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Volume 28 - No. 32 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

AUGUST 17-23, 2017

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

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Duterte: Drug problem can’t be solved in a single term

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE drug menace in the country cannot be fixed in a single term, Philippine President Rodrigo admitted, saying that even the competent United States has been struggling against it.

Duterte won the May 2016 presidential elections with a vow to completely crush the illegal drugs trade in the country. In a forum last week, the president,

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however, acknowledged that the problem cannot be completely solved in just six years.

“Look itong shabu, ang drugs, etc. (Look, shabu and drugs), cannot be solved by one man, for a president for one term,” he said.

He noted that even the U.S. is not drug free, and in fact, has been facing a “far worse” situation than the Philippines.

“It has bugged nations, hindi nga kaya ng Amerika, tayo pa (America can’t even control it,

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

then what about us)?,” Duterte remarked.

He went on to say, “America is under siege because of drugs.

And they are far worse than us.

Yes, of course, they do not admit it. Pero (But) until now, I said, they’re fighting a useless war there that never ends. And the sad part of it is that most of the drugs are provided by their good neighbors.”

Duterte’s so-called drug war

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DFA urges Filipinos abroad to remain vigilant amid series of terror attacks CA rejects Taguiwalo’s appointment as DSWD chief DUTERTE WITH REFORM THE ARMED FORCES MOVEMENT MEMBERS. President Rodrigo Duterte greets Senator Gringo Honasan during a meeting with members of the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM) at the Malacañang Palace on Wednesday,August 16. Joining Honasan are RAM officers while the president was accompanied by Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana, Office of the President Undersecretary Jesus Melchor Quitain, and Justice Undersecretary Erickson Balmes.

PNA photo by Karl Norman Alonzo

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) called on Filipinos outside the country to remain vigilant, following the recent series of terror attacks Manny Pacquiao and Jeff Horn Philstar.com photos abroad.

In a statement released Tuesday, August 15, Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano encouraged Fili-Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano pinos overseas TOP Rank Inc. boss Bob Arum said they are remain prepared against unforeseen “senseless acts of close to sealing the rematch between Manny violence.”

Pacquiao and Jeff Horn.

According to the DFA, there are more than 10 million Veteran scribe Chris Mannix of Yahoo!

Filipinos outside the country.

Sports recently spoke to Arum, who said they Citing data from the Global Terrorism Database, the are “pretty much there” regarding finalizing department made note of around 1,102 terror incidents Pacquiao-Horn 2.

Pacquiao vs Horn rematch nearing finalization, says Arum

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THE Philippine Commission on Appointments (CA) on Wednesday, August 16, rejected the ad interim appointment of Judy Taguiwalo as the country’s Social Welfare Secretary.

Taguiwalo is President Rodrigo Duterte’s third cabinet official rejected by the appointments body. The other two were Gina Lopez as Environment Secretary and Perfecto Yasay Jr. as Foreign Affairs Secretary.

While the exact tally of votes was not disclosed, Davao Oriental Representative Joel Almario said the needed 13 majority vote against her appointment was reached.

“The committee had conducted a votation and has reached the requirement of a majority vote against the confirmation. I stand before this august chamber as your chairman of the committee on labor, employment and social welfare to move for the [CA] to

Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo raises a clenched fist during a press conference after the rejection of her nomination by the Commission on Appointments at the Senate on Wednesday, Aug. 16.

Philstar.com photo by Geremy Pintolo

reject the ad interim appointment [of Taguiwalo],” Almario said.

Almario assured that the committee “looked into all angles of her background and character” and exercised “due diligence” in

checking whether or not the appointee “suits the position.”

Prior to the Wednesday’s decision, Taguiwalo was bypassed by the CA twice. The law states that

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PH urges US, N. Korea to Group eyes second impeachment Palace: Duterte desist from actions that complaint against Comelec chief supports impeachment of corrupt officials may escalate tensions

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

and current VACC member Jacinto Paras requested the National Bureau of Investigation PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte is going (NBI) for copies of documents to support any move—including impeaching any related to the allegations made official regardless of position—that would help in u PAGE A2 ridding the government of corruption, Malacañang said on Monday, August 14.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella stressed that keeping the administration clean from any irregularities has been among Duterte’s major campaign promises.

“Without making references to any particular individual, the president, of course, is highly supportive of all moves that will set the house, the Philippine government in order. And he’s been very clear about that, that is one of his campaign promises,” Abella told reporters.

Abella made the statement in a media conference when asked if Duterte will back possible impeachment complaints against Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres Bautista.

He said that Duterte is supportive of any move that would bring “correction” to the government institutions.

“And so, each and every act — each and every move that entails bringing about a correction in our — especially in our institutions is welcome and I’m sure he is supportive of. That is not in reference to any particular individual,” he added.

Commission on Elections Chairman Andres Bautista links arms with Comelec employees who prepared a program to show their support for

ment complaint against Philippine Commission on Elections (Comelec) Chairman Andres THE Philippine government on Monday, THE Volunteers Against Crime Bautista.

August 14 called on the United States and and Corruption (VACC) is planEarlier this week, former NeNorth Korea to “desist from threats and mili- ning to file a second impeach- gros Oriental Representative tary action” that may escalate nuclear tensions between countries.

In a media conference, Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella also urged Washington and Pyongyang to conduct talks and put an end to any further missile tests and attack threats.

“We continue to enjoin all concerned parties to desist from threats and military action and we enjoin all sides to start talks, which should be greatly facilitated by an end to missile test and attack threats,” the Philippine spokesperson said.

Last week, North Korea threatened to launch nuclear missiles attacks near the U.S. Pacific territory of Guam, which shelters massive U.S. Air Force and Navy bases.

North Korea made the threat in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s warning that Pyongyang will be met with “fire and fury” if it continues to threaten Washington.

Abella reassured that the Philippine government has prepared contingency plans in case

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him on Monday, Aug. 14.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

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From The FronT Page

Group eyes second impeachment complaint...

PAGE A1

by Bautista’s estranged wife, Patricia.

Patricia Bautista recently submitted an affidavit before the NBI, alleging that her husband has nearly one billion pesos of ‘unexplained’ wealth that were not included in his 2016 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

On Monday, August 14, VACC

asked the NBI for “certified copies of the Affidavit of (Mrs.) Patricia Bautista and the 35 Luzon Development Bank (LDB) passbooks, RCBC peso account document and other documents submitted to your good office.”

The group said it will use the documents in building an impeachment case against Bautista.

“Our said client is resorting

to this request owing to the fact that the Committee on Justice of the House of Representatives will not accept any documents other than certified or original, appended to impeachment complaints,” VACC’s legal counsel Manny Luna said in his letter to the NBI. VACC added that it will also request copies of Bautista’s SALN from the Office of the Ombudsman.

In a speech before Comelec employees, the commission’s chief said that the controversy is among the “biggest challenge[s]” of his life.

While reiterating that he is willing to step down from his post, Bautista said he finds it hard to lose his family at the Comelec.

“It’s not hard to give up this post or step down from my position. It’s not a problem. My problem is losing my Comelec family who over the years have shown their sincere, genuine care and affection,” a tearful Bautista told the agency officials and employees.

Malacañang on Monday said President Rodrigo Duterte is going to support any moves, including impeachment complaints, against any official regardless of position if it would help in ridding the government of corruption.

Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella issued the statement when asked if Duterte will back possible impeachment cases against Bautista.

“Without making references to any particular individual, the president, of course, is highly supportive of all moves that will set the house, the Philippine government in order. And he’s been very clear about that, that is one of his campaign promises,” Abella told reporters.

The first impeachment complaint against Bautista has already been filed by Marcos loyalist and lawyer Oliver Lozano before the Office of the Ombudsman last week.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has authorized the NBI to investigate Patricia’s claims against her husband.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) is also conducting a separate probe into possible violations committed by Bautista when he was still the agency’s head.

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Drug suspects and their tools for getting “high” are prepared for transport to the police station following a raid in a Quezon City slum area.

Inquirer.net photo by Raffy Lerma

Duterte: Drug problem can’t be...

PAGE A1

has brought thousands of deaths to “drug personalities”— the total figure is hotly disputed. Several reports claimed numbers reaching around 7,000 since Duterte came into power, while his administration said only around half were killed in legitimate police operations.

Human rights groups and several international communities repeatedly condemned the president’s “brutal” campaign, but Duterte maintained the he won’t back down in the fight against what he described as menace that destroys the Philippines and its people.

In a recent speech, Duterte threatened to suspend mayors who failed to address the illegal drugs in their cities.

“As mayors, you have the authority over the police. If you cannot control drugs in your city, I will just suspend you. Just take a vacation,” the president said during the 19th anniversary of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) on Wednesday, August 16.

Likewise, he warned local executives in Mindanao that they may lose their police powers if they failed to curb narcotics in the area.

Weeks after the Islamic State

(IS)-inspired Maute group laid siege of Marawi City in Mindanao last May, the National Police Commission (NAPOLCOM) stripped seven governors and 132 mayors in Mindanao of police power for allegedly abusing their authorities, conspiring with criminals, and failing to prevent terrorism and lawless violence.

“They do not have police power.

I will return it to them after the conflict. But if I return it and you cannot [curb] drugs in your city, I will strip you of your power. I might just outright suspend you,” Duterte said.

He continued, “Wala naman kayong silbi (You are worthless). I will not return the police power to you. Wala akong pakialam sa inyo (I don’t care about you).”

To the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the president said he plans to investigate them instead for “conspiracy” and “obstruction of justice.”

Duterte also showed an “updated narco-list,” which contain the names of officials, including member of the judiciary, allegedly involved in the drug trade as of August 8.

“With God’s help…death certificate na yan balang araw (These will be death certificates in the future),” he said. Unlike before, however, the president did not

mention any names included in his updated list.

In his speech, the president also showered praises at the provincewide “one time, big time” bloody raid in Bulacan that occurred earlier in the day and resulted to the deaths of 32 drug suspects.

“Yung namatay daw sa Bulacan kanina, 32 (Thirty two people died in Bulacan earlier) in a massive raid. Maganda yun (That’s good),” Duterte remarked.

“Pumatay tayo (Let’s kill) another 32 everyday, maybe we can reduce what ails this country,” he added. He said expects human rights advocates to criticize the raid.

In a statement, Bulacan Police Director Senior Superintendent Romeo Caramat defended the law enforcers, saying that most of the suspects resisted arrest when they conducted the 66 province-wide operations.

“Kinukwestyon nila kung bakit ganun karami (They are questioning the number of deaths), all I can say is we don’t have the control of the situation,” the Bulacan police chief said in a press briefing.

He continued, “As much as possible we wanted to remove those elements that would lead to bloody encounter, that is the reason why meron kaming element of surprise during our operations.”

Pacquiao vs Horn rematch nearing...

PAGE A1 Horn stunned Pacquiao last July 2 at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Australia to crown himself the new WBO welterweight champion.

But there were questions about the unanimous decision awarded by the judges to Horn, and Pacquiao himself said he believes he did enough to win the bout.

Arum, for his part, said he now

wants a thorough background check on the judges for the rematch.

The second meeting between Pacquiao and Horn is being targeted at the end of the year.

DFA urges Filipinos abroad to remain vigilant...

PAGE A1 that occurred worldwide from January to August of this year, not far from the 1,204 terror attacks that were perpetrated during the same period last year.

“We want our kababayans wherever they are abroad to always remain vigilant and to always be prepared because these senseless acts of violence can happen anywhere and when we least expect them,” Cayetano said.

The department issued the warning days after a foiled attack conducted by suspected Islamic militants at a restaurant located in the capital of Burkina Faso.

Cayetano also used the oppor-

tunity to send his condolences to the families of victims of the August 13 attack, which resulted to the deaths of 18 people, including foreigners.

“We mourn with the families of those who lost their lives in this terrible incident in Burkina Faso,” he said.

Also on Tuesday, the DFA issued Alert Level 1, or the precautionary phase, for Filipinos in Guam and the Northern Marianas islands after North Korea threatened to launch missile attacks in the area.

DFA said Alert Level 1 means “the situation is still developing and that Filipino nationals are encouraged to closely monitor the

news from reliable media outlets and official advisories from the Government of Guam, and other U.S. authorities, as well as the Philippine Consulate General in Guam.”

Cayetano likewise ordered all Philippine embassies abroad and consulates general to update their contingency plans to secure the safety of Filipinos.

“Our people all over the world are counting on us to lead them to safety in case worse comes to worst,” the foreign secretary said. “It is thus important to make sure that all our contingency plans are regularly reviewed and updated.” n

CA rejects Taguiwalo’s appointment as...

PAGE A1 the president can no longer reappoint a cabinet official bypassed three times by the CA. Speaking to reporters, Taguiwalo described the CA’s rejection as a “badge of honor.”

“I am in good company. I think to be rejected like Gina Lopez is a badge of honor for us. Kasi never kami nasabi na corrupt kami.

Tumindig kami sa prinsipyo (It can never be said that we were corrupt. We stood by our principles),” she said.

Lopez’ appointment was rejected last May amid issues concerning her policies against sev-

eral mining operations.

Though “not privy to deliberations,” Taguiwalo said she can only suspect the reasons behind her rejection, citing her opposition to the pork barrel system and the tax reform package, and her alleged links to the New People’s Army (NPA).

“I have served the people well.

I gave my all and I’m proud to say that my integrity remains intact and I have never once lost sight of the people I have sworn to serve with full fidelity and courage,” she said.

Malacañang, for its part, lamented the CA’s decision.

“We are saddened by the Commission on Appointments’ rejection of Secretary Judy Taguiwalo,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a statement.

Abella said Taguiwalo “had served the Duterte administration with passion, profession and integrity.”

“She made an impact in the lives of many Filipinos in her tenure as DSWD (Department of Social Welfare and Development) Secretary,” he added. “The President is now looking and studying for a possible replacement.”

(Dana SIoson/AJPress)

Palace: Duterte supports impeachment...

PAGE A1 Bautista’s estranged wife, Patricia, alleged that the Comelec chief has amassed nearly P1 billion in ill-gotten wealth.

He was also accused of wrongly declaring his 2016 statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN).

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II has authorized the National Bureau of Investigations (NBI) to investigate Patricia’s claims against her husband.

The Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) is also conducting a separate

probe into possible violations committed by Bautista when he was still the agency’s head.

Last week, a report from the Philippine Star said Oliver Lozano, a lawyer and Marcos loyalist, has filed an impeachment complaint against Bautista before the Office of the Ombudsman for the latter’s alleged culpable violation of the Constitution and betrayal of public trust.

Apart from Bautista, Chief Justice Ma. Lourdes Sereno is also facing a possible impeachment case under the same alleged offenses.

Lorenzo “Larry” Gadon, a lawyer and the president of Pro-Duterte Constitutional Reformers to Federalism, said he is planning to file impeachment rap against Sereno over her alleged “unreasonable” purchase of a Toyota Land Cruiser amounting to P5.1 million.

He also accused Sereno of failing to be truthful in declaring her SALN and of obstructing justice when she ordered Muntinlupa judges to not to issue arrest warrants against Senator Leila De Lima. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)

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AAPI group urges use of hate crime tracker for community Filipino postal worker killed 18 years ago remembered EIGHTEEN years ago, Filipino postal worker Joseph Ileto was halfway through his route when he became a victim of a hate-motivated attack by a white supremacist. The attacker had just opened fire at a Jewish community center outside of Los Angeles where five people were severely wounded.

Ileto, who was 39 at the time, was killed.

According to the most recent 2015 Hate Crimes Report released last fall by the Los Angeles Human Relations Commission, hate crimes have increased 24 percent, after having seen a seven-year downward trend. Included in the increases were hate incidents towards Asian Americans, which tripled and prompted the launching for the first-ever tracker on the community.

Around the time of Trump’s presidential inauguration, nonprofit organization Asian Americans Advancing Justice launched Stand Against Hatred, a site dedi-

cated to tracking anti-Asian hate attacks.

According to Jessica Jinn, communications manager at Advancing Justice - LA, over 180 responses have been submitted, with new ones being added almost daily.

“As we watched all the reporting [on hate crimes], we felt that the Asian community was being left out,” said Advancing Justice - LA’s VP of Programs and Communications Karin Wang on the starting of Stand Against Hatred.

Among the many stories is that of Dyne Suh, an Asian American UCLA student who had her Airbnb reservation canceled. A screenshot message from the Airbnb host which went public read, “One word says it all. Asian.”

The documentation of antiAsian hate crimes isn’t new and is something AAJC has been watching for sometime going as far back to the 1980s. “There was a surge in anti-Asian hate attacks in the 1980s and 1990s, a lot of which were tied to other global phe-

nomenon and news events,” said Wang.

In the 1980s, a lot of backlash was targeted on the Japanese community as a response to the Japanese auto industry. In the 1990s, hate activities were especially on the rise in places like Los Angeles, which included the killing of Ileto.

According to Wang, most of these attacks were, and continue to be tied to what is happening on the global front. The same seems to be the case now during the current global and political climate where a lot of tension has been building up with Asia and Muslim countries, specifically with China and most recently, North Korea.

“We saw in the data that there was a spike in anti-Muslim and anti-Chinese attacks specifically in 2015 and 2016,” shared Wang. She added that many of the attacks towards Muslims, which many Asians identify as, were linked to the recent Paris and San Bernardino attacks.

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PH urges US, N. Korea to desist from actions...

PAGE A1 North Korea pushes its plan to launch missile attacks in Guam.

“We commend our Seoul embassy and our Guam consulate for their contingency plans to secure Filipinos even when military conflict erupts,” he said.

According to the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), there are around 42,800 Filipinos in Guam.

Abella also urged all Filipinos in Guam and Korea and their

families to inform DFA or its consular officials of their whereabouts.

On Tuesday, August 15, Pyongyang’s state news agency reported that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had “examined the (strike) plan for a long time and discussed it with the commanding officers in real earnest.”

But Kim appeared to hold off plans to fire missiles towards the Pacific island by saying he would instead “watch a little more the

foolish and stupid conduct of the Yankees.”

In a statement, Guam Lieutenant Governor Ray Tenorio said he is “ecstatic” as North Korea appeared to pull back from its threats.

“There doesn’t appear to be any indication that, based on what we’re hearing that there will be any missiles attacking in the near future or the distant future,” Tenorio said. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)

PH tough cops bag medals in World Police and Fire Games ATHLETES from the Philippine National Police (PNP) represented the country and brought home medals in the World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) in Los Angeles, California.

In taekwondo, PO1 Eva Claire Santiago from Cagayan assigned at the Regional Public Safety Batallion (RPSB) Camp Bagong Diwa, garnered two gold medals.

“I’m so happy that Team Pilipinas in taekwondo are gold medalists,” Santiago said in Filipino.

Under the taekwondo’s poomsae team, the Philippine team led by SPO2 Dauphin Punzalan garnered a gold medal, while in the individual poomsae, Punzalan garnered silver and bronze medals

Photos by Jhay Oh Otamias

SENATE PHOTO EXHIBIT. New York-based Japanese photographer and campaigner Toshi Kazama (left), Senator Risa Hontiveros, and Rafendi Djamin of the Coalition for the Abolition of the Death Penalty in ASEAN (CADPA)-Indonesia flash the “stop” sign during a photo exhibit titled “Stop the Death Penalty: End Crime, Not Life” at the Senate on Monday, Aug. 14.

PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Meanwhile in boxing, WPFG first-timer Jose Daryl Sobretado won a silver medal, after a split decision with his opponent, Alberto Tapia, a Mexican- American member of USC department boxing.

“I’m happy to fight for final bouts and I do my best but I guess it’s not enough but maybe next time if I have the opportunity,” Sobretado said.

The PNP plans to join the world’s toughest cops games again in 2019, to be held in Chengdu, China.

More than 8,000 athletes, all active or retired police officers or firefighters, from over 70 countries competed in over 65 different sports and disciplines.

The biennial athletic event drew approximately 50,000 spectators.

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US vows to challenge excessive sea claims the South China Sea, on a daily basis under a comprehensive freedom of navigation program SAYING it is not about any par- (FONOP).

She explained that the operaticular country or about making a political statement, the United tions, conducted in accordance States has stressed that it will with international law, are meant invoke freedom of navigation and to demonstrate that the US will challenge excessive maritime continue to fly, sail and operate “wherever international law alclaims anywhere in the globe.

In a recent press briefing in lows.”

“It’s true in the South China Washington, U.S. State Department spokesperson Heather Sea; it’s true in other places Nauert said U.S. forces operate in around the world as well,” Nauthe Asia-Pacific region, including ert said.

by Pia Lee-Brago Philstar.com

A U.S. Navy destroyer carried out a “freedom of navigation operation” on Thursday, coming within 12 nautical miles of an artificial island built up by China in the South China Sea. The USS John S. McCain traveled close to Mischief or Panganiban Reef in the Spratly Islands, among a string of islets, reefs and shoals.

Slamming the FONOP, the Chinese armed forces immediately sent naval ships to identify and verify the U.S. warship and warned it to leave.

The United Nations-backed Permanent Arbitration Court in The Hague had awarded the Philippines “sovereign rights” over Panganiban Reef off Palawan, based on the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. The court ruling last year also invalidated China’s entire “ninedash-line” claims over nearly all of the South China Sea. Beijing has ignored the ruling despite having ratified UNCLOS. “We have a comprehensive freedom of navigation operations program, under which the U.S. forces challenge excessive maritime claims around the globe to demonstrate our commitment to uphold the rights, freedoms and uses of the sea and airspace guaranteed to all nations under international law. All nations —that is guaranteed to the United States and to other nations, as well,” Nauert added.

The FONOP, she said, is not about any one country and is not about making a political statement.

Last year, the U.S. conducted these challenging excessive maritime claims in 22 different coastal states, including claims of allies and partners.

“The United States does these operations — the freedom of navigation operations — all around the world, many times of year,” Nauert said. “But this is nothing new. We’ve done it before; we’ll continue to do that.”

The U.S. acknowledged on Thursday that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was under “tremendous” pressure on the South China Sea issues during the meetings in Manila last week but the regional bloc still “held on to its principles,” defeating attempts to drop “militarization,” “self-restraint” and “land reclamation” from the joint communiqué at the end of the milestone gathering.

SHABU SHIPMENT INVESTIGATION. Senator Richard Gordon, chair of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee, talks to an e m o t i o n a l B u re a u o f Customs Commissioner Nicanor Faeldon during the third hearing Tuesday, August 15, 2017, on the P6.4-billion worth of illegal drugs recently smuggled to the country from China.

Faeldon denied allegations that he was involved with the entry of 600 kilos of shabu or metamphetamine hydrochloride seized in Valenzuela City warehouse last May 26, which were reportedly coursed through the “express lane” of the BOC. Senate photo

by Romeo Bugante

US transfers custody of Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center U.S. Embassy Deputy Chief of Mission (DCM) Michael Klecheski transferred custody of a brand new Joint Maritime Law Enforcement Training Center (JMLETC) valued at over P65.4 million to the Government of the Philippines in a ceremony in Magarwak, Barangay Santa Lourdes, Puerto Princesa City, on August 4.

Philippine National Police (PNP) Director General Ronald De la Rosa was the guest of honor and keynote speaker, and DCM Klecheski also delivered remarks during the turnover.

The JMLETC, funded by the US Defense Threat Reduction Agency,

is part of the larger National Coast Watch System and is designed to bolster the Philippines’ maritime domain awareness capabilities and to stop large-scale weapons from transiting through or near Philippine territorial waters. The facility will also be used to conduct maritime law enforcement training for the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), Navy (PN), and PNP to enhance vessel boarding, use of force, evidence preservation, and case package preparation techniques.

In the coming weeks, the US Coast Guard will send a team of maritime law enforcement experts who will conduct a one-week

Maritime Law Enforcement workshop with PCG, PN, and PNP. This workshop will focus on sharing best practices and enhancing the interoperability among the three participating agencies in support of the National Coast Watch System 2017 Field Training Exercises scheduled to take place in Manila, Palawan, and Cebu in mid-September.

As strong allies, the US and Philippines share a wide range of interests, and we will continue to work in partnership to ensure our joint maritime security efforts and other lines of cooperation are robust and effective. (ManilaTimes.net)

AAPI group urges use of hate crime tracker...

PAGE A3 While there are no links specifically explaining attacks towards Chinese, Wang said the organization believes that many have to do with anti-China rhetoric and comments that have been brought up during the recent presidential campaign and through Trump’s inauguration.

“A lot of submissions that also been about being told to go back to China even if they weren’t Chinese,” said Jinn.

Throughout Trump’s presidential campaign and after his election, China has many times been labeled as an economic threat, explained Wang. In a 2015 interview with Good Morning America, Trump labeled China as an economic enemy, saying, “Because it’s [China] and economic enemy, because they have taken advantage of us like nobody in

history. They have; it’s the greatest theft in the history of the world what they’ve done to the United States. They’ve taken our jobs.”

Again in a campaign rally in May 2016, Trump made comments on trade policies and said, “We can’t continue to allow China to rape our country and that’s what they’re doing. It’s the greatest theft in the history of the world.”

Still, anti-Asian hate incidents struggle to be publicized with many going unreported which perpetuates the idea that Asians are not subject to attacks, said Wang. “Many, especially older generations, don’t want to draw attention,” explained Wang. This was the case for Ileto’s family, who continues to be vocal about the issue, even though they were initially scared.

Currently, Advancing Justice - LA is working on making report-

ing easier for those of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. They’ve also come out with a California specific brochure on identifying and reporting hate incidents in the Los Angeles County, and are available in Tagalog, Korean, Chinese, and English. On the front of each one reads, “An attack against one, is an attack against all.”

While hate crimes have been on the rise, the group remains optimistic. “Los Angeles for example, is very ethnically and religiously diverse,” said Wang.

This diversity, she hopes, will be a benefit in the future. Still, the need for awareness on Asian American hate crimes remains the organization’s key focus.

“If we don’t track it [the crimes], we’re not sure anyone else will pay attention to it,” added Jinn.

(Rae Ann Varona / AJPRess)

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D ateline PhiliPPines Gordon, Sotto: No enough evidence Trillanes, Faeldon clash at Senate probe on shabu smuggling linking Duterte’s son to smuggling case

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

MANILA - Senators Richard Gordon and Vicente “Tito” Sotto III claimed there is no sufficient evidence proving the involvement of President Rodrigo Duterte’s son Paolo in the smuggling of P6.4-billion worth of shabu from China.

Photos showing the younger Duterte together with Kenneth Dong—the alleged middleman of the smuggled shipment—were presented during the resumption of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee inquiry on Tuesday, August 15.

Gordon, however, described the photos as mere “hearsay.”

“I have not found any evidence to believe that,” Gordon, who chairs the committee, told reporters after the hearing.

He went on to say, “Hearsay eh.

Pinalinaw ko yun tanong, alam mo ba yan o sabi-sabi daw? Eh sabisabi, papaano naman yun? That’s unfair (It’s hearsay. I clarified the question, do you know it or it’s hearsay? It’s just gossip. That’s

unfair).”

Sharing the same sentiment with Gordon, Senate Majority leader Sotto said there’s no enough basis for the committee to summon the president’s son, who is also the current Davao City vice mayor, in the next the hearing.

“No basis at all. The chairman himself knows it’s purely hearsay,” Sotto said.

He further pointed out, “What if somebody comes here and says that [former President Benigno Aquino III] is involved in the delivery of whatever, patatawag mo kagad si Noynoy? Hindi pwede yun. Lalo na hindi sya yung direct, may nagsabi lang daw (Will you summon him? No, especially if it’s based on a hearsay).”

Customs broker Mark Taguba previously mentioned Paolo Duterte being “name-dropped” by individuals behind the so-called Davao Group allegedly involved in illegal transactions with the Bureau of Customs in the city.

Taguba also clarified that he has no personal knowledge of the vice mayor’s supposed involvement.

Dong, for his part, denied that

he is close to the young Duterte, saying they were only “acquaintances.”

“Nagkakilala kami (We met) way back in 2008 because I expanded my first branch of weighing scale in Davao. Acquaintance lang kasi hindi naman kami ganoon kaclose (Just an acquaintance because we’re not that close),” Dong explained during the hearing.

President Duterte repeatedly vowed that he’ll resign from his post if anyone could prove that any of his children were involved in corruption or any illegal practices.

Malacañang on Monday, August 14 challenged critics — who are spreading the pictures online suggesting Paolo’s involvement in smuggling — to formally file charges against the vice mayor.

“If they really have a case regarding that matter… I mean, what does a picture prove?”

Duterte’s spokesperson Ernesto Abella said in a media conference. “It’s different in court and [if] there’s documentary evidence.

What’s important is actual documentary evidence and not just hearsay.”

Sotto calls Callamard, UN rights execs ‘helicopter experts’ SENATE Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III on Monday, August 14, took a swipe at United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard and two other UN executives for criticizing the drug war and human rights situation in the Philippines.

The Philippine senator described Callamard and UN special rapporteurs Michel Forst and Maud de Boer-Buquicchio as mere “helicopter experts” who offer solutions to problems of a country that “they are not even familiar with.”

Forst is the UN’s special rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders, while de BoerBuquicchio handles the sale and sexual exploitation of children.

In a privilege speech, Sotto asked: “Is it possible to arrive in a country you are not familiar with, and in a couple of days, speak about the decades-old

Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III Philstar.com photos

United Nations Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial killings Agnes Callamard

problems of that country like you had all the wisdom in the world?

And even expect to be welcomed hospitably by your hosts?”

The senator also refuted Callamard’s claim that “there is no evidence Shabu leads to violence or causes brain damage” by citing killings committed by drug abusers.

“Just six months ago, particularly in February of this year, a 4month-old baby was raped by a known junkie in their neighbor-

hood in Carcar City, Cebu. The baby was found bloodied and naked 30 meters from her home.

There were lacerations, blood and grass particles found in the private area of the victim. Who, in his normal state of mind, can do such a thing to a baby who is defenseless, weak and fragile?” the senator said.

He continued, “More recently, specifically last May 2017, a policeman, who was charged with PAGE A7

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committee chair Richard Gordon’s prodding, Faeldon later answered “yes.”

MANILA - Senator AntoIn May, a 600-kilogram shipnio Trillanes IV and Bureau of ment of shabu worth P6.4 billion Customs (BOC) Commissioner (US$126 million) were seized at Nicanor Faeldon had a heated two warehouses in Valenzuela exchange during the resump- City after it slipped through a tion of Senate inquiry into the what should have been tight entry of P6.4-billion worth of smuggled shabu from China.

During the Senate’s third hearing on Tuesday, August 15, Trillanes, who was the first interpellate, asked Faeldon if there is a corruption in BOC. The Customs chief repeatedly refused to answer, stressing that he does not want to Trillanes’ “preposterous” accusations against him by answering the senator’s question.

“The preposterous stories peddled by you are all over the news the past few days. I do not want to further justify your baseless accusation by answering your question,” Faeldon said.

Last week, Trillanes said that he has “enough information” to say that the Faeldon is “at the heart” of the smuggling controversy.

During the hearing, the senator, however, clarified that he did not accuse Faeldon of being the center of the smuggling activities in the agency.

Trillanes then warned the Customs chief that he would be charged in contempt if he continues to refuse to answer the question.

“I’m asking you as a member of the committee. These are not accusations. Tinatanong kita, meron bang corrupt sa Customs o wala (I am asking you, is there corruption in Customs or none) or I’ll be forced to move you for contempt,” the senator said.

But Faeldon maintained that giving Trillanes an answer was “pointless,” as he was already judged by the senator.

“In the past few days, the honorable senator has come up with a lot of accusations already that I am in the middle of the smuggling of shabu in the country… It is pointless for me to answer these questions because he has already come up with a conclusion,” the Customs chief said.

Upon Senate blue ribbon

screening by the BOC. In a statement, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said President Rodrigo Duterte will not immediately fire Faeldon and would instead “wait for the report of both chambers of Congress before deciding how to best address the issue.”

A

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august 17-23, 2017 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

OpiniOn

Worst-case scenario

Features

NORTH Korea has been firing and testing missiles—18 test launches this year—at an unprecedented pace. Amid its rising tensions with the U.S., it recently announced a detailed plan to redirect some of its intercontinental ballistic missiles toward Guam, an American territory in Micronesia in the Pacific Ocean.

Guam is one of America’s major military hubs and home to U.S. bombers. Experts believe that when North Korea’s plan is carried out, the situation could instantly escalate into war. North Korea is also preparing its plan to fire four of its Hwasong-12 missiles over Japan and into waters around the tiny island, which hosts 7,000 U.S. military personnel on two main bases and has a population of 160,000.

Despite this being part of North Korea’s usual nuclear and missile provocations, South Korea insists that the rising tension may still be resolved through diplomacy.

“Military action on the Korean peninsula can only be decided by South Korea and no one else can decide to take military action without the consent of South Korea,” South Korean President Moon Jae-in said.

Meanwhile, U.S. Department of Homeland Security assured Guam and U.S. residents that “there are several levels of defense, all strategically placed to protect our island and our nation.”

One-third of Guam’s 160,000-population (42,835) are Filipinos. Meanwhile, there are currently 65,000 Filipinos permanently residing or

temporarily working with or without documents in South Korea.

This is why the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) is monitoring the situation closely and has alerted its embassies in Guam and Seoul to make sure that contingency measures are in place.

Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte urged both Washington and Pyongyang to exercise restraint and to begin talks to de-escalate the situation in the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea’s ballistic capabilities continue to show the world that it’s only a matter of time before this secretive regime bolster its stature against its perceived adversaries. Processing plutonium over the years, the country is believed to have enough fissile material to produce nuclear bombs.

Although still meager compared to the arsenals of nuclear powers such as the U.S., Russia and China, North Korea’s proliferation strengthens its image as a looming threat to the peace and security of the world.

Regardless of how potent North Korea’s threat fected should the worst case scenario arises. is, Filipinos caught in the middle of this tension, For the time being, they are spared from imalong with other innocent lives, will be most af- minent devastations. But no one should take any

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

chance, concerned parties must aggressively pursue a pragmatic resolution and push for peace out of moral reasons. (AJPress)

Charlottesville tragedy reveals the truth in Donald Trump’s heart: Not a president for ALL AMERICANS “One people, one PRESIDENT DONnation, end immigraALD TRUMP could The Fil-Am tion.” have made this crisis “White lives matan opportunity to seize Perspective ter.” a defining moment in “Blood and his troubled presidency soil.”Blood and soil.”

— to prove he is in“Whose street? Our deed the president of street!” all Americans as he has Gel SantoS-ReloS The encounter bepromised on the camtween protesters and counterprotesters paign trail and in his inaugural speech.

He could have used this as an op- became even more heated when these portunity to affirm what the Constitution racists groups directed slurs directly declares that in America, ALL MEN ARE against specific people, using the N-word CREATED EQUAL! But NO— Trump took and using phrases, like “Go the f*** back to Africa.”

48 hours.

There were also armed militia men in I take that back. I will explain later.

First, picture this: August 12, 2017 in camouflage, who, according to interviews Charlottesville, Virginia. The “white na- and reports by The Washington Post, tionalist” white supremacist, Neo-Nazis, was lead by Christian Yingling, who has Ku Klux Klan hate groups exercised their organized similar militia efforts at other First Amendment right and marched in right-wing gatherings.

The tension escalated and the police the streets of the quiet university town for their announced protest against were caught flat-footed. Video reports the planned removal of Robert E. Lee’s showed violent altercations, including Confederate statue — a monument that one of 20-year old Neo-Nazi supporter James Field from Ohio, driving a car and glorifies slavery in America.

The residents of Charlottesville and plowing through the counterprotesters, people who support the removal of the killing Heather Heyer and injuring dozens.

Confederate statues went on to exercise Lieutenant H. Jay Cullen and Trooper their First Amendment right as well, by Berke M. M. Bates of the Virginia State counter-protesting in favor of the removal Police were killed in a helicopter crash of the Confederate statue and to rally near Charlottesville.

Last Saturday, August 12, President against the racist and hate groups.

But then the racist protesters went far Donald Trump gave a statement saying: and beyond their permit, and armed with “We condemn in the strongest possible torches, poles, Nazi symbols, they started terms this egregious display of hatred, bigotry and violence, on many sides. On chanting Nazi chants: “You (African American) will not re- many sides. It’s been going on for a long time in our country. Not Donald Trump, place us.” not Barack Obama. This has been going “Jews will not replace us.”

Street Talk GReG B. MacaBenta I WAS 5 years old when Gen. Douglas MacArthur made good on his promise to return to the Philippines. I was, therefore, old enough to remember how my family and the residents of Tacloban coped with the Japanese occupation and the prospect of an American invasion.

I vividly remember the fox holes and the air raid shelters. The fox holes were pits dug along the streets of Tacloban, wide and deep enough for several people to dive into, in case of a bombing attack.

The air raid shelters were reinforced bunkers under the houses.

I don’t recall ever having to duck into a fox hole, but I distinctly recall the first bombing raid by American P-38 fighter planes on the Tacloban airport and how my parents herded the entire family under the house and into the relative safety of our air raid shelter.

on for a long, long time.”

Trump has been swamped with criticisms from the people and leadership of Charlottesville and around the nation and the world, who wondered why did he NOT call out by name, condemn and disavow this domestic terrorism perpetrated by the white supremacists, alt-right and the KKK. On Sunday, August 13, the White House issued a statement: “The president said very strongly in his statement yesterday that he condemns all forms of violence, bigotry and hatred, and of course that includes white supremacists, KKK, neoNazi, and all extremists groups. He called for national unity and bringing all Americans together.”

This was not acceptable to most Americans, many of whom were even perplexed considering how quick Trump unleashes his wrath via Twitter against those whom he calls “bad people,” those whom he does not like, and those who are critical of him.

Finally after 48 hours, amid pressure from both the Republicans and Democrats, Trump spoke again on Monday, August 14, in front of the camera, and read a scripted message on the teleprompter finally calling out the racist groups by name.

However, his tweets and actions following this just undermined his scripted message, when he whined against media asking him why it took him 48 hours to call out the racist groups. He then retweeted (and deleted) a tweet illustrating a train running over a man (labeled) CNN, calling mainstream media “fake news.”

Then on Tuesday, August 15, Trump

held a press conference that just revealed his Saturday statement was what was really in his heart. He rationalized his Saturday statement contending he wanted facts before he made a statement.

As early as Saturday, we all knew about the fatal violence was perpetrated by the white supremacist groups; He should have seen what we all saw on TV regarding the Neo-Nazi racist and antiSemitic chants, language, and action of the protesters— what facts did he need to call out and condemn the violence for what it was?

He went on to defend the racist protesters and suggested there were “fine people” there at their rally and not all were white supremacists. He went on to criticize what he called the “alt-left” groups whom he accused of being “very, very violent” when they sought to confront the white nationalist and Nazi groups.

He contended there is “blame on both sides.”

Trump received thanks and accolades from the White Supremacist and Neo-Nazi leaders for speaking the “truth” on their behalf about what really happened in Charlottesville. They previously have said they support Trump because he would bring their country back. Trump did not disavow their support.

The president even criticized the clamor to take down the confederate flags and statues which glorify slavery in America.

He claimed this was rewriting history and changing the American culture. He even asked reporters if this would mean that Washington and Jefferson’s statues would then be removed next because they too had slaves? Did Trump know that the

Civil War, which abolished slavery under Lincoln, came after the time of Washington and Jefferson?

Why even put Confederate Leader Lee alongside Washington and Jefferson in their significance and importance in American history? Does Trump even know the pain slavery brought to many people in America? Does Trump even know the horrors the families of Jews had to go through during Hitler’s Nazi Germany?

SO — I take my word back: Trump did not really call out these racist and hate groups. His words and actions just revealed Donald Trump is not and could not be the president of ALL AMERICANS. I am encouraged to see Republican leaders speaking out against Trump’s statement and stand on this issue. How about his other fans and supporters?

As Heather Heyer posted on Facebook before she was killed in Charlottesville, “If you’re not outraged, you’re not paying attention.”

This is not a Republican or Democratic issue. This is an American issue and we should all make a stand.

We do not have a president who will lift up, unify and heal the nation of the divisions because he is fanning the flame of division, hatred, and racism with his words and actions. Where is the president with moral compass and authority to do this? Trump is NOT that president. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

If Trump and Kim Jong-un unleash fire and fury These recollections have been stirred by the exchange of incendiary language between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korea’s Supreme Leader Kim Jong-un. The question that comes to mind is, what are the survival options in case of a nuclear attack on the San Francisco Bay Area, where my family and I live?

A study prepared by Michael Dillon, an atmospheric scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in California, suggests that it is possible to survive such an attack. First of all, it is imperative to find shelter, best of all, a place protected by layers of concrete, such as the underground parking facility of an office building.

We are told that a nuclear explosion will generate “a fireball roughly a third of a mile wide with temperatures equal to the surface of the sun,” most buildings within half a mile would be knocked down and a “flash of thermal energy would burn exposed people within a mile of the detonation…

Then, there would be deadly ra-

diation. Debris from the explosion would be sucked upwards into a giant mushroom cloud and then carried downwind…Falling particles the size of grains of sands sprinkling down across the Bay Area would emit gamma rays that could give people severe radiation poisoning. The most dangerous zone would be 10 to 20 miles downwind of the explosion, while some fallout could occur 100 miles away or farther, depending on the magnitude of the explosion. (Communities upwind and far enough away from the explosion would escape relatively unharmed.)”

According to a side comment on Dillon’s paper, “If you spend too much time outside in the fallout, you’re toast.”

But still, it’s good news that survival is possible, as long as there are adequate preparations.

The bad news is that, as of now, I am not aware of any such preparations on the part of the U.S. government – except the contingency plans to ensure the survival of the leaders of the country and

the continued operations of government.

At the height of the Cold War, many American households actually built basement bunkers in the event of a nuclear attack. This was parodied in the film, “Blast from the Past,” starring Brendan Fraser and Christopher Walken. It was about a family so paranoid over a nuclear war that it prematurely retreated to a radiation-proof shelter with ample provisions, remaining in it for years and not realizing that the war never came.

In the Philippines, in the late 50s, there was an office of Civil Defense, with quarters under the Luneta grandstand. At best, however, the office could only broadcast a warning to the general population in case of an emergency.

The same warning system is also in place in the U.S., usually raising the red flag concerning impending natural disasters. But the country’s emergency response system could not even cope with the destruction wreaked by Hurricane Katrina.

But to go back to the possibil-

ity that Kim Jong-un and Trump will exchange “fire and fury” with their “locked and loaded” weaponry: It is estimated that a missile fired from Pyongyang will hit Guam in 14 minutes. Guam is 2,131 miles away. That’s less than half the distance from North Korea to San Francisco, which is 5,626 miles. That means, we Bay Area residents will have a little over 30 minutes to find a basement parking facility.

But what are the chances of San Francisco becoming ground zero for a nuclear attack? According to the usual optimists, it’s not likely to happen. Even assuming that Kim Jong-un sends missiles flying in the direction of California, these would be shot down with the U.S. military’s THAAD (Terminal High Altitude Area Defense) system, or with the Aegis ballistic missile defense system mounted on U.S. destroyers, before the missiles reenter the earth’s atmosphere. In fact, Guam is also equipped with its own THAAD system which is designed to intercept multiple missiles simultaneously.

What Pyongyang’s military has reportedly threatened to do, to quote it verbatim, is “the simultaneous fire of four Hwasong12 (rockets)” at Guam to inflict “enveloping fire” on the island.

But this may be in response to a pre-emptive strike by the U.S. on North Korea. Otherwise, North Korea seems to be planning to just “miss” Guam by several miles and scare the wits off the islanders.

On the other hand, the Trump government has indicated that it will “seriously consider” shooting down any North Korean missiles tested in the vicinity of Guam, even if not necessarily targeting the island.

That could be construed by Kim Jong-un as a US pre-emptive strike and could trigger his counter-attack.

As cold-blooded as it may seem, Trump and the U.S. military command could be playing a numbers game. California, with a population of 39-plus million (the most populous U.S. mainland territory closest to North Korea), and even PAGE A7

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A

We are just doing our constitutional duty, CHR reminds government

by Audrey

MorAllo Philstar.com

FARE HIKE LOOMS. A jeepney driver accepts the fare paid by a passenger on Sunday, Aug. 13, two days before oil companies implement another adjustment in their pump prices. The Philippine Confederation of Drivers and Operators-Alliance of Concerned Transport Organizations is planning to file a petition to increase the minimum fare from P8 to P9 because of the series of oil price increases.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

Sotto calls Callamard, UN rights execs ...

PAGE A5

two counts of parricide by shooting his wife and son 38 times and even stabbed his son in the heart ‘because he wouldn’t die’, tested positive for drugs and admitted that he had sniffed ‘shabu’ days before the brutal killings.”

Callamard has been a vocal critic of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s drug war and of the alleged thousands of summary executions and human rights abuses linked to his anti-narcotics campaign.

Last May, Callamard visited the country to attend a drug pol-

icy forum in Manila.

Sotto said he initially wanted to discuss the issue with Callamard during her visit but “time and circumstances conspired to dampen (his) interest to speak.”

“I thought the passage of two and a half months would make my interest fade away and die, but I was mistaken. Just last August 2, another provocation emanated from the same source, and if I continue to be silent, I may be remiss in my duties,” he said.

Callamard, Forst, and de Boer-Buquicchio recently called on the Philippine government

to address growing reports of human rights violations in the country.

In a joint statement, they said many groups in society, including children, are becoming victims of “severe, multiple human rights violations.”

“We are shocked by the increasing levels of violence, killings, intimidation and harassment being suffered by human rights defenders — including those protecting indigenous peoples — trade union organizers, farmers and their family members,” they added.

If Trump and Kim Jong-un unleash...

PAGE A6 Hawaii, with its 1.5 million islanders, will likely be defended more aggressively than Guam, which only has 175,000 inhabitants.

Guam could become the equivalent of a “loss leader” (to use a marketing term) – enabling the U.S. to unleash its military might and destroy much of North Korea’s nuclear capability. But not all. It is assumed that the North Koreans have substantial striking power hidden in underground silos, much of it aimed at Seoul.

Although Seoul has its own THAAD missile defense system, that may not be enough to intercept what is expected to be a rain of rockets from the north. The bottom line is that Seoul, with a population of 24 million or nearly half of South Korea’s 51.25 million (along with 28,500 U.S. troops), would be devastated.

Kim Jong-un, with his bragga-

docio, may be willing to sacrifice his people for his greater glory, and that of his father and grandfather. Pyongyang’s population of 2.5 million is just one-tenth of Seoul’s and North Korea’s total population of 25-plus million is just a million more than that of the South Korean capital.

And what about Donald Trump?

Who knows what he will do in this deadly game of chess? After all the bluster about “fire and fury” and about being “locked and loaded,” he may decide to make Guam a pawn, in order to destroy North Korea. Trump might even consider Seoul a price worth paying, to wipe Kim Jong-un and his ilk off the face of the earth.

What about the Philippines?

Any chance of Manila becoming a target of North Korea? It’s not likely. And for this, President Rodrigo Duterte may be patting himself on the back. He has acted belligerently towards the U.S., without cutting

off ties, while cuddling up to China and welcoming both North and South Korea at the recent ASEAN conference in Manila.

At any rate, thank heavens for that. Metro Manila is only 1,820 miles from North Korea – or closer than Guam is — which means that a missile would reach the Luneta in less than 14 minutes. The buildings with basement parking are mainly in Makati which is less than 10 miles away from my home in Parañaque — but from one to two hours by car, using South Expressway Theoretically, taking the Skyway would be faster, but getting onto it from either Sucat or Bicutan and getting off it at the Magallanes, Don Bosco or Pasay Road exits could guarantee being barbecued in the car.

I think the best option for survival is to pray. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

MANILA — The Commission on Human Rights on Wednesday, Aug. 16 night again stressed it is only doing its job when it probes potential rights violations by government personnel.

This is in response to a statement by President Rodrigo Duterte that he wants to have human rights advocates investigated for potential obstruction of justice and conspiracy with drug syndicates, an assertion that he did not substantiate.

“The Commission wishes to reiterate that it is merely doing its constitutional duty and it remains hopeful that the government will recognize that the guarantee of equal protection of the law as well as fair and impartial trial including investigation is a constitutional right available to every single Filipino,” Jacqueline De Guia, commission spokesperson, said in a statement.

President Duterte on Wednesday said that security forces should shoot Commission on Human Rights personnel if they are found to be obstructing justice.

The president also threatened to have the CHR investigated for conspiracy following its investigations into the circumstances surrounding the death of suspected drug suspects and criminals, contradict-

ing an earlier assurance from the Palace that Duterte is aware that independent bodies such as the CHR have roles to perform.

This statement is the latest in the chief executive’s tirades against the body, which has included a threat to abolish in the past, a remark that he has since dismissed as a “joke.”

Duterte did not hide his anger at the CHR on Wednesday night.

“One of these days, kayong human rights, kayong imbestigahan ko. Conspiracy. If they are obstructing justice, you shoot them,” the hot-tempered Duterte said during the anniversary of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption.

He again returned to his usual refrain against the government body, saying that it is not protecting nor advocating for the rights of crime victims and government personnel.

“Basta human rights, ilang biktima na rito. Yung lima na namatay, yung one-year-old na ginulgol doon. Yung human rights na yan nasaan? They could not even utter it in public na, ‘Look, do not do that to me.’ Ganito ‘yan e,” he said.

The presidential palace recently said that Duterte would not meddle with plans to probe the drug raid in Ozamiz City that led to the death of 15 people, including its former mayor, Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. Menardo Guevarra, senior deputy executive secretary, said that

as a lawyer, Duterte is aware that the CHR had a mandate to fulfill.

“He (Duterte) is also a lawyer and he knows that these other agencies have their own mandates, have their own procedures. So they are free to do what they want to do in accordance with their own mandates,” Guevarra said in a press briefing.

‘Investigate NPA’ After Duterte’s second State of the Nation Address in July, he also called out the CHR for its alleged failure to investigate crimes committed by non-state actors such as the New People’s Army against the government.

“Patas tayo. Justice for all. What is sauce for the gander is sauce for the goose,” the chief executive said in a media conference after his speech.

The CHR said that its mandate was to be the watchdog against government abuses and not to implement laws that would stop crime.

It could also investigate other cases that involve vulnerable sectors, according to Jacqueline De Guia, spokesperson of the agency.

“We do that [investigation] kapag vulnerable sector at tsaka yung IHL (International Humanitarian Law),” she said. The commission has, in the past, condemned the Abu Sayyaf for beheading hostages.

China barred PH ship from Pagasa Island

by MA.

reinA leAnne TolenTino was prevented by Chinese fish- call on the Philippine government ManilaTimes

MAGDALO party-list Rep. Gary Alejano on Tuesday, Aug. 15 claimed Chinese vessels barred a Philippine government ship from going to Pagasa Island and have deployed vessels one to three nautical miles north of the contested territory in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).

“I received information from my sources in the military, stating that since thrree days ago, China has deployed two frigates, one Coast Guard vessel, and two large fishing vessels, with their maritime militia, 1-3 nautical miles north of Pagasa Island,” Alejano, a former marine captain, said in a statement.

“Further, the report said, two days ago a Philippine government ship from BFAR (Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources)

ing vessels from going near our sandbars located generally west of Pagasa Island, around 2-7 miles away,” he added.

Sought for comment, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Tuesday said it had yet to receive reports about the supposed presence of Chinese vessels near Pagasa Island, which is called Thitu Island by Beijing.

“We have not received any official reports of this from the Department of National Defense or other Philippine security agencies,” said spokesman Robespierre Bolivar.

Alejano urged the government to file a diplomatic protest.

“This must be taken seriously by the Philippine government and call the attention of China to order their ships away from Pagasa Island and file appropriate diplomatic protest against China. I

officials to be transparent in what is happening in the West Philippine Sea. We must assert our rights in the midst of talks with China,” Alejano said.

Manila won an arbitration case against Beijing on the dispute in a United Nations-backed tribunal in The Hague, Netherlands last year. But China, whose claims to most of South China Sea were invalidated, refuses to recognize the ruling.

Also on Tuesday, the House Committee on Foreign Affairs was briefed on the government’s foreign policy direction and legislative agenda for the 17th Congress’ second regular session.

Isabela Rep. Ana Cristina Siquian Go, the committee head, vowed to ensure that the committee’s legislative priorities would be in line with those of the administration’s.

A

august 17-23, 2017 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 17-23, 2017

VEGAS&STYLE

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Journal Common health myths and new food trends to try

By Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

Hippocrates, the father of Western medicine, once said, “let thy food be thy medicine and thy medicine be thy food.” these words still hold true today. Yet, with various opinions on diet and exercise, and new foods frequently being dubbed superfoods, it can be tough deciding which advice to take. the Asian Journal got insight

from philippine-based Harvie de Baron, a sports nutritionist and founder of the acclaimed Baron Method, on some common myths about health, exercise, and food. He also shared his thoughts on some currently trending health foods that many Filipinos may already be familiar with.

Myth: Carbohydrates make you fat rice, pan de sal, ensaymada, and pancit are all delicious Fili-

Carbohydrates serve many important functions in the body like controlling the level of serotonin which is responsible for maintaining mood balance.

Inquirer.net photos

pino foods. they also contain carbohydrates, which people often have a love-hate relationship with due to their misassociation with weight gain. Many end up eliminating them from their diet, but Baron advises not to. “i have a love-love relationship with carbs,” Baron shared with the Asian Journal. He explained that carbohydrates serve many important functions in the body like controlling the level of serotonin which is responsible for maintaining mood balance. this can explain why many scientists believe that people with low serotonin levels seek out carbs. there are things to consider though, as not all carbs are the same. “complex carbs such as quinoa, brown rice, and black rice are very good for the body,” said Baron. “the body likes those very much.”

Myth: Stick to three meals Merienda or no merienda? that is the question. Many believe that having three meals throughout the day is best for losing weight, keeping fit, and staying satiated. others believe in having smaller meals

throughout the day. personally, Baron is a merienda fan, but he makes sure to choose healthy snacks that the body can process, like fruits. “that way, the body can use the energy from the food well,” said Baron. according to him, the body actually likes the predictability of eating regularly. He added that doing so can help prevent hunger pangs and cravings from happening at the end of the day.

Myth: Crunches or ab exercises get rid of belly fat this is a myth because it is only true to a certain extent. there are many exercises and machines being promoted as solutions for stubborn belly fat. Unfortunately, ab exercises and machines alone won’t give you a flatter stomach. overall exercise and nutrition really make the difference. “if you still eat poorly, that’s not going to happen,” he shared.

But that doesn’t mean you should quit doing them. “Doing crunches and ab workouts will actually build muscle in that area,” said Baron.

Myth: Weights are for “bulk-

There are many exercises and machines being promoted as solutions for stubborn belly fat. Unfortunately, ab exercises and machines alone won’t give you a flatter stomach.

ing up”, cardio is for slimming down this is also only true to a certain extent. “You will not immediately ‘bulk up’ if you lift weights,” said Baron, adding that the term “bulking up” often has a negative connotation. this is a common concern for people looking to get smaller, but Baron explained that you can still have a stronglooking physique while retaining your figure. as for women, they generally don’t have enough testosterone. it also depends on what your

goals are, he added. “if you do too much cardio, you can look skinny and lean, but without muscles,” said Baron. Vice versa, focusing more on weight lifting can make you bulk up. think of bodybuilders, for example.

“You have to find the right balance of doing both,” said Baron. “it all boils down to a combination of eating well, lifting weights, and doing your cardio.”

Try This: Jackfruit (langka) — The jack of all fruits Filipinos have long enjoyed PAGE B2

How to keep physically and Why getting enough Zzzs is important mentally healthy in a busy workplace By elIjah

By IRIs

VIcente AJPress

it is exhausting to try and break an endless cycle of unhealthy habits. come to think of it, you work long hours on weekdays that you’re so drained by the end of the week so instead of hitting the beach or trekking the mountains in some laid-back town to loosen up, you choose to sleep your way through that monotonous weekend. Before you know it, you’ll have to go back to that vicious cycle again, possibly a few times over.

More often than not, it is the logic behind people quitting their jobs as days are stressful with the workload pressure along with the

RodeRos AJPress

lack of driving force to catalyze work efficiency. Based on the Health and safety executive’s (Hse) Labor Force report in 2016, there were 440,000 total number of depression, work related stress, or anxiety cases in western countries and it is the root of 9.9 million lost working days per year. if you find yourself falling in that category, you might want to reevaluate whether or not you are running your life earnestly. Here are five things to keep yourself physically and mentally healthy in a busy workplace: Maintain a healthy lifestyle the time and effort you dedicate for work is exemplary but it also PAGE B3

Based on the Health and Service Executive’s (HSE) Labor Force Report in 2016, there were 440,000 total number of depression, work related stress, or anxiety cases in western countries and it is the root of 9.9 million lost working days per year.

are you always tired and grumpy when you come home from work or school? Do you lack focus and have difficulty in making decisions on your daily routine?

Does your sleepiness greatly affect your efficiency in day-to-day activities? Maybe the problem lies with your lack of sleep. studies show that the gap between just getting enough sleep and getting a little sleep significantly affects your health, your mood, your weight, and even your sex life. the way you feel when you’re awake depends upon what hap- The way you feel when you’re awake depends upon what happens when you are sleeping. pens when you are sleeping. Dur- During sleep, your body is at work to maintain a healthy brain function and well-being. In PAGE B2 children and teens, it helps with their growth and development.

Inquirer.net photo

B august 17-23, 2017 • Las VEgas asIaN JOuRNaL

Features

Bittersweet: The lowdown on sugar

By Jennifer

Soriano

AJPress

EVEN as children, we know all too well that sugar is in our favorite chocolates, candies and other food high in glucose, which can be detrimental to our health and well-being.

Through the years, our relationship with this sweet, edible, crystalline carbohydrate continues to be a paradoxical one and, in a sense, perverse. As we grow older, we continue to love its sweetness. Yet this very sweetness is the reason for our health maladies such as diabetes, blindness, kidney failure, heart attacks, stroke and lower limb amputation, and mental problems. A plethora of medical research has consistently revealed that sugar is a nightmare that tastes like a daydream. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a mix of too much sugar and sedentary lifestyle is the cause the death of millions people worldwide.

Let’s find out more how sugar is killing us sweetly.

Biologically wired to love sweets Our fondness for anything sweet is rooted to a scientific explanation — and we have our genes to blame. “Sugar is a powerful food additive because our bodies are hardwired to like sugar,” says anthropologist Solveig Brown, author of “All On One Plate: Cultural Expectations on American Mothers.”

In a separate research by Professor Susanne Klaus, a biologist at the German Institute of Human Nutrition in Potsdam, said that sugar stimulates the brain — thus the release of dopamine, a “feelgood” chemical.

Brown reveals that sugar is “eight times more addictive than cocaine.” He went further by saying that all of our 10,000 taste buds has its sugar receptors, consequently triggering the brain’s pleasure center.

Brown said that children — regardless of culture — have an innate fondness for sweets and have the higher bliss point for sugar compared to adults. The latter is the reason why food products marketed for children taste sweeter.

The benchmark of sweetness is set during childhood, a reality which can be harmful for children who develop fondness for food that are too sweet.

“Early childhood experiences shape our food preferences, which

Extending malunggay shelf life by dehydrating/drying

by Carol

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), a mix of too much sugar and a sedentary lifestyle is the cause the death of millions people worldwide.

means that the average American child, who has a diet high in sugar, is learning that foods should taste sweet,” said Brown.

The problem starts when children, at a very young age, are given food that are too sweet, causing them to dispel other flavors such as the taste of vegetables, Dr. David Ludwig, who is an expert in food and health, said.

When culture dictates the unhealthy habit Aside from our genes, we have our own culture to blame. In every occasion, situation or mood, either good or bad, we tend to succumb to our cravings for sweets.

Sugary treats are regarded as both a consolation during bad times and a reward during good times. We eat chocolates when we are depressed and we buy cakes for celebrating birthdays, anniversaries and whatnots. When this is the case, it becomes a hard habit — or more appropriately, culture, to break.

What is more alarming is that the food we eat nowadays are also loaded with hidden sugars.

This includes bread, pastas, and sauces. Filipino food are comparatively sweeter than those of their western counterparts. Just look at how sweeter our spaghetti recipes are compared to those of Italians.

The not-so-sweet effects of sugar to our body Experts has been contesting that the root of the health problems worldwide is rooted to sugar, and not fats.

“It’s not about obesity, it’s about diabetes. Our sugar consumption is killing us, and you can’t fix this until you fix the

food,” said Dr. Robert H. Lustig, an internationally renowned endocrinologist and author of the book “Fat Chance: The Hidden Truth About Sugar, Obesity, and Disease.”

Lustig visited the Philippines last month as a guest speaker for the event hosted by the Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation Inc. and United Laboratories, with a theme, “Fats and Sugar: Friends or Foes?”

“We were told it was the dietary fat that made you fat and it was the fat that made you sick, therefore eat less fat because that would mean eating fewer calories, therefore you would lose weight and therefore you would get better. And it hasn’t worked. It hasn’t work in any country,” Lustig said in an effort to give weight to the more serious effects of dietary sugar against dietary fat.

The urgent need to reduce sugar intake With all the emerging evidences against the ill effects of too much consumption of sugar, there is an urgent need to reduce, if not to cut off, our consumption of this tempting ingredient.

A nutrition expert from WHO reveals that sugar does not play a role necessary to our diet.

“Nutritionally, people don’t need any sugar in their diet,” says Dr. Francesco Branca, Director of WHO’s Department of Nutrition for Health and Development.

May this scientific revelation encourage you to ditch sugar, since its sweetness is not worth the illness that you have to pay in the end. To emphasize: with all its sweetness, sugar can’t promise you happy endings.

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678

oJeda-Kimbrough

IN the U.S., Filipinos have access to fresh malunggay leaves from their backyards, Filipino/ Asian groceries, or farmers markets. But in the winter, malunggay is not readily available or if you can find it in at Seafood City, it is prohibitively expensive. Often we have to wait until the following spring or use substitutes such as spinach when cooking tinola or ginisang munggo. Here is one way to extend the shelf life of malunggay—by drying the leaves and storing them for future use. I do this with the bounty of summer and in the winter months, I have a steady supply of malunggay when I need them, especially to make hot Tinola soup.

YouTube shows various ways of drying malunggay/moringa leaves but this is how I do it. In the past, I used to hang the branches of malunggay in my back porch (away from direct sunlight) and wait 3 days or more for the leaves to dry.

And then I found a faster way to do it. Strip the leaves from the stems and then dry the leaves in a dehydrator – you can buy these at Target or online, but they can run you anywhere from $30 to $120.

I have discovered that my car (I call it my $30,000 malunggay

dehydrator) makes an excellent dehydrator especially on a hot day. Put the leaves in a cookie sheet lined with paper towel and cover with another layer of paper towel.

You do not want the leaves to have direct sunlight for it will fade the color of the leaves as they dry.

Park your car in a sunny or hot location and let the sun do the work. After a day or so, you will have dried malunggay leaves. Pick and remove any stems or yellow leaves.

Place the dried leaves in an airtight container and keep in a cool, dry place. In the winter, when your malunggay plant has gone dormant or is not available at your Asian market, you can grab a handful of the dried leaves and cook it the way you normally would with fresh leaves. The liquid in the cooking broth will rehydrate the leaves.

Malunggay/moringa powder The latest health craze on the market is Moringa, or malunggay powder and if you go to Amazon. com, you’ll find many vendors selling this at a high premium:

$15-$20 for 16 oz.!!!! Why spend that when you can make your own malunggay/moringa powder for a fraction of the cost.

You can process the dried leaves into powder - use a blender or if you have a NutriBullet, use the milling blades and pulverize the leaves into powder. Place the powder in an airtight jar. A teaspoon of the powder is enough to make a big mug of tea.

If you are into healing bone broth, you can add a teaspoon of malunggay powder into a steaming hot cup of bone broth. I just made a big batch of chicken broth, which I divided into six-quart containers and put in the freezer for use as needed. Put a quart of broth in a saucepan, add sliced ginger, onions and garlic. Let it come to a boil and season with patis (fish sauce) and black pepper. Or if you’re in a hurry/lazy, just add 2-3 teaspoons of Tinola mix (watch the sodium content).

Add dried or powdered malunggay leaves and you have instant Tinola broth. There’s nothing like sipping hot Tinola broth with PAGE B2

Common health myths and new...

PAGE B1

langka in turon, halo-halo, or in ginataang langka. In the United States, it’s quickly becoming one of the top health food trends and is popping up in stores like Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s where they can be found canned, pre-cooked, or pre-seasoned in flavors like barbecue or teriyaki.

The fruit’s meat-like texture has made it a popular alternative to meat, and is a good source of Vitamins B-6, K, and C. When ripe, it is praised for being a diabeticfriendly carb!

“I love that it’s becoming a health trend because most fruits have superfood qualities,” said Baron. “It’s just a matter of which ones are being thrust into the spotlight at a certain point.”

He reminded that fruits, in general, are very good for the body because they have a lot of vitamins, minerals, and live enzymes that make them beneficial.

Moringa (Malunggay) — The new kale or matcha?

“I love this stuff,” shared Baron. Kale and matcha are two greens that have been embraced as famous superfoods, but can malunggay be next? The green tree is becoming increasingly popular in the states and is being sold commercially in powder or capsule form, or in bars. Many Filipinos enjoy it sauteed, in soup, or even mixed in pan de sal.

Nutrition wise, malunggay

With various opinions on diet and exercise, and new foods frequently being dubbed superfoods, it can be tough deciding which advice to take.

Inquirer.photo and Philstar.com photos

is said to have more iron than spinach, more vitamin C than oranges, and more potassium than bananas. It is also said to help fight and prevent problems like diabetes and heart disease, but more research needs to be done. Baron himself has used malunggay to help people with cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and more.

If you’re looking for more ways to add malunggay to your diet, do as Baron does and use it in cooked meals, as a vegetable on its own, as a pure oil supplement, or in juicing.

Sleep inducing foods — Eating to a good night’s rest.

We’ve heard of clean eating, but clean sleeping, or simply getting a decent night’s sleep, has been front and center in health trends lately. Foods like turkey, string cheese, sweet potatoes, soy milk, and the infamous durian all contain tryptophan — a natural sleep-

inducing compound. As a result, people are turning to these foods to help get some shut-eye.

Tryptophan definitely helps with sleep, shared Baron, but he further suggests eating foods with melatonin like bananas, and herbal teas like chamomile and peppermint which help the body relax.

Making sure our body is getting enough nutrients throughout the day is also helpful, he added. “Normally, people don’t get enough nutrients during the day,” explained Baron. “That is why they can’t sleep unless they succumb to their cravings at night.”

Baron also stressed that there are many strategies outside nutrition that can help us get some zzz’s. “Putting your cellphone aside, finding relaxing activities to help you wind down, and exercising during the day also help with good sleep.”

Why getting enough Zzzs...

PAGE B1 ing sleep, your body is at work to maintain a healthy brain function and well-being. In children and teens, it helps with their growth and development.

So the next time you are planning to cut off some sleep, maybe you should consider the following importance of having a full night’s sleep: Healthy brain function and emotional well-being Have you ever felt like your brain is full? Maybe you’re brainstorming on some complex project or you’re starting a new job, and you’re not sleeping enough while constantly consuming new information. Well, if the answer is yes, your brain is actually full.

Your brain creates a connection when you are learning new things, but there are ad hoc connections.

Your brain needs to prune a lot of those connections to build more efficient pathways, and clear your mind for space. These happen while you are sleeping and will help you to remember and to prepare you for learning the next day.

Studies show that sleep deficiency alters activity on some parts of the brain. If you’re sleep deprived, you may have trouble making decisions, solving problems, controlling your emotions and behavior, and adapting to change. Sleep deficiency has also been linked to depression, suicide,

and risk-taking behavior.

Physical health When you are sound asleep, your body also heals and repairs its heart and blood vessels. Ongoing sleep deficiency is linked to an increased risk of heart disease, kidney disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, and stroke.

Studies show that lack of sleep may cause obesity. Less than 6 hours of snoozing time can impact your appetite and BMI regulation.

A study, published in a special issue of the American Journal of Human Biology, revealed that the brain send signals which controls your appetite. Inadequate sleep influences the secretion of the signal hormones, ghrelin, which increases appetite, and leptin, which will signals that you are already full. This can lead to increased food intake without burning the food consumed.

In a poll conducted by the National Sleep Foundation revealed that up to 26 percent say that their sex life tends to suffer just because they are too tired. Impaired sleep can also cause lower testosterone levels in men.

A study on college students showed that for every hour of sleep corresponds to higher sexual desire, greater vaginal lubrication and a 14 % increase in the chances of getting frisky the next day. It leaves you feeling refreshed, relaxed, energetic and

more importantly — being sexy!

Daytime performance and safety Getting enough sleep at the right time helps you to function well throughout the day. People who lack enough sleep are less productive and take longer to finish tasks, have slower reaction time, and tend to make more mistakes.

Even a loss of just 1-2 hours of sleep per night, can affect your ability to function as if you haven’t slept for a day or two.

Light sleepers are prone to microsleep, a brief sleep and unintended episodes of loss of attention that may occur when a person is tired.

You can’t control microsleep and you may not be aware of it.

These may be a problem when you are driving or listening to a professor in a class.

Studies show that a driver’s sleepiness leads to yearly 100,000 car accidents, resulting to 1,500 deaths. This harms your driving ability as much as being drunk.

Drivers aren’t the only ones affected by the unwanted dozing. It affects people in all field of work.

As a result, it’s not only harmful on a personal level, but can also cause large-scale damage.

So from now on, when you lie to bed at night, give yourself some beauty rest to restore and rejuvenate. Your body will thank you for it!

EntErtainmEnt

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 17-23, 2017

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Billy Crawford on his upcoming Randy Santiago mourns death of 24-year-old son wedding and new projects

By IrIs

VIcente AJPress

By IrIs

VIcente

AJPress

SINgER-hoST Billy Crawford dished about his wedding proposal to Coleen garcia and shared fresh details about his life on “Tonight With Boy Abunda”.

It was in December 2016 when the “It’s Showtime” host proposed to garcia, his girlfriend for three years. Coleen was also part of “It’s Showtime” but she left the noontime show shortly after their engagement.

Nearly a year later, Billy talked about their life as a couple and their road to the big day.

“I don’t know who this man will be as a husband, but I’m sure that I will try to be the best husband that I can be,” Billy promised when asked about what kind of partner he will be after he marries his fiancée.

“I love kids and, if Coleen and I are blessed to have a child, I’ll try to be the best dad as well,” he added as he shared that the wedding is happening next year.

Billy Crawford and Coleen Garcia Billy made an appearance in Photo from Billy Crawford’s Instagram account

“Tonight With Boy Abunda” to promote his new show “Little Big Shots” which premiered on Saturday, August 12. The show will feature kids ages 2-12 years old who have unique talents. It is a franchise of the hit American children and talent variety show that premiered in NBC on 2016 which is hosted by Steve harvey.

“I’m excited to show what these kids are made of. Itong mga batang ito, talagang kakaiba.

Ang maganda dito kasi, hindi siya talent show. hindi po siya isang contest, (These kids are really different. What’s good about this is that it is not just a talent show.

It is not a contest) it’s not all about the talent, it’s also about the kid so even if the kid doesn’t really excel in anything, basta big ang cuteness niya, pasado siya. (as long as his or her cuteness is big, he or she passes),” he explained.

Warner Bros., the production company which holds the franchise of the show, specifically chose Billy as the host as he has a good chemistry with kids.

Has Jake Zyrus found his new love?

By IrIs

VIcente AJPress

ShoRTLY after making headlines with his name change, Jake Zyrus now appears to have moved on from his previous heartbreak and has found a new love. gossip about Zyrus going back on the dating scene spread on Sunday, Aug. 13 when nutritionist and fitness instructor Shyre Aquino uploaded a photo on her Instagram account showing her and Zyrus at the beach.

“I love you for who you are” her caption reads. Aquino had another photo with Zyrus in her Instagram where the singer posted a lengthy and heartfelt comment.

Zyrus said Aquino deserves all the good comments that she gets from netizens as she is a good human being, “To all of you, this woman makes me feel good about

myself. She’s the reason I stopped hating myself because of what other people think/say about me. other than her outer beauty, her inner beauty is one of the many reasons why I adore her. She’s patient, funny and humble. Thanks for complimenting her. It makes me feel very proud,” he said.

Upon going through Aquino’s posts, it appears that the two had been dating since, or even as early as July since there were other posts of Aquino and the singer with captions like “Each day with you”.

It can be remembered that Zyrus broke up with Alyssa Quijano last April, after four years as live in partners. Two months later, he changed his name and admitted to undergoing hormone therapy. he is set to hold his first concert as Jake Zyrus on october 6.

Jake Zyrus Photo from his Instagram account

SINgER-ACToR Randy Santiago and wife Marilou Coronel are grieving over the passing of their son Ryan Leonardo Santiago, who died on Sunday, Aug. 13.

After three years of battling with a strange form of brain disease and multiple sclerosis, Ryan, second son of Randy, died at the age of 24.

“Baka may purpose [ang Panginoon] kung bakit he had to leave and he had to go at an early age, dahil syempre hindi naman siguro patagalin pa ‘yung sickness niya.

(Maybe God has a purpose why he had to go at an early age because of course [God] would’ve never prolong his sickness),” Randy said in an interview with Pep.ph.

Randy said it was hard and painful for him as a parent but he had to accept his son’s early passing, and instead view it as a silver lining.

“Sabi rin ni Marilou, my wife, ‘Baka mas mahirap siguro kung mauna tayong mamatay sa kanya at walang mag-alaga sa kanya.’

Mas mahirap para sa amin ‘yun.

So minsan, kahit masakit sa amin, mas mabuting naalagaan namin siya hanggang sa huling hantungan. (My wife, Marilou, said it’s even harder [to accept] for us parents if we had died first and no one is taking care of him, so even if it hurts, it’s better that we were able to take care of him until his

last days),” he added.

Meanwhile, Randy’s brother, Reily Santiago also expressed his grief on social media through the Facebook page called #healRyanSantiago, which was created in support of the young man back in 2015 when he was hospitalized due to “fungal virus.” “our family and friends will terribly miss his infectious smile, funny jokes and his great fashion style,” Reily said describing his nephew’s death as peaceful and painless.

other celebrities have also showed support and offered prayers to the Santiago family.

“My heart broke over the passing of Randy and Marilou Santiago’s son Ryan. gone way too soon.

Couldn’t stop crying when gary & I prayed,” Angeli Valenciano posted.

Ryan was sustained by his parents and two brothers Raiko and Raphael.

The urn viewing was held in La Salle greenhills Chapel from August 14-16 2017.

Randy Santiago with son Ryan Leonardo and wife Marilou Coronel Photo from Randy Santiago’s Instagram account

Arci Muñoz flaunts sexy curves amid plastic surgery rumors

PRoBABLY to take the attention off her face, actress Arci Muñoz has been posting photos of her recent sexy bikini shoots in Visayas.

Arci is trending on social media due to her alleged new nose and lip surgeries, which according to some netizens, made her look like Michael Jackson.

In earlier reports, it has been said that Arci allegedly had a new nose job after her nose developed keloids due to excessive head banging. The actress by day is a rock star by night, going by her real name, Ramona Thornes, as the vocalist of heavy metal band, Philia.

It was also due to a head banging accident, when her nose hit her microphone, that prompted the actress to change her look.

In her social media posts and recent interviews, Arci said a makeup trick, which includes applying the lipstick on the outer borders of the lips, makes her lips look bigger and plumper. She noted that she does not care of what people think of her. She also said that she respects people who have Fold the rolled dough and then roll undergone cosmetic surgery for as long as this makes them it out two more times in the same happy and more confident about themselves. (Deni Rose M. Arci Muñoz setting. From this point, change Afinidad-Bernardo/Philstar.com) Photo from her INstagram account the setting to the next number and roll the dough once through each setting. You will notice the dough will get thinner and longer. When you get to the desired thickness, you can decide what you want to make and tailor your pasta accordingly: if you are making lasagna, ravioli, or want to use the pasta for wonton or dumpling wrapper, you can just cut the length of the dough to size; if making linguini or angel hair pasta/pancit, use the appropriate pasta maker setting. You can dry the pasta and cook it later but I like cooking fresh pasta as it does not take long to cook.

I haven’t tried making malunggay pan de sal or malunggay dumplings, and I am excited to try making these. I’ll surely be posting the results in the future. hope you find this useful and if you have any suggestions or other ways of using Malunggay/Moringa powder, I’d love to hear from you.

TU *** Carol Ojeda-Kimbrough is a longtime community activist involved in political, social and environmental justice causes. After pursuing careers in the private and public sectors, Carol OjedaWhen: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Kimbrough joined the Asian American Studies Program at CSU Fullerton as an Where: Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, 400 West Flamingo Road, Adjunct Professor. In 2016, Carol retired Las Vegas, Nevada 89103 from teaching to spend precious time with Prepaid Dinner Buffet ticket only: $65 per person her grandchildren and in “cultivating and nurturing” a more creative life. Carol is an avid gardener and enjoys finding ways of Please make check payable to: preserving the fruits of her labor. You may reach her at asamprof@gmail.com.

Aludiya Lagmay-Ganzon

Extending malunggay shelf life...

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malunggay powder (or leaves) to ward away stress and aches of the daily grind.

Malunggay Pasta I’ve seen posts and instructions on using fresh malunggay leaves when making pasta. I decided to use malunggay powder because it gives a more uniform color and is easier to work with. It is a fairly easy process: Ingredients • 3 cups flour • ¼ tsp salt • 3 tbsp malunggay powder • 4 eggs • 3 tbsp olive oil Place flour, salt and malunggay powder in a mixing bowl and mix together. Make a well at the center of the bowl and add the

eggs and oil. Using a fork (I use two chopsticks, it seems to work better), mix all the ingredients until it starts to come together. At this point you can use your (clean) hands to knead the dough – at first it may be sticky but keep kneading and it will soon be smooth and soft.

You may need to dust the dough with more flour (but don’t overdo it). After kneading for about 10-15 minutes, flatten the dough into a disk and cover with plastic wrap.

Let it rest for about 30 minutes.

After 30 minutes (or more), cut the dough disk into four equal parts. Take one part (cover the other three parts with the plastic wrap to keep it from drying out) and using a pasta maker, start rolling the dough from the widest setting (#1 in most pasta makers).

Town mates and Friends:

Please join us in celebration of our

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How to keep physically and mentally healthy...

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means taking care of your most important investment: your health.

Most of the time, people equate productivity with the amount of time a person spends in the office but looking after yourself, eating well, making sure to get 7-8 hours of sleep a day and setting aside a little time to exercise or pursue an activity that you enjoy is what it takes to be productive. When you are constantly running in emergency mode, your mind and body pay the price.

Develop a balance between “me” time and work Everyone who has a job will understand you if you speak of stress with your job. Whether it is because of your heavy workload or self-generated stress, it is one of the inevitable dilemmas in the workplace. A little stress fix can help you perform under pressure and push you to do your best but too much fatigue can affect your productivity.

Make sure to avoid exhaustion and getting burned out by having the balance between personal

time and work — leave work at work when possible. Reviewing your job activities and success factors can also help you keep up with the track. More importantly, don’t forget to reward yourself after every achievement. Weekend getaway, anyone?

Manage your time effectively Most of the time, you spend long hours in the office for the mounds of work that’s beginning to pile up. This is not because the world has entrusted you all the work but you sometimes accept everything that’s asked from you. It’s important to learn to set your priorities and goals straight.

Who says “to-do list” are for high schoolers? Work around what you value highly, enlist a good support system by delegating and learning when to say no. Being a superhero is one thing, a martyr is another.

Positive attitude You know how people would say that everything will go smoothly if you give it a positive approach?

That couldn’t be any more true.

Anyone who radiates an optimistic vibe can perform effectively as

disposition can greatly affect efficiency. Be open and honest with people, rather than hiding your thoughts and feelings. Negative impressions when bottled could blow up pretty bad when triggered so speak your mind and share your thoughts to fend off stress.

Enjoy your work No matter how hectic your schedule is, if at the end of the day, you love what you do and it still boosts your creativity, then that is when you know you’re on the right track. Work doesn’t feel like work when being tired is satisfying and even serves as your drive to feed your fire in being the best than your last. Added info: there’s nothing like getting paychecks for something that you basically enjoy doing.

Balancing the demands of a busy lifestyle is not an easy thing to do, but is best managed by frequently reviewing and assessing your priorities. While it is ideal to prepare for your future, it’s also important to take care of yourselfthat you live appropriately, so as not to defeat your purpose.

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Binibining Pilipinas International 2017 Drew Arellano hopes to ‘biyahe’ with son Mariel De Leon speaks up on breast cancer

by Bot

Glorioso Philstar.com

by Kristel

Dacumos-laGorza

Philstar.com

On the outside, Binibining Pilipinas International 2017 Maria Angelica “Mariel” De Leon reflects a vision of calm.

But inside, she is feeling the nerves and excitement as she revs up to fly to Japan this november for Miss International 2017. While her eyes are still set on the coveted crown, she admits that she already feels like a winner, thanks to all the opportunities that have opened up for her, because of Binibining Pilipinas.

“I’m very excited about going to Japan, because this will be my first time to travel there. Plus, we’re heading there just in time for winter, so I’m ready to get into my winter wear. I’m ready to shop!” she laughs.

An avid traveler, Mariel is looking forward to immersing herself in the rich culture, hitting the popular tourist spots, feasting on great food, and getting to know the people.

But apart from living her dream in the “Land of the Rising Sun” and making her mark as a queen on the world stage, Mariel is most thankful for the opportunity of becoming a voice to causes near and dear to her, and among these is breast cancer awareness.

At the recent press con of ICanServe Foundation, an organization promoting breast cancer awareness, Mariel lent her voice as

one of the muses for the Fashion Can Serve Fashion Runway. She donned a bold, crimson gown

by Ito Curata, one of the six designers who will be presenting capsule collections at ICanServe Foundation’s Fashion Can Serve Fashion Show at Raffles Makati Hotel on October 8.

“Breast cancer is something that hits home, because my grandma and my titas had breast cancer.

Thankfully, they (my titas) have overcome cancer and are now survivors,” shares Mariel.

Because of the history of cancer in her family, Mariel often reminds her family members, as well as her many fans and followers, to educate themselves about breast cancer and how to do breast selfexams. According to recent studies, the Philippines has the highest number of cases of breast cancer in Southeast Asia and among the top 10 in the world.

“I want to take away the fear and stigma of having yourself checked. We’re all afraid of getting sick, which is why many of us don’t want to schedule that important appointment with our doctors. But I say, it’s better to have yourself examined and know as early as now,” she says.

Helping to shine more light on the cause, Mariel will join the other muses and models on October 8.

Making their way on the runway will be Maureen Wroblewitz, the first Filipina to win “Asia’s next

DReW Arellano can’t wait for the day when his son Primo can tag along to his travels-cum-work assignments in “Biyahe ni Drew,” the weekly travel show airing on GMA news TV. “I want him to be exposed to different cultures; to different people,” says Drew. “But he doesn’t have to be a host but just a companion and he doesn’t have to be on-cam because I don’t want him to work at an early age.”

If he is not mistaken, the proud dad shares that his and Iya’s son, who will be turning one on Aug. 30, had already been to four countries since the little boy was issued a passport. That’s why Drew delightfully considers him as “little biyahero.” And Binibining Pilipinas International 2017 Maria why not when everyone is not as Angelica “Mariel” De Leon Philstar.com photo lucky to travel that much. Drew Top Model,” Margie Moran Floi- believes that traveling is “good rendo, Gloria Diaz, Solenn Heusaff, for your health, good for your Jasmine Curtis-Smith, Katarina Rodriguez, Tootsy Angara, Wynn Wynn Ong, Techie Velasquez, Mila Camus, Sandy Moran, Sabrina Panlilio, and co-founder Crisann by marK Bonifacio Celdran, among many others.

ManilaTimes.net Besides a good heart that supports causes like breast cancer AFTeR touring Singapore and awareness, what makes the daugh- having released the CD of his ter of actors Christopher De Leon album in Korea last year, singing and Sandy Andolong beautiful? sensation Darren espanto next “As cliché as it sounds, it’s conquered Malaysia last week confidence,” says Mariel. “I hadn’t to promote his latest album, “Be always felt confident, especially With Me.” when I was younger. I often doubt“The Voice Kids PH” is truly ed myself...I felt more beautiful as going international now with his I matured.”

Philstar.com

Paul Soriano and Toni Gonzaga

Philstar.com photo

FOR RENT

PSYCHIC

AFTeR a pregnant silence, direk Paul Soriano has finally agreed to clear the persisting rumor (going around showbiz circle) linking him to not only erich Gonzales (whom he’s directing in a movie being shot in Siargao) but also, believe it or not, Maja Salvador (whom Paul directed in the movie Thelma) and ellen Adarna (now being linked to K-Pop band Big Bang’s Seungri whom she met in Bali where she’s vacationing with a friend).

Good thing that Paul’s wife Toni Gonzaga has already dismissed the yarn as unfounded and she wasn’t affected by it. The rumor about Maja was allegedly a joke played on Toni by her younger

Photo from Drew Arellano’s Instagram account

try mas matagal.”

To ease his “dilemma,” Drew just thinks that “maybe we need time away, so Iya could have free time for herself. Same with me and for Primo pero s’yempre just a little bit, not too long.”

The 37-year-old Asian Artists Agency, Inc. talent also admits that marriage and fatherhood changed his outlook in life.

Darren Espanto makes waves in Malaysia

Paul Soriano on wild rumors: Not true! by ricKy lo

Drew Arellano with his son Antonio Primo

personality and good for your development.”

However, Drew can no longer stand being away from home. “’Pag local destination (for his show), usually two days lang pero ‘yung two days na ‘yun, katingkati na ko (umuwi), s’yempre kasi meron kang baby na nearly one year old kaya gusto mong umuwi di ba lalo na pag out of the coun-

sister Alex.

Paul’s reaction: “All these stories are not true and unfortunately I hope and pray this isn’t the way our movie will be promoted. Let’s please focus on the film and the story we’re telling. Thank you, sir. Appreciate the concern.”

Paul and Toni are both Christian and they put Christ at the center of their family (including their son Seve who’s turning oneyear old in September).

The couple is currently seen in the TVC as endorsers for Gold Seas Tuna Chunks. The brand believes in the importance of extending as much love and care to family by not compromising when it comes to the family’s overall health and well-being.

Darren Espanto

SERVICES

collaboration with teen Malaysian singer nik Qistina for his song “My Baby and Me” and her song “Young Hearts.” Universal Music Malaysia released a special Malaysian version of espanto’s album for his fans there.

The promo tour included appearances and interviews in Malaysia’s top radio stations like UFM, Im4U FM, Astro FM and Traxx FM. He also guested and

performed on TV shows like “Bernama news,” “Bernama Today,” “TV Diva,” “H Live,” “Selamat Pagi Malaysia” and TV9’s “nasi Lemak Kopi O.” espanto also met with the Malaysian press for print and online interviews. The highlight of the tour though was a show and autograph-signing session with Qistina at Loud Speakers Setia Walk Puchong in Kuala Lumpur.

But it was not just all work for espanto during his trip, Qistina also took time for him to show Kuala Lumpur’s sights like the Petronas Towers and had him try traditional Malaysian food especially durian (which was his first time to eat such fruit, though it’s abundant in Davao). They also spent time with lucky fans at Berjaya Times Square Indoor Park where they enjoyed exciting rides.

“I am so thankful Universal Music Malaysia released my album and get to share my music in this part of the world. Having promoted my album in Malaysia is a dream-come-true for an artist like me and I hope they like my album,” espanto said.

With a talent like that, hopefully, it’s gonna be the whole Asean region or even the whole Asian continent. Who knows, espanto could even possibly conquer the Photo from his Instagram account whole world.

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Your Immigration Solution Atty. MiChAel Bhotiwihok & Atty. nAnCy Miller The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services’ new policy indicates that a grant of Temporary Protected Status (“TPS”) is considered an admission for INA Section 245(a) purposes for adjustment of status applicants residing in the Sixth and Ninth Circuits. TPS recipients do not have to leave the United States and consular process through a United States embassy or Consulate. Instead, families are kept together and lives continue in the United States. The new USCIS position came from Flores v. USCIS in the Sixth Circuit and Ramirez v.

Brown in the Ninth Circuit; both courts held that a TPS grantee is considered “inspected and admitted” under INA Section 245(a).

The USCIS’ willingness to recognize TPS as an admission is significant because residents in the Sixth and Ninth Circuits who were granted TPS now may apply for a green card in the United States.

The Sixth and Ninth Circuit’s large geographic reach includes a large number TPS grantees. The Ninth Circuit encompasses California, Arizona, Nevada, Idaho, Montana, Washington, Oregon, Alaska, and hawaii. The Sixth Circuit includes Tennessee, Ohio, Michigan, and Kentucky.

In Ramirez v. Brown, the Ninth Circuit held that a TPS recipient is eligible to adjust to legal permanent resident status in the United Status. The Ninth Circuit reasoned that receiving TPS deems an individual to be in lawful status and satisfies the nonimmigrant requirements, such as inspection and admission, for adjustment of status purposes.

In Ramirez, a dispute arose over whether being a TPS designee provided a pathway to obtaining lawful permanent residence status under the adjustment statute. The United States Immigration and Citizenship Services (“USCIS”) found Ramirez ineligible to adjust to lawful permanent resident status on that ground that he

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA eMMA looked down at the busy huddle in the operating room. The doctors and nurses in their blood spattered scrub suits were working on someone. They were desperately trying to bring a patient back to life. emma took a closer look. “Why that’s me,” she thought.

The doctors were trying to bring her back from the brink. her vital signs were weakening.

If the monitor flat lined, emma knew she would be gone for good. There seems to be a thin silver thread that still anchors her to her body but the physical life force is ebbing away fast.

She remembered being in a car accident. emma was only 42.

“Go back,” she seemed to hear someone tell her but there was no sound. emma felt so light, so free. She hadn’t felt this wonderful in a long time. A feeling of wellbeing was engulfing her. She was in a tunnel and a white speck of light glowed at the end. There was a being of light in the distance. She began moving towards it. Then she felt

Health@Heart PhiliP S. ChuA, Md, FACS, FPCS WhILe terrorism is holding peace hostage around the world today, a more rampant but under the radar killer is on the loose and becoming more widespread, wiping out lives, as the medical community helplessly battles this pandemic situation of super bugs resistant to all drugs we currently have. Being at the mercy of these powerful and defiant microorganisms is a most scary situation. And they seem to be ahead of us.

Pneumonia and wound infections killed hundred of millions of people globally before penicillin was discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming, Professor of Bacteriology at St. Mary’s hospital in London. Today, these conditions and hundreds of other infections respond well to penicillin and the other more sophisticated antibiotics, savings hundreds of million of lives every century... until now, with the explosion of super bugs!

Statistics At least two million Americans develop drug resistant infections a year and more than 23,000 of them die, 10 million deaths a year worldwide. This translates

Community Journal

New USCIS policy on TPS as a pathway to a green card last entered the country without inspection therefore he had not inspected, admitted or paroled as required by Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”) Section 245(a). The Ninth Circuit held that TPS designation provides a pathway to a green card.

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

Prior to the Flores and Ramirez decisions, only those with proof of a legal entry, an exception under INA 245(i), advance parole, or parole based on a family member in the United States Armed Forces could complete their lawful permanent residency process without leaving the United States.

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

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

For TPS grantees outside of the

Sixth and Ninth Circuits, attention must be directed to monitoring current pending cases in their respective jurisdictions. For example this year, in Bonilla v.

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

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

Any TPS grantee should seek the advice of an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney to discuss his or her immigration options and eligibility to obtain a green card in the United States. *** Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza Law Corporation’s offices are located in Pasadena, Irvine, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Makati City.

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

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Who’s afraid of death?

“Although my near-death experience was nearly thirty four years ago, there is virtually not a day that goes by that I am not aware of making decisions based on that experience.”

– Geraldine Berkheimer, writing about her near-death experience in 1959 in Paris, France the grief of her husband and her two young children She caught a glimpse of them in the hospital waiting room. Matt, the younger one, has his face pressed against the windowpane staring out through the glass at the pouring rain. her heart was filled with love for them. They still need her. “Go back. It’s not yet time,” she seemed to hear the gentle voice once more although there was no one and there was no sound. And emma did. She heard one of the doctors say to her, “Welcome back.” emma knew her life, what remained of it, was never going to be the same again. emma is only one of several millions the world over who have come back from the edge of death, having gone

through what is called NDe or Near Death experience.

Are you afraid of death? I am.

I suppose so do most of humankind through most of history. In Greek mythology, the Fates represented by 3 women named, Clotho, Lachesis and Atropos determined a person’s destiny upon birth. Clotho is the spinner who spins the thread of life and Lachesis is the measurer who chooses a man’s lot in life and how long it is to be. Atropos is the most dreaded one. It is she who decided how and when a man is to die, using her large, sharp, unrelenting scissors to cut off the thread of life. No one, not even the Gods at Olympus trifled with her.

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Superbug pandemic to $100 trillion sacrificed gross national products. Most of these scary infections occur in hospital settings, but they are also noted in the general community. These could be the commonly known conditions, like pneumonia or wound infection, but this time caused by drug-resistant bacteria, and hence, deadly. It is like retrotransporting us back to the early 1900, the pre-penicillin era.

Lessons from the past While two of the most devastating outbreaks of the Black Death (plague) that wiped out more than half of the population of europe in the 14th Century killing about 75 million, leading to the final demise of the Roman empire, was caused by two different strains of infectious agents from the black rats, one drug resistant infection today could kill much more around the globe.

Just like us, humans, bacteria are active living microorganisms, with survival “instinct,” and when exposed to the drugs that aim to kill them, have the capacity to adapt by mutation and replication to become resistant to the drugs, When they become super bugs, they are untouchable killers, unless we develop new drugs effective against them.

Who to blame however, we cannot blame the bacteria, who simply want to

survive just like all living things.

We, humans, healthcare providers and lay people, who abuse antibiotics, are to blame. Whether prescribed indiscriminately or purchased over the counter by self-medicating individuals, the widespread abuse of antibiotics make the bacteria mutate and grow resistance to them.

Currently, there are at least six common pathogens that are drug-resistant, Klebsiella pneumoniae, e. Coli, and MRSA, and 3 global diseases: hIV, TB and malaria. There are many others.

Unless science discovers fast ways to fight and kill these resistant superbugs with new drugs or methodology and we, the people, do not abuse their use, any and all of them will continue to kill with impunity around the world.

Bacteria are on all surfaces These microorganisms are on our skin, on our entire body.

They are also all around us, in all surfaces, in our kitchen (which has more bacteria than our bathroom), all over our home, and in all public areas, like escalator hand rails, door knobs, cabinets, microwave oven door handle, countertops, tables, chairs, etc..

Paper money and coins are loaded with bacteria. If bacteria are on our skin and everywhere, why do we not always get infected?

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 17-23, 2017

Calendar of Events across

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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS AU G U St 1 9

Philippine Madrigal Singers to perform in Northridge, CA Philippine Madrigal Singers in Concert on Saturday, August 19 is the long-awaited return to Los Angeles of the world-renowned prize-winning choir. The performance begins at 7 p.m. at the Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) located at 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330. The theatre is part of CSUN, and tickets are $70, $55, and $40 online anytime at www.ticketmaster.com. Special student pricing is available only in-person at the VPAC box office, call or visit (818) 677-3000 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Tour information at www.musicartsevents.com.

AU G U St 2 0

Philippine Madrigal Singers in Loma Linda, CA An Evening with the MADZ on Sunday, August 20 is an opportunity to hear the awardwinning first-ever two-time European Grand Prix winning choir, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, at Campus Hill Church, 11057 Hill Dr Loma Linda CA 92354. The performance is at 7 p.m. $40 General Admission, $20 Child/Student. For tickets, call Ephraim Dela Cruz at (909) 831-4225, Marjorie Ann Reyno-Huynh at (909) 965-6936 or Nemuel Enriquez at (323) 2290506.

Filipino Cultural School’s summer program graduation ceremony in Cerritos, CA The Filipino Cultural School (FCS) will be holding its graduation ceremony on Sunday, August 20, starting promptly at 1:30 pm to be held at Cerritos Park East. The graduation will celebrate and honor 100 plus students, ranging from ages 4 to 18, who have gone through this seven-week summer school program learning about the Filipino and Filipino-American culture. Graduation highlights the different lessons that the students have learned from their Dance, Music, and Halo-halo (merger class of history, language, and lifestyle) classes. The students will also be honored for their dedication and enthusiasm in learning their heritage.

It will be held at the California Room of Cerritos Park East (13234 E 166th St, Cerritos, CA 90703). Ticket prices are $15 for adults and $10 for children (10 or younger). Light refreshments are included. The last day to reserve and pay for tickets is August 15 at 11 p.m. No tickets will be sold during the day of graduation. Payment options include: Checks, Cash, Credit Card, Venmo and Paypal. Ticket Reservation: http://tinyurl.com/fcsgrad2017. Please visit at filipinoculturalschool.org to learn more about the program. For any questions or concerns, contact FCS at filipinoculturalschool@gmail.com.

AU G U St 24

FACC-SLAA’s “luau” quarterly business & professionals networking mixer in Wilmington, CA The Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce – SouthBay Los Angeles Area (FACC-SLAA) presents a “luau” quarterly business & professionals networking mixer on Thursday, August 24. Come meet other driven Filipino/Fil-Am businesspersons and professionals in a relaxed and casual atmosphere! It will be from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. at Camino de Guanajuto Restaurant, 208 W. Anaheim St., Unit C, Wilmington, CA 90744. Tickets are free for FACCSLAA members. For non-members, it’s $15 for pre-registration or $20 at the door. For more information on FACC-SLAA, please visit https://www.facebook.com/pg/FilAmChamberOfCommerceSouthBayLAArea/.

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.

O C tO B E R 1 4

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/.

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

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Why a man must save and invest SPSA holds 45th jubilee in Vegas The Metamorphosis

ErniE D. DElfin OUR education, experiences and memories are three things that we can never bequeath to our heirs. When we die, all these “precious” things go with us and are gone forever. After living over half century on earth, as a precocious child of God, I have learned so much from the University of hard Knocks — many valuable lessons which I now feel the urge to share with all those I love dearly. had I known and applied these sound and time-tested Principles of Success (in all of Life’s quadrants: physical, social, mental and spiritual) much earlier in life, I would have been a better, happier and more fulfilled person today. however, considering my humble beginnings in a modest progressive farming village in the Philippines, versus an affluent Orange County, where I live the last 40 years, I feel that life’s journey is not that bad after all.

I used to say I am a self-made man, but it is now more appropriate (with humility) to say that I did the best I can with the talents that God has graciously given my human efforts that brought my family and I to where we are today. Indeed, our life is our gift from God, and what we do with our life is our gift to him.

Among the things I have learned early in life that became more valuable every year I’ve lived in America is in the area of savings and investments. As workers, employees, laborers and breadwinners, young and old are pre-occupied with the business of living, I feel the importance (like a parent to a child), to convey some gems of wisdom so that the child can have a better life than his parents. To all the millennials, the young people of the world, I plead you to heed this financial advice on savings which everyone who is earning a living has the power to create and control its continued existence or cause its premature death.

You must start believing saving has that profound value that becomes more apparent with the

passage of time. The growth of your savings is somewhat analogous to the invisible yet magical rewards of responsible parents in witnessing their children metamorphose into good citizens and becoming their own successful and fulfilled human being.

With that emotionally charged introduction, let me now share top 10 reasons why a man must save and invest: 1. Your savings affect the way you stand, the way you walk, and even the tone of your voice. In short, your physical well being and self-confidence.

A man without savings is always running. he must take the first job offered, or nearly so. he sits nervously on life’s chairs because any small emergency throws him helplessly into the hands of others.

2. Without savings, a man must be too grateful. Gratitude is a fine thing in its right place.

But a constant state of gratitude is a horrible place to be in. A man with savings can walk tall. he may appraise opportunities in a more relaxed manner, have time for judicious estimates and not be rushed by economic necessities.

3. A man without savings is always prone to react, often displaying more form than substance. Without savings, a person’s confidence is easily eroded as his daily chores revolve around tension-relieving activities instead of indulging in income producing endeavors while surrounded and probably intimidated by more relaxed, powerful and productive people.

4. Without savings, a man delays decisions that are good for him and his family and often misses opportunities in his lifetime, like associating or running with true winners in life. For lack of savings, he is relegated to the backseat of life, envying the gaiety and camaraderie of those who have.

5. A man with savings can afford to resign from his job when his principles so do dictate. And for this reason he will never need to do so. A man who can afford to quit is much more useful to him company, and therefore more promotable as he can afford to give his company the benefit of his most candid judgments. he does not need to kiss somebody’s you-know-what.

6. A man with savings can afford the wonderful privilege of being generous to this family or to his neighborhood’s emergencies. he can take the level stare of any man, friend, stranger, or even his enemies.

This priceless commodity adds to his personality and character.

7. With savings, a person can afford to order from “left to right” fine dining restaurants, stay in more expensive hotels or resorts without being nervous with the bill. A Man without savings is forced to stay with friends and relatives’ homes when he is out of town.

8. With savings, you do not have to feign your happiness or contentment; you do not have to live in a far-away fantasyland.

While it is true that money (savings) can never buy true happiness, it definitely serves as a nice down payment! Believe it or not, it is more fun to suffer in comfort than to agonize in misery.

9. The ability to save, fortunately, has nothing to do with the size of one’s income. Many high-income people spend it all. They are on the treadmill, darting through life like minnows. In his classic book, “The Riches Man of Babylon,” Clayson strongly admonished that every person must affirm and declare, “I must pay myself first because a part of my earnings is mine to keep!”

10. Lastly, heed the advice given by the Dean of American bankers, J.P. Morgan, to a young broker, “Take waste out of your spending; You’ll drive the enjoyment out of your life!”

After all, next to our personal relationship with our own God, faithful action in taking care of our families is our primary responsibility and this can be fortified by habitual savings and investing them wisely. Religiously doing this habit builds not only our character but increases a comfortable nest egg. What we do now, not tomorrow, is the beginning of what we do next. Our savings are the seeds of what we can harvest tomorrow.

(You can have a free consultation with this writer, who is also a retired CPA and a financial advisor or any one of his PeNmates) *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com Website: www.gkerc.org www.gk1world.com

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.

The Society of Philippine Surgeons in America, founded in 1972, is holding its Sapphire Anniversary, August 22-25 2017, in Las Vegas.

The Society is composed of Filipino surgeons from United Stats, Canada, and around the world. Its founder is Dr. hernan Reyes, a world-renowned pediatric surgeon in Chicago. Some of the Society’s Fellows have been recipients of national and international awards and recognitions for academic and humanitarian excellence.

Dr. Corazon P. Quiros, an obstetrician-gynecologist and current president of the Society, was

instrumental in having the event in Las Vegas. For a number of years, the annual convention was held on board a cruise.

The Society has since been continuously accredited by the American Committee on Continuing Medical education for category 1 and 2 credits. Annual invited professorial speakers and lecturers in the past include distinguished surgeons from academia and from the Society’s faculty pool . This year’s keynote speaker is Vice-Admiral Racquel Cruz-Bono, the highest ranking Filipino-American officer in the US Navy. She would be talking on “The Military health Sys-

tem- A Model for health Care Reform” Local Convention Chairman, Dr. Daniel Fabito of Las Vegas says has the highlight of the event will be the dinner-dance on Friday, August 25th, during which time the seven founders of the Society will be honored and the incoming president, Dr. Romualdo Laygo, a surgeon from Georgia, will be installed.

The SPSA Board is meeting this October at the American College of Surgeons in San Diego where its surgical mission to Legaspi City, Albay on January 21-27 2018, and other matters will be finalized.

National Licensing Services certified as a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Business consulting firm meets requirements from Nevada’s Unified Certification Program LAS VeGAS - National Licensing Services (NLS), a Las Vegas-based business, liquor, gaming and cannabis licensing firm announced it has been certified as a Disadvantaged Business enterprise (DBe), as defined by the Clark County Department of Aviation and the Nevada Unified Certification Program (UCP).

The Disadvantaged Business enterprise program is about securing equal opportunity in business. Funded through the U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT), the program helps businesses classified as small, woman-owned or disadvantaged to compete in a fair environment right alongside larger corporations.

“The Nevada Unified Certified Program will help broaden

our opportunities to compete for business and contracts statewide.

It helps level the playing field,” said Ms. Serina Choi, Manager of NLS. As a certified DBe firm, NLS will be included in the UCP statewide directory, which is consulted by prime contractors for federally

assisted projects. The UCP certification requiresthat each business be at least 51 percent minorityowned and operated.

Additionally, the certification helps identify minority businesses for buying agents of major corporations and government agencies, allowing them to better report diversity spend and utilization rates.

NLS and it’s team of consultants with over 40 years of combined business and gaming experience, has helped several businesses such as Lindo Michoacan, Grand Bazaar Shops on the Strip, 1Above Range, 7-eleven Franchises, Speedway Auto Sales and many more. For information about NLS services and its experienced team of consultants, go to www.nlslicensing.com.

Who’s afraid of death?

PAGE B3 Should we fear death? Stories abound that tell of those who have gone through NDe that strongly indicate that there is grace in dying. There is strong evidence of life beyond death and that the act of dying is transitioning into that life.

In almost all cases of NDe, people relate of feeling weightless, floating and hovering above looking down at their own bodies and even seeing how doctors, nurses and technicians struggle to bring them back from the brink. They are literally hanging on by a thread. It is an out of body experience and that there exists a thin silver iridescent cord that still connects them to their own bodies. If that cord is cut, it means that they are now truly physically dead and that they will continue on to the afterlife with no more chance of coming back to their previous physical life.

Many of those who have gone though NDe report that there is that feeling of being drawn into a tunnel. There is the presence of a strong, white, comforting light at the end of the tunnel.

The light appears small and as they progress through the tunnel, it becomes a strong being of light filled with love and compassion. Many report of meeting deceased relatives. Many go through a flashback of powerful memories like a review of their life, both good and bad. Above all, there seems to be an overwhelming feeling of release from all the constraints of their physical lives.

For some, the decision to return is theirs to make. For others, the decision has already been made that their time to die hasn’t come yet and that they must go

back. An unfinished business or a strong emotional attachment can make some go back and resume living.

The impact of NDe is life changing. Documentation for those who have been declared clinically dead and have come back to resume living shows that those who have seen a glimpse of life beyond death undergo profound changes. Many have changed their view of life for the better. Some have a better appreciation of life becoming more kind, compassionate and considerate of others. For others, there is a renewed sense of purpose and a reordering of life’s priorities. Some have even gone on to develop a sense of spirituality convinced that their new lease on life tells them that they were made for something more.

But not all stories of NDe are the same. It seems that for some on the dark side, the experience is totally different. Some report of the presence of a dark void and all the chillingly cold, negative, consuming energies of such emotions as seething anger, loathing and arrogance swirling about in a thick, dark, putrid cloud, the complete antithesis of the typical NDe experience of light. This story is more like pure horror. Just as there are good people and bad people, the nature of the near death experience seems to be a direct and proportionate result of the collective, aggregate choices each one makes through life.

Remember that blockbuster film in the 1990’s “Ghost” where the merciless murderer Willie, on his way to commit another contract murder, suddenly flees the spooky, rampaging spirit of Sam whom he murdered earlier for money and is consequently

run over by a car and dies on the spot? his spirit rises from his body as he realizes he is dead. his soul is instantly shackled and suctioned off screaming into the void by howling, hooded, dark, macabre, misshapen creatures rising like toxic fumes and disappearing just as suddenly from the sewers of New York City.

That is, perhaps, a glimpse of what it must be like to truly die.

When the other kind of NDe happens, some report that there is no concept of space or time at all. There is neither beginning nor end. Communication with beings of light or deceased relatives who may accompany the dying is telepathic. There is no sound and no need for words.

Many of those who have nearly died and allowed to come back to live out the rest of their lives express a reluctance to return to their previous physical lives. But there was a strong pull, a tug from their earthly life that made them do a U-turn, at least for the time being.

What is stunning is this. Nearly all those who have had an encounter with death and did come back to resume their lives claim they no longer fear death. The fear of death is no more. Death for them has become a door one must pass to enter a more beautiful, enticing reality full of love and mercy.

What most have learned from their brush with death is startlingly simple.

LOVe, they profess, is the most important thing in this earthly life — giving it, accepting it and learning from it. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

Superbug pandemic PAGE B3 The reasons are factors like our skin integrity. If our skin is intact, the bacteria cannot invade us, except though our mucus linings (in our eyes, nose, mouth, ears, anus). This is where personal hygiene is essential. And also the tempting habit of touching our face and contaminate it with bacteria. The other factor is the type and dose (number) of bacteria. even if we have a skin abrasion or cut, if we thoroughly wash the affected area right away, the dose of bacteria will be so reduced our immune system can handle them to prevent infection. If the dose is not reduced, then we get skin infection. This is why all wounds must be washed clean immediately after sustaining them.

Simple handwashing On the prophylactic side, the simple habit of washing our hands religiously, at least eight times a day (after going to the bathroom, before and after eating or working around the house or outside) can prevent contamination and infections, eliminating the need for antibiotics. This practice can

also prevent viral infections, like common cold, for which some misinformed or uninformed individuals might opt to take antibiotics. Viral infections do NOT respond to antibiotics. This is just a waste of money, and worse, it will “encourage” bacteria in our body to develop antibiotic resistance. When treated longer than necessary, even bacterial infections commonly sensitive to specific antibiotics will increase the risk of the bacteria developing resistance.

Skin sanitizers Skin sanitizers, preferably with skin moisturizer, in liquid, gel or foam, are helpful in minimizing infection. Those with sixty to 95 percent alcohol are most effective Their optional use, as an added measure, is medically acceptable, except for persons who cannot tolerate their use.

Dental health & heart attack Today, the association of dental health with our general health has been thoroughly researched and now very well-established.

Dental or oral infection, like teeth and gum diseases, increases the

risk for cardiovascular illnesses, like heart attack, stroke, etc. To preclude the need for antibiotics, our routine medical check-up should also include dental evaluation every 6 months.

A caveat: never take antibiotic for any viral infection, like common cold or influenza, since viruses are not killed by antibiotics, and never take them without medical supervision. Your physician will tailor his treatment to your specific situation.

Let’s all help prevent a super bug pandemic that could wipe us out of this wonderful world. *** 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

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EntErtainmEnt

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • AUGUSt 17-23, 2017

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How Celeste Legaspi broke the ‘spell’ ‘Alyas Robinhood’ director promises big-time action on the small screen by leah

c. salTerio Philstar.com

eVeRYONe is certainly familiar with Celeste Legaspi’s “Saranggola ni Pep”e and “Mamang Sorbetero,” but when was the last time we heard the pop icon render those tunes live onstage? That was 30 years ago, when Celeste performed with the Philippine Philharmonic Orchestra (PPO) in 1987.

However, Celeste herself broke that long “spell” of performing live again when she agreed to the offer of Solaire Resort and Casino entertainment director Audie Gemora, to headline her eponymously titled concert last Aug. 5 at The Theatre at Solaire. easily setting aside plaudits for herself at the start of the show, Celeste pointed out to her full-house crowd, “Tonight is my contribution to my father’s legacy,” said the daughter of National Artist Cesar Legaspi. The latter was celebrating his birth centennial this year. That was also the reason Celeste agreed to do the concert at Solaire.

“My songs were about love and the best persons who taught me real love were my parents,” Celeste shared. Her father would walk from Cavite to Tondo when gas became scarce, just to visit her mother, Vitaliana Kalugdan.

“Without my mother, there would be no National Artist (in Painting),” Celeste pointed out.

The concert’s musical director, Ryan Cayabyab, composed a musical ode to Cesar that opened the show. This was upon the request of Celeste’s daughter, Lala, who asked Mr. C “to write a song in the key of C” three days before Cesar’s centennial exhibit. The melody was beautiful and Mr. C created a baroque style counterpoint.

That came before Celeste belted out her powerful opening number, “Gaano Ko Ikaw Kamahal,” which she segued to Tuliro, a song penned by her hubby, Nonoy Gallardo. In only her second number, Celeste instantly admitted to her audience that she forgot the lyrics of “Tuliro.” But no one seemed to mind.

“Who is 67 here?,” she asked proudly, laughing. Yet, that all the more endeared Celeste to her audience. There was apparently no effort to hide her flaws. everything came out naturally. Towards the end of the show, she even took off her high heels.

“When I was 11, I was very maarte growing up,” Celeste shared. “I got the lead role in the musical operetta, Maria Makiling, at St. Paul’s College Manila in 1961. It was a truly diva moment for me. My Papa said I sang very well and I had every right to be onstage.”

She gave heart-wrenching renditions of “Love Is Stronger Far Than We,” “A House Is Not a Home” and “Loving You,” with Tagalog prose translated by the late Rolando Tinio, National Artist for Theater and Literature. Later in the show, Celeste also sang the hilarious “Kahit Ako’y Bakyang Bakya,” the Tagalog lyrics translated by Rolando to “The Lady Is a Tramp.”

by Tessa

Mauricioa-arriola ManilaTimes.net

Celeste resplendent in her Paul Cabral gown.

Works of Cesar served as backdrop onstage. His Gadgets II painting done in 1947, was recreated by Freeway and printed in bags, shirts and even Celeste’s top that night, as well as the shirts won by the band, back-up singers and the dress of guest artist Margarita Roco, Celeste’s niece.

“I saw the amazing capacity of the Filipino genius in the arts,” Celeste noted. “I saw it in my father’s paintings and heard it in Rolando’s words.”

Backing up Celeste was the vocal trio of Baihana, led by Ryan’s daughter and Celeste’s goddaughter, Krina Cayabyab, with Anna Achacoso and Mel Torre. The trio rendered the Tagalog version of “One Less Bell To Answer.”

Revisited in the concert were Celeste’s signature songs — Mamang Sorbetero, Saranggola ni Pepe,even Ang Pipit with Margarita and a mean version of Sabado with Baihana and the latter’s rendition of “Mamang Kutsero.”

Celeste rendered La Vie en Rose in three languages — French, english and (Rolando’s) Tagalog. “That was the favorite song of my mom,” Celeste told the crowd. “I used to sing it to her on Feb. 14, her birthday.”

Then, Celeste crooned another english song, “Close To You.” Her vocal tone and timber were the same, as when she was first heard onstage in the early years of her singing career. She also belted out Nonoy Zuñiga’s powerful ballad, “Never ever Say Goodbye.”

The memorable musicals that Celeste produced under Musical Theater Philippines (MTP) with Girlie Rodis — from Katy to Alikabok, Kenkoy Loves Rosing, Sino Ka Ba, Jose Rizal, Saranggola ni Pepe, Fire, Water, Woman and Ang Larawan — were likewise revisited that night by Celeste and guest artist Carlo Orosa. “Kay Sarap ng Buhay,” a snippet from the film version of “Ang Larawan,”

Team Paulbie: Paul Salas and Barbie Imperial and Team Kathniel: Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla

KathNiel versus PaulBie in Twitter basketball wars

by Jan

Milo severo Philstar.com

AT the Star Magic All Star Game presented by Oppo last weekend, Gerald Anderson showcased his basketball brilliance all game long as he scored a game-high 42 points to lead Team Gerald Blue over Team Daniel Red, 93-90.

Team Gerald controlled the first three quarters of the game through the help of supporting cast, Young JV and JC de Vera, until Ronnie Alonte, Axel Torres and Padilla teamed up for the final attack of the Red Team in the final quarter but fell short.

Alonte finished the game with the team with a high 38 points while, team captain Padilla scored 16 points, four of the field goals coming from downtown. De Vera and Padilla had a small hustle in the third quarter after a rebound play but both players shrugged off the unfortunate play later and cooler heads prevailed.

Meanwhile, another celebrity basketball game involving Padilla will eventually push trough, this

time, in a more private one as Padilla and another Kapamilya actor, Paul Salas, exchange words in Twitter after the latter had a comment, “hahaha. Curry na Curry ba,” pertaining to Padilla.

Stephen Curry is the basketball idol of Padilla.

A netizen posted a screen shot of the comment thread of Salas and friends captioning it, “Hi po. I dare Paul Salas and friends to to tell these in Daniel’s face.

Please RT. Let’s help them find their balls.”

The Tweet already reached Padilla and friends as well as Salas and friends. Padilla Tweeted, “Seryoso ba tong mga to?,” then Tweeted again directly to Salas: “Ano? Sagot.”

Some of these Tweets have been deleted.

The rumored girlfriend of Salas, Barbie Imperial, also joined the Twitter war to back Salas.

Daniel’s love interest and “La Luna Sangre” co-star, Kathryn Bernardo, also joined the social media war, posting a GIF of the NBA two-time MVP Curry.

Philstar.com photo by Gian Carlo Vizcarra

with Rachel Alejandro and Joanna Ampil, was also previewed.

Minsan ang Minahal ay Ako, the emotional ballad from Katy, was dished out in a cappella fashion by The CompanY (the vocal quintet of Moy Ortiz, Sweet Plantado, Cecile Bautista, Annie Quintos and OJ Mariano), with Carlo and Margarita. Celeste and The CompanY also paid tribute to the late composer, Willy Cruz.

“We overshot the budget for the pilot week on our very first taping day,” was the excited and slightly sheepish confession of top TV director Dominic Zapata, when The Manila Times asked him what’s in store for viewers on GMA Network.

Later today on prime time, the second installment of Zapata’s action series, “Alyas Robinhood,” starring Dingdong Dantes will begin its weeknights run.

“So definitely, we have bigger action scenes along with a bigger cast, because for me, we have to do this for television to beat the threat of new entertainment platforms coming at us from all angles,” he explained.

Known to push boundaries with radical concepts for TV—the emmy-nominated gaythemed series “My Husband’s Lover;” a look into lesbian relationships in “The Richman’s Wife;” and grand fantasy series “Mulawin” and its ongoing sequel “Mulawin vs. Ravena”— Zapata said he will stop at nothing to keep TV relevant in this day and age, and on a bigger scale, to push the Filipino series into the caliber of international productions.

“The nomination of ‘My Husband’s Lover’ at the emmy’s earned me a seat as a judge for foreign series, and while I am amazed by the quality of soaps

Dingdong Dantes with Andrea Torres and Solenn Heussaff

in Brazil and Korea among other countries, I know that if Filipino directors just had their technology, we can easily join their ranks. We have good concepts but we need more support in the task of execution.”

As such, Zapata is known to produce makeshift devices on the spot to get his cameras moving as fast as Dantes in chase scenes for example, just to get the best shot possible.

“Imagine what we could if we had the technology that ‘Game of Thrones’ has?” he dreamt out loud. “But like I said, for Alyas, we have pushed the boundaries and we will keep on pushing the boundaries.”

The return of the action series will find Dingdong Dantes as Pepe de Jesus anew, a former vigilante known as Robin Hood,

GMA photos

and now a full-fledged lawyer taking on pro bono cases for the poor and the oppressed.

Like Zapata, Dantes has upped his game for the second installment, “Kapag sinabi mong part two, whatever you saw last season kailangan mag double up in terms of the drama, the action, sa comedy, total look, production value. Double up lahat. Biyaya sa amin na nabigyan kami ng second season kaya dodoblehin namin ‘yung saya na maaaring i-expect nila at gagawin talaga namin ‘yan.”

Joining him in the doubled up cast are Ruru Madrid, edu Manzano, Gary estrada, Paolo Contis, Jay Manalo, Rey “PJ” Abellana, Gio Alvarez, KC Montero, and female prime time stars Jaclyn Jose, Andrea Torres and Solenn Heussaff.

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