LA Weekend Edition -- October 29 -- November 1, 2016

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EDITION

October 29-November 1, 2016

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T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

Volume 26 - No. 87 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages

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Duterte: ‘God told me to stop cursing’ Tels: 818.502.0651 • 213.250.9797 • Fax: 818.502.0858 • 213.481.0854

by KLARIZE

MEDENILLA AJPress

SOLIDARITY GESTURE. President Duterte, who was on a three-day official visit to Japan, and his delegation greeted members of the Philippine community in Tokyo with raised fists in a gesture of solidarity during a meeting at the Palace Hotel. Malacañang photo

DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Obamacare premiums to increase in 2017

PREMIUMS for health care plans under President Barack Obama’s Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will rise 22 percent for mid-level plans in 2017, according to a recent report from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). HHS Secretary Sylvia Mathews Burwell defended the program and the premium hike on CNN, saying that controversial law — commonly known as Obamacare — has had a record of benefiting all Americans. “The Affordable Care Act was about three fundamental things — access, affordability and quality. It was about everybody, not just the uninsured,” she said on Wednesday, October 26. According to the report, the premium hike won’t affect 84 percent of Americans who receive help from government subsidies, which will also increase. Moreover, many Americans enrolled with Obamacare receive tax

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Alice Bulos, ‘Grand Dame of Fil-Am Politics,’ passes away SAN FRANCISCO — Alice Bulos, 86, longtime political leader in the Filipino American community passed away Friday, Oct. 21 at 2:23 p.m. She was rushed to Seton Medical Center in Daly City, California but died of heart failure. Known as the “Grand Dame of Filipino American PoliAlice Bulos tics,” she served the Filipino community for nearly half a century, mentoring young Democratic-leaning leaders and helping the disenfranchised and under-represented

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THE abrasive President Rodrigo Duterte has vowed to put an end to his signature vulgar language, saying he received a warning from the Lord. While on a flight back to Davao City from Japan, Duterte recalled looking out at the skies while everyone else was sleeping and heard a voice saying, “You know, if you don’t stop epithets, I will bring this plane down now.” “And I said, ‘who is this?’ So, of course, it’s God,” Duterte said in a press conference after landing in Davao City on Thursday, October 27. “So, I promise God...not to express slang, cuss words and everything.” Consequently, not a swear word was ut-

tered in the hour-long press conference. Although he didn’t indicate he would stop cursing cold turkey, he said that he would seize swearing in public. “There’s always a time for everything, a time to be foul-mouthed. It’s all calibrated. I don’t want anybody reading my mind dahil hindi na ako maka-diskarte (I don’t want to telegraph my punches),” he told the media. Duterte’s foreign affairs advisor Alan Peter Cayetano said that the president seemed exhausted and contemplative during the flight. “I’ve always felt he’s a deeply spiritual person,” Cayetano told Reuters. “He’s not religious, but he believes in God.” Duterte’s trademark use of obscenities

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White House: Duterte, Obama House, Senate bills filed to create first meeting at APEC possible PH Space Agency by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THERE’S still a chance for a bilateral meeting between the presidents of the Philippines and the United States at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest suggested on Wednesday, October 26. Both the Philippines and the United States are members of APEC, which will have its economic leaders’ meeting on November 19-20 in Lima, Peru. According to Earnest, U.S. President Barack Obama is scheduled to attend the summit. Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and US President Barack Obama, right, during the “At this point, I don’t have details about gala dinner of ASEAN leaders and its Dialogue Partners at the ASEAN Summits in Vientiane,

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Laos.

Inquirer.net photo

Arroyo refutes involvement in plot to ‘destroy’ De Lima

bananas, specifically of the SABA variety,” Atty. Ferdinand Topacio, Arroyo’s legal counsel, said in a FORMER President and now statement released on Friday, OcHouse Deputy Speaker Gloria Ma- tober 28. Topacio described the senator’s capagal-Arroyo denied the allegations that she was conspiring with allegations as ‘absurd.’ Earlier, De Lima accused Arroyo, President Rodrigo Duterte in an alleged plot to bring Senator Leila De along with whom she tagged as the ‘PDAF senators,’ to be forming an Lima down. “It seems that De Lima is going alliance with the president to ‘deby DANA

SIOSON AJPress

stroy’ her. “Dahil nga mag-kakampi na sila ngayon, may political alliances sila, GMA (Arroyo) forces, and then yung mga PDAF senators. Alam ko meron silang mga tao na mga inuutusan diyan to also make my life difficult (Because they were now on a team, that they have political alliances, GMA forces, and

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by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

HOUSE and Senate bills seeking to create the first Space Agency in the Philippines have been filed, Filipino astrophysicist Dr.Rogel Mari Sese announced last Tuesday, October 25. “All the work that we have done in the past few years for the development of a national space program amounts to these two documents,” Sese said on his Facebook account, referring to the House Bill 3637 and Senate Bill 1211. According to him, both the bills aim to “legislate a Philippine Space Development and Utilization Policy and create a Philippine Space Agency.” The Philippine Space Agency (PhilSA) will be, according to the Senate bill’s explanatory note, “responsible for developing space science technology policies, implementing research and education programs, and establishing industry linkages between private and public sector stakeholders.” “Its consolidated programs and strategies for space science and technology, will pave the way for future Filipino astronomers, space scientists, and astronauts by laying down a strong foundation in space science education and research,” the note added. The Senate bill was filed by Senator Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV. On the other hand, the House bill was filed by Bohol 2nd District Representative Erico Aristotle Aumentado and Zamboanga del Norte 1st Dis-

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New batch of US troops arrives in Mindanao by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

A NEW batch of American soldiers arrived in Zamboanga City “a few days ago” despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s remarks against the foreign military presence in the country. The U.S. troops’ arrival is part of a “mere regular rotation,” Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla, spokesman of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), said on Wednesday, October 26. “They (America) have troops that need to be rotated,” Padilla said.

According to him, the number of U.S. forces in Mindanao remains the same. Regarding how many soldiers were rotated, however, was not disclosed. “They requested diplomatic clearance before entering. The Americans respect our processes, they sought permission,” he remarked. Speaking before the Japanese community earlier this week, Duterte expressed his desire to free the Philippines from the presence of foreign ZAMBOANGA MISSION: Some 50 US soldiers on formation witness the ceremonial folding of the flag of the military troops in the next two years. Joint Special Operations Task Force Philippines at the Western Mindanao Command grandstand in Zamboanga “I want them out. If I have to revise City in this photo taken in February 2015. President Duterte has said American forces are magnets of terrorist

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attacks in Mindanao and should eventually leave.

Julie Alipala / Inquirer.net

A OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

Duterte: ‘God told me to stop…

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has garnered mixed reactions from the public. Some admire the frankness in his language while others deem it inappropriate and unpresidential. Notably, the president’s swearing became a staple during the peak of the extrajudicial drug-related killings in the Philippines, when he threatened to kill sus-

pects who don’t come forward. He’s also directed such controversial language toward international leaders, like Pope Francis once calling the pontiff a “son of a whore.” Duterte has since apologized for the remark. He’s twice said “f*** you” to the European Union and called United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon a “devil.”

President Rodrigo Duterte

In response to criticism for his use of foul language, Duterte has previously warned the public not to take his comments too literally, like when international media reported that he had called President Barack Obama a “son of a wh*re” in September. n

EARLY TRICK OR TREAT. A personnel of the Public Information Office of Police Regional Office 3 (PRO 3), dressed as a Disney character, entertains Camp Olivas Day Care Center pupils during a pre-Halloween party held at police headquarters on Thursday, Oct. 27. Officers of PRO3 command groups, unit heads and chiefs of offices handed out candies to 60 kids in colorful Halloween costumes as they play Trick or Treat. Chief Supt. Aaron Aquino, police regional director, said the event is in line with the celebration of the 24th National Children’s Month. Trick or Treat is a customary practice for children on Halloween in other countries that has long been adopted by Filipinos. ManilaTimes.net photo by Frederick Silverio

House, Senate…

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trict Representative Seth Frederick Jalosjos. “We look forward to the support of the whole Philippines,” Sese said. Sese was also the program leader of the National Space Development Program (NSDP) under the Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD). Presently, activities that are usually handled by space agencies were being performed by several separate programs in the Philippines. These include National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), which handles disaster risk management; National Mapping & Resource Information Agency (NAMRIA), which gathers satellite information; and PAGASA, which conducts astronomical science programs. One of the recent advancements in Philippine space science was the launching of the country’s first microsatellite, the Diwata-1, into space April this year. Diwara-1 was designed and built by Filipino engineers and scientists. n

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From the Front page

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016

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White House: Duterte, Obama…

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the [U.S.] President’s schedule when he’s attending the APEC Summit. I don’t know how much time his schedule will allow for bilateral meetings on the sidelines -- presumably at least one or two,” Earnest said. However, Malacañang has yet to release an official statement regarding Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s attendance. Asked if the White House would be open to scheduling a meeting with the Philippines,

Earnest answered: “It’s not one I’m prepared to rule out at this point. But we’ve ruled out previous meetings with President Duterte on short notice.” Last month, Obama called off his first scheduled meeting with Duterte during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Vientiane, Laos. Describing the Philippine president as a ‘colorful guy,’ Obama scrapped the meeting after reports indicated that Duterte called him a “son of a b*tch.”

“I always want to make sure that if I’m having a meeting, that it’s actually productive and we’re getting something done,” Obama said after the meeting was canceled. APEC, which has 21 member countries around the world, aims “to create greater prosperity for the people of the region by promoting balanced, inclusive, sustainable, innovative and secure growth and by accelerating regional economic integration.” n

Arroyo refutes involvement in plot to…

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then PDAF senators. I know they were authorizing some people here to make my life difficult),” De Lima claimed last Thursday, October 27. According to De Lima, Arroyo, some senators and the president, are ganging up on her to avenge her for ‘doing her job’ as the previous justice secretary. “De Lima must realize that the cases against her are not ‘payback’ from persons with axes to grind or even ‘political persecution’, but are a direct result of her official misconduct, her overweening desire for wealth, her naked political ambition, and her uncontrollable libidinous urges,” Topacio stressed. The senator earlier noted an incident in the past when she barred Arroyo from seeking medical treatment outside the country in 2011 when she was the justice secretary. The former president was unable to board her flight despite a Supreme Court (SC) order to stop the watch list orders against her. De Lima had said that during that time, she ordered the Bureau of Immigration (BI) to maintain the watch list order since it didn’t receive a copy of

RECONCILIATION. The Philippine Army in Basilan and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) finally settled a dispute that stemmed from the death of an MNLF member last year. Both parties signed an agreement for the reconciliation of the dispute last Oct. 23 in Barangay (village) Masola in Isabela City. Inquirer.net photo by Frances Mangosing

Obamacare premiums to increase in…

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Senator Leila de Lima

the command from the the SC. “I must emphasize that Mrs. Arroyo is busy making up for lost time by serving her constituents and spending quality time with her family. She has better things to do than bother with a creature like De Lima, whose shenanigans will soon be her own undoing, even without any help from Mrs. Arroyo,” Topacio

New batch of US troops… PAGE A1 t

or abrogate agreements, I will,” the president said. Last month, Duterte also said he wanted the U.S. troops to leave Mindanao in order to pursue peace talks with the rebels. Meanwhile, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Philip Goldberg said on Tuesday, October 25, that the United States is committed to staying in the southern Philippines to help in the campaign against Islamic militancy.

The ambassador noted about 100 American troops currently remain in the region. From 2002 to 2014, a rotating force of about 600 U.S. troops was deployed to provide training and share of information and resources to Filipino troops in order to combat insurgents in Mindanao. “We have not officially communicated any request for U.S. pullout from Mindanao. You have to understand the president,” Padilla said. n

added. De Lima also noted that as justice secretary, she filed complaints before the Office of the Ombudsman against government officials allegedly involved in the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF), also known as pork barrel. Among the senators she filed complaints against were former Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, and Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., and Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada. Asked if she was referring to the three senators charged in the PDAF scam, she replied: “Baka hindi naman tatlo, baka hindi yung lahat ng tatlo (Maybe not all three).” “In her desperate attempt to extricate herself from a legal quagmire of her own doing, it appears that Sen. Leila De Lima is lashing out at everything that moves and attributing blame on everyone but herself,” Topacio said. n

credits which can also help with premium costs. When Obamacare was first introduced, insurance companies were under-pricing premiums. Burwell said that the premium hikes reflect the need for insurers to adjust pricing based on data that is now available. However, critics say that the rising premiums harm those who pay the full cost of their health insurance with no help from the government. Larry Levitt, senior vice president for special initiatives at the Kaiser Family Foundation, said that Americans can expect a difficult enrollment period, which begins on November 1. “Consumers will be faced this year with not only big premium increases but also with a declining number of insurers participating, and that will lead to a tumultuous open enrollment period,” Levitt told Fox News. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan (R-Wisconsin) promised that Republican lawmakers are working to “replace it with realpatient-centered solutions that fit your needs and your budget,” he said in a video on his website. A fervent opposer of Obamacare, Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump went on Fox News on Tuesday, October

25 to respond to the premium hikes, saying the “disastrous” law needs “to be repealed and replaced.” “I can say that all of my employees are having a tremendous problem with Obamacare,” Trump said at a rally in Florida following the announcement of the premium increase. “What they’re going through with their healthcare is horrible because of Obamacare, so we’ll repeal it and replace it. However, Burwell reiterated that Obamacare has kept premiums in check for Americans who are covered through employers. “For the 150 million people who that have employer-based care,” she said, “what we know is that in the last six years they’ve seen five of the slowest years of growth in their premiums in history.” ACA and the Fil-Am community Approximately, 55 percent of Filipinos support Obamacare according to the Fall 2016 National Asian American Survey. Although Filipino approval ranks lower than Asian Americans as a whole — 60 percent of Asian Americans support the law — many see Obamacare as a benefit to the community. When the United States Supreme Court voted to uphold

Obamacare, Filipino healthcare professionals saw it as a win for their industry. “We expect the ACA, or Obamacare, to stimulate America’s demand for Filipino nurses, physical and occupational therapists, pharmacists, speech pathologists and other healthcare workers,” Liberal Party Rep. Roman T. Romulo of Pasig City told the Business Mirror in June 2015. “A greater number of Americans will now have access to health care, especially hospitalization — thus creating new demand for such services,” Romulo added. “Simply put, the US hospital industry is bound to boom, and so will their demand for foreign staff.” The future of Obamacare Since it was put into effect in 2010, the law has provided income-based subsidies for Americans who select individual policies on healthcare.gov and state insurance markets. Since then, the law has helped reduce the uninsured rate to 9 percent, a historical low. Under the law, insurance companies are cannot deny insurance or charge more for individuals with pre-existing health concerns. In a speech delivered in Miami on Thursday, October 20, Obama

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A OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

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COMMONWEALTH HORROR. Vehicles crawl along Commonwealth Avenue in Quezon City, the country’s widest highway having 18 lanes. Daily gridlocks such as this continue despite the implementation of the “no window hour” number coding scheme policy by the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority that bans certain vehicles from several major roads on particular days. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

San Francisco Police Department drops exchange program with PNP pines affects the segments of the program. The partnership training was THE San Francisco Police cut off due to the alleged violaDistrict (SFPD) in California has tion of human rights and the risput an end to its 16 year-long ing death toll in relation to the exchange training program with Philippine government’s anti-ilthe Philippine National Police legal drugs campaign. “It just gets worse and worse. (PNP). According to reports from Cal- Economically, because of this ifornia news station KPIX, retired controversy, it’s affecting every SFPD Lieutenant Eric Quema segment of making us a better said the turmoil in the Philip- nation and a better people, so by Dana

SioSon AJPress

it’s disappointing to me,” Quema said. However, he pointed out that he will not judge the Philippines’ war on drugs. “This is someone else’s country, maybe you should live in there and see how it is. It doesn’t justify it or not, but maybe it will give you a better perspective on why they’re coming on so hard,”

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Obamacare…

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addressed the benefits of the law. He referenced Americans by name who have been previously denied insurance and now have access to coverage through the law. He, however, acknowledged that the law will need improvements to better serve generations to come. “We have always known — and I have always said — for all the good that the Affordable Care Act is doing right now, for as big a step forward as it was, it’s still just a first step,” he said. “Since we first signed the law, we’ve already taken a number of steps to improve it, and we can do even more, but only if we put aside all the political rhetoric, all the partisanship and be honest about what’s working, what needs fixing, and how we fix it,” he added. (Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press)

Get help with Covered California. Everyone deserves to know their options. Let us help you navigate health care and make your journey as smooth as possible. Talk with us during the open enrollment period that continues until January 31st. We’ll guide you through Covered California and help you find a plan that includes access to our top-rated doctors and hospitals through the Affordable Care Act. Visit dignityhealth.org/enroll to learn more or call us at 818.863.6518.

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016

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Pacquiao starts training in LA, ready to face Vargas by Dana

SioSon AJPress

LA city officials flip switch on Historic Filipinotown street light installation LOS ANGELES City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, the Board of Public Works (BPW), Bureau of Street Lighting, and community stakeholders on Wednesday, October 26 officially unveiled a streetlight project that improves pedestrian safety, and transforms the look and feel of one of the busiest commercial corridors in the 13th District. O’Farrell and BPW Commissioner Joel Jacinto commemorated the occasion with a ceremonial ‘flipping of the switch’ at one of the installations, near the intersection of Temple and Union Streets. “This collaboration is not only a celebration of our diversity, it is now a point of pride for the Historic Filipinotown community,” said O’Farrell. “I want to thank our partners in this project, including Commissioner Joel Jacinto, the Bureau of Street Lighting, the Department of Transportation, Metro, the HiFi Street Lights Committee, and artist Roel Punzalan for the wonderful gift of connecting Angelenos with their cultural identity.” “This project has been a civiccommunity collaboration and I want to thank everyone involved, who made this vision come

alive,” said Jacinto. “We started with the designation of Historic Filipinotown in 2002 and its initial Master Streetscape Plan in 2004 led by then-Councilmember Eric Garcetti and now, Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell. These beautifully-designed streetlights represent Filipino cultural values and enhance public safety.” The project is a collaboration with O’Farrell, the BPW, the Bureau of Street Lighting, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation, and Metro. “Security for passengers and employees is an important issue to Metro and these energy-efficient lights provide an environment of safety for all,” said Commissioner Cris B. Liban, LADOT and Metro Executive Officer, Environmental Compliance and Sustainability. “Energy efficiency reduces greenhouse gas emissions and helps Metro and the City achieve the common goals of maintaining a world-class and sustainable transportation system.” The goal of Project HiFi Lights is to improve safety for pedestrians and create a sense of place unique to the community. This $625,000 public safety project will satisfy the need for lighting at 17 bus stops called for in the His-

AJPress photos by Ding Carreon

Alice Bulos, ‘Grand Dame… PAGE A1 t

groups. Bulos represented California at the Democratic National Convention five times. She was an appointee of President Bill Clinton to the Federal Council on Aging in 1993 and was a delegate to the White House Conference on Aging in 1995. She was also an adviser to several state attorneys general and local elected officials. She was named the 2006 Woman of the Year for California’s 19th Assembly District. In 1972, Bulos resigned as the chairwoman of the University of Santo Tomas sociology department to join her husband, the late Mr. Dony Bulos, in the United States. Together they founded the Filipino American Grassroots Movement, a voter registration drive designed to involve Filipinos in the political process. Bulos also served as the charter president of the Fil-Am Democratic Club in San Mateo County, the regional chair of the National

Filipino American Women’s Network and Board member of the National Asian/Pacific Democratic Council. As an advocate on behalf of underrepresented groups, Bulos chaired the Filipino American Democratic Caucus and was an outspoken advocate for the rights and benefits of Filipino veterans who served during World War II. She also supported workers at the San Francisco International Airport by helping them unionize. Before her health delined she was a constant presence in community affairs and was also a board member of the San Mateo County Chapters of the American Heart Association, American Lung Association, American Red Cross, Community Initiative on Multiculturalism and the Northern California Disaster Preparedness Network. Bulos is survived by daughter Elizabeth Ramilo, sister Lourdes Reyes and three grandchildren. (Inquirer.net)

San Francisco Police…

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Quema said. Records from PNP revealed that 1,645 drug suspects were killed from July to October 15 while 22,791 were arrested and 734,231 individuals surrendered to the authorities. Quema then suggested to “try to get some diplomatic talking and communication going on because fighting back and forth just drags everybody down, breaks ties that have been historically there for years.” In its website, the SFPD earlier said the Philippine Exchange

Program was “dedicated to the exchange of law enforcement skills and knowledge, and to the fostering of camaraderie between officers in the Philippines and San Francisco.” It also said that the exchange training is “regarded as the first formal training program established between a U.S. law enforcement agency and the PNP.” Last year, the SFPD operated charity work in Philippine schools and helped with the training of Filipino cops. The SFPD also donated equipment to the PNP. n

TAkING a break from his political career, eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao started to focus in his training, as his match against World Boxing Organization (WBO) welterweight champion Jessie Vargas on November 5 draws near. Arriving in Los Angeles last week, October 22, Pacquiao’s chief security officer Carlos Homo told Manila Times that the boxing champ did roadwork at the Griffith Park in Hollywood followed by mitts training in the afternoon. “Even under bad weather, my

boss is continuously training. He is ready to fight,” Homo said. Pacquiao, expressing that he felt “positive and comfortable,” said he only need four to five days to adjust and acclimatize to the weather in the United States. According to reports from Inquirer, Coach Freddie Roach also believes that Pacquiao was already in shape to face the Fighter of the Decade. The Filipino champ, however, said he would not underestimate Vargas. “I don’t want to underestimate Vargas. I don’t take him easy… I’ll just do my best and prove that I can still fight anybody, Pacquiao told Inquirer.

Last May 2016 elections, Pacquiao won as one of the Philippines’ senators. He promised that boxing won’t interfere with his legislative duties. With the Senate now out of session, Pacquiao can now focus on his boxing training. “Working in the Senate is not easy while you’re training. You manage your time and that’s what I did in training for this fight,” he said. He added, however, that he loves doing both. Pacquiao said he’ll be back in the Philippines on November 7 to resume his legislative duties. “It’s important for me to be there because we will do our budget deliberations,” he noted. n

toric Filipinotown Temple Street (Glendale to Hoover) Streetscape Masterplan and Guidelines, but the artistic element is an added feature that further defines this unique neighborhood and its rich cultural heritage. Local artist Roel Punzalan designed the decorative element on each light. Punzalan, an L.A. based artist, focused on the themes of kapwa meaning humanity, lakbay meaning mobility, and kapayapaan meaning peace. O’Farrell is currently working with the Bureau of Street Services to improve pedestrian safety along Beverly Blvd., which includes improvements like replacing curb ramps, new medians, crosswalks, and curb extensions. The Beverly Blvd. Transportation enhancements are sched- BACK IN THE RING. Boxing champion and Philippine Senator Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao gears up for his fight again Jessie Vargas as he starts uled to begin in the spring of the last portion of his training at Roach’s Wild Card Boxing Club in Hollywood, California. Pacquiao and Vargas will face off on November 5, next year. n at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. AJPress photo by Noel Ty

A OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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Dateline PhiliPPines

HAPPY TOGETHER. Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Pampanga Rep. Gloria Arroyo share a laugh before the signing of a memorandum of agreement on the establishment of a National Child Development Center at the Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila. ManilaTImes.net photo by Bob Dungo Jr.

Poe insists: No need to reopen Mamasapano probe by Rosette

Adel

Philstar.com

MANILA – Sen. Grace Poe on Wednesday, Oct. 24 reiterated that there is no need to reopen the investigation of the Mamasapano incident, where around 70 Filipinos, including 44 elite police officers, were killed. “Hindi po kailangan ng hearing,” Poe, who formerly chaired the Public Order and Dangerous Drugs committee that held hearings on Mamasapano, said in an interview with dzMM. Poe said the government should first clarify its intention on the revival of the Mamasapano probe to avoid repetitive discussions. She said President Rodrigo Duterte can ask Philippine National Police deputy chief for operations Director Benjamin Magalong, who led the PNP Board of Inquiry on the incident. PNP Director General Ronald Dela Rosa was also part of the investigation as a member of the Operational Audit Team. “Ano ang gusto nilang malaman na kulang sa aming mga reports? Kasi si General Magalong... Kung hindi man ako, kahit ang Board of Inquiry ni General Magalong sa tingin ko

Around 70 Filipinos, including 44 Philippine National Police-Special Action Force commandos, were killed in a clash with Moro rebels and private armed groups in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25, 2015.

makatotohan na kung ang gusto ng ating pangulo ay malaman kung ano ang nangyari sa reward money at kung ano ang nangyari sa daliri ni Marwan,” Poe said. The PNP is civilian in nature, but officers are often referred to informally by military ranks. “Iyan ang mga bagay na puwedeng malaman ng pangulo sa pamamagitan ng sarili niyang intelligence. Hindi kailangan ng report sapagkat, bilang pangulo meron na siyang direktang access sa PNP intelligence, sa AFP

intelligence,” she explained. The senator was reacting to President Rodrigo Duterte’s recent pronouncement that he will order a reopening of the Mamasapano investigation to know what happened. He said he would also like to discover where the $5-million reward for tipsters who helped security forces track down high-profile terrorists went. When asked about the recipient of the reward, Poe explained

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Suspected drug lord Kerwin Espinosa under Interpol custody by Dana

SioSon AJPress

SUSPECTED drug lord Kerwin Espinosa has been transferred to the custody of the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol), and is being investigated for any possible violation of the law in Abu Dhabi, according to the Philippine National Police (PNP). PNP spokesperson Senior Superintendent Dionardo Carlos said on Thursday, October 27,

that Espinosa will be sent to the Philippine Embassy after the probe. The suspect was previously under the custody of United Arab Emirates (UAE) police before being transferred to the Interpol. “Sabi ng ating chief PNP, it may take about several weeks. Sana mapabilis iyung proseso ng deportation at ma-determine na wala siyang kasong haharapin sa UAE (According to our PNP chief, it may take about several weeks. We hope the process of deporta-

GET FREE ERUPTION. Bulusan Volcano in Sorsogon generated another phreatic eruption on Sunday, Oct. 23 that lasted for 15 minutes, the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) said. The explosion – the fourth recorded in a week – produced a dirty white to grayish ash column that reached 2.5 kilometers high and drifted west-southwest. The agency, however, did not mention in its report whether there were communities affected by the explosion. Phivolcs said the eruption originated from the summit crater, while a smaller eruption also transpired at the southeast vent.

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Philstar.com photo by Jeric de la Rosa

Poe insists: No need…

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that her committee used to ask that question initially through an executive session. She narrated that the panel did not ask for the exact name, knowing that sources must be protected but instead just confirmed that there was a recipient. She reiterated Duterte can instead use his powers as the chief executive and ask his subordinates to directly inform him on the case. “Kung ikaw ang pangulo puwede mong tanungin. Sino ba iyong asset na iyan, o magkano iyong total na natanggap? Sino ang nagbigay? Tumulong ba ang Amerikano diyan? Iyong laboratory na di umano ay ipinadala na sa Amerika para suriin sa lab. Anu-ano, kailan dinala, sino ang nakatanggap? Lahat iyan, hindi puwedeng itago sa pangulo,” Poe said. “So siguro diretso niyang tanungin at sana nasa kaniya iyon kung gusto niyang isiwalat sa taumbayan, dapat protektahan

natin iyong asset na nakakuha ng impormasyon nagsumbong sapagkat maaring balikan siya ng kung sinuman iyan,” she added. Despite her opposition to the president’s statement, Poe admitted it will still be under the prerogative of the new chair of the Senate panel, Sen. Panfilo “Ping” Lacson. She said that if ever the case will be reopened, the attention of the case must be focused on the agenda, spare the topics previously discussed and avoid misalignment of issue. “Iyan ay prerogatiba ngayon ng Chairman ng Public Order na dati ako iyong chairman. Ngayon ang chairman niyan ay si Senator Ping, so kung may bagong ebidensya o may bagong maiiprepresinta, sige buksan nila. Wala naman kaming...wala naman dapat itago,” she said. The Senate reopened the inquiry into the Mamasapano incident last January after Sens. Juan Ponce Enrile and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III earlier filed a motion to reopen it. n

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tion would be faster, as well as the determining of whether he had to face any case in UAE),” Carlos said, according to reports from ABS-CBN. Espinosa was arrested in Abu Dhabi by the Philippine Anti-Illegal Drugs Group (AIDG) on Monday, October 17, led by Senior Superintendent (Albert) Ferro, in coordination with the criminal investigation division of the Abu Dhabi and the Interpol. PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa said an over-

seas Filipino worker (OFW) tipped the Philippine police regarding Kerwin’s location. He then dispatched a police team to arrest the alleged drug lord. Kerwin managed to travel from Malaysia to Abu Dhabi in the weeks between his father’s surrender and the issuance of his arrest warrant, according to Bato. Last August, Rolando Espinosa Sr. — father of Kerwin and the mayor of Albuera in Leyte — surrendered to the police after

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OpiniOn

Features

Narrowing the gender gap HERE’S a piece of good news amid all the recent turbulence: the Philippines has maintained its ranking as the most gender-equal society in the Asia-Pacific and the seventh in the world. The Global Gender Gap Report 2016 prepared by the World Economic Forum showed the Philippines closing nearly 79 percent of the gender gap, which rated 144 economies based on health, education, economic and political indicators. In the Asia-Pacific, only the Philippines and new Zealand made it to the world’s Top 10. The Philippines ranked behind Iceland, Finland, norway, Sweden, Rwanda and Ireland, and was rated ahead of Slovenia, new Zealand and nicaragua. The Philippines could have rated higher in the past, but resistance to the Reproductive Health Law pulled down the ranking. With the passage of the RH Law, the WEF noted a slip in gender parity in terms of education, but the gap was also closed last year. In the latest scorecard, the country achieved the highest marks globally in the education and health indicators. It garnered the lowest scores in political empowerment and economic participation. While the Philippine ranking is high, there is in fact a lot that can still be done to narrow the gender gap in the country. Implementation of the RH Law – one of the items in the 10-point socioeconomic

agenda of President Duterte – has been derailed by legal challenges. Laws to promote the welfare of women, notably the one against domestic violence, need better implementation. While the law requires barangay officials to assist victims of domestic violence, there are complaints that many officials refuse to carry out their duty. This apparently stems from the traditional mindset that considers domestic violence as a private matter best left for the parties to settle among themselves – a mindset that the law seeks to change. In underdeveloped communities, women can also use more training or assistance in becoming entrepreneurs. Along this line, the government can facilitate funding access and skills training for women who want to engage in micro enterprises. Filipino women are among the most empowered in the world, but there’s still a wide room for promoting their welfare especially in marginalized communities. (Philstar.com)

Guest Editorial

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#WeAreWithHer: The comprehensive presidential platform of Hillary Clinton “I AM voting for Hillary because she Rhizomes has always stood up against inequality. She did that as President of her high school class . She has done that and continues to do so for Prosy AbArquezchildren and families; DeLAcruz, J.D. she has pledged and will work with Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren to do that; and because she has experienced inequality profoundly as a woman , she will always remember what inequality is and will fight fiercely and firmly with more than half of the population of America — with and for — all of America.” — Cynthia Bonta Laureen Lazarovici narro said, “In [the] summer of 2000, my mother broke her leg. It was a presidential election year, and we had the opportunity to watch both parties’ political conventions on TV. She started to cry. not get “choked up,” but really cry big, fat tears that streamed down her cheeks. I became alarmed. “You and your American friends don’t understand,” she said. “You get together and hand over power peacefully. Where I come from, governments change at the end of a gun.” The

one time she saw government change hands in her native country of Egypt was a bloodless military coup against a monarchy. She does not take American democracy for granted. This is why I believe voting for Donald Trump is stabbing an ice pick into the heart of American democracy and democracy all over the world. I believe Trump has committed treason and that anyone who votes for him is an accomplice to that crime.” Laureen and Cynthia both articulate what many Americans, particularly women, feel: a vote for Trump is a vote against America and its electoral process, and of a peaceful transition from one president to another. Most were offended when Donald Trump quipped that he would not respect the results of the elections. He whipped up hysteria amongst his supporters that the election process is being rigged. The next day, under media scrutiny, he said he will respect the results, only if he wins. He seems to be rigging the elections towards his favor.

news, South Florida SunEach of these Sentinel, Cincinnati Enwomen sees America at different angles. quirer, Minneapolis Star One sees it inclusive Tribune, Charlotte Obof all who have exserver, Tampa Bay Times, perienced inequality Hartford Courant, Akron and advocate justice Beacon Journal, Chicago for all. While another Sun-Times. views America vis-àDonald Trump got six vis other countries, media endorsements: the yet no one supports Las Vegas Review-JourTrump’s underminnal, national Enquirer, ing of American denew York Post, Santa mocracy. Barbara news-Press, St. California now has Joseph news-Press, and a record-breaking a newspaper owned by 18.7 million regishis son in law, new York tered voters, as reObserver. ported by Secretary Even Yale Record, of State Alex Padilla, which is not allowed by its previously at 18.2 Hillary Clinton in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on October 22, 2016 501(c) 3 status to endorse Photo by Barbara Kinney / courtesy of Jason Tengco of Hillary for America million. Throughout a candidate posted this, the U.S., 12.6 million “The Yale Record believes bune, Houston Chronicle, Arizona Revoters have voted early, according to a public, Columbus Dispatch, new York both candidates to be equally un-endorsCnn report just 10 days before Election Times, Washington Post, San Francisco able, due to our faithful compliance with Day. Chronicle, LA Times, Sacramento Bee, the tax code. In particular, we do not enMeanwhile, The Guardian has kept Baltimore Sun, Alabama Media Group, dorse Hillary Clinton’s exemplary leadtabs on endorsements. Over 80 newspa- USA Today signified they are not for ership during her 30 years in the public pers’ editorial boards around the United Trump, Denver Post, The Salt Lake Tri- eye. We do not support her impressive States have endorsed Hillary Clinton. bune, The Des Moines Register, The commitment to serving and improving These include: San Diego Union-Tri- Omaha World-Herald, new York Daily u PAGE A9

An open letter to Filipino-Americans

The AAPI voice unites for Trump and the Republican Party On October 18, 2016, many members of the Asian American Commentary and Pacific Islander Republicans throughout the nation were invited to attend the AAPI Advisory Committee meeting with Governor Calvo of Guam and Governor Torres of the northern Mariana Islands at the Trump Internation- LisA MeLAnie noeth al Hotel in Las Vegas, nevada. The presence of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community in U.S. politics cannot be ignored as our population continues to increase in the country. From this discussion panel, I witnessed the AAPI community individuals expressing their concerns passionately about various policy measures and issues that impact the community. As a Filipino-American Republican myself, I am proud of all of us for sharing ideas on how can we engage the AAPI community in this election to get out the vote by reaching out through social media, television and radio talk show interviews, and by explaining to undecided voters why he or she should vote for Mr. Trump. In the meeting, job growth and economic prosperity is an integral issue in the minds of the AAPI members speaking out to Mr. Trump’s advisory board and the two governors present. One community member in the meeting highlighted three important talking points about the economy that the Republican Party represents, which includes “less taxes, less regulation, and smaller government”. In addition, I also emphasized the importance of the need of the Republican Party and Mr. Trump to appealing and reaching out to AAPI young adults and college students. College graduates needs jobs from companies that stay in the United States not free handouts promised by Mrs. Clinton and the Democrats. Lastly, there is a common misconception of the Republican Party’s tough stances on illegal im-

migration in the AAPI community. Mr. Trump and the Republican Party boldly accepts with open arms legal immigration not illegal immigration. Many of the AAPI share the common reason why they legally immigrated to the United States- for a better job opportunity for themselves and their families. The AAPI’s vote for Mr. Trump and various individuals running for local and state elected office in the Republican ticket on november 8, 2016 is crucial for America to continue to preserve personal freedom, economic growth, traditional values of family and faith, and entrepreneurship. I witnessed the Asian American and Pacific Islanders today as one united Republican Party that despite the different languages and nationalities, we all share the same moral and policy based foundations that Republicans believe in. This upcoming election is very important to the future and the direction of our beloved country. We are all Americans, living and working hard, in the country we all love and we want to preserve traditional Republican values. This is the land of the free and home of the brave, which resonates from all us in that room.. The only way for Mr. Trump to win this election is through the hearts and voices of of every AAPI regardless of age, race, and economic background. From this meeting I am glad that Mr. Trump is listening to the voice of the AAPI community and rest assured I believe that he will work hard to ensure that he will bring back jobs by making America great again. *** Lisa Melanie Noeth is a businesswoman and social entrepreneur behind LPN Trading LLC, an e-commerce business partnered with supplying inventory ranging from toys, books, and accessories to Amazon.com. Lisa now resides in Las Vegas with her husband Phil and looks forward to serving the community’s needs. Her interests include American politics, traveling and reading.

Mga magiliw na kapatid, kap… their fellow Filipinos, and wa Pilipino: NOT the Army of a single We cannot sit idly by while one Commentary man, though he may be the person singularly misrepresents president. Conflicts will rise the feelings of the people of the Atty. José y. LAuchengco, Jr. in their breasts between their Philippines toward America. To duty of obedience to the Comthe best of our abilities, each of us should do mander in Chief, against their innate obligation whatever we can about it. Though we, Filipino- … borne from moral principles and faithful loyAmericans, love America, we do not lose our very alty to the people. The latter must supersede. dear sentiments to, and our memories of, the Their oath is fidelity to the Constitution, not to a land of our birth. Our children and grandchildren single person: To uphold and defend the Constiare Americans. But they do not lose their Filipino tution against enemies at home and abroad! The ethnicity. There are more than four million of us same applies to officials of the country, former or in America, and we should rise to the occasion. incumbent, as they are the grass root leaders of The Philippines is in crisis! the mass. The close relationship between the two counIt is true that the newly elected president won tries should not be decimated. Without hesita- by more than six million votes. But the question tion, I say that there are millions and millions of arises: Would he have won by that margin if he Filipinos in the Philippines, as well as overseas had been truthful to the people and disclosed workers who feel the same. that he harbored antipathy toward America? He We are aware that there have been shortcom- misrepresented himself, publicly advocating, but ings on the part of the U.S. government toward without telling how, only the obliteration of overthe Philippines pertaining to trade and com- whelming drug abuse, stopping corruption, and merce, and very particularly, to its immigration decreasing the high crime rate. Who would not policies and the arrogance of consular officials in have fallen for that platform? Manila. And of extreme importance, is the failure But the masquerade has now unfolded. Where of Washington to give ironclad guarantees … as do we, ethnic Filipinos, stand? Ultimately, the it gave to its allies in Europe, that the Philippines citizens of the Philippines will make the deciis vital to its interests and would militarily defend sion. the country in the event of violations to its sovMabuhay! ereignty. These are a breach of the close relaJose Y. Lauchengco Jr. tionship, praised as brotherhood forged in battles Attorney-at-Law, Los Angeles, California and sealed in blood. The cemeteries of Filipino *** and American heroes lie side by side, and by the José Lauchengco, Jr., is the attorney who sued an exclusive headquarters of the Philippine Army in Fort Boni- restaurant to compel acceptance of the Barong as the equal of facio. Western formal attires. He defended Victor Lovely, Jr., an alleged These notwithstanding, Filipinos remained re- bomber, in the Federal Grand Jury Proceedings when the U.S. Dept. silient and patient. Washington, however, mis- of Justice under the Reagan Administration sought to dismantle the managed its geopolitical relations with the Philip- Anti-Marcos Movement in America. He also successfully represented pines. Have they lost a strategically located ally? the Government of the Philippines after the EDSA Revolution against But we, Filipino-Americans, must nevertheless Ferdinand & Imelda Marcos, on a pro-bono basis, in a lawsuit to freeze stand up. We call the attention of the Philippine the accounts and other assets of the couple held by a California Army that they are the Army of the Philippines Bank.

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OpiniOn & Features

#WeAreWithHer: The comprehensive… PAGE A8 t

this country—a commitment to which she has dedicated her entire professional career. Because of unambiguous tax law, we do not encourage you to support the most qualified presidential candidate in modern American history, nor do we encourage all citizens to shatter the glass ceiling once and for all by electing Secretary Clinton on November 8.” Why are most print newspapers for Hillary Clinton? What are the components of the presidential platform of Hillary Clinton? Picture a house with a roof and five pillars to hold the roof together. This is my way of organizing the multiple elements of her platform. I call this America’s house of health, prosperity, and progress, inclusive enough of all its 300+ million citizens, including 4 million Filipino Americans in the U.S. The roof has these policy elements, both to combat nature’s climate change and man-made disasters such as terrorism. It includes national security, veterans, military defense, and to combat manmade inhumanity, national service to promote volunteerism amongst Americans and give each of us a connection to one another, while we embrace our God-given talents to share with others, the national service component of her platform. But, what about its five pillars? The first pillar is what I call “hurdle pillars” They are: Gun violence, Poverty, Campus Sexual Assault, Addiction and Substance Abuse, Wall Street and Criminal Justice Reform. We need to climb over these hurdles if we are to sustain a functioning democracy. Why? Recall the recession of 2008 lasting to

2011? Wall Street was then gambling on mortgage securities, insuring the banks from homeowners who will default on their mortgages, while also earning from those who were responsibly paying their loans, while banks froze their assets and did not extend any loans to homeowners, small businesses, construction projects and more. Communities became ghost towns as houses upon houses on the same block got foreclosed on. The economy was in distress and about to be bankrupt. After it was inherited by Pres. Barack Obama, the economy grew again. We have had 79 months under Pres. Obama, wherein 15.3 million jobs have been created but before that, jobs were lost. The economy grew with consistent policies of investing in alternative energies of solar and wind, geothermal energies, better cars running on hybrid sources of electricity and battery, improving trade, hiring veterans, investments in small businesses, innovation and retraining workers to code computers to get technology jobs. One high schooler wrote to me, “The biggest challenge facing my generation is the epidemic of sexual assault, especially those occurring on college campuses. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, for every 1,000 college women, there are 35 victims of rape or sexual harassment. Even with that high number, less than 5% of all completed or attempted rapes are reported to police. Although the victims seek justice and desire support after their assault, they are often scared and remain silent. They are scared that their attacker will not receive a punishment fit for their crime. The next president should address this issue

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016

because no one deserves to be hurt or abused in a school environment. Students have the right to a safe space to learn and grow without being afraid. The next president should take action by giving support to the victims of attacks and making sure the rapists are punished severely. There also must be more prevention and education before the attacks instead of reacting after the attack. The next president must encourage more sexual violence prevention education programs in college and high schools that’ll teach self-defense, consensual agreement, how to help a friend who is a victim and how to get involved as a bystander before or while it’s happening.” It is why Hillary Clinton is addressing campus sexual assault, which includes comprehensive reporting, a fair process of obtaining justice and more prevention. The second is what I call the foundational rights pillar. It ensures rights and equality to all: women’s rights, children’s rights, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights, racial justice, disability rights, rural communities, voting rights; labor and workers’ rights and even protection of animals and wildlife. It is argued that the way we treat one another, including animals, reflects on the character of our nation. The third is what I consider the anchor pillars to grow the economy. When America has a Fair Tax system, all other aspects of its nation’s life are facilitated: the growth of small businesses, manufacturing, innovation , and even infrastructure repair. Currently, corporations are able to determine how much taxes they have to pay, it can range from zero percent to 15 percent. Using inversion, they are able to transfer their corporate residence on

A

paper, sometimes just a mailbox, to be citizens of Cayman Islands or Bermuda, which are tax havens. They can still operate their corporations in America, employ educated and well-trained American workers, and seek the protection of the American system of laws, patent protection, intellectual property protection, America’s transportation systems, and utilities to make their businesses run. Currently, over $2.1 trillion are stashed in offshore accounts in countries that charge no taxes for business income, derived from America. Is that fair to all of us working families and small businesses who pay taxes and pay a fixed percentage of our tax bracket? Another is that small businesses, with less than five employees, spend 150 hours and a $1,100 per employee on federal tax compliance, which is 20 times higher than the larger firms. That problem needs to be fixed. The fourth is the lifelines pillar. How many families need help in these areas of mental health, health care, autism, AIDs and HIV, social security, housing, paid medical and family leave, alzheimer’s care? Do we need time off to care for our sick family members, or to even enjoy taking care of our children when they are born into our families or to care for our elderly? The fifth is the investments pillar. These investments are from the cradle to first jobs: like early childhood education, K-12 education, making college tuition free, and after college, help in developing workforce skills and job training, and of course, immigration reform. Eight components to Hillary’s platform on immigration reform are: reforms leading to pathway to citizenship, support immigrant integration and forming an Office of Immigrant Affairs, end fam-

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Multiple raps filed against MPD cops for violent dispersal near US embassy es for the violent dispersal of protesters near the United States Embassy in Manila last TEN Manila Police District Wednesday, October 19. (MPD) police officers are now The cops were charged for facing multiple criminal charg- multiple attempted murders, by DAnA

sioson AJPress

serious physical injuries, unlawful arrest, grave misconduct, grave abuse of authority, and violations of the rights of arrested and detained persons under Republic Act 7438 or the Rights of the Accused. Individuals who were injured during the dispersal filed the raps before the Ombudsman on Wednesday, October 26. Some of the complainants include Argee “Piya” Macliing Malayao, Nicole Soria, Raymart Sumalbag, Reynaldo Moldon, Dionesio P. Abear, Dr. Julie P. Caguiat, Reyan C. Naong, and Baling Catubigan. They were accompanied by Atty. Ephraim Cortez of the National Union of People’s Lawyers. Named in the complaint were Senior Supt. Marcelino Pedrozo, MPD deputy district director for operations; PO3 Franklin Kho, who drove a police van running over the crowd of protesters; Supt. Albert Barot, Ermita police station (PS5) chief and ground commander; Chief Insps. Dionelle Brannon, Elmer Oseo and Roberto Marinda; Senior Insps. Roberto Mangune and Edgardo Orongan; and Insp. Joebie Astucia. National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) director Chief Supt. Oscar David Albayalde was separately charged with the obstruction of justice for his statements “justifying the acts” of the policemen over the dispersal. At least 20 protesters and 30 police officers were reportedly injured in the dispersal conducted by MPD personnel last week. Cortez said the injuries that the protesters sustained “obviously had an intent to kill when inflicted.” The protesters, mostly part of the national minority and peasant groups from across the country, came to demand an end to the presence of U.S. troops in the country, and to back President Rodrigo Duterte’s call for an independent foreign policy. “There is no place for the likes of Senior Supt. Marcelino

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SUPPORT FOR PEACE TALKS. Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado signs the “Manipesto ng Pagkakaisa sa Kapayapaan, Bulacan Para sa Makatarungang Kapayapaan” in support of ongoing peace talks between the National Democratic Front of the Philippines and the Philippine government during a ceremony at Balagtas Hall of the Hiyas ng Bulacan Convention Center in the City of Malolos, Bulacan. Waiting for his turn to sign is Vice Gov. Daniel Fernando (left). ManilaTimes.net photo by Frederick Silverio

$7.3M paid for Abu Sayyaf hostages Kidnappings expected to intensify

by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

THE Abu Sayyaf Group’s (ASG) capacity to orchestrate acts of violence remained largely unchanged despite intensifying military operations against the jihadist-inspired organization, according to confidential documents cited by the Associated Press on Thursday, October 27. Assaults during the first six months of 2016 on ASG positions have reduced the militants’ numbers down from 506 to 481 fighters, a joint military and police threat assessment report found. In that same period of time, ASG members committed 32 bombings meant to distract security forces away from the rebels’ bases of operation in and around the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Additionally, ransoms paid for

the release of 21 crewmembers kidnapped from ships sailing through that area have netted the militants over P353 million ($7.3 million) in 2016. “The ASG shifted in targeting vulnerable foreign-flagged tugboats and their crew due to the focused military operations against the group,” read a portion of the government report, according to the AP. The document went on to report that the ASG is expected to ramp up kidnapping operations that have plagued crews aboard Filipino, Malaysian, Indonesian and, most recently, South Korean vessels. The largest individual payment to the group happened in January for the release of 14 sailors held captive in Sulu Province. In September, President Rodrigo Duterte admitted that the Philippine government had paid

the ASG P50 million ($638,000) to free Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad, who had been taken hostage along with two Canadians and a Filipina in 2015. In June, the militants had received P20 million ($413,000) for the release of the Filipina Marites Flor. The two Canadians, John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, were beheaded in separate executions that took place in April and June of this year, respectively. In the wake of Ridsdel’s death, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called on governments to resist paying ransoms and giving in to the demands of kidnappers. The Philippine government’s official position discourages paying hostage-takers. Officials with the Armed Forces of the Philippines have said that ongoing operations against the ASG are putting pressure on the militants to release hostages. n

Bongbong Marcos camp alleges 150 voting machines ‘tampered with’ LAWYERS of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday, Oct. 27, bared that 150 supposedly unused vote-counting machines (VCMs) were found to have been tampered with corrupted memory cards, raising the possibility that electronic evidence of fraud may have already been wiped out The camp of Marcos, who is protesting the narrow election victory of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo before the Supreme Court sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), again hit the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for violating an order to preserve all election equipment. The Comelec, it said, conducted a 14-hour activity to strip more than 1,000 VCMs at its warehouse in Santa Rosa, Laguna on Wednesday, ahead of their turnover to equipment and technology provider Smartmatic. The Comelec earlier decided to grant Smartmatic’s request to recall 1,365 VCMs that it said were neither deployed nor used in the May elections. Wednesday’s stripping activity, the Marcos camp said, was “a mockery of the judicial process and a travesty of electoral reforms.” Marcos counsel Jose Amor Amorado said the poll body disregarded a precautionary protective order issued by the PET to preserve all election materials. “There was undue haste seen as erasing possible evidence,” Amorado said. “We find it extremely incredible why Comelec could openly defy such a lawful order of the

Vote-counting machine

highest court of the land just to accommodate Smartmatic, and appeared to be on a rush to turn over the VCMs to Smartmatic,” he added. Sole and exclusive jurisdiction Marcos did not participate in the stripping activity at the Comelec warehouse in Laguna, maintaining that such a move must have the approval of the PET, which has sole and exclusive jurisdiction over his election protest. The stripping activity started at around 10:30 a.m. and ended at 12 midnight. Representatives of Robredo, Sen. Leila de Lima and former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chairman Francis Tolentino were present. Tolentino is contesting the 12th senatorial slot won by de Lima. Also present was Smartmatic representative Ellie Moreno. Tension During the stripping activity,

at least 150 boxes were segregated because of defects in the seals and presence of data in the SD cards. Some VCMs had missing SD cards. A total of 1,255 VCMs were cleared and expected to be turned over to Smartmatic on Thursday. The next stripping activity for the remaining VCMs will be on November 2. Amorado said the presence of corrupted SD cards, when these were supposedly not deployed or used, was proof that the Comelec should not have decided to release the VCMs. Marcos had petitioned the PET to stop the stripping. Tension occurred between the camps of Robredo and Tolentino when the latter refused to take part in the activity beyond the initially scheduled 5 p.m. deadline. Comelec Commissioner Christian Robert Lim however allowed the stripping until 12 midnight to “maximize the time.” (ManilaTimes.net)

#WeAreWithHer: The comprehensive… PAGE A9 t

Fax résumé to:

ily detention, enforce laws humanely, expand healthcare to all families by allowing them to buy into the health exchange, protect families of dreamers and parents of Americans, end the separation of families by removing the 3 and 10 year ban, and encourage naturalization. These changes, if Hillary Clinton is elected, will allow some members of our community to

get out of being marginalized shadows and be integrated into the mainstream and ultimately, as responsible American citizens. Isn’t this our community’s collective American dream: to climb over hurdles, to have lifelines, to respect our foundational rights, to have an anchor to grow and to be able to make future and present investments, all five pillars under a strong roof of national security, climate change protections, and

Suspected drug lord Kerwin…

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info@asianjournalinc.com

President Rodrigo Duterte issued a 24-hour deadline. The Leyte mayor was accused of “drug-trafficking and coddling.” He surrendered after President Rodrigo Duterte demanded Espinosa Sr. and his son Kerwin,

who was also tagged in the same allegation, to surrender within 24 hours or else face the risk of being shot. Espinosa Sr. earlier admitted that his son flew outside the country prior to the 24-hour ultimatum of the president. n

national service for our common humanity? We cannot take American democracy for granted. Vote for the right leader for this country, as Laureen and Cynthia asserted we must! *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 9 years now. She contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 22 national parks in the US, in pursuit of her love for arts.

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Man seeking justice for sis meets same fate

outside Dellherts bar and restaurant at the corner of Yakal and talisay Streets, Barangay lIKE his one and only sibling, San Antonio, when he was shot Petronio Rosales Jr. turned out in the temple by one of the two to be a target. motorcycle-riding men who apthe brother of a woman who proached him at 12:35 a.m. was shot dead in a jeepney in According to the case investiJuly was also gunned down by gator, Po3 Rolando Villaranda, still-unidentified assailants out- Rosales was set to return on Friside a Makati City bar past mid- day to london where he and his night on Wednesday, oct. 26. wife were working. the police are looking at a Since arriving in the country possible connection between the three months ago, Rosales had two killings, noting that Rosales been checking on the progress had been making follow-ups on of the police investigation into the unsolved case of younger Kristel’s killing, the officer addsister lauren Kristel for the past ed. several weeks. he went to the bar on tuesday Rosales was with a female night, oct. 25 to meet former cocompanion waiting for a car workers, Villaranda said. by Dexter

Cabalza Inquirer.net

SAIL-BY. SAIL-BY This US Navy photo obtained October 21 shows An MH-60R Sea Hawk, assigned to Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 49, as it takes off from the flight deck aboard the guided-missile destroyer USS Decatur (DDG 73) on September 14 in the Sea of Japan. A US destroyer sailed close to a string of islands claimed by China in the South China Sea on October 21, the Pentagon said, amid continued tensions in the contested waterway. US Navy photo by Specialist 3rd Class Gerlad Dudley Reynolds

Disagreement on terms impedes fishing proposal in Scarborough shoal by Dana

SioSon AJPress

tiate on its status. “on the artificial islands, the tribunal was very clear, since these artificial islands are built within our EEZ, only the Philippines can build these islands. the translation there is that we own the artificial islands. But when China will actually cease to use these artificial islands as military bases, of course, is something that will have to be agreed upon,” Roque said. According to him, the next issue that was needed to be discussed is the contention of territorial claims. “What we need to negotiate henceforth, really, is how to resolve conflicting territorial claims to islands which were not pronounced upon by the tribunal because the tribunal is bereft of jurisdiction on this matter in the first place,” Roque said. last Sunday, october 22, President Duterte remarked that Filipinos might soon be allowed to fish again in Scarborough Shoal. “We’ll just wait for a few more days. We may be able to return to the Scarborough Shoal and our countrymen may be able to fish there again,” the president said in a speech during his visit to typhoon victims in tuguegarao. n

Although China has reportedly agreed to allow Filipino fishermen to fish in Scarborough (Panatag) shoal, a formal written agreement has yet to be signed. According to Kabayan Rep. harry Roque, the Philippines refused to accept China’s choice of words. Roque was with President Rodrigo Duterte in his recent four-day state visit to Beijing last week. “the reason it was not formally announced, and that it was not put in writing, is we don’t want to use the word ‘allow’ or ‘permit,’ because it will [contradict] the hague ruling,” Roque said in a press briefing at the house of Representatives on Wednesday, october 26. last July, the united Nations Arbitral tribunal ruled in favor of the Philippines, stating that the Scarborough Shoal is a traditional and common fishing ground, nulling China’s nine-dash line claim. the China, however, repeatedly refused to accept the ruling, calling it a “mere piece of paper.” “And I understand that is what has kept them from reducing into writing this agreement that would resume the fishing of our fishermen in Scarborough Shoal,” Roques said. Asked how he would phrase the agreement instead, Roque suggested “to recognize that the Philippines and China have had Scarborough Shoal as traditional fishing grounds.” “But that might be problematic because that’s borrowing the language of the international tribunal,” he said. however, he assured that China and Philippines both “more or less agree that Filipinos should resume fishing” in the disputed shoal. “I cannot predict when it will happen but we hope soon. It’s now a matter of finding alternative A resident prepares to fish in the waters off Barangay Inhobol in words,” Roque said. Masinloc, Zambales yesterday. President Duterte said Filipino fisherfolk Regarding the artificial islands built by China, he may be able to return to the China-held Panatag or Scarborough Shoal. Philstar.com photo by Walter Bollozos remarked that the Philippines do not need to nego-

Around 7 a.m. on July 21, the 26-year-old lauren Kristel was shot twice in the back by a fellow jeepney passenger at the corner of J.P. Rizal and N. garcia (Reposo) streets, also in Makati. A stray bullet grazed the leg of another female passenger. the police report then noted that the victim, a resident of Sta. Ana, Manila, was carrying a bag full of clothes, which her attacker didn’t touch. the .38-cal. pistol used was recovered at the crime scene. Po3 Arnis ojastro, who handles lauren Kristel’s case, said Petronio constantly communicated with him and that they last spoke at 5:35 p.m. on tuesday. the Makati police on Wednesday formed the 10-member task group Rosales, with Villaranda and ojastro among the investigators. It is headed by Supt. of Sandugo, remarked. Aba said they were seeking to Angelo germinal, the assistant “set a precedent for the promise police chief for operations; and of justice under the new admin- Chief Insp. Rommel Resurrecistration by filing a case against cion, the investigation section head. these police criminals.” Both Villaranda and ojastro on the other hand, the MPD said it was prepared to face the said their strongest lead sugcharges, adding that its own in- gested that the killings stemmed from a property dispute. n vestigation will be fair. n

Multiple raps filed against… PAGE A10 t Pedrozo and Po3 Franklin Kho, and the rest of the 200 PNP personnel who orchestrated the violent dispersal, in this government that has sincerely taken steps towards just peace and an independent foreign policy,” Jerome Succor Aba, a Moro leader and co-convener

A12 OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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SHOWBIZ&STYLE

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Journal Kylie Verzosa crowned Miss International 2016 in Tokyo by Arlo

Custodio ManilaTimes.net

The Philippines now has six Miss International titlists with the crowning of the country’s bet Kylie Versoza on Thursday, Oct. 27 in Tokyo, Japan. Versoza’s win comes at the heels of President Rodrigo Duterte’s fruitful visit to Japan. An early favorite, Versoza was ranked No. 5 in the Miss International hot picks in July. Landing at the pageant’s Top 15, the Ateneo De Manila University Business Management graduate confidently said she is

prepared to take on the responsibility of Miss International 2016. “Three things come to mind when I think of Miss International – culture, education and international understanding. These three work together to make the brand of the Miss International Beauty Pageant relevant to the global community and to our time. If I become Miss International 2016, I will devote myself to cultural understanding because I believe that it is with developing in each of us sensitivity to other cultures that we expand our horizons, tolerate difference, and appreciate diver-

sity. All these enable us to achieve international understanding. And I believe I’m prepared to take on this responsibility,” she said. Miss Australia was named first runner-up, with Miss Indonesia, Miss Nicaragua, and Miss USA, placing second, third and fourth runners-up, respectively. Versoza now joins the exclusive club of Gemma Cruz who won in 1964, Aurora Pijuan in 1970, Melanie Marquez in 1979, Precious Lara Quigaman in 2005, and Bea Rose Santiago in 2013. Shortly after Versoza’s win, Binibining Pilipinas posted the

following message for the nation’s latest pride: “Congratulations to the new Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa, besting over 69 other candidates in the pageant held in Tokyo, Japan. Your journey of finding true beauty and

strength is an inspiration to every Filipina; and your advocacy is a shining example of selflessness and true humanity that many should emulate. BPCI is proud to have supported you every step of Kylie Versoza is the sixth Filipina to win the Miss International crown. the way.”

Ryan Cayabyab and RCS: A summit of excellence and artistry by Prosy AbArquez-DelAcruz, J.D. AJPress

(Part 2 of 2) “Genius has no country. That’s Juan Luna (Referring to the Filipino painter of spoliarium, who got the gold award in Madrid’s national exposition of the Arts in 1884.) Genius is embodied in everyone’s country. Ryan Cayabyab is a genius. He is a citizen of the world, not just of the Philippines, but of the world.” — Sal Malaki Sal Malaki effusively and passionately shared his compliments, shortly after the sold-out concert of Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers (RCS) at the Plaza del Sol at Cal State University,

Northridge on Sunday, October 23. From a 21-year-tenor of the L.A. Opera, who starred in 85 productions, his comment speaks authority. A day after the concert, Nilo Alcala, a Philippine and American educated and trained musician, a celebrated composer, arranger, musician, resident fellow of LA Master Chorale posted this on Facebook, “how can such excellent vocal prowess be jam-packed into a single group?!?! Bravi, The Ryan Cayabyab Singers! I am speechless. Sobrang galing. (Over the top

AJPress photos by Andy Tecson

excellence) On their own, they were superb. But, when together, they were congruous (in harmony). Mr. Ryan Cayabyab’s arrangements add a new dimension to Original Pilipino Music.” even President Barack Obama joined in October’s celebration of Filipino American history Month by saying, “I am pleased to join in celebrating Filipino-American history Month and in recognizing FilipinoAmericans across our country for the many ways they have enriched our country. The earliest Filipinos arrived at Morro Bay, CA in the 16th century, and Filipino Americans have long played an integral role in shaping the life of our country. They have been the artists who challenge us, the educators who keep us informed, and the laborers of our growing economy.” Oct. 23 should have been Ryan Cayabyab and RCS’ day, as their concert enriched us with love for music, but also love for Inang Bayan, the Philippines, and the history of Original Pilipino Music (OPM) for 100 years. even with competing concerts on Oct. 23: For the Love of Jazz in Pico Rivera (Mon David, Tateng Katindig and Charito from Japan),

harana: the Musical in Glendale, and Gary Valenciano and Fil-Am artists at the Greek Theater in Los Angeles, Ryan Cayabyab’s concert drew a sold-out crowd, attended by professional musicians from LA, Orange, and San Diego. Perhaps to honor the Maestro, the composer of legendary love songs, film scores, operas, musicals, and whose 46 years of traveling and performing coincide with the growth of the music industry in the Philippines. Perhaps to learn from the RCS. Allow me to share the comments overflowing with joy, program highlights, and lastly, the RCS. Words of praises and program highlights The artists, all capable soloists on their own, became more than the sum of its parts, as they effortlessly combined to form an ensemble. They moved with the lyrics of the music, made movements appropriate to each word at times, without distracting our attention on their musicality. We have not seen such flexibility, moving from one genre of music style to another: musical, opera, metro pop, ballad, vaudeville, jazz, kundimans and even revolutionary

songs, carefully balanced to hold our attention for 3 ½ hours without intermission. An excerpt of Spoliarium was shown. It is a three-act play about the eve of the revolution. The play was conceived by Fides AsencioCuyugan and played to the music of Ryan Cayabyab, depicting Juan Luna in a fit of rage on the eve of

the revolution. Tribeca Performing Arts described it, “Against this backdrop [referring to Juan Luna’s gold award win], life became art with the tragic drama of Luna’s private life. Immensely in love with his wife, his rampaging emotions and jealousy turned to rage, and lead him to kill his mother in law, and mortally wounded his wife, who eventually succumbed to death.” Poppert Bernadas, a finalist of “The Voice of the Philippines,” gave life to Juan Luna, as a crazed, passionate and intense painter. his tenor voice is unforgettable as his timbre convinced the audience that he is about to kill and would kill in the name of love. Slay, he did! Joined by Celine Fabie, who played Juan Luna’s wife, her soPAGE B3

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Moonlighting by Mylah de

leon

NEW YORK — Whenever I see gleaming posters of people waving and smiling happily as they hop into a plane, I realize what a lying society we inhabit. Inside the belly of a metal container, 35,000 feet up in the air, is where all sorts of funny things happen in one’s guts. Some see an airplane as a country club of the clouds, a place where you can invade and not have a care in the world. People get flight insurance in the lobby, kick and lug around suitcases twice their weight, pay a lot of money to sleep in airports, eat food we can’t identify and put our lives in the hands of people we’ve never met before. All those things, even if you do it right, they’re hard work. Vacations only sound great on paper. You go through security and have all your belongings x-rayed for guns, knives and even a cosmetic case; before you board the plane. The only deadly weapon I carry is small bottle of perfume with a Frenchman’s name on it. Once inside the plane, the attendants will give the evacuation procedure on how to use life jackets in the event we ditch over water. After that, we’re free to relax. Many of us have a love/hate relationship with airlines. We love them when they are on time, we hate them the rest of the time. Yet we climb on and off of them by the millions in a cavalier fashion, out to prove we have not lost our adventurous spirit and willing to forgive them for just about anything. There are no two people on an airplane who have paid the same fare for a seat. There are relatives of airline employees who

AJ Ads 76 September 2016_Layout 1 9/26/16 2:31 PM Page 1

The Moonlighter with Katharine de Leon-LoScalzo and NYU President Andrew Hamilton at a family weekend in New York City.

pay nothing, some are travelling on amassed mileage coupons, and some are super savers. But one class distinction has remained: First Class. These are all people who are either on expense accounts, the usual affluent. They are divided from the peasants by a limp blue curtain, making me wonder how long it would be before the little people like me in tourist, economy and super saver seats stormed the limp curtain to protest inequality. How long would they sit there and watch that little curtain being snapped together leaving them suspicious and classless, the stuff of which revolutions are made? The idea of not blocking the aisle with things that do not fit under your seat is a joke. I can never make a smooth exit when the person in front of me reclines his seat, embedding my snack table tray on my stomach. I certainly do not wish to imply that airlines are not sensitive to your problems. They reassure you that cushions will float if they have to, the cabins are pressurize if something malfunctioned, there are little bags of oxygen that would

Thrilled to be at “Live with Kelly” with superstar guests Tom Hanks and Michael Bublé.

age gracefully

Turkey Molé Can Spice Up Your Life BY GRACE O

Turkey with Molé Sauce Serves 2–3 Ingredients 1¼ lbs. turkey cutlets or turkey tenders (skinless and boneless) 1 cup chicken stock 1 cup almond milk 1 can (4 oz.) diced green chiles ¼ cup chopped jalapeño peppers 1 Tbs. raisins 2 tsp. FoodTrients Dessert Spice Mix (recipe follows) 2 tsp. raw or brown sugar 1/2 tsp. salt 1 tsp. cornstarch dissolved in ¼ cup water 1 banana, mashed ¼ cup dark chocolate chips

1. Place all ingredients except cornstarch mixture, banana, and chocolate into a crock pot or enamelcovered cast-iron pot with a lid (such as Le Creuset). Simmer over low heat for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. 2. Add cornstarch mixture and cook another 5 minutes, or until sauce has thickened. 3. Remove from heat and stir in the mashed banana and the chocolate chips. Let sit 2–3 minutes, or until all the chocolate has melted. Stir well. 4. Spoon into grilled corn tortillas or ladle over rice.

FoodTrients Dessert Spice Mix Yields 8–10 servings Ingredients 1 tsp. ground cardamom (brown, not green) 1 tsp. ground nutmeg 2 tsp. cinnamon 4 tsp. instant coffee (decaf is fine) Place ingredients in a jar. Add lid and shake until well combined. Store in a cool cupboard.

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

Because so many of my FoodTrients fans love crock-pot cooking, I devised this easy recipe that can be made in a slow cooker or on a stove top. Traditional Mexican molé sauces may contain hundreds of ingredients. I’ve kept this one simple. My new FoodTrients Dessert Spice Mix (from my new cookbook – The Age Beautifully Cookbook) adds antioxidants and antiinflammatories. I spoon the turkey and sauce into corn tortillas that have been warmed on the griddle. Turkey contains the selenium, which detoxifies organs and helps skin stay elastic. The tryptophan content in turkey builds healthy neurotransmitters in the brain. Tryptophan is also found in dark chocolate, along with the catechins and flavonoids, which reduce the risk of heart disease. Almond milk provides the omega-3 fatty acids, which are good for the heart and circulation system, and zinc, which increases your resistance to infection. Chile peppers are rich in the FoodTrients zinc and vitamin C, another boost to the immune system. You can use chicken instead of turkey or make the molé spicier by adding hotter chiles or more varieties of hot peppers. This dish can be served over rice (preferably brown rice, for added nutrients) instead of with corn tortillas.

Traveling is like feasting at the banquet of life

At the Metropolitan Opera

drop automatically in front of our faces if you got sick, and there are little paper barf bags on the seat pocket with instructions on how to throw up in two languages. I did a lot of thinking about my girls on this trip, especially the wisdom of traveling with them. My conclusion is that you can leave your children, endowments, stocks, the family silverware, heirlooms; but you can not pass on to them the memories that have contributed immeasurably to your life — your travels. It is a one owner legacy to me that goes with you when you go. Parents think a lot about legacy to their kids. I wish I could just show them the world, let them amass their own riches. If I were to give them legacy at all, I hope it’s a desire to see the world and meet some of the people with whom they share their planets in peace. We have hours on this trip to think and observe one another away from telephones, schedules, friends and conversation that sounded like bulletins. I realized for the first time, we were a famPAGE B3

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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS HOW do we know when our heart is failing? This condition could be in its early stage that the individual may not even have enough symptoms to know he/she has it. And if there are symptoms, even moderate to severe, the diagnosis usually eludes a lay person. In the United States alone, there are about 5.1 million people today who have heart failure. What is heart failure? Heart failure, also known as congestive heart failure (CHF), refers to a condition where the heart muscles become too weak to pump enough blood to satisfy the body’s needs. There are two main ventricles of the heart responsible for pumping blood: the right and left ventricles. The right ventricle pumps used blood back to the lungs for oxygenation, while the left pumps oxygenated blood from the lungs to the entire body. CHF does not mean the heart is about to stop or to have a heart attack. It simply means the heart muscles (usually both the right and left) have been weakened and need help. What causes heart failure? The following can cause CHF: coronary heart disease (with blockage of the arteries supplying oxygen and nutrition to the muscles of the heart), actual heart attack, high blood pressure and diseased heart valves (both increase the work of the heart), cardiomyopathy (either due to alcohol abuse, toxic agents, cocaine, and other illegal drugs, or radiation, chemotherapy), viral myocarditis, congenital heart defects, diabetes, thyroid or kidney diseases, blood clots in the lungs, HIV/AIDS, or even a vitamin B deficiency (beriberi) in very poor regions of the world where malnutrition is rampant. Too much vitamin E has been reported to also contribute to heart failure. And so with obesity, which makes the heart work more. Does sleep apnea cause heart disease? Obstructive Sleep Apnea (OSA) — involuntary breath-holding for prolonged and repeated periods while asleep, especially among those who snore — significantly contributes to increased risk for heart attack, high blood pressure (eventually to heart failure),

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Is your heart failing? stroke, diabetes, and even cancer. Sleep apnea deprives the person of vital oxygen and the episodes could occur dozens of times in a minute, leading to hypoxia (seriously low level of oxygen), which is bad for all organs. Sudden deaths from sleep apnea have been reported. Once a diagnosis is established by a sleep study, the primary treatment is the use of a CPAP (Continuous Positive Airway Pressure) machine during sleep for life. The CPAP mask, especially the nasal pillow, is more comfortable than one could imagine, and even “addictive,� providing security and a sense of inner peace. The CPAP could prevent premature deaths. What are the signs and symptoms of CHF? These usually include shortness of breath, especially when they lie flat (with impairment of sleep as a result), dry hacking cough or wheezing, distended neck veins, extreme fatigue, leg swelling, ascites (abdominal fluid formation from swollen liver and other organs), and in severe cases, anasarca (total body swelling), bloating stomach, poor urine output, and weight gain from retained fluid. The nail beds and tips of the fingers might be bluish from lack of oxygen. Loss of appetite and nausea, dizziness, and rapid or irregular heartbeats may also be present. Is there a cure for CHF? In general, heart failure has no cure. The exception is the CHF caused by coronary heart blockage or heart valve disease, where surgery could dramatically tame the heart failure. Basically, the regimen is aimed at managing the associated diseases and the symptoms to make the patient comfortable, improve the quality of life and allow the patient to be active again, or even productive once more. The role of prevention is essential. What then is the treatment? While it is not achievable yet to cure CHF to the point of normalcy of the heart, the main aim of the therapy is to improve the quality of life and endurance of the patient. The strategy includes treating the primary cause and the contributing illnesses (those listed above), low-salt diet, and use of specific medications to eliminate the excess fluid in the body and minimize the cardiac and lung overload, lessening the work of the heart and boosting

Ryan Cayabyab and RCS... prano voice reached a summit of excellence displayed throughout the concert, and in this excerpt, she fully inhabited the role. Kaye Tiuseco, who played Juan Luna’s mother, sang with a timbre, which betrayed her fear and her anxiety from watching her son unravel, a credible performance on her part. Bob Shroder, Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO) conductor, deconstructed their performance: “Awesome. I enjoyed the adjustment of voices and how they blended as an ensemble to be more than 7 voices. Yet, when they switched to being soloists, they raised up their voices to be outstanding singers,� while his wife,

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 29-NOVEMbER 1, 2016

Amy, noticed the multiple strengths displayed onstage: singing, dancing, acting and coordinated movements. Becca Godinez, a theater actress and a concert singer both in Manila and Los Angeles said, with smiles: “The reason tonight is so successful is about true, pure musical genius, which is what you expect from Ryan Cayabyab and the RCS.� “Bravo to the nth degree,� I added. To math students, nth degree is polynomial infinity, an artistry which has reached a summit of excellence, and infinity forward. There were many more highlights, from Anthony Castillo’s duet of “Hanggang� with Sherleen Delacruz whose magic was felt. They unleashed their synergies of verbalizing the lyrics, but also with depth. It took us back to where OPM began, in 1917, with “Madaling Araw,� a completion of the circle, so to speak, of a culture steeped in romance, in reducing ordinary lives into music, whose lyrics echoed the rhythms of folks’ lives. Even the excerpt of San Lorenzo Ruiz was received warmly as the ensemble was exceptional not just in singing but in their portrayals

the strength of the heart muscles and improve overall cardiac output. Sleeping with elevation of the upper part of the body on several pillows or elevating the head of the bed helps the patient breath better. Bed rest and oxygen are prescribed as needed. What is the role of prevention? Avoidance of the causes, if possible, is obviously the key. Abstinence from cigarettes, alcohol, and other toxic agents, low-salt diet (since salt intake makes the body retain fluids and increases blood pressure), fluid restriction, compliance with medications, regular medical follow-up, and shifting to a healthy lifestyle would greatly help. The patient and family members may also benefit from professional counseling to reduce the fear, anxiety, stress, depression that could adversely affect all of them. Joining a patient support group of peers could provide emotional support and help the patient adjust to his life with heart failure. Does surgery have a role? As stated above, coronary bypass to correct the heart blockages and prevent heart attack, and surgery to repair diseased heart valves, can significantly improve cardiac recovery. But as heart failure worsens, the standard treatment outlined above may no longer help. If the patient’s heart rhythm is disrupted, a cardiac pacemaker may be installed. For life-threatening arrhythmias, an automatic implantable cardioverter defibrillator (AICD) may be implanted. Left ventricular restoration/remodeling, mechanical pump called left ventricular assist device, or even heart transplant, when the patient is deemed a qualified candidate for any of those procedures, may be done as a life-saving measure for end-stage heart failure where all other treatments have failed. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

of the life of this martyr. After all, Catholics in the audience have seen this saint’s life once portrayed in a musical by Filipino priests in Los Angeles. Ed Nepomuceno, the Harana Men’s Chorus’ musical director, affirmed their excellence, “Ryan Cayabyab and RCS elevated the artistry of Filipino artists.� “I am speechless. Tumayo ang balahibo ko. (Goosebumps moments for me,� Nonoy Alsaybar, Ph.D, a four-decade violinist and music teacher in Los Angeles, added. When Erwin Lasca sang 1917’s “Madaling Araw,� a kundiman (romantic courtship song), he led the audience to start recalling what it was, for those who once lived in the Philippines. When VJ Caber sang “Habang May Buhay,� his medium tempo allowed us to capture the romantic sentiments of one’s life, as given to the beloved, whether in prayer, and forever. It captured an artist’s respect for his craft, even his life dedicated to the arts. One would be remiss if there was no mention of Los Angeles Youth Ambassadors who opened the concert with “Bata ang Bukas� and “Paraiso.� It is a 34-member group of boys and girls, 7 to 18 years old, just months in existence, and PAGE B5

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FATHER AND DAUGHTER REUNITE AFTER 40 YEARS OF LIFE-CHANGING CHOICES AND “MISFORTUNES� ON A BRAND NEW EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!� Decades ago, Tatay Rolando left his wife and daughters in the Philippines to seek a better life in the US. After getting his green card, he petitioned his family, except for Anna Lyn (center) who had turned 21, and was left behind. The years that followed became a series of rough twists and turns for Anna Lyn, including being caught attempting to enter the US on a fraudulent visa. After a fraud waiver prepared by another attorney was denied, leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel put together a convincing fraud waiver package that was quickly approved, paving the way for the much-awaited, happy reunion of this family on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy� – Sunday, October 30 at 6:15 PM (EST/PST) on TFC.

Traveling is like feasting... PAGE B2 ily who gave one another space to ourselves. The umbilical cord that had bound us together as a unit for four decades will be severed. They have been dealing with hostility as teenagers, as we countered with one last rush of superiority. We have a lot of thinking and growing up to do‌a lot of things to prove to ourselves. Post Scripts to A New York Weekend It is autumn in New York, and Opera season had began. The Metropolitan Opera is still Americas most famous and prestigious institution. “everytime the curtain goes up, it’s a miracle:â€? known for its splendid nights and hilariously bad ones, intrigues, conflicts, rivalries and a profession of profusion of violenttemperaments‌trials and tribulation of hundred of stars who have created one Golden Age: after another Callas Tebaldi, when Americas true royalty that of finance were led by the Astors, Morgans and Vanderbilts: as we entered the metro, we imagine women with tiaras, large bossoms and lace fans are throwing back their heads. I explored 5th Avenue, its fashion power houses never fail

to produce a kind of magic, every sparkling corner, has a story and incredibly a cast people to help narrate, a parade of painfully chic looks folks marching down as the sun sit on New York City, new restaurants with heavy hitter chefs, taking us into the thoughts process behind:

the holy spirits on bar carts with divinely inspired prime liquor places to go for New Yorks finest fashion, jewelry and almost everything are boundless. Here, commerce increasingly becomes cutthroat, and profitability is championed at any cost‌.theres the question‌is there room in the economic equation for kindness, PAGE B4

B october 29-NoVeMber 1, 2016 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JoUrNAL

The Global Kababayan G. TönGi Monday, October 31 - Learn about Upstart Game, a game for aspiring entrepreneurs that is RISK FREE. Get to know action director Sonny Sison and the work that he does. Tuesday, November 1 - Call us LIVE in our studio to get answers about immigration-related ques-

Features

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Programming of Kababayan Today, October 31-November 4, 2016 tions with Attorney Alison AquinoSilva and Attorney Richard Loew. Wednesday, November 2 Midweek news updates from the Asian Journal and Mia McLeod of McLeod and Associates gives real estate advice. Founded by Cristina Espiritu, World Crave is an online marketplace featuring unique products from talented artisans all over the world. Currently, they are featuring

beautiful products handcrafted from Philippine artisans. Thursday, November 3 - Kristian Kabuay, an advocate for Baybayin, the ancient pre-Spanish writing system of the Philippines, shares his story on the program. Friday, November 4 - Asian Journal reporter Klarize Medenilla joins the program to share her article on Fil-Am voters behaviors at the polls according to research. *** 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.

Traveling is like feasting...

PAGE B3 conscience and human values. It was a joyous opportunity to speak with New York University President Andrew Hamilton at the NYU Family Day who spoke of how values affect our lives on an increasing global culture…how with a sense of hope inspired by the wisdom and energy of those who see others and better possible futures for this world, in an articulation, that is so significant. At the” Live with Kelly” at ABC, we were able to ask Tom Hanks “Is there any movie you wish you never made?” and the ensuing ambush conversation, had me almost thrown out of the show – he was very obliging…With Michael Buble, conversation was less stressful although limited (there was not a single media in the audience) “There seem to be a renewed interest in social, political and humanitarian concern among a lot of artists…have you thought very much about the issues? What can you do about that?” You do whatever you can do, everybody thinks about it. I have my personal opinions, now if that will influence people or not: but what can I do is talk about it, through my own experience. Then it was time for him to sing, and all the women dropped dead!

Goodbye America, hello China

Some thoughts on Duterte’s ‘US separation’ announcement

By Monet

Lu

I REMEMBER writing about Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte several months ago when he won the presidential election. I may or may have not said something about being 100 percent in favor of everything he says but I definitely remember expressing my admiration of the latter’s love for his parents (as shown in a video of the president sobbing over his parents’ grave). As I wrote in that article, I noticed such sentimentality in the Philippine president. Even his bold remarks show his emotional side and – as I’ve observed lately – his entire way of thinking. In a state visit to Beijing, the Philippine president announced his military and economic “separation” from the United States. “America has lost now. I’ve realigned myself in your ideological flow,” he told business leaders in Beijing on Thursday, October 20. “And maybe I will also go to Russia to talk to Putin and tell him that there are three of us against the world: China, Philippines and Russia. It’s the only way.” The strong statement could’ve been explained clearly but the president failed to provide details about how he’d break away from

By Sean

Shono

Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping and Pres. Rodrigo Duterte

the United States or what it would mean for the Filipinos and the U.S. government. Because of that, different reactions are coming from all sides – majority being more ‘opposed’ than in agreement. Reports indicate that about 1,000 anti-U.S. protesters gathered outside the U.S. Embassy in Manila calling for the removal of U.S. troops from the southern island of Mindanao. As the standoff escalated, the local police ran over protesters who were preparing to storm the embassy. As a result of this dramatic collapse in U.S.-Philippine relations, the next U.S. president will have his or her hands full with not only the rapidly escalation standoff between Russia and the U.S. in Syria, with mending relations with one of the oldest U.S. allies in the Pacific rim. In a different article, it was reported that U.S. officials stressed

the long history of diplomatic, military and financial ties between the two countries. Neil Jerome Morales of Reuters wrote in his article: “Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said on Friday he was not severing ties with his country’s long-time ally the United States, but merely pursuing a more independent foreign policy by strengthening relations with China. A day after he provoked fresh diplomatic alarm by announcing his ‘separation’ from Washington, Duterte struck a more conciliatory tone as he arrived back in the Philippines after a four-day visit to Beijing.” “It is not severance of ties. When you say severance of ties, you cut diplomatic relations. I cannot do that,” the Philippine leader told reporters at a midnight news conference in his southern home city of Davao. “It’s in the best interest PAGE B5

The best house

ACCORDING to Feng Shui, the house standing between a taller house on the left and a shorter house on the right is considered the best. The left symbolizes a dragon, while the right is a tiger. Given this, the dragon is considered more superior to the tiger. The house with no building on the right means that the male is too dominant. This can create problems within the human relationship. The house with a taller building on the right, or no building on the left, means the female is dominant and causes unfavorable problems in business. To cope with the problems identified above, put a Feng Shui dragon on the left side of the en*** trance hall. Feng Shui master Sean Shono owns Dragon *ALL Feng Shui items must be God, a Feng Shui store in Gardena, California. He purified by TAOIST way. is the U.S. Chief of the International Feng Shui

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

Start Spreading the newS!

Fresh Catch Seafood Market: A true one-stop-shop A MOSt welcome addition that enhances the lives of the members of the Filipino American community in the neighboring cities around the Cerritos-Artesia area is Fresh Catch Seafood Market. these days, Fresh Catch is getting so much attention not just about its unbelievably low and affordable pricing but also because of the many ways it has taken to making the food shopping experience in that part of the busy megalopolis such a great experience. Its great location that is so close and accessible to the Cerritos Mall, its ample parking spaces offers a valuable one-stop-shop convenience to the hurried, harried yet fulfilling lives of many Fil-Ams, who must juggle many roles. It is located right off the 605 freeway on busy South Street, seconds away from the newly renovated Cerritos regional mall. It is, by design, a center that aims to become the cultural hub for many. What’s not to like? Fresh Catch is a large-scale Filipino supermarket boasting an extensive array of fresh and live seafood selections. Its wide array of live seafood tanks are impressive. they offer live lobsters, crabs, fish, shellfish and many more seafood delights that Fil-Ams crave, not only for parties but in their daily lives. Fresh Catch Market aims to carry on the 20-year tradition of the famous Sea Palace Market, its predecessor, which made a pioneering mark in the

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live seafood business decades ago. But with a fresh management team that is steeped in both traditional and modern management techniques, Fresh Catch intends to do so in a much cleaner and contemporary environment while fully cognizant of the food needs of the communities it serves. take note seafood lovers! the market provides free seafood frying and steaming services. Particularly for those who are on a healthy living binge, the free steaming service ought to be big. So check out the seafood section and have seafood entrees ready in time for lunch or dinner. there is a take-out bar. Yay! this is big particularly for weary office and healthcare workers who simply do not have the time and energy to cook at home after a long, arduous day at work. this is certainly a feature that is in complete alignment with the

lifestyles of many in a workaday world. Customers can request for items to be grilled at the take-out bar, but this time, for a small fee. Hail to Chef Allan Romeo Cruz! He was formerly with Azon Restaurant. Chef Allan helms the take-out bar with his great variety of Pinoy comfort foods and all-time favorites with that distinctive Filipino flavor. His delicious breakfast feeds the hungry stomachs of Filipino nurses weary from their night shifts. His lunches and dinners are also crowd favorites. And with the Christmas season fast approaching, Fresh Catch is geared and ready for the food demands of the holidays. Let’s face it. Filipinos love to party a lot. the market has a catering menu and is available for pre-orders during the holidays. Aside from the great seafood selection, Fresh Catch carries

fresh meat cuts that Filipinos love, farm fresh vegetables and pantry favorites at truly competitive prices. And Fresh Catch doesn’t stop here. Look around the plaza and you find trusted, long-time Filipino brands that answer the needs of the typical Fresh Catch Market patron. this place is well and truly a one-stop-shop! • LUISA & SONS BAKESHOP, serving traditional Filipino baked items such as ensaimadas, pan de sal, hopia. A bite reminds you of grandma’s recipes. • PNB REMIttANCE CENtER, (Philippine National Bank) LA’s no 1 Filipino remittance agency boasting of 12 branches in Los Angeles. • CAFÉ 86 pays tribute to American-born Filipinos who look to Filipino favorites and mashed it with modern American culture. top sellers include its calamansi jasmine tea, ube monster drink, ube tres leches

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cake, ube bundt cakes, ube crack cookies etc. • AtLAS CARGO, is one of the longest- serving, trusted balikbayan brands in the community. Who can forget family back in the Philippines? So come and make FRESH CAtCH SEAFOOD MARKEt

your go-to place for great food shopping experience on a regular basis. You will be glad you did!’ FRESH CAtCH is located at 11618 South Street, Artesia, CA 90701. For information, you can call (562) 402 2133. 8[m\ik`j`e^ Jlggc\d\ek

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Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 29-NOVEMbER 1, 2016

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85°C Bakery Cafe opens 23rd store in Cypress, CA by AJPress

TWO hours before the doors of the new 85°C Bakery Cafe was scheduled to open in Cypress, California on Friday, October 21, a line began to form, eventually wrapping around the block. By 9 a.m., customers eagerly entered the sweet-smelling establishment and piled assortments of pastries onto their trays. In less than an hour, staff members had to begin replenishing the shelves. An estimated 3,500 customers were anticipated just on Friday alone, with over double that

amount expected by the end of the weekend. It’s no surprise that 85°C Bakery Cafe — a Taiwan-based business with over 900 stores worldwide — continues to draw in crowds for its products that are delivered with consistent, high-quality taste. “We have huge support from the Asian community, especially from Filipinos,” said Charles Wu, director of operations at 85°C Bakery Cafe. “In eight years here [in the U.S.], we have adopted the culture here and we know our guests here.” Ask any loyal customer and

the products that the bakery cafe is known for include the brioche, marble taro bread, cheese dog and sea salt coffee. Though, there are dozens of more options — from egg tarts to strawberry cake — that appeal to curious taste buds. Cypress City Council officials, Stacy Berry, Jon Peat and Rob Johnson, were also present for the ribbon cutting ceremony. The Cypress location marks the eighth store opened in 2016, and the 23rd in the U.S. Two more are scheduled to open in California, bringing the total number of locations to 25 by the end of the year. 85°C Bakery Cafe is eyeing to open another 20 stores in 2017, Wu said.

Charles Wu, director of operations at 85°C Bakery Cafe

Even if there may be crowds piling in the Cypress location, it’s well worth the effort for that white and red box of sweets; plus, the staff members are so efficient, that you

won’t be waiting for too long from the time you pick your pastries to check out. 85°C Bakery Cafe Cypress is located at 9575 Valley View St., Cypress, CA 90630. Hours are 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Monday

to Thursday; 7 a.m. to 12 a.m. on Friday and Saturday; and 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. on Sunday. For more information, please visit www.85cbakerycafe.com or call (714) 716-8585. (Advertising Supplement)

The grand opening ceremony led by Padi Khou, 85°C Bakery Cafe’s area manager; Charles Wu, director of operations; Cypress city councilmember Jon Peat; store manager Manuel Vega; and councilmembers Rob Johnson and Stacy Berry. AJPress photos by Noel Ty

Ryan Cayabyab and RCS... PAGE B3 showed technical proficiency. Artists in focus The entire program was driven by a singular force, one’s love for music as well as a desire to perform at a personal best, to match the maestro’s superior level of artistry. I was with the Maestro on three occasions: an interview with him and the RCS, the concert in Northridge, and at a casual jam session with the Filharmonic at LA Rose Café in Hollywood. In all three settings, his calm aura and joyfulness were sustained, with or without crowds hovering over him, as the RCS, under his direction. With a flick of a finger from any of the group members, all assume their respective positions to sing. Group trust is high such that anyone can lead, with impeccable cooperation. No one looks to the maestro for approval, yet all perform on cue, and in synchrony with the ensemble. The group exuded a high degree of affinity, discipline, and collective confidence in one another. Annie Nepomuceno, the show producer, rose to her personal summit, as she sang a duet with the Maestro, “Tunay na Ligaya,” an original composition for Maestro’s wife, Emmy. You could sense the love, as Annie gave life to the song onstage. Equally good music to our ears was when Annie sang “Magbalik Ka Na, Mahal,” from the Maestro’s ballet-opera “Rama Hari,” written in 1980 and first recorded by Kuh Ledesma for her debut album. Poppert Bernadas is from UP Diliman and a finalist of “The Voice of the Philippines.” He has been with RCS for nine years. Before RCS, he felt unsure of his artistry, but after, he got his assurance that “I am an artist, I got validation.” He stood out as a tenor, with his rendition of “Gloria,” “Paano Na Kaya” and his memorable solo parts in the excerpt of Spoliarium and San Lorenzo Ruiz’s play excerpt. Each time he was onstage, we just knew he must be a theater actor, as he played his parts with gusto and succeeded in conveying the truth of his characters. At any given moment, he switched from different

PAGE B4

genres and we were in awe as to his resilience and his adaptability in song, dance and acting. Another one who stood out was Celine Fabie who effortlessly moved from one solo part to ensemble, and gave distinctive performances, including the encore of “Ang Bayan Ko/To Dream the Impossible Dream.” Coming home with the RCS Each individual who composes the RCS added more nostalgia of home, once described by James Baldwin, “an irrevocable condition of experiencing a sense of belonging, safety and fulfillment, “a longing for the Philippines, as they slowly sang “Ang Bayan Ko,” enunciating each word slowly, with heartfelt emotion and with the same tempo, “To Dream the Impossible Dream.” Picture this, the singers now have our hearts in their hands, as they alternately do solos, ensemble, and then, together: “And the world will be better for this/That one man, scorned and covered with scars/ Still strove with his last ounce of courage/To reach the unreachable star” while the Celine Fabie sang verses of “Ang Bayan Ko” “Pilipinas kong minumutya/Pugad ng luha at dalita/Aking adhika/Makita kang Sakdal Laya. Her soprano voice lingered, as if a dream unfulfilled and a love unrequited. What happens next? The last verse “Makita Kang Sakdal Laya” (To Witness your True Freedom) converged with “To Reach the Unreachable Star,” in a haunting soprano voice. It extracted a primal longing, a feeling for our birth country to be truly free from all vestiges of bondage, to misguided measures of success, to incorrect principles of governance, from an unreachable space of creativity and musicality in music. Now the genius manifested, and the crowd leaped to a standing ovation, literally, shouting bravos. It could not be contained, our collective affirmation and validation at seeing a new summit of excellence in artistry had to be shared effusively! Did we make clear how much we love this concert? Part I of this feature (Ryan Cayabyab and RCS Singers’ Life Journey to Music) was published in the Asian Journal’s MDWK Magazine on Wednesday, October 19.

Goodbye America...

of my countrymen to maintain that relationship.” The Philippine president clarified his comments on Friday and said that what he meant was that Manila’s foreign policy need not always rely with Washington. “As in separation, what I was really saying was separation of foreign policy,” he said. “In the past, and until I became president, we always follow what the United States would give the cue,” he said. The White House had responded to the “separation” speech by saying there had been “too many” troubling statements from Duterte recently. Meanwhile, earlier officials in Manila had a lot of explaining to do about the president’s controversial announcement. “In terms of economic (ties), we are not stopping trade, investment with America,” Trade Minister Ramon Lopez told CNN Philippines. He said the Philippines was “breaking being too much dependent on one side.” In the same interview, Duterte’s spokesman, Ernesto Abella, said the president had been making a “restatement” of his bid to chart an independent foreign policy. Duterte wanted to “separate the nation from dependence on the U.S. and the West, and rebalance

economic and military relations with Asian neighbors” like China, Japan and South Korea, Abella said in statement. As with most of what Duterte said in the past, misinterpretations have been thrown from different sectors. I think that is a given considering how the president seems to say something else but mean another. I believe it would help if he would provide more details whenever he announces something as bold as a ‘separation’ – especially when it involves international alliance – one that has been around for decades. Coming from someone who’s been living in the United States for sometime, it brings me more confusion than clarity and ‘independence’ to think that ‘breaking ties’ with the U.S. is the right course of action. I could be wrong but I’m convinced that I am NOT the only one who sees this as unnecessary. ***

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

2016 Toyota Prius Sweepstakes Drawing Ceremony

FROM August 12th to October 24th, 99 Ranch Market’s Southern California locations participated in a sweepstakes for a brand new 2016 Toyota Prius. The event generated hundreds of entries with positive and exciting feedback from 99 Ranch Market’s shoppers. The participants have submitted the sweepstakes entries into the drawing boxes that were set up at participating

Southern California locations. The winner of the sweepstakes will be announced at a drawing ceremony on October 29th, 2016 at 11:00 AM at the 99 Ranch Market’s Rowland Heights location. We have invited a certified accountant to ensure a fair and equitable Sweepstakes Drawing Ceremony. Besides 99 Ranch Market-Rowland Heights’s Sweepstakes Drawing Ceremony,

we will also be hosting an Asian Food Festival on October 29th and October 30th 2016. Join us for free food tasting, promotion items, Wheel of Fortune giveaways, and many other exciting events. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us at 1-800-600TAWA (8292) or check out our official website at www.99ranch.com. (Advertising Supplement)

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COMMUNITY Journal

It’s October – time to celebrate FilipinoAmerican History Month

Your Immigration Solution Devin Connolly OCTOBER is officially designated Filipino-American history month. It is a month for all of us to specifically recognize Filipinos’ role in American history as well as the ongoing contributions of Filipino-Americans to the United States. The White House and President Obama issued a press release on October 1, 2016 praising the countess contributions the Filipino-American community has made to this country. President Obama said he was pleased to celebrate FilipinoAmerican History Month, in part because it recognizes the “many ways that Filipino-Americans have enriched our society across our country.” As stated in The White House’s press release, Filipinos began arriving in the U.S. way back in the 16th century. They initially arrived in Morro Bay, California, and it is believed that Filipinos were the first groups of immigrants from Asia to arrive in the U.S. But Filipinos did not limit themselves to simply California. Rather, they eventually began to settle throughout the U.S. The result is that there is now evidence of the Philippines’ rich tradition and culture in every state in the U.S. President Obama also discussed the many ways in which Filipinos have contributed to this country. He specifically mentions that Filipino arrivals and native-born U.S. citizens of Filipino ancestry have become artists, educators, teachers, etc. Special attention should also

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be given to the fact that Filipinos have long served in the United States’ armed forced. Filipino citizens notably served during World War II in an effort to help protect the U.S. and our way of life. Some of these brave individuals are unfortunately still waiting for their family members

them in the United States while they await the issuance of their permanent resident status. When we think of October celebrations, most people likely immediately think of Halloween. However, in addition to trick-ortreating this year, we should all be sure to recognize and celebrate Filipino-American history month. For centuries FilipinoAmericans have played a role in shaping the U.S., and their culture and traditions can now be felt from coast-to-coast. ***

When we think of October celebrations, most people likely immediately think of Halloween. However, in addition to trick-ortreating this year, we should all be sure to recognize and celebrate Filipino-American history month. For centuries Filipino-Americans have played a role in shaping the U.S., and their culture and traditions can now be felt from coast-to-coast.

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to join them in the U.S. Hopefully President Obama’s administration’s enactment of the “Filipino World War II Veterans Parole Program’ will help these veterans be reunited with their family members very soon. This program allows certain FilipinoAmerican veterans to request that their family members join

Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila. For more Information please call (800) 795-8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016

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Minding Your Finances Atty. rAyMond BUlAon AS a Bankruptcy Attorney for the last 18 years, I have counseled thousands of individuals with all types of debt problems. A lot of these people often feel tired and hopeless as if there is no end in sight to their money problems. If you or someone you know has ever been in this situation, I understand what may cause you to feel that way. But listen to me! I often encourage people by telling them that it is not too late to get a fresh financial start and that the law is on their side. Bankruptcy is not the end of everything you’ve worked hard for. It is actually protecting everything you’ve worked hard for. Read that last sentence again. I believe it will help you a great deal in putting things in perspective if you are currently going through financial difficulties and have realized that you have no

SKT Immigration

cAtherine yen PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte recently announced severing military and economic ties with the U.S. He has also recently assailed the U.S.’s strict visa policy. As President Duterte aligns himself with China, Russia, Vietnam, and other foreign powers, he is consistently evading any viable relationship with the U.S. Thus, it’s now more important than ever to ensure that Filipinos and their families still have access to live and work in the U.S. One way for Filipino families to immigrate to the U.S. is through the EB-5 Green Card Program. Under the EB-5 Program, Filipinos can apply for a green card through investment in an existing or new business in the United States and creation of 10 permanent, full-time jobs. The spouses and unmarried children under 21 of the investor are also eligible for green cards. Once approved, the investor and his family receive a conditional 2-year green card which can later be converted to

Community Journal

Bankruptcy: Don’t let your past decide your future other choice but to file bankruptcy and start over. See, the protection provided by Bankruptcy is similar to the care that a sick person gets while recovering in a hospital. The goal is to help you get back on your feet again in the shortest time possible. Yes, there are lessons to be learned in Bankruptcy. Those who find themselves in serious financial trouble when unexpected events in life occur such as sickness, disability or sudden employment, are immediately reminded of their vulnerability to life’s uncertainties. Life has its constant unexpected twists and turns, and you can never be sure of where you are going to end up at the next turn. Therefore, we should always be prepared for the unexpected. To explain this point in a more practical context, let me ask you this question: How prepared are you for a sudden and unexpected financial crisis such as a loss of employment? Have you

saved enough money to use as an “emergency fund” if you had to survive for a few months without any income? If you are your family’s “breadwinner”, remember that your loved ones are depending on you and your lack of preparation will cause them to suffer as well. Now to those whose financial problems are self-caused more than anything else, the lesson to be learned is that it is never too late to change. If you believe you cannot change, you are either already perfect or just plain stubborn. A lot of people that I counsel openly admit that it was all their own doing and that their financial problems would not have gotten worse had they immediately nipped the problem in the bud at the first sign of trouble. To put it quite bluntly, I am talking about those people who use credit irresponsibly by spending beyond their means with no regard for the ensuing

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EB-5 green card program: A way to bring your entire family to the US a full-fledged green card. Most EB-5 investors invest in regional center investments. A regional center investment is best suited for an investor who would rather participate in the policy-making activities of the business, instead of managing the day-to-day activities of the business. The benefit of a regional center investment is that regional centers are permitted to use economic models to count jobs. Thus, regional centers can solicit several to hundreds of EB5 investors for their EB-5 projects, and the regional center is usually the one actually managing the project. It’s a good option for investors who are currently living abroad. The EB-5 program continues to be popular with Asian countries (such as China, Taiwan, Vietnam, and Korea) because families want to move to the U.S. and provide green cards for their children. For Filipinos, the EB-5 program is a great option because there are currently no wait

times for Filipino nationals. For Filipino nationals, once the petition is approved, they can immediately begin the process to obtain for their 2-year conditional green card, which takes approximately 6 months. 90 days before the 2-year conditional green card expires, the EB-5 investor and his family can file their full-fledged green card. Each of these steps is complicated, requires extensive paperwork, and necessitates the guidance of an experienced EB5 immigration attorney. ***

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

Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA

ARE you a U.S. citizen or resident working in a foreign country? Have you declared your foreign income? Have you even filed a tax return? Or are you hiding from the long and lovely arms of the IRS? Can the U.S. government reach you on the other side of the globe? Unfortunately, yes. But is there a way not to pay federal income taxes on your earned income? Fortunately, yes! Well, perhaps, there may not be a reason to hide. Perhaps, there’s a reason to declare your foreign income and not pay federal income taxes. You see, there’s this goodie called Foreign Earned Income Exclusion that allows you to earn $$$ and not pay federal income taxes. Too good to be true? Read on and learn. 1. You may exclude about $100,000 (up to $99,200 for 2014 and $100,800 for 2015) of foreign earned income. To qualify for the exclusion, your tax home must be in a foreign country and you must meet either one of the following tests: A. The bona fide residence test: You must be a resident of a foreign country for an uninterrupted period covering a complete tax year. You must show

Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS

Excluding foreign earned income intention to establish residence even if there are temporary absences for short trips back to the U.S. B. Physical presence test: This test is met if you are physically present in a foreign country for at least 330 full days during any consecutive twelve-month period. 2. Both of these tests may be waived if you leave the foreign country on account of civil unrest or adverse conditions similar to the conditions in Iraq, Iran, Egypt, Afghanistan, Pakistan, or Ukraine. 3. In addition to the foreign income exclusion, you may also exclude housing amounts such as rent, fair rental value of housing provided by your employer and included in your income, insurance, rentals of furnishings, and utilities (but not telephone). 4. You may elect the exclusion by filing Form 2555 or 2555 EZ with your income tax return. 5. Is excluded Foreign Earned Income subject to self-employment tax? Yes, it is. Private Letter Ruling 8749061 states that foreign earned income is considered income from trade or business and is therefore subject to self-employment taxes (FICA and Medicare). Since then, IRS has issued regulations that income exempt from income tax are now subject to self-employment tax.

CAVEAT: Some states, including California does not have a similar exclusion so you have to pay state income taxes on your foreign income. But here’s a TIP: claim non-residency if you are abroad for 18 consecutive months and do not have an intention of returning to the State. Take advantage of a new Safe Harbor Rule that allows individuals domiciled in California but are outside the State on an employment-related contract, unless you have intangible income in excess of $200,000 in any taxable year when employmentsrelated contract is in effect, or principal purpose of absence in California is to avoid tax. TIP: If you were outside the United States on April 15, the due date is automatically extended to June 15 without the need to file an extension form. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com. (Advertising Supplement)

The presumption of ‘undue influence’ in transactions between spouses during the marriage

Code Sec. 721(b). The section provides that “in transactions CALIFORNIA law on the na- between themselves, a husband ture of spouses’ rights and obli- and wife are subject to the gengations with respect to manage- eral rules governing fiduciary ment and control of community relationships which control the property has evolved over the actions of persons occupying Catharine Yen manages the immigration last thirty years from less strin- confidential relations with each department at Sullivan, Krieger, Truong, gent “good faith” standards to other. This confidential relaSpagnola, and Klausner. She has a 100% heightened “confidential duty” tionship imposes a duty of the approval rate for filed EB-5 petitions. She and “fiduciary duty’ standards. highest good faith and fair dealhas spoken at national conferences and Under current law, the duties ing on each spouse, and neither co-authored several articles on various owed between spouses in trans- shall take any unfair advantage EB-5 topics. actions between themselves are of the other.” Incidental to this fiduciary Website: www.sullivankrieger.com the same highest duties owed Contact us at any of our offices: by parties to a fiduciary relation- relationship is a rebuttable presumption of undue influence Long Beach + 1 (562) 597-7070 ship. Irvine + 1 (949) 390-5270 The heightened standard with when one spouse obtains an adPhilippines + 63-2-788-5196 regard to transactions between vantage over the other in a com(Advertising Supplement) spouses is codified in Family munity property transaction--i.e.

when one spouse improves his/ her position, obtains a favorable opportunity, or otherwise gains, benefits or profits in a community property transaction to the exclusion of the other. Marriage of Haines (1995) 33 CA4th 277, 297, 39 CR2d 673, 686. This presumption arises in connection with any interspousal property transaction in which one spouse obtained an advantage over the other. It is important to note that the presumption arises even if the transaction at issue did not result from fraud, deceit or coercion. Marriage of Mathews (2005) 133 CA4th 624, 629-630, 35 CR3d 1, 4.

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

Community Journal

Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr.

Protecting employees injured at work from wrongful termination

ADAM Prue worked for the Brady Company, a construction company in San Diego, CA. Prue was injured at work and suffered a hernia in June 2011. Because of this, Prue filed a worker’s compensation claim with the company. Prue requested light duty work, fewer scheduled days so he could rest, and assistance from his apprentice. On July 18, 2011, Prue was called into the office of his supervisor and was told that he was being terminated. When Prue asked why, his supervisor allegedly pointed to Prue’s groin and said it was because of Prue’s hernia injury. Prue sued his employer for wrongful termination. The employee claimed that he was terminated because he suffered a disability at work, and that his termination violated California’s public policy against disability discrimination against workers, under the Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA). The employer asked the trial court to dismiss the case, arguing that Prue is already under workers’ comp, and therefore, whatever claims he may have, those should be made under workers’ comp law and not under discrimination laws. This is called the workers’ compensation exclusivity doctrine. The trial court agreed with the employer and threw out Prue’s case. Prue appealed. The Court of Appeal has to answer this question: Should Cali-

fornia’s anti-discrimination laws still protect disabled employees who have already made claims under worker compensation for injuries sustained at work? The high court ruled that, yes, California’s anti-discrimination laws should still protect an employee who has been injured at work, even though the employee’s remedies for his work-related injuries can be derived only from workers compensation. In other words, the court reiterated a long standing law that the workers’ compensation exclusivity doctrine does not apply when a workplace injury renders an employee disabled by FEHA’s definition. FEHA prohibits discrimination based on disability or medical condition. An employer may not terminate an employee or discriminate against the employee in compensation or other conditions of employment based on the employee’s disability or medical condition. Disability under FEHA includes physical disability, mental disability or a medical condition, including cancer-related conditions and genetic characteristics. An employee who has a disability should notify the employer of his or her condition in order to obtain accommodation. If a disabled employee is unable to perform his or her old duties, the employer must engage in a timely, good faith interactive process to determine if reasonable accommodation

Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights

can be made for the employee. The employer must start the interactive process if the employee’s disability becomes known or obvious. If the disabled employee was terminated, even though he or she could have performed the job with reasonable accommodation, the employer’s conduct may be wrongful and the employer can be liable for disability discrimination against the employee. To establish a cause of action for disability discrimination in violation of FEHA’s public policy, the employee must show that: (1) employee suffers from a disability; (2) employee is a qualified individual and can perform the essential functions of the job; and (3) employee was subjected to an adverse employment action, such being fired, because of the disability. The employee must also show that the employer knew of the disability at the time it made the adverse employment decision. *** 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. (Advertising Supplement)

Rescinding removal/deportation order to allow for adjustment of status WE have all heard the popular saying, “Timing is everything.” Unfortunately, this saying often adversely applies to those persons who have found an avenue from which to obtain a green card, only to be prohibited from doing so because he/she has a prior removal/deportation order. A typical scenario involves a person who entered the US years ago on a B-2 tourist visa, overstayed, and was ordered removed by the Immigration Court. Fast forward to today, that person who was ordered removed finds true love and marries a US Citizen. Seemingly close to finally obtaining permanent resident status, he/she is precluded from doing so because of the prior removal/deportation order. What options does one have in such a case? A motion to reopen the removal/deportation proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order can be filed in Immigration Court. If the motion to reopen the proceedings and rescind the removal/deportation order is successful, the alien can pursue whatever relief from removal/deportation that is available to him/ her. For the scenario cited in the first paragraph, the relief would be adjustment of status to permanent resident via marriage to a US citizen spouse. The relief would be presented in Immigration Court, with the Immigration Judge to decide the merits of the adjustment of status application. Alternatively, if an agreement with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) can be obtained to terminate the proceedings, a decision on the adjustment of status application can be made outside Immigration Court, by the USCIS. Generally, a motion to reopen removal/deportation proceedings must be filed within 90 days of the date of entry of the removal/deportation order. However, several bases upon which a motion to reopen may be filed past 90 days exist, and are discussed below. Under 8 CFR § 1003.23(b)(4), a motion to reopen can be filed at any time if notice of the proceedings was not received by the person subject to the removal/deportation order, and a removal/ deportation order was entered in his absence. Written notice of the time and place of removal proceedings must be given in person to the alien, or shall be given by certified mail to the alien or to the alien’s counsel of record. INA §242B(a)(2)(A). Further, written notice of the proceedings, if provided by certified mail, must be provided at the most recent address reported by the alien. Matter of Grijalva, Interim Decision 3246 (BIA 1995). The requirements for notice of removal/deportation proceedings are strict, and careful analysis of a person’s immigration court file often results in finding evidence that DHS did not comply with required procedure, which can be the basis for reopening the removal/deportation proceeding. Further, the Immigration Judge has discretionary authority to reopen or reconsider cases on his or her own motion (“sua sponte”) at any time providing a valid basis can be shown. 8 CFR § 1003.23(b)(1). Careful analysis of not only the immigration court file, but also the specific facts and circumstances of the case is necessary to put forward a valid basis on which the Immigration Judge can rely to reopen the proceedings. Some bases upon which cases I have been able to reopen cases include improper section cited by the DHS attorney in the charging document, insufficient evidence presented by the DHS attorney in proving up the case against the alien, and hardship and humanitarian concerns. If you have a prior removal/deportation order which is preventing you from adjusting status, it is recommended that you consult with an experienced attorney to ascertain the bases upon which a motion to reopen can be filed. *** 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)

The presumption of ‘undue influence’ in…

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The spouse favored by such a transaction has the burden of rebutting the presumption of undue influence. To rebut the presumption, he/she must show that the other spouse entered into the transaction freely and voluntarily, with full knowledge of all the facts, and with a complete understanding of its effect. Marriage of Delaney (2003) 111 CA4th 991, 996-997, 4 CR3d 378, 382. If the spouse who benefited from the transaction fails to demonstrate the foregoing, the transaction may be ignored. A classic example of this situation is when a husband executes a quitclaim deed in favor of his wife as her separate property. Generally that fully executed Quit Claim would have the effect of changing the character of the property from community to his wife’s separate property based on another presumption called “presumption of title” under evidence code section 662 and the under a the theory of “transmutation” pursuant to family code section 852., Evidence Code

Section 662 presumption of title states that “the owner of the legal title to property is presumed to be the owner of the full beneficial title. This presumption may be rebutted only by clear and convincing proof. However, because of the presumption of undue influence under family code section 721(b), the wife has the burden to overcome the presumption in order to effect a change in the character of the property from community to separate. If the wife does not meet the burden, then the court can set aside the quit claim deed based on a presumption that such transfer was made with undue influence. Each spouse’s fiduciary obligations toward the other spouse under Family Code Sec. 721(b) continue after separation in anticipation of dissolution, nullity or legal separation until the date of distribution of the community asset or liability in question. Family Code Sec. 2102(a) and (b). Accordingly, if you have made an interspousal transaction benefiting your spouse during the mar-

riage such as executing a quit claim and you are contemplating filing a divorce, it is advised that you consult with an experienced attorney to determine what avenues of relief you may take to set aside the transaction. ***

Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. (Advertising Supplement)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016

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Elder scams on the rise

by Andrew

PArAnAl, eSQ

ALTHOUGH you might not agree, financial capacity – the ability to make sound financial decisions – is one of the first things to go when facing mild cognitive impairment. Mild cognitive impairment can be an early sign of Alzheimer’s disease; it affects about 5.4 million Americans and 22 percent of people over the age of 71 have it. What is alarming is that the older Americans who are having trouble making wise money decisions do not realize they are making bad financial choices. Research conducted at George Washington University’s School of Business found that although older Americans scored low on questions regarding financial literacy, they believed the opposite and gave themselves high rankings. That’s one reason why older victims of financial fraud lose $2.9 billion annually, according to a 2011 MetLife analysis. It is also another reason why the elderly pay some of the highest costs for debt. In one study, 75year-olds shelled out about $265 more annually than 50-year-olds for home equity lines of credit. “Granny Scams” are also on the rise, and here’s how they work: you’re a grandparent, and you get a phone call or an e-mail from someone who identifies himself as your grandson. “I’ve been arrested in another country,” he says, “and need money wired quickly to pay my bail. And, oh by the way, don’t tell my mom or dad because they’ll only get upset!”

Andrew Paranal, ESQ

This is an example of what’s come to be known as “the grandparent scam”—yet another fraud that preys on the elderly, this time by taking advantage of their love and concern for their grandchildren. Thanks to the Internet and social networking sites, a criminal can sometimes uncover personal information about their targets, which makes the impersonations more believable. For example, the actual grandson may mention on his social networking site that he’s a photographer who often travels to Mexico. When contacting the grandparents, the phony grandson will say he’s calling from Mexico, where someone stole his camera equipment and passport. Common scenarios include: A grandparent receives a phone call (or sometimes an e-mail) from a “grandchild.” If it is a phone call, it’s often late at night or early in the morning when most people aren’t thinking that clearly. Usually, the person claims to be traveling in

a foreign country and has gotten into a bad situation, like being arrested for drugs, getting in a car accident, or being mugged…and needs money wired ASAP. And the caller doesn’t want his or her parents told. Sometimes, instead of the “grandchild” making the phone call, the criminal pretends to be an arresting police officer, a lawyer, a doctor at a hospital, or some other person. And we’ve also received complaints about the phony grandchild talking first and then handing the phone over to an accomplice…to further spin the fake tale. We’ve also seen military families victimized: after perusing a soldier’s social networking site, a con artist will contact the soldier’s grandparents, sometimes claiming that a problem came up during military leave that requires money to address. While it’s commonly called the grandparent scam, criminals may also claim to be a family friend, a niece or nephew, or another family member. The following advice comes from the FBI website to avoid being victimized in the first place: Resist the pressure to act quickly. Try to contact your grandchild or another family member to determine whether or not the call is legitimate. Never wire money based on a request made over the phone or in an e-mail...especially overseas. Wiring money is like giving cash—once you send it, you can’t get it back.

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Bankruptcy: Don’t let your past decide…

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consequences. I am talking about those who use credit without thinking, making decisions from the heart and not from the head. The tragic end result is usually a load of debt that cannot be paid even over a lifetime. There are a lot of people who need to keep a second job just to stay afloat and have enough money for food and rent. By getting into debt that they can’t afford to pay, these people have sentenced themselves to a lifetime of working for their creditors, never enjoying the fruits of their labor. Before they know it, they’re close to retirement age and they come to realize that they have not saved a penny for their later years.

Please don’t get me wrong. It is neither my intention to offend anyone nor is it my place to judge anyone. Whatever led you to your present situation no longer matters at this point. The question is: What will you now do from here? Regardless of your past, remember that your future can be different. The lesson to be learned in Bankruptcy on this point is that your past doesn’t have to be your future. Learn to forgive yourself for your past mistakes and don’t be too hard on yourself. Successful people are not people who have never failed in life but rather, they are people who have failed usually more than once, learned from their mistakes and moved on to

accomplish the goals that they have set for themselves. Keep in mind that the road to success is not always a straight path. If you need help in figuring out the best solution for your debt problems, I would like to help you. Please call my office at TOLL FREE 1-866-477-7772 to schedule an appointment. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos & Valencia. *** None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772. (Advertising Supplement)

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Debt Relief

Community Journal

Bankruptcy court rules in favor of client for $250K after trial 87-Year-old senior seeks chapter 7 relief

atty. lawRence yanG I REPRESENTED a foreign company with a $250K claim for a forty foot container of manufactured goods that it delivered to the debtor a California company on December 30, 2014. The debtor had been in a Chapter 11 for a year before the trustee was able to convert the case to Chapter 7 on April 14, 2015. Client continued doing business with debtor while it was on Chapter 11, shipping it millions of dollars worth of merchandise, and up to a week before debtor converted to Chapter 7. When debtor converted to Chapter 7, it owed client $250K of unpaid merchandise, and a trademark that client had paid debtor $120K for. The court had previously ruled in favor of client for the $120K trademark saying that it belongs to client since they paid $120K for it. The trustee argued that the transfer to client of the trademark occurred after case was converted to Chapter 7 even though client had paid $120K for it two years prior. Hence, the transfer was void. That issue went to the court on a motion, and the court ruled that the trademark belonged to client since they paid for it. It did not matter that the transfer was made after conversion to Chapter 7, implying that debtor no longer had any legal or equitable interest on the trademark as of payment date. The court however, left the issue of client’s claim for $250K hanging. A hearing was heard on this second matter after discovery was completed, and still the court could not decide one way or the other. The objecting creditor argued that the forty foot container did not exist and that the shipment was never made to debtor, or even if the shipment was made, debtor had paid the $250K in full. Needless to say, I found the argument rather strange. Client presented invoices signed by the owner of the company, truck receipt for the fortyfoot container, and accounting summary showing a net unpaid amount of $250K. So, the court set just this issue, whether or not the $250K is owed to client for trial on September 12, 2016. Three weeks before the trial date, my client informs me that the foreign government which owns the

company has decided that client, the president of the company, will not be allowed to appear and testify before a U.S. court for political reasons. I file a motion to allow client’s testimony by telephone. Creditor objects that they will not be able to observe the demeanor of the witness if he is allowed to testify by phone. This becomes moot because the government also prohibits the witness to testify by phone. So, all the evidence we submitted for trial, including the declaration of the witness will the thrown out the door on the day of trial because the witness is not around to testify and be cross examined. In other words, we have no evidence, documentary or testimony, supporting our position at trial, while the other party has all their evidence coming in since their witness will appear to testify. On September 12, trial promptly starts at 9.30 a.m. I’m sitting there on my side all by myself (and God the Holy Spirit who is invisible but there nevertheless, giving me aid and comfort). The other side had two lawyers and their expert witness on international trade documents. First order of business, the judge says is that the declaration of our witness is stricken off the record since our witness is not around to be cross examined, meaning, we have no evidence! Creditor calls their expert witness to testify. I object that he is not a percipient witness. Judge agrees with me. They insist that their expert witness will testify on the redaction of information on the bill of lading and customs entry. I see the loophole and I withdraw my objection to the testimony of their expert witness. My plan is to bring our evidence in by crossexamining the witness as an adverse witness. Lo and behold, I was able to cross examine the witness for two hours with pin point precision on all relevant documents using his expertise against the other party. This is what happens when God the Holy Spirit is helping you out. They try to salvage the damage done by a series of direct questions to their own witness. But it’s too late. Just before noontime, the judge gave his ruling. He said that this was indeed a strange case as there was no witness for my client to testify and there was no evidence

to support our position. But during the cross examination, the evidence slowly crept in. By a hairline, Judge ruled in favor of my client for $250K. For me, this was a miracle, indeed. I had zero chance of winning this case but at the last minute, the situation reversed itself with God’s help. Second client is 87 years old. We filed his first Chapter 7 case twenty years ago when he was 67 and his wife was still alive. They owed about $50K of credit cards twenty years ago. Those were all discharged. They built up their credit again and now owe about $20K. Wife passed last year. They were able to travel the world in the last twenty years. So, the last twenty years was good. But since wife has passed away, he doesn’t feel like paying the $20K anymore. He’s just tired of paying for it. They used the cards to travel the world, but that was their last time around. Last week, one credit card sued him for $10K. With is social security at $1K a month. There really is no money to pay the cards. So, the only logical step is the get rid of his cards with a Chapter 7 discharge. Client is still able to drive around by himself at 87. He has chronic back pain and has four stents in his heart arteries, but he still praises the Lord for his relatively good health! I would like the Lord to bless my wife and I with good health and long life… this life is good and the Lord is good. See the prayer of Moses, Psalm 91: Whoever goes to the Lord for safety, whoever remains under the protection of the Almighty, can say to him, “You are my defender and protector. You are my God; in you I trust.” He will keep you safe from all hidden dangers and from all deadly diseases. He will cover you with his wings; you will be safe in his care…” “The Lord. He is the once who goes before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.” — Deuteronomy 31:8 *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)

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To Live With Faith ReveRend Rodel G. BalaGtas HOW marvelous are the words of the Book of Wisdom for this Sunday’s Liturgy: “For you love all things that are and loath nothing that you have made; for what you hated, you would not have fashioned. And how could a thing remain unless you willed it; or be preserved, had it not been called for you? But you spare all things, because they are yours, O Lord and lover of souls, for your imperishable spirit is in all things!” (WIS 11:24-26) One who reads these words can’t help but become impressed by God’s intense love for humankind and all creatures. Indeed, how could God hate anything or anyone that he created? The Scripture is consistent with this supreme attribute of God. His Son, Jesus Christ, made it incarnate in the way he lived with people of his times. He continued to show to humankind the compassionate heart of God, the Father. Jesus’ dealing with Zacchaeus, a chief tax collector who was known for exploiting people, especially the poor, by imposing heavy taxes on them for his greedy commission, was a

God’s heart revealed prime example of how Jesus revealed the heart of God. Seeing this midget man on top of a tree with the earnest desire to meet him, Jesus called out to him, saying, “Zacchaeus, come down quickly, for today I must stay at your house.” Zacchaeus and the crowd were caught by surprise. “How could he come to the house of one who is a sinner?” they murmured. “Scandalized” is perhaps an apt description of the people’s reaction to Jesus’ action. But the scandal of God’s mercy and forgiveness is the spirit of the Gospel. God seeks out the lost, the forsaken and all those in need of salvation. He came not only for the healthy but, most especially, for the sick. He sees the smallest opening in a person’s heart for conversion and fills it with tender love. It’s not that God would not admonish people at all to change their lives and sin no more. The Scriptures is also consistent in this regard. The later part of this Sunday’s Reading from the Book of Wisdom shows this approach: “Therefore you rebuke offenders little by little, warn them and remind them of the sins they are committing, that they may abandon their wickedness and believe in you, O Lord!” (WIS 12:2) Jesus’ astonishing treatment of Zacchaeus—he entered his house and dined with him and his

Calendar of Events across

whole family—touched the tax collector’s heart to the point that he decided to amend his ways by giving half of his possessions to the poor. Here we see the heart of God that is patient, “gracious and merciful, slow to anger and of great kindness” (Psalm 145: 8-9). Today we experience tension between tenderhearted and strict approaches to dealing with people who are not following the rules of the Church, particularly in regards to morality, whether it is about marriage, sex, or sanctity of life. We get astounded or confused when a holy man like Pope Francis reaches out to people who are not living out the ideal Christian way of life. We may not be able to overcome this tension—we continue to live with it—but this does not mean that we close the doors of our hearts and our homes to those who are not strictly following the rules of our faith. If Jesus dined with sinners, we too can live among them in love and kindness, hoping that they realize the truth of our faith and come to a full encounter with the Person of Christ. We cannot live in anger, pride, arrogance, and hatred; we can only continue to dwell among people of all beliefs and lifestyles in kindness, graciousness, compassion, and hope. We’ll continue to name the evil

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America

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Friend Day Sunday in Daly City Everyone is invited to Friend Day on Sunday, October 30 at 10:00 a.m. at Harvest Baptist Church. Lunch and nursery will be provided. The Church is located at 92 Hill St. Daly City, CA 94014. For more Information, please call Pastor Win Pechardo at (650) 296-0922.

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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.

Rising Tohoku Food Fair in Torrance, CA The Rising Tohoku Food Fair hosted by Mitsuwa Marketplace presents two full days of food and cultural festivities to celebrate the charms of the Tohoku region in Northeast Japan, which can be enjoyed by children and adults. In addition to presenting diverse and flavorful food products originating from the 6 prefectures of Tohoku, there will be a variety of paper craft activity workshops for families such as, coloring, origami, making hanagasa ornaments which can be used as fans, and writing wishes on tanzaku paper, in addition to city-specific dance performances and photo opportunities with city mascots. Mitsuwa Marketplace Torrance Store, 21515 Western Ave, Torrance, CA 90501. Fair hours are 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. daily. The full schedule of dance and festival presentations, crafts workshops, photo sessions with mascots and food fair can be found at: http://www.mitsuwa.com/locations/torrance. For more information, call 310.782.0335.

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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.

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Consular outreach mission in Pensacola, 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 Pensacola on Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20 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 “Pensacola 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 the Fil-Am Community Center at 234 West Oakfield Road, Pensacola, FL

D EC E M B E R 1 7-1 8

Consular outreach mission in Miami, 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 Pensacola on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. Services offered include: Philippine passport applications; legalization of documents (acknowledgment, authentication, etc.); and receipt of reports of birth, marriage and death. No applications for dual citizenship will be accepted at this time, as oaths of allegiance must be administered by the Philippine Consul General or Consul. For an appointment, please email consular@philippineusa.org and copy furnish honcon.miami@gmail.com. The Philippine Honorary Consulate in Miami is located at 12/F 1200 Brickell Ave., Miami, Florida 33131.

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Community Journal

Chariots and horses

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

“SOME trust in chariots and others in horses, but we trust in the name of the LORD our God” — Psalm 20:7 In other translations of the Bible, instead of the word “trust” they used “boast.” I guess that when you trust someone so much you do want to boast about them. The chariots and horses could signify the strength of the government or Henjie Pimenta the military system. The horses could mean the stability of trade and industry. Is it wrong to trust in the government who makes sure the citizens are properly taken care of and are behaving accordingly? The country’s defense system is in place to make sure that the country is protected from any foreign and local threat, maintaining peace and order. This particular verse could be interpreted and commented very well by other people including you but what I want to focus on is the part that says, “but we trust in the name of the LORD our God.” We can trust our future to our retirement money — depending on how much you have invested in your portfolio; trust in the company where we get our paycheck; or I can trust in my mother-in-law; some would trust in the supplemental income, others in small trade here and there. For wherever you get the source of your living, you want to make sure that it is ongoing and will not be cut off or that will be the day. We are so blessed to be in this country, the land of milk and honey, as my dad used to describe it. However, he has never gotten the chance to see it in person and is only familiar with news and current affairs. As citizens and migrants of this country, let us do the best that we can to participate in making America the nation that God wants it to be. The Lord allowed us to position ourselves in here not just to participate in taxation and be the workforce of this nation but to ensure that this country will remain stable in all areas of the government and economy and even in the safety of this land. As we all know that our nation is vulnerable to the bows and arrows of people who want to put this

country down; our crops and harvests could be devoured by locusts and mites at any time. I am speaking of the economic stability that could be threatened as well if things around us go wrong. Yes, we will not allow it to happen -- we will be watchful and vigilant to make sure that this country moves toward the right direction. But with all of this participation and intervention that we could do for America, the best weapon that we carry is the prayer. Prayer is not the last thing to do, we pray before, during and even after all our engages whatever it is - including this coming election. We all intercede and trust in the Lord. A familiar simple word of prayer to this nation: God Bless America, which has been in used as a common phrase to say a blessing even before our generations came into being. In as much as we can boast that we live in the “Land of the free and the home of the brave,” above all, we can trust in God alone for what he has done in this great nation and for more of the things that He can do. For through this nation, the overflowing of blessings is shared to other countries as well. The continuation of Psalm 20 in verse 8 says: “they are brought to their knees and fall, but we rise up and stand firm.” We will remain trusting in God no matter what circumstances lie before us. And all who trust in God are always victorious. Dear Abba Father, guide the thoughts and hearts of the people who will participate in the electoral process. Continue to lead this country to your direction, remaining humble and a servant to your son Jesus, and sensitive to the flow of the Holy Spirit’s guidance. This we pray in the matchless name of our Lord Jesus Christ. 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.

Elder scams on the…

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In conclusion, remember that as one gets older the ability to recognize scams weakens and as a result the elderly become the prime targets for these crimes. If you or someone you know is approaching this age, it is very important to be vigilant and be aware of potential scammers. It may be time to update your loved one’s power of attorney and become more involved in managing his or her finances. *** Elder Law Services of California is proud to announce that attorney Andrew Paranal has joined its trust department. Mr. Paranal began his career in estate planning in 2013 and has since expanded into asset protection and Medi-Cal planning. He became interested in Elder Law after helping care for a family member who experienced a debilitating event. Mr. Paranal is excited to join an established law firm and hopes to educate his Filipino community about the tremendous benefits of proper estate planning. For more information, please visit elderlawcalifornia.com or call 1-800-411-0546 (Advertising Supplement)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016

People and Events

Filipino appointed regional administrator of LA County Dept. of Children and Family Services in Glendora ARISTEO Banico is the new and first Filipino Regional Administrator for the Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) Glendora office located at 725 S. Grand Avenue, in Glendora. He oversees a staff of 256 including social workers that conduct emergency response investigations and provide continuing family services, supervising children in both in-home and out-of-home care placements. Mr. Banico received his bachelor’s degree in sociology from the University of the East and his graduate degree in guidance and counseling from the Philippine Normal University and has taught at several high schools and universities in the Philippines. He started working at DCFS in 1993 as a Children’s Social Worker, investigating child abuse referrals, and over the years has served as a Court Dependency Officer, Children’s Services Administrator and Assistant Regional Administrator of the Pomona and Covina offices since 2007. For the past 5 years, he managed the specialized units of the American Indian, Asian Pacific and Deaf Programs. Mr. Banico is a recipient of the Director’s

Employee Recognition Award and has received commendations from the LA County Board of Supervisors and various community organizations. He’s frequently been featured on LA18 TV, Korean News, Filipino TV –Kababayan LA and in local newspapers regarding DCFS initiatives for the Asian, American Indian and Deaf community. Mr. Banico welcomes all community partners who wish to contribute to programs promoting child safety, family development, parenting and permanency. For

anyone interested in becoming a foster care or adoptive parent, please call 1-888-811-1121. Mr. Banico, widely known as Aris, hails from Cavite City and is married to Becky Manahan for 26 years. His 2 sons are Aaron, a registered nurse and Austin, a respiratory therapy student. They reside in Chino Hills where they hold musical productions. Aris is an accomplished pianist and does his own musical arrangements. His interests include interior design, cultural information and philosophy. n

Did you know that only 37.1%* of Filipinos who qualify for food stamps actually receive food stamps?

God’s heart…

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 (19992001). 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.

Aristeo Banico

Are you Filipino living in LA?

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ways here on earth and challenge people to have the heart of God and live according to His precepts. We leave the judgment to God, the creator of all beings, good and bad in the eyes of men and women. ***

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Join us for a group discussion about Food Stamps and earn a $20 Target gift Card! for more information, contact: Kyle Tsukahira, Program Manager at APIOPA (213) 553 - 1800 ext. 404

or

ktsukahira@APIOPA.ORG

*data source: UCLA Center for Health Policy Research. AskCHIS 2014. Data based on <300% FPL.

FILIPINO PROGRAMMING

ONLYON LA18 All New “LolaBasyang.com” begins Sept.13th

3:00 PM

Lola Basyang.com

Boots Anson-Roa comes to LA18 via TV5’s LolaBasyang.com , playing Lola Basyang , who shares classic stories

Keeping You Connected

na may modern-day twist for our viewers! In this modern-day version, Lola B is a tech-savvy grandma, and she shares her stories with children via blogs and a webcam.

3:30 PM Kababayan Today with G Töngi 4:00 PM Aksyon News (Produced by TV5)

NEW ON LA18 !

G Töngi

C OCTOBER 29-NOVEMBER 1, 2016 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 29-NOvEmbER 1, 2016

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

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Some issues and pitfalls in pursuing US citizenship Electric trucks and buses Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ (Part 1)

FOR many people, attaining U.S. citizenship is the final step in achieving their “American Dream.” After getting a green card, they eagerly count off the years until they are finally eligible to apply for naturalization. However, for some people, applying for citizenship could cause problems, issues, and even being stripped of their green card and deported/removed. Applying for citizenship is not always a simple, straightforward task that a person should handle on their own. Instead, they may want to seek the advice or guidance of an attorney. Here are just some of the many issues or problems a person must consider before filing for naturalization: • Did the person obtain his or her green card lawfully? In some situations, people were able to obtain their green card, even though they were not legally entitled to it. For example, a person was petitioned by a parent as “single,” but they were already

“secretly” married. They were able to get their green card, and now attempt to file for citizenship. In many cases, USCIS digs deep into their case, and can discover the secret marriage in connection with their naturalization application. Not only is their naturalization application denied, but they may be put in removal/deportation because they obtained their green card through fraud or misrepresentation. • If a person obtained a green card through an employer’s petition, did the person work for that employer at the prevailing wage? Many people obtain their green cards through an employer’s sponsorship (PERM or labor certification). One requirement is a person must work for the employer for a reasonable time after obtaining their green card. Some people never really worked for the employer who petitioned them, or they quit working for the employer before they adjusted status or get the green card. If a person is applying for naturalization based on an employment – based green card, one of the first questions they will be asked is whether they ever worked for the employer. If they did not, or quit before adjusting status, their green card could also be in jeopardy. Similarly, if they were being petitioned at a certain wage (the prevailing wage), but were

DOT eyes tourism investments from Japan by Mary

Grace Philstar.com

Padin

MANIlA – The Philippine tourism chief’s visit to Tokyo would be focused on securing new investments for tourism infrastructure and engaging more airlines to fly directly to the Philippines, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said on Thursday, Oct. 27. Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo was in Japan until Oct. 28 as part of President Rodrigo’s delegation to position the Philippines as a choice tourist and investment destination for the Japanese. During the three-day visit, the DOT has scheduled meetings with tourism stakeholders, including Vanilla Air and Japanese companies that are interested in investing in tourism infrastructure. “As visitor arrivals from Japan to the Philippines continue to grow at an annual rate of 6.88 percent, our country has yet to tap into the Japanese market’s full potential as a top income generator,” Teo said. “Our scheduled business meetings would hopefully encourage

Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo AJPress file photo by Noel Ty

Japanese travel trade to expand operations in the Philippines,” Teo added. Teo expressed confidence that the Philippines would rank higher in the top destinations of Japanese tourists in the region and worldwide, as compared to its 2010 ranking of 10th and 17th, respectively. She said the growth would be driven by more direct flights from Fukuoka, Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, Japan.

US fund agency evaluating PH aid by Prinz

P. MaGtulis Philstar.com

MANIlA – A US-led funding agency is set to evaluate the Philippines’ eligibility by December for a second five-year grant that will inevitably be implemented under the term of President Rodrigo Duterte. The Millennium Challenge Corp. (MCC) will come out with a decision whether the country could secure additional funding that will follow through the $434million aid it gave in 2011. “The MCC Board initially selected the Philippines as eligible to develop a second compact in December 2014. like all countries..., MCC’s Board must reselect the Philippines each year during compact development for the process to continue,” the US Embassy said in an e-mail. “As a result, in December, MCC’s Board will indeed, once again, evaluate the Philippines for continued eligibility,” it added. Pending evaluation, however, work remains ongoing on identifying specific projects to be financed by the grant. It usually takes two and a half years to de-

velop a program. For now, the embassy only said based on its analysis, the grant would likely fund projects that would “address agricultural productivity and competitiveness,” without giving details. According to MCC, eligibility evaluation would focus on a “country scorecard” gauging the donee’s economic freedom, investment on people, and rule of law. Separate metrics under each of the three categories were provided, including fiscal and trade performance, health and primary education expenditures, protection of political rights, civil liberties and freedom of information. Once approved, the second compact will be implemented under President Duterte, who has criticized the US on several public occasions. On its first compact, MCC financed three programs worth $434 million. The bulk of the amount worth $262 million went to the Secondary National Roads Development Project that aimed to improve market access for fishPAGE D2

Business Quote of the Week “All of the great leaders have had one characteristic in common: it was the willingness to confront unequivocally the major anxiety of their people in their time. This, and not much else, is the essence of leadership.” - John Kenneth Galbraith, economist and a leading proponent of the 20th-century American liberalism

never paid that wage, it could also result in problems, as they may be asked to produce their tax returns and pay stubs, documenting they were paid the wage specified in the petition. • Did the person commit any crime while a green card holder? After obtaining a green card, a person may have been arrested or convicted of a crime, such as shoplifting, domestic violence, DUI, etc. They may have even pled guilty, entered into some form of plea deal and later had the conviction expunged. However, certain crimes could make a person ineligible for citizenship, and may even affect their status as a lawful permanent resident. There have been many cases where a green card holder committed a crime, which “alerted” DHS when they filed for naturalization, resulting in them being placed in removal/deportation proceedings. If a person was ever convicted of certain crimes or pled guilty to those crimes, they are still considered convicted, even if they later had the conviction expunged. As you can see, there are so many issues that could come up in connection with a person’s eligibility for naturalization. In my

can reduce pollution and create job opportunities

next article, I will discuss more issues and pitfalls that one may encounter in pursuing his or her U.S. citizenship. If you have any questions about your past, or eligibility for naturalization, you should definitely seek the advice of an attorney before filing for naturalization. This is because once you OAklAND — California’s file, and USCIS starts digging into your past, you may have dug emerging market for electric buses and trucks provides a siga hole for yourself. nificant opportunity to improve *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an public health in communities active member of the State Bar of California most affected by traffic-related and New York. All immigration services are pollution and to bring jobs to provided by, or under the supervision of, an people who need them most, active member of the State Bar of California. according to a new report by the Each case is different. The information Union of Concerned Scientists contained herein including testimonials, and the Greenlining Institute. The report, “Delivering Op“Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not portunity: How Electric Buses intended to apply to any particular case, and and Trucks Can Create Jobs and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, Improve Public Health in Califorguarantee or legal advice regarding the nia,” examines the state of elecoutcome of your legal matter. No attorney- tric vehicle technology and its client relationship is, or shall be, established potential for reducing pollution from heavy-duty vehicles while with any reader. creating job opportunities for WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for underserved communities. With the right policies and investments anywhere in the US: to speed the conversion of trucks (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES and buses to electric power, the · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES report concludes that California (Advertising Supplement) can clean its air, cut global warm-

New report details public health and economic benefits of cleaner heavy-duty vehicle ing emissions, and create a more equitable economy. “Advances in technology are making it possible to expand the market for electric heavy-duty vehicles,” said co-author Jimmy O’Dea, a UCS vehicles analyst. “With transportation the biggest source of pollution in California, reducing harmful tailpipe emissions from diesel trucks and buses should be the next frontier in fighting pollution and climate change.” Powering heavy-duty vehicles with electricity will improve air quality and public health, particularly in low-income communities and communities of color that bear the greatest burdens of traffic-related pollution in California, according to the report. The emerging industry also has the potential to produce well-paid manufacturing jobs. PAGE D2

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Open enrollment ends on January 31 Based on Us Census data, more than 24,000 Filipino americans throughout Los angeles County do not have health insurance. dignity Health – Glendale Memorial Hospital and Health Center is here to help you find the right Covered California plan today. “Many Filipino americans are unaware of how health insurance can help pay for services in a hospital. No one plans a trip to the hospital, but it’s those moments that we need to be prepared for the most.” - Liza abcede, MBa, BsN, CCRN, Vice President/Chief Nurse executive, dignity Health – Glendale Memorial Hospital The open enrollment period for 2017 coverage begins November 1st, 2016. If you do not President Rodrigo Duterte speaks during a meeting at Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s official residence in Tokyo Wednesday, Oct. 26. have health insurance, there is a

Malacañang photo

penalty tax for most americans. To avoid the penalty and get care from local doctors affiliated with Glendale Memorial Hospital, sign up for one of the available plans: anthem ePO, Blue shield HMO, Blue shield PPO, and Health Net Community Care HMO. Our affiliate brokers are enrollment experts. In person or over the phone, they’ll help you understand all your options and walk you through every step to make sure you find the best plan and doctors available. Contact our certified Covered Ca insurance agents at no cost to you and get started before the enrollment period ends. For more information, call (818) 863-6518 or visit Liza Abcede, Vice President/Chief Nurse dignityHealth.org/enroll. Executive, Dignity Health – Glendale Memorial

(Advertising Supplement)

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Mitsubishi commits to PH auto industry development 200-K new jobs from Japan deals by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MaNILa - Japanese automotive giant Mitsubishi Motors Corp. signed on Thursday, Oct. 27 in Tokyo a letter of intent (LOI) with the Philippine government witnessed by President duterte, to continue its support on the local automotive industry under the current administration. Mitsubishi said the LOI with the department of Trade and Industry reinforces its commitment to further contribute to the Philippine economy through expansion of local production. In June, its local unit Mitsubishi Motors Philippines Corp. (MMPC) received approval to participate in

the government’s Comprehensive automotive Resurgence strategy (CaRs) program. “The LOI reconfirms both parties’ commitment regarding the CaRs program and contribution to the Philippine automobile industry under the duterte administration,” Mitsubishi said. MMPC will participate in the CaRs program through local production of the Mirage and Mirage G4 subcompact models starting January 2017. Under the CaRs program, three local car assemblers may apply for fiscal support by locally assembling new vehicle models with a commitment to produce 200,000 units for each model dur-

ing its six-year model life. The program, signed by former president Benigno aquino III under eO 182, seeks to boost the country’s automotive manufacturing industry by providing P27 billion worth of incentives to local automotive assemblers. “Receiving approval to participate in the CaRs program from the dTI affirms the over 50 years of contribution to the development of the Philippine automobile industry. It is my hope that MMPC not only promotes employment in the Philippines but also contributes to the overall development of the economy,” Mitsubishi chairman, president and CeO Osamu Masuko said.

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MaNILa – at least 200,000 new jobs for Filipinos are expected to be generated by the multibilliondollar deals to be taken home by the private sector in line with President Rodrigo duterte’s three-day state visit in Japan, Trade secretary Ramon Lopez said. Lopez said there are initially 12 memoranda of understanding between private entities with investment value of around $1.5 billion likely to be signed during the Japan visit. He said the projects would be in the areas of automotive, ship building, biomass fuel, optical image stabilizers, agriculture,

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez

electric vehicles, renewable energy and energy management system. “Japanese companies are major players in some of our industries, especially in automotive, ship building and agriculture, and these are industries where we

expect more investments and joint ventures to expand,” Lopez said. The country’s Trade chief said the Philippine government is bullish in further strengthening trade and investments from Japan. Japan is currently the country’s largest trading partner with over $18 billion in total trade. The Philippines exports more to Japan than it imports, resulting in a trade surplus of $6 billion. duterte’s visit to Japan is expected to further strengthen the partnership between the two countries. after winning the elections, duterte was invited by Japanese Prime Minister shinzo abe to visit Japan, which the Philippine president accepted during a bilateral meeting on the sidelines of the 28th association of southeast asian Nations summit recently.

Ignore political noise, DICT tells BPO players MaNILa - department of Information and Communications Technology (dICT) secretary Rodolfo salalima is urging investors in the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry to ignore the political noise and continue to invest in the Philippines. speaking before members of the Information Technology and Business Process association of the Philippines (IBPaP) on Thursday, Oct. 27, salalima assured BPO players would be protected and taken careof under the current administration. “To the BPO industry, the Philippine government envisions a developed nation that will be dubbed as a world-class ICT service provider. Together, we will work on this,” salalima said. “Forget the political noise. The President is sincere and a very humane person. But he is also very sensitive one. It is just the way he talks but your President is very sincere as far as the BPO industry is concerned,” he added. duterte’s verbal assaults against the United states have caused anxiety in recent weeks

among several american investors, particularly those in the BPO space. The IBPaP, which last week requested a dialogue with the President, said the industry’s concerns were more on a need for clarification on the pronouncements of being made by the country’s chief executive. In response to this, salalima assured the industry the government, through the dICT, would continue what has been started with regard to the development of the BPO industry. “Contracts that have been enforced and still existing shall be respected and will continue until their full implementation,” he said. “Time and again, he (duterte) has confided to me about the fact that he really cares for business. With this I assure you that the BPO industry will be protected not only by me but by the President and the government. Nothing bad will happen to you for as long as you do business in the country,” salalima added. (Philstar.com)

Electric trucks and buses can... PAGE D1 “electric trucks and buses – their manufacture as well as their maintenance – can be a great source of jobs for those left out of the economic recovery,” said co-author Joel espino, legal counsel for environmental equity at the Greenlining Institute. “But it won’t happen automatically. We need to create effective training programs, particularly ones that focus on electrical skills, to improve access to jobs in this emerging sector for low-skilled workers.” Other findings of the report include: • Heavy-duty vehicles are the single largest source of smogproducing nitrogen oxides (NOx) in California and produce more particulate matter (PM) than all of the state’s power plants combined. These vehicles also account for 7 percent of California’s global warming emissions – an amount projected to increase as freight shipments grow. • electric-powered heavy-duty vehicles are up to four times as energy efficient as diesel and natural gas engines, while being quieter and boasting similar if not better acceleration times and ability to climb hills. • Ranges of over 100 miles per charge, and charging and refueling times under 20 minutes have been made possible by today’s battery and fuel cell technologies. some leading electric bus and truck manufacturers in California pay assemblers $13 to $20 per

hour to start, higher than the overall median pay for assemblers in California, which ranges from $12.60 to $14.37 per hour. Leading electric bus and truck companies in California typically require 1-3 years of related experience for assemblers, a higher standard than general manufacturing assembler jobs. This restricts entry for low-skilled workers from underserved communities, but effective hiring and job training programs (currently lacking in this emerging field) could overcome that barrier. The Union of Concerned scientists puts rigorous, independent science to work to solve our planet’s most pressing problems. Joining with citizens across the country, we combine technical analysis and effective advocacy to create innovative, practical solutions for a healthy, safe and sustainable future. For more information, go to www.ucsusa. org. Founded in 1993, The Greenlining Institute envisions a nation where communities of color thrive and race is never a barrier to economic opportunity. Because people of color will be the majority of our population by 2044, america will prosper only if communities of color prosper. Greenlining advances economic opportunity and empowerment for people of color through advocacy, community and coalition building, research, and leadership development. For more information, go to: www. greenlining.org.

US fund agency evaluating... PAGE D1 ers and farmers. a total of $120 million went to the Kalahi-CIdss project for poor communities of the department of

social Welfare and development. The balance of $54.3 million was given to the Bureau of Internal Revenue for its revenue automation project.

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Filipino customers guaranteed top service at Hooman Chrysler Hyundai Dodge Jeep Ram For many folks, buying a car is often stressful and laborious. Figuring out finances, picking out the right make and model and deciding on the right dealership are just among the few things to worry about when making one of the most important purchases. But at Hooman Chrysler Hyundai Dodge Jeep ram, consumers are guaranteed honest service from an unrivaled team of sales consultants and managers. General Manager Manny Martinez – who describes himself as a “die hard Filipino” -- has been in the automobile industry for decades and understands the importance of customer satisfaction. At Hooman, he and his expert team make that a company priority. Hooman is dedicated to providing quality service and reasonable prices, regardless of customers’ credit. Working with reliable banks, they are able to approve clients no matter the circumstances: first time buyers with little credit history, customers undergoing bankruptcy, families who have experience home foreclosures and customers with credit issues. Whatever the situation, Hooman is sure to deliver. Where other dealerships merely claim to cater to those with credit issues, Hooman makes it a prime concern to make sure that credit doesn’t deter anyone from purchasing a car. Moreover, Hyundai and Chrysler, in particular, are able to grant generous rebates, which can help when putting a down payment on an automobile. Since taking over as GM in September, Martinez has been putting together a special team of Filipino American managers and salespeople to help Filipino clients. Martinez sought to cater to the Filipino community in this way because he knows that trust and loyalty are huge elements in the business of automobiles. “We love the Filipinos because they deserve to get a new car because they work hard and they are very, very good people.

Manny Martinez, General Manager

Patrick Toledo, Used Car & Rental Fleet Director

They are good citizens of this country and they deserve to be assisted even if they have really bad credit,” Martinez said. Currently on his Tagalogspeaking team are Used Car and rental Fleet Director Patrick Toledo and Sales Consultant Arvin Aberilla who were handpicked for their experience, integrity and their dedication to deliver first-class service to clients. Serving the Filipino-American community has always been a mission for Martinez, who was a part of the first car dealership to advertise to the Filipino

Arvin Aberilla, Filipino Department

community in 1995. “My priority is always the Filipino community since I got into the car business in 1989,” Martinez said. “We’ve always treated Filipinos with a lot of respect, and they’ve always been very loyal.” Hooman Chrysler Hyundai Dodge Jeep ram is located on 333 Hindry Ave., Inglewood, CA 90301 and are opened Monday-Saturday from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. To call for more information, call (424) 331-7000. (Advertising Supplement)

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Mercedes-Benz unveils new pickup truck The Mercedes-Benz brand has always been associated with luxurious sedans and SUVs. The popular global automotive manufacturer, however, is marking a new shift by introducing its first premium pickup truck, X-Class. The sleek and stylish midsize truck, which is set to make its debut in europe and South America sometime next year, boasts an all-wheel drive and high-torque V6 engines. According to a report from The Verge, the Germany-based company will release two versions of the new truck—one for off-road use and the other highlighting premium styling. “With the Mercedes-Benz pickup we will close one of the last gaps in our portfolio,” MercedesBenz Daimler CeO Dieter Zetsche said in a press statement. “The X-Class will set new standards in a growing segment.” The X-Class variants will reportedly retain some of the brand’s iconic features with differential features. The off-road model, labeled as the “Powerful Adventurer,” will feature a higher ride-height and much-improved ground clearance. It will also have extra protec-

The new Mercedes-Benz pick-up “X-Class” Screengrab from Mercedes-Benz official website

tion on the wheel arches, an electric winch at the front and a metal hook at the back. Its counterpart, the “Stylish explorer,” will have the typical SUV feel to it, with cleaner running lines, flared wheel arches, and 22-inch light-alloy wheels. Both models, meanwhile, will contain technological extras, including a central touchscreen display “similar to a smartphone” and “modern driver assistance.” The company expects a bit of an adjustment period for consumers to get used to their new automobile, but they are heavily relying on the expanding popu-

larity of the pickup truck sector to drive sales. The company also hopes to address both ”private and commercial use” with the new pickup and bridge the gap between urban and city use. After its release on selected markets next year, MercedesBenz will make it available to Latin American markets in 2018. As of this writing, the company said “the pickup is under consideration for the US market at some point, but no timeline is available for a decision to be made.” (Khristian Ibarrola/Inquirer.net)

IT-BPM sets 6-year plan toward $40-B revenues by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA - Despite concerns arising from President Duterte’s anti-US stance, the country’s information technology and business process management (IT-BPM) industry is embarking on another aggressive six-year plan that targets nearly $40 billion in revenues and 1.8 million more jobs by 2022. The Information Technology and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) unveiled on Thursday, Oct. 27 the IT-BPM Roadmap which will chart the growth path of the industry in the next six years. Under the roadmap, the local IT-BPM industry aims to generate revenues of $38.9 billion by end-2022. Its revenue is expected to hit $25 billion by the end of this year. As a result of the hike in revenue, the industry’s share of the global market will increase to 15.5 percent from this year’s 12.6 percent. Also by the end of 2022, the

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IT-BPM industry is seen producing 1.8 million jobs, of which more than 500,000 will come from outside the National Capital Region and 73 percent are mid to high value. The IBPAP is also looking to hire more post-graduates which will account for 16 percent of the total jobs generated by 2022, as compared to only seven percent of the total employment produced this year. “IBPAP’s past two roadmaps, Roadmap 2010 and 2016, have been instrumental in successfully growing the IT-BPM industry. With global trends focusing on artificial intelligence, digital transformation, big data and new delivery models, it is important that the sector future proofs itself. With this new roadmap, we aim to accelerate the industry even farther to prove that the Philippines is a future-ready investment destination,” IBPAP chairman Danilo Reyes said. According to the IBPAP, Roadmap 2022 is its most ambitious blueprint to date as it took a

sectoral approach. “Through this approach, a stable and more inclusive growth is expected to be achieved, resulting to a stronger and thriving IT-BPM industry that effectively responds to evolving market demands,” the group said. In response to Duterte’s “cutting ties with the US” statement in China, the IBPAP last week reached out to the Office of the President to secure an audience with him and “directly discuss our industry’s asks from government.” Reyes said it has received confirmation from the President’s team that Duterte is willing to dialogue with the association. he said confirmation of the exact date of the meeting is still being finalized. The IBPAP will also be handing out to the President a copy of its Roadmap 2022 during the meeting. The US is a top country investor for the Philippines, most recently in the BPO space which currently employs about 1.3 million.

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