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from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA

Trump’s travel ban temporarily lifted

F E BR U A RY 1 0 - 1 6 , 2 0 1 7

Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY

Colombian ex-president: Duterte repeating my mistakes in drug war by auDrey

Morallo Philstar.com

Hundreds of citizens from the seven Muslim-majority nations return to the US

After several days of complete disorder at airports as immigration officials and airlines try to adjust to the new immigration policies, a federal appeals court on sunday, february 5 maintained the temporary stop to the controversial travel ban.

Days before, seattle-based U.s. District Court Judge James robart on friday, february 3 issued a temporary restraining order that blocked President Donald trump’s travel ban nationwide.

Washington state Attorney General Bob ferguson also filed a motion for the restraining order for a nationwide block on trump’s executive order, contending that parts of the executive order violate the Constitution.

“We are a country based on the rule of law and in a courtroom, it is not the loudest voice that prevails, it’s the Constitution,” ferguson said at a press conference. “At the end of the

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Palawan, Boracay islands get boost at New York Times Travel Show PALAWAN and Boracay – two of the best islands of the Philippines were on top of the list of travellers in 2016, according to a couple of major travel and lifestyle magazines – Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast’s Traveler. three Philippine Islands – Boracay (#1), Palawan (#2), and Cebu (#5) – ranked among the top island destinations in the world according to Conde Nast’s Traveler’s 2016 reader’s Choice Awards while Palawan was named by Travel + Leisure as “World’s Best Island”, followed closely by Boracay as the second-best and winning over equally famous destinations such as Bali in Indonesia, tahiti in french Polynesia and santorini in Greece. the international recognition of these island destinations from travelers themselves is a major boost to the country’s tourism efforts aimed at encouraging more tourists to visit the Philippines to experience its unique beauty and culture. the Philippines’ top three island destinations and other natural attractions were

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ANGELS WALK. SM Prime Holdings Inc. Chairman Hans Sy (in blue shirt) leads at least 22,000 people who joined the Angels Walk at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City last Sunday, February 5. The event is a yearly gathering to raise awareness, acceptance and inclusion of people with autism.

Photo by Boy Santos/Philstar.com

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

nited states amid the trump administration’s new immigration policy.

Cayetano issued the clarification in response to criticisms of some overseas filipino Workers (ofWs) against President rodrigo Duterte’s recent statement that he would “not lift a finger” to help undocumented filipinos if they got caught or deported.

According to the senator, Duterte’s remark was merely an affirmation that the Philippine government would not interfere with the United states’ domestic affair.

“Ayaw lang ng pangulo na diktahan ang Amerika kung ano ang immigration

policy nito, dahil ayaw din nating diktahan tayo (the president just doesn’t want to dictate America on its own immigration policy, just like how we don’t want to be dictated by them too). But it doesn’t mean that the president doesn’t care,” Cayetano explained. the senator also assured ofWs that the Philippine government is currently holding discussions with its U.s. counterparts to ensure due process for them.

Last month, U.s. President Donald trump signed an executive order that temporarily Senator Richard Gordon bans people from seven countries, which include Iraq, syria, Iran, Libya, somalia, sudan and Yemen, as part of his administration’s stricter immigration policy.

Senate suspends death penalty hearings over int’l treaty

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Pacquiao: Drug traffickers ‘deserve’ to be put to death

by Dana

SioSon AJPress

B. Salaverria

Inquirer.net

the government on tuesday, february 7, stepped up its offensive against communist guerrillas after it terminated the peace talks, announcing an “all-out war” against the New People’s Army (NPA) and canceling safe-conduct passes to all rebels involved in the negotiations.

Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana told reporters in malacañang that the military operations against the guerrillas would be conducted through “surgical operations” to avoid casualties among noncombatants.

“It is an all-out war because they are considered by the President already as terrorists. We also consider them terrorists,” Lorenzana said.

Release of political prisoners President Duterte on saturday, february 4 canceled the talks a day

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Cayetano: PH gov’t will still assist undocumented Filipinos in US

Gov’t declares all-out war on Reds Defense chief: Duterte allowed US construction on PH military bases by leila

mANILA, Philippines — “the war on drugs is essentially a war on people.” this was the message of a former leader of a south American country that launched its own war on drugs to President rodrigo Duterte.

Cesar Gaviria, president of Colombia from 1990 to 1994, wrote his critique of Duterte’s heavy-handed approach to drugs in an op-ed piece that appeared in the New York Times on tuesday, february 7. equating the drug war as a war on people, Gaviria said the Philippines should learn from his country’s mistakes in tackling its narcotics problems. he recommended employing a more balanced system in addressing its problem.

Gaviria is one of the founding members of Global Commission on Drug Policy, an international group that studies the impacts of current drug control strategies and suggests policies that protect human rights, scale-up harm reduction and promote development.

According to the former Colombian leader, the problems posed by the illicit drug trade could not be won by armed forces and law enforcement agencies alone. “throwing more soldiers and police at the drug users is not just a waste of money but

by AJPress

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana Inquirer.net photo / Joan Bondoc

after he terminated the government’s unilateral ceasefire in response to the rebels’ earlier announcement that they would end their own truce this friday, february 3. the rebels said the government had reneged on a promise to release hundreds of political prisoners and

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PresIDeNt rodrigo Duterte has allowed the United states to construct and upgrade facilities on its military bases in the Philippines as part of the enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement (eDCA) signed by both countries.

Philippine Defense secretary Delfin Lorenzana made the remarks on tuesday, february 7, a week after Duterte accused the U.s. of building a ‘permanent’ arms depot in the country and threatened to repeal the Visiting forces Agreement (VfA). ratified by both countries in 1999, the VfA states that the U.s. forces are not allowed to build permanent structures anywhere in the Philippines. “ewan ko kung saan nakuha ni presidente yung information niya (i do not know where the president got his information) but I corrected it. I talked to him sabi ko (and said), ‘mr. President, first there was no construction yet sa mga eDCA camps. Wala pa (Not yet). It will be constructed some

the senate Committee on Justice and human rights has suspended its public hearings on the bills seeking the reimposition of death penalty in the Philippines amid the rising concerns of violating an international treaty.

“We are suspending because there is a supervening event — the treaty of international

convention on civil and political rights — which states that all executions should not be continued, was ratified,” senator richard Gordon, the committee chair, told reporters in an interview.

During the resumption of deliberations on the proposed revival of capital punishment in the country on tuesday, february 7, senate President Pro tempore franklin Drilon reminded the De-

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february 10-16, 2017 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

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From the Front Page

Colombian ex-president: Duterte repeating…

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also can actually make the problem worse,” Gaviria said.

Incarcerating non-violent offenders and drug users always backfired and strengthened organized crime, he added.

Gaviria warned that the tough approach of the Philippine government might do more harm than good. He said, “Vigilantism and extrajudicial killings are the

wrong ways to go.”

Gaviria also cautioned Duterte about his plan to draw the military into his campaign against illegal drugs, which he described as “disastrous.”

“The fight against drugs has to be balanced so it does not infringe on the rights and well-being of citizens,” Gaviria wrote.

Gaviria said taking a hard line against crimes was always popu-

lar for politicians but this always came at an enormous cost.

“The polls suggest that Mr. Duterte’s war on drugs is equally popular. But he will find that it is unwinnable,” Gaviria said He said that killing petty criminals and addicts did not win them in their war on drugs. Instead, what impacted in their campaign was when they treated drugs as a social and not a military problem.

‘Learn from our mistakes’ Gaviria was the president of Colombia during the 90s. During his time, his country poured in billions of dollars into their fight against illegal drugs and drug cartels.

Although instrumental in taking down the notorious drug trafficker Pablo Escobar in 1993, Gaviria admitted that his war managed to make Colombia only a little safe at a tremendous price.

Gaviria said that his administration threw everything at the problem - from fumigation of crops to jailing every drug pusher in sight. However, his government still failed to eradicate drug production, trafficking and consumption.

In addition, his approach led to new problems in their crusade against illegal drugs.

He said that tens of thousands of people were “slaughtered” in their campaign. Their brightest politicians, judges, policemen and journalists were also “assassinated.” Vast amounts of money earned by drug groups were also used to corrupt the executive, legislative and judicial branches of their government.

“This heavy-handed approach to drugs did little to diminish the drug supply and demand in Colombia, much less in markets like Western Europe and the United States,” Gaviria said. “In fact, drugs such as cocaine and heroin are as accessible as ever from Bogota (capital of Colombia) to New York to Manila.”

More balanced approach Gaviria advised Duterte to take a different route in addressing his country’s drug problem. He said that the Philippines should address not just crime but also public health, human rights and economic development to win its fight against illicit narcotics.

Gaviria also said that the gov-

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SHAME ON YOU. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa is shown shaming rogue cops, including making them do push-ups while shouting curses at them. The PNP chief shrugged off criticisms for supposedly subjecting errant cops to a “shame campaign” as punishment for committing offenses.

Photo from PNP PIO

Defense chief: Duterte allowed US construction…

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time later this year or next year,’” Lorenzana related.

The defense secretary continued, “It will be constructed sometime later this year or next year. Second, it’s not allowed in our agreement. There will be no stockpiling of weapons or anything that could be used for war games.”

On Sunday, January 29, Duterte claimed that the U.S. military is presently unloading arms in the Philippines. He also accused the U.S. of violating the VFA by allegedly constructing permanent depots in the country.

In response, the U.S. denied the Philippine president’s accusations.

“No such arms depots exist and there are no plans to build any,” U.S. Embassy spokesper-

son Molly Koscina said in a statement on January 31.

Koscina then assured that the U.S. “has no intention to reopen military bases in the Philippines.”

On Tuesday, Lorenzana clarified that U.S. troops would only bring equipment for humanitarian assistance and disaster response. He took note that any other weapons they would bring for war games will be brought back in the U.S. when they leave the Philippines.

Lorenzana also cleared that building arms depot is not part of EDCA. He pointed out that the U.S. is only allowed to construct barracks and fuel tanks in its local bases in the Philippines, which the Filipino military were also allowed to use.

“I actually asked his (Duterte’s)

decision kung ituloy natin yung EDCA or not (if we are going to continue EDCA or not). Sabi niya, ‘Ituloy natin pero be sure na walang stockpiling ng mga ammunition d’yan (He said, ‘We are going to continue it but be sure there is not stockpiling of ammunition there),’” Lorenzana said.

Duterte, known for his constant tirades against the U.S., previously threatened that he would scrap the EDCA. Lorenzana, however, later announced that the EDCA exercises would continue.

EDCA, a treaty both signed by Manila and Washington in 2014, allows U.S. forces to be deployed in Philippine territory temporarily for maritime security and humanitarian and disaster response operations. n

Senate suspends death penalty hearings over…

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partment of Justice (DOJ) that the Philippines has signed and ratified the Treaty of International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) of the United Nations Human Rights Committee — which prevents states from carrying out execution as a form of punishment — in 1986.

Drilon further took note that

the Philippines also ratified the Second Optional Protocol to the ICCPR in 2007.

Pointing out that Article 1 of the Second Optional Protocol, Drilon — who is also a former justice secretary — stressed that the treaty states “no one within the jurisdiction of a state party to the present protocol shall be executed.”

Drilon then warned that if the Senate continues to push for the passage of the death penalty bill while being under the ICCR, the Philippines would possibly be isolated from the international community due to the repercussions of being unable to honor its international commitment.

“If we violate our international

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Dateline USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 10-16, 2017

Gov’t declares all-out war on…

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IT’S ON. New People’s Army (NPA) rebels parade in their camp in Sierra Madre mountain as the military has vowed to hunt down communist rebels. The government once again wages an all-out war against the communist rebels after peace talks were scrapped.

Photo by Rene H. Dilan/Manilatimes.net

violated its own truce.

Mr. Duterte said the rebels made “impossible” demands and attacked and killed several soldiers during the truce.

Jesus Dureza, presidential adviser on the peace process, said he had informed Fidel Agacaoili, chief negotiator of the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP), and Jose Maria Sison, NDFP chief political consultant and Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) founder, that the government had also terminated the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (Jasig).

“Following the President’s announcement of the cancellation of the peace talks with the CPP/ NPA/NDF and per his instructions, the government is hereby serving this notice of the termination of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees

Senate suspends death penalty hearings over int’l…

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treaty, it could be reviewed and that can be the basis for withdrawing the benefits,” the senator explained.

The senator then added, “We will be isolated from the international community, because we cannot even be trusted to honor our treaty obligation. Malaking bagay iyan sa international arena na mabansagan tayo na hindi tumutupad sa ating international treaty (It’s going to be a big deal in the international arena if we are labeled a country who failed in honoring an international treaty).”

Drilon then suggested that the Philippines should withdraw from the treaty first before continuing its hearings on the death penalty.

“In my view, let us go through the process of getting the concurrence of the Senate to withdraw, but again that is questionable.

That is part of the law of the land; that is part of our Constitution now,” Drilon said.

Following the suspension of the hearings, Gordon said the inquiry would remain on a halt until Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II presented his position on the matter.

Presently, there are six bills seeking the reimposition of capital punishment pending before the committee—three of which

were authored by Senator Manny Pacquiao, while the remaining were filed independently by Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III, Senator Panfilo Lacson, and Senator Sherwin Gatchalian.

Pacquiao reiterates need for death penalty During the hearing on Tuesday, Pacquiao pushed anew for the death penalty for drug-related cases, citing the “immensity of the drug problem” in the country.

“On a personal level, I can forgive. However, the heinous crime of drug trafficking is committed not just against a person but against the nation. Drug traffickers deserve [the] death penalty,” Pacquiao said.

Pacquiao authored Senate Bill No. 185, known as “an act to impose the death penalty and increase penalty on certain dangerous drugs crimes.”

“We cannot ignore the immensity of the drug problem in our country. We cannot maintain the status quo. We need to take a firm stand against drug traffickers,” the senator added.

According to him, it is more “beneficial and practicable” if the death penalty bills filed were filed on a per case basis. He said it should not be combined with other crimes as it would complicate the definition of a heinous

Cayetano: PH gov’t will…

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Following Trump’s order, Duterte called on illegal Filipino immigrants in the U.S. anew to come back in the Philippines.

“To Filipinos there (the U.S.), you better be on the right track.

If you are not allowed to stay there where you are staying, get out because if you are caught and deported, I will not lift a finger.

You know that it is a violation of the law,” Duterte said in a press briefing on January 30.

The Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), seeking to clarify Duterte’s pronouncements, said the president only wants Filipinos in the United States to obey the foreign country’s laws.

In a statement issued on February 2, the DFA also said that the Philippine Embassy and six Philippine Consulates are always ready to provide assistance to Filipinos who might encounter problems with the U.S. government.

“Most of our kababayan (countrymen) in the U.S. have no encounters with the law. But for those who regrettably do, the Philippine Embassy and the six Philippine Consulates in the U.S. are always able and ready to provide guidance and assistance to ensure that the rights of our kababayan under U.S. law are protected and the appropriate services are extended to them,” the foreign department added.

Cayetano, Duterte’s running mate and vice presidential bet in the previous national election, is also set to succeed current Foreign Secretary Perfecto Yasay Jr.

Senator Alan Peter Cayetano

as the head of DFA. Cayetano, however, cannot assume the role until the middle of 2017 as the law forbids appointing losing candidates for any Cabinet posts one year after election.

Allaying the fears likely caused

by Trump’s recent travel ban, U.S. State Department spokesperson Mark Toner, meanwhile, said that Filipinos remain “welcome” in the United States.

According to him, Filipinos with valid visas could still travel and live in U.S., taking note that the Philippines was not included in Trump’s list of blocked countries.

“Now the Philippines was not among those countries that were labelled (areas) of concern. So I would say that Filipinos both in the United States and the Philippines themselves should by all means... We welcome them to the United States,” Toner told reporters in a press briefing last week. n

Colombian ex-president: Duterte…

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ernment should construe the problem from a proper perspective to avoid worsening it.

“The Philippines already has a low number of regular drug users. The application of severe penalties and extrajudicial violence against drug consumers makes it almost impossible for people with drug addiction problems to find treatment,” Gaviria said.

He also called on Duterte to employ solutions that respect basic rights and minimize unnecessary pain and suffering.

He said strategies that target violent criminals and undermine money laundering are important.

In addition, the decriminalization of drug use, alternative sentencing for low-level non-violent of-

fenders and treatment options for drug abusers are equally critical.

Duterte won the May 2016 election largely on his promise to wage a relentless and tough campaign to eradicate drugs, crime and corruption in he Philippines. His war on drugs, suspended since the killing of a Korean businessman, has been severely criticized by both local and international groups and individuals for trampling on the basic human rights of those who were killed.

More than 7,000 suspected drug offenders were reported killed in the government’s “Double Barrel” drive—both from legitimate police operations and vigilante-style or unexplained killings, since Duterte launched an all-out war on drugs. n

crime.

“To bundle it with other crimes will dilute arguments and complicate definitions in determining whether a particular crime is heinous or not because offensive acts may be of different characters,” Pacquiao explained.

Pacquiao also authored two other separate measures seeking capital punishment on kidnapping, and another one on aggravated rape.

Apart from Pacquiao, Sotto, Lacson, and Gatchalian, other

A

senators who were supportive or said they were at least “open” to the idea of the death penalty include Senators Sonny Angara Joseph Victor Ejercito, and Joel Villanueva.

Among the senators who expressed opposition, meanwhile, were Senators Drilon, Gordon, Bam Aquino, Leila De Lima, Francis “Chiz” Escudero, Risa Hontiveros, Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan, Antonio Trillanes IV, and Senate Minority Leader Ralph Recto. n

(Jasig),” Dureza said in his e-mail to the NDFP on Tuesday.

The Jasig provides safe conduct to all rebel negotiators and their staff, allowing them to freely move around the country or to travel abroad. Junking it will clear the way for their arrest.

Court warrants Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella, quoting the Office of the Executive Secretary, clarified that the rearrest of the consultants, who had posted bail to be released from detention to participate in the talks, would have to be based on arrest warrants from the courts that had granted them temporary liberty.

“So basically, this is under the jurisdiction of the courts,” Abella said.

The Department of Justice would have to ask the courts to cancel their bail, he added.

Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said the only reason communist leaders like Benito and Wilma Tiamzon were freed was because the government did not oppose their bail.

Immigration lookout Aguirre also said he was planning to place all NDFP consultants on an immigration lookout bulletin order.

One NDFP consultant, Ariel Arbitrario, was arrested on Monday in Davao City, before the Jasig was terminated, because he was traveling with a person who was wanted for murder, Lorenzana said.

The defense secretary said the NPA was no different from Abu Sayyaf bandits, who had kidnapped and beheaded hostages.

“The Abu Sayyaf kidnap people and then they get money. The NPA will threaten those businessmen and also get money.

There’s no difference at all. They are there to terrorize people, to giving them money. That’s extortion,” Lorenzana said.

“So we will hunt them down and maybe stop them from doing what they are doing,” he added.

Clashes The casualties on both sides had steadily risen since an NPA fighter died in a clash with Army soldiers in North Cotabato two weeks ago.

At least six soldiers were killed last week in separate guerrilla attacks in Mindanao and Luzon, including three whose bodies were found riddled with bullets after they were abducted by the rebels.

On Monday, February 6, an alleged NPA regional supply officer, Glenn Ramos, was killed in Davao City when he reportedly fought soldiers and policemen out to arrest him on attempted homicide charges.

On Tuesday, just hours before the government announced its “all-out war,” a soldier was killed in a clash with suspected rebels in Capiz province.

Lorenzana said the military would focus on the “armed component” of the rebel movement, not the “peace-loving” supporters such as farmers. (With reports from Jhesset O. Enano, Cynthia D. Balana, Gil C. Cabacungan, Nestor P. Burgos Jr., Nico Alconaba, Jigger Jerusalem, Allan Nawal and the wires)

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february 10-16, 2017 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

Dateline USa

Rob Bonta introduces new climate change bill

by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

CALIFORNIA Assemblymember Rob Bonta (D-Oakland) has introduced a bill on Wednesday, February 1 that would help reduce pollution that contributes to climate change.

The Buy Clean California Act, AB 262, calls for evaluations on greenhouse gas emissions caused by products the state uses for public infrastructural projects. The bill details cement, steel and glass as the industrial products associated with the emission levels.

AB 262 — which was co-authored by Assemblymember Susan Talamantes Eggman (DStockton) — is the first of its kind to confront pollution caused by infrastructure.

“This is a powerful example of unity from business, labor and environmental interests to protect our environment from dangerous carbon emissions,” Bonta, the state’s first FilipinoAmerican assemblymember, said in a statement.

“California has been a leader in fighting climate change and AB 262 will further demonstrate our resolve by requiring our state government to consider whether products were made in clean or dirty factories when making infrastructure purchases.”

Companies selling such industrial products would be required to disclose the greenhouse gas levels generated from their materials. The state would also need to develop a methodology to effectively compare emission levels in order to choose materials that produce the lowest emissions.

Assemblymember Rob Bonta

The state’s producers of steel have collaborated with clean air advocates as well as labor unions to support AB 262. If this bill passes into law, California will join Silicon Valley-based tech giants Apple and Google as well as the United States Navy, which have already applied similar climate pollution evaluations.

“By focussing the buying power of California’s budget, of which approximately $10 billion goes to infrastructure each year, AB 262 will help ensure a thriving market exists for low-carbon industrial products,” Bonta said.

The state’s future in climate change California is one of the country’s leading advocates for pollution reduction with its lawmakers committed to pushing climate change initiatives.

In 2006, California was the first state to enact a statewide reduction of heat-trapping pol-

lution that contributes to global warming, promising to return to the emission levels of 1990 by the year 2020. In 2015, Governor Jerry Brown expanded that goal to 2030.

With Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt — a known climate change denier — poised to become the new head of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), California may be facing future battles with Washington on pollution reduction policies.

Pruitt, who was nominated by President Donald Trump shortly after his election, has questioned California’s urge to car companies to make more efficient, clean energy automobiles.

The new administration is unlikely to override a unique law that gives the state authority to set its own standards for vehicle emissions, but the state may have to negotiate with the Trump administration and, in return, may lose some of its authority in regards to regulations on greenhouse gas emission.

However, Gov. Brown is prepared to defend the state’s policies and promises to remain a nation leader in climate change.

“We’ve got scientists, we’ve got lawyers, and we’re ready to fight,” Brown said at the American Geophysical Union Conference in San Francisco in December 2016. “We’re ready to defend.

California is no stranger to this fight. Whatever Washington thinks they are doing, California is the future. If Trump turns off satellites, California will launch its own damn satellite.” n

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Palawan, Boracay islands get boost at…

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among the highlights featured at the Philippine booth during the New York Times Travel Show held at Jacob Javits Convention Center on 27-29 January 2017.

Department of Tourism Officer-in-Charge Zeny Pallugna joined other panelists from Macau, Korea, Japan, China and Malaysia in a panel discussion called “Focus on Asia”. The panel discussed, among other things, up and coming travel destinations in the Asia-Pacific region, which are not yet on the radar of most clients.

Savvy travelers are always on the lookout for the next big thing in travel, destinations that can truly be labeled as hidden gems.

In her presentation, Pallugna talked about going beyond one’s bucket list and talked about how there are plenty of destinations in the Philippines aside from Palawan and Boracay.

“We have Siargao, considered as one of the world’s top ten surf spots and a haven for scuba divers since the Philippines is on the apex of the coral triangle.

You can also go swimming with whale sharks in Cebu and Sorsogon,” Pallugna said. “You can also travel up north to see the Banaue Rice Terraces and the hanging coffins of Sagada in Mountain Province.”

Being at the so-called apex of the coral triangle, the Philippines is has the world’s greatest biodiversity of marine life.

Pallugna also shared that the Philippines is one of three countries where there are bodies of water with non-sting jellyfish.

The two others are Palau and Indonesia.

On hand to welcome and assist visitors at the booth Pallugna and her team, the Philippine Consulate General in New York led by Consul Felipe F. Carino III. Also addressing guest queries at the booth were officials of Philippine Airlines and travel/tour operator Ms. Zoila Mendoza.

The New York Times Travel Show is a three-day event featuring nearly 500 exhibitors representing over 150 countries. One of the most popular attractions in New York during the winter season, the Travel Show is currently the largest travel trade and consumer show in North America counting visitors from all over the world.

The Travel Show has notably grown in attendance within the past few years, as thousands of guests flock to the Javits Center

Department of Tourism-NY officer-in-charge Zeny Pallugna (left) discusses the under the radar destinations that the Philippines has to offer along with top rated island such as Boracay, Palawan and Cebu at the New York Times Travel Show held last week.

AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

to learn more about selective global destinations, as well as new opportunities in the travel industry. The event promotes travel to domestic and international hot spots, popular travel sites and off-the-beaten path destinations.

Travel developments According to documents obtained by the Asian Journal, almost 5.4 million tourists visited the Philippines from January to November 2016 and spent 210.76 billion pesos. This represents 12.12% increase in tourist arrivals for the same period in the previous year.

Almost a quarter of this figure or 1.33 million came from Korea, followed by USA (771,849); China (630,327); Japan (491,261) and Australia (218,438). Rounding up the top ten markets are Taiwan, Singapore, United Kingdom, Canada and Malaysia.

Among these markets, China and Taiwan posted the highest upsurge of arrivals with 39 and 30 percent growth, respectively.

Tourists from other countries such as India, Saudi Arabia and European countries led by Germany, France, Spain, Nether-

lands and Sweden also showed an uptick in arrivals in 2016.

A number of hotels and casinos are also expected to open in the next couple of years to accommodate more tourist arrivals. The Westin Manila Bayshore, with 600 guestrooms, is slated for opening on December 1, 2018. It will be part of Resorts World Bayshore in the Entertainment City in Parañaque. The Sheraton Manila Hotel, with 350 guestrooms, is scheduled to open on March 15, 2018 at the Resorts World Manila complex in Pasay.

Conrad Manila, the first Hilton Worldwide and Conrad Hotels and Resorts property in Manila with 347 guestrooms, was officially launched last June 2016.

The hotel was home to the candidates of the recently concluded Miss Universe pageant held at the Mall of Asia Arena. Among the other new hotels in the Philippines are Citadines Millennium in Manila; Park Inn by Radisson Clark in Clark, Pampanga; Movenpick Resort Boracay in Boracay, Aklan; TRYP by Wyndham in Manila and Aqua Boracay by YOO in Boracay. (Momar G. Visaya / AJPress)

Trump’s travel ban…

PAGE A1 t

day, either you’re abiding by the Constitution or you are not.

And in our view, the president is not adhering to the Constitution when it comes to this executive action.

With the temporary restraining order, families that are waiting in terminals overseas may now fly to the U.S., according to Ferguson.

“If someone who may be waiting to board a plan overseas, wanting to come to the United States, has a ticket, does this apply to them now? The short answer is yes.” he said.

Trump took to Twitter to weigh in on the restraining order, fully confident that it will be reversed.

“The opinion of this so-called judge, which essentially takes law enforcement away from our country, is ridiculous and will be overturned!” the president tweeted on Saturday, February 4.

On Sunday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit brought the chaos to a head when it denied a request from the White House to reinstate the travel ban, which barred travel to the U.S. from the Muslim-majority countries of Iran, Iraq, Libya, Somalia, Sudan, Syria and Yemen.

The Justice Department then filed a motion to the appeals court on Monday, February 6 requesting that the travel ban is resumed temporarily while waiting for an appeal from the White House.

The argument was set for Tuesday, February 7 at 3 p.m.

As of press time, the court said it would issue a ruling sometime this week. If the judges rule in favor of the Trump administration, the travel ban will continue.

Previously, the states of Washington and Minnesota sued President Donald Trump, some high-ranking officials in the administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).

Since then, hundreds of affected travelers — many of whom are refugees fleeing from wartorn countries — over the weekend had their visas restored and were able to return to the United States, reuniting with friends and family.

Before Robart ordered the restraining order, officials from the State and Justice departments revealed that about 60,000 — and possibly as many as 100,000 — have been revoked as a result of Trump. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

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Gov’t declares all-out war vs Reds

by Catherine

S. Valente Manilatimes.net

THE government has declared an all-out war against New People’s Army (NPA) rebels who were earlier tagged as terrorists

by President Rodrigo Duterte.

Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Tuesday, Feb. 7 said the NPA, the armed wing of the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP), is no different from the Abu Sayyaf Group because its members also extort money from businessmen.

“It is an all-out war because they are considered by the President already as terrorists. We also consider them as terrorists,” Lorenzana added, noting that the NPA is a huge threat to national security.

“The Abu Sayyaf kidnap people and then they get money. The NPA will threaten those businessmen and also get money.

There’s no difference at all. They are there to terrorize people to giving them money, that’s extortion,” he added.

“We will hunt them down and maybe stop them from doing what they are doing,” Lorenzana said.

He however clarified that the war declaration only covers the CPP’s “armed component.”

The Defense chief said the Armed Forces of the Philippines had prepared for armed conflict

following periodic skirmishes with the rebels particularly in Mindoro and Mindanao.

Duterte earlier called the communists “spoiled brats” after he scrapped the government’s peace talks with the rebel group.

The CPP lifted the unilateral ceasefire it declared last year because the government did not release some 400 political prisoners detained on various charges.

On Tuesday, the President gave authorities a free hand to rearrest communist leaders freed on bail after the government withdrew the immunity guarantees for those participating in the peace negotiations.

In a statement, Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza said the government is terminating the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG) with the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s ArmyNational Democratic Front (CPPNPA-NDF).

The notice of termination, dated February 7, was addressed to CPP founding chairman Jose Maria Sison and NDF panel chairperson Fidel Agcaoili.

“We wish to announce that following the President’s pronouncement of the cancellation of the peace talks with the CPP/ NPA/NDF and per his instruc-

tions, the GRP [government of the Republic of the Philippines]Panel served to the NDF today the Government’s notice of termination of the Joint Agreement on Safety and Immunity Guarantees (JASIG),” Dureza said.

The JASIG, signed in 1995, “ensures free movement and immunity from arrest, surveillance, interrogation, and other such actions for those accredited persons holding Documents of Identification (DI) as official participants in the negotiations, including negotiators, consultants, staff, and security personnel.”

The President said he had “walked the extra mile” to bring peace by resuming talks and freeing rebel leaders.

Despite the cancellation of the peace talks, Dureza said that the Duterte administration remains committed in its peace efforts “by continuing with resolve to explore all opportunities to intensify implementation of genuine reforms for the benefit of the people, particularly socio-economic programs in conflict-affected communities.”

“It shall also continue to pursue other paths to peace and undertake all forms of peace initiatives and peace building efforts at the national, regional and local levels to keep the peace,” Dureza said.

PH makes formal request for Chinese military equipment

by ChriStina

Mendez

Philstar.com

MANILA – The Philippines has formalized its request for precision-guided munitions (PGM), fast boats and drones from China as part of the assistance offered

by Beijing to the Duterte administration’s campaign against illegal drugs and terrorism, Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana said.

Lorenzana said he has submitted the letter to Chinese Ambassador Zhao Jianhua regarding the $14-million arms package that China pledged to the government.

“We have formalized that because China is giving us $14 million… we asked for many things such as boats and drones,” he said when asked if Duterte had requested for the PGMs from Beijing.

The PGM is intended to precisely hit a target to minimize col-

lateral damage.

Lorenzana noted that a PGM is less sophisticated than a missile, which could carry a conventional or nuclear explosive.

The defense chief added that he submitted the military’s wish list to the Chinese ambassador about three weeks ago.

“They will look at the list, and see if they can provide them…

Once they have okayed it, then we will proceed (to China) and look at them,” Lorenzana said.

He affirmed Duterte’s pronouncements last week that he had sounded off to China to help the Philippines with the acquisition of precision-guided arms.

“And I have also asked the Armed Forces to use all available assets and all the weaponry that’s at our disposal. And I have an urgent message to China to help us if

they have precision-guided arms, they can give us a loan,” Duterte said.

He revealed the information as he discussed the threat of Islamic groups in Mindanao.

While he lambasted the United States for interfering in local affairs, Duterte asserted his promise to Beijing about his decision to defer bringing up the issue of the dispute in West Philippine Sea. Last weekend, Duterte also said that he would tap Russia for the procurement of modern equipment to be used in operations against terrorists in Mindanao.

The Philippines’ bilateral relations with China strengthened after Duterte made a state visit to Beijing and set aside for the meantime the United Nations arbitration ruling in the South China Sea dispute.

YOUNG COMRADES. Members of the communist New People’s Army in a rebel camp in the Sierra Madre mountains. The government on Saturday, Feb. 4 said peace talks with the communist rebels would continue despite the absence of a ceasefire agreement.

ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

PNP clean-up: ‘Bato’ faces tough task

by Fernan

MaraSigan Manilatimes.net

CAN Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Ronald dela Rosa stamp out the corruption that has hounded the police organization for more than two decades?

A former official of the defunct Philippine Constabulary, the forerunner of the PNP, said corruption is deeply rooted in the police force.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, the former Constabulary commander recalled many instances when the PNP top brass are themselves victims of their own men.

“Just imagine how awkward for the PNP chief to disclose in his valedictory speech that while a cleansing program was being implemented in the organization, his only son became a victim of police extortion,” he said.

He was referring to the 2006 incident involving former PNP chief Arturo Lomibao whose son, Arthur Chase, was victimized by a Quezon City policeman.

In his speech during the turnover of command for the next PNP chief, Lomibao narrated that his son had just come from

a hospital where he brought his girlfriend when he was accosted by a policeman who told him that it was late.

Arthur Chase told the policeman that he took his girlfriend to a hospital and that he was on his way to his home at the “White House,” the official residence of the PNP chief.

The policeman then asked if he knew the “Chief PNP,” and Arthur said he is his father.

But even then, the policeman still asked money for gasoline.

When Arthur Chase told him that he only had P30 left in his wallet, the policeman said: “Sige, pwede na yan.”(OK, that will do).

When Lomibao learned of the incident, he thought of sending the mulcting policeman to Mindanao. However, he changed his mind and sent him along with some 250 other rogue policemen to Subic, Zambales to attend the PNP’s value formation program.

With the PNP losing the trust of Duterte, it is no surprise that the President had to tap the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) to continue the campaign against

illegal drugs.

“The PNP leadership must show the public that it is truly cleansing its ranks of rogues in uniform at and not just lip service or for show. Violations of the law and human rights should not go unpunished,” he emphasized.

De la Rosa had acknowledged that: “We need to make drastic moves in order to counter this indiscipline in our ranks.”

As part of its cleansing campaign, the PNP activated on Monday its Counter-Intelligence Task Force (CITF) that will go after misfits in uniform. The police organization also opened a hotline where the public can report corrupt policemen.

Also, Dela Rosa made unit commanders accountable for the infractions committed by their men.

He pointed out that commanders must be always informed of the movements of their men.

The PNP chief said drastic changes will be implemented in the coming days as he instructed the Internal Affairs Service, lower units and the regional directors to hasten the summary hearing of cases involving PNP members.

A

february 10-16, 2017 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

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OpiniOn

Features

Oil and water

THE relationship between government and religion has always been a complicated matter in the Philippines, one that is both a desensitized and hardly discussed issue. As a predominantly Catholic nation, where 86 percent of its population is Roman Catholic, it has become a Filipino’s moral obligation to live by the Church’s teachings—or at least respect them—no matter how dated some of them may be.

Because the Philippine government rules in an established democracy, a line that separates the state from the Church exists. Article II Section 6 of the 1987 Constitution states that the “separation of Church and State shall be inviolable.” In this way, the government may not force a certain religion on its people, the same way the Church cannot mandate doctrines as laws.

On Sunday, Feb. 5, the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), rallied the faithful to join the Church in objecting the killings of drug suspects without due process in courts. More than 7,000 drug suspects have been killed by police and unknown assailants since President Rodrigo Duterte launched his bloody campaign after taking office in June last year.

In a strongly worded pastoral letter, the CBCP denounced the killings of drug suspects during police operations and by supposed vigilante groups, which they branded as “evil.”

“The life of every person comes from God. It is He who gives it, and it is He alone who can take it

back. Not even the government has a right to kill life because it is only God’s steward and not the owner of life,” read the statement signed by CBCP president and Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas.

“We in the Church will continue to speak against evil even as we acknowledge and repent of our own shortcomings. We will do this even if it will bring persecution upon us because we are all brothers and sisters responsible for each other,” the bishops stressed.

The CBCP statement also lamented that killings of drug suspects take away their rights and opportunities to defend themselves in trial and for reformation in penitentiary once convicted.

Following his statement, Villegas is encouraging the faithful to voice out similar objections to the government by joining a grand procession on February 18. Dubbed the “Walk for Life,” the procession aims to oppose drug-related killings, the death penalty, and other measures labeled by the Catholic Church as “anti-life.”

“Let us fill our streets not with blood, not with

Editorial

ManilaTimes.net photo

dead bodies, but with prayer, with courage, to walk, to stand up for life,” Villegas said.

The Church’s ethical stance on the sanctity of life is absolute. This rule has no exception, making sensitive issues such as abortion, euthanasia, contraception, and capital punishment as non-debat-

able. The Constitution also guarantees the same, as warranted by Article III Section 6, which states that “no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law, nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”

(AJPress)

Legal showdown: Is Trump’s travel ban constitutional?

WHeTHeR or not you agree with President Donald Trump and his executive order, which bars citizens of seven Muslim-majority countries (Iraq, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, Sudan and Yemen) from entering the U.S. for 90 days, all refugees for 120 days and indefinitely bans refugees from Syria, it is fair to say that what we are witnessing right now is democracy at work in the United States.

On Tuesday, February 7, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals has begun hearing arguments from the Department of Justice (DOJ) and the State of Washington as to whether Trump’s travel ban should be reinstated or rejected, after the ban was determined by a federal judge in Washington on Friday to be unconstitutional and harmful to the state’s interests. The decision covers not only the state of Washington, but the entire United States.

Protests all over Prior to the judge’s the world were also ruling, chaos erupted The Fil-Am organized to dein major airports in nounce what they the United States with Perspective call an illegal and immigration and state discriminatory ban officers, as well as airsingling out people port personnel lost on because of their naclear guidelines of how G el SantoS-reloS tions of origin and to implement these exreligion. ecutive measures.

Following the federal judge’s ruling, More than 60,000 people had been affected by the ban — citizens and the ban has effectively been lifted and permanent residents awaiting family those with valid visas from the seven reunification, U.S. businesses relying countries, as well as Syrian refugees on professionals from these countries, who had already gone through strinstudents attending U.S. universities, gent vetting for two years and had been patients needing urgent medical care found to not be threats to the security of in U.S. hospitals, refugees approved the United States amid terrorism conto take shelter in the U.S. pursuant to cerns, were allowed to enter the counthe refugee program in agreement with try.

The Trump administration appealed other countries participating in the humanitarian program, among other sce- the case to the Ninth Circuit Court, which may possibly be elevated to the narios.

DOING away with his prepared draft speech as he always does, President Rodrigo Duterte casually mentioned in the course of extemporaneous remarks last Monday about a private message he received from controversial TV/movie actress Kris Aquino.

Straying from the subject matter of his address before the country’s biggest taxpayers, President Duterte disclosed the actress purportedly sent him recently a text message asking him not to send to prison her only brother, former President Benigno “Noy” Aquino III. According to President Duterte, Kris apparently alluded to his previous pronouncements about his plans on how to put a just closure to the January 2015 Mamasapano massacre.

As then commander-in-chief, PNoy deployed the Special Action Force (SAF) troopers to capture internationally wanted bomberterrorists, but 44 of them were killed in the course of their operation.

Before the same audience, President Duterte announced he would no longer pursue his earlier plans to set up a special commission to re-open investigation into the Mamasapano massacre.

The President added he would just wait for the Ombudsman to complete its probe into this case where PNoy, along with his coaccused, were facing charges filed against them.

As of this writing though, Kris

countries to enter the U.S. Those opposing the ban likewise question why the countries where actual terror threats came from were not included in the ban like Saudi Arabia and egypt — countries Trump has business interests in.

Trump’s critics also question why he would not include in his fight to keep America safe those terrorists and attackers coming from non-Muslim countries like the right wing Christian extremists.

The three judges of the Ninth Circuit Court will deliberate on the arguments of both sides and will make a decision soon. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

PNoy haunted now by his past

Commonsense

Marichu a. VillanueVa

Supreme Court.

The DOJ has argued that Trump was just exercising his authority and the obligation as president to keep the United States safe.

The Trump administration contends that is not discriminating against Muslims nor the seven countries. These countries, it argues, are in fact determined by the Obama administration to be high-risk countries and that the Obama administration had in fact subjected nationals from these countries through stricter vetting before they are issued visas to enter the US. The lawyers for the states of Washington and Minnesota have presented the argument alleging that Trump’s executive order was designed to discriminate against Muslims, citing Trump’s rhetoric during the campaign season promising voters to ban Muslims, giving preferential treatment to Christians from Muslim

who is equally articulate and at times tactless like President Duterte, has not issued any response to the public disclosure of her private message to the Chief executive. Surely, this is yet another action by Kris without the imprimatur of her brother.

The chivalrous President Duterte gave though his public assurances to Kris he is not one to send her brother to prison just because his predecessor happens to belong “to the other side of the political fence.” While the public assurance is well-meaning, it is the court, not the President, that can send somebody to jail. Only dictators can do that.

There is what we call due process as enshrined in our country’s 1987 Constitution.

Incidentally, the country quietly observed the 30th anniversary of the ratification of the Philippine Constitution last Feb. 2. It was the late icon of democracy, President Corazon Aquino, whose Constitution is now the subject of the renewed Charter change attempts, including the current administration of President Duterte.

While Kris may have saved PNoy from jail—for now—exPresident Aquino is facing yet another case. The former President is being made to account for the Philippine government loss to an international court that ruled as illegal the latter’s unilateral decision to scrap the contract of a Belgian company to undertake the Laguna Lake dredging project.

The International Center for the Settlement of Investment Disputes (ICSID) reportedly ruled in favor of the Belgian dredging firm Baggerwerken Decloedt en Zoon

(BDZ) which elevated their case to this United Nations commercial arbitration body. The BDZ brought their case against the Philippine government after the former President scuttled their P18-billion contract to dredge the Laguna Lake in November 2010, or a few months after the Aquino administration took office at Malacanang. The ICSID ordered the Philippine government to pay P800 million plus interest to BDZ for all the losses incurred by the firm for the project’s cancellation.

Sought by The STAR for his side, Mr. Aquino who has yet to get a copy of the ICSID ruling noted the Belgian firm was the same one that dredged the Pasig River before his tenure as president.

Further, he cited, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) determined that at most, only 40 percent of the project was done and the allocation had all been used.

The Laguna Lake Development Authority (LLDA) which entered into contract with the BDZ has yet to issue its rejoinder to the ICSID ruling. The LLDA is a government-owned and controlled corporation under the Department of environment and Natural Resources (DeNR).

It was former presidential spokesman and ex-ambassador of the Philippines to Greece Rigoberto Tiglao who first reported the issuance of the ICSID ruling.

Tiglao, who now writes a regular column at The Manila Times, rhetorically asked in his Feb. 1 column: “Why should we taxpayers pay the cost of Aquino’s hubris and idiocy?”

Former Pres. Benigno Aquino III

Tiglao though noted Mr. Aquino did not issue any written order to officially inform the Philippine government’s cancellation of the BDZ contract with the LLDA. Tiglao recalled it was scuttled in actual practice only through Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima’s refusal to sign the documents accepting the Belgian government’s P7 billion grant to fund the project.

Tiglao blamed the scrapping of the BDZ contract to what he described as PNoy’s “irrational, apoplectic bias” that everything his predecessor did or planned was graft-riddled.

By the way, Tiglao also once served as press secretary of former President Gloria MacapagalArroyo.

Going through our own files of stories on this case, there was a speech made by the ex-Finance

chief on Jan. 30, 2012 before the Management Association of the Philippines where he justified the cancellation of the dredging project. The following excerpts from his speech explains why PNoy scrapped the contract: “The Laguna Lake project, I heard President Aquino say: ‘There were a lot of good projects in the previous administration.’ But you know, there were some such as the Daang Hari that were already started and we did continue with it. But the Laguna Lake, a dredging project for P18 billion and based on studies, what they will dredge will be back in three years because we have not addressed the source of the siltation, which is the deforestation of the Marikina river watershed and the human settlements are delayed. For the sake of accelerating expenditure, President

Aquino could’ve signed that. But you would have wasted P18 billion of your money.”

Purisima’s successor, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III was quoted saying the Duterte administration may appeal the ICSID ruling. Dominguez confirmed they just got a copy of the ICSID ruling a few days ago. “So we’ll go over it carefully and we’ll see what legal remedies there are.

If we have to pay, we will pay,” Dominguez pointed out.

Sadly, we taxpayers may have to pay for it. But the non-dredging of the Laguna Lake will continue to bear upon us, for residents in Metro Manila and the rest of the areas that suffer severe flooding at the slightest rains. This is yet another legacy of Mr. Aquino that will continue to haunt him like the Mamasapano incident. (Philstar. com)

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

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s )NTEG R ITY s (ONESTY s *USTICE s )FMQJOH UIF JOKVSFE BOE UIFJS MPWFE POFT

COURTESY VISIT. United States Ambassador to Philippines Sung Y. Kim pays a courtesy visit to Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III on Tuesday, Feb. 7.

Senate photo by Ariel Cagadas

Poe eyes discount, vat exemption for ‘poor’ youth

by Dana

M. SioSon

AJPress

Senator Grace Poe has proposed a 20 percent discount and Value added tax (Vat) exemption for “junior citizens” or children aged 12 years and below belonging to poor families in the Philippines.

In Senate Bill no. 1295, also referred as the Junior Citizens act of 2017, Poe proposed discounts and tax exemption for children whose family’s annual income does not exceed P250,000. “ang mga benepisyong nakapaloob sa ating panukalang batas ay tiyak na makapagbibigay ng subsidiya sa mga pangangailangan ng mga pamilyang mahirap. Dapat maging

katuwang ng mahihirap ang gobyerno sa pagpapabuti ng kanilang estado sa buhay (The benefits in the proposal will surely provide subsidy to the needs of the poor families. The government should be a partner of the poor in developing their state of living),” the senator said in a statement.

Under Poe’s measure, junior citizens would enjoy a 20 percent discount and Vat exemption on the following goods and services: professional fees of attending physicians in all private hospitals, medical facilities, outpatient clinics, home health care services and service providers. they would also be entitled discounts and Vat exemptions on medical and dental services,

diagnostics and laboratory fees in all private hospitals, medical facilities, as well as outpatient and home health care services. “this proposed legislation would surely help every poor Filipino family’s financial constraints, raise their level of living and improve their quality of life,” Poe added. the same discounts will apply likewise for the select children’s admission fees in theaters, cinemas and concert halls, leisure and amusement parks. the measure said it would also be applicable on funeral and burial services. at the same time, the bill would make junior citizens automatic members of Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

De Lima backs bishops, calls Duterte a ‘false messiah’ by auDrey

Morallo Philstar.com

of touch if he thought that he could keep the “moral and spiritual fiManILa — opposition figure ber” of the nation intact while deSen. Leila de Lima on Monday, spising the people’s value for life, Feb. 6, described the president liberty and social justice. as a “fake idol and false messiah” De Lima also criticized the as she and another Liberal Party statement of the Palace on Sunday senator expressed support for the characterizing the Catholic Bishpastoral letter released by Philip- ops Conference of the Philippines’ pine bishops over the weekend (CBCP) pastoral letter as “out of criticizing the government’s anti- touch with the sentiments of the drugs program. faithful.”

In separate statements, De Lima De Lima said the pastoral letter and Sen. Francis Pangilinan, the from the bishops was just a “wakeLP president, expressed their soli- up call” of the universal values lost darity with the stand of the bishops and forgotten by the people at the against the killings of suspected start of the drug war. drug suspects. “the CBCP letter is a wake-up De Lima called President ro- call to a nation that is in nightmare. drigo Duterte a “fake idol and false Binabangungot na ang ating bansa messiah in Malacanang” and out sa patayan at kawalan ng puso ng

pamahalaan sa mga mahihirap ng biktima ng tokhang,” the former justice chief said.

De Lima slammed the president for thinking that killing people would save the republic.

“Ginigising lang tayo ng simbahPangilinan, meanwhile, said that government’s push to rid the Philippines of the problem with illegal drugs should not cost the country the lives of its people especially the innocent.

It was the poor who carried the burden of the war on drugs of the government, he said.

Pangilinan also advised the government against using killing as a solution to problems plaguing the country such as poverty, inflation and lack of jobs.

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JANUARY 27-FEBRUARY 2, 2017 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 10-16, 2017

CJ

Journal

The time to act is now

Your Immigration Solution Rafael ToRRes, III and nancy MIlleR THE past few days have been filled with political and legal turmoil stemming from a flurry of executive orders issued by President Donald Trump. Our country has responded with an earnest outcry of activist movement, but the fact remains that these problematic orders still exist. Among these orders are some that focus on immigration matters, including the initiation of a plan to increase border security, pursue undocumented individuals within the United States, and suspension of entry into the United States by all immigrants and nonimmigrants from certain countries, as well as suspension of the United States Refugee Admissions Program. Each of these orders are a weighty exercise of executive authority, and, when considered together, reveal a pattern of severe reduction in the forms of relief and benefits available to our immigrant community. As such, anyone with a potentially available immigration option, the time to act is now.

Some initial options to consider are adjustment of status and naturalization, although there are many others. Eligibility for adjustment of status is complicated. Records of travel to and from the United States must be reviewed, as well as the types of documents used during these trips. The next issue, among a host of other factors, that needs to be evaluated is the grounds for seeking adjustment of status to that of lawful permanent resident status. Some common grounds are a qualifying family relationship, specialized employment, or maintenance of refugee sta-

“

tus for a set period of time, just to name a few. To further muddy the waters, some categories of qualifying family relationships may disappear in the near future, such as the category encompassing brothers and sisters of U.S. citizens or even married children of U.S. citizens. Thus, if there are any U.S. citizens who have considered filing petitions for their siblings or married children, they should do so immediately before these categories are removed.

Of course, if there are no U.S. citizens in your family, you may not have access to such a petition, unless someone is eligible to naturalize. If so, the applica-

what the future holds for our immigration system. What we do know paints a bleak picture.

Take, for example, one of President Trump’s recently issued executive orders which established broad enforcement priorities against all individuals who are currently present in the United States and are without legal status. Specifically named in the order are priority enforcement against those who have been convicted of a crime, charged with a crime, committed acts that constitute a crime, are subject to a final order of removal but have not yet complied, among others.

In response to this type of action, you should prepare by doing everything you can to protect yourself and your family.

How do you do that? The best thing you can do is to immediately consult with an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney. There is absolutely no substitute for such a consultation because the attorney will be able to conduct a tailored inquiry into your history and may be able to propose solutions. Most importantly, the time to act is now because your options may literally disappear with the stroke of a pen. ***

US citizens are much more protected and enjoy access to a larger pool of rights and privileges as compared to individuals with lawful permanent resident status. tion should be filed now. Among those who were subject to detention and denial of entry to the United States this past weekend as a result of President Trump’s executive action, were lawful permanent residents and persons holding various types of validly-issued visas. This is an indication that those who enjoy the benefit of lawful permanent resident status are not immune from the danger of deportation.

U.S. citizens are much more protected and enjoy access to a larger pool of rights and privileges as compared to individuals with lawful permanent resident status. Thus, if you are eligible, you should apply for naturalization now. As an added motivating factor, if you are approved and sworn in as a U.S. citizen, you may be able to pass immigration benefits to some of your qualified family members.

These are tumultuous times.

Unfortunately, no one knows

”

The latest Global Salary Survey from specialist professional recruitment firm Robert Walters MANILA, Philippines — The revealed that there will be a wide job market in the Philippines is range of career opportunities in seen to continue flourishing in the country in 2017, particularly 2017 as companies ramp up their to qualified professionals. recruitment activities, according The survey also suggested that to findings of a new survey. professionals transferring jobs in

by RoseTTe

Adel

Philstar.com

2017 can expect an average salary increase of 20 to 30 percent.

The recruitment firm advised the employers to increase salaries of professionals to align with their expectations and to effectively communicate career development plans with their employ-

u PAGE CJ3

Filipino lands top P&G global post

by Annelle

TAyAo-Juego Inquirer.net

“IF a door is open to you, you go through it – confidently.”

Such encouraging words, uttered by Fama Francisco, perfectly describe her approach Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, toward her career – which is most likely why largest and most experienced immigration she was able to land the prestigious position firms in the United States with offices in Los she now holds: global president of Procter & Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas and Manila. Gamble’s feminine care business.

For more Information please call (800) 795“My belief is if a job is worth doing, you 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. have to do that job better than anyone who’s Telephone: (800) 795-8009 done it before. And I think if you can do that, E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com then opportunities will always open up,” she Website: www.rreeves.com. says. *** In fact, Francisco is the first woman and The analysis and suggestions offered in the first Asian to hold that title, after working this column do not create a lawyer-client for the company for 27 years, or since she relationship and are not a substitute for graduated from the University of the Philipthe personalized representation that is pines where she took up Business Adminisessential to every case. tration with a specialization in Marketing.

(Advertising Supplement) It’s a post she never even dreamt of hold-

ing, she says, especially since she initially failed her first interview with P&G. “I applied in the marketing function, and I actually failed my first interview,” she says.

“But I persisted. That’s the most important part – I persisted, so I ended up becoming the first female sales manager hired in P&G Philippines after almost 50 years of operations, which was a great way to join the company.”

Francisco says she was the lone female in a group of 100 in the sales team, wherein she had to learn a variety of skills, as the job then was “physically de-

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CJ

february 10-16, 2017 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

The CTV Files atty. lilli B. BaCuli IN the first two weeks of the Trump Administration and with a quick stroke of a pen, the country was swept up in a whirlpool of Executive Orders the tangled mangled web of which we are still trying to make sense. What is happening? What does it mean for me and my family? What’s going to happen tomorrow? The honest answer: we do not know.

What is happening? Let’s focus on the “travel ban.” On January 27, 2017, the President signed the Executive Order entitled “Protecting the Nation From Foreign Terrorist Entry Into the United States.” This Executive Order issued a 90-day travel ban on immigrants and non-immigrants from designated countries, a 120-day ban on U.S. refugee program, and an indefinite suspension of Syrian refugee admissions, among other things.

At the time of this writing, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco is scheduled to hear arguments from Justice De-

Community Journal

What is happening now in immigration? partment lawyers and opposing attorneys for the states of Washington and Minnesota about whether to restore the ban, according to Reuters.

As of February 2, 2017, there were unconfirmed rumors of plans to expand the travel ban to other countries including Egypt, Philippines, Columbia, and Venezuela. However, the Department of State confirmed that there is no information that supports such a rumor.

Okay, so what? What does all this have to do with me? If you are reading this article, chances are you yourself are a non-citizen. If you or anyone you know is a non-citizen undocumented immigrant, or non-citizen lawful permanent resident, the following may apply to their situation.

It is important to consult with an experienced and licensed immigration attorney who will be able to guide you through the options available to you under evolving U.S. immigration laws.

Application for Naturalization. We encourage lawful permanent residents (LPR) who are

eligible to apply for Naturalization to do so without delay. If you have been a permanent resident for 5 years, or if you have been a permanent resident for 3 years, have been married for to a U.S. citizen spouse for those 3 years and continue to live in marital union with said U.S. citizen spouse, please consult with an immigration attorney regarding your eligibility to apply for naturalization.

Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) still available. The Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) established in 2012 continue to be an available option for those who are eligible to apply. An individual is eligible under DACA if the following requirements are met: (i) you were under the age of 31 as of June 15, 2012; (ii) came to the U.S. before your 16th birthday; (iii) have continuously resided in the U.S. since June 15, 2007, up to the present time; (iv) was physically present in the U.S. on June 15, 2012 and at the time of making the request for DACA; (v) entered without

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Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS COUNTLESS lives around the world have been saved by CPR (Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation). Accounts by locals on this remote Alubihod beach resort in Guimaras Island (across Iloilo), where we are at this writing, revealed they have witnessed CPR performed on a drowning victim a couple of times the past several years. Actually, you can even save your own with Self CPR. Yes, you can actually perform CPR on yourself, when your heart falters (giving you a most uncomfortable panicky feeling, irregular rhythm, with or without chest pains, and a sensation of impending doom), anywhere you are, especially when you are alone or driving, and save a life (your own) and prevent a crash that might kill other people too.

The physiologic mechanics: The heart is in between the left and right lungs, framed by the vertebrae (spine) behind and the sternum (breastbone) in front.

When the lungs expand, like

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

Self-CPR and other tips when you take a real deep breath, the distended lungs will not only provide oxygen to your blood but also squeeze on your heart. This helps in the faster flow of blood out of the heart, easing the workload of your ticker.

In standard CPR performed by any trained person, mouth to mouth resuscitation is done, precisely to fill the lungs with air (oxygen), which also squeezes the heart. At the same time, cardiac massage (pumping down on the sternum (chest) aimed at squeezing the heart) is performed. SelfCardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (SCPR) is a vital option when one is alone, as an instant first-aid measure, when faced with a situation that calls for it.

The technique: The first thing to do immediately, when the symptoms start, is to take repeated deep breaths, and coughing real hard between each breath.

If the heart irregularity and uncomfortable feeling continues after ten series of deep breaths and hard coughing, hitting the chest moderately hard with a clenched fist might help. The coughing and deep breaths must continue as the person drives to the nearest hospital emergency

room or physician’s office. The disappearance of the symptoms as a response to the SCPR still requires the need for immediate medical consultation.

Clinical observation shows that when one is alone doing chest compression during a standard CPR on a person who had cardiac arrest, the chest compression alone appears to be effective enough even without the mouth-to-mouth component.

This is a relatively recent finding.

But if mouth to mouth could also be performed, it should be done.

Our entire school system, starting from the elementary school to colleges and universities, would do humanity a great service if a course in CPR and SCPR is made mandatory in every level of its curricula every couple of years. *** If the ambient air is too dry, whether you are in desert, in a room with a heater during winter, or on board an airplane (where the air is very dry), you can device your personal “humidifier” by soaking a face towel and putting it against your nose.

This will provide moisture to the

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Business News Only inclusive economy can sustain PH growth momentum – DoF

by Mayvelin

U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net

THE Philippines cannot sustain its growth momentum unless the government transforms the economy into a truly inclusive one, in which ordinary Filipinos make market decisions and help shape economic development, the Department of Finance (DoF) said.

However, where the Philippines stands in its stage of development, market information and other issues related to the economy are exchanged only within a narrow section of the population, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd said in a speech before the Economic Journalists Association of the Philippines (EJAP) late Monday, Feb. 6.

It shows that the Philippines is “an exclusive, rather than an inclusive one,” he said.

“This situation cannot per-

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III

sist for too long. Unless our market decisions and shaping economy becomes truly inclu- economic development, we sive, with ordinary folk making u PAGE CJ4

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Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ SINCE becoming president, Donald Trump has issued over 20 executive orders (EO) on a wide variety of topics and issues, including immigration. So far, there has not yet been an Executive Order concerning the future of Deferred Action for Child Arrivals (DACA).

However, there have been several draft or leaked memos, which eventually became executive orders. There is one such leaked\draft memo that deals with ending DACA. I emphasize this is only a draft, and may still be revised or changed, and it is not yet in force or official. However, I wanted to give you advanced warning, just in case.

This draft Executive Order states that the two programs established by President Obama, the June 15, 2012 DACA and the November 20, 2014 DAPA programs, “unlawfully provide illegal aliens with affirmative benefits such as lawful presence, work authorization,” etc. Therefore, both the DACA and DAPA programs are rescinded or canceled.

As for work authorizations

PAGE CJ2 t

Community Journal

(EAD) issued under the June 15, 2012 DACA program, they “shall remain valid until the date of expiration and not be extended except where required by law.”

In other words, while President Trump will be ending the DACA program, applicants who already have work authorization can use them until they expire, but will not be able to renew them.

It remains unclear if USCIS will continue to process DACA extensions and issue work authorizations for those cases\extensions already filed, but are still pending adjudication. This leaked EO states that the various departments and agencies “shall promptly rescind any orders, rules, regulations, guidelines, or policies implementing or enforcing the DACA or DAPA programs”.

As for what will happen to the approximate 750,000 DACA applicants, or whether they will now be subject to deportation, the memo concludes that nothing in the EO should impair or otherwise affect DHS’s authority “to set enforcement priorities or to exercise prosecutorial discretion on a case-by-case basis, in connection with aliens who received an EAD pursuant to the June 15 memorandum.” I hope this means DHS will conclude that DACA recipients are NOT an

enforcement priority (which they should not be, because they have already been fingerprinted and obtained cleared police clearance), and will leave them alone, or will exercise “prosecutorial discretion” to not go after them, and instead DHS should focus on terrorists and felons.

Once again, this is only a draft of an Executive Order. It is not yet official, but this may be what will happen to DACA recipients.

When any memo becomes “official,” I will keep my readers informed. *** 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)

severely minimize, if not avoid, virus infestation and computer crashes, loss of priceless data, inconvenience, and avoidable expenses. *** Handling money, touching stair or escalator hand rails, door knobs, in public places, or even handshakes (especially with one with a cold) expose one to a lot of viruses and or bacteria, and potential illnesses. Imagine the thousands of people of various personal habits have touching those paper bills, coins, handrails, and door knobs, conceivably many of them with poor hygiene. Washing hands at least 8 times a day is more of a rule than an exception, if one has to prevent bug contamination and upper respiratory or gastrointestinal infections. The use of alcohol “wipes” or gel also helps. Antibacterial (antibiotic) hand wash preparations are discouraged for fear of inducing bacterial resistance to the antibiotic. *** Interested in anti-oxidants for better health? Vegetables and fresh fruits, in general are the best natural sources, compared to the very expensive pills, potion and lotion in the market, advertised as antioxidants. The pill version is processed and sometimes contain chemicals with adverse side-effects.

Antioxidant score: ORAC (Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity) measures the antioxidant units available to reduce harmful oxygen free radicals.

As far as fruits are concerned, according to the United States Department of Agriculture and Brunswick Laboratories, the following are the ORAC score

(per 100 Grams) of the following fruits: Bananas - 879; Plums – 7291; Oranges – 1814; Blueberries – 9019; Apples – 3253; Cranberries – 9456; and, Cherries – 3361.

Sunsweet, a company popular for its preserved fruits in the United States, came out with what it calls Antioxidant Blend, a dried fruit variety combo, which includes blueberries, cherries, cranberries and plums. One fourth cup serving (40 Grams) contain 90 calories. In Asia, the popular “licorice” flavor fruit preserve “Dikyam” is made from plum. *** To those who love water sports, carrying an intact plastic garbage bag, might be life-saving, even for a good swimmer.

Experts have reported cases of leg cramps among some who did not bother to wear a life vest, who were saved by a plastic bag they inflated, aiding in their buoyancy and ability to stay afloat longer, giving them the critical time for recovery from the debilitating cramps. Obviously, wearing an appropriate life vest is a must for the “seafarers” amongst us, especially for the occasional beachcombers.

*** 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

What is happening now in…

PAGE CJ2 t

inspection before June 15, 2012, or your lawful immigration status expired as of June 15, 2012; (vi) is currently in school, have graduated or obtained a certificate of completion from high school, have obtained a GED, or are an honorably discharged veteran of the Coast Guard or Armed Forces of the U.S.; and (vii) has not been convicted of a felony, significant misdemeanor, three or more other misdemeanors, and do not otherwise pose a threat to security or public safety.

Provisional Waiver of Unlawful Presence still available. The Provisional Waiver of Unlawful Presence was introduced in 2013.

The Provisional Waiver waives the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who are physically present in the United States, and the waiver is based on the extreme hardship the U.S.

citizen spouse or parent will suffer if the waiver is not granted.

Recently, the Provisional Waiver was expanded to include those who have approved family-based or employment-based immigration petitions, special immigrant petitions, or if they are beneficiaries of the diversity visa lottery.

As well, legal permanent spouses or parents are now included as qualifying relatives for purposes of extreme hardship.

Negative consequences of Criminal Convictions. It is and has always been the case that a negative criminal conviction will have serious consequences, the worst of which is deportability, for an individual who is not a U.S. citizen, even if s/he is a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). If you are a non-citizen and you are facing a possible criminal conviction, it is best to consult both with a criminal attorney and with an experienced

criminal immigration attorney who handles deportation defense before pleading to anything in criminal court.

Google is no substitute for a licensed, experienced, immigration attorney. Know your rights, and know your options, and be wary of notarios and those who are not licensed to practice law. ***

Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento 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 attorney-client 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) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www. chuatinsayvega.com.

Survey: Jobseekers to get higher salary…

PAGE CJ1 t

ees in order to retain them.

“Clearly, we are seeing strong potential in the market for mid to senior level professionals. With an increasing number of local and multinational corporations setting up their business in the country, we anticipate more career opportunities being available for qualified professionals especially for those with specialised skills,” Robert Walters Philippines country manager Eric Mary said.

“To recruit and retain the best talent, hiring managers should offer competitive salary packages and structured career progression paths,” he added.

Among the industries which

CJ

Is Trump about to end DACA?

Self-CPR and other…

air you breathe in. The same improvisation and/or wet towels in strategic areas will help humidify any dry room. Running the shower will also do it but terribly wasteful and not eco-friendly, and expensive. *** Large paper clips will serve well as collar stays when one forgets to bring them on a trip. Or, making collar stays with a piece of hard plastic or cardboard. A small safety pin or large needle could be used (instead of the special gadget) in extracting your cellphone sim card. *** Sticking a bright colored emblem of any kind (mine is a red heart) on your credit card is a way of identifying your card at a distance, when you hand it over to a sales clerk of any store, and makes it a lot easier for you to “detect” when you are given back another card, by mistake or intentionally, which has happened. *** One of the best ways to prevent viruses from attacking your computer (on top of your antivirus software) is by not opening any email you receive from someone you do not know, and thrashing them immediately. If needed, you could retrieve them from the Trash Bin, which holds them for 30 days prior to final deletion. Even if the email comes from a person you know, its attachment, if any, must be tagged or designated “virus free.” Spam mail eliminator is not enough.

Common sense and vigilance do a lot more in protecting your computer and all valuable data in it. Disciplining yourself to adhere to this practice religiously will

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 10-16, 2017

are likely to be seen to grow hiring levels are strategic business development, financial planning and treasury; banking and financial services, human resource and information technology.

The recruitment firm said that employers of these industries may be candidate-driven and will focus on attracting both domestic and overseas Filipino professionals with the relevant work experience, strong communication skills and commercial acumen.

Robert Walters Philippines also saw 2016 as a positive year for recruitment in the country, given strong economic growth and rise in local and multinational corporations.

The firm cited that unemploy-

ment levels remained low within among skilled workers, but there was a continued shortage of specialist professionals across all sectors.

Filipino nationals working and studying abroad were also in high demand by both local and multinational players. Professionals last year, meanwhile, received a salary increment of about 20 to 40 percent.

These findings are expected to become a trend in 2017 and beyond.

The Robert Walters Global Salary Survey was based on an analysis of its placements made across its various network of offices and specialist disciplines during the course of 2016. n

A HUSBAND’S 30-YEAR OLD ‘SECRET’ ALMOST DERAILED THE FAMILY’S GREEN CARDS ON AN ENCORE EPISODE OF “CITIZEN PINOY!” Leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel was able to revive Alice’s petition by her U.S. citizen father, after it was terminated due to the petitioner’s death. The family was then eligible to get their visas years ahead of schedule by using the priority date of Alice’s Lebanese husband, Andre. But Andre refused to come to the US because of a “secret” he had kept for 30 years, preventing him from going back to the U.S. Atty. Gurfinkel worked “miracles” to resolve the mystery behind this fascinating success story, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday, February 12 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 f e b R UA Ry 1 0 -1 6

ART AND SOUL (The Healing Power of Art) exhibit in Washington, D.C. In celebration of National Arts Month, the Philippine Embassy in Washington, D.C. is pleased to invite you to an exhibit entitled, ART AND SOUL (The Healing Power of Art), featuring the works of Artist and Curator Julian Oteyza and Sony Florendo at the Romulo Hall of the Philippine Embassy from February 10-16, 2017. The exhibit will be open for viewing from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. except Saturday and Sunday. For more information, please contact info@philippineusa.org. The embassy is located on Bataan street corner 1600 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Washington DC, 20036.

f e b R UA Ry 1 1

FALW to celebrate Valentine’s Day in Seal Beach, CA The Filipino Association of Leisure World will celebrate Valentine’s Day with a dinnerdance at the Clubhouse #2 at 1232 Golden Rain Road, Seal Beach, CA on February 11.

Music will be provided by The Midnight Motion Band. For other related questions, please call the president of the association, Ren Villanueva at (323) 854-6209.

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Valentine’s dinner & show in Waipahu, HI Need Valentine’s Day plans? Come to the Filipino Community Center in Waipahu, Hawaii on Tuesday, February 14 for “Hugs and Kisses,” a dinner and show. Tickets for the dinner and full show are $47 per person. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Dinner will be served at 6 p.m. and the show starts at 7:30 p.m. The show will be hosted by Lil Guy with an opening act by Shawn Garnett (aka Cousin Flippa on “Hawaii Five-O”). For reservations, please call (808) 680-0451. The FilCom Center is located at 94-428 Mokuola St. #302, Waipahu, HI 96797.

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Free parenting class in Eagle Rock, CA Come to a free parenting class in Eagle Rock on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 10 a.m. It will be held at the Eagle Rock Lutheran Church at 5032 Maywood Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90041.

To RSVP, please call (323) 304-9898.

MARCH 6

Talk and book signing with Susan Quimpo, author of “Subversive Lives” in Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey Come see Susan Quimpo, one of the authors of “Subversive Lives” on Monday, March 6 at the Free Public Library of Hasbrouck Heights from 6 to 8 p.m. “Subversive Lives” is a memoir by eight siblings (plus one by marriage) who dedicated themselves to the anti-Marcos resistance in the Philippines. Quimpo will talk about her personal experience during the Marcos years. Books will be available for sale. A book signing will follow after the talk. The Free Public Library of Hasbrouck Heights is located at 320 Boulevard, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604.

MARCH 9

Talk and book signing with Susan Quimpo, author of “Subversive Lives” in New York Come see Susan Quimpo, one of the authors of “Subversive Lives” on Thursday, March 9 at the 67th Street New York Public Library from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. “Subversive Lives” is a memoir by eight siblings (plus one by marriage) who dedicated themselves to the anti-Marcos resistance in the Philippines. Quimpo will talk about her personal experience during the Marcos years. A book signing will follow after the talk. The New York Public Library is located at 328 E 67th St. (between 1st and 2nd Ave.), New York, NY 10065.

MARCH 11

CSFLU to hold dinner-dance in Brea, CA The City of San Fernando La Union Association (CSFLU) will hold its annual dinnerdance at the Embassy Suites in Brea, CA on March 11. Music will be provided by Willie Manacsa & The Midnight Motion Band. For more information, please call Vangie So, president of the association at (626) 485-3110.

M A R C H 25

Golf tournament for a cause in Escondido, CA St. Joseph College (Olongapo City)’s High School Class of 1987 will be holding a golf tournament for a cause at the Vineyard at Escondido Golf Club on Saturday, March 25. It is $109/person to register, which includes rounds of golf and a BBQ buffet. Registration is at 11:30 a.m., with shotgun at 1 p.m. and dinner and prizes at 6:30 p.m. For more information, please contact Gemma Gutierrez Hornilla at (949) 861-1732 or Miguel Uson at (760) 715-8216. The Vineyard at Escondido Golf Club is located at 925 San Pasqual

APRIL 20

CAUSE’s annual gala in Los Angeles Join Center for Asian Americans United for Self Empowerment (CAUSE) for its annual gala on Thursday, April 20. It will be held at LA Hotel’s California Ballroom at 333 S. Figueroa Street, Los Angeles, CA 90071. The event begins at 5 p.m. with a VIP reception.

For more information and sponsorship opportunities, please contact kim@causeusa.org or visit www.causeusa.org.

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

CJ

Community Journal

february 10-16, 2017 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA IF you’re a woman who believes in secret in such things as love-at-first sight and happilyever-afters, TAKE HEART. Even during this cynical, jaded age of information when nothing seems sacred or mysterious any more, there are still countless women (and maybe some men) the world over just like you, who believe in the magic and mystery spun by that ancient, invisible force called LOVE. It is written in our DNA. So don’t fight it. It’s just that modern women probably won’t admit being romantic in public, for fear of ridicule.

They will say, “Bah, humbug!” with a straight face and then watch every romantic comedy on the sly.

That is probably why this movie genre makes a killing at the box office. Women are a captive audience and these women, in turn, drag their partners, more than likely, kicking and screaming because they

EMPLOYMENT

That thing called love and what to make of romcoms “The past is prologue.”

— Shakespeare

would rather watch violent movies oozing with blood and gore.

Yeah, yeah. Talk about women coming from Venus and men, from Mars. That’s what makes the chemical attraction between straight genders so compelling and fascinating — repelling and binding at the same time. Deep within most women, despite all that they’ve seen and been through, some, despite being scarred beyond belief by past toxic liaisons, if they don’t let bitterness and acrimony permeate their hearts, that thing called LOVE, still rules and does so mightily.

Romantic comedies churned out fairly regularly from the Hollywood story factory seem to come from a well-worn template, copy-fitted in about 90 minutes of predictability. After a while, they taste like prepack-

aged burgers, food enough for the starving romantic soul, but hardly satisfying. After you have seen a few, you can very well interchange the characters and the plots and subplots like pieces of Lego. It’s a formula that keeps on giving: girl meets boy; a delicious attraction sizzles; a situation sets up a series of conflicting, seemingly complicated twists and turns made more tenuous by a third opposing character, just like Bluto, in the Popeye, Olive Oyl triangle, that horrible antagonist that prevents the girl and the guy from coming together; couple almost gives up trying but then an unexpected twist happens, some deus ex machina, a manipulation by the love god, that resolves the conflict and zaps away all obstacles e.g. a can of spinach that rolls

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EMPLOYMENT

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Only inclusive economy can…

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cannot sustain high-growth momentum,” he said.

He cited the “magnified role” of economic journalists in emerging economies like the Philippines to make the economy “inclusive” for ordinary people who rely on the news, not only to get the facts straight but also to widen their financial and economic literacy.

“You, the economic journalists, are the evangelists of modern economic thinking. We can push the reforms only as far as our citizens grasp the strategic significance of what we are trying to do,” he said.

It is no longer surprising to see cab drivers in Singapore scanning the stock market pages of newspapers and analyzing the performance of listed companies while waiting for fare as they too invest in the stock market, Dominguez said, citing an example of an inclusive economy, “In these advanced economies, the capital markets are as deep-rooted as the economy is inclusive. Regardless of what their day jobs are, ordinary citizens help drive up the sav-

ings and investment rates by participating in financial products. The man-on-the-street is involved in market decisions that make the economy what it is,” he said.

The reforms being implemented and pushed by the Duterte administration are meant not only to sustain a high growth rate of 7 percent and reduce poverty by 14 percent in 2022, but also widen the base of economic decision-making in the country to include ordinary folk, the Finance chief said.

“Closing the infra gap and raising the capacity of our human capital requires a stronger revenue base for government.

We need to invest well over a trillion pesos in new infrastructure over the medium-term. We need to upgrade our educational and health systems. We need programs that will produce well over a million new jobs a year to absorb the many young workers soon entering the workforce,” he said.

“Either we do all these or we end up with millions of alienated and discontented young Filipinos kept disenfranchised

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by mediocre economic performance,” he added.

The DoF has submitted for congressional approval the first package of its proposed Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) to raise funds for its economic programs.

Widening the revenue base via the CTRP, Dominguez said, will enable the government to decisively attack chronic poverty by upgrading the country’s logistics backbone to attract investment inflows and grow tourism and other competitive industries, and modernizing the agriculture sector, which has dragged down rapid growth because of its weaknesses.

“For many decades, our neighbors invested 5 percent of their GDP in infra. Hobbled by poor revenue systems and, for a while, a heavy debt service load, we invested only half the regional average. We see the consequences of that in our dilapidated ports and airports, congested road systems and the pitiful state of mass transport. This is no way to grow a modern economy,” Dominguez said. n

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • febRUARy 10-16, 2017

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That thing called love and what to make…

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from nowhere, that energizes Popeye to pummel Bluto; guy gets girl or whoever is doing the hot pursuit; and finally, the way is then made clear for the de riguer wedding scene. Sigh.

THE END. BIG CHA-CHING. Romcom makes mega millions at the box office. A sequel may or may not follow. Ho-hum …

There was a time when young girls relied on the tattered pages of a fairy tale book or a radio drama series or a television series which fired up their imagination, leaving them sighing and dreaming of their knight in shining armor. Disney has pretty much scoured the bottom of the barrel in spinning out modern versions of animated stories from ages past. In medieval times, when marriage, the nunnery or spinsterhood were the choices that were available, most young girls dreamt about that rich, dashing knight riding on a horse, that would slay the dragon, overcome overwhelming forces, sweep them off their feet, ride out into the sunset and live happily ever after. For a few centuries, that was how it was.

But we all know, real life tells far different stories. The fairy tales turn out to be more like Gothic novels. Girl and guy don’t always end up happy. The depressing d’s descend on every life: divorce, deceit, despair, discouragement, disillusionment, darkness and death. And we’re left disappointed.

But for all that, hope springs eternal in the human heart and keeps the romcom writers busy.

We have this need to believe even if we begin to view with a jaded eye that the concept of happily-ever-after is just a myth, long after the harsh facts of reality beat us into submission in a stare-down. Slowly, warily, we learn to separate fact from fiction.

Our world has changed from the simple to the utterly complicated present times. We now live with ubiquitous social networks available to our fingers where we can engage electronically in our pajamas and unmade beds, engage with one another instead of what used to be face-toface interpersonal relationships when we need to be right where we need to be to make our case.

We facebook and twitter all day long electronically creating, maintaining or killing off disposable internet relationships, that

can defy space and time constraints, that can either bloom and thrive or take shallow roots and die in an instant. It doesn’t really matter. The next thing is just a click away.

It remains to be seen what will come out of this relatively new phenomenon that is rewriting how this generation and the succeeding ones will find their mates that are right for them.

There is no precedent, no formulas, no template, no books to copy from. The young ones may have to muddle through, make mistakes and come up with a new set of rules to write brand new stories to fire up and light their imaginations while holding steadfast in the belief written in “Desiderata” that despite “…all aridity, love, is as perennial as the grass …”

Something happened in the middle of the last century to cause some kind of imbalance.

Women became liberated from their traditional role after WWII. They joined the work force and learned to be independent. The roles of genders, and those inbetween, are no longer as clearcut as they once were. With postwar prosperity and abundance, came opportunity for women who decided from a wide range of choices that included college, career, family and the chance to be financially independent.

This is not to say that the past was better, only that it was different and maybe, just a tad easier to figure out. The present times pose dilemmas that leave us scratching our heads. The rules of engagement between men and women perhaps need to be rewritten.

Romantic comedies often glorify the attraction of opposites.

But it must be made clear in the interest of equal time, that the attraction of opposites is only one half of a truism. There’s a serious caveat emptor for all young men and women out there looking for a lifetime mate and seeking guidance from a higher power on how to best proceed.

Here it is.

Although opposites do indeed attract, it is the likes that stay together. The possibility of longer, happier lives exists in such a union. In an increasingly unstable, disintegrating world such as ours, such unions of like minds, bodies and spirits make a whole lot of difference.

However, NEVER discount the power of chemistry. It is a real force wired into each one

that draws one to the other. Deal with it. But in the end, it is the little things that you may have to look for to muddle through the choices and get past appearances.

If you are a young woman, see how he treats his mother, his sisters and all the women in his family. If he shows kindness and is respectful of them, chances are, he will be kind to you and respect you as well.

The same is true of young men. Look at how your intended treats her dad and all the men in the family. Look for kindness and generosity of spirit above all, old-fashioned traits that wear well.

There are clear indicators and there are red flags. Watch for them. Do not let love or the stirrings of lust blind you totally. If faith and religion, commitment and fidelity are both important to you, the likelihood is there that these core beliefs will be a bond that will hold you in tough times. It may seem funny to you but the parents of your intended are more than likely a preview of how your fiancé or fiancée will turn out to be 2 or 3 decades from now.

The past, as Shakespeare once said, is prologue. Take heed.

There will be exceptions of course, but the mango does not fall far from the tree. You can prevent heartache by a balanced mix of heart and mind when choosing the love of your life.

Sometimes, the heart is recalcitrant and makes a choice for you but know that a humble, grateful heart who asks for guidance particularly in the all too important decision of choosing a lifetime mate, in sincere, constant prayer that assaults heaven will not be spurned. If this is important to you and it should be, get down on your knees and beg for this grace.

Since God gave us free will, we are able to write parts of our own stories. If we were all writers, we have in front of us, a tabula rasa, a blank page, a cursor at the ready, steadily flashing, patiently waiting for your stories to spill, the remanufactured, recycled or better yet, the brand new, original stories of romantic comedies that beg to be written.

The world, I am sure, would like to hear about yours. ***

Leonardo L. Salud November 6, 1921 - February 5, 2017

LEONARDO L. Salud, 95, passed away peacefully on Sunday evening, February 5, 2017 at Staten Island University Hospital North in Staten Island, NY. Born on November 6, 1921 in town of Cuenca, Batangas, Philippines, Leonardo graduated from Batangas High School and accounting and bookkeeping course in Manila. As an avid baker with business acumen, he helped set-up and manage several bakeries. He himself owned two businesses in Manila, gifting streets with the sweet smell of pan de sal, mamon, and ensaymada. After 13 years of engagement, he married his teenage sweetheart, Consolacion V. Cuevas in 1957.

He emigrated with his wife to New York in 1992 where he enjoyed various pursuits during his retirement years. He divided his time between LA and NYC caring for their grandchildren. He enjoyed watching and studying horse racing, voraciously debating politics, and spending time with his many friends at the Stapleton Senior Center and Sea View Adult Day Care ASwhere new activities later revealed a passion and skill for painting at age 90. He was a founding member of the FilAm Senior Citizens Club of Staten Island. Leonardo demonstrated a true uniqueness in character that will be missed.

Leonardo was preceded in death by over a month by his 28-year-old granddaughter, Katrina DeSimone. He is survived by his wife, Consolacion, daughters, Cecille DeSimone (John) and Cora Mariano (Alex), grandson Christian Mariano (Jaime) and great grandson, Matthew Mariano.

Funeral will be at the Matthew Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Inc., 2508 Victory Boulevard, Staten Island, NY on Saturday, February 11, at 9 a.m. Funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Patrick’s Roman Catholic Church, 53 St. Patrick’s Place, Staten Island, NY 10 am. Entombment will follow in Resurrection Cemetery, Our Lady Queen of Heaven Chapel Mausoleum in Staten Island, NY. Family and friends may visit on Friday, February 10, from 4 to 9 p.m. n

Filipino lands top P&G global…

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manding.”

“Between you and me, I didn’t know how to parallel park!” she says, chuckling. “And very quickly I had to be an expert with the customers I was covering. I asked a lot of my male colleagues to show me the ropes, but I think I also brought in a lot of my expertise as a female, which is understanding the consumer and the shopper even better. All in all, my early years in sales were, I think, the most fruitful.”

From working in sales, Francisco moved to the company’s marketing function after four years.

It was there that her career continued to grow, one that would take her to Japan where she managed the Pampers and Whisper brands, and then evenNota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is tually to the United States, where SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To she initially oversaw global opsend comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ erations of P&G’s baby care category, and then the company’s asianjournalinc.com

North America operations, before finally landing the position she has now.

Just as Francisco’s professional life blossomed in P&G, so did her family.

The mother of four – three boys and one girl – actually met her husband, Noel, when they were both starting out as part of the sales team in the Philippines.

“He was one of the men. It was very awkward,” she says with a laugh. “When we were working together in the same function, it was awkward, but eventually we moved to different functions.”

Francisco describes their marriage as a “tag team” relationship, a dynamic she believes is instrumental to her success professionally, as they see each other as partners and equals when it comes to taking care of their family.

“My husband and I both have great careers in P&G. I have to admit, it’s not easy when you’re in a

country without extended family, without any household help,” she says. “We had to really rely on the two of us. You just have to give and take every day.”

A supportive family, combined with her persistence and a little bit of luck – it seems such is the Fama Francisco formula for professional success. It’s the persistence bit which she takes most pride in, as it was, essentially, what really got her into P&G in the first place.

“Sometimes – and I think a lot of women can identify [themselves in this situation] – there’s a already a door open to you, and you hesitate. Or sometimes, you think you’re not good enough; that, oh, these are all the experiences I don’t have,” she says. “If a door is not opened to you, like when I failed my first exam in P&G, then find a way to open the door. There is a way to open it if you are persistent and you deliver the results that stand out.” n

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february 10-16, 2017 • NOrCaL aSIaN JOurNaL

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

Friday, February 10, 2017

cover story

Love and more love: Some fun facts about The Origin of Valentine’s Day Valentine’s Day

SF2

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - February 10, 2017

By Dana

MANy people around the globe celebrate February as the month of love. Specifically, the 14th day of the month is usually referred to as Heart’s Day or valentine’s Day. During this day, romantic couples, couples-to-be, families, and friends express their feelings of affection or gratitude to the people close to their hearts— usually by giving special gifts or by going out. “valentine” comes from the Latin word valentia, which means “strength” or “capacity.” While the real history behind valentine’s Day itself

SioSon/aJpreSS

remains a mystery, there are different stories that tell how the modern celebration of heart’s day originated.

The Lupercalia festival one version says that valentine’s day actually originated from one of the most ancient Roman sex traditions, the Lupercalia festival.

The Lupercalia festival, which dates back to before the Christian era, was celebrated annually on February 15 in honor of the Roman god of fertility, Lupercus. In Roman mythology, Lupercus is said to be the shewolf who raised Romulus and Remus, the founders of Rome, in a cave called Lupercal.

During the Lupercalia festival, Ro-

mans offer goats and dogs to the fertility god, which is said to be remarkable for its sexual instinct. young men would also strip themselves naked and hit the women with a goat’s or a dog’s skin. This particular action, in their belief, would make women fertile. Women’s names were also placed in jars as a lottery for men.

It is said that the early Roman Catholic church, unable to completely remove the pagan tradition from the people, adopted this festival with revisions.

St. Valentine Another version of the origin of valentine’s Day tells the story of Saint valentine in the Roman Catholic belief. Around 496 AD, then-Pope Gelasius I declared February 14 as the feast day of

Saint valentine, their patron of love and couples.

In the Catholic church, there were at least three different men named valentine, or also referred to as valentinus in other versions, who were all martyred on February 14. The question who among them Pope Gelasius intended to honor, however, was not known. one story suggests that valentine was a priest during the third century in Rome, under the reign of emperor Claudius II. emperor Claudius was said to have banned young men from marrying in theory that single men were better soldiers than married men who worry about their wives and families. Despite the emperor’s decree, valentine continued to Continued on Page SF4

Love is in the air as valentine’s Day is fast approaching.

Now who wouldn’t be familiar with this great day meant for sharing love gestures? I know many couples excitedly wait for February 14 so they can express their feelings to their partners.

However, though we may be familiar with the day’s history, some may not know some interesting information involving the celebration. Here is a list of fun facts to think about: • Animal love. About 3 percent of pet owners will give gifts to their pets. The reason is that most pet owners consider animals to be more grateful and loyal than humans.

• A rose by any other name.

California produces 60 percent of American roses, but the vast number sold on valentine’s Day in the U.S. are imported, mostly from South America. Approximately 110 million roses — the majority red — will be sold and delivered within a three-day time period.

• Flowery messages. each color of rose sent on valentine’s Day have some meaning. A red rose means love and respect, pink says, “I am having sweet thoughts about you” and white stands for purity and states, “I am worthy of you.” Also the number of roses also counts. For instance, one stands for love at first sight, 12 is to say “I love you,” 108 is recommended for marriage proposals and 999 means “we’ll always be together.”

• “Signed, XOXO.” Many believe the X symbol became synonymous with the kiss in medieval times. People who couldn’t write their names signed in front of a witness with an X. The X was then kissed to show their sincerity.

• Sweets and romance.

The most romantic place to share candy is in front of the fireplace, according to an American poll done in 2012.

• Continued on Page SF4

Valentine’s Day by the numbers: How much spending is done for love by

Malou liwanag-Bledsoe / AJPress

Love brings a lot of emotions, one of them being (sometimes) unwise on how a person expresses his/her love.

This is true for what we spend for the person we love, making valentine’s Day the third largest consumer holiday in the United States. More than $18 billion per year is spent in Cupid’s name,

with lovesick shoppers buying gifts in the name of love.

Gifts from the heart — and wallet It is indeed, a love affair with spending. This year, it is projected that the total valentine’s Day spending will be $18.2 billion, with an average of $136.57 per person. About 32 percent will

buy their gifts at discount stores.

Ninety-four percent of the people celebrating the day want to receive candy and chocolate.

(The first valentine’s Day box of chocolates was introduced by Richard Cadbury — founder of Cadbury’s cocoa and chocolate company— in 1868.) This is no surprise as $1.7 billion will be spent by the 49.7 percent of celebrators who plan to buy candy

this year.

Flowers are ahead of candy with 20 percent of annual flower sales happen around valentine’s Day. It is estimated that $2 billion will be spent by the 34.7 percent who plan to buy flowers.

However, jewelry tops the list, as an estimated $4.3 billion will be spent by the 18.7 percent who plan to buy it as a gift.

Continued on Page SF4

Maxine Medina and the ‘most beautiful day’ in the Philippines

entertainment SF3 The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – February 10, 2017

Marlon Stockinger: the man behind the universe

by Gabbie

TaTad Philstar.com

By Monet

Lu

AFter everything has been said—or was not said—and done, we choose to look at the bright side. We choose to see beneath the surface, avoid the negativity and focus on what really matters: the kingdom, not the ‘crown.’

Some of you may be surprised to know that I am one of the few who predicted the victory of Miss Universe Philippines Maxine Medina. We met last year and I could honestly see the potential in her. She is very pretty. In fact, her mentors (and some judges of Miss Universe 2016) agree that Maxine was “one of the prettiest” contestants the Philippines “has sent to Miss Universe and to any beauty pageant.”

She has the face, the figure, the personality, and the crowd who cheered her on, to bag the crown. But she fell short in one category. And the million-dollar question is, “Why didn’t she use the interpreter?” or “why didn’t she just answer in tagalog?” the question for Maxine was: What is the most significant change you’ve seen in the world in the last 10 years? the interpreter asked the question in tagalog and Maxine answered: “In the last 10 years of being here in the world, I saw all the people bringing in one event like this in Miss Universe.

It’s something big to us that we are one. As one nation, we are all together. thank you. Maraming salamat po.”

I was not surprised that she didn’t use an interpreter. though for me, she didn’t need one. Did I think she should’ve answered in tagalog and let the interpreter translate it? I admit, I did. But was her answer wrong? technically no. It is a valid answer, but not the best.

In her defense, she was called first during the question-and-an-

swer round and was asked a question that could go both ways. If she took her time and thought (a decade’s worth) of a more elaborate answer, say some historical event or phenomena, she have ended up with an awkward dead air and lose the momentum. On the other hand, if she responded with whatever came first to her mind, she might not be able to justify her answer. So (just like what most people thought happened), she took the safe route and answered with the ‘most significant’ event in front of her: Miss Universe 2016 happening in the Philippines after 22 years.

For me, it was a safe answer.

Not a crown-worthy one, but not a wrong answer either.

And let’s not forget the fact that out of 86 gorgeous and talented candidates, she was one of the six most beautiful women. Despite the criticisms on her allegedly poor english and communication skills, she got in the top six! that should count for something, with or without the crown.

Speaking of the coveted crown, it may not have landed on Maxine’s head but the entire Universe will never see the Philippines the same way again after “the most beautiful day”

was held in our country. Just think about those candidates appreciating our tourist spots, being welcomed by the warmest people they’ve ever met -- all of this was shown on tV! I could’ve sworn that it didn’t look like it was shot anywhere in the Philippines. the beaches were so beautiful. I almost forgot how beautiful the Philippines truly is. the Miss Universe Organization (MUO) even thought that the Philippines was the perfect host.

MUO president Paula Shugart described the Philippine hosting of the prestigious beauty pageant as the ‘best show’ she has ever done.

Shugart gave former Ilocos Sur Gov. Luis “Chavit” Singson of the pageant host committee, LCS Group of Companies, a sash that read “Mister Universe” as a token of gratitude for the country’s successful hosting. those stories about candidates falling in love with the Filipino people and even donating their pageant gowns are testaments to how the Filipinos have captured the hearts of their visitors. Some of them even opted to extend their stay. I wouldn’t be surprised if one of them decides to live in the Philippines.

Continued on Page SF5

WheN you’re dating someone whose official designation is “the most beautiful in the Universe,” that person’s radiance tends to cast quite a large shadow. But when you’re dating Pia Wurtzbach, one of the greatest and most celebrated queens in the history of the pageant, keeping one’s ego in check is the minimum requirement. (Anyone who’s watched the Netflix series “the Crown” can attest to Prince Philip’s own struggle in adjusting his societal expectations as a man to make way for a queen.)

But boyfriend Marlon Stöckinger remarks, “It’s actually very easy for me, because once you’ve been called the most beautiful in the Universe, you don’t need much more validation, and you’re free to be yourself. And honestly, it’s 2017. No one needs to be all that traditional anymore; there aren’t any more rules about who belongs at home or who’s allowed to be successful.”

Funny enough that he should say so, as Stöckinger has comically been referred to as “Mr. Wurtzbach.” But his relaxed demeanor in stepping back to let Wurtzbach command her spotlight gives massive insight into what makes him so compelling, especially to someone of Wurtzbach’s stature. “I understand what it’s like for people when she walks into a room and they immediately take notice, because the first time she walked into a room that I was in, she stood out to me,” says Stöckinger. “I think it helps that I had created my own career before I ended up with someone whose career was so established. So in a sense, I know what she’s going through. We are both competitive people, but with each other, we want to help one another.”

Stöckinger himself has gone head to head with some of the highest rated drivers in the world, some of whom having prior experience at the Formula 1 level. And outside of the love of the sport, there’s a true calling to break proverbial ceilings for fellow Filipino racers. “For a

A motorsports wunderkind, Marlon Stöckinger found himself behind the wheel and winning trophies as early as nine years old.

country to get behind motorsports, we have to get a Filipino in the driver’s seat. We have to put a driver in F1, to grow the sport, to support those drivers, and it will easily cross-promote itself in terms of tourism and ads. It’s the dream to get there, but aside from talent, you need the support and the funding.”

Stöckinger adds, “So far, I’ve been the only Filipino that’s gotten this far, but it shows you the blueprint of how far you can get when you’re given the means and the grounds to provide good racing drivers with the support they need, in the same way basketball or football players are supported. the only reason I’ve gotten to where I am is because I first competed in the Philippines, and it shows that there is talent here.”

Not unlike Wurtzbach, who competed against candidates from the entire planet (or the universe, rather) for a single crown, Stöckinger is up against global competition, which makes for a striking middle ground between the two. “[Pia] has had a very successful reign as Miss Universe.

And although her work is beauty pageants, the determination and the work ethic are the same. You don’t just wake up one day and become Miss Universe; you work for it. It’s the same with racing.

Pia beat the whole world to get that one spot, and for me it’s not just racing against other people, it’s competing in the best tracks against the best racers in the best cars with the best-trained racing teams. Whatever the field is, we have what it takes to be world-beaters.”

SF4

celebrityworld

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - February 10, 2017

celebrity world

By Ferdie Villar AFter being in the news about her relationship with presidential son Sebastian “Baste” Duterte these past few months, actress ellen Adarna confirmed recently that they have decided to call it quits since December of last year.

During a press conference for her latest movie, “Moonlight Over Baler,” ellen shared that she and Baste have remained good friends.

“In fact, we still hung out a couple of times after the breakup,” she said. “there’s no bad blood between us. If I’d be given a chance to turn back time, I’d go out with him again. We had a great time. ‘ It really seemed that the two had a special connection, in spite of the fact that they were only a couple for seven months. ellen also said that she is open to working with the presidential son in the future, like becoming business partners.

“We are alike in many ways.

We’re both funny and makulit,” she shared in an interview with Inquirer. “We share many interests. We both like going to the beach — he influenced me to try surfing. We also got to travel.”

However, the president doesn’t seem to appreciate his son’s relationship with ellen, when the latter recently shared a glimpse of his family life during a speech in Davao City.

“Ang isang bunso, isa pa ring tarantado. Hindi na umuuwi ng bahay. Sige lang doon kay Adarna (The youngest, who is also a rowdy one, does not go home anymore.

He’s always with Adarna),” President rodrigo Duterte said. the president also shared that he has talked with Baste’s child (with Davao-based exmodel Kate Necesario) and he regards it as a ‘tragedy’ when his grandchild would answer him that he only loves his mother. “tinanong ko iyong apo ko eh...’Sinong mahal mo? Papa

Ellen Adarna confirms breakup with presidential son Baste Duterte

Baby Baste, brilliant child actor and part of the “Eat Bulaga!” dabarkads on GMA 7, is the golden boy of Philippine entertainment today.

Handsome actor Zanjoe Marudo is now again in the spotlight for his role in ABS-CBN’s teleserye, “Dear Heart.”

Actor Benjamin Alves is the lead actor of GMA 7’s daytime teleserye, “Pinulot Ka Lang sa Lupa,” opposite actress Julie Ann San Jose.

mo at pati mama mo?’ ‘Mama lang.’ It’s a tragedy. Magsagot ang bata nang ganon. (I asked my grandchild...’Who do you love? Your dad and your

mom as well?’ ‘Only mom.’

It’s a tragedy when the kid would answer that).” the president took another swipe at Baste for allegedly not giving enough financial support to his children (aside from his son with Kate, he also has another five-year-old love child). Baste in turn took to social media and begged his father to stop reprimanding him through national media.

Here’s hoping that father and son would meet in the middle to resolve their differ-

Sebastian “Baste” Duterte, youngest son of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, has made the headlines since his father started his campaign due to his “bad boy, easy-going” persona. After a whirlwind romance with actress Ellen Adarna, he now shared that they have broken up since December of last year.

Sexy actress Ellen Adarna recently admitted that she and presidential son, Baste Duterte have decided to call it quits.

Beautiful actress Bela Padilla is one of the stars of ABS-CBN 2’s afternoon teleserye, “Dear Heart.”

ences. We are sure Baste has learned his lesson about being a responsible father to his children. *** Our condolences to the family of former Kaloocan City Mayor Macario “Boy” Asistio Jr. who passed away on Monday, February 6. He was 80.

Asistio suffered a heart attack six days after he was rushed to the Antipolo Medical Center on Wednesday night, February 1, and slipped into a coma the next day. He died at 10:55 a.m., leaving

Former Kalookan City Mayor Macario “Boy” Asistio Jr. passed away last Monday, February 6, at the age of 80. Asistio died of a heart attack days after having a stroke.

behind his longtime partner, actress Nadia Montenegro and daughters Ynna and Alyanna.

Asistio started his political career as a councilor. He first became mayor of Kaloocan in 1980 until 1986. He was reelected in 1988 and served until 1995. the former mayor was part of the second generation of the Asistio clan that has ruled Kaloocan since 1941. His

father, Macario Sr., was mayor from 1952 to 1972, and an uncle, Alejandro Asistio Fider, served from 1976 to 1978. the former mayor’s remains lie at the Loyola Memorial Chapels in Quezon City and will be transferred at the Kalookan City Hall on Friday, February 10. He will be laid to rest at the eternal Gardens in Kalookan City on Saturday, February 11.

The Origin of Valentine’s... Love and more love...

From Page SF2 Cure a broken heart. In the 1800s, doctors commonly advised their heartbroken patients to eat chocolate, claiming it would soothe their pain. to this day, many women find comfort in a box of chocolates when dealing with hearbreak.

From Page SF2 perform marriage rites. Upon the discovery of his actions, the priest was put to death. there was also another version that says Valentine used to help early Christians escape roman tortures.

Another legend tells the story of Valentine’s own love tale. Valentine, a Christian who was imprisoned, fell in love with his jailer’s daughter. Valentine was said to have written a letter to her before his death, which contains the phrase from your Valentine, an expression that is still widely used today. there was also a theory that says the daughter used to be blind but Valentine was able to heal her sight. this event, according to the story, converted the jailer to Christianity.

In 1969, however, due to Saint Valentine’s unclear history, the roman Catholic Church removed his feast day from their general liturgical calendar.

The present February 14 Presently, Valentine’s Day is widely celebrated by different countries across the globe, regardless of the dominant religion—including the Philippines and the United States.

Despite being an unofficial holiday, most public places— such as restaurants and gift shops—decorate their stores with Valentine’s Day-themed ornaments. these usually include hearts and Cupid, the mythical roman god of love who resembles an infant with wings holding a bow and arrow.

So how do Filipinos celebrate Valentine’s Day? Here are just some of the many ways Filipinos express love during the day of the hearts:

1. Gift-giving Just like any other occasion, giving gifts has always been part of the Filipino Valentine’s Day. Among the common presents people give to their love ones include chocolates, flowers, and stuffed animals. In the Philippines, you’ll immediately know it’s already February when you start to see people selling roses and teddy bears along the streets.

2. Dates Going on a date is, of course, one of the highlights in celebrating the holiday. romantic couples usually go on ‘special’ dates on February 14—some couples celebrate it on other days though, especially when the 14th falls on a weekday. While the kind of date itself varies, couples usually tend to make it more meaningful than their usual dates.

Apart from couples, some Filipino families also celebrate Valentine’s Day together, just like Christmas and New Year but in a less-grand way. During Valentine’s, families usually go

out and eat dinner or watch movies. Children usually give letters of gratitude or small gifts to their parents.

3. Confessions and proposal For some people, Valentine’s is one of the perfect days to confess their love or propose to their loved ones. After all, the month of February itself has a very sweet atmosphere.

With all the sales, special items and promos during the month of hearts, confessions and proposals fit the mood. these are just some of the ways how Filipinos usually celebrate Valentine’s. As diverse as countries and cultures are, so are the people’s practices when celebrating Valentine’s Day. However, one thing is no doubt a common factor when people mark this holiday: people always try to show their appreciation to the people they love—whether it’s romantic love, family love, friendship love, or even gratitude, people try to express their feelings of affection.

• The symbol of love. the heart is the most common symbol of romantic love. Ancient cultures believed the human soul lived in the heart. Others thought it to be the source of emotion and intelligence. Some believed the heart embodied a man’s truth, strength and nobility. However, the heart may be associated with love because the ancient Greeks believed it was the target of eros, known as Cupid to the romans. Anyone shot in the heart by one of Cupid’s arrows would fall hopelessly in love. Because the heart is so closely linked to love, it’s red color is thought to be the most romantic.

• Lonely hearts club. If you’re single, don’t despair — February 14 is also Single Awareness Day (SAD). Meant as an alternative to love and romance, the holiday is for single people to celebrate or to commiserate in their single status. (AJPress)

Valentine’s Day by the numbers...

From Page SF2 One thing to note though — 24 percent of single adults buy themselves a present for Valentine’s Day. For those who don’t believe in spending too much, sending greeting cards still seem to be their best bet. there are about 1,500 types of Valentine’s Day cards offered by Hallmark alone this year, and it is estimated that $1 billion will be spent on greeting cards alone.

To celebrate or not to celebrate?

Americans between 35 and 44 years old are most likely to celebrate Valentine’s Day, while less than half of people at least 65 years old will commemorate the occasion. A night out on Valentine’s Day will average $73.68 per couple, with a total amount of $3.8 billion for the whole of the U.S. Men also spent almost double than women last year, suggesting that chivalry is not, in fact, dead.

However, 46.1 percent of

adults do not plan to celebrate Valentine’s Day this year. Also, 53 percent of women say they would break up with their significant other if they got nothing planned.

Still, the day holds a lot of significance for many people. In fact, it is believed that 9 million marriage proposals will be made on Valentine’s Day this year.

Another thing is that 1.9 million Facebook uses changed their

relationship status within a week of Valentine’s Day. While it’s great to see that people are willing to splurge for their loved ones on Valentine’s Day, some still believe that looking for simple and affordable ways to show their appreciation and love is best. though there are means to spend on expensive gifts, the saying that “it’s the thought that counts” holds true when it comes to giving.

entertainment

Filipino nominees for 2017 Nickelodeon awards IT’S the time of the year again when kids’ votes count and the biggest stars of the day line up to get slimed for Nickelodeon’s 2017 Kids’ Choice Awards including nine all-new categories across the world of film, television, music and pop culture.

The winners will be announced in a show with WWe superstar John Cena as host at USC’s Galen Center in Los Angeles, California.

This year, four Filipino celebrities—Janella Salvador, Janine Gutierrez, Liza Soberano and Nadine Lustre—vie for the coveted orange blimp under the “Favorite Pinoy Star” category.

Kids can cast their votes across 29 categories on the official website at kca.nick-asia. com/vote. Users will also be able to vote through Twitter and Facebook using special KCA hashtags and hashtag of their favorite nominee.

Stars will vie for the blimp across ten music categories, with Bruno Mars, Justin Timberlake and Twenty One Pilots topping the list with four nominations each.

After ruling the Billboard and iTunes charts, The Chainsmokers make their Kids’ Choice Awards nominee debut with two nods for “Favorite Music Group” and “Favorite New Artist.” Adele, Beyoncé, Meghan Trainor and Fifth Harmony also garnered two nominations each, while internet sensations Carson Lueders, Jacob Sartorius, Johnny Orlando, JoJo Siwa, Matty B and Tiffany Alvord battle it out in the new category of “Favorite Viral Music Artist.”

For the first time ever, the KCAs will also feature a new music category for “Favorite Global Music Star,” which features six artists from around the world battling it out for the honour of a blimp.

Superheroes, trolls and turtles dominated the movie categories with “Captain America: Civil War,” conjuring up top affirmations with eight nominations. “Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice” followed closely behind with seven, while

SF5

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - February 10, 2017

Julia Montes: ‘I’m not switching networks after ‘Doble Kara’’

by Iza IglesIas ManilaTimes.net

Janella Salvador, Janine Gutierrez, Liza Soberano, and Nadine Lustre vie for the coveted ‘Favorite Pinoy Star’ award at the 2017 Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Awards.

“Ghostbusters” and “rogue One: A Star Wars” Story garnered five each.

Stars receiving first time nods in the film category include Justin Timberlake for “Favorite Voice from an Animated Movie” in “Trolls” (bringing his total nominations to seven), Kristen Wiig for “Favorite Movie Actress” in “Ghostbusters,” and Felicity Jones for “Favorite ButtKicker” in “rogue One: A Star Wars Story.” Kevin Hart makes a double appearance in the new category “BFF’s (Best Friends Forever),” nominated for Central Intelligence and ride Along 2 -bringing his total 2017 KCA nominations to six.

In television, kids will have the opportunity to vote for first-time nominees “Black-ish,” “Fuller House,” “Supergirl,” “Paradise run” and “The Loud House,” along with their choice between “America’s Got

Talent,” “Shark Tank,” “The Voice,” “America’s Funniest Home Videos” and “American Ninja Warrior” for “Favorite reality Show.”

Nickelodeon’s Jace Norman was nominated for “Favorite Male TV Star” in Henry Danger and Breanna yde is up for “Favorite Female TV Star” in “School of rock.” Additionally, in the “Favorite Cartoon” category, kids will choose between “Alvin and The Chipmunks,” “SpongeBob SquarePants,” “Teen Titans Go!,” “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles,” “The Amazing World of Gumball” and “The LoudHouse.”

While this will be Cena’s first time hosting the global show, he is beloved worldwide by the Nickelodeon family, having previously hosted Australia’s Kids’ Choice Awards in 2008, as well as undergoing a sliming at the first UK Kids’ Choice Awards in 2007. (ManilaTimes.net)

A yeAr and a half since it premiered in August 2015, “Doble Kara” has become a huge part of the Filipino viewer’s afternoon habit what with its thrilling and heart wrenching scenes that buoyed the show high up the ratings.

Lead actress Julia Montes said she is overwhelmed how long the series had lasted, and considers it one of the biggest blessings of her career.

“We didn’t not expect to be on air as long as this because before we started—when they told me that I would play the role of twins—I was really nervous how viewers will find my two characters to be, and if I would play them effectively. So I’m thankful to all our directors for the workshops, and all the help they gave so I could show the differences and similarities of Kara and Sara.”

She added, “I’m also thankful to the writers who were very clear on the direction of the story. I played the roles with their guidance and it made everything easy.”

Due to its success—beating out the slew of afternoon series from competing network— Montes was given the title “Daytime Drama Queen.”

“I was kind of pressured that people gave me a title like that but I’m just blessed they gave me this kind of work. They trusted me from the very start.

I did not expect it. Like what I usually say, whatever I pray and ask for from the Lord, He gives it to me ten times more than what I hoped for,” Montes shared.

“I don’t mind to be put in whatever time slot. Whether in the morning, afternoon or even midnight it is okay as long as I get to work on something people support. It also feels good whenever the audience are enjoying it and then they became the part of the story,” the 21-year-old actress added.

Although “Doble Kara” is nearing its goodbye, Montes assured that she will not transfer to another network and will do another show despite the rumors that she was offered to join her home studio’s rival.

“Hopefully I can announce as soon as possible the things that are in store for me after this show. Personally I am excited for this because this is all new me, not just the dual role but physically and emotionally.

It’s another dream come true when it comes to the team and the cast, so I hope it will push through,” she said.

Meanwhile, when asked if

she is open to guest in Coco Martin’s primetime show “Ang Probinsyano,” “That will not come from me. I don’t know.

But yes, if I can join and guest why not, let’s see,” Montes shared.

Also included in the cast of “Doble Kara” are Sam Milby, edgar Allan Guzman, Mylene Dizon, Allen Dizon, rayver Cruz, Mickey Ferriols, Alicia Alonzo, Anjo Damiles, John Lapuz, Nash Aguas, Alexa Ilacad, Polo ravales, and Patricia Javier.

Maxine Medina and the ‘most beautiful day’...

From Page SF3 All I am saying is, we shouldn’t think of Miss Universe 2016 as a failure just because we did not get the back-to-back win were hoping for. We should see it as one of the most beautiful events the whole universe has ever seen.

It was indeed the ‘most beautiful day’ in the Philippines and Maxine was right in the middle of it all. She represented the country that gave these women the most unforgettable experi-

ence they could ever have in their lifetimes. The home-court advantage may not have played well for Maxine in terms of winning the title but it did create a huge impact on the ‘universe’ for all we know.

Now, we welcome the new Miss Universe, Iris Mittenaere of France. She deserves our support as much as she deserved the crown. On behalf of the beautiful people of the Philippines, I congratulate Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere and I hope for all

the best in your reign. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com