San Francisco Edition -- December 9 -- 15, 2016

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Volume 15 - No. 50 • 3 Sections – 24 Pages

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Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

VP Robredo resigns from Cabinet position Palace: Duterte uncomfortable working with VP

by CHRISTINA AND

Vice President Leni Robredo

M. ORIEL DANA SIOSON AJPress

PHILIPPINE Vice President Leni Robredo has resigned as housing secretary, citing “major differences in principles and values” from President Rodrigo Duterte, who barred her from attending future Cabinet meetings.

Robredo revealed that she received a text message from Secretary to the Cabinet Jun Evasco, Jr. that said Duterte has ordered

her to “desist from attending all Cabinet meetings starting Monday, December 5.”

This prompted Robredo to resign from her post as the Chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

In her resignation letter addressed to the president, she pointed out that remaining in Duterte’s Cabinet has become “untenable” and has made it difficult to perform her duties.

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SELFIE WITH RODY. President Rodrigo Duterte poses for a selfie with Miss International 2016 Kylie Verzosa, one of the guests during the Christmas lighting ceremony at Malacañang on Monday night, Dec. 5.

Contributed photo by Manilatimes.net

US Embassy warns Americans of Supreme Court rejects terror threats in the Philippines Revilla’s petition to DATELINE USA dismiss plunder case Trump supports FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

Duterte’s drug crackdown

THE United States Embassy in Manila advised Americans to elevate their level of security awareness against the “ongoing threat of terrorist actions and violence” in the Philippines.

In its official website, the embassy reminded its citizens of the recent “Worldwide Caution” issued by Department of State last September, declaring that there’s “an ongoing threat of terrorist actions and violence against U.S. citizens and interests abroad, including the Philippines.”

“The U.S. citizen community

The president-elect makes first phone call to Duterte

IN the first official phone call between the two leaders, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte said that United States President-elect Donald Trump expressed that the Duterte administration is handling the Philippines’ drug problem in the “the right way.”

“He understood the way we are handling it and I said that there’s nothing wrong in protecting a country,” Duterte said in a statement following the phone call on Friday, December 2. “It was a bit very encouraging in the sense

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New US ambassador to PH looks forward to strengthening diplomatic ties RECENTLY appointed U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim held a lengthy and substantive discussion with President Rodrigo Duterte after officially presenting his credentials on Tuesday, December 6.

Kim said the intertwined histories characterize the bond between the U.S. and the Philippines during a press conference following his first meeting with Duterte. He hopes to foster an atmosphere of mutual respect that will facilitate the stability and growth of that relationship.

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Embassy of the United States of America in Manila

Duterte won’t abandon cops in Espinosa slay

by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Despite the National Bureau of Investigation’s (NBI) conclusion that Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa was killed in a rubout, President Duterte said he still believes in the claim of the police that the local chief executive died in a shootout.

While promising not to obstruct legal proceedings, Duterte said he would not abandon the law enforcers who were tagged in Espinosa’s death.

“The findings of the NBI (stated that it was) murder. Good, file the case. I would say that I believe in the police because we mayors, congressmen, who would they believe? The policemen or the criminals? The suspicions? Whatever the police says, for us, it is the truth,” Duterte said during an event of the Urban Poor Solidarity Week in Mandaluyong on Wednesday, Dec. 7.

“The NBI said it was murder. The police claimed ‘sir he fought.’ Why would I sacrifice some policemen there? I told you yesterday there are four million addicts in this country. Who is behind it? And

The late Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa Sr.

there is one lousy soul, a son of a bitch, you want to favor him?,” he added, apparently referring to Espinosa.

Duterte said he would not allow the policemen implicated in Espinosa’s death to be jailed.

“I will not allow these guys to go to prison. Bahala sila sabihin ng NBI na murder. E tutal under ko ang NBI, under ko rin ‘yang Department of Justice (It’s up to the NBI to say it’s murder. Af-

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by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

THE Philippine Supreme Court on Tuesday, December 6, rejected former Senator Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr.’s petition to dismiss the P224-million plunder case against him in relation to the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam.

With a vote of 131-1, the majority of the judges affirmed the filing of the plunder and graft cases Senator Bong Revilla against Revilla.

Among the judges who affirmed were Chief Justice Maria Lourdes P. A. Sereno, Senior Justice Antonio T. Carpio, and Justices Teresita J. Leonardo de Castro, Arturo D. Brion, Diosdado M. Peralta, Lucas P. Bersamin, Mariano C. del Castillo, Jose Portugal Perez, Jose Catral Mendoza, Bienvenido L. Reyes, Estela M. Perlas Bernabe, Marvic Mario Victor F. Leonen, and Alfredo Benjamin Caguioa.

On the other hand, only Supreme Court Associate Justice Presbitero Velasco Jr. dissented, while Justice Francis H. Jardeleza abstained.

In his plea, Revilla said the Office of the Ombudsman lacked probable cause to charge him with plunder. The former senator also said that his rights were violated when he was denied of copies of evidence against him.

“The Ombudsman violated Senator Revilla’s fundamental Constitutional rights to due process and to confront the accusations against him. Such rights are not mere rights ‘he believed in’ but are rights that are guaranteed in the Philippine constitution,” Revilla’s plea read.

The PDAF, also known as pork barrel, was declared

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PH House approves the reimposition of death penalty cember 7, approved the death penalty for 21 heinous offenses which include: treason, qualiTHE House of Representatives fied piracy, qualified bribery, Justice Committee passed the parricide, murder, infanticide, substitute measure that seeks rape, kidnapping and serious the reimposition of capital pun- illegal detention, robbery with ishment in the Philippines. violence against or intimidation With a vote of 12-6-1, the of persons, destructive arson, committee on Wednesday, De- plunder, and carnapping.

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

Also included in the bill’s list of crimes punishable by death were: importation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals; sale, trading, administration, dispensation, delivery, distribution, and transportation of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemi-

cals; maintenance of a drug den, dive, or resort; manufacture of dangerous drugs and/or controlled precursors and essential chemicals; possession of dangerous drugs cultivation or culture of plants classified as dangerous drugs or are sources thereof; unlawful prescription

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DECEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

From the Front Page

VP Robredo resigns from Cabinet… that he cannot fully work with or is uncomfortable with a particular Cabinet secretary, then it is his prerogative to release such a member,” Abella said.

Robredo, who belongs to the Liberal Party, has vocalized her disapproval of some of the president’s actions and remarks.

“Since I assumed office, I have been consistent in my opposition to issues such as the burial of former President Ferdinand Marcos in the Libingan ng mga Bayani, extrajudicial killings, reinstating [the] death penalty, lowering the age of criminal liability, and sexual attacks against women,” the vice president noted.

As reported by Rappler, Evasco said, there is “no point” for Robredo to attend meetings if “her A photo of the text message sent to Robredo. position is always contradictory Photo by Barry Gutierrez to the president’s.” conflicts the president had with Robredo’s resignation comes a STATE CAPITOL TREE LIGHTING. California State Governor Jerry Brown and First Lady Anne Gust Brown hosted the 85th Annual Capitol Robredo.

Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony last Monday, Dec. 5, on the the West Steps of the State Capitol. Shown in photo are Gov. Brown and week after Maria Serena Diokno the First Lady with twins Alex and Alan Rosales and their family lighting the Capitol Christmas tree. Photo from the Governor’s Press Office During a press conference on stepped down as chairwoman of Tuesday, December 6, Abella the National Historic Commissaid it was the president’s “per- sion of the Philippines, following sonal choice” to bar the vice Duterte’s decision to bury late president from the Cabinet. president and dictator Ferdinand “...[S]hould the president Marcos in the National Heroes’ PAGE A1 t violence pose in the Philippines.” ping malls. come to the point where he feels Cemetery. n should remember that terrorists “With this information comes Last November 28, an improhave proven time and again their vised explosive device (IED) was the reminder for U.S. citizens preference for “soft targets,” or found by a street sweeper in a to elevate your level of security places that offer inherent vulner- trash bin reportedly around 25 awareness. It is imperative that abilities, ease of access, and the meters from the U.S. embassy’s you enhance your personal sense PAGE A1 t Find them, arrest them, place drugs syndicates was killed in- potential availability of a large gate in Manila. The explosive de- of vigilance and remain alert and ter all, NBI is under me. The De- him under custody. If they resist side his prison cell in Baybay City number of unprotected people,” vice was later safely detonated, cognizant of your surroundings partment of Justice is also under arrest and they fight and they last November 5. the advisory read, dated Decem- with no one injured. and of those around you,” the me),” he added.

Members of the Criminal ber 5. have weapons and you think your According to the advisory, advisory added.

“But to tell you, I do not inter- life is in danger, shoot him,” the Investigation and Detection It also cited the recent bombing possible places that could be tarThe embassy also told Amerifere. They (NBI) have findings, president said.

Group (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas attempt near its premises, which, geted by terrorists include sport- cans to immediately report anygood. File the case.”

“I won’t abandon these police- claimed that a shootout ensued according to the embassy, sets “as ing events, hotels, clubs and thing suspicious to the nearest Duterte stressed that he was men because I was the one who after the mayor tried to resist ar- a timely reminder of the recurring restaurants, places of worship, law enforcement or security ofthe one who ordered policemen ordered them (to run after drug rest. However, the statements of threat that terrorism and political schools, public areas, and shop- ficial. n to run after drug personalities so personalities).” some jail officers and inmates as he is answerable for them.

Espinosa, one of the politicians well as photos taken on the crime “I told them you have a task. believed to have ties with illegal scene indicate that Espinosa may have been executed.

On Tuesday, Dec. 6, the NBI PAGE A1 t ing, firing squad or lethal injec- hoped the bill would pass the fiannounced that Espinosa was of dangerous drugs; criminal tion, as methods that may be nal hearing in Congress before killed in a rubout and that there liability of a public officer or used in executing the capital the upcoming Christmas break. was “criminal intent and a con- employee for misappropriation, punishment.

After passing the House, the spiracy” involved in the incident. misapplication, or failure to acIn 2006, the imposition of the bill will be deliberated next at Citing statements of inmates, count for the confiscated, seized capital punishment was sus- the Senate committee before it NBI assistant director for East- and/or surrendered dangerous pended when former President can be signed into law by the ern Visayas Rugy de Vera said drugs, plant sources of danger- Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo signed President Rodrigo Duterte.

Espinosa was heard greeting ous drugs, controlled precursors the enactment of Republic Act Duterte, who won the presiCIDG operatives before pleading and essential chemicals, instru- 9346, or “An Act Prohibiting dency in a landslide victory last for his life. The mayor reportedly ments/paraphernalia and/or lab- the Imposition of Death Penalty May, promised during his camasked the policemen not plant oratory equipment including the in the Philippines.” The punish- paign that he would support the anything against him. proceeds or properties obtained ment was then downgraded to revival of capital punishment in The policemen who served the from the unlawful act commit- reclusion perpetua or life im- the country. search warrant on Espinosa are ted; and criminal liability for prisonment.

Following the reports that the now facing murder charges. planting evidence concerning Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, death penalty hurdled the comDespite his determination to illegal drugs. who co-authored the death mittee level in the House of RepThe bill also proposes hang- penalty bill, previously said he resentatives, Senate President u PAGE A3 Pro Tempore Franklin Drilon said he has estimated that nine senators are against the bill. n

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“I have exerted all effort to put aside our differences, maintain a professional relationship, and work effectively despite the constraints because the Filipino people deserve no less,” the vice president’s letter, dated December 5, read.

Despite leaving the housing post, she will stay on as vice president of the country.

“We will not allow the vice presidency to be stolen because that is against the voice of the majority,” Robredo told reporters in Manila, referencing an alleged plot to unseat her from the nation’s second-highest office.

Malacañang clarified that the president’s decision to ask Robredo to not attend future Cabinet meetings has nothing to do with her political affiliation, but rather, it was primarily because the president felt “uncomfortable” with some of her political engagements, according to Presidential Spokesman Ernesto Abella.

The spokesman, however, did not elaborate on what those engagements were and what

US Embassy warns Americans of…

Duterte won’t abandon cops in Espinosa…

PH House approves the reimposition of death…

Supreme Court…

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unconstitutional by the Supreme Court in 2013 because it allowed lawmakers “to wield, in varying gradations, non-oversight, postenactment authority in vital areas of budget executions.”

Apart from Revilla, Senate Minority Leader Juan Ponce Enrile, and former Senator Jose “Jinggoy” Estrada were also charged in the case.

Estrada is currently detained at Camp Crame in Quezon City while Enrile was freed on bail last August 2015.

During his campaign, President Rodrigo Duterte promised that Revilla would be released on bail should he win.

“Ako, you can be very sure, lalabas ‘yan, lalabas siya diyan. I cannot guarantee na ‘yung kaso mae-erase, pero (Under me, you can be very sure that he will be release. I cannot guarantee that the case will be erased but) I will see to it that he will be given the right to bail,” Duterte previously said, addressing voters in Cavite where Revilla was once elected as the governor. n

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 9-15, 2016

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California unsure what to do with 100 million dead trees Sen. Feinstein urges USDA for federal aid

by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

SENATOR Diane Feinstein (D-Calif.) urged the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Tuesday, November 29, to revisit her request for federal aid to help crews clear over 100 million dead trees posing hazards throughout California’s forests.

The state’s tree mortality rate has risen sharply over the past six years, according to estimates by the U.S. Forest Service based on aerial surveys.

An estimated 62 million have died this year alone.

Dried out, free standing timber throughout California threatens EARLY CHRISTMAS. Visually impaired children from Alabang Elementary School in Muntinlupa City (Metro Manila) are given free rides at an to collapse on nearby structures amusement park at the Alabang Festival Mall on Tuesday, Dec. 6 as the country celebrates International Day of Persons with Disablities. and may increase the risk of forTen percent of the Philippine population comprise children, youth and women with disabilities.

Photo by Bob Dungo Jr./Manilatimes.net est fires.

“This dramatically increased speed and scale of tree die-off in California calls for heightened urPAGE A1 t Additionally, he acted as the U.S. about the Philippines and its gency at the federal level,” wrote “It is an incredible honor for me Special Envoy for the Six-Party people, and is looking forward to be in the Philippines to have Talks, which aimed for the peace- to enhancing the country’s ties to this opportunity to contribute to ful resolution relating to security the U.S. “I look forward to working one of America’s most enduring concerns amid the discovery of partnerships,” Kim told reporters the North Korean nuclear weap- closely with the Philippines’ government and Filipino people to at Malacañang on Tuesday. ons program.

A seasoned diplomat, Kim had The Korean-born immigrant expand our relationship and to LOS ANGELES — As a naserved as the U.S. ambassador to moved to the U.S. at the age of engage in many areas of mutual tional civil rights organization, the Republic of Korea from 2011 13 and became a citizen in 1980. interest,” Kim said.

He succeeds former U.S. Am- Asian Americans Advancing to 2014 and was nominated to He went on to earn a doctorate his most recent position by Presi- in law from Loyola University bassador to the Philippines Phil- Justice opposes the nomination dent Barack Obama on Thursday, Law School in Los Angeles and a ip Goldberg, who has been a sub- of Congressmember Tom Price May 19. masters of law from the London ject of criticism by Duterte. (Eric (R-Ga.) as Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary.

Anthony Licas / AJPress) He also acted as the special School of Economics. representative of the United On Tuesday, Kim said he is States for North Korean Policy. ready to learn more firsthand

New US ambassador to PH looks forward…

Feinstein in a letter to U.S. Agriculture Secretary Thomas Vilsack on Tuesday. “The situation in California’s forests is dire.”

The USDA had paid $11 million in October to help fund 10 “fuel removal” efforts. Feinstein is requesting an additional $27 million to assist nine additional tree removal projects recommended by the Forest Service and California’s Tree Mortality Task Force.

So far, a combined $200 million in state and federal funds have been spent to clear California’s forested regions of dead and dying trees. Crews are already at work removing them from especially sensitive areas near power lines, roads, businesses and residential areas, according to sources for the Los Angeles Times.

State agencies are unsure about what to do with the wood once It has been cut down. It

would normally be sold to lumber mills or delivered to eco-friendly power plants that burn it to generate renewable energy.

However, mills have not shown interest in purchasing dead wood from California, and the state may lack the funds to pay the significant transportation costs required to move the lumber to green energy plants. In addition, those facilities’ powerpurchase agreements are set to expire soon.

“There’s not the infrastructure to take on this quantity of trees,” U.S. Forest Service spokesperson Stephanie Gomes told the LA Times on Wednesday, November 30.

Experts say the accelerated rate of tree mortality in California is due largely to five consecutive years of drought. Dry conditions made trees more susceptible to infestation by beetles burrow

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Asian civil rights org opposes Health and Human Services secretary nominee

President Duterte chats with US Ambassador Sung Kim during a presentation of credentials at Malacañang. The envoy spoke of the strong bond and close friendship between the US and the Philippines.

Krizjohn Rosales

Trump supports Duterte’s drug…

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that I supposed that what he really wanted to say was that we would be the last to interfere in the affairs of your own country.”

Duterte said that the sevenminute phone call covered a wide range of topics, including Duterte congratulating Trump on his victory and reassurance of the solid ties between the Philippines and the U.S. Duterte’s positive feedback of the call comes after months of the president’s straining of the longstanding alliance between the two nations, which mostly resulted from his aggression toward President Barack Obama and his administration.

“I appreciate the response that I got from the President-elect Trump and I would like to wish him success,” Duterte remarked.

“He will be a good president for the United States of America. I am very sure.”

The Trump team has yet to confirm the endorsement of Duterte’s drug crackdown, but rather offered a statement on Friday afternoon indicating that both leaders stay committed to working “together closely on matters of shared interest and concern” and acknowledged the “long history of friendship and cooperation between the two nations” Duterte also said that Trump invited Duterte to visit him in New York City and Washington, D.C. He also invited the president-elect to the next Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in 2017.

“I could sense a good rapport, an animated President-elect Trump. And he was wishing me success in my campaign against the drug problem,” Duterte added.

Prior to communicating with Duterte, Trump also made a phone call to Taiwan to the surprise of critics, who say that the call may rub China — who has a strained relationship with Taiwan and still sees it as their province — the wrong way.

“The President of Taiwan

Top photo, US President-elect Donald Trump, bottom Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte.

CALLED ME today to wish me congratulations on winning the Presidency. Thank you!” Trump tweeted on Friday.

Since then, White House officials have been communicating with Beijing about the matter.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said on Monday, December 5 that the call could put strains on U.S.-China relations.

“Some of the progress we have made in our relationship with China could be undermined by this issue flaring up,” Earnest said, adding that it was “unclear what the potential benefit” of Trump’s interaction with Taiwan might be.

Upon the backlash he received for the Taiwan call, he tweeted, “Interesting how the U.S. sells Taiwan billions of dollars of military equipment but I should not accept a congratulatory call.”

(Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press)

Duterte won’t abandon cops…

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support policemen facing charges related to their work, Duterte is not discounting the possibility that some policemen may not be telling the truth.

“E baka totoo talaga, tinalian ng mga gago (Maybe it’s true, these fools really tied the suspect),” the president said.

He recalled an instance when he had a police as a witness while working on a case.

“Alam mo fiscal ako noon may experience ako sa pulis. Witness ako sa pulis... Ano ginawa mo? (I was a fiscal and I had an experience with a policeman. He was my witness…I asked him what did you do?),” the president said.

“Sabi niya ano sabihin ko? Fiscal yung totoo o sabi-sabi ko?

P****g i***g pulis ‘yan (He replied ‘fiscal, what will I say? The truth or the one I just made up?

That son of a b****.”) n

As a member of Congress, Rep. Price has been one of the lead critics of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) and has repeatedly attempted to repeal or gut the ACA. Among Rep. Price’s most dan-

gerous proposals are limiting tax credits for the poor, privatizing Medicare, barring federal funding to Planned Parenthood, and converting Medicaid to block grants (effectively gutting

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DECEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

Dateline USa

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Commemorating Pearl Harbor and the heroism of Filipino World War II veterans

NO TO FIREWORKS. The Department of Health (DOH) appealed to the community for an injury-free holidays by partnering with the Department of the Interior & Local Government (DILG), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department of Education (DepEd), Philippine National Police (PNP), Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) and EcoWaste Coalition as it officially launches the 2016 anti-firecracker campaign which carries the theme, “Iwas Paputok, Fireworks Display ang Patok! Makiisa Fireworks Display sa inyong lugar.” In the past, DOH conveyed its messages through both scare tactics and positive approaches. This year’s campaign focuses on encouraging the public to use alternative ways in celebrating Christmas and welcoming New Year and avoid the use of firecrackers.

CA senator moves to block Trump’s policies with ‘Fight for California’ bills

by Eric

Anthony LicAs AJPress

CALIFORNIA State Senator Ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens) introduced bills on Monday, December 5, aimed at preempting some of the controversial proposals put forth by Presidentelect Donald Trump during his presidential campaign.

The “Fight for California” package consists of three proposed items of legislation. Two of the bills introduced would challenge efforts by the Trump administration to build a wall separating California and Mexico or implement a Muslim registry.

“We’re not going to allow a wall that harms our environment and our economy,” said Lara in a statement released on Monday.

“We’re not going to allow personal data on individual Californians’ religious beliefs to be used to compile an unconstitutional database.”

Legislation put forth by the senator would prohibit state agencies from divulging infor-

on Thursday, August 18, that it would leave contracts with forprofit facilities to lapse, as previously reported by the Asian Journal.

However, the DOJ has renewed a contract with CoreCivic (previously known as Corrections Corporation of America), one of the country’s largest operators of private detention centers in the U.S., according to a report published by Mother Jones on Thursday, November 16.

In August, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), which oversees ICE, initiated a review of its use of private detention centers. In their findings, auditors said financial concerns and a lack of facilities to replace private institutions would require the department to continue its reliance on them, according to a draft report of the investigation released on Thursday, December 1.

Lara’s statement on Monday did not address alternatives for housing immigrants detained in California. The detention center bill included in the “Fight for California” package is an older proposal that had previously been vetoed by Gov. Jerry Brown. another year or two, according to This time around, Lara hopes sources for the times. state legislators will adhere with “As we head into a sixth year California’s progressive identity. of historic drought, this crisis is “We’re going to fight for Califar from over,” wrote Feinstein in fornia and for our values of dea letter informing Governor Jerry mocracy, freedom, and basic Brown of her appeal to the USDA human decency,” the state senaon Tuesday. n tor said. n

mation about individual Californians’ religions with the federal government for the purposes of creating such a database. The suggested bill is not intended to interfere with communications between local and federal law enforcement, according to Monday’s statement.

Another proposal in the package would require voter approval for the construction of a border wall. Lara said such a project would have a detrimental effect on trade and tourism and pose a risk to the state’s endangered species and river watersheds.

The third piece of legislation would sever ties between local governments and for-profit immigration detention centers. It would also require detention facilities to adhere to health and safety standards set forth by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Reports describing abuse and substandard housing conditions at some privately run detention centers led the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) to decide

California unsure what…

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into trees to lay eggs and other organisms.

Some regions of the state have recorded higher than average rainfall for this year. However, even if the drought were to end, trees would continue to die for

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Seventy-five years ago on December 7, Japanese fighter planes bombed Pearl Harbor. On the same day, Japanese forces attacked the Philippines, a U.S. territory at the time. More than 250,000 Filipino soldiers responded to President Roosevelt’s callto-arms to defend the Philippines and the United States. They would go on to endure some of the most horrific conditions anywhere in the world, including the Bataan Death March and the ravages of the bombing of Manila, second only to Warsaw in its destruction.

They would not accept defeat. They would not quit. They would not leave a fallen comrade.

Half of them died in battle fighting under the American flag, making the ultimate sacrifice as soldiers in the U.S. Army Forces in the Far East (USAFFE) and as guerrilla fighters during the Japanese occupation of the Philippines. Those who survived suffered the scars of battle and the invisible wounds of war.

They were forced to endure additional humiliation and a slap in the face when the U.S. Congress passed the 1946 Rescission Acts, which stripped them of their rights and promised benefits.

Righting a wrong “This extraordinary moment can only be consoled with the award of the Filipino Veterans of World War II Congressional Gold Medal,” said Maj. Gen. Antonio Taguba (Ret), chairman of the Filipino Veterans Recognition and Education Project. “Through all this time, the veterans – those who have passed and those still alive today, remained steadfast and resolute hoping our country they had willingly defended would right the wrong brought upon them. Their determination to gain recognition was long and arduous.”

On November 30, Congress finally passed legislation granting recognition to the 260,000 Filipino soldiers for their service and sacrifice. It took more than 72 years.

“The passage of this bill on the eve of the bombing of Pearl Harbor on Dec 7, 1941, and the attack on the Philippines on Dec 8, 1941 is a momentous event, which is now enshrined in U.S. history,” adds Taguba. “Commemorating the anniversary of ‘the day of infamy’ and the courageous response of Filipino and American soldiers to call to duty, should serve to remind us that their uncommon valor should never be forgotten, that this American story should be preserved for posterity. Always remembering what they did is the best way to protect our children and their children from the horrors of war.”

Today, less than 16,000 remain, most of them ailing and in their 90s.

Global conflict The Pearl Harbor bombing led to a global conflict. As a Commonwealth of the United States, the Philippines was inevitably drawn into the war. Filipino soldiers fought the Japanese Imperial Forces from December 1941 to December 1946. Thousands were killed, wounded and captured as Prisoners of War. Thousands more fought as guerrillas until the enemy was finally defeated, liberating the country and preserving freedom and democracy in the United States.

“While Americans of all ages remember Pearl Harbor as a key event that triggered our nation’s involvement in World War II, we rightly commemorate the sacrifices of the brave men and women who fought for our freedom in the years that followed,” Taguba pointed out. “But much less is known or remembered of the thousands of Filipino and American soldiers who fought bravely for our freedom more than half a century ago and half a world away. Granting them recognition ensures that their story is now a significant part of American history. Honoring and remembering them is the best way to keep their memory alive.”

They are America’s Filipino Soldiers of World War II. They are part of our American story. n

Asian civil rights org opposes Health…

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its role as a safety net program).

Since implementation in 2010, the ACA has given 20 million previously uninsured Americans access to critical health care services. Among the ACA’s success stories is the significant increase in health insurance coverage amongst Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI). Repealing the ACA would likely double the uninsured rate to 19.4 percent and cost an estimated 24 million people their health coverage.

“The Asian American and Pacific Islander community has seen the greatest decrease in our uninsured rate—by 59 percent—under the ACA, the largest of any racial group nationally,” said Doreena Wong, director of

Advancing Justice-LA’s health access program. “And consistently, AAPIs have expressed significant support for the ACA, even across party lines — for example, a poll in Spring 2016 found that 76 percent of Asian American voters supported the ACA, including 60 percent of those identified as Republican.

A repeal of the ACA means that hundreds of thousands of our community members stand to lose critically needed health coverage.”

Advancing Justice opposes Rep. Price also because of his track record of supporting such anti-immigrant policies as voting to dismantle the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, to punish “Sanctuary Cities,” to deny citi-

zenship to children born in the U.S. with undocumented parents, to eliminate the visa lottery for immigrants, and against the DREAM Act. This record of hostility toward immigrants should disqualify Rep. Price from leading HHS which, through its Office of Refugee Resettlement, is responsible for the work of resettling and integrating refugees as well as the care of unaccompanied minors apprehended by immigration officials.

Price’s proposals and past positions harm the most vulnerable Americans, such as those who are poor, elderly, or immigrant. Advancing Justice opposes Rep. Tom Price as Health and Human Services Secretary and urges Congress not to confirm him. n

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A

3rd US embassy bombing suspect charged

by Rey

Galupo and CeCille SueRte Felipe Philstar.com

MANILA - The Manila Police District (MPD) on Tuesday, Dec. 6, charged the third suspect in the foiled bombing near the US embassy in Manila last Nov. 28.

Mohammad Jumao-as, alias Modie, was charged with violation of the comprehensive firearms and ammunitions act and illegal possession of explosives at the Bulacan Provincial Prosecutor’s Office in Malolos City around 3:30 p.m.

Jumao-as was nabbed by elements of the MPD-special operations unit around 2 p.m. at his house in San Jose del Monte, Bulacan last Saturday, Dec. 3, according to a source.

The source told The Star that the MPD operatives were assisted by military intelligence agents.

“PNP chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa is set to present the suspect to the media within the week,” he said.

The source emphasized that the authorities “are keeping the case under wraps because there are still other suspects at large.”

Last Friday, MPD director Se-

nior Supt. Joel Napoleon Coronel admitted that a team from the MPD Special Operations Unit went to Naic, Cavite to track down three other suspects involved in the botched US embassy bombing.

Coronel also allayed fears that there are terrorist cells in Manila and that some “sleepers are being activated.”

Meanwhile, Dela Rosa refused to confirm the arrest of a third suspect in the foiled bombing.

Dela Rosa told a press briefing in Camp Crame, Quezon City that there are still ongoing operations and he would check developments regarding at least five other suspects, three of whom remain at large.

Earlier, police arrested Rashid Kilala of Bulacan and Jiaher Guinar, who allegedly planted the explosives near the US embassy along Roxas Boulevard.

Dela Rosa said Metro Manila remains on the highest security alert while the country is at Level 3 terror alert nationwide.

He said the public should ex-

pect to see more checkpoints and raids on suspected lairs of terror groups in Metro Manila and other parts of the country.

“I have already given my RDs (regional directors) the go-signal to conduct strong, random and mobile checkpoints across the country,” said Dela Rosa.

He appealed to the public not to panic but to remain vigilant.

He reiterated the terror alert as he confirmed the connection of Guinar with Kilala, a Moslem convert and Imam in Bulacan.

The PNP chief said the bomb plot was also meant to divert the attention of the public and government away from the ongoing military operations against the Maute terror gang in Lanao del Sur after the bandits were linked to the recent bombing in the Davao City night market that killed 15 people and injured more than 70 others.

The Maute is an armed Islamist group with some of its leaders reported to be former members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front. The group is founded by Abdullah Maute whose base is in Lanao del Sur.

Only 830 Filipinos bankrolled campaigns of 5 presidential bets the philippine CenteR FoR inveStiGative JouRnaliSM MANILA — In 2010, the Philippine Center for Investigative Journalism reported that only 308 donors contributed in the presidential race that Benigno Aquino III won. In the last presidential elections, where Rodrigo R. Duterte emerged as victor,

that number has shot up to 830.

Then again, there were nearly 56 million registered voters when the May 2016 elections took place, which makes that figure for total donors to the candidates for president minute in comparison.

Of the total P2.44 billion raised for presidential candidates Rodrigo Duterte, Grace Poe, Jejomar Binay, Mar Roxas and Miriam Defensor Santiago and their parties, 83 percent or P2.02 billion came from just 105 people who each gave P5 million and above.

Too, 80 percent of the total amount raised for the presidential race came from Metro Manila, making the National Capital Region the fundraising heart of the polls.

If all those numbers haven’t made your head spin yet, here are more: • Of the total P2.44 billion raised for the presidential candidates and their parties, 83 percent or P2.02 billion came from just 105 people who each gave P5 million and above.

• Just a tiny portion of the total money raised came from small contributions, or those amounting to P10,000 and below — P467,512 in total, or a mere 0.019 percent of the P2.44 billion.

All these boil down to a couple of facts: While more people donated in this year’s presidential elections, a significant portion of the contributions, just like in PAGE A9

ESPINOSA KILLING PROBE. Senate President Pro Tempore Franklin M. Drilon fields queries to various officials from the Philippine National Police (PNP), as well as alleged drug lord Kerwin Espinosa, on the third day of the Senate investigation on the shooting and death of former Albuera, Leyte Mayor Rolando Espinosa, on Monday, December 5. Also in photo is Senator Paolo “Benigno” Aquino IV. Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

Binay camp blasts Leni’s ‘most hard working’ claim THE camp of former Vice President Jejomar Binay has resented the claim of Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo that she is the most hardworking chairman of the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC).

In a news conference after she rendered her resignation from the top HUDCC post on Monday, Dec. 5, Robredo said she was the only chief of the agency who personally attends board meetings and works on weekends and at home.

“I think everyone in the Cabinet, maybe even those who don’t like me, would say that I

showed how hardworking I am, that I showed how I fought for housing issues,” Robredo said in Filipino. “Even if you ask all the housing agencies, I’m probably the only HUDCC [head]who personally attended all board meetings. I’m the HUDCC [chief]who spends most workdays holding office there.”

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Joey Salgado, spokesman for Binay, said it was “quite unfair and self-serving” of Robredo to portray herself as the most hardworking HUDCC chairman, noting that she occupied the office for only five months.

“I cannot speak for the other previous HUDCC [chiefs]but

perhaps she hasn’t heard of former [Vice President] Binay’s work ethic,” he added.

Binay served as head of the HUDCC from 2010 to 2015. It was the same position held by his predecessor, Noli de Castro.

Salgado pointed out that there were other HUDCC heads who served longer than Robredo and also faced challenges under different circumstances.

“They have longer, more tangible lists of accomplishments despite smaller budgets, politicking within the Cabinet, and what she described as the ‘institutional weakness’ of the agency,” he said. (Michael Joe. T. Delizo/ManilaTimes.net)

Comelec to register undocumented OFWs for 2019 elections

by Mayen JayMalin Philstar.com

MANILA – Even undocumented Filipinos abroad can register and vote in the 2019 elections, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

Comelec Commissioner Arthur Lim said the commission is open to registering Filipinos illegally staying abroad so they could become qualified overseas absentee voters.

Lim noted that the Comelec does not require Filipinos overseas to be properly documented workers or migrants for them to

become registered voters.

“The law does not impose a requirement that you should be a legally documented alien to be able to register,” Lim explained.

Lim stressed that an applicant just needs to meet the requirements set by the Overseas Voting Act of 2013.

“You may register provided you are living abroad and you are there during the election period, 18 years of age, and do not suffer any disqualification imposed by law,” Lim pointed out.

But those who have lost their Filipino citizenship in accordance with Philippine laws and those who have expressly renounced their Philippine citizenship and have pledged allegiance to a foreign countrya, except those with dual citizenship, are disqualified from registering.

Filipinos convicted in a final judgment for an offense punishable by imprisonment of not less than one year and those declared insane or incompetent are also not allowed to register.

A

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Yasay meets with Russian counterpart in Moscow

by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

CHOOSE TO BE SAFE. Members of Ecowaste Coalition display toys that may harm children. With the expected mad rush to shop for toys, the group reminded the public to avoid buying toys that may choke, burn, injure or strangle children.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Mike De Juan

Duterte on communist prisoners: No ceasefire, no release by

Jose rodeL cLaPano Philstar.com

MANILA – President Duterte has instructed government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello III to secure a ceasefire deal with the National Democratic Front (NDF) before he orders the release of detained communist rebels.

“Produce to me a signed bilateral ceasefire agreement and I will release them within 48 hours. You can take my word for it,” Bello said in a statement, quoting Duterte.

“The President told us that once he receives even just a facsimile copy of the signed agreement, he would immediately order the release of communist rebels,” added Bello, who is also labor secretary.

Duterte made a campaign promise to reopen peace negotiations with the NDF, which is representing the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) and its armed wing, the New People’s Army (NPA).

Bello and panel member Angela Librado-Trinidad sought instructions from Malacañang after the President met with top rebel leaders Benito and Wilma Tiamzon in Davao City last Friday, Dec. 2. In the meeting, the President said he would keep his campaign promise to release de-

tained communist rebels.

The NDF said 434 rebels are still being held in different detention centers all over the country.

Bello’s panel submitted a list of 200 prisoners eligible for release under the new guidelines of the Presidential Committee on Bail, Recognizance and Parole. Twenty-five of them are elderly, sick and women.

During the traditional lighting of the Malacañang Christmas tree on Monday night, Dec. 5, Duterte said he could not release more than a hundred prisoners requested by the Left because the government has conceded so much already. But he would release old and sick political prisoners.

Rights advocates said the nonrelease of all political prisoners is a continuing violation of their rights.

“While it is true that President Duterte has effected the temporary release of 19 political prisoners in line with the peace talks, the non-release of all political detainees means perpetuation of the injustice against them which is promoted by a legal and justice system that has repeatedly failed them,” Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay said.

“Lest the government’s use of the political prisoners as trump cards in the peace process will

be seen as its vile attempt to set the stage to renege on its commitments and obligations, they should release all of them now.

“Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said that President Duterte has walked the “extra mile’ on the peace process, unlike past administrations which didn’t even move an inch to comply with their commitments and obligations. Sadly, Dureza and the government can’t keep up with the pace and thus seems to be stalling both parties’ peace efforts,” she added.

Karapatan pointed out that the government under the Duterte administration upheld all previously signed agreements, including the Comprehensive Agreement on the Respect for Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law, which explicitly states the obligation of the government to uphold the rights of citizens against unwarranted and unjustified arrest and detention and to correct the injustice against them.

Both the government and the NDF have declared their own unilateral ceasefires, but the two camps are complaining about reported violations in the field.

For Bello, until both panels agree to a set of guidelines, “there are technically no violations.”

Viray

MANILA — The Philippines’ top diplomat met with his Russian counterpart in Moscow on Monday to discuss the current state of bilateral relations between the two countries.

The meeting between Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov came after the meeting between President Rodrigo Duterte and Russian President Vladimir Putin at the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation Summit in Lima, Peru a few weeks ago.

On his first visit to Moscow, Yasay and his Russian counterpart discussed regional and global issues including the Philippine chairmanship of Association of Southeast Asian Nations in 2017.

According to the Department of Foreign Affairs, Yasay and Lavrov discussed the prospects to enhance cooperation in various areas such as the political, security, economic, cultural and people-to-people spheres.

The two ministers also agreed to start the preparations for the

Foreign Affairs Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr. has met with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov in Moscow, Russia on December 5.

proposed visit of Duterte in Rus- tween Duterte and Putin wouldsia next year. boost the relationship between Yasay said that his meeting the two countries. in Russia is part of the adminDuterte considers Putin and istration’s effort to strengthen himself as “fast friends” when Philippine-Russia bilateral part- they met for the first time in nership.

Peru. The president said that The Foreign Affairs chief ear- Putin has invited him to visit lier said that the meetings be- Russia.

LP senators to stay with majority coalition

by PaoLo

romero Philstar.com

MANILA – Senators from the Liberal Party (LP) will remain with the majority coalition in the Senate despite calls from their partymates in the House of Representatives—who are in the opposition—to join them.

Sen. Paolo Benigno Aquino IV, one of four LP members in the Senate, said they would remain with the majority even as they reiterated their support for Vice President Leni Robredo, who chairs the party.

Aquino said the situation in the Senate is different from that in the House, as senators don’t work along party lines but on issues.

He cited the case of Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, who voted with them in opposing the burial of the late strongman Ferdinand Marcos at the Libingan ng mga Bayani.

“So, as long as we’re able to keep that independence, we’ll probably stay with the majority here. If you look at the majority and minority division in Senate, it’s not as strict as it’s followed in the House,” Aquino said.

“As long as we’re able to really push for reforms and at the same time tackle issues case per case, we’ll stick it out with the majority,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sen. Francis Pangilinan, who is LP president, hit former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. for alleging that it was Robredo who stole the vice presidency from him.

Robredo defeated Marcos in the vice presidential elections last May by a margin of a little over 200,000 votes.

Robredo, in resigning from the Cabinet on Monday, said there is a plot to steal the vice presidency from her.

“Coming from Bongbong Marcos, the accusation is especially grating. Who has the experience in stealing? Who has accumulated hidden wealth amounting to billions of dollars? Who has conducted a surreptitious burial? Who is used to scheming?”

Pangilinan said.

“Bongbong Marcos’ accusation is a projection of his own Plan B to regain power at the expense of history, at the expense of those killed, tortured and

made to disappear, and at the expense of every Filipino born to the Marcos debt,” he said.

Clandestine plans Fellow LP members in the House who are in the opposition said they were taken aback by Duterte’s treatment of Robredo, with Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman expressing belief the President eased her out because he wanted to keep their “clandestine” plans from her.

“Biglaan talaga iyung decision na iyun (The decision was really a surprise). Just last week, we had a fellowship and there was no mention from her (Robredo) about being marginalized in the Cabinet,” Ifugao Rep. Teddy Baguilat told reporters in a news conference at the House of Representatives.

His colleague, Caloocan Rep. Edgar Erice, made similar pronouncements. “As far as we are concerned, there was no governance issue. The issue is only about political partisanship.”

But their titular head, Lagman, sees something more sinister.

“There are clandestine or secret plans which should not be known to her,” Lagman said.

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FUND-RAISING. Workers set up tents for a Christmas bazaar to raise funds for a Miss Universe event in Burnham Park but Baguio City traders are up in arms, protesting what they said was unfair competition that the bazaar is giving them. Reigning Miss Universe Pia Wurtzbach and 20 pageant contestants are scheduled to be in Baguio and visit the presidential Mansion and the Philippine Military Academy on Jan. 18.

Inquirer.net photo by Vincent Cabreza

PH vows Bangladesh Bank funds recovery

by Mayvelin

U. Caraballo Manilatimes.net

THE Philippine government has reiterated again that it will help Bangladesh recover part of $81 million in funds stolen by cyber thieves from its central bank in February.

In a statement over the weekend, the Department of Finance (DOF) said Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has assured members of a high-level delegation from Bangladesh of the government’s vigorous efforts to help recover the stolen funds, saying Manila would continue to do so by following processes required under Philippine laws.

In a meeting with a Bangladeshi delegation last week, Dominguez said he and other Philippine officials recommended that Bangladesh share with the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) results of their investigation of the cyber heist.

“There were certain judicial processes … that you had to go through to make sure that there would be no challenge to your taking the funds,” he informed the visiting delegation.

“We are pursuing the lawsuits on your behalf, actually, as vigorously as we can,” Dominguez

said.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr., who was also present during the meeting, requested the Bangladeshi officials to provide the BSP a full report on the inquiry into the cyber hacking incident to help speed up the recovery efforts.

It is also a way to strengthen the Philippine government’s position, on Bangladesh’s behalf, in court proceedings that aim to bring back the rest of the stolen funds, he said.

Espenilla assured the Bangladeshi officials that the Philippines has an “effective anti-money laundering system in place” and that the BSP has already advised the parties involved to “correct the deficiencies” in their respective processes.

The AMLC said besides the filing of cases against officials of Rizal Commercial Banking Corp., the council will still go after the other entities allegedly involved in the heist such as Chinese casino players and remittance firm PhilRem. “If the Supreme Court will say that we cannot run after that bank account of Solaire, maybe we can run after the Chinese players to whom this money was eventually transferred. Of course some of that money is in

PhilRem and Kim Wong,” AMLC Director Julia Abad said.

“We do not know if Philrem officials are still in the Philippines but of course, definitely we will file cases against them.

There is a criminal case against them and we will also file forfeiture. We will definitely run after them in terms of properties and assets,” she added.

The Bangladeshi delegation thanked the Philippine government for helping bring back at least $15 million of the $81 million stolen funds.

Led by Anisul Huq, the minister of law, justice and parliamentary affairs of Bangladesh, the delegation expressed to Dominguez and other Filipino officials its appreciation for the legal assistance that the Philippines has provided and continues to provide to recover the stolen money.

“We have already received $15 million because of the efforts of the government and also the Senate. We’d like to express our [gratitude]and thankfulness for their efforts which has led to the recovery of the $15 million,” Huq said.

The Bangladeshi officials said progress has been made in the investigation and that it would send the government whatever updates they have on the probe.

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Features

OpiniOn Futile attempt THE Philippines has been a victim of drug abuse. This is why Pres.

Rodrigo Duterte personally waged war on illegal drugs during his campaign. He promised to rid the country of drugs and crime not only at the streets but also at the higher echelons of society. In doing so, he warned that 100,000 people would fall when he finally launches his war on drugs and crime.

Officials said there are about 3.7 million drug addicts in the country, a figure that they said reflects a problem of “epidemic proportions.”

The Philippine National Police recently reported that a total of 5,882 suspected drug dealers, traffickers, and users have been killed across the country since Duterte launched his war on illegal drugs. The latest PNP data culled from July 1-Dec. 6, 2016, showed that 2,041 drug suspects were killed by the authorities, while 3,841 were “murdered outside police operations” from July 1 to November 30.

Is anyone winning the war on drugs?

For me PNP Chief Ronald Dela Rosa, the government is on the winning side with more people now saying they feel safe in their neighborhoods.

“I’m very proud to say that despite all the criticisms and noises, extrajudicial killings and summary killings accusations against me and the PNP, things like that, still we face our mission with more courage

because I know that we are working for the people,” the PNP chief said.

The PNP chief cited that within three months, 720,000 drugs users and peddlers have surrendered and 22,00 others were caught in buy-bust operations as proof that extra-judicial killings were not a recourse in the drug campaign.

“When you hit drugs, when you neutralize the drug problems, it follows that criminality rates will go down. So (you are) hitting two birds in one stone,” Dela Rosa explained.

While the government may be celebrating the rise of fatalities as an indication of their impending victory, many other express alarm at the number of drug-related casualties.

Commission on Human Rights (CHR) chair Chito Gascon said that the current data is already higher than the recorded death during the first year of Martial Law. Duterte has also managed to lock horns with of-

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

ficials of the United States, European Union and the United Nations, who criticize his leaderships because of possible human rights violations in his anti-drug campaign.

The government can’t win this war alone. If alternatives are not considered now, a lasting solu-

tion may never be possible. This is a war with many fronts and needs an engagement both from the government and civil society. It also requires a strategy that will weaken criminal organizations, reconstruct law enforcement institutions and improve the judicial system. (AJPress)

Rebooting our relations with the US THE six-day firefight in Butig, Lanao del Sur between the military and the Maute Group has devastated the town and displaced residents. But while the Armed Forces has recaptured the area, members of the terrorist group have vowed retribution, promising to behead their enemies including the President. Last June, the military successfully flushed out elements of the Maute Group but obviously, they managed to regroup, with the Maute brothers Omar and Abdullah having reportedly aligned with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria or ISIS. This potential terrorist alignment with the ISIS underscores even more the importance of maintaining our close relationship with the United States especially with the exchange of vital information.

Over the years, intelligence information from the United States has proven to be critical in helping pinpoint terrorist strongholds in the country.

Even on the issue of illegal drugs, the US has been actively supporting our efforts, cooperating with Philippine authorities with many of the drug busts at the airport having come from tips provided by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Drug Enforcement Administration.

Although there are apprehensions regarding diplomatic relations between the Philippines and the United States – which is quite understandable considering the strong rhetoric of President Duterte against the US in the past, plus the uncertainty triggered by the election of Donald Trump as the next US president – a reboot in diplomatic relations seems to be ready to go. The phone con-

Analysis

Antonio P. ContrerAs “THE nutribun is a lie,” said one placard.

And with this the credibility of the anti-Marcos rallies may just have taken a hit.

After all, how can one deny the existence of the nutribun?

Nutribun is a type of bread whose formula was developed by nutritionists at the University of Virginia Polytechnic Institute, and was later used as part of the campaign during the term of President Ferdinand Marcos to combat child malnutrition. Using ingredients donated by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the PL 480 Title II food aid program, this healthy bread was mass-produced, and delivered daily to public elementary schools all over the country. Because of this program of the Marcos administration that started in 1972, severe malnutrition in children was reported to have declined drasticallyfrom five percent to lower than one percent.

As the incidence of malnutrition declined, the program was phased out in the mid-1980s.

The existence of nutribun coincided with the martial law period,

challenging time.

As I mentioned to Karen Davila during her program “Headstart” aired on the ANC news channel last Thursday, a good headway in the relationship would be for President Trump and President Duterte to meet as early as April next year for the ASEAN, which will be hosted by the Philippines. I am told reciprocal invitations were made for a visit by both leaders.

The arrival of the new US Ambassador, Sung Kim, is also opportune and should augur well since, as I said, he is the first line of official communication between President Duterte and the United States.

I am certain Ambassador Kim, a career diplomat, has been briefed extensively by his staff in the embassy – well aware of the current situation and will do well as far as understanding where the Duterte administration is coming from on many issues. As the new ambassador said, the relationship between the United States and the Philippines has been one of the most enduring, with so many important dimensions that also come with it.

Admittedly, there is the great possibility that diplomatic relations will have a slightly different tone, especially since President Duterte would also like to have stronger ties with other countries such as China and Russia. But as far as military relations are concerned, I agree with many that the alliance between the Philippines and the US is crucial for

versation last Friday night between President Duterte and president- Babe’s elect Donald Trump is the perfect Eye View way to start.

Our man in the US tells us Trump and Duterte “noted the long history of friendship and cooperation between the two nations, and agreed that the two governments should BABe romuAldez continue to work together closely on matters of shared interest and concern.”

The brief phone call, which was described by the Palace as “very engaging and animated,” signals potentially warmer relations between our two countries. Things have been quite testy owing to President Duterte’s strong rhetoric against the US and Barack Obama over what he perceived was meddling on domestic issues. On the other hand, there has also been concern with Trump’s pronouncements about reviewing Obama policies, among them the “pivot to Asia” as well as immigration and outsourcing of jobs which could affect many Filipinos in the country.

I spoke to former US Ambassador to the Philippines and first ever Director of US National Intelligence John Negroponte during dinner the other night hosted by former Foreign Secretary Albert Del Rosario. John told me people at the State Department are also uncertain how diplomacy will be conducted under a Trump administration since the US president-elect has also been unorthodox in his approach. According to Negroponte, being in Washington will be an interesting and cerebrally

security especially in this region. I’m pretty sure president-elect Trump has also been briefed during his intelligence briefing with the US military and the CIA about the critical importance of the areas where the presence of the US is required.

Our agreements such as the EDCA (Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement) can be scaled down to a certain level that could potentially be manageable. Cancelling EDCA completely is unwise because it has been, and will be, beneficial to our security down the road, not to mention the disaster and humanitarian component which is included in the agreement.

Having had the opportunity to interact with the president during his visit to Japan, there is no doubt he has a clear vision of where he wants to take our country. During his meeting with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the latter had impressed upon the president that the relationship with the US is important for the region.

I must admit Karen Davila’s ANC program is one of the most widely watched judging from the numerous text and email messages I received. I must commend Karen for the excellent work she has been doing as a broadcast journalist, proving to be one of the best with the insightful and incisive questions she asks from her guests.

Like I told Karen and her TV audience – any nation in the world, no matter how small, whether friend or foe, should consider the United States as an important country to have to deal with. *** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com

Nutribuns, lies, memes and clueless millennials which lasted from 1972 until 1981.

And for many, it is a ubiquitous reminder of something that was positive about what otherwise is presented as a reign of terror. No one whose early education was in the public school system can ever deny, more so forget, its existence.

It would have been plausible to imagine that to many who lived through that period, whose relatives or parents were not involved in the anti-Marcos struggle, and whose lives were unaffected by the abuses, the nutribun may have been the most vivid image of what martial law may have meant.

The statement “the nutribun is a lie” is actually a recasting of the meme “the cake is a lie” which is associated with a video game called “Portal” played mostly by millennial gamers. The game uses the image of a cake as a motivation, a reward after solving a puzzle, which in the end turns out to be a lie.

Thus, this meme is something that only video gamers would understand. Being a meme about deception, one can only surmise that the appropriation of it in an antiMarcos rally, using the nutribun to replace the cake, was an attempt to taunt the Marcos regime, with the hope that the message of deception and lying would be read by the crowd.

But the opposite occurred. In-

stead of indicting the lies and deceptions of Marcos and martial law, the placard bearing “the nutribun is a lie” has become the indictable lie.

This faux pas is symptomatic of the predicament of the antiMarcos forces. Older generations of activists have no choice but to transfer their political activism to the millennial generation. However, many in this generation rely only on the narratives of horror that they have been told about martial law, by parents, teachers and authority figures who lived through the horrors or are sympathetic to the causes of those times, who tend to impose rather than allow them to make their own independent conclusions. These millennials mostly come from elite schools.

Unfortunately, the martial law narratives are not organically rooted in the worldview of theseelitist millennials,where the culture of Starbucks, happy Thursdaysand the video game “Portal”have all taken residence. Martial law remains as a tale of horror that they are asked to understand, but can never authentically relate to.

This is the worldview of a generation that when forced to become the torchbearers to continue the anti-Marcos struggle, and embed themselves in mass mobilization which older generations of activists know very well, will be lost in

translation.

This is a generation whose image of a crowd is defined in concerts and rave parties.

Their anger will be expressed not in political slogans, but in personal slurs. Theirs is a culture of appearances and simulations. They think that insulting the physical appearance of Sandro and Imee Marcos is equivalent to condemning the structural oppressions which the surname Marcos implies. Their coño language is one that does not embody an ideology for social

change, but one that appropriates memes that only they would understand, like “the cake is a lie,” to be the signifier of their resistance, which in the end reveals them to be detached and clueless.

This generation of elitist millennials may be adept with the shift in engaging in political warfareaway from the streets and into social media.One just has to read the placards they carried at the Luneta and EDSA to see that these are extensions of social media bashing, where they have practically

“memed” politics. Yet they do not have the stamina and the savvy to wage street warfare.

Meanwhile, the masa that the elitists demean, the one subsisting on free internet, are still very good in street battles, even as they have now also invaded social media, and are as good in waging a political war there. This is the masa many of whom would probably still vividly remember the nutribun.

In this scenario, the elitist millennials would lose. (ManilaTimes. net)

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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

HOLIDAY BLOOMS. Potted poinsettias in full bloom during the Christmas season are sold at Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City.

Inquirer.net photo by Nino Jesus Orbeta

Only 830 Filipinos bankrolled campaigns...

PAGE A5 2010, still came from far too few individuals. Nearly seven out of 10 of those donors were also based in one region, Metro Manila.

Captured candidates?

“When we’re talking of elections as a democratic exercise, you want to involve people, you want more voices to be heard,” comments Rona Ann V. Caritos, executive director of the Legal Network for Truthful Elections (LENTE). “But when 10 or 15 individuals determine how much a candidate gets and if that candidate wins, we all know that the candidate will likely listen first to the top 10 or 15 individuals who gave donations to his campaign.”

“The elections are supposed to be a reflection of the will of the people,” Eric Jude O. Alvia, secretary general of election watchdog National Citizens’ Movement for Free Elections (NAMFREL), also says. “But apparently because of the current situation right now. It’s looked at a cynical manner. Elections are a process in harnessing efficiently one’s resources to gain public office.”

According to Alvia, candidates are likely to get big donors because of the current structure of the campaign, where there is no limit on the amount a donor can give.

NAMFREL national council

member Damaso Magbual adds that essentially, it’s the candidate who is approaching potential donors. The practice, he says, is unlike the system in the United States where people could go online and contribute.

But Alvia says that there are innovative ways that can be introduced to democratize contributions. He recalls that years ago, to raise funds for the senatorial candidacy of prominent human-rights lawyer Rene Saguisag, he used to help sell Saguisag dolls for P50 to P200 each. The dolls, he says, were a way for the candidate to get donations from voters who did not have deep pockets.

In any case 89 percent of the P375-million campaign kitty of now-President Duterte came from just 13 donors. This is based on Duterte’s Statement of Contributions and Expenditures (SOCE), in which he also reports having 135 donors. The highest single donation he received was P75 million, the lowest P576.

But contributions amounting to P10,000 and below reached a total of only P175,313, which is not even half of one percent of his campaign funds.

Too, while Duterte’s donors were mostly from Davao, their contributions made up only half — P189 million — of his total campaign fund. Some P183 million or nearly the same amount

came from donors who listed their addresses in Metro Manila.

The rest or P2.7 million came in fairly small amounts from various other regions.

Duterte’s party, Partido Demokratiko Pilipino – Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban), also got 77 percent of its money from Metro Manila-based donors. Contributions from just seven of its biggest donors made up 86 percent of its total election fund.

Duterte, however, did not have the fattest campaign coffer among the presidential candidates (at least based on documents they submitted to the Commission on Elections). His was actually the next to the leanest one.

It was Senator Grace Poe who reported to have received the highest total amount, which reached P511.9 million. That sum, though, was spread out across more donors, compared to the other candidates. Running as an independent, Poe had the second most number of donors (235) among the presidentiables.

But contributions from her 10 biggest donors made up only 38 percent of her total campaign funds, unlike those of the rest of the candidates.

Still, like three of the other presidentiables, Poe received majority of her campaign donations – P382 million or 74 percent – from individuals living in Metro Manila.

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • deCembeR 9-15, 2016

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A10 december 9-15, 2016 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

Dateline PhiliPPines

Senate defies Ombudsman order dismissing Villanueva

THE Senate leadership will not expel Sen. Joel Villanueva despite an order issued by the Office of the Ombudsman dismissing the former head of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Villanueva was charged with graft, malversation, and falsification of public documents in connection with the alleged misuse of P10 million of his pork barrel allocation in 2008.

Senate majority leader Vicente Sotto 3rd, chairman of the Committee on Rules, pushed for the adoption of the

legal opinion issued by the Senate legal counsel, emphasizing that the Office of the Ombudsman has no disciplinary powers over members of congress.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel 3rd declared the legal opinion adopted when no senator expressed objection on its adoption.

In a 15-page opinion, Maria Valentina Cruz, legal counsel of the Senate, noted that the penalties imposed against Villanueva by the Office of the Ombudsman cannot and

should not be implemented by the chamber because the conditions or requirements for the penalty of expulsion of a member of the Senate are not present.

Sec. 97 rule XXXIV of the rules of the Senate states that upon recommendation of the Committee on Ethics and Privileges, the Senate may punish any member for disorderly behavior and with the concurrence of two-thirds of the entire membership, suspend or expel a member. (Jefferson Antiporda/ManilaTimes.net)

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HOLIDAY CHEER. Seminarians from Our Lady of the Angels Seminary of Novaliches shared holiday cheer to the Office of Senator Nancy Binay through their carols.

Senate photo

Sexual, emotional harassments Arroyo firm on stand vs death penalty top forms of child abuse in PH

by LLanesca

SEXuAL and emotional harassments are the two leading forms of child abuse in the country, according to a study by a non-government organization (NGO) last year.

The study of the National Baseline Study on Violence Against Children (NBS-VAC) showed that sexual abuse (11.8 percent) and emotional harassment (11.8 percent) were the principal forms of abuse on children.

Second was physical abuse with 10.1 percent, it said.

Dr. Bernadette Madrid, executive director of Child Protection Network Foundation (CPNF), not-

ed that the study said combined intervention of the government and the NGOs does not stop child abuse in the country.

In fact, child abuse remains “highly prevalent” in the Philippines despite the government’s recognition of the problem.

The study said even the children who are the victims of different forms of abuse do not report the crime to government authorities.

It added that Philippine National Police and Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) personnel are the ones who refer the matter to the Child

Protection units or CPus at the barangay (village) level.

And those being referred to village authorities are fewer than 1 percent of the total number of child abuse cases that were gathered during the study, Madrid said.

DSWD undersecretary Vilma Cabrera called on stakeholders to “intensify our advocacy for children’s rights and welfare, while also strengthening the support systems needed for the recovery and rehabilitation of abused children and those who experienced trauma.” (Nelson S. Badilla/ManilaTimes.net)

NBI: Espinosa killing a rubout

by Ghio

onG Philstar.com

MANILA – Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa initially greeted the police team. Then he pleaded with them not to frame him. Moments later, the lights in his jail cell went out and gunshots were heard.

The National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) announced that Espinosa was executed by members of the police Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas who went to his jail cell ostensibly to search for guns and drugs.

“It was a rubout,” NBI spokesman Ferdinand Lavin told reporters. “There was criminal intent and a conspiracy. It was a premeditated killing; the victims

were helpless.”

The NBI has filed murder charges against the CIDG team that served the search warrant on the mayor, who was then detained at the sub-provincial jail in Baybay, Leyte.

Cell 2 inmate Donald Palermo said moments before gunshots were heard from Cells 1 and 7, lights at Espinosa’s cell were switched off by the policeman who shot him. Palermo later identified the officer as Chief Insp. Leo Laraga.

At the Senate hearing on Espinosa’s killing, Laraga admitted that he fired shots at Espinosa.

Some policemen were also allegedly positioned in front of Cells 2 and 3 and signaled thumbs down, after which no more gunshots were heard.

NBI’s De Vera added that based on the inmates’ statements, before the shots were fired, some inmates were instructed to go out, with some going to the quarantine area, except for yap, who was left inside Cell 7 and was later found dead.

The investigator said based on the inmates’ testimonies, a policeman wearing surgical gloves and holding an unidentified caliber weapon was seen entering the detention facility after the gunshots, and no longer held any gun when he came out.

Jerry Abiera, NBI director in the Eastern Visayas region, maintained that the NBI’s investigation found that only the policemen fired shots inside Espinosa’s cell.

Based on the sketch of Espino-

T. PanTi

Manilatimes.net

DEPuTy Speaker Gloria Arroyo is not budging from her stand opposing the reimposition of the death penalty even if she is allied with President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I spoke to President Duterte about it, and it is alright with him if I oppose the death penalty,” Arroyo told reporters.

The House Sub-Committee on Judicial Reforms recently approved the death penalty bill.

Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez has said the measure will be approved by the House of Representatives before the Christmas

break.

The death penalty was abolished in 2006 when Arroyo was the president.

Asked if the drug problem is a valid justification for the reimposition of death penalty, Arroyo said she could not second-guess the President.

“I will not argue [with that reasoning]. I am not the President anymore. I have personal conviction, but he is the President now. I am against it, but I want the administration to succeed,” she pointed out.

“He (Duterte) has to decide how to deal with it,” Arroyo added.

On the firing of Vice President

Leni Robredo by text, the former leader said it has been done before.

“It was inevitable because of their divergence on a lot of issues,” she told reporters.

“When I was the President, I had differences of opinions with my Cabinet members. One of my senior officials also got booted thru a text message, so it has been done before,” Arroyo pointed out.

“Speaking from experience, I also recall receiving a text message asking me not to attend a certain Estrada Cabinet meeting, and I respected the instruction. It can be done,” she added.

sa’s detention cell, gunshots came from the entrance of the cell.

Also, two bullet holes were found behind the place where Espinosa was supposedly killed.

Abiera explained that one hole was found on the wall of Cell 1’s comfort room, which was 3.15 meters away from where one gunshot came, and another was found on a wall near the doubledeck bed, around 2.3 meters away from where another gunshot had originated.

Lavin added the NBI agents were never able to identify the types of guns used in the shooting and which Espinosa allegedly used, nor retrieve closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage from NBI deputy director Ferdinand Lavin shows a floor plan of the Leyte sub-provincial jail and points inside the jail, since they went to to the spot where Albuera Mayor Rolando Espinosa was shot and killed by a CIDG team.

Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban the area four days after the incident. strong case. relieved head of the Criminal InHe said “the pieces of evidence, The findings prompted the NBI vestigation and Detection Group both forensic and testimonial, to file multiple murder charges (CIDG) in Eastern Visayas, and his are a match” and the NBI has a against Supt. Marvin Marcos, 17 subordinates.

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • deCembeR 9-15, 2016

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A12 december 9-15, 2016 • NOrcAL ASIAN JOUrNAL

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 9-15, 2016

CJ1

JOURNAL

Your Immigration Solution DEVIN CONNOLLY & NANCY MILLER HOLIDAYS are here and that means travelling to see family members. But before you go, here are a few things to remember.

Departing the United States when you are not a U.S. citizen can lead to serious problems upon your attempt to return.

This is true for both lawful permanent residents and for noncitizens with pending applications or non-immigrant visas.

Many lawful permanent residents mistakenly believe that a green card guarantees their re-admission to the U.S. after traveling abroad. However, all persons seeking to enter the U.S. are subject to inspection. If the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol officer suspects that the alien is inadmissible to the U.S., she may issue a Notice to Appear (NTA) that refers him to Immigration Court. In Immigration Court, the alien will have to fight to remain in the U.S. and to obtain or keep his lawful status.

There are many reasons why a person already granted permanent resident status may face problems when attempting to return to the U.S. One common reason is based of the amount of time the alien has spent outside of the U.S. The reasons for wanting to remain out of the U.S. for a significant period of time include attending school, working abroad, caring for an elderly relative, etc. The issue is a matter of intent. Did the alien always intend to continue to live in the U.S.? The question is one of fact and must be resolved by sufficient persuasive evidence submitted by the alien.

To help reduce the risk of being charged with abandonment, the permanent resident who foresees being out of the U.S. for an extended period of time should obtain a re-entry permit. The reentry permit may allow a resident to remain outside of the U.S. for

What to know before you go up to 2 years while maintaining permanent resident status. This travel document must be applied for before departing the U.S. and is usually granted for a 1 or 2 year period of time. However, while the re-entry permit makes admission at the end of the period of absence more likely, it is not a guarantee that the green card holder will be re-admitted as a lawful permanent resident. Again, the question is one of intent and the evidence provided to show proper intent is essential.

A special immigrant returning resident visa (SB-1) may become necessary if the resident failed to obtain a re-entry permit before leaving or remained outside beyond its expiration date. The SB1 is issued by consular officers at a U.S. Embassy. It will only be issued if the resident is able to clearly demonstrate that he or she always maintained the intent to reside in the U.S. They must also demonstrate that the cause of their protracted stay outside of the U.S. was beyond their control. Consular officers are skeptical in adjudicating these applications because they believe that one who intended to remain a permanent resident would have applied for a re-entry permit prior to departing the U.S. Another reason why a green card holder might be refused admission is a prior criminal conviction. Crimes of a serious nature (and sometimes even those that might not seem serious) may result in a refusal of admission.

At that point, the alien could be paroled into the United States and given a chance to fight for their green card status in Immigration Court. Resolution of this potential problem might include obtaining a waiver of inadmissibility or naturalizing (if eligible) prior to departing.

A person who has a pending application for permanent resident status may encounter difficulties

upon their attempt to return to the U.S. If the applicant did not obtain advanced parole before she left, she will be deemed to have abandoned her application. So, advanced parole is essential if one wishes to travel out of the country and continue to pursue her application for a green card.

Advanced parole is also necessary in order to avoid incurring the 3-10 year unlawful presence bars for having remained in the U.S. in unlawful status beyond a period of time. The Board of Immigration Appeals has ruled that aliens who travel on advanced parole are not considered to have departed the U.S. and, therefore, have not triggered these bars.

Non-immigrant visa holders who changed status should remember that the only official evidence of their status may be on the I-94 that they will be required to turn in upon leaving. They may be required to apply for the visa at their U.S. Consulate before they return to the U.S. Anyone without U.S. citizenship should keep in mind that reentry is not guaranteed. It is the non-citizen’s burden to show that they are eligible for admission.

Give yourself the best chance of making your readmission to the U.S. uneventful. Consult a knowledgeable and experienced immigration lawyer before you go. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila.

For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com.

Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.

(Advertising Supplement)

by RICHMOND

S. MERCURIO

Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — Real estate consultancy and service provider CBRE Philippines Tuesday. Dec. 6 allayed fears of a potential slowdown in the real estate sector as a result of a shortage in skilled construction workers in the country.

The lack of adequately-skilled workers has reportedly been weighing down private building activities nationwide due to construction delays.

“It’s a matter of developers’ management. Developers are

greatly dedicated at completing their projects so whenever there are delays, it doesn’t usually take long, especially that they know they have commitments,” said Kash Salvador, CBRE Philippines associate director for investment properties and capital markets.

CBRE Philippines, which will undergo a major rebranding starting next year, said it remains bullish on its prospects for the country’s real estate market.

“Over the medium term, we expect to see sustained economic growth in the Philippines, fuelled by favorable demographics, continuing foreign direct invest-

ment, further BPOs, strong overseas remittances and continued infrastructure development – all of which will drive robust demand in the real estate sector,” CBRE Philippines CEO Rick Santos said.

“The BPO industry continues to grow as economies in the West recover. Outsourcing continues to be one of the most viable options for these companies to cut on cost and to operate efficiently, and the Philippines remains one of the best destinations for these outsourced jobs. This has been driving the office market growth

u PAGE CJ2

Weaker peso to impact property market – JLL analyst

by CATHERINE

TALAVERA ManilaTimes.net

THE continued weakening of the Philippine peso may dampen demand from local real estate buyers and investors, although it may attract foreign buyers into the country, a property analyst said on Monday, Dec. 5.

In a text message to the Manila Times, Jones Lang LaSalle head of research, consultancy and valuation services Claro Cordero Jr. said the continued weakening of the Philippine peso against the US dollar “can negatively affect the local buyers and

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DECEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

The CTV Files aurora Vega-Buzon, eSq. CARLOS is a married child petitioned by his US citizen father. His priority date is October 30, 1992 and it’s just a matter of months before his visa becomes available. Unfortunately, his father who is 87 years old, suffered a heart attack after Christmas and is now in a care facility. He applied for a tourist visa so he can visit his father but his application was denied. His family wonders if there is a way for Carlos to see his ailing father.

Foreign nationals or aliens who have urgent medical and family needs like Carlos —but cannot obtain visas from embassies abroad — can try to apply for a Humanitarian Parole.

Humanitarian Parole is highly discretionary and is not an immigration benefit. It is considered as an “extraordinary measure, sparingly used only in urgent or emergency circumstances, by which the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security may permit an inadmissible

Community Journal

Humanitarian Parole for urgent medical and family cases alien temporarily to enter or remain in the United States.”

It is “not intended to bypass immigration procedures or avoid visa processing procedures and timelines” and is granted only upon clear evidence that the “parole applicant has exhausted visa processes, including any waivers to grounds of inadmissibility.”

Section 212(d)(s)(A) of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA) authorizes the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to “in his discretion, parole into the United States temporarily under such conditions as he may prescribe only on a case-bycase basis for urgent humanitarian reasons or significant public benefit any alien applying for admission into the United States,.. .” In practice, the Secretary’s parole authority is delegated to the 3 bureaus of the Homeland Security — the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), the Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) — who all exercise parole authority concurrently.

Humanitarian Parole is cat-

egorized based on which agency will receive and adjudicate the application. The following cases must be submitted to the USCIS: 1. Urgent medical, family, and related needs; and 2. Aliens who will participate in civil proceedings where all parties are private litigants.

On the other hand, ICE will be the adjudicating authority for the following cases: 1. Aliens who will participate in administrative, judicial, or legislative proceedings, and/or investigations, whether at the federal, state, local, or tribal level of government; 2. Aliens in removal proceedings or who have final orders, as well as aliens granted deferred action by ICE at any point after the commencement of removal proceedings, regardless of whether the alien is within or outside of the US; 3. Aliens who will participate in events hosted by an international organization located within the US (e.g., UN, OAS); 4. Section 7 parole (50 USC 403[h]); and 5. Intelligence.

Aliens who are registered sources of a member of the US Intelligence Community and whose

u PAGE CJ3

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Yet again, remembering the wonder

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeVa Maglaya “REMEMBER the Wonder” was a catchy TV ad slogan for Wonder Bread. But the phrase can very well be used to refer to the true season of wonder — CHRISTMAS. December days and nights seem to slip from our grasp like fine grains of sand. The hours seem to hurtle through the day as we complete a year’s cycle and move on to the next.

Many of us, particularly the women, try in earnest to mesh the unusually heavy demands of the roles we play in our lives specially this season. If we get completely sidetracked by the minutiae and the methodology, the expenses and the endless activities of what constitutes Christmas, we are more than likely to morph into the likes of Ebenezer Scrooge and be tempted to say “Bah, humbug!”

But unlike the tightwad Scrooge, the cost of doing Christmas has little to do with it. More than likely, the heaviness and

“Lest we forget ……… CHRIST is the reason for this season.” drudgery that we seem to associate with this season have a lot to do with the failure to find that somewhat elusive sense of real joy that this season can bring in abundance to those who are open to it.

Sure, we can go through the motions of Christmas activities, shopping, baking, decorating, partying, drinking and binging. And yet, very often even if we diligently check off all the things in our list, something remains amiss. We fail to catch that Christmas feeling.

As I have written before, the spirit of the season is like a butterfly. If you keep mindlessly trashing about in endless activities, it will elude you. But if you sit very still, that Christmas feeling might simply alight on you.

Be still and soak in the sight, sounds and smells of the season.

One trick I have learned is to

SIMPLIFY and not try to take on too much of anything. That includes refraining from maxing out my credit cards, no matter how infinitely tempting it is to rush out and join the shopping madness.

Each day of the season, count at least ONE BLESSING that you may have taken for granted — like YOUR FAMILY, dysfunctional or imperfect the members may be, including yourself, we are all we’ve got.

To borrow from a song, “Love the one you’re with.” That means stop looking elsewhere. The internet and social media could be a minefield of dashed hopes and dreams. For the most part, it is definitely not the place to find what you think is missing in your life. It is an illusion.

If you still have relatively good health and do not have to depend on a cocktail of drugs to get you

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Anorexia nervosa, bulimia

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WHAT is anorexia nervosa?

This is a “psychological” disorder where the person has a disturbed sense of body image.

He/she has a morbid fear of obesity, refuse to maintain a minimally normal body weight, and in women, amenorrhea (absence of menstrual period).

What causes this condition?

The cause is still unknown, but it appears that social factors play a big role. In the western society, there is a pervasive obsession among people, especially among the young females, to stay thin.

Obesity is looked at as unhealthy, undesirable, and unattractive.

Roughly about 85% of prepubertal children are conscious of these attitudes and more than 50% of these children go on a diet themselves, or practice habits to control their weight. But since not many of them develop anorexia nervosa, it is obvious

that there are other factors that play significant roles.

What other factors could be involved?

Some undefined psychologic, genetic or metabolic vulnerability might predispose some persons to develop anorexia nervosa. It is interesting to note that anorexia nervosa is most rare among the deprived sectors of the world, where there is food shortage.

Does peer pressure play a role?

Peer pressure and a sense of competition, especially among young girls, could play a role.

The only chubby one in a circle of friends might feel uncomfortable and under stress to be “as shapely as all my friends.” The psychological impact of this could lead to misguided and unhealthy practice in dieting and weight control, more likely to happen among those with weaker personality and character.

Are females more prone?

Yes, roughly 95% of patients with anorexia nervosa are female. The usual onset is mostly during adolescence, much less

often among adults. Majority of these people are in the middle to upper socioeconomic classes.

What are the symptoms of anorexia nervosa?

The manifestations could be mild and temporary, others severe and chronic. The classic victims are usually intelligent, high-achiever, compulsive, meticulous, very conscious of how they look, and success-driven.

The initial indication is their extreme concern about their weight (even if their weight is normal) and their religious diet control practices. They study diets, measure everything and count every calorie consumed. There is an extreme anxiety and anger with any increase in weight, disproportional to the situation. There is lying and denial about what is going on and a great resistance to seeking medical treatment.

Isn’t anorexia a misnomer?

Yes, it is, in fact, a misnomer.

Anorexia means lack of appetite.

These patients have a normal appetite, but do not want to eat for fear of obesity. They only become

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Business News

Palawan targets 2-M tourists in 2017

by Mary

Grace Philstar.com

Padin

MANILA, Philippines — Palawan tourism stakeholders are confident tourist arrivals will increase by as much as two million next year with the expected opening of the Puerto Princesa International Airport and other gateways in the province.

In an interview with The STAR, Debbie Tan, president of the Palawan Tourism Council, said industry players in the province are anticipating the opening of the international airport in Puerto Princesa City in the first quarter of next year.

“We’re optimistic that tourist arrivals will increase with the opening of the Puerto Princesa International Airport. We are targeting two million arrivals in 2017,” Tan said in a phone interview.

But aside from the gateway, Tan said the growth would also come from the opening of the San Vicente Airport, which is targeted in the second quarter of next year, as well as the improvement of the Busuanga Airport in Coron, Palawan.

To gear up for the expected surge in tourists, Tan said the private sector in Palawan has started to invest more in hotels and accommodation facilities.

“A lot of properties have been opening up in preparation for the entry of tourists,” Tan said.

However, Tan said most of the new hotels were small with only 100 rooms.

She admitted the province still lacked investors who are willing to infuse big investments to open hotels with 300 to 500 rooms.

The Palawan Tourism Council, for its part, is also developing new destinations, activities and tour packages within the province.

In 2015, about one million tourists visited the province of Palawan. For Puerto Princesa,

alone, around 820,000 tourists stayed overnight.

In an earlier interview, Puerto Princesa Mayor Lucilo Bayron said he expected tourist arrivals in the city to jump to 1.5 million in 2017 due to the opening of its international airport.

He said the airport, once operational, would be positioned as one of the gateways of the Philippines to Asia.

“Next year, when the airport opens, and we solve the traffic problem, I think it would not be hard to attain 1.5 million visitors next year,” the official said. n

Weaker peso to impact property market…

PAGE CJ1 t

investors.”

The Philippine currency has recently been depreciating compared to the greenback, falling to a 10-year low of P50:$1 level during midday trading on November 24. On Monday, the peso closed at P49.69 to a dollar, still hovering near the P50/$1.00 level.

Cordero said that a depreciating peso will have short- and long-term effects on the country’s property markets.

“In the short-term, authorities such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas might be forced to increase interest rates to arrest the further weakening of the Philippine peso,” he said.

As interest rates increase, Cordero noted that the cost of borrowing money from banks will also increase, affecting borrowers’ existing and future decisions to avail of housing loans or mortgages.

“In the long run, it may mean

foreign buyers will be drawn into the property market and [this would]drive property prices up,” Cordero said.

In a recent report, JLL said that the continued weakening of the local currency could lead to stronger demand for residential properties from overseas Filipinos because of their higher spending power.

“The recent PHP depreciation against the US dollar may strengthen the purchasing power of overseas Filipino families, potentially increasing overseas Filipino demand for residential units,” JLL said.

Cordero agrees with this view, noting that “dollar earners like overseas Filipinos may find the housing property market attractive, driving new demand.”

In contrast, he said that demand from local buyers will likely decline. “As property prices become more expensive, the local buyers will be constrained

from investing further,” Cordero noted.

Meanwhile, Cordero noted that a weaker peso may bode well for the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry.

“The higher dollar value further diminishes its operating costs from doing business in offshore locations such as the Philippines. This will make us more attractive to BPO firms,” Cordero said. n

No foreseen…

PAGE CJ1 t

for the past several years,” added Jan Custodio, CBRE senior director for global research and consultancy.

Santos had previously announced his decision not to renew his existing franchise agreement with CBRE and will transition his entire company to the new brand of Santos Knight Frank effective Jan. 1, 2017. n

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

Community Journal

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

Taking some of the mystery out of an attorney consultation

WITH the election of Donald Trump as president, and his statements about deporting millions of illegal aliens and getting tough on immigration, many people are scared, anxious, and worried about their future in America. They are mystified at the complex immigration laws, and may be totally unaware of their rights, possible immigration benefits, waivers, or relief available to them.

Now, more than ever, it is vital that people seek the advice and representation of attorneys. But some people have never consulted with an attorney, and are nervous about doing so. If you are among those people, I would like to take some of the mystery out of what goes on during a consultation. Naturally, I will speak about what happens at a consultation at my office, which may, or may not, be similar to consultations with other attorneys.

First, I am not judgmental in terms of a potential client’s immigration violations, or what he has done wrong, or is being accused of. I know most Filipinos simply want a better life for themselves and their family, and try to be law–abiding. But sometimes, in their desperation, they have not complied with the immigration law. I understand they have problems. That is the reason they came to me. Just as a doctor should not get angry at a patient because the patient is sick, an attorney should not get angry with a client because the client has a legal problem, or got himself in trouble. That’s what the attorney is there for: to help, guide, advise, and hopefully solve the client’s problem, if possible.

Second, in advance of the consultation, the client fills out an intake questionnaire which provides background information on their immigration history as well as details concerning their immigration problem or issue. This questionnaire (as well as what is discussed at the consultation) is

confidential and privileged (like a confession to a priest), and we do not disclose or divulge their information to the government, even if the person does not retain us. Filling out the written consultation saves a lot of time, versus asking all those questions verbally at the consultation, when they may not have the information readily available, such as date of entry, priority date, or other details. By filling out the questionnaire in advance, they have plenty of time to find or obtain that information, and write it down on the questionnaire.

Third, I prefer that the client brings their immigration file or documents, especially the documents relating to their problem or issue. If someone wants to consult with me about a “denial,” they should have a copy of that denial. If they have been placed in deportation/removal, it is helpful that they bring along the notice to appear (NTA). Of course, if they do not have those documents, it is possible to later obtain their file from the government.

Fourth, I clarify with the client exactly what their problem or issue is, to make sure we are “on the same page” with respect to what the problem is, or what relief the client is seeking.

Fifth, I explain to the client the various options that may be available to them. If I believe there are no options based on the current state of the law or their situation, I will tell them, and the reasons why. I think it is important to explain these things to the client in plain English, rather than fancy legal terms. For me, it is important that when a client walks out of a consultation, they understand what the issues, problems, and possible solutions are, versus scratching their head, having no idea what is going on. I also encourage them to ask any questions, if I was unclear or if they did not fully understand something. Sometimes they may have heard rumors or gossip about laws or possible benefits. But

Immigration Corner

sometimes the gossip is wrong, and I explain what the actual state of the law is and whether they are entitled.

Finally, if I believe there is something that can be done on their case (or they have pagasa), we discuss the cost of our services (or legal fees), such as down payment, monthly payments, etc., trying to work within their budget and the time frames of seeking the particular immigration benefit. I also make it clear that as an attorney, I cannot, and will not, “guarantee” results. By law, attorneys may not guarantee results. If I think the case is uphill, I will make sure the client understands that, as I do not want anyone to mistakenly believe that I have guaranteed success, especially if their case is extremely difficult.

A client should not be traumatized over the thought of seeking legal advice from an attorney, and my office makes every effort to make that experience as painless as possible. But if a person will be facing problems on their immigration situation once Trump becomes president, it is critical they seek the advice of an attorney through an initial consultation. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California.

Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader.

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

Business News

Fitch sees sustained Philippine growth

by Lawrence

agcaoiLi Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — BMI Research, a unit of Fitch Ratings, expects an average growth rate of six percent over the next five years for the Philippine economy amid the fiscal stimulus measures being undertaken by the Duterte administration.

“We believe that President Duterte’s fiscal stimulus measures will be positive for economic growth as most of the increases in spending have been earmarked for infrastructure development and social services like healthcare, education and security, which will boost longterm productivity,” it said.

BMI Research said further improvement in public procurement to reduce wasteful spending would likely be positive for fiscal sustainability.

Recent data released by the Department of Finance (DOF) showed a four-fold increase in the country’s budget deficit to P216

PAGE CJ2 t

CJ

Beauty queen’s case denied because of fraud, on aN ENCORE episode of “citizen Pinoy!” Karen married U.S. citizen Paul in 2007. It was a match made in heaven, until their beautiful life was put under extreme hardship when Karen’s adjustment of status was denied, after she was found guilty of immigration fraud. They submitted a fraud waiver, and even that was denied. The couple was devastated and all plans for their family and businesses were shattered.

Everything seemed hopeless until leading US immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel took over Karen’s case and fought to convince USCIS Karen never committed any fraud. Watch how the “Beauty Queen” and her family regained their charmed life and Karen’s name was cleared, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday December 11 at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC

Calendar of Events across

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 D EC E M B E R 1 1

Fil-Am Arts’ Holiday Bazaar and Kababayan Noche Buena Dinner in Los Angeles Join Fil-Am Arts on Sunday, December 11 for a day of festive events at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center in downtown Los Angeles. From 12 to 5 p.m., there will be “Sama Sama sa Pasko” — the 1st Annual Christmas Bazaar — to support over 30 local artists and entrepreneurs. There will also be family-friendly fun for kids, including Christmas carols, parol making and face painting. It is $5 for admission, but kids 12 and under are free. Afterward, from 6 to 9 p.m. is the Kababayan Noche Buena, featuring creations by Charles Olalia (Rice Bar), Charlene Caabay of Kainbigan (featured on Food Network’s Chopped) and Romeo Chocolates, and cocktails by Tanduay Asian Rum. There will be special performances by Joel Quizon, the Los Angeles Youth Ambassadors and Jessica Louise Garcia. Tickets are $40 and the proceeds will benefit the Pilipino Artists’ Network and FilAm Arts. The Japanese American Cultural & Community Center is located at 244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA. To purchase tickets to the dinner, please visit https://www. eventbrite.com/e/kababayan-noche-buena-dinner-tickets-29938289229. For more information, please visit www.filamarts.org or call (213) 949-4508.

Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA (FACC-GLA)’s 15th year anniversary The Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater LA (FACC-GLA) is celebrating its 15th year anniversary by recognizing businesses and community partners and installing officers and board members on Sunday, December 11 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. The event will be held at the Courtyard by Marriott Los Angeles Westside at 6333 Bristol Parkway, Culver City, CA 90230. The cost to attend is $50 and formal attire is required. Please make your check payable to FPACC Foundation, a 501(c)(3) corporation. A portion of the proceeds will go toward the educational scholarship funds and to help the underprivileged children in the Philippines. For any inquiries, please email info.faccgla@gmail.com.

D EC E M B E R 1 5

Simbang Gabi at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles

billion in the first 10 months from P52.6 billion in the same period last year.

The research company said the country’s deficit to GDP ratio widened to two percent in 2016 from 0.9 percent in 2015.

“It is clear that fiscal stimulus

measures under the Duterte administration will be more aggressive than its predecessor, and we expect spending on infrastructure and social services to pick up over the coming quarters, in line with the 2017 budget which

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Anorexia nervosa…

anorexic once they are cachectic (extremely emaciated and wasted). These persons are manipulative and conceal their behavior, like binge eating followed by induced vomiting, which is called Bulemia, a condition found in 50% of those with anorexia nervosa. These anorexia patients also lose interest in sex, have low heart rate, low blood pressure and slightly cooler body temperature. Malnutrition, dehydration and electrolyte imbalance can lead to serious complications.

What is the treatment for this illness?

The two-phase management consists of short term regimen to restore body weight and prevent death, and long term treatment to cure the psychological dilemma and prevent relapses. In severe cases, hospitalization may be required or even crucial for survival.

Individual psychotherapy, psychodynamic, cognitive, behavioral, and even family therapy, are essential. Some oral medications have been used after the weight loss has been regained.

How does Bulimia differ from Anorexia?

Bulimia is an uncontrollable and recurrent binge eating (2-3 times a week) where the individual consumes an enormous amount of food followed by remedial efforts to avoid weight gain, such as self-induced vomiting, vigorous exercises or fasting, use of diuretics and/or laxatives.

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 9-15, 2016

Only about 50% of Anorexia Nervosa patients have bulimia.

The other half simply eat very little or not at all for fear of gaining weight. About 2% of young women have bulimia, of varying severity. Bulemic patients have wide variation in their body weight. Because they frequently induce vomiting after binge eating, they have swollen parotid glands, scars on their knuckles and fingers, and dental erosion.

Bulemic patients usually have normal weight, and more revealing of their problem and more likely to seek medical care, compared to Anorexia patients.

What is the treatment for Bulimia?

Psychotherapy and use of antidepressant drugs are the mainstay of the therapy for bulimia. Experts now believe that the combination of cognitivebehavioral psychotherapy and antidepressants is the treatment of choice. While antidepressants and diet suppressants help a lot, psychotherapy is more effective with more lasting results. The patient should be under the care of a specialist in diet disorders and a psychiatrist.

Any new development in the management?

Recent studies on the role of the family and social media have been found to have positive impact on the enhancement in the effectiveness of the overall management of anorexia nervosa and bulimia, on top of psychotherapy

and pharmacologic treatment.

Family support and compassion and beneficial social interaction with peers are of paramount value to individuals affected by these conditions, whose prognosis is generally good.

Any preventive measures?

Family and friends can help minimize the development of these eating disorders by showering our children early (starting in the crib) and often with love and reassuring words as they grow up. This will reduce the social and environmental stress on these young individuals, making them feel loved, secure and accepted. As they grow, children must learn that inner beauty and character are more attractive and more important than physical appearances. That while having a nicely shaped body is great, having a beautiful personality, good character and brain is more important, admired, and adored in today’s society. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada.

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

For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com

Our Lady of the Angels Pastoral Region of the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles will once again host the Annual Simbang Gabi Advent (night mass) on Thursday, December 15. It is the 14th anniversary of the liturgical celebration of the Philippine tradition of culture, faith, and preparation for the birth of Jesus Christ. Our theme this year is “JESUS, MAKE US GENEROUS DISPENSERS OF YOUR DIVINE MERCY” translated in Tagalog, “HESUS, GAWIN MO KAMING MASAGANANG DALUYAN NG IYONG BANAL NA AWA.” Ministers from parishes of the Pastoral Regions of Santa Barbara, San Fernando, San Gabriel, San Pedro and Our Lady of the Angels together with Dignitaries, Civic, Business and Non-profit organizations will march with their banner and parol (lantern), a symbol of the Star of Bethlehem. Most Reverend Archbishop Jose H. Gomez, D.D will be the main celebrant. Other Concelebrants will be the Bishops and Priests of the Archdiocese. Over 3,000 individuals are expected to attend. The celebration will begin at 6:30 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels at 555 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012.

Parking is available at the cathedral for $8 or at adjacent lots. For more information, please email Lem Amit at filipinoministryola@gmail.com or (323) 793-5141.

D EC E M B E R 1 7

SIPA’s 2nd annual toy drive & distribution in Los Angeles The Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) will have its second annual toy drive and distribution in Los Angeles on Saturday, December 17. The toy drive will be from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.; please bring in an unwrapped toy for children between the ages of 0-15 years old or make a $25 donation to SIPA. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. there will be a toy distribution by the Purist Group, SCPASA & special celebrity guests. Activities include free kids haircuts by celebrity barber JayR Mallari and holiday music by DJ Icy Ice. Light food and drink will be provided. The event is free and open to the public. SIPA is located at 3200 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026.

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

Humanitarian Parole for urgent medical and…

PAGE CJ2 t

parole furthers the National Intelligence mission, or aliens whose parole is sought by the Department of State Cooperative Threat Reduction Program or by the Intelligence Community.

The above list is non-exhaustive and USCIS will adjudicate all other parole applications that are not otherwise assigned to ICE and/or the CBP. Only a foreign national or alien who is outside the United States can apply for Humanitarian Parole. Anyone may file the application - the parole applicant himself, a sponsoring relative, an attorney, or any other interested individual or organization. The application must be accompanied by supporting documentation of

the emergency or urgent nature of the applicant’s circumstances, and proof that applicant has tried to secure a visa and/or applied for waiver of inadmissibility but was denied. In cases of medical emergencies, there must be an accompanying medical certificate regarding the diagnosis; lack of appropriate treatment in the home country or neighboring country; duration and cost of treatment in the United States; ability to pay for the treatment; and evidence of strong ties to the home country to guarantee applicant’s return to his/her home country.

An initial grant of parole is only for a set period of time that corresponds with the length of the emergency or humanitarian situation, but not to exceed one

(1) year. However, an extension may be requested. Humanitarian Parole does not give a parolee any permanent immigration status and does not authorize a parolee to work in the United States. *** Atty. Aurora Vega-Buzon is a partner in Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorneyclient relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 495-8088; auvega@ctvattys.com (Advertising Supplement)

CJ

DECEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

Business news

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Great Place to Work® and Fortune name AT&T Join SF PCG as overseas voting registration opens one of the 2016 best workplaces for diversity

DALLAS — Global research and consulting firm Great Place to Work™ and Fortune named AT&T one of the 2016 Best Workplaces for Diversity.

AT&T ranked #39 on the list, which is based on employees’ assessments of workplace fairness, opportunities for training, and access to senior leadership, among other factors.

Workplaces that prize diversity and inclusiveness aren’t just good for specific classes of workers. Organizations create winning workplaces by promoting environments that are great for all employees. That’s according to research Great Place to Work conducted to compile the list.

The 50 companies on the 2016

Best Workplaces for Diversity list average 24% higher year-overyear revenue growth than other Great Place to Work-CertifiedTM workplaces that didn’t earn a spot on the ranking.

“A diverse workforce isn’t just the right thing, it’s good for business,” said Cynt Marshall, senior vice president of human resources and chief diversity officer. “We are committed to creating a truly inclusive environment at AT&T. That commitment starts at the top with our chairman and continues with meaningful diversity and inclusion programs.”

“We congratulate this year’s winners for showing that diverse workplaces are good for ALL employees,” said Michael C. Bush,

CEO of Great Place to Work.

“Bottom line? Our research shows that the most inclusive workplaces enjoy significantly higher revenue growth than lessinclusive workplaces—evidence that these organizations are cultivating the full human potential of all their people.”

Great Place to Work published other Best Workplaces for Diversity lists. These include the Best Workplaces for Latinos, the Best Workplaces for Asian Americans, and the Best Workplaces for African Americans. AT&T also ranked #10 on the African American list.

Great Place to Work also produced a report with survey data and workforce practices to help other workplaces become more inclusive. n

DTI, DOLE team up to bring down jobless rate

by Richmond

S. meRcuRio

Philstar.com

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) will be joining forces to embark on a new government blueprint that targets to lower the country’s unemployment rate to five percent by 2022.

Called the “Trabaho, Negosyo at Kabuhayan: A Blueprint for Decent Employment and Entrepreneurship 2017-2022,” the new employment strategy was signed by DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez and DOLE Secretary Silvestre Bello III at the conclusion of the two-day employment and livelihood summit last Friday, Dec. 2.

The blueprint will prioritize decent job creation, entrepreneurship, creativity and innovation, formalization and growth of micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), youth unemployment reduction, education, and training.

“By 2022, we want to achieve full employment at five percent unemployment rate by creating 7.5 million jobs, mainly in key employment generating sectors such as manufacturing including food processing, construction, tourism, information technology-business process management, transportation and logistics, and retail trade,” Lopez said.

Lopez said the commitment was made in line with the 2030 agenda for sustainable devel-

Fitch sees sustained…

PAGE CJ3 t

targets a deficit of three percent of GDP,” BMI Research said.

BMI Research also said the Philippines has a severe infrastructure deficit which has dampened investor interest in non-construction sectors.

The World Economic Forum (WEF) has cited the infrastructure gap as the second largest hurdle for doing business in the Philippines.

According to the WEF global competitiveness index, the Philippines ranks a dismal 95 out of 138 countries in terms of infrastructure, with quality of roads,

port, and air transport systems among the worst in the world.

Similarly, the research arm’s operational risk team also assigns a poor score of 40.4 out of 100 (emerging market average is 43.7) for the quality of the transport network in the Philippines.

The WEF also cited rampant corruption as well as the failure of the Philippine government to take advantage of the lower cost of borrowing since the Philippines achieved investment grade rating under the administration of former president Benigno Aquino III. n

opment, which has provisions for decent work and economic growth, building resilient infrastructure, promoting inclusive and sustainable industrialization, and fostering innovation.

In July this year, the country’s unemployment rate dropped to 5.4 percent from 6.5 percent in the same period last year, data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The government’s 2017-2022 employment blueprint envisions the transition of informal and economic units to the formal economy with full respect to fundamental rights and principles at work.

It also reiterates the implementation of the Comprehensive National Industrial Strategy to upgrade selected industries that generate employment, integrate manufacturing, agriculture and services, address supply chain gaps, and deepen industry participation in global value chains.

Lopez is encouraging local firms to invest in the industry and services sector, as well as in the country’s human capital to help address the perennial problem of skills mismatch and to sustain the growth of Philippines industries.

According to DOLE, the new blueprint will seek to surpass total employment generated under former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo which reached 4.8 million and that under President Benigno Aquino III which stood at 4.3 million. n

SAN FRANCISCO — The Philippine Consulate General is pleased to announce that the voter registration period for the 2019 Philippine National Elections will commence on December 1, 2016 and end on September 30, 2018.

In its efforts to reach out and efficiently serve all Filipinos within its ten-state jurisdiction, the Consulate General, in partnership with the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) is in need of two (2) motivated individuals to serve as Overseas Voter Registration staff. The positions are project-based, and renewable periodically until the end of the registration period.

Following are the positions’ duties and responsibilities: • Disseminating information and promoting activities regard-

ing overseas voter registration and the subsequent election; • Encoding names and registration details of Filipino citizens; • Answering public queries regarding overseas voter registration and election; • Performing administrative tasks related to overseas voter registration and election; and • Assisting in other tasks related to overseas registration and voting.

Individuals who meet the following criteria are encouraged to apply: • Fluent in written and spoken English • Filipino language skill an advantage • Has completed a college degree in any field • Organized and detail-ori-

ented • Possesses good customer service and interpersonal communication skills • Ability to work under pressure • Amenable to travel across multiple states Interested applicants are requested to submit the following to hr.sfpcg@gmail.com: • Curriculum vitae with recent 2x2 picture • Cover letter stating why you are suitable for the position • Copy of any valid government-issued ID Interviews will be set to further discuss responsibilities and remuneration. For more information on Overseas Voting Registration, please visit the Consulate General’s website philippinessanfrancisco.org. n

Free health services offered by Mabuhay Health Center THE Mabuhay Health Center is offering free health services every 2nd Saturday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. (last patient accepted at 12:30 p.m.) at the Bayanihan Community Center, 1010 Mission Street, San Francisco. They are also working in conjunction with UCSF. Offered health services and clinic dates for

2017: • Health screening - April 8 • Blood pressure check - May 13 • Diabetes monitoring - June 10 • Medication counseling - January 14 / July 8 • Health education - February 11 / August 12 • Care from UCSF providers - March 11 / September 9 n

Yet again, remembering the…

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through the day, REJOICE AND BE GLAD! Many wealthy yet ailing people longing to live a bit longer, will trade places with you in a heartbeat. TAKE NOTHING FOR GRANTED. Love your life but without conceit. It is simply on loan to you.

Treasure the hours. Forcibly yank out just an hour each day to sit in the silence during this season to take the time to smell the coffee, steep the tea or quaff the cocoa in a quiet spot, free of the interruptions of all those annoying electronic beeps.

Unless your job entails spelling the difference between life and death, CUT OFF YOUR ELECTRONIC LEASH, at least for just an hour. Who said you have to be on call all the time?

That hour you gift yourself with is yours to savor and JUST BE. That hour might very well help you to remember the wonder — to get back that gift of amazement we once had when we were children, before we became jaded, cynical FOOLS. Lest we forget, CHRIST IS

THE REASON FOR THE SEASON. Pay no attention to the godless fools who would like to delete Christ from the season.

Those are minions of the devil at work in the guise of multi-culti political correctness.

The strongest evidence of Christ living in our hearts during this season is an inner glow becoming outward display of joy that wells within, overflows and like a heaven-sent viral infection affects those we work and live with within the orbit of our existence.

Sorrow, pain and disappointment, heartache and heartbreak in spades — we will always have.

They have a place in the general scheme of things. They work like a sculptor’s tool kit that shapes and molds the structure of resilient souls that can weather all seasons.

But just for this season, BELIEVE that you are allowed to get a moratorium from all that.

This season is filled with awesome wonders and all it takes is to open our eyes, sharpen our senses and soak them all in. We

have become inured to the possibilities of joy each moment brings.

Conditioned by years of mundane repetition, we have lost the magic and instinctive sense of wonder we were born with.

We went through the motions of getting an education, raising a family, earning a living, running a business, working ceaselessly, it seems till we drop down dead or until Social Security says we can stop, (whichever comes first), sleeping and doing the same things all over again at daybreak.

Routine and predictability though calming and reassuring, can numb the soul over time.

Don’t let that happen.

Take heart. This season of wonder, as God intended it to be, will always be a joyful reminder of HIS LOVE for us and its many expressions through HUMAN LOVE. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • DECEMBER 9-15, 2016

CLARK BOOST. Investment promotions for Clark Freeport gets full support from Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco. Shown in photo accepting promotional items is Consul General Henry Bensurto (5th from left) from Clark Development Corporation Communications Manager Noel G. Tulabut. Also in photo are (L-R) Trade Attache Rosalie Say; founding Director of Aguman Kapampamngan NorCal Chapter Rommel Perez; California Technological Care co-founder Demos Punsalan; Tourism Attache Purificacion Molintas; Deputy Consul General Jaime Ascalon and CTC board member and Praising Hands LLC Executive Director Patrick Manzano.

CJ

Top left photo, clockwise: FYLPRO delegates participate in the roundtable discussion with government agencies and a Q&A with the Secretary of Foreign Affairs, FYLPRO delegates as volunteers for Habitat for Humanity’s Juan Build program at Bistekville, Quezon City; and FYLPRO delegates with Senators Benigno Paulo “Bam” Aquino IV, Juan Eduardo “Sonny” Angara, and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan. The senators and delegates participated in a lively discussion of current legislative agenda and ways forward to discuss their respective advocacies.

Empowering the Fil-Am youth in the Bay Area 5th FYLPRO delegates meet with gov’t officials, experience community outreach & PH

SAN FRANCISCO — The Philippine Consulate General in San Francisco recently hosted a gathering of young Filipino-Americans in the Bay Area, in an effort to promote its thrust to “Spark * Connect * Empower” within the Fil-Am community.

Heads of various Filipino clubs in high schools throughout the Bay Area collectively known as Filipino Youth Coalition, orga-

nized the “Fil-Social” at the Kalayaan Hall of the Philippine Center last November 22. The coalition is headed by Ms. Isabel Acenas, a junior at Burlingame High School and a Jefferson Awardee.

In previous meetings, Ms. Acenas has brought up the youth’s interest in SoMa Pilipinas and elected Filipino-American leaders. They are also interested on how to volunteer their time

to reach out to the elderly in the community, and to learn more about their Filipino roots. True to the coalition’s vision, the young leader discussed with her peers the upcoming FilipinoAmerican cultural events that they can participate in, such as the Filipino-American Development Foundation’s Parol Festival and the Consulate’s parol lighting ceremony. n

THE ten delegates of the 5th Filipino Young Leaders Program (FYLPRO) met with Philippine Government officials to learn more about current political and governance issues confronting the country on November 25 and 28.

“Government Day,” a core element of the Filipino Young Leaders Program, aims to inform the delegates about the priorities and policies of the present Administration, with a view to identifying possible areas of cooperation and joint action. This year, Government Day was divided into two parts to allow the delegates and Government experts to delve into subjects of mutual interest.

The FYLPRO delegates and several alumni also joined Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo at the Ayala Museum for the turnover ceremony of books to the students of Ayala Foundation’s Center for Excellence in Public Elementary Education (CENTEX) in line with the observance of National Reading Month. They also toured the Presidential Museum and Library to trace the history and heritage The UPAASF General Membership Meeting was held last December 4, 2016 at the Social Hall of the Philippine Consulate at Sutter Street, San of the Office of the President.

Francisco with RS de Guzman, Luisa Yee, Tony Sundiang, Lorna Lardizabal Dietz, Letty Quizon, Roger Diaz, Ed Damasco and Cesar Torres.

The delegates as volunteers

for Habitat for Humanity’s Juan Build program at Bistekville 4, Visayas Ave., Quezon City. The Bistekville 4 is the fourth of the “Bistekville” socialized housing projects by the Local Government Unit of Quezon City to address the lack of affordable and decent in-city housing for informal settler families in Quezon City on November 26.

They visited the National Museum on November 27, as part of the cultural immersion program before proceeding to Intramuros.

The delegates also gathered at the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) for a roundtable discussion on the following day. The discussion focused on Philippine conditions with representatives from the DFA, National Economic and Development Authority, National Commission on Culture and the Arts, and Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“When we started FYLPRO in 2012, our goal was to reintroduce a new generation of Filipino Americans and mobilize them to become a force in the Philippines and the US,” said Assistant Secretary Maria Andrelita Austria.

“We wanted this program to foster bilateral relations between

PH and US. We hope you will be able to contribute to the development of communities in projects where your talents and expertise are needed. I hope you identify yourself with something you can be proud of and direct your energies to something you find noble,” said Secretary of Foreign Affairs Perfecto R. Yasay, Jr. In the afternoon, several members of the Philippine Senate met with the FYLPRO delegates to discuss the current legislative agenda, particularly those items pertaining to the youth, innovation, and poverty reduction.

Senators Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, Paolo Benigno “Bam” Aquino IV, and Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan shared their programs and insights into leadership, political and civic engagement, and advocacy.

The 5th FYLPRO is a joint undertaking of the Philippine Foreign Service Posts in the United States, Ayala Foundation, Inc., and the FYLPRO nonprofit organization, in partnership with the Department of Foreign Affairs and this year’s corporate sponsors Ayala Corporation, PhilAm Life, SGV, PHINMA Corporation, and Philippine Airlines. n

CJ

DECEMBER 9-15, 2016 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160

Friday, December 9, 2016

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cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 9, 2016

A driver’s license should be considered as a serious responsibility and should not be taken lightly.

Equally important to how one drives is the way he/she maintains his/her vehicle.

Prior to and after obtaining a license, the driver must first learn the basic rules of the road to help maintain safety for everyone on the road.

Driving tips for first-time drivers BEING able to get a driver’s license is an enormous step in a person’s life, whether the new driver is a teen or older. Once the ability to drive is earned, a car and the freedom to travel without the help of others symbolize independence for many, regardless of age.

However, a driver’s license should be considered as a serious responsibility and should not be taken lightly. There are many factors that a driver must understand to earn and maintain an excellent driving record.

Learning the rules of the road Prior to and after obtaining a license, the driver must first learn the basic rules of the road to help maintain safety for everyone on the road. Recognizing, following and understanding these rules will help the driver know how to properly drive on any kind of road — surface streets, highways and freeways, and at inter-

sections and special crossings.

Drivers should also know what to do during traffic hazards, as well as know and obey speed limits that may change depending on the road or weather conditions. These can also change according to the presence of pedestrians, people riding bicycles and in school zones. Understanding traffic and pedestrian signals, traffic signs and pavement markings are essential as well as hand signals. A list of these basic rules is available on the Department Motor Vehicle (DMV) website.

Getting that license Rules and regulations on getting a driver’s license differs from one state to another, but almost all require a written test and a driving test. Apart from these, certain paperwork is needed to prove one’s identity and age. Some states allow teens as young as 14 years old, others 16.

For people under the age of 18, all of the 50 states have some form of graduated licensing system in place that requires them to go through a period with a limited license. This is often called a probationary or intermediate license and will be used before they can obtain their regular license. These licenses will typically restrict how and when the teen can drive and how many passengers they may have in the car, if any. This type of system is designed to allow the driver to gain the skills and experience needed to safely operate a vehicle.

Safety first A new driver must make safety a priority at all times as this will lower his risk of causing or being involved in an accident. In short, he must drive defensively as the driver can only control how he drives. This is a method of driving in which the driver anticipates and avoids accidents caused by the

action of other drivers.

One part of defensive driving is being alert and attentive to other drivers on the road. There is also a course to master this type of skill.

Other ways of ensuring safety in driving are obeying speed limits and adjusting speed according to weather conditions — fog, rain, and snow — to reduce the risk of an accident.

Car maintenance Equally important to how one drives is the way he/she maintains his/her vehicle. Practicing good car maintenance can reduce the chance of getting into an accident and is good for the environment. It also can save the driver money when it comes to fuel as well as avoiding costly repairs.

A routine car check-up has a great impact on all of these issues. Checking all four tires for the right air pressure decreases the risk for a flat while

on the road. Tires not correctly inflated wear out faster and will require early replacing. They also cause the vehicle to consume more gas.

Checking the motor oil and air filters, as well a routine check on the brake fluid, transmission and power steering coolant is also part of good car maintenance. Cleaning the car in terms of cleaning the windows, mirrors and lights, is also important and improves the safety of the vehicle. If the driver is unable to perform maintenance on his or her vehicle, a car mechanic may be hired. A qualified mechanic is also needed when spark plugs, brakes and the timing belt need replacing.

Remember, driving is a huge responsibility and should not be taken lightly. Ignoring safety on the road not only affect the driver’s life, but other drivers and pedestrians as well. (AJPress)

Buckle up for safety: Why the seat belt is your best protection

by Eric Anthony LicAs AJPress

The number one factor in deciding whether or not drivers and their passengers survive a collision is seat belt use.

CONFUSION and panic often accompany the sounds of screeching tires and metal slamming into metal. A passenger’s body hurtles forward during a front end collision, carried by momentum for a few horrific seconds after the moment of impact. Road conditions, the speed at the time of the collision and a wide variety of other circumstances will affect exactly how that scenario plays out.

The number one factor in deciding whether or not drivers and their passengers survive a collision is seat belt use. The National Safety Council (NSC) lists seat belts as the best protection against injury during a collision. Analysis of data collected from car crashes over the decades suggests that vehicle occupants who don’t wear a seatbelt are over four times more likely to sustain serious injury in the event of a collision, according to the Road Safety Observatory (RSO).

A number of studies conducted during the ‘60s and ‘70s showed a dramatic fall in injury and fatality rates amongst seatbelt wearing passengers compared to those who went unrestrained, according to the RSO. In 1968, the federal government passed a law making them a required feature in most automobiles sold in the United States.

Some of the earliest seat belts, patented by Swedish car manufacturer Volvo in 1889, only restrained occupants at

the waist, according to the Governor’s Highway Safety Association (GHSA). Over time, these were replaced by the more effective three-point harness, recognizable in most modern vehicles, which further reduced injury by spreading the restraining force of the harness more evenly throughout the passenger’s torso. They were developed by engineer Nils Bohlin, and became a feature in a production automobile for the first time in 1959 on the Volvo Continued on Page SF3

features SF3 The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – December 9, 2016

Weird on the road: Unusual driving laws you may not know

by Eric Anthony LicAs AJPress THe rules of the road aren’t always as straightforward as red, yellow and green. For example, if a police officer were to pull over a driverless car, who would get the ticket? How will cops in states that have legalized marijuana distinguish when drivers are too high to drive without an accurate test like a breathalyzer?

In addition, there are laws on the books in states across the country that might raise at least as many questions as they answer.

In California, whales are the only animal that can legally be shot from a moving vehicle. A similar prohibition enforced in Connecticut does not exclude whales from protection.

The golden state also prohibits women from driving while wearing a housecoat. The law is less clear about the propriety of smocks, bathrobes, dusters, or popovers.

The city of Carmel, California might have taken fashion policing too far by requiring a permit to wear shoes with heels taller than two inches. However, the law was enacted to protect the municipality from lawsuits and isn’t strictly enforced, according to the city’s website.

Meanwhile, although most

Unusual driving laws aren’t restricted to California, they abound across the country. To keep you aware, you may visit DMV.org for a more comprehensive list of some of the most hare-brained driving laws you should be aware of.

states leave camel riders to grapple with ambiguity, authorities in Nevada are explicit: it is illegal to drive one down any of the state’s highways.

The humped beasts of burden were first imported to the silver state in the 1860s and used to transport goods by private companies. Over time, roaming camels started becoming a nuisance on public roads, leading to the passage of the state’s unique rule.

Other laws make so much sense that one might wonder why they had to be passed in the first place.

Daredevils in Glendale, California can be fined for jumping out of a moving vehicle at 65 mph. Laws in Georgia expressly

prohibit motorists from driving through playgrounds. In the frigid state of Alaska, it is a crime to tie a pet to the roof of a car or otherwise transport one outside of a vehicle.

Whether or not travelers plan on bringing their pets with them as they drive out to holiday gatherings, they need to stay wary of the laws governing the roads they travel. Statutes regarding ubiquitous driving concerns like cellphone and seatbelt use can differ from state to state.

When in doubt, it’s best for those braving the roads to minimize distractions and stay buckled up to ensure a ticket and accident-free winter season.

Buckle up for safety...

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PV 544.

Although seat belts became standard equipment for most models by the ‘60s, vehicle occupants were not forced to use them at first.

New York passed the first law mandating their use in December of 1984. Since then, all 50 states and the District of Columbia have enacted some form of seat belt regulation, the last of which was South Dakota in 1995. New Hampshire’s rules only apply to children.

Most states employ one of two methods to police these rules. In New York, California and most other states, a seat belt violation is a primary offense and can be the sole reason for a traffic stop and

citation. In Nevada and 17 other states, failing to wear a seat belt is a secondary offense that can only be cited in conjunction with another moving violation like speeding.

Regardless of what their local laws stipulate, drivers and passengers risk having travel plans transform into tragedy if they neglect to buckle up as they head out this holiday season. The chances of getting into a traffic collision are higher now than they have been in the past.

Rising employment and falling gas prices over the last few years have led to more cars on the road and more car crashes, according to the NSC. In 2015, about 38,300 people died in traffic collisions, eight percent more than the number of

deaths reported in 2014. In addition, 4.4 million people were seriously injured in car crashes last year.

The NSC encourages drivers to stay buckled-up, aware, rested and sober whenever they hit the road. They also discourage cell phone use while driving, encourage motorists to become familiar with whatever accident prevention technology their vehicles are equipped with, and recommend vehicles fitted with airbags.

“Americans take their safety on the roadways for granted,” National Safety Council President and CeO Deborah Hersman told NPR in February. “engage your defensive driving skills and stay alert so we can reverse this trend.”

PAMI bars talents from working with Baron Geisler, ‘Bubog’ director by rosEttE

AdEL

Philstar.com

AFTeR the controversial “pee” issue between actors Baron Geisler and Ping Medina as well as “Bubog” film director Arlyn Dela Cruz, the Professional Artist Managers, Inc. (PAMI) decided they will inhibit all their talents from accepting projects involving Baron and Arlyn.

PAMI said it has called for an emergency meeting after they received the letter of complaint filed by Ping last November 30 wherein Baron urinated on the former while shooting a scene for the film Bubog, which is being directed by Arlyn.

The group said it strongly condemns Baron’s “disgusting act and behavior” of peeing on Ping without his permission.

“After a thorough discussion and deliberation during the meeting, in the presence of Geisler’s manager and PAMI member, Arnold Vegafria, PAMI unanimously arrived at the decision to inhibit all our artists from working with Geisler in any movie and television projects for an indefinite period,” the official statement of PAMI read.

“As managers, when we send our artists to the set, it is with our complete trust that the producer and director will protect and ensure the safety of our artists. Therefore, we have also unanimously agreed to inhibit all our artists from accepting any projects involving Arlyn Dela Cruz,” it added, saying that it is for the healthy, safe and professional working environment of the industry.

Arnold, a PAMI member and also Baron’s manager, accepted the group’s decision.

The Professional Artist Managers, Inc. decided they will inhibit all their talents from accepting projects involving Baron and Arlyn.

He assured PAMI that he will refuse to accept any projects until such time that Baron is mentally fit and psychologically stable to resume his work as an actor.

The manager also filed a formal complaint questioning the capacity of the movie’s producer/director, to exercise control and assume full responsibility on the set, that could have prevented this regrettable incident to happen.

Arnold previously said Baron is not the sole at fault in the incident.

Like Arnold, his talent Baron apologized and said he accepts PAMI’s decision. He said he is willing to wait and vowed to work hard to get better.

Baron maintained that the

incident was a misunderstanding. “Let’s see. PAMI, I am sorry if you do not want me to work with your co-actors or stars, I will understand. I will move on but sana po maging biased po sila alamin kung ano talaga ang katotohanan,” he was quoted as saying by other reports.

In a Facebook post, Baron also enjoined the public to watch his documentary which Arlyn earlier revealed as the project the former is promoting that allegedly led him to make an issue while shooting her film. The documentary showed Baron and actor Kiko Matos’ fight as a part of a social experiment.

He said it might be his last project given the controversy.

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celebrityworld

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 9, 2016

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar One of the most awaited events in the Philippines during the holiday season is the Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) wherein the top eight Filipino movies are chosen from a number of entries. Films who make it to the cut are exclusively shown in theatres from December 25 until January 7.

As always, the annual MMFF parade featuring floats and movie stars will be held on December 23.

It has been a very controversial MMFF this year, since a lot of festival regulars did not make the cut. When the MMFF selection committee — led by University of the Philippines professor nick Tiongson — announced the eight official entries, it was said that the members unanimously chose films not for their star value but

for technical excellence.

This meant that box-office drawers like AlDub (Alden Richards and Yaya Dub Maine Mendoza), LizQuen (Liza Soberano and enrique Gil) and JaDine (James Reid and nadine Lustre) and their films are not part of the magic 8. This is also the first time in years that ace comedians Vice Ganda and Vic Sotto will not be a part of the festival.

Vice Ganda stars in the upcoming movie “Super Parental Guardians,” the follow-up to his MMFF box office hit “Beauty and the Bestie” co-starring Coco Martin. Vic, on the other hand, is the star of the latest “enteng Kabisote” franchise. Both movies have been consistent box office hits.

Here’s the list of full-length and short films for this year’s MMFF:

Films that made it to the Metro Manila Film Fest 2016

Handsome actor Sam Milby is the lead actor in ABS-CBN’s teleserye, “Doble Kara” with young actress Julia Montes.

Comedienne Eugene Domingo reprises her role as herself in the movie “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsNotEnough” in this year’s Metro Manila Film Festival.

Myrna Diaz Cabrera, a tax specialist with the Fremont Group in San Francisco, is shown with her mother, Fely Diaz of Rosario, Pangasinan who celebrated her 85th birthday recently.

The Philippines’ one and only Superstar Nora Aunor is the lead star in one of MMFF’s official entries this year, “Kabisera.” La Aunor plays the matriarch of a family embroiled in extrajudicial killings and other abuses in Philippine society.

South San Francisco community leader Connie Gaspar is shown in photo with daughter Rachelle Santos, are both celebrating their birthdays this December. Ms. Gaspar will celebrate her birthday on December 20, while Rachelle celebrated hers last December 7.

• “Ang Babae sa Septic Tank 2: #ForeverIsnotenough” Directed by Marlon Rivera Starring: eugene Domingo, Jericho Rosales, Kean Cipriano, Khalil Ramos and Cai Cortez • “Die Beautiful” Directed by Jun Robles Lana Starring: Paolo Ballesteros, Joel Torre, Gladys Reyes, Luis Alandy, Albie Casino and Iza Calzado • “Kabisera” Directed by Arturo San Agustin and Real Florido Starring: nora Aunor, Ricky Davao, JC De Vera, Luis Alandy, Jason Abalos, R Agustin • “Oro” Directed by Alvin Yapan Starring: Irma Adlawan, Mercedes Cabral and Joem Bascom • “Saving Sally” Directed by Avid Liongoren Starring: Rhian Ramos and enzo Marcos

Actress Irma Adlawan stars in the MMFF official entry, “Oro,” a film about the rising tensions in a small mining community.

Rhian Ramos and Enzo Marcos star in the 2D movie and official entry in this year’s MMFF, “Saving Sally,” a film about an aspiring comic-book artist in love with his best friend (Sally) who has “monsters” for parents. “Saving Sally is directed by Avid Liongoren.

• “Seklusyon” Directed by erik Matti Starring: Rhed Bustamante, Phoebe Walker, elora espano, neil Ryan Sese, Ronnie Alonte, Lou Veloso, Dominique Roque, John Vic De Guzman and JR Versales • “Sunday Beauty Queen” Directed by Babyruth Villarama Gutierrez Starring: Hazel Perdido, Cherrie Mae Bretana, Mylyn Jacobo, Leo Selomenio and

Rudelyn Acosta • “Vince & Kath & James” Starring: Julia Barretto, Joshua Garcia and Ronnie Alonte Short films: • “Sitsiritsit” • “Birds” • “eJK” • “Manila Scream” • “Passage of Life” • “Mga Bitoon sa Siyudad” • “Mono” • “Mitatang”

Why Alice Dixson wants to be a mom

by Maridol

ranoa-BisMark Philstar.com

ALICe Dixson is in love again – with a 45-year-old european businessman she’s been with this past four years (yes, she’s that good in keeping her private life well, private).

The 47-year-old actress wants to cement the bond between her and the guy who doggedly pursued her, by starting a family with him. You read it right. Alice wants to be a first-time mom.

Alice’s “juniorette” project has kept her away from limelight for a good part of 2016.

“I’ve been doing workups with my OB (obstetrician).

Because of my age, I’ve been seeing a specialist and discussing the topic of hormones,” she told a handful of media men before the press conference of GMA news TV’s “Happy Life,” where she donated Christmas gifts for orphans.

Alice, who is divorced from former husband Ronnie Miranda, admits she’s trying to conceive the natural way. But she and her boyfriend have yet to see the results.

The actress knows she may or may not succeed. This is why she set a time frame – one year – to get pregnant.

“The oldest person I know

Actress Alice Dixson admits she’s trying to conceive the natural way.

who gave birth is Janet Jackson.

She became a mom at 48,” Alice says.

So she’s still latching on that dream -- for now.

And what if her dream won’t come true?

Then, she and her boyfriend are willing to adopt.

The decision goes well with Alice’s plan to slow down in showbiz three years from now, when she turns 50.

“I think there won’t be much challenging roles for me by then,” she shrugs.

Meanwhile, she’s back in the limelight, starting with “Happy

Life” (Sundays, 9:30 a.m.), a lifestyle show that takes viewers around the country and into the lives of people in need. Alice was offered to host the show, but she chose to help off-cam instead.

The show, directed by eric Quizon for White Lion Productions Inc. is about traveling with a cause. The hosts – beauty queen-models Bea Santiago, MJ Lastimosa, Jamie Herrell, Giulia Zahar, Sophie Rankin and Anthea Murfet -- tour the country and spearhead projects for needy people they meet along the way.

One of them is Lola Gabina, a 76-year-old farmer whose only wish is for her little grandchild to get well.

“We want to help people who work hard,” its producer, businessman and former Ilocos Sur governor Chavit Singson says.

Alice is impressed.

“He’s generous and genuine,” she notes. no wonder Alice chose to help out, and make others happy.

It’s her way of spreading the good vibes she’s overflowing with.

“Yes, I have a happy life,” she smiles before bidding goodbye to everyone and heading for a home filled with all the good things love can give.

features

A ‘hero’s burial’ and the path to forgiveness

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The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - December 9, 2016

By Monet

Lu

The late Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “We must develop and maintain the capacity to forgive. he who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love. There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies.”

Of all the virtues – that are much easier conceived than achieved – the virtue of forgiving transgressions holds the most weight for me.

I say that because it affects so many aspects of life. As what Martin Luther King Jr. said, “he who is devoid of the power to forgive is devoid of the power to love.” Forgiveness equates love and goodness and peace and wisdom. I can go on and on but you get the point.

Such is the point that a number of people who are for the hero’s burial of former Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos were making. For them, the former president and dictator deserves this burial because he contributed a lot to our nation’s progress. Plus, it’s time to move on. On the other hand, protestors do not see this as a question of whether they are ready to move on or not, rather a travesty on what our country has fought for during the eDSA revolution.

The 21-year administration of Marcos is notorious for its many human rights abuses.

Amnesty International recorded about 70,000 people imprisoned, 34,000 tortured, and 3,240 were killed from 1972 to 1981 – the years when the Philippines was placed under martial law.

Yet, a decision has been made. Despite public opposition, the Supreme Court ruled that Marcos be entombed in the cemetery, where former presidents, soldiers and nation-

al artists have been interred.

A 21-gun salute preluded the ceremony earlier in November. Soldiers in parade dress and ceremonial rifles stood to attention at the cemetery after Marcos’s body was secretly flown to the venue in an apparent effort to avoid protests.

On one hand, I was relieved because the long-running issue of whether or not the former president should be buried at the Libingan ng mga Bayani has finally been put to rest. however, I also empathize with some of my fellow Filipinos who are opposed to the idea of a “heroes burial.” I feel their pain and I understand where they are coming from. I myself witnessed and experienced Martial Law. I remember having a curfew – and actually keeping it for fear of being “reprimanded.”

But I hope I won’t gain enemies when I say that I think it is time this issue is laid to rest.

As I’ve said in my introduction, forgiving is key. I said, forgive – NOT forget. Those are two different things – and sadly, is misused (or misperceived) all the time. There is a saying, “To forgive is to forget.” But for me, that’s an illusion. You may be able to move on from a mistreatment or harm done to you but it’s not easy to forget the pain and the cost of it.

Native Art in Tacloban, and Palace in the Sky. These projects provided venue for the Filipinos to highlight cultural heritage, propagate arts and culture, and generate tourism.

Also, during Marcos’ time, there was great concern on public health. Specialty hospitals like the Philippine heart Center, Lung Center, Kidney Institute, and Philippine Children hospital were built. These hospitals opened access to the nation’s best doctors.

More road networks and bridges were constructed during his time. The first modern toll-way, the Manila North Diversion Road, precursor of the North Luzon expressway (Nlex), the Marcos highway to Baguio increased the City’s income, I think – and again, this is and the San Juanico Bridge that just my opinion – we should links the islands of Samar and forgive the former president and not let anybody else suffer Leyte were constructed through his spectacular civil-works more, including – and most especially – his family. The “sins program.

Although Marcos was of the father are not the sins of the children.” We don’t neces- branded as a corrupt, heartless sarily need to forget all the hor- dictator and a human rights rible things that happened dur- violator by tales passed on from generation to generation, there ing his regime. I don’t suggest that at all. It’s impossible to just is no denying that his achievements were remarkable and still erase all those tragic memoimpacts our country’s system to ries. Forgiving doesn’t always this day. mean you get an amnesia and “There is some good in the forget what has been said and worst of us and some evil in the done. It’s the ideal but not the norm – and definitely not physi- best of us. When we discover cally and mentally possible. We this, we are less prone to hate our enemies,” said. Martin can move on without forgetting. There will always be a part Luther King Jr. We all make mistakes and of us that would remember. But we all need forgiveness. We we can – and we should – try to can’t bring Marcos back to forgive.

Whenever I hear comments life and force him to beg for forgiveness but we can wake up from the opposition camp, I sympathize. But I also consider everyday with less grudges and a forgiving heart. the many things the Marcos *** Administration achieved. InfraMonet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardstructure development is one winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own of them. chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern Infrastructures that were unprecedented in the history of California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, our country such as the Cultural Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows Center of the Philippines, Folk as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns.

Arts Theatre, Philippine InterMonet is also the founder of the revolutionary national Convention Center, all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, Makiling Center for the Arts (National Arts Center), Malaca- your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or ñang ti Amianan in Laoag, email him at monetsalon@aol.com Nayong Pilipino, Museum for

Luis Manzano shares some acting tips

by GeorGe

Vail Kabrisante ManilaTimes.net

CAveAT had thought of the books written about the craft of acting after having gone into a lengthy discussion over pizza and iced tea with Luis Manzano, one of the very few articulate actors we have in the business.

With Luis as my trigger, I would in the direction locate the germinal concept of acting in particular for the movies, tracing in part how acting for films has come to have a logical and scientific life of its own partially seen from the lens of the history of Philippine cinema.

Pushing back, realistic acting in modernistic time came into the scene with the emergence of famous movie directors like Lino Brocka, Celso Ad Castillo and Ishmael Bernal. Previous to them there was Gerry De Leon. These directors have made a dent in terms of portraying psychological realism, ample away from their predecessors, whose school of acting was largely based on physical nuances, almost devoid of what’s called “guts out” performance or “hugot,” as they say it now.

Realism in film acting was brought into being from an original school of acting popularized

by Konstantin Stanislavski, the famous Russian guru known worldwide for his “Stansilavski System.”

The same system was renamed “Method” when transported to America and popularized by Lee Strasberg and Stella Adler.

Famous in the Stanislavski System is the “affective memory” recall exercise in which one resorts to reliving similar and highly emotional experiences in the past as stimuli in approaching a role in parallel terms to come up with a more organic and truthful performance.

This is commonly called “inside out” technique as opposed to “outside in” attack in which the primary stimulus is in the cognitive understanding and interpretation of one’s role based on the script at hand that involves discussing it with the director, finding subtexts and the like.

On this vein, Luis Manzano locates himself more on the “outside in” technique of acting more

Luis Manzano

than the “inside out,” saying that scraping one’s innards and guts as stimulus to come up with specific psychological truth in acting is not exactly his style of acting. he had successfully made use of the “outside in” technique in most of his comedies including “In My Life” as gay lover to John Lloyd Cruz and son to vilma Santos.

This has been his approach even long before he got into all sorts of acting workshops like the one he had under Laurice Guillen who popularized eric Morris’s Being and No Acting Please school of acting in the country.

This is not to say that Luis cannot do an “inside out” technique usually associated with Method Acting. he has done this successfully the last time he shot a film abroad with Toni Gonzaga for Star Cinema.

The scene called for a wedding ceremony between him and Toni who was dying of terminal cancer. Luis recalled he was already agonizing from some kind of unexplainable deep pains cutting inside him which seemed to explode any moment before he could actually shoot the scene with Toni.

The tension worked organically well in this particular scene with Toni, but he had the most difficult time getting out of the so-called “lived character” even after the shoot. he has to carry the scathing weight of the monkey on his back so to speak the morning after.

Luis has a dream role in mind: to portray the character of a mentally challenged.