La Weekend Edition -- October 15 -- 18, 2016

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E DITION October 15-18, 2016

Volume 26 - No. 83 • 4 Sections – 32 Pages

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Senate ends inquiry into extrajudicial killings

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by Jefferson

antiporda ManilaTimes.net

SENATE CONTINUES PROBE ON EXTRAJUDICIAL KILLINGS. enate Committee on Justice and Human Rights Chairman and Senator Richard Gordon shares thoughts with Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs Chairman and Senator Panfilo “Ping” Lacson during the Senate’s continuing probe on the spate of extrajudicial killings in the country on Thursday, October 13. During the hearing attended by officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP) and the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Gordon slammed the PNP’s slow pace of investigating cases of shootings and deaths in police anti-drug operations. “We want to give justice to those who lost loved ones in these drug-related killings,” he said.

Senate photo by Albert Calvelo

DATELINE

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Housing, higher education among measures at stake for Angelenos in November AQUILINA Versoza had to upgrade the Pilipino Workers Center’s (PWC) internet service after nearly twice as many volunteers than the nonprofit had expected arrived to participate in its first night of phone banking on tuesday, october 4.

“It’s been overwhelming,” said Versoza, PWC’s executive director, following a press event hosted by Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing JusticeLA) promoting voter outreach on thursday, october 13. “People are bringing in their own computers and phones so that they can help.” fiery public discourse on issues of national concern might have recently heightened political engagement in the filipino-American

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National event to target AAPI millennial voter registration Los ANGeLes — the largest initiative to mobilize Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) millennials to register and vote in history announces more than 50 AAPI artists and celebrities who will be performing as a part of its national concert event in four cities. the concert in Los Angeles, New York, Washington, D.C. and Chicago will occur simultaneously on sunday, october 16. the lineup at the Los Angeles flagship concert will feature the stars of ABC’s “fresh off the Boat” and “Dr. Ken,” Nickelodeon’s “make It Pop!,” mtV’s “America’s Best Dance Crew” champions PoreotICs and Pitch Perfect 2’s the filharmonic, as well as speeches by health care advocate Paul song, UCLA Labor Center director Kent Wong and

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PH to open ‘mega’ drug rehab facilities

by Klarize

Medenilla

AJPress

After a violent months-long tirade against the illegal drug networks, the Duterte administration is turning its focus on drug rehabilitation. the Philippine Department of health (Doh) said that a 10,000-bed mega drug treatment and rehabilitation center is being constructed in fort magsaysay in Nueva ecija just north of manila. health secretary Paulyn Ubial said that it is expected to be open by November. “this initiative will not only benefit these drug victims whom we want to help and reach out to, but also for the change that we envision for our country,” health secretary Paulyn Jean rosell-Ubial said during a news conference on Wednesday, october 12.

“Almost 50 percent of the facility has been constructed. the right wing of the building, which can accommodate almost 1,000 in-patients and offices, are now ready to be furnished. Construction of the left wing of the building and the female dormitory is underway,” rosell-Ubial added. the construction of the center coincides with the

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the senate Committee on Justice and human rights on thursday, oct. 13, officially terminated its investigation into alleged summary executions of crime suspects, and absolved President rodrigo Duterte of any involvement in the killings.

“Definitely not,” replied Gordon when asked if the committee was able to find any indication of Duterte’s involvement in killings in Davao City when he was still mayor, and all over the country now that he is President.

Gordon, in a news briefing after the hearing, pointed to

efforts past and present to pin down the President over alleged summary killings. the committee, Gordon said, would come out with a report by monday.

It was sen. Panfilo Lacson who made the motion to terminate the investigation, which was based on separate resolutions filed by senators Leila de Lima and Antonio trillanes 4th.

De Lima was able to conduct three hearings before she was replaced as head of the committee by Gordon.

Gordon granted Lacson’s motion to conclude the committee investigation.

“We have enough to report.

Philstar.com

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PH killings could be investigated

by International Criminal Court

by CaMille

diola Philstar.com

mANILA, Philippines — extrajudicial killings of drug suspects in the Philippines, when committed in pursuing state policy, may fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court (ICC), the court prosecutor said on thursday, oct. 13.

Prosecutor fatou Bensouda said the Philippines is a party to the ICC, which examines, investigates and prosecutes crimes of genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes.

Bensouda called the reported killings of more than 3,000 drug dealers and users in the Philippines “worrying,” and vowed to follow developments in the country in the following weeks. “extra-judicial killings may fall under the jurisdiction of the International Criminal Court if they are committed as part of a widespread or systematic attack against a civilian population pursuant to a state policy to commit such an attack,” Bensouda said in a statement issued in the hague.

“Let me be clear: any person in the Philippines who incites or engages in acts of mass violence including by ordering, requesting, encouraging or contributing, in any other manner, to the commission of crimes within the jurisdiction of the ICC is potentially liable to prosecution before the Court,”

DFA: Business delegation shows Pres. Duterte’s plan in China ties by patriCia lourdes

We will try to get it out by monday, so that the public will be assuaged that we are all watching out for each other here. It may not be perfect but we will try,” Gordon said before terminating the proceedings. the development came a day after malacañang announced that it had invited a UN special rapporteur to look into the alleged summary killings in the country.

Denied the committee concluded the hearing even if there were still nine witnesses to be presented by the Commission on human rights (Chr).

Gordon rejected the presen-

Viray

Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda at the International Criminal Court in The Hague, Netherlands.

she added.

Bensouda said statements of officials also seem to encourage violence against suspected drug offenders.

“I am deeply concerned about these alleged killings and the fact that public statements of high officials of the republic of the Philippines seem to condone such killings and further seem to encourage state forces and civilians alike to continue

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US donates military equipment to PH to help counterterrorism efforts by dana

mANILA, Philippines — the large business delegation that will accompany President rodrigo Duterte to China next week shows the direction that he wants to take in carrying out bilateral relations with Beijing now, the Department of foreign Affairs (DfA) said.

DfA spokesperson Charles Jose said that the president will discuss economic, business and investment agreements with China in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping. “the fact that we are bringing a lot of our business people to China, that’s a very clear signal of the direction that we are taking in terms of carrying out our

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sioson AJPress

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte gestures during his address to a Filipino business sector in suburban Pasay city south of Manila, Philippines Thursday, Oct. 13, 2016. Duterte has been under criticism by international human rights groups, the United Nations, European Union and the United States for the more than 3,000 deaths of mostly suspected drug-users and drugpushers in his so-called “War on Drugs” campaign since assuming the presidency on June 30.

Philstar.com photo

the United states has donated counterterrorism equipment to the Philippine marines on friday, october 8, despite President rodrigo Duterte’s earlier pronouncements that he intends to cut off assistance from the Philippines’ longstanding ally.

According to a statement released by the U.s. embassy in manila on friday, october 14, the Joint Us military Assistance Group (Jusmag) has donated 24 pallets of new military equipment to the Philippine marine special operations Group (marsog) three days before the conclusion of the 33rd joint military drill Philippines Amphibious Landing exercise (PhIBLeX) at Clark Air Base in Pampanga. the equipment was transferred under the U.s. grant program, which aims to boost counterterrorism and fast boat operations. “this equipment will help enhance the communications, situational awareness and protection of Philippine security forces actively engaged in

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From the Front Page

Senate ends inquiry into extrajudicial…

PAGE A1 t tation and moved to take up the proposal to restore death penalty, introduced by Sen. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao.

Gordon’s decision to disallow the presentation of the witnesses came after the “disrespectful” statements made by CHR Commissioner Roberto Eugenio Cadiz, who called the senator “un-

fair” and a “coward.”

Cadiz, in a statement issued last October 4, criticized Gordon for suspending the hearing the day before, as supposed inconsistencies in the testimony of confessed “Davao Death Squad” hit man Edgar Matobato emerged.

Gordon called on CHR officials to distance themselves from the statements of Cadiz.

“We are not taking the human rights out of the question. I just said, under the circumstances, kung pinagdududahan ninyo ang committee, huwag na kayo pumunta dito [if you are doubting the committee, don’t come here],” Gordon said.

Gordon said CHR chairman Jose Luis Martin Gascon had apologized to him and assured the committee that the commission en banc did not share Cadiz’s position.

No second De Lima attempted to give Gascon a chance to speak, making such a motion to the committee.

But no member of the panel seconded de Lima’s motion, prompting Gordon to reject de Lima’s plea.

De Lima appealed to the members of the committee to reconsider their decision to disallow the presentation of the CHR witnesses.

The witnesses, she said, had

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FLASH FLOOD. Rescuers bring an elderly Moro woman to safety in a flooded barangay in Sultan Mastura, Maguindanao. Emergency teams late Wednesday, Oct. 12 evacuated 40 Moro families from farming communities in Sultan Mastura town in Maguindanao hit by flash floods caused by heavy rains. The Humanitarian Emergency Assistance and Relief Team (HEART) in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao on Thursday said 2,370 families were affected by the flash floods that swept through Barangays Tariken and Solon in Sultan Mastura.

Philstar.com photo by John Unson

PH killings…

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targeting these individuals with lethal force,” Bensouda said.

Bensouda’s office has been conducting investigations in Uganda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Darfur, Sudan, the Central African Republic, Kenya, Libya, Côte d’Ivoire, Mali and Georgia. It is also undertaking preliminary examinations relating to the situations in Afghanistan, Burundi, the registered vessels of Comoros, Greece and Cambodia, Colombia, Gabon, Guinea, Iraq and the United Kingdom, Palestine, Nigeria and Ukraine. “(We will) record any instance of incitement or resort to violence with a view to assessing whether a preliminary examination into the situation of the Philippines needs to be opened,” Bensouda said.

Gov’t condoning killings?

The United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights had a similar observation as the ICC prosecutor. In an unedited version of its concluding observations dated October 7, the UN panel said high-ranking officials are making declarations

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From the Front page

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 15-18, 2016

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DFA: Business delegation shows…

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bilateral relations with China now. So we can now see by this the importance that we are giving to our trade and commercial ties with China,” Jose said in a press briefing on Friday.

The list of the official and business delegation to China is still being finalized, Jose said. Reports say that around 400 businessmen are going to Beijing with the president.

Jose clarified that the expenses, including airfare and accommodations, of the business delegation will not be shouldered by the Chinese government nor by the Philippine government.

The host country usually pays for the delegation of a visiting

nation during state visits.

“These business people joining the trip will be traveling on their own expense,” Jose said.

The Department of Trade and Industry is handling the business aspect of Duterte’s state visit to China.

Duterte is also expected to bring up the South China Sea issue during his meeting with the Chinese chief executive.

“Well, the bilateral relations between the Philippines and China are very expansive. So we expect that all areas of interest will be... expected to be discussed including the South China Sea,” Jose said.

Jose noted that the top priority of the president is for Filipino fishermen to be allowed to have

access to Scarborough Shoal, which is inside the Philippines’ exclusive economic zone, to be able to earn their livelihood.

The president is expected to meet separately with National People’s Congress Chairman Zhang Dejiang and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang. He will also meet members of the Filipino community in China.

A part of the president’s official program is to visit some law enforcement and drug rehabilitation centers in China.

China had earlier expressed its support for Duterte’s campaign against the illegal drug trade despite criticisms from the United States, the European Union and some human rights groups. n

Housing, higher education among measures…

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community.

However, Fil-Ams and other Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) living in Los Angeles cannot afford to ignore state and local ballot initiatives, according to Versoza and other representatives of nonprofits based in Southern California.

“This is a very daunting election,” said the Asian Pacific Policy & Planning Council’s (A3PCON) Policy Director, Mark Masaoka.

“In addition to the candidates, there [are] 17 state measures and five local ballot propositions.”

He, Versoza and other community organizers highlighted a number of statewide proposals and local measures Angelenos will vote on in November that will impact the lives of AANHPIs and many others in Los Angeles and statewide.

Proposition 55 guarantees statewide funding for public education and subsidies for children’s health care by extending existing taxes affecting incomes over $250,000.

Its opponents say the tax was meant to be temporary. They view the proposal as unnecessary and an example of excessive government expansion.

Proposition 55’s supporters say it will prevent $4 billion in cuts that would lead to teacher layoffs and jeopardize programs and services at California schools, universities and community colleges. It would not create new taxes, according to Versoza and other proponents of the measure.

“Having a good education provides the opportunity for our youth to be successful in the fu-

LIVELIHOOD PROJECTS. Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chairperson of the Senate Committee on Social Justice, Welfare and Rural Development, joins the Villar SIPAG and other government agencies to give livelihood projects to Baseco residents. They conducted the regular cleaning at Gasangan, Barangay 649, Baseco, Manila and the planting of mangrove for the community to fight floodings and storm surges. The senator, also chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment, cited the need to preserve and protect our environment.

PH to open ‘mega’ drug rehab…

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administration’s focus on drug rehabilitation after months of violent drug raids.

“We’re shifting very quickly from the national security mode into the public health mode regarding drugs,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella Representatives of local nonprofit organizations serving Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians told CNN Philippines.

The center is being funded by and Pacific Islanders (AANHPIs) on Thursday, October 13 discussed ballot measures that Angelenos will vote on this November.

AJPress photo by Eric Anthony Licas a Chinese real estate tycoon and philanthropist Huang Rulun, who ture,” said Versoza. “[Prop. 55] also have to pay the proposed has met with President Rodrigo just maintains the current tax tax, not just property owners.

However, the measure’s suprate on the very richest in California so that they’re giving their porters say that it would generate benefits for all residents. fair share.”

“It’s cheaper to house a per- PAGE A1 t Local proposals focusing on the city of Los Angeles’s least son than to leave them on the counterterrorism operations in fortunate residents will also be street,” Neil McGuffin, the direc- southern Philippines,” the U.S. tor of real estate development for Embassy said. brought to a vote in November.

Measure HHH is a $1.2 bil- the Little Tokyo Service Center Items included tactical Harris lion bond measure intended to (LTSC), said during Thursday’s radios, ballistic helmets and divcombat rising homelessness in press conference. ing gear.

Each person living on the the city by funding the construcThe Philippine Marines will tion of between 8,000 and 10,000 street costs taxpayers about also receive radio training as a permanent supportive hous- $3,000 each year in medical, le- part of the grant program, acing units for the homeless. That gal, and other expenses, accord- cording to the U.S. Embassy. money would also be raised by a ing to a 2009 study by the antiMeanwhile, the Philippine new property tax on residential poverty organization, Economic National Police-Special Action and commercial properties and Roundtable. In contrast, the state Force (PNP-SAF) and the Philipwould also be used to pay for spends only about $650 a year pine Coast Guard also received affordable housing projects and to keep a person in supportive six pallets of the new communihousing. temporary shelters. cations equipment from the US Another local housing bill, government.

Measure HHH’s opposition believe new housing would not Measure JJJ, hopes to address Duterte earlier said that be the most effective way to de- gentrification and the dearth of PHIBLEX 33 would be the last crease the city’s homeless popu- inexpensive homes in Los Ange- joint war games between the lation and say that renters should u PAGE A4 Philippines and the United States

Duterte three times. The center itself is being constructed using material imported from China, Rosell-Ubial said.

There are hundreds of people currently training for the new center to prepare to treat the first influx of patients.

Rosell-Ubial added that there are plans to establish four more mega rehabilitation centers throughout the Philippines.

Since Duterte’s first day in office, thousands of drug suspects

have been killed by either the police or vigilante forces. Thousands have also turned themselves into law enforcement in fear of being killed.

The news comes after the Social Weather Stations rated Duterte’s first hundred days of the presidency as “excellent,” adding that 84 percent of survey participants expressing satisfaction with Duterte’s anti-illegal drug campaign and crackdown. n

US donates military equipment to PH to help… during his six-year term as he expressed his intention to scrap the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA), which allows the U.S. to have troops in the Philippines and to operate and build facilities on Philippine bases.

In his speech during the 115th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard on Wednesday, October 12, Duterte relayed that he had told Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana “not to prepare anymore” for next year’s joint military exercises with the U.S. However, Senior Associate Justice Antonio Carpio suggested that the Philippines should continue joint patrols with the U.S. to protect its exclusive economic

zone (EEZ).

During the closing ceremony for PHIBLEX 33 on October 11, he said only the United States can help the Philippines in its territorial dispute with China.

“There is only one power on earth that can stop the Chinese from poaching in our EEZ. That is the US,” Carpio said.

Last Friday, October 7, the U.S. Embassy posted photos that showed personnel from the U.S. military and the U.S. Agency International Development (USAID) distributing relief to the internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Zamboanga City in 2013.

Using the hashtag #FriendsPartnersAllies, the post read “We were here to help. We are still here to help.” n

A OCTOBER 15-18, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

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POSTHUMOUS AWARD. President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the family of Police Officer 1 Michael Jay Castro who was recently killed in an anti-drug operation in Zamboanga City.

ManilaTimes.net photo

National event to target AAPI millennial…

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Pulitzer-winning journalist and immigrant rights activist Jose Antonio Vargas.

Other performers in Los Angeles, New York, Chicago and DC include an array of celebrated Asian American indie artists associated with the Voices of Our Vote music anthology curated by 18 Million Rising (www.voicesofourvote.org) and Kollaboration’s annual national Asian Pacific American talent search (www. kollaboration.org).

“We can’t vote yet, so that means everyone else is voting for me and all the other kids out there,” said Hudson Yang, star of ABC’s “Fresh Off the Boat,” who will appear along with his castmate Forrest Wheeler, Dr. Ken’s Albert Tsai and “Fuller House”’s Ashley Liao. “But what we can

do is push our big siblings and parents and grandparents to go out and vote, because it’s kind of the most important thing you can do!”

“I am excited and proud to stand alongside these amazing artists making a difference as a community for our great country,” said Deedee Magno Hall, who played Kim in Broadway’s “Miss Saigon” and is the voice of Pearl in Cartoon Network’s hit animated series “Steven Universe.” “I encourage everyone to exercise their right, privilege and civic responsibility to get out and vote!” Hall will be joining other musical theater standouts Jon Jon Briones (Engineer, “Miss Saigon”), Jennie Kwan Garrett (“Promoted”; “Avatar: The Last Airbender”) and Ai Goeku Cheung (Kim, “Miss Saigon”)

in an all-Asian American performance of several numbers from the Lin-Manuel Miranda musical blockbuster “Hamilton.”

“As a young South Asian American, I wanted to give a message of empowerment to all my fans, and especially to all the girls out there that look like me, to see how strong we can be when we unite and speak up!” said singer/ songwriter Shilpa Narayan, who will be performing in the New York City concert.

“The #IAmAsianAmerican movement puts on a national display of Asian American contributions to both entertainment and civic engagement,” said #IAAA executive director Uyen Tieu, “On October 16, the concerts being held nationwide will celebrate the strength, unity and cre-

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Housing, higher education among measures…

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les. It would require certain residential development projects to either include low-income units in their plans, or help fund the construction of nearby affordable housing.

A number of major infrastructure and public transportation projects slated to break ground over the next few years in Los Angeles will hinge upon the passage of Measure M. The proposal would implement a halfcent sales tax to generate about $860 million which proponents

hope will be used to ease traffic congestion and make it easier to travel through the city.

“Unless we get a transit system that is usable and reliable we’re not going to get people out of their cars,” said Masaoka on Thursday.

AP3CON had initially held off on backing Measure M because the organization felt that certain proposed projects focusing on freeway infrastructure would delay Los Angeles’s transition to a more public transit-oriented city. However, supporters of the

proposal say that, overall, it will reduce traffic and pollution, create jobs, and only cost individual taxpayers about $25 a year.

Though these proposals represent only a fraction of what will be on the line on November 8, the organizations present on Thursday reminded guests that the outcome of the upcoming election will have ramifications for years to come.

“Your vote matters; the Asian community’s voice matters,” said Versoza. (Eric Anthony Licas / AJ Press)

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Calif. governor signs bill plugging gap in mental health care

by AnnA

GormAn Inquirer.net

MENLO PARK, California — Clinica Sierra Vista, which has health centers throughout the Central Valley, screened its mostly low-income patients last year for mental health needs and found that nearly 30 percent suffered from depression, anxiety or alcoholism.

Christopher Reilly, Sierra Vista’s chief of behavioral health services, said he was concerned about the high percentage of patients afflicted, but even more so about the clinic’s ability to treat them.

That’s in part because at health centers like Clinica Sierra Vista, a large group of mental health

providers are excluded from reimbursement by Medi-Cal, the government program for low-income Californians.

But that will soon change. Gov. Jerry Brown last week signed a law allowing federally funded health centers and rural clinics to bill Medi-Cal for the services of licensed marriage and family therapists.

“I am ecstatic that this passed,” Reilly said. “It means a lot more people are going to get attention for their behavioral health needs a lot earlier.”

Addressing gaps The new law, which takes effect Jan. 1, is designed to address gaps in mental health care, particularly in rural areas where recruiting and retaining behavioral

health providers is a challenge.

Under the current law, clinics hire licensed clinical social workers and psychologists for their Medi-Cal patients, but they often can’t find enough to meet their needs. Many clinics don’t provide behavioral health services at all.

About 40,000 marriage and family therapists are licensed in the state, compared to about 22,000 social workers and 21,000 psychologists, according to a state analysis of the legislation, Assembly Bill 1863.

Sierra Vista’s Reilly, who himself is a marriage and family therapist, said he expects another benefit from the law: less reliance on medication. Instead of

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Senate ends inquiry into extrajudicial…

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been waiting for their chance to be heard by the committee since day one of the investigation, with some of them even traveling from the provinces.

Former Speaker Jose de Venecia, Chairman of International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP), is received at Beijing’s National But Gordon did not budge and People’s Congress by parliamentary leader Fu Ying, chair of NPC Foreign Relations Committee, who earlier conferred with special envoy proceeded with the hearing on former President Fidel Ramos. De Venecia conferred after with Minister Song Tao, head of the Chinese Communist Party Central Committee’s the death penalty bill.

International Relations (CPC), as de Venecia presented both a 20-point informal proposal on the improvement of Philippine-China relations.

Gascon was eventually allowed He later conferred with Director General Xu Lin at the Confucius Institute Headquarters, which has 500 Institutes all over the world, on

by Gordon to give a statement to a new unique Chinese-English language system, dictionary and website (Kanji-Hanzi Hybrid) which de Venecia’s Manila group, Chinese, the committee.

Japanese, English Language Systems (CJELS) is working on.

“We do want to say that we respect the honorable chairman of the committee as well as all the other members of this commitPhilippines, saying Filipinos are lion while the US ranked pledged tee,” Gascon said. by rosette Adel P90.6 million. The United NaNot prepared not beggars.

Philstar.com After her first motion was junked, British Ambassador to the Phil- tions and its agencies extended AMID President Rodrigo ippines Asif Ahmad also posted a $81.5 million, while the EU de Lima asked the committee not Duterte’s pronouncements that list of countries which extended u PAGE A7 to take up the death penalty bills, he intends to shrug off aid from their hand after Supertyphoon the United States and the Unit- Yolanda ravaged the Philippines ed Kingdom, the two countries’ in 2013. The United Kingdom was embassies sent out social media the top foreign donor, followed by posts referring to their assistance the US on the third place. to the Philippines.

“The world came to help the Using hashtag #FriendsPart- Philippines,” he said. nersAllies, the US Embassy last Replying to a netizen, the amOctober 7 posted photos of per- bassador said the information is sonnel from the US military and “a window to the world.” “People the US Agency International with issues need a mirror. UK aid Development helping internally was delivered directly to Filipidisplaced persons in Zamboanga nos in need,” he added.

City in 2013.

According to the “Yolanda” aid “We were here to help. We fund report of the United Nations are still here to help,” the em- Office for the Coordination of Hubassy said. manitarian Affairs (UN OCHA), The US Embassy’s post came the Philippines was pledged a a day after Duterte dared the total of $865 million by foreign Washington and the European states and organizations.

Union to pull out their aid to the The UK offered $122.7 mil-

US, UK post reminders on assistance to PH

Coordinated by the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police with the support of the U.S. Joint Special Operations Task Force-Philippines (JSOTF-P), a total of 10,000 units of bottled water, sleeping mats, blankets, tooth brushes, toothpaste, buckets, and canned goods formed part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) 26,400,000 (US$600,000) assistance to provide relief and emergency to internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Zamboanga City.

PH killings could be…

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that could be interpreted as license to commit violence against drug suspects.

“The Committee is deeply concerned that declarations made by high ranking officials in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ may be seen to encourage and legitimize violence against drug users, including extrajudicial killings,” the UN body said in the report.

It also said the crackdown on illegal substances has disproportionately affected the poor.

The Philippine government led

by President Rodrigo Duterte, however, addressed accusations of human rights in the drug war by saying deaths recorded in police operations were out of acts of self defense by enforcers. Deaths of drug suspects outside police efforts, meanwhile, have been found to by incited by members of cartels and vigilante assailants.

Duterte’s administration has invited the United Nations to investigate the drug-related killings and lashed back at the criticisms made beyond the country’s shores.

Drug policy experts noted that deaths and violence in the Philippines are similar to those experienced in other countries that

have waged their own aggressive campaign against illegal drugs.

“What we find is that aggressive enforcement often spikes violence by disrupting cartel structures, leading to fragmentation of operations whereby members of cartel go to war with each other for control of the organization or splinter into rival groups competing over turf,” John Collins, executive director of London School of Economics IDEAS International Drug Policy Project, told Philstar.com.

Enforcement-heavy wars against drugs around the world in the past century are found to have failed in cutting the supply and demand of substances in the long run. Acknowledging that the drug problem persists, experts recommend a holistic approach to managing it.

“The right objective should be to minimize violence in criminal markets and maximize public health. For both of those objectives, the war on drugs in the Philippines unleashed by Duterte is not only ineffective but outright counterproductive,” said Vanda Felbab-Brown, a Brookings Institution scholar on urban violence and drug policy. (with Philstar NewsLab)

National event to target AAPI…

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ative power of our community, while mobilizing Asian American millennials to show up and go to the polls.”

All events will be FREE to the public; advance registration is encouraged and VIP tickets with special privileges are available for purchase for the flagship Los Angeles event.

The events are on Sunday, Oct. 16 in LA from 4-6 p.m. at the Wiltern Theatre; Chicago from 6-8 p.m. at Buttercup Park; DC/ Northern Virginia from 7-9 p.m. at The Eden Center; and New York from 7-9 p.m. at Long Island City Landing.

More details of the lineups for all four events can be viewed at www.iamasianamerican.com. n

saying the resource persons were not properly notified.

According to the senator, there should be a three-day notice issued to the members of the committee and the resource persons to allow them to prepare for the hearing.

Gordon called for a vote, but no member voted, prompting the chairman to turn down de Lima’s second motion.

“The motion is overruled because there is no vote,” Gordon said, and called on Pacquiao to proceed with his proposal.

The committee however was not able to tackle the proposed death penalty measures thoroughly because resource persons from the Philippine National Po-

lice, Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the CHR were not prepared to discuss their positions on the bill.

This prompted Gordon to return to the issue of summary killings, asking the PNP about the latest data on the government’s anti-drug war.

The Internal Affairs Service (IAS) of the PNP said it was handling a total of 1,411 cases of killings of suspects during police operations, covering the period January to October.

Lawyer Maria Lynberg Constantinopla, chief of IAS Intelligence and Investigation Office, said that of the number, 1,298 killings were recorded from July to September. n

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Calif. governor signs bill plugging…

PAGE A5 t simply being referred to doctors for prescriptions, the patients will be able to have regular counseling.

Often, Reilly noted, patients’ depression or anxiety stems from family problems, domestic violence or substance use. Marriage and family therapists can help with those situations, he said.

Access to mental health services Access to mental health services has long been a challenge in Gov. Jerry Brown

11/01/16

California, especially for low-income residents. In 2014, millions more Californians became eligible for Medi-Cal and for mental health services under the Affordable Care Act. That put even more pressure on the system.

The new law signed by the governor affects nearly 1,000 federally funded and rural health clinics, according to the state analysis. The clinics accept patients regardless of their ability to pay and rely heavily on MediCal reimbursements.

Not enough social workers One of them, OLE Health, treats about 25,000 patients each year in Napa. CEO Tanir Ami said it’s been a challenge to find enough social workers to treat patients, many of whom have depression and anxiety, often exacerbated by poverty and inadequate housing.

“Now we get to recruit from a whole other pool of qualified candidates,” Ami said. “I am hoping it will make it exponentially easier to find the workforce we need.”

Gov. Brown vetoed a similar bill last year. The bill’s author, Assemblyman Jim Wood, (DemHealdsburg), said the governor had been concerned about its cost. But this year, Wood said he and the bill’s supporters convinced Brown that providing more mental health services could actually reduce health care costs.

“If you get people the behavioral health they need, you potentially keep them out of emergency rooms, which is a huge savings,” Wood said.

The bill was sponsored by CaliforniaHealth+ Advocates, an arm of the California Primary Care Association, and the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. The California chapter of the National Association of Social Workers and the California Psychological Association opposed it. n

Historic Filipinotown to mark 2nd annual Larry Itliong Day on Oct. 22 LOS ANGELES -— Honoring the life and work of labor and civil rights leader Larry Itliong, the City of Los Angeles, Pilipino Workers Center, Larry Itliong Day Committee, FilAm Arts and the Los Angeles Neighborhood Land Trust will present the 2nd Annual Larry Itliong Day Parade & Festival on October 22, 2016, from 10am to 2pm on 125 Loma Drive and Unidad Park at 1644 Beverly Blvd, Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles, California.

Free Admission to the event is made possible by event sponsors and a grant from the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) Arts Activation Fund.

In 2015, Gov. Jerry Brown signed AB 7 which proclaimed to annually observe every 25th of October as “Larry Itliong Day” throughout the State of California; and earlier in 2013 - AB 123 the Filipino American Farmworker Bill requiring public schools to teach about Itliong’s life, work and vast contributions to California’s civil rights and labor movement. By signing AB 7 and AB 123, Gov. Brown guarantees that Itliong’s legacy of fighting for social justice and equality will be properly honored for generations to come. Both AB 7 and AB 123 was authored by Assemblyman Rob Bonta (D-Oakland).

“The accomplishments and contributions of Larry Itliong should be properly memorialized within the history and culture of the United States of America.

Larry Itliong deserves proper recognition for his numerous sacrifices in the name of justice and the suppression of severely inadequate working conditions,” AB 7 stated.

The bill also encourages all public schools and educational institutions in California to “conduct exercises remembering the life of Larry Itliong, recognizing his accomplishments, and familiarizing pupils with the contributions he made to this state.”

Itliong, originally from San Nicolas, Pangasinan, migrated to the United States in 1929 at the age of 15, and worked as a migrant farmworker in Montana, South Dakota, Washington and California, where he saw the plight of other labor workers, especially Filipinos.

As a leader of the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), Itliong is remembered for igniting the California farm labor movement in 1965, organizing an eight-day strike with 1,500 Filipino grape workers in Delano.

The boycott called for increased wages and better working conditions for the farmworkers.

“Larry Itliong was one of the

greatest labor organizers and leaders in California history,” Bonta said in a statement. “He was a hero not only to the Filipino American community, but to all Californians and Americans who fought and continue to fight for socioeconomic and racial justice in our state and nation.”

Dolores Huerta, who was recently inducted into the California Hall of Fame as an iconic social justice and labor rights activist, stated that she did not want to miss this historic opportunity to support AB 123. “The students of California need to learn that the sacrifices made by both the Filipino and Latino workers benefitted all Californians. AB 123 will ensure that the history is taught accurately.”

Larry Itliong was a labor organizer and a giant in California farmworker union history. Led

by Itliong, AWOC was the first to strike on September 8,1965 for improved wages and working conditions in Delano, igniting the great Delano Grape Strike the watershed movement of California’s labor history. Initiated, strategized and invited by Itliong, AWOC and National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), led

by Cesar Chávez and Dolores Huerta, converged to form the United Farm Workers Organizing

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Committee (UFWOC) with Larry Itliong and Cesar Chavez serving as co-directors, and the rest of the six-member leadership of UFWOC filled up with one more Mexican and the remaining three spots given to Filipino Americans: Pete Velasco, Andy Imutan and Philip Vera Cruz. UFWOC led to the formation of the United Farmworkers of America (UFW).

The parade and festival will feature cultural performances and exhibits, a free film screening of the seminal documentary on Itliong titled: Delano Manongs

by Emmy award-winning filmmaker Marissa Aroy, a re-enactment of the Great Delano Grape Strike, and the inauguration of ‘The Salubong’ or ‘El Encuentro’ (when Larry D. Itliong and his fellow Filipino American farmworkers merged with Cesar Chavez and his fellow Mexican American farmworkers on September 16, 1965). This unprecedented unity across ethnic lines led to one of the greatest labor movements in American history; which will be highlighted in a street parade with “Higantes” (giant paper maché puppets) of Itliong and other historical, heroic and mythical creatures as well as figures directly sourced from the Filipino mural at Unidad Park in Filipi-

US, UK post…

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ranked seventh with its $40.5million assistance.

In pursuing what the government calls an “independent” foreign policy, Duterte has taken a strong stance against the US and other Western nations and blocs which criticized his war on drugs for resulting in thousands of deaths.

Duterte did not take the calls for restraint lightly, threatening to cut ties while appearing to turn to China, which pledged to support of the anti-narcotics campaign amid its incursion in Philippine maritime features in the South China Sea the past years.

The president had said the Philippines would not sacrifice its dignity as a nation for aid from other countries who do not understand the seriousness of the drug problem.

Duterte also vowed to cooperation with China and Russia, while expressing his plan to begin trade talks with countries reputed to be less friendly with the US. n

notown. There will be children’s games and activities, a Filipino American Art exhibit (curated by Edwin Ramoran), a “Dambana ng Bayan” or Community Altar (the public is invited to contribute items and messages to their dearly departed at the altar), Filipino food, free Jeepney rides and a special guest keynote speaker.

The festival will also highlight civic engagement activities at the main festival grounds on Loma Dr with voter education, a Health Fair, Empleo Pilipino, interactive displays on the Cali-

fornia Domestic Workers Bill of Rights campaign; and at Unidad Park (site of Larry Itliong Day of Service), with free tours of the mural, community garden and park. The Larry Itliong Day Parade and Festival invites the public to participate in the celebration. To get involved as a food vendor, a sponsor, walk in the parade or enter your own contingent, obtain a booth, and become a volunteer, contact Eliseo Art Silva at eliseoart@earthlink. net or call Perla Santos at 213 268 3222. n

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OpiniOn

Features

A task force for journalists PREVIOUS administrations also had one: a task force to probe deadly attacks on journalists and come up with measures to discourage the killings. Yesterday, the Duterte administration announced the creation of its own task force. Perhaps the campaign to end this threat to press freedom will fare better in the time of Oplan Tokhang.

Failure to bring killers to justice has bred impunity, putting the Philippines consistently among the five most dangerous countries for journalists. The failure is due to the fact that many of the hundreds of journalist killings since democracy was restored in 1986 were believed perpetrated by political kingpins, police and military officers – people who could influence all or certain pillars of the criminal justice system.

Even crime gang leaders such as gambling barons, smugglers and drug dealers can pay authorities including prosecutors and judges to look the other way, sit on cases or set suspects free. As the nation is seeing, several politicians, police and military personnel themselves are involved in these criminal activities. If the Duterte administration can go after these public officials for drug dealing, it should be able to hold them accountable for

murdering journalists.

President Duterte himself, when he was mayor of Davao City, was suspected of involvement in the murder of one of his critics, radio broadcaster Jun Pala. The President has repeatedly denied the accusation, but revived the issue when he said corruption made certain journalists targets for assassination.

After getting off on the wrong footing with the national media, Duterte has since normalized his ties with the press. He became the first Chief Executive to pass a freedom of information policy in the executive branch and has promised to persuade his congressional allies to pass an FOI law. Journalists are still waiting for the implementing rules The creation of the task force to focus on solvfor the FOI policy, which will contain exemptions, but it is significant that the executive order was ing journalist killings is just the latest measure approved by President Duterte to promote the one of the first to be issued by the President.

Guest Editorial

Philstar.com photo

welfare of media workers. Perhaps under his watch, the task force will accomplish its mission.

(Philstar.com)

Trump loses ground after lewd comments bragging about the entitlement of sexually assaulting women REPUBLICAN Party presidential nominee Donald Trump shrugs his statements of groping women by their genitals, making sexual advances without their consent, and being able to do what he wants with women because of his “star” status, off as “locker room talk,” but many people aren’t buying it.

According to the latest national poll conducted by the conservative network Fox News, Democratic Party nominee Hillary Clinton has now widened her lead over Trump by eight points (49-41 percent) in the days following the revelation of Trump’s open-mic controversial statements and the second presidential debate (October 10-12).

Clinton had a four-point edge a week ago (48-44 percent) from Oct. 3-6.

According to Fox News, the largest declines in support for Trump are among women ages 45 and over (down 12 points), voters ages 65+ (down 11), suburban women (down 10), white women with a college degree (down 7), GOP women (down 6), and white college graduates (down 6).

While the support for Trump among white Evangelical Christians held steady at 68 percent, this is lower than the typical three-quarters support the GOP Nominee got among white evangelicals in the past election cycles. Fox news further said

[Editor’s note: This column was originally Rhizomes published in the July 30, 2016 issue of the Los Angeles Asian Journal Weekend edition] “MANY women are Prosy AbArquezcaught up in ‘not be- DelAcruz, J.D. ing equal’ dilemma.

The moment one sees herself as equal is the moment this country will begin to change.” — Carol Gstadler I was at a White House Summit on Women in Washington, D.C. on June 12, when I heard the passionate message of Vice President Joe Biden. Since 1970 he has championed the issue of sexual violence on women, where the assault on them is really an abuse of men’s power. That it is up to all of us to consider being a champion of change in preventing harm and inflicting trauma on another.

If such were our American culture, we would find that every woman with the same opportunity as men and we would soon be freeing humanity. Biden emphasized that women hold half of the sky and where abuse is happening, it is a God-awful waste. He went on to say that a man raising his hand to his child is an ultimate abuse of parental power.

Cynthia Hogan went to do a study in the National Football League, commissioned by then-Senator Joe Biden. Her study “ripped the mask off the epidemic of rape.” She found out that 67 percent of women suffered sexual assault and survivor networks were organized in the United States.

“First, it starts with a bonfire, a pep rally, then, the teams get together. In one case, he walked with her to her dorm, where she went to get her coat, as she was getting cold. He jumped her into the shower,” Biden shared with the summit. What made it worst was the resident advisor told her she was not raped at all.

It led him to change the law from knowing the assailant, the only way then

More voters trust her to handle Trump’s support among regular foreign policy (+24 points), church-goers is now down by eight The Fil-Am health care (+13), terrorism points, from 53 to 45 percent. (+11), immigration (+9), and Ominous analysis from no less Perspective the economy (+3). For the past than Daron Shaw -- the GOP pollmonth, Trump had been the ster who conducted the Fox News choice on the economy, and the poll -- who said, “If the Republitwo were about evenly matched cans are not at rock-bottom, they on terrorism. can certainly see the bottom from Gel SantoS-ReloS Clinton is preferred to handle where they are…If Trump got 90 percent of self-identified Republicans and nothing health care despite nearly half wanting to get rid else -- no Democrats and no independents -- he’d of President Barack Obama’s signature law. Forty-nine percent of registered voters want to repeal be at 32 percent.”

The enthusiasm of the public about Trump has Obamacare vs. 45 percent who prefer to keep it evaporated. According to Fox News, 70 percent of in place. That’s a more positive rating for the law his backers “strongly” supported him last week. than the last time the Fox News Poll asked in DeThat’s now down to 63 percent. For Clinton, it’s cember 2014. Then it was 58 percent repeal and 38 percent keep.

66 percent, up from 57 percent.

Overall, 64 percent believe Clinton has the right Moreover, the number of Republicans satisfied with Trump is now at 48 percent vs. 52 percent temperament to serve effectively and 68 percent who said they are happy with him at the top of the say she’s qualified to be president.

It’s the opposite for Trump, as 63 percent think ticket a month ago.

On the other hand, 54 percent of Democrats are he lacks the temperament and 56 percent say he happy with Clinton, while 38 percent still wish the isn’t qualified. For 49 percent, he is “not at all” qualified. nominee were Bernie Sanders.

Are the candidates good role models for chilMORE REVELATIONS from the Fox News Poll: Clinton now tops Trump on every issue tested. dren? Voters say Clinton is (54 yes vs. 43 no).

It’s on us to see her

to file a rape charge, to one of second-degree rape. He felt that for women to feel they are no longer abused, is to know they are believed, but also the best way to seek justice is for women to identify their attacker.

Seven women, according to the vice president, pulled him aside after the law was passed, to tell him they have been raped. He emphasized, “Every woman has the right to her life, free of violence.

We have to take off the social blinders that make it easy to overlook violence.

Get men involved. It’s on us!”

Honest Hillary as a dedicated public servant On July 19, television cameras kept their lenses focused on the crowds at the Republican National Convention.

When they chanted, “Lock her up,” as Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn spoke, I was so horrified.

I remembered what Biden said, “We have to take off the social blinders that make it easy to overlook violence.”

Yet, the Flynn went along, and he said, “Yes, lock her up,” as Los Angeles Times reported on July 22, including “having Hillary shot for treason.”

Do you recall such reckless and unacceptable taunting done during a political convention? From an orchestrated climate of fomenting hatred, to now a rush to unconscious calls of violence towards her?

Then, of course, Donald Trump mentioned Libya in turmoil, and hyped up fears of law and order, suggesting Clinton is responsible for all worldwide law and order breakdowns, including the loss of young black men’s lives, to enrage this audience.

Trump spun his zero foreign policy experience into its opposite, equating himself subliminally, as if the Messianic Savior, coming onstage enshroud in white light. Meanwhile, he lied that Clinton — former secretary of state

— is responsible for all the ISIS’ assassinations and terror in several countries as if she is part of ISIS. While the Republican Party’s frontrunner came out of white light onstage, as if to suggest he comes from the heavens, God sent — much like Pres. McKinley’s Manifest Destiny, who proclaimed he prayed to God and the next day, God ordered him to have US expansionism, resulting in the conquest of the Philippines, Cuba and Puerto Rico.

And why not, when Pres. GW Bush can invade Iraq on a pretext that weapons of mass destruction can be found there and repeated those lies to justify 175,000 US soldiers sent to Iraq?

After the effect of clouds onstage, Trump suggested that he himself is God -- that only he can save America. In his acceptance speech, he explicitly stated, “Nobody knows the system better than me, which is why I alone can fix it.”

He calls it Americanism, making America great again, similar to Pres.

McKinley’s expansionism, brought on “by the powerful forces of racism, nationalism and especially commercialism of US actions,” as George Mason University noted as to factors in how McKinley’s war of conquest was justified.

Trump’s disregard for decency, civility, truth and reasonableness have gone to a subhuman low, a reckless disregard of others, misfitting a presidential candidate, and an outrageous low from a man.

Biden spoke of an American standard: of how a man should show decency to any woman, “It is on us!” Even more so, I would think, with a higher regard and respect for a woman presidential candidate.

No modern day Joan of Arc Who is Joan of Arc and why do I bring her up? She ended the Hundred Years’ War, and one who led France into victory against England. She convinced prince Charles of Valois for her to lead the French army into the embattled city of Orleans and came back victorious against England. When King Charles

And Trump is not (20 yes vs. 77 no).

Thirty-three percent say Clinton is honest and trustworthy. For Trump, it’s 32 percent. That’s a four-point drop for him since last week.

Trump’s personal ratings also took a hit, while Clinton’s improved. More voters view her negatively than positively by five points (47 favorable vs. 52 unfavorable). Last week she was underwater by nine. Trump’s rating stands at negative 23 (38 favorable vs. 61 unfavorable). That’s eight points more negative today, as he was underwater by 15 a week ago.

Among Republicans, his favorable rating dropped 11 points, from 84 percent to 73 percent.

It is ominous still for Trump because the Fox News poll shows a growing number expect another President Clinton. Sixty-five percent think she’ll win in November. That’s 10 points higher than last week (55 percent) -- and 19 higher than June (46 percent). Some 23 percent think Trump will win. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www. facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

VII was crowned, Joan of Arc was captured and tried for heresy, witchcraft, and burned at the stake at age 19.

Later, she was elevated as a saint and became a symbol of French unity and nationalism.

During one of our trips abroad, it was a scourge to be carrying a blue passport and to introduce oneself as an American citizen. It got scary for a while, while we were in Paris, France, and in Canada, when Pres. GW Bush was in power. It took a dialogue with folks that we are citizens who believe in peace, and Parisians and Canadians spoke of the primary role of the United States in setting the tone for peace.

Secretary of State Hillary Clinton embodied that role, for four years, as America’s ambassador of goodwill and peace, and for that period, many felt safer as American citizens, while they traveled abroad.

Yet, now Trump attempts to scourge Clinton, as if burning her on the stake, recalling Joan of Arc. Trump’s acceptance speech at the RNC attributed evil actions of ISIS, as if Hillary Clinton is the head of the group.

When he attributed the destabilized conditions in Libya, though Clinton is not Libya’s head of state, he unconscionably and unacceptably equated her to death and destruction, all that was missing was a physical butcher knife.

When Trump threw her down into the gauntlet of hatred and of verbally abusing her in front of thousands and millions watching television — without fundamentally giving her a righteous degree and full measure of respect -- he stopped being a presidential candidate.

Instead, he became a street thug who was “politically raping” her, denigrating her to make it easier for her to be physically attacked by anyone, taking her meritorious public service as Secretary of State and disposed of it as if she was dead meat, he kept repeating Clinton means death, destruction, and the only thing missing was an actual butcher knife to cut her up.

Biden is right, “Sex without consent is rape, and if you cannot give consent because you are unconscious, it is rape.

If you don’t say, Jack, not at my house, you are an accomplice. It is never, never, never a cultural justification for dehumanizing another human being. It is wrong when a country holds back half of their population, half of their brainpower on the sidelines, they hold back societies. Believe her, comfort her, accompany her in her journey to recovery.”

“The moment one sees herself as equal is the moment this country will begin to change,” as Gstadler said.

I see you, Donald Trump and I hear you are not my voice! I see you, Hillary Clinton and I stand up to say you deserve our full measure of trust and respect!

It bears repeating what Biden said, “Every woman has the right to her life free of violence. We have to take off the social blinders that make it easy to overlook violence. Get men involved.

It’s on us!”

I am standing with Clinton, and I am joining my voice with others. No more of this toxic political rhetoric, Donald Trump, you do not deserve to be my voice! You do not get to politically dress down this woman presidential candidate, not under our U.S. democracy, and call it your remotely presidential “Make it America Great Again” campaign! *** 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.

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

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Dateline PhiliPPines

AILHOUSE ROCKED. Inmates belonging to the Batang City Jail gang hold a noise barrage to protest stricter measures imposed by the Manila City Jail warden, Supt. Gerald Bantag.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Edgar Matobato released on bail

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

A WEEK after surrendering to Philippine National Police (PNP) authorities, confessed hitman Edgar Matobato was freed from detention at the PNP Custodial Center.

Matobato was temporarily released after posting a P30,000 bail bond before Executive Judge Bernelito Fernandez of the Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch 97 on Friday, October 14.

According to reports from Inquirer, Matobato’s legal counsel, Atty. Jude Sabio, said that Senator Antonio Trillanes IV sent his staff to fetch Matobato. Matobato left the detention at 3:22 p.m., based on the PNP’s custodial logbook.

Matobato was earlier charged with the illegal possession of firearms two years ago when he was caught carrying a .45-cal. pistol without a license.

He was freed on bail in June 2014 but the Davao Court issued a warrant of arrest against him earlier this month after he failed to show up for the scheduled arraignment.

Accompanied by Trillanes last Friday, October 7, Matobato turned himself in to PNP chief Dir. Gen. Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa.

Asked how Matobato raised

money for the bail, Sabio said he was helped by “individuals and persons who are concerned (about) Matobato.”

Matobato, 57, is a confessed hitman and member of the supposed “Davao Death Squad” (DDS).

He first appeared publicly in a Senate inquiry over the alleged extrajudicial killings related to the present administration’s war

on drugs, claiming that the DDS killed people under the orders of President Rodrigo Duterte when he was still the mayor of the city.

In a statement, Trillanes said his office has resumed providing protective custody to Matobato after posting bail. The senator has been providing custody for Matobato since the latter first testified before the Senate Justice Committee. n

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A10 OCTOBER 15-18, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Duterte forms presidential task force to probe media killings Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said on Thursday, October 13, during a Palace PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte press briefing.

The document, signed on has signed his first administrative order (AO), creating a task Tuesday, October 11, creates the force to probe media killings, “Presidential Task Force on Vioby DAnA

sioson AJPress

lations of the Right to Life, Liberty and Security of the Members of the Media.”

Quoting Section 2 of the AO, Andanar said the task force was given the duty of “ensuring a safe environment for media workers.”

“The reason why the President wanted this Admin Order or Administrative Order No. 1 is because he cares for you, for us.

And he believes in freedom of the press,” the communications secretary explained.

The task force will be chaired

by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and co-chaired by Andanar.

Other members include Interior Secretary Ismael Sueno, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Solicitor General Jose Calida, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Ricardo Visaya, Philippine National Police chief Director General Ronald Dela Rosa, National Bureau of Investigation Director Dante Gierran and the executive director of the Presidential Human Rights Committee.

According to the AO, the task force would invite the chairperson of the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) and the Ombudsman as resource persons.

They would also invite the heads of media organizations, such as the National Press Club (NPC), the National Union of Journalist of the Philippines (NUJP), Kapisanan ng mga Brodkaster sa Pilipinas (KBP), Publishers Association of the Philippines (PAPI) and Philippine Press Institute (PPI).

Through the AO, the government affirms its policy that all forms of “political violence and abuses of powers, whether by agents or elements of the State or of non-State forces, against the members or the so-called Fourth Estate, must stop.”

The AO also affirms the government’s commitment to involve the “whole system of bureaucracy” in the “efficient, coherent, and comprehensive resolution of unsolved cases of violence in the form of killings, enforced disappearances, torture and other grave violations of the

u PAGE A11

CONFIRMED. Senate President and Commission on Appointments (CA) Chairman Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III (6th from right) joins Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar (3rd from left), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III (5th from left), Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III (5th from right), and Department of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi (3rd from right), in a photo taken after the CA confirmed their ad interim appointments during the plenary session on Wednesday, October 12. Also in photo are other members of the CA (from left to right), Cavite 7th District Representative Abraham Tolentino, Manila 6th District Representative Rosenda Ann Ocampo, CA Vice Chairman and San Juan Representative Ronaldo Zamora, Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto, Isabela 1st District Representative Rodolfo Albano III, and Senators Juan Miguel “Migz” Zubiri and Joseph Victor “JV” Ejercito.

Senate photo by Alexis Nuevaespaña

PNP intercepts bombing plot in Quezon City raid Suspected terrorist arrested

by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

THE Philippine National Police (PNP) arrested an alleged bomb maker and at least two other suspected terrorists on Saturday, October 8, in Quezon City, likely preventing an imminent attack planned to take place in Metro Manila.

Agents serving in the AntiTransnational Crimes Unit (ATCU) of the PNP’s Central Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) raided a home on the 100 block of Cotabato St. in Barangay Culiat and took Malaysian national and alleged terrorist Mohamas Amin into custody. Officers also

uncovered explosives, ammunition, I.D. cards, and evidence suggesting that the home’s occupants were preparing for an upcoming terrorist act.

“Our operatives confiscated a blueprint of a building, a condo mall,” acting director of the PNPCIDG, Chief Supt. Roel Obusan told the Inquirer.

Police also arrested the home’s owner, Bilal Taalam, and one of the building’s tenants, Adnan Malangkis. They and eight other occupants are under investigation for possible links to the terrorist group, Abu Sayyaf.

Talaam has been charged with obstruction of justice and the harboring of a fugitive or wanted per-

son, according to the Inquirer.

Amin had been sought by police in connection to a murder case originating in Sulu, and a P600,000 bounty had been placed on his head prior to his arrest on Saturday. He now faces charges of illegally possessing explosives and ammunition and attempting to conceal his identity in addition to prior allegations.

The discovery of the wouldbe attack comes just days after members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) arrested three alleged members of the jihadist group, Maute, on suspicion of bombing a crowded night market in Davao in September. n

Ramos won’t join China trip by nEstor

corrALEs Inquirer.net

FORMER President Fidel Ramos will not join President Rodrigo Duterte in his trip to China next week, a Palace official said on Thursday, October 13.

Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said Ramos told him over the weekend that he was not joining the President.

“Noong nag-usap po kami ni former President Fidel V. Ramos noong nakaraang Sabado, ang sinabi niya po ay hindi sya sasama (Former President Fidel V. Ramos told me last Saturday that he won’t join the trip),” Andanar said in a palace briefing on Thursday.

“Di niya sinabi yung dahilan kung bakit di siya sasama pero (He didn’t cite why he won’t join [the trip] but) I believe that it is about giving respect to our cur-

Former President Fidel Ramos

rent President Rodrigo Duterte sapagkat kung dalawang presidente po ang pupunta doon, syempre posibleng mahati ang atensyon (because if two presidents would go there, it is possible that the attention would be divided),” he added.

Duterte earlier appointed Ramos to become the country’s special envoy to China amid our ongoing maritime dispute with the superpower nation.

The President is scheduled to visit China from October 18 to 21. n

DOT wants Pacquiao fights in Philippines The DOT earlier said it was aiming to position the Philippines as a top destination for sports enMANILA, Philippines — The thusiasts and thrill seekers.

Department of Tourism (DOT) is Teo said the agency was banklooking at the possibility of stag- ing on sporting events, like boxing future boxing bouts of Sena- ing matches, as potential attractor Manny Pacquiao in the Phil- tions to increase tourists in the ippines to boost the country’s country. sports tourism.

“Sen. Pacquiao no doubt can In a statement, Tourism Sec- help us score a knockout victory retary Wanda Teo has expressed in terms of international visitor optimism that holding Pacquiao’s arrivals if he were to fight in the boxing fights in the Philippines Philippines. Imagine how the would be possible. world stops to watch it against She said any of Pacquiao’s the backdrop of, let’s say Cebu top rivals, including Floyd May- City,” Teo said. weather, Jr. and Jose Manuel Pacquiao earlier announced Marquez would be welcomed in that he was coming out of retirethe country if boxing promoters ment to fight American World could make the event possible.

Boxing Organization welterby MAry

GrAcE Philstar.com

PADin

weight champion Jessie Vargas on Nov. 5 in Las Vegas.

The boxer, now a senator, is currently holding his training camp in the Philippines so he could continue to attend to his legislative work while preparing for the fight.

No official announcement has been made yet regarding Pacquiao’s plans after his fight with Vargas, but his promoter, Top Rank Inc.’s Bob Arum has said two more bouts may be possible for the boxing icon in 2017 if he succeeds in his comeback.

Meanwhile, the DOT is also looking at increasing its funding for the promotion of diving in the country. n

Aguirre: Sebastian to be given protection if he tells truth MANILA — Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said that high-profile inmate Jaybee Sebastian will only be placed under the Witness Proection Program if he tells the whole truth behind the Bilibid drug trade.

Aguirre noted that he doubts some of Sebastian’s statements when he testified at the House of Representatives Committee on Justice’s inquiry last Monday, Oct 10.

“Hindi namin inofferan si Jaybee Sebastian ng any WPP protection after reading the affidavit, sabi ko marami dito hindi totoo at mayroon rin totoo if you are admitted into the Witness Protection Program you must tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth,” Aguirre said in a press conference.

He added that Sebastian was lying when he said that he did not know Ronnie Dayan, the former driver and alleged lover of Sen. Leila De Lima.

“Tapos tinanong din siya, alam mo ba kung ano ang relasyon ni Secretary De Lima kay Ronnie Dayan. ‘Wala po. Wala po akong nalalaman na relasyon.’ Doon pa lang, naniniwala ako hindi sya nagsasabi ng totoo,” Aguirre said.

Aguirre also noted that Sebastian seemed to be witholding information about Dayan and Joenel Sanchez, the former security of De Lima.

High-profile inmate claimed that he raised campaign funds for the senatorial bid of Sen. Leila De Lima in the May 2016 elections.

During the hearing earlier this week, Sebastian claimed that he gave payola worth P2 million a month to De Lima through Sanchez.

Sebastian also claimed that he raised funds campaign funds from the Bilibid drug trade for De Lima’s senatorial bid in the May 2016 elections. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/Philstar.com)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 15-18, 2016

A11

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BEAUTIES WITH CAUSES. Miss Earth 2016 candidates pose at the poolside of the Diamond Hotel in Manila. The winners will be crowned on October 29 at the Mall of Asia Arena.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

De Lima admits ‘flaws,’ but insists drug accusations false

by Maila

ager Inquirer.net

SHE may be considered “morally flawed� but Senator Leila de Lima said she was not that “flawed� to deserve the personal attacks that she has been getting.

De Lima said she had to defend herself not only from accusations that she was involved in the illegal drug trade but also from personal attacks being thrown at her. “I have to be honest, I have to be candid. I am a human being, I am not a saint,� she said in an interview on Thursday, Oct. 13. “And I may be considered morally flawed, but I don’t think I am that flawed to deserve all this. ‘Yan ang pinaglalaban ko (That is what this fight is about),� said the senator.

De Lima insisted that the drug allegations against her were all lies and fabrications.

She also branded as harassment all cases filed against her, which she said was part of an effort to force her to resign from her post. “Pilitin nila ako na mag-resign na lang ako para tapos na‌Siguro akala nila, su-surrender ako, manghihina na ako, ang loob ko, and then that’s it,â€? she said.

(They are forcing me to resign to end all these. They probably think I will easily surrender, that I and my resolve will get weak, and that’s it.) “Hindi ko po gagawin ‘yan kasi inosente nga po ako. Ilang beses ko na ‘yan sinasabi (I will not do that because I am innocent. I have maintained that many times).�

While her accusers might suc-

ceed in convincing some people that the allegations against her were true, De Lima remained confident that she would be vindicated in the end. “I did not receive a single centavo from drug money. Wala.

Paninindigan ko po ‘yan dahil yan ang totoo (Nothing. I will stand by that because that is the truth),� she stressed.

De Lima said the accusations against her were simply “unacceptable.� “That’s why I have to continue fighting up to the end, ano man ang mangyari sa akin (no matter what happens to me). Mabuhay pa man ako in the next two years o mawala man ako dito sa mundong ito, ipaglalaban ko po ito (Whether I live up to the next two years or die, I will continue this fight),� she further said. n

Duterte forms presidential task force‌

PAGE A10 t

right to life, liberty and security of persons against the members of the press.�

Although the online threats were not mentioned in the order, Andanar said it would be included in the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the AO. “I have not seen it here, but if it—naturally if you are threatened anywhere, be that online or on the ground, it’s still a threat, and it still violates your security and your right to have good life,

liberty and the security as mentioned in this administrative order,� he said.

In 2015, the Philippines ranked 4th worst country in the world in terms of the number of unsolved media killings, according to the New York-based watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists.

Meanwhile, a report published by the London-based International News Safety Institute in 2013 ranked the Philippines as the 3rd most dangerous country in the world for journalists.

One of the most violent media cases in the Philippines is the Maguindanao Massacre in 2009 where 58 individuals, which include 32 media practitioners, were killed in Sitio Masalay, Barangay Salman, Ampatuan, Maguindanao.

The suspected mastermind, former Maguindanao governor Andal Andal Ampatuan Sr., passed away from liver cancer in 2015, which has led the years of legal proceedings to no convictions as of present. n

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A12 OCTOBER 15-18, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ OctObER 15-18, 2016

SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal

The largest Fil-Am History Month celebration hits Echo Park Lake

By HeatHeR

Domingo AJPress

HordEs of Filipino Americans flocked to Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles for the 25th anniversary of the Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) on saturday, october 8.

FPAC is the longest-running Filipino cultural celebration in southern California, originating in 1992 shortly after the LA riots. It was created to not only unite the Fil-Am community, but to showcase talents and performances by local and famous Fil-Ams. According to FilAm ArTs â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the parent organization that hosts the annual event â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the theme was â&#x20AC;&#x153;samuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sari: showcasing the diverse Creative Tapestry of the

Fil-Am Community,â&#x20AC;? which lends its meaning to the Tagalog phrase samuâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t sari (â&#x20AC;&#x153;diversityâ&#x20AC;?).

The daylong festival included not only merchandise booths, but vendors selling a variety of both traditional and modern-infused Filipino food.

Most of the attendees gathered in front of the stage where there was an ongoing lineup of performances of music, such as opera and rap, various forms of dancing, and talks on culture and history lessons of the Philippines.

The performance schedule was curated by Giselle â&#x20AC;&#x153;Gâ&#x20AC;? Tongi, host and producer of daily talk show â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kababayan Today.â&#x20AC;? despite the high temperatures that day, special guests from around the city came to witness the cel-

Cast of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crazy Ex-Girlfriendâ&#x20AC;? receives arts award

ebration, such as rep.Adam schiff of Californiaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 28th district, state Assemblymember Jimmy Gomez, LA Councilmember Mitch oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Farrell from district 13,and Joel Jacinto, who was nominated by LA Mayor

Kris fumes: I never wore Imeldaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s jewelry!

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

JusT when Kris Aquino was being silent (read: conspicuously unheard of on social media), guess what provoked her back into action (!) but some trolls digging up something that occurred in November last year during the APEC dinner.

I asked the fuming Kris for clarification and she directed me to just quote (yes, verbatim, not even a punctuation mark changed) what she posted on her Instagram. Here it is, addressed to trolls: It seems you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want me to stay quiet and your trolls want to keep perpetuating lies about me.

My friend JC Buendia & my sister Viel both showed me this paulit ulit na FB post. The necklaces supposedly belonged to Mrs. Marcos & I was brazen enough to wear them for the APEC DINNER. Duh? The necklace I wore was made from cubic zirconia & silver â&#x20AC;&#x201D; hindi po DIAMONDS, in other words fake sila although Bottega Veneta naman. ENOUGH! And the TRUTH is on my side â&#x20AC;&#x201D; including credit card receipts. P.S. I have a long standing event for #ARIEL on Tuesday, even if my necklaces arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t appropriate

Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Farrell and Jacinto reveal new Historic Filipinotown lights

Eric Garcetti as a commissioner for cans (sIPA). itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s we, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s inclusiveâ&#x20AC;Ś Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s what the Board of Public Works last year â&#x20AC;&#x153;It is our duty to pass this on public service is all about,â&#x20AC;? said and is former executive director of from generation to generation. Jacinto onstage, after receiving search to Involve Pilipino Ameri- Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not an individual I; itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s tayo, PAGE B2

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Kris Aquino wearing Bottega Veneta (right) necklace during the APEC dinner in November last year.

for showing how you can remove more than 100 different types of stains â&#x20AC;&#x201D; what the heck, isusuot ko na sila, after all I paid for them w/ hard-earned, tax paid income, and hindi ko na problema kung yung pagnanakaw ng iba trip nilang ibintang/pagtakpan using me â&#x20AC;&#x201D; and to be perfectly clear, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m not referring to Mrs. Marcos.

So this is FAIR WARNING â&#x20AC;&#x201D; stop lying about me if you donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t want your rotting skeletons unearthed.

#IAMBACK There you are, Kris in a fighting mood, so beware!

As an addendum, Kris texted me this: I was 14 years old and my Mom and I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t enter MalacaĂąang until nearly a week after because it needed to be swept of all possible bombs, etc. I just got fed up with the lies being perpetuated about me and indirectly my Mom. There. Loud and clear?

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Features

B october 15-18, 2016 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL

Moonlighting

by Mylah de

leon

“Be Cheerful sir, “ cried Prospero, “our revels are now ended…”

– Parable of the Tempest (Shakespeare) It is said that the wind that scattered the Spanish Armada blew English literature. In a sudden release of magical energy, into a nation in flower, a love that raged like fever — it was fragrant like a May morning. Words, magnificent words of power, it was like some magic incantation wrapped in the richness of vocabulary. It was that what made Shakespeare a phenomenon, who had such words that turned poetry into something a man could drink them on illuminating the whole scene. It could be miseries, cruelties and all, that can linger to this day — be it an Elizabethan song, a speech by Hamlet or Anthony, Cleopatra and the rest of his characters.

Yet before that age properly declared itself, the prose of Shakespeare in his early comedies were said the be too enervated, bloodless, and narrow in its appeal. But down the centuries, Shakespeare has been compared with nature. It is a tribute to his fertility, his vast range, the breadth and depths of his sympathy in which he excels all other writers.

He went down into the depths, hung over abysses until it was too close to madness, or reached heights of joy, tenderness and love. Such was Hamlet’s dissolution, Macbeth’s despair and Lear’s madness and the mighty Julius Caesar. He also tried his golden Maytime in which a “Midsummer Night’s Dream” was his finest flower only to later swing to its opposites, giving vitality to his rebels, rogues, misfits and failures: the kings who did not succeed the great Falstaff, whose every action and word mocked and defy order and conformity.

Hamlet, is a man desperately trying to find a man’s balance, who is far more intensely aware of both good and evil than anyone near him. Yet he cannot act because he is no longer in a world where decisive action is possible, except on blind impulse evil rises, like a black fog and stench, from unknown depths and descends in a world out of the hands of God. Love is transformed Ads murky 75 September 2016_Layout inAJthis atmosphere, into 1 lust, treachery, disease , filth, and

The most famous speech in literature

Rufa Mae Quinto reveals wedding and baby plans by lhar

Santiago ManilaTies.net

RuFA Mae Quinto’s baby bump is very much noticeable these days. the comedienne is on her fifth month of pregnancy and says she’s getting more excited by the day for her first child’s birth.

“I can’t wait to see and hold our little princess. When we learned I was carrying a girl, I was so happy. We [the baby’s father, trevor Magallanes]made a deal I’d be the one to give the name if we had a girl. So I’m calling her Alexandria with the nickname Alexa Mae… teka, parang mas mahaba pa ang nickname sa totoong pangalan. [It seems like her nickname’s longer than her real name!]” she joked with that familiar Rufa Mae laugh.

It has not been an easy pregPlacido Domingo, who he played Macbeth in Berlin and in Spain, and latest here at LA nancy for Pitchi (Rufa Mae’s Opera. nickname), especially in the beabomination. the tragic victims we asked what drew him to the ginning. She had to stay in bed — Hamlet, Othello, Macbeth and role. He replied, it was actually the during her first four months.

Lear — different as they are to third production in a row, having “I was very dizzy and couldn’t their doom, are all without any done it one in Berlin and then in stand ‘cause I’d fall. I also had balance. spotting, once on the second Valencia, Spain.

With life terribly divided beHe said it was an extraordinary month and another on the fourth tween the opposite with chaos con- work, even as a villain, because month. I was hardly touching quering, disharmony triumphant; he sees Macbeth as a victim of his any food. We just ordered from Lear recovers from his madness to wife and thirst for power, and ac- restaurants actually because I be on the other side, beyond the cording to his director Darko, more couldn’t even stand the smell storm. the wonderful Anthony dramatic, as operas are. of food being cooked. Kasi and Cleopatra, like some moral tale when showing how middle aged passion, lust and folly with immortal words for longings transforms into into love, the dying wanton queen PAGE B1 cries “Husband here I come!” the closely knit parable of the the “Public Service Award” from tempest bidding farewell to the FilAm ARtS. O’Farrell and Jacinto led the magic of the island, Shakespeare unveiling of the street lights — insays (to his theatrical genius, to the world and to us in the most famous spired by the sun on the Philipspeech in literature) “Be cheerful pine flag — that will be installed sir,” cried Prospero. “Our revels throughout Historic Filipinotown later this month. are now ended.”

Fil-Am celebrities such as LesShakespeare, though he takes lie-Anne Huff from “the Vampire us as far as human imagination can reach, always come home. the Diaries,” tess Paras and Vincent balance is restored. Life, ordinary Rodriguez III from the comedysensible life, in which it is best to drama series “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend,” and Apl.de.ap of the Black Eyes be cheerful – goes on. though he conjures up every- Peas also expressed how their rubias of mydiveo on MyxtV. Fegan, who is of Filipino and thing from lyrical young love and Filipino heritage has affected their gossamer fairyland to darkest personal lifestyle and upbringing. African American descent, said, Paras and Rodriguez and the “this festival is important to me in withchcraft and bloody murder, he always leads us home. It is no Basco Family were honored with general because it is an opportunity to bring all the Filipinos in America wonder that the millions of men Excellence in the Arts Awards.

Apl.de.ap sang hits like “Be- together, and there are not enough and women through all the changing fashions of literature, have kept bot,” “Where is the Love?” and events like this. It really keys in on not only greatest admiration, but “I Gotta Feeling,” which he per- who we and our heritage [are] all in their deepest affection for Shake- formed with the help of tongi, one big park. It’s amazing.”

Huff, Paras, Rodriguez, and Roshon His family, including his lola speare.

Meanwhile, last night at the Fegan, a Disney channel star and (grandmother), came out to supLA Opera, in his latest baritone rising solo artist, StAHYL from port him at the park.

9/26/16 2:08inPM Page 1Verdi epic JABBAWOCKEEZ, Asia Aragon, FPAC also had a performance expression another “Macbeth” by Placido Domingo, Ranella Ferrer, and Roslynn CobarPAGE B4

The largest Fil-Am History Month...

age gracefully

Wild Rice and Quinoa Salad Is an Anti-Aging Treasure

BY GRACE O

Looking for a hearty, filling salad for fall?

Try my Wild Rice and Quinoa Salad (featured in my new cookbook – The Age Beautifully Cookbook), which has a nice mix of textures thanks to the chewy grains, crunchy raw vegetables, and soft-cooked vegetables. The vinaigrette and dried golden berries add a sweet-sour tang.

The rices and quinoa provide healthy fiber, which helps you feel full and lose weight.

They are also a good source of Omega-3s, which keep you looking fresh and youthful.

Golden berries (also known as gooseberries) and red peppers contain immune-boosting vitamins A and C. You can chill this salad for an hour or two to let the flavors blend, but I typically serve it right away. I think you’ll enjoy it.

Wild Rice and Quinoa Salad Ingredients ½ cup wild rice ½ cup brown rice ½ cup red quinoa Dressing 1/3 cup white balsamic vinegar 2-3 Tbsp. honey or agave syrup 2 Tbsp. low sodium soy sauce 2 Tbsp. flaxseed oil 2 tsp. sea salt Dash of white pepper Cooked vegetable mixture: 2 Tbsp. olive oil ¼ cup diced onion ½ cup diced cremini mushrooms ½ cup kale leaves, cut into strips Assembly ¼ cup diced yellow bell pepper ¼ cup diced green bell pepper ¼ cup chopped celery 1 Tbsp. chopped parsley ¼ cup dried golden berries Salt and pepper to taste

1. Soak the wild and brown rice together in enough water to cover for 1 hour.

2. Cook the quinoa according to package directions (they vary by brand). Chill in the refrigerator.

3. Cook the brown and wild rice like pasta, in a large pot of salted water over high heat. Boil for about 25 minutes, or until tender. Drain and rinse in a colander with cold water.

4. Make the dressing while the rice is cooking: mix vinegar, agave, soy sauce, flaxseed oil, salt, and pepper together in a glass bowl.

5. Toss the dressing with the wild rice, brown rice, and quinoa. Chill in the refrigerator.

6. Heat a sauté pan and add the oil. Cook the onions and mushrooms over medium heat for 5–10 minutes. Add the kale and cook until wilted, about 1 minute. Chill in the refrigerator until cool, about 10 minutes.

7. To assemble, combine the dressed rice, cooked vegetables, remaining raw vegetables, and golden berries and toss together until the mixture is uniform. Add seasoning, if desired.

You can chill this salad for an hour or two to let the flavors blend, or serve right away.

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

Serves 4

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nga maarte eh,” she laughed again.

Rufa Mae is thankful that her fiancé trevor has always been by her side, from the very start of her pregnancy. She proudly said he takes good care of her.

Now that she is already feeling well, Pitchi even goes swimming with the advice of her doctor. She also busies herself preparing for her wedding with trevor’s help of course. “We do things together, and we decide on everything together,” she beamed.

Rumors that Pitchi and trev have already tied the knot circulated when she posted a picture with him with their hands raised as if taking an oath. “We’re not married yet. that picture was taken at the city hall when we

got our marriage license,” she explained. the wedding, according to Rufa Mae will be on November 24 at Blue Leaf in Ortigas. She will wear a Filipiniana inspired wedding gown by Pepsi Herrera, while trev will wear an Edwin tan groom’s outfit.

Pitchi also revealed the members of her entourage, among them Ai-Ai delas Alas, Aiko Melendez, Jean Garcia, Shalani Romulo, Camille Villar, LJ Moreno, and her sisters and nieces.

“Joyce Jimenez, will even come home from the States to be part of the wedding,” she happily added. “On trev’s side, they’ll all come the States—Fil-Am lahat!

Yes, mga borta [hunks]din, mga macho like him,” she said happily.

Features

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How good energy can enter your home

By Sean

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ OctObER 15-18, 2016

Health@Heart

Shono

A house with the entrance positioned behind the front line of the building hinders the smooth flow of good energy.

This layout, which is often found at condos, is the least recommended for the Feng shui purpose of circulating good energy. To ensure proper flow of the positive energy, set â&#x20AC;&#x153;plant boxes (vases) with buried crystalsâ&#x20AC;? at each side of the outside walls.

Then place a â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ba Gua Flat Mirrorâ&#x20AC;? on the wall outside of the entrance.

Furthermore, place an â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amethyst Domeâ&#x20AC;? to the wall facing the entrance to enhance the flow of the good energy.

An â&#x20AC;&#x153;Amethyst Domeâ&#x20AC;? is like a catcherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mitt that vacuums in the good energy and recirculates it through the house.

Thus it is possible to have good energy, even with financial luck as well, brought into the house.

Feng Shui master Sean Shono owns **ALL Feng Shui items must Dragon God, a Feng Shui store in Gardena, be purified by the TAOIST way. California. He is the U.S. Chief of the â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘â&#x20AC;˘

International Feng Shui Association. For

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

more information, please call Sean Shono at (310) 787-1891. Dragon God is located at 1580 W. Artesia SQ. Suite A, Gardena, CA 90248.

Catching up with Krista Kleiner

By Monet

Lu

KRIsTA is a jack â&#x20AC;&#x201C; rather queen â&#x20AC;&#x201C; of all trades. Aside from winning the Binibining PilipinasInternational title in 2010, she has made a name for herself in the Philippines as a TV personality who hosts, acts and performs on a number of primetime television shows. she has also ventured out to other countries in southeast Asia and around the world with international balladeer Julio Iglesias.

I had a chance to recently catch up with her, now that she moved back to LA to continue pursuing her passions.

Monet: What is keeping you busy these days?

Krista: Gosh, where to begin?

I have my hands on so many projects right now, but there are only a few that I can share at this point. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a really exciting time in my career as Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been able to wear different hats as a singer, writer, producer, and actress.

Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been developing two shows that I will be hosting, while writing and recording music for my upcoming eP, an extended play that will comprise of four to six songs. I recently graduated from a two-year acting program and started getting into production for scripted and non-scripted TV shows. While taking select hosting, commercial and modeling jobs, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve also recently come on board to help with strategic partnerships and sales for a clothing brand called Neoclassics.

I feel extremely blessed to be surrounded by so many talented and creative minds that I have the opportunity to learn from.

M: Any shows and albums (coming out) that we should keep an out?

K: Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m currently still in development of my music eP, but in the meantime, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve uploaded a few new original songs that have been part of the process to my website, kristakleiner.com. The producers and writers Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m working with right now are so incredible, but youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll have to stay tuned to my social media for updates about those releases.

My team and I are gearing up to shoot the first episode/sizzle for the two web-series/TV shows weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been developing. one of them, with the working title Claim to F.A.M.e., explores the devel-

opmental process of the fashion, art, music, and entertainment industries with an insider feel that shows what it takes to reach the top, straight from the experts themselves. It will take viewers on multiple journeys showing how the different creative industries are intertwined, then end at a hot event that the guests have worked towards.

The other show weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re preparing for is focused on music. Filming at a hot spot in downtown Los Angeles, it will consist of special guests performing a wide range of music with an incredibly talented band. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re extremely fortunate to have three-time Grammy award winning producer and pianist, sam Barsh, along with Lenny Kravitzâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s trumpet player, Ludo Louis, as our musical directors for the show. The jam session will be intercut with a raw, fun-filled interview with the guest artist aimed at making the audience feel like they are hanging out with the artist and getting to know them on a personal level.

Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re currently considering a few distribution options, but I will definitely be giving updates around the shows with links to watch when itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ready.

M: Julio Iglesias and Taboo of Black Eyed Peas were two of your mentors. How was it being mentored by them?

K: Never in a million years did I think that I would get to be so lucky to have those two mentor me. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re both such incredible and talented people. Julio became quite a father figure to

me while we were on tour. he would continuously tell me about life, different cultures, the music industry, his personal struggles, and lessons learned, while taking the time to practice one particular song with me on the plane and before shows. It was a Tagalog (Filipino) song that he had learned before and suggested we sing at a few shows once we got it down. After the shows we sang at, he would call me into his dressing room to give me his thoughts and suggestions of how I could do better. he taught me that singing had to come from deep within the soul and that it was so much more than just being a good vocalist.

While Julio was much more of a balladeer, Taboo connected me with different styles of music that I wanted to try â&#x20AC;&#x201C; everything from pop, hip-hop, dance, pop rock, and eDM. he so generously opened up his home studio to me even bringing in people from his writing and recording team to work with me. It was absolutely incredible. I looked up to him so much since we both felt more like performers than singers, and the insight he shared with me on his and the BePâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s journey truly opened my eyes. he helped me figure out what I liked and what I didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t like in regards to sounds while also helping me find my voice.

M: What is next for Krista Kleiner?

K: The world! haha, but seriously. My goal is to be the best person I can be and touch as PAGE B6

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WhAT children eat greatly determines their growth and development, the integrity of their immune system, their bodyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s ability to ward off infections and diseases, and their morbidity and longevity.

The other essential factors are their daily physical activities, abstinence from harmful substances, like tobacco and illegal drugs, and disciplined intake of alcoholic beverages.

While genetics play a role in all this, it has been proven that a healthy lifestyle can significantly benefit even those individuals with some of the so-called â&#x20AC;&#x153;badâ&#x20AC;? genetic traits.

Whatever healthy habits parents want to teach their children must always start with them leading by example because kids do as their parents do. They mimic adults around them. Preaching good habits, without practicing them, almost always fails.

Dieting must really start in the crib. Babies are taught discipline this early, whether we realize it or not. Giving them their formula at a set amount and at a scheduled interval teaches the baby about the rules of feeding. And their young brains soon learn this.

When the baby is four to six months, pediatricians usually recommend introducing them to solid foods, like a teaspoon of semi-liquid iron-fortified rice cereal and other grains like oats or barley, mixed with breast milk or formula, and gradually increasing it to a tablespoon twice daily. At age six to eight months, introduce pureed or strained fruits (banana, pears, applesauce, peaches) and vegetables (squash, well-cooked carrots, sweet potato, avocado). until 3 years old, it is the best time to teach children to love and eat healthy food like vegetables, fruits, fish, white chicken meat, instead of pork and beef and other red meats, which are all high in unhealthy animal saturated fats and cholesterol. When bad habits have settled in at age 2 or older, they are hard to break. This where we, as parents and as a society, have failed our children â&#x20AC;&#x201D; the future leaders of our country.

And since effective teaching is by example, we, parents and

B

Our childrenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s food grandparents, must practice what we preach. The do-what-I-say, not-what-I-do, command will never work.

Those children, whose parents eat a lot of vegetables and fruits, stay away from red meats, do daily exercises, do not smoke, and drink only socially and in moderation, grow up to develop the same healthy habits and preferences.

The menu for school lunches in the united states, by and large, is a social injustice, says chef Ann Cooper, known as the Renegade Lunch Lady, who is â&#x20AC;&#x153;transforming how u.s. children eat, one federally-subsidized school lunch at a time.â&#x20AC;?

The fatty red meats, carbo (sugar)-loaded and processed food lunches are out, and salad bars, whole grains, organic milk, and fish are in.

As Cooper says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;when we feed children with a diet high in sugar and corn syrup, they just canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think, and if kids are not wellnourished, they canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t excel.â&#x20AC;?

Around the world, it is not rare to find kindergarten student with type 2 diabetes, or kidney stones among pre-teens, and teenagers with high cholesterol and clogged arteries. This is terrifying and unfortunate because this is preventable.

At least 32 percent of children and teenagers in the united states are overweight or obese.

And Asians, especially Filipinos, are not lagging far behind in

this pandemic. obesity leads to increased risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic illnesses, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s and even cancer.

In this day and age of lightning speed telecommunication, media, and rapid internet access, we simply have no excuse to remain ignorant of scientific data on how to live a healthy lifestyle for maximum longevity and productivity, and protecting our loved ones along the way, especially the young children. having said all that, there is really no such thing as too late in our quest for healthy lifestyles, no matter how old we are. simple changes in diet and institution of exercise, for instance, even among those who are over 50, have been shown to positively affect the control of, if not prevent, metabolic diseases, such as arthritis and diabetes, and hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and cancer. so, while the ideal is to start teaching our kids how to live a healthy lifestyle, as early as in their crib or toddler life, we â&#x20AC;&#x201D; whose parents did not know any better when we were growing up â&#x20AC;&#x201D; can always mend our ways and start living a healthier lifestyle. Indeed, itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s never too late.

The following excerpts are from my previous column about 14 years ago, entitled â&#x20AC;&#x153;Letâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s stop Killing our Children With Loveâ&#x20AC;?: PAGE B6

B october 15-18, 2016 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL

Features

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An Evening with Martin Nievera - Saturday, Oct. 8 at the Ford Theatres in Los Angeles

The inaugural Los Angeles Philippine International Film Festival (LAPIFF) - Oct 7-9 Cinemark Theater at the SouthBay Pavilion in Carson, California.

AJPress photos by Noel Ty

Martin and singer Becca Godinez

AJPress photos by Noel Ty, Andy Tecson and Ding Carreon

Former Carson Mayor Jim Dear (left) and LAPIFF founder and chairman Abe Pagtama

Martin Nievera recognized for philanthropy work by the City of Los Angeles

The largest Fil-Am History Month...

PAGE B2 from rapper Bambu and showcased traditional dances, such as tinikling and the Maranaoan dance, exposing younger generations to older folk dances.

FilAm ARTS also gave Community Service Awards to The Park’s Finest, Neri’s Casual Filipino Dining and Joe Navidad (posthumous).

The Asian Journal, which was the exclusive Fil-Am media sponsor of FPAC, received the Corporate Stewardship Award.

“We are overflowed with joy and gratitude, just seeing the energy of the crowd throughout the

day!,” said Tina Bulchand, interim Executive Director of FilAm ARTS. “Every year, it gives us a renewed sense of pride for our FilipinoAmerican heritage, seeing all the talents onstage and around the different pavilions, that feeling of ‘kapwa’ flowing out of everyone who have participated in the festival, whether they were there as artists, businesses, or as guests.”

Kamaka Aquino, who has been to FPAC several times in the past, and is a manager of one of the performances, said he enjoyed being a part of FPAC. “It’s for a good cause. It’s a community and cultural event. Being

polynesians and islanders, we are very family oriented and cultural events are always based on that,” Aquino said.

The celebration also provided plenty of hands-on activities such as mat making and other crafts, being able to sit inside a Jeepney, a common mode of transportation in Manila, and games for younger kids.

“I believe an event like FPAC can strengthen a community. Just walking around the different booths you could feel a sense of camaraderie whether you were Filipino or not,” said Jessica Legaspi, who experienced FPAC for the first time.

“As a Fil-Am college student, this makes me so proud of my culture and its traditions. I am reminded of

the struggles Filipinos have faced throughout American history and it means so much to me as a first generation Filipino.”

Though FPAC is FilAm ARTS’s premier event, the organization has more programs throughout the year to engage Fil-Ams around Southern California.

“What you saw at FPAC is a promise of what you will continue to see more of from FilAm ARTS: more artist-engagement efforts through our Pilipino Artists’ Network, small-business support with the Buy Pinoy program, arts education through the Eskwela Kultura program and more sharing of our unique stories as Fil-Ams with the Saysay Project,” Bulchand said.

Beloved seafood & prime rib buffet at Cafe Sierra continues to live up to standard If you haven’t dined at Cafe Sierra located inside the Hilton Universal City in a while, you will be in for a surprise.

Earlier this year, the famed buffet unveiled sleeker interiors and repositioned all the food stations toward the back of the restaurant. This way, during peak hours, the lines don’t interfere with seated guests. There is no longer a need to maneuver around the tables to reach the salad bar, which used to be in the middle of the dining room, or go to the hallway for the seafood.

Since a buffet is generally a judgment and rule-free zone (after all, you are tempted to eat all you can), it doesn’t matter where you begin to fill your first plate. However, the new arrangement of the stations naturally guides one’s eyes and belly for a culinary trip across the world.

The raw bar, where you’ll find the oysters, cocktail shrimp, snow crabs, and the sought-after Alaskan king crab legs atop mounds of ice, is located to the far left.

Though Cafe Sierra is on the upscale side of all-you-caneat establishments, tastefully using your hands to crack the seafood open and dipping pieces into bowls of cocktail sauce or melted butter is welcomed. The attentive wait staff come by periodically to discard plates of shells and drop off wet towelettes.

For its price tag, the buffet ensures high-quality sea-

food, which is why loyal customers — including members of the local Filipino-American community — keep returning, said Carole Lowe, the marketing coordinator of the hotel.

The freshness of the catches makes one momentarily forget the surroundings and transports him or her close to the ocean.

Next come the soups and trays of cooked food, including Mandarin, Thai or Italian, among other global cuisines

represented. You can have one of the chefs prepare beef or chicken tacos or a Mongolian stir fry right in front of you.

A new addition to the buffet is a sushi bar, which has slices of tender sashimi and different types of cut rolls. A sushi chef is positioned behind the counter to take any hand roll orders as well.

Aside from the seafood, the carving station, where you’ll find slabs of prime rib or a rack of lamb, is a cornerstone of the

Cafe Sierra experience. Next to the meats is a tray of cheesy stuffed lobster, which does not have a sign that limits you to how many you can get.

Even if you’ve been stuffed and satisfied with the savory offerings, there is always room to end the meal on a sweet note. The most alluring part of the dessert section is the chocolate fountain, which is surrounded by fruits, marshmallows and Oreos for dipping.

There’s also cotton candy and

tiers of pastries that hold slices of cake (carrot, chocolate, red velvet, to name a few), donuts and cream puffs.

If those options are not convincing enough, ice cream mixed with different toppings and crepes can be requested.

Whether it’s a celebration or just any other weekend dinner, Cafe Sierra will not disappoint.

Taste for yourself to grasp why diners flock here and why Yahoo named it the best buffet in the state of California!

*** Cafe Sierra’s Seafood & Prime Rib Buffet is offered on Friday and Saturday from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. and on Sunday from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. Adult price is $54 and $25 for children (tax and gratuity not included). Prices, dates, times, menu and entertainment are subject to change without notice. For more information, please visit http://www.cafesierrahilton.com/. Reservations are suggested. (AJPress)

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 15-18, 2016

B

B october 15-18, 2016 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL

The Global Kababayan

Programming of Kababayan Today, October 17-21, 2016

Wednesday, October 19 Midweek News Updates from the Asian Journal and Mia Monday, October 17 - Ben McLeod of McLeod and AssociNatividad shares details on ates gives real estate advice. how to watch the Filipinos in Magician Andre Echave perFilm Festival. Fil-Am Singer AJ forms some magic on the proRafael also comes to the show gram! discuss his upcoming concert at Thursday, October 20 - Get the Greek Theater.

I m m i g ra t i o n U p d a t e s w i t h Tuesday, October 18 - Octo- Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza. ber is Filipino American History The Maestro of Philipinne Montha and there is a lot going Music, Ryan Cayabyab, comes on in the community. Kababay- to the show! an Today features two events Friday, October 21 - Ryan happenning this weekend.

Cayabyab introduces us to all

G. TönGi

Features

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

Binangonan Association of Southern California 2016

his singers . We also give details to this weekend’s event. *** 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.

Alma Moreno: ‘I can only ask for prayers for Mark’

by Lhar

Santiago ManilaTies.net

SADNESS was all over Alma Moreno’s face during Showbuzz’ exclusive interview with her one morning this week.

Her eyes conveyed great worry, and understandably so, with her eldest son Mark Anthony Fernandez still languishing in an Angeles City, Pampanga jail as of this writing.

[Editor’s note: On Wednesday Fernandez had been transferred to Pampanga’s provincial jail].

As everyone knows, Mark was arrested and charged with possession of illegal drugs.

Alma had just finished the pictorial for her new show on GMA Network, “Tsuperhero,” when she sat down with Showbuzz.

“Buti maaga akong natapos [It’s a good thing I finished early],” she quipped, forcing a smile despite her emotional turmoil.

“I’m really trying hard to smile because I’m at work,” she acknowledged, sensing Showbuzz’ concern. “I have to do my job, follow my bosses tell me and what is stipulated in my contract,” she added in the vernacular.

Alma confided she only returned to Manila for the pictorial of Tsuperhero, where she plays mother to lead actor Derrick Monasterio, and across Gabby Concepcion. Otherwise, she would have still been in Angeles where she chooses to stay these days in case Mark needs her.

Amid her family’s latest trial, the actress shared how she is

In celebration of our 29th anniversary, BASC cordially invites our kababayan to our annual Fiesta-Dinner-Dance on Saturday, 22 October 2016, 6:00 p.m. at Holiday Inn, Buena Park CA with the presentation of “Sunduan sa Binangonan 2016” as the highlight of the evening. For particulars, please contact Ms. Aleht Membrebe-Fajardo @562-659-1506.

Our children’s...

PAGE B3 About nine persons die every minute in the world from cardiovascular diseases brought on by arteriosclerosis, resulting from daily intake of high fat/high cholesterol foods, lack of exercise, and smoking. There is no question that hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol serum level) plays a major role in hardening ‘Showbuzz’ comforts Alma Moreno after talking about her son in an exclusive interview for of the arteries. Medical science GMA Network and ‘The Manila Times’ shows that while the genetic grateful to her co-stars who she confessed there are times factor is important, only one out when she feels like giving up, of 500 people has the genetic sympathize with her.

“They don’t say anything. crying out loud and just letting predisposition to develop familial They don’t ask me about Mark go of everything going on inside hypercholesterolemia. That one but you know they care. Nandu’n her—especially when Mark just unfortunate individual has the yung tatapikin ka sa balikat. looks at her without saying a alibi to have hypercholesterolAlam kasi nila na once pinag- word.

“Wala, naka-akap lang siya sa usapan yun, hindi ko pa kaya.

Bibigay ako talaga. [They’ll just akin. Pag nagkikita kami, higpit pat me on the back because they lang, higpit. [He just hugs me know that once we talk about it, when I come to see him; he hugs PAGE B3 I’ll break down]. Alam nila [they me tighter and tighter]. It’s so know]that as a mother, I’m put- hard on my part but as much as many people as I can. I know I’ll ting up a [brave]front–tapang- I can, I don’t cry in front of him. have to continue to work hard, He’ll just hold my hand—tight— consistently learning and growtapangan at pilit kinakaya.”

She shows the same atti- that’s all he does.” ing as much as I can, in order to As a mother, Alma’s prayer develop the career and future that tude whenever she faces Mark.

Alma makes sure she shows is that Mark will be able to I want. But honestly, it’s an effort her son that she is confident surpass this very difficult time. that I’m happy to make. With how everything will be alright. But difficult times are for so many, I PAGE B7

and when appropriate.

The power is in our hands. Let emia, but the 499 of us simply us not allow them to slip through, have no excuse whatsoever to especially not in the name of love. have this problem. And yet, we And if we truly love them, we will do — all because of self-abuse. do what’s best for them, even if This is nothing but an act of slow it hurts. suicide on our part! *** Just like many illnesses, heart Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac attack and stroke are best pre- Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and vented. The best time to start chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to these preventive measures is 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, during infancy, way before the where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus hardening of the arteries begins. in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

We have to stop killing our chil- He is a Fellow of the American College of dren with love and start instilling Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, discipline in them while they are and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular in the crib, if we want them to Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the lead long, healthy, happy, and Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) productive lives. We must learn humanitarian foundation in the United States. to say “no” to our children, where Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Catching up with Krista... feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to pursue my dreams; and I don’t want to ever take that for granted. I’m really looking forward to completing my EP and getting back to performing, traveling and connecting with people around the world. ***

Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns.

Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

EntErtainmEnt

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 15-18, 2016

B

Solenn Heussaff on hubby: Walang bawal

by Bot

Glorioso

Philstar.com

Dick Israel

Showbiz personalities pay tribute to Dick Israel by rosette

Adel

Philstar.com

MANILA – Celebrities on Wednesday, Oct. 12 posted messages to commemorate the legacy of veteran actor Dick Israel who passed away on tuesday, Oct. 11.

Actors’ Guild of the Philippines President Rez Cortez said their organization will hold tribute for their colleague. “sabay kami halos nagsimula sa pelikula,” he recalled in a televised interview.

L i k e w i s e , a c t re s s N a d i a Montenegro, who considers Dick as her father, mourned her colleague’s death. Nadia was among the celebrity members

of Damay Kamay Foundation, who gave aid to Dick when his house went ablaze last July.

Damay Kamay Foundation is a charity group assisting medical emergencies of showbiz personalities. It is also ran by Vivian Velez, Bianca Lapus and Peter serrano.

Dick, whose real name is “Ricardo Vizcarra Michaca,” was known for his villain and sidekick roles. He was 68.

In 1986, the veteran actor was awarded Best supporting Actor in 1988 for his role in “Patrolman” at the Metro Manila Film Festival, and in 1995 for his portrayal in “Kanto Boy 2: Anak ni totoy Guapo” at the FAMAs Awards.

Alma Moreno: ‘I can only ask...

PAGE B6

“I know how hard it is for him.

When I see him in jail, parang dinudurog ang puso ko [it’s as if my heart’s been shattered to pieces]. At this point, I can only ask for prayers for Mark to be able to hurdle everything that he is going through right now.

“Kilala mo si Mark, Lhar, mabait ang anak ko, magalang.

Walang inaagrabyadong tao, walang sinasaktan. You know it, Lhar, dito sa showbiz, maraming nagmamahal kay Mark. [You know my son Lhar he is good, he is respectful. He’s never abused nor harmed anyone. You know it, Lhar, in showbiz Mark is well loved],” Alma said, tears rolling down her cheeks. there are days when visiting the inmates is not allowed but whenever possible, Alma comes to see Mark to bring him food and other necessities.

“We follow the rules—what day and time he’s allowed visitors, we follow that. We’ve never asked for any special treatment.

Basta sabi ko kay Mark, magtiis lang siya at mag-pray. [I just tell Mark to bear it and to pray].”

Alma also expressed grati-

tude Rudy Fernandez’ [Mark’s dad] widow, Lorna tolentino for supporting her son. “she is Mark’s second mother. she went to visit Mark with [his half-brothers]Rap and Renz. I know Lt is greatly concerned about Mark and I really appreciate it.”

Many friends too in the biz have been calling Alma and texting her messages, but the actress hasn’t found the time to answer them. “I would like to take this opportunity to say sorry to those who’ve been calling me, to those texting me.

Hindi ko po kayo masagot dahil hindi muna ako ang humahawak ng phone ko. Pero alam ko maraming nagmamahal sa anak ko at nagpapasalamat ako at sana po, tuloy-tuloy ang prayers ninyo para kay Mark. Na bigyan ng lakas ng loob ang anak ko.

[I’ve decided not to take calls and texts for now but I know that so many of you love my son and I’m so thankful to everyone.

I hope you will all continue to pray for strength for my son to get through this],” Alma finally said as she tried yet again to hold back tears.

Just because solenn Heussaff is now married does not mean her movements and activities become limited. Her Argentinian husband, Nico Bolzico, sets no restrictions that would make solenn feel that she is being tied with a chain. May of this year when solenn and Nico exchanged marital vows in France after five years of going steady.

“No, bawal,” solenn told the stAR when asked if Nico limits her every move. “If so, then I won’t get married. I believe that even if you are married, you just have to stay who you are and be who you are. so if you’re gonna marry someone who wants to change you, parang ‘wag na lang; sa iba na lang.”

Even in her career, the halfPinay, half-French Kapuso actress added that her husband doesn’t meddle in any way — from her looks down to the kind of projects she wishes to do. “Actually, I make him kwento about where I am right now or I just tell him of my schedules like I’m just probably not home until 5 a.m. because of taping so he will not wait for me like I just tell him, ‘Don’t wait for me; you can have dinner with your friends,’ or whatever. But we’re not the type who would meddle with each other’s work.”

But husband and wife make sure their communication line is always open. solenn is not shy to confide to Nico whatever is bugging her “or if there is an issue about me, I’ll talk to him about it.”

Of course, curious minds are wondering what is solenn like at

home? Is she, like any other married women out of the showbiz circuit, also busy doing the household chores?

“Actually, what you see is what you get. I’m super chill; I’m not pasosyal di ako ganun. I’m just super relaxed, soft-spoken. When I’m at home, I’m just cooking or watching tV or exercising; nothing is so exciting, ha,ha,ha.”

Not once did solenn pretend to be something that she is not. No wonder, many are impressed at how she is able to do a lot of things such as acting, hosting, painting, modeling, writing (she has just released her book titled Hot sos) and singing. In fact, she is allowing everyone to be familiar with the tales of her heart through her eponymous album released under universal Records. It contains eight tracks, including a remake of Christopher Cross’ hit Never be the same. the songs, solenn shared, speak about her experiences in falling in love. “It’s all about different stages of love — from heartbreak, falling in love, discovering one’s self. Love is the universal language so I think it’s always a good theme to have.

It’s never a fail when it comes to that.”

“I’m 31 (years old) now and I’m content with who I am as a person. so I didn’t want to give a title. Just me; a piece of me.” solenn shared that she started singing at six years old but not much came out of it “since my mom was forcing me to do it often (laughs) and it’s not good when you are forced to do anything.”

But she admitted to be singing in the shower all the time and

Solenn Heussaff allows everyone to be familiar with the tales of her heart via her eponymous album under Universal Records

insisted, “I always like singing and I sing when there are events but I wouldn’t consider myself as a singer like sarah Geronimo. But it’s something that I love doing because I’m not the type of person who can really express myself in front of other people and singing is a good way to do that. singing or painting, which is why I love doing both.”

Although she is neck-deep with

work, her desire to work on more indie films never falter a bit. “sana din I’ll have a second exhibit next year.”

How about having a child?

“Not this year. s’yempre naman I want to raise a family in the future maybe end of next year or two years from now. Not too soon.

Kakakasal ko lang so dapat magenjoy muna.”

B october 15-18, 2016 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 14-18, 2016

COMMUNITY Journal

On the wings of sham marriages

Your Immigration Solution NaNcy Miller WHEN people are desperate, they are tempted to take dangerous routes to get what they want even if the chances of success are small and the risk is high. That is why those in positions of power have a great responsibility to promote wise decisions. At the very least, they have a responsibility to avoid leading people down a path to disaster. Unfortunately, not everyone considers that the actions or products they promote might have terrible unanticipated consequences for those who don’t know better.

People from all over the world want to come to live in the United States. However, the desire does not necessarily lead to the reality.

Not everyone is eligible to immigrate to the United States. One must qualify under either family-based or employment-based categories in order to make that happen. (There are other requirements but now is not the time to discuss them). Everyone knows you can’t choose your parents. And if yours don’t have U.S. status, they can’t help you get it. Having a child in the United States and waiting 21 years for them to petition for you (and avoiding being deported during that 2 decade – plus wait) seems a bit drastic. Some people willing to take the longer view do choose their career on the basis of how that will help them immigrate but, that, too, is not something that happens immediately.

And some may not want to wait.

But marriage to a United States citizen can make a green card happen. When a person who desires to immigrate falls in love with a United States citizen and the feeling is mutual and they decide to create a life together, the law provides that the citizen can file a petition for the immigrant that will lead to a green card.

Some people, however, are not fortunate enough to find someone that they want to share their life with who can also get them legal status. They can then be

tempted to enter into marriages solely for the purpose of getting a green card. These are called sham (fake) marriages. And because it is so tempting to many desperate people, Congress has passed laws and Citizenship & Immigration Services (CIS) has promulgated regulations that make the repercussions Draconian for those who get caught.

And most people in sham marriages do get caught. CIS investigates marriages to determine that they are real. Real does not just mean legal. It means based on a real relationship. The legal term is “bona fide”. If it determines that the marriage is not bona fide, it will, of course, deny the petition. But the problem does not end there. The immigrant is placed into Removal Proceedings where he or she faces the very real possibility of being deported. And a subsequent marriage, or a petition from another family member or employer will not help. Because a separate ramification is that the immigrant who has been found to have entered into marriage in order to get a green card is permanently barred from getting any benefits as a petitioner or a beneficiary of any family-based or employment-based petition.

This is true even if the sham marriage took place years ago and the immigrant is now married to a U.S. citizen and the parent of several U.S. citizens. They will still have to leave.

That is the truth and the reality.

However, unfortunately, the tele-

vision and movie industry finds sham marriages a source of entertainment. Paying a United States citizen to marry an immigrant for a green card is portrayed as amusing and “no big deal”. Well, it is a crime and an immigration violation so it is a big deal.

Of course, a common response is “everyone does it” or “my friend did it”. But that does not make it right or legal. When a desperate person sees someone they admire succeeding in a course of action, they may be tempted to do the same. It has resulted in many people asking those in the legal community if they should do the same. So the answer is an unequivocal No! No matter how desperate you are, you should not take steps that will make your situation worse.

And to find out how to resolve your immigration problem, consult with a licensed, reputable, experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila.

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

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

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Community Journal

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Atty. RAymond BulAon

Here are the early Maximizing recovery in personal injury cases signs of debt trouble you shouldn’t ignore

HOW much debt is too much?

Are you worried that you have accumulated more debt than you can afford to pay back? Are you feeling depressed, frustrated, hopeless or maybe even angry about your situation? What can you do about it at this time or at least stop the situation from getting worse than it already is?

One of the smartest things you can do in managing your finances is to know at all times how much total debt you have. Look at all your bills every month and review all your credit card statements carefully. Don’t simply pay the bills without carefully reviewing all the charges you incurred in the past month. This helps you become more aware of your monthly spending patterns instead of scratching your head every payday and wondering where in the world your money went.

This sounds simple, I know, but trust me- a lot of people don’t do it. And that’s how financial trouble starts.

FACT: Unfortunately, it is common for me to see a lot of people who are not living within their means. They spend more than they earn and then resort to bor-

rowing in order to account for the shortfall. The availability of easy credit and the lure of low monthly payments are too much to resist for some people. So they continue to borrow until they can borrow no more. It’s a vicious cycle that is difficult to stop once you’re caught in it.

But before financial disaster strikes, there are usually some early signs of trouble. Here are some of them: 1. You are always behind in paying your credit cards and other bills every month.

2. You can only afford to pay the minimum on your credit cards every month.

3. You are using credit card transfers or cash advances to pay other credit cards.

4. After you pay your credit card bill, you increase your balance by the same amount or more the following month.

5. Your checks are starting to bounce.

6. You’ve tried making purchases with your credit cards and you were declined because you’ve maxed out your credit cards.

7. Bill collectors are calling you.

Minding Your Finances

Tax Tips VictoR Sy, cPA, mBA

1. THE failure-to-file penalty is generally more than the failure-to-pay penalty. If you cannot pay all the taxes you owe, file to prevent that more costly failureto-file penalty.

2. The failure-to-file penalty is 5% per month of the unpaid taxes. This penalty will not exceed 25% of the taxpayer’s unpaid taxes.

3. The failure-to-pay penalty is only ½% per month, not to exceed 25%, compared to the failure- to-file penalty, this is small. You really should file on time.

4. If you file your return more than 60 days after the due date or extended due date, the minimum penalty is the smaller of $135 or

8. You have no savings.

9. You have started using credit cards to pay for basic necessities such as groceries for which you used to pay cash.

10. You have lost track of how much you owe.

Ignore the signs at your own peril! Most people wait to get help and if they had acted sooner, they would have prevented their financial situation from getting worse. If you need help in getting out of debt, call 866-4777772 and request a free office consultation. As a debt relief lawyer with 18 years of experience, I have counseled and helped thousands of clients while helping them get back on their feet after suffering from debilitating debt. I will personally review your situation and go over possible options with you. I have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

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10 tips on penalties for late filing/paying your taxes 100 percent of the unpaid tax.

5. You will not have to pay a failure-to-file penalty if you can show that you failed to file on time because of reasonable cause and not because of willful neglect.

6. If you filed an extension and you paid at least 90% of your actual tax liability by the due date, you will not be faced with a failure-to-pay penalty.

7. If both the failure-to-file penalty and the failure-to-pay penalty apply in any month, the 5% failure-to-file penalty is reduced by the failure-to-pay penalty, meaning the maximum combined penalty tops at 5%.

8. In summary, if you can’t pay, file. Reduce your penalties by filing on time and saving the bigger late filing penalty.

9. Request a payment plan.

UNDER Howell v. Hamilton Meats & Provisions (2011) 52 C.4th 541, the California Supreme Court ruled that persons who are injured and who are pursuing a personal injury claim cannot recover the full amount of medical bills incurred if an insurer paid a smaller, negotiated amount to the medical provider. The Court’s ruling further limited an injured person’s right to recover for past medical expenses.

In light of the Howell decision, it is even more important for a person who suffered injury to develop his/her claim for other economic damages. The term “economic damages” means “objectively verifiable monetary losses including medical expenses, loss of earnings, burial costs, loss of use of property, costs of repair or replacement, costs of obtaining substitute domestic services, loss of employment and loss of business or employment opportunities.” Civil Code Section 1431.2(b)(1). A person’s claim for economic damages apart from medical expenses are often overlooked and not pursued by inexperienced counsel.

Loss of earnings are often a significant part of an injured person’s claim for economic damages. Damages are recoverable for both past and future lost earnings. To recover for past lost earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she has lost to date. To recover damages for future earnings, a person must prove the amount of income or earnings that he/she will be reasonably certain to lose in the future as a result of the injury. CACI No. 3903C. How are past lost earnings proven? Medical records, which show the doctor authorizing a release from work or giving instructions to restrict work activities, can support the time taken off from work due to the injury. For those self-employed, medical providers typically do not provide a release from work; however, medical records should record work restrictions placed by the medical provider.

After showing that the time off was justified, the next step is to value the lost earnings. A letter from a person’s employer that outlines the amount of time that one has lost as a result of his/her injury, the loss of benefits, and the rate of pay during the time of loss is evidence of the value of one’s loss of earnings claim. Other supporting documents include pay stubs, time cards, and tax returns. The monetary value of sick leave and vacation time that are used due to the injury are also recoverable.

For those self-employed, earnings history as reflected by tax returns and profit and loss statements can help prove the value of lost earnings. Similar supporting documentation must be presented for future lost earnings.

If you were suffered injury in an auto accident or someone’s premises, please contact our office to discuss your case. To maximize monetary recovery, it is important to have the assistance of an experienced attorney in presenting your personal injury claim. *** 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.

(Advertising Supplement)

SKT

Use form 9465.

10. IRS may ask you to provide Immigration financial information (Form 433A for individuals or Form 433-B for businesses) if you owe over a certain amount or if you have some issues such as delinquen- Eliot KRiEgER cies in paying or filing.

IF you are a United States le*** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE gal permanent resident (“LPR” with a BBA and from Indiana State University or “green card holder”), you may with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, be eligible to become a United Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst States citizen. United States (“U. & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy S.”) citizenship opens the door to substantial benefits, including Corporation in Pasadena, California. having the right to vote, eligibility *** He has 50 years of experience in defending for federal benefits or jobs, and taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE unlimited length of international and other governmental agencies. He is travel. In order to qualify for publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO citizenship in the United States, AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers LPRs must meet the following remay inquire about the book or email tax quirements: • Applicant must be admitted questions at vicsy@live.com.

(Advertising Supplement) to permanent resident status;

Naturalization: Becoming a United States citizen • Applicant is at least 18 years of age; • Applicant has been continuously residing in the U.S. for a minimum period of time (generally 5 years, but 3 years for spouses of U.S. citizens); • Applicant has been residing in the state of application for a minimum of 3 months; • Applicant has been physically present in the U.S. for a minimum period (at least half the period of required continuous residence); • Applicant must reside in the U.S. from the date of filing for naturalization until actual admission to citizenship; • Applicant is able to read,

write, and speak ordinary English; • Applicant has knowledge of U.S. history and government; • Applicant has good moral character; and • Applicant is attached to the principles of the U.S. constitution.

Determining eligibility for naturalization can be a tricky matter. An application to naturalize invokes the United States Citizenship and Immigration Services (“USCIS”) to perform another review of the applicant’s permanent resident application. If USCIS concludes that the applicant unlawfully

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Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS THERE is never the perfect time to think about who you would like to inherit from your estate in case you pass away or at least who among your closest friends (BFFs) and family members are even deserving of inheriting from your estate. In doing so, you should also think about which vehicle you plan to use in implementing your estate plan. One of the best vehicle in implementing your estate plan is a revocable living trust. Five major benefits of establishing a revocable living trust are: Your estate can avoid the time, cost, and hassle of going through the probate court process.

If you pass away without a will (intestate) in California, one of your close family would have to file a petition in probate court to probate your estate. Your estate will be divided and distributed according to the California probate code rules of intestate

Community Journal

Five benefits of establishing a revocable living trust

without any Court involvement at all. This process is a lot faster than going through probate.

Your estate is not public record When you file a probate case, the public has access to your probate case file. The public will know the assets of the estate including the values of those assets. If the Will is admitted into probate, the terms of the Will is open to public scrutiny.

Establishing a revocable living trust makes your estate affairs private. Strangers do not have access to the terms of your living trust. Only certain beneficiaries and possible heirs can request a copy of the revocable living trust after you pass away.

You can dictate who will inherit from your estate.

If you pass away without a Will, your estate will be divided and distributed in Probate Court following the rules of intestate succession in the California probate code. Certain relatives will

succession. Even if you have a will when you pass away, your family would still need to file a petition in probate court if your estate is worth over $150,000 and go through the probate process. This can become a circus if certain beneficiaries contest the validity of the Will or the distribution of the estate. Your estate will pay for attorney’s fees, probate referee fees, appraisers and other experts, CPA fees, etc. If people contest the case, your estate would end up paying legal fees to defend the estate in litigation. The entire process can take anywhere from 9 months to years depending on the contentiousness of the probate case.

With a revocable living trust, your trustee or successor trustee if you were the initial trustee, would administer the trust and distribute the estate according to the trust document without having to open a probate court case.

If the trust is funded with all your assets, it is possible to administer and distribute the trust assets

Calendar of Events across

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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS O C TO B E R 1 7-1 9

Screenwriting seminar with Ricky Lee at the International Film Festival Manhattan Filipino scriptwriter Ricky Lee is coming to NYC! Join him as he imparts his talent and shares his 50 years of experience. Mr. Lee’s legacy started way back 1966 as an aspiring high school student who has pushed on with hard work and determination to become the Ricky Lee we know now; recipient of numerous awards, including the CNN Asian Viewers’ Choice Award for his film “Himala” and this year’s honorable guest at the International Film Festival Manhattan as the Lifetime Achievement Awardee; with hundreds of produced scripts to his name; novelist, journalist, playwright and mentor of the most notable writers and directors of Philippine Cinema. Be part of his workshop series entitled, “Writing Your Story,” on Oct 17-19. Laugh with him, cry with him, reminisce with him, feel with him and most importantly, write with him by your side. Who knows you might even be watching the movie “Himala” with him during those nights. Please email LuisPedron@gmail.com (Ricky Lee Seminar on the subject line) to get more information.

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Screening of ”Curiosity, Adventure & Love” in Washington, D.C. As part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of Philippines-U.S. relations and in celebration of Filipino-American History Month, a community screening of the film, “Curiosity, Adventure & Love” will be held at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. on Thursday, October 20 at 6:30 p.m. Ms. Sunshine Lichauco De Leon, co-producer and co-director of the film will be available for a brief Q&A session after the screening. To RSVP, please email info@philippinesusa.org.

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Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers in Los Angeles Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers perform ‘100 years of song’ at the Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall at the Valley Performing Arts Center at 6pm. Maestro Ryan, the Philippines’ top composer (“Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika,” Tuwing Umuulan” and more) presents his handpicked vocal group singing his arrangements and beloved hits. Tickets are at www.ticketmaster.com, Venue is at CSU-Northridge, 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge, CA 91330.

Harana in Glendale, California The Federation of Filipino-American Associations, Inc. in association with the DreamAgeGroup Art Entertainment presents ‘Harana: a journey for every Filipino.’ It will be held at Alex Theater on 216 N. Brand Blvd. Glendale, CA 91203 on Sunday, October 23 at 2 p.m. For inquiries and reservations, please call (818) 937-3071 or email The DreamAgeGroup@gmail.com. Box office tickets are available at Alex Theater; please call (818) 2432539.

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Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers in Honolulu Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers perform ‘100 years of song’ at the New Life Theatre at 7:30pm. Maestro Ryan, the Philippines’ top composer (“Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika,” Tuwing Umuulan” and more) presents his handpicked vocal group singing his arrangements and beloved hits. Contact Honolulu Broadway Babies for information (808) 783-2296. New Life Theatre is at 1190 Nuuanu Ave, Honolulu, HI 96817.

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Consular outreach in Orlando, Florida The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. - Central Florida Chapter, the Filipino-American Association of Pensacola, Inc., and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Miami, is pleased to announce that it will conduct a consular outreach mission in Orlando on Saturday and Sunday, October 5 and 6 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Services offered include: Philippine passport applications; legalization of documents (acknowledgment, authentication, etc.); and receipt of reports of birth, marriage and death; and administration of oath of allegiance for dual citizenship. For an appointment, please email consular@philippineusa. org and indicate “Orlando FL Outreach” in the subject line. In the body of the email, indicate the complete name(s) of the applicant(s) and the corresponding service(s) required by each application. The outreach will be held at Hilton Garden Inn Orlando at Seaworld, 6850 Westwood Blvd. Orlando, FL 32821.

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University of Baguio High School 40th anniversary in Chino Hills, CA Come join us in celebrating University of Baguio High School’s 40th Anniversary on Saturday, November 12 in Chino Hills, California. For more information please contact, Romy Vidal at (951) 733-7140.

Hyatt Baguio/Manila/Palawan Reunion in Las Vegas Former and current employees and guests of Hyatt Terraces Baguio, Hyatt Manila and Hyatt Palawan are having a dinner/dance reunion on November 12 in at the Hampton Inn Tropicana in Las Vegas. The address is 4975 Dean Martin Dr, Las Vegas, NV 89118. For more details, please send an email to: Beng Paraguas-Flores (Hyatt Terraces Baguio) at bengparaguasflores@gmail.com or Marian Nobleza (Hyatt Terraces Baguio) at minobleza@ yahoo.com.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 14-18, 2016

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. Q: I WAS diagnosed with herniated disc and severe anxiety. I want to request leave but want to keep my privacy at work. Do I need to tell my employer about my medical or psychological condition?

A: No. The employee is not required to disclose the nature of the employee’s medical condition or disability (i.e., their diagnosis). The employee is required only to provide reasonable medical documentation which describes the employee’s physical or mental limitations, which may prevent them from doing their work. For example, the medical documentation may simply state that the employee is restricted from lifting more than 25 lbs.

The employer cannot inquire into the “nature or severity” of the employee’s disability. The employer cannot ask for the employee’s complete medical records as those records may be unrelated to the need for accommodation. The employer also cannot ask the employee about the underlying medical cause of the disability (unless such a medical examination is “job-related” and “consistent with business necessity”).

How much of an employee’s medical condition should be disclosed to the employer? Under the law, if an employee’s disability or medical condition is not obvious, the employer may request the employee to provide reasonable medical documentation confirming the existence of the disability and the need for reasonable accommodation. That

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Should I tell my employer about my medical condition to accommodate my disability? medical documentation may contain the following: a. The name and credentials of the health care provider b. Certification from the medical provider that the employee has a physical or mental condition that limits a major life activity or a medical condition, and a description of why the employee or applicant needs a reasonable accommodation.

There is a need for ‘reasonable accommodation’ if the employee’s medical condition limits a major life activity, such as doing the necessary tasks that the work requires. To have a limitation in the performance of a major life activity is to have a disability.

Reasonable accommodation includes reasonable assistance that the employer extends to the employee, in order to enable the employee to do his or her job despite the disability. Depending on the employee’s specific restrictions and the employer’s circumstances, the following are examples of reasonable accommodation: – Granting or extending leave from work to allow medical treatments – Making facilities accessible to and usable by disabled individuals – Offering part-time or modified work schedules – Reassigning to a vacant position – Acquiring or modifying equipment or devices Even if the medical condition does not limit any major life activities (i.e., there is no disability), the employee is still entitled

to reasonable accommodation if, he or she needs to be absent from work for medical treatments or doctor appointments.

For the employer to provide reasonable accommodation to the employee, the employer must know that the employee needs such accommodation. The employer knows an employee has a disability when the employee tells the employer about the condition, or when the employer becomes aware of the condition, such as through a third party or by observation. Thus, if the employee’s disability becomes known or obvious, the employer must engage the employee in a timely, good faith interactive process to determine if reasonable accommodation can be made for the employee. The employer must start the interactive process.

Lastly, California law prohibits discrimination based on disability or medical condition. An employer may not terminate or demote an employee based on the employee’s disability or medical condition. *** 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 Aselected as Super Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, and is a member of the Million Dollar-Advocates Forum.

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Naturalization: Becoming a United…

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obtained LPR status, the finding will render the applicant ineligible for naturalization and may jeopardize the existing LPR status. Additionally, the principal beneficiary’s unlawful procurement of LPR status may affect a derivative beneficiary’s ability to naturalize. Eligibility is further complicated if the applicant has engaged in fraud or any criminal activity. The following actions undermine a finding of good moral character for naturalization purposes:

• A criminal record, regardless of the nature and date of the criminal conviction; • Unlawful voting or false claim to U.S. citizenship; • Tax fraud or willful concealment of income; • Smuggling of undocumented persons; or • Giving false testimony for purposes of obtaining immigration benefits.

Applying for naturalization can be lengthy and frustrating without the help of experienced attorneys and staff. Our seasoned

team can assist and guide you through the naturalization application process. *** Eliot Krieger is a Partner at Sullivan, Krieger, Truong, Spagnola, and Klausner, LLP. He is a former Assistant United States Attorney with the United States Department of Justice. He has a Ph.D. from Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from Harvard Law School.

Website: www.sullivankrieger.com Contact us at any of our offices: Long Beach + 1 (562) 597-7070 Irvine + 1 (949) 390-5270 Philippines + 63-2-788-5196 (Advertising Supplement)

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Clients choose Chapter 13 to avoid risk of losing house to Chapter 7 trustee on steriods

Debt Relief atty. lawRence yanG THE first case involves clients who are still young. By young, I mean less than fifty, late forties.

They have teenage children, one son, and two daughters. Their household income is about $75K a year. Husband used to work two jobs as a technician, while wife used to own a retail business, now defunct. She still makes some money but hardly enough to pay for her $68K of credit card debt.

She racked up this debt when she used these cards to support a failing business, just to keep the business afloat for two more years. Husband owes only $20K of credit cards. Together, clients owe about $90K of credit cards.

Minimum monthly payments are almost $3k a month. Needless to say, wife’s cards are now all past due, while husband’s cards are still current, as a last ditch effort to hold the fort, the same thing that Gen. Custer did.

Thinking he could protect the fort, the Indians won and Custer died. Three Indian tribes, the Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho decimated the 7th cavalry of Gen. Custer, which had 700 men.

Custer and his two brothers died in the battle of ‘Little Big Horn” in 1876.

So, I’m not so sure if it’s a good idea to take a last stand to try to pay $90K of credit card debt when clients’ household income, although decent at $75K a year, because there is no way mathematically for clients’ to pay $90K of credit card debt with minimum payments. These cards will never get paid in clients’ lifetime, unless they win the power ball lottery. Dream on. The chance of winning power ball is 1 in 292 million. You have a better chance of getting hit by lightning, twice, than winning power ball.

After a little probing, I determine that clients want a Chapter 7 to wipe out all of the $90K credit cards. The problem is that their residence has about $130K of equity. It has a current fair market value of $450K and they owe about $320K on it. It this was four years ago, they could easily sail through a Chapter 7 without the risk of losing their house to an aggressive Chapter 7 trustee. Of

“

Senior wants Chapter 7 to wipe out $22K credit card debt course, their homestead exemption is $100K plus about $25K for cost of sale of the house, so there is no viable equity for the trustee to take, so there is minimal risk to the house. But there is a five percent chance that the trustee that gets assigned to clients’ case is the most aggressive Chapter 7 trustee when it comes to non exempt assets, particularly houses.

If this misfortune should befall clients, this is just the worst thing that can happen to a Chapter 7 debtor with “borderline” exempt equity in the house, having to deal with a Chapter 7 trustee on steroids who is hell bent on selling your house for $1 of non-exempt equity.

To avoid this kind of scenario altogether, it is safer for clients to choose Chapter 13. In Chapter 13, they can pay a small amount, maybe $300 a month for sixty months. After having paid $18,000 in sixty months with no interest, the difference between $90K and $18K, $72K will be discharged with the last payment on the 60th payment. This means that clients will pay 20 percent of their $90K credit cards over 5 years with no interest, the court will discharge 80 percent of $72K on the 60th payment.

In Chapter 13, there is no risk of clients’ losing their house to the trustee because Chapter 13 trustees do not have the power to sell houses. On the other hand, Chapter 7 trustees have the power to sell your house if there is viable non-exempt equity. To avoid the hassle of dealing with an over aggressive Chapter 7 trustee and risk losing their house, clients chose to file Chapter 13 and pay 20 percent of their credit card debt. And may I add, this is the right choice because there is no risk to the house which they want to keep, and $300 plan payment is certainly a lot less than $3K a month for minimum payments that never end, with a bright light at the end of the 60th payment when $72K is discharged by the court! In 5 years, clients will owe zero unsecured debt, and they will still have their house, which may then have $200K of equity if Hillary Clinton becomes president. I’m with her.

We are stronger together.

Second client is a young senior. She is only 55. Divorced ten years ago. Now lives by herself.

She used to be a happy camper with a $40K yearly salary. But she lost that job last year. She is stuck with $22K of credit card debt.

She pays $900 a month for these cards to keep them current. But her savings are quickly diminishing. When it’s a choice between paying $900 of rent which lets her have a roof over her head for a month, or $900 to mastercard and visa, given the fact that she

Some credit cards specialize in giving credit to people who have come out of Chapter 7. Chapter 7 is the best choice for client.

”

And even though debtors have the right to convert to Chapter 13 anytime, to escape the clutches of a Chapter 7 trustee who wants to sell their house, the right to convert is not absolute. This trustee will certainly oppose the conversion to Chapter 13. His trustee and legal fees to fight the conversion to Chapter 13 can easily reach $25K, and all of that $25K must be paid in full the Chapter 13 as priority Chapter 7 administrative fees. So even the trustee loses on the opposition, he still wins, because he still gets paid $25K in the Chapter 13 case. It doesn’t pass the smell test for fairness, but in reality, that’s the way it works. I have one case now and we are fighting to keep debtor’s house in Chapter 7 (no conversion to Chapter 13) because debtor owes more than $1.0M of unsecured debt. We are fighting the trustee in an adversary case because this house doesn’t even have non-exempt equity but the trustee is making it appear that debtor lied under oath and now asks for denial of discharge to debtor. I just can’t believe what is going on in this case. But we are fighting it 100 percent, and in this case, we are the Indians.

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To Live With Faith ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas A PRIEST flew thousands of miles to spend a month with the community of Mother Teresa in Calcutta, India. He was in a stage of discernment for God’s further purpose in his priestly life. On the first morning that he met Mother Teresa, the pious nun asked him, “What do you want me to pray for? “ The priest answered, “Pray that I have clarity.”

She said no. That was that.

When the priest asked why, she told him that clarity was the last thing he was clinging to and had to let go of.

The priest commented, “But Mother, you had always seemed to have the clarity I longed for.”

Mother Teresa laughed: “I have never had clarity; what I’ve always had is trust. So I will pray that you trust.”

Mother Teresa, now a canonized saint, is right. Many times what we really need is the grace to trust because there are a lot of things that we are unsure of in this life, and that we can never see clearly. We need faith because as St. Paul tells us in his Letter to the Hebrews: “Faith is confident assurance concerning what we hope for, and conviction

The treasure of persistent faith about things we do not see.” (Hebrews 11:1) Indeed, faith is the inexhaustible treasure we need to carry in our life journeys. Many of us possess a lot of treasures, such as money, properties, knowledge and skills. These are good, but they do not last. What God offers us is the infinite treasure of faith and life in His son, Jesus Christ.

In the Gospel this Sunday, we hear the parable of a widow who persisted in petitioning the judge to change his mind so that he would act and render a just decision. She kept calling out to him day and night. The judge finally listened to her plea. But what is inspiring about this parable is not just the perseverance of the widow but also her tremendous faith.

For us Christians, faith comes from the grace of the Holy Spirit through Jesus Christ. This is reason that St. Paul wrote in the Second Letter to Timothy (3:144:2): “Remain faithful to what you have learned and believed, because you know from whom you learned it, and that from infancy you have known the Sacred Scriptures, which are capable of giving you wisdom for salvation through faith in Jesus Christ.”

St. Paul also reminds us to be “persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient.”

This implies perseverance and

a strong faith in God despite our struggles, difficulties, confusions, and persecutions. Our modernday martyrs — our Christian brothers and sisters in the Middle East who were killed violently because of their faith — demonstrated this heroic faith. They are our inspiration.

Our Psalm prayers this Sunday express this treasure of persistent and enduring faith: “The Lord is your guardian; the Lord is your shade; he is beside you at your right hand. The sun shall not harm you by day, nor the moon by night.

The Lord will guard you from all evil; he will guard your life.

The Lord will guard your coming and your going, both now and forever.” (Psalm 121) May we take the advice of St. Teresa of Calcutta to pray for trust in God on all the days of our lives! *** 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.

Five benefits of establishing a revocable…

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be entitled to a share of your estate even if you feel they are not deserving. By establishing a revocable living trust, you can designate who you want to inherit from your estate. You can designate what and how much each one will received from your estate after you pass away. The assets distributed to each beneficiaries does not have to be equal.

The people you designate as beneficiaries of your living trust does not even have to be close family members. You can designate anyone as a beneficiary, with certain exceptions, of your estate.

You can structure your estate to minimize estate taxes If your estate is valued above the estate tax exemption, establishing a trust can allow you to divide up your estate into smaller sub trusts to minimize the overall estate tax effect on your estate. It allows you to set up a vehicle for

certain charitable giving which carries tax advantage and asset protection.

You can choose who will administer your estate after your death When you establish a revocable trust, you can appoint someone else as trustee or you can appoint a successor trustee if you are the initial trustee. The trustee will be administering (managing) the trust after you pass away without a need to open a probate court case. This allows for continuity in operating the trust and the efficient and cost effective distribution of estate assets. If you are concerned about whether you can trust any family members as your trustee, you can appoint an institution as a professional trustee to carry out the terms of the declaration of trust. These type of trustee services are often offered by banks, financial institutions, wealth management firms, and business management firms

for a reasonable fee. This minimizes conflicts within the family and prevents negligence and wrong doing by inexperienced family members. *** 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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Taming the tongue

A Dash of Salt and Pepper (A simple thought of inspiration with biblical encouragement)

by Henjie Pimenta

THOUGH bound by chains in prison, this particular passage was written by St. Paul to the followers of Jesus Christ in Colossae. He encouraged the fellow workers to be graceful in their speech and communication as they spread the Gospel that in their delivery, people might experience Jesus through them.

Colossians 4:6: “Let your conversation be always full of grace, Henjie Pimenta seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

Is it necessary to speak harshly when we can speak modestly and intelligibly? I understand that sometimes out of anger, we have the tendency to speak fire, lightning and thunderbolts—profanity, insults, bickering, belittling, sarcasm, and much more. There is absolutely nothing wrong saying what is on our mind; depending on the choice of vocabulary, we might win if we choose the right words. However, carelessly lashing out might lead to regret and worse, irreconcilable situations. What makes it hard to express one’s indignation is if the opposite party is unwilling to hear the dialogue.

Communication with the lack of better words attracts no one.

James 3:1-12 says: “1Not many of you should become teachers, my fellow believers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly. 2 We all stumble in many ways. Anyone who is never at fault in what they say is perfect, able to keep their whole body in check.

“3 When we put bits into the mouths of horses to make them obey us, we can turn the whole animal.

4 Or take ships as an example. Although they are so large and are driven by strong winds, they are steered by a very small rudder wherever the pilot wants to go. 5 Likewise, the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. 6 The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole body, sets the whole course of one’s life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell.

“7 All kinds of animals, birds, reptiles and sea creatures are being tamed and have been tamed by mankind, 8 but no human being can tame the tongue. It is a restless evil, full of deadly poison.

“9 With the tongue we praise our Lord and Father, and with it we curse human beings, who have been made in God’s likeness. 10 Out of the same mouth come praise and cursing. My brothers and sisters, this should not be. 11 Can both

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 14-18, 2016

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fresh water and salt water flow from the same spring? 12 My brothers and sisters, can a fig tree bear olives, or a grapevine bear figs? Neither can a salt spring produce fresh water.”

James admonishes the followers of Jesus to be very careful in the way they speak, and even in their actions.

Every believer could also be a possible leader; as a leader, we are being watched intently by those we lead and usher into the throne of Christ—they may be your kids, friends, classmates, fellow workers and even family members. They watch how we speak and act, how we keep our cool and maintain composure when caught in a confronting situation.

I love the part in James 3:9-10 that says this very tongue and lips are what we use in praising God and should we also use it in cursing, this should not be. Meaning, if you are using a spoon to feed yourself and you are also scooping dirt and manure with it, would you bring it back to your dining table? The sacredness of this spoon is dedicated to scooping food and when you put in your mouth, it has lost its original purpose, and its character has been defiled.

I remember as a kid if our parents caught us slipping filthy words from our lips, we got scolded, and even in school our teachers wouldn’t allow us to trash talk. But for some reason, no matter how they discipline me, filthy words would come out naturally in my speech. I remember my friends would laugh out loud when trash talk was used, especially when there was a strong emphasis on the dirtiest part of the language.

But after receiving Jesus Christ as the Lord and Savior of my life, and I allowed him to cleanse and navigate me, all this unnecessary talk and the lack of better words were washed by the Blood of Jesus.

I am still a work in progress but I will say that God is victorious in my life and He will do it to you as well if you let Him come into your heart. Just surrender everything to our God in Heaven, Our Father. Jesus is always abundant in grace, and the Holy Spirit always available to those who believe.

And all who agree, say Amen!

If you need prayers, please do not hesitate to call or visit us on any Sunday at: Praise Christian Fellowship of the Valley on 9051 Woodman Avenue, Arleta, CA 91331 (inside Helping Hands ADHC, behind the CVS drugstore and Vallarta Supermarket at the back alley) at 4:30 p.m. or call Pastor Emmanuel Madeja at (818) 813-3971; or at Praise Christian Fellowship, Los Angeles at 2235 Beverly Blvd. (corner Roselake/Rosemont), Los Angeles, CA 90057 at 8:30 a.m., 11 a.m. and 6 p.m. or call Pastor Courtney Hall at (213) 484-8294.

Clients choose Chapter 13 to avoid risk of…

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now has no income, it’s really a no brainer. The $22K of credit cards has to be discharged. She chooses Chapter 7 to achieve this goal. Her credit score will go up pretty fast since she still pays for a car. In two years her credit score will be about 620. Within a couple of months of getting

her discharge, she will get new credit cards mailed to her. Some credit cards specialize in giving credit to people who have come out of Chapter 7. Chapter 7 is the best choice for client.

“Give unto the Lord the glory due to His name; worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.”

— Psalm 29:2

*** 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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MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

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The November 2016 Priority Dates Duterte backs plan to wipe out poverty by 2040 Immigration Corner

FAMILY CATEGORY:

January 22, 2015

(2b) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holder

February 1, 2007

February 15, 2006

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US citizens.

January 1, 1995

August 8, 1994

Fourth Preference

brothers and sisters of US citizens.

April 1, 1994

LABOR CERTIFICATION:

Application Filing Date

May 8, 1993 Visa Issuance Date

Second Preference

Advanced Degree (Masters)

Current

Current

Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

September 1, 2013

April 1, 2011

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

September 1, 2013

April 1, 2011

member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “ Su ccess Sto r i es,” e n d o rse m e n ts a n d 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 AN GELES

· SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez

ments. Some will be business to business deals so these will be commercial transactions,” Lopez told reporters on the sidelines of the 42nd Philippine Business conference.

Lots of initiatives “There will be a lot of private sector initiatives with chinese banks committing funds to support the growth of the Philippine PAGE D2

Pernia said “higher infrastructure spending” likely took over in the third quarter.

Philstar.com photo by Andy Zapata Jr.

Duterte admin optimistic of ‘at least 7%’ growth in first 3 months MaNILa — The Duterte administration is optimistic economic growth hit “at least seven percent” in its first three months in office on the back of higher infrastructure spending.

“We hope it’s going to be at least seven percent,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto

September 1, 2005

(2A) Spouse and minor children (below November 22, 2015 21 years old) of green card holder

r. remO Inquirer.net

P. magtulis Philstar.com

May 1, 2006

Second Preference

by amy

by Prinz

Visa Issuance Date

First Preference

China trip dividend $3-B so far, says trade chief PrESIDENT rodrigo Duterte may secure over $3 billion in funding commitments from chinabased financial institutions and private corporations in his state visit to Beijing next week, Trade Secretary ramon Lopez said on Thursday, Oct. 13.

Lopez, who is expected to be part of the President’s official delegation, said the commitments may come in the form of investments, soft loans and assistance to the trade sector alone.

The total funding commitment could be bigger if other sectors such as infrastructure, transportation, communications and agriculture, among others, were considered, he said. “[a number of agreements] will be signed—private to private, government to government and the chinese private sector to the Philippine government. These will be in various forms of support that will include funding commit-

Application Filing Date Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ Each month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. a priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again.

Beginning last October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and UScIS indicates on its website it will use the application Filing Date for that month). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State B a r o f C a l i f o r n i a a n d N e w Yo r k . A l l immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active

by Ben

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows:

Pernia told reporters on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

While election-related spending already tapered off, Pernia said “higher infrastructure spending” likely took over in the third quarter. he did not elaborate.

Gross domestic product (GDP), or the sum of all products and services created in an economy, PAGE D2

Business Quote of the Week “If you’ve got an idea, start today. There’s no better time than now to get going. That doesn’t mean quit your job and jump into your idea 100 percent from day one, but there’s always small progress that can be made to start the movement.”

- Kevin Systrom, Founder of Instagram

O. de Vera Inquirer.net

MaNILa — President Duterte has ordered the adoption of the National Economic and Development authority’s (NEDa) longterm vision aimed at tripling Filipinos’ real per capita incomes as well as eliminating hunger and poverty on or before 2040.

Executive Order No. 5 signed by the President on Oct. 11 adopted “ambisyon Natin 2040” as the 25year long-term vision for the Philippines, such that “by 2040, the Philippines shall be a prosperous, predominantly middle-class society where no one is poor.”

Under the long-term vision being shepherded by state planning agency NEDa, “our peoples shall live long and healthy lives, be smart and innovative, and shall live in a high-trust society” by 2040.

To do so, EO 5 mandated identifying “appropriate set of milestones” that would guide the medium-term development plans to be developed by four administrations, including the Duterte administration, between now and 2040.

“The four medium-term Philippine Development Plans (PDPs) to be crafted and implemented until 2040 shall be anchored on the

President Rodrigo Duterte at the 13th ASEAN Business and Investment Summit in Vientiane, Laos on September 6.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

ambisyon Natin 2040 and overall goals. The PDPs shall ensure sustainability and consistency of strategies, policies, programs and projects across political administrations,” EO 5 read. as such, “all plans of government departments, offices andinstrumentalities, including government-owned or -controlled corporations and local government units, shall be consistent with ambisyon Natin 2040,” the President ordered.

The Duterte government is

currently drafting the PDP for 2017-2022, eyed for publication by yearend.

Launched last March, ambisyon Natin 2040 is aimed at tripling Filipinos’ per capita income to $11,000 in 24 years’ time by sustaining at least 6.5-percent annual gross domestic product growth alongside the implementation of policies that would make the Philippines a highincome country by 2040. a survey conducted early this PAGE D2

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DENR eyes $1-B investments from six foreign companies Purisima named Finance Minister of the Year anew

by Louise

Maureen siMeon

Philstar.com

MANILA - The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) is eyeing $1 billion worth of investments for Mindanao from at least six foreign companies.

Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones said the agency met with different groups and investors from the US, seeking financial assistance for the development of Mindanao.

“It’s just a matter of (identifying) what concrete projects we want to be financed. We will still talk about it. But the $1 billion is there. They have already committed,” Leones told reporters on the sidelines of the DENR Development Partners’ Forum.

solar renewable energy projects,” he said.

The department will involve all the communities, stakeholders, civil societies and local government units in the planning session which is expected to start next month.

“What’s good about this is we are not the only ones who will do the programs. The plans are also drafted by communities and stakeholders in the area so Environment Undersecretary Jonas Leones said the agency that they can own them,” Leones met with different groups and investors from the US, seeking said. financial assistance for the development of Mindanao.

The foreign firms are expected to come to the Philippines to discuss their proposed investment Leones, however, refused to or projects.

Leones assured investors they name the six foreign groups.

“They are big foreign com- would get full support from the panies. In fact, one group, they government once they decide to committed to help us with our invest in the Philippines.

MANILA — An international firm named anew Cesar Purisima, who served in the Cabinet of former President Benigno Aquino III, finance minister of the year.

The recognition by Global Markets is the second straight award for Purisima, who as Finance secretary, Purisima was among those looked at behind the expanding public investments and dipping of the national debt-to-GDP ratio.

The firm also hailed Purisima for managing domestic and international expections while also focusing on infrastucture investment drive.

Economic Affairs Minister of the Philippine Embassy in the United States Jose Victor ChanGonzaga recently accepted the award on Purisima’s behalf. “(Purisima) and his colleagues

in the economic team presided over six years of unprecedented economic growth in the Philippines,” Chan-Gonzaga said.

“Their hard work has resulted in a vibrant and dynamic economy that enjoys macroeconomic and financial stability, which the new Administration, together with our economic partners such as yourselves, can build on moving into the future,” he added.

Purisima, for his part, said it’s his “life’s greatest honor” to have served as the head of the country’s economic team. He also dedicated the award to Aquino, whom he cited as having a “transformative vision and leadership.”

The former Finance chief said the economic officials of President Rodrigo Duterte are also “hard at work building on the gains” of the

The recent honor from Global Markets is the seventh consecutive award for former Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

past years.

“I have absolute faith that they will be even more successful than we were,” he said. (Philstar.com)

Duterte backs plan to wipe out... Japan turns over processing plant for Typhoon Yolanda affected areas PAGE D1 year showed that majority of Filipinos aspired for a “simple and comfortable life,” which NEDA had said reflected middle-class lifestyle—earning enough, educating all children until college, owning a car, owning a medium-sized house, finding time to relax with family and friends, owning a business, and being able to travel around the country.

NEDA Director-General and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia told reporters on the sidelines of a Senate hearing on agency’s proposed 2017 budget Thursday that Ambisyon Natin 2040 “ensures continuity of [succeeding administra-

tions’] medium-term development plans.”

“If we do that, it would be a surer way of achieving our vision,” Pernia pointed out.

NEDA Deputy Director-General Rosemarie G. Edillon said roadmaps and strategies under the Ambisyon Natin 2040 had been identified to set “ambitious” targets for the four upcoming PDPs. Edillon said Neda presented Ambisyon Natin 2040 to President Duterte during a Cabinet meeting last week.

Early this week, former president Fidel V. Ramos was quoted as saying that the Duterte administration supposedly lacks a long-term development plan.

THE Embassy of Japan held a turnover ceremony of the twostorey Piloti type processing plant under the Quick Impact Project for Typhoon Yolanda affected areas in the Municipality of Tanauan, Leyte Province on September 28.

This project is funded through the Japan Official Development Assistance program.

First Secretary Kenji Terada, together with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Headquarters’ Sectional Representative Atsutoshi Hirabayashi, JICA Philippines Office’s Sectional Rep- Fisher-folks were present during the inauguration and turn-over ceremony The two-storey Piloti type processing plant resentative Yoshiyuki Ueno, Department of Agriculture Bureau of The Grass-root Technical CoopEdgardo Esperancilla, and around Fisheries and Aquatic Resources’s jo, Department of Science and 50 fisher-folks from Barangay Sta. eration Project on “Development Regional Director Juan Albalade- Technology’s Regional Director Cruz, led the ceremony. of mariculture and processed The facility is constructed of products using Oku-Matsushima reinforced concrete in a two-story techniques in typhoon Yolanda piloti type architecture. Pilotis or affected areas” will complement piers are ground supporting col- this project and provide technolumns that raise a building above ogy development in aquaculture, ground level. This piloti feature processing, marketing and capacwill be useful and prevent damage ity building. Though these projduring storm surges. The facility ects, we look forward to seeing a will enhance the quality of life of pilot site of good quality seafood Tanauan fisher-folks, reduce their products, and hope this endeavor losses and give added value to the will expand all over the Philipprocessed seafood products. pines. (ManilaTimes.net)

Inauguration of the processing plant

China trip dividend $3-B...

PAGE D1 economy in general. This means that we can expect funding commitments from both the private sector and the government,” he said. “In terms of trade and financing economic activities, I’ve been hearing some numbers already, which should be over $3 billion. But that’s just for trade and investments only, and so it should be more.”

President Duterte is to visit China from Oct. 18 to 21 as he moves away from traditional trade and security ally the United States with Chinese leader Xi Jinping expected to give him a warm welcome.

Mr. Duterte has threatened to end a decades-long alliance with the United States, giving Beijing a boost in its quest for more control over the strategically vital South China Sea. Outrage over US criticism Mr. Duterte has said he is trying to wean the Philippines from an unhealthy reliance on its former colonial ruler. He has signaled that the shift was also due to his outrage at US criticism of his

bloody war on drugs that has left nearly 4,000 addicts and pushers dead, about half of them considered “deaths under investigation” or slain by unknown vigilantes.

Analysts believe Mr. Duterte’s attraction to a rising China is typical of his ultra-pragmatic governing style, following repeated speeches highlighting what he believes is the United States’ diminishing economic and military might.

Machiavellian “He is a results-oriented person, Machiavellian too,” University of the Philippines political science professor Clarita Carlos said. “The guy knows if he can find markets for our bananas, pineapples and create employment, whether it’s China, Russia or Mali, that’s where we are going.

Whatever works.”

Mr. Duterte is taking along a delegation of about 400 businessmen, including many of the Philippines’ biggest tycoons, in a bid to capitalize on the warming of relations that has taken place due to his efforts to placate Beijing on the South China Sea row.

Duterte admin optimistic...

PAGE D1 expanded seven percent in the second quarter, the fastest in nearly three years.

It brought the first-half expansion under the previous administration to 6.9 percent.

Despite this, the Duterte administration decided to be conservative and cut the GDP growth target to between six percent to seven percent this year. Originally, it was at 6.8 to 7.8 percent.

Budget Secretary Benjamin Diokno reiterated higher spending plans are a go under the proposed P3.35-trillion budget for 2017, around P860 billion of which is allotted for infrastructure.

“The government is serious in pursuing a pro-growth fiscal policy,” he said at the Philippine Business Conference in Pasay City.

Pernia agreed, saying they intend to keep the economy “in good shape,” also to score another credit rating upgrade, which would lower debt servicing and

free up more resources.

He, Diokno and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez are recently back from Washington D.C., where they met with debt watchers S&P Global Ratings, Fitch Ratings and Moody’s Investors Service.

This was after S&P warned of “policy uncertainty” under the current administration despite keeping the Philippines’ ‘BBB’ investment grade rating.

“We gave presentations...and they said they are going to maintain our investment grade. We convinced them that we will maintain the performance of the economy,” Pernia said.

“They said they could put the rating higher if there is an improvement,” he added.

As far as President Rodrigo Duterte’s tirades are concerned, Pernia said he relayed to the agencies that the chief executive is “just focused on stamping out crime and corruption.”

Pernia said the president “does not want to be distracted.”

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Showroom

More foreign funds pull out in Sept

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA - More than $2 billion worth of foreign portfolio investments or “hot money” were pulled out from the Philippines in September amid the uncertainties brought about by the impending interest rate hike in the US and the increasingly worrisome presidential pronouncements that add to investor jitters.

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed total outflows reached $2.08 billion in September, 23 percent higher than the $1.69 billion withdrawn in the same month last year.

This was the highest monthly withdrawal since June last year when $2.21 billion worth of foreign portfolio investments were pulled out by investors from the economy.

Inflows declined 7.3 percent to $1.27 billion in September from $1.37 billion in the same month last year due to negative investor sentiment, lingering uncertainty on the timing of the next interest rate hike in the US, the bombing in Davao, and the decision of the European Central Bank to discontinue its bond-buying program.

This translated to a net outflow of $807.15 billion last September, 150 percent higher than the $323.98 million net outflow booked in the same month last year. This was the highest since the Philippines booked a net outflow of $1.84 billion in January 2014.

The BSP traced the outflows in September to profit taking.

Foreign portfolio investments or hot money are referred to as

Data released by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) showed total outflows reached $2.08 billion in September, 23 percent higher than the $1.69 billion withdrawn in the same month last year.

speculative funds controlled by investors who actively seek shortterm returns and high interest rate investment opportunities.

Foreign funds have been moving out of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), while the peso has continued to weaken due to external shocks brought about by the timing of the interest rate hike in the US as well as developments in the country.

The peso emerged as the worst performing currency in the region after shedding four percent in September alone, breaching the 48 to $1 level.

The Duterte administration declared a “state of lawless violence” after 15 people were killed in an explosion in Davao City last Sept. 2.

Likewise, President Duterte launched tirades against US President Barack Obama, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, and the European Union for meddling into the government’s all-

out war against illegal drugs.

Statistics showed about 88.7 percent of the investments registered in September were in PSE-listed securities particularly holding companies, property firms, banks, telecom providers, as well as food, beverage, and tobacco firms.

On the other hand, 11.3 percent went to peso government securities. Major sources of foreign portfolio investments include the United Kingdom, US, Singapore, Malaysia, and Luxemburg.

For September, about $654 million were pulled out from the PSE, $163 million from peso government securities, and less than $1 million from other peso debt instruments. About 76.7 percent of the total outflows went to the US. The Philippines booked a net inflow of $1.27 billion in the first nine months, reversing a net outflow of $413.93 million in the same period last year.

S&P hikes Philippine growth forecast

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA – S&P Global Ratings has revised upwards its 2016 growth forecast for the Philippines on the back of a growing middle class, a business process outsourcing (BPO) boom and expansionary fiscal policy with emphasis on public infrastructure.

In its latest economic research titled “Asia Pacific steadies while China goes silent,” the debt watcher said Southeast Asian economies are seeing stable growth, with the Philippines outperforming the region.

S&P now expects the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) to expand 6.5 percent instead of the earlier forecast of 6.1 percent for this year before slowing down to 6.3 percent in 2017 and 6.2 percent in 2018.

The country’s GDP growth accelerated to seven percent in the second quarter from 6.8 percent in the first quarter amid strong boost from election related spending.

This brought the GDP expansion to 6.9 percent in the first half from 5.5 percent in the same period last year.

Economic managers penned a

GDP growth target of between six and seven percent this year after easing to 5.9 percent last year from 6.1 percent in 2014 due to weak global demand and lack of government spending.

S&P’s GDP growth outlook for the Philippines is rosier than the projections for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at 4.8 percent this year, 4.9 percent in 2017, and 5.2 percent in 2018.

Likewise, the rating agency’s GDP expansion projection for the Philippines this year is faster than PAGE D5

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 15-18, 2016 D

Longo Lexus offers the ultimate 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.

=iXeZ`j DXiX^Xp

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.

8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

D OctOber 15-18, 2016 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 15-18, 2016 D

Bob Taylor’s Classic Auto closing after 37 years BLOOMINGTON, Illinois - After years of helping others pick out a classic auto for their cruising adventures, Bob and Pattie Taylor plan to take a road trip of their own.

Bob Taylor’s Classic Auto will close after 37 years in Bloomington.

An auction of remaining cars and memorabilia will be October 22.

“It’s time to call it quits and enjoy life a little more and go out and see the world more,” said Bob Taylor, 71.

“We haven’t been able to take that Route 66 trip or just get out and drive because we’re here six days a week from 7 in the morning to 7 o’clock at night,” added Pattie Taylor. “We can do it now.”

The business specialized in buying and selling Corvettes, muscle cars, street rods, hot rods and collectibles. The auction will include Mustangs, Chevrolet Impalas, street rods, Corvettes and even an Amish buggy.

The showroom at 2812 Tractor Lane is filled with shiny, restored classic autos and memorabilia dating to when many of the cars were brand new.

That nostalgia was the whole point, said Bob Taylor.

“A lot of people walk through the door and say, ‘Wow, I remember when.’ Back in the ‘50s and ‘60s they drove these cars, and they relive their youth through buying these cars,” said Bob Taylor.

He usually kept 50 to 60 cars on hand, but has been selling his inventory in anticipation of retiring. About 20 remain listed on his website.

Of the memorabilia, a gravityflow Phillips 66 gas pump is among Bob Taylor’s favorite items, which include Shell, Texaco and Sinclair gas pumps; a Rock-Ola juke box; Big Boy statue; neon signs; “Vette” and Route 66 clocks; a gum ball machine; a diner booth; a Coca-Cola cooler made into a couch; toys; and vintage motors.

The Apostolic Pentecostal Church, located next door, has

A Ford Street Rod still on sale at Bob Taylor’s classics.

purchased the land and building, but no one showed an interest in buying the classic auto business.

“It’s kind of heartbreaking that nobody bought and continued this business. It’s like a museum,” said Bob Taylor. “There’s no other place like this within a 150-mile radius.

We ship cars all over the world.

Most of our inventory does go out of state, out of country — Brazil, Japan, Switzerland, Australia, Dubai.”

Starting off as a mechanic Bob Taylor was a mechanic and owned a Phillips 66 gas station in Normal before opening Classic Auto in 1979. But his fascination with cars started when he purchased a 1960 Corvette in 1969.

“It’s a car I paid roughly $800 for and today it’s worth over $100,000,” said Bob Taylor.

In 2005, the Taylors purchased the former Tractor Supply Co. building just off US 51 south. The business had outgrown its previous building up the road at 1308 S. Main Street.

The showroom is a magnet for Sam Flynn of Goodfield and Eldon Conn of Clinton, who come by regularly to see the Taylors’ cars. TNS “I love cars and he has nice stuff,” said Conn, who owns a

couple classic cars. “Some of us never quit driving them. These cars are going to go some place.

There are always going to be people collecting them. It’s never going to end.”

Flynn, a co-owner of Scott Leman Autos in Goodfield, likes to look for models that might sell on his own car lot. But he’s most interested in the classic muscle cars — the first-generation Camaros, the old Mustangs and Corvettes.

“They just don’t make them to look like this anymore,” said Flynn. “Every muscle car has a little unique part about it. And that sound — you never get that sound out of a car today.”

“I would hate to see muscle cars not displayed in the way they are here. You have to travel farther now,” added Flynn. “Bob put a whole lot of time in and he’s done a great job. He deserves the retirement.”

The Taylors said closing the shop is bittersweet.

“It’s very hard to part with something you started and owned all of these years,” added Bob Taylor.

“We’ve rebuilt a lot of cars and restored them over the years, but our main thing here was buy and sell.” (ManilaTimes.net)

S&P hikes Philippine growth...

PAGE D3 Indonesia’s five percent, Malaysia’s 4.3 percent, Thailand’s 3.2 percent, Singapore’s two percent, Taiwan’s 0.9 percent S&P said Indonesia and Malaysia are benefitting from slightly improved terms of trade as commodity prices increase, while Thailand’s growth is being supported by tourism as well as stabilization of domestic sentiment following

EMPLOYMENT

the constitutional referendum.

Robust domestic demand and the benign inflation environment have allowed the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to maintain the country’s policy stance unchanged since September 2014.

Last June 3, the BSP made an operation adjustment slashing key policy rates by 100 basis points as part of the shift to the interest rate corridor (IRC) system.

S&P sees the country’s inflation

inching up to 1.6 percent before kicking up to three percent in 2017 and to 3.6 percent in 2018 from 1.4 percent last year.

The BSP has set an inflation target of between two and four percent for 2016 to 2018.

S&P rates the country’s sovereign credit at ‘BBB’ or one notch above investment grade. Last Sept. 21, the debt watcher retained the country’s credit rating and stable outlook.

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