New York-New Jersey -- November 11 -- 17, 2016

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Volume10 – Issue 7 • 16 Pages

NOVEMBER 11-17, 2016 Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

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Trump wins the presidency, Clinton concedes Fil-Ams react to Trump’s victory

by MoMar

G. Visaya, Christina M. oriel and Klarize Medenilla AJPress

After a long, heated and hard-fought campaign season, the American people have made their choice: GoP candidate Donald J. trump is the next president of the United states.

“I just received a call from secretary Clinton. she congratulated us on our victory and I congratulated her and her family for the campaign. We owe her a debt of gratitude for her service to this country,” trump said in his victory speech, delivered in front of his supporters who gathered at the hilton hotel in midtown manhattan.

As of this writing, trump took 279 electoral votes, versus secretary hillary Clinton’s 228. Clinton, however, won the popular vote with 59,796,805 votes. the real

estate billionaire garnered 59,590,426.

“As I’ve said from the beginning, ours was not a campaign, but rather an incredible and great movement made up of millions of hard-working men and women who love their country and want a better, brighter future for themselves and for their families,” he continued.

President Barack obama delivered a speech at the rose Garden early Wednesday afternoon, November 9. obama said that he had a chance to talk to Presidentelect trump about 3:30 am on Wednesday and invited him to come to the White house to talk about a successful transition between their presidencies.

“Now, it is no secret that the Presidentelect and I have some pretty significant differences. But remember, eight years ago, President Bush and I had some pretty significant differences,” obama said.

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Duterte congratulates Trump: Mabuhay ka! by dana

sioson AJPress

In this July 18 photo, real estate billionaire Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, take the stage on the first night of the Republican National Convention in Cleveland. Trump won the election as America’s 45th president.

AJPress file photo by Christina M. Oriel

USA

DATELINE Filipina-American philanthropist denies plot to oust Duterte from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

A fILIPINA-American philanthropist and community leader based in New York has denied allegations that she is spearheading a plan to remove Philippine President rodrigo Duterte from power.

Loida Nicolas Lewis brushed the president’s accusations off as “a complete fabrication and totally false,” following his speech on friday, November 4 in which he publicly addressed the supposed plot.

“I am concerned that the president is being given misinformation designed to divide the country and advance the interests of a certain political group while casting filipino Americans in an unfavorable light,” Nicolas Lewis said in a statement.

In his remarks before the Integrated Bar

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NY offers support for more immigrants to become US citizens

NeW YorK — New York officials and community advocates are drumming up support for a statewide naturalization campaign, saying that despite a recent increase in citizenship applications, there are still hundreds of thousands of immigrants across the state who are eligible to become U.s. citizens. the campaign, known as NaturalizeNY, offers vouchers to cover the application fee for applicants who qualify, aiming to maximize the number of citizenship applications, and, in turn, boost the state’s economy. together with the national, nonpartisan network New Americans Campaign, it is

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Supreme Court: Marcos can receive hero’s burial by dana

sioson AJPress

LAte President ferdinand marcos can be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (heroes’ Cemetery) in taguig, the Philippine supreme Court ruled on tuesday, November 8.

With a vote of 9-5-1, the court dismissed the petitions that sought to stop the former president’s interment. the petitioners, including the martial law victims, argued in summary that the burial is allegedly against the law, citing r.A. 10368 or the

human rights Victims reparation and recognition Act as a basis. the court, however, said marcos was not convicted of crimes involving moral turpitude and the cases against him were all civil in nature. the court also lifted its status quo ante order (sQAo) that temporarily halted the Department of National Defense (DND) and Armed forces of the Philippines (AfP) from the burial preparations for the late dictator.

With permission from President rodrigo Duterte, marcos’s burial was supposedly set in september, but the court initially issued an

Antonio appointed as special envoy to US

by Marlon

raMos Inquirer.net

PresIDeNt rodrigo Duterte has appointed real estate magnate Jose e.B. Antonio as special envoy to the United states, according to foreign Affairs secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. In a statement, Yasay described Antonio, chair and chief executive officer of Century Properties Group, as the “perfect choice for the position” due to his years of experience as a business leader and his “wide network” in the business community in the United states.

“Jose Antonio is well-suited to work in advancing the mu-

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IN his speech before the filipino community in malaysia, Philippine President rodrigo Duterte congratulated Donald trump on his election win as president of the United states.

“Ayaw kong makipag-away kasi nandyan na si trump (i don’t want to quarrel anymore because Trump is now there).

I would like to congratulate President trump.” Duterte said on Wednesday, November 2, a few hours after the U.s. election poll results were announced. “mabuhay ka (May you live)!” Duterte remarked. the Philippine president also drew comparison between him and the new president-elect of the United states.

“Pareho tayo nagmumura. Konting rason lang, mura kaagad. medyo pare-pareho kami, (We are both foul-mouthed. We curse even the smallest things. We were kind of alike),” Duterte pointed out.

Duterte, known for his profanity-laced

Pres. Rodrigo Duterte

Philstar.com photo

speeches against the U.s., also seemed to receive an advice to lower his hostile remarks against the United states.

“Ayaw ko po ng kalaban, but I cannot also – sabi kasi nila, ‘tutal tapos na ang election, nanalo na si trump, why don’t you just shut up? (i don’t want an enemy, but i cannot also – because they said, now that the election is over, Trump already won, why don’t you just shut up?),” he

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Pacquiao back in Senate after victory against Vargas Arum says rematch with Mayweather likely

by AJPress fILIPINo boxing champion and senator manny Pacquiao arrived in manila on tuesday, November 8, to continue his legislative duties after dominating mexican-American boxer Jessie Vargas during their match at thomas & mack Center in Las Vegas.

Pacquiao reclaimed his World Boxing organization (WBo) welterweight title after defeating Vargas via unanimous decision last saturday, November 5. the filipino boxer won on all three scorecards, 114-113, 118-109 and 118-109, in his comeback fight after his several months of retirement from boxing to focus on his senate duties.

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Manny Pacquiao wins match against Vargas

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

A NOVEMBER 11-17, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

From the Front Page

Trump wins the presidency, Clinton…

PAGE A1 t

The president also said that he had a chance to speak with Clinton.

“I could not be prouder of her,” Obama said. “Her candidacy and nomination was historic and sends a message to our daughters all across the country that they can achieve at the highest levels of politics.”

Earlier on Wednesday, Sec. Clinton delivered her concession speech at the Wyndham New Yorker Hotel’s grand ballroom, in front of hundreds of her staff, friends and supporters.

“This is not the outcome that we wanted and we worked so hard for and I am sorry that we did TRANSITION. Pres. Barack Obama welcomed Pres.-elect Donald Trump to the While House on Thursday, Nov. 10 in a meeting that lasted for not win this election for the values 90 minutes. The two leaders have pledged to work together and vowed a smooth transition that will unfold on Jan. 20, 2017, when Trumo we shared and the vision we hold is sworn into office.

Screengrab from the White House for our country,” Clinton said in her first public address after the results of the elections became apparent.

Clinton was supposed to speak Presidential Communications in front of thousands of her supties with the U.S. and pursue an PAGE A1 t Secretary Martin Andanar said porters who gathered at the Jacob independent policy. related.

Meanwhile, hours before President Duterte “looks forward For the past few months since he took seat, President Duterte Duterte’s congratulatory re- to working with the incoming adrepeatedly lashed out the Unit- marks in Malaysia, Malaca- ministration for enhanced Philed States for the latter’s alleged ñang expressed its wish for ippines-U.S. relations anchored interference in the Philippine Trump’s success in his next on mutuaAl respect, mutual ben- PAGE A1 t government’s war on illegal four years as Chief Executive efit and shared commitment to SQAO at the request of petitioners drugs. Duterte also previously and commander-in chief of the democratic ideals and the rule of who sought to stop the burial. The law.” n expressed his intent to severe U.S. military.

SQA, which originally should have expired on September 12, was extended twice until November 8.

The court also said there was no grave abuse of discretion on With the help of a community hosted here by New America PAGE A1 t one of several efforts across the Media in association with the organization whose staff mem- the part of Duterte in ordering country to help eligible immi- National Immigration Forum and bers spoke his native language, the burial of Marcos, and that the he got the assistance he needed. president has the power to decide the New Americans Campaign. grants apply for citizenship.

“I highly encourage immi- on how to use land within the pub“And there are about 915,000 Nationally, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (US- [eligible immigrants] in the entire grants to seek the help of these lic domain, including the Libingan CIS) reported that it has received New York state,” he said, accord- community organizations,” he ng mga Bayani.

Those who voted to dismiss more than 725,000 applications ing to a report by the Center for added. “They’re very helpful.” the petitions include Associate Jorge Montalvo, deputy secfor citizenship so far this year, Migration Studies of New York.

If information on naturalization retary of State of New York for Justices Estela Perlas-Bernabe, a 25-percent increase over the same period last year. This in- reaches more immigrant com- Economic Opportunity, said that Lucas Bersamin, Arturo Brion, crease reflects the upward trend munities, Frugone says, more there’s a chronic lack of informa- Leonardo-De Castro, Mariano Del typically seen during presidential individuals are expected to file tion on naturalization in immi- Castillo, Jose Mendoza, Diosdado Peralta, Jose Perez, and Prestheir applications and become grant communities. election years.

For example, many applicants bitero Velasco Jr. Yet organizers say there are U.S. citizens. “It’s a lot easier On the other hand, Chief Justice still many New Yorkers who are than most people think,” he said, don’t know that a fee waiver is Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno and available for low-income indieligible for citizenship and have “and we’re here to help.”

Syed Jamal, a recently natural- viduals who can’t afford the $680 Associate Justices Alfredo Bennot taken that step. jamin Caguioa, Antonio Carpio, “The truth is, [according to a ized U.S. citizen, said the time citizenship fee.

“We are here to make sure that Marvic Victor Leonen, Francis 2015 report by The Urban Insti- it took to become a citizen was they [immigrants] are wanted Jardeleza dissented. tute], there are over 642,000 in- shorter than he expected.

Justice Bienvenido Reyes ab“It was quick. I filed my ap- here and that they belong here,” dividuals in New York City alone stained from voting. who are eligible for naturaliza- plication in March 2016 and I Montalvo said. “So, those who In a statement, former Senator tion,” said Roberto Frugone, got my citizenship in August,” are below the poverty line, they northeast regional director of said Jamal, who came to the don’t need to pay the application Ferdinand “Bongbong” R. Marcos NALEO Educational Fund, at United States from Bangladesh fee. It’s the government’s role to Jr. thanked the Supreme Court for u PAGE A4 its decision. a recent ethnic media briefing 17 years ago.

Duterte congratulates Trump…

Javits Convention Center on Tuesday evening, a setting that her campaign chose primarily because of the steel building’s glass ceiling and structure which is symbolic of the Democratic nominee being elected as the first woman president of the United States, and thus being able to “shatter the highest, hardest glass ceiling.”

Thousands of supporters gathered inside and outside of the Javits Center and the mood was fun and electric as early as 6:00 p.m. when the gates opened. As the evening progressed, however, some people began leaving when it was apparent that Sec. Clinton’s path to the presidency was becoming narrower as results from the swing states came in.

Most of the people inside the Javits Center opted to stay. Eventually, campaign staff told the people who remained inside the convention center that Sec. Clinton would not make an appearance anymore. At around 2:00 a.m., John Podesta, her campaign

manager, said that there would be no announcement until the morning.

“This is painful and it will be for a long time. Our campaign was never about one person or even about one election. It is about the country we love,” Clinton said.

“Donald Trump is going to be our president. We owe him an open mind a chance to lead. Our constitutional democracy enshrines the peaceful transfer of power and we don’t just respect that, we cherish it.”

Fil-Ams for Hillary A number of Filipino-American supporters braved the cold weather as they stayed outside the Javits to wait for the results to come in.

Some of them expressed dismay at the results.

Joshua Ang Price, a Fil-Am from Arkansas who was a delegate for Clinton during the Democratic National Committee, describe the mood inside the convention center.

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Supreme Court: Marcos can receive…

NY offers support for more immigrants to…

VICTORY SIGN. Ilocos Governor Imee Marcos gives the victory sign after the favorable decision of the Supreme Court on the burial of her father, former President Ferdinand Marcos, at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon

“We also would like to extend our sincerest gratitude to President Rodrigo Duterte as his unwavering commitment to this issue sustained us these past several months. Our family will forever be thankful for his kind gesture,” he said.

The younger Marcos said he hopes that his father’s burial will “lead the nation towards healing as we endeavor to move the country forward to give every Filipino a better life.”

On the other hand, several ral-

lies were conducted in different parts of the country, including Quezon City, Makati, Baguio, Los Baños, Cebu, and Davao, to protest against the court’s decision regarding the internment.

Former President Marcos died of kidney, heart and lung ailments in 1989 while in exile in Hawaii after being ousted during the 1986 EDSA Revolution.

His remains were brought back to the Philippines in 1993 and have stayed remained in a glass coffin in Ilocos Norte.

(212) 655-5426 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline USa

Trump wins the presidency, Clinton…

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“The atmosphere at the Javits Center began on a high note in anticipation of an easy victory for Hillary as suggested by national polling data. Jubilation however soon turned to tension once the final data began to roll in. As Trump’s electoral votes began to mount, so did the fear of the crowd. A lot of people were crying. Others angry.

As the long night progressed, few remained hopeful that a victory for Hillary was still possible, but I was one of the ones who remained optimistic,” he said.

Though Clinton’s defeat may come as a blow to many Fil-Am supporters, Price called on them to unite and work together to make sure their voices are heard as the new administration comes in.

“For better or ill, Donald Trump is our president elect and should be treated with the respect accompanying that highest position.

We must work with our president not against him to make positive changes in America for all of us.

I believe the Fil Am community should work to form a healthy dialogue with the Trump administration to enlighten them on the issues which affect us so that our needs and concerns can be addressed and not forgotten,” he said.

Emily Supil, a New York City resident, said she felt “a little defeated” by the results.

“I voted for Clinton today and I had hoped she would be president tonight,” Supil said.

Supil believes that the FBI and email issue were major factors, along with the possibility that the campaign became a little overconfident because they were leading in most of the polls.

“The email issue was a factor and some people questioned who they wanted to vote for. It’s tricky because some people would prioritize certain things over other issues,” she added.

“Half of the country would be upset either way,” Vincent Ganzon said. “I just feel disheartened because I was thinking that the election would go a certain way based on what I have been reading on the internet and seeing in polls.”

“We need to accept the results because that’s how democracy works. Moving forward, I would like to see both parties work together,” Ganzon added.

Wayne Regencia, a resident of Jersey City also expressed his disappointment about the poll results.

“Not just about the election results but about the country as a whole,” Regencia said. “I wasn’t really enthusiastic with Clinton as our candidate but at least we should elect someone who is qualified. He has no knowledge about the issues and gives a good sound bite and people buy it.”

The Filipino American Democratic Club of New York released

a statement congratulating Secretary Hillary Clinton for winning the popular vote in last night’s presidential elections and commending her for her historic campaign and candidacy, and her lifetime of public service. They also expressed disappointment about the results of the polls.

“While FADCNY is deeply disappointed and will be in mourning long after today with the overall results of the election, it is time now to roll up our sleeves to protect our political and policy priorities, including DACA and DAPA at the Federal level. We have no time to waste. These executive actions are now in jeopardy. 4,800 Filipinos who were undocumented have already benefited from a legal status provided by President Obama’s executive actions on immigration, with many more still eligible. We call on Filipino Americans whose immigration status is in question to make a plan to apply for relief, and for green card holders to naturalize as soon as possible, and to organize with immigrant organizations to fight for their rights,” the statement said.

“The results of this election have made one thing clear: Our families are on the line, but we as Filipino Americans are here to stay. We are here to build and protect our community, our families, and our loved ones. We stand ready to safeguard the progress that we have already accomplished, to build our political power, and to rise to the immense challenge before us,” the statement added. “It is critical that our community must step up, and show up, not just for ourselves but for others, so that our needs and priorities are represented. And not just every four years, but every day. Democracy must be our duty practice, and not a chore.”

Fil-Ams praise Trump Leading up to Election Day, the National Asian American Survey (NAAS) reported that over a quarter of Filipino registered voters favored Trump, comprising the largest support out of any of the groups surveyed.

Given the support Fil-Ams had for Trump and the Republican Party, the Republican National Committee (RNC) continued its outreach to the community, especially in battleground states.

“Through the RNC’s historic data-drive ground game operation from the past three years, Republicans up and down the ballot worked with the Filipino-American community, and played a significant role in the success in this year’s election. Republicans will continue to work with the FilipinoAmerican community to ensure their voices are heard, and create policies that will make them easier to have the opportunity to live their American Dream. Under a Trump Administration and a GOP majority in both chambers of Congress, our nation will thrive

PACQUIAO ARRIVES WITH BATO. Filipino boxing champ Manny Pacquiao holds his WBO Welterweight belt with PNP chief Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa during his arrival at the NAIA Terminal 1 in Pasay City on Tuesday, Nov. 8. Pacquiao beat Jessie Vargas in a unanimous decision on Saturday, Nov. 5 in Las Vegas.

Inquirer.net photo by Raffy Lerma

Pacquiao back in Senate…

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In a ringside interview, Pacquiao said he is very happy regarding the outcome of their match but expresses a little regret for being unable to knock Vargas out.

He then thanked his fans and the Filipino people for their support.

Meanwhile, for Vargas, his fight with Pacquiao was like a “chess match.”

“We were on our toes trying to catch a big shot. He caught me a couple of times, I caught him a couple of times. It was an entertaining fight,” Vargas said.

“It was very interesting for me.

It’s a good learning experience being against one of the best such as Manny Pacquiao. This automatically elevated my game and I know I have more potential,” he added.

Asked about his next match,

Pacquiao said he doesn’t know yet who’s going to be his next contender.

“I don’t know, whoever the people wants to fight me. Whoever my promoter gives to me, I will fight,” Pacquiao said.

On the other hand, promoter Bob Arum told ESPN on Monday, November 7, that there’s a 75 percent chance that Pacquiao will have a rematch against Floyd Mayweather Jr. The retired American boxer earlier surprised the crowd as he made an unexpected appearance at Thomas & Mack Center to watch Pacquiao’s match.

In May 2015, Mayweather was declared the winner by a unanimous decision in his match against Pacquiao at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas and announced retirement later in September. n

Antonio appointed as special…

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tual interests of both countries,” Yasay said, adding: “His strong business leadership will steer the Philippines’ trade and economic goals in the right direction and help seize opportunities for both public and private sector Philippine-US businesses while promoting robust relations in the 21st century.”

As special envoy, Antonio was

tasked to “enhance business ties and strengthen the economic affairs” of the two countries.

The real estate magnate established the Philippine-China Business Council when he served as a special envoy with the rank of ambassador to China in 2005.

Antonio currently serves as director of the US-Philippines Society, a group of business leaders. n

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 11-17, 2016

Filipina-American philanthropist denies plot…

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of the Philippines’ regional convention in Manila, the Philippine president said that “those who are of Western persuasion” are working to unseat him from office.

“Yung ayaw sa akin, madali yan… (It is easy to deal with those who are against me…), no need for coup d’etat…you are wasting your bullet,” he said.

The president went on to say that he is ready to step down from his post without being coerced.

“Go to Malacañang, we’ll have coffee and I myself will swear you to run this Republic and solve the problem. Walang problema (No problem).

Next year, there will be mass demonstration, for all I care. Wala akong illusions (I don’t have illusions). Do not give me a reason to go out because you might get your wish,” he said.

Though he did not directly name Nicolas Lewis, he mentioned that a prominent funder of the ouster is “an affluent businesswoman.”

He also mentioned billionaire George Soros’s financing of Human Rights Watch, one of the many organizations that has raised alarm over the Philippine government’s controversial crusade against illegal drugs.

“They have funding money. They will really attack to justify. They chose me... they’re pounding on me. That is fine, editorials every day,” the president said. “I can swallow that.”

Rumors of a plot first came to light in September when Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar revealed that Fil-Ams in New York were “hatching a plan to oust the president by January 2017.” He said that the information came from a cabinet secretary who was visiting the city at the time.

Despite the accusations, Nicolas Lewis wrote a letter to Sung Y. Kim — the new U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines who was officially sworn in on Thursday, November 3 — asking the U.S. government to support Duterte’s anti-drug campaign with rehabilitation programs.

“With all due respect, may I suggest that you offer him assistance in the rehabilitation of the 800,000 drug addicts and drug dealers who have surrendered and are now in prison all over the u PAGE A4 country?” she wrote.

and be a huge improvement from the failed liberal policies of the last eight years,” Ninio Fetalvo, APA press secretary of the RNC, said.

“I voted for a change in America,” Cecile Ramos, a Fil-Am community leader in Los Angeles, said. “And I believe Donald Trump represents that.”

Dolly De Leon, a business owner and avid Trump supporter in Las Vegas, said the Republican’s win was a “real surprise.”

“The ‘Silent Majority’ is not silent anymore after Trump wins.

Many were shocked not just surprised. Pollsters were wrong and even lied to the public for the purpose of swaying voters or intimidating Trump’s supporters. Many Filipino Americans did not vote for Trump because they were not really informed of the platform of the Trump campaign,” she said.

Ron Villaneuva, a member of the Virginia House of Delegates, congratulated Trump and Vice President-elect Mike Pence for their win.

“As a member of your Asian Americans for Trump Advisory Board, I was honored along with my colleagues from all the Asian American communities to work alongside you and help advance our communities and America.

We have a lot of work ahead of us as we work to fix a broken national government. We look forward to working with you and your administration in helping to create and sustain jobs here in America, fix a broken immigration system, restore our prominence in the international community, and have government working for us

A

New U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim receives a letter from NY-based philanthropist Loida Nicolas Lewis after he was sworn in at the U.S. State Department on November 3. Lewis suggested drug rehabilitation assistance for the Philippine government.

Photo by Eric Lachica

She added that she met with the Philippine president in June and remarked that “he has the genuine intention to lead the Filipino people out of poverty, criminality and corruption.”

Nicolas Lewis was married to the late Reginald Lewis, the first African American to own a billiondollar company, TLC Beatrice International Holdings.

Since taking office, Duterte has made remarks against the United States, one of the Philippines’ long-time allies. Following his first state visit to Beijing, he suggested a military and economic break from the U.S. in favor of aligning with China and Russia.

On Friday, he also slammed U.S. President Barack Obama anew for the latter country’s “threats of aid withdrawal.”

“Mr. Obama, what went wrong? Get your dictionary. Find out the right meaning of dignity,” Duterte said.

The U.S., however, has reiterated its commitment to maintaining its relationship with the Philippines.

In three and a half months, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded more than 3,000 individuals killed, which include deaths from both legitimate police operations and vigilante killings.

(Christina M. Oriel / AJPress)

A NOVEMBER 11-17, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (212) 655-5426

Fil-Ams share experience voting for the first time in US election

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

MARCOS BURIAL PROTEST. Militants protesting the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani are blocked by layers of police personnel near the Supreme Court in Manila. The Supreme Court has allowed the burial of former dictator Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (LNMB). Voting 9-5, the high court dismissed the petition filed by human rights groups Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon and victims of martial law.

Trump wins the presidency, Clinton…

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instead of against us. On behalf of our Filipino-American community, America is great because of its people so let’s all unite, work hard, and move our country forward,” he said in a letter addressed to Trump and Pence.

Villanueva was one of five FilAms on Trump’s Asian Pacific American (APA) advisory board, a group tasked with briefing the campaign about issues relevant to the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) population.

“Filipinos in America should rejoice with those who believed in Donald Trump from the beginning I honestly believe that President Trump will be the president for all and will do what he had promised during his campaign,” De Leon added.

Poll: Clinton wins AAPI vote Although Trump won the election overall, exit polling shows that Hillary Clinton won over more Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) voters by a landslide. An exit poll conducted

by Asian American Decisions on the eve of the election showed that Clinton won over 75 percent of the AAPI compared to Trump’s 19 percent -- 5 percent voted for another candidate.

Across all the surveyed groups -- Filipino, Chinese/Taiwanese, Indian, Japanese, Korean and Vietnamese -- Clinton received the most votes in the poll, titled 2016

Asian American Election Eve Poll.

Clinton handily won the AAPI electorate in eight key states: California (79 percent), Nevada (60 percent), Texas (73 percent), Florida (72 percent), North Carolina (73 percent), Illinois (84 percent), Pennsylvania (83 percent) and Virginia (78 percent).

Researchers also measured “emotional drive” in this survey.

When asked whether each candidate ever made them feel angry, afraid, proud or hopeful, 51 percent said that Clinton made them feel “proud” and 62 percent made them feel “hopeful.”

In comparison, 68 percent of AAPI voters said that Trump made them feel “angry” and 54 percent said he makes them feel “afraid.”

“Roughly one out of every three Asian American voters nationwide lives in California -- that’s 1.8 million Asian American voters in California alone,” Dan Ichinose, Director of the Demographic Research Project at Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, said in a statement.

“This poll showed that Asian American voters in our state were particularly angry at Trump and afraid of the consequences of him being elected,” he added.

Asian Americans are the fastest growing demographic in the United States, according to Census Bureau statistics. Moreover, they are the fastest growing electorate in the country, meaning the Asian

American vote becomes more influential with every coming election, according to Jill Hanauer, President of Project New America.

“Despite the results of last night’s election, this poll shows that the Asian American electorate is quickly becoming a significant factor in national elections and only underscores the need for progressives to invest more research on AAPI voters,” Hanauer said.

She added: “Like the Latinos, AAPI voters are not monolithic, and both parties will need to better understand the community if they want to tap into unrealized potential in this growing electorate moving forward.”

The poll comprised of a sample of 2,391 registered voters and was conducted from November 1-7. The group samples included Chinese or Taiwanese (496), Filipinos (329), Indian (589), Japanese (216), Korean (217), Vietnamese (380) and “Other Asian” (164). Participants were contacted through phone calls and online polling. The national margin of error was 2 percent.

The poll was initiated by AAPI Civic Engagement Fund and was sponsored by Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles, Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Education Association and Service Employees International Union. n

YEY Coronel has been a Southern California resident since 1981, but this year marks her first time voting in an election.

Despite her decades-long career in civic service, which includes serving under two Los Angeles mayors, it may come as a surprise that it was only this past September when she was swornin as a U.S. citizen.

“Doing immigration for the Filipino American Service Group, Inc. (FASGI) made me start thinking that all these people wanted to be citizens as soon as they’re eligible. I’ve been eligible for years, but I’ve been shunning it,” Coronel, the current executive director of non-profit organization FASGI in Los Angeles, told the Asian Journal. “It made me go through a self-realization that I’m actually more American than Filipino.”

Though she contemplated voting by mail, she opted to physically go to a precinct near her home in the San Fernando Valley on Election Day to undergo the entire experience of lining up, filling out the ballot, and wearing an “I Voted” sticker.

California’s ballot, which included 17 propositions in addition to the races on the federal, state, and local levels, was overwhelming, Coronel said.

“My life experiences have

shaped who and what I am voting for. For the candidates, I’m looking at their qualifications. I am looking at not just capability, but for someone who is more trustworthy,” she said.

However, she revealed that she chose not to vote for a commander-in-chief.

“By not voting for president, I am making more of a statement that the [Democratic and Republican] parties need to be more responsible in choosing their candidates,” she said. “I worry about people who say they’re voting for one because they don’t want the other to win, and I think that’s not right either because it could skew the votes to the other candidate.”

FASGI — an organization based in LA’s Historic Filipinotown that benefits low-income individuals in areas, such as im-

migration, health and wellness and rider relief — got over a dozen Filipinos in the area to register to vote and educated them on how to physically fill out their ballots.

One of the individuals the organization has helped is Florencio S. Mallari Sr., a 78-year-old Filipino who migrated from the Philippines eight years ago.

“I came to the U.S. to save my life. If I stayed in the Philippines, I would have died by now. All of my friends are dead,” Mallari said. “Being a citizen now makes me so happy.”

Since becoming a citizen in March, he has been working to improve his English skills. However, he said he wasn’t aware that Los Angeles offers election materials in Tagalog, which would have made the voting pro-

u PAGE A5

NY offers support for more immigrants to…

PAGE A2 t welcome these people, and so we will cover the cost.”

In the state of New York, additional assistance is available to those who earn too much to qualify for a fee waiver.

The NaturalizeNY initiative, launched by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo in July, offers a lottery for 2,000 naturalization application fee vouchers for lowincome immigrants who don’t qualify for a fee waiver.

The New Americans Campaign, now in its fifth year, holds free naturalization workshops, providing legal assistance and access to in-language services for those applying for U.S. citizenship. In New York alone, it has conducted 330 workshops, leading to over 23,000 applications and saving applicants a total of

more than $23 million between July 2011 and March 2016.

New York City Councilmember Carlos Menchaca, who is the first Mexican American elected to public office in New York City, said becoming a U.S. citizen is one step toward greater civic engagement.

Foreign-born families in the city want their voices to be heard, he said. “And one of the best ways to get your voice heard is to become a naturalized citizen.”

The status of immigrants, he said, is part of legislative discussions on what policies to create to address the needs and concerns of immigrant communities.

“We’ve seen a lot of people who want to change the perspective on the legislation,” Menchaca added. “This is an interesting crossroads.”

Alejandro Paulino, 48, said he couldn’t have been happier when he became a U.S. citizen a few months ago.

He says he has more economic opportunities as a U.S. citizen, and he also has more rights as a citizen of this country.

“I’m very appreciative of all the efforts that these community organizations that helped me to make it happen,” said Paulino, a native of the Dominican Republic. “I’m now a very proud American citizen and I would be able to help others. Hopefully, all my family members will also get naturalized.”

For more information about the New Americans Campaign and upcoming citizenship workshops, go to www.newamericanscampaign.org. (Anthony Advincula/Inquirer.net)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • NOVEMBER 11-17, 2016

A

Fil-Am shortstop helps Chicago Cubs win World Series

by Eric

anthony LicaS AJPress

THE Chicago Cubs quenched a 108-year-old thirst for a Major League Baseball title after winning game 7 of the World Series against the Cleveland Indians on Thursday, November 3.

The Cubs fought back from a 3-1 deficit in the series, winning four matches in a row to end one of sport’s longest running dry spells. In what was guaranteed to be the last game of the 2016 series, they bested the Indians 87 after 10 innings of baseball that stretched past Wednesday evening and into Thursday morning.

Chicago entered the seventh game riding a decisive 9-3 victory over Cleveland at Progressive Field the prior evening. That win was fuelled in no small part by the contributions of 20-yearold Filipino American shortstop Addison Russell, who hit a grand slam in the third inning and sent home five other runners that evening to tie an MLB record with six runs batted in (RBI) during a single world series game. In doing so, he became the first Cubs player to ever hit a homerun with the bases loaded in the season’s final series.

The Cubs acquired the his-

tory-making shortstop in July of 2014 from the Oakland Athletics in exchange for their two starting pitchers at that time, Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel in a trade criticized by a number of analysts. With 95 RBI during the 2016 regular season and solid performance from the infield, Russell went on to prove his value and play a key role in securing the MLB championship for Chicago.

A home run in the first inning

by Dexter Fowler gave the Cubs the advantage early on in the final game of the season. After a scoreless second inning, Kyle Schwarber would round the bases in the third to tie the game.

Chicago answered back in the fourth with a fly ball hit by Russell that sent third baseman Kris Bryant to home plate and another run scored by Ben Zobrist. They would build on their lead through the first half of the do-or-die matchup and wind up ahead 6-3 after the 7th inning.

The Indians rallied in the 8th, causing many Cubs fans to fear that the curse supposedly plaguing their team would not be broken. A run scored by Cleveland’s Jose Ramirez off of a double hit

by Brandon Guyer brought their deficit down to two. Later in the inning, Raja Davis hit a homerun

with a player on base to score two more runs and tie the game.

Jason Hayward got as far as third base for the Cubs in the first half of the 9th. However, Chicago would come away scoreless as they swapped to the outfield, giving Cleveland a chance to break the collective heart of Cubs Fans.

Two caught fly balls and a strikeout later, and game seven of the 2016 world series would make its way into an extra inning.

A 17-minute rain delay stalled the action while stirring the anxiety and anticipation of Cubs fans. Ben Zobrist batted in the first run of overtime with a double that allowed Albert Amora to score. With only one out in the inning, Anthony Rizzo made it to home from third base for the Cubs’s second point of the inning thanks to a single hit by Miguel Montero. Jason Heyward would strike out at the plate, and Javier Baez flied out to conclude Chicago’s time at bat with an 8-6 lead.

The Indians picked up two outs without scoring a run until Raja Davis managed to send Brandon Guyer home with a single.

That would become the last point scored during the historic 2016 MLB season, making the Chicago Cubs this year’s World Series champions. n

Fil-Ams share experience voting…

PAGE A4 t

cess easier for him.

He shared that he was bombarded with mailers that had contrasting messages on how to vote for the various propositions.

“It’ll be a good feeling if who I voted for wins,” Mallari said, though he didn’t reveal which presidential candidate received his vote. “But that’s a secret.”

Fil-Am millennials’ perspectives Eron Constante, a 20-yearold Filipino-American student in Glendale, California, thought everything went smoothly on Election Day, given that he took the time to extensively research all of the ballot issues and candidates. That is, until he realized that he forgot to cast his choice for president after he submitted his ballot.

“I would have voted for Hillary Clinton because the argument of her being the lesser of two evils, I find, is more convincing than Trump is the lesser of two evils,” Constante said, adding that the economy and education are among the top issues he’s most concerned about.

Katrina Villacisneros, 20, went to a nearby retirement center in Arcadia, California to also vote for Clinton.

“As a woman, I feel very proud because when I woke up today, I thought about the 19th Amendment and how lucky I am that I get to vote,” Villacisneros, who moved from the Philippines when she was 10 years old, said.

“There might be a chance that I could see the first female president of the United States and I could say that I participated in creating history,” she added.

Though it’s commonly believed that millennials tend to be more progressive and vote Democratic as a whole, several young first-time Fil-Am voters shared why they voted for Republican nominee Donald Trump.

For Francine Celis, a 19-yearold pre-nursing student from Fort Myers, Florida, in particular, being raised as a Catholic shaped her political beliefs. One of the issues she disagrees with Clinton on is abortion.

“I voted for Trump, even though I don’t agree with him 100 percent,” Celis, who migrated to the Sunshine State from the Philippines in 2006, said. “I think that he can protect our country, our safety, and help increase jobs and opportunities for everybody.”

As a naturalized citizen, she

added that immigration is another area in which she believes Trump can fix.

“My family and I are immigrants, but we came here the right way. I feel that if anyone wants to come to this country for freedom and opportunity, they should come here the same way others do because if you’re going to pardon everyone who comes here illegally, then that’s just sending a message to everyone else to come here illegally and we’ll forgive you,” she said, though she acknowledged that undocumented immigrants contribute to the economy and take jobs that others usually don’t want.

Fellow young first-time voter Felipe Victorino Cataquiz of San Diego was eager to participate in this election, crediting his “love for this country and civic duty” as his main driver to register and vote.

“Growing up in America, I have been blessed with the freedoms and opportunities that other people in countries do not have easy access to,” Cataquiz said.

“I have also been blessed to be raised in the beautiful city of San Diego and witnessed the exceptionalism of America, which has been displayed from American citizens from all walks of life. All of these factors are all due to the principles in which the country is found upon and the free enterprise oriented system that grants them the opportunity to do so.”

He added: “The elections gave me the opportunity to defend these principles that I hold dear today by giving my voice to where I want America to go in based on candidates or propositions.”

Cataquiz, a student at the University of California, San Diego studying biology, also voted for Trump for his positions on taxes, health care, “certain aspects of immigration” and foreign policy.

“While he is not my ideal candidate, he’s better than Hillary Clinton based on policy positions that I find integral to the office,” Cataquiz said.

The future of the Fil-Am vote Meanwhile, just a few streets away from FASGI in Pilipino Workers Center (PWC) has also been doing its part to reach out to voters by organizing 40 volunteers to phone bank three times a week. In the last month, the group made over 10,000 calls to Filipinos, and released a voter guide stating its preferences on the propositions and measures.

Though PWC did not use its

resources to register new voters, the organization’s Executive Director Aquilina Versoza observed that many more Filipinos were motivated to vote on their own.

“We did see more people excited to vote because of all the media coverage,” she said. “We also got people coming to us asking for help processing their citizenship so they could vote, but unfortunately some of them came to us too late.”

In addition to the language barriers seen with older Filipinos, Versoza said several had difficulty reaching the polls.

“Some seniors had challenges actually getting out to the polls physically, but they were excited to vote so we helped them request their mail-in ballots so they could still participate,” she said.

Mallari said even if fellow Filipinos didn’t get to vote during this election cycle, the coming years will be crucial for them to do so.

“Just vote [and] you can help our country here...so the United States can know you voted and you did your part,” he said.

A month before the election, the National Asian American Survey (NAAS) found that 54 percent of registered Filipino voters surveyed said Clinton was their “presidential vote choice.”

27 percent reported that they preferred Trump, the highest favorability rating of the Republican nominee among all surveyed ethnic groups.

“I think predicting voter behavior in this election is very difficult and...this election is more unstable than any other we’ve seen before. If anyone’s predicting who will win, it’s still impossible to tell,” Constante said a few hours before polls closed on November 8.

In California, 410,000 Filipino Americans registered to vote, according to Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles’ analysis of the Secretary of State’s statewide voter file.

“We see this as a start. For us, this was our first bigger effort to try to see how we can get out the Filipino vote,” Versoza said.

“We want to continue to do this every year, whether it is a presidential election year or not...This connected with other issue campaigns, advocacy campaigns, I think, it’s not just about voting but being engaged civically overall so we can get issues addressed that are important to our community.” (With reports from Klarize Medenilla / AJPress)

SHE’S HAD ENOUGH. SAYING that she needed to get rid of the “demon” who has turned her life into a “nightmare,” Senator Leila De Lima on Monday, Nov. 7 asked the Supreme Court (SC) to stop President Rodrigo Duterte from making public statements that malign and degrade her dignity as a woman and as a human being.

ManilaTimes.net photo by DJ Diosina

Duterte cancels US firearms deal EDCA, Balikatan exercises to continue

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte has ordered the cancellation of firearms purchase with the United States after the latter reportedly halted the deal due to human rights concerns in the Philippines.

“I would like to announce now that the 26,000 M16s that was maybe ordered, or were ordered already, I am ordering its cancellation sa police,” Duterte said on Monday, November 7.

Earlier, the U.S. reportedly stopped its plans for the transaction after U.S. Senator Ben Cardin, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, expressed his intention to oppose it over the supposed extrajudicial killings in the Philippines.

Since Duterte took office, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has recorded more than 3,000 individuals killed, which include deaths committed both by legitimate police operations and vigilantes.

“We will just have to look for another source that is cheaper and maybe as durable and as

good as those made from the place we are ordering them. We will not insist on buying expensive arms,” Duterte added.

On the other hand, U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that Washington has “not received any notification” regarding the Philippine president’s cancellation of the firearms deal.

Apart from the arms purchase, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana also announced that some bilateral military drills between the Philippines and U.S. would be stopped.

Among the drills that would be discontinued include the Philippine Amphibious Landing Exercise (PHIBLEX) exercises, and the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) drills.

Sought for comments, Toner said the U.S. has not yet received any formal cancellation of the exercises.

“No, nothing yet. We’ve not received anything officially. Obviously, we’ll also be seeking clarification directly from the president or the president’s office on what he meant,” the U.S. spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the annual joint Balikatan exercise and the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (EDCA) will continue, as approved by Duterte, according to Lorenzana.

“Yearly, it will continue. What will remain are drills on counter-terrorism, humanitarian response, special operations on counterterrorism, engineering projects, civic action,” the defense secretary said.

Previously, Duterte threatened to scrap EDCA, a treaty that allows U.S. forces to be deployed in Philippine territory temporarily for maritime security and humanitarian and disaster response operations.

Meanwhile, the Balikatan focuses on “partnership, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief capabilities, Philippine capability development and military modernization.”

Last month, Duterte expressed his intention to free the Philippines from the presence of foreign military troops in the next two years. He also previously said that he wanted the American troops to leave Mindanao in order to pursue peace talks with the rebels. n

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Features

Judgment

THE burial of Former Pres. Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani (Heroes’ Cemetery) was given a go signal by the Supreme Court on Tuesday, Nov. 8.

Voting 9-5, the high court has put an end to the highly contested and heavily debated issue, dismissing the petition filed by human rights groups, and victims during the Martial Law from 1972 to 1981. The petitioners argued that the atrocities committed under the despotic leader’s regime invalidated his right to a burial at the Heroes Cemetery. Marcos died in exile in Hawaii in 1989, three years after the 1986 Edsa People Power Revolution toppled his two-decade rule.

Ilocos Norte Gov. Imee Marcos, daughter of the late President, welcomed the high court’s ruling and acknowledged that Pres. Rodrigo Duterte supports the favorable ruling.

“Malaki ‘yung naging tulong ni President Duterte kahit ‘di namin hiningi ‘yung tulong niya. (President Dutere helped a lot even if we didn’t ask for it),” she said adding that the family has no plans for the burial and is waiting if there would still be a motion for reconsideration.

“Minsan hindi ko maintindihan kung bakit kailangan pa sa Libingan. Marami namang iba diyan.

Sa Ilocos, ang laki-laki. Pero sundalo po ang tatay ko e. (Sometimes I do not understand why [we need to bury him] at the Heroes’ Cemetery. There are many other out there. In Ilocos, it’s vast. But, my father is a soldier),” she explained.

For Former Sen. Bongbong Marcos, the Supreme Court decision was a fulfillment of his wishes.

“As a son, it is something that I have been praying for for many, many years,” Marcos told CNN Philippines in a phone interview. “Even equally, it’s important with the belief that this was for the healing process in this country,” he added.

The younger Marcos also thanked Pres. Duterte for his support.

“This is a recognition of the rights of my father as a veteran of the war and a president for 20 years and we thank the justices of the Supreme Court for recognizing that right,” he said. The former senator also called for the healing and reconciliation of “whatever differences or schisms there might be in the political arena in our country.

Several groups have already mounted rallies across the country to express indignation and protest the Supreme Court’s decision.

Could it be that the very branch of government seeking to determine what is “Constitutional” is the very same body finding ways to circumvent it?

In its decision the Supreme Court said it “must uphold what is legal and just and that is not to deny Marcos his rightful place at the LNMB.” However, it should have also recognized Republic Act No. 10368,

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

which allows for the “reparation and recognition of victims of human rights violations during the Marcos, regime, documentation of said violations, appropriating funds therefor and for other purposes.”

The law guarantees that the State “acknowledges its moral and legal obligation to recognize and/or provide reparation to said victims and/or their families for the deaths, injuries, sufferings, deprivations and damages they suffered under the Marcos regime” to restore their honor and dignity.

The high court must handle this situation in a

manner that will promote civil liberties and provide a ground for peaceful resolution of political conflicts.

Today, Filipinos celebrate one of the world’s most vibrant democracies. This ideology gives the people the power to demand for greater and social and economic equality.

We must never forget that in order to get here, it took enduring and toppling 20 years of draconian dictatorship. Many lives were sacrificed to achieve the freedom and equality Filipinos enjoy today. (AJPress)

Does Marcos deserve a hero’s burial?

THE headline back home in the Philippines eclipsed the U.S. Presidential Election last November 8. The Supreme Court of the Philippines just ruled that the remains of the deposed dictator Ferdinand Marcos may be buried in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

The highest court’s 9-5 decision ended a decadelong debate: did Marcos deserve to be buried with heroes who fought and died for the Philippines? This ruling effectively junked seven consolidated petitions to block Pres. Rodrigo Duterte’s move to allow the burial of the late dictator in the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

According to the Supreme Court ruling, Duterte did not abuse his executive power in giving the go signal for Marcos to be buried in the Libingan, as advocated by the Marcos family.

The High Court explanation concurred with Duterte’s rationale, stating that Marcos is qualified to

be buried in the Libingan because he was a former president, comThe Fil-Am mander-in-chief, a soldier, Medal of Valor awardee, legislator, and Perspective Secretary of National Defense.

Not many kababayans are happy about the Supreme Court decision, even among those who gel SantoS-ReloS voted for Duterte.

But Malacañang said the Duterte administration hopes the matter will finally be laid to rest so that the nation can move forward.

Among the many arguments against the Supreme Court decision was that of Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who was then head of the UP student government during the Marcos regime. His message articulated the disgust and opposition of Filipinos about this issue. To quote Sen. Pangilinan:

“This is a horrible day for democracy.

Thanks to the Supreme Court, the Philippines will be a laughing stock of the world. We kicked out a reviled dictator and now we are honoring him by burying him in our national heroes cemetery. No less than our Supreme Court wants our citizens, our children to honor a plunderer and tyrant. This is shameful and deplorable.

Now the Supreme Court wants Mr. Marcos, who it previously called a “dictator…who caused twenty years of political, economic and social havoc in the country”, buried alongside our heroes.

Rather than effect closure as the final arbiter of all disputes, the Supreme Court has reopened old wounds. If the Supreme Court thinks it has the final

say on the matter, then they are terribly mistaken.

Burying Marcos in the Libingan has created a huge divide that will haunt the nation for days and years to come.

The law creating the Libingan ng mga Bayani, Republic Act 289, reserved its sacred grounds for heroes to be emulated by “this generation and of generations still unborn”.

Marcos is not a hero. His burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani desecrates our democracy and the memory of those who fought for freedom and justice in our country.” *** 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

Why is Duterte so quiet about the rubout of the century?

IT’S been three days (as of this writing) Commentary since more than 15 policemen of the Eastern Visayas Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) motored for several RigobeRto tiglao hours from their headquarters in Tacloban City, to arrive in Baybay City in the wee hours of the morning, occupied the subprovincial jail, disarmed its warden and guards, and executed Albuera mayor Rolando Espinosa with their Armalite rifles.

The detained mayor had been awakened by the surprise visit of the police search team and asked if he could first go to the toilet. The scene was like shooting a goldfish in a fish bowl, or a sick dog in a pen.

Espinosa, as everyone in the country would know by now after Duterte himself named him as a drug lord, was to become a star whistleblower for the President’s anti-drug campaign. His alleged ‘affidavit.’

This alleged ‘affidavit’ pinpointed protectors of his son’s illegal-drug syndicate, with Senator Leila de Lima at the top of the list and 225 others, including 19 politicians, four judges, 38 policemen, seven CIDG agents, a Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency operative, three from the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology, one Army man, and three from the media.

I haven’t heard of a case that had involved such a brazen execution of a star witness, or anybody else for that matter.

In a cell, by policemen? Even in the most imaginative mafia movie, the assassins of a stool pigeon were hardened inmates — not a platoon of policemen disarming jail guards. Even Marcos and his henchmen at the apex of the dictatorship couldn’t have thought of such an execution.

The killing of Espinosa would, without a doubt, be known as the ‘rubout of the century,’ the most brazen ever here or even elsewhere in the civilized world.

And to think that Espinosa on nationwide television appealed to his son in August: “Surrender na lang tayo kasi tutulungan naman tayo ng ating Presidente at ng ating PNP chief (Director General)

General Ronald Dela Rosa.” (Let’s just surrender, because you see, the President and the PNP chief would help us.)

Marcos had a search warrant What should add to our outrage is that the head of the Eastern Visayas CIDG, Police Superintendent (Lt. Col.) Marvin Marcos, who approved the operation led by Chief Inspector (Major) Leo Laraga, takes us for fools.

They claimed he was holding a search warrant, and based on the claim of an informant he wouldn’t name, there were guns in Espinosa’s cell. Obviously so that it wouldn’t appear the CIDG platoon’s aim was to exterminate Espinosa, another inmate, Raul Yap, was also killed as he allegedly had a gun and even illegal drugs in his cell.

Such ruthless slaughter was undertaken with a very bad script, as Senator Panfilo Lacson and Rep. Romeo Acop, both former police generals familiar with these things, said. Bad, I think since these people think they can either fool us, or frighten us to believe their preposterous story.

I find it strange that the PNP chief, after presumably having been told of the execution, didn’t rush home from his junket in Las Vegas to watch Manny Paquiao’s championship. After all, he had given Espinosa and his son Kerwin his personal protection, that they wouldn’t be killed if they became state witnesses.

What I found stranger, though — and worrying — is that the usually loquacious President Duterte has been totally mum over this crime, which is really a slap on his face, as executed by the police who have been undertaking his war on drugs, his overarching project since he assumed office in July.

He had blown his top and called Ambassador Philip Goldberg an idiot and a gay when the US envoy said that extrajudicial killings threatened our rule of law.

He went into a paroxysm of anger and blurted out “putang ina” when a reporter baited him with a question about what to

say if President Obama raised in an upcoming APEC meeting with him the issue of extrajudicial killings.

But over the Espinosa killing, he has been as timid and quiet as a sheep.

I would have cheered him if he appeared on national TV hours after Espinosa’s killing and shouted putang-ina several times, and addressed a crisp curse at his factotum PNP Chief Ronald de la Rosa (Who was in Las Vegas three days before to watch Manny Pacquiao’s championship fight): “Putangina ina mo Bato, huwag mo nang panoorin si Pacquiao at umuwi ka na at pinatay ng mga bata mo ang star witness ko laban kay de Lima.”

It’s been surreal that not a single word has been heard from our crime-busting President, as if he had not even been informed or heard of the Espinosa execution.

Two speeches, not one word on Espinosa He made two speeches the other day.

In that one on the occasion of the swearing in of the new officers of the National Press Club (NPC), he rambled for over half-hour on various topics – from his view that not all the media men who were gunned down were targeted because they were doing their job but for some other reason, to why he doesn’t support the past administration’s commitments to the world to reduce its carbon emissions but would still have to honor it.

In both speeches, Duterte has said not one word on the Espinosa rubout. It’s a demonstration of the sorry state of the media that the new officers of the NPC didn’t approach him to ask him about the mayor’s brazen murder.

While he hasn’t said a word on the killing, the PNP has been in disarray, with its top officials sending conflicting messages on what happened.

Police Chief Inspector (Major) Jovie Espenido, Albuera municipal police chief, was livid as he asked, sarcastically, why Espinosa was killed over one gun. “It will have a chilling effect on the other witnesses against police and government officials,” he added. Guards of the municipal jail narrated over TV news broadcasts how they were disarmed and threatened to be shot if they resisted, how the CIDG

cut the cell’s chains with a bolt cutter they brought with them, and how one police officer shot Espinosa, right after he asked if he could go to the toilet. The CIDG agents, they claimed, very methodically ripped out the hard disc that contained the closed-circuit TV video of those hours, and took it with them.

Police Superintendent Marcos, the CIDG officer who led the raid, arrogantly claimed during a TV interview that he and his men had no choice but to kill Espinosa because he fought back. As if oblivious to the consequences of such brazen slaughter of a whistleblower, Police Deputy Director General Francisco Uyami Jr. said the incident would be investigated as “a matter of standard procedure.”

Duterte cannot underestimate the consequences of the Espinosa killing and his lack of leadership – so far – in this episode.

Even Senators Panfilo Lacson and Richard Gordon — who defended him against the onslaught of Senator Leila de Lima to prove him responsible for the extrajudicial killings since he assumed power — wouldn’t accept the PNP’s absurd explanation. The Yellow Cult has smelled blood, with its leader, former President Noynoy Aquino, apparently waking up from his stupor to arrogantly tell the media that he is “monitoring the case.”

Duterte’s apparent paralysis in the past three days over the Espinosa slay would be in the same scale as those of President Benigno Aquino 3rd in the Luneta hostage crisis and the Mamasapano massacre.

A strong response needed While I would think that Duterte and his advisers, especially the veterans of so many political crises, would certainly know how to handle the crisis, a strong response would involve the following steps: 1. Duterte must order the suspension of all officers of the CIDG’s Eastern Visayas command and policemen involved in the raid on the Baybay jail, and have them taken to Camp Crame to be “kept” in circumstances that they would be unable to communicate with each other or with anyone else for the whole duration of an official inquiry into the case. This would ensure that they would be unable to concoct a false explanation or threaten or

bribe those such as the jail personnel who witnessed the raid. The Baybay City jail’s warden and staff must also be brought to Manila and kept in secret locations to ensure their safety.

2. Duterte must order the CIDG, the PNP’s Internal Affairs, and even the National Police Commission to stop their announced plans to investigate the incident.

Instead, it is solely the justice secretary, using the NBI, which is under his authority, or any other government agency that should investigate the case. Duterte must use his persuasive powers over Congress to request them to wait for the Justice Secretary’s report before they undertake their own investigation in aid of legislation.

3. Duterte must require the justice secretary to submit his report in 15 or even 30 days at most. This wouldn’t be at all difficult. Those involved wouldn’t number more than 30 — the CIDG national head who approved the raid, the CIDG Region 8 head, Marcos, CIDG officer Laraga, who led the team that executed Espinosa, together with his officers and men, the Baybay City jail warden and staff, and the inmates who witnessed the rubout. How would that be difficult?

The highest officer who is really accountable for this shame on the nation is of course, PNP Chief Director General Ronald de la Rosa. What kind of a message did his behavior send to the PNP, appearing unruffled by the rubout back home and staying on to enjoy watching the Pacquiao fight in Las Vegas? Just five months in his high-profile strategic job, with the war against illegal drugs still unwon, and he takes a one-week vacation?

The strongest message Duterte could send – that he is undaunted in his war against crime – is to fire de la Rosa. But there seems to be no other such person Duterte can trust, or follow his orders without question.

The nation and I, myself, have been cheering Duterte’s fight against illegal drugs and crime. But then his own police officials undertook one of the dastardliest crimes this nation has seen. What a pathetic country we’ve become. *** E-mail: tiglao.manilatimes@gmail.com Facebook: Rigoberto Tiglao and Bobi Tiglao

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Peso-dollar rate might depreciate to P51-$1 in 2017

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

P49, and possibly even at P51, by the end of 2016.

In the past few months, the THREE of the largest banks in Philippine peso has declined the Philippines suggested that P1.225 from its 47.06 finish in the peso to dollar rate could re- 2015. On Wednesday, Novemduce from P49 to P51 versus ber 2, the peso hit P48.37 per the U.S. dollar by the end of the dollar. year.

Some economic analysts said According to Metrobank, the that the decline has been atPhilippine peso might depreciate tributed to President Rodrigo P48 to 1 dollar. The BDO Unibank Duterte’s controversial remarks also expected a depreciation be- against America. tween P48-P48.50.

However, Finance Secretary On the other hand, the Bank of Carlos Dominguez downplayed the Philippine Islands (BPI) sug- the slide in the Philippine curgested the peso could close up at rency.

He noted that the weakening of peso would boost the peso value of dollar remittances, particularly of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), and of the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector.

“When the peso slides 50 centavos, you have P25 billion more in the Philippines for people to spend, buy condos. It’s not all bad. Agricultural products will certainly benefit,” Dominguez added.

Other analysts also suggested that the dollar is just getting stronger and the peso is not necessarily getting weaker. n

Aguirre: Kerwin Espinosa wants witness protection MANILA — Rolan “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr., the alleged bigtime drug lord from the Eastern Visayas, wants to be placed in the Witness Protection Program of the Department of Justice once he returns from the United Arab Emirates.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II made the statement after he received a letter from the Philippine ambassador to UAE Constancio Vingno Jr., saying Espinosa has expressed his intention to be placed under the WPP. “He could qualify for WPP because he appears to be not the most guilty (in the drug trafficking crime). When there’s someone else from the government, then that person could be the most guilty,” Aguirre told reporters in a press conference.

Aguirre said Kerwin must first execute an affidavit before he can be admitted to the WPP. He said that while the affidavit executed by his father lost its probative value, he could corroborate it through his own affidavit.

Espinosa, who was arrested in the United Arab Emirates after months of hiding, is set to return to the country as he would be fetched by the Philippine National Police from the UAE, Aguirre said.

He said three PNP officers are set to leave for Abu Dhabi on Sunday.

Aguirre said once Espino-

sa arrives, he will be brought to the PNP custodial center before being turned over with his sworn statement to WPP custody.

Kerwin’s father, Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, who was earlier tagged

by President Rodrigo Duterte as one of the politicians linked to the illegal drugs trade, was shot and killed along with another inmate at the Baybay Sub-Provincial Jail on Nov. 5.

Undated photo released by Interpol shows Filipino The Senate held a major drug kingpin Rolando “Kerwin” Espinosa Jr. who hearing on Espinosa’s was arrested in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. death on Thursday over ily. So, either we are going to concerns that it was an accept him at the WPP kasama extrajudicial killing.

Aguirre said that the govern- yung pamilya niya (Either we ment needs to be extra careful are going to accept him alone or in securing Espinosa after the we will also place his family under the WPP),” he added. mayor’s death.

Meanwhile, Sen. Panfilo LacThe DOJ has already ordered the National Bureau of Investi- son, who spearheaded the probe gation to probe the mayor’s kill- on the killing of the Albuera ing during a supposed shootout town mayorsays the government with policemen serving a search must protect Kerwin once he is brought back to the Philippines, warrant.

Aguirre said Espinosa’s family as he can identify his supposed protectors in government. also needs be secured.

Sought for comment on the Last October, his former wife Annalou Llaguno, was shot ongoing Senate hearing, Agudead by unidentified gunmen irre urged Sen. Leila de Lima to inhibit from the investigation riding motorcycle.

“I was told even the family since she was implicated by the because of what happened to late mayor in Kerwin’s alleged his father, Kerwin is afraid of his illegal drugs operations. (Philsafety as well as that of his fam- star.com)

WORLD RECORD. The Philippines set a new world record on forming the longest line of pencils. Spearheaded by the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), Departments of Education and Social Welfare and Development and SM Cares, the corporate social responsibility arm of SM Supermalls, some 2,000 students aged 14 to 17 formed a pencil line of 859 meters, besting the 459 meters set by Germany in 2015. The event marked the celebration of the National Children’s Month and the launching of the 1 Million Lapis campaign aimed at collecting one million pencils for donation to underprivileged children. Carrying four pencils each, the students formed a line along the bay area at the Mall of Asia Arena (MOA) in Pasay City.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

CBCP laments SC decision on Marcos burial: ‘We do not forget’ Law years, said in a statement that the sane strong-hand opthat “motions for reconsideration pression may not happen again,” are in order for a reversal of the CBCP added.

MANILA — The Catholic Bish- majority decision.”

CBCP further added that the CBCP said that Marcos is no burial is an insult to the EDSA op’s Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) said it is saddened hero and that he should not be spirit and that it “mocks our fight by the Supreme Court’s (SC) de- presented as one, citing several to restore democracy.”

“We are puzzled and hurt and cision to bury the late dictator human rights violations done in in great grief. It calls on us for President Ferdinand Marcos at his regime during Martial Law. “We do not forget this! We will greater courage to make the full the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

According to the CBCP, bury- not allow that this be forgotten truth of the dictatorship known,” ing Marcos at the Libingan will by future generations in order CBCP said. n not bring peace and unity to the country.

“We see this as another step to build the culture of impunity in the country,” the CBCP said in a statement Wednesday, Nov. 9.

The high court’s decision to allow Marcos to be buried at the heroes’ cemetery came out Tuesday, Nov. 8 with nine votes for it, five against and one abstaining vote.

Several petitioners, however, asked the SC to reconsider its decision with at least one of them planning to file a motion.

Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, whose activist brother Hermon disappeared during the Martial Petitioners say Marcos is “No Hero” as the Supreme Court makes its decision.

by KriStian Javier Philstar.com

A NOVEMBER 11-17, 2016 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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november 11-17, 2016

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An Asian Journal Magazine

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Fil-Am artist Topher Maka: His journey to art and self

by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe / AJPress The task of art is to create something out of nothing, or in most cases, create sense out of chaos. But how does it happen?

Where does it come from?

For Filipino-American artist Topher Maka, the journey to make art — among other things — is what made him.

Maka is a San Francisco-based artist who practices fine art with curation, painting, illustration, printmaking, art installations, art preparation and handling. he also works digitally with graphic design and print-based media.

Currently, he also acts as the managing director of the non-profit and fully student-run Associated Students’ Art Gallery at San Francisco State University.

Family and his Filipino roots Born in Paterson, New Jersey,

Maka’s mother, Pedrosa Calderon, moved to the United States from Mindoro in her early twenties.

“My family has a great history in the art of farming that grew bananas, mangoes, calamansi, and more,” said Maka and added, “But like many other immigrants, she decided to try to take the risk and pursue a ‘better’ life in the States. I truly credit her for raising me, alongside my younger brother and sister, with traditional Pinoy values of respect, humility, and hard work; while firmly balancing multiple jobs to support us a single mother.”

Maka also shared that he comes from a large, mixed Filipino family, but has never been surrounded by Filipinos other than his family prior to going to college.

“At Night”, Acrylic on Canvas, 2’8” x 3’9.5” 2016.

Raccoons are nocturnal animals. At night they are most active. I find influence in the resourcefulness of this creature. They survive (with family).

“I could count on my fingertips of how many Filipinos were in my school: not many where I’m from. All my best friends were either Black or Latino, but race never mattered to me because I went through the same experiences as my neighbors of color in a society that perpetuated more ‘white’ and ‘American’ values.” explaining that he was raised as a Filipino in an American environment that was less accepting of diversity, Maka was able to assimilate into different cultures, traditions and lifestyles.

Still, he knew about Philippine history, culture and folklore; and even followed superstitions. “even though I was born here, I feel more Filipino than I am American. What does ‘American’ mean anymore? That question ringed in my head for every ethnic studies courses I took,” he said and then added, “I say all of this because the deepest connection to my Pinoy roots is family. “ His journey to art and himself Maka’s interest in art didn’t really happen until late high school, and for him, it was something to drown the street drama surrounding him.

“I had not had a real sense of direction for my future. Art had become my influence and foundation while old friends of mine opted to join gangs or sell drugs, but I had to jump away from that by skateboarding and taking spray paint to the streets.

I was in a crew of skateboarding artists. everybody hated us because we were ‘hoodlums’ on skateboards, and made fun of us because we weren’t white because skateboarding was apparently only for white people at the time,” he said. “Look at the skateparks now. The progression is amazing. From there, I was exposed to heavy levels of illustration and graffiti made with bold and tapered lines and oceans of vibrant color. I taught

Best revenge for the heartbroken according to Angelica

by Marinel r. Cruz

“I really can’t tell. I just know that I don’t want to grow old alone. I wish for a special someone to be BeING beautiful is the best beside me when I’m old—be it a revenge,” said actress Angelica child, a man or a friend.”

Panganiban when asked what She added: “I don’t think it advice she could give to someone (marriage) will happen in the near nursing a broken heart. future. I’m now more open to the “As the popular saying goes: idea that married life is not for me, Nagmahal, nasaktan, nagpaganda,” although plans could still change. quipped Angelica.

If not, then I’d just raise dogs and The actress is the star of Maryo cats.”

J. delos Reyes’ latest romantic The actress then said she was drama, “The Unmarried Wife,” concerned that people might which begins its theatrical run on misinterpret her.

Nov. 16.

“They might think I’m just Angelica said her focus now is being bitter. I respect those “self-improvement—I feel like I’m who have finally found their life a house that needs renovation.

Angelica Panganiban partners, those who already have a I just want to take care of myself boyfriend, actor John Lloyd Cruz, successful married life. how I wish for now, because I’m the type of were recently spotted hanging out that would happen to me, too,” she person who, when in love, would again. clarified. really give the relationship my all.”

Asked to confirm the rumor In “The Unmarried Wife,” While she does not claim that she is once again playing Angelica is Anne, a woman who to be an expert on romantic sweet music with John Lloyd, is torn between staying with relationships, Angelica believes Angelica said: “Although it’s her cheating husband, Geoff that one should fight for love, “as unlikely for former lovers to be (Dingdong), and leaving with her long as you are not hurting other good friends again, it’s something persistent lover, Bryan (Paulo). people’s feelings, or as long as that we’re proud of. Yes, we’ve Angelica said she had a hard you treat yourself with respect, struggled shortly after the breakup, time relating to her character in and also the person you are in a but we have managed to maintain the beginning, and that it helped relationship with.” that her most difficult scenes were “Seriously,” she added, “I always the friendship.”

At a recent media gathering done during the latter part of say that it’s never wrong to love, for the Star Cinema-produced film, filming. even though it’s like a one-way which also features Dingdong “By that time, I was already street; regardless of your gender Dantes and Paulo Avelino, Angelica very much involved in the or your religion. The world will be development of the character and much better if we all just love each was asked what she thought was the ideal marrying age. her relationships with the two other.”

The 30-year-old actress replied: men,” she explained.

Angelica and her former Inquirer.net

myself how to draw. My friends taught me techniques I didn’t know.”

From there, the challenge he faced was trying to make something out of his with paint.

Sharing that it was a difficult phase because every obstacle he had to go through was aimed at making him a failure, Maka decided to take an art course at the City College of San Francisco and gained more confidence about his work.

Although he could name drop artists or people who may have inspired or influenced him as an artist, he explained that won’t be completely true and honest.

“Don’t get me wrong, I have a deep affection for the traditional mastery of Fernando Amorsolo and the dopeness of street artist Nychos, but they didn’t make me, me,” Maka said. “My struggles made me. My family made me.

My friends made me. My mother made me. My journey to make art made me.” his favorite piece this year is “Sanctuary, Nope,” a painting of a disheveled jeepney overgrown with plants and animals, mainly tarsiers.

“The tarsier, the Philippines’ smallest nocturnal hunting primate, popular due to the size of its eyes, is an animal that is facing extinction due to hunting and tourism. There are a few folks that are endeavoring to protect this animal, but because of peoples’ need to see this “cute” animal, the population has been shrinking to meet high demand in Bohol,” he said. “The high amount of stress these animals face at tourist destinations decreases the life expectancy of these majestic animals. The idea of this painting along with its title is to spark conversation of environment destruction and its ecology with human interference.”

Not everything he creates is explicitly Pinoy, he said but added that he derives from his experiences as a Fil-Am “jumping through the hoops of structural

“Descendant Defendant”, Acrylic on Wood, 24” x 34.5” 2016.

The thick layers of paint represent layers of experience a person may have to endure. We know where we come from, and we will defend ourselves, and our culture. The format of this piece is similar to an outdoor sign, for the public to see.

“Hunter’s Point Naval Shipyard Feline Friend”, Acrylic on Canvas, 20” x 10” 2016.

HP Naval Shipyard Feline Friend is part of a series that I’ve worked on called “Guardians of the City.” To be a guardian, one must defend, protect, or preserve. Using paint as a medium, Guardians of the City intends to represent a family of animals, domestic and wildlife, each as one of many guardians, of each San Francisco neighborhood. The idea is to illustrate each guardian in their immediate environment, whether it is natural, or man-made. Each panel captures a moment where one can appreciate their beauty, intelligence, and/or innate skills for survival. Every guardian is a neighbor of ours.

institutions.”

“I love my heritage and my intent is to represent my angst, attitude, and perseverance as person of color. The art industry is currently saturated with artwork that has no meaning, and I want to define a road that pays respect and gratitude to those who have paved the way. how? By research, communication, collaboration, and engagement,” he explained.

“As humans, we need to make it imperative to live in synergy rather in constant competition. I intend to leave a legacy that I’m proud of.” his message to aspiring artists: Get educated.

“There is a ton of cultural misappropriation and offensive exhibitions that don’t accurately represent our communities at all.

“Get educated and stay educated. We must speak for

ourselves, and don’t let other’s speak for you. No matter what, keep your art practice alive.

Perseverance is beautiful.”

At present, Maka shares his working studio in hunters Point Naval Shipyard with Grand Bison, the artist collective I founded with my co-founding artists Joseph Aponte and Alan Khum. he is also in a group exhibition, “Burnt Rice,” with epekto Arts Projects and is currently up at the Oakland Asian Cultural Center until midDecember this year. Maka will be showcasing a new series of work (with some earlier ones) at the Wailoa Arts & Cultural Center in hilo, hawaii in January 2017.

For more information about Topher Maka and his work visit www.TopherMaka.com.

On Instagram: instagram/ tophermaka.

Derrick Monasterio suits up as the newest Pinoy superhero eveN when he was younger, Derrick Monasterio had always been helping other people. he would extend a helping hand to those in need at every chance he gets, from members of his family to others he doesn’t even know.

When Derrick entered showbiz and started earning his own money, he stepped up to help his mother, former actress Tina Monasterio, in sending his siblings to school.

“My mom was the only one working then and I know that it’s not easy for her to send us all to school. Since I was already earning, I volunteered to help not only in my sisters’ schooling but even in most of the expenses at home,” the young and responsible actor opened up to Showbuzz.

With Derrick’s current status as one of the top leading men of GMA Network, it is prudent to say he’s earning more than what needs, considering the simple lifestyle he’s chosen to lead. he can very well afford to have his own house or condo unit, but unlike many of his peers on the business, the actor doesn’t even entertain the idea of moving out leaving his mom and siblings on their own.

“I am now the breadwinner in the family. I’ve asked my mom to stop working and just to enjoy life.

She’d been working for all of us for so long already, and It’s about time that she takes life easier. It’s my turn

to work now and give our family a more comfortable life.”

True to his word, Derrick has busied himself with his career. he tapes for shows, promotes his album, and takes on guestings and out of town appearances. Through this hectic schedule, you will never hear him complaining.

Moreover, through all his success, he still continues to help others whenever he can. he is the go-to guy of relatives when they need help paying the hospital bill of an uncle, the tuition fee of a cousin, or even the electric bill of a distant kin.

Given these discoveries about Derrick, his latest role on Tv as Tsuperhero certainly fits him to a tee. Premiering as a weekly fantasy sitcom this Sunday, he plays plays the role of Nonoy, a street smart but good-natured jeepney driver who always gets into trouble. he then becomes an accidental superhero when inhabitants from another planet crash into earth and give him their powers. As Tsuperhero, Nonoy becomes the defender of the oppressed and rescues those who are in need.

“I was so happy when GMA entrusted this role to me. I always want to play characters that impart positive values. To top it all, I’m a super hero too in this show so I can surely inspire kids at the same time as teaching them good values.”

(Lhar Santiago/ManilaTimes.net)

Derrick Monasterio as ‘Tsuperhero’

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ PEOPLE are justifiably concerned, anxious, and even terrified over Donald Trump’s proposed plan to deport the approximate 11 million undocumented immigrants in the US. However, let’s remember that the executive branch does NOT pass laws, nor is the president in charge of funding or the budget.

Those powers, duties, and functions belong to Congress, as the legislative branch of the Government.

So let’s say Trump proposes the massive deportation. He would need to have both the House and Senate pass a law, which he can sign. (After all, Donald Trump is against “executive action”, and so he would likely act based only on a law proposed and passed by Congress.)

Even though both the House and Senate would be under GOP control, Congress still has the ability to oppose or even block various proposed pieces of legislation. If you recall, a few years ago, Pres. Obama, along with a coalition of Democrat and Republican lawmakers, proposed comprehensive immigration

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond

Could Congress block President Trump’s immigration plan? reform, which passed in the Senate. However, the House blocked that legislation, and would not even bring it up for a vote. As a result, that piece of legislation, urged by the president, went nowhere.

So, if Trump proposes a piece of legislation, the House or Senate could always block it, or Democratic Senators could “filibuster,” which would also result in the proposed legislation going nowhere.

Congress is also in charge of the budget and funding.

There are estimates it would cost over $400 billion to deport the approximate 11 million undocumented immigrants.

This might include the cost of building new courtrooms, hiring new judges and their staff, building more detention facilities, transportation for the mass deportation, etc. Congress may not be willing to spend that amount of money for such an unnecessary endeavor. If Trump can’t get the money to carry out his plan, the plan would go nowhere.

While Trump talks tough about immigration, he must take a step back and consider the practicalities (or impracticalities) of his plan, and we must always

(NOTE: I feel compelled to hold off comment extensively on yesterday’s event — ELECTION DAY in America. It is still much too early for me to process and see if history turned a corner.)

Just a few thoughts though…

Has the country decided to head in a different yet bold direction of self-determination based on TRUTH, just like it did 240 years ago in 1776? OR has it decided to still pretty much remain mired in the muck of the horrendous world order of elitist, soulless corporatism and

Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY N Ov E m b E R 1 1 , 20 1 6

Fake tourist visa resulted in being sent back to the Philippines “a to a”, and later jeopardized his immigrant visa due to fraud– on an encore episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy!’ Johnnatan (second from left) got a tourist visa through a newspaper ad that advertised “Non-Appearance” Visas for $2500. He entered the US in 2002 without any problems, but when he returned in 2003, he was held at the airport and sent back to the Philippines, after US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) accused him of using a fake or counterfeit tourist visa. That meant a possible lifetime ban. Years later, his mother’s petition became current, and he was afraid how his fake tourist visa would affect his and his daughter’s chances of immigrating to the US. Watch how a family was able to overcome a fraud charge and be reunited, on an encore episode of ‘Citizen Pinoy’ – this Sunday, November 13 at 6:15 pm (PST) on TFC.

saber that can cut through lies, damned lies and statistics.

Students of literature know about the concept of deux ex machina, a factor in story-telling, where an unexpected power — Unknown or event, moves quietly in the background or dramatically story in real time. There seems to comes into play just when the be unforeseen forces in the mix. situation becomes dire and Where did this ragtag band united hopeless. As multitudes bend by a common desire for TRUTH their knees and humbly pray for and TRANSPARENCY to prevail deliverance, help comes in God’s come from? perfect timing.

No human author could Actually, for many believers have thought of such forces as who do not require explanation Wikileaks and citizen journalism of why things are, it is divine like Project Veritas and a intervention, help from above, multitude of others to coalesce, pure and simple, an implicit faith EACH ACTING ON ITS OWN, yet and belief that a loving God IS acting as one army of truth tellers. patently involved in the affairs of Truth, like sunlight is a men throughout much of history. disinfectant in this season of While taking time to process darkness, death and moral the events of the last 24 hours, depravity. Truth is also a light here’s my take on the correlation

“The harder I work, the luckier I get.” globalism of the last quarter century?

One thing is clear. The politics of our time is not for the faint-hearted. We have entered uncharted territory where the story of a pitched battle and a long, drawn-out arduous struggle between the forces of good and evil rages just as they have from the very beginning when the Archangel Michael drove the forces of Satan and his minions to the deep bowels of hell. Only this time, the scene takes place on earth and in the ballot box.

Do take note as we watch this

Magazine

remember Congress could always block his attempts or refuse to fund it. And even though Congress has a Republican (or GOP) majority, many of these Republicans were opposed to Donald Trump running for president. Some did not even vote for him, and almost all were unwilling to campaign on his behalf. Just because there’s a Republican majority in Congress does not mean they will blindly accept Trump’s immigration plans.

Congress still has a say. ***

Luck, moxie and the good life

Monette AdevA MAglAyA

An Asian Journal

between luck, gumption, hard work and the good life. ) Do you believe in luck? And if you do, have you got the moxie to be lucky?

On its face value, being in the right place at the right time seems to be completely random and impersonal, much like a lightning strike.

We have all heard of the incredible luck of people who have won the lottery multiple times and each time, they at least, bought a ticket, took a chance and made themselves available for Lady Luck to smile at them.

Some people modestly attribute their success to luck; others, to hard work but more than likely, it is a combination of both. They were lucky because they had gumption, persisted against all odds and worked their tails off.

The truth is, in some ways, we can influence good fortune with the attitude, motivation and oftentimes, with sheer moxie, with which we face our individual daily lives. If you expect bad things to happen to you or if you yourself confirm that you are unlucky, more than likely, it will become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

You might as well admit it.

You’re a sad sack Eeyore with a permanent, black rain cloud hanging over your head. The negative energy you emit repels people who would otherwise be of help to you. You just might be the person who can brighten up a room simply by leaving it.

Perhaps, it’s your personality and there’s nothing you can do about it. You were wired to be negative and pessimistic and no motivational speaker can get you Continued on Page 5

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Health@Heart

Drinking your own urine?

of arthritis and other diseases, including cancer. The Ayurveda ancient holistic healing practices of India advocate uro-therpay.

PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS There is no scientific basis for the belief or assertion espoused by IF you are, hold that glass and “practitioners of urophagia” that urine has medicinal benefit. do not say “cheers or ganbei” yet Is drinking urine safe? until you read the information on Drinking your own urine urine therapy in this column. or other people’s urine – even Informational technology is infant’s urine – is as safe as a wonderful gift to humankind. drinking the urine of dogs, cats, But just like anything else which makes access to tons of data easy mice, or other animals. It is just like recycling waste material: out and widespread, interpretation from your kidneys and bladder, of the information or its abuse and back into your mouth and could negatively impact some gastrointestinal tract, with all the people’s lives, especially those toxic ingredients in the urine your who are gullible or those who do body is trying to get rid of through not do due diligence and simply your kidneys. Urination, like bowel believe everything they read on movement, is a part of our body’s the internet. One example of this natural processes (physiology) to is the widely-circulated claim cleanse the blood and the body (in a dozen or more websites) of toxic waste to maintain health. that urine has a wide range of Swallowing back the urine, or medicinal use. vomitus, or feces our body has Why do we urinate? eliminated does not make sense, Urination is one of the and certainly is not safe, besides detoxification processes of the being repulsive. One does not body. Humans and other animals even have to be a physician urinate to eliminate the toxic byproducts of the body’s physiology. to understand the fallacy of urophagia.

The system is eliminating these What are the risks in waste materials contained in the urine through the kidneys in order drinking urine?

Urine could be contaminated to get rid of them. This is the same with bacteria. Urine normally when we move our bowels. The body is excreting the stools (feces) contains urea, sodium, potassium, from our body because it contains creatinine, magnesium, calcium, ammonia, sulfates, phosphates, toxic waste. hippuric acid, citric acid, What is the basis for this glucoronic acid, hormones, claim? and drug metabolites for those Urophagia (drinking urine) on medications. These waste and urine therapy or urotherapy products, when reintroduced to (also known as urinotherapy or the body by drinking urine, will auto-urine therapy) is a practice put a stress on the kidneys. The that dates back to the ancient times in countries like Egypt, India, adverse effect is worse among those who are dehydrated. If one China, and the Aztec empire. is allergic to, or could not tolerate, Some of the uses for urophagia are for ceremonial services, sexual a certain medication and drinks the urine of a person taking that practice, for survival, and as an specific medication, the drinker alternative cure for illnesses. might develop allergic or a worse Even today, some misguided reaction to the metabolites of people think urine is beneficial that drug in the urine. Drinking for teeth whitening, migraine, the urine of a drug addict or a asthma, skin wrinkles, skin patient with cancer is obviously allergies, as hormonal therapy, more scary than drinking one’s or for prevention or treatment

own urine. Either way, urophagia is not medically accepted and is unhealthy, even in a desperate marooned situation.

Is urine therapy effective for cancer?

No, urine is useless in the treatment of any disease, including cancer. The American Cancer Society states that “available scientific evidence does not support claims that urine or urea given in any form is helpful for cancer patients.”

Some cancer clinics in Mexico and other countries are offering urine therapy as an alternative to treating cancer, which is obviously inspired only by financial greed, giving false hope and victimizing desperate cancer patients and their family who are already suffering. If urine could effectively cure cancer, there won’t be any cancer left in this world, and its advocates would win the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Who are some celebrities doing urophagia?

Some popular personalities drinking their urine posted on the internet include Madonna, the 5th prime minister of India Morarji Desai, British actress Sarah Miles, former major league baseball player Moises Alou, martial arts fighter Lyoto Machida, and boxer Juan Manuel Marquez, who fought Mayweather. Of course, everybody has the right to consume anything he/she wants, but common sense dictates that what our body rejects and kicks out must remain out. Medical science is lucidly clear on this.

How about urine for topical use?

There are also claims that urine could be used effectively as a topical agent (applied directly to parts of the body). Some examples of the asserted topical application is for jellyfish bite or insect bites, eye infection, skin allergy or ulcer, acne, ear infection, etc. No, urine is not effective or beneficial for any of these conditions, or for any disease at all.

Continued on Page 5

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

The beautiful Filipina who stole Mario Vargas Llosa’s heart

by Eric

S. caruncho

NOBEL laureate Mario Vargas Llosa and his partner, the Philippine-born Spanish socialite Isabel Preysler, slipped quietly into the country last week.

Only the Spanish celebrity journal “¡Hola!,” which dutifully chronicles the couple’s every move, came out with a report.

Roughly translated, it said: “This is, without doubt, a visit with as much significance for Mario as it is for Isabel, as she returns to the land of her birth for the first time with her partner…”

In the cover story, Preysler said the couple had no concrete plans to get married, but added “we could get married tomorrow if we wanted to.”

Falling in love at her age, she added, was “a wonderful surprise… a great gift of life at this point.”

For his part, the 80-year-old Peruvian-born novelist, who is in the Philippines upon the invitation of Instituto Cervantes, and is scheduled to receive honorary degrees from the University of Santo Tomas and De La Salle University, chose to keep a discreet silence about their relationship.

Private “Love is a fantastic experience, probably the richest that we have had, but it is private,” he told the press. “When it becomes public, it impoverishes it. It becomes banal. Public expression of love banalizes love. So I don’t want to banalize this fantastic, marvelous experience. For me, it is and always will be private.”

The writer’s romance with the 65-year-old Preysler, perhaps best known outside Spain as the former wife of pop singer Julio Iglesias and mother of singer Enrique, caused a public stir last year when he left his wife of 50 years for her, declaring “now I feel what happiness is.” What time he had left, he said, he needed to spend with Isabel.

Preysler had been widowed only months before, after the death of her third husband, former Spanish finance minister Miguel Boyer, to whom she was married

Isabel Preysler visits Assumption in Makati thisweek with Mario Vargas Llosa and her sister, Vicky. The Class ’67 alumna holds the hand of Assumption nun Mother Annunciata Malvar. Also with them are Mother Paz and Carmen Velayo.

The couple is a favorite cover of Hola Magazine.

for 27 years.

The couple have been inseparable since Vargas Llosa’s divorce, with Preysler often accompanying the writer to his international commitments as a Nobel Prize winner.

Celebrated as much for her

EMPLOYMENT

SCHOOL

unfading exotic beauty and a jetset lifestyle that has her rubbing elbows with European high society and celebrities such as David and Victoria Beckham and George Clooney, Preysler has lived a very public life ever since her Continued on Page 6

McDonald’s USA to introduce two new burgers inspired by the Big Mac to its national menu

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The Grand Mac and Mac Jr. to join the Big Mac national line-up in early 2017 Big Mac fans will rejoice when the grand Mac and Mac Jr. join the legendary Big Mac roster for a limited time on McDonald’s national menu in early 2017.

These twists on the famously delicious sandwich – which boasts two 100 percent all-beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, and onions on a sesame seed bun – are the latest menu innovations from McDonald’s that customers today are looking for.

The grand Mac is made with two 100 percent pure beef patties for a total of one-third pound*

with two slices of melty American cheese and iconic special sauce served on a larger sesame seed bun with crisp lettuce, California minced onions and tangy pickles.

Each Big Mac patty is seasoned to perfection with salt and pepper in McDonald’s kitchens.

The Mac Jr. is a single-layer Big Mac that’s easier to eat on the go. The 100% pure beef patty is bigger and packs in all the flavor of the Big Mac without the middle bun.

“The Big Mac is a legend and a great-tasting burger with hints of pickle relish, mustard, garlic

and onions,” said McDonald’s Chef Mike Haracz. “We listened to our customers who told us they wanted different ways to enjoy the one-of-a-kind Big Mac taste. The classic combination of ingredients remains timeless and customers around the world continue to enjoy its signature taste.”

Earlier this year, Central Ohio and Dallas/Fort Worth tested these burgers to gather valuable feedback from consumers. in advance of the national rollout, customers in Florida and the Pittsburgh area will be

able to experience these new sandwiches before the rest of the country, beginning in midNovember.

The Big Mac was first introduced in 1967 by Jim Delligatti, a McDonald’s franchisee

from Pennsylvania, and the following year was available nationwide. McDonald’s is continuously testing and innovating to meet its customers’ needs. Recent regional innovations include the Egg White

and Turkey Sausage Breakfast Bowl, Scrambled Egg and Chorizo Breakfast Bowl, Lobster Rolls and gilroy garlic Fries. *Average weight before cooking.

(Advertising Supplement)

Anne Curtis joins New York Marathon, dedicates run to Pinoy youth TELEViSiON host and actress Anne Curtis has crossed an item off her bucket list as she finished the New York Marathon, dubbed as the largest marathon in the world that coursed through five boroughs of the city.

Curtis, UNiCEF Philippines’ celebrity advocate for children, dedicated her first ever marathon, which she called a “dream come true and personal milestone,” to the Filipino youth. “i did it! My very first marathon in NYC! What a bucket list moment. i can’t explain how fulfilling it is when you cross the finish line. it certainly isn’t easy but the whole experience is worth the physical pain. Each borough (there were 5) had a different feel, music and vibe. The spectators are there to cheer you on, give you power up high-fives and push you when you feel like you want to stop,” Curtis wrote on instagram, sharing a photo of her wearing a medal.

“To all the kababayans that were out there today to cheer me on… screaming and some

Kris Aquino is set to make a television hosting comeback with an interview with President Rodrigo Duterte.

Photo from Anne Curtis’s Instagram account

even with posters, Maraming Salamat. Nakakaiyak and yan po ang dahilan kung bakit halos hindi nawala ang ngiti ko (Thank you so much. It’s touching and it’s why I the smile never left my face). After my first… i would like to conquer more! 26.2 or 42.165 dedicated and inspired by the FiLiPiNO YOUTH and it’s through god’s grace, i FiNiSHED,” she added.

Aside from finishing the race, Curtis also targeted to

Luck, moxie and...

From Page 3 out of that rut.

You’re one tough customer for the Holy Spirit to work wonders with. Fine. But for as long as you think that you have nothing to do with the ill fortune that seems to bedevil your life, you can just live with the dire consequences of fear, anxiety and unhappiness which result from being toxic and always believing the worst of things or of people.

Particularly during these uncertain times, no one can afford the luxury of a negative thought.

But much more so for vulnerable immigrants who are on survival mode, an optimistic can-do attitude is a must. With this current economic morass, a big chunk of the immigrant population along with many more in the middle class, have regressed back to survival mode, quite by default.

Many who have moved to more comfortable levels but were caught by the real estate slump and lost their homes, may find themselves sliding back to square one and engaging in the daunting prospect of finding a job.

Choosing what one does to make a living and still live a good life in the process, requires one to strike a delicate balance. Will he choose a career in government service or work in the private

sector? Should he go into business or set up a professional practice?

Should he pursue the arts? Should making money and achieving higher status, weigh more than fulfilment? What are the tradeoffs? An accurate assessment of one’s talents, gifts, skills, training and calling will help him make the right choice. if you have the moxie to make the right choice, it is amazing to note how luck always dovetails.

Money will always be a major consideration. However in choosing a profession, the soul must be nurtured just as well, if not more. Never confuse soul with ego. The question is: are you doing what you were born and meant to do? if you are, then work is no longer work and every moment of every day holds the potential for joy. You begin to discover the sacred in the ordinary. You begin to notice the blue of the skies and the seamless flow of life, even in the mundane. You see what’s special about people. You no longer take anything for granted.

The connections snap into place. Just imagine waking up thankful to your Maker for the amazing privilege of doing what it is you do every single day of your life. What you label as sheer, impersonal, random luck is actually a personal blessing just for

Drinking your own...

From Page 3

Is urine totally useless?

No. Urine is very useful as a plant fertilizer. According to ModernFarmer, “Across the Atlantic, studies have long established urine as a powerful fertilizer. A study conducted by the Stockholm Water Company in the late 1990s diverted urine from four housing projects to a grain farmer outside the city.

The scientists concluded not only that urine could replace quick-acting mineral fertilizers, but also calculated that one Northern European adult pees enough plant nutrients to grow 50 to 100 percent of the food requirement for another person.

Other successful trials have taken place in China and Mexico,

though none as detailed as the Swedish one. in other studies, urine-treated farms had twice the productivity compared to unfertilized ones.”

What is NASA’s FOB urine filter?

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) has been working on a FOB (Forward Osmosis Bag) system to transform urine and gray water into water that is safe to drink, “to address one of the challenges of outer space travel.” The FOB system uses a semi-permeable membrane and a concentrated sugar solution. This appears to be very promising but studies are still ongoing.

What is the latest on urine therapy?

raise at least P42,000 for the 42 kilometers she ran, proceeds of which will go to UNiCEF Philippines.

As of writing, Curtis has raised P52,353 from 22 donors.

Curtis’ “it’s Showtime” co-host Kim Atienza also joined the marathon, but had gastrointestinal issues. “it was still a good race nevertheless, definitely the best marathon in the world,” Atienza wrote on instagram. (Inquirer.net)

you from above given to you freely and generously, without strings.

All that is required is a bone marrow deep, boundless gratefulness that spills out as pure joy in practically everything you do. You are not just lucky, you are among the blessed ones.

Few things in life can be more satisfying. if you notice yourself singing or humming while you do the work that earns you money that allows you to live the life you love, consider yourself one of the blessed ones who are living the life they were meant to live.

On the other hand, if you have to drag yourself every single morning and pop a Tylenol to numb some kind of pain that won’t go away everyday at work and long for the end of the day on the first hour, plan to heave yourself out of that sinkhole, just as soon as you can safely do so.

Plan the great escape and find the work that blesses you within as it blesses you with the physical needs of your life.

A caveat: Jobs to your liking may be harder to find these days.

Bide your time. Be patient. As in all fortuitous events, timing is everything. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

Down here on earth, all available scientific data and information from evidence-based medicine today clearly confirm that urine has no medicinal value whatsoever and people are advised not to practice urophagia.

Future technology might change all this. in the meantime, for me, i will stick to drinking filtered water, regular coffee, and my Pinot Noir. *** 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

Kris Aquino to interview Pres. Duterte THE “Queen of All Media” Kris Aquino on Sunday, Nov. 6 revealed that she will return as a television host starting with an interview with President Rodrigo Duterte.

The actress-host has stopped hosting seven months ago due to health reasons. “(i spent) seven months of not hosting on TV. i promised myself, babalik ako for a once in a lifetime, one-onone interview,” Kris said in an

instagram post.

Kris posted the photo of a teaser her anticipated interview comeback titled “Kris at Duterte.” it will be aired over TV5 and state-owned People’s Television4 networks following her seven months of absence.

Duterte is the successor of Kris’s brother, President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino iii, and the rival of Mar Roxas, the presidential candidate she campaigned for the May 9 elections.

The Kris-Duterte sit-down was also shared by host organization go Negosyo on Twitter.

Last September, Kris confirmed that she formally left ABS-CBN, her network for 20 years.

She later on announced that she will do a project with APT, a subsidiary Tape inc. The latter is also the producer of noontime show “Eat Bulaga.” (Rosette Adel/ Philstar.com)

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Calendar of Events across America ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS N OV E M B E R 1 2

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

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

N OV E M B E R 1 4

Film showing of “Curiosity, Adventure & Love” in New York The Philippine Consulate General New York invites the public to a film showing of “Curiosity, Adventure & Love,” a film by Sunshine Lichuaco de Leon and Suzanne Richiardone.

The showing will be on Monday, November 14 at 6:40 p.m. at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center at 556 Fifth Ave, New York, NY 10036. To reserve a seat, please send an email to events@newyorkpcg.org (Subject: Fil-Am History Month) or call 212-764-1330 ext. 3866.

N OV E M B E R 1 5

Build a shelter project appreciation and book launch in New York Build a shelter project appreciation and book launch in New York The Philippine Consulate General New York in cooperation with the Assumption Alumni Association invites you to Build a Shelter Project (BASP) Appreciation and a book launch on “Yolanda: An Oral History in Verse” by Tim Tomlinson. The event will be on Tuesday, November 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kalayaan Hall, Philippine Center at 556 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10036. To reserve a seat, please email events@newyorkpcg.org (Subject: BASP Appreciation) or call 212-764-1330 ext. 3866.

Angelina Mead King, Caitlyn Jenner bond over cars, coffee CAR enthusiast Angelina Mead King on Monday, Nov. 7 shared her encounter with fellow transgender woman Caitlyn Jenner in California, a moment which she called as “surreal.”

King, the partner of VJ and model Joey Mead King, said she and Jenner were brought together by their love of cars. King, who attended the recently held SEMA 2016 automotive show in Las Vegas, has a business venture called Car Porn Racing.

“I still can’t believe it, this morning was so surreal! Cars, coffee and Caitlyn. Brought together for the love of cars. Thank you to @e_n_ o_r_e_v for capturing this moment. it’s perfect. #carscoffeeandcait #caitlynjenner #girlslikeus,” King wrote on the caption of her photo with Jenner on Instagram.

Joey Mead shared the same photo on her Instagram account with the caption: “Truth and authenticity, a winning combination in my eyes.”

King also posted a photo of her and her friends having breakfast

Angelina Mead King shared this photo of her with Caitlyn Jenner on her Instagram account

with Jenner.

King, a formerly known as businessman and hotelier Ian Angelo, came out as transgender woman through an Instagram post in July.

Alfred Vargas finds fulfillment in family life and public service SECOND-term Quezon City Representative and actor Alfred Vargas recently held a thanksgiving luncheon just before the long Halloween-All Souls Day weekend to celebrate the many blessings he received and achievements he made as he turned 37-years-old on October 24.

“At 37, I have a lot to be grateful for—my beautiful wife, Yasmine, whom I will marry again in church next year, two wonderful daughters, and a career in public service that is surely one of the most fulfilling careers in one’s lifetime,” Vargas said.

The actor-politician proposed for the second time to

his Filipino-Italian wife in July, and received an overwhelming yes. They had a civil wedding in 2010 and are busy preparing for their church wedding ceremony in July 2017.

Fatherhood has played a big role in Vargas’ life. “I make sure I wake up extra early during weekdays so I can personally bring my kids to school, and I strive to be home by 7 p.m. everyday so my family and I can have dinner together,” shared Vargas. “Nothing beats spending quality time with the family.”

Vargas has also been busy working on his legislative agenda soon as he assumed his second term in Congress.

He was recently appointed Vice

N OV E M B E R 1 9 -2 0

Consular outreach mission in Pensacola, Florida The Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C., in cooperation with the Philippine Nurses Association of America, Inc. - Central Florida Chapter, the Filipino-American Association of Pensacola, Inc., and the Philippine Honorary Consulate in Miami, is pleased to announce that it will conduct a consular outreach mission in Pensacola on Saturday and Sunday, November 19 and 20 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Services offered include: Philippine passport applications; legalization of documents (acknowledgment, authentication, etc.); and receipt of reports of birth, marriage and death; and administration of oath of allegiance for dual citizenship. For an appointment, please email consular@philippineusa.org and indicate “Pensacola FL Outreach” in the subject line. In the body of the email, indicate the complete name(s) of the applicant(s) and the corresponding service(s) required by each application. The outreach will be held at the Fil-Am Community Center at 234 West Oakfield Road, Pensacola, FL

D EC E M B E R 3

FASO’s Christmas Concert in Glendale, CA The Filipino American Symphony Orchestra (FASO), the only Filipino symphony orchestra outside of the Philippines, as it presents “A Christmas Concert” on Saturday, December 3, 6:00 p.m. at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center in Glendale, California. FASO will play Christmas carols, accompanied by the voices of various choir groups. John Wayne Performing Arts Center is located at 1440 E. Broadway, Glendale, California 91205. For tickets, call Andy Tecson (323) 467-5096; Bob Shroder (818) 395-8936; and Arlene Ferrolino (213) 248-9850. Tickets are also available athttp://fasochristmas.eventbrite.com/. Tickets are at $25, $45 and $75. More information at www.fasofoundation.org.

D EC E M B E R 4

Aurora Inter-organizational Alliance-USA celebrates 8th anniversary in Granada Hills, CA Aurora Inter-organizational Alliance-USA announces its 8th anniversary celebration on Saturday, December 10 in Granada Hills, CA. It is an annual gathering of immigrants from the Aurora province’s 8 towns, aiming to further strengthen the camaraderie and spirit of the members. This year’s celebration hopes to gather 100 members and guests, who will be treated with traditional Filipino dishes as well as entertainment amid the sounds of Christmas carols. The night will be capped by the election of new officers for the new year.

The event will be held at the Granada Hills Pavilion at 11128 Balboa Blvd., Granada Hills, CA 91344 from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. For more information, please contact Atty Al Nabor at (951) 818-8172 or Luchie Cuento at (818) 300-3212.

D EC E M B E R 1 1

Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA (FACC-GLA)’s 15th year anniversary The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA (FACC-GLA) is celebrating its 15th year anniversary by recognizing businesses and community partners and installing officers and board members on Sunday, December 11 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. The event will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Westside at 6333 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230. The cost to attend is $50 and formal attire is required. Please make your check payable to FPACC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the educational scholarship funds and to help the underprivileged children in the Philippines. For any inquiries, please email info.faccgla@gmail.com.

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

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

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

Jenner, formerly known as Bruce, was a retired Olympian and stepdad of Kardashian siblings Kim, Khloe, and Kourtney. She came out in a television interview in August last year. (Inquirer.net)

Vargas with wife Yasmine and daughters Aryana and Alexandra

Chairman of the Committee on Appropriations, a coveted position in Congress that brings with it the enormous responsibility of defending the budgets of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA), the National Housing Authority (NHA), and the Pasig River Rehabilitation Commission (PRRC). All three government agencies’ budgets gained approval.

While Vargas may be one of the younger lawmakers in the Lower House, and has no political lineage to back his ascent in politics, he continues to impress the more senior members of Congress with his legislation initiatives.

During the 16th Congress, he was able to pass into law 15 Republic Acts, including the Mandatory Philhealth Coverage for All Senior Citizens. Another feather to his cap is his perfect attendance record, as well as being included among the top congressmen in terms of legislative performance. Today, barely five months into his second term, he has submitted over 100 principally authored bills.

Vargas may have a lot of things to be proud of but said he is far from being accomplished and complacent, as these things are only pushing him to outdo himself.

Quoting the mantra of socio-civic organization Jaycees International, of which he was recently elected as chapter president, “Service to humanity is the best work of life,” Vargas concluded. (ManilaTimes.net)

The beautiful Filipina...

From Page 4

in Manila, including her sister Victoria and aunt Mercy Tuason, marriage to Iglesias in 1971.

The former beauty queen and the country’s former ambassador to the Vatican. model has been a journalist and As for the Filipinos’ enduring television host. She is also a wellknown celebrity endorser in Spain, fascination with Isabel Preysler, for Manolo Blahnik shoes and the Arcache says, “I would put her design house Porcelanosa, among in the category of someone like Elizabeth Taylor, a very beautiful others. woman. She can melt your heart.

One of the leading lights Isabel has always been like that, of Latin American letters and even as a kid.” a public intellectual who once Arcache has a picture of a ran unsuccessfully for president woman who, as the song goes, of Peru, Vargas Llosa is himself falls in love too easily and always no stranger to publicity, though follows her heart. hardly to the same degree as his “The cards just fell where they partner. should go, the way her life went,” Preysler’s Philippines he says. “She’s had it all.”

The couple’s Philippine visit In her teens and studying could turn out to be a well-earned at Assumption, Preysler won a respite from the limelight.

“This is a very, very low-profile beauty contest. She was also dating Louie Ysmael, among other trip,” says Inquirer columnist eligible bachelors, when she fell Maurice Arcache, a family friend hard for future environmentalist of Preysler since childhood. “A Junie Kalaw, who was 10 years her big cocktail party for the Spanish community was canceled in favor senior, says Arcache.

“Her mother shipped her off of a more intimate dinner for 10.” to Spain because she was not As far as he knows, says too keen on Kalaw, who had the Arcache, the trip is a chance reputation of being a playboy,” for Vargas Llosa to learn more he adds. “When she arrived in about Preysler’s early life in the Madrid, there were two or three Philippines. dozen roses waiting for her as she “He wants to know how came down the gangplank. But, she grew up so they’ll be going of course, that romance died and around,” he says. “She’s showing she started meeting people.” him the house where she grew One of them was a recently up, and Assumption, where she retired Real Madrid goalie named went to school. He wants to know everything about her growing up Julio Iglesias, who had just embarked on a new career as a in the Philippines.” singer.

They are staying in a private “Then it was goodbye Junie, home rather than a hotel, he hello Julio,” says Arcache. “That added. Preysler still has family

was when her world changed.

She fell in love with one of the biggest pop singers in Europe, adored by all the women around him, although only for a moment, him being the playboy that he was. That started the ball rolling.”

After eight years and three children, the couple divorced in 1979.

The following year Preysler married Carlos Falco, the Marquess de Grignon. The couple had a daughter, but the marriage was short-lived.

In 1987, she married Miguel Boyer, the socialist finance minister of Spain, who also left his wife for her. The union produced another daughter, and was apparently a happy one.

“When he would have a meeting in other countries, he would send Isabel ahead to soften up the people he would talk to,” says Arcache. “He would always get the deal. That’s how charming she is. She has the charm, she’s beautiful, and she knows her way around.

“In all of these there was love,” he adds. “But, of course, it helped that one was a pop star, one had a title, and one had financing.”

As for Preysler’s current relationship with Vargas Llosa, Arcache speculates: “This time around it looks like a different thing,” he says.

“Apparently he’s very, very charming. I guess he has that golden tongue. I told her sister, ‘Tell her this time I wish her all the happiness she can get.’”

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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY N Ov E m b E R 1 1 , 20 1 6

Vice Ganda, Bb. Pilipinas 2016 queens headline annual Christmas tree lighting Kristy so Philstar.com

by

Paolo Ballesteros made himself up like Julia Roberts when he received his Best Actor Award (for Die Beautiful) at the Tokyo International Film Festival (TIFF). Right: Paolo (in another celebrity peg) with (from left) producer Ferdy Lapuz, director Jun Lana and producer Perci Intalan.

Paolo dedicates award to the LGBT community by ricKy Lo

conference that, actually, “I’m straight.”

Perhaps in his excitement, eVeN before Paolo Ballesteros’ name was announced incredulous about his unexpected victory, Paolo the Best Actor winner by the (dressed and made up like Julia presenter Mabel Cheung (hong Roberts) forgot to mention the Kong film director and member of the jury) at the just-concluded LGBT community, after all Die Beautiful was inspired by the Tokyo International Film Festival killing of transgender woman (TIFF), the Philippine team (also Jennifer Laude by US Marine Col. including director Jun Lana, and producers Perci Intalan and Ferdy Joseph Scott Pemberton who was convicted of homicide and is Lapuz) started shouting with detained at Camp Crame. joy. Cheung’s introduction was a “Yes,” Paolo told Funfare in giveaway.

“This year’s Best Actor Award a text message yesterday, “I am dedicating my award to the LGBT goes to performance so vividly community.” delivered and characterization “At that time (in October so genuinely afforded that 2014),” director Jun told a film it has led us to the journey critic, “a Filipino transgender between fiction and reality,” woman was killed in my Cheung started. “It seems that country.” (Jun was described as the actor has the ability to share flabbergasted by the reaction with us his innermost secrets of some people, especially on and vulnerability. he also has social media, when they said the magical ability to merge that Laude deserved to be killed the boundaries between male because she was a transgender and female so much so that we and she was a freak.) “And I have to ask whether we should felt it was time to make a film name the award Best Actor or about her, a film inspired by (her Best Actress. So I’m very proud killing).” to present to you the award for It must be recalled that Jun the Best Actor, which goes to also directed Barber’s Tales, the leading man, or should I say, the leading lady of Die Beautiful, the film that won for eugene Domingo Best Actress also at the Paolo Ballesteros.”

TIFF in 2013.

Directed by Jun Lana, Die Anyway, Paolo (who made Beautiful also bagged the himself up like Angelina Jolie Audience Award, announced for her star moment on the red earlier. That, in a manner of carpet) delivered a thank-you speaking, was hitting two speech in his characteristic birds with one stone. Paolo funny/witty style that it deserved is so convincing in playing a transgender in the movie that the to be “delivered” in this space in full. here it is: Japanese media was surprised I thought today it’s just when Paolo said at a press Philstar.com

going to be a red carpet thing, like a parade, that’s why I wore a dress. First, I would like to thank Tokyo International Film Festival and the members of the jury for embracing our film. I thought I was up for Best Actress (laughs). To the organizers, to the programmers, to the volunteers, assistants, you have been very helpful and gracious to us during our stay in Japan. Domo Arigato Gozaimasu.

To the man behind the film, Direk Jun, thank you very much for entrusting me the Tricia character. To our producers, Sir Perci, to our staff and crew, to the whole production, especially those who are with us tonight, today, thank you so much for your professionalism and gift of new friendship. To Ms. Liza Diño Seguerra, thank you for your support. And to my family, Mama, Ate Lylie, Chikee, Tatay, Kaye, Nanay, Rana, eyel, my daughter Keira, our cats and our dogs, this is all for you. Thank you very much.

To my manager (Joji Dingcong), to all my dabarkads, to all my friends, my fans in Manila and around the world, Best Actor. And especially to all of you who came and watched our film, I will never forget you.

Thank you very much.

Incidentally, Paolo’s sixmonth suspension from eat, Bulaga! turned out to be a blessing in disguise because he was able to finish work on two films, Die Beautiful and Bakit Lahat ng Gwapo May Boyfriend? (also directed by Jun).

The Araneta Group has marked the start of the Christmas season with their annual giant Christmas tree lighting.

The Christmas tree lighting happened on November 4 at the Araneta activity center with a grander setup and activities that spectators enjoyed.

Aside from the colorful and lively lights and decors, the audience also enjoyed performances from their favorite Kapamilya stars like Vice Ganda, Alex Gonzaga, Iñigo Pascual and Loisa Andalio.

The Bb. Pilipinas queens were also present that night, sending more positive vibes to everyone in the venue.

The audience was not only

Vice Ganda, Stella Araneta-Marquez and Bb. Pilipinas 2016 queens lighted up the giant Christmas tree found in Araneta Center activity center in Cubao, Quezon City.

Philstar.com photo by Jonathan Asuncion

entertained for some were lucky enough to take home prizes from

the Araneta Group of companies and its sponsors that night.

Filipino-made doll named Miss Beauty Doll 2016 by rosette

AdeL

Philstar.com

A PhILIPPINe-made doll named Shawnah Bautista Vasquez was added to the list of the country’s beauty queens after it was crowned Miss Beauty Doll 2016.

Shawnah, who emerged as the Miss Beauty Doll 2016 after being directed by Cholo Ayuyao, was

A Philippine-made doll was added to the list of the country’s beauty queens after it was crowned Miss Beauty Doll 2016.

Photos from Miss Beauty Doll 2016

described as a 23-year-old from Angeles City.

According to her biography, Shawnah is a “professional model, a home cook, and journalism graduate” and is also a “prolific blogger” who writes about her work as a model.

Shawnah bagged a crown with red ruby and diamonds designed by Chatiara valued at $1000.

The Philippine representative was seconded by Miss Vietnam, Dang Thuy Nam, followed by second runner-up Miss Puerto Rico Denise Marrie Torres and third runner-up Miss Dominican Republic Cinthya Santos. Miss India Isha Narayan Kalpana was the fourth runner-up.

Ayuyao, Miss Beauty Doll 2016 Philippines national director, was overwhelmed by Shawnah’s win.

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