012519 - Northern California Edition

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

T H E F I L I P I N O A M E R I CA N C O M M U N I T Y N E WS PA P E R

Volume 18 - No. 4 • 2 Sections – 16 Pages

J A N U A RY 2 5 - 3 1 , 2 0 1 9

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DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Democrats reject Trump’s proposal of temporary protection for immigrants, call it a ‘non-starter’ AS the government shutdown entered its 32nd day on Tuesday, January 22 — the longest its ever been in U.S. history — President Donald Trump’s most recent proposal to offer temporary protection for undocumented immigrants in exchange for border wall funding seems unlikely to succeed. Lawmakers returned to Washington on Tuesday after the Martin Luther King holiday with Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell expected to make a move to vote on the proposal offered by Trump on Saturday, January 19.

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Trump eyes Fil-Am Utah attorney general and pastor for president’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs TWO Filipino Americans are among the 12 individuals President Donald Trump intends to appoint to his Advisory Commission on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPIs), the White House announced on Thursday, January 17. A White House press release revealed the names considered for the commission, including Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes and Herman Martir, a pastor from Texas. Reyes, whose father is of Filipino and Spanish descent, has been attorney general of his state since 2013 — during which he became the first ethnic minority to hold that position or any statewide office in Utah.

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Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY

Philippines may appeal US ban on Filipino workers by RAE

ANN VARONA AJ Press

FOLLOWING an announcement by the United States last week that imposed a one-year ban on new Filipino migrant workers starting this year, the Philippines said that it may ask the U.S. to reconsider the decision if it finds that there is no basis for the ban. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) released a notification last week that identified for-

eign countries whose nationals are no longer eligible to participate in the H-2A and H-2B Nonimmigrant Worker Programs starting January 19, 2019 to January 18, 2020. In listing the Philippines as one of the now ineligible countries along with Ethiopia and the Dominican Republic, the agency reasoned that the Philippines had a high rate of H-2B overstays. In 2017, the DHS estimated that nearly 40-percent of Filipino H-2B visa holders overstayed their autho-

rized stay period. H-2B visas allow U.S. employers to bring foreign nationals to the U.S. to fill temporary non-agricultural jobs, while H-2A visas allow them to bring foreign nationals to fill temporary and seasonal agricultural jobs. According to U.S. State Department statistics, the Philippines accounted for the majority of the visa types issued for Asia in 2017. Of the total 992 H-2B

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Pacquiao ‘fine’ despite eye injury after win vs. Broner by NATHALIE

ROBLES

AJPress

MANNY Pacquiao’s camp on Monday, January 21, assured the public that the veteran boxer “is fine” after acquiring a reported career-threatening eye injury following his win against Adrien Broner on Saturday, January 19. The Filipino boxer’s team told the New York Daily News that they were alarmed when the 40-year-old boxer complained of pain and vision loss in his left eye on Sunday morning, January 20. The team found out that the injury was a minor corneal scratch from the tape on Broner’s gloves. Pacquiao’s camp said that the boxer is feeling better after he was seen without his eyepatch during the NBA game between the Golden State Warriors and Los Angeles Lakers at the Staples Center on Monday night, where the boxer once again ran into Floyd Mayweather. The boxing champion is scheduled to return to the Philippines later this week

Manny Pacquiao was declared the winner via a unanimous decision victory over Adrien Broner at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas to retain his secondary World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title on Saturday, January 19. Pacquiao earned the nod of all three judges with scores of 117-11, 116-112 and 116-112 improving his record to (61-7-2) and sending Broner to a three-fight winless streak (33-4-1). AJPress photos by Robert Macabagdal

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SC: Real winner of VP contest known soon House changes proposed age of criminal responsibility to 12 years old by JOMAR

CANLAS Manilatimes.net

by GAEA KATREENA Philstar.com

CABICO

THE House of Representatives on Wednesday, January 23, swiftly approved on second reading the bill that seeks to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility in the country after only two days of plenary deliberations. The bill breezed through the lower house through viva-voce voting. The approved bill now lowers the minimum age of criminal responsibility from 15 years old to This file photo shows a group of children along Manila Bay. Philstar.com file photo by Edd Gumban 12 years old, instead of nine. The amendment was done last min- Bill 8858, children as young as be mandatorily confined at Baute at the plenary. 12 years old who commit serious hay Pag-asa — youth care faUnder the controversial House crimes with discernment would u PAGE A2

Gov’t asked to submit detailed report on martial law implementation in Mindanao January 22 but only released Wednesday, January 23, the high court said the government, THE Supreme Court has or- through the Office of the Solicitor dered the government submit a General, must include all confidetailed report on the implemen- dential matters involving national tation of martial law in Mindanao security. The high court said the defrom the Department of National tailed report must be submitted Defense. In an en banc notice dated on or before Jan. 25, 2019. by TETCH

TORRES-TUPAS Inquirer.net

“Acting on the compliance dated January 21, 2019, submitted by the Office of the Solicitor General (OSG) to the Court and in view of the OSG’s undertaking, the Court hereby directs the OSG to submit…the Department of National Defense’s Monthly/Periodic Reports addressed to the

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The Supreme Court (SC), sitting as the Presidential Electoral Tribunal (PET), is getting closer to knowing the victor in an election protest of former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. against Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. Its final decision loomed after the electoral tribunal announced that the revision of ballots for pilot provinces in PET Case 005 was almost over. The court said the revision of ballots was suspended to train revisors, but the recount would resume immediately. Edgar Aricheta, clerk of court of the tribunal, said the suspension of the recount would pave way for a second appraisal of ballot boxes. “This is to confirm the announcement made by the [electoral tribunal’s] Ad Hoc Committee regarding the suspension of revision proceedings… This is to give way [to] the tribunal to prepare for the revision using the decrypted ballots and/or election paraphernalia,” he said in a letter. In his protest, Marcos assailed election results in 39,221 clustered precincts. Based on Commission on

Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Lobredo and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Manilatimes.net file photo

Elections data, the 39,221 clustered precincts are composed of 132,446 precincts. Marcos, who lost to Robredo by 263,473 votes, accused her of massive electoral fraud such as

pre-shading of ballots, pre-loading of Secure Digital cards, misreading of ballots, malfunctioning vote counting machines (VCMs) and an “abnormally high” unac-

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JANUARY 25-31, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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From the Front Page

Democrats reject Trump’s proposal...

BOODLE FIGHT. Former Special Assistant to the President (SAP) and 2019 senatorial candidate Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go joins a boodle fight meal with Pinyahan Tricycle Operators and Drivers’ Association (TODA) during his visit to fire victims in Barangay Pinyahan Hall, Quezon City on Saturday, January 19. The former presidential aide has been visiting communities razed by fire where he extends support and financial assistance. PNA Photo by Robert Oswald P. Alfiler

House changes proposed age of criminal... PAGE A1 cilities mandated by law to offer rehabilitation and intervention to children in conflict with the law. The approval of the bill on second reading came only two days after it was passed by the House justice panel on Monday, January 21. The proponents of the measure stressed that the bill was

filed with the intention to reform children in conflict with the law and not to punish them, and to protect them from being used by criminal syndicates. But some lawmakers and groups — especially those advocating a more “restorative” handling of children in conflict with the law — said the bill is an act of violence against children and ap-

pealed for a strengthened implementation of the current juvenile justice law. In the upper chamber, Senate President Vicente “Tito” Sotto III filed a bill seeking to lower the minimum age of criminal responsibility to “above 12 years old,” while Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon wants to lower the age to 12 years old. n

Philippines may appeal US ban on Filipino... PAGE A1 visas issued for Asia, 767 were for the Philippines. Of the total 95 H2A visas, 64 were for the country. Philippine Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said on Tuesday, January 22 that while Malacañang Palace respected the U.S. government’s directive, it would seek to appeal the decision should the U.S. fail “to prove that there is basis to impose the ban.” While he did not mention why the U.S. may not have had basis for its decision, he said that the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) would be in charge of working with the U.S. in addressing the issues and filing the possible appeal. “If that is the law in the U.S. and if there were violations, then we have to respect if they have basis for that. We will only react if our workers are being mistreated, maltreated or being discriminated against. And if they violated the law of the U.S., then they have to face the music,” said Panelo.

In its notification, the U.S. agency went on to cite the issue of human trafficking as a reason to warrant the removal of the Philippines from the visa programs. The agency said that the U.S. Embassy in Manila issues the greatest number of T-derivative visas, which are reserved for family members of certain victims of severe forms of human trafficking. In reviewing the status of T-1 recipients whose spouses were issued T-2 visas in the same period, the agency said approximately 60 percent were found to have been trafficked to the U.S. on H-2B visas. It said the DHS and the U.S. Department of State “are concerned about the high volume of trafficking victims from the Philippines who were originally issued H-2B visas and the potential that continued H-2B visa issuance may encourage or serve as an avenue for future human trafficking from the Philippines.”

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The same concern was also found for the H-2A visa program as applications to the program increased fourfold from 2015 to 2018. In response to the DHS’ and DOS’ concerns, Panelo said there was not much the Philippine government could do if the concerns were based on conducted investigations. “When you say human trafficking, the U.S. government must have conducted investigation on that. If their investigation yields that there was a violation, oh I don’t think pwede tayong makialam doon (we can interfere),” said Panelo. He said that in the meantime, the Philippine government would look into its own anti-trafficking measures. “What we can do is to do our own controls here para hindi nakakadating doon iyong mga trafficking na nanggagaling sa atin (so that trafficking victims here don’t reach there),” said Panelo. n

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PAGE A1 But Democrats maintained that they would reject the proposal, and called for the reopening of government to come before further negotiations. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif). said early Tuesday that Democrats were prepared to vote on more bipartisan bills to reopen the government, but were being hindered by the shutdown. She said in a morning tweet that President Trump and Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) “need to stop holding Americans hostage.” “Stop blocking these bills, and #EndTheShutdown now,” Pelosi added. Trump too sent out a tweet, exclaiming “No cave!” while accusing Democrats of playing “political games.” In the proposal announced Saturday, Trump said he would offer temporary legislative protection of three years for some 700,000 Dreamers — recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program — who were brought to the U.S. illegally as children. The Trump administration ended the DACA program late 2017. Trump also offered an extension of the Temporary Protected Status program that blocks the deportation of eligible immigrants affected by armed conflict or natural disasters in their own countries. Roughly 300,000 under the program face expiration. In exchange, Trump asked for $5.7 billion in funding for a wall on the Southern Border. He also requested funding for humanitarian assistance and drug-detection

technology for securing ports of entry, additional border agents and immigration judge teams to address the backlog of 900,000 cases, and a system through which Central American minors may only apply for asylum in their own countries. “This is common-sense compromise both parties should embrace,” Trump said. But Democrats were quick to reject the proposal and continued to call on Trump to first address the government shutdown, which Trump did not do in his proposal announcement. Since the government entered a partial shutdown last year on December 22, 2018, an estimated 800,000 furloughed federal employees have stopped receiving paychecks and many have picked up part-time jobs elsewhere as a result. In response to reports of Trump’s proposal, Pelosi responded ahead of his speech and called it “a compilation of several previously rejected initiatives, each of which is unacceptable and in total, do not represent a good faith effort to restore certainty to people’s lives.” “It is unlikely that any one of these provisions alone would pass the House, and taken together, they are a non-starter,” Pelosi said in a statement. “For one thing, this proposal does not include the permanent solution for the Dreamers and TPS recipients that our country needs and supports.” Senator Dick Durbin, D-Ill, also called on Trump to reopen up the government before heading with negotiations. “First, President Trump and

Senate Majority Leader McConnell must open the government today. Second, I cannot support the proposed offer as reported and do not believe it can pass the Senate. Third, I am ready to sit down at any time after the government is opened and work to resolve all outstanding issues,” said Durbin. But not all voicing disapproval of Trump’s proposal were Democrats. Conservative commentator Ann Coulter described Trump’s latest move as “amnestying millions of illegals. “Trump proposes amnesty. We voted for Trump and got Jeb,” tweeted Coulter. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) who was recently removed from his House committee assignments following racist views, criticized the tradeoff and tweeted, “Amnesty is traded for $5.7 billion (1/5 of a wall), wouldn’t be enough illegals left in America to trade for the remaining 4/5. NO AMNESTY 4 a wall!” But McConnell, in announcing his intent to put the offer up for a vote in the week back from the MLK holiday, called Trump’s offer a “bold solution to reopen the government, secure the border, and take bipartisan steps towards addressing current immigration issues.” Acknowledging the situation for the affected furloughed employees, McConnell said it wasn’t looking “any brighter and the crisis at the border isn’t improved by show votes.” “The president’s plan is a path towards addressing both issues quickly,” said McConnell. (Rae Ann Varona/AJPress) n

Trump eyes Fil-Am Utah attorney general... PAGE A1 Martir, a pastor at Nations Worship Center in Fort Worth, Texas, is the president of the Asian Action Network and the Asian Prayer Network. He also founded Emerging Leaders International, “a coalition of leaders working together to bring transformation in the seven spheres of society (church, family, government, education, media, entertainment and business),” according to his bio on the AAPI Conservative Leadership Caucus’ website. Both Martir and Reyes were part of Trump’s AAPI advisory committee during his 2016 presidential campaign. The National Federation of Filipino American Associations (NaFFAA) commended Trump on appointing Reyes and Martir to the commission. “We are proud that President Trump has selected two exceptional Filipino American leaders

to represent our vibrant community on his AAPI Advisory Commission,” said NaFFAA National Chairman Brendan Flores in a statement. “Attorney General Reyes and Pastor Martir are dynamic leaders of our community, equipped with a unique understanding of the issues and policies that affect the more than four million Filipinos and Filipinos Americans that call the United States home.” The President’s Advisory Commission on AAPIs, which was established by former President Barack Obama, seeks to work with all the agencies of the federal government to improve the health, education and economic status of AAPI communities. Trump signed an executive order in September 2017 to reestablish the commission. Earlier that year, 10 members resigned from the commission, citing their disapproval with the Trump administration’s policies.

Four existing members still remain, including Fil-Am entrepreneur Billy Dec of Chicago. Others eyed for the commission according to Thursday’s release include Michelle Park Steel of California, Paul Hsu of Florida, Jennifer Carnahan of Minnesota, David B. Cohen of California, Grace Y. Lee of Michigan, George Leing of Colorado, Jan-Ie Low of Nevada, Prem Parameswaran of New York, Amata Coleman Radewagen of American Samoa, and Chiling Tong of Maryland. Upon appointment, Steel and Hsu would be designated as cochairs of the commission. The announcement also stated that Trump intends to designate Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao to co-chair the White House Initiative on AAPIs. The White House Initiative on AAPIs was first created by President Bill Clinton in 1999 and was renewed by subsequent presidents. n

Pacquiao ‘fine’ despite eye injury after win...

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PAGE A1 to see an eye specialist after defending his World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight title via a unanimous decision over Broner at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The scores were 117-111 and 116-112 twice. Boxing’s only eight-division champion Pacquaio – who was fighting for the first time as a 40-year-old, and the first time in the United States in more than two years – used effective jabs and sustained bodywork in his 70th professional fight that was watched by an announced attendance of 13,025 fans, including the retired Mayweather. “I proved in my last fight against [Lucas] Matthysse and now I proved it again: The Man-

ny Pacquiao journey will still continue,” Pacquiao told reporters after his win. The boxer turned senator also expressed his plans to challenge Mayweather after his 2015 defeat that became the richest oneday sporting event in history. He urged the undefeated champion “to come back to the ring and we will fight.” “I’m willing to fight Floyd Mayweather again if he’s willing to come back to boxing,” he added. Meanwhile, Mayweather, who was also in attendance on Saturday, was asked prior to the sixth round about a possible rematch against the Filipino boxer. “You keep asking me about Manny Pacquiao,” Mayweather said, adding, “And right now I’m

living a happy and healthy life.” Pacquiao’s LA house robbed The Filipino boxer’s triumph was interrupted when his family reported that their house in the Hancock Park neighborhood in Los Angeles was robbed while the Las Vegas fight was taking place. Police said that the break-in of the $2.17-million mansion was reported on Sunday afternoon and was found ransacked. A citizen contacted authorities to report the burglary on the 500 block of N. Plymouth Boulevard in the Larchmont area at approximately 4:15 p.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Pacquiao and his family are staying elsewhere while the investigation on the burglary continues. n

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Dateline USa

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 25-31 , 2019

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Newsom announces first-of-its-kind diversity initiative for California Administration is partnering with Inclusv to help source talent and increase representational equity across state government

CAMP VISIT. Armed Forces chief Benjamin Madrigal Jr. (second from right) visits Camp Ranao in Marawi City to check the security preparations for the plebiscite for a new Bangsamoro territory in Mindanao. ManilaTimes.net photo by Gerard Seguia

SACRAMENTO — Governor Gavin Newsom’s administration recently announced a first-ofits-kind partnership with Inclusv to source diverse talent and help California government better reflect the diversity of the state – in geography, racial and ethnic representation, sexual orientation and gender identity, professional experience, and disability status. Joyce Newstat, who served as Director of Public Policy for then-mayor Newsom, will lead the effort in a volunteer capacity. “California doesn’t succeed in spite of our diversity -- our state succeeds because of it,” said Governor Newsom. “I am deeply committed to building

an administration that reflects California’s diversity, and it’s a goal I hope to advance at every level of state government.” Inclusv and Newstat, on behalf of the Administration, are partnering with more than 40 organizations across the state and country (with more being included as the effort grows) in order to create a broad and diverse talent pool for appointments, both within the Newsom Administration and across state government. The effort mirrors a similar initiative taken at the federal level by the Obama Administration that helped increase representational equity and broadened searches for applicants. Applicants sourced

through the process will apply through the same channels available to anyone applying for state service. Inclusv is an organization focused on building the bridge between talented political professionals of color and the campaigns, political organizations and government agencies who want to hire them. Since its launch, Inclusv has worked to transform the political world by releasing the first-ever report on diversity amongst the staff of state parties. Inclusv trains and mentors thousands of political staffers of color, and connects those staffers to campaigns, advocacy organizations, and government offices that are hiring. n

PAGE A1 Congress on the implementation of Martial Law from January 1, 2018 to December 31, 2018 which involve highly sensitive and confidential matters affecting the security of the State,” read the high court’s resolution. It added that the “members of the Court will make a preliminary assessment whether or not the said reports may only be appropriately discussed and deliberated upon in an executive session.” The SC is set to hear in oral

arguments on January 29 the consolidated petitions filed by opposition lawmakers led by Albay Rep. Edcel Lagman, the militant party-list lawmakers led by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate, and the group led by former Comelec chair Christian Monsod questioning the legality of the third extension of martial law in Mindanao. A similar petition was also filed on Wednesday by three Lumad teachers and a student from Mindanao.

The previous petitions said the government failed to justify the reason for the re-extension, adding that this failure mocks the 1987 Constitution, which, among others, stated that martial law can only be proclaimed if an actual rebellion or invasion exists. But Solicitor General Jose Calida argued the factual bases to extend the duration of the martial law in Mindanao. He said rebellion still persists in Mindanao and, as such, public safety requires the extension.n

New report: Will the self-driving vehicle Gov’t asked to submit detailed report on... revolution mean transportation heaven or hell? First of its kind analysis asks whether autonomous, shared and electric vehicles will worsen inequality for marginalized groups

THREE simultaneous revolutions — electrification, vehicle sharing, and self-driving, autonomous vehicles — are poised to radically change transportation. A new report from The Greenlining Institute, “Autonomous Vehicle Heaven or Hell? Creating a Transportation Revolution that Benefits All,” is the first in-depth analysis of a wide range of mobility, health, and economic implications of these revolutions for marginalized groups like people of color, the poor, the elderly, and those with disabilities. “If we let the market make key decisions without regulation, we’re headed toward transportation hell — personal autonomous vehicles just for the rich, con-

gesting our streets and leaving others stuck with more traffic, longer commutes and deteriorating public transit,” said lead author Hana Creger, Greenlining’s Environmental Equity program manager. “To get to a transportation heaven that’s designed for all people – less traffic, safer streets, cleaner air, more livable communities and high-quality, affordable mobility – government at all levels will have to act. Funny as it may sound, the arrival of self-driving cars means we can’t be asleep at the wheel.” Key findings of the report include: • A “heaven” future would center on FAVES – fleets of autonomous vehicles that are elec-

Filipinos in US told: Follow immigration rules, avoid overstaying by Patricia Lourdes Philstar.com

Viray

THE Department of Foreign Affairs has advised Filipinos abroad, especially those in the United States, to follow immigration rules and to avoid overstaying in their host countries. This statement comes after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced that the Philippines will no longer be eligible for H-2A and H2B visas, which are issued to foreign workers seeking agricultural and non-agricultural work, respectively. “The Department issues this reminder in view of the decision by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to remove the Philippines from its list of countries eligible for the H-2A and H-2B visas,” DFA spokesperson Elmer Cato said. Washington noted that the Philippines has a high H-2B overstay rate and raised concerns of rising human trafficking. The U.S. also removed Manila from the H-2A visa program due to such concerns.

The DFA noted the concerns of the DHS as visa issuances are a country’s prerogative. The Philippine government, however, remains open in working with the U.S. to address the issue. “Nonetheless, the Philippines is open to the possibility of working with the United States in addressing these issues, as it has previously done so with similar concerns involving the Filipino Community there,” the DFA said. The DFA added that the Philippine Embassy in Washington and other Philippine Consulate Generals in the U.S. will extend assistance to Filipinos who will be affected by the new law. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo, meanwhile, said the Philippines would have to respect the directive of the U.S. if they have basis. “We will only react if our workers are being mistreated, maltreated or being discriminated against but if they violated laws of the U.S. then they have to face the music,” Panelo said in a press briefing. n

Teachers union, school district reach tentative agreement to end six-day strike by AJPress AFTER six days, the Los Angeles teachers union and school district have reached a tentative agreement that could end the city’s first teachers’ strike in 30 years. The United Teachers Los Angeles (UTLA) union and the LA United School District (LAUSD) came to the tentative deal on Tuesday, January 22, following the six-day strike that has affected 600,000 students from K-12. During a press conference at City Hall on Tuesday morning, LA Mayor Eric Garcetti — joined by LAUSD Superintendent Austin Beutner and UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl — called the deal a “historic agreement” that involves reducing class sizes, a 6 percent salary hike, hiring more full-time nurses, and designating community schools. “Everyone on every side has worked tirelessly to make this happen,” the mayor said. By June 30, 2019 the district will designate 20 community schools and an additional 10 the year after. These schools are meant to provide social services and academic programs to stu-

dents and families. Other items of the deal include hiring full-time counselors and librarians, as well as exempting some schools from conducting random searches on its students. Despite the heavy downpour during the first four days of the strike last week, over 30,000 teachers, students, parents and community members joined the districtwide strikes. Estimates say that the first week cost over $125 million for the district. . “This is a historic victory for public education educators, students and parents. Class-size reduction, limits on testing, and access to nurses, counselors and librarians will change our students’ lives forever. We won this victory through our unity, our action, and our shared sacrifice,” said UTLA President Alex Caputo-Pearl. Both the UTLA and LAUSD went back to the negotiation table last week and then reached a deal on Tuesday morning following a 21-hour session. Following the agreement, the Board of Education was set to ratify it. Members of the UTLA are also set to vote on the deal before teachers could go back to school by Wednesday. n

SC: Real winner of VP contest...

PAGE A1 counted votes/undervotes for the position of vice president. The revision involved 5,417 clustered precincts from the provinces of Camarines Sur,

Iloilo and Negros Oriental and began in April last year. The camp of Robredo on Wednesday, January 23, maintained that the vice president’s lead remained intact. n

tric and shared – improving mobility for all, cutting traffic and pollution while enabling space now wasted on parking to be put to productive use. • Even with FAVES, we must still prioritize the healthiest, most sustainable options like walking, PAGE A4

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JANUARY 25-31, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

New Human Rights Watch report: Rights crisis “deepened�under Duterte’s rule by Nathalie

Robles

AJPress

SEIZED FIREARMS FROM SECURITY AGENCIES. Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director Oscar Albayalde (middle) shows seized firearms totaling 1,025 from 96 private security agencies served cease to operate order in 2018 during a press briefing held at Camp Rafael Crame in Quezon City on Monday, January 21. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon

A nEW report from the Human Rights Watch (HRW) revealed that the human rights crisis in the Philippines has “deepened� as the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte continues its bloody war on drugs campaign. In its annual World Report, the HRW indicated that from June 2016 to 2018 under Duterte’s leadership, “the human rights crisis...deepened as Duterte continued his murderous war on drugs in the face of mounting international criticism.� HRW Asia director Brad Adams said that the killing of drug suspects under the Duterte administration is merely a propaganda move. Such a move, according to Adams, is also used to silence those in opposition. “President Duterte has used the killing of thousands of largely poor drug suspects as a tool to bolster his popularity. He’s also targeting anyone who might un-

CRisostomo Philstar.com

AS the World Health Organization (WHO) warned of the possibility of “another influenza pandemicâ€? within the year, an expert has revealed a shortage of flu vaccines in the Philippines. “Vaccine is still the best strategy against vaccine-preventable disease. But now that there is a shortage of flu vaccine, we should focus on treatment to curb the rising cases of influenza,â€? former Philippine Society for Microbiology and Infectious Diseases president Rontgene Solante noted at a media forum last week. Solante said the Philippines may not have enough vaccines to protect people from influenza because of the long-standing practice of the pharmaceutical industry worldwide to allocate supplies. Flu vaccination, Solante said, starts in April for the rainy season from June to October, which is the peak season for influenza infection. Solante claimed that the country has a “lag timeâ€? of two months before it can receive the vaccines needed for this quarter when doctors see a rising number of people consulting physicians. “What we can do now is to focus on treatment‌ We can also

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use the vaccines left from last year, if there are any,� he said. The expert also underscored the need to scale up information about good hygiene and sanitation, especially in crowded communities where the influenza virus can easily spread. Ten years after the widespread novel influenza A (H1n1) infection, the WHO warned that the world could face another influenza pandemic. “The only thing we don’t know is when it will hit and how severe it will be. Global defenses are only as effective as the weakest link in any country’s health emergency preparedness and response system,� WHO noted in a report. WHO added that 153 institutions in 114 countries are involved in the global surveillance and response. In June 2009, the WHO declared a pandemic of H1n1 virus after it was first detected in the US and spread quickly across the world. The virus was found to contain a unique combination of influenza genes not previously seen in people or animals. WHO’s website shows that the virus is transmitted primarily through droplets disseminated by unprotected cough and sneeze and contact with contaminated hands. Shot-distance airborne transmission may happen particularly in crowded and enclosed

spaces, WHO also noted. Every year, WHO recommends which strains should be included in flu vaccines. In the event that a new flu strain develops into pandemic potential, WHO has set up a unique partnership with all the major players to ensure the effective and equitable access to diagnostics, vaccines and antiviral-treatments, especially in developing countries. Other threats WHO added that aside from influenza pandemic, the world is facing nine other “multiple health challenges� that will “demand attention from WHO and health partners.� These threats include air pollution and climate change; rising non-communicable diseases; existence of fragile and vulnerable settings; anti-microbial resistance; ebola and high-threat pathogens; weak primary health care; vaccine hesitancy; dengue and HIV. This year, the agency said, air pollution is considered as the “greatest environmental risk to health,� affecting nine of 10 people. “Microscopic pollutants in the air can penetrate respiratory and circulatory systems, damaging the lungs, heart and brain, killing seven million people prematurePAGE A7

Providers walk ‘fine line’ between informing and scaring immigrant patients by aNa

INJURED? ACCIDENT?

“In some ways, this is a dark time for human rights. Yet while autocrats and rights abusers may capture the headlines, the defenders of human rights, democracy and the rule of law are also gaining strength,� Roth said. The 674-page HRW report also highlighted how the government tries to tackle dissenting opinions from its staunchest critics. Such critics include Senator Leila de Lima, who remained in detention due to “politically motivated� drug charges; former Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, who was ousted from her position, and Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, who is facing several criminal charges. “The trend is not all positive. Today’s autocrats try to undermine democracy by scapegoating and demonizing vulnerable minorities to build popular support. They weaken checks and balances on government power, including an independent judiciary, a free media, and vigorous civic groups,� the report stated. n

WHO fears flu pandemic; PH vaccine shortage feared by sheila

s )NTEG R ITY s (ONESTY s *USTICE s

dermine that popularity, from outspoken senators to journalists documenting his abuses,� Adams said as reported by The Philippine Star. The human rights organization emphasized that there is no chance of stopping the Philippines’ controversial war on drugs anytime soon. However, the new York-based watchdog urged concerned foreign parties to support the opposition groups that fight for justice. “President Duterte has provided no indication of any letup in his murderous drug war. Foreign donors should support efforts by Philippine institutions, groups and the media who are pressing the government to stop the killings and bring those responsible to justice,� Adams said. HRW executive director Kenneth Roth encouraged human rights advocates not to lose hope in a time like this. He assured the public that the rule of law is “gaining strength� amid the alleged injustice in the administration.

WHILE the Trump administration decides whether to adopt a controversial policy that could jeopardize the legal status of immigrants who use public programs such as Medicaid, doctors and clinics are torn between informing patients about the potential risks and unnecessarily scaring them into dropping their coverage or avoiding care. “We are walking a fine line,� said Tara McCollum Plese, chief external affairs officer at the Arizona Alliance for Community Health Centers, which represents 176 clinics. “Until there is confirmation this indeed is going to be the policy, we don’t want to add to the angst and the concern.� However, if immigrants do come to a clinic wondering whether using Medicaid can affect their legal status, trained staff members will answer their questions, she said. Other providers prefer to prepare their patients proactively in case the proposal is adopted. At Asian Health Services, a clinic group that serves Alameda County, Calif., staff members pass out fact sheets about the proposed changes, provide updates via their patient newsletter and host workshops where patients can speak to legal experts in several Asian languages. “We can’t just sit back and watch,� said CEO Sherry Hirota. “We allocate resources to this because that’s part of our job as a community health center — to be there not only when they’re covered, but to be there always,�

even when that coverage is in jeopardy, she said. The proposed “public charge� rule, which is awaiting final action by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, would allow the federal government to consider immigrants’ use of an expanded list of public benefit programs including Medicaid, CalFresh and Section 8 housing as a reason to deny lawful permanent residency — also known as green card status. Medicaid is the state-federal health insurance program for low-income people. Currently, people are considered public charges if they rely on cash assistance (Temporary Assistance for needy Families or Supplemental Security Income) or need federal help paying for long-term care. Should the rule go into effect, it could force patients to choose between health care and their chance at a green card, McCollum Plese said. “And most people will probably not take the services,� she said. The rule would not be retroactive, meaning it wouldn’t take into account past use of public benefits like Medicaid, according to legal experts. But health centers and medical providers know that if they tell patients about it now, they the proposed rule, providers and advocates report. “For now, our focus has been on correcting misinformation, not necessarily raising awareness among those who haven’t heard about the potential changes,� said Erin Pak, CEO of KHEIR Center, a clinic group with three locations in Los Angeles. “This is

a proposal that thrives on fear and misunderstanding, so we wanted to be thoughtful about how and when to engage patients on the issue, given that nothing has passed into law.� The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing more than 200,000 comments from the public before it issues a final rule. It’s possible the department won’t adopt the rule at all, legal experts say. At KHEIR Center, the patient population is predominantly Korean immigrants, a group that is highly aware of the proposed public charge rule because of the coverage it has received in Korean-language media, according to Kirby Van Amburgh, the center’s director of external affairs. Other groups served by the clinic, such as Latino and Bengali immigrants, have asked few questions, she said. Trained staff address patients’ questions one-on-one, and hand out a fact sheet when needed. Last month, L.A. Care health plan, which covers more than 2 million Medicaid enrollees in Los Angeles County, hosted a public charge webinar for about 180 providers. David Kane, an attorney at neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, led the webinar and urged doctors to tell concerned patients that nothing has changed yet, and that most immigrants would not be affected. He also explained that if the federal government adopts the rule, it would not be effective immediately. There would most likely be a 60-day grace period PAGE A7

New report: Will the self-driving vehicle... PAGE A5 biking and carbon-free public transit. • Ensuring that marginalized groups aren’t left out will require specific policy interventions to: - Disincentivize personal autonomous vehicles and promote clean, shared transportation models – FAVES – via economic carrots and sticks such as equitable road pricing that waives fees for low-income people. - Target economic opportuni-

ties and community benefits to marginalized populations. - Ensure fair labor practices and a Just Transition for truck and bus drivers and other workers who will be displaced by self-driving vehicles. - Ensure that autonomous and shared vehicle services are available in low-income communities and priced affordably. - Provide equal access to FAVES for all marginalized populations as well as booking and payment models that are work-

able for those without smartphones or internet access. “The companies rushing to build and deploy self-driving cars will think only of profits unless we push them to do more,� Creger said. “We can have a true transportation revolution that cleans our air, unclogs our streets, provides high-quality jobs, and makes life better for all, especially those who have the least, but we won’t get there without rules to make the industry move in the right direction.� n

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DATELINE PHILIPPINES Mayor tagged as mastermind in Comelec sees clean polls Batocabe slay arrested

by ALEC

NALDO Manilatimes.net

THE Commission on Elections (Comelec) is confident that the elections in May this year will be clean and credible. Comelec spokesman James Jimenez said the transmission of votes would also be faster. “We are very confident in our system and we expect that we will have good, clean elections [come] May 2019,” Jimenez told reporters during the holding of mock elections on Sunday, January 20. “So far, this mock election is running smoothly. We are seeing a good mix of insights coming in from our observers on the ground,” he said. Jimenez observed the holding of mock polls at the Toro Hills Elementary School in Quezon City. “Sa tingin ko maganda ‘yung nangyayari ngayon pero kaunti ang dumarating. Because this is mock elections, we expect it to be different on election day. But we can see different aspects of the procedure thus we have an insight on what works and what doesn’t,” he said. He said the handling of people

by ROY

Manilatimes.net

A woman participates in the mock elections held at Araullo High School in Manila on Saturday, January 19. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

when they enter the polling place needed to be improved. “They’re all doing very well here. But we want to see, we want to get more data so that we can determine if we can still improve the process. Right now, nasa one minute up to one minute and a half ang tinatagal nung gamit ng ating VRVS (the use of Voter Registration Verification System takes one minute to one-and-a half minutes). We’ll see if we can cut that down further,” Jimenez said. “We were able to identify people who were not supposed to be here. So the VRVS is doing well right now,” he added.

The poll body simulated the use of the Emergency Accessible Polling Place (EAPP) system. Jimenez said the EAPP is the Comelec’s response to the need to provide an easier way for disabled persons, senior citizens, and pregnant women to vote. Jimenez called on Filipinos to vote on May 13. “You cannot take this for granted and let other people decide for you. You need to be engaged,” he said in Filipino. He urged voters not to accept pre-marked or pre-shaded ballots, and to report such incidents to authorities. ■

Manila Zoo to be temporarily closed MANILA — The Manila City government ordered on Tuesday, January 22, the temporary closure of Manila Zoo, which was cited by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources as one of Manila Bay’s “major pollutants.” News5 reported that the zoo would be closed anytime this week to facilitate the reconstruction of its sewer lines. Nakatakdang ipasara ngayong linggo ang Manila Zoo para mapabilis ang paggawa ng sewer lines nito, ayon sa Manila LGU. Matatandaang nadiskubre ng DENR na walang sewerage treatment plant ang zoo sa kanilang inspeksyon noong Enero 11. | via @ShylaFrancisco pic.twitter.com/VtPvfBqLkT — News5 AKSYON (@News5AKSYON) January 22, 2019 President Rodrigo Duterte earlier ordered the rehabilitation of Manila Bay. He said he is considering the use of the Road Users’ Tax to fund the cleanup, which would follow the rehabilitation of Boracay Island.

NARRA

Officials of the Manila Zoo earlier admitted that it does not have its own sewage treatment plant. Photo courtesy of City of Manila

DENR ordered facilities and establishments around Manila Bay to put up their own sewage treatment plants last January 11. Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu stressed that the establishments “cannot discharge their wastewater in the esteros.” Manila Zoo, which is run by the city government, was one of the establishments inspected by the DENR. Its officials admitted that they do not have a sewage treatment plant.

The zoo is located near Estero de San Antonio Abad in Malate, Manila, which directly drains into the Manila Bay. Lawyer Eric Alcovendaz, Manila City government administrator, was quoted in an ABS-CBN report as saying that Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada is “reviewing the executive order.” Alcovendaz added that the temporary closure might be implemented this week. (Kristine Joy Patag/Philstar.com). ■

A MAYOR tagged as the alleged mastermind in the murder of Ako Bicol Rep. Rodel Batocabe was arrested on Tuesday, January 22 for possession of unlicensed firearms, police said. Mayor Carlwyn Baldo of Daraga, Albay was arrested at 2:30 p.m. in his home where police, by virtue of a court-issued search warrant, found two caliber .45 pistols and its 15 live ammunition, one empty magazine of Uzi Machine Pistol, ammunition for

a grenade launcher, and live ammunition for M16 caliber, said Chief Supt. Arnel Escobal. Authorities also confiscated a vehicle. Baldo has been placed under the custody of the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group (CIDG) in Bicol for proper disposition. Batocable and his aide, SPO1 Orlando Diaz, was killed on December 22, 2018 in Daraga as he was distributing gifts to senior Mayor Carlwyn Baldo of Daraga, Albay Manilatimes.net file photo citizens. ■

House OKs medical marijuana use on 2nd reading BY JESS DIAZ The Philippine Star

MANILA — The House of Representatives on Wednesday, January 23 approved on second reading a bill allowing the use of marijuana for medicinal purposes. The chamber voted unanimously to pass the Compassionate Medical Cannabis Bill of Isabela Rep. Rodolfo Albano III, days after both President Duterte and Speaker Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo expressed support for medical marijuana. Albano said his bill seeks to allow the use of medical marijuana for those suffering from debilitating diseases like epilepsy, under strict regulation by the Department of Health and the Food and Drug Administration. “The use of marijuana for recreational purposes will continue to be prohibited. We are not proposing that the prohibition be lifted,” he said. He said there are studies in Israel, Spain, other parts of Europe

and the United States attesting to the medicinal benefits of marijuana. He added that medical marijuana is allowed in many states in America. Last week, Arroyo admitted to using medical marijuana. “As you know I am an author of that (medical marijuana bill). I really believe in medical cannabis. As you know, I have my problem here (cervical spine) and when I’m in a country that allows it, I put a pain patch but here in the Philippines I cannot do it,” she told reporters. “So I authored that bill because I believe that it can help me and many other people but there was a lot of objection to the bill from the House and from the Senate. That’s why we are just letting the legislative process take its course. Right now it’s on second reading,” she said. President Duterte had revealed that he was taking marijuana to keep awake, citing the hectic schedule during the recent ASEAN

summit. He later clarified it was a joke. The President had also said he was in favor of using marijuana for medicinal purposes, but not for recreation. Albano said he has “high hopes that this measure would be enacted into law under the Duterte administration.” “Finally, there is hope for our people, especially our children, who suffer from medical conditions like epilepsy, cancer and multiple sclerosis,” he said. He said cannabis “has been confirmed to have beneficial and therapeutic uses to treat chronic or debilitating diseases or medical conditions.” These include cachexia or wasting syndrome, severe and chronic pain, severe nausea, seizures, epilepsy and severe and persistent muscle spasms, he added. Albano pointed out that even in its raw form, marijuana is not harmful. ■

Bicam junks PCGG abolition, fixes term of solicitor general by PAOLO

ROMERO Philstar.com

MANILA — The Senate and the House of Representatives junked the proposal to abolish the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) and the Office of the Government Corporate Counsel (OGCC) and lifted the age limit for the post of solicitor general. The bicameral conference committee on the bill reorganizing the Office of the Solicitor General met yesterday to come up with a final version of the

measure, which also sought to abolish the PCGG and the OGCC by putting their functions under the OSG. The measure, which Malacañang has been pushing since last year, also proposed to remove the OSG from the Department of Justice. The committee, which was tasked to reconcile conflicting versions of the bill passed by the Senate and the House last year, agreed on a final version of the measure during a meeting yesterday retaining the PCGG. Solicitor General Jose Calida

was present during the briefing. Sen. Richard Gordon, a member of the bicameral conference committee, said the PCGG was retained as the agency needs to continue its task of recovering illgotten wealth of the Marcoses. The PCGG has so far recovered P171 billion in ill-gotten wealth and is on track to retrieve P40 billion more by 2020, he said. The approved measure also removed the age limit for the appointment and tenure of the solicitor general, who is currently mandated to retire at 65 like other government officials. ■

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JANUARY 25-31, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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OPINION

FEATURES

Juvenile justice THE Senate has yet to pass its version of the bill, so the government isn’t about to lower anytime soon the age of criminal responsibility to nine years, as approved by the House of Representatives. Even several senators objecting to the House measure, however, have expressed openness to lowering the age threshold from the current 15 to 12 or 11. So the threshold is likely to be amended. A look at several countries could put this in perspective. The threshold age is 10 in Australia, Hong Kong, Malaysia, Nepal, New Zealand, Switzerland and South Africa. It’s 7 in India, Myanmar, Pakistan, Singapore and Thailand for certain cases. In Greece and Indonesia, it’s eight. In the UK, there’s a range of 8 to 10. The threshold is 12 in Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands and Turkey. It’s 13 in France; 14 in Austria, Germany, North Korea, Russia, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan and Vietnam. In the United States, 33 states have set no minimum age for criminal responsibility; for federal crimes, it’s 11. President Duterte has often lambasted the principal proponent of the Juvenile Justice Act for the current age threshold, which he said has worsened

criminality and has been exploited by crime gangs that use children for their activities. Congressmen have stressed that the measure they have approved will not include imprisonment for juvenile offenders. It will also hold parents accountable to a certain degree for their children’s activities. Law enforcers support the measure; human rights groups are up in arms. They will likely have to settle for a compromise. In case the measure is approved, the government must prepare to make it work by providing sufficient facilities for detaining and rehabilitating juvenile offenders. The country has lacked such facilities for a long time. If the age of criminal responsibility is going to be lowered, the state must not lose sight of the fact that youths, while being held accountable for their acts, can still be rehabilitated and turned into responsible citizens. People deserve a second chance. This is true especially of juvenile offenders. (Philstar.com)

Editorial

The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. Day is one federal holiday in America that invites us immigrants to this great nation to introspect on something so profound I do not know if we have had a conscious effort to think about it before we chose to uproot ourselves from the Motherland and start a new life in this adoptive country. Why did you choose to immigrate to America? What about it enticed you to start a new chapter of your life here, given so many other choices? What was the “promise” of America that just spoke to your heart and gave you that courage and faith that this great nation could be your new home? What did you think was is America ‘s heart and soul and how did that converge with your own values and dreams? Amid the contentious debate now dividing this nation especially

Commentary

RIGOBERTO TIGLAO ONE of the clearest indications that the P38-billion scheme for the production of the new machinereadable passports that former President Aquino III and his officials engineered is the following. They strenuously concealed that it was a private firm United Graphic Expressions Corp. (UGEC), and not the government corporation APO Production Unit (APU), that would print the 45 million passports at a cost of P38 billion from mid-2016 to 2026. Such monopoly operations would generate for UGEC a staggering P11 billion in profits. The scheme represents one of the biggest deceptions ever to conceal corruption of the highest order. Aquino and his officials — mainly Presidential Communications Operations Office head Herminio Coloma Jr. and APU Chairman Milagros Alora — set up in November 2014 a dubious “joint venture,” without any bidding, with the formerly Malabonbased printing outfit UGEC. Billionaire Iñigo Zobel, the country’s 11th richest man, according to Forbes magazine, has been reported to have become only in 2014 its biggest stockholder through his family’s E. Zobel Inc. Zobel has not responded to these reports. APU is one of only three state entities — the other two being the National Printing Office and the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas — that

Philstar.com photo

Dear Filipinos in America: What is the heart and soul of America to you? since President Donald Trump took office, allow me to share with you what stood out and spoke to my heart and soul about the true heart and soul of America exchanged online during the weekend and feel free to share your own thoughts: “Give me your tired, your poor, Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, The wretched refuse of your teeming shore. Send these, the homeless, tempest-tossed to me, I lift my lamp beside the golden door!” (Inscription on the symbol of America’s immigrant heritage the Statue of Liberty, as watched over New York Harbor since 1886, and on her base is a tablet inscribed with words penned by Emma Lazarus in 1883) “We hold these truths to be selfevident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”

(from the Declaration of Independence which was adopted by the Continental Congress on July 4, 1776) “Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. “Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battle-field of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we can not dedicate — we can not consecrate — we can not hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say

here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.“ (Gettysburg Address is a speech that U.S. President Abraham Lincoln delivered during the American Civil War at the dedication of the Soldiers’ National Cemetery in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, on the afternoon of Thursday, November 19, 1863, four and a half months after the Union armies defeated those of the Confederacy at the Battle of Gettysburg.)

“I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character….” “I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed - we hold these truths to be selfevident: that all men are created equal….” This will be the day when all of God’s children will be able to sing with a new meaning, “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing. Land where my fathers died, land of the pilgrim’s pride, from every mountainside, let freedom ring.” (Civil Rights Leader Dr. Martin Luther King Junior, “I Have a Dream” speech during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963, in which he called for civil and economic rights and an end to racism in the United States.) “America, we know, is composed of diverse community. We have different languages, different

skills, different talents, and different religion. But when our way of life is threatened, like the freedom and liberty that we all cherish, we come together as one. And when we come together as one, we are invincible. We cannot be defeated. That’s why we need this national Navajo Code Talker Museum so that our children, the future generation, can go through that museum and learn why America is so strong.” (Peter MacDonald who served in World War II as a Navajo code talker, made introductory remarks at a White House Oval Office event honoring the Native American who were recruited into the U.S. Marine Corps to transmit secret tactical messages, in front of Press. Donald Trump) *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos

Aquino and his officials concealed crony firm in passport scheme the government has authorized to print “high-security” materials, such as excise-tax stamps and passports. APU, however, turned over its printing contracts, first, with the Bureau of Internal Revenue and trade and industry department, and later the gargantuan 10-year P38 billion job for the printing of the e-passports to the JV. Farce The JV is a farce. APU is a token partner with just 10 percent of its ownership, with 90 percent held by UGEC. Ninety percent and then 70 percent of its profits, under the terms of its agreement with APU, would go to UGEC. Even as UGEC charges the JV for the use of its machines, for P700 million annually. As a result, this shadowy private firm generated P3 billion in income from 2015 to 2106, and if it continues this scheme, will get another P8 billion. In effect, Aquino and his officials — mainly Coloma and Alora, both high officials in Cory Aquino’s government — had transformed a government firm into a façade of a private firm that has and will generate billions of pesos on the back of profit margins on the printing of 45 million Philippine passports. This colossal case of corruption has been successfully concealed, with mainstream media apparently looking the other way when these were first exposed in a congressional hearing in 2018. It is so strange — or maybe not — that party-list representatives, Akbayan’s Ibarra Gutierrez in 2016 and Bayan Muna’s Carlos Zarate in 2017 had vociferously condemned

early last year the passport scam, the latter even filing a resolution asking Congress to investigate. Quite suddenly though, the two became totally silent on the controversy. A prime example of how Aquino went to great lengths to conceal the scheme was when he inaugurated on June 20, 2015 what he and his officials called the “APU High Security Printing Plant” at the Lima Technology Park in Batangas, which started producing en masse the e-passports in July 2016. Aquino was issued the first such e-passport on the day of his visit to the plant. Boast In his speech, Aquino boasted that under his watch the APU had been turned around to generate income and that it had set up a high-security printing plant that could print the DFA’s new e-passports. Aquino didn’t mention at all though that the plant was almost entirely owned through the JV by UGEC and would get 70 percent of its net income for 10 years. APU’s equity in the JV was in the form of the one-tenth of the valuation of the land it had leased from the export-processing zone. Ninety percent of the JV’s managers and workers were employees of UGEC, with the APUs employees being there merely as fixtures to portray it as a joint venture. He could have boasted that the plant was a good example of a partnership between a government agency and an efficient hitech private firm. That he didn’t can only be explained by the fact that he deliberately wanted to

Aquino inaugurating the facility that would print the 45 million e-passports for P38 billion, which he didn’t mention was 90 percent owned by a private firm, UGEC. ManilaTimes.net photo

keep from the public the fact that a crony firm really owned the plant and would get the P38-billion printing contract from the DFA. PCOO’s head Coloma — under whose supervision and authority APU was — in several media interviews claimed the “APU’s High Security Printing Plant” as a stellar achievement, but never disclosed that it was run and was 90 percent owned by a private firm. In the APU’s 2015 annual report — the last under the Yellow regime and by its chairman Alora — no report at all was made of that P38billion e-passport contract from the DFA, its biggest print job ever, and its de facto sub-contracting to UGEC. Its only mention of the firm was that APU “received an unsolicited proposal from UGEC for a joint venture for the purpose of upgrading APO Lima’s plant into a high-security printing facility.”

No reply I asked Coloma, just before and after I wrote these articles on this fraudulent case, to give his side, with message relayed to his colleague at the Manila Bulletin where he is executive vice president. There has been no reply. I also asked Alora, an old acquaintance of mine as she has been a PR practitioner since the 1980s, to similarly respond through Facebook’s Messenger platform. Alora answered four questions, the most important of which was on her justification for the subcontracting of the passport-printing to UGEC: “What APU and UGEC have is a joint venture and not subcontracting and approved by NEDA, Govt procurement board, DBM and DOST and other pertinent agencies.” The Commission on Audit though claimed that one of the major “misrepresentations” — that is, lies — that APU told government regulators was even contained in its JV agreement, that the UGEC offer for a JV was “superior and more advantageous to APU“ than other offers. The CoA said that there was no other offer made to APU. It was in fact secretly negotiated, agreed to, and implemented. After those four questions, Alora blocked me from sending her messages in Messenger. Most abominable I have investigated and written columns on several other scams and instances of corruption during the Aquino government, among them the grant of a P5-billion MRT-3 maintenance contract shepherded by a Liberal Party

finance officer, the P4-billion purchase of the defective Dengvaxia vaccine, and the Disbursement Acceleration Progra that was really the hijacking of government funds to projects that Aquino chose at his whim. This e-passport printing case is the most abominable. This is not only because of the magnitude of profits — P11 billion — it would generate to enrich the already rich, at the expense of 45 million Filipinos needing that main document signifying one’s membership in the Republic. It is most damnable in that the scheme was designed to be implemented whether or not the Yellow candidate won in the 2016 elections, since it practically hostages the government. In fact, former Foreign Affairs secretary Alan Cayetano declined to end the corrupt scheme even after he knew about it. He feared the fate of his predecessor Pefecto Yasay Jr. whom the Yellows successfully took out of his post because he wanted it ended. The ambitious Cayetano also didn’t want to risk his career being damaged if there was a disruption in the passport issuances. Will the present foreign secretary who has built an image that he’s got huge balls end this colossal case of corruption? The Duterte presidency would be blamed if it doesn’t stop the scam. The Yellow forces would even throw Coloma and Alora under the bus, and spread the lie that it was under Duterte’s watch that the scheme was implemented, and he and other officials profited from it. (ManilaTimes.net)

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

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • JANUARY 25-31 , 2019

Duterte visits Henry Sy wake

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PAUNAWA NG PAGPAPASIYA NA WALANG MALAKING EPEKTO AT PAUNAWA NG HANGARING HUMILING NG PAGLABAS NG MGA PONDO Enero 25, 2019 Mga Responsableng Entidad: Lungsod ng Alameda 950 West Mall Square Alameda, California 94501 510-747-4349 County of Alameda Housing & Community Development Department 224 W. Winton Avenue, Room 108 Hayward, CA 94544 510-670-5280 Ang Paunawang ito ay dapat makatugon sa dalawang magkahiwalay pero magkaugnay na mga iniaatas na pamamaraan para sa mga aktibidad na isasagawa ng Awtoridad ng Pabahay ng Lungsod ng Alameda, ng Lungsod ng Alameda at ng County ng Alameda. Ang Lungsod ng Alameda at ang County ng Alameda ay nagkumpleto ng isang pinagsamang pagrepasong pangkapaligiran. PAGHILING NG PAGLABAS NG MGA PONDO

President Duterte pays his last respects to Henry Sy at the wake of the late business magnate and philanthropist at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City. Joining him are Sy’s children Tessie, Henry Jr. and Hans. Malacaùang photo by Alexis

RomeRo Philstar.com

MANILA — President Duterte paid his respects to the late retail tycoon Henry Sy Sr. last Sunday, January 20. Palace photos released recently showed Duterte chatting and shaking hands with Sy’s daughter, Teresita Sy-Coson, at the Heritage Memorial Park in Taguig City. The President was also seen viewing Sy’s casket with the late business icon’s children. Cabinet members who accom-

panied Duterte at the wake were presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo, Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. Also in the photos were Quezon City 4th District Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. and former presidential aide Christopher Go. Sy, the Philippines’ richest man, passed away in his sleep early Saturday morning. He was 94. He was chairman emeritus of SM Investments Corp., SM Prime Holdings Inc., SM Development

Corp., Highlands Prime Inc. and BDO Unibank Inc. In an earlier statement, MalacaĂąang called Sy “a visionary and a pillar of the Philippine economyâ€? who “believed in the potentials and opportunities of the country and pursued them with dedication, passion and hard work.â€? “Mr. Sy exemplified the hardworking Filipino. As a family man, he had molded his children into his own image: humble, hardworking and a man of prophetic vision,â€? Panelo said in a statement. n

PET: Ballot recount in VP poll protest nearing end by KRistine Joy

Philstar.com

PAtAg

MANILA — The Supreme Court, sitting as Presidential Electoral Tribunal, said that recount of the “remaining few ballots� in the three pilot provinces of former Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong� Marcos Jr.’s electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo would continue on January 28. Reports earlier quoted lawyers of the two parties as saying that the tribunal ordered the suspension of the recount. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ lawyer, said that the suspension was effective “until further notice.� But the PET on Tuesday afternoon, January 22 said the ballot recount in the three pilot provinces is almost done. Although, it

would have to resume the recount on January 28 due to wet and damaged ballots. “The tribunal directed the Revision Committee to use the decrypted ballot images provided by the Commission on Elections,� the statement read. It was earlier ruled that decrypted ballot images can be used by Head Revisors—head in the threeperson committee conducting the recount—when “the paper ballots were wet, damaged or are otherwise unreadable.� “In the interim, the Tribunal shall prepare for the use of decrypted ballot images in the revision proceedings,� the PET added. The recount of ballots from Marcos’ identified three pilot provinces, Camarines Sur, Iloilo and

Negros Oriental, started on April 1, 2018. After the recount in the said provinces, the tribunal would proceed on ruling on all objections and claims of both parties during the revision proceeding. The results of the recount in the three provinces would determine if the tribunal should continue checking ballots in the rest of the clustered precincts in the country. Under Rule 65 of the 2010 Rules of the PET, “if upon examination of such ballots and proof, and after making reasonable allowances, the tribunal is convinced that, taking all circumstances into account, the protestant or counterprotestant will most probably fail to make out his case, the protest may forthwith be dismissed.� n

Providers walk ‘fine line’ between...

PAGE A4 before the changes take effect, Kane said. After that, implementation could be further delayed in court. John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care, who has been critical of the public charge proposal, said his organization offered the webinar because of the estimated 170,000 legal immigrants on his plan who could potentially be affected. “I think we’ve got to let people know what could come, and try to give them more accurate information so that they don’t act imprudently,� he said. To do that, “we have to stay current.� This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. n risk scaring some of them into premature decisions about their benefits, including dropping coverage. Some immigrant patients already are skipping medical appointments out of fear stoked by the proposed rule, providers and advocates report. “For now, our focus has been on correcting misinformation, not necessarily raising awareness among those who haven’t heard about the potential chang-

es,� said Erin Pak, CEO of KHEIR Center, a clinic group with three locations in Los Angeles. “This is a proposal that thrives on fear and misunderstanding, so we wanted to be thoughtful about how and when to engage patients on the issue, given that nothing has passed into law.� The Department of Homeland Security is reviewing more than 200,000 comments from the public before it issues a final rule. It’s possible the department won’t adopt the rule at all, legal experts say. At KHEIR Center, the patient population is predominantly Korean immigrants, a group that is highly aware of the proposed public charge rule because of the coverage it has received in Korean-language media, according to Kirby Van Amburgh, the center’s director of external affairs. Other groups served by the clinic, such as Latino and Bengali immigrants, have asked few questions, she said. Trained staff address patients’ questions one-on-one, and hand out a fact sheet when needed. Last month, L.A. Care health plan, which covers more than 2 million Medicaid enrollees in Los Angeles County, hosted a

public charge webinar for about 180 providers. David Kane, an attorney at Neighborhood Legal Services of Los Angeles, led the webinar and urged doctors to tell concerned patients that nothing has changed yet, and that most immigrants would not be affected. He also explained that if the federal government adopts the rule, it would not be effective immediately. There would most likely be a 60-day grace period before the changes take effect, Kane said. After that, implementation could be further delayed in court. John Baackes, CEO of L.A. Care, who has been critical of the public charge proposal, said his organization offered the webinar because of the estimated 170,000 legal immigrants on his plan who could potentially be affected. “I think we’ve got to let people know what could come, and try to give them more accurate information so that they don’t act imprudently,� he said. To do that, “we have to stay current.� This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, which publishes California Healthline, a service of the California Health Care Foundation. n

WHO fears flu pandemic; PH vaccine shortage... PAGE A4 ly every year from diseases such as cancer, stroke, heart and lung disease,� WHO claimed. WHO added that the primary cause of air pollution – burning fossil fuels – is also a major contributor to climate change, which impacts people’s health in different ways. Between 2030 and 2050, WHO estimates that climate change is expected to cause 250,000 additional deaths per year, from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress. The agency also expressed concern over the rising cases of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, cancer and heart disease, which are collectively responsible for over 70 percent of all deaths worldwide, or 41 million people, including 15 million people dying prematurely, aged between 30 and 69. The rise of these diseases has been driven by five major risk factors: tobacco use, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diets and air pollution. WHO said the presence of “fragile and vulnerable settings� in almost all regions of the world is seen as a risk.

The report showed that more than 1.6 billion people, or 22 percent of the global population, live in places where protracted crises — through a combination of challenges such as drought, famine, conflict and population displacement — and weak health services leave them without access to basic care. According to WHO, the development of antibiotics, antivirals and antimalarials are some of “modern medicine’s greatest successes.� “Now time with these drugs is running out. Antimicrobial resistance — the ability of bacteria, parasites, viruses and fungi to resist these medicines — threatens to send us back to a time when we were unable to easily treat infections such as pneumonia, tuberculosis, gonorrhea and salmonellosis,� WHO added. The agency warned that the inability to prevent infections could seriously compromise surgery and procedures such as chemotherapy. Drug resistance is driven by the overuse of antimicrobials not only in people but also animals, especially those used for food production as well as in the envi-

ronment. WHO also reported that the challenges posed by Ebola and other high-threat pathogens are real. In 2018, the Democratic Republic of Congo saw two separate Ebola outbreaks, which spread to cities of more than one million people. WHO said primary health care is “usually the first point of contact people have with their health care system and ideally should provide comprehensive, affordable, community-based care throughout life.� But there are countries whose primary health care cannot meet majority of the people’s health needs, WHO said. WHO is also concerned with “vaccine hesitancy� or the people’s reluctance or refusal to vaccinate despite the availability of vaccines. This threatens to reverse progress made in tackling vaccine-preventable diseases, it said. “One of the most cost-effective ways of avoiding disease, it currently prevents two to three million deaths a year and a further (million and a half) could be avoided if global coverage of vaccinations improved,� WHO added. n

Sa o mga Pebrero 11, 2019 ang County ng Alameda ay magsusumite ng isang kahilingan sa Kagawaran ng Pagpapaunlad ng Pabahay at Kalunsuran (Housing and Urban Development, HUD) ng Estados Unidos para sa pagpapalabas ng mga pondo ng Programang mga Pagbabakasan sa Pamumuhunan ng HOME (HOME) sa ilalim ng Titulo II ng Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, gaya ng sinusugan, at ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay magsusumite ng kahilingan sa Kagawaran ng Pagpapaunlad ng Pabahay at Kalunsuran (HUD) para sa paglabas ng mga pondo ng Blokeng Gawad sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad (Community Development Block Grant, CDBG) sa ilalim ng Titulo I ng Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 at para sa paglabas ng mga pondo ng Seksyon 8 ng HUD sa ilalim ng Titulo 1 Seksyon 8 ng United States Housing Act of 1937, gaya ng sinusugan ng Quality Housing and Work Responsibility Act of 1998, upang magsagawa ng isang SUR\HNWRQJ NLODOD ELODQJ 3UR\HNWRQJ $ERW ND\DQJ 3DEDKD\ QD 5RVHÂż HOG 9LOODJH 5RVHÂż HOG 9LOODJH $IIRUGDEOH Housing Project) para sa layuning tustusan ang konstruksiyon ng bago, ligtas, madaling puntahang apartment na mga bahay upang palitan ang mga kasalukuyang yunit nang lampas sa kapaki-pakinabang na buhay ng mga LWR VD DUL DULDQJ DQJ DGGUHVV D\ %XHQD 9LVWD $YHQXH VD SDJLWDQ QJ :HEVWHU 6WUHHW DW &RQVWLWXWLRQ :D\ $QJ 3UR\HNWRQJ $ERW ND\DQJ 3DEDKD\ QD 5RVHÂż HOG D\ NDVDOXNX\DQJ QDJWDWDJOD\ QJ \XQLW VD GDODZDQJ parsela sa isang pinagsamang kabuuan na 105,809 kuwadradong talampakan. Ang iminumungkahing proyekto ay magkakaloob ng 91 yunit ng pabahay. Ang 40 kasalukuyang yunit sa 9 na gusali ay gigibain at papalitan ng isang bagong tayong gusali na nagtataglay ng 78 yunit, ang 13 kasalukuyang yunit sa anim na kasalukuyang gusali ay mananatili at babaguhin ang yari. Ang bagong tayong gusali ay apat na palapag ang taas sa gitna, pababa sa tatlong palapag sa kalye. Ang proyekto ay magtataas ng bilang ng mga espasyong paradahan mula sa 42 patungo sa 73 sa grado, walang takip na mga espasyong paradahan. Ang silid na pangkomunidad ng pagpapaunlad ay magsasagawa ng mga klaseng pang-edukasyon, mga serbisyo sa residente, at mga ginaganap na panlipunan. Ang panlabas na lugar ng paglalaro ay magsasama ng espasyo at kagamitan para sa mga bata ng lahat ng edad gayon din ng upuan at espasyo ng pagtitipon para sa maraming grupo. Ang kabuuang gastos sa pagpapaunlad ay tinatayang $62,000,000 na may hanggang $500,000 na binabayaran sa pamamagitan ng pagpopondo ng HOME, at hanggang $1,000,000 sa pagpopondo ng CDBG, kung makukuha ang pagpopondo. Ang Awtoridad ng Pabahay ay hihiling din ng tulong sa anyo ng Batay sa Proyekto na mga %XWVHU 3URMHFW %DVHG 9RXFKHUV 3%9 SDUD VD KXPLJLW NXPXODQJ QD \XQLW SDUD VD PJD VDPEDKD\DQJ PDED ba at masyadong mababa ang kita, kung makukuha ang pagpopondo. Ang mga pagbabayad para sa tulong sa SDEDKD\ D\ JDJDPLWLQ SDUD VD PJD JDVWRV VD SDJSDSDWDNER SDUD VD PJD \XQLW QJ 3%9 VD 3UR\HNWRQJ $ERW ND\DQJ 3DEDKD\ QD 5RVHÂż HOG 9LOODJH $QJ WXORQJ VD SDEDKD\ D\ LSDJNDNDORRE SDUD VD SDQLPXODQJ SDQDKRQ ng kontrata na hanggang 20 taon na may opsyon na bigyan ng panibagong bisa para sa karagdagang 20 taon, napapailalim sa mga taunang paglalaan mula sa Pederal na pamahalaan at pagpapasiya ng AHA na ang may-ari ay sumusunod sa kontrata ng Pagbabayad ng Tulong sa Pabahay (Housing Assistance Payment, HAP) at ibang angkop na mga iniaatas ng HUD para sa isang kabuuan na hanggang apatnapung (40) taon. Ang tinatayang halaga ng kabuuang pagpopondo sa pagtustos sa renta ay $1,300,000 para sa Proyektong Abot-kayang PabaKD\ QD 5RVHÂż HOG 9LOODJH VD SDQLPXODQJ SDQDKRQ QJ NRWUDWD QJ 3DJEDED\DG QJ 7XORQJ VD 3DEDKD\ +$3 QD napapailalim sa isang pag-aaral ng pagiging makatwiran ng renta bago ang pagsasagawa ng kontrata ng HAP, at depende sa kahandaan ng mga pondo ng Seksyon 8 gaya ng inilalaan ng Pederal na pamahalaan. PAGPAPASIYA NA WALANG MALAKING EPEKTO Ang Lungsod ng Alameda at ang County ng Alameda ay nagpasiya na ang proyekto ay hindi magkakaroon ng malaking epekto sa kapaligiran ng tao. Dahil dito, ang Isang Pahayag ng Epekto sa Kapaligiran sa ilalim ng Pambansang Batas sa Patakaran sa Kapaligiran (National Environmental Policy Act, NEPA) ng 1969 ay hindi iniaatas. Ang karagdatang impormasyon tungkol sa proyekto ay nakapaloob sa Rekord ng Pagrepasong Pangkapaligiran (Environmental Review Record, ERR) na nasa talaan ng Awtoridad ng Pabahay ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, California, 94501 at maaaring suriin o kopyahin Lunes hanggang Huwebes sa pagitan ng mga oras na 8:30 A.M. at 5:00 P.M. MGA KOMENTO NG PUBLIKO Sinumang indibidwal, grupo, o ahensiyang hindi sumasang-ayon sa pagpapasiyang ito o nais magkomento sa proyekto ay maaaring magsumite ng mga nakasulat na komento na ipapadala kay Lisa Fitts sa Awtoridad ng Pabahay ng Lungsod ng Alameda sa 701 Atlantic Avenue, Alameda, California, 94501. Lahat ng komentong natanggap bago lumampas ang Pebrero 10, 2019 ay isasaalang-alang ng Lungsod ng Alameda at ng County ng Alameda bago ang pagsumite ng isang kahilingan para sa paglabas ng mga pondo. Dapat tukuyin ng mga komento kung aling Paunawa ang tinutugunan nila. SERTIPIKASYON NA PANGKAPALIGIRAN Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay nagsesertipika sa HUD na si Debbie Potter sa kanyang kapasidad bilang Direktor ng Muling Paggamit at Pagpapaunlad na Pangkabuhayan at ang County ng Alameda ay nagsesertipika sa HUD na si Linda Gardner sa kanyang kapasidad bilang Direktor ng Pabahay ay sumasang-ayong tanggapin ang hurisdiskiyon ng mga Pederal na Hukuman kung ang isang aksyon ay dalhin upang ipatupad ang mga responsibilidad na may kaugnayan sa proseso ng pagrepasong pangkapaligiran at na ang mga responsibilidad na ito ay natugunan. Ang pagtanggap ng HUD sa sertipikasyon ay tumutugon sa mga responsibllidad nito sa ilalim ng NEPA at mga kaugnay na batas at awtoridad at nagpapahintulot sa Awtoridad ng Pabahay ng Lungsod ng Alameda upang gamitin ang mga pondo ng programa. MGA PAGTUTOL NA ILABAS ANG MGA PONDO Ang HUD ay tatanggap lamang ng mga pagtutol sa paglabas nito ng mga pondo at ang sertipikasyon ng Lungsod ng Alameda at ng County ng Alameda para sa isang panahon na labinlimang araw kasunod ng inaasahang petsa ng pagsumite o sa aktuwal na pagtanggap nito ng kahilingan (alinman ang mas huli) kung ito ay nasa isa sa mga sumusunod na batayan: (a) ang sertipikasyon ay hindi isinagawa ng Opisyal sa Pagsertipika ng Lungsod ng Alameda o ng County ng Alameda; (b) inalis ng Lungsod ng Alameda o County ng Alameda ang isang hakbang o nabigong gumawa ito ng desisyon o pagpapasiya na iniaatas ng mga regulasyon ng HUD sa 24 CFR Bahagi 58; (c) ang tumanggap ng gawad o ibang mga kalahok sa proseso ng pagpapaunlad ay naglaan ng mga pondo, nagtamo ng mga gastos o nagsagawa ng mga aktibidad na hindi ipinahihintulot ng 24 CFR Bahagi 58 bago ang pag-aproba ng isang paglabas ng mga pondo ng HUD; o (d) ang ibang Pederal na Ahensiya na umaakto alinsunod sa 40 CFR Bahagi 1504 ay nagsumite ng isang nakasulat na pagpapasiya na ang proyekto ay hindi kasiya-siya ayon sa pamantayan ng kalidad na pangkapaligiran. Ang mga pagtutol ay dapat ihanda at isumite alinsunod sa mga iniaatas na pamamaraan (24 CFR Bahagi 58, Sek. 58.76) at dapat ipadala sa U. S. Department RI +RXVLQJ 8UEDQ 'HYHORSPHQW 'LUHFWRUV RI WKH 2IÂż FH RI &RPPXQLW\ 3ODQQLQJ DQG 'HYHORSPHQW DW VD 2IÂż FH of Public and Indian Housing, sa One Sansome Street, Suite 1200, San Francisco, CA 94104. Dapat kontakin ng mga posibleng tututol ang HUD upang maberipika ang aktuwal na huling araw ng panahon ng pagtutol. Debbie Potter Direktor ng Muling Paggamit ng Base at Pagpapaunlad na Pangkabuhayan Linda Gardner County ng Alameda, Direktor ng Pabahay MGA TADHANA PARA SA MGA TAONG MAY KAPANSANAN Kung ang sinumang taong may interes sa paglahok sa programang Blokeng Gawad sa Pagpapaunlad ng Komunidad (CDBG) / HOME ay isang taong may kapansanan gaya ng nilinaw ng Seksiyon 504 ng Batas ng 1974 sa Rehabilitasyon na nag-aatas ng isang kaluwagan upang lumahok o magkainteres, ang isang kahilingan para sa NDOXZDJDQ D\ PDDDULQJ JDZLQ ND\ /LVD )LWWV R PDJSDGDOD QJ HPDLO VD OÂż WWV#DODPHGDKVJ RUJ Ang naturang kahilingan ay dapat kabilang ang isang paglalarawan ng kaluwagang hinahangad, kasama ang isang pahayag ng kapansanan na nangangailangan ng kaluwagan. Anumang kahilingan para sa kaluwagan ay dapat suriin at ang isang sagot ay dapat ipagkaloob sa loob ng limang araw ng trabaho pagkatapos matanggap ang naturang kahilingan. Ang paunawa ng anumang kaluwagan na iginawad ay ipagkakaloob agad sa humiling. Mangyaring kontakin si Lisa Fitts sa (510) 747-4349 (Boses), (510) 522-8467 (TDD), o magpadala ng email VD OÂż WWV#DODPHGDKVJ RUJ XSDQJ KXPLOLQJ QJ DQXPDQJ LEDQJ PDNDWZLUDQJ NDOXZDJDQ QD PDDDULQJ NDLODQJ anin. Ang tagapag-ugnay ng Seksyon 504 ng CDBG/HOME ay si Tonya Schuler-Cummins, na makokontak sa R FRRUGLQDWRU#DODPHGDKVJ RUJ $QJ LVDQJ NRS\D QJ SDPDPDUDDQ QJ NDUDLQJDQ QJ D\ matatagpuan online sa www.alamedahsg.org. MGA IPAGKAKALOOB SA MGA RESIDENTENG HINDI NAGSASALITA NG INGLES Ang Lungsod ng Alameda ay may ugnayan ng mga empleyadong nagsasalita ng 45 wika na maaaring kumilos bilang mga tagasalin para sa mga residente na naghahangad ng impormasyon na nauukol sa mga pederal na programa. Kung binigyan ng paunawang maaga ng limang araw ng trabaho, makikipag-ayos ang Lungsod upang makakuha ng isang interpreter. Mangyaring makipag-ugnayan sa Lungsod sa (510) 747-4349 (Boses), (510) 7'' R HPDLO OÂż WWV#DODPHGDKVJ RUJ PATAKARANG WALANG-DISKRIMINASYON Ang pederal na batas ay nagbabawal ng diskriminasyon sa pabahay batay sa lahi, kulay, relihiyon, kasarian, bansang pinagmulan, edad, katayuang pampamilya, at kapansanan. Ang Batas sa Patas na Pagtatrabaho at Pabahay ng California ay nagbabawal ng diskriminasyon sa pabahay sa mga katulad na batayan, gayon din sa kasarian, kinikilalang kasarian, pagpapahayag ng kasarian, oryentasyong sekswal, katayuang marital, angkan, pinagkukunan ng kita, at impormasyong henetiko. Ang AHA ay lubos na susunod sa lahat ng pederal, pang-estado, at lokal na mga batas na walang diskriminasyon, at sa mga tuntunin at regulasyon na namamahala sa patas na pabahay at pantay na pagkakataon sa pabahay at pagtatrabaho.

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JANUARY 25-31, 2019 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

SF The Asian Jo ur na l SF M A G A Z I NE - J a nua ry 2 5 , 2 0 1 9

Friday, January 25, 2019

SF

cover story T he Asian Jo ur na l SF M A G A Z I NE - J a nua ry 2 5 , 2 0 1 9

Getting your space in order Jiliane Patriarca, founder The Organization Organization believes there’s a system for less clutter and more control by

Malou liwanag-bledsoe / AJPress

IT always happens — new year, new goals in trying to build our lives in order. Whether it’s financial, health or simply cleaning house; we always try to reach that goal of being organized. Just as 2019 entered, online streaming service Netflix released “Tidying Up with Marie Kondo,” a reality series on the Japanese organizing consultant on the art of keeping your home and workspace tidy and organized. This sent waves of people trying to “de-clutter” their spaces, in the hope that they’d be able to streamline what they need versus what they want. Unfortunately, not all of us get to our goal and maintain it. Professional organizer Jiliane Patriarca, founder of The Organization Organization (TOO) believes that being able to organize one’s space and maintaining it is achievable. “I recently saw a post on social media that said, ‘A dream written down with a date becomes a goal. A goal broken down into steps becomes a plan. A plan backed by action becomes a reality.’ I couldn’t agree with this quote more and I believe one can use it to achieve and maintain a New Year goal,” she said. While many people think that hiring a professional organizer is expensive, Jiliane explained that the savings are found in terms of time and money in the long run. “According to the National Association of Productivity and Organizing Professionals (NAPO), of which I am a member, we spend one year of our lives looking for lost items. That’s a year we could be spending traveling or writing a book! And according to the Becoming Minimalist website, households who rent additional self-storage unit spend an average of over $1,000 a year in rent. If you’ve rented a storage unit for five years, that’s $5,000 that could have been spent on a trip around the world.” “Professional organizers are efficient with time, strategies, and tools for organizing and its process. I am constantly keeping up with the newest organizing tools and ideas so that when I enter a client’s home, I can already envision

a solution for their organizing problem in my head. Clutter and disorganization that has been sitting around for 20 years can be gone in a few days with a professional organizer,” she said. Patriarca established TOO in 2014 to help others create the most intuitive organizing system and process. A daughter of Filipino immigrants, her journey to being a professional organizer was not planned, but more a realization during a time when she was searching for the right job. Her talent for organizing, however, was already in her before that. Since it started, TOO has grown and is now offering clients to organize not only their homes or workspace, but their events as well. “Life is full of changes — whether it be getting married, moving, having a new baby, or celebrating an anniversary. Our mission is to help keep you organized through it all and to be the people you trust to call at each of life’s transitions. We now offer Wedding Coordination and Event Planning, and our organizing services now extend to helping establish Legacy Systems,” Jiliane said. “Weddings can be very stressful and it’s our job to stay organized so that you can enjoy your big day. I offer Day-of and Month-of Coordination packages and specialize in Fil-Am weddings,” she said and then added, “What are the candle, cord, and veil for? Interested in an ube-flavored cake for dessert? You want to stream your wedding to the Philippines? No worries, we can help you!” The best part is that after the wedding and honeymoon, TOO can also help their newly married clients with organizing their home. “You’ve gotten married and now you and your new spouse are moving into your first new place. You have two blenders but only need one and aren’t sure of where to put all your clothes. With our Professional Organizing packages, we can help you de-clutter, donate, and unpack to settle into your new home,” said Jiliane. “With our Legacy Systems services, we can help you organize your most important items and documents so that they can be easily found and utilized,

Some quick tips on how to start on organizing your space: 1. If your closet is an issue for you: • Switch from bulky, plastic hangers to thin, velvet hangers. This is one of the quickest and easiest ways to make more space. • Turn all of your hangers in one direction and as you use clothes, put the hanger back in the opposite direction. Whatever hanger isn’t turned at the end of the year, Jiliane Patriarca Photos from Jiliane Patriarca/The Organization Organization donate! very similar.” not only by you but your loved 2. If you want to get orFor sentimental things that ones, too.“ ganized in your kitchen: do bring back good memories, From ‘organized chaos’ to • Make use of vertical Jiliane can offer options on letting go space. Use command strips how to store them without get- or hooks and nails to hang We always hear people say ting in the way of their space. that they’re in the state of “orthings like lids for pots, cook“...For those things that do ware, or kitchen tools. ganized chaos,” meaning that bring back good memories, I no matter how cluttered their • Lazy Susans are a quick explore alternative methods space is, they can still function and easy way to make things for storing them with my client. more accessible! efficiently. Jiliane believes that Maybe you love all of the trothere is such a thing and that 3. One option is to, of phies your child won when they course, hire a professional people work differently. were in elementary school but “We are all individuals and organizer. Sometimes people they are taking up too much the way we think, process, and space. My favorite solution for file information differs. There this is to take photos of the are certainly people who know trophies and keep them in an exactly where one piece of album, that way the memory paper is in a stack of thirty,” can still be brought back when she explained. “The point, I looking at the photo but the believe, where a professional trophies aren’t taking up space organizer is needed is when anymore,” she explained. the ‘organized chaos’ gets in “Our physical surroundthe way of healthy life and safe ings can affect us mentally and environment for oneself of emotionally. If you spend a lot their family, whether that be of time looking for things, still physically or mentally. can’t find those things, spend Of course, chaos always money buying new things you happens when people are couldn’t find, or just want a stuck with thousands of things they claim to have some sort of fresh start the new year brings 365 more chances to make a sentimental or monetary value change,” Jiliane said. to them. As a professional orYou can call (510) 292ganizer, Jiliane shared that she 0583 to schedule your free, has worked with clients who 30-minute on-site consultation, have a hard time of letting go. visit their website at www. “We’re human after all! TheOrganizationOrg.com, When it comes to choosing or follow and message them what should stay and what should go, I think it’s important Instagram @TheOrganizationOrg. TOO is also happy to to ask if the item brings back offer 15 percent off on their happy memories or not so three-hour initial professional happy ones,” she said. “Marie organizing package for Asian Kondo’s approach of only Journal readers. keeping items that spark joy is

just need an outside boost to get the ball rolling and that is one of the biggest advantages of a hiring a professional organizer. With no judgment, we can help get your office space to a clean slate that will be easier - and quicker - to keep organized. Some professional organizers can do the work at your home while you are at work, again saving you time. 4. For those who have very busy schedules and don’t think a professional organizer is the best route, I would say to start small. If you spend fifteen minutes organizing and do that six days a week, slowly but surely you will start to see change. If you bring your family into the equation, you can not only get more organizing done, but you get to spend time together!

Marc dela Cruz becomes first Filipino to play Hamilton on Broadway by Ritchel Mendiola AJPress

MARC dela Cruz on Saturday, January 19, made his debut as Alexander Hamilton in the Broadway musical “Hamilton”. Dela Cruz is of FilipinoJapanese descent and born in Hawaii. He is the first Filipino — and Asian-American actor, for that matter — to bag the lead role of the Tony Awardwinning musical. He took to Instagram his excitement and gratitude, calling the “Hamilton” cast as his “Ham Fam”. “Thank you to the Ham Fam and everyone who supported me from near and far on my first couple of outings going on as Alexander Hamilton,” his post read. “This show continues to amaze and thrill me,” he added. Actress Olivia Oguma praised Dela Cruz on a Facebook post. “Tonight...we had the first Asian-American Alexander Hamilton in Hamilton on Broadway. Just wanted to let everyone know. Marc de la Cruz I have never been more proud of anyone. I’m so happy for you,” she said. “Marc is not my friend—he is my brother, and someone we consider a family member. I am so thrilled to have had

In a post on Instagram, Fil-Am singer and “America’s Got Talent” contestant Angelica Hale said she could not believe that she got her second Golden Buzzer. “I can’t believe that I now have TWO #goldenbuzzers Thank you @howiemandel for believing in me and sending me through to the finale of #AGTChampions!!!” she captioned her post. Photo from Instagram/@angelicahale

Fil-Am singer Angelica Hale carves name in ‘America’s Got Talent’ history by Rae ann VaRona Marc dela Cruz is the first Filipino-American to be cast as Alexander Hamilton in the hit-Broadway show “Hamilton.” Photo from Instagram/@marc_delacruz

him in my life for 11 years. His best performance to date will always be singing “We Kiss in the Shadow” with me in our recording studio/bathroom in our hotel room in Minneapolis on the High School Musical tour, but his performance as Hamilton is a close second,” she added. Dela Cruz had his Broadway debut in 2014, playing as Swing in “If/Then” alongside Idina Menzel and Anthony Rapp. The musical was about

the story of a divorcee urban planner named Elizabeth who moves to New York City for a chance at a new life. He joined the cast of “Hamilton” in November 2018. He played various roles in the musical like King George, John Laurens, Philip Hamilton, James Reynolds, and Philip Schuyler, to name a few. “Whether I’m on as Man 5 or as Ham, I love being able to help tell this story,” he said on Instagram.

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FILIPINO-American singer Angelica Hale made history on “America’s Got Talent” after she recently became the show’s first two-time Golden Buzzer contestant, earning her a ticket to the finals. “HUGE congratulations to @angelicahale on becoming the first two-time #GoldenBuzzer in @AGT history!” NBC Entertainment tweeted. Judges and members of the audience gave the 11year-old singer a standing ovation after she sang Rachel

Platten’s “Fight Song” for her comeback performance as a contestant of “AGT: The Champions.” “Angelica, you are like the little boss lady that you are. You came here to win. I can see that. I can feel that,” said Heidi Klum, one of the four judges in the competition. Judge Howie Mandel who pressed the golden buzzer said he would help Angelica win the contest. “When people show up on this show, the level of competition is much higher. Just by the title, you are amongst champions. You show up and

you ripped the ceiling off this theater. That was your fight song and if I can do anything, I am going to help you win this fight,” Howie said. Angelica burst into tears when she learned that she is going to the show’s finals. “I can’t believe this is actually happening to me. I never expected this to happen. I wanted to thank you so much. This is a dream come true,” Angelica said. Angelica got her first Golden Buzzer during AGT season 12 in 2017 when she became the show’s youngest runner-up.

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA [SELECT a handful of those things in your bucket list that have the highest chance of coming to fruition given your time frame. In tech speak, it means before your life’s energy goes into ‘ low batt mode’ and life has run out of sockets to plug into.] There is a dumbing down going on in modern society in the last 30 years or so currently accelerated by mass media and the internet. They feed the masses with an endless cycle of news, opinions and entertainment that are meant to follow an agenda set by the global masters of media and tech companies. There is an overwhelming volume of information often manipulated to suit an agenda. Ironically, this does not necessarily lead to the desired wisdom of the mind and heart. Their platforms — television, print and the internet — are used largely, as propaganda tools to advance an agenda. Ad revenues for their bottom line are fine and dandy but the real goal behind mass media and tech companies’ existence these days, when they provide news and information, is the manipulation of the mental and behavioral control of the masses. What is the ultimate goal? It is the pursuit of power to produce changes in the mind and heart to preserve the status quo. And what is the status quo? That the elite continue to be so… So mind what you watch. If you think the promotion and furtherance of your well-being drive the large media companies’ agenda these days, I have a bridge in the Sahara I can sell you. So what is one then to do for news and entertainment these days if you’re just a normal, average human being just minding your business? I would say GO ROGUE. Go au naturel. Cut off the cable. Minimize plugging into the internet. If you need information,

The Bucket List

entertainment

Watch the Perseids! 3rd of a Series

“…Humility, like darkness, reveals the heavenly lights.” — Henry David Thoreau use Bing or Duckduckgo as your search engines instead of Google that has lately been behaving as the Master of the Universe employing algorithms that filter out ideas that go against their globalist agenda. Disengage from social media slowly or go cold turkey. It is your choice. You have the power. Social media produces no product. It is no more than a data collection agency that sells and repackages information you provide to them via your postings and sells them to the highest bidder, whether a political entity seeking votes and thereby power or commercial companies wanting your business. Test it by searching for any widget to buy and lo and behold, within minutes, there are pop-up ads of similar widgets driving you nuts. Talk about online stalking!!! It is disconcerting, to say the least. We fume quietly or rage and rant for the most part about the death of our privacy. But take comfort. Life is a series of action and reaction much like a pendulum. One day, when people are fed up enough to set things in motion to rein in the undue influence of these amoral tech giants, these obtrusive entities will have to be broken up to smaller bits so they cannot be a danger to society much longer. Will this happen in our lifetimes? That, my friend, is a $64,000 question. What have we got to lose? The news, for the most part, is fake. The alphabet networks have lost credibility as they shill for their liberal agenda. Most celebrities are nothing to celebrate about. As their masks fall off, their oversized egos are cut down to size, their veneer of respectability cracks. You realize these so-called stars do have feet of clay after all, just like you and me. So dump them.

So here’s one for the bucket list for those who are innately curious about the origin of life and life itself and want some honest to goodness entertainment that brings a life perspective. If you really want to be in awe of something greater than yourself, go star gazing heavenly bodies — real stars — the sort that burns out after billions of years. It promises to be quite an experience. Start small by watching meteor showers. They occur all the time but they are visible to human eyes on cloudless, moonless nights. Meteors may be the residual particles of the seemingly infinite cycle of creation and destruction as the universe continues to expand in the last 13 billion years during an event called The Big Bang, according to the best educated estimates by cosmologists. Meteors are made of dust and ice ranging in size from a grain of sand to a corn kernel, hurtling through space at great speeds and burning up quickly in a spray of colors as they enter earth’s atmosphere. Thoreau once said that humility like darkness reveals the heavenly lights. And it is true when you become a night sky watcher. If your circumstances permit it, and you have family and friends that are up to it, do this one thing that others have suggested we do before we kick the bucket. Schedule time to hie off to a safe place (a public park, a friend’s mountain cabin, a boat at sea or even a cemetery) far from the city lights at night with friends or family or any kindred spirit to set up camp between July 17 and August 24 to view the Perseids, the most popular and spectacular of meteor showers. In the summer, it is show time. The Perseids is a celestial Continued on Page SF7

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Your Immigration Solution ATTY. AMANDA KWONG A common misunderstanding about domestic violence is that it spikes during the holidays. But regardless of when abusive incidents are most common, the truth is that coercive control does not ever take a vacation. Undocumented immigrants who have not been advised of their options by an immigration lawyer are especially vulnerable because they are often fearful of reporting domestic violence to the police due to their lack of lawful immigration status. Undocumented immigrants sadly often suffer in silence because of their fears of coming forward. They mistakenly think there is nothing they can do and that enduring the abuse is their only option. But they do not necessarily need to continue being abused, or to continue to be threatened with deportation. Rather, legal remedies do exist that could put an end to the intimidation, manipulation, economic abuse, or even the involvement of children. What can be done to help an undocumented immigrant depends on a lot of factors, including where the noncitizen is in the immigration process. For example, if an immigrant is married to a U.S. citizen and a petition for permanent resident status (green card) has already been filed, there is a natural inclination to stay in the relationship. And understandably so, as the immigrant would feel that they could simply continue to endure the abuse for a little while longer since they are so close to getting their green card. But staying in the abusive relationship is not always required! Non-U.S. citizens may be able to petition themselves based on the abuse that the U.S. citizen spouse has inflicted

Abuse does not take a holiday vacation

on them. These self-petitions are filed with the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Service. There are several requirements that must be met to successfully file a self-petition, including proving that the foreign citizen was the victim of battery or extreme cruelty. Threats to have a person deported or turned over to Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) can sometimes amount to extreme cruelty. These petitions can still be filed even if the marriage has been terminated, so long as the petition is filed within two years of the marriage being terminated. The self-petitioner must also establish that there is a connection between the abuse and the termination of the marriage. It is important to remember that you do not have to be married to a U.S. citizen to file a self-petition based on abuse. For instance, you may still be able to file a self-petition if you have suffered battery or extreme cruelty by your U.S. citizen or permanent resident parent, or by your U.S. citizen son or daughter. There is also a way for abused spouses to get their green cards if they have already been placed in deportation proceedings before an immigration judge. They may be able to request a form of relief called “Special Rule Cancellation of Removal for Battered Spouses and Children.” There are certain requirements the noncitizen must meet to be granted this form of relief, such as three years continuous physical presence, good moral character, and the lack of any disqualifying crimes. The immigration judge must also decide to favorably exercise their discretion, and if they do, the applicant will become a permanent resident of the U.S. Occasionally, a person is abused after they have been ordered deported to their

native country. Despite the outstanding order of deportation, a green card may still be possible in this case, though it is significantly more complex. The noncitizen would be required to reopen their case in immigration court before they would be eligible for their green card. Be careful about submitting a poorly prepared request to reopen the case though, because there are limits on how many requests may be submitted. But it is still important to act timely because there are also strict time limits on when the request must be made. Regardless, it may also be advisable to obtain an approved self-petition before requesting the court case to be reopened. The sad reality is that there are far too many victims of domestic violence, both documented and undocumented. For immigrants, please know that there are several potential immigration remedies for those who have suffered battery or extreme cruelty. Our office has successfully helped many immigrants find freedom so that they may continue to heal and feel safe. If you or someone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, please contact an experienced and knowledgeable immigration attorney regarding possible options. *** REEVES IMMIGRATION LAW GROUP is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 795- 8009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)

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Maine Mendoza ‘exclusively dating’ Arjo Atayde

celebrity world By Ferdie Villar SURELY the millions of fans of “Aldub” will be heartbroken to hear that actor Arjo Atayde is “exclusively dating” Maine Mendoza. After trying to dodge questions about the real status of his relationship with the other half of the famous tandem, the actor said that Maine is not her girlfriend. However, he did say that they are seeing each other exclusively and that he is happy right now. “...We are exclusively dating, and I’m the happiest right now,” Arjo said and added, “Hanggang doon na lang po muna.” The Kapamilya actor also said that he and the “Eat! Bulaga” phenomenal star really get along together, and that she makes him really happy. “She makes me laugh all the time,” he said. During the press conference for Arjo’s new movie “’TOL,” last Tuesday, January 22, the actor shared that he is willing to fight for Maine and his family from all the criticisms they get from bashers. “For me, to insult me is fine. I’m a very passive person,” Arjo said. “But to insult my family and Maine...sabi ko nga sa social media, I let it go, wala akong kalaban diyan e. Do it in front of me, I’m sure I’m gonna hit the hell out of you.” The criticisms stem from bashers who feel that Maine and Arjo shouldn’t be together, or be romantically involved. Some also accused the actor and his family as just trying to ride on Maine’s popularity. “I don’t know how to get mad. I don’t know how to

EMPLOYMENT

disrespect people. I despise disrespectful people. If they disrespect me, it’s fine though. But for my family to get affected, for Maine to be disrespected like anything, that’s not okay with me,” he said. Maine and Arjo met when they worked in the movie “Jack Em Popoy” in 2018 with Coco Martin. Although the actress played Coco’s leading lady, off screen she and Arjo hit it off. Since then, the two were seen together outside work, creating rumors that something was going on between them. Although both remained mum about the real score, Maine in December of last year confirmed that she and Arjo are in the “getting to know each other” stage. *** Actor, host and make-up artist Paolo Ballesteros finally admitted his relationship with non-showbiz boyfriend Kenneth Gabriel Concepcion, who

is a nurse. This was confirmed when the couple arrived together during the special advance screening of the film, “Born Beautiful,” last Friday, January 18. The 36-year-old actor and host previously were link to two men — to Roland Ochoa Anog who is a dancer, and the actor-model Sebastian Castro. However, Paolo never confirmed any of these speculations. But in the case of Kenneth, Paolo seems to have a different approach. He has been very vocal about how he feels for Kenneth, based on his social media posts. Paolo shared that he likes Kenneth because he is kind, charming and is a good son to his parents. Although he believes in same-sex marriage, Paolo said that there is no talks about tying the knot since they have only been together for two months.

Socialite, former beauty queen and model Marilen Bernardo will be attending the New York Fashion Week in February and April to support world-renowned Filipino designers Albert Andrada and Barge Ramos.

EMPLOYMENT

Actor Arjo Atayde finally admitted that he and “Eat! Bulaga” phenomenal star Maine Mendoza are “exclusively dating.”

“Eat! Bulaga” phenomenal star Maine Mendoza is seeing actor Arjo Atayde exclusively. The other half of famous love team “Aldub” confirmed last year that she and the Kapamilya actor were in “getting to know each other” stage.

Actress Kim Domingo is the lead actress in the newest teleserye on GMA 7/Pinoy TV, “Toda One I Love.”

Handsome actor JC de Vera is one of the lead actors in the newest teleserye, “The General’s Daughter.”

The Diamond Star Maricel Soriano returns on TV via the teleserye, “The General’s Daughter.”

Actress and TV personality Rica Peralejo recently confirmed that she and husband Christian pastor Joseph Bonifacio, are currently expecting their second child.

EMPLOYMENT

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Immigration Corner

THERE are over 11 million undocumented aliens living in the U.S. There are caravans of thousands of people coming up from Central America, planning to apply for asylum. If they can make it into the United States, probably tens of thousands of others will follow. A question constantly on the minds of people living in the shadows is, “Will there be an amnesty?” Some people who have been living in the U.S. for years, are losing hope, and are about to give up and just go back to the Philippines. Here are my thoughts and opinion about the likelihood of amnesty. I want to emphasize this is my personal opinion, and you should not rely on it as an existing fact: 1. Right after he was elected, President Trump signaled his willingness to consider comprehensive immigration reform, and work with the Democrats towards coming up with compromise legislation. This included a pathway to legalization for millions of DACA recipients and others. At that same meeting, the Democrats wanted “DACA only” to be considered rather than comprehensive immigration reform.

2. Before President Trump or the Republicans would consider any kind of comprehensive immigration reform or legalization for DACA recipients, he wants to build his wall along the U.S./Mexico border. President Trump is concerned that if amnesty or comprehensive immigration reform is offered to those people already in the U.S., millions more will pour in to the U.S. Therefore, he wants the wall on our southern border first. Otherwise, no deal. 3. If any legalization will happen, the focus will first be on DACA recipients. The government would most likely wait several additional years until the DACA recipients are absorbed into our legal system and job market before offering comprehensive immigration reform to other undocumented aliens. 4. If a person loses hope, gives up, and goes back to the Philippines, they could lose all chances of being eligible for any amnesty. What if they go home and a few months after they leave, amnesty is granted? Since they left the U.S., they would not be eligible. Although we are all hoping and praying for comprehensive immigration reform, many people may be eligible for immigration benefits right now, without having to wait for amnesty. There are many existing immigration benefits and

programs for which they may be eligible, whether through section 245(i), provisional waiver, or other existing immigration avenues. That is why it could be helpful for people to consult with an immigration attorney, as they may be eligible for immigration benefits right now, without having to wait for amnesty. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bars of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different and results may depend on the facts of the particular case. The information and opinions contained herein (including testimonials, “Success Stories”, endorsements and re-enactments) are of a general nature, and are not intended to apply to any particular case, and do not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: 1-866-487-3465 (866) – GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES ∙ SAN FRANCISCO ∙ NEW YORK ∙ PHILIPPINES

ing thinner and thinner, and wrinkles form. Most of our biologic functions peak at age 30, declining in a linear fashion thereafter. This, however, does not materially affect our daily activities at this stage. Only stresses and diseases, and not aging, impact the physiology negatively during this period. Theory of aging There are a few, but the prominent one is the Free Radical Theory where oxygencontaining molecules called

free radicals, with a life span of one-millionth of a second, and are toxic, are damaging our body. Free radicals attack the cell’s DNA, causing the cells to prematurely die. Our body’s natural antioxidant (defense) system mops up free radicals before they could cause damage, but as we grow older, and continue to abuse our body through unhealthy lifestyle and behavior, our body’s immune system becomes less efficient, allowing the free radical level to increase. This negatively

impacts the normal cellular regulation and function, which leads to aging and its physical and physiologic consequences, as well as weaker defense system to diseases. On top of the damages from free radicals, external assaults are caused by sunlight, environmental pollution, stress, unhealthy lifestyle (high carbohydrate-low vegetable-low fruit and low nut diet, smoking, alcohol, soft drinks, lack of exercise, and substance abuse). Just to illustrate the

Atty. MichAel Gurfinkel, eSQ

A JOURNEY THAT FELT LIKE GOING “TO HELL AND BACK” REACHES A HAPPY CONCLUSION WITH ATTY. MICHAEL J. GURFINKEL’S HELP. Roselyn (center) married her U.S. citizen husband and acquired her green card. Unfortunately, their love did not last forever, and Roselyn left her abusive husband. Unknowingly, she became involved in felony forgery – a crime that made her subject to deportation. When she applied for citizenship, it was denied because of this past crime. After hiring three other attorneys and consulting with Atty. Gurfinkel at least four times, Roselyn decided to finally retain leading U.S. Immigration Attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel. Watch this success story on how Roselyn retained her green card, terminated her deportation, and paved the way for her naturalization in an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Health@Heart PhiliP S. chuA, MD, fAcS, fPcS LAST February 28, 2018, my wife, Farida, and I arrived at the Los Angeles International Airport from Manila, following our two medical missions in the Philippines. While waiting at the lounge for our flight back to Las Vegas, we received a call from our friend, Lynn Santos, a nurse, who relayed to us the sad news that a close mutual friend, a medical colleague who was 84 and recovering well from a stroke, had collapsed in a grocery store. About half an hour or so later, while we were on board American Airline’s flight to Vegas, Lynn called again, this time to inform us that he had passed away. A testament Our friend’s departure was a devastating loss to his family, friends, and the community. The health issues this physician and his wife of 53 years had experienced as they grew older were a testament to the realities of aging. This natural part of life, aging, is inescapable and an equalizer, as much as death is a part of life, without exception or exemption. In certain ways and

Aging: An equalizer

instances, we could perhaps alter the progress and reduce the odds to some degree, but the inevitable end is obviously beyond us. As the clock ticks, we are older by the second. As we grow older, the expected normal wear and tear in our body progress faster and faster, including the reduction in the secretion of our various essential glands and the weakening of our immune system. Our telomeres – caps at the ends of each strand of DNA that protect the chromosomes, similar to plastic tips at the end of shoelaces, which prevents them from fraying – get damage and the telomeres become shorter as our body is subjected to all assaults internally and externally. The shorter the telomeres, the shorter the lifespan. The speed of the degenerative changes in us depends on our genes and to a great significant degree, on our lifestyle. That’s why the aging process varies in different individuals. While we cannot (yet) do anything about our genes at this stage in science and technology to extend longevity for everyone, we have enough evidence-based medical data today on how to achieve maximal health benefits through

healthy lifestyle and extend our life, our telomeres, to the fullest possible. Physiology of deterioration The degeneration starts in the basic cellular foundation of our body as we grow older, varying in different individuals since persons age at different speed, but in general the physiological changes start to manifest when we reach about 40 years of age, more obvious when we reach about 65. As we age, all the systems and essential functions of our body work less efficiently, at suboptimal level. Inflammation, the precursor of almost all diseases, invades the entire body. All the glands in the body secrete significantly less, if not meager, hormones and other essential substances that regulate the various vital organs in the body. Arteries lose their elasticity and hardened, causing high blood pressure and arterial blockages. The blood gets thicker, increasing the risk for blood clots, coronary heart disease and stroke. Joint lubricants decrease causing aggravating arthritic pains. Male and female hormones drop and lessen sex drive. The dermal collagen and oil production slow down and the skin loses turgor and moisture, becom-

Will there be an amnesty?

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Event for recycling used oil filter in San Gabriel, CA The Los Angeles Department of Public Works is hosting the Recycling Used Oil and Used Filter Event on Saturday, January 26 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at O’ Reilly Auto Parts located (965 E. Las Tunas Drive, San Gabriel, CA 91776). Participants who bring their used oil filter will receive one FREE new oil filter. Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean.

JA N UA RY 27

“Journey for Justice” book launch in LA Get a first edition “Journey for Justice: The Life of Larry Itliong,” written by the late historian Dawn Bohulano Mabalon and writer Gayle Romasanta, on Sunday, January 27 at the launch in Los Angeles! It will be held from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at The Park’s Finest (1267 W. Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90026). The book tells the story of Larry Itliong’s fight for a farmworkers union, the birth of the farm workers’ movement, and more. Books will be sold and signed with a Q&A with co-author Gayle Romasanta). A percentage of proceeds from this book will be donated to the nonprofit organizations, Little Manila Rising and the Filipino American National Historical Society. For more information, please visit http://bridgedelta.com/.

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California Small Business Summit in Los Angeles The California Small Business Summit is a full-day event in Los Angeles that will bring together 50 small business leaders on Wednesday, January 30 from across the state to discuss important issues facing small businesses and provide education to help entrepreneurs and local economies thrive. As small business owners, you’re critical to the success of our local communities, injecting life and vitality into your neighborhoods, providing quality jobs and boosting prosperity for all. Our Small Business Summit is a platform for you to participate in meaningful dialogue about issues facing California’s small business community and educational workshops on critical issues like access to capital, healthcare, retirement and much more. The format will be an interactive mix of panel discussions, presentations, keynotes and breakout sessions featuring expert advice from business assistance providers and other successful small business owners. The day will begin at 8 a.m. until 6 p.m. at California Endowment Center (1000 Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). To register for tickets, please visit https://bit.ly/2TPbwP4.

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

California divorce, domestic violence, and US immigration laws U.S. citizen or a Lawful Permanent Resident, or the parent of a U.S. citizen, who is battered or subject to extreme cruelty may file a self-petition independently of the abusive U.S. citizen or Lawful Permanent Resident. ATTY. LILLI BERBANO BACULI, ESQ The spouse or child must demonstrate that he or she CALIFORNIA Divorce – “No resided with the U.S. citizen or Fault.” California is a no-fault Lawful permanent spouse or divorce state. A party filing for parent; was battered or subject divorce does not need the conto extreme cruelty during the sent of the other in order to file a marriage (or, in the case of a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) spouse self-petitioner, the child or, in some instances, to get a was battered or subjected to exjudgment of divorce. treme cruelty); the marriage was What needs to happen is entered into in good faith; s/he that the other party (your soonis otherwise eligible for immedito-be ex-spouse) needs to be ate relative or preference status; served with process. In proceed- and has good moral character. ing in an action for divorce, In certain cases, though an there are procedural requireindividual has not suffered any ments dictated by law that must physical harm, abuse can still be followed to ensure that the be argued depending on the other party has notice of the circumstances, since “abuse” action (that is, that s/he is being is not limited to physical harm. brought to court for an action of Each application will be redivorce) and that s/he is given viewed and examined on a time to respond. However, there case-by-case basis, and given is no requirement for the other the whole picture, an individual party to respond. There is no might just be able to show that requirement that s/he sign any he or she is a battered spouse document at all. All that needs or has suffered extreme cruelty to happen is that s/he is properly from their U.S. citizen or Lawful served with process according to Permanent Resident husband. the rules. If so, a VAWA Self-Petition will What if I do not have legal enable her to adjust her status papers, and my spouse is abuwithout having to rely on their sive? If safety is a concern, we spouse. urge people to seek help first, Deportability issues for particularly if there are minor green card holders with dochildren who may also be at risk mestic violence conviction(s). of abuse. For non-emergency A non-citizen, even if a Lawful calls, individuals may dial 2-1-1 Permanent Resident (green card to seek help finding resources holder) for ten years, is liable to for health, mental health, or be deportable if s/he commits temporary shelter. or is convicted of certain crimes, Options available for viceven if it’s “just a misdemeantims of abuse: VAWA Self-Peti- or.” A conviction for domestic tion. The spouse or child of a violence can make a non-citizen

The CTV Files

deportable. A criminal conviction’s negative impact on immigration status. The Record of Conviction (ROC) details an individual’s criminal history – his/her arrest, what s/he plead to, and the final judgment/sentence. The relief(s) available to an individual facing removal/deportation proceedings will depend largely on that individual’s record of conviction. If you are a non-citizen, it is best to consult both with a criminal attorney and with an experienced criminal immigration attorney who handles deportation defense before pleading to anything in criminal court. No two cases are exactly the same. Consult with an experienced and competent family law and immigration attorney immediately, and more importantly prior to filing any applications with the USCIS, or prior to pleading to anything in any court, in order to explore their options and possible legal ramifications that they might be facing. As always, be wary of online tools that offer immigration help or notarios who are not licensed to practice law. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and how their services may be retained at (619) 9556277; (415) 495-8088; lbaculi@ctvattys.com. Visit www.chuatinsayvega.com for more information and other articles. (Advertising Supplement)

Aging: An equalizer...

From Page SF5 damage: From using a single stick of cigarette alone, trillions of free radicals are generated. And if we added all the assaults listed above, many of which are self-inflicted, it would be

clear why our body deteriorates as we grow older. The human body is fundamentally a unique, amazing, efficient, and tough, machine, that can withstand a lot of abuses, but it also has its limit.

Discipline and resolve The harder part of the equation in slowing down aging and avoiding preventable diseases to solve is our lack of personal discipline and resolve. Continued on Page SF7

A soul brother and a dear friend has gone ahead: The Benjie Lim I know by Melandrew

T. Velasco

I

am lost for words to express my sadness on the passing of former Dagupan City mayor Benjie “BSL” Lim. my friendship with BSL goes way back to my Dagupan “Bangus” Jaycee days in the late 80s mentored by elders and dear friends like Tito meneses, Elmer Lorica, Paul Francis Co, the late Larry Cabuang and Oscar arcinue whose restaurant used to be the hub and meeting place of DBJ. I am lost for words to express my sadness on the passing of former Dagupan City mayor Benjie “BSL” Lim. my friendship with BSL goes way back to my Dagupan “Bangus” Jaycee days in the late 80s mentored by elders and dear friends like Tito meneses, Elmer Lorica, Paul Francis Co, the late Larry Cabuang and Oscar arcinue whose restaurant used to be the hub and meeting place of DBJ. Of course, BSL was the star of our club who went on to become Philippine JCI National President in 1990 (a feat duplicated by his son Brian Lim who became JCI Philippines NP in 2015 and as JCI World President in 2018). Together with another Dagupan Jaycee stalwart, then Vice mayor al Fernandez, the two combined forces to rally the people of Dagupan in the aftermath of the July 16, 1990 earthquake. When Pangasinan’s FaVoRite son — Fidel Valdez Ramos — ran for president in 1992, Benjie Lim rallied our provincemates crafting the slogan “Cabalayen co. aroen co. Natan Labat Pangasinan” while at t h e

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same time serving as provincial campaign manager. President Ramos appointed BSL as Duty Free Philippines (DFP) general manager. a seasoned and innovative marketing man, BSL steered DFP to world’s No. 4 and among the top revenue earners in the Ramos administration. Unknown to many, I declined BSL’s offer four times to join him at Duty Free and I chose to stay in Dagupan and Pangasinan to work for mayor al Fernandez and then with then Provincial Police Director

Col. amado T. Espino Jr. who went on to become Congressman and Governor of Pangasinan. During his stint at Duty Free, BSL occasionally invited me to dinner and karaoke in some watering holes in makati joined in by his fellow officials the likes of Emmy Bamba, Enchong Formoso, Tito meneses, among others. It was in 1997 when BSL consulted me about his possible foray in politics. I advised him to run for Congress in 1998, a post to be vacated by then House Speaker Jose de Venecia Jr. There were about eight congressional aspirants at that time with BSL lagging behind at the bottom in the survey. When he finally decided to run for Congress, I was part of the core group that managed his campaign working with Emmy Bamba, Raffy Baraan, Nestor Zabala, Jose Siy, among others. BSL won convincingly as he regaled the voters with his golden voice serenading them with his signature campaign song “Cuando, Cuando.” In 2001, with JDV seeking his old post in

Congress, Dagupan leaders entered into a modus vivendi: JDV for Congress, BSL for city mayor and al Fernandez to DILG. Thus, LiFe was born or the LimFernandez tandem which I helped broker to include the entry of alvin Fernandez as BSL’s running mate. The new 2019 LiFe version is the tandem of Vice mayor Brian Lim and alfie Fernandez. as an “outsider” not belonging to the established political clans in Dagupan, BSL shattered the glass ceiling in Dagupan politics and in the process, becoming the first Chinoy to be elected as city mayor. as Dagupan City mayor, BSL made a great impact starting off with a strategic planning among all stakeholders. I advised mBSL that we visit Dagupenos in america. at first, he was reluctant saying that our overseas citymates might not receive or accept him well. Owing to his natural charm and sincere persona, BSL eventually captured the hearts and minds of US based Dagupenos as we relaunched Pawil Dagupan starting off with the awarding of “Pillars of Dagupan.” mBSL appointed me as Special Envoy to overseas Dagupenos as one peso a year city official. We also successfully forged the sisterhood pact between the cities of milpitas and Dagupan with then City mayor Joe Esteves, a noble project and partnership continued until today capped by reciprocal visits and continuing study tours in the US among young Dagupenos. I was also part in conceptualizing with BSL the “Bangus Festival” anchored on his vision to make the famous milkfish as a regular and favorite dish similar to Norwegian salmon. Looking back, it was a privilege working with the late manny Yao, Dea Que, Raffy B and Emy B that all efforts paid off with the Guinness Book of World Records as the longest barbecue grill in the world. In the 2004 presidential elections, mBSL defied the odds as we both supported Philippine movie king and Pangasinense Fernando Poe Jr. He even served as the “waiter” for both FVR and FPJ when the two leaders met privately at the house of William Tieng at Forbes Park in December 2003. FPJ won a moral victory in Pangasinan with mBSL becoming a supporter and in the process became close to ms. Susan Roces

and now Sen. Grace Poe when they both served as guests in the april 2004 Bangus Festival. Our journey together continued when FPJ passed away on December 14, 2004 and served as opposition when “Hello Garci” broke out. One unforgettable experience was when he boldly allowed the staging of anti-Gma rally at the city plaza bannered by Susan Roces, a move that further earned the ire of Palace tenants and their operatives. In 2007, against the wishes of mBSL’s city hall officials and staff with still one more term as city mayor, he ran for Congress against Speaker JDV. It was a bruising fight in Pangasinan’s fourth district. Being quixotic ourselves, mBSL and I believed in our hearts that he could beat JDV. Even FVR was against BSL running against JDV. Hours after the canvassing of votes, I received a call from mBSL saying: “mTV, we did not make it this time.” my terse reply was: “ Don’t worry. They will have their comeuppance in the near future.” election report in Dagupan. after reading my report, FVR said: “ang titigas ng ulo niyo ni Benjie. I told you not to fight JDV. What now. Can you both eat and live your principles?” after his defeat in the 2007 elections, BSL focused on his core business leading magic Group of Companies to expansion and greater heights. In December 2009, BSL informed me that he was filing his mayoralty bid in Dagupan with manang Celia running for Congress against manay Gina. Truth to tell, BSL was a reluctant mayoralty candidate as he would be pitted against a common dear friend then incumbent mayor al Fernandez. In fact, I was brokering for an al Fernandez-Brian Lim tandem in 2010. mayor al was open to the idea at first until plans changed in the last minute with established political clans uniting again to thwart Benjie’s bid. When BSL sought my opinion, I told him: “Listen to the voice and hankerings of the people. No matter what you’ll do, if destiny calls, you cannot go against the WILL OF THE WIND and you will once again become mayor of Dagupan.” In 2013, I was not much of a help to mBSL in his fight against now incumbent mayor Belen Fernandez due to my busy

schedule in manila. When I visited him at his campaign headquarters at magic Guilig corporate office, mBSL told me: “mTV, this is the most expensive marketing expense for me to be running against a business rival. But I am enjoying it. Tough it may seem, just help me with your friends at PNP who have made it hard for me to campaign.” I tried to reach out to then Pangasinan PD marlo Chan to go easy in Dagupan and loosen up for mBSL. Unfortunately, my good friend General marlo did not heed my plea as he was following orders all the way from the Palace to insure the victory of mar Roxas’ supporters including then the Dagupan Vm. Then the unexpected happened on the eve of may 2013 elections as mBSL suffered a lifethreatening stroke that needed three operations, one at Villaflor Hospital and two at makati medical Center. all these years, I had several nights dreaming about a healthy BSL. I have always kept and considered him as a soul brother and a dear friend as we shared many memories together. He was humble enough to mine my wisdom and advices despite our 12-year age gap. as a friend, he was always there for me during my birthday celebrations and other special family occasions. One of the most poignant memories was his dedicated song for me on my birthday in 2011 at Brother’s moustache singing James Taylor’s “You’ve Got a Friend.” I know that many of BSL’s friends have their own stories to tell about his kindness, good heart, friendship, sincerity and other attributes to remember the man. Just the like the rest, I mourn his loss, celebrate his life and legacy and remember his memory with gratitude. To conclude this tribute, let me share this wonderful thought on friendship written by amy marie Walz: “We all lose friends. We lose them in death, to distance and over time. But even though they may be lost, hope is not. The key is to keep them in your heart and memory.” Farewell and thank you BSL. Rest now in God’s loving arms and may you continue weaving magic to many of us you have left behind. Indeed, LiFe goes on and so with the people of Dagupan. n

Maricel Soriano gives Arjo Atayde’s acting a ‘Perfect 10’ by Bot Glorioso Philstar.com

WHAT else does Arjo Atayde need to prove when even Maricel Soriano is impressed with his acting skills? The two stars play mother and son in “The General’s Daughter”, ABS-CBN’s newest primetime drama offering topbilled by Angel Locsin that started showing on Monday, Jan. 21, after “FPJ’s Ang Probinsyano”. Maricel had nothing but compliments for Arjo who portrays the role of Elai, Isabelle’s (Maricel) son who has autism. “I am very impressed with Arjo,” began Maricel. “Ibang klase talaga siya because I seldom get to work with someone who’s really good at his craft, ‘yung talagang saludo ako. Arjo is excellent that I get affected when he acts.” No wonder that when Maricel was asked to rate the Kapamilya actor’s acting ability on a scale of one to 10, with 10 being the highest, it didn’t take her long and hard to think and say that Arjo deserves a 10. “He plays my son here and everytime I see him crying, it really breaks my heart that’s why I couldn’t stop myself from verbalizing my admiration for him.” Equally impressed was director Manny Palo who shared how determined Arjo in making his portrayal of a special child as realistic as can be. The kind of preparation the actor did is far different from that of his co-stars. Direk Manny revealed, “While other actors prepared for their characters through their immersion in military camp for trainings and proper handling of (military) equipment, learning protocols, etc., Arjo did a lot quite differently for his part. And he comes (to

them. Sinamahan ako ni direk Manny.” Apart from that, Arjo also watched a lot of movies and even videos on YouTube to learn the behavior of people with autism and understand his character well. “I watched them every night and that was my assignment to myself before I slept and I was just like really studying the character from head to toe. I don’t know if possible to others but during the first day on the set, I was close to palpitating already and knowing that I was with direk Manny, Maricel and Angel, I was so pressured.” Arjo Atayde Photo from Instagram/@arjoatayde Thanks to direk Manny and the set) prepared every day the production, everything and already in character that turned out well for him. “But of sometimes, I get confused if I course, it’s still not easy doing am talking to Arjo or I’m with it. For me, it’s a continuous his character (laughs).” preparation, observation and He further said, “At s’ya research.” talaga ang tumawag sa akin Aside from Maricel and Anasking for pegs. So we identigel, Arjo also expressed delight fied some films and then I at working in a soap with Albert contacted some people who Martinez, Tirso Cruz III, Eula we can talk to and then we had Valdez, Janice de Belen, JC lunch at this restaurant and the de Vera, Paulo Avelino, Loisa next time na makita ko si Arjo, Andalio and Ronnie Alonte. in character na siya.” “It’s an honor to be working The restaurant direk Manny with everyone and I know that was referring to is located we have the same purpose of along Roces Ave. where Arjo giving you a good show and did most of his preparation for hopefully, to be at the top. We the role. just have to work hard and pray “It’s hard to explain how together.” challenging my part here is — from the preparation up to the actual work. But I know direk Manny is observant and he likes watching movies, mavisual s’ya so from the beginning, I was trying to contact him but he was busy and then finally when I got to talk to him, he said that there’s this restaurant with servers who have the same condition as me (his character) and of the same age. So, I went there to observe and thankfully the owner was open to the idea that I got to talk to

The Bucket List...

From Page SF3 treat for those who take the time and wait patiently in darkness. Experts say that there is an average of 70 meteors per hour guaranteed to put up a show Check out the Griffith Park Observatory in Los Angeles, if you live anywhere close. Their reason for being is watching the night sky. Before midnight, dress appropriately and lie down on camping blankets on the ground keeping a thermos of hot chocolate and some munchies within reach and wait eyes wide open. Bring bug spray. There will be streaks and flashes of colors against a backdrop of velvet black firmament as the Perseids, like celestial clockwork, hit the earth’s atmosphere, as they have done so for thousands of years. Come to think of it, like meteors, we are made of dust and our life is just a brief flash on an infinite timeline. If we do this often enough, we may come to realize how great is our God who has fashioned each one of us out of ordinary dust to create a unique person capable of reflecting the beauty of the creator within a lifetime.

The experience can show to us the vastness of the universe and how little we are in the great scheme of things. If social media has the power to bloat our egos, the opposite is true of this exercise. Patiently waiting for shooting stars all in God’s perfect timing, can grind our egos into dust. This can make us humble enough to ponder the heavenly lights. We can then begin to appreciate our life and the lives of those in our immediate orbit and live the rest of our lives praising God. That’s what watching meteor showers even once during our lifetime can do for us. It can give us an inkling of how great God is and how blessed we are. When we’re ready, willing and able, we may even go bolder and include the adventure of seeking the Northern Lights in the freezing cold of the Arctic zone. But that’s another entry on the Bucket List for another day. Next week: Another idea to consider for The Bucket List… *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com

Aging: An equalizer...

From Page SF6 Today, most, if not all of us, know which items are good and which ones are unhealthy to eat or drink, and also know that regular physical exercise and de-stressing are fundamental to our health and longevity. Yet, somehow, we seem to always find enough reasons or excuse to justify our non-compliance with these known and proven scientific principles of healthy living. As alluded to in the book “Let’s Stop “Killing” Our Children,” inflicting harm to our body with self-abusive behavior and by living an unhealthy lifestyle is masochistic. Some of us appear to have programmed our mind to an auto self-destruct or suicidal mode and continue to do things, or perpetuate bad habits, that we know could maim or kill us. The book also proposes healthy lifestyle and disease prevention should begin at the cellular (DNA) level starting in the womb and in the

crib, to protect the integrity of the DNA as early as possible. Damaging the DNA-telomeres with our unhealthy habits and insults from our environment lead to major metabolic (diabetes, thyroid illness), pulmonary, cardiovascular (heart attack and stroke), and, especially cancer. With volumes of evidencebased medical data on healthy lifestyle and with our more informed selves today, disease prevention is much easier to achieve compared to five or more decades ago. We no longer have any excuse not to maximize our health and longevity. To do otherwise is simply asinine. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is a medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United Network-USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)

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The Asian Jou r n al S F M A GA Z INE - J anua ry 25, 2019