080417 - Orange County Inland Empire

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 Volume 24 - No. 30 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

.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

AuguSt 4-10, 2017 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

Tillerson to tackle rights issue, Marawi in Manila

by Jose

KatigbaK Philstar.com

WAshINGtoN – U.s. secretary of state rex tillerson is looking forward to having “robust” talks with Philippine officials on human rights issues and the fighting in marawi between Islamic state-inspired terrorists and security forces. this was according to susan thornton, acting Assistant secretary of state for east Asian and Pacific Affairs, as she previewed tillerson’s upcoming visit to manila for regional ministerial meetings. thornton said U.s. and filipino ofPAGE A2

DATELINE

MOBBED. President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) employees upon his arrival at the BIR national office in Quezon City on Wednesday, Aug. 2, for the agency’s 113th Founding Anniversary celebration.

Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

U.S. Secretary of State Rex Tillerson

USA

from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

It’s official: Los Angeles will host 2028 Olympics City promises economic upturn leading up to the games

After weeks of negotiations, the City of Los Angeles has finally locked in a deal with the International olympic Committee (IoC) to host the 2028 summer olympics, a move that officials are confident will be financially advantageous. the deal brings the summer Games back to LA for the third time after the city hosted in 1984 and 1932. “this is a big win for Los Angeles,” Casey Wasserman, chairman of the LA olympic bid committee, told reporters at a news conference on monday, July 31 at the stubhub Center in Carson, California, which is slated to be one of the venues for the 2028 Games. for the last few weeks, the city has been in talks with both the IoC and officials from Paris, a rival bid city about which city shall PAGE A3

US says South China Sea remains a core issue in ASEAN meet the United states said that the conflict in south China sea remains among the major issues to be discussed in Washington’s upcoming meetings with the Association of southeast Asian Nations (AseAN) and other countries. for the first time, U.s. secretary of state rex tillerson will visit the Philippines next week to participate in the AseAN regional forum, the east Asian summit, the Us-AseAN ministerial meeting, and the Lower mekong Initiative meeting. tillerson is expected to meet with his AseAN counterparts and discuss a range of issues, including the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, maritime security, and counterterrorism.

In a press briefing on Wednesday, August 2, the U.s. Department of state Bureau of east Asian and Pacific Affairs dismissed concerns that the south China sea dispute has dropped off as a major issue in AseAN meetings.

“I definitely would not agree that the south PAGE A4

Sen. Angara wants Duterte fires back at Aquino revision of tax rules over comments on drug war on balikbayan box by audrey

Morallo Philstar.com

by Winona

sadia

Inquirer.net

the Department of finance (Dof) should revise its implementing rules on duty- and tax-free balikbayan boxes to give due benefits to millions of overseas filipino workers (ofWs), senator sonny Angara said on tuesday, Aug. 2.

Sen. Sonny Angara Inquirer.net photo Under the Customs Administrative order No. 5-2016, which contains the implementing rules and regulations (Irr) of the Customs modernization tariff Act (CmtA) as signed by the Dof and Bureau of Customs (BoC) in December last year, “all balikPAGE A2

mANILA — President rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, Aug. 2 blasted his predecessor Benigno Aquino III over remarks on the government’s brutal campaign against illegal drugs and threatened to behead the former president if he gets involved in narcotics.

Duterte’s latest tirade, in which he accused some of the former president’s aides of being connected to narcotics, came after Aquino questioned the effectiveness of the government’s war on drugs.

“Sabi ni PNoy [Aquino] parang walang nangyari. Sige, pumasok ka sa droga, PNoy, kung hindi kita pinutulan ng ulo buwang ka. Anong walang nangyari. Gago ka,” said the presi-

Former Pres. Benigno S. Aquino III at the tomb of his parents, former Pres. Corazon C. Aquino and Sen. Ninoy Aquino, on the 8th death anniversary of his mother on Tuesday, Aug. 1.

Inquirer.net photo by Lyn Rillon

dent who regularly uses colorful Duterte said that some of language when he or his policies Aquino’s aides and generals are criticized.

PAGE A4

Asian American voter potential Binay camp: Ombudsman pursuing witch hunt against ex-VP’s family eyed in 2018 and beyond Rep. Judy Chu, Fil-Am actor/ activist Lou Diamond Phillips discuss importance of mobilizing the AAPI electorate

by Klarize

Medenilla

AJPress

By now, many are seeing the significance of the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) electorate following the 2016 general election.

Particularly, the AAPI community won big during the senate races and AAPI voter turnout was the largest in American history.

As previously reported in the Asian Journal, the Asian American electorate is the fastest-growing PAGE A2

Fil-Am actor and activist Lou Diamond Philips speaks at an AAPI voter panel at Politicon on Saturday, July 29.

Photos courtesy of Getty on behalf of Politicon

by rosette

adel

Philstar.com

mANILA — the camp of former Vice President Jejomar “Jojo” Binay is not surprised at the recent indictment of him and his son, dismissed makati City mayor Jejomar erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr., on graft charges.

Joey salgado, spokesperson for the former vice president, said the allegations against the Binays have already been answered but that was “apparently disregarded by the ombudsman.”

“the ombudsman has time and again disregarded her agency’s internal rules, due process, and Constitutional rights to pursue her witch hunt against former VP Binay and his family,” salgado said in a statement.

“It once again underscores the selective prosecution of the Binays and the ombudsman’s tendency to look the other way when other political personalities are involved,” he added. ombudsman Conchita Carpio morales has ordered filing of mulPAGE A2

Dismissed Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr., and former Vice Pres. Jejomar Binay Philstar.com photo

A

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

august 4-10, 2017 • OC/IE asIaN JOuRNaL

From the Front Page

Tillerson to tackle rights issue...

PAGE A1 ficials were still working out the final details of bilateral talks.

Tillerson will also visit Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur during his trip to the region on Aug. 5-9.

In Manila, he will participate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Regional Forum, the East Asian Summit, the US-ASEAN ministerial meet-

ing and the Lower Mekong Initiative meeting.

Thornton said the U.S. delegation was looking forward to the trip to Manila partly because of the chance to have a “good, robust bilateral program with the Philippines while we’re there on the margins of the ministerial meetings.”

She made the statement when

asked if Tillerson had any plans to meet directly with President Duterte, who was slammed at a U.S. congressional hearing last week for reportedly encouraging extrajudicial killings in his war on drugs.

Thornton said both sides were still working out the final details of the schedule of that bilateral meeting.

“We have a lot of things to talk about, obviously. The Philippines is right now grappling with a very difficult situation in the southern island of Mindanao with the ISIS takeover of one of the cities down there,” she said.

“But certainly, we will be talking about governance, about human rights issues and about how we can increase our economic and other kinds of people-topeople engagement with the Philippines.”

She said the Philippines was one of America’s very important and oldest friends and partners in the region, and “we are looking forward to being able to burnish the relationship and restore those bonds of friendship.”

Thornton said Tillerson would have other bilateral meetings while in Manila, including one with the Chinese.

Binay camp: Ombudsman...

PAGE A1 tiple counts of graft and falsification against the Binays in two separate resolutions approved last Tuesday, Aug. 1. The charges are in connection with the P1.3 billion Makati Science High School building project.

Aside from the Makati Science building deal, the Binays were also accused of graft and plunder in over the alleged overpriced construction of Makati City Hall Building II. Salgado said he is positive that the Binays are not guilty of the charges they are facing.

“Former VP Jojo Binay and former [Mayor] Junjun are confident that in a fair and impartial trial, they will be able to clear their names and dispute the baseless charges of patently biased Ombudsman,” Salgado said.

:8IG< ;@<D 8KK<EK@FE @DD@>I8K@FE C8NP<IJ C<>8C @DD@>I8K@FE `j X 9@> @JJL< k_\j\ [Xpj% D8EP `e fli Zfddle`kp E<<; pfli j\im`Z\j% K_\i\ Xi\ k_fljXe[j n_f dXp nXek kf \og\[`k\ k_\`i i\j`[\eZp fi glijl\ ]lcc Z`k`q\ej_`g Ylk [feËk befn _fn kf Y\^`e Xe[ n_\i\ kf ^f%

JK8E; FLK =IFD K?< G8:B% 8J@8E AFLIE8CËJ GIF=<JJ@FE8C J<IM@:<J ;@I<:KFIP# n`cc efn Y\ ilee`e^ n\\bcp# \m\ip =i`[Xp f] E\n Pfib& E\n A\ij\p <[`k`fe%

8AËj GJ; ZXe _\cg PFL i\XZ_ flk kf k_\d X]]fi[XYcp Xe[ \]]\Zk`m\cp%

:8CC PFLI 8::FLEK D8E8><I )() -,,$,+)8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j%

Fli gi`ek \[`k`fej ile `e kXe[\d n`k_ 8AËj Gi`ek <[`k`fe Fec`e\% Fec`e\1 _kkg1&&`jjll%Zfd&Xj`XeaflieXc[`^`kXc\[`k`fe

HEARING ON TAX REFORM. Senator Juan Edgardo Angara, chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means, shares a light moment with Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon and Senator Nancy Binay as they field questions to officials from the Department of Finance during the latest hearing on the proposed Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) bills on Wednesday, Aug. 2. The TRAIN bills are among the priority legislative measures being pushed for enactment into law by the Duterte administration within the 17th Congress.

Senate photo by Albert Calvelo

Sen. Angara wants revision of tax...

PAGE A1

bayan boxes per sender in any calendar year shall not exceed P150,000.”

This rule, Angara said, was contrary to the intent of the CMTA, which allows OFWs to send up to three P150,000-worth of duty- and tax-free balikbayan boxes, or not exceeding the amount of P450,000 in a year, given that the goods are not in commercial quantities.

“Ang intensyon ng CMTA ay gawing tax-free ang balikbayan boxes na may halagang P150,000 times three kada taon, at hindi P150,000 divided by three (The intention of CMTA is to make tax-free the balikbayan boxes amounting to P150,000 times three per year, and not P150,000 divided by three),” Angara said during an oversight committee hearing on the review of CMTA’s implementation.

“Ang bawat balikbayan box ay karaniwang naglalaman ng

P80,000 worth of items. Talagang pinag-iipunan po ito ng ating mga magigiting na OFW. Kung kaya, para dagdag pakunswelo sa kanila, ginawa nating P150,000 ang tax-free kada kahon (Each balikbayan box usually contains around P80,000 worth of items.

This is our OFWs’ heard-earned money. That is why to provide additional comfort to them, we made it P150,000 the amount of each box that is tax free),” the lawmaker added.

But DOF Assistant Secretary Mark Joven explained during the hearing that there was an “ambiguity” in the language of the law which led to the Finance Department misinterpreting the said provision.

Ang Asosasyon sang Mangunguma nga Bisaya-Owa (AAMBIS-OWA) party-list Representative Sharon Garin, a member of the oversight committee and who was part of the CMTA bicameral committee, said the DOF should

have reviewed the records of the bicameral hearing which could help them determine the intent of the law.

Angara then urged the BOC and the DOF to immediately resolve the issues on the IRR of the balikbayan box law as Christmas season is nearing and this is the period when OFWs send their gifts to their loved ones in the country.

“Magbe-Ber months na naman po at sigurado akong nagsisimula nang mamili ng mga ipapadala ang ating mga kababayan abroad. Noong nakaraang taon pa namin naipasa ito. Sana ay mapakinabangan na ngayon ng ating mga OFW ang mga benepisyong hatid ng batas na ito (‘Ber’ months are coming and I’m sure our fellow Filipinos abroad are already buying stuff they intend to send here. We passed this since last year. I’m hoping our OFWs can benefit from this law),” he said.

Asian American voter potential eyed...

PAGE A1 voter group in the United States — and political organizations are taking notice.

At this year’s Politicon, the annual nonpartisan political convention held in LA, Rep. Judy Chu (D-Calif.) acknowledged the shift in the overall American electorate.

“Asian Pacific Islanders are on the rise in this nation and I see it with my own eyes,” said Chu, who became the first Chinese American woman elected to the U.S. Congress in 2009.

Chu was one of the panelists at the convention’s panel called “Asian American and PAcific Islanders: Crucial Vote in Swing States” which explored the potential impact of AAPIs in the American political system.

Chu, who also chair of the Congressional Asian Pacific American Caucus (CAPAC), sung the many achievements of Asian Americans in the last election alone: the number of AAPIs in Congress jumped from 13 to 18 (the most in U.S. history), the “unexpected” election of three Asian American women in the U.S. Senate and the highest voter turnout for AAPIs in U.S. history (35 percent, nationwide).

Notably, she discussed the impact of AAPI voters in swing states. For example, 9 percent of Nevada’s population are AAPIs, but 69 percent of them voted for Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton for the 2016 presidential election; Clinton ended up winning the state.

In Virginia, another swing state, AAPIs are 5 percent of the population and 81 percent of AAPIs voted for Clinton; Clinton also ended up winning Virginia.

“The potential for the AAPIs to be the swing vote is enormous, and that’s what I mean when I say we can go from being marginalized to the margin of victory,” Chu said to massive applause.

The congresswoman emphasized the importance of the AAPI role in the 2018 midterm elections, which are “critical” and can give the Democratic Party (the party preference for a majority of AAPIs) a chance to win back the House.

During midterm elections, the opposing party of the current president historically wins more seats. But Chu discussed going further and tackling historically Republican districts that voted for Clinton, many of which are in California.

California’s 45th congressional district — which comprises

of a heavy Republican votership from Orange to Mission Viejo — voted for Clinton and has an open congressional seat in 2018. The state’s 48th district (centered in Huntington Beach) also has an open seat next year.

Both these districts have a strong AAPI votership that have the power to shift the midterms.

“Can you imagine, if you mobilize those voters and get them to turn out and get them to be the swing vote, how we could turn those seats and win back the House? It would make a huge difference,” Chu said.

Also on the panel was Filipino-American actor and activist Lou Diamond Phillips, who discussed the shift happening among younger AAPIs. “We’re seeing a generation that is starting to embrace their own and perhaps even break away from the more stained traditions of their immigrant parents. They’re becoming more vocal which is exactly what we need,” the actor said.

Phillips is no stranger to social activism. Since the early 2000s, he has been an outspoken advocate for the Filipino Equity Act, which called for stronger recognition and benefits for Filipino World War II Veterans.

He has also actively fought for rights of Native Americans One thing all the panelists agreed on was that prospective representatives — on local, statewide and national platforms — must address the issues of individual communities and avoid treating the AAPI community as a monolith.

“What I don’t want to see is a homogenization of Asian American experience. You cannot necessarily segment or subdivide the Asian vote,” Phillips asserted. “There are so many of us classified as Asian, and each of these individual communities must be addressed and not just washed over the same big brush. So it’s going to be incumbent upon representatives to address our community’s needs, individually.”

Also on the panel were MSNBC journalist and anchor Richard Lui, political strategist Bill Wong and founder and president of the Millennial Action Project Steven Olikara.

Fil-Ams weigh in on representation, urge AAPIs to become politically active Asian Americans in the public eye are not the only ones noticing the impact of AAPI participation in the political system.

Helen Ronaldo of Buena

Park, California became “more politically minded” during a high school class government class where she learned about the importance of Asian American representation in governing roles.

“I realized that up until recently, the people governing our country were basically all white, straight men who were ignorant of the issues facing many demographics. I’m happy to be alive at this time when we’re seeing a shift in our government in term of diversity, but there’s still a lot of work to be done,” Ronaldo, 18, told the Asian Journal after the panel on Saturday.

The future political science major at Cal Poly Pomona added that although she advocates a more diverse pool of lawmakers, she notes that “it’s not about filling a quota”, but rather “it’s all about who is best fit for the job.”

“Historically, a lot of people weren’t elected because of their race, ethnicity, religion or sexual orientation,” Ronaldo remarked. “There are a lot of qualified folks from the Asian community who can serve all Americans and shed a light on people who were once ignored by senators, Congressmen and other political leaders. Representation is really important in all spheres, but especially in our government because our government is supposed to be a representation of all of America.”

Jun Uy also believes in the importance of representation to mobilize the AAPI community and praised Asian Americans currently serving in the government, notably CA Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Alameda) — who is the first and only Filipino American in the state Legislature — and Sens. Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) and Tammy Duckworth (D-Illinois).

“I rally behind them, not just because of their ethnicity though, but because now I can rest easy and know that there’s someone who has my interests in mind and understands the Asian American experience,” Uy, a social worker living in Burbank, told the Asian Journal.

“It’s like when you see videos of little girls who are excited about Wonder Woman: there’s finally a mainstream female superhero on the forefront. They’re excited that there’s someone who looks like them making waves, and that’s how I feel about seeing Asian faces in government, as well as entertainment and other places.”

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline USa

Congressional Gold Medal updates and activities mark 76th anniversary of Filipino WWII Veterans’ ‘Duty to Country’

by Jon

Melegrito

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project (FilVetREP) commemorated July 26 as the anniversary of President Franklin Roosevelt’s Military Order 81 for Filipino soldiers in World War II by announcing national activities and updates for the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal, with a National Celebration in Washington, DC. “Today, we take this opportunity to remember the insurmountable sacrifices these courageous soldiers made for our country and rededicate ourselves to making sure a grateful nation appropriately recognizes their service,” said FilVetREP National Chair, retired U.S. Army Major General Antonio M. Taguba. “We echo President Roosevelt’s Call to Service for the Filipino soldiers of WWII and call on our communities across the Nation to the unfinished work of recognizing their Duty to Country.”

“Recognizing Filipino World War II veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal is long overdue,” said Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-Hawaii). “This announcement brings us closer to honoring thousands of veterans and their families for their service to the United States. As we mark 76 years since President Roosevelt’s call-to-arms, which inspired many of these veterans to volunteer to serve our country, I will continue to work with FilVetREP to see this effort through.”

National updates Last week, FilVetREP leadership has made significant progress in moving forward to a final Congressional Gold Medal and National Presentation: On July 24, FilVetREP Leadership met with House Speaker Paul Ryan’s (R-WI) senior staff to discuss plans for the official National Presentation ceremony of the Congressional Gold Medal. Working with Senate and House offices, FilVetREP is engaging in the planning process and will be making announcements in the coming weeks on dates, location, and logistics.

On July 25, General Taguba

sent an official letter to the U.S. Mint making a formal request for the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal including a preferred design for the obverse and reverse (front and back) of the medal. As the officially designated National Liaison to the U.S. Mint for the Filipino WWII Veterans Congressional Gold Medal, General Taguba and FilVetREP leadership have been providing historical background and feedback to the U.S. Mint in a months long process for the design of the Congressional Gold Medal. The final Congressional Gold Medal design will be selected by the Department of the Treasury.

To mark the anniversary of President Roosevelt’s Call to Service, FilVetREP leadership is taking part in activities around the country to commemorate “Duty to Country” (List of events in formation): July 20, 2017 - Filipino Young Professionals and NaFFAA Region 2 Fundraiser, Washington, DC https://www.facebook.com/ profile.php?id=1123725927183 87&ref=br_rs July 21, 2017 - FANHS - TX Issues #BalutChallenge4Vets https://www.facebook. com/FilVetREP/videos/17 26447400729184/?hc_ ref=ARTSh8kIP38z3-Vz8SfATdMdqXPShPTCXj3RgTlUSbHtKSUhzbUffqjWjC7Fny614hI July 22, 2017 - Special fundraiser in San Francisco by Genevieve Jopanda. https://www. gofundme.com/FilVetREP July 27, 2017 - Summer Fun Fest Outreach for FilVetREP Region 6, Buckley AFB, Aurora, CO https://www.facebook. com/BuckleyAirForceBase/ posts/1508404585847051

July 29, 2017 - NaFFAA Region 3A Empowerment Conference, Columbus, OH https://www.facebook.com/ events/1873099516234971 August 12, 2017 - Pistahan Festival, San Francisco, CA http://www.pistahan.net/ August 12, 2017 - Fiesta in America, Secaucus, NJ http://fiestainamerica.com/ Sept 30, 2017 – FAHNS – CA Fundraising Event http://www. fanhs-national.org/ Ongoing work to raise funds for the work to properly recognize Filipino WWII veterans with the Congressional Gold Medal is happening around the country.

Donations will support making sure veterans receive bronze replicas of the Congressional Gold Medal, programming and events in Washington, DC for the official Presentation of the Congressional Gold Medal, and to create and implement an education program to ensure an enduring legacy for the Filipino WWII veterans. Funds are being accepted on FilVetREP’s web site: https://www.filvetrep.org/ donatetoday.

Historical background On July 26, 1941, President Franklin Roosevelt issued a Military Order (6 Fed. Reg. 3825), directing all organized military units in the Commonwealth of the Philippines – Philippine Army, Philippine Scouts, Philippine Constabulary, and separate combat into service in defense of the United States. Eventually, 250,000 soldiers rallied and willingly served under the command of General Douglas MacArthur in the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East. These soldiers would serve under some of the most grueling and brutal conditions of the war, including the Bataan Death March.

It’s official: Los Angeles will host...

PAGE A1

host the 2024 and 2028 games.

Last month, the IOC complicated the competition for the 2024 Games when it named two winners in LA and Paris.

The latter city is slated to host the 2024 Games.

“There is no other metaphor.

It was a marathon,” LA Mayor Eric Garcetti said at the press conference. “A couple times, we were counted out altogether. But we never hit a wall. We never lost our focus, and today we are at the finish line.”

“We are here today to make history,” Garcetti said. “I’m proud to say the Olympics are coming back to the United States of America.”

According to Wasserman, the predicted contribution from the IOC to Paris in 2024 will be $1.7 billion. Significantly, the IOC contribution to LA in 2028 would be at least $2 billion because of the sponsorship money the city is predicted to receive.

Additionally, LA would also generate more savings and supplementary revenue in domestic sponsorship deals that would be unclaimed by international corporate partners of the IOC. Usually, the bulk of contri-

butions from the IOC isn’t sent to the host cities until a couple years before the games, but the IOC has agreed to give LA an advance of $180 million that will cover the organizing committee’s costs for the additional four years.

Notably, as much as $160 million of the advanced contribution will be funneled into public youth sports programs, which Garcetti promised could see increased funding as soon as within the next year.

Moreover, LA’s bid estimate includes a $487.6 million contingency, money set aside for cost overruns to avoid huge financial blows that have plagued host cities in the past. If the 2028 games finish at or are under budget, that contingency would be converted into a surplus; and, city officials have made a deal to keep most of that money.

“I can look people in the eye and say this is a much stronger deal financially,” Garcetti said.

“I want something for the people of LA now. I want the excitement to build.”

Garcetti, who led the city’s campaign to bring the Olympics back, is positive that the terms

of the agreement should “outweigh” any perceived uncertainties in hosting a massive global event 11 years in advance.

Addressing the costs of infrastructure and transportation projects the city has lined up, Garcetti assured that upcoming city projects were not dependent on the bid, adding that the city is “modeling the Olympics around the city, and not modeling the city around the Olympics.”

Experts have said that rather than constructing new stadiums and arenas, LA could save billions by relying on existing venues such as the Staples Center, the Coliseum, and the StubHub Center. Additionally, rather than constructing a new Olympic Village, athletes and members of the media could be housed at the UCLA and USC campuses.

When asked whether he was upset the city lost the heavilycampaigned-for 2024 Olympic Games, Garcetti said that hosting 2028 is more beneficial to Angelenos.

“What we were able to negotiate — this deal was too good to pass up,” Garcetti said. “This legacy can inspire a whole new generation.” (Klarize Medenilla/ AJPress)

LET THERE BE LIGHT. Energy officials push the button, signifying the energization of the National Electrification Administration’s (NEA) 12 millionth consumer in Tagum City, Davao del Norte on Wednesday, Aug. 2. In photo are NEA board members Rene Gonzales and Agustin Maddatu, Department of Energy Undersecretary Petronilo Ilagan, NEA chief Edgardo Masongsong, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi, Sen. Sherwin Gatchalian, and Assistant Secretary Jonas Soriano led the lighting ceremony during NEA’s celebration of its 48th founding anniversary and the launch of the 8th National Electrification Awareness Month.

PNA photo by Abs A. Abando

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 4-10, 2017

A

A

Dateline USa

august 4-10, 2017 • OC/IE asIaN JOuRNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

Top Rank to consider Horn vs Crawford if Pacquiao retires

WBO welterweight championship.

The 29-year-old Australian is likewise looking at a rematch with Pacquiao, but if that doesn’t materialize, he is ready to move on.

The other day on social media, horn called out IBF champion errol Spence for a unification bout, stressing he only wants big fights from now on.

But Top Rank is more inclined to match horn with Crawford, the unbeaten WBC and WBO super lightweight champion who was once also considered for Pacquiao.

“If Manny decides to retire, then Jeff horn could look at a fight with Terence Crawford if that made sense for everybody,” Moretti added.

But first, Crawford has to get past Julius Indongo on August 19, then Pacquiao has to announce he is leaving the sport – which is unlikely for now, as the Filipino icon had said he will continue fighting “until the passion is gone.”

For now, Top Rank is on a waitand-see mode.

“But like anything else, it’s tough to predict now what’s going to be the case four months from now. You just have to play it out Philstar.com photos on every angle,” said Moretti.

“Well, I don’t know right now [what will happen with Jeff horn].

You got the rematch being discussed between Jeff horn and Manny Pacquiao, so depending on what happens with that decision, it could impact Crawford in some ways or it could not,” said Moretti.

There has been no word from Pacquiao’s camp regarding his next plans, other than the fighting senator previously stating he wants the chance to get back at horn.

For his part, horn, who shocked the world when he defeated Pacquiao last month in Brisbane, Australia, is eager to defend the

by Dino

MaRagay Philstar.com

MANNY Pacquiao’s longtime promoter is ready to move on with plans for its latest champion, Jeff horn, in case the Filipino icon calls it quits.

While the company is expecting a rematch between Pacquiao and horn, it is also willing to pit the Australian against another star in its stable — the undefeated Terence Crawford.

In an interview with On The Ropes Boxing Radio, Top Rank Vice President Carl Moretti said they are eagerly awaiting word from Pacquiao.

Manny Pacquiao, Jeff Horn and Terence Crawford

Duterte fires back at Aquino over comments...

PAGE A1

were involved in the trade of illegal drugs in the country during his administration. he also accused a former aide to former Interior Secretary Manuel Roxas of being connected to illicit drugs.

Duterte said at the anniversary of the Bureau of Internal Revenue: “Mga generals mo noon, yang aide mo, aide ni [Manuel] Roxas puro nasa droga konektado.”

The president particularly zeroed in on Vicente Loot, a former police official and now mayor of Daanbantayan in Cebu, whom he accused of threatening him.

“Number 1 diyan yung bata niyo si General Loot. Isa pa yang ulol na yan. I don’t know kung nandito si Loot. P****g ina mo, huwag mo ako takutin general ka,” he said.

In a report by The Freeman on Tuesday, Aug. 1, Loot said that the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group regional office in the Central Visayas had “cleared him

of alleged involvement in drugs and criminal activities, his alleged failure to implement the anti-drug and criminality programs of the Department of Interior and Local Government, as well as his alleged unexplained wealth.”

“It’s also very clear during (the) Senate investigation that I am a victim of influence peddling by subordinates who want to take advantage of my name,” Loot said.

“Anyway, I’m willing to submit myself again to any investigation if so required to clear my name.”

Aquino’s comments During the 8th death anniversary of former President Corazon Aquino on Tuesday, her son said that during the first year of Duterte’s administration, the number of drug users was still at 1.8 million, unchanged from the figure reported when he left office June last year.

“Nung kami, 1.8 million at sa isang taon nitong all-out na kampanya laban sa drugs, 1.8 million pa rin ang sinasabi ng survey, at

survey na nila yan,” Aquino told reporters.

Duterte and his subordinates have since said that the number of drug users in the Philippines is closer to 4 million, citing intelligence reports.

‘Cynicism borne of a history of political opportunism’ ernesto Abella, presidential spokesperson, touted the government’s achievements in its drug campaign, saying that it resulted in the surrender of more than 1.3 million drug suspects.

“With all due respect to former President Aquino, the results of PRRD’s anti-illegal drug campaign speak for themselves,” Abella said in a statement. “Comments like the above from past leaders imply a jaded cynicism borne of a history of political opportunism.”

For Salvador Panelo, the chief presidential legal counsel, Aquino’s comments were “shamelessly cocky and an outrageous chutzpah.”

WE ARE

HIRING Asian Journal Publications is now looking for:

Customer Sales and Service Representative Fax résumé to:

info@asianjournalinc.com

Contributed photos by Jhay Oh Otamias

Philippine team wins silver at Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival

by Rae

ann VaRona AJPress

The Philippines Dragon Boat Alliance Team (Alliance) took silver in both the Men’s and Women’s 500-meter events and placed 6th overall in the Toyota Super Dragon Final during the annual 2017 Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival.

The 2017 Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival took place on July 29-30 at Marine Stadium in Long Beach, California, where local and international dragon boat teams from various age groups came together to compete in the annual dragon boat races.

“Over 200 teams from different countries competed in 18 different divisions,” Dr. howard Chen, the festival’s founder and organizer, told the Asian Journal.

Included in the international lineup were teams from Taiwan, Canada, and Singapore, among others, added Chen. Representing the Philippines for the first time in the festival was Alliance. established in 2016, the team consists of Filipino paddlers from different parts of the world including the U.S., Qatar, Dubai, Singapore, Canada, and the Philippines. All were former members of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation (PDBF) teams, the governing body for dragon boating in the Philippines as recognized by the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF).

Although it was Alliance’s first time competing at the festival, which started in 2003, the team was welcomed with a lot of support from the Filipino-American community, including Filipino paddlers from other teams.

“Racing with Alliance is like you are part of [the] Justice League,” Benj Rodrigo, one of the team’s rowers, shared with the Asian Journal. “We support each other and fight together.”

With members from all over the world, Alliance only trained together as a boat for a couple of days before the festival, but have been communicating regularly via group chat.

“We were competing with teams who trained together the whole year round,” Alliance Team Captain John Panuelos told theAsian Journal. Because Alliance consists of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the team was only able to squeeze in around two hours of practice together total. Rodrigo is based in Singapore, Panuelos in Abu Dhabi, their co-captain from Qatar, and their coach from the Philippines.

Nevertheless, they were able to pull through, bagging two silver medals and placing 6th overall in the Toyota Super Dragon. Among their competitors were national teams from the U.S. and Taiwan.

Rodrigo, who started rowing in 2014 back in the Philippines, was glad to be representing the country at the festival.

“It was my first time pacing in a big event while representing our country,” he shared. “I kept reminding myself that every stroke of my paddle was for my country.”

Dragon boat festivals, or Duanwu Jie, have many origin stories. One, which the Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival refers to, goes back to Qu Yuan, an ancient poet who served as a top advisor to the Chu state’s king during the Warring States period of China. Slandered by jealous officials upon advice he gave to the king, he was sent into exile where he wrote poems.

In 278 BC, the capital of Chu was conquered by the Qin state. This lead Qu Yuan to commit suicide by drowning himself in the Miluo River on the 5th day of the 5th lunar month. Saddened by his death, locals began to row out searching for his body. This eventually became a festival commemorating his death spanning over 2,000 years throughout southern China. The water sport gradually gained popularity abroad including in the Philippines.

“Dragon boat racing has been popular in the Philippines for some time,” said Panuelos. The country holds many dragon boat festivals and regattas with the biggest being the Cherifer Premium-PDBF Dragon Boat Regatta in Manila Bay. Rodrigo’s Philippine home team, Triton Dragon Boat Racing Team, just

recently held its first-ever Triton PCL Dragonboat Cup in July, which he said was a success.

According to the PDBF, more than 30 teams have been organized in the Philippines, comprising of students, professionals, businessmen, and military personnel. Aside from the country’s National Team, which holds many world records, club teams have been active in dragon boat races across Asia, Australia, europe, the U.S., and Canada.

At the recent 2017 Taiwan International Dragon Boat Championships held in July, the Philippines set a new world record, taking gold in the 20-seater men’s 200m along with three other gold medals, according to the Manila Bulletin.

The feeling of reaching the finish line together as a team is one of Rodrigo’s favorite things about racing.

“It’s a team sport,” he said, adding that Alliance felt like being with family. “You are not doing it for yourself, but you’re doing it for everybody and for the team.”

For Panuelos, the whole process is what he enjoys most. “From prep to the actual race, to getting results and seeing what we have accomplished...every race is different,” he added.

Prior to the Long Beach Dragon Boat Festival, Alliance participated in the 21st Annual Kaiser Permanente Northern California International Dragon Boat Festival at Lake Merritt in Oakland, California last year, where they won four gold medals and one bronze.

US says South China Sea remains a core...

PAGE A1 China Sea has in any way dropped off. It’ll certainly be a focus of the discussion also in Manila… it certainly hasn’t been knocked out of the front of our minds and it will be a focus at the upcoming meetings,” the department’s Acting Assistant Secretary Susan Thornton said.

According to her, the U.S. government will “continue to press for language” that makes Washington’s “dedication to protect and defend the freedom of navigation and overflight” in the South China Sea “clear.”

She cited that Washington also made a “number of conversations with allies and partners in the region about their concerns over latent tensions and continued concerns” over the disputes in the area.

“We’ll press for due regard for legal processes, dispute resolution mechanisms, and upholding, certainly, international law and the UN (United Nations) Convention on the Law of the Sea,” Thornton added.

While the U.S. government welcomes the framework on the code of conduct in South China Sea, which has been discussed

and agreed among the ASeAN states and China, Washington said will also continue “to call for the rapid adoption of an effective [COC].”

The ASeAN foreign ministers are expected to adopt the COC framework during the ASeANChina Ministerial Meeting on Sunday, August 6.

“The framework is really just the outline of what would be the content of the agreement and the agreement still needs to be negotiated, and we would like to see it negotiated expeditiously and we would also like to see the eventual code of conduct contain effective measures to — for restraint and for dispute resolution, and also that the — whatever the agreement eventually contains, that the content be considered by all parties to be legally binding,” Thornton said.

In what appeared to be a “soft” stance in the maritime issue, the ASeAN ministers, in its leaked draft statement, only “took note” of its concerns over the developments in South China Sea. The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) did not verify the accuracy of the leaked joint communique but said “there

Secretary Susan Thornton, Acting Secretary for the U.S. Department of State Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affair

is every likelihood that it could still evolve.”

“The views, the concerns of all ASeAN member states will be expressed in the joint communique and it will be adopted by consensus as different from the chairman statement where the chairman is free to reflect whatever he or she believes is an accurate representation of the discussions on the floor of that meeting,” DFA Spokesperson Robespierre Bolivar told reporters on Thursday, August 3.

(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • AUgUSt 4-10, 2017

D ateline PhiliPPines PNP vows more operations against drug personalities

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

The Philippine National Police (PNP) on Tuesday, August 1, warned that more operations against personalities involved in illegal drugs will be conducted “without fear or favor.”

In a press conference, PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa said the police is building more cases against those tagged in illegal drugs nationwide, following the raid in Ozamiz City that led to the death of 15 people, including its mayor, Reynaldo Parojinog Sr. he remarked that the operation in Ozamiz City should serve as a warning to others who remain in the illegal drug trade.

“We are now conducting a case buildup against them, and when there is a case already, we will operate,” Dela Rosa said.

According to him, the PNP will base its case buildup on a list of alleged drug lords and narco politicians earlier announced by President Rodrigo Duterte.

The PNP chief, however, assured that those who were erroneously tagged in the list have nothing to fear, as the results of police investigations would

PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa ManilaTimes.net photo

surely show whether they are involved in narcotics or not.

“But if we are able to validate that their involvement in illegal drugs is continuing, then they have to prepare themselves. As I said, the PNP operates without fear or favor,” Dela Rosa added.

The PNP Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) previously filed drug trafficking charges against businessman Peter lim, Rolan “Kerwin” espinosa, convicted drug lord Peter Co, and five others.

The suspected drug personalities are all facing a complaint

-- which was filed on July 5 -regarding the alleged violation of Section 26 (b) of RA 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. Section 26 (b) is an attempt or conspiracy for the sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution and transportation of any dangerous drug and/or controlled precursor and essential chemical. earlier this week, the Department of Justice (DOJ) ordered the eight suspects to submit their respective counter-affidavits. The preliminary investigation of the case is set on August 14.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano N. Aguirre II also issued an immigration lookout bulletin order (Ilbo)against the accused.

Aside from lim, espinosa, and Co, also charged were lovely Adam Impal, Jun Pepito, Rupel Malindangan, Max Miro, and Marcelo Adorco.

Co is currently detained at the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa City, while espinosa is under the government witness protection for testifying against Sen. leila de lima. Impal, on the other hand, was named by espinosa as his supplier of illegal drugs.

Duterte defends cops involved in Parajinog slay pull the trigger, you would end up with a dead police or a dead military soldier,” Duterte told reporters in a media briefing on Wednesday. he added that his order to the police and the military was to destroy organizations, both suppliers and users, involved in the illegal drug trade.

Malacañang earlier said that the raids in Ozamiz City were part of the government’s intensified war on drugs.

“The administration vowed to intensify the drug campaign,” presidential spokesperson ernesto Abella said last Sunday.

Abella added that the Parojinogs were included on the president’s list of personalities allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade.

Meanwhile, Ozamiz City Vice Mayor Nova Princess Parojinogechavez urged Duterte to look into the raids in her family’s residences, leading to the death of her parents and 13 others.

“I am asking President Duterte to investigate this. he should look at it thoroughly. he knows my father,” she said.

She claimed that the illegal drugs and firearms reportedly found at their residences were planted and that the raiding team removed hard drives of the closed-circuit television cameras installed in their homes.

Philippine National Police chief Ronald dela Rosa admitted that it was wrong for the CIDG to remove the hard drive of the cameras installed in the Parojinog residences.

VACC leaders show off their impeachment complaint against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno.

Inquirer.net photo by Marc Jayson Cayabyab

by Patricia LourDeS Philstar.com

Viray

MANIlA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, Aug. 2 justified the bloody police raid in Ozamiz City which resulted in the death of Mayor Reynaldo Parojinog, his wife and 13 others. last Sunday, members of the Philippine National Police-Criminal Investigation and Detection Group raided homes of alleged illegal drug personalities in Ozamiz City in Misamis Occidental.

Duterte said it was part of his order to the police and the military to kill alleged illegal drug personalities. “(To) the police and the military (I) said: ‘Make sure that their enemies are dead.’ Otherwise, the other guy can still

Sereno impeachment case eyed over purchase of luxury car

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

PhIlIPPINe Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice Ma. lourdes Sereno is facing a possible impeachment case over her reported order purchase of a luxury sportutility vehicle (SUV) using judiciary funds. lawyer lorenzo “larry” Gadon, president of Pro-Duterte Constitutional Reformers to Federalism, said Sereno’s purchase of the “immodest and extravagant” vehicle can be considered as betrayal of public trust, which is grounds for impeachment.

Using government funds, Sereno reportedly ordered the purchase of a Toyota land Cruiser worth over P5 million for her official business.

About P3 to P4 million, also from government funds, was allegedly used for the bullet-proofing of the said vehicle.

While Gadon said Sereno is entitled to buy a vehicle as a high government official, the lawyer insisted that it should not be too expensive.

“She (Sereno) is entitled to buy a vehicle. The issue here is why is it too expensive and too luxurious when there are other models that are cheaper but have the same function,” Gadon reasoned.

The lawyer further remarked that President Rodrigo Duterte himself only uses a second-hand vehicle. “even President Duterte did not ask for a new car and the one he uses is only a second-hand,” Ga-

don said, claiming that Sereno’s predecessors did not buy luxury vehicles using public funds as well.

The lawyer also pointed out that the dealer’s website shows that the cost of the SUV was only around P4.5 million, which is about P600,000 less than the P5.1 million acquired by the high Court for Sereno.

Sought for a statement, the camp of the chief justice refused to give any comments on the issue.

“There will be an appropriate time for comments on things like those. This is not the time,” SC Spokesperson Theodore Te told reporters.

Apart from the car purchase, Gadon also questioned Sereno’s alleged undeclared earnings in her Statement of Assets, liabilities and Net Worth (SAlN) when she was a private lawyer and represented the government in an arbitration case.

In his complaint, the lawyer claimed that the chief justice deliberately excluded” in her SAlN the alleged “exorbitant lawyer’s fees” amounting to $745,000 or P37 million.

“Accordingly, the failure of Respondent Sereno to be truthful in her SAlN is another instance of culpable violation of the Constitution that merits her immediate dismissal from the service,” Gadon said.

Additionally, he accused the Sereno of committing corruption for allegedly using taxpayers’ money to “stay in opulent hotels

when attending conferences in the Philippines and abroad, and flying on business or first class together with her staff and security.”

“She used public funds to flaunt her extravagance by unnecessarily bringing a huge entourage of lawyers in her supposed official foreign trips,” he said.

According to him, Sereno “organized an international conference in Shangri-la Boracay and got herself billeted in the Presidential Villa, easily a P200,000-a-night room” last year. he also pointed out that she “obstructed justice by ordering the Muntinlupa City judges not to issue warrants of arrest” on drug charges against Sen. leila de lima.

On Wednesday, August 2, Gadon said members of the house of Representatives are willing to endorse his complaint but he was advised to secure at least 10 signatures from other house members.

“They wanted more [of their colleagues] to sign the complaint, not just one or two,” he said.

Under the Constitution, an impeachment complaint filed by a non-house member is only considered official if endorsed by a house member.

A separate impeachment complaint against Sereno has been filed on Wednesday by Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption (VACC) Chair Dante Jimenez and Vanguard of the Philippine Constitution (VCPI) President eligio Mallari, but no member of the house endorsed their complaint.

A

A UNAIDS report showed that the number of new HIV infections in the Philippines increased from 4,300 in 2010 to 10,500 in 2016.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

HIV infection rate in PH fastest in Asia Pacific - UN

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

The Philippines has become the country with the fastestgrowing human immunodeficiency virus (hIV) epidemic in Asia and the Pacific, according to a United Nations report.

A recent UNAIDS report on the global hIV epidemic states that the number of new infections in the Philippines increased by 140 percent in the past six years, from an estimated 4,300 in 2010 to an estimated 10,500 in 2016.

With new infections more than doubling over the past six years, the Philippines also becomes one of eight countries that account for more than 90 percent of new hIV infections in the region.

Figures show that 83 percent of newly reported hIV cases in the Philippines occurred among males who have sex with males (MSM) and transgender women who have sex with males (TGM), with the majority of the new infections occurring among 15- to 24-year-old MSM and TGW. The UN, however, noted that while the Philippines is the country with the fastest percentage increase, its “number

of new infections is not as high as several countries in the region which are estimated to have tens of thousands of new infections annually.” eamonn Murphy, director of UNAIDS Regional Support Team for Asia-Pacific, said Manila “has a small window of opportunity to act now and stop a major hIV epidemic from taking hold.”

“If hIV programming is redirected to focus on the people most at risk and where they are located, I’m sure the country can not only return to a stable situation but even end the AIDS epidemic as a public health threat by 2030,” Murphy added.

In a statement, Philippine health Secretary Dr. Paulyn Jean Rosell-Ubial said hIV is one of the top health priorities of the government.

“We have significantly increased the budget allocated to hIV in the past few years, and are now implementing programs which we expect to have a positive impact,” Ubial said.

With the new information on hIV cases, the Philippines “has retooled its program to expand hIV services for males who have sex with males and transgender women and has

opened clinics that cater specifically to their needs in urban areas, where the risk of hIV is higher.”

The strategy targets “117 cities where 80 percent of the new infections have been reported and to open in each such city at least one hIV clinic which has convenient evening hours for working people, and is a one-stop shop that provides prevention, counseling, laboratory work-up, and treatment services.”

The Philippine government has also “taken measures towards enabling rapid hIV screening and delivery of test results.”

To those who test positive, the Department of health (DOh) said it gives up free antiretroviral (ARV) medicine every year and other outpatient services worth P30,000 ($U.S. 600) per person.

“The [DOh], together with the Philippine National AIDS Council, other government agencies, local government units, and partner civil society groups is determined and committed to halt the increase in the number of cases and start reversing the trend of the epidemic in five (5) years,” Ubial added.

A

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

august 4-10, 2017 • OC/IE asIaN JOuRNaL

OpiniOn

Law enforcement

Features

During the early morning of Sunday, July 30, members of the Philippine national Police and Criminal investigation and Detection group (CiDg), armed with search warrants, raided homes of alleged illegal drug personalities in Ozamiz City, Misamis Occidental.

Mayor Reynaldo “Aldong” Parojinog Sr. and his wife died during the raid on their house, while 13 other people were left dead after the police operation.

Authorities claimed that the shootout ensued when the Parajinogs and their supporters fired at police officers.

Ironically, close circuit television (CCTV) cameras are installed in and around the Parojinog residence. However, the CCTV cameras were “paralyzed” during the time of the incident.

Citing irregularities on how law enforcers conducted the raid, the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) is awaiting the official police report and is already initiating its own investigation on the incident.

“No conclusions yet at this time, but the purpose of the investigation is to determine if protocols were followed in the implementation of the search warrant and use of deadly force,” CHR spokesperson Jacqueline de Guia.

CHR commissioner Gwendolyn Pimentel-Gana reminded the PNP to comply with the existing rules of engagement covering arrest and search warrants.

“There are set procedures on how to legally and validly serve warrants of arrest or search warrants,” Gana said.

Several lawmakers have assailed the credibility of

the police operations and expressed doubt that due process was followed in the raid. The slain mayor’s daughter, Nova, accused the policemen of planting drugs at the scene.

Meanwhile, Malacañang vowed that it would not meddle in the CHR’s investigation.

United Nations human rights experts urged the government to immediately act on the increasing reports of human rights violations, including murder, threats against indigenous peoples and the summary execution of children.

There are unresolved cases of extrajudicial killings in the Philippines that have become emblematic of persistent dangers that threaten everyone.

Unless the PNP clarifies what really transpired during that fateful morning, the Parojinogs’ case will just be added to the string of criminal incidents wherein police officers have instantly shot suspected drug peddlers and pushers upon encounter.

We live in a civilized society that is bound by laws, which required all people to live based on respect for the sanctity of life, democracy and human rights.

It is unpleasant to see officers you expect to uphold the law and apprehend criminals, as the same people the citizenry should be afraid of. It is a betrayal of trust and a degradation of peace and streets. security. They are, after all, in charge of ensuring Without proper enforcement, stringent national the public’s safety and purging misfits from the and international laws do little in promoting and

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS THE White House is in chaos, but let us look at the glimmer of hope in President Donald Trump’s appointment of General John Kelly as chief of staff, replacing Reince Priebus, who reportedly served for the shortest time in White House history — January 20 to July 27, 2017.

Kelly previously served as the secretary of Homeland Security until Priebus stepped down amid the controversies, legislative failures, and internal turmoil that continue to hound the Trump administration. Priebus was the chairman of the Republican National Committee (RNC) since 2011 until Trump appointed him in January this year.

Kelly was a decorated retired Marine general whose service to

Commentary

RiGobeRto D. tiGlao SEN. Antonio Trillanes IV may be the most vociferous critic of President Duterte, but his comrades-in-arms in the mutineer group “Magdalo”* control the government’s key revenue-generating agency, the Bureau of Customs, holding its top posts.

The head itself of the bureau is former Marine captain Nicanor Faeldon, who was really at the same level in the Magdalo leadership as Trillanes, their spokesman. Faeldon had been the most defiant of the Magdalo leaders, having escaped twice from detention and refusing an offer of pardon.

A day after he was appointed Customs chief, Faeldon himself said that 20 officers that had been with the Magdalo would join Customs, and that “they will be embedded in the different collection districts.”

The bureau has come under intense Senate scrutiny when it was discovered last month that a shipment it had cleared through its “express lane” had contained shabu worth P6.4 billion. The bureau had to scramble to raid the warehouse where the shipment was unloaded, after Chinese au-

ManilaTimes.net photo

protecting the right of every citizen. When this happens, the world succumbs to senseless violence. (AJPress)

Could the new chief of staff General John Kelly reign in on Trump? the country includes three tours in Iraq. He has earned the respect of people he has worked with, with a kind of leadership that can withstand pressure, instill order and structure in the system. As a person, Kelly has been admired for his adherence to the truth, respect for people and the rule of law.

In the seven month-old Trump presidency, many Americans hope Kelly as chief-of-staff can reign in on what is wrong in how the Trump administration is being ran, be able to help weed out all the drama in the White House and help the president be on the right track in fulfilling his promises to the American people.

His first few days give us reasons to be optimistic — he fired the potty-mouth Communications Director Anthony Scaramucci. He has started to implement the military discipline and chain-of-command,

initially by making people in the White House like Steve Bannon, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Kellyanne Conaway, etc. report to him instead of going directly to Trump, as was the case during Priebus’ term.

BUT the big test here is how he can be effective in his job with the 71-year-old Donald Trump as the “boss”. Questions we need to follow up on: Will Kelly be able to reign in on Trump’s Twitter problem which has proven to be the source of many of the Trump’s presidency problems — his reckless, impulsive use of twitter to accuse President Obama and the British spies of wiretapping and surveilling him; to lambast government officials in co-equal branches of government like judges, legislators who disagree with him; to pick a fight against leaders of other countries (except Russia’s Putin) as well as international or-

ganizations whose policies go against his own agenda; to announce policy changes like the banning of transgenders in the U.S. military which has blindsided even his own Defense Department secretary and Pentagon officials; and to use twitter aggrandize himself without regard for the truth?

WHICH brings me to the next point — could Kelly reign in on Trump to be honest, transparent and faithful to the truth? Could he convince him to cooperate with the Mueller investigation instead of demonizing the investigators and the investigations themselves and help get to the bottom of the allegations against him? Could he convince Trump that doing this would actually help remove the cloud of doubt hovering over his presidency if indeed he is not hiding anything?

Just last Monday, another expose came out from the Wash-

ington Post which alleged that Trump “dictated” the misleading statement Donald Jr. gave regarding his meeting with the Russian lawyers and other Russian players in the Trump Tower in June of 2016, during the U.S. presidential campaign season.

This, after their repeated denials about Trump’s having no knowledge about the meeting and denials about having anything to do with Donald Jr.’s statement, which also came from no less than his personal lawyer. Could Kelly make Trump stop all the lies and be transparent and forthcoming from this day forward?

Could Kelly rub off on Trump the RESPECT he needs to accord to people he work with, people he does not agree with, people critical of him, and make him realize he is now representing the Office of the President of the United States of America?

Could he make Trump under-

stand that the three branches of government are co-equal and he, as president, should therefore respect their authority and treat them as partners in making America great again? Could he make him comprehend that he, as president, is not above the law, and should be leading with example on how to respect and follow the rule of law?

I sincerely hope Kelly succeeds, because if he does, Trump has a better chance of succeeding in fulfilling his promise of making America great again.

Otherwise, one of two things may happen: either Kelly resigns or Trump tells him, “YOU’RE FIRED!” *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Trillanes’ Magdalo co-mutineers in control of PH Customs thorities in Xiamen tipped the bureau about it.

The Magdalo mutineers’ joining the Bureau of Customs, a notoriously corrupt agency, is in marked contrast to its older version, the Reform the Armed Forces Movement (RAM), that had played a crucial role in the EDSA uprising. Not a single RAM veteran went into government, except for Gringo Honasan, who was elected into office.

The Magdalo mutineers of about 200 tried to overthrow government by occupying by force first, the Oakwood Hotel (now Ascott Makati) in 2003 and then, The Manila Peninsula in 2007, expecting that others in the military and in the opposition would join them in the fashion of the EDSA 1986 uprising. Nobody did, and they surrendered to the police after about 18 hours, after hearing its armored personnel carriers approaching. The coup attempts dented the country’s image of stability, frightening off a significant amount of investments, what with terrified investors finding themselves trapped in the high-end Ascott and Peninsula hotels.

Key posts Other than Trillanes and Faeldon, the other Magdalo leaders—classmates in the Philippine Military Academy Class of 1995—who now all occupy key

posts at Customs are the following.

• Army Capt. Gerardo Gambala, who is Faeldon and Trillanes’ peer at Magdalo, is deputy commissioner, in charge both of the management information systems and technology group, and head of the bureau’s “Command Center”. The office that approved the shipment that was found later to contain P6.4 billion worth of shabu is under the Command Center.

• Army Capt. Milo Maestrecampo, who became a oneday sensation when he ranted like a mad dog, spewing expletives against government in a Magdalo press conference during the Oakwood mutiny, is director of the Import Assessment Services Office.

• Navy Lt. James Layug, who ran for Kalinga governor but lost in 2010, is director of the crucial Port Operations Services.

• Col. Alvin Ebreo is chief of the bureau’s legal services.

There’s more.

Faeldon brought into the bureau several military men not publicly known to be Magdalo mutineers: Col. Neil Estrella, director of the CIIS; Col. Henry Torres, acting deputy commissioner in charge of the internal administration group; and Gen. Natalio Ecarma, deputy commissioner heading the revenue collection and monitoring

group.

My sources at Customs claim that Faeldon had brought into the bureau nearly 200 other Magdalo officers and soldiers, employing them as “consultants”. While the Senate committee on dangerous drugs is investigating how the P6.4 billion worth of shabu was cleared by Customs, it might as well seek to find out how many Magdalos there are at Customs now.

In appointing Faeldon as Customs head, Duterte—it is not clear if he is aware that the Magdalo mutineer had brought his other comrades into the bureau—more likely thought that his leading coup attempts against government indicated he had the character of someone committed to reforming the country.

A Magdalo customs official boasted at a Senate hearing yesterday that under them, the bureau had apprehended so and so worth of illegal drugs being smuggled into the country and had banned over 65 brokers suspected of evading taxes due on their shipment.

Haven’t increased However, customs revenues under the Magdalo-led bureau haven’t increased at all, with its tax effort (percentage of its revenues to GDP) remaining at 2.6 percent where it has been since the past decade. It would have

risen to as high as 3.4 percent (the figure for 2008) if the Magdalos had really cracked down, as they claim, on smuggling and graft in the bureau.

This isn’t surprising. After all, how could a group of men whose expertise is war—and coup plotting—know how to run our Customs Bureau, which essentially requires, other than honesty, management skills as well as expertise in law and accounting?

Worse, brokers say that corruption in the bureau hasn’t changed, that there are only “new faces.” There are rumors in the bureau that a high-ranking official was getting P28 million monthly in grease money from unscrupulous brokers. There is even one rumor circulating wildly that it was Duterte himself who jested at how expensive a Customs official’s Rolex was.

Whether they are incompetent for the job or corrupt, the Magdalo’s control of the bureau poses a danger to Duterte. They could do what the New People’s Army did during the administration of Corazon Aquino, when she appointed a communist sympathizer to the bureau, who let communist cadres control the graft there, consequently raising hundreds of millions of pesos for their revolution.

Never has a government agency, and a money-making one at

that, been under the control of a single gang.

As they demonstrated in their coups against President Arroyo’s administration, the Magdalos are such power-seeking megalomaniacs that they would go against Duterte at the drop of a hat, if ever he encounters a strong political storm. It is still their dream, inspired by the successful 2014 Thai coup, to establish authoritarian rule in the country under them.

Duterte should realize that Trillanes has demonstrated what a Magdalo mutineer really is.

Trillanes, Faeldon, Gambala, Maestrecampo, and Layug are birds of the same feather. And it is certainly suspicious why the Magdalos in Customs — except Faeldon and only once during the elections — have never criticized Trillanes, nor he, them. *The mutineers presumptuously called themselves “Bagong Katipuneros” (“New Katipuneros”), referring to the revolutionary organization “Kataastaasan, Kagalanggalang Katipunan ng mga Anak ng Bayan” that led the revolution against Spanish rule in 1896. They were instead dubbed “Magdalo” by the media, as the armbands they wore during their coup attempts was that of the Cavite-based Magdalo faction of the Katipunan. (ManilaTimes.net)

The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.

aDVERtIsINg aND aDVERtORIaL POLICIEs

Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com

Manila Office: 2nd Floor Units D&E, Fort Palm Springs 30th St., Cor 1st Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • Fax: (632) 856-1661 New York office: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (213) 481-0854

Northern California: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 New Jersey office: Burlingame CA 94010 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Tel.: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253 Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858 Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879

ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board

CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President

ChRISTINA M. ORIEL Editor-in-Chief

MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor

IVY MANALANG Vice President - Marketing Los Angeles Asian Journal

MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA Senior Vice President Los Angeles Asian Journal

DING CARREON Videographer

ANDY TECSON Photographer

Asian Journal Publications, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases.

Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applicable law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation.

Publication of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publication.

Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, causes of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material.

AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publication of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisement.

Under no circumstances shall Asian Publications, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.

ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal, Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively.

Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome.

Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions.

Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please call the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com

(818) 502-0651 â&#x20AC;˘ (213) 250-9797 â&#x20AC;˘ http://www.asianjournal.com

Dateline PhiliPPines

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL â&#x20AC;˘ AUgUSt 4-10, 2017

A

CHR: We will guard our independence

by PAtRiciA louRdes Philstar.com

ViRAy

THE Commission on Human Rights (CHR) maintained its independence following President Rodrigo Duterteâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s calls for its abolition.

Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, however, clarified that Duterte was only expressing his frustration over the supposed bias of the commission for criticizing the administrationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s war on drugs.

The agency stressed that it is an independent and nonpartisan office established by the 1987 Constitution.

The CHR acknowledged Abellaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s clarification but stressed that the agency would continue to perform its constitutional mandate to protect and promote human rights as FOR MARAWI CHILDREN. A Senate personnel inspects books and toys donated for children affected by the fighting in Marawi City. The staff of senators donated and collected toys to be shipped to children staying in evacuation centers in Marawi.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

Pres. Duterte expands Order of Lapu-Lapu to honor Marawi heroes

by Alexis RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; President Rodrigo Duterte has expanded the Order of Lapu-Lapu to honor the heroism of government forces involved in the operations in battle-ravaged Marawi City.

Duterte created the Order of Lapu-Lapu through Executive Order No. 17 last April.

The order was awarded to officials and personnel of the government and private individuals in recognition of their â&#x20AC;&#x153;invaluable service in relation to a campaign or advocacy of the president.â&#x20AC;?

Duterte said some acts of valor and kindness by people involved in the operations in Marawi City require the expansion of the Order of Lapu-Lapu.

The ongoing crisis in Marawi, the president said, â&#x20AC;&#x153;brought forth valiant and benevolent acts of civilians and members of the military to ensure the safety and security of Filipino citizens in Mindanao.â&#x20AC;?

The expansion of the order was contained in EO No. 35 issued last July 28. â&#x20AC;&#x153;There is a need to amend EO No. 17 to ensure that the Order of Lapu-Lapu is conferred upon all who are deserving of merit

President Duterte shares a light moment with Cpl. Renante Guipitcio during a visit to wounded soldiers and policemen fighting in Marawi at the Adventist Medical Center in Iligan City.

and recognition and to more fully express the Presidentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s appreciation of the Filipino peopleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contributions to the success of the campaigns and programs of the government,â&#x20AC;? EO No. 35 reads.

The president added a fourth type of medal under the Order of Lapu-Lapu.

The Kamagi Medal will be awarded to government officials and personnel and private individuals who do not fall under any of the three other medals but who â&#x20AC;&#x153;actively participated in and contributed significantly to an

activity pursuant to a campaign advocacy of the president.â&#x20AC;?

A kamagi is a kind of beaded gold necklace from pre-Hispanic Visayas and Mindanao.

Other medals under the order are the Magalong Medal, which is awarded to those who have made exceptional contributions or rendered extraordinary service; the Kalasag Medal, which is bestowed on those who have lost their lives; and the Kampilan Medal, which is given to those who were seriously injured or have suffered great loss of property.

Aug 26 (Sat ) Day 1, Angeles, California/Krakow, Poland Our pilgrimage begins with a transatlantic journey from Los Angeles International $LUSRUW WR .UDNRZ 3RODQG 0HDOV VHUYHG LQ Ă&#x20AC; LJKW

Aug 27 (Sun) Day 2, Krakow :H ZLOO DUULYH LQ .UDNRZ LQ WKH HYHQLQJ 7KHUH ZH ZLOO PHHW RXU 7RXU 'LUHFWRU DQG GULYHU IRU D WUDQVIHU WR RXU KRWHO 'LQQHU DW WKH KRWHO %% '

a â&#x20AC;&#x153;watchdogâ&#x20AC;? institution. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Words are important in all circumstances but particularly so when uttered by the sitting President as these could quickly render into State policy - regardlesas of the context of such statements,â&#x20AC;? the CHR said in a statement.

The agency stressed that it would continue to cooperate with government bodies and other authorities to fulfill its obligation to the state. â&#x20AC;&#x153;To this end, we shall continue to be unafraid in speaking truth to power and in demanding an end to impunity by steadfastly asking for justice and accountability,â&#x20AC;? the statement read.

The CHR commissioners and staff reiterated that the agency would guard its independence in

performing its mandate of investigating human rights violations, whether the alleged perpetrators are state or non-state actors. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We shall, at all times, adhere to the rule of law even as we ask all other public officers to also do the same, particularly by respecting the systems of checks and balances and separation of powers, as well as established constitutional reform processes,â&#x20AC;? the CHR said.

Under Section 18, Article XIII of the 1987 Constitution, the CHR is mandated to investigate all forms of human rights violations involving civil and political rights.

The commission is also mandated to monitor the Philippine governmentâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s compliance with international treaty obligations on human rights.

Peter Limâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family welcomes DOJ order to answer charges

by AudRey

moRAllo Philstar.com

MANILA â&#x20AC;&#x201D; The family of suspected drug lord Peter Lim on Thursday, Aug. 3 welcomed the order of the Department of Justice to answer charges against him linking Lim to the trade of narcotics in the country.

Caryl Lim, daughter of Peter Lim, said that her family described such allegations as â&#x20AC;&#x153;malicious and falseâ&#x20AC;? and said that no proof had been presented since the elder Lim was accused of being part of the trade of illegal drugs. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our family welcomes the Department of Justiceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s (DOJ) investigation. We are grateful of our fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s opportunity to finally clear his name from these malicious and false accusations,â&#x20AC;? the younger Lim said in a statement.

The DOJ issued a subpoena to Peter Lim and ordered him to answer the charges of sale, administration, dispensation, trade, delivery and transportation of illegal drugs covered by the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act. Lim, a Cebu-based businessman and a campaign supporter of President Rodrigo Duterte, was ordered to appear before Aristotle Reyes and John Michael Humarang, assistant state prosecutors, in a hearing slated at 10 a.m. on August 14.

Aside from Lim, also sum-

moned by the Justice Department were Kerwin Espinosa, Petero Co, Marcelo Adorco, Max Miro, Lovely Adam Impal, Ruel Malindangan and Jun Pepito.

The subpoena was served at Limâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s residence by officers from the regional office of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group in the region, according to the DOJ. Caryl said that her family had been â&#x20AC;&#x153;deeply affectedâ&#x20AC;? by perceptions that her father was a â&#x20AC;&#x153;drug lord.â&#x20AC;?

She said that her family had suffered from these accusations and feared that their father would carry the â&#x20AC;&#x153;stigmaâ&#x20AC;? for the rest of his life. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Our children do not deserve to be called as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;apo ng drug lord,â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? she said in a statement read by Stephanie Lim. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We can only pray for him and support him in this difficult time.â&#x20AC;?

Last year, Duterte threatened to kill the Cebu businessman if he was proven to be among the countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s drug lord.

The president issued the threat in a meeting with Lim at the regional office of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency in Davao City in July last year. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I warned you that I will have you killed. I will really have you killed. If Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;m able to prove (youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a drug lord), I will finish you off,â&#x20AC;? Duterte

warned Lim in the local dialect during their meeting.

Lim denied his alleged links to the drug industry. â&#x20AC;&#x153;We want to help youâ&#x20AC;Śhelp us clear you. We are not here to pin down innocent citizens,â&#x20AC;? the president told Lim, in stark contrast to the kill remarks he has issued in the past against other drug suspects and criminals.

Since Duterte began his stronghanded campaign to eradicate illegal drugs, thousands of drug addicts and suspects had been killed, prompting local and international human rights groups to excoriate the government.

Rights groups claimed that the so-called war on drugs had already claimed the lives of more than 7,000 Filipinos, most of whom belong to urban poor communities.

However, the government disputed this claim and said that many of the deaths were still being investigated though it had not yet released its results months after announcing the probe.

Limâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s family appealed for Filipinos to suspend their judgment of their patriarch whom they described as a â&#x20AC;&#x153;loving father, a doting lolo, a caring uncle, a loyal friend and a God-fearing Cebuano.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;We ask for your compassion and understanding.

Please reserve your judgment against our father,â&#x20AC;? the statement said.

(XURSHÂśV PRVW DWWUDFWLYH FDSLWDOV 2Q RXU WRXU ZH ZLOO YLVLW \HDU ROG +5$'&$1< &$67/( 67 9,786 &$7+('5$/ WKH 2OG 7RZQ WKH -HZLVK JKHWWR DQG WKH FLW\ÂśV IDPRXV $VWURQRPLFDO &ORFN ZKLFK ZDV RQFH WKH HQY\ RI DOO (XURSH $IWHUZDUGV \RX ZLOO KDYH WKH FKRLFH RI PL[LQJ ZLWK WKH ORFDOV %% '

Sept 2 (Sat) Day 8, Prague / Budapest $IWHU EUHDNIDVW OHDYH IRU %XGDSHVW 2QFH LQ +XQJDU\ ZH ZLOO UHDFK WKH ZLGH RSHQ YDOOH\ RI WKH 'DQXEH 5LYHU 6RRQ DIWHUZDUG ZH ZLOO DUULYH LQ %XGDSHVW Aug 28 (Mon) Day 3, Krakow / Divine Mercy :H VWDUW WKH GD\ ZLWK D YLVLW LQ WKH 6$1&78$5< 2) /25'Âś6 DQG VSHQG WKH HYHQLQJ HQMR\LQJ D EXIIHW GLQQHU LQ WKH KRWHO WKHQ WDNH D SULYDWH %RDW 0(5&< DQG WKH FRQJUHJDWLRQ RI 2XU /DG\ RI 0HUF\ +RO\ 0DVV DW WKH &58,6( DORQJ WKH '$18%( 5,9(5 %% '

6DQFWXDU\ RI /RUGÂśV 0HUF\ LQ WKH FLW\ÂśV /DJLHZQLNL 'LVWULFW $IWHU OXQFK ZH ZLOO JR RQ D KDOI GD\ VLJKWVHHLQJ WRXU RI .UDNRZ IRU FHQWXULHV WKH Sept 3 (Sun) Day 9, Budapest UHVLGHQFH RI 3ROLVK NLQJV :H ZLOO YLVLW WKH 0DUNHW 6TXDUH WKH WK :H ZLOO VSHQG WKH GD\ ZLWK D ORFDO H[SHUW ZKR ZLOO H[SODLQ WKH KLVWRU\ DQG VLJKWV RI WKH &HQWXU\ -DJLHOORQLDQ 8QLYHUVLW\ 67 0$5<Âś6 &+85&+ DQG DOVR OLYHOLHVW DQG WKH PRVW FRVPRSROLWDQ FLWLHV RI (DVWHUQ (XURSH :H ZLOO VWDUW DW DQ LGHDO YLVLW WKH :$:(/ 52<$/ &$67/( ,Q WKH DIWHUQRRQ ZH ZLOO YLVLW WKH ORFDWLRQ &DVWOH +LOO LQ WKH KHDUW RI %XGD WKH SRUWLRQ RI %XGDSHVW RQ WKH 'DQXEHÂśV :LHOLF]ND 6DOW 0LQHV :HÂśOO WKHQ PHHW IRU GLQQHU WKDW HYHQLQJ DW RXU ZHVWHUQ EDQN )URP WKH ODF\ ORRNRXW WRZHUV RI )LVKHUPHQÂśV %DVWLRQ ZH FDQ HQMR\ D SDQRUDPLF YLHZ RI WKH VSUDZOLQJ FLW\ KRPH WR PRUH WKDQ RQH Âż IWK RI WKH +XQJDULDQ KRWHO %% '

SRSXODWLRQ 9LVLW WKH WK &HQWXU\ 67 0$7+,$6 &2521$7,21 &+85&+ WKH &LWDGHO RQ 0RXQW *HOOHUW DQG +(52(6Âś 648$5( DUH DOVR RQ WKH DJHQGD :HÂśOO Aug 29 (Tues) Day 4, Krakow/ Jasna Gora )XOO GD\ YLVLW -$61$ *25$ WKH PRQDVWHU\ QHDU &]HVWRFKRZD ZKLFK ZLWKVWRRG WKH FHOHEUDWH +RO\ (XFKDULVW LQ 6W 0DWWKLDV &KXUFK %% '

UHSHDWHG RQVODXJKW RI RYHUZKHOPLQJ 6ZHGLVK IRUFHV GXULQJ WKH UHOLJLRXV ZDUV RI WKH WK &HQWXU\ 6LQFH WKHQ LWV %/$&. 0$'211$ KDV EHHQ YHQHUDWHG DV WKH ³4XHHQ Sept 4 (Mon) Day 10, Budapest / Zagreb RI 3RODQG´ DQG LW KDV EHFRPH WKH RQH RI 3RODQGœV QDWLRQDO V\PEROV DQG KROLHVW UHOLFV $IWHU HDUO\ EUHDNIDVW OHDYH %XGDSHVW IRU =DJUHE RQ RXU ZD\ WR 0HGMXJRUMH 8SRQ :H ZLOO FHOHEUDWH 0DVV LQ WKH %ODFN 0DGRQQD &KDSHO .UDNRZ IRU GLQQHU DQG RYHUQLJKW DUULYDO ZH ZLOO KDYH D WRXU RI WKH FLW\ WR VHH WKLV &DSLWDO RI &URDWLD 'LQQHU DQG RYHUQLJKW %% ' 'RXEOH WUHH +RWHO =DJUHE Aug 30 (Wed) Day 5, KrakowAuschwitzWadowice/Kalwaria We will visit the infamous former Nazi concentration camp $86&+:,7= %,5.(1$8 DV ZHOO DV LWV RQ VLWH PXVHXP 7KLV VLWH UHPDLQV D FKLOOLQJ UHPLQGHU RI WKH +RORFDXVW )URP WKHUH ZH ZLOO FRQWLQXH WR :DGRZLFH ELUWKSODFH RI 3RSH -RKQ 3DXO ,, YLVLW WKH QHZ 0XVHXP RI 6W -RKQ 3DXO DQG WKHQ LWœV RQ WR .DOZDULD =HEU]\GRZVND ZLWK LWV :HHSLQJ 0DGRQQD KRO\ SLFWXUH $W WKH HQG RI WKH WRXU ZH ZLOO UHWXUQ WR .UDNRZ IRU GLQQHU DW D +RWHO %% '

Aug 31 (Thurs) Day 6, Krakow / Prague, Czech Republic :H ZLOO VSHQG WKH GD\ WUDYHOLQJ IURP .UDNRZ WR 3UDJXH FRQVLGHUHG DV RQH RI (XURSHÂśV PRVW DWWUDFWLYH FDSLWDOV 6LW EDFN UHOD[ DQG HQMR\ WKH GULYH DQG WDNH LQ WKH SLFWXUHVTXH VFHQHU\ DORQJ WKH ZD\ :H ZLOO UHDFK RXU KRWHO LQ 3UDJXH LQ WKH DIWHUQRRQ :H ZLOO KDYH SDQRUDPLF VLJKWVHHLQJ RQ WKH ZD\ WR RXU KRWHO KDYH GLQQHU %% '

Sept 5 (Tues) Day 11, Zagreb / Medjugorje $IWHU EUHDNIDVW FHOHEUDWH KRO\ (XFKDULVW DQG WKHQ OHDYH IRU 0HGMXJRUMH 8SRQ DUULYDO LQ 0HGMXJRUMH ZLOO HPEDUN RQ DQ RULHQWDWLRQ WRXU RI 6W -DPHV &KXUFK DQG LWV VXUURXQGLQJ 'LQQHU DQG RYHUQLJKW 0HGMXJRUMH Sept 6,7,8 ( Wed,Thurs,Fri) Day 12 to 14, Medjugorje :H ZLOO KDYH GDLO\ EUHDNIDVW DQG GLQQHUV DW RXU +RWHO (YHU\ PRUQLQJ DW DP ZH ZLOO DVVHPEOH DW 6W -DPHV &KXUFK WR DWWHQG +RO\ (XFKDULVW FHOHEUDWHG LQ (QJOLVK :H ZLOO FOLPE WKH $SSDULWLRQV +LOO 0W 3RGEUGR WR VHH WKH SODFHV PDUNHG E\ WKH FURVVHV ZKHUH LQ -XQH 2XU /DG\ ZDV Âż UVW UHSRUWHG WR DSSHDU WR WKH FKLOGUHQ 7KH QH[W PRUQLQJ ZH ZLOO FOLPE WKH VWHHS +RO\ &URVV 0RXQWDLQ 0W .UL]HYDF

for devotions and take in the Panorama of Medjugorje EHORZ

Sept 1 (Fri) Day 7, Prague, Infant Jesus of Prague :H ZLOO KDYH 0DVV DW 2XU /DG\ 9LFWRULRXV &KXUFK KRPH RI WKH ,QIDQW -HVXV RI 3UDJXH Sept 9,2017 (Sat) Day 15,Medjugorje / USA $IWHUZDUG ZH ZLOO GR VRPH VLJKWVHHLQJ WKDW UHYHDOV ZK\ 3UDJXH LV FRQVLGHUHG RQH RI (DUO\ PRUQLQJ GHSDUWXUH IRU RXU Ă&#x20AC; LJKW EDFN WR WKH 86$

A

august 4-10, 2017 • OC/IE asIaN JOuRNaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797

Â&#x2020;Ã&#x153;¯Â&#x2020;Ã&#x2026;ºÃ&#x160;Ã¥Ã&#x2122;Ã&#x2026;Â&#x2020;¿Ã&#x2013;Ã¥Â&#x2019;¿¯Â&#x201C;Â&#x2020;â¯Ã&#x160;Ã&#x2026;Ã&#x153;

Ç&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Ã&#x153;¯Â&#x2020;Ã&#x2026;ºÃ&#x160;Ã¥Ã&#x2122;Ã&#x2026;Â&#x2020;¿Â&#x201C;Ã&#x160;Ã&#x201E;

Ç&#x2020;Â&#x2020;Ã&#x153;¯Â&#x2020;Ã&#x2026;ºÃ&#x160;Ã¥Ã&#x2122;Ã&#x2026;Â&#x2020;¿

XXX BTJBOKPVSOBM DPN -PT "OHFMFT Ç&#x2021; -BT 7FHBT Ç&#x2021; 0SBOHF $PVOUZ *OMBOE &NQJSF Ç&#x2021; /PSUIFSO $BMJGPSOJB Ç&#x2021; /FX :PSL /FX +FSTFZ

the asian journal entertainment magazine

august 4-10, 2017

may 30-june 5, 2014 www.asianjournal.com

2

august 4-10, 2017

2

RACHELLE ANN GO & CHRISTINE ALLADO

All set to plAy the schuyler sisters in the West end production of ‘hAmilton’

by MoMar

F

G. Visaya/AJPress

start the rehearsals for “Hamilton.”

She is excited for this new chapter in her life where she takes on the demanding role of Eliza Schuyler Hamilton, the wife of alexander Hamilton. it is a big role and Rachelle ann is making sure that she fits the shoe real well. She has been listening to the music over and over again for it to become a part of her system.

Rachelle ann heard that there were auditions in london for Hamilton so she signed up and auditioned for the show last year without having seen the show, which she finally watched on Broadway weeks before they opened “Miss Saigon.” She has seen it twice already and she is planning to catch it one more time before she flies to Manila. “it’s another dream musical for me. i listened to the album and na-in love ako sa music (I fell in love with the music). Sabi ko, ‘naku, lord, parang gusto ko ito!’ Then narinig ko yung songs ni Eliza so sabi ko, ‘This is what i want’. at that point, cli-naim ko na, i’m going to do this. (I said, ‘Lord, I think I like this!’ Then, I heard Eliza’s songs so I said, ‘I’m claiming it, I’m going to to this),’” she shared.

Rachelle ann auditioned for two roles – Eliza and peggy and sang a number of songs - “Burn,” “Schuyler Sisters,” “Helpless,” “That Would be Enough.”

During the same auditions, she saw fellow Filipina Christine allado. The two stars have met Christine Allado with Paolo Montalban a few times in london.

Photos from Christine Allado’s Instagram account: @christineallado Christine Allado Christine allado is an acclaimed classical Filipino crossover singer making her name in theater. She is a proficient artist and actress with a voice that fuses her classical soprano roots with a contemporary spin of pop, musical theatre and jazz. “i still can’t believe it,” Christine told us at the Ma-Yi anniversary Gala held in Tribeca earlier this year. “i am so excited to be a part of the ‘Hamilton’ family in london, i can’t wait.”

Recently, she had the great honor of singing the philippine Rachel and Eva with Jon Jon Briones ilipina thespians Rachelle ann Go and Christine allado are both embarking on a major career move as both will star this fall in the West End production of “Hamilton: an american Musical.”

The two ladies will take on the roles of the Schuyler sisters: Rachelle ann will be Eliza Schuyler Hamilton while Christine will take on dual role of peggy Schuyler and the temptress Maria Reynolds.

This pulitzer prize, Tony award and Grammy award winning musical will be staged at the Victoria palace Theater in london at the end of this year.

We caught up with Rachelle ann at the Broadway Theater a couple of weeks before she leaves her “Miss Saigon” family.

Fans have until august 5 to catch her as Gigi Van Tranh, the same role she had at the West End revival of “Miss Saigon” a few years ago.

performing on Broadway has been very fulfilling for Rachelle ann and she said she would miss the entire cast, particularly Jon Jon Briones and Eva noblezada, who were also her co-stars in london. “nakakalungkot because i will leave my cast here in new York, sobra na akong napalapit sa kanilang lahat (It saddens me that I will leave my cast here in New York, I have gotten attached to them so much). Eva has become like a sister to me, i am going to miss her a lot,” she shared as segued to the chorus of Schuyler Sisters, one of the songs from Hamilton. “Si Kuya Jon Jon din, and mga pinoy sa cast (Also Jon Jon, and the Filipino cast), actually, the entire cast because we’re all one big family here.”

Rachelle ann’s last show will be on august 5 and after that, she will fly to Manila for a month before embarking on yet another journey to london to

Rachelle Ann Go on the ‘Hamilton’ stage.

Christine Allado

national anthem at the Battle of she played Christine Daae in Brisbane, the title fight between “The phantom of the Opera.”

Getting the role Manny pacquiao and Jeff Horn.

“They told me last Decemas a performer, Christine joined ber, pagdating na pagdating the world-renowned tenor ko sa pilipinas, sabi nila i got andrea Bocelli as his featured the role, Eliza Hamilton. Yun artist in CinEMa World Tour ang pinakamasaya ko sigurong around Europe and asia.

This fall, she will be a part of pasko sa ngayon. (As soon as the multi award winning musical I arrived in the Philippines, “Hamilton.” Christine will play a they said I got the role, Eliza dual role of peggy Schuyler and Hamilton. That’s my happiest Christmas so far),” she said Maria Reynolds. laughing.

Christine was a sophoand that is why she made more at the University of the sure that even in the thick of philippines Diliman, taking up rehearsals for “Miss Saigon” Business administration, when earlier this year, she made it a she decided to pursue her point to watch the musical. dream. She moved to Hong She cried during and after Kong for that and ended up doing “High School Musical” in watching it not only because she is going to be a part of 2009 and “The Golden Mickthat family but because of how eys” in 2010. amazing the show is.

Chasing her dream evenShe is now looking forward tually brought her to london to a month-long break in the where she further honed her philippines where she hopes to singing and acting chops. Her rest and recharge while doing journey led her to West End, more research on Eliza. For where she became a part of now, an uncle of hers is doing “Here lies love” as an underthe research for her and he has study for imelda and starred been sending her lots of links as Vanessa in the triple Olivier and books. award-winning musical and For now, Rachelle ann is another lin-Manuel Miranda taking it all in and enjoying creation “in The Heights” at her remaining days in “Miss the King’s Cross Theatre in Saigon.” london’s West End and per“i want to enjoy every formed in the Olivier awards at single night. When i learned the Royal Opera House on iTV, that i was leaving on the 5th, broadcast worldwide. yung araw na yun naiyak ako sa She also filmed for the stage. parang kailan lang, we BBC’s production of the 60th opened on Broadway and now anniversary of “West Side i have a couple of weeks left Story” playing the lead role of na lang. So i am just enjoying Maria. at the Burnham Stage

Photo by Troi Santos

the moment kasi hindi ko alam kung makakabalik pa tayo sa Broadway, di ba? So i just give 101 percent every night. (I cried on stage the day I learned that I was leaving on the 5th. It was like yesterday, we opened on Broadway and I just have a couple of weeks left. So I am just enjoying the moment because I don’t know if I would still be back on Broadway, right? So I just give [my] 101 percent every night),” she remarked.

From her West End debut as Gigi in “Miss Saigon” in 2014 to Fantine in “les Miz” (both in london) and then making her Broadway debut reprising her role as Gigi to going back to london for the role of her life, Rachelle ann is enjoying every minute of her life as a theater performer.

She is eternally thankful to friends who pushed her to audition for “Miss Saigon” a few years ago, along with some well-meaning people around her warned that she will be forgotten in the philippines when she leaves her pop star career there. She also thanked a fellow Filipina for leading the way. “laking pasalamat talaga kay (I am extremely grateful to) lea Salonga for opening these doors for Filipinos. it is a good thing for us to be essaying these roles, like me doing Fantine in ‘les Miz’ and now this,” she expressed. “Wala na sa kulay, nasa talento na. (It’s not about skin color anymore, it’s about talent.) ”

Sam Milby to younger celebs: Invest your money Bashers won’t make Marian Rivera quit social media

by Maridol

raNoa-BisMark Philstar.com

by Nathalie

toMada Philstar.com

fAmous couples have taken to social media to share photos and videos of their babies and kiddos, filling their fans’ news feeds of their #ootds and adorable antics.

several celebrity offsprings even have their own instagram accounts managed, of course, by the proud parents. marian rivera is not about to hitch on the bandwagon though. she prefers to have glimpses of her life with firstborn Zia posted on either husband dingdong dantes’ instagram or hers. for the Kapuso star, not setting up a separate soc-med account for their one-year-old toddler is their way of letting her grow up with some privacy.

“Ay ayoko. Kung gusto niya (Zia) maginstagram paglaki niya, gawin niya.

Pero parang kami ang hahawak? (no). Gusto naming ibigay yung privacy na para sa anak namin,” marian told The Star in an interview after she was launched as the first brand endorser of snow crystal White tomato, a skin-whitening and anti-aging food supplement. nevertheless, mother and daughter’s bonding moments have brought in more likes, follows and engagement to marian’s well-curated instagram, which recently reached the four-million mark in terms of number of followers. she also has a

facebook account with over 18 million likes, but her iG appears to be more personalized. in an age where celebs have opened up their worlds a little — or, a little too much — through social media, one thing perhaps you can’t accuse marian of is using these platforms to engage haters, stir controversy and further foment negativity online. the delete button is definitely her friend. “let’s say, yung mga nag-kocomment ng hindi maganda sa instagram ko, nag-de-delete ako.

Siempre hindi naman papayag yung totoong nagmamahal sa akin na maynamba-bash and… ang negative! so, i simply delete them. Dini-delete ko kasi nagaaway-away na,” she said, adding that she will never give them the chance to exchange tirades on her instagram. marian said there’s no reason for her to give bashers or trolls even an iota of her time. instead of responding to them, she’d rather “take care of my daughter and arrange flowers,” referring to her new floral arrangement business flora Vida. “i’m not affected by the negative comments. my god, every time i see my daughter, whatever they say, my reaction is, oK. Kung anong buhay ngayon, trabaho lang walang personalan. especially now that i’m working for my daughter.” even as one of the most active and followed personalities, Continued on Page 3

tWelVe years is a long time to be in an industry that banks on fresh talents and new faces to survive. so sam milby, who started out as a “pinoy Big Brother” housemate, cannot believe he is not just around. he even has a comeback album, “sam: 12” under star music. the fil-Am thinks it is amazing to see how times have changed.

Back in the day when he was starting out in the biz, he politely called his elders Kuya, tito or tita. now, it is his turn to answer to the name Kuya sam when newbies address him in the ABs-cBn variety show “AsAp.” Back in the day, social media was not even a glint in anyone’s world. today, younger celebs get millions of twitter or instagram followers and feel that they are rulers of the universe. that is why he has words of advice for them. “enjoy the journey. But don’t base your self-worth on social media. don’t measure your value as a person on (social media) comments,” sam says. the bottom line, he adds, is self- love. look within — not somewhere else — for selfvalidation. Be your own source of strength. sam’s other advice centers on making hay while the sun shines. he admits it is easy to go sky’s the limit when you experience a money surge. But do not get carried away, he warns. Be practical. invest. sam walks the talk. he invested in a recording studio in

Singer-actor Sam Milby sees a future with present girlfriend, TV host Mari Jasmine.

Instagram/Samuel Milby

his own condo unit. he admits recording gear is expensive. But the passionate singer looks at it as an investment, not an expense. “i enjoy recording for my friends when they have a mall show. they can do it in my place. they can even video edit,” he says with pride. sam even bought his own drone because “i want take nice drone shots.” he also co-produces “sam:12,” his comeback album after six years. “i don’t want to get music out of my system,” he explains. so the album marks sam’s return to his first love. someone who cares this much for his craft is bound to stay in showbiz, even in the uh, “advanced” age of 33. he knows how to look back and thank those who made his success possible.

“Give back to the fans; thank

them,” he gives more words of wisdom. this is why sam thinks even his us-based fans whom he does not see so often feel he has not changed through the years. they even support his relationship with tV host mari Jasmine. fans feel happy for him when he posts a photo of their sweet moments on his instagram account. “she’s my inspiration. i dedicate my songs to her,” the enamored sam relates. yes, he sees her in his future. that is why he can sing about love with more feelings. does this mean he will tie the knot anytime soon? sam answers by way of a wish. “i hope i’ve found the one. i’m in my 30s. i’m at an age when i can get married.” sam is bound to make many people happy when that big day comes.

Rocco Nacino reveals lesson from staying single By iRis

VicEntE

tight pa rin namin (I’m the only one who works in GMA. Im happy even though he switched to the other A YEAr after his failed network, I’m happy for his move relationship, rocco Nacino shared because he has a lot of projects now. the most valuable lesson he We’re still close), he said. learned from staying single. the actor is happy especially it can be recalled that the now that he has a lot of time to former “Encantadia” star broke up love and understand what he truly with actress lovi Poe after their wants for himself. As he is known two-year relationship in July last for being a party-goer, he shared year, which they described as an that he now choose to stay at “amicable” split. home and sleep these days.

Asked about whether his “Kasi sunud-sunod yung decision to stay single has tapings namin, wala rin akong anything to do with his failed oras lumabas, e (I had a series of relationship in the past, “Siguro, tapings so I don’t have the time to siguro. Posible. You can say that. go out),” he added.

Actually, ngayon ko lang nareRocco Nacino rocco, who owns a couple realize, oo nga ano? But every Photo from his Instagram account of business establishments, failed relationship comes a great is deviating his attention and lesson. (Yes I guess you can say boys” which is written and focusing on his ventures. He owns that. Actually, I also realized that directed by Kip Oebanda two boxing gyms (two Elorde now. But every relationship comes a and produced by tropic Fills, gyms in Ortigas and Marcos great lesson),” the actor replied. alongside Carlo Aquino, Kean Highway) and three restaurants “Masaya ako na pinagdaanan Cipriano and his best friend Enzo (rufo’s in timog Ave., Backyard in ko dahil alam ko ngayon kung Pineda. ironically, Enzo was his the Fort, and Yuan Asian Bistro in paano ko dapat i-handle ang isang rival in the GMA reality talent Pasig). He plans to invest in hair relationship. So lahat ng mali na competition “Starstruck” in which products and considers putting up ginagawa ko dati, itinatama ko they emerged as princes to the a company after he builds his own ngayon. (Im happy to have gone ultimate survivor, Steven Silva. house. through that because now I know Asked about his friendship Asked if he is building his how to handle a relationship. So, all now that Enzo works for ABShome for his own family, the actor the things that I failed to do in the CBN, “Ako na lang ang GMA. shared, “Oo. Actually, iyon ang past, I can now make it right),” he nakakatuwa na kahit lumipat na built niya, for my family na talaga, added. siya, i’m happy for him sa move (Yes. Actually, it’s built for that rocco will star in the niya dahil ang dami niyang purpose, for my own family).” upcoming indie movie, “Bar projects. Napaka-close, napakaAJPress

Bashers won’t make Marian Rivera...

From Page 2 ergo, one of the most exposed to the good, the bad and the ugly online, Marian swore that she never thought of quitting social media.

“No, because i want to post and share the happiness that i have, especially when it comes to my child, with other people. like yesterday, i came home from work, we got finished at 2 a.m., then i woke up early because i had a shoot, then when i arrived home, i saw my daughter, hay, ang sarap! whenever i see my child, wala na!” Marian related. “So, bahala ka diyan! Ano ako? Panget ako? OK lang, sige, push mo yan ‘te (laughs)! ” Meanwhile, Marian and Dingdong who fell in love as co-stars in the 2008 teleserye “Dyesebel” are marking their birth month by working together again.

(Marian turns 32 on Aug. 12.

Dingdong is 37 today.)

Dingdong has directed Marian in an episode of her OFw-themed weekly anthology “tadhana” airing soon.

She remembered telling Dingdong (who has a few directing credits for past tV shows like “Kakabakaba Adventures” and “Atlantika”) that she felt nervous to have him as her director and that she initially didn’t want to do it. “i told him, sabi nila strict ka raw na director. Sabi niya, iba ako dun, di mo ako asawa dun.

Naasar talaga ako (laughs). well, it’s exciting because he always texts me, especially whenever i take selfies at work, and tells me, ‘i miss working with you.’” when asked for her B-day wish for her hubby, she shared, “i wish for our relationship to be

stronger, especially because we want many more kids to come.”

GMA’s “primetime queen” will topbill another primetime soap soon titled “the Good teacher,” portraying a role that seemingly befits her current priorities in life.

According to Marian, she’s done with “pa-sweet or pasexy roles” because “i’ve really embraced my role as a mother now…. it has always been my dream to become a mother. “i want to be a good example for those who are afraid to become mothers or have children, that it’s not true (there’s nothing to be afraid of ). Sayang ang pagkakataon. i want them to know that just in case God gives them the opportunity (to give birth and raise a child), it will really give them a different kind of happiness.”

august 4-10, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

3

Janice De Belen on parenting: ‘Allow your kids to do what they want’

By Elijah

RodERos AJPress

Multi-AwArD winning actress and a mother of five, Janice De Belen, is a proud mom of her two recently graduates, Yuan Estrada, 18, and Kaila, 21.

Kaila finished Arts Management, while Yuan graduated from high school.

Her other children, luigi Muhlach, with Aga Muhlach, has his own family, inah, 25, and Moira, 24, with his ex-husband John Estrada are also done with their studies. when it comes to the courses her children want to take, Janice says that they are free to choose whatever they want. “i mean it’s not my accomplishment. it’s their accomplishment. Kasi kahit naman ipilit ko sa kanila na magtapos, kung hindi sila makakatapos, wala akong

magagawa. (Eventhough, I push them to finish their studies, if they can’t, I can do nothing about it),” an interview with Janice by PEP stated.

“Ako, (For me) [the] most important [thing] is to allow your children to do what they want...to study the course that they want.

“Hindi mo puwedeng pangunahan kasi hindi naman ikaw yung nag-aaral eh kundi sila (You should not rush them to it, because you’re not the one studying but them).

“Plus if you keep on forcing the course you want on your children, hindi sila mag-e-enjoy.

Kailangan ‘yung gusto nila. (They will not enjoy it. It should be what they really love.)” when her children were younger, Janice used to impose her daughters a 1 a.m. curfew.

“Kunwari lalabas kami, night out. Kailangan sa ganitong oras

Janice De Belen

GMA photo

naka-uwi na kami, kapag lumagpas kami kahit kaunti, hindi na kami p’wedeng lumabas (For an instance, we’re going on a night out. We need to go home at exactly this time, if we exceed even in a slightest minute, we are not allowed to go out anymore),” Kaila said in an interview on “Magandang Buhay.”

Angel locsin named Best Supporting Actress at the 57th Asia Pacific Film Festival

By KRissy

aguilaR AJPress

Angel Locsin

Photo from her Instagram account

KAPAMilYA actress Angel locsin bagged the Best Supporting Actress award at the 57th AsiaPacific Film Festival held at Phnom Penh, Cambodia. locsin won the award for her 2016 comedydrama film “Everything About Her” with multiawarded actress Vilma Santos and Xian lim. in the movie, the 32-year-old actress played the role of a nurse who took care of a cancer-stricken career woman. “thank you very, very much for this incredible honor,” she wrote in an instagram repost of the trophy from the international film festival shot by Star Cinema’s Mico Del rosario. locsin was not present during the awarding ceremony so Filipino director will Fredo accepted the award on her behalf. the dramatic film also won locsin her first Best Supporting Actress at the Entertainment Editors’ Choice Awards for Movies (EDDYs) by the Society of Philippine Entertainment Editors (SPEEd). in 2009, she was nominated as Best Actress for her television series “lobo” at the 37th international Emmy Awards in the united States.

Town mates and Friends:

Please join us in celebration of our

508/ '*&45" TU '06/%*/( "//*7&34"3: 0' #"4$ JO -"4 7&("4 /&7"%" When: Saturday, October 7, 2017 Where: Gold Coast Hotel and Casino, 400 West Flamingo Road, Las Vegas, Nevada 89103 Prepaid Dinner Buffet ticket only: $65 per person Please make check payable to: Aludiya Lagmay-Ganzon 8119 Mary E Ellen Avenue, North Hollywood, California 91605 - or Priscilla Castaneto-Ruedas 6851 Dale Street Apartment # 16, Buena Park, California 90621

Nazario Perlas: Precy Castaneto- Ruedas: Lito Tambo:

nazario.perlas@yahoo.com pcruedas@yahoo.com lito.tambo@sbcglobal.net

Ludy Lagmay-Ganzon: Mila Tadina: Josie Dolor Etrata:

lganzon@gmail.com mrtadina@yahoo.com wilpenn@yahoo.com

Mary Ann Arichea–Caunan: macaunan@ha.ucla.edu *Discounted Room rates available at Gold Coast Hotel & Casino until September 3, 2017: Code: ABA2017

august 4-10, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

Karel Marquez suffers miscarriage

4

Derek Ramsay clarifies rumors on network transfers

By Krissy

AguilAr AJPress

Actor Derek ramsay dismissed rumors about him transferring to another television station.

“Wala, wala pa (None, there’s none yet),” he told Philippine Entertainment Portal (PEP), denying that he already talked to another network.

“I think it would be very disrespectful for me to entertain other offers,” the 40-year-old model said. nonetheless, he thought these offers were not serious. ramsay transferred to tV5 in 2012 after being with ABS-cBn for six years. Although there was no announcement that he was banned from the station after leaving, ABScBn allegedly have had bad blood with the actor.

During the promotion of the movie “A Secret Affair” with Anne curtis on the same year he left, Derek’s name was not mentioned while promoting the movie on ABScBn shows.

guested in GGV, I guested with Boy Abunda),” ramsay said. “So hindi na ako banned sa ABS (So I’m not banned in ABS-CBN anymore),” he added.

When asked if there’s a possibility for him to return to the Kapamilya network, the former ABScBn talent said, “tV5 is my priority.” he said that tV5 considers his interest when they offer him a project that’s why he accepts them.

“I was never forced to do a project in tV5,” ramsay added. right now, they are conceptualizing a new program which will tackle the stories and lives Derek Ramsay Philstar.com photo of young athletes. ramsay is almost six years however, ramsay already made under tV5 and he expressed how it clear that he’s already in good he doesn’t have any regrets for terms with ABS-cBn. transferring. “nag-movie na nga kami ni “When we sat and we talked, coleen. may project kaming nakathey said ‘hey, we’re very happy with line-up ni Bea. nag-guesting na what you’ve done and we want you ko sa GGV, nag-guesting na ko kay to sign on for another three years.’

Kuya Boy [Abunda] (I made a movie no hesitation, I said yes,” the actor with Coleen Garcia. Bea Alonzo and said.

I have a new project coming up. I

Jona Soquite wins ‘the Voice teens’

By EliJAh

rodEros AJPress

new house and lot, P1 million pesos trust fund, P2 million life insurance plan, a recording and “DIScIPlInE and humility are the traits of a true champion. And management contract, along I believe you possess these traits.” with fashion, business, and dental these were the words uttered packages.

Jona who’s dubbed as the by coach Sarah Geronimo on Jona “tabing Ilog Sweetheart of Davao,” Soquite’s journey before the big reveal on “the Voice teens” winner. also sang lady Gaga’s “Just Dance” and “Better Days” with Geronimo Jona was hailed as the Grand during the first part of the finale champion of “the Voice teens” on Saturday, July 29.

Philippines last Sunday, July 30.

“It’s always magic when you Under the wings of coach sing,” Sarah proudly says.

Sarah, Jona soared high on the She proved her doubters grand finals’ performance with her rendition of “I Believe I can Fly” by wrong when she performed George Bensons’ “the Greatest r. Kelly. love of All” during the semi-finals.

Voted as the first ever winner “talagang nagpapasalamat of the teens’ edition, Jona got po ako sa mga sumuporta sa akin.

44.78 percent total of viewers’ maraming salamat po. Sobrang vote cast via text and various saya po na noon sinasabi nila na online sites. parang ayaw nila ako, pero sa the 14-year-old diva was nakikita ko na halos kalahati yung followed by Isabella Vinzon from Bamboo’s team, mica Becerro from naniwala sa akin. Ang saya ko po na napakita ko yung totoong lea Salonga’s team and Jeremy Jona,” she said in an interview on Glinoga from megastar Sharon ABS-cBn news. cuneta with 22.42, 17.79 and (I am very thankful for those 15.01 percent, respectively. who supported me. Thank you so She took home a brand

EMPLOYMENT

HOME AGENCY

By Krissy

AguilAr AJPress

A month after Karel marquez announced her pregnancy, she shared her despair following the unfortunate miscarriage of her unborn child with Sean Fariñas. “our dream of having a baby this year was short lived as I had chemical pregnancies, an early miscarriage at 5-6 weeks; every mother’s nightmare,” she said in a Facebook post.

She grieved quietly for a month or two, but eventually let it out to her parents, manager and a friend when she “couldn’t take the pain already.” the actress also admitted that she stopped working daily because she was close to getting depression.

She revealed the miscarriage now because she got tired when people would ask over and over again.

“It was hard, because everyone I’d see would always ask about my pregnancy. I wasn’t ready to explain to each and every single person about what happened to us,” the Kapuso star wrote. marquez also told how her husband has been grieving. “he wanted this one all his life too,” she said. Whenever they were asked about her pregnancy, they would try to evade the topic as much as they could.

Karel Marquez

Photo from her Instagram account

“It’s not easy to say ‘try and try again’ after experiencing it twice. I was sad and stressed,” she expressed. Even after following her doctor’s orders and leading a healthy lifestyle, she “still suffered this.”

Although she is in deep pain, marquez and her husband remain hopeful that a rainbow baby (a baby after experiencing miscarriage) would someday

come.

“For now, let me be my best self, respect my body and mind, focus on the family we’ve built, go back to work full time, and still keep on inspiring others,” she said. marquez exchanged vows with Fariñas after being together for four years last December. She was previously in a relationship with Arman de Guzman, with whom she has two children.

Donita Rose still on the process of healing her broken heart

by JoAnnA

EstorquE

AJPress

Jona Soquite

ABS-CBN photo

much. I was so happy when they used to say that they didn’t like me, but I saw that half of the public believed in me. It was a great feeling knowing that I showed them who the real Jona is.)

Jona was a 4-chair turner with her version of the oPm classic “Anak ng Pasig” during the blind auditions of “the Voice teens.”

SERVICES

Donita Rosa

ActrESS Donita rose said she wanted to heal her heart first before thinking about love after disclosing her divorce with exhusband Eric Villarama.

“You really need to heal first,” she stressed.

In December 2015, Donita admitted having marital problems with Eric. the unfixed problem caused their divorce in December 2016. right now, the actress is finalizing their annulment in the Philippines to officially revoke their marriage.

When asked if she is ready to entertain suitors, Philstar.com photo

SERVICES

“Absolutely!” Donita jokingly said. “Is there anyone? Do you know anyone?”

During the press launch of her new cooking show in GmA-7 titled “heartmate Kitchen” last July 25, the actress mentioned that as of the moment, no one is courting her and she wanted to fix everything in her life first.

“I’ve been single since the separation. It’s been like three and a half years. I’ve never dated, never thought about anything,” she added.

Donita admitted that she is still in the process of moving on. She will focus on her new tV show and fulfilling her coparenting obligations with Eric to their only son JP.

Health@Heart PhiliP S. ChuA, Md, FACS, FPCS What is “sore eyes”?

Sore eyes, medically known as conjunctivitis, is a highly contagious infection of the eyes, commonly cause by an adenovirus. There are several serotypes of adenoviruses. The incubation period (from time of exposure to appearance of symptoms) is 5 to 12 days. The conjunctiva (thin lining of upper and lowers eyelids that extends to the rim of eyeballs) becomes irritated, inflamed, red, stinging, with watery discharge, and the eyelids could get stuck to each other following sleep. This usually starts with one eye and spreads to the other eye by eye-to-handto-eye contamination. The lymph glands (body’s defense filter) behind the ears could be sore and enlarged in many cases. how is “sore eyes” transmitted?

Acute viral conjunctivitis spreads very fast, from one eye to the other of the same person, and to other persons the patient comes near to. It is transferred

The Metamorphosis

ernie d. delFin (Part 2 of 2)

THE environment in jails especially crowded ones, is NOT conducively healthy for everyone, as one can witness the very militaristic or sometimes inhumane treatment of people.

The 1994 movie “The Shawshank Redemption,” starring Tim Robbins and Morgan Freeman, is an excellent portrayal of what can happen in prison. After years of going to jail weekly, I am no longer surprised why some inmates devise ways to escape (a year or so ago three jail mates escaped). The sad environment also contributes to the deputies’ attitude becoming callous and less compassionate as many inmates are also foul-mouthed,

Beware of ‘sore eyes’ from one person to another by droplet (air environment in the same room or house), fomites (items touched by the patient’s contaminated hands), and by direct hand-to-eye inoculation.

Indeed, this is a very contagious disease. This condition can also be due to allergies or to irritants like dust, wind, smoke, fumes, intense sunlight, ultraviolet light of sunlamps, electric arcs, etc. Obviously this type of conjunctivitis is not contagious like the adenoviral ones.

Does this cause photophobia?

Yes, temporary photophobia (“fear,” oversensitivity to light) is present in many patients with acute viral conjunctivitis, together with the feeling that there is a foreign body in the affected eye. There could also be some residual corneal scarring following the conjunctivitis, which could even last up to a couple of years.

Occasionally, this scarring might even affect visual acuity and result in glaring. Fortunately, this does not happen too often, but, nonetheless, care should be taken to avoid exposure to persons with conjunctivitis. how about secondary

bacterial infection?

Secondary bacterial contamination, which is very rare, can also happen to those with viral conjunctivitis. In this contaminated case, the eyes will have purulent (pus) discharge and bacterial cultures can be done to identify the bacteria and the antibiotic most effective for it. This is viral infection with superimposed bacteria infection.

Can sex transmit conjunctivitis?

Yes, if one of the partners has conjunctivitis. But another type of conjunctivitis, known as Adult Gonorrheal Conjunctivitis, which is not very common, is caused by contamination (by finger-to-eye contamination) from a person with the venereal disease called Gonorrhea, a sexually transmitted illness. As a rule, only one eye is involved here, but the condition is very severe. Both sexual partners must be treated without delay.

Can conjunctivitis be caused by bacteria also?

Yes, this is called nongonococcal bacterial conjunctivitis, meaning the bacteria causing it is not of the gonorrhea variety. These bacteria Continued on Page 6

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA

DURING the 2010 Super Bowl, a 30-second pro-life ad featuring Tim Tebow and his mother, Pam, got some precious air time before a captive audience of over a hundred million. It’s theme: Celebrate Life.

It was a simple ad in a white backdrop that has Tim’s mother telling a short narrative that when she was pregnant with Tim while she and her husband were doing missionary work in the Philippines more than 20 years ago, she contracted a life-threatening disease, which had her doctor advising her to abort her baby.

She decided against aborting her baby.

The ad closes with the result of that decision, the young Heisman Trophy winner — Tim Tebow, her football playing son who takes time to do Christian missionary work in the Philippines and elsewhere, playfully tackling her mother and asking, “Are you still worried about me, Mom?” Pro-abortion groups, NOW and NARAL, worked hard to prevent CBS from airing this ad. As it turns out, the ad was so benign that many, on both sides of the months, unlike in a state prison issue, had their heads scratching where their incarcerations are about why there was so much more definite and much longer. banshee-wailing and offensive In state or federal institutions, counter-positioning from women a prisoner is often given an pro-abortion groups whose opportunity to study, or learn a intolerance of viewpoints other skill in preparation for his life after than their own, has become more serving his sentence. and more strident and desperate.

Where I am assigned Edmund Burke, once said, — Intake and Release Center “All that is necessary for the (IRC) — the inmates are in triumph of evil is for good men transition awaiting or undergoing to do nothing.” The issue of trials until they are released or ABORTION stares us in the face. transferred to another institution. That is why true blue dyed-in-theIt’s a very busy place, where wool Christians and Catholics families can only visit/talk to the who voted for Clinton in the last inmates but separated by a thick election despite knowing full glass that even mothers and their well she stood for abortion even children cannot even touch each at near full term must deal with other! cognitive dissonance so strong Most of the time, my “class” and unrelenting, their conscience is composed of women who should make it difficult to sleep are not in solitary confinement, most nights.

All God-fearing and /or Continued on Page 6

Prison ministry work makes a person more grateful and fulfilled and ill mannered who can hurt or kill others given the opportunity.

Many deputies and employees request transfers and do not wish to work there for until they retire.

Although the deputies may be bored to death and may become mean individuals, their salaries may reach six figures in a year with almost unlimited overtime.

Not bad for many non-college graduates who work in jails and in prisons.

There is a set schedule and specific classrooms for us ministers to go. The deputyin-charge sends any group of inmates from specific mods or clusters to attend, randomly may be. We never know who are attending our classes until they sign up in our attendance sheet. We seldom have inmates who attend our classes for many

august 4-10, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

5

The fight for dear life “America your very future as a nation depends on your willingness to protect the right to life of the most defenseless in your soceity.”

- Pope John Paul II God-loving citizens everywhere across the nation should fully engage in this issue. As a dyed-inthe-wool Catholic conservative in agreement with millions of Christian evangelicals in many parts of the county, I staunchly believe that the gift of life is from God and that life begins at the moment of conception.

There can be no equivocation on this issue. Abortion is nothing less than the murder of innocents — a most grievous offense against the Holy Spirit from whom all life emanates. It is the duty of all who hold human life sacred to fight for it and uphold moral laws that guarantee the life of future generations.

It’s not easy to stick your neck out these days particularly with the so-called intellectual pundits of the liberal media spewing ridicule, bile and sarcasm over those who believe differently, relying on their Ivy League credentials for their authoritative take on social mores.

It takes courage that comes from deep down to confront the issue of immorality that is becoming so pervasive and ingrained in popular culture, we can drown in it just by switching on the television or watching the movies. The scripts of sitcoms and the stories on TV are skewed towards political correctness, rather than what is true, good and moral, while most pander to the least common denominator in order to serve the largest demographics and the biggest markets.

Our scandal-plagued churches and political figures seem to have lost the moral high ground and the voice that once seemed so sure and resonant in matters affecting life, is lost in the din and cacophony of so much chatter.

That is why the family which was once a strong unit of society

has to be revived and energized to take charge of a child’s upbringing — not society, not government, and certainly not the treacherous, lying media.

A moral grounding that starts from childhood, nurtured in the teen years and blossoming in adult life is basic in order to see through the twisted logic of political correctness and immorality and confront it head on.

The moral issue of abortion far transcends any earthly concerns.

The battered economy, the war on terror, national security, taxes, energy independence — all these are important issues of our time but as history will attest, all these will be overcome in due time and will eventually come to pass. But the crux of all these problems hinge on how we handle the critical issue of abortion.

Western Europe is taking what looks like a dangerous turn. Once the bastion of Christianity and of Western civilization, it seems headed towards nihilism with its ultra liberal, globalist policies.

This is the third time in a hundred years that Germany, as head of the EU, is undermining Europe.

World War I, World War II and now via the EU and its suicidal policies, Germany might just succeed without firing a single shot. Just consider for instance, that most of its leaders are childless and seems incapable of thinking ahead for the benefit of future generations.

If Western Europe doesn not wake up from its self-induced stupor, the time will come it will be beyond help, even from above.

Its churches are empty and its populations seem bereft of the passions that a solid belief in the defense of the Christian faith requires in fighting the inroads of an antithetical faith that seek Continued on Page 6

C

alendar of Events

across

America

AUGUST 4-10, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

The fight for dear...

From Page 5

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 AU G U ST 5

2017 St. Joseph College of Olongapo City “grand alumni reunion gala night” in Alpine, CA The St. Joseph College of Olongapo City Class of 1987 is hosting a grand alumni reunion gala night on Saturday, August 5. The fundraiser will benefit the high school library project. It will be held at Viejas Casino and Resort at 5000 Willows Road, Alpine, CA 91901 from 5 to 11 p.m. It is $87 / person and the attire is formal. Please contact Gemma Gutierrez Hornilla at (949)861-1732 or Maridy Salle Curry at (818)730-4490. For registration and for further details about the upcoming event, you may also visit http://sjs2017grandreunion. com.

17th Annual St. Francis Children’s Fund fundraising dinner dance silent auction in Burbank, CA Join us for a night of great food, dancing, fellowship, and answering to God’s call of helping our poor children in the Philippines. This special fundraising dinner dance and silent auction will take place on Saturday, August 5 at Burbank Legion Hall Post 150 (940 W. Olive Avenue Burbank, CA 91506) from 6 to 11 p.m. For reservations, please call Emie at (818) 748-7361 or Ramon (818) 297-6618.

AU G U ST 1 2

Silliman University Alumni Association of Southern California’s annual picnic in El Monte, CA The Silliman University Alumni Association of Southern California invites alumni, their family and friends, to its annual picnic and membership meeting on Saturday, August 12, at Whittier Narrows Recreation Area, Picnic Area D #9 ((near Legg Lake area with free parking for the early birds). The address: 750 S. Santa Anita Ave, South El Monte, CA 91733, 10 a.m. to sundown. For more information call: Jessie Mario Duran 626.715.2525, Joji Amparo 909.991.8919, and Zeny Duran Bennett 626.824.3595.

AU G U ST 1 3

University of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) Induction Ball in Whittier, CA The Univeristy of the Philippines Alumni Association of Greater Los Angeles (UPAAGLA) will hold its Induction Ball on August 13, 2017 Sunday at the Double Tree by Hilton - Whittier on 7320 Greenleaf Avenue, Whittier, CA 90602. Consul General Adelio Angelito Cruz will swear in Mutch Carino as President of UPAAGLA for 2017-2019, together with the newly elected officers composed of Ethel Rubio (President-Elect), Nati Matitu Mercado (1st VP), Evelyn Andamo (2nd VP), Joy Angeles (Recording Secretary), Yvee Tadeo-Guevara (Corresponding Secretary), Gil Guinto (Treasurer), Melette Lampino (Assistant Treasurer), Dick Cu (Auditor), Benny Uy (PRO) and Bobby Canseco (IT Officer). The 2017-2019 UPAAGLA Board of Directors are Ivy Manalang, Atty. Mary Lyn Sanga, Ellery Atienza, Mary Trinidad, Sonny Gancayco, Annie Nepomuceno, Mary Drees, Jess Espanola, Bob Shroder, Carina Slepian, Ivy Cosio-Bautista, Ellen Gomez, Relson Banas, and Angie Alvarez. The advisers of UPAAGLA are Dr. Arnel Joaquin, Vicky Gancayco, Jazmin Gaite, Alma Onrubia, Frank Mamaril, Doris Maligalig, and Sonja Menor. Red carpet arrivals and No Host Cocktails begin at 6:00 p.m.

Program and dinner start at 7:00 p.m. For tickets, sponsorships and souvenir program advertisements, please call Dick Cu (562) 547-0560.

AU G U ST 1 2-1 3

24th annual Pistahan Parade and Festival in San Francisco, CA The Pistahan Parade and Festival is an international celebration of Filipino community, culture and cuisine. Experience the best of Filipino art, dance, music and cuisine at the Yerba Buena Gardens. On Saturday, August 12, the Pistahan Parade will feature elaborate floats, marching bands and colorful contingents as it marches down Market from Civic Center to 4th St. The festival will include live entertainment, popular balut eating contest, delectable Filipino cuisine, cultural exhibits, hands-on workshops for kids and adults. It will be from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Yerba Buena Gardens in San Francisco. Admission is free. For more information, please call 415. 625. 3976 or visit http://www.pistahan.net.

AU G U ST 1 9

Philippine Madrigal Singers to perform in Northridge, CA Philippine Madrigal Singers in Concert on Saturday, August 19 is the long-awaited return to Los Angeles of the world-renowned prize-winning choir. The performance begins at 7 p.m. at the Plaza Del Sol Performance Hall at the Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC) located at 18111 Nordhoff Street, Northridge, CA 91330. The theatre is part of CSUN, and tickets are $70, $55, and $40 online anytime at www.ticketmaster.com. Special student pricing is available only in-person at the VPAC box office, call or visit (818) 677-3000 from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday. Tour information at www.musicartsevents.com.

AU G U ST 2 0

Philippine Madrigal Singers in Loma Linda, CA An Evening with the MADZ on Sunday, August 20 is an opportunity to hear the awardwinning first-ever two-time European Grand Prix winning choir, the Philippine Madrigal Singers, at Campus Hill Church, 11057 Hill Dr Loma Linda CA 92354. The performance is at 7 p.m. $40 General Admission, $20 Child/Student. For tickets, call Ephraim Dela Cruz at (909) 831-4225, Marjorie Ann Reyno-Huynh at (909) 965-6936 or Nemuel Enriquez at (323) 2290506.

SEPTEMBER 1-4

Ramon Magsaysay (Cubao) High School international reunion in Las Vegas Come and celebrate with RMCHS alumni and guests for the third biannual international homecoming. Sing, dance, party, share precious memories and join the fun from Friday, September 1 to Monday, September 4 at The Orleans Hotel and Casino at 4500 W. Tropicana Ave, Las Vegas, NV 89103. Join the golf tournament in the morning of Saturday, Sept.

2 and then wear your best (black and white) for a dinner dance later that evening. Make this event an opportunity to reunite with your own batchmates, watch a show, visit tourist spots, and stroll along the Las Vegas Strip. For more information, visit the RMCHS 2017 INTL REUNION Facebook page.

O C TO B E R 1 4

26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture in Echo Park Save the date! The 26th annual Festival of Philippine Arts and Culture (FPAC) hosted by Advancement of Filipino American Arts and Culture (FilAm ARTS) is back at Echo Park Lake in Los Angeles, CA on Saturday, October 14. Expect a whole day filled with art exhibits, entertainment, and Fil-Am vendors. More details and special guests to be announced. For more information, please visit: http://www.filamarts.org/.

O C TO B E R 2 1

NaFFAA to celebrate 20th anniversary in Washington, DC The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) turns 20 years old this year. This October, several events are being planned to celebrate this milestone, which coincides with the national observance of Filipino American History Month. They will culminate with NaFFAA’s 20th Anniversary Gala, to be held at the Marriott Wardman Park Hotel in Washington, DC on Saturday, October 21. With its theme “NaFFAA 2.0: One Voice, Four Million Strong,” NaFFAA will recognize the legacy and accomplishments of the organization over the past 20 years, and highlight its comprehensive vision to unite and amplify the voices of the four million Filipinos living in the United States. “NaFFAA 2.0” represents how NaFFAA is honoring its past while forging a new forward-thinking and balanced approach in uniting, engaging, and empowering diverse Filipino American individuals and community organizations through leadership development, civic engagement, and advocacy. To learn more about NaFFAA or to purchase tickets for the 20th Anniversary Gala, please visit www. naffaa.org.

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

6

to overpower it. Alas and alack, political correctness may have already killed Europe’s soul.

With God’s blessings through a change of leadership brought on by what seems like the silent majority making its voice heard so resoundingly in November last year, America still has one chance to correct the moral depravity it has fallen into in the last 50 years.

It is fundamental to our humanity and our connection to divinity to fight the evil that abortion brings to our world. Our decision to take abortion down or uphold it, will reverberate for centuries beyond our time.

Abortion strikes at the root of our essence as human beings. This is a call to fight for the unborn — the most defenseless of all creatures, a call to preserve the life of thinking, feeling, spiritual beings in human form.

Estimates of the number of abortions in this country alone have reached the 48 million mark, the population of a country.

Worldwide, the figures could be staggering. China is beginning to pay the price for its draconian one-child policy that has brought on a serious and detrimental societal imbalance in its male-tofemale ratio, in a culture that puts a higher stock on sons.

While we may think we can choose to play God and decimate our own humanity in the name of a woman’s right to choose, God alone gives the gift of life and He chooses when and how to take it away. That must have been the deal from the beginning of time.

How special is man in the

scheme of creation? Consider the big picture. Some wise person once said that if the beginning of time till now can be thought of as a 24 -hour day, civilization came to exist about 11:55 PM and the spark of life that is man only came to be in the last 2 seconds before the stroke of midnight.

As best as our most brilliant scientific minds through the centuries can figure out, the universe is about 15 billion years old and our sun which was born in the last 4.5 billion years with yet another 5 billion years or so left before it dies, is a common yellow star that makes it possible for man, the highest form of life as we know it, in the solar system, to live on planet earth.

We seem to take it for granted that it took a really long time, about 100,000 years or so before man, in his present form, became the crowning glory of creation, although this can sometimes be debatable when we come to realize our collective stupidities throughout history.

Man is a thinking, feeling, spiritual being in physical form, capable of so much good or of so much evil. In between these two extremes are the multitudes, who in their lifetimes, come to learn, appreciate, enjoy and fight for that gift of life to continue for generations yet to come. Of course, along with that gift of life comes the gift of free will and therefore, the opposite can also be true. We can choose to do nothing and allow the terrifying prospect of abortion, death and decay to overcome and overwhelm us.

Sometimes, we feel that by ourselves alone, we are powerless to stop this horror from being indelibly imprinted into the fabric of modern life. But together as one voice, countless silent prayers sent heavenward by millions, maybe even billions, among us who believe in the power of prayer, are heard and miracles rain down upon us in our time of need. When we assault heaven with our prayer arrows, the Spirit comes and moves the chosen ones to action, those special human beings, a bit larger than life, who can lead and make the world turn on its axis for humanity to do God’s will.

And indeed on the issue of abortion in America, the miracle came to pass on November 08, 2016. Still, no one should become complacent. For a nation can only be as good as the people who live in it. Pray without ceasing.

The consequences of doing nothing and allowing the horrible evil of abortion to continue unchallenged, are dire. Choose life. Along with free will, nothing in the physical world of the entire universe can be greater.

If God himself in His infinite love, so valued human life that he sent His only Son in human form, for the ultimate sacrifice to save us, where do we get the gall and the temerity to think any less of it? Who do we think we are to even think that we can choose to take it?

(inflammation of the nasal mucosa---inner lining of the nose) with tendency to sneeze a lot and have clear watery nasal discharge (sipon). Another form that is due to allergy is called perennial allergic conjunctivitis or atopic conjunctivitis, where the irritants are dust mite dander or animal dander. This is a chronic form, with symptoms round the year, and usually these persons also have eczema, asthma and other allergic conditions.

Can the condition be prevented?

Yes, most definitely, in majority of cases. Careful avoidance of the known modes of transmission discussed above is the best way to prevent catching the disease, even some of those secondary to allergies.

Eliminating dust, dust mite and dander at home of office by good housecleaning, abstinence from food or items one is allergic to, good personal hygiene (washing hands often, especially if someone with conjunctivitis is in the same room), care in handling items touched by the patient) and the usual common sense approach to a contagious disease.

What are dust mites?

Dust mites are real, and not just a metaphor. They are scary-looking, live, crawling, beetle-like micro “insect” with fangs and spiky legs. They are the

components in dust that cause allergic reactions when inhaled, causing red, itchy eyes, stuffy, runny nose, and nasal discharge.

Daily vacuum cleaning and dusting (furniture, etc) is the best way to eliminate dust and dust mites.

What is the treatment for “sore eyes”?

Since the cause of conjunctivitis varies, the prudent action is to consult your physician right away for prompt diagnosis and treatment.

This medical evaluation is vital because conjunctivitis could be as trivial as those due to allergies, or as serious and those caused by a venereal disease or other eye condition that could lead to blindness. There is no substitute for early diagnosis and prompt treatment, just like in any other medical conditions.

Obviously, even better than this is prevention!

Beware of ‘sore...

From Page 5

are usually staphylococcus aureus, streptococcus pneumoniae and hemophilus influenzae. To prevent further transmission of any type of conjunctivitis, the examining physician must wash his/her hands well, and so with the patient. Touching the infected eye, or the area around it, or the secretion from it, contaminates that hand, and this can spread the disease to other persons. Family members in the same household as the patient should all wash their hands very well, several times a day, and should stay away from the one with conjunctivitis, in order to minimize catching the disease.

Does one catch “sore eyes” from peeping?

Peeping toms have been scared by a myth that they will catch stye (kuliti), not conjunctivitis. However, if a person with viral conjunctivitis had looked through the same hole, the subsequent peeping tom could be inoculated with the virus also and get the disease.

What is seasonal conjunctivitis?

Seasonal conjunctivitis is also known as hay fever conjunctivitis, usually due to allergy to airborne pollens, and the peak season is spring, late summer and early fall. Besides the itchy red eyes, the person also has rhinitis

*** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

*** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States.

Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Prison ministry work makes a person...

From Page 5 about five to 15. (Occasionally, only one comes as she is in a solitary or protective custody).

From time to time, some inmates become excited to be out and are very talkative and want to do what they want to do. I have also learned to “play the game” in order to exact discipline by simply telling them that I can get the deputy to get them out in a minute with just one push on the buzzer in the room, and that warning works everytime!

My assignment is called “Communion and Bible Reading Services,” where I bring the Holy Eucharist (without the wine) and provide discussions of three Bible readings including the Gospel of the last preceding Sunday’s mass. Many of these inmates did not have the opportunity to know their Cathechism. I am no longer surprised, for instance, that many of them do not even know the popular Bible stories, like the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), the Parable of the Good Seed and Bad Seed (Matthew 13:24), or even the Story of the Passion of Christ, which the practicing Catholic or Christian often takes for granted.

Oftentimes, sharing stories in the Bible and applying those

principles or lessons to our lives makes the women quite moved and sometimes emotional.

They cry when a story or lesson hit them very hard and deep.

Women inmates are generally emotional and can go through transformation faster and easier.

Men try hard to maintain their “macho” image yet when they are touched deeply they can also get emotional but not as often as women.

What I find most interesting and fulfilling is hearing the inmates’ own stories or feedbacks to the readings or any comment to my “homilies” and sharing on the Bible readings. Prison ministers teach but we also learn a lot. It is also very revealing to listen intently to their verbalized prayers. I always encourage them to say their prayers aloud, which I started for them to follow. The acronym, A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Contrition, Thanksgiving & Supplication) has been a big help to most of them. It seems therapeutic to expatiate their feelings and to be outside their “cell” and given the freedom to talk without deputies around them. One must be an effective facilitator to be among these diverse inmates to accomplish our objectives as it could be

exploited or monopolized by one or two people.

We, the prison ministers try to prepare as much as we can, but inasmuch as we do not know our “students” every week, we pray and rely upon the Holy Spirit to guide us what to do. We were told that it is not really what we tell them that is the most important or appreciated, but our PRESENCE at that moment of their lives, when even their own family members do not visit them, especially on or around holidays that we are among them. That genuine appreciation the inmates express energizes and motivates many of us keep going to this ministry. I feel truly fulfilled and grateful for this opportunity to put my faith in action as described in the Gospel of Matthew 25:35-40: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me...‘ Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.” *** Email: ernie.delfin@gmail.com Website: www.gkerc.org www.gk1world.com

august 4-10, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

7

august 4-10, 2017 www.asianjournal.com

8