Project PeARLS in transporting in-kind donations to Manila from United States. Because of this, we are able to provide to hundreds more children in the communities we serve mainly in Bulacan and Tondo, Manila.

“When they informed me that they would like to partner with Project PeARLS for a gift-giving for 3,000 children, I was very grateful and humbled, not to mention, I was jumping up and down from excitement because this is the first time we are able to provide Christmas gifts to over 1,000 children.

LBC BOX A SMILe would not have been possible without the kind assistance of co-sponsors and donors who heeded our call to action. Namely, Mc Donald’s Philippines, LDL Marketing, Inc., Children’s hour, Belo essentials, Adriatic Manufacturing Corp., Agron and United Laboratories, Inc. Media Partners in the US included: Asian Journal, Philippine News, Weekend Balita, Filipino Press, Fil-Am Inquirer, Philippine Weekly, One Philippines, Fil-Am Courier, Manila Mail and Filipino Star; in Canada: Philippine Canadian Inquirer and Atin

“LBC and Project PEARLS partnership is more than just a corporate partnership, it is really a partnership for humanity. Together, we are helping and supporting each other in making this world a better and kinder place for all - rich, poor or poorest,” shared Melissa Villa, Project Pearls

LBC Chief Innovation Officer Fernando “Dino” Araneta distributing gifts in Barangay Batia, Bulacan

Ito. We thank all our co-sponsors, and volunteers, and likewise our customer participants for helping LBC make this possible, and bring smiles to 3,000 children. * * * LBC express, Inc. is the Philippines’ market leader in payments, remittance, courier products, mail, parcels and, cargo logistics.

Through a global presence in over 30 countries in Asia-Pacific, North America, the Middle east and europe, LBC express’ network of 4,400 locations, partners, and agents is growing steadily, and commits to moving lives, businesses, and communities in the Philippines and across the globe.

Founded in 1945 as a brokerage and air cargo agent, LBC express pioneered time-sensitive cargo delivery and 24-hour door-to-door delivery in the Philippines. Today, it is the most admired and trusted courier, cargo, and remittance service of millions of Filipinos, an iconic and global Filipino brand.

LBC can move it for you: visit us at www.lbcexpress.com, or call telephone +632 8585 999 (Metro Manila), 1 800 10 8585 999 (Provincial), and follow LBCexpress (Facebook and Twitter).

(Advertising Supplement)

B january 23-26, 2016 • La WEEKEnD aSIan jOurnaL

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The radiant glow of a beautiful bride

By Monet

Lu

“The radiant glow of my bride is simply breathtaking.” This was what people have told me about beautiful actress Joyce Jimenez, and countless other brides that have trusted me to be part of their very special day. even after many

years of making brides shine on their wedding day, I still have this important task—to master perfection and pursue my passion to continuously update my knowledge in the latest styles in make up and hairstyle, like the new “ 3D illusion technique 2016.” My stylists and I have done weddings so many times that they have become second nature to us.

If you have been doing this as long as we have, I think you reach a certain level of proficiency. It is my

passion, and I am still so excited to apply the skills that I gained after all these years of being in the beauty industry. I employ highly proficient hair and makeup artists as my part of my team. We work together in unison to create a perfect makeup look and style for the whole bridal entourage. Timeless elegance starts with perfection.

Personalized service is a key element in my profession and experience, especially for brides who are still deciding on a look they want to wear on the big day. It’s important that the bride communicates how she wants her overall look to be.

It’s her day and she should be the center of attention. As experts, we can make recommendations and perhaps improve on her raw ideas but ultimately it is up to the bride.”

From our variety of personalized service menu, brides may opt for salon-caliber makeup and hair service from the comforts of their own home or hotels. More than this, brides can also count on me and my crew to dish out useful tips on the essential pre-wedding must-knows, such as choosing the perfect gown, the placement of the tiara, skin care and other details.

One suggestion would be light

makeup, which is very soft, glowing and flawless. The aim is to look like you are not made-up. The natural, timeless look never runs out of style, nor do the dramatic smoky eyes -- so that when a bride looks back at her wedding pictures, she will be reminded that she wore a style that never ages. I have been grooming beautiful brides from all over Southern & Northern California, Nevada, the east Coast and even as far as europe. Budget is never an issue, as I give personalized and reasonable prices depending on the bride’s need and location. We understand that price is always a big consideration when it comes to choosing your hairstylist and makeup artist. There are other salons out there who charge lower than Monet Salons, but the important question to ask is: “Will I be happy with the outcome?”

Brides should choose talent and expertise over budget. My team of makeup artists and hairdressers boast of extensive training and experience both in the Philippines and in the United States. We have three locations in Panorama City and Winnetka, California. All are full service salons that specialize in hair and makeup for weddings,

Actress Joyce Jimenez and her groom Ely

debutante balls, and other special occasions. For the full service menu and a complimentary consultation, visit www.monetsalon. com or call (213)216-4923 and ask for me. I would love to be of service to you.

Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, please *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of monetsalon@aol.com

Programming of Kababayan Today, January 25-29, 2016 The Global Kababayan G. TönGi Jan. 25 - Indie filmmaker and director Pedring Lopez discusses the scandal surrounding the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) last December 2015. Lopez directed “Nilalang,” which was among the MMFF film entries.

Jan. 26 - Learn about The Undress, the world’s first fashion-

able, mobile changing room that allows women to change clothes in public, even out of a sports bra or without getting naked.

GABrIeLA LA’s Terrie Cuevas comes to the show to promote the Kamayan event happening on Jan. 30 in LA. GABrIeLA LA will be hosting a dinner to raise funds for the GABrIeLA Congress. This event will include Kamayan-style dinner, performances, raffle, and fun! Tune in for details!

Jan. 27 - Midweek News Updates from the Asian Journal

and real estate Buzz with Mia McLeod.

Check out our exclusive interview with Manny Pacquiao as he announces his last fight with Timothy Bradley. This is brought to you by Island Pacific Supermarket.

Jan. 28 - Due to Insistent popular demand, we are re-airing the first part of our interview with Miss Universe 2015 Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach.

Jan. 29 - Can’t get enough of our Filipina Miss Universe?

Check out part 2 of our interview with Pia. *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of Kababayan Today, a daily talk show that features relevant topics for Filipino’s living in America. Her aim is to bridge not only the cultural gap between America & the Philippines but to help with the generational gap between our own people. She is married with two children and is based in Southern California and makes frequent trips in the Pacific Rim to Hawaii and Manila to feature fellow kababayans who are empowering the Fil-Am community.

The drawings for the “Magpadala Magpalipad” promo were witnessed by Jomito Torres, Philippine Airlines senior account officer for passenger sales, PNBRCI President and CEO Ricky Villacisneros, Marie Jemma B. Saranillo of Philippine Airlines, Joanne Rivera, business development head and general manager of PNB’s LA Branch, and Monette Maglaya, senior vice president of Asian Journal Publications, Inc.

PNBRCI holds drawings for ‘Magpadala Magpalipad’ promo Three lucky individuals from the United States are now going on vacation to the Philippines, thanks to PNB remittance Centers Inc. (PNBrCI)’s “Magpadala Magpalipad” promotion in cooperation with Philippine Airlines.

Those who remitted money through any US location of PNBrCI from Oct. 15, 2015 to Jan. 14, 2016 received one raffle entry for a chance to win one of three tickets back to the Philippines. The prizes included: 1st prize—a business class roundtrip ticket from Los Angeles to Manila; 2nd prize—an economy class roundtrip ticket from Los Angeles to Manila plus a domestic ticket to any Philippine domestic destination; and 3rd prize — an economy class roundtrip ticket from Los Angeles to Manila.

The drawings were witnessed by ricky Villacisneros, president and CeO of PNBrCI, Joanne

rivera, business development head and general manager of PNB’s LA Branch, and Marie Jemma B. Saranillo, area manager of Philippine Airlines in LA on Friday, Jan. 15. randomly selected from over 100,000 valid transactions, resty Pagala of Chicago, Illinois won the first prize; the 2nd prize went to eden Donato of San Jose, California; and lastly, Jun Oliveros of National City, California received the 3rd prize.

PNBrCI in the US makes remitting money more fun and exciting. This is also the company’s way of thanking its loyal patrons in every part of the globe who have used the services of the company through the years.

PNB also reinforces the emotional ties that bind expatriates and their loved ones by making it possible for some very lucky winners to come home for free and enjoy the warmth and comfort of the homeland.

even if overseas Filipinos can’t be with their loved ones back home, PNBrCI has introduced a simple and fast way for beneficiaries to receive remittances with the Global Filipino Card (GFC). The GFC is a reloadable prepaid ATM card for beneficiaries who want their funds credited online, which then can be withdrawn from any PNB SuperTellers or any selected ATMs. For an annual $5 fee, the many benefits for remitters include up to $10 off on remittance fees, free ATMSafe Insurance, and a free Globe sim card.

So why remit your valuable dollars using any other company? PNBrCI offers a relationship that is mutually rewarding.

For more information about PNBrCI and its services, please visit: www.pnbrci.com or to remit money by phone, please call PNB-rCI Phone remit at (855) 889-7788.

(Advertising Supplement)

PNBRCI President and CEO Ricky Villacisneros and Marie Jemma PNBRCI President and CEO Ricky Villacisneros introduces the drawings B. Saranillo, area manager of Philippine Airlines in Los Angeles . for the “Magpadala Magpalipad” promo on Friday, Jan. 15.

AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

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Health care open enrollment ends Jan. 31 More than 35,000 Filipino Americans throughout Los Angeles County do not have health insurance. Dignity Health Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is here to help you find the best plan available through Covered California and the Affordable Care Act. “Many Filipino Americans are unaware of how health insurance can help pay for services during an emergency. No one plans a trip to the er, but it’s those moments that we need to be prepared for the most.” - Tony T. reyes, rN, MSN, MHA, CeN, Ne-BC, Director of Adult Care Nursing Services at Glendale Memorial.

The open enrollment period for 2016 coverage ends on January 31. If you do not have health insurance, there is a penalty tax

for most Americans. To avoid the penalty and get care from local doctors affiliated with Glendale Memorial Hospital, sign up for one of the available plans: Anthem PPo (Bronze 60 HSA/ Bronze 60), Blue Shield PPo (Bronze 60/Silver 70/Gold 80), or Health Net HMo (Silver 70/Gold 80/Platinum 90). our affiliate brokers are enrollment experts. In person or over the phone, they’ll help you understand all your options and walk you through every step to make sure you find the best plan and doctors available. Contact our certified Covered CA insurance agents at no cost to you and get started before the enrollment period ends. For more information, call (818)502-4763 or visit Tony T. Reyes, RN, MSN, MHA, CEN, NE-BC, DignityHealth.org/enroll.

Director of Adult Care Nursing Services at

(Advertising Supplement)

Glendale Memorial

Solenn Heussaff: I am still single, technically IT wasn’t a wedding, but merely a belated engagement celebration. After a two-week holiday in December in Argentina, where she supposedly married her fiancé, Nico Bolzico, Solenn Heussaff recently faced the entertainment press and insisted that no vows were exchanged, despite a handful of photos online suggesting otherwise.

“No, it hasn’t happened yet.

We didn’t go to a church… I didn’t have a wedding dress… We simply chose to celebrate in Argentina because I have not seen his parents in two years,” said the actress, who has always preferred to keep her personal life private, at a press conference for her upcoming movie “Lakbay2Love.”

“I am still single, technically,” Solenn said, giggling. “I am still a Heussaff.”

Looking at the “snaps” posted on the photo-video messaging app Snapchat by actress Isabelle Daza,

Solenn Heussaff

one of Solenn’s close friends who went with her on vacation, it did seem like a wedding took place.

A photo showing the couple was captioned, “Mr. and Mrs. Bolzico;” another one of a table set outdoors said, “rustic-style wedding.”

Asked about the intriguingly captioned photos, Solenn jested, “Loka-loka ’yang si Isabelle.” She added that Nico was amused by earlier reports claiming that they

were already married. “He and his mom were laughing because they saw it in a newspaper. It was funny,” she said.

Likewise raising the suspicions of curious netizens was the presence of Solenn’s family and friends Isabelle, Anne Curtis and Georgina Wilson in the trip, which included an excursion to Patagonia.

“There were no invites… They got wind of our plans—and it became a barkada vacation,” related Solenn, who has been living together with Nico for the past five years. “We all went hiking, horseback riding and white water rafting.”

The Filipino-French Kapuso talent plans to tie the knot with Nico in France and invite around 200 guests. That was all she was willing to disclose during the media gathering. Solenn, however, assured the press that she would divulge details about her wedding—once it does finally happen. (Inquirer.net)

Coleen Garcia leaves ‘It’s Showtime’

Coleen Garcia

MANILA—Coleen Garcia confirmed that she is no longer part of the ABS-CBN noontime show ‘It’s Showtime.”

In an interview with the ABSCBN news program “TV Patrol” aired Wednesday, Jan. 20, Coleen said she will be focusing on her acting career.

The 23-year-old actress is currently part of the late afternoon drama “Pasion de Amor.”

“I don’t know if I’ll be returning. I don’t think I will be kasi management actually talked to me and they want me to focus on acting,” she said.

Coleen also said she will be working on a movie with Piolo Pascual and Dawn Zulueta.

“It’s Showtime” recently added Mariel rodriguez and Amy Perez in its roster of hosts. (Chuck Smith/Philstar.com)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 23-26, 2016

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COMMUNITY Journal

Your Immigration Solution Atty. RobeRt Reeves AngelA K. Ho And nAncy MilleR THE US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has recently proposed a new rule that would allow students in F-1 status or Optional Practical Training (OPT) who have studied in science, technology, engineering or mathematics fields (STEM) to extend their OPT work authorization to 24 months. In total, this proposed rule would allow students in these STEM programs to stay and work in the US for up to three years after their program ends.

Students in non-STEM programs are typically granted 12 months of OPT work authorization after graduation. Students in STEM programs were originally granted an additional OPT extension of 17 months, provided they were eligible for the program extension.

The new proposed rule buys valuable time to pursue more opportunities that allow a permanent path to legal residence. For students in F-1 status or already in OPT status, it is important to know the available options for your situation and make sure you are maximizing your available time in the US to set up longterm strategies.We discuss some of the greater options individuals can apply for below.

H-1B Nonimmigrant Work Visa The new rule will have the largest direct impact on those individuals who wish to obtain an H-1B work visa and were not selected in the lottery the first or second year that they applied.

The H-1B work visa is a good option for those who have at least the equivalent of a US bachelor’s degree and a petitioner to sponsor them in a specialty occupation. One of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in applying for an H-1B visa is the limited quota available every year.

There are 65,000 visas annually mandated by Congress, with an additional 20,000 visas set aside for individuals who have earned a master’s degree or higher at a

Proposed extension of OPT STEM helps would-be LPRs

US university. If over that number apply for the H-1B visa in the first week of the fiscal year (April 1st), US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the branch of Department of Homeland Security in charge of adjudicating these petitions, will conduct a lottery to select who can apply and reject the rest of the applicants.To give an idea of the odds that H-1B hopefuls must contend with, last year over 210,000 individuals filed in the first week—a less than 50% chance of being selected. Thus, the proposed lengthier extension would enable individuals to enter the H-1B lottery multiple times, thereby increasing their odds of being selected.

To summarize, an F-1 OPT status holder in a non-STEM field would only have one chance to apply for the H-1B visa before their authorized stay ends. An eligible F-1 OPT status holder in a STEM field, however, would have the invaluable ability to apply for the H-1B visa up to three times before their authorized stay ends.

It is important to note that this OPT extension is only available to students who have graduated from a STEM program and are working for an employer who is enrolled in the E-Verify program run by DHS. Once an H-1B visa is successfully obtained and maintained, pursuing a green card is the next logical step. Please consult an experienced attorney to evaluate the best strategy for your circumstances.

EB-1 Extraordinary Ability/National Interest Waiver The proposed extension also

gives valuable time to pursue other paths to permanent residence. Individuals in highly specialized fields should consider petitioning (either with an employer or self-petitioning) for an extraordinary ability petition or national interest waiver. Individuals with high achievements or notable research publications, specialization in a narrow or pioneering field, serve as multinational managers or executives, or working on projects that further the national interest should seek an experienced attorney to properly craft a successful petition.

An EB-1 petition, when successful, grants permanent residence immediately upon approval.

EB-2 Physicians in Underserved Areas and Other Options If you are a foreign physician working in a state-mandated medically underserved area, you could also qualify for a green card through the physician national interest waiver program. The requirements vary from state to state, so consulting local counsel is recommended. Furthermore, the benefits to an extended duration in the US naturally provides more opportunities for long-term solutions, whether through finding an employer willing to sponsor for permanent residence, or finding a family member to petition you.

A large part of the complexity of immigration law is finding the best available option for your circumstances and preparing for a successful outcome. While the proposed rule certainly allows more opportunities for people,

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C JANUARY 23-26, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Atty. RAymond BulAon

Struggling with student loans? Here’s what you need to know

THE cost of a college education has spiraled out of control for most families. In the last 10 years, student loan debt has sharply risen from $240 billion to $1 trillion dollars. Almost 60 percent of this debt is held by households with less than $8500 in net worth. This makes sense because if these families had sufficient financial resources to send their children to college, they wouldn’t be borrowing so much to begin with, right? Are you or someone you know in this situation?

Unfortunately, a lot of people are not aware of their options in dealing with student loans that they cannot afford to pay back.

So in this article, I will discuss the basic information you need to know before you can move on to the next step of finding a resolution.

First of all, you need to know whether your student loans are federal or private. I find that a lot of people are confused and don’t know the answer to that question. Perhaps they have several loans and at the time they got them, they didn’t really know the difference and didn’t really care as long as they got the money they needed to pay for college.

But this is an important question

for you to answer because depending on the type of student loans you have, the remedies or options will vary. If you can’t answer this question, one way to find out is to go to www.nslds. ed.gov , the Department of Education’s database which lists all federal loans. If it’s not there, it’s most likely a private loan.

The second thing you need to figure out is whether or not you are in current, delinquent or default status. Again, this not only helps you determine which options are available but if for instance you are already in default status, that means that the entire loan amount is now due and the creditor can now take enforced collection action such as a wage garnishment or even take your tax refund (if your loan is a federal loan). If it’s a private loan, the creditor first needs to obtain a court judgment to do any of the above. However, if it’s a federal loan, they can do what’s called an administrative wage garnishment in the absence of a court order although they have to give you 30 days’ notice.

These days, as the awareness grows regarding the severity of the student loan problem nationally, you will see a lot of companies advertising everywhere- on

Minding Your Finances

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRsuA Reyes THERE seems to be a misconception in the general public that you can only obtain a divorce in California if your spouse will sign the divorce papers. I get this question a lot from our family law clients. The fact is that California is a no fault state and you do not need your spouse’s signature in order to get a divorce. What is more important is being able to properly serve your spouse with the divorce petition and satisfy the jurisdictional requirement of the Court by showing that either you or your spouse resided in the State for at least 6 months prior to filing the petition and in the County for 3 months prior to fil-

the internet, on TV, on the radio and in the mail- and a lot of them are misleading the public with claims promising “student loan debt forgiveness” or “new government programs to eliminate your student loans”. While yes, there are ways to sometimes eliminate student loans or have them forgiven, it is not as easy as they make it sound. Of course, you can do some research yourself without paying anyone but you can also go hire a debt relief attorney who can review your case and advise regarding legal and non-legal options.

If you need help in making your student loan debt more affordable, call my office at 866477-7772 to schedule a free confidential consultation. Since 1998, I have represented more than 5,000 clients in bankruptcy.

Let me help you get out of debt once and for all. I have offices in Los Angeles, Pasadena, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

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Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuses to sign? ing the petition.

When you file a divorce petition, you have to serve your spouse with the summons and petition. Your spouse then has 30 days to file a response after being served with a divorce petition. If your spouse fails to file and serve you with a response, you can file a request for default against your spouse after 30 days. You can also file a proposed judgment for the court to approve. The default procedure can be done even if there are issues of property division, custody, visitation, and support. However, the Court will still review your proposed judgment and property division to make sure it conforms to the policy towards equal division of community

property. Meaning, you have to propose a division of community property that is pretty much equal between the spouses. If your proposed property division is one sided such as distributing all community property to you and giving all the community debts to your spouse, the Court would probably not grant your judgment.

The Court would probably set a hearing for you to explain why this is an equal division of community property.

The only time you may need your spouse’s signature is if your spouse files a response to your divorce petition. This is called “contesting” the divorce. If your divorce is contested by your spouse, you can resolve the case

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Philippine banks that provide depositor data to US IRS

Tax Tips VictoR sy, cPA, mBA

(Part 2 Of 2)

J.P. Morgan Securities Philippines, Inc. JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A. Manila Branch Land Bank of the Philippines Legazpi Savings Bank, Inc. Longmeadow Corporation Macquarie Capital Securities Philippines Macquarie Infrsture Advisory Philippines Malayan Bank Savings and Mortgage Bank Mandarin Securities Corporation Manulife Chinabank Life Assurance Corporation Manulife Financial Plans, Inc. Maybank ATR Kim Eng Capital Partners, Inc Maybank ATR Kim Eng Securities, Inc Maybank Philippines, Incorporated Merchant’s Savings and Loan Association Meridian SPV AMC Corporation Metrobank Card Corporation Metropolitan Bank & Trust Company MSSFG SPV-AMC, Inc. NCM Mutual Fund of the Phils, Inc. Orix Metro Leasing and Finance Corp.

Pag-Asa Ng Masang Pinoy Foundation Pagasa Philippines Lending Company, Inc. PAMI Asia Balanced Fund, Inc. PAMI Equity Index Fund, Inc. PAMI Global Bond Fund, Inc. PAMI Global Equity Fund, Inc. PAMI Horizon Fund, Inc. Pan Malayan Mgt. and Investment Corp.

PAPA Securities Corporation Paramount Life & General Insurance Corp.

PBC Capital Investment Corp.

PCIB Securities, Inc Philam Asset Management, Inc. Philam Bond Fund, Inc. Philam Dollar Bond Fund, Inc. Philam Equitable Life Assurance Co., Inc Philam Fund, Inc. Philam Managed Income Fund, Inc. Philam Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. Philippine Asset Investment

(SPV-AMC), Inc. Philippine AXA Life Insurance Corp.

Philippine Bank of Communications Philippine Business Bank, Inc. Philippine Depository & Trust Corp.

Philippine Equity Partners, Inc. Philippine National Bank Philippine Opportunities for Growth & Income Philippine Postal Savings Bank, Inc. Philippine Savings Bank Philippine Tank Storage Int Holdings, Inc. Philippine Trust Company Philippine Veterans Bank Philplans First, Inc. Pioneer Life Inc. Planters Development Bank PNB Life Insurance, Inc. PNB Savings Bank PNB Securities, Inc. Pru Life Insurance Corporation of U.K. Rampver Financials & Insurance Agency, Inc. RCBC Capital Corporation RCBC Forex Brokers Corporation RCBC Leasing and Finance Corporation RCBC Rental Corporation RCBC Savings Bank, Inc. RCBC Securities, Inc. Resiliency SPC, Inc. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation Robinsons Bank Corporation Rural Bank of Angeles Rural Bank of Brooke’s Point (Palawan), Inc. Salisbury Bkt Securities Corporation Salisbury BKT Securities Corporation SB Capital Investment Corp SB Cards Corporation SB Equities Inc. Security Bank Corporation Security Bank Savings Corp.

Sithe Global Camaya Holdings,

Inc. Sithe Global GNPD Holdings, Inc. Soldivo Bond Fund, Inc. Soldivo Strategic Growth Fund, Inc. Sterling Bank of Asia, Inc. (A Savings Bank) STI Investments, Inc. Sun Life Asset Management Company, Inc. Sun Life Financial Plans, Inc. Sun Life Grepa Financial, Inc. Sun Life of Canada Philippines, Inc. The Insular Life Assurance Company, Ltd. The Manufacturers Life Insur Co. (Phil.)

The Philippine American Life & General Tongyang Savings Bank Inc. Tranche 1 SPV-AMC Inc. UBS Securities Philippines Inc. UCPB Leasing & Finance Corp.

UCPB Savings Bank Inc. UCPB Securities Inc. UCPB-CIIF Finance & Dev’t Corporation Unicapital Securities, Inc. Unicapital, Inc. Union Bank of the Philippines United Coconut Planters Bank United Overseas Bank Philippines Vicsal Investment Inc. VSec.com, Inc. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com.

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Proposed extension of OPT…

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it is just as important to consult with an immigration attorney early on to ensure you are not missing a potential path to a green card. *** Atty. Reeves has represented clients in numerous landmark immigration cases that have set new policies regarding INS action and immigrants’ rights. His offices are located

in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City.

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

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Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. A SEPARATION package or a severance agreement is a contract between an employer and an employee who is about to leave the employer’s employment. In a typical severance agreement, the employer agrees to give the employee additional compensation (the severance pay) in exchange for the outgoing employee’s agreement not to sue the employer for any employment-related claims such as wrongful termination or back wages.

Employers are not required by law to provide any severance pay to their employees, regardless of whether the end of employment is due to a resignation, a firing, or a layoff. Even if an employee has worked for several years for the same employer, the employer is still not obligated to provide a severance pay if the employer decides to fire such a long-time employee.

Most employers do not sponsor formal severance pay plans.

However, some employers offer formal severance pay plans that provide conditions for eligibility. An employer, for example, may provide severance pay to long-time employees in the event of a layoff. This means severance pay is a matter of agreement between the employer and the employee.

A severance pay is usually calculated according to a specific formula, often based on the employee’s length of service. For example, an employee may qualify for two weeks of wages for every year worked up to 12 years. The severance pay is also affected by such factors as the reason why the employment relationship is

AmericAn DreAm Allison Aquino-silvA, Esq THE United States Citizenship and Immigration Service (USCIS) will once again begin accepting petitions for H-1B working visas on April 1, 2016. Petitions may be submitted for employment to commence on or after October 1, 2016. It is imperative that interested applicants have their petition submitted to the USCIS between April 1-7, 2016, or it will likely be too late.

As background, there are 65,000 H-1B visas available each fiscal year (October 1 to September 30), plus another 20,000 H1B visas for those who have attained a US Master’s degree or higher. For fiscal years 2007 and 2008, the visa cap was reached on the very first day of filing on April 1.

To avoid the deluge of petitions, the USCIS altered the filing policy starting in fiscal year 2009.

The policy, which continues to today, is that if more than 65,000 petitions are received within the first 5 business days starting on April 1, the USCIS will only accept petitions filed within the first 5 business days for consideration in a random lottery. Only those

Community Journal

Should you sign that separation package from your employer? ending (e.g., company “downsizing,” employee misconduct, or layoff) or the employer’s financial condition (e.g., merger with a larger company).

An employee may try to negotiate for more severance pay than what is being offered, especially if the employee has been with the company for many years, has an excellent service record, or has provided increased value to the employer’s business. An employee may also negotiate how to receive the severance pay, for example, as a lump sum payment, as a salary continuation for a specific period, or as periodic payments.

Each method has an advantage and a pitfall.

Most importantly, before signing or negotiating for a severance agreement, an employee should keep in mind the following things: Has the employer paid all hours worked by the employee, including overtime?

Has the employer paid the employee for meal or rest breaks that were not provided to the employee?

If the employee is entitled to vacation, has the unused vacation been paid?

If the employee is being terminated, what is the reason for the termination? If an employer fired an employee for a discriminatory or retaliatory reason, the employee may be entitled to damages.

Does the severance agreement protect the employee from any potential claims for wrongful behavior or harassment that might be brought by the employer?

So, should you sign a severance package? It depends. If

you had been paid correctly for all hours worked, if you received all your meal and rest periods, and if you have no issues regarding your termination, then a severance package is a generous and welcome benefit. But if you were not paid all your hours worked, including overtime, and you were not provided meal and rest periods, or the termination was wrongful – then a severance package may be a way for your employer to stop you from asserting your rights and seeking remedies in court. If this is the case, you would be in a better position to consult with a knowledgeable employment attorney before you sign anything.

Lastly, employers must immediately pay all compensation due to the employee at the time of termination. It is illegal for employers to threaten to not pay terminated employees for work already performed unless the employees sign some kind of “release.” A release signed by the employee under these circumstances may not be enforced. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. *** C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary relief for thousands of employees and consumers. He is named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum.

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prove that the position offered is a professional position that mandates an individual with at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent in a specific field, and that the individual sponsored has that particular type of bachelor’s degree or work experience equivalence.

The process to apply for an H1B visa involves several steps before a petition can be submitted to the USCIS. An initial step in the process involves verification of the sponsor’s federal employer identification number (FEIN) with the Department of Labor (DOL), which can take a week or more.

Another pre-filing requirement is notification of the Labor Condition Application (LCA) that will be filed with the DOL. The notification must be provided to the union’s bargaining representative or, if none, by posting the notice of filing for 10 consecutive days or emailing it to certain required employees of the sponsoring company.

Once the FEIN has been verified, and the notice of filing the LCA has been conducted, the LCA must then be electronically filed with the DOL. The processing of the LCA typically takes about one week, but usually lengthens as April approaches.

Only after the DOL has certified the LCA may the H-1B petition

Supreme Court to hear and review the expanded DACA and DAPA case

the executive actions last FebruON 1/19/2016, the US Suary 2015. As a result, the USCIS preme Court granted the writ announced that “(d)ue to a fedof certiorari filed by the Obama eral court order, USCIS will not Administration in the case begin accepting requests for the United States, et al. v Texas. expansion of DACA on February This means that the Supreme 18 (2015) as originally planned.”

Court, in its discretion, has deAs of now, the DAPA is also not cided to review this particular being implemented by the UScase. (The Supreme Court does CIS. Almost 5 million potential not have to hear a case unless beneficiaries of the expanded the case is under its original juDACA and DAPA are unable to risdiction.) file their application and obtain This action of the Supreme work permits because of the inCourt is of great significance junction. The Obama Administrabecause it involves President tion appealed the issuance of the Obama’s 2014 deferred actions Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos preliminary injunction with the for certain aliens popularly referred as the expanded Consideration of Deferred District Court and later, with the Court of Appeals Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) and Deferred but on both instances, was denied.

The Supreme Court is expected to issue a ruling Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA). Under the programs, on the matter by end of June, 2016, which will be the government will defer the deportation of cer- greatly anticipated by potential beneficiaries and tain undocumented aliens who arrived in the US other stakeholders. Hopefully, the court will find as children and certain undocumented parents of that these executive actions are a valid exercise of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents, re- executive authority.

If you are contemplating of filing any immispectively. These aliens will also be eligible to apply for work permits. (The original, existing DACA grant or non-immigration application, it is advisprogram is still being implemented and is not a able to seek the counsel of an immigration lawyer to guide you on the intricacies of filing for such subject of this case.)

Additionally, the Supreme Court, in granting a petition. the writ of certiorari, directed the Obama Admin*** istration to respond whether or not said execu- Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos is a member of the State Bar of tive action violates the “Take Care Clause of the California and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines. To schedule Constitution, Art. II, §3”. This particular clause for a free initial in-person consultation, please call Tel. Nos. (213) directs the President of the US to “take care that 284-5984 or (626) 329-8215. Atty. Santos’ office is located at 3450 the laws be faithfully executed”. Opponents of Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1200-105, Los Angeles, CA 90010. this deferred actions asserts that the President *** violated the existing laws by trying to implement Information contained in this article does not, nor is it intended to, constitutes the executive actions. legal advice for any specific situation and does not create a lawyer-client One will recall that the State of Texas filed a relationship. It likewise does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction case in the US District Court in Texas opposing regarding the outcome of your legal matter. the Expanded DACA and DAPA. The judge in We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the that case issued a preliminary injunction against Bankruptcy Code.

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Relief for unreasonable delay in pending immigration filings A COMMON question that is asked by a person who has a pending immigration petition or application is “how much longer until USCIS makes a decision?” The question is understandable, in that an unreasonable delay in the USCIS’ adjudication of a petition or application can have adverse effects, including loss of employment and employment opportunities, possible termination of employment, and difficulties in obtaining student and credit loans.

While an immigration filing is pending, the typical response by USCIS upon inquiry is that further time (usually 90 or 180 days) is needed to make a decision. However, often that 90 or 180 days that USCIS needs to make a decision turns into months and sometimes years. What option does a petitioner or applicant have to compel the USCIS to act on his or her case?

Pursuant to the Mandamus and Venue Act of 1962, a Writ of Mandamus action can be filed in the US District Courts to compel the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the USCIS, DHS’s bureau, to act on a petition or application for which adjudication has been unreasonably delayed. The statute allows for an “action to compel an officer of the United States to perform his duty.”

The legal duty for USCIS to promptly act on a pending petition or application can be found in the Administrative Procedures Act (“APA”), 8 USC Sec. 1571, and 5 USC Sec. 555(b). These statutes form the basis of Writ of Mandamus relief.

The APA gives the court authority to “compel agency action unlawfully held and unreasonable delayed.” The policy for processing immigration applications is set forth under 8 USC Sec. 1571, which states that “the processing of an immigration benefit application should be completed no later than 180 days after the initial filing of the application.” Further, 5 USC Sec. 555(b) states that “within a reasonable time, each agency shall proceed to conclude a matter presented to it.”

A typical case in which Writ of Mandamus relief is a viable option is in a green card application based on marriage. I have had several inquiries in recent months concerning delays in processing of these cases. Typically, the green card applicant along with his or her US Citizen spouse is interviewed by a USCIS officer and at the end of the interview, the green card applicant is advised that additional time is needed by USCIS to make a decision. The timeframe given to make a decision is 180 days; however, more than 180 days pass and no decision is made. The applicant then seeks to get updated status of the application via an Infopass appointment, and is advised that the case is still under consideration and more time is needed.

In such a case, a writ of mandamus can be filed in Federal Court to compel the USCIS to act on the application. Often, a decision is made on the case after the Writ of Mandamus is filed in that the unreasonable delay is brought to the attention of the USCIS. A prompt decision is often made

by USCIS after filing to avoid the use of government resources in having to defend the meritorious action.

It is important to keep in mind that Writ of Mandamus relief is available to a variety of pending petitions and applications, not just green card applications based on marriage. To determine whether Writ of Mandamus relief is a good option in your pending immigration case, it is recommended that you seek the advice of an experienced attorney. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philippine American Bar Association.

LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw. com.

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April deadline for H-1B visas chosen in the lottery will be processed for a decision on the merits, while those not chosen in the lottery and those filed after the filing window will be rejected.

Due to the downturn in the US economy starting in fiscal year 2009, the USCIS did not need to resort to the lottery system and continued to accept H-1B petitions for many months after April 1. The lottery system was once again implemented starting in 2013, when the USCIS received about 124,000 H-1B visa petitions that were subjected to the lottery. The USCIS received about 172,500 visa petitions in 2014 and approximately 233,000 in 2015.

It is therefore anticipated that the visa cap will once again be reached within the first 5 business days, which is April 1-7, 2016. The USCIS would consequently conduct another lottery for H-1B petitions. For this reason, interested applicants should proceed now with preparations for filing the H-1B visa petition.

To qualify for an H-1B visa, the petitioning company must be able to prove the following requirements: (1) the position that the immigrant will fill is a “specialty occupation”, and (2) the immigrant meets the requirements for the specialty occupation. In other words, the company must

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 23-26, 2016

be filed with the USCIS. Sponsors need to proceed with these preliminary requirements now so that they are prepared to file the H-1B petition with the USCIS during the anticipated short filing period.

The H-1B visa allows the individual to work in the US for an initial period of up to 3 years.

The H-1B visa can thereafter be extended for another 3 years, and then at either 1 year or 3

year intervals provided certain requirements are met. While working in the US as an H-1B visa holder, the individual can then undertake the steps necessary to obtain lawful permanent residency. Moreover, the spouse and unmarried children under age 21 are eligible to obtain an H-4 dependent visa in order to live in the US with the H-1B visa holder. Also, certain H-4 spouses are eligible to obtain a work permit.

This opportunity happen during a very short period just once

per year. So, those interested in obtaining an H-1B visa must ensure that they are diligent in timely preparing the petition. *** For further information, please schedule an appointment with an attorney at Aquino & Loew, Certified Immigration Law Specialists; (888) 797-1140 or (626) 799-3089; info@ aquinoloew.com. Please also visit Aquino & Loew at www.aquinoloew.com and connect with us on Facebook and Twitter. Aquino & Loew also handles family law and criminal matters. Providing Personalized Service Nationwide & Abroad Since 1996.

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C JANUARY 23-26, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng Client 1: Garment Factory CLIENT presents himself as a businessperson, who has been in the garment business since 2002. He has a factory with ten employees where he pays his sewers a little over the minimum wage. When business was good, his factory was humming along. Orders for his garments were pouring in. He never did have enough capital to operate his business so at first he relied on credit cards. When that was not enough, he was able to get several small business loans from commercial banks.

When that was not enough, he got a hard money high interest loan of $200K. Unfortunately, he also personally guaranteed each and every loan that the company got. Lately, the business has not been able to pay the debts on time, and he’s been getting a lot of collection letters and phone calls. Several letters threatened lawsuits.

I asked him if the business was still profitable. He said no. It’s been losing 4 to 5K a month. He said just to continue operating and meet payroll, he had to get a HELOC against his residence for $80K last month.

It looks like his back is against the wall. To make matters worse, two material suppliers have filed lawsuits abroad against him and the business to collect $60K each of invoices that have not been paid for six months. I then proposed a Chapter 11 only if he thought that the business could later on turn a profit if reorganized. He said he didn’t want to do the business anymore and wanted a peaceful life now that he was 65. He wanted to close the business.

The problem of course is that he had personally guaranteed all the debts of the business.

This means that pretty soon, all of the creditors of the business will be suing him to collect on his personal guaranty. We added up the business debts that he guaranteed and came out with a total of $500K! Client was personally on the hook for half a million for the debts of business.

After analyzing his financials and assets, fortunately for cli-

Community Journal

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Business owners seek Calendar of Events across bankruptcy relief ent, I told him that he could do a Chapter 7 to wipe out the $500K without any risk of losing his house and all of his personal assets. Since he was 65, his homestead exemption is $175K. With the $80K HELOC he got last month, his equity in the house was $150K, which is well within the exemption amount. But he can’t get rid of the $80K of HELOC since that’s a voluntary mortgage on his house.

He asked if he could go into business again after the bankruptcy? I said “Yes, certainly.”

He would be debt free once the discharge is entered, and his credit score will increase every year.

Client 2: Coffee Shop Client presents himself as a relatively new businessperson.

He bought a retail outlet in a mall serving “Boba drinks” and other desserts. He started only two years ago. He got a 2nd mortgage from his house of $40K to buy the improvements and equipment from the previous owner. He also signed a new lease with landlord for 5 years at $3K a month. Unfortunately, gross receipts were just a little over $3K a month.

Therefore, buying the business was a very bad decision. To continue operating for 2 years, he borrowed $80K of credit card debt.

He hasn’t paid the rent for two months and has just received a letter from the landlord saying that if he does not update the rent by Oct. 30, landlord will file a lawsuit for eviction and demand the entire balance of the rent of $108K. He asks if landlord can do this?

Of course he can. Since client breached the contract, landlord can accelerate the rent for the next 3 years and demand payment of the entire balance of $108K! So, with the lease balance of $108K, plus credit card debt of $80K, client needs to wipe out $188K of unsecured debt to get his fresh start in life without accumulated debt.

He decides that Chapter 7 will provide him the relief from the consequences of a bad business decision. I assured him that it was the right thing to do. After all, Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy when his first business venture

failed. So, I said, you’re in good company because Disney is so successful now worldwide and does billions of $ of business yearly despite the fact that Mr. Disney also filed for Chapter 7 relief at the start of his business career. It gave him the fresh start that he needed and it will give client the fresh start without accumulated debt that he needs.

Client 3: Health Care Facility Client presents herself as the owner-operator of 3 health care facilities with 12 employees. The make a long story short, the business has been losing patients. In addition, Medicare demands a reimbursement for overpayment of $150K. She’s also borrowed last resort high interest loans for $100K for payroll, and has been looking for investors for new money to continue operating. I suggested a Chapter 11 reorganization because the facilities had equity of about $300K altogether and they do have some interested investors who have the funds to put in but need a little more time and convincing. Chapter 11 is the ideal solution.

Even if you don’t have a business, you may have racked up credit card and other debt over the years. If you’re stuck in the minimum monthly payment mode, you will never pay them off. So, now is the time to seriously consider a Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 to give you a fresh start without accumulated debt.

You owe it to yourself and your family to put yourself in firm financial footing now for future prosperity by getting rid of accumulated debt now. Call my office for an appointment and I will interview you personally.

“Be strong and courageous.

Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.” — Deuteronomy 31:6 *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California.

Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

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

St. Finbar Catholic Church events - Saturday, January 16 – Feast of Sto. Niño celebration. Sinulog starts at 11:30am.

- Saturday, January 23 – Thanksgiving Mass, in honor of San Ildefonso, patron saint of San Ildefonso, Bulacan, at 5:00pm. Followed by lunch celebration from 12:30 - 3:30pm at New Town Buffet.

- Saturday, February 6 – Valentine Dinner dance from 7:00 - 11:00pm. Cost of ticket is $30.

For more information on all events, please contact Marian Nobleza at 818-219-6463.

JA N UA RY 3 0

Infant Jesus of Prague 9 hour Novena and Mass The Infant Jesus of Prague Apostolic Group is celebrating 32 years of service and prayer, and will hold its 32nd annual 9-hour Novena and Mass in honor of the Divine Child Jesus on Saturday, January 30, at Saint Joseph the Worker Church (19855 Sherman Way, Winnetka, California). The Novena starts at 7:00am with Mass following at 3:20 pm. Based in San Fernando Valley, the Apostolic Group aims to promote the Gospel message of Jesus and spread devotions to the Infant Jesus. For more information, please contact Leo Nevada at (818) 633 3926 or visit www.IJPAG.com.

F E B R UA RY 3

A Tagalog conversation with USCIS: ‘How to Become a US Citizen’ United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) invites you and your relatives to attend a Tagalog-language community event on Wednesday, February 3rd, from 6:00–7:30pm, at the Carson Community Center (801 East Carson Street, Hall A, Carson, CA 90745). Representatives will go through the process and answer your questions about how to become a lawful citizen of the US. For more information about the event, please email us at Public.Engagement@uscis.dhs.gov.

F E B R UA RY 5 -1 5

University of the East Tau Alpha Sigma (TAS) fraternity golden anniversary Please join us in congratulating TAS for their Golden (50th) Anniversary to be held at Tower Club, Philamlife Building in Makati, Philippines on February 5, 2016. All brothers from all over the world are encouraged to attend. There will be fun–filled activities including dancing, singing, reminiscing college days, golf, trips to Bicol, Batangas, and Tagaytay and reconnecting with both old and new TAS brothers and their spouses. Those who have not yet confirmed their attendance, please contact: (USA) Bernie Lim (bernielim@sbcglobal. net) & Rene Marcos (rmarcos_cpa@verizon.net); (PHILIPPINES) Rodrigo Mangay-ayam (rodman0983@yahoo.com.ph) & Manny Bautista (Manuel.D.Bautista@ph.ey.com).

F E B R UA RY 6

Miss Magsingal Organization of America Coronation & Dinner-Dance The Officers and Members of Miss Magsingal Organization of America (MOA) cordially invites townmates and friends to attend our Miss MOA 2016-17 Coronation and Dinner/Dance on Feb. 6, from 5:00pm -12 midnight at the Hilton of Stockton (2323 Grand Canal Blvd, Stockton, CA). Our Royal Court to be honored and crowned are: Her Majesty Queen, Jillian Foronda; 1st Princess, Jemina Atanaya; and 2nd Princess, Jeramae Luczon. Attire is formal, dinner is $50/person, with live band entertainment. Limited seats are available on a first come first serve basis. For more details, please call Tereso U (209) 603-8440, Lanie (209) 814-8004, and Grace (209) 817-5674. Thank you.

F E B R UA RY 1 2

An Intimate Night with Miguel Vera Beat the Valentine’s Day rush and get your tickets to “An Intimate Night with Miguel Vera,” a special Valentine Show featuring Miguel Vera, performing the greatest OPM hits and romantic Filipino classics by Cayabyab, Canseco, and Cruz. The one-night-only concert will take place at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel (7675 Crescent Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620) on February 12 at 8:00pm. Special guests include Annie Nepomuceno and Kit Navarro. Please call (714) 814-0412 or (818) 913-329 for tickets and information. Tickets are $40 each.

F E B R UA RY 2 0 -2 1

PCCHS / PUPLHS 1996 Golden Jubilee The Philippine College of Commerce High School Laboratory Batch 1966 (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines) will be celebrating its Golden Jubilee from February 20-21 in Manila, Philippines. According to the President of the PCCHS Batch ‘66 Alumni Association, ROLAND ATIENZA, about 55 batchmates from Australia, Canada and USA have confirmed attendance to the Homecoming and 50 from Manila local chapter. Activities lined up for the Golden Jubilee Celebration are as follows: February 20, 2016 -- 6:00-12:00 pm. Formal Program/Dinner at the Banahaw Ballroom, The Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City, Philippines February 21, 2016 -- 8:00 am - 9:00 pm - Visit the ANAWIM Home for the Abandoned Elderly, Montalban, Rizal Province (Fellowship/Lunch/Donate basic needs of the elderly) - Tour of Manila (Former PCCHS in Lepanto, Intramuros Tour (old churches and Cathedral, Rizal Park, Fort Santiago) - Dinner/Cultural Show, at Barbara’s, Intramuros February 22, 2016 - BREAKUP GROUP (To Palawan, Laguna and respective hometown provinces of the guests) For inquiries, please contact the following members of the CORE group: Agnes T. Sule # 09165567000 suleagnes@yahoo.com, Roland Atienza #09062947156 atienza8@yahoo.com, Rebecca T. Sayed 09064032624 rebecca.sayed@yahoo.com, Lourdes T. Flores lulutflores@ yahoo.com, Rebecca Sayed rebecca.sayed@yahoo.com.

A P R I L 1 7-3 0

Pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, Mexico and India Amazing Pilgrimages for the Jubilee Year of Mercy! All are welcome to join Fr. Joe Joseph of Holy Trinity Church for the spiritual and fun-filled experiences of EASTERN EUROPE (April 17- 30): Poland, Czech., Austria, Hungary, Medjugorje; COLONIAL MEXICO/ OUR LADY OF GUADALUPE (June 20 - 27): Mexico City, Theotihuacan, Puebla, Tlaxcala, Ocotlan, Xochimilco, Guanajuato, San Miguel De Allende, Guadalajara, San Juan De Los Lagos, Cristo Rey, Zapopan, Tonala; and INDIA (September 15 - 29): Delhi, Agra, Jaipur, Kolkata, Kerala. For more pilgrimage information and detailed flyers, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com OR call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.

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

Can I obtain a divorce if my spouse refuses…

PAGE C2 t

either by “settlement” or by “trial.” However, you do not have to settle all the issues in the case at once. Under the concept of divisible divorce, you can settle some of the issues and set the other issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on for trial.

Our office try to resolve cases through settlement because it is more cost effective and the parties are usually happier with the outcome. In that situation, the parties may avoid the cost and uncertainty of going to trial by executing what is called a stipulated judgment which is in essence an agreement as to all the issues in the divorce case.

For issues which you and your spouse cannot agree on, you will have to go through the litigation process which involves obtaining discovery, exchanging declarations of disclosures, and preparing the case for trial. Ultimately, you will obtain your divorce at trial in addition to adjudication of the distribution of community assets and debts amongst other issues. It is in the best interest of the party to retain the representation of competent counsel who will assert his or her rights under the family code. ***

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He

is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com.

***

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

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

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To Live With Faith ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas A MAN was inside a church kneeling in front of a big statue of Santo Niño. In his prayer, he said: “Santo Niño, please help me win the lottery. I promise that I will be here every day after work in front of you to pray a novena in your honor. And if I win the lottery, I will build you the biggest church in the whole wide world!”

So the man did as he promised. After work, he would pass by the liquor store near the church to buy a lottery ticket and then would proceed to the church to pray in front of Santo Niño. He would lay the lottery ticket in front of the statue and ask that Santo Niño would bless it so that the numbers would win.

The man would do this for weeks, month, and years. But to his frustration, none of his numbers would win, and there were no million dollars to retire and to build a church for Santo Niño.

One day, the man got upset. He spoke in a loud voice saying, “Santo Niño, I’ve been coming in front of you for years, praying that I would win the lottery. If you don’t grant me this favor next week’s Powerball, I will come back here and break you into pieces.”

Well, the sacristan of the church heard the man’s prayer.

So he rushed to the rectory to tell the pastor about what he heard. “Father, do you know the man who is coming every day to pray in front of the statue of Santo Niño? I heard him pray this evening. He said that he would break the statue of Santo Niño into pieces if he does not win the lottery next week. What should we do? That is an antique and expensive statue donated by our richest parishioner.” The pastor responded, “Don’t worry.

Here’s what you do: take out the big statue of Santo Niño and replace it with a smaller one.” “Oh, that’s a brilliant idea,” the sacristan told the priest. “Yes, I would do that.”

The sacristan did as the pastor asked him to do. He took out the big statue and put a smaller one.

Community Journal

Santo Niño and our childlike faith That evening the man came to the church and to his surprise, the big statue of Santo Niño was missing. In place of it was a small version of the statue. The man got very angry, and so he said out loud, “Oh, Santo Niño, I see how smart you are. You don’t have courage, so instead of you facing me here, you sent your younger brother!”

I’ve often wondered why we Filipinos have a great devotion to Santo Niño. And I’ve heard one thing: that praying to Santo Niño is effective (mabisa) and powerful.

For example, a friend shared with me that the people of Leyte believe that a plague in their province stopped when they prayed a novena to Santo Niño and processed its image around the province.

But is it the statue that is powerful and mabisa or our deep faith? I’d say that it’s our faith that is effective. Why? It’s because it is a faith that is childlike.

And what is a childlike faith? It is pure, totally dependent on God, entrusting, humble, meek, and poor in spirit.

That’s what God needs to see in us as we pray to him.

Haven’t we had this experience? It’s when we totally submit our will to God that we find help and healing. It’s this kind of faith that can move mountains as the Scriptures tell us.

I’ve shared with my readers that in May last year, my doctor found an unruptured aneurysm in my brain. This shocked my whole existence and so I turned to God for healing and asked prayers from many people. I’ve never prayed so hard in my entire life. I prayed like a child to God and submitted my whole being to him. I prayed the Holy Rosary every day and offered Masses for my healing. I didn’t just pray like a child; I became a child in total dependence to the Father.

And as you know, the Lord answered my prayer. When I went back to see my neurosurgeon for follow-up checkup after six months since my medical procedure, he told me not to worry anymore. I’m totally healed from my aneurysm. All I need to do is to take care of

my health.

This childlike prayer is not only entrusting but is youthful.

Many of us would say that we’re aging. But we know that it’s only our bodies that get old. Our spirits and faith should never get old. God should always see this in us.

He needs to see a faith that is youthful and hopeful, a “pananampalataya na sariwa sa pagasa, buhay na buhay at masigasig.”

I have a friend named Ricky. He is 50 years old. Today, he discovered something new about himself: a beautiful voice that had been buried for years within his being. One day, as he was sitting inside a bar in Hollywood, a man came to him. The man told him, “You now, I heard you pick up the microphone and sing. You have a great voice, and I want to work with you. I am professional voice trainer.” Ricky could not believe that such a person would approach him to ask if he wanted to be trained.

To keep the long story short, Ricky agreed. What he and the trainer discovered was amazing: hidden in a fifty-year-old body is the pure and original voice of his youth that had been trampled by frustrations and disappointments of life.

We need to uncover this youthful voice in us—this youthful and faith-filled spirit.

It’s the faith that is mabisa and powerful and that can heal and renew us.

So, today, let us ask God to grant us a childlike and youthful faith. Let’s not just pray to Santo Niño, but let’s also be like him: dependent on the will of his Father, entrusting, loving, and filled with awe and wonder. Amen. *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

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Supreme Court agrees to review Obama’s ASEAN may displace executive action on DAPA and expanded DACA China as economic hub

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ ON January 19, 2016, the US Supreme Court agreed to review the legality of President Obama’s executive action, which he announced in November 2014, of Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents (DAPA) and expanding the existing Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA).

Those programs would have halted the deportation/removal of millions of out of status parents of US citizens and green card holders, granted them work authorization, and increased the number of out of status young people eligible for DACA. After Obama announced this executive action, 26 states, including Texas, filed a lawsuit challenging the legality of President Obama’s action. In February 2015, a federal judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction, halting (or shutting down) the program while the case slowly made its way through the court system. The government appealed, but on November 9, 2015, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals sided with the federal judge, and upheld the injunction. Obama then sought review (or Certiorari) with the Supreme Court (which is rarely granted), especially since the deadline for

accepting cases was quickly approaching.

Fortunately, the Supreme Court required an expedited briefing schedule from both parties (after Texas sought a postponement), and on January 19, 2016, the Supreme Court accepted the case.

However, it still remains to be seen if Obama will prevail, which I hope he will.

However, if Obama prevails, things would have to move quickly for those who are potentially eligible. The case\appeal will be heard (or argued) in April 2016. It will be decided in June 2016. A new president will take office in January 2017. If a Democrat is elected, it is likely this program will continue. However, if a Republican is elected president, most candidates (especially Donald Trump) have vowed to discontinue the program. Therefore, if Obama’s executive actions are upheld, USCIS plans to immediately implement DAPA and expanded DACA, which would give people basically a six month time period between a favorable decision by the Supreme Court in June 2016 and a Republican president taking office in January 2017. If people applied for and were granted DAPA or expanded DACA during that brief window, it would be very difficult for a Republican president to take those benefits away,

CES highlights future of the automobile

by Jason

K. ang

Inquirer.net

THE C in “CES” may very well stand for cars. Cars dominated a section of the annual Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas this year. As cars bring more electronic functions on board, they are becoming more sophisticated technology platforms.

CES used to highlight the infotainment systems, and now that is just a small part of the technology package that cars are carrying.

Here are some of the automotive trends seen in this year’s CES: Cars that can drive themselves are already here. Kia demonstrated its Soul Autonomous Vehicle (AV) just before CES, at its California Proving Grounds. The Soul was able to drive a programmed route

through an urban environment and on the highway. It was able to detect obstacles, and when the human driver was “sleeping,” and pull over safely.

Toyota demonstrated its software that allows vehicles to learn its driving route while avoiding accidents. This was run on a fleet of scale-model Prius cars. The cars would initially bump into each other. But after a few minutes, they are able to run smoothly.

Tesla boss Elon Musk predicts that in the near future, consumers will not want to buy cars that don’t have autonomous driving capability. Tesla has already introduced software that allows its cars to drive autonomously. Its latest update allows owners to call their cars from the parking garage.

PAGE D3

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) reported a total of 36,681,601 passengers utilized the four terminals of NAIA, an increase of two million passengers from 34,094,159 in 2014.

Inquirer.net file photo

NAIA drew 8% more passengers last year by louise

D

maureen Philstar.com

simeon

MANILA—Over 36 million passengers transited through the country’s main hub, the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA), in 2015, eight percent higher from records in 2014.

The Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) reported a total of 36,681,601 passengers utilized the four terminals of NAIA, an increase of two million passengers from 34,094,159 in 2014.

Domestic passengers reached 19,513,514 while international travelers totaled 17,168,087.

“Airport developments in the previous year served as the foundation for the steady increase of passengers,” MIAA general manager Jose Angel Honrado said.

He noted flight operations were enhanced with the reactivation of Runway 31 for departures, allowing flight movements to take place concurrently on both runways.

The extension of Taxiway N also decongested the taxiway particularly at the intersection of the runways and facilitated flexible handling of

international operations.

“The rehabilitation project of Terminal 1 widened passenger movement areas with the redesigning of the terminal interiors,” Honrado added.

Furthermore, the introduction of new routes and airline partnerships led to the increase in passengers last year, bringing the total number of airlines operating at NAIA to 40 with more than 90 destinations worldwide.

Turkish Airlines and Ethiopian Airlines started their Manila route to Istanbul and Addis Ababa, respectively, while local carriers expanded their connections to Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Qatar, and Japan.

Projects in store for 2016 include the upgrading of the air conditioning systems at Terminals 2 and 3 and the introduction of transportation network companies to the airport.

“We continue to build on developments from last year as management brings in more projects this year for the benefit of passengers,” Honrado said.

as they would face lawsuits and other challenges.

The basic issues are that, of course, it is Congress that makes the laws, especially when it comes to immigration. However, once Congress passes a law it is the job or duty of the executive branch (president) to “take care” to enforce those laws. Executive action and prosecutorial discretion are ways by which the president decides how and where to enforce the law, and where to commit time and resources.

President Obama decided that although there are over 11 million people in the US who are deportable, the government must prioritize certain of those people, such as felons, terrorists, and those who are a danger to society. Others, such as parents of US citizens and green card holders, who have been in the US for a long time, are otherwise law abiding, and who do not pose a danger, should not be a priority for removal\deportation. Therefore, as part of his job of enforcing the law, he wanted to use resources to go after the really bad guys first. The lawsuit by these

26 states would take away from the executive branch the ability to use discretion on the best way to enforce the law, or would enable states to override the executive branch on enforcement decisions and prioities. I hope the Supreme Court sees it that way, strikes down their lawsuit and the injunction, and upholds Obama’s executive action. ***

by Doris

endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

Business Quote of the Week

Dumlao-abaDilla

He noted that consumer-focused multinational corporations IT’S bound to be an “evolution” (MNCs)—from healthcare and than a “revolution” but the newly- pharmaceutical to connectivity created ASEAN Economic Com- support sectors like telecom, airmunity (AEC) is seen to become the lines and infrastructure compa“center of the universe” and replace nies—were scrambling to have a what used to be a China-dominated piece of the action in ASEAN, or Asian economic narrative, said a the Association of Southeast Asian regional executive of American Nations, which recently formalized banking giant Citibank. the creation of a unified economic Singapore-based Melvyn Low, group called AEC. Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active Citi head for treasury and trade soThe Philippines, with its commember of the State Bar of California and New lutions for ASEAN and Singapore, petitive advantages in the services York. All immigration services are provided by, said in a press briefing on Thursday sector and particularly in business or under the supervision of, an active member that the 10-nation bloc would likely process outsourcing (BPO) indusof the State Bar of California. Each case is be the growth hub in the next three try, is standing out as a potential different. The information contained herein to seven years.

PAGE D2 including testimonials, “Success Stories,”

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“As a small business or startup, one of the factors you should always consider when looking at a potential partnership is the incremental potential reach.

Note that wider reach doesn’t always mean a better partnership opportunity. Instead of sheer scale, take a look at which communities your potential partner can open up for you.” — Leah Busque, entrepreneur and founder of TaskRabbit

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ThouSANdS of JobS To bE AddEd To REgioN

Pechanga Resort & Casino embarks on $285M expansion TEMECULA—The Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians held a ceremonial ground breaking recently to usher in a much-anticipated $285 million expansion in their property that will add more than 3,500 jobs to the region.

Led by Patrick Murphy, president of the Pechanga Development Corporation Board of Directors, and Mark Macarro, Tribal Chairman, tribal leaders welcomed local dignitaries, media and invited guests to the ceremonies. Local leaders and state officials (or their representatives) were also on hand to present the Tribe with certificates for its continuing contributions to the community.

“Today, with the Eagle IV Expansion, we celebrate the beginning of the next chapter of Pechanga Resort & Casino and our history,” Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro said. “This development will build

upon the quality and reputation of the original resort and continue our Tribe’s entrepreneurial spirit for future generations. We are grateful and proud as a Tribe to be in a position to strengthen tourism in the Temecula Valley and Southern California with this project.”

The expansion will add a new, AAA Four Diamond, 568-room and suite hotel wing; a standalone luxury two-storey spa and salon with 17 treatment rooms, a fitness center and hydrotherapy pool terrace; a resort-style pool complex with eight pool areas; two new restaurants; and an additional 67,000 square feet of event space.

The project, according to builder Tutor-Perini, is expected to be completed in 24 months.

The expansion will also fund $5 million to widen Pechanga Parkway and improve local roads, provide about $9 million for local law en-

Cake Master’s Duff Goldman designed a cake �right photo� specifically for the event.

forcement, and contribute $14 million for the Interstate 15/Temecula Parkway Ultimate Interchange.

“We estimate the expansion will result in an economic output of over $500 million, generating roughly 2,944 jobs up front as a result of construction-related activities,” said Dr. Christopher Thornberg, Founding Partner of Beacon Economics. “We estimate the local economy will benefit from an additional 560 jobs per year going forward as a result of expanded operation of Pechanga Resort & Casino.”

The Tribe’s operation and activities related to Pechanga Resort & Casino, according to a 2014 study of the Rose Institute of State and Local Government at Claremont McKenna College, has resulted in the direct employment of 5,257 people which makes it one of the largest employers in the Inland

Empire region.

In the brief ceremonies, both Macarro and Murphy shared their memories of how the Tribe went into the gaming business with eyes wide open after trying different avenues in order to create jobs for tribal members and generate revenues for services needed by the Tribe, including water and basic healthcare, as well as the preservation and promotion of Tribal culture and language. Prior to establishing Pechanga Resort & Casino, the Tribe had gone into sand mining (which was dependent on weather conditions) and tried its hand in grape/wine production (Murphy remarked that they had no idea how to go about growing grapes).

Pechanga opened in 1995 with only 135 employees but has steadily grown its business and now employs thousands. In recent

Tribal leaders and Pechanga Resort & Casino management led by Tribal Chairman Mark Macarro and Pechanga Development Corporation President Patrick Murphy pose in front of shovels at the groundbreaking ceremony announcing the resort/casino’s $285 million expansion.

years, it celebrated a few milestones, including being voted No. 1 U.S. Casino in a poll conducted

by USA Today, and in 2015 having 365 days of 100% occupancy, which is part of the reason for the expansion project.

Tribal leaders expect the project to add luster to an already bright history of Pechanga Resort & Casino.

“We are hoping this development will spur us in the next 20 years,” Macarro said in his remarks. “We are also embarking on this project in order to attract more A-list entertainers to our property. This long-term investment will make Pechanga a more complete and refined destination in the region. The expansion will also enable us to meet current demand as there are a lot of folks coming here who are not able to stay at Pechanga.”

For his part, Murphy said, “We are completely committed to making Pechanga Resort & Casino a world-class destination. We have consistently provided our guests with excellent quality and customer service, and now we’re making their experience even better. We’ve brought in some of the best designers, architects and builders who have worked with other iconic properties to create stunning resort features. We are very excited for the future.”

One employee who is excited at the expansion project is Casino Host Vhergie De Jesus, who is Filipino American, and part of the big Filipino contingent employed by Pechanga Resort & Casino.

“I am excited with the additional hotel tower and resort style pool,” De Jesus said. “This would make us more family-oriented and would fall in line with how Filipinos go about when they vacation or go out – they want the entire family with them.”

“Our relationship with our guests is excellent, which includes many of our kababayans. Filipinos are known for our hospitality and that’s exactly how we try to make them feel while they’re staying at Pechanga – at home,” De Jesus continued. “We tell them about promotions and make sure that

everything is in order when they arrive at the property.”

Lee Torres, Vice President for Marketing at Pechanga Resort & Casino, told the Asian Journal that they will try to provide the best experience possible for hotel guests even as the construction rolls on.

He also gave his thoughts on the relationship of Pechanga with the Filipino community and Filipino clientele.

“I think the Filipino community is very important to us. We’ve identified some great partners that we work with, including the Seafood City chain. We try to bring in entertainment that’s relevant to them. We try to cater to the experiences that they are looking for. And that’s for our Filipino or any other ethnicities that we’ve developed great relationships with,” Torres said, while adding that the casino/ resort employs a healthy number of Filipinos who give them great feedback on what the community needs.”

Torres also revealed that while they know they are doing great they will not be resting on their laurels.

“We’re going to make it even better for our customers. In a twoyear period, we are going to have more to offer. We are going to take it to a higher level and provide people with the best casino experience in the entire country. We want our customers to be excited about that and to be part of it with us,” Torres said. “All of our customers are important to us. That is why you see us doing a variety of things that are targeted to different groups and ethnicities. We want to be inclusive and we want people to who come here to know that they are going to have a great experience regardless of who you are and where you come from.”

Pechanga Resort & Casino is located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway in Temecula. For more information, call 1-888-PECHANGA or visit www.pechanga.com.

Follow Pechanga Resort & Casino on Facebook and via Twitter (@ PechangaCasino). Pechanga Resort & Casino is open 24 hours; guests must be 21 and older to enter the casino. ��dvertising �upplement�

Ayala, Lucio Tan to jointly develop C5 township

by Doris

Dumlao-abaDilla Inquirer.net

THE AYALA and Lucio Tan groups have teamed up to develop a 35-hectare township along the C5 corridor spanning Pasig and Quezon City.

Property giant Ayala Land Inc. and conglomerate LT Group Inc. separately disclosed to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Friday, Jan. 22 an agreement to jointly develop a project along the C5 corridor.

“We look forward to a successful partnership with the LT Group.

This partnership will allow us to combine our capabilities towards the development of a 35-hectare integrated mixed use project in one of the most prime locations in Pasig and Quezon City,” ALI president Bernard Vincent Dy said.

“Our shared vision and commitment to this project will open new opportunities for economic growth, which will contribute to the development of the community,” Dy said.

LTG chair Lucio Tan said: “We are very pleased to be entering into a joint venture with ALI. This project will be a perfect addition to the growing portfolio of Eton Properties Philippines Inc., the property development arm of LTG.” “We believe that this is an excellent partnership that ill enable us to build an outstanding and mixed-use development, which will offer a wide range of property investment and lifestyle options to customers,” Tan said.

The ALI-LTG partnership will co-develop the project pursuant to a joint masterplan.

ASEAN may displace China as...

PAGE D1 growth market and thereby has a big opportunity now that the Asian narrative has shifted to ASEAN, Low said. The BPO story, he said, would continue to open doors for the Philippines as AEC progresses.

While other companies may set up more manufacturing hubs in the likes of Vietnam or their financial hubs in Singapore, he said the Philippines would remain as the region’s BPO hub.

Low said ASEAN would surely figure out a way to work with both the US and China, the world’s two biggest economic powerhouses.

“It’s also very clear that the center of the universe suddenly becomes us, amongst all other areas, not Africa, not Latin America, not Europe, not US—they’ve got their own issues. It’s Southeast Asia,” Low said. “This is why I feel so positive and encouraged by the medium-term prospects of ASEAN.” “We do have our challenges; I don’t say that we don’t. When you read about AEC, it’s more evolution than revolution. But if we start collectively looking at ASEAN, with

our own countries at heart as well, this would be the growth area in the next three to seven years,” Low said.

Historically, global MNCs looked at Asia as a whole and within Asia, typically looked at Hong Kong and Singapore as a base for their headquarters, Low said. Then China became prominent in the 2000s, dominating the Asian storyline since then. With its economic slowdown in recent years, Low said MNCs started to look elsewhere in the region, looking at India and then the rest of Southeast Asia.

As ASEAN ramped up efforts and formalized the creation of the AEC, he said global MNCs have started noticing the regional bloc.

“We’re seeing our clients create an ASEAN strategy for themselves, different from the past when they created only [a broad] Asian strategy,” Low said.

And as MNCs enter new markets or expand existing markets in ASEAN, this has translated to greater intra-ASEAN flows. In 2014, such flows grew by 38 percent or far more than the increments in recent years, Low said.

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Five Knolls Fun Day in Santa Clarita on Saturday, Jan. 30

Santa Clarita—You’re invited to the first Five Knolls Fun Day in Santa Clarita on Saturday, January 30! Come out from 11:00 am to 2:00 pm to hang out at the Club while enjoying live music and refreshing mocktails from the Juicebox truck. You can also tour the 18 designer-furnished model homes and check out the six stylish new home neighborhoods! this is your chance to experience a scenically inspiring small world designed around a refreshing new lifestyle. With miles of trails, a resort-style club, community park and five signature knolls, Five Knolls lets you live life where you belong.

Five Knolls brings a great scope of new home options and opportunities to the Santa Clarita Valley, offering homes that are well built, well priced and in demand. Home shoppers can enjoy a location that caters to a lifestyle of both recreation and convenience with a new home that delivers style, innovation and function. Five Knolls is simply one of those rare opportunities to have it all. along tree-lined streets, the six new home collections at Five Knolls provide a host of choices from an all-star lineup of homebuilders.

With timeless architectural styles, including Santa Barbara, Spanish, american Farmhouse, Monterey and more, each home is defined by elegance.

Highglen by Brookfield residential welcomes two-story detached homes behind gates, with floorplans ranging from approximately 3,788 to 4,235 square feet. With up to six bedrooms and five-and-onehalf baths, Highglen also offers three-bay garages as well as a host of desirable features. Highglen is priced from the $800,000s.

Monterra by Christopher Homes presents gated living with beautiful two-story detached homes.

Priced from the $700,000s, designs span from approximately 3,583 to 3,858 square feet with up to seven bedrooms and six baths as well as two- and three-car garages.

Priced from the $700,000s, Brighton by Brookfield residential delivers two-story detached homes in a gated neighborhood. a variety of options offer from approximately 3,116 to 3,470 square feet with up to six bedrooms and four-andone-half baths. Brighton residents also enjoy three-bay garages and premium appointments.

Everett by Meritage Homes pleases homebuyers with an array of floorplans to choose from. two-story detached designs feature approximately 2,724 to 3,131 square feet in addition to up to five bedrooms and four-and-onehalf baths. Priced from the high $500,000s, Everett also provides two-bay to three-car tandem garages and stunning interiors. new two-story detached residences at Grayson by tri Pointe Homes are designed for homebuyers. With approximately 2,121 to 2,470 square feet, up to five bedrooms and three baths and two-car garages, Grayson is priced from only the $500,000s.

Haywood by KB Home affords a new collection of two-story detached residences priced from the high $400,000s. ranging in size from approximately 1,856 to 2,388 square feet, designs include up to five bedrooms, up to three baths and two-car garages in addition to a multitude of great features. at Five Knolls, the great outdoors is just outside your door, from the array of walking and biking trails to the five signature knolls the community is named for.

Golden Valley Park brings a mixture of open spaces and gathering places as well as picnic enclaves, a shaded playground, basketball half-court and big and small dog park. and the Club is a haven for all things fun, where residents can splash around in the pool, relax in the spa or meet up with friends for wine tastings, get-togethers or celebrations. to live at Five Knolls in Santa Clarita is to be close to everything.

Connecting Golden Valley road all the way through to Bouquet Canyon road means a faster, more direct route to everyday destinations

across the Santa Clarita Valley.

Within moments of home, everything from shopping and dining to entertainment, great schools and employment is accessible. More than 25 city parks, theme parks, art and culture offer opportunities for adventure, and the Metrolink and local transit make just about anywhere within reach. residents are close to all the things they love, from the easygoing community to the bustling world beyond. Five Knolls is the place to be.

Models are open daily from 10am to 5pm. For more details on the new community of Five Knolls, please visit the website at FiveKnolls.com.

Brookfield residential los angeles is a premier lifestyle provider comprised of a dedicated, knowledgeable team of professionals with the passion and experience to craft exceptional new homes, neighborhoods and communities.

From the goals of first-time buyers to the prestige of luxury homes, we are proud to offer opportunities that embrace a diversity of aspirations. respected as an award-winning innovator, we are recognized for delivering consistent quality, design details and an outstanding customer experience.

Brookfield residential Properties, inc. is a leading north american land developer and homebuilder. We entitle and develop land to create master-planned communities and build and sell lots to third-party builders as well as to our own homebuilding division. We also participate in select strategic real estate opportunities, including infill projects, mixed-use developments and joint ventures.

For more information, please visit Brookfieldresidential.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 23-26, 2016 D

WIN Hyundai and WIN Chevrolet: The holiday season continues with Three giant locations to serve you Glendale Nissan’s New Year Savings

There’s no better place for kababayans to shop for hyundai vehicles than WIN hyundai in Carson, Calif. established in 2011, the young dealership started with the goal of becoming the premiere hyundai dealership. since then, it has lived up to its aim by consistently ranked among the top five dealers in the district.

In 2012, the dealership, which is also equus Certified, was also ranked No. 1 in district sales.

WIN is proud to carry hyundai vehicles. J.D. Power and Associates ranked the automaker No. 2 among nonpremium automakers in the 2015 Automotive Performance, execution and Layout (APeAL) study.

“Finishing among the top two non-premium brands in this year’s J.D. Power, the APeAL study shows hyundai takes design, technology, features, and performance seriously across the entire lineup. having the bestselling sonata ranking among the top two in its class is a remarkable accomplishment and we are committed to delivering the highest customer experience possible to our owners,” said Mike O’Brien, vice president of corporate and product planning at hyundai.

WIN hyundai offers a wide selection of quality hyundai vehicles and extends its offerings across the Los Angeles area with its two locations: one in Carson and another in el Monte. On both sites, customers can find new and certified pre-owned vehicles – including the santa Fe, sonata, elantra and Genesis Coupe – to meet a variety of budgets and preferences.

Because the Carson and el Monte locations serve just about anyone and everyone in southern California, its experienced sales representatives are prepared and eager to help customers find the cars that best fit their preferences and needs.

When it comes to purchasing a hyundai, WIN specializes in working with all types of credit, good or bad, and has the ability to refinance current loans.

Additionally, although it sells hyundai cars, the dealership services vehicles of all makes and models and currently has an oil change special of $19.95 For Chevrolet owners and

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shoppers in Los Angeles, you may check out WIN’s third location at WIN Chevrolet, which will make sure to handle everything from helping you purchase a new or used Chevy. schedule an appointment or just stop on by to take any of our 2015 Chevrolet models for a test drive including the 2015 Chevrolet Camaro, 2015 Chevrolet Impala, and 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe.

Beyond the highly-praised brand WIN offers southern California residents, it has departments dedicated diverse groups found throughout the Los Angeles region, including Chinese, Korean, hispanic and Filipino communities. “ We w a n t t o m a k e t h e buying process as easy as possible, so we understand communicating in your native language can be important to completely understanding the purchasing and financing of your vehicle,” said Munir Younis, general sales manager of the dealership.

Younis, who is of Middle eastern descent, grew up in the Philippines and can speak Tagalog fluently, just as the Filipino sales representatives at the dealership.

“We have a dedicated team that serves the largest Filipino community in the U.s. We believe in giving back to the community and have participated in multiple sponsorship opportunities with multiple Filipino groups and organizations, including the Philippine Independence Day Foundation,” he said.

Among Filipino members of the WIN hyundai Carson team include long-time car industry veterans Jun Milan and Jay Trinidad.

“WIN is a great dealership and customer service is the best it can be,” Milan said.

Also on the Filipino team is Franklin Magarro, the dealership’s internet sales manager.

In addition to its on-location offerings, those shopping for hyundai cars can browse WIN’s inventory online with userfriendly filters. Whether you know specifically what make and model you’re looking for, are trying to shop based on a budget, or simply want to browse through what is available, the dealership website makes it easy to shop around from home. Live chat is also available and sales representatives are happy to assist customers via phone.

WIN Hyundai Carson 2205 e 223rd street Carson, CA 90810 (877) 354-4253 Monday through saturday: 9am to 9pm sunday: 10am to 8pm WIN Hyundai El Monte 3462 N Peck road el Monte, CA 91731 (877) 290-2164 Monday through sunday: 9am to 9pm www.winhyundai.com Win Chevrolet 2201 e. 223rd street Carson, CA 90810 (818) 639-1216 www.winchevrolet.com 8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

The new year also ushers the changing of consumer tastes and needs when it comes to vehicles.

At Glendale Nissan, the holiday season remains in full swing with their New Year Savings!

Check out Glendale Nissan’s latest offering this new year which include: Versa Note, Sentra S, Altima, Rogue Select, Leaf, Quest, Pathfinder S and Murano.

“All new kababayans are welcome at Glendale Nissan,” said Filipino salesman John Sison, who works in the dealership’s Filipino sales team.

Sison says that among Filipino clientele, Sentras, Altimas and Rogues—all family cars—are particularly popular. But the dealer-

ship has much more in store.

Glendale Nissan is well-known for having one of the best selections of Nissans to choose from in the Los Angeles area.

The dealership aims to provide excellent customer service, and was recognized by Nissan Motor Company as an Owner First Award of excellence dealer for its superior client service. One of the small ways it does this is by offering complimentary coffee to its customers.

In addition to its physical location, Glendale Nissan has an online showroom that makes it easy for customers to browse its huge selection of new, pre-owned and certified vehicles. Customers

can also search based on exact specifications, as well as search for vehicles within a designated budget. Other online features include live chat, a credit score estimator, the option to request for a quick quote, and access to the financing application.

Check out how your car purchase can be made easier through Glendale Nissan. Your kababayan John Sison will show you how.

For more information, you may visit Glendale Nissan at 727 S Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA 91204 or call (818) 240-6000. They are open on Mondays to Saturdays from 8:30am to 10pm, and on Sundays from 9am to 9pm. �������isin�� S�������n��

John Sison

Chatty cabbies in PH may be fined soon

by DJ

Yap

Inquirer.net

TALKATIVe cab drivers may soon be compelled under pain of a fine or suspension to keep quiet “upon request” if Congress approves the proposed “Bill of Rights of Taxi Passengers.”

The bill enumerating the Do’s and Don’ts for taxi drivers during cab rides—including being properly dressed, drug-free, and to not be choosy of passengers—was approved on Wednesday by the transportation committee of the house of Representatives.

The committee voted to approve a consolidated version of the measures introduced by six lawmakers, including its chair, Catanduanes Rep. Cesar Sarmiento.

Among other things, the bill states that taxi passengers are entitled to “a quiet or silent atmo-

sphere throughout the trip upon request.”

They are also allowed to ask the driver to lower or raise the thermostat or “decide on the orientation of air-conditioning and lighting systems inside the taxi.”

The measure lists down other requirements expected of taxi drivers, such as the display of an official identification card, the plate number and emergency numbers on the side door, and a duly calibrated and sealed fare meter.

They are also supposed to be “courteous,” free of the influence of drugs or alcohol, and to give the exact change for the fare.

The bill also seeks to protect passengers from fussy or selective drivers “regardless of the length of the journey or traffic condition, by any available on duty taxi driver, subject to applicable traffic regulations.”

It also ensures that passengers

with a disability will be able to ride a taxi with an animal assistant or portable mobility aids.

Under the bill, passengers may file a complaint for any violations against the driver or the operator with the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Violators shall pay fines ranging from P1,000 on the first offense to P5,000 on the third or succeeding offense, and have their license suspended for seven days on the first offense to up to a year on the third or succeeding offenses.

“In all cases, the erring driver or operator shall undergo an education seminar,” according to the bill.

The bill also mandates the LTFRB in coordination with other agencies to organize a nationwide information campaign about taxi passengers’ rights.

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