New York/New Jersey -- January 01 -- 07, 2016

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Volume 10 – Issue 1 • 16 Pages

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by DJ

YAP AND TARRA QUISMUNDO Inquirer.net

AN emboldened Sen. Grace Poe on Tuesday, Dec. 29 said the Supreme Court’s move to temporarily block the cancellation of her certificate of candidacy (COC) for President had renewed her faith in her cause.

“I am still a candidate. The fight will continue. Let us greet the New Year with renewed strength and faith that the truth and the voice of the people shall prevail,” she said at a press conference in a restaurant in

Quezon City where she delivered a prepared statement in Filipino.

The neophyte senator, who had been leading in opinion polls until the disqualification cases appeared to have stalled her momentum, exhorted her supporters to never waver “in the midst of the confusion sown by others.”

“We gave our full trust in the institution of the Supreme Court, and we wholeheartedly thank Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, as well as Justice Mariano del Castillo and Justice Marvic Leonen, because they upheld the

truth, defended the rights of the small and prevented unjust oppression,” she said.

On Monday, Dec. 28, the Supreme Court released two temporary restraining orders (TRO) blocking the cancellation of Poe’s COC by the Commission on Elections (Comelec).

The twin orders were issued just hours after Poe’s camp had filed two petitions asking the high tribunal to stop the Comelec from disqualifying her from next year’s election on the grounds that she was not a naturalborn Filipino and that she did not meet the K_\ Jlgi\d\ :flik j`[\[ n`k_ J\e% >iXZ\ Gf\ Xe[ `jjl\[ knf k\dgfiXip i\jkiX`e`e^ fi[\ij kf

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Old peso bills Aquino, Filipinos ‘look forward no longer valid to a peaceful, prosperous 2016’ starting Jan. 1

by FRANCES

MANGOSING Inquirer.net

by AGNES

CONSTANTE AJPress

WITH six months left in office, President Benigno Aquino III WITH the new year less than on Tuesday, Dec. 29 touted his a week away, the Bangko Sentral achievements during his term in ng Pilipinas (BSP) is reminding his last New Year message as the the public that beginning Jan. 1, country’s leader. old Philippine peso bills will no “I join all Filipinos as we bid longer be accepted when paying farewell to a historic 2015 and for goods and services. expectantly look forward to a u G8>< 8) peaceful, prosperous 2016. Our

country’s soaring economy, robust democracy, and magnified presence on the global stage not only promise a great start to the coming year but also highlight the Philippines’ ongoing narrative of resurgence under the Daang Matuwid (straight path),” he said in a statement.

Aquino also took another jab at the Arroyo administration, saying that he assumed office five years

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Remembering a hero: If Rizal were alive today do to improve it?

Some believe that Rizal, whose execution in 1896 sparked naMANILA—If Dr. Jose Rizal tionalistic feelings that led to the were alive today, what would he Philippine revolution, would most feel about the current state of the likely be disappointed with FilipiPhilippines and what would he nos in the present. They pointed

by LEVI

MORA Philstar.com

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Filipino and Fil-Am newsmakers of 2015

FILIPINOS/Filipino-Americans have been very active this year, bringing in recognition to our community and excelling in their respective fields.

In Philippine politics, the race for the highest position in the country is just as noisy. With more presidential candidates bringing their platforms, issues and drama, no one can be sure who among them would really win.

With the end of this year, we look forward to what the Filipinos, D`jj G_`c`gg`e\j G`X 8cfeqf NlikqYXZ_ gfj\j Fil-Am community and the Philip- ]fi ZXd\iXj X]k\i j_\ nXj XeefleZ\[ Xj pines can do. For now, the Asian D`jj Le`m\ij\ )'(, fe Jle[Xp# ;\Z% )' `e CXj G_fkf Yp ;Xii\e ;\Zb\i Journal Editorial Team gives you M\^Xj%

&D`jj Le`m\ij\ Fi^Xe`qXk`fe the top Filipino/Fil-Am newsmakHalf Filipina, half German acers of 2015.

THE BEST MISTAKE: MISS tress and Miss Philippines Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach, 26, took home PHILIPPINES PIA WURTZthe crown for Miss Universe 2015 BACH IS MISS UNIVERSE on live television on Sunday, December 20th at the Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Wurtzbach’s final crowning did not go without drama and a surprise ending when show host Steve Harvey accidentally announced Miss Colombia Ariadna Gutierrez Arévalo as the winner, but backtracked a few moments later to proclaim Wurtzbach as the true Miss Universe.

Wurtzbach was born in Stuttgart, southwest Germany, and grew up in Cagayan de Oro. A winner of Binibining Pilipinas and =`c`g`ef$8ljkiXc`Xe AXjfe ;Xp nfe k_`j p\XiËj G>8 :_Xdg`fej_`g 8G g_fkf

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out that some of the problems encountered by the national hero in his time are still plaguing the country.

“If Rizal were alive today he would be surprised with how

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ANOTHER year has passed and many events happened so quickly that many people tend to forget. As 2015 closes, the Asian Journal Editorial Team pooled together the top stories that made it to the front pages of our six editions.

POPE FRANCIS GRACES THE PHILIPPINES When Pope Francis visited the Philippines in January for a four-day trip, at least two million Filipinos waited on the street to watch him ride away in his non-bulletproof “Popemobile.” After 20 years, Pope Francis was the third leader of the Catholic Church to visit the country, and came to personally show sympathy for the thousands who were killed after Super Typhoon Yolanda in late 2013. The pope was reportedly impressed with the hospitality of Filipinos, with whom he met at various places in the Philippines, including the Mall of Asia Arena, Tacloban and Leyte.

MAMASAPANO MASSACRE On January 25, special forces were massacred after encounter with rebel troops.

Forty-four members of the Philippine National PoliceSpecial Action Force (PNP-SAF) were killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao following a clash with armed fighters from the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters. The PNP-SAF’s objective was =cfp[ DXpn\Xk_\i Ai%# Xe[ DXeep GXZhl`Xf ]XZ\ f]] [li`e^ k_\ ÔeXc gi\jj Zfe]\i\eZ\ f] k_\`i DXp ) Ô^_k to pursue Zulkifli Abdhir — also known as Marwan Usman Xk k_\ D>D >iXe[Ëj B8 K_\Xki\ fe N\[e\j[Xp# 8gi`c )0% DXpn\Xk_\i [\]\Xk\[ GXZhl`Xf m`X leXe`dflj 8AGi\jj g_fkf Yp IfY\ik DXZXYX^[Xc — and Basit Usman as part of Oplan Exodus; they were [\Z`j`fe% successful in killing the former. The deaths of the PNP-SAF K_\ i\dX`ej f] J8= d\dY\ij Xi\ of cers ignited debate on the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Yfie\ fe k_\ j_flc[\ij f] k_\`i Law, which will be the foundation of a new autonomous Zfcc\X^l\j Xk M`ccXdfi 8`i 9Xj\ entity called Bangsamoro. fe K_lij[Xp# AXe% )0% =fikp$]fli FIGHT OF THE CENTURY: PACQUIAO d\dY\ij f] G_`c`gg`e\ EXk`feXc LOSES TO MAYWEATHER Gfc`Z\$Jg\Z`Xc 8Zk`fe =fiZ\ GEG$ After months of hype surrounding the long-awaited J8= n\i\ b`cc\[ `e DXdXjXgXef# DX^l`e[XeXf ]fccfn`e^ X ZcXj_ “Fight of the Century” between Manny Pacquiao and Floyd n`k_ Xid\[ ]`^_k\ij ]ifd k_\ Mayweather, Jr., many boxing fans and Filipinos were Dfif @jcXd`Z C`Y\iXk`fe =ifek left disappointed, as the People’s Champ failed to tarnish D@C= Xe[ 9Xe^jXdfif @jcXd`Z Mayweather’s undefeated record last May. Pacquiao later =i\\[fd =`^_k\ij% revealed that he suffered a shoulder injury and was denied

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

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10-year residency requirement for candidates.

Saddened, renewed hope Poe admitted feeling discouraged by the Comelec decision to disqualify her.

“I confess that the Comelec decision saddened me, especially as it was released a few days before Christmas. But the Supreme Court renewed our hope, which is the true meaning of Christmas,” she said.

During the open forum, Poe criticized the Comelec for “not even taking a look at the evidence” her lawyers had presented.

“I am not lying. I do not understand why they never considered our evidence. I cannot believe that all of them are lawyers and they never looked at evidence,” she said.

Not afraid of Comelec Poe said she was not afraid of the Comelec. “I am not afraid of them … Candidates should not fear the Comelec. If they cheat us, the people will make them pay.”

Asked if she felt a pattern in which certain candidates were being “eased out” of the race, Poe did not take the chance to attack her rivals, saying the electorate should not be denied more choices in choosing their leader.

“I don’t want to speak for the others but don’t limit our choices. Listen to our voices. It’s hard when those who are not blind cannot see, and those who are not deaf cannot hear,” she said.

Petition to bar 3 justices Hours before her press conference, Poe asked the Supreme

Court to bar three justices from the panel that will decide whether she would remain on the list of candidates for President, claiming that the magistrates had already “prejudged” it in the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET).

In a petition questioning Comelec resolutions canceling her COC for President, Poe asked the high court to either disqualify Associate Justices Antonio Carpio, Teresita Leonardo-de Castro and Arturo Brion or prompt their voluntary inhibition from the panel.

The three justices were among four members of the SET who voted against Poe in a case that sought her ouster from the Senate for not being a natural-born Filipino and not meeting the residency requirement when she ran for senator in 2013.

The other SET member who dissented from the majority vote that affirmed Poe’s natural-born status despite being a foundling with uncertain parentage was Sen. Nancy Binay whose father, Vice President Jejomar Binay, is running for President.

The SET voted 5-4 in favor of Poe. Immediate effect Poe’s camp filed the petition Tuesday afternoon in the wake of the high court’s issuance of the TROs against the Comelec en banc rulings that upheld separate resolutions for her disqualification by the poll body’s First and Second Divisions.

The TROs took immediate effect and would stand “until further orders” from the high court.

“Sen. Poe’s citizenship is also squarely in issue in the instant petitions for certiorari (filed by

her) from Comelec issuances, which resulted in the cancellation of her certificate of candidacy for President in the May 9, 2016 elections,” read the inhibition plea.

‘Prejudgment’ “In all of these resolutions, the Comelec pronounced that herein petitioner lacked the qualification of natural-born citizenship required to be President,” it said.

The petition said the three justices already had their minds made up on the matter of Poe’s citizenship given the way they voted in the SET case.

“Hence, herein movant respectfully moves that Justices Carpio, De Castro and Brion inhibit themselves on the ground of prejudgment given their position in the SET case that Senator Poe is not a natural-born Filipino,” read the petition.

The recusation must be absolute, and must cover voting, interlocutory matters and deliberations in issues surrounding Poe’s residency, said the plea.

Recused The pleading noted that the three justices had recused themselves from the SET case when petitioner Rizalito David, a disqualified presidential candidate, elevated the matter to the high court.

David, a defeated senatorial candidate in 2013, initiated proceedings at SET to question Poe’s qualification as senator just this year, nearly three years since she won a seat in the chamber.

“A further reason for inhibition in these petitions is the nonparticipation of said justices in Da-

By Jan. 1, 2017, the old notes, which use a design that has been used since 1985, will be considered demonetized and no longer have any monetary value.

BSP Deputy Gov. Diwa Guinigundo said all local banks should begin releasing and circulating new banknotes, according to CNN. “We have always encourage[d] the banks of release and circulate brand new notes. We have ample delivery from our production staff both printed in house and outsourced. So there is no excuse for any bank not to release new notes,” Guinigundo said.

The old notes, New Design Series, will be replaced with new notes called New Generation Currency, which incorporates enhanced security features to help guard against counterfeiting.

The phasing out of the old notes is in line with provisions of Section 57 of the New Central Bank Act - or Republic Act No. 7653 - that authorizes BSP to replace banknotes that are in circulation for over five years.

Guinigundo said there are a total of 2.42 billion pieces of new peso bills valued at P753.42 billion ($15.94 billion), according to Rappler. ■

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Old peso bills no longer valid starting Jan…

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The old banknotes, however, can still be exchanged in banks and BSP offices through the end of 2016 free of charge for the new notes that were launched in 2010.

Filipinos residing abroad with old peso bills who are unable exchange the notes in 2016 can register online between Oct. 1, 2016 to Dec. 31, 2016 on the BSP website. The old notes can then be exchanged with the BSP within a year of the registration date. OFWs are limited to exchanging P10,000, and only the amount they register will be honored by BSP.

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Remembering a hero: If Rizal were alive…

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people value nationalism and love of country nowadays. It is as if the sacrifices he and his compatriots made were wasted,” said Melchor Pelleja, a history instructor at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), said.

Erickson Calata, a faculty member of the PUP political science department, said Rizal would not be proud because the social ills that persecuted him remain rampant.

“He will not be proud. I think he knows that the system of domination is a constant problem. The Americans just replaced the Spaniards as oppressors and even after 1946, that system persists through neo-colonialism,” Calata said.

Not everyone are pessimistic though.

Alexander Ruiz of the religious group Sagrada Familia Dios Infinito Tinig said the national hero would be proud of the armed forces, which displayed 40 of its air assets during the Rizal Day commemoration in Manila on Wednesday.

“Our father Dr. Jose Rizal would be happy. We have a force that we can rely on if threatened by enemies,” Ruiz said.

Others think that Rizal, who once said that the youth is the

future of the country, would have prioritized education if he were one of the leaders of the country. “(Rizal would) create a nationalist, scientific, and mass-oriented education system. Nationalist to serve for the sovereignty and excellency of the country, scientific so that it will be more comprehensible in the practice of social reality, and mass-oriented so that everyone will receive education- down to the poorest of the poor,” Calata said.

Mark Gilbert Rehoy, faculty member of the La Salle Greenhills social science department, said Rizal would have emphasized the use of Filipino language as the medium of instruction for most of the subjects.

“Filipino and Social Studies will be given more focus compared to Science, Math, and English,” Rehoy added.

Veronica Moreno, a Sociology student, said the education system in the country would have been much better if it were handled by people like Rizal.

“If Rizal were alive today, we would value education more. The Philippines would’ve been at par with other countries,” she said.

Ronuel Jundana, an electronics engineering student, believes that there would be more public

schools in the country if Rizal were a key government official.

Rehoy thinks that Rizal would vote against political dynasties because it is prone to power concentration and abuse. Jundana, for his part, believes Rizal would not tolerate any form of corruption in the government.

With regard to the Philippines’ territorial row with China, some experts believe that Rizal would choose to settle the dispute through peaceful means.

“In the context of Rizal’s time and based on his mind-framing, the issue about the South China Sea can be compared to his stand on the issue of Sabah, where he stood for its reoccupation,” Calata said.

“He is more intellectual so he doesn’t like violence. He believes in the power of dialogue,” Rehoy said.

For Michael Charleston “Xiao” Chua, a history professor at De La Salle University, Rizal would have taken a different career path but remains passionate about the country’s plight.

“He (Rizal) would have been a more responsible critic in the social media, one that says something always with basis. He could have been a filmmaker or a rock star, but singing about the social condition,” Chua said. ■

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a request to get an injection for it the night before the fight. Over 30 lawsuits seeking refunds were filed, claiming that the fight was a fraud and that Pacquiao should have disclosed his injury.

THE REIGN OF TERROR: PARIS ATTACKED TWICE, MASS SHOOTING IN SAN BERNARDINO Gunmen killed 17 individuals in Paris throughout a three-day attack that began on Jan. 7 at the office of Charlie Hebdo, a weekly provocative French satirical magazine that typically features cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad.

The attackers were two brothers who were born, raised and radicalized in Paris. The brothers were shot dead by police three days after they fired shots at Charlie Hebdo.

Paris was again the site of multiple terrorist attacks on Nov. 13, coordinated by the Islamic State extremist group. Explosions occurred outside of the Stade de France, the national sports stadium, where an anticipated soccer match between Germany and France was taking place.

Several street shootings and bombing attacks also occurred at four populated outdoor plazas, where a 23-year-old American student from Cal State Long Beach was killed. The worst massacre of the night was a mass shooting at the Bataclan music hall venue, where the Eagles of Death Metal was performing to a crowd of over 1,000 people. Three men entered the hall and opened fire. The deadly attacks, which reportedly left at least 129 people dead and

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in ISIS territories’ Iraq and Syria.

While several of the gunmen have been killed or detained, police are still on the search for others involved with the ISIS-coordinated attacks.

Terror hit close to home when on Dec. 2, a practicing Muslim couple entered the Inland Regional Center in San Bernardino, California, and opened gunfire in a room full of county health employees who were celebrating a holiday party. Fourteen people were killed and 21 injured in the attack, which officials later learned was premeditated, and it became the deadliest incident of gun violence in 2015.

The radicalized husband and wife, identified as 28-year-old Syed Rizwan Farook and 27year-old Tashfeen Malik, were killed hours after the rampage in a shootout with a police. Farook was also an employee for the San Bernardino County Public Health Department. Investigators 8]k\i k_\ _fii\e[flj j\i`\j f] XkkXZbj `e GXi`j# k_\ nfic[ ZXd\ kf^\k_\i kf j_fn k_\`i jlggfik believe the attacks were radicalXe[ jfc`[Xi`kp# `eZcl[`e^ k_\ G_`c`gg`e\j% Kfli`jd G_`c`gg`e\j i\Z\ekcp j_Xi\[ X g_fkf f] I`qXc ized because of their organized 352 wounded, prompted French President François Hollande to declare a state of emergency and that France is “at war.” He further said that France is committed to “destroying” the Islamic State group, and France has launched airstrikes

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ago when it was full of “despair and uncertainty.

“I am filled with pride by how far we have come since we began our journey in 2010. Just a little more than five years ago, we faced a future full of despair and uncertainty; reports of plunder, mismanagement, and corruption dominated our headlines. Today, progress, opportunity, and growth fill news about the Philippines both here and abroad,” he said.

Aquino said the successes of his administration were achieved because of Daang Matuwid, or what he described as “the straight and righteous path.”

This path “transformed damaged public agencies into stronger, more transparent, and responsive institutions; turned a demoralized government workforce into dedicated civil servants; galvanized an apathetic populace into active, empowered nation-builders; and reinvigorated a sluggish business sector into a major driver of economic growth.”

“Indeed, the Daang Matuwid is a roadmap that will catapult us into First World Status and make us a $1-trillion economy by the year 2030,” Aquino cited.

He said this righteous path should also guide voters in the coming 2016 presidential elections.

“The same thought should guide us as we choose our leaders this coming election: to maintain the upward trajectory of our growth and keep our nation on the Daang Matuwid. As long as we bear in our hearts and minds the welfare of our people, we will realize our inherent greatness and usher in a Philippines that we can proudly bequeath to the coming generations,” Aquino added.

Filipinos welcome 2016 with hope Majority of Filipinos or 89 percent are welcoming 2016 with hope, a survey of the Pulse Asia revealed.

“Hope is the predominant sentiment among Filipinos as far as the year 2016 is concerned,” the study conducted from Dec. 4 to 11 showed.

The sentiment is shared by most Filipinos across geographic areas with 85 to 95 percent and socio-economic classes with 86 percent to 92 percent.

The study surveyed 1,800 registered voters who are 18 years old and above with 2 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level.

In Metro Manila, residents are more inclined to be hopeful than those in the Visayas with 95 percent versus 85 percent.

However, one percent of Filipinos say they will face the next 12 months without hope.

One in 10 Filipinos expressed indecision as they could not say whether they will face the coming year with or without hope.

This sentiment was slightly more pronounced in Visayas than in Metro Manila (14 percent versus 4 percent), Pulse Asia said.

In the weeks leading up to the fieldwork for this survey, Pulse Asia noted some of the following local and international issues that dominated the headlines: -The filing of certificate of candidacies (COCs) by candidates for various positions in the May 2016 elections from Oct. 12 to 16 -The filing of COC of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte last November 27. He was also controversial for cursing Pope Francis in his speech -The decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal, denying the petition questioning the citizenship of Senator Grace Poe -Commission on Elections’ ruling in favor of the canceling of Poe’ COC -The dismissal from service for grave misconduct and dishonesty of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. -The Philippines’ hosting of the

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vid’s appeal to the SET ruling. Indeed, ‘prior inhibition’ in related cases is an acceptable reason to decline participation in a case,” read the petition.

Consolidate petitions Through her lawyers, Poe also asked the high court to consolidate petitions surrounding her qualification for public office that are pending in the tribunal.

These include the senator’s two petitions against the Comelec resolutions for her disqualification and David’s appeal to the SET ruling.

The cases, Poe said, “involve common questions of law and/or fact.”

“Sen. Poe can only have one status. She could not be a natural-born Filipino as a senator and yet be pronounced a foreigner or a stateless person insofar as her candidacy for President is concerned,” the pleading read.

“Consolidation of the three petitions is proper, not just because there are common questions of law and fact, but because consolidation will address the need for a speedy resolution of these petitions in view of the upcoming electoral exercise,” it said.

Inhibit without prodding At the press conference, Poe said she hoped the three justices would inhibit themselves from the case without prodding. “I am not questioning their credibility.”

During the open forum, Poe’s lawyer George Garcia expressed his trust in the Supreme Court, saying its decision to strike down the Aquino administration’s Disbursement Acceleration Program “shows its independence.”

Had the Supreme Court failed to issue the TROs, the Comelec would have proceeded to strike Poe’s name from the list of presidential candidates in next year’s general elections.

The action also mooted a motion by former Sen. Francisco Tatad asking the Comelec to re-

move Poe’s name from the list should the tribunal fail to order a halt to the senator’s disqualification.

Tatad was one of the petitioners questioning Poe’s eligibility to run for President, along with De La Salle University professor Antonio Contreras, former University of the East College of Law dean Amado Valdez and former government lawyer Estrella Elamparo.

Poe, a foundling, was abandoned at a church in Iloilo province shortly after her birth in September 1968. In 2001, a decade after marrying dual citizen Neil Llamanzares and staying in the United States, she became a naturalized US citizen.

In December 2004, her adoptive father, Fernando Poe Jr., an actor who lost to Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the contested May elections of that year, died.

In July 2006, she reacquired her Philippine citizenship after deciding with her family to stay in the Philippines for good.

Her lawyers said she was presumed to be a natural-born citizen of the Philippines under international law. They also argued that her reacquisition of her Filipino citizenship meant she also acquired her natural-born status.

Tatad to file comment Manuelito Luna, lawyer of Tatad, vowed to fight the senator’s plea to inhibit the three justices, saying: “We will refute the allegation of Poe that the Comelec committed grave abuse of discretion in canceling her COC/disqualifying her.”

Luna will file a comment in the high court on Jan. 4 on Tatad’s behalf. “ … [W]e will also plead for the immediate dissolution of the TRO issued by Chief Justice Sereno on grounds of lack of proper basis,” said Luna in a statement sent via text message.

Poe’s case was set for oral arguments on Jan. 19. ■

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit from Nov. 18 to 19 -The National Bureau of Investigation made public that there is indeed a “laglag-bala” (bulletplanting) scam -The Paris Climate Change Conference from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11 which resulted in the signing of a universal agreement that would hold governments accountable for their failure to limit greenhouse gas emmissions -The terrorist attacks in Paris last Nov. 13 which killed 130 persons and injured 400. ■

Miss Universe-Philippines beauty pageants, she attended secondary school in Quezon City, culinary arts school in Metro Manila, and speaks Tagalog, English, and German. On the live Miss Universe stage, Wurtzbach publicly shared her support of US military presence in the Philippines, and told viewers, “I want to show the world—the universe, rather—that I am confidently beautiful, with a heart.” Since her crowning, she has also apologized to Miss Colombia and to her supporters for the confusion that happened.

JASON DAY WINS PGA CHAMPIONSHIP Filipino-Australian golfer Jason Day in August won the Professional Golf Association (PGA) Championship golf tournament where he defeated Jordan Spieth, the world’s No. 1 golfer. Day now ranks as the No. 2 golfer by the Official World Golf Ranking.

He holds an average of 10.9398 points and a total of 437.59 points.

Philippine Communication Secretario Herminio Coloma said the Philippines is proud of Day, whose mother hails from Visayas.

ROBERT MURPHY, FIL-AM CO-FOUNDER OF SNAPCHAT AMONG WORLD’S YOUNGEST BILLIONAIRES A young Fil-Am, Robert “Bobby” Murphy, 26, is on Forbes’ list of world billionaires for 2015.

Co-founder of the popular social media app Snapchat with his fraternity brother Evan Spiegel, both Stanford students, Murphy has a net worth of $1.5 billion—making him the second youngest dollar billionaire in the club, Forbes reported. He has an estimated

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stake of at least 15 percent in the business. Murphy now serves as Snapchat’s chief technology officer, developing prototype and infrastructure for the app.

JUDGE JULIAN RECANA SWORN INTO LA COUNTY SUPERIOR COURT Julian C. Recana became the newest Fil-Am judge in Los Angeles County in August, following his appointment by California Gov. Jerry Brown in July. Recana has served as deputy district attorney

in the Long Beach Courthouse for 11 years and has been with the County District Attorney’s Office since 1999, seeking justice for victims of crime and murder.

His father, Hon. Judge Mel Red Recana, was the first Fil-Am judge in the US when he appointed 34 years ago. There are over 2,000 judges in the state of California — 11 of them Filipino-American, nine of whom serve in LA County, and only one father-and-son duo,

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the Recanas.

JOEL JACINTO HONORED

BY MAYOR GARCETTI AS LA BOARD OF PUBLIC WORKS COMMISSIONER It was a historic occasion for the Fil-Am and Asian Pacific Islander (API) communities when Joel Jacinto, executive director of the Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) was confirmed as the new Los Angeles Board of Public Works Commissioner last August 11.

Jacinto’s appointment makes him only a handful of Asian Americans who have served in such a capacity. LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said that he selected Jacinto as Commissioner because of the difference he has made in his community and to help organize the API community so it can “have the muscle inside City Hall to get things done.” Garrett also said that Jacinto has an infectious way of bringing people together, and a belief in pushing his community and the larger community forward.

With his appointment, Jacinto took a two-year leave of absence as executive director of SIPA, but will remain involved in the organization.

PH PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES Next year’s Philippine presidential election could be one of the most interesting in history, considering who the candidates are and the drama they bring into the race.

Frontrunner Senator Grace Poe, who was leading the polls for next year’s presidential election was disqualified by the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Two Comelec divisions had disqualified Poe, who led voters’ preference polls, for failing to meet the 10-year residency requirement for a presidential candidate, citing her certificate of candidacy (COC)

for senator in 2013. Poe said she erred in the COC. Poe’s disqualification case, however, was junked by the Senate Electoral Tribunal, although Supreme Court justice members ruled that Poe was not a natural-born citizen. As provided in the 1987 Constitution, only natural-born Filipinos are allowed to assume the presidency.

On Dec. 29, the Supreme Court (SC) amended the temporary restraining orders (TROs) against the Comelec’s decision to disqualify Poe candidacy. The private petitioners of the disqualification cases against the senator and the poll body are given ten (10) days from notice to file their comments.

Oral arguments are scheduled on Jan. 19, 2016.

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, considered as the dark horse from Mindanao, finally filed his COC in December, after months of denying his intention to run for president. Duterte entered the presidential race under the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, or PDP-Laban, as the substitute of anti-corruption advocate Martin Diño, who withdrew his certificate on October 29. Diño named Duterte as his possible replacement. He withdrew from the Davao City mayoral race and has been substituted by his daughter, Sara Duterte (who was also a former Davao City Mayor). As of press time, surveys have showed Duterte as a top contender for the country highest post in spite of criticisms about his vigilante style of leadership.

Wanting continuity on his “tuwid na daan” administration, Pres. Benigno Aquino III troduced former Interior and Local Government secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II as the presidential candidate of the ruling Liberal Party in next year’s Philippine elections. Roxas vowed to continue the reforms made by the Aquino administration and to never stray

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from the “tuwid na daan” or straight path platform of the Aquino government. Despite the President’s backing, Roxas still trails behind leading presidential candidates Poe, Duterte and Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay based on recent surveys.

Probably one of the most intelligent presidential candidates, Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago announced her intention to run last October, with Senator Bongbong Marcos as her running mate for Vice President. Notable for having served in all three branches of the government—judicial, executive and legislative— she ran in the 1992 presidential elections but lost.

Initially polled highly among expected presidential candidates, Binay’s charisma towards the masses—especially in the City of Makati—is what will pull people to vote for him. Despite of the number of corruption cases filed against him and his family, Binay remains a frontrunner with his promise to alleviate the lives of the Filipinos. ■

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nature, the weapons used, and the couple’s recent travel to and from Saudi Arabia. Upon search of the couple’s home and electronic devices, officials discovered that Malik advocated jihad in secret messages with friends, and had also pledged allegiance to the leader of the Islamic State. FBI said that both attackers were “homegrown violent extremists” who acted on their own, inspired by the actions of foreign terrorist groups like ISIS. Following the attacks, as well as deadly massacres by ISIS members in Paris, The Obama administration announced changes to the visa waiver program that allows millions of immigrants from 38 countries into the US every year without a visa, for stays of 90 days or less if they meet certain requirements. The program will include more stringent screenings at airports and security restrictions and watch lists for suspect individuals.

Republican presidential front-runner candidate Donald Trump has also called for a controversial ban on all Muslims entering the United States, arguing that it “cannot be the victims of horrendous attacks by people that believe only in jihad, and have no sense of reason or respect for human life.” Meanwhile, Republicans in Congress announced that they would not take immediate action to bring up new gun control legislation in the wake of the San Bernardino attacks, saying it was “unconstitutional” to deny the right to bear M`Z\ Gi\j`[\ek A\afdXi 9`eXp# ;XmXf :`kp DXpfi If[i`^f ;lk\ik\# J\e% >iXZ\ Gf\# ]fid\i @ek\i`fi J\Zi\kXip DXel\c ÈDXiÉ IfoXj @@ Xe[ J\e% D`i`Xd ;\]\ejfi JXek`X^f _Xm\ k_\`i \p\j j\k fe gi\j`[\eZp% G_`cjkXi%Zfd g_fkf arms, but wanted to focus on an overhaul of the country’s mental health system..

PHILIPPINES HOSTS APEC SUMMIT With the theme “Building Inclusive Economies, Building a Better World,” this year’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit gathered prominent heads of state and business leaders from member states and territories in Manila. The Philippine government allotted P10 billion in hosting the annual meeting of the 21member Asia Pacific economies.

Held on Nov. 17-20, the global leaders—which included Pres.

Barack Obama and Chinese Pres.

Xi Jinping—discussed some of the region’s most pressing issues including economic integration, trade liberalization, sustainable growth and international security particularly in the South China Sea. Milestones of the APEC Summit include the agenda for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), the adoption of the APEC Strategy for Strengthening Quality Growth, which will guide member economies in undertaking robust, comprehensive, and ambitious structural reforms over the next five years and the approval of the APEC Services Cooperation Framework, which underscores the importance of the services sector, which makes up approximately two-thirds of the GDP in the APEC region.

JUAN PONCE ENRILE GRANTED BAIL In a 8-4 vote on Aug. 18, the Philippine Supreme Court granted Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile’s plea to post bail in connection with his plunder trial over his alleged involvement in the P10 billion Priority Development Assistance

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Fund (PDAF), also known as the pork barrel scam. Enrile is accused of plunder for allegedly pocketing P172 million in commissions in the PDAF scam. He was under hospital arrest at the Philippine National Police General Hospital since July 2014, before his appeal was granted. The high court cited “humanitarian reasons” for granting the 91-year-old senator his temporary liberty.

SUPREME COURT RULES FOR SAME-SEX MARRIAGE A divided Supreme Court made a landmark decision in June by ruling in favor of same-sex marriage, making the United States the 21st country in the world to legalize this nationwide. The decision, which also applies to US territories, allows married samesex couples to have the same legal rights and benefits as married heterosexual couples.

US MARINE JOSEPH PEMBERTON FOUND GUILTY OF MURDERING JENNIFER LAUDE Joseph Scott Pemberton, the US Marine Private First Class charged with murder for the death of Filipina transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude in October 2014, was found guilty on Tuesday, Dec. 1 in the Philippines, where he will remain in prison.

Pfc. Pemberton, who was on a break after taking part in joint military exercises in Subic Bay, was charged with the homicide of Laude, whom he reportedly strangled to death in the hotel room they had checked into in Olongapo City, near the former US naval base. The young Marine first testified that he was intoxicated at the time of Laude’s death, and that he became enraged after discovering Laude was a man, which led to a fight in the room and prompted a defensive chokehold. The Olongapo City Regional Trial Court threw out Pemberton’s defense that he merely rendered Laude unconscious in a chokehold, and that someone else had strangled and drowned her n the toilet bowl after he had left the scene. Pemberton has been charged with murder but was convicted of the lesser offense of homicide, which does not require malicious intent. The court found no treachery, abuse of strength, or cruelty on the part of the Marine soldier. Sentenced for six to 12 years, Pemberton will be held by the US-controlled Bureau of Corrections, guarded by the Philippine National Police, and has been ordered to pay more than 4.5 million pesos ($95,350) to Laude’s family. He can still appeal against the verdict and sentence. ■

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New Year’s message of Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. for the Filipino communities in the US and the Caribbean 2015 has been an inspiring and fruitful year for the Philippines and the Filipino people.

From the visit of Pope Francis in January to the Philippine Chairmanship of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) culminating in the Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November, and everything else in between, the Filipino’s faith, hospitality, and resilience have shone brightly. These innate Filipino traits have served as a driving force behind the Philippines’ emergence as one of the most dynamic economies in the world today.

However, as we take the time to reflect on the accomplishments and challenges that our

country faced in 2015, we should also look towards the New Year with the strong resolve to sustain and build on the gains we have so far achieved.

2016 promises to be an exciting year as we expect to experience great transformations stemming from the upcoming Presidential elections, the ASEAN-US Summit in Sunnylands, California, the reality of an ASEAN Economic Community, the implementation of the Paris Climate Agreement, and the ruling of the international Arbitral Tribunal with regard to the South China Sea. With all these interesting developments in the coming year, I remain confident that the Filipino communities in the United

States and in the Caribbean will continue to play an integral role in shaping the ongoing story of nation-building, growth, and progress of the Philippines.

I firmly believe that it is high time for overseas Filipinos to demonstrate their commitment and empowerment by participating in the selection of new Philippine leaders in May 2016.

Therefore, I strongly encourage the Filipino communities in the US and in the Caribbean to let their voices be heard and participate in the Philippine electoral process.

I wish you all a Happy New Year that is filled with the blessings of peace, harmony and prosperity. ■

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Philippines out of list of deadliest for journalists

by ARTEMIO

DUMLAO Philstar.com

BAGUIO CITY—For the first time since 2007, the Philippines is not on the list of the “World’s Most Deadly Countries for Journalists.”

The New York-based press freedom watchdog Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) said in its yearend analysis that it did not document a single journalist killed in direct relation to work in the Philippines.

The CPJ, however, noted that at least seven Filipino journalists were killed in unclear circumstances. It continues to investigate these cases for a workrelated motive, it said.

The Philippines was always in the list of World’s Most Dangerous Countries for the Press, along with warn-torn countries like Syria and Iraq, peaking in November 2009 when at least 30 journalists were killed along with 28 others in Maguindanao, perhaps the single most deadly mass killing of journalists in the world.

CPJ began compiling detailed records on all journalist deaths in 1992.

Syria and France topped the countries around the world with 40 percent of 69 journalists killed in the line of duty in 2015.

Muslim extremist groups that included al-Qaeda and the Islamic State systematically kill journalists in Syria.

Nine of 69 killings took place in France, which came second to Syria.

The number of journalists killed between Jan. 1 and Dec. 23, 2015 was higher than the 61

journalists killed last year, the CPJ said, while vowing it was investigating the deaths of at least 24 more journalists during the year to determine whether they were work-related.

The CPJ noted that unlike the past three years, the deaths were widely distributed across countries, citing that at least five journalists were killed each in Iraq, Brazil, Bangladesh, South Sudan and Yemen.

In 2012, 2013 and 2014, deaths in Syria far outnumbered those in the rest of the world.

The declining number of deaths in Syria – where 13 were killed in 2015 – “reflects in part the reduced number of journalists working there, after many major international news organizations chose not to send staff to the country and local journalists fled into exile,” the CPJ yearend analysis said.

It was acknowledged by CPJ that while there was lower number of confirmed killings in Syria, researching cases was increasingly difficult there and in other places ravaged by conflict, including Libya, Yemen and Iraq.

CPJ said it undertook a research mission to Iraq this year to investigate reports that up to 35 journalists from Mosul were missing, dead or held captive by Islamic State. But the CPJ wasn’t able to confirm the deaths because of the militant group’s stranglehold on information about the city.

The press freedom watchdog said it has received reports of dozens more journalists killed in Syria and Iraq, but was unable to independently confirm this and whether work was the reason.

Those left practicing journalism in these conflict-ravaged countries are often affiliated with groups party to the conflict, further complicating CPJ’s endeavors to determine the reasons behind their deaths.

Worldwide, more than twothirds of the journalists killed in 2015 were singled out in reprisal for their work – “in line with the historical average but a greater percentage than CPJ has recorded over the past five years.”

One-third of killings worldwide came at the hands of criminal groups, government officials or local residents – in most cases, drug traffickers or local authorities suspected of being in collusion with organized crime, the CPJ analysis said.

It specifically cited how Brazilian Gleydson Carvalho was shot dead by two men while on his afternoon radio show, which often criticized local police and politicians for corruption and wrongdoing.

Brazil, with six murders, registered its highest number of killings since CPJ began keeping detailed records in 1992.

While the level of violence is unprecedented, Brazilian judicial authorities made strides in combating impunity with six convictions of murder in the past two years.

The world’s newest country – South Sudan – registered for the first time on CPJ’s database of killed journalists when gunmen ambushed an official convoy in Western Bahr al Ghazal state, resulting in the death of five journalists traveling with an official.

After Zapanta’s death, Palace calls on Filipinos to follow int’l laws

by YUJI

VINCENT GONZALES Inquirer.net

MALACAÑANG on Tuesday, Dec. 29 called on Filipinos all over the world to abide by the laws of other countries, following the execution of overseas Filipino worker Joselito Zapanta in Saudi Arabia.

“We call on all Filipino nationals to abide by the laws of their countries of work and residence,” said Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma.

Zapanta was executed on

Tuesday for the murder of his Sudanese landlord over rent.

The victim’s family refused to execute an Affidavit of Forgiveness in exchange for blood money.

The family previously demanded P48 million, but only P23 million was raised for Zapanta.

Coloma noted that Zapanta’s execution “could not be forestalled under the laws of Saudi Arabia” despite the Philippine government’s efforts.

“The government extends its sympathy and condolences to the

family of Joselito Lidasan Zapanta. Despite efforts to preserve his life, appeals for compassion and forgiveness were unheeded and his execution could not be forestalled further under the laws of Saudi Arabia,” Coloma said.

“Government will continue to extend all the necessary support and assistance to our citizens working or residing abroad, through our diplomatic posts,” he added.

Zapanta was survived by his father, mother, sister, and two children.

Abad accused of lying, hiding ‘pork’ in 2016 budget

by MICHAEL

PUNONGBAYAN Philstar.com

MANILA—Budget Secretary Florencio Abad was lying when he declared there was no “pork” in the 2016 national budget, one of the lead petitioners in the Supreme Court against the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) and the Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) said. “(Abad) is using the same pork barrel system the Supreme Court has declared unconstitutional, but in greater amounts. Almost half of the budget are pork barrel funds of the President,” Greco Belgica said in a statement.

He warned that funds put at the discretion of the President or administration officials might be used for election purposes, specifically for bribing polls officials and even Smartmatic, which is the provider of election counting machines.

He said that in the SC ruling against DAP and PDAF, any lump sums and discretionary funds

given to politicians or officials are unconstitutional, regardless of whether such officials belong to the executive or legislative departments.

He added special purpose funds, automatic appropriations fund and unprogrammed funds remain to be lump sums and discretionary to the President.

Belgica said lawmakers follow the dictates of the DBM so they can get their share of pork for the elections.

“Most of them don’t even bother to go through the GAA (General Appropriations Act) because of the established system of collusion between the executive and the legislative body to get their share of the pork the Supreme Court declared unconstitutional,” he added.

Belgica explained that “bottom up” budgeting is a system prescribed in the Local Government Code and that instead of following the law by making it go through the process of the local development council, “they (administration officials) opted

again to cut short the process by not organizing the councils, therefore directly putting the request and so the money to the national agencies.”

“Thus, discretionary and once again lump sum funds to the President and for Mar’s campaign,” he said, referring to administration standard bearer in next year’s elections Manuel Roxas II. Abad, he said, cannot point an accusing finger at Congress because he proposes and controls the budget while dangling funds to lawmakers.

“I challenge Abad to answer in public our evidences of pork barrel allocations in the GAA one by one and face to face like true leaders and gentlemen,” he said.

“If I prove him wrong then he must resign, face the consequences of his actions and allow us to correct their mistakes. If I am wrong then I will keep quiet and face the consequences of my allegations,” Belgica pointed out.

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China ‘strongly dissatisfied’ over Filipino protesters on Pagasa Island

by FRANCES

MANGOSING Inquirer.net

CHINA seemed unhappy with the group of young Filipino protesters who landed in a Philippine-claimed island in the South China Sea (West Philippine Sea).

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Lu Kang said in a statement on Monday, Dec. 28 that China was “strongly dissatisfied with the actions and words of the Philippine side.”

Less than 50 protesters, mostly youth, sailed for Pagasa Island

last Thursday and arrived on Saturday, despite lack of encouragement from the government and the military due to security and safety reasons. They were joined by former Marine officer Captain Nicanor Faeldon and will stay there for three days.

Originally, the group “Kalayaan Atin Ito” aimed to bring 10,000 youths in a month-long protest from November 30 to December 30 on different islands in the Spratlys. The act’s purpose was to show their stand against China’s sweeping expansion in the South

China Sea. However, China maintained its “indisputable sovereignty” over the islands.

“China has indisputable sovereignty over the Nansha Islands, Zhongye Island being a part of it.

We once again urge the Philippine side to withdraw all its personnel and facilities from the Chinese islands and reefs it is illegally occupying and stop doing anything that undermines regional peace and stability and weighs against the relations between China and the Philippines,” Lu said.

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OPINION

FEATURES

Reflection

BEFORE we charge 2015 to history, we are again reminded to look back and reflect on all the important events that have happened in the past 12 months. This year we celebrated triumphs and suffered defeats. Which way does the Philippines go? Will Filipinos learn from mistakes and lead themselves to better lives, or will we constitute a false dawn?

In a nutshell, 2015 will go down as one of the most eventful years, for it has shaped and changed the world by leaps and bounds.

The Philippine economy is booming -- it stands strong by sustaining a steady growth. Remittances sent by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) are forecast to reach $29.7 billion this year, making the Philippines the world’s third largest recipient of remittances, just behind India ($72.2 billion) and China ($63.9 billion). The labor markets for Filipinos are now expanding and demands for Filipinos workers are seen.

With sound government spending, the economic potential of the country is now confident to go head-to-head with its aggressive neighbors. The current administration has also led development to agriculture, education, health and social welfare.

2015 started on a high note when Pope Francis visited the country in January. In November, Filipinos welcomed global leaders for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation’s (APEC) Summit in Manila. The leaders from the 21-member associa-

tion discussed some of the region’s most pressing issues including economic integration, trade liberalization, sustainable growth and energy security.

On Dec. 20, 26-year-old Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach won the Miss Universe crown, the third crown for the Philippines. Besting 80 beauties from around the globe, Wurtzbach won the hearts of the judges by displaying her intellect, cultural values, sense of poise and of being. She did not only epitomize what the world considers beautiful, but she also represented what a Filipina has to offer.

Along the victories Filipinos rejoiced were adversities that the country had to bear. The ongoing Spratlys dispute between China and the Philippines remains unresolved. Travel advisories were issued against the Philippines for purported terrorism. Many Filipinos were affected by the series of typhoons that hit the country. Some lost power for days, others had their homes flooded and a number lost their homes altogether, while damages amounted to billions.

Editorial

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During the latter part of the year, difficulties have posed threats on the integrity of the country’s political system. Political vendettas and government procrastination have cast doubts on the Filipinos’ practice of democracy. To say that Philippine politics has never been more controversial this year is an understatement.

While 2015 proved to be a challenging year, it

also fortified our courage, vigilance, resilience and hope as a people, in the face of adversity. No matter how dreadful some of the unfortunate events are, Filipinos have still managed to score achievements, solve problems and most of all, set goals.

The work is not yet done for Filipinos. Challenges will still come and improvements must still transpire. (AJPress)

Victorious thoughts to guide us in 2016 I HOPE you all had the merriest Christmas with your loved ones. This happy holiday season also heralds the ending of the year, and the beginning of a new chapter in our lives.

No matter how crazy and busy our schedules haven been in the last days of the year, let us find those solemn moments to be quiet and reflect on the gift and lessons 2015 has brought us as we welcome the coming of 2016.

As we aspire and strive to make 2016 a better year, let us be guided by positive healthy thoughts on the first day of the year, and everyday thereafter.

Remember that the battle starts in our minds, and so let us feed our minds with thoughts of hope, faith and victory.

HAVE A BLESSED 2016!

Below are some of my favorites that I gather from many sources.

“Year’s end is neither an end nor a beginning but a going on, with all the wisdom that experience can instill in us. Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right.” - Oprah Winfrey

The battle starts in our minds

“For last year’s words belong to last year’s language and The Fil-Am next year’s words await another Perspective voice.” - T.S. Eliot “Your success and happiness lies in you. Resolve to keep happy, and your joy and you shall form an invincible host against difficulGEL SANTOS-RELOS ties.” - Helen Keller “Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”

- Lao Tzu “Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year.” - Ralph Waldo Emerson “All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them.” - Walt Disney “All of us every single year, we’re a different person. I don’t think we’re the same person all our lives.” - Steven Spielberg “Make New Year’s goals. Dig within, and discover

what you would like to have happen in your life this year. This helps you do your part. It is an affirmation that you’re interested in fully living life in the year to come.” - Melody Beattie “Character is the ability to carry out a good resolution long after the excitement of the moment has passed.” - Cavett Robert “For a new year to bring you something new, make a move, like a butterfly tearing its cocoon! Make a move!” - Mehmet Murat Ildan “The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.” - Eleanor Roosevelt “Success means having the courage, the determination, and the will to become the person you believe you were meant to be.” - George Sheehan “The object of a new year is not that we should have a new year, but rather that we should have a new soul.” - G.K. Chesterton “You are never too old to set another goal or to

dream a new dream.” - C.S. Lewis “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.” - Albert Einstein “I hope that in this year to come, you make mistakes. Because if you are making mistakes, then you are making new things, trying new things, learning, living, pushing yourself, changing yourself, changing your world. You’re doing things you’ve never done before, and more importantly, you’re doing something.” - Neil Gaiman “Here’s to the bright New Year, and a fond farewell to the old; here’s to the things that are yet to come, and to the memories that we hold.” - Unknown “.Forgetting the things that are behind and reaching out for the things that are ahead..” - Philippians 3:13 ***

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Will the presidential contest be won on social media?

8:00AM, Tuesdays in the San Francisco Street Bay Area is 12:00 midnight in Manila, Talk because of Daylight Saving Time. This is when the Wednesday online edition of Busi- GREG B. MACABENTA ness World is posted.

I watch out for this proverbial witching hour (which is, in fact, breakfast time for folks like me in California) because that’s when I can go over my column of 27-plus years in the country’s leading business daily.

Except for burglars and security guards and, oh yes, witches, you hardly expect anyone to be awake in Manila just to post comments on someone’s newspaper column. But the other week, as soon as my piece, “Duterte’s Way Isn’t the Best Way,” went online, it was immediately pelted with a barrage of negative comments (well over a dozen) that appeared, interestingly, like an orchestrated counter-propaganda blitz by paid social media trolls.

Note that the commentaries were posted almost immediately after midnight, which means that a team had been placed on standby to take potshots at my column (if was it was about or against Duterte, my piece in the previous week having been entitled, “Duterte, Trump, Hitler and Nardong Putik”).

I’ve been writing for a living for much longer than most people have been alive, so I can spot from a mile away any effort to make a letter to the editor look “authentic.” The fellows who posted the adverse comments were probably sleepy or poorly-paid and thus tended to copy from each other, as well as use similar phraseology (lines like, “Whatever you say, Duterte pa rin kami!” and “We are rock solid behind Duterte!”).

Worse yet (for whoever is paying their wages), the trolls tried but failed to seem like “average Pinoys” with bad

grammar and poor spelling. They certainly did not fit the readership profile of Business World. You might describe their verbiage as “pang-tabloid.”

Apparently, my commentaries on the presidential aspirations of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte have become reason for me to be caught in the cross-hairs of the social media snipers. Of course, I have no worries about being given the dreaded Duterte extrajudicial treatment. I’m too old to get scared of that. Besides, Duterte’s legendary kill rate, by his own admission, is more fiction than fact.

At any rate, Duterte’s presidential campaign isn’t the specific focus of this piece. Rather, it is the use of social media as a means for influencing minds and, by extension, influencing a political contest like the coming presidential elections.

The question is: How effective is social media in doing so?

One clue could be in the fact that Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago, who claims to be the hands-down favorite for president among Facebook habitues, registers rather poorly in the SWS and Pulse Asia surveys, both of which provide a relatively fair idea of the rankings (except when a survey is commissioned by a candidate).

In a report on Inquirer.net, dated November 25, Carlo Ople, managing partner and director of digital advertising agency DM9 Digit, described Santiago as a “social media darling” who “leads the pack among presidential aspirants with 3,205,407 followers on Facebook and 2,094,618 on Twitter.” In contrast, Ople pointed out, “Senator Grace Poe, lags in social media: She only has 737,711 fans on Facebook and 58,154 on Twitter.”

However, a completely different story is revealed by a December 4 to 12 Stan-

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dard Poll, conducted nationwide by veteran pollster Junie Laylo among 1,500 registered voters. The survey tells us that Poe, in spite of being disqualified by two Comelec divisions, is in the lead with 28%, followed by Vice-President Jejomar Binay with 23%, LP standard bearer Mar Roxas with 22% and Duterte with 19%. Santiago just managed to register a wee beep with 3%.

In truth, we do not know enough about the impact of social media on the attitudes of Filipinos as voters (as distinct from their attitudes as social media butterflies). What we have observed, however, is that the mainstream media – meaning, the national dailies and the TV and radio networks – closely monitor postings on social media and, whenever there appears to be a “trend,” they recycle the postings as “fresh news.” A further recycling happens when TV and radio newscasters and commentators, read the news straight from the pages of the newspapers and pass that off as “nagbabagang balita” (red hot news).

According to available data, national TV has the most influence on the perceptions and attitudes of the citizenry – whether as voters or as consumers of entertainment news. In that regard, theoretically, one could influence the voters by, first, influencing the content of TV newscasts and commentaries.

Of course, in the age of envelopmental journalism, one does not need

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social media to achieve that objective.

The coffee shop scuttlebutt tells us that broadcasters are just as prone to bribery as politicians (but then, who is to provide proof of that?)

In any case, one reason PR and propaganda specialists consider social media a vehicle of choice to sow disinformation, feed outright lies, create confusion and generate the impression of a bandwagon for their clients is because they only pay for the cost of labor and, next to newspaper clippings, it is a convenient way to show “proof of performance.”

Social media postings are easy to click and clip or produce a screen shot of for showing to clients and thus, for earning their retainers. It’s not as easy to do with broadcast media because that requires tedious monitoring, recording and submission of affidavits of performance.

An online article in July 2014, entitled, “Research Confirms: The Philippines is Still the Social Media Capital of the World,” cited a global study called Wave7 that stated, “Filipinos are using social media to primarily connect (with) their families living overseas.” The same study listed “how Filipinos use social media”: • To keep company – 62% • To share new experiences to (sic) friends and followers – 63% • To have fun – 65% • To meet new people – 70%

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• To stay in touch with friends and family – 74% There was no mention of “keeping up with current events” or “political news.”

But then, the study was conducted in 2006. Presumably, a lot has changed since then. However, if the disconnect between the results of public opinion polls and social media popularity is an indicator, it looks like the social media trolls who have been assigned to snipe at my columns may not be helping Duterte very much.

In truth, if you were to closely follow social media, you will note the same familiar names over and over again, posting commentaries, exchanging views, philosophizing and passing on profundities to each other, over and over again. It’s almost like incest.

In a Facebook exchange with a dear friend of mine, creative and communications wonder boy, Greg Garcia, he made an oblique reference to the impact (or lack of impact) of social media: “In social media we are all just talking to each other, sa totoo lang. And active participants are really committed anyway to a candidate with a passion.”

Greg’s advice: If you want to effectively promote your candidates – at least at this point in time – use mainstream media.

He should have added: And be prepared to invest millions. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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8.

Duterte vows to neutralize drug lords within half a year if elected

by MIKE

FRIALDE Philstar.com

MANILA — Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte is determined to neutralize half of the estimated 3,000-5,000 drug lords operating in the country during his presidency, his running-mate Senator Alan Peter Cayetano said on Monday.

Speaking in his Sunday television program, “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa,” Duterte said the drug problem in the country has worsened to such a degree that it has become a threat to national security.

“In some places in the country, the drug menace has become so bad that drug users have resorted to paying for drugs not with cash but with goats and livestock,” Duterte said.

“In three to six months, everything has to stop. Corruption, drug, criminality. You are oppressing the Filipinos, and I hate it,” Duterte added, referring to criminals.

Cayetano said his tandem with Duterte has a comprehensive plan and stategy as well as the political will to win the war against drugs. Part of the strategy, he said, calls for the dual task of disciplining and improving the salaries and benefits of the police and other law enforcers.

“Under a Duterte-Cayetano

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government, minimum take home pay for law enforcers will be at P 50,000-60,000 plus allowances. We will also impose harsh punishment for ‘bantay salakay’ law enforcers. We will leave no excuses for corruption nor sleeping on the job,” Cayetano said.

Meanwhile, Cayetano said they received reports that big drug syndicates based in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao have linked-up to put up a united front against their electoral campaign.

“We will not be cowed. We will hit them where it hurts the most.

We will strike at the belly of the beast. We will bring the war to their doorsteps,” Cayetano said.

“For the sake of our families’

safety and the future of our children, Mayor Duterte and I will end this social menace. Hindi na pwede ang pateka-teka. Sawa na tayo sa pamedya medya. Panahon na para sa matapang na solusyon at mabilis na aksyon laban sa salot na droga sa ating bansa. To our growing supporters, stay calm. Change is coming,” Cayetano added.

Cayetano said that before Duterte entered the political picture, the issue of illegal drugs was not in the front and center of the electoral agenda.

“With Duterte running as president many look forward to him to end the country’s growing drug problem,” said Cayetano. ■

Did ‘hoverboard priest’ go overboard?

by EVELYN

MACAIRAN Philstar.com

Medal parish.

Secillano said the CBCP has no official stand on the matter yet MANILA — The priest may since the bishops’ next plenary have gone overboard when he assembly is scheduled late next used a hoverboard while cel- month. But it would be assessed ebrating mass. from the point of view of liturCatholic Bishops’ Conference gical laws that the hoverboard of the Philippines-Public Affairs plays no part in the mass.

Committee executive secretary “Mass is very important, it is Fr. Jerome Secillano yesterday the highest form of worship and said a priest in Biñan, Laguna these kinds of gimmick should who was seen in a video on so- not be done. You can innovate, cial media using a hoverboard you can be creative, but your cre“went overboard” because the ativity and innovation has its limgadget distracted the faithful itations. What is important here during the mass. is the homily, so if you will celThe priest on a hoverboard ebrate mass, you should keep it was identified as Fr. Falbert San as solemn as possible,” he said.

Jose of Our Lady of Miraculous “These kinds of things, it ac-

tually deviates the attention of the people from the mass itself.

What is important here is that the priest should be able to convey the message that came from the readings, especially the gospel,” he added.

The CBCP official also said that it was not necessary for the priest to walk from the altar to the back of the church because he would still be heard since a microphone and sound system were available in the church.

“These kinds of instances that have already created an uproar and has captured the attention of the public, his bishop will most likely talk to him,” Secillano added. ■

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Binay lauds OFWs for propping up economy

by HELEN

FLORES Philstar.com

MANILA — Vice President Jejomar Binay praised yesterday overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) for propping up the economy and compensating for the massive underspending of the Aquino administration.

Binay, former presidential adviser on OFW concerns, said the remittances of workers helped drive the economy through domestic consumption of their families.

“Their purchase of goods using the money sent to them by their relatives abroad generates economic activity and that means profits for businesses and revenues for the government,” he said.

Remittances reached $20.6 billion from January to October, a 3.67 percent increase from the same period last year, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said.

Last year, OFWs sent a record high $24 billion to the Philippines, which accounted for almost a tenth of the country’s gross domestic product.

Binay, however, said if he wins the presidency next year, his administration would work to increase domestic jobs to lessen

the number of Filipinos working abroad.

He said his administration would focus on strengthening the five biggest creators of employment, which are agriculture, manufacturing, mining, business process outsourcing and export to provide more jobs.

“We can then say that we’ll go abroad because we wanted it and not because we were forced to do so,” he said.

The Vice President said he would continue and improve the financial literacy programs offered to OFWs “to teach OFWs’ families to invest, and not to merely spend the money sent home.”

The Philippines is the thirdleading recipient of remittances in the world after India and China. About 12 million Filipinos work abroad.

Job recruiters warned the people of a sharp decline in the deployment of Filipino workers abroad in 2016 with the implementation of the government’s no placement fee policy.

Many recruitment agencies also face possible closure as a result of the new policy, recruitment leaders said.

The Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA),

recruitment officials said, has drafted the resolution prohibiting agencies from collecting placement fees to conform with the laws of some countries that ban the collection of such fees.

“The new POEA policy will discourage private sector participation in the government’s overseas recruitment program and force them out of business,” the recruiters said in a statement.

Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said she directed the POEA to come out with the list of countries that prohibits the collection of placement fees.

Under the proposed resolution, private employment agencies are prohibited from charging directly or indirectly, in whole or in part, any fees or costs to workers.

Private recruitment agencies could only collect direct costs of deployment such as airfare, medical fees, processing and visa fees.

“The new policy runs counter to the business of the recruitment agencies whose main income are the service fees and placement fees of the workers,” they explained.

But POEA chief Hans Cacdac said the adoption of the no placement fee policy is still under discussion. ■

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THE PERSONALITIES AND ISSUES THAT MATTERED IN 2015

by MOMAR G. VISAYA/AJPRESS

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s the memorable and historic 2015 comes to a close, we look back at a year where we met fascinating and inspiring people. We met outstanding teachers, filmmakers, designers, authors, restaurateurs, social entrepreneurs, and yes we even saw the Pope up close and personal.

We covered a variety of events spanning the northeastern United States and celebrated the successes of Filipinos and Filipino-Americans.

We saw Philippine gold at the Asia Society with its series of Filipino and Fil-Am-centric activities that coincided with the exhibit. We stood proud as we witnessed New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio announce the appointment of three extraordinary Filipino-American women into some of the top posts in the city.

In no particular order, here’s our list of 2015 LifEASTyle’s Newsmakers of the Year. #FilipinoFoodMovement Talde (February 20); Filipino Food (March 27); Madrid Fusion Manila (May 15); Bago x Lumpia Shack x Tito King’s Kitchen (June 19); Wassail (September 18); PHiesta & Salo x Lumpia Shack (December 11); Maharlika x Cure Supper Club (August 14) Filipino food continued to be a hot topic in 2015, as New York City saw the birth of a few restaurants that either serve Filipino cuisine or has an executive chef who is Filipino.

Before the year ended, the PBS show hosted by Michael Colameco aired its episode shot in the Philippines. He brought with him two prominent Filipino-American chefs, Kuma Inn’s King Phojanakong and Lumpia Shack’s Neil Syham.

Dale Talde opened his Jersey City outpost early this year and he has been doing really well since. He also opened a branch in Miami Beach and launched his first cook book called Asian American: Proudly Inauthentic Recipes from the Philippines to Brooklyn, a subtle stab at critics who complain that he doesn’t serve “authentic” Filipino dishes.

“This is what I grew up eating in Chicago, these were the dishes my mom cooked based on what she bought from the Asian stores there.

I never claimed [that] we serve authentic dishes. These are my versions of what I grew up eating,” he told us in an interview a few days after Talde’s opening in Jersey City.

Back in the homeland, Manila hosted Madrid Fusion, one of the largest culinary gatherings in the world. Top Spanish chefs, most of whom are Michelin-starred, trooped to Manila last march to stage the gastronomic fest outside Madrid for the first time in their history. It was a fun event to cover, and we saw the likes of Chef Elena Arzak exploring indigenous Filipino ingredients. We were told that the chefs were also excited to learn more about the traditional way of Filipino cooking, way before the country was colonized.

In New York’s East Village, two new Filipino spots opened, joining Jeepney, Maharlika, Ugly Kitchen, Café 81 within a six-block radius.

Bago, on East 13th Street and 1st Ave., opened a couple blocks away from the owner’s mom’s for Filipino restaurant called Elvie’s. Tito King’s Kitchen at Jimmy’s No. 43 on East 7th Street and 2nd Avenue

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is the new permanent restaurant collaboration from friends Jimmy Carbone and Chef King Phojanakong. The new concept specializes in sophisticated yet approachable Filipino street food, complementing the gastro pub’s wide collection of craft beers.

On the Lower East Side, Jennifer Lim and her husband Ben Sandler, owners of the hit Queens Kickshaw in Astoria opened New York City’s first cider bar called Wassail (162 Orchard Street). They hired a Filipino executive chef, Joseph Buenconsejo to implement their vegetableforward menu and the results have been fantastic. They were recently featured by New York Times reviewer Pete Wells.

While pop-up dinners are so 2010, there were a handful of memorable Filipino pop-up dinners where chefs collaborated with other like-minded chefs to come up with unique dining experiences. As part of Maharlika’s guest chef series, they worked with Cure Supper Club and came up with Filipino Delicado, complete with wine pairing by sommelier Miguel de Leon, who is also the general manager of Casa Mono. In Brooklyn, Salo series chef Yana Gilbuena collaborated with Neil Syham of Lumpia Shack and called it Sari Sari, a Filipino Kamayan Feast. #PHSocialEntrepreneurs McClelland Mother & Son, social entrepreneurs (May 29); Asam/NY Now (February 13); Lifestyle PH at NY Now (August 21) There is a growing number of social entrepreneurs in the Philippines these days. Some of them are home-grown, others are second-generation FilipinoAmericans who left their corporate jobs in the United States to start social enterprises in the Philippines.

Ramona Benitez McClelland started her small social enterprise Benitez Collection because she was inspired by her son Bryan’s work in the Philippines. Bryan Benitez McClelland, now 31 years old, moved to the Philippines eight years ago. Little did he know, he’d find home there and inspire – not just his mom – but also an entire nation, to start looking at bamboo bicycles as a literal vehicle to progress.

Bryan is a Filipino-American environmental consultant, ecoutourism developer and social entrepreneur. While working on his Masters degree in Environmental Resource Management focused on Sustainable Community Development at the University of Pennsylvania, he became involved with Gawad Kalinga. Bambike, a premium bamboo bicycle line, is the flagship brand and product of the company he founded in order to have a platform for his socioecological enterprise projects.. What followed next was the Bambowtie, which was conceptualized soon after in order to upcycle the bamboo scraps and off-cuts from the Bambike building process.

Bryan’s mom Ramona includes the Bambowties every time she is invited to artisan shows.

Most recently, Bryan established Bambike’s shop and headquarters in the heart of Manila within the historical city of Intramuros, where he also offers guided ecotours on Bambikes.

NY Now, the premier home, lifestyle and gift market for sophisticated merchants, through its Artisan Resource project has become a showcase for some Philippine social enterprises in the past couple of years to display their artisanal and hand-made products. These companies go through the wringer to qualify and they were carefully selected and curated for their export capacity and commitment to eco-friendly,

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design-driven products which keep artisan craftsmanship, authentic techniques and cultural heritage alive.

Last year, we saw Asam, a project of Gawad Kalinga and Lifestyle PH. “It’s about time that we also promote our home and fashion accessories and we found NY Now as the best venue to be able to do that specially since the United States remains to be our biggest export market anyway,” said Rosvi Gaetos, executive director of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM) when we met her at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. CITEM is the export promotions arm of the Department of Trade and Industry. They are also behind the participation of Design Philippines in the annual International Contemporary Furniture Fair that is also staged at the Javits Convention Center.

“We’re here to do business and we want to say that the Philippines is still one of the best sourcing destinations for anything artisanal, full of craftsmanship, quality and commitment to be able to deliver a good product,” Gaetos emphasized. For the NY Now show, CITEM brought 19 manufacturers from all over the Philippines. “These are some of the most experienced exporters in the Philippines. They were curated by Stanley Ruiz, who worked on the product development side so we can have something new to show in this market. He knows the American market quite well so he can guide these companies accordingly,” Gaetos said.

Ruiz also helped in putting together the physical space of the exhibition and the presentation of Lifestyle Philippines. Under theLifestyle Philippines brand, 19 manufacturers and exporters represented the Philippines at the summer edition of NY Now, which ran from August 16-19 in New York City. Lifestyle Philippines is a curated exhibition of creative enterprises reinterpreting the Philippines’ rich heritage and artisanal soul for modern living. For its debut at NY Now, the government branding aims to position the Philippines as

a sourcing destination for lifestyle products.

Sports and Entertainment Jhett Tolentino, 3-time Tony Award winning Broadway producer (March 6); The King and I (April 10); Conrad Ricamora (April 17); Ryan Moore, film director (January 23); Manny Pacquiao as Asia Society’s Game Changer (October 16) We profiled Jhett Tolentino, the Filipino-American Broadway producer who has won three Tony Awards. He won his first Tony for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike which won Best Play in 2013.

In 2014, he won an additional two Tony Awards, for A Raisin in the Sun (Best Revival) and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder (Best New Musical). With his partner Joan Raffe, their company JoanJhett Productions has a couple of shows playing on Broadway this season, Clever Little Lies and Sylvia, along with soon to close Hand to God and A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder.

Still on Broadway, ‘The King and I’, the classic musical that has been turned to a movie conquered the Broadway stage once more when it opened on April 16 at The Vivian Beaumont Theater. of the Lincoln Center. We were lucky enough to catch some of the cast members to chat with them before one of their sold-out shows. Led by five-time Tony Award nominee Kelli O’Hara and Academy Award nominee Ken Watanabe, the musical has a cast of 51 performers, 14 of whom are Filipino-Americans. The lucky 14 FilAms in the cast are: Aaron Albano, Adriana Braganza, Amaya Braganza, Billy Bustamante, LaMae Caparas, Ali Ewoldt, James Ignacio, Rommel Pierre O’Choa, Diane Phelan, Brian Rivera, Bennyroyce Royon, Ian Saraceni, Conrad Ricamora and Jon Viktor Corpuz. Corpuz plays the role of Prince Chulalongkorn, the heir apparent to the throne. It is his first Broadway musical and he is playing a role that he has played twice before. “It’s really crazy. The role has grown with me since I have played it twice before. I know it’s such a cliché thing for me to say. As a teenager, the gaps between years are very significant,” he shared.

Continued on Page 6

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ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ

You can’t water-board fiancées at the US embassy!

THERE has been much undeserved criticism and condemnation hurled at USCIS and consular officers over issuing a fiancée (K – 1) visa to the female terrorist in the San Bernardino shootings. I would like to offer my defense of those officers, as I do not believe the USCIS and consular officers should be faulted. However, I believe the actions of the terrorist couple are horrible and indefensible.

First, the primary purpose of the vetting or investigative process for K – 1 visas is simply to determine if it is a bona fide/love relationship- not to determine if an applicant is a terrorist. There are many other governmental agencies whose primary functions are to monitor and root out terrorism, including the CIA, FBI, NSA, Armed Forces, to name a few. Apparently, none of these other agencies found anything in this couple’s background, such that there were no negative entries in our government’s computer database.

Are we expecting USCIS or consular

officers to take over the functions of these other agencies?

Second, there has been much criticism leveled against USCIS and consular offices on whether there was enough evidence in this couple’s file to establish they had “met in person,” as required by the K – 1 regulations. According to one Congressman, there was insufficient evidence. Again, the “meet in person” requirement deals with whether or not the relationship is bona fide, and does not, in any way, provide any indication that either party is a terrorist or a supporter of terrorism. In fact, the regulations provide that a couple does not necessarily need to meet in person if it would cause hardship or because of religious prohibitions.

In this case, their file indicated the husband obtained a special visa to Saudi Arabia to attend the Hajj (pilgrimage) in Mecca, and his fiancée was also there at the same time. He even produced that Saudi visa. The Husband claimed they met in person at her relative’s house on

Immigration Corner

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA IF we are blessed with a grateful heart, we will see beauty and light amid darkness especially during Christmas, when hope wells within many hearts.

A grateful heart is one that is mindful of the abundant blessings of family, friends, and other people who orbit our lives. A grateful heart is well aware of all the infinite number of graces, seen and unseen, that abound and permeate our daily lives, from the rising of the sun to its setting.

Each day becomes even more meaningful particularly for those whose lives are suddenly shattered by a life-changing experience. To be given the chance to find one’s purpose in life and rewrite one’s story midstream is a rare and precious gift coming directly from above. Use it or lose it.

If you’ve been given the chance to restart a new life after you’ve gone through some life-changing, miraculous experience, you will know exactly what I mean.

October 3, 2013. Therefore, there was evidence of the petitioner meeting the fiancée while attending a holy pilgrimage, so why would there be suspicions of them lying about the in-person meeting?

Third, there was extensive/ overwhelming evidence this was a bona fide relationship. She entered the US, they married within 90 days, she filed for adjustment of status, they went through another interview in the US, with finger printing and security background checks, and even had a child together. That appears to me to have been a bona fide, good faith relationship for K – 1 purposes.

Fourth, after the San Bernardino massacre, it was discovered that before she entered the US, the female terrorist posted private messages on Facebook under a pseudonym (false name) to friends, expressing her support for Isis. However, at the time she applied for her visa, it was not our government’s policy to check Continued on Page 6

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Tweaking our own life story Mental health and substance use disorders “A useless life is an early death.”

— Goethe

If you survived a horrific accident when everyone else perished, or if you found yourself inexplicably healed from a deadly disease, then you’ll know what it feels to be given a reprieve.

It is a new lease on life — a fresh slate, a clean paper, what the Greeks call tabula rasa, on which you can start writing your new story. Or if you use a computer, click on a new blank document and chase the cursor until the rest of your life story unfolds.

How does one use this new lease on life?

Most people lucky enough to be given a second chance, will quickly realize that this new lease can just be an extra few months or years, and in the most blessed scenarios, a decade or two.

Each day beyond that critical turning point is a bonus, every single moment, a gift. Sometimes, God mercifully knocks some sense into us through drastic means by throwing us a curve ball to bring

us down on our knees so that we have no choice but to look above and beyond our own petty, selfish concerns and total self-involvement in order to grasp the concept of our own mortality and to know that we are here for a purpose.

We’re not here to merely consume resources or take up space. Consider the fearsome dinosaurs. Grazing the earth for millions of years, that is essentially what they did — consumed resources and took up space.

Not by intelligence but by sheer size and numbers, they had dominion over all other species for millions of years, until one day, as scientists try to explain their extinction, a rogue asteroid about 7 miles long, possibly got unhinged off its orbit in the asteroid belt, hit the earth with such impact, setting off a series of volcanic eruptions that covered the atmosphere with ash far above the stratosphere, so that sunlight could not penetrate Continued on Page 6

Mental health problems and substance use disorders sometimes occur together. This is because: • Certain illegal drugs can cause people with an addiction to experience one or more symptoms of a mental health problem.

• Mental health problems can sometimes lead to alcohol or drug use, as some people with a mental health problem may misuse these substances as a form of selfmedication.

• Mental and substance use disorders share some underlying causes, including changes in brain composition, genetic vulnerabilities, and early exposure to stress or trauma.

More than one in four adults living with serious mental health problems also has a substance use problem. Substance use problems occur more frequently with certain mental health problems, including: • Depression • Anxiety disorders • Schizophrenia • Personality disorders Substance use disorders Substance use disorders can refer to substance use or substance dependence. Symptoms of substance use disorders may include:

• Behavioral changes, such as: - Drop in attendance and performance at work or school - Frequently getting into trouble (fights, accidents, illegal activities) - Using substances in physically hazardous situations such as while driving or operating a machine - Engaging in secretive or suspicious behaviors - Changes in appetite or sleep patterns - Unexplained change in personality or attitude - Sudden mood swings, irritability, or angry outbursts - Periods of unusual hyperactivity, agitation, or giddiness - Lacking of motivation - Appearing fearful, anxious, or paranoid, with no reason.

• Physical changes, such as: - Bloodshot eyes and abnormally sized pupils - Sudden weight loss or weight gain - Deterioration of physical appearance - Unusual smells on breath, body, or clothing - Tremors, slurred speech, or impaired coordination.

• Social changes, such as: - Sudden change in friends, favorite hangouts, and hobbies - Legal problems related to substance use - Unexplained need for money or financial problems - Using substances even though it causes problems in relationships.

Recovering from mental health problems and substance use Someone with a mental health problem and substance use disorder must treat both issues. Treatment for both mental health problems and substance use disorders may include rehabilitation, medications, support groups, and talk therapy.

Looking for more information or support?

Read more about how individuals living with both mental health and substance use disorders and their families can actively engage in their recovery process exit disclaimer icon.

Learn how to talk about mental health or how to get help for yourself or someone you care about.

Read about the science behind substance use and get facts about how drugs affect the brain and body. (Mentalhealth.gov)

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On the PEP Front

A haphazard scrutiny and pragmatic dissertation on Philippine pageantry

People, Events, Places

for beauty queen aspirants. No wonder beauty pageants are inevitably constant fixtures held BOBBY T. YALONG from key cities to far flung areas especially during regional fiestas.

IT has been weeks after the In 2013 the Philippines became worldwide telecast of the Miss the first country to win in 5 major Universe 2015 staged at the Axis of international beauty pageants (after Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino Megan Young was crowned Miss in Las Vegas last December 20 World) with the inclusion of Miss which entailed an unprecedented Supranatural title to the “Big Four.” brouhaha and yet the incident that It was indeed impressive that caused a disreputable aftermath the Philippines won all 4 major titles has totally lost its way out to in just a span of 3 years: 2013 Miss oblivion… as if it was the only World (Megan Lynne Young), 2013 (ever) hullaballoo attached to a Miss International (Bea Rose massively watched beauty pageant Santiago), 2014 & 2015 Misses proceeding.

Earth (Jamie Herrell and Angelia It should be recalled that it Ong, respectively), and 2015 Miss wasn’t only Steve Harvey who Universe (Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach). erroneously announced the Looking back, let’s take a pageant winner: there was Mrs. glimpse of a brief history of each World 2006 where 1st Runner-up organization in the “Big Four.”

Mrs. Costa Rica was mistakenly Miss World History crowned instead of the official Motto: “Beauty with a winner who was Mrs. Russia. Then purpose.” there was Brazil’s crown-grabbing Regarded as the oldest incident during the Miss Amazon surviving major international 2015 and the scandalous episode beauty pageant, the London-based in Australia’s Next Top Model 2010 Miss World was created by Eric where a finalist was mistakenly Morley in the United Kingdom announced the winner only to be in 1951. Owned by Miss World retracted after minutes of ecstatic Organization and currently covictory. chaired by Julia Morley, the beauty In short, crown switching, organization has already more whether accidental or intentional, than 100 franchises from different actually happens in live telecasts countries. but the good news is, the dispute In 1966 the Philippines sent was peacefully resolved and the its first delegate, Miss RP Vivien crown finally rested onto the head Austria, to the Miss World pageant of its rightful owner. held at the Lyceum Ballroom in What the viewers and avid London, under the Miss Republic pageant followers are totally of the Philippines beauty pageant uninformed about is the existence organization headed then by and origination of such beauty beauty pageant impresario Ferdie pageants and who are the moving Villar. forces behind the organizations.

The Miss World crown, for the Allow me then, through my random Filipino pageant enthusiasts, was research, to familiarize you with the the most elusive among all “Big background of every single pageant Four” beauty pageant titles giving that belongs to the so-called “Big us merely First Runner-up finishers: Four.”

Evangeline Pascual in the 23rd In the Philippines, the “Big Four” edition in November 23,1973 at the of the major beauty pageants are Royal Albert Hall in London, and regarded as annual must-see events recently, during the 61st edition that offer tremendous amount in 2011, Gwendoline Ruais was of pleasurable emotion among closest to winning the title out of viewers and motivating inspiration 113 entrants in November 6, 2011

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at the Earls Court Exhibition Center in London.

But the most coveted title was finally bagged by Megan Lynne Young on September 28, 2013 in Bali Nusa Dua Convention Center in Bali, Indonesia.

Incidentally, in 1993, Sharmaine Ruffa Gutierrez was earlier crowned 2nd Princess but there were also 4th Runnerup fnishers that consoled Pinoy pageant fanatics: Arene Cecilia “Pinky” Amabuyoc in 1968, Maria Rafaela Yunon in 2003, and Maria Karla Bautista in 2004.

Currently, the new Miss World franchise was acquired in January 25, 2011 under Global Quest, Inc. which is owned by Cory Quirino.

The Crown: Through the years, since its inception, the Miss World crown had been changed eleven times. The original crown worn by its first winner, Venezuela’s Carmen Susana Duijim, seemed disposable and did not reflect as a major symbol of the pageant.

After several redesigning attempts, the turquoise “Blue Crown” was finally dubbed the most iconic and longest used in the pageant.

A replica costing 75,000 pounds is issued to the winner which she uses in her travels and public appearances. However, the

original crown is insured for over 2 million pounds.

Miss Universe History Motto: “Confidently beautiful.”

What started as a mere local swimsuit competition organized

by Catalina Swimsuit in 1952 in Long Beach, California was amazingly transformed into a huge worldwide beauty pageant participated in by savvy and goal oriented young women. Founded

by Pacific Mills, a clothing company, the annual beauty contest is currently run by the Miss Universe Organization along with William Morris Endeavor and the Integrated Management Group (WME / IMG) with headquarters based in New York City.

The Bb. Pilipinas Charities, Inc. which owns the franchise for both Miss Universe and Miss International in the Philippines is spearheaded

by Stella Araneta, who, herself, was a beauty titlist: the first ever Miss International from Colombia.

The Philippine delegate in 1969 Gloria Aspillera Diaz gave the Filipinos the first taste of the Miss Universe victory (July 19, 1969) during its 18th edition in Miami Beach, Florida that was shared with the astronauts’ first landing on the moon.

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The sweet scent of Gloria’s conquest hadn’t completely faded and another inspiring win was brought by Margarita Moran during the pageant’s 22nd edition held on July 21, 1973 at the Odeon of Herodes Atticus in Athens, Greece.

Moran also garnered the Miss Photogenic award.

Then just recently, after 42 years of drought, the barren hopes were freshened with Pia Alonzo Wurtzbach’s victory over Miss Colombia. It was one significant conquest for the elusive crown that almost slipped off Pia’s head had it not for that instantaneously infamous rectification that would surely be concretely documented in the annals of the Miss Universe history.

The Crown: Miss Universe Organization commissioned Diamonds International Corporation (DIC), a Czech jewelry company, to design and execute the latest Miss Universe crown.

Inspired by the Manhattan skyline that required the work of 10 people, the crown was composed of 311 pieces of diamonds, 5 pieces of blue topaz, 198 pieces of blue sapphire, 33 pieces of crystal, and 220 grams of gold and has a total net weight of 411 grams with a cost of 300 thousand US dollars. There’s no

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replica for the Miss Universe crown.

Miss International Histor Motto: “Love, Peace, and Beauty” The Miss International beauty pageant was formed in 1960 by the International Culture Association.

Originally established in Long Beach, California after the Miss Universe Organization moved out for Miami, Florida, the contest was brought to Japan during its Expo ’70 international trade fair where it was permanently based since.

The ultimate goal of Miss International beauty pageant is to promote world peace, goodwill, and understanding among nations.

Bb. Pilipinas Charities holds Continued on Page 7

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Achievements of young Fil-Ams recognized in Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards WASHINGTON, DC—Thirteen young, outstanding FilipinoAmericans were recognized for their academic excellence and community service during the Dr. Jose Rizal Youth Awards on 17 December 2015 at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy.

Now on its 23rd year, the annual award recognizes students from the elementary, high school, and undergraduate levels in the Metropolitan Washington, DC area who epitomize the values of the Philippine National Hero.

This year’s awardees were the following (grade levels during AY 2014-2015): · Trina Sophia LaFortune – 3rd grade, Holy Spirit School · Rebecca Verba Honigford – 4th grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School · Gerard Gonzaga – 6th grade, J. Michael Lunsford Middle School · Regina Verba Honigford – 6th grade, Our Lady of Good Counsel School · Arianne Arizala – 7th grade, Redland Middle School · Adeline Christelle Baban – 8th grade, St. John Academy · Justin Francis T. Bustamante – 8th grade, St. Peter’s School · Janelle Gonzaga – 9th grade, Freedom High School · Nicholas T. Mañalac – 9th grade, Fairfax High School · Jed Paolo Dela Torre

– 10th grade, Benjamin Banneker High School · Joseph Brandon B. Gopiao – 10th grade, Lake Braddock Secondary School · Allan James Phillips – 11th grade, Oakton High School · Jenniber Marie R. Palo – graduate level, Bowie State University In his keynote address, Ambassador Jose L. Cuisia, Jr. talked about Rizal’s life and urged the awardees to continue learning more about the hero after whom the award is named.

“Jose Rizal’s accomplishments were never achieved before by a Filipino during that time. He realized his potential and he never allowed life’s hardships to stop him from serving his family, fellow men and country.

His poem ‘To the Filipino Youth’ appeals to the youth of the past, the present and the future to realize their dreams and be the best that they can be in the service of the greater good,” said Ambassador Cuisia.

He added, “I strongly encourage all of you, especially as Rizal Youth Awardees, to learn more about our national hero by studying his life and reading his works.”

Col. Shirley S. Raguindin, Chief of NGB Diversity at the National Guard Bureau, offered inspirational words to the awardees. In her address, she shared how she aimed high in her studies and career and

shared a quote from 11 year old Nkosi Johnson from South Africa, encouraging the young individuals to make the most out of what they have.

“Do what you can in the time that you have, in the place that you are,” said Col. Raguindin.

Three of the awardees shared essays they wrote which were used in the selection process.

Now a 5th grader, Rebecca Verba Honigford from Our Lady of Good Counsel School read her response to the question “If Dr. Jose Rizal could don his Batman suit, what do would be his first big task?”

Meanwhile, 7th grader Regina Verba Honigford responded to the question, “Can you describe how the Filipinos lived during Dr. Jose Rizal’s time?”

Nicholas T. Manalac, now in 11th grade at Fairfax High School answered the question, “Ever the man of peace, how would Dr. Jose Rizal resolve the issue of gun violence in the US?” Jenniber Marie Palo of Bowie State University read her essay on Rizal’s opposing views regarding the Katipunan.

Awardees and guests were also treated to a violin performance by the Baban Trio made up of siblings Ace, Troy, and Adie Baban.

The Dr. Rizal Youth Awards is a joint project of the Philippine American Foundation for Charities, Inc. (PAFC) and the Embassy of the Philippines.

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PAFC is a non-profit organization formed in 1996 which sponsors charitable, educational, cultural, and emergency assistance projects to help improve the quality of lives of people in the community.

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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 A8 E L8 IP 0 DXi`cpe 8YXcfj ]Xi c\]k Xk k_\ )'(, GXlc`e\ GfcXi Gcle^\ n`k_ k_\ G\e^l`ej f] Pfl >fkkX 9\c`\m\ G\e^l`e GfcXi Gcle^\ `e :fe\p @jcXe[# E\n Pfib%

Smiles and shivers on New Year’s Day: Paulinian to raise funds for St. Paul at iconic Chillin’ Celebration MARILYN Abalos, a graduate of St. Paul College of Manila, will join hundreds of Polar Bears and dozens of Penguins at the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge on New Year’s Day to benefit her alma mater.

“I am thrilled to chill for cash in the ice-cold ocean for St. Paul. St. Paul has kept my head above water and warmed my heart!” she said.

To Smile or Shiver in support of the Pauline Polar Plunge: Visit Paypal.com and donate to: spmausa@gmail.com “Shiver for silver for our schools and organizations!” Marilyn said, “There is still time to sign up and take the Pauline Polar Plunge with me!”

She has invited the Coalition of Philippine University Alumni Associations to chill for cash at the 2016 Pauline Polar Plunge as

well as a few Filipino American organizations in New York. There is a $25 donation to participate.

Marilyn is also inviting friends and colleagues who prefer instead to smile at the shivering and donate those dollars. “Help me make sure that no student at St. Paul is left out in the cold with no education, no opportunities for a better life.

Support for the Pauline Polar Plunge will go to the St. Paul Alumnae’s Fleur-de-Lis Fund for education scholarships, St. Paul Music Therapy and community projects. Donations to St. Paul Manila has provided aid for over 150 scholars pursue education to marketing to commerce programs and enabled a 68% increase in music therapy students learning to serve children with disabilities thru music!

Temperature for New Year’s Day, Jan. 1, 2016 is expected to be 47 degrees. Those who will join Marilyn in the water, bring old sneakers or surf boots and towels. All others should wear warm clothes and “pera” for the Paulinians! Donations will be accepted throughout the month of January. For more information where to meet up at Mermaid Avenue, contact spmausa@gmail. com Founded in 1903, Coney Island Polar Bear Club is the oldest winter bathing organization in the US. The club and a few other organizations have used the event to raise funds for Special Olympics, Camp Sunshine and You Gotta Believe, dedicated to recruiting lifetime parents for young adults, teens and tweens currently in the foster care system.

‘Keep on Track’ to encourage Fil-Ams to track blood pressure frequently AS the closing of 2015 occurs, Bayanihan Seventh Day Adventist Church is getting ready to begin the new year with a new program, Keep On Track.

This program, in partnership with Kalusugan Coalition, and New York University’s Center for the

Study of Asian-American Health (CSAAH) is designed to encourage Filipino-Americans to track their blood pressure frequently and consistently.

On December 12 and 19, church members of Bayanihan were trained on using portable

digital blood pressure monitors, and given instruction on how to provide basic counseling to encourage behavior change. These Keep On Track volunteers are also able to provide appropriate resources to the congregation and community members.

=\Xjk f] JXekf E` f [\ :\Yl All are cordially invited to the Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu on Saturday, January 9, 2016, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Bellflower, California, organized and sponsored by the Santo Niño de Cebu Association of Southern California, Inc., a non-profit religious organization. The Eucharistic Celebration will be presided by the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, His Excellency Bishop Oscar A. Solis at 10:00 am followed by the traditional procession of the image of Santo Niño de Cebu, fiesta lunch and Sinulog presentations. Food and financial donations are welcome, and all donations are tax deductible. For further information, you may contact the association President, Danny C. Diluvio at (323) 252-4991 or email at: dannydiluvio1@gmail.com.

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)0k_ 8ee`m\ijXip =\Xjk f] JXekf E` f Santo Niño Cruzada USA, with the participation of the Cathedral Knights of Columbus and a Sinulog group, is inviting everyone for a holy mass to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the Feast of Santo Niño, the Divine Infant Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles (555 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) on Sunday, January 17, at 3:30pm. The main celebrant is Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik, with Father David Gallardo as concelebrant. For more information, please contact any of the following officers: Romy & Tess Esturas (213-387-9682), Rey & Tess Edpao (818-469-7292), Lilia Figuracion (626-3942661, Carmen Estrada (213-413-2881), Fe Montana (323-218-1587), Ester Paredes (213864-1149), Fe Reyes (213-413-5286), Laurie Dolorfino (213-407-0097), and Cherry Guerrero (213-632-2096).

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GXiXk_XeXc f] ?fcp Ki`e`kp GXi`j_ G`c^i`dX^\j Fr. Jose Joseph Parathanal of Holy Trinity Parish, San Pedro District, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, invites all to join Fr. Joseph Parathanal’s Pilgrimages to Eastern Europe, Olguadalupe/Colonial Mexico, and India. During the journey, pilgrims will pray to God for healing of body, mind and spirit especially for healing of the world from violence, terrorism and climate changes. Trip dates are: Divine Mercy/Infant Jesus of Prague/Austria/Hungary/Medjugorje (Eastern Europe) April 17- April 30; OLGuadalupe and Colonial Mexico - June 20 - June 27; and Mother Teresa/St. Thomas/St. Alphonsa/St. Euprasia/St. Chavarra (India) - Sept.

15 - Sept. 29, 2016. For more details and pilgrimage information, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com or call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.

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GLG&G:: kf _fc[ (jk >cfYXc I\le`fe Attention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 27-29, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends.

For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_santillan@yahoo. com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818281-7460 ormarispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmaghari@gmail. com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 or honey@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 or connieacosta1@att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 or vee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

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An Asian Journal

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The Personalities and Issues That Mattered in 2015 From Page 2 We also profiled actor Conrad Ricamora who shuffles between Broadway (as Lun Tha in The King and I) and the TV world (as Oliver on ABC’s How to Get Away with Murder) and he told us that he is having the time of his life enjoying the privilege of working on both big projects. Prior to these projects, he essayed the role of Benigno Aquino, Jr. in Here Lies Love, here he worked with Ruthie Anne Miles who played Imelda. They’re co-working again in The King and I, which gave Miles her Tony Award for her role as Lady Thiang.

We also met Ryan Matthew Moore, producer and co-director of the documentary film ‘Manny who made the rounds in New York early this year, joining Manny Pacquiao himself in television guestings to promote the upcoming wide opening of the film that took him more than five years to complete.

“I felt Manny’s story personified the Filipino struggle,” the first-time film director told us. “It’s all about struggle and triumph.”

A Filipino-American, Ryan studied high school in the Philippines and it was there where he nurtured his dream to make movies about Filipinos in Hollywood. He was 18 then. “I felt that for the most part, there are other ethnicities that are receiving more visibility in Hollywood. I felt like Filipinos were largely underrepresented. My dream was to come back to the United States and do mainstream Hollywood films,” he shared as he addressed members of the Filipino American Press Club

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some of the best bodies in the entertainment industry including Mya, Rachel Weisz, Stella McCartney, Andrea Riseborough, Abbie Cornish and Steven Klein.

Using an individualistic approach that allows each of her clients to not only discover, but embrace their own personal strength and passion, Nicole creatively combines the art of inner expression and fitness.

Born to a German dad, Ernest and a Filipina mom Mariels, Nicole is proud to carry both cultures in her system. “Having a Filipino mother and German father made me realize that their duality in cultures and ways of thinking translated not only in my customs growing up but also in the way I worked on my physique. My experience with cultures, dances, and people from each continent that I’ve visited influence my workouts,” she explained.

A DJ, a lawyer and a potter.

And the Pope.

DJ Neil Armstrong and his dog Poh (June 5); David Lat, author & lawyer (June 26); Pope in NYC (September 25) We also met a couple of Filipino-Americans who excel in their own fields but we wrote about them for a different reason.

DJ Neil Armstrong is a famous DJ who has worked with Jay-Z and performed at the inauguration of President Barack Obama. He was back in the limelight this year when mainstream and local media picked up a story about the efforts he gave DXeep GXZhl`Xf jg\Xbj X]k\i Y\`e^ XnXi[\[ k_\ 8j`X >Xd\ :_Xe^\i f] k_\ P\Xi XnXi[ fe in order to give his dying dog Poh a Kl\j[Xp# FZk% (*% G_fkf Yp <cc\e NXccfg&8j`X JfZ`\kp chance to see the sights across the United States. His and Poh’s social media accounts exploded and they gained hundreds of thousands of Instagram followers. This is where DJ Neil posts regular updates of their travels.

David Lat on the other hand is a lawyer. This year, he launched his first book called Supreme Ambitions, and its controversial theme and story made it “one of the most buzzed novel of the year”.

Armed with a degree from Harvard College (and a professed love of reading, writing and arguing), David attended Yale Law School, where he served as an editor of the Yale Law Journal. His journey from a lawyer to a legal journalist to a blogger to a novelist brought him to a host of places: he worked as a federal prosecutor in Newark, New

of New York, which was having its belated holiday party tendered by Consul General Mario L. de Leon, Jr. and his wife Eleanor.

The subject of the film itself, Manny Pacquiao, earned the Game Changer of the Year award from the Asia Society in New York last October.

Power Women NYC’s Fil-Am Women of Power: Tantoco, Malalis, Torres-Springer (July 17); Nicole Winhoffer, Madonna’s former trainer (January 16); Xyza Bacani, domestic helper to photographer (August 28) Three Filipino-American women hold key positions in the De Blasio administration, a historic first in the city and the community at large. Minerva Tantoco is the city’s first Chief Technology Officer; Carmelyn Malalis is the chair of the city’s Commision on Human Rights and Maria Torres-Springer

this year became the President of NYC’s Economic Development Corporation, the first woman ever to hold that post.

Torres-Springer spent 16 months as Commissioner for Small Business Services before De Blasio announced her appointment as President of NYC EDC. “Maria has a proven track-record opening doors for New Yorkers and working closely with businesses to grow our economy. We are proud to have her lead EDC. Maria will focus on growing vital sectors in our economy, and preparing New Yorkers to seize those opportunities so they can be a part of our economic success story,” said Mayor Bill de Blasio in a statement.

World-renowned fitness expert Nicole Winhoffer is the former trainer of Madonna. She is best known for her creative workout philosophy that has played a leading role in shaping

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Jersey under then U.S. Attorney Chris Christie, as a litigation associate at Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz in New York and as a law clerk to Judge Diarmuid F. O’Scannlain of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit in Portland.

David grew up in Bergenfield and Saddle River, New Jersey, where former President Richard Nixon was one of their family’s neighbors, according to the New York Times, which said, “When he was young, he would go to the Nixon house to get candy, a Halloween card and a handshake from the former president.”

Then in September, we found ourselves up close and personal with the Pope when he visited New York City. We were granted a spot at the National 9/11 Memorial and Museum where Pope Francis visited to meet with family members of some of the victims of the 2001 terrorist attacks. The mood was simultaneously joyous

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You can’t water-board...

From Page 3 applicants’ social media, e-mails, text messages, Twitter accounts, or the like in adjudicating petitions or visa applications. Can you imagine the time and resources that would now have to be expended by USCIS and the State Department to scour all of the social media accounts, whether for fiancée visas or even for a visitor visa? Moreover, there probably would have been an uproar over privacy concerns had this shooting not occurred, and it was discovered the government was going through visa applicants’ social media content.

Fifth, if USCIS and consular officers will now be required to conduct the extensive background investigations (that their critics are demanding), then the processing time for visas (whether K – 1 or even visitor’s visas) could take a year or more. Should we also investigate the background of the petitioner’s and beneficiary’s relatives? What if a fiancée has a brother who posted a pro–Isis message on his Facebook account? Should her visa be denied? What about the increased cost for visas? It would cost thousands upon thousands of dollars in extra petition and visa fees for this type of intensive background investigation for visa

Tweaking our...

From Page 3

through the haze for years, killing off the plant life, upsetting and destroying the food chain balance and effectively starving and wiping the dinosaurs off the face of the earth 65 million years ago.

Here is earth’s tabula rasa story — starting on a clean slate, a new lease on life. When the reptiles

and a little somber. Chants of ‘Francisco’ and ‘Pope Francis’ broke the silence a couple of times as the pope met with each family member.

With the Pope standing a few feet away from us, I felt a magnified sense of being in the presence of someone holy. It was similar to what I felt when I saw Pope John Paul II in Manila during the World Youth Day events in 1994.

The pope described Ground Zero as a place where “we shed tears” and mourn those who were the victims of a “mindset which knows only violence, hatred and revenge.”“I feel many different emotions standing here at Ground Zero, where thousands of lives were taken in a senseless act of destruction,” the pope said. “Here grief is palpable.” In his remarks, Pope Francis prayed to God to bring “peace to our violent world” and to “turn to your way of love” to those who justify killing in the name of religion.

applicants. And once they enter the US, should we make all aliens report monthly or quarterly with ICE or FBI, and have their e-mails and social media constantly monitored?

Finally, when applying for a fiancée visa, the applicant must provide NBI\police clearance, police certificates from all foreign countries where they have lived for at least six months, their name and fingerprints are run through several criminal databases, all of which came up with no “hits” for the female terrorist. In addition, questionnaires applicants fill out in connection with their visa interview ask if they are coming to the US to “engage in terrorist activities,” if they are a member “of a terrorist organization,” and if they intend to provide “support to terrorists or terrorist organizations.”

Of course, they are going to answer “no” to these questions. And there was nothing in this couple’s background that even the CIA, FBI, NSA, or other of our governmental agencies (specifically tasked with the job of monitoring terrorists), could discover or input into USCIS or consular officer’s computers.

Therefore, it would seem the only way we could have uncovered their terrorist background in a reasonably timely fashion would have been to died, mammals, of which we are classified under, began their ascent.

Human beings with purpose came to be.

Yet each man’s purpose is nebulous and not always obvious.

Purpose does not come as clear as the light of day. We have to seek it out. Either by choice or circumstance, some exceptional ones find their purpose early enough and proceed to fulfill it. Sometimes, it is as simple as

water board her at the US Embassy (or at her adjustment interview).

But bear in mind that there was a known terrorist who was water boarded over 80 times by seasoned interrogators, who could still not extract valuable information from him.

In conclusion, in hindsight, this K – 1 visa should not have been issued, but unless we equip USCIS and consular officers with crystal balls, time machines, or water boards, they cannot be blamed for the holes in our system. *** D`Z_X\c A% >liÔeb\c `j c`Z\ej\[# Xe[ Xe XZk`m\ d\dY\i f] k_\ JkXk\ 9Xi f] :Xc`]fie`X Xe[ E\n Pfib% 8cc `dd`^iXk`fe j\im`Z\j Xi\ gifm`[\[ Yp# fi le[\i k_\ jlg\im`j`fe f]# Xe XZk`m\ d\dY\i f] k_\ JkXk\ 9Xi f] :Xc`]fie`X% <XZ_ ZXj\ `j [`]]\i\ek% K_\ `e]fidXk`fe ZfekX`e\[ _\i\`e `eZcl[`e^ k\jk`dfe`Xcj# ÈJlZZ\jj Jkfi`\j#É \e[fij\d\ekj Xe[ i\$\eXZkd\ekj `j f] X ^\e\iXc eXkli\# Xe[ `j efk `ek\e[\[ kf Xggcp kf Xep gXik`ZlcXi ZXj\# Xe[ [f\j efk Zfejk`klk\ X gi\[`Zk`fe# nXiiXekp# ^lXiXek\\ fi c\^Xc X[m`Z\ i\^Xi[`e^ k_\ flkZfd\ f] pfli c\^Xc dXkk\i% Ef Xkkfie\p$ Zc`\ek i\cXk`fej_`g `j# fi j_Xcc Y\# \jkXYc`j_\[ n`k_ Xep i\X[\i% N<9J@K<1 nnn%^liÔeb\c%Zfd :Xcc Kfcc ]i\\ kf jZ_\[lc\ X ZfejlckXk`fe ]fi Xepn_\i\ `e k_\ LJ1 /-- Ç>LI=@EB<C =fli f]ÔZ\j kf j\im\ pfl1 CFJ 8E><C<J × J8E =I8E:@J:F × E<N PFIB × G?@C@GG@E<J

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blooming where God planted us.

But the great majority of people on the bell curve don’t have the nose to sense their true north. Most of us of the garden variety meander about our lives trying different things until we finally stumble upon it by trial and error. The annals of history are rife with such stories.

St. Paul played a critical role in the beginnings of the early Christian church through his Continued on Page 7

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A haphazard scrutiny...

From Page 4 the exclusive franchise of Miss International that sent the Philippine delegate, Gemma Cruz to the 6th edition held at the Municipal Auditorium in Long Beach, California.

Gemma was the first Filipina to win the Miss International crown in August 13, 1965 besting 44 entrants.

Not long thereafter, on May 16, 1970 at the Exposition Hall Fairgrounds in Osaka, Japan, Miss Philippines International Aurora McKenney Pijuan snatched the title from among 47 aspirants during the contest’s 10th edition.

As if the road to the 19th edition of Miss International was smoothly paved for the Philippine delegate Mimilanie Laurel Marquez that she came out victorious over 43 contenders on November 12, 1979 in Mielparque, Tokyo, Japan.

There was a slight dearth that followed… 24 years to be exact before another Miss International crown was brought home by Precious Lara San Agustin Quigaman in September 26, 2005 when she assertively outdid 52 other entrants at the Koseinenkin Hall in Tokyo, Japan. An earlier bonus, Best in National Costume, was even won

by Precious during the monumental 45th edition of the contest.

Bea Rose Monteverde Santiago bested 67 participants on December 17, 2013 (53rd edition) at the

Shinagawa Prince Hotel Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

The crown: Mikimoto, the world’s largest producer of cultured pearls with a product quality that is highly esteemed all over the world, is the official crown maker for Miss International. Easily identifiable from among the rest, the Miss International crown is quite iconic as it is unique… with white fur around the base and ribbons that secure the crown.

The Miss Earth History: Motto: “Beauties for a cause” The Manila-based beauty pageant chooses a winner that becomes the spokesperson for Miss earth Foundation, the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), and for various private sectors and the World Wildlife Foundation (WWF).

The youngest among the “Big Four,” Miss Earth Foundation was founded in 2001 under Carousel Production, Inc. owned and run

by Ramon Monzon and Lorraine Schuck, one time 2nd Runnerup in the 1979 Miss Asia Pacific International.

The pageant was held twice outside of its resident territory: first in Vietnam (2010) and then, Austria (2015). Although held in the Philippines it took 7 years before the country earned its first ever Miss Earth title on November 9,

Maine Mendoza on MMFF Best Supporting Actress award: ‘Why me?’

“Bakit ako?”

Even Maine “Yaya Dub” Mendoza herself could not believe that she bagged the Metro Manila Film Festival’s (MMFF) Best Supporting Actress award for playing her role in Jose Javier Reyes’ comedy film “My Bebe Love: #KiligPaMore” On a Twitter post on Monday, Mendoza of the “AlDub” fame anticipated the bashing that she would get from critics after besting other nominees in the category, including veteran actresses Nova Villa, Lotlot de Leon and Iza Calzado.

“Bago pa ako ibash ng sambayanan, mauuna na ako…

Bakit ako? Pero maraming salamat po! Magandang umaga sa lahat!” she tweeted.

(Before the public bashes me, I will say it before they do… Why me? But thank you so much! Good

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morning to everyone!)

Mendoza was not in the ceremony to receive her award as she was in Japan for vacation.

“My Bebe Love,” which also starred Mendoza’s on-screen partner Alden Richards, Vic Sotto and Ai-ai Delas Alas, was hailed 3rd Best Picture during the MMFF awards night on Sunday, Dec. 27. (Inquirer.net)

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Marcos mansion transformed for ‘Haunted’ shoot

by MARINEL

R. CRUZ

Inquirer.net

The permission to shoot inside the Marcos Twin Mansion in Cabuyao, Laguna, for the latest Regal Entertainment horror film, “Haunted Mansion,” came from former First Lady Imelda Marcos herself, according to director Jun Robles Lana.

The 25-hectare property used to be the party place of the Marcoses before it was sequestered by the government in 1987, or a year after the ouster of the late dictator. In 2010, the Sandiganbayan ordered the return of the property to the Marcos family.

“We had a hard time securing permits. Roselle (Monteverde, Regal executive) had to call Madame Imelda and (Ilocos Norte governor) Imee to secure it. It was Madame who signed the contract,” Lana told reporters during a recent press conference for “Haunted Mansion,” which is an official entry in the 2015 Metro Manila Film Festival.

Filming lasted for almost six months, said Lana. “I didn’t experience anything weird while working there, but the caretakers have many scary stories to tell.

I guess it’s because the place is

already old and neglected.”

Lana added: “When we had our first ocular inspection, we still saw some old paintings of Ma’am Imelda hanging on the wall. This gave the place an eerie feeling.

When we asked permission to do some diggings for one scene, we were told not to dig at the front lawn, because they weren’t sure what we’d discover there.”

Lana said Regal had to “spend a lot of resources just to transform the twin mansions to the look that the movie required. We had to make it look older for present-day scenes, then later, look newer for the flashback scenes.”

Janella Salvador, Marlo Mortel and Jerome Ponce are part of the present-day scenes, while Iza Calzado, LJ Reyes and Joem Bascon are included in the scenes from the 1950s.

“It’s a classic horror film about a group of high-school kids who go on a retreat at an old mansion,” Lana said. “I’ve already used all the scare tactics I know, from the fancy to the special effects-driven. So, when Regal asked me if I would be interested in making another horror film, I said I wanted to do something that’s more traditional—the type of horror that will not rely so much on special effects. I’ve been working on its script for five years now.”

2008 courtesy of Karla Paula Henry after besting 85 candidates in Expo Pilipino in Angeles City.

A back to back win for the Philippines transpired last year and this year when Jamie Herrell was crowned Miss Earth 2014 at the UP Theater in Quezon City on November 29 and when Angelia Ong surprisingly snatched the same title on December 5, 2015 at the Marx Halle in Vienna, Austria.

Earlier, Miss Earth Philippines merely settled with 1 First Runnerup (Sandra Inez Seifert in 2009) and 2 Second Runner-ups (Catherine Untalan in 2006 and Athena Mae Imperial in 2011) The Crown: The Swarovski crown from 2001 to 2008 was designed by Filipino jewelry designer Arnel Papa but a new crown was re-designed by Ramona Haar during its 9th edition. It is composed of black diamonds, Sardonyx, calcite, ruby, jade quartz, crystals, garnet, peridot, and pearls and costs 200 thousand US Dollars.

Miss Earth Air, Water, and Fire crowns are identical handcrafted 100% recycled sterling silver with distinct semi-precious stone features: red cubic zirconia for Fire (weighs 169 grams), blue cubic zirconia for Water (weighs 153.4 grams), and yellow cubic zirconia for Air (weighs 170 grams).

The never-ending acquisition of crowns and titles beyond the Big

Four Aside from the “Big Four” there are still the so-called 2nd-Tier beauty pageants where the Philippines has inexhaustibly participated in: Miss Tourism International (Macau), Miss Tourism International (Turkey), Miss Tourism International Black Sea (Ukraine) and Miss Tourism International (Malaysia). The Philippines had won all but the Malaysian version.

Then there’s Miss Supranational (Poland-based) which Mutya Datul won in Setember 6, 2013 and Miss Globe (Albania-based) won by Ann Lorraine Colis on October 8, 2015 at the Rose Theater Brampton in Toronto, Canada.

Just recently, Christi Lynn McGarry placed First Runner-up in the Miss Intercontinental 2015.

The list of newly established beauty pageant organizations goes on and on but seemingly the Philippines will never tire joining and winning them all.

And we’re just talking about female-oriented contests, but how about those of the males… and the gender in between? Suffice it to say that the Filipinos have all the looks and guts and everything that it takes to be a pageant winner and consistently remains a threat to every pageant competitor.

For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@ yahoo.com.

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numerous travels. But he didn’t start out that way. He was just as passionate about persecuting Christians before he was tapped from above to do what he did.

Edwin Hubble, the great astronomer who lived in the nineteen twenties and for whom the Hubble Space Telescope (HST) is named for his outstanding achievements in expanding our view of the universe, tried different things before finding out what he was meant to do. In college, he played championship basketball and even tried boxing. After fighting in World War I, he studied law, tried lawyering for a year and obviously didn’t like it.

Something must have happened because he went back to college to study astronomy and finally found his footing and his purpose in life.

That’s what most of us do. We try different lives until we find the one that matches heaven’s purpose.

Just don’t run out of time. No one wants to leave with unfinished business.

If our stations in life allow us the luxury of choice, then more than likely, we will be meandering too and trying different things before coming on board to the ship that will likely bring us to the port of our purpose. Try reading all or portions of Rick Warren’s “The Purpose Driven

Life.” Warren, who has just gone through some difficult personal trial, is the pastor of Saddleback Church in Orange County, California.

His book continues to be received widely for its clear, well-structured and succinct explanation of what living with purpose means. True, its skewed towards his ministry but there are valuable truths about purpose and meaning to be gleaned by both the secular and spiritual.

We don’t really have to wait for something dramatic, traumatic or tragic to happen to get us on track to finding that purpose. But do go to the right source. Nix the harebrained ideas coming from most of the media about what that purpose might be. When it comes to things that matter, most of the mainstream media has proven itself to be unworthy of trust. It pushes its own agenda of power that comes from profit.

Tune out of the external world and go deep within. If you pray hard enough and long enough and live in the silence for a little while, chances are, you’ll find it. You can then begin tweaking your own story on a new document page — your own life story that will get heaven’s stamp of approval on it.

TO ONE AND ALL, A HAPPY, HEALTHY AND BLESSED 2016! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

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