ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE
We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
w w w. a s i a n j o u r n a l . c o m
w w w. a s i a n Volume 25 - No. 3 • 2 Sections - 16 Pages
.com T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r
february 2-8, 2018 Also published in LOS ANGELES, LAS VEGAS, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
1210 S. Brand Blvd., Glendale, CA 91204 • Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854
Palace to CBCP: Creeping dictatorship far fetched by alexiS
RomeRo Philstar.com
mANILA — A creeping dictatorship under the Duterte administration is farfetched, malacañang said on thursday, february 1, after Catholic bishops issued guidelines for discerning the moral dimension of charter change. Presidential spokesman harry roque reiterated that Duterte is an “advocate of the rule of law” and has no intention to remaining in power beyond his term. Members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines pose for a group photo after the opening Mass of “We understand the sentiments of their 116th Plenary Assembly at the Cebu Metropolitan Cathedral on Jan. 27, 2018. Photo courtesy of CBCP
the Catholic bishops on their aversion to charter change and federalism. We, however, assure our bishops that the President has no interest to extend his term nor will he push for no election,” roque said in a press briefing in Baguio City. “the creeping dictatorship that, the Catholic hierarchy fears, is a far-fetched idea,” he added. roque said Duterte has been “clear and unequivocal” that he would follow the Constitution and finish his term on the noon of June 30, 2022.
the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has issued pastoral guidelines on charter change as efforts to amend the Constitution to establish a federal government are gaining ground in Congress. the CBCP said its stand is based on the principles of human dignity and human rights, integrity and truth, participation and solidarity and common good. According to the bishops, the principle of integrity and trust requires
u PAGE A2
US ‘cautiously DATELINE USA optimistic’ on Filipino linked to foiled PH drug war
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
NY terror plot faces murder, kidnap raps
A fILIPINo doctor accused of financing a thwarted jihadist plot in New York in 2016 has been indicted by the Philippine Department of Justice (DoJ) over a separate Islamic state (Is)inspired kidnapping and murder case. maranao doctor russell salic has been charged for his alleged involvement in the abduction of six and the murder of two sawmill workers in April 2016 in Lanao del sur, located in the southern part of the Philippines.
u PAGE A4
CA Senate approves bill that hampers ICE from probing state buildings
by Dana
SioSon AJPress
the United states is “cautiously optimistic” that the human rights situation in the Philippines is steadily improving amid the ongoing implementation of the government’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, an official said tuesday, January 30. According to James Walsh, a senior official from the U.s. Bureau of International Narcotics and Law enforcement Affairs (INL), the number of supposed extrajudicial killings (eJKs) in the Philippines is shrinking. “many folks have been tracking the eJKs in the Philippines, and the trends are going down, so there is some encouragement that we are seeing in some of our human rights training working,” Walsh told reporters in a briefing. he added, “I would describe the United
u PAGE A2
MARAWI PROJECT. President Rodrigo Duterte leads the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the military camp at the Old City Hall in Marawi City on Tuesday, January 30. The new military facility will be built on a 10-hectare lot in Barangay Kapantaran, and is expected to be completed before 2020. Initial developments include the the renovation of the old Marawi City Hall, which will be converted into military headquarters building. Malacañang photo by Ace Morandante
Key highlights from Trump’s first State of the Union
New bill prevents immigration officials from easily searching schools, courts and other state offices to detain undocumented immigrants
by Rae
ann VaRona AJPress
IN California, immigration officials — including agents of Immigration Customs enforcement (ICe) — may soon need to provide a warrant if they want to search any state buildings for undocumented immigrants. on monday, January 29, the California senate approved senate Bill 183 by sen. ricardo Lara (D-Bell Gardens), which requires federal immigration officials to present a valid warrant in order to perform any surveillance on property owned/leased and occupied by the state. TRUMP’S SOTU. President Donald Trump delivered his first State of the Union (SOTU) address on Tuesday, the facilities include public schools (including January 30. He outlined the record-setting accomplishments of his first year and cast an inspiring vision
u PAGE A4
for building a safe, strong, and proud America.
IN announcing what was called a “new American moment,” jobs, the economy, infrastructure, national security, trade, and immigration were all a part of President Donald trump’s first state of the Union (sotU) address on tuesday night, January 31. In the crowd, house Democrats, invited advocates and survivors of sexual assault dressed up in black to send a statement about sexual misconduct and gender iniquity in #sotUBlackout movement by White House photo by Shealah Craighead
u PAGE A2
Marcos presents proof of Robredo’s Duterte wants BBL alleged cheating in 2016 elections passage ahead of Cha-cha by Dana
SioSon
AJPress
Former Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. shows the press evidence that votes for him were not counted in two of three pilot provinces for the recount he sought as part of his electoral protest against Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
rep. Lois frankel (D-fL). first Lady melania trump broke tradition by arriving with guests she invited. republican lawmakers broke out into chants of “UsA! UsA!”; and a few boos were elicited by Democrats. here are some highlights from trump’s sotU address: Immigration policy Amidst immigration talks on Capitol hill, trump reiterated his unexpected proposal that would give the nearly 1.8 million possible Deferred Action for Child-
former senator ferdinand “Bongbong” marcos Jr. on monday, January 29 presented what he claimed as “evidence” to support his electoral protest against Philippine Vice President maria Leonor “Leni” robredo. In a press conference, marcos showed “highly questionable” copies of several ballot images from 12 towns in Camarines sur and Negros oriental, which supposedly indicate fraud during the 2016 polls. Among the electoral documents presented by marcos’ camp include a ballot image
by Dana
SioSon AJPress
from san Nicolas, Iriga City in Camarines sur. In the document, the oval corresponding to the slots for robredo and senator Antonio trillanes IV were both shaded, but only robredo’s was enclosed with a square among other vice presidential candidates. marcos questioned why the vote-counting machine (VCm) did not void the vote because of multiple marks. “some of the ballots, even if three names for vice president were shaded, as long as there was a ‘square’ beside the name of mrs. robredo, the vote will be counted in her favor,” marcos’ spokesman Atty. Vic
PhILIPPINe President rodrigo Duterte wants Congress to pass the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) ahead of the proposed Charter change, malacañang clarified on tuesday, January 30. over the weekend, reports saying that Duterte wanted the revision of the 1987 Constitution first before the BBL passage have surfaced. malacañang, however, said that the president’s statements last week upon his return from his visit to India were “unclear.” “many reported that the president wanted federalism first but his previous statements were very clear, and I heard him at least three times saying that BBL should really come first,” Presidential spokesperson harry roque said.
u PAGE A3
u PAGE A2
A
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797
february 2-8, 2018 • OC/Ie aSIaN JOurNaL
Duterte wants BBL passage ahead... PAGE A1
Roque added, “People were somehow not sure what he said in Davao Airport during the arrival ceremony in India because he did not directly answer it. But my understanding is, he hasn’t changed his mind and that he’s still wants BBL before Federalism.” In a press briefing upon his arrival from India last Saturday, January 27, Duterte was asked
which he think should be passed first between BBL and Cha-cha. In response, the president only explained that constitutional questions on the proposed BBL can be resolved by shifting to a federal form of government. “So let’s start to sort it out. Let us show the Moro that we are trying our best, that those constitutional provisions that will be violated can be corrected if there is
From the Front Page
a federal setup coming,” Duterte said. The passage of BBL and shift to federalism were among the key promises of the Duterte administration. The proposed BBL was crafted by the Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC), which include representatives from the MILF and the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF). The measures aims to grant fiscal autonomy to a new Bangsamoro Region that will replace the current Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). Weaken, fragment PH During the Senate hearing on the proposed Charter Change on Thursday, February 1, a former Supreme Court (SC) justice warned that shifting to federalism will “weaken” and “fragment” the Republic. Retired SC Associate Justice Vicente Mendoza expressed belief that now is not yet the “constitutional moment” to propose for a federal type of government because “there’s just too much partisan strifes in the land that prevents a national consensus from building up or developing.” He warned that federalism may “open fissures and promote regional difference” in society. “A shift to federalism will weaken our republic, fragment our nation, and render the many years we spent to attain national unity. This country will be fragmented and there will be attempts at secession,” Mendoza said. He suggested that instead of shift to federalism, the amendments to the Constitution should focus on decentralization. “We’ve not reached the end of the road. We’ve not reached the dead end. We’ve not reached the bottom so let’s try decentralization instead of federalizing and dividing the country,” Mendoza said. Christian Monsod, one of the 1987 Constitution’s framers, also shared the same view that fiscal decentralization should be prioritized. Monsod likewise remarked that it was not yet the right time for a transition of government system. “A messed-up structure change is virtually irreversible and may lead to the ruin of our democracy. I submit that there may be an alternative to consider rather than an immediate structural change by 2019,” he said. n
LUNAR TRIFECTA. The rare ‘super blue blood moon’ shines over Manila Wednesday night, giving stargazers a rare celestial treat. It was the second full moon of the month, coinciding with a lunar eclipse and a ‘super moon’ event in which the moon appears bigger than usual. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
Palace to CBCP: Creeping... PAGE A1 total transparency and accountability, clarity and purity of motives. “When the move for Charter change becomes self-serving, such as when it calls for “NoEl” (no elections) and pushes for an extension of terms of office,
it is to be expected that citizens would react with suspicion, astonishment and exasperation,” the CBCP said. “In addition the feeling of a creeping dictatorship is conjured by past experience. Moreover, political dynasties are really and factually becoming a dominant
factor in our country’s political life,” it added. The opposition is worried that charter change can be used to lift the term limits of the president and other officials. Malacañang has denied this, saying a term extension is Duterte’s “ultimate nightmare.” n
US ‘cautiously optimistic’ on...
PAGE A1 States being cautiously optimistic when it comes to the appropriate way for a drug campaign.” Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s so-called drug war has received heavy backlash from human rights organizations over the alleged thousands of abuses and extrajudicial killings, including cases involving unknown vigilantes. The Duterte administration, however, has maintained that the deaths under the anti-illegal drugs campaign were not statesanctioned and only involved suspects who violently resisted arrest. The Philippine government also claimed that only about 4,000 drug suspects were killed during legitimate operations since the campaign’s launch in 2016, and that the about 12,000 deaths cited by human rights organizations and critics were bloated. According to Walsh, the U.S. previously “reduced our support to the [Philippine] police because of some of the human rights concerns.” Still, he added that Washington continues to provide support Manila in other areas such as “drug demand reduction pro-
grams,” rule of law, and boosting maritime security. At present, Walsh indicated that there were signs of fewer extrajudicial killings and that the U.S. is hopeful that the Philippines will maintain the positive trend. “I would describe the United States as being cautiously optimistic in the trends when it comes to a good...appropriate way for a drug campaign,” said the INL official. In a statement on Wednesday, January 31, Malacañang said that Walsh’s words “hint of a growing appreciation of the positive impact of the administration’s antiillegal drug campaign.” Malacañang, however, insisted that the Duterte administration does not endorse abuses. “We wish to reiterate that extrajudicial killings never had — and will never have — a place in the anti-illegal drug campaign,” Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque stressed. Roque also cited that members of the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations), as well as China and Japan, have “fully supported our efforts to contain the manufacture and proliferation of illegal drugs.” “These efforts are anchored on
respect for human rights, cognizant of our obligation to protect our people’s right to life and to live in peace and security. And we wish to reiterate that extrajudicial killings never had — and will never have — a place in the anti-illegal drug campaign,” he added. The Palace official likewise noted that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA)led drug war has produced great results, “with dens and clandestine laboratories dismantled and drugs seized with fewer drug-related deaths.” Roque went on to say, “We are confident that the re-launch of the Philippine National Police (PNP) Operation Tokhang would have similar results. This early, there have been hundreds of surrenderers and no casualty on its first day.” Earlier this week, the PNP resumed its resumed its Oplan Tokhang under new rules and guidelines that requires stricter observation of human rights. Oplan Tokhang, which means “knock and plead,” is an anti-illegal drugs initiative in the country wherein authorities knock on the doors of suspected drug users or pushers and ask them to surrender. n
Key highlights from Trump’s first State... PAGE A1 hood Arrivals (DACA) recipients a 10 to 12-year path to citizenship. The Trump administration announced late last year the end of the Obama-era DACA program, giving Congress up until March of this year to make a saving move. Around 800,000 had initially applied for DACA but not everyone sent in their renewals — approximately 690,000 are said to be still enrolled as of September 2017. The 1.8 million people that Trump said covered “three times more people than the previous administration” refers to those potentially eligible for his proposed citizenship path. The solution package though would come with three additional conditions: funding for Trump’s border wall and accompanying security measures, ending the diversity visa lottery program, and putting limits on family-based visas. “This vital reform is necessary not just for our economy, but for our security and for the future of America,” said Trump. Under the family-based visa limits, U.S. citizens would be allowed to petition visas for minor children and spouses, but not for siblings, adult children, or parents. According to the Migration Policy Institute, roughly 30 percent of Filipino immigrants use family sponsorship as a pathway to permanent residency. Economy In touting economic moves from his first year in office, a big part of Trump’s SOTU was dedicated to the tax overhaul he signed at the end of last year, which he said included “the biggest tax cuts and reforms in American history”. The tax rate for businesses was cut down to 21 percent, from 35 percent last December. “Our massive tax cuts provide tremendous relief for the middle class and small business, to lower tax rates for hard-working Americans,” said Trump. “We nearly doubled the standard deduction for everyone.” Trump added that since passing the tax bill, around three mil-
lion workers got tax cut bonuses — “many of them thousands of dollars per worker.” Following the December signing, a number companies like Walmart, Home Depot, American Airlines, and Wells Fargo announced bonuses, 401(k)s, and raises. Three million workers did in fact benefit from the tax cuts according to Americans for Tax Reform, a group that supported the tax bill. But out of the 154 million workers, three million makes up only about two percent. Around 38 percent of workers were already bound to get a bonus of some form in 2017, regardless of tax legislation, according to the Labor Department. Trump also reintroduced plans for putting money into railways, roads, bridges, and waterways as part of his infrastructure plan. “Tonight, I’m calling on Congress to produce a bill that generates at least $1.5 trillion for the new infrastructure investment that our country so desperately needs,” said Trump Tuesday night. He added, “Every federal dollar should be leveraged by partnering with State and local governments and, where appropriate, tapping into private sector investment — to permanently fix the infrastructure deficit.” Of the $1.5 trillion, $200 billion would come from direct federal investment which leaves the rest to come from state, local, and private investment. Trump did not provide much other details on the bill, but improving infrastructure has been a concern for people from both parties. The American Society of Civil Engineers gave an overall grade of a D-plus for U.S. infrastructure. On Tuesday, the American Road and Transportation Builders Association released a report that summed over 54,000 structurally deficient bridges in the U.S. Opioid crisis Approximately 64,000 Americans died in 2016 as a result of drug overdoses, emphasized
Trump. Members of Congress highlighted the crisis by donning purple ribbons Tuesday evening. “One hundred seventy-four deaths per day. Seven per hour,” he added. “We must get tougher on drug dealers and pushers if we are going to succeed in stopping this scourge.” Preliminary figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that 2017’s numbers may be even worse. Trump declared a public health emergency in October in regards to the opioid epidemic, but not much else in regards to upcoming efforts was addressed Tuesday. Congress has yet to receive a funding request, and the Office of National Drug Policy remains without a head. Attorney General Jeff Sessions has though led the Justice Department in getting tough with drug offenses. Foreign policy North Korea threats, ISIS, and keeping Guantánamo Bay open were key in Trump’s talks on foreign policy. “When necessary, we must be able to detain and question. But we must be clear — terrorists are not merely criminals. They are unlawful enemy combatants and when captured overseas, they should be treated like the terrorists they are,” said Trump. “In the past, we have foolishly released hundreds of dangerous terrorists only to meet them again on the battlefield — including the ISIS leader, al-Baghdadi,” he added. In addressing North Korea as being a nuclear threat, Trump said that North Korea’s “reckless pursuit of nuclear missiles could very soon threaten our homeland.” He added, “We are waging a campaign of maximum pressure to prevent that from happening.” The parents of Otto Warmbier, a university student who was detained in North Korea before being sent back to the U.S. where he later died from injuries, were present. So was Ji Sung-Ho, a North Korean who escaped the country on crutches. n
(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Dateline USa
OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • fEbRUARy 2-8, 2018
Asian Americans among most likely to experience severe strokes, says AHA by Rae
A
ann VaRona AJPress
ASIAN Americans were more likely than whites to experience a severe ischemic stroke, according to preliminary research presented on Thursday, January 25 at the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association (AHA/ASA)’s International Stroke Conference (ISC) 2018. The study was the largest analysis of functional and clinical outcomes for Asian American acute ischemic stroke patients — an ischemic stroke occurs when an obstruction prevents blood supply to the brain. Clinical and functional outcomes from than 1.77 million patients (3.6 percent Asian American, 96.4 percent white) were reviewed from 2,171 hospitals that participated in an AHA/ASA in-hospital program called “Get With the Guidelines-Stroke” from 2004 to 2016. “Asian Americans may have a distinctive pathophysiologic profile of ischemic stroke than whites,” said Sarah Song, M.D., Ph.D., M.P.H. She is the study author and assistant professor of cerebrovascular disease at Rush University Medical Center’s Department of Neurology in Chicago, Illinois. Added Song, “Regardless, this study highlights the need for more focused research, improved stroke prevention and possibly different treatment strategies for Asian Americans.” The study found that compared to whites, Asian Americans were often associated with: poorer functional recovery; receiving the clot-busting drug tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) less frequently, which can improve the chances of recovering from a stroke; and more serious and bleeding complications with tPA, despite receiving it quickly. A positive finding from the research was that stroke care for both white and Asian Americans have seen some improvement over time. “Looking from 2004 to 2016, our study shows that overall, patients with acute ischemic stroke are recovering more, and they are receiving more IV tPA, with less complications and better poststroke care. This likely has to do with an overall improvement in stroke quality and highly effective stroke systems of care. However, Asian Americans and whites had nuanced differences over time; for example, only whites had a decrease in trend in stroke severity, while Asian Americans had a greater increase in timely IV tPA administration,” said Song.
Rep. Carlos Zarate
Clinical and functional outcomes from than 1.77 million patients (3.6 percent Asian American, 96.4 percent white) were reviewed from 2,171 hospitals that participated in an AHA/ASA in-hospital program called “Get With the Guidelines-Stroke” from 2004 to 2016. Photo courtesy of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association
But not much attention has been given to stroke and stroke care among Asian American subgroups which is something researchers are acknowledging as a limitation. “There’s different groups from people from China, from Japan, from Korea, from Vietnam, and other countries, so that’s one piece of the puzzle that we don’t know yet,” said ASA spokesperson, Philip B. Gorelick, M.D., MPH. “Even among Asian Americans, the various minority populations differ in so many ways. Vietnamese people are not the same as Korean, who are not the same as Japanese or South Asian groups. Aside from differences in language, differences in stroke risk factors, diet and lifestyle, and other cultural factors, make compiling all Asian-American groups into single group problematic,” said Song. But the study was a good first step, she added. “This information gives us the urgency and the credibility to do more research in Asian Americans, who have historically been understudies in the stroke and cardiovascular literature.” Cardiovascular disease (CVD) — a risk factor for stroke — has been found to be a leading cause of death among Filipino Americans, according to what few studies have been made. An AHA advisory on cardiovascular disease from 2010 cited data from the National Health Interview Survey that reported hypertension rates being higher among Filipinos than in other Asian American subgroups. Prevention The AHA and ASA recommend seven simple steps to avoiding stroke, and other brain health-related conditions such as dementia or memory loss. The steps collectively labeled “Life’s Simple 7” are the same for maintaining cardiovascular
Inquirer.net photo
Filipino solon charged for allegedly leading an anti-Trump protest by Dana
SioSon AJPress
A FILIPINO lawmaker has been charged for supposedly organizing a violent rally against United States President Donald Trump during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit held in Manila last year. Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Zarate was accused of inciting “attack” against police officers during an anti-Trump rally held on November 13, 2017 along Taft Avenue. The complaint was filed by PO1 Ariel Miranda Ortega, who was among the police officers hurt during the demonstration. Also named as co-respondents in the complaint were Vencer Crisostomo of Anakbayan, Renato Reyes of Bagong Alyansang Makabayan (Bayan), Teddy Casiño of Bayan Muna, and Einstein Recedes of Student Christian Movement (SCM). “Sila po ang nag-uutos at naguudyok sa mga raliyista na lusubin ang police line (They were the ones who urged rallyists to attack the police line),” Ortega claimed. He also remarked that the protesters are inciting violence but he and fellow members of the
ASEAN crowd dispersal management team exercised maximum tolerance. “Dahil sa ginawang paglusob ng mga raliyista sa amin, at ginawa nilang pamamalo, ako ay nagtamo ng sugat sa braso, na may hiwa at pasa, at nawalan ng malay (Because of the protesters’ attacks, I got cuts and bruises in the arms, and I also lost consciousness),” Ortega said. Zarate, for his part, dismissed the charges against him as “nothing but a calibrated harassment against members of the Left.” “Just to ensure that I would not be able to attend and question these baseless and trumped-up cases, the subpoena was served today when the hearing was held,” Zarate said in a statement on Tuesday, January 30. Zarate was scheduled to face the prosecutor on Monday, January 29, but the subpoena was only served the day after. The lawmaker also claimed that there were more protesters injured than the cops during the confrontation. Zarate went on to say, “Together with my co-accused, I will face these cases knowing that we did nothing wrong; we’re just exercising our freedom of expression and right to assembly.” n
health and are to: stop smoking, get active, eat better, lose weight, reduce blood sugar, reduce blood pressure, and control cholesterol. Unfortunately, researchers revealed at the ISC that less than one in 100 stroke survivors are meeting the recommended goals. Out of a nationally representative sample of 67,514 U.S. adults, 1,597 had prior strokes and had data for all seven measures. Furthermore, fewer than one in five stroke survivors met at least four of the measures during the study period, according to researchers. “These measures have one unique thing in common: any person can make these changes, the steps are not expensive to take and even modest improvements to your health will make a big difference,” says AHA. n
COURTESY CALL. Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III receives a European Union (EU) delegation headed by Mr. Jan Reinder Rosing from the European External Action Service (EEAS) and accompanied by the EU Ambassador to the Philippines, H.E. Franz Jessen, at the Philippine Senate. The delegation, which is on an assessment mission to the Philippines, was updated on the political situation in Mindanao, particularly recent developments in the Bangsamoro Peace Process as well as the rehabilitation efforts in Marawi. Senator Juan Miguel Zubiri explained that the Senate plans to approve the BBL before it adjourns in March as the landmark legislation will be crucial in addressing continued extremism in Mindanao. Also present during the call were Senators Risa Hontiveros, Win Gatchalian and JV Ejercito. Senate photo by Albert Calvelo
Marcos presents proof of Robredo’s... PAGE A1
Rodriguez said. He continued, “The question now is what is the significance of that box? They always say that we should shade the oval shaped spot [to indicate our choice candidate]. Nothing was mentioned about a square.” Marcos also contested a ballot image which showed that the oval to his name was the only shaded slot for vice presidency but the VCM counted it as an undervote. The former senator asked, “Why did the votes for me became undervotes and were not counted? Why were the spoiled
ballots counted for Robredo? Why did ballots with the same ballot numbers register different results?” For Marcos, who lost to Robredo by only more than 260,000, such ballots images just prove how her camp “had manipulated the voting and trampled upon the true will of the people on their choice for vice president.” He further alleged that the Commission on Elections (Comelec) and Smartmatic conspired with Robredo to cheat in the 2016 elections. Robredo’s camp, for its part, labeled Marcos’ latest accusations as “highly ridiculous if not
outright frivolous.” “Knowing the propensity of election losers in our country in filing all sorts of complaints in open display of unwillingness to accept defeat, they could have used such alleged questionable feature of the ballots in filing their election protest,” said Romulo Macalintal, Robredo’s lawyer. Macalintal added, “The best evidence to prove if ‘hundreds upon hundreds’ of ballots contained the questionable features raised by Marcos are the copies in the custody of the PET (Presidential Electoral Tribunal) and not the self-serving copies of Marcos.” n
A
february 2-8, 2018 • OC/Ie aSIaN JOurNaL
Dateline USa
Romero Duno lives up to Golden Boy’s expectations by Ed dE lA
VEGA, PhilBoxing.com
ddS
InGLEWOOD, Ca — It’s getting more and more apparent that Golden Boy’s Roberto Garcia made a fantastic gamble with Sanman Promotions’ rising star Romero Duno. Duno was an unknown fighter outside of the reaches of Sanman Promotions, a young budding promotional company led by two young promoters, JC Manangquil and Dexter Tan of General Santos City, down south in Mindanao. But he has a respectable record and was a right match for any lightweight whose career is being nurtured by any manager and promoter. Duno was 12-1-0, 7KO when Golden Boy came calling looking for a decent fighter that is good but an easy target for a budding lightweight they were grooming for a championship fight in a year or two. His name is Christian “Chimpa” Gonzales. The young Gonzales who grew up in the greater Los angeles area was then undefeated and had knocked out 14 of his 16 opponents. Sanman Promotions offered Golden Boy their brightest lightweight prospect, Romero Duno to challenge Gonzales with the winner getting the WBC youth Intercontinental Belt. Golden Boy readily accepted perhaps thinking that Gonzalez will have no problem taking care of Duno. Besides, Gonzalez will have his hometown crowd at his favorite venue, the famed old Belasco Theater in downtown La. But alas, it was not the night for Gonzalez!
any of the California Community College campuses) and state courts to name a few. The Trump administration’s iron fist on immigration and undocumented criminals provided the main motivation for Lara — who has penned several immigrant rights bills in the past year — to author the bill. SB 183 was designed to maintain ease within immigrant communities, arguing that ICE agents subvert the state’s services and resources California, a designated sanctuary state, has previously objected to certain tactics used by ICE, whose threats have estab-
Treating domestic violence as a medical problem by AnnA
GormAn Kaiser Health News
Filipino lightweight Romero Duno (16-1, 14 KOs) made quick work of Yardely Armenta (21-10, 12 KOs) in scoring a first round knockout. Duno was aggressive from the start attacking Armenta as a right hand did it dropping Armenta as referee Jerry Cantu reached a ten count at 1:07 of the first. Photo by Jhay Otamias
Duno who was trained in La by Rodel Mayol and Stanley Godinez was fighting for the first time in California. The crowd at the Belasco was loud and rowdy, waving the Mexican flag and declaring Gonzalez their champion. Then the fight started with Gonzalez trying to impose his size. He was coming straight to Duno with his heavy artillery but for some reason forgot to bring his famed jab with him to set up his punches. He just wanted to knock Duno out bright and early. During a torrid exchanged he dropped his left hand and Duno quickly threw a short right counter punch dropping Gonzalez to the surprise of the pro-Gonzales TV commentators and the hometown crowd. Gonzales beat the count but his legs were rub-
bery and he sagged towards the ropes. Lucky for him, the bell save him from being KO’d early. When round two started, Gonzalez tried his best to get Duno but the Duno stayed away and waited for another opportunity. When that came he dropped Gonzales again. Gonzales stood up but later collapsed in his corner! Seeing the potentials of Romero Duno, Roberto Garcia of Golden Boy Promotions did not hesitate and readily signed up Duno to a promotional contract. Following the Gonzales victory, Duno scored three more wins. He knocked out Jason Tinampay at a fight card in General Santos City in June of 2017 and won via a UD over a highly regarded Juan Pablo Sanchez of Mexico at the Forum in Inglewood last September. n
CA Senate approves bill that hampers ICE... PAGE A1
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797
lished a mounting fear among immigrants all over the state. “Federal immigration officials are creating a climate of fear that undermines the fundamental institutions of California’s democracy,” Lara said in a statement. “Senate Bill 183 guarantees a safe environment so students can attend classes, parents can pick up their children from school, and people can report crimes or go to court without the terror of being targeted by federal agents based on their immigration status.” The hope, Lara suggests, is that immigrants can still utilize many of the state’s services and resources without fear of en-
countering federal agents. “Trust in government is essential to the security of all Californians, and I refuse to let ICE’s campaign of intimidation erase the efforts of state and local government to bring immigrants and their families out of the shadows,” Lara added. The Senate approved SB 183 in the middle of the hot debate over immigration including the fate of DREaMers after the termination of DaCa, the border wall and completely reforming the ways in which immigrants are allowed to apply for citizenship. SB 183 is now on its way to the state assembly. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
Fanny Ortiz, a mother of five who lives just east of downtown Los angeles, spent nearly a decade married to a man who controlled her and frequently threatened her. Then, she said, his abuse escalated. “He would physically hit me in the face, throw me on the wall,” she recalled. Ortiz, 43, eventually left the marriage, taking her children with her. a few years later, she learned that the East Los angeles Women’s Center offered domestic violence services at the Los angeles County-USC Medical Center, near her home. now she goes to the hospital campus for weekly therapy sessions, which she said have helped stop her suicidal thoughts. “I was afraid to talk,” Ortiz said. “now I am more open to talk about things that I was holding in.” nearly 1 in 4 women have experienced serious physical violence at the hands of a partner. They often end up in the emergency room or the doctor’s office. But they don’t typically volunteer the reason for their injuries, and doctors don’t always ask about abuse in the home. That failure of communication means the patients may miss out on the help they need. yet a growing number of health providers and anti-abuse agencies in California and around the country are collaborating to identify victims and get them help. More doctors now screen their patients for signs of abuse and more agencies place victims’ advocates inside health centers. Education and counseling for people experiencing violence is also more widely available in clinics and hospitals. about four years ago, the East Los angeles Women’s Center opened offices on the campus of L.a. County-USC, a busy public hospital. Since then, center staff members have trained more than 2,500 doctors, nurses, social workers and others to identify victims of domestic violence. They also respond quickly to calls from the medical center’s emergency room, inpatient hospital and outpatient facilities to help patients in crisis. Today, the women’s center has embarked on an innovative approach: In February, it plans to open a short-term shelter for abuse victims on the medical center grounds. The 10-bed shelter fills a serious need, said Deirdre anglin, an emergency room physician at L.a. County-USC. “We sometimes have patients in the emergency department who don’t have a place to go, and in the evenings and nights all the shelters in L.a. will be filled,” anglin said. Victims of abuse can suffer long-term health problems, including chronic pain, frequent headaches, depression, diabetes and asthma. and they have higher health costs than people who have not experienced abuse. So “it makes complete sense to have the health care providers acting as allies and partners in treating domestic violence,” said Peter Long, CEO of the Blue Shield of California Foundation. (The foundation provides support for Kaiser Health news coverage in California.) The foundation has funded 19 partnerships between health cen-
Fanny Ortiz (right), who left an abusive marriage after nearly a decade, meets weekly with therapist Brittany Martinez at the East Los Angeles Women’s Center. The office is located on the campus of the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center. Photos by Anna Gorman/Kaiser Health News
The East Los Angeles Women’s Center is opening a domestic violence shelter on the Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center campus. The proximity makes it easier for doctors to ask patients about violence, said Rebeca Melendez, director of wellness at the center’s hospital office. “They don’t need to know all the answers,” she says. “They just need to call us.”
ters and domestic violence agencies around the state, including the L.a. County-USC office of the East Los angeles Women’s Center. Similar partnerships operate in Illinois, Maryland and other states. Last year, the East Los angeles Women’s Center served 600 victims of domestic violence at the L.a. County-USC hospital campus. nearly one-third were homeless or couldn’t go back home for safety reasons. advocates say that hospitals and clinics are ideal settings to respond to the needs of abused women. In the San Gabriel Valley, the yWCa sponsors domestic violence support groups at a community clinic, while the clinic offers health education for survivors of abuse at the yWCa. In Sacramento, a native american health center works closely with a domestic violence group a few blocks away. Doctors have an “unprecedented opportunity to promote prevention and to respond because they are seeing patients that may not ever reach out to a domestic violence agency or police for help,” said Lisa James, director of health for Futures Without Violence, which runs a national resource center dedicated to improving the response of medical professionals to domestic violence. “They can provide this critical lifesaving intervention.” The proximity of the East Los angeles Women’s Center to the hospital and clinic buildings on the L.a. County-USC campus makes it easier for doctors to ask their patients about violence, said Rebeca Melendez, director of programs for the center’s office at the medical center. The medical providers know where to turn for guidance – and that the help is nearby. “They don’t need to know all the answers,” she said. “They
just need to call us.” This growing collaboration between the medical profession and anti-abuse agencies is driven in part by the affordable Care act, which requires that health plans cover domestic violence screening and counseling. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends doctors routinely question women about violence in the home and refer them to services if needed. The task force concluded in 2013 that intervention could reduce violence and abuse as well as mental and physical health problems. Organizations such as the american Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and the american Medical association also recommend routine screening and counseling for domestic violence. In the past, patients would go to health centers with such problems, but providers did not feel comfortable asking questions about abuse at home, said Long, of the Blue Shield of California Foundation. “They didn’t feel they had the time and they didn’t feel they had the resources to do something about it,” he said. nor did they always have a place to send patients who were abuse victims. Treating patients who are in abusive relationships is “very challenging,” said anglin, the ER physician. “There is no pill to give.” But asking about violence needs to be part of a physician’s job, she said. “Part of what we need to do is try to identify patients who may be in a dangerous situation … so we are not just sending these patients back to the same situation they were in only to come back worse off another time.” This story was produced by Kaiser Health news, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n
Filipino linked to foiled NY terror plot faces... PAGE A1 Salic, along with 53 other suspected Filipino extremists, is facing six counts of kidnapping and serious illegal detention and two counts of murder before the Malabang, Lanao del Sur Regional Trial Court Branch 11. The case against Salic stemmed from complaints filed by abducted sawmill workers Gabriel Permitis, alfredo Canoos, Esperanza Janubas, adonis Mendez, and Julito Janubas. In their sworn statements, the complainants said they were abducted on april 4, 2016 by Maute extremists, a group that has previously pledged allegiance to the IS movement. according to the complainants, two other hostages—Jaymark Kapampangan and Salvador Hanubos—were beheaded six days later while the rest of them were eventually freed. While in captivity, the complainants testified that they saw Salic cleaning and guarding firearms. But Salic, in his counter-affidavit, denied their allegations, saying that “in his entire life, he never stepped foot in Butig, Lanao del Sur, neither has he cleaned any firearm.” The doctor further claimed that he was on duty as a resident physician at the northern Min-
In this Nov. 7, 2017 file photo, Russell Salic, a Filipino doctor accused by U.S. authorities of plotting attacks in New York City, including concert venues and Times Square, arrives at a trial court for his extradition hearing. Philstar.com photo
danao Medical Center (nMMC) in Cagayan de Oro City on april 4, 2016, and that he attended an orthopedic convention in Puerto Princesa, Palawan on april 5. Salic said he returned to nMMC on april 10. The DOJ, however, said that the complainants have no reason to fabricate their testimonies. “[Salic’s] negative assertion cannot prevail over the testimony of victims/testimony of victims/complainants... describing in sufficient detail his active participation in the commission
of the crimes charged,” the DOJ added. Salic is also facing separate criminal charges filed by the United States justice department over his alleged involvement in a plan to carry out attacks in the name of IS group in May 2016. The Filipino doctor was accused of sending money to fund foiled attacks targeting new york’s subway and Times Square. U.S. authorities are currently seeking his extradition. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)
(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com
OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • fEbRUARy 2-8, 2018
Dateline PhiliPPines
A
Panelo: Morales may face raps for defying suspension order by Dana
SioSon AJPress
Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-morales may face administrative and criminal sanctions for refusing to enforce malacañang’s suspension order against Overall deputy Ombudsman melchor arthur Carandang. President Rodrigo duterte’s chief legal counsel secretary salvador Panelo made the warning on Wednesday, January 31. In a statement, Panelo noted that duterte’s order of preventive suspension against Carandang is “presumed to be valid and legal” until a court declares it is not. “It behooves therefore the public official authorized to implement the order to enforce the same against respondent [Carandang]. any willful refusal to do so or any deliberate act impeding such enforcement may open the said official to administrative and criminal sanctions,” he said. duterte’s top lawyer also underscored that “anyone who disagrees with the suspension is free to question the same before the courts.” “In the meantime, the suspension should be implemented by the Office of the Ombudsman. Otherwise, its officials risk violating the same legal process that they assume to adhere to,” Panelo added. Last week, the Office of the Executive secretary (OEs) issued a 90-day preventive suspension against Carandang for publicizing the alleged bank transactions duterte and his family.
Palace legal counsel Secretary Salvador Panelo and Ombudsman Conchita-Carpio Morales Inquirer.net photos
but morales said her office will not enforce malacañang’s order, tagging it as “unconstitutional.” she noted that the supreme Court (sC), in a 2014 decision, has declared unconstitutional the section 8 (2) of Republic act (Ra) no. 6770 or the Ombudsman law, which provides that “a deputy or the special Prosecutor may be removed from office by the President or any of the grounds provided for the removal of the Ombudsman and after due process.” “The Ombudsman cannot, therefore, seriously place at risk the independence of the very Office which she has pledged to protect on the strength of the constitutional guarantees which the High Court has upheld,” morales said. but Panelo claimed that duterte “has no desire or intention to intrude upon the Constitutionally enshrined independence of the Office of the Ombudsman.”
“In suspending Overall deputy melchor arthur Carandang, the President is in fact protecting and preserving the Constitutional article on Public accountability,” he said. He cited the section 1, article XI of the Constitution, which provides that “Public office is a public trust. Public officers and employees must at all times be accountable to the people, serve them with utmost responsibility, integrity, loyalty, and efficiency, act with patriotism and justice, and lead modest lives.” “Thus, the president is just adhering to his mandate to ensure that all laws are faithfully executed, including the Constitution,” Panelo claimed. He added, “To be clear, the implementation of check-andbalances in government and the enforcement of public accountability is not incongruent with the respect for Constitutionally guaranteed independence.” n
SioSon AJPress
as the Philippine national Police (PnP) resumed its controversial “Oplan Tokhang” on monday, January 29, the country’s top cop admitted that it is “impossible” to conduct a completely bloodless anti-illegal drugs campaign. but while saying that he cannot guarantee zero casualties, PnP Chief director Gen. Ronald “bato” dela Rosa vowed that the police will do everything to make the drug war “less bloody.” “We are just giving you the assurance that what we’re going to make the anti-drug campaign less bloody because we are not dealing a person in his right mind,” dela Rosa said in Filipino during a press briefing at Camp Crame in Quezon City. The PnP chief even remarked that he’s willing to give up his post to anyone who can handle drug war operations without anyone getting killed. dela Rosa challenged, “Give me someone who can do it, a commander who can do it, and I’m willing to give up my post if you can tell me that there’s a person who can be successful in conducting anti-drug operations without casualties.” “That’s impossible,” he stressed. This week, the PnP resumed its controversial Oplan Tokhang under new rules and guidelines that require stricter observation of human rights. On the first day of the re-implementation, the PnP said it has conducted 36 separate anti-drug operations across the country and was able to arrest 52 alleged drug offenders with no casualties. more than 563 drug personalities also surrendered. Oplan Tokhang, which means “knock and plead,” is an anti-illegal drugs initiative in the country
wherein authorities knock on the doors of suspected drug users or pushers and ask them to surrender. under the new supplemental operational guidelines, Tokhang operations must be led by a police commissioned officer and be conducted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., monday to Friday. Implementers are also required to be in proper PnP uniform. The use of body cameras and other similar gadgets during operations, however, was only encouraged and not required. “I express optimism that this time, police interdiction operations against illegal drugs will be carried out with greater efficiency, and with less violent confrontations between law enforcers and offenders through better equipment to ensure the personal safety of our personnel, such as body armor, body camera, communications and fire suppression, complemented by skills training and enhanced capacity,” dela Rosa said. but despite the new supplemental operational guidelines for Oplan Tokhang, the PnP chief noted that the flow of anti-drug operations still depends on the reactions of drug personalities. He went on to say, “It would be better if we can only take over the minds of the drug personalities and tell them not to be violent, not to fight back, so there will be no bloodshed in our anti-drug operations, but our situation in the ground is very volatile.” dela Rosa further emphasized the need for the cops to defend themselves from drug suspects who chose to retaliate. “We also have to protect ourselves, preserve our own life, and life of the people that’s why I cannot give you 100 percent or foolproof anti-drug campaign will be bloodless,” he explained.
Health chief’s confirmation deferred by BernaDette
tamayo ManilaTimes.net
sEnaTE majority Leader Vicente sotto III is urging Health secretary Francisco duque to “set his foot down” on the investigation into the dengvaxia scandal as the lawmaker questioned the forensic study being conducted by the Public attorney’s Office (PaO) on the bodies of the alleged victims of the dengue vaccine. sotto made the recommendation on Wednesday, January 31, as duque faced the powerful Commission on appointments to tackle his interim appointment. The commission, however, opted to suspend deliberations on the duque’s appointment since its members wanted to grill him more on his programs on how to address the dengvaxia controversy. duque announced that the university of the PhilippinesPhilippine General Hospital (uP-
Health Secretary Francisco Duque III answers a question during his confirmation hearing on Wednesday. Duque’s confirmation was deferred. ManilaTimes.net photo by Bob Dungo
PGH) dengvaxia immunization task force would come out with its report on Friday, February 2. “and like you we await the report of the uP-PGH dengvaxia immunization task force and we will
Duterte leads groundbreaking of military camp in Marawi President asks residents to help government stop terrorism by AJPress
THE Philippine government is set to put up another military camp in marawi City in its bid to prevent terrorism from re-entering the area. Philippine President duterte Rodrigo duterte led the groundbreaking ceremony for the new military camp on Tuesday, January 30. The new military facility will be built on a 10-hectare lot in dela Rosa’s remarks came after barangay Kapantaran, and is Catholic bishops’ Conference of expected to be completed bethe Philippines (CbCP) President fore 2020. Initial developments and davao archbishop Romulo include the the renovation of Valles made an appeal to the PnP the old marawi City Hall, which to follow proper procedures in its will be converted into a military revamped anti-drug operations. headquarters building. In an article posted on the CbCP In his speech, duterte vowed website, Valles also asked the that the government will fully PnP to make sure that the anti- compensate residents whose drug activities this time around lands will be used for the conwon’t “waste any lives.” struction. “We pray that the police follow the prescribed steps in implementing the law… steps that should be done in exercising their responsibility as policemen,” Valles said. He continued, “Let us inspire them to follow the necessary steps when they need to apprehend and as much as possible, we make sure that we do not waste any lives.” Less controversial In a separate statement, malacañang expressed optimism that the anti-illegal drugs campaign will be less controversial this year. “We’re we are hoping that they have learned from their past experience. The PnP has said they want this Tokhang operation to be less bloody, we are hoping it will be,” Palace spokesperson Harry Roque said. since the start of the drug war in 2016, the PnP has claimed nearly 4,000 casualties during legitimate anti-drug police operations. but the figure was heavily disputed by human rights organizations, including united statesbased Human Rights Watch (HRW), which has pegged the number of casualties at around 12,000. Roque went on to say, “We are certainly hoping that it will be less controversial because controversy will only blur the real intentions behind the Tokhang which is really the fight against dangerous drugs.” n
PNP chief: Bloodless drug war ‘impossible’ by Dana
FIGHT AGAINST FAKE NEWS. Senator Grace Poe (middle), chair of the Senate Committee on Public Information and Mass Media, quizzes government officials, media personnel and bloggers present during the latest Senate hearing on the fight against fake news on Tuesday, January 30. Poe said that the whole country must explore all possible solutions to “this new problem that plagues our community.” “I believe that this destructive and divisive phenomenon can only be addressed by a cocktail of solutions, the most potent of which is through an educated and vigilant citizenry, and a government which must cease to be the greatest enabler of manufactured information,” she said. Also in photo are (from L-R) Senators Bam Aquino IV and Manny Pacquiao. Senate photo by Alexis Nueva España
share the report and it’s going to be transparent.” sotto then asked duque if the PaO had become a “medical group.” The last time I heard, the PaO is under the doJ (department of Justice), not the doH (department of Health). so, if we want to build a solid case, like what you mentioned, we charge you to set your foot down,” sotto told duque. “If you’re going to be the secretary of health, set your foot [down]and let the doH lead the scientific investigation,” sotto said. “We welcome the very sound recommendation of the senate majority floor leader and we will do exactly that,” said duque. “again, our view is that the uP-PGH has the expertise, the credibility to be able to make a very objective and sound sciencebased report on the records and clinical charts of the exhumed bodies,” duque said. n
“I’m going to set a camp here but I will pay you… We will pay para walang gulo (to avoid trouble). and that is your guarantee,” duterte assured. Camp Ranao, which is the headquarters of the army’s 103rd Infantry brigade, is currently the only military camp in marawi. The construction of a second military camp in city comes three months since the area was liberated from the pro-Islamic state (Is) maute terrorist group in October last year. The armed conflict between government troopers and terrorists, which lasted for five months, resulted to hundreds of deaths—mostly of terrorists—and to displacement of thousands of residents and destruction of their homes. In the same speech, duterte recognized the gallantry of soldiers and others who fought for
the liberation of marawi. “I would also like to thank the brave men of the armed Forces of the Philippines (aFP), kasali na yung—marami akong sundalo na moro na namatay rin (there were numerous Moro soldiers who died). Ill salute them for their katapangan (fearlessness) to face terror,” he said. The president also appealed to residents to help in preventing terrorism to enter their community again, warning of “massive destruction” and “loss of lives” another siege occured. “Let us try to avoid terrorism. It is not the correct way to obey Islam. You do not kill and destroy for no reason at all,” duterte remarked. He went on to say, “I beg of you not to allow them to enter because it will just cause massive destruction and the loss of lives, including the innocent ones who are really the helpless in case of war.” n
A
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797
february 2-8, 2018 • OC/Ie aSIaN JOurNaL
OpiniOn
HIV epidemic
Features
HERE’S another reason to take precautions against the AIDS-causing human immunodeficiency virus: health experts warn that a drug-resistant HIV strain is on the rise. Mutation to resist drugs is a common characteristic of viruses and bacteria, so the emergence of the new HiV strain is not unexpected. This makes safe sex and other precautionary measures all the more important to prevent the spread of HiV. Six months ago the United Nations’ health ministry reported that for the past six years, the Philippines has registered the fastest HiV/aiDS infection rate in the asia-Pacific, with 10,111 new HiV cases recorded in 2017 alone. There are no signs of a let-up, and the toll keeps growing. From January to November last year, aiDS claimed 428 lives in the Philippines. Since January 1984 when the Department of Health began keeping a registry of the affliction, 49,733 HiV cases have been recorded in the Philippines, with 4,942 cases developing into full-blown acquired immune Deficiency Syndrome and 2,397
deaths. in recent years, the fastest rate of infection has been recorded among men having sex with men, with most of the patients not yet in their 30s. Health experts have always stressed that HiV can be prevented through the use of condoms and other safe sex practices as well as regular screening for the sexually active. Despite the development of potent drug cocktails against the virus, there is still no guaranteed cure for aiDS. But early diagnosis and treatment can prolong lives. Other countries such as Thailand have shown that it is possible to reverse a rising tide of HiV cases. Many aiDS victims died at the prime of their lives. With heightened efforts, this tragedy can be eased. Health experts have warned that the Philippines’ HiV/aiDS problem has reached epidemic proportions. The country must move quickly to prevent more deaths. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Babe’s Eye View
US-PH cooperation goes beyond military alliance
EarliEr this week, i was invited as a special BaBes Romualdez guest at a reception hosted by the US National Guard Bureau (NGB) chief, General Joseph lengyel, and his charming wife Sally. The reception at Fort lesley J. McNair was correspondingly held to celebrate the partnership between the Philippines, Hawaii and Guam via the “State Partnership Program” (SPP) spearheaded by the U.S. Department of State and Department of Defense, and with us were Senator Mazie Hirono of Hawaii and the State Department’s Deputy assistant Secretary (DaS) for Southeast asia W. Patrick Murphy. as chief of the NGB and member of the joint chiefs of staff, General lengyel also serves as military advisor to President Donald Trump, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis and the National Security Council. i had a very engaging conversation with the general who told me that he will be traveling to the Philippines on the first week of February for meetings with officials of the armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of Defense to discuss the SPP involving a wide range of issues that include humanitarian assistance and disaster response (HaDr), as well as capacity building and security cooperation. The last time the general visited the Philippines was more than 30 years ago and so he is really looking forward to his upcoming trip which we
From the Stands domini m. ToRRevillas PErSia, as iran was known before 1935, was one of the greatest empires of the ancient world, dating back to around 7,000 B.C. iran became an islamic republic in 1979, following the iranian revolution which overthrew the monarchy and clerics assumed political control. During the next three days, heads of 100 principal political parties from 39 countries in the asian region are meeting in iran’s capital, Tehran, to share their views on the topic “Different Nations, a Shared Destiny” and on regional development and regional security at the iCaPP Special Conference on the Silk road. The conference is hosted by the islamic Motalefeh Party with the support of the iranian government. Former House Speaker Jose de Venecia is speaking on the topic of a shared destiny among nations, as he is a leader in getting political parties together, he being founding chairman of the international Conference of asian Political Parties (iCaPP), co-founder of the asian Parliamentary assembly (aPa), and chairman of the international association of Parliamentarians for Peace (iaPP). His latest title is as special envoy of the Philippine president to the asia-Pacific
Philstar.com photo
anticipate to be very productive. Filipinos are familiar with the National Guard and know it as a reserve military force whose members hold fulltime civilian jobs while serving part time as airmen or soldiers. People know that the National Guard (from 50 states plus the U.S. territories of Guam, the Virgin islands and Puerto rico as well as the District of Columbia for a total of 54 separate units) can be called upon during times of crisis or natural disasters such as hurricanes, floods and earthquakes. However, not many Filipinos know about the State Partnership Program sponsored by the U.S. Department of Defense with guidance from the foreign policy goals set by the State Department, and managed and administered by the National Guard Bureau that also provides the personnel. The SPP came about in 1993 at the Baltic region in Europe (after the collapse of the former Soviet Union) when the U.S. European Command decided to set up the “Joint Component Contact Team Program” made up of reserve component personnel as they were deemed to have a less aggressive posture and thus, would encourage security cooperation. a subsequent proposal by the National Guard Bureau to pair up NG units with Estonia, latvia and lithuania (nations that were formerly part of the USSr or the Soviet Union) gave birth to the SPP, which soon became a key security cooperation tool by the United States. Through the SPP, cooperation across all levels of international civil-military affairs are facilitated,
and people-to-people ties at the state level are also enhanced and encouraged. Simply put, the SPP pairs up specific National Guard units with a particular country for nation building and other activities aimed at strengthening linkages and security partnerships. in 2001, the SPP was established in the Philippines with the Guam and Hawaii National Guard units as partners. Underscoring the deep relations between our country and the United States is the fact that the SPP with the Philippines is the first and therefore the oldest in the asia Pacific region. Over the years, the Philippines has been one of the most active as far as the SPP is concerned. in September last year, air defense experts from the Hawaii air National Guard (HiaNG) shared air defense skill – the fifth time in a row – to members of the Philippine air Force (PaF), with the level of engagement and interaction heightened as the focus has expanded to include training, checklists, procedures, and aerospace medicine (also known as flight or aviation medicine). aside from discussions and Q & a sessions, these exchanges involve tours and inspections on air defense system components, with the focus going from the tactical to the operational and strategic. One of the most tangible aspects of the SPP was demonstrated in the aftermath of Super Typhoon Yolanda when airmen and soldiers from the Hawaii National Guard and the Guam National Guard worked with elements of the armed
JDV: A shared destiny
Economic Cooperation (aPEC) and for intercultural Dialogue. it must be said that the iCaPP, according to de Venecia, supports the vital agreement signed by iran and a group of world powers — the United States, the United Kingdom, russia, France, China and Germany in 2015. The EU, which helped facilitate the iran nuclear talks, reported that “the international atomic Energy agency has verified eight times that iran is implementing all its nuclear related commitments following a comprehensive and strict monitoring.” The Deal — called the joint Comprehensive Plan of action (JCPOa) — is a culmination of 12 years of long drawn-out negotiations, strengthening cooperation, and which is “critical for the security of the region.” De Venecia’s message, of which we have been furnished a copy, underscores the role of political parties and civil society organizations in generating economic, trade, political and cultural connectivity and people-topeople bonds with the ‘Silk road spirit.’” “iran played a vital and actual role in the ancient silk road, connecting the East and the West, serving as the main hub for the international trade and exchange of various cultures,” says De Venecia. “iran today is also expected to play a strategic role in the new Silk road, by connecting and developing keen overall ties
with the other regions.” The Silk road initiative, says De Venecia, could be the key in unleashing 21st century economic development. The initiative has “the potential as a constructive force that would facilitate the emergence of model upon which our nations could enhance our collective security.” Chinese President Xi Jinping welcomed the idea of a “common destiny,” which a closely-knot China and aSEaN community could build together. The “two sides need to bring out their respective strengths to realize diversity, harmony, inclusiveness and common progress.” already modern infrastructure is bringing together Kunming in Yunnan with Phnom Penh and Singapore in the beginnings of a southeast asian ‘Growth Triangle.” The long-distance trains are moving great cargos between asia and Europe. The Central asian states are awakening to the possibilities of modernization — as Silk road arteries begin to link them, westward, all the way to london and eastward to Beijing, encompassing Budapest, Hamburg, Moscow and Warsaw, freight to 28 European cities, moving them by sea and by air. De Venecia further envisions expanding, deepening and strengthening of the economic, trade, political, cultural and people-to-people linkages of the historic Silk road by developing a
“third route” to complement and extend China’s great “Belt and road” initiative. This means from Hainan island off Guangdong province in southern China, the route could also pass through the Philippines, Malaysia, indonesia and Timor leste, to australia’s Gold Coast to Sydney and New Zealand, then move across the south Pacific, and enter latin america — Chile, argentina, Brazil, and the Caribbean islands, then Mexico, then all the way to the US as in the old days of the Galleon Trade from Manila to acapulco, Mexico, which sailed for 250 years. The proposed 21st Century “third route,” hopefully an enlargement of the Silk route, would make the celebrated “Belt and road” initiative almost globally inclusive, after Europe and africa, and “create a linkage with two more continents — australia and latin america — in a new circumnavigation, in a revival of the age of Exploration, and new spirit in the age of Globalization.” China’s “noble vision,” says De Venecia, is “being put to the test with the tough tasks it faces in peacemaking and promoting regional stability.” asia’s “most dangerous flashpoints happen to be in its neighborhood,” says the iCaPP founding chairman. On its northern flank is the rising danger of explosion in the Korean Peninsula, and on its southern flank the dis-
Forces of the Philippines to conduct a humanitarian assistance project by helping rebuild the Marasbaras National High School in Tacloban. Super Typhoon Yolanda – the strongest typhoon ever in history to make landfall and the fourth strongest storm ever recorded in the world – destroyed seven classrooms in three buildings. let’s not also forget the timely arrival of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier that saved thousands of lives. it took two months for the three buildings to be rehabilitated, with new roofs constructed, electrical and lighting fixtures installed, comfort rooms built, ceiling fans provided, etc. – but the impact is lifelong for the students who will all benefit from the project. as noted by the now retired Maj. Gen. Benny Paulino who was the adjutant General of the Guam National Guard during that time, the school buildings represent “a new beginning” for the students of the public school who had to attend classes outdoors. “Education is not just the key to ensure the next generation prepares for the future, it’s the best indicator that a disaster area is turning normal,” also remarked then Hawaii National Guard adjutant General Darryl Wong, who retired in 2015. More than anything, such humanitarian projects demonstrate the life-changing impact of the partnership between the Philippines and the United States – one that has endured and gone way beyond our military alliance. (Philstar.com) *** Email: babeseyeview@gmail.com.
turbing conflict over sovereignty in the disputed islands in the South China Sea. The disagreement in the South China Sea with conflicting sovereignty claims may be settled, says De Venecia, by temporarily shelving the issue of sovereignty, and as advised much earlier by Deng Hsiao Peng, architect of China’s economic modernization, undertaking joint exploration and development in the disputed areas and converting the zone of conflict into a Zone of Peace, Friendship, Cooperation and Development. Sharing of resources — hydrocarbons and oil and natural gas — as practiced among countries, instead of engaging in conflict and war, could help build a model for lessening tensions and solving conflicts, and avoiding the possibility of war in asia’s manifold and dangerous flashpoints. He mentions his proposal last May 15 at Bejing’s “High-level Dialogue on the Belt and road Forum for international Cooperation,” about transforming the area from one of conflict, into a landscape and seascape of small seaports, airports and oil pipes. Fishing villages and small tourism townships could rapidly rise in the areas contested principally by the Philippines, China, and Vietnam, into a Zone of Friendship, Commerce, Navigation and Development, and become the passageway, untrammeled, for global shipping, carrying more than 50 per cent of the sea
freight of the world. De Venecia upholds the prominence of peace among nations through interfaith dialogue. in partnership, the Philippines and iran successfully sponsored a resolution in the General assembly in November 2004, binding the UN to promote interfaith dialogue “as a way of resolving politico-religious conflicts, strengthening the religious moderates, and isolating those who advocate terrorism in the name of religion. Other pundits have spoken of the dangers of the “clash of civilizations”, but iran’s then President Mohammad Khatami and other scholars introduced the more strategic, more pragmatic idea of a “dialogue among civilizations.” One of the great fruits of dialogue was the nuclear accord of 2015 which provided iran relief from the U.S., UN., and multilateral sanctions on energy, financial, shipping and other sectors. De Venecia says iCaPP has advocated in letters to Saudi arabia’s then King abdullah and iran’s spiritual leader ayatollah ali Khamenei to meet perhaps in Mecca and Medina and bring about the beginnings of reconciliation (between Saudi’s Sunnis and iran’s Shiites) and the end of violence in the lands of islam, and head off decisively the expansion and internationalization of the extremist groups, iSiS-iSil. “We believe the initiative is most difficult but not impossible.” (Philstar.com)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
aDVerTISING aND aDVerTOrIaL POLICIeS
Main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, CA 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com
Manila Office: 2nd Floor Units D&E, Fort Palm Springs 30th St., Cor 1st Ave, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 Fax: (632) 856-1661
Northern California: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 Burlingame CA 94010 Tel.: (650) 689-5160 Fax: (650) 239-9253
New York office: 133-30 32nd Ave., Flushing, NY 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 Fax (213) 481-0854
Las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
New Jersey office: 2500 Plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858
ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board
CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President
MALOu LIwANAG-BLEDSOE Editor-in-Chief
MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor
IVY MANALANG Vice President - Marketing Los Angeles Asian Journal
MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA Senior Vice President Los Angeles Asian Journal
DING CARREON Videographer
ANDY TECSON Photographer
Asian Journal Publications, Inc. (“AJPI”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publication by client. (“Client’s Material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an AJPI sales representative does not constitute a commitment by AJPI to publish a Client’s Material. AJPI has the option to correctly classify any Client’s Material and to delete objectionable words or phrases. Client represents and warrants that a Client’s Material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applicable law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation. Publication of a Client’s Material does not constitute an agreement to continue publication. Client agrees and covenants to indemnify AJPI and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, causes of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which AJPI may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s Material. AJPI will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s Material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s Material. In the event of an error, or omission in printing or publication of a Client’s Material, AJPI shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being cancellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republication of the correct advertisement. Under no circumstances shall Asian Publications, Inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.
ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLICATIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal, Northern California Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern California, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively. Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions. Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please call the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com
(818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Dateline PhiliPPines
OC/IE ASIAN JOURNAL • fEbRUARy 2-8, 2018
PH climbs in financial secrecy rankings by ian
niColas CiGaral Philstar.com
MANILA — The Philippines ranked higher on a list that gauges jurisdictions “most to blame” for supplying financial secrecy that enables illicit financial flows. According to Tax Justice Network’s Financial Secrecy Index 2018, the Philippines got a secrecy score of 65, placing 40 from a previous ranking of 46 out of 112 countries assessed. The index uses a 0-100 scale for financial secrecy, with a 0 score denoting maximum transparency and a 100 score equivalent to “exceptionally secretive.”
Nonetheless, the report said the Philippines accounts for less than 1 percent of the global market for offshore financial services, making it a small player compared with other secrecy jurisdictions. Across key financial secrecy indicators, the report said the Philippines was 100 percent secretive in terms of openness of judicial system in tax matters and rules on corporate tax disclosure, among others. In November last year, several Filipinos figured in the world’s second-biggest data leak from offshore law firm Appleby showing how some of the country’s politicians and business person-
A
alities keep their wealth. The International Consortium of Investigative Journalists, which released the controversial Panama Papers in April 2016, shared the new leak called Paradise Papers composed of 13.4 million files showing offshore interests, financial dealings and activities of politicians and world leaders not privy to the wider public. Investigations were called in some countries after the earlier Panama Papers leak was revealed. The exposed documents also prompted the resignation of politicians abroad found to be connected to some questionable accounts. n
Trillanes mulls case vs AMLC exec over ‘cover-up’ of Duterte’s bank transactions DOT records 6.6 million foreign tourists in 2017 A tourist takes a photo at Fort Santiago in Manila on June 16, 2017.
by
Gaea Katreena CabiCo Philstar.com
MANILA — Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV on Thursday, February 1, said he is planning to file a case against the executive director of the Anti-Money Laundering Council for supposedly covering up the transaction history of President Rodrigo Duterte’s bank accounts. “Plano ko rin pakasuhan si AMLC Exec. Dir. [Mel Georgie] Racela sa pag-cover-up at pagdeny na ang mga flagged bank transaction documents ay hindi galing sa AMLC,” Trillanes said in a statement. He noted the provision of such documents to the Office of the Ombudsman “for intelligence purpose” was included in the minutes of an AMLC meeting in May 2016. “Matatandaan na naitalaga lang ni Duterte si Racela sa kanyang position noong January 2017 lang kaya hindi sakop ng kanyang termino ang mga panahong ‘yun,” Trillanes said. Last September, Deputy Ombudsman Melchor Carandang was quoted as saying that his agency received the president’s bank records from before he became president in 2006 up to 2016 from AMLC. Trillanes backs ombudsman’s defiance Moreover, Trillanes backed
Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV
Philstar.com photo
Ombudsman Conchita CarpioMorales defiance of the suspension order against Carandang which stemmed from allegations that he disclosed unverified information on the supposed multimillion bank accounts in the accounts owned by Duterte and his family. According to the Palace, Carandang committed grave misconduct and grave dishonesty for misuse and revelation of confidential and false information. The opposition senator called the Office of the Executive Secretary’s move a clear case of obstruction of justice. “Maling-mali si Duterte dito kahit saan mo tignan. Bukod pa
European Union still open to aid for Philippines by Helen
Flores Philstar.com
MANILA — Despite the government’s repeated rejection of its development assistance, the European Union remains open to providing aid to the Philippines, EU Ambassador Franz Jessen said. “We have not closed any doors,” Jessen said. Last month, the government formally rejected the EU-Philippine Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA) worth 6.1 million euros or around P383.64 million. President Duterte has repeatedly slammed the EU for supposedly meddling in his war against drugs, which has killed thousands. “We expect, at the end of the day, to continue much of our development assistance,” Jessen said, noting that a delegation from Brussels is headed to Manila. The envoy said the EU could work “directly” with government agencies and on a “case
by case” basis even without the TRTA. “We will be pleased to continue the work we are doing in the past,” he said. The Philippines also recently rejected EU’s P2.5 billion (39 million euros) worth of sustainable energy projects in Mindanao. However, the Philippines will keep its zero tariff privileges for certain exports under the bloc’s Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+), the EU said last week. The Philippines is among nine countries that qualify for the EU’s GSP+, which removes tariffs on 66 percent of products as long as they commit to international agreements on human and labor rights, environmental protection and good governance. Philippine shipments worth an estimated P120 billion ($2.35 billion) to EU will carry no duties, the European Commission said. The EU is the Philippines’ second top export destination. n
TREE PLANTING. Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate environment committee, joins Singapore Ambassador Kok Li Peng (in red shirt) during the Singapore tree-planting activity at the Kasalikasan Garden, BGC Taguig. This is the second year that the Singapore Embassy in Manila embarked on the planting of narra and molave trees. The senator, who has been advocating for a clean and green environment, extolled everyone not to grow tired of planting trees. Senate photo
sa independent ang Ombudsman and her deputies, ayon sa ating Constitution, pinasuspende niya ang taong nag-iimbestiga sa mga nakaw na yaman niya,” he said. According to Morales, the order of Medialdea’s office is “patently unconstitutional” as the Supreme Court, in its en banc decision in Gonzales III vs. Office of the President (G.R. 196231), declared as illegal the administrative disciplinary jurisdiction of the president over deputy ombudsman. “The Ombudsman will thus not allow herself to betray her sworn duty to uphold the Constitution by recognizing what is patently unconstitutional,” a statement from the office of Morales said. n
by Faye
orellana Inquirer.net
DESPITE controversies, disasters, and calamities, the Department of Tourism (DOT) had recorded more than 6.6 million of foreign tourists who came in the country last 2017. According to the latest data of DOT, 6,620,908 international arrivals were recorded, posting an 11 percent growth in the tourism industry of the Philippines. The tourism department then tagged the 11 percent growth as an “all-time high.” “We would like to express our sincerest gratitude to all the tourism stakeholders who worked hand in hand with the Department of Tourism in achieving an-
other milestone for the country,” Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo said in a statement on Wednesday, January 31. “We overcame these challenges with the innate resiliency of the Filipinos and the cooperation of everybody. And for that we are very thankful,” Teo added. In 2016, the number of foreign visitors recorded were only at 5,967,006, the data showed. Teo also noted the biggest events that the country hosted such as the Miss Universe 2017, ASEAN Summit, Madrid Fusión Manila 2017, World Street Food Congress, and the UNWTO International Conference on Tourism Statistics, and thanked all the stakeholders who made
Inquirer.net photo
it possible. The top countries who contributed to the high number of tourist arrivals were South Korea, China, the United States of America, Japan, and Australia. Meanwhile, the month of January recorded the highest arrivals and was followed by December with 620,121 and 603,062 “For this year, with an expanded marketing plan, improved quality, human resource capacity, and service standards, we will continue to push for new and underrated destinations,” Teo said. The National Tourism Development Plan of the DOT expects 7.4 million international arrivals for the year 2018. n
A
february 2-8, 2018 • OC/Ie aSIaN JOurNaL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797
†Ü¯†ÅºÊåÙņ¿Ö咿¯“†â¯ÊÅÜ
dž†Ü¯†ÅºÊåÙņ¿“ÊÄ
dž†Ü¯†ÅºÊåÙņ¿
XXX BTJBOKPVSOBM DPN -PT "OHFMFT LJ -BT 7FHBT LJ 0SBOHF $PVOUZ *OMBOE &NQJSF LJ /PSUIFSO $BMJGPSOJB LJ /FX :PSL /FX +FSTFZ
the asian journal entertainment magazine
february 2-8, 2018
Photos courtesy of Garrett Gee/the Bucket List Family and Discovering Routes
www.TravelTradeConsumer.com Asian Journal’s series of annual events showcasing tourism, trade, and business opportunities in the USA and Philippines.
may 30-june 5, 2014 www.asianjournal.com
2
february 2-8, 2018
From tech entrepreneur to travel journalist:
2
Garrett Gee and his ‘bucket list’ by
In nearly three years, Garrett Gee and his wife Jessica have traveled to 45 countries and have been on over 150 flights with their two toddlers in tow, digitally documenting the adventures along the way as the “Bucket List Family. Their travels have been widely followed on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, as they’ve spent days in places such as nepal, Greece, Indonesia, and Germany. For Gee — a 28-year-old Utah-native who is Filipino from his mother’s side — a trip that continues to be memorable was in 2016 when the family was en route to Turkey as political unrest transpired. “We were on the plane so we weren’t connected to the Internet and didn’t hear anything about the unrest in the air. By the time we landed in Turkey, the U.S. government had put an alert, like evacuation warnings for Americans to get out of Turkey as soon as possible,” he told the Asian Journal in an interview. “There was no flight to get us out so we were stuck in Turkey for 24 hours during the evacuation. We were terrified and we didn’t sleep that night. Just going through something that scary and emotional really made us closer.” However, the family ended up staying in Turkey for five days, during which they realized that the country “wasn’t a scary place” that the media had been portraying it as. “When people ask us ‘who are some of the nicest people and cultures in the world?’ We have an ongoing list but number one for… the nicest, most affectionate and loving people in the world are the people of Turkey. So that was a big life lesson to us as a family, you can’t really judge people based on what you hear or what you hear in the media and the rumors. You have to find [out] and learn for yourself,” Gee said. Lessons like this are what continue to drive the Bucket List Family and the invaluable reallife education that their young children are receiving, being
Christina M. Oriel / AJPress
exposed to different cultures and customs around the globe. From tech to travel Gee and Jessica had met in Russia as missionaries serving the Church of Jesus Christ of LatterDay Saints and married in 2009 while both attending Brigham Young University (BYU) in Utah. As a freshman at BYU, Gee founded Scan, a QR codescanning mobile app. Four years later, the app was acquired by Snapchat in 2014 for $54 million. “There are some weird thoughts that come into your mind when you sell your company, especially when it’s for a lot of money. There’s kind of a lot of soul-searching during that time,” Gee recalled, noting that he didn’t want to spend his earnings on material possessions like a house or car as young families were doing. “And one of the things that I realized, I had the fortune, opportunity and position for whatever I want to do next in life, like how I want to live my life, where I want to live my life, what career, what industry.” That led him to “pick an industry [he] was absolutely passionate about” — one that allowed him to pull away from sitting at a computer all day and instead use that time to spend with his growing family. From there, the Bucket List Family was created in 2015 — an online journal (blog, YouTube, and social media accounts) that follows Gee’s global adventures with wife Jessica (“Settie”), daughter Dorothy, and son Manilla. At the time, Dorothy and Manilla were 3 and 1, respectively. The family sold all of their belongings for $45,000, which funded six months of travel to places like Thailand, Australia, Tahiti and Hawaii. The money — an undisclosed amount — Gee made from the Snapchat purchase hasn’t been used for any of their trips and remains in a savings account. “Living as a travel journalist has enabled me to all day, every day be together with them,” he said. In their travels, the family of
Garrett Gee (center right) with his daughter Dorothy, wife Jessica, and son Manilla Photos courtesy of Garrett Gee/the Bucket List Family and Discovering Routes
Garrett and Miristi were joined by their mother Mel Gee Henderson for the final episode of “Discovering Routes.”
four focuses on three aspects: adventure, culture, and service. At the end of 2015, they were able to cover LASIK surgery for five individuals and helped build a school in nepal in 2016. Another one of their missions is to debunk the idea that travel has to be expensive or that you need to pack a lot of possessions when going abroad. “Along the way we figured out there are tons of things you can do to save money and be more frugal as you travel. And you don’t need that much stuff, so we tried packing in a more minimalistic way to the point where now as an entire family, we just have the two bags that we travel with, which is more than enough,” Gee said. He added that vacations don’t necessarily mean eating out every night, going to theme parks or on pricey tour groups. “Our favorite way to travel is to experience something local and a lot of that means going to the smaller cafes or the farmer’s market, just going to the park and doing the things that local people do like going to the beach. Most of the things are free so when you do it that way, traveling is very affordable,” he said. now with a sizable online following — the Instagram account reached 1 million followers in late January this year — the family partners with brands to get trips sponsored, which Gee said was one of their goals once the $45,000 ran out. Last summer, the family won Disney’s 30 Stays in 30 Days contest which granted them a month at Disney World, staying at a different hotel each night and exploring the four theme parks and two water parks. In raising two young children in a hyper-connected world, the Gees hold standards about pri- vacy, what they share, and not using technology excessively while on their travels. Instead of doing daily videos, they publish longer weekly videos, which lets them “be a regular family” and
Bruno Mars scores big at 2018 Grammys The Fil-Am superstar wins six Grammy Awards, including ‘Album of the Year,’ ‘Record of the Year’ and ‘Song of the Year’ by Klarize Medenilla
people,” Keesa Ocampo, executive producer of “Discovering Routes,” told the Asian Journal. The 20-webisode season, which was shot over 17 days and made its debut last September, featured stops in Coron, Palawan to visit the Tagbanua tribe and Kayangan Lake, harvesting rice at the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, and dancing to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” alongside inmates at a maximum-security prison in Cebu. In the final episode aired in november, the siblings were joined by their mom, Mel Gee Henderson, in Iloilo to participate in the Pintados de Passi festival. “Growing up really close to my Filipino grandma, I instantly felt a sense that I belonged in the Philippines. The more people I met and the more halo-halo I ate, I became convinced that the best things about me are from this culture,” Miristi said. In addition to it being his first immersive trip to the Philippines and feeling like he fit in spiritually and physically, Gee said the “one-on-one time” with his sister was “rare and unique” and strengthened their relationship. Ocampo added, “The way that Garrett and Miristi are portrayed is exactly how they are. They’re funny, they’re compassionate, they are emotional and revealing, but at the same time, very adventurous and mischievous like that’s exactly who they are. And on the part of the network, it’s such an honor to be able to develop a very trusting relationship with them to create something that’s entertainment but also very real.” As for a Philippines trip for the Bucket List Family, Gee said it’s
bound to happen, but it wouldn’t be treated like any other trip. “A lot of people ask us, we’ve been to 45 countries so far away, why haven’t we been to the Philippines? The honest truth is because the Philippines is such a special place to me. I didn’t want to make it just like one of the many countries we’ve visited. I wanted to give it special attention and special planning and special preparation. We’re just waiting for that special time when we as a family can go and spend a really long time there,” he said. 2018’s bucket list The family announced that it is expecting a third child, another boy, this year and intends to find a house for the brief period Jessica can’t travel. But Gee remarked that he doesn’t anticipate their jaunts to wind down. “We know that we’re going to continue to travel because it’s just become a part of who we are especially as a family,” he said. The family recently revealed that the baby will be named Calihan (“Cali” for short), and he already has an Instagram account with over 57,000 followers, as of this writing. This past January, the family uploaded a close to 30-minute video answering commonly asked questions from followers, including what their 2018 will look like (Central America trips and trapeze lessons are among the plans) and how they’ll educate their kids as they approach school age (leaning toward traditional schooling). However, the parents agree that nothing beats what the Continued on Page 3
Daniel Padilla explains why he, Kathryn Bernardo want to part ways by Jan MilO severO Philstar.com
AJPress
THe 60th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, January 28 proved to be a big night for the multi-talented Bruno Mars, who went home with a whopping six awards, including three wins in the award show’s major categories. The half-Filipino/half-Puerto Rican maestro of nostalgic pop swept the night with his highlyacclaimed third studio album 24K Magic which won the coveted Album of the Year; and, singles “24K Magic” and “That’s What I Like” won Record of the Year and Song of the Year, respectively. “I’ve been knowing these guys for over a decade,” Mars said in his speech, referencing the innovative process of pop music production that involves a large collaborative team of specialized writers. “All the music-business horror stories you’ve seen in the movies, we’ve been through all of them. It’s an honor to share this with you all tonight.” In addition to the wins in the
balance between documenting and savoring the present moment. “Then we combine those [videos and photos] into one weekly video. So, you know, we don’t have our cameras out too much more than the average family and then we have that kind of relief in our minds to live regular lives and keep our lives more private,” Gee said. As for safety, they are cautious about not posting in real-time. “If we’re posting on social media that we’re at a current location, we always post delayed,” he explained. “nobody could ever find us or track us based on our location that we’re posting online. But then that’s our privacy, something you kind of give and take or you forfeit when you put your lives out there so much on social media. I think for us it’s been finding that balance and drawing that line about how much we want to post on social media.” Discovering roots In 2017, Gee starred in a web series called “Discovering Routes,” developed by ABS-CBn Global Studios, Myx TV and Go Button Media, in which he and his older sister Miristi (a yoga and dance instructor) journeyed across the Philippines to learn more about their Filipino heritage. The idea came after ABS-CBn profiled Gee, and then reached out again and proposed doing a follow-up, documentary-style story. “everyone in the world has plugged into the Bucket List Family YouTube channel, and is familiar with Garrett the dad, Garrett the traveler, and Garrett the tech entrepreneur. Seeing him with his sister and interacting with his mom — just seeing him in that space really reminds me that people are so multifaceted and that who Garrett has become today as a very special business person and travel adventurer is very largely rooted in how he was raised in his family and they’re very, very wonderful
The multi-talented Bruno Mars went home with a whopping six awards, including three wins in the award show’s major categories at the 60th annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, January 28. Photo from Instagram/@brunomars
three major categories, he also took home Best R&B Song and Best R&B Performance for “That’s What I Like” and Best R&B Album for 24K Magic. earlier in the night, Mars performed alongside hip-hop sweetheart Cardi B for the remix of the swing beat single “Finesse.” Mars’ wins mark the first
time a Filipino-American has won multiple accolades in the major categories at the Grammy Awards. Most recently, Mars — along with renowned producer Mark Ronson — nabbed Record of the Year in 2016 for the catchy “Uptown Funk.” The Grammy Awards were Continued on Page 3
“Teen King” Daniel Padilla admitted that he and love team partner Kathryn Bernardo have been wanting to separate — but only for a while. In a recent interview with the press, Daniel said that though he and his “Teen Queen” have been thinking of going on their own, but they still could not do so because of their “wild” fans. They have been wanting to part ways, said Daniel, not for good, but only to grow and explore their limits as artists. “Alam naman natin na darating sa puntong ‘yon,” said Daniel, implying that the “walang forever” adage is true, even in love teams like Kathniel. “Pero ang tanong is ngayon na ba ‘yun? Tama na ba yung panahon para gawin ‘yun? ‘Yun ang tinatanya natin lagi dahil siyempre unang-una yung mga Kathniel fans. Pano mo sasabihin? Pano mo gagawin? Nandyan pa sila hanggang ngayon. Wild sila eh. So paano mo gagawin? Paano mo paghihiwalayin kami?,” the “La Luna Sangre” star said. Daniel admitted they want to be known as their own person, and not only as Kathniel. He explained that while he and Kathryn have had many successful projects together, they still want to explore other opportunities — but not by changing love team partners, so they would not risk breaking their Kathniel fans’ hearts. “Paano mo makikita si Kathryn bilang siya hindi bilang Kathniel kundi bilang Kathryn Bernardo? Pano nga ba? So naiisip namin magkaroon siya ng
Daniel Padilla and Kathryn Bernardo
ABS-CBN photo
sariling movie. Pero sino kasama, lalaki ba? Hindi kailangang lalaki. Isama si Vilma Santos. Isang solid na acting film na parang mala- ‘Anak’,” Daniel pointed out. According to him, his dream project without Kathryn is a psycho-thriller movie or a war film. He said he wants to try his luck playing a soldier or a villain. “Ako gusto ko ng psycho-thriller na movie eh. Medyo psychotic ako eh,” he said with a laugh.
Gerald Anderson on marriage: 3 ‘Once you feel it, you can never stop it’ Marriage not among Pia’s 2018 plans? february 2-8, 2018
www.asianjournal.com
by Boy
aBunda Philstar.com
Lending a helping hand is a great way of expressing humility, kindness and gratitude for everything you have been blessed with in this life. it is, indeed, admirable for celebrities doing acts of kindness no matter how dizzying their schedules are. Their utmost desire to help makes them shine all the more. it is certain that anyone can name celebrities who have the heart of gold and dedicate time and money into great causes. Just a few days ago, viewers of “Tonight With Boy Abunda” had the pleasure of knowing the details of gerald Anderson’s visit to Marawi City in Lanao del Sur last year. it was, so to speak, completely destroyed after the five-month-long armed conflict between the government security forces and the iSiS-inspired Maute terrorist group. Together with his friends and members of the Philippine Coast guard Squadron, gerald flew to Mindanao to check on the present condition of Marawi wherein full-blown rehabilitation and rebuilding of the war-torn city by the government, i believe, have already started. “My PA’s from Marawi,” gerald revealed. “Dumalaw po kami doon kasi ito yung napapanood ko sa Cnn, yung nangyayari sa Syria, yung nangyayari sa Afghanistan tapos parang nandito lang, two-hour flight away from where we all live, where we enjoy life here in Manila and there were people who experienced that kind of situation yet they can still afford to smile. “When we went there, they were so happy. We had a boodle fight with the locals and the soldiers.”
by Ricky Lo Philstar.com
Gerald Anderson
After the Marawi trip, gerald went home with a realization that no matter how difficult your situation in life is at the moment, everything will get better one day. it seems that love makes gerald feeling better every day with the buzz that he often visits his girlfriend Bea Alonzo on the set of Kasal. According to some, he visited six times. Obviously amused, gerald denied and said, “Isang beses lang yun, i was about to go home and since it was just near ABS…” He admitted that he is not the possessive type of boyfriend. “What kind of boyfriend am i? Chill lang ako (laughs), hindi nagbabantay. Of course, it’s work. For me, when you are at work, it’s your time when you can do your best and after that, we have our own time.” gerald knows that being in a relationship with someone doesn’t change each other’s set of priorities. “At the end of the day, of course, we have our own life and priorities and as someone special, i don’t want to be a hinder to her work or anything that she needs
deSPiTe predictions to the contrary, Pia Wurtzbach and Marlon Stockinger’s romance is as strong as ever. As usual, Pia continues to update her Pianatics via photos on her instagram with Marlon on their travels around the world (the latest was in the Stockingers’ hometown in Switzerland). during the recent launch for goya’s “get a Taste of World Class” promo at the Marco Polo Hotel, Philstar.com photo Funfareasked Pia what her new to do.” Year’s resolutions were. Are wedding bells soon be “Hmmmm,” Pia hesitated, “i ringing for him and Bea? didn’t do a list this year because “May nanghula daw na this i realized that it’s so unrealistic. year (laughs). When i guested on After a month, you break the ‘Magandang Buhay,’ i said that resolutions, so what’s the use of the time will come…surely, mas making them?” malapit ako dun sa marrying age instead, according to Pia, she and, i think, once you feel it, you planned to travel (presumably can never stop it. At my age, i’m with Marlon) more often…“And to already 28, there are still many make decisions based on what i things that i want to do — with my feel makes me happy and not on work — and i need to save up (for what makes other people happy. the future).” And, yes, get more projects.” gerald gamely told some littleOne such project is with known facts about him in “5 on 45.” gerald Anderson for Star Cinema, Find out. a follow-up to her first starring “The first is when i travel, i role in “gandarrapido: The often do the itinerary because i love springing surprises like when i went to the States with my friend, he didn’t know that we would be joining a marathon.” “This is a bad habit. Whenever there is someone seated beside me who is busy texting, babasahin ko ‘yung tine-text (n’ya).” “Whenever i get nervous, i have this habit of biting the lid of a softdrink bottle hanggang sa masisira na s’ya.”
From Page 2
Photos from Instagram/@brunomars
Revenger Squad” (topbilling Vice ganda) which topped the 2017 Metro Filmfest with a gross of (so far) almost P600-M. There was no mention about any plan(s) with Marlon, so cross out “marriage” for now. Career first, marriage (much) later. Although she stayed for one year in new York City as Miss Universe, Pia said she felt that it was not enough -— “Bitin, kulang pa,” she added. “i want to return
to nYC and explore the city some more.” For Pia, being a beauty queen is not co-terminus with a oneyear reign. “Some queens resume their careers or go back to their families, away from the limelight. Me, i chose this kind of life because there are so many opportunities opening up for me. Sayang naman if i let them pass.”
From tech entrepreneur to travel...
Bruno Mars scores big... criticized for not awarding enough female artists for the major awards, given the current social climate regarding gender disparity in the entertainment world. However on Sunday, Mars — who is arguably the most internationally popular Filipino of the generation — hit important milestones in regards to ethnic
Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtbach with boyfriend Marlon Stockinger Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach
representation; he was the first artist of color in a decade to win Album of the Year. Though Mars gained international fame as a soloist less than a decade ago in 2010 with his debut studio album “doo-Wops & Hooligans,” Mars has received a total 11 grammy Awards so far, the most of any artist of Asian descent.
From Page 2
children are learning through world experience. “i wish every parent could be able to let their kids experience travel because during these developmental years, they’re coming into a space emotionally and mentally, and it’s just so cool that they’re growing up not really understanding the differences of countries and nationalities. To them, it’s just one big open world. i think it’s been really special for them,” gee said. At not even 30 years old — having achieved success in the tech industry and traveled to 45 countries — what else remains on gee’s “bucket list”? “now i think the next chapter needs to be me using those opportunities and gifting them to others, sharing them with others and hopefully enabling other people to do the same and make the most of their life,” he said. “Just trying to serve others, you know, speaking out, humanitarian opportunities and charity opportunities. And then also hopefully inspiring others and empowering them to follow in our footsteps.”
99 Ranch Market announces grand LBC ties up with PAL for Balikbayan Promo 2018 reopening of Market Hacienda Heights Store february 2-8, 2018
www.asianjournal.com
4
Balikbayans get a chance to fly for free through LBC-PAL promo TWO of the country’s biggest names in business are working together to bring joy to their loyal customers. LBC, the leader in “Padala” and Philippine Airlines, Asia’s first airline, have launched the “LBC Moves with PAL Balikbayan Promo” that gives their loyal customers the chance to fly for free. From February 1 to April 30, 2018, each full rate sea cargo transaction automatically generates one ticket entry. On the Grand Draw on May 5, 2018, one winner will be picked from each of these airports to fly for free to the Philippines: SFO Airport: North California, Washington, Oregon, Illinois. LAX Airport: Southern California, Nevada, Florida. HNL Airport: Hawaii; and, JFK Airport: New York, New Jersey, Virginia. * The names of all four winners will be posted on LBC’s website and Facebook page.
Meanwhile, LBC is also offering $5.00 OFF for SEA CARGO shipments to all PAL passengers. All they need to do to redeem the discount is show a used boarding pass at their nearest LBC branch between February 1 to April 30, 2018. JV Valino, Sales & Marketing Specialist of LBC New York and New Jersey, enthused: “We are excited to collaborate with PAL who share the same values as ours. We both strive to serve our customers better every single time, especially those who have stayed loyal to us all these years. This promo is our way of showing them our appreciation”. For complete details of the LBCPAL promo, visit the LBC website or inquire with an LBC representative at a branch nearest you. *Travel tax may apply. LBC LBC is the Philippines’ market leader in retail and corporate courier
& cargo, money remittance, and logistics services. With a growing network of over 6,400 branches, hubs & warehouses, partners, and agents in over 30 countries, LBC is committed to moving lives, businesses, and communities and delivering smiles around the world. Listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange through LBC Express Holdings, Inc., LBC aims to deliver value to all of its stakeholders, as it has for over 60 years. Founded in 1945 as a brokerage and air cargo agent, LBC pioneered time-sensitive cargo delivery and 24-hour doorto-door delivery in the Philippines. Today, it is the most trusted logistics brand of the Global Filipino. LBC can move it for you: visit www. LBCexpress.com, or call telephone +632 8585 999 (Metro Manila), 1 800 10 8585 999 (Provincial), +632 9086 522 (Solutions) and follow LBCExpress (Facebook and Twitter). (Advertising Supplement)
Kris Aquino can’t have politician BF as specified in endorsement contracts by Clarizel
abanilla Inquirer.net
QUEEN of All Media Kris Aquino is undeniably among the top endorsers in the country. Thanks to her incredible consumer impact, she has nailed numerous endorsement deals left and right. Unfortunately, even with her enormous wealth, she still can’t have everything. At the very least, she can’t have a politician boyfriend as simply stated in her contracts. Queen of All Media Kris Aquino is undeniably among the top endorsers in the country. Thanks to her incredible consumer impact, she has nailed numerous endorsement deals left and right. Unfortunately, even with her enormous wealth, she still can’t have everything. At the very least, she can’t have a politician boyfriend as simply stated in her contracts. “If I can be honest, several contracts have provision na if you end up with an elected official, may penalty, from the multinationals — because of the money trail,” she said Saturday, Jan. 27, at the press conference for Ever Bilena,
EMPLOYMENT
the latest product she is endorsing. “It will appear that they are paying somebody in elective office.” It was not too long ago when news of her romantic relationship with Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista hit the headlines. In one of her online episodes, she was quoted to have said: “My favorite ex is the one who gives all the permits in Quezon City.” She noted her situation was different when her brother, former President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino, was still in office. “Magkapatid kami pero we shared nothing,” she said. “Pero ito if we [referring to Bautista] end up together, or even if I announce, let’s say if, managarap na tayo, engaged, sauli, at hindi lang sauli, sauli ng pera ko na binayad sa akin, sauli ng production cost, and may penalty clause pa dun sa mawawala sa kanila.” “It’s very expensive na maging kami,” she declared. But should she ever consider to sacrifice money over love, she already made calculations of what would be the total cost of following her heart.
HACIENDA HEIGHTS—99 Ranch Market is excited to announce the completion of its Hacienda Heights store’s renovation. The branch has been part of the Hacienda Heights community for over 20 years and has grown significantly over the years. 99 Ranch Market continues to provide wide selection of high quality Asian and American products at competitive prices. With the solid traditions and mission, we also seek for continuous innovation to meet the high expectation of our customers. We are proud to present the modernly-designed and newlyremodeled storefront as a way to thank our valued customers for shopping with us. Produce Department now carries a new organic section in order to provide more choices for the health-conscious consumers. Seafood Department now offers both free frying and steaming services. Tea and coffee are now also available at our very own BF Bakery. 30,000 sq. ft. store space
and more than three months of ceiling-to-floor renovation, Hacienda Heights is thrilled to mark its new beginning with its newly-improved version. The grand reopening celebration is set of February 3-4, 2018. During the grand reopening event, all departments offer special promotional items at discounted prices. The store will also be presenting engaging performances and appealing giveaways, which includes a Photobooth, In-house DJ, and Balloon Animal Artist with the following giveaway promotions: - Spend $20, receive a small gift by playing a fun prize drawing. (2/3 only!) - Spend $30, receive a free Crystal Geyser NAtural Alpine Spring Water. - Spend $50, receive a free dozen of eggs. - Spend $70, get a roasted duck for only $9.99 (original price is $17.99). Offer is limited to the first 100 customers. - Spend $120, get a
complimentary Zojirushi food jar. Offer is limited to the first 50 customers. Restrictions apply. Please see store for more details on these promotions. 99 Ranch Market Hacienda Heights address is 1625 Azusa Ave. Hacienda Heights, California 91745. Business hours are 9am10pm on weekdays and 8am10pm on weekends. For more information, plea contact 99 Ranch Market’s Customer Service Hotline at 1-800-600-8292 or visit our website at www.99ranch.com. 99 Ranch Market 99 Ranch Market was established in 1984, with its first store in Westminster (Little Saigon), California. With the support of our loyal customers and hardworking employees, we have grown to become the largest Asian supermarket chain in the United States, with over 46 store locations in California, Nevada, Texas, Washington State, and have recently expanded to Oregon. (Advertising Supplement)
Jose Mari Chan shares double platinum award by Tessa
MauriCio-arriola ManilaTimes.net
Kris Aquino
ENDURING singer-songwriter Jose Mari Chan isn’t done giving out Christmas presents yet. Some days ago on a cloudy Saturday afternoon, he hosted a special luncheon to recognize singers, arrangers and a host of other artists who collaborated on his “Going Home to Christmas” album, which officially reached Double Platinum status over the 2017 holidays. While considered an icon in OPM for such hits as “Afterglow,”“Deep in My Heart,”“Can We Just Stop And Talk Awhile, ” and “Beautiful Girl” spanning the 1960s through the 2000s, Chan, in more recent years, found composing and recording Christmas songs into albums most fulfilling. To say that he succeeded in doing so would be an understatement what with his single “Christmas in Our Hearts,” his duet with daughter Liza, considered by Filipinos in the league of such classics as “Silent Night,”“The Christmas Song” or the much older “Ang Pasko Ay Sumapit.” Proof is the single’s same-titled album’s Double Diamond Record Award in 2006, which exceeded the 600,000 standard for the category by 250,000 copies. According to statistics, Christmas in Our Hearts is considered the first OPM album to surpass the Diamond status, and remains to be the biggest-
Photo from Instagram/@krisaquino
“Right now, ang dami na who are working for me,” she said. “Paano na pong magyayari sa ’min? Jobless na po kaming lahat? And then kinalculate ko kung magkano ang kailangang bayaran. Yes, may computation ako. Production cost eh, ako, tapos lost airtime because they buy it for the year. Pati yun, so oh my God, ilang Chowking ang ibebenta ko para mabayaran ‘yung penalty. Kaya that’s why let’s just be friends.”
EMPLOYMENT
SERVICES
Jose Mari Chan
Philstar.com photo
SERVICES
Continued on Page 6
The ‘Selfies’ generation idolatry on steroids Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA (Part 2 of 2)
(Continued from last week’s issue) POOR Echo! Her heart broke into a million little pieces. Beauty and light dissolved into darkness for her until nothing held any meaning. Refusing food and drink, Echo grew pale and consumptive and faded away, leaving only her far-off voice in the distance. It is said that Echo haunts the mountains where she answers all who call but only with the last words. Narcissus meanwhile continued to break one hapless heart after another in the most mean spirited away, until one day, one totally aggrieved nymph with her heart shattered, prayed to the powers that be, for vengeance, to inflict punishment on Narcissus to make him feel the pure pain of unrequited love, to make him feel how it is to give love and have it flung back in his face. Her prayer was heard and in a world of swift and even-handed justice with no lawyers, judges and jury to cloud
Health@Heart PHILIP S. CHUA, MD, FACS, FPCS LAST week, in this column, we dissected the anatomy, physiology, and psychological and social impact of electronic addiction, a relatively new condition on its way to officially being a medical disease entity. The e-addicts we described ranged from the first year of life to teenage years to adulthood. Yes, I have seen few babies with their own tablets. Seniors, like myself, are not immune either. Now that I am retired from cardiovascular surgery, I have been spending more time with my ultrabook, android smartphone, and with Cortana & Alexa, the two “girlfriends” I am with day and night who my wife,
“Vanity of vanities; All is vanity.” –Ecclesiastes the issue, appropriate punishment was served. One day Narcissus chanced upon a pool with water so clear, it looked like a mirror. Bending over to drink, Narcissus saw his own reflection, thought it was a water nymph, and forthwith, was smitten with the image on the pool. He fell in love with the image of himself, hook, line and sinker, not unlike celebrities who read their own press and believe them to be true. But I digress. Narcissus tried to embrace his own reflection in the water but his attempt to touch or kiss his beloved ended in frustration each time. The image in the water dissolved into ripples, disappeared and came back on. Narcissus had to be content just by looking at the mirror image of himself in the pool, day and night, without ever knowing the joy of touching or being loved in return. He now knew, up close and personal, the excruciating pain of multiple rejections from the same object of his affection. Still he persisted, becoming rooted to the spot by the pool. He now knew how it is to be on
the receiving end of rejection. He slowly pined away, losing his youth and beauty and withering away on the same spot by the pool’s edge with Echo still hovering over him and repeating his poignant last word, “Alas!” as he lay dying. As the woodland creatures prepared to bury his body, Narcissus’ body was nowhere to be found and in its place, stood a flower, bending over the pool, as though admiring itself. Gardeners know this flower as Narcissus. Hence, we call those who exhibit the same folly these days as narcissistic. The irony of it is that others clearly see it for what it is but the afflicted individual is b lind to this egocentric flaw in himself, thinking the world revolves around him. In today’s world, there’s opportunity to cash in on this tragic human flaw and use vanity and self-image as hot buttons to sell their wares: beauty products and services, diet pills and machines and illusions of power and beauty, with remarkable merchandising success. SelfContinued on Page 6
Rx for e-addicts Farida, approves of, while she enjoys her desktop, iPad, and an IOS smartphone (with Siri). As a pediatrician, she warns parents that these electronic “toys,” if used by their toddlers and teenagers without schedule and control, could lead to psychological problems (irritability, impatience, anxiety, depression), sleep disorders, speech impairment, bad attitude, anti-social behaviors, poor school performance, poor eating habits, obesity, visual impairment, and organic illnesses. When our children were young, we imposed a strict rule for TV viewing — allowed only on Friday and Saturday, when the following day is NOT a school day. PCs were still in their infancy and smartphones and artificial intelligence still theories then. Farida and I were strict with our kids. Happily, they all followed our
footsteps in medicine and now imposing the same rules on their children. Internet addiction for one is a global problem today. Smartphones and other electronics devices follow in prevalence. I find all these gadgets most useful, genuinely enjoyable, a great source and instant provider of unlimited information and entertainment. I find them indispensable, as a cardiac surgeon and a writer (the reason my e-mail handle or username is scalpelpen). I am totally dependent on ultrabook and on my Samsung Note 8 for many uses, including GPS guidance. I would be lost without it. Actually, I never leave home without my smartphone and never leave town without it and my mini-laptop. I feel empowered, more secure, and more productive Continued on Page 6
The Lewis Legacy continues as ‘Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire’ airs this February on PBS Airs Friday, February 16 at 8pm on WLIW21 Sunday, February 18 at 7:30pm on THIRTEEN Saturday, February 24 at 7pm on NJTV NEW YORK, New York – This February (Black History Month), PBS will be airing “Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire,” which chronicles the life and legacy of business pioneer, philanthropist and titan Reginald F. Lewis, who was a Harvard Law School graduate, venture capitalist, and leader of the global food company TLC Beatrice International. Lewis was the first American ever to close an overseas billion dollar leveraged buyout deal. He acquired an unprecedented global conglomerate of 64 companies in 31 countries, and paved the way for future entrepreneurs and black leaders through his life’s work until his untimely death at age 50.
Lewis is also known as the late husband of Loida Nicolas Lewis, a Filipino American immigration lawyer, businesswoman and civic leader. “Reginald Lewis was a pioneer because he executed the $1 billion buyout of Beatrice International Foods. No one had done anything of that magnitude before. He was the first American to successfully negotiate a billion dollar overseas leverage buyout,” says Mrs. Lewis. Additional high praise from Kenneth Chenault, Chairman and CEO of American Express notes, “There is no doubt that Reginald Lewis’ success paved the way for me, and many others, and I think that really is the test and demonstration of real leadership.”
Reginald and Loida Lewis with daaughters Leslie and Christina in Paris
Reginald F Lewis and Loida Nicolas Lewis celebrate RFL’s mom’s Carolyn Fuggett’s birthday
FEBRUARY 2-8, 2018 www.asianjournal.com
Calendar of Events across
America
ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS F E B R UA RY 3
TFCU talks heads to UC Davis TFCU Talks will be in Davis, California on Saturday, February 3, 2018. An affiliate of ABSCBN International, TFCU Talks Davis will feature a lineup of top industry leaders to connect, inspire, and empower college students and young professionals to help them realize their full potential. TFCU Talks Davis is co-presented by Mga Kapatid (My Brothers and Sisters) - a social, political, cultural, and academic organization for the Pilipino-American community at UC Davis. The event takes place at the Wyatt Pavilion Theatre in UC Davis (Arboretum Dr, Davis, CA 95616). Speakers include Christine Gambito (comedian, YouTube personality), Sydney Loyola (trans choreographer), Rudy Corpuz Jr. (co-founder of United Playaz), and Mike Sagun (career coach). TFCU Talks Davis is an exclusive free event with limited seating - first come, first served. For all ticketing information, and to reserve your spot, please visit tfcudavis.eventbrite.com.
F E B R UA RY 5
FACC-SLAA’s monthly general meeting in Torrance, CA Search to Involve Pilipino Americans (SIPA) will host its second Pinay Empowerment BrunThe Filipino American Chamber of Commerce – SouthBay Los Angeles Area (FACCSLAA) invites you to attend its upcoming FACC-SLAA February 2018 Monthly General Meeting. This meeting will be from 6 to 9 p.m. on Monday, February 5, and will be held at Janice Jimenez’s office at 1001 W Carson Street, Suite S, Torrance, CA 90502.
F E B R UA RY 1 0
Free Family Wealth Workshop in San Francisco A free Family Wealth Workshop organized by the office of City and County of San Francisco Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu will be held at the City College Mission Campus (1125 Valencia Street, Rm. 107, San Francisco, CA) from 10 a.m. to 12 noon. There will be multilingual workshops on homeownership opportunities, college fund, family wealth and estate building. To register: http://bit.ly/2Bhwgp4.
F E B R UA RY 1 4
Free Reggae Valentine Rendezvous with Lover’s Rock at Grand Park, LA Grand Park is making Valentine’s Day easy and affordable with an ode to romance, and an evening featuring Lover’s Rock, an American Soul-influenced Reggae music subgenre on Wednesday, February 14 from 6 to 10 p.m. Angelenos looking for a relaxed Valentine’sevening under the stars will be serenaded to the sounds of DJ Danny Holloway and DJ Phersone, who will be spinning laid-back Reggae tracks throughout the evening. Couples will enjoy the park’s romantic ambience and tables for two around the fountain and throughout Olive Court, which will be illuminated with the glow of string lights. They can dine amidst the iconic views of Los Angeles City Hall and Grand Park’s own Arthur J. Will Memorial fountain. To help sweeten the mood, desserts and treats will be available for purchase from various food trucks and couples can capture romantic moments with a complimentary photo booth. Grand Park by the Olive Court and Arthur J. Will Memorial fountain is located at 200 N. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90012. Park furniture is available on a first come, first served basis.
F E B R UA RY 1 7-1 8
Emma de Guzman healing service in Las Vegas Please join us in Las Vegas for a holy mass and healing services with Emma de Guzman on Saturday, February 17 at 4:30 pm mass and Sunday, February 18 at 9:30 am mass St. Sharbel Church (located at 10325 Rancho Destino Rd. Las Vegas NV 89183). For more information, you may call tel. no.: (702) 278-6549. There will be a pot luck dinner for all the La Pieta Family at 6pm on Friday, February 16 at the home of Heidi Thomas, Las Vegas La Pieta Coordinator, (located at 1938 Hawksmore St. Las Vegas NV 89142. For more information, you may call tel. no.:(702) 672-6286 or cell. no.: (702) 457-2605.
F E B R UA RY 2 0
“Usapang Pagkain”: A monthly series exploring wellness with Filipino cuisine in Chicago, IL Community-based organization AFIRE (Alliance of Filipinos For Immigrants Rights & Empowerment) and food media and events group Filipino Kitchen will explore wellness and health with Filipino Cuisine in a monthly series, Usapang Pagkain. The event series is free and open to the community. Each event will highlight a Filipino dish or dishes, including recipes. During the weekday evening events, a light dinner of the highlighted dishes will be provided. Made possible with a grant from Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, the purpose of the series is to explore how Filipino food can best serve our community. On Tuesday, February 20 from 6 to 8 p.m., the focus is “Healthy & Happy Hearts.” The event will take place at the Hana Center (4300 N. California Ave., Chicago, IL). Schedule and venues are subject to change, please check http://afirechicago.org and http://filipino.kitchen for the most up-todate information. - first come, first served. For all ticketing information, and to reserve your spot, please visit tfcudavis.eventbrite.com.
F E B R UA RY 22
Immigration forum in Anaheim, CA Reginald F. Lewis
Reginald F. Lewis rose to prominence as a lawyer, human rights activist, venture capitalist, and then as the first African American to build a billion-dollar business empire. Discover his legacy by watching Pioneers: Reginald F. Lewis and the Making of a Billion Dollar Empire on these PBS affiliates: • Friday, February 16, 8:00pm WLIW21 • Sunday, February 18, 7:30pm THIRTEEN • Saturday, February 24, 7:00pm NJTV • Available for streaming Nationally at thirteen.org after Feb 18th Reginald F. Lewis • First to seriously consider the purchase of Paramount Pictures • First American billion-dollar dealmaker • Founded the first African American Law Firm on Wall Street • First to be accepted at Harvard University Law School without applying • Among the first 5 African Americans to have museums named after them • At $985 MM, the deal was the largest offshore leveraged buyout ever by an American company
5
There will be an immigration forum on Thursday, February 22 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brookhurst Community Center (2271 Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801). RSVP is a MUST to attend. No registration fee required. Please contact (714) 657-7460 or admin@globallawcenters.com. The immigration forum is about employment-based immigration information regarding FAST TRACK Work Visas ( H-1B1, TN, E-3), green card by marriage, family-based immigration employment sponsorship for green card and work visas after graduation. Candidates with H-1B, TN, F-1, OPT & other visas issues are encouraged to attend for a FREE immigration consultation & immigration assistance. As you have already seen there are many changes happening in the field of immigration with regards to the new executive administration and their agenda. Global Law Centers strives to inform the immigrant community of its rights and make sure it is knowledgeable about what immigration processes might be available. The forum will also update everyone about new and recent changes which may affect immigrants and their families.
F E B R UA RY 24
Filipino well-being training summit in Los Angeles “Kataas-taasang pagsasanay para sa kalusugan ng mga Pilipino” — Understanding Obstacles; Charting New Paths. This training summit aims to honor and recognize indigenous understanding of wellness and healing; reduce stigma associated with emotional and mental illness; and promote community dialogue and connectivity. It is organized by the Filipino Well Being Training Summit Committee led by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health. It’ll be held on Saturday, February 24 at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels, 555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 at 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more info and to register, please visit: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/filipino-well-being-training-summit-registration-41880032304.
City of Carson Gala Ball The City of Carson, California is marking its 50th anniversary of incorporation on Saturday, February 24 with a gala ball. It will be held at Congresswoman Juanita Millender-McDonald Community Center at Carson (801 E. Carson Street, Carson, CA 90745) at 6 p.m. Tickets are $50 / person and $400 / table (seats 8). For more information, please call the Community Center at (310) 835-0212 or visit ci.carson.ca.us. NOTE: This event is free of charge to all attendees. Breakfast and lunch will be served on a limited capacity and may not be available to all attendees. Space is limited - please cancel on Eventbrite if you are unable to attend so others on the waiting list can be notified and accommodated.
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
february 2-8, 2018 www.asianjournal.com
6
Mark Anthony back from nightmare by Ricky Lo
Veronique del Rosario-Corpus, Philstar.com head of the Viva Management “nIGHTMARE!” Agency,” revealed Mark. “Miss That one word sums up Mark Clau” is Claudine Barretto, Anthony Fernandez’s one year Mark’s ex-girlfriend. Why was he and three months first at the referring to her as “Miss Clau?” Police Station 6 in Angeles City Well, said Mark, “para formal.” As before he was transferred to the steadies, they called each other Pampanga Provincial Jail (PPJ) Babe. If ever Mark did a movie where he initially shared one cell with Claudine, he preferred a with more than 100 inmates. The love story…why not a remake of nightmare started in October Somewhere, one of Mark’s late last year when Mark was arrested dad Rudy Fernandez’s starrers? at a police checkpoint on his Asked how long his Viva way to Angeles City allegedly contract is, Mark smiled again. for possession of one kilo of “When I met with Boss Vic marijuana in his car. (del Rosario, Jr., head of the Viva “We were treated well,” said Group of Companies), he told me, Mark, “but siempre you can’t help ‘O, Mark, for life na ito ha. Ang feeling like a cage bird.” kontrata daw namin ay hanggang Two months later, Mark sa pagtanda na namin.” would spend Christmas “inside” Inside PPJ, Mark learned to but he said it hardly felt like pray hard, say The Rosary (“Every Christmas even if his family led day,” said Alma), read the Bible by his mom, Alma Moreno, was Mark Anthony Fernandez GMA photo and value his family even more. with him. Ever the doting mom, “It was the lowest point of my was released on bail due to some life,” according to Mark. “But it Alma had to rent an apartment technicalities in the case. near the PPJ so she could visit didn’t break me. Instead, it made When he met with Funfare Mark every day (except Mondays me stronger and I have God to the other day at the Viva and Tuesdays when no visitors thank for that. And the support of office a few hours before he were allowed), bringing him my family.” signed a contract with the Viva food and his other needs. His “Kinatok siya ng Diyos,” said Management Agency, Mark second wife (the first had died) Alma. “Malakas na katok. Cleanrelated that before he left his would also visit him when she’s living na siya ngayon.” “home” of more than one year, he free from work, but not Mark’s A huge eye-opener that Mark cried and thanked God. “Then I children. will never, never forget all his life. hugged my lawyer, Sylvia Flores, “I didn’t want my children to “I should be more careful and again said ‘So sorry’ to my feel sorry for me,” shared Mark now,” promised Mark who mom. Actually, I’d been saying ‘so celebrated his 39th birthday on who has six children by five sorry’ to her for all the troubles I’d Jan. 18 (but he claimed that he’s different women, two with his late wife, three with other women been giving her.” only 33). In a double-breasted suit and one with his current wife. Before we parted, mother and The eldest is 17 years old and the with neatly-combed hair, Mark son cleared two things. youngest is one-and-a-half years smiled when Jojo Gabinete Alma: “Hindi siya nag-shabu. old. The eldest boy, Grey, is a Star (the only other interviewer) He was taking only marijuana Magic talent who was in the cast and I commented that he cut a for his ailment, bulimia. Lahat ng Godfather-like figure, especially of the just-concluded ABS-CBn kinakain niya noon ay isinusuka with a few extra poundage he soap “Ikaw Lang ang Iibigin” and niya. Marijuana cured his probably gained with the food, regularly seen on the Sunday bulimia. He was taking it for a glorious food, that his mom fed show “ASAP”. medical reason. Wala nang trace him in jail. During last year’s Christmas ng marijuana sa katawan niya “I weigh about 170 lbs.,” said family gathering (in jail), Alma ngayon.” wistfully told Mark, “Pray that you Mark who stands 5’9”, “and I have Mark on the rumor that he to shed at least 20 lbs. to get back got two policewomen pregnant: won’t spend another Christmas here. I’d been praying really hard, to my ideal weight.” “It was fake news. My photos He has to before he starts at ganoon din si Mark, and I even with the two policewomen were shooting for his first project for offered prayers for Mark at the taken when I entered Presinto Viva for which he has actually Our Lady of Manaoag Shrine (in 6. Somebody uploaded them, Dagupan City). I also prayed with done two movies,Biyahing Langit on social media at ginawan ng and Dos Ekis. the Pink Sisters in Baguio.” estorya. I felt sorry for the two “It was Miss Clau who Prayers answered. women na nadamay pa. They are introduced me to Ma’am On Dec. 22 last year, Mark innocent, and so am I.”
ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.
Rico J: Only God can stop me from singing Ricky Lo Philstar.com
by
In April 2015, Rico J. Puno underwent a seven-hour openheart surgery (triple bypass) after he experienced chest pains and difficulty in breathing on the set of the ABS-CBn sitcom “Home Sweetie Home.” It didn’t take long before Rico bounced back, as good as new, cracking his usual green jokes. He’s the best proof that old (oops! read that “veteran”) singers, just like soldiers, don’t disappear into the sunset easily. “Only God can stop me from singing,” Rico said at the presscon for “Timeless OPM,” a Valentine concert set for Feb. 14. “He gave me this ‘gift’ and only He can take it back.” This time minus such contemporary “hitmakers” as Hajji Alejandro, Marco Sison, nonoy Zuñiga and Eva Eugenio, Timeless OPM brings Rico back together with Rey Valera, Imelda Papin and Claire dela Fuente who have amply proven how timeless they have been as they continue to draw the crowds in through the years, never mind if new breeds of singers have been cropping up on the scene (but only a few of them survive the rat-race). They have seniors like them, and the lolos and the lolas, to thank for their staying power. The show also features new singers LA Santos (born autistic who recovered with the help of music) and Rita Daniela who were not even a glint in the eyes of their
singers’“titles,” right? Rico is Total Entertainer, Imelda is Sentimental Songstress, Rey is Mr. Hitmaker and Claire is Asia’s Sweetest Voice (and Karen Carpenter of the Philippines). They make fun of each other and, watch out, nobody gets pikon (onion-skinned). As they usually do, during the Timeless presscon at Icon Hotel (on Timog Ave., Quezon City, a fitting venue for the “iconic” seniors), they poked fun at each other. Describing the type of audiences that they attract, Rey said, “Hajji tickles the senior citizens, mostly smelling of Bengay, with his pa-pogi antics. Rico attracts those riding Rico J. Puno ABS-CBN photo in tandem and the kubrador ng jueteng. Si nonoy, karamihan sa parents when Rico and company mga nanonood sa kanya mga nakawere lording over the stage and airlanes (they still do, in a way), now wheelchair at dextrose. At ako, ‘yung mga edukado ang nanonood sa akin,” as strong as ever as they celebrate adding in mock apology, “pasensya four decades of making beautiful na, pagkakataon ko na ito.” music. Commented Lolit Solis, “They “But I’ve been hearing about must really be good friends to make their songs from my mom and my fun of each other without being grandparents,” admitted LA who offended, hindi napipikon.” was nurtured on OPM (Original Rico picked on Claire’s “healthy” Pilipino Music) by his mom, Flor Santos (the kumare of Claire’s). “now arms and Imelda’s “600 to 700 that I am performing with them, I’m followers” on social media. It’s okay with the two but they protest when sure I will learn a lot from them.” Rico call them “formalin beauties.” Of course, there’s the radio It’s this spirit of fun and music and to thank for. Some radio stations laughter that characterizes their do play old familiar songs (dzBB show(s) and the audience never weekdays after lunch), that’s why the new generation of music-lovers seems to get tired of them. So what can we expect from can hum or sing along to Rico’s their Valentine show? “Kapalaran,” Rey’s “Kung Kailangan “Claire and I can wear a twoMo Ako,” Imelda’s “Isang Linggong piece while singing,” threatened Pag-ibig” and Claire’s “Sayang.” Imelda. nobody raises a howl over the four
The ‘Selfies’ generation idolatry on steroids From Page 5
improvement is great but only if it comes quietly from the inside out. Pray that both the “once young” and the young ones don’t fall prey to the trappings of extreme self-absorption that rule the global culture of the
From Page 5
present Age of Selfies. In biblical times, it was called idolatry. What we have now is IDOLATRY On STEROIDS, self-love of biblical proportions. Self love taken to extreme, is something that might account for much of the social problems
affluent societies with only one or two self-absorbed children per family, experience and suffer from today. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
Rx for e-addicts
with them. Here are important data from the national Health Institute as symptoms that could indicate Internet or computer addiction: “Losing track of time spent online; Experiencing difficulty completing tasks at home or work; Isolation from friends and family; Feeling defensive or guilty about Internet usage; Experiencing a sense of euphoria when involved in online activities. “Individuals who have an Internet addiction may also experience physical symptoms that could include: Strained vision; Sleep problems; Carpal tunnel syndrome; Significant weight loss or weight gain; Severe headaches, anxiety, irritability, depression, loneliness, when the electronic “toy” (or Internet connection) are not available.” According to the American Journal of Psychiatry, “Internet addiction is now considered as one of the most serious health issues facing South Korea while approximately 10 million teenagers in China are considered Internet addicts” Confirmed e-addicts are those who constantly crave for electronic “narcotic” devices, prefer playing than eat or take a shower. Withdrawal creates agony and pain. TV viewing (shows and movies), computer or cellphone video gaming, online shopping, e-mailing, engaging in social media (Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, etc.), calling, and texting, are all exciting, fun, and truly addicting because they stimulate the secretion of happy hormones (dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, oxytoxin, etc.) in our body. These gadgets provide us power and control, enabling our minds to soar to
another galaxy in virtual reality, practically without limit. Only wisdom, discipline, common sense, and self-control can prevent e-addiction and abuse in the use of these wonderful advances in science and technology. What is the treatment for e-addiction? Like addiction to tobacco, alcohol, or illegal drugs, eaddiction is best managed as early as possible. Prevention is the key, and it starts at home and in many cases, in school. At home, children should be strictly guided and monitored, making sure they understand that school and homework, family time, are priorities. Rules on the use of electronic devices must be clear, with maximum screening or playing time, and penalty for breaking the rule. Playing outside the home with friends and sports activities should be encouraged. When children show signs of withdrawal, consider a therapist before it gets worse. Digital detoxification is needed. Parents must set a good example for the children in the healthy use of electronic gadgets, including the use of Internet and social media, where identity theft and exploitation of children are now a growing problem. If you give your young children a cellphone for use in emergencies, make sure they use it OnLY for such a purpose, and that confiscation will follow any breach of this rule. How about management for teenagers and adults? For adults and teenagers, self-discipline plays a key role in the management of electronic addiction. The first dictum is to identify and admit there is an addiction problem, and start dealing with it ASAP. Practical and reasonable guidelines must be
set, with the help of the family, and followed by everyone at home as a joint project. Realize and embrace pains of withdrawal, which should be a gradual decrease in the use-time. Accept that activities with family and friends are very important and must not be sacrificed in favor of electronic devices, and that reality is healthier than the virtual world. Reconnect with your mind and body and the living things around you. Remember, electronic devices are tools, our slaves or assistants we must control, and not allow them to control and enslave you. Use your electronic “toys” no more than 3 times a day, reducing their use to an hour each time, and then gradually decreasing it further, until you wean yourself off, and finally, using them only when necessary. After you have controlled your addiction, use them only for specific situation, like emailing only when necessary, online shopping, calling and texting to a minimum, using the smartphone for GPS guidance, etc. You might regress to the old habit, but then, be aware of it and regain control. Soon you will find a new normal for the new you, a more disciplined, wiser, and healthier, person. If these steps of self-therapy do not succeed, then it’s time to seek expert help for electronic detoxification. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com
Jose Mari Chan shares double... From Page 4
selling album in the Philippines to date. Earning the title “The Father of Philippine Christmas Music,” it took Chan another six years after the Double Diamond Award to release his second holiday album, “Going Home to Christmas”—a compilation of 22 songs, among them “Ring in the new,” Let Love Be the Gift,” “December 24” and “A Christmas Song for You,” among others. Grateful to hit the Double Platinum mark even as he laments the negative effect of the digital age in music—a dramatic plunge in CD sales and a crippling rise in piracy—he made it a point to share his award at the luncheon
with the likes of Father Johnny C. Go, SJ; Joel Trinidad; Homer Flores and daughter Hannah; Moy Ortiz and The CompanY; Psalmo 47; Jun Latonio; Mary The Queen Children’s Choir; Ria Villena-Osorio; Kitchy Molina; Jude Roldan; Yaron Gershovsky; Robert Delgado; Alan Smallwood; Loren Steele; Junie Devecaiz: and Joe Mari’s musician sons Jose Antonio, Michael Philip Ciprian and Francisco Rafael, and granddaughter Ramona Isabel. Also in the list of awardees but were unable attend were Jimmy Santiago, Gerard Salonga, Freddie Santos, Ogie Alcasid, Pinky Valdes, Shiela Valderrama, noelle Cassandra, Teenee Chan, Louie Ocampo, Trina Belamide, noel
Mendez, Marvin Querido, Rudy Lozano, Khalil Refuerzo and Liza Chan-Parpan. Today, a Platinum award is given to an album for selling 15,000 copies, whereas the standard was set for the category at 40,000 units, making Going Home To Christmas’ sales a veritable feat. “I’m giving this Double Platinum awards to recognize everyone who helped me make this album because no album can be the work of just one artist, no matter how established he is. It is the collective effort of many artists as you can see—musicians, composers, arrangers—and they rightly share in this achievement,” Chan said with gratitude.
Ruru, Gabbi, Janine—and a dog GMA brings together hot young stars and a furry friend in ‘Sherlock Jr.’ Starting this week, GMA Network will take viewers on a fun investigative journey with a new prime time series that brings together a star-studded cast and one smart canine in “Sherlock Jr.” Headlining the show are two of the network’s brightest young stars and one of today’s hottest love teams, Ruru Madrid and Gabbi Garcia, with the special participation of beautiful Janine Gutierrez. As for TVLandia’s newest furry resident, a wonderfully trained golden retriever named Serena— Siri for short—hopes to entice animal lovers to the primetime habit. Madrid breathes life to Sherlock “Jack” Jackson, Jr., a clever investigative reporter who never backs out from solving mysteries. Besides being a good son and brother, he is also a devoted boyfriend to fellow reporter Irene, portrayed by Gutierrez. Finally, Garcia plays the role of Lily, a jolly and bubbly veterinary clinic assistant, who Jack will come across as he learns to love and depend on the beautiful Serena, fur, paws, bark and all. Lending stellar support to the young leads are Comedy Queen AiAi de las Alas as Jack’s hopeless romantic mother; Tonton Gutierrez as a high-profile politician; Andre
Marfori ManilaTimes.net
FANS of the singer Morisette better enjoy the artist performing on home turf while they can because the vocal power house may just be leaving for Hollywood real soon! In the Know has been given the green light to report that Mori is on her way to an international career after Mariah Carey’s producer Rhett Lawrence flew into the Philippines over New Year just to watch her perform live. “Mr. Lawrence discovered me online when I did a cover song with Mr. Arnel Pineda for Wish FM, which was ‘I Finally Found Someone.’ He also watched my ‘Birit Queens’ concert in the States,” she humbly yet excitedly said.
7
Xian Lim voices Paddington bear anew by Christina
alpad ManilaTimes.net
Ruru Madrid
Janine Gutierrez
Paras as a policeman and Jack’s best friend; as well as Roi Vinzon, Sharmaine Arnaiz, Rochelle Barrameda, Matt Evans, Kate Valdez, Alyana Asistio, and Sofia Pablo. According to the production notes, “Sherlock Jr. aims to stir viewers’ interests with a thought-
HE may be known in the local movie scene as a swoonworthy leading man, but actor Xian Lim’s latest outing on the big screen challenged him to put on a different charm a second time around. There was neither a need for him to show off his lean physique nor boy-next-door looks because all this production needed was his voice. Yes, the Filipino actor landed the unique gig of voicing English literature’s beloved Paddington The matinee idol (right) with England’s beloved literature character Paddington bear. bear all over again after his ManilaTimes.net photo first outing in 2015. Back then, migrates from the jungles of Peru “Paddington’s” producers Studio of the camera. to England’s famous captal. There, Canal and Heyday Films gave the “It was definitely challenging, the Brown family, who named him movie’s Philippine distributors, and I think the most difficult part after the train station where they Captive Cinema, an option to cast in being a voice talent is learning discovered the bear, adopts him, a local actor to voice the main to conserve your voice from start including all the trouble he gets character, and Lim auditioned to finish. There are scenes where into. along with several other showbiz you’ll be required to shout or In the film’s second celebrities. Of the sample voice laugh out loud, and that can really Gabbi Garcia GMA photos installment, Paddington, now clips sent to the producers abroad, strain your voice. You have to be settled with the Browns, takes on the matinee idol’s emerged the careful because you’ll be dubbing provoking storyline in an actionchosen one. again the next day and your voice a series of odd jobs to buy the filled mystery and drama, and perfect present for his Aunt Lucy’s im—who was born and raised has to be intact,” he explained. more importantly, show how 100th birthday, only for the gift in US hence the absence of a “But overall, I really have to love and family are some of life’s to be stolen. Naturally, he gets British accent—did very well in say that dubbing Paddington is greatest joys.” himself into a string of mishaps bringing Paddington “closer” to so much fun. I got to play around The series is an original that will surely entertain the the Filipino audience with his with emotions using my voice concept of Aloy Adlawan and is young and young at heart. familiar voice, and was therefore and I also got the ‘feel’ of London under the helm of director Rechie Asked how dubbing sought anew for “Paddington 2.” to give life to my character,” he del Carmen. (ManilaTimes.net) Paddington for the second time At the movie’s press added. differed from the first, Lim paused conference, Lim admitted that Based on the original and replied, “I enjoyed doing as unique and enjoyable the story created by British author Paddington 2 more.” experience of voicing a character Michael Bond, the movie Explaining he continued, was, he realized that it is by no follows the adventures of an “Why? Because there are more means easier than acting in front anthropomorphic bear that skits and jokes in this one whereas Paddington was just introducing himself to the audience in the first movie. In Part 2, it’s pure comedy, and his brand of comedy for me is very Filipino so I’m sure, tatawa and mag-e-enjoy ang audience.” He is especially thrilled that Paddington 2 has him “acting” with British super star Hugh Grant among others. Indeed, Lim, who just joined a new management team at the start of the year is showing much Photos from Instagram/@itsmorisette promise in his career for 2018. Even if it is just his voice starring she knows well enough to see to in Paddington 2, it is still a movie the task at hand first and give it her project he can be proud of, and hundred percent—an attitude that maybe even an avenue he can will surely help her out when the Lim admitted as unique and enjoyable the experience of voicing a character was, he realized pursue for other foreign films. time comes. it is by no means easier than acting in front of the camera.
Morisette is destined for Hollywood! by MJ
february 2-8, 2018 www.asianjournal.com
The visit came as a shock for Morisette since the music bigwig’s arrival was unannounced. “No one knew he was here over the New Year,” she exclaimed. Sitting down with him, Morisette said she appreciates how Lawrence doesn’t impose a certain style on her, or even suggest she take a cue from Mariah or another one of his famous talents, Kelly Clarkson. “He likes me not just because kaya ko sumipol like Mariah but because he said I deliver a song differently.” After Lawrence returned to the States, Mori got busy preparing for her first major concert at Smart Araneta Coliseum on February 20. Excited as she is for on the prospect of going international,
february 2-8, 2018 www.asianjournal.com
8