ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE
We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
w w w. a s i a n j o u r n a l . c o m
w w w. a s i a n
.com T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r
Volume 23 - No. 15 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages
Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
1210 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204 • Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
USPS stamps drop 2 cents the United states Postal service (UsPs) on sunday, April 10, dropped the price of postage stamps by 2 cents for the first time in almost a century. stamps now cost 47 cents each, down from the 49 cents, a decline that’s expected to cost UsPs $2 billion this year. the expected loss will make it more difficult for the government mail carrier to compete and provide services sought by customers. “Given our precarious financial condition and ongoing business needs, the price reduction...exacerbates our losses,” Postmaster General megan Brennan said in a statement thursday, April 7, as it filed a petition seeking a new rate-setting process. “this unfortunate decision heightens the importance of the review of our ratemaking system.” UsPs is not funded by taxpayer dollars, and it depends on its own revenue sources – such as postage – to cover its operating costs. stamp prices have typically risen to cope with inflation, but customers have paid an “exigent surcharge” in the last two years PAGE A3
San Francisco passes law mandating 6 weeks paid parental leave sAN francisco has become the first municipality in the United states to mandate that businesses provide workers who are new parents with six weeks of fully-paid parental leave. “our country’s parental leave policies are woefully behind the rest of the world, and today san francisco has taken the lead in pushing for better family leave policies for our workers,” supervisor scott Wiener, who supported the bill, said tuesday, April 5, according to USA Today. the city board of supervisors and city council on tuesday, April 5, unanimously passed the measure requiring employers to offer new parents paid leave. the United states is the only industrialized nation that does not require paid parental leave, and California is one among only five states in the nation with a form of paid parental leave. It entitles employees to six weeks PAGE A3
aPril 15-21, 2016
US: Prosecution of rights abuses in PH weak by Jose
KAtigbAK Philstar.com
WAshINGtoN—only a limited number of human rights abuses, including those by paramilitary, insurgent and terrorist groups, are investigated and prosecuted in the Philippines, the Us state Department said.
In its 2015 Country reports on human rights Practices released on Wednesday, April 13, the state Department said the most significant human rights problems in the Philippines continue to be extrajudicial killings and enforced disappearances carried out by security forces, insurgents and
suspected vigilante groups. “the United states is opposed to the use of torture in any form at any time by any government or non-state actor,” secretary of state John Kerry said. “this is a standard that we insist that others meet,” he said.
A weak and overburdened criminal justice system, a meager record of prosecutions and lengthy procedural delays, and widespread official corruption and abuse of power are also persistent problems in the Philippines, the report said. PAGE A2
Napoles to remain in jail by Joel
M. sy egCo And Jefferson AntipordA ManilaTimes.net
eVeN if the sandiganbayan has allowed Janet Lim-Napoles and two lawmakers implicated in the P10-billion Priority Development Assistance fund (PDAf) scam to post bail, the businesswoman will remain in jail because she has been convicted of serious illegal detention, malacañang said on Wednesday, April 13. “It should be emphasized that miss Napoles was convicted in April 2015 by the makati regional trial Court for serious illegal detention. Accordingly, she cannot be released due to such conviction and the several other cases for plunder pending against her,” Communications secretary herminio Coloma Jr. said. Napoles is serving a life term for illegally detaining her former employee, Benhur Luy, the principal witness in the PDAf or pork barrel scam. Coloma said the Palace respects the anti-graft court’s decision, noting that the sandiganbayan is a “separate branch of government under the judiciary.” some senators have expressed dismay over the sandiganbayan decision allowing Napoles and former members of the house of representatives rizalina seachon-Lanete and edgar Valdez to post bail. sen. Grace Poe said while she is aware that the BIG SHOT IN JAIL. Alleged pork barrel scam mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles finds herself in a tight squeeze with other inmates at the Correctional legislature and the executive should not Institute for Women in Mandaluyong City, where she will serve a life term after she was found guilty of illegally detaining her cousin and former interfere with the decision of the judiciary, she employee Benhur Luy. Napoles’ conviction, otherwise a momentous development in a notoriously slow justice system, has been greeted with a believes that Napoles should not be granted bail. seemingly collective shrug that does not bode well for the plunder cases filed against her and several senators and congressmen. Contributed photo from the Correctional Institute for Women
PAGE A2
SF Board of Supervisors unanimously approve resolution forming Filipino Cultural Heritage District by Joseph
l. perAltA
AJPress
sAN frANCIsCo—the san francisco Board of supervisors on tuesday, April 12 unanimously adopted a resolution establishing a filipino Cultural heritage District in the city called soma Pilipinas. the resolution also recognizes the historic contributions and leadership of the filipino community in san francisco.
Authored and introduced by supervisor Jane Kim, the resolution was cosponsored by seven other supervisors, namely John Avalos, David Campos, maila Cohen, eric mar, Aaron Peskin, scott Wiener and Norman Yee. soma Pilipinas-filipino Cultural heritage District, according to the resolution, will be the area bound by 2nd street to the east, 11th street to the west, market street to the north and
Brannan street to the south, as identified in the Western soma Community Plan which was adopted by the Board of supervisors in 2011. It is located within District 6 in san francisco. Per the resolution, soma Pilipinas also includes the I-hotel, Gran oriente, rizal Apartments, the Iloilo Circle building, and surrounding areas, including rizal street and Lapu Lapu street due to the historic and cultural
significance associated with these buildings and areas. Within soma Pilipinas’ boundary lies filipino cultural landmarks, including the san francisco filipino Cultural Center, the Bayanihan Cultural Center, businesses, institutions, residences, places of worship, buildings, activities and organizations like the filipina Women’s Network, Kularts, PAGE A2
Hot, hot day; food shortage feared Pacquiao defeats Bradley in last fight by doris
duMlAo-AbAdillA Inquirer.net
temPerAtUres around the Philippines soared close to “extremely dangerous” levels Wednesday, April 13, as the International rice research Institute (Irri) warned that the world faced another food crisis similar to the 2007-2008 crunch caused by el Niño. the heat index—the actual temperature felt by the body—reached 52.3 degrees Celsius Wednesday in Nueva ecija, breaking the record 51 degrees reported by the weather station in the province on monday, April 11. this was the highest heat index recorded so far since the onset of the dry season in march. It was also just 1.7 degrees lower than the “extreme danger” level of 54 degrees Celsius at which, according to the state weather bureau, heat- Corn stalks in Tuguegarao City have turned brown as temperatures rise, intensified by El Niño. Nearby, the Cagayan River water level has dropped to one of its lowest. stroke is “imminent” under continued Inquirer.net photo by Richard Reyes PAGE A2
Filipino champ returns home to PH
by Agnes
ConstAnte AJPress
If manny Pacquiao’s last time in the ring was indeed on saturday, April 9, then he has ended his career on a high note. the filipino fighter who rose to fame in a rags-to-riches storyline concluded what he has said would be his 12 final rounds as a professional boxer in a victory against two-time former WBo welterweight champion timothy Bradley, Jr., an opponent he has faced in the ring on three occasions. Pacquiao announced he would hang his gloves up after saturday’s bout to focus on serving the Philippines, where he is seeking to win a senate seat on the may 9 election. “As of now, I’m retired,” he said. “I FINAL FIGHT. After 12 grueling rounds, Manny Pacquiao emerged victorious via a unanimous decision against Timothy Bradley Jr. on Saturday, April 9 at the MGM am going to go home and think about Grand in Las Vegas. The judges scored 116-110, 116-110 and 116-110 in favor of Pacquiao. AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal PAGE A3