New York/New Jersey -- October 16 -- 22, 2015

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Volume 9 – Issue 3 • 16 Pages

o c t o be r 1 6 - 2 2 , 2 0 1 5 Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

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President upstages Roxas, Robredo at Comelec DATELINE USA Crowd takes selfies with Aquino, Liberal Party from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Former Filipino car dealer pleads guilty to fraud in decades-old case

A PhILIPPINe native who operated a large car dealership in Glendora, California before fleeing the United states nearly 30 years ago pleaded guilty monday, oct. 5, to federal charges for bank fraud and lying to banks, according to the Us Attorney’s office. eminiano “Jun” reoEminiano ‘Jun’ Reodica Jr. dica Jr., 71, entered his plea a day before he was scheduled to go to trial in Los Angeles, City News service reported, admitting to defrauding banks out of nearly $50 million in the 1980s. At the time, reodica was president of Grand Wilshire Group PAGE A3

PresIDeNt Benigno Aquino III stole the limelight from former Interior secretary mar roxas and Camarines sur rep. Leni robredo as he accompanied the administration’s standard-bearer and vice presidential candidate to the doorsteps of the Commission on elections (Comelec) for the filing of the pair’s certificates of candidacy (CoCs) on thursday, oct. 15.

“I’m excited!” the President said when asked how he felt,

as the group stayed in a tent at the park right across from Palacio del Gobernador, waiting for the Comelec headquarters to open.

Asked if he had any lastminute advice for his chosen ticket, mr. Aquino, who has vowed to campaign vigorously for the victory of the duo in the 2016 national elections, replied: “I try not to give too much advice.” the President accompanied the candidates at manila

Cathedral before going to the Comelec offices “to demonstrate his solidarity with them, in his capacity as chair of the Liberal Party (LP) and as titular head of the ‘daang matuwid’ coalition,” Communication secretary herminio Coloma Jr. said at a press briefing in malacañang. mr. Aquino’s popularity remains high, enjoying a 37percent satisfaction rating even as he continues to deal with controversies hounding

his administration, like the thedral, people gravitated toDisbursement Acceleration ward the President and took Program, the killing of jour- selfies with him. nalists, his lukewarm support While the group was in one for the freedom of informa- of the tents, an elderly woman tion bill, and the kidnapping pleaded with the Presidential sprees in mindanao. security Group (PsG). “Please, he has won praise for the I want to see my President!” improving economy and only she said. At least four tents two days ago, American busi- with dozens of chairs were set ness leader steve forbes ex- up for the gathering. pressed admiration for his the day for mr. Aquino, leadership. roxas, robredo and their Selfies with President team Daang matuwid began on the steps of manila CaPAGE A2

Automatic voter registration in California approved

U N L I K E LY C L I Q U E . S e n .

Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is flanked by former first lady Imelda Marcos, Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada and Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile after Marcos formally declared his intention to run for vice president in next year’s elections. On Thursday, Oct. 14, Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago confirmed that she is running as President alongside Sen. Marcos. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez

Set of bills to change voting processes, improve turnout

WIth record-low turnouts in one of the most populous states in the nation, California is making it even easier for people to become active registered voters.

Governor Jerry Brown signed a measure on saturday, oct. 10 that would eventually allow Californians to be automatically registered to vote when they go to the DmV to obtain or rePAGE A3

‘WE CHOSE EACH OTHER’

President Benigno S. Aquino III with Liberal Party (LP) standard bearers Mar Roxas and Leni Robredo are greeted by supporters outside the Manila Cathedral as they walk to Commission on Election building to file their Certificate of Candidacy on Thursday, Oct. 15.

Malacañang photo by Joseph Vidal

Sanders, Clinton take the lead in Asian Americans worried about first Democratic presidential debate STRUGGLING TO SAVE FOR RETIREMENT

retirement, stressed out by unaffordability & lack of savings

by MOMar

G. Visaya

AJPress

NeW YorK—Nearly twothirds of New York City’s Asian American Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers say they are worried about having enough money to live comfortably when they retire, saying the high cost of living, paying for children’s education, and healthcare are hampering their ability to save, according to a new survey of Asian American city voters commissioned by AArP.

the survey also found that Asian Americans will be a large part of a looming “Gen-Xodus,” with 58 percent of Asian American Gen-X voters saying they’re at least somewhat likely to move out of New York in retirement along with 43 percent of Asian American Baby Boomers – that is, if they even have enough money to retire.

As Gen-Xers started turning 50 this year, AArP conducted its first city survey of the PAGE A3

by Christina

M. Oriel

AJPress

LAs VeGAs—Democratic presidential hopefuls took to the stage for the first debate on tuesday, oct. 15 at the Wynn hotel. the two-hour debate, which was aired and moderated by CNN and sponsored by facebook, featured five candidates: hillary Clinton, former secretary of state, senator and first lady; Bernie sanders, Us senator from Vermont; former maryland Gov. martin o’malley; Jim Webb, former Us senator from Virginia; and Lincoln Chafee, former governor and former Us senator from rhode Island.

PAGE A2

No joint Philippines-US patrols near China’s artificial islands by lOuis

BaCani Philstar.com

The panel that reacted to the report included (from left) Ms. Daphne Kwok, Vice President, Multicultural Markets and Engagement; Sandy Poon-Wing, Vice President and Financial Planning Specialist at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management; Howard Shih, Director of Research and Policy at the Asian American Federation; Beth Finkel, AARP New York State director and Angela Houghton, AARP senior research advisor.

AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

Democratic presidential hopefuls Jim Webb, former US senator from Virginia; Bernie Sanders, US senator from Vermont; Hillary Clinton, the former secretary of state, senator and first lady; former Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley; and Lincoln Chafee, a former governor and former US senator from Rhode Island took the stage for the CNN/Facebook debate on Tuesday, Oct. 15 at the Wynn Hotel in Las AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal Vegas.

mANILA—the government is unaware of any plan to hold joint patrols and naval exercises with the United states in the disputed West Philippine sea.

“What we are aware of are mutual Defense treaty-related exercises which had been planned previously,” Defense spokesman Peter Galvez said in a text message forwarded by Communica-

tions secretary herminio Coloma Jr. Last week, the financial times and the Navy times reported that the Us will sail warships near China’s artificial islands in the West Philippine sea within the next two weeks. this will signify that the Us does not recognize China’s territorial claims over the area, the reports said.

PAGE A3

Santiago confirms tandem with Marcos seN. miriam Defensor-santiago on thursday, oct. 15 confirmed that sen. ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. will be her running mate in 2016.

“I think we mutually chose each other,” santiago said, referring to marcos, who had filed his certificate of candidacy as an independent vice presidential candidate. marcos said he met on Wednesday, oct.

14 with santiago’s husband, former DILG undersecretary Narciso “Jun” santiago Jr., to discuss a possible alliance, but stopped short of confirming he had agreed to be santiago’s running mate.

“I can confirm that I had a lunch meeting with secretary Jun santiago,” the senator said. “We agreed to meet again soon.” santiago refused to divulge further details on the santiago-marcos tandem but told reporters that she will file her CoC at the Commission on elections (Comelec) on friday, the last day of the registration of candidates. she said she is not sure if marcos will accompany her.

“I don’t know if he’ll be there but he probably will be,” santiago told reporters after her induction to the hall of fame of

PAGE A2

Australia looking to send refugees to PH by aGnes

COnstante AJPress

WIth asylum seekers from remote Pacific islands attempting to reach Australia illegally by boat, the country has engaged in talks with the Philippines for their possible relocation, Australia’s immigration minister said friday, oct. 9.

Australian foreign minister Julie Bishop and Immigration

minister Peter Dutton declined to release details of the deal, but a report from the Australian stated it could cost more than 150 million Australian dollars ($108 million). furthermore, multiple reports have stated there has been verbal confirmation between officials from both countries that the deal would move forward. the Australian reported that PAGE A5

A october 16-22, 2015 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

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

From the Front Page

President upstages Roxas, Robredo...

PAGE A1 early with a 7:30am Mass at the cathedral.

The President’s official schedule indicated that he was going to attend only the Mass. But minutes after it ended at 8 a.m., his convoy remained on a side street beside the cathedral.

Moments later, Mr. Aquino and Roxas emerged from the

church, walked past the convoy and headed straight to the cathedral steps.

It came as a surprise to the yellow-clad Roxas-Robredo supporters, not to mention a security nightmare for the PSG, as journalists jostled for space while the President and Roxas made the short walk to the front of the church. It was Roxas who invited

the President at the last minute to join the team after the Mass, the Inquirer learned.

Also present were other LP officials and supporters, like Speaker Feliciano Belmonte Jr., Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Transportation Secretary Joseph E.A. Abaya, former Civil Service Commission Chair Karina Constantino-David, Palawan Gov. Pepito Alvarez, the President’s sisters Viel AquinoDee and Ballsy Aquino-Cruz, and Representatives Miro Quimbo, Carol Lopez, Cesar Sarmiento and Christopher “Kit” Belmonte.

Wearing his trademark yellow and black shirt, Mr. Aquino interacted with the administration coalition supporters and LP members, obliged them all with photos and stayed with them for almost half an hour. Later, he and his entourage proceeded to the tent, surrounded again by the PSG members, supporters and spectators.

Organizers bought out the merchandise of taho (soft tofu) vendors and gave the fare for

free to people in the area. A food truck stayed at the corner of the park where rice porridge, puto and sandwiches were prepared for the crowd and the VIPs. While the others ate congee, the President, as usual, had his glass of cold regular Coke.

After 20 minutes, the group had another photo. They all flashed the Laban sign for the photojournalists before walking to the Comelec offices at Palacio del Gobernador.

Standing a few meters from the main door, the President saw off Roxas and Robredo who, he believed, would continue his reforms and the gains his administration had achieved over the past six years.

As he walked to his vehicle, the President was asked what he prayed for during the Mass.

“So many things,” he said smiling, mentioning the low-pressure area that might develop into a storm.

In front of the building was a big crowd of supporters in yellow, chanting “Roxas na, Robredo pa” as directed by Roxas’ sister, Maria Lourdes “Ria” Roxas-Ojeda.

PAGE A5

Santiago confirms tandem...

PAGE A1 the Philippine Judges Association (PJA).

In announcing her candidacy during the launch of her book on Tuesday, Oct. 13 she said, “I think it would be prudent [to run for President] because I would disappoint a lot of people if I don’t do that.”

Santiago, who was diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in 2014, said she is 100 percent sure of running for President and she can only be stopped if she is struck again by cancer.

The senator has been on sick leave since she publicly announced she has Stage 4 lung cancer.

Despite her medical condition, she remains to be the most prolific legislator for having the most number of bills and resolutions filed.

Santiago said she will be running under her own party, the People’s Reform Party (PRP), which was established in 1992 when she first ran for President.

It will be the third time for Santiago to seek the presidency.

Her first attempt was in 1992 when she lost to Fidel Ramos, the candidate endorsed by former President Corazon Aquino.

Santiago placed 2nd to Ramos, getting 4.4 million votes or 19.72 percent of the 24.2 million votes cast. Ramos got 5.3 million votes.

Santiago placed the outcome of the elections under protest, but it was eventually dismissed on a technicality by the Presidential Electoral Tribunal.

Media reports at the time said Santiago was leading the canvassing of votes for the first five days.

Following a string of power outages, the tabulation concluded, and Ramos was declared President-elect.

Santiago again ran in 1998 but only placed 4th in a field of 10 candidates.

She received 797,206 votes or just 2.96 percent of the total votes cast, while the winner, Vice President Joseph Estrada got 10.7 million votes or 39.86 percent of the total votes cast.

PAGE A5

Sanders, Clinton take the lead...

PAGE A1 CNN host Anderson Cooper served as the moderator, while Dana Bash, chief political correspondent for the network, and CNN en Español reporter Juan Carlos Lopez asked additional questions.

15.3 million people tuned in on Tuesday night, making it the highest-rated Democratic debate in history, the network said.

Clinton and Sanders, who have been leading in the polls, got the most speaking time. The three other candidates remained on the sidelines with minimal opportunities to make themselves stand out, which was crucial as this platform was their introduction to American voters.

The progression of the night shifted in favor of Clinton — whose email controversy has overshadowed her campaign and has been a point of attack for Republicans — as she worked to regain trust from Democrats by highlighting her competency after nearly a quarter century in politics and defending her history of flip-flopping on issues like immigration, samesex marriage and trade deals.

The first question addressed

that inconsistency, to which Clinton said, “Well, actually, I have been very consistent. Over the course of my entire life, I have always fought for the same values and principles, but, like most human beings — including those of us who run for office — I do absorb new information. I do look at what’s happening in the world.”

Her political leaning, whether she is a progressive or moderate, was also under question.

“I’m a progressive. But I’m a progressive who likes to get things done,” she responded. “And I know how to find common ground, and I know how to stand my ground, and I have proved that in every position that I’ve had, even dealing with Republicans who never had a good word to say about me, honestly.”

When asked whether she wanted to respond to her use of a private email account while secretary of state, she firmly said “no.”

Even Sanders, Clinton’s closest opponent, came to her defense by saying Americans “are sick and tired of hearing about your damn emails,” which led to agreement from Clinton and a handshake, as the crowd cheered.

In the two hours, a range of is-

Bernie Sanders and Hillary Clinton

sues was discussed, from immigration, free education, gun control and national security.

On immigration, Sanders was asked to explain why he rejected Pres. Bush’s immigration overhaul in 2007 to which he responded that he has voiced concerns over guest-worker programs because of the working conditions and because temporary foreign workers do not help reduce US unemployment.

“I voted against that piece of legislation because it had guestworker provisions in it which the Southern Poverty Law Center talk-

AJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

ed about being semi-slavery. Guest workers are coming in, they’re working under terrible conditions, but if they stand up for their rights, they’re thrown out of the country,” Sanders said. “My view right now -- and always has been -- is that when you have 11 million undocumented people in this country, we need comprehensive immigration reform, we need a path toward citizenship, we need to take people out of the shadows.”

In response to rising college costs and student loans, Sanders proposed “free” public college tuPAGE A3

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Former Filipino car dealer pleads...

PAGE A1 of Companies, which included Grand Chevrolet, then the country’s third-largest car dealership.

He further admitted to engaging in schemes to defraud banks and making false statements to at least five banks from 1984 to 1988, according to a release from the US Attorney’s Office.

Among these banks include First Central Bank, First Los Angeles Bank, Imperial Savings, Manilabank and Union Bank. Specifically, Reodica admitted to simultaneously promising the same car contract as collateral to two different banks.

Press reports in the 1980s told the story of how Reodica initially worked as a busboy at restaurants in Los Angeles and then went on to own one of America’s largest dealerships.

However, when investigations into the business began as it was collapsing in 1988, Reodica fled to the Philippines.

A 1994 indictment filed against Reodica stated that lenders who approved substantial lines of credit to his dealership were allegedly impressed with his highrisk customers’ ability to make on-time monthly payments on their auto loans.

Afterward, it was found that Reodica hid from banks that customers were delinquent on their auto loan payments, that his employees allegedly made pay-

ments for delinquent customers, that he repossessed and resold cars without informing banks, and that he erased negative information on customers’ credit reports, according to a 2014 Asian Journal report.

The fraudulent scheme further involved employees who were instructed to forge customer signatures on car contracts. The forged contracts would then be promised to a second bank.

Reodica also admitted he directed his employees to take loans for cars they weren’t actually buying, as a means of bringing more money into the dealership. The 1994 indictment claimed that those cars would be sold to dealership customers; the dealership would then make payments on the employee loans and include the fraudulent sales in their reports to persuade investors to continue financing the operation, according to court documents.

In a September 1988 interview with the Los Angeles Times, Imperial Savings lawyer Victor Vilaplana called Reodica’s scheme “one of the most elaborate and well-conceived scams imaginable.”

A number of investors in Reodica’s scam, including Imperial Savings, suffered financially after Grand Chevrolet filed for bankruptcy in 1988. Filipino professionals, many of whom were

Automatic voter registration...

PAGE A1 new their driver’s license.

Assembly Bill 1461, which also includes an option to opt out of registering, was introduced in response to the dismal 42 percent voter turnout in last year’s statewide election in November, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The bill, along with 13 others the governor signed, will “help improve elections and expand voter rights and access in California,” Brown’s office said in a statement.

According to California Secretary of State Alex Padilla, around 6.6 million Californians who are eligible to register to vote are not registered. Padilla supported the legislation as a way to increase voter participation.

“The new Motor Voter Act will make our democracy stronger by removing a key barrier to voting for millions of California citizens,” Padilla said on Saturday.

“Citizens should not be required to opt in to their fundamental right to vote. We do not have to opt in to other rights, such as free speech or due process.”

The new registration process will not be offered until the state completes work on a new voter registration database called VoteCal, which is expected to debut around June 2016, at the start of the presidential primary election.

VoteCal would automatically register applicants when they visit a DMV office to get a new license or renew an expiring one, unless they decide to opt out.

The data collected by the DMV will be provided to the Secretary

of State’s office, which would verify a CA resident’s legal eligibility to vote before registering them. Drivers also have the option to cancel their voter registration any time.

Currently, driver’s license applications ask people if they want to register to vote. If interested, people are supposed to be given a paper registration form to fill out. Voting rights activists, however, say that does not always happen.

“It’s removing the first barrier to voting, which is registration,” said Assemblywoman Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), who authored the bill. “It’s going to lead to millions more Californians being registered to vote, which means more people we can talk to.”

CalPRIG Executive Director Emily Rusch agreed that the voter registration bill was muchneeded medicine for an ailing, sometimes ineffective system.

“A well-functioning democracy depends on the participation of its citizens,” said Rusch, noting that the registration gap is most severe among younger people. According to data, only 52 percent of eligible youth voters (between ages 18-24) were registered to vote before the last election.

AB 1461 also follows a move made by Oregon earlier this year to adopt the nation’s first automatic voter registration law, said The Associated Press.

Over the weekend, Brown also signed a bill (SB 439) that permits county elections officials to offer conditional voter reg-

From the Front Page doctors, were among those who invested in Reodica’s business.

Some families also had to file for bankruptcy, according to a 2014 Asian Journal report.

In 1992, Reodica became an Australian citizen under the name Roberto Abrian Coscolluela, Jr., according to court documents.

He lived in Australia for two decades where he defrauded customers, posing as an accountant, real estate agent and insurance agent in Cairns and Brisbane.

Court records and sources from Brisbane allege that Reodica, as Coscolleula, defrauded several members of the Filipino-Australian community.

Authorities arrested Reodica at Los Angeles International Airport in November 2012, during a layover on a flight to Canada.

Traveling under his Australian alias, Reodica was requested by airport security to complete a fingerprint scan, which revealed his identity.

“The guilty pleas by this defendant should be a warning to all fugitives facing charges in federal court that the United States Department of Justice and the United States Attorney’s Office have a very long memory,” said United States Attorney Eileen M. Decker of the Central District of California.

Reodica will be sentenced in February 2016. He faces up to 79 years in federal prison and a $6.5 million fine or two times the loss that resulted in his offenses. (Agnes Constante/AJPress) istration and provisional voting at satellite offices during the 14 days right before Election Day in November. The measure would PAGE A5

PAGE A1

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 16-22, 2015

A

No joint Philippines-US patrols...

The American warships will reportedly sail within the 12-nautical-mile zones that China claims as territory around some of the islands it has constructed in the Spratlys.

The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) supported the supposed maritime move of the US, saying it “would be consistent with international law and a rulesbased order for the region.”

The DFA said “failure to challenge false claims of sovereignty would undermine this order and lead China to the false conclusion Amphibious dock landing ship USS Germantown (LSD 42) pulls away from the US naval ship that its claims are accepted as a John Ericsson after passing fuel to the amphibious assault ship USS Peleliu (LHA 5) during a replenishment at sea. fait accompli.”

“It is important for the inter- freedom of navigation and over- DFA said. “This is of paramount national community to safeguard flight in the South China Sea,” the concern to all countries.”

Asian Americans worried about retirement...

PAGE A1 generation, High Anxiety: NYC Gen-X and Boomers Struggle with Stress, Savings and Security. AARP then created a supplemental report, High Anxiety: NYC Asian American Gen-X and Boomers Struggle with Stress, Savings and Security, to take a deeper look at what is driving the financial stress of Asian Americans in the city.

“I think the biggest takeaway here is that the younger people should start looking at this issue now, especially those that are just coming out of college. Filipinos can check out AARP online to check the resources provided there. They just need to get more involved,” said Steven Raga, a thirty-something Fil-Am community leader who belongs to the

‘Millennials’ generation (those born between the early 1980s to early 2000s).

The survey of Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers (ages 35 to 69), found that while financial anxiety is high among Gen Xers and Boomers of all races and ethnicities, Asian Americans in those age cohorts are more likely to experience obstacles to saving due to family caregiving (46% Asian American vs. 36% of total Gen Xers and Boomers); or due to a lost job or pay cut (53% vs.

46%).

“There’s such a scarcity of Asian Pacific Islander data so any data out there really helps fulfill the picture of who really are APIs. Unfortunately, people see us as the model minority, that we’re all educated and well

to do that we don’t need any services,” said Daphne Kwok, Vice President, Multicultural Leadership, Asian American and Pacific Islander Audience at AARP. Among other key findings of the report: 65% of Asian American Gen-Xers and Boomers worry about not saving enough; 68% of Asian American GenXers and 43% of Boomers are either current or expected future borrowers of student debt; 67% of these borrowers say these loans make it even harder to save for retirement; 57% of Asian American Gen-Xers and Boomers worry about being able to afford the rent or mortgage in the coming years and 41% Asian American voters worry about not being able to keep or find a job PAGE A4

A october 16-22, 2015 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

Dateline USa

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NY groups to honor 50th year of Delano Strike

NEW YORK CITY—It happened 50 years ago in California, more than 2,500 miles away. But several immigrant groups—mostly Filipinos—in this city known as the Big Apple, believe that the events and the lessons learned during the 1965 grape workers strike in Delano, California are worth commemorating and disseminating.

“The Delano Strike of 1965 is a victory of the solidarity of migrant workers,” said Fr. Julian Jagudilla, executive director of The Migrant Center at the Church of St. Francis of Assisi, the lead convener of a conference commemorating the 50th anniversary of this historic event.

The whole-day conference, “Delano @50: Celebrating Migrant Workers’ Solidarity”, will be held on October 24, Saturday, at the San Damiano Hall of the Church of St. Francis of Assisi in midtown Manhattan.

The conference is free to the public.

The San Damiano Hall is located at 127 West 31st St. (between 6th and 7th Avenues) in New York City.

Two veterans of the Delano Strike, Roger Gadiano and Albert Rojas, will be among the main speakers at the conference. They

will share their experiences and insights on how the Filipinos, Mexicans and other migrant workers’ groups were able to forge and preserve their unity during the five-year strike.

Dr. Albert Bacdayan, the former chairman of the Department of Anthropology at the University of Kentucky and who is coming out with a book about the Delano Strike, will also speak during the conference.

Gadiano is currently the treasurer of the Filipino American National Historical Society-Delano chapter, while Rojas is now a board member of the Sacramento Labor Council for Latin American Advancement.

Leaders from various migrant workers organizations will also provide an overview of the urgent issues confronting migrant laborers.

The documentary movie, “The Delano Manongs: Forgotten Heroes of the United Farm Workers,” will be shown at the conference. Produced by Filipino American Marissa Aroy and husband Niall McKay, the movie tells the story of the Filipino farm workers who started the strike in Delano, which led to the collaboration among Filipino-Americans, Mexican-Americans and

other ethnic workers that was the key factor in the strike’s victory.

The Delano Grape Workers Strike was an important milestone in the history of migrant workers’ solidarity in the United States. At about the same time that the Civil Rights Movement was sweeping through America, agricultural workers from various cultural and ethnic backgrounds were waging their own battle in the farmlands.

On Sept. 8, 1965, the Agricultural Workers Organizing Committee (AWOC), composed mostly of Filipino farm workers, who came to be known as “Manongs”, walked out of the grape farms in the Delano area, demanding wages equal to the federal minimum wage and more humane working conditions.

One week after the strike began, on Sept. 16, the predominantly Mexican-American National Farm Workers Association (NFWA), joined the strike. Eventually, the two groups merged, forming the United Farm Workers of America (UFW) in August 1966.

AWOC was led by Filipinos Philip Vera Cruz, Larry Itliong, Benjamin Gines and Pete Velasco, while the NFWA was led

Asian Americans worried about retirement...

PAGE A3 because of age.

“We encourage people to pay themselves first, put away money for retirement. It’s a hard thing to do, but people have to be aware,” said Beth Finkel, State Director of AARP in New York State.

Gen-Xers are the first generation to approach retirement age with a new playbook, having lived the entirety of their working years during the rise of 401k plans and a shift away from traditional pension plans.

“These survey results should serve as an alarm that we to need find solutions that can help ease the financial pressures that Asian American New Yorkers are facing, while also helping them to access savings vehicles through their employers that can help them build retirement savings,” added Finkel.

The survey, and independent research, show coming retirement savings troubles among both Gen-Xers and Boomers citywide. The average 401(k) account balance in New York was

only $30,811 as of last year, according to the National Institute on Retirement Security – which found that in 2013 the average American household had just $3,000 in total assets in savings, and just $12,000 for those nearing retirement.

Twenty-eight percent of Asian American Gen X and Boomer workers surveyed have no access to any type of workplace retirement savings plan. Among private sector Asian American workers age 18 to 64 in the state of New York, 61% are not covered by a workplace retirement plan.

“One in four Asians we interviewed told us that they absolutely will never be able to retire.

That can’t be. Twenty five per cent of Asian New Yorkers saying that they’re gonna have to work till they drop? That is not retirement planning,” Finkel exclaimed.

Yet the survey found 56% of city Asian American Gen-Xers and Boomers who are in the labor force and confident they’ll be able to retire say they plan to

stop working by age 65, revealing a retirement “reality gap,” since they also said they are not saving or planning enough to retire.

“I think about the future only because my job now makes me think about the future. I know my friends do not. It’s more of ‘where am I going to on vacation this year?’ or ‘Am I gonna go to the Philippines this year’ and the events they’re going to attend.

Savings is a big part of owning up to your responsibility especially for millennials like me but it is totally, unfortunately outside the priority now,” Raga said.

The survey was released at a panel discussion last week in Manhattan, featuring Ms. Kwok; Angela Houghton, AARP senior research advisor; Howard Shih, Director of Research and Policy at the Asian American Federation; and Sandy Poon-Wing, Vice President and Financial Planning Specialist at Morgan Stanley Wealth Management. The panel was moderated by Arthur Chi’en, Newscaster at WNYW-TV Fox 5 NY.

Fr. Julian Jagudilla, executive director of the Migrant Center.

by Mexican-Americans Cesar Chavez, Dolores Huerta and Richard Chavez.

The Delano Strike, which lasted more than five years, was a significant victory for the UFW. In 1970, table-grape growers agreed to sign union contracts, granting workers better pay, benefits, and protections. These were the first union contracts that grape workers in the U.S. were able to secure.

It has been 50 years since the grape workers walked out of their jobs, but Fr. Jagudilla said the cause that the Delano strikers fought for is still relevant in today’s realities. “The lessons learned during the Delano Strike

A photo of a mural in Historic Filipinotown, Los Angeles California. The mural was painted

by Eliseo Art Silva.

are still important today in light of the current fight for a 15-dollar-an-hour minimum wage, and in the light of the continuing exploitation of migrant workers in the form of human trafficking, wage theft, discrimination and other unfair labor practices,” Fr. Jagudilla said.

“Migrant workers of today need to have the same degree of resolve that the migrant workers exhibited during the Delano Strike. They need to be as united today as the Delano strikers then,” Fr. Jagudilla said.

The Delano @50 conference is organized by the Migrant Center, the International Migrants

Sanders, Clinton take the lead...

PAGE A2 ition, while Clinton said students should work 10 hours a week to earn their tuition at public institutions.

With the number of shootings in the United States, the candidates took on the issue of gun control, largely clashing over how to go about it.

Clinton criticized Sanders for not being tough enough on guns and even voting against legislation that mandated background checks. She, O’Malley and Chafee directly went after the National Rifle Association (NRA) in their responses and pressed massive gun controls, while Webb defended the 2nd Amendment.

Another moment of disagreement between Clinton and Sanders came when Sanders lashed out against the “casino capitalist process” and “Wall Street’s greed,” to which Clinton said being anti-capitalist would go against the system that built America’s middle class. “…When I think about capitalism, I think about all the small businesses that were started because we have the opportunity and the freedom in our country for people to do that and to make a good living for themselves and their families…[W]e would be making a grave mistake to turn our backs on what built the greatest middle class in the history,” she said.

The candidates were also asked to name the “greatest national security threat to the United States”; responses included the situation in the Middle East, nuclear weapons, climate change and the US’ relationship with China.

Though there were not as many dynamic moments or bickering between candidates as seen during the past two Republican debates, the discussion provided more substance on top issues.

“On this stage you didn’t hear anyone denigrate women,” O’Malley said in his closing statement. “You didn’t hear anyone make racist comments about new American immigrants. You didn’t hear anyone speak ill of another American because of their religious belief. What you heard instead on this stage tonight was an honest search for the answers that will move our country forward…”

The next Democratic debate is scheduled for Nov. 14 at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa.

Though the list of participants is yet to be disclosed, the five candidates who appeared in Las Vegas will likely be included.

Post-debate reactions After the debate, a CNN/Facebook poll showed that 81 percent of online voters thought Sanders was the winner, while 13 percent

were in favor of Clinton. Scores for O’Malley, Webb and Chafee were below 3 percent.

Despite claims from Sanders’ camp that he dominated the stage, Clinton supporters praised her performance and asserted that she is the clear frontrunner in this race. “[Clinton] did really well. She showed herself to be a leader for this country…[and] laid the groundwork for winning,” Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) said in the post-debate spin room, adding that Clinton demonstrated how she differs from President Barack Obama, yet how she will continue on from what he was accomplished.

“I thought when she said ‘I’m a progressive who could get things done,’ that kind of summed it up and it was the best combination of ‘I’m right there on the issues that people care about but I know how to make it happen,’ added Rep. Dina Titus (D-Nev.).

She noted that much of the focus on Tuesday was on domestic policy, but has no doubt that foreign policy — an area Clinton has expertise in — will be brought up in later debates.

“I think all of the candidates sounded so much better than the Republicans. There is general consensus that we need to have comprehensive immigration reform.

Senator Clinton laid out a plan for expanding DACA and DAPA and making sure the children here are able to go to school, get a job and obtain their potential. So, I’m very pleased that they are making this a priority,” Titus said.

Titus, who represents Nevada’s 1st District, which has a large concentration of Asian residents, particularly Filipinos and Chinese, said she will continue mobilizing voters leading up to the election.

“Education for children in the Asian community is very important — they want their children to get ahead and I respect that. A number of Asians in my district own small businesses so they want to be sure that the economy is moving forward and that the tax structure benefits them,” she said.

A rally for Clinton was scheduled on Wednesday afternoon, Oct. 14, at Springs Preserve in Las Vegas, before she continues on the campaign trail.

In Southern California, a coalition of Filipinos is gearing up to launch Filipinos for Hillary next week. “…I know [Clinton] will be the best advocate in the Oval Office for the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community. Her campaign is the only campaign that has reached out to the community and is actively engaging with us and for this I will make sure she

Automatic voter registration...

PAGE A3 make voting more convenient, according to Sen. Benjamin Allen (D-Santa Monica), who authored the bill.

The measure cannot be implemented until VoteCal database is operational, but is expected to make voting more convenient.

Another new law Brown signed will allow voters who use vote-by-mail ballots to drop them off before Election Day in secure boxes located throughout the community, such as in shopping malls, libraries, and other public locations. These secure drop-off locations would make it easier to cast ballots, officials say.

The measure by Sen. Fran Pavley (D-Agoura Hills) will require the Secretary of State to develop guidelines for the use of drop-off boxes, including security measures, by Jan. 1, 2017. Pavley noted a big problem with voting in Los Angeles County, which has 10 million active voting residents

and only one drop-off location.

“This may have contributed to the fact that only 38 percent of voters in LA County used [voteby-mail]…nearly 20 percent lower than any other county in the state,” Pavley said.

AB 363, another bill that was signed, will speed up election returns by allowing county elections officials to begin counting votes before the close of the polls on Election Day. Other new rules require the state to pick up the tab for election recounts, rather than requiring candidates to pay for them.

The new Motor Voter Act for automatic registrations will take effect on Jan. 1.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice in Los Angeles applauded the new program meant to bolster voter turnout for the upcoming primary.

“We are grateful the leaders in the state are taking an active role in improving our democ-

Alliance (IMA), the Mexican American Progress Movement (MAPM), the Philippine Forum, the National Alliance for Filipino Concerns (NAFCon), the Filipino Immigrants and Workers Organizing Project (FIWOP) and AnakBayan-USA. The conference will be capped by a cultural night featuring songs, dances and spoken words from performers from different immigrant groups.

To get to San Damiano Hall, from trains A, C, E, 1, 2 and 3, get off at 34th St.-Penn Station; from trains N, Q, R, B, D, F and M, get off at 34th St.-Herald Square. (Noel Pangilinan) wins in 2016,” said Melissa Ramoso, immediate past state chair of the Filipino American Democratic Caucus for the California Democratic Party who is spearheading efforts for Filipinos for Hillary.

Ramoso, who watched the debate with her socially conservative parents, said that it’s important for AAPIs to recognize Clinton’s track record of listening to and fighting for the community.

Despite the rally of support for Democratic contenders, Republicans have reacted to what was discussed on Tuesday.

“Tonight’s Democrat debate proves once again that the Democrats are only interested in promoting an out-of-touch liberal agenda and not providing long-term solutions to everyday issues facing Filipino Americans. Republicans will continue working toward earning the trust of voters across the country – something Hillary Clinton and the Democrats have failed to do,” Ninio Fetalvo, APA Press Secretary for the Republican National Committee (RNC), said.

RNC chairman Reince Priebus said in a statement that the debate was predictable and showed the “weak caliber of Clinton’s competition.”

“Clinton’s record of hypocrisy and flip-flops on everything from Wall Street, trade, immigration, and foreign policy was on full display. Her unwillingness to fully explain the circumstances surrounding her secret email server, and the ongoing FBI investigation into it, further damages her credibility,” he said. “Judging from tonight, it’s clear why the Democrat National Committee limited the number of debates – their bench of candidates for the most powerful office in the world is laughable at best. Clinton needed to shine and she came up short.”

Real estate mogul and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, who live tweeted the “boring” debate, wrote that, “there is no STAR on the stage tonight!” “[Clinton] got through it fine.

It was a very kind debate, very gentle. She came out the winner,” Trump later told ABC, adding that Sanders missed his chance to attack Clinton.

There is no word yet on whether Vice President Joe Biden will enter the Democratic race, though he is expected to announce his decision sometime this week.

Even with Clinton’s strong performance on Tuesday, supporters are still pushing for the vice president to run.

When asked to comment to about the debate, Biden briefly told reporters in Washington, “I thought every one of those folks last night…I thought they all did well.” racy, particularly at a time when some states are making it more difficult to register to vote,” said Stewart Kwoh, executive director of Advancing Justice - LA, in a statement. “Despite an increase of Asian American registered voters statewide, only 59 percent of those eligible are registered to vote. We hope the new Motor Voter Program increases this number.”

Advancing Justice - LA also expressed its disappointment in Brown’s vetoing of AB 182, a bill co-sponsored by the legal and civil rights organization.

This measure would have made it unlawful for local jurisdictions to draw districts in a way that dilutes votes from California’s vibrant communities of color.

“Just as it is important to get people involved in the democratic process, it is equally important that the votes they cast are meaningful,” said Deanna Kitamura, supervising attorney for Advancing Justice - LA’s Democracy Project. (Allyson Escobar/AJPress)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 16-22, 2015

Dateline PhiliPPines

FVR hits government for failure to bring justice to SAF 44

by Jaime Laude Philstar.com

MANILA—Former President Fidel Ramos lashed out at the government for its failure to bring justice to 44 fallen members of the police Special Action Force.

He lamented the failure of the Department of Justice (DOJ) to identify and account for all the Muslim rebels and private armed groups behind the brutal deaths of the members of the anti-terror SAF. Ramos issued the statement on Thursday, Oct. 15 at the launching of the “First FVR Golf Classic,” a fund-raising campaign at Camp Aguinaldo Golf Club.

He and a group of retired generals organized the event to help fund the schooling of orphaned children of the fallen SAF 44.

“Maybe we are just being fooled. More so, they are fooling victims and their families. Where is the follow up? Suddenly, all announcements (on the progress of the case) have stopped. Is it because there are some new people coming in at the Department of Justice?” said Ramos, founder of the SAF. He was referring to the DOJ’s

filing of criminal cases against 90 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) as well as members of private armed groups, most of them still unidentified.

The former Philippine Constabulary chief also twitted President Aquino, being the commander-in-chief, for his failure to maximize government human resources—from Malacañang down to the lowest level of governance through the Peace and Order Council—and identify all

those behind the Mamasapano carnage.

Saying that most of the MILF rebels also doubled as BIFF members, Ramos stressed that the DOJ probers could have easily secured all the identities of the suspects had they asked the help and assistance of local officials.

He said most of these rebels and vigilantes in Maguindanao are known to local executives— from barangay councilors, barangay captains, municipal councilors and municipal mayors.

Australia looking to send...

PAGE A1 Bishop met with Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs Albert del Rosario on the sidelines of the 70th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, and received verbal assurance that the refugee agreement would materialize.

Similarly, a report from The Daily Telegraph quoted Australian Immigration Minister Peter Dutton saying: “We have had bilateral discussions with other countries including the Philippines at an official level, at a ministerial level, over a number of months and the foreign minister obviously spoke with her counterpart in New York.”

According to Assistant Secretary Charles Jose, spokesperson for the DFA, a meeting between del Rosario and Bishop covered areas of the countries’ bilateral relations, with a focus on working toward a comprehensive partnership, Inquirer reported.

Asylum seekers have long been a controversial political issue in Australia, although the country has never experienced the influx of refugees currently entering Europe. Australia refuses to take in refugees who try to reach its shores by boat and instead pays Nauru and Papua New Guinea, which has a detention center on Manus Island, to hold them.

Australia currently has a $29 million deal with Cambodia, which it struck last year, to resettle refugees. However, with

only four refugees having moved there, the agreement has been called a waste of money. The Cambodia plan has received further criticism from human rights groups that claim the country, given its history of poverty, corruption and human rights abuse, is not an optimal new home for refugees.

Similar concerns have been raised for the Philippines.

“It is just shameful that a developed nation like Australia would refuse these refugees and instead move to have them relocated to a struggling, developing country like the Philippines,” said Renato M. Reyes Jr., secretary general of Philippine advocacy group Bayan.

The Associated Press reported that Dutton addressed guarantees of safety Australia could offer refugees who settle in the Philippines, which is combating terrorism and violent kidnappings.

“We can provide the same guarantees that we can to Australians that travel to the Philippines each year, the expats that live in the Philippines and across southeast Asia or other parts of the world,” he said.

Bernard Kerblat, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees representative to the Philippines, said Australia realized the poor conditions of asylum seekers in Manus Island and Nauru, after which it reached the deal with Cambodia last year.

“But there were questions

raised about the appropriateness of the agreement,” Kerblat said, according to Inquirer, noting that Australia has been handing its commitment to the 1951 Refugee Convention to another state.

“Assuming that Australia is speaking with the Philippines on this, there is already a problem when Australia pushes the refugee back to the sea and park them in those two islands,” Kerblat added.

While Dutton did not reveal details on the number of refugees that could be resettled or a timeframe on the deal, he confirmed Friday that Australia is talking to multiple countries.

“We have been very open to discussions for a long period of time with those partners because we have been very clear about the fact that people on Nauru and people on Manus who have sought to come to our country illegally by boat won’t be settling in Australia,” Dutton told reporters. “We have a bilateral agreement with Cambodia.

If we can strike other arrangements with other countries, we will do that.”

Dutton added that the country will continue to negotiate with the Philippines because there “is good faith on both sides.”

“If we can strike an agreement that is in the best interests of our country and from the Philippines’ perspective, their country, we will arrive at that point,” Dutton said. n

President upstages Roxas, Robredo...

PAGE A2 It turned out that Roxas and Robredo were the first election hopefuls vying for the two highest posts in the land to submit their applications on the fourth day of the filing of COCs. Roxas was the 58th filer for the presidency, while Robredo was the 12th individual seeking the vice presidency, Comelec records showed.

76 presidential aspirants A total of 76 people have submitted their COCs for President, 15 for Vice President, and 83 for senator.

In his speech at the Comelec, Roxas said Team Daang Matuwid was hoping that the public would pick the right leaders who would promote the best interest of the Filipino people.

“What we are fighting for is not just the interest of one person, one tandem or one party.

This is about the dream of all Filipino families—their dream to live with dignity, to live knowing that if they work harder their lives will get better and that they have a future filled with opportunities,” he said.

Roxas said the COC filing

marked the beginning of Team Daang Matuwid’s all-out fight.

“We will give our all in this fight.

This is a battle worth fighting for.”

He said he and Robredo were thankful for the opportunity to carry on with the “straight path” governance.

He expressed gratitude to other aspirants who had formalized their bids for next year’s elections for trusting the democratic process and the people’s capability to choose the right leaders.

Robredo vowed to continue, improve and elevate the significant changes that, she said, Mr. Aquino had started. “We believe that the straight path will continue the clean and good governance and will provide services to Filipinos, especially the poor, so that progress will be experienced in every corner of the country,” she said.

Police, dragon dance Hours before the Comelec opened its doors, scores of policemen were already guarding the entrance in anticipation of Roxas’ and Robredo’s arrival.

Supporters in yellow shirts were in a festive mood, amplified

Santiago confirms tandem...

PAGE A2 No effect on Moro law Marcos gave his assurance that his vice presidential bid will not get in the way of the Senate deliberation on his version of the Bangsamoro Basic Law, which is being referred to as the Basic Law of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR).

Marcos, who heads the Senate local government committee, vowed to do everything humanly

possible to finish it.

He said the committee will immediately resume deliberations once the chamber passes the 2016 General Appropriations Act (GAA) on third and final reading.

It has been a practice of the chamber to put all pending legislation on the back seat to give way to the passage of the national budget, Marcos added.

The Senate, before going on a three-week break, was already

by a dragon dance for good fortune, courtesy of a certain Antony Roxas from Ronda 117, a Manilabased volunteers group. Yellow ribbons bedecked the fences in front of the Comelec office.

Roxas’ mother, Judy AranetaRoxas, came 30 minutes early at the Comelec project management office, where all the COCs were being filed. She was engaged in a brief chat by Comelec Chair Andres Bautista, who supervised the situation during the brief stopover by the celebrated tandem.

It took less than 15 minutes for Roxas and Robredo to formally file their COCs. Roxas’ document was stamped by the Comelec at 9:03 a.m. and Robredo’s, four minutes later.

Roxas came with his wife, Korina Sanchez-Roxas while Robredo arrived with her three children— Aika, Patricia and Jillian—all in bright yellow shirts.

A crowd toting mobile phones had also gathered at the lobby to press flesh with and take pictures of the two LP candidates. (Gil C. Cabacungan and Tina G. Santos, Jocelyn R. Uy, Nikko Dizon/Inquirer.net) on the interpellation period on the BLBAR and is expected to begin with the period of amendments once Congress resumes its session on November 3.

Senate plenary debates on the BLBAR are going smoothly, unlike in the House of Representatives where quorum remains to be a major stumbling block.

“We will go back to it [BLBAR] immediately, maybe November or before Christmas, as soon as the budget is finished,” Marcos said.

A

SWS: More Pinoys see better lives, economy ahead

by Catherine

S. VaLente ManilaTimes.net

MORE Filipinos are expecting the economy and their quality of life to improve in the coming months, according to a survey by the Social Weather Stations (SWS).

In its third quarter nationwide survey, the SWS said 30 percent of the respondents were “optimistic” that the economy will get better in the next 12 months while 12 percent were “pessimistic.”

This brings the net optimism to “very high” plus 18 (percentage of optimistic minus percentage of pessimistic) about the economy.

It was three points more than the similarly “very high” plus 15 logged in June (31 percent optimistic versus 15 percent pessimistic, rounded off).

The SWS survey was conducted from September 2 to 5, among 1,200 respondents, which was first published in a business newspaper on Thursday, Oct. 15.

Net optimism about the econ-

omy refers to expectations about the Philippine economy in general, and is different from net personal optimism, which refers to expectations in personal quality of life.

The SWS explained that the three-point improvement in net economic optimism was a result of increases of 12, six and two points in Metro Manila (to a “very high” +19 from a “high” +7 in June), Mindanao (where it stayed “very high” at +25 from +19) and in Balance Luzon (where it also stayed “high” at +19 from +17), respectively, that offset a seven-point drop in the Visayas (to a “high” +7 from a “very high” +14).

It noted the improvements of seven, four and two points for classes ABC (to a “very high” +16 from a “high” +7), E (where it stayed “very high” at +25 from +21) and D (where it also stayed “very high” at +17 from +15), respectively.

The same survey also found that 38 percent of respondents believed that their quality of life

would improve in the next 12 months, against 5 percent who thought otherwise.

This resulted in a net optimism rating of plus 33, that was three points less than June’s plus 36 (42 percent optimists versus 6 percent pessimists).

The net personal optimism, however, improved among those belonging to ABC class (to +41 from +37 in June) that was similarly offset by four-point drops each in class D (to +31 from +35) and in E (to +35 from +39).

When asked if they experienced a change in their quality of life over the past 12 months, 29 percent of respondents said they experienced an improvement, while 25 percent said the opposite.

The SWS survey used faceto-face interviews of adults nationwide and has sampling error margins of three points for national percentages and six points each for Metro Manila, balance of Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

A october 16-22, 2015 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

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OpiniOn

Features

Defensive

MILITARY superpower China is not afraid to flex its muscles as it once again asserted sovereignty over its reclaimed islands in the South China Sea. It warned any country against taking “risky and provocative action” by attempting to come within 12 nautical miles of the islands.

“We ask relevant parties to speak and act discreetly, respect China’s sovereignty and security interests, and do not make any provocative moves,” Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesman Hua Chunying said.

The Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent this stern warning following a planned deployment of US Navy ships in territorial waters claimed by China.

Earlier, the US Pacific Command (USPACOM) presented the White House and Pentagon leaders the option to conduct a freedom of navigation exercises off of the disputed territory. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said that the US would, “fly, sail, and operate wherever international law allows, as US forces do all over the world.”

The Philippines welcomed this development and echoed the clamor for freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea. Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) spokesperson Charles Jose said that if the US “decides to send naval vessels within 12 nautical miles of the reclaimed low-tide elevation features in affirmation of this objective, this would be consistent with

international law and a rules-based order for the region.”

China and the Philippines have competing claims to some parts of the South China Sea. China claims the largest swathe of the strategic water, which is believed to have significant oil and gas deposits. It has continuously rejected other nations’ claim (including Vietnam, Taiwan, Malaysia and Brunei) on the strategic waters.

Citing peaceful resolution on the jurisdiction over the disputed waters, the Philippines has pleaded its case to the International Tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). It is now awaiting results of the preliminary hearings over the Philippine claim.

The ITLOS is an intergovernmental organization created through the directive of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea and established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), signed at Montego Bay, Jamaica, on Dec. 10, 1982.

Ironically, China is a signatory of the UN charter, which is governed by the rules and principles of general international law. Under the UNCLOS, all parties have agreed to “due regard for the sovereignty of all States, a legal order for the seas and

Editorial

Inquirer.net photo

oceans which will facilitate international communication, and will promote the peaceful uses of the seas and oceans, the equitable and efficient utilization of their resources, the conservation of their living resources, and the study, protection and preservation of the marine environment.”

To ensure the general peace and to obviate the recourse to force, all parties involved should be

reminded of their adherence to international law.

In international conflicts such as the South China Sea dispute, multilateralism should be the detente before affected parties turn to belligerent forces.

The principles representing international law are simple, they are based upon universally accepted values and moral standards to achieve global peace and order. (AJPress)

Kababayans react to law allowing physician-assisted suicide for terminally ill patients

CALIFORNIA has joined Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont when Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill into law that legalizes assisted suicide for terminally ill patients. Beginning January 1, doctors can prescribe medication to end a patient’s life if two doctors agree the person has only six months to live and is mentally competent to make such decision.

Supporters of the bill said the measure would help end-stage cancer and other patients to die with less pain and suffering, allowing people who are terminally ill to die with dignity and greater comfort. Those who oppose the law contend that unscrupulous caregivers or relatives could pressure vulnerable patients to take their own lives.

As a compromise with lawmakers who were worried about unintended consequences, such as the targeting of the poor, elderly and disabled, the law will expire after 10 years unless extended.

Our kababayans around the world have mixed reactions about this law and here are some of their comments: Ramon Yadao from Manila stated: “Yes. My life.

My terms.”

Rowena Orejana from New Zealand said NO, sharing the following reasons from the website NZCatholic.com, articulated by Dr. Peter Saunders, the campaign director of the United Kingdom-based Care Not Killing Alliance.

“In the UK, there are four reasons why politicians are against the bill.

The first is public safety. ‘If you change the law, you inevitably end up putting pressure on vulnerable people to end their lives out of fear of being either a financial or emotional burden upon others.

And so it’s been all about protecting the vulnerable

people, particularly those who are elderly depressed, or who are The Fil-Am disabled or sick,’ he said.

The second is that the status Perspective quo is okay. He said the law is clearly defined and in cases where there are justifiable causes, few end up in jail. ‘The best laws are Gel SantoS-ReloS those that give clear-cut boundaries. We say, you must not travel above 100km/h on the highway. We don’t say it’s 100km/h unless you’ve got a sick child or you’re late for a really important appointment,’ he said.

‘It’s clear. Then, we deal with cases of those, after proper investigation, that have [a] legitimate excuse.’

He said there are limits to personal freedom.

‘We are not entitled to the freedoms which undermine the reasonable freedoms of others. Changing the law for a small group of determined people actually removes legal protection from a much wider group of vulnerable people who then become prey to those with an interest in their deaths,’ he stressed.

The third reason, he said, is when there is good palliative care, requests for assisted deaths are rare. The fourth is the fact that opposition comes from a lot of different groups. Dr. Saunders said legalising physician-assisted suicide is not a slippery slope but more of a ‘mission creep’ or an ‘incremental extension’. ‘Sympathetic doctors will try to widen it. If you think about their main arguments, choice and compassion, those could apply to a wide range of people.’

He said people will put a value on human life, whether or not it is still financially or emotionally

viable. ‘It’s the relative costs of chemotherapy, palliative care and lethal drugs. Is that a temptation that we want to put in front of our legislators?” he asked.”

Leandro Quinatana from Hawthorne, California intimated: “If living with extreme, unendurable pain, an individual should have the legal option to end his life in a civilized and dignified manner.”

Teta Limcangco from Manila tweeted: “This is a tough question but at the end of the day ..it still boils down to one’s conscience. IMHO… I doubt if that bill will pass here coy. RH bill nga, pahirapan pa.”

Alvinture8 from Manila also tweeted: “I prefer natural death, I still believe in miracles.”

Amber Khan, a doctor from New Jersey, wrote: “I do believe in life and I believe in God. I don’t believe in taking over the role of God. The multibillion dollar Pharmaceutical Pain Industry can make [the] end of life comfortable, till it is the end of life! Every life will come to its natural end.

Would I ever want to suffer? No!!! But will I kill myself or put that burden on another person? ABSOLUTELY NOT! As a doctor, over the years I have learned that people have a very different threshold for pain, suffering, or even patience.

Please be mindful and ask yourselves that once euthanasia is legalized, who will determine that it is ok to end a person’s life, when pain and its perception is so subjective! When every doctor has a different threshold for dealing with patients who are suffering? Do you want me to kill you because

you are taking too much of my time, my emotions, and my endurance? And then, remember, that the Hippocratic Oath, that we as doctors, take to heart, and what drives us to take care of every life, regardless of anything, including our own safety i.e. driving in a blizzard with unpaved roads or regardless of the fact that we will never be paid because you don’t have insurance, will mean nothing!

So Dear advocates of euthanasia, kill yourselves! Deal with the consequences. Or let your loved ones live with that burden! Do not make your doctor your scape goats! Or seek an expert field of amazing Pain Management Doctors. Your Insurance covers it. YES! It is your life. It is on your terms!

Extreme pain? You want to end your life in a dignified manner by asking a doctor to drown you with Morphine? Where is the dignity there?

So please, before you all start with the right to die because you can’t take it, or you can’t let your family suffer, think about the implications, the manipulation by family members when a patient can’t speak for themselves, or even the convenience of a doctor who now will be given the power not to just save lives, but takes lives! Talk about the God Complex!!!!! And keep in mind, once euthanasia is legalized, you won’t ever be able to trust your doctor. One of the last breeds of humans, still living and fighting every day for their patients at the expense of everything and everyone in their lives. “ *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos

Philippine politics, the movie

Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta WE probably won’t live long enough to see it, but there could yet be a feature film on Philippine politics, in the tradition that has apparently been established by the film, Heneral Luna, which depicts Philippine history’s most prominent personalities as transactional, self-serving and selfpreserving individuals. Heroes with feet of clay.

But unlike the biopic about Gen. Antonio Luna, I hope that the makers of Politikang Pilipinas will treat it like the Japanese film classic,Rashomon, with satirical touches such as those in Manuel Conde’s Juan Tamad Goes To Congress.

The film directed by Akira Kurosawa told the story of a man’s murder and the rape of his wife from the perspective of four people, each version different from the others. Conde’s satire, on the other hand, was about the den of crooks and charlatans that everyone wants to get elected to, in a pre-Hispanic setting of datus and maharlikas.

It was obvious whom Conde was satirizing. The actor who played

the datu could have passed for a twin brother of then President Carlos P. Garcia. Rashomon, on the other, drove home the point that the truth is in the eye of the beholder-narrator or the writerhistorian.

In today’s media-saturated environment, the truth about Philippine politics and its various characters and personalities is in the version presented by the demolition specialist or the professional apologist – but most of all, the truth is in the eye of the journalist, based on that person’s political, ideological or financial persuasion. Thus, the need for a Rashomon treatment.

Take the Aquinos for instance, with two presidents (Noynoy Aquino and Cory Aquino), several senators (Ninoy, Butch, Tessie Oreta and Bam) and assorted public officials in the clan.

Ninoy, who was assassinated at the Manila international airport after having declared that the Filipino was worth dying for, has virtually been declared a national hero. But in a Rashomon type of retelling of Philippine history, Ninoy’s father, Benigno Aquino, Sr., could be portrayed both as a statesman who served the Philippine commonwealth with distinction and as a Japanese collabora-

tor who was tried for treason by the American liberation forces.

Cory, who has practically been elevated to sainthood by her admirers “for restoring Philippine democracy,” could also be portrayed as a wealthy housewife who was thrust, ill-prepared, into the presidency; who, by her incompetence, allowed members of her family to enrich themselves and who presided over a new Philippine constitution to which many of our country’s economic and political ills may be traced.

Noynoy – Benigno Simeon Cojuangco Aquino III - our current president, may be different from the classic Rashomon characters, because in this case, while there are contrasting perceptions of him by supporters and detractors, he has an entirely fanciful perception of himself that is not necessarily grounded in reality.

Thus the Rashomon-style treatment of his presidency will depict him as a knight in shining armor who saved the country from the clutches of the evil couple, President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo and First Gentleman Mike Arroyo, and set it on the Straight Path (Tuwid na Daan) to economic progress and corruption-free governance. In that version, all the problems of the

country, well into the sixth year of Aquino’s presidency, will be blamed on the Arroyos and her minions.

To add a Conde-style satirical touch to that version, even the defeat of GILAS by the Chinese basketball team will be blamed on Arroyo (i.e., Arroyo played footsies with China over the Spratleys which Noynoy denounced and which caused the rift between China and the Philippines, which in turn motivated the Chinese basketball team to trounce the Philippine contingent).

On the other hand, the notso-flattering portrayal of Aquino will be all about his being a palpak and manhid (incompetent and insensitive) Malacañang occupant whose working hours are limited to the brief period between waking up and going to sleep, and who leaves it to his Rasputin, Budget Secretary Butch Abad, his former bodyguard, Gen. Alan Purisima, and his kabarilan, kaklase and kapartido (shooting buddies, classmates and political partymates) to ransack the country’s coffers and run the government to the ground. Appropriate Conde-like depictions of Metro Manila traffic, NAIA Terminal One and the

MRT, intercutting with scenes of Filipinos in a torture chamber, will be incorporated in this version.

Then, of course, there will be Aquino’s perception of himself: well-loved, incorruptible, unerring, completely innocent of the Mamasapano massacre, the unconstitutional Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP) and the stag party at the Liberal Party event in Laguna, featuring halfnaked girls.

He will be shown with both hands in a prayerful pose, lily white from habitual washing, and above his head will be a saintly halo plus a balloon that declares, “It’s their fault!”

Who else will be depicted in Politikang Pilipinas? VicePresident Jejomar Binay will be portrayed by Senator Antonio Trillanes as the King of Kurakot and by Makati residents as their Supreme Benefactor. Mar Roxas will have be depicted as Aquino’s loyal reformist and champion of Tuwid na Daan while his critics will portray him as the Prince of Palpak and poster boy for government incompetence.

Senator Grace Poe will have the most interesting Rashomonstyle portrayal of all. As an American. As a Filipino. As a Filipino

American. As a foundling and adopted daughter of FPJ and Susan Roces. As a biological daughter of FPJ and Susan Roces. As a love child of President Ferdinand Marcos and Rosemarie Sonora.

As the Great White Hope for the Philippine presidency. And as the Great Pretender. The last will have the famous song of the Platters as background music.

Senate President Franklin Drilon will also have a multi-faceted portrayal in the literal rather than the figurative sense. He will be shown with several faces attached to his enormous frame.

As an Arroyo loyalist. As an Aquino loyalist. And as a loyalist of whoever wins the presidency. A fourth face will show him as Mae Paner alias Juana Change.

How will Francis Tolentino and Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya be portrayed in the movie, Politikang Pilipinas? It seems to me that there will be different versions of them, but none will be flattering. Trillanes, on the other hand, will portray himself as a hero while everyone else will depict him as a heel.

And finally, the Filipino people – how will we be portrayed in the movie? In a paper I delivered back in 1984 at the Asian AdverPAGE A7

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Dateline PhiliPPines

Group allegedly gets cash, food packs for cheering Poe, Escudero at Comelec

by Marlon

raMos Inquirer.net

SOME “supporters” of Senators Grace Poe and Francis Escudero allegedly received P50, food packs and bottled water after attending the rally in support of their filing of their certificates of candidacy for President and Vice President, respectively, at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) office in Intramuros, Manila, on Thursday, Oct. 15.

Accompanied by their family, Poe and Escudero arrived at around 3pm to the loud cheers of thousands of their supporters who massed up outside the Comelec headquarters and in front of the nearby Manila Cathedral.

The tandem of Poe and Escudero is seen as a formidable third force to rival the seasoned and well-oiled political machineries of ruling Liberal Party standardbearer Mar Roxas and Vice President Jejomar Binay of the United Nationalist Alliance.

Policemen deployed to maintain order in the area said the crowd which greeted the two senators was bigger than the number of people at the sendoff for Roxas and his running mate, Camarines Rep. Leni Robredo.

But a video taken by the Inquirer.net showed that some of those who attended the gathering for Poe and Escudero were given P50 cash, pansit, fried chicken and water.

The video showed a group of men and women huddled in front of a makeshift house along Cabildo Street, Intramuros, while a man was reading names from a yellow paper.

A pedicab driver, who only identified himself as Rudy, said each of them received P50 and food packs as promised by their local leaders.

“P50 is better than getting nothing,” the man said as he care-

PAGE A6

A

Forbes tells Aquino: We need you in Washington by louis

Bacani Philstar.com

MANILA—President Benigno Aquino III on Wednesday, Oct. 14 joined prominent world business leaders and entrepreneurs at the 15th annual Forbes Global CEO Conference where he trumpeted the country’s economic achievements under his watch.

In a dialogue with Steve Forbes, chair and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, Aquino touted the administration’s sound fiscal management that helped the country attain its strong economic performance.

Forbes praised Aquino for the “dynamism” of the Philippine economy.

“When we get back to the United States, some of us should Sens. Grace Poe and Francis Escudero will run as president and vice president in 2016, try to get a Constitutional amendrespectively.

Philstar.com photo by Jonathan Asuncion ment so that President Aquino, fully wrapped five food packs with money which was apparently giv- when he leaves office next year, could come to the US and give us a tarpaulin printed with the word en to another person.

“Mag-aabono ako nyan (I may a 6-percent growth rate,” Forbes “#POE2016.”

He said about 100 of his neigh- have to pay for it),” the woman said.

Aquino boasted of various acbors in Barangay 658 in Manila was heard as saying.

Poe’s camp vehemently de- complishments such as the 600were “invited” by local leaders nied paying for the people who percent increase in foreign dowho he refused to identify.

Rudy’s companion, a middle- showed their support for the two mestic investment, the gains of his anti-corruption drive, the inaged man who declined to give senators.

“There is absolutely no truth creasing tourist arrivals and the his name, said it was a common practice for politicians to hire that supporters who came to improved tax collection that furesidents near the Comelec head- send off Senator Poe were paid P50. The massive crowd outside quarters.

“We were also there last Mon- (the) Comelec was a spontaneous day when Binay (filed his candi- gathering of supporters eager to dacy),” he claimed. “This is noth- send off (Poe and Escudero) as

by Jess Diaz ing. It’s just a token (pakimkim they filed their COCs,” said Poe’s Philstar.com spokesperson, Valenzuela Mayor lang).”

MANILA—Political dynasties Rudy said Roxas’ camp also Rex Gatchalian.

Others who showed up at the will continue to lord it over the brought in their own group of supporters when he and Robredo political rally said they paid for political landscape as the Sentheir food and even bought water ate and the House of Represenfiled their COCs on Thursday. tatives will not be able to pass “But they came from another for their fellow Poe supporters.

Roy Ansing, a businessman the anti-dynasty bill. barangay,” he said.

This despite the fact that In the video, a man wearing from Mandaluyong City, said he, a white shirt emblazoned with his family and their friends were President Aquino batted for its Poe’s face was seen reading “all out” for Poe who, he said, approval during his last State of was the “only candidate who can the Nation Address on July 27. names from a list.

“There will be no anti-dynas“Melvin… Here. Give it to bring about genuine change.”

“We’re just tired of seeing ‘tra- ty law. There’s no more time to Melvin,” he said in Filipino as a woman seated on his right gave a pos’ (traditional politicians). If we consider and approve it,” Senwant genuine change, we should ate President Franklin Drilon paper bill to another man.

In another video, two women vote for the new breed of leaders told ABS-CBN News Channel.

“Besides, many in Congress were heard speaking about the like Grace Poe,” Ansing said. are against it. There’s strong opposition to it. That’s the realweekdays. Demanding a corrup- ity of our politics,” he said. tion-free government but expectHe was apparently referring ing to be paid or bribed for our to political dynasties in both picture. We are a study in con- votes. chambers of the legislature. trasts. At once beautiful, bright, Indeed, only a multi-faceted He said the anti-dynasty bill cheerful and optimistic and con- (figuratively) people like us could in the Senate is still with the stantly griping, disheartened and enjoy and survive Philippine poli- committee on justice. looking persecuted. The epitome tics in which, like the Romans in In the House, a counterpart of hospitality and of criminal- Nero’s colosseum, we comprise measure has been in the order of ity. God-fearing and completely both the crowd yelling for blood business for weeks awaiting pleundisciplined. The majority wal- and the hapless Christians being nary consideration. Speaker Felilowing in poverty but packing fed to the lions. (gregmacaben- ciano Belmonte Jr. has expressed the malls and eating out even on ta@hotmail.com) his support for its approval.

Philippine politics... tising Congress in Seoul, Korea, I described the Filipino as praying in the Spanish manner, savoring Chinese food, watching American shows on Japanese-made TV sets, but deep down, possessing a uniquely Filipino soul.

The Pinoy is the perfect subject for a Rashomon-style motion

NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • OctObER 16-22, 2015

President Aquino engages Steve Forbes, chair and editor-in-chief of Forbes Media, in a oneon-one dialogue during the 15th annual Forbes Global CEO Conference in Parañaque City.

RTVM Screengrab

eled government spending in infrastructure and social services.

The president also said that the country has been “very prudent” in borrowing.

“I am very conservative in terms of handling the people’s funds,” Aquino said.

“That’s why we need you in Washington,” answered Forbes, who said that the Philippines’s debt-to-GDP ratio has come

down “dramatically in recent years.”

Aquino said the country’s economic achievements renewed Filipinos’ optimism and outlook.

“Believing in the future, that’s something the rest of the world needs which is why we hope after you leave office, you will come to the US and give us some of that belief in the future,” Forbes told Aquino.

Congress won’t pass anti-dynasty bill “I am for the bill. There’s no Drilon dynasty. There is a Drilon in Iloilo who is seeking a local elective post. He is my second cousin and the anti-dynasty bill does not cover him.

Relatives of incumbents up to the first-cousin degree are the ones covered,” Drilon said.

He said if Liberal Party presidential candidate Manuel Roxas II gets elected, he would suggest that Roxas push for the passage of the anti-dynasty bill.

“There is no Roxas political dynasty,” he said.

He added that if there was enough time for the outgoing Congress to tackle the bill, Aquino would be able to work for its eventual approval despite opposition from well-entrenched political families in the legislature.

“Let us not underestimate the power of the presidency,” he stressed.

He pointed out that when the President advocated the enactment of the Reproductive Health bill and the proposal to increase taxes on the so-called sin products, there was not enough sup-

port for the two controversial measures.

“Remember that these measures languished in previous Congresses for 15-16 years. It was only President Aquino, with the cooperation of the Senate and the House, who successfully worked for their enactment,” Drilon said.

He said the remaining time of the outgoing 16th Congress would be devoted to the approval of the proposed P3.002trillion 2016 national budget and possibly the controversial draft Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

“I’m not sure about the BBL, but we will try to do it,” he said.

He also said he does not believe that Aquino is against moves in the House and the Senate to reduce income taxes, contrary to the claims of some presidential and vice presidential aspirants.

It was just a matter of convincing the President that the proposed reduction would not result in huge revenue losses, he stressed.

A october 16-22, 2015 • NeW YorK AND NeW JerSeY ASIAN JoUrNAL

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

october 16-22, 2015

people events arts culture entertainment

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Pacquiao received this hand-carved crystal leogryPh by artist robert kuo. it is meant to caPture that sPirit of strength, transformation, and courage that characteriZe the game changer awardees, according to asia society President and ceo Josette sheeran.

the 2015 asia society asia game changers. (l-r) shuJi nakamura, aasif mandvi, mariam al-mansouri, kiran bir sethi, li cunxin, manny Pacquiao, chanda kochhar, and lei Jun. PhotograPhed on tuesday, oct. 13.

Politician, humanitarian and boxing chamPion manny Pacquiao arrives at asia society in new york for a Press conference and tour of asia society museum on monday, october 12.

Photos by ellen walloP/asia society

filiPino american contingent at the un suPPorting manny Pacquiao as he received asia society’s game changer of the year award. (from l to r) Jerry sibal, lolita savage, edwin Josue, fernando Zobel de ayala, loida nicolas lewis, manny Pacquiao, consul general mario de leon Jr., david sachs, angie cruZ, carla Photos courtesy of edwin Josue villacorta and Paul magahis.

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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 OcTObER 16, 2015

Pacquiao honored with Asia Game Changer Award For using his sport, and his star power, as forces for good

A

by MoMar

G. Visaya/AJPress

SIA Society honored Manny Pacquiao with its Asia Game Changer Award Tuesday at the United Nations. Pacquiao joins last year’s awardees Jack Ma, CEO of Alibaba; Malala Yousafzai, icon of girls’ rights from Pakistan; Illac Diaz, founder of MyShelter and Liter of Light and other inspiring Asian personalities who are making a transformative impact on the future of Asia.

This is the second year that Asia Society is honoring the dreamers and leaders who are making a positive impact on the future of Asia. This year’s batch of awardees include Nobel Laureates in Physics from Japan, a ballet dancer from China, an educator in India, a communications mogul in China, a comedian from the United States and the UAE’s first female fighter pilot.

These inspiring men and women represent the spectrum of achievement – those who have led from positions of power, as well as those who have done so from groundlevel laboratories of innovation, according to Asia Society.

Against the backdrop of New York’s East River and Queensboro Bridge, Pacquiao and his fellow awardees mingled with Asia Society trustees, officers, and other guests from around the world. Josette Sheeran, Asia Society’s President and CEO, began the ceremony by noting that Asians have received insufficient recognition for their contributions to the world.

“More than 950 Nobel prizes have been awarded since 1901, and less than six percent have gone to Asians — even though 60 percent of the world’s population is in Asia and Asia has 50 percent of the world’s patents.

“We at Asia Society want to recognize the brilliance of Asia — those who are changing the world for the better.”

In his five-minute acceptance speech, Pacquiao related his story as a young boy who desired to help his mother move their family out of poverty.

“That desire became big and I never expected and imagined that I will accomplish all I have done. This award is a very prestigious award and it is a big honor to my family and me and the whole Filipino people because of their support,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao also expressed his thanks to Asia Society and the people who have been supporting him.

“I’m so thankful and blessed

by God because of this honor

and blessing. I experienced a life that you never experienced, a life that sometimes we have food, sometimes none. We had no shelter. I tried to sleep on the streets. My success in life...I will never forget my past that’s why I help them by giving them a house, jobs, free education and health care - everything that I can do to help them.”

“Thank God for giving me strength and good health every day and because of the inspiration that the Filipino people and boxing fans from all over the world have been giving me that’s why I am still here, and I keep on fighting and punching,” he added.

Tennis legend John McEnroe presented the Asia Game Changer Award to Pacquiao.

“He is an amazing champion,” McEnroe said, and added that he has similarities with the boxing hero. “We are both left-handed, we both play one-on-one sport and we’re both extremely tough.”

In his introduction, McEnroe shared a story about Nelson Mandela who told him that sports have the ability to change the world.

“Manny Pacquiao is a living proof. He is one of those individuals who has done that.

He is a humanitarian who has given back in his own country to people who are much less fortunate,” McEnroe said.

The tennis champ then went on to commend Pacquiao for his guts in venturing into politics.

“To go into the world of politics, that is really unbelievable. I think you’re used to hitting people above the belt, now people are hitting you below the belt all the time,” he said, directly addressing Pacquiao.

A short video about Pacquiao’s life from the slums to his achievements as a boxer and as a humanitarian was shown.

In addition to his athletic career, Pacquiao is also a philanthropist, musician, and, since 2010, a politician: He represents Sarangani in the Philippine House of Representatives. Earlier this week, Pacquiao confirmed his interest in seeking a seat in the

Manny Pacquiao speaks after being awarded the Asia Game Changer of the Year award on Tuesday, Oct. 13.

Tennis star John McEnroe poses with Asia Game Changer of the Year Manny Pacquiao.

Philippines’ Senate, and would not rule out an eventual run for the presidency.

This year’s honorees were nominated by thought leaders in Asia. Asia Society’s global network generated more than 130 nominations of individuals and institutions.

Among the other game changers recognized this year were Lei Jun, co-founder of Xiaomi, China’s leading smart phone vendor and the world’s third largest phone manufacturer; Chanda Kochhar, the first female to head an Indian bank; Li Cunxin, ballet dancer from China who is now the artistic director of Queensland Ballet in Australia; Aasif Mandvi, a comedian on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show with Jon Stewart who used this platform to tackle Islamophobia; Mariam al-Mansouri, UAE’s first female fighter pilot who has led airstrikes against ISIS in Syria.

Also recognized were Kiran Bir Sethi, who founded The Riverside School to offer an alternative to a rigid education system with an emphasis on encouraging youth volunteerism; Isamu Akasaki, Hiroshi Amano and Shuji Nakamura who won the 2014 Nobel Prize in Physics.

Pacquiao visited the Asia Society Museum on Monday for a 30-minute tour of Philippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms, an exhibition displaying the country’s precolonial tradition of golden jewelry, armaments, and ornamentation. As he was guided by Florina H. CapistranoBaker, consulting curator

Manny Pacquiao signs an autograph for a fan at Asia Society Museum.

Manny Pacquiao tours the Asia Society Museum exhibitionPhilippine Gold: Treasures of Forgotten Kingdoms on Monday, October 12.

Photos by Ellen Wallop/Asia Society

from the Ayala Museum in the Philippines, Pacquiao appeared loose and relaxed, frequently expressing amazement that the items on display were made of actual gold.

The conversation during the subsequent press conference, naturally, turned to boxing. Five months after an injured shoulder contributed to his defeat to Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in a muchanticipated welterweight match, Pacquiao says his shoulder is now “80 to 90 percent healed” and that he could fight again as early as March. And while he still hasn’t settled on an opponent, he’s keeping the 28-year-old British boxer Amir Kahn in mind as a possibility. “Although we’re friends, I think that when we’re doing our job in the ring, there is no friendship,” Pacquiao said.

“This is sport — we allow each other to hit each other.”

Photos by Ellen Wallop/Asia Society

Edwin Josue, Loida Nicolas Lewis, Pacquiao and Consul General Mario L. De Leon, Jr. at the Photo by Edwin Josue Asia Game Changer Awards reception.

Congressman Manny Pacquiao with Fernando Zobel de Ayala, Asia Society’s Board of Trustee Photo by Edwin Josue

Pacman: In His Own Words

MANNY Pacquiao, at a press conference Monday at Asia Society in New York, had a freewheeling Q-and-A with the media and some members of the Filipino-American community.

He responded to questions about his run for the senate and how similar politics is with boxing, among other topics.

The following are excerpts – • On overseas Filipinos registering to vote If they still love the country, they should register and vote. Their vote is important for our country, to choose who the next leader will be.

• On the healing of his injured shoulder My shoulder is 80 to 90% healed and I believe I can start training on November or December so I can fight early next year, maybe around March.

• On who he is supporting for president of the Philippines Duterte is not running, so… (laughs). Anyway, I’m PDP-Laban and we don’t have a resident so I can file a candidacy under PDP-Laban without a president. I will announce on the right time who the presidential candidate I will support.

• On why he is running I’m running because I really believe that I can help more people. It was difficult to make a decision before I finally decided to run. It’s a very difficult decision because you have to consider a lot of things, specially your time for your family.

When you become a senator, you have to give up other activity just to focus on your job as a public servant.

• On being a politician I never expected to be a politician. When I was young, I never thought I’d be a champion all over the world. What I have done in boxing is beyond my imagination when I was young. I’m really thankful to God that He gave me this favor and these blessings. The honor and glory belong to God. • On how he hated politics and politicians before Before, this is the true story behind that, I don’t like politics. I hate politicians before. When people interviewed me, somebody talked to me and suggested that I enter politics so I can help more people. I said I don’t like politics. I just want to help these people, they are starving and hungry and I feel what they are feeling because I’ve been there. My life before, I used to sleep in the streets and I know how to feel hungry.

Later on, I realized that more people find out that I give to people who need, more people come to my house asking and begging for help.

I’m a person who won’t turn my back. One day I realized that the Lord gave me the desire and wisdom to enter politics, that’s the time I decided to enter politics.

My prayer to the Lord is, if I commit sin serving people, it is better for me not to enter politics.

In the future, If I am going to commit sin against

God, against man, it’s better for me not to enter politics.

• On his vision as a public servant My vision as a public servant is honestly helping people and serving honestly. That’s my mission so that one day when I am gone in this world, that’s my legacy in life.

I can enjoy all the money I earned from boxing and go all over the world and spend time with my family but every time that I can hear the voice of these people – the poor people “Oh, I need help. I don’t have money to buy food. Help me.”

– Even if I don’t see them, I can hear their voice, I can feel that in my heart. If I turn my back from them, it’s hard for me because I’ve been there. I’m serving honestly with the guidance of the Lord.

You cannot please everybody, some people are criticizing me.

You cannot just give them money, so give them a sustainable livelihood so they can earn money so they can buy food every day. Give them healthcare, specially the senior citizens. And of course, free education, I think that’s the most important thing that we need to answer and resolve. A lot of people are starving and they really need help from the government.

• On Amir Khan as his next fight Actually, that’s one of the names that my promoter has given me but we haven’t decided yet. Although we are friends, when we are doing our job in the ring, there is no friend. I mean, you know what I mean? Nothing personal, just doing your job.”

• On thinking about being president in the future Right now, I don’t have that in my mind. I mean, to become a president is not a plan of man, it’s a plan of God. Like Noynoy. Who knows that he will become president? It’s God anointed. If that’s the will of God, then you become a president. If you don’t have that anointing, how can you be a president?

What’s in my mind right now is to focus on my job as a congressman and the next election next year.

• On politics and boxing If we study politics, we don’t have to fight each other. Let the people choose who they’re going to vote. We have to support each other. If the people want to support a politician (over another one), we have to respect that. The decision of the people is the decision of God. We have to learn that. What is happening right now not only in the Philippines but also around the world, politics has become boxing also. They are fighting each other.

• On how frustrating is it to pass bills in the Congress I have a lot of bills that I filed in Congress and those bills are important especially to address human trafficking, about health care center all Continued on Page 4

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An Asian Journal Magazine

Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

The November 2015 Priority Dates

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY O c TO b E R 1 6 , 20 1 5

The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows:

EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories.

A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the US), you would have to wait until it becomes current again.

Beginning in October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible), even though the Visa Issuance Date (which is the old “priority dates” from previous Visa Bulletins) is not yet current. This allows people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. ***

FAMILY CATEGORY:

Application Filing Date

Visa Issuance Date

September 1, 2005

June 1, 2002

First Preference

Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)

Second Preference

(2A) Spouse and minor children (below March 1, 2015 21 years old) of green card holder

May 15, 2014

(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holder

May 1, 2005

November 1, 2004

Third Preference

Married sons and daughters of US Citizens.

August 1, 1995 October 8, 1993

Fourth Preference

Brothers and sisters of US Citizens.

January 1, 1993

June 15, 1992

Visa Issuance Date

LABOR CERTIFICATION: Third Preference

Professional/ Skilled Workers

Other Workers

Non-Skilled Workers

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

Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty,

January 1, 2010

June 15, 2007

January 1, 2010

June 15, 2007

guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

CAN A LONELY WIFE STILL PETITION HER HUSBAND EVEN IF SHE IS UNEMPLOYED? THIS QUESTION AND MORE WILL BE ANSWERED THIS SUNDAY ON “CITIZEN PINOY!” Leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel replies to this question from Jovelle (left). Also, get answers to questions like: Can my mother have a second chance, after being banned from the US for 10 years for overstaying? Can my brother immigrate as “single” since he has been separated from his wife for over 25 years? Get the answers to these questions and more, on a brand new episode of the information-packed, award-winning public service program — “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday, October 18 at 6:15pm PST/EST (9:15pm EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers).

Can son’s ‘secret marriage’ affect mother’s petition for him as ‘single?’

Get the answer to this question on ‘Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot’ THIS Sunday, leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel continues to answer questions from Kapamilya, oneon-one and face-to-face, at his Law Offices in Glendale, California.

Can my mom qualify for a “waiver” and re-enter the US after she was banned for 10 years for overstaying as a tourist?

If I petition my mother, can her 14-year-old adopted daughter be included in the petition?

Can a wife petition her husband even if she’s unemployed and not able to provide financial support?

Watch an all-new edition of your information-packed, awardwinning public service program

on television – Citizen Pinoy: Your Tanong, My Sagot–on Sunday, October 18 at 6:15 pm PST/EST (9:15 pm EST thru select Cable/ Satellite providers).

Also, for latest immigration news and updates, please “like” and “share” our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/gurfinkellaw.

(Advertising Supplement)

20 useful tips to prevent stroke AARP launches National

by AlixAndrA CAole VilA Philstar.com

MANILA—There is a common misconception that patients always survive their first stroke.

But according to Dr. Willie T. Ong, a cardiologist and internist, even first stroke attack can be deadly.

A stroke occurs when there is a lack of oxygen supply to the brain, causing some brain cells to die.

Ong, who is also a columnist for

The STAR, shares on his blog some of the best ways to prevent a stroke.

1. Keep your blood pressure below or equal to 120 over 80. High blood pressure makes your heart pump and work harder. If your blood pressure is 140 over 90 or higher, consult your doctor.

2. Keep your fasting blood sugar below 120 mg/dL (6.7 mmol/ L) if you are diabetic. However, the normal blood sugar level for nondiabetics is 100 mg/dL (5.6 mmol/L)

and below. Diabetes is very harmful to the arteries of the brain. The longer you have diabetes, the worse the condition of your arteries is. Test your fasting blood sugar and Hemoglobin A1C to find out if you have diabetes.

3. Keep your total cholesterol levels below 200 mg/dL (5.2 mmol/L). Cholesterol plaques can get stuck on your arteries, which can restrict blood flow to the brain.

Continued on Page 5

Caregiving Awareness Campaign Show kindness to 40 million caregivers during National Family Caregivers month in November WASHINGTON, DC— November is National Family Caregivers Month and AARP is launching a national campaign to bring awareness to the important role that family caregivers play

in the lives of their loved ones.

AARP’s Random Acts of Kindness for Caregivers contest will begin on October 15 with the goal of encouraging people to recognize and reward caregivers – many

of whom spend 18 hours per week providing care like bathing, dressing, preparing meals, administering medications, driving to doctor visits or paying Continued on Page 4

An Asian Journal Magazine

4

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY O c TO b E R 1 6 , 20 1 5

Pacman: In His Own...

From Page 2

nations around the world. We over the Philippines, increasing should be compassionate and salary of teachers. There’s a lot of help them because we know bills that I filed in Congress but the what their problem is and they thing is in my second term, we are really need help from us. What more than 300 congressmen so if we are in their situation and they also filed a lot of bills. If you’re nobody will help us? There’s so nit friendly with higher positions, many bitterness and hatred in there’s a problem. their hearts that they cannot feel • On what he has learned in anymore the love in their hearts politics for others. Learn what is the In politics, a lot of people are meaning of love. You cannot say masquerading as righteous. That’s that you love someone but you what I learned. A lot of politicians are not helping them. are masquerading as righteous • It’s to increase the sentence people especially in times of of the violators and the election. What I learned also, it’s traffickers and we pursue and simple. 24 hours a day, seven days investigate properly the crime. a week, you have to make yourself We accomplished a lot in my first to help people. I also learned to and second term. The Philippines always forgive your enemy. is in tier 2 and we’re panicking • On the current wave of because if we become tier 3, we refugees in Europe and Southeast cannot get support from the UN. Asia We have that, we contact agencies All I can say is we should be in the Philippines to coordinate compassionate to others, different with us.

On the PEP Front

People, Events, Places BoBBy T. yalong

Editor’s NotE: Mr. Bobby T. Yalong is currently on vacation. His column will resume upon his return.

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA (Conclusion of 3 parts)

VIGAN has plenty of other points of interest to offer. Go see Chavit Singson’s “Baluarte” or “fortress” —it’s name emblazoned on a rise for all to see. As of this writing, Chavit has a collection of exotic animals which include about nine tigers and a lion, ostriches, deer, a yellow snake, ducks, a stable full of miniature horses and on the softer, gentler side, a butterly garden of over 500 varieties. It’s open to the public and there are still no entrance fees at this time.

All you need do is to tip the guides generously for the time and trouble it takes to bring you around. Be warned that not everyone is given the privilege of touring the innards of his private house. It’s a selective process and largely the luck of the draw.

The grapevine tells me that occasionally, the man who is seen frequently with Manny Pacquio, if he is in the mood, conducts the tour himself. I suppose that depending on the timing, the volume of the crowds and how you come across to the guide on the day you visit, you may be given the chance to explore Chavit’s Baluarte, which is appropriately named. It

AARP launches National Caregiving...

From Page 3 bills – in small but meaningful ways.

“Caregiving may be one of the greatest expressions of love and it’s woven into the lives of one in six adults,” says AARP Family and Caregiving Expert Amy Goyer, author of the new book Juggling Life, Work and Caregiving. “A staggering 40 million family caregivers provide support for loved ones and, as a caregiver myself, I know that the smallest acts of kindness – like holding a door for someone pushing a wheelchair, surprising them

EMPLOYMENT

with flowers, or even taking a caregiver’s dog for a walk – can be memorable moments in the life of a caregiver.”

Kindness contest to help family caregivers More than half of caregivers say they feel overwhelmed by the amount of care their family member needs. Through the Random Acts of Kindness for Caregivers contest, AARP hopes that by encouraging people to show family caregivers small signs of support, it might encourage overwhelmed caregivers, free them up to have more time

Begone to Vigan!

Chavit’s ‘Baluarte’

‘Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.

So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor.

Catch the tradewinds in your sails.

Explore. Dream. Discover.’

— Mark Twain

sits atop a strategic high point of Vigan real estate, that can give advance warning of the approach of enemies from the ground and air, in times of war while affording a magnificent nearly 180 degree view of the horizon where the sky and the South China Sea merge and meet seamlessly in deep shades of shimmering blue during quiet times.

Chavit’s older house sits on a bluff and can be accessed by stairs carved in stone from the reception area where Aries, our guide, gave us a comprehensive tour of Baluarte and its features.

There’s a lot of thought that went into this house and it shows.

Chavit Singson is the colorful, controversial self-proclaimed “Tiger of Ilocos” and two color photo cut-outs of Chavit cuddling with two of his pet tigers meant to greet visitors to his enclave make sure you remember that image of power, strength and wile clearly. You somehow wait and

readers inside the hearts and homes of caregivers across the country. Through pictures, videos and compelling stories, readers with loved ones they care for, or will learn about ordinary people even give them personal time caring for spouses, friends, to relax and rejuvenate. Those children, and parents. Some of sharing simple acts of kindness are encouraged to submit stories the families featured live with and a photo of their random acts the people they care for and one caregiver has to board a plane to the contest website found at www.aarp.org/caregiverkindness. frequently to care for her mom.

Overall, the face of In March, AARP will select 12 caregiving is changing. While winners who have made a meaningful difference in the lives most caregivers are women, 40 percent of caregivers are men. of family caregivers. The winners Surprisingly, 1 in 4 caregivers is will share a $10,000 prize.

24 Hours inside a caregiver’s a Millennial (between the ages of 18 and 34) and 60 percent of world caregivers provide care for an The October issue of AARP The Magazine is taking Continued on Page 7

FOOD SERVICE

listen for the movie soundtrack of Rocky’s “Eye of the Tiger” to play off the sound system dramatically to complete the presentation.

There’s nothing of the sort though. For the moment, you forget the controversy he was embroiled in, the “Jueteng gate” that helped topple one Philippine presidency years ago as you explore his lair, or come to think of it, perhaps this is just one among others. After all, a really smart tiger in a jungle full of foes, must have two strongholds at least, one public and another one, far beyond probing eyes.

Baluarte was still a work in progress about 5 years ago. The concrete, multi-storied turret-like, round, glass-walled structure — a Viganesque version of the Tower of Babel under construction at the time, standing on its toes to kiss the skies, is now complete and is part of the attraction for curious tourists.

But the older house itself is interesting, holding insights to the owner’s personality, eccentricities, taste and preferences. Its size is unimposing and its proportions just right using the principles of classic bilateral symmetry and wide open spaces. It’s glass walls allow as much light as it can take. The principles of feng shui is practiced here, or so it seems.

It uses huge mahjong tiles as décor on its wrap-around glass walls while climate controlled air conditioning keeps the temperature just comfortable.

A life size stuffed toy tiger sits draped atop the grand piano.

A multi-gallon aquarium of exotic fish blends unobtrusively, quietly with the surroundings while a stand of black-faced computers line one side. A stack

FOR SALE

LAW OFFICE

SERVICES

of books on a side table by the sofa on a surprisingly wide range of classical subjects give an insight to the man’s intellectual pursuits. Or it can all be for show, depending on your persuasion and perception of the man himself. The tiger is a wily creature after all that can size up its quarry with quick accuracy.

There is a sparkling pool, waterfall and a gazebo. The water supply and plumbing system must be top grade or all that green sweep of the land would turn to brown crud in the oppressive tropical heat, not to mention the stink that would reek from the animal droppings, if water were scarce. Everything is neat and clean and odor-free. Credit the man for his intelligence and thorough planning. Manicured, velvet green lawns and trim grounds on the basin below where well-fed animals are kept by a bevy of trained keepers, attendants and groundskeepers attest to that.

A chapel stands just before the approach to the house and grounds itself. You can’t help noting a rich man’s toy— a bright yellow 2-man submarine gathering dust like a fish out of water— splayed hopelessly just beside the cooped up South American alpaca probably wondering what the heck he is doing in Vigan instead of grazing an Andean mountainside.

Ostriches strut about chasing a flock of ducks on the grounds.

A “tiger” such as this one with the financial clout and strong and loyal political base can always hold his own jostling and moving with the powers-that-be while surrounding himself with a coterie of armed bodyguards for self-preservation. It takes serious money to build, maintain and preserve a place such as Baluarte.

To his credit, he shares the place for the public to enjoy as well.

Altruism? Perhaps. Ego massage?

You decide.

Begone to Vigan. With its old and new facets, it is well worth the trip. * ** 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

The Asian Journal N E W YO R K / N E W J E R S EY O c TO b E R 9, 20 1 5

Kayumanggi Choral, Inc. celebrates 24th anniversary with benefit concert

CELEBRATION. Filipino American Senior Citizens Association Queens NY Inc.(FASCAQ) celebrated their 7th Anniversary at the D’Haven Restaurant Woodside NY on Friday, October 10.

Pinoy films showcased at IFFM 2015 THE International Film Festival Manhattan 2015 will be doing a Spotlight on Filipino films and Filipino filmmakers.

The festival will be held on October 22 to 25, 2015.

As part of the Official Selection, this year the feature films that will be showcased from the Philippines are: “Asintado” Dir: Louie Ignacio starring Aiko Melendez; “Lihis” Dir: Joel Lamangan starring Joem Bascon, Jake Cuenca, Lovie Poe and Isabelle Daza; “Sundalong Kanin” Dir: Janice O’Hara The Short Films from the Philippines are: “Tunnel” Dir: CARLOS MORALES a.k.a. CARLIN CRAIG M. WOODRUFF, Jr.; “Historic Jeddah” Dir: Jameelah Rose del Prado Lineses; “The End is Bigger Than Love” Dir: Joel

Ruiz; “Yolanda” Dir: Krizia May Villanueva, Jennelyn Castillejo ; “Julie” Dir: Clanch Dayve Belleza; “The Platinum Hair” Dir: Perry Escano; “Blade of the Maiden” Dir: Keith Sicat.

The Feature length Documentary about Filipino American Jessica Cox entitled “Right Footed” directed by Nick Spark will also be playing.

Filipino American filmmakers who have shorts playing at IFFM too include “Wackademia” Dir: Roger Anthony and “Last Breath” Dir: Jake Ramos.

There will be a lot of films showcased this year from the US and from around the world.

Luis Pedron, Festival Director of IFFM said, “I am so excited this year as we have a lot of Filipino filmmakers from the Philippines flying to NYC to attend this year.

Most of the Filipinofilmmakers will be gracing their screenings for a Q & A. So please come support our fellow Pinoys and meet them at our film festival.”

This year, IFFM’s Official Media Sponsor is GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV and GMA News TV International. Western Union is on board as Official Sponsor.

The International Film Festival Manhatan 2015 Opening Night screening of “Asintado” and Awards Night will be happening on October 22, 2015 at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center at 556 5th Ave NYC. The IFFM regular screenings will be held at the Producers Club 358 W 44 St NYC from October 23 to 25, 2015. For complete listing and for tickets check out www.

IFFMNewYork.com.

20 useful tips to prevent...

From Page 3

It’s too early to know if this one study might change current guidelines. Hypertension patients who don’t have their blood pressure that low today should discuss their care with their doctors, researchers advised.

Philstar.com photo

High cholesterol levels can be due to a high-fat intake or may be inherited from your parents.

4. Check your complete blood count or CBC. The CBC test will include the hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, which measures the amount of red blood cells in the body. We don’t want levels that are lower or higher than normal. A high hematocrit level (usually due to excessive smoking) makes the blood “thicker” and can impede the smooth flow of blood to the brain.

5. Keep your weight down.

Check your ideal body weight and go no higher than 10% above your ideal weight.

6. Stop smoking. One cigarette stick contains 10 mg to 20 mg of nicotine, which can cause the blood vessels to constrict, thereby decreasing blood flow and raising the blood pressure. All these bodily changes make one prone to a stroke.

7. Limit alcohol intake. Binge drinking and excessive alcohol intake can increase your risk for a stroke. Men are limited to having two wine glasses a day and women can drink up to one wine glass a day.

8. Don’t use illegal drugs.

Some drugs like shabu (methamphetamines) can directly cause a stroke, even in a young individual. These harmful drugs can cause the blood vessels to constrict

(undergo spasm) and the blood pressure to shoot up.

9. Avoid air pollution. A Taiwan study published in Stroke journal reports that high pollution levels increases the stroke risk in the population. According to Professor Chun-Yuh Yang, people living in heavy industrialized areas are more exposed to pollutants (particulate matter and nitrogen dioxide) that can lead to a stroke.

10. Avoid hot weather. In the same study by Professor Chun-Yuh Yang, being exposed to warm weather is another aggravating factor for a stroke. Professor Yang advises the public to stay indoors or use air-conditioned cars. In a similar manner, you can limit your golf games to the early mornings or late afternoons, when there is less heat.

11. Avoid fatty foods and meat products. Foods that are rich in saturated fat and cholesterol (found in animal meat) may increase the fatty deposits in your arteries.

Although this link between fatty foods and stroke is still being challenged, I would strongly urge you to voluntarily cut down on your intake of meat, butter, margarine and junk foods.

12. Eat colorful vegetables and fruits. Eating healthy is all a matter of getting used to the taste. After two weeks of eating healthier foods like vegetables, fruits and fish, your

taste buds will adapt and you might even abhor eating those “oily and fatty meats” you used to crave for.

13. Relax and reduce stress.

Chronic stress may cause the blood pressure to rise and the body to release “stress hormones,” which are harmful to the blood vessels. Watch a funny movie, read an inspirational book or just chill out and relax.

14. Don’t get angry. Be more tolerant of other people. Keep cool and keep your blood pressure down.

15. Get enough sleep. Take frequent breaks to recharge your body.

16. Don’t travel continuously.

It’s true that traveling can be a relaxing experience. However, I have seen many patients suffer a stroke because of the heat, fatigue and the hassles of travel. Hence, make sure that your travels are scheduled, and with enough time to rest between trips.

17. Moderation with drinking coffee. It’s unclear whether coffee has a beneficial or harmful effect on the brain. But one study reports that we should not drink three or more cups of coffee a day. This may cause high blood pressure and palpitation. On the other hand, green tea appears to have a beneficial effect on reducing stroke risk.

18. Avoid constipation. The act of straining can be harmful to the heart and blood vessels.

Eat selected fruits (like papaya and watermelon) and high-fiber vegetables to keep your stools soft.

19. Consider aspirin. Aspirin makes the blood thinner and can help improve blood flow. Ask your doctor about the pros and cons of taking aspirin 80 mg tablet once a day. The benefit is greater for middle-aged males and those with high blood pressure, heart disease and diabetes.

20. Practice a healthy lifestyle.

Engage in regular exercise, keep your weight down and eat more healthy foods. Finally, visit your doctor regularly for your check-ups.

Good luck.

AARP launches National Caregiving...

From Page 3 adult while working outside of the home, requiring them to balance caregiving and work responsibilities.

Virtual Family Caregiving Fair To help caregivers like the ones featured in AARP The Magazine, AARP is hosting a Virtual Family Caregiving Fair that will take place on Thursday,

November 19, 2015 from 12pm – 4pm EST. From the comfort of a home or office, a caregiver can register and join the free fair online at aarp.org/familycarefair.

During the virtual fair, a caregiver can tour the exhibit hall with over 15 booths showcasing various caregiving resources and programs, enter a “mix and mingle” lounge to connect with experts and other caregivers through online chats, visit a

virtual auditorium to view scheduled and on-demand presentations and videos, and explore a library with additional resources for caregivers.

For more information about how AARP is supporting National Family Caregivers Month and for more caregiving resources, visit the AARP Caregiving Resource Center at http://www.aarp.org/ caregiving.

(Advertising Supplement)

SINCE its inception and incorporation in New York in 1991, the Kayumanggi Choral, Inc. (KCI) has remained loyal and steadfast to its stated mission --- that of showcasing the rich cultural heritage of the Filipino people through choral music. As a not-forprofit organization under Section 501 (c)(3) of the IRS, KCI for the past 24 years has been presenting concerts to raise funds for charity at prestigious concert venues such as Alice Tully Hall at Lincoln Center, Manhattan’s CAMI Hall, Merken Concert Hall, Kalayaan Hall at the Philippine Consulate, Equitable Auditorium, and the Richardson Auditorium in Princeton University, to name a few.

KCI will present their 24th Anniversary benefit concert on

Saturday, Oct. 24 at 5:30pm at Bridgewater United Methodist Church in Bridgewater, NJ. Ticket price is $20. Proceeds from this concert will be used to support the victims of the most recent natural disaster that hit the Philippines in 2013. With such

devastation, super typhoon Haiyan left millions of Filipinos homeless.

For more information, please contact its president, Hector Magno, 908 229-0155; Dennis Bernardo, MD, 201 739-2259; Erwin Argonza, 908 425-7803.

Tenor Jared Martin joins Lani Misalucha on stage for the first time NEW YORK—Besides making her Town Hall concert debut, “Lani Misalucha Live In Concert,” on November 22, 2015 at 4 p.m., Las Vegas headliner Lani Misalucha is also marking another first: Finally sharing the stage with multi-award winning tenor Jared Martin, whom she first met at an awards ceremony at Carnegie Hall two years ago, but never had the chance to sing together.

“Lani’s talent completely blew me away! But I didn’t have an opportunity to sing a duet with her,” Jared recalls.

“So I’m most looking forward to getting to sing a duet with her during this upcoming concert.

I just can’t wait to learn from working with a professional like Lani and taking in every experience working with her, from rehearsals to the concert itself. I want to soak up as much

Lani Misalucha

Jared Martin

of it as I can.”

Having recently completed a master’s degree in music education from the University of Arts in Philadelphia, Jared, 23, has been wasting no time in further sharpening his musical skills by joining different singing competitions and exploring the uncharted

territories of R&B music.

In fact, he recently won the title “Grand Winner: Freehold Idol 2015,” the eight edition of the annual singing contest held in Freehold, New Jersey, which is near his hometown, Toms River.

“I’m also beginning to Continued on Page 6

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An Asian Journal Magazine

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Calendar of Events across

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merica

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS O c tO b e r 1 5 -1 8

Legionarios del Trabajo in America Triennial Convention The Legionarios del Trabajo in America, Inc. will hold its 18th Triennial Convention, October 15-18, 2015, at the Clarion Inn and Suites in Stockton, CA (4219 Waterloo Rd, Stockton, CA 95215). For more information, please contact Cora Gines at (209) 957-0217 / (209) 4065438, or Elena Gabriel at (209) 598-1436.

O c tO b e r 1 6 -1 8

CANA in Galilee Couples Retreat The CANA Marriage Renewal Movement will have their 59th couples retreat at the Holiday Inn & Suites, Fullerton, CA (2932 Nutwood Ave Fullerton, CA 92831) on Oct. 16-18. It is a 3-day experience designed to revitalize the interpersonal growth of the couple towards each other and God. Through a particular method of communication and dialogue, they discover their “coupleness” and couple power in a new way. The retreat starts on Friday evening with registration and orientation at 6 pm, and ends with the celebration of Eucharist on Sunday evening. We request a donation of $300 per couple to cover hotel accommodations, meals and snacks. No one is refused the opportunity to attend the retreat because of lack of funds, but prior arrangements must be made. Registration is still open, please contact Alain or Cecile Graziani (818 421-6505), email cnagraziani@charter.net, or St Lorenzo Ruiz Parish Office (909) 595-9545.

O c tO b e r 1 7

UNITED LAB-USA 32nd Anniversary The UNITED LAB-USA will celebrate their 32nd Anniversary on Saturday, October 17, 2015 at Royal Garden in Cerritos. The association is headed by Rey Guieb, President. Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For other questions, please call Felix Belen, outgoing president at (626) 839-0736.

UERMMMC - Medical Alumni Association Inaugural Ball

Why James-Nadine love team hasn’t turned from reel to real

by ChuCk

Smith

Philstar.com

MANILA—Fans of James Reid and Nadine Lustre have been expressing their desire for the two to turn their onscreen partnership into a real one since they first worked together in the 2013 movie “Ang Dairy ng Panget.”

But while James and Nadine are not completely closing their doors, the two said they won’t want to mess up their tried-andtested love team by injecting it with real-life romance.

“Choice lang namin. We want to focus on our work.

And friends lang talaga kami,” James said when asked why his relationship has not progressed into a romantic one during the press conference for ABS-CBN primetime series “On The Wings of Love” on Monday.

He added, “What we have is good. We don’t want to spoil it.”

Nadine agreed with the 22year-old actor.

“Sa ngayon po kasi, focused kami [sa work]. Kasi parang nagwo-work po siya ngayon, ayaw namin maging complicated,” she said.

“What if magkaroon ng away or something, medyo mahirap pong magtrabaho kapag meron pong ganun,” she further explained. espite being open that they are friends, a number of fans have reportedly bashed James for

James Reid and Nadine Lustre during the press conference for ABS-CBN’s primetime series “On The Wings of Love” on Monday, Oct. 12.

being seen being other girls off screen. For instance, James was seen with actress Debs Garcia in an upscale club recently.

The actor admitted he does go to clubs and bars. “Pero iniiwasan ko na because I don’t have time, I’m so busy,” James said. “That’s really how I am…

Minsan fans get upset. But they eventually understand.”

“I guess it’s normal naman po talaga kasi love team,” Nadine said of the bashers. While they don’t mind the bashing, James and Nadine said negative comments online affect them at times.

“Usually, I can just ignore it.

But sometimes it builds up too much,” James said.

Nadine, for her part, said: “Kapag nababash siya (James), nababash din ako.”

Philippines enters ‘Heneral Luna’ in Oscars

The University of the East Ramon Magsaysay Memorial Medical Center - Medical Alumni Association of Southern California (UERMMMC - MAASC ), a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation which participates in many humanitarian projects and medical missions to barangays in the Philippines, will hold its Inaugural Ball and Dinner=Dance on October 17, 2015 at the Manhattan Beach Marriott (1400 Parkview Avenue; Manhattan Beach, CA 90266). Proceeds from the event will benefit underserved areas and families in Lucena, Quezon and District 2 of Pampanga (Lubao, Sasmuan, Guagua, Floridablanca) who are in need of medical and surgical care. The theme of the Inaugural Ball will be “A Black and White Event.” The evening starts at 6:00pm. Tickets are $90 per person and are tax deductible; VIP packages ranging from $500 and up are also available. For more information, please call Dr. Teri Pastor at 310-707-8480, Gloria Legaspi at 951-496-0536 and Lucy Babaran at 818-395-9348. We thank our guests and sponsors for their generous support!

FACCOC 21st Annual GALA Join the Filipino-American Chamber of Commerce of Orange County on Saturday, October 17th for an evening of casino games, recognition of local business owners, inspiring presentations, and entertainment at the 21st Annual GALA, “Monte Carlo Night,” at the Wyndham Hotel (12021 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92840). Registration and networking starts at 5pm. There will be cocktails and classic casino games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and wheel of fortune available to guests from 5:30 to 7pm. Arrive early to take advantage of casino-style games and the photobooth (provided by OC fotobooth) before our main program and dinner starts. For RSVP tickets, sponsorships and vendor tables information, please visit www.faccoc.org.

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FilAm Art Alive! Comes to San Diego FilAm Art Alive! is proud to announce the first annual San Diego event bringing together amazing local Filipino-American artists, entertainment, food vendors, and more surprises.

FilAm Art Alive! will be on Sunday, October 18, 2015 at Sushi On A Roll (1620 National Ave. San Diego, CA 92113) restaurant from 2-6pm. The Art Miles Murals Project in partnership with Philippine Art Miles is thrilled to join the festivities with the magnificent “Fishes of the Ocean” mural, a 250-foot section from the 6-mile longest mural visiting from the Philippines.

The mural is presented by On The Spot Artist Association, headed by Rolando De Leon of Quezon City. “Fishes Of The Ocean” is a part of UNESCO’s 70th Anniversary celebration. This FREE event will feature interactive art of various mediums, food vendors, live entertainment, folklore and dancing, and much more! For further information and questions about FilAm Art Alive!, please contact: filamartalive@gmail.com, or Laarni Thornton at 619.781.2727. Visit our Facebook for more details: www.facebook.com/FilAmArtAlive.

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Mandacal 26th Anniversary Dinner-Dance MANDACAL (Mandaluyong Civic Group of Southern California) would like to invite you to attend its 26th Anniversary Dinner Dance on Saturday, October 24, 2015 at the Embassy Suites Glendale (800 North Central Ave. Glendale, CA 91203). The event is a sit down dinner with live music by the Hill Tops Band #1, providing your favorite dance music from 5pm until midnight. There will be raffle prizes and many fabulous door prizes to be given away. Come enjoy a night of great food, excellent music, and pure fun with your family and friends! Tickets are $55 each. For tickets and information, please call: Becky 818-572-3261, Espee 626-3833621, or Julie 858-337-9224.

Bohol Children Bamboo Ensemble in Concert Presented by Bible Christian Fellowship Church, the one-of-a-kind Bohol Children Bamboo Ensemble, hailing from Alicia, in Bohol province, will perform at various locations during their first-ever tour in the US. 23 young performers from Katipunan Elementary School and the Bohol community will perform using traditional bamboo instruments, including a ukulele, drums, flutes, and bass. There will also be special guests, inspiring music, and traditional dances of the Philippines. For many of these young performers, it is their first time to visit the US, and they are eager to share their talents with the community. The show on Saturday, Oct. 24 will take place at Rosemont Elementary School Auditorium (421 Rosemont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026) at 6:30pm; on Saturday, Nov. 7 at Bible Christian Fellowship Church (456 Rosemont Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026) at 6:30pm; and on Saturday, Nov. 14 at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA - 3200 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90026) at 6:30pm. Light refreshments will be served. Ticket prices vary from $10, $25, and $50. For tickets and more information, please call 213-249-6672.

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East Meets West - Manhattan Luxury Real Estate Connect The rise of Asian economies, and in turn Asian investors, has proven to be on the most significant developments in global real estate over the last decade. Enormous sums of money are flowing across borders in all directions. According to the Knight Frank Wealth Report, in 2014, New York was the number one city globally for cross-border investment. In 2013, Asians investors spent $92.9 billion. According to the Wealth X Global Luxury Residential Real Estate Report real estate is an investment, an asset and a lifestyle. East Meets West explores these topics. CEO’s of Real Estate Firms, Luxury Real Estate Brokers and Associates, Commercial Brokers, Developers, Attorneys, Lenders, Accounting Firms, Architects and Design Professionals, Economists, National and Local AREAA Members. Online registration site closes on Oct. 30.

Question? Contact us at manhattan@areaa.org or call (516)236-9421.

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

“Minsan po kasi nagiging masyado silang personal... Pero iniignore ko na lang po. Kasi pag pinatulan mo, sasabihin sa’yo pumapatol ka. So huwag na lang pong pansinin,” she added.

Nadine wants to remind fans that she and James—regardless of what is or isn’t happening in their personal lives—are “partners in crime.”

“It’s normal naman kung super fanatic ka talaga [to want their favorite love teams to end up together in real life]… Thank you pa rin still kasi sumusuporta pa rin sila,” she said. “Me and James, we’re a team. We’re partners in crime. So kahit naman in real life gusto nila kami magkatuluyan, okay lang kasi sumusuporta pa rin sila sa amin.”

MANILA—Historical action biopic “Heneral Luna” has been officially selected as the Philippines’ entry to the 88th Academy Awards.

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences said “Heneral Luna” has completed all the requirements to qualify for the Oscar foreign film category.

“Heneral Luna,” which stars John Arcilla, tells the story of Antonio Luna, a patriotic general who led the Philippine

Revolutionary Army during the Philippine-American war.

The film opens with the hostilities between US colonizers and Filipinos and culminates in the brutal assassination of Luna on June 5, 1899 – an era in which Luna served as the supreme chief of the army under the first Philippine republic.

A total of 81 countries have submitted their official entries for the foreign language film Oscar race. Paraguay is the only first

timer, with its entry “Cloudy Times” by director Arami Ullon.

Nominations for the 88th Academy Awards will be announced on Jan. 14 at the Academy’s Samuel Goldwyn Theater in Beverly Hills, and the hardware handed out Feb. 29 at the Dolby Theater in Hollywood.

Last year, Polish film “Ida” won the Oscar best foreign language film award. Among the notable entries for the 2016 foreign language Oscar are Spain’s “Flowers,” Sweden’s “A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence,” Poland’s “11 Minutes,” Switzerland’s “Iraqi Odyssey,” Taiwan’s “The Assassin,” Uruguay’s “A Moonless Night,” Afghanistan’s “Utopia,” Canada’s “Felix and Meira,” Czech Republic’s “Home Care,” Colombia’s “Embrace of the Serpent,” China’s “Go Away Mr. Tumor” and Argentina’s “The Clan.”

The Academy picks nominees for the foreign language Oscar from submissions from individual countries, which can only put forward one candidate each year.

(Philstar.com)

Kim Chiu ‘rebuilding’ friendship with Maja Salvador

by JoyCe Jimenez Philstar.com

MANILA—Kim Chiu is happy that everything is going well between her and Maja Salvador.

In an interview with Boy Abunda in the ABS-CBN talk show “Tonight with Boy Abunda on October 8,” Maja said that she and Kim are in the process of “rebuilding” their friendship.

The “Etiquette for Mistresses” concurred with Maja’s statement.

“Friends naman talaga kami,” Kim said in a recent interview, during the ATC 10th year

anniversary.

The two were best friends until they had a falling out in 2013, after Kim’s ex-boyfriend Gerald Anderson started courting Maja.

Gerald and Maja broke up this year due to reasons they decided not to disclose.

Kim added that she prefers to “forgive kaysa buong buhay mo may burden [sa puso mo], mas masayang wala kang kaaway.”

The three recently performed Kim Chiu is happy that everything is going well between her and Maja Salvador after together for “ASAP 20’s” show in Laguna. their fallout in 2013.

Tenor Jared Martin joins Lani Misalucha...

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branch out and dabble more in R&B music. I’ve been working closely with my mentor Brenda K Starr over the last few months on refining my sound as an R&B artist. I wouldn’t say I’m ready to perform R&B music quite yet, but it’s something I’m actively working on so that everyone can hear it soon,” says Jared.

“I’ve also begun going into the recording studio recently to record music, and that has been a new and challenging experience for me.”

A regular fixture in various community theater productions since he was a kid, Jared’s current followers are more accustomed to him singing Josh Groban, OPM ballads, and songs from popular musicals, especially “Music of the Night” from “The Phantom of the Opera.” “It’s one of my dreams to play the role of the Phantom in Andrew

Lloyd Weber’s classic musical, so being able to sing that song allows me to really appreciate his music and feel the power of the musical itself,” he says.

In “Lani Misalucha Live In Concert,” which features Jared as special guest performer, part of the proceeds from the the show will benefit ABS-CBN’s Bantay Bata Foundation, which supports child abuse victims in the Philippines, and the Filipino-American Community Development Center of Ocean County Inc.(FCDC), a nonprofit that helps preserve Philippine culture and heritage.

“When I took my first trip to the Philippines in 2013, I experienced firsthand the young children who were not even old enough to take care of themselves begging for food on the streets. That particular experience deeply affected me, because you don’t realize

how blessed so many children in America are compared to what many children in the Philippines experience every day. Since Bantay Bata is a wonderful organization that donates to these needy children in the Philippines, I’m proud to continue working with them to help support these children,” says Jared.

To buy tickets ($48-$138) to “Lani Misalucha Live In Concert,” call 732-929-3909, 201-388-1927, 646-644-1412, 845-520-1908, 914-3099564, or 347-738-3025; visit ticketmaster.com; visit the Town Hall box office at 123 W. 43rd St., New York, N.Y. “Lani Misalucha Live In Concert” is sponsored by Western Union, TFC, Direct TV, and The Blakely New York Hotel (136 West 55th St., New York. N.Y., with tel. no. 212-2451800).

Arnel Pineda enjoys life on the road

by Jerry

Donato Philstar.com

MANILA—It has been quite a journey for Arnel Pineda being the lead vocalist of the American iconic band Journey. For the past eight years, he has never faltered hitting high notes and never stopped hitting the road. Journey and Arnel show no signs of slowing down, performing before huge crowds in packed arenas.

“My international gigs are doing just fine,” says Arnel. “We just finished around 55 gigs this year. We toured around the US and Canada. We’re on a break now.

Next year, we’ll be back on tour doing shows. I’m committed to them for 120 shows in two years.

This is (our) journey. It’s a life on the road. We’re talking about state after state. It’s like touring from one country after another. Every night, we are on a private plane. The next day, we’re off for a show.”

When off the road, Arnel is spending quality time with his family in Manila and touching base with Filipino fans. He would appear on ABS-CBN shows like ASAP 20 and It’s Showtime and continue recording songs for an upcoming album, which will be released soon.

“I’ve been doing it for one and a half years,” Arnel gives fans an update on the album. “I couldn’t find time for it. (The only time I have is) in between family and my job with Journey. I have a Christmas song and a slow song.

They are all my compositions. (As for a solo career?) Our guitarist and keyboard player have their solo careers, as well our bass and drum players. But each of us is not allowed to perform a Journey song.

Our agreement is a gentleman’s agreement. I’ve been with the band for eight years and we’re going strong. There are plans to do an album.”

Another update is Arnel’s Asian-wide talent search is now on its final touches as a World Music Camp.

Asked about his rituals in taking care of his voice, Arnel replies, “I rest and no talking is allowed. When I’m there, I don’t talk. It requires me 100-percent vocal rest. I’m 95 percent tahimik.

The five percent is devoted to my performance.”

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Yaya Dub’s Twitter account 3rd fastest-growing profile worldwide by alixanDra

Caole Philstar.com

Arnel Pineda

Behind Arnel’s performer image with strong vocals is the story of an asthmatic. This makes him the perfect advocate to fight asthma and overcome it.

“It was induced through allergies,” he recalls. “I’m allergic to molds, cigarette smoke, smog and dust and animals’ hair. Like in the last three shows of our five shows, I had asthma attack because the arenas were moldy and dusty.”

This is Arnel’s second year as Win Against Asthma ambassador.

Doing an advocacy is never an unfamiliar territory to him.

“I have a foundation where it caters to street children and entices them to go back to school,” Arnel says. “The street is not a good school for them. They need to go to a proper school.

Whenever we have a good budget and we get help from generous donors to secure enough funds, we do medical missions and feeding programs. We also distribute clothes and toys.”

Also part of the advocacy is Teesha Banta, winner of GlaxoSmithKline’s Search for the Winners Against Asthma (SWAA) for the adult category. Christian Lacza, an outstanding public school student, was declared the winner for the youth category.

Of the 2,000 applicants, the two were chosen for having shown excellence in their field and resilience in winning over asthma.

“I had my first attack when I was in school. It was Valentine’s Day and my roommate got a bouquet of flowers… The cause was pollen,” recalls Teesha, a student at St. Luke’s College of Medicine and BS Biology graduate

at the University of the Philippines Los Baños. “The worst (thing) that happened to me was having asthma attack during examination week. I couldn’t concentrate for I had difficulty breathing.”

Her condition had become disabling to Teesha, but she never gave up. Following the advice of her mom, Cathy, a family medicine doctor and asthmatic herself, Teesha consulted a specialist and finally managed her asthma.

“I want to tell asthmatics that their condition can be controlled and it should not be asthma controlling them,” Teesha says.

“I have overcome it. Compliance with medications is important. My triggers are pollen and change in weather.”

This is the same message that Arnel echoes: “Wag silang masiraan ng loob, there are medicines available (for asthma) and there are doctors asthmatics can trust. The doctors will advise them a proper diet and identify what causes the allergic reaction because there are tests. Marami ng tulong ngayon. Their doctors can give them a regimen.”

Again, asthma should never control one’s life. Teesha now pursues her dream to become a doctor, specializing in pediatric pulmonology, and will use her story to become a more compassionate physician, creating a partnership with patients. Teesha has done advocacies on female reproductive health before joining SWAA. As for Arnel, he will remain performing with Journey, and the next two years will see him working abroad and back on tour.

Vila

”EAT Bulaga’s” segment “Kalyeserye” has undoubtedly catapulted Maine Mendoza to fame.

And her ever growing army of social media followers can attest to her ever-growing popularity.

With a total of two million followers on Twitter, Maine Mendoza, also known as Yaya Dub, was ranked bysocialbakers.com as third on the list of fastest-growing celebrity profiles on Twitter worldwide for September. According to the Twitter monitoring site, Maine has gained 1,094,813 followers in just a few months, placing her behind two of the world’s most famous singers, Taylor Swift and Katy Perry.

In terms of location, Maine ranks first on list of fastest-growing celebrity profiles on Twitter in the

With a total of two million followers on Twitter, Maine Mendoza, also known as Yaya Dub, has been ranked by socialbakers.com as third on the list of fastest-growing celebrity profiles on Twitter worldwide for September.

Philippines, for this month.

Coming in at the second spot is

her onscreen partner Alden Richards, who gained a total of 933 896 followers. The tandem is followed by fellow fellow “Eat Bulaga” mainstay Joey de Leon in third place and Vice Ganda of “It’s Showtime” in fourth place.

Meanwhile, the website says Anne Curtis’Twitter account still has the largest audience in the Philippines with over 8 million followers at present, followed

by Angel Locsin with 6.8 million followers and Vice Ganda with 6.08 million followers.

The website based the rankings on three categories: the total number of profiles followed from a specific Twitter profile, the total number of followers of a specific Twitter profile, how likely a user is to recommend a page/profile within his or her network.

Cesar Montano says he misses daughters with Sunshine

by ChuCk

Smith Philstar.com

CESAR Montano is longing for his three daughters with estranged wife Sunshine Cruz.

In an interview with reporters during the press conference for the movie “Nilalang” , the actor said it’s been a long time since he saw his daughters Angel Francheska, Samantha Angeline and Angelina Isabele. This is after Sunshine filed an Anti Violence Against Women and their Children case against Cesar following their split in 2013.

“Well, now wala pa akong masasabi d’un kasi sinama ng dati kong asawa ‘yung pangalan ng tatlong anak ko sa case namin and inside the circle of gag order kaya wala akong masasabi,” Cesar said when asked about her daughters.

Asked if he is able to communicate with her daughters, Cesar said: “Yun ang hindi ginagawa ng... hindi nakikipag-cooperate sila which is actually against the law.

Kasama ‘yun sa agreement namin

Cesar Montano and Sunshine Cruz

pero hindi nila ginagawa.”

The 53-year-old actor added he has exhausted all means to reach out to his daughters.

“Buti na lang nagpapaint ako, may pelikula. But if you’re going to ask me kung sa part na ‘yun masaya ako, I’m not,” he said. Cesar also said: “I miss them more than my life.”

The actor replaced Robin Padilla as the movie’s male lead star. Cesar said he received Robin’s blessing and added he doesn’t mind being

second choice for the role.

“Sa akin, it’s really a great offer for me. Kahit sabihing pang-isang choice ako dito, I was the one who did the role. Ako pa rin yung nakagawa n’ung pelikula For the movie, Cesar worked with former Japanese adult video star Maria Ozawa. He described the 29-year-old actress as “very professional, walang angal.”

“I’m so proud of her,” Cesar said of Maria.

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