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Volume 23 - No. 1 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages

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USA

DATELINE Obama issues executive order on gun control

PH presidential candidates outspend billionaire Trump

who is running for senator on a shoestring budget, called on voters to declare from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA war on what he called a “corruption of Inquirer.net the political process.”

PresIDeNtIAL candidates in the Bello cited data from the federal elecPhilippines are spending on media toral Commission which showed that advertising more than what American trump, who is seeking the Us presidenbillionaire Donald trump has spent for cy, had so far spent $2 million (P94.18 his dream to sit in the White house, million at an exchange rate of P47.09 according to an independent senato- to $1, or P13.45 million a month) from rial candidate.

January to July last year. former Akbayan rep. Walden Bello, trump’s rivals for the republican IN his first major action of the new year, President Barack obama announced new executive actions to address gun control and strengthen restrictions, amidst multiple mass shooting attacks that occurred nationwide last year.

In an emotional address on tuesday, Jan. 5, the president made a passionate call for “urgency” to end gun violence. “the United states of America is not the only country on earth with violent or dangerous people. We are not inherently more prone to violence--but we are the only advanced country on earth that sees this kind of mass violence erupt with this kind of frequency,” obama said tearfully at a press conference, surrounded by families of gun violence victims.

“We become numb to it, and start thinking this is normal. And instead of thinking about how to solve the problem, this has become one of our polarized, partisan debates.”

PAGE A3

by Gil

C. CabaCunGan, Tina G. SanToS

McCain blasts White House for lack of action in South China Sea seNAtor John mcCain on monday, Jan. 4 criticized the White house for delaying any future “freedom of navigation” patrols near artificial islands that China has built in the disputed south China sea. mcCain, who chairs the Armed services Committee, said China was continuing to “pursue its territorial ambitions” in the region, including by landing a plane on a man-made island in the spratly Islands on January 2.

In a statement to reuters, the senator from Arizona said the Us military’s failure to conduct additional patrols last year was “disappointing yet hardly surprising.” he said the President Barack obama’s administration was “either unable to manage the complexities of interagency national security decision making or simply too risk averse to do what is necessary to safeguard the rules-based order in the PAGE A3

j a N u a ry 8 - 1 4 , 2 0 1 6

nomination, Ben Carson and ted Cruz, each spent $5 million (P235.45 million, or P33.64 million a month).

A Nielsen monitoring report on total ad spending for tV, radio and print from Jan. 1 to Nov. 30, 2015, showed three presidential candidates each spending more than half a billion pesos—Liberal Party (LP) standard-bearer mar roxas (P774.192 million, or P70.38 million a month), Vice President Jejomar Binay (P695.55 million, or P63.23 million a

month) and sen. Grace Poe (P694.603 million, or P63.14 million a month ).

“Binay, Poe, and roxas each spent $9 million to $10 million each, presumably most of it in just the last two and a half months of 2015 and just on tV ads,” Bello said.

TV ads for television ads in the 11-month period, Binay spent P595,713,000, according to Nielsen data.

PAGE A2

DFA: PH must challenge China reef test flights the Philippines on thursday, Jan. 7 denounced Chinese flights to an artificial island in the disputed south China sea and said if China was not challenged it was likely to impose an “unacceptable” air defense identification zone over the area.

China landed two test flights on the artificial island it had built on Philippineclaimed Kagitingan (fiery Cross) reef on Wednesday, four days after its first landing on the 3,000-meter runway on the reef in the spratly archipelago.

“We are very concerned about the fact that China had already flown their flights to fiery Cross reef,” foreign secretary Albert del rosario told a news conference thursday.

“If this is not challenged, we will have a situation where China will take a position that an air defense identification zone could be imposed,” he said.

China declared such a zone over the east China sea in 2013, where it has overlapping claims with Japan. the United states criticized the Chinese move as dangerous and provocative.

Under the zone’s rules, all aircraft are to report flight plans to Chinese authorities,

CHINESE TEST FLIGHTS ON KAGITINGAN REEF. In this photo released by China state news outfit Xinhua, Personnel stationed on China’s artificial island on Fiery Cross Reef (Kagitingan) pose for a group photo after a Hainan Airlines plane landed at the newly built airfield on Wednesday, Jan. 6.

Philstar.com photos

PAGE A2

Mamasapano inquiry to be reopened January 25 exactly a year after bloody encounter

by ChriSTina

Mendez

Philstar.com

mANILA—the senate has set the reopening of the mamasapano inquiry on the first anniversary of the incident on Jan. 25. sen. Grace Poe, who chairs the senate committee on public order and dangerous drugs, cited the requests of some lawmakers in reopening the probe.

Poe set the inquiry at 10am on Jan. 25 after the chairman of the senate committee on rules, Alan

Peter Cayetano, announced there were no obstacles that would prevent the reopening of the inquiry.

“It’s good that the rules committee gave a go-signal that additional hearings can be called, in response to minority Leader (Juan Ponce) enrile’s request to call such, citing his personal information, and possibly new evidence,” Poe said. she said the reopening would not affect the previous findings

contained in Committee report No. 120, which found President Aquino “ultimately responsible” for the deaths of the 44 police commandos of the special Action force (sAf).

“Let it be stated as I manifested before, the new hearings will not affect or void our earlier findings. our committee report has been signed by 21 members. We have a leeway to allow new evidence.

We will schedule the additional PAGE A2

SAF44 PROBE TO REOPEN. Various groups light torches during an inter-faith candle lighting activity as part of the national day of mourning last year for the 44 members of the PNP-SAF who died in the Mamasapano clash in Maguindanao.

The Senate has agreed to reopen the probe on Jan. 25, a year after it happened.

Inquirer file photo by Marianne Bermudez

Pacquiao confirms retirement PH population to after April fight vs Bradley hit 142M in 2045 The People’s Champ to focus on politics by

aGneS ConSTanTe AJPress

Manny Pacquiao will face Timothy Bradley for the third time on April 9.

the People’s Champ manny Pacquiao will hang up his boxing gloves after a bout against timothy Bradley on April 9 to focus on a career in politics. “my April 9 fight against timothy Bradley will be my last. I’m retiring from boxing to focus on my new job,” Pacquiao told PhilBoxing.com.

Promoter Bob Arum said the fight is a “done deal.” It will be the third time the filipino boxer will face Bradley in the ring.

Pacquiao, currently the lone conAJPress photo by Robert Macabagdal

by Mayvelin

u. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net

gressman of the sarangani province, is looking to run for one of the 24 national senate seats in the may election. Because of this, Pacquiao has insisted the fight takes place no later than mid-April to give him at least one month to spend on the campaign trail, esPN reported.

Immediate public reaction to the fight on social media was negative, as the first two bouts between the boxers weren’t particularly memorable, according to esPN. however, Arum said he believes Bradley is a different fighter now compared to

the Philippine population is expected to balloon to 142 million by 2045, the Philippine statistics Authority (PsA) said, with growth in 10 regions forecast to be faster than the national average.

In a statement on tuesday, Jan. 5 the PsA said its projection signified about 49 million people being added to the country’s population from 2010 to 2045, with an average annual growth at 1.21 percent.

As of may 2010, the country’s population was estimated at 92.34 million. over the 35-year period, the Autonomous region for muslim mindanao

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From the Front Page

Mamasapano inquiry to be reopened...

PAGE A1

hearing on Jan. 25 in the session hall of the Senate at 10am,” Poe announced.

Malacañang sees nothing wrong with the decision of the Senate to resume its Mamasapano inquiry.

Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma said the Senate is mandated to conduct such in-

quiry as part of its oversight functions.

For his part, Interior Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento said the previous findings of the Senate regarding the incident should be respected.

Sarmiento pointed out the probe has gone through several processes and the Department of Justice has filed charges against those allegedly involved in the

killing of the 44 SAF commandos.

On Monday, Jan. 4, Cayetano said there are no legal obstacles and took note of Sen. Aquilino Pimentel III’s statement that he is amenable to the motion to reopen the investigation.

Cayetano said the rules committee took into consideration Section 32 of the Senate rules which provides that: “when a report is returned to a committee or is transmitted to another, unless it is returned for purposes of conducting further public hearings on new matters arising after the report, all previous proceedings in connection therewith shall be deemed to be void and that matter in question shall revert to its original status.”

Enrile earlier asked his colleagues during session if he can interpellate on the committee report No. 120 since he was under detention at the height of the Senate hearings last year.

In Poe’s report, Aquino was found ‘ultimately responsible’ for the deaths of 44 SAF personnel.

Almost 400 police commandos had swooped before dawn in the operation to capture Malaysian terrorist Zulkifli bin Hir, alias Marwan, and local confederate Basit Usman in a remote village in Mamasapano, Maguindanao on Jan. 25.

But after killing Marwan, the SAF commandos were ambushed by heavily armed Muslim rebels and villagers.

A total of 44 policemen were killed and 12 others were wounded in the attack.

Operation Plan: Exodus went haywire after operatives supposedly failed to coordinate properly with the military as then SAF commander Chief Supt. Getulio Napeñas’ plea for reinforcement was apparently ignored by his military counterparts.

President Aquino, commanderin-chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Police, has repeatedly refused to admit command responsibility for the killing and instead put the blame on Napeñas.

Coloma said Aquino had no regrets when he allowed then suspended PNP chief Alan Purisima to supervise by remote control the police operation that led to the death of the 44 elite police troopers. (With Delon Porcalla and Cecille Suerte Felipe)

PH presidential candidates...

PAGE A1 Poe was in second place, with P448,166,000, followed by Roxas with P424,870,000. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte came in fourth with P115,423,000.

Among the vice presidential candidates, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano was the biggest spender with P398,288,000, followed

by Sen. Bongbong Marcos with P103,429,000.

Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo came in third with P91,602,000, followed by Sen. Gregorio Honasan II with P43,580,000.

At the bottom of the list was Sen. Francis Escudero, having spent only P30,000.

Senatorial candidates Among the senatorial aspirants, the top spender was Leyte Rep. Martin Romualdez with P310,763,000.

Other senatorial candidates and the amounts they spent for TV ads were: Valenzuela Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, P166.9 million; former Metropolitan Manila Development Authority Chair Francis Tolentino, P144.1 million; Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, P89.8 million; former Sen. Panfilo Lacson, P86.3 million; former Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, P54.5 million; former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla, P52.2 million; former Technical Education and Skills Development Authority head Joel Villanueva, P40.5 million; Sen. Serge Osmeña, P21.9 million; former Akbayan Rep. Risa Hontiveros, P20.2 million; Bayan Muna Rep. Neri Colmenares, P4.3 million; and broadcaster Rey Langit, P405,000.

Buying elections Bello said that at the rate these well-funded candidates for President, Vice President and senators were burning money, “they are literally buying the elections and the campaign season has barely begun.”

The official campaign season for candidates for President, Vice President, senator and party-list

group representation starts on Feb. 9. The start of the campaign period for local candidates is on March 26.

Amazing for poor country “The electoral spending in the Philippines is reaching US levels, with some of the candidates apparently outspending some of the US candidates for the presidential nomination,” said Bello in a text message to the Inquirer.

“This is amazing, for a poor country. This is profoundly undemocratic and is surely going to result in massive corruption later so that the candidates can regain their investments while in office.”

The independent senatorial candidate said those like him who were abiding by the rules were profoundly disadvantaged by these unfair players.

“This is all the more reason for putting very strict limits on campaign spending, like keeping the total for all forms of campaigning at very low levels,” Bello said.

Comelec The Commission on Elections (Comelec) said it could not prevent political aspirants from engaging in premature campaigning through TV ads because there was no law prohibiting it.

In a press briefing, Comelec Chair Andres Bautista said the commission could only monitor spending during the campaign period.

“For the record, there is no law right now that regulates spending because we know that the meters start running only at the beginning of campaign period,” he said. “According to the law, campaign expenditures only kicks in at the start of campaign period.”

He lamented that even if the poll body was willing to monitor all spending related to campaigning, including early or premature campaigning, the Comelec simply did not have the mandate.

Hole in law “The law has a gap. The law

has a hole,” Bautista said, adding that the decision is up to the voting public if it would support political aspirants who spend so much on TV ads.

Republic Act No. 9369 or the Poll Automation Law provides that “any person who files his certificate of candidacy shall only be considered a candidate at the start of the campaign period” and that “unlawful acts applicable to a candidate shall be in effect only upon that start of the campaign period.

LP chief of political affairs and Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice said that among the presidential candidates, Roxas had the biggest resources to justify his campaign spending.

“Mar and his family are the most capable if we will base it on his SALN (statement of assets, liabilities and net worth) and history of business engagements.

Binay and Poe should be asked, ‘Where did they get their funds?’” said Erice.

Coalition spokesperson and Marikina Rep. Miro Quimbo said Roxas generated his funds from friends, supporters and family.

Overstated In a statement, Cayetano claimed that reports on television advertising expenses of presidential and vice presidential candidates were erroneous.

“The amounts reported are overstated because Nielsen admitted that these are based on published rate cards, which in all cases are so much more than what was actually paid for,” Cayetano said.

He defended his ads, saying that the media were the most effective way to reach the public.

“Using media and advocacy advertising, we were able to communicate better to a broader audience amid the black propaganda mounted against us by those who were affected by my relentless antigraft and corruption campaign,” he said. (With a report from Nancy C. Carvajal)

PH population to hit 142M in...

PAGE A1 (ARMM) is projected to have the highest average annual growth rate of 2.12 percent.

Caraga at 1.72 percent was ranked second, with Soccsksargen, the Davao Region and the Zamboanga Peninsula following with 1.47 percent, 1.41 percent and 1.37 percent, respectively.

Areas in Luzon also expected to post high population growth rates are the Cordillera Administrative Region (CAR) with 1.35 percent, Calabarzon with 1.31 percent, Mimaropa with 1.58 percent and Bicol with 1.65 per-

cent.

Eastern Visayas, meanwhile, is projected to grow by an annual average of 1.53 percent.

The Calabarzon population is expected to be the largest in 2045 at 20.1 million, followed by the National Capital Region (Metro Manila) and Central Luzon with 14.5 million each.

Western Visayas and Central Visayas will surpass the 10-million mark, with 10.4 million each in 2045. The CAR will continue to have the smallest population with 2.6 million in year 2045.

“This report presents some of the highlights of the 2010

census-based regional population projections prepared by the Philippine Statistics Authority in collaboration with the InterAgency Working Group on Population Projections headed by Dr. Mercedes Concepcion with members representing the Commission on Population, Department of Education, Department of Health, National Economic and Development Authority, Philippine Statistical Research and Training Institute and the University of the Philippines Population Institute,” National Statistician Lisa Grace Bersales said.

DFA: PH must challenge China reef..

PAGE A1 maintain radio contact and reply promptly to identification inquiries. US, Japanese and South Korean military aircraft have breached the zone without informing China.

Visiting British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond Thursday said freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea was nonnegotiable.

“They are red lines for us,” Hammond said, adding that as a major trading nation, Britain expects to continue exercising those rights.

Hammond reiterated Britain’s position on the territorial disputes in the South China Sea. “We don’t make a position on the competing claims but we do believe that the disputes of this nature should be resolved in accordance with established processes of international law,” he said.

PH to protest flights Del Rosario said the Philippines would protest to China about its flights to Kagitingan Reef.

“These are provocative actions that we need to think about and we need to take positions on,” he said.

Vietnam, which also claims Kagitingan Reef, calling it Da Chu Thap, protested the first flight on Saturday. Beijing rejected the protest, claiming the landing “falls completely within China’s sovereignty.”

On Thursday, Vietnam protested the latest flights, calling them a serious violation of its sovereignty.

Le Hai Binh, spokesperson for the Vietnamese foreign ministry, said Vietnam would defend its sovereign rights and jurisdiction in the area through peaceful measures, in line with international law and the United Nations charter.

Del Rosario and Hammond, whose visit marked the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and

Britain, discussed a wide range of topics, including the South China Sea dispute between the Philippines and China.

Hammond said Britain and the Philippines envisioned the conclusion of an agreement covering trade, investment and defense before the end of the year.

“The British government is committed to strengthening our partnership even further and working together to tackle issues of regional and global concern as strong supporters of a rules-based international order,” he said.

Hammond was to meet with President Aquino for discussion of the strategic partnership between Britain and the Philippines amid threats to global and regional security and prosperity.

Competing claims China claims almost the whole of the South China Sea, through which more than $5 trillion of world trade passes every year, and has been increasingly assertive in staking its claim.

Brunei, Malaysia, Vietnam, Taiwan and the Philippines have rival claims to parts of the sea, which is believed to have rich deposits of oil and gas.

China’s building of seven artificial islands in the Spratlys has been condemned by the other claimants and the United States, which has accused China of raising tensions in the region.

The US state department responded to Saturday’s flight by reiterating calls for a halt to land reclamation and militarization of outposts in the South China Sea. The runway on Kagitingan Reef is one of three that China has been building for more than a year by dredging sand up onto reefs and atolls.

China has rejected calls for a halt in land reclamation and island-building in the South

China Sea, saying its claim of sovereignty over the entire area gives it the right to proceed as it wishes.

Beijing says the artificial islands are principally for civilian use but also help defend Chinese sovereignty.

Test flights A pair of Chinese civilian jetliners landed on Kagitingan Reef on Wednesday in a test to see whether the airstrip was up to standard, Chinese state media reported Thursday.

The China Daily newspaper said the two planes made the two-hour flight to Kagitingan, which the Chinese know as Youshou Jiao, from Haikou on China’s southernmost island, Hainan.

It said the test flights proved the runway’s ability to safely handle large civilian aircraft.

Photos showed one of the planes to a China Southern Airlines Airbus A319-115.

Kagitingan Reef, also known as Northwest Investigator Reef, is the largest of the seven artificial islands that in total compose more than 800 hectares of land China has reclaimed in the South China Sea. Its 3,125-meter runway is large enough to handle any plane operated by the Chinese military.

China is building another airstrip on Zamora (Subi) Reef and there are signs that it is building still another airstrip on Panganiban (Mischief) Reef.

Both reefs are within the Philippines’ 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone.

The Philippines has asked the United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague to void China’s claim over almost the entire South China Sea. It expects a decision

by June.

China did not participate in the arbitration hearings, maintaining that the sea disputes should be resolved bilaterally.

(Reports from Niña P. Calleja/ Inquirer.net and the wires)

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Dateline USa

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 8-14, 2016

Climate Justice leaders concerned Pacquiao confirms retirement after...

by Brown’s budget, urge investment in underserved communities SACRAMENTO – Climate justice advocates from the SB 535 Coalition expressed support today for some new investment ideas in Gov. Brown’s proposed state budget but concern about other aspects of the proposal.

The coalition – named for the 2012 law authored by Senator Kevin de León (D-Los Angeles) requiring that a percentage of Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund proceeds from the state’s carbon auctions go to California’s most disadvantaged communities – urged immediate action to direct unallocated carbon auction funds from 2015 to communities that have suffered disproportionately from pollution and redlining.

One of the most disturbing aspects of the governor’s proposal is that takes at least $1 billion raised from carbon auctions but never allocated and simply rolls it into the new budget, effectively reducing 2015-16 spending to curb pollution and expand clean energy, clean vehicles, urban tree-planting and other vital programs “Our communities have already suffered with excessive levels of pollution for far too

long,” said Bill Magavern, Policy Director of the Coalition for Clean Air. “The governor and legislature should show a sense of urgency in sending climate dollars to meet critical needs in those communities.”

The groups expressed support for the governor’s proposal to enable funding for integrated local pollution-fighting projects in the most disadvantaged five percent of California’s communities . But advocates criticized the governor’s proposal to allocate $100 million in GGRF money to repave roads rather than to projects that clean the air and help underserved communities, as specified under the law. The California Air Resources Board has concluded in research briefs that repaving roads leads toincreased carbon emissions; GGRF revenues, by contrast, are required by law to achieve “reductions of greenhouse gas emissions.”

“Revenues from the GGRF should go to transportation investments that help low-income communities and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” said Chelsea Tu, staff attorney at Public Advocates, Inc. “That means

investing in more bus service and lower fares, measures that encourage use of public transportation not driving,” said Tu. “While there are positive aspects to this budget, parts of it take us in the wrong direction,” said Greenlining Institute Environmental Equity Director Alvaro Sanchez. “It’s time to move more aggressively to invest in disadvantaged communities, bringing clean air and good jobs to neighborhoods hit first and worst by pollution and climate change, and to strengthen the guarantee that those communities will truly benefit from our climate policies.”

“Both the urgency of addressing climate change and the needs of California’s low-income, immigrant voting populous require that meaningful investments are made today,” said Parin Shah, senior strategist at the Asian Pacific Environmental Network.

“The governor’s budget needs to prioritize delivering more renewable energy, greater access to public transportation, as well as energy efficient apartments, especially in the neighborhoods that have endured fossil fuel pollution for decades.”

McCain blasts White House for lack of...

PAGE A1 Asia-Pacific.”

In October, the Pentagon began conducting patrols within 12 nautical miles of the man-made islands.

McCain’s complaints come after Chinese foreign ministry officials confirmed on Saturday that a test flight by a civilian plane landed on one of the islands, the first time Beijing has used a runway in the area, Reuters reported.

The landing was not a surprise,

as China has been building runways on the artificial islands for over a year.

Washington suspects that the islands may be used as military outposts, while Beijing insists that they will serve primarily a humanitarian purpose.

China claims almost all of the South China Sea, through which trillion in trade passes annually.

However, there are overlapping claims from the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Tai-

wan.

After the Chinese plane’s landing, Vietnam launched a formal diplomatic protest, while the Philippines said it is planning to do the same.

“That’s the fear, that China will be able take control of the South China Sea and it will affect the freedom of navigation and freedom of overflight,” said Philippines Foreign Ministry spokesman Charles Jose. (ManilaTimes. net)

Obama issues executive order on...

PAGE A1 The White House announced an executive action package, with multiple separate provisions to address major aspects of gun control policy. One provision would require more gun sellers (including those online or at gun shows) to be licensed, and oblige vendors to conduct extensive background checks on potential buyers, the Washington Post reported.

The initiative is the White House’s attempt to close the gun show “loophole” that allows gun collectors, private vendors and hobbyists to do business without background checks.

A recent Harvard University survey of more than 2,000 gun owners found that of those who purchased their most recent firearm, about a third did not undergo a background check.

In a statement emailed Monday, Jan. 4, the administration outlined the policy in line with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF): “It doesn’t matter where you conduct your business: from a store, at gun shows or over the Internet. If you’re in the business of selling firearms, you must get a license and conduct background checks.”

With the extensive, thorough background checks, the FBI will also overhaul the current check system to make it effective, efficient with more staff and notifications, and background checks being processed 24/7.

“The new guidance is consistent with existing law because it clarifies its original intent,” said Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

“The hobbyist exemption in federal law was never meant to cover people regularly devoting significant time and effort to selling firearms just because they were doing so at a gun show.”

Obama has said that the strengthened background checks would make the process more secure, not harder for people to purchase guns. He has also criticized congressional Republicans for the lack of legislation, as well as the National Rifle Association, insisting that his actions are “not a plot to take away everybody’s guns.”

“I believe in the Second Amendment, there written on paper, that guarantees the right to bear arms,” he said. “But I also believe that we can find ways to reduce gun violence consistent with the Second Amendment.

Until we have the Congress that’s in line with the majority of Americans, there are actions within my legal authority that we can take to help reduce gun violence and save more lives.”

Along with the bolstered background checks, the White House announced more federal funding for mental health treatment and reporting. The Administration is proposing a new $500 million investment to increase access to mental health care, and a new

rulemaking process for the Social Security Administration to include background information about individuals with mental health problems.

Another provision will require licensed gun dealers to report any lost and stolen guns to the National Crime Information Center.

Over the past five years, an average of 1,333 guns recovered in criminal investigations each year were traced back to a seller who claimed the weapon was missing but did not report it to authorities, the White House said.

“This is a broad set of actions that tackles a variety of the issues related to gun violence,” said Arkadi Gerney, a senior fellow at the Center for American Progress, “and in combination it represents a comprehensive effort to strengthen the laws we already have on the books.”

The ATF has also established a new investigation center to keep track of illegal gun trafficking online, and promises to devote $4 million and additional personnel to improve the National Integrated Ballistics Information Network. Additional research into gun safety technology will be directed by the Departments of Defense, Justice, and Homeland Security.

“The ATF will assess each case individually,” said Valerie Jarrett, a senior Obama advisor involved in drafting the policy, reported the Los Angeles Times. “Agents will consider such qualifications as whether sellers represent themselves as dealers by taking credit card payments, handing out business cards, selling firearms quickly after acquiring them or selling them in the original packaging.”

Dodging the licensure rule can carry five years in prison and a $250,000 fine for gun sellers both online and at flea markets, said the Justice Department.

Republicans, presidential candidates, and gun rights advocates have already blasted the executive actions. “The president is at minimum subverting the legislative branch, and potentially overturning its will…this is a dangerous level of executive overreach, and the country will not stand for it,” said House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), referring to the Senate rejecting Obama’s proposals in 2013 to overhaul gun laws, including running extensive background checks.

“The recent tragedies that have gripped our country are heartbreaking, but none of the unilateral restrictions President Obama is proposing would have prevented them, making his proposal all the more insulting and political,” said Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus. “The truth is, this executive overreach is all about burnishing the president’s legacy and boosting Democrat enthusiasm in a presidential election year. But that’s no excuse for subverting the will of the

people’s representatives in Congress, and the American people won’t tolerate President Obama’s dangerous power grab.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie called the president a “petulant child” acting “as if he’s a king, as if he’s a dictator.”

Speaking at a Christian bookstore in Iowa, Sen. Ted Cruz (RTexas) called the idea “illegal and unconstitutional.”

Obama has “waged war on the Constitution,” said Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.). “You can pass all the gun laws in the world that you want. It will not stop the criminals.”

Meanwhile, Democrat frontrunner Hillary Clinton applauded Obama during her campaign stop, saying that she would go even further implementing guidelines as president. “Our next President has to build on that progress, not rip it away,” Clinton tweeted.

A recent poll found support for an assault weapons ban to be below 50 percent, the lowest level in more than two decades, according to Politico. Gun sales also spiked after the San Bernardino attacks on December 2nd, 2015, as many Americans react to mass shootings with a desire for selfprotection through firearms rather than more regulation of them, reported Mic News.

An analysis by IBISWorld also said that consumers have “increased their gun purchases,” particularly following the series of mass shootings that has generally increased the talk about gun control. The Gun and Ammunition Manufacturing industry reported a higher revenue at an estimated annualized rate of 6.4 percent, to $15.8 billion over the last five years up to 2016.

Polls have found a broad support for expanded background checks, according to CNN. In the Quinnipiac University poll from December, 89 percent of those surveyed said they overall support it, including 84 percent in gun-owning households.

In the CNN/ORC poll, 48 percent of Americans said they were in favor of stricter gun control laws, with a sharp partisan divide (74 percent of Democrats, 23 percent of Republicans in favor).

Among those who live in a gunowning household, 29 percent favor restrictions, and rises to 65 percent among households without guns.

“We have to be very clear that this is not going to solve every violent crime in this country. It’s not going to prevent every mass shooting,” Obama said from the Oval Office. “But it will potentially save lives and spare families the pain and extraordinary loss.”

Most of the president’s new initiative will be implemented through his executive authority to direct changes in federal agencies. The measures will go into effect without congressional approval. (Allyson Escobar / AJPress)

PAGE A1 the earlier two fights, given he is training with ESPN television analyst Teddy Atlas. He also cited Bradley’s November 2015 match against Brandon Rios, in which he stopped his opponent in the ninth round.

“The Bradley that fought Rios, whatever you thought about Rios, was a different fighter. It’s still Bradley, but a new Bradley with Teddy. And at this point of his career, can Manny handle that? Remember, Manny is also coming off an injury,” Arum said, according to ESPN. After Pacquiao’s long-awaited fight against the undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. on May 2, 2015, he revealed he fought with an injured shoulder. He had surgery afterward to repair a torn right rotator cuff.

Atlas also said Bradley is in better mental and physical shape, and has learned from his previous fights against the Filipino boxer.

“We’d correct the mistakes from the first two fights, use his experience from the past,”

Atlas said, according to RT. “A lot worked well in those first two fights, and then we’ll learn from our past. It’s what winners do, what smart people are supposed to do.”

In October, Arum told ESPN he wasn’t sad about the fight being Manny’s last, given his goal to pursue a political career, which requires mental acuity.

“If he stays in boxing a little too long, his mental faculties might be somewhat impaired,” Arum said.

However, in more recent reports, the long-time promoter said he didn’t want to say it would be Pacquiao’s final showdown in the ring.

“I’m not going to sell it as that because I don’t want everybody to say, ‘Hey, it’s his last fight, come and see it!’ and then it turns out that it’s not his last fight,” he said.

“Who the hell knows with these guys? They all change their minds so I’m not selling it as his last fight,” he added.

Both Pacquiao and Bradley won one fight each of their two

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matches, with Bradley the victor of the first showdown in 2012 in a split decision, and Pacquiao winner in 2014 via unanimous decision.

Atlas said he has already studied both fights in preparation for the third.

“It’ll be a tough challenge, but we’ll make sure we’re ready for it. We will respect the challenge Pacquiao presents.

We will do what we’re supposed to do and be 100 percent prepared. It will be a difficult fight,” he said.

Pacquiao also took the opportunity to refute a previous Philboxing.com report that quoted the Filipino boxer saying he would not retire until he secured a rematch against Mayweather, after his defeat last May. “I never said that. Nobody spoke to me about that,” Pacquiao said, Inquirer reported.

Pacquiao’s retirement will follow that of Mayweather, who retired after his fight against two-time welterweight world champion Andre Berto in September.

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Dateline PComelec hiliPPines asks SC to dismiss Poe petition

11.2 M families rate themselves poor in 2015 -SWS by helen

Flores Philstar.com

MANILA—Around 11.2 million Filipino families remained poor in the last quarter of 2015, the latest survey of the Social Weather Stations (SWS) shows, but that number is the lowest since 2011.

Presidential spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the survey results are “in no doubt” proof that the country is heading toward a fully developed status.

He added that the numbers “encourage us in the administration to further maximize the country’s resources toward greater inclusivity.”

The survey, taken from Dec. 5 to 8, revealed that 50 percent of 1,200 respondents – equivalent to 11.2 million families, according to SWS – still rated themselves poor, similar to the 50 percent or 11 million in September.

The poll group said the steady self-rated poverty rate nationwide in the fourth quarter was due to a sharp decline in Mindanao, offset by increases in balance Luzon, Metro Manila and the Visayas.

Self-rated poverty fell by 19 points in Mindanao to 51 percent in December.

However, it went up eight points in balance Luzon to 46 percent, five points to 37 percent in Metro Manila, and five points to 71 percent in the Visayas.

The SWS noted, however, that last year’s 50 percent average self-rated poverty rate is four points below the 54 percent average of 2014, and was the lowest annual average since 2011’s 49 percent.

Results of the latest SWS poll were published in the newspaper BusinessWorld yesterday.

Food-poverty The same survey also found 33 percent, about 7.4 million families, who rated themselves as “food-poor,” two points below the 35 percent or 7.8 million registered in September.

The two-point decline in foodpoverty rate in December was due to a drop in Mindanao that was offset by an increase in the Visayas and steady rates in both Metro Manila and balance Luzon.

Children enjoy a free meal during a feeding program held by a religious group at a slum area in Tondo, Manila on Monday, Jan. 5.

Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

Self-rated food poverty fell by 13 points in Mindanao to 41 percent in December but rose in the Visayas by 10 points to 50 percent.

It hardly changed in Metro Manila at 21 percent and in balance Luzon at 26 percent.

Meanwhile, the SWS said the median self-rated poverty threshold – the lowest monthly home expense budget needed by the poorer half of poor households not to consider themselves as such – hit a record-high P20,000 in Metro Manila in December.

“The December 2015 median self-rated poverty threshold in Metro Manila is at the highest level ever reached in this area,” SWS noted.

The survey has sampling error margins of plus or minus three percentage points for national percentages and plus or minus six percentage points each for Metro Manila, balance Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Lacierda said the survey showed that the government’s efforts to uplift the lives of the poor are working.

“In the coming months, our agencies will remain hard at work promoting countrywide development and implementing programs that will truly benefit the people,” Lacierda promised.

He revealed that 7.5 million Filipinos have been “lifted above the poverty line” through the government’s flagship conditional cash transfer program of

the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

Studies show that 1.5 million households, or about 7.5 million Filipinos, benefited from the program.

For his part, Presidential Communications Operations Office Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. acknowledged the decrease in the number of Filipino families who considered themselves poor and “food-poor” at 50 percent and 33 percent, respectively.

“We note that the rating for self-rated hunger is the lowest since 2011 while the rating for self-rated food poverty is two percentage points lower than the 35 percent recorded in September last year (2015),” he said.

“The SWS survey validates the efficacy of the government’s purposive and targeted social protection and poverty alleviation programs, anchored on the expanded Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) which have benefitted close to 4.4 households nationwide,” he said.

With barely five months remaining in office, Coloma said they are “committed to sustaining the momentum of social protection and social welfare programs through the delivery of basic education, skills training and universal healthcare that seeks to bring about the inclusion of all marginalized citizens in the mainstream of social opportunity.”

Aquino on former US envoy Stephen Bosworth: ‘Enduring friend of Filipinos’ by nesTor

corrales Inquirer.net

“AN enduring friend of the Filipino people and our democratic way of life,” was how President Benigno Aquino III described former United States Ambassador Stephen Bosworth, who passed away on January 3.

“It is with a deep sense of loss that I pay tribute to former Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth, a man who was not only an able and honorable envoy of his country, but a man who proved to be an enduring friend of the Filipino people and our democratic way of life,” Aquino said in a statement on Thursday, Jan. 7.

Bosworth served as the US ambassador to the Philippines from 1984 to 1987.

Aquino recalled that her mother, former President Corazon Aquino “found him to be a diplomat who went above and beyond the call of duty to understand and support the aspirations of our countrymen.”

During his stay in the Philippines, Aquino said Bosworth made the Filipinos see the true

condition of the Philippines, while “actively engaging former president Ferdinand Marcos to help him realize the consequences of his administration’s actions.”

“At the most crucial moments, Ambassador Bosworth served as an active broker and advocate, one who truly contributed to the reclamation of our liberty.

Through his unwavering commitment to our shared values, he earned the trust and confidence of a nation yearning to breathe free,” the President said.

After his term in the Philippines, Aquino said Bosworth remained supportive and interested in making democracy work in the country.

The President recalled that he had the opportunity to meet Bosworth during his visit to the US in September last year, which he described a “memorable engagement.”

“The Philippines has always been fortunate in having such friends abroad. I am certain that he would have welcomed the 30th anniversary of the EDSA

Former US Ambassador Stephen Bosworth

People Power Revolution next month,” he said.

“His passing is a reminder that the freedom we regained to the acclamation and admiration of the world is a gift that a new generation of Filipinos must carefully nurture, protect, and even expand,” he added.

On behalf of the Filipino people, Aquino extended the “deepest sympathies to the family and loved ones of Ambassador Bosworth.”

Comelec division consolidates DQ cases vs Duterte by roseTTe

adel

Philstar.com

MANILA—The Commission on Elections (Comelec) First Division on Tuesday, Jan. 5 consolidated the disqualification cases filed against presidential aspirant Davao City Mayor Rodrigo “Rody” Duterte.

Comelec Chair Juan Andres “Andy” Bautista said the poll body’s First Division composed of Commissioner Christian Lim as head and Commissioners Rowena Guanzon and Luie Guia as members, ruled to combine three petitions since all have similar merits or grounds.

“Pareho-pareho naman ang issues kasi,” Bautista said.

Duterte faces petitions claiming that his party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan, has no bona fide presidential candidate to substitute for since its former standard bearer Martin Diño’s certificate of candidacy (COC) for president is invalid.

The consolidated petitions were filed by broadcaster Ruben Castor, University of the Philippines Student Council Chair John Paulo Delas Nieves, and former senatorial candidate Rizalito David.

The Comelec First Division is

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte waves to supporters in this undated photo.

still hearing the disqualification cases against Duterte even if the Comelec en banc already accepted his COC for president and allowed him to substitute for Diño under PDP-Laban.

The consolidated disqualification cases will be heard by the first division on January 12.

Meanwhile, Duterte’s camp, through his lawyer, Vitaliano Aguirre, said it is against the consolidation of cases, citing that it will only delay the resolution for the Castor case, the first disqualification case filed against

Duterte.

“We will definitely oppose the consolidation of the cases, especially with one case already set for decision. It should not be consolidated with the new cases filed,” Aguirre said.

The First Division began the hearing on the Castor case last December.

Duterte filed his COC for president as a substitute for Diño on November 27. The latter withdrew his COC and his petition to withdraw was granted by Comelec.

by TeTch

Torres-Tupas Inquirer.net

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Thursday asked the Supreme Court to dismiss the petition filed by Senator Grace Poe challenging its decision cancel her certificate of candidacy (COC) for Presidency in May 2016 elections.

Its 73-page comment, submitted by Comelec Commissioner Rowena Guanzon, maintained that it did not act with grave abuse of discretion when it ordered the cancellation of Poe’s COC. Comelec said how can it gravely abuse its discretion when “its decision was arrived at with due regard to its rules, after hearing, with full appreciation of the pieces of evidence present and after a thorough study of the pertinent laws and jurisprudence?”

It pointed out that it merely exercised its mandate under the Constitution and other election laws.

Last Dec. 23, 2015, the Comelec en banc voted 5-2 affirming the decision of its First Division ordering the cancellation of her COC based on questions to her citizenship and residency raised by former Senator Francisco Tatad, Law Professor Antonio Contreras and former Dean of the University of the East College of Law Amado Valdez.

The Comelec en banc, with a vote of 5-1-1 upheld the decision of its Second Division that granted the petition filed by Atty.

Estrella Elamparo which sought the cancellation of Poe’s COC on the ground of her failure to meet the constitutional requirement of a 10-year residency for presidential aspirants.

Poe filed two petitions for review with the Supreme Court challenging both decisions.

The Supreme Court then issued a temporary restraining order stopping the Comelec from implementing its decision and set the case for a Jan. 19, 2016 oral argument.

“The Constitution has vested to the Comelec broad powers, involving not only the enforcement and administration of all laws and regulations relative to the conduct of elections, but also the resolution and determination of election controversies,” Comelec said.

Comelec, in its comment said that contrary to Poe’s argument, they are not bound by the SET ruling.

Poe, in her motion, said given that the SET decision had already been promulgated long before the Comelec Divisions issued their rulings, and was already final and executory long before the

Comelec en banc promulgated its December decision, the Comelec acted with grave abuse of discretion when it disregarded the SET decision.

Comelec said for it to abide by the SET ruling is, in effect, surrendering its independence which was enshrined in the constitution.

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Features

Relentless

DESPITE ardent calls by the international community to halt its military assertion in the West Philippine (South China) Sea, China remains undaunted in reiterating its “indisputable sovereignty” and has moved forward with its reclamation activities.

While the Philippines was enjoying the New Year revelries, China was busy completing the construction of a 3,125-meter-long airfield on Kagitingan Reef in the highlycontested Spratly archipelago. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) confirmed that China recently used a civilian plane to conduct a flight testing in the Philippine-claimed reef.

Vietnam, which also claims Kagitingan and calls the reef “Da Chu Thap,” immediately protested China’s recent actions. Le Hai Binh, a spokesperson for the Vietnamese foreign ministry, said the test flight violated Vietnam’s sovereignty, breached mutual understanding and hurt bilateral relations.

Vietnam also warned China to immediately stop and not to repeat similar actions.

China rejected Vietnam’s protest. Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying said the test flight to Kagitingan, which the Chinese call Yongshu Island, was to “test whether or not the facilities on it meet the standards for civil aviation” and a matter “completely within China’s sovereignty.”

Washington also criticized China’s recent actions, saying that the test flight had exacerbated tensions in the region. Pooja Jhunjhunwala, a spokesperson for the US State Department, said

Editorial

there was “a pressing need for claimants to publicly commit to a reciprocal halt to further land reclamation, construction of new facilities and militarization of disputed

features.”

The US encouraged all claimants to actively reduce tensions by refraining from unilateral actions that undermine regional stability, and taking steps to create space for meaningful diplomatic solutions to emerge.

The Philippines, Vietnam and China, along with Brunei, Malaysia, and Taiwan, have competing claims to parts of the West Philippine (South China) Sea. China claims the largest swathe of the strategic water, which is believed to have significant oil and gas deposits. Over the last two years, it has been increasingly assertive in pressing its claims over the disputed waters against its smaller neighbors.

According to a report, “China has piled sand atop seven reefs in the Spratlys, on at least two of which it has built airstrips, radar installations and docking facilities. Besides Kagitingan, China has built artificial islands on Calderon (Cuarteron), Burgos (Gaven), Mabini (Johnson South), Panganiban (Mischief), Zamora (Subi) and McKennan (Hughes) reefs, all claimed by the Philippines and

Philstar.com photo

within the country’s 370-kilometer exclusive economic zone recognized under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.” China claims that the new facilities will strictly be used to provide civilian services, including maritime search and rescue, navigation aid, marine research, and even weather observation.

Manila has already taken its claim for arbitration to a United Nations-backed international tribunal on the Law of the Sea (ITLOS). China, however,

refused to participate in the arbitration. The United Nations Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague is expected to hand down a resolution by June.

While this pressing international matter calls for a swift conclusion, it must undergo such tedious process to reach a peaceful resolution. This is the essence of international law, which was built by principles based on universally accepted values and moral standards. (AJPress)

Do you support Pres. Obama’s executive action on gun control?

IN a rare display of emotion, President Barack Obama shed tears as he passionately spoke to the nation about the urgent need to cure the gun violence epidemic in America and save lives. He recalled the innocent first-grade kids massacred in Sandy Hook, among other victims whose lives were cut short because of these senseless killings.

Obama reportedly considers the failure to sign into law the much needed sensible gun control legislation to be the biggest frustration of his presidency, and he felt that time is running out.

He blamed Congress, which blocked a tougher gun bill in 2013, and noted that it still needs to impose new gun control measures. He stressed the fact that many of the actions he’s calling for can only be imposed through legislative action.

“The gun lobby may be holding Congress hostage right now. But they cannot hold America hostage. We do not have to accept this carnage as the price of freedom,” Pres. Obama empathically declared.

Thus, the president put matters in his own

hands. Using his executive power, he announced measures The Fil-Am to expand and bolster the background check system to cover Perspective sales that take place online and at gun shows, and provide more funding for mental health treatment, FBI staff and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco Firearms Gel SantoS-ReloS and Explosives agents. He also announced that his administration is going to advance research to update firearms technology to make gun use safer.

“I taught constitutional law. I know a little about this,” Obama said, insisting that he believes in protecting the Second Amendment right of responsible gun owners. And then he made his case that this right to bear arms is not all that America should consider: “All of us should be able to work together to find a balance that declares the rest of our rights are also important—Second Amendment rights are important, but there are other rights that we

The reunification of Filipino World War II veterans and their families AN estimated 260,000 Filipino soldiers fought alongside Commentary American troops during World War II, helping us win one of our most important victories.

In recognition of their bravery and sacrifice, they were promised citizenship by the United SenatoR HaRRy Reid States government and to give them the same benefits that all of our veterans deserve. Despite this promise, Filipino World War II veterans were not naturalized until 1990 -- 45 years after the war had ended. These Filipino soldiers also had to leave their families behind because this hard-earned benefit did not extend to their children.

Because of backlogs in our immigration system, it took decades for Filipino World War II veterans to reunite with their families.

It is simply wrong that our veterans have to suffer from our antiquated immigration system, and so I have fought for years to reunite Filipino soldiers and their families by pushing for legislation to help expedite this process. I was pleased when the Department of Homeland Security announced new efforts to modernize our legal immigration system in July, as a result President Obama’s executive action on immigration, because it included a new policy to expedite the reunification Filipino World War II veterans and their families.

This new parole program would allow certain family members of aging Filipino World War II veterans to come to the United States and provide their loved ones with the care they need. This was a step in the right direction, but the Administration still has not yet announced important details about eligibility and the application process. In December, I wrote a letter along with my colleagues, Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and Senator Tim Kaine of Virginia, to urge President Obama to quickly implement this new rule.

We cannot keep delaying the reunification of Filipino World War II veterans and their families. They have waited too long for their loved ones because our government didn’t honor its promise. It is time to right this wrong and I hope that the 6,000 Filipino veterans still alive today and living in the country will have the chance to be cared for by their families. We must do everything in our power to ensure that their service is properly recognized.

I am proud to represent more than 100,000 Filipino-Americans in Nevada and I know the contributions they have made to our country. We owe it to these veterans to give them the recognition they deserve. I will continue to advocate for Filipino World War II veterans in Congress to let them know how thankful we are for their service.

care about as well. And we have to be able to balance them.

Because our right to worship freely and safely—that right was denied to Christians in Charleston, South Carolina. And that was denied Jews in Kansas City. And that was denied Muslims in Chapel Hill, and Sikhs in Oak Creek.

They had rights, too.

Our right to peaceful assembly—that right was robbed from moviegoers in Aurora and Lafayette.

Our unalienable right to life, and liberty, and the pursuit of happiness—those rights were stripped from college students in Blacksburg and Santa Barbara, and from high schoolers at Columbine, and from first-graders in Newtown. First-graders. And from every family who never imagined that their loved one would be taken from our lives by a bullet from a gun.

Every time I think about those kids it gets me mad. And by the way, it happens on the streets of

Chicago every day.

So all of us need to demand a Congress brave enough to stand up to the gun lobby’s lies. All of us need to stand up and protect its citizens. All of us need to demand governors and legislatures and businesses do their part to make our communities safer.

We need the wide majority of responsible gun owners who grieve with us every time this happens and feel like your views are not being properly represented to join with us to demand something better.

And we need voters who want safer gun laws, and who are disappointed in leaders who stand in their way, to remember come election time.”

What do you think about this latest move towards gun control? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook.com/Gel. Santos.Relos

Sluggo Rigor’s ‘May Angal III’

Street Talk GreG B. MacaBenta MY dear friend, Sluggo Rigor, editor and publisher of FilAm Bulletin in Seattle, reacted to one of my columns, “May Angal: Circa 2016,” which was about the callousness and insensitivity of the Aquino administration in the face of clear instances of incompetence and impunity in PNoy’s nearly six years of governance.

Stirred by what I wrote, Sluggo was prompted to send me his own column that enumerated more instances of unrepentant kapalpakan and kamanhiran – in effect, daring the citizenry, “May angal? Any complaints?”

I promised him that I would use his piece in Street Talk. Here it is: It is this time of the year when expatriates in the U.S. become melancholic and feel more homesick. The only way expats get feedback on what is happening in the land of their forefathers is through the magic of technology.

TV news and the Net provide us with enough facts that tend to show how much suffering and deprivation the old homeland is going through. (After reading Greg Macabenta’s stirring column he had titled “May Angal?!”, here are my humble rejoinders.)

Realizing my limited capacity at grasping the entire context of developments back home, I merely ask: Would it be relevant for us expatriates to list down issues, concerns, worries, sentiments, heartaches and the like that we

absorb from media? Since key parties in the political arena in the Philippines are again busily positioning themselves, I guess this would be an opportune time to ask the present leaders who are on the saddle about the following bothersome issues (that have been pointed to by media and by critics during their watch).

1. The monstrous traffic snarls that paralyze the premier city and suburbs. ( If Metro Manila were a human being, it would have long died of arteriosclerosis. Even fire trucks remain helpless as blocks upon blocks of houses burn! ) 2. Warehouses filled with rotten rice that are shown being thrown away while poor families go hungry!

3. The bloody Maguindanao massacre is going on its sixth year! Will the savage killers ever be prosecuted? (How should we answer non-Filipino friends who ask?)

4. Air traffic in the NAIA are known as one of the most congested in the southeast Asian region, not to mention the cases of hooligans preying on unsuspecting airline passengers who go through NAIA. And the pathetic management of land transportation traffic coming and going through the place.

5. The awful case of that Japanese SUV that is placing everyone on the road at risk because reports of uncontrolled acceleration have not been addressed decisively by incompetent government bureaucrats. In more caring countries, the manufacturer-distributor should be canned immediately! The safety of the tax-paying citizenry should be

paramount. As usual, Trade Department officials are slow in responding to this anomaly!

6. Billions of dollars that were contributed by nations around the world for the Yolanda Typhoon victims are reportedly held up somewhere while scores of victims continue to suffer. The true account remains muddled after more than two years!

7. The Bureau of Corrections is the last place anyone would suspect where wrongdoing is committed. There have been scores of reports about special treatments but what takes the cake are weapons found and drugdealing behind bars! Funny thing is that the Man in Malacanang does not seem to be bothered at all! (No one has offered to resign nor taken responsibility. They run for public office instead!)

8. Reports of rigged up biddings in the procurement of Armed Forces materiel like helmets, rifles, helicopters, combat gears, etc. What is the truth here?

(As an army brat, I care about the institution that my dear father had served with utmost dedication!)

9. Pension funds of GSIS for retirees and aging old soldiers under PVAO are reportedly dwindling and irregularities on invested reserves remain unexplained.

10. Mass transit in Metro Manila under the MMDA and the Department of Transportation are featured daily by cable TV from the Philippines and there are always reports of break downs of trains, poor maintenance, questionable contracts. We see the faces of poor commuters and motorists and wonder when the responsible government officials

will begin responding?

Well...go ahead and say that we have no more business commenting on the old homeland as we are now citizens of another land. Yet we thank media for bringing right into our living room the utter desperation, the anger, the hunger, administrative mismanagement, indifference, non-enforcement of laws, grinding poverty that exist in this time and era in the land of our birth. Come to think of it... they said in 1985 that if Marcos goes, the country will be better off. Well, people got rid of him.

Guess what? There is ample time to now compare the brands of leadership and quality of life elements...purely detached of course from political undertones.

After all is said and done...we are still homesick and long so much for the old homeland to be led one day soon by more competent, more caring, more engaged Filipinos.

From halfway across the globe, many expats now begin to understand why Bongbong is gaining in most forecasts.

I would like to thank Sluggo for this incisive write-up. Remarkably, latest public opinion polls in the Philippines indicate that most Filipinos are looking forward to 2016 with optimism and high hopes. Perhaps it is because of the inherent resiliency of our people and, maybe, it is also because of the prospect of the end of Aquino’s governance of incompetence and insensitivity.

May their hopes and expectations come true. Here’s wishing our readers a Happy, Prosperous and Peaceful New Year. (gregmacabenta@hotmail.com)

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.

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Sandigan denies Jinggoy bail plea

by Marc Jayson

cayabyab

Inquirer.net

The lightning struck twice for poor Jose “Jinggoy” estrada.

The Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has denied the bail petition of detained senator Jinggoy estrada from his plunder charge over the pork barrel scam.

Also denied bail is the accused mastermind Janet Lim-Napoles. estrada’s lawyer Atty. Alexis Abastillas-Suarez in a phone interview confirmed the denial of estrada’s bail.

She said the law office of estrada’s counsel Atty. Sabino Acut Jr. received a copy of the 200-page resolution Thursday evening. however, Suarez refused to comment because estrada’s counsels are still going through the resolution.

“I will confirm (that estrada’s bail was denied). It consists of 200 pages. hindi pa namin nababasa, so hindi pa kami makapag-comment,” Suarez said.

The Office of the Special Prosecutor confirmed scoring against estrada.

“The Office of the Special Prosecutor confirms the bail petition of Senator estrada has been denied by the Sandiganbayan,” said Atty.

Rawnsle Lopez, acting director of the Ombudsman Public Information and Media Relations Bureau, in a text message.

In a copy of the resolution uploaded on the Sandiganbayan website, the court sounded literary in denying the bail by stressing that the phrase “lightning never strikes the same place twice” does not apply to estrada.

“One cannot think ill of the saying ‘lightning never strikes the same place twice’ for it is now the standing paradox to Senator estrada’s case,” the court ruled in the 250-page resolution.

The court said above the allegations of politicking by the Office of the Special Prosecutor, it was able to prove strong evidence of estrada’s guilt.

The denial of bail, however, does not mean estrada is guilty beyond reasonable doubt of plunder, the court said. “emptied of all public insinuations and political overtones that has incessantly hovered over this case from the beginning, and while this ruling does not portend to be a judgement of conviction for both accused, this Court has found that the prosecution has established a strong evidence of guilt to deny the petitions of both accused,” the court said.

Apex of PDAF scam The court went on to say estrada in his second plunder case before the Sandiganbayan is the “apex of the PDAF scam.”

This is because estrada endorsed to the implementing agencies the bogus foundations which turned out to be ghost projects using his PDAF. The court copy pasted in its resolution estrada’s letters of endorsement of these bogus foundations, such as the Masaganang Ani Para sa Magsasaka Foundation and the Social Development Program for Farmers Foundation, which were both linked to Napoles.

“Together with the private accused Napoles… Senator estrada is, as prosecution evidence would strongly show, at the apex of the ‘PDAF scam,’” the court said.

The court also took credence on the testimony of state witness Ruby Tuason and finance officer Benhur Luy against estrada.

Luy has testified that estrada received millions of kickbacks from Napoles as recorded in his ledger of transactions with lawmakers.

Meanwhile, Tuason, the former social secretary of Jinggoy’s father, said she has delivered millions of kickbacks stored in duffel bags to estrada at the family-owned Zirkoh bar or at his Senate office.

Tuason’s fickle memory The court said even while Tuason struggled in remembering the amounts of the kickbacks she delivered, this does not discredit her as a witness. “human memory is fickle and prone to the stresses of emotions and the passage of time…

She may not have taken an effort to particularly know how much money was inside the bag to be delivered… but this disparity is not too substantial to disparage her worth as a witness,” the court said.

“Instead, it is Ruby Tuason’s positive account that she personally delivered the kickbacks given

by Napoles to Senator estrada himself which commands serious consideration,” it added.

Luy’s ledger an investigator’s ‘oasis’ The court also considered as presumptive evidence Luy’s daily financial records because these are regular records. The court said because of Luy’s ledger may not be considered hearsay.

The court even considered Luy’s financial ledger as detailed and complex, meticulously recorded on a regular basis, which makes it an “oasis” to the investigators of

Dateline PhiliPPines

OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 8-14, 2016

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Sen. Jinggoy Estrada

the PDAF scam.

It took the court over a year to decide on the petition since it first conducted hearings on July 2014. estrada is accused of receiving P183 million in kickbacks from his Priority Development Assistance Funds (PDAF) through alleged ghost projects using the bogus foundations of accused pork barrel scam mastermind Janet LimNapoles. he is detained at the Philippine National Police Custodial Center with colleague Senator Ramon Revilla Jr. Revilla’s bail plea was denied by the Sandiganbayan in Dec. 2014 just months after he surrendered June 2014.

Not lucky as before This dashed estrada’s hopes because the detained senator earlier expressed confidence that he would be granted bail like before in the jueteng case of his father the deposed President Joseph estrada.

JInggoy was jailed with his father in 2001 for plunder over illegal jueteng money, the charge which propelled the aborted impeachment trial of former President estrada.

In 2001, the younger estrada, then San Juan Mayor, was charged with conspiring with his father “in amassing and acquiring through ill-gotten wealth from illegal gambling through any or a combination or a series of overt or criminal acts or similar schemes or means.”

In March 2003, after two years in detention, Jinggoy was allowed bail, after the Sandiganbayan found that the ex-mayor probably collected “jueteng” protection money but only for his “own selfish needs” and not in “conspiracy” with his father.

In 2007, Joseph estrada was convicted of plunder, but then President Gloria Arroyo pardoned him barely two months after. Jinggoy, meanwhile, was acquitted.

PAYATAS SUPPORTERS. Happy residents of Payatas, Quezon City swarm around Senator Bongbong Marcos for a souvenir shot after praying over him, asking the Lord for Divine Intervention and guidance for his Vice Presidential bid this coming May 2016 elections. Senate photo

Laude kin cry injustice amid Pemberton appeal

by Michael

Punongbayan Philstar.com

The move of US Marine lance Cpl. Joseph Scott Pemberton’s camp to ask the Olongapo City regional trial court (RTC) to reconsider his homicide conviction has disheartened the family of slain transgender Jeffrey “Jennifer” Laude, saying they felt experiencing injustice all over again.

“Despite Pemberton’s conviction, the family can’t say that it’s really over. how many times should the Laudes see injustice in this case?” lawyer Virgie Suarez, one of the counsels of the Laudes, told the Inquirer on Thursday, Jan. 7.

Suarez issued the statement after Judge Roline Ginez-Jabalde of Olongapo City RTC Branch 74 started hearing on Thursday the omnibus motion filed by Pemberton’s lawyers on Dec. 16.

In an 80-page omnibus motion, Pemberton’s lawyers asked for a “partial reconsideration” and clarification of the court’s decision, asserting that the cause of Laude’s death, as established by trial evidence, was “doubtful.”

Jabalde ruled on Dec. 1 that Pemberton, who was charged with murder, was guilty of the lesser offense of homicide for the 2014 death of Laude.

Witnesses had identified Pemberton as the foreigner who accompanied Laude when they checked into a motel in Olongapo City on the night of Oct. 11, 2014. Laude was found dead in the bathroom of their rented motel room minutes after Pember-

Marilou Laude, sister of murder victim Jeffrey Laude.

Inquirer.net file photo by Allan Macatuno

ton left.

Pemberton was sentenced to a jail term of six to 12 years, which he would serve at a detention facility supervised by the Bureau of Corrections in Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City.

Laude’s mother, Julita, was not satisfied with the shorter jail term that the court imposed on Pemberton because she said she had hoped the American soldier would be convicted of murder.

Lawyer Rowena Garcia, Pemberton’s counsel, earlier said the American soldier should be acquitted because the prosecution’s evidence showed there was reasonable doubt that Pemberton killed Laude.

“At stake in this case are the life and liberty of a young man who succumbed to the invitation of two ‘women’ to engage in momentary sexual relations, and ended up being sexually

molested and betrayed, and then wrongfully accused of killing one of them,” Pemberton’s lawyers said in the motion.

But Suarez said the omnibus motion is based on “rehashed arguments” that have been raised and argued in court during the trial. “These arguments… have already been considered, dissected and rejected by the court,” she said.

In the omnibus motion, Pemberton’s lawyers also asked the court to allow their client to post bail.

But Suarez said Pemberton should not be allowed bail because he had been declared as an “undesirable alien” and, “more importantly, the very obvious flight risk.”

The court has given the lawyers of the Laude family 10 days to comment on the motion filed

by Pemberton’s lawyers.

A

january 8-14, 2016 • OC/IE aSIan jOurnaL

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sfc 11.5 x 20 roger

entertainment magazine january 8-14, 2016

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january 8-14, 2016

New Year, New You:

2

Tips on achieving your goals

by Christina M. Oriel and MalOu liwanag-BledsOe / aJPress AT the beginning of each year, the fresh start prompts endeavors for self-improvement. As the holiday season fades, we tend to approach the new year still clinging onto a glimmer of optimism, and craft a lofty list of professional and personal resolutions that we’d like to achieve in the coming months. The items on the list can range from getting finances in order to shedding unwanted pounds or even making brave choices out of our comfort zones.

Despite the best intentions motivating these goals, actually sticking to them for the long haul is often a daunting task. research has shown that 36 percent of those who made New Year’s resolutions already broke them by the end of January; the amount rises to 56 percent by July.

The Asian Journal enlisted the help of individuals for insight on how to have a successful and fulfilling year ahead, no matter what intentions you set for yourself.

Sticking to your resolution(s) • Set specific and realistic goals often times resolutions are broad and general like, “lose weight” or “save money.” But make them more specific, such as “lose x amount of pounds in x amount of time” or “save x amount of money” to make the resolutions more measurable.

Likewise, being more specific serves as a motivator to keep you moving as you inch closer to achieving that goal. Yet, the goals should be reasonable and realistic — those that you actually want to achieve for yourself.

“When you make a resolution to do something other than what deeply feels comfortable for you, it’s unlikely that you’re going to do it,” said Dr. Ellen Langer, a professor of psychology at Harvard University.

• Track progress and actions Aim to set smaller short-term goals, as you slowly ease into the changes that you want to incorporate in your life. That way you can track how far along you’ve come and stay motivated.

• Find a support system The American Psychological Association recommends sharing the journey toward your goals with those around you, like family, friends, coworkers or those at your gym.

Having someone to listen to your achievements and struggles makes the path easier and less intimidating.

They can support your efforts and push you to keep going.

• Reward yourself Celebrate the achievements along the way, without derailing your resolution. For example, if your resolution is to eat healthier and lose weight, a reward can be to buy new workout gear, not indulging in sweets once you lose a few pounds.

• But above all, don’t be too hard on yourself. “remember that the journey is about progress, not perfection. It’s about the lessons. So rather than just making a list of resolutions, ask yourself in what ways would you like to grow?,” said Anna marie Cruz, an LA-based health and wellness coach.

Organization 101

Being physically fit and in proper shape are things that people should ideally be.

Philstar.com photo

Jenny Castaneda, food blogger behind www.

Paleofoodiekitchen.com

moment for “Quiet Time Planning,” which means to sit down and write out your daily to-do’s.

Having a schedule tracker — either a physical planner or a calendar app — is helpful for planning. Next, she suggested determining whether a “to-do” item A home office gets organized Photo courtesy of The Organization Organization is a task (something that tasks a few minutes) or a project (longer period ensure that any junk/trash doesn’t With the clean slate that a of time) and estimating how much end up on your work area. new calendar year brings, getting time each would take. “Starring” the • A lesson in essentials organized becomes a priority. most important item(s) means that At work, keep only the Jiliane Patriarca, professional those should get done first. As you important things that you need on organizer and founder of The your desktop -- those that help you go along, check off things that have organization organization, said that been completed. get your tasks done. Getting rid of having an organized home and/or “But even with the best planner unnecessary items gives you more workspace can have a huge impact or app, if we don’t take time to sit, room. To find out what you really on our mental and emotional being. need, Kat suggested asking yourself analyze and ‘organize our brain’, Added Kat ong, an we won’t get the clarity we need “what’s the worse case that can internationally trained professional to manage and maximize our days happen if you throw an item away organizer based in manila, “being if you are unsure what to do. Is it on the best we can. And of course, all organized isn’t about neatness the planning in the world won’t do the internet? Does someone else (or being a neat freak), it is about much without action,” Kat said. have it? Can someone advise you if productivity — getting things done.

Healthy living you need to keep it (do ask why)?

Aim for organized enough.”

Working towards a healthy Are you keeping it all for one tidbit Some tips for organizing lifestyle — either through a of info?” one’s home/workspace, by Kat workout regimen or mindful eating • Keep it simple — a (who runs the website www. complicated system for filing and — is among the top New Year’s spacethatworks.com) and Jiliane resolutions that people set for organizing your items at home (www.theorganizationorg.com): themselves. and at work will often times not • Start small “Whether [its] food or exercise get followed.

Choosing one place in your [related], do it gradually and build • Don’t be afraid to ask for home or workspace that is cluttered up. Don’t set goals that are too help helps you focus. “Set a timer for 30 drastic and sudden — physically and “Clutter can be overwhelming minutes and focus on that area,” emotionally you might get shocked. and frustrating! It’s sometimes Jiliane said. “Set some time aside, It’s a long-term commitment and hard to get started because you maybe once a day or once a week, lifestyle change,” shared Steve don’t know where to start,” Jiliane to organize another area. You’ll be Angeles, ABS-CBN “Balitang said. “This is most often the reason surprised what you can do if you America” correspondent who lost 80 why people need a professional really focus. pounds in two years. organizer. With our fresh eyes, • Determine what doesn’t Getting a daily dose of physical we can help you get started and serve you activity doesn’t have to be expensive develop a plan that will make the Kat recommended getting a or require a gym membership. Find space work for you; so that you are trash bag and start filling it with in control of it, not it being in control an exercise that suits your fitness items that are of no use to your level and personality. The simplest of you.” setting. Decorations on one’s table form can be through walking, as it is The connection between can take up space, either take them free, easy and social. organized and productive home from work or donate the rest.

For overall cardiovascular health, moreover, Kat noted that • Everything has a place the American Heart Association having an organized space means “If you have a home office and recommends at least 30 minutes that you won’t spend your energy a creative studio in one room, set of moderate-intensity aerobic looking for missing items; instead, an imaginary line that separates activity for at least five days a week you can focus on doing work. the two so that your administrative (total of 150 minutes) or at least 25 “Do you need to rummage things don’t spill over into your minutes of vigorous aerobic activity frantically through your desk while creative things,” Jiliane added. at least three days a week (total of someone is in front of you waiting, “If you have boundaries set and 75 minutes). on top of that, adults aging to get it? or can you whip it make sure you stick to them, you’re out without even blinking? Imagine should engage in moderate to highalready being — and keeping intensity muscle-strengthening if you were out sick and you really things — more organized.” activity at least two days a week for needed to send out an urgent “Allot a drawer or shelf for additional health benefits. document. If your workspace is writing and other office supplies.

“Even if you’ve been sedentary organized, you can call someone Use trays / small holders to keep for years, today is the day you can and easily direct them where the them segregated and contained,” begin to make healthy changes in item is located. Done. If your space Kat said. Categorize files by the is disorganized, well, they might not your life. If you don’t think you’ll type of attention they need, such find it. Potential loss of opportunity make it for 30 or 40 minutes, set a as those requiring immediate reachable goal for today. You can right there and that could be action (ex: call/return/pay/research) work up toward your overall goal anything from monetary to health or those that just need to be by increasing your time as you get crisis level,” she said. filed away for safekeeping. She stronger. Don’t let all-or-nothing Her best advice for keeping also recommended keeping a your schedule organized? Devote a thinking rob you of doing what you wastebasket near your desk can

Paleo-friendly chicken tocino

Paleo-friendly chicken tocino

By Jenny Castaneda / www.PaleOfOOdiekitChen.COM Prep time: 10 minutes | Cook time: 20 minutes Total time: 30 minutes Serves 2 Ingredients Marinade: • ½ cup (120 ml) pineapple juice • 1 tbsp (15 g) ketchup • 1 tbsp (15 g) tomato paste • 2 tbsp (30 ml) coconut aminos • 3 tbsp (45 g) coconut sugar • 1 tsp (2 g) garlic powder • 1 tsp (2 g) sea salt • 1½ pounds (675 g) boneless, skinless chicken thighs thinly sliced or flattened • 4 tbsp (60 ml) of your preferred oil for frying Instructions 1. In a large bowl, combine all the marinade ingredients and mix thoroughly until the sugar and salt are dissolved.

2. Add the thinly sliced chicken thighs and mix until each piece is coated with the marinade.

3. Place the chicken and marinade in a large zip-top plastic bag. Remove excess air and seal it well.

4. Place the bag in the fridge and leave it in there for 2 days to allow the marinade enough time to cure the chicken.

5. Once you’re ready to cook the tocino, heat a large cast iron pan or skillet over medium heat.

6. (Note: Fry the chicken in 2 batches so that it browns nicely and evenly on both sides.)

7. For each batch, add 2 tablespoons of oil into the pan.

8. Add the chicken pieces to the pan and cook it for 3 - 5 minutes. Flip to the other side and cook for another 3 - 5 minutes until browned and caramelized.

9. Remove from the pan and repeat the same process for the remaining batch.

10. Serve immediately with fried eggs, cauliflower rice (or garlic rice) and a spicy vinegar dipping sauce on the side. can every day,” the AHA said.

Drink up H20 Water, though taken for granted, is a beverage that can aid with digestion and proper bodily functions. many suggest drinking half of your body weight in ounces (and more if you are active). Thirst can sometimes be mistaken for hunger, so staying hydrated is

key to warding off cravings and avoiding overeating. To keep track of your daily water intake, keep a refillable water bottle nearby and sip it throughout the day. You can add fruit, sliced cucumbers, mint leaves or fresh lemon slices to make your plain water more exciting and flavorful.

Continued on Page 6

Yoga for beginners By aJPress

From the Sankskrit root “yuj” which means “to yoke,” yoga is an ancient practice and philosophy promoting inner peace by joining the spirit and physical body together. The physical postures or asanas done in yoga are used to purify the body and control the chatter or fluctuations of the mind.

Among the many benefits of yoga include: 1. Energizes and rejuvenates the body 2. Tones the muscles 3. Increases mobility and flexibility 4. relieves pain from bad postures and habits 5. Improves immunity and blood and energy circulation 6. Promotes inner peace and a more balances mindset Illustrations by Kenno Samulde

Beginners’ poses: • Mountain pose Benefits: good for improving posture, honing in on breathing and finding your center With feet hip-width apart, stand tall — shoulders relaxed and weight evenly distributed — place your arms at your sides.

Slowly start to breathe and then breathe deeply, as you raise your hands overhead in a prayer position or reaching toward the sky with your fingertips.

• Downward facing dog Benefits: calms mind, strengthens arms and legs, stretches the shoulders, hamstrings, calves, arches, and hands After mountain pose, get on hands and knees hips-width apart. make sure knees are below the hips and walk hands forward.

(Fingers should be spread apart to stabilize the body). Next, curl toes under and lift knees away from the floor — keep them slightly bent as the heels are lifted. To stretch even more, keep heels down on the floor.

• Cobra Benefits: strengthens spine, stretches chest and lungs, shoulders, and abdomen, opens hearts and lungs As you lie facedown on floor with thumbs directly under shoulders, extend legs with the tops of feet on the floor. Press tops of feet and thighs firmly on floor, and press shoulders down and away from ears. Straighten arms and push thumbs and index fingers down to raise chest off the floor. Breathe easily, as you hold the pose from 15 to 30 seconds.

• Warrior I Benefits: full-body stretch, strengthens shoulders and arms, back, thighs, calves and ankles Stand in mountain pose, then place legs 3 to 4 feet apart. Turn right foot to 90 degrees (and bend, keeping it over the ankle) and left foot in slightly. raise arms perpendicular to the floor, and gaze out over right hand.

• Child’s pose Benefits: gentle stretch on the hips, thighs and ankles; relieves stress and any neck and back pain.

Begin by kneeling on the floor with big toes touching together.

Sit on heels and then separate knees as wide as hips. roll torso forward, as forehead rests in front of you. Extend arms forward and lower chest as close to knees.

Breathe as you hold the pose.

People to watch out for in 2016 Tim Yap Philstar.com

by

The Star’s annual tradition of picking out the people who will rock pop culture this coming year started out as a guessing game based on gut feel, personal research and deep industry-insider connections. We began publishing this list since we launched this section in 2008, and all these years, we’re happy to say, we’ve been proven right. We just know it when someone—a star, actor, director, artist or talent—is about to break through or reach new heights, and it gives us deep pride and pleasure to be able to gaze within our subconscious and report to your consciousness the names that will matter more than most, and to prepare you for the year to come. here, in no particular order are the people you must watch out for this 2016.

The new cast of ‘Encantadia’ Encantadia opened the floodgates of the fantaserye trend of the past decade. It was fresh, groundbreaking during its time and launched the careers of many stars to superstardom status. We heard auditions are ongoing—so who’s gonna play who? This new all-star cast is what people are waiting for, and what every junior star in GMA-7 is dreaming of. Names like Julie Anne San Jose, Gabbi Garcia,Starstruck winners Klea Pineda and Migo Adecer are floating around.

Tommy Esguerra PBB’s breakout star has always been a fashion industry fave, but he was told in the beginning that it would be challenging to market him to the masses. Now that he’s got that out of the way and is now pursuing his dream of being an actor, expect more screen time for this longhaired heartthrob; 2016 will be his year to shine.

Pia Wurtzbach She ended 2015 by putting an end to the 42-year drought that the country had experienced in the Miss Universe pageant and in doing so, inspired the world — the universe, rather — with her confidently beautiful ways — with a humble heart, at that. expect 2016 to be even more stellar for Pia Wurtzbach as she fulfills her queenly duties.

Janella Salvador & Elmo Magalona ABS-CBN has Kathniel and JaDine. 2016 will also be about Janelmo. Makes sense. Both have

January 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

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Regine Velasquez going ‘full-blast’ this year by

NaThalie Tomada Philstar.com

Tommy Esguerra

Elmo Magalona and Janella Salvador

famous parents but have stood on their own when it comes to talent and following. Janella was even handpicked by hK Disneyland to be their Filipino poster girl for the holiday season and elmo, aside from being our local Justin Bieber, has also proven that he can very well carry a show. This new chapter in elmo Magalona’s career is interesting to monitor because he already is a bankable star. Let’s see how his new network can make him go higher.

Maine Mendoza 2015 was a landmark year for #AlDub, the multimedia phenomenon that has broken all existing social media records all over cyberspace and beyond.

But that was just the start. While the other half of the tandem, Alden Richards, has had plenty of exposure via TV shows and movies, Maine Mendoza is just getting started. And what a great start. 2016 will be a banner year, what with end-to-end billboards featuring Maine’s face plastered everywhere. She is the new queen of the endorsement circuit. Insiders tell me she’s a real firecracker. We are more than excited to see her soar more this coming year.

Curtis Smith Curtis Smith is not related to

MANILA—Regine VelasquezAlcasid is marking her 20th year with GMA 7 this year. She has just renewed a two-year guaranteed contract with the network last Monday.

Asked why she has remained a Kapuso all these years considering Maine Mendoza there were also some offers in the past from other TV networks, the singer-actress said, “Because they’ve been really, really good to me.”

“We are also loyal to her. We are Regine with (from left) Lilybeth Rasonable, GMA SVP for Entertainment TV; lawyer Felipe Gozon, GMA chairman and CEO; and Cacai Mitra, Regine’s sister and manager. glad that she chose us,” said GMA chairman and CeO lawyer Felipe whom he knows very well. I got Projects in the pipeline are Gozon who led the GMA executives a musical-comedy show and a that from him. I just want to be present during the contract-signing. teleserye, which she is taping as more careful.”

Regine particularly cited the Nevertheless, she didn’t rule soon as possible. She described her time she got pregnant while doing out the possibility that she might role as “very interesting because the teleserye, I Heart You, Pare, four be sighted in someone’s campaign the character is cold, like a robot. years ago. “When I got pregnant sortie. “It depends. My husband is That much I can say. It’s a different in the middle of the soap, they for Grace Poe. But they’re having character for me to play, different were the ones who even told me, a hard time right now,” she said of from my personality. I think I’m ‘OK, take a break.’ I was shocked at the presidentiable who’s facing more effective in character-driven Anne or Jasmine, but he sings/ that time because it was such an disqualification cases. “If ever... roles. Sometimes, it’s harder to raps with a gritty honesty that is inconvenience for them.” maybe her. And we still won’t earn play a character that’s near to your refreshing: “I have a dream I can The soap had to get another from that.” personality.” make it on my own.” his words actress to replace Regine and “that’s Meanwhile, Regine was asked Regine is also set to do a are that of a dreamer, hungry to not easy to do because it’s like about the video that trended Valentine concert with Martin express himself and carve his place you’re ruining the show.” on social media showing her Nievera, Angeline Quinto and erik in the world. Manila, meet your new “But they gave me that break gatecrashing a wedding in Boracay, Santos. makata. because it was important for me where she vacationed with her Does her contract prohibit Nathan Rodjam to rest as I was 40 years old when family over the holidays. She her from endorsing a political Check out his Instagram I got pregnant,” Regine added, related that they were heading candidate in the forthcoming May account (@nathanrodjam) and referring to her delicate pregnancy. elections? back to their hotel when she see a full-mouthed barefaced new “They understood my situation and noticed a wedding party winding “No, but I’d rather not. I only kid on the block who reminds I’m very, very grateful for that.” down, with the bride and groom endorsed one actually in my us of a younger Borgy Manotoc.

Another thing she was thankful entire career. even in my younger nowhere in sight. She decided to Nathan might just be the next male for was the light workload given to enliven the mood a little bit on a years, I never endorsed one. It’s supermodel in Manila, as there’s her in the last four years, allowing dare from Ogie. “It was enjoyable. hard to endorse one politician... been nobody who’s claiming the her “all the time in the world” to You know, I’ve never done that I usually endorse people I know, throne. New York City’s loss is be with her son Nate in his critical before. Because it scares me, as and I don’t get paid for it. hindi Manila’s gain and you’ll also realize formative years. people might say no, you can’t ako kumikita sa elections. that this male model is also a “even after I gave birth, I was do that, because the area was Although napakalaking raket (if crooner. Fashion industry, nurture given the time to be a mom. They cordoned off. I didn’t want to it were the case) for me and my this new “It” boy before showbiz gave me projects but they made assume that they would recognize husband, to be honest,” she said. gets a hold of him! sure I still have time with Nate,” me. I had no make-up on, I was “Malaki!” she replied when The new Darna Regine, who presently hosts the wearing shorts and even had a bag asked if she has any idea on how Star Cinema is still mum on cooking show Sarap Diva, said. with me.” much do some artists get paid who’s going to play this Pinoy “I was given a very relaxed schedule when endorsing politicians. “Some But when she went up the superheroine but whoever it which I really appreciate. even stage, the band immediately of them are being paid by the will be, expect the entire ABScoming back, there was no recognized her. Regine took over billions depending on the name of CBN machinery to focus all their pressure.” the mic and the rest is now a viral the stars. That’s what I know.” marketing efforts on this new flying, This year, however, Regine video. The “free” concert lasted for “But we don’t believe in it,” fighting star. And as soon as you’re sees it as the right time to resume over an hour, bringing the guests she added, “I learned that from cast as Darna, you join the ranks her showbiz career full-time. “So, as well as the newlyweds back to my father (the late Mang Gerry, to of elite actresses tapped to play actually, this is (the year) I’m going the party. “Tapos nung umalis na showbiz folks). even nung panahon the red bra-wearing superheroine full-blast in my work. At least, na mahirap pa kami, hindi yun kami,” she recalled with a laugh, forever etched in Pinoy pop culture Nate is now four years old and he tumatanggap ng bayad. he would “parang ang saya-saya na nila Continued on Page 6 understands my job.” only let me sing for a politician ulit.”

January 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

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Manaoag Church, Nueva Vizcaya bridge, San Joaquin, Iloilo Camposanto declared National Cultural Treasures Also declared NCTs: Paco Cemetery, Cagsaua ruins, Manansala rice murals

by Edgar

allan M. SEMbrano

Cagsaua Church ruins, Albay

The last two became controversial last year due to a road-widening project of the Department of Public Works and Highways that threatened to affect them.

Also declared NCTs are the 1762 marker of the Alcaiceria de San Fernando (silk market) in Binondo, Manila; the Qur’an called “Maradika” of Bayang, Lanao del Sur; two Vicente Manansala murals (International Rice Research Institute series); and the Sacred Art (four paintings) of the Paete Church in Laguna.

Declared ICPs are the Leandro V. Locsin-designed Philippine Center for Population and Development building in Taguig; San Bartolome Church complex in Malabon City; Cariño House in Candon City, Ilocos Sur; Callao Cave Complex in Peñablanca, Cagayan; Santa Maria Bridge in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya; Barit Bridge in Iriga, Camarines Sur; and the old Baliuag Municipal Hall in Bulacan.

Roadside Via Crucis A number of properties were also declared ICPs in San Nicolas, Ilocos Norte, all dating back to the Spanish colonial period.

These are the San Nicolas Church complex, including its convent and the roadside Via Crucis structures; the town’s elementary school building, municipal hall, Valdes-Lardizabal house; and the Nagrebcan Archaeological Site.

In Angeles City, Pampanga, the new ICPs are the church complex of Santo Rosario, Juan Nepomuceno camalig, José Pedro Henson y Leon Santos Deposito, the houses of Angel Pantaleon de Miranda, Ciriaco de Miranda, Mariano Lacson and Rafael Yutuc Sr. Elsewhere in Pampanga, the Guagua church was also declared an ICP together with the church and municipal hall of Magalang, and the municipal hall of Lubao.

Designed by Fr. Roque Ruano In Baguio City, the Colegio del Santisimo Rosario, popularly known as the Diplomat Hotel, was also

EMPLOYMENT

EMPLOYMENT

Inquirer.net

THE NATIONAL Museum (NM) has recently released the list of new sites, structures and objects declared as National Cultural Treasures (NCT) and Important Cultural Properties (ICP) in 2015.

Among those declared are Paco Park or the Cementerio Municipal de Manila y Capilla de San Pancracio in Manila; the watchtowers in the municipalities of Badoc, Currimao, Baccara and Pasuquin in Ilocos Norte,

Bantay watchtower-belfry, Ilocos Sur

and in Santiago, San Esteban and Narvacan towns in Ilocos Sur, including the watchtowerbelfries of Laoag and Bantay; the Minor Basilica and Complex of Nuestra Señora del Santisimo Rosario (including the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary and movable and intangible properties intrinsic to the cultural significance of the property) in Manaog, Pangasinan; Cagsaua Church ruins in Albay; Dampol Bridge in Dupax del Sur, Nueva Vizcaya; and San Joaquin Camposanto in Iloilo.

declared an ICP. It was designed by the Dominican engineer Fray Roque Ruaño, the same designer of the massive University of Santo Tomas Main Building, declared an NCT in 2010.

The hotel used to be a Dominican convent, hence it is located atop “Dominican Hills.”

Also declared an ICP in Baguio was Peredo’s Lodging House and the Laperal House, now owned by tycoon Lucio Tan. The Avanceña house or the Camiña Balay nga Bato in Arevalo, Iloilo City; the Lizares-Gamboa Mansion (now the Angelicum School) in Jaro of the same city; the Sornito house in Santa Barbara, Iloilo province; and the Chapel of Saint Joseph the Worker in Victorias, Negros Occidental, were also declared ICPs. NM director Jeremy Barns said the purpose of declaring cultural properties as either NCT or ICP is to “highlight their significance to the entire world that they are officially recognized as an intrinsic part of the patrimony of the Filipino people and are central to the legacy that the present generation should take special care to steward for the generations to come.”

He added: “They are an acknowledgment of the best of what we have inherited, in order that we may care for it, enrich it further, and pass it on in turn.”

The distinction would also ensure the protection, preservation and promotion of the declared properties.

“The Important Cultural Properties and National Cultural Treasures of the Philippines are individually and collectively meant to serve as testimony to the richness and diversity of heritage that speaks to the longstanding and distinctive strength, resilience and dynamism of the spirit of the Filipino people, at home and everywhere throughout the world,” Barns pointed out.

He also disclosed that dozens of sites and structures are also

Manaoag Minor Basilica, Pangasinan

Photos by Edgar Allan M. Sembrano

Colegio del Santisimo Rosario (Diplomat Hotel) ruins, Baguio City

Saint Joseph the Worker Chapel, Victorias City, Negros Occidental

being considered for declaration this year. Among those are the Hospicio de San José complex at the Isla de Convalescencia in Manila; the old Rizal Provincial Capitol in Santa Rosa barangay, Pasig City; the ruins of Corregidor Island in Cavite; and the fortress church and heritage houses of Boac in Marinduque.

The Heritage Law of 2009 defines ICPs as cultural properties “having exceptional cultural,

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FOR SALE

artistic and historical significance” while NCTs are those “possessing outstanding historical, cultural, artistic and/or scientific value which is highly significant and important to the country.”

The two are the highest distinctions given by the NM to cultural properties in the country.

The National Historical Commission of the Philippines is also empowered by the same law to declare properties as ICPs.

Kite Runner

Will the New Year resolve conflicts in the family business?

about their lack of control over the operations and direction of the business.

“With great enthusiasm, Confucian orientation can family businesses always look be a Catch 22 scenario forward to a wish list of New Year’s Chinese family businesses resolutions and good intentions. are heavily influenced by But in a relatively short period traditional Confucian ideology of time, we naturally revert back and are currently facing more to business as usual with our old challenges in succession and habits by sweeping unresolved human resource management. issues under the rug.” the general success of Chinese Succession is a process and overseas business firms must be planned has raised interest on the One of the thorniest and often influence of Chinese ethnicity times an extremely unpleasant on business performance and topic is the issue of succession. many government officials and it is not only isolated to the academics attribute the success founder and the successor but a to Confucianism. complex process that involves all Confucianism is a way of life actors both inside and outside propagated by Confucius in the the family business. Resistance to 6th–5th century BC and followed succession comes from multiple by the Chinese people for more levels including individuals than two millennia. Although (founder-entrepreneur, successor, transformed over time, it is still siblings), groups, the non-family the substance of learning, the employees, the family business source of values, and the social organization and its external code of the Chinese. its influence environments. Senior generation has also extended to other leaders contemplating of retiring countries, particularly Korea, in five years must start the Japan, and Vietnam. planning process. the Confucianism philosophy Uncertainty over who will teaches that the family is succeed the basic unit of all social Ownership issues are often organizations and the core of generational and lead to conflict society is not the individual, but between parents and their the family (hofstede, 1991). the children. if the senior generation business is considered a family is not prepared to give a definite property. Moreover, it is claimed call on when they intend to retire, that individuals are indistinctly the result can be frustration connected with and embedded among the successor generation in a family, a group or that social

Prof. EnriquE Soriano

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA thE immigration issue is now at the forefront of the national debate during this election year. it is a good time as any to talk about the immigrant life. tabula Rasa, these words of Latin origin, refer to a fresh, clean slate. if we don’t lug around too much emotional and mental baggage, we as immigrants who have gone the legal route or have taken steps to become legal, could be bright-eyed, bushy tailed, eager beavers who can create a new life. it is great to make an accounting of what it is that we already have. At the top of the list should be the fact that because we are new, we have none of the bad habits and distorted ways of thinking and doing that have burdened both the natives and longtime immigrants. We can look at things with fresh eyes and the glow of our new surroundings no matter how humble in the beginning takes on new meaning knowing that this life is brand new with little or none of the garbage that many jaded, cynical old-timers grapple with.

organizations so that they do not exist as a separate entity (Krug, 2004). Following the value of Chinese collectivism, family members cannot do anything that will facilitate the success or the achievement of an individual to disturb the harmonious settings within the family, thus, under the circumstance of collectivism culture, individual desires are always repressed. the Confucian value of caring for older parents reduces fear of losing financial support. this value is a very important lesson on filial piety that is taught from childhood. One of the most famous stories about filial piety teaches how children should sacrifice themselves for the sake of their parents. the story tells how a son used his body heat to melt the ice on a river to get fish for his sick mother. in general, Confucian ideology contributes to factors that promote successful succession. Confucianism supports cooperation, mutual trust, harmony and obedience to senior leaders’ decisions. When conflicts are not resolved, piety precedes all other virtues.

Confucianism criticized in South Korea, there has long been criticism of Confucianism. Many Koreans believe Confucianism has not contributed to the modernization of Korea. For example, South Korean writer Kim Kyong-il wrote

A clean slate “Remembering that I’ll be dead soon is the most important tool I’ve ever encountered to help me make the big choices in life. Because almost everything - all external expectations, all pride, all fear of embarrassment or failure these things just fall away in the face of death, leaving only what is truly important.”

— Steve Jobs in a fairly short time, as we live and orbit among others similarly situated as ourselves, we will find that it is easy to pick up and copycat the cynicism and pretentious jadedness of many who would constantly whine about everything in general, complaining about how nothing works and why the government and everyone else is to blame for everything that runs afoul.

Even during these unusually protracted tough times of severely diminished expectations, it is easy to fall into the trap of taking things for granted. the list is endless: phones that work at all hours of the day 24/7; the amazing network of freeways and streets that if connected end to end would circle the moon several times; the constant supply of electricity and water as well as

the basic necessities for survival that much of the developing world has to beg and grovel for; the sheer abundance of every imaginable kind of food and drink in the well-stocked supermarkets; the synchronicity of how the police and fire departments get their job done; the highest ratios of car ownership anywhere in the world; new cutting edge films and movies every week (though a high proportion of these have questionable merits). the amount of information available is overwhelming. there are vast amounts of information to sift through at our fingertips. there is the embarrassment of riches of the social and cultural wealth for those who seek them in the libraries, in the internet and in books; the presence of truly excellent, wonderful people of Continued on Page 6

LBC and BOC collaborate to ensure speedy balikbayan box deliveries PASAY—Following through on their discussions in the recently concluded Asia Logistics Summit 2015, LBC Express, inc., the country’s largest logistics, remittance, and courier company, and the Bureau of Customs (BOC) are working hand-in-hand to ensure that balikbayan boxes, especially ones targeted for Christmas, arrive promptly and safely.

BOC Chief Bert Lina was one of the guests of honor at the Asia Logistics Summit 2015. in his keynote speech, he mentioned “[in] logistics, the name of the game is speed.” he then followed it up with a clamor for the logistics companies and government to work together to ‘accelerate the pace of getting things done across all members of the supply chain.’ in response to Lina’s call, LBC has been working with the Bureau to hasten their turnover times. “the balikbayan box is where the OFWs translate their hard work and effort into something that is tangible and can be felt by their families back home. its more padama than it is padala,” said Rene Fuentes, LBC’s head of Global Retail. “through the years, LBC has always been trusted with sending those important gifts and gestures of love, so we’ve synchronized our systems with Customs to be able deliver packages as quickly as possible,” he continued. in this cooperation between LBC and the BOC, both entities

January 8-14, 2016 www.asianjournal.com

an essay entitled “Confucius Must Die For the Nation to Live”. Kim said that filial piety is one-sided and blind, and if it continues, social problems will continue as government keeps forcing Confucian filial obligations onto families.

The LOTTE Group corporate succession scandal Such dilemma came to light late last year in South Korea involving the hotel and Retail Giant, Lotte Group. it was a corporate succession scandal involving the intense rivalry between the two sons that led to the younger one turning against

the 92-year-old Mr. Shin, his father and founder and ended up ousting him as the General Chairman.

Strait times highlighted in its report that “while corporate succession battles are not unusual in South Korea, a son overthrowing his aged father is almost unheard of in a Confucian society where respect is valued.” this is what a catch 22 is all about, a dilemma or difficult circumstance from which there is no escape because of mutually conflicting or dependent conditions. (sorianoasia@gmail. com)

Calendar of Events across

5

*** Prof. Soriano is an ASEAN Family Business Advisor, Book Author, Executive Director of Asean-based Consulting group, Wong + Bernstein Advisory and Program Director for Real Estate and the former Chair of the Marketing Cluster of the ATENEO Graduate School of Business. He is slated to deliver a talk on Philippine Business Opportunities in NY on Feb 1 at the Philippine Consulate and Boston on Feb 4 at the Harvard Campus.

The talk is organized by Bagong Kulturang Pinoy), The Harvard Philippine Forum, TFC with Asian Journal as media partner. For those interested to attend, please e-mail nzuelke@gmail.com. Prof Soriano’s business articles can also be accessed at www.

Faminbusiness.com

America

ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST-EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS Ja N Ua Ry 9

Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu All are cordially invited to the Feast of Santo Niño de Cebu on Saturday, January 9, 2016, from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm at St. Bernard Catholic Church in Bellflower, California, organized and sponsored by the Santo Niño de Cebu Association of Southern California, Inc., a non-profit religious organization. The Eucharistic Celebration will be presided by the Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles, His Excellency Bishop Oscar A. Solis at 10:00 am followed by the traditional procession of the image of Santo Niño de Cebu, fiesta lunch and Sinulog presentations. Food and financial donations are welcome, and all donations are tax deductible.

For further information, you may contact the association President, Danny C. Diluvio at (323) 252-4991 or email at: dannydiluvio1@gmail.com.

Ja N Ua Ry 1 7

29th Anniversary Feast of Santo Niño Santo Niño Cruzada USA, with the participation of the Cathedral Knights of Columbus and a Sinulog group, is inviting everyone for a holy mass to celebrate the 29th anniversary of the Feast of Santo Niño, the Divine Infant Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles (555 W Temple St, Los Angeles, CA 90012) on Sunday, January 17, at 3:30pm. The main celebrant is Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik, with Father David Gallardo as concelebrant. For more information, please contact any of the following officers: Romy & Tess Esturas (213-387-9682), Rey & Tess Edpao (818-469-7292), Lilia Figuracion (626-394-2661, Carmen Estrada (213-413-2881), Fe Montana (323-218-1587), Ester Paredes (213-864-1149), Fe Reyes (213-413-5286), Laurie Dolorfino (213-407-0097), and Cherry Guerrero (213-632-2096).

F E B R Ua Ry 2 0 -2 1

PCCHS / PUPLHS 1996 Golden Jubilee The Philippine College of Commerce High School Laboratory Batch 1966 (now Polytechnic University of the Philippines) will be celebrating its Golden Jubilee from February 20-21 in Manila, Philippines. According to the President of the PCCHS Batch ‘66 Alumni Association, ROLAND ATIENZA, about 55 batchmates from Australia, Canada and USA have confirmed attendance to the Homecoming and 50 from Manila local chapter. Activities lined up for the Golden Jubilee Celebration are as follows: February 20, 2016 -- 6:00-12:00 pm. Formal Program/Dinner at the Banahaw Ballroom, The Legend Villas, Mandaluyong City, Philippines February 21, 2016 -- 8:00 am - 9:00 pm - Visit the ANAWIM Home for the Abandoned Elderly, Montalban, Rizal Province (Fellowship/Lunch/Donate basic needs of the elderly) - Tour of Manila (Former PCCHS in Lepanto, Intramuros Tour (old churches and Cathedral, Rizal Park, Fort Santiago) - Dinner/Cultural Show, at Barbara’s, Intramuros February 22, 2016 - BREAKUP GROUP (To Palawan, Laguna and respective hometown provinces of the guests) For inquiries, please contact the following members of the CORE group: Agnes T. Sule #09165567000 suleagnes@yahoo.com, Roland Atienza #09062947156 atienza8@yahoo.com, Rebecca T. Sayed 09064032624 rebecca.sayed@yahoo.com, Lourdes T. Flores lulutflores@yahoo.com, Rebecca Sayed rebecca.sayed@yahoo.com.

F E B R Ua Ry 1 2

An Intimate Night with Miguel Vera Beat the Valentine’s Day rush and get your tickets to “An Intimate Night with Miguel Vera,” a special Valentine Show featuring Miguel Vera, performing the greatest OPM hits and romantic Filipino classics by Cayabyab, Canseco, and Cruz. The one-night-only concert will take place at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel (7675 Crescent Ave, Buena Park, CA 90620) on February 12 at 8:00pm. Special guests include Annie Nepomuceno and Kit Navarro.

Please call (714) 814-0412 or (818) 913-329 for tickets and information. Tickets are $40 each.

aPRIL - SEPTEMBER

Parathanal of Holy Trinity Parish Pilgrimages LBC Express Chief Marketing Officer Javier Mantecon welcomes the biggest names in the shipping and logistics industry to the Asia Logistics Summit 2015 presented by LBC. He describes the event as both ‘significant and timely’ as the industry is in a unique position to contribute to and benefit from the Philippine Economy.

Fr. Jose Joseph Parathanal of Holy Trinity Parish, San Pedro District, Archdiocese of Los Angeles, invites all to join Fr. Joseph Parathanal’s Pilgrimages to EASTERN EUROPE, OLGUADALUPE/Colonial Mexico, and INDIA. During the journey, pilgrims will pray to God for healing of body, mind and spirit especially for healing of the world from violence, terrorism and climate changes. Trip dates are: Divine Mercy/Infant Jesus of Prague/Austria/Hungary/ Medjugorje (Eastern Europe) April 17- April 30; OLGuadalupe and Colonial Mexico - June 20 - June 27; and Mother Teresa/St. Thomas/St. Alphonsa/St. Euprasia/St. Chavarra (India) - Sept. 15 - Sept. 29, 2016. For more details and pilgrimage information, please contact Bernadette at bcorp1114@hotmail.com or call 323-344-1548 & 323-547-6618.

M ay 27-29

PUP/PCC to hold 1st Global Reunion

(L-R) LBC Express President Miguel Camahort, LBC Express CEO Santiago Araneta, Customs Commissioner Bert Lina, Brian Lane, Suzie Mitchell, and Beth Lee address some of the concerns and comments of shipping and logistics practicioners at the Asia Logistics Summit 2015.

have streamlined their processes and systems to create a cohesive structure that will facilitate the movement of balikbayan boxes from point to point. the method ensures that the boxes will be handled safely, and will guarantee that the boxes will never have to be opened unless there is a compelling reason to do so. in August 2015, the BOC issued Customs Memorandum

Order No. 27-2015 stipulating that “balikbayan boxes of OFWs shall not be subjected to random or arbitrary physical inspection. instead, they shall undergo mandatory X-ray scanning.” this X-ray scanning is conducted at the Designated Examination Area (DEA), for preliminary noncommercial shipments. however, should any box be tagged Continued on Page 6

Attention all graduates of the Polytechnic University of the Philippines and the Philippine College of Commerce: join us in our FIRST GLOBAL REUNION being organized by the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Alumni Association, USA Inc. scheduled on May 2729, 2016 (Memorial Day Weekend) at the New Orleans Hotel in Las Vegas, NV. We promise a weekend of fun-filled activities, of friendship and camaraderie as we reminisce our best memories during our high school and college days. There will be lots of entertainment, singing and dancing and photo opportunities with your classmates and friends.

For more information, please contact any of the following: Loi Herrera at 562-544-8210 or loiherrera@yahoo.com; Monette Santillan-Rivera at 818-970-8317 or Monette_santillan@yahoo. com; Rose Mejia at 323-997-3838 or Rosemariemejia@kw.com; Marissa Sugay-Palanca at 818281-7460 or marispalanca@yahoo.com; Rose Maghari at 661-794-8906 or rmaghari@gmail. com; Sally Mendoza at 323-695-0235 or sally.mendoza616@yahoo.com; Honeylette De Leon at 562-480-5743 orhoney@worldclassfreight.com; Virginia Herbito at virginiaherbito@gmail.com; Connie Acosta at 323-854-5303 orconnieacosta1@att.net; Violeta D. Cristobal at 310-880-5808 or vee@cristobalcpa.com; Jun Mapoy at 323-627-5326 or jcmapoy@yahoo.com.

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

6

Asian American Business Roundtable McDonald’s USA introduces new value gathers unprecedented group of industry menu, gives customers more flexibility leaders for multi-day summit January 8-14, 2016

www.asianjournal.com

OAK BROOK, IL– McDonald’s is introducing a new value menu promotion that allows customers the choice of mixing and matching value menu items to make a personalized combination meal.

Named McPick 2 for $2, this menu gives customers the option to mix and match two value items for $2.

The McPick 2 for $2 Menu will be available from Jan. 4 through Feb. 8 and includes the choice of the McDouble, McChicken, Small Fry or new Mozzarella Sticks. For example, customers can choose a McDouble with a small fry for $2 or a McChicken with an order of Mozzarella Sticks, also for $2.

“A learning from offering All Day Breakfast is that when we listen to our customers, they reward us,” said Deborah Wahl, chief marketing officer, McDonald’s USA. “Not everyone wants the same thing, so we are offering a new way to help our customers have a more personalized experience. Offering both great tasting food and value is another example of how we are changing and building a better McDonald’s.”

The announcement builds

on a number of notable changes McDonald’s USA made throughout 2015, including: • Bringing customers their number one request – All Day Breakfast • Refreshing some customer favorites like the new Egg McMuffin now served on a warm, toasted English muffin with real butter and prepared with a freshly cracked grade-A egg plus extra lean Canadian bacon and a slice of melted American cheese • Bringing back Cuties, California-grown clementines, as a seasonal fresh fruit choice in Happy Meals • Moving from liquid margarine to real butter on English muffins, biscuits and bagels on the breakfast menu • Offering Yoplait Go-GURT low fat strawberry yogurt with 25% less sugar than the leading kids’ yogurt* • Adding kale and spinach to our salads • Using real buttermilk in our Buttermilk Crispy Chicken • Committing to source chicken raised without antibiotics

important to human medicine** in the U.S. by 2017*** • Transitioning to cage-free eggs over the next 10 years in the U.S. and Canada About McDonald’s McDonald’s USA, LLC, serves a variety of menu options made with quality ingredients to approximately 25 million customers every day. Nearly 90 percent of McDonald’s 14,000 U.S. restaurants are independently owned and operated by businessmen and women.

Customers can now log online for free at approximately 11,500 participating WiFi enabled McDonald’s U.S. restaurants. For more information, visit www.mcdonalds.com, or follow us on Twitter and Facebook. * GoGurt® at McDonald’s has 6g of sugar per 2.25 oz. The leading kids’ yogurt has 9g of sugar per 2.25 oz. ** Antibiotics important to human medicine is a WHO classification. *** Farmers will still use a class of antibiotics called Ionophores to keep chickens healthy.

it’s much healthier,” she suggested); apple cider vinegar for cane vinegar; or tomato ketchup without added sugar for banana ketchup (“Banana ketchup sounds like a novelty but take a peek at any Filipino fridge and you’ll find a bottle lurking in there. Using bananas as the base for ketchup is such a unique idea but the added ingredients plus a ton of coloring makes it undesirable.

Bananas are yellow and this ketchup is bright red!”)

Financial habits Another category of resolutions is getting personal finances in order.

One of the basic ways to do so is assessing one’s accounts and creating a budget to determine what expenses to prioritize over others, such as necessities (i.e. housing, food, healthcare) versus entertainment (i.e. social experiences).

Victor Sy, CPA and author

of the forthcoming book “How to Avoid IRS Audits” shared that paying with cash can help you track your spending and avoid future or further debt.

“If you cannot afford to pay for something with cash, don’t even buy it,” he said. “When people get money, the first thing they do is go and buy something, like a car. They’ll put a 10-20 percent downpayment and they take on more debt. Eventually, they’ll pay it off and then enter the vicious cycle again.”

By saving receipts and tracking transactions, studies show that individuals tend to be more thoughtful about what they spend their money on.

What are your resolutions for this year and how do you plan to stick to them? Share your ideas with us at editor@asianjournalinc.com or Tweet us @Asianjournalcom.

New Year, New You: Tips on...

From Page 2

Find alternatives to ingredients Jenny Castaneda, the Southern California-based paleo food blogger behind www.paleofoodiekitchen. com said that though it’s a challenge to not have rice with a Filipino meal, try finding low-carb and healthier alternatives. One good substitute is cauliflower rice, “which can easily be made with a few pulses in the food processor,” Jenny said. “Stir fry it on a dry pan until slightly softened and it’s ready to eat! Cauliflower is packed with vitamins C, K and folate, making it much more healthier than white rice.”

Other substitutes include: coconut aminos or regular soy sauce (“It is made from coconut tree sap that is gluten-free, soy-free and has 70 percent less sodium. It has a slightly sweet taste that adds the same type of flavor as soy sauce but

operating officer of The Venetian, The Palazzo, and Sands Expo. “We hope this new annual Summit will become a leading platform for knowledge-sharing among key executives and leaders in the Asian-American community.”

Through its Summit, AABR seeks to increase the visibility and presence of Asian Americans in U.S. business, address national and global business challenges of the 21st century, and develop a mentorship program to groom future generations of Asian American business leaders. AABR also looks to assist global corporations seeking to expand in Asia, as well as Asiabased companies seeking U.S. partnerships.

Tickets and Sponsorship Opportunities Tickets and sponsorship opportunities for the Asian American Business Roundtable Summit are now available. For more information, please contact Xiaotang Huang, at (212) 966-0100 or xiaotang@aabdc.com, or visit www.aabusinessroundtable.org.

AABR Summit taking place January 29-30, 2016 at The Venetian, Las Vegas.

Register Your Ticket Now! Enter promo code: AsianJ25 (25 percent off the ticket). This invitation code is only valid until Wednesday, 1/13/2016.

Book your hotel room Special rate $175++/night. Ends 1/13/2016.

networks of recognized industry leaders, and enable access to their unprecedented source of business intelligence and ability to enhance global relations.”

The Summit, Taking Risks and Changing the Game, will discuss issues of social and economic appeal, as well as game-changing strategies to inspire personal development and corporate growth. Key speakers to date include: Mehmood Khan, Vice Chairman and Chief Scientific Officer, Global R&D, PepsiCo; Phyllis Campbell, Chairman, Pacific Northwest, JP Morgan Chase; Jon Spector, President and CEO, the Conference Board; and Maggie Hsu, Chief of Staff to Tony Hsieh, Zappos. The Summit will address current national and global business challenges as well as key growth strategies, focused on the following topics: 1. Bringing New Talent into the C-Suite and Boardroom 2. Building Social Networks and an Innovation Marketplace 3. Retaining High Ability Women Innovators 4. Successful International Business Alliances “The Asian American Business Development Center does an incredible job of recognizing the contributions of Asian Americans in the business community, and we are grateful to partner with them in bringing this new concept to our Las Vegas resorts,” said George Markantonis, president and chief

PEPSICO, JP Morgan Chase, and Zappos Among Key Speakers to Address Global Business Challenges and Help Foster Asian American Leadership in US, the Venetian Las Vegas to Host “Taking Risks and Changing The Game” Summit January 29-30, 2016 Los Angeles, CA – Asian American Business Roundtable (AABR) announced that it was launched to promote the growing prominence of Asian American executives throughout the US and capitalize on Asia’s continuing emergence as an engine of global economic growth. As part of the launch, AABR will bring together the most accomplished, forward-thinking Asian American innovators and entrepreneurs, many of whom have been honored as “Outstanding 50 Asian Americans in Business,” at its first multi-day Summit, in partnership with The Venetian® Las Vegas, on January 29 - 30, 2016 (www. aabusinessroundtable.org).

“Asian Americans have a unique understanding of both Western and Eastern cultures and business practices, which can be crucial in helping companies identify untapped business opportunities, reach new markets and operate cross-culturally,” said John Wang, President of Asian American Business Development Center, which formed AABR. “We are launching this Summit to leverage the collective knowledge, experience and

JOIN the Annual Fiesta celebration of the Nuestro Senor Jesus Nazareno on January 10, 2016, with Holy Mass at 5pm at St. Frances of Rome Church, 501 E. Foothill Blvd., Azusa, CA 91702. Mass will be officiated by Rev. Richard Vega and Rev. John Cordero.

Schedule as follows: Saturday, Jan. 2 - 2:30pm Novena followed by Mass at 5pm Sunday, Jan. 3 - 2:30pm Novena followed by Mass at 5pm Monday, Jan. 4 - 5:15pm Mass followed by Novena at the Chapel Tuesday, Jan. 5 - 5:15pm Mass followed by Novena at the Chapel Wednesday, Jan. 6 - 5:15pm Mass followed by Novena at the Chapel Thursday, Jan. 7 - 5:15pm Mass followed by Novena at the Chapel Friday, Jan. 8 - 5:15pm Mass followed by Novena at the Chapel Saturday, Jan. 9 - 2:30pm Novena followed by Mass at 5pm Sunday, Jan. 10 - 2:30pm Novena followed by Mass at 5pm Candlelight procession to follow/reception at Fr. Edward Landreau’s Auditorium.

For more information, please call Linda at (626) 965-4988.

SCA Alumni Association International, Inc. is homeward bound in February 2016

From Page 5

in Gattaran. This is also planned through the cooperation of the townspeople leaders who lined up their recipients who needed special medical, surgical and dental treatments and live below poverty level.

Medical equipments, related medicines and drugs come from donations from solicitations and fund raising events by SCAAAI, Inc.

The health fair will be conducted at two separate locations and dates. One at St. Catherine’s Academy gymnasium on February 12, 2016 and the other is at Nagbaccayan Gymnasium on February 12, 2016.

This special medical mission is the fruit of combined efforts by the SCA Alumni Association International, Inc. and the local SCA Alumni Association based

THE St. Catherine’s Academy Alumni Association International, Inc. is sending its Health Fair Team of Doctors, Surgeons and Nurses to conduct its first Medical, Surgical and Dental Health Fair in its hometown of Gattaran, Cagayan, Philippines.

They will be joined by local SCA alumni based in Gattaran who have already laid the ground work for this medical project.

A clean slate

illustrious pedigrees of every race, color and creed in our midst in every field, both in high places and among those of us of lowly, peasant stock, the religious, the teachers and the bureaucrats who go about living their lives with unheralded commitment and passion. I could go on till hell freezes over.

The point is this. As life for the immigrant takes on its daily routine and as he begins to settle down, raise a family and find a job to crank out an income or start a business to build wealth with, a lot of the initial wonderful impressions that were amazing in the beginning will be taken for granted.

Everything becomes ordinary,

dull, predictable, mundane — just plain vanilla ice-cream boring. He begins to expect the steady pulse with which every convenience is accessible. The daily grind has taken its toll. The freshness with which he sees things is gone and in its place is this cynical, jaded, somewhat repulsive person who has forgotten what it means to be thankful for every grace, every convenience, every person living and dead who has made America the phenomenally beautiful, if sometimes flawed, place that it was, is and will still be no matter which political winds blow.

The antidote for mental plaque of this nature that will catch us all unawares as we slide into a routine

is a generous, heaping dose of gratitude on a daily basis.

Say a heartfelt thanks as often as the sun rises in the morning and sets at twilight. Realize that the mental plaque builds up unless we take a willful conscious effort to renew the way we look at things each day. The secret is to make each day of our immigrant life brand new.

Come to think of it, the same secret holds true for every inhabitant of this planet, both immigrant and native. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

LBC and BOC collaborate to ensure...

From Page 5

“suspect” after X-ray scanning (containing goods of commercial value), these will be physically inspected by duly authorized BOC inspectors. In this regard, all senders are encouraged to properly adhere to the procedures and policies of the BOC, while likewise preparing complete documentation (packing list).

To further assist senders, and respond to queries and concerns in real-time, LBC and the BOC also initiated a regular live chat with BOC officials, where OFWs may directly communicate with BOC officials.

“We hope that through our collaborative efforts [with the BOC], we can further improve our services to our customers, as

well as upgrade the standards for the industry-at-large,” Fuentes said. “At the end of the day, all we want is for our OFWs to be able to send their love to their families, so that they will have a very Merry Christmas,” he concluded.

To know more about the services of LBC Express, you may visit http://www.lbcexpress.com.

(Advertising Supplement)

People to watch out for...

From Page 3

consciousness. It is the showbiz counterpart of the Miss Universe crown. Will it be Kathryn Bernardo?

Nadine Lustre? Your guess is as good as mine.

Mark Bumgarner If 2015 was the year of the female designer, the new year will give rise to Mark Bumgarner. Known for his sophisticated take on formal

wear, he is set to collaborate with muse Heart Evangelista for his first big fashion gala this January 2016. Mark is making his mark this coming year. Expect lots of fabric and fabulosity from this young designer.

Baby Olivia Olivia Manzano Reyes or Baby Olivia is not even a year old and already boasts 127,000 followers

on Instagram and is the youngest ever to be put on this list of people to watch out for. Articles and blog entries, screensavers and various other products have been devoted to this social media sensation. We suggest Baby O’s dialogue with her parents, GP and Andi ManzanoReyes, be made into a book. Now, that would definitely be a bestseller!

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