090217 - Los Angeles Weekend Edition

September 2-5, 2017 Volume 27 - No. 69 • 4 Sections – 34 Pages

DATELINE

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Hurricane Harvey leaves massive cleanup process Hurricane Irma makes a move

the category 4 tropical storm harvey revealed massive cleanup challenges as it made an exit on friday, september 1. meanwhile, surrounding areas brace for the flood’s repercussions, and hurricane irma makes an appearance in the Atlantic ocean. hurricane harvey took an exit friday after about a week of extreme winds and rainfalls across large parts of texas and Louisiana. the storm made three landfalls with sustained winds of around 130 miles (215 kilometers) per hour, making it the most powerful storm to hit the U.s. since Katrina in 2005.

At least 45 deaths suspected to be harvey related have been recorded so far and the numbers are subject to change as first responders continue their searches.

With thousands of homes and infrastruc-

Duterte to put national interest first in reacquiring Marcos ‘ill-gotten wealth’

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

PhiLiPPine President rodrigo duterte is studying “how best to proceed” on the reported offer of former President ferdinand marcos’ family to return portion of their alleged ill-gotten wealth back to the government. malacañang, on friday, september 1, assured the public that duterte will put the nation’s interest first in any possible agreements with the marcos family.

“We understand that certain parties have indicated to the President that there may be an opportunity for the assets of

the marcos family to be turned over to the republic,” duterte’s spokesperson ernesto Abella said.

According to him, no clear decision on the proposal has been made yet.

“As this matter becomes clearer, we will advise what further action will be taken to finally obtain justice,” the Palace official added. earlier this week, duterte claimed that the marcoses are willing to return a portion of wealth—including few gold bars— which were accumulated during the twodecade rule of the late dictator.

President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, Aug. 29 said the Marcos family had agreed to return As of last year, the Presidential Com- their vast unexplained wealth, including a “few gold bars,” to the government. In photo is

u PAGE A2

former first Lady Imelda Marcos.

Filipinos accused of links to Marawi City siege ordered freed

u PAGE A3

Trump admin slashes millions from budget used to push Obamacare President donald trump has insisted for months that “obamacare is already dead.” his administration matched its harsh words with damaging action on thursday — slashing millions of dollars from the government’s budget to promote the health law’s annual open enrollment season beginning in two months. the move is likely to translate into reduced marketing and fewer navigators — trained representatives deployed by nonprofit groups that receive federal grants to help people understand health insurance options and purchase a plan. the effect could cause more confusion for consumers in an

u PAGE A4

Bring home friends, win prizes, overseas Filipinos urged by robertzon

ramirez

Philstar.com

mAniLA - to entice foreign travelers to the Philippines, the department of tourism (dot) will give away a condominium unit, a car or P200,000 shopping spree and roundtrip international tickets for filipinos abroad who can bring a foreign friend Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo to the country.

AJPress photo by Noel Ty tourism secretary Wanda teo said the dot will give away incentives to filipinos abroad in line with the revival of the Bring home a friend program. the program encourages filipinos living abroad to become ambassadors of goodwill to

u PAGE A2

Philstar.com file photo

by Jim

Gomez Philstar.com

TESDA ANNIVERSARY. President Rodrigo Roa Duterte graced the 23rd anniversary celebration of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) on Wednesday, August 30, urging the agency to keep on empowering Filipinos who are seeking to advance their careers.He also called on the agency to continue empowering Filipinos, particularly the unemployed, out-of-school youths, persons with disabilities, returning OFWs, the poor, and the marginalized in their quest for career achievement.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Valerie Escalera

mAniLA — Philippine prosecutors have dismissed rebellion complaints against 59 men who were stopped by police and army troops at two checkpoints in the south and accused of attempting to join islamic state-linked militants who laid siege to a southern city. senior government prosecutor Peter ong said on thursday, Aug. 31 the complaints filed by the military against the muslim men were dismissed because of a lack of strong evidence, and authorities were ordered to free all the men. “it is clear that respondents were not committing the crime of rebellion or any crime at the time of their arrests,” ong and two other prosecutors said in their findings, a copy of which was seen by the Associated Press. the men, who traveled in two big groups,

u PAGE A6

Duterte: I’ll resign if evidence proves my son is into corruption by neStor

CorraleS Inquirer.net

President rodrigo duterte reiterated on friday, sept. 1 he was ready to resign as the country’s chief executive if there is solid evidence against his son’s involvement in corrupt activities.

But duterte made it clear he won’t accept a “garbage” evidence like the cor-

ruption allegations hurled by sen. Antonio trillanes iV against his son davao City Vice mayor Paolo duterte. “itong anak kong si Pulong, sinabi ko bigyan niyo lang ako ng affidavit na may taong nagbigay (kay Paolo), siya mismo (tumanggap), may camera, may audio mas maganda, na tinanggap niya at narinig ko ‘ito bayad sa ano,’” duterte said in a speech during the 11th anniver-

sary of the eastern mindanao Command in davao City.

(My son Pulong, i told that you just give me an affidavit that my son received it, there’s a camera, there’s audio much better, that he received it and i heard “here’s my payment to you.”)

Pulong is the nickname of duterte’s Mark Ruben Taguba II, the “fly-by-night” broker at the Customs, has cleared Davao City Vice Mayor son.

Callamard slams Duterte: UN visit not a vehicle for entertainment

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

United nations (Un) special rapporteur on extrajudicial executions Agnes Callamard rejected anew Philippine President rodrigo duterte’s invitation for her to visit and assess the current situation in the country. in a series of social media posts, Callamard reiterated that the preconditions on her official visit to investigate the alleged state-sanctioned killings and rights abuses linked to duterte’s so-called drug war were “unacceptable.”

“An official visit is not a vehicle for entertainment, theatrics, or politicking,” the Un rapporteur said in a tweet on Wednesday, August 30.

u PAGE A3

UN Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial Executions Agnes Callamard Inquirer.net photo

u PAGE A2

Paolo Duterte of any involvement in anomalies at the agency.

ManilaTimes.net photo

A September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

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

From the Front Page

Bring home friends, win prizes, overseas...

PAGE A1 t help the DOT sell the Philippines to the international market.

Teo said the winners will receive a condominium unit from Megaworld, a car or shopping spree worth P200,000 at Duty Free Philippines and international and domestic roundtrip tickets from Philippine Airlines. A raffle

draw will be held as part of the program.

“I know you are all eager to do it for free. But just the same, the DOT with the private sector will be giving away incentives to those who can bring home a friend from Sept. 1, 2017 to March 2018,” Teo said when she met with the Filipino-Cana-

dian community in Ontario.

Teo’s announcement was made through a four-minute video posted on her official Facebook page.

In the video, Teo also urged Filipinos abroad to coordinate with DOT officials assigned in their region for more information on the grand raffle draw.

Teo also announced that the DOT will reopen its office in Toronto, Canada.

“This is just the beginning of a stronger tourism promotion in Canada as we prepare to reopen the DOT office in Toronto,” she said.

In her Facebook page, Teo posted photos of her in Toronto on Monday where she was seen speaking at city hall for the culmination of the 19th Mabuhay Philippine Festival 2017, which aims to encourage Filipinos longing to come back to the Philippines.

She was also recognized by Canada’s member of provincial parliament Han Dong on Friday for her drive to promote tourism between Ontario and the Philippines during the Philippine Tapestry show in Ontario.

Teo arrived in Toronto on Aug. 23 to attend the fashion show for the Mabuhay Philippine Festival, which features the country’s indigenous textiles. n

Duterte to put national interest...

PAGE A1 t

mission on Good Government (PCGG) was able to recover $4 billion of ill-gotten wealth acquired by Marcos and his cronies.

The agency was created in 1986 to go after an estimated $10 billion-worth of cash and assets reportedly plundered by the Marcoses.

Ilocos Norte Governor Imee Marcos, the eldest daughter of the late president, said she believed Duterte “could end” the decades-long litigation on the ill-gotten wealth allegedly amassed during her father’s term.

“We trust that the president can end the decades-long case, and our family is still discussing it, but it’s in the hands of our lawyers,” she said.

Asked if the negotiations with the government for the return of questioned assets were ongoing, Imee responded: “Wala

pa, wala pa (nothing yet).”

Legal repercussions On Wednesday, August 30, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the government may consider the possibility of entering into a compromise agreement with the Marcos family.

“The president is authorized and has the power to make compromise or any agreement with the Marcoses. If there will be a new agreement, there should be an enabling law or initiative law to be issued by the president himself,” he said.

Aguirre, whose department supervises the PCGG, said the possible compromise agreement would need a further study, as it may cause legal repercussions in the cases against the Marcoses.

“That (return of Marcos wealth) could be done under the framework of the law.

There could be repercussions

of cases being handled by the PCGG,” he explained.

The justice secretary also noted that Duterte’s plan to form a new anti-graft and corruption office should be taken into consideration.

“Although we support the president in the formation of that body, he can consider the option of giving new powers to the PCGG by appointing additional two commissioners to strengthen its jurisdiction,” Aguirre said.

Martial law victims: ‘Unacceptable’ But for victims of human rights during Marcos’ dictatorship, the supposed plan to return some of the family’s ill-gotten wealth is “unacceptable.”

Claimants 1081, a group composed of over 9,000 rights abuse victims during martial law, said that the Marcoses

u PAGE A3

Duterte: I’ll resign if evidence proves my...

PAGE A1 t

Trillanes has claimed that the younger Duterte and the President’s son-in-law, Manases “Mans” Carpio, were receiving bribe money to facilitate the entry and release of shipments at the

Bureau of Customs.

Both Paolo and Carpio have denied the senator’s accusations.

Duterte reiterated his oft-repeated line that he was ready to resign if one of his children were involved in corruption.

“I have assured you (that), noon pa pag-upo ko kasi importante yan, your trust (ever since I assumed office, trust is very important),” the President said.

But he said he would not accept any evidence from Trillanes,

one of his staunchest critic, saying all the senator’s accusations were “garbage.”

“Kung may ebidensya, huwag ‘yung kay Trillanes kasi basura man talaga lahat ‘yan (If there is evidence, not that came from Trillanes because they are garbage),” he said.

The name of Paolo has been dragged into the alleged corruption activities at the Bureau of Customs and tagged him as among the people behind the socalled “Davao Group.” n

Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, urges the cooperation of the People’s Republic of China in the country’s investigation of P6.4 billion of illegal drugs found in Valenzuela last May. Senate photo by Alexis Nuevaespaña

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

From the Front page

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

A

Callamard slams Duterte: UN visit not a...

PAGE A1 t

EID’L ADHA. A young boy watches as his elders offer Eid’l Adha prayers at the open grounds of the Quezon City Memorial Circle. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) on Friday, Sept. 1.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

Hurricane Harvey leaves massive...

PAGE A1 t

ture waterlogged, and even more people displaced, the road to recovery is said to be a long and costly one.

On Friday, President Donald Trump proclaimed Sunday, September 3, a National Day of Prayer for Texas and tweeted he would be visiting the state on Saturday for the second time this week.

The tweet reads, “Texas is healing fast thanks to all of the great men & women who have been working so hard. But still so much to do. Will be back tomorrow.”

Texas Governor Greg Abbott on Friday said on ABC’s Good Morning America that the storm resulted in a “massive, massive cleanup process.”

“This is not going to be shortterm project,” said Abbott. “This is going to be a multiyear project for Texas to be able to dig out of this catastrophe.”

In a Friday afternoon briefing, Abbott said that more than 42,000 people were in shelters across Texas on Thursday night — 3,000 Texans were also said to be in Louisiana shelters.

Over 185,000 homes in Texas were said to be damaged and 9,000 were destroyed, according to the Texas Department of Public Safety.

Floods ahead As Harvey waters recede in Houston, officials are still urging those in flood prone areas such as Beaumont, to evacuate immediately as many rivers and basins remain vulnerable to “life threat-

“An official visit without respect for the victims, respect for the law, respect for due process would be unacceptable,” she added.

Duterte invited the UN rapporteur last December with the preconditions including a public debate with him, and that she should take an oath to “confirm her intention to be truthful.”

But Callamard then said that such preconditions “contravene both the spirit and the letter of the code of conduct and are not in line with the working methods of Special Procedures.”

Earlier this week, Duterte accused Callamard of speaking up without having no idea about the context of drug menace in the Philippines after she issued a fresh statement condemning his anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Duterte hurled fresh expletives against Callamard after she posted in a social media that the death of 17-year-old Kian Delos Santos should be the last in his drug war.

“T*** i** niya, sabihin mo.

Huwag niya akong takutin.

P***** i** niya. G*** pala siya eh.

Taga-saan ba ‘yang buang na ‘yan (Tell her son of a b****. She should not intimidate me. Son of a b****. She is a fool),” an irked Duterte remarked.

He went on to say, “Papuntahan mo siya dito. Tingnan mo ang sitwasyon. Do not ever give me

Duterte to put...

PAGE A2 t Marines assigned to the 4th Reconnaissance Battalion, 4th Marine Division, Marine Forces Reserve (MFR) and joint integrated agencies conduct search and rescue operations in order to evacuate civilians from their homes and life-threatening conditions in Beaumont, Texas. MFR is posturing ground, air, and logistics assets in order to support FEMA, state and local response efforts due to Hurricane Harvey.

U.S. Navy photo

ening” flooding.

Residents in the city of Beaumont, 100 miles east of Houston, further grow anxious as damaged water pumping stations prevent access to clean water. When they’ll be running again is unknown.

Evacuations have already been in made in the city with a population of 120,000. According to Abbott, around 1,000 people have been evacuated overnight to Dallas and San Antonio.

Hurricane Irma Seen travelling across the Atlantic Ocean was Hurricane Irma which sustained winds of 110 mph late Friday morning, accord-

ing to the National Weather Service.

Still hundreds of miles from land, no projected landfall has been made. But forecasts show the category 3 storm potentially heading north or south of Puerto Rico, or the Dominican Republic and Haiti by the middle of next week.

In a USA Today report, Accuweather meteorologists Even Meyers said that if Irma was to reach the U.S. mainland as a category 4 storm, it would be the first time in 100 years for the U.S. to be hit by two category 4 storms in the same year. (Rae Ann Varona/ AJPress)

“have no moral or legal rights to choose to return ‘some’ of these ill-gotten wealth.”

“The announcement of President Duterte that the Marcoses will return a portion of their ill-gotten wealth is unacceptable. First, this is a clear admission that the Marcoses still have ill-gotten wealth stolen from the Filipino people during Marcos’ regime,” the group’s executive director, Zenaida Mique, said.

She stressed that if the Marcoses “are sincere in their offer, they should return all their illgotten wealth.”

Mique added, “We’re talking here of Filipino people’s money. The government should vigorously pursue the so many forfeiture cases against the Marcoses pending in Sandiganbayan, Supreme Court and other courts.” n

that kind of sh**. (Let her come here. Look at the situation. Do not ever give me that kind of sh**).”

A Palace official later clarified that the conditions previously set for the UN rapporteur’s visit had not changed.

Callamard lamented Duterte’s expletive-laden response.

“I regret President Duterte’s response to my condolences to Kian Lloyd delos Santos’ family. Kian and others like him deserve dignity and justice. His

family and families like his demand our respect and empathy.

Not expletives,” she said.

The UN rapporteur further stressed that it is the Philippine government’s obligation to ensure that “all unlawful deaths at the hands of the Police are independently, impartially, effectively, and promptly investigated.”

She also affirmed her “keen interest and commitment to undertake an official visit to the Philippines.” n

A September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline USa

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

Woman goes on racist rant on Filipino couple, speaks out on Facebook

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

FooTAge of an elderly Filipino couple receiving racist remarks on the Vancouver SkyTrain on monday, August 21, has gone viral. The verbal attacker has since spoken out. in the video, the 75-year-old woman from new Westminster, canada is seen verbally attacking

an elderly Filipino couple seated on the SkyTrain.

The woman tells the couple to “go back to the f-ing philippines.� When the Filipina woman tells her not to say that, the woman replies, “i’ll say what i want.�

The rant was in response to hearing the couple speaking loudly in Tagalog. When a young man defends the couple and calls

% 0 ( " , (

+" ' % +' + )+( ,,"(' % (+)(+ -"('

$&35*'*&% 41&$*"-*45 */ *..*(3"5*0/ "/% /"5*0/"-*5: -"8

8IJFE (==@:<

9C<IE<I!:8C@=FIE@8@DD@>I8K@FE LJ

the woman a racist, she says, â&#x20AC;&#x153;i am not a racist. i asked them to talk a little lower.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Their excuse was that they talk like that in their country,â&#x20AC;? argued the woman in a mockingly high pitched voice.

The young teen continued to defend the couple, calling the woman a racist, and telling her to get off the train.

Before exiting the train, the woman tells the couple one last time to â&#x20AC;&#x153;go back to the philippines.â&#x20AC;?

The video was originally posted on Facebook by a user named Ashley Klassen, and has been shared over 4,000 times and garnered over 3,000 likes. The post read, â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is probably the most disgusting thing iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve ever seen.

Unfiltered Vancouver racism. Shout out to the kid up front.â&#x20AC;? in a follow up video, Klassen said she could not believe what she was seeing. She originally posted the video on social media to show her friends and family what she experienced that day. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i felt like i needed to take a video because if i were to tell anybody what i saw, they would need to see it with their eyes.â&#x20AC;?

Klassen also praised the young man, who she said was around 13 to 14 years old, for standing up for the elderly couple. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Kudos to him for stepping up and letting the lady know that she was out of line,â&#x20AC;? said Klassen. â&#x20AC;&#x153;it was really brave of him to do that.â&#x20AC;?

Woman speaks out The woman has since spoken out about the incident via Facebook, according to Klassen. in the womanâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s post, she admitted to feeling ashamed by the racist remarks, before explaining her side. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i did something last monday that i am truly ashamed of,â&#x20AC;? reads the post. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i said some very racist things on the SkyTrain but what was shown is less than two minutes of a five-minute exchange.â&#x20AC;?

She then added that she was â&#x20AC;&#x153;yelled and pokedâ&#x20AC;? at by the â&#x20AC;&#x153;seemingly innocent couple.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;They brought up their race. i know culturally some people are allowed being half italian, but you need to be aware that others are bothered by it.â&#x20AC;?

According to news1130, the woman is known to police after

Filipino-AmericAn Jordan clarkson, guard of the los Angeles lakers, graced a meet and greet event at San lorenzo ruiz parish in Walnut, california on Saturday, August 26. There, the 25-year-old met parishioners from the Fil-Am community and signed basketballs and jerseys for fans. prizes were also raffled off, with proceeds of tickets going back to help the church. clarkson, who has been with the lakers for the past three years, is gearing up for the upcoming nBA season, which will begin in october.

AJPress photos from Ding Carreon

u PAGE A6

Trump admin slashes millions from budget...

PAGE A1 t

abbreviated enrollment period that is 45 days shorter than last year â&#x20AC;&#x201D; running from nov. 1 to Dec. 15. grants to the nonprofits that supply navigators will fall by 40 percent to $36.8 million this year and advertising will drop by 90 percent to $10 million, the centers for medicare & medicaid Services said. The money will be spent in 38 states that use the governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healthcare.gov exchange.

Administration officials said that five years into the Affordable care Act, most people know they need to sign up and what their options are, and that there is no evidence that more advertising leads to higher enrollment. last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s $100 million advertising budget was double that of 2015â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s.

The administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s announcement was denounced by prominent Democrats, former obama administration officials and navigator organizations. â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Trump administration is deliberately trying to sabotage our health care system,â&#x20AC;? said Senate minority leader chuck

Schumer (D-n.Y.). â&#x20AC;&#x153;i canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t think what the justification is for doing thisâ&#x20AC;? because experience has shown people need help getting through the enrollment process, said Jodi ray, who leads the University of South Floridaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s navigator program. it has won the largest navigator award in the country for the past several years, about $5.9 million. ray doesnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t know what USF will get this year. grant amounts to navigators have not been announced yet. â&#x20AC;&#x153;itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s going to be a really big challenge and doing a lot of extra work with fewer people on the ground and doing the work in half the time,â&#x20AC;? she said.

Shelli Quenga, director of programs for the palmetto project in charleston and columbia, S.c., fears her group will have to reduce its workforce and events. palmetto received $1 million last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We will face massive cuts to our budget,â&#x20AC;? Quenga said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;i am very worried for the fate of South carolinians who need access to impartial and unbiased information.â&#x20AC;?

Funding for 98 navigator organizations will be tied to how each performed last year relative to the enrollment goals they set for themselves. Those that didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t meet their goals â&#x20AC;&#x201D; 78 percent did not, according to cmS â&#x20AC;&#x201D; will get less money this year. if an organization hit only 30 percent of its goal last year, it will receive 30 percent of last yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s funding.

That formula has some flaws, said lori lodes, who directed cmSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; outreach efforts in 2014 and 2015 under the obama administration.

For one, navigators donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t get credit for every enrollment they help produce. Sometimes, consumers consult navigators about their choices and then complete their enrollment in private at home, said lodes, who now directs the Families USA campaign called protect our care.

Another problem with the formula, she said, is that it fails to recognize the large amounts of time that navigators sometimes invest in helping people who are not native english speakers or have disabilities and need more

u PAGE A6

LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN SERVING MY FELLOW KABABAYANS FOR OVER 17 YEARS

CIVIL AND PERSONAL INJURY LITIGATION â&#x20AC;˘ Breach of Contract and Fraud â&#x20AC;˘ Auto and Other Injury accidents

IMMIGRATION

â&#x20AC;˘ Family and employment based green cards â&#x20AC;˘ Business and Investor Visas â&#x20AC;˘ Deportation defense â&#x20AC;˘ Motions to Reopen â&#x20AC;˘ Appeals â&#x20AC;˘ Humanitarian Reinstatement of revoked petition â&#x20AC;˘ Naturalization â&#x20AC;˘ H-1B and student visas

FAMILY LAW â&#x20AC;˘ Divorce/Separation/Nullity â&#x20AC;˘ Property Division â&#x20AC;˘ Spousal Support â&#x20AC;˘ Child Custody and Support â&#x20AC;˘ Restraining Orders

CALL TODAY FOR A CONSULTATION 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, California 90010

323-639-0277

Email: info@dtanlaw.com â&#x20AC;˘ Website: www.dtanlaw.com

Darrick V. Tan, Esq. Licensed in California for over 17 years Licensed in Nevada for over 12 years* UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science with Cum Laude honors Southwestern University Law School, Juris Doctor Admitted to U.S. District Court, Central District of California Member, American Immigration Lawyers Association Member, Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles Former Member, Board of Governors, Philippine American Bar Association *Inactive

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

Dateline USa

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

A

Martinez eager to move on as he gears for 2018 Winter Olympics

by Bong Lozada Inquirer.net

MICHAEL Martinez could’ve had another golden moment for the Philippines in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games but he fell short in the men’s individual free skating event.

After his spirited appearance in the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics and gold medal finish in the Asian Trophy, Martinez was tabbed to take home the top prize

in the Kuala Lumpur Games.

But Martinez settled for the silver and 40th-ranked skater in the world admitted the failure stung.

“To be honest, it hurt because my goal was to really win the gold medal,” said Martinez Thursday during their homecoming celebration at SM Megamall’s skating rink.

Martinez scored 171.63 points to place second behind Malaysian Julian Zhi-Jie Yee, who won

the gold after scoring 205.43.

The 20-year-old, however, is eager to put his frustrations behind as he looks forward to his next challenge—the 2018 Winter Games.

“For me, it’s still the Olympics over of the SEA Games,” said Martinez. “And of course this loss motivated me especially when the judges approached me [saying] that this was my best performance I’ve done in my career.” n

FLEET WEEK. Councilman Joe Buscaino presents Vice Adm. Nora Tyson, commander of U.S. 3rd Fleet, with a resolution at Los Angeles City Hall recognizing Los Angeles Fleet Week (LAFW). LAFW is an opportunity for the public to meet their Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard teams and experience America’s sea services. During fleet week, service members will participate in various community service events, showcase capabilities and equipment to the community and enjoy the hospitality that Los Angeles and surrounding areas have to offer.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist Seaman Natalie M. Byers

Arum: Pacquiao vs Horn rematch could take place in 2018 by dino

Maragay

Philstar.com

MAnnY Pacquiao’s rematch with Jeff Horn can happen next year instead, according to Top Rank Inc. chief Bob Arum.

Speaking recently to ESPn Deportes, Arum said Pacquiao’s busy schedule in the Philippine senate will leave him with insufficient time to get in good shape for the rematch planned this november.

Instead, Horn, who stunned Pacquiao last month to take away the WBO welterweight strap, could end up with a different dance partner.

“Manny is deciding if he wants a rematch this year or next year. If he decides to postpone it, we will make a fight for Jeff in november against a good opponent in Brisbane,” the veteran promoter said.

Arum will reportedly fly to Manila soon to clear things up with Pacquiao, who, despite being keen on fighting Horn again, hasn’t committed to the bout yet.

“I imagine he has many duties as a senator, he is no longer a young guy and the last fight was

very physical, and he may need more time to get ready for a rematch. We’ll know in the next few days,” added the Top Rank boss.

Finalizing Pacquiao-Horn 2 depends largely on Pacquiao, as the Australian’s camp has reportedly already made arrangements to make the fight happen again at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia.

But Pacquiao, speaking Tuesday at the launch of a home-andaway basketball league that he’s backing, said “nothing is definite yet” with regards to sealing the bout.

There are plans to stage the fight in Manila instead, which Arum said is impossible as they are contractually obliged to do the rematch only in Australia.

The Filipino icon’s indecisiveness has been a cause of concern for Horn’s camp, with the Australian’s promoter, Dean Lonergan, saying Pacquiao “has put the rematch in jeopardy.”

Horn, for his part, is sure to return to the ring in november — be it against Pacquiao or someone else.

“Horn would fight one of the best welterweights and try to do the same kind of business,

Kobe Paras returning to US with lots of experience in the bag by denison

rey a. daLupang Philstar.com

WHEn Kobe Paras first arrived in the Philippines after his college stint in the United States, he made it clear that he wanted to play for flag and country.

And he got his wish. First, for the 3x3 crew in France and then in the Jones Cup in Taiwan. He capped it off with a stellar performance in the recently concluded Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia.

“Dati ko pang sinasabi na gusto kong maglaro talaga sa mga 5-on-5,” he recalled during Chooks-to-Go’s homecoming of the team. “So binigyan ako ng chance and I made the most out of it. I hope I made the Filipinos proud.”

On the horizon for Paras is a second crack at the US nCAA Division I hoops with Cal State northridge Matadors.

“When I go to the States, it’s

Kobe Paras

strictly business. It’s not like here na lalaban ako para sa bayan.

Doon, lalaban ako para sa sarili ko and the future,” he noted.

But clearly, Paras is headed for California a changed man.

“I’m just blessed to mature in such a young age,” the 19-yearold cager said. “There are not that much 19-year-olds who go through what I go through.”

And of course, a badge of honor from replicating what his father has done 30 years ago — snare a gold in the biennial meet.

“Noong nanalo kami sa Indonesia, my dad called me right away. Nagbiro siya na [expletive], may medal na tayong gold!’ the young cager recalled.

“It just feels good na nagawa ko yung nagawa niya [sa] age ko noon,” he noted.

Paras will be heading back to the States tonight with a bag full of happy memories and hooping experience. n

Philstar.com photo

maybe not the same as he would have done with Pacquiao and we’ll have to adjust prices, look for a smaller place, but if Manny cannot fight until the next year – we have a young champion and we have an obligation to keep Michael Martinez competes in the men’s individual figure skating in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. him active,” said Arum. n SEA Games pool photo

A September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline USa

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

Filipinos accused of links to Marawi City siege...

PAGE A1 t

may have sparked the suspicion of troops and police at checkpoints because of the Marawi siege, “but suspicion alone is not sufficient to arrest, detain, charge and indict respondents,” the prosecutors said.

Military spokesman Brig.

Gen. Restituto Padilla said the military respects the prosecutors’ decision but that security officials still believe the men

could “perhaps be eventually deployed to Marawi.”

The ruling shows that the rule of law continues to work under martial law that was declared in the south by President Rodrigo Duterte to deal with the Marawi crisis, Padilla said, adding that the men were treated well and would be flown back to the south on an air force plane.

The 59 were taken into custody in southern Zamboanga city and Ipil town on July 25 amid

intelligence reports that Muslim militants would attempt to reinforce the gunmen who attacked Marawi and were being bombarded by military airstrikes and ground assaults.

A lone witness said the mostly young Muslim men were to be given combat training and then deployed to reinforce the beleaguered militants, who were holding out in buildings and mosques in Marawi.

The arrested men strongly denied the allegation, saying they were recruited by a man who promised to bring them to a rebel camp for combat training and then help them be integrated into the military and police under a peace deal with the government.

Ong said he and the other prosecutors did not find the witness credible.

During a hearing at the Department of Justice on July 28, some of the arrested men, guarded by heavily armed police commandos, told reporters they were poor and jobless and in search of work and a better life.

The violence in Marawi, a center of Islamic faith in the south, has left nearly 800 people dead, including more than 600 militants, and sparked concerns that Islamic State agroup militants were gaining a foothold in Southeast Asia by helping influence and arm local militants.

An estimated 40 gunmen remain in Marawi and are continuing to fight as troops advance in previously scenic lakeside communities that are now a smoldering wasteland of disfigured buildings. n

Woman goes on racist rant on...

PAGE A4 t

having had previous anger related run-ins.

Anna Drennan of Metro Vancouver Transit Police said, “She becomes extremely angry, uses her temper and does various things in the throes of her anger. There’s no physical violence involved, but it appears to be more verbal.”

Just a few weeks earlier, footage of a Filipino son and his mother in the U.S. being told to “go back to Filipino Ville and get out of our country” by a lesbian couple, also went viral. n

USAid mission director Susan Brems reads to children at Vito Elementary School in Cebu’s Minglanilla District.

USAid, DepEd partner to improve reading skills The US government, through the US embassy in the Philippines United States Agency for International Development (USAid) is helping improve the reading skills of more than 420,000 students between kindergarten and grade three in the Province of Cebu and Mandaue City. This assistance is implemented in partnership with the Department of education in Cebu’s more than 900 elementary schools through Basa Pilipinas, USAid’s P1.9 billion flagship basic education project.

The US government continues to support the Department of education’s commitment to advance the quality of education in the Philippines, so that every child has the best chance for success in life,” USAid mission director Susan Brems said during her visit to Vito elementary School in Cebu’s Minglanilla District on August 9.

Through Basa Pilipinas, USAid has strengthened the reading skills of more than 1.8 million students from kindergarten through grade three, helped train more than 19,000 teachers and school heads, and provided more than 8 million copies of teacher guides,

student workbooks, and other education aids.

“We do this with the shared belief that developing children’s reading skills during their formative years of schooling will give them the foundation for lifelong learning and academic success,” Brems remarked. She later met with provincial officials to further strengthen the partnership between USAid and local basic education partners.

From August 9 to 11, Brems visited other USAid projects sites, including the hall of Justice in Cebu City, where USAid helped install eCourt systems in 22 Regional Trial Courts and eight Municipal Trial Court branches in 2015. The eCourt system automates key functions of the court, improving efficiency and increasing the effectiveness and transparency of case management. Court staff and judges demonstrated to Brems how they can better record case information, monitor case flow, and provide public access to the status of cases.

Continuing her visit to key project sites in Cebu, Brems visited the Teen Dreamers’ home, a USAid-supported resi-

dential care facility for sexually exploited children. In Cebu, USAid partners with Fellowship for Organizing endeavors, Inc., Children’s Legal Bureau, and Bidlisiw Foundation, Inc. to address human trafficking.

Brems later traveled to Mandaue City, where USAid is helping the city finalize its Green Building Code. She met with city officials, led by Mayor Luigi Quisumbing, and discussed how key measures, such as incentives to stimulate investment for green building, support the city’s work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Capping her visit to the Visayan province, Brems met with partners who are advancing health priorities in their respective communities, including a visit to Glory Reborn clinic, a private birthing facility, to interact with USAid-trained health workers who are providing services to marginalized women.

She later met with leaders from the Archdiocesan Shrine and Parish of Saint Arnold Janssen to discuss how faith-based organizations help promote TB awareness and education. (ManilaTimes.net)

Next N. Korean missile launch to target Guam, Trump says talking is not the answer

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

NORTh Korea said on Wednesday, August 30, that its test launch of a missile over Japan was a prelude to future military actions towards the American territory of Guam. President Donald Trump said talking is not an option.

On Wednesday morning, Trump tweeted, “The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer.”

The test was an alarming move as North Korea had already threatened to fire four missiles near Guam earlier this month — on August 8, Trump threatened to unleash “fire and fury” on the hermit kingdom.

A statement by North Korea’s KCNA described the missile launch on Tuesday, Aug. 29, as “the first step of the military operation in the Pacific and a meaningful prelude to containing Guam.”

The statement further described Guam as an “advanced base of invasion” and said North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un plans on “conducting more ballistic rocket launching drills with the Pacific as a target in the future.”

The intermediate-range ballistic missile (IRBM) that flew over the island of hokkaido in Japan and into the north Pacific Ocean, was said to be a hwasong-12, the same missile Kim had threatened to use on Guam.

Despite U.N. sanctions, North Korea has conducted many ballistic missile tests. Tuesday’s launch was the 14th this year.

Responses to the launch In a statement on Tuesday, Trump said, ”Threatening and destabilizing actions only increase the North Korean regime’s isolation in the region and among the nations of the world. All options are on the table.”

Trump’s Wednesday morn-

President Donald J. Trump meets U.S. Marines during his visit to Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Yuma, Ariz. last Aug. 22.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Christian Cachola

ing tweet suggested that talking may not be an option, but in a meeting that same day with South Korea’s defense minister, U.S. Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told reporters at the Pentagon that they are “never out of diplomatic solutions.”

The United Nations Security Council also condemned the firing on Tuesday and demanded Pyongyang end all missile tests, calling the launch an “outrageous” threat. earlier this month, the Security Council unanimously imposed sanctions on North Korea after the country staged two long-range missile launches in July.

Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called the launch over hokkaido, “an unprecedented, serious, and grave threat to Japan.”

North Korean missiles have flown twice over Japan since 1998, but the latest was supposedly the first with ability of carrying a nuclear weapon. Citizens were urged to “evacuate to sturdy building or basement.”

Closest in proximity is South Korea who reportedly responded to the launch by dropping eight 2,000 pound MK 84 bombs over a simulated target at Taebaek Pilsung Firing Range, a South Korean training ground. Presidential spokesman Yoon Youngchan said at a press conference

that South Korean President Moon Jae-in wanted “to showcase a strong punishment capability against the North.”

According to the U.S. Missile Defense Agency, a test intercept of a medium range ballistic missile was conducted off the coast of hawaii early Wednesday.

Guam as target As one of the closest American territories to Asia, and the closest to North Korea, Guam has long been a North Korean target in regards to U.S. conflicts — a threat made prior to the latest launch was in 2013.

The island is home to two strategically important bases: the Andersen Air Force Base in the north, and the Naval Base Guam in the south. The territory was ceded to the U.S. in 1898 by Spain, and has been under the U.S. continuously since 1944, after being captured by the Japanese in 1941.

The population is over 160,000 with the number of U.S. troops said to be 7,000. Filipinos are the second highest ethnic group at 26.3 percent of the population — native Chamorros being the highest at 37.3 percent.

Respectively, Filipino languages are the second most spoken at 21.2 percent, following english at 43.6 percent according to the CIA World Factbook. n

Trump admin slashes millions from budget...

PAGE A4 t

help finding suitable health plans. That could contribute to groups signing up fewer people than anticipated.

“The people that really need help come from more vulnerable populations,” Lodes said.

“More vulnerable populations are not going to get the care they need.”

In a background briefing for reporters, health and human Services Department officials said too much money was spent in past years with too little to show for it. They cited a navigator group in one state last year that enrolled only one person in an insurance plan but received

$200,000, which they said could have paid insurance premiums for 31 people in that state for the entire year.

They noted that the advertising budget doubled last year, but despite the increase, enrollment fell by 42 percent, or about 500,000 people.

But Joel Ario, a former hhS official in the Obama administration who oversaw the federal and state insurance exchanges, challenged their judgment.

The decrease resulted from the Trump administration’s decision to end advertising as 2017’s open enrollment period entered its final weeks in January, he said.

“It’s disingenuous to say that ads didn’t tie to enrollment,” Ario said.

States that run their own marketplaces are not included in the navigation program. But some of them are continuing to put resources into enrollment.

California’s 2017-18 marketing budget stands in stark contrast to the federal government’s. The state is poised to spend $111.5 million advertising Obamacare, more than 10 times what CMS plans to spend in 38 states. *** This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

Dateline PhiliPPines

A

Palace hands off on Sereno impeachment complaint

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

MANILA - Malacañang on Thursday, August 31, said it would not interfere in the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno.

In a statement, Palace Spokesperson Ernesto Abella emphasized the separation of powers in the three branches of Philippine government.

Abella also noted that any citizen has the right to initiate an impeachment process by filing a verified complaint upon resolution or endorsement by any member of the House of Representatives.

NEW COMMISSIONER. Former Bureau of Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon (right) “The executive branch respects hands over the BoC flag to his successor, Isidro Lapeña, during a turnover ceremony at the the separation of powers, and bebureau in South Harbor, Manila on Wednesday, Aug. 30. Watching the turnover is Finance ing their co-equal, we recognize Undersecretary Antonette Tionko.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan the exclusive power of the House of Representatives to initiate all cases of impeachment,” the Palace official said.

The committee also said that MANILA - The House ComA day earlier, 25 members of BOC’s deputy commissioners, mittee on Dangerous Drugs has the House of Representatives enrecommended the replacement u PAGE A11 dorsed the impeachment comof the Philippine Bureau of Customs (BOC) with a new revenuecollecting agency that is free from corruption.

The committee, chaired by Surigao del Norte Representative Robert Ace Barbers, made the recommendation following hearings on the P6.4 billion worth of illegal drugs smuggled from China and found inside a Valenzuela City warehouse last May. In its 57-page report, the committee emphasized the need to pass a legislation to replace BOC with a “new revenue-collection agency or instrumentality of government with different system of collection” to “avoid corruption and to increase revenue collection.”

It recommended a system of “fixing a one-time payment of import/export fees that would include duties/taxes, storage, warehousing, arrastre services and all expenses relative to importation/exportation.”

It added that the new system should also strengthen the border control function while ensuring convenient flow of goods.

“The system may consider privatization of non-sovereign functions which will be part of an extensive study to be conducted by the Department of Finance (DOF),” the report further read.

House Panel seeks replacement of Customs

plaint filed by lawyer Larry Gadon against the chief justice for culpably violating the Constitution, betraying public trust, committing corrupt practices, and other high crimes.

Among those who signed the complaint were House Deputy Speakers Gwendolyn Garcia (Cebu), Mylene Garcia Albano (Davao City), Ferdinand Hernandez (South Cotabato), Frederick Abueg (Palawan), Also endorsed the complaint were Representatives Edgar Sarmiento (Samar), Anthony Bravo (COOP NATCCO party-list), Arnel Ty (LPGMA party-list), Rodito Albano (Isabela), Francisco Matugas III (Surigao del Norte), Aurelio Gonzales (Pampanga), Federico Sandoval (Malabon), Joel Almario (Davao Oriental), Romeo Acop (Antipolo City), Bingbong Crisologo (Quezon City), Pedro Acharon Jr. (South Cotabato), XJ Romualdo (Camiguin), Gil Acosta (Palawan), Ann Hofer (Zamboanga Sibugay), Winnie Castelo (Quezon City),

Jericho Nograles (PBA partylist), John Marvin Nieto (Manila), Robert Ace Barbers (Surigao del Norte), Roger Mercado (Southern Leyte), Jennifer Barzaga (Cavite) and Lorna Bautista-Bandigan (Davao Occidental).

Gadon expressed optimism that he had built a “strong case” to unseat Sereno, saying the grounds

for her impeachment are backed up by official documents.

In his impeachment complaint, Gadon accused Sereno of corruption when she used the judiciary funds for the “whimsical” and “excessive” purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser amounting to P5.1 million.

u PAGE A9

A8 SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

OPINION

Beyond impeachment

FEATURES

WITH 25 congressmen endorsing the complaint, Maria Lourdes Sereno appears to be in danger of becoming the second chief justice to be impeached.

In this country, the impeachment process is largely political. The approval of only a third of the House of Representatives is needed to send the complaint to the Senate for trial, and the so-called super majority has the numbers. But if the super majority wants the impeachment to prosper and lead to Sereno’s ouster, the case must be backed by solid evidence of wrongdoing.

In attempting to remove a chief justice for the second time, the proponents must also present a strong case to the nation that the larger objective is to improve the administration of justice. The nation’s justice system is not just maddeningly snail-paced but also hobbled by corruption and incompetence, thanks to the political accommodation that is often the overriding concern in the appointment and promotion of members of the judiciary and prosecution service.

The weakness of the justice system is one of the biggest reasons for public acquiescence if not open support for the continuing killings in the war on illegal drugs. It can take two decades before a case is resolved with finality. When the government resorts to short cuts in law enforcement, people look the other way.

Impunity also stems from the weakness of the

Editorial

justice system. Because certain individuals believe they can literally get away with murder, journalists, militant activists and environmental advocates continue to be killed with

impunity.

Even the war on corruption has been derailed. In recent months, the courts have dismissed cases filed by the Office of the Ombudsman against several former and incumbent officials indicted in connection with the pork barrel scam and other corruption scandals. The reason cited was the inordinate delay in filing the cases in court.

The weakness of Philippine justice is glaring in the fact that the nation has failed to send behind bars anyone involved in large-scale corruption since the Marcos dictatorship. Joseph Estrada was convicted of plunder for acts committed when he was president, but he was immediately given absolute pardon by his successor, who herself was accused of corruption. Both are back in government, like the Marcoses.

The long wait for justice is itself an injustice. Beyond impeaching a chief justice, the nation urgently needs a credible justice system and the rule of law.

(Philstar.com)

Philstar.com photo

What is the real story behind the Philippine House’s move to impeach Chief Justice Sereno?

PHILIPPINE SUPREME COURT Chief The Fil-Am Justice Maria Lourdes Aranal Sereno is now Perspective in the eye of the storm after an impeachment complaint have been filed against her, first

by Volunteers Against GEL SANTOS-RELOS Crime and Corruption (VACC) in the House of Representatives “for supposed culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, corruption, other high crimes, and betrayal of public trust.”

Lawyer Lorenzo Gadon also filed another impeachment complaint against Sereno for living an exorbitant lifestyle.

Included in his complaint is the alleged purchase by the Supreme Court of a luxury sport-utility vehicle (SUV) worth P5.1 million.

ABS-CBN News reported that on Wednesday, August 30, 25 lawmakers endorsed Gadon’s complaint against Sereno, initiating the impeachment process against the chief justice.

On Thursday, August 31, Gadon

claimed without actually naming names that there are two justices in the Supreme Court (SC) who are willing to testify against the Chief Justice.

As ABS-CBN news reported, Gadon contended that Sereno’s SALN had discrepancies arising from her professional fees when she served as a lawyer in the Philippine International Air Terminals Company Inc. (Piatco) case against the government over the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 3.

BUT just like what is going on in the eye of the storm, Chief Justice Sereno remains calm, collected, and unfazed, “I did nothing wrong and it does not affect me at all. This is the good thing about having a clear conscience…you have nothing to fear,” Chief Justice Sereno said in response to allegations against her. “I have lived a life of modesty. I have been prudent in the use of court expenses.”

I HAVE PERSONALLY KNOWN the Aranal Family since my days as a volun-

teer for the Sacred Heart Parish community theater group “Dulaang Abot-Kaya” in Kamuning Quezon City, beginning in the late 70s. In 1980, I met Mark Aranal, the younger brother of CJ Sereno when he was among the new batch of participants in the theater workshop where I was among the teachers/facilitators.

From then on, I have seen how the Aranal Family, who resided at 24-C Kamuning Road in Quezon City, lived a simple frugal life. The Aranal kids all went to public schools during their grade school and high school years.

CJ Sereno was known as “Meilou” to her friends and classmates, was an honor graduate of both Kamuning Elementary School and Quezon City High School.

The Aranal family lived a life of integrity and service to God, with Mrs. Aranal being the President of the Legion of Mary, and Mark— a volunteer of Dulaang Abot Kaya which produces theatre performances meant to teach Christ’s teachings of truth, justice, fairness, love as they relate to contemporary problems of society, a calling Mark has embraced up to this time in his theater and music ministries.

Given this personal knowledge about this family, I wonder what esle could be behind this bid to impeach Chief Justice Sereno.

Could it be because she was an appointee of President Rodrigo Duterte’s Predecessor Noynoy Aquino?

Could it be her previous “contentious’ relationship with President Duterte’s allies when, accoding to ABS-CBN news, the House of Representatives and the Court of Appeals bickered over the legislature’s detention of six Ilocos Norte officials who had refused to cooperate in an inquiry.

According to reports, CJ Sereno, along with then CA Presiding Justice and now Supreme Court Associate Justice Andres Reyes Jr., urged the House to recall a show cause order it had issued against the appellate court for ordering the provincial officials’ release.

“Cognizant of its implications on the separation of powers and judicial independence, we express deep concern over the show cause order issued by the House committee on good government and public accountability,” Sereno and

Reyes said.

“In this light, it is our hope that the House of Representatives reconsider its order and that it instead avail of all legal remedies that are provided to it under the Constitution, the law and the Rules of Court,” they suggested.

THE PHILIPPINES is a democratic nation with three co-equal branches of government meant to operate under the principles of “checks and balance” as mandated by the Constitution so that not one branch of government, nor institution, no public official will abuse the power of the position and the office.

May the truth, the rule of law, due process, and the public interest take precedence over personal and malicious interests.

This is a test of democracy in the Philippines. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

The reform of health care This Labor Day, AAPI workers call for through healthy eating more unions to fix the rigged economy

Rhizomes

PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “SPENDING on food and health together make up more than 30 percent of the U.S. economy, yet our politicians and civic leaders aren’t discussing these important issues. They may bicker about how to finance health-care reform, but I’d like to see more attention on the reform itself. It boggles my mind to think the conversation remains stuck on figuring out how to pay for health care rather than diminishing our need for it. Each one of us can make a difference if we each are part of reducing the overall demand for health care. The result will follow one of the fundamental laws of Econ 101: when we start living strong, robust lives, we’ll lessen our need for health care, causing the demand to decrease and costs to go down. Simple as that.”

— David B. Agus, MD, “A Short Guide to a Long Life,” 2014.

Thanks to David B. Agus, MD, one of the world’s leading cancer doctors and author of “A Short Guide to a Long Life,” for recapturing the still relevant role of Hippocrates, a great Greek physician from over two thousand years ago. Dr. Agus emphasized how healthy individuals can play a significant role in health care reform through prevention and with healthier bodies, reduce the demands for health care services.

“Walking is the best medicine. Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food. If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health. A wise man should consider that health is the greatest of human blessings, and learn how by his own thought to derive benefit from his illnesses.” – Hippocrates (c.

460 B.C. – c. 370 B.C.) It was a trip to the Philippines that laid bare one’s lack of good health.

In Leyte, the weather was fickle with sunny mornings and rainy afternoons, all in 12 hours and repeated several days a week, resulting in ambient mold spores and pollen in flowering blooms in trees.

In six months of travel through the plane, ferry, car, bus and tricycle emissions, it led to a breakdown of the immune system from a triple threat of bronchitis, allergies, and asthma, requiring emergency hospitalization.

Role of healthy nutrition Food allergies occurred and for two weeks, this writer subsisted on steamed fish and steamed vegetables exclusively.

No pastries, no desserts, no fruits, no red meats, no chicken, no fruits and no pork could be eaten, as these led to belabored breathing and coughing.

When I got back to the U.S, green juice became part of

breakfast and 10 years later, juicing is still a habit of fortifying the immune system.

Part of this habit of ‘fortifying the immune system’ includes cooking meals with mostly organic produce or preparing salads from homegrown, pesticide-free, organic lettuce and tomatoes. I discovered that drinking organic milk no longer creates lactose intolerance, unlike regular milk.

Studies show that 80 percent of the immune system lines the gastrointestinal tract. This means, if you control the gut, you control the health of your body.

Christine Gonzalez, N.D., Ph.D. introduced the role of healthy nutrition in preventing diseases and cancers. In her book, “Yes You Can Prevent & Control Cancer,” she stresses that the “wrong food is the most important factor in the promotion of disease.”

She wrote about some of the anti-cancer superfoods, the right foods one must have as part of healthy living and preventing diseases.

Vegetables — Research has shown that “cruciferous vegetables provide protection against certain cancers, such as broccoli, Brussel sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower. These vegetables stimulate the production of enzymes that detoxify carcinogens.”

u PAGE A10

Commentary LUISA BLUE, SEIU EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT RAISING our voices in proud solidarity this Labor Day, Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) workers are joining with working people across the country to put the importance of unions front and center in our national conversation.

Emerson Padua is a proud Filipino American and dedicated healthcare worker from Beaumont, Calif. He has been a dialysis patient care technician for 21 years. When Emerson first started, there was one patient care technician for every three patients. Now the ratio can be as much as eight patients for one staff person, or only two technicians and one nurse caring for 21 patients. This understaffing forces him and his co-workers to serve as part-time janitors, social workers, dieticians and inventory administrators on top of their patient care duties.

When Emerson started working in dialysis, his co-workers were attempting to unionize but he didn’t support them. Then he saw conditions decline over the years and decided to help fix the conditions he works in, and make sure the opportunity for a union didn’t slip away again.

Now Emerson is speaking up for his patients and coworkers, and together they are fighting to form a union and reform the dialysis industry and its growing crisis in patient care. In particular, Emerson is fighting to increase staff levels in order to protect vulnerable patients from the risk of infection and infection. In California alone, kidney patients seeking treatment at dialysis clinics grew 46 percent over the past eight years. Adequate staffing is critical for Emerson’s patients who are waiting for a transplant and need dialysis to survive. The Service Employees International Union is the largest healthcare union representing the whole spectrum of healthcare professionals and workers. We have the expertise to assess shortcomings in the industry since we are on the frontlines of patient care.

Unions are important vehicles for working people to improve their safety and working conditions in the workplace, and also to lift the social and economic situations of their entire communities.

The top priority of our elected officials must be to ensure good jobs on which people can raise a family. The two main ways to do that are through raising the minimum wage or by joining a union together to negotiate those raises. We have achieved enormous success in raising the minimum wage, and now we must ensure that our demand for a union is being heard.

I have dedicated the last four decades of my life to organizing

and advocating for the rights of working men and women through unions, which helps us make strides on things like voting rights and the rights of immigrants. From Desert Springs Hospital in Las Vegas to San Francisco International Airport, I have seen the difference that being in a union makes in the lives of working people and their families, particularly in immigrant communities and communities of color.

People are underpaid in every racial and ethnic group, regardless of the color of their skin.

While the AAPI community is the fastest growing racial group in the United States, people often stereotype it as white-collared technology and science workers. Yet AAPI women make up nearly a third of all full-time working women who earn less than $15 an hour in industries such as food service, home care, retail service, waitressing, dishwashing, housekeeping and child care. AAPI women are garment workers, poultry plant workers, nail salon technicians and restaurant workers.

We are a growing political force and we can make a huge difference in elections. There were more than 620,000 new AAPI voters in the last three presidential cycles, with eligible AAPI voters in various states making up more than 5% of the state’s electorate, including Nevada, Virginia, and California. There was an unprecedented number of AAPIs running for office across the country

u PAGE A9

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

ADVERTISING AND ADVERTORIAL POLICIES

Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Boulevard Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 Fax: (818) 502-0858 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com

Manila Office: 2nd Floor Units D&E, Fort Palm Springs 30th St., Cor 1st Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • Fax: (632) 856-1661 New York: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (818) 502-0858

Northern California: New Jersey office: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Burlingame, CA 94010 Tel.: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253 Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858 Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President

CHRISTINA M. ORIEL Editor-in-Chief

MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor

IVY MANALANG Vice President - Marketing Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA Senior Vice President Los Angeles Asian Journal

DING CARREON Videographer

ANDY TECSON Photographer

Asian Journal Publications, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases.

Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applicable law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation.

Publication of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publication.

Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, causes of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material.

AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publication of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisement.

Under no circumstances shall Asian Publications, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal, Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively.

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome.

Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please call the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

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

OpiniOn & Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

CHARITY MISSION. South African lawmaker Zwelivelile Mandelsizwe Mandela (fifth from left) arrived in Manila on Friday, Sept. 1 to do charity work alongside representatives from the Miss World Organization. He is the oldest grandson of the late South African president Nelson Mandela. Mandela said his family’s foundation has long enjoyed the support of Miss World Charities in South Africa. This time, the Nelson Mandela Foundation has pledged to assist the organization in its charity work here in the Philippines.

ManilaTimes.net photo

This Labor Day, AAPI workers call for...

PAGE A7 t

in 2016 and there are now more than 600 AAPI elected officials throughout government.

Not only is the AAPI community a growing electoral power and a growing social power, we are also increasingly joining unions.

Nationwide, union membership among AAPIs increased by 96,000 people in 2014. To defeat antiworker politicians, the demand for unions has become central for our community and for all working people in order to take back the country from self-interested politicians and greedy corporations that make profits on the backs of their employees.

But there is still much work to be done. Working people are fed up with the rigged economic and political system, and the politicians who rigged it. The number one job of politicians is to raise the standard of living for workers.

This Labor Day, protests and actions in more than 300 cities will

confront the politicians and corporations who have rigged the system against workers, particularly people of color.

We will see a renewed politics led by working people demanding a voice in the workplace. There are those who are saying that the focus should just be on “white working class voters.” But we won’t let extremists use race as a “divide and conquer” strategy to keep working people from coming together. Instead we will link racial justice to all of our justice fights—immigrant justice, healthcare justice, and environmental justice—to inspire and mobilize working families in communities across the nation to join the opposition.

Across the country, AAPI worker are joining working people of every stripe to stand up against those who rigged our economy.

They joined the resistance movement that we’ve seen blossom in the streets of small towns and

Palace hands off on Sereno...

PAGE A7 t

He also accused Sereno of failing to be truthful in declaring her statement of assets, liabilities, and net worth (SALN) amounting to $745,000 or P37 million when she was a private lawyer and represented the government in an arbitration case.

“To evade payment of appropriate taxes, respondent Sereno never reported this to the Bureau of Internal Revenue. Consequently, respondent Sereno never paid taxes for her extortionate attorney’s fees,” he said.

Additionally, Gadon cited the chief justice’s alleged misuse of judiciary funds to stay in expensive hotels, flying in business or first class with her staff, and bringing a huge entourage of lawyers when attending local and foreign conferences.

The lawmaker said Sereno organized an international conference in Shangri-La Boracay last year “and got herself billeted in the Presidential Villa, easily a P200,000-a-night room.”

He further accused Sereno of obstructing justice when she or-

big cities alike, from the historic Women’s marches to the spontaneous support at airports protesting the Muslim ban to healthcare workers standing with patients to defeat the attempts at repealing healthcare and gutting Medicaid.

This Labor Day they will be out in the streets again in every region of the country, demanding the right to join a union, and taking on the politicians and corporations who are fighting to hold wages, working people and our families down. *** SEIU Executive Vice President Luisa Blue is one of the highest-ranking Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) union leaders in the nation. She was recognized in 2015 at the national Asian Pacific American Labor Alliance convention, where she was awarded the Philip Vera Cruz Organizing Award, and was recognized by the Filipina Women’s Network as one of the 100 Most Influential Filipinas in the World because of her commitment to racial, immigrant and civil rights, and for her efforts in organizing workers at SEIU.

dered Muntinlupa judges to not to issue arrest warrants against Senator Leila De Lima.

“Sereno instructed a Supreme Court official to call the judges, to order them not to issue warrants of arrest against the accused, ‘considering she is a senator,’” Gadon said.

A separate impeachment complaint against Sereno has been filed by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Chair Dante Jimenez and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution (VCPI) President Eligio Mallari, but no member of the House has endorsed their complaint. n

Why Angeles Institute for Nursing?

Smaller Class Size Selective Admission Limited Enrollment Full-time Program Graduate in a Year

JOB

PLACEMENT ASSISTANCE

Experienced Instructors Fully Equipped Skills Lab Hands-On Training All Clinical / Skills Lab Supplies Provided State-of-the-Art Simulator Lab

“Angeles Institute Nursing School is the best, from the initial interview all the way to the first, second, and third term. All of my instructors were great! They were amazing whenever I had any concerns all of the staff were very willing to help. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience. I’m just a very happy LVN that’s proud to be a graduate of such a professional school!”

CRISTINA H. •STUDENT

Call or Visit Today:

833.550.6700 | AngelesInstitute.edu

A

A10 september 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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

OMBUDSMAN DISMISSES PRESIDENT’S TIRADES

Morales inhibits from ‘Davao Death Squad’ case

by LLanesca

T. PanTi ManilaTimes.net

OMBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales won’t participate in her office’s probe of the killings allegedly executed by the so-called “Davao Death Squad” allegedly formed by President Rodrigo Duterte when he was mayor of Davao City.

Morales made the announcement at the sidelines of the Ramon Magsaysay Awards ceremonies in Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales Philstar.com photo Manila on Thursday, Aug. 31. Mo-

rales is a 2016 Ramon Magsaysay Awardee, considered the Nobel Peace Prize of Asia.

“I have inhibited myself in the case because one of those [whom]Matobato [wants]charged is the President. Naturally, I will inhibit,” Morales said.

Lawyer Manases Carpio, husband of President Rodrigo Duterte’s daughter and Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte, is Morales’ nephew.

The complaint was filed by selfconfessed Davao Death Squad hitman Edgar Matobato.

Last year, Matobato testified before the Senate that then Mayor Duterte ordered him and the death squad to kill suspected criminals for a price.

Matobato’s complaint is set to be investigated, the ombudsman said.

“I would confirm that it came to my knowledge that the preliminary investigation [on the Matobato complaint]has been set,” Morales added.

Not quitting Morales also said she was not quitting, two days after President Duterte accused her of “selective justice” and being hard on political enemies of the previous Aquino administration but soft on allies.

The retired Supreme Court justice cited the Ombudsman Act of 1989. “Based on the law, in case of death, resignation or permanent disability, the deputy ombudsman will serve as the ombudsman until a new ombudsman is appointed, who shall serve on a full term,” she said.

An ombudsman serves for seven years, meaning Morales’ term will end in June 2018.

“We are just following the law,” she said.

Morales was appointed by President Benigno Aquino 3rd in June 2011 or two months before her predecessor, Merceditas Gutierrez, resigned ahead of a looming Senate impeachment trial.

The ombudsman denied Duterte’s allegations.

“Under the law, we are to give priority to high-profile cases and high government officials who hold supervisory positions. We do not do selective justice. The opposition in the past administration now belongs to the majority (administration),” Morales said.

It was during Morales’ watch

HAVE A BLESSED EID. Muslims greet each other a happy Eid Mubarak — a traditional Muslim greeting usually used during the festivals of Eid al-Adha and Eid al-Fitr —and a hug after offering their Eid’l Adha prayers at the open grounds of the Quezon City Memorial Circle.

Muslims around the world celebrate Eid’l Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) on Friday, Sept. 1.

PNA photo by Ben Briones

De Venecia’s help in easing Korean tensions sought

FORMER Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal has asked former Philippine Speaker Jose de Venecia and the South Korean founder of the Universal Peace Federation (UPF) Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon to “help contribute efforts to reduce tension in the warthreatened Korean Peninsula”, acknowledging the goodwill they have earlier built in North Korea.

The leader of the Marxist Wing of the Nepal Communist Party, Nepal also lauded the former Chairman of the Universal Peace Federation, the late Dr. Sun Myung Moon and his widow, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon for earlier donating a hotel and automobile factory in Pyongyang to the North Korean government and people.

Just back from a successful visit to the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK), Nepal and his colleague, senior parliamentarian Ek Nath Dhakal, who is married to a Filipina, urged an Asian-American group to visit Pyongyang to push efforts to diminish the dangerous crisis on both sides of the 38th Parallel.

They held meetings with the President of the Presidium of the Supreme People’s Assembly Kim Yong Nam and the Vice-Chairman of the Korean Workers Party Committee Ri Sur Yong and advocated quiet diplomacy among Asian and North Korea’s leaders and parliamentarians, people-tou PAGE A11 people and businessmen’s visits to help “end the continuously threatening Korean crisis,” with its potential to lead to atomic war.

Earlier, de Venecia, Chairman of the International Conference of Asian Political Parties (ICAPP) and of the International Association of Parliamentarians for Peace (IAPP), former Premier Nepal and the UPF, headed by its American

Jose de Venecia, Special Envoy for Inter-Cultural Dialogue

President Thomas Walsh and its regional head, Nepal Parliamentarian Ek Nath Dhakal proposed the Asian-American peace mission in “Track 2 diplomacy” to Pyongyang.

De Venecia, Nepal and Dhakal are members of the Seoul and Manila-based ICAPP, with its more than 300 ruling, opposition and independent political parties in Asia which includes North Korea’s lone political organization, the Korean Workers Party (KWP). They hoped to meet with the North’s KWP. De Venecia urged direct talks once and for all among the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) President Kim Jong Un, South Korean President Moon Jae-in, and possibly U.S. President Donald Trump, who earlier hinted he could attend such a meeting. Their ministers later could be joined by representatives of China, Russia and Japan, which are all members of long-suspended 5-Nation Talks on the Korean issue, he said.

De Venecia pointed out “there is no substitute for direct talks

between South Korea and North Korea,” assisted by the U.S. and China, as needed.

Nepal pointed out since the Korean War ended in 1953 with the Korean Armstice that permanently severed Korea at the waist in the 38th Parallel but which was not a formal peace treaty, tensions, incidents and mobilizations for war have continued to bedevil the Korean peninsula.

In 1989, de Venecia, as Chairman of the Philippine House Foreign Relations Committee, met with North Korean founder and President Kim Il Sung in Pyongyang, which led to Philippine-North Korean diplomatic relations and an assurance in writing by the North Korean leader not to support the Philippine New People’s Army (NPA), which was well-received by then President Corazon Aquino and then Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus.

A year later, Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party leader Kanemaru visited Pyongyang, followed later by the former U.S. President Jimmy Carter.

The reform of health care through...

PAGE A8 t

She cites the research studies done at John Hopkins University where laboratory animals were fed cruciferous vegetables and exposed to a dangerous carcinogen, aflatoxin, a type of mold found in peanuts. These animals had 90 percent reduction in their cancer rate.

Why? The vegetables increase these animals’ productions of glutathione peroxidase, one of the most important protective enzyme systems in the body.

Colorful fruits and vegetables — She wrote that “raspberries, boysenberries, strawberries, dark cherries, blueberries, and blackberries contain a powerful anti-cancer agent, ellagic acid, which causes cancer cells to self-destruct.

“The deeper the color of the vegetable, the more ‘phytochemicals’ it contains. Some examples are beets, spinach, carrots, tomatoes, squash, moringa (malunggay) leaves, sweet potato leaves, bitter melon (ampalaya), arugula and charantia leaves (ampalaya leaves.) Within these pigments lay 20,000 bioflavonoids and 800 carotenoids providing immune stimulation to destroy cancer cells and extraordinary antioxidant protection for the human body.”

Moringa (malunggay) is also known to result in hormonal balance and aids in digestion.

Notice how malunggay leaves are promoted by grandmothers to aid lactation amongst breastfeeding mothers. Papaya in chicken tinola helps with digestion of proteins, while pineapple also assists in digestion, as well.

Or the use of yakult, for the ingestion of probiotics in a yogurt drink, which “helps balance one’s inner ecosystem.” Or taking organic Greek yogurt, European Style, for its live cultures of L. Acidophilus, L. Bulgaricus, S. Thermophilus, Bifidus, all of which are good microorganisms that can aid in digestion daily, as protection for a healthy gut.

For example, L. Acidophilus

produces an enzyme that breaks down the lactase, the sugar in milk.

L. Bulgaricus and S. Thermophilus both help produce an acidic environment in the gut and promotes the growth of good bacteria to digest the foods we take and help extract the nutrients from them for the body’s use.

Inflammation and onset of diseases Among nutrition-conscious physicians like Dr. Oz, he describes inflammation as the source of some common ailments: gout, asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and lower back pain.

Some seek acupuncture to rid the body of its accumulated toxins, known as detoxification, while others take an omega3 supplement to support the body’s optimal inflammatory response and promote unimpeded blood flow.

In some hospitals, glutathione injections are routinely given to cancer patients to help their bodies discharge the accumulated toxins, as some nurse/relatives shared.

Others with rheumatoid arthritis do water aerobics to soothe sore joints, increase energy and to help them sleep better at night.

In 2007, I learned how a body can have a systems breakdown with a lack of sleep, caused by a malfunctioning body system, from toxins accumulating due to the stress of travel, and chemicals from prepared restaurant foods with preservatives, MSG and soy sauce.

I also learned the difference between adequate medical care both here and abroad. Abroad, in a third world country, a conscientious doctor found the appropriate medication, Flovent and Serevent, combined into one Swiss medication for asthma prevention. While in America, it is dispensed as two medications, in the form of an inhaler and another in a dry powder form.

But, by giving the body its

required nutrients from juicing and balanced meals, such that in a plate ( ¼ for fruits, ¼ for vegetables, ¼ for protein and ¼ for grains), proper eating can give a new lease in one’s life.

Atul Gawande, MD — a surgeon at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston and professor at Harvard Medical School, and the author of three best-selling books — made us aware that our lives are more than a series of nights of sleep.

“You may not control life’s circumstances, but getting to be the author of your life means getting to control what you do with them,” she wrote.

Footnote: Part I was on “Acupuncture insights of R. Antonio Whiteley,” published in the Asian Journal’s Los Angeles Weekend Edition on April 1. Part II is on “The reform of health care through healthy eating,” in this issue, April 8. Part III will be on Dr. Araceli de Guzman and the Philippine Medical Society of Northern California’s Medical Mission in Dumaguete *** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.”

She has been writing for the Asian Journal Press for nine years now. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law, public service for three decades and community volunteerism for four decades.

She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier Law School in California and a certificate in 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She was a finalist in the National Arts and Entertainment Journalism awards in print columnist category along with Jewish Journal, Los Angeles Times, LA Weekly and The Hollywood Reporter and online cultural critic category along with The New York Times, The Daily Beast and Truth Dig in 2016. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for four years and Prof. Russell Leong.

She has traveled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Mexico and 24 national parks in the U.S, in pursuit of her love for arts. She can be reached at delacruz.prosy@gmail.com and she has a Facebook account under Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz and Twitter account @ ProsyDelaCruz.

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

A11

CHR, PNP vow more transparent drug war investigations

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

GIRL POWER. A female trooper fixes the hijab of her colleague as they prepare to board a plane that will take them to Marawi City. The military and police on Tuesday, Aug. 29 deployed 105 female troopers to Marawi to help in the rehabilitation and rebuilding of the war-ravaged city. The female soldiers and police will be in Marawi until the situation in the city returns to normal.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Martial law may not be lifted even after Marawi conflict MANiLA — As the battle for Marawi City draws to a close, President Duterte sees no reason to lift martial law in Mindanao, citing the possibility that the violence would spill over to other areas of the region. “i was thinking that we could, you know, lift it earlier, but the way it looks, there is a spillover of violence in the ARMM and Buldon,” Duterte said, mentioning the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao and Buldon, Maguindanao.

“Let us see, if it is to the interest of the country, and if i will lift it, i will lift it. But if not, then we’ll just continue with the martial law,” the President told the troops during the 11th founding anniversary of the Eastern Mindanao Command in Panacan, Davao City.

The rampage in Marawi forced President Duterte to declare martial law in the entire region of Mindanao on May 23.

Duterte had to cut short his trip to Russia after learning the Maute group attempted to occupy Marawi City in the bid to establish an islamic State caliphate in the region.

After the declaration lapsed in July, Congress approved the Chief Executive’s request to extend martial law and the suspension of the privilege of the writ of habeas corpus in the region until Dec. 31. in his speech, Duterte called on the military to “continue being faithful to their sworn oath to protect and defend our sovereignty, especially as martial law remains in effect in Mindanao amid the persisting threats of terrorism and insurgency.” he said he is leaving it up to the military to decide how it would end the fighting in Marawi.

“Mind you, when i said i leave it to the military to solve the problem, that’s it. i will not meddle anymore, except that i advised them not to pepper the mosques,” he said.

As the fighting is nearing its

conclusion, it is becoming tougher for government forces to finally subdue and defeat the Maute terrorists, military said.

On the eve of Eid’l Adha or the Feast of Sacrifice, one of the holiest religious festivities being celebrated by Muslims worldwide, three soldiers were killed and 52 others were wounded as government troops continue their advance towards the main battle area in the city.

“The offensive on the eve of Eid’l Adha has been among the toughest so far. We are working to clear the remaining areas where the enemy is holding out. in the operations, we lost three good men and incurred 52 wounded, mostly from improvised explosive devices,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesman Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said. in more than three months of fighting, more than 700 have been killed on both sides.

Officials said 620 terrorists were killed and 136 soldiers and policemen lost their lives, including the three soldiers in last Thursday’s fighting.

The number of civilian fatalities, all believed to have been executed by the terrorists, remains at 45.

With escape almost impossible, the terrorists are confined in a less than one square kilometer area and are running low on food and ammunition, the military said.

Even as government forces are preparing for one final push against the Maute terrorists, the efforts have been hampered by the number of booby traps and iEDs rigged in several buildings and establishments in the city.

The terrorists are also using civilian hostages as human shields to block the advance of government forces. he said the biggest challenge facing the troops is clearing the mosques that are still occupied by the terrorists holding civilians as hostages.

President Duterte gave the

AFP the green light to decide on how to finally end the fighting in Marawi City.

With many soldiers and civilians already sacrificed in the conflict, Duterte said he had to heed the advice some lawmakers to allow the military to conduct their operations freely, even at the risk of sacrificing some more lives in the name of peace. (Christina Mendez, Jaime Laude, Roel Pareño, Michael Punongbayan, John Unson, Rudy Santo/Philstar.com)

PhiLiPPiNE Commission on human Rights (ChR) Chairman Jose Luis “Chito” Gascon met with the country’s top police official on Tuesday, August 29 to discuss the alleged extrajudicial killings in connection with President Rodrigo Duterte’s anti-illegal drugs campaign.

Describing his discussion with Philippine National Police Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa as “cordial and open,” Gascon said their first meeting “opens door” to a more transparent investigation into drug warrelated cases.

“Ang pananaw ko ay this is only a first step and at least nabuksan ang pinto (I believe this is a first step and at least, the door has been opened),” the ChR chairman said in a media conference.

According to him, both the ChR and the PNP “agreed to create a mechanism to coordinate and exchange information on a regular basis.” Both agencies also agreed to meet every month.

The ChR had requested for the complete case folders and checklist of all drug war-related cases — including deaths under investigation — which Gascon said the PNP agreed to provide. “i hope that the spirit of transparency and accountability which were discussed in our meeting will be sustained in the case review regarding all those who killed in the war on drugs,” Gascon added.

Created in 1987, the ChR is tasked to protect citizens from all forms of human rights viola-

STAR RANK OFFICERS. President Rodrigo Duterte does his signature pose with Interior and Local Government Acting Secretary Catalino Cuy, Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald dela Rosa and the promoted Star Rank Officers of the PNP in a photo opportunity following the oath-taking ceremony at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday, August 30.

Malacañang photo by Rolando Mailo

tions involving civil and political rights.

Figures from PNP show that as of July 26, there have been 3,451 people killed in police anti-drug operations since the campaign’s launch last year.

Gascon assured that the commission will continue monitoring the situation in Duterte’s war on drugs.

“Ultimately, truth and accountability,” Gascon said. “Alamin ang mga nangyari at naganap at kung may pananagutan, dapat panagutin sila (Know what happened and hold those responsible accountable).” he added, “We will hold them to their words and kung mapipigil nga ito, makikita natin down the road (We will see down the road if the abuses will stop).”

House Panel seeks replacement...

PAGE A7 t

heads of office, all port collectors, among other officers, “shall take a leave of absence or be replaced immediately, in accordance with law, to give way for proper reform and/or for investigation on the corruption issue.”

Likewise, it recommended the filing of charges against former Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon for violating the antigraft law. it accused Faeldon of “jeopardizing and/or weakening the chances of the Government to secure conviction of any case that may be filed for causing the BoC operatives to deliberately search and seize” illegal drugs, without a written authority.

The committee urged the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to file a complaint against Faeldon in connection with the P6.4-billion

shipment case when allegedly stage a “controlled delivery” of 100 kilograms of shabu to a warehouse in Valenzuela city without proper authority.

The committee also cited agency’s hiring of basketball and volleyball players hired as intelligence agents even if they were “not actually reporting/working in the said offices.” it further recommended the filing of falsification charges against chief of staff, Atty. Mandy Anderson, for signing the daily time record of the sports stars.

Faeldon, in response, slammed the committee’s proposal to replace BOC. “My reaction? Please ask [committee chairman Representative Ace] Barbers if he is sober and not high on drugs when [he] came up with that idea,” Faeldon told GMA News Online. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)

Morales inhibits from ‘Davao...

PAGE A10 t

when then opposition senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada and Ramon “Bong” Revilla, Jr. were prosecuted and jailed for plunder cases in connection with their alleged misuse of priority development assistance funds or PDAF. Morales said dispensing cases took time, considering her predecessor left 19,000 unattended complaints, and 35,000 complaints have been filed since she took office in 2011.

“We are slow? There are a lot of cases in the past which have remained dormant. There is even a case dating back to 1999. Can you imagine?” Morales pointed out.

‘Duterte wants Morales, Sereno removed’ Detained Sen. Leila de Lima on Thursday said President Duterte

intends to put people in the judiciary whom he can trust to protect him from prosecution in the future as a result of his “bloody” war on drugs.

She believes the President has a hand in the impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno, which has been endorsed by 25 lawmakers. De Lima also took note of the President’s latest tirades against the Ombudsman.

“When that day comes, he is making sure that the Ombudsman and the Judiciary are in his pocket.

Until then, Duterte will use everything in his power to misdirect the people’s attention,” said de Lima, who is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center in Camp Crame. (With reports from Bernadette Tamayo/ManilaTimes.net)

)ROORZ XV RQ

For his part, Dela Rosa said the PNP recognizes the ChR’s duty to monitor the conduct of state agents. he expressed hope that all future ChR investigations will be neutral. “huwag sila pumili na nakikita nila that will really cause the demise of the Duterte administration (They should not choose cases that they will see will cause the demise of the Duterte administration),” the PNP chief said.

Apart from PNP and ChR officials, Department of interior and Local Government (DiLG) Officein-Charge Catalino Cuy also attended the meeting.

Cuy assured that the DiLG, ChR, and PNP all “prioritize” and “had no conflict with regards to human rights.” n

A12 september 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL

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

(818) 502-0651 â&#x20AC;˘ (213) 250-9797 â&#x20AC;˘ http://www.asianjournal.com

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

SHOWBIZ&STYLE

B

Journal Shaina Magdayao opens up about her health condition

by IrIs

VIcente AJPress

Raquel Pempengco and Jake Zyrus

Inquirer.net photos

Raquel Pempengco mulls libel case against Jake Zyrus over MMK episode Jake played as himself, narrated how his mother, Raquel, played by award-winning veteran acRAQUEL Pempengco is plan- tress Dina Bonnevie, forced and ning to sue her son, Jake Zyrus would inflict hurtful words upon (formerly known as Charice) and him to join singing competitions the ABS-CBN drama anthology, when he was younger. Jake also â&#x20AC;&#x153;Maalaala Mo Kaya (MMK)â&#x20AC;? for shared how his mother spent all allegedly â&#x20AC;&#x153;defamingâ&#x20AC;? her on the money he sent when he was its August 26 episode entitled actively performing in the U.S. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jumperâ&#x20AC;?.

Raquel denied Jakeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s story and The MMK episode, where PAGE B2

by IrIs

VIcente AJPress

Angelica Panganiban exchanges messages with Zachary Levi

by IrIs

VIcente AJPress

ANGELICA Panganiban took to Instagram her happiness over her recent social media interaction with Hollywood star Zachary Levi On Monday, Aug. 28, Angelica posted a screenshot of her conversation with the 36-year-old American actor who described his Filipino fans as â&#x20AC;&#x153;unbelievably loving and kind.â&#x20AC;?

On her screenshot, Angelica told Zachary â&#x20AC;&#x153;would love to meet you (heart emoji),â&#x20AC;? in which the actor responded â&#x20AC;&#x153;Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m about to fly PAGE B3

Angelica Panganiban Photo from her Instagram account

KAPAMILYA actress Shaina Magdayao is not slowing down despite suffering from health complications caused by hypothyroidism.

The â&#x20AC;&#x153;Better Halfâ&#x20AC;? starâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s condition means that she has an underactive thyroid gland, causing her metabolism to go slower.

In an interview with Pep.ph during her seriesâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; finalĂŠ presscon last August 24, Shaina shared that she recently had an allergy attack while taping for the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Better Half.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;I guess I can blame it on my really heavy role, plus my hormonal imbalance caused by my hypothyroidism,â&#x20AC;? she said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There were manifestations, in the form of allergic reactions. It was probably triggered by on-thejob stress, which isnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t really a bad kind of stress. But see, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m taking my job seriously now more than ever. Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve really learned to love my role [as Camille] and the show as well, so thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s probably what caused those manifestations,â&#x20AC;? the actress added.

Although hypothyroidism can be managed through hormone pills, Shaina also shared that sheâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s regularly seeing her great team of specialists and immunologists whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s been taking care and advising her to slow down. She also tried taking alternative medicine along with acupuncture and yoga which make her feel better.

The most important aspect of Shainaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s treatment is changing her lifestyle: sleeping early, working out and taking care of her health. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I just realized that I should take better care of my health since Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been working since a really young age. And maybe I just donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t realize it, but the physical neglect is probably catching up on me now. It just so happened that, since the start of this year, Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve had a lot of work commitments that overlapped. That was the time we were doing the pilot for The

FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS

( Mt Carmel, Mt Beatitude, Mt.Tabor, Cana, Capernum, Nazareth, Mt. of Olives, Old & New Jerusalem, Bethlehem Qumran, Masada, Jericho )

Dec 3 to 14, 2017

Spiritual Director: Rev. Fr. Alvin Cachola

Better Half, and I was doing the movie. Thatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s why Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve decided to take a break from ASAP first, so that I could at least have Sunday off,â&#x20AC;? Shaina said.

Despite her condition, Shaina maintained she is not slowing and will be much busier with a couple of projects in line for her, including a movie with director Lav Diaz. The movie will be shot in Singapore together with ABSCBN head, Charo Santos Concio. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Although I want to rest, I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t afford to. I canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t say no to all these wonderful blessings and opportunities being given to me. As soon as I get back, the next day, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll fly to Siargao for the event that my foundation is organizing,â&#x20AC;?

she said.

Shaina is supporting SMILE Cares Foundation where she helps raising funds for the construction of an eco-camp in a two-hectare lot in Siargao that will provide agricultural training for out-of-school youths. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re finally working with UPLB [University of the Philippines Los Banos]. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re the experts, and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re gonna test the soil. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll determine what plants are suitable for growing there for their communityâ&#x20AC;? she said Shaina Magdayao PAGE B2

/64, 36(5

ABS-CBN photo

$IRECT ,ENDER

-/( *VU]LU[PVUHS 7\YJOHZL 9LMPUHUJL

7YVNYHT Z\IQLJ[ [V JOHUNL ^P[OV\[ WYPVY UV[PJL

*HYVS 4HUHSHUN

:Y 3VHU *VUZ\S[HU[

*LSS!

543:

LTHPS! JHYVS T`^MP'NTHPS JVT

>HSS -PUHUJPHS 0UJ +)( >PU 7YPTL 3LUKPUN :V /HY]HYK )S 3VZ (UNLSLZ *(

Havanďż˝, Cubďż˝ May 22 to 29, 2018

May 22, 2018 (Tuesday - Day 1) Los Angeles to Havana, Cuba Depart from LAX to Havana, Cuba. Upon arrival in Havana, meet our guide and transfer to the hotel for dinner.

May 23, 2018 (Wednesday - Day 2) Havana, Cuba Our day will begin with mass at the Cathedral of Havana located in the center of Old Havana. After mass, proceed for a city tour of Old Havana with an experienced local tour guide. The tour will take 4 DEC-Day 2 - (Mon) - Arrive at Ben Gurion airport Tel-Aviv/Tiberias place on foot and you will visit all the squares of Old Havana. Take in the astonishing beauty of the After you have finished Immigration, collect Luggage then Meet our guide and driver. Transfer to Tiberias , Dinner /overnight Gai Beach Hotel historical buildings, sculptures, and monuments. After lunch you will have free time to bargain at the 5 DEC-Day 3 - (Tues) Cesarea /Haifa San Jose Craft Market. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) 3 DEC-Day 1 - (Sun) LAX/TLV On board meals are served

There was a certain man in Caesareaâ&#x20AC;? Drive north to the sparkling port city of Haifa, viewing Caesarea en route, the city built by Herod. In Haifa, we will ascend Mt. Carmel; home of the two prophets Elijah and Elisha, Visit the Stella Maris Church celebrate Holy Mass in the main Altar, after enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean, continue to Tiberias for dinner and overnight. Gai Beach Hotel (BB,D)

May 24, 2018 (Thursday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Day 3) Havana, Cuba This morning, we will visit the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem. This religious complex is the most extensive of those surviving in Old Havana. Here you will attend mass. After mass, you will meet with the 6 DEC-Day 4 - (Wed) - Tiberias/ Cana/ Nazareth Holy Eucharist at the Church of annunciation â&#x20AC;&#x153;And Mary said, Behold I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your nuns and assist with projects of the day. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the evening you will assist wordâ&#x20AC;? We head to Cana of Galilee, where Our Lord performed the first miracle â&#x20AC;&#x201C; changing water into wine at the wedding feast. Here, weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll a Cuban cultural demonstration. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) invite couples to renew their marriage vows. Continue to Nazareth, Celebrate Holy Eucharist at the Church of Annunciation, visit St Joseph workshop. We return to Gai Beach Hotel for our dinner and overnight. (BB/D)

07 Dec-Day 5 - (Thurs) Mt Tabor/Mt Beatitude/Capernum/ Sea of Galilee/Tabgha

We drive to Mount Tabor, celebrate Holy Eucharist at the church of Transfiguration, Visit Mt. of Beatitudes the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people. enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Gai Beach Hotel for our dinner and overnight. (BB/D)

May 25, 2018 (Friday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Day 4) Havana, Cuba You will have mass at the Convent and Church of Our Lady of Bethlehem. After mass, you will continue to assist the nuns. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. This evening in Havana, we will plan an exciting tour of the historical complex of Castillo del and La Fortaleza de San Carlos de la Cabana. If the timing and weather conditions permitted, you will witness the special nightly cannon at the fortress. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

08 DEC-Day 6 - (FRI)-Jordan valley/Jericho/Bethany/Jerusalem

May 26, 2018 (Saturday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Day 5) Havana, Cuba Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Havana. After, you will visit the Abel Santamaria School for the blind, located on the grounds of an old military base. The school aims to integrate the children into mainstream schools as soon as the child is ready through an outreach program which continues to support children at their secondary schools. You will spend time meeting the students 09 DEC-Day 7 - (Sat) - Jerusalem (old City) - Via Dolorosa and teachers. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, visit Cintio Vitier Community Project Center, where arts Holy Sepulcher Church â&#x20AC;&#x153;And he bearing his cross went forth into a place of a skull, which was called in Hebrew Golgothaâ&#x20AC;?

Enter the old city of Jerusalem, Sing a hymn in the Church of St Anne and view the pool of Bethesda. Visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Programs of all types including painting, ceramic and dance hosted. You will learn about this community project and hear from Lithostrotos, where the soldiers played the Game of Kings, and Arch of the â&#x20AC;&#x153;Ecce Homoâ&#x20AC;?. Follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) to the the director of the program, Pedro Pulido. End your day with a panoramic drive through Modern Havana riding in old classic cars holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit Golgotha and the tomb of Our Lord. This afternoon drive to Mount Zion, from the 1950â&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. Be sure to have your camera ready for this unique experience. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) Drive the Jordan Valley to Jericho, the oldest inhabited city in the world. View the Mount of temptation, where Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert. Visit the ancient ruins of the wall. Drive through Wadi Welt to view St Georgeâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Monastery. Continue to Bethany celebrate Holy Eucharist, and then visit the tomb of Lazarus. Arrive in Mount Scopus; enjoy the first view of Jerusalem. Dinner and overnight at Notre DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB,D)

to visit the upper room, revered as the site of the last supper. Then survey the Dormition Abbeyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, St. Peter in Gallicantu, where Peter denied Jesus three times. Dinner and overnight at NOTRE DAME Vatican Hotel (BB.D)

10 DEC-Day 8 - (SUN) - Mount of Olives/Gethesemane/Bethlehem/New City

Holy Eucharist celebration at the Church of all nations Main altar Arrive at the Mount of Olives and enjoy the beautiful view of Jerusalem. Visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus Flevit Churchâ&#x20AC;?God wept â&#x20AC;&#x153;& walk the Palm Sunday road to the Garden of Gethesemane and the Church of all Nations. This Afternoon drive to Bethlehem, a city whose name the whole world recognizes ,visit the Church of Nativity, the manger, Church of St Catherine, The Grotto of St Jerome, and the shepherds fields. Dinner and overnight at NOTRE DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB ,D).

May 27, 2018 (Sunday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Day 6) Havana â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Las Terrazas â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Vinales Valley Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Havana. Then you will be transferred to Las Terrazas for a tour of the community. Visit the neighborhoods, their schools, artists and community projects in the area. You will then continue to Vinales. Upon arrival, transfer to the hotel for check in and rest. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

May 28, 2018 (Monday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Day 7) Vinales Valley Start the morning off with mass at a local church in Vinales. Then you will have a sightseeing Visit the Western Wall , the only part of the Herodian temple still standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. We drive to Dead tour. There is an opportunity to visit a Tobacco Farm and learn how to expertly roll a cigar. You will Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herodâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s also have the chance to visit an interesting site called the Prehistoric Wall and to take a Boat Ride fortress and the Jewâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s last stronghold against the Roman. Return to Jerusalem Overnight Notre Dame Vatican Hotel (BB,D) through underground caves known as The Indian Caves. Then visit Finca Agroecolgica El Paraiso 12 DEC-Day10 - (TUE) Jerusalem New City where you will have lunch. After you will visit the gardens with the breath-taking views. Return to the hotel where you will have Return to the new City, Including the Temple Model to see a scale model of Jerusalem as it was during the time of Jesus. Here we will have a dinner. (Meal: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner) 11 DEC-Day 9 - ( MON) - Jerusalem/Dead Sea/Qumran/Masada

better understanding between old and New Jerusalem. Next to Ein Karem, birthplace of St John the Baptist, visit the Visitation church where Mary proclaimed her famous â&#x20AC;&#x153;Magnificat Overnight NOTRE DAME VATICAN HOTEL (BB,D)

13 Dec-Day 11 - (WED) Jerusalem/TLV/LAX

Breakfast rest of the morning Free time early PM dinner has to check out from the hotel, around 8:30 PM flight from TLV/ LAX in the 13 Dec flight depart TLV at 1:00 Am Dec 14,2017 ( end of Service )

May 29, 2018 (Tuesday â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Day 8) Vinales â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Havana â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Los Angeles Today, you will be transferred to the airport for your flight back home as your trip comes to an end. (Meal: Breakfast)

B2 SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

ENTERTAINMENT

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

Christian Bables will do nudity... for art’s sake!

by RICKY LO Philstar.com

AFTER his unexpected success as the gay buddy of Paolo Ballesteros in “Die Beautiful”, this year’s breakout actor Christian Bables has been swamped with offers, one of them “Born Beautiful” as the titular character and, among others, two films with direk Chito Roño who will require Christian to do frontal nudity.

“No problem,” according to Christian, Best Supporting Actor awardee also for “Die Beautifiul,” who is one of the contract talents of IdeaFirst Company organized by partners, directors Perci Intalan and Jun Lana.

As long as the script calls for it and a respected director is at the helm and, yes, “for art’s sake.” After all, many of today’s finest actors have done full nudity including Christopher de Leon, Richard Gomez, Bembol Roco, Coco Martin, Piolo Pascual and others.

Besides Christian, half a dozen other artists are under contract with IdeaFirst which Perci and Jun put up to satisfy the audiences’ clamor for fresh and innovative content.

“Artists are now the stars of Philippine showbiz,” claimed Perci.

“People are now buying tickets if they see that a film has a good story made by good storytellers performed by a good cast of actors and actresses. This is the new winning formula: good story plus good

cast. That’s why when we formed The IdeaFirst Company, the vision was to put artistry at the core of our business.”

Christian is in good company.

The two other actors under IdeaFirst’s wings are Cedrick Juan, who previously appeared in films and TV shows like “On The Wings of Love” and plays one of the leads in the 2017 QCinema entry, “The Ashes and Ghosts of Tayug 1931”; and Adrianna So (formerly known as Malak So) whom Jun describes as “an exciting and unique performer who has a look, a sense of grace and a certain mystique about her that I haven’t seen in showbiz for a long time.”

Among IdeaFirst’s other creative artists are Prime Cruz (Best Director at the QCinema International Film Festival for his film “Ang Manananggal sa Unit 23B”); Miko Livelo (writer-director of acclaimed comedies “Tanods,” “Blue Bustamante” and “I Love You To Death”); Ivan Andrew Payawal (writer-director of “I America”); Dominic Lim (writerdirector whose debut feature “The Write Moment” was selected for the 2017 QCinema International Film Festival); and, of course, Sigrid Andrea Bernardo (writer-director of the award-winning “Ang Huling Cha-Cha ni Anita” and the highestgrossing [more than P350M so far and counting] Filipino independent film “Kita Kita”).

With these creative and performing artists, the IdeaFirst Company is

BY MONET

Christian Bables

Philstar.com photo

able to not only produce innovative content, it can now also act as the management company for these artists when they are engaged in projects with other production outfits, film studios and television networks.

“We believe that the key to growth is collaboration,” said direk Perci. “Collaboration happens on multiple levels at the IdeaFirst Company. It happens internally among the content creators. It happens between the storytellers and our performers. It happens externally between our team and the teams of other companies that we do projects with like Regal, Viva, Quantum and Star Cinema.”

Raquel Pempengco mulls libel case against Jake...

PAGE B1 called him a liar.

“Iparating mo na lang sana na pinag-iisipan kong magsampa ng kaso [ng libelo] dahil sa pagpapalabas ng istorya ng buhay ko na hindi nila ako kinunsulta. Kasama na rin sa demanda ang anak ko na si CHARMAINE CLARICE RELUCIO PEMPENGCO. (Let them know that I’m thinking of filing a libel case [MMK] for showing my story without my permission. My

complaint includes my daughter Charmaine Clarice Relucio Pempengco),” Raquel said in a message to Pep.ph.

Raquel said that she will file a libel case.

“Sobrang nasira ang kredibilidad ko bilang tao at bilang ina.

Buong mundo ang nakaalam, hindi lang buong Pilipinas. Kulang na lang sana ay pinatay na ako ni Charice. Maraming makakapagpatunay na malayo sa katotohanan ang istoryang inila-

had at inilabas. (My reputation as a person and as a mother was tarnished. It’s not just the Philippines who knew, but the whole world. Charice should’ve just killed me. A lot of people could attest that the story they told was not true),” she added.

Meanwhile, Raquel’s mother, Thess Pineda, said she supports Jake’s version of the story and attested that all of it was true.

Jake has yet to give his comments about the issue.

Shaina Magdayao opens up about her...

PAGE B1

excitedly.

She also shares that she’ll be doing a project as soon as she get back from Siargao, in which she considers as an early birthday

gift. The younger sister of singeractress Vina Morales will turn 27 in November.

“With all these wonderful blessings, I promised to visit Father Pio on my birthday just to give thanks

for the really productive second quarter that I had this year. For sure, the blessings will be a great help to my recovery, that’s why I’m looking forward to working” the actress said.

LU

THEY say one of the most precious moments a woman could ever have is to be a mother. It changes you from within and you’ll never look at life the same way again. But what happens when the baby you once cradled in your arms turns into a lady right before your eyes?

I had the pleasure of hearing about this experience straight from my favorite mom-and-daughter: Lalaine and Richie Anne Soliven.

“I am excited to see the woman of God that she is becoming; a woman of character, love & grace.

Richie Anne and I became closer like we’re “best friends.” We talk through everything but we manage to set boundaries like have ups & downs and still balance our individuality and closeness, have unconditional love for each other by accepting one another’s imperfections,” Lalaine Soliven, mother of Richie Anne opened up when I asked her about the relationship she has with her daughter now that she has officially entered adulthood.

Richie Anne turned 18 last July 4. Her Fabulous-and-GlamourNight-themed debut was held at the Pacific Palms Resort. The night was filled with unforgettable moments and was well attended with over a hundred guests who all have played an important role in Richie Anne’s life.

“I had the the best time making sure the party was in order and that it would be memorable for everyone. I really wanted to make Richie Anne happy on her special day,” Lalaine added.

The most awaited dance aka the 18 roses was executed flawlessly. The lovely debutant danced with her godfathers, grandfathers, cousins, brother and of course, her father, who happened to be her final dance.

“The Father-Daughter Dance was very emotional. It signifies Richie Anne’s first step to womanhood and my husband’s acceptance of the fact. During the 18 Roses, Richie Anne’s Godfather (her Uncle Ronald) carried her like a baby in his arms. It was very touchyfeely. It brought everyone to tears,” Lalaine continued.

According to her, Richie Anne’s father was very supportive and in effect, Richie Anne grew up strong & confident and she attributes that to having a strong male influence

When the baby turns into a lady: A chat with my favorite mother-daughter tandem

Mother and daughter tandem Lalaine and Richie Anne Soliven. Richie Anne turned 18 last July 4.

in their daughter’s life.

“Looking back at those eighteen years, the memories that really stand out to me were the simple things: taking piano lessons together, taking turns reading to one another, letting her choose the music in the car or playing a game or coloring together, just her and I being silly,” she said.

The baby is now a lady “As a young lady, I would like people to recognize my God-given gifts, I would love to inspire more people through my joy and kindness. I would want people to be excited that I am part of their life and would hate to see me go. I want them to able to trust me and see me as someone who stays true to her word but walks with confidence not seeking approval of everyone,” Richie Anne says when I asked her how she wants to be treated now that she is a full-grown woman.

“I would describe myself as a person with a humble heart. Many people think that I think ‘little of myself’ and I don’t think that’s true at all. I am a person with real interest in others and would want to contribute positively to the world,” Richie Anne says when I asked her to describe herself.

Richie Anne was one of The

Beautiful Life Celebration’s “Most Beautiful Fil-Am 2015”and was crowned “Darling of the Night.”

She is currently majoring in Biological Sciences at University of California-Irvine. Ten years from now, she sees herself as a doctor, giving back to the community by affecting positive change and opening opportunities for others and for herself.

Right now, she is involved in the “Thirst Project,” a non-profit organization aimed towards providing clean water sources in third world countries. They are fundraising money to build wells PAGE B3

Features

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

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS We do not need sleep False. While science cannot be certain that every animal sleeps, evidence says that most of those in the animal kingdom do. Sleep is very important, especially for us, humans, in order to “recharge” and not suffer the consequences of “low-bat.” Our mental acuity, rationality, concentration, quality of our decision, even attitude and performance, and above all, our sense of well-being are all dependent on how rested and relaxed we are each day. Lack of sleep and rest increases our risk for over-eating, obesity, high blood pressure, heart attacks, stroke, diabetes, Alzheimer’s, and even cancer. This has been clinically proven, especially among those with untreated sleep apnea.

Weekend catch-up Those with chronic sleep deprivation, say for 4 or 5 days, cannot make it up by sleeping over the week-end. And the more you lack sleep for days, repeatedly, your body builds up a “sleep debt,” which could be very difficult to compensate. A nightly restful sleep is essential for health and productivity.

Alcohol helps One would think that a “sedative” like alcoholic beverage would help provide better quality sleep and rest, but, in fact, it only helps one to fall asleep faster (although it does the opposite among some individuals), but the sleep is less restorative. Alcohol interrupts the REM cycles and inhibits dreaming, and this impairs sleep and the ability to get a good restful slumber.

Going to bed earlier Another myth claims going to bed earlier than your usual would help. That is not true. Forcing yourself to sleep counters your goal, because your body should be ready first. If your nightly routine is to go to bed at 9 PM or 10 PM, following the same schedule helps.

Another strategy is to wait till you feel sleepy or tired. Intimacy helps the quality of sleep.

Four hours is enough For seniors, especially in their 70s and older, and are retired, four hours might be enough, because they do not have to go to work and could take naps as they need to. For the younger ones, who are actively working daily, 7-9 hours of restful

sleep would confer ample energy and maximal benefit for overall quality performance for the day.

Individual need for sleep varies.

As long as the person wakes up refreshed and rested, the sleep is adequate. Energy is power!

Sleep apnea is trivial Anything that impairs sleep is not trivial. Sleep apnea, as I have stated in past columns, “is nothing to snore about.” This is a condition where the person, mostly but not all snorers, involuntarily stops breathing for prolonged periods while asleep and jolted to wakefulness due to severe lack of oxygen. These episodes happen dozens of times during the night, leading to chronic oxygen deficit, severe sleep deficit, and their complications in the form of serious diseases, including cancer. Deaths have been reported among undiagnosed or untreated individuals with sleep apnea. This effectively treatable condition (with the use of a CPAP machine during sleep, which is surprisingly comfortable) should be diagnosed and managed as early as possible before its ill-effects on health and complications develop.

Coffee does not hurt That’s another myth. Caffeine, the main ingredient in coffee, tea, chocolate, etc., is a plant alkaloid (1,3,7-trimethylxnthine). Even for those avid coffee drinkers, caffeine at night impairs sleep to one degree or another. Everything and all other factors being equal, those who do not drink coffee at night get more restful sleep. Others cannot even take caffeine in the afternoon without sleep impairment at night.

It takes our system 5-7 hours to break down 50 percent of the amount of caffeine we imbibe, so if one drinks caffeine at 1 PM, half of the caffeine is still in the body by 5 or 7 PM. Bedtime snack is good This popular notion is probably true, so long as it is 200 calories or less for pre-bedtime snack (total daily calories adjusted among diabetics). Carbohydrates with protein-rich food increase the level of tryptophan, especially in the brain, which is converted by the body to serotonin, the natural sleep inducing substance manufactured in the brain and 80-90 percent in the intestines. For those who are trying to lose weight, this snack is out.

Our brain sleeps with us Not true. While it seems our heart contracts continuously without resting, it actually rests for about 0.8 seconds in between

beats. On average, it beats about 80 per minute, 4,800 per hour, 115,200 a day, 42,048,000 a year, or 3,363,840,000 times for the lifetime of an 80-year-old person. Our brain, on the other hand, does not sleep while we sleep. It is always on, working vigilantly, but also “recharging” as it maintains and protects our bodily function, like circulation, breathing, etc.

Naps are a waste of time For those who have the time and luxury for a nap, it is a healthy habit. In Spain, it is called siesta, in Italy, riposo, in the Philippines, idlip. Nap is an accepted part of the culture in the Mediterranean, Southern Europe, and in countries like the Philippines, Greece, Spain, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Mexico, and Nigeria, Not all naps provide a refreshing rest. A 20-minute siesta would provide a refreshing boost in energy and mental acuity, but a longer one might cause mental drowsiness and sense of fatigue.

The television helps This myth is wrong. Watching the television does not help. Peace of mind is fundamental. It excites our brain so much, ii impairs the quality of rest we get. We should avoid watching the TV at least an hour before going to bed. The same thing is true with cellphones, computers, and other digital gadgets.

This rule applies even more so for children. Another distraction to avoid is light, especially the blue light from our digital gadgets Not sleepy, stay in bed Wrong. When one could not sleep, for any reason, even among insomniacs, one may stay in bed so long as they feel comfortable and relaxed. If this pleasant feeling lingers, then remain in bed till you fall asleep. However, if the inability to fall asleep is prolonged, laying awake for half an hour or more, and is giving you anxiety and frustration, it is best to get out of bed and do your favorite chores even in the middle of the night. Some of the best personal projects are accomplished this way. *** 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

philstar.com photo

What to admire about Aegis band Philstar.com

A record label executive, speaking before professional songwriters, recently pointed out that songs with hugot lines easily connect with sentimental Filipinos.

That must be halfway the truth in assessing the lofty status rock ballad band Aegis enjoys. Its songs’ lyrics surely do hit deep.

And the words get through to the everyday Pinoy who falls in love or gets hurt in the process of embracing romance.

Such words combined with lonely melodies that simply cut

through, with no pretensions of sounding artsy, give the band the kind of material that fits basic power ballad arrangement. It is a formulaic concoction every critic may call safe or accuse of not exploring the gadgetry of modern music.

Yet, it works for Filipino listeners.

Besides, Aegis’ repertoire of originals is for people so in touch with their emotions, those affected or who pretend not to be affected by, as we know it, hugot lines.

“We’re glad that people don’t forget us. Sa U.S. tour namin, so-

bra ang pagtanggap nila at puno lahat ang 15 shows namin,” said Juliet Sunot, one of the band’s three singers and certainly a major piece of the band for her highpitched vocals.

There’s humility in her tone, almost as if she doesn’t know she possesses that superior vocal gift spelling the difference.

So true, the powerful vocals that come off the band set them apart from most mainstream group acts. Most female voices in the music scene either sing sexy or soft, smooth-operators so to PAGE B4

Angelica Panganiban exchanges messages...

PAGE B1 home! But next time [I’m] in PHL we’ll try and make it happen.”

“The people who are close to me, knows that I am a fan of Chuck Bartowski. When I celebrated my 25th Bday, (it was a costume party) some of them were wearing Chucks Buy More costume the show ended 5 years ago and i moved on (that’s what I thought)” Angelica’s caption read.

“He posted a video on instagram that he’s in PH… The fangirl in me, came back to life [in love emoji] So I messaged him. And he actually replied. Being very approachable to his fans.”

Zachary was the star of the now defunct TV series “Chuck” and the voice behind Flynn Ryder’s character in “Tangled.”

B

12 truths about sleep

aegis: 19 years and counting.

by Yugel losorata

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

The Hollywood actor visited the Philippines recently as part of Operationsmile.org’s recent medical mission in the country.

The actor also shared on Instagram photos of his experience eating balut, a Pinoy delicacy made of boiled fertilized duck egg.

Angelica also shared that she was once a volunteer for operationsmile.org and joked about wanting to come back as knowing that Zachary is also a volunteer for the organization.

The Hollywood actor has a couple of projects in line to premier this year which includes a Netflix miniseries adaptation of of Margaret Atwood’s novel “Alias Grace, “and an NBC sci-fi action series entitled Zachary levi “Unidentified”. photo form his instagram account

Caregiver petition allows isaaC to be reunited with his Children in the u.s. as green Card holders. driven by the desire to improve his life for his children’s sake, isaac (left) jumped ship when his ship docked at los angeles in 2007. Fortunately, he found an employer who was willing to petition him as a caregiver. the employer’s petition was approved, but isaac still had to wait several more years before his priority date was current and he was eligible for a green card. all that time, isaac could not return to the philippines due to his immigration status. but he still made that sacrifice, knowing it was the right way to do. For him, it was better to wait, if everything was done properly and legally. isaac knew he was in capable hands under the law offices of Michael J. gurfinkel, who helped obtain green cards for isaac and his two young sons. watch this happy family reunion on a brand-new episode of CitiZen pinoY – on sunday at 6:15 pm (pst) on tFC.

When the baby turns into a lady: A chat...

PAGE B2 or water filters for hundreds of people where all donations are directly given to the water projects. Just last year, the total funds donated for water projects reached $449,517.

“I believe that each individual have enough opportunities to make a difference in their everyday lives.

A simple smile can evoke positive emotions of love, compassion and joy that would bring about change,” she said.

Lalaine and Richie Anne would like to thank the following people: Miracle Santos of Miracle Dream for being the best event planner/ coordinator, Leo Bagtas of Da Vinci Camera, for capturing memorable moments, Carl Andrada of Carmelo Design for the debutant’s grandiose gowns, twins Monica & Monique Santos for the lovely hair & make up, Host/DJ Joseph Gelito for the entertainment, Asian Journal and Monet Lu for taking the time to publish our story and writing such an amazing piece. Richie Anne’s dad Richard Soliven and her brother AJ Soliven, as well family & friends who were there to celebrate her special day.

To my favorite mother-daughter tandem who I’ve know for quite sometime and have grown really fond of, I am so proud that this

milestone has brought you closer to each other and I am thankful for letting me be part of it. Good luck to both of you and I hope you continue to be each other’s best friend. *** 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

B september 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL

EntErtainmEnt

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

Filipino teen stars fly to LA, try their luck in pop stardom ‘American Idol’ producer searches the world for Now United STAR Magic artists AC Bonifacio, Jane de Leon, Ylona Garcia and Bailey May left for Los Angeles, California on August 26 after being selected as finalists to vie for a slot in an upcoming global pop group called Now United.

The four official Philippine representatives were selected by Now United creator and “American Idol” producer Simon Fuller to join the 46 other finalists from around

the globe for a weeklong’s worth of dance, vocal, styling and social media workshops.

Bonifacio, de Leon, Garcia and May bested fellow artists in the ABS-CBN talent management group who also auditioned for the Now United committee.

“I didn’t expect this kasi I can sing but I’m not a singer and dumating sa point na nagkashortlist. Nagulat ulit ako kasi

nakapasok ulit ako. Tapos nagsubmit na kami ng dance cover.

Ayun hindi ko inexpect na napili ako kasama ang apat,” de Leon said just before flying out to LA. The pretty teener rose to fame as part of “Its Showtime’s” all-female dance group, GirlTrends.

But for all of them, it is more than a dream come true to be able to represent the country on a global platform.

Garcia, who rose to fame as a “Pinoy Big Brother 737” housemate, said, “Sabi nila you should make sure that youe life is worth being told so I want to make sure that mine is going to be a good one. It’s also my dream to make it in America, not just for myself but also to represent the Philippines and it’s also for my friends and family.”

Meanwhile, Bonifacio may be the youngest among the four, but she is confident she has something to offer the talent bootcamp. This youngster rose to fame as one-half of “Dance Kids” winning team Lucky Aces.

“Siguro yung dance ang maibibigay ko because I’m really Photos from their Instagram accounts: AC Bonifacio (@andreebonifacio), Jane de Leon (@ passionate about it. I’m going to janedeleon_official), Ylona Garcia (@ylonagarcia) and Bailey May (@baileymay)

give it my all,” she promised.

Last but not the least, May rounds up Team Philippines, as the only male representative. Despite this, the Filipino-British teen star from “Pinoy Big Brother 737” is not about to rest easy during their trainings.

“I’m very determined and I’m mentally stable. I’ve envisioned my future. I’ve envisioned it before and it’s already happening and this is the same,” he said.

After the training, the best of the best—11 in total—will be immediately be selected as official members of Now United.

Rather than compete with each other, the four teeners vowed to support one another, no matter who makes the cut.

“Ang samin lang, gagawin namin namin ang best namin to represent the Philippines and Star Magic,” de Leon averred.

All participants of the weeklong will return to their respective countries after selection. Those chosen to be part of the pop group will only be required to return to the U.S. in January 2018 to begin preparations for a world tour.

(ManilaTimes.net)

LBC Passport Program rewards loyal customers in US and Canada

Bea Alonzo, Ian Venerecion and Iza Calzado share relationship pointers from ‘A Love To Last’

LBC continues to find ways to care for their loyal customers and make certain that they are rewarded. Recently, LBC North America launched a passport program for customers in the U.S. and Canada.

U.S. customers (from July 15, 2017) and Canada Customers (from August 15, 2017), who transacted whether through an LBC branch, an authorized partner or a sales representative, were given passports. These passports get to earn reward points until December 31, 2017.

These points can be converted to a cash card or donation to the CSR project - Project Pearls once a customer attains a certain number of points.

To get the points, transactions equate to a certain value -- for sea small boxes, the value is 2.5; for sea large or extralarge products’ value is 5.0; for air products is 2.5; VIP services have 2.5 value; while money

product has a value of 1.0. One has to have at least 25 points to qualify. Discounted transactions, however, do not earn points.

Each point earned is exclusive only to the customer and non-transferrable. If a customer opts to donate the points earned to Project Pearls, they will receive a tax deductible receipt within 60 days of point conversion.

To make it easy for customers to track their points, they can view it on their passport or on the LBC website. Redemption period of earned points is until January 31, 2018.

For more details on the promo, patrons can visit any LBC North America and Canada branches nearest to them. They can also call the Customer Service at 1-800-338-5424 in the USA or 1-888-652-2522 in Canada. *** LBC is the Philippines’ market leader in retail and corporate

courier & cargo, money remittance, and logistics services. With a growing network of over 6,400 branches, hubs & warehouses, partners, and agents in over 30 countries, LBC is committed to moving lives, businesses, and communities and delivering smiles around the world. Listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange through LBC Express Holdings, Inc., LBC aims to deliver value to all of its stakeholders, as it has for over 60 years. Founded in 1945 as a brokerage and air cargo agent, LBC pioneered time-sensitive cargo delivery and 24-hour door-to-door delivery in the Philippines. Today, it is the most trusted logistics brand of the Global Filipino. LBC can move it for you: visit www.LBCexpress.com, or call telephone +632 8585 999 (Metro Manila), 1 800 10 8585 999 (Provincial), +632 9086 522 (Solutions) and follow LBCExpress (Facebook and Twitter).

(Advertising Supplement)

WE ARE

HIRING Asian Journal Publications is now looking for:

Customer Sales and Service Representative

AC Bonifacio

Bailey May

Jane de Leon

Ylona Garcia

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

WITH celebrity couples often ending up in splits-ville, this tech-savvy generation came up with the hashtag #walangforever to remind one another that relationships—no matter how promising or seemingly “made in heaven”—shouldn’t be expected to last. Think Brangelina.

Refreshingly though, prime time stars Bea Alonzo, Ian Veneracion and Iza Calzado of the ABS-CBN hit series “A Love To Last” beg to differ.

Speaking to the media at the press conference for their show’s final five weeks on air, the goodlooking and talented trio declared they believe love can last—or at least “be prolonged”—with the help of vital virtues.

Veneracion, who has been happily married non-showbiz wife Pam Gallardo for 20 years now, cited the importance of respect and patience.

“I think couples must have respect for each other’s individuality. More importantly, they must have a bottomless pit of patience, which my wife definitely has,” chuckled the 42-year-old actor.

Calzado, on the other hand, believes that besides loving each other, an enduring relationship is possible with “respect, trust, understanding, communication and compromise.”

And indeed, the 35-year-old speaks from experience what with a successful six-year relationship with English businessman Ben Wittle going from strength to strength. She further takes pride that her past relationships have all been long-term by today’s definition.

“Also, expectations should not be high all the time because they can be very disappointing if not

Iza Calzado

Ian Veneracion and Bea Alonzo

met. We have to learn to manage them,” the award-winning actress added.

Although the youngest of the bunch, Alonzo had a single tip to share, which she confessed she learned not only from her previous relationships, but also from her character Andrea in “A Love To Last.”

“I’d say one important ingredient to a long-lasting relationship is to never give up on love or on somebody you love. Once you commit to your partner, you should be able stand up for him no matter how difficult the situation becomes,” the 29-year-old, who is currently in a “special relationship” with Gerald Anderson, noted.

Alonzo’s take is certainly lifted from the series where her character is learning how hard it is to be married to Anton (Veneracion) what with his meddling ex-wife Grace (Calzado) and their children who are still adjusting to the situation.

Likewise, in the story, Anton finds it difficult to understand the sentiments of his second wife, which Veneracion said he is learning from as a husband in real life.

“I could say that playing Anton for the past eight months has taught me how different a male’s perspective is from that of a female. For example, while reading the script, I’d often ask Bea if in real life she would really sulk

ManilaTimes.net photos

over something I would consider superficial. And she’d say yes,” he explained.

From such encounters in the series, Veneracion realized how men can be very insensitive to the female perceptions sometimes.

“We operate very differently, and maybe that’s why they say, ‘men are from Mars and women are from Venus,’ at least in the way we communicate,” he offered.

The bottom line is, to make a relationship last, Calzado, Veneracion and Alonzo agree that both sides have to put in the effort and compromise if they believe their partner or spouse is worth it.

It is these takeaways from A Love To Last that have certainly made the series relatable to prime time audiences, so much so that they have stayed on top of the ratings game since premiering in January. Boosting the fame of the trio even more, in fact, a concert spin-off of the program will be held on September 8 at Kia Theater at Cubao’s Araneta Center in Quezon City.

Titled, “#LoveGoals: A Love to Last Concert,” the cast will mostly sing songs by Jose Mari Chan, which have served as their soundtrack on prime time.

“We’re really overwhelmed by the success of the show, which makes us very excited to thank our fans in the coming concert.

We hope to see everyone there,” Veneracion ended.

What to admire about Aegis...

Fax résumé to:

info@asianjournalinc.com

PAGE B3 speak. Many of them sound too girlish, or always trying to portray themselves as pretty-looking damsels in distress.

The singers in Aegis would have none of that. They don’t need to be taken as hot, lonely women who want to be saved by boysnext-door or rich widowers from the upper floors. They’re sisters and they can really sing, in overthe-top harmonies and hold-yourbreath pitches. They’re letting it all out, weeping and wailing. They simply sound wistful, ultimately wonderful.

Juliet shared, referring to how they take care of their golden voices, “We avoid cold drinks — maligamgam lang — and sweets.

Getting sleep is important.”

Backing up Juliet and her sisters

Mercy and Ken are keyboardist Stella Pabico, guitarist Rey Abenoja, bass player Rowena Adriano and drummer Vilma Goloviogo.

Why there’s a thorn among the roses can be somehow traced to Rey’s surname. The band’s classics were written by one Celso Abenoja.

Another thing to admire about Aegis is that they stick to the group’s brand. The Sunot sisters could have easily gone into a trio, or Juliet may have found a way to go solo. But they have kept themselves together under the Aegis name.

Fortune goes to the ones who keep it together. And for them that luck came in the form of a musical called Rak of Aegis that became a breakaway hit when launched in local theater stage in 2014, a

decade and a half since Aegis entered the public consciousness.

That the band members have a string of timeless hit songs and a name that sounds like “ages,” and there’s Rock of Ages, with Tom Cruise starring in a film version of it, is the whole universe conspiring?

Isay Alvarez hit the right note when she said that it’s difficult to sing Aegis songs and that in reality, most people are not always heartbroken in the name of romantic love. But then the catch is, as she noted, Aegis music is very Pinoy.

“Next year, it would be our 20th year,” Juliet happily reminded.

Longevity is its success. Blowing kisses to the magic of secondwind gives more meaning to such a long run.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

B

B6 SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

ENTERTAINMENT

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

Tony Labrusca spreads wings in debut single Julia and Joshua: A collision of fates BALIKBAYAN Tony Labrusca—son of actor Boom Labrusca and singer Angel Jones of the popular ‘90s hip-hop group Kulay—first caught the fancy of local music fans following his stint in the ABS-CBN “Pinoy Boyband Superstar PH” talent search. He may have not have made it to the show’s finals, but the very grounded 22-year-old gratefully realized that winning isn’t everything in life.

Shortly after the winners

of Boyband were declared, Labrusca was cast in what became a series of viral videos for a fast food chain. From there, he landed his own endorsements for a handful of labels, and, as his biggest break, was tapped

by ABS-CBN to join Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo in their top-rating prime time series “La Luna Sangre” as Jake Arguelles.

Uncomfortable to be tagged these days as “Boyband PH’s

by SAMANTHA

BELTRAN Philstar.com

Tony Labrusca Photo from his Instagram account

most successful discovery,” especially since he has forged a close friendship with the contest winners, the 22-year-old Filipino-American honestly told a huddle of entertainment press, “I never thought of it that way.

I just try to stay in my lane and do my best. And I don’t know how else to feel rather than being ridiculously thankful to God, because who knew losing will open so many doors or me? I’m just thankful to Him for giving me another chance.”

The Manila Times met Labrusca last week at the launch of his single and music video, “Tanging Ikaw,” both available on various digital media platforms.

Since he considers himself a singer first and foremost, Labrusca is again grateful for the opportunity to have made his dream come true.

As for Labrusca himself, “Tanging Ikaw” is his gift to his fans and supporters.

“I’m really excited and I hope that they like it. I’m such a people-pleaser so I just really want them to enjoy it,” he ended. (ManilaTimes.net)

IN the Philippines, love teams are a dime a dozen. Television networks and talent agencies churn out the same tired formula, fueled by the masses’ penchant for romance: pair two good-looking starlets together, create a barely comprehensible portmanteau of their names, and market them incessantly as “the next big thing.”

The shtick feels pedestrian to some viewers, yet such has been the way of local showbiz for as long as we can remember. Up-and-coming actors who wish to get a grip over the ever-fickle nature of the entertainment industry best find an onscreen partner, and fast. Rarely, however, does one come across a pairing so special, they shine together with little effort.

Julia Barretto and Joshua Garcia were never truly intended to be paired together. Not at the beginning, at least. Joshua was hot off the heels from “Pinoy Big Brother,” where he found a following on the small screen, something that many hopefuls his age could only wish for in search for that proverbial big break. Julia, meanwhile, was TV’s ingénue — a darling of the famed Barretto clan, touted as the next rising star with a string of leading men behind her.

It’s almost serendipitous how two young actors with seemingly different career trajectories found their way into one another. Yet, they did. Call us hopeless romantics, but there’s no stopping fate.

At just 20, Julia exudes confidence. Her classic beauty is arresting, heightened by a flicker in her eyes. She carries herself with such a casual self-assuredness that’s rare among her peers. There’s an innate sweetness to her, yet make no mistake — she’s a sprightly young thing. She’s eloquent, for sure, but she speaks her mind with boldness and certainty. This is a girl who knows herself, inside and out.

Joshua, on the other hand, is the quintessential boy-next-door. He’s playful and impish, cracking dad jokes or cheesy one-liners in the middle of a conversation, but when the matter turns serious, there’s an unmistakable sincerity in his voice and a rawness in his answers that’s refreshing from the rehearsed nature of many celebrities. Joshua strikes one as the guy who is still bewildered by their success, yet is clearly more than ready to enjoy the ride.

The two stars were brought together after they were cast in “Vince and Kath and James,” the teen movie based on the story Vince and Kath that had gone viral on social media, narrated through a series of texts. Joshua and Julia came in at an interesting time: “Vince and Kath and James” was selected as an entry to the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival, the year that shunned major franchises and superstar-headlined comedies in favor of internationally acclaimed films, documentaries and animation, among others. While VKJ was hardly groundbreaking material

The two starlets get cozy in their film “Love You To The Stars And Back.”

Philstar.com photo by Regine David

compared to its contemporaries, it did become the festival’s highest grosser. Joshua and Julia were praised for their acting. Joshua, in particular, was christened as the next John Lloyd Cruz.

In spite of casting two leading men in the movie, JoshLia became a team-up to be reckoned with.

Joshua and Julia both agree that their connection just fell into place on the first day they started working together.

“What’s crazy was that even from our first scene together, it just felt right with him,” Julia shares.

“Everything happened so naturally.

We didn’t have to work on too many things.” Joshua, meanwhile, admitted that Julia got him to open up, even on day one.

There’s fluidity to the way they interact with each other, and an undeniable glow to them. Those who find themselves in the presence of Julia and Joshua have to do a double take in time to see the chemistry flow so effortlessly. The pair has clearly become in sync with one another, that working with each other becomes a breeze.

“I don’t know how it’s possible that you find somebody that you just work so well with without trying so hard,” according to Julia. “We just get each other — we know when somebody’s having a hard time, we know when somebody’s enjoying the scene. We just know.”

Now, a year after their first movie together is a sophomore effort helmed by acclaimed rom-com director Antoinette Jadaone, “Love You To The Stars And Back.” This time, it’s all Joshua and Julia. With an earnest script and a dreamy soundtrack, the movie is poised

to take over box offices and tug at the heartstrings. A larger picture is at play here: there’s talk of aliens, cancer, and having faith in the impossible. In the movie, Mika and Caloy, Julia’s and Joshua’s respective characters, meet after the former runs into Caloy while on an alien-hunt-slash-road-trip.

Joshua contends that “Love You To The Stars And Back” is a more mature effort from VKJ, which centered on teenage romance. Having Jadaone at the wheel steered Joshua and Julia toward the right direction, allowing the pair to step up in their craft. Of the director, Julia shares, “You learn so many things from her, and she wrote the film too, so she knows exactly what to say while directing us. She allows us the right amount of freedom, while still leaving it up to her.”

Joshua says that he and his character share some key similarities, such as “’Yung pagiging masayahin ni Caloy, ’yung makulit, ’yung mga pabiro niyang banat na waley minsan, at ‘yung pagiging mapagmahal niya sa magulang.”

Meanwhile, Julia shares that like Mika, she believes in putting faith in the unlikely. “I think that even if it seems to be very impossible, I still think that it’s worth a try. You should try to know whether it’s impossible or not.” Joshua interjects, “Ako, sa tingin ko, walang imposible.”

At this rate, talk of the impossible — destinies, aliens, and all the shebang — doesn’t seem so farfetched. After all, it was chance that brought Joshua and Julia together.

You could call it fate. Go revel in the thought that it might have been written in the stars.

‘Birdshot,’ ‘Area,’ ‘Seklusyon’ in the 2017 LAPIFF CARSON, CA — The Los Angeles Philippine International Film Festival (LAPIFF) selection committee announced the ten narrative films that are in competition in the film fest to be held October 26-29 at Cinemark Carson, South Bay Pavilion.

The ten films are: “Area,” “Birdshot,” “Dagsin (Gravity)”, “EJK,” “Imbisibol,” “Laut,” “Seklusyon,” “Sakaling Hindi Makarating,” “Sinners or Saint,” “The Sun Behind You.” Pamela Reyes, producer of “Birdshot” which won the Critic’s choice award in the recently concluded Pistang Pelikulang Pilipino (PPP) in Manila, said that she is glad that Filipino Americans in Los Angeles will be able to see their film.

“We are very proud of our film. It has also an environment angle giving attention to the endangered Philippine eagle,” Reyes said. “Birdshot,” which is directed by Mikhail Red, won in the Tokyo Film Festival.

“Area,” which stars AiAi delas Alas, is directed by Louie Ignacio and produced by Baby Go. “Seklusyon,” a horror tale directed by Erik Matti and produced by Dondon Monteverde won six awards in the 2016 Metro Manila Film Festival.

The ten short films chosen are: “Back to One,” “Chapter X,” “Diliman,” “Instaland,” “Last Farewell,” “N.O.V.I. S.,” “RELEVE,” “Sequins,” “Sins of Wasteland,” and “Supot.”

The three documentary films selected are: “Apology,” “Do You Remember the Philippines,” and “We Will Never Play in Manila Again.”

Abe Pagtama, chairman and founder of LAPIFF revealed that a special screening of short films made by members of the FilAm Creative, an organization of Filipino-American filmmakers, artists, actors, writers and producers will be shown for the opening night.

Sweeney Mae, marketing director of South Bay Pavilion said that the mall is proud to sponsor the international film festival on its second year.

For more info on LAPIFF, go to www.lapiff.org or call (310) 849-3509.

Wyn Marquez ready for Miss World Philippines finals ACTRESS Winwyn Marquez will go for the win at the finals of Miss World Philippines 2017 on September 3.

The daughter of actors and politicians Joey Marquez and Alma Moreno and half sister of actors Mark Anthony Fernandez and Vandolph Quizon has sought the help of internationally renowned Filipino fashion designer Francis Libiran to create her gown for the pageant.

Wyn was a finalist in the talent competition of Miss World Philippines 2017.

Prior to Miss World Philippines, Marquez represented Parañaque City at the Binibining Pilipinas 2015 contest, by which she was among the 15 finalists and winner of three special awards: Best in National Costume, She’s so JAG Award and Miss Talent.

On Sunday, Sept. 3, Wyn will compete against 34 others for the crown that will determine the country’s representative for the 2017 Miss World beauty pageant in China.

Wyn starred in the 2017 remake of GMA’s “Encantadia” and on the network’s primetime fantasy series “Mulawin vs. Ravena.”

Miss World Philippines 2017 will be held at the Mall of Asia Arena and will be aired on GMA (Deni Rose M. Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com) Winwyn Marquez

Photo from her Instagram account

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

Features

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017

B

B september 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND AsIAN JOUrNAL

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

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

COMMUNITY Journal

Why should you be represented by an experienced immigration attorney IT has been said that immigration laws and regulations are aptly called a labyrinth that only a lawyer could navigate. The courts and the Board of Immigration Appeals have recognized that attorneys are more familiar with the standards and factors an immigration judge examines and can present evidence more effectively. In addition, attorneys have special competence and duties to represent their clients. Attorneys are held to professional standards and obligations. They have a duty to exercise their knowledge and skill in order to present the strongest legallyvalid case possible.

Recognizing that aliens have difficulty in presenting their cases forcefully and effectively, the courts have held that aliens have a due process right to competent legal counsel. Competent legal counsel means that aliens have the right to be represented by an attorney who is knowledgeable and experienced in immigration law because the due process right stems from the attorney’s unique role in removal proceedings and other immigration-related transactions.

When the lawyer fails to render competent assistance and the client is prejudiced (harmed) by that failure, the client can file a motion to reopen to seek a new trial. The request is made upon the assertion that the attorney’s representation was outside of the wide range of profession-

Your Immigration Solution NaNcy Miller ally-competent assistance and was not the result of reasonable professional judgment. It is called ineffective assistance of counsel.

Sometimes, for a variety of reasons, aliens hire a non-law-

“

no immigration law experience lack familiarity with the complexities of immigration law or procedure. SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1 Many problems arise when the consultant files an application for an alien. If the alien is statutorily ineligible for the relief, he or she may be issued a Notice to Appear in Immigration Court because the government believes they are removable (deportable) from the U.S. If the alien does not go to his hearing, he is ordered deported in absentia (in his absence). It doesn’t matter that the alien didn’t get a notice of the hearing. As long as the notice was sent to the alien’s representative or to the address given by the alien, the alien is considered to have received notice. n

Recognizing that aliens have difficulty in presenting their cases forcefully and effectively, the courts have held that aliens have a due process right to competent legal counsel. yer (sometimes known as a legal consultant, an immigration consultant or a notario) to assist them with their immigration problem. In some cases, they believe they are hiring an attorney.

In other situations, they know that the person they have hired is not a lawyer. In other cases, the person they are hiring is an attorney but has very little or no prior experience in immigration law. Relying on these people is dangerous. Consultants and notaries do not undergo necessary legal training and are not permitted to appear in court or at Citizenship and Immigration Services offices. Lawyers with

”

*** 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 • SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017

C

C SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Bankruptcy: You can’t change the past, only the future

Minding Your Finances Atty. RAymond BulAon IF you are struggling with debt problems, you may feel depressed and alone. It may seem like the end of the world. Your self-esteem may have suffered.

You may feel angry, depressed, guilty- or a combination of all three. You may consider yourself a failure, perhaps feeling angry with yourself for certain decisions you have made in the past that led to your present situation. I understand how you feel.

A lot of people in your shoes feel the same way, but I’m here to tell you that like most things in life, whatever you’re going through is most likely only temporary and will soon pass. How can I possibly say this? Well, did you know that as I write this article, millions of honest, hard-working people just like yourself are having problems paying their debts? As a matter of fact, there are more than 1 million personal bankruptcy filings in the United States every year as a result of being in debt.

Do you think these people file bankruptcy simply because they do not want to take personal responsibility for their debts?

Far from it! It is an established fact that most people who file bankruptcy do so as a result of circumstances beyond their control. Study after study has shown that some of the most common reasons why people file for bankruptcy -unemployment, sickness, disability, death in the family- are

events which are beyond our control. It is not always your fault. So quit blaming yourself because doing so will not get you anywhere.

So if you’ve found yourself in a situation where bankruptcy is the only way out, don’t be too hard on yourself. It’s not as bad as you think. Like most people, you will survive bankruptcy, get on with your life and do just fine. Wallowing in self-pity and feeling sorry for yourself will not help your situation one bit.

As a matter of fact, having such negative feelings may impact your ability to make intelligent decisions in the midst of problem-solving. Instead, be proud of the fact that you have affirmatively taken action to change your life for the better instead of remaining stuck where you are.

Can you imagine where a lot of people would be right now if we didn’t have bankruptcy laws in this country that help deserving individuals get out of debt legally when they are no longer able to help themselves?

See, even large corporations file for bankruptcy protection when they find it necessary in managing their business affairs.

They understand that bankruptcy is nothing more than a legal strategy to cope with debt problems when no other options are available.

Of course, I’m not going to tell you to file bankruptcy unless I knew all the important and

relevant facts in your individual situation. Doing that would be irresponsible because bankruptcy is not a one-size-fits-all solution. As a matter of fact, there are certain cases where bankruptcy should not even be considered as it may do more harm than good.

On the other hand, when appropriate, it could be the best decision you ever make in your life.

As a bankruptcy attorney, I am perplexed as to why some people wait until the last minute to do something about their debt problems when they could have taken action sooner to stop things from getting worse. If you haven’t taken the time to find out what your legal rights are, it’s important to do that, the sooner the better.

Soon, after you realize that things may not actually be as bad as they first seemed when you didn’t know any better, you’ll look back to this moment and thank yourself that you took the first step.

As you consider the possible benefits of bankruptcy protection, you might like to call us for a free consultation at Toll-Free 1866-477-7772. We have offices in Glendale, Cerritos and Valencia. ***

None of the information herein is intended to give legal advice for any specific situation. Atty. Ray Bulaon has successfully helped thousands of clients in getting out of debt. For a free attorney evaluation of your situation, please call Ray Bulaon Law Offices at TOLL FREE 1 (866) 477-7772.

(Advertising Supplement)

How long should you keep tax records?

Tax Tips victoR sy, cPA, mBA

HOW long do you have to keep tax records? How long can the IRS audit your tax returns?

Let’s discuss tips on statute of limitations so you can clean your garage this weekend.

1. The general statute to audit you is three years after the return is filed.

2. The statute is extended to six years if you omit 25% of your gross income.

3. The statute to collect what

has been established to be your tax liability is 10 years.

4. A personal tax return that is filed earlier than the deadline of April 15 is considered filed on April 15. For example, a 2016 return filed on February 15, 2017, is considered filed on April 15, 2017 with a statute expiration of April 15, 2020.

5. A personal tax return that was extended and filed on October 15, 2017 is considered filed on that same date with statute expiring on October 15, 2020.

(TIP: If you have some sensitive issues that you don’t want disturbed, file on time so as not to give the IRS and extra six months to snoop around).

6. There is no statute if you do not file a return. They can audit you anytime—even after three or six years after filing deadline.

The three years starts only after a timely filing.

7. There is no protection from the statute if the IRS does not receive your tax return. There is

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

Senior wants Chapter 13 to stop foreclosure by 2nd mortgagee for $50K and annul judgment lien of $60K Company receives $200K lawsuit by landlord and files for Chapter 7

ent’s social security is only $1K CLIENT is 72 and appears to a month. However, she says that be a widow. She previously op- Debt her son is a doctor and he will erated a business, which closed Relief help her pay the first mortgage down in 2006. She borrowed and the plan. So that takes care $50K from her friend in 2004 seof the shortage of funds because cured by a 2nd mortgage on her son can participate as a family residence for the business. Unforcontributor to make the plan featunately, business failed in 2006 Atty. lAwRence yAnG sible. Her son takes care of her. and it stopped operating. Client did not pay the monthly payment house because she did not pay That’s good.

The next client is a California of $500 monthly plus interest her back the $50K. The problem on the $50K. Friend did not col- is that her house is worth $600K. company doing business out of lect the monthly installments for It doesn’t seem fair. Further, cli- state. It was in the import distriseveral years. This month, client ent says that there is also a judg- bution business, which was good received a recorded notice of de- ment lien of $60K on her house. until last year. The company fault to foreclose her residence, I ask her, which came first, the leased a large warehouse out of if the $50K was not paid in full in $50K second, or the $60K judg- state. Business became so bad the next 90 days. The notice of ment lien. According to her, the that it could not pay the lease of default (NOD) is the first step to judgment lien came later. There- the warehouse. Company closed foreclose the house. It gives ho- fore the judgment lien is the third its doors recently and stopped meowners 90 days to pay the de- lien on her house. She wants to doing business. However, it still fault before the foreclosure sale prevent the foreclosure by the owed the landlord two years of date can be set. The foreclosure 2nd trust deed, and she wants future lease at $100K a year. So sale date cannot be set earlier to get rid of and invalidate the it owed the landlord $200K for than 21 days from the expira- judgment lien of $60K. Can she next two years lease. Is this correct? Company still owes the fution of the 90 days from date of do this?

My first impression was that ture rent of $200K even though recording of the NOD. Client shows me the NOD and paying off the $50K while at the it has stopped operating and has I verify that there is a recording same time avoiding the judg- moved out of the leased premisdate. The recording date means ment lien of $60K was going to es. Yes, it is correct because clithat this notice has been record- be impossible given the fact that ent-company signed a lease coned with the recorder of deeds, residential values today are sky tract that is still valid for two more and thus the 90 days pre-foreclo- high. But lo and behold, after de- years. Landlord has the right to sure has commenced. Without termining the current fair market demand that the future lease of this date of recording, the fore- value of the house and what is $200K be paid. Nonpayment of closure does not begin. So any owed by client on the first mort- the lease is a breach of the lease other document that you receive gage even though she was on contract; therefore, landlord can that says you are in default on loan modified mortgage where sue client-company for $200K of your mortgage and giving you $200K was deferred but never- future lease payments.

Client just received an out of a computation of what you owe theless owed, plus the 2nd mortis not the formal recorded docu- gage of $50K, there was zero eq- state lawsuit for $200K for unment required to start the fore- uity left to support the judgment paid commercial lease. It decides closure process. For instance, lien, meaning on a Chapter 13, a to file for Chapter 7. What hapyou are 3 months in arrears on motion to avoid the third lien of pens to the lawsuit for $200K? your mortgage. You receive a $60K while paying off the second The lawsuit stops and plaintiff letter from the bank entitled de- of $50K through the chapter 13 can file a claim in the Chapter 7 fault with intent to foreclose. The plan would be successful indeed. case. The Chapter 7 trustee adletter does not have a recording She would not have to pay any ministers the case. If there are asdate. Four months from your part of the $60K judgment lien sets, the trustee liquidates those date of receipt of that letter, can that would just be invalidated be- assets into cash and the cash bank foreclose your house? NO, cause her plan would be a zero is distributed to all creditors of because the official recorded percent plan to unsecured credi- the bankrupt company pro rata. tors. Upon granting of the mo- If there are no assets, creditors NOD does not exist.

Client says she wants to save tion to avoid the judgment lien, collect nothing and an order of her house from foreclosure by the the $60K becomes unsecured, NO ASSET is entered. With the 2nd trust deed holder, her friend thus it does not have to be paid bankruptcy filing, the out of state lawsuit stops and the landlord is who is no longer her friend. Or, a single cent.

The only problem is that cliu PAGE C4 let’s just say, her friend wants her

Estate Corner

u PAGE C4 Atty. BriAn Lerner

Town mates and Friends:

Please join us in celebration of our

508/ '*&45" TU '06/%*/( "//*7&34"3: 0' #"4$ JO -"4 7&("4 /&7"%" When: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Where: Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, 400 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103 Prepaid Dinner Buffet ticket only: $65 per person Please make check payable to: Aludiya Lagmay-Ganzon 8119 Mary E Ellen Avenue, North Hollywood, California 91605 - or Priscilla Castaneto-Ruedas 6851 Dale Street Apartment # 16, Buena Park, California 90621

Nazario Perlas: Precy Castaneto- Ruedas: Lito Tambo: Ludy Lagmay-Ganzon: Mila Tadina: Josie Dolor Etrata: Mary Ann Arichea–Caunan:

nazario.perlas@yahoo.com pcruedas@yahoo.com lito.tambo@sbcglobal.net lganzon@gmail.com mrtadina@yahoo.com wilpenn@yahoo.com macaunan@ha.ucla.edu

*Discounted Room rates available at Gold Coast Hotel & Casino until September 3, 2017: Code: ABA2017

QUESTION: I’m on DACA and my friend is renewing DACA and another friend is going to apply for DACA. I have heard rumors about this. Should I be worried?

Answer: Yes, you should be worried. There have been various leaks from the White House.

There have also been rumors that a number of White House officials, including former and current White House Chiefs of Staff Reince Priebus and John Kelly, President Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, and Vice President Mike Pence, want the president to strike an ambitious deal with Congress that offers Dreamers protection in exchange for legislation that pays for the border wall, more detention facilities, legal immigration curbs, and the implementation of E-Verify.

To Live With Faith ReveRend Rodel G. BAlAGtAs I’VE always wondered what “human formation” is in regards to training men to become priests.

I understand the spiritual, intellectual, and pastoral formation, but I couldn’t quite grasp human formation. Perhaps it’s because the term “human” is too general and encompasses varied aspects of existence.

The term becomes intelligible to me when I look at it in the light of being a person of “communion.” It’s to be in solidarity with other people in their joys, sorrows, and sufferings. It’s to forget oneself and one’s needs for the sake of the other. Often, the test of what is to be truly human comes when we can sympathize and empathize with people.

This past week, for example, we examine our human quality by our reactions and response to the devastations that Hurricane Harvey has caused in the lives of our fellow human beings in Houston, Texas and other parts of the state. Are we hurting for them? Are we drawn to offer them our moral, material, and spiritual support? If this horrible disaster does not affect us, then we do need to question our “humanness.”

When we talk about being hu-

Looks like DACA is going to end This is atrocious that the President of the U.S. would seemingly use the DACA recepients as pawns to get a Wall built. Ironic that he wants to use as leverage a program that allows persons here illegally to stay here on an approved program in exchange for building a Wall supposedly used to keep people out from coming into the U.S. Question: As of now, what are the requirements for DACA? Answer: DACA or Dream Act or Dreamers or Deferred Action as it i s called has the following requirements: To request Consideration of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, you must meet the following DACA requirements: You were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012; You entered the United States prior to your 16th birthday and You have resided in the United States since June 15, 2007 and currently are present in the U.S..

Question: What happens if is ended?

Answer: That is unclear. It is unclear if you are already on DACA as to whether you will be able to continue until it terminates or upon the day Trump does not renew it; whether a renewal already in the pipeline will be able to continue; whether a person outside the U.S. on Advance Parole can re-enter the U.S. without a problem and a variety of other factors.

It is likely that there will be multiple lawsuits depending on the language of the termination of DACA and its provisions.

There will be due process requirements and notice issues.

Question: Is there anything I can do?

Answer: Absolutely. There are many ways to fix status and ultimately become legal. While DACA was certainly a good program, it does not mean the other

u PAGE C3

Being human

man, we do not just dwell on our natural tendencies—our limitations and weaknesses—particularly when we casually say, “Oh we’re just human.” In fact, being human means transcending our lives by extending them to others in the spirit of generosity and kindness. It’s going out of ourselves, losing our lives for the sake of the other. Ironically, it’s when we do this that we become more human.

It’s no wonder that Jesus says in the Gospel this Sunday (Matthew 16:21-17) that “whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.” It’s in the losing of one’s life for the sake of solidarity with fellow human beings that one realizes his or her full humanity.

In theology, we say that Jesus Christ is the criterion of what it is to be truly human. He manifested this by his life of service, his suffering and death on the cross, and his resurrection—all for the salvation of all peoples and for the glory of His Father. It is in the light of this mission that Jesus scorned Peter in this Sunday’s Gospel when he said, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do.”

To be human means not to be an “obstacle” to God’s will to bring salvation to his people. It is to be a “bridge” to the fullness of life that the Gospel promises us.

Satan and his allies are skandalon (Greek), literally “stumbling blocks” to God’s will of fulfilling life and salvation. They desire to destroy a person’s capacity to be in communion with God and with others.

This understanding of what it is to be human is fundamental to the ministry of a priest. After all, if priests are called to be alterChristus, they must reflect the humanity of Christ whose life on earth was in full communion with His Father and all people!

By baptism, all of us Christians are called to men and women of communion. In today’s times when many people in the world hurt because of ongoing violence, disregard for human life, poverty, injustice, and natural disasters, we’re more challenged to exercise authentic humanity, that is, a deep sense of solidarity with all people. *** 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 (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.

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

Community Journal

Are you paid lower wages because of your sex?

Q: I AM a single mom and I have worked for this company for several years. Recently, while talking with another newly hired male co-worker whose responsibilities are similar to mine, I discovered he was making as much as 50 cents more per hour than I am. I asked my branch manager why the new guy was being paid more. Instead of an answer, I was reprimanded for violating company policy because I was not supposed to discuss wages with other employees. Do I have any rights in this situation?

A: Yes, you do. California laws prohibit gender-based wage discrimination. An employer shall not pay any of its employees at wage rates less than the rates paid to employees of the opposite sex for substantially similar work, and performed under similar working conditions. “Substantially similar work” may mean the employees may have different titles or work at different sites but their work are essentially the same. This means the lower paid employee doesn’t have to prove that the higher paid employee of the opposite sex has exactly the same job as she (or he) does.

If differences in wages exist, the difference must be legally justified based on one or more of the following factors: a) A seniority system b) A merit system c) A system that measures earnings by quantity or quality of production

appropriate equitable relief.

In 2014, the gender wage Protecting gap in California stood at 16 Employee cents on the dollar. This means a man who works full time will & Consumer earn 1 dollar and a woman in Rights the same situation will earn 84 cents. This wage gap extends Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. across almost all occupations in California. Collectively, women d) A bona fide factor other than working full time in Califorsex, such as education, training, nia lose more than $70 billion each year due to the gender or experience.

An employee who successfully wage gap. The wage gap has a proves her claims may be enti- significant impact on the ecotled to the balance of the wages, nomic security and welfare of including interest thereon, and millions of working women and an equal amount as liquidated their families. Employees who damages, together with the costs believe they are being treated of the suit and reasonable attor- unfairly by their employer beney’s fees, even if the employee cause of their sex or gender has agreed to work for a lesser would be smart to consult with an experienced employment atwage.

One contributing factor to the torney to explore how they can gender wage gap is pay secrecy. uphold their right to equal pay.

If employees cannot freely dis*** cuss their wages with one anothThe Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. er, then they may not know that welcomes inquiries about this topic. wage discrimination is an issue All inquiries are confidential and at in the workplace. Many employno-cost. You can contact the office ees don’t know that employers at (818) 291-0088 or visit www. are not allowed to ban wage disjoesayaslaw.com or our Facebook closures. page Joe Sayas Law. [C. Joe Sayas, Jr., In fact, an employer must Esq. is an experienced trial attorney not prohibit an employee from who has successfully recovered disclosing the employee’s own wages and other monetary damages wages, discussing the wages of for thousands of employees and others, inquiring about another consumers. He was named Top Labor employee’s wages, or aiding or & Employment Attorney in California encouraging any other employee by the Daily Journal, consistently to exercise his or her rights unselected as Super Lawyer by the Los der the law. An employee who Angeles Magazine, and is the recipient has been discharged, discrimiof PABA’s Community Champion Award nated, or retaliated against, for for 2016.] doing any of the foregoing will (Advertising Supplement) be entitled to damages as well as

Can a divorcing couple agree to pay for their adult children’s college expenses in their divorce judgment?

DIVORCING couples with children sometimes worry about who is going to pay for their children’s college education after the divorce once their children graduates high school. They want a guarantee that their soon to be ex-spouse will share in the college expenses of their children.

This is specially the case when the other spouse has moved on with a new family. The old family becomes less of a priority.

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

However, the divorcing couple can agree to pay for their adult children’s college education as part of a marital settlement agreement. Family Code section 3587; In re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th 478 (2014). Pursuant to statute and court cases, college expense payment provision in a stipulated marital settlement agreement, as incorporated into a Court’s judgment, constitutes adult child support such that court had jurisdiction to modify the provision in light of the settlement’s failure to specifically provide that adult child support was not subject to modification. In re Marriage of Rosenfeld and Gross, 225 Cal. App. 4th at 488 (2014). Providing

you want this provision to be non-modifiable or not. In the absence of a specific provision limiting adult child support as nonmodifiable and non-terminable, the default is that child support is modifiable. Sometimes, leavAtty. Kenneth ing the adult child support proUrSUA reyeS vision as modifiable protects the spouses from unforeseen future for payment of adult children’s events such as a disability or recollege expenses is recognized tirement which limits the earning more of an “add on” to adult child capacity of a spouse and ability support. Family Code 4062(b)(1). to comply with the adult child However, the parties may “opt support provision in the MSA. *** out” or restrict the court’s jurisdiction to modify an adult child Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified support order (including college Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He expenses) but the parties must is a member of both the Family law section and expressly and specifically state Immigration law section of the Los Angeles in their marital settlement agree- County Bar Association. He has extensive ment that any resulting adult CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW child support order will not be OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located subject to modification or ter- at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, mination by the Court because CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail the adult child support order kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit our website at is rooted in the parent’s con- Kenreyeslaw.com. *** tractual agreement. Cal. FamPlease note that this article is not legal ily Code Section 3587, 3651(a). advice and is not intended as legal advice.

So if you are concerned about The article is intended to provide only your spouse sharing for the col- general, non-specific legal information. This lege tuition and expenses of article is not intended to cover all the issues your children after the divorce, related to the topic discussed. The specific you should negotiate a provi- facts that apply to your matter may make the sion in your marital agreement outcome different than would be anticipated that both of you will share on the by you. This article does create any attorney college tuition and expenses of client relationship between you and the Law your children. In doing so, you Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. should also think about whether (Advertising Supplement)

IN an advisory dated August 28, 2017, the USCIS informed the public starting October 1, 2017, in person interviews will now be required for certain applicants seeking permanent residency status in the U.S. This new directive applies to: • “Adjustment of status applications based on employment (Form I-485, Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status)”; and • “Refugee/asylee relative petitions (Form I-730, Refugee/Asylee Relative Petition) for beneficiaries who are in the United States and are petitioning to join a principal asylee/refugee applicant.”

Under the current system, the USCIS does not require in-person interview for these applications. With the new USCIS advisory, the current system, at least with regards to these two (2) applications, will be phased out on October 1, 2017. The USCIS has advised that it is planning to require in-person interviews for other benefit types in the future.

Whether or not non-immigrant visa applicants will also be required to undergo in person interviews in a future directive is still unknown. For instance, an F-1 or H1-B applicant in the US generally is not required to appear in person at USCIS local offices.

The advisory stated that the

been identified at this point.

Additional information with regards to the new in-person requirement is not available at this point. We will have to wait for future USCIS advisories as to the time frame for these interviews, where they will be held, or if the sponsoring employer, together with the applicant, will be required to be present during the interview.

If you are contemplating of filing any immigration petition for that matter, it is advisable to seek the counsel of an immigration lawyer to guide you on the intricacies of filing for such a petition.

Barrister’s Corner

USCIS mandates in-person interview requirement for certain permanent resident applicants

Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos

policy change is in compliance with the directive of Executive Order 13780, “Protecting the Nation from Foreign Terrorist Entry into the United States”.

E.O. 13780 provides that the US will “improve the screening and vetting protocols and procedures associated with the visa-issuance process and the USRAP (United States Refugee Admissions Program). The USCIS likewise said that changes are part of the agency’s comprehensive strategy to enhance its detection and prevention of fraud and improve the immigration process in general.

Acting USCIS Director James W. McCament further stated that the USCIS will work with other federal agencies with regards to vetting procedures for individuals seeking to adjust status and live permanently in the US. No federal agencies that will collaborate with the USCIS have

*** Atty. Gwendolyn Malaya-Santos is a member of the State Bar of California and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

To schedule for a free initial in-person consultation, please call Tel. Nos. (213) 284-5984 or (626) 329-8215. Atty. Santos’ office is located at 3450 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 1200-105, Los Angeles, CA 90010.

*** Information contained in this article does not, nor is it intended to, constitutes legal advice for any specific situation and does not create a lawyer-client relationship. It likewise does not constitute a guarantee, warranty, or prediction regarding the outcome of your legal matter.

We are a debt relief agency. We help people file for bankruptcy relief under the Bankruptcy Code.

(Advertising Supplement)

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017

C

E-2 treaty investor visa allows for stay in US along with family DEAR Attorney Tan, I would like to know if there is any way for my family and I to stay in the US if I invest in a US business. While I do have some money to invest, I do not have the $500k-$1m that I read was necessary to get a green card through investment. Do I have any other options?

- S.K. Dear S.K., You should consider the E-2 Treaty Investor visa, which is a nonimmigrant visa that allows a person to be admitted to the US with investment of a “substantial” amount of capital in either a new or existing US business.

A main objective of the E-2 Treaty Investor classification is to promote and encourage investment in the US. Accordingly, the Treaty Investor must demonstrate that he/she is actually investing a substantial amount of capital in the US enterprise. The Treaty Investor must show that he/she is placing capital at risk with the objective of generating a profit; the capital must be subject to loss if the investment fails. There is no specific amount of money that is required to be invested to be considered “substantial.” Whether an investment is considered “substantial” is determined on a case-by-case basis.

The benefits of an E-2 Treaty Investor visa include an indefinite period of stay in the US with extensions of the E-2 visa. An E-2 Treaty Investor is allowed a maximum initial stay of 2 years, and requests for extension can be obtained in increments of 2 years. There is no limitation to the number of extensions an E-2 Treaty Investor may request. The E-2 Treaty Investor visa is a non-immigrant visa, and accordingly, the Treaty Investor must maintain an intent to depart the US whenever the E-2 status expires.

Another important benefit for an E-2 Treaty Investor is the ability to be accompanied to the US by his/her spouse and unmarried children who are under 21 years of age. An E-2 Treaty Investor’s spouse may apply for work authorization in the US, and no restriction is placed as to where the E-2 spouse can work. The spouse can work for another employer. Further, children who are under 21 years of age may enroll in US schools. The immediate family come to the US under the E-2 classification as dependents of the Treaty Investor. The family members will have the same duration of stay as the Treaty Investor.

In addition, an employee of a Treaty Investor may come to the US under the E-2 classification providing that he/she is the same nationality of the Treaty Investor, and either has duties of an executive or supervisory character or has other special qualifications.

What are the general requirements to obtain an E-2 Treaty Investor Visa? To obtain E-2 Treaty Investor status, a person: 1) must be a national of a country with which the US maintains a treaty of commerce or navigation, 2) either has invested or is in the process of investing a substantial amount of capital in a US enterprise, and 3) seeks to come to the US to develop and direct the enterprise in which he/she is investing or is going to invest.

Consideration of the E-2 Treaty Investor visa is made on a case-by-case basis. The assistance of an experienced attorney who can assess the proposed type of business in which investment is contemplated as well as the amount of investment is therefore recommended. *** 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)

Looks like DACA is going...

PAGE C2 t programs will disappear. DACA was issued through an executive order, and therefore can likewise be revoked. However, changing other areas of Immigration Law on a whim it not possible for the President.

Rather, it is Congress that must pass legislation to properly change Immigration. It is a much

more complex process. At a minimum, you should see a qualified immigration attorney in order to get a detailed consultation on what other options exist for you. *** Atty. Brian D. Lerner has been an Immigration Attorney for nearly a quarter of a century. He is married to a Filipina and has helped thousands of Filipino families all over the country.

In addition to his offices in Southern California in Long Beach and Carson, he has an office in Quezon City. He is a certified specialist in Immigration and Nationality Law by the Legal Board of Specialization, California State Bar. The initial consultation is free. Call (562) 495-0554 and/or send an e-mail to blerner@californiaimmigration.us.

(Advertising Supplement)

C SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

Community Journal

Calendar of Events across America ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS SEPTEMBER 1-4

Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School international reunion in Las Vegas Come and celebrate with RMCHS alumni and guests for the third biannual international homecoming. Sing, dance, party, share precious memories and join the fun from Friday, September 1 to Monday, September 4 at The Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Join the golf tournament in the morning of Saturday, Sept.

2 and then wear your best (black and white) for a dinner dance later that evening. Make this event an opportunity to reunite with your own batchmates, watch a show, visit tourist spots, and stroll along the Las Vegas Strip. For more information, visit the RMCHS 2017 INTL REUNION Facebook page.

S E P T E M B E R 1 5 -1 7

Liliwenos reunion in Las Vegas, NV Calling all Liliwenos living all around the world! There will be a three-day reunion in Las Vegas, NV starting with a picnic on Friday, Sept. 15 at Silverado Ranch Park. On Saturday, Sept. 16, it is a dinner/dance party at the Palace Station (2411 W. Sahara Ave. Las Vegas, NV 89102) at 5 p.m. The attire is semi-formal and costs $50 / person. Souvenir t-shirts cost $10 regardless of size. Deadline of payment for both the reunion and t-shirt cost is August 31 to be sent to Ms. Nerri Monteagudo at 9252 Bronze River, Las Vegas, Nevada 89149. On Sept.

17, participants are free to explore the Strip and other Vegas activities. For more information, please contact Bob and Nerri Monteagudo at (702) 339-3838; Carmen P. Manguin (702) 526-8005; Loida Borgonos at (201) 654-5482; or Fred Polistico at (818) 527-3476.

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

FilAm Arts announces 26th annual FPAC on October 14 Arts & culture festival returns to Echo Park Lake anew

LOS ANGELES, CA – The Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) will return to Echo Park Lake anew on October 14, 2017.

FPAC is the flagship project of the Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS), a Southern California-based nonprofit that aims to promote the arts and diverse cultural heritage of Filipinos through arts services, presentation, and education.

The popular festival is the largest and longest-running Filipino cultural celebration in Los Angeles. Audiences can expect to enjoy traditional and contemporary Filipino food, music, performances, arts, and crafts.

Organizers emphasized the relevance of the arts, especially given the current socio-political climate in the US. According to FilAm ARTS board member Winston Emano, at a time of seemingly open divisiveness in our country, FPAC is significant now, more than ever.

“FPAC allows us both to reinforce within our own but, also to share with our non-Filipino neighbors, the richness of our arts, the abundance of our talent and the beauty of our culture as contributions to our greater community and our shared history,” Emano said.

“The festival represents a lot of things to many. But, we harken back to one of its fundamental

26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture in Echo Park Save the date! The 26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) hosted by Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS) is back at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, October 14. Expect a whole day filled with art exhibits, entertainment, and Fil-Am vendors. More details and special guests to be announced. For more information, please visit: http://www.filamarts.org/.

18th annual Asian Small Business Expo in Alhambra, CA On Saturday, Oct. 14, the 18th annual Asian Small Business Expo will be held at the Almansor Court Conference Center (700 S. Almansor St., Alhambra, CA 91801), featuring free workshops, exhibitors, networking opportunities, and more! Jonny Hwang, founder of 626 Night Market, is the featured guest speaker with special guest, Jerome Horton, chairman of the California Board of Equalization. It is FREE to attend! The Asian Small Business Expo is the only business-to-business expo that engages the Asian business community and brings this growing economic force into the mainstream to connect and utilize your company and its services. Don’t miss the opportunity to connect with small businesses, market your organization and tap into a network of entrepreneurs, service providers, financial organizations, franchises and governmental and legislative representatives. For more information, please visit http://www.apisbp.org/expo.html.

FPAC is a free event; no admission is needed for entry. FPAC is sponsored in part by the: National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, California Council for Humanities, LA County Arts Commission, City of LA Department of Cultural Affairs, LA City Council District 13 CM Mitch O’Farrell, LA CD14 CM Jose Huizar, LA CD15 CM Joe Buscaino, Toyota, McDonald’s, Asian Journal, Island Pacific, and Herbalaria.

For more information, please visit http://bit.ly/FPAC2017 or call (213) 380-3722. For sponsorship and vendor opportunities, please email info@filamarts.org.

ABOUT FIL-AM ARTS: Embracing the value of KAPWA (shared being), the Association for the Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture’s mission is to facilitate community synergy and transformation by advancing the arts and diverse cultural heritage of Filipinos through arts services, presentation, and education. FilAm ARTS believes in the power of the arts to overcome language barriers and build community through cultural diversity.

Catch us on Facebook (https:// www.facebook.com/FilAmArtsLA/), Instagram (@filamartsla), and Twitter (@FilAmArts). #FPAC26 #FPAC2017, #filamartsLA, #filamarts

Senior wants Chapter 13 to...

PAGE C2 t

O C TO B E R 1 4

reasons for being – representation. Over a quarter of a century later, it remains as important as ever,” he said.

The Annual Festival of Philippine Arts & Culture (FPAC) was first conceptualized in 1990 as part of the Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department’s Festivals Program, an arts program designed to address the diverse and multicultural population of the city. Organized by about 100 artists and community leaders, the first FPAC took place at Los Angeles City College on Mother’s Day, May 14, 1992. Around 3,000 festival goers braved the aftermath of the L.A. riots that occurred the week before, and came together to celebrate Filipino arts and culture.

Since then, FPAC has grown bigger and stronger, moving up to various venues like Cabrillo Beach in 1994, and Pt. Fermin Park in 2001. In 2015, FPAC celebrated the contributions of FilAms to Los Angeles, and held the festival at the heart of LA – Grand Park. In 2016, FPAC “came home” and was held at Echo Park Lake in Historic Filipinotown.

This year, with the festival being held at Echo Park Lake for the second year in a row, FPAC patrons can expect a diverse lineup of talented musicians, vocalists, dancers, visual artists and more.

Headliners, artists, speakers, and presenters will be announced in the coming weeks.

required to file its claim in the bankruptcy. The company bankruptcy does not affect the officers or stockholders in any way.

Fortunately for the president of the company, he only signed the commercial lease as an officer of the company. He did not execute any personal guaranty of the lease. Best news for him. Landlord cannot sue the president for the $200K as an individual guarantor, therefore, he has no liability whatsoever for the lease. As I said many times before, do not

personally guarantee commercial leases or promissory notes of the company, just sign as an officer of the company. This is very important for your financial well being in the future in case your company fails. Your company’s business failure should not affect your personal assets in any way. Follow this principle and never forget it. Otherwise, you will have to see me twice, once for the company bankruptcy and a second time, for the personal bankruptcy.

If you need debt relief, set an

appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.

“HUMBLE YOURSELVES, THEREFORE, UNDER GOD’S MIGHTY HAND, THAT HE MAY LIFT YOU UP IN DUE TIME.” 1 PETER 5:6 ***

Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803.

O C TO B E R 2 1

NaFFAA to celebrate 20th anniversary in Washington, DC The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) turns 20 years old this year. This October, several events are being planned to celebrate this milestone, which coincides with the national observance of Filipino American History Month. They will culminate with NaFFAA’s 20th Anniversary Gala, to be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 21. With its theme “NaFFAA 2.0: One Voice, Four Million Strong,” NaFFAA will recognize the legacy and accomplishments of the organization over the past 20 years, and highlight its comprehensive vision to unite and amplify the voices of the four million Filipinos living in the United States. “NaFFAA 2.0” represents how NaFFAA is honoring its past while forging a new forward-thinking and balanced approach in uniting, engaging, and empowering diverse Filipino American individuals and community organizations through leadership development, civic engagement, and advocacy. To learn more about NaFFAA or to purchase tickets for the 20th Anniversary Gala, please visit www. naffaa.org.

D EC E M B E R 27-29

Ateneo de Naga High School Class ’67 celebrates 50th anniversary in Naga City The Ateneo de Naga University (ADNU) High School Class 1967 is celebrating its 50th Anniversary in 2017 from December 27 to 29 with various activities lined up for its 153 alumni members. (ADNU is a leading Jesuit university in the Bicol region located in Naga City, Camarines Sur, Philippines). The activities include the publication of its 50th Anniversary Yearbook, a coffee table book which features the individual life stories of the class members after high school, tributes to their mentors, and various articles about school life in the 1960s. Also scheduled for the middle of the year is a golf tournament which — aside from fostering camaraderie — will essentially be a fund-raising activity for planned alumni projects such as a medical mission to a remote provincial town, scholarships, and donations for other worthy causes. This year’s reunion will be at the ADNU main campus in Naga City with various fun and commemorative activities lined up for the occasion. All batch members, wherever they are domiciled, including those residing in foreign countries, especially those in the USA and Canada, are enjoined to contribute their life story articles for the anniversary book as soon as possible, to participate in the various identified activities and outreach projects, and attend the grand homecoming in December. For coordination and for details about the events and activities, please email or call up any of the following batch members: Jojo de Jesus (email: jvdejesus6@yahoo.com; cell: 09772114750); Nilo Ezequiel (email: nilo. ezequiel0977@gma

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

How long should you keep tax...

PAGE C2 t

no protection even if you filed a return but the IRS did not receive or claims not to have received your return!

8. Mail via certified or registered mail especially if your return contains some critical income or deductions.

9. There is no statute for false or fraudulent returns. Sorry.

10. If you want statutes to protect you but are not ready to file, file anyway. File a processable return that bears your signature.

Provide sufficient data for the IRS to ascertain and assess your tax

liability. Remember that your return does not need to be perfect.

Just show an honest and genuine attempt to comply with the law.

This is my message to non-filers who have not filed because of incomplete records.

Beware: If the IRS identifies you as a non-filer and you do not file after their demands, they can file a substitute return for you.

Believe me, that return will be estimated on the high side; pardon me, on the very high side, resulting on a tax due approaching 200% of what you actually owe.

Add penalties and interests and,

Houston, you have a problem. *** 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)

ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017

C5

People and Events

Filipino American Chamber of Commerce Los Angeles holds membership drive

On August 22, 2017, the United Chambers of Commerce (UCC) celebrated its 40th Anniversary with an Installation of new sets of Officers and Board Members at Woodland Hills Country Club.

Fie photo

THE Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA is hosting a Business Mixer from 6pm - 8:30pm on Friday, September 8 at the Best Western Canoga Park Hotel (located at 20122 Vanowen St., Canoga Park, CA).

Learn how to “Grow Your Business Through the Los Angeles CleanTech Incubator (LACI) Program”, which will be discussed by the Director of Community Engagement.

Tickets are available at $12 for FACC-GLA members and $15 for non-members. RSVP at (310) 7474311.

For more information, visit filamchambergla.org.

Mary Ann Rosete Omega was honored with a service recognition award by the United Chambers of Commerce 2017 Chairman of the Board Dale Surowitz (President of Providence Tarzana Medical Center) together with Marian Jocz, UCC Executive Director, and Horace H. Heidt, UCC Vice Chair (Horace Heidt Magnolia Estates).

The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA is one of the active member of the United Chambers of Commerce which provides a network of communication among chamber members, businesses, and government to amplify local concerns. The United Chambers of Commerce of San Fernando Valley is composed of 18 Member Chambers, 32 business organizations with 21,000 businesses that have provided 378,000 jobs in the whole San Fernando Valley.

C SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL

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

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

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEPTEMBER 2-5, 2017

MARKETPLACE SHOWROOM

&

Things that could make your case suspicious Filipino students’ app places in top

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ (Part 1)

DEAR Atty. Gurfinkel: I have waited for over 12 years for an interview on my approved family petition. I am very nervous about the upcoming interview and I am having trouble sleeping because of all the stories I hear from friends and relatives about how hard it is.

I want this interview to go smoothly and with no problems.

Is there anything that I could do in advance, to avoid any suspicions about my case, and show the Embassy I am truly entitled to my visa?

T.M. Dear T.M. Many people have gone to interviews (whether at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines or at USCIS if they are in the U.S.) and wonder why the USCIS or Embassy has put them (or their case) under investigation. They have to wait a long time while their case is being investigated, wondering if they will ever get their visa or green card.

There are several situations which could possibly trigger suspicions, questions, or investigations by the USCIS or Embassy concerning the person’s eligibility for the visa. You can avoid these situations, if you give proper and truthful answers or explanations to the USCIS’ or Embassy’s questions or concerns, and avoid possible suspicions or investigation on your case. Some of the more common areas of concern are: Late-registered birth certificates Births should be timely registered with the Local Civil Registrar and the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). If you present a late-registered birth certificate for your child (especially if registered many years after birth), the USCIS or Embassy will require an explanation why the birth certificate was registered

“late.” Some people submit late registered birth certificates for many reasons. Although you may have a valid reason, a late registered birth certificate is a cause for concern with the Embassy or the USCIS. Midwife births While some children are born at home with the assistance of a hilot, most children are born in hospitals. If a child’s birth certificate shows that he or she was delivered by a midwife, this could create suspicion by the USCIS or Embassy that the birth certificate was “manufactured” to conceal the circumstances of the child’s birth, such as the parents’ marital status, the child’s age, and/or who the real parents are.

Age of mother when she gave birth If a mother gave birth at a late age, this could create the suspicion that she is not the biological mother of the applicant but, instead, the grandmother or aunt.

For example, if a birth certificate indicates a mother was 55 years old at the time of the delivery of the child, the Embassy will undoubtedly question whether she is truly the mother, and may suggest blood tests (DNA) to establish the parent-child relationship.

The Embassy will want to make sure the child is not a grandchild, or niece, or nephew, and the grandmother or aunt is just trying to bring in her grandchild or grandnephew or niece into the United States.

Tremendous age difference among siblings Sometimes, a couple will have several children one or two years apart, then wait for 15 to 20 years before they have another child.

(Or claim the child was an “accidental pregnancy.”) This tremendous gap in their children’s age could create suspicions that the last child may not be a biological child. (i.e. the child may be their grandchild or the child of another family member). In such a case, DNA blood tests may be requested.

A woman claims to be single with no children, but a medical exam discloses a history of pregnancies and deliveries.

Goldilocks expects a boost from buy-in-deal with SM

by DORIS

D1

DUMLAO-ABADILLA Inquirer.net

BAKESHOP chain Goldilocks Bakehop Inc., now in the thick of discussions on a buy-in deal with the country’s largest conglomerate SM Investments Corp., aims to establish an alliance that will strengthen its 579-store food retailing enterprise here and abroad.

“Goldilocks has always been open to forging strategic partnerships with companies who share our vision and values, while helping us become an even more formidable brand both here and abroad,” Goldilocks president Richard Yee said in a statement.

“Over the years, several groups (have expressed) interest and we have now narrowed PAGE D2

Tourism industry challenged by lack of qualified employees

by CATHERINE

TALAVERA Philstar.com

MANILA - Tourism stakeholders underscored the need for the industry to find qualified employees amid the growing number of hotels and tourists.

In a panel discussion at the 4th Philippine Tourism Forum organized by the Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA), Rajah tours president Jojo Clemente said the industry continues to offer employment opportunities, driven by the creation of new hotels and as well as the growing number of tourist arrivals.

“Right now, there are still travel agencies and tour companies coming up and there is much need for manpower to fill Rajah tours President Jojo Clemente ManilaTimes.net photo PAGE D2

Business Quote of the Week “I like to tell people that all of our products and business will go through three phases. There’s vision, patience, and execution.”

- Steve Ballmer, owner of LA Clippers and former CEO of Microsoft Corporation

When a person is ready to be interviewed at the U.S. Embassy because his/her priority date is current (or visa is available), that person is sent to St. Luke’s Hospital for a medical check-up and exam. If the applicant is a female who is being petitioned as an unmarried daughter who claims she never gave birth, but a medical examination shows that she has given birth, this creates the suspicion that the woman maybe married, and she is trying to conceal the birth (and birth certificate of her child, which would disclose her marital status).

If the visa she is applying for requires her to be single, the Embassy will definitely want to investigate and track down this “birth” before issuing her a visa (to make sure she is single and not date of marriage is on the birth certificate). (If you are truly single, but have children, please note that illegitimate children would not void or affect the “single” status of the parent).

In conclusion, if you believe you are legitimately entitled to immigration benefits, but the USCIS or the Embassy has concerns and suspicious of your case, I would suggest you retain a reputable immigration attorney to help prove your eligibility to

the immigration benefit you are applying for, and/or overcome whatever suspicions the USCIS or Embassy may have on your case.

If you are not eligible to an immigration benefit, your application will ultimately be denied.

You will only be wasting money, your time, the time of the USCIS and\or the U.S. Embassy in processing your “invalid” case or petition.

*** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

(Advertising Supplement)

10 of Microsoft tech competition

by RAE

ANN VARONA AJPress

MICROSOFT’S 15th annual Imagine Cup commenced its competition late July as 54 student teams from 39 different countries to present their high-tech projects. Finishing in the top 10 was Philippine student team Opticode who developed an app that looks to change the way the visually impaired see the world.

Over the course of two days, young innovators from all over the world met in the company’s headquarter city of Redmond, Washington to show off months of hard work.

The grand prize? A mentoring session with Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, a cash prize of $100,000, and of course, bragging rights. This year’s winner was Team X.GLU from the Czech Republic who created an app for those with diabetes.

Representing the Philippines was the three-student team Opticode from Lyceum of the Philippines University - Laguna. They chose to tackle challenges experienced by the visually impaired.

Opticode team members Christian Cepe, Jasmine Pearl Raymundo, and Rochel Reyes (all Bachelor of Science in Information Technology students), created Minerva — an app designed to help the visually impaired identify their surroundings through their smartphone.

Minerva finds a way to bring “sight” to those without, in a practical and extremely easy to use way. All the user has to do is point his or her smartphone’s camera towards an object — as if taking a photo — and listen to the app give a description of what the object is.

It can identify almost anything including sceneries and landmarks, banknotes, colors, texts, human faces, weather information, and even barcodes to help describe products through labels.

The app was built using APIs from Microsoft Cognitive Services like its Computer Vision API that extracts information from images, its Face API which helps detect and identify faces, and its Emotion API which detects and captures PAGE D5

D September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Marketplace

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

Sugar tax may affect Coca Cola investments in PH Ayala Corp completes Zalora purchase

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA - The passage of the proposed higher taxes on sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) in its current form may put in peril investments lined up in the country by global beverage giant Coca Cola.

Coca Cola FEMSA last year committed to invest $1 billion over the next five years to grow its business in the Philippines.

The company, however, may likely revisit these investment plans should the proposed higher SSB tax rate be imposed in the country, Coca Cola FEMSA director for legal and corporate affairs Juan Lorenzo Tañada said on Friday, Sept. 1.

“As Coca Cola FEMSA, we have already made commitments to invest up to an additional $1 billion over what we have invested previously until 2022. On average until 2022, we project to spend about $180 million a year so it’s quite substantial. It was around October or November 2016 we signed of an agreement with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) on this,” Tañada said.

Tañada said the investment would go to several components such as expansion of lines, training and hiring of employees, building of new facilities, and purchasing of equipment, among others.

“We really like for this to happen and we really like for this to continue and that is why we have been in constant touch with the DTI about our concerns regarding possible revenue measures that may be imposed,” he said.

by AngelicA

BAllesteRos ManilaTimes.net

LISTED conglomerate Ayala Corp. announced on Thursday, Aug. 31 it has completed the acquisition of a significant stake in BF Jade E-Services, Inc., which owns the online fashion retailer Zalora.

Ayala Corp. said it has acquired over 269 million shares, equivalent to a 43.28 percent stake in BF Jade, while Ayala Land Inc. (ALI) in a separate statement said it has acquired a 1.91 percent stake, or

Coca Cola FEMSA last year committed to invest $1 billion over the next five years to grow its business in the Philippines.

Philstar.com photo

“Right now we’re very concerned about the bill and we’re watching it very closely. We’re a business so we have to evaluate all possible sources of risk. If there is a decrease in consumption then we’ll have to revisit business plans like any other business. What we do know for a certain is the tax that was originally proposed, the P10 per liter increase, we feel will not be viable for the country. It will have an impact on our business in its present form. If there will be that impact then we’ll have to revisit and we’ll see how (it goes),” Tañada added.

Coca-Cola had already invested $1.5 billion in the Philippines from 2010 to 2014.

The investment enhanced the company’s distribution network and created over 2,000 new jobs for Filipinos.

The investment has also led to the expansion of the Coca-Cola Canlubang plant, increase in pro-

duction of its Misamis Oriental plant, the rehabilitation of its plant in Tacloban, and the purchase of a manufacturing plant in Davao del Sur from San Miguel Corp.

Coca-Cola has 19 plants in the Philippines and competes in seven different beverage categories locally.

“We continue to believe in the Philippines. That is why we are here and we are here for the long term. We continue to work with the government that at least as an investor in this country, as a foreign investor, our contributions to the economy will also be taken into consideration,” Tañada said.

“We believe in the Philippine growth numbers that have been established in the last few years and we think if we continue the right course, it will continue to remain a viable investment, the ones we have here in the Philippines,” he added.

11.89 million shares, in BF Jade.

The acquisition price was not disclosed. In their statements, Ayala Corp. and ALI said the total amount was “less than 10 percent of Ayala’s shareholders’ equity.”

“On August 31, Ayala Corporation through its wholly owned subsidiary AC Ventures Holding Corp, Ayala Land Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary AMSI, Inc., BPI Capital Corporation, and Kickstart Ventures Inc.

subscribed to the shares in BF Jade E-Service Philippines, Inc., all closing conditions having been complied with. Ayala and Ayala Land assigned their rights to subscribe to BF Jade shares to AC Ventures and AMSI respectively,” the statement read.

Zalora is currently the country’s largest online fashion store which offers over 120,000 products across over 1,000 brands in accessories, beauty, clothing, shoes, and sports.

Trademark-intensive industries lag behind ASEAN peers, says study

by Richmond

meRcuRio Philstar.com

MANILA - The economic contribution of trademark-intensive industries in the Philippines pales in comparison to other countries in Southeast Asia, a new impact study released by the International Trademark Association (INTA) showed.

The INTA study revealed that the direct contribution of trademark-intensive industries to Philippines gross domestic product (GDP) stood at 17 percent, the lowest among five key ASEAN countries covered by the report.

Direct contribution of trademark-intensive industries to the GDP of Singapore and Malaysia were highest at 50 percent and 30.3 percent, respectively.

In terms of indirect contribution to GDP, trademark-intensive

industries accounted for 41 percent in the country, second lowest behind Thailand’s 40 percent.

The INTA defined trademarkintensive industries as those industries that have “an aboveaverage use of trademarks per employee.”

Trademark-intensive industries are regarded as the most successful companies, paying their employees 30 percent more.

“As with all industries, the contributions of trademark-intensive industries are both direct and indirect. The direct contributions are defined, for example, in terms of the employment, output and value added generated by any particular trademark-intensive industry. Indirect contributions reflect the fact that there are interdependencies, through the purchase and sale of inputs, between trademark and nontrademark-intensive industries,” it said.

In terms of employment, trademark-intensive industries represented 15 percent of the country’s total workforce.

Trademark-intensive industries in the Philippines likewise comprised 47 percent of the country’s share of exports, the report stated.

For the Philippines, the main trademark-intensive sector is manufacturing while information and communications, and construction activities are the other notable trademark intensive subsectors.

“Econometric analysis suggests a strong trademark effect in the Philippines – moving from a non-trademark-intensive industry to a trademark-intensive one sees value added per worker increase by around 100 percent,” the report said.

Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines director general Josephine Santiago said the outcome of the study could be used to improve the way the country does its policies.

“We have been emphasizing the contribution of intellectual property, including trademarks, to the country’s economic development. We welcome this evidence-based study by INTA because it shows that there is a correlation between trademarks and economic development based on hard data. We hope that with a National Intellectual Property Strategy, which will be completed next year, we can further engage our stakeholders in making better use of the trademark system and contribute to economic development,” Santiago said.

Tourism industry challenged by...

PAGE D1

the industry,” Clemente said.

Maribago Bluewater Beach Resort vice president for sales and marketing Margie Munsayac echoed Clemente’s sentiments, saying the industry will be producing even more jobs in the future, especially with the tourism department’s National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP).

According to the NTDP, the tourism sector is targeted to grow the tourism sector in the next five years by reaching 12 million foreign arrivals and 89.2 million domestic travelers in 2022.

This is expected to yield around 6.5 million tourism sector jobs and a 10 percent GDP contribution by the end of Duterte’s term.

Munsayac said the accommodation sector is already being challenged by the lack of qualified applicants. She said this problem is seen to get worse in the next few years.

“In the accommodation sector, the HR is already is already feeling the pinch,” Munsayac said.

“And I think we will be facing a more challenging year, when we have the last graduates this year due to k12. We will have a two year dearth of qualified employees,” she added.

While the availability of jobs

is not an issue for the tourism sector, Clemente highlighted the tourism sector is faced by problems of filing up the new posts due to the lack of qualified candidates.

“There might be some disconnect in terms of the skills that are being taught vis-a-vis what is expected in the real world,” Clemente said.

Clemente said sometimes its not really the lack of skill that is creating the disconnect, but rather the attitude of candidates, especially those who are fresh out of college.

“We hire for attitude because the skills can be taught. We can always enhance what you have learned in the past. But attitude is something you cannot change,” Clemente said.

He further explained that the problem lies in the mindset of the younger generation, especially those studying tourism, who think that the only job opportunities offered by the industry is in the airline business, particularly being a flight attendant.

“Students, especially those taking tourism, should be made aware, that there is life beyond being a flight attendant. There is more to the tourism industry than being a flight attendant or being a cruise ship crew,” Clemente said.

Goldilocks expects a boost...

PAGE D1 down the list,” Yee added.

Yee said his company was not in a position yet to share the details of discussions with SM, noting, however that “the best strategic alliance is one that will make the brand stronger in its next 50 years.”

“Goldilocks will explore all means to respond effectively to the demands of an ever-growing consumer base and to new markets,” he said.

Of 51-year-old Goldilocks’ 579 store network, 559 are in the Philippines. Of the overseas stores, 12 are in the US, two in Canada and six in Thailand.

Two-thirds of the store network are franchised.

“We assure everyone—our internal and external stakeholders, our employees, affiliates, business partners and most of all, our loyal customers—that Goldilocks will always be committed to the same standards of excellence that have made us the country’s number one bakeshop,” Yee said.

SM Investments’ potential entry as a strategic investor in Goldilocks awaits clearance from the Philippine Competition Commission, the country’s antitrust body which is mandated by the Philippine Competition Act to review mergers and acquisitions valued at P1 billion or above to ensure that these deals will

not prejudice the interest of the consumers.

“Strategically, it makes sense for SM Retail because SM Prime has been trying to shift the tenant mix to lean toward food compared to nonfood. With a food-retail company like Goldilocks, the motives can either be to ensure an arguably anchor tenant remains part of the tenant portfolio and will participate in the growth of gross leasable area and/or be the launchpad for new investments in the food retail format,” said Jose Mari Lacson, head of research at ATR Asset Management.

However, Lacson said an investment in Goldilocks would make SM, as landlord, competitor to other fast-food tenants. “That could be an issue,” he said.

“Food manufacturing and franchising are also not in the core competence of the group so there would be a learning curve that would have to be faced,” Lacson said.

Based on the latest financial statement filed by Goldilocks, its net sales hit P7.86 billion in 2015 compared to P6.85 billion in the previous year. The fastfood chain had P2.89 billion in total assets as of 2015.

Looking at Goldilocks’ 2015 statements, Lacson said profit growth could be challenging with raw material volatility.

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

Marketplace

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017 D

Watered down tax bill faces veto

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MPIC and Ayala Corp. is hopeful it would be granted original proponent status (OPS) for its proposal to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the MRT-3.

Philstar.com photo

MPIC-Ayala eyes MRT-3 takeover in 6 months

by LoueLLa

D. DesiDerio

Philstar.com

MANILA — The group of Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC) and Ayala Corp. hopes to take over the operations of the Metro Rail Transit Line 3 (MRT-3) within six months.

In a press conference, Light Rail Manila Corp. (LRMC) president and chief executive officer Rogelio Singson said the group of MPIC and Ayala Corp. is hopeful it would be granted original proponent status (OPS) for its proposal to rehabilitate, operate and maintain the MRT-3.

“Once you’re given OPS, government can go through a Swiss challenge. Whoever wants to offer a similar proposal, there is a period, 90 days or maybe 120 days under existing rules that they have to go through a challenge and hopefully, if there is a challenge and there is a decision, the best proposal comes out by the first quarter of next year. It could be as soon as four to six months that there would be a new operator,” Singson said.

He said the group submitted the proposal for the MRT-3 to the government last July 14.

“The unsolicited proposal is the total complete package with contract provisions because we were just lifting the same provisions of the concession agreement under Line 1. In other words, instead of different operator or government as operator of MRT-3 and a different maintenance provider, our offer is lock, stock and barrel.

We’ll take over just like Line 1.

We will operate and maintain,” Singson said.

Under the proposal, the group would invest P12 billion to rehabilitate the train system, and be responsible for the operations of the train system for up to 32 years.

There would also be no increase in fares for at least two years.

Singson said the proposal also covers how to resolve issues hounding the MRT-3 including the buy out of the government’s stake in the train system held by Land Bank of the Philippines and Devel-

opment Bank of the Philippines, as well as other shareholders.

Should the group be awarded the concession for the MRT-3, Singson said the rehabilitation, operations and maintenance would be pursued through a separate special purpose vehicle (SPV) with likely the same ownership as LRMC. LRMC, which operates the LRT-1 and is responsible for the extension of the train system all the way to Cavite, is composed of MPIC’s Metro Pacific Light Rail Corp., Ayala Corp.’s AC Infrastructure Holdings Corp., and Macquarie Infrastructure Holdings (Philippines) PTE Ltd. MPIC chairman Manuel V. Pangilinan has said it is necessary to give attention to the MRT-3 as the train system has been going through a series of breakdowns in the past years.

“We all know the MRT-3 has had quite a number of issues for the past many years so, we want to resolve those issues for the benefit of commuters. I am sure the government shares that objective as well,” he said.

MANILA - The Department of Finance is likely to ask President Rodrigo Duterte to veto the watered down version of the tax reform program that could derail the administration’s massive infrastructure program.

“That is an option,” Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez replied to reporters in a recent interview when asked what action the agency would take if House Bill 5636 or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) is watered down by the Senate.

HB 5636 will yield P1.163-trillion in net revenue from 2018 to 2022 with the complementary measures, slightly lower compared to the P1.266 trillion under the original proposal submitted by the Department of Finance (DOF).

“We want P137 billion. Below that its going to be very difficult.

You have to remember that we have additional expenses,” Dominguez said.

President Duterte has signed a law granting free tuition in state colleges and universities earlier this month.

ment is expected to raise P133.8 billion in 2018, P233.6 billion in 2019, P272.9 billion in 2020, P253 billion in 2021 and P269.9 billion in 2022.

The revenue raised from HB 5636 will account for 0.7 percent of GDP in 2018, 1.1 percent in 2019, 1.2 percent in 2020, one percent in 2021, and one percent in 2022 without the complementary measures.

With the complementary measures, the revenue raised from the bill will account for 0.8 percent of GDP in 2018, 1.2 percent in 2019, 1.3 percent in 2020, 1.1 percent in 2021, and 1.1 percent in 2022.

Meanwhile, Finance Undersecretary Karl Kendrik Chua said the government is looking at putting a cap on fiscal incentives particularly the income tax holiday (ITH) being enjoyed by investors.

Chua said plugging the revenue leakage from the fiscal incentives being enjoyed by companies would help cushion the impact of the revenue losses from the planned gradual reduction of the minimum corporate income tax to 25 percent by 2021 from the current level of 30 percent.

MVP: Retail a rising risk for Meralco by iris

gonzaLes Philstar.com

MANILA - Manila Electric Co. (Meralco), the listed power distributor chaired by business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, sees the growing retail electricity business in the country as a risk to the company, which for decades has been the main power distributor in Luzon.

In a recent briefing, Pangilinan said that to some extent, the shift of big power users to other suppliers, “is a risk for Meralco.”

“We have our own strengths (but) it is a risk for Meralco because Meralco buys electricity from the market. It is a trader...

We have a trading margin for that,” he said.

The liberalization of the power by iris gonzaLes 25, MPTC approved a resolution MPTC to sign, execute and de- industry as mandated by the ElecPhilstar.com to form the committee, which liver any agreements, documents tric Power Industry Reform Act of MANILA - Metro Pacific In- would have five directors “to and instruments relating to such 2001 has paved the way for the vestments Corp. is looking for study potential toll road and investments. entry of retail electricity suppliers “The MPTC board likewise au- or RES in the sector. new infrastructure and tollways other infrastructure investments projects in the country and in the in the Philippines and the ASEAN thorized the company to secure Introduced in June 2013, RES region in addition to its existing a credit line or standby letter of are entities authorized by the ASEAN region. credit of up to P8 billion from any Energy Regulatory Commission In a disclosure, MPIC said its toll road projects.”

The board likewise authorized local or international financial in- (ERC), the power regulator, to subsidiary Metro Pacific Tollways Corp. (MPTC) would form a spe- the committee to negotiate the stitution to support such potential sell, broker or market electricity cial committee to study business terms and conditions of any po- Investments,” MPIC said. to big power users or those with The conglomerate has not an average peak demand of one potential here and in the region. tential investment and to appoint In a board meeting on Aug. the authorized representatives of PAGE D4 megawatt for 12 months.

More PH, ASEAN infra projects eyed

“We have the education, that is P50 billion for the first year, probably around P60 billion for the second year, third year is about P70 billion, and fourth year is about P75 or P80 billion, where are we going to get the money,” he said.

The Duterte administration has raised the budget deficit ceiling gap to three percent of gross domestic product (GDP) instead of two percent of GDP to fund an ambitious infrastructure program where it intends to spend up to P9 trillion until 2022.

“Its not really the net revenue that we are looking at, it is the deficit, anything above three percent is not responsible, three percent of GDP is not responsible,” Dominguez said.

DOF estimates show that under HB 5636, the government expects to raise P115 billion in 2018 from the tax reform package, P219.2 billion in 2019, P257 billion in 2020, P235 billion in 2021, and P250.4 billion in 2022.

If the complementary measures such as the motor vehicle user’s charge and the proposed estate tax amnesty are included, the govern-

Prior to June 2013, all these big customers were captive customers of Meralco, said Betty Siy-Yap, Meralco chief finance officer.

Under the present set-up, Meralco earns from sourcing power and from distributing this power although the actual generation and transmission charges are passed-through charges.

“Prior to June 26, 2013, all the customers are captive customers which means we supply the energy to all the customers but it’s a pass-through which means we don’t make a margin on generation or transmission for that matter. It’s only distribution that we make money,” Siy-Yap said.

She said Meralco could still earn because the RES entities would still use Meralco’s distribution lines, but revenues would be affected because the company would no longer earn from sourcing the power supply for customers.

“If it’s full contestability and everybody can choose their supplier, we still make money because distribution is our main business. So if everybody chooses somebody else, our bottom-line is still the same but topline would shrink because the supply part is not with

Manila Electric Co., the listed power distributor chaired by business tycoon Manuel V. Pangilinan, sees the growing retail electricity business in the country as a risk to the company, which for decades has been the main power distributor in Luzon.

us (anymore),” she said.

To mitigate the impact of competition brought about by the RES regime, Meralco has also introduced its own RES entity.

D September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Marketplace

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

Philippines: World Bank Group to scale up support for peace-building and development in Mindanao WASHINGTON—The World Bank Group will scale up support for peace-building and development in Mindanao as part of the midterm adjustment of its country partnership strategy. This follows the completion of the Performance and Learning Review report (PLR) endorsed today by the World Bank’s Board of Executive Directors.

This scaled-up program for the entire Mindanao will focus on supporting the government’s program to raise agricultural productivity and improve connectivity from farm to market; boost education, skills, and employability of the youth; and help build resilient communities.

World Bank Group support to the conflict-affected region has been significant in recent years, leading to over 682,000 people benefiting from better infrastructure and access to jobs and initiatives that improve literacy.

“Mindanao accounts for 36 percent of all poverty in the Philippines and poverty is highest in areas affected by conflict. The World Bank Group fully supports the government’s focus on developing lagging regions, including in Marawi and surrounding areas,” said Mara K. Warwick, World Bank Country Director for Brunei, Malaysia, Philippines, and Thailand. “The World Bank, together with the Asian Development Bank, will coordinate financial assistance from the development partners for the rehabilitation and reconstruction of Marawi City. Also, the World Bank will provide technical assistance for the early recovery, rehabilitation, and reconstruction planning for Marawi City as requested by government.”

The partnership strategy for the Philippines will continue to work on five engagement areas, aligned with the development priorities of the government: • transparent and accountable

government • empowerment of the poor and vulnerable • rapid, inclusive and sustained economic growth • resilience to climate change, environment, and disaster risk management • peace, institution building, and social and economic opportunity, with focus on conflict-affected areas in Mindanao.

“The strategy is built on our long-term partnership with the Philippine government, development partners, and other sectors of Philippine society,” saidVictoria Kwakwa, World Bank Vice President for East Asia and the Pacific.

“We are pleased that our strategy shares several areas of priority with the government’s development plan, notably, promoting competitiveness, boosting rural development and strengthening resilience against climate change impacts.”

Sustained growth averaging 4.6 percent between 2010 and 2016, along with well-targeted social sector spending, has contributed to significant recent poverty reduction in the country.

The government more than doubled social services spending during this time, enabling significant allocations for health care and poverty reduction through the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps), the national program providing conditional cash transfer, which is supported by the World Bank.

In the past two years, World Bank support has contributed to the government’s efforts to reduce poverty in the Philippines which include the following: • Nearly 10,000 new water connections have helped tens of thousands of people.

• Some 300 kilometers of roads and nearly 2,000 meters of bridges have been built, improving connectivity.

• More than 20,000 education officials have received training and are now equipped to train others in early grade reading and mathematics.

• Approximately 2 million people – half of whom are women – benefitted from improved public services, including over 702,000 benefitting from cleaner, safer public markets and/or public terminals.

The midterm review of the strategy provides an opportunity to assess progress and lessons learned, and introduce revisions to its implementation.

Following consultations with various stakeholders in Iloilo, Tuguegarao and Cotabato, the review finds that overall, key elements of the country partnership strategy remain relevant to the government’s Philippine Development Plan.

In 2018, World Bank Group support for the Philippines could reach US$660 million and includes funding for the Metro Manila Flood Management Project, the first project in the Philippines planned for co-financing with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB).

In 2019, total funding could reach US$750 million, including projects for agriculture and education in Mindanao.

The World Bank Group will also continue to provide analytical and advisory services to address important development issues under its FY18-19 program.

The World Bank Group comprises the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), also known as the “World Bank”; the International Finance Corporation (IFC) focused on the private sector in developing countries; and the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) which provides political risk insurance to private sector investors and lenders.

More PH, ASEAN infra projects eyed PAGE D3 identified specific projects yet, saying it will make a formal announcement of any potential investments.

Pangilinan said the company remains committed to doing more infrastructure projects in the future.

“We remain committed to our infrastructure expansion

program while holding close discussions with the government on how to resolve our various tariff issues,” he said.

The conglomerate’s full-year profit guidance is P13.3 billion.

It reported a 17 percent jump in its first half profit to P7.8 billion.

MPIC cited robust traffic growth on the roads operated

by MPTC, expanded power portfolio and steady growth of the hospital business as reasons for its steady performance during the period.

The conglomerate’s businesses comprise tollways and infrastructure, hospitals, logistics, water and power distribution. It recently made its foray in logistics.

NAIA Terminal 2 artist perspective.

Philstar.com photo

PAL offers to build P20-B NAIA-2 annex

by ReiceLene Joy ignacio ManilaTimes.net

FLAG carrier Philippine Airlines (PAL) is offering to spend P20 billion to expand its current hub at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) with an aim to address ca-

pacity issues.

“We proposed to construct a Terminal 2 annex, essentially a whole new terminal connected to the current Terminal 2,” PAL President Jaime Bautista said during an

aviation forum in Makati City on Wednesday, Aug. 30.

Bautista said the proposed terminal would be able to handle 12 to 15 million passengers annually and would have aerobridges capable of PAGE D5

PH outsourcing services to hit $500-M by 2021

by Ma. Lisbet

esMaeL ManilaTimes.net

THE digital transformation journey of companies in the country will lead to spending on outsourcing totaling $500 million (P25.5 billion) by 2021, data from research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) showed.

“Enterprises’ digital transformation initiatives, as well as changing patterns of IT procurement and rapidly evolving service delivery models, will drive the Philippines outsourcing market to continue growing,” IDC said.

With digital transformation taking place, companies will have to outsource and address business challenges such as growing complexity of information communication technology (ICT), lack of ICT, and the need for proper governance.

“The Philippines outsourcing market is undergoing a dramatic transformation propelled by the increasing adoption of disruptive technologies. CIOs (chief information officers) and technology leaders tap external capabilities to support their DX (digital transformation) initiatives, meet everchanging customer demands, implement solutions faster, and reduce cost,” said Alon Anthony Rejano, IDC Philippines market analyst.

“In the age of greater auto-

The digital transformation journey of companies in the country will lead to spending on outsourcing totaling $500 million (P25.5 billion) by 2021, data from research firm International Data Corporation (IDC) showed.

Inquirer.net photo

mation, standardization, and modernization, external providers need to keep up and redefine their value proposition, offering new delivery and consumption models,” he said.

However, IDC sees a decline in demand for multiyear and multimillion-peso outsourcing transactions as end users cut cost in favor of cloud infrastructures.

“This, in turn, is adding price pressure on providers, which drives vendor consolidation.

IDC recommends that end users must understand where each outsourcing deal fits in the sourc-

ing spectrum so that appropriate governance mechanisms can be created and managed,” it said.

Rejano said the future of the Philippine outsourcing market remains stable for competition as consumers continually demand for strong offering. But he stressed that while they want a partner for the long term, “they are also willing to consider new partners that offer innovation.”| “Providers need to demonstrate thought leadership throughout the lifetime of the contract and provide high-quality service to help transform customers with DX agenda.”

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

Marketplace

HOPE SPRINGS ETERNAL. Car owners file their applications to operate a transport network vehicle service, a day after the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) allowed Uber to continue its operations again on Tuesday, Aug. 29.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

PAL offers to build P20-B NAIA-2...

PAGE D4

serving 12 to 17 wide-bodied and single-aisle jets.

He said NAIA Terminal 2, which PAL has been using exclusively since 1999, has far exceeded its maximum capacity as it was originally built as a domestic airport during the Ramos administration.

“PAL believes that we need to break free of the confines of the building and expand Terminal 2 to the north. The ultimate solution is

think big and build our desired new Terminal 2 annex,” Bautista said.

The proposed annex will rise on a 16-hectare area adjacent to NAIA 2, comprising the now-defunct Philippine Village Hotel, the former Nayong Pilipino complex and a property owned by the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation.

The complex will also include multi-level parking for 1,000 vehicles, a new cargo terminal and ground service facilities.

Bautista said the government support would be needed for securing leases from the Manila International Airport Authority, the operator of NAIA. “We also need government to continuously invest in building, developing, enhancing and upgrading airport infrastructure, not just for NAIA but all throughout the country, as PAL and other airlines put up more flights and open new routes in our race for a thriving economic future,” he said.

Filipino students’ app places in top 10 of Microsoft...

PAGE D1 facial expressions.

Driven by artificial intelligence (AI), Minerva can further be trained while getting better the more it’s used.

The app is also meant for international users and can be used in 25 different languages like Chinese, English, Spanish, French, Japanese, and more.

Currently an Android app, Minerva has not yet rolled out for the general public, but those who’ve had the privilege of trying it out, have found it useful in their everyday lives.

“It’s really a big help for us students who need to read texts from books,” says one testimonial

by Jorim, an Adaptive Technology for Rehabilitation, Integration, and Empowerment of the Visually

Impaired (ATRIEV) student, on the app’s website.

“We don’t need to always ask someone to dictate what’s written on our books.”

Another ATRIEV student testimony from Haver said, “I want to look nice whenever I go outside and as a blind person, it’s really difficult to distinguish the colors of my clothes. Minerva is helping me identify the colors of my clothes.”

Filipinos have without a doubt dipped into the constantly changing tech scene, with Snapchat’s California born CTO Bobby Murphy being one of the most prominent at the moment.

Manny Ayala, an ex-media executive and banker turned internet entrepreneur, has been help-

ing aspiring tech entrepreneurs in the Philippines through his tech incubator Hatch’d and organization Endeavor Philippines.

As for the young members of the Opticode team, Microsoft Philippines managing director Bertrand Launay shared encouraging words.

Launay said in a press statement, “This is a most impressive accomplishment for Team Opticode. The Imagine Cup is the world’s most prestigious student tech competition and we’re extremely proud of the team for all they’ve accomplished. A top 10 finish among 54 other teams from 39 countries in the World Finals shows that the Philippines can compete with the best in the world.”

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017 D

D September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

Marketplace & ShowrooM

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

Developer of self-driving technology Singapore to help PH ease traffic congestion for semi trucks arrives in Tucson A Chinese start-up company developing self-driving technology for commercial trucking has opened a facility in Tucson for research and testing — including a planned Tucson-Phoenix run with an autonomous truck.

Beijing-based Tusimple LLC plans to spend millions of dollars and hire as many as 100 employees in the next five years, with the aim of perfecting intelligent driving systems and eventually running fleets of autonomous trucks.

Tusimple has leased 6,865 square feet of warehouse and office space at 2551 n. Dragoon street, near West Grant Road and interstate 10, to engineer and test its technology.

The effort to land Tusimple was led by sun Corridor inc., the Tucson area’s main economic development agency, and a team including the city of Tucson and Pima County, local businessman Bruce Dusenberry, the Arizona Commerce Authority, the University of Arizona, Tucson electric Power, Alpha Commercial Real estate service and CBRe. The company, whose arrival was marked with a ribbon-cutting ceremony with local officials last week, also has research facilities in China and san Diego.

Xiaodi hou, Tusimple’s cofounder and chief technology officer, said the combination of Tucson’s standing as a center of logistics and its friendly state policies toward autonomous vehicle technology helped lure the company to Tucson.

“Arizona is super open-minded about autonomous driving, which i believe will make the entire state a pioneer of autonomous driving, and you’ll see the effect in the next 10 years,” said hou.

Arizona is one of a handful of states that has adopted legislation or policies supporting the testing and development for the autonomous vehicle industry.

Arizona created the self-Driving Vehicle Oversight Committee through an executive order by Gov. Doug Ducey in 2015, and its members meet with the Arizona Department of Transportation to support autonomous vehicle research and development efforts.

Simple technology Tusimple’s technology employs cameras and radar sensors with the company’s proprietary software and other data to allow trucks to “see” the road in real time, like the human eye.

EMPLOYMENT

The system uses “deep learning” artificial intelligence to make decisions to avoid obstacles and navigate safely.

The technology also can allow operators to form “platoons” of autonomous trucks that can draft on each other like racecars for optimum fuel economy. in July, Tusimple made a successful 200-mile test run from san Diego to Yuma. hou said the company’s goal by the end of this year is to pilot its technology by sending a platoon of five fully loaded trucks from Tucson to Phoenix. in five years, hou said, Tusimple hopes to have a fleet of 25 trucks with a Level 5 system — requiring no human intervention — in commercial operation. “in the U.s., Tucson will be our first station and i think will be the primary site for road testing for the next few years,” said hou, who earned a doctorate in computation and neural systems from the California institute of Technology in 2014.

Tusimple isn’t alone in its quest to perfect a self-driving truck.

Diesel truckmaker Freightliner has tested an autonomous truck with a safety driver, and rideshare giant Uber delivered a truckload of beer in 2016 on a 120-mile route in Colorado, using technology from a startup partner it later acquired.

Backers said autonomous trucking systems could make fleets more efficient and save lives by avoiding human error and safety issues. hou said the company has talked with truck manufacturers and has had initial talks with one leading truck maker, but the company eventually wants to develop and operate autonomous trucking fleets.

“We’re not trying to develop one black box that can perform Level 4 [driverless]autonomous driving, but we’re thinking about building an autonomous fleet of trucks,” he said.

“You can think of us more as an operations company, instead of a software company.”

Tusimple recently raised $20 million in capital investments from a group led by Chinese telecom giant sina Corp. and including silicon Valley-based computer graphics nvidia, which provided powerful graphical processing units for Tusimple’s prototype systems.

Economic impact sun Corridor inc. worked with local and state officials to provide

Tusimple executives with workforce, real-estate, incentive and demographic information to show the region’s ability to support the company’s expansion.

Tusimple is expected to invest $15 million in capital expenditures, with the expected new jobs bringing its potential economic impact to $81.7 million over five years, sun Corridor said.

Joe snell, president and chief executive officer of sun Corridor, said local officials were “tenacious” in their pursuit of Tusimple, comparing it to the recent solar eclipse when the “sun, moon and earth came into alignment.” snell said Tusimple was lured to Tucson by its high-tech workforce, friendly regulation and infrastructure.

“We get the opportunity to be on the ground floor of a new and future industry,” snell said.

“Tomorrow’s world will include everything autonomous, from aircraft to cars and in this case, commercial delivery. “in the very near future, as we position ourselves as a distribution center, we can see goods being offloaded in nogales, coming up from the port of Guaymas, and those products being delivered to Tucson and beyond by delivery trucks without a driver,” he added.

Mayor Jonathan Rothschild noted that Tusimple decided on Tucson without any upfront financial incentives, since the company moved into an existing building that is not in any special economic zone.

Rothschild said the Tucson area’s high-tech workforce and the UA and its potential pipeline of engineers helped convince the company to move here, noting that company executives already have met with leaders of the UA’s Transportation Research institute.

The institute is a successor to the Advanced Traffic and Logistics Algorithms and systems Center, an engineering-focused research center UA launched in 1998 to advance transportation.

Larry head, a UA professor of systems and industrial engineering who is involved in research at the UA’s Transportation Research institute, said he’s excited to have the startup company in town to show students the cutting edge of the science and give them new career paths. (ManilaTimes.net)

EMPLOYMENT

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday, sept. 1, signed a memorandum of understanding with the singapore government for possible development of an intelligent transport system (iTs) to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila.

Under the memorandum DOTr secretary Arthur Tugade and singapore Cooperation enterprise (sCe) Chief executive Officer Kong Wy Mun agreed to help the Philippines improve its traffic systems by sharing singapore’s practices in traffic and transport management and introducing the iTs. The sCe is an agency formed by the singaporean Ministry of Trade and industry and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs that aims to promote international trade and to link singapore companies to other countries.

The agreement also states the willingness of both parties to work hand in hand on recommending and adopting suitable traffic

The Department of Transportation (DOTr) on Friday, Sept. 1, signed a memorandum of understanding with the Singapore government for possible development of an intelligent transport system (ITS) to ease traffic congestion in Metro Manila. ManilaTimes.net photo

management policies and use of utilization of congestion management, traffic enforcement and the iTs. it includes the installation and surveillance and incident manimplementation of various traffic agement systems. (Reicelene Joy control systems, as well as the Ignacio/ManilaTimes.net)

Apple expected to unveil next iPhones this month sAn FRAnCisCO — Apple’s faithful fans and investors won’t have to wait much longer to see what the iPhone maker has in store next.

The company sent out invitations on Thursday, sept. 31 to set sept. 12 as the date for an annual post-Labor Day showcase.

As usual, the famously secretive Apple didn’t say what’s on tap, but this is typically when the company unveils new iPhones.

Much of the anticipation is swirling around whether Apple will

show off a dramatically different type of iPhone with a sleeker and even bigger screen to celebrate the device’s 10th anniversary. even if a fancier version is unveiled, Apple will also likely announce upgrades to last year’s iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus. it’s Apple’s first event at the steve Jobs Theater at its new headquarters in Cupertino, California.

Apple’s invitation seemed to hint that something colorful is in store as it presented a multi-hued depiction of the company’s fa-

mous logo. That choice will likely spur speculation that Apple’s new phone will feature a screen with organic light-emitting diode, or OLeD, which will display more vivid colors than previous models. Rival phones from samsung already use OLeD. There have also been reports that the company intends to show off an upgrade to its Apple TV streaming box that will be capable of handling ultra-high definition, or 4K, video. (Philstar.com with reports from AP)

BCDA slates review of Clark master plan

by Richmond

meRcuRio

Philstar.com

MAniLA - The Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) plans to revisit and update the master plan of the entire Clark Freeport Zone in Pampanga to ensure it would not suffer a similar congested fate as Metro Manila.

“We’re re-master planning the entire Clark Freeport Zone. The master plan is quite old. it’s more than a decade old already and there are so many other projects that will affect Clark like the railway, the airport, and the other projects so we really have to remaster plan,” BCDA president and chief executive officer Vivencio

Dizon said. he said the firm of renowned Filipino architect Jun Palafox has won the bid for the development of a new master plan.

“We’re going to wait for the results of that by the end of the year so we can plan well where to put the housing, the malls and the leisure components,” he said. “if you talk to the biggest developers in the world, master plans are usually updated and revisited every five years and we haven’t revalidated our master plan for Clark Freeport in more than a decade,” Dizon added. he said BCDA and its unit Clark Development Corp. do not want the Clark Freeport Zone

EMPLOYMENT

to suffer the same fate as Metro Manila did. “it’s hard, we saw the result of no planning. Metro Manila is a result of no planning and we see how bad it can get if it’s not planned well,” he said.

The Clark Freeport Zone is a former Us military base before it was declared a special economic zone in March 2006.

The original master plan for the 4,400-hectare main zone and 27,600-hectare sub zone sought to transform the zone into an airportdriven urban center perfect for the requirements of high-end iT enabled industries, aviation and logistics-related enterprises, tourism and other sectors.

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

EMPLOYMENT

LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • SEptEmbER 2-5, 2017 D

EMPLOYMENT

FOR RENT

FOR RENT

PSYCHIC

SERVICES

D September 2-5, 2017 • LA WeeKeND ASIAN JOUrNAL

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