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JANUARY 3-9, 2020 Volume 13 - No. 9 • 16 Pages 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 • 2500 Plaza S. Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 • Tel. (212) 655-5426 • Fax: (818) 502-0858

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Filipinos in US not covered by Philippines’ visa requirement plan by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — Filipinos living or traveling in the United States are not covered by the administration’s plan to impose a visa requirement on Americans, Malacañang has clarified. President Rodrigo Duterte

has threatened to require Americans to secure a visa before entering the Philippines as a response to a 2020 U.S. budget amendment that bars individuals behind the detention of opposition Sen. Leila De Lima from entering the U.S. The administration has also banned U.S. Senators Richard Durbin of Illinois and Patrick

DATELINE USA

Leahy of Vermont, authors of the amendment, and Sen. Edward Markey of Massachusetts, supporter of the provision, from entering the Philippines. Last Tuesday, December 31, Durbin called the planned travel restriction an “insult” to the Filipino-American community

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Let us begin anew – Duterte ‘Rizal Day a reminder PH no longer vassal state’ by MA.

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Stockton school to be named after California’s first Fil-Am teacher The new elementary school will honor Flora Arca Mata, who was also the first woman of color to teach at Stockton Unified School District A NEW elementary school in Stockton, California will bear the name of Flora Arca Mata, the first Filipino teacher in the Golden State who laid the groundwork for Asian American educators to come. The Stockton Unified School District (SUSD) accepted name suggestions for the new K-8 school, which will be scheduled to be completed in June 2020 and occupied by the following August. The Stockton-based Filipino American organization Little Manila rising campaigned to put Mata’s name in the running and, according to the organization, the Filipina educator “overwhelmingly had the most votes.”

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NEW YEAR FUN. Fireworks light up the night sky over Metro Manila as Filipinos ring in a new decade on Wednesday, January 1. Inquirer.net photo by Richard Reyes

President Rodrigo Duterte Malacañang photo

REINA LEANNE TOLENTINO ManilaTimes.net

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte expressed hope that policies and programs to uplift the nation would bear fruit with the active participation of all Filipinos. In his New Year’s message, the president called on Filipinos to begin anew. “As this administration enters its fourth year, I am hopeful that all our policies and programs for the improved welfare of our citizens and the continued progress of the Philippines will

sal state, Malacañang said Sunday, December 29. Presidential spokesman THE commemoration of Salvador Panelo said while the death of national hero Dr. Dec. 30 marks a “mournful Jose Rizal reminds Filipinos day” in Philippine history, it of their “continuing revolu- is also a reminder of the fruits tion” against those who still of the ultimate sacrifice of view the Philippines as a vasu PAGE 4 by ALEXIS

ROMERO Philstar.com

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Palace: 2019 ‘exemplary’ year for the Philippines by DIVINA JOY

DELA ManilaTimes.net

CRUZ

MALACAÑANG said 2019 had been an “exemplary” year for the Philippines. In a statement on Sunday, December 29, Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the economy “is on a roll with a BBB+ rating. The Board of Investments has also breached its P1-trillion 2019 investment target as of October 2019, according to the Department of Trade and Industry.

There are fewer poor Filipinos with almost six million lifted out from poverty. Employment has hit a 14-year high. Inflation has been tamed.” Panelo also cited the latest Social Weather Stations survey indicating that 96 percent of Filipinos were entering the New Year with hope rather than fear. He said “a similar survey, done by another independent pollster, also reA Philippine ﬂag billows in the wind near the monument of national hero Dr. Jose Rizal vealed earlier that practically all Filipi- in Rizal Park on Sunday, December 29. The country observed Rizal Day on Monday, nos are welcoming the new year with December 30, the anniversary of Rizal’s 1896 execution at Bagumbayan, the park’s

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former name.

Philstar.com photo KJ Rosales

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From the Front Page

Filipinos in US not covered by... PAGE 1 and the country’s democracy. He also warned that the policy would be disadvantageous to Filipino-Americans and other people who travel between the two countries. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo described Durbin’s warning as “misplaced.” “As regards Sen. Durbin’s remark that this administration should stop threatening the travel of Filipino-Americans from the U.S. to the Philippine territory, the same is likewise misplaced,” Panelo said in a statement issued last Monday. “Filipinos residing or sojourning in America, or our balikbayans, are not covered by our ultimatum should the U.S. government pursue banning the entry of Filipino officials acting in accordance with the Philippine law apropos Sen. De Lima’s case,” he added. Panelo, nevertheless, said imposing visa requirements on foreign nationals is “an exercise of a sovereign right and is

not an insult to any particular community.” “In fact, they have been requiring Filipinos to secure a U.S. visa before we can travel into their homeland. As the community of nations believes in, ‘diplomacy is equality,’” he added. ‘Unfair publicity stunts’ The entry ban against officials and private individuals responsible for De Lima’s arrest and detention in 2017 was included in the 2020 budget signed into law by U.S. President Donald Trump late last month. A “Prohibition on Entry” provision authorizes the secretary of state to apply sub-section (c) to foreign government officials about whom the secretary has “credible information” have been involved in the “wrongful” imprisonment of De Lima. The sub-section refers to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act, which allows the U.S. government to slap sanctions on individuals linked to human rights violations, including

banning them from the U.S. Malacañang has claimed that the entry ban could not be enforced unless there is “credible information” that would prove that De Lima is detained wrongfully. Officials have also maintained that De Lima, in jail on charges of accepting bribes from convicted drug lords, is being accorded due process. Panelo also denied that the rights of De Lima — a vocal critic of Duterte — are being violated. “Allegations of violation of human rights on Sen. De Lima’s case are coming from either absolute ignorance or shameful bias. It is high time for these U.S. senators to consult their U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim who is knowledgeable on our local processes before they start blabbering further nonsense,” the Palace spokesman said. Panelo also assailed Leahy and other foreign officials urging the administration to release De Lima.

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END OF AN ERA. The Harrison Plaza, once the go-to place for shopping and entertainment, closes its doors to the public on Tuesday, December 31. The shopping complex, once one of the biggest establishments in Metro Manila, opened in 1976. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan

Let us begin anew... PAGE 1 be realized with the active participation of everyone. Let us begin anew with a stronger commitment in our shared task of nation-building and ensure that all our development efforts

will be made sustainable and inclusive,” the president said. “While the New Year is indeed a time to reflect on lessons learned, it is also an oppovrtune time to do better and aim higher. With the

guidance and grace of the Almighty and the enduring spirit of bayanihan and malasakit (concern), I am confident that we will achieve a stronger and brighter future for our people,” he added. n

Palace: 2019 ‘exemplary’ year for...

PAGE 1 hope and positivity.” Panelo also cited the “successful” hosting of the 30th Southeast Asian Games, with the Philippines taking the overall championship with a 385-medal haul, 149 of them gold. These are reasons “to be confident in the new year under the leadership and administration of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he said. “Signifcant strides have been made with the presi-

dent undertaking difficult but game-changing reforms which are important in achieving our goal of bringing a more comfortable life for all Filipinos,” Panelo said. “As we wish each Filipino a happy, peaceful and successful 2020, we assure everyone that the best is yet to come. Let us continue to rally behind the Duterte administration as the Chief Executive does his best in serving and protecting the Filipino people, as well as delivering genuine and mean-

ingful change to our nation,” he added. In a separate interview over DZIQ radio, Panelo bared that Duterte continues to wish for a peaceful and prosperous new year for all Filipinos and vows to uplift the people’s conditions. “The president will respond accordingly to the Filipino people’s needs, to give them comfortable lives, to bring changes to bring about a healthy and progressive nation,” he said. n

Stockton school to be named after California’s...

PAGE 1 “WE DID IT! The new K-8 school in Quail Lakes will be named after Flora Arca Mata! Thank you to all of you who filled out SUSD’s naming survey and reposted our campaign,” Little Rising Manila wrote in a Facebook post on Dec. 17. “Thank you for being such a beautiful community and standing up for one of our own. Your voices matter.” Born on Dec. 19, 1917, Mata was originally from Honolulu, Hawaii but her family relocated to Stockton when Mata was two years old. Her older sister worked on the farms in the Central Valley to help pay for Mata’s education at UCLA. Mata was the first Filipino American to graduate from UCLA during a time when

anti-Filipino sentiment was rampant across the state and opportunities were scarce for Asian Americans. After graduation, she worked as a tutor and as a maid, and then, in 1940, she and her husband moved to the Philippines where they stayed for the remainder of the Second World War. The couple returned to Stockton shortly thereafter and Mata continued to teach, this time at the schools she attended in her youth. She was the first woman of color to teach at the SUSD and taught for 32 years before retiring in 1980; but, a teacher through and through, she continued to substitute teach into her 80s. Mata died in 2013 at 95 years old and is survived by her son, Eddie Mata; her daughter

Vida Longely-Mata and her 21 grandchildren and greatgrandchildren. One of her granddaughters, Sheree Mata, is a kindergarten teacher and said in 2013 that “education has just been a part of our family. I think it runs in the blood.” In her time, Mata broke many barriers and went above and beyond to become a beloved figure in education and among Asian Americans. But Mata believed that it isn’t enough just to break barriers; rather, it is more important to leave a legacy upon which others can build. “To be first is not that important,” Mata told the Stocktonbased news organization The Record in 1975. “It’s what you do after that’s important. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)

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Dateline USa

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Suspect identified in 1982 cold case murder of 2 Fil-Ams SAN FRANCISCO — Closure has finally come to the family of two young Filipino Americans murdered 37 years ago as their suspected killer has been identified through DNA and genetic technology. Cousins Jeffrey Flores Atup and Mary Jane Malatag, both 16, were found dead along roadways on the morning of Dec. 20, 1982, according to Fremont police. They were last seen alive walking home from a movie and a convenience store. Malatag was sexually asFIRECRACKER INJURY UPDATE. Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III (seated 2nd from left) reports a 35-percent decrease in fireworksrelated injuries from 251 cases in 2018 during a press conference on Wednesday, January 1 at the East Avenue Medical Center in Quezon saulted. Their bodies were City. From Dec. 21, 2019 to Jan. 1 2020, a total of 164 fireworks-related injuries were reported. PNA photo by Gil Calinga found eight miles apart at intersections in Fremont and Milpitas, California. Examination of DNA left the murder scenes, genetic genealogy research, and exhumation of Hudspeth’s remains threatening to require Ameriby Alexis RomeRo led to his identity as the most cans to secure visas before Philstar.com likely killer of the teens. coming to the Philippines. ANOTHER American senator Panelo has said the possible has been barred from entering change in visa rules for Amerithe Philippines after voicing cans is the administration’s support for a U.S. travel ban way of resisting attempts by on Philippine officials deemed foreigners to meddle in the PAGE 2 responsible for the detention Philippines’ processes. of Sen. Leila de Lima on drug “The call of these foreign ofMarkey was one of five U.S. charges. ficials to release Sen. Leila De senators behind a resolution Malacañang confirmed that calling for the release of De Lima, who is presently facing Massachusetts Sen. Edward Lima, who has been in detencharges before an independent Markey has joined fellow Dem- tion since 2017 on charges that Philippine court, is a brazen ocratic Senators Dick Durbin she received money from con- Massachusetts Sen. Edward Markey interference into our soverand Patrick Leahy, authors of victed drug lords and allowed Photo from U.S. Senate eignty,” Panelo said. the entry ban amendment, in the drug trade to flourish in the Americans and so many oth“Their alternative demand the list of American lawmak- national penitentiary when she ers who travel between our to provide the lady senator a ers barred from entering the was justice secretary. nations, and instead release fair, speedy and credible trial Philippines. De Lima has denied the al- Senator De Lima or assure is totally misplaced because “Yes,” presidential spokes- legations, saying she is being a quick and credible trial,” precisely, that is being given man Salvador Panelo said in persecuted because of her Durbin said. her by the hearing court as a text message last Monday critical stance on Duterte’s “This strong-arm tactic is an required by the Constitution,” when asked to confirm infor- murderous anti-drug cam- insult to the Filipino American he added. mation that Markey has been paign. Parties who feel that concommunity and the country’s prohibited from coming to the stitutional guarantees are not In the resolution, Markey, democracy,” he said. country. Durbin and Sens. Marco Rubio De Lima, he said, has been being observed should avail Panelo said Markey was of Florida, Marsha Blackburn in jail for more than 1,000 themselves of appropriate included in the ban for sup- of Tennessee and Christopher days on highly questionable remedial measures under Philporting the travel restriction Coons of Delaware called charges. ippine law instead of resorting against officials involved in the De Lima “a prisoner of con“Her release, which has to “unfair publicity stunts,” detention of De Lima. science” in detention “solely been championed by groups according to Panelo. Last month, United States on account of her political such as Amnesty International “This matter is a case bePresident Donald Trump views and the legitimate exer- — and now the U.S. Congress tween Sen. De Lima and the signed into law the 2020 U.S. cise of her freedom of expres- — is unfortunately symbolic of budget containing an amend- sion.” the larger price one increasment that authorizes U.S. SecMalacañang called the reso- ingly pays for peaceful dissent retary of State Mike Pompeo to lution “an unwelcome intrusion and honest journalism under prohibit individuals behind De to the country’s domestic legal President Duterte in the Philip- PAGE 1 Lima’s detention from entering processes and an outrageous pines,” Durbin said. Rizal, who he said contributthe U.S. interference with our nation’s He also mentioned Rappler ed “freedom from bondage” A provision on “Prohibition sovereignty.” CEO Maria Ressa and referred in the collective memory of on Entry” allows the secretary In a statement, Durbin to her and De Lima as “voices Filipinos. of state to deny U.S. entry to warned it’s the Filipino-Ameri- who face harassment and “December 30 of each year officials involved in De Lima’s cans who would bear the brunt imprisonment for fostering forms part of our collective detention “based on credible of Duterte’s own travel restric- honest coverage regarding the imagination of our continuinformation,” as well as apply tions. Instead of “irrationally” country’s sweeping extrajudi- ing revolution against those the Global Magnitsky Human threatening visa restrictions on cial killings, which is an affront who still treat our nation as Rights Accountability Act by U.S. visitors, Durbin said the to the cherished democratic a vassal state,” Panelo said in imposing sanctions on indi- Duterte administration should norms we share with our long his statement for Rizal Day. viduals tagged in human rights just release De Lima. Panelo did not identify the standing Filipino allies.” violations, including freezing “Illinois is proudly home to Leahy on Sunday also individuals or groups that retheir U.S. assets. a vibrant, hardworking Fili- slammed the Philippine gov- gard the Philippines as a vasPresident Duterte retali- pino community. The Duterte ernment’s “irrational” threat to sal state but he has used the ated by ordering an entry ban regime should stop threaten- require visas for U.S. citizens term to assail foreigners who against Durbin and Leahy and ing the travel of these Filipino entering the country. n criticize President Duterte’s

Third US senator barred from Philippines Government hit over threats of new visa rules vs US

Undated photo of cousins Mary Jane Malatag and Jeffrey Flores Atup, who were murdered in December 1982. Photo courtesy of Fremont Police

Hudspeth, aged 31 in 1982, had a criminal history of bank robberies, sexual assaults and attempted homicide, was 31 years old at the time of the crime, police said. He lived a

4-minute drive from where Atup’s body was found, according to an ABC News report. Anyone with information can call Det. Jacob Blass at 510-790-6963. (Inquirer.net)

Filipinos in US not covered by... people of the Philippines. Our criminal statutes are believed to be violated by her,” the Palace spokesman said. “Any undue persuasion that tramples upon our judicial processes or puts any form of tension on the officers of our courts relative thereto must be condemned accordingly by all citizens of this state,” he added. ‘Fight back, fight more’ As the nation welcomed the New Year, De Lima said people should see 2020 as a time “to fight back” and “fight more” against abusive leaders and not be cowed by threats and oppression. In her message in celebration of the New Year, De Lima rallied the Filipino public to strengthen their call for a more just and humane society and show the world the power

of people’s solidarity toward upholding social justice and democracy. “Each New Year is a time of new hope — hope that the year will be better for one’s self, for one’s family and for the whole country,” De Lima said in Filipino. “My wish and prayer: that each of us be stronger in facing new challenges this year, strengthen our faith and amplify the call for a just society that respects the rights of each Filipino, whatever one’s gender, age and belief is,” she added. De Lima welcomed 2020 inside her detention quarters at Camp Crame, Quezon City. She was joined by her family, relatives, friends and staff members. (Christina Mendez, Cecille Suerte Felipe, Pia LeeBrago/Philstar.com)

‘Rizal Day a reminder PH no longer... policies, including his controversial crackdown on illegal drugs. Panelo said Rizal’s passing 123 years ago did not go to waste because it fueled the “re-awakening” of the Filipinos’ forefathers who stood up against the abuses of colonizers that extended for over three centuries. Meanwhile the popularity of social media should also not be a reason for millennials and netizens to forget about the supreme sacrifice of Rizal, a lawmaker said. Rep. Fidel Nograles of

Rizal province’s second district called on Filipinos, especially the youth, to make use of the new digital platform to be aware of what is going on in their environment, just like the way Rizal did during his time in the late 1800s. The neophyte administration lawmaker urged the youth to maximize the benefits they can derive from the internet and use their knowledge of technology to create solutions to society’s problems. (With reports from Delon Porcalla/Philstar.com)

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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 3-9, 2020

OPINION

FEATURES

Slowing down THE projection was that the number of Filipinos would surpass 110 million by 2020. Now the Commission on Population has lowered its forecast amid a reported deceleration in the number of childbirths. PopCom says that by July 2020, there would be 108.7 million Filipinos — 1.2 million lower than the 109.9 million originally projected by the Philippine Statistics Authority. PopCom reported that in the past decade, the country’s population growth has been slowing down, dipping by 0.21 percent from the 1.73 percent between 2010 and 2015 to 1.52 percent in the second half of the decade. Between 2019 and 2020, PopCom is projecting an increase of 1.38 percent, or over 1.48 million added to the population. While the birth rate is dipping, more Filipinos are living longer and accounting for a greater percentage of the population. By 2020, PopCom estimates that Filipinos 60 years and older will grow to nearly 9.69 million, accounting for 8.8 percent of the population. PopCom attributes the slower population

growth rate to reproductive health and family planning programs gaining acceptance among Filipinos and yielding results. PopCom, however, stresses that the country still has one of the highest population growth rates in Southeast Asia, with a rising number of adolescent and teenage pregnancies. From the start of his administration, the full implementation of reproductive health programs has been part of President Duterte’s socioeconomic development agenda. He tried to overcome legal roadblocks by issuing an executive order, but the RH campaign began taking off only when the legal hurdles were lifted. Today the implementation of the RH program still needs full support from local government units, so the President may need to exert pressure to get the cooperation that is critical to the success of the program. The latest statistics show a downward trend in population growth, but this must be sustained, and there is no room for complacency. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

Philstar.com photo

We lost our islands with arbitration award Duterte drops US visit as visa row heats up Commentary

RIGOBERTO TIGLAO IT is a colossal deception that the Philippines in 2016 won the arbitration suit against China involving our disputes in the South China Sea and that the country should pursue the “enforcement” of the arbitral tribunal’s “award.” The arbitral tribunal declared only one feature occupied by China in the Spratlys, Mischief Reef, as within

our exclusive economic zone (EEZ), which the superpower cannot claim since as a “lowtide elevation,” or one which sinks to the sea at high tide, it cannot be appropriated by any country. Even that victory is doubtful because China argues that it claims Mischief Reef not as a separate feature, but as part of its Nansha islands. Whether China is right or not, that the tribunal declared Mischief Reef as within our EEZ is dwarfed in significance by what we lost as a result of the award, which prompted not a few scholars to conclude that the arbitration ruling was a pyrrhic victory for the Philippines. The

term’s origins refer to King become collateral damage in Pyrrhus of Epirus who lost Postscript the tit for tat that could get out so many of his troops in one of hand if mishandled. victorious battle with the RoOnly officials involved in the mans. In this case, the Phildetention of Sen. Leila de Lima ippines lost so much in getsince 2017 on drug-related ting the tribunal to rule that charges are being targeted by FEDERICO PASCUAL JR. Mischief Reef is ours. a provision in the 2020 U.S. The tribunal extended its budget law allowing President AS A WORD war raged over Trump to ban her persecutors ruling on the Chinese-occupied features to all of the the U.S. ban on selected Phil- and freeze their assets in the Spratlys, including the fea- ippine officials and the freez- U.S. tures we claim or occupy. It ing of their assets, President Denouncing what it said declared: “None of the high- Duterte rejected a standing was U.S. meddling in internal tide features in the Spratly invitation to visit the White Philippine affairs, Malacañang Islands, in their natural con- House, barred the entry of two threatened on Thursday, Dedition, are capable of sustain- U.S. senators and threatened cember 26, to require all Amering human habitation or eco- to require visiting Americans icans intending to come to the nomic life of their own within to secure visas. Philippines to first secure an There are so far no indica- entry visa. the meaning of Article 121(3) of the Convention; and that tions, however, that the ordiThis knee-jerk reaction could PAGE 10 nary Filipino traveler would remain just a threat, because it

could inflict more harm to the Philippines than to the U.S. if carried out. Also, many of those to be affected are Fil-Ams holding only U.S. passports. At present, Americans are allowed visa-free visits of 30 days like the citizens of fellow ASEAN members and other favored nations. Chinese arriving without visas are routinely granted one upon presenting their passports at the port of entry. Panicking Filipino officials, including senators and congressmen with businesses and assets in the U.S., have started to distance themselves from De Lima’s detention despite their having been active in the camPAGE 10

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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NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 3-9, 2020

Dateline PhiliPPines

Martial law in Mindanao met goals – Lorenzana by Dempsey

reyes ManilaTimes.net

In a packed courtroom at the Metro Manila District Jail Annex-2 at Camp Bagong Diwa in Taguig City, muted cheers could be heard as Quezon City Regional Trial Court Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes read the verdict last December 19, declaring 28 of the accused guilty beyond reasonable doubt of 57 counts of murder. Photo courtesy of Supreme Court Public Information Office

Anwar Ampatuan Sr., two sons appeal guilty verdict in massacre case MANILA — Murder convicts Anwar Ampatuan Sr. and sons Anwar Jr. and Anwar Sajid asked the court to reverse its ruling as it found them guilty over the 2009 Maguindanao massacre. The Star reported that the Anwar Sr., former Shariff Aguak mayor, and his two sons filed their motion for reconsideration against the Dec. 19, 2019 ruling of Quezon City Regional Trial Court Branch No. 221 Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes. Reyes found the three and 25 others guilty of murder and were sentenced to serve a maximum of 40 years in prison. Anwar Sr. is the brother of Andal Ampatuan Jr. former mayor of Datu Unsay, Maguindanao and Zaldy Ampatuan, former governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Andal Jr. and Zaldy are considered the primary suspects—later, convicts—in the gruesome crime that claimed 58 lives, 32 of which were of media workers. Motion for reconsideration But the three Ampatuans in their respective pleadings, said that Reyes relied heavily

on the testimony of suspectturned-state witness Sukarno Badal, whose credibility they questioned before the court. “It is arduous to believe that the alleged eyewitness could have remembered everything every participant said in those meetings,” Anwar Sr.’s plea read. The joint motion of Anwar Jr. and Anwar Sajid meanwhile read: “His testimony should not be entitled to full faith and credit.” They added: “It is a settled axiom that [if] witnesses testify falsely as to any material fact... their testimony should be discarded as a whole.” Badal is a former vice mayor of Sultan sa Barongis town in Maguindanao. He testified to seeing Ampatuan shooting some of the victims of the massacre. He claimed to have been with Ampatuan and the other suspects when they ordered the convoy carrying the wife and sisters of Rep. Esmael Mangudadatu (Maguindano) and media workers. Ruling Reyes, in her historic ruling, said that the prosecution proved the convicts’ guilt beyond reasonable doubt as they showed that the killing—con-

sidered the worst case of election-related violence in Philippine history—was planned days before the massacre. “The timeline proves beyond reasonable doubt that there were gatherings prior to Nov. 23, 2009. The purpose had been laid out in these meetings: to not just prevent, but kill all the persons transporting the candidacy papers of Datu Toto to Shariff Aguak,” read the decision. “The method had also been ascertained: numerous men, firearms, checkpoints, Sanggukos and a backhoe would be used to accomplish the murder objective,” the decision further read. Reyes identified Anwar Sajid and Anwar Jr. as first class convicts or those who had prior knowledge of the murder plot and actually fired at the victims. Anwar Sr. and Zaldy fell under the second class of suspects or those who had prior knowledge of the crime but were not at the crime scene. Their actions however still “had for their purpose the attainment of their common objective of committing the unlawful act.” (Kristine Joy Patag with reports from Janvic Mateo/Philstar.com)

Group sees ‘crony’ takeover of ABS-CBN by Ding

Cervantes Philstar.com

MANILA — A labor group s e e s P re s i d e n t R o d r i g o Duterte’s threats against water companies and television network ABS-CBN as part of a supposed plan to favor his cronies and build a financial base for his political coalition in the 2022 elections. “The administration is attack-

ing the owners of Maynilad, Manila Water, ABS-CBN and others. Duterte’s intention is not to empower the workers or the state vis-à-vis these oligarchs, but only to replace them with his own set of oligarchs,” National Confederation of Labor chairman Ernie Arellano said in a statement. Duterte had earlier said he was not in favor of renewing the television network’s

franchise. He even advised ABS-CBN owners to just sell the network, whose license is set to expire in March. Arellano said the President is “emboldened by investments of local capitalists who serve as dummies of financiers from China, who will provide ready cash for take-overs when the franchises of the water and media utilities expire.” n

GOVERNMENT security forces were able to achieve their goals during the course of martial law in southern Mindanao, according to Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana. He thanked Congress for the approval of martial law in the region thrice when highranking security officials in the past years submitted their recommendations to extend the declaration. Martial law in Mindanao was first declared on May 23, 2017 by President Rodrigo Duterte and lasted for two years and seven months. The declaration was made in response to the attack of the Islamic State inspired Maute group in Marawi City, leading to a five-month siege that left more than a thousand fatalities. The security forces, however, decided not to extend martial law this year after security officials cited the improvement of the security

situation in Mindanao. “The security sector believes that the objective of the martial law has been achieved. The rebellion in Marawi, Lanao del Sur and other areas in Mindanao has been effectively stopped,” Lorenzana said in a statement on Tuesday, December 31. “[Security forces on the ground] are confident that they can maintain the current peace and order in Mindanao and that an attack similar in scale to Marawi cannot be waged by the remnants of the Mautes or by any other terrorist groups in the future,” he added. Various officials, mostly from the local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao, have openly expressed their support to have another round of martial law. With this, Lorenzana assured that the Armed Forces of the Philippines “will continue to safeguard the hardearned peace and stability in the region,” now that martial law lost its effectivity.

“The number of troops [at present] will remain as is wherever they are and will continue to collaborate with the LGUs to sustain peace and stability,” the Defense chief said. As martial law was lifted, the Armed Forces and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have expressed confidence on an “improved security climate” in Mindanao. “[W]e are confident of an improved security climate in Mindanao that will work for the benefit of fellow Filipinos,” Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo, military spokesman, said in a separate statement. “Specifically, where ML (martial law) was an issue, it is expected to boost economic activities due to added investors’ confidence,” Arevalo added. Nevertheless, the military official advised all local chief executives as well as their constituents to “press on and build” from the achievements made from the marPAGE 10

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We lost our islands with arbitration... PAGE 5 none of the high-tide features in the Spratly Islands generate entitlements to an exclusive economic zone or continental shelf.” The tribunal reduced the status of all islands in the area as mere “rocks,” under the Unclos definition. It’s a huge loss for us since we have, after Taiwan’s Taiping island, the biggest feature in the Spratlys, Pag-Asa (37 hectares in size) and several relatively big islands such as Likas (19 has.) and Parola (13 has), which, as is the practice with most states, are without doubt considered as islands. But the tribunal declared that these are only “rocks” in its much criticized interpretation of Unclos provisions, and therefore not entitled to a 200-nautical mile EEZ. The flaw of tribunal’s ruling indeed was starkly demonstrated when it declared that the biggest island in the Spratlys, Taiping–47 has. in size and controlled by Taiwan, which has a garrison with an airport that can accommodate even C-130 planes, and is energy self-sufficient because of its huge array of solar panels–is not an island. We could have claimed in future negotiations for delimitation of EEZs with other countries, that Pag-Asa island as well as the other islands we occupy and claim are each entitled 200-nautical mile EEZs, each of which is an area of 430 sq km, four times bigger than the entire island of Luzon. This vast area may contain oil and gas wells that we would have the right to look for. But the tribunal we asked to rule on our dispute with China declared that these are not islands but merely “rocks,” and therefore not entitled to EEZs. The Aquino government’s attempt to shoot down China’s claims of sovereignty in the Spratlys backfired in a huge way on the Philippines, The tribunal’s ruling on what are not islands goes

against the current definitions of many countries. For example, Japan’s Okinotorishima isn’t eroding into the sea only because the Japanese built an embankment around it. Its 10 sq m of land area is 1/37,000 the size of our Pag-Asa island. Yet the Japanese claim it is an island which has a territorial sea and EEZ, which gives it a huge 156,000 sq km of EEZ. Japan rigorously patrols that EEZ, protesting every time any foreign ship not on an innocent passage enters it, such as vessels surveying for hydrocarbon deposits.. Not only Japan. Almost all the major powers have “rocks,” which they claim have EEZs. The U.S. claims Howland Island, Baker Island and Kingman Reef have EEZs which gives it huge areas in the Pacific where it vigorously exercises its sovereign right. Australia has McDonald Island, and France, Clipperton Island. It verges on treason that the Aquino government allowed its American lawyers to argue at great length that our Pag-Asa island is not an “island” by Unclos standards, and to disclose to the world details that should have been confidential as it involved matters of national security. The lawyers’ written statements disclosed, using the island’s American nomenclature, “Thitu” instead of our Pag-Asa: “The local population on Thitu, transplanted there and maintained by the Philippine government since 2001, keeps a few animals and grows some vegetables, which is possible only because soil is continually brought from Palawan. The amount of food produced is not enough to sustain even this small community, and supplies are shipped from the mainland by a naval vessel once a month. The Philippines maintains military and civilian administrative personnel on Thitu, also supplied from outside.” The lead counsel Paul

Reichler of the Washington law firm Foley Hoag LLP in the oral arguments said, in effect announcing to the world that the Philippines was merely putting up a show to make Pag-asa look like an island: “Everyone on Thitu has been transplanted from the Philippine mainland. Human habitation is not naturally sustainable there. Without regular supplies of essentials from Palawan or other major Philippine islands, it would disappear. The conditions are even harsher at much smaller West York Island, which is a sandy cay with more coconut trees than human beings. Only seven Philippine military personnel are stationed there. There are no civilians. All supplies are brought in from outside.” Worse, Aquino-del Rosario through their lawyers lied to the tribunal, and misrepresented the Philippines when they claimed: “The Philippines…claims only a 12 [mile] territorial sea from it. The Philippines considers the feature a ‘rock’ governed by Article 121(3).” The Philippines has not officially declared, after Unclos took effect in 1994, whether Pag-Asa island and the other islands in the Spratlys generate a 430 sq km EEZ. The Aquino-del Rosario suit has in effect deprived, forever as it were, our government — without consulting with Congress — the right to do so. The tribunal’s ruling is final and cannot be appealed. The tragedy here is that it is only the Philippines that is bound by the arbitration suit, as China refused to participate in it. Only the Philippines will be losing the right to claim EEZs around its islands in the KIG. Taiwan, whose Taiping island was also ruled as a mere “rock,” will definitely obviously ignore the arbitration’s ruling since it is not a part of it. Vietnam which has the biggest number of islands, next to us, will ignore it. (ManilaTimes.net)

Martial law in Mindanao met goals...

PAGE 7 tial law in maintaining “the strong security posture now in place.” Should incidents and violence continue to transpire in the southern Philippine island, Arevalo said Proclamation 55 of Duterte is still in effect.

The proclamation, which declared Mindanao under a state of national emergency on account of lawless violence, was issued by the President in September 2016 after the bombing of at a night market in Davao City. Brig. Gen. Bernard Banac, PNP spokesman, however,

pointed out that spoilers continue to linger in some areas of Mindanao. “What remains are the perennial peace and order spoilers in the traditional trouble spots on the island provinces of Western Mindanao and some small localities in Central Mindanao,” he said. n

Dateline PhiliPPines

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NEW YEAR’ S. Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle delivers his homily as he celebrates Mass on New Year’s Eve at the Manila Cathedral. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

Duterte drops US visit as visa...

PAGE 5 paign against the opposition senator and critic of Duterte. Many Duterte apologists and trolls in social media have also been lying low since the reiteration of the ban and the freezing of assets of aliens deemed to be undesirable under the US Global Magnitsky Human Rights Accountability Act. Presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said Friday that should a ban from entry into the U.S. be enforced against Philippine officials linked to De Lima’s imprisonment, the government will require all Americans intending to enter the Philippines to apply and secure a visa first. He added that president Duterte was immediately ordering the Bureau of Immigration to bar the entry of Sens. Dick Durbin (Illinois) and Patrick Leahy (Vermont) who introduced the ban in the U.S. budget law. Their insertion includes a clause on “Prohibition on Entry” that specified “foreign government officials” about whom the (State) Secretary has “credible information” that they have been involved in the “wrongful imprisonment” of De Lima. Panelo also announced that President Duterte said he would officially decline a standing invitation to visit the United States. He recalled that the president had told him many times before that he never intended to visit the U.S. in the first place. The president who turns 75 in March has also said that the long-haul flight (around 15 hours) to Washington would be too grueling for him. Heads of government routinely invite one another, almost as part of the small talk, when

they meet in summits, forums and such gatherings. Trump has been inviting Duterte to the White House since April 2017. With this jarring turn of events, we think the Duterte administration should try working out things quietly. Braggadocio and empty threats will not work in dealing with the U.S. Panelo claimed that U.S. Ambassador Sung Kim had agreed with him when he said that the State department will only act when it has “credible information” about a Filipino official’s involvement in De Lima’s detention. He quoted Kim telling him: “I read your statement, it’s a very good statement, I agree with it. It’s Congress that passed that law.” The ambassador may want to confirm or clarify what he said before it is mangled beyond recognition. Rebel exiles still control NPA? Before communist rebel leader Jose Ma. Sison sits down for peace talks with President Duterte or his emissaries, he may have to prove that he and his cabal ensconced in the Netherlands are still in full control of the New People’s Army insurgents back home. There is no point negotiating with Sison and his group if the self-exiled rebel leaders cannot enforce any agreement reached with the Duterte administration on the ending the five-decade rebellion that has taken tens of thousands of Filipino lives. The possible disconnect between Sison’s group and the NPA fighters on the ground was raised after the insurgents attacked government forces in Camarines Norte and Iloilo on the first day of a Dec. 23-Jan. 7

ceasefire preparatory to peace talks. A report from the Joint Task Force Bicolandia said a soldier was killed and six others were wounded when NPA members ambushed troops from the 92nd Division Reconnaissance Co. in Labo, Camarines Norte. Minutes after the attack, another group of rebels fired at a police vehicle in Tubungan, Iloilo, wounding two policemen. Despite his decision in 2017 to stop negotiating with the communist insurgents, Duterte has sent emissaries to Sison in an effort to forge peace with them before his term ends in 2022. Duterte said he wanted to talk directly with SIson, his former professor in college, promising that he would not be arrested if he returned to the country for the one-on-one. Sison said he was amenable to meeting Duterte anywhere in Asia but not in the Philippines. The government, he said, would be in a position to manipulate the talks if held in the president’s home ground. The founder of the Communist Party of the Philippines said he did not trust individuals and groups moving to sabotage the peace process and that he would only talk to the president alone, without distracting entities. He claimed that the Duterte administration was “going downhill to hell” and “could not find enough relief from its imperialist masters to overcome the rising revolutionary movement of the Filipino people.” (Philstar.com) *** NOTA BENE: All Postscripts can be accessed at manilamail.com. Follow author on Twitter as @FDPascual. Email feedback to dikpascual@gmail.com.

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COMMUNITY Journal

Solenn gives birth to first baby on New Year’s Day By Krissy AguilAr Inquirer.net

WHAT’S THE BEST WAY FOR A TNT TO LEGALIZE HIS STAY IN THE U.S.? This Sunday, viewers will get to hear the immigration questions of the third batch of Kapamilya who attended the “Citizen Pinoy” taping in Virginia. Tune in to get the most relevant information and answers to immigration concerns on an encore episode of— “Citizen Pinoy,” this Sunday at 6:15 p.m. PST/EST (9:15 p.m. EST thru select Cable/Satellite providers). (Advertising Supplement)

Will signing an untrue confession help your case? Immigration Corner Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ MANY people have consulted with me after their case has been denied by a USCIS officer or consul at the Embassy. In some cases, the person has signed a confession, but claim it was not true. I asked them that if it was not true, why did they sign it? They reply the USCIS officer or consul told them, “It will be good for your case if you sign this.” Trusting the officer or consul, the person dutifully signed the confession, relying on the officer’s assurance that by signing it, it would be helpful. But helpful to whom? Signing a confession would certainly be helpful to the government, as that would help support and justify a denial or refusal. But I cannot see where confessing to something a person did not do would ever be helpful to their case. Sometimes, a loving couple is in a good faith marriage, and yet sign a confession that it’s a fixed marriage. There have

been other cases where a person, under petition by an employer, “confesses” they will repay the employer for all immigration costs, even though the employer is shouldering all costs, because the consul told them “it will be helpful for your case if you sign.” Certainly, if a person is not entitled to an immigration benefit, they should not be applying in the first case. If they are caught, a denial could be justified. But a person should not be tricked or entrapped into signing something that is not true because of assurances that by signing an untrue confession it would be “helpful” to their case. That is why if you are being pressured into signing confessions or statements that are not true, you should not do so. Once they are signed, it is very hard to retract or take back that signed confession and it is likely to be accepted as true. Instead, if you are asked to sign a statement, you should first have your attorney review the contents for accuracy and truthfulness. The bottom line is a person should of course be truthful and apply for immigration benefits only if they are entitled. But if that’s

the case, they should not be signing confessions, admitting to things that are untrue because they felt that they were pressured or persuaded that it would help their case. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars 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 and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/ GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @ GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES

ACTRESS Solenn Heussaff welcomed 2020 by giving birth to her first child with husband Nico Bolzico. Heussaff on Wednesday, January 1 via Instagram shared a photo of herself lying on a hospital bed with Bolzico by her side. “Best way to welcome 2020. So in love with you Thylane Katana,” Heussaff wrote. On Tuesday, December 31, Bolzico shared a photo of them, saying they are spending New Year’s Eve at the hospital. “Advance Happy New Year! Looks like we are spending it in an unexpected place this time! Waiting for #BabyBolz! Disclaimer: hopefully this is not #Wifezilla pranking me and going too far!” Bolzico wrote. The couple first announced they are expecting their first child back in August. Heussaff and Bolzico tied the knot in France in 2016. Solenn Heussaff

Photo from Instagram_@solenn

January 3-9, 2020 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA 2020 presents to us all a new lease on life — a fresh slate, a clean paper, what the Greeks call tabula rasa, on which you can start writing your new story. Or if you use a computer, click on a new blank document and chase the cursor until the rest of your life story for this new year unfolds. How does one use this new lease on life? Most people lucky enough to be given a second chance, will quickly realize that this new lease can just be an extra few months or years, and in the most blessed scenarios, a decade or two or even more. each day beyond that critical turning point is a bonus, every single moment, a gift. sometimes, God mercifully knocks some sense into us through drastic means by throwing us a curve ball to bring us down on our knees so that we have no choice but to look above and beyond our own petty, selfish concerns and total self-involvement in order to grasp the concept of our own mortality and to know that we are here for a purpose. We’re not here to merely consume resources or take up space. neither are we here to remain tethered to our smart phones texting, taking selfies or getting suckered and absorbed by the greatest ego bloater of our time, posting and reading about ourselves and others on social media. Consider the fearsome dinosaurs. Grazing the earth for millions of years, that is essentially what they did — consumed resources and took up space. not by intelligence but by sheer size and numbers, they had dominion over all other species for millions of years, until one day, as scientists try to explain their extinction, a rogue asteroid about 7 miles long, possibly got unhinged off its orbit in the asteroid belt, hit the earth with such impact, setting off a series of volcanic eruptions that covered the atmosphere with ash far above the stratosphere, so that sunlight could not pen-

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A new Tabula Rasa “…Purpose does not come as clear as the light of day. We have to seek it out…” etrate through the haze for years, killing off the plant life, upsetting and destroying the food chain balance and effectively starving and wiping the dinosaurs off the face of the earth 65 million years ago. Here is earth’s tabula rasa story — starting on a clean slate, a new lease on life. When the reptiles died, mammals, of which we are classified under, began their ascent. Human beings with purpose came to be. Yet each man’s purpose is nebulous and not always obvious. purpose does not come as clear as the light of day. We have to seek it out. either by choice or circumstance, some exceptional ones find their purpose early enough and proceed to fulfill it. sometimes, it is as simple as blooming where God planted us. But the great majority of people on the bell curve don’t have the nose to sense their true north. Most of us of the garden variety meander about our lives trying different things until we finally stumble upon it by trial and error. the annals of history are rife with such stories. st. paul played a critical role in the beginnings of the early Christian church through his numerous travels. But he didn’t start out that way. He was just as passionate about persecuting Christians before he was tapped from above to do what he did. edwin Hubble, the great astronomer who lived in the nineteen twenties and for whom the Hubble space telescope (Hst) is named for his outstanding achievements in expanding our view of the universe, tried different things before finding out what he was meant to do. In college, he played championship basketball and even tried boxing. After fighting in World War I, he studied law, tried lawyering for a year and obviously didn’t like it. something must have happened because he went back to college to study astronomy and finally found

his footing and his purpose in life. that’s what most of us do. We try different lives until we find the one that matches heaven’s purpose. Just don’t run out of time. no one wants to leave with unfinished business. If our stations in life allow us the luxury of choice, then more than likely, we will be meandering too and trying different things before coming on board to the ship that will likely bring us to the port of our purpose. try reading all or portions of rick Warren’s “the purpose Driven Life.” Warren, who has just gone through some difficult personal trial, is the pastor of saddleback Church in Orange County, California. We don’t really have to wait for something dramatic, traumatic or tragic to happen to get us on track to finding that purpose. But do go to the right source. nix the harebrained ideas coming from most of the media about what that purpose might be. When it comes to things that matter, most of the mainstream media has proven itself to be unworthy of trust. It pushes its own agenda of acquiring power that comes from profit. tune out of the external world and dive deep within. If you pray hard enough and long enough and live in the silence for a little while, chances are, you’ll find it. You can then begin rewriting your own story on a new document page — your own life story, at least for the year 2020, which might get heaven’s stamp of approval. For your part, you might get that deep sense of satisfaction and that precious peace that surpasses all understanding. HAPPY, HEALTHY, PROSPEROUS AND PURPOSEFUL 2020!!! *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal P u b l i c a t i o n s , I n c . To s e n d co m m e n t s , e - m a i l m o n e t te. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com.

Former President Benigno Aquino III (second from right) and New Yorker Menchie Portillo Peralta (right) were among the guests at the birthday celebration of Baste Chua held at the Gloria Maris Restaurant in Greenhills. Among Chua’s other well-wishers were (from left) Emy Florentino Gonzales and Mrs. World Philippines Vivian Yano of Osaka, Japan.

Former Ambassador Rosalinda (Baby) de Perio (left) hosted a breakfast and a luncheon at Red Rock Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada for New Yorker Menchie Portillo Peralta (second from right). Among her well-wishers and guests were (from left) Pia de Perio, Gus Flores, Ms. Peralta and Ms. de Perio, former ambassador to Israel.

Menchie Peralta with Consul of Monaco Fortune Ledesma at the blessing of Menchie’s condominium at Shangrila in Salcedo Village, Makati City.

Menchie Peralta (standing, left) hosted a luncheon at the blessing of her new condominium at Shangrila in Salcedo Village, Makati City. Among her guests were (seated, from left) Elo Santamaria, Cris Ablaza and Thelma Gana and standing along with Menchie is Patty Jalbuena.

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Filipino singer vies in Euro song contest Angelica reflects on decade of discovering she’s adopted, losing loved ones By aric JohN

Sy ManiltaTimes

By Niña

V. GuNo

Inquirer.net

ANGELICA Panganiban described the past decade as a “rollercoaster ride,” though the drama she has been through seems closer to a soap opera. The actress reflected on the pains and joys she has experienced in an Instagram post on New Year’s Eve, starting with the time she found out she was adopted. “Sa loob ng sampung taon, literal na roller coaster ride. Nalaman kong adopted ako, nagtago ako ng ilang buwan sa pamilya ko. Dahil hindi ko alam paano sila haharapin. Nahihiya ako sa kanila,” she said. (The past 10 years has been a literal rollercoaster ride. I found out I was adopted, I hid from my family for some months. I did not know how to face them. I was ashamed.) Panganiban discovered that she was adopted in January 2010 after she got into a fight with her mom. She was angry and asked if she was adopted; her cousin broke down and confirmed it, Panganiban said in an interview with “The Buzz.” By then, her biological mom had already passed away, in 2008. She got the chance, however, to meet her biological father, an American who served in the US Navy. They met in November 2010 after she found him on Facebook. Panganiban also experienced losing her adoptive parents in the past years. She admitted the pain and grief made her lose her zest for life.

Angelica Panganiban is hopeful that the coming years will be better after the pain she has been through. Photo from Instagram/@iamangelicap

“May mga araw na hindi ko alam kung kakayanin ko pa bumangon. Nang literal. Ayoko nang tumayo. Ayoko na tumawa. Ayoko na. Pero ginawa akong matibay ng panahon at panginoon,” she said. (There were days that I did not know if I could manage to get up. Literally. I did not want to stand. I did not want to laugh. I did not want to. But I was made strong by time and God.) She dug into love and forgiveness along the way. “Sa sampung taon natuto akong magpatawad. Natuto akong ipagdasal pa rin sila… At natuto akong bigyan ng atensyon ang sarili ko at ang mga tunay na nagmamahal sakin.” (In those 10 years I learned how to forgive. I learned to still pray for

them… I learned to give attention to myself and to those who truly love me.) “Naniniwala akong mas magiging mainam ang mga darating na taon. Ika nga nila, kapag lugmok ka na, wala ka ng ibang pupuntahan kundi pataas,” she reflected. (I believe that the coming years will be better. As they say, when you are down, you have nowhere to go but up.) The actress has been one who is open to talking about her heartaches. In the past year, she cut ties with former flame Carlo Aquino. The actor said he might have led Panganiban on and that meeting his current girlfriend, Trina Candaza, could have figured into the fallout with Panganiban.

For JC, life is a bed of roses By Boy

aBuNda Philstar.com

JC De Vera Photo from Instagram_@akosijcdeberat

LIFE for JC de Vera is a bed of roses. With an upcoming wedding and a beautiful daughter, his acting career is equally making his timetable quite full. He plays one of the lead characters in the GB Sampedrodirected rom-com movie Love is Love, apart from the iWant original Barbara Reimagined he’s starring in

with Nathalie Hart. Netizens are flooding his social media handles with comments for his posts showing his well-chiseled physique. JC said he appreciates the compliments over what he referred as his “dad bod” yet he didn’t hide his reaction over one indecent proposal on his private message box. On his Instagram @akosijcdeberat, JC replied with LOL PAGE 15

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FILIPINO singer Vincent Bueno has been chosen to represent Austria for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest. The official website of Europe’s annual music competition announced that Austrian public broadcaster Österreichischer Rundfunk (ORF) internally selected Bueno to represent the country in next year’s contest in the Netherlands with the song, “Alive.” “Wow, even thinking about the fact that I am going to participate in the song contest gives me goosebumps,” Bueno was quoted as saying in the contest’s website. “The Eurovision Song Contest is like the Eurocup for musicians and singers. The huge stage, all those artists doing their absolute best, all the songwriters and producers of Europe gathering in one place to celebrate their work while at the same time stepping into the ring — it is breathtaking and formidable. Let’s go Austria!” he exclaimed.

Vincent Bueno Photo from Instagram_@officialvincentbueno

He had previously attempted to represent Austria for the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden in 2016, but lost in the national selection. Before Bueno, a Filipina represented Germany in the 2019 edition last May. Laurita Spinelli, also known as Laura Kästel, was one half of the duo S!sters, who finished close to last in the contest’s final in Israel. Former “Pinoy Pop Superstar” and “Tawag ng Tanghalan” contestant and “X Factor Romania” winner Bella Santiago attempted to represent

Romania in the 2018 and 2019 contests, but lost out to The Humans and Ester Peony, respectively. A song with Filipino lyrics even attempted to represent Denmark in 2008, but also lost. Bueno, who was born in Vienna in 1985, won the talent show “Musical! Die Show” in Austria in 2008. Before he joined the show, he opened a Sarah Geronimo concert in Vienna. He was part of the ABSCBN talent show “ASAP” between 2010 and 2012, where he sang with Jovit Baldivino, Gary Valenciano, Enchong Dee, Toni Gonzaga, Jed Madela, Bugoy Drilon, Erik Santos, Billy Crawford, and Spongecola. He also became a Star Records contract artist. Launched in 1956 and helped jump start the careers of Celine Dion, Julio Iglesias and ABBA, as well as having singers like Lara Fabian, Cliff Richard, Bonnie Tyler, and Engelbert Humperdinck, the Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Rotterdam, Netherlands in May 12, 14 and 16, 2020.

JANUARY 3-9, 2020 • NEW YORK AND NEW JERSEY ASIAN JOURNAL

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Reflecting on the Asian Journal’s LifeEastyle Magazine stories of 2019

AJPRESS

S the year new approaches, the Asian Journal editorial team looks back at the LifeEastyle Magazine stories from 2019. Each week, the LifeEastyle Magazine features long-form stories of Filipino Americans who continue to break barriers in their respective career fields, as well as highlighting the Fil-Am experience living in America and the social issues the community faces.

Catriona Grayʼs Miss Universe reign AJPress photo by Troi Santos

Anne del Castillo, Commissioner of the Mayorʼs Ofﬁce of Media and Entertainment on her appointment: “I am honored to accept the Mayorʼs appointment, and grateful for the opportunity to continue to work with MOMEʼs dedicated team to support the development of New York Cityʼs creative sectors and nightlife industry.” AJPress Photo by Momar G. Visaya

The husband and wife team of Cheryl Baun and Paolo Mendoza AJPress photos by Momar G. Visaya

The 52 features published have covered books by FilAm authors, single moms who run their own businesses, married couples who work together, a Netflix docuseries about Cebu’s infamous jail that has dancing prisoners, and Fil-Am chefs nominated for James Beard Awards and opening new restaurants. While it’s difficult to narrow down the best features — as each one is compelling — we remember several stories that have been widely shared and talked about. Catriona Gray’s Miss Universe reign When Catriona Elisa Magnayon Gray left Manila for Bangkok to compete in the Miss Universe pageant, she had meticulously planned and laid everything out so that the moment the competition started, she let go and told herself to enjoy and have fun representing the Philippines. “Every single time I stepped

onstage I just enjoyed myself and I think people saw that. I was just happy to be there,” Gray told the Asian Journal in a freewheeling interview at the Miss Universe Organization’s new office in midtown Manhattan. This was Day 3 of her hectic Media Week schedule doing interviews with Good Morning America, Live with Kelly & Ryan, AOL Build Series, Good Day NY and also with ABS-CBN and GMA Network from the Philippines. Gray arrived in New York on January 2nd, after spending the holidays in seclusion. She celebrated her 25th birthday on January 6th which she spent going to church, eating out and watching Dear Evan Hansen on Broadway. Getting to know Anne del Castillo Anne Del Castillo is the new Commissioner of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment after getting appointed by Mayor Bill de Blasio on April

Asia Jackson Photo courtesy of Asia Jackson

Fil-Am model and transgender advocate Geena Rocero poses at the “Behind the Lens” event at the Playboy Playhouse on Thursday, June 20 in New York City. AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

17, 2019. She is the fourth Filipina American to be appointed by Mayor de Blasio in key city posts. From Maria Torres Springer (former commissioner of the New York City Department of Housing Preservation and Development (HPD), the nation’s largest municipal housing agency) to Carmelyn Malalis of the Commission on Human Rights and Minerva Tantoco as the city’s Chief Technology Officer. “I never ever thought that I’d be in this position. It’s a privilege and a very significant responsibility that I feel every day. It’s not just because I am Filipina that I feel like diversity is important in the industry,” she said. “New York City is an incredibly diverse city and I had the benefit…if I had grown up Filipina anywhere else, it would be a very different experience.” Karenderya’s journey and how Esquire played a major part in it

Tony Award-nominated actress Eva Noblezada stars as Rose in “Yellow Rose.”

Karenderya, a Filipino-inspired restaurant, opened its doors in the suburban village of Nyack in July 2017. More than a year later, the fast-casual restaurant was named in Esquire Magazine’s Best New Restaurants in America 2018 list. According to Esquire, “In the future, we pray, thousands of small towns in America will have Filipino restaurants as excellent as this one, with adobo pork belly braised to crispy meltiness atop garlic rice, and shrimp aswim in a coconut broth that tastes like French cream, and a cassava-jackfruit cake that comes across like a cobbler in which the topping and the filling have magically merged, and a smart beer list that highlights the best of Hudson Valley breweries.” “That was completely crazy, totally unexpected,” Cheryl said, remembering the moment. “It was a validation, not that we needed one PAGE 15

“I Was Their American Dream” by Malaka Gharib

Alex Eala, the teen tennis sensation from the Philippines, made her US Open debut last September and reached the second round of both singles and doubles competitions. AJPress photo by Troi Santos

Kay Trinidad of Hadestown

Alan Ariano and Nacho Tambunting star in Felix Starro, a Filipino American musical about a Filipino faith healer. AJPress photo by Momar G. Visaya

“Float” made history as the ﬁrst Pixar animation featuring Filipino characters when it aired on Disney+ on November 12. Photo courtesy of Pixar

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Reflecting on Asian Journal’s... PAGE 14 because we’ve known that this food is good all along. Not our food in particular but Filipino food in general. It feels like a win for our culture and for Filipino food.” Fresh Face at the US Open: Alex Eala makes her US Open junior debut Alexandra Eala, the 14year-old teen tennis star from the Philippines, made an impressive US Open Juniors Championship debut last September, dismissing her Australian opponent in straight sets with a commanding 6-1, 6-0 score. Eala made it to the main draw of Juniors Girls Singles as one of the eight qualifiers who had to win two times at the Cary Leeds Tennis Center in the Bronx, before moving to the main site at the Billie Jean King Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens to be among 64 teens running after the title. “This win is definitely a stepping stone to where I want to be in the future, which is to play pro, obviously, so I’m going to be working hard and practice more to achieve that goal,” Eala told the Asian Journal after the match. “I knew it was going to be hard today, all the matches are going to be hard, so hopefully I’d perform well in the next few matches.” Kay Trinidad of Hadestown: Master of her own fate Hadestown is undoubtedly the hottest show on Broadway this season. It led the pack and received an astounding 14 Tony Award nominations, winning in eight categories including Best Musical. It is special for Filipino Americans too, because one of the principal cast members is Eva Noblezada, who received her second Tony nomination for lead actress. Eagle-eyed audience members will notice though that it’s not just Eva who is Filipino in the main cast but one of the three scene-stealing trio called The Fates is a certified Pinay as well. Her name is Kay Trinidad and in an interview with the Asian Journal, she expressed how thankful she is for being part of an amazing cast and an even more amazing show. “It feels like a dream! I am so incredibly humbled and grateful to be a part of this very special show, this beautiful, inspiring and epic masterpiece.” Trinidad said.

Felix Starro, a new Filipino American musical, premieres off Broadway Finally, for the first-time ever, a musical created and directed by Filipino Americans was presented offBroadway. Ma-Yi Theater Company opened its 30th anniversary season with the world premiere of Felix Starro, a new musical by Jessica Hagedorn and Fabian Obispo. Felix Starro, based on a powerful short story by acclaimed Filipino American writer Lysley Tenorio, stars The King and I and Miss Saigon alum Alan Ariano playing the title role. Directed by Ralph B. Peña, this Filipino musical also features Caitlin Cisco, Francisca Muñoz, Ryan James Ortega, Diane Phelan, Nacho Tambunting, and Obie and Lortel award-winner Ching ValdesAran. “This is a blessing for me, to be able to do this.” Ariano said. “We don’t see a lot of representation, we don’t see Filipinos on stage all the time so to actually find out that there’s a new, original musical written for Filipinos, about Filipinos, by Filipinos, that’s great news.” ‘Float,’ Pixar’s first animated short with Filipino characters, lands on Disney+ Social media was abuzz when Pixar revealed that it would release its first-ever animated short featuring CGI Filipino characters. “Float” — written and directed by Fil-Am storyboard artist Bobby Alcid Rubio — finally became available on streaming service Disney+ this past November. In the roughly seven-minute short, a father tries to keep his infant son’s special ability to float a secret. But once it gets out, the father must decide whether to run and hide or to accept his son as he is. Based on his own relationship with his son Alex, Rubio developed the story and made the characters Filipino after being encouraged by colleagues, and eventually submitted it to Pixar’s SparkShorts program. “I wasn’t even thinking of them being Filipino…This is just my unconscious bias. I’m not used to seeing Filipinos as lead characters and it felt very empowering to have my coworkers push this diverse person of color to be a lead,” Rubio said. As “Float” has globally been recognized as a win for

Filipino representation, Rubio wanted the story to be universal and relatable regardless of culture and background. “At the end of the day, it is about the bond between father and son. It’s about unconditional love…” he said. Getting to know H.E.R., the Fil-Am R&B singer nominated for 5 Grammys 2019 was quite the year for R&B sensation H.E.R., who was nominated for five Grammys and won two: Best R&B Album for her EP “H.E.R” and Best R&B Performance for “Best Part” with Daniel Caesar. On top of that, she was featured on Spotify billboards for Best New Artist, performed at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, created her own music festival (the Lights On Festival) in September, and released a compilation mixtape called “I Used to Know Her.” Born in 1997, H.E.R. — whose real name is Gabriella “Gabi” Wilson — said she was raised with a “good balance” of the Filipino and Black American cultures in her home. Those influences taught her how to be a hard worker as well as a love for music and expression. For most performances, she wears dark sunglasses. In her album cover art, her eyes are blacked out and you rarely get a look at her face. And unlike so many stars, she’s never one to overshare and maintains a low-key profile. “I wanted the music to be No. 1, I wanted it to get the attention, the forefront, the No. 1 focus, and I wanted people to just listen and love the music because sometimes we get caught up in the gimmicks, the looks, and the glitz: these things that don’t really matter to me,” H.E.R. shared. Fil-Am model Geena Rocero rewrites Playboy’s history as its first transgender API Playmate Over the summer, Fil-Am model and transgender advocate Geena Rocero became the first transgender Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Playboy Playmate, appearing as the centerfold of the magazine’s Gender & Sexuality issue. In the issue, Rocero wrote about her “strict Catholic upbringing in the Philippines” and being inspired by seeing transgender beauty pageants on national television. “We spoke English in the Philippines, but when I moved to the United States at 17 and started hanging out with other teenagers, it was a totally

For JC, life is a bed...

PAGE 12 in big, bold letters and reposted the said message. He admitted having initially laughed it off and showed it to his fiancée Rikkah Alyssa Cruz but he later on felt different about the message. He felt disrespected. The next thing he did was post his reaction along with the screenshot of the message and, again, gained mixed reactions from people. Some felt offended. But the actor had already apologized for his action. “Parang nainis ako ng slight doon,” he said. “Di ba merong mga situations before sa co-artists namin na ‘pag sinasagot nila ‘yung ganun tapos ina-out sila, bina-blackmail sila. They use social media for blackmail or whatever.” It’s a normal reaction for anyone to do something when one feels being violated. We make our own judgment when we feel something is not right. In

JC’s case, he also knows to say his apologies for his mistakes. He also knows to take care of his love affair to the point of keeping mum about it as much as possible. He never denied that he kept his relationship with Rikkah a secret before he decided to make their romance public. “For the longest time, I kept my relationships secret probably because I was worried of what other people would say. But now, I am confident to talk about her (Rikkah), gusto ko s’ya ipagmalaki sa buong mundo.” Asked to describe Rikkah, he said, “(She’s) very classy, old soul, very kind and very humble. Disciplinarian s’ya kaysa sa akin and she’s working in their family business.” JC said he proposed marriage to her in 2018 in Siargao and they are now prepping up for their wedding next year. “We already

have a theme for the wedding and church. And right now, we are meeting a couple of suppliers. We plan to do it out of town for a very memorable and fun-filled day.” He also wants Lana to be his little bride and not just a flower girl. “She will also be walking down the aisle with my two (soon-to-be) brothers-in-law.” The actor frequently shares on soc-med his heartfelt messages and sweet bonding moments with Rikkah and their daughter Lana. One post read, “Lana, I can’t promise to take care of you till the end of time. But I promise to take care of you till the end of mine. Same with you, Rick.” “More than the physique, my main purpose why I work out now is because I want to be energetic for my family. I want to have a full energy so I can spend more time with Lana. Same goes with Rikkah. I need to protect them. That’s why, I need to have lots of energy.”

different culture,” she said. She plans to use this new platform to be more visible and continue fighting for trans rights. Since her viral TED talk in 2014, she cofounded Gender Proud, a media production company that tells stories about the global transgender community. “I have to speak about Caroline Tula Cossey because that was so critical for me. What a full circle moment, I was this young trans girl living in Manila and dreaming of one day becoming a model like Caroline and to now, be the one hopefully giving that inspiration to young trans girls, not just in the Philippines but all over the world,” she said. “Their identities matter, they should pursue who they are. There’s nothing wrong with them, just keep being themselves.” Fil-Am musical drama ‘Yellow Rose’ picked up by Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions, has successful festival run “Yellow Rose,” directed by Filipina American Diane Paragas, is a timely story about a Filipina teen named Rose from a small Texas town who fights to pursue her dreams as a country music performer while facing the threat of deportation. The film stars two-time Tony Award nominee Eva Noblezada, Tony Award winner Lea Salonga, Princess Punzalan and Dale Watson. In October, Sony

Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions that it has acquired all worldwide rights, excluding the Philippines, to the film. “’Yellow Rose’ has been a labor of passion for over 15 years and I’m thrilled that we can now share this very relevant story with the world,” said Paragas. “We have the added honor of representing the real experiences of Filipino Americans, Asian Americans, and all immigrants seeking a better life in America.” Since premiering at the 2019 Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival (LAAPFF), “Yellow Rose” has won the Special Jury Prize at the 2019 Asian American International Film Festival, the Grand Jury Prize for Best Narrative Feature at the 2019 Bentonville Film Festival, 2019 CAAMFest and the LAAPFF, with Eva Noblezada taking Best Breakout Actor. Books by Filipino and FilAm authors This year alone, The Asian Journal team has read (and featured!) a plethora of books by Filipino and Filipino American authors across genres, including: “Loves You” (poetry) by Sarah Gambito; “The Body Papers” (memoir) by Grace Talusan; “I Was Their American Dream” (graphic memoir) by Malaka Gharib; “Patron Saints of Nothing” (young adult fiction) by Randy Ribay; “Why Karen Carpen-

ter Matters” (biography/ memoir) by Karen Tongson; “Somewhere in the Middle” (memoir) by Deborah Francisco Douglas; “No Forks Given” (cookbook/stories) by Yana Gilbuena; “Baking at République” (cookbook) by Margarita “Marge” Manzke; and “Rice. Noodles. Yum.: Everyone’s Favorite Southeast Asian Dishes” (cookbook) by Abigail Sotto Raines. More recent releases have included “Trick Mirror: Reflections on Self-Delusion” by Jia Tolentino, “Lalani of the Distant Sea” by Erin Entrada Kelly and “From Rufio to Zuko” by Dante Basco. “There are not many representations of Filipino Americans in literature and in our culture and I was very aware of that. It took me a long time to come to peace with what I was going through because I knew it would be read as representative in some ways for Filipino Americans, which it should not be because this is just one unique, specific story,” said Talusan. “It is not representative, but I knew that it could be taken that way. Sometimes there’s pressure because there’s so few of us in publishing that we should tell only certain kinds of stories or those that are happy and make us proud of who we are. I would argue that this story does make me proud of who I am because we all go through difficult things and hardships.”

January 3-9, 2020 • nEW yOrK anD nEW JErSEy aSIan JOurnaL

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