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JANUARY 9-15, 2020

T H E F I L I P I N O –A M E R I C A N C O M M U N I T Y N E W S PA P E R

Volume 31 - No. 2 • 16 Pages

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PH orders Filipinos in 3 Middle East Filipinos in US urged countries to leave amid US-Iran tensions to register for 2022 DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

PH nat’l elections

THE Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), through its foreign service posts, is beginning to remind all Filipino citizens overseas to register now as overseas voters for the 2022 Philippine National Elections. What you need to register: • An accomplished and signed application form (check the website of your local Philippine Embassy or Consulate General); • A valid Philippine Passport; • If you don’t have a valid passport, submit your NSO birth certificate and a valid Green Card (original and photocopy for both); • If you are a Seafarer: a photocopy of your Seaman’s Book or any other document that will prove that you are a seafarer should also be submitted in addition to “1” and “2” above; and, • If you are a Dual Citizen: please submit your Dual Citizenship certificate (original and photocopy) in addition to “1” and “2” above. The registration period will end on 30 September 2021. Personal appearance is required, since the

by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

THE Philippine government is ordering thousands of Filipino workers to evacuate Iraq, Iran and Lebanon as the situation between the United States and Iran continues to escalate. The alert level in Iraq has been raised to the highest level, according

to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), which directs Filipino overseas workers to leave the country due to heightened security risks. “As a result of the government’s coordination meetings on the situation in the Middle East in the past few days, the Alert Level in the entire Iraq has been raised to Alert Level 4 calling for mandatory evacuation,” said

Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary Ed Meñez on Wednesday, January 8. Alert Level 4 is issued “when there is large-scale internal conflict or fullblown external attack,” according to the DFA. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello added that Filipinos should also move out of Iran and Lebanon, as the government has banned the deployment

of more workers to those countries. There are 1,190 documented and 450 undocumented Filipino workers in Iraq, more than 30,000 in Lebanon, and less than 1,200 in Iran, according to DFA data. (However, there have been some conflicting reports as to how many Filipinos are working in Iraq as other government officials

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In a two-page notice issued by the SC last Dec. 10 and made available on Monday, January 6, the SC denied “with finality the said motion for reconsideration as no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision.” Philstar.com photo by Miguel De Guzman

It’s final: SC junks petition Arum picks Pacquiao for same-sex marriage u PAGE 2

as ‘fighter of the decade’ over Floyd

FOR fighting steadily despite the occasional loss for the past 40 years, Top Rank Promotions chief Bob Arum has chosen eightdivision world champion Manny Pacquiao as Fighter of the Decade over undefeated Floyd Mayweather Jr. The 88-year-old international boxing promoter, who has been at his job since the 1960s, said no fighter comes close to the Filipino ring icon in terms of accomplishments for the past 10 years. He picked Pacquiao despite his unanimous decision loss to Mayweather in May 2015. “Fighter of the decade? I say Manny Pacquiao… because of [his] body of work throughout the decade, when he fought regularly; he fought all those fighters. He was the one guy that [during] the years that Mayweather retired or didn’t fight carried the sports,” Arum told The Manila Times in an overseas call. “I don’t even think it is close; I don’t think anybody can compare to Manny as fighter of

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by EVELYN

MACAIRAN Philstar.com

MANILA — The Supreme Court (SC) has junked with finality the petition seeking to legalize same-sex marriage in the Philippines. In a two-page notice issued by the SC last Dec. 10 and made available on Monday, January 6, the SC de-

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SECURITY MEETING. President Rodrigo Duterte presides over the Joint Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) Command Conference at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, January 7. During the meeting Duterte said that the priority of the government is to evacuate overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) from Iran, Iraq and other neighboring countries if a regional conflict becomes imminent. Malacañang photo by King Rodriguez

Palace says De Lima should be on US ban list by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

OPPOSITION Senator Leila De Lima should be included in the list of individuals to be banned from the United States, Malacañang argued. “She (De Lima) should put herself on the top list plus (former senator and administration critic Antonio) Trillanes (IV) and others who have been peddling lies to the outside world,” said presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, according to a report by the Philippine Star. This statement came after Fhillip Sawali, De Lima’s chief of staff, revealed that the detained senator is making up a “comprehensive” list of officials and private individuals responsible Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. Senator Leila De Lima

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Philstar.com photo

Following release of drug war report, Duterte calls Robredo a ‘colossal blunder’ by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA

AJPress

PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday, January 7 dismissed Vice President Leni Robredo’s published report that called the administration’s threeyear war against illegal drugs a “massive failure.” This comes after the vice president on Monday released her long-awaited report on the situation of the anti-drug campaign based on her 18-day stint as the Inter-Agency Committee on AntiIllegal Drugs co-chair. “For all of these years she has

done nothing. She is a colossal blunder. Colossal blunder,” Duterte told reporters at Malacañang, urging her to look at her “record” for the past three years in office. Of the report, he said, “She can’t lecture me on what to do. She has been there how many days? Seventeen or 18 days.” In her 40-page report, the vice president claimed that the administration has barely scratched the surface of the Philippines’ drug problem despite all the money and resources put toward the campaign. She was fired by Duterte from

Marcos asks PET to review poll protest results anew by RITCHEL

MENDIOLA AJPress

FORMER Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has asked the Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), to re-examine the initial vote recount results in the electoral protest he filed against Vice President Leni Robredo. In a 809-page memorandum filed before the tribunal on December 19, 2019 and released to reporters on Tuesday, January 7, Marcos asked the PET “to reconsider, review and re-examine the preliminary appreciation in the pilot provinces of Camarines Sur, Iloilo and Negros Oriental.” In October, the PET announced Robredo widened her lead over Marcos in the recount of votes in the three pilot provinces, showing Robredo with 1,510,178 votes now compared to her 1,493,517 votes in the chosen areas previously. With the additional 15,093 votes from the recount, Robredo maintained her lead over Marcos with

her ICAD post last year for several reasons, including the lack of trust and for allegedly consulting foreign groups about the situation. “Through the presentation of the findings and recommendations contained in this report, the hope is for our focus to be directed to the true and common enemy: the continued proliferation of illegal drugs that destroys the lives and futures of many Filipino families,” Robredo said. If the drug war were an exam, the administration would have scored poorly at 1/100 as only Vice President Leni Robredo

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ManilaTimes.net photo

Photo from the Office of the Vice President

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CAUCUS FOR CORY BOOKER! EARLY VOTE FEBRUARY 15 - 18! CAUCUS ON FEBRUARY 22!

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FROM THE FRONT PAGE

Following release of drug war report... PAGE 1

1% of the total shabu circulating in the country has been recovered between 2017 and 2018, according to the report. “Supply constriction, as an aspect of the overall strategy against illegal drugs, has been a massive failure,” it added. Citing data from the Drug Enforcement Group of the Philip-

pine National Police (PNP), drug users consume 3,000 kilograms of shabu per week or 156,000 kilograms per year. However, Robredo pointed out that the same data revealed the government only managed to seize 1,344.87 kilograms in 2019, 785.31 kilograms in 2018, and 1,053.91 kilograms in 2017. “PDEA [Philippine Drug En-

forcement Agency] only recovered up to 1% of the total shabu supply in the past three years. That amount of drugs is worth billions of pesos,” she noted. In a press conference on Monday, Robredo suggested that the campaign focus should be on bigger drug trade players instead of the everyday user. “If we really want to end the scourge of illegal drugs, we need to run after the big suppliers and not just the small-time pushers,” she said. Furthermore, the report founded that the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) was only able to recover P1.4 billion of drug assets. “Three kilograms of shabu (is) worth P25 billion per week, which means P1.3 trillion of shabu are being distributed around the country, but only P1.4 billion was restricted by AMLC, not even 1% of all the money that is revolving in the drug trade,” Robredo said. She called for a “change in strategy,” which included stopping Oplan Tokhang and releasing a new policy that has clearer objectives and operational guidelines to avoid the abuses associated with the campaign campaign. Data from the Philippine National Police and PDEA released in December found that an estimated 5,552 people had been killed during government operations between July 1, 2016, and November 30, 2019. However, human rights groups have pegged the death toll to around 27,000 as of last June. The vice president also suggested transferring the chairmanship of the ICAD to the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB), which would be “better equipped to plan an overall program.” Duterte created the ICAD in 2017 under the chairmanship of the PDEA to lead the “effective conduct of anti-illegal drug operations and arrest of high-value drug personalities down to the street-level peddlers and users.” “It (drug war) is a failure, there are so many aspects, and like what we said in the report, there is too much focus in the street level. Even if we do this every day and if we do not pay attention to supply constriction, then the problem would not end,” Robredo said. ■

PROCESSION OF REPLICAS. Thousands of Catholic devotees join the procession of Black Nazarene replicas along Quezon Boulevard, Manila on Tuesday, January 7. The procession is part of the “Traslacion”, or the celebration of the Feast of the Black Nazarene, which culminates at the Quiapo Church (Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene) on January 9. PNA photo by Avito Dalan

PH orders Filipinos in 3 Middle... PAGE 1 have cited up to 4,204 Filipinos.) The department also released an advisory on its website urging Filipino communities in Saudi Arabia to be vigilant against potential security threats, observe security measures and protocols established by the Saudi government, and abide by the laws, rules, and regulations of the country. Overall, there are around 2.3 million Filipinos working in various jobs, such as domestic care, construction, and nursing throughout the Middle East. Bello assured that the government is making arrangements to help Filipinos return to the Philippines, whether through getting necessary travel documents or financial assistance.

The Overseas Workers Welfare Administration also plans to give livelihood assistance upon their repatriation back to the home country, while the Labor Department is talking to China, Japan, Russia, Canada and Germany for the reassignment of Filipino workers, Bello said. Malacañang on Tuesday, January 7 announced that President Rodrigo Duterte will side with the U.S. in the event that Iran “intentionally” attacks Filipino workers in the Middle East. “Hindi tayo magiging (We will not be) neutral. The president was very specific in saying last night that if the Filipinos are harmed, he will side with the Americans,” said Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo in a press briefing. He added, “If they will harm

the Filipinos, then the president will not sit down idly and watch.” On Monday, the president said that he sent a special envoy to Tehran and Baghdad to get reports that Filipinos would have a safe way out in the event of an evacuation. “We have so many Filipinos working mainly in the Middle East. I am nervous. Iran seems to be hell-bent on a retaliation, which I think will come,” Duterte said in his speech. Tensions between the U.S. and Iran rose after top Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani was killed Friday, January 3 in a drone strike carried out by the U.S. in Baghdad, Iraq. Iran, for its part, vowed to strike back following Soleimani’s

Filipinos in US urged to register for 2022... PAGE 1

registrant will need to provide biometrics. Frequently asked questions include: 1. I already registered as an overseas voter years ago. Do I need to register again?That depends if you voted! If you have voted in the 2016 and/or 2019 National Elections, then you are still registered.However, if you failed to vote in two consecutive elections(2016 and 2019 elections), then COMELEC would have deactivatedyour registration record. The list is alphabetical by surname, so scroll down to search for your last name (or press CTRL F to search if you are us-

ing a computer). If your name appears in the list, then you will need to apply for reactivation at the Consulate. Please bring the same documents stated above. 2. Do I need to register to vote? Yes! Filipino citizens need to register in order to vote. This is to protect the integrity of the election process. If you are not registered, then you must register within the registration period in order to receive a ballot. 3. If I fail to register during the registration period, can’t I just take someone else’s ballot? No, because that will deprive that person of their opportunity to vote. There is only one (1) ballot allocated for every registered

voter’s name. 4. When is the next election?The next election is on May 9, 2022. 5. What positions will be on the 2019 election ballot? In the 2022 National Election, registered voters will be able to vote for President, Vice President, Senators and Party List Representatives. 6. I’m still confused! Who can I ask? You can contact your local Philippine Embassy or Consulate General. If sending an email, please don’t forget to include your full name, mobile number, and email address. Include as many details as possible regarding your question. ■

Arum picks Pacquiao as ‘fighter of the decade’... PAGE 1

Train for a Career of Value!

the decade.” After losing to Mayweather, Pacquiao went on beast mode, winning five of his last six fights, including his conquest of Adrien Broner (unanimous decision) last January and Keith Thurman (split decision) last July under the Premier Boxing Champions of Al Haymon. Under the wings of the Top Rank Promotion, Pacquiao won over American Timothy Bradley (unanimous decision) in April

2016 and Jessie Vargas (unanimous decision) in November 2016 before losing to Jeff Horn in a controversial unanimous decision in July 2017 in Australia. But Pacquiao came back again with a spectacular seventh round technical knockout win over Lucas Matthysse in July 2018 in Malaysia. “It is still Manny Pacquiao fighting. And that’s the important thing whether he’s fighting for Top Rank or fighting for another promotion, it’s still Manny Pac-

quiao in the ring. Clearly, he’s the fighter of the decade,” Arum explained. Arum added that Mayweather did not fight so often unlike Pacquiao, and at the same time, Pacquiao has stayed competitive in the last four decades and expects himself to become a future member of the boxing hall of fame. “Manny Pacquiao belongs to the greats and will go down with the greats,” he concluded. (Josef T. Ramos/ManilaTimes.net)

Palace says De Lima should be on...

PAGE 1 for her “wrongful” detention in 2017. Persons included may be barred from entering the U.S. should the amendment in the 2020 budget signed in December by U.S. President Donald Trump be implemented. The provision in the U.S. budget stated that that the U.S. Secretary of State “shall apply subsection (c) to foreign government officials about whom the secretary has credible information have been involved in the wrongful imprisonment of… Sen. Leila De Lima who was arrested in the Philippines in 2017.” The sub-section refers to the Global Magnitsky Human Rights

Accountability Act that authorizes the U.S. government to slap sanctions on persons tied to human rights violations, including barring them from entering the country. According to Panelo, De Lima is just trying to make herself “relevant.” “If I were you, you should ignore her nonsense. She is just using you people to become relevant while in detention. You continue to give her attention and she is very happy about it,” he said. “As far we are concerned, she is an irrelevant political entity,” he added. De Lima has accused several individuals behind her arrest

and detention, including President Rodrigo Duterte, Panelo, former House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, former Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre, Solicitor General Jose Calida, Public Attorney’s Office chief Persida Acosta, Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office board member Sandra Cam, Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission chairman Dante Jimenez, Rep. Rey Umali, former congressman Rudy Fariñas, and Overseas Workers Welfare Administration deputy executive director and blogger Mocha Uson. She said the list was reportedly being finalized and is set to be released. ■

Marcos asks PET to review poll... PAGE 1

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278,566 votes. The defeated vice presidential bet asked the PET to “proceed with the Third Cause of Action notwithstanding the pendency of the resolution on the Second Cause of Action,” as well as to order handwriting experts from the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to conduct a technical examination of the voters’ signatures appearing on the Election Day Computerized Voter’s List (EDCVL), according to a report by the Philippine Star. In addition, he asked the tribunal to “conduct another preliminary conference for the Third Cause of Action and there-

after to proceed with the presentation of evidence.” Marcos, in his second cause of action, is asking the PET to recount the votes in 36,465 clustered precincts covering 27 provinces in the country, while in his third cause of action he is seeking to nullify the votes of three Mindanao provinces. The third cause of action is separate and distinct from the Second Cause of Action, which means the dismissal of one cause of action “shall not affect the others,” according to Marcos. “On the contrary, since the Third Cause of Action for the annulment of the election re-

sults is a separate, distinct and independent cause of action, the same can and must proceed independently of the result from the recount, revision and re-appreciation of ballots,” his camp said. Meanwhile, Robredo filed her own memorandum asking the PET to dismiss the election protest filed by Marcos after failing to present any substantial recovery in the three pilot provinces. “With the failure of protestant Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. to show any substantial recovery in his pilot provinces, the election protest should be immediately dismissed,” Robredo’s lawyer Romulo Macalintal said. ■

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THREE KINGS. The three wise men -- Melchor, Gaspar, and Baltazar – during the reenactment of the annual tradition held at the Casino Español De Manila in San Marcelino St. on Sunday, January 5. In the story of the Bible, the three kings brought gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh after the birth of Jesus Christ. PNA Photo by Avito C. Dalan

Americans in PH safe despite threats, tension from Middle East by CONSUELO

MARQUEZ

Inquirer.net

INTERIOR Secretary Eduardo Año on Wednesday assured the public that American nationals are safe in the Philippines despite escalating tensions between the Middle East and the United States. “Magkakaroon yan ng escalation (There will be an escalation). Ang sabi ng Iranian government (The Iranian government said) they will do a counteraction and will strike U.S. nationals assets. Anywhere, everywhere so pwedeng even American nationals in our country pwedeng maging

target ‘yan (they can be a target),” Año said in a press briefing at Camp Crame. “So mag-profiling kami dito na kung [anong] pwedeng mangyari dito (so we will look into possible threats that could happen here) but really the action is more on in the Middle East particularly Iraq and Iran,” Año added. Año, who is a retired Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff, said profiling meant they will monitor areas and people of interest in the Philippines amid tensions in the Middle East. Asked if the government can protect U.S. nationals in the Phil-

ippines, Año said: “We can secure the areas where Americans are frequenting. Security for the individual is a case to case basis.” Año also noted that the “action is more in the Middle East,” especially in Iraq and Iran. He also cited U.S. President Donald Trump’s promise to target 52 sites in Iran if the latter tries to attack Americans held hostage at U.S. Embassy in Tehran. Previously, the Iranian government also vowed revenge against the U.S. after the latter launched attacks in Iraq that killed Gen. Qassem Soleimani, a top Iranian general. ■

It’s final: SC junks petition for same-sex... PAGE 1 nied “with finality the said motion for reconsideration as no substantial arguments were presented to warrant the reversal of the questioned decision.” In October 2015, Jesus Nicardo Falcis III, an openly gay lawyer, filed the petition that sought to strike down the prohibitions against same-sex marriage under the Family Code. The SC unanimously found the lawyer’s petition deficient in September last year, citing his lack of legal standing, violation of the principle of hierarchy of courts and failure to raise an ac-

tual, justiciable controversy. Falcis filed a Motion for Partial Reconsideration dated Nov. 14, 2019. “No further pleadings or motions will be entertained,” said SC Clerk of Court Edgar Aricheta. During oral arguments on the violation of the hierarchy of courts, the SC cited how United States activists followed the hierarchy of courts before reaching the high court, where they won the same-sex marriage case. While the SC recognized the struggles of the LGBT community, the high court decided that Congress should address matters

on same-sex partnerships. The junking came despite the Court’s acknowledgement that the 1987 Constitution does not define or restrict marriage on the basis of sex, gender, sexual orientation or gender identity or expression. The SC, through Associate Justice Marvic Leonen who penned the decision, had said “same-sex couples may morally claim that they have a right against discrimination for their choice of relationships and that official recognition of their partnerships may, for now, be a matter that should be addressed to Congress.” ■

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SoCal Filipina registered nurse helps bargain first contract with nurses union

Registered nurses at Methodist Hospital ratify historic first contract that sets nurses workplace protections in stone by Klarize

Medenilla AJPress

LAST month, registered nurses at Methodist Hospital in Arcadia, California ratified their first-ever contract with the state’s largest nurses union to ensure fair and safe working conditions and transparency between nurses and administrative staff. Methodist Hospital’s historic contract comes after nearly a year of bargaining between hospital administrators and the 650 registered nurses, the California Nurses Association (CNA)/National Nurses United (NNU) said in a release. The nurses won the right to organize on Nov. 13. 2018 when they “overwhelmingly” voted in favor of joining the CNA/NNU and became the largest group of “non-union nurses in Southern California to join a union in at least five years,” according to the CNA/NNU. The effort to unionize began with a small group of about five nurses who reached out to CNA/ NNU more nurses to rally behind the common cause of ensuring quality patient care through safe workplace regulations and practices, according to Shelly Perks, a Filipina registered nurse at the Methodist Hospital ICU who was a key member in the year-long bargaining process. Perks noted that hospital management had been ignoring the nurses’ demands for a more equitable, safe workplace, which resulted in many experienced nurses leaving the hospital. “It really pushed the nurses to finally organize for the fact that management wasn’t listening to the nurses anymore when it comes to implementing plans that impact patient care. We didn’t have a voice anymore and we were losing skilled nurses

and that significantly created an impact on how we deliver safe and quality patient care,” Perks told the Asian Journal in a phone interview. “We had lost a lot of great mentors, and these were nurses who have been there for a long time who committed their time and effort in working for the hospital and mentoring new nurses,” Perks added. Staff recruitment and retention were among the most pressing concerns for the Methodist Hospital nurses, but they also made sure, during the bargaining process, to implement safe workplace provisions. One of those provisions included safe “floating” practices. Floating is a management technique that reassigns nurses to other units of the hospital floor. Managers will assign nurses to “float” to another unit in order to cover for an area of the hospital that may be understaffed. While it can benefit a meager hospital staff, it may put a strain on many nurses who already work long hours in their assigned areas. The Methodist Hospital nurses contract affirms that nurses are not assigned to units that exist outside their expertise and “need to have the competency to be able to work in units that may have the same competency requirements for nurses, and we wanted to stay true to that to maintain safe and quality patient care that all patients rightfully deserve,” Perks explained. The agreement also established a Professional Performance Committee (PPC), a board of about eight elected leaders within the nursing pool designed to address issues like staffing and patient safety. “We are so proud to welcome

these 650 Methodist Hospital registered nurses to the California Nurses Association. We know that advocating for patient care is one of the core functions of nursing, and we know with union protections nurses feel safer speaking out on behalf of their patients,” Malinda Markowitz, a registered nurse and co-president of CNA/NNU. For Perks, the contract is a huge win for nurses. She acknowledged that there “is always room for improvement” but that the nurses would not have “settled” on a contract if they didn’t receive all the provisions for which they asked. But the win is also a win for the Filipino American community who famously have among the strongest nursing blocs in California. Perks noted the overwhelming amount of Filipino nurses in, not just Methodist Hospital, but in hospitals around the country; so, this first contract is a personal accomplishment for her as well as a collective goal among her colleagues. “Everywhere you look, you look forward, you look backward, you look sideways, you look at the schedules and you see Filipino names. It’s what we’re known for right? Tender, love and care,” Perks said with a laugh. “And it’s not just about the contract,” she added. “We now have this voice to speak up for patient care and we’re able to have conversations with management regarding any kinds of procedures or implementations that will affect how we deliver care to our patients. You get these people at their most vulnerable, and they and their families trust you with their lives. The least we can do is give them the best care that we can.” n

Medenilla AJPress

A WEEK after the Trump administration announced the ban of tobacco sales to anyone under the age of 21, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced a policy that bans the sale of most flavors of cartridge e-cigarettes. The compromise announced on Thursday, January 2 was designed to quell the concerns of public health officials and parents worried about the rising levels of vaping among youth while appeasing leaders of the tobacco industry, which includes manufacturers of e-cigarettes. FDA officials said that e-cigarette cartridges offered in mint, fruit or dessert flavors would be banned within the next month, but the ban does not apply to menthol and tobacco flavors, as well as flavored liquid nicotine for open tank systems sold in vape shops. “The United States has never seen an epidemic of substance use arise as quickly as our current epidemic of youth use of e-cigarettes,” Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Alex M. Azar said. “HHS is taking a comprehensive, aggressive approach to enforcing the law passed by Congress, under which no e-cigarettes are currently on the market legally.” Manufacturers who want to market vaping products — e-cig-

arettes or the e-liquids — now have until May 12 to prove to the FDA that their products do not pose a public health risk. In other words, the targeted products of the ban may ultimately be approved by the FDA and return to the market. In the lead up to Thursday’s announcement, companies complained that a full-blown ban on e-cigarettes could push vape shop owners out of business. The partial ban was also designed to address an ongoing national epidemic while also considering adults who may want to try vaping in order to quit smoking traditional cigarettes. Azar pointed out national surveys that found that teenagers were more keen on the now-banned mint and fruit flavors and “overwhelmingly prefer cartridge-based e-cigarette products” such as the popular JUUL e-cigarette. “By prioritizing enforcement against the products that are most widely used by children, our action today seeks to strike the right public health balance by maintaining e-cigarettes as a potential off-ramp for adults using combustible tobacco while ensuring these products don’t provide an on-ramp nicotine addiction for our youth,” Azar explained. The ban has been a move months in the making for the Trump administration. In September, Trump, First Lady Me-

AFP inaugurates US-funded peacekeeping facility

THE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) inaugurated a U.S.-funded peacekeeping operations training facility in Tarlac. This facility was funded via the Global Peace Operations Initiative, a U.S. State Department-funded security assistance program focused on strengthening the international capacity and capabilities of partner nations to execute United Nations (UN) and regional peace operations. During the inauguration, the AFP officially opened the Peace-

keeping Operations Center and a dining facility. The center will provide training and administrative services to AFP personnel participating in peacekeeping operations, in support of the Philippines’ international commitments. A barracks is also being built under the same initiative and is scheduled for completion in late 2020. The inauguration, which was attended by Major General Andres Centino, Deputy Chief of Staff for Operations, Armed

Forces of the Philippines, included the ceremonial turning over of keys and the planting of a tree. Since their signing of the UN charter in 1945, the Philippines has participated in a variety of peacekeeping operations around the world. The United States, as a longstanding friend, partner and ally of the Philippines, continues to provide support to the AFP through funding projects, equipment transfers and bilateral exercises. (ManilaTimes.net)

BI: 160 foreign sex offenders barred from entering PH in 2019 by neil

arwin Mercado Inquirer.net

at different international airports in the country. According to the immigration bureau, RSO refers to a “foreigner previously convicted of a sex crime in his country, who has finished serving his sentence or is out on parole or probation.” Among those are pedophiles who were found guilty of raping minors. Of the 160 RSOs intercepted in 2019, 128 were Americans, 11 were British nationals, six were Australians, four were Chinese, and two were from

New Zealand. A Cameroonian, a Canadian, a German, a Guatemalan, an Irish, a Korean, a Malaysian, a Russian, and a Taiwanese national were also denied entry to the Philippines for being sex offenders, according to BI. The sex offenders, Medina said, were immediately turned back and booked on the first available flight to their port of origin. Medina said sex predators “pose a serious threat to the well-being of Filipino women and children.” n

A TOAL of 160 foreign-registered sex offenders (RSOs) were barred from entering the country in 2019, slightly higher than the 145 sex offenders who were intercepted in 2018, the Bureau of Immigration (BI) said on Wednesday, January 8. In a report to Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente, lania Trump, and two White BI port operations division chief House public health experts Grifton Medina said the foreign made an announcement that sex offenders were intercepted the administration would address growing concerns over vaping-related illnesses among American youth. In a speech delivered in the Oval Office, Trump promised to deliver “very, very strong” measures against teenage vaping and suggested that his administration would institute a full ban on vape products. The national discourse over C<>8C @DD@>I8K@FE `j X 9@> @JJL< k_\j\ [Xpj% D8EP `e fli Zfddle`kp E<<; what to do with e-cigarette products and which flavors pfli j\im`Z\j% K_\i\ Xi\ k_fljXe[j n_f dXp nXek kf \og\[`k\ k_\`i i\j`[\eZp fi should be prohibited was cataglijl\ ]lcc Z`k`q\ej_`g Ylk [feËk befn _fn kf Y\^`e Xe[ n_\i\ kf ^f% lyzed by a sudden outbreak in 2019 of lung injuries stemmed from vaping THC, the principal psychoactive ingredient in marijuana. But following Thursday’s 8J@8E AFLIE8CËJ GIF=<JJ@FE8C J<IM@:<J ;@I<:KFIP# n`cc efn Y\ announcement, medical and ilee`e^ n\\bcp# \m\ip K_lij[Xp f] CXj M\^Xj <[`k`fe% public health organizations said that the partial ban was a good move forward, but wasn’t enough to adequately address 8AËj GJ; ZXe _\cg PFL i\XZ_ flk kf k_\d X]]fi[XYcp Xe[ \]]\Zk`m\cp% the issue. “If we are serious about tackling this epidemic and keeping these harmful products out of the hands of young people, a total ban on all flavored e-cigarettes — in all forms and at all locations — is prudent and ur8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej gently needed,” the American pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j% Medical Association said in a statement, adding that it was “disappointed that menthol flaFli gi`ek \[`k`fej ile `e kXe[\d n`k_ 8AËj Gi`ek <[`k`fe Fec`e\% vors — one of the most popular — will still be allowed.” n Fec`e\1 _kkg1&&`jjll%Zfd&Xj`XeaflieXc[`^`kXc\[`k`fe

Trump compromises on vaping, FDA bans most e-cig flavors by Klarize

U.S. and Philippine military personnel inaugurated a U.S. funded peacekeeping operations training facility in Tarlac on Thursday, December 12. The center will provide training and administrative services to AFP personnel participating in peacekeeping operations, in support of the Philippines’ international commitments. Photo courtesy of the Armed Forces of the Philippines

LOW CARBON TRANSPORT SYSTEM. United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Philippines Deputy Resident Representative Ernesto Gaveglia delivers his message during the “Transport Forum 2020” conducted by the Department of Transportation (DOTr) held at Novotel in Quezon City on Tuesday, January 7. The UNDP and DOTr are jointly promoting the low carbon urban transport system to significantly reduce pollutants by embracing environmentally-friendly mass transport system. PNA photo by Oliver Marquez

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JANUARY 9-15, 2020 • LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL

OPINION

Ready for evacuation

FEATURES

THERE are anti-war protests in the United States, but no one can say if U.S. President Donald Trump is merely mouthing rhetoric when he threatens to launch airstrikes on 52 sites in Iran. Trump issued the threat over the weekend, saying the attacks would be launched if Iran retaliated for the killing of its top military commander, Gen. Qassem Soleimani, in a U.S. airstrike in Iraq. While U.S.-led economic sanctions have curtailed Iran’s crude oil sales to the world, the fresh tensions could put a strain on oil production elsewhere in the Middle East, tightening global supply and raising prices. The tension is escalating at the same time that fuel excise taxes in the Philippines have increased under the tax reform package, guaranteeing higher pump prices. Another cause for concern is the plight of the millions of Filipinos working in the Middle East. There are only about 1,000 Filipinos registered to be living in Iran, and around 10,000 working in Iraq where Soleimani was killed. But armed conflict in one country in the region can spread to neighboring states, affecting the personal safety and jobs of an estimated 2.5 million overseas Filipino workers. OFWs in the Middle East have enough prob-

lems without the conflict between the U.S. and Iran. Filipinos are still mourning the brutal killing of domestic worker Jeanelyn Villavende allegedly by her female employer in Kuwait. The Philippine government must mobilize its missions in the region to assist OFWs who want to get out of harm’s way in case armed conflict escalates. It won’t be the first time that OFWs would be evacuated from the volatile region. Similar operations were undertaken during the Gulf War as well as the U.S. attacks on Afghanistan and Iraq following the terrorist strikes in New York and Washington on Sept. 11, 2001. Filipinos have also been evacuated at certain times from Libya and Syria. There is no reason for the Philippines to be unprepared for evacuation and repatriation in the latest conflict in Iran and Iraq. (Philstar. com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective

Navigating the new year and new decade: A day at a time

and yet we already feel the heavyweight of what is going on in our life, in our country, in our world. GEL SANTOS-RELOS Maybe you are battling sickness, or are mourning the HAPPY NEW YEAR! death of someone dear to you. We are just starting the new Perhaps you have a child year 2020 and the new decade, who is off course, a marriage

that is not working, have lost a loved one, or feel betrayed. Possibly you did not get the break or the promotion you were expecting, or have lost your job and wonder how you can support your self and your family who depend on you. Or maybe you have been

READY, GET SET, BLOW. A child tries a horn at Divisoria in Manila, her way of welcoming the New Year. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili

On the move SEGUNDO ECLAR ROMERO AMERICAN writer Stewart Brand tells us: “This present moment used to be the unimaginable future.” We have ushered in the year 2020 and the Filipinos’ sense of control over their collective future remains as nebulous as ever. Individuals and families do try to discern their alternative futures, “back-casting” from career and lifetime goals to the present, identifying those critical milestones and tasks they need to undertake to achieve their preferred future. But Filipinos in collectives — neighborhoods, villages, communities, barangays, municipalities, cities, provinces, agencies, departments — do not make any serious attempts to map their futures in a similar manner. Without an image of a collectively aspired-for future, there is hardly

Philstar.com photo

waiting for so long to be reunited with your family in the Philippines, but the current immigration system has made that dream so elusive. And then your heart bleeds when you see young men and women being sent to harms way, especially if your son or daughter among them, for a war that you could not make sense of, and yet you see some leaders of the world using the lives of people as pawns to satisfy their political and personal interests and wonder how they even got elected to make such consequential decisions that affect the lives of families all over the world. Your gut hurts when seeing pictures of the inferno ravaging states in Australia, burning millions of hectares of land, destroying thousands of homes, killing people, and extinguishing the lives of helpless animals like kangaroos and koalas. You hear about the hurricanes, typhoons, floodings, earthquakes, and other natural disasters triggered by extreme climate change, threatening the lives and livelihood of mankind and the life of living things in the planet, and yet we see people in power denying and concealing even more scientific proofs of the climate crisis because they worship money and prioritize their immediate self-interest instead of investing in the lives of the

next generations. AMID ALL THESE CHALLENGES, do not lose your faith. In both our personal lives and in what is going on around the nation and the world, know that we are not helpless. Before we allow ourselves to be weary and depressed, we need to remember and make a list of the blessings we still have — our lives, our family, our job, opportunities, and choices we can still make to change a situation we are not happy about. When we wake up every morning, we are reminded that this is another day to start again. Another day to smoothen our rough edges, make our crooked paths straight, and use our God-given talent to make our dreams come true. I know how daunting it is to look at the hurdles we need to face because a lot of them are beyond our control. But then again, we need to focus on what we have control over, on what we can do right here and right now. Break down your goals to yearly, monthly, weekly and then daily plans and “to do list.” Really focus on what you can do, without waiting for others to act because that will just paralyze you. Every morning aspire to be the change you want to see in the world because the truth is, that is the only thing you can work on — your self. Choos-

ing to do the right thing even when others do not. Do it faithfully and dutifully every day, giving your best even when it is difficult. Believe that what you do your self will have an effect on others, and will inspire and move them to work on themselves, and this will trigger a domino effect. And remember the “Lord’s Prayer” that says “give us this day our daily bread…” Have faith that the Lord our God will give us all the grace we need for each day, for tomorrow will be another day, another grace awaits. Do not let the fears or worries of tomorrow keep you from fulfilling what you are entrusted to do for today. The past is gone, we cannot do anything about it. Today is our gift, make the most of it for it will be the foundation of our future. Today is all that we sure have to work on. HAPPY NEW YEAR! May all that we do each new day we are gifted with, move to the direction of our prayers. *** Gel Santos Relos has been in news, talk, public service and educational broadcasting since 1989 with ABS-CBN and is now serving the Filipino audience using different platforms, including digital broadcasting, and print, and is working on a new public service program for the community. You may contact her through email at gelrelos@icloud.com, or send her a message via Facebook at Facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos.

Imagining Filipino futures any motivation and systemic process for strategic thinking and purposive implementation. The year 2020 is as good a year as any for individuals and organizations in positions of leadership and in control of critical resources to attempt the conjuring of collective visions. A good handle is to think of this engagement as “community future problem-solving.” Filipinos have taken to social media to try to participate in national future community problemsolving (West Philippine Sea, China, water and rice crises, natural and man-made calamities, graft and corruption, drugs and crime), but have not habitually initiated or engaged any such problem-solving at their community or barangay level. Why they have to do so is clear — future problem-solving at the national level is seldom fully understandable and directly actionable by citizens. Local community problemsolving (bottom-up-budgeting, solid waste management,

flooded streets, lack of streetlights, unregulated karaoke singing, drugs and crime, poor or tardy delivery of public services) are within the collective local competence and efficacy of citizens. How might such future local community problem-solving exercises be undertaken? The work of the Innovations at the Base of the Pyramid in Southeast Asia (iBoP Asia) team I headed at the Ateneo School of Government in 2013 is a good template. The project was undertaken for Metro Manila, using five informal communities as focal areas for drawing informal community participants — central (Welfareville in Mandaluyong), north (Barangay Doña Imelda, Quezon City), east (Banaba, Sto Niño, San Mateo), west (Estero de San Miguel, Manila), and south (Manggahan, Pasig City). This project, the “Informal City Dialogues,” was a six-city project which the Rockefeller Foundation, on its centennial

year, launched covering Accra in Ghana, Bangkok in Thailand, Chennai in India, Lima in Peru and Metro Manila in the Philippines. The project sought to understand the relationship between the formal and informal in our cities to envision a different, more inclusive and resilient future. To acquire deep and meaningful insights, the study sought to engage a diverse group of citizens representing public, private, civic, industry, nonprofits, local philanthropies, workers, street vendors, urban poor groups, academe, women and youth to formulate scenarios for the future of the city. The ultimate goal was to surface and encourage innovative solutions that will help cities build on the strengths of the informal city. The whole process took two days of futures mapping, and two days of innovative community problem-solving workshops participated in by almost a hundred participants. These workshops were additionally

preceded by preworkshop community mapping workshops. There is a certain level of system and methodology that must be used to make these exercises fruitful. The Scenarios Visioning Process used develops in the participants the realization that while we are unable to predict a single, specific future, we can conjure, anticipate and prepare for multiple, possible futures. Futures mapping enables us to imagine what changes might take place in the coming decades and use those scenarios to guide strategies. Through futures mapping we can imagine what tomorrow might bring, inducing greater foresight in us today. Scenarios are not predictions; they are best understood as plausible, coherent and challenging descriptions of possible future worlds. They can help understand the shape and impacts of global trends, and inspire organizations or groups of people develop better strategies, and spur solutions — new products, services and processes — to

respond to collective problems and needs. In the Informal City Dialogues futures mapping workshop undertaken for Metro Manila in 2013, four scenarios were formulated based on what the workshop considered to be the most important drivers that were also the most uncertain over the period 2013-2040. These two drivers are population growth (slow or fast) and urban planning (effective or ineffective). See the scenarios here: https://www.rockefellerfoundation.org/report/the-informal-city-reader/). Futures mapping is a strategic way of renewing purposive civic participation at the local community level. It is a mechanism for awakening self-help, mutual help, and institutional help to anticipate and solve future community problems. This is one way to reverse the observation, “Filipinos have strategies for individual and family survival, but no strategy for national survival.” (Inquirer.net)

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

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Dateline PDrop hiliPPines in crime rate proves

gov’t ‘winning’ drug war – PNP by Consuelo

marquez

Inquirer.net

MANILA — The continued decrease in crime rate under the Duterte administration is “proof” that the Duterte administration is “winning” its crackdown on illegal drugs, Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar, the head of Philippine National Police (PNP) Directorial Staff, said on Wednesday, January 8. “We have been on the right path in the campaign against illegal drugs because the consistent decline in crime means continuous improvement in peace and order,” Eleazar said in a statement sent to reporters in response to Vice President Leni Robredo, who called the drug war as a “massive failure.” Eleazar noted that communities in barangays were attributing the FIRE VICTIMS. Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go visits fire victims in Santa Ana, Manila. Go says he will push for the passage of improvement of peace and order to the government’s anti-illegal disaster resiliency measures in 2020 after distributing relief goods and financial assistance to the almost 800 fire victims. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan drug campaign. “It is these people themselves who are now saying that the drug pushers and users, who used to be neighborhood toughies, are now scared,” Eleazar, former chief of National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO), said. Under the Department of the Interior and Local Government cut its overnight borrowing rate stocks to outperform from the records, the crime volume in by Doris Dumlao-abaDilla Inquirer.net twice this year—once in the first regional benchmark because the the Philippines decreased by quarter and again in the second market is already been priced at 11 percent from 488,644 cases THE Philippine economy is quarter—to bring the benchmark a premium,” Fan said. n from July 2017 to June 2018 to likely to outperform its regional rate to 3.5 percent by the end of and global peers in the next two the year. years on the back of resilient Fan added that the BSP would private consumption, monetary likely slash the reserve requirepolicy easing and strong rebound ment ratio on banks by 200 basis in capital inflow, investment ex- points each year this 2020 and perts from British banking giant 2021, bringing it down to 10 perHSBC said. cent by end-2021. This year, HSBC expects the “It will improve liquidity condiPhilippines to grow its gross tions in the financial system and domestic product (GDP) by 6.4 drive investment growth recovpercent and further to 6.5 percent ery,” she said. next year, beating the projected Inflation, on the other hand, is average growth of Asian emerging projected to pick up pace to 2.9 markets of 5.1 percent this year percent this year, but still within and 5.3 percent next year. the 2 to 4 percent target range of “We anticipate a growth re-ac- the BSP. celerating path for the next two With the government likely years, in contrast with the global to boost spending to support its downturn that we have seen in growth agenda, HSBC forecasts other parts of the globe,” Fan the government deficit to widen Cheuk Wan, HSBC Private Bank- to 3.2 percent of GDP in 2020 ing chief market strategist for and 2021 versus 2.4 percent last Asia, said in a press briefing on year. Tuesday, January 7. With both the fiscal deficit and For full-year 2019, HSBC ex- current account deficit likely widpected an average GDP growth of ening this year, Fan said the peso 5.8 percent for the Philippines. might see a “mild weakening” to HSBC sees investment growth 53 against the dollar by yearend in the country to rebound to 10.7 from around 51:$1 at present. percent this 2020 from only 2.3 Meanwhile, HSBC maintained percent last year, when the delay a “neutral” view on the Philipin the legislation of the national pine stock market, similar to its budget constrained public spend- view on most equity markets in ing. the region. The Bangko Sentral ng Pili“We stick with our neutral posipinas (BSP) is also among the tion because Philippines stocks 10 Asian monetary institutions continue to stay at the high end that will likely continue its bias of the valuation spectrum across for monetary easing this year. Asia, so valuation premium would Fan said the BSP would likely cap the scope for Philippine

PH economy to outperform global peers in next 2 years

Sen. Panfilo Lacson

Philstar.com photo

Lacson seeks to amend wiretapping law by CeCille

suerte Philstar.com

Felipe

MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson is seeking to amend the wiretapping law, to allow the recording of private conversations with the consent of at least one of the participants. Lacson said the proposed measure would provide law enforcers the needed tools to fight terrorism and other heinous crimes. He said Senate Bill 1187 seeks to allow “one-party consent” in tapping the calls of those involved in the conversation. It also contains sufficient safeguards to prevent abuse. “To further aid our law enforcement authorities in their obligation to protect the people, there is a need to provide an alternative option to the rigorous and timeconsuming process of securing a court order that will still respect and comply with the right to privacy,” Lacson said. Other crimes covered by the bill include treason, rebellion, coup d’etat, sedition, kidnapping, robbery in band, drug-related offens-

es, money laundering, plunder, bribery and corruption of public officials and espionage. Under the bill, Lacson said a law enforcement officer may record or intercept a wire, oral or electronic conversation, to gather evidence and strengthen a case buildup after securing the requisite written order. He said the bill would allow a written authorization by the head of the law enforcement agency involved for the wiretap after sufficient proof is presented. The authorization must show reasonable grounds to believe the evidence is essential for conviction and that there are no other effective means to obtain such evidence. Lacson said law enforcers must fill up an application form to conduct a one-party consent recording or intercepting, and provide information such as the nature of danger to the consenting party, type of recording or intercepting device to be used, location and length of time of the recording, as well as the names of person/s, if known, whose conversation will be recorded. n

PNP Directorial Staff Lt. Gen. Guillermo Eleazar

438,496 cases from July 2018 to June 2019. Interior Secretary Eduardo Año previously said the decline in crime volume could be attributed to the active cooperation between the national government, local government units, citizens, and stakeholders. Under NCRPO records, crimes against persons — including murder, homicide, physical injury, and rape — stood at 18,184 incidents from July 2016 to Sept. 26, 2019. With this, the crime rate in Metro Manila declined by 17,652 incidents than the 35,836 crimes against persons from April 2013 to June 2016 under the Aquino administration.

Inquirer.net photo

Eleazar stressed that it was “unfair” not to indicate the effect of the government’s bloody drug war on peace and order as people already experience safer streets. “It is unfair not to include the impact of the drug war on peace and order because it is the people in the community who experience and witness the improvement in peace and order due to our campaign against illegal drugs,” Eleazar said. In her 41-page report on the drug war, Robredo said the government’s bloody war on drugs is a massive failure, citing that authorities confiscated less than one percent of the total illegal drugs and drug money traded on the streets. n

january 9-15, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

Dateline PhiliPPines

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‘Pray that nobody will be interested,’ Duterte tells Manila Water, Maynilad by Krissy

aguilar Inquirer.net

MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, January 8, said the two metro water concessionaires should just accept the new contracts being prepared by government, or “pray that nobody will be interested.” In his speech at the oath-taking of newly appointed officials, Duterte once more said that he will make good his promise to send a “billionaire” behind bars, apparently referring to the owners of the beleaguered Manila Water and Maynilad companies, if they will not accept the new water contracts without the alleged “onerous” GETTING READY FOR TRASLACION. Workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways place a barbed wire on the steel support of the provisions. Ayala Bridge to prevent Black Nazarene devotees from climbing it up during the annual Traslacion on Thursday, January 9. The procession of the image of the Black Nazarene will pass through the bridge going to Quiapo Church. PNA photo by Avito C. Dalan

Go pushes building law by Javier

J. ismael ManilaTimes.net

SEN. Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go has filed a bill that seeks to provide standards on the planning, design, construction, and maintenance of buildings and structures. Senate Bill (SB) 1252, also known as the “Philippine Building Act of 2019,” aims to safeguard the public welfare and to mitigate the impact of disasters by laying down a framework of minimum standards and requirements in line with mainstreaming disaster risk reduction and management efforts. In filing SB 1252, Go explained that many elements were lacking or needed to be updated in the current building code. “The National Building Code of the Philippines took effect on Feb. 19, 1977. Ilang dekada na po ang nakakalipas mula nang ito ay naging batas. Mula noon, marami na po tayong mga natutunan tungkol sa building safety dahil sa advancements in science, at pati na din po sa ating mga naging masasamang experience mula sa sakuna, tulad ng lindol na nangyari sa Mindanao. Panahon na upang ating pag-aralan ang pag-update sa National Building Code na ito (More than two decades have passed since this became a law. Since then, we have learned a lot about building safety

because to the advancements in science, as well as from our bad experiences from disasters, such as earthquakes that hit Mindanao. It’s time that we consider updating the National Building Code),” he said. The senator added that some safety standards on fire safety and sanitation were not mentioned in the current Building Code, leaving several loopholes and inadequacies that should be addressed. “Kapansin pansin po na kahit na mayroong mga safety standards ang current Building Code, gaya ng fire safety and sanitation, hindi po specifically mentioned ang disaster resiliency dito. Napakahalaga ng disaster resiliency dito sa ating bansa dahil maliban sa around 20 typhoons ang pumapasok sa ating bansa taon-taon (Even if there are safety standards in the current Building Code, such as fire safety and sanitation, it doesn’t specifically mention disaster resiliency. Disaster resiliency is very important in our country because apart from some 20 typhoons that enter the country every year), our geographic location makes us vulnerable to other such as earthquakes, landslides, storm surges and more,” Go said. The senator proposed that buildings and structures should be built based on the principle of “building back better.” “Building back better requires that in the reconstruction of dam-

aged structures, due consideration shall be given to the possibility of the disaster repeating itself,” he explained. To ensure the safety and resilience of buildings and structures, the bill provides a system of classification as to their type of construction according to fire resistance rating, use or occupancy and required permitting process. General planning requirements for the location, siting and zoning of buildings and structures are also provided in the bill, all of which should also take into account the environment and its conservation and protection. According to Go, the use of materials, pieces of equipment, plants and tools, and selection of personnel for construction must also conform to reference standards to ensure quality of materials and workmanship. He added that the measure covers the review and inspection of old buildings to ensure that structural integrity of these structures is compliant. “Huwag na po natin hintayin magkaroon pa ng isa pang sakuna. Importante na maging handa ang ating bansa para masigurado na safe at disaster-resilient ang ating mga komunidad (Let’s not wait for another disaster. It is important for our country to be prepared in order to ensure that our communities are safe and disasterresilient),” Go said. n

“So tanggapin ninyo ‘yan (just accept it). Pray that nobody will be interested because I will really if somebody — if I decide to go after you, I will see to it that a billionaire goes to prison,” he said. Duterte had earlier slammed Maynilad and Manila Water for allegedly milking billions from their consumers and the government since the signing of the 1997 concession deals. The president also previously endorsed a Villar-owned water firm as a possible replacement should the two firms fail to come to terms with the government. “That (1997) contract was never shown to the public. It was kept out, and suddenly we have a liability,” Duterte said.

“Because if we fail to ratify the rise of the rates at their bidding, they incur losses day-by-day and we have to pay. Ang mga p****** i** nila. Lahat kayong mga p***** i** ninyo. Harap-harapan kayo magnakaw (you are stealing blatantly),” he added. Duterte earlier warned the two water companies to accept the new deals without the “onerous” provisions or their contracts will be canceled. The president also said the water distribution service will be nationalized should the water firms reject the new contract. There is no guarantee, however, that the water concessionaires will not be prosecuted for the original contracts, he said. n

5 Pinoys lose homes in Australian bushfires by Pia lee-Brago Philstar.com

MANILA — Some 300 Filipinos have been evacuated while five lost their homes as bushfires worsened in Australia, an official of the Philippine embassy in Canberra said. In an interview over dzMM, Consul General Aian Caringal said the evacuations were precautionary measures after two houses owned by Filipinos were damaged by bushfire. He said the 300 Filipinos are being attended to by the local government and have been given temporary housing and emergency relief. The Filipinos, residing in East Gippsland, Victoria, were evacuated to the nearby city of Bairnsdale. Caringal said there are around 300,000 Filipinos in Australia, 75,000 of them workers and students. The rest are permanent migrants. “During bushfire season, the local government has contingen-

cies in place,” he said. “We just need to coordinate with them. It’s more in coordination with local authorities and Filipino communities.” Record-breaking temperatures and months of severe drought have fuelled a series of massive bushfires across Australia. The embassy, in coordination with the Philippine consulates in Sydney and Philippine honorary consulates in Melbourne and Adelaide, is closely monitoring the bushfire emergencies in parts of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. It said everyone is advised to follow the instructions of their local authorities and to take all necessary precautions and recommended actions. Malacañang is moving to ensure the safety of Filipinos in Australia who are residing in areas affected by bushfires. ?“Our government is implementing measures to ensure that our countrymen are safe from the conflagration,” presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said at a press briefing on

Monday, January 6. More than five million hectares of land have been affected by the bushfires, according to earlier reports. Prayers The Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday urged Filipinos to pray for God to put out the bushfires. CBCP-Episcopal Commission on Laity (ECL) chairman Manila Auxiliary Bishop Broderick Pabillo said the blaze, if not put under control, could indicate that man is helpless against nature’s wrath. It should also serve as an eyeopener on the effects of climate change. Bataan Bishop Ruperto Santos said the local diocese has offered prayers in solidarity with the Australians. “In solidarity of the Diocese of Balanga to Australia, we have this prayer being recited in the diocese. The Diocese of Balanga did pastoral visitation in 2016 to the Bataeños residing in Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney,” he said. n

CA upholds Junjun Binay’s disqualification by evelyn

macairan Philstar.com

CA found Binay guilty of serious dishonesty, grave misconduct and conduct prejudicial to the MANILA — The Court of Ap- best interest of the service in conpeals (CA) has affirmed its deci- nection with the construction of sion perpetually disqualifying the P1.3-billion building. former Makati mayor Jejomar CA magistrates affirmed the Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. from Office of the Ombudsman’s findholding public office over the ing of guilt in 2017. anomalous construction of the Binay allegedly entered into Makati Science High School a P165.26-million contract with building. service contractor Hilmarc deIn a consolidated resolution is- spite irregularities in the procuresued last December but released ment of construction materials to media only on Monday, Janu- for the project’s Phase VI. ary 6, the appellate court’s former The CA resolution was penned Eighth Division denied for lack by Associate Justice Ronaldo of merit the motions for recon- Roberto Martin. Associate Jussideration filed by Binay and 13 tices Ramon Bato Jr. and Raother defendants. mon Cruz concurred with the Former Makati mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. Philstar.com photo In its May 2019 decision, the ruling. n

Janet Napoles now a fundraising organizer at Correctional Women (CIW) in Mandaluyong City. Arpid said that it all started with MANILA — Although still be- the selling of mugs, then their hind bars, Janet Lim Napoles, the plan expanded to making beaded convicted plunderer and alleged and hand-woven bags. The assistant coordinator addmastermind of the P10-billion pork barrel scam, now chooses ed that the funds earned from the to help her fellow inmates while would help not only the families but also the women who want she can. Napoles was spotted Wednes- to start fresh after serving their day, January 8, at the launch of the sentences. And one PDL, according to “Sa Piling ni Nanay” fundraising at the Correctional Institution for Bautista, already benefited from by Katrina

Hallare Inquirer.net

the funds earned. During the launch, the CIW superintendent said that the money raised from “Sa Piling Ni Nanay” was used to rush one inmate, who is suffering from third stage cancer, to the hospital. “I hope you help us support the products of the inmates. This would not only help those who are detained here but also to help bridge the relationships of mothers and their children through this project,” she said. n

Moreno: Potential presidential run ‘up to destiny to decide’ by ratziel

san Juan Philstar.com

MANILA — Manila City Mayor Isko Moreno is not ruling out running for president in 2022 but said Tuesday that he is leaving it up to fate. Moreno, whose real name is Francisco Domagoso, unseated reelectionist Joseph Estrada in the May 2019 elections and has become a media darling, with news crews virtually documenting his every move. “I’ll let destiny decide. My point is today, I am a mayor. I should do and perform and excel from it. And I think I owe it to the people of Manila,” Moreno said. The youngest to be elected Philippine president after the EDSA People Power Revolution was Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III, who assumed office at 50 years old. Moreno, who is 45 years old, would be 47 on the day of elections in 2022. Under the 1987 Constitution, the minimum age to run for president is 40. If Moreno runs for president and is elected, he would be the youngest since ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos, who was

Mayor Isko Moreno conducted inspections of Manila’s streets and held dialogues with street vendors in his first weeks in office. Phistar.com photo

elected at 48. Moreno said that more than age, experience should figure more prominently in the qualifications of the next president. “I think presidency is destiny... Experience is the best teacher in life, especially in governance. So you can be young, you can be old, but experience is very important,” Moreno said. “Tingin ko lang ah (That’s just my opinion). While education is needed, you have to be also properly equipped. You have tools but the best tool is experience.”

Moreno, a former actor, was previously vice mayor of Manila and a three-term city councilor before that. The Manila mayor said he would focus meanwhile on rehabilitation and clearing efforts in the city. “So if there is a chance that I can...you know, talagang linisin (effectively clean), gawing maaliwalas ang (and reinvigorate) Manila in the next 12 months hopefully. Then development will come in, creating more jobs…” he said. n

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 9-15, 2020

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january 9-15, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

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VEGAS&STYLE Journal

Anticipated 2020 book releases by Filipino & Fil-Am authors by AJPress WITH the new year upon us, a top resolution that individuals continue to promise is: read more books. Luckily, like 2019 — which was a stellar year to accomplish the goal as there were over a dozen new releases by Filipino and Filipino American authors across genres — 2020

The Vanished Birds By Simon Jimenez

is shaping up to be another good year with more literature choices to come. Here are a few must-read titles on the Asian Journal’s radar set to be released later this year. “The Vanished Birds” by Simon Jimenez (January 14) Author Simon Jimenez makes his novel debut with “The Vanished Birds,” a mind-bending adventure that defies space and time. A mute child with a special musical ability gets taken in by Nia, a solitary female ship captain drifting through time. “Soon, these two outsiders discover in each other the things they lack. For him, a home, a place of love and safety. For her, an anchor to the world outside of herself. For both of them, a family. But Nia is not the only one who wants the boy,” says the description by

publisher Del Rey.  “Wicked as You Wish” by Rin Chupeco (March 3) Launching the “A Hundred Names for Magic” series, Rin Chupeco’s “Wicked as You Wish” is an alternative history fairy tale about found family, modern day magic, and finding the place you belong. Prince Alexei, the sole survivor of the Kingdom of Avalon’s royal family, is exiled to a town where magic doesn’t work and few know his true identity. His friend Tala, however, knows but is keeping a secret of her own as a spellbreaker. When Avalon’s most powerful weapon, the Firebird, reemerges after decades in hiding, Alex, Tala and a group of friends band together to reclaim the magical kingdom.  “How to Make Friends with the Sea” by Tanya Guerrero (March 31) “How to Make Friends with the Sea” is Tanya Guerrero’s debut middle grade novel about 12-year-old Pablo and his mother who move around every few months. Her job as a zoologist has now brought them to the Philippines, where she soon fosters Chiqui, an orphaned Filipina girl with a cleft lip. With the constant changes, Pablo has been grappling with anxiety, but soon realizes that he must be strong for Chiqui and face certain fears, like the sea.  “Any Day with You” by Mae Respicio (May 5)

Showbiz predictions, vibes and visions for 2020 by aRlo

custodio ManilaTimes.net

WHAT will happen to ABSCBN stars when the network franchise expires on March 30 and more… Although unpublished, spirit questor-psychic Nick Nangit fearlessly declared days before the Binibining Pilipinas 2018 coronation night that three of the new queens will win in their respective contests. It was not to doubt his abilities then, but The Manila Times waited for the fulfillment of his prediction to establish his credibility. First to compete was Michele Gumabao in the Miss Globe contest in Albania on October 22. She finished Top 15. Eva Patalinjug followed on October 25, unplaced in the Miss Grand International held in Myanmar. On November 9, Ahtisa Manalo almost became the seventh Filipina Miss International when she placed First Runner-Up in Japan. On December 9, Jehza Huelar ended in Top 10 in the Miss Supranational pageant in Poland. With four down and only Manalo in the winning circle, the attention was on Catriona Gray. Auspiciously, with her beauty, poise and intelligence, the Filipino-Scottish, Australia-born, model-singer became the fourth Filipina Miss Universe on December 17 in Thailand. On Jan. 27, 2019, Karen Gallman became the first Philippine bet to win the Miss Intercontinental pageant after 46 years on home soil. The win of three of the 2018 Binibini queens cemented Nangit’s stock as a reliable seer. One of the predictions he also shared that time was the death of veteran actor Eddie Garcia – not by sickness but caused by something else, he said. On June 8, Garcia tripped on a cable wire while taping a teleserye for GMA Network. The accident made him comatose and he died several days later on June 20.

Sarah Geronimo and Regine Velas

Vice Ganda Photo from Instagram/@praybeytbenjamin

Coco Martin

Nangit, a CPA-lawyer who graduated from the University of the Philippines, said that he was born with psychic abilities. He honed these further by becoming a spirit questor, under the mentorship of Tony Perez in 2004. He was elected later to the group’s Council of Elders. When this group of young psychic volunteers was disbanded, he continued to represent and render its public service on the occult, paranormal and divination. Besides his profession and avocation, Nangit is also a classical concert pianist and radio host. For this issue, Nangit shares his vibes and visions for the year, focusing on the entertainment industry in general and showbiz personalities in particular. Quality in the movie industry in general will stagnate in the com-

Photo from Instagram/@reginevalcasid

Wicked As You Wish by Rin Chupeco

12-year-old Filipina American Kaia is the main character in Mae Respicio’s forthcoming middle grade book, “Any Day With You.” When her greatgrandfather Tatang, who has lived with Kaia and her family in Santa Monica all her life, decides that he wants to go back to the Philippines, Kaia devises a plan to make him stay by working on a short movie inspired by the Filipino folktales that he used to

by Ricky

How to Make Friends with the Sea - Tanya Guerrero

share and entering it in a contest at her summer camp. She learns more about his past, including how he fought on the U.S. side in World War II, and his early years in America. Kaia begins to see how his sacrifices enabled her family’s present life, and what winning really means. A Bay Area resident, Respicio’s debut novel, “The House That Lou Built,” received the Asian/Pacific American Library Association

Honor Award in Children’s Literature and was an NPR Best Book of the Year.  “Fairest” by Meredith Talusan (May 26)  This coming-of-age memoir by award-winning author and journalist Meredith Talusan chronicles the journey of a precocious boy with albinism in the Philippines who would migrate to the United States, PAGE 14

Aga is box office king!

caldeRon ManilaTimes.net

THE 2019 Metro Manila Film Festival officially ends on January 7 and barring any untoward incident, a new box office king will be crowned in Aga Muhlach. His movie, “Miracle in Cell No. 7,” has emerged as the frontrunner in the box office race. It continues to lure in movie audiences. Never mind if it did not win any award, although it earned a Best Actor nomination for Aga. For the longest time, Aga has not had much success at the box office. His last two movies laid big, Anne Curtis fat eggs but he certainly scored a Photo from Instagram/@annecurtissmith jackpot and redeemed himself as he made his version of the popular Koream movie the current box office champion of MMFF 2019. “Miracle in Cell No. 7” has toppled “The Mall, The Merrier” from the number one slot. While the MMDA has yet to release the total amount earned by any of the entries, unconfirmed reports on social media indicate that Aga has indeed topped the filmfest. The icon that he is, Aga has wrested the “crown” from longtime title holder, Vice Ganda. What does this development ABS-CBN photo tell Vice Ganda? There is a satuing Year of the Metal Rat because ration point, he can’t be number the themes that will be mostly pre- one all the time. He can’t give his sented in theaters may become audience the same kind of movies mundane and boring, not blend- of rehashed jokes year after year. ing with the year’s element. His audience has grown tired of Metal represented by money his antics and shenanigans. It’s will circulate that will only make about time he levels up. a few happy but not the source. As for Aga, he may have lost Viewers will still be duped into watching feel-good films without realizing they are fed nonsense. Risks that a Rat is known for may be taken. Their benefit will come MISS Universe 2018 Catriona only, if new and unusual indig- Gray has her image immortalenous stories are told with twists ized in Madame Tussauds Sinand turns that excite the cunning gapore. attitude of the Rat. Her wax figure will wear a Unknown personalities and replica of the iconic lava gown, pairings may rise. The time for inspired by Albay’s Mayon Volboldness has come again. cano, especially designed by Mak There will be a lot of movement Tumang, which she wore when by the ABS-CBN stars after its she won the Miss Universe 2018 franchise expires on March 30. A title in Thailand. few will go streaming or transfer “I am so excited to see the to other media outlets, but their final figure and be a part of this programs will be difficult to sus- special event! To unveil the figtain. Many will lie low or move to ure in my home country with my other platforms or new endeavors fans watching is another dream just to save their downhill careers. come true,” Catriona shared on It will be a time of freezing fire for Instagram. their celebrities whose signs are “The Philippine market conpresumably correct. tinues to be one of our strongest Vice Ganda, being a Dragon, markets and has been very immay make a sudden turnaround. portant to our attractions in Asia Anne Curtis, a Monkey, will and we had seen an increase of focus on love and family but will travelers to Madame Tussauds feel low during the Venus and in Bangkok, Hong Kong and Mars Retrogrades. Singapore. We believe that by Coco Martin, a Scorpio Roost- having Catriona’s wax figure, it er, may go behind the scenes will definitely be a huge draw and but will find ways to make it big create the platform for her fans again with his ideas of grandness to get up-close with her in 2020. and travel. Her figure will be in Madame Regine Velasquez, a Dog, may Tussauds Singapore for a limited pair with other younger singers to period of time. Thereafter, her still be in the loop. figure will be going to Madame Sarah Geronimo, another Tussauds Bangkok and Hong Dragon, may tie the knot soon Kong,” Asia (excluding China) and enter a quiet life of mother- regional general manager Susan hood, while lying low in the music Ang said. industry. “We are constantly bringing PAGE 14 in more fun to cater to various

Aga Muhlach

the Best Actor awards to Allen Dizon (who won for “Mindanao”) but he won the hearts of the public. He will get his just reward in due time. As of this time, the Box Office King title is more than enough. Besides, he has nothing to prove anymore, acting-wise. As for Vice, it’s about time he goes back to the drawing board. It’s time to reassess his career and where it is going. It’s time for reinvention and innovation. He can’t afford to just rest on his laurels and be content with the thought that he can always be number one. There is still hope for Vice Ganda. If he can be convinced to do a good comedy film or a remake of a classic film like “Ang Tatay Kong Nanay” by the late Comedy King Dolphy, where he can show that he can act, as in really act, then there is hope for

ABS-CBN photo

redemption. Since he only makes one movie a year and he has a lot of time to prepare for the December filmfest, then he can really scout for a good script and a good director. There is no harm in trying something new. Maybe his fans have grown tired of his antics. Maybe his fans also want him to do something else, not the usual stuff that Vice Ganda gives them during the festival. Now that his myth of invincibility has been shattered — by someone more iconic, no less — will Vice Ganda embrace the fact that he is as human as everybody else and needs to go down from his imagined pedestal? Is he wise enough to realize that? Or is he still blinded by fame and continues to believe that he is still up there, safely ensconced at the top?

Catriona to unveil own wax figure in Manila

Miss Universe 2018 Catriona Gray holds record as the first Filipino personality with wax figure in Madame Tussauds Singapore. Photo from Instagram/@catriona_gray

markets and we look forward to welcome Catriona who will be the first Filipino wax figure in Madame Tussauds Singapore. Besides her figure Catriona also

filmed something special for Madame Tussauds,” Madame Tussauds Singapore general manager Alex Ward noted. (ManilaTimes.net)

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Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA THE ability to get things done remains a critical survival skill. At a certain point, the planning phase has to give way to actually rolling up one’s sleeves, putting one’s shoulder to the wheel and focusing on fleshing out the details and tweaking the final output. It is ironic but it has often been said that if you want anything done, give it to a busy person. That may very well be true, but only up to a point. One’s carrying capacity can be maxed out. The truth is that anyone who is both efficient and effective has mastered many times by trial and error over some length of time that fine blend of mixing the art and science of planning his work and working his plan. How? By thinking things through, prioritizing, sequencing and when necessary, improvising to stay within timetables and resources, one can really get things done. By keeping a laser-like focus on the goal, the motivated doer can move mountains. Nowhere is this life skill more put to the test than here in America where a person’s worth, whether we like it or not, is measured by his productivity, his creativity, and ultimately, his results. It is a skill needed to navigate a person’s day-to-day life. The unprecedented major strides in technology have enhanced man’s capability to multitask. Picture the modern version of Everyman running on a treadmill fulfilling multiple roles. No matter how much you want to buck the system, there is no way you can get around the fact that in order to thrive, let alone survive at this time and in this place, the life skills one needs to acquire and develop some level of competence in, are in the areas of planning the work and working the plan. You know what a delight it is to work on a project that has been well conceived and well planned. And when a plan comes together

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS CREDIT card/identity fraud Did your credit card data just got stolen, while your card was in your purse or wallet? Yes, today’s technology in the hands of thieves makes it very easy for them to steal your personal data, even your identity, without opening your purse or wallet, all by simply coming close to you, within an inch or less. Their tool: a card reader, similar to what stores use, where you swipe or insert your credit card to pay. The reader is in a gadget like an iPad or tablet, hidden in a thin case, which thieves hold close to you or bump onto you to “read” your card or passport data, any item with a bard code. Identity theft causes a devastating nightmare and a severe emotional trauma, besides potential financial ruin. TIP: Instead of paying for RFID pockets to protect your cards, you can simply use regular aluminum foil in your kitchen. Fold it about 4 layers, the same size of your cards or passport, and place one on either side, sandwiching the cards, or make an aluminum pouch for them. Your car remote: Unsafe? Criminals are now able to easily open your car doors you closed using your remote car key. When you click your remote key fob to open or close your car doors, there is a distinct electronic sound frequency — RF signal — between 315 to 390 MHz - that is transmitted from your remote to your car security system to turn on or turn off the door (and truck) lock. High tech criminals are now able to find the correct frequency through their “code grabbers” that could record and re-transmit a signal to open your vehicle door. A friend of mine, whose is a security freak, lost all the gifts she bought and stored in the trunk of her car while she did more shopping. Apparently, a thief nearby in the parking lot used a code grabber to gain entry into her Mercedes. Tip: For decades, about 5 years since car remote was introduced, when my research about electronic fraud and scams revealed the vulnerability of RF signals for lock systems, my wife and I have been opening and locking our car doors manually…the safer old fashion way. This has been a habit, a second nature for us to this day. And the painful experience of our friend reinforced our practice.

11

The secret of getting things done ‘I’m so sorry’: Bretman Rock on “O Lord, Thou givest us everything, at the price of an effort.” —Leonardo da Vinci in seamless fashion, everything is as smooth as silk. On the flip side of the coin, you know how aggravating it is to be involved in one that is a mess from the beginning conceived by one who seems to be running around like a headless chicken. History bears out that most of the great leaders of all time, whether in politics, in industry and in business are supreme planners. And contrary to common belief, these planners see the big picture but do not feel that it is beneath them to roll up their sleeves and work on the nitty-gritty themselves. Even God paints his canvass in broad brush strokes and is not beyond minding, knowing and working on the tiniest details. Picture the vastness of the universe and the delicate, amazing intricacy of man’s DNA. Planning helps you to see the goal very clearly. Planning makes it possible to signal your intentions to others so adjustments can be made in the early stages of the project. In freeway driving, it is not only courteous to signal your intention when changing lanes to let other drivers either speed up or slow down to make room for your move, it is the safe and prudent thing to do. Planning, like your left and right turn signals on your car, is a communication tool that gets feedback from within the team. Henry Ford, whose assemblyline technique revolutionized production methods once said, “Nothing is particularly hard if you divide it into small jobs.” As you flesh out the details of a project, the number of sub-tasks and the sequence with which these smaller tasks need to be done becomes clearer. Assigning who does what further breaks down the job to smaller and manageable bite sizes. Of course as the overseer, your task is to monitor progress

of each component of the project and see that each one contributes to the overall goal. Ultimately, the value of planning brings you full circle as it helps you stay focused on the goal and get the job done on time and within budget. Here’s a caveat. Lest we think that planning is foolproof, remember that “…the best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” Even with all the seemingly perfect planning that scientists at NASA do and even with the use of cutting edge technology, the agency still experiences monumental failures — from time to time. Things may not work out as planned — perhaps, to keep humanity’s hubris in check and keep us humble and realize our puny stature in the cosmic scheme of things. That way, we don’t take ourselves too seriously. There are absolutely no guarantees that something will work out because of a great plan. In some cases, there will be flukes, curveballs, unpredictable factors and totally unforeseen circumstances that will prevent something from happening. When things don’t work out as planned, ACCEPT IT. Perhaps, there is a much better plan, most probably from a Higher Authority who knows better. However, it has been proven that unless mighty cosmic forces are conspiring against something from happening, chances are stacked heavily towards transforming an idea to reality because of the simple act of planning and tenaciously working the plan. May the plans you have to create good blessings for yourself and others for 2020 and beyond come true. May the good you do make you happy *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com

Security dangers and tips Health@Heart

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 9-15, 2020

Garage doors also a target! Thieves are also utilizing the same modern technology — code grabber — RF signal copier — to open garage doors. In spite of the 12 DIP pins system that gives each garage opener unit a unique code, somehow, these high-tech robbers are still able to outsmart this security system. TIP: It is impractical and inconvenient to always turn OFF the main electric switch of the garage door system after driving the car outside and then exiting through the front door, and doing the exact opposite routine (going thru the front door and switching ON the garage opener upon return, etc.). Connecting your garage door opener to a wireless (cellular) Smart Switch Outlet and control the opener with your smart phone is an alternative. The other option is to include your garage in your monitored home security system. A regular key or keypad mounted outside the garage door does not prevent any thief with a code grabber from opening your garage door. Gifts stolen at your front door This holiday season alone, news about stolen Christmas gifts, parcels just left by the delivery man at the front door or by the gate are common. Some of these instances were even caught on security cameras. Many thieves are unthinking and stupid, and come to think of it, they are stupid and crooked the reason they steal in the first place. Surveillance cameras are now widely used. And they are now reasonably priced, countless wireless versions and brands (used with your phone Apps for monitoring even while you are in another country) costing less than $100. TIP: Many online store and shipping companies now accept preferences for delivery options for security. For one, I instruct Amazon.com, UPS, USPS, FEDEX personnel to go through our gate and place packages by our front door, which has an active WiFi security camera plus Ring doorbell, both of which videotape all motion detected and send me notification instantly on my cell phone 24/7. Amazon, for one, provides the option (if you request it) for its delivery staff to enter your front door to place the parcels inside your home, with your special “extra” code to your security alarm and keyless door entry). Privacy is, of course, a concern. One other option is to have a large mail chute by your garage door, or for someone to be home to receive the packages, which is the safest. Shooting a home intruder? When an intruder breaks into your home or threatens your life, do you have a legal right to

shoot? Here’s what legal experts at Wikipedia say: “A stand-your-ground law (sometimes called ‘line in the sand’ or ‘no duty to retreat’ law) establishes a right by which a person may defend one’s self or others (right of self-defense) against threats or perceived threats, even to the point of applying lethal force, regardless of whether safely retreating from the situation might have been possible. Such a law typically states that an individual has no duty to retreat from any place where they have a lawful right to be (though this varies from state to state) and that they may use any level of force if they reasonably believe the threat rises to the level of being an imminent and immediate threat of serious bodily harm and/or death. The castle doctrine is a common law doctrine stating that persons have no “duty to retreat in their home, or “castle”, and may use reasonable force, including deadly force, to defend their property, person, or another. Outside of the abode, however, a person has a duty to retreat, if possible, before using deadly force. Castle doctrine and “stand-your-ground” laws are acceptable defenses for people who have been charged with criminal homicide. At common law, self-defense claims are not valid if the defendant could have safely retreated from danger ( duty to retreat). The castle doctrine is an exception to this. It gives immunity from liability to individuals who acted in self-defense in the home even if they could have safely retreated from the threat and failed to do so. The duty to retreat is a legal requirement in some jurisdictions that a threatened person cannot stand one’s ground and apply lethal force in self-defense, but must retreat to a place of safety instead. Deadly force or lethal force is force with the intent of serious bodily injury or death to another person. In most jurisdictions it is only accepted under conditions of extreme necessity and last resort.” Tip: As we usher in the new year, let’s all stand our ground for world peace and shoot for global understanding, love, and compassion among all nations and our fellow earthlings. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com

dancing to Philippine national anthem by JAN

MILO SEVERO Philstar.com

INTERNET sensation Bretman Rock has apologized for his controversial video showing him dancing to the tune of the Philippine national anthem. A Twitter user posted a screenshot of a conversation between her and Bretman. “I just want to inform y’all, the video of Bretman singing and disrespecting our national anthem on his story was 3 mos ago. and he deleted it immediately and HE APOLOGIZED IMMEDIATELY. I HOPE U CONSIDER THAT,” the Twitter user wrote. Replying to the post, Bretman thanked the user, saying he will take full responsibility for his ac-

tion. “Thank you so much for understanding, I can promise you it will never happen again, I take full responsibility and I truly am so sorry,” Bretman commented. The Hawaii-based Filipino makeup artist and vlogger was criticized recently for dancing and twerking to “Lupang Hinirang.” National Historical Commission of the Philippines (NHCP) reminded the public that such an activity actually violates the Republic Act No. 8491 or the Flag and Heraldic Code of the Philippines. The NHCP also said that the national anthem should be respected at all times, and that it shall not be played for mere amusement and entertainment purposes, with a Bretmn Rock few exceptions. Photo from Instagram/@bretmanrock

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Feast of Infant Jesus of Prague in LA The public is all invited to a Special Celebration of the Feast of Infant Jesus of Prague on Saturday, January 11, 2020 at 3:00 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles. CA 90012). Bishop Alex Aclan will be the main celebrant. Bring your Infant Jesus Statue to touch the Holy Robe that the Holy Infant wears in the Shrine of Prague. The history of the devotion to the Miraculous Infant Jesus of Prague dates back more than four hundred years when the statue of the Holy Infant in the guise of a king was brought to Prague, Czech Republic. Miraculous healings were attributed to the Child Jesus, as was the protection of Prague when it was laid siege to by the Swedes in 1639. The mass event is sponsored by the Holy Trinity Ministry Fellowship.

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FACCGLA’s gala in Woodland Hills, CA The ‘Shining Shimmering Splendid Gala’ is the annual fundraising event of the Filipino American Chamber of Commerce of Greater Los Angeles (FACCGLA) on January 12, 2020 at 6 p.m. at the Hilton Woodland Hills. Everyone is welcome to attend to enjoy good food, music and dancing plus raffle prizes and other entertainment. Installation of the new President and Board precedes the merriment. Tickets are only $75 for all this enjoyment ($85 after Jan. 5), available online atwww.faccgla.org, select ‘Events’ and select the Jan12 event. Sponsorships available. Venue address is 6360 Canoga Ave, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Emailinfo@faccgla. org for inquiries.

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Filipino Cuisine Pop-Up with Parsnip and BOSFilipinos in Boston, MA Parsnip’s Executive Chef Jeffrey Salazar, of Filipino heritage, is partnering with the BOSFilipinos community for a one-night only Filipino feast. The spotlight for this Pop-Up dinner is Filipino cuisine, still a rarity in Boston, and a move towards building better intercultural relations, removing boundaries, and creating a global community. Please email info@bosfilipinos.com if you have any questions.

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33rd year anniversary of Feast of Santo Niño in Los Angeles Santo Niño Cruzada USA is inviting all devotees of Santo Niño to come and join us in the 33rd year anniversary mass celebration of the Feast of Santo Nino, the Divine Infant Jesus, at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, on Sunday, January 19, 2020 at 3:30 p.m. The principal celebrant is Bishop Alex D. Aclan. Please come early since the pre-liturgy will start around 3:00 p.m. Participants include the Knights of Columbus - Los Angeles District, Precious Blood and St. Kevin Church Choirs, Southern California Sinulog Dance Co and other dance groups and religious organizations. This mass will also be offered to honor the late Cebu Archbishop Emeritus Ricardo Cardinal Vidal, who gave the Santo Niño statue that is used to celebrate the annual feast, to Los Angeles Archbishop Emeritus Roger Cardinal Mahony and Monsignor Kevin Kostelnik several years ago. For more information, please contact Romy & Tess Esturas at (213) 387-6982.

Santo Niño Feast Day in Long Beach, CA All are welcome to the Sto. Niño Feast Day on Sunday, January 19 at St. Anthony’s Catholic Church in Long Beach, CA. The event begins at 2:30 p.m. with the procession; 3 p.m. mass; and 4 p.m. reception at Msgr. Gualderon hall (just across the street). Please bring your Sto. Niño images for blessing at the mass. For more information, please contact Beth Silva at (562) 7564201 or Tony Silva at (562) 822-5803. The church is located at 540 W. 6th Street, Long Beach, CA 90802.

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Parenting Workshop in Los Angeles Register for a free parenting workshop at Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) every Thursday starting January 23 until March 26. It will be held from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at 3200 W. Temple St. Los Angeles, CA. Opening Doors is an evidence-based comprehensive training program created by and for Latino parents with children ages 0-5. Despite this, Opening Doors has been facilitated to not only Latino families, but to Black and Asian families with positive results. This program hopes that parents can raise their children to reach their highest potential. The first five years of a child’s life are integral for lifelong learning and social and brain development. This program’s approach strives to build parent leadership skills through an understanding that they are their child’s first teacher and their home their child’s first school. Building upon the tenets of understanding your child, ensuring children’s success at home, and continuing education at home, the mission of Opening Doors is to encourage parents as leaders of their families and as their child’s first teacher and advocate. This program works with parents wholly so that they can empower themselves to be mindful and positive forces in their children’s lives. For any questions, contact Eddy M. Gana at eddy@sipacares.org. and register at BIT.LY/OPENINGSIPADOORS. More information about SIPA can be found at sipacares.org.

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2020 Filipino Policy Symposium in Hayward, CA The Bulosan Center for Filipino Studies and LEAD Filipino are inviting all interested nonprofit, grassroots, and student organizations to the 2020 Filipino Policy Symposium on Saturday, February 1. It will be held at Cal State University East Bay in Hayward, CA. Breakfast and registration begin at 9 a.m. with the conference from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Join as Filipino organizations from across California come together to discuss issues affecting the community and determine which legislative bills/public policies to push during the upcoming 2020 Fil Advocacy Day in Sacramento. Tickets ($25 for General Admission and $15 for Student) can be purchased on Eventbrite at http://bit.ly/FilSymposium2020.

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Live Filipino Music at Hard Rock Cafe in Boston, MA An evening of live music at the Hard Rock Cafe - Boston with talented Filipino American bands and performers, including Arianne Aldecoa, Balut Proof, Highland Ave Band, Jireh Calo and John dela Cruise. Bring your special someone, your besties or your family on this Valentine’s Day weekend. For tickets/info, call Rowena (617) 407-0232 or Ning (508) 843-0346.

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New year, new challenge for EA and Coleen ‘I’m over it’: Bea to leave behind

‘disrespectful,’‘feeling guwapo’ ex

by Christina

alpad ManilaTimes.net

With every new beginning also comes a new set of challenges to conquer. For the first-time team up of promising actors Edgar Allan Guzman and Coleen Garcia, the task at hand is to succeed in Philippine Cinema’s opening salvo for 2020, “Mia.” Produced by Chris Cahilig of insight 360 Films in partnership with Viva Films, the movie tells the tale of a self-destructive alcoholic named Mia. A poetic irony, she’s a doctor struggling to heal from the tragedy of her fiancé’s death. to help herself, she joins the government’s Doctor to the Barrios program to heal from the tragedy of her fiance’s death. there, she meets Jay, who transforms mined-out land into rainforests. in the same vein, he tries to bring life into Mia again. Acknowledging they had never worked together before shooting “Mia,” Guzman and Garcia, who’ve known each other for some time, admitted it took effort to build their on screen chemistry. this, despite the fact their director Veronica Velasco and Cahilig had spotted from the from the get go they found a gem in the new tandem. “they’re not a typical love team but we believe in putting together really good actors because kaya nilang gawan ng paraan, kaya nilang mag-build ng chemistry. And we are very happy with the result,” Cahilig expressed at Mia’s grand media conference this week. “First day, medyo nangangapa pa sila but given the nature of their characters, na pag napag-aralan their chemistry eventually fell into place as well and we got a believable team up,” Velasco added. Brand new roles Besides the challenge of developing chemistry, Guzman and Garcia furthered they both had to step up to the individual demands of their roles. Guzman, for one, admitted it was a huge task to play the forester Jay. “Matalino po ako dito, sobrang haba ng mga linya ko at ang daming English!” he confessed, drawing laughter from his interviewers. “Sa trailer, meron akong scene na nag momotor ako, na first time ko gawin sa showbiz career ko. And at the same time, ‘dun binigay yung pinakamahabang linya na puro English. Nasa likod si Coleen, so dagdag pa yun na pag may nangyari sa kanya, patay ako kay Billy [Crawford, Garcia’s husband]!” But turning serious, Guzman

EMPLOYMENT

by ratziel

san Juan Philstar.com

In the movie, Edgar Allan finds the role of forester Jay challenging not only for the many jargons he had to learn but also eye-opening regarding pressing environmental issues. Photo courtesy of T-Rex Entertainment

expressed his gratitude for being given the role, which taught him about a huge chunk of the world’s problems. “Marami akong natutunan about nature, yung sa climate change, mining, so nasabi ko sa sarili ko na ganito pala yung mga ganitong bagay.” Meanwhile, Garcia said that as complex as Mia’s character it is, she surprised herself that she breezed through it. “i really enjoyed being Mia because she felt so natural to me. But i have to admit Mia is a very complicated character—you can’t describe her in a few words. there will be puzzle pieces you have to put together to really figure out who she really is.” the bigger task for Garcia was the idea of returning to a movie set after a two-year hiatus. “this is my first film since getting married. Ang tagal ko nawala, ang tagal ko din hindi nag work. And i just wanted the next one to be different [when i came back]. i really prayed for it and it took a while, and ‘Mia’ is everything i hoped for.” Biggest challenge With the actors pulling off the demands of their roles, Mia now brings its biggest challenge to its producers, especially since the movie is coming at the heels of the Metro Manila Film Festival. According to Cahilig, their biggest task is to attract viewers to return to the cinema so soon after the two-week MMFF marathon.

“Madami tayong napanood na pelikula, karamihan comedy, so matagal tagal nang na-miss ng mga Pinoy ang romcom,” Cahilig looked at the glass half full. “Maganda siyang opening ng taon because it’s a family movie and they can even bring their kids,” he furthered, to which Garcia — whose past movies have generally been sexually charged — quipped, “Masaya lang ako na may mga bata na makakanood ng pelikula ko.” the actress added, “But seriously, this film is a light feel-good film. Yung humor pasok sa different age groups.” Picking up on the social issues the movie also presents, Mia is proud to go beyond a love story and give a glimpse into the issues of illegal mining and climate change. “the movie’s attempt to a vision, even for me na sumulat, yung climate change parang three days naming sinulat yung dialogue na yan, ang hirap pala niya intindihin,” Velasco, also the co-writer of the movie, admitted. Overall, for fear of putting out too much information before the opening of the film and pre-empting what they all claim is a different and surprising plot, Velasco simply summarized what their new movie has to offer. “to be honest, ang hirap i-describe ng Mia kasi it’s a very different film — it’s funny, intelligent, romantic, iba siya. it’s like a puzzle where every element will eventually fall into place,” the director ended.

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“UNBREAKABLE” star Bea Alonzo said she is ready to lay the ghost of her past to rest. “i’m so over it, baka mag feeling-guwapo pa ‘yung ex ko (I’m so over it, my ex might feel like he’s some sort of heartthrob),” Bea told Esquire, without name-dropping. Since mid-last year, the Kapamilya actress has been reeling from her widely-covered “ghosting” breakup with Gerald Anderson, who has also dated other iconic female celebrities like Sarah Geronomo, Maja Salvador and Kim Chiu. “Leaving somebody without saying goodbye is such an asshole thing to do. i’m sorry but i can’t think of a perfect word for it—it’s so disrespectful,” Bea said. in late July 2018, the actress finally disclosed how her relationship ended on a cliffhanger amid Gerald’s cheating rumors with Julia Barretto. “to my understanding, we did not break up. he just started not talking to me,” Bea was quoted

as saying in a tweet by ABS-CBN News. Since then, the actress had to find closure on her own, candid about how she has been healing since that dark moment and revealed her honest feelings toward the treatment she got. Bea told Esquire that she has since been working on herself, realizing how liberated she was after being freed unceremoniously from her relationship. “i didn’t know that the one thing that could kill me could actually bring me back to life... i’ve never felt so alive,” Bea confessed. “i’m rediscovering myself right now—that’s actually what i’m excited about. i’ve always been in a relationship, that’s the thing, [so] it’s very liberating that, right now, i’m setting my goals just for me. i don’t have to think of another person; right now, all i want is to do a lot of movies and see if they can compete outside the country.” true to her word, the actress has wasted no time on a thing of the past, gracing the covers of two magazines in the very first week of the decade.

Bea Alonzo at the red carpet of International Film Festival Macao, where she recently received an award together with other Asian stars. Photo from Instagram/@beaalonzo

Will Angel finally get married in 2020? by ratziel

san Juan Philstar.com

SiX months after getting engaged with film producer Neil Arce, Kapamilya star Angel Locsin dropped a big hint — and it sounds like wedding bells. the bride-to-be posted a notso-cryptic instagram picture captioned: “Can’t wait to spend every New Year with you, @neil_arce ?? Neil & Angel 2020 ????” Neil replied with a candid “Cant wait to smell your head everyday ????????????????????????” he also posted his own couple picture to which his fiancee adorably replied “hi my love!” the lovebirds caught the attention of celebrity friends with supportive comments l i k e B e a A l o n z o ’s “ g r a b e kayo??????????????????” Neri Miranda also revealed that it was Chito’s birthday when the couple broke the good news. “Sobrang happy ako para sa inyo. ?? naalala ko nung una nyong sinabi sa amin na kayo na, birthday ni Chito yun! (I’m super happy for you both. I remember

Six months after getting engaged with film producer Neil Arce, Kapamilya star Angel Locsin dropped a big hint on Jan. 3, 2019 — and it sounds like wedding bells. Photo from Instagram/@therealangellocsin

the very first time you told us you were a thing, it was Chito’s birthday!)” Since revealing she was engaged in June 29 last year, Angel has been dropping breadcrumbs on her much-anticipated moment to tie the knot, leaving us

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with clues to hype and digest meanwhile. her fellow Kapamilya actress and close friend Dimples Romana said Angel wanted a red motif for the wedding and was already working on preparations with Neil.

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Features

LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 9-15, 2020

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MassMutual approves $1.7 billion estimated Aviation Institute of Maintenance and Your Flight to Success 2020 policyowner dividend payout MAssAChUseTTs Mutual Life insurance Company (MassMutual) announced last November 4 that its Board of directors has approved a $1.7 billion estimated dividend payout in 2020 to eligible participating policyowners and members. While dividends are not guaranteed, MassMutual has paid policyowner dividends every year since 1869. With the 2020 estimated payout, the company will have paid more than $15 billion of dividends over the past decade. “Being a mutual company enables us to take a long-term approach to doing what’s best for our customers – from the investments we make, to the solutions we offer, to the experience we provide,” said Roger Crandall, MassMutual Chairman, President and CeO. “But more than anything else, our annual dividend payout has been one of the most enduring benefits of doing business with MassMutual. Four years after the Civil War ended, we began paying a dividend annually to our participating policyowners, and each payout has come with the strength and stability our policyowners can count on. We look forward to continuing to put these qualities to work to help millions more secure their future and protect the ones they love.”

The 2020 estimated dividend payout reflects a dividend interest rate1 of 6.20 percent for eligible participating policies, illustrating MassMutual’s ability to maintain a leading competitive position in a prolonged and unprecedented low interest rate environment. This is underscored by the company’s strong financial foundation, including record total adjusted capital of more than $25 billion2, its ability to maintain among the highest ratings of any company in any industry3, and its diverse mix of high performing businesses, including its non-participating insurance businesses, as well as its ownership interests in global asset management and other strategic investments. “For more than 150 years, our policyowner dividend has been a tangible part of delivering on our company’s purpose,” added Crandall. “i am thankful for the leaders before me who helped establish that long-standing commitment, and especially proud of our financial professionals and employees who work each day to help our customers live their lives with greater confidence, dignity and security.” MassMutual MassMutual is a leading mutual life insurance company that is

run for the benefit of its members and participating policyowners. MassMutual offers a wide range of financial products and services, including life insurance, disability income insurance, long term care insurance, annuities, retirement plans and other employee benefits. For more information, visit www.massmutual.com. 1. The dividend and dividend interest rate (diR) are determined annually, subject to change and are not guaranteed. dividends for eligible participating life insurance policies primarily consist of investment, mortality and expense components. The diR is used to determine the investment component of the dividend. it is not the rate of return on the policy and should not be the sole basis for comparing insurers or policy performance. 2. estimated as of sept. 30, 2019. 3. Financial strength ratings for MassMutual and its subsidiaries, C.M. Life insurance Company and MML Bay state Life insurance Company are as follows: A.M. Best Company, A++ (superior); Fitch Ratings, AA+ (Very strong); Moody’s investors service, Aa3 (high Quality); and standard & Poor’s, AA+ (Very strong). Ratings are as of November 4, 2019, and are subject to change.)

Dimples reveals teenage pregnancy her one big mistake

Dimples Romana

Inquirer.net photo

ACTRess dimples Romana, who got pregnant when she was a teenager, said she hoped that her story would inspire young women to triumph over their personal mistakes. dimples said her daughter, Callie, now 16, knows her story quite well. “Our children can do the math. i didn’t have to tell her. i just want to say that we all have scars that we’ve gotten while going through life. Nobody is perfect. We all have a chapter in our stories that we draw lessons from. For me, it was that particular chapter—i got married at an early age,” she told inquirer entertainment.dimples was only 19 then. “This is also the reason i’m talking to you today with so much knowledge. Of course, this is also from the people who shared their wisdom with me when i was

young,” the actress pointed out. “i’m so proud that even up to now, our marriage is still in tact. We’re still together as a family,” she said of her husband, Boyet Ahmee. “At the end of the day, our story doesn’t end with a mishap, or a failure. in our story, the mistake was only at the beginning. it’s all about how, with all those broken pieces, we were able to build an even better and more beautiful nest of love.” Boy and dimples also have a 3year-old son named Alonzo. “For me, as long as you are humble enough to accept that you’ve made a mistake, and you know how to listen and … are willing to change your ways, it will all make sense in the end—just like what happened to us.” (Marinel Cruz/Inquirer.net)

Las Vegas campus graduate shares experience

Aside from working hard and perseverance, one of the most important factors in kicking off your career is education — and the institution you get it at. A school with a reputable background can build a stable foundation and give its students a solid head start, a higher chance to graduate, and most of all, the support needed to succeed in a chosen career. Aviation institute of Maintenance (AiM) in Las Vegas, Nevada clearly has this vision of success for all their students. Answering to the shortage of aviation maintenance technicians, AiM is dedicated to help aspiring students reach their goals of getting into the aviation industry. “i chose AiM for my education because i knew they would help me achieve my goal of attaining my A&P License,” said Levon dela Pena, 27, AiM Las Vegas 2017 graduate. “With the guidance of AiM instructors and staff throughout the process, specifically Ladeth Gonzales (Admissions), i was motivated to be successful in this field,” dela Pena said. At present, dela Pena is working for Certified Aviation services (CAs) in Las Vegas as an A&P mechanic. An A&P mechanic is an aircraft maintenance technician who holds and Airframe and/or Powerplant (A&P) certificate, issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An A&P technician inspects aircraft as well as performs, supervises

and conducts preventive maintenance. dela Pena attests to the support that he received while he was with AiM Las Vegas and highly recommends the school to those who wish to pursue a career in aviation. “i recommend AiM because everyone is willing to help and you’re never left with a question unanswered,” he said. “They aim to help each student succeed and complete the program.” Located at 5870 s. eastern

Avenue, AiM Las Vegas offers Aviation Maintenance Technician (AMT), Aviation Maintenance Technician Avionics (AMTA) and Maintenance Technician programs. The AMT program is designed to provide students the knowledge and skills as an aircraft mechanic and prepares them for the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) test. Our AMTA program prepares students for entry-level employment within the aircraft maintenance and avionics industry, teaches the basics of aircraft mechanics and dives into the latest technology advances. The Maintenance Technician program prepares the student for entry-level employment within a wide variety of maintenancerelated fields. AiM is a network of aviation maintenance schools that first began in Norfolk and has grown to include campuses from coastto-coast across the United states. We are proud of our graduates who have been employed with reputable companies in the aviation industry, such as delta, southwest, United, Ge, dallas Airmotive, skyWest Airlines, PsA Airlines and AAR. For more information, log on to www.AviationMaintenance.edu. (Advertising Supplement)

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january 9-15, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

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Nadine shuts down breakup rumors The Seth/Andrea chemistry with James, calls out reporter over article by Boy

aBunda Philstar.com

by Christia Marie raMos Inquirer.net

ACTRESS Nadine Lustre has broken her silence amid speculations that she and boyfriend James Reid have already split up. Lustre shut down the breakup rumors in an Instagram story Sunday as she called out entertainment columnist Ricky Lo over an article he wrote on the couple’s supposed split. “First off, that was so low @ therealrickylo @philippinestar,” the actress wrote. Lo had earlier written an article saying that a report by the Philippine Entertainment Portal—which claimed that the couple had parted ways due to “irreconcilable differences”—was “true, and not fake news.” Lo, quoting an unnamed source, wrote that Reid “is handling the breakup with care to cushion

the impact on Nadine who has admitted grappling with mental illness.” He also made mention of the death of the actress’ brother in the printed version of his article, which has been edited in the version that was published online. “Second, none of what you said was true & it is NEVER okay to use someone’s mental situation/tragic past just to prove a point. Mental Illness is a very sensitive matter,” Lustre’s Instagram story further read. “(And) last, you think you know so much (about) me, you can’t even get my last name right. ANU NA, 2020 NA!!” she added. The couple, who was first paired up for the movie “Diary ng Panget” in 2014,” confirmed their relationship during the end of their concert “JaDine in Love” in 2016. Reid revealed last March that he and Lustre live together.

Nadine Lustre

Inquirer.net photo

Paulo posts BTS picture with Janine by ratziel

san Juan

Philstar.com

A BEHIND the scenes photo of a movie project with Kapamilya actor Paulo Avelino and Kapuso actress Janine Gutierrez is making rounds on social media. “Shooting day with Janine Gutierrez,” reads the photo posted by Paulo’s official Facebook account on Monday, January 6. Fans speculated that the

shooting photo is from the “If We Don’t Make It” film set to be released this year. “[A] story about two people who are more than friends but less than lovers,” the KapusoKapamilya crossover project was announced by indie film company T-Rex Entertainment in July. Fans seem to have guessed correctly since T-Rex later shared Paulo’s post with the

caption: “Hi, AM/PM! Kailan ulit ang gig ninyo? #IfWeDontMakeIt.” The film is directed by Prime Cruz, who brought audiences to tears with the likes of “Isa Pa With Feelings” last year and “Sleepless” in 2015. Based on what we’ve seen, the much-anticipated Paulo and Janine feature will be the latest hugot-genre film to assault moviegoers’ feelings.

SHOWBIZ watchers share a common observation that the next KathNiel of local tinseltown is none other than SethDrea. Of course, you know that the former is the portmanteau of reel and real sweethearts Kathryn Bernardo and Daniel Padilla while the latter is the onscreen pairing of teen stars Seth Fedelin and Andrea Brillantes. Basing on their growing fanbase, the popularity of SethDrea is on a continuous upward trajectory. Their undeniable chemistry first gained notice when Seth became a regular in the ABS-CBN afternoon drama “Kadenang Ginto” right after his stint in the last edition of “Pinoy Big Brother (PBB).” His character Mikoy turned out to be the perfect match to Andrea’s gray character Marga. SethDrea is also starring in the iWant digital original film Wild Little Love as Sam and Jake. Their respective roles are akin to Kathryn and Daniel’s first lead TV acting project. Thus, fans kept on comparing them to KathNiel and they surmised that SethDrea is following in their footsteps. Nonetheless, Andrea was ecstatic. According to her, she’s a diehard fan of KathNiel since she was eight years old. But she didn’t discount the fact that there is an enormous pressure to the perception. Seth said he felt flattered and pressured at the same time. “Masaya na may kasamang pressure dahil alam natin kung ano ang narating nila,” he said. “Pero ako sa sarili ko talaga ang goal ko ay bumuo ng sarili kong pangalan (sa industriya).”

Basing on their growing fanbase, Seth Fedelin and Andrea Brillantes’ tandem is on a continuous upward trajectory. Photo from Instagram/@imsethfedelin

Andrea also revealed she prayed about having an onscreen partner. She remembered telling God that her “would-be loveteam” need not look exactly the same as Daniel. “Marami na din pong pinartner sa akin at bilang fan ng KathNiel, gusto ko may makasama din ako. I told God that if ever the guy is not yet an actor, please make him an actor now so I can meet him.” Then Seth entered into the picture and Andrea knew her prayer was answered. “I got excited in our first scene together kasi biglang bumitaw ng pick-up line,” she narrated. Seth all the more made the young teen star feel special when he invited her to come to the birthday celebration of his sibling in Cavite last June. “He asked permission from my mom and it was my first time to

meet his whole family. It was also there where Seth showed his true colors and I discovered that he is serious in realizing his dreams,” she shared. Seth, on the other hand, found out that the young actress truly gets along easily with other people. There’s a genuine sincerity and respect whenever she speaks to other people, he said. Seth and Andrea also explained why they call each other Ali. “It means, Akin lang ikaw, kumbaga sa sundalo walang iwanan,” Seth enthused but made clear that no courtship is happening yet. “How long are you willing to wait for me?” the young actress asked Seth during the “Fast Talk segment in Tonight with Boy Abunda (TWBA).” “Basta hihintayin kita,” Seth answered back and that made their fans swoon in delight.

Anticipated 2020 book releases by...

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study at Harvard and transition to become a woman. Navigating through race, class, colorism and belonging within the gay community, “Talusan shares poignant and powerful episodes of desirability and love,” according to publisher Viking. “Her evocative reflections will shift our own perceptions of love, identity, gender, and the fairness of life.” “Where Dreams Descend” by Janella Angeles (June 2) “Shooting day with Janine Gutierrez,” reads the photo posted by Paulo’s official Facebook account on Monday, January 6. In “Where Dreams Descend” Photo courtesy of T-Rex Entertainment — the first book in Fil-Am writer Janella Angeles’ Kingdom of

Cards fantasy duology — readers will be transported to a city covered in ice and ruin where a group of magicians embarks on a series of games in search of the next headliner of the Conquering Circus. There’s romance, secrecy and unseen danger along the way as we meet Kallia, a powerful showgirl out to prove she’s the best no matter the cost; Jack, the enigmatic keeper of the club and more than one lie told; and Demarco, the brooding judge with a past he can no longer hide. “The Groom Will Keep His Amboy: Recipes from the Filipino-American Name” by Matt Ortile (June 2)  Dream

Any Day With You by Mae Respicio

Fairest by Meredith Talusan

Where Dreams Descend by Janella Angeles

The Groom will Keep His Name by Matt Ortile

The debut collection of essays covering topics, such as dating, identity and sexuality, comes from Matt Ortile, managing editor of Catapult magazine. Releasing this June by Bold Type Books, an imprint of Hachette, “The Groom Will Keep His Name” charts Ortile’s journey moving from Manila to Las Vegas and the experience of being bullied for his skin tone, Filipino accent and femininity. The essays explore the idea of social media personas and ultimately, lead to a realization of “radical self-love.” “Amboy: Recipes from the Filipino-American Dream” by Alvin Cailan and Alexandra Cuerdo (August 25) Famed Fil-Am chef Alvin Cailan — founder of popular breakfast sandwich purveyor Eggslut and host of online series “The Burger Show” — has teamed up with “Ulam” documentary director Alexandra Cuerdo for a cookbook illustrating the dual identity as an “amboy,” a Filipino growing up in America. Set to be released by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in late summer, this cookbook narrates Cailan overcoming “cultural traditions and family expectations to find his own path to success.” Expect Filipino comfort classics from the lens of a Fil-Am upbringing and anecdotes about Cailan’s rise as a chef.

Showbiz predictions, vibes and visions...

PAGE 10 Piolo Pascual, also a Dragon, may be involved in another controversy. There is much movement for him on all sides. Kris Aquino, a Pig, will fare better than last year, but will lose luster with her series of irrelevance. She will always try to make a comeback, but her attempts will likely flop. GMA stars will feel happier than their ABS-CBN counterparts, but with so much fish in the ocean, many of them may resort to treachery or get into the flesh trade just to survive. Maine Mendoza, a Pig, may feel sad with having to choose between love and career. It may be sadder for Arjo Atayde who could be feeling lost and immobile. Ai-Ai delas Alas, a Dragon as well, will fare better and should be given more serious work that will bring out her full potential. Her kindness will have immense rewards.

Vic Sotto, a Taurus Horse, is admonished to take care of his health and avoid long travels. Jennylyn Mercado, a Rabbit Taurus, may feel her career and finances standing still, but her family’s love will strengthen her. She will survive. Dennis Trillo, a Rooster, may try other more challenging endeavors that may also involve some scandals. There could be a fulfillment of a wedding this year for Tom Rodriguez, a Libra Rabbit and Carla Abellana, a Gemini Tiger. They both already enjoy being together without further need of having a piece of paper in between. If they proceed, it will be fun with only a few closest to them in attendance. Aga Muhlach, a Rooster, will embark on a new journey with family by his side. Deaths will be among the females of advanced age. Illness looms among a few of them. A

series may happen before death strikes the men. Yin before yang. Accidents involving water and travel by land are in the horizon toward the second quarter onwards. Two Filipinas will win in international beauty contests, but their chances will be dimmed if they are not true to their nature. The separation of Miss Universe Philippines from Binibining Pilipinas Charities will be good, but filled with intrigues and troubles, typical of a Rat year. Manny Pacquiao, a Horse, may be overwhelmed by the challenges he will face, but he will be helped by the love of his mother Dionisia and family. He should take care of his head and spine. President Rodrigo Duterte and his daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio will be a very good tandem. An Aries for new beginnings and a Gemini for planning will do wonders for the country.

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LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARy 9-15, 2020

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january 9-15, 2020 • LaS VEGaS aSIan jOurnaL

http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678