LA Weekend Edition -- July 9 -- 12, 2016

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ED ITION July 9-12, 2016

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

Volume 26 - No. 56 • 4 Sections – 32 Pages

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Three of 5 “narco generals” now in Napolcom custody

by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte publicly accused three people of running some of the Philippines’ largest drug syndicates on Thursday, July 7. he also said that these people along with their accomplices working in the government should kill themselves.

During a news briefing in malacanang, Duterte claimed

DATELINE

that Wu Tuan (aka Peter Co), herbert Colangco (aka Ampang), and Peter Lim (aka Jaguar),were managing extensive Philippine drug rings. Solicitor General Jose Calida said they belong to “level 5” of drug trading operations, meaning they sell some of the largest quantities of drugs in the country.

“Talagang binabastos tayo…

(They are really disrespecting us). They are destroying the

country. They are destroying the youth of the land. my appeal to them, since they are beyond redemption, they can stop and commit suicide because I will not allow these idiots to run their show. Not during my watch,” Duterte said on Thursday.

Tuan and Colangco are currently detained at New Bilibid Prison. They are allegedly directing operations from behind bars for separate cartels, ac-

cording to the Philstar. Tuan is reportedly a member of a drug triad based in Luzon and metro manila. Colangco has been associated with the Parojinog drug syndicate and the Kuratong Baleleng gang.

“Peter Co do not escape from prison. You will die. Colangco never try to go out of prison. You will die,” said Duterte.

Lim allegedly works for a drug PNP Chief Ronald ‘Bato’ dela Rosa meets three of the five generals exposed by President

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Rodrigo Duterte as coddlers of drug lords.

Pres. Duterte appoints Robredo housing chief

USA

FROm ThE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

US envoy says goodbye, vows protection for PH AFTER nearly two years in one of the top posts in the American foreign service, Ambassador Philip Goldberg is ending his tour of duty with an assurance that the United States will protect the Philippines from any threat.

“Our alliance is Ambassador Philip Goldberg firmly invested in protecting the prosperity, security and peace in the region and a partnership between two sovereign partners,” Goldberg said in his speech

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PNP photo

by KLArizE

And

TRIAD CONNECTION. President Rodrigo R. Duterte shows a copy of a diagram showing the connection of high level drug syndicates operating in the country during a press conference at Malacañang on Thursday, July 7.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

MEdEniLLA Eric Anthony LicAs AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has appointed Vice President Leonor “Leni” Robredo as chief of the housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (hUDCC), martin Andanar, presidential communications secretary, confirmed on Thursday, July 7.

Robredo thanked the president for the appointment and opportunity to help marginalized Filipinos. “mas paglilingkuran natin ang ating mga kababayang walang tahanan at maipagpatuloy natin ang ating pangakong itulak ang kaunlaran at kaginhawaan para sa ating mga kapus palad na kababayan (i can serve our countrymen who are homeless and i

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‘No work, no pay’ policy in Congress pushed Bahay Pangarap Duterte’s AAPI community groups M J c partner with City of LA to official residence help small business owners c s. V in minimum wage increases by

REPRESENTATIVES of Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA), the Thai Community Development Center (Thai CDC), Chinatown Service Center (CSC) and the Little Tokyo Service Center (LTSC) on Thursday, July 7 announced a partnership with the City of Los Angeles to spread awareness about the upcoming minimum wage increases.

Small business owners of the AAPI community who must cope with a series of minimum wage hikes that took effect Friday, July 1, can find in-language support from the coalition of nonprofit organizations.

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Arc

Ayson AyAbyAb Inquirer.net

LIKE the ordinary people they represent, Congressmen may get salary deductions for being absent if a bill filed by Navotas Representative Toby Tiangco is passed.

Tiangco filed a bill seeking to adopt a “no work, no pay” policy for the members of the 17th Congress.

The proposed measure or house Bill 412 would impose salary deductions to any member of the Congress who would not attend, participate and take part in the regular and special sessions of Congress.

“In case of failure to attend the regular and special sessions for unjustifiable cause, appropriate deductions on monthly salary shall be imposed,” the bill read.

The deductions would be computed by dividing the monthly salary by the number

dential Security Group (PSG) across the Pasig River from malacañang Palace, the office of JUST like his predecessor, the President.

Benigno Aquino III, President Built in the 1930s, Bahay PanRodrigo “Rody” Duterte chose garap was designed by architect Bahay Pangarap as his official Juan Arellano. It already underresidence. went a number of renovations, Duterte’s top aide, Christopher with the recent one led by archiGo, said Duterte will move in tect Conrad Onglao in 2008. next week.

The house was used by former The Bahay Pangarap is located presidents Gloria macapagal-Arat the headquarters of the Presiu PAGE A2 by

Navotas Rep. Toby Tiangco

of sessions equals salary per session day, and then multiplying the salary per session day to the number of absences which equals to the total deductions on the representative’s pay.

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Groups file graft raps vs Aquino, Abad over DAP

by MichAEL

PunongbAyAn Philstar.com

mANILA—Various groups filed charges against former president Benigno Aquino III and former budget secretary Florencio Abad before the Office of the Ombudsman on Friday, July 8 over the implementation of the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP), parts of which were declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2014.

The groups led by Bayan muna, Gabriela and the VolunThe groups led by Bayan Muna, Gabriela and the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption teers Against Crime and Corrupaccused Aquino and Abad of graft, technical malversation of public funds and usurpation of tion accused Aquino and Abad of legislative powers in the implementation of the DAP. Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos graft, technical malversation of

public funds and usurpation of legislative powers in the implementation of the DAP. Another official of the Aquino administration, former press secretary herminio Coloma Jr., was accused of plunder involving P191 million by a group of employees of state owned corporations.

The Asian Productivity Employees Association (APEA), the labor union of Apo Production Unit Inc. (APO) led by its president Conrado molina, filed the complaint before the Office of the Ombudsman accusing Coloma and other

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AthErinE ALEntE ManilaTimes.net

A JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

Duterte reveals PH’s...

PAGE A1 t

triad operating in Visayas. He is known to come in and out of the country according to the Philstar, but his whereabouts are currently unknown. “Better tell him not to come back to the Philippines anymore.

The moment he steps out of the plane, he will die,� said Duterte.

The president used a flowchart during Thursday’s briefing to outline a web of connections between drug syndicates, local executives and unnamed individuals working in government agencies including the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP). Duterte also said many

mayors are involved in the drug trade, but did not identify anyone in particular.

The president’s latest accusations in connection to his war on crime come one week after his inauguration. Earlier this week, on Tuesday, July 5, Duterte named five generals in the PNP suspected of ties to drug dealers.

National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Chief Joel Pagdilao, Western Visayas Regional Director Chief Supt. Bernardo Diaz and Quezon City Police District (QCPD) Director Chief Supt.

Edgardo Tinio have all been relieved of their posts on suspicion of collaborating with drug syndicates, according to Duterte.

The three generals met pri-

vately with Duterte’s newly appointed Director General of the PNP, Ronald Dela Rosa on Wednesday, July 6, before being turned over to the National Police Commission (Napolcom).

He said the accused were given a chance to tell him their side of the story, and have pledged to cooperate with the investigations against them.

Dela Rosa described their meeting as “purely intimate and personal.� “All other details sa aming usapan, sa’min na lang ‘yun.

Basta malungkot sila (All other details that we spoke of are ours only. They are sad [about what is going on]),â€? said Dela Rosa on Wednesday. He added that, “Kung meron man (evidence), they’re all classified [documents] ‌hindi ko puwedeng i-divulge

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Pres. Duterte appoints...

PAGE A1 t can continue my promise to push for progress and improvement of the lives of our underprivileged countrymen),� she said in the statement.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II also confirmed Robredo’s appointment during a press briefing. He also said the vice president was asked to attend the first cabinet meeting on Monday, July 11.

Historically, the vice president

is usually assigned a leading position in the president’s cabinet.

Robredo joins the likes of former Philippine vice presidents who have held the head positions in the HUDCC like Jejomar Binay under former President Benigno Aquino, III and Noli de Castro from President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo’s administration. “Many of the Cabinet members are happy (about) the development. At last the Vice President is no longer an elected officer with-

DREAM HOUSE. Despite initial reservations, President Duterte has decided to take up official residence at Bahay Pangarap (top), where then President Benigno Aquino III used to live.

Inquirer.net photo

Bahay Pangarap Duterte’s...

PAGE A1 t

Duterte earlier said he will royo to welcome special guests. not be living in Malacaùang beIt has a swimming pool and a cause he believes it is haunted by ghosts. garden. out a Cabinet post,� Aguirre said.

In May, Robredo had told reporters she would prefer a job in the anti-poverty cluster. She looked forward to the position partly because providing housing for “marginalized� Filipinos was a priority for her late husband, former Interior Secretary Jesse Robredo.

The appointment comes as a surprise given that Duterte was first hesitant to assign Robredo a cabinet position. He referred to Vice President Leni Robredo pays courtesy call on President Rodrigo R. Duterte at his friendship with former Secrethe MalacaĂąang Palace on Monday, July 4. tary Ferdinand “Bongbongâ€? MarMalacaĂąang photo by King Rodriguez

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‘No work, no pay’ policy...

PAGE A1 t The Civil Service Commission, the Commission on Audit and the Department of Budget and Management would provide the implementing rules and regulations of the proposed law in coordination with the accounting department of Congress.

In the explanatory note, Tiangco said the multiple absences of some members of the Congress resulting in the absence of a quorum delayed the prompt passage of pertinent bills.

“Some members of Congress have failed to promptly, effec-

tively, and efficiently carry out and perform the mandate of their office by reason of their failure to regularly attend the sessions of Congress,” Tiangco said.

Tiangco said previous congresses required four session days, which was later shortened to three days from Monday to Wednesday to enable members to attend to the needs of the constituents.

“Despite this change in session days, still, the attendance of house members has not improved,” Tiangco said.

Tiangco said Congress should

US envoy says goodbye...

PAGE A1 t

Wednesday night, July 6 during the Fourth of July celebrations in Makati City.

Goldberg is exiting as the new administration of President Rodrigo Duterte makes a pivot toward China to try to settle the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea) territorial disp ute, in contrast to the pro-US stance of the previous Aquino government.

But Goldberg said the Philippines could always count on the US for help, given existing agreements such as the Mutual Defense Treaty and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement.

“That alliance is based on our shared commitment to democracy, the rule of law and the peaceful

settlement of disputes. As allies we stand together whenever the other is threatened and we will always continue to do so,” he said.

The 59-year-old US envoy also said goodbye and took pride at having visited several places in the Philippines.

“This will be my last July 4th in the Philippines so I want to say that I’ve been all around from Ilocos Norte to Tawi Tawi, from the mountains of Benguet to the tuna market in General Santos City, Mindanao,” Goldberg said.

“I’ve seen the awe-inspiring beauty and unique character of your country, but above all, it is the warmth and the welcome of the Filipino people that I will remember most,” he said.

AAPI community groups partner...

PAGE A1 t The four groups will also offer one-on-one business counselling, host training programs and awareness events in addition to their outreach efforts.

“Pilipino business owners need to know how the minimum wage laws will impact their business … for the benefit of both employer and employee,” said Interim Executive Director of SIPA, Dorothy Gamoning in a press release.

Business owners in the city with 26 or more employees are now required to pay at least $10.50 per hour — 50 cents more than the state minimum — since the new laws came into effect on Friday. That rate will continue to grow in steps each year until it reaches $15 per hour on July 1, 2020. Income from tips cannot count towards an employee’s base salary. The increase will cost employers about $100 per employee, according to Chief Ex-

ecutive Officer of the Chinatown Service Center, Peter Ng. Nonprofit organizations, companies with fewer employees, or those that can otherwise provide evidence of hardship in meeting the deadline can apply for a 1 year deferment period for each of the incremental wage increases. The agency responsible for overseeing the wage hike, the Office of Wage Standards, has yet to provide guidelines on enforcement according to the Thai CDC’s Directing Attorney, Panida Rzonca.

Gamoning acknowledged that some businesses may be forced to raise the price of goods and services, cut hours or lay off staff in order to come into compliance with the new law. However, she and Ng said the wage increases was needed to offset the rising cost of living in Los Angeles. Ng said that inflation and the growing cost of housing are forcing minimum wage workers to take on multiple jobs and work longer hours to sup-

From the Front page

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 9-12, 2016

A

also be subjected to the same “no work, no pay” policy imposed on ordinary workers.

“Their presence is required to represent the people and give their constituents a vote in Congress. In order to promote professionalism, dedication to duty and efficiency in the performance of duty, this bill earnestly seeks the adoption of a ‘no work, no pay’ policy for members of Congress,” Tiangco said.

In 2014, former Sarangani Rep. and now senator boxing champion Manny Pacquiao was the top absentee in Congress, having only attended four session days. (With Kathryn Jedi Baylon) Goldberg was appointed in November 2013 to succeed Harry Thomas. He will be replaced by Sung Kim, Washington’s special representative for North Korea policy and a former envoy to South Korea.

Kim, who will be the first AsianAmerican appointed to the Manila post, was nominated as the new US ambassador to the Philippines

by President Barack Obama in May. Ties between the Philippines and the US have grown closer in recent years in terms of people-topeople exchanges, economic relations and security, Goldberg said.

But the warm ties should continue amid new challenges in the Asia-Pacific region, he said.

(Michael Joe. T. Delizo/ManilaTImesnet) port themselves and their families.

“Everybody’s feeling the pinch, but it’s a necessary change,” said Ng. To schedule business counseling, or for in-language information regarding the minimum wage increase readers may refer to the following contact information: SIPA (213) 382-1819 3200 W Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90026 https://www.sipa-online.org/ Thai CDC (323) 468-2555 6376 Yucca St # B, Los Angeles, CA 90028 http://thaicdc.org/ Chinatown Service Center (213) 808-1700 767 N. Hill Street, Suite 400, Los Angeles, CA 90012 http://www.cscla.org/ Little Tokyo Service Center (213) 473-3030 231 E. Third St., Suite G-106, Los Angeles, CA 90013 http://www.ltsc.org/ (Eric Anthony Licas/AJPress)

FLYING HIGH. The Philippine Air Force (PAF) showcased its assets during the celebration of its 69th anniversary on Tuesday, July 5. About 11 T-41 primary trainer aircraft and nine SF-260 basic trainer aircraft formed a “69” figure to mark the PAF’s anniversary. The PAF also demonstrated its capabilities in a simulated operation as part of its anniversary ceremonies attended by President Rodrigo Duterte at the Clark Air Base in Pampanga.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Duterte reveals PH’s...

PAGE A2 t (if there is also evidence, they’re all classified documents. I am not allowed to divulge [that information]). ” The new president also lodged accusations against Vicente Loot, former PNP general and current mayor of Daanbantayan, Cebu, and former PNP Deputy Director, Gen. Marcelo Garbo Jr. The five accused generals have publicly denied the president’s allegations. Loot said the president is misinformed, and has potentially biased future proceedings by publicly shaming them.

“Because of that statement, I will be tried by publicity,” Loot told ABS-CBN News. “I hope I will be given a chance to face my accuser ... and clear my name.”

The president’s chief legal counsel Sal Panelo defended the legality of Duterte’s public accusations, and said the administration is in possession of strong evidence to support their claims, according to CNN. Interior and Local Government Secretary Ismael Sueno told the Philippines News Agency that the recently sacked PNP officials will receive a fair trial. Napolcom undertook the investigation of all five generals suspected of working for drug dealers, but only has jurisdiction over active police officers.

The new president—dubbed “The Punisher”—campaigned largely on a promise to eradicate crime in the Philippines within his first six months in office. Since his landslide victory in May, law enforcement agencies throughout the country have ramped up operations, especially against drug-related crimes.

“Oo, attainable ‘yan; kaya ‘yan. Hindi kaya kung hindi tayo kikilos at ang komunidad hindi tutulong (Yes, it is attainable, we can do it. It is only not attainable if we do not move and if the community will not help),” said Dela Rosa to reporters on Tuesday, May 31.

As the former director of the Davao City Police Office, Dela Rosa was credited with reducing the circulation of illegal drugs in the city by 60 percent, according to Philstar. However, human rights groups allege that Dela Rosa has connections to “death squads” responsible for the vigilante murders of more than 1,400 people since 1998, Reuters reported.

“As far as I know, wala akong death squad. During my time, legitimate operations ang ginagawa ko. Napapatay namin ‘yung kalaban through legitimate operations (As far as I know, I do not have a death squad. During my time, legitimate operations

were what I did. We only killed our enemies through legitimate operations),” said Dela Rosa in May. One of the strategies Dela Rosa employed in Davao, named Oplan Tukhang (Operation Plan tuktok-hangyo), sent officers to each home of a neighborhood to offer potential suspects a chance to turn themselves in. Dela Rosa has exported the tactic throughout the country since becoming the PNP’s Chief.

Almost 1,400 alleged criminals surrendered to the authorities in Quezon City, Taguig, Pasay and San Juan, two days after the president officially took office on June 30. In Leyte, Sarangani, Rizal and Pampanga, over 1,100 people turned themselves in to police. Prior to Duterte’s inauguration, more than 200 people from Agusan del Sur and Sarangani had also submitted themselves to police custody in June.

“Sumuko kami dahil sa batas ni Duterte. Natakot kami sa kapulisan baka anuhin kami. May pamilya kami kaya natakot kami (We surrendered because of Duterte’s law. We were scared of the police because they might [hurt] us. We have families that is why we were scared),” Allan Looc, a drug user, told GMA News.

Those who don’t surrender risk losing their lives. The president has called upon citizens to shoot suspected drug dealers that resist arrest, and has prom-

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Federal court ruling requires DHS to release child migrants in family detention

by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

A FEDERAL appeals court ruling issued Thursday, July 6, now mandates the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to quickly release undocumented children caught crossing the border from family detention centers, but not their parents.

The Ninth Circuit US Court of Appeals based in San Francisco found that extended detention periods for underage migrants violated a 19-year-old settlement ordering their release shortly after processing. Federal prosecutors had argued that the rule only applied to children who arrived at the border unaccompanied by an adult.

The case revolves around detention centers in Texas that were built in response to a surge of immigrants who attempted to enter the US in summer 2014. Court documents describe prison-like facilities where children sleep on concrete floors with nothing but a mylar blanket and dirty clothes to keep warm. Researchers who visited the centers said some sick children were not receiving medical treatment, according to the LA Times.

“This decision makes it clear that the Obama administration can no longer detain accompanied children for long periods of time in unlicensed, locked-down

facilities,” said one of the lead plaintiff attorneys and president of the Center for Human Rights and Constitutional Law, Peter Schey.

However the court partially reversed a prior ruling from Judge Dolly Gee in 2015 that expedited the release of families apprehended while crossing into the United States. The three-judge panel decided that the directive did not apply to the adults accompanying those children.

Critics of Thursday’s decision, say it “misses the point.” The purpose of the case was to shield minors from inhumane treatment, according to the legal director of the American Immigration Council, Melissa Crow. She said the ruling harms children because it will separate them from their families.

Supporters for tighter border security say the ruling will prevent adults from using children as an excuse to avoid long stays at family detention centers.

There had been an uptick of undocumented families caught at the border by the DHS since that ruling, according to the Associated Press. More than 23,000 families have been detained in the first five months of the year compared to about 13,400 in 2015 and around 30,600 in 2014, according to the DHS. Most are from Honduras, El Salvador or Guatemala. Many of those detained said they were

fleeing from gang or domestic violence in their home country.

The extraordinary number of Immigrants who attempted to enter the US in 2014 prompted DHS Secretary Jeh Johnson to drastically augment the capacity of family detention centers. At that time, Johnson said he wanted people who entered the country illegally, to get the impression that they would be apprehended and sent home, rather than be detained for extended periods, according to the LA Times.

Hundreds of parents and their children are currently housed at two centers in Texas and another in Pennsylvania. Researchers who inspected the facilities estimate that the average detention period is between 10 days and six weeks. However, some detainees have been held for almost a year.

The LA Times reports that some families were deported overnight without legal counsel.

US Rep. Raul M. Grijalva (DAriz.) described Texas detention centers he visited this summer to the LA Times as “very moving and very, very depressing — and for our country, very embarrassing.”

Federal attorneys have not announced how they intend to respond to the ruling. They have the option to appeal to the Supreme Court, or request that the case be reheard with the full panel of 9th district judges if they decide challenge Thursday’s decision.

COURTESY CALL. Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines Zhao Jinhua paid a courtesy call on President Rodrigo R. Duterte at Malacañang Palace on Thursday, July 7. The meeting happened exactly five days before the UN tribunal is set to rule on the maritime dispute between the Manila and Beijing. No other details were given about the meeting of the two officials.

Malacañang photo

Duterte: US responsible for Middle East violence

by KLArizE

MEdEniLLA

AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte blamed United States-led intervention for the ongoing violence in the Middle East, citing the recent terrorist attacks around the world.

Duterte delivered a politicallycharged speech in Davao City at an Eid al-Fitar celebration marking the end of the month of Ramadan. In front of an audience of Muslim Filipinos, he said that the 2003 invasion of Iraq orchestrated by the US was the source of the grisly conflicts in Iraq.

Iraq was better off when Saddam Hussein was in control, the president said, adding that violence began erupting in the country once Iraqis were “pushed to the wall for the failed promises.”

Citing a BBC report, he said PAGE A2 t there was no logical or legal reacos, Jr. who narrowly lost the VP son for the intervention, calling it race to Robredo. Marcos filed a protest over Robredo’s victory.

Since her victory, Duterte had been “non-committal” about appointing Robredo a cabinet posiPAGE A3 t tion.

However, the two have gotten ised legal protection to police friendlier since their meetings at who kill criminals in the line of Camp Aguinaldo for the change of duty. Duterte has also offered command ceremony of the Armed bounties to cops for killing drug Forces of the Philippines (AFP) on lords, while cautioning members Friday, July 1 and at Malacanang of the police force that they are on Monday, July 4. not beyond scrutiny.

“The past two meetings beDrug-related killings have tween the two are very amiable,” been on the rise since Duterte Aguirre told GMA News. “I believe won the election last May. At that was the key for the president least 45 people with suspected to offer her a position and for the links to drug trafficking were vice president to accept it.” killed in different operations in

Pres. Duterte appoints...

a “useless war.”

“They destroyed the Middle East,” Duterte told the Muslim community. “They forced their way to Iraq. Look at Iraq now.

Look what happened to Libya, look what happened to Syria.

Nauubos ang tao dun, pati bata (People are being annihilated there, including children.).”

He also said that terrorism does not stem from the Middle East, but rather “America imported terrorism.” Duterte also mirrored the violence committed by Middle Eastern militants to that of insurgents based in the Philippines.

The president paralleled US intervention to colonialism in the Philippines, saying that the country had been peaceful until Ferdinand Magellan’s expedition in 1521 that introduced Christianity.

“Over decades, by force naging Christians ang mga Malay brother natin (our Malay brothers

Duterte reveals PH’s...

Bulacan. There have also been 63 drug-related deaths recorded in many parts of the country.

Meanwhile, in Tondo, Manila, a man was found dead with a note saying “Drug Lord Ako (I am a Drug Lord).” Other bodies displaying similar messages have turned up throughout the country.

“It’s going to be a dirty fight.

It’s going to be a bloody fight.

I am not apologizing for it,” said Duterte during Tuesday’s

became Christians)...because of colonialism,” he said.

Duterte announced that is “working overtime” with cabinet secretary Leoncio Evasco to organize simultaneous peace talks with Muslim rebel groups Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF).

He said if talks are successful, he has plans to reframe the country into more of a federalist system that would require a reconfiguration of the territory, giving Mindanao more self-governance and resources.

He called for widespread peace in the nation, especially the Muslim community.

“As a nation we must sit down,” he said. “Why must we kill each other?”

Washington, who has been Manila’s long-standing ally, has yet to comment on Duterte’s critical remarks.

speech.

The uptick in murders committed by police and incidents of apparent vigilantism has drawn the concern of human rights groups and the Catholic Church. In spite of the violence, supporters of the crackdown have told the general public that they have nothing to fear.

“I will assure the public that kami ay mga pulis, hindi kami kriminal, susunod kami sa police operational procedure (I will assure the public that we are policemen, not criminals, [and] we will follow police operational procedure),” said Dela Rosa.

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Filipina WWII US Silver Star recipient to rest at Libingan

by Jun

nucum Inquirer.net

SAN FRANCiSCo—Corporal Magdalena leones, who passed away last month at age 95, will be buried at the libingan ng mga Bayani in the philippines with full military honors, as her family had wished. leones was the only Filipina recipient of united States Army Silver Star medal, the third highest honor for valor accorded the members of the u.S. Armed Forces. u.S. Navy veteran Rudy Asercion, an advocate for Filipino World War ii (WWii) veterans’ rights, welfare and benefits stalwart relayed the good news to iNQuiReR.net. “pVAo (philippine Veterans Affairs office) approved the burial at the libingan ng mga Bayani, and they only need the death certificate to be sent them,” Asercion disclosed. “on top of that, philippine Air lines agreed to shoulder 50 percent of the cost of bringing her remains to the philippines, which is usually $2,000.” the “Citation to Accompany the Award of the Silver Star” signed on october 22,1945 by lt. General C.W. Griswold of the united States Army stated that leones

was being awarded the Silver Star “For gallantry in action at luzon, philippine islands, from 27 February to 26 September 1944. During the period, Corporal leones repeatedly risked her life to carry important intelligence data, vita radio parts and medical supplies through heavily garrisoned enemy-held territory. Although she knew that detection by the enemy would result in torture and execution.”

A week before Asercion’s news, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors honored leones with its Certificate of Honor, which was crafted by District 6 Supervisor Jane Kim. She handed the certificate to philippine Consul-General to San Francisco Henry Bensurto Jr. Bensurto thanked the supervisors on behalf of the leones family, the Filipino community and Filipino World War ii veterans.

He was accompanied by Deputy Consul-General Jaime Ascalon and Consul Reginald Bernabe.

Kim stated in her commendation speech: “Before she turned 25, Magdalena had been arrested

by Japanese soldiers three times and escaped all three times. on July 18, 1945, Col. (Russell) Volckmann (the uSAFip, Nl commander), the man who of-

thiS Week in neWS Dallas snipers kill five, injure seven in response to recent police killings Multiple snipers led a fatal attack on police officers thursday night, July 7, during a peaceful #blacklivesmatter protest in downtown Dallas, texas. the shooters, who were angered over the recent killings of two black men — Alton Sterling in louisiana and philando Castile in Minnesota, shot at least 12 officers on the scene of the protest. According to los Angeles times reports early Friday morning, July 8, five officers have died and three are in critical condition. According to CNN, police arrested two suspects who evaded the scene with camouflage bags and a woman near the el Centro College parking garage. police negotiated with another man, Micah Xavier Johnson, hiding in the parking garage who was uncooperative and exchanged gunfire.

Johnson, 25, with no criminal record, threatened “bombs [are] all over the place in this garage and downtown” and proclaimed that “the end is coming.” He also announced that he wants to kill more officers. Dallas police Chief David Brown confirmed Johnson’s death, but is not confident that all suspects have been located.

Juno reaches Jupiter, sets records NASA’s Juno spacecraft successfully began orbiting Jupiter, the solar system’s largest planet, Monday, July 4. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the craft, which cost $1.1 billion, set two records over the course of its journey: most distant solar-powered spacecraft for traveling 1.7 billion miles on solar power and fastest spacecraft for traveling at 165,000 mph. Juno was launched five years ago and is intended to study Jupiter’s composition and evolution, according to CNN. it is the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter since Galileo, which intentionally crashed into the planet in 2003 to protect a discovery of a possible ocean on europa, one of Jupiter’s 67 moons.

12 die in Indonesian traffic jam FRoM Sunday, July 3, to tuesday, July 5, 12 people have died of dehydration, exhaustion or poisoning while sitting in a 13mile long traffic jam on the island Java. the Brebes exit toll gate, where the incidents occurred, have seen an influx of cars with people traveling to home villages for the Muslim holiday , eid al-Fitr, and temperatures in the high 80’s have not helped conditions. Most victims were elderly people, but one was a toddler who was poisoned to death by exhaust fumes. “there’s no space on the road,” transport ministry spokesman Hemi pramuraharjo said. “We don’t have a solution.”

fered her the position of a special agent, recommended that Magdalena be awarded the u.S. Silver Star. later in her life, she was also awarded the philippine liberation Medal, the Resistance Movement Medal, the World War ii medal, and the philippine independence Ribbon.”

Kim attended leones’ memorial in Daly City and heard stories about her from her sons, daughter and grandchildren. Among the stories that stood out was that she saved many lives by materially contributing to the early liberation of the philippines that without her bravery, many more lives would have been lost during the liberation of the country from Japanese occupation.

“She was truly a remarkable woman and stories that i heard are unimaginable, in her courage, intelligence and bravery,” Kim described leones. “indeed, we must continue to remember our World War ii veterans.” leones died on June 16, 2016 at the age of 95. She is survived by sons Guillermo tabor, Gildon tabor and Gregorio tabor; daughter Alijadra Maytas of West Virginia; husband pedro tabor of Richmond; and an adopted son, leonard Yates. She had 13 grandchildren and three greatgrandchildren.

Her children said that leones moved to California from the philippines in 1969, worked as a clerk at pacific Bell, owned homes in Richmond and in San Jose and did not talk much about her war exploits.

Bensurto said that “Magdalena’s story is the story of many Filipino American veterans and

for her to be given such an award and such recognition is an acknowledgement not only of her but the entire Filipino American veterans including those who have already expired. i am sure that she is very proud to represent all Filipino American veterans. And for that alone, we are very grateful, happy and proud.”

Asercion, meanwhile lamented that leones was not given proper respect and recognition in her death by uS military officials during the funeral that he and Kim attended.

“When the commendation was given by the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, i felt elated that at least the City of San Francisco is recognizing her heroism when nobody else would. if she had been recognized by the u.S. military and the u.S. government, there would have been admirals, generals, flag staff and honor guards because she is entered in the history books as the only Asian female awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action against the enemy of the united States in World War ii,” Asercion decried.

“Why is it that this lady who received the Silver Star medal for gallantry in action in defense of America was memorialized without anybody present? it was not an oversight. it is the callousness of the Americans towards the treatment of Filipino World War ii veterans. it clearly demonstrate how callously the veterans are treated when the only Asian and Filipina female was memorialized and there was nobody there,” Asercion rued further.

Nevertheless, Asercion ad-

Photo of Cpl. Magdalena Leones, the Silver Star and citation are among the memorabilia of her heroism.

Veterans advocate Rudy Asercion (leftmost), Consul Reginald Bernabe, Consul-General Henry Bensurto Jr., and Deputy Consul-General Jaime Ascalon were on hand to receive the Certificate of Honor sponsored by Supervisor Jane Kim (extreme right) on behalf of Magdalena Leones’ family.

Inquirer.net photo by Jun Nucum

mitted that the death of leones would help to finally force the Americans to recognize the heroism of the Filipinos, especially if it was shown that Americans did not recognize and pay her enough respect.

As an elected member of the Republican Central Committee, Asercion has cited leones as his

clout in appealing for additional Republican congressmen to become co-signatories the the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) bill for Filipino veterans in World War ii. After the death of leones, nine Republican senators reportedly signed up as co-signatories, believing that in doing so they were also honoring leones.

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US urges PH, China to respect UN ruling Nash to Filipino NBA hopefuls: WASHINGtON—the United States on thursday, July 7 urged respect for a decision on territorial disputes in the South China Sea set to be handed down by an international arbitration court next week. the Permanent Court of Arbitration in the Dutch city of the Hague is set to make its final decision on July 12 in the case between the Philippines and China.

“We urge both parties to comply with the ruling and urge all claimants to avoid provocative actions or statements,” Abraham Denmark, the senior Pentagon official responsible for east Asia, told a congressional hearing about the decision, already rejected in advance by Beijing.

China claims almost the entire South China Sea strategically important for world maritime trade where the Philippines, vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and taiwan also have claims.

Although Washington is not directly part of the territorial disputes, it has urged they be resolved through diplomacy, not Chinese force.

Beijing has artificially enlarged islets and reefs to build runways, ports and other installations to legitimize its claims.

US boosts presence the United States has meanwhile boosted its military presence in the region, dealing with neighboring countries’ concerns about China’s actions. Washington has also strengthened its defense alliances with the Philippines, vietnam and other countries. the aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan is currently patrolling the sea. the virginia-based Navy times reported this week that three US destroyers—Spruance, Stethem and Momsen—have been patrolling near the artificial islands that China has built in the Spratly archipelago and Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal, a resource-rich reef that China wrested from Philippine control in 2012.

“We will provide critical support for diplomacy by providing a credible deterrent against the use of force,” Denmark said.

China will ‘fight back’ World is watching Chinese media on tuesday, Denmark said the arbitral July 5 said Beijing was ready for a court’s ruling would be a chance “military confrontation” with the to determine “whether the AsiaUnited States in the region.

Pacific’s future will be defined by On Friday, July 8 the Global adherence to international laws Times newspaper, which is close and norms that have enabled it to to the ruling Communist Party prosper, or whether the region’s and often takes a nationalistic future will be determined by raw tone, said: “If the US and the calculations of power.”

Philippines act on impulse and Rep. Randy Forbes, the vircarry out flagrant provocation, ginia Republican who chairs the China will not take a single step House subcommittee on sea powback.” er, said that the world is watching Faced with further escalation whether China behaves like a refrom Manila, the paper said Chi- sponsible stakeholder in the interna would “fight back.” national system, and, if not, to see It could turn Panatag Shoal how America responds. “into a military outpost,” the pa“What we do or don’t do to supper said, and “tow away or sink” port our allies and the rules-based an old landing craft, the BRP Si- international system in the weeks erra Madre, that Manila ground- ahead will have echoes across the ed on Ayungin (Second thomas) region and in other corners of the Shoal in 1999 to mark its territory globe,” Forbes said. in the Spratly archipelago, to “reSenior US state department ofsolve the standoff once and for ficial Colin Willett told the hearall.” ing that the United States would the loss of Panatag Shoal not hesitate to defend its national forced the Philippines to bring security interests and honor comthe case in January 2013. mitments to Asia-Pacific allies Most officials and analysts and partners. expect the arbitral tribunal’s But Denmark declined to comdecision to go against China, ment on whether militarization depriving it of its basis in claim- of Panatag Shoal by China would ing almost all of the South China hurt US national security interSea. ests, or invoke a US-Philippine President Duterte, earlier this treaty, which calls for the allies to week proposed dialogue with help defend each other if there is China following the court’s deci- an armed attack on their Armed sion next week, offering discus- Forces, public vessels, aircraft or sions about issues such as setting island territories under their jurisup joint ventures for sharing re- diction in the Pacific. sources in the disputed water“Scarborough Reef is a disputway. ed feature that we don’t recognize His foreign secretary, Perfecto any countries sovereignty over.

Yasay, on Friday said the Philip- that said, our treaty commitment pines was willing to share natural to the Philippines is absolutely resources with China even if it ironclad,” Willet said. (Inquirer. won the case. net with reports from AFP and Yasay said the Duterte admin- AP) istration hoped to quickly begin direct talks with China following the court ruling, with the negotiations to cover jointly exploiting the sea’s natural gas reserves and PAGE A1 t fishing grounds with the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone. officials of hiring a specialist to US officials testifying at thurs- siphon off funds from the agenday’s congressional hearing de- cy’s revenues for a period of five clined to say whether any move years ending Dec. 31, 2015.

by China to militarize more disthe APO Board of trustees puted land features would prompt and officers denied the charge US military response. and said they would sue their accusers for libel.

“All our actions have been aboveboard and we have nothing to hide,” they said in a statement.

Aquino, through his lawyer Abigail valte, said they could not comment on the charges since they have yet to receive a copy of the complaint.

“We cannot comment on its contents at the present time.

However, this action from Bayan is neither surprising nor unexpected. As soon as (Aquino) stepped down, they mobilized to rally at his times Street home, unwilling to extend to him a peaceful homecoming,” said valte, who served as deputy presidential spokesperson of the former president. the ombudsman cleared Aquino of any liability over the DAP in September 2015, saying the accusations do not amount to an impeachable offense. valte noted Aquino was again

Anything is possible with big dreams

by Mark

GionGco Inquirer.neet

Steve Nash didn’t walk on the red carpet on his way to having a colorful basketball career and becoming one of the best point guards in NBA history.

Not many international basketball stars can relate to Filipinos and their dreams to make it to the NBA. But in more reasons than one, Nash feels his path to success from an afterthought high school standout in Canada to a surefire Hall of Famer proves passion and dedication can get you far.

“It’s amazing to see how important the game is to the Philippines. What a fantastic realization to come here to feel how important basketball is and how passion there is for the game.

For all those kids here who are aspiring to play in the NBA, I would just say that anything is possible,” said Nash, who now serves as player development consultant for the Golden State Warriors and a general manager of Canada’s men’s national basketball team, when asked what message can he impart to aspiring Filipino kids.

“I was a skinny, short kid from the West coast of Canada, who had nobody from Canada from my neighborhood had played in the NBA. It seemed like it was on the other side of the world and maybe that how it feels to kids here sometimes. Anything is possible with big dreams, imagination and hard work and if anyone can attest to that, it’s myself, and

Former NBA superstar Steve Nash

possibly from Steph Curry.”

Steph Curry was also overlooked before going on to win a couple of MvP awards and an NBA title in 2015 for the Warriors.

Nash recalled only getting one scholarship offer in college.

He went on to make a name for himself in leading Santa Clara, not known for its basketball program, to surprising NCAA tournament stints before being drafted by the Phoenix Suns as the 15th overall pick in 1996.

But it wasn’t until his fifth season in the NBA when he got his break and show what he’s capable of. two MvPs, 17-plus thousand points and over 10,000 assists later, Nash

Groups file graft raps vs Aquino...

7/19/16

named a respondent on the same issue since he no longer enjoys immunity from suit.

She said the complaint “is clearly part of their continuing harassment of a president who refused to be cowed by their chest-beating during his entire term.”

Abad, for his part, also said he has to read the complaint before making a statement.

“But I am certain we will soon get a notice from the ombudsman to respond to the complaint. that will be the more opportune time to make a statement,” Abad said in a text message.

On June 15, 15 days before Aquino ended his six-year term of office, Abad said in a television interview that he and Aquino were prepared to face any case arising from DAP. “We have been prepared. We have looked at this issue down to its tiniest details and as we have been doing in the past three years, we have been explaining to the public,” Abad said. “these past few days and weeks, DAP has been discussed in the context of anti-corruption but insofar as me and President Aquino are concerned, this has never been an issue… there’s never been allegations that per-

sonal gain was involved, fraud was involved. It’s just that there are constitutional and technical issues that were involved,” he said.

He said even the Supreme Court acknowledged that DAP benefitted the country. the high tribunal struck down four practices under the economic stimulus program, including cross-border fund transfers (from the executive to the legislative branch or judiciary), impounding of appropriations and declaration of savings before the end of the year.

Presidential ‘pork’ the complaint stemmed from the roles played by Aquino and Abad in the implementation of the DAP that was declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in July 2014 and in February 2015 after the ruling was appealed. the latest complaint alleged Aquino and Abad misused some P144.4 billion of the P237.5 billion in “forced savings” sourced from various government agencies to finance projects and programs from 2011 to 2013 alone. “the DAP was nothing more than presidential pork taken from forced savings then realigned for pet projects of the President. It

Inquirer.net photo by Tristan Tamayo

remembers having only a few— himself included—who believed he can do it.

“I had one scholarship offer.

No one would have ever thought I would finish my career in the position that I was in but I had a big belief and passion for the game and I was willing to outwork people,” said Nash, who is listed at 6-foot-3 but is barely 6-foot tall.

“And I think the same is true with Steph. For the majority of kids that are shorter like he and I are, rely on hard work and toughness and imagination and skill, I would just encourage them to fall in love with the game and practice everyday.” was not a stimulus program, as many of the projects approved

by Aquino had nothing to do with stimulating the economy,” Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate said.

Zarate claimed the DAP was used to entice lawmakers into impeaching former chief justice Renato Corona.

“As Respondent Abad admitted, the bulk or around 61.5 percent of the total ‘savings’ declared under the DAP were funds for Personnel Services. this means that funds meant for new plantilla positions in government; salaries, benefits and bonuses; retirement pension and others were illegally diverted to the PAPs (programs, activities and projects) that he and Respondent Aquino identified and approved,” the 26-page charge sheet filed by the complainants read.

“In addition, damage to the public service proceeds from the mere fact of violation of separation of powers and the unlawful diminution of funds for the PAPs declared by Congress as necessary for public service and national development. there is therefore enough ground to find damage resulting to the public service, which will warrant the higher fine of 50 percent to 100 percent of the funds subjected to

u PAGE A7

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Fil-Am home care owners must pay $1-M in back wages, damages SAN FRANCISCO—Dozens of workers denied minimum wage and overtime by the Filipino owners of nearly a dozen Bay Area residential care facilities will get more than $1 million in back wages and damages as a result of two separate court rulings in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California.

San Miguel Homes for the Elderly of Union City agreed to pay $425,000 in back wages and damages to 26 caregivers working at its Union City facilities, and admitted to not paying minimum wage and overtime, in a consent judgment entered May 17, 2016

by Magistrate Judge Donna Ryu. The action follows a U.S. Department of Labor Wage and Hour Division investigation that found egregious minimum wage and overtime violations as the company made caregivers work

around the clock without paying them for all of their hours.

FLSA violations The department sued San Miguel Homes in December 2015 after the company’s owners refused to meet with division investigators, claiming that they were not obligated to comply with the Fair Labor Standards Act. In January, the division learned that the company’s owners were threatening to sue workers suspected of cooperating with the investigation and were making employees falsify timesheets.

The consent judgment also requires the company to provide adequate coverage during all shifts to eliminate employees working off the clock and to ensure the company pays employees properly for all hours worked.

requires the homes and their owners to pay unpaid wages and damages totaling $643,992 due to minimum wage and overtime violations of the FLSA. Consent judgment That consent judgment also requires the defendants to hire a third-party monitor to audit their compliance with the FLSA, to post copies of the consent judgment and notices of employee rights in both English and Tagalog at each of their facilities, to provide detailed pay stubs to every employee each pay period and direct them to review the documents, and to provide contact information for the Wage and Hour Division, in both languages, with every pay stub.

“Dozens of Bay Area residential care workers will finally receive their hard-earned back wages, and damages, thanks to

In a second ruling, Judge James Donato approved a consent judgment March 7, 2016, between the department and Razel Cortez and Elizabeth Palad, owners of eight residential care facilities: Walnut Creek Willows in Walnut Creek; Elizabeth’s Care Home 1 and 2 in South San Francisco; Samantha’s Care Home in San Bruno; New Haven Care Home in Union City; and Rayzel’s Villa and Villa San Lorenzo in San Lorenzo.

Wage and Hour investigators found the employer misclassified caregivers as independent contractors, paid them a flat monthly salary well below minimum wage, provided no premium for overtime even though the employees often worked 60 hours per week, and failed to keep any records of the employees’ hours worked. The court’s order

Groups file graft raps vs Aquino...

PAGE A6 t

technical malversation.”

The complainants claimed Aquino already knew beforehand that his acts of tinkering with the national budget and his “fiscal dictatorship” are in violation of the Constitution and a grave sin to the principles of separation of powers, transparency and good governance.

“At the very least, Respondents Aquino and Abad, who had been top government officials for decades already at the time that they authored and implemented the DAP, cannot feign ignorance of the illegality of their acts,” they said.

“This complaint is not a debate about the Respondents’ statesmanship and brinkmanship in their administration of the peoples’ money as accountable and responsible officers. It is about the pure and simple criminal diversion of public funds that have already been appropriated, to projects or programs that did not pass Congress’ power over the purse, which in the process caused undue hardships and prejudice to the Filipino civil servants and the Filipino people as a whole,” the complaint stressed.

The Office of the Ombudsman is conducting preliminary investigation proceedings against Abad and Undersecretary Mario Relampagos for technical malversation of public funds but only for their roles in the utilization of

DAP funds amounting to P31.9 billion from 2011 to 2012.

Ombudsman investigators said both authorized the DAP, sourced from pooled savings, as

said documents showed irregularities in the cross border DAP transfer transactions to the Commission on Audit (COA) and the House of Representatives. (With Aurea Calica, Jess Diaz, Rhodina Villanueva)

“a plan to boost disbursements” and “to jumpstart the implementation” of the government’s expenditure program.

However, the investigators

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these court rulings,” said Janet Herold from the department’s Solicitor’s Office in San Francisco.

“Too many hardworking men and women who tend to the most basic needs of our loved ones continue to be shortchanged for their efforts. We aim to put a stop to that through strong enforcement of federal labor laws along with a robust outreach and education program,” said Ruben Rosalez, regional administrator

for the Wage and Hour Division’s Western Region.

The department’s Wage and Hour Division continues to find violations in the residential care field, particularly in the Bay Area. In the 2015 fiscal year, its San Francisco District Office concluded more than 100 investigations of residential care facilities and nursing homes, resulting in $3 million in back wages and damages for more than 475 employees. (Inquirer.net)

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OpiniOn

Features

Beyond lip service

With Congress after Congress going through the motions of passing a Freedom of information law, only to dump the measure in the final moments before adjournment by the legislature, the Duterte administration is moving to show that its commitment to the FOi will go beyond rhetoric.

Even before the 17th Congress begins deliberations on a revived FOI measure, Malacañang is working with various groups to draft a presidential order, implementing FOI in executive departments. Certain types of information involving national security and public safety may have to remain confidential, but generally, the planned executive order will go a long way in promoting transparency in the executive branch.

Media groups and other sectors have pushed for an FOI law as a tool for unearthing corruption, boosting transparency and promoting good governance. Even the administration that touted the straight path or daang matuwid, however, did not give FOI proposals sufficient support for passage

by Congress.

With Malacañang working on an FOI measure

in the executive branch, the judiciary and legislature should follow suit. The two other independent branches of government have been hit by allegations of misusing public funds in recent years. A chief justice was ousted over inaccuracies in his official statement of assets, liabilities and net worth, while nearly 200 lawmakers, a number of them retired, have been implicated by the Commission on Audit in the misuse of pork barrel funds.

An FOI measure makes it easier to monitor the utilization of public funds, helping not only to identify those who have betrayed public trust but also to prevent the misuse of people’s money. Several administrations have promised the passage of an FOI law. Perhaps this time a new administration will go beyond lip service. (Philstar.com)

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

US citizenship - the gift my parents gave me

Commentary

I COuLD list off the ways I’ve been lucky in life, but it all stems from my parents’ decision to by bAo NguyeN for leave home and become AmeriNew AmericA meDiA can citizens.

The Vietnam War had ended in 1975, but five years later, the conflict was still fresh in people’s minds. The government was actively suppressing any suspected dissent. People were scrambling, trying to figure out how they were going to survive in this new oppressive and corrupt system. Some people, like my mom, figured out that they couldn’t.

When my mom left her home, her family, and her friends in 1980, she was eight months pregnant with me. She, like many escapees at the time, had to make the impossible decision to leave two of her daughters behind with family. She hoped that they would one day make it over as well, but if she were to have any chance at escaping, she knew she would have to do it with only part of the family.

She boarded an overcrowded boat with dozens of other families, and the boat was set adrift into the open ocean. After three separate pirate assaults and weeks of churning aimlessly in the

South China Sea, the boat made it to the shore of Thailand. But when the boat people spotted land, they noticed that the locals waiting ashore had weapons in their hands. It was at that moment that a group of Buddhist monks saw what was happening and took action. They waded out from the shore, formed a human chain around the boat, and brought us in to sleep on their temple floor.

The next day, my mom was brought to a uN refugee camp, where I was later born.

I am lucky for a number of reasons. I was born to incredibly brave parents who successfully escaped Vietnam. I was naturalized as a united States citizen when I was 12 because my parents had the foresight to understand that if they wanted me to have all the benefits and freedoms of living in the united States, we all needed to become citizens. I became the mayor of the city in which I grew up, and now I am running for Congress to represent the hardworking people of Orange County in Washington, D.C. My family and I benefitted immensely from my parents’ decision to become American citizens. But the benefit I value most is the right to vote.

My parents came from a country where their vote was worthless.

Do you care enough? Street Talk

Rhizomes

Prosy AbArquezDelAcruz, J.D. “Do you care enough? Do you communicate enough? Do you accept where you are in your life, your role, your purpose? Are you reconciled with who you are?

Are you reconciled with others?

Do you feel empowered? Do you empower others? Do you create thorns and stones in your heart, from the pain and suffering you felt? Do you do heart-centered communication? Or are you defined by others’ unfulfilled childhood experiences? Or are you defined by yours?” - Fr. Lester Niez, July 4, 2016.

“YOu should not allow others to dictate how you feel.” Or conversely, “who appointed you to be the regulator of how folks should feel?”

I am paraphrasing the pieces of dialogue I heard from watching the second season of “Madam Secretary,” a television program about a fictional Secretary of State, Elizabeth McCord.

Her husband, Henry, just lost his father and Henry’s grieving sister had thrown the blame of their father’s death on Henry, to the point that she hurled historical accusations on her family members, as far back as high school. The sister became their father’s caretaker in the last years of his life and while in her watch, the father died.

But, what the sister did not know is that Henry and his father had left their love unspoken in details to others, but forged a loving bond which got solidified through phone calls, over the years.

It got me thinking that what Henry McCord experienced was what I have witnessed in grieving families, including my own.

That what folks hold onto are rarely the positive memories of

joyful exchanges: the laughter, the walks in the park, the moments parents said and surprised themselves to tell you, “I love you,” the picnics shared, and the shared meals. But instead, they unconsciously archive the hurts, the pains, then, project those painful memories as crushing mountains, crumbling rocks and pebbles at family gatherings, with a sorry audience for their eruptions.

A family centered on loss Let me share an example of the Family Clark (a pseudonym).

The mother was a former homemaker, who with pride, told me she sacrificed her life to take care of her three boys. Over the years, we talked about which public schools to send our children to. She took hers to Pacific Palisades, the best public school in her own book.

Fast forward to the present, Family Clark’s three boys are now grown-up men. One works in the insurance industry, another has a landscape business and another committed suicide.

The father, a retired judge, suffered a stroke, while the mother took care of him. Later, she became mentally imbalanced, triggered by a lack of sleep.

Two brothers were left to take care of their parents and they applied for conservatorship over them and their real estate properties, aka estate.

Without the sons processing their own trauma from a recent loss of their brother and the loss of health and wellness from their once, nurturing parents, these two brothers took out their pain on each other. They could not get along as conservators of their ailing parents.

The courts took over supervision of their parents’ welfare and appointed a public conservator of their parents and their estate.

To this day, I have not seen the brothers visit their ancestral home, perhaps forbidden by the

courts from disturbing the existing tenants. *** How much of that is true in our own lives? When we become paralyzed from our past trauma, and we somehow, unconsciously carry that series of traumas onto our present lives? How much of our pain body controls our lives? until I came across Eckhart Tolle’s book, “The Power of Now and A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose,” I was unconscious about my own invisible luggage of pain. I carried it like a backpack.

It started when I was 4 ½ years old when I was placed in kindergarten, quite early to allow my mother to teach. Four months after I was born, even while in her postpartum blues, my mom lost her father.

She already had two losses when she decided to put me early in kindergarten, from her postpartum blues and her father’s death. Newly married, my mom and my dad pursued their careers, one as a public school teacher, another as a government civil servant.

I remember waiting for my eldest sister, Rose who was just 9 years old to join me at recess in the playground. But, she got busy playing with her friends that she forgot. understandable, yet there was the unprocessed trauma of once being cared for by a mother who was beside me all the time, now crying to be comforted by a sister.

From being lost in the playground at age 4 ½ then, it was followed by the loss of my dog Queenie at age 8, and then, a third loss, my maternal grandmother, Andrea.

I remember sitting next to her as we rocked the swing, while she told me stories about the garden, the birds, the bees and the butterflies. I cannot remember the

u PAGE A10

greg b. mAcAbeNtA I WAS one of the most severe critics of Rodrigo Duterte as a presidential candidate. But now that he has assumed the presidency, I believe he should be given every chance and every reasonable support to succeed. And, boy, will he need a lot of support!

In my own limited way, I’ve faced the challenges of a presidency. Obviously, those posed by an ad agency or even a national organization in the united States are miniscule compared to what the chief executive of the Philippines must confront. But there are parallels, one of which is that, in spite of a cordon of advisers, a leader has to personally and singularly make the hard choices – the critical decisions – and be prepared to face the consequences, if any.

Whether you lead a company of 200 people or a country of 100 million, the harsh realities are the same: success has many fathers and failure is an orphan. President Harry S. Truman said it more bluntly: The buck stops here.

We know that candidate Duterte had a bad habit of overpromising, over-dramatizing and putting his foot in his mouth, but, by now, he has likely undergone a reality check. In fact, he has begun to scale down his bluster and to backtrack on some of his more dazzling campaign promises. At this point, I think we should grant him the benefit of faith in his sincerity and his determination to do a good job. We should also be prepared to concede his limitations.

One cannot help recalling what the late comedian, Dolphy, said when asked why he didn’t want to run for president. Was it because he was afraid that he would lose?

No, he was afraid that he would win—and would then not know what to do.

But in America, a vote has the power to change things. Americans can vote on everything from the president all the way down to the local school board. I served on Garden Grove’s school board, and then I won my mayor’s race by just 15 votes. The narrow win only underscores how important every single vote was.

The reason I choose to serve in public office is because I want to honor my parents’ sacrifice. They fled a corrupt and oppressive government and became uS citizens so that I could live a freer, better life. Being able to hold government officials accountable is something a lot of people take for granted, but I never will.

That’s why I’m fighting to make sure this country doesn’t turn into an oligarchy and to protect individual and civil liberties, so that all families can live freely and without fear of the government. I do all of that because I’m an American citizen and that’s my responsibility to my country, and to my parents. *** Bao Nguyen is the mayor of Garden Grove, Calif. and is running for US Congress.

This op-ed is part of a project by New America Media in collaboration with the national, nonpartisan network New Americans Campaign. To learn more about becoming a US citizen, go to www.newamericanscampaign.org.

If Duterte fails, we all lose This is not to compare Duterte, as president, with the capabilities of Dolphy as a comedian. As a hands-on mayor of Davao City, Duterte is certainly better prepared to face the challenges of the presidency than Dolphy and, as we eventually found out, better, too, than Benigno S. Aquino III. And speaking of Duterte and Aquino, there appears to be a world of difference in the character of both men—as well as many similarities. Duterte has shown that he is prepared to accept responsibility for the consequences of his actions and decisions. His classic boast is that he doesn’t care if he is impeached, as long as he believes he is doing his job. In contrast, Aquino bared a tendency to wash his hands and pass the blame on to others. Just as bad was his tendency to claim credit for policies and programs initiated by his predecessors.

Where I think Duterte and Aquino are the same is in their bullheadedness and their twisted perception of right and wrong—and that doesn’t end with Duterte’s insistence on giving Ferdinand Marcos a hero’s burial.

When a friend and former advertising client asked me to help in the presidential campaign of Noynoy Aquino, I told him that I was not impressed with the credentials of his candidate. I was assured that Aquino would have the support of the best advisers on every aspect of governance. I was also assured that, because of his heroic lineage, he would be the exact opposite of outgoing President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo whom the media had succeeded in portraying as the epitome of corruption.

I could only argue that the best advisers in the world would not necessarily agree with each other and that, in a crunch, Aquino would have to make the hard decisions himself. But I allowed myself to be persuaded and, in fact,

lent my support.

In retrospect, I believe that Aquino, as president, tried his best to live up to the high expectations of those who gave him a rousing mandate to lead the country. I believe that he himself tried his best to keep his promise of clean and honest governance by applying that vow to himself. But he had no control over the culture of corruption, incompetence and impunity that had become the norm – and still is the norm – in a transactional environment – an environment where mediocrity is acceptable and compromise is inevitable.

I recall that, whenever the late President Cory Aquino was described to me as being nearsaintly in her honesty and integrity, I would draw an analogy with a housewife who kept herself meticulously dressed, coiffed and perfumed, but whose household was a mess and whose children were undisciplined. How could she be characterized as an ideal housewife?

To her credit, Cory appeared to be aware of her personal limitations, as well as her mandate as a revolutionary head of state: to restore democracy to the country.

She did that. And as soon as her term was over, she did not hesitate to step down.

But I think she had a narrow perception of her mandate. She should not have left the country in a state that made it vulnerable to retrogression to its pre-People Power condition. But could she have done better? She had to cope with the “damaged culture” that American journalist James Fallows wrote about. The same culture that Noynoy Aquino had to deal and compromise with. And the very same one that Duterte must confront.

In this regard, Duterte’s attitude appears to be different. He is aware of the damaged culture and appears intent on repairing it,

u PAGE A11

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Duterte orders new policy against bullet-planting schemes

by Dana

sioson AJPress

President rodrigo duterte ordered a new luggage screening policy to eradicate “tanim-bala” or bullet-planting schemes in Philippine airports, prohibiting authorities to arrest passengers caught with a bullet in their luggage. the bullet-planting scheme allegedly involves airport personnels secretly planting bullets in passengers’ luggage and would later ask money in exchange for their release and record-free passports.

According to senior superintendent Mao Aplasca, new director of the Philippine national Police-Aviation security Group (PnP-Avsegroup), instead of immediate arrest, they would profile all incidents and choose those that will be filed in courts. “the new policy is to look at the background of people (caught carrying bullets) before they are prosecuted. For example, the elderly are very unlikely to have criminal or terroristic intentions,” Aplasca told Philippine news Agency on thursday, July 7.

Avsegroup is the main unit that maintains security in airports across the country against offensive and terroristic acts that threaten public aviation. “if we do not find a hint that they are part of criminal or terrorist elements, we will release them.

Anyway, they can be traced based on documents they have,” Aplasca

The bullet-planting scheme allegedly involves airport personnels secretly planting bullets in passengers’ luggage and would later ask money in exchange for their release and record-free passports.

Inquirer.net photo

added.

Authorities would just confiscate the bullet and let the passengers board their flights.

However, this policy is not effective against passengers apprehended with two bullets or more, or passengers caught with firearms.

New plans for NAIA Along with the new policy against bullet-planting schemes, the department of transportation (dOt) laid out new plans to improve ninoy Aquino international Airport (nAiA), one of the country’s premier airports.

According to reports from ABs-

CBn, plans include installing new and high-definition security cameras, free wifi, and fixing of air conditioning and sanitation systems in the airport. nAiA has been included in the list of “World’s Worst Airports” from years 2011 to 2014. in 2015, nAiA has been removed from the world list but still ranked eighth in “Worst Airports in Asia.” the government targets to accomplish the plan within the first 100 days of the new administration. through this, they hoped to start reclaiming the nAiA’s name from any worst airports lists. n

Belmonte files anti-political dynasty bill

by Marc Jayson

cayabyab

Inquirer.net

AnOtHer bill seeking to prohibit political dynasties was filed in the 17th Congress after the measure failed to see light in the previous congresses long dominated by political clans.

Outgoing speaker and Quezon City rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. filed a bill seeking to prohibit political dynasties in Congress. in House Bill 166 titled “Antipolitical dynasty Act,” Belmonte proposed an enabling law to the provision in the 1987 Constitution that seeks to prohibit the proliferation of political clans.

According to the bill, a politi-

cal dynasty exists when three or more individuals within the second degree of consanguinity hold or run for national or local office in simultaneous or overlapping terms. “no two persons within the second civil degree of consanguinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, allowed to hold or run for any local or national elective office in the same election,” the bill read. “no three persons within the second civil degree of consan- Outgoing Speaker Sonny Belmonte Jr. I nquirer.net photo by Leo Sabangan II guinity or affinity, whether legitimate or illegitimate, full or half the same election,” it added. blood, related to each other shall the bill said aspiring candibe allowed to hold or run for any dates related to each other may local or national elective office in u PAGE A11

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A10 JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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57% satisfied with Aquino on exit

by Helen

Flores Philstar.com

MANILA—Former president Benigno Aquino III ended his term with a “moderate” net satisfaction rating from “very good” during his first three months in office, the latest survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed.

Aquino’s net satisfaction rating was at +29 (57 percent satisfied, 28 percent dissatisfied) in June 2016, up by two points from April’s +27 (57 percent satisfied, 30 percent dissatisfied), according to the SWS poll published in the newspaper COMING OUT. Police Chief Inspector Merine de Guzman and PO3 James Allen Viña talk to illegal drug users who surrendered in Muntinlupa Business World. on Tuesday, July 5 at the Putatan Barangay Hall. A total of 257 drug users and pushers surrendered to the police and barangay officials.

The poll was conducted from ManilaTimes.net photo June 24 to 27 or days before Aquino stepped down from office on June 30 using face-to-face interviews with 1,200 adults nationwide.

Aquino obtained “very good” +60 in September 2010 after assuming the presidency in June that year.

MANILA—The Philippines’s The two-point rise in Aquino’s permanent representative to net score in the latest poll was the United Nations called on due to an increase of 13 points in the union’s member countries Metro Manila from zero in April; to support the rule of law in the and 12 points improvement to upcoming decision of its arbitral +42 in Mindanao. tribunal in connection with the It was steady in the rest of LuSouth China Sea dispute. zon at +23 and lower by 12 points Ambassador Lourdes Yparrato +38 in the Visayas. guirre informed the Department By socio-economic class, it of Foreign Affairs that state parties to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) have been updated of the developments in the arbitration proceedings since their last meeting in

by AureA CAliCA Philstar.com June 2015.

“We believe in the fairness and thoroughness of the arbitral pro- In this July 7, 2015 photo, legal counsels and representatives from the Philippines argue on MANILA—Manila ranked ceedings, the binding character of the tribunal’s jurisdiction over the case against China on the South China Sea dispute.

145th among 181 cities evaluthe outcome, and the need for all ated according to smartness or States Parties to the Convention raguirre pointed out that China nam, another claimant state, strategic planning. and all members of the interna- dredged out and pulverized en- should not raise its concerns beIn Southeast Asia, the Philiptional community to respect this tire systems of coral reefs in the fore the UNCLOS as it is not the pines’ capital region ranked beoutcome,” Yparraguirre said. proper forum. disputed waters. hind Singapore, Bangkok and Yparraguirre stressed that the Beijing earlier accused Manila Kuala Lumpur in the 10 dimen“[A]nd thus devastated the alupcoming award of the interna- ready fragile marine ecosystem of deception by engaging in pub- sions in the study: economy, tional tribunal would be the rule and biodiversity of the region licity stunts to gain international human capital, technology, the of law on the dispute. by irreparably destroying the sympathy and illegally occupy- environment, international outThe UN tribunal is set to is- habitat of depleted, threatened ing some features of China’s reach, social cohesion, mobility sue its ruling on the Philippines’s or endangered species and other Nansha Islands or Spratly Group and transportation, governance, case against China’s nine-dash forms of marine life,” Yparragu- of Islands. urban planning and public manline claim over the South China irre said.

On Oct. 29, 2015, the arbitral agement.

Sea on July 12.

The Philippine envoy called on tribunal ruled it has jurisdiction The IESE Cities in Motion In“The rule of law is a just and the international community to to rule on the Philippines’s com- dex 2016, released on its website peaceful means of resolving dis- strengthen UNCLOS by support- plaint against China. by the Center for Globalization putes. The Philippines will fully ing the upcoming ruling of its China, however, insisted it and Strategy, IESE Business respect the tribunal’s award as Permanent Court of Arbitration. would not participate in the pro- School, University of Navarra, is an affirmation of the ConvenMeanwhile, China’s Deputy ceedings and would not recog- aimed at reviewing the world’s tion,” the Philippine envoy said. Permanent Representative to nize nor implement the interna- cities as to what “they want to During the annual meeting the UN, Ambassador Wu Haitao, tional tribunal’s ruling. (Patricia of UNCLOS state parties, Ypar- said the Philippines and Viet- Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

PH envoy calls on UN to support rule of law in arbitration

The two-point rise in Aquino’s net score in the latest poll was due to an increase of 13 points in Metro Manila from zero in April; and 12 points improvement to +42 in Mindanao.

Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet

dropped seven points to settle at +10 among ABC, and eight points to +28 among those belonging to the E class. It went up five points to +30 among those in Class D. According to the SWS, Aquino’s final rating was the highest compared to the closing net scores of his predecessors, Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, “poor” 17; Joseph Estrada, “neutral” +9; Fidel Ramos, “moderate” +19;

and even to that of his mother, Corazon Aquino, with a “neutral” +7.

SWS classifies net satisfaction scores of at least +70 as “excellent”; +50 to +69 as “very good”; +30 to +49, “good”; +10 to +29, “moderate”, +9 to -9, “neutral”; -10 to -29, “poor”; -30 to -49, “bad”; -50 to -69, “very bad”; as well as -70 and below, “execrable.” n

World’s smartest cities: Manila ranks 145th London.

“With an average performance, we have 54 cities (29.83 percent), while the performances classified as low include 13.81 percent of the selected cities. No city gets an average low rating.

Of the top 25 cities, nine are European, 11 are North American, three are Asian and two are from Oceania,” the report stated.

Manila has an average performance based on the dimensions used to evaluate cities.

According to the CIMI report, cities around the world face major global challenges although they generate 80 percent of global economic growth and wealth.

These include economic crises, demographic trends, social divisions and environmental consequences.

“The scope and magnitude of all of this create new challenges for cities’ sustainability,” the report said.

“Smart cities generate numerous business opportunities and possibilities for collaboration between the public and private sectors. All stakeholders can contribute, so an ecosystem network must be developed that will involve all of them: members of the public, organizations, institutions, government, universities, experts, research centers, (et cetera),” the report noted.

The new edition of the CIMI has among the most important changes—wider geographical coverage, higher number of indicators, greater variability at city level, combination of objective Photo taken on June 3 shows vehicles during rush hour on EDSA. Among 181 countries reviewed, and subjective indicators, better the Philippines ranked 145th in the IESE Cities in Motion Index 2016, which ranks the world’s analysis and improved methodolbest cities in terms of innovation, sustainability and quality of life. ogy. n

PAGE A8 t

be, what their priorities are and where they stand now” to meet the challenges of urbanization.

Among Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the island city-state of Singapore landed in 22nd place; Bangkok, Thailand, 84th; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 88th; Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 158th; and Jakarta, Indonesia, 170th.

The top 10 cities are: New York, United States; London, United Kingdom; Paris, France; San Francisco; Boston; Amsterdam, Netherlands; Chicago; Seoul, South Korea; Geneva, Switzerland and Sydney, Australia.

Tokyo, Japan ranked 12th and Beijing, China was in 92nd spot.

For 2015, the CIMI report said 56.35 percent of the cities had a performance rated high or relatively high, and the ranking was headed by New York City and

Do you care enough?

lessons she imparted to me, but only her comforting voice. When she was taken to the provinces to be cared for by my loving aunt, I lost her companionship.

Instead of mourning those three losses, unable to articulate my feelings then, I simply vowed no more dogs for me.

Turn on the switch It got me thinking that the heart is somewhat like a garbage disposal. It stores your pains, sufferings, suspicions and past wounds. If you don’t turn on the switch to break down the garbage thoughts, to allow broken down pieces of mind creations to flow out—out of the cells of your body—you might find that your heart has become the repository of toxic cells. Toxic cells that have gone amuck and are free to take over all the healthy living cells in your body and cause illnesses.

Or the heart can be filled with so much love, that like a tank, it can be overflowing with love, as my apo, Princess (a pseudonym), who at 1 ½ years old, gets excited about dropping blueberries for her dog, anticipating that he will eat them on the floor. Even when her dog is not around, she is dropping food for him on the floor, knowing that her dog is part of her life.

Had I simply stopped her from dropping food on the floor, without knowing why she does that, I would have made her feel unsafe.

But by observing her while in my home and at my daughter’s, it made sense.

When she sees a neighbor’s dog, she makes sounds, “whew, whew, huh, huh,” to say hi.

I realized one can also talk to one’s heart, where we can pro-

cess our inner thoughts, past grudges, grievances, and decide to replace them with happy memories. We can decide to clean our soul, to forgive and to love folks who betrayed us, at a distance, and to be present to give and to receive joys from family and friends.

I also know now that no one is obliged to love me. Not even my mother, my father, my sisters, my husband, my children nor my friends. It is enough that I am God’s beloved and that whoever loves me is a gift and God’s grace.

I also learned that I can just be like Princess, and be present.

Now, at the retired phase of my life, instead of expecting that my adult children “should visit,” I say yes to spontaneity and new opportunities for the day.

There are days when I cook a storm. Sometimes, I am lucky and my oldest joins us for an impromptu dinner or breakfast. I am most happy when she does.

Just the other day, I got lucky again, as our youngest invited us for lunch.

I simply think, what miracle will the Universe give me today?

I was feeding my toddler and as I paid attention to her, she gave me a flying kiss. She got me kissing her back and I bet, my chuckles could be heard up to my neighbor’s house.

Today I woke up, and without even saying anything to my husband, he had the same cravings for breakfast—pancakes to go with homemade strawberry preserves that I made. I was so grateful that “he read my mind” and made breakfast.

My lessons from trauma: Process your dark thoughts. Ask if

these thoughts are helping you in the present? Are you allowing past trauma to have permanent, rent-free residence, glued as a heavy anchor to your past?

Instead, give daily love and serve others without holding anything back. Don’t define yourself by how others see you. Use your pain to create new opportunities to improve yourself, especially lives around you, and consciously build a legacy of contributions and service to others.

Being here is not about you, it is about your spirit encased in your skin to enlarge your own humanity. But, also, do not enable injustice, darkness and garbage definitions from others.

Love is all that matters, but so do justice and peace.

Empower folks to be their best selves around you. Refuse to be others’ personal garbage can and instead, remind them to turn on their inner garbage disposal switch!

After all, this is freedom month, wherein we get to celebrate not just July 4th, but also the freedom to be our authentic joyful selves! *** 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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Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 9-12, 2016

A11

PH teen pregnancy rate highest in Asia, says study THE UN Population Fund says the Philippines is the only country in the Asia-Pacific region where the rate of teen pregnancies rose over the last two decades.

A study says teen pregnancies, high youth unemployment and

the slow decline of the overall fertility rate in the Philippines may deprive the country of the faster economic growth that usually comes from having more working-age people than younger and older dependents.

UNFPA country representative Klaus Beck said Tuesday, July 5 that Filipino girls aged 15 to 19 make up 10 percent of the population of 100 million, and one out of 10 of them have already given birth. (Philstar.com)

No more SONA fashion show

by Jess

Diaz Philstar.com

SURPRISE DRUG TEST. Quezon City policemen line up during a surprise drug test as part of the continuing efforts of Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s administration to rid the national police force of drug users.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan

PAGE A8 t

If Duterte fails, we all lose

even if it means doing it over the dead bodies of those who would stand in the way. The 16 millionplus who voted him into office should be cheering him on, except for the fact that many of them have been part of the root cause of that damaged culture.

That includes Duterte, too. For instance, by tolerating the crimes of the NPA in his jurisdiction as mayor, in the name of ridding his city of the more traditional crimes, he bared the kind of weakness that has bedeviled president after president in our hapless country.

Compromise.

And yet compromise is the bitter pill demanded by politics. Regardless of any Utopian promises that Duterte has made, in the privacy of his presidential quarters, when

all of his Solomonic advisers are asleep, he will have to accept the fact that solving one problem of nationhood may require tolerating another problem.

There are other realities that Duterte has to deal with. During the Marcos regime, Imee Marcos aptly described Malacañang as a snake pit. It still is. Who among Duterte’s closest confidants are among the snakes? He will soon find out. One thing is certain – in dealing with the CPP-NPA, he will be dealing with scorpions.

The other reality is that, reforming a country is like trying to scale the steep face of a mountain. For his cabinet officials and other appointees, it will be challenging, exciting and inspiring at the outset. But soon, some will begin to tire and fall off. Others will seek

short-cuts. Duterte himself, if he manages to maintain his zeal, will soon realize that he has fewer and fewer support. Msgr. Juan Hervas, moving spirit of the Cursillo, pointed out that every organization or movement eventually has to depend on a few hardy souls to keep it alive. He described them as martyrs. Duterte will find that out before his term ends. Unfortunately, he may also realize that the martyrs left to scale the mountain with him are Jose Maria Sison and the CPP-NPA. If we don’t want that to happen, then we must be willing to scale the mountain with Duterte and help him succeed. Truman was wrong. The buck does not stop with the president. If Duterte fails, we all lose. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

erations on the floor.

In his explanatory note, Belmonte said there is a need for an implementing law for Section 26, Article II of the Constitution that reads: “The State shall guarantee equal access to opportunities for public service and prohibit political dynasties as may be defined by law.”

“Almost 30 years have passed without an enabling law to define political dynasties. Meanwhile, the present political landscape is witness to influential politicians and their families, maintaining positions of power for a considerable time,” Belmonte said.

Belmonte added that the concentration of power among a few political clan members “has led to the creation of dynastic reigns

by different political families in all levels, from the barangay to the provinces.”

Belmonte, himself a patriarch of a political dynasty in Quezon City, said there is a need to put a cap on political clans to allow others to join the political foray.

“Social justice requires us to provide equal opportunity for all, including the opportunity to serve. Political dynasties make it prohibitive for our citizens to run for public office,” Belmonte said.

“It is thus incumbent upon the House of Representatives and the Senate to provide an enabling law defining political dynasties to give people who do not belong to political dynasties a chance to serve the people,” he added. n

Belmonte files anti-political dynasty...

PAGE A9 t

settle the decision through a raffle to determine who among them would be allowed to run for office in the same election.

Any person may seek to disqualify a candidate who violated the anti-political dynasty provision of this bill.

The original dynasty cap of one family member in an elective position was criticized in the 16th Congress for laying off at least 180 members of the 290-strong chamber. On the other hand, a dynasty cap of at least two family members in politics would affect only 60 of 290 members.

Belmonte had filed the bill after the similar measure was killed in the 16th Congress, which saw the bill reach second reading delib-

MANILA—Change is also coming to the annual State of the Nation Address (SONA) of the President before a joint session of Congress.

Incoming speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has told his colleagues that President Duterte wants a simple first SONA on July 25.

“We have been informed that the President, true to form, does not want pomp and pageantry during his SONA. Simplicity is the byword,” Rep. Rodel Batocabe of party-list group Ako Bicol said.

He said the July 25 event “will not be a fashion show, unlike previous presidential addresses

before the joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate.”

“The leadership wants us to wear business dress, not fashion show attire. The fashion show will be a thing of the past,” he said.

He added that Alvarez also wants the House secretariat not to roll out the traditional red carpet for VIPs like the President.

Batocabe urged his colleagues to wear modest dress on July 25.

“The SONA is the President’s show. Let us give it to him. Let us not upstage him,” he said.

Duterte is fond of casual attire. During the Air Force anniversary celebration last Tuesday, he paired a traditional barong

Tagalog with denim jeans.

“The SONA should not be a parade of stars because the President is just a simple man who doesn’t like walking the red carpet like a Hollywood celebrity,” Batocabe said.

“We are not attending film exhibitions and awarding ceremonies like FAMAS, Oscars or Cannes, where famous actors and actresses are treated to a red carpet welcome,” he said.

He said the SONA is a serious and solemn event where the President unveils his roadmap for the nation.

“Let us keep it that way. Let us not do anything that will distract our people from listening to and focusing on our leader’s message,” he added. n

A12 JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

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Journal

Fil-Am news producer wins Emmy

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

Area to San Bernardino. By the many people here in the Bay Area time Leongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 6 p.m. newscast was know exactly where San BernardiWorking as a producer for set for broadcast, the nBC Bay no is,â&#x20AC;? Leong said, adding that the a daily broadcast news team re- Area team was able to gather their connection between the Bay Area quires attention to detail, organiza- own information and report their and the LA area prompted the station to send three separate crews tional skill and the ability to adapt own stories. â&#x20AC;&#x153;When you cover a story as big to San Bernardino. to unpredictable circumstances.

After covering the initial shock So when the San Bernardino as this, you canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t just look at how attack happened on the morning you can cover it for one hour, you of the attack, the station began of Dec. 2, 2015, Anthony Leong, a have to see how to cover it for the producing the reaction stories. The Fil-Am news producer for the Bay next 24 hours,â&#x20AC;? Leong, 33, told the team produced â&#x20AC;&#x153;reality Checkâ&#x20AC;? stories, which investigated the Areaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s nBC station knTV, knew Asian Journal.

Leong said that covering the at- perpetratorsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; backgrounds and he had to act quickly and utilize everything he has learned working tack held a lot of significance to the provided in-depth analysis on the as a local news producer for the team because of the proximity of attack itself.

Leong was also a part of the the attacks to their home base. past 10 years. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Attacks like this donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t happen news team that was nominated And that he did. Along with his diligent production team, Leong very often, thank god. This was for breaking news coverage of the won a northern California Emmy a big story for us because itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s so massive Valley Fire that consumed Award for their 24-hour continu- close to home and because so large portions of Lake County and Fil-Am news producer Anthony Leong with his Emmy. ous coverage of on the San Bernardino attack.

The Emmy Award-winning team included executive producer Dan Pyryt; producers Alison Holeyman, Eric rich and Leong; anchors raj Mathai and Janelle Wang; reporters Peggy Bunker and Cheryl Hurd; photojournalists -/( *VU]LU[PVUHS robert Beasom and Mykie Vang and assignment editor gonzalo 7\YJOHZL 9LMPUHUJL rojas.

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affected Sonoma and napa coun- from the fire line. ties in September 2015. knTV While fires frequent the local covered the second fire that broke news cycle in California, Leong out and had crews broadcast live PAGE B3

B JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Moonlighting

by Mylah de

leon

Features

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Farewells never need to be rackety, just heartfelt

Out of their ink-stained asylums, the LA media trooped to the Philippine Consulate. From LOS ANGELES — Farewells town hall meetings at the Rizal are always both sad and bright Hall, where elbows, perfumes and like after the rain. June has been conversations invaded even the a string of goodbye parties for LA cramped space of one’s chair, the Consul General Leo Herera-Lim meetings were more like a little

Asking questions that make the ConGen smile at the Moonlighter.

convergence of the relatively tame media that constantly complain in silence that they’re treated with benign neglect.

The Fil-Am community who are bound by strength in numbers and locked with dedication to their respected endeavors, represent and affect collective thoughts and ideas in order to ensure the victory of any undertaking. The ConGen had given us his over all reflections on his 3 1/2 years stint as representative of the president.

The media, youth group, Fil-Am organizations, prominent businessmen women, and civil leaders will remember his renowned skills on economic diplomacy, comprehensive knowledge on local and international economy.

It is said that the art of diplomacy is a blend of fact, fiction and poetry. With its peculiar comments of hints and harmonious overtures, it is about the important, the tragic, the smug, the amusing and humane. In a wealth of lighthearted knowledge about how foreign services actually work from their cloistered embassy, to summit meetings on the problems of international life. Thru a fund of anecdotes and quotations, we’re able to parch on, now and then lies a persuasive message.

The ConGen with LA media Lydia V. Solis, Evelyn Portugal, Larry Pelayo, and Dante.

Mrs. Fides Hererra-Lim, the sterling half of the ConGen.

Splendid requirements? But these are the qualities expected of an ideal diplomat.

The public image of diplomats (particularly reflected in the media) could be at times, strangely confusing — their life and work, their skills and abilities, flaws and vulnerability and their wit.

How they ever deal between posturings of the politically committed, to find a middle course into the well-oiled mechanism of international relations, of its complexities, negotiations and political assessment; we will never know.

For some time, we’ve meant to ask the ConGen some of the lighter aspects on diplomacy. If there are more entertaining and amusing aspects, including the trivialities of diplomacy helped by fiction, and a bit of humor like,

And before he could reply, we continued, You know, sir, for deniability.”

The ensuing repartee was such a diplomatic treat that I have yet PAGE B4

The ConGen fully supported Filipino Historic Town events with Trini Foliente and Lyn Teal.

“Sir, was there ever a time, you had marched us to the president, whom you represent in a foreign land and had politely asked, ‘Mr. President, Sir, is there something I should know, or do not know?’”

Lives dedicated to God and God’s people abarquez-delacruz, J.d.

“RemembeR: You belong to God from eternity to eternity. You were loved by God before you were born; you will be loved by God long after you die. Your human lifetime—long or short—is only a part of your total life in God. The length of time doesn’t matter.

Life is just a little opportunity for

you during a few years to say to God: “I love you, too.” - Henri J. Nouwen It was a first, to be at the consecration of the first FilipinoAmerican Bishop Oscar Solis on February 10, 2004, appointed by Pope John Paul II, now St. John Paul II.

Over 2,000 witnessed Ordination Mass at the Cathedral of Angels in Downtown Los Angeles.

12 years later, another first to witness 9 graduates of St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, ordained by the Most Reverend Jose H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles to the Order of Priesthood , on June 4, 2016 .

Rev. Jeffrey Vincent Baker, Rev. Joshua Edward Diener, Rev. Luis Angel Espinoza Trinidad, Rev. Paolo Martin Jacinto Garcia, Rev. Anthony Richard Garcias, Rev. Gregorio Hidalgo, Rev. Matthew Paul Murphy, Rev. Ethan Douglas Southard and Rev. Albert van der Woerd ranged in ages, 29 to 56 yo.

Three have musical backgrounds: a classically trained singer in Rev. Joshua Diener; Rev. Albert van der Woerd‘s original composition, That Your Fruit Should Abide, sung by the choir, and Rev. Gregorio Hidalgo .

They grew up in various parts of Los Angeles: Glendale, North Hills, Long Beach, Rowland Heights, Santa Monica and Santa Clarita.

Each will have new parishes: St. Charles Borromeo in North Hollywood, St. Mary’s in Palmdale, St. Gregory the Great in Whittier, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton in Rowland Heights, St. John Chrysostom in Inglewood, St. Rose of Lima in Simi Valley, St. Monica in Santa Monica, Our Lady of Perpetual Help in Santa Clarita and San Buenaventura Mission in Ventura.

I met one of the new priests, Laid prostrate reverence Rev. Fr. Joshua Edward Diener, as a seminarian intern at the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in East Hollywood, mentored by Fr. Rodel Balagtas. He led at a Lenten retreat during choir singing. He also did his first homily in English, recalling his best friend’s loyalty and love that he has for him and his family.

The Ordination Mass at the Cathedral of Angels in Downtown Los Angeles The mass lasted 3 hours, with AJ Ads 69_Layout 1 5/6/16 laying 4:52 PM Page 1 200 priests individually PAGE B4 Nine new priests

age gracefully

A Fusion of Flavors Accent Shrimp and Quinoa Recipe Asian Fusion Shrimp and Quinoa Serves 4

BY GRACE O

This week, I have a fistful of flavor to bring to a new quinoa dish from my latest cookbook, The AGE BEAUTIFULLY Cookbook, In Southeast Asia, where I grew up, the cuisine has been influenced by many countries: China, Japan, Spain, France, America, and to some extent the Middle East and Northern Africa. So I’ve been practicing fusion cooking my whole life.

Asian fusion cooking is about using Mediterranean or American ingredients and, possibly, French techniques in classical Chinese, Thai, or Filipino recipes. I’m not intimidated by exotic ingredients, but I know that many of my American friends can be. For them, I try to use more familiar spices to simplify the cooking process. I also look at trends in the healthy cooking sector and add my own delicious Southeast Asian spin to the recipes that are sometimes bland.

Take quinoa, which is a very trendy ingredient right now because of its many health benefits. To me, it has almost no flavor, and because I won’t eat something just because it’s good for me, I have to find a way to cook it so that I crave it. So I did.

I took that crunchy Incan grain and added some sautéed shrimp, onions, scallions, and orange bell peppers and kicked up the flavor.

Quinoa has plenty of fiber, which helps with weight loss. It’s also an excellent source of folate, which protects the brain and heart. Shrimp contains Omega-3 fatty acids, which are also hearthealthy and anti-inflammatory, as well as immune-boosting selenium.

Ingredients 3-4 cups water ¼ tsp. pink Himalayan sea salt 1 medium-sized stalk of lemongrass, cut into 3-inch pieces 1 cup quinoa 1 lb. peeled and deveined shrimp ¾ cup chopped orange or red bell pepper ¼ cup chopped scallions 1 tsp. crushed garlic 4 Tbs. coconut oil 1 cup crushed tomatoes ¼ tsp. turmeric powder Salt or salt substitute and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. In a medium saucepan with a lid, bring the water, salt, and lemongrass to a boil over high heat.

2. Add the quinoa, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.

3. In a shallow pan, sauté the shrimp, vegetables, and garlic in the oil over medium heat for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.

4. Add the tomatoes, turmeric, salt, and pepper and cook an additional 3 minutes or until the shrimp are opaque and the vegetables are halfway between crisp and tender.

5. Remove the lemongrass from the quinoa.

6. To serve, spoon the sauce over the quinoa.

CHEF’S NOTE: If using chicken, cut a skinless, boneless breast (organic or free-range) into 1-inch cubes. Sauté the chicken and vegetables for 5 minutes (step 3).

GRACE O – Combining her passion for food and a commitment to promoting a healthy lifestyle, GRACE O has created FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. Grace O is a fusion chef and cookbook author with a mission: to introduce 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

© 2016 by FoodTrients.com

By Prosy

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Features

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B

Mostly Mozart Concert: ‘Sounding Body with Community of Four Strings’ by Fil-Am Adventist Youth Chamber Orchestra and Matthew John

By Prosy

AbArquez-DelAcruz, J.D.

“Hard work, dedication, and an outstanding teacher are what pushed Lyka and me to master this duet. Uncle Nonoy [alsaybar] always encouraged us to play from the heart. He emphasized that performances are wasted if the emotion does not leave the stage. a performer’s true goal is to reach out and touch the audience in a way [that] words and actions cannot.

Uncle Nonoy’s lifelong motivation is what gave us the determination to perform that night. On stage it was a moment of nerves and excitement. Off stage was a moment of relief and joy for a work well done.” – Nathan Espinosa, 19-year-old violinist Mostly Mozart Concert by FilAm Adventist Youth Chamber Orchestra, directed by Maestro Nonoy Alsaybar, Ph.D. on May 28 at the Temple Seventhday Adventist Church in Temple City, California held a special place in my heart. That day was the funeral mass, burial and post- FilAm Adventist Youth Chamber Orchestra with Maestro Nonoy Alsaybar and Matthew John. burial reception for my eldest Photos by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. sister, Rose Abarquez Alcantara, 67yo. to do was cry. But, what would John Ignacio.

Matthew John, now 22 is a When I got home, all I wanted Rose do? The answer was quickly derived: she well-acclaimed cellist and music would support arranger, a performing artist for this concert, no ABS-CBN Television, also known matter how she as The Filipino Channel. He has wowed thousands of Filipinos felt.

So it was. in live cello music for Kalayaan Much like what events in San Francisco two years Royal Academy in a row. He has appeared in of Music illus- concerts with Andrea Morricone trated, “violin as his hand-picked cellist for a is a sounding Christmas concert and solo acbody with four cordionist at the Broad Stage in strings as their Santa Monica. I have been writcommunity,” ing about Matthew John since he I smiled, as it was 12yo and each performance made me recall brings an ascending scale to his the FilAm Ad- musicality.

Born in 1994 in Los Angeles, ventist Youth Chamber Or- he began piano studies at 8yo and chestra. The cello at 12-year-old. He became youth cham- a student of noted piano pedaber orchestra, gogue, Bernadene Blaha of USC m a d e u p o f Thorton School of Music, and won various ethnici- several competitions in piano, and ties and young also the accordion. A graduate ages, felt like a of Colburn School of Performing cohesive com- Arts, he studied with cellist Dr. munity. Their Richard Naill. Recently, Matthew guest perform- John became a licensed registered er that evening nurse and now works as a case Nonoy Alsaybar with Matthew John and Krystle Ocdamia, both holding was Matthew cellos Photos by Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. PAGE B5

A MOTHER’S AND HER ATTORNEY’S PERSISTENCE RESULT IN HER DAUGHTERS FINALLY BEING ISSUED CSPA VISAS BASED ON “EXTRAORDINARY CIRCUMSTANCES”-- ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Lolita left her two daughters in the Philippines to seek a better life in the US, with the dream that she would eventually have them join her. However, her previous attorney missed the one year “sought to acquire” filing deadline for CSPA eligibility, resulting in the Embassy refusing to issue their immigrant visas. Leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was her beacon of hope, as he did not give up in trying to convince the Embassy that the daughters should be entitled to visas, despite missing the one-year deadline. Find out how Atty. Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to prove extraordinary circumstances, have the two “aged-out” daughters be issued visas, and reunite this family on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday, July 10 at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.

Fil-Am news producer wins...

PAGE B1 said the Valley Fire was an entirely different animal.

“Fires aren’t easy to cover, but you know what to do. But this wasn’t in the playbook or anything like we’ve done before,” said Leong.

With 10 years of experience in of producing news, it isn’t a surprise that the seasoned news producer is receiving praise for his work.

But broadcast journalism wasn’t always Leong’s the dream.

Leong, who is half-Filipino and half-Chinese, knew he wanted to work in television but didn’t know exactly what he wanted to do. The Eagle Rock and Burbank native studied at California State University, Northridge where he majored in television production.

He then landed an internship at ABC/7 in Burbank during his senior year, which helped in establishing his place in the news industry.

“That’s when I fell in love with it,” Leong said, who took up a minor in journalism shortly after realizing he wanted to work in news.

The internship experience helped him get his first producing job at a KESQ, the local CBS station in Palm Springs’. He then

spent three years as a news producer in Portland, Oregon.

In late 2013, Leong started working as a news producer for NBC Bay Area.

“I love what I do and whenever I get asked why I like it, I say it’s the one job I’ve ever had that lets me watch television and go on the Internet all day long,” Leong quipped.

After a decade ten years of news producing, Leong doesn’t see himself slowing down anytime soon.

A newsman at heart, he remarked at on the fast-paced world of daily broadcast journalism.

Although he does little writing now, he leads a team of writers and producers under him that

produce the scripts, which he then copyedits before broadcast. As one of the team’s producers, he makes major editorial decisions on news stories, pitches and develops stories and marshalls breaking news.

The next natural step in his career, Leong said, would to become an executive producer of news.

“There’s no other job where people are so well-informed and know what’s going on, and it blows my mind,” Leong said. “It’s never been the most high-paying job, but it’s always been the most interesting job I can ever think about.

You start at square one everyday.

Whatever you did yesterday, you can’t rest on your laurels.”

B JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Programming of ‘Kababayan From Ian to Angelina: Motel heir is trans woman Today,’ July 11-15, 2016

The Global Kababayan G. TönGi Monday, July 11 - Get to know fashon designer Nephi Garcia and how his costume designs have become a sensation all over the world!

Tuesday, July 12 - author Mila Garcia share exclusive readings of her book “Women against Marcos.”

Wednesday, July 13 - Midweek News Updates from the asian Journal and Mia Mcleod

of McLeod and associates gives real estate advice.

San Beda alumni association gives details of their next upcoming event this weekend.

Thursday, July 14 - actor, writer and director Rodney To promotes his new play “One of the Lucky Ones” at the echo Theater.

Friday, July 15 - We pay tribute to Nestor Redondo, a Filipino comic artist best known for his work for DC Comics, Marvel Comics, and other american

publishers in the 1970s and early 1980s. *** Giselle “G” Töngi is the host and producer of Kababayan Today, a daily talk show that features relevant topics for Filipino’s living in America. Her aim is to bridge not only the cultural gap between America & the Philippines but to help with the generational gap between our own people. She is married with two children and is based in Southern California and makes frequent trips in the Pacific Rim to Hawaii and Manila to feature fellow kababayans who are empowering the FilAm community.

Cruising through history, culture and grandeur: My first Mediterranean cruise

By Monet

Baste Duterte speaks out against stereotyping, discrimination

Lu

Have you ever been in one of those cruises that just took your breath away? If not, I highly encourage you to try it at least once in your life. I promise you’ll never regret it.

I wasn’t as enthusiastic as I am now when my dear friend, Dr. Lorraine Diego asked me to join her and her parents, Ray and Nora, to go on a cruise.

Don’t get me wrong — I am not hard to please. Of course, I love the idea of sailing to some of the world’s great cities, meeting different people and feasting to your hearts content. I just didn’t have any expectations – yet – because I haven’t been in one. all of that changed when two weeks ago I had one of the most unforgettable trips in my life (Thank you, Lorraine!).

So off I went with no expectations. The package was a Mediterranean 7- day cruise through Spain, Italy and France.

Since it was my first time, I couldn’t remember ever feeling so excited and nervous at the same time.

Our port of embarkation was in Barcelona where we spent the first night. There, we boarded the Norwegian epic and before I knew it, we were sailing towards Rome. We met with our friends, Junior Catindig and Gilbert, who gave us a tour around the city.

Our first stop was the Colosseum. voted as one of the New Seven Wonders of the World, the Colosseum is just breathtaking. The vibe takes you back to the Roman empire and you hear echoes of ancient gladiators fighting.

This great amphitheater was built to give favors to successful legionnaires and to celebrate the glory of the Roman empire.

a MOTeL chain heir and prominent car enthusiast created a buzz in the local fashion and automobile industries over the weekend after coming out as a transgender woman. a report on SPOT.ph said model and host Joey Mead’s husband, victoria Court managing director Ian King, has come out as angelina Mead King. angelina posted a photo on her Instagram account showing her and Joey with the caption “Freedom.” angelina’s father is archimedes King, owner of the victoria Court chain of motels, who died in a plane crash in July last year.

The couple, married in November 2011, will reportedly release a Photo from Angelina King’s Instagram account shows her with wife Joey Mead. statement soon.

Upon hearing the news, their Deakin said in a Facebook post. hailtothe_queen_, which has “Hey, if you ain’t hurting any- been active since 2012. closest friends, including former beauty queen Maggie Wilson one and it makes you happy, it’s She only posted a photo with and motoring journalist James all the same to me. Good luck, Joey, whom she called her “rock Deakin, offered words of encour- Ian/angie,” he added. and number one supporter,” on angelina’s journey as a trans Saturday. Prior to that, she was agement.

“So one of the car guys I look woman is documented in her seen posting photos of herself in up to the most is now a woman,” second Instagram account, @ various outfits. (Philstar.com)

Its design concept still stands to this very day. a shout out to those who want to explore Rome: this should be in your bucket list.

We also went to St. Peter’s Basilica and I was awed by its grandeur and magnificence. The Basilica overlooks St. Peter’s Square, which was designed

by Bernini in the 17th century. after our jaws dropped over the cathedrals, we had to stop by the Trevi Fountain (3rd to the left in photo) where Lorraine and I tossed coins as we wished upon this infamous fountain.

By the way, we also met a lot of Filipinos in the places we visited. Most of them live and worked there for many years. as always, it’s a wonderful experience reconnecting with our kababayans in different parts of the world.

We also visited Pompeii, which is a city in Rome that was buried under a thick carpet of volcanic ash when Mount vesuvius erupted in 79 a.D. This volcano near the Bay of Naples in Italy has erupted more than 50 times.

Then we sailed off to Florence, Italy on our fourth day.

It is one of the most beautiful provinces we’ve been to. It was very cosmopolitan but still preserving the old world look.

There are designer stores and fabulous restaurants everywhere, and the whole place is just nostalgically magnificent. and since we were in Italy, we didn’t pass up the chance to check out the Leaning Tower of Pisa. History tells us that it was constructed in 1173 but was interrupted due to subsidence, which is the reason it is “leaning.”

The following day, we sailed to Cannes in France – very chic and sophisticated. Then we were off to Marseilles the next day.

Our last stop was back to Barcelona where I saw the beauty of Spain when I gazed at at the awe-inspiring spires of Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. It is, hands down, the most beautiful and enchanting church I have ever laid my eyes on.

It was stated that the Sagrada Família Basilica has entered its final stage of construction, over 100 years since its foundation stone was laid and 90 years after its designer, antoni Gaudi died.

Six new towers will be added to complete the work. The tallest of the six spires, the Tower of Jesus Christ will measure over 172 meters and make the Sagrada Família the tallest religious building in europe. Chief architect Jordi Fauli said the structure is on track to complete in 2026 to coincide with the centenary of Gaudi’s death.

Last but not the least, we visited the Montserrat church.

“Montserrat” literally means, “saw (serrated, like the common hand saw) mountain” in Catalan. It describes its peculiar aspect with multitude of rock formations that are visible from a great distance. Montserrat is Spain’s first National Park.

Overall, the experience left me yearning for more. I love that I’ve learned a lot about the cities we’ve been to. I must say, this trip has awakened my newly discovered fascination of Roman history. I was also glad to have met a lot – or should I say – majority of the ships’ crew who are Filipinos. about seventy-five percent of them are Pinoys and Pinays; from waiters to chefs, stewards, officers, even performers. What can I say, Filpinos are amazing people and they are literally everywhere! all of these memories and awesome experience I will carry with me forever. all thanks to Lorraine, her parents and to our friends who joined us. ***

a FIGHTCON was recently held on July 2 in Quezon City, and there to grace the event was the president’s son, Baste Duterte.

During the event, Baste faced the crowd and gave them some inspiring message and advice about not judging people based on where they came from and how they look.

Baste, who admitted on previous interviews that he is not comfortable talking in front of the cameras, stood confidently in front of the big crowd and sent a loud and clear message – do not be judgmental and stop discrimination and stereotyping.

“Sana practisin natin na walang diskriminasyon. Alam niyo na to...walang diskriminasyon. Let’s start there...Sa totoo lang andito ko ngayon dahil anak ako ng presidente ng Pilipinas, pero otherwise I would not be here. But since I am here I am going to talk about this,”

Manila to study, he said “akala ng mga kaklase ko, dahil taga-Mindanao ako, Muslim na ako.”

“It’s not even bad to be a Muslim. Pero bakit may ganun silang idea na kapag taga-Mindanao, Muslim ka na?” he added.

Moreover, he also encouraged people not to judge people with tattoos and piercings.

“Hindi ibig sabihin...kapag may hikaw ka sa bibig at may tattoo ka sa katawan, addict ka na,” Baste said with certainty.

“Ganun ba yun ‘pag may tattoo ka na, may hikaw ka na, ibig sabihin adik ka o rebellious ka na? No, it’s not always ganoon.

May mga adik na walang tattoo, may mga adik na walang hikaw.”

Baste ended his speech by Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, son of President reminding everyone that they all Rodrigo Duterte. gathered for one cause: to say no he said. to drugs and yes to sports.

Baste went on to share a story FightCon is the first fight and he has never told in public before. conditioning convention in the Recalling the first time he went to Philippines. (Philstar.com)

Farewells never need to be rackety...

PAGE B2

to recover as we found ourselves conversing with with such polish and elegance, We have varying reasons for liking our very own Consul General. First, he is a good ConGen, as he supports the Fil-am community under his jurisdiction and defends our interest, without blinked insularity. He is just and expedient, and applies a mix of tact and humor in any form of conduct. at the Consulate our consuls are there to help us with accidents, illness, death, emergency passports and imprisonment.

They cannot, of course, do everything that is asked of them.

They are not (surprisingly often expected) travel agents, bankers, doctors, lawyers, plumbers, detec-

Light moments at the Philippine Consulate with Ms. Trini Foliente and Cora Aragon.

tives or nannies. But if something Good Luck, Good health Consul goes seriously wrong, they are General Leo Herrera-Lim, till we there for our countrymen. meet again!

Lives dedicated to God and...

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hands on the heads of these 9 new priests, blessing them with “the spirit of holiness” from their fraternity of brotherhood, and welcoming them into their ranks.

In turn, these 9 new priests blessed 11 archbishop, a cardinal and bishops, perhaps a symbol of humility from these church leaders with higher ranking than them.

“You were found to be worthy, chosen and then, now into the order of priesthood,“ as archbishop Jose H. Gomez venerated them, “The priest is the face of Christ, the heart of Christ. You are now the examples of good sheperds – to serve and not to be served,” he emphasized.

He then asked, “Do you promise respect and obedience to me and my successors?” and all replied, “I do.” He said, “Receive the oblation of Holy People to be offered to God. Understand what you do. Imitate what you celebrate.

Conform your life to the mysteries of the Lord’s cross.”

When all 9 laid on the ground, facing downward in reverence, their bodies’ reflections formed a complete circle on the marble floors. It was a very sacred moment which sent goosebumps, some had tears, and one next to me, “I am very proud as a Catholic this morning!” as God’s gift would manifest Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award- more for that day, two joined me winning celebrity beauty stylist with his at my lunch table, unsolicited. St. own chain of Monet Salon salons across Mary Glennon of Holy Faith ComSouthern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. munity, a member of the Spiritual Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around and Human Formation teams at artiste who produces sold-out fashion and St. John Seminary for 15 years awards shows as well as unforgettable offered insights: “every year we marketing campaigns. Monet is also the celebrate the beautiful ordination founder of the revolutionary all-natural ceremony – how good is our God! beauty products such as Enlighten, your “You have not chosen me; I have solution to discoloration. To contact Monet, chosen you,” May God bless our please visit www.monetsalon.com or email new priests.” him at monetsalon@aol.com eman Delfin, Seminarian of

Class of 2019, shared: “The Ordination Mass has always touched my heart deeply and the prayers, a profound awe for the priesthood. Seeing my brothers in seminary get ordained makes the reality of being a priest that much closer, bringing me comfort of the future—for myself as well as for the priestly ministry of the archdiocese.”

I sat with elvira Guzman, who just lost her husband in 2013, and now looks forward to her son, Gilbert Guzman with two years to finish at St. John’s and in 2017, will be a deacon and in 2018, ordained as a priest.

God may have taken two family members from me (my mom and my eldest sister died within a span of 60 days recently),yet somehow God is ushering me to know more priests, one of them is Fr. Joshua Diener.

Who is Rev. Fr. Joshua edward Diener?

Once shy, Fr. Joshua now looks forward to immersing in the lives of church’s parishioners. after all, he observed Fr. Rodel Balagtas, Fr. alex aclan and Fr. Camilo Pacanza’s positive examples with parishioners.

“I look forward to falling in love with the people of God,” Fr. Joshua said, to Maria Luisa Torres of angelus News, “early on, my parents were a great influence on me to live out my faith as fully as I could. When I was young, I loved the wonderful priests of my home parish, and I had a positive image of what priests were and what they did. In high school, I knew that there were different opportunities for me in life, and what was important to me was to do something that was deeply meaningful in the world.

“I seriously considered the life of a priest, but chose to pursue

studying music, which I deeply loved. all the while, I worked in the office of my home parish and saw the day-to-day work of parish priests. The more I invested myself in a path towards a musical career, the more I admired the beautiful and self-sacrificing work of priests.

By the end of my undergraduate career, I knew what I was being asked to do with my life.”

Homeschooled, he had few opportunit ies to immerse in the diasporic vibrant multiple cultures of Los angeles. True to his new conviction of knowing more of God’s people, he joined Harana Men’s Chorus’ Mike Zuniga and Don Martin Sagabarria, one evening in Chinatown for tonkatsu ramen and current affairs discussions. I was with them. as he joined more Filipino – americans, parishioners at times would speak to him in Tagalog, forgetting he speaks mostly english and Spanish. at a Santo Nino celebration, organized by Fr. Rodel Balagtas, a faculty at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo, Rev. Fr. Joshua, a deacon then, led a group of seminarians in singing hymns at mass.

During Simbang Gabi masses at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church (IHMC) in 2014, he joined the choir in singing Tagalog songs.

His efforts at learning other people’s languages continue to endear him to IHMC’s parishioners. On June 12, at 930am, IHMC’s parishioners eagerly await Fr. Joshua to celebrate his first mass and to listen to his first homily. Imagine at age 22, to hear God’s call and 7 years later, he is now a newly ordained priest.

Welcome to being God’s new sheperd, Fr. Joshua Diener, we are proud to have witnessed two years of your journey from intern to deacon to now, a priest!

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Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 9-12, 2016

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Photo contest to promote booming tourism industry Mostly Mozart Concert: ‘Sounding Body with...

by Klarize

Medenilla

AJPress

TOURISM is the third economic driver in the Philippines.

More than ever, people are flocking to the Philippines, with 65 percent of them being “repeat offenders” that return to the Philippines, said Richmond Jimenez, director of the Philippine Department of Tourism - Los Angeles (PDOT-LA).

Apart from the scenic destinations and the food, Jimenez credits the Filipino culture and the people as major motivations for people around the world to visit the Philippines.

“Food creates the perfect backdrop but what’s actually more important is the total experience of being in the Philippines by meeting people,” Jimenez told the Asian Journal. “Filipinos are known to be very hospitable people. We’re great storytellers, we’re great tour guides, and definitely spending five minutes of your time in the Philippines will surely [make you] a Filipino’s friend.”

According to the Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, the country received $5 billion in revenue from tourism in 2015, a 6 percent growth from 2014.

Jimenez credits the efforts of the private sector as well as private citizens for utilizing social media and photo-sharing avenues for publicizing and promoting travel to the Philippines.

To sustain the upward trend, the PDOT-LA and Majestic Vacations partnered up to launch the “Philippine Travel Gems” Facebook Photo Contest. Sponsored

by Philippine Airlines, the contest was designed to share photos of the numerous travel destinations in the Philippines.

The contest is open to anyone and will run from July to November 2016. There is no fee for the contest. Participants may submit

Manny Ilagan, director of business development at Majestic Vacations/GTT International, talks about the Philippines Gems Photo Contest at the contest and raffle launch at Leelin Bakery and Cafe in Cerritos, CA on Wednesday, July 6.

Richmond Jimenez, tourism director of PDOTLA, talks about Philippine tourism at the contest and raffle launch at Leelin Bakery and Cafe in Cerritos, CA on Wednesday, July 6.

ing where the photo as taken and why it is an exceptional tourist destination Entries should be emailed to dotmajestic.photocontest@gmail. com, and after, the entries will be posted on the PDOT-LA Facebook page.

The contest deadline is Nov. 30.

A panel appointed by PDOT-LA, Majestic Vacations/GTT International and Philippine airlines will screen the entries and select the winners. Three winners will be chosen on a criteria of 50 percent substance, impact and creativity and 50 percent technical qualities.

The first prize is a round-trip ticket to the Philippines courtesy of Philippine Airlines plus two nights at a 5-star hotel. The second-place prize is an iPad Air. The most popular entry - the photo that receives the most “likes” and shares on PDOT-LA’s Facebook page - will receive two nights hotel accommodation at a 5-star hotel in Manila.

Leelin Bakery and Cafe, in partnership with PDOT-LA, also showcased its “Leelin VIP Loyalty Rewards Sweepstakes 2016-2017.”

The first prize are two roundtrip tickets to the Philippines complete with a culinary tour. Other prizes will be rewarded including Leelin Bakery and Cafe gift cards as well as the bakery’s popular products.

Anyone who is a member of Leelin Bakery and Cafe’s VIP membership is eligible to join. Visit any Leelin Bakery and Cafe location in LA County and present a Leelin VIP card with any purchase to obtain the free rewards ticket for the raffle. The winning tickets will be announced in January 2017.

For more information on the Philippine Gems Photo Contest, visit www.facebook.com/PhilippineTourismLA. For more information ont Leelin Bakery and Top representatives of Philippine Airlines, PDOT-LA, Majestic Vacations/GTT International and Leelin Bakery and Cafe at the contest and raffle launch at Leelin Bakery and Cafe in Cerritos, Cafe’s VIP sweepstakes, visit www.

CA on Wednesday, July 6.

AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla leelinbakerycafe.com. up to five original photos taken by the participant.

Official contest rules: Entries must be original photos taken by the participant Photos must not have significant digital alterations, however minor editing such as contrast, color balance, cropping etc. is permitted Photos must not bear watermarks, signatures, frames or other markings Participants must show proof of travel to the Philippines that occurred between December 2015 to November 2016 Photos must show any or a combination of tourist destinations Staff members and immediate family members of the Philippine Dept. of Tourism, Majestic Vacations/GTT International and Philippine Airlines are not eligible to join PDOT-LA reserves the right to publish all entrees on the PDOT-LA Facebook page and other relevant websites On a separate document, each entry should come with the following information: Name Mailing address Contact number and email address Title of Entry A 3-5 sentence caption describ-

PAGE B3 manager for a large health care organization, while still pursues cello playing and music arranging in his free time.

As we got in, Matthew John was playing “Live to Dance,” a music for violin and cellos, which he newly arranged for just cellos. The music got me literally stomping my feet, eager to actually move my legs to dance. Perhaps it was the voice of the cello, at first lamenting, accelerating, andthen taking off in jubilation.

I felt the cello voice of his instrument came into my body, became part of my soul, and I now could hear my soul’s lament, but in a way that made me consider the pain , but also to be alive to the musical vibrations of Matthew John’s performance. When Matthew John raised his cello bow, his signature end, I felt my soul coming alive again, that I could not contain my yelling of bravos, and joined in with the crescendo of loud claps of about 200 folks in the audience.

Mostly Mozart Concerto’s coming alive “The preparation for the Mozart Concerto began in late December [2015].

This preparation consisted of scale books, etudes, and even watching several interpretations of the concerto by famous violinists like Hilary Hahn and Sophie - Ann Mutter. The day before the concert, I had moments when I would doubt my skill, memory, and capability. But as the day drew on, I grew more confident. I was confident not only that I had prepared well for this concerto, but I was also confident that God would guide my fingers and hands through it all. Walking onto that stage, I found myself stronger than my doubts and fears.

“When the concerto concluded and the last chord rang in the church, the atmosphere was exhilarating and awe-inspiring. In my perspective, that moment was not about me or my talent at all.

It was about everyone else in the room. In that room, we had our loved ones who have supported us, the musicians. I had no feelings of pride or relief, rather, I was overwhelmed with gratitude towards my friends, family, and God,“ as Lyka shared in an email followup.

Lyka is really talented Angelica Drogemuller, 18 yo, who performed Violin Concerto no. 3 in G Major, (first movement allegro).

Mozart was 19 yo when he com-

posed this. The first movement, animated by Lyka, was a happy and bright interaction between her solo violin and the accompaniment of the orchestra: Elden Borillo, Ariana Dimalanta, Ian Luna, Ogie Ocdamia, Wendell Villanueva, Aidan Wu in first violins.

Lyka is a violin student of Bangele “Nonoy” Alsaybar, Ph.D., who has developed her musicality to become the first violinist with the Glendale Youth Orchestra and the concertmaster of the Glendale High Symphonic Orchestra. While a sophomore, she won a competition and became a featured orchestra soloist of Glendale High School. She will be entering La Sierra University to pursue pre-dental studies to fulfill her ambition to become an orthodontist to disadvantaged children, possibly through Operation Smile.

The rest of the orchestra is made up of second violinists: Charle Chan, principal; Nathan Estipona, Meghan Imperio, Rachelle Langga, Lorraine Pasamba, Josh Ranario, Sammy Sempelsz; Joseph Ada, Esther Ada, Kelvin Supit and Katarina Supit playing the sacred music segment; Bethany Lai and Kane Gu on the viola; Krystle Ocdamia and Kevin Massin on the violincello; Logan Foote on the Contrabass, Gaia Saetee-Howard and Elaine Koo on Oboe; Shane Conley and Allison de Meulle on French Horn and Maria Christina Ocdamia on the piano.

Their Mostly Mozart’s event progra m had“Great is Thy Faithfulness” by William Chisolm, arranged by Nestor Zamora; “Classic Choruses I” from Strolling Strings, arranged by Nestor Zamora; “Cavatina” by Nicanor Abelardo, “Gaano Kita Kamahal”

by Ernani Cuenco, “Children’s Quartet” by Antonino Buenaventura, based on a Visayan folk song.

The String Music of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart (1756-1791) consisted of “Church Sonata in D Major” played by the Ocdamia Family Ensemble; “Serenade no.

13 in G, 1st movement – Allegro” and “Violin concerto no. 3 in G Major, 1st movement – Allegro”

by Angelica Drogemuller and “Divertimento in D major – I- Allegro, II – Andante and III – Presto. ” One violinist caught my attention. He was most radiant. All throughout, Nathan Estipona looked joyful and alive, with broad smiles to the audience and his chamber col-

leagues, as he played his violin.

He began learning the violin at age 5, and was a student of Dr. Bangele Alsaybar for over a decade.

If you google Nathan’s name, several you tube performances pop up with his beautiful boy soprano voice, singing African American spiritual songs and other sacred songs, “Rejoice Greatly.” Beyond his violin, he became a member of the La Sierra University Chamber Singers and currently sings with the LSU Opera and plays the saxophone with the Jazz Band, while pursuing his nursing degree, now in his second year.

Who is this phenomenal mentor and teacher, Dr. Bangele “Nonoy” Alsaybar who got this chamber youth orchestra to sound like a community of strings?

“Dr. Bangele studied violin with Prof. Ramon Mendoza at the University of the Philippines College of Music. He led a busy life as first violinist with the Metro Manila Symphony Orchestra, travelling and doing studio work, running the gamut of music and musical life—from classical to pop. “ In the early eighties, Nonoy became part of a select group of leading singers and musicians led

by Ryan Cayabyab, sent twice by then First Lady Imelda Marcos to Morocco, to give command performances to King Hassan II . In Manila, he divided his time between the symphony concert stage and the classroom. “ As a researcher and faculty member of the Asian Center, he did field research on religious cults in tribal areas. In Los Angeles, he wrote his dissertation about Filipino and Asian street gangs, party crews and car clubs.

He holds a PhD in Anthropology from UCLA and two Master’s: Asian American Studies at UCLA and Anthropology from UP Diliman,” his program bio reads.

To me, Nonoy is a thoughtful, unassuming, g enerous teacher of music who brings out quality performances from his students, who excel . He achieves these results, out of sheer love for his students, but also his singular unconditional love for all genres of music and by clear and convincing examples of his own inspire d performances.

My gratitude also goes to his wife, Neng Alsaybar, Nonoy’s first responder and sustained supporter, who facilitated the program notes and email interviews with these select musicians.

B JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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COMMUNITY Journal

Your Immigration Solution Eric r. WElsh CRIMES have consequences, and for non-citizens, those consequences can sometimes be much more severe than a sentence and probation. Immigrants with criminal convictions can face deportation from the US, or substantial obstacles to entering the US or applying for benefits like a green card or citizenship.

Nonetheless, not every crime triggers an immigration consequence. United States immigration laws are federal laws, and most of the crime-related grounds of deportation or inadmissibility are defined in relation to federal crimes.

When a person is convicted of violating a state law and convicted in a state court, that conviction will only result in an immigration consequence if the offense committed falls within a federal definition.

When the state law defines a crime more broadly than the federal law, there is a mismatch, and possibly a way to avoid the immigration consequence.

For example, a person who is convicted in California of “burglary” has not necessarily committed the federal (“generic”) offense of “burglary” because the California statute penalizes any “entry” into a location with intent to commit a crime, while the generic federal definition requires “unlawful” entry. The issue, then, is whether an immigration fact-finder can look beyond the definition of the state crime to determine whether the defendant actually committed the generic offense (i.e., whether the California defendant’s entry was, in fact, “unlawful”).

In a series of recent decisions, the US Supreme Court has provided useful guidance to determine when a conviction will trigger an immigration consequence.

Most recently, in Mathis v. United States, the Supreme Court reaffirmed the principle that, except in rare instances, a state conviction for an offense that is defined more broadly in state law than the “generic” federal definition can-

Mathis v. United States: Supreme Court decision places limits on the consequences of a state criminal conviction not be the basis for an adverse federal consequence. In Mathis, the Supreme Court analyzed the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA), which imposes a mandatory sentence enhancement on a defendant who has three prior convictions “for a violent felony,” including “burglary, arson, or ex-

“

“burglary” are broader than the elements of the generic offense, the convictions for Iowa burglary could not predicate a sentence enhancement, regardless of whether the defendant had, in fact, committed acts that would satisfy the generic definition. The Court explained that where a state stat-

The US immigration laws are federal laws, and most of the crime-related grounds of deportation or inadmissibility are defined in relation to federal crimes.When a person is convicted of violating a state law and convicted in a state court, that conviction will only result in an immigration consequence if the offense committed falls within a federal definition. tortion.” The defendant, Richard Mathis, had five prior convictions for burglary in Iowa. The Iowa burglary statute is broader than the federal definition, penalizing unlawful entry into “any building, structure, [or] land, water, or air vehicle,” while the generic federal definition is limited to unlawful entry into a “building or other structure.” The criminal court found that because Mr. Mathis had, in fact, burglarized buildings, it did not matter that the Iowa state statute was overly broad, and applied the mandatory sentence enhancement to Mr. Mathis’s conviction.

The Supreme Court disagreed and reversed, finding that the sentence enhancement did not apply. The Court held that because the elements of the Iowa crime of

ute provides different, alternative means of fulfilling one or more of a crime’s elements, the judge tasked with the duty of deciding whether a sentence enhancement applies must not engage in exploring alternative factual scenarios. Because the “elements” of a crime must be proved beyond a reasonable doubt in order to sustain a conviction, it would be fundamentally unfair to impose a consequence on a defendant based on “facts” that did not need to be proven in order to obtain the conviction in the first place.

This ruling has significant importance in the immigration context. Many criminal grounds of inadmissibility or deportability require an immigration agency

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 9-12, 2016

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C JULY 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon IRS problems have a way of ruining all aspects of your life. They can take a toll on you financially, emotionally and physically.

When you owe the IRS, you’re always wondering if today might be the day when the IRS shows up at work, your home or your business; or if today might be the day the IRS decides to levy your bank account or garnish your paycheck.

This is a heavy load to bear every day! So what should you do if you are in this situation?

The only way to solve your IRS problems is to face them head-on and to have a plan of action. And that’s exactly what people lack- a plan. Unfortunately, instead of taking action, people bury their heads in the sand, pretending that their IRS problems don’t exist. This is the wrong approach and your tax problems will only continue to get worse!

Unfortunately, there are a lot of unscrupulous companies out there who are more interested in taking your hard-earned dollars instead of offering you the solution that you need. Without knowing anything about your sit-

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth uRSuA ReyeS DIvORCING couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school.

They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children. This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family. The old family becomes less of a priority.

In California, there is no legal basis for a spouse to request the family court to order the other spouse to pay for their adult children’s college expenses.

However, the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult children’s college education

Community Journal

Do you owe money to the IRS? uation, they tell you that you can settle your IRS debt “for pennies on the dollar”. While the IRS has such a program that allows forgiveness of tax debt, it is not for everyone. The IRS uses a specific formula to determine the least amount it will accept based on your income and assets.

Remember that the IRS leaves no stone unturned in trying to collect everything that you owe.

I always tell my clients that the IRS is one of the worst creditors that you can have because the government has a lot of weapons in its arsenal to make sure that they get paid.

Some people tend to think that if they just ignore the IRS long enough, at some point the IRS will just somehow forget. Trust me, the IRS never forgets. And they will keep adding penalties and interest to what you owe until they find you, your money or your money source. Then it’s payday for the IRS! Believe it or not, even when you retire, the IRS can attack your pension, retirement and social security check! In other words, you can run but you can’t hide as far as the IRS is concerned.

The good news is that there is a better way to live your life

other than hiding from the IRS if you owe them money. You don’t need to be always looking over your shoulder for the IRS, wondering what the government will do to you next. You don’t need to get up every morning with this incredible large problem on your shoulders.

The laws have changed over the years and there are laws to protect taxpayers. If you have not filed tax returns in years, remember that the IRS will not even talk to you unless you file those returns first in order to show good faith. So if that’s your case, this is a good first step in resolving your IRS tax liabilities.

If you need help with your IRS problems, I can help. Call my office at 866-477-7772 to schedule a free consultation and I will review your case and help you come up with a realistic plan to get the IRS out of your life once and for all. *** 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)

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgment? as part of a marital settlement agreement. family Code section 3587; In re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th 478 (2014). Pursuant to statute and court cases, college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement, as incorporated into a Court’s judgment, constitutes adult child support such that court had jurisdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlement’s failure to specifically provide that adult child support was not subject to modification. In re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th at 488 (2014). Providing for payment of adult children’s college expenses is recognized more of an “add on” to adult child support. family Code 4062(b)(1).

However, the parties may “opt out” or restrict the court’s jurisdiction to modify an adult child support order (including college expenses) but the parties must expressly and specifically state in their marital settlement agreement that any resulting adult child support order will not be subject to modification or termination by the Court because the adult child support order is rooted in the parent’s contractual agreement. Cal. family Code Section 3587, 3651(a).

So if you are concerned about your spouse sharing for the college tuition and expenses of your children after the divorce, you should negotiate a provision in your marital agreement that both of you

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Should you go to IrS appeals?

Tax Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA

AfTeR losing an audit to the IRS, you have the option of paying or appealing. Pay if you are happy with the results or don’t want to extend the agony of dealing with the IRS. Appeal if you are not happy or feel that you have not been treated fairly. Let’s explore the advantages & disadvantages of going to the Appeals.

Advantages of going to Appeals: 1. The Appeals Officer is neutral.

2. The Appeals Officer is independent and does not communicate with exams at all. 2015 Update: The head of Appeals in Glendale, CA stated that they don’t communicate at all with exams - no telephone calls, no meetings. Nada.

3. The appeals process is quicker. The new IRS emphasizes the reduction of time to resolve tax cases by delegating more authority to frontline Appeals Officers to resolve cases quickly.

4. The Appeals Officer has a mission: to settle tax controversies without litigation.

5. The officer is more openminded to the merits of your case to avoid hazards of litigation.

6.Your bargaining position is enhanced as you no longer have to deal with a combative agent who may have been locked into certain positions on unagreed issues.

7. It may force an unreasonable agent to rethink a position if you

signify your plans to appeal.

8. The Appeals Officer is more open and candid than government attorneys during formal discovery procedures in a court of law.

9. The appeals process gives you more time to find out about the IRS’ position.

10. It also buys you time to decide on which trial forum you eventually want to use - the Tax Court, Court of federal Claims, or US District Court.

11. Tax, penalties, and interests need not be paid until the case is settled.

12. You may collect attorney’s fees if a court determines that the IRS position was not justified.

Disadvantages of going to appeals: 1. The Appeals Officer may raise new issues that were overlooked, ignored, or deemed irrelevant by the prior agent. If there are issues that are critical against you, stay away from appeals. Personally though, I have not dealt with an officer who opened new issues during the appeals process. for example, the head of Appeals in Glendale, California stated that his group does not raise additional issues.

2. Interest accrues as your case drags on.

3. The strain of an unsettled IRS audit may be too heavy for you. You may just prefer to pay.

4. There are additional fees for representation by an attorney, CPA, or enrolled agent.

(These fees, however, may be offset by savings in reduced tax, penalties, and interest charges when you are adequately represented).

5. Non-docketed settlements with Appeals Office have less finality than docketed tax court rulings.

My Suggestion: Go to appeals.

In my 50 years of dealing with government agencies, it is by far the best forum to settle tax controversies. The Appeals Officer is a mediator, not an opponent.

Compared to office auditors and field revenue agents, Appeals Officers are a welcome sight. It is quite challenging sometimes to deal with young or overzealous examiners who wear police badges to enforce the law. It is quite expensive to litigate in tax court. I have found Appeals Officers (usually CPAs or attorneys with master’s degrees) to be reasonable, level headed, and easier to deal with. They have more understanding, wider perspective on running a business. They understand how we survive to make ends meet. They are just more sensible to deal with in putting your case to rest. Good luck!

Remember: • Appeals officers experienced tax pros and experienced negotiators.

• They are realists and are conscious of the hazards of litigation where a loss can create a bad precedent.

• for this reason, 70% are settled—a high percentage compared to audits and Tax Court. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@ live.com.

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Mathis v. United States: Supreme Court...

PAGE C1 t to prove that an immigrant committed a generic, federal offense.

When an immigrant is actually convicted of a state crime that is similar to but actually broader than a generic, federal offense, the adjudicator may be tempted to look beyond the words in the statute and try to determine what the immigrant actually did. In Mathis, the Supreme Court cautions that this kind of inquiry is not appropriate. This would require additional fact-finding that was not necessary to convict the person in state court,

and may be extremely unreliable.

Immigration consequences of criminal convictions can be severe, and because of that severity, the Supreme Court provides guidance to strictly limit those consequences, especially in the context of grounds of deportation to remove a person from the United States. All persons in the United States have rights and protections under the constitution and the laws, regardless of immigration status. Immigrants with any criminal history should consult with an experienced immigration attorney to ensure that those rights are ex-

ercised.

***

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) 795-8009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

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

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Community Journal

Remedies for employees who blow the whistle on employers

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. NINooS Benjamin worked as a Director of Economic Division of the City of Los Angeles’ Community Development Department (CDD). According to several news outlets, Benjamin sued the city claiming retaliation for his whistleblowing activities and for refusing to take sides in a race turf war between African-American and Latino managers in the department. When he refused to assist a manager in a political slander campaign against a Latino manager, he was told, “you are either with us, or you are against us.” When he reported this incident to CDD’s Director, his complaint was ignored.

Benjamin also raised his concerns to the Mayor’s office and other government agencies, that the city failed to comply with federal regulations and may have misused federal funds. The city was ultimately audited and sanctioned by Department of Housing and Urban Development.

Benjamin claimed that in retaliation for these activities, he was subjected to daily harassment by managers at the department. A manager also reported him for allegedly having a violent temper. He was then terminated.

The employer denied that there was retaliation against Benjamin, claiming that he was terminated because he created a hostile work environment because of his temper. The person who authorized his termination claimed that she did not know about his whistleblowing activi-

ties, even though she personally handled one of the projects that Benjamin had initially reported to the HUD as not meeting federal regulations.

The trial lasted 13 days, at the end of which the jury found in favor of the employee and awarded him $758,205 in damages.

The California Whistleblower Protection Act protects whistleblowing state employees from retaliation by their employers. It provides for civil liability against any person who intentionally threatens or retaliates against a state employee for making a ‘protected disclosure.’

A “protected disclosure” is a good faith communication disclosing information that may show an ‘improper governmental activity’ or a condition that may significantly threaten the health or safety of employees or the public.

The law further provides that an employer, or any person acting on behalf of the employer, shall not retaliate against an employee for providing information to a government or law enforcement agency, where the employee reasonably believes that a violation of state or federal laws has occurred. The employer cannot also retaliate against an employee who refuses to participate in activities that violate the law.

How does an employee prove to the court that the employer has engaged in illegal retaliation?

First, the employee must show that he/she engaged in a protected activity, such as providing information on an unlawful activity, cooperating with or testifying

before, any public body conducting an investigation, hearing, or inquiry.

Second, the employee must show that the employer subjected the employee to an adverse employment action, such as demotion or a termination.

And lastly, there must be a ‘causal link’ between the employee’s and the employer’s respective conduct. A causal link may be established by an inference through circumstantial evidence. For example, the employer knew that the employee engaged in protected activity and immediately after, the employee was fired. Evidence that the employer knew about the employee’s protected activity is important in establishing the causal link.

California’s anti-retaliation law protecting whistleblowers apply to employees who complain within a company about unlawful practices. Employees are also protected when they truly believe the conduct they complained about was unlawful, even if it was not. *** The Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. welcomes inquiries about this topic. All inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. You can contact the office at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. joesayaslaw.com. *** C. Joe Sayas, Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney who has successfully obtained significant recoveries for thousands of employees and consumers. He is named Top Labor & Employment Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advo(Advertising Supplement) cates Forum.

The nearness and concreteness of love

To Live With Faith reverend rodel G. BAlAGtAS TWENTy-FIvE years of service in the priesthood! It’s a significant number of years in ministry. How fast the years went by! It seemed like yesterday when I was just a young seminarian at St. Martha’s Church directing a summer camp.

They were not only 25 years of service to God and his people in the priesthood, but also tremendous experiences of love, faith, prayers, and growth!

They were also 25 years of not merely about me, but about how God has been with me in my journey to priesthood. How he has shown his love and mercy to me despite my human imperfections, and how he has used me in many ways to bring love, joy and hope to people.

They were 25 years of Jesus’ actions in my life and in the life of my family and those I served. After all, he was the one who called me to this joyful, fulfilling and, yes, at times, challenging and painful ministry.

I often wonder how I survived in the ministry, knowing my personal weaknesses. The answer is in today’s Scripture Reading this Sunday.

“For this command that I enjoin on you today is not too mysterious and remote for you. It is not up in the sky that you should say, “Who will go up in the sky and get it for us and tell us of it, that we may carry it out? No, it is something very near you, already in your mouths and your hearts; you have only to carry it out.” (Deuteronomy 30: 11-14) yes, the driving force for my

perseverance in the priesthood is the law of love written in my heart and in the hearts of the people of God. It’s what makes me passionate and do wild and crazy things for the love of God and his people. It’s what makes me spend sleepless nights and enormous energies, thinking of what I could do to serve my parishioners or my students better.

It’s the outpouring of the Holy Spirit written in my heart, my mind, my mouth and my soul.

I feel this even stronger now that I am working in the seminary. I feel this law of love written in my heart when I meaningfully and joyfully prepare seminarians for future ministry.

For example, I had this beautiful experience this past week when I directed debriefing sessions with seminarians who just came from a year-long parish internship. As I was present to them and listened to their experiences and insights, I could feel in my heart this tender and genuine concern for their wellbeing. I realized that this pure affection that I felt for them must have come from God. It’s the law of love that the Scriptures tell us—a love that is not remote or mysterious, but is in in our hearts and our mouth. It is love that comes from the Holy Spirit.

Parents can identify with my feeling — when they wake up every morning thinking about the welfare of their children, when they would do and sacrifice everything to make them happy.

It’s that law of love written in their hearts that causes them to love heroically! Again, this law of love is not something mysterious and remote you. It is near us; we

only have to carry it out!

This law of love cannot be vague. Rather, it should be concrete, as concrete as what the Good Samaritan did for the poor man in the Gospel this Sunday. How he lifted him up from his injury, poured oil and wine over his wounds and bandaged him, took him to an inn and cared for him while others ignored him and made excuses for not helping him.

Indeed, we find the nearness and the concreteness of the Kingdom of God when we visit someone who is sick, when we hand a few dollars to a homeless person, when we help someone find an apartment or when we give our full attention to a person who expresses his heartaches.

We should never ignore this law of love written in our hearts. All genuine feelings of compassion, mercy and love that flow from it should manifest themselves in concrete actions.

It’s the right thing to do!

I did it in last 25 years of my ministry as a priest, and I’ll continually to do it for the rest of my life. *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (1999-2001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of 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.

People and Events Philippine-American Society of Certified Public Accountants (PASCPA) elects new president and officers LoS Angeles—on June 12, 2016, The Philippine American Society of Certified Public Accountants of Los Angeles (PASCPA-LA) conducted its annual election at Pacific Community Center & Park.

The following officers were elected: 1. victor Sy as President 2. Erika Dumandan as Executive vice President 3. Fernando Austria as vP for Membership 4. April Misa as vP for youth Membership 5. Rusteno’Neil as vP of Community Affairs 6. val Creus as vP for Continuing Education 7. John Domingo as Treasurer 8. Sheila Falcon as Secretary 9. Jason Malabute as Press Relations officer 10. Marissa Bueno as Auditor.

The following additionalboard members were elected: 1. Gloria Cajanap 2. Marie Domingo 3. Monette Rivera 4. Peter Sinambal 5. vee Cristobal.

PASCPA-LA 2016-17 Officers & Board Members

Upcoming events 1. July 16, 2016 - CPE Seminar at Embassy Suites in Glendale (with book signing by victor Sy – How to Avoid IRS Audits).

2. August 13, 2016 – simultaneous Luau events in different states in USA and Canadaby NCPACA(National Council of Philippine-American Canadian Accountants (venue to be announced later).

3. September 24, 2016 - Induction of officers and board mem-

bers (venue to be announced later).

PASCPA-LA is a non-profit organization that caters to the community by bringing Scholarships, Mentorship, Continuing Education and Community Services that help build the community. It runs on the principle of unity by fostering cordial and harmonious relationships among members of the Society and the community. The Society has over three hundred members. (Jason Malabute)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULY 9-12, 2016

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Permanent residence for crewmen Dear Attorney Tan, I entered the US in 1998 as a crewman. I have recently married a US citizen and would like to get a green card. However, I have heard that since I entered as a crewman, I cannot adjust my status to a permanent resident. Is this true? --Lost on Land Dear Lost on Land, Under INA Section 245(c)(1), a person who enters the US as a “crewman” is generally barred from adjusting his status to permanent residence. However, analysis of this issue must begin with determining whether you are actually a “crewman,” who is barred from adjustment.

A “crewman” is defined as a person “serving…in a capacity required for normal operation and service on board a vessel, …or aircraft, who intends to land temporarily and solely in pursuit of his calling as a crewman and to depart from the United States with the vessel or aircraft on which he arrived or some other vessel or aircraft.” INA Section 101(a)(15(D). A “crewman” under this definition is assigned a “D” visa classification, but is often issued a dual C-1 transit/ D crewman visa. Because of this, a common misperception exists that a C-1 visa classification is designated for crewmen, and that a person who entered the US under a C-1 classification is by definition a “crewman,” therefore barred from adjusting his status to permanent resident. However, it is important to keep in mind that if a person entered on a C-1 transit visa, he may not be a “crewman” and may be eligible to adjust status. Further, the facts of a particular case regardless of letter classification of one’s visa upon entry may also be considered. If you entered on a C-1 transit visa, or under circumstances that do not fit the definition of a “crewman,” you may be eligible to adjust status.

If you are considered a “crewman” under the above definition, you can still file for adjustment of status to permanent residence and get a green card in the US if you are covered by INA Section 245(i). To be covered under INA Section 245(i), one must be the beneficiary of a visa petition or labor certification filed on or before April 30, 2001. If the petition was filed between January 14, 1998 and April 30, 2001, physical presence in the US on December 21, 2000 is also required.

If you are not covered under INA Section 245(i), and are considered a “crewman” under the above definition, you would need to obtain your immigrant visa at a foreign consular post. Traditionally, persons who were unlawfully present in the US for more than 1 year, and who had to obtain their immigrant visa at an overseas US consulate were subject to an unlawful presence bar from returning to the US for 10 years. That person would be able to seek a waiver of the unlawful presence bar after leaving the US, but if denied, he would be left outside of the US, and away from his family for 10 years. However, under the Provisional Waiver program, you can apply for and get a decision on the waiver of the unlawful presence bar without leaving the US. If the waiver is approved, you can leave the US with some assurance that you will obtain your immigrant visa at the US consulate post and quickly return. Spouses and minor children of US citizens are eligible for provisional waiver relief. *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association.

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

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Can a divorcing couple agree to pay...

PAGE C2 t will share on the college tuition and expenses of your children.

In doing so, you should also think about whether you want this provision to be non-modifiable or not. In the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as non-modifiable and non-terminable, the default is that child support is modifiable. Sometimes, leaving the adult child support provision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future events such as a disability

or retirement which limits the earning capacity of a spouse and ability to comply with the adult child support provision in the MSA. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association.

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

1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you.

This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation.

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Business owner chooses People and Events Chapter 7 for $250k personal First 5 LA launches innovative campaign to guaranties on business loans support parents and caregivers in LA County

Debt Relief Atty. LAwrence yAng Client is 45. He is actually a medical professional in his country of origin. it would have been great for him if he could practice his profession here. Unfortunately, his professional license is not recognized here. He is required to study another two years here in California to complete his professional degree, and thereafter pass the licensing board. Since client already has a family with a wife and two kids aged 6 and 7, he believes his priority is to make money to support his family, and not to study further to get his professional degree and qualify for a license to practice his profession here. His wife is a teacher and makes about $4K a month.

Client decided to set up a business. He set up a trucking business with a business partner. they established a C-corporation with each owning 50%. the corporation purchased three trucks with installment financing provided by a bank, and leased two trucks. Client and partner both drove two trucks, and they hired three drivers for the other three. each truck was generating about $100K a year of gross receipt. On their first year, gross receipts was about half a million $, less operating expenses of $480K. Considering that each partner got paid a salary of $2K a month which was part of operating expenses, plus the net profit of $20K and the end of the first year of operations, client’s trucking business was ok, but not that great. Business was able to pay all installment and lease payments and all expenses on time. the problem came about when one of the trucks got into a serious rear end accident out of state. their truck rear-ended a car on the freeway that stopped all of a sudden. it caused a chain collision of six cars with drivers and passengers suffering a lot of physical injuries. Client’s insurance carrier had limited liability, which was insufficient to pay for all damages. So now, the injured parties are suing the business for $$700K for injuries caused not covered by insurance. their own driver was badly injured, and could no longer drive. the business started losing money, and could not pay the banks and

Senior files same for $55k credit cards

the leases. eventually, the truck that caused the accident was returned to the leasing company.

Subsequently, the other truck was also returned to the leasing company. each truck had a lease return deficiency of $40K each. Unfortunately, client personally guaranteed the leases, so the leasing companies have now sent a demand to client for $80K of lease deficiencies. to make matters worse, the banks have also sent a demand letter to client for $140K to call on his personal guaranty on the bank loans for the purchase of three trucks, which are now also seriously delinquent.

a year, which is good. they still have a daughter in college. they send her $1,500 a month out of state. Wife has a sister abroad with a big family and insufficient income. Wife sends sister $500 a month. Husband has $40K of credit card debt. He pays $1,200 to keep that current. Wife owes $15K of credit cards. She pays $600 of minimum payments to keep them current. So, credit card payments are almost $2K a month, just to keep them current.

Client says that they have been paying for these cards for ten years. they have paid $240K in ten years, and still owe the same $40K and $15K. However, client

“

Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans. If you own a house, why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan?

What did i say many times before? Do not sign personal guaranties for business loans because you will be on the hook if the business cannot pay the loans. if you own a house, why risk your house with a personal guaranty for a business loan? in any event, client is now about to face lawsuits to collect on his personal guaranty for $220K! it doesn’t even end at $220K. the business itself will be facing lawsuits arising from the accident for $700K. Fortunately for client, even though he owns a house, the equity in the house is only $60K, well within the homestead exemption of $100K. So client opts for Chapter 7 to wipe out the $220K, keep his house and all his assets, to start life again without lawsuits. He can be productive again. Maybe he might even be able to go back to school and get his professional degree and license. in two years, with his degree and professional license, client should have no difficulty making $250K gross a year. the other client is 62. He still works a mid level management position and grosses $60K a year. Wife is a licensed vocational nurse and makes $36K a year. they make about $100K

anticipates that he may just continue working for another year or so. What happens then? His income will be gone, and he will rely on social security, which is less than $2K a month. Might as well wipe out all credit cards now and save $24K this year, and another $24K next year, or save $48K in two years. Should have done it, Chapter 7, wiped out all his credit cards ten years ago, and set aside $240K more in his retirement account! And now, he would have $240K cash in is retirement accounts plus, he would have perfect credit today, if he filed for Chapter 7 ten years ago!

“Daniel’s Faithfulness to God Landed Him In A Lion’s Den, Where His Detractors Were Sure He Would Be Divoured. But God Sent An Angel That “Shut The Lions’ Mouths” (Daniel 6:22), And Daniel Was Miraculously Spared.” *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California.

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

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First phase of multiyear campaign focuses on raising awareness and understanding of challenges of parenting, helping social connections lOS AnGeleS—First 5 lA, a leading early childhood advocate and public grantmaker, today formally announced the launch of a new, innovative Family Strengthening Public Awareness Campaign and Parenting website. the multiyear effort will help los Angeles County parents and caregivers by providing them with vital, user-friendly tips, ideas and resources to give young children their best start.

“Parents and caregivers are at the heart of a child’s development and we want them to know that they are not alone in their efforts,” said First 5 lA executive Director Kim Belshé. “this campaign is built on research about what type of resources the parents and caregivers of l.A. County would find beneficial and would support the positive outcomes we all want for l.A.’s kids.” this first phase of the Family Strengthening Public Awareness Campaign will focus on the benefits of social connections and encourage caregivers to implement positive changes in their day-to-day interactions with their child, social networks and community. in addition to a countywide presence, campaign ads will appear in locations within First 5 lA’s 14 Best Start communities – acting as a complement to ongoing programs and services currently being offered to families. Other unique aspects of the effort include messaging for diverse populations with advertising created in english, Spanish, Chinese and Korean. today was also the formal launch of First 5 lA’s new parenting website, an online resource hub designed for parents and caregivers. Based upon research into parenting needs in l.A. County, the site features a calendar with free and low-cost family-friendly events, exclusive coupons for kid-friendly venues such as the l.A. Zoo and California ScienCenter, and originally-written and researched articles on a variety of early childhood development topics. the site also offers an “Ask a Parent Coach” feature where parents and caregivers can submit questions and get advice tailored to their needs on 20 topics. the parenting site was built with mobile users in mind, making all of the features accessible and easy to use on smartphones and tablets.

Research shows that parents and caregivers rely on both personal sources such as friends, family, pediatricians and digi-

Kim Belshe, Executive Director, First 5 LA

tal sources such as parenting sites, sites sponsored by trusted organizations, and Facebook to receive information about parenting. Parents learned about reliable digital sources from their personal networks including friends and other parents. Most parents used smartphones far more frequently than laptops, desktops or tablets to receive information.

“All parents and caregivers want information they can trust and depend on. We also know young parents look to the internet and social media for guidance and support. this campaign offers information parents can trust and its mobile-friendly version makes it even more accessible,” said First 5 lA Board of Commissioners Vice Chair Judy Abdo.

“Reaching younger parents is a critical part of our work - the launch of this campaign and website is an important step for us.”

Joining First 5 lA at today’s announcement was Matthew Melmed, executive Director of ZeRO tO tHRee, a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping infants and toddlers thrive. the nonprofit recently commissioned a national survey to gain a clear and in-depth understanding about the challenges that parents face, the help they seek and how satis-

Calendar of Events across

fied they are with the support they receive. “if we care about very young children we must care about, listen to and meet the needs of their parents. it’s exciting to see the learnings behind our national parent survey being applied to the development of practical tools,” Melmed said.

“We’re pleased to be part of the launch of First 5 lA’s Family Strengthening Campaign, an excellent example of how we can support parents to strengthen families and give children their best start in life.”

First 5 lA’s Strategic Plan puts parents at the center of its work. the Family Strengthening Public Awareness Campaign draws from what research has shown is the pathway to building stronger families. the five “Protective Factors” that support healthy children and families include (1) parent resilience and stress management, (2) the presence of positive social connections, (3) a better understanding of how children develop and how to best support them as they grow, (4) the ability to raise children in a nurturing environment, as well as (5) a caregiver’s ability to access support in times of need.

First 5 lA’s parenting website is www.First5lA.org/Parenting.

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS J U LY 9

FEU Sword Fraternity Alumni International Assn. also known as SANDUGO with a Facebook page of “feusfi (Abroad) is holding their 30th Anniversary of its founding. Its members are graduates of the FEU ROTC/WATC Advance course in Manila. Phil. . This group is based in Los Angeles, CA. The celebration/Reunion will be attended by other Frat Members from the Philippines, other States of the US, Canada, Australia and Tokyo. It will be held in the residence of one of the Founders at 1341 Montezuma Way, West Covina, CA, 91791 on July 9, 2016 starting at 1600H. After the 9th, Tour of Los Angeles, trip to San Diego and Las Vegas are being arranged. We are enjoining Frat members who are “Abroad” that we have no (or have changed) contact info to please get in touch to “reconnect”, or at least let us know you are still OK and/or update your data. Contact person and for more information - Frat Cmdr Romy Calderon 626 826 2745, e-mail “feusfi@gmail.com” and Brod Ted Bautista, Tel no.626 392 5024, e-mail -”samba1341@gmail.com”

J U LY 1 0

The People’s Summit: A Community Forum on the Duterte Administration and the People’s Agenda for Change

Fax résumé to:

Join us for a community forum on Sunday, July 10 from 4pm-7pm Sisa Pakari Cultural Center (located at 67-10 Roosevelt Ave Woodside, NY 11377) to educate and unite the Filipino community and allies on the national situation of the Philippines and prospects for change under the newly inaugurated president Rodrigo Duterte. We will be discussing Duterte’s social and economic reforms and opportunities to address the basic issues of Philippine society.

J U LY 1 5

Magsingal Organization of America Annual Camping Members and town mates of the Magsingal Organization of America (MOA) are cordially invited to attend the Annual Meeting/Picnic & Camping on July 15-17, 2016 at the Brannan Island State Recreational Park in Rio Vista, CA. Group campsite costs are shouldered by MOA and so does for supplies, water and basic foods. For further inquiries and details, visit the Facebook page or call the following: Tereso (209) 603-8440, Lanie (209) 814-8004 or Grace (209) 817-5674.

info@asianjournalinc.com

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

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 9-12, 2016

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM Federal bank regulators lack diversity in top management, report finds Some agencies lack systems to measure progress on diversity

BERKELEY—Despite a congressional mandate to pay more attention to diversity within federal financial regulatory agencies, a new report from The Greenlining Institute finds that these agencies generally lack diversity at executive and upper management levels and often lack the systems needed to track progress.

The report, Government That Looks Like America: Diversity in the Financial Regulatory Agencies, was released to the public on Wednesday, July 6.

“During the bubble that led to the 2008 crash, financial regulators simply missed what was going on in communities of color,” said report co-author Danielle Beavers, Greenlining’s director of diversity and inclusion. “If the people at decision-making levels look like America, they will do better at making sure this critical industry works for all Americans.”

After the financial crisis devastated communities of color, and recognizing that these communities constitute the proverbial “canary in the coal mine,” Congress ordered placement of Offices of Minority and Women Inclusion in major financial regulatory agencies, with the goal of promoting diversity in both the financial industry and within the regulatory agencies themselves. Greenlining examined 2014 data from eight agencies that oversee banking and financial businesses.

Key findings include: • On average, the eight agencies that submitted data employed 33.52 percent people of color, consistent with the US civilian and financial sector labor forces. Some agencies improved their overall diversity since Greenlining’s last analysis in 2011.

• Upper level management in PAGE D2

Visa added that the growth of credit card users is a driving factor in the growing electronic payment phenomenon in the country. Although cash is still a majority of Filipinos’ primary mode of payment, credit card payments account for 11.4 percent of personal expenditures -- and it’s growing.

Inquirer.net photo

Philippine affluent consumer class booming as economy prospers

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

THE Philippine economy continues to prosper as consumer wealth is on the rise, according to data from financial service corporation and major premium credit card distributor, Visa, Inc. Top officials from Visa said in a conference on Thursday, July 7 that card usage generated P4.6 billion and created more than 3,000 jobs from 2011 to 2015.

Payment by way of domestic premium Visa cards grew by 33 percent compared to the 8.6 percent growth of regular Visa cards.

In 2015, Visa cards accounted for 46 percent of the country’s total card payment in 2015.

Visa added that the growth of credit card users is a driving factor in the growing electronic payment phenomenon in the country. Although cash is still a majority of Filipinos’ primary mode of payment, credit card payments account for 11.4 percent of personal expenditures -- and it’s growing.

“Over the years, Visa has introduced a series of cards to help Filipino consumers enjoy the convenience of electronic payments,” Stuart Tomlinson, Visa country manager for the Philippines and Guam, told Inquirer.

In 2001, Visa and financial service corporation Citibank partPAGE D2

The investment climate of the Philippines has improved in recent years. If the country can maintain its reform momentum, continue to improve its infrastructure and relax foreign ownership limitations, the prospects for investment would continue to brighten, the State department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs said.

US lauds PH for luring more FDI

by Jose

KatigbaK Philstar.com

WASHINGTON—The Philippines is becoming a more attractive destination for foreign direct investment (FDI) and the country’s growing middle class is quickly spending their disposable income in a stable political environment, helping gross domestic product soar to an average growth of 6.2 percent over the last six years, the US State Department said.

A report by the State department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs on Tuesday, July 5 said FDI in the Philippines

reached $5.72 billion in 2015 with the majority of investment inflows going to manufacturing, finance and insurance, real estate, wholesale and retail trade, and construction.

Thanks in part to a large, educated, English-speaking workforce, the business process outsourcing and tourism industries have experienced tremendous growth in recent years, with no signs of a slowdown, the report said.

The Philippines improved its investment climate under the PAGE D5

Business Quote of the Week “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.”

- John Kenneth Galbraith, leading proponent of 20th-century American liberalism

& Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

IN most cases, in order for a person to adjust status (obtain a green card) in the US, the person must prove he or she was “inspected and admitted” by an immigration officer at the airport or border (port of entry). This means that the person presented himself to an immigration officer who reviewed his or her visa or other documentation and was allowed to enter the US. Even if a person is married to a US citizen, the person must ordinarily prove that he or she was inspected (unless, for example, they were “grandfathered” under section 245(i) or have an immediate relative who served in the military).

Consequently, people who entered the US without inspection (EWI), or snuck across the border, may not be able to prove they were “inspected,” and may not be eligible to adjust status in the US. However, in some cases, a person may be able to prove

D

Being waved across the border could constitute ‘inspection’ for adjustment of status

they were “inspected” if they were the border and “waved through” by the immigration officer. For example, the person was sitting in the back seat of a car and was driven across the border from Canada (or Mexico) into the US The car comes to an immigration\ border checkpoint, and the immigration officer looks inside, perhaps asks the driver a few questions, and says “passo.”

That could constitute being “inspected and admitted” for adjustment purposes, as long as the person presented themselves for questioning, and did not claim to be a citizen, even if the officer never asked them any questions.

In a case published by the Board of Immigration Appeals (BIA), a person approached the border as a passenger in a car being driven by her US citizen friend. The immigration inspector asked the friend whether he was a US citizen, but did not ask the passenger anything. The officer then waved the car through the port of entry. Eventually, the

person married a US citizen, and the issue was whether being waved through the border constituted “inspection.” The BIA ruled that being waved through the border constituted “inspection and admission” to the US. Please note that if a person claims he or she was waved through the border, the USCIS will require detailed and extensive information on how you crossed the border, such as the make and model of the car you drove in, who was driving, who was in the car, how long did you wait in line at the border, the color of clothing the officers were wearing, what time of day did you enter the US, what was the weather like, how did you get to Canada or Mexico, and where is your Canadian or Mexican visa?

If this situation applies to you, you may want to consult with an immigration attorney to prove your eligibility to adjust status, and possibly avoid having to go back to Manila or immigrant visa processing.

Please bear in mind that you

must have truly been waved across the border vs. saying you were. If you claimed to be a US citizen, or you entered the US with an assumed name (or altered) passport and visa, or in the trunk of a car, this rule would not apply to you. *** 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)

D juLy 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAL

Marketplace

Southern California doctor launches Telemed Connect, internationally telemedical remote evaluations Providing for a niche market DR. Marcel Filart, a FilipinoAmerican primary care doctor who specializes in Senior Care, introduces a digital stethoscope that can stream live, and record, heart and lung sounds of patients remotely anywhere in the world without being physically present. Dr. Filart says that in this digital age, “convenience and connectivity is vital”. Vital Health Medical Group uses telemedicine as it extends patient care beyond local clinics. Telemedicine allows inaccessible specialists at Vital Care Medical Group to attend to their patients, remotely. Filart says, “telemedicine reduces patients clinic visits as it enables flexible options for physicians.”

Sharing vital signs from one site to another via Telemedicine is easy since it only requires electronic communication between devices that medical professionals already use in their daily lives, such as smart phones, by way of video chat, email, and other applications.

Vital Health Medical Group is committed to the utmost care; extending care to patients in remote areas. Dr. Filart adds that the use of Telemed Connect is now available for Medicare patients in the Philippines. The ongoing operations of Vital Health Medical Group has spread rapidly.

Medicare patients can avail these services under his care and can travel worry free.

Group, 1523 E. Amar Rd., West Tel: (866) U-R-VITAL or (866) Address: Vital Health Medical Covina, CA 91792 878-4825

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Ayala Group backs Duterte econ agenda

by IrIs

Gonzales Philstar.com

MANILA—The Ayala Group, the country’s oldest conglomerate, expressed optimism about the administration of President Duterte.

Speaking in public for the first time on the Duterte administration’s economic program, Ayala Corp. chairman and CEO Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala said the group would support the new government and would be on the lookout for new opportunities to help boost economic growth.

“We’re very much optimistic.

I attended the (business) conference in Davao and we’re very happy with the government’s 10 point agenda,” Zobel de Ayala said during the listing ceremony of the company’s P10 billion fixed rate bonds at the Philippine Dealing System yesterday.

Zobel de Ayala said the group would continue with its business plans. “We’re very focused on

contributing to the economy,” he said.

Ayala’s offering is the first bond listing under the Duterte administration.

He also welcomed the economic team’s efforts to be “consultative” and “transparent” with its plans.

“The economic team has done a great job in being consultative. The new Finance Secretary (Carlos “Sonny” Dominguez) has done a good job in clarifying it (agenda) and the new NEDA Secretary (Ernesto Pernia) has been transparent with the economic plans.

We’re delighted,” Zobel de Ayala said.

The Ayala Group is also also open to the Duterte government’s plan to spur growth in the countryside.

“We’re involved in provincial areas in infrastructure, water and real estate. We’ll see if we have some new areas to invest in,” he said.

The Ayala Group is said to have enjoyed a healthy relationship with the Aquino administration and has grown its business significantly since 2010 given the positive economic environment.

From 2010 to 2015, Ayala saw its net income more than double, hitting its P20 billion 2016 net income target way ahead of schedule.

Its net income surged to P22.3 billion last year from P11.2 billion in 2010 on the back of the strong performance of its real estate, telecommunications, and power generation businesses.

The conglomerate also won several Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects auctioned by the Aquino administration – the Daang Hari-SLEX Link Road (Muntinlupa-Cavite Expressway), Automatic Fare Collection System, LRT Line 1 Cavite Extension and Operation & Maintenance, and South Integrated Transport System Project.

Peso seen stable, competitive amid global volatilities by lawrence

aGcaoIlI Philstar.com

MANILA—The real effective exchange rate (REER) of the peso will remain stable and competitive amid volatilities in the global financial markets brought about by the interest rate hike in the US and the fallout from the decision of the UK to leave the European Union, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the country’s sound macroeconomic fundaBSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the country’s sound macroeconomic fundamentals would likely support the stability of the peso against the dollar.

mentals would likely support the stability of the peso against the dollar. “The country’s firm macroeconomic fundamentals and strong external position could support the broad stability of the peso over the medium-term,” he said.

The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) decided to maintain the foreign exchange assumption at 45-48 to the dollar during its 168th meeting last Tuesday, July 5.

Within this range, Guinigundo said the REER of the peso would continue to be broadly stable and competitive.

The REER is a weighted average of inflation-adjusted bilateral exchange rates with currencies of trading partners. It reflects not only movements in nominal exchange rates but also inflation differentials with trading partners.

“It’s been P45-48 since the beginning of the year. This range is based on the sustained stability of our external payments position despite the external challenges due to our good macro fundamentals,” he said in a text message.

Amid the weaker peso assumption, Guinigundo said the

country’s balance of payments (BOP) position and current account (CA) would continue to book surpluses due to cash remittances from overseas Filipinos as well as receipts from tourism as well as the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

“We expect a BOP, CA surplus.

Despite challenging external conditions, we’re able to maintain a CA surplus on account of higher remittances, BPO, tourism, income items,” he said.

The average peso exchange rate weakened to 46.90 to $1 in the first six months from the 45.20 to $1 level in 2015.

The DBCC also adopted the recommendation of the BSP to keep the inflation target range at two to four percent between 2016 and 2018.

The BSP’s lowered its inflation forecast to two percent instead of 2.1 percent this year but retained the projected 3.1 percent next year and 2.6 percent in 2018.

Inflation eased to 1.4 percent last year from 4.1 percent in 2014 due to stable food prices and cheaper utility rates amid the softening oil prices in the world market.

Federal bank regulators lack...

PAGE D1

the agencies, however, showed much less diversity, with people of color making up only 17.76 of executive management.

People of color were also severely underrepresented in jobs deemed “mission critical,” such as attorneys and economists.

Latinos were most severely underrepresented, making up just 3.49 percent of the mission critical workforce.

• Contracting with minorityowned vendors by the agencies varied dramatically from agency to agency, from just 2.6 percent of total contracts up to 36 percent, with an average of 17.61

percent.

To make progress, the agencies need to focus consciously on diversity with strategic plans, analysis of barriers to diverse hiring, and better data – particularly on the diversity of contractors.

“In a country where people of color will soon be the majority, we’ve seen what happens when financial regulators live in a bubble,” said Greenlining Institute President Orson Aguilar.

“We applaud these agencies for sharing their data with us, and now we need them to use this information to make real change.”

(Greenlining Institute)

Philippine affluent consumer...

PAGE D1 nered up to create the first premium Visa card in the Philippines.

Today, there are nine banks that issue premium credit cards to the Philippines, amplifying the growing prosperous consumer populace.

Tomlinson said the introduction of the premium card “created a new segment” that offers higher credit limits, allowing more Filipinos to life more “affluent” lifestyles.

Typically, Filipinos that earn more than PHP 1 million a year are considered to be “affluent”, but some banks consider those earning PHP 500,000. Additionally, those who travel often and outspend the average cardholder tend to be categorized as a part of the affluent class of consumers.

Visa’s data reported that affluent Filipinos’ spending supersedes other consumers by 169 percent.

Additionally, affluent Filipinos invest a majority of the spending to retail and travel which account for 37 percent of their expenditures.

According to a Visa report earlier this year, Filipinos from “Generation X”—roughly those between the ages of 35-60 years

old—is the new “emerging market” for new, cashless payment methods. According to Visa’s 2015 Consumer Payment Attitudes Study, 70 percent of Gen-X Filipinos prefer card payments.

Visa’s data coincides with British banking giant the Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corp. Ltd. (HSBC) prediction of high growth patterns in the Philippines’ economic future.

“We remain overweight on the Philippines on a regional basis,” HSBC economists wrote in Asia Equity Insights Quarterly. They also referenced the country’s “impressive” macro fundamentals of the economy, which has been driven by an increase in domestic consumption.

HSBC also predicted that the new administration will not likely affect the country’s economic growth.

“The recent presidential election, which saw Rodrigo Duterte emerge victorious, has reduced uncertainty and improved sentiment,” the report read. “The market has reacted positively, returning over 5 percent quarter-to-date, making it the best performing market in the region.”

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Showroom

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 9-12, 2016 D

Longo Lexus offers the ultimate Longo Toyota delivers world class experience conveniences in customer amenities

We all know that the process of buying a car is not just as simple as buying a new pair of shoes at the mall. It is a long process that involves careful comparison between vehicle models, reviewing the car’s specifications with regards to the needs of the buyer, and of course, the negotiations for the financing packages and promos.

As such, it is very important for Longo Lexus that its customers are supremely comfortable and well-pampered if they are going to make that important decision of which Lexus they will drive home.

As a car dealership, there are many reasons why Longo Lexus has been an elite of Lexus dealer since 1992. One of those reasons includes the ultimate conveniences that they offer in customer amenities. As one of the leading Lexus car dealerships, Longo Lexus provides not only pre-sales conveniences, but also noteworthy post-sales services.

Longo Lexus is known for the unique amenities that they offer to dealership customers.

One of those unique amenities include an on-site Auto Club of Southern California (AAA) center. The AAA branch offers DMV services, airline, car, and hotel reservations, discounted movie and local attraction tickets, AAA membership application processing, OnBoard Teen Safe Driver Program, auto and home insurance, and more. Sign up at our AAA branch in Longo, and you’ll receive a special $13 discount off the original membership price.

Aside from from the on-site AAA branch, Longo is also the first dealership in the US to offer Verizon Wireless and Verizon Wireless Neighborhood services on-site. Offering the latest technologies in telecommunications, mobile accessories, and services, Longo’s on-site Verizon branch makes it even more convenient for customers to stay connected with the world. Our Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer is open from Monday to Friday, 7am-7pm; Saturday, from 7am to 5:30pm; and Sunday, from 8am to 4pm. Please call (888) 8115201.

While waiting for your car to come out of our premium carcare service lines or while you’re going through our wide inventory of luxurious Lexus vehicles, you can enjoy a quick bite at Sub-

way or a nice refreshing drink at Starbucks.

If you want to pamper your car, you can also shop at the Longo Lexus Parts Boutique, which carries a wide selection of genuine Lexus parts and accessories for your vehicle. M`Zkfi I\p\j With over 31,000 parts and accessories in stock, you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.

The after-sales services of a dealership is just as important as the pre-sales amenities. And it these after-sales services that make buying a vehicle at Longo Lexus a truly rewarding experience.

We offer complimentary loaner vehicles for your use while your car is in our service center. For inquiries, on our loaners, please call our coordinators at 1-800-5970813.

For your convenience, we also offer complimentary shuttle service to take you to your office, home, or even the mall—basically anywhere within a 15-mile radius—while your vehicle is being serviced.

If you don’t have time to make the drive to our dealership, our Longo Lexus Mobile Service Van and Truck can provide routine maintenance services, such as oil changes and tire rotations, right at your home or office. Appointments can be made up to 6 months in advance.

Similarly, if your service requirements need the car to be physically present at our Longo service center, we offer complimentary flatbed truck pick-up and delivery of your vehicle to and from our dealership. Our Longo Lexus Mobile Service Van and Truck, and our complimentary flatbed truch pick-up and delivery service are exclusively for cars that are purchased from Longo Lexus, and are located within 60mile radius from Longo.

Please call 1-800-597-0813 to schedule your appointment.

Also, for every service appointment, each vehicle receives a complimentary car wash in our Longo Lexus Car Spa. For our clients who wish to use other cars, aside from those among our fleet of loaner Lexus cars, they can avail of the services of our enterprise Rent-A-Car offices.

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With two branches on the Longo Premises, enterprise is ready to address all your car rental needs.

Please call (800) 969-6519 for more information.

We understand that life’s daily grind requires our customers to be always on top of everything while keeping up with an onthe-go lifestyle. Which is they are more than welcome to work at our Longo Business Center where they can work on our computer terminals, free of charge.

We also offer complimentary Wireless Internet Access (Wi-Fi) to our customers throughout the facility. This is particularly useful for our customers with mobile devices, laptops, and tablets.

While you wait for your car to come out of our service center, your kids can enjoy and have a good time at our Children Play Area, where we offer video games and other activities for the young ones.

Longo Lexus customers will also be offered complimentary use of our iPads while they are waiting for their vehicle.

For more information on our Longo Lexus Guest Services, please log on to www.longolexus.com/GuestAmenities or call (626) 539-2956.

Longo Lexus is located at 3530 North Peck Road, el Monte, CA 91731.

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BEING the premiere Toyota retailer in the nation, Longo Toyota aims to deliver a truly world-class experience to our guests on every transaction, everyday.

It all starts with our friendly and welcoming staff, a clean and modern environment, and a wide range of services to make your visit pleasant and convenient. Here are some of our key amenities at Longo Toyota: Auto Club of Southern California (AAA) In November 1999, Longo Toyota became the first automotive dealership in the US to have the Auto Club on its premises. For 14 long years, our Auto Club branch has served countless satisfied Longo customers with its wide array of services Today, our on-site branch offers DMV services, airline, car and hotel reservations, discounted movie and local attraction tickets, membership processing, OnBoard Teen Safe Driver Program, and more. Sign up at our Longo Toyota branch and get $13 off the original membership application price. Located in our new car showroom, our AAA branch is open Mondays thru Saturdays, from 11am to 7pm.

Verizon Wireless Premium Retailer Longo Lexus is the first car dealership in the US to provide Verizon Wireless and Verizon Wireless Neighborhood services on-site. Our Verizon branch offers the latest in telecommunications, mobile devices, accessories and services. We also offer complimentary cellphone charging stations for our customers.

Our Verizon retailer is located inside our parts retail center.

Our Wireless Playground is open Monday-Friday, 7am7pm; Saturday, 7am-5:30pm; and Sunday, 8-4pm. Please call (888) 623-2133 for more information.

Starbucks and Subway While waiting for your car to come out of our car-care service lines, you can enjoy a quick bite at Subway or a nice refreshing drink at Starbucks.

We offer healthy dining options with Subway’s wide variety of sandwiches, salads, and wraps.

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If you’re thirsty and you’re looking for that quick coffee fix, you can grab a refreshing Hazelnut Macchiato or a smooth Caramel Frappuccino at Starbucks. Offering only the finest coffee specialties, teas, juices, and assortment of pastries, there’s something for everybody at our on-site Starbucks branch.

Both our Subway and Starbucks branches are available for catering services.

Enterprise Rent-A-Car Longo Toyota also has two Enterprise Rent-A-Car offices on its premises. One is located adjacent to the Service Drive in the Pre-Owned Vehicle Showroom, and the other is in the Collision Repair Center. Customers are welcome to utilize the Enterprise rental services, regardless of whether or not they leave their vehicle in Longo for any car service.

Complimentary Vehicle Delivery Service Longo Toyota also offer complimentary vehicle delivery service. Our delivery service is available 6 days a week, Monday thru Saturday, anywhere within a 60-mile radius of Longo Toyota.

Longo Toyota Parts and Accessories Department You can also shop at the Longo Toyota Parts and Accessories Department, which carries a wide selection of genuine Toyota parts and accessories for your vehicle. With thousands of parts and accessories in stock, we definitely have whatever it is you’re looking for. Our boutique also carries a selection of Ray-Ban and Oakley sunglasses, women’s and

men’s apparel, and so much more.

Shuttle Service For your convenience, Longo Toyota offers complimentary shuttle service while your vehicles are being serviced. Our shuttles can take you to virtually anywhere within a 15-mile radius of Longo Toyota – be it your home, work, the mall, or even the parlor! Anywhere!

An engaging stay While we understand that our customer’s time is precious, we realize that many of them may need Internet connectivity at all times. As such we are more than happy to provide FREE WiFi throughout our facility, and FREE use of our great business center. In our business center, we provide a quiet setting where our guests can work on our computers or on their own laptops.

We also provide free use of an iPad for Longo guests who are waiting for their vehicles.

Our Guest Check-in representative will be more than happy to arrange this for you.

If you decide to bring the kids to the dealership, boredom will never be a problem.

We also offer a variety of video games and DVDs just for kids so that they can also enjoy their visit to Longo Toyota.

For more information on our Longo Toyota Guest Services, please log on to http://www. longotoyota.com/dealership/ amenities.htm.

Longo Toyota is located at 3534 North Peck Road, El Monte, CA 91731. Call (800) 617-4516 to set up your appointment.

8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

D juLy 9-12, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN jOuRNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 9-12, 2016 D

Why rent when you can own a new Forbes cites 2 Filipinos as ‘Heroes of Philanthropy’ home at Citrus Junction in Azusa AzusA—Why rent when you can afford low monthly payments on a new home? Introducing Citrus Junction, Comstock Homes’ newest townhome neighborhood in the heart of Azusa. For as little as $1,917 per month*, you can own a home in this fresh, thriving community close to shopping, dining and entertainment. This is your chance to experience a neighborhood where life is sweeter for everyone.

Citrus Junction offers a refreshing range of home options to fit any lifestyle. Thoughtfully designed with warmth and style, new two- and three-story townhomes present from 1,513 to 1,846 square feet with up to four bedrooms and four baths. Now priced from the mid $400,000s, Citrus Junction has everything you need for the perfect home.

With an exceptional array of interior amenities, new homes at Citrus Junction make room for growing and adapting to your life plan. From open layouts, chef-inspired kitchens and great rooms to the spacious bedrooms, relaxing master suites, impressive finishes and two-car garages, these new townhomes are perfectly designed to embrace a low-maintenance lifestyle. Plus, homes at Citrus Junction offer eco-friendly features, including Low-E windows, tankless water heaters and programmable thermostats.

Citrus Junction is a just-rightsized community that’s easy to love and even easier to call home.

Everything you need, want or like

to do is within a minute or two from home. Plus, its convenient location keeps you close to the Citrus Crossing shopping center—perfect for all your shopping needs.

Citrus Junction is located at 761 E. Matchwood street, Azusa, CA 91702. The sales Information Center is open daily from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm. For more information, please visit CitrusJunction. com or call (626) 208-0122.

For more than 30 years, Comstock Homes has established a tradition of creative design, meticulous construction and careful community planning throughout

California. Quality construction and superior supervision are maintained throughout the building process to ensure customer satisfaction. Talented architects, designers and craftsmen work together to create Comstock homes and communities that are nothing short of exceptional. *Based on sales price of $459,900; 10% down payment required, which equates to $45,999.

Loan amount of $413,991 with a 3.750% interest rate and 4.132% APR. Taxes, insurance, HOA dues and fees are in addition to the terms mentioned.

(Advertising Supplement)

US lauds PH for luring more...

PAGE D1

Aquino administration, making strides in good governance, transparency and accountability, the report said.

Major international credit ratings agencies have upgraded the Philippines’ sovereign credit ratings to investment grade, citing robust economic performance, continued fiscal and debt consolidation, and improved governance.

Nevertheless improvements are needed, the report said.

The Philippines lags behind most AsEAN nations in attracting FDI because of limits on foreign

ownership in many sectors of the economy.

Poor infrastructure, including high power costs and slow broadband connections, regulatory inconsistency and corruption are major constraints to investment.

The Philippines’ complex, slow, and sometimes corrupt judicial system inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial disputes. In addition, traffic and port congestion are a regular cost of business.

Investors report the Philippine bureaucracy can be difficult and opaque, and business registration and procedures are slow and

burdensome.

Overall, the investment climate of the Philippines has improved in recent years. If the country can maintain its reform momentum, continue to improve its infrastructure and relax foreign ownership limitations, the prospects for investment would continue to brighten, the report said.

The report includes investment climate statements covering 170 foreign markets prepared primarily by us embassies and consulates overseas to assist us companies make informed decisions regarding investment in foreign markets.

TWO Filipinos, an octogenarian real estate developer and a veterinarian who helps educate children in zamboanga, landed on Forbes Asia magazine’s 2016 “Heroes of Philanthropy,” an annual list of some of the region’s noteworthy givers.

Geronimo De Los Reyes, 80— chair emeritus of Gateway Property Holdings Inc., a company engaged in vertical and horizontal real estate development and the holding company of industrial Cavite estate Gateway Business Park (GBP)—was among those honored this year along with 50year-old veterinarian Anton Mari Lim who helped start the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation.

Forbes Asia honored 40 philanthropists from 13 countries across Asia Pacific in its July issue, handpicking a mix of billionaires, businesspeople and captains of industries who are also “making a mark with their generosity.”

The list not only features philanthropists who have made the news with their donations in the past year but also recognizes people who have compiled a long record of supporting worthy causes, the magazine said.

The magazine noted how De Los Reyes had started his namesake foundation in 1995 to provide scholarships and support faculty development and research. “His GBR Museum exhibits photographs of the Philippine Revolution, the Filipino-American War and the country at the turn of the last century,” the magazine said.

Geronimo De Los Reyes

Anton Mari Lim

In the case of Lim, the magazine noted how in 2010 he helped start the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation to build boats for children from the mangrove village of Layag-Layag, who had to swim to school.

Aside from donating the yellow boats, the group has since then branched out to building and maintaining a day care center, building classrooms and schools, dormitories, providing scholarships, providing school bags and other school supplies, conducting medical/dental missions, and empowering the community as a whole through applicable environmental and livelihood programs.

De los Reyes-led Gateway Property built a 180-hectare industrial park in Cavite which was the first to have a centralized industrial waste water treatment plant. This was to return clean and processed water to preserve the pristine con-

dition of Halang River where wildlife and fish abound.

In 1995, De los Reyes established the Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes, Jr. (GBR) Foundation, Inc. which manages the GBRMuseum, where the most extensive 19th and 20th century photographs of old Manila, World War II and other environs in the Philippines are exhibited.

In 2004, he was recognized as an “illustrious adopted son of the Province of Cavite”, for supporting communities and public schools across the province through the GBR Foundation’s programs for social and educational development including the ‘GBR Award and Excellence’ in History, Culture, Mathematics, English and its continuing program to promote computer literacy towards gaining global competitiveness for the Caviteño youth”. (Doris DumlaoAbadilla/Inquirer.net)

Lacson wants casinos covered by AMLA

by Jefferson

AntipordA ManilaTimes.net

TO strengthen the country’s Anti-Money Laundering law and prevent the entry of dirty money, sen. Panfilo Lacson filed a bill that seeks to expand the coverage of the law to include casinos and other Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs). senate Bill 45 also prohibits the filing of money laundering cases and the freezing of assets of a candidate during an election period.

Lacson, in filing the measure, said the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) noted how money launderers use businesses and professions to cover their illegal transactions.

Aside from casinos, Lacson also wants to include real estate brokers and dealers of art works and motor vehicles in the list of institutions and persons covered by the law.

“While the contributions of the (casino) industry are acknowledged, it is also understood that casinos are equally exposed to the raging threats of money laundering,” the senator said.

The bill is an offshoot of the entry into the country of $81 million stolen from the Bank of Bangladesh. The money was deposited at the Rizal Commercial banking Corporation (RCBC) Jupiter Branch in Makati City and later moved to several casinos though junket operators.

A portion of the money was delivered directly to junket operators by remittance firm PhilRem. To prevent this from happening again, Lacson in his proposal wants to prohibit casino operators from receiving cash for transmittal through wire or telegraphic transfer for or on behalf of a customer, payment in cash of funds received

through wire or telegraphic transfer and cashing of checks or other negotiable instruments.

Casino transactions that will be covered by the proposal include single or aggregate transactions exceeding P150,000 in one gaming day.

For dealers of precious metals and stones, the covered transactions include those exceeding P1 million. For real estate brokers, covered are single transactions exceeding P3 million.

Lacson also included provisions that will prevent the council from being used for political and economic harassment.

The bill specified that no case for money laundering may be filed and no assets shall be frozen, attached or forfeited to the prejudice of a candidate during an election period.

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Marketplace & ShowrooM

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • JULy 9-12, 2016 D

Why rent when you can own a new Forbes cites 2 Filipinos as ‘Heroes of Philanthropy’ home at Citrus Junction in Azusa AzusA—Why rent when you can afford low monthly payments on a new home? Introducing Citrus Junction, Comstock Homes’ newest townhome neighborhood in the heart of Azusa. For as little as $1,917 per month*, you can own a home in this fresh, thriving community close to shopping, dining and entertainment. This is your chance to experience a neighborhood where life is sweeter for everyone.

Citrus Junction offers a refreshing range of home options to fit any lifestyle. Thoughtfully designed with warmth and style, new two- and three-story townhomes present from 1,513 to 1,846 square feet with up to four bedrooms and four baths. Now priced from the mid $400,000s, Citrus Junction has everything you need for the perfect home.

With an exceptional array of interior amenities, new homes at Citrus Junction make room for growing and adapting to your life plan. From open layouts, chef-inspired kitchens and great rooms to the spacious bedrooms, relaxing master suites, impressive finishes and two-car garages, these new townhomes are perfectly designed to embrace a low-maintenance lifestyle. Plus, homes at Citrus Junction offer eco-friendly features, including Low-E windows, tankless water heaters and programmable thermostats.

Citrus Junction is a just-rightsized community that’s easy to love and even easier to call home.

Everything you need, want or like

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US lauds PH for luring more...

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Aquino administration, making strides in good governance, transparency and accountability, the report said.

Major international credit ratings agencies have upgraded the Philippines’ sovereign credit ratings to investment grade, citing robust economic performance, continued fiscal and debt consolidation, and improved governance.

Nevertheless improvements are needed, the report said.

The Philippines lags behind most AsEAN nations in attracting FDI because of limits on foreign

ownership in many sectors of the economy.

Poor infrastructure, including high power costs and slow broadband connections, regulatory inconsistency and corruption are major constraints to investment.

The Philippines’ complex, slow, and sometimes corrupt judicial system inhibits the timely and fair resolution of commercial disputes. In addition, traffic and port congestion are a regular cost of business.

Investors report the Philippine bureaucracy can be difficult and opaque, and business registration and procedures are slow and

burdensome.

Overall, the investment climate of the Philippines has improved in recent years. If the country can maintain its reform momentum, continue to improve its infrastructure and relax foreign ownership limitations, the prospects for investment would continue to brighten, the report said.

The report includes investment climate statements covering 170 foreign markets prepared primarily by us embassies and consulates overseas to assist us companies make informed decisions regarding investment in foreign markets.

TWO Filipinos, an octogenarian real estate developer and a veterinarian who helps educate children in zamboanga, landed on Forbes Asia magazine’s 2016 “Heroes of Philanthropy,” an annual list of some of the region’s noteworthy givers.

Geronimo De Los Reyes, 80— chair emeritus of Gateway Property Holdings Inc., a company engaged in vertical and horizontal real estate development and the holding company of industrial Cavite estate Gateway Business Park (GBP)—was among those honored this year along with 50year-old veterinarian Anton Mari Lim who helped start the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation.

Forbes Asia honored 40 philanthropists from 13 countries across Asia Pacific in its July issue, handpicking a mix of billionaires, businesspeople and captains of industries who are also “making a mark with their generosity.”

The list not only features philanthropists who have made the news with their donations in the past year but also recognizes people who have compiled a long record of supporting worthy causes, the magazine said.

The magazine noted how De Los Reyes had started his namesake foundation in 1995 to provide scholarships and support faculty development and research. “His GBR Museum exhibits photographs of the Philippine Revolution, the Filipino-American War and the country at the turn of the last century,” the magazine said.

Geronimo De Los Reyes

Anton Mari Lim

In the case of Lim, the magazine noted how in 2010 he helped start the Yellow Boat of Hope Foundation to build boats for children from the mangrove village of Layag-Layag, who had to swim to school.

Aside from donating the yellow boats, the group has since then branched out to building and maintaining a day care center, building classrooms and schools, dormitories, providing scholarships, providing school bags and other school supplies, conducting medical/dental missions, and empowering the community as a whole through applicable environmental and livelihood programs.

De los Reyes-led Gateway Property built a 180-hectare industrial park in Cavite which was the first to have a centralized industrial waste water treatment plant. This was to return clean and processed water to preserve the pristine con-

dition of Halang River where wildlife and fish abound.

In 1995, De los Reyes established the Geronimo Berenguer de los Reyes, Jr. (GBR) Foundation, Inc. which manages the GBRMuseum, where the most extensive 19th and 20th century photographs of old Manila, World War II and other environs in the Philippines are exhibited.

In 2004, he was recognized as an “illustrious adopted son of the Province of Cavite”, for supporting communities and public schools across the province through the GBR Foundation’s programs for social and educational development including the ‘GBR Award and Excellence’ in History, Culture, Mathematics, English and its continuing program to promote computer literacy towards gaining global competitiveness for the Caviteño youth”. (Doris DumlaoAbadilla/Inquirer.net)

Lacson wants casinos covered by AMLA

by Jefferson

AntipordA ManilaTimes.net

TO strengthen the country’s Anti-Money Laundering law and prevent the entry of dirty money, sen. Panfilo Lacson filed a bill that seeks to expand the coverage of the law to include casinos and other Designated Non-Financial Businesses and Professions (DNFBPs). senate Bill 45 also prohibits the filing of money laundering cases and the freezing of assets of a candidate during an election period.

Lacson, in filing the measure, said the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) noted how money launderers use businesses and professions to cover their illegal transactions.

Aside from casinos, Lacson also wants to include real estate brokers and dealers of art works and motor vehicles in the list of institutions and persons covered by the law.

“While the contributions of the (casino) industry are acknowledged, it is also understood that casinos are equally exposed to the raging threats of money laundering,” the senator said.

The bill is an offshoot of the entry into the country of $81 million stolen from the Bank of Bangladesh. The money was deposited at the Rizal Commercial banking Corporation (RCBC) Jupiter Branch in Makati City and later moved to several casinos though junket operators.

A portion of the money was delivered directly to junket operators by remittance firm PhilRem. To prevent this from happening again, Lacson in his proposal wants to prohibit casino operators from receiving cash for transmittal through wire or telegraphic transfer for or on behalf of a customer, payment in cash of funds received

through wire or telegraphic transfer and cashing of checks or other negotiable instruments.

Casino transactions that will be covered by the proposal include single or aggregate transactions exceeding P150,000 in one gaming day.

For dealers of precious metals and stones, the covered transactions include those exceeding P1 million. For real estate brokers, covered are single transactions exceeding P3 million.

Lacson also included provisions that will prevent the council from being used for political and economic harassment.

The bill specified that no case for money laundering may be filed and no assets shall be frozen, attached or forfeited to the prejudice of a candidate during an election period.

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