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E D I T I OE ND I T I O NI T I O N ED

E DITION April 29-May 2, 2017

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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 27 - No. 35 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

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Duterte: South China Sea ruling not an issue for ASEAN summit

Also published in: • Orange County/Inland Empire • Northern California • Las Vegas • New York/ New Jersey

by Dana

siOsOn AJPress

the united Nations’ (uN) arbitral court ruling on China’s expansive claims in the south China sea is a matter only between manila and Beijing, so it will not be discussed at the 30th Association of southeast Asian Nations (AseAN) summit, according to Philippine President rodrigo Duterte.

President Rodrigo Duterte

DATELINE

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Fil-Am sworn in as mayor of Sierra Madre, Calif.

A fILIPINoAmerican woman was sworn in as the mayor of sierra madre, California, becoming the first Asian American to lead the city. rachelle Arizmendi took the oath of office — officiated by California state treasurer John Chiang — during the city council meeting on tuesRachelle Arizmendi was day, April 25, sucinstalled as mayor of Sierra ceeding Gene Goss, Madre, California on Tuesday, who was selected April 25. She will serve for as mayor in 2016. one year.

Arizmendi’s term AJPress photo by Ding Carreon will last one year.

Before handing off the role, Goss praised Arizmendi for her “professionalism” in serving as the city’s mayor pro tem for the past year.

the 10-member regional bloc, together with Beijing, is expected to finish a framework for a Code of Conduct on the disputed sea this year.

Duterte assured that he will continue to talk to China, but said the issue regarding the ruling will be discussed at a later time.

According to him, it is currently useless to make a “strong protest” for now since China is “completely ignor-

u PAGE A2

by Dana

siOsOn AJPress

PhILIPPINe President rodrigo Duterte hit back at the New York Times (NYt) on thursday, April 27, following its editorial condemning him over the alleged spate of summary killings in the country.

In its April 25 op-ed, the NYT editorial board described Duterte as “a man who must be stopped.”

But Duterte, in an expletive comment, said that it is the publication that must be stopped.

“New York Times – a**h***, a**h***. You cannot even criticize your own mistake. Invading a country, making up excuses before the world that is not true, then you have the gall to say stop. You better stop your publishing,” Duterte said.

In its piece, titled “Let the world condemn Duterte,” the NYt editorial board expressed its support for the mass murder complaint filed by lawyer Jude sabio, counsel of confessed Davao Death squad (DDs) hitman

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RED CARPET WELCOME. President Rodrigo Duterte gives Indonesian President Joko Widodo a red carpet welcome at the Malacañang Palace on Friday, April 28. After the welcome ceremony, Duterte and Widodo held a restricted meeting and a bilateral meeting at the Aguinaldo State Dining Room.

Inquirer.net photo by Nestor Corrales

World Press Senators urge Trump admin to continue Filipino World War II Veterans Parole program Freedom index:

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

California judge blocks part of sanctuary cities executive order

u PAGE A4

tral tribunal in the hague ruled in favor of the Philippines that China’s historic nine-dash line, which claimed almost all the south China sea, has no historic and legal basis.

“It might be taken up but we will not talk about sovereignty over what part of the islands there…because that is not an issue before the Asean summit. What is at issue is the conduct of the parties in the use of the China sea,” Duterte remarked.

Duterte tells New York Times: ‘Better stop your publishing’

u PAGE A3

A feDerAL judge in san francisco on tuesday, April 25 blocked a portion of President Donald trump’s executive order that called for denying funds to areas that defy u.s. immigration authorities. u.s. District Judge William orrick ruled that the trump administration could not impose restrictions on the so-called sanctuary jurisdictions that have policies to protect undocumented immigrants, given that the president does not have the authority to dictate new federal spending policies. “federal funding that bears no meaningful relationship to immigration enforcement cannot be threatened merely because a jurisdiction chooses an immigration enforcement strategy of which the president disapproves,” orrick wrote in his decision to the lawsuit filed by the City and County of san francisco

“It is not an issue here in the AseAN. Code of Conduct, maybe. But the arbitral [ruling], it’s only between China and the Philippines. so I’ll skip that,” Duterte told reporters in a press briefing on thursday, April 27, as manila has been playing host for the summit this past week. he added, “Why should I challenge somebody there, engage someone with a non-issue?”

In July 2016, the uN-backed arbi-

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Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto AJPress file photo by Robert Macabagdal

A GrouP of Democratic senators is calling for the continuation of a program that allows filipino World War II veterans to be reunited with their families in the united states, amid reports that the trump administration is reviewing immigration parole policies.

In a letter addressed to President Donald trump on Wednesday, April 26, senators Dianne feinstein (D-Calif.), mazie K. hirono (D-hawaii), tim Kaine (D-Va.), Catherine Cortez masto (D-Nev.), and Kamala harris (D-Calif.) said that less than 6,000 filipinos World War II veterans — of the 260,000 who

fought — are living in the united states today and are increasingly in need of assistance from their relatives. some of the veterans have petitioned family members from the Philippines to join them in the united states; however, wait times can last years, often times exceeding 20 years, due to statutory visa caps. under the administration of former President Barack obama, the filipino World War II Veterans Parole (fWVP) program was introduced in July 2015, which states that on a case-by-case basis, certain family members could be eligible to come to the u.s. to provide support and care for aging filipino

u PAGE A3

Pres. Trump proposes major tax cuts for individuals, businesses

by Klarize

MeDenilla AJPress

DurING his 2016 presidential campaign, President Donald trump vowed to implement major reforms to the tax code by simplifying the system, and this week, he did just that. on Wednesday, April 26, the White house announced the president’s highly anticipated tax reforms which represent the president’s campaign economic promises: reducing the amount of tax brackets for individuals, slash-

ing the top tax rate for businesses and implementing a territorial tax system among other changes that would affect virtually every American. trump lacked to include specifics in the one-page document outlining the reforms, but what’s clear is that the administration is set on a major overhaul of the tax code reminiscent of the tax code renovation undergone during the reagan administration.

“We have a once-in-a-generation opportu-

u PAGE A3

President Donald Trump

PH still dangerous country for media

by AJPress

there may have been a decrease in the number of journalists killed in the Philippines last year, but the country still remains one of the most dangerous countries for the media, according to the reporters Without Borders (reporters sans frontieres, rsf).

In its 2017 World Press freedom Index, the Philippines ranked 127th most dangerous out of the 180 countries surveyed, with a global score of 41.08. this is 11 places higher, an improvement compared to 138th place with a score of 44.66 points last year. rsf, however, warned that “the insults and open threats against the media by President rodrigo Duterte, another new strongman, do not bode well.” “the media are fairly free and diverse, but rodrigo Duterte, who was sworn in as president in June 2016, has alarmed media freedom defenders with his unveiled encouragement of violence against journalists, it said.

According to rsf, tools like private militias and blocktiming “blur” the Philippine “frontiers of journalism.”

u PAGE A3

A APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

From the Front Page

Duterte: South China Sea ruling…

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ing the arbitral.”

“We cannot, on our own, enforce the judgment of the arbitral tribunal. Stop dreaming that arbitral unless we are prepared to go to war,” he added.

Despite the existence of territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, ASEAN’s business council said that the Southeast Asian

countries and China should work together toward a “win-win solution” in order to preserve economic partnerships.

“It is to our benefit that we find a win-win solution to the issues on what is happening with the building of these establishments in the reefs,” ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC) Chairman Joey Concepcion said in a

Joey Concepcion, chairman ASEAN Business Advisory Council (ABAC)

forum.

According to him, countries in Southeast Asia and China could benefit from each other’s resources.

“So the relationship between Asean and China is very important and both sides have to really work hard towards achieving that win-win relationship,” Conception added.

Among the ASEAN membercountries that also have competing maritime claims with China include Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan and Malaysia. n

ASEAN WORK PLAN. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez led the approval on Friday by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) lawmakers and parliamentarians of their draft statement to state leaders stressing the ASEAN work plan against illicit drugs and the declaration of a Code of Conduct on the South China Sea. Photo from the Office of the Speaker Representatives

Duterte tells New York Times: ‘Better…

PAGE A1 t

Edgar Matobato, before the International Criminal Court (ICC) against Duterte and 11 other officials.

The newspaper urged the ICC

to launch a preliminary investigation into the killings linked to the administration’s war on illegal drugs.

“After he was elected president last year, Mr. Duterte took

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the killing campaign nationwide, effectively declaring an open season for police and vigilantes on drug dealers and users,” the editorial read, citing over 9,400 deaths, most of whom are “poor young men, but also bystanders, children and political opponents.”

The NYT, however, acknowledged that the ICC may be “reluctant” to prosecute Duterte since he is “enormously popular with many Filipinos.”

It also noted that the court may only “prosecute cases of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes among member countries” if their national courts “are unwilling or unable to do so.”

“But there is already more than enough evidence for a preliminary investigation, which would send an unmistakable signal to Mr. Duterte that he may eventually have to answer for his crimes, and would encourage governments to take measures against him, such as imposing tariffs on Philippine goods,” the NYT said.

“And if the findings of Mr. Sabio, Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and politicians, or the confessions of the former death squad members, are not enough evidence, there are Mr. Duterte’s savage words,” it added.

Earlier, Duterte’s legal counsel Salvador Panelo lambasted the NYT for what he called a “reck-

u PAGE A5

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From the Front page

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017

A

Senators urge Trump admin to continue…

PAGE A1 t

veterans who are U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents.

Once in the country, the beneficiaries could apply for work authorization.

An executive order signed by Trump in late January directed the review of various parole and asylum programs that are supposedly “used to prevent the lawful removal of removable aliens.”

The senators, however, argued that the case-by-case consideration, the bar on those with criminal backgrounds, and the eligibility requirements “safeguard the program from abuse.”

“We know you understand the contributions and sacrifices that these veterans and their families have made to our country,” the letter continued. “Therefore, we hope that [United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS)] will continue its full implementation of the FWVP policy

uninterrupted and that you work to address the needs of these veterans.”

The FWVP program began taking applications in June of last year. Individuals are generally granted parole in the U.S. for three years, according to USCIS. After four years of the program, the agency will assess whether the policy should continue.

There are 282 applications for the program currently, the senators said, citing USCIS data.

“These applications should be highly prioritized, as it is critical for family members to be reunited with their aging parents in need,” the letter concluded.

Gaspar Milla, the son of Filipino World War II veteran Jesus Milla, said that the program has been “a relief for the family.” The Millas were the first beneficiaries in Hawaii, Hirono’s office said, after a six-month application process.

“The Milla family gladly complied with the strict requirements of the FWVP program so that they would have one last chance at being reunited with their 93-yearold mother and grandmother from whom they had been separated for more than 20 years,” Maile Hirota, the Milla family’s attorney said in a statement. “This program is the only way for the families of Filipino veterans finally to see justice for their aged mothers and fathers who served our country during WWII.” In addition to the parole program, another recognition under the Obama administration for these veterans was his signing of a bill last December that awards them with the Congressional Gold Medal, the nation’s highest civilian honor to those whose service had been largely dismissed by prior acts of Congress. The awarding ceremony has yet to be conducted. n

GREEN CLIMATE FUND. Senator Loren Legarda (4th from right) with delegates from Asian countries at the three-day Green Climate Fund (GCF) Structured Dialogue in Asia, which opened today in Bali, Indonesia. The GCF is actively seeking out country proposals for climate change mitigation and adaptation. Legarda said that now that the Philippines has acceded to the Paris Agreement, the country must seize the opportunity to access funding for its climate adaptation and mitigation programs.

Senate photo

Fil-Am sworn in as mayor of Sierra Madre… World Press Freedom index: PH still dangerous…

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A California native, Arizmendi was first elected to the city council in 2014, and had previously served on the city’s Community Services Commission for five years. She and her husband, Fili Arizmendi, have been living in Sierra Madre since 2006.

“Even though we rotate through this position, it really is something to be humbled about and honored about, that the residents of Sierra Madre have had enough faith in me to take this position,” she told the Asian Journal.

Located in the foothills of the San Gabriel Valley and east of Pasadena, Sierra Madre’s population is comprised of Caucasians (82 percent), Hispanics (15 percent), and Asians (8 percent), according to the 2010 U.S. Census.

During her remarks at the meeting on Tuesday, Arizmendi thanked her family, mentors and the community for electing her.

She noted that the upcoming year would be “very challenging” as the council will tackle a variety of issues, including the water infrastructure and budget cuts.

“We will be asked to make a lot of tough decisions in this upcoming year — decisions that will require bold action,” she said.

She went on to say, “The bigger question is how we balance all of this with preserving our community and the history of Sierra Madre and still maintaining our quality of life. But with the

PAGE A1 t

“Private militias, often hired by local politicians, silence journalists with complete impunity.

An airtime rental system known as blocktiming is widely practiced, allowing anyone to host their own political program,” it said. “This in turn blurs the frontiers of journalism.”

The World Press Freedom Index, which is published annually

by RSF, “measures the level of media freedom in 180 countries, including the level of pluralism, media independence, and reThe Sierra Madre City Council held a meeting on Tuesday, April 25, during which Rachelle spect for the safety and freedom Arizmendi (center) officially became the city’s mayor. She outlined her plans for the year, of journalists.” including addressing drought issues and the budget.

AJPress photo by Ding Carreon The 2017 Index takes account leadership of our new city man- a non-profit community develop- of violations that took place beager and our dedicated city staff, ment organization based in Los tween January 1st and December I’m confident that we will be able Angeles that serves over 40,000 31st of 2016. to persevere as they carry out the people annually in the areas of Worldwide, the RSF said the job training and employment, overall level of media freedom charge of the council.”

She urged also residents to business development and early constraints and violations rose continue being engaged and vo- childhood education, among others. cal.

“It’s probably, I would say, “This is still a city where people say hello to each other on the where my heart is — serving the PAGE A1 t streets. It’s still a city where you people,” she said.

With her new public service nity to do something really big,” can walk at 10:30 at night and still feel safe. You can still walk down role, Arizmendi joins a handful Director of the National Ecoto the local produce market and of Fil-Ams in Southern California nomic Council Gary Cohn said at a White House press briefget some food and people still elected into local offices.

“It’s a badge of honor,” she ing on Wednesday. “President know what you got the day before,” she told the Asian Journal. said. “But at the same time, a Trump has made tax reform a “We want to maintain that qual- big responsibility, so I’m going priority, and we have a Repubity of life and preserve what we to do my best in representing the lican Congress that wants to get Filipinos, whether it’s in our city it done. And this is something have in this town.”

The incoming mayor is the vice or in California or throughout that, quite honestly, I hope the president and chief executive the United States. I’m extremely Democrats would support, too, officer of the Pacific Asian Con- proud of that fact.” (Christina M. because it’s good for the American people.” sortium in Employment (PACE), Oriel / AJPress)

up to 14 percent in the past five years.

“In the past year, nearly twothirds (62.2 percent) of the countries measured have registered a deterioration in their situation, while the number of countries where the media freedom situation was ‘good’ or ‘fairly good’ fell by 2.3 percent,” it explained.

It listed the Middle East and North Africa region as the world’s most difficult and dangerous region for journalists, followed by Eastern Europe and Central Asia.

The Asia-Pacific region, meanwhile, is ranked as third worst violator “but holds many of the worst kinds of records.”

“Two of its countries, China (176th) and Vietnam (175th), are the world’s biggest prisons for journalists and bloggers. It

has some of the most dangerous countries for journalists: Pakistan (139th), Philippines (127th) and Bangladesh (146th),” RSF said.

It further added that the region “also has the biggest number of ‘press freedom predators’ at the head of the world’s worst dictatorships, including China, North Korea (180th), and Laos (170th), which are news and information black holes.”

After Asia comes Africa, “where the Internet is now routinely disconnected at election time and during major protests.”

The European Union and Balkans region, meanwhile, “continues to be the one where the media are freest.” RSF, however, noted that its overall level of constraints and violations rose up by +3.8 percent, which it said is the biggest increase last year. n

Pres. Trump proposes major tax cuts…

Cohn added: “The President is going to seize this opportunity by leading the most significant tax reform legislation since 1986, and one of the biggest tax cuts in history.”

Under Trump’s plan, the seven existing individual income tax brackets would be reduced to three brackets with new rates that are dependent on a person’s income level: 10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent.

The proposal would also al-

most double a deduction that would reduce taxable income, incentivizing Americans to skip itemizing their tax returns and opt for a larger deduction.

Additionally, the corporate tax rate will be lowered from 35 percent to 15 percent; additionally, smaller businesses would also be subjected to the 15 percent rate.

The plan would also repeal a slew of taxes including the Alternative Minimum Tax, the estate

u PAGE A5

A APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

From the Front page

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Healthy California Act wins support from Senate Health Committee in push for universal healthcare CALIFORNIA took a major step toward universal health coverage on Wednesday, April 26, when the state’s Senate Health Committee approved the Healthy California Act (Senate Bill 562).

The final vote is pending but a majority of members approved.

Sens. Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) and Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) have proposed to cover all California residents with a publicly run plan.

“With today’s vote we are closer to being able to say, once and for all, that healthcare is not a privilege, it’s a human right,� said state Senator Ricardo Lara. “Every family, every child, every senior deserves healthcare that costs less and covers more, and California has a chance to lead the rest of the nation toward universal care.�

Hours before the vote, nearly 1,000 people rallied in support of the Healthy California Act at the

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Sacramento Convention Center and marched to the Capitol for the hearing at the Senate Health Committee.

The Healthy California Act will be heard next by the Appropriations Committee, which Sen. Lara chairs. A fiscal study is underway.

Highlights of the Healthy California Act: • Covers Californians for all medical care, including inpatient, outpatient, emergency care, dental, vision, mental health, and nursing home care. • Eliminates co-pays and insurance deductibles • Californians can choose their doctor from a full list of health care providers, not a narrow network chosen by insurance companies. • Referrals are not required for a member to see any eligible provider. • Californians are covered when they travel. • Physicians and nurses will make decisions about care, and have the ability to override computers or clinical practice guidelines in the best interest of the patient. • Healthy California will be governed by a nine-member, unpaid board appointed by the governor and Legislature and a public advisory committee of doctors, nurses, other health care providers, and consumers. n

HIDDEN CELL. Detainees huddle in a makeshift detention cell hidden behind a shelf in the Manila Police District’s Drug Enforcement Unit office on Thursday, April 27. Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and MPD officials clashed over the allegedly secret cell at the station in Tondo. The 1987 Constitution, which created the CHR, grants the agency the power to exercise visitorial powers over jails, prisons or detention facilities.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

California judge blocks part of sanctuary‌

PAGE A1 t

and Santa Clara County, which argued that over $2 billion in federal funding was in question.

On January 25, Trump signed an executive order — “Enhancing the Public Safety in the Interior of the United States� — that directed the stripping of federal funds for areas that do not cooperate with federal law enforcement agencies and do not hand over undocumented immigrants who are subject to deportation.

Those who do not comply “are not eligible to receive federal grants, except as deemed necessary for law enforcement purposes by the Attorney General or the Secretary,� the order read.

The injunction will remain as it

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moves through court, according to The Associated Press.

The White House called the ruling â&#x20AC;&#x153;yet one more example of egregious overreach by a single, unelected district judge.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;San Francisco, and cities like it, are putting the well-being of criminal aliens before the safety of our citizens, and those city officials who authored these policies have the blood of dead Americans on their hands,â&#x20AC;? the White Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s statement also said.

The president took to his Twitter account to express his reaction to another executive order that is facing a legal setback. â&#x20AC;&#x153;First the Ninth Circuit rules against the ban & now it hits again on sanctuary cities â&#x20AC;&#x201D; both ridiculous rulings. See you in the Supreme Court!â&#x20AC;? he wrote.

While it was not the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit that issued Tuesdayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s decision, the court will hear the White Houseâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appeal to the ruling.

Last week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) sent letters to nine areas across the country â&#x20AC;&#x201D; which were identified by the DOJâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inspector general last May as having laws that potentially violate federal law â&#x20AC;&#x201D; reminding them that in order to obtain funding this year, they have until June 30 to provide proof that they are cooperating and sharing information with federal immigration enforcement.

Among the recipients were the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, and officials in Las Vegas, New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, New Orleans, Miami, Milwaukee, and Cook County, Illinois.

Various elected officials and immigration advocates across

the country hailed the courtâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ruling.

Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti said it was â&#x20AC;&#x153;good news and reminds us that peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s rights transcend political stunts.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is time for the federal government to stop attacking cities and scapegoating immigrants, and begin focusing on the hard work of comprehensive immigration reform,â&#x20AC;? he further said in his statement.

The LA mayor has repeatedly vowed that the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s police department would not serve â&#x20AC;&#x153;as a federal immigration force.â&#x20AC;?

San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee said the city would remain a sanctuary jurisdiction, arguing that such areas â&#x20AC;&#x153;are safer, healthier, more productive places to live.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;San Franciscoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sanctuary city laws are in compliance with federal law. If the federal government believes there is a need to detain a serious criminal they can obtain a criminal warrant, which we will honor, as we always have,â&#x20AC;? he said in a statement.

A day after the ruling, on Wednesday, April 26, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced the Victims of Immigration Crime Engagement (VOICE) office devoted to helping victims of crimes committed by undocumented immigrants. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s callous exploitation of isolated tragedies for political and ideological gain is profoundly irresponsible,â&#x20AC;? a coalition of immigrant and civil rights groups in California said in a statement, adding that the administration is â&#x20AC;&#x153;trying to demonize millions of people who are a vital part of our communities.â&#x20AC;?

(Christina M. Oriel)

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s all worth it when: someone lives, someone is born, someone is truly helped.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Jessie Larsen, RN

Every day, you show us what humankindness is truly made of.

Happy Nurses Week.

Learn more at: dignityhealth.org/glendalememorial

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Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017

A

Running short on time, Covered California and insurers seek Obamacare answers from GOP

by Chad

Terhune Califorina Healthline

WITH a deadline looming, California’s health exchange and a major insurer pressed Republican leaders in Washington to clear up confusion over their commitment to key provisions of the Affordable Care Act. Health insurers participating in the Covered California exchange for individuals and families must submit initial rates for 2018 on Monday. Peter Lee, the exchange’s executive director, warned in a conference call Thursday that rates could jump by more than 40 percent if the Trump administration and NAJIB ARRIVES. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak arrives at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport for the 30th Association of Republican-led Congress walk Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. President Rodrigo Duterte is set to host Najib and eight other leaders in a fiesta-themed away from crucial elements of program on Saturday, A[ril 29.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada the health law.

In the meantime, House Republicans are looking to revive their Obamacare replacement bill and rally more support among moderate lawmakers in hopes of holding a vote soon.

In addition to Covered CaliforSACRAMENTO – Legislation by Committee. cally, the bill provides funds for nia, the chief executive of Molina Sen. Bob Hertzberg (D-Van Nuys) SB 778 establishes the Safe the control board to intervene Healthcare, a Long Beach-based to ensure that all Californians Drinking Water Fund, a fund ad- when local agencies are failing to insurer, implored Congress and have access to safe, affordable ministered by the State Water Re- provide drinkable water to resi- the Trump administration on drinking water recently passed sources Control Board to support dents and order remedies, such Thursday to act quickly to stabithe Senate Environmental Quality the human right to water. Specifi- as appointing an administrator, to lize the exchange markets.

At issue are the continued rectify the situation.

The bill passed the commit- federal funding of subsidies that tee on a bipartisan 5-0 vote, with reduce low-income consumers’ two other committee members deductibles and copays and the PAGE A2 t expected to add on before the enforcement of the individual less, irresponsible and baseless” hearing concludes. SB 778 goes mandate to purchase health coveditorial on the president. u PAGE A6 erage or pay a penalty.

“No findings have been made by any of the investigating body that conducted probe on the alleged extrajudicial killings, in fact, there is a finding by the Philippine Senate that the socalled extrajudicial killing are not state-sponsored or state-initiated,” Panelo noted.

“Therefore there is no basis in fact and in law in the editorial of the New York Times,” he added.

Meanwhile, Malacañang said that while it recognizes the newspaper’s right to an opinion, President Rodrigo Duterte the government is in “clear dis- it supposedly refused to air a political advertisement that he agreement” with the piece.

“The president was democrati- already paid for, threatening to cally elected to attack corruption block the network’s renewal of and crime that have made so franchise in 2020.

He also said he would go after many Filipinos hostages to the criminals who had prospered the Prieto family, owner of the through the rampant drug trade Inquirer Group of Companies, and other criminal activities that over alleged tax liabilities of its plagued our nation for decades,” other family-owned company, Presidential Spokesperson Er- Dunkin Donuts.

“By issuing such threats, Mr. nesto Abella said.

Describing drugs as a “cancer Duterte is blatantly dangling the on our nation,” Abella stressed powers of the presidency and of that Duterte’s number one priori- the state, signaling his willingty is “to save lives and to improve ness to use these to stifle freethe lot of all of our countrymen dom of the press and of expreswith the cooperation of law en- sion,” the group claimed.

NUJP said that Duterte has forcement officials, public health professionals, civil society, and been vocal in his criticisms against news media but “this committed citizens.”

“Drugs are killing people in is the first time he has openly our country and around the threatened to shut down a meworld. Our president is commit- dia organization by using alleged ted to stopping this cancer on offenses that have nothing to do our nation and to building a bet- with journalism.”

“What we do know is the last ter life for all Filipinos,” he furtime a president actually shut ther added. down the press, it did not end NUJP warns Duterte The National Union of Journal- well for him, like it almost always ists of the Philippines (NUJP) on never ends well for tyrants.” the Friday, April 28 warned Duterte group added, likely referring about his threats of closure against to the late President Ferdinand Marcos who ordered the shutting several news organizations.

“President Rodrigo Duterte down of several news organizawould be well advised to step tions during Martial Law. The NUJP then encouraged back across the line he crossed on Wednesday, April 27, 2017 media organizations to “set aside when he threatened to personal- [their] differences” and “unite to ly block the renewal by Congress oppose any and all attempts to of broadcast network ABS-CBN’s silence” them.

“Not to do so is to seal our franchise, and to go after the Philippine Daily Inquirer,” NUJP doom and to betray our role as the Fourth Estate, the people’s watchsaid in a statement.

Duterte earlier accused ABS- dogs against bad and abusive govCBN of committing estafa when ernance,” the group added. n

Legislation to ensure Californians have safe drinking water passes committee Duterte tells New York…

Pres. Trump proposes…

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tax and the 3.8 percent Medicare surtax.

Also present at the press conference was Secretary of Treasury Steve Mnuchin, who expressed that the administration’s mission is “to make U.S. businesses the most competitive in the world.”

“We believe we can get back to

3 percent or higher GDP that is sustainable in this country, The overall economic plan consists of massive tax cuts and tax reform, regulatory relief, and renegotiating trade deals. And with that, we will unlock the economic growth that’s been held back for too long in this country,” Mnuchin said. n

Premiums in Covered California plans could increase by 42 percent, on average, if those subsidies aren’t funded and the mandate isn’t enforced, according to an analysis released Thursday by the exchange. Covered California has about 1.3 million customers.

Lee said it is imperative for leaders in Washington to clear up the uncertainty to avoid damaging insurance markets nationwide and hurting consumers.

He said statements this week by the Trump administration that it would continue funding the costsharing subsidies haven’t specifically addressed whether that applies to all of 2017 or 2018.

“Health plans need to know now what are the rules of the road,” Lee said. “Insurers are considering their participation in the face of unprecedented uncertainty.”

Much of the debate this week in Washington has centered on House Republicans amending their Obamacare replacement bill, the American Health Care Act. But Lee said addressing the current market rules should be a priority ahead of crafting broader legislation.

Lee declined to comment on the latest legislative proposal from House Republicans, but he noted it still faces a long road ahead in Congress before it would win approval. “Health plans need to submit bids for today’s reality.

Policymakers need to address that reality,” Lee said.

In a letter to House Speaker Paul Ryan and other congressional leaders, Molina Healthcare CEO J. Mario Molina said the cost-sharing reduction subsidies are essential for making coverage affordable for many consumers. Those subsidies cover out-of-pocket costs for exchange customers with incomes below 250 percent of the federal poverty level. They are separate from the tax credits that subsidize premium costs.

Without that federal funding, Molina wrote, “we will have no choice but to send a notice of default informing the government that we are dropping our contracts for their failure to pay premiums and seek to withdraw from the marketplace immediately.”

Molina said his company currently serves more than 1 million people through insurance exchanges in California and several other states. Molina had nearly 69,000 enrollees in Covered California as of December, state data show.

Anthem, California’s largest for-profit health insurer and a key player on exchanges nationally, issued a similar warning this week. During an earnings conference call on Wednesday, Anthem CEO Joseph Swedish said the insurer may exit some state exchanges or resubmit for higher rates if the fate of the cost-sharing subsidies isn’t resolved by

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Dateline USa

Legislation to ensure Californians…

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next to the Senate Appropriations Committee for consideration.

“We’ve all read about the immense problems with municipal water in Flint, Michigan and how devastating that has been for the city, its residents and its economy,” Hertzberg said. “The truth is California is full of communities with similar problems, and in 2017 that is completely unacceptable. This legislation provides a mechanism to fund action, so the

06/06/17

state can do what is necessary to make sure all Californians have access to clean water.”

Under existing law, all Californians have a right to safe, clean, and affordable water for drinking, cooking and cleaning. However, many Californians living in the most disadvantaged communities are forced to rely on contaminated groundwater for their drinking water needs, and thousands of families are in homes with tap water that is so polluted that it

cannot be safely consumed.

These communities often lack the resources needed to operate and maintain water treatment systems to deliver safe water to their residents. The State Water Resources Control Board currently maintains a list of underresourced water systems on the Human Right to Water web portal, and according to the website, 292 public water systems are out of compliance with federal drinking water standards for contaminants such as nitrate and arsenic.

In recent years, some small water systems in disadvantaged communities have returned to compliance by consolidating with larger public water systems under authority granted in the 2015-16 state budget. If consolidation with another system is not appropriate or feasible, the water control board may intervene under state health and safety code to provide administrative, technical and managerial support or financial assistance for capital improvements or operations.

This legislation sets up a fund to pay for these activities. The bill also requires the water control board to publish the outcomes of the consolidations, including whether or not the consolidated systems are now being served with safe and affordable drinking water.

SB 778 is supported by Clean Water Action, the Community Water Center and the Leadership Counsel for Justice and Accountability. n

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US replaces lost Purple Heart medal of Filipino war hero

THE United States government has awarded a replica of a Purple Heart medal to the family of a Philippine Scout who fought in World War II. The US Embassy in Manila said in a statement that Gen. Robert B. Brown, Commanding General of the United States Army Pacific, presented the replica to the daughter of Private First Class Adriano Alagon.

Alagon was posthumously awarded a Purple Heart but it was lost in the aftermath of the World War II, the Embassy said.

His daughter, Elisea Alagon Jamoralin, received the replica in behalf of the family.

The statement said the formal turnover of the medal was held at Fort Shafter headquarters in Honolulu, “a building used during World War II to plan for the liberation of the Philippines in 1944.”

Brown, who presented the medal, said “Through the horrors and terror of this period, we can take what endures over the years: the freedom and sacrifices made for our two nations by soldiers like Pfc. Alagon.”

Alagon, a member of the 14th Engineer Battalion of the Philippine Scouts, served with American forces during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

He was captured by the Japanese on his birthday and was forced to participate in the infamous Bataan Death March. He was

Gen. Robert B. Brown (left), Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific, presents a replacement Purple Heart medal to Elisea Alagon Jamoralin (center), whose father Pfc. Adriano Alagon died while serving with the Philippine Scouts during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines.

Looking on is Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Gina A. Jamoralin, the granddaughter of Pfc. Alagon.

Photo from US Embassy in the Philippines website / U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher McCullough

killed after two years of being a prisoner of war.

Alagon’s granddaughter Philippine Consul General in Honolulu Gina Jamoralin was the one who contacted the US Army for the replacement medal.

“Today’s event is the culmina-

tion of my search for answers in what might have been forgotten by succeeding generations,” she said. “While we miss our grandfather, we are consoled by the fact he died for his country and we are deeply proud of him.” (Inquirer.net)

Running short on time, Covered…

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early June.

Anthem has more than 310,000 customers in the California exchange, or nearly 25 percent of the market. Rival Blue Shield of California is the leader in state enrollment with 389,480, or 31 percent market share.

Republican leaders in Congress say they will address these concerns and move quickly to aid consumers by replacing the ACA with a plan that will reduce premiums and expand options for coverage.

The health law “is collapsing,” Ryan said at a news conference Thursday. “The American health care system in the individual market is in peril right now. We have a moral obligation to prevent people from getting hurt, to stop the damage from being continued.”

Many conservative Republicans oppose the Trump administration’s decision to continue to pay the cost-sharing subsidies, calling the subsidies unconstitutional because they lack congressional approval. House Republicans successfully sued to block the payments, but a judge put the ruling on hold while the Obama administration appealed

the case. It’s not yet clear how President Donald Trump will handle that appeal.

Amid this political uncertainty, California Insurance Commissioner Dave Jones told insurers this week they could submit two sets of rate filings on Monday for their exchange business. One filing would reflect continued funding of cost-sharing subsidies and enforcement of the individual mandate. A separate filing could assume the opposite.

“In light of all the actions taken by the Trump administration and House leadership to undermine the ACA, I expect that health insurers will consider filing significant rate increases for 2018,” Jones wrote in a bulletin to insurers this week.

For 2017, rates in Covered California rose by 13.2 percent, on average, statewide. The state exchange is one of the few that actively negotiates rates with insurers. Premiums for the next year usually are announced in July.

California Healthline is a service of the California Health Care Foundation produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017

Dateline PhiliPPines

RIVER CRUISE. Local Officials and other participating groups in the Tiringbanay Festival of the Municipality of San Jose join the Tubigon Solidarity Cruise and Alayon Story Re-enactment starting at Maybato Bridge South Riverbank upstream to Barangay Bariri, San Jose.

The activity does not only give color to the town’s celebration but to raise public consciousness on the protection and conservation of the river as well.

Photo from PIa.gov.ph

ASEAN ‘gravely concerned’ over rising tension, calls for denuclearization of Korean Peninsula

by AJPress

THE Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on Friday, April 28 expressed its “grave concern” over the rising tension in the Korean Peninsula.

In a statement, the ASEAN foreign ministers pointed out that the instability in the area “seriously impacts the region and beyond.”

They urged North Korea and all parties concerned “to exercise self-restraint in order to deescalate the tension and refrain from actions that may aggravate the situation.”

The regional bloc also expressed support for the denuclearization of the conflicted area, calling for the “resumption of dialogue” on the Korean Peninsula “to defuse tensions and create conditions conducive to peace and stability.”

The bloc’s statement follows a recent report claiming that the government of North Korea is seeking support from Southeast Asian nations in its row with the United States.

“ASEAN strongly urges [North Korea] to comply fully with its obligations arising from all relevant United Nations Security Council Resolutions and international laws in the interest of maintaining international peace and security,” the foreign ministers added.

In a letter, North Korean Foreign Minister Ri Yong-Ho, asked the ASEAN secretary-general to inform the leaders of the 10member regional bloc “about the grave situation” on the Korean Peninsula “reaching the brink of war,” according to an Agence France-Presse (AFP) report.

The Korean foreign minister reportedly urged the ASEAN chief to give the member states “a proper proposal” and help in preventing a what could be a “nuclear holocaust.”

“I express my expectations that ASEAN which attaches great importance to the regional peace and stability will make an issue of the U.S.-South Korean joint military exercises at ASEAN conferences from the fair position and

play an active role in safeguarding the peace and safety of (the) Korean Peninsula,” the letter, dated March 23, read.

Tensions have been rising in the area amid fears of Pyongyang’s further possible missile or nuclear tests, with U.S. and North Korea continuously exchanging heated rhetoric in past few weeks.

On Wednesday, April 26, the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump said it aims to push North Korea’s denuclearization through tougher international sanctions and diplomatic pressure.

In a joint statement, U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, and Director of National Intelligence Dan Coats described North Korea as “an urgent national security threat and top foreign policy priority.”

“The president’s approach aims to pressure North Korea into dismantling its nuclear, ballistic missile, and proliferation

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OpiniOn

Features

A global ASEAN

ECLIPSED by maritime disputes, regional economic integration is nevertheless a priority agenda at the ongoing 30th summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. The ASEAN Economic Community or AEC was set up in 2015 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia with the aim of creating by 2025 a region that is highly cohesive, dynamic, inclusive, competitive and fully integrated into the global economy.

The AEC paves the way for the free flow not only of goods and funds but also of skills. While AEC members now have better access to each other’s markets, integration also calls for improvements in the competitiveness of industries and the workforce, better infrastructure and connectivity as well as efficient regulation and the rule of law. Much of the agricultural sector will still enjoy protection, but the Philippines must accelerate efforts to make the country more competitive in an area where several of its ASEAN neighbors have become world leaders.

Regional integration opens more opportunities for ASEAN members to take advantage of a globalized economy in creating jobs and easing poverty.

The summit should give the Philippines an idea of what the neighbors are doing to achieve regional integration and turn the grouping into a global ASEAN. (Philstar.com)

The goal is ambitious, especially in a region where states have widely divergent levels of economic development and institutional capacities for regional integration. Yet ASEAN has forged ahead, inspired by the idea that there is strength in unity. With a population of nearly 650 million, Southeast Asia offers a market estimated at $2.6 trillion, making it collectively the third largest economy in Asia and the seventh in the world. That provides enormous leverage in trade negotiations and other matters.

Europe is showing how complex regional integration can be, but ASEAN is gingerly pushing ahead. Some member states have done their homework better, preparing for the AEC even before it was formally established. Others, like the Philippines, need greater awareness of the challenges and vast potentials offered by being part of a regional market.

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

Humanist’s lessons from The Originalist, a play from Cassano Irpino in Southern Italy.

Rhizomes He spoke of the first-generation Italians who lost their birth connections when they came to America. Some could not read nor write. They were also forbidden to speak Italian by their parents (to Prosy aBarquezhasten their American assimila- Delacruz, J.D. tion), and their further disconnection was facilitated by World War II and when Italy aligned with Germany’s Nazis and ended up on the wrong side of history.

The second-generation Italians have a memory culture, able to only speak some Italian phrases, interspersed with English, a mixture.

“They want to forget,” Gero said, “while I want to connect.”

Gero, a third generation Italian-American, wants to understand his roots. He said, “I had to learn the language, as language is the culture. To really understand what they value, I had to learn the language. There is a phrase, Tutto Insieme, which means everyone together. They work together, they eat together, they live together, they rest together.”

He shared a very touching back-story of looking for his great grandfather’s grave, which made both of us cry -- a beautiful moment of humanity, similar to what I encountered with Wheeler, when she shared her early childhood in the Philippines at 6 years old.

Her father, Lester Wheeler, was in the Navy, assigned to Subic Bay. Months after Mt Pinatubo erupted, they arrived to find folks still wearing masks because of the volcanic ash, and they did not live on the bases, as the U.S. bases had shut down. They lived in a house, surrounded by palm

“WHY not ask Antonin Scalia (1936-3016), once the most polarizing figure in American political life? This play, however, is not exclusively about the late Justice Scalia, although excerpts from his dissents and opinions are included here. But it uses the character Scalia to get to the question, what does it take to suppress our fear and distrust, move toward the middle and sit down with the monsters? The answer – courage, a little humility, and an open mind—it is where the hope comes in.” —John Strand, 2017 Two actors, Ed Gero and Jade Wheeler, are opposites in age, one in his well-seasoned prime years; the other, a young adult.

Gero wore sneakers, shorts and a casual jacket, with “The Originalist” emblazoned. Wheeler wore boots with a denim jacket and donned an Afro hairdo. Both are warm, welcoming, and easily connected with this writer.

Heart to heart connections I interviewed Gero and Wheeler on Wednesday, April 26, at the Pasadena Playhouse’s library, an old world structure, founded by Gilmor Brown.

The original 1916 desk that Brown used is still in the library, with wall-to-wall mahogany bookshelves, leather chairs, and ancient rugs.

Brown founded the Playhouse, known as the California State Theater in Pasadena, nicknamed the “Athens of the West” by George Bernard Shaw.

Gero shared how he traced his roots to Cassano Irpino, in Avellino, Campania in Southern Italy.

Cassano Irpino means a people descended from the Greeks, a “land populated by wolves all over the hills,” its current population is at 1,014.

His resemblance to the late Justice Scalia was striking, perhaps because Scalia’s parents came from Sicily, while Gero’s great grandparents were

THE usual skeptics have dismissed Street as pie-in-the-sky the recent announcement Talk concerning the “infrastructure boom” that the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte plans to un- GreG B. MacaBenta dertake.

According to them, it is wishful thinking to expect the “build, build, build” objective of “Dutertenomics” to get much farther than “plan, plan, plan” by the time Duterte’s term expires in 2022.

In other words, they think the boom will be a bust.

I frankly think that the government should be given every encouragement and support for the ambitious plans to be realized. However, a reality check may be necessary.

A public relations colleague, who prefers to remain unnamed, sent me a paper concerning the way government works. He appears familiar with the system. I think his views deserve serious thought: *** Almost a year has passed under the presidency of Rodrigo R. Duterte, but many big-ticket infrastructure projects that his economic planners have been harping about remain just that: plans.

It is dawning upon the agencies of the administration that launching big-ticket projects are not as easy as they were hyped.

trees, overlooking the beach with a dog, driver, and house help.

Wheeler describes herself as a mundivagant actor, one who travels the same world, “travelling with wanderlust, to be in awe, without a sense of place, sort of nomadic,” she said, and “whose art takes her places: Philippines, France, Spain, London, Boston, Miami, Ireland, Catalonia and now, Los Angeles. “ “I believe that the arts serve as a sort of diplomacy — a socioeconomic bridge if you will. Each individual’s discipline stands to offer a voice to the oppressed, a sense of unity, and therapy, no matter the platform we choose,” she added.

Her parents are originally from Cape Verde, a coastal country of 10 islands off West Africa. She grew up overseas, which allowed her to be more open to the influences of languages, and able to communicate with folks. “When someone offers you a word in their language, it is a gift,” she said.

She speaks English, Spanish, Sicilian dialect, Russian and Swedish.

She learned Tagalog phrases of salamat, which means thank you and paalam, meaning goodbye.

I taught her a third one, mahal kita, which means, I love you.

She appreciates languages, for example, there might exist one Swedish word to explain something, yet with no comparable English translation.

It makes her want to discover other languages, immerse in them and with her desire to communicate, she discovered that “there is something about bridging gaps and allowing language to bridge those gaps, that even without words, something greater is shared , which transcends words.”

“The Originalist” at the Pasadena Playhouse runs until May 7.

Photo by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D.

Could that be a soul-to-soul connection perhaps, wherein a soul-bearing weight of humanity, that rises to one’s body, to one’s heart, then to one’s mind, become s a shared unity of two strangers?

I asked her about her favorite lines in the play.

Infrastructure boom…or bust?

Lending countries will have to evaluate the Feasibility Studies submitted for these infrastructure projects before the actual funding agreement is given approval. This process takes usually 12 months to 24

months.

Once approval is secured by the beneficiary country, Detailed Design and Engineering (DDE) takes place, which takes another 12 months to 24 months.

Then there is the Financial Closure which Atty. Arnel Casanova, formerly BCDA Chair said in one forum “may take 24 months to 36 months.”

Before the first track is laid out, the President is already on his way out.

The government, as part of its 8- point economic agenda, is also currently finetuning its grand plan to entice private sector players to invest in building transport infrastructure. Among these are railway infrastructure projects such the North-South Commuter Railway and the Mindanao Express, all of which are now on the drawing board. Other projects which sound fantastic on paper are the planned 85km Manila-Clark railway, the 60km Clark-Subic freight train, and Tutuban-Calamba freight train projects.

But how long will these plans stay on the drawing board?

The slow pace of the implementation

of these crucial projects is unfortunate as the country’s transport system is essential in the operation of a market economy. It has a broad role in shaping development and the environment.

Our inefficient transportation system has severely impacted daily commuters and motorists, creating a domino effect on industries’ bottom line, and economic development as a whole. Today, we have the worst traffic condition in the world, according to traffic app Waze.

One would think that with Secretary Tugade’s recent go-ahead that the MRAIL project should be given priority and the proponent be encouraged to commence immediately, we can now breathe a sigh of relief that at least one major transport infrastructure project has roared off the starter’s block.

Unfortunately, old habits die hard within the Philippine government’s stultifying bureaucracy where its faceless mantra rules: “what starts at the drawing board, ends at the drawing board.”

To date, a myriad of stumbling blocks, minefields and other incessant bureaucratic tripwires continue to hound the final go ahead for the MRAIL project, from PNR board approvals to DOTr technical conditions/demands. At the rate these roadblocks keep coming up, the soft opening directed by Secretary Tugade within a year’s time will remain just that: a plan.

Recently, Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez and Transport Secretary Arthur Tugade have switched to a

“build, build, build” mantra. Colorful sloganeering, but in order to “build, build, build”, you need to have “power, power, power.”

The shortage of electricity supply also leads to structurally high electricity prices. The high cost of electricity is a deterrent to foreign investments, and poses a problem to businesses that are already invested in the country.

Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, chairman of the Senate committees on energy and economic affairs, recognizes that the problem which stymies the country’s economic development is the low power capacity of the Philippines in general, and some big islands in particular. • During his first committee hearing looking into ”institutionalizing energy projects as Projects of National Significance”, he noted that there are many big committed and indicative power plants lining up for investment, but they often encounter bureaucratic delays. 162 clearances, 102 permits for a power plant!

One of the papers he received complained that regulatory permit approval in Philippine electricity generation showed that on average, “power plant operators need to secure 162 clearances and 102 permits.” *** I’m reminded of the complaint of a friend, the former chairman of a government corporation, concerning the red tape he had to bear with during the six years of his tenure (he was appointed by President Benigno Aquino III).

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He saw the need to upgrade the corporation’s computer system, as well as replace the elevator. None of that happened up to the time a Duterte appointee took over his job. And, mind you, he was chairman of the board.

I think this is where Duterte’s santong paspasan management style should be particularly useful. Perhaps, if he reads the riot act to the bureaucrats who require innumerable clearances, he can get a few infrastructure periods finished before his term ends.

And while he is at it, perhaps he should rethink such projects as the subway system that he plans to build in Metro Manila.

It’s a great idea. And if Hongkong and Singapore can do it, by golly, the Philippines should also be able to build it.

However, the floods that visit Metro Manila, as surely as death and taxes, will make the project even more expensive to undertake. A lesson can be learned from the flooding that hit the New York subway on July 25, 2016.

Caused by Hurricane Sandy, the damage forced an 18-month shutdown of the L Train, between western Brooklyn and Manhattan, affecting some 400,000 riders a day. The damage itself cost the city over $4 billion.

Of course, the subway can be floodproofed – the Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) runs underwater across the bay, from San Francisco to Oakland – but that multiplies the cost. And the

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Humanistâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lessons from Theâ&#x20AC;Ś PAGE A8 t

To which she replied, â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of my favorite lines is when Cat talked about humility, she mentions humility, but I do not want to give away the lines, because even if you are the smartest, the bravest, most beautiful, handsome person, if you do not have humility, it shows a lack of heart and it shows lacking self-examination.

One must be humble enough to allow another [perspective], you learn so much more if you do. When Galileo posited that the world might not be flat, people just couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t imagine, and look at what happened to him.

He ended up being right. Then, they were not quite humble to be wrong.

The whole view of the dialectic, the two sides of the issue, it is easy to Edward Gero and Jade Wheeler in â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Originalistâ&#x20AC;? at The Pasadena Playhouse. say win or lose, but what do I go to Photo by Jim Cox Photography bat for?â&#x20AC;? words, with cutting to the bone language, woundIn Los Angeles, she feels at home. â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is like sitting in a comfortable chair, where I ing themselves emotionally to become each othdid not need to learn directions but simply fit in erâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s monsters.

The fight between Cat and Brad simulates with LAâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s very open, diverse lifestyle of experiencing different cultures. I got a tour of Little Armenia the scathing dissent written by Justice Scalia in and Cambodia,â&#x20AC;? she said, to which I asked, â&#x20AC;&#x153;How Obergefell vs. Hodges, which I read. Scalia critiabout Historic Filipinotown?â&#x20AC;? She jumped at the cized his five judicial colleaguesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; hubris, who ruled in favor of gay marriage, while his arrogantly writidea.

At this point, Gero walked in for his interview ten dissent simply mirrored back the hubris he portion, but not before Wheeler acknowledged his perceived of them.

Lifeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lessons from Shakespeare, mentors and help to prepare for her role as Cat, the fictional law clerk in the play. Gero had given her the eulogies dramaturgical team Gero shared that his humanof the law clerks for Justice Scalia, and from those ist bible is Shakespeare, and recited the lines of eulogies, she derived the feelings to reveal the Edgar in King Lear, â&#x20AC;&#x153;What, in ill thoughts again?

Men must endure/Their going hence even as their evolution of Cat in the play.

Cat is an amalgamation of several law clerks, coming hither./Ripeness is all. Come on.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is what it is, accept the realities as they are,â&#x20AC;? based on the imagination of John Strand, an adept playwright, who wrote crisp dialogue lines, a real- Gero added. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Shakespeare is about the transformation of istic sparring between two smart people that you are hooked to, listening. It did not feel like they the human spirit,â&#x20AC;? Gero said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;the protagonists were reading a book, instead, actively engag ing come to an understanding of themselves, where in comedies, the eventuality or the outcome is yet to one another.

It is a respectful exchange, though passionate come, while in drama and tragedies, the outcome and with lots of conviction, between Gero (played has already happened.â&#x20AC;?

Does golf also teach you life lessons as ShakeScalia) and Wheeler (played Cat) , allowed themselves to be influenced by one speare, I asked? To which, Gero said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;yes, golf is another. A third intern, Brad (played by Harlan a perfect game to learn about personal integrity, Work), showed the contrast and their food fight in u PAGE A10

Infrastructure boomâ&#x20AC;Śorâ&#x20AC;Ś

PAGE A8 t

upbeat assurance by Transportation Undersecretary Noel Kintanar that building the subway will be less intrusive than construction an elevated railway system may be a bit naĂŻve.

In San Francisco, the subway extension covering the short stretch from South of Market to Chinatown (approximately 1.5 miles) required shutting down one lane of 4th Street, as well as the business establishments, for several years.

On A. Santos Avenue (Sukat Road) in ParaĂąaque, the pipe-laying undertaken by Maynilad and began in 2015 is just nearing completion as of this date in 2017, with the dug-up lanes being restored. Meanwhile, residents of ParaĂąaque have had to bear the worsening of an already bad traffic situation in that major business artery.

But, as I said, the subway is a great idea. In the

meantime, however, maybe a more doable parallel project can be looked into that will also have a significant impact on the Metro Manila traffic situation.

Improve the Pasig River ferry service. Invest in more modern boats. Invest in more thoroughly and regularly clearing the river of water lilies and other debris. Even offer subsidized fare to make the system more attractive to commuters. The man-hours saved and the resultant benefits in productivity, should more than justify it.

And, finally, persuade the bigtime developers to transform the terminals into business hubs that will motivate public transport operators to make them regular pick-up points.

And, oh yes, advertise and market the ferry service to remind people that it is a faster, more comfortable option than suffering â&#x20AC;&#x153;carmageddon.â&#x20AC;? (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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Dateline PHiliPPineS

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Lacson slams cops behind ‘secret jail’: You’re no better than criminals

by Kristine

Daguno-Bersamina Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The policemen behind the hidden cell are no different from criminal syndicates, Sen. Panfilo Lacson said as he railed against the report that drug suspects have been illegally detained in a police station in Tondo, Manila.

“If true, these policemen are no better than the kidnap for ran-

som gangs that I used to chase throughout my law enforcement career,” Lacson said in a statement issued on Friday, April 28.

“Those responsible must, therefore, be treated no differently from those criminal syndicates that they themselves are mandated to neutralize,” he added.

Lacson was unable to hide his disappointment over the discovery of the Commission on Human Sen. Panfilo Lacson

Rights (CHR) that more than a dozen detainees were found in a nearly airless cell hidden behind a shelf at the Manila Police District (MPD) Station 1 on Thursday.

The said cell was only five feet wide, without proper ventilation except for an exhaust fan behind the station’s Drug Enforcement Unit office.

CHR-National Capital Region investigation chief Gilbert Boyser on Thursday said the detainees did not undergo inquest proceedings nor were they properly logged upon their arrests.

Some of the alleged drug suspects even claimed that they were required to pay certain amounts for their release.

Late last year, Lacson had been criticizing President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on illegal drugs, which according to him, has a double standard.

“I thought it was an all-out drug war I was supporting. Talk about double-standard,” the senator said following the report that Duterte ordered to reinstate Superintendent Marvin Marcos as Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) chief in Region 8.

Marcos was the head of the CIDG raiding team that served a search warrant on Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa inside his detention cell in the Baybay, Leyte sub-provincial jail in November 2016. The killing of Espinosa was found to be a rubout and not a shootout, a National Bureau of Investigation probe found.

Lacson said that the incident last Thursday is another “big challenge that the PNP leadership has to resolve.”

“There is no other way,” the senator said.

Lacson became the PNP chief from 1999 to 2001 before he was elected to the Senate. n

FPJ RICE PADDY. Sen. Grace Poe today hailed the ingenuity of Filipino farmers behind the creation of the rice paddy art on a farm in Nueva Ecija which features the faces of two generations of Ang Probinsyano—her father, the late King of Philippine Movies Fernando Poe Jr. and actor Coco Martin. Poe toured the PhilRice laboratories which house the genebank, molecular laboratory, rice chemistry and food science. The five-hectare farm also showcases clean energy facilities, drone technology, advanced farm machines, and an experimental field that demonstrates hybrid, inbred, and traditional rice varieties. The FPJ rice paddy is available for viewing until May 14.

Senate photo

PORK BARREL SCAM

Sandiganbayan junks Enrile bid to stop plunder trial

by Vince

F. nonato Inquirer.net

THE P172.83-million plunder case of former Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile in connection with the pork barrel scam is sufficient enough to proceed to trial, according to the Sandiganbayan.

In a 19-page resolution on Thursday, the antigraft court’s Third Division denied Enrile’s appeal to throw out the charge on the grounds that the allegations do not constitute the elements of a valid plunder case.

The court affirmed the sufficiency of the case and said the defense failed to raise new arguments to warrant the reversal of its Jan. 31 resolution that first denied his motion to quash.

Enrile was charged with plunder and 15 counts of graft in the Sandiganbayan in June 2014 in connection with his alleged diversion of his Priority Development Assistance Fund allocations to fake nongovernment organizations controlled by businesswoman Janet LimNapoles.

He was accused of amassing P172.83 million in “commissions” from 2003 to 2010 in collaboration with his former chief of staff, Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, Napoles and her driverbodyguard John Raymund de Asis.

Enrile had questioned the June 2014 charge sheet because it supposedly did not state the “particular overt acts” showing unjust enrichment.

He also raised the lack of finer details on his alleged receipt of the kickbacks and the lack of enumeration of anomalous projects linked to alleged scam mas-

termind Napoles.

But the court maintained that the alleged acts of receiving kickbacks and taking advantage of his official position were the “overt acts or predicate crimes” stated to make a case for plunder.

Lagging behind Enrile’s plunder case is currently lagging behind those of detained former Senators Bong Revilla Jr. and Jinggoy Estrada, whose trials are currently scheduled to begin in June—three years after being charged in connection with the multibillionpeso scam.

The Enrile camp’s legal maneuvers have prevented the pretrial from proceeding.

Enrile first tried to ask for a bill of particulars to make the allegations more specific. The Sandiganbayan’s denial of the request prompted him to go to the Supreme Court, which ordered prosecutors to detail the charges in August 2015.

The Office of the Ombudsman complied and the Supreme Court “noted” its action in June 2016.

But Enrile was not satisfied by the additional details provided by prosecutors, so he sought to quash the case.

The Sandiganbayan in January said that by requesting a bill of particulars, Enrile “impliedly admitted” the validity of the charge and only wanted more information so he can mount a proper defense.

It added that the nitty-gritty of the plunder allegations are “evidentiary matters” best threshed out during trial, the court said.

The 93-year-old politician is currently out on bail for an otherwise nonbailable offense after

the Supreme Court, voting 8-4, in August 2015 controversially allowed him to do so on “humanitarian considerations.”

What went before After the Sandiganbayan’s Third Division ordered his arrest on graft and plunder charges, Enrile turned himself in to the Philippine National Police in July 2014 and was detained at the PNP General Hospital in Camp Crame.

In August 2014, Enrile asked the Supreme Court to stop the Sandiganbayan from hearing his plunder case. He also asked the high court to nullify the Sandiganbayan decision denying his motion for bill of particulars for being issued with grave abuse of discretion amounting to lack of, or in excess of jurisdiction.

In April 2016, the high court affirmed with finality its order to the Ombudsman to detail in a bill of particulars the state’s plunder and graft charges against Enrile.

The Supreme Court gave the Ombudsman “a nonextendible period” of 15 days to submit the bill of particulars containing “material and necessary” facts of its allegations against Enrile.

In November 2016, Enrile, responding to the government’s opposition, reiterated that the Sandiganbayan should quash the plunder case filed against him as prosecutors had failed to show why the charge should be deemed valid.

Enrile’s pending bid to throw out the case for vagueness and lack of probable cause arose from the Supreme Court’s April 11, 2016 decision ordering prosecutors to clarify the charges through a bill of particulars. n

ASEAN ‘gravely concerned’ over rising…

PAGE A7 t

programs by tightening economic sanctions and pursuing diplomatic measures with our allies and regional partners,” they said.

The U.S. officials went on to say, “The United States seeks stability and the peaceful denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula.

We remain open to negotiations towards that goal. However, we

remain prepared to defend ourselves and our allies.”

Earlier on the same day, head of U.S. Pacific Command Admiral Harry Harris said that in confronting North Korean threat, it is “critical that the U.S. be guided by a strong sense of resolve both publicly and privately in order to bring (N. Korean Leader) Kim Jong-Un to his senses, not his knees.”

While admitting that any North Korean retaliation could cause many casualties, Harris pressed that there was the risk “of a lot more Koreans and Japanese and Americans dying if North Korea achieves its nuclear aims.”

Harris said the USS Carl Vinson strike group is “in striking range and power projection range of North Korea if called upon to do that.” n

Humanist’s lessons from The…

PAGE A9 t

tempo, creative visualization.”

Like Scalia, Gero is a textualist, he adheres to the text in teaching three classes: characterization, script analysis, and acting Shakespeare, “90 percent of analysis is definition, what, why and how it happens comes after. We must be able to identify, define and amass evidence of a playwright before interpretation.”

He credits his mentors: Jim Albertson, Dennis McDonald, Jerome Rockwood and Ada Brown Mather for three years of private lessons in the theater. He dug into the classics and did Shakespeare for 15 years. He is an integrated artist, teaching three subjects by day and acting in a play by night.

Gero prepared for this play for a year, reading federalist papers, and listened to the oral arguments of Obergefell vs. Hodges during that day. He attended lunch at Scalia’s chambers that day, and after their meal, he encountered a fortune cookie message, which read: “The mind, once stretched by a new idea, never returns to its original dimensions.” – Oliver Wendell Holmes.

That night, Gero was Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia in the play, “The Originalist.”

The civil discourses between Justice Scalia and Cat, the law clerk, showed high levels of respect, that it was much more than a display of theatrics.

When the play was first shown on the East Coast in 2015, the New York Times and the Washington Post gave high marks to “The Originalist,” a generous interpretation of Justice Scalia, the character. Bethesda Magazine wrote that 19,000 folks saw the play.

The rapt audience listened to every word, hoping to “read the tea leaves,” and to gain an insight into the Supreme Court’s upcoming judgment.

That year, 2015, Washington was into any conversation about politics, as it was a year before the

presidential elections. The play was performed to a “hot room temperature” audience.

Gero refers to this “high art” play as “one that is not purely entertainment, but has a teaching moment, an invitation to reconsider what is true, an invitation for transformation, to suspend our own, to perhaps go outside our own box, to listen. The court is a great Socratic classroom, the best synthesis of arguments on both sides, let me consider this argument, then a counter-argument, and with the thesis and the anti-thesis, the synthesis, resulting in not a “No, but,” instead, “Yes, and. We are more than our belief systems,” Gero emphasized.

The civil discourse and dialogue between Justice Scalia and the law clerk, Cat, in “The Originalist” is a must to see and to enjoy. It invites us all to talk like Scalia and Cat and not talk like Cat and Brad in the play.

The play runs until May 7 with a post-show panel discussion each night. Catch it, as it could demonstrate teaching moments on why we must learn to engage differently, to not simply listen to speak our turn or accuse the other as a monster, but to listen with our hearts, to understand what matters, what the other person values, and in the process, we might all change to become a much better America! *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 9 years now. She contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 22 national parks in the US, in pursuit of her love for arts.

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal

Allâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s well between Kim & Gerald

by Bot

Glorioso Philstar.com

what happened to us was not that pleasant because we were young KIM Chiu never denied that then. At least, we learned from there were awkward moments that experience. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve become when she and Gerald Anderson professional.â&#x20AC;? started working together again For his part, Gerald said everyyears after their love team Kimerald thing took a smooth, gradual turn. was torn apart and their rumored Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why, he is grateful for the real-life romance fizzled out. The opportunity to work with Kim again two are reunited in the ABS-CBN in front of the camera. new daytime soap Ikaw Lang Ang Now that everything is fine Iibigin to air weekdays beginning between them, Kim is visibly at May 1 before â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Showtime.â&#x20AC;? peace with herself. â&#x20AC;&#x153;One important â&#x20AC;&#x153;We felt awkward at first be- lesson that Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve learned is you can cause weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re not that super friends,â&#x20AC;? never be truly happy if you do not said Kim during the soapâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grand know how to forgive (the one that launch. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hi and hello lang talaga caused the pain). Hindi yung tao kami sa â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;ASAPâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; or sometimes ka- ang kalaban mo kundi ang sarili mustahan lang and after many mo din because youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll grow tired years, we agreed to do this (to avoiding and hating the person so be together again). People know why not just forgive and go on with

your life? It will make you happier, look at us (laughs), okay kami kaya happy kami.â&#x20AC;?

In fact, Gerald can attest to Kimâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s high level of energy, rubbing it off on their co-stars during tapings. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Grabe ang energy nâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ya sometimes I need to distance myself to be able to concentrate. But itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s great to know that whatever happened (to us in the past), she remained passionate with her work.â&#x20AC;?

Another thing that amazes Gerald no end is her determination to achieve her goal. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s really admirable. Imagine from the set, lacking sleep, she headed straight to the 21K marathon. Mahirap po â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;yun.â&#x20AC;?

When asked about the changes in Gerald, Kim said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s just quiet Kim Chiu and Gerald Anderson (third and fourth from right, respectively, with co-stars Coleen Garcia and Jake Cuenca) reunite in the ABS-CBN daytime soap â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin.â&#x20AC;?

PAGE B2

Body Talk with the â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;newâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Raymond Gutierrez by ricky lo

LOOK, Ma, no surgery!

No, the finely-sculpted man in the pictures on this page is not Richard Gutierrez although he does look like him. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Richardâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s â&#x20AC;&#x153;newâ&#x20AC;? and â&#x20AC;&#x153;re-inventedâ&#x20AC;? twin brother Raymond who happily tells STAR readers how he turned himself into Mr. Body Beautiful.

Without much ado, letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s listen to the newly-created Mr. Body Beautiful.

How did you get that kind of body? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the product of hard work, dedication and a lot of sacrifices.

Getting to this point turned my world upside down. I had to give up a lot of the food that I used to enjoy and adjust my body clock to be a morning person. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve since become pescatarian with meals usually revolving around tuna, salmon, veggies and good fats. I dedicated a lot of time to working out and really adjusted my schedule for it.â&#x20AC;?

Some people suspect that you underwent surgery (bariatric, etc.). React. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This makes me laugh because my entire fitness journey was

/64, 36(5 $IRECT ,ENDER

Philstar.com

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â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s the product of hard work, dedication and a lot of sacrifices...I was unhappy with my weight which made me unhappy with myself. I felt like there were so many things I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do because I was overweight and insecure.â&#x20AC;&#x2122; Photos courtesy of Raymond Gutierrez

documented online on myYouTube channel and on my social media.

So those who have been following me know the hard work that went into this for the past several months. Getting surgery would mean just losing the fat, but my physique, strength and stamina can speak for itself.â&#x20AC;?

How much did you weigh before and after? â&#x20AC;&#x153;In December last year I weighed 260 pounds and Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve since lost 65 pounds.â&#x20AC;?

What encouraged you to go for it? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was unhappy with my weight which made me unhappy with my-

self. I felt like I could do so much more with my life. I felt like there were so many things I couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t do because I was overweight and insecure, like something as simple as going to the beach with my friends. I would stay back in the hotel while everyone else would swim. Or being limited to what I can wear. I enjoy fashion and it was tough for me to do that when nothing fits me. â&#x20AC;&#x153;But aside from vanity, it was also for health reasons. There were moments where I would have a hard time breathing or I would feel weak, and I just wanted to be fit PAGE B5

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B April 29-mAy 2, 2017 • lA WEEKEND ASiAN JOUrNAl

Moonlighting

by Mylah de

leon

EvEryonE pretty much agrees that if you exercise and eat right and don’t smoke or drink or annoy a cop, you’ll never die. I have been told that by my internist, cardiologist, psychiatrist and all of their nurses, receptionists and building custodians. over the weekend, I was invited for cocktails by a group of excruciatingly charming and renowned surgeons. nothing monumental about that. This writer, in dull good health, with not so much as toothache or common cold or a mild rash, with no visible malady other than world besottedness. Doctors are not much concerned about tales or their tellers, unless that writer has an interesting complaint.

To the lives of doctors, given over as they are to the hard, sad, heavy push against mortality, what salve or balm or use may an addled scribbler be?

Features

Kindly men called doctors

They are absorbed by blood and bone, each one alone in their judgment. They walk the fragile bridge between the salvation into life and the morbid slide into death, while this writer is just a weaver of tales, a sybarite of libraries or voluptuary of print. Doctors by contrast, are soaked in the disinfectant of hospitals where the broken and the morbid swarm in cold white beds.

It would be audacious and what gall to suppose that this imaginer by trade and weaver of tales can bring news of the human predicament to a doctor in his dread round? What more, we know that the general perception of these white-coated tribe are not abundantly given to metaphorical speech and thoughts — they are appalled by it.

They can’t disengage themselves from the capacity they put before pleasure. Clear judgment, before the allure of words, they canot cut off from the heal of human pity for the sake of a figure of speech, perhaps to make them more humane.

I’ve been set down (or set up) among the doctors, this storyteller

among the healers, to increase the doctors capacity to imagine, since by their own admission, too often, they do not (never) presume a connection of vulnerability between the catastrophe that besets their patients and the susceptibility of the doctor’s own flesh.

This writer will suggest a course of connection and entering into tremulous spirits of the helpless, fearful, apart, by demonstrating in a bouquet of words, to contagion of passion and compassion, called empathy in medical literature.

Cautious and frightened, with only the redemptive ardor of literature, I began to read on a narrative about an imaginary, sexually active plenum. about “a great factory or shop of power with its rotating constellations, times and tides. A place where the birth of a child is no longer welcome and for technological reasons no longer possible,” from an essay of Emerson. The most refined and intellectual in this plenum are those least willing to bear children because children interrupt.

But a number of children manPAGE B3

Programming for Kababayan Today, May 1-5, 2017 rights amidst deportations under the new administration.

Wednesday, May 3 - The Asian Journal shares the latest headlines relevant to the Fil-Am community.

Criminal Attorney Frances Prizia gives us information on the criminal justice system. Brandon reilly, G. TönGi Professor of History talks about Monday, May 1 - Filmmakers Immigration.

Thursday, May 4 - Filipinowho are part of the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival join American Artists Eliseo Silva, us to talk about their film which Lyn Pacificar and Hanna ABDC, is part of the Fil-Am Creations together with FilAm Arts Executive Director Tina Bulchand, talk category.

Tuesday, May 2 - The Filipino about their upcoming art exhibit Migrant Center shares valuable in- called “Buklod.”

Friday, May 5 - Filipino-Ameriformation for immigrants to their

The Global Kababayan

All’s well between...

PAGE B1 sitting in a corner and when the time that everyone gets noisier, he will hibernate in his car. Perhaps, sign of aging (laughs). nasa actor’s cue s’ya lagi kahit nakakatawa ‘yung eksena.”

But that doesn’t mean Kim is not taking her character in “Ikaw Lang Ang Iibigin” seriously. Strenuous preparations, she said, are essential in order to effectively breathe life into the role which is both physi-

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cally and emotionally draining.

Aside from the heavy drama acting scenes, Kim is also required to show a certain level of endurance.

Good thing, Kim is into duathlon therefore, she exactly fits the role as the athletic Bianca.

Gerald expressed delight about portraying a character who is into triathlon which coincidentally the sport that is of interest to him. “I am already into it even before they offered me this project. We do train-

can artists Champoy, Diane valencia and nicanor Evangelista, together with FilAm Arts Executive Director Tina Bulchand, talk about their upcoming art exhibit called “Buklod.” *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of Kababayan Today, a daily talk show that features relevant topics for Filipinos 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 FilAm community.

ings during taping breaks.” Their set location is the Marikina Sports Complex.

Does he miss working again with Kim? “’I’m more grateful to have the chance to work with her again. We started together since we came out of the PBB house… she was there by my side — teamwork kami. Kumbaga sa bahay yung career ko, si Kim ang foundation ko.

I’m not the vocal type and I don’t express my emotion but I know how and where I started,” Gerald replied.

Goodfellas Pawn Shop promises customer-first business approach PAyInG the bills is hard, and for the 75 million individuals who don’t have a bank account, credit card or any other mainstream form of finance, it’s all the more difficult.

For easier access to quick cash to pay the rent, repair a car or pay a bill, many individuals turn to collateral loan providers, also known as pawn shops, which offer shortterm loans for collateral.

But finding a pawn shop that will truly cater to the customers’ needs is difficult, until now.

For 20 years, Goodfellas Pawn Shop in West Covina has been operating as one of the most trustworthy pawn shops in Southern California with a clientele that goes beyond the West Covina area. Folks travel hours to Goodfellas, skipping over dozens of pawn shops along the way...but why?

Founded and still managed by brothers Armen and Artur Galstian, Goodfellas stands out from the homogenous slew of pawn

shops because of its customer-first approach. rather than offering the standard four-month loan, Goodfellas offers a generous five-month loan to give customers flexibility when repaying each loan.

Goodfellas also offers a gracious 0 percent interest for the first 30 days for loans up to $1,000.

Enjoy affordable interest rates at 3.99 percent for loans of $2,500 to $10,000, and 2.99 percent a month for loans from $10,001 to $50,000.

In addition to the unprecedented patron-centric mission, Goodfellas presents one of the highest quality establishments in the pawn shop game. Customers who walk into the easily accessible shop will be greeted by a clean, well-organized store managed by a friendly, professional staff.

The items available for purchase are also among the highest quality brand name products. Store items include rolex

watches, jewelry, bicycles, power tools, designer handbags, musical instruments, digital cameras, and laptops to name only a few.

“Here, we care about the customers and we put them first,” Armen Galstian, co-founder of Goodfellas Pawn Shop, told the Asian Journal. “We have catered to all kinds of customers, from businessmen to construction workers, by giving them the same excellent customer service based on their unique financial needs.”

And that customer-first mission is represented by its customer return rate and a high satisfaction rate. Goodfellas promises a pleasant and quick experience to meet your financial needs.

Goodfellas Pawn Shop is located at 1203 S. Glendora Avenue in West Covina and is open Monday-Friday from 10 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on the weekends from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. To receive more information, the number to their store is 626-918-2323.

(Advertising Supplement)

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Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 29-mAy 2, 2017

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Sharp corner

By Sean

Shono

ReSiDenTS may suffer from heart or blood problems, as well as mental stress, due to the sharp corners of a pillar inside of a house.

The corners facing you may cause trouble of the heart and blood or mental stress.

The symbolic (typical) example is “Feng Shui war in Hong Kong.”

The corner of the Bank of China building was built facing, unintentionally, toward the British government-general of Hong

Kong, resulting in reported heart problems like seizures to three consecutive governors of Hong Kong. And a canon-like statue was built on the roof of the Hong Kong Shanghai Bank Corporation building, as if aiming at the Bank of China building.

Contact DRAgOn gOD if you have similar problems. *All of our

items have been purified by the authentic Feng Shui way. *** Feng Shui master Sean Shono owns Dragon God, a Feng Shui store in Gardena, California. He is the U.S. Chief of the International Feng Shui Association. For more information, please call Sean Shono at (310) 787-1891. Dragon God is located at 1580 W. Artesia SQ. Suite A, Gardena, CA 90248.

Lourdez , Aida and Gisele, The Three Faces of ‘A Beautiful Life’

By Monet

Lu

Living ‘beautiful lives’ means living with passion, dedication and sacrifice. And these four amazing women of the Filipino-American community tell us how they do it.

Meet the Queen of Queens of The Beautiful Life Celebration 2017.

Lourdes Garcia With a dual Masters Degree in nursing and Healthcare Administration from University of Phoenix in California, Lourdes’ expertise is in intensive Critical Care nursing.

She is also a practicing healthcare consultant, business owner and a nurse Practitioner. She is certified by the American College of Disability Medicine and specializes in Platelet Rich Plasma (PRP) injections for pain management and rejuvenation, and continues to do her passion for research on stem cells with some group of doctors. in 2012, Lourdes was hailed as a “Filipino Champion” by ABSCBn gel Santos-Relos’ show for her unwavering support and effort for the Telehealth international, a medical mission providing health care needs for homeless children and orphans in the Philippines and india via teleconsultations through collaboration with doctors here in the US. Lourdes also represented Mrs. Philippines in the Mrs. Asia USA cultural beauty pageant, was voted Mrs. Congeniality, Mrs. Best in Community Service, and eventually being crowned Mrs. Asia USA California of 2014.

Lourdes was voted by the Historic Filipinotown Committee and

AN ENCORE EPISODE ABOUT A “SPECIAL CHILD” ON “CITIZEN PINOY!” When Mommy Conchita (center) immigrated to the U.S. in 2007, she had to make a difficult decision of leaving her special needs daughter, Nina (left) behind in the Philippines. It was a difficult time, because mother and daughter had never been separated before. Nina was left behind with her older sister Ruth, who was later about to migrate to Australia in May 2016. With Mommy Conchita and Ruth gone, who will take care of Nina? Find out how leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to bring Nina to the US through Humanitarian Parole, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” on Sunday, April 30 at 6:15 p.m. PST on TFC.

Lourdes Garcia, Aida Jugo and Gisele Joves, the three faces of ‘A Beautiful Life’

Board of Directors to become its first representative as Mrs. Filipinotown for 2016.

“A Beautiful Life” for Lourdes is a life of service and passion. it is making a difference in the world one person at a time.

Aida Jugo Aida Jugo works for Union Bank as the Assistant vice President and Manager of investigations Unit for Money / Wire Transfer Dept. She’s been with Union Bank for 25 years.

She supervises and manages the investigations unit in-charge of loss prevention, monitoring fraudulent activities such as, money laundering and preventing funding for terrorism worldwide For Aida, “A Beautiful Life” is doing the things one enjoys the most.

She says: “Life is beautiful, when you are surrounded by a loving family, good friends and accomplishing your dreams. I enjoy all forms of dancing, ballroom in particular, bowling and dressing up in elegant beautiful clothes. I am so honored and humbled being bestowed Queen of the Philippines - International.

I am so proud and grateful to have the opportunity to represent all the beautiful women of the Philippines and the little girls wishing to be queens one day. I believe that beauty is not only about your appearance, but what matters most is what is inside. Being confident, having a good heart, spirit and being respectful to others truly makes a person beautiful and deserving of this award.”

Gisele Joves giselle currently works as a makeup artist, actress, model, and a beauty contributor for MiSS magazine.

She is motivated to entertain people. “Those who know me, know that i love to make them laugh and inspire them to be the best possible version of themselves. i believe storytelling is an art therefore acting is a part of that. A movie can make people laugh, cry, and really feel something. That’s what i love about acting. it makes you feel something through art…” she says cheerfully. giselle used to be a drapery designer and a radio/Tv show host in Florida. When the housing

market crashed and sales slowed down for window treatments, she moved back to California to be with her family. now she lives in Los Angeles as she works towards her acting career. giselle is actively involved in church activities and has helped with community projects.

She defines ‘A Beautiful Life’ as really living with [your] purpose. “i was very successful as a budget technician and drapery designer but it wasn’t my passion. i wasn’t really contributing to my own life if i wasn’t happy. it was a hard decision to make leaving a practical position that paid well to a very unstable line of work. i worked to make it happen though. Without the struggle you wouldn’t really appreciate the success. i’ll tell you what, it was the best decision i’ve ever made in my life. Knowing that i am working towards my goal and doing things that i only dreamed of as a kid, is a beautiful life!” *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of 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 visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

Kindly men called...

PAGE B2 aged to be born, in any case, illicitly and improbably. One wished to tell them how those children turnout out and what happened to that sophisticated, though unlucky plenum.

My purpose was not to disclose the destiny of the children, but rather, the behavior of the doctors.

Of course, in my narrative everything ended in barbarism and savagery, which i have chosen to present, as part satire, part parable outfield in drollery in deepest imitative tertiary debt, to literary form drenched in, above all, metaphors.

My tale of the lascivious planet and its people could only have been directed against artifice and malice and self indulgence.

But it also pressed for fruitfulness and health, sanity and generosity, bloom, and of course, continuity. A story contrived to declare itself on the side of life.

Therefore, on the side of the doctors themselves, but in a lively list of parables, in such a light lance to be able to unfold life, without using blatant carcasses of heavy nouns, medical science uses. Just the power and charm of fables and figures of speech obedient to my topic. That, of perhaps opening

the inmost valve of the imaginary heart of these doctors.

But they countered i was being obscure and mean spirited, resolved to perplex. They wanted, demanded plain speech. They were appalled by fable, images, echoes, irony, obliqueness and double meanings that need the call to interpret, to comment and diagnose.

Ambiguity to them in akin to arcane. now the examining table had been turned on them and reasoning authority, where nothing matters most but the struggle to heal, the will to repair the shattered, the will to redeem and make whole. i’ve been cheerfully chastised that they are a breed of serious men and women that are used to feeling at home in their minds. An inspiration is an intruder, a kidnapper of reason, like a burglar who shoots the watch dog dead…that instigates cliff walking, sweeping the quarry to the edge of unfamiliar abysses chasing the sentries, and sensor and monitors.

Humbly, i replied, “inspiration could come from a ray of the sun, a moonlight, a toddler’s chuckle even from a wounded heart. it is when you seize life, that it comes.”

For me, inspiration could show itself even from an arthritic hobble.

B April 29-mAy 2, 2017 • lA WEEKEND ASiAN JOUrNAl

Features

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How the US Army can help your medical career journey IN exchange for serving and defending the country, there are plenty of advantages that come with being a member of the U.S. military, including opportunities to go back to school without facing the burden of rising tuition costs.

Thanks to legislation, including the Post-9/11 GI Bill and Montgomery GI Bill, veterans and service members who can receive education benefits.

Under the Post-9/11 GI Bill, members who began their service after Sept. 10, 2001 can earn full tuition to the college for their choice for up to 36 months, plus a monthly housing allowance and a books and supplies stipend of up to $1,000 per year. The latter bill gives full tuition benefits to those who have served at least two years on active duty.

For those who are thinking of a career in the medical field specifically, the military offers numerous educational and financial

aid options.

The U.S. Army, in particular, has undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate health care education programs. Students can go on to join the Army health Care Team, one of the largest comprehensive systems of health care in the country, with six corps — dental, medical, medical services, medical specialist, nurse, and veterinary.

This branch has one of the biggest scholarships in the health care field, the F. edward hébert Armed Forces health Professions Scholarship Program, wherein eligible students receive full tuition for any accredited medical, dental, veterinary, psychiatric nurse practitioner, psychology or optometry program, plus a generous monthly stipend of more than $2,000.

To qualify for the program, students must be a U.S. citizen with a baccalaureate degree from an accredited school, be enrolled in (or have a letter of acceptance

Teresita S. Busby enlisted in the Army and went on to become a teacher in the dentistry school.

A glimpse of the training at the Medical Education & Training Campus, located at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) in Fort Sam Houston.

AJPress photos by Ivy Manalang

officer.

In return, students will have an from) an accredited graduate pro- obligation to active duty service, gram in the U.S. or Puerto Rico, which requires one year of service maintain full-time student status for every year the scholarship was during the length of the program, received. The minimum obligation and qualify as a commissioned depends on the health care field the respective student decides to pursue.

The Medical education & Training Campus, located at Joint Base San Antonio (JBSA) in Fort Sam houston, Texas, is the largest educational consolidation in U.S. Military history. With 48 programs of instruction, the campus has over 1,200 faculty and staff, and serves approximately 5,500 students annually. It is the primary entry portal for the Army, Navy and Air Force. each class size is 330, with 70 percent male and 30 percent female.

During a Center of Influence

educator Tour to the base in early April, POC Maj. Stephen harper — chair of the department of combat medic training — said it is the campus’s mission to “produce army combat medics who are: trained in the most current battlefield trauma life-saving interventions; able to assist a provider in primary care; and disciplined, motivated & physically/mentally fit.”

The initial entry training for combat medics is 16 weeks long, with seven weeks focusing on becoming an emergency Medical Technician (eMT) and nine weeks of combat medic specific training.

The field training exercise is two weeks long, consisting of situational and field exercises.

After leaving the campus, the soldiers are assigned to various posts, including an Infantry Brigade Combat Team or a De-

partment of Defense Military Treatment facility/hospital. There are over 34,000 Army Combat Medics — 17,000 of whom are on active duty, while the others are in guard/reserve.

The campus in Fort Sam houston also houses the Army Medical Department Center and School, where the army educates and trains all of its medical personnel.

Becoming a medical professional is a long and grueling process, one that begings with four years of medical school. Get the most out of this opportunity and successfully get through medical school with the U.S. Army.

For more information on the medical careers and educational programs that the Army provides, please visit http://www.goarmy. com/amedd/health-care.html or http://www.cs.amedd.army.mil/.

(Advertising Supplement)

AJ Ads 89 April 2017_Layout 1 4/17/17 11:50 PM Page 1

age gracefully

Fish and Shellfish Are a Great Catch for Health

Garlic Crab Royale Serves 2–4 Ingredients

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 raves.

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. Sauté 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.

LPGA Tour players with other invited golfers, guests, officials and sponsors take time to pose at Journey’s golf course at Pechanga.

Photo by Mark Xavier Bautista

Journey at Pechanga Resort & Casino hosts 11th Annual Kore Pro-Am 2017

© 2017 by FoodTrients.com

BY GRACE O Fish and shellfish are great immune-boosting foods, so be sure to include lots of them during flu season and throughout the year.

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.

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

GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks – The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won the National award for Innovation from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry.

Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com

The Kore Pro-Am 2017 teed off Monday, April 3, on the course at Journey at Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula.

Now on its 11th year, 25 LPGA pros — including top-ranking players — teamed up with community amateurs in the scramble-format golf tournament to vie for the No. 1 spot.

“Pechanga Resort & Casino is very honored to be the host sponsor [of this event], said Interim General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer Lee Torres. “This is our fifth year and each and every year has been better than the one before.” Torres also invited the guests to come back when Pechanga’s $285-million expansion gets done by the end of this year.

Pechanga’s $285-million resort expansion broke ground in December 2015. Pechanga will add a new hotel wing with an additional 568 rooms and suites. Guests will be able to enjoy a new 2-story luxury spa, 70,000 sq. ft. of additional ballroom and meeting space, an outdoor activity area and resort-style pool complex, as well as two new food and beverage outlets.

Last month, Pechanga also unveiled a new logo and brand design to make it more competitive in the global digital

hospitality market.

T h i s y e a r ’s L P G A ro s t e r included included the Korean superstars of ladies golf including Jenny Shin , Xi Yu Lin, Mi hyang Lee, Chella Choi, Vicky hurst, Jing Yan, Kelly Shon, Julie Yang, Tiffany Joh, Kelly Tan, Jennifer ha, Ayako Uehara, hee Young Park, Christine Song, Min Lee, Megan Khang, Simin Feng, Rebecca Lee Bentham, M i n d y K i m , e m i l y Tu b e r t , Sarah Jane Smith, Fil-Am Demi Runas, Annie Park, Lee Lopez and hanule Sky Seo. This elite group of 25 pro golfers partnered with four other players per team to challenge each other and enjoy the natural surroundings of Journey at Pechanga.

This year’s sponsors, in addition to Axalta Dura Coat Products and Pechanga Resort & Casino, included first-time participant BMW, Private Internet Access, 011 Communications, AmWest, APW, Asiana Airlines, Calywire, CJ e&M, Colosseum Athletics, Ten Advertising and product sponsors Bescon USA, B i o d e r m a , D e c k y, J o h n n i e Walker, Thunder Par App and Sapporo.

About Journey at Pechanga Journey at Pechanga is a 7,219-yard, par-72 golf course open to the public and Pechan-

ga guests. Rated as one of the top 20 public courses in the state by GolfWeek, the Arthur hills-designed layout snakes across the dry ravine of the Pechanga River, over rustic woode n bridg e s a nd ta k e s advantage of the awe-inspiring terrain that rises and falls throughout the round.

About Pechanga Resort & Casino Pechanga Resort & Casino offers one of the largest and most expansive resort/casino experiences anywhere in the United States. Voted the Number One Casino in America by readers of USA TODAY and rated a Four Diamond property

by AAA since 2002, Pechanga Resort & Casino provides an unparalleled getaway. Offering more than 3,400 of the hottest slots, table games, world-class entertainment, 517 hotel rooms, dining, spa and championship golf at Journey at Pechanga, Pechanga Resort & Casino features a destination that meets and exceeds the needs of its guests and the community. Pechanga Resort & Casino is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. For more information, call toll free 1888-PeChANGA or visit www.

Pechanga.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 29-mAy 2, 2017

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How Maja Salvador got her ‘revenge body’

By Deni

rose BernarDo Philstar.com

IN ABS-CBN’s summer station ID, of the many sexy stars featured, one summer body stands out.

Actress Maja Salvador has always been a #fitspiration for many. In her current soap opera, “Wildflower,” she plays Ivy, a woman who will do everything to avenge her father’s death brought about by a powerful political clan.

Maja admitted in an interview with Philstar.com that being sexy is important for her role as there are scenes that call for her to use her charm and sex appeal to get the vengeance she wants. She bared, however, that staying in shape and looking after her health have also been a struggle since she has to do tapings for the show three times a week, while her weekends are allotted for the Sunday noontime variety show “ASAP.” Since dancing in “ASAP” is her only means to workout, how does

she manage to still look good?

“Control sa pagkain talaga.

I’m not following any diet plans.

Kumakain ako pero nagkokontrol ko. Kasi kung mag-iiwas ka ng pagkain, baka mawalan ka ng happiness!” quipped the actress, who loves shrimps and squash.

She confessed that she eats junk food when she is too tired to eat.

She is sad that this summer, she has no chance of going on a vacation.

“I only have two days off in a week, so I’m already burned out, so kapag may staycation or travel opportunities, I grab them kahit overnight lang,” she shared.

“Wildflower” is not more on “pa-sexy,” she clarified.

“May part n’ung soap na gagamitin mo ‘yung pagkababae mo, pero ‘di lang ‘yun ‘yung ‘Wildflower.’ Boys lang ‘yung nagpapa-sexy!”

What sets Ivy apart from the roles she held before?

“Siguro ‘yung bigat na dinadala ng character, ‘yung pain and anger. Ang dami n’yang emosyon, ang dami n’yang dala e. ‘Yun ang pinakapagkakaiba sa iba.”

If she is very different from Ivy, where does she get the anger needed to portray the character?

“Wala namang pinaghuhugutan, iba lang talaga ako mag-embrace ng character…Since the character is very different from the real me, honestly, it takes time before I can be Ivy every time we shoot.”

Though Ivy and her are poles apart, she has learned a lot from the character. “’Wag ka magkikimkim kasi at the end of the day, ikaw ‘yung hindi makakatulog. Lagi mong piliin na magkaroon ng peace of mind,” Maja said.

Like Ivy who has three hot men drooling over her, does Maja also have something like that in

Maja Salvador

real life?

“Wala! Busy sa work!” she said, stressing that rumors of her seeing someone outside showbiz are not true.

Sarah Geronimo on being Darna: Not for me ‘Nothing’s changed’ with Marlon Stockinger and PIa Wurtzbach

By Deni

rose BernarDo Philstar.com

Pop star and “The Voice Teens” coach Sarah Geronimo doesn’t think she qualifies for Darna.

SHE can act, sing and dance, but apparently for Sarah Geronimo, these are not enough for her to fit the boots of Filipino superhero Darna.

In a recent press interview during her launch as a health care brand’s endorser, Sarah divulged that she does not think she has what it takes to take on Mars Ravelo’s iconic book-to-film character.

“Wala, hindi!” Sarah said when asked if she is now ready

Body Talk with the ‘new’...

PAGE B1 and healthy. I would always have an excuse as to why I didn’t workout, whether it was because ‘I have no time’ or ‘it’s too hot outside.’

I was my own roadblock. It was December 2016 and a new year was about to start. It was going to be another year of me making promises to myself. But this year, I finally made it happen.”

Describe the procedure or the diet/workout that you were required to do…and for how long?

“In December, I started moving my body by doing spinning classes at Ride Revolution which is coowned by my friend Isabelle Daza.

It got me hooked on working out again and I would go every night after work. In January, I officially started the Century Tuna No Excuses 90-Day challenge. What’s nice about the challenge is that all information is online and for free.

“So we gathered a group of experts: Arnold Aninion as my trainer, Nadine Tengco who helped out with the diet, and Erwan Heussaff as my lifestyle coach.

We produced videos and articles which people can follow by going to www.superbods.ph. I worked out daily, I would do cardio in the morning, usually a sprint session at 7 a.m. and in the afternoon after my meetings, I would meet up with Arnold at around 5 p.m.

to do weightlifting. As for my diet, I would stick to an all-fish diet, kamote, good fats like avocado or almonds, and no rice.”

How did you feel when you woke up one morning, seeing the “new” you in the mirror?

“I honestly feel like a brand-new person. It’s like a clean slate for me. I’m so excited to travel, see the world and start new adventures with a more positive outlook, and not be held back because of my weight and insecurities. After this, I feel like I can do anything.”

Any pieces of advice for people who want to lose excess poundage and stay as good as you do now?

“It’s all in the mind and it’s all about what you want to happen.

It’s all about your determination.

That’s my magic formula. Because I could have had the best trainers, the best gyms, and the best food before — and I’ve had access to that for years — but it’s when you decide to make a change, that’s when you see results. It’s up to you. I could have given up halfway through and said, ‘I’m happy, I’m satisfied, I’ve lost 10 pounds, so I’m okay.’ It’s not about how expensive your gym is, it’s about dedicating your time to it and sticking to a plan. Don’t let the excuses in your head stop you from reaching your goals. If I can do it, so can you.”

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to swallow the stone and shout “Darna!”

“Call ‘yun ng management, kung sino sa tingin nila na pinakabagay sa role. Pero ako ilang beses ko na rin sinabi na hindi po para sa’kin ‘yun,” the singer-actress reiterated.

The coach of singing search “The Voice Teens,” however, is willing to lend her voice to whoever will bag the much-talked about role.

Ever since Angel Locsin formally announced she will not be able to reprise the character

she played in a TV series with GMA due to a spine injury, netizens have been picking candidates for probable replacements. These include Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach, Nadine Lustre, Liza Soberano and Jessy Mendiola.

According to the results of Philstar.com’s recent survey, netizens want Nadine Lustre to wear the iconic red-and-gold costume.

But just like Darna who never gives up, Sarah’s fans, the Popsters, will not surrender the fight.

Marlon-Pia relationship

by Kristian Javier Philstar.com

CAR racer Marlon Stockinger said that his relationship with Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach has not changed.

Stockinger posted a picture of him with Wurtzbach on Instagram with the caption, “nothing’s changed.”

This is despite the rumors that Stockinger fathered twins with model Kit Barraquias.

Last year, reports of Barraquias admitting that the racer is the “biological father” of her seven-year old twins surfaced.

She said, however, that she did not intend to reunite with Stockinger nor ask for financial support and only wanted to protect her children.

Wurtzbach, meanwhile, said that she did not know of the rumor.

B April 29-mAy 2, 2017 • lA WEEKEND ASiAN JOUrNAl

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COMMUNITY

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017

Journal

Your Immigration Solution Michael Bhotiwihok and nancy Miller IN Ramirez v. Brown, the Ninth Circuit recently held that a Temporary Protected Status (TPS) recipient is eligible to adjust to legal permanent resident status in the United States. The Ninth Circuit reasoned that receiving TPS deems an individual to be in lawful status and satisfies the nonimmigrant requirements, such as inspection and admission, for adjustment of status purposes.

In Ramirez, a dispute arose over whether being a TPS designee provided a pathway to obtaining lawful permanent residence status under the adjustment statute.

The United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) found Ramirez ineligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status on that ground that he last entered the country without inspection therefore he had not been inspected, admitted or paroled as required by Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) Section 245(a).

The Ninth Circuit held that being a TPS designee provides a pathway to a green card. Residents in the Ninth Circuit who are TPS recipients now can adjust to lawful permanent status in the United States instead of consular processing in a foreign country.

INA Section 245(a) requires that an applicant prove that he or she has been inspected and admitted (or paroled) before being eligible to adjust status to lawful permanent residency. Because of the Ramirez decision, TPS recipients who entered the United States without inspection are now considered admitted and qualify for adjustment of status under INA Section 245(a) provided they have an independent means of immigrating.

Prior to the Ramirez decision, adjustment of status to lawful permanent residency in the United States could be achieved by proof of a legal entry, an exception under INA 245(i), advance parole, or parole based on a fam-

TPS as a pathway to a green card ily member in the United States Armed Forces.

The Ninth Circuit decision is significant because of the geographic reach of the large number of TPS recipients affected in California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and Hawaii.

Further, TPS recipients do not have to leave the United States and consular process through a United States Embassy or Consulate. Families are kept together and lives continue in the United States.

The Ninth Circuit joins the Six Circuit in finding that noncitizens with a grant of TPS who entered the country illegally are eligible to apply for a green card in the United States. However, the Eleventh Circuit is at odds with the Ninth and Sixth Circuits thereby creating a split. Until the conflicting decisions are decided by the United States Supreme Court, there will be inconsistent application of immigration law among the Circuit Courts and throughout the country.

TPS may be granted by the USCIS to foreign nationals due to conditions in their country, such as a natural disaster or civil war, which prevent the foreign nationals who are living in the United States from returning safely to their country. The Department of Homeland Security has currently designated the following countries for TPS: El Salvador, Guinea, Haiti, Honduras, Liberia, Nepal, Nicaragua, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Yemen.

TPS status allows foreign nationals to live and work in the United States without the fear of being removed/deported. TPS is a temporary benefit that does not directly lead to a green card. However, registration for TPS does not prevent one from applying for nonimmigrant status, adjustment of status based on an immigrant petition, or any other immigration benefit or protection.

For TPS recipients outside of the Sixth and Ninth Circuits, at-

tention must be directed to monitoring current pending cases in their respective jurisdictions.

For example this year, in Bonilla v. Johnson, the United States District Court, District of Minnesota, held that a grant of TPS satisfies the threshold requirement of admission for purposes of becoming eligible for adjustment of status to a lawful permanent resident.

In addition, TPS recipients should consider alternative routes to obtaining a green card. The Provisional Unlawful Presence Waiver (“Provisional Waiver”) allows beneficiaries of immigrant visa petitions who were not inspected and admitted to the United States to apply for a waiver of the ten-year bar that will be triggered by departing the country to apply for an immigrant visa abroad. The Provisional Waiver allows applicants to know whether their waiver is approved or not before departing the United States. Thus, the uncertainty and risks of leaving the United States to consular process are alleviated. The Provisional Waiver decreases the time that families are separated and keeps families together during the consular processing of an immigrant visa.

Any TPS recipient should seek the advice of an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney to discuss his or her immigration options and eligibility to obtain a green card in the United States. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila.

For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

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

(Advertising Supplement)

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C APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon ARE you seriously in debt and don’t know what to do about your situation? Are you afraid that unless you do something about it, thing will just continue to get worse every day?

When people are going through financial difficulty and are unable to pay their bills, their first reaction is often to ignore their debts and avoid contact with creditors. They think that by doing this, somehow the creditors will simply give up and go away. Then one day the problem blows up in their face.

They either get served a wage garnishment at work or they find out that their bank account has been frozen by a judgment creditor that they have ignored. I see this happen all the time.

That’s when they rush to see a bankruptcy attorney to find out what can be done to protect themselves. This is when they realize that they should have done something about their debt problems sooner in order to avoid the unpleasant consequences of their inaction. Most states have a statute of limitations- this is the period of time in which a creditor must file a lawsuit in order to collect on an unpaid debt.

In California, that is generally 4 years from the time you stopped paying. A debt can go unpaid for years and you may not hear anything about the debt at all. Well, don’t hold your breath. When the

Immigration Corner Atty. BRiAn leRneR QUESTION: I have been outside the United States for eight months and have friends who went back to the country and were forced to give up their green cards and then enter on a B2 Visitor Visa. Will that happen to me?

Answer: If there is an absence of intent to permanently reside in the U.S., coupled with objective circumstances, lawful permanent residents (LPRs) can lose their status even if they visit the U.S. often. An LPR

Community Journal

Here are 4 ways to get out of debt collection accounts gets close to the 4-year mark for the creditor to file suit, that’s when you often get served a lawsuit before the statute runs out. If a creditor does sue you and obtains a judgment, the judgment is good for 10 years in California and can be renewed thereafter. That’s a pretty long time for a creditor to be chasing you and your assets, if you have any. If you own a home and a judgment lien is filed against it, the debt becomes a secured debt and it must be paid in full plus accrued interest when you sell your property someday.

Filing a bankruptcy doesn’t automatically remove a lien but under certain circumstances, there is a procedure by which it can be removed. This will depend on the value of your home, outstanding loans on the property and your homestead exemption amount.

Your homestead exemption is the amount of the equity in the property deemed protected by law if the house is your primary residence. An attorney can explain to you how this works.

OK, so before any of the above happens, what are the ways to get out of debt before things take a turn for the worse? The key to your success is to be pro-active instead of being reactive. In other words, take action now instead of waiting until something bad happens.

There basically only 4 ways to get out of debt if you’re on the verge of insolvency: (1) increase

income so you can start paying larger amounts on your debts to hopefully avoid filing bankruptcy, (2) reduce expenses so that you can increase your disposable income and have more money available for debt repayment, (3) Convert assets you don’t need into cash and use the money to negotiate with creditors, and (4) File bankruptcy to wipe out debts or consolidate your bills (This requires filing either a Chapter 7 or a Chapter 13).

If you’re feeling paralyzed by debt and can’t think clearly at the moment, you need a good attorney who can properly evaluate your situation and recommend possible solutions. The first thing you need to do when you don’t know what to do is to realize that sometimes, you cannot do it on your own. There is nothing wrong with getting legal help.

The sooner you get help, the sooner you would be able to protect your home, your job, your car, your bank account and other assets. For more information and to schedule a free consultation, please call Toll-Free 1-866-4777772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

Returning to the US after months of being outside may have multiple residences, but a U.S. residence must be the permanent one. In other words, LPR status may be lost if abandoned. Possession of reentry permit does not prevent Department of Homeland Security (DHS) from inquiring as to whether the holder abandoned his residency; it simply prevents the DHS from relying solely on the duration of the absence as a basis to determine abandonment. Further, a reentry permit does not bar DHS from refusing admission to the holder and placing him in removal proceedings.

Question: This sounds scary.

What do I do?

Answer: First of all, while it is possible to lose your residency, you cannot be forced to sign the paper giving up your right to be a lawful permanent resident. Thus, the first item you want to do is to NOT SIGN ANYTHING. It is your right to not sign and they cannot force you to sign. Additionally, DHS (the officer at the port of entry) cannot force you to take a B2 Visitor Visa instead.

You must request to see an immigration judge. This will make is so that you will be placed into proceedings to see the immigration judge to argue whether

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

Tax Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA

HERE are proposed tax changes that could affect individuals like you and me.

Individual Tax Rates: President Trump plans to simplify the tax code by condensing the current seven rates into three – 12%, 25%, and 33%.

Most Americans will go down in bracket but a few will go up to a higher tax rate.

Deductions: The standard deduction for single individuals would more than double from $6,350 to $15,000 and married couples filing jointly from $12,750 to $30,000. This is great news to taxpayers who don’t have house mortgage interest and property tax deductions.

Child Care: President Trump proposes a new above-the-line deduction for child and dependent care expenses. This deduction is available even to those who do

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRSuA ReyeS ONE of the most emotional aspect of a marital dissolution case is dealing with Child custody issues. Sadly enough, this is an area where most parents play games with each other trying their best to deprive the other parents of their right to maintain relationship with their child.

Child custody comes in two parts, 1) physical custody and 2) legal custody. Physical custody may be awarded solely to one parent or jointly. Sole physical custody means that the child will reside primarily and under the supervision of one parent subject to visitation from the other parent upon order of the court. Family Code §3007. Joint physical custody on the other hand means that the child gets to spend frequent and continuing contact with both parents. Family Code §3004.

The court would state specifically the periods of time the child will be under the supervision of each parent.

Individual tax changes under Trump tax plan not itemize deductions. The deduction would be available for up to four children or elderly dependents. Anyone making less than $250,000 ($500,000 if married) would be eligible to take this tax break.

Earned Income Credit (EIC): He also proposes to increase the earned income tax credit for taxpayers who would not qualify for the new child care deduction discussed above. As a result, more taxpayers would qualify for the EITC. Low-income workers in the non-taxable category would be eligible for an earned income tax credit of up to $1,200 annually.

Capital Gains: Current rates for long-term capital gains and qualified dividends would remain unchanged, but we would be freed from a surtax of 3.8% on investment income. The Affordable Care Act is funded in part by this surtax which pushed the top rate on long-term capital gains last year to 23.8% for high-earning couples.

Investment Income Tax: The additional 3.8% tax on net investment income and capital gains would be terminated – gone.

Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) The dreaded Alternative Minimum Tax that has hit more taxpayers would be axed – gone.

Estate and Gift Tax: We pay income tax throughout our lives and get taxed again on death. This would be repealed – gone. *** 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.

(Advertising Supplement)

How courts determine child custody in California Legal custody on the other hand deals with the right and responsibility of a parent to make decisions regarding the health, education, and welfare of the child. Family Code §3006. Examples would be decisions such as where the child shall attend school, whether the child can travel to another jurisdiction or state, legal decisions involving the child. In cases where joint legal custody is ordered by the court, either parent alone can make decisions concerning the health, education, and welfare of the child unless otherwise specified in the order.

In making its determination on child custody issues, the court considers various factors depending on the specific facts of the case. The court usually follows the public policy of ensuring and encouraging the child’s frequent and continuing contact with both parents after the divorce unless it would not be in the best interest of the child. Fam. Code §3011. If the court is inclined to order sole custody to one parent, the con-

sideration boils down to which parent is more likely to allow the child frequent and continuing contact with the noncustodial parent. Family Code §3040(a)(1).

A major factor that would tilt the courts decision are incidents or history of child abuse and domestic violence. This can be from the part of a parent, a parent’s co-habitant, or other person to whom a parent has a relationship with.

The childs amount and nature of contact with the parents is also another factor considered. Fam. Code §3011(c). Other factors that can be considered are the parent’s use of controlled substance, prior criminal convictions and registration as a sex offender, and existence of restraining order against a parent.

The family code requires that the parties go to mediation and attempt to agree on the custody issue prior to the court hearing the contested case. Family Code §3170(a). If the case is not settled in mediation, it gets decided in court through a contested

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Calendar of Events across

Community Journal

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merica

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 A P R I L 27- M AY 4

33rd annual Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival The 33rd Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF) will be presented April 27 to – May 4 at select cinemas in the Los Angeles area. A key highlight of the annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month activities, the Festival is produced by Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, and enjoys broad support from cinema artists and audiences alike. This year, LAAPFF features over 180 films from both Asian Pacific American and Asian international artists. For over three decades, the festival has presented close to 4,000 films by Asian Pacific American and Asian international talent. A record 45 feature films and 139 shorts from over 750 submissions will be showcased throughout the eight-day fest. For more information on films and venues, please visit: http://festival.vconline.org/.

A P R I L 29

12th annual Sikad ng Bayan bike ride in Anaheim Hills, CA The Sikad ng Bayan (Cycling for the Nation) is an annual bike ride that raises funds to build preschools for less fortunate communities at Gawad Kalinga (GK) villages in the Philippines. It is a non-competitive ride that will be held on Saturday, April 29, where cyclists traverse the Orange and Los Angeles counties. And in true Filipino fashion, this fun ride culminates in a Pinoy-style luncheon where cyclists can get together and know more about Sikad. It will be held at the Yorba Regional Park (7600 E La Palma Ave, Anaheim, CA 92807). For more information or to register please visit www.sikad.org or call Rey D. at (562) 964-1445 or Robbie V. at (949) 351-8344.

APRIL 30

Filipino Cultural School to host “Sari-Sari Talent Show 2017” in Cerritos, CA Filipino Cultural School (FCS) will host its 2nd annual Sari Sari: Talent Show Fundraiser on Sunday, April 30 from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at Josephine’s Cerritos (11305 183rd St, Cerritos, CA 90703). Filipino Cultural School, based in Cerritos, CA and other neighboring cities, is a 501(c)(3) Non Profit Organization geared to the preservation and promotion of the Philippine heritage and culture. FCS has and continues to be open to all. Filipinos and non-Filipinos who are interested in Philippine culture are invited to attend. “Sari-Sari” is a Tagalog word for “variety,” and in this talent show, FCS aims to celebrate the diverse talents of our community members in forms of singing, dancing, spoken words, etc., along with some great Filipino food from the restaurant. Pre-sale tickets are $10 for ages 13 years old and above, and $5 for ages 12 years old and under. Door prices will be $15 for ages 13 years old and above, and still $5 for ages 12 years old and under (ticket prices do not include food). The raised funds for the event will go towards helping cover for the cost of venue, insurance, and materials for the FCS Summer Program. For information on how to purchase a ticket and also sign-up to perform in the show, please visit the website http://filipinoculturalschool.org. For any inquiries, feel free to contact FCS at filipinoculturalschool@ gmail.com.

M AY 4

PABA’s annual installation and awards gala in LA The Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) will hold its 31st Annual Installation and Awards Gala ‪on Thursday, May 4, 2017‪ in downtown Los Angeles. PABA is the largest local organization of Filipino-American attorneys in the United States. Formed three decades ago, PABA serves the needs of Fil-Am lawyers and law students in Southern California. The Gala is a celebration of the Fil-Am legal community, as well as PABA’s largest fundraiser of the year. The proceeds are used to carry out the group’s mission: strengthening the legal community through mentoring programs, networking events, scholarships for students, and continuing education. The keynote speaker for this year’s Gala is California State Treasurer John Chiang. Jose (Joe) Lauchengco, Jr., will be recognized as the 2017 Trailblazer, and The Honorable Bernie LaForteza, Los Angeles Superior Court, will be the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Jurist Award.

The Gala will be held at the Millennium Biltmore Hotel, ‪506 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071‪. Registration along with a A No-Host Cocktail Reception will begin ‪at 6:00 p.m.‪ and the Dinner & Program will commence ‪at 7:00 p.m.‪ Additional ticketing and sponsorship information are provided below. If you would like to purchase individual tickets, advertisements, tables or become an event sponsor, you can also pay online by clicking here: https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/paba/giftstore.jsp

M AY 4 -1 1

FilAm ARTS and Philippine Expressions Bookshop to host art exhibit in San Pedro, CA The Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS) and Philippine Expressions Bookshop in partnership with the Croatian Cultural Center of Greater Los Angeles proudly present BUKLOD: A Gathering of Filipino and Filipino-American Art and Artists from May 4 to 11. Over 50 works of art by Filipino and Filipino-American artists are featured in this exhibition, which aims to reassert the presence of Filipino-Americans in the Western canon. Although many Filipino-American artists have been recognized in the art world, their cultural heritage is rarely highlighted nor has there been a body of work categorized as Filipino-American masterpieces in the 600 years of the history of painting. The artists of BUKLOD strive to fill that void with works that instill culture, dignity, and imagination to a cultural landscape that seldom acknowledges and habitually denies them their shared humanity. This exhibition gathers contemporary LA-based artists who anchor their work with their heritage and have an active community involvement to further their respective passion projects as artists. The BUKLOD exhibit will be open to the public beginning on May 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., coinciding with the San Pedro’s First Thursdays Artwalk. The exhibit will run until Thursday, May 11 at the Croatian Cultural Center (510 W 7th St, San Pedro, CA 90731). The opening Reception will be held on Saturday, May 6 from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. and will include live performances as well as food and artisan booths.

M AY 6

Philippine Consulate Outreach Mission in Carson, CA The Philippine Consulate General in Los Angeles will have an outreach mission in Carson, California on Saturday, May 6 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. It will be held at the Carson Community Center Rm. 107 ABC at 801 E. Carson St., Carson, CA 90746. Services include passport applications (new and renewal), dual citizenship applications, notarization of legal documents, reports of marriage and reports of birth, and overseas voting registration.

Please note that all services are by appointment only; walk-in applications will not be accepted. Please stay tuned for the official notice of online application and scheduling from April 6 to May 5 at www.philippineconsulatela.org. For more information, please contact Riezl Locsin-Pe Benito at (310) 952-1743 or rpebenito@carson.ca.us. This mission is done through the Philippine Consulate General Los Angeles in cooperation with Assemblymember Mike Gipson (64th assembly district), City of Carson Councilmember Elito M. Santarina, Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce—SouthBay Los Angeles Area, Farmers Insurance, Carson Adult Day Health Care Center, Dreams and Visionaries of South Bay, Inc., and the Philippine Independence Day Foundation, Inc.

25th Annual Filipino Fiesta in Waikiki, HI The Filipino Community Center, Inc. will be hosting its 25th Annual Filipino Fiesta on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki. This year’s theme marks the 25th year of the annual celebration with the theme, “And the Fun Continues...” The event is free and open to the public! Participation from the local Hawaii and Hawaii-Filipino community from the over 100 Filipino community organizations, U.S. and or Philippine based business owners and/or their representatives are expected. For more information about the Filipino Fiesta, please visit www.filcom.org or call (808) 680-0451.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017

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Protecting employee rights and guarding against employer retaliation CYNTHIA Begazo, then 53 years old, was hired in March Protecting 2015, as the Human Resources Director at Passages Malibu, Employee an addiction treatment center & Consumer in Malibu, CA. Shortly after starting work, she learned that Rights some workers were not being Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. paid overtime and were not provided meal and rest breaks.

She reported this to the CEO, Pax Prentiss, who apparently replied “Don’t worry about it, you have bigger things to worry about.”

Begazo also reported to management about non-compliance issues involving licensure and physician contacts, but her reports were ignored.

The Chief Operating Officer (COO), who is also Begazo’s supervisor, allegedly fired employees because of their age. When Begazo told her this was against the law, the COO apparently said that Passages Malibu was an at-will employer and she could “do whatever she wanted to do.”

In the second month of Begazo’s work at Passages, a patient was found dead in his room with a bag and a trash can over his head and scratch marks on his face. There also was blood on the bed of his roommate, who posted pictures of the dead man on social media. After speaking to police about the death, Begazo told the COO that the incident should also be reported to the proper civil authorities and the facility’s insurance carrier. The COO told her not to report anything.

When Begazo refused to alter the employee files and falsify information about the patient’s death at the behest of the COO, the COO stopped talking to her and she was left out of meetings and projects. When Begazo came back from a one-week sick leave, she was told that she was being fired because she was “no longer a good fit” even though her “skills and experience are excellent.”

Begazo sued the employer for wrongful termination, retaliation, discrimination, harassment and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

The CEO defended Begazo’s firing by saying that Begazo did not follow his orders and basically did not do her job.

The case went to trial and the jury found that Begazo was wrongfully terminated and retaliated against, and awarded her $91,693 in past economic loss, $187,467 in future economic loss, $1.5 million in past-noneconomic loss, and $50,000 in future non-economic loss. Her total award is $1,829,160.

An employee who asserts his or her rights under the law, or who challenges an employer’s illegal conduct, may face certain risks. Like Begazo, he or she may face demotion or termination. Employer retaliation, however, is illegal and may subject the employer to liability for damages. To establish that illegal retaliation exists, the employee must show that: 1) The employee engaged in a protected activity, such as claiming wages due, reporting discrimination, testifying as a witness, filing a grievance, contacting the media, refusing to perform illegal assignments, and other ways of standing up against violations of law.

2) The employer knew that the employee engaged in such protected activity.

3) The employee suffered an adverse employment action such as demotion, denial of promotions, or termination.

4) The employee’s protected activity caused the employer to take adverse action, which can be demonstrated by the employer’s negative reaction such as threats or warnings.

When engaging in a protected activity, such as requesting wage payments due or complaining about safety issues, employees should document their complaints or claims. Some employees may think that anonymity protects them. However, the opposite is true. Presenting complaints in writing, even by email, if expressed in a professional manner, will make it harder for the employer to ignore. More importantly, it creates a record of communications that at a future time will be reviewed to determine the true reasons why any action was taken against the employee.

It is true that employers generally have the power to terminate employees at will. However, employers must not be motivated by a discriminatory or retaliatory reason for doing so. In this instance, the termination becomes unlawful. *** 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 or our Facebook page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully recovered wages and other monetary damages for thousands of employees and consumers. He was named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient of PABA’s Community Champion Award for 2016.] (Advertising Supplement)

Returning to the US after months of…

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or not your residency has been abandoned or not.

Question: How can I protect myself?

Answer: First, if you will be gone for a while from the U.S., you must keep your assets in the U.S. Keep a lease if you can. Pay U.S. taxes. Hold furniture in the

U.S. Keep the bank account.

Question: Is there a maximum time that I cannot come back with my green card?

Answer: Yes. It will allow you entry to the U.S. up to 354 days after you have left. Thus, do not leave more than 1 year at a time.

Question: Is all lost if I’m gone more than 1 year?

Answer: No. You will be able to file an Application at the Consulate to show you did not abandon your residency in the U.S. and to explain the reasons for the lengthy departure (i.e., taking care of your sick mother, testifying in some case, working on estate matters, etc.) and if granted,

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C APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng FIRST client is 45 and single. His gross income last year was $98K, which is good. It reached $98K because of bonus. Without bonus, his gross income is $72K. This year started out for him with nothing to expect by way of bonus. So his last four months gross income was $6K a month, net of $4,500.

His rent is $1500. He lives by himself but claims his 70-year old dad as his dependent. For a household of 2, his gross income is $10K of $72K is $10K over the median income of $62K for California. This fact complicates the means test analysis because a presumption of abuse may arise if there are insufficient IRS allowable deductions.

So, this is what I call a borderline Chapter 7 case. It can be filed as a Chapter 7 case assuming client has enough allowable deductions so that the presumption of abuse does not arise, but if the trustee objects to the reasonableness of deductions taken, then a conversion to Chapter 13 is required. Of course, client prefers a Chapter 7 discharge where he pays nothing to creditors. On the other hand, Chapter 13 would require a partial payment of debt at least.

Client has $60K of credit card and payday loans. Of that amount, $50K is credit card debt and $10K is payday loans. These are both high-interest debt but payday loan interests are sky-high. Once you start using payday loans, you know you’re in a deep hole that you cannot get out of. So it’s really time to get rid of these debts. It’s time to get a fresh start in life without accumulated debt. This is a no brainer. Client pays $2000 a month for minimum monthly interest payments on his unsecured debt from his net income of $4,500. That’s almost half his net income every month! No one should be under the yoke of so much debt. Wise up and get rid of these debts now and be productive again. Even Walt Disney filed for Chapter 7 twice before Mickey and Disneyland became successful. Now his business is multibillion and worldwide.

Shanghai Disney just opened and its so successful that they are expanding the park. There’s Hong Kong Disney and one in Japan too. Before all of this success, Mr. Disney had to file for bankruptcy twice. His second fresh start from Chapter 7 led to business success

Community Journal

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Clients seek Chapter 7 and Can I get a green card if I had a previous Chapter 20 bankruptcy relief marriage petition denied based on fraud?

beyond imagination! Milton Hershey also filed for Chapter 7 once before Hershey chocolate products became successful. Now, his business is probably the biggest chocolate business in the world. I’m sure you must have brought your family to Disneyland and you must have bought Hershey chocolate products for yourself and children at some time in your life. These businesses were borne from successful fresh starts after Chapter 7 bankruptcy!

President Trump’s businesses filed for bankruptcy 4 times during the nineties. He nuked his business debts with reorganization under bankruptcy law. Argentina filed for sovereign bankruptcy in 2000.

It could not pay back even the interest on its loans and bondholders were left holding the bag. Greece is has been under bankruptcy reorganization for the last 3 years. I was in Athens last year and I could feel the depression of the people there. The city has no vitality because it has too much debt; same thing happening to debtors with too much debt. They have no vitality because their income goes mostly to debt service. They are debt slaves who practically work for nothing because they have lost the ability to save money and cannot be productive. If you are a debt slaves, get rid of your debt ball and chain now with a Chapter 7 discharge.

Who knows, you might become the next Walt Disney, Milton Hershey or Donald Trump. Pick your choice of who you want to be. You can become the next billionaire or the next president of the USA with your fresh start.

Second client is 58. His is going through a divorce. Wife filed for divorce after 10 years of marriage, and now asks for alimony or spousal support. Why 10 years, you might wonder. Well, in California, after 10 years of marriage, if you make less than your spouse, you are legally entitled to ask for spousal support.

So, you see a lot of divorces filed by the spouse making the lesser income once the 10-year qualification has been reached. Your spouse is not as dumb as you think.

Or, you may not be as smart as you think. In this case, client makes about $100K a year in his profession, while his younger wife makes $20K a year. This means that wife can and surely will ask for $1600 spousal support. Now, where did all the love go to? It all went to alimony. So think twice and thrice before you make the big jump. If you

do make the jump, make sure your clock yourself and if you are the DEAR Attorney Tan, higher income spouse, if you think I recently married a US Citizen, who is my second husband. you made a mistake, better end the He has filed an immigrant visa petition and green card applimarriage before you reach your 10 cation for me. My husband recently received from USCIS a year mark. Otherwise, you will be Notice of Intent to Deny the petition that he filed on my behalf. on the hook for alimony.

The Notice indicated that the immigrant visa petition could not Client had a previous Chapter 7 be approved since the USCIS had determined that I previously discharge in 2012. He now owes entered into a fraudulent marriage to get a green card several $50K of credit card debt. I guess years ago. My ex-husband previously filed an immigrant petihe used these cards to pay for travtion on my behalf several years ago, which was denied since elling the globe with his younger USCIS determined that I only married him to get a green card. wife. Wife is 10 years younger.

My second husband and I truly love each other. What are my Whatever the reasons are, his situaoptions? -- In Love but Out of Status tion now is he only has one amount Dear In Love but Out of Status, of $1600. He can use this to pay aliUnder INA Section 204(c), a person who “attempted or conmony or pay the minimum on $50K spired to enter into a marriage” in order to receive permanent of credit cards. Either way, it’s not resident status in the US is prohibited from obtaining USCIS a pretty sight because instead of approval of an immigrant visa petition. Simply stated, Section saving $1600 a month, he’s paying 204(c) prohibits approval of any immigrant visa petition if there that out to a person who no longer has been a finding of “marriage fraud” in a prior marriageis his wife. Between paying alimobased petition. ny and credit cards, the choice is Based on the above law, your case seems at first glance like clear. He has to pay alimony. an “open-and-shut” case in favor of denial. However, you still Client is however fortunate that have hope of getting a green card—a person can apply for and get his immigrant petition approved the current value of his house does despite the prior finding of “marriage fraud” under certain circumstances. not exceed the balance of his first You may ask, how is this possible? Isn’t Section 204(c) straightforward? Not quite. The answer mortgage. This means that Chaplies in the fact that USCIS must independently examine the prior finding of “marriage fraud” in ter 13 will allow him to strip the considering the subsequently filed immigrant visa petition. Before invoking the Sec. 204(c) bar to 2nd mortgage of $76K. The $76K approval of a subsequent visa petition, USCIS must make an independent determination of fraud was discharge in his 2012 Chapter based upon the record, including but not limited to any evidence gathered during adjudication of the 7, but the mortgage lien survived. prior visa petition, but may not parrot or rely on the conclusions made by other adjudicators. USCIS Although creditor cannot legally must have “substantial and probative” evidence of “marriage fraud.” Matter of Tawfik, 20 I. & N. collect on the note because it is Dec. 166, 168. discharged, the fact that the mortThe determination is to be made by the USCIS district director while adjudicating the subsequent gage survived the discharge leaves visa petition. Matter of Samsen, 15 I. & N. Dec. 28, 1974 WL 29995 (B.I.A. 1974). The district direccreditor with the legal remedy of tor should not give conclusive effect to the determinations made in the prior proceedings, but should foreclosure, which it will not do bereach his own independent conclusion based on the evidence actually before him. Matter of F-, 9 I. cause foreclosure will yield zero for & N. Dec. 684 (BIA 1962). payment of the 2nd mortgage.

Therefore, in cases such as yours in which the USCIS has indicated it intends to deny the subseChapter 13 now plus Chapter 7 in quent immigrant visa petition due to the prior finding of “marriage fraud,” new evidence can be sub2012, makes this case a Chapter 20. mitted that demonstrates that the prior finding of “marriage fraud” was incorrect—i.e., evidence that This works only in Riverside. Fortushows that the prior marriage petition was based on a bona fide marriage, or that explains that the nately for client, he lives in Riverprior denial was based on an incomplete or inaccurate assessment of the facts. In cases in which the side. So he loses his wife and has to subsequent immigrant visa petition has already been denied, this new evidence should be submitted pay alimony of $1600 but he gets to as part of a motion to reconsider. I recommend that you seek an experienced attorney to assist you strip his 2nd mortgage and make a in properly presenting the law and facts to the USCIS adjudicator to address the Section 204(c) bar. partial payment on his $50K credit *** cards over 60 months. As the 2nd Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a gradumortgage is stripped, client doesn’t ate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers have to pay the mortgage because Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the the note has been discharged in Philipp ine American Bar Association.

Chapter 7 previously.

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

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(Advertising Supplement) please call my office for an appointment and I will analyze your case personally.

“Cast all your anxiety on God because He cares for you.” — 1 PAGE C3 t claim that you did not abandon of a century. He is married to a Filipina and Peter 5:7 you will be able to get paroled your residency and then DHS has helped thousands of Filipino families all *** into the U.S. has a much higher burden of over the country. In addition to his offices Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in Question: What is the burden showing, in fact, you did aban- in Southern California in Long Beach and bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil of proof? Meaning how much do don your residency. In fact, clear, Carson, he has an office in Quezon City. litigation and has successfully represented I have to prove to win? unequivocal and convincing is an He is a certified specialist in Immigration more than five thousand clients in California.

Answer: Once a colorable extremely high burden for them and Nationality Law by the Legal Board of Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) claim to LPR status is made, the to meet. This makes winning on Specialization, California State Bar. The 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. burden is on DHS to prove aban- your part easier. initial consultation is free. Call (562) 495Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite donment by clear, unequivocal 0554 and/or send an e-mail to blerner@ *** 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. and convincing evidence. Thus, Atty. B r i a n D. Le r n e r h a s b e e n a n californiaimmigration.us.

(Advertising Supplement) you must just show a reasonable Immigration Attorney for nearly a quarter (Advertising Supplement)

Returning to the US after months of…

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Community Journal

Christ’s presence within us

To Live With Faith ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas IF you want to see an inspiring Christian movie that is still showing in some theaters, I strongly recommend “The Case for Christ.”

The film is based on the story of Lee Strobel, a hard-driving journalist who was at the height of his career as an investigative reporter for the Chicago Tribune, when he came to terms with conflicts between his marriage and atheistic belief over the newfound Christian faith of his wife, Leslie. A journalist who relied solely on facts to present any truth, he set on a mission to debunk the claims of the Christian faith on the resurrection of Jesus Christ by investigating the work of biblical scholars, archeologists, and medical doctors—all this work to save his crumbling marriage.

But to his surprise, he came face-to-face with unexpected results that changed his beliefs, saved his marriage, and transformed his life forever.

The movie makes us critically think about our faith as Christians and appreciate it more. As Christians, we do have to ask ourselves why we go to Church, why we call ourselves Christians, and why we keep on believing. Is it merely because we were born Christians and grew up in this tradition and culture? Or is it because there is something in the faith that drives us to believe, to trust, and

“

to hang on and fight for our beliefs, especially in moments of crisis and tragedy?

For many of us Christians, it is not merely that “something” but that “someone” that makes us believe. It is the Person of Christ, whose Spirit is actively present in our lives. His Spirits moves us to live and practice this faith, to proclaim it through words and actions, and to keep testifying to its transformative power. His Spirit is alive in our churches and Christian communities. We feel his redeeming graces and love in the Sacraments.

The Gospel this Sunday speaks

all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you…Take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”

The same things happen to us too when we feel our love for one another as a Christian family or as a Christian community. It’s the Spirit of Christ that enriches our relationships. Just like the dialogue between Lee and Leslie in The Case for Christ, we love each other more because of the love of Jesus Christ, our Lord.

The words of Jesus at the end of Matthew’s Gospel are the promise of Christ’s abiding love for us through His Spirit present in the world. “And behold, I am with you always until the end of times (Matthew 28:20) Let us never doubt Christ’s presence in our lives. Let him find us whenever we hide, come near and be within us, into the midst of every trouble. Let him show us the new life he brings, open our eyes, and make our hearts blaze! Amen. ***

The words of Jesus at the end of Matthew’s Gospel are the promise of Christ’s abiding love for us through His Spirit present in the world. “And behold, I am with you always until the end of times. about the transformation that happened in the lives of the two disciples when they encountered the Risen Lord on the road to Emmaus. “Were not our hearts burning with within us while he spoke to us on the way and opened the Scriptures to us?” the disciples said to each other. They had this experience after Risen Jesus sat at the table with them, took bread, and said the blessing to remind them of that night he had supper with them before his crucifixion and death.

The same thing happens to us when we actively and consciously participate in the celebration of the Mass. The words of Jesus become alive during the proclamation of the Scriptures and the praying of the Eucharist. It is Jesus who speaks when the priest says the words of the Consecration: “Take this,

”

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 ImmAaculate 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.

hearing. At times, the court will order a child custody evaluation if it determines that it would be in the best interest of the child. The court may also appoint a minor’s counsel if it feels it would be in the best interest of the child.

Family Code §3150(a). The court retains continuous jurisdiction over issues of child custody and support until the child reaches 18. This means the order may be

modified all throughout this pe- CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail riod if there has been a change in kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at circumstances.

Kenreyeslaw.com. *** ***

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,

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

C

People and Events FilAm ARTS and Philippine Expressions Bookshop to host art exhibit in San Pedro, CA THE Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS) and Philippine Expressions Bookshop in partnership with the Croatian Cultural Center of Greater Los Angeles proudly present BUKLOD: A Gathering of Filipino and Filipino-American Art and Artists from May 4 to 11.

Over 50 works of art by Filipino and Filipino-American artists are featured in this exhibition, which aims to reassert the presence of Filipino-Americans in the Western canon. Although many Filipino-American artists have been

recognized in the art world, their cultural heritage is rarely highlighted nor has there been a body of work categorized as FilipinoAmerican masterpieces in the 600 years of the history of painting.

The artists of BUKLOD strive to fill that void with works that instill culture, dignity, and imagination to a cultural landscape that seldom acknowledges and habitually denies them their shared humanity.

This exhibition gathers contemporary LA-based artists who anchor their work with their heritage and have an active commu-

nity involvement to further their respective passion projects as artists.

The BUKLOD exhibit will be open to the public beginning on May 4 from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m., coinciding with the San Pedro’s First Thursdays Artwalk.

The exhibit will run until Thursday, May 11 at the Croatian Cultural Center (510 W 7th St, San Pedro, CA 90731).

The opening Reception will be held on Saturday, May 6 from 6:00 p.m.-9:00 p.m. and will include live performances as well as food and artisan booths. n

IDENTITY LA music festival celebrating Asian Pacific Heritage Month in Los Angeles

IDENTITY LA, the second annual free outdoor to celebrate Los Angeles’ Asian Pacific Heritage Month and the city’s vibrant Asian Pacific American community, will take place on Saturday, May 6 at Grand Park. Presented

by Councilmember David Ryu (CD 4) and International Secret Agents (ISA), IDENTITY LA music festival is a free and open-tothe-public concert featuring live From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend performances by internationally

How courts determine child custody in…

PAGE C2 t

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017

renowned APA artists and entertainers, food trucks and more.

Folk Pop group, Us the Duo, and special guest, producer/ electronic music artist Giraffage will fill out the closing part of the concert. The rest of the evening will consist of a mix of hip-hop, R&B, and pop artists of Korean, Filipino, Taiwanese, Japanese, South Asian, and Pacific Islander heritage.

These performances from fan-

favorites, Starro (soulection), Year of the Ox, Kronika (soulection), Doctors&Engineers, Tenelle, SAAY, and Dj Zo will celebrate APA’s dynamic culture in the heart of Los Angeles.

Festival goers will have the exclusive opportunity to listen to these live, back-to-back performances at Grand Park. The festival will run from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. To RSVP and get more information, fans can visit http://isatv.com. n

PABA’s annual installation and awards gala in LA THE Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) will hold its 31st Annual Installation and Awards Gala on Thursday, May 4, 2017 in downtown Los Angeles.

PABA is the largest local organization of Filipino-American attorneys in the United States.

Formed three decades ago, PABA serves the needs of FilAm lawyers and law students in Southern California. The Gala is a celebration of the Fil-Am legal community, as well as PABA’s largest fundraiser of the year.

The proceeds are used

to carry out the group’s mission: strengthening the legal community through mentoring programs, networking events, scholarships for students, and continuing education.

The keynote speaker for this year’s Gala is California State Treasurer John Chiang. Jose (Joe) Lauchengco, Jr., will be recognized as the 2017 Trailblazer, and The Honorable Bernie LaForteza, Los Angeles Superior Court, will be the recipient of the 2017 Distinguished Jurist Award.

The Gala will be held at the

Millennium Biltmore Hotel, 506 S. Grand Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90071. Registration along with a A No-Host Cocktail Reception will begin at 6:00 p.m. and the Dinner & Program will commence at 7:00 p.m.

Additional ticketing and sponsorship information are provided below. If you would like to purchase individual tickets, advertisements, tables or become an event sponsor, you can also pay online by clicking here: https:// www.z2systems.com/np/clients/ paba/giftstore.jsp n

25th Annual Filipino Fiesta in Waikiki, HI THE Filipino Community Center, Inc. will be hosting its 25th Annual Filipino Fiesta on Saturday, May 6 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at Kapiolani Park in Waikiki.

This year’s theme marks the 25th year of the annual celebra-

tion with the theme, “And the Fun Continues...”

The event is free and open to the public! Participation from the local Hawaii and Hawaii-Filipino community from the over 100 Filipino community organizations,

U.S. and or Philippine based business owners and/or their representatives are expected.

For more information about the Filipino Fiesta, please visit www.filcom.org or call (808) 680-0451. n

C APRIL 29-MAY 2, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • APRIL 29-mAy 2, 2017

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

& Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

The country’s lead infrastructure agencies said that their respective infrastructure development programs have garnered strong interest from other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

ASEAN backs PH infra program

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA - The Philippines has taken the limelight in Southeast Asia not only as the host of the ASEAN Summit this year, but also as a center of infrastructure development in the region given the government’s aggressive infrastructure push.

The country’s lead infrastructure agencies said in a press briefing on Thursday, April 27 their respective infrastructure development programs have garnered strong interest from other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Duterte administration recently unveiled a three-year rolling infrastructure program amounting to P3.6 trillion from 2018 to 2020 to usher in what is touted as the country’s “golden age” of infrastructure.

“Our ASEAN neighbors are really very keen and interested on the developments that are

ongoing in the country. It shows a very keen interest to do business to the Philippines and with the Filipinos,” said Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade, citing Indonesia and Malaysia in particular.

Tugade said the General Santos to Bitung, Indonesia shipping route is slated to be launched this Sunday. The link is expected to open up more trade and market opportunities between the two countries.

“Because we have started this, we have initiated talks with the Malaysian Minister for Transportation to replicate the same from Palawan to a point in Malaysia, perhaps Sabah,” Tugade said.

“On specific project with Malaysia, they indicated interest to do an MRT project from UP to Quiapo. This is being studied right now,” he added.

The Bases Conversion Development Authority (BCDA), meanwhile, said it has likewise been PAGE D2

SM Investments names Sio as new chair, replacing Henry Sy by

doRis dumlao-abadilla Inquirer.net

THE country’s largest conglomerate SM Investments Corp.

(SMIC) on Wednesday unveiled a leadership revamp that entrusts the group’s future growth to professional managers.

SMIC announced on Wednesday, April 26 the appointment of its longtime chief finance officer Jose Sio as the new chair, taking over the post long held by 93year-old patriarch Henry Sy Sr. who founded the group in 1958.

The conglomerate created the new position of chair emeritus for the patriarch.

The group also announced the appointment of Frederic DyBuncio as new SMIC president, taking over the post held by Harley Sy who will remain as executive director of the SMIC board.

Sy’s eldest children, Teresita Sy-Coson and Henry Sy Jr., will remain as vice chairs of the conglomerate.

In an interview after SMIC’s stockholders meeting, Sy-Coson said Sio had been with the group for a long time, knew the conglomerate very well and was in a good position to take over the post vacated by her father.

Phenomenal growth Cora Guidote, SMIC investor relations chief, told a press briefing that Sio was “highly instrumental in supporting the phenomenal growth of SM and its subsidiaries.

He instilled strict financial discipline across all businesses that later helped the company achieve optimal results even as the whole

Jose Sio

group maintained a sound and stable financial position.”

Sio said the appointments were an indication that the Sy family was keen on professionalizing the organization in preparation for the future. He added that the group was also preparing the third-generation Sys for leadership positions.

With this leadership transition, Sio said “the mandate from the Sy family was to make it (SMIC) grow, increase shareholder value and be happy.”

Henry Sy Sr., who attended the stockholders meeting with wife Felicidad, was also given a special citation and a standing ovation during the meeting.

Sio was executive vice president and chief finance officer of SMIC for a long time.

PAGE D2

Trump’s tax plan weakens peso by mayvelin

u. caRaballo ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippine peso dipped against the U.S. dollar at the end of the trading week after the Trump administration unveiled its tax plan.

“The local currency weakened . . . for the second straight week as the greenback rallied anew after the White House unveiled Trump administration’s bid for the ‘Biggest Tax Cut’ in U.S. history, but left unanswered questions about whether the plan would be paid for, or how,” Jonathan Ravelas, chief market strategist at Banco de Oro Unibank Inc., said.

The local currency weakened by 17 centavos to close at P49.95:$1 on Thursday, April 27 from P49.78 on Wednesday, April 26.

Agence France-Presse reported the Trump administration Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) unveiled plans to dramatically cut taxes for US businesses and individuals, slashing the corporate

rate to 15 percent.

The plan’s signature reform would be a dramatic reduction of the corporate tax rate, from 35 percent to 15 percent. Tax brackets for individuals would be compressed from seven to just three—10 percent, 25 percent and 35 percent lower than the current rate of 39.6 percent.

“The week’s close at 49.95 highlights strong support has emerged at the 49.40 levels. A break above the 50.00 levels could retest the 50.40 levels. Failure to clear the 50.00 levels will continue to support further consolidation within the 49.70/50.00 levels,” Ravelas said.

The Philippine Dealing and Exchange Corp. advised traders that foreign exchange trading was suspended on Friday, April 28, with school and offices suspended in Metro Manila to give way to activities related to the 30th Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit.

DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: Before I was 16 years old, I was adopted and petitioned by my aunt, and got my green card through her petition. I am now a US citizen, and would like to petition my biological mother.

Is that possible?

Very truly yours, B.N. Dear B.N.: When a child is adopted before their 16th birthday, and receives an immigration benefit as a result of that adoption (such as being petitioned and obtaining a green card), they are considered the “child” of the adoptive parents. This means, the adopted child cannot petition for his or her biological parents or siblings, and they cannot receive any immigration benefit from them.

In your case, since you obtained your green card because of an adoption, you cannot petition your biological parent, or your biological brothers or sisters.

D

Can adopted children petition biological family members?

However, it is still possible for an adopted child to re-establish a “petitionable relationship” with their natural parents even if there was an adoption, provided, (a) the child received no immigration benefit because of the adoption; (b) the adoption was lawfully terminated (under a court order rescinding the adoption); and (c) the natural parent-child relationship has been re-established.

For example, a person may have been adopted, but later obtained a green card through marriage, and not through the adoption. They could go back to court, have the adoption rescinded or terminated, at which point it could be possible to petition their biological parents.

In addition, there is a difference between a person being petitioned or obtaining a green card as an adopted child and as a stepchild. If a person obtained their green card as a stepchild (their parent married a U.S. citizen before their 18th birthday, and the citizen stepparent petitioned them with-

out adopting them), that child could still petition his or her other natural parent.

If these situations apply to you or someone you know, you should seek the advice of a reputable immigration attorney. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein

including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice 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 (Advertising Supplement)

Business Quote of the Week “What do you need to start a business?

Three simple things: know your product better than anyone.

Know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.”

- Dave Thomas, founder of Wendy’s

D APRIl 29-mAy 2, 2017 • lA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAl

Marketplace

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Happy Nurses Week from Dignity Sexually transmitted diseases Health – Glendale Memorial Hospital Health@Heart Working as a nurse is much more than a job. it’s a lifelong calling. Like other professions, it requires intensive training and skill. it also requires countless acts of kindness, compassion, and profound heroism on a daily basis.

At glendale Memorial Hospital, we take great pride in the talent of our nurses who put our healing ministry into practice. That’s why we always look forward to national nurses Week (May 6-12).

Communication, comfort, and humankindness are infused in our daily routines with patients. our nurses don’t see our patients as numbers on a chart, but as human beings worthy of the utmost compassion and respect. To us, excellent care doesn’t just depend on the correct diagnosis or treatment, but on our ability to listen, communicate, and make our patients feel like welcome guests.

Vice President Patient Care

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

Services and Chief nursing Executive officer, Liza Abcede, MBA, BSn, CCrn, shares a note of gratitude, “i salute all nurses for their continued dedication to provide the best care for patients and their families. one needs only to imagine for a moment a world without nurses to realize

how vital their services truly are.

You make a difference in so many ways to so many people.” To all nurses – please accept our sincere and heartfelt appreciation for rising to your calling to care for our community. Thanks for doing us proud. Happy nurses Week.

(Advertising Supplement)

ASEAN backs PH infra...

PAGE D1 receiving strong interest from ASEAn countries, particularly Malaysia and Singapore, for its projects.

“There is tremendous interest, especially in city development, particularly new Clark City. There is particular interest coming from Malaysia and Singapore. These two countries in the ASEAn are now leading in the development of new cites,” BCDA president Vince Dizon said.

“We are very excited about this because i think we can learn a lot

from our ASEAn partners and neighbors in terms of how to really develop and plan new cities. This is something where we can learn a lot from and avoid mistakes done in the past and avoid situations like what we have here in Metro Manila,” Dizon added. new Clark City, formerly know as Clark green City, is a 9,450hectare development envisioned as the Philippines’ first smart, green and disaster-resilient city that will showcase the country’s capability to build a sustainable and modern city.

“Speaking for DPWH (Department of Public Works and Highways), we have a long-standing relationship with the countries and we hope to improve further. A lot of our most ambitious projects will require transfer of technology, capacity building and this is i think consistent with this year’s theme ‘Engaging the World’ and that’s what we will do. Some our bridge program will require technologies from other countries. Technologies for our flood control will also be coming from other countries,” Secretary Mark Villar said.

predecessor companies.

He was assigned to various places such as new York, Seoul, Bangkok and Hong kong and held various executive positions where he gained substantial professional experience in the areas of credit, relationship management and origination, investment banking, capital markets and general management.

Sio said SMiC would likely post a single-digit growth in net profit this year. Last year, the conglomerate eked out P31.2 billion in net profit, up by 8.1 percent from the previous year.

DyBuncio said that while property, banking and retailing would

continue to be the core businesses of SMiC, the group would continue to look at other opportunities that complement other parts of the group.

Sio said energy and infrastructure businesses would be among the new businesses that the group would look at.

Sio said SMiC would look at growth opportunities beyond the Philippines and China where SMiC has property businesses, but noted that every new venture would be studied carefully given the volatile geopolitical conditions in the United States under President Donald Trump as well as tensions in the korean peninsula.

SM Investments names Sio as new chair...

PAGE D1 He holds a master’s degree in business administration from new York University, is a certified public accountant and former senior partner at Sycip gorres Velayo & Co. before joining the SM group in 1990. He was voted CFo of the Year in 2009 by the Financial Executives of the Philippines. He was also awarded as best CFo (Philippines) in various years by several Hong kong-based business publications.

A wealth of experience DyBuncio brings with him a wealth of experience in banking where he spent over 20 years with JP Morgan Chase and its

iT is quite alarming that 45 to 50 percent of men and women in the United States have an HPV—genital Human Papillomavirus (HPV)—infection. This information was recently reported by the Center for Disease Control’s national Center for Health. it is, indeed, the most common sexually transmitted disease in the country.

Here are the details, which are conservative statistics since this does not include institutionalized higher risk individuals, like prisoners, addicts, and the homeless: “Using data from the national Health and nutrition Examination Survey (nHAnES) from 2011 to 2014, researchers found the following: • oral HPV prevalence was 7 percent for adults under age 70.

The prevalence of high-risk oral HPV was just 4 percent.

• For adults under age 60, the prevalence of genital HPV was 43 percent in 2013 to 2014. it reached 64 percent among black adults. non-Hispanic Asian adults had the lowest prevalence at 24 percent. roughly 23 percent of adults had high-risk genital HPV, with the highest prevalence among black males (40 percent).

HPV and cancer There are more than 108 different types of genital HPV, more than 30 of these are sexually transmitted, causing infection involving the skin of the penis, vagina (vulva), cervix, and even the anus and rectum.

US government statistics show that 25 percent of men and 20 percent of women have the strain of human papilloma virus or human wart (virus) that causes cancer. To protect individuals who are 25 and younger from acquiring this HPVrelated cancer, the vaccine listed below is available today.

Cervical cancer Cervical cancer is malignant tumor of the cervix (mouth of the womb). it is the second most cancer in women and the third most common gynecologic cancer, the second being cancer of the ovary.

The most common gynecologic malignancy is endometrial (inner wall of womb) cancer, which is the fourth most common cancer in women. The first being cancer of the breasts, followed by colorectal cancer and lung cancer. Cervical cancer develops in women at the mean age of 50 years old, although it can occur in women as young as 20. in the Philippines it is the number 2 most common form of cancer among women. in the United States it accounts for least 3000 deaths, and globally, about 300,000, annually.

How prevalent is cervical cancer?

More than 20 million of Americans have HPV infection. in the Philippines, there are about 5000 new cases of cervical cancer each year. By age 50, about 80 percent of American women will have acquired genital HPV. However, more alarming than that is the fact that there are between 10,000 to 25,000 women walking around (not seen by physician) who have undiagnosed pre-invasive lesions in their cervix. if diagnosed early, these women could be saved. For every four survivors of breasts cancer, there are less than 3 women who survive cervical cancer, which shows how virulent cervical cancer is.

What causes cervical cancer?

Human Papilloma Virus (HPV, also known as genital herpes virus) accounts for most, if not all, cervical cancers. At least 50% of sexually active men and women are infected with genital HPV, especially those with multiple partners. There are about 20 million American men and women infected with HPV, many linked with abnormal pap tests, genital warts and cervical cancer. it is estimated more than 10,000 new cases of cervical cancers are discovered annually. Between half a million to a million Americans have genital warts, transmitted thru sexual contacts. The so-called high risk HPV may cause positive Pap test, and it could cause cancer of the cervix, vulva, vagina, penis, anus or rectum. The low-risk , milder form, causes single or multiple bumps of genital warts (kulugo) and could be cauliflower shaped.

Is the cure for cervical cancer?

Better than the cure! A vaccine that prevents cervical cancer has been in use since it was introduced in June 2006 and found to be “effective 100%, in the short term, at blocking the cancer and lesions likely to turn to cancer” (like the pre-invasive lesions), according to drug manufacturer, Merck & Co. The vaccines, which are genetically engineered, gardasil and Cervarix, which block infection caused by two of the more than 108 types of human papilloma virus (HPV), strains 16 and 18.

These two sexually transmitted viruses are responsible for about 70 percent of cervical cancers. HPV, in one form or the other. The other strains of the virus cause painful genital warts, and sometimes, cervical cancers too. The newer versions of these vaccines are effective for more strains of HPV. How early should the vaccine be given?

Students in grammar school, middle school and high school should be vaccinated before they become sexually active, because once they catch HPV infection, there is no cure; herpes is for life.

This was the recommendation of

Dr. gloria Bachmann, director of The Women’s Health institute at robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Brunswick, nJ., who said this vaccine is a “phenomenal breakthrough. This is, today, the standard of care.

Can oral sex cause cancer?

The most common cause (70 percent) of throat cancer is oral sex with a partner who has active HPV infection. About 4 percent of adults who practice oral sex will have oral infection with a highrisk form of cancer-causing HPV. Experts say head and neck cancer will surpass cervical cancer as the most common cause of HPVrelated cancer by 2020. Without being flippant, the use of seran wrap or plastic film to cover the female pelvis (similar to the use of condom for males), if oral sex is to be practiced at all, could be of some protection against HPV contamination. However, the CDC review of 138 peer-reviewed scientific studies showed that the use of condom is not effective in reducing the risk of STDs. out of 100 women who used condom religiously, 37 of them still developed HPV. At least 1 percent of condoms are defective.

Syphilis higher among homosexuals While society regards syphilis as an STD of the past, it is actually still very much with us, domestically and globally. rarer than it was a century ago, syphilis remains a much dreaded disease.

Men who have sex with men have much higher rates of syphilis infection, according to a study.

The rate is 106 times more than the rate of syphilis among heterosexual men, and 167 times higher than the rate of infection among women.

Homosexuals had a rate of 309 cases per 100,000 population for a primary and secondary syphilis, compared to 2.9 and 1.8 cases per 100,000 for heterosexual men and women, respectively. The region with the highest rates are located in the Southern region, with a rate of 748 per 100,000 in north Carolina.

This may sound like over simplification and quite obvious, but the best way, the surest way, to prevent getting any sexually transmitted diseases is not to have sexual contact with someone infected, or possibly infected, with HPV/HiV/Syphilis/gonorrhea.. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

Cebu Pacific exempts OFWs from paying terminal fees

by Reicelene Joy ignacio

on March 15, MiAA, operator of the nAiA, signed a memorandum LoW-CoST carrier Cebu Pacific of agreement with air carriers to exsaid it started exempting overseas empt oFWs from paying the iPSC Filipino workers (oFWs) from pay- or terminal fees beginning April 30. ing the international passenger Cebu Pacific carried out the exempservice charge (iPSC) or terminal tion ahead of the agreed date.

Passengers who booked through fee at the ninoy Aquino international Airport (nAiA) on Thursday, Cebu Pacific’s ticketing offices or travel agencies should present valid April 27.

“After months of working with documents at the time of purchase, the Manila international Airport while passengers who booked Authority (MiAA) on the details, through the airline company’s Cebu Pacific is very proud to be the hotline and website should present first carrier to make available such a valid documents at the Airport Bag benefit for our oFWs,” Cebu Pacific Drop Counter at the airport upon Vice President for Corporate Affairs check-in.

Valid oFW documents include Jr Mantaring said in a statement.

ManilaTimes.net

the overseas Employment Certificate and those included under the Philippine overseas Employment Administration’s Balik Manggagawa program such as a valid employment contract, recent pay slip or company iD. Bookings made through the Cebu Pacific mobile app and getgo (points) redemption will allow exemptions soon, Cebu Pacific said.

Pilgrims with authorization from the Philippine Sports Commission and guests who have been issued a MiAA exemption certificate are also exempted from paying the iPSC, provided that valid documents will be presented.

SMC, PNCC eye P700-B tollroad linking Quezon, Bicol, Samar by louella

DesiDeRio Philstar.com

Espinosa said the tollway being studied is covered by PnCC’s MAniLA - San Miguel Corp. franchise. “We will come up with a (SMC) and state-run Philippine na- feasibility study,” he said.

He added the feasibility study tional Construction Corp. (PnCC) are looking to build a P700-billion could be completed within one year tollroad that would connect Que- after the work begins.

The tollroad, when pursued and zon, Bicol and Samar.

PnCC president and chief ex- completed, could cut travel time ecutive officer Mario Espinosa told from Manila to Bicol to about four reporters they are looking to build hours from 10 hours.

For his part, SMC president a 388-kilometer tollroad that would start in Lucena in Quezon and pass and chief operating officer ramon through the provinces of Camarines S. Ang said the tollway would be norte, Camarines Sur, Albay and beneficial particularly for businesses. “Many Filipinos would be Sorsogon.

From Matnog in Sorsogon, he able to improve their lives. And for said they are also studying if the businesses, it will be much easier,” tollroad could be linked to Allen he said.

SMC and PnCC signed a P554in Samar.

billion deal to expand the Metro Manila Skyway Stage 3 and Metro Manila Expressway C6 or Skyway Stage 4 and other projects.

SMC’s infrastructure arm San Miguel Holdings Corp. and PnCC are joint venture partners in Citra Central Expressway Corp. and Citra intercity Tollways inc., which serve as the respective concession companies of Skyway Stages 3 and 4. in addition to Metro Manila Skyway, SMC currently operates other tollroads such as the South Luzon Expressway, Tarlac-Pangasinan-La Union Expressway, Southern Tagalog Arterial road or STAr Tollway and the ninoy Aquino international Airport Expressway.

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PH targets UNESCO’s Creative Cities Network Reversal of Torre de Manila ruling sought

by Richmond

meRcuRio

Philstar.com

MANILA - The Philippines will seek to have at least one of its cities included in the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Creative Cities Network, with a number of cities across the country seen as a strong candidate to be part of the prestigious list.

“The Philippines aims to usher at least one city in the UNESCO Creative Cities Network,” Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said at the ASEAN Creative Cities Forum and Exhibition yesterday.

“We’re not that far (from making it) because we have cities that have industries which they are known for. That to me, we can come up with a good fight, a good chance,” he added.

Cities in the country which have been cited as having a strong potential in becoming part of the UNESCO Creative Cities Network are Baguio, Davao, Angeles, Cebu and a number of cities in Metro Manila.

These Philippine cities are hoping to be part of the network that currently includes only four cities in Southeast Asia.

These four cities include

Phuket in Thailand, Pekalongan and Bandung in Indonesia, and Singapore are recognized by the UNESCO as Creative Cities for Gastronomy, Crafts and Folk Art, and Design, respectively.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network is currently formed by 116 members from 54 countries covering seven creative fields namely, crafts and folk art, design, film, gastronomy, literature, music and media Arts.

Maria Rita Matute, executive director of the Design Center of the Philippines, a DTI attached agency, said being part of the list would result in better tourism and higher investments.

“It redowns to tourism. Tourism benefits because people would want to see and experience the place. Second is investments. It becomes a magnet for investment, local and foreign as well. It amplifies the branding of the city. People would also want to migrate because there are opportunities,” Matute said.

Matute said a number of local government units (LGUs) have already expressed interest in joining the network.

She noted, however, that it is up to the LGUs to submit the actual application to UNESCO, which will close by June.

“The criteria is tough. There has to be a creative cluster that is already there to support the initiative. UNESCO also gauges if it is a creative city already or it is still trying to emerge as a creative city. All things have to be put in place,” Matute said.

The UNESCO Creative Cities Network was created in 2004 to promote cooperation with and among cities that have identified creativity as a strategic factor for sustainable urban development.

The 116 cities which currently make up this network work together towards a common objective that includes placing creativity and cultural industries at the heart of their development plans at the local level and cooperating actively at the international level.

“The four UNESCO Creative Cities in Southeast Asia – along with other numerous creative cities in the network – point at the creative fields that are getting recognized for their potential to drive economic growth and inclusive, sustainable development. From cultural value, arts and creativity are beginning to be perceived with economic value. This is how you define a creative economy,” Lopez said.

ers scored the best according to characteristics like romantic charm and the friendliness of the people.

“Some of the more remote islands dominated this year’s list of the world’s friendliest, with spots in the Philippines accounting for all of the top four destinations,” McHugh wrote.

In Palawan, “people are very welcoming, respectful, and friendly,” the magazine quoted one “thrilled T+Lreader about their experience” in the place.

“The island’s green-and-turquoise lagoons have long put it on the bucket lists of travelers around the world, and this year it is also the world’s most convivial island destination,” T + L said.

In second spot is Cebu, described by the magazine as “a former Spanish colony, and people still travel to see the remaining architecture.”

“Of course, the helpful locals are one of the island’s greatest qualities,” the magazine noted.

Third is Luzon, “the largest island of the Philippines, home

PoRcalla Philstar.com

MANILA - A senior administration lawmaker called on former chief justice Reynato Puno to help them make the Supreme Court (SC) reverse its recent decision favoring the resumption of construction of Torre de Manila, which high-rise building ruins the sight line of the Rizal monument.

“I appeal to the Knights of Rizal and their Supreme Commander, former Chief Justice Puno, to exhaust all remedies by filing a motion for reconsideration before the SC,” Quezon City Rep. Winston Castelo said.

As far as Castelo is concerned, the majority ruling of nine SC justices who voted that contractor DM Consunji Inc. violated no laws when it erected the building was erroneous, aside from the high court having “inflicted a grave injustice” when it allowed DMCI to resume construction.

“It signals the death of our national heritage,” Castelo, who sits as chairman of the House of Representatives’ committee on Metro Manila development, said in reference to what is now more popularly known as the “national photo bomber.”

Puno’s group was the one that petitioned the high court to stop DMCI from finishing its project.

In a statement, the Liberal Party lawmaker said the 9-6 ruling could still be “reversed.” both to coral reefs as well as the The SC, according to Castelo, capital of the country, Manila,” erred when it based its decision T + L said, adding “the island solely on technical and legal is also extremely diverse, mak- grounds, and its supposed lack of ing it a dynamic destination for jurisdiction on the issue and the travelers seeking a rich cultural experience.”

Boracay landed in fourth spot and a photo of the beach with its white sand and pristine waters THE United States Agency was captioned: “Settle in at a spa or go diving for shipwrecks for International Development at this small island, which is just (USAID) has initiated a partneras beloved for its welcoming ship between the city governpeople as it is for its undeniable ment of Tagbilaran City in Bohol and Maynilad Water Academy beauty.”

“With views like these, it’s (MWA) to upgrade water and hard not to be happy,” the mag- sanitation services which will azine’s tagline for The World’s benefit at least 190,000 city residents.

Friendliest Islands read.

According to the US Embassy, Completing the list of friendliest islands in the world are the city government of Tagbilaran Waiheke, New Zealand (5th); and Maynilad Water Services Ischia, Italy (6th); Tasmania, through the MWA will develop Australia (7th); Fiji Islands (8th); and implement a one-year joint Bali, Indonesia (9th); Great Bar- work plan that will improve the rier Reef Islands (10th); Moorea efficiency and effectiveness of (11th); Paros, Greece (12th); Bora the Tagbilaran City Waterworks Bora (13th); Exhumas, Bahamas System (TCWS).

The partnership was formal(14th); and Caye Culker, Belize ized on Thursday with the signing (15th). (Philstar.com)

World’s friendliest islands: Philippines takes top 4 spots MANILA - Four Philippine islands, with Palawan as number one, have been voted as the top four friendliest in the world based on a survey by New York-based magazine, Travel + Leisure.

“While the politics of the nation have grown ever-more volatile, the people of the islands remain friendly to visitors exploring their scenic home. For many travelers, it’s especially helpful that English is one of the official languages of the Philippines, and that islanders are so welcoming of tourists,” an article by Jess McHugh posted recently on the magazine’s website read.

Travelers looking for a serene getaway often take to an island, seeking the solace of sun, sand, and sea, according to McHugh, and among the myriad options to choose from, T + L asked people in its annual World’s Best Awards survey to score travel experiences across the globe, evaluating everything from cruise lines and airports to resorts, cities and hotels.

When it came to islands, read-

by delon

‘PHOTOBOMBED.’ A tourist takes a selfie in front of the Rizal Monument at Luneta Park in Manila, with Torre de Manila, dubbed “national photobomb,” then undergoing construction in the background.

Inquirer.net photo by Arnold Almacen

absence of any law prohibiting construction of Torre de Manila.

“Justice is not just about the law — it is about what is right and wrong, what is good or bad for a nation and its people, what is just and what is not,” Castelo, who had led a probe on the Torre de Manila construction, stated.

“Commercialism and business should never take precedence over national heritage.”

Castelo noted that while there may be no law specifically prohibiting the construction of Torre de Manila on its present site, the 1987 Constitution and Republic Act 1066 (the National Cultural Heritage Act of 2009) are very clear on giving protection and

ensuring the preservation of Philippine heritage.

The SC should have taken the letter and spirit of the Constitution and RA 10066, which have a direct bearing on the case, Castelo pointed out.

He noted that there have been instances in the past when the SC stood for the protection and preservation of the national heritage and patrimony, like in the case of the sale of the historic Manila Hotel in 1997.

The SC voided the sale of Manila Hotel to a foreign investor on the ground that the hotel formed part of the “national patrimony,” protected and reserved for Filipinos by the Constitution.

USAID helps upgrade water, sanitation in Tagbilaran of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Tagbilaran City Mayor John Geesnell Yap and MWA Executive Director Rodora Gamboa.

US Embassy officials said participants will exchange best practices, expertise, and technology in water supply operation and non-revenue water management through joint data gathering and consultation, coaching and mentoring, study visits, and on-the-job training.

John Avila, USAID Philippines representative, said they have been working with the TCWS since 2016 helping the government-managed utility provide water services for longer hours and expand household connec-

tions to water services.

Avila said these measures support the city government’s vision of providing clean, potable, adequate, sustainable, and resilient services by 2030 “USAID promotes sustainable water and sanitation services that are essential to achieve resilient and livable urban areas,” Avila said during the MOU signing ceremony.

Under the Cities Development Initiative (CDI) the USAID aims to transform secondary cities into engines of growth, he added.

Tagbilaran is one of the CDI partner cities, together with Batangas, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Puerto Princesa and Zamboanga.

(ManilaTimes.net)

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