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Duterte: No joint drills with US troops next year MANILA - He may not be cutting ties with the United States but President Rodrigo Duterte has instructed the Defense department not to prepare for joint military drills with American troops next year.

Duterte, who has been at odds with the US because of its critical stance on his bloody war on drugs, said stopping of the military exercises is in line with his aim to chart an independent foreign policy.

“I insist that we realign, that there will be no more exercises next year,” the president said during the 115th anniversary of the Philippine Coast Guard in Manila

DATELINE

on Wednesday, Oct. 12.

“Do not prepare. I told Defense Secretary (Delfin) Lorenzana: ‘do not make preparations for next year.’ I do not want it anymore.

And I will chart an independent foreign policy,” he added.

Duterte issued the statement a day after Philippine and American Marines concludes the PHIBLEX amphibious exercises a day ahead of schedule. The president has said that the exercise would be the last under his term.

The Philippines’ relationship with the US has been strained by the rift between Duterte and American officials who have raised concerns over the kill-

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Fil-Ams respond to ‘Mail Order Family’ cancellation Advocacy orgs demand a meeting with NBC execs

AFTER NBC executives cancelled the projected situational-comedy about a mailorder bride from the Philippines, Filipino activists are continuing to demand an apology.

The sitcom — “Mail Order Family” — was to tell the story of a single father of two preteen daughters who orders a mail-order bride from the Philippines, according to Deadline. The show’s pitch sparked outrage for its stereotypical portrayal of Filipinas, and days after the show’s announcement, PAGE A2

AAPI survey: Filipinos comprise the highest support for Trump Clinton beats Trump among all AAPI groups by 41 points WITH about a month before Election Day, a new survey shows that Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton holds a staggering 41-point lead over Republican nominee Donald Trump with Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) voters.

The National Asian American Survey (NAAS) released the first half of their 2016 Fall Survey of AAPI called the “Asian American Voices in the 2016 Election” on Wednesday, October 5. The survey explored AAPI voter identification, party preferences, civic engagement and ethnic media consumption.

A significant takeaway was that 55 percent of AAPI registered voters are more likely to vote for Clinton compared to the 14 percent who plan to vote for Trump.

PAGE A3

ings related to his crackdown on narcotics. More than 3,000 drug suspects have been killed since Duterte assumed office, alarming human rights advocates and international bodies.

The tough-talking Duterte accused the US of interfering in Philippine affairs and of shaming him before the international community.

He has also challenged the US to withdraw its aid from the Philippines, saying Filipinos can survive even without its “crumbs.”

Duterte, who is seeking stronger ties with China, has also suspended joint patrols with the US PAGE A2

FETED. Despite President Duterte’s tirades, the United States is committed to keep its long-standing ties with the Philippines, outgoing US Ambassador Philip Goldberg said on Wednesday, Oct. 12. “The US is committed to the alliance; we are great friends and allies,” Goldberg told reporters at the House of Representatives, which conferred on him the Golden Mace Award for nurturing the two countries’ relationship.

Goldberg declined to comment on Duterte’s earlier remarks that the American envoy is “gay” and other unkind words directed at US President Barack Obama.

Philstar.com photo by Boy Santos

PNP intercepts bombing plot in Quezon City raid Suspected terrorist arrested

by ERIC

ANTHONY LICAS AJPress

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

Agents serving in the AntiTransnational Crimes Unit (ATCU) of the PNP’s Central

Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) raided a home on the 100 block of Cotabato St. in Barangay Culiat and took Malaysian national and alleged terrorist Mohamas Amin into custody. Officers also uncovered explosives, ammunition, I.D. cards, and evidence suggesting that the home’s occupants were preparing for an upcoming terrorist act.

“Our operatives confiscated

a blueprint of a building, a condo mall,” acting director of the PNP-CIDG, Chief Supt. Roel Obusan told the Inquirer.

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

PAGE A4

Ramos: Duterte’s first 100 days a let-down

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

WHILE Pres. Rodrigo Duterte got a “very good” satisfaction rating from the public, former President Fidel Ramos said the Philippines has been ‘losing badly’ during the first three months of the current administration.

“In the overall assessment by

this writer, we find our Team Philippines losing in the first 100 days of Du30’s administration—and losing badly,” Ramos said in the first installment of a two-part column published in the Manila Bulletin on Saturday, October 8.

The former president — who PAGE A2

New petition calls for cancellation of Miss Universe in the Philippines

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

DOT Secretary Wanda Teo AJPress photo by Noel Ty

Miss Universe Pia Wurtzback AJPress photo by Troi Santos

DESPITE the Philippine Department of Tourism (DOT)’s efforts to quell rumors that the upcoming Miss Universe pageant will be cancelled, a new petition is calling for the latter organization to reconsider hosting the event in the country.

The letter, which was addressed to the Miss Universe organizing committee, asked the organization to “not reward a regime that is trying to turn back the clock as far as women’s causes are concerned.”

In this September 14 photo, President Rodrigo Duterte meets with former President and It was also posted on Facebook over Special Envoy to China Fidel Ramos in Malacañan’s Orchid Room. Also in the photo is National Malacañang photo by Toto Lozano PAGE A2 Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon.

400 businessmen to join Duterte in China by

DORIS DUMLAO-ABADILLA, GIL C. CABACUNGAN Inquirer.net

REGISTRATION for President Duterte’s state visit to China next week is oversubscribed.

Initially only about two dozen Filipino entrepreneurs were to accompany Mr. Duterte but the number had ballooned, according to Trade Undersecretary Nora Terrado.

At least 400 businessmen have signed up to join Mr. Duterte’s trip, according to Francis Chua, chair emeritus of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Business deals Chua said the business delegation would be a mix of small and big businesspeople looking for opportunities in what he exCALL FOR CHANGE. Members of militant groups hold a rally in Mendiola, Manila to call for pected would be a “reawakening” of trade “meaningful” reforms, including an independent foreign policy that has been espoused by and investment ties that went into hiatus due President Rodrigo Duterte.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Bob Dungo Jr. to rising tension in the South China Sea.

“We expect to have a bounty of business opportunities from this visit, especially with a President willing to explore the limits of a fruitful partnership with China,” he said.

Filipino executives are reportedly eager to talk with Chinese business leaders and government officials about deals in a range of sectors from rail and construction to tourism, agribusiness, power and manufacturing.

Big conglomerates from the Philippines, including those led by families with ancestral roots in China, are joining the delegation.

Tycoons Business tycoons Ramon S. Ang of the San Miguel group, Manuel V. Pangilinan of PAGE A4

A

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From The FronT Page

Ramos: Duterte’s first 100 days...

PAGE A1 served the country from 1992 to 1998 — wrote that Duterte’s leadership is a “huge disappointment� and “let-down to many of us.�

According to Ramos, Duterte’s remarks about the similarities between the Holocaust and his drug war was one of his “most unfortunate gaffes.� “In the case of his recent ‘Hitler quip,’ no amount of apology

could mollify the long-suffering Jews who have done well for the Philippines,� Ramos said.

The former president also criticized Duterte’s threats to sever ties with the U.S.: “Are we throwing away decades of military partnership, tactical proficiency, compatible weaponry, predictable logistics, and soldier-to-soldier camaraderie just like that?�

Ramos, however, noted flaws

of the current administration can still be corrected so that the Philippines can fully rise as a competitive country. “The outcome aspired for by the majority of us is to insure the better future of our younger generations, who in due time — will assume the mantle of leadership over our nation’s political, security, cultural, economic and other interests,� he said.�

U.S. Navy Hospital Corpsman 3rd Class Valentino Phillip conducts a combat lifesaver course during Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise 33 (PHIBLEX) on Colonel Ernesto Ravina Air Base, Philippines. PHIBLEX is an annual U.S.-Philippine military bilateral exercise that combines amphibious capabilities and live-fire training with humanitarian civic assistance efforts to strengthen interoperability and working relationships.

U.S. Navy photo by Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Jesula Jeanlouis

Duterte: No joint drills with US...

PAGE A1 in the South China Sea, where the Philippines has maritime claims.

Despite his harsh criticisms against the US, Duterte reiterated that he would not sever the Philippines’ military ties with the superpower. “We will maintain our military alliances because I said that we need it for our defense,� Duterte

said. “We need not really, you know, break or abrogate existing treaties because they say that it would provide us with the umbrella,� he added.

Duterte, however, believes that military alliances would be rendered irrelevant if a world war breaks out. “Should World War III come to

a fore upon the civilization, do you think, we still have time to discuss Third World War?� the president, who often foregoes prepared Protesters outside NBC Universal speeches, said. “When all the ICBMs (intercontinental ballistic missiles), when all the Poseidon (are launched), PAGE A1 then where will we be? See you executives scrapped the developin heaven.� (Alexis Romero/Phil- ment of the project. star.com) Writer Jackie Clarke said the show was based on her experience of being raised by a Filipino nanny in New Zealand. Clarke — who is also a writer and producer the department said in a state- of NBC sitcom “Superstore� — has yet to comment on the show’s ment on Tuesday, October 11.

According to the DOT, the cancellation. “We purchased the pitch with “golden opportunity� of hosting the event would be a big boost the understanding that it would to the country’s tourism promo- tell the creator’s real-life experience of being raised by a strong tion program.

It will benefit local businesses Filipina stepmother after the loss and livelihood, as well as the of her own mother,� a spokespertravel and tour sector, the de- son from NBCUniversal said in a statement emailed to the Asian partment added.

Meanwhile, reigning Miss Journal in late September. “The Universe Pia Wurtzbach ex- writer and producers have taken pressed on her Twitter account the sensitivity to the initial conthat she’ll do her best to make cept to heart and have chosen not sure the pageant will be held in to move forward with the project at this time.� the Philippines.

The show’s announcement had “Akong bahala, guys. Kalma lang (I’ll take care of it, guys. garnered criticism for trivializing the issue of human trafficking and Calm down),� Wurtzbach said.

She added, “Ipaglalaban ko for stereotyping Filipinas.

Filipino-American advocacy ‘yan (I will fight for this). I want the competition in my home group GABRIELA USA started a campaign on Change.org to get country!�

Last week, DOT Secretary NBC to cancel the show and has Wanda Teo confirmed that ven- raised more than 13,000 signaues to be used for the pageant tures.

According to the organization’s include Cebu, Batangas, Metro Manila, Siargao, Vigan, Pala- petition, the show “is the most rewan, Bicol and Davao, following cent example of how the exploitaan inspection visit by Miss Uni- tion and violence women face is verse Organization representa- normalized in U.S. mainstream media. The mail order bride intives earlier in the month.

The Miss Universe pageant’s dustry in the Philippines is rooted coronation night will be held on in historical U.S. colonial occuJanuary 30, 2017 at the Mall of pation of the Philippines, feudalAsia Arena in Pasay City with patriarchal view of Filipinas, and current neo-colonial economic Steve Harvey as its host.

New petition calls for cancellation...

PAGE A1 the weekend by Annie Serrano, who has previously worked with the United Nations Development Programme, the Global Fund for Women, and the Women’s Crisis Center. “This reason is the objectionable, scandalous, and demeaning sexist attitude demonstrated by the newly elected leaders of our country, by no less than President Rodrigo Duterte, and his cohorts towards womankind,� the letter read.

As of this writing, it has been signed by more than 100 various women leaders and concerned citizens, including businesswoman and philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis and former Ayala Foundation President Vicky Garchitorena.

Former Social Welfare Secretary Dinky Soliman, former Commission on Human Rights Chair Etta Rosales, former Presidential Peace Adviser Teresita “Ging� Deles, and singer Leah Navarro were also among the growing list of signatories.

The petition argued that Philippine society has “always granted a great amount of freedom and respect to women, but at the same time the gains of womankind in the Philippines have been hard won.�

“In recent months, chauvinism, brutal shaming, rape jokes and a sweeping disregard for women as persons deserving not merely of a token, but true, respect has been exhibited by the President of the Philippines with his salacious and sexist comments and treatment of female reporters and opposition figures, which has carried over to his allies in the Philippine Congress,� it added.

The letter concluded that to hold the Miss Universe Pageant in the Philippines at this time “would serve as a reward of this intolerable behavior and excuse such behavior.�

DOT: Hosting Miss U has ‘overwhelming public support’ In response to the petition, the DOT said in a statement that the government’s decision to accept the offer to stage the pageant in the Philippines has gained “overwhelming public support,� especially among Filipino women and their families. “While the DOT gives due respect to such opinion as signified by a group of women leaders and concerned citizens, we assure everyone that we deem it a great honor to host the distinguished event that portrays the most beautiful and talented women with highest regard,�

Photo courtesy of GABRIELA USA

Fil-Ams respond to ‘Mail Order Family’... policies that have impoverished the Filipino people.�

The petition went on to cite examples of Filipina mail-order brides who were abused and eventually murdered by their husbands, including: Susana Blackwell, who was shot and killed by her husband in Seattle back in 1995, and Estelita Villa Reeves, whose husband was also found guilty of murdering two previous wives.

On Thursday, October 6, GABRIELA Los Angeles, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCON) and Migrante International organized a protest in front of the NBCUniversal headquarters in Universal City to emphasize their opposal to the comedic portrayals of Filipina mail-order brides. “We were concerned with the fact that it was a comedy making light of something so serious [and] something that already isn’t being seriously addressed, so I think it had a greater risk than a benefit to the Filipino community,� Nikole Cababa of GABRIELA Los Angeles told the Asian Journal. “[Clarke] may have one perspective, but there’s a whole other story that isn’t being told, like why Filipinos leaving in the first place and why this mail order bride system is even thriving.�

The groups have three goals: demand a formal apology from NBCUniversal, secure a meeting with NBCUniversal executives and educate them on the social and economic ramifications of the mail-order bride industry and encourage writers and producers to consult the Filipino community when crafting stories about Filipinos. “I think part of our demands it to make sure they see us as a community resource so if ideas or stories like this come up it would be great to be consulted, like, do we think this is a show that will accurately portray the Filipino community?� Cababa added. “That’s something that we’d value. As GABRIELA we definitely support the arts and cultural work and Filipino celebrities and story writers, but at the same time it does matter who tells the story and how it’s told.�

Many members of the Fil-Am community were outraged by the show’s plotline, but some Fil-Ams thought that the show could have presented a positive view of the community.

A script was never released, so Fil-Ams like entertainment industry veteran Fritz Friedman suggested that the protest was sim-

ply presumptuous of a negative portrayal. “Not having read the script, I don’t think that I have the right to give any intelligent opinion about the NBC TV series -- that is, whether it was going to shed a good light or a bad light on Filipinos,� Friedman told the Asian Journal in an email. “Who knows?

But there was always the possibility that the character might have been a strong, smart funny and proud Filipina who would have demonstrated the strength, pride kindness and intelligence of many Filipinos. But now, with the series cancelled, we will never know.

Too bad.�

Allen Ongchangco questioned the public outcry against the perceived “negative portrayal� of Filipinas through the mail-order bride character. In a Facebook comment, he made a case for telling the stories of Filipina mail-order brides, referencing his friends that were mail order wives who were “educated, worked in various industries and live quite fulfilled lives.� “Why is a mail order bride a negative portrayal of the Filipina?� Ongchangco said after the cancellation. “Why should a mail order bride be stereotyped as weak, obedient or seen as just a sex object? They are not a monolith, they have complex lives [and] values just as we do.� “This protest saddens and angers me because some of you have decided that only certain stories should be told. Only certain times of Pinay should be held up to the light. By doing so you have stigmatized, delegitimized the [lives] and stories of my friends,� he added.

In the Philippines, thousands of Filipinas marry American men every year through the mail-order bride system even though it’s against Philippine law. In 1990, the Philippine Congress enacted the Anti Mail-Order Bride Law, but since the emergence of the Internet made it easier for businesses outside the Philippines to circumvent the law.

One site called “Pinay Brides� from Montana was able to bypass the law by pretending to be a travel agency, as reported by ABSCBN News and Current Affairs.

GABRIELA Los Angeles will be hosting a discussion about the issue of human trafficking and advocating for Filipinas at Asian Americans Advancing Justice Los Angeles on Friday, October 14. The discussion will feature a panel of speakers, human trafficking survivors and members of the media.

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Mayweather on Pacquiao vs Vargas: May the best man win

by DINO

MARAGAY Philstar.com

FLOYD Mayweather Jr. refused to predict the winner for the upcoming tussle between Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas.

Instead, the retired Mayweather wished both fighters the best, even as he pointed out that Pacquiao is one of the best opponents he’s ever fought.

“May the best man win. Out of all the fighters that I’ve faced throughout my career, Pacquiao is one of the best fighters,” he said in a video posted on fighthype.com.

DATELINE USA

by JOSE

KATIGBAK Philstar.com

Mayweather outpointed Pacquiao in what turned out to the most financially successful boxing match in history. So far, he has stayed retired and focused on his new role as a promoter.

But he will always remember the Filipino icon for his remarkable combination of speed and power.

“His (Pacquiao’s) movement, I mean, he’s fast. The power comes from the legs and how he turns his shots,” added Mayweather.

Nevertheless, Pacquiao’s gifts weren’t enough to beat the best Floyd Mayweather Jr. AJPress file photo by Robert Macabagdal pure boxer of this generation.

comprised the highest opposition ratings included accepting Syrian refugees into the U.S. (41 percent), climate change initiatives (18 percent) and equal rights for black Americans (22 percent).

Previous surveys have indicated that AAPIs generally lean towards the Democratic Party, and this survey is no different.

As the Asian Journal previously reported, in May, nonpartisan groups APIAVote, Asian Americans Advancing Justice | AAJC and AAPI Data released “Inclusion, Not Exclusion,” a voter survey examining similar trends.

According to the findings of that survey, 31 percent of Filipinos reported a favorable view of the Republican Party, compared to 64 percent of Filipinos for the Democratic Party.

Thirty-six percent of Filipinos responded that they are planning to vote for Clinton, while 11 percent for Trump.

A significant finding from the NAAS survey involves engagement with the community by the political parties. The researchers found that the Democratic reaches out to their AAPI community more with 48 percent reported being contacted. In comparison, 16 percent of Republican voters said they’ve been contacted by their party.

Both parties, however, do not engage enough with the AAPI community, according to the research. About 70 percent of the voters surveyed reported never having been contacted by any political parties. In other words, both parties fare poorly among all Asian ethnic groups in terms of electoral contact.

“This amplifies the message that we have been telling all

A3

US to provide $180-M aid to Philippines next year

AAPI survey: Filipinos comprise the highest...

PAGE A1 Moreover, the survey found that 67 percent of the participants harbored “very unfavorable” or “unfavorable” opinions of Trump while Clinton received 36 percent from the same categories.

Both candidates have made efforts to reach out to AAPIs, considered a fast-growing electorate with the potential to swing elections.

Last month, Trump formally announced his 30-member Asian Pacific American (APA) advisory committee. Five Fil-Ams were named to the group, which is tasked with advising the Republican nominee’s campaign on AAPI issues, as previously reported by the Asian Journal.

Clinton has also held many events targeting the AAPI community through her “AAPI for Hillary” outreach program. Several grassroots organizations have also dedicated themselves to garnering support for the Democratic presidential nominee.

Among the registered Filipino voters surveyed, a majority said that Clinton was their “presidential vote choice” at 54 percent.

But a quarter of Filipinos prefer Trump for the presidency, the highest Trump favorability rating among all surveyed ethnic groups.

Although Filipinos generally support progressive issues, they were the ethnic group with the highest opposition rates to these issues. For example, although 62 percent of Filipinos support climate change initiatives, they had the highest opposition of the surveyed groups at 18 percent.

Other issues in which Filipinos

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OCTOBER 13-19, 2016

the politicians, which is that we matter. We’re not just a margin but a margin of victory and for an election that has been close this is really great news,” Bel Leong-Hong, AAPI caucus chair for the Democratic National Committee, said in a community phone call hosted by AAPI for Hillary.

The survey was directed by Karthick Ramakrishnan, professor and associate dean at University of California, Riverside, with three co-principal investigators: Janelle Wong of University of Maryland, Taeku Lee of University of California, Berkeley and Jennifer Lee of University of California, Irvine.

The NAAS survey was conducted from August 10 to September 29 using telephone interviews. The participant pool included 2,238 Asian Americans and 305 Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). The data analyzed came from the following ethnic groups: Asian Indian (274), Chinese (281), Filipino (201), Korean (286), Japanese (147) and Vietnamese (295), Hmong (151), Cambodian (59) and NHPIs (291). The interviews were conducted in English along with nine Asian languages: Cambodia, Cantonese, Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Korean, Mandarin, Tagalog and Vietnamese.

The survey also compared results among native born and foreign born AAPI, young (18-34) and older (35+) AAPI and men and women. The overall margin of error was +/- 3.5 percent.

The survey is available online at www.naasurvey.com. The second half of the project will survey AAPI voters after the election.

(Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

WASHINGTON – The United States is committed to providing $180 million in assistance to the Philippines in fiscal year 2017 and routinely vetting the military to ensure security units that violate human rights do not get any aid, State Department spokesman John Kirby said.

Fiscal year 2017 is from Oct. 1, 2016 to Sept. 30, 2017.

President Duterte, in yet another jab at the US, dared it to end its assistance if it continues to criticize extrajudicial killings in his war against illegal drugs.

Duterte’s rhetoric is at odds with the very close relationship between the two countries, Kirby said.

“We continue to focus on our broad relationship with the Philippines and we’ll work together in the many areas of mutual interest,” he said.

He said Washington is focused on ensuring that assistance efforts truly benefit the people and are compliant with US laws and regulations.

To ensure assistance earmarked for law enforcement is not used in extrajudicial killings, the US government routinely and regularly vet security forces through a process known as “Leahy vetting,” Kirby said.

Under a US human rights law named after its principal sponsor Sen. Patrick Leahy of Vermont, Washington utilizes the International Vetting and Security Tracking (INVEST) system which tracks all units and individuals who are potential recipients of assistance.

“It’s a law we strongly believe in. And whether it’s in the Philippines or anywhere around the world, that review process is near continuous and it will remain so,” Kirby said.

Asked to comment on Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay’s statement that the United States has failed the Philippines, prompting Duterte to break the country’s “shackling dependency” on its long-time ally, Kirby said it was not useful to parse every bit of rhetoric that comes out of Manila.

“What I can tell you is that in practicality, as you and I talk today, that cooperation continues.

Those government contacts continue. The military-to-military relationship remains strong,” Kirby said.

The US takes its treaty alliance with the Philippines seriously and

“nothing that we’re seeing today tangibly would change our mind about that,” he added.

Duterte, well known for a ruthless stand against crime from his years as mayor of Davao City, won election in May on a promise to wipe out drugs and drug dealers.

Some 3,600 people have so far been killed in his anti-drugs drive and he has been enraged by questions about human rights, from the US and others, that the bloodshed has raised.

Duterte said on Thursday if the United States and European Union objected to his drug war and wished to withdraw aid, they should do so, and the Philippines would not beg.

US aid ‘not that much’ In Manila, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said yesterday US-Philippines ties are going through “bumps on the road” and the military could manage if the US were to withdraw aid.

The Philippines intended to buy arms from China and Russia and there had been no adverse reaction from within the military to Duterte’s vows to scale back defense ties with the US, he said.

Lorenzana’s remarks suggested he was following other top officials in Duterte’s administration in rallying behind the maverick president’s tough anti-US agenda after weeks of scrambling to manage the fallout from his outbursts and threats to downgrade the alliance.

Lorenzana had on Wednesday set a conciliatory tone, saying Duterte may have been misinformed when he said US-Philippine military exercises were of no benefit to his country.

But yesterday, Lorenzana said the value of US military aid to the Philippines was “not that much,” and the military could ask Congress to make up for a shortfall of some $50 million-$100 million a year in US military aid.

“We can live without (that),” Lorenzana told a foreign correspondents’ forum.

Lorenzana said he believed Duterte’s objective was to diversify the Philippines’ foreign ties and cut dependency on a former colonial ruler.

“The President is trying to develop a relationship with the US that is not too dependent on one country,” he said.

Duterte has caused a diplomatic storm by declaring that joint US-Philippines military exercises would cease, a defense agreement would be reviewed and, at an undisclosed time, he might

State Department spokesman John Kirb Philstar.com photo

“break up” with the US. On Monday, Duterte said US President Barack Obama should “go to hell.”

Lorenzana said there had been no official directive to scrap a two-year-old Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement. He said the uncertainty in the US-Philippines relationship was “just going through these bumps on the road.”

“Maybe we should re-assess (the relationship),” he said. “Are we benefiting, are we getting what we should be getting from the alliance? It is part of this growing up.”

He said Duterte was sensitive to concerns about his drug war and it was likely the President would dial down his rhetoric if questions from the West about human rights stopped.

Asked how changes in the security relationship could impact a strategic US “rebalance” to Asia, he said: “They are not lacking of any place to park their ships if they are no longer allowed to park their ships here.”

He said there may be some issues of compatibility with defense procurements from Russia and China, which were willing to sell to the Philippines.

A Philippine dispute with China over sovereignty in the South China Sea would not impede defense procurements, he said, adding there had been no discussion of the two countries working together militarily.

“All we are thinking now is buying equipment,” he said. “No talks yet about military alliance.

Just simple transaction of buying equipment.”

Lorenzana’s show of accord with Duterte’s anti-US stand follows a similar tough line from Foreign Secretary Yasay, who said this week Duterte wanted to liberate the country from a “shackling dependency” on the US.

A

Dateline USa

october 13-19, 2016 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL

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

UN body: Poor ‘disproportionately Fil-Am anchor Elaine Quijano gets high marks for moderating VP debate affected’ by war on drugs SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. — Many in the Twittersphere gave Elaine Quijano an ‘A’ for moderating the only U.S. vice presidential debate on Tuesday, October 4.

The Filipino-American veteran journalist made history as the first Asian American, first digital anchor and youngest moderator in decades, of a national debate.

Twitter users are commending her moderation of the debate, citing that she asked substantive questions and held her own with the two VP candidates, Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine and Indiana Gov. Mike Pence, specifically by effectively controlling the discussion and keeping it on track.

Many particularly lauded her stern reminder to the two when they constantly interrupted each other: “Gentlemen, the people at home cannot understand either one of you when you talk over each other.�

Quijano is a New York-based, Chicago native, the lead weekday anchor for CBSN (an internet TV news channel). She also anchors “CBS Weekend News� on Sundays and contributes across the network’s platforms.

Prior to that, Quijano spent ten years covering politics for CNN Newsource and CNN. Elaine’s CBS colleagues anchoring the network’s postdebate coverage, Scott Pelley and Bob Schieffer gave glowing marks for Quijano, with Schieffer saying: “She did a magnificent job. I’ve been there, done that, it’s not as easy as it looks.�

A sampling of some early tweets and Facebook posts from many in the FilipinoAmerican community showed great pride for her historic role, and how she moderated this Oct. 4 debate, especially as the diaspora is celebrating October as Filipino-American History

Month. Praise also came from mainstream media and the entertainment world: “Balitang America� correspondent Don Tagala said, “Taray ni Elaine!!! [Elaine is fierce!]: ‘Governor, It’s Sen. Tim Kaine’s time :)’�

Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and immigration activist Jose Antonio Vargas said, “All hail @Elaine_Quijano, who survived and won the #VPDebate.�

Dawn Bohulano Mabalon wrote, “No need to adjust your TV sets. Yes, that’s a #FilipinaAmerican@Elaine_Quijano moderating this debate! #pinay #VPDebate #VPdebate2016.� “That was the nicest way I’ve ever heard someone tell people to shut eff up. Way to go, @ Elaine_Quijano! #VPDebate,� added W. Kamau Bell.

Journalist Nicholas Kristof chimed in saying, “Good to see @Elaine_Quijano asking the candidates in#VPDebate about the slaughter in Syria.�

Meanwhile, Huffington Post wrote, “Line of the night, from Elaine Quijano: “I will remind you both that this question was about North Korea� #VPDebates�

The Hollywood Reporter’s post-VP debate piece: “VP Debate Moderator Elaine Quijano Praised by Twitter Users� highlighted this tweet: “An Asian American Woman telling two old white dudes when to talk..I LOVE IT. #VPDebate,� Hari Kondabolu said.

CBS News’s story right after the debate declared Quijano, one of its digital news anchors as “the early winner� of the VP match-up, highlighting admiration from many Twitter users including: Dan Rather who said, “Moderator @Elaine_Quijano does well by pointing out @GovPenceIN didn’t answer the question about @realDonaldTrump and taxes.�

Ph gov’t urged to reconsider criminalization of drug users

by Yuji

Vincent Gonzales Inquirer.net

THE United Nations Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights has urged the Philippine government to take necessary measures to ensure that its relentless war on drugs does not discriminate the poor and marginalized.

In its recent report, the UN panel expressed concern that poor neighborhood and individuals “have been disproportionately affected� in the Duterte administration’s antinarcotics campaign. “The Committee is deeply concerned that declarations made by high ranking officials Elaine Quijano Photo courtesy of CBS News in the context of the ‘war on drugs’ may be seen to encourThe story also included some age and legitimize violence criticism, citing that “there against drug users, including were some who claimed Quiextrajudicial killings. Indeed, the jano let the two men talk over number of extrajudicial killings each other and her too.�

Journalist Howard Kurtz noted, “Elaine Quijano is losing control, plain and simple. The men just keep talking over each PAGE A1 other.�

Media Matters zeroed in on Metro Pacific and PLDT Inc., Quijano’s question on the na- Lucio Tan and son Michael Tan tional debt in their piece: “De- of the Lucio Tan group, Hans Sy bate Moderator Elaine Quijano of the SM group, Carlos Chan Falsely Equates The Impact Of of the Oishi group, Alfredo Yao Trump And Clinton’s Economic of the Zest-O group and Henry Plans On The National Debt.� Lim Bon Liong of the Sterling The web-based, progressive Group of companies are among research and information cen- those who are joining the state ter explained that Quijano pre- visit to China.

Over a hundred officers and sented a false equivalency when she said during the debate that members of Federation of Filithe economic plans of both Re- pino-Chinese Chambers of Compublican presidential nominee merce and Industry will also Donald Trump and Democratic accompany the President, acpresidential nominee Hillary cording to industry sources.

Robinsons Land Corp. (RLC) Clinton “would add even more� to “the growing $19 trillion na- president Frederick Go said the tional debt� and asked whether trip would yield more business such debt increases “could be opportunities given prospects disastrous for the country. (By of closer economic ties between Odette Keely / New America the Philippines and China.

RLC has entered China’s Media) residential property market with a 1,300-unit master-planned township project in Chengdu.

Opportunities The discovery of the would-be In separate text messages, attack comes just days after mem- Ang and Yao replied in the afbers of the Armed Forces of the firmative when asked whether Philippines (AFP) arrested three their groups would explore alleged members of the jihadist more business opportunities in group, Maute, on suspicion of China. bombing a crowded night market San Miguel’s beer unit, San in Davao in September.

Miguel Brewery, currently oper-

Talaam has been charged with obstruction of justice and the harboring of a fugitive or wanted person, according to the Inquirer.

Amin had been sought by police in connection to a murder

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

evidence-based health services, such as opioid substitution therapies.�

The committee said the Philippine government should instead adopt a “right-to-health approach to drug abuse with harm reduction strategies, such as syringe exchange programs; and increase the availability of treatment services that are evidence-based and respectful of the rights of drug users.�

In a series of expletive-laced remarks, President Rodrigo Duterte has repeatedly lambasted the UN, the United States and the European Union for calling him out over alleged extrajudicial killings and human rights abuses in his bloody war on drugs.

MalacaĂąang on Wednesday said it had sent a formal invitation to UN rapporteur Agnes Callamard to investigate drug-related deaths in the country.

400 businessmen to join Duterte...

PNP intercepts bombing plot in Quezon City...

PAGE A1

of drug suspects has drastically increased in recent months and a large number of people have been arrested and detained in already overcrowded prisons,� the report read. “The Committee urges the State to stop and prevent extrajudicial killings and any form of violence against drug users; to promptly and thoroughly investigate all reported cases and punish the perpetrators with sanctions commensurate with the gravity of the crime; and to take all necessary measures to ensure that the fight against drug trafficking does not have a discriminatory impact on the poor and marginalized,� it added.

The UN body also called on the government to reconsider the criminalization of drug dependents, saying that it hindered them from receiving treatment and rehabilitation from “treatment centers that incorporates

ates two breweries in China. “We think stronger relations with any country, including China, should be good for the Philippines,� said Ozsen Chan, president of Liwayway Marketing (Oishi group).

The Oishi group, which has 16 factories in China, is among the top five snack-food producers in China in the whole sweet and savory snack food category.

For the SM group, its strategy is to build shopping malls in second- and third-tier cities at a pace of one mall per year, said SM Investments Corp. investor relations chief, Cora Guidote. “China has always been open to partnering with the Philippines.

In fact, here in the Philippines, we have a lot of Chinese suppliers and tenants. It’s just a matter of continuing to harness these relationships,� Guidote said.

Another SM mall SM Prime currently operates six shopping malls in China.

Before the end of the year, Guidote said SM would open another new mall in China, the first phase of the SM mall in Tianjin.

The visit comes as Mr. Duterte puts aside years of hostility to seek a new partnership with

Beijing at a time when tensions between Manila and its traditional ally, Washington, are mounting.

The Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson, Geng Shuang, said Mr. Duterte would meet President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang in his Oct. 1821 trip, and they would have a “deep exchange of views� on how to improve ties, cooperation and regional issues. “China looks forward to increasing mutual trust between the two countries, deepening practical cooperation and continuing the tradition of friendship via the visit of President Duterte,� Geng told a daily news briefing.

The two leaders should appropriately handle disputes through talks and promote a strategic, cooperative relationship that is dedicated to peace and development, he said. “The Philippines is a traditionally friendly neighbor of China. The two peoples have a long history of friendship,� he added.

An Inquirer source said Mr. Duterte would be conferred an honorary doctorate by Beijing University.

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority 340 North 11th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone (702) 922-6060

Position Title:

Announcement No.:

Case worker

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(Grant Funded) DePArTMeNT: Supportive Services

OPeNiNG DATe: Tuesday, October 11, 2016

SALArY rANGe: $36,893 - $58,979 per annum

CLOSiNG DATe: Friday, October 21, 2016

Overview: This position performs a variety of administrative and general clerical duties necessary for managing the delivery of program services to residents. The duties listed below illustrate the various types of work performed, including case management. The omission of VSHFLĂ€F VWDWHPHQWV UHJDUGLQJ GXWLHV GRHV QRW H[FOXGH WKHP IURP WKH SRVLWLRQ LI WKH ZRUN LV similar, related, or a logical assignment in association with this position.

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For position description and application details visit www.snvrha.org, or by calling 702922-1636 EE/AA Disability Employer SEC 3 HUD employer QUALIFIED APPLICANTS WILL RECEIVE CONSIDERATION BASED UPON MERIT AND POTENTIAL WITHOUT DISCRIMINATION BECAUSE OF RACE, COLOR, RELIGION, SEX, NATIONAL ORIGIN, AGE, DISABILITY, VETERAN STATUS, OR GENETICS. AFFIRMATIVE ACTION/EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER/ SECTION 3 HUD EMPLOYER

EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority 340 North 11th Street, Las Vegas, Nevada 89101 Phone (702) 922-6060

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Overview: This position is responsible for directing the day-to-day operations and performance of the Housing Authority’s asset management properties (AMPs); performing all phases of real estate management; and developing and implementing special programs and projects for the Housing Authority. The duties listed illustrate the various types of work performed.

7KH RPLVVLRQ RI VSHFLĂ€F VWDWHPHQWV UHJDUGLQJ GXWLHV GRHV QRW H[FOXGH WKHP IURP WKH position if the work is similar, related, or a logical assignment in association with this position.

HOw TO APPLY: www.snvrha.org or picked up and submitted to the Southern Nevada Regional Housing Authority, 5390 E. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas, Nevada 89122, or by calling (702) 922-1636.

EE/AA Disability Employer SEC 3 HUD Employer.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 13-19, 2016

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

Dateline PhiliPPines

Sahara West Library 9600 W. Sahara Ave. / Grand Canyon 11am - 7pm SkyView YMCA 3050 E. Centennial Pkwy.

9am - 7pm

Karagdagang impormasyon sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Clark County Election Department sa: www.clarkcountyNV.gov/vote

NOTICE OF EARLY VOTING FOR THE 2016 GENERAL ELECTION NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that early voting for the November 8, 2016 General Election will begin on October 22, Saturday, and continue through November 4, Friday. Any voter registered in Clark County is eligible to vote at any early voting location.

Any voter registered in Clark County is also eligible to vote by mail. Any voter wishing to vote by mail must submit a written request for a mail ballot, which must be received in the Election Department by 5:00 p.m. on November 1, 2016.

For additional information, call the mail ballot hotline at (702) 455¬6552.

The early voting locations, dates, and times are listed below. All voting sites are ADA compliant. For additional information, call the Clark County Election Department at (702) 455-VOTE (8683). The TTY/TDD number is 711. Also check online at www.ClarkCountyNV.gov/vote.

2016 GENERAL ELECTION EARLY VOTING SCHEDULE October 22 (Saturday) to November 4 (Friday)

BROTHERLY SUPPORT. Members of Lex Talionis Fraternitas gather to show their support for President Rodrigo Duterte, a member of the fraternity. The group said it is satisfied with the performance of the President in his first 100 days in office.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Beijing commends Duterte for commitment to bilateral ties

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA - Beijing has welcomed President Rodrigo Duterte’s decision to visit China despite the maritime dispute over the South China Sea, part of which Manila claims and calls the West Philippine Sea. The president is scheduled to visit China on Oct. 20 and 21. Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said that China was hoping that Duterte would make his visit at an earlier date.

“We commend President Duterte’s attachment of importance to China-Philippines rela-

tions, and believe that high-level exchanges will contribute to bilateral friendly cooperation and regional peace, stability, development and prosperity,” Geng said on Tuesday, Oct. 11.

Geng stressed that both China and the Philippines are willing to improve bilateral operations and carry out mutually beneficial cooperation.

“We are also willing to enhance pragmatic cooperation across the board, achieve mutually beneficial and win-win results, and deliver benefits to the two countries and peoples,” Geng said.

The president earlier said that he will ask China to allow Filipinos

to fish in Scarborough Shoal --also known as Panatag and Baja de Masinloc -- which is within the exclusive economic zone of the Philippines but which China has de facto control over.

Duterte said that he will set aside the maritime dispute during his trip to China.

In July, an international arbitral court ruled in a case filed by the Philippines that China’s ninedash line claim over a large part of the South China Sea had no legal basis. China has refused to acknowledge the ruling and has insisted that the dispute should be settled in direct talks between claimants.

De Lima files anti-extrajudicial killing bill

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

MANILA - Sen. Leila De Lima filed a bill Tuesday, Oct. 11 which defines extrajudicial killing (EJK) and provides for its penalty amid the spate of killings of drug suspects.

Senate Bill 1197 or the “AntiExtrajudicial Killing Act of 2016” seeks to strengthen the Commission on Human Rights (CHR), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Philippine National

Police (PNP) in investigating extrajudicial killings.

The bill defines extrajudicial killing as the “unlawful, and deliberate killing of targeted individuals or groups thereof, carried out by agents of the State and under its order or acquiescence in lieu of arrest, investigation and prosecution.”

“Extrajudicial killing includes summary killing perpetrated by private individuals for purposes of carrying out on their own or in the context of vigilantism, a campaign or policy of the State,” the Senate

bill read.

The measure also seeks to promote human rights, ensure public awareness on the sanctity of life and respect for rule of law.

“In the light of the thousand deaths, the Filipino as a nation cannot negate that EJK is a clear and present phenomenon of the times boldly challenging our constitutionally protected human right against taking of life, transgression of due process, and presumption of innocence of criminal suspects,” De Lima said.

Executive order seeks to ban smoking in PH by eric

anthony Licas

post cigarette advertisements at cash registers and other points AN executive order awaiting of sale, as reported by Philstar. approval by Philippine PresiIn addition, the Graphic Health dent Rodrigo Duterte will force Warning law (GHW) requires roughly 17 million smokers to cigarette packaging in the Philconfine their habit to designated ippines to feature prominent, smoking areas or private build- sometimes shocking depictions ings. of the health risks associated The policy, which is expect- with smoking. ed to be signed sometime this Anti-smoking groups and month, will ban smoking of both health advocates have lauded traditional and e-cigarettes in public spaces including restaurants, parks, and city or stateowned transit vehicles.

The ban should take effect nationwide, but decisions regarding enforcement and the specific language or anti-smoking ordinances will be left to individual municipalities. Smokers will still be able to light up at designated smoking areas that must be at least 33 feet away from any building.

“We are not stopping them from smoking,” Philippine Health Secretary Paulyn Ubial told the Associated Press on Tuesday, October 11. “We are just telling them not to smoke around non-smokers.”

About a third of the Philippines’ adult population are smokers according to a 2014 report by the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance.

The tobacco control advocacy group, New Vois Association of the Philippines (NVAP), estimates that smoking-related diseases kill 10 Filipinos every hour. The popular, but unhealthy practice costs the country an estimated $4 billion in medical costs and lost productivity, according to sources for the AP. When asked about potential opposition from the tobacco industry, Ubial responded with a shrug, according to the Philippine Star.

“It is up to you to oppose,” she told reporters on Monday.

“It is already the President you will be fighting against.”

The current draft executive order is closely modeled after a smoking ban in place in the city of Davao, where Duterte served as mayor for over two decades before being elected to the presidency.

The slated restrictions coincide with a recent push to amend existing tobacco regulation so that it would be illegal to AJPress

the president for his longstanding position against tobacco.

Following Duterte’s election in May, NVAP President Emer Rojas told Philstar that “having a nationwide no smoking policy will certainly boost what the GHW and Sin Tax laws intend to achieve, which is to help discourage the public especially the youth from tobacco addiction.” n

LONG-TERM EARLY VOTING SITES: MALLS

LONG-TERM EARLY VOTING SITES: LAS VEGAS STRIP

BOULEVARD MALL, East Corridor near Christy Candy and Rear (EAST) Mall Entrance, Park in the Back of the Mall, 3528 S. Maryland Pkwy. / E. Twain Ave., Las Vegas OCTOBER 22 - NOVEMBER 4

LAS VEGAS STRIP 3550 W. Harmon Ave., West of Polaris Ave., Las Vegas

FIRST WEEK, Oct. 22 - 28 (Sat. - Fri., Nevada Day): Oct. 22 (Sat.): 10am - 8pm Oct. 23 (Sun.): 11am - 6pm Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 10am - 8pm SECOND WEEK, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4 (Sat. - Fri.): Oct. 29 (Sat.): 10am - 9pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): 11am - 6pm Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 (Mon. - Fri.): 10am - 9pm GALLERIA AT SUNSET, Kohl’s Court, 1st Floor 1300 W. Sunset Rd. / N. Stephanie St., Henderson OCTOBER 22 - NOVEMBER 4 FIRST WEEK, Oct. 22 - 28 (Sat. - Fri., Nevada Day): Oct. 22 (Sat.): 10am - 8pm Oct. 23 (Sun.): 11am - 6pm Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 10am - 8pm SECOND WEEK, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4 (Sat. - Fri.): Oct. 29 (Sat.): 10am - 9pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): 11am - 6pm Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 (Mon. - Fri.): 10am - 9pm MEADOWS MALL, Sears Court, 1st Floor 4300 Meadows Lane / S. Valley View Blvd., Las Vegas OCTOBER 22 - NOVEMBER 4 FIRST WEEK, Oct. 22 - 28 (Sat. - Fri., Nevada Day): Oct. 22 (Sat.): 10am - 8pm Oct. 23 (Sun.): 10am - 6pm Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 10am - 8pm SECOND WEEK, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4 (Sat. - Fri.): Oct. 29 (Sat.): 10am - 9pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): 10am - 6pm Oct. 31 - Nov. 4 (Mon. - Fri.): 10am - 9pm LONG-TERM EARLY VOTING SITES: SHOPPING CENTERS ARROYO MARKET SQUARE, Trailer in Parking Lot CC-215 / S. Rainbow Blvd., Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm BLUE DIAMOND CROSSING, Trailer in Parking Lot between Target and Kohl’s Blue Diamond Rd. / Arville St., Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm CENTENNIAL CENTER, Trailer in Parking Lot near Home Depot W. Tropical Pkwy. / Centennial Ctr. Blvd., Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm DEER SPRINGS TOWN CENTER, Trailer in Parking Lot near Michaels N. 5th St. South of CC-215 / W. Dorrell Ln., North Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm DOWNTOWN SUMMERLIN SHOPPING CENTER, Trailer in Parking Lot South of Dillard’s Sahara Ave. / CC-215, Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm LOWE’S TROPICANA BELTWAY CENTER, Trailer near Lowe’s 5050 S. Fort Apache Rd. / Tropicana Ave., Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm SILVERADO RANCH PLAZA, Trailer in Parking Lot near PetSmart Eastern Ave. / E. Silverado Ranch Blvd., Las Vegas Oct. 22 - Nov. 3 (Sat. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm LONG-TERM EARLY VOTING SITES: PUBLIC BUILDINGS CLARK COUNTY GOVERNMENT CENTER, Regional Transportation Commission (RTC) Bldg., 1st Floor, Room 108, 600 S. Grand Central Pkwy. / W. Bonneville Ave., Las Vegas FIRST WEEK, Oct. 22 - 28 (Sat. - Fri., Nevada Day): Oct. 22 (Sat.): 9am - 5pm Oct. 23 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 8am - 6pm SECOND WEEK, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4 (Sat. - Fri.): Oct. 29 (Sat.): 9am - 5pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 31 - Nov. 3 (Mon. - Thurs.): 8am - 6pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 8am - 8pm EAST LAS VEGAS COMMUNITY CENTER, 250 N. Eastern Ave. / Stewart Ave., Las Vegas FIRST WEEK, Oct. 22 - 28 (Sat. - Fri., Nevada Day): Oct. 22 (Sat.): 10am - 6pm Oct. 23 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 9am - 6pm SECOND WEEK, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4 (Sat. - Fri.): Oct. 29 (Sat.): 10am - 6pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 31 (Mon.): 9am - 6pm Nov. 1 - 3 (Tues. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm Dr. William U. Pearson Community Center, Room C 1625 W. Carey Ave. / Martin Luther King Blvd., North Las Vegas Open only from Oct. 22 to Oct. 28 Oct. 22 - 23, (Sat. - Sun.): 9am - 5pm Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 9am - 7pm Doolittle Community Center, Room B 1950 J St. / Lake Mead Blvd., Las Vegas Open only on Oct. 29 and from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 Oct. 29 (Sat.): 9am - 5pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 31 - Nov. 3 (Mon. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm

FIRST WEEK, Oct. 22 - 28 (Sat. - Fri., Nevada Day): Oct. 22 (Sat.): 9am - 7pm Oct. 23 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 24 - 28 (Mon. - Fri., Nevada Day): 9am - 7pm SECOND WEEK, Oct. 29 - Nov. 4 (Sat. - Fri.): Oct. 29 (Sat.): 9am - 7pm Oct. 30 (Sun.): CLOSED Oct. 31 - Nov. 3 (Mon. - Thurs.): 9am - 7pm Nov. 4 (Last Fri.): 9am - 8pm SHORT-TERM, NEIGHBORHOOD EARLY VOTING SITES DATE / LOCATION ADDRESS / CROSS STREETS TIME OCTOBER 22, Albertsons SATURDAY Ann / Drexel 9am - 7pm Albertsons Cheyenne / Albertsons Durango Cheyenne / 8am - 6pm Durango 8am - 6pm Albertsons Craig / Decatur Albertsons 8am - 6pm Craig / Decatur 8am - 6pm Albertsons Craig / Tenaya Albertsons 9am - 7pm Desert Inn / Pecos McLeod Albertsons 9am - 7pm Desert Inn / Pecos McLeod Albertsons 9am - 7pm Hualapai / Flamingo Albertsons 9am - 7pm Hualapai / Flamingo Henderson City 9am - 7pm Hall 240 S. Water St. / Albertsons W. Basic Stephanie / 7:30am - 5:30pm Horizon Ridge 8am - 6pm Las Vegas Athletic Club (Trailer) Buy Low Market 1725 N. Rainbow Owens / H St. Blvd., South of 9am - 7pm Lake Mead Bl. 9am - 7pm Desert Crossing Shop. Ctr. (Trailer) Nellis Crossing Desert Inn / Shop. Ctr. (Trailer) Decatur Nellis / Charleston 9am - 7pm 9am - 7pm Las Vegas Athletic Club (Trailer) 1725 N. Rainbow Blvd., South of Lake Mead Bl. 9am - 7pm

Nev. St. College - Rogers Student Ctr. 1125 Nevada State Dr., Henderson 9am - 4:30pm

Laughlin Library 2840 S. Needles Hwy., Laughlin 8am - 6pm

Paradise Park Community Center 4775 S. McLeod Dr., North of Tropicana 8am - 6pm

Nellis Crossing Shop. Ctr. (Trailer) Nellis / Charleston Paseo Verde 9am - 7pm Library 280 S. Green Seafood City Valley Pkwy. / Market Paseo Verde 3890 S. Maryland 10am - 8pm Pkwy. / Katie 9am - 7pm SkyView YMCA 3050 E. Centennial Searchlight Pkwy.

Community Center 9am - 7pm 200 Michael Wendell Way, Sun City Searchlight MacDonald Ranch 10am - 3pm Community Ctr. 2020 W. Horizon Vons Ridge, East of Windmill Pkwy. / Green Vly. Pkwy.

Pecos 8am - 6pm 8am - 6pm Target (Trailer) OCTOBER 23, Spring Mountain SUNDAY Rd. / Rainbow 9am - 7pm Albertsons Ann / Drexel OCTOBER 25, 9am - 7pm TUESDAY Albertsons Cheyenne / Durango 8am - 6pm Albertsons Craig / Decatur 8am - 6pm Albertsons Craig / Tenaya 9am - 7pm Albertsons Desert Inn / Pecos McLeod 9am - 7pm Albertsons Hualapai / Flamingo 9am - 7pm Albertsons Stephanie / Horizon Ridge 8am - 6pm Buy Low Market Owens / H St. 9am - 7pm Desert Crossing Shop. Ctr. (Trailer) Desert Inn / Decatur 9am - 7pm

Alexander Library 1755 W. Alexander Rd., West of M.L. King 10:30am - 7:30pm Aliante Library 2400 W. Deer Springs, West of Clayton 10:30am - 7:30pm Bob Price Rec. Center 2050 Bonnie Ln. / E. Lake Mead Blvd.

8am - 6pm Canyon Ridge Church (Trailer) 6200 W. Lone Mountain Rd. / Jones 9am - 7pm College of Sthn.

Nev. (CSN) - N. Las Vegas 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. / Pecos 8am - 6pm Heritage Park Sr. Facility 300 S. Racetrack Rd. / Burkholder 8am - 6pm Holy Spirit Lutheran Church 6670 W. Cheyenne Ave., East of Rainbow 9am - 7pm La Bonita Supermarket (Trailer) Rainbow / Flamingo 9am - 7pm Paradise Park Community Center 4775 S. McLeod Dr., North of Tropicana 8am - 6pm Sahara West Library 9600 W. Sahara Ave. / Grand Canyon 10am - 7pm SkyView YMCA 3050 E. Centennial Pkwy.

9am - 7pm Solera Anthem Community Center 2401 Somersworth Dr. / Solera Sky 8am - 6pm Trails Village Center (Trailer) Village Center Cir. / Trails Center 9am - 7pm Vons Sky Pointe / Buffalo 9am - 7pm OCTOBER 27, THURSDAY Albertsons Nellis / Vegas Valley 9am - 7pm Alexander Library 1755 W. Alexander Rd., West of M.L. King 10:30am - 7:30pm Bob Price Rec. Center 2050 Bonnie Ln. / E. Lake Mead Blvd.

8am - 6pm Canyon Ridge Church (Trailer) 6200 W. Lone Mountain Rd. / Jones 9am - 7pm College of Sthn.

Nev. (CSN) - N. Las Vegas 3200 E. Cheyenne Ave. / Pecos 8am - 6pm Desert Vista Community Center 10360 Sun City Blvd. / Thomas W. Ryan 9am - 7pm

Bob Price Rec. Center 2050 Bonnie Ln. / E. Lake Mead Blvd.

8am - 6pm

La Bonita Supermarket (Trailer) Rainbow / Flamingo 9am - 7pm

Canyon Ridge Church (Trailer) 6200 W. Lone Mountain Rd. / Jones 9am - 7pm

Sahara West Library 9600 W. Sahara Ave. / Grand Canyon 10am - 7pm

Heritage Park Sr. Facility 300 S. Racetrack Rd. / Burkholder 8am - 6pm

Solera Anthem Community Center 2401 Somersworth Dr. / Solera Sky 8am - 6pm

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church 6670 W. Cheyenne Ave., East of Rainbow 9am - 7pm

Sun City Aliante Community Center 7390 Aliante Pkwy. / Elkhorn 8am - 6pm

Nellis Crossing Shop. Ctr. (Trailer) Nellis / Charleston 9am - 7pm

Trails Village Center (Trailer) Village Center Cir. / Trails Center 9am - 7pm

Nellis Crossing Shop. Ctr. (Trailer) Nellis / Charleston 9am - 7pm

North Las Vegas City Hall 2250 Las Vegas Blvd. N. / Civic Center 8am - 5pm

OCTOBER 24, MONDAY

OCTOBER 26, WEDNESDAY

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church 6670 W. Cheyenne Ave., East of Rainbow 9am - 7pm

Nev. St. College - Rogers Student Ctr. 1125 Nevada State Dr., Henderson 9am - 4:30pm

Vons Windmill Pkwy. / Pecos 8am - 6pm

Target (Trailer) Spring Mountain Rd. / Rainbow 9am - 7pm

Aliante Library 2400 W. Deer Springs, West of Clayton 10:30am - 7:30pm

Las Vegas Athletic Club (Trailer) 1725 N. Rainbow Blvd., South of Lake Mead Bl. 9am - 7pm

Seafood City Market 3890 S. Maryland Pkwy. / Katie 9am - 7pm

Sun City MacDonald Ranch Community Ctr. 2020 W. Horizon Ridge, East of Green Vly. Pkwy.

8am - 6pm

Paradise Park Community Center 4775 S. McLeod Dr., North of Tropicana 8am - 6pm Paseo Verde Library 280 S. Green Valley Pkwy. / Paseo Verde 10am - 8pm

Vons Sky Pointe / Buffalo 9am - 7pm Winchester Cultural Center 3130 McLeod Dr., North of E. Desert Inn Rd. 10am - 8pm OCTOBER 28, FRIDAY (Nevada Day) Albertsons Charleston / Sloan 9am - 7pm Albertsons Charleston / Town Center 8am - 6pm Albertsons College / Horizon 8am - 6pm

Albertsons Eastern / Warm Springs 8am - 6pm

Albertsons Lake Mead Pkwy. / Boulder Hwy. 9am - 7pm

Albertsons Farm / Durango 9am - 7pm

Boulder City, City Hall 401 California Ave., Boulder City 7am - 6pm

Albertsons Lake Mead Blvd. / Hollywood 9am - 7pm Albertsons Nellis / Vegas Valley 9am - 7pm Albertsons Tropicana / Jones 9am - 7pm Canyon Ridge Church (Trailer) 6200 W. Lone Mountain Rd. / Jones 9am - 7pm Desert Vista Community Center 10360 Sun City Blvd. / Thomas W. Ryan 9am - 7pm Kmart (Trailer) 2671 N. Las Vegas Blvd. / Evans 9am - 7pm

College of Sthn.

Nev. (CSN) Henderson Building C, 700 College Dr. / Heather 9am - 4:30pm

Walnut Rec. Center 3075 N. Walnut Rd., South of Cheyenne 9am - 7pm

Enterprise Library 25 E. Shelbourne Ave. / S. Las Vegas Blvd.

10am - 7pm Lakes Lutheran Church 8200 W. Sahara Ave. / S. Cimarron 9am - 7pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 7pm

Trails Village Center (Trailer) Village Center Cir. / Trails Center 9am - 7pm

Rainbow Library 3150 N. Buffalo Dr. / Cheyenne 10am - 7pm

Albertsons Charleston / Town Center 8am - 6pm Albertsons College / Horizon 8am - 6pm Albertsons Eastern / Warm Springs 8am - 6pm Albertsons Farm / Durango 9am - 7pm Albertsons Lake Mead Blvd. / Hollywood 9am - 7pm Albertsons Tropicana / Jones 9am - 7pm Chinatown Plaza 4215 Spring Mountain Rd. / Wynn 10am - 6pm Kmart (Trailer) 2671 N. Las Vegas Blvd. / Evans 9am - 7pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 7pm Mtn. Shadows Community Center 9107 Del Webb Blvd. / Crown Ridge 9am - 7pm Mtn.’s Edge Exploration Peak Park (Trailer) 9700 S. Buffalo Dr., South of Blue Diamond 9am - 6pm Sun City Aliante Community Center 7390 Aliante Pkwy. / Elkhorn 8am - 6pm Trails Village Center (Trailer) Village Center Cir. / Trails Center 9am - 7pm OCTOBER 30, SUNDAY Albertsons Charleston / Sloan 9am - 7pm Albertsons Charleston / Town Center 8am - 6pm Albertsons College / Horizon 8am - 6pm Albertsons Lake Mead Pkwy. / Boulder Hwy. 9am - 7pm Chinatown Plaza 4215 Spring Mountain Rd. / Wynn 10am - 6pm Enterprise Library 25 E. Shelbourne Ave. / S. Las Vegas Blvd.

10am - 6pm Kmart (Trailer) 2671 N. Las Vegas Blvd. / Evans 9am - 7pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 7pm Mtn. Shadows Community Center 9107 Del Webb Blvd. / Crown Ridge 9am - 7pm Mtn.’s Edge Exploration Peak Park (Trailer) 9700 S. Buffalo Dr., South of Blue Diamond 9am - 6pm Rainbow Library 3150 N. Buffalo Dr. / Cheyenne 10am - 6pm Southern Highlands Mktpl.

(Trailer) Southern Highlands Pkwy. / Cactus 9am - 7pm Sun City Anthem Center 2450 Hampton Rd. / Anthem Pkwy.

9am - 6pm Whitney Library 5175 E. Tropicana, East of Nellis 10am - 5:30pm OCTOBER 31, MONDAY Albertsons Flamingo / Durango 8am - 6pm

UNLV Lied Library Harmon St., East of E. Swenson 8am - 5pm Veterans Memorial Leisure Center 101 N. Pavilion Center Dr. / Alta 9am - 7pm

Moapa Valley Community Center 320 N. Moapa Valley Blvd., Overton 8am - 6pm

Albertsons Charleston / Sloan 9am - 7pm

Target, Boca Park (Trailer) Charleston / Rampart 9am - 7pm

Centennial Hills YMCA 6601 N. Buffalo Dr. / Sky Pointe 8am - 6pm

Sun City Aliante Community Center 7390 Aliante Pkwy. / Elkhorn 8am - 6pm

OCTOBER 29, SATURDAY

A

Southern Highlands Mktpl.

(Trailer) Southern Highlands Pkwy. / Cactus 9am - 7pm Sun City Anthem Center 2450 Hampton Rd. / Anthem Pkwy.

9am - 6pm Whitney Library 5175 E. Tropicana, East of Nellis 10am - 7pm Whole Foods Marketplace (Trailer) 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd. / Tenaya 9am - 7pm NOVEMBER 1, TUESDAY Albertsons Flamingo / Durango 8am - 6pm Boulder City, City Hall 401 California Ave., Boulder City 7am - 6pm Centennial Hills YMCA 6601 N. Buffalo Dr. / Sky Pointe 8am - 6pm College of Sthn.

Nev. (CSN) Henderson Building C, 700 College Dr. / Heather 9am - 4:30pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 7pm Mesquite Deuce 2 Bldg.

150 N. Yucca St., Mesquite 8am - 7pm Rainbow Library 3150 N. Buffalo Dr. / Cheyenne 10am - 7pm Silver Mesa Rec. Center 4025 Allen Ln. / Alexander 9am - 7pm Silver Springs Rec. Center 1951 Silver Springs Pkwy. / Pinion Springs 8am - 6pm Southern Highlands Mktpl.

(Trailer) Southern Highlands Pkwy. / Cactus 9am - 7pm Sun City Anthem Center 2450 Hampton Rd. / Anthem Pkwy.

9am - 6pm Walnut Rec. Center 3075 N. Walnut Rd., South of Cheyenne 9am - 7pm West Charleston Library 6301 W. Charleston Blvd., East of Torrey Pines 10am - 7pm Whole Foods Marketplace (Trailer) 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd. / Tenaya 9am - 7pm NOVEMBER 2, WEDNESDAY Albertsons Ann / Simmons 8am - 6pm Albertsons Buffalo / Vegas 8am - 6pm Albertsons Charleston / Rainbow 9am - 7pm Cardenas Market 4421 E. Bonanza Rd. / Lamb 9am - 7pm Centennial Hills YMCA 6601 N. Buffalo Dr. / Sky Pointe 8am - 6pm Green Valley Library 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy. / Sunset 10am - 7pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 7pm Silver Mesa Rec. Center 4025 Allen Ln. / Alexander 9am - 7pm Sun City Mesquite 1350 Flat Top Mesa Dr., Mesquite 8am - 7pm

Whole Foods Marketplace (Trailer) 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd. / Tenaya 9am - 7pm NOVEMBER 3, THURSDAY Albertsons Ann / Simmons 8am - 6pm Albertsons Buffalo / Vegas 8am - 6pm Albertsons Charleston / Rainbow 9am - 7pm Cardenas Market 4421 E. Bonanza Rd. / Lamb 9am - 7pm Desert Breeze Community Center 8275 Spring Mtn. Rd. / S. Cimarron Rd. 9am - 7pm Green Valley Library 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy. / Sunset 10am - 7pm Hollywood Rec. Center 1650 S. Hollywood Blvd., South of E. Charleston 8am - 6pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 7pm Target, Boca Park (Trailer) Charleston / Rampart 9am - 7pm UNLV Lied Library Harmon St., East of E. Swenson 8am - 5pm Veterans Memorial Leisure Center 101 N. Pavilion Center Dr. / Alta 9am - 7pm Vons Horizon / Horizon Ridge 8am - 6pm West Flamingo Senior Center 6255 W. Flamingo Rd. / Jones 8:30am - 5:30pm Whole Foods Marketplace (Trailer) 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd. / Tenaya 9am - 7pm NOVEMBER 4, FRIDAY Albertsons Ann / Simmons 8am - 7pm Albertsons Buffalo / Vegas 8am - 7pm Albertsons Charleston / Rainbow 9am - 8pm Cardenas Market 4421 E. Bonanza Rd. / Lamb 9am - 8pm Desert Breeze Community Center 8275 Spring Mtn. Rd. / S. Cimarron Rd. 9am - 8pm Green Valley Library 2797 N. Green Valley Pkwy. / Sunset 10am - 7pm Hollywood Rec. Center 1650 S. Hollywood Blvd., South of E. Charleston 8am - 7pm Lowe’s Parking Lot (Trailer) 2570 E. Craig Rd. / Losee 9am - 8pm Target, Boca Park (Trailer) Charleston / Rampart 9am - 8pm UNLV Lied Library Harmon St., East of E. Swenson 8am - 5pm Veterans Memorial Leisure Center 101 N. Pavilion Center Dr. / Alta 9am - 8pm Vons Horizon / Horizon Ridge 8am - 7pm West Flamingo Senior Center 6255 W. Flamingo Rd. / Jones 8:30am - 5:30pm Whole Foods Marketplace (Trailer) 7290 W. Lake Mead Blvd. / Tenaya 9am - 8pm Dated this 12th day of October, 2016

JOSEPH P. GLORIA Registrar of Voters Clark County, Nevada PUB: October 13th, 20th, & 27th, 2016 Las Vegas Asian Journal

A

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OctOber 13-19, 2016 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JOUrNAL

OpiniOn

Undervalued

Features

“AMERICA has failed us,” said Foreign Affairs Sec. Perfecto Yasay as he echoed Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s sentiments against the U.S. Amid a maritime dispute with China in the West Philippine Sea, Yasay lamented that the “U.S. could not assure the Philippines that it will promptly come to our defense under our existing military treaty and agreements” in “taking a hard line towards the enforcement of our sovereignty rights under international law.”

This was why Yasay believes that the president is pursuing an independent foreign policy, one that would not depend on the U.S. and will reject any attempt at meddling by other foreign governments or institutions.

“Breaking away from the shackling dependency of the Philippines to effectively address both internal and external security threats has become imperative in putting an end to our nation’s subservience to United States’ interests,” Yasay added.

The 1987 Philippine Constitution states that “the State shall pursue an independent foreign policy.

In its relations with other states, the paramount consideration shall be national sovereignty, territorial integrity, national interest and the right to selfdetermination.”

In September, Duterte said reiterated that his administration will implement a foreign policy that will observe “sovereign equality, non-interference and commitment to the peaceful settlement of disputes to best serve our people and protect the interests of our country.”

International relations are regulated by legal

norms in issues such as security, trade, finance, the environment and communication. Countries engage in bilateral and diplomatic relations that are based on universally accepted values and moral standards. This signifies the progress of civilization towards the world ruled by principle and not by force.

According to the U.S. Department of State: “The U.S.-Philippine Bilateral Strategic Dialogue advances discussion and cooperation on bilateral, regional, and global issues. U.S.-Philippine relations are based on strong historical and cultural links and a shared commitment to democracy and human rights. The United States has designated the Philippines as a Major Non-NATO Ally, and there are close and abiding security ties between the two nations. The Manila Declaration signed in 2011 reaffirmed the 1951 U.S.-Philippines Mutual Defense Treaty as the foundation for a robust, balanced, and responsive security partnership. There is also a focus on economic, commercial, and people-topeople ties.”

In the last 10 years, the U.S. has provided more that $240 million in disaster assistance to the Philippines.

Through USAID, the U.S. has been assisting the Philippines in rebuilding schools and health clinics, investing in livelihood activities, and supporting the government’s national recovery planning and coordination.

Editorial

The two countries also share extensive peopleto-people ties: over 350,000 Americans reside in the Philippines, and approximately 600,000 U.S. citizens visit the country each year. There are approximately four million Filipino Americans in the United States.

The Philippines and the U.S. have shared a com-

mon ground since time immemorial.

Despite Duterte’s deep-seated abhorrence toward the U.S., this time-tested relationship has brought greater regional stability and security, and it has provided political, economic, and strategic benefits to both Filipinos and Americans. (AJPress)

Is Trump’s race to the presidency over after tape exposes him bragging about sexually assaulting women?

COULD Trump’s October surprise, revealed a few weeks before the November 8 presidential election, be the beginning of the end of Trump’s chances to be the 45th President of the United States?

While this latest controversy may not be a “new” revelation about the Republican Party’s nominee with reference to how he is deemed to be disrespectful of women. — with all his sexist comments and public toxic fights with the likes of Rosie O’Donnel, Megyn Kelley, Miss Universe Alicia Machado — critics say the video revealed not only the most vulgar, misogynistic statements Trump has made, but a character flaw that many people find disturbing especially in his pursuit of the most powerful position in the world.

A video leaked by the Washington Post on Friday, October 7 revealed Trump making sexist and vulgar statements in his conversation with Billy Bush of “Today” and “Access Hollywood.” This audio was reportedly captured in 2005 before Trump’s appearance on the soap opera “Days of Our Lives.”

As the Post reported, the tape includes audio of Bush The Fil-Am and Trump talking inside the Perspective bus, as well as audio and video once they emerge from it to begin shooting the segment.

The newspaper further said that in that audio, Trump dis- Gel SantoS-reloS cusses a failed attempt to seduce a woman, whose full name is not given in the video.

In that tape, Trump was heard saying, ”I moved on her like a bitch, but I couldn’t get there. And she was married…Then all of a sudden I see her, she’s now got the big phony tits and everything.

She’s totally changed her look.”

“You know I’m automatically attracted to beautiful — I just start kissing them. It’s like a magnet. Just kiss. I don’t even wait,” Trump was heard saying on the tape.

“And when you’re a star, they let you do it,” “You can do anything.”

“Grab them by the p---y,” Trump said. “You

Invest in Nevada’s future “DR – EA – M. Dream!” Every day I teach Nevada’s children Commentary how to read. We preach college and career readiness in my school, yet Nevada is ranked dead last for educational outcomes. We are in last place for students’ chance of success Juan Serafica in the annual Quality Counts rankings by Education Week.

Assuming that nothing changes, less than half of my 21 students will go on to college.

As a Pell Grant recipient, I attended UNLV for my degree in Education.

That money helped me in achieving my dream of becoming a teacher.

I am reciprocating that grant back with public service, by teaching children how to attain dreams of their own.

Congressman Heck voted to cut Pell Grants for 35,000 Nevada students, and to raise student loan interest rates, essentially cutting off a path to college and self-improvement. Donald Trump, his party’s candidate for president, went so far as to say that he wants to abolish the Department of Education. Meanwhile, Catherine Cortez Masto and Hillary Clinton want to fully fund education, and support free college tuition for students whose families make under $125,000 – which describes 80% of Nevadan families according to the Census. These Democrats have my children’s best interests in mind.

Under the Obama administration, UNLV recently became recognized as an Asian American Native American Pacific Islander-Serving Institution (AANAPISI), and selected for additional funding to support students.

Trump doesn’t have a specific plan for Asian Americans and education, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the same man who called the Philippines a “terrorist nation” and Filipinos “animals” would not maintain additional support for the many Asian American students at UNLV. Not all Republicans are opposed to education funding – in 2015 Governor Sandoval and a bipartisan group of legislators voted to increase state funding for education. I applaud our elected officials who are able to work together to invest in our kids and our future.

I am proud to be able to give back to my country and to my city by helping children reach farther every day, and want our elected officials to back up their words with actions. I believe that Hillary Clinton as president and Catherine Cortez Masto in the U.S. senate would best support Nevada’s kids. *** Juan Serafica is a millennial graduate of UNLV and UNLV’s College of Education who teaches in Las Vegas’ public schools.

can do anything.”

In the second presidential debate on Sunday, October 9, moderator Anderson Cooper pointed out exactly what Trump’s critics have been saying that this is sexual assault.

Trump dismissed the accusation, saying his statements were locker room talk that most men engage in, and that he was sorry if anyone was offended by this statement. He again claimed that nobody respects women more than he does.

Many athletes and coaches from the NBA, Major League Baseball and the NFL, have spoken out, refuting Trump’s “locker room talk” explanation, contending, “that’s not what happens in their locker rooms.”

While his surrogates defended him at all costs, it seems not everyone in the Republican Party was buying his defense. Many Republican leaders and elected officials have disavowed him, including House Speaker Paul Ryan, who said he

will not campaign with Trump, but will instead use the final days of the 2016 election focusing on preserving the Republicans’ hold on Congress.

However, Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Reince Priebus said in a conference call on Monday that he is sticking with Trump despite this latest controversy. He said Trump has already apologized and that the RNC remains in full cooperation with the Trump campaign.

Priebus also denied reports that there are efforts to remove Trump as the Republican Party nominee.

Trump’s critics, even among his party, say the nominee has time and time again showed he is unfit to be president because of his character. *** 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

Misogyny and Leila de Lima Commentary

antonio P. contreraS SENATOR Leila de Lima would like us to believe that she is victimized because of her gender.

I vehemently disagree. This is not a gender issue. And it is offensive that she plays the gender card.

It is pure theatrics, like the many she inflicted on us, in her press conferences, in her walkouts. Now she is seen on campus tour trying hard to be another Miriam Defensor-Santiago.

She complains that she is being bullied by the President, the Secretary of Justice, some of her colleagues in the Senate and the House of Representatives, all of them men.

But Leila de Lima is a woman of power. Her public narrative is lived fighting for, with and against men.

As an election lawyer, she lawyered for defeated male candidates.

As a chair of the Commission on Human Rights, she challenged a powerful and popular male city Mayor, who is now our President.

As a secretary of the DOJ, she

openly defied the entire male leadership of the influential Iglesia ni Cristo.

She was the attack dog of a weak male President, acting at his behest, and joined the lynching of a sitting male Chief Justice.

She was voted out of her Senate committee by her peers, not because of her being a woman, but because of her mishandling of it, by presenting an incredible witness, and by using her position as chair in running a hearing that far exceeded its purpose, with the aim of destroying the President of the Republic himself.

It should be noted that except for one, all the women senators joined the men to depose her.

She is now in trouble not because of her being a woman, but because of her failure to rein in the drug trade within the national penitentiary, with the suspicion that she might have benefited from it financially, and for her audacity to fight the President.

Hence, for feminists and the CHR to present her as the new poster girl to fight misogyny, on the premise that she is being bullied as a woman, is in the same league as when she paraded Edgar Matobato as a credible witness.

While I concede that she may have a case for misogyny on the issue of the publication of her

alleged private sexual indiscretions, her case stands on shaky grounds.

First, a sex video, as proof of a scandal, is as damaging to a man as it was to Hayden Kho. The threat of using salacious sexual proclivities has always been used in history, and victims included men and women, straight and gay. In the US for example, almost all the known sex scandals involved male politicians. Thus, while the misogyny may have been incidental to her case, it is not structural in the entire history of sex scandals and videotapes.

Second, while the disclosure of her alleged sexual adventures is, indeed, morally and ethically offensive, aside from being unnecessary, a close examination reveals that de Lima could not claim to be a victim. If the allegations are true, then the Senator is not a clueless victim but a willing participant. Furthermore, the power relation inherent in the alleged illicit relationship was clear – Leila de Lima was the boss, her alleged lovers were her driver or her bodyguard, men who were her subordinates. She is not a Monica Lewinsky. Clearly she held the power. She was not an innocent schoolgirl who was sexually harassed and forced into submission by a lecher who held power over her.

Leila de Lima claims she is a

victim.

However, people are not buying this story line. It is evident in the angry birds that float across the screen during her videostreamed press conferences, and the fact that when she tried to cry, that such were replaced by icons of laughter instead of sympathy.

Leila de Lima claims she is a victim of misogyny.

She is not. On the contrary, her life story is littered with male victims, or losers whom she saved from electoral debacles, or weak men she propped up.

Men served and guarded her.

She bullied men, fired and hired them, used them, took care of them, loved them and destroyed them.

And if there is one single icon of a man whose fall she had a hand on, that would be Renato Corona, who died a broken man.

And if there is one man that she may have used and destroyed, it would have been Edgar Matobato.

Leila de Lima may have been objectified by the testimonies in Congress about her alleged sexual acts, but lest we forget, she would have been in the scene not as a helpless victim. If the allegations were true, then we could say that she would have been a sexually empowered woman in full control of her sexual agency who knew and got what she wanted. (ManilaTimes.net)

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

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 13-19, 2016

BAD FOR WOMEN, BAD FOR FAMILIES,

BAD FOR YOU Joe Heck has worked tirelessly to advance a far right and anti-family agenda that has hurt women, our seniors, and our students.

JUST IN THE LAST FOUR YEARS, HECK HAS‌ Voted to shut down our federal government over women’s health funding, potentially terminating Social Security, Medicaid, and veteran services for millions.1 Voted against Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals 4 times and put thousands of Dreamers at risk of deportation.2 Supported Donald Trump for President, even after Trump called the Philippines a “terrorist nationâ€? and Filipinos “animalsâ€?.3

Don’t we deserve a leader in the Senate who

will fight for us, not against us?

THIS NOVEMBER, YOU DECIDE. (1)MSNBC, 9/18/15

(2) http://catherinecortezmasto.com/post/149759164509/cortez-masto-for-senate-releases-new-spanish

(3) New York Times, 8/12/16

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OCTOBER 13-19, 2016 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 13-19, 2016

VEGAS&STYLE

B

Journal Agot Isidro’s ‘psychopath’post draws mixed reactions Kris fumes: I never wore Imelda’s jewelry!

Elizabeth Oropesa, Cherry Pie Picache dig in

by riCky lo

ing to eat, you make them hungry furthermore. Thirdly, i know a psychiatrist. Get an examination. you are not bipolar. you are a psychopath,” isidro said in her post in mixed English and Filipino. duterte supporters were quick to react, same with members of the group that isidro supported during the elections, the Liberal Party.

One of those who reacted strongly on Sunday, Oct. 9 was de La Salle University political science professor and the Manila Times columnist antonio Contreras. He posted on Facebook as well: “agot isidro should be ashamed of herself. What she said is precisely what happens when you become mendicant. you think heavens will fall and we will all get hungry just because the US and the EU are pissed off. Let me educate you Ms. isidro. interna-

JUST when Kris aquino was being silent (read: conspicuously unheard of on social media), guess what provoked her back into action (!) but some trolls digging up something that occurred in november last year during the aPEC dinner. i asked the fuming Kris for clarification and she directed me to just quote (yes, verbatim, not even a punctuation mark changed) what she posted on her instagram. Here it is, addressed to trolls: it seems you don’t want me to stay quiet and your trolls want to keep perpetuating lies about me.

My friend JC Buendia & my sister Viel both showed me this paulit ulit na FB post. The necklaces supposedly belonged to Mrs. Marcos & i was brazen enough to wear them for the aPEC dinnEr. duh? The necklace i wore was made from cubic zirconia & silver

by Arlo

Custodio ManilaTimes.net

On Friday, Oct. 7, former singer and now actress agot isidro posted on Facebook slamming President rodrigo and directly calling him a “psychopath.” it was obviously her most adverse reactions to the President’s strong words against the US and EU (European Union) that the Philippines does not need aid from them, that we are not mendicant, that we can live on our own.

“First of all, no one’s quarrelling with you. as a matter of fact, it’s you who’s starting a fight.

Secondly, the country where you’ve been voted by 16 million out of 100 million plus people is Third World. if you talk, as if the Philippines is a superpower.

Excuse me, we don’t want to go hungry. Be alone [in this fight], don’t include us. Most have noth-

Philstar.com

Agot Isidro

tional relations is not as simple as you think it is. Countries do not behave like the soap opera characters you play where a bitchiness of one leads to a catfight, or a fistfight.”

PAGE B2

— hindi po diaMOndS, in other words fake sila although Bottega Veneta naman. EnOUGH! and the TrUTH is on my side — including credit card receipts. P.S. i have a long standing event for #ariEL on Tuesday, even if my necklaces aren’t appropriate for showing how you can remove more than 100 different types of stains — what the heck, isusuot ko na sila, after all i paid for them w/ hard-earned, tax paid income, and hindi ko na problema kung yung pagnanakaw ng iba trip nilang ibintang/pagtakpan using me — and to be perfectly clear, i’m not referring to Mrs. Marcos.

So this is Fair WarninG — stop lying about me if you don’t want your rotting skeletons unearthed. #iaMBaCK There you are, Kris in a fighting mood, so beware! as an addendum, Kris texted me this: i was 14 years old and my Mom and i didn’t enter Malacañang

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

until nearly a week after because it needed to be swept of all possible bombs, etc. i just got fed up with the lies being perpetuated about me and indirectly my Mom. There. Loud and clear?

25th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture brings Apl.de.ap closer to home By klArize

MedenillA AJPress

AJPress photo by Andy Tecson

“GrEaT reception, always.

Unconditional love, always. i feel at home.”

This was apl.de.ap’s reaction after performing in front of a screaming crowd at the 25th annual Festival of Philippine arts and Culture (FPaC) held at Echo Park Lake on Saturday, October 8 -- one of the largest gatherings in the country to celebrate Filipino american History Month.

The Black Eyed Peas star took to the stage in the afternoon and opened with the crowd favorite “Bebot.” after he performed the Black Eyed Peas hit “Where is the Love?” he brought out Tess Paras and Vincent rodriguez iii — the Filipino-american cast members of the CW show “Crazy Ex-Girlfriend” — for the 2009 hit “i Gotta

Feeling.” “i just feel like i’m at home with the warmth and reception. i just feel like me. When i’m with the [Black Eyed Peas] i represent the Filipinos, but this time it’s all of me just being proud to be Pinoy and just being around my kababayans,” he told the Asian Journal with a smile.

He added: “i’m proud of who i am and i don’t want to forget where i come from. Our culture is so beautiful, especially the people. We’re hard-working, kind, helpful and really family oriented. i’m just always really proud of our culture and where we come from.” apl — whose real name is allen Pinedo Lindo — mentioned the significance of the 2016 reboot of “Where is the Love?” which originally came out in 2003 as a response to the tumultuous aftermath of 9/11.

apl said that the group decided to reboot the song 13 years later because “the same problems are still occurring” but now on a global scale. The reboot included a long list of celebrities including Quincy Jones, Mary J. Blige and Fil-am stars nicole Scherzinger and Vanessa Hudgens.

The reboot, in particular, addresses recent terrorist attacks such as those that occurred in Paris, Belgium and Orlando. apl said the song also confronted the issue of police brutality in the United States and the strained relationship between law enforcement and americans.

“There’s a misunderstanding going on, and when you’re confused about something, it always makes you ask that question, ‘Where is the love?’” he said. “it felt like it was a calling to revisit the song and get everyone involved to raise awareness and to

ask that question again.”

Philanthropy work always one to give back to the community, apl serves the community through the apl.de.ap Foundation international, which is committed to empowering Filipino youth through the arts, education and health care.

The foundation has so far established 14 classrooms in the Philippines; the most recent project was a 20-classroom public school in Zamboanga. as a part of his campaign to serve disabled kids, he also brought a retCam -- an ophthalmic imaging system -- to Bohol to treat children with vision problems. The cause is personal to apl who was born legally blind and said his vision made it difficult for him to “excel [in school] as much as i wanted to.”

“Growing up in the Philippines PAGE B3

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B october 13-19, 2016 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL

by Ian

Charice’s rebel soul

UrrUtIa

As far as the history of pop music is concerned, reinventions have become essential for artists to stay relevant. Madonna’s success can be attributed to her ability to shift music personas and styles from album to album, sometimes pushing sexual and political boundaries to stay ahead of the curve. In a similar way, her successors Lady Gaga, Rihanna and Beyoncé have never been comfortable sticking to one character in the course of their Top 40 residency.

There is reinvention in every pop star’s DNA. Yes, some artists are just happy to adapt to the ever-changing trends of the music industry as a calculated marketing plot. But for others, reinvention comes naturally. Take Miley Cyrus, who celebrated her newfound freedom on Wayne Coyne-produced fifth album, the independently released “Miley Cyrus and Her Dead Petz.” And, yes, take sarah Geronimo, whose latest release, “The Great Unknown,” finds her collaborating with fresh indie talent like Bojam, Thyro and Nica del Rosario, helping her embrace a sound that pushes the outer edges of her personality.

Traversing this same path is Charice.

Landed at the bottom, now we’re here “Every pop star must, at some point, confront career mortality.

For some, the end comes suddenly and without warning,” wrote Pitchfork music critic Jordan sargent in his review of Mariah Carey’s 2014 album, “Me. I Am Mariah... the Elusive Chanteuse.”

For some observers, this seemed to be the fate of Charice last year, when he bravely decided to open up about his sexuality and come out as a trans man. With the world so unforgiving, offers in both local and international show business began to dry up, while several fans left his side.

But Charice never lost that swan of a voice that landed him a duet with Celine Dion and Andrea Bocelli. His singing has vastly improved over time, knowing when to use his upper register at the right peaks and moments, and learning when to strip things down to showcase the ethereal quality of his vocals.

At the risk of losing the approval of “Chasters” — his supportive fan club since day one — Charice began looking outside the world of pop. He got into Kurt

MaUrIcIoa-arrIola ManilaTimes.net

“It was easy because it’s me,” Charice says of his new album. “I didn’t have to think if it fits the mainstream mold.”

Photo by Chealsy Dale

Cobain, then David Bowie and Janis Joplin. He also ventured into writing songs — confessional anthems that document the changes in his personal and romantic life, and observations about people he knew and met in passing. “It was easy because it’s me,” Charice tells us. “I didn’t have to think if it fits the mainstream mold because it’s something personal, it’s something that I wrote and cared for.”

On ‘Catharsis’ With the help of Mayonnaise’s front man and acclaimed producer Monty Macalino and starmusic’s Jonathan Manalo, these songs evolved into the polished studio recordings that make up Charice’s fifth release, “Catharsis.” Unlike his previous albums, “Catharsis” is the first time Charice was given an opportunity to steer the wheels his way — from songwriting to production, from track selection to mixing. “I was blown away by the talent of this person because 80 to 90 percent of the songs were written and mixed by Charice,” Macalino says. Charice’s team has been adamant about promoting the album as a rock record of some sort, citing Charice’s newfound appreciation for grunge, classic rock ‘n’ roll and ‘90s alternative as the major force behind the album’s drastic shift to an edgier, more guitar-driven affair. While you can hear a smattering of power chords in the mix, “Catharsis” is first and foremost a pop record in the Pink/ Ashlee simpson/Kelly Clarkson territory: a punchy, in-your-face release that fights emotional intensity with fire.

Dramatic turns His big, amazing pipes are used as a weapon here, knocking the roof off with dramatic turns and cutting runs. Haunt is perhaps the best among the bunch, a bluesy show-stopper that makes explicit references to making love. It has

that Janis Joplin-meets-Christina Aguilera circa “Back To Basics” vibe to it, minus the over-the-top kitsch. How Much I Love You delivers the most heartfelt moment in the record. It borrows a few elements from gospel and ‘60s soul, punctuated with retro-modern production touches to complement Charice’s tasteful singing.

Happy feels like the record’s coming-out anthem, but instead of recreating the disco diva pastiche of Gloria Gaynor or Diana Ross, Charice sings over infectious pop hooks and breezy guitar strums with lines such as “I’m happy being free” repeated to gleeful infinity. At least for once, he takes us to a place of captivating sunshine warmth, where people don’t need to wrap their heads around any form of negativity.

While Charice deserves some credit for setting his sight on a more rock-leaning direction, songs likeEpitome of Beauty don’t seem to capture his strength as a vocalist capable of turning maudlin lines into some form of transcendence.

The pop-punk shtick doesn’t give him much room to explore. It’s fun and easy to sing along to, but lacks the magnetic grace of the standout cuts in the record. The controversially titled Killing Myself To sleep is the better rock-infused tune, in my opinion. His vocal firepower has always been his trump card, and when infused with bile-fueled chords and emotionally naked chorus, it leaves us with a rewarding listen.

“Catharsis” is far from being an ideal showcase for standard pop gold, but it’s a compelling effort that conveniently marks Charice’s transition from a young power belter to a budding singer-songwriter.

The reinvention is now televised, and Charice is now ready to share his story with the world, unfiltered and devoid of gloss.

UNITY IS OUR PRIORITY AND STRENGTH ASIAN AMERICAN GROUP 3667 Dutch Valley Drive Las Vegas, NV. 89147 Tel. (702) 242-8514 Fax (702) 242-8516 www.asianamericangrouplv.com

AAG Executive Board Mike Vaswani President Cavin Fung Exec Vice President Meena Dadlani Vice President Dorothy Domingo Secretary Ann Melton Treasurer Board Members John Parris Endorsement Chair Jack Juan Legal Counsel Joe Tinio President’s Advisor Kate Recto Event Coordinator Amy Cheng Asst. Secretary Veronica Mae Domingo Youth Director Dr. Ben Calderon Medical Advisor Vimla Lendway Silent Auction Chair Adnan Khawaja Webmaster Barbara Woods Outreach & Media Director

Liasons Mimi Morse Korean Ming Fang Li Chinese Julie Ma Chen Chinese Naji Azzam Arabic Vickie Lee Vietnamese

Ju

Angel Locsin: fit and fab again by tessa

Philstar.com

On behalf of our President, Mike Vaswani, and the entire Asian American Group, we are proud to announce the following individuals have received AAG’s General Election Endorsement for the November 2016 races.

To arrive at these decisions, our Election Endorsement Committee held five days of interviews spanning thirty-five hours prior to making its determinations. It is with great pleasure that the Asian American Group endorses the following candidates: US Senate US Congress District 1 US Congress District 3 US Congress District 4 State Senate District 1 State Senate District 6 State Senate District 7 State Senate District 11 State Senate District 18 State Assembly District 1 State Assembly District 2 State Assembly District 4 State Assembly District 5 State Assembly District 8 State Assembly District 9 State Assembly District 10 State Assembly District 12 State Assembly District 15 State Assembly District 18 State Assembly District 20 State Assembly District 21 State Assembly District 29 State Assembly District 34 State Assembly District 35 State Assembly District 37 State Assembly District 41 State Assembly District 42 Clark County Commissioner Dist A Clark County Commissioner Dist C District Court Department 15 District Court Department 20 Justice Court 1, Henderson Justice Court 3, Las Vegas Justice Court 6, Las Vegas Justice Court 7, Las Vegas Justice Court 13, Las Vegas

Dr. Joe Heck Dina Titus Danny Tarkanian Ruben Kihuen Patricia Spearman Victoria Seaman David Parks Aaron Ford Scott Hammond Danielle Monroe-Moreno John Hambrick John Piro Artemus Ham Jason Frierson Steve Yeager Chris Brooks James Ohrenschall Elliot Anderson Richard Carrillo Ellen Spiegel Osvaldo “Ozzie” Fumo Stephen Silberkraus Shannon Bilbray-Axelrod Justin Watkins Sean Lyttle Nick Phillips Irene Bustamante Adams Steve Sisolak Larry Brown Joe Hardy, Jr. Eric Johnson Sam Bateman Harmony Letizia Bita Yeager Karen Bennett Suzan Baucum

We greatly appreciate all of the individuals who participated in our General Election Interview process and wish all candidates the best of luck in their respective races. Additionally, we encourage all voters to exercise their right to vote in the upcoming Election.

Sincerely, John P. Parris, Esq. Chairman of the Asian American Group Endorsement Committee

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

AFTER two successful surgeries on her spinal injury, Angel Locsin related to the Manila Times in the Q&A portion of her upcoming star Cinema movie, “Third Party,” she is pretty much a hundred percent in terms of movement again, some seven months following her ordeal.

In late 2015, Locsin discovered a disc bulge on her spine following two-years’ worth of rigorous trainings while preparing for what was supposed to be ABs-CBN’s remake of her 2005 series in GMA Network, “Darna.”

The project was immediately put on hold with ABs-CBN promptly

giving the actress time off to attend to her condition.

Looking fabulous in a black low V-neck suit, Locsin happily related that since returning to TV work and shooting “Third Party” in July, she no longer “moved like an old lady.”

“I felt good all throughout the shoot. I didn’t need to take it easy but of course I always make sure I’m careful with my back,” she explained.

Asked whether they treated their leading lady with extra care on the set, co-stars sam Milby and Zanjoe Marudo sheepishly laughed with the latter confessing, “Actually, it was Angel who took care of us more! she’s

Angel Locsin with “Third Party” co-stars Sam Milby and Zanjoe Marudo.

known to be maalaga with everyone she works with di’ba ?”

Excited for her return to the big screen, Locsin went on to disclose the unique plot of the October 12 movie, which finds the three of them in a love triangle. she as Andi who reconnects with her college sweetheart Max (Milby) in the hopes of rekindling their romance, only to find out that he is currently in a relationship with another man, Christian (Marudo). An unexpected problem leads Andi to seek Max’s help and Christian reluctantly agrees to take her into their home, which sparks twists that could either strengthen or break their samesex relationship.

“Third Party” is directed by Jason Paul Laxamana (“Love is Blind”) from the script of young writers Patrick Valencia and Charlene sawit-Esguerra.

Agot Isidro’s ‘psychopath’ post draws...

PAGE B1 Actress Elizabeth Oropesa (Jacqueline Elizabeth Freeman) posted a photo on sunday, wearing a t-shirt bearing the writings, “IT’s A DUTERTE THING YOU WOULDN’T UNDERsTAND” and captioned it “One of the 16 million psychopaths.”

Meanwhile, fellow actress Cherrie Pie Picache reportedly expressed support for Isidro on occasion of the World Day Against Death Penalty.

“A colleague of mine, Agot

Isidro, went viral because of her message, her opinion and her stand. I want to say that I’m one with her. We’re artists, we’re in arts and culture, but we have our own minds, conviction and principles,” she said. some netizens though have pointed out that Isidro publicly said she herself sought psychiatric help years ago.

A Pep.ph report has quoted one Jooyce Buenacosa saying, “One that has been seeking help of a psychiatrist doesn’t have the

license to diagnose one.”

Another netizen, James Arom Mangun, is more broad-minded, “First of all the economy isn’t dependent on the few cents the Americans throw,” he said in reaction to Contreras’ post. He continued, “Even better, we can educate her [Isidro] and open her eyes. shaming her isn’t gonna help really.”

Victoria Ferro, on the other hand, declared, “Agot is a friend but I agree with you [Contreras].”

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

EntErtainmEnt

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 13-19, 2016

B

Jessy Mendiola, first Filipina to Another boy for Kristine & Oyo win Asia Pacific Actors award

by Ricky Lo Philstar.com

TalenT management group Star Magic proudly shared with the Manila Times that one of its prime female talents Jessy Mendiola received her very first international award at the 5th asia Pacific actors network (aPan) Star awards in Korea.

Held on October 2 at the Sangnam Culture Plaza and MBC headquarters, Mendiola emerged as the “Best asia Pacific Star� in what is usually a Koreandominated awards night. The

Mendiola takes part in the traditional hand printing ceremony with popular Korean star Kim Min Seok

The actress with ‘Descendants of the Sun’ lead Song Joong Ki

actress is the very first Filipina and celebrity from South east asia to bring home the regional recognition.

In an emailed statement, Mendiola said, “It’s a big achievement for me, and a very fulfilling one, that I was able to win an award for our country, and to be ‘the first-

Jessy Mendiola beams with her Best Asia Pacific Star award

ever Filipina recipient from South east asia.’ I’m over the moon because this is the first major award I’ve ever received and it’s from an international award giving body.

I’m very grateful for this.�

The actress, whose comedic chops came to the fore when she joined aBS-CBn’s “Banana Sundae,� won the prize for her performance in the gag show, and promptly shared her latest feat with her co-stars. “at first I didn’t know this award is a big deal over here, which makes me even grateful to receive it,� she added.

In her speech, Mendiola thanked MBC for the recognition, and said, “I am so happy to be standing here tonight in front all of you and I am greatly honored to be the Filipino recipient of Best asia Pacific Star award. Tonight is a celebration of promoting cultural exchange and opening up of new opportunities in asia. I am extremely proud to be part of this prestigious ceremony.� according to Star Magic, besides walking the event’s red carpet and sharing it with the biggest Korean stars of the day, Mendiola also took part in a hand printing ceremony. In both activities, FHM Philippines’ Sexiest Woman of the year rubbed elbows Coffee Prince’s Chae Yung an, Cho Jin Woong, TV hosts Honey lee and Shing Dong Yup, as well as the lead stars of the hit Koreanovela Descendants of the Sun Song Joong Ki and Kim Min Seok. (ManilaTimes.net)

leSS than a month from now, Kristine Hermosa will deliver a baby boy she and husband Oyo Sotto are naming Vin, the couple’s fourth child after Kiel, Ondrea and Kaleb. asked if Baby Vin would be the final addition to their family, Kristine revealed that she and Oyo agreed that if their next child was going to be a girl, that would be the end to her child-bearing days. “Kasi Ondrea has been asking for a sister,� Kristine told a friend. “Stop na sana kami, para two boys, two girls. Pero hindi, naging boy. I think the lord was telling us, ‘no, you cannot stop yet.’ Hindi kami ni Godpinag-damutan ng baby, so we are thankful that our family is growing.�

The friend said that Kristine, who came from a small family, always wanted to be part of a big family.“Kasi gusto ko,� Kristine was quoted as saying, “pag may gathering, masaya. So thank God, answered prayer.�

During the early years of their marriage, Kristine and Oyo de-

cided not to have household help and only recently hired yayas, helpers and a driver. Still, even if she’s just a month away from giving birth, Kristine continues to run the household, take care of the kids and shoot for her and Oyo’s weekly GMa showHay, Bahay! “Medyo nakaka-harass,� admitted Kristine. “Our daily routine revolves around our TV work.

When we didn’t have a driver, Oyo and I would drive the kids to school and back home. Same when we had shoot or we had to attend a party, ganoon. When we didn’t have a cook, I prepared the food for the family. We would wait for the kids to come home, spend time with them and help them with their homework.�

Her priorities have also changed. When she was single, she splurged for herself. now, it’s all for the kids. “She can’t resist getting the newest and cutest items for the kids,� said Kristine’s friend, including a lightweight infant aprica stroller for Baby Vin. These days, free from pressure, Kristine chooses the projects that wouldn’t get in the way of her

Even if she’s heavy with Baby Vin, Kristine continues to shoot for Hay, Bahay!, her Kapuso sitcom with Oyo

family duties. “I’m okay with my career now,� according to Kristine. “Solved na ako d’un. I have done what I wanted to do kahit papaano. It’s really up to you when to stop and when to go on. Hindi kasi puede buong buhay mo career na lang because you just can’t give it up.�

25th annual festival of Philippine Arts...

PAGE B1 is hard enough, but imagine being blind,� he remarked. “So I’m trying to prevent that from happening, so we brought a RetCam to diagnose premature babies from being blind.�

Through his foundation, he also teamed up with the Vision Center at Children’s Hospital los angeles (CHla) to promote the treatment and diagnosis of premature Filipino babies who have developed retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), as previously reported by the asian Journal. last year, his foundation sent its first set of RetCams to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City.

Trip to the Philippines as a way to more kababayan in touch with their roots, apl is hosting a special trip to the Philippines through a project called FaM: Core Trip.

The project came out of a trip apl took with a group of friends -- including Fil-am celebrities including JoKoy, Chanel West Coast and Cassie -- to the Philippines this year, and apl decided to open the trip up to other kababayans.

Travelers get to travel with apl who will act as a tour guide throughout the Philippines. according to the brochure, the trip will be held from March 12, 2017

to March 19, 2017 and will start off with three days in Boracay and two days in Manila.

For more information, visit. www.facebook.com/famcore.

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B october 13-19, 2016 • LAS VeGAS ASIAN JoUrNAL

EntErtainmEnt

Expect more from Liza Soberano

by Boy

ABundA Philstar.com

It can’t be denied that Liza Soberano’s career took off when she was paired with Kapamilya heartthrob Enrique Gil. the longer they were together onscreen, the closer they became. Liza and Enrique have been there for each other through every phase of their careers.

It was when they started working in the teleserye Forevermore that their reel romance took its first steps towards becoming real.

By the time that show aired its

EMPLOYMENT

finale, everybody believed that they had feelings for each other.

So when their next teleserye Dolce Amore began airing in February 2016, their fans were hungry for more on- and off-screen kilig moments from them. they weren’t disappointed, hence the show’s success.

“Our show’s ratings were high, despite stiff competition from others. Even when we were up against a Koreanovela which they say was No. 1 in Korea, we were 35 percent high,” she says proudly.

When Liza turned 18 early this year, showbiz-watchers thought

she and Enrique would finally become an official couple. However, Liza maintains that she isn’t exactly chomping at the bit to get a boyfriend, even if she’s a legal adult now.

While Enrique proclaimed that he and Liza are “parang boyfriend and girlfriend” and that he and Liza’s father are on good terms with each other, Liza just giggled and said, “We are not into the boyfriend and girlfriend thing. My grandfather told me to wait until I’m 25.”

Liza makes no effort to hide the fact that Enrique makes her heart flutter even when the cameras aren’t rolling. For instance, when she was asked for her opinion on Enrique’s new hairstyle, Liza’s face lit up with a smile.

“For me, short hair looks plump in a guy. But when Enrique had his hair cut, he looked like Justin Bieber of the Philippines with his new short hair,” Liza shares.

Liza also reveals that she has shared with Enrique details of what kind of wedding she wants to have in the future.

“I like simple weddings with just family and close friends. I

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P20-per-photo op with Maine for charity draws flak

by Ronnie

CARRAsCo ManilaTimes.net

don’t want lavish affairs because the solemnity is diminished. Enrique loves to have a house by the beach while I would love to have a wedding by the beach maybe in Maldives or Bora Bora.”

With “Dolce Amore” just ended, LizQuen fans won’t have long to wait to see what else she has in store. Aside from a possible foray into the music scene with her own album, Liza is set to make another movie and teleserye with Enrique.

“It’s going to be different and meant for more mature audiences.

We’ll be doing it with another famous love team, but I can’t tell it yet.”

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REPORtEDLy, a single picture taken with Maine Mendoza will cost a fan P20. No, this isn’t yaya Dub’s income on the side, as the funds generated from the photo op will benefit an institution for the elderly.

We couldn’t help but travel back to the ’70s with this piece of news.

Back then, diehard supporters of Superstar Nora Aunor embarked on a similar fund-raising drive, which they aptly called “Mamera Para Kay Nora (A Penny For Nora).” the estimated P1 million donations were turned over to the National Mental Hospital for charity.

Nora and Maine’s respective campaigns, more than four decades apart, are unmistakably earmarked for a worthy cause. But what’s the value of a penny now if it were still in circulation vis-à-vis a 20-peso bill?

Insignificant as the amount may be, to an ordinary fan P20 is equivalent to half kilo of NFA rice, an MRt ride from Pasay taft-

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PSYCHIC

Maine Mendoza

Rotonda to Boni Ave. station, or 750-ml of a popular cola brand at a retail store.

Herself broaching the very idea of charity work, can’t Maine part with the tiniest fraction of her God-knows-how-much earnings without burdening her fans? Better yet, can she not mount a sponsored show where its proceeds will go the beneficiary institution? In Vignette’s opinion, what a clever way to generate funds at her fans’ expense.

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

Your Immigration Solution Atty. NANcy Miller WHEN people are desperate, they are tempted to take dangerous routes to get what they want even if the chances of success are small and the risk is high.

That is why those in positions of power have a great responsibility to promote wise decisions.

At the very least, they have a responsibility to avoid leading people down a path to disaster.

Unfortunately, not everyone considers that the actions or products they promote might have terrible unanticipated consequences for those who don’t know better.

People from all over the world want to come to live in the United States. However, the

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MoNette AdevA MAglAyA WHEN something goes wrong regarding personal finance, our mental default setting is that we need someone else to help fix the problem.

But if we stop and think about it, there is really nothing new under the sun, as Ecclesiastes says.

Our guidelines for how we should live then as now, come from the Good Book and those the Holy Spirit has chosen and guided to explain and interpret its doctrine in the context of modern life.

These days, we click on Google and make it our personal adviser, our own impersonal Yoda. For anything we need to know, we’re just a click away online for mountains of information to inundate us. It can all be disconcerting and confusing. It’s like tackling the Library of Congress in one go. Don’t despair. There’s hope yet. We can simplify and refer to that old why and how-to manual for all times and seasons.

The sub prime mortgage mess was a sorry and foolhardy attempt by liberals in the government power structure to democratize what was never meant to be a level playing field. This made it possible for millions who could not afford and should not qualify

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On the wings of sham marriages desire does not necessarily lead to the reality. Not everyone is eligible to immigrate to the United States. One must qualify under either family-based or employment-based categories in order to make that happen.

(There are other requirements but now is not the time to discuss them). Everyone knows you can’t choose your parents. And if yours don’t have US status, they can’t help you get it. Having a child in the United States and waiting 21 years for them to petition for you (and avoiding being deported during that 2 decade – plus wait) seems a bit drastic. Some people willing to take the longer view do choose their career on the basis of how that will help them immigrate but, that, too, is not something that happens immediately. And some may not want to wait.

But marriage to a United

States citizen can make a green card happen. When a person who desires to immigrate falls in love with a United States citizen and the feeling is mutual and they decide to create a life together, the law provides that the citizen can file a petition for the immigrant that will lead to a green card. Some people, however, are not fortunate enough to find someone that they want to share their life with who can also get them legal status. They can then be tempted to enter into marriages solely for the purpose of getting a green card.

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

The good book on money “Life is a journey and the heavier the luggage, the shorter the distance covered.” for a mortgage to be approved for loans they could not carry. A little known phrase in the Book of Proverbs for those who put up “security for debts” serves as stern warning, “… your very bed will be snatched from under you.” If only we took heed of the wisdom of the ages written in the Bible, we could have saved ourselves a lot of grief and gnashing of teeth.

Strive to live relatively debtfree. Sharply define what is a need and what is a want. For most things, frugal gurus tell us to buy only when we have the cash for it. Don’t mortgage your future for a mere whim, particularly that which strokes your ego. Debt can have you in a stranglehold. Many have found this out a tad too late when the recession hit.

Steer clear of scams particularly from high places. Bernard Madoff, the biggest Ponzi convicted scammer doing time in jail, had a Wall Street address. He had a steady gaze and an air and demeanor of respectability and trustworthiness about him belying a heart of darkness.

But greed went both ways.

Madoff’s victims did not question why they were getting consistently great returns on their invest-

ments for as long as their phony statements were rosy year after year for decades.

Then the financial bomb exploded when the US and the global economy ground nearly to a halt in recent times and no new investors can be suckered in by the monumental Ponzi scheme Madoff and his cohorts hatched.

Built on a big fat lie, it collapsed like a house of cards.

What a monstrous mess it was and still is. The tedious efforts at clawing back some of the money spent on a shamelessly luxurious lifestyle was as grueling as pulling teeth from a Tyrannosaurus Rex. One of Madoff’s sons, unable to bear the shame and ignominy sadly hung himself with a dog’s leash in his Manhattan apartment leaving behind a wife and children who would like to escape the stigma of the Madoff name. The other son died of an illness. His wife now bears the brunt of his crime. Madoff’s sentence is 150 years behind the slammer. Considering the distress and sorrow he has brought others, a thousand years would probably still be inadequate.

Was there something from the PAGE B7

And most people in sham marriages do get caught. CIS investigates marriages to determine that they are real. Real does not just mean legal. It means based on a real relationship. The legal term is “bona fide”. If it determines that the marriage is not bona fide, it will, of course, deny the petition. But the problem does not end there.

The immigrant is placed into Removal Proceedings where he or she faces the very real possibility of being deported. And a subsequent marriage, or a petition from another family member or employer will not help. Because a separate ramification is that the immigrant who has been found to have entered into marriage in order to get a green card is permanently barred from getting any benefits as a petitioner or a beneficiary of any family-based or employment-based petition.

Health@Heart PhiliP S. chuA, Md, FAcS, FPcS WHAT children eat greatly determines their growth and development, the integrity of their immune system, their body’s ability to ward off infections and diseases, and their morbidity and longevity.

The other essential factors are their daily physical activities, abstinence from harmful substances, like tobacco and illegal drugs, and disciplined intake of alcoholic beverages. While genetics play a role in all this, it has been proven that a healthy lifestyle can significantly benefit even those individuals with some of the so-called “bad” genetic traits.

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

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

When the baby is four to six months, pediatricians usually

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

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

Of course, a common response is “everyone does it” or “my friend did it”. But that does not make it right or legal. When a desperate person sees someone they admire succeeding in a course of action, they may be tempted to do the same. It has resulted in many people asking

those in the legal community if they should do the same. So the answer is an unequivocal No! No matter how desperate you are, you should not take steps that will make your situation worse.

And to find out how to resolve your immigration problem, consult with a licensed, reputable, experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney. *** Reeves, Miller, Zhang & Diza 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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Our children’s food recommend introducing them to solid foods, like a teaspoon of semi-liquid iron-fortified rice cereal and other grains like oats or barley, mixed with breast milk or formula, and gradually increasing it to a tablespoon twice daily. At age six to eight months, introduce pureed or strained fruits (banana, pears, applesauce, peaches) and vegetables (squash, well-cooked carrots, sweet potato, avocado).

Until 3 years old, it is the best time to teach children to love and eat healthy food like vegetables, fruits, fish, white chicken meat, instead of pork and beef and other red meats, which are all high in unhealthy animal saturated fats and cholesterol. When bad habits have settled in at age 2 or older, they are hard to break. This where we, as parents and as a society, have failed our children — the future leaders of our country.

And since effective teaching is by example, we, parents and grandparents, must practice what we preach. The do-what-I-say, not-what-I-do, command will never work.

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

The menu for school lunches in the United States, by and large, is a social injustice, says chef Ann

Cooper, known as the Renegade Lunch Lady, who is “transforming how U.S. children eat, one federally-subsidized school lunch at a time.”

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

As Cooper says, “when we feed children with a diet high in sugar and corn syrup, they just can’t think, and if kids are not well-nourished, they can’t excel.”

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

At least 32 percent of children and teenagers in the United States are overweight or obese. And Asians, especially Filipinos, are not lagging far behind in this pandemic. Obesity leads to increased risk of developing diabetes and other metabolic illnesses, hypertension, heart disease, stroke, Alzheimer’s and even cancer.

In this day and age of lightning speed telecommunication, media, and rapid internet access, we simply have no excuse to remain ignorant of scientific data on how to live a healthy lifestyle for maximum longevity and productivity, PAGE B7

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alendar of Events

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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS o c to b e r 1 3 -1 5

“Fiesta Atenista II” at the 12th all-Ateneo Alumni Convention in Las Vegas The festivities will be held at the Flamingo Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. For complete event activities and registration, visit the convention’s website at www.aaana-atenista.org. For more information, contact Liz Carpenter at (702) 862-9212 / ecarpenterh@ aol.com or Dr. Rodrigo ‘Jun’ Farrales at (702) 373-4326 / jun_farrales@yahoo.com.

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Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers in San Francisco Ryan Cayabyab and the Ryan Cayabyab perform ‘100 years of song’ at Herbst Theatre at 7:30 p.m. Maestro Ryan, the Philippines’ top composer (“Kay Ganda Ng Ating Musika,” Tuwing Umuulan” and more) presents his handpicked vocal group singing his arrangements and beloved hits. Tickets are at www.cityboxoffice.com, Herbst Theatre is at 401 Van Ness Ave, San Francisco, CA 94102.

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Free parenting class in Eagle Rock, California A free parenting class will be offered on Saturday, October 15 at Eagle Rock Lutheran Church. The class will be at 10 a.m. and will focus on resolving family conflicts. The address is 5032 Maywood Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041. To RSVP, please call Mira Gonzaga at (323) 304-9898.

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

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Adjust status or consular process?

Immigration Corner Atty. MAriA ritA reyes-stuby And bernAdette bretAnA Indeed our world feels smaller. The norm is ‘global’; be it in business or love. Travel abroad has become a ‘must’ for businessmen in order to keep up and promote international trade growth. With the advent of the Internet, prevalence of social media, long distance love affairs are a breeze. One client talks with his fiancée on Skype everyday and it is just like living together, being privy to each other’s daily affairs.

Progress in third world countries has given rise to entrepreneurial growth. Successful small business owners can easily convince consular officers of their need to travel to the United States to market products or learn new strategies. In the course of the visits to the U.S., love meets destiny but might cause an immigration problem..

Almost 3 decades ago, for citizens of some countries a tourist visa (“B1B2”), is nearly impossible to obtain. This visa type allows one to enter the U.S. as a visitor for business and/or pleasure.

Times have changed, in the spirit of globalization and promotion of international trade, it is very likely that a budding entrepreneur can apply for and obtain a multiple entry 10 year B1B2 visa. If a romantic relationship gets mixed up with the business, let’s consider that ‘collateral damage’. But is it

really “damage” in the real sense of the word? It depends. not if the change of circumstances would enhance the alien’s business prospects , i.e., the alien-spouse can re-establish/extend the business in the U.S. It is a ‘damage’ if the alien has to totally give up a money-making, successful business venture, located outside the US. To relocate or stay put when the U.S. citizen partner suddenly proposes marriage (and forget all about your entrepreneurial success), is a hard decision to make.

Recently, I have had clients asking about other options (aside from staying and later adjusting status) available if they would rather hold on to the multiple entry tourist visas while continuing to manage their business (or at least find time to close shop or assign management to another), without losing the love of their life or the marital loving relationship. entering the U.S. on a B1B2 visa is not a permission to enter to marry.

But the foibles of human nature can lead to a marriage proposal and the start of a life with the U.S. citizen spouse. do you stay or do you pass? In the meantime, the foreigner’s business responsibilities across the globe cannot be ignored. The decision to get married is not an immigration issue; in fact it is a right protected by the Constitution. Immigration steps in only when the marriage is not entered in good faith. The distinction whether the marriage was entered into in good faith or not is hard to establish. If the decision is to marry and start a life together as a couple in the U.S., then the process will be adjustment of status. determining the foreigner’s intent upon entry into

the U.S. is crucial. Was there an Intention to go home before the permission to stay expires? Was a round-trip ticket purchased before coming to the U.S.? Are there medical or criminal concerns that would prevent the foreigner from being approved for an immigrant visa by a consular officer (at the U.S. embassy abroad) whose decision to bar a foreigner’s entry is not appealable? If the option is to adjust status, at least both are in the U.S. and whatever waiver should be filed, the married couple are physically together while the petition is being adjudicated. Going back home before the permitted stay expires and processing the spousal visa through a U.S. embassy abroad (consular processing) can be a better practical option. The wait is not a long one as a spousal visa is immediately available (approx..

9-12 months). The wait will actually allow the alien spouse to settle business affairs in preparation for residence abroad.

Some people have the best of both worlds, being born in a country with visa waiver status but the realities of immigration is evolving. Hardly any place is unreachable, for now though, you have to choose wisely. *** Maria Rita Reyes-Stuby is a licensed attorney in Michigan. She is a graduate of the University of the Philippines College of Law. She specializes in immigration and practices in Las Vegas, Michigan, California and other states. Bernadette Bretana, a graduate of the Ateneo Law School and Ms. Stuby are licensed attorneys in the Philippines. Please call @702-403-4704 or email her at stubylaw@aol.com or go to www.mrstubylaw.com for any questions on this article.

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

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

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

By Monet

Lu

MAny say that age is just a number. Adding another year to your life means adding another chance at opportunities, meeting new people and making a difference – and the cycle continues.

I, for a fact, agree with that sentiment but not because I deny the reality of getting older, but because I know that I have a reason to celebrate the years that are being added to my existence.

We call that reason: FRIendS. The real ones – those who make the years worth living and give us a reason to be grateful.

Such is the day when my good friend Sonia Bermejo celebrated her birthday on Saturday, October 1 at the JW Marriott hotel in downtown Los Angeles. It was hosted by a good friend of ours, Camille Agbayani, who was the Beautiful Life Celebration’s 2015 Queen of the Philippines – Universe.

Camille and Sonia have been friends for quite some time, after meeting in the Philippines in 2008.

Camille is the founder and owner of L’Aura Wellness in Artesia. It is a one-stop shop for body and facial contouring. She is a kindhearted businesswoman, and is very amiable.

Camille loves to be around pleasant people. It has always been her goal to help others gain self-confidence. She is an advocate of unleashing one’s inner beauty and letting it shine. She has set her mind on finding more ways and means to stay healthy and youthful.

It was nice to see both Camille and Sonia. due to our busy schedules, I seldom see Camille. She really went out her way to make Sonia’s day special. I was actually touched by the gesture. It’s very sweet of her to host the event and invite friends and families to wish our dear celebrant a happy birthday.

As for the birthday girl – a dear friend of mine – her relentless faith and determination made it very easy for me to appoint her as executive director of The Beauti-

Sonia Bermejo’s birthday celebration: A gathering of real people and true friends

ful Life Celebration in 2015, a Filipino-American commemorative program that I’ve been running for five years. Sonia’s drive for excellence is so contagious, which I love about her.

But what I love the most is her warm personality and love for people. She is one of the most accommodating individuals I’ve known. Watching her entertain her guests at her party reminded me how worthwhile it is to have true friends stand by you all these years. I am lucky to be one of the people to wish her more blessings in life.

I say blessings as I allude to what Sonia always tells people regarding the successes that she achieves.

“It’s really all because of God’s grace and His wonderful plan.

All these blessings wouldn’t be possible without God’s plan. I can only do so much…Fulfill my duties, follow my passion…But none of that is possible if God did not lay it out for me. I am so thankful to Him,” she says.

Sonia is currently the publisher and executive director of a magazine called, “Manila UP!” It was recently launched in Manila and was

hosted by Ilocos Sur ex-governor and current narvacan councilor Chavit Singson.

Sonia is also one of the board members of the FAPCCA (Fil-Am Press Club of CA) and the vice president and a board member of the RSG Foundation. She also runs her own property management business. even before coming to the U.S., she’s been in the media and entertainment industry in the Philippines. Supplied with talent and ambition, she climbed the corporate ladder as a public relations director for a well-known gourmet restaurant as well and was an account executive-turned-account manager for a major network in the Philippines.

“All of blessings that I’ve been receiving and has received are from God. I believe He gave me amazing opportunities so I can also give back by helping other people, which I love doing. I am so happy and honored to have this party. Camille knows that I am not into the whole big birthday bash thing but she is just a darling and insisted that it’s a great time to spend wit friends and family,” PAGE B7

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Everlita Rivera David and Relly Coloma in concert at the Smith Center: ‘Songs, Music & Memories’ A DUO of world-class performers who started their international music careers in the Philippines as concert, TV and recording artists will be featured at The Smith Center of Performing Arts, Cabaret Jazz Hall, on October 26, Wednesday, 7:00 pm and October 30, Sunday, 4:00 pm.

Internationally-acclaimed operatic soprano Everlita Rivera-David and multi-awarded Yamaha keyboard champion and renowned instrumental recording artist Relly Coloma will be assisted by the talented pianist-composer-arranger Larry Walker, keyboardist and band leader Mary Willkom along with the Las Vegas FilAm Chorale. They will perform beautiful sounds of classical and modern arrangements of popular hits, movie themes, Broadway, opera,

Everlita Rivera-David

Filipino ballads and Gospel songs for a delightful evening of “Songs, Music & Memories”.

Ms Everlita Rivera (David) is listed in the top 10 of the “The Greatest Filipino Voice of the Century” (Philippine Star) and the “50 Golden Voices of the Philippines” list by the National Press Club of the Philippines.

She discovered her singing abilities when she auditioned for the UP Concert Chorus to get a scholarship to enroll at the UP Business Administration College.

The late Prof. Aurelio Estanislao (Voice Dept. Chairman) who heard her took her in as a special scholar of the Voice Dept. under his tutelage. He trained her to sing lead roles such as the slave princess “Tuptim” in the Broadway musical, “The King and I”.

He also introduced her to talent scouts which landed her nightly jobs singing with the Ernani Cuenco String Orchestra at the Sulo Restaurant in Makati and the Madrid Restaurant while taking Business courses during the day.

Later she also studied under coloratura soprano Mercedes Matias who trained her in roles such as “La Traviata” and “Lucia de Lammermoor”.

Right after graduation, she went on a world tour as the soloist of the Baranggay International Folk Dance Company, wherein international music critics raved over her powerful voice especially her arrangement of “Sa Kabukiran” with a robust high D

Sonia Bermejo’s birthday...

PAGE B6 Sonia added.

Well, it was indeed a wonderful gathering and I’m glad that Sonia did not refuse such a generous and well-deserved offer from a very thoughtful friend.

To two of the most generous and loving people I know, I wish you both good health and more success. And once again, happy birthday my dear Sonia, may you continue to bless other people.

*** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada.

Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable mar ting campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

The good book on money PAGE B5 Good Book to caution us about this? The one that comes to mind intended for scammers like Madoff and his ilk, is of course, “Thou shalt not steal.”

Scams are no more than sophisticated thefts generated these days from the comfort of one’s computer in the guise of legitimate sounding paper and lately, quite easily, electronic communication like the Nigerian scam or identity theft. This is the modern version of a hooded, masked robber using a gun in a dark alley. New laws on tracking and enforcement procedures are decades away from dealing with this worrisome social phenomenon that seems able to breach all kinds of barriers. The antidote: continuous education, a smidgen of cynicism and a ton of common sense.

What’s the mantra worth remembering and repeating to one”s self particularly during these days of tight money when scammers are getting more creative and brazen?

Of course, tt’s still that one that says: “If it’s too good to be true, it

probably is.” Well this one isn’t in the Bible but it might very well be.

A similar quotation from the Book of Proverbs bears reiterating: “The naive believes everything, but the sensible man considers his steps.”

In a word, “THINK.” The fictional character Gordon Gecko in the film “Wall Street” asserted that to be rich, “Greed is good.” Not so, said the Bible…

Jesus was clear on the subject. “It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.” Life is a journey and the heavier the luggage, the shorter the distance covered. Though that’s the physical explanation of energy required to carry the luggage weighed down by gravity as we travel, it has some bearings about a spiritual journey towards eternal life. Getting far too attached to material wealth and all its trappings makes one lose his focus of the journey’s goal. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, email monette.maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Our children’s food

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and protecting our loved ones along the way, especially the young children.

Having said all that, there is really no such thing as too late in our quest for healthy lifestyles, no matter how old we are. Simple changes in diet and institution of exercise, for instance, even among those who are over 50, have been shown to positively affect the control of, if not prevent, metabolic diseases, such as arthritis and diabetes, and hypertension, heart disease, stroke, and cancer.

So, while the ideal is to start teaching our kids how to live a healthy lifestyle, as early as in their crib or toddler life, we — whose parents did not know any better when we were growing up — can always mend our ways and start living a healthier lifestyle. Indeed, it’s never too late.

The following excerpts are from my previous column about 14 years ago, entitled “Let’s Stop Killing Our Children With Love”: About nine persons die every minute in the world from cardiovascular diseases brought on by arteriosclerosis, resulting from daily intake of high fat/high cholesterol foods, lack of exercise, and smoking. There is no question that hypercholesterolemia (high cholesterol serum level) plays a major role in hardening of the arteries.

Medical science shows that while the genetic factor is important, only one out of 500 people has the

genetic predisposition to develop familial hypercholesterolemia. That one unfortunate individual has the alibi to have hypercholesterolemia, but the 499 of us simply have no excuse whatsoever to have this problem. And yet, we do — all because of self-abuse. This is nothing but an act of slow suicide on our part!

Just like many illnesses, heart attack and stroke are best prevented.

The best time to start these preventive measures is during infancy, way before the hardening of the arteries begins. We have to stop killing our children with love and start instilling discipline in them while they are in the crib, if we want them to lead long, healthy, happy, and productive lives. We must learn to say “no” to our children, where and when appropriate.

The power is in our hands. Let us not allow them to slip through, especially not in the name of love.

And if we truly love them, we will do what’s best for them, even if it hurts. *** 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

ending.

The rest was history! She was signed up by the Villar Recording studios and recorded classical Filipino kundimans and Visayan songs and signed as the youngest member of the famous Mabuhay Singers. She was simultaneously cast as a regular member of the multi- awarded TV show, “Aawitan Kita”.

Set on becoming an international opera singer and she migrated to the US for further voice studies where she finished a Bachelor’s degree in Music from the University of Hawaii and a Masters degree in Voice Performance from the University of Southern California (Los Angeles) receiving the highest honors including the Pi Kappa Lambda Music Honor.

She was chosen to sing the soprano solos for the Gala Concert of USC’s 100th Anniversary, featuring the USC Symphony and the 200-voice USC Trojan Chorale in Poulenc’s work “Gloria” She was also a soprano soloist for the Honolulu Symphony, Manila Symphony, Budapest Orchestra, UCLA Symphony, El Camino Symphony and the Dominguez Hills Symphony singing Mozart’s Requiem, Beethoven’s 9th Symphony and Handels’ Messiah.

She won First Prize at the NATS Voice Competitions and was a Finalist at the Pan Pacific Metropolitan Opera competitions which sponsored her in a recital at the Lincoln Center in New York.

Soon after, she landed the lead role in Puccini’s “Madame Butterfly” with the Compagnia d’Opera Italiana ( Milan, Italy) who extended her contract to 14 performances in several opera houses in Germany, Netherlands and Switzerland receiving standing ovations and rave reviews from music critics.

Mark Swed (Los Angeles Herald Examiner) wrote: “In the big moments, Ms Rivera delivers the goods. Once her voice rises from a confident middle register, it soars.”

Inge Roenger (Die Weiden Zeit, Germany) wrote: “In Everlita Rivera, who has a heavenly soprano voice, an ideal “Butterfly” was found who Puccini during his lifetime never dreamed would exist.”

Thomas Albertsen (Die Lubbecke) wrote : “ Soprano Everlita Rivera fascinated the ear and the heart with her beautiful round tones and a fine instrument that could sing from delicate pianissimos to powerful and dramatic fortissimos”.

She is the first Filipino soprano soloist to sing at the St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, the Cologne Cathedral (Germany), Votiv Cathedral (Vienna) and the St. Germain Cathedral (Paris). A born-again Christian along with her husband David, she also founded the California-based Gospel Philippines Chorale, an evangelistic choir which toured all over the world bringing the Good News of hope

through Jesus Christ.

Relly Coloma A top recording artist in his native Philippines, pianist Relly Coloma has fascinated people around the world with his music.

He learned the piano from his mother at age five, and has carried his artistry from the Philippines to Canada and then to the United States.

His association with Yamaha dates from 1968, when he served as the Philippines Ambassador of Goodwill while recording almost 70 records, many of them bestsellers, for the Villar Recording Company. At the Awit Awards, the Philippines’ answer to the Grammys, Coloma won Best Instrumentalist in 1970 and the Golden Record Award in 1971.

Upon moving to Canada with his family, he cemented his relationship with Yamaha piano dealers, and won Yamaha Canada’s National Electone Festival in 1974.

That same year, he represented Canada at the International World Concour in Japan.

As a sales professional, Coloma was Yamaha’s Clavinova salesper-

son of the year five years running from 1994 through 1998, and he is a member of Yamaha’s Touchstone STARS dealer recognition program.

Coloma has released a new compact disc titled “THEN &…

NOW”,featuring Filipino songs with contemporary rhythms and “OYE COMO VA” which is a rendition of Spanish tunes.

Coloma received his undergraduate degree from the University of Virginia and earned an Associate Degree in Piano from the University of the Philippines. He and his family live in Las Vegas.

Major Sponsors of the concert include the DARI FOUNDATION, YAMAHA CORPORATION, FRANK’S EUROPEAN SERVICE, LOS PALOS & SEACREST CONVALESCENT HOSPITALS and the UNIFIED CARE SERVICES LLC OF CALIFORNIA. Tickets are $39, $49 and $59 (VIP).

Online orders: www.thesmithcenter.com, Box office: (702) 749-2000.

For more information, please call : (702) 908-8143

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