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Volume 10 – Issue 41 • 16 Pages

JULY 21-27, 2017

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Cayetano tells Washington: ‘You are not our boss’

by PHILIP

C. TUBEZA Inquirer.net

“THEY are not our boss.”

Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Thursday, July 20 that the Philippine government would not send any representative to the U.S. congressional inquiry into extrajudicial killings under President Rodrigo Duterte’s antinarcotics campaign.

Cayetano said he had instructed the Philippine Embassy in Washington to instead send the U.S. House of Representatives’ Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission a copy of the government’s report to the United Nations Human Rights Council (UNHRC) in May.

As a senator, Cayetano led a Philippine delegation to the UNHRC’s universal periodic review (UPR) session, where he denied allegations of a wave of statesponsored summary executions in Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs.

“All I’m saying is, they are not the United Nations, they are not our boss, so they have no right to summon us. Now if they invite us as a guest, then we’ll make an assessment and decide whether to go,” Cayetano told ABS-CBN News.

He said the U.S. Congress should not be “fooled” by advocates who had a political agenda.

“But we’re making it very clear that we don’t report to them, and to be fair they are not asking us

USA

Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano Inquirer.net photo

to report to them. It’s really how the media portrays the hearing but the hearing is for them internally,” Cayetano stressed.

According to its website, Lan-

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‘WE WANT TO GO HOME’

Marawi residents say no to martial law DFA vetting next extension in Mindanao Duterte finally arrives in Marawi, rallies troops ambassador to US DATELINE

MORALE BOOST. President Rodrigo Duterte inspects recovered guns when he visited troops engaged in the battle with the Maute terrorist group in Marawi City on Thursday, July 20. The resident gave out food packs and other assistance when he set foot at Camp Ranao. The President’s visit, despite an ongoing gun battle near the camp, boosted the morale of the soldiers.

Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

DFA vetting next ambassador to US The Philippines will soon have a new ambassador to the US, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said on Thursday, July 20.

“Soon, soon, we will have (a Philippine ambassador). I was told we’re vetting one person. I can’t say yet until I submit the papers…” Cayetano said in an interview over ABS-CBN News Channel’s morning show, “Headstart.”

He could not confirm or deny if newspaper columnist Jose Manuel “Babe” Romualdez would be the next envoy to the U.S. “I cannot say yet until I submit the papers but Babe is our special envoy and he continues to represent the country and continues to build bridges with the US so we’re not counting him out,” Cayetano said.

FOR the affected Marawi residents, extending martial law means extending their adversities of being away from home.

Thousands of Marawi residents had to stay in evacuation camps since the Maute extremist group launched an attack on the city two months ago, which prompted Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to impose military rule in the entire Mindanao under his Proclamation No. 216.

Earlier this week, Duterte requested Congress to extend the proclamation until the end of the year, saying that the “existing rebellion in Mindanao” will “not be quelled completely” by its legal expiration

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Investigators seek man who gunned down wife of Filipino man Authorities announce $20,000 award for information about suspect ON Friday, June 2, a 45-year-old motel clerk was fatally shot during an attempted robbery in Monterey Park, according to local authorities.

Xiuxia “Michelle” Chen was working the front desk of Ambassador Inn on 2720 Valley Blvd. when a masked man entered at 11 p.m. on June 2. He entered the motel pointing a handgun at her and demanding cash.

The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said that the man reached over the counter and shot the wife and mother of two once in the chest before running away from the scene.

At a press conference held at the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau office in Monterey Park on Tuesday, July 10, the sheriff’s department released new surveillance video and audio of the incident, where the suspect can be heard yelling at Chen,

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FOOD RELIEF. An elderly woman receives food package and floor mat from a Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel who is assisting members of Cotabato City-based Al Balagh Foundation in the distribution of relief goods donated by Qatar government at the Lanao del Sur Provincial Capitol in Marawi City.

PNA photo by Talha Mangayao

AFTER a couple of failed attempts in the past few months, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte was finally able to set foot in the conflict-zone area of Marawi City on Thursday, July 20.

Malacañang confirmed the president’s arrival, saying

Duterte reached the besieged city past noon and left before the evening of the same day.

The visit took place “amid the sound of gun and artillery fires on the background,” according to Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief Gen. Eduardo Año, who was with the presi-

dent in Marawi.

Año said the president was also given the latest situation update on the ongoing operations in the area.

Lt. Col. Jo-ar Herrera, the spokesperson of Joint Task Force Marawi, described

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Albright avoids remarks that will provoke Duterte

by DONA

Z. PAZZIBUGAN Inquirer.net

THROUGHOUT her diplomatic career, former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright wore pins and brooches as signs of her moods and opinions for her foreign counterparts.

She has already chosen the pin she will wear should she meet President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I think I’ll wear the pin of a very active man with a loudspeaker,” Albright replied when asked after dissecting international politics at the ABS-CBN News Channel (ANC) Forum on Global Governance and World Economy on Wednesday, July 19.

Albright’s collection of pins and brooches has been exhibited several times, with the items described as reflecting her opinions on various international issues and

personages she had dealt with.

Brooch for PH For the ANC forum, she wore a brooch shaped like the sun and made of Philippine indigenous materials “to show my respect.”

Careful not to comment on Mr. Duterte’s policy of cozying up to China and Russia while sidelining the United States, Albright called the relationship between her country and the Philippines a “very basic and crucial one, with a long tradition.”

“We need to treat each other with respect,” she said, adding that countries can have relationships with a number of different countries without these having to be a “zero-sum relationship.”

She said that while the United States was “deeply concerned” over China’s construction of arti- Former U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine

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Albright

Philstar.com photo

PH PRESIDENT TELLS FIL-AM TOURISTS

Be ‘ambassadors,’ share administration’s progress pines this week for the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour, which highlighted attractions in Manila and Davao.

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo “May you become Filipino ambassaDuterte addressed about 200 Fili- dors who shall carry a fresh perspective pino-American visitors in this city on of the new and improved Philippines Friday, July 14, urging them to be when you go back to the United States,” “ambassadors” bearing the message of Duterte said during the dinner reception change under his administration. held at the SMX Convention Center.

Despite various travel advisories and The six-day Ambassadors’ Tour — the recent pronouncement of martial which was organized by the Philippine law in Mindanao, Fil-Ams from across Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), the United States came to the Philip- the Department of Tourism (DOT), the

by CHRISTINA

M. ORIEL

AJPress

Tourism Promotions Board, and Rajah Tours — brought Fil-Ams from Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Washington DC, Chicago, Hawaii, and Guam to the country.

Boasting the strides Davao City has made to shed its former murder capital label, Duterte told the visitors who experienced the city first-hand that he has intended to bring similar policies on a nationwide scale.

It was a “no brainer” to have the president’s hometown as the host venue for

this year’s Ambassadors’ Tour, Philippine Consul General in New York Ma. Theresa Dizon-de Vega said earlier this week, because “it is one of the premier cities in Asia” and to show the tourists “what a safe, clean, comfortable, and most of all, welcoming province Davao is.”

The DOT is confident that it can continue to draw in foreigners and break the 5.9 million visitor total from last year.

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A july 21-27, 2017 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl

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

From the Front Page

Cayetano tells Washington...

PAGE A1 t tos’ commission has called three witnesses on July 20: iDefend Philippines spokesperson Ellecer Carlos, Amnesty International’s Matthew Wells and Human Rights Watch’s Phelim Kine.

The witnesses will “provide policy recommendations for ensuring accountability for human rights violations” and addressing the drug problem while upholding public health and the rule of law.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella on Thursday dismissed suggestions that the U.S. inquiry would affect diplomatic ties between Manila and Washington.

“Our relationships are based on other things rather than these temporal matters,” Abella told reporters.

“We respect the views of the commission and we greatly value the support of the United States that they have given to us and continue to give our country as we address our important economic and social development objectives,” Abella said.

He said the issues in the commission hearing “must be discussed in the context of the scope of the challenge that we face and the actions that we are taking to address it.”

Sen. Benjamin Cardin (D-MD), ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, is thanked by Ellecer Carlos (right), visiting spokesman of I-Defend PH coalition, for sponsoring S. 1055 the Philippine Human Rights Accountability and Counternarcotics Act, during their meet and greet last June 26 at the Hart Senate Office Building.

Photos by Eric Lachica

KEY TO PEACE? Jesus Dureza, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process, Al-Hajj Murad, chairman of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front, President Rodrigo Duterte and Ghadzali Jaafar, vice chairman of the MILF, hold a proposed draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law on Monday, July 17. Duterte has promised to establish a “Bangsamoro country” in a bid to bring peace to Mindanao, where government troops are battling the Islamic State-linked Maute group.

Malacañang photo

Marawi residents say no...

PAGE A1 t

Ellecer Carlos, visiting spokesman of the I-Defend PH coalition, pose in front of the Capitol with retired U.S. army chaplain Georgette Beltran of Maryland in support of Senate bill S. 1055 the Philippine Human Rights Accountability and Counternarcotics Act, on June 26, 2017 in Washington DC.

Duterte finally arrives in Marawi...

PAGE A1 t Duterte’s visit as “intimate,” likening it to a “father visiting his children.”

Speaking to reporters, Herrera said the president’s arrival helped in boosting the morale of embattled troops amid the ongoing firefight against the Islamic State (IS)-inspired Maute extremist group.

“The soldiers and police are very happy over his visit because this proves that the president is very

firm, very dedicated in supporting most specially the operations here,” the spokesperson said.

Herrera said the president thanked troops for their “heroism and sacrifices” while facing challenges and hardships in quelling terrorism in the area.

He added that the president also gave personal supplies to the troops, and checked other firearms recovered from the rebels.

The chief executive has previously attempted to go to Marawi

at least twice since the conflict erupted on May 23.

Duterte made plans to fly there last June 8 and July 7, but both trips were canceled due to bad weather.

With the clashes now in its ninth week, officials have recorded a death toll of 565—99 of which were government troops, 421 were from the rebel group, and 45 were civilians. (With reports from Dana Sioson/AJPress)

on July 22.

“It’s difficult on our part. We cannot go to Marawi anymore,” Jalal Dipatuan, 49, a Marawi resident staying in an evacuation center, told Inquirer.

“It’s cold here in the evacuation center. Please, Mr. President, don’t extend martial law anymore, we want to go home,” said Asliah Bandrang, 34, another evacuee and mother of seven children.

The House and the Senate are set to convene in a Special Joint

PAGE A1 t

Albright avoids remarks...

ficial islands and military facilities in the South China Sea, countries in the region, including the United States, had to do a “balancing act because we all recognize the importance of close ties with China and no one wants to see the milihope that Filipinos would come tary escalation of this conflict.” together to work for the best inWest Philippine Sea terest of the country.

She drew applause when she PAGE A1 t “Having said that, national trea“Hindi tayo pwedeng mag referred to the disputed territory The secretary acknowledged sures pa rin naman yung iba, Duterte, anti-Duterte, opposi- as West Philippine Sea, after last that having no representatives yung sa past administration re- tion-administration,” said Cay- year’s ruling of the Permanent to foreign countries was “bad” gardless if we agree with their etano, who was President Ro- Court of Arbitration in The Hague for the country. views or not.” drigo Duterte’s running mate in that upheld the Philippines’ ex“First we have to put our Despite differences in opin- the May 2016 elections. (Patri- clusive economic zone against ambassadors,” Cayetano said. ion, the secretary expressed cia Ann Roxas/Inquirer) China’s claim to almost all of the

DFA vetting next ambassador...

Session this coming Saturday, July 22, to discuss the military rule’s possible extension.

House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez earlier commented that Duterte’s request to extend martial law until December 31 of this year is likely to get approval from Congress without much difficulty.

Senate President Koko Pimentel also expressed confidence that the Congress supermajority will approve Duterte’s extension request and area coverage, but its duration is likely to be questioned.

In a statement on Wednesday, July 19, Vice President Leni Robredo urged Congress to discuss the issue thoroughly.

“Pakinggan natin iyong dahilan kung bakit kailangan mag-extend (Let us listen to the reasons why it should be extended),” the vice president said.

She went on to say, “Kung igagrant ito, iga-grant dahil pinagusapan nang maayos. Kung ide-deny naman, ide-deny siya kasi napag-usapan nang maayos (If it will be granted, it must be granted because it was discussed thoroughly. If it would be denied, it would be denied because it was discussed thoroughly).”

South China Sea. Mr. Duterte has shelved the arbitral ruling, preferring to mend relations with China, which in turn promised $24 billion in loans and investments in Philippine infrastructure projects.

“I can understand the complications in terms of some competition of countries in the region. I think you should call it the West Philippine Sea,” Albright said when asked about the implications of setting aside the ruling.

“The timeline is important. And I hope it’s in the back of people’s minds and discussions. I hope the decision is not OBE, or overtaken

by events. It is there and I think it will be useful,” she said.

The audience included Foreign Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano and Senior Undersecretary for policy Enrique Manalo.

Cayetano was with his sister, former Sen. Pia Cayetano.

Diplomatic career Albright is the first woman to become U.S. secretary of state, serving in the Clinton administration from 1997 to 2001.

Before working at the US Department of State, she was US permanent representative to the United Nations, serving from 1993 to 1996. n

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A

US envoy says PH gov’t remains committed to alliance

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

work that the U.S. Agency for International Development is doing here, I don’t think anything has changed,” Kim said.

Kim admitted that the U.S. remains concerned over the alleged violation of human rights linked to the drug war, but, likewise, acknowledged that the issue of narcotics is a “serious problem for the Philippines.”

“We do have concerns about some aspects of the anti-drug campaign, but at the same time, I want to make clear that we completely understand that there is a serious situation here involving illegal use of drugs, and that the government is right to focus on this

important problem, very serious problem for the Philippines,” Kim said.

Kim, who was named the ambassador to Manila a few months before Duterte assumed the presidency, said he met with the Filipino leader six times. he described their meetings as “very detailed, cordial, friendly, very substantive.”

“They have been very, very cordial discussions. he has a very good sense of humor, so we enjoyed that. And of course, he and I were both prosecutors, so I think we have that common background which helps in discussing issues like law enforcement,” the ambassador added. n

The Philippine government remains ‘committed’ to its longstanding alliance with the United States.

Despite Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous antagonistic statements against Washington, U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim reiterated the country’s commitment to its longstanding ally in a recent interview.

“My sense is that the Philippines’ government, starting with President Duterte, remains committed to the relationship.

There’s mutual respect for the relationship and mutual appreciation for the importance of the relationship,” Kim told ANC. Duterte has been constantly lashing out against the U.S. government for its supposed interference with Philippine affairs, particularly in his campaign against illegal drugs. he even chided former U.S. President Barack Obama and other Washington lawmakers in expletive-peppered speeches. he also launched the so-called Philippine independent foreign policy in pursuit of closer ties with Moscow and Beijing, and lessening of Manila’s dependency on Washington.

While such issues raised questions on the true status of the relationship between the Philippines and U.S., Kim reaffirmed that nothing has changed between the two countries’ bilateral ties.

“Whether it’s in the alliance COMMON GROUND. In this July 4 photo, U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim reaffirmed management or the robust eco- his country’s commitment to President Rodrigo Duterte during their meeting at Malacañang, nomic partnership, all of the good where they discussed combating terrorism and the rehabilitation of battle-ravaged Marawi City.

Be ‘ambassadors,’ share...

PAGE A1 t In the first quarter of 2017, a record number of 1.7 million visitors came to the country, DOT Undersecretary Kat de Castro said on Friday. As of May, the arrivals have reached 2.8 million.

“We at the Department of Tourism believe that this a clear indication that the Philippines remains to be a safe haven for residents and visitors alike,” she said.

After his prepared speech, Duterte proceeded to address the audience for roughly an hour, overviewing his first year in office, including the war on drugs, the Marawi City crisis, and corruption in government.

Referencing international news reports about the deaths associated with the Philippines’ crackdown on drugs, the president said he does “not enjoy the extrajudicial killing term.”

“I do not relish killing people,” he declared, explaining that his threats to kill criminals have been misconstrued as actual actions.

Duterte, who gained popularity during the election last year for his hardline rhetoric against crime, added, “Find me a law — wherever you come from — point out to me a law in your country and in my country, which says you cannot threaten a criminal from destroying your country.”

Since taking office last June, some 9,400 homicide cases associated with the anti-illegal drug campaign have been recorded under the Duterte administration up until March, causing alarm from human rights groups around the world. The Philippine National Police (PNP) has argued that less than 2,000 have been killed in legitimate police operations he vowed that by the time his administration ends in five years,

drugs and corruption will be at alltime lows. echoing past speeches, the United States and former President Barack Obama were mentioned anew for the latter administration’s criticism of the way Duterte has been handling the illegal drug epidemic in the Philippines.

“My duty is to preserve and defend the Filipino nation,” Duterte said. “Nobody should teach me how to do it.” he acknowledged that the U.S. has been helping the Armed Forces of the Philippines in its fight against the Islamic State(IS)inspired Maute group in Marawi City since the turmoil broke out in late May. “Let us give credit where credit is due,” the president said.

Despite a move toward a more independent foreign policy and pursuing warmer ties with China and Russia, Duterte affirmed on Friday that he cannot enter into military alliances with other countries as it would violate the Mutual Defense Treaty with the U.S. he said that he and China have discussed receiving P370 million worth of military equipment, as well as possible aid from Russia in the future. however, there would be no “attachment” to those exchanges.

“Walang attachment diyan.

Walang head of state, si Putin o si President Xi Jinping magsabi, ‘O, bigyan kita (There would be no attachment. Putin or Xi did not say ‘I will offer you this but you should be loyal’), said Duterte.

With his unfiltered language in Friday’s speech, Duterte told the audience that “at least nakilala ninyo ako (you got to know me).”

The president recently marked one year in office and is slated to deliver his State of the Nation Address (SONA) on July 24. n

Investigators seek man...

PAGE A1 t

“Money. Money now.”

Chen is heard to respond to the man, “excuse me, I do not have any money for you,” opening the desk drawer to prove there was no cash. he kept demanding money, thinking Chen was lying. he then threatened her, repeatedly asking her, “Do you want to die?”

The video released by the detectives doesn’t show the shooting, but the motel owner found Chen wounded and called the police. She died at the scene.

“This was, in our belief, a random act,” LA County Sheriff Department Det. Gary Sloan said on Tuesday, addressing reporters.

Detectives described the suspect as a man with a medium build with a stature between 5 feet 6 inches and 6 feet. he was seen wearing dark clothing, a dark hooded sweatshirt and one darkcolored glove.

Chen’s husband of 23 years, Armando escandor, delivered an emotional testimony, speaking about her as a wife and mother and pleading the public to assist in the case.

“The way she loved us, the way she treated us. We really miss her,” escandor remarked. “All I want is justice for my loving wife.”

“Twenty-five years, taken just like that,” escandor said, his voice cracking and tears welling up in eyes. escandor and Chen married in 1994.

Their son, Armando escandor, Jr., was serving in the Navy overseas when his mother was shot and killed. escandor, Jr. said the authorities are offering a $20,000 reward to anyone who has information that would lead to the arrest and prosecution of the suspect.

“My mother did not deserve this, not one bit,” escandor Jr. told reporters, in an emotional plea to bring justice for his late mother.

“So being able to know that this man, or the person responsible for this heinous crime was brought to justice, it would definitely take a weight off my heart.”

Authorities are also requesting the public’s help in identifying a woman who they say spoke with Chen just before the incident.

That same woman, believed to be a hotel guest, was also seen in another video leaving the hotel lobby seconds before the gunman entered.

She is seen stopping and turning to look at the hotel lobby, as if she heard something, authorities said.

Sloan said that the woman is not believed to be connected to the crime, but suggests that anyone who might recognize her to contact the police.

The sheriff’s department is asking anyone with information about the shooting and the gunman to call the homicide detectives at (323) 890-5500. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

Philstar.com photo by Krizjohn Rosales

NO TO MARTIAL LAW EXTENSION. Members of militant groups hold a rally in Mendiola, Manila to condemn President Rodrigo Duterte’s move to extend martial law in Mindanao until December. President Duterte has asked both chambers of Congress to convene and tackle the extension of martial law on Saturday, July 22. His May 23 declaration under Proclamation 216, which ends on July 22, was upheld by the Supreme Court in a majority vote.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

US offers 2 spy planes in Marawi operation The United States has offered the Philippines two surveillance planes in aid of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ (AFP) operations against Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS)-inspired militant groups in Mindanao.

The two Cessna 208 planes will be given to the Philippine government in two weeks, said U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim on Tuesday, July 18.

The planes will be used to assist the AFP’s intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operations.

Kim expressed that the U.S. is deeply worried with the ground

situation in Marawi City, adding that the American government will also be contributing to the rehabilitation of the war-torn city. he added that American troops are currently deployed in Mindanao under a mutual defense treaty between the two countries.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said U.S. troops have always been present in Mindanao and were only asked to move to Marawi City after the break out of local terror groups.

“They are not new people. Actually, that’s why there was no need for us to ask for their help because they’ve been here all

along,” Lorenzana said last July 5 in a press briefing.

Despite President Rodrigo Duterte’s previous remarks on Washington for criticizing his campaign against illegal drugs, both Lorenzana and Kim affirm that Philippines-U.S. relations remain strong.

“My sense is that the Philippine government starting with President Duterte remains committed to the relationship. There’s mutual respect for the relationship and mutual appreciation for the importance of the relationship,” Kim said. (With reports from Elijah Roderos/AJPress)

Dateline USa

A july 21-27, 2017 • NEW yORK AND NEW jERSEy ASIAN jOuRNAl

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REPEAL & REPLACE WATCH

5 ways the Senate GOP health bill could change your health plan options

HELP FOR MARAWI. Manila policemen place money inside a water container turned into a piggy bank for financial assistance to government troops fighting Islamic State-linked terrorists in Marawi City. As of July 14, 93 government troops have been killed, along with 399 terrorists.

Forty-five civilians have also died in the fighting.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

Horn rematch will be Pacquiao’s last fight, Freddie Roach insists

by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

FReDDIe Roach is giving Manny Pacquiao one more fight—the chance to avenge his loss to Jeff Horn.

After that, it’s over for the Filipino icon.

In a report by boxingscene.com, Roach said he does not see Pacquiao fighting beyond a rematch with Horn, who shocked the world with a decision win over his prized ward more than two weeks ago in Brisbane, Australia.

Pacquiao has a rematch clause against Horn and will likely exercise it.

“I’ll accept [the scenario of] Manny fighting Horn once more because he wants the fight, but the end is near,” said Roach.

The bespectacled trainer previously said that now would be the perfect time for Pacquiao to call it quits, but understands that the fighting senator wants to go out on a high note.

Freddie Roach with Manny Pacquiao

That’s why Roach will give Pacquiao one more shot.

“If the fight [Pacquiao-Horn 2] is indeed done, it will be the last one so [Pacquiao] can dedicate himself to being a better politician,” he continued.

As for Horn, who seized the WBo welterweight title from

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

Pacquiao, Roach warned that superstardom still isn’t within the Australian’s reach. “[Horn] fought dirty, he had a plan and it worked out well. now Bob Arum wants to make him a star, but it will not happen beyond the next fight. We have the rematch.”

WE ARE

HIRING Asian Journal Publications is now looking for:

Customer Sales and Service Representative

one of the fiercest complaints about the Affordable Care Act is that it imposed a government mandate on consumers to purchase coverage with a broad and specific set of benefits — including maternity care, mental health treatment and limits on out-of-pocket costs — whether they wanted those benefits or not.

More choice is always better, critics argued. But what if choice trumps protection?

With the latest Senate bill — drafted solely by Republicans and now in limbo, even collapsing, as four GoP Senators have now expressed opposition — that question is again at the heart of the debate and central to the potential changes for consumers.

“I think choice is great when it comes to buying cell phones or pizza slices,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Health Policy Institute. “It’s a very different thing in insurance. none of us is immune from someday becoming one of those sick people. Insurance is supposed to protect us from unpredictable risk.” one bill provision, dubbed the “Cruz amendment,” for backer Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, would allow insurers to offer plans stripped of most of the ACA’s requirements so long as they also offer some policies that do meet those rules.

The provision aims to win support from conservatives who want lower premiums, which would be achieved with the more limited benefit package. But it’s not so simple. Consumers would have to weigh the tradeoffs between price and their somewhat unpredictable future needs.

“This is the fundamental divide,” said Christopher Condeluci, an attorney and former counsel to the Senate Finance Committee.

“You are taking a risk in purchasing a less comprehensive plan because you never know what’s going to happen. But, if you feel this is the right type of plan, then you should have ability to make that economic and risk decision.”

ACA supporters, though, see high value in the strong consumer safeguards.

The ACA, they say, rescued consumers left wanting by some of the choices on the individual market. Before the ACA, some policies had very limited coverage, not covering hospitalization, for example, or paying only small amounts toward doctor visits, tests or drugs.

Sometimes consumers were misled by insurers or agents about the breadth of cover-

age. Sometimes they were just confused and didn’t realize the limits until after the medical problem occurred — their most vulnerable point — leaving some on the hook for hefty medical costs.

The ACA’s comprehensive benefit rules, supporters say, may add to premium costs, but protect consumers from making bad choices — deliberately or inadvertently — that could result in tens of thousands in unpaid medical bills or no treatment altogether.

The next steps in the Senate’s consideration of the GoP health plan are now uncertain as Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), a key GoP vote, recovers from surgery and the intra-party fissures emerge.

McCain issued a statement urging that the chamber return to “regular order, hold hearings, receive input from members of both parties” to produce the legislation. But Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) signaled his intent to hold a vote to repeal the health law with a two year delay. As the discussion continues from this point, here are five things you should know about how this marketplace provision could play out: 1. Premiums would be lower, but maybe not for you.

Because they would cover less, premiums on such policies would be lower for healthy people. That’s how the market was before the ACA passed, when insurers could reject people with preexisting medical conditions in most states.

The ACA barred that practice, so insurers generally raised everyone’s rates to cover those who were ill. Premium increases were softened for consumers who received subsidies to purchase ACA coverage, but really hit people with incomes of more than $48,000 and who are not eligible for subsidies.

Still, the Cruz plan might not lower premiums for everyone.

Insurers could use a person’s health — including their claims history and genetic profile — to set rates, a move barred in ACA plans. They could also outright reject people deemed too risky or sick. People with medical conditions — or those that develop them while covered — could be charged far more than those without. And the Senate bill doesn’t offer consumers help in buying the plans. Federal subsidies cannot be used to purchase the Cruz amendment plans.

2. Coverage would be less generous.

Because the plans would not have to include the ACA’s ten “essential health benefits” — hospital care and prescription drugs among them — consum-

ers could end up paying those expenses themselves.

Those costs could be high, as insurers could also forego the ACA’s annual out-of-pocket caps, which this year are $7,150 for individual coverage and $14,300 for family plans.

The policies cannot set annual or lifetime dollar limits on care, but under the Cruz amendment, insurers could use deductibles or other out-of-pocket costs to achieve a similar goal: shifting more costs to consumers. For example, chemotherapy might have unlimited annual coverage, but only after a huge deductible — say $10,000 or $20,000 — is met.

3. It would create essentially two different markets.

Insurers could offer Cruz amendment plans, so long as they also offered at least one gold level, one silver level and one “benchmark” plan that meets the ACA rules. But there’s nothing saying they would have to actively market those plans.

Most policy experts fear the result would be market segmentation — a siphoning off of the healthiest people into Cruz plans. “The attempt here is to turn what we know as obamacare today into a high-risk pool,” said Robert Laszewski, an insurance industry consultant.

Then what would happen?

Premium costs could rise rapidly for people in the ACA plans and, at the same time, subsidies for consumers purchasing those plans would become less generous for many, particularly older people. even the insurers’ trade lobby has sounded alarm about the Cruz approach, sending a letter last week to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) and Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-n.Y.) that called it “simply unworkable in any form.”

4. You might be temporarily barred from broader coverage.

Because the plans won’t be considered “creditable coverage,” consumers who buy one and then decide to switch to a plan that is consistent with ACA rules might face a penalty of having to wait six months for that coverage to begin. That lockout period aims to keep people from jumping in and out of comprehensive coverage.

Here’s how that would work: Someone with a stripped down plan gets cancer and wants to switch to coverage that is more generous. Under the current proposal, that person might have to wait six months, which could complicate if not threaten their cancer treatment.

u PAGE A7

PH Science High team nabs 2nd place at int’l clean tech competition in NY STonY BRooK, new York – A team from the Philippine Science High School (Main Campus) grabbed second place in an international clean technology student competition held on July 14 at Stony Brook University.

Teammates Philippe Bungabong, Justine opulencia and Maded Batara III won the honor at the 2017 Clean Tech Challenge for their project, “Development of an Integrated online System for the Regulation of Household electricity Consumption.”

The project was one of 10 finalists selected from 330 entries submitted by teams of over 700 students from 26 countries.

An earlier version of the same project garnered the prize as the Most Innovative Research Project at the International Student Science Fair in Korea held in June.

Advisers Joaquin Almirante

Philippe Gene Bungabong, Maded Batara III, and Justine Marcus Opulencia with fellow winners of the Clean Tech Competition 2017.

Inquirer.net photo by Miggy Martija

and Ralph Hipolito accompanied the team.

The Clean Tech Competition is a unique, worldwide research and design challenge for precollege youth. The program encourages scientific understanding of real-world issues and the integration of environmentally responsible energy sources. each year, the Clean Tech Competition addresses an issue

that is grounded in core technological competency areas and focuses on the next great engineering challenges.

The competition is designed to foster a deeper understanding of STeM- (science, technology, engineering, and math) related concepts, recognize outstanding talent and prepare the next generation of globally competitive innovators. (Inquirer.net)

Trump’s use of PH law firm run by gov’t official raises conflicts of interest red flag Fax résumé to:

info@asianjournalinc.com

DonALD and Ivanka Trump’s companies use a law firm managed by a Philippine government official, which poses the latest in a string of potential conflicts of interests due to the Trumps’ global business empire, the UK’s Guardian has reported. elpidio C. Jamora Jr. is one of four named partners at the Manila-based law office that acts as a representative to register trademarks for both the Trump organization and Ivanka Trump’s personal brand.

Jamora is also the chairman of the Philippine national Construction Corporation (PnCC) the country’s largest state-owned and run construction company.

By hiring a law firm managed by an important member of the Philippine government, Trump is vulnerable to charges of paying a foreign official to serve the in-

terests of his private business, the Guardian argues.

As an example, the Philippine government may try to delay or expedite Trump’s trademarks as a policy leverage, Jordan Libowits from Citizens for Responsibility and ethics in Washington, DC, told the newspaper.

Ivanka Trump’s (she’s an assistant to the president) company, Ivanka Trump Marks LLC, raised eyebrows after it was granted seven trademarks in China since her father rose to power. Three were granted on the same day Trump met the Chinese president, Xi Jinping.

Trump has been using Jamora’s law firm since 2007. The firm reportedly represented his daughter Ivanka Trump, for three pending trademark applications for her fashion and accessories line in the Philippines since Trump was

inaugurated.

“If she gets these [registrations] because of her position in government or relation to the president, that becomes a very serious issue,” said Libowitz. He added that while Trump’s relationship to Jamora is “not a smoking gun, it’s a red flag.”

The vast Trump corporation presents an unprecedented problem for US foreign policy. Trump has not liquidated his holdings or put them in a blind trust, as previous presidents have done, to avoid this problem.

Another potential conflict of interests: Trump is opening a Manila skyscraper built by developer Jose eB Antonio, who was named as special trade envoy to Washington last year, making the US president’s family and a Philippine government appointee business partners. (Inquirer.net)

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A

Palace on US report: PH gov’t uses ‘whole system’ approach against terrorism

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

THe Philippine government is addressing terrorism threats seriously and has been expanding its anti-terror campaign by using a ‘whole systems’ approach, Malacañang said.

Malacañang issued the statement on Thursday, July 20, following the release of a United States report claiming that the Philippines is among the top five countries with the highest recorded number of terror attacks in 2016.

The U.S. report came amid the ongoing firefight between the Philippine military and proIslamic State (IS) militants in Marawi City, Mindanao, which erupted two months ago.

“What we are doing is we really confronting it, engaging the situation with the whole systems approach,” Philippine Presidential Spokesperson ernesto Abella said in a press briefing.

He then took note that the government has been fighting terrorism hand-in-hand with

poverty — the problem he referred to as the root of terrorism.

“We recognize that poverty in Mindanao and the sense of hopelessness it brings spawns terrorism. It is for this reason that while we are fighting terrorism, we are also fighting poverty,” Abella said.

Abella added that it is also the reason why Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte approved the Comprehensive Peace Roadmap, which aims to “provide peace and development by addressing the issue on the Bangsamoro.”

Hundreds of peace agreements can be signed, however, “if those on the ground do not immediately feel the dividends of peace, those agreements will [not] be sustainable,” he continued. earlier on Wednesday, July 19, the U.S. State Department released its “Country Reports on Terrorism 2016,” tagging Iraq, Afghanistan, India, Pakistan, and the Philippines, as countries with the highest occurrence of terror attacks last year.

“Philippine military and police counterterrorism efforts kept up pressure on terrorist organizations, but were unable to prevent numerous attacks against government, public, and private facilities, primarily in central and western Mindanao,” the agency said.

It cited several “notable incidents” in its report, which include the September bombing in Davao City’s night market, the Abu Sayyaf terrorists’ beheading of several hostages in April and June, and the November siege of Butig town in Lanao del Sur by IS-linked fighters, among others.

The agency also said that the government’s “focus” on Duterte’s campaign against illegal drugs has “increased workload and operational tempo for security forces.”

“Duterte’s focus on anti-narcotics and counterterrorism operations slowed progress towards shifting internal security functions from the Armed Forces of the Philippines to the Philippine National Police,” the report read. n

EU delegation in PH to check human rights situation

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

TWeLve lawmakers from the european Union (eU) are in the Philippines to check the “political and human rights” situation in the country.

Soraya Post, the eU delegation head, called their visit a “fact-sharing mission.”

“We are very interested in the development of the situation of human rights in the Philippines.

So we would like to have a meeting with different stakeholders in the Philippines,” Post told reporters on Tuesday, July 18.

She cited the reported killings linked to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s controversial crackdown on narcotics, as well as his administration’s bid to lower the age of criminal responsibility from 15 to 9 years old.

READY FOR THE BIG DAY. A worker arranges the photographs of lawmakers at the House of Representatives as Congress prepares for the second State of the Nation Address (SONA) of President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, July 24.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan

Despite criticism, Duterte still finds a role model in FVR

by Jennifer

Soriano

AJPress

ON some rare occasions, President Rodrigo Duterte can be soft toward his critics and their harsh remarks.

Duterte, in his speech during former president Fidel Ramos’ book launching on Monday, July 17, said that he “accepts” the advice and “respect” the criticisms the former president throws against him.

“I respect your criticism. I accept your advice and maybe I will mimic your role as president before,” Duterte said “You can continue criticizing me, sir,” the chief executive added.

Ramos gave Duterte a t-shirt with the words, “Follow me,” the motto of Fort Benning in Representatives from the European Parliament visit Senator Leila de Lima in detention.

Georgia, where the former presiPhoto from de Lima’s office dent finished his special military “So we want to speak about luck,” the lawmaker said. courses. this, to discuss the development She went on to say, “It is “I will follow you, just like what of the Philippines. But we wish our concern, it is the Filipinos’ the shirt says,” Duterte said. also all the Philippines, the concern, it’s the whole world’s “Only difference is that, I am cities of the Philippines, good u PAGE A7 not a military man. But love of

President Rodrigo Duterte chats with former President Fidel V. Ramos during the launching of the latter’s book, ‘Make Change Work,’ at Camp General Emilio Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday, July 17.

Malacañang photo by Alfred Frias

country, patas tayo, sir (we are just on the same level). I would say that I love my country as much as you do, and we are ready to die for this country,” he added.

Ramos first lashed out at Duterte in October 2016 in light of the president’s first 100 days.

Ramos criticized Duterte’s brutal war on drugs and tirades against the international community.

The former president’s latest negative remark about Duterte was during the Russia trip last May that aimed to “boost eco-

nomic ties” between Russia and the Philippines.

During the said trip, the president was accompanied by his economic team and cabinet officials. Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, some members of the Senate and the House, assistant secretaries and staff members also joined the presidential delegation to Russia.

The former president said that the trip turned out to be a “junket” and that “some people should have stayed behind.”

u PAGE A7

A6 JULY 21-27, 2017 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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FEATURES

OPINION

Commitment to peace FOR decades, the Philippines has been on a quest for lasting peace.

While the country is spared from being left in turmoil, the lingering process also comes with debilitating consequences on the people and the environment in areas of conflict.

There have been numerous attempts in peace and development interventions, but the country has yet to see one that guarantees a lasting solution.

On Monday, July 17, the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) turned over its draft of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) to President Rodrigo Duterte, who promised to support it through the legislative process.

“I commit to support my covenant with you that I will support and husband this instrument as it goes in the legislator for its consideration. And there will be no objections of the provisions of all that is consistent with the Constitution and the aspiration of the Moro people,” the president said during a ceremony at Malacañang.

In return, Duterte assured Moro people that a Bangsamoro country will rise in Mindanao during his term.

“This will be realized while preserving and strengthening the territorial integrity of the Republic of the Philippines,” Duterte added.

Duterte described the BBL as a manifestation of the shared aspirations of the Philippine government and the Moro people for a peaceful, orderly and harmonious nation.

“May this new entity be marked by good gover-

nance, equitable sharing of wealth and generation of revenue, and normalized, stable environment. We will achieve sustainable and inclusive peace and development in the Bangsamoro, Mindanao and the entire country,” Duterte said.

Mohagher Iqbal, Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) chief negotiator, echoed the president’s sentiments as he described the BBL as the “the menu for solidarity and unity of this country.”

“If the Bangsamoro people are given the opportunity to rule itself and be given development, then they will succeed in this country,” Iqbal said.

Meanwhile, Duterte hopes that his promise of autonomy for the Moro people will persuade Filipino Muslims to reject the Islamic State (IS) group.

The president has already asked the Congress to extend his declaration of martial law in Mindanap as government forces still continue their operations to flush out IS-linked militants from Marawi City.

As of July 17, the death toll in the Marawi crisis has reached 540, with at least 405 terrorists, 97 soldiers and 45 civilians killed.

The BBL will go through a grueling process in cal will from all parties involved.

Congress before seeing its passage. This ambiThe task is no doubt high, and expectations tious undertaking requires resoluteness and politi- from every Filipino and international spectator is

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

growing by the day. The tendency to transform the Philippines as a citadel of peace should be worth all trouble. (AJPress)

Trump declares ‘let Obamacare fail’ as Trumpcare collapses again

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS PRESIDENT Donald Trump loves to win and he just would never give up even after his campaign promise to “repeal and replace Obamacare on Day One” has collapsed many times over in the Republican-dominated House and Senate, despite going through several revisions and incarnations within his six months of presidency.

After not being able to win enough support even among members of his own party to put the most recent “repeal and replace” Republican health care bill on the Senate floor for a vote, Trump and Senate Majority Floor Leader Mitch McConnell agreed to just repeal Obamacare and then come up with an accept-

able replacement bill within two years. But even this Plan B has collapsed even before any debate or votes could be done as four Republicans have signified their decisions to vote NO. Democrats have consistently and firmly declared that they would only work with Republicans to “repair” Obamacare and not to repeal it, which means to pass the bill, the party of Trump cannot afford to lose more than two votes.

This desperate Plan B was considered, despite pledging many times during the campaign that he will push for a “repeal and replace” of Obamacare instead of just repealing it because he did not want “people dying in the streets.”

But after realizing how difficult and complicated it is to repeal and/or replace Obamacare as he promised, Trump has now

repeatedly expressed his disappointment over the collapse of Trumpcare, and declared that it is time to “let Obamacare fail.”

“I think we’re probably in that position where we’ll let Obamacare fail,” Trump said at the White House this week. “We’re not going to own it. I’m not going to own it. I can tell you, the Republicans are not going to own it.”

Trump blamed the Democrats saying, “We have 52 people, we had no Democrat support.

We had four ‘no’s…It would be nice to have Democrat support but really they’re obstructionist.

They have no ideas. They have no thought process. All they want to do is obstruct government and obstruct, period.”

Speaking from the White House on Tuesday, July 18, Trump said, “I am disappointed because for so many years I’ve

been hearing repeal, replace.”

Then he pivoted to 2018 saying, “With only a very small majority, the Republicans in the House & Senate need more victories next year since Dems totally obstruct, no votes!”

What Trump does not realize is that the health care issue is NOT all about politics. For Democrats and the few Republicans who stood their ground to fight against the bill that will repeal and replace Obamacare, it is about what will be good for their constituents. Health care, after all, is NOT a commodity.

We are talking about something very personal — peoples’ health and lives.

Doesn’t he consider the fact that lawmakers and local government officials also consider the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office which reports that with Trumpcare, more people will be

left uninsured compared to what will happen if Obamacare stays?

That the poor and the hard-working middle class will be the ones most vulnerable while the richest of the rich will be rewarded with hefty tax credits?

Doesn’t he realize that this Republican health care bill does not really have the approval and support of most Americans as revealed by polls after polls?

And this sentiment is also shared even by Trump’s own voters.

Just 12 percent of Americans living in the counties that fueled Donald Trump’s win in the 2016 presidential election support the Republican Party’s efforts on health care, as revealed by the results of the NBC News/ Wall Street Journal poll of these “Trump counties.”

How can Trump wash his hands and say he does not own this problem and just let Obam-

acare fail? Doesn’t he realize he is responsible for people who will lose their access to health care should this happen? Is he praying for this to happen so he can say he “won”?

Why is he so obsessed with repealing Obamacare when he and the Republicans can work with Democrats to repair the bill and make it work better for the American people? Is it because this is a major legacy of the first African-American president and they just want to kill it as they did with other Obama initiatives to protect ordinary hardworking Americans? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

The Ombudsman: Letting Aquino off the hook

Opinion

RICARDO SALUDO PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte is right. The case to be filed against his predecessor, Benigno Aquino III, by Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales is bound to fail.

Aquino can easily beat the charge of usurpation of authority in letting then-suspended Philippine National Police Chief Alan Purisima direct the botched January 2015 police commando raid in Mamasapano, Maguindanao.

In his defense, Aquino can claim that he didn’t order his friend to exercise authority or issue orders. Rather, Purisima merely relayed presidential commands. So, no usurpation of authority, case dismissed. And no more charges allowed over the death of 44 PNP Special Action Force troopers.

That a retired Supreme Court justice like Morales can come up with such a “silly” and easily beaten charge, as President Duterte said, makes many suspect that she was out to let Aquino off the hook.

Of course, many who have followed how Morales has acted since Aquino named her to head the anti-graft Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) in July 2011, have long concluded that she favors him and his camp.

To cite some of the key roles

Morales played in Aquino’s political schemes, she presented grossly inflated dollar deposits allegedly held by the late Chief Justice Renato Corona in his 2012 impeachment trial.

When former President Gloria Arroyo was granted bail in a weak election case, Morales promptly filed a plunder charge to again detain the ailing grandmother sans bail, even if OMB lawyers found zero evidence of Arroyo or her co-accused pocketing state funds — a minimum requirement in plunder cases.

People, of course, remember how Morales, then-Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, and thenCommission on Audit chairman Grace Tan targeted three opposition senators in pork barrel cases, but spared countless stalwarts in Aquino’s camp, who are only now being probed by current Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre.

Even as the Aquino regime wound down in its final years, Morales continued going after his adversaries. Her high-profile investigations of then-Vice President Jejomar Binay brought down the erstwhile election frontrunner.

The largest malversation But the real value of Morales to Aquino and his ilk lies in her omissions: the scams she never investigated or prosecuted.

From the largest spate of smuggling in Philippine history and probably the biggest malversation in Asia ever, to the bloodiest

debacle in the annals of the PNP, Morales missed gross violations of law so easy to spot, and even easier to probe and prosecute.

If she only paid attention to even just one of those offenses, she would not have said about Aquino last December: “You have to give it to him. He is corrupt-free.”

Take the P157-billion Disbursement Acceleration Program, probably the largest malversation in Philippine, if not Asian history.

No less than Morales’s former Supreme Court colleagues unanimously declared in their July 2014 decision voiding DAP that based on “seven packets of evidence” its funds “were allocated to PAPs [programs and projects]not covered by any appropriations.”

Last time we checked, officials who cause state funds to be spent in ways not covered by budgetary appropriations, commit malversation if expenditures benefited them, or technical malversation if money went to public use.

To investigate, Morales should have given the list of DAP allotments, and asked Aquino and his Budget Secretary Florencio Abad to show which budget provisions authorized the spending.

Yet Morales never did that.

And when she finally released her DAP investigation in April, two years and 10 months after the Supreme Court ordered her to run after DAP’s “authors,”

Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales

Abad was charged with — wait for it — usurpation of authority, and Aquino was declared guiltfree.

The worst smuggling Turning to contraband, it soared to unprecedented levels under Aquino, trebling to $26.6 billion in 2014, from $7.9 billion five years before, based on International Monetary Fund trade data.

Aquino could have prevented that smuggling surge by bringing Ramos-era Bureau of Cus-

Inquirer.net photo

toms commissioner Guillermo Parayno back to the BoC, where his sterling performance spurred the IMF to hire him as customs reform consultant.

But Aquino named another BoC head, under whose watch some 2,500 cargo containers disappeared in 2011 while in transit between the Manila and Batangas ports — the biggest spate of smuggling in the country ever.

Like DAP, that unprecedented flood of contraband could have been easily probed just by check-

ing who kept releasing containers after, say, 50 or 100 had gone missing. Grill those careless, if not conniving bureaucrats, and they will almost surely point to higher-ups masterminding the sleaze.

Now, how hard is it to check a few hundred BoC release papers and query the signatories? Not much harder, surely, than asking the man who initialed fund release papers in seven packets of DAP evidence to show which PAGE A7

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CA junks $2-billion claim of Marcos human rights victims

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE Court of Appeals (CA) has junked the petition of a group seeking the enforcement of a 1995 United States district court decision awarding the supposed human rights victims during the term of late strongman Ferdinand Marcos of about $2 billion worth of compensation.

In its July 7 decision, the CA’s 12th Division upheld the earlier decision of Makati City Regional Trial Court (RTC) which dismissed the case seeking the enforcement of the foreign ruling.

The petition was filed by a group led by retired Judge Priscilla Mijares, Former Human Rights Commission Chairman Loreta Ann Rosales, movie director Joel Lamangan, Hilda Narciso, and Mariano Dimaranan.

The CA decision, penned by Associate Justice Normandie Pizarro, affirmed the RTC’s decision which concluded that the ruling of the U.S. District Court

in Hawaii was not binding because it lacks jurisdiction over the class suit docketed as Class Action No. MDL 840.

“Rules of comity should not be made to prevail over our Constitution and we cannot allow foreign impositions to trample upon our sovereignty,” the CA stated.

In its decision, the appellate court said the Hawaii court violated the right to due process of all the unnamed claimants as well as the respondent Marcos estate.

It also noted that the 10 Filipino citizens who initiated MDL 840 failed to prove that they were “truly and legally authorized by the other purported claimants.”

“In other words, each claimant in MDL 840 had a right, if any, only to the damage that such individual may have suffered, and not one of them had any right to or can claim any interest in the damage or injury which another suffered. Hence, MDL 840 was not and should not have been brought as a class suit,”

the CA said.

The claimants, who filed the class suit before the U.S. district court on May 9, 1991, are Celsa Hilao, Josefina Hilao Forcadilla, Arturo Revilla, Jr., Rodolfo Benosa, Danila Fuente, Renato Pineda, Adora Faye de Vera, Domiciano Amparo, Christopher Sorio, and Jose Duran.

“It boggles the mind how the final judgment could be enforced when the supposed claimants were not even identified… it gave no opportunity for the Marcos Estate to confront each and every claimant,” the CA decision read.

The CA further noted that the classification of the claimants into three categories – torture, summary execution and disappearance victims – cannot be joined into a class suit since “no two persons can suffer the same nature and degree of injury or damage.”

“All told, the Final Judgment of the Hawaii Court, being null and void for want of jurisdiction, may not be enforced,” the CA said. ■

EU delegation in PH to check human rights...

PAGE A5 t

concern. We live in a global society, so we have to share responsibility with what’s happening around the world.”

Later on the same day, the delegation also visited Senator Leila de Lima in her detention cell at the Philippine National Police (PNP) Custodial Center in Camp Crame.

“She (De Lima) seems very good and strong and we discussed her situation and she didn’t complain on the police in her detention, she said they’re taking care of her there. But she says that she would love to go to her family and she also would love to go to her work in

the Senate,” Post said.

De Lima, a fierce critic of Duterte, has been detained since last February over drugrelated charges.

In a statement, the senator said she is “deeply grateful” to the delegation for visiting her.

“My guests looked into my condition as a ‘prisoner of conscience,’ deprived of liberty for defending human rights, opposing the brazen killings and flagrant violations of human dignity in the wake of Duterte’s murderous war on drugs. I asserted before them my absolute innocence of the accusations against me,” she said.

Earlier in March, the EU Par-

liament adopted a resolution calling for De Lima’s immediate release, urging Philippine authorities “to ensure a fair trial…to drop all politically motivated charges against her, and to end any further acts of harassment against her.”

In the same resolution, the EU also said it “strongly condemns” the alleged spate of summary killings in connection with Duterte’s drug war.

It further called on the Philippine government to “immediately carry out impartial and meaningful investigations into these extrajudicial killings and to prosecute and bring all perpetrators to justice.”

budget stipulations authorized the disbursements.

But Morales didn’t bother with all that.

The bloodiest bungle For sure, investigating a bun-

gled police commando raid with no paper trail is much harder than documentary sleuthing to uncover DAP and BoC anomalies.

But even in this wireless, paperless age, there are electronic

CLOSED. Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Danilo Lim looks on as a personnel posts a closure sign at the gate of the DLTB Bus Station at the corner of EDSA and Timog Avenue in Quezon City on Wednesday. Several bus terminals were padlocked for violating the MMDA’s “nose in, nose out” policy.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Ismael De Juan

5 ways the Senate GOP...

PAGE A4 t

proposed Senate replacement.

Some experts read the propos- “Do they roll the dice with their al as appearing to offer a small health and hope they never get exception to that six-month sick?”

5. They are different from lockout — but only if consumers don’t have a single-day gap be- “catastrophic plans.”

The bill would also expand tween the day their Cruz amendment policy expires and the new eligibility for coverage known as catastrophic plans. These are ACA-compliant plan kicks in.

“People would have the free- not the same as the Cruz amenddom to choose, but the dif- ment plans. Catastrophic plans ference between the choices include the broader array of ACA and the consequences of those benefits. They also allow three choices are extraordinary,” said doctor visits annually exempt Laszewski, a longtime critic of from the deductible.

At the same time, however, the ACA who has blasted the

their deductibles are higher than any of the other types of ACA plans sold, equal to those previously mentioned annual out-ofpocket limits. So far, they haven’t been terribly popular. They are currently limited to people age 30 and younger, with a few other exceptions. The Senate bill would make them available to all ages — and allow subsidies to be used to purchase them. (Julie Appleby) This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. ■

Despite criticism, Duterte...

PAGE A5 t

The Palace, in return, answered that it is important to have the “key members” of the president’s administration to accompany Duterte.

Ramos played a role in convincing Duterte to run for the presidency during the 2016 national elections.

Duterte has ever since showed

respect and trust towards Ramos, as manifested in different forms — through speeches, special assignments and as a “source” of information.

During the president’s inaugural speech, he gave Ramos a special mention, saying, “President Fidel Ramos, sir, salamat po sa tulong mo (thank you for your help in) making me president.”

In July, Duterte assigned Ramos to be the administration’s special envoy to negotiate talks with China regarding the controversial West Philippine Sea. In September, Duterte revealed that Ramos was one of his sources for his list of personalities linked to illegal drugs. However, Ramos denied giving such info to the president. ■

morning, purportedly stopped around 10 a.m., then resumed about 6 p.m. after all the SAF 44 records, like cellphone logs of were dead. key players in the Mamasapano Fellow columnist Rigoberto massacre.

Tiglao doubted that Aquino and Suspended PNP Chief Purisi- Purisima stopped texting for ma provided the Senate and PNP eight hours at the worst of the investigations his SMS exchange debacle. So, he urged the Senate with Aquino, which began early to subpoena their texting logs, to

see if the messaging continued all day.

Morales didn’t look into the phone records, or invite Aquino for questioning. Indeed, she never cared to interrogate those in the thick of the country’s worst malversation, smuggling and police carnage in years, if not ever.

These inquiries were bound to

fail.

The previous Ombudsman was ousted for supposedly favoring the President who appointed her. Morales has done far, far worse.

Thankfully, she steps down next July. Then Benigno Aquino III will finally face truth and justice. (ManilaTimes.net)

The Ombudsman: Letting Aquino...

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A7

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An Asian Journal Magazine

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J U LY 2 1 , 20 1 7

Branded apparel in various sizes, colors and designs were also among the favorite items on the list.

Chocolates top the list of favorite balikbayan box contents, with four in every five people nonchalantly picking the said item as their personal favorite.

Inquirer.net photos

UNBOXING FILIPINO CULTURE

Close family ties and most loved items in a balikbayan box

by NATHALIE

IF there lies a single thing that would ultimately define Filipino identity, one would have to fly around the world and back, and still would not know what it would be. That is how diverse and colorful the Filipino culture is. Packed with various traits, characteristics, upbringing, talents and skills; no wonder you cannot confine the Filipino people in a single category.

More often than not, you will find traces of them wherever you go.

One of the factors which certainly sets Filipinos apart from the rest, are their close family ties. In a common household, it is not surprising to see extended families living under the same roof. The concept of family not only applies as to what the law perceives—the smallest unit of society. For Filipinos, it is one flesh, blood, and legacy established at birth.

What is valued in a family often corresponds with the values that one possess.

These familial ties gave birth to the idea of the “pasalubong.” It is a concept in the Philippines that whenever someone leaves home or travels, he has to bring back some sort of token from his destination upon his return.

Thus, the word pasalubong can also be translated as ‘something meant for you when you welcome me back.’ It has a few sentimental connotations, as in rejoicing the safe homecoming of someone who was away for a time.

Despite the influx of overseas Filipinos workers (OFWs), this tradition remained in their hearts. Regardless of them being away from their family members, they would still find time to send gifts to their families. It led to the idea of a balikbayan box, a care package that OFWs send their loved ones delivered via air or sea.

Whenever there is a balikbayan box delivered straight to one’s home, each member of the family would eagerly open it and would in turn, anticipate what the sender wishes for them to have. Goods and gifts, with labels as to who would receive such, is what should be expected once a balikbayan box arrives.

According to the latest data from the Philippine Statistics Office (PSA),

Whenever there is a balikbayan box delivered straight to one’s home, each member of the family would eagerly open it and would in turn, anticipate what the sender wishes for them to have. Goods and gifts, with labels as to who would receive such, is what should be expected once a balikbayan box arrives.

ROBLES/AJPress

As technology continuously progresses, mobile phones, personal computers, tablets, and cameras are among the common preferences of Filipinos as their preferred pasalubong.

the number of OFWs who worked abroad was estimated at 2.4 million.

Overseas Contract Workers (OCWs) or those with existing work contracts comprised 97.1 percent of the total OFWs. With that said, it can be observed that each family or household has at least one relative or family member working overseas. As a way to express their love, miles apart, they would in turn send balikbayan boxes to their loved ones in the Philippines.

Things loved most in a balikbayan box Chocolates top the list of favorite balikbayan box contents, with four in every five people nonchalantly picking the said item as their personal favorite.

“It’s chocolate. Lots and lots of it,” said Cyril Bunuan.

In a similar survey conducted by Inquirer, December of last year, chocolates along with candies topped the list at 67 percent.

Asked on why chocolates are considered a common preference, one replied, “Siguro dahil may mentality na dito sa Pilipinas na mas mahal ‘yung presyo ng chocolates (Maybe because there is a mentality that chocolates are more expensive here in the Philippines).”

Gadgets came second on the list due to the increase in demand as technology continuously progresses. Mobile phones, personal computers,

Canned goods are the most practical items in a balikbayan box. Since it would take long for the goods to expire, families are able to utilize them for emergency purposes.

tablets, cameras etc. were the common preferences of Filipinos.

Clothes immediately followed on the list with 63 percent of respondents picking it among their top favorite goodies. Branded apparel in various sizes, colors and designs were also among the favorite items found inside the balikbayan boxes. Once the said box lands in the Philippine soil and into the arms of the recipients, rest assured there will be a gathering of some sort where relatives haul whichever garments would fit them.

Shoes were also considered a common favorite. In the Philippines, whenever someone would leave home, even for a short while or even if it’s just a local destination, they would say the common expression, “Size nine ako ah, (My foot size is nine),” as a way of hinting that they want shoes for pasalubong.

Canned goods are the most practical items in a balikbayan box. Since it would take long for the goods to expire, families are able to utilize them for emergency purposes.

Distance indeed cannot hinder one’s expression of love and concern.

Even with something as simple as a balikbayan box, one must still be thankful and appreciative. After all, what matters in the end is not the value of the goods in the box but the amount of love it signifies.

Traveling 101: Tips on getting How and where do families spend the money being sent to them more for your money

By LARIZZA DE

By IRIS

VICENTE AJPRESS

IN this digital era where alluring destinations and fascinating safaris keep flooding your social media accounts, the need and hunger for travel burns deep inside the hearts of those who wants a detour from this toxic utopia that is urban life.

Whether you’re a student who has tons of paperwork to do or one of those people with jobs as stressful as the heavy traffic during rush hour, traveling has now become more of a necessity than a luxury.

Although traveling can really cost you a dime, there’s a way to get more from your money while you’re out having the best experience on your adventures.

1. Book cheap flights Be resourceful in waiting and finding cheap deals to avoid throwing out cash when you’re supposed to save up. Look into travel websites that offer searching into other companies and comparing airfares to get the lowest rate.

2. Find valuable accommodations You don’t have to stay in hotels and be all fancy. You can always settle for amiable dormstyle places or hostels. Remember: you’re out for some adventures, not some glamorous sleepovers.

3. DIY your itinerary Yup. Do it yourself instead of availing for packaged tours which could cost more, why not plan your own day and the places you want to go. Be diligent about searching for places that are free

AJPRESS

Look into travel websites that offer searching into other companies and comparing airfares to get the lowest rate.

Inquirer.net photos

You don’t have to stay in hotels and be all fancy. You can always settle for amiable dormstyle places or hostels. Remember: you’re out for some adventures, not some glamorous sleepovers.

and worth seeing.

4. Maximize buffet breakfast That’s right. Not to spoil and break your “healthy” diet, but this is because adventures are composed of long walks and long days which consumes energy.

Start your day early and amplify those buffet accommodations to avoid getting hangry (hungry+angry) plus, it’s also a hack to decrease expenditures because snacks and water in some

Start your day early and amplify those buffet accommodations to avoid getting hangry (hungry+angry) plus, it’s also a hack to decrease expenditures because snacks and water in some places are extremely expensive.

VERA

ONE of the strong pillars of the Philippine economy are overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Last year, remittances propped up the country’s economic growth and hit a new record high of $2.56 billion in December. Remittances serve as the direct outcome of labor migration and the most important source of foreign exchange to the economy.

Initially, the main goal of OFWs is to maximize the great opportunities abroad in hopes of providing a better life for their family. However, the promise of a better a life depends on how and where they spend their remittances. Establishing a budget that is not grounded in reality is not really useful at all. One must live within their means and prioritize what is important and beneficial.

In turn, OFW remittances transferred to their families or recipient/s became part of household budgets that are spent on every family’s daily necessities such as increase in consumption of durable and nondurable goods, or can also be used as savings. It can also be beneficial for people who want to start a business. Thus, such overseas cashflows raise the standard of living of recipient families.

Based on the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) survey of 2016, recipients greatly allocate their remittances on consumption goods. For instance, 97.3 percent are for food and other household needs.

However, as stated by Asia

Last year, remittances propped up the country’s economic growth and hit a new record high of $2.56 billion in December.

Development Bank (ADB), families sometimes compromise and lower their food expenditure. OFW households prioritize part of their remittances for education (70 percent), purchase of consumer durables (21.9 percent), and purchase of house (11 percent), investment (6.5 percent), and other miscellaneous expenses (4.5 percent).

The expenditure of the remittance-receiving families is closely monitored by the government because it reflects the general condition of the country. In this way, OFWs can expect a better return of investment because of the government efforts to further allow recipients to avail and spend more money on government programs. At the same time, investments on education and nonfood expenditure can impart a long-term growth on the economy because of the higher probability of producing better human resources for the country.

In turn, the increase of investment in human and physical capital aggregate domestic demand and enhances the

country’s capital accumulation.

Another expenditure of the family-receiving remittance is their allocation on savings.

According to data by BSP, 43.2 percent of Filipinos who are considered mostly put their savings at home. These investments share 43.4 percent on the remittance allocation that can help create new social assets and services like schools, health centers, roads and other community projects that can be beneficial to their recipient who were left in the country.

Furthermore, a portion of OFW households allotted part of their remittances for debt payments (46.5 percent). Geographically speaking, a large portion of the OFW households in the NCR allocated their remittances on debt payments, for purchase of food and other household needs, and for investment.

But in spite of their different investments on human and physical capital, only 56.1 percent of OFW on 2016 utilized their remittance for medical expense as compared to last quarter’s data.

places are extremely expensive.

5. Keyword: READ This one goes out to everyone specially those who are first time travelers. It’s not going to make you sweat if you read and study prior to visiting the place or country. It’s important to know the details like transportation (public transportations of course cost less than cabs in many places) road maps (familiarize yourself beforehand of the ins and outs of town to avoid getting lost and time inconvenience) weather (Travel light. There are places that has different weather conditions, it’s important to know which essential things to bring to avoid excess baggage which is costly), and even the culture for a handy, frugal and satisfying adventure.

While it is pleasurable to spend some time unwinding, people can always relish the finer things in life while avoiding OFW remittances transferred to their families or recipient/s became part spending too much. Tight purse strings+quality experience= great of household budgets that are spent on every family’s daily necessities OFW households prioritize part of their remittances for education, such as increase in consumption of durable and nondurable goods, or purchase of consumer durables, and purchase of house, investment, adventures. can also be used as savings.

and other miscellaneous expenses.

Inquirer.net photos

3

An Asian Journal Magazine

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

Supreme court makes it harder for unwed mothers to transmit citizenship to their children

One of the cornerstones of U.S. constitutional law is “equal protection”. That means people in similar situations should be treated the same. There should be no favoritism, such as on the basis of sex\gender. Men and women should be treated equally under the law.

In a recent Supreme Court decision, Sessions vs. MoralesSantana, the Supreme Court held the different physical presence requirements for unwed mothers and unwed fathers to transmit U.S. citizenship to their children born outside the U.S. was unfair and unconstitutional. Instead, unwed mothers and fathers should not be treated differently in determining whether their children may claim U.S. citizenship.

Under existing law, unwed mothers had a much easier time transmitting U.S. citizenship to their children. Basically, the mother should have lived in the U.S. (or a U.S. possession, such as the Philippines before 1946), for one year at any point in her life, prior to the child’s birth. Unwed fathers, on the other hand, had to live in the U.S. for a total of 10 years, five of which were after the age of 14. The law later changed, and now requires the father to be physically present in the U.S. (or U.S. possession) for five years before the child’s birth, two of which were after the father’s 14th birthday.

In this case, Morales-Santana was the child of an unwed father. He came to the US when he was 13 and lived here for decades. He was convicted of robbery, attempted murder, and other crimes, which made him deportable. He tried to argue he was a US citizen, by his having been born to a U.S. citizen father.

The law at the time required the father to have lived in the U.S. for 10 years before the child’s

birth, five of which were after the father’s 14th birthday (or up to the father’s 19th birthday).

In this case, Morales-Santana’s father left the U.S. a mere 20 days before his 19th birthday, and therefore did not meet the requirements for transmitting U.S. citizenship to his out of wedlock child.

Morales-Santana argued it was unfair (or a violation of equal protection under the law) that unwed mothers could live in the U.S. for only one year at any time in their life before their child’s birth, but unwed fathers had to live in the U.S. for 10 years before the child’s birth, five of which were after the father’s 14th birthday. Unwed fathers and unwed mothers should be treated the same. And if the same law that applied to unwed mothers was followed, then he was a U.S. citizen, and should not be deported.

The Supreme Court agreed the law violated MoralesSantana’s equal protection rights, and that unwed mothers and unwed fathers should be treated the same. Unfortunately, rather than allowing unwed fathers to benefit from the same requirements as unwed mothers, the Supreme Court went the other way, and held that unwed mothers should now meet the same requirements as unwed fathers, which is they must have lived in the U.S. for at least five years before the child’s birth, two of which were after the mother’s 14th birthday.

As a result of this decision, Morales-Santana was not a U.S. citizen, and was deportable.

From now on, unwed mothers have to meet the same requirements as unwed fathers in order to transmit U.S. citizenship to their children, unless Congress later changes the law.

Immigration Corner

Therefore, any unwed U.S. citizen mother who gave birth abroad can no longer transmit U.S. citizenship to their child unless they had lived in the U.S. for five years, two of which were after their 14th birthday.

Also, bear in mind that there have been thousands of Filipinos born in the Philippines to a U.S. parent. It could be possible the parent satisfied the physical presence requirements of the law, such that their child could be a U.S. citizen. This could include children of unwed mothers, unwed fathers, or a married couple where one of the parents is a U.S. citizen.

If your parent was a U.S. citizen, and you were born abroad, you may want to seek the advice of an attorney, who could evaluate your situation and determine whether or not you are an “instant citizen,” where you’re not required to be petitioned for a green card, wait five years, and then apply for naturalization. You go straight to U.S. passport, if eligible. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Fo u r off i ces to se r ve yo u : LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J u lY 2 1 , 20 1 7

ABUSED AND ACCUSED WOMAN GETS THE ULTIMATE REDEMPTION IN HER GREEN CARD ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF ‘CITIZEN PINOY.’ Imagine being broken on the inside by your husband’s constant verbal abuse and then getting a signed confession from him saying that yours was never a real marriage. That’s the hellish nightmare that Evelyn (center) suffered from her former husband. That same confession jeopardized the petition by her current spouse, Glenn (left), for her.

Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel (right) proved the allegations wrong and eventually delivered Evelyn’s ultimate redemption in the form of her green card on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” - on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising supplement)

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAGlAyA (PART 1 OF 2) (STORIES can teach, heal, entertain, remind and bring home a message with laser-like accuracy and oftentimes, with latent comment. They appeal to all ages.

I like retelling the old classics and seeing how their lessons still apply to our lives today. Like organic botanicals from an older gene pool, these stories are pure, without manipulation or embellishments, and perhaps, are a good thing to chew on. Simple, organic, direct — these are the stories that hit home.

The lessons are as good now as they were then. Here’s one of them.)

Long ago in the island of Crete, there lived a man named Daedalus, who was famed for his skills as an inventor. He worked

Children just like you “The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tradegy.”

— Alfred North Whitehead for King Minos. Foremost among his many achievements was building the labyrinth in which the king kept the Minotaur, a fearsome, legendary beast which was half-man and half-bull that fed on human flesh. It was said that anyone who went into the labyrinth never came out of it again because of its complex, undecipherable winding walls and corridors.

Daedalus was brilliant and this was a problem for the king.

Although Daedalus had been giving the king great and loyal service all his life, Minos was deeply insecure and feared that Daedalus who was wise, celebrated and ingenious would,

one day challenge him to become king.

As a preemptive move, Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus in a prison tower. The king underestimated Daedalus, for one dark night, father and son escaped from their prison tower.

They found out however that it was well nigh impossible to escape the island with the paranoid King Minos sending out an all points bulletin to his mindless minions.

Minos’ soldiers carefully searched every boat that left the island.

Father and son took cover in a remote cave along the shore hidden from the watchful eyes Continued on Page 5

An Asian Journal Magazine

4

President Duterte welcomes 11th Ambassadors’ Tour

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J u lY 2 1 , 20 1 7

On the PEP Front

People, Events, Places BoBBy T. yalong The People’s Ball, Fiesta in America’s preliminary episode and an elegantly schemed prelude to the two-day exposition and cultural indoor event, has consistently been a most-awaited and hugely attended summer social gathering this side of the east coast primarily due to its diversely themed fête and ambitiously conceptualized programming.

If last year’s well appreciated theme, the timelessly romantic Roaring 20s, was an all-time hit, easily then this year’s center-ofinterest is indubitably another runaway winner if not totally an ostentatiously nostalgic knock-out.

Imagine reliving the era of the 60s… isn’t that exciting enough?

Well, my friends, since the 60s generation was utterly deemed as the “melting epoch” of the century and the focal point where the next generations’ lifestyle and pop culture originated, won’t that be undeniably adequate to heave inquisitiveness, elicit curiosity, and stimulate interest to attend and experience real-togoodness social festivity?

Envision these: The 1960s

Psychedelic-themed 9th People’s Ball boasts of the great 60s era

Fiesta in America Execs among the East coast delegation of 11th Ambassadors Tour in the Philippines.

fashion was unmistakably flamboyant, premeditating, and futuristic …the music was upbeat… nightlife scene was highly influenced by nightclubs and discotheques… and life seemed easy, cool, and uncomplicated.

Glamorous screen icons, fashion models and celebrities like Twiggy, Mary Quant, Jackie onassis, Audrey Hepburn, Ursula Andres, Marilyn Monroe, greatly

influenced the 60s trends and styles.

The 60s fashion was basically composed of colorful and multihued gowns, palazzo and bell bottom pants, ostentatious wigs and headdresses, stiletto shoes and knee-high boots with vibrant fishnets stockings, double-lined eye shadows and thick false eyelashes, razor-sharp doe-eyes, puffed sleeved and huge collared Continued on Page 6

Manila Sound icons to open for the Drifters at ‘Fiesta in America’ TWo musical acts that helped define the Manila Sound will add their signature tunes and choreography to the opening acts of the Drifters at Fiesta In America on August 12 and 13 at New Jersey’s Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus. According to ogie Afable, Producer-Director of Fiesta In America’s cultural show, “Music and Magic, VST & Company and a roster of thrilling performers will provide a superb opener to the legendary Drifters’ full concert on both days of the event. our audience this year can look forward to a combination of memory-lane hits and current Billboard chart-toppers.”

Continued on Page 6

EMPLOYMENT

NEW York Consul General Tess Dizon de Vega led a contingent of Fil-Am community leaders on the 11th Ambassadors’ Tour, which was held this year from July 11 to 16 under the auspices of the Philippine Department of Tourism (DoT). No less than President Rodrigo Duterte welcomed the U.S. group, and played gracious host since his year’s Ambassadors’ Tour was highlighted by the President’s native Davao as well as Manila. According to the DoT, the Ambassadors’ Tour is designed to reconnect U.S. participants with their Philippine roots, and driven by the goal of encouraging visitors to spread the word about the country as a mustsee tourist destination.

The tour started with a welcome reception by the DoT in Manila, a wreath-laying ceremony at Rizal Park, lunch at the historic Ayuntamiento, and afternoon guided tours of the capital. Participants then immersed themselves in Davao’s unique

ConGen Tess Dizon de Vega holding rare Philippine Eagle in Davao, with community leader Rufina Ghan.

SERVICES

attractions, such as the Durian Candy Factory, the Museo Dabawenyo, sparkling Hijo Resorts, Malagos Garden Resort, the home of the awardwinning Malagos Chocolate, and a dinner hosted by President Duterte.

A visit to Pampanga, Consul General De Vega’s provincial hometown, was just as memorable.

This leg of the Ambassadors’ Tour featured the Pamintuan Mansion and Museum, the famous San Fernando Lantern (parol) Factory outlet, the Holy Rosary Parish Church, a luncheon of kapampangan cuisine hosted by Mayor Edwin Santiago of San Fernando, and a delightful merienda at the Museo Ning Angeles hosted by Angeles City Mayor Edgar Pamintuan.

Participants agreed to do their part as envoys of Philippine tourism in the U.S. Their consensus was that the fascinating six-day tour was too short, and that frequent returns will be part of their future vacation plans. (Laura Garcia)

Nanding Mendez, President of Fiesta in America with Laura Garcia.

SERVICES

Kc concepcion shares her journey to ‘Best Body ever’

by Krissy

AguilAr AJPress

Actress and host Kc concepcion share about going through weight loss struggle caused by recent events in her life.

On her Instagram account, concepcion said that suffering from dengue fever, pneumonia and chronic fatigue in the past two years made her “gain more weight.”

Being sensitive to chemicals, supplements and sugar also added more challenge to her fitness journey.

Nonetheless, the 32-year-old is determined to get her “best body ever” the natural way.

“I’m focusing on that healthy #Lifestylechange with eating, exercise, resting, stress management and being good to your mind and body every single day!” she said.

In her recent Instagram posts, she has been attending Georcelle Dapat-sy’s G-Force’s White shirt Love dance classes. concepcion’s fitness routine also includes hot yoga and pilates, a workout routine that improves physical strength, flexibility and posture.

EstorquE AJPress

NeGAtIVe comments outpoured on social media over Nadine Lustre’s vague statement on news that she and boyfriend James reid are already living together. But the actress maintained that she was just being honest.

“I don’t filter what I say. Why would I lie? this is me. If they don’t like it, then… but thank you to all those who support me, of course,” Nadine said. the actress asserted that she and James dislike dishonesty and secrecy, but pointed out that there are things that do not need to be broadcasted.

For Lustre, what matters is that she has peace of mind with her family and relatives. “I don’t hide

solenn Heussaff commends Filipino soldiers after Marawi visit AguilAr AJPress

KC Concepcion

“each body is different. Get to know yourself and understand what your body went through first and helping it the right way will follow,” she reminded her followers.

Aside from getting in shape, she is also focused on being a

sOLeNN Heussaff couldn’t help but be teary-eyed after she visited soldiers stationed in Marawi city. she said she didn’t know what to expect when she was invited by the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to visit the Philippine Health service command in the warstricken city.

“As I went from bed to bed, I came across men who were smiling, but whose souls were crying out,” she said on her blog, solenn.ph. the soldiers are currently battling the Maute group and other Islamic state (Is)-inspired militants who have brought violent attacks to the city.

Photo from her Instagram account “My tears welled up and I felt my heart pounding in my throat National Ambassador for United as I held their hands one by one,” Nations’ World Food Programme Heussaff said.

(UNWFP). the 32-year-old artist also By selling secondhand luxury described the physical injuries items through her online shop, Kc’s closet, she raises funds for children’s school meals in central Mindanao.

anything from them. For them, if I’m okay, we’re okay.”

Despite the issue, the actress said she remains “unaffected.” she also mentioned that it is normal to not please everyone and continued by saying, “Life goes on… Let’s just leave it at that.” the controversy rooted from the recent video of an interview with the actress while breaking her silence on the live-in rumor with her boyfriend that went viral. she said, “I mean if that was true, so what? It’s not new anymore. there are younger couples who are younger than me who... It’s already normal. come on, guys. It’s 2017.”

“Let’s all just be open-minded. that’s what we needed now,” Nadine answered when further Throwback to JaDine’s wedding scene in “On asked on her advice to young and The Wings of Love.”

Philstar.com photo conservative supporters.

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The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J u lY 2 1 , 20 1 7

by Krissy

Nadine Lustre’s take on live-in issue with James reid: ‘I don’t filter what I say’

by JoAnnA

An Asian Journal Magazine

Heussaff also described the experience as if being in a movie set because it’s a place “you cannot imagine to be real.”

“We can’t say, I can imagine what you’re going through, because we can’t. We can’t say, things will be fine, because their memories of what happened aren’t,” she lamented. the visit nor the blog post wasn’t for charity, but she urged people to acknowledge these unsung heroes by helping them and their families. “so whether you choose to give letters, food, clothes, or anything that can bring a smile to Solenn Heussaff Photo from her Instagram account their face or hope in their hearts of the soldiers who fought in the while they recover, please do give battle: it,” she said.

“Many were missing a finger, Her first-hand experience of a leg, an arm. some of them were meeting the wounded soldiers even smiling through pain and some had inspired Heussaff to create a new smiles I couldn’t even see due to art piece that she posted on her severe burns.”

Instagram.

children just like...

From Page 3

of Minos’ soldiers while Daedalus figured out a way to escape.

Watching the seagulls for hours soaring and diving for food on the shore, Daedalus was struck with the idea of flight as an escape route. He caught one bird and studied the structure and form of its wings and after careful thought, decided to copy how a wing is made. He instructed Icarus to catch seagulls and pluck their feathers. When there were enough feathers, he sewed them together and used melted wax to bind the feathers on a wooden framework.

He created the contraption so skillfully that they looked like a giant replica of a bird’s wings. He customized two pairs of wings for himself and for his son, careful to take each of their individual body weights into consideration.

But having wings was one thing, knowing how to use

those wings to fly was another. so Daedalus strapped his wings and still taking his cue from the seagulls on how to soar, swoop, dive and glide, he proceeded to learn how to fly so that the wings felt like a seamless part of his arms and his body. He studied wind currents, the waters of the sea and the heat of the sun. Having gained the skill, he proceeded to teach his son patiently. At first, Icarus stumbled and fell and when he got past the first few fumbles, the youth learned quickly, his lithe, svelte form seemingly destined for flight. He learned to fly like a bird, swooping and diving, gliding and circling about, looking down below at the blue waters and their island prison, now a mere speck from above, and frolicking about overhead, chasing the seagulls and rolling in the clouds.

Freedom was a heady drink. Icarus felt complete elation, knew the incredible lightness of being and

tasted the sweet freedom of flight. then came the day when Daedalus and Icarus were to fly out of crete. the sun was up, and the wind was mild and Daedalus decided it was an auspicious day to make the great escape.

Daedalus sat his son down and looked him in the eyes for serious pre-flight instructions knowing that once in the air, there would be little chance for communication. “Pay attention, Icarus. Stick close behind me and watch your altitude. Fly too low and the sea with its moisture will make your wings too heavy. Fly too high and the heat of the sun will melt the wax in your wings. Take heed and stay close.” Icarus nodded agreement but he was far too excited and his mind was already in the sky.

(To be continued …) *** 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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An Asian Journal Magazine

Will Kim Chiu meet Justin Bieber at his concert in PH?

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J u lY 2 1 , 20 1 7

FPLA presents ‘Crafting Chapters and Lessons in Thought Leadership’ AS part of the long-week celebration of Manny V Pangilinan’s 71st birthday, First Pacific Leadership Academy (FPLA) presented its 4th year of Crafting Chapters and Lessons in Thought Leadership at the Meralco Theater last July 7.

The Crafting Chapters Program is FPLA’s largest annual corporate social responsibility initiative which was designed to pass forward leadership lessons and insights to current and future generations of leaders. “There is no better way for FPLA to be of service to the country than to be an instrument to mold good leaders who lead us to a better future,” FPLA Chairman Manuel Pangilinan shared. This has been the Program’s mantra for the past four years.

The yearly Executive Talks (ET) attracts student leaders from various schools in Metro Manila and nearby provinces. “More than the numbers, we just want the Program to push students to be the best versions of themselves,” FPLA General Manager and Executive Director Roy Augustine K Evalle, added.

This year’s ET panel is composed of seven dynamic and successful young professionals namely, Dr. Robertino Lim, Doctor of Psychiatry from San Francisco , California, Jeffrey Laraia, an inclusion advocate and a teacher to the hard of hearing in New York City, singer-entrepreneur with a Master of Science in Knowledge-based Entrepreneurship degree , Gabriel Isip, from Sweden, an Occupational Therapist from Canada, who sits on the board of specialized home caring organization with people with Alzheimers and other dementia, JP Amistoso, a tri-athlete and head fitness coach of one of LA’s Top 10 Crossfit gyms, Ganbatte, an Assistant Vice President and Marketing Director for Shu Uemura Art of Hair, NYC at L’Oreal USA, Rominna Laraia and a summa cum laude Engineer from Georgetown University turned

by IrIs VIcente AJPress

IT’S a fangirl-dream-cometrue moment for Kim Chiu after getting a special shout-out from no less than Justin Bieber himself during a recent Q&A session on his Instagram account.

Bieber’s fans all over the world are now paying attention to the Filipina actress, who bears the name “chinitaprincess” on Instagram, for receiving a special mention from the “Biebs.”

Chiu also gained international media’s attention—that got as Dr. Robertino Lim, Jeff Laraia, Gabriel Isip, Franco Mabanta, event host, Roy Evalle (Executive far as Teen Vogue and InStyle Director of FPLA), JP Amistoso, Jayvi Aruta, Rominna Lim-Laraia, and JD Ricafort.

Magazine—for gaining an exclusive acknowledgement from Bieber.

“Chinita, I’ll see you in the Philippines” Bieber addressed the actress’s comment. A Belieber through and through, the actress could not contain her excitement that she even shared the recorded shoutout from Justin, on her Instagram account.

“OK just had to post this “OMG” moment!!! check my stories for The Executive Talks panelists together with Mr. Manny Pangilinan, Roy Evalle and FPLA’s more fangirl moments with @ Management Committee. ilovekaye haha #BieberFever!!! hello @justinbieber,” her caption read.

Kim Chiu

Justin Bieber

What are the odds of getting noticed by your idol in your lifetime? Chiu is definitely living the fangirl dream. With the popularity of Bieber, it’s pretty much a no-brainer how people would pay attention to anyone who gets linked to his name.

Despite her fame, success and a massive following of her own (3.6 million followers on Instagram), she is still a fullpledged fangirl at heart. Chiu admits to also idolizing Taylor Swift (she was present in almost all concerts in the Philippines) Ariana

Grande, and Britney Spears among others.

It isn’t the first time she has gotten the attention of international celebrities. In May, she also got noticed by famous sisters Kim and Khloe Kardashian during their respective instagram live sessions.

With Bieber’s Purpose World Tour in Manila on September, Kim Chiu’s presence on the said concert could be expected but in regards to the possible meeting of the two—that, we have yet to find out.

Psychedelic-themed 9th People’s Ball...

MVP congratulating the panelists.

performing artist, Juan Drigo Ricafort.

The panelists came from different backgrounds and fields of expertise and yet joined together by the same desire to succeed and pursue their goals. And for the Executive Talks they once again came joined to inspire, guide and shape young Filipino minds. They shared experiences and tales of journeys by answering questions

From Page 4 tops, safari prints and bold lines, culottes skirts, tent cut dresses, haltered sleeves, trapeze cut hemline, etc… faultlessly matched with cabbage roses, strings of pearls, ribbons and bows, metal studded hipster belts, huge geometric dangling earrings, peak-a-boo vests, oversized fancy watches and rings, wide colorful headbands, and fancy-looking accessories.

Interesting fabrics flooded from ET’s host, Franco Mabanta, the the textile markets with the likes only Filipino host with a talk show of polyester nylon, rayon, twill, on Netflix. The students were also double knit, cotton silk, corded able to ask the speakers questions and Chantilly laces, gabardine, via a 30- minute Q&A portion. corduroy, Oxford cotton, tetoron, Nuggets of wisdom from half sack, chambray, faded denims, the panelists range from being and many others. true with who you are, pursuing A great league of performing your Passion, and being open artists came into existence who successfully sustained their careers to accommodate changes and farther way beyond the 60s: Elvis new opportunities. They all seem Presley, The Beatles, Ray Charles, Continued on Page 7 The Everly Brothers, Tom Jones, The Rolling Stones, Engelbert Humperdinck, Herman’s Hermits, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, The Jackson Five, The Ventures, The Doors, Credence Clear Water Revival, Led Zeppelin, Bob Dylan, Paul Anka, Teddy Randazzo, Patsy Cline, Neil Sedaka, Simon & Garfunkel, Jimi Hendrix, The Beach Boys, Diana Ross & The Supremes, The Mamas & The Papas, Dave Clark Five, Louis Armstrong, The Archies, The Fifth Dimension, The Turtles, The Doors, The Monkees, The Byrds, Lesley Gore, Etta James, Ray Peterson, Debbie Reynolds, Patti Page, Connie Francis, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Roy Orbison, Cher, Anita Bryant, Brenda Lee, Dionne Warwick, Gary Lewis & the Playboys, The Zombies, The Bee Gees, The Four Tops, Neil Diamond, Bobby Darin, etc…

The entertainment world provided the viewing public with memorable films such as To Kill A Mockingbird (1962), Psycho (1960), The Haunting (1963), Through A Glass Darkly (1961), The Good, The Bad, & The Ugly (1966), The Graduate (1967), Night of the Living Dead (1968), Easy Rider (1969), Lawrence of Arabia (1962), Spartacus (1963), The Wild Bunch (1969), They Shoot Horses Don’t They? (1969), Butch Cassidy & the Sundance Kid (1969), The Dirty

ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com.

And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event.

To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice.

The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.

Dozen (1965), Wait Until Dark (1967), West Side Story (1961), Rosemary’s Baby (1968), Breakfast At Tiffany’s (1961), Oliver! (1968), The Magnificent Seven (1960), To Sir With Love (1967), Romeo & Juliet (1968), The Great Escape (1963), Bonnie & Clyde (1967), Cleopatra (1963), Mary Poppins (1964), The Pink Panther (1963), Planet of the Apes (1968), Lolita (1962), Midnight Cowboy (1969), A Man for All Seasons (1966), etc…

Market headliners of the 60s were impressive. Chevrolet Corvette by General Motors Jaguar E Type was tagged with $ 5,990 price; Dodge Charger RT Austin Mini Cooper was only for $ 1,950; Volkswagen Beetle was sold for $ 1,769 while a Ford Mustang could be bought for merely $ 2,368.

The 1960s era also introduced to the world a number of inventions and many firsts: Laser (1960) (USA) by Teodore Maiman; Heart Pacemaker (1960) (USA) by Wilson Greatbatch; Halogen Lamp (1961); 1st Audio Cassette (1962); LEDs (Light Emitting Diodes) (1962) (USA); 1st “Space Wars” Computer Game (1962); Tape Cassette (1963) Netherlands; Computer Mouse (1964) by Douglas Engelbert; First Contact Lens (1965) by Astroturf; Kevlar (a synthetic material used in Bullet Proof vests) (1965) by Stephanie Louise Kwolek; First Compact Disc (1965)

by James Russel; Optical Disc (now known as CD / Compact Disc) (1965) (USA); Fibre Optics (1966) (England) by Charles Keo & George Hockham; Portable Calculator (1967) (USA); Barcode Scanner (1969); and ATM (1969).

Historical events were distinctively part of the prosperous generation and the following are the most significant ones: 1960: John F. Kennedy won the US Presidential Election, France liberated Senegal, Togo, Mauritania, and the Central African Republic.

In 1961 the Vietnam War hit the headlines, there was the construction of the Berlin Wall (to separate East & West Berlin), the rise of the Civil Rights Protest,

Peace Corps was created, Soviet Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the 1s person in space followed by US Alan Sheppard after a month.

1962: The Beatles released 1st single: “Love, Love Me Do,” Sam Walton opened 1st Walmart in Arkansas, and comic book “Spider Man” made its debut.

1963: The assassination of Pres. John F. Kennedy (by Lee Harvey Oswald) Friday, Nov. 22 in Dealy Plaza, Dallas, Texas; the US started using Zip Codes; USSR sent Valentina Tereshkova as the 1st woman in space.

1964: NASA’s Mariner IV took images of Mars; Sidney Poitier won Best Actor (1st black man to win); Ford Motors started production and selling Mustang; and US Pres. Lyndon B. Johnson signed the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

1965: Mary Quant designed and popularized the mini-skirt; Soft Contact lens was invented: NutraSweet (artificial sugar) was invented; Health Warnings appeared in cigarette packets; The Voting Rights Act became law (African-Americans were allowed to vote); TV’s “Days of Our Lives” debuted on air; Miss Philippines Gemma Cruz won Miss International.

1966: Star Trek’s 1st TV episode was aired; Indira Gandhi became prime Minister of India; Botswana and Lesotho gained independence from France.

1967: Rolling Stone Magazine published its first edition; African doctor Christian Barnard completed the 1st heart transplant operation; The 25th Amendment to the US constitution was ratified; and Thurgood Marshall became the 1st African-American appointed to the US Supreme Court.

1968: Civil Rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated by James Earl Ray; Richard Nixon won the US Presidential Election; Apollo 7 was launched by NASA as the 1st manned spacecraft to orbit the earth; and 1st Boeing 747 (Jumbo Jet) was introduced.

1969: Neil Armstrong and Buss Aldrin became the first men to land on the moon via Apollo 11; Miss Philippines Gloria Aspillera Continued on Page 4

Manila Sound icons to open...

From Page 4

Having evolved through the years from the original Kuh Ledesma-fronted group into a dynamic trio, Music and Magic currently stars singer-comic Fe de los Reyes (a frequent Fiesta In America stand-up performer), soulful singer Eva Caparas, and high-energy singer Jet Montelibano. Music and Magic was a Manila Sound trailblazer at live-act venues in Makati including the famed Alibi Bar. They have thrilled audiences at prestigious concert halls in Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, Los Angeles, New York and other parts of the world with their cover versions of ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s dance standards such as Earth, Wind and Fire classics, disco hits, and a medley of Tagalog novelty songs.

VST & Company (“VST” stood for the initials of Vic Sotto, Spanky Rigor and Tito Sotto) was a pioneer of the disco-infused Manila Sound of the late ‘70s along with Hot Dog, Cinderella and the Circus Band.

Originally, VST & Company consisted of composers and singers Tito, Vic and Val Sotto; bassist and vocalist Spanky Rigor, with vocalist brothers Roger and Male; composer-lyricist Joey de Leon; guitarist Celso Llarina;

vocalists Monet Gaskell and June Medina; keyboardist Homer Flores; and various instrumentalists. The contemporary VST & Company, fronted by Spanky and Roger Rigor, brings concert audiences to their feet through their signature tunes including Rock, Baby, Rock; Awitin Mo, Isasayaw Ko; and Magsayawan that are now considered staples of Filipino disco.

The cultural show’s openers can draw huge audiences by themselves, being led by supercomposer and singer Rey Valera (he penned the songs that boosted a young Sharon Cuneta to megastardom), Jessica Sanchez of American Idol fame, and Tawag Ng Tanghalan champion Noven Belleza. But the marquee feature is truly a first not only in the event’s 19-year history, but in the Fil-Am community as well. None other than the Drifters will perform a full concert on both days of Fiesta In America. Two-time inductees in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Drifters have sold over 200 million albums and have given the world such romantic standards as Save the Last Dance for Me, There Goes My Baby, Sweets for My Sweet, Under

the Boardwalk, and nine other Billboard Hot 100 hits.

The cultural show, however, is only part of Fiesta In America’s complete package. A Total Wellness theme will pervade among numerous exhibits at the Trade Pavilion and in free workshops. A native Food Court stocked with regional specialties, a Sunday Mass and Santacruzan, as well as artistic and engaging activities for all age groups, will round-up the event’s diverse offerings for the entire family. And as a nod of appreciation to its avid followers, seniors will receive limited-time free tickets, but only if they arrive between 12 noon and 1 pm on either days of Fiesta In America.

Major sponsors include AARP, Asian Journal, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Goya Foods, Hackensack Meridian Health, Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey, Hudson Kia, Hudson Toyota, LBC, and T-Mobile.

To attend, sponsor or exhibit, call 212-682-6610 or email info@ fiestainamerica.com. Videos and photo galleries of past editions are available at www.fiestainamerica. com and on Facebook.

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An Asian Journal Magazine

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY J U LY 2 1 , 20 1 7

First annual ‘Sulong! Filipino Youth Leadership Summit’ launched in East Coast “The youth is the hope of our future.” - Jose Rizal

Participants in the Professional Development Training on Upgrading Computer Skills and Instructional Technology Education with Labor Attaché Saul De Vries, Welfare Officer Petrona Bergado, and their trainer Ivan Gonzales at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 15 July 2017.

Embassy conducts professional development training for Filipino teachers of Metro DC

Labor Attaché Saul De Vries and Welfare Officer Petrona Bergado receives Certificates of Recognition from UNIFFIED-DC.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Philippine Embassy, through the Philippine Overseas Labor Office and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (POLOOWWA) and in cooperation with the United Federation of Fil-Am Educators - Washington DC (UNIFFIED-DC), organized a Professional Development Training on Upgrading Computer Skills and Instructional Technology Education for Filipino teachers at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy on 15 July 2017.

Around thirty (30) Filipino teachers and educators from various school districts in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia (DMV area) attended the program.

Mr. Ivan Gonzales, Economic Assistant at the Embassy, conducted the training, sharing his knowledge on useful and practical techniques in working with computer programs such as PowerPoint and Excel.

“The computer literacy program is part of our effort to contribute to the continuing professional development of the members of the Filipino community. It is meant to facilitate new learnings to enable them to

keep pace with the developments in their work environment,” said Labor Attaché Saul De Vries.

Labor Attaché De Vries also administered the oath of the new set of officers and board members of UNIFFIED-DC before the start of the 2ndmodule.

“The training provided great opportunities to the Filipino teachers and educators to keep abreast with the latest trends and issues with regards to the application of their computer skills in classroom instructions and to be productive, at par with the local American teachers in accomplishing reports and other official school documents with the application of various computer programs,” emphasized Mr. Rey Dacul, newly elected President of UNIFFIED-DC. “This Professional Development Training is in line with UNIFFIED’s mission and vision of continuously providing quality towards excellence in education both in the United States and the Philippines. We would like to thank the Philippine Embassy for opening its doors to Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) here in Metro DC,” Mr. Dacul concluded.

UNIFFED-DC also presented Certificates of Recognition to

Labor Attaché Saul De Vries welcomes participants to the Professional Development Training held at the Philippine Embassy on 15 July 2017.

summit, with the first day being used for registration and getting to know each other especially the teachers from Koronadal and the other parts of the Philippines.

The morning up to the afternoon will have speakers like the mayor, governor and hopefully somebody from the office of the Secretary of Education. In the evening will be the grand ball where awards will be distributed to those who deserve it. And the teachers will enjoy more camaraderie and bonding during evening. The invited Filipino teachers are being sponsored by the different presidents of the chapters from the USA and donations from friends and companies.

Before the actual summit, a seminar/workshop, SALINDUNONG, sponsored by the DOLE, Department of Labor

Diaz was crowned Miss Universe; Children’s TV show “Sesame Street” was launched; United Kingdom abolished Death Penalty; The Woodstock Music Fest took place in NY; and the ATM (Automated Teller Machine) was invented.

Children also benefited from the 60s innovations with the introduction of new toys: Barbie Dolls, G.I. Joe, Flinstones figurines, attractive puzzles, board games, plastic balloons, and baseball game stuffs.

Summing it up and looking back at the 1960s period, it was unquestionably the paramount and most dominant age of the twentieth century considering that almost everything we’re currently enjoying are but bits and pieces from that remarkable generation.

Come and join us celebrate and relive the grandeur of the 60s era on Friday, August 11, 2017 at the aristocratic ballroom of Hilton Meadowlands Hotel at #2 Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, NJ 07073 and experience the fun, excitement,

FPLA presents ‘Crafting Chapters...

From Page 6 to apply these mantras whether it is to make others feel better (Dr. Lim), to connect with others in ways other than verbal (Jeff Laraia), to advocate patient welfare (Jayvi Aruta), to venture to a new and unfamiliar field (Gabriel Isip) or going beyond stereotypes (Rominna Laraia); or to finish a race despite unfavourable weather (JP Amistoso) or to go to another audition for another casting call (JD

Ricafort).

As the Executive Talk ended, one question begged to be answered: “what does it take to live the life you chose to live?” which is precisely what the Executive Talk is all about.

Living the Life you want to live is definitely a DECISION. The stories and examples the seven (7) panelists shared are filled with instances where they have decisions, whether that be a choice

affecting our communities as well as learn valuable leadership skills to be effective leaders and makers of change to advance the rights and welfare of our communities The conference is a concerted effort from the convening national organizations to bring various Filipino youth groups together in light of the success of the first Kabataan Magkaisa conference held in Seattle in January 2016. This regional collaboration aims to lay down the foundations to build Kabataan Alliance, a national Filipino youth and student alliance, to serve as a platform for youth across the United States to collectively advance the rights and welfare of our community, locally and in the Philippines.

The second Kabataan Magkaisa conference will be held from September 30th to October 1st, 2017 in San Francisco, CA.

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 Mr. Ivan Gonzales, Economic Assistant of the Embassy conducted the training on computer skills upgrading for around thirty (30) Filipino teachers from the DMV area.

Labor Attaché Saul De Vries and Welfare Officer Petrona Bergado for their outstanding community leadership in the DMV area.

Filipino teachers who participated in the training are working in various school districts in the DMV area, and teaching in various fields of specialization such as English Language Arts (ELA), Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), Special Education (SPED), and Early Childhood Education (ECE).

and Employment, will be held in Butuan City, Butuan. This is being organized by the Labor Attache in Washington, DC, Mr. Saul Vries and Mrs. Petrona Bergado Director of the OWWA also from Washington, DC. The teachers from the surrounding areas will be given free transportation by the DOLE so they can have a chance to join and participate in the discussion of topics presented by speakers. . It will be a 2 day seminar/workshop . Ms. Ivy Hilay, past president of Maryland chapter is coordinating the Salindunong with the Department of Labor and Employment while Ms. Joy Trocio is the one in charge of the actual program of the Salindunong. We are placing our events and all the participants in the hands of Almighty God and we pray for success in His Glory.

Psychedelic-themed 9th People’s Ball...

From Page 6

leadership summit because we want to equip participants with the tools to advance the rights and welfare of our community.”

The summer Filipino youth leadership summit is a platform for up and coming Filipino youth and student leaders from high school and college. The program will consist of various speakers, activities and workshops on leadership and Filipino history, and a plenary session to unite participants on plans of action.

Keynote messages will be delivered by Jersey City Council President Rolando Lavarro and the founder of Filipino School of New York and New Jersey, Venessa Manzano. The conference is endorsed by the Filipino School of New York & New Jersey and Pace University’s Filipino Youth International. This summit will give Filipino youth and students an opportunity to learn about current issues

Calendar of Events across

UNIFFIED 4th Summit set on Aug. 4-6 NEW JERSEY -The United Federation of Fil-Am Educators (UNIFFIED), is gearing for the organization’s 4th Summit to be held in Koronadal City, in South Cotobato. It will be hosted by the First Chapter founded by UNIFFIED in the Philippines. The Summit is slated to be held on August 4, 5, and 6, 2017. Several teachers are already in the city helping in the preparation for the summit in the Philippines.

Lynne Ciocon, the past president of Maryland who established the chapter has been in Koronadal since June. The chapter is expecting about a hundred to a 150 teachers to come and learn more about the organization, to listen and participate in the discussion of issues about UNIFFIED. There will be two days devoted to the

JERSEY City, NJ - In the spirit of the 119th anniversary of Philippine Independence Day and the 156th birthday of Philippine national hero Jose Rizal, Kapit Bisig Kabataan Network Anakbayan-USA, and the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns officially launch the first annual “Sulong! Filipino Youth Leadership Summit” to be held on July 29, 2017 from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. at the City Hall of Jersey City located at 280 Grove Street Jersey City, NJ. “The East Coast has a robust and thriving concentration of Filipino youth from college campuses to dance groups to church organizations. Youth have always been at the forefront of creating social change, and that is needed now more than ever,” said Joelle Eliza Lingat, National Secretary General of AnakbayanUSA, “Sulong! or Advance! is the most fitting name for this

and the high spirited ambience.

For reservations or more information please call 212-6826610 or 201-300-5234 or visit us at www.fiestainamerica.com. You can also contact the People’s Ball Honorary Chairs: Jocelyn Aligarbes @ 646-515-5234 (aligarbes@ aol.com); Maria Pilar Monje @ 017-378-3030 (mapilarmonje@ yahoo.com); & Atty. Nick Caraquel @ 859-398-8999 (nick_caraquel@ yahoo.com).

For comments and suggestions, please email to: gemini0646@yahoo.com. between music or a safer career, between staying in one company or move, between to study further or stick to a particular career, between a passion that was there from the start or an opportunity that came midway in the game, between what is practical or what creates an impact.

Somewhere in their respective journeys they all made a choice and they are working their best to stand by that decision, which is undoubtedly a very important LEADERSHIP trait.

J U LY 2 1 -23

Filipino Caucus Family Retreat in Lake Hughes, CA The Filipino Caucus of the California Pacific Annual Conference (CALPAC) of the United Methodist Church (UMC) is inviting its members to a family retreat to be held from July 21 to 23. The venue will be the scenic Oak Camps and Conference Center (18651 Pine Canyon Road, Lake Hughes, California). The Rev. Dr. Bener Agtarap, Associate General Secretary of the UMC Board of Discipleship Ministry will be the resource person and guest speaker during the three- day gathering to be marked with group discussions and fellowship. “Rekindling the Flame” will be the theme of this retreat. According to Rev. Nelson Castorillo, the Filipino Caucus president, the goal of the retreat is re-igniting and rekindling the symbolic flame representing the spirit and unity of this growing group of Filipino-American Methodists and hoping this type of gathering will reenergize and revitalize the Church.

The Rosewood UMC, headed by Ding Lapus, is coordinating the event. He is assisted

by Noribel Taguba, Vicky Ignacio, Dennis Mañacop, Auring Garcia, John Umaguing, Revs.

Manny Predas and Lisa Santiago. Food and lodging for three days is $148 and $103 for children 7-12 years old. Check is payable to the Filipino Caucus, PO Box 10435, Glendale, CA 91209. For more information please call Rev. Nelson (909) 538-7606 or email at nelsonpreacher@gmail.com.

J U LY 22

Money Smart for Small Business in El Monte, CA Come to an introductory business course designed for newer business owners, selfemployed individuals, and aspiring entrepreneurs. Course topics include: startup planning, organizational types, risk management, credit reporting, business insurance, time & financial management, selling & succession planning, banking services for small businesses, recordkeeping, and tax & business planning. The curriculum is developed jointly by the FDIC and the SBA. It will be held on Saturday, July 22 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Cathay Bank (9650 Flair Dr., El Monte, CA 91731). The fee is $20 payable to Asian Pacific Islander Small Business Program (API SBP). Breakfast, lunch and course materials will be provided by Cathay Bank.

There will be limited seating so advance registration is required. To register, please contact Colleen Seto at (213) 373-1605 or cseto@ltsc.org. Participants will be eligible for free business counseling by API SBP.

J U LY 29

The Filipino-Americans of Contra Costa County, Inc. hosts annual picnic in Hercules, CA The Filipino-Americans of Contra Costa County, Inc. (FACCC, Inc.) invites you to its annual potluck picnic on Saturday, July 29 at Foxboro Park in Hercules, CA. It will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Bring your favorite dish to share. FACCC, Inc. will provide barbecued beef, chicken, hot dogs and water. For any inquiries, call Chairperson Roy de Leon at (510) 5655465 or Vice Chair Joe Medrano at (510) 417-0585.

Spotlight on Vets in Van Nuys, CA Together with and under the leadership of Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz, Mutch Carino of Maxx Promos is presenting a fundraiser show Spotlight on Vets, in support of the Filipino WWII Veterans. The benefit show was launched during a press conference that was hosted by Goldilocks Norwalk in Cerritos through the courtesy of Robert Yee and Ms. Jo Ann Kyle. The Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act of 2015 was passed and was signed into law by President Obama on December 14, 2016. With this Act, our Filipino veterans will be honored by Congress with the Congressional Gold Medal (CGM) for their service and sacrifice during World War II. Spotlight on Vets aims to raise funds in order to purchase and award Congressional Gold Medal replicas in bronze to living veterans and posthumously to surviving family members. It will be held on July 29, 2017 Saturday 7:00pm at the Envision Center - 15055 Oxnard Street in Van Nuys, California. For tickets and sponsorship information, please call (626) 716-5442.

AU G U ST 1 2

Philippine Heritage Institute International hosts 11th Annual Youth Congress in Rosemead, CA “Spreading Our Wings Towards Unity” is the theme of the 11th Annual Youth Congress to be presented by the Philippine Heritage Institute International (PHII) on August 12, 2017, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., at the Garvey Community Center, 9108 E. Garvey Ave., Rosemead, CA 91770, (626) 569-2212. The Congress hopes to rekindle interest in the youth movement and its role in nation-building. “Our vision,” said the late PHII founder Naomi PalmaArmada, “is to improve the quality of life affecting Filipino American communities through research, education and recognition with the youth as its main focus.” Her legacy lives on.

Speakers at the Youth Congress are: Charlene Bugais, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, L.A.; Louinn Lota, Chaminade College Preparatory, Teacher/Program Director, Speech/Debate; Aries Mladinov, Office Manager, Olive Branch Counseling Centers; Faith Nishimura, Team Captain, Speech/Debate, Claremont High School; and Charmaine Villacisneros-Tusjakova, CEO, ‘Iskaster Media.’

Admission is free; lunch and refreshments will be served. Please RSVP by July 31 to: Chair Vicky de Leon (818) 648-3493, Email: manvic13@yahoo.com; Pres. Josie E. de Jesus (714) 272-0300, Email: joestarisdejesus@gmail.com; Co-chair Anna A. Chickey, M.D. (562) 900-0379, Email: annachickeymd@yahoo.com, or Lydia V. Solis (626) 827-1036, Email: lvsolis@aol.com.

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

8

An Asian Journal Magazine

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY JULY 21, 2017

The Drifters Live!

Rock ‘n Roll Hall of Famers with 13 Billboard Hot 100 hits like – Save the Last Dance for Me, Under the Boardwalk, There Goes My Baby, Up on the Roof, and more!

REY

VALERA

With special participation of

Singer-Composer and Hitmaker. g The "Head Judge" of Tawag Ng Tanghalan sa Showtime.

2017

TS ON I

r a e h Y t 19

NOW

Jessica Sanchez

GRAND CHAMPION

of American Idol Fe de los Reyes

Eva Caparas Jet Montelibano

Noven Belleza ®

August12-13

Music sic and Magic of

Spanky Rigor

Roger Rigor

E X P O A N D C U LT U R A L S H OW

Meadowlands Expo Center Secaucus, New Jersey

355 Plaza Drive Secaucus, NJ 07094 (201) 330-7773 www.mecexpo.com Free Parking

To Sponsor, Exhibit or Attend, Call (212) 682-6610 (347) 319-5157 email: info@fiestainamerica.com www.fiestainamerica.com

Fiesta in America – A 501 (c) (3) not-for-profit corporation

SHOW OPENS:

Saturday, August 12 Starts at 12noon with participation of VIP’s and Top Guest Performers

Sunday, August 13 Starts at 10am with Mass and Santacruzan Parade

Tickets available online: www.fiestainamerica.com Gen Admission: $22 pre-event $25 at the door.

Limited VIP Tickets $65 Available in select Filipino stores All major credit cards accepted Children under 6 yrs. old- Free

Products, Services, Food Pavilion Plus Total Entertainment!

ENJOY the Trade Pavilion that’s packed with exotic products, a multicultural show featuring A-List stars from the Philippines and New Yorkare talents, free seminars, a native Food Court, and so much more! Fiesta In America is the only indoor venue that combines a day-trip with a business deal !

VST ST & Company C of

Save the Date!

People’s Ball 2017

Music and Fashion of the ’60s “You Should Be Dancing!”

Friday, Aug 11• 6pm

Hilton Meadowlands (201) 896-0500 2 Meadowlands Plaza, East Rutherford, NJ

For reservation, Call Nanding Mendez (212) 682-6610 Bobby Yalong (201) 300-5234

o and Cultural Show of its kind on th p x E r o o d n I e East C -Day 2 t s oast e g g i B e For Show Updates & Schedule Visit www.fiestainamerica.com Th Sponsored by:

The Filipino Catholic