March 13-15, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 19 • 2 Sections - 20 Pages
Catholic priests amid death threats: The response is not silence by AJPRESS PRIESTS remained firm in their criticism of the alleged extrajudicial killings in the Philippines as they shared the hateful messages they received from calling out the flaws in the government. Three Catholic priests Father Flavie Villanueva, Father Robert Reyes and Father Albert Alejo on Monday, March 11, revealed a series of death threats they received following the verbal attacks of President Rodrigo Duterte towards the religious institution. “Hindi pananahimik, kundi ang malinaw, mahinahon, at matapang na pamamahayag Fathers Albert Alejo, Robert Reyes and Flavie Villanueva are prayed over by at paninindigan. Itigil na ang pananakot, itigil nuns and lay leaders amid death threats they are receiving from unknown people on Monday, March 11.
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Photo courtesy of CBCP
USA
DATELINE Filipina-American advocate showcases art at new City Hall exhibit for Women’s History Month FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
ON International Women’s Day on Friday, March 8, the City of Los Angeles unveiled a new art exhibit at the LA City Hall featuring womenmade artwork that tackles issues of domestic violence, human trafficking and homelessness. Located on the bridge of the third floor of LA City Hall, the exhibit — which is called “Shifting Narratives: The Strength of Women Survivors” — features paintings, photographs, collages and sketches made by women whose stories highlight the relentless frequency of gendered violence. Among the artists showcased is FilipinaAmerican Teresita Villasenor, a human trafficking and domestic violence survivor who is currently a member and advocate for the LA-based Pilipino Workers Center (PWC).
NEW OFFICERS. President Rodrigo Duterte congratulates one of the newly-promoted Presidential Security Group (PSG) personnel following the donning of ranks at the Malacañang Palace on Monday, March 11. Malacañang photo by Simeon Celi
Palace says unfair to blame Duterte for threats against priests by ALEXIS
ROMERO Philstar.com
MANILA — It would be unfair to blame President Rodrigo Duterte for the threats received by some members of the clergy, Malacañang said Tuesday, March 12, as it justified the chief executive’s repeated tirades against the Catholic Church. Some priests have revealed receiving death threats and seeing suspi-
cious individuals lurking near their houses and offices. Speaking to journalists last Monday, Fathers Robert Reyes, Flavie Villanueva and Albert Alejo said they are not afraid of the threats, which they said stemmed from Duterte’s tirades against the Church. But presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said the president had nothing to do with the threats. “The easiest and the most conve-
nient way to send threats is by text messages because you cannot trace it. There are a lot of probabilities. It could be coming from pranksters. It could be coming from anti-Duterte trolls. It could be coming from enemies of the priests,” Panelo said in a press briefing. “It is unfair to be pointing to the president as behind it,” he added. Panelo noted that Duterte had issued a stern warning against crimi-
nals who are targeting members of the clergy. “He had strong words (to criminals) that they should not harm priests and bishops,” the presidential spokesman said. Panelo claimed the president was not abusing his freedom of expression when he repeatedly criticizes the Catholic Church, the faith of more than 80 percent of Filipinos.
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SWS: 76% of Filipinos satisfied with Duterte administration by AJPRESS ACCORDING to the Social Weather Stations’ (SWS) fourth-quarter survey, more Filipinos appear to be satisfied with the performance of the Duterte administration. The poll, which was released on Monday, March 11, revealed 76 percent of adult Filipinos are satisfied with the work of the administration while nine percent
said otherwise with a net satisfaction rating of +66 — an improvement from September of last year’s +50 rating, with 65 percent satisfied and 15 percent dissatisfied. In Mindanao, the administration’s net satisfaction increased from +67 in September 2018 to +75 in December 2018. In Visayas, it went from +42 to +63; meanwhile, in Metro Manila, the satisfaction rating improved from +40 to +60.
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Bishop thanks Sara Duterte’s Tulfo draws flak for calling PH out of ICC by March 17 mom for intervention Filipino workers ‘lazy’ u PAGE A3
PH Special Envoy to China Ramon Tulfo
AS the Philippines’ withdrawal from the International Criminal Court (ICC) becomes official on Sunday, March 17, it vowed to continue its probe on President Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs even after the withdrawal takes effect. Philippine Coalition for the ICC (PCICC) lead counsel Romel Bagares said that the international court ensured that all proceedings which started before a withdrawal will remain in effect even after the withdrawal. “If by lack of timely court action, the unilateral withdrawal by the Executive becomes effective we are still bound to cooperate with the ICC in respect of events and acts prior to the effective date of such withdrawal,” Bagares said as reported by Rappler. However, PCICC counsel Arpee Santiago said that the withdrawal would prevent the court from receiving “new information” after the date it takes effect which falls on March 17, so the alleged extrajudicial killings after that may no longer be examined.
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by EVELYN
MACAIRAN Philstar.com
Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and her mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman Philstar.com photo
AN official of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) on Monday, March 11, lauded Elizabeth Zimmerman for stepping into the word war between her daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, and Vice President Leni Robredo. Fr. Jerome Secillano, head of CBCP public affairs committee, commended Zimmerman for scolding Carpio and ordering her to stop “bullying” Robredo and the opposition’s Otso Diretso senatorial candidates. “Mother knows best. She did what’s best for her daughter and the family. Instead of join-
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Photo screengrabbed from Youtube/CNN Philippines
by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
LABOR leader and senatorial candidate Leody de Guzman on Sunday, March 10, said special envoy to China Ramon Tulfo is all talk while Filipino workers labor for the country’s growth. This was after Tulfo called Filipino workers “lazy” unlike the Chinese. In a statement, De Guzman said, “Kaya nga tinawag na manggagawa, kasi nga gumagawa. Walang ibang dahilan ng pag-unlad ng ekonomiya ng bansa liban sa manggagawang Pilipino (That’s why they are called workers, because they work. There is no other reason behind the improvement of the economy
but the Filipino workers).” “Kung masipag man itong si Tulfo, ito ay kasipagan niyang magsalita at mang-intriga. Malayong malayo sa manggagawa na lumilikha ng produkto at serbisyong may pinakikinabangan ng lahat ng tao (If Tulfo is hardworking, it’s about talk and intrigue, which is far from workers who create products and services that people benefit from),” he added. Tulfo on Thursday, March 7, claimed that Chinese workers “are better” than Filipino workers during an interview with CNN Philippines’ “On The Record.” “Do you know why the developers prefer Chinese workers? Because they are hardworking.
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A March 13-15, 2019 • Socal aSIaN JOUrNaL
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From the Front Page
Catholic priests amid death threats...
PAGE A1 na ang pagpatay (Not silence, but the clear, sober, and courageous proclamation and conviction. Stop the threats, stop the killings),� they said. In a press conference at the Saint Vincent School of Theology in Tandang Sora, Quezon City, the priests shared with the media
the threatening messages they began to receive after Duterte’s tirade against the church. “Ang mga text na ito ay mga nakakatakot na banta na nagsimula sa matabila na dila mismo ng ating presidente dahil sa galit niya sa ating Simbahan (These text messages are scary threats that began with the loud mouth
of our president because of his anger at our Church),� Reyes said. Alejo, a Jesuit priest revealed that there were also unanswered calls before he received threatening messages. He noted that they too were scared but they continued on calling out the alleged state-sponsored killings in the Philippines. “Aaminin ko po na lumabas po kami dahil may takot din kami. Nananawagan kami sa mga utak, sa mga ulo, sa mga pasimuno ng pagpatay, itigil na po natin ‘yan. Itigil na ninyo ang mga nakawilihan ninyong negosyo (I admit we came out now because we are afraid. We appeal to the brains, the masterminds, the proponents of the killings, please stop it. Stop the livelihood you have been accustomed to),� Alejo said. The Jesuit priest exposed the curse-filled and disturbing messages he received on a Sunday night, February 10. “P***g**a ka! Bilang ng araw mo animal ka. Di talaga kayu masabihan nila David anu. P***g**a talaga kayu. Magkano ba gusto nyu? P***g**a tala kayu. Pesteng yawa. P***g**a p***g**a nyu. Papatayin ko kayu (Son of a b****. Your days are numbered you animal. You and David don’t really listen. Sons of b****es. How much do you want? Sons of b****es. Devil shit. Sons of a b****. I will kill you),� the text message stated as reported by Rappler. One message even threatened Archbishop Socrates Villegas to prepare for his funeral as they warn him that his next mass would be on his death. “Ihanda nyu na ang lugar na pagbuburolan ninyo. Dahil ang sunod na Misa, ay Misa na para sa kapayapaan ng kaluluwa nyu (Prepare now the place where your wake will be held, because your next Mass — is the Mass for the repose of your souls).� Another message addressed to Bishop Ambo David on a Wednesday, February 13 was included in the threats they revealed. “Masyado kayung pakielamero ni Socrates lalo na yung olopong nyung pari si Alejo at Reyes. P****g i*a talaga kayu. Pakialamero kayu (You and Socrates, and the snakes among your priests, Alejo and Reyes, love to meddle. PAGE A4
70TH ANNIVERSARY OF PH-KOREA DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William Ramirez (right) hands over to South Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Han Dong Man a copy of his book about President Rodrigo Duterte, as a token of appreciation during a press conference at the PSC office at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Malate, Manila on Tuesday, March 12. The PSC will partner with the Embassy of Korea in staging the “Tortoise Marathon� and other related cultural events in June, in connection with the 70th anniversary celebration of the Philippine-Korea diplomatic relations. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.
Palace says unfair to blame Duterte... PAGE A1 Asked whether he would advise the president to refrain from attacking the priests, Panelo said: “That is the style of the president.�
“Look at the survey, the people accepted him...People knew what he meant. Critics are just using (his words) to put him in a bad light. Duterte previously asked by-
standers to rob and kill bishops but later on clarified he was not serious after he was informed that Caloocan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David and some priests have received death threats. n
SWS: 76% of Filipinos satisfied with...
PAGE A1 The rating also rose by 17 points in balance Luzon, with +48 going up to +65. The administration’s net satisfaction rating upgraded by two grades from good to excellent in
class ABC, up by 25 points from +47 in September 2018 to +72 in December 2018. It also rose by two grades from good to excellent in class E, from +49 to +70; meanwhile, it went up 15 points but remained
very good in class D from +50 in September to +65 in December. SWS’ survey, conducted from December 16 to 19 last year, employed face-to-face interviews of 1,440 adults, 18 years old and above, nationwide. n
Bishop thanks Sara Duterte’s mom...
PAGE A1
ing the family’s bullying, she opted to end it. She should be praised for being the voice of reason in a divided nation,� Secillano said. During the campaign sortie of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) in Lipa City, Batangas on Sun-
day, Carpio said her mother reprimanded her for bullying the opposition. Carpio is the campaign manager of HNP senatorial bets. Earlier, she dubbed Otso Diretso senatorial bets as “black holes� for repeatedly challenging administration candidates
to a debate. She challenged the eight opposition bets to debate with her instead. She also traded barbs with Robredo after the vice president criticized the mayor for saying that “honesty is not an election issue.� n
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SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCh 13-15, 2019
A
FBI invites PNP chief for discussion on counter-terrorism by Cathrine
Gonzales Inquirer.net
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and other law enforcement agencies in the United States have invited Philippine National Police (PNP) chief Director General Oscar Albayalde to attend a 10-day official mission to tackle counterterrorism. During the mission, Albayalde
PARCHED. A farmer looks at his farm in San Ildefonso town in Bulacan, one of the provinces affected by the El Niño weather phenomenon. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene H. Dilan
Tulfo draws flak for calling Filipino... PAGE A1
The Filipino workers, pardon me, when they go to the job site, that’s only the time they would prepare their tools — whereas the Chinese workers are already prepared — and then they always smoke cigarettes and talk nonstop,” he said. erin Tañada, another senatorial bet, also slammed Tulfo for his remarks. “Masipag ang Pinoy (The Filipino is hardworking),” he said on Sunday. “huwag namang kapwa Pilipino at opisyal pa ng pamahalaan ang maglalaglag sa ating mga manggagawang Pilipino. Ginoong Tulfo, magtrabaho ka po para sa ating mga mamamayan (I hope it’s not a fellow Filipino and an official of government who will betray our Filipino workers. Mr. Tulfo, please work for our countrymen),” he added. Immersion challenge A group of construction workers has challenged Tulfo to “man up” by spending three days at a work site for saying Filipino laborers are lazy. Alan Tanjusay of the Associated Labor Unions-Trade Union Congress of the Philippines shared a note from construction workers representing workers in the Construction Industry Tripartite Council, calling the government official out and challenging him. According to the workers, they would wait for Tulfo to report to any construction site in Metro Manila for a three-day immersion to give him a better under-
standing of their situation. “Come live and work with us for three days before you make your conclusions. We have alerted all our members in Metro Manila to assist and accommodate you wherever… you may want to immerse [yourself],” they said on Monday. They also asked why Tulfo didn’t verify when Chinese contractors called Filipino workers inefficient. “We, the people, didn’t give you the mandate and authority as Philippine special envoy to China to embarrass and destroy our reputation before our families and to the whole world,” they said. “If Chinese contractors told you that Filipino workers are inefficient and are slowpokes, why didn’t you verify it? Why didn’t you even defend your fellow Filipinos from these foreign Chinese contractors? You didn’t even check that even the Chinese construction workers we have worked with, as well as other foreign workers, are also slow workers because of the high stress and hard work in the heat, cold and harsh conditions at work sites,” they added. The workers pointed out that critical infrastructure would not have been built if not for the workers that Tulfo labeled lazy. “Will we have built all the important and critical infrastructures on time if we were ‘inefficient’ and ‘slowpokes’ as you claim us to be? Do you even know how low [our] salaries are?
Do you even know how hard and dangerous it is to dangle [from the] top of the 75th floor of a building just so a project can be completed on time?” they asked. As maintained by the National Wages and Productivity Commission, the minimum wage for non-agricultural workers is P280 a day in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and P537 a day in the National Capital Region. Adjusting for inflation and prices, the wage would actually be P220.13 for ARMM and P459.76 for NCR a day. Freedom of expression Malacañang, meanwhile, won’t castigate Tulfo for his disparaging statement. Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Tulfo’s comments against Filipino workers is “freedom of expression.” “Well, that is freedom of expression. everyone is entitled to make his opinion on any matter concerning the country or the people or anybody,” he said in a Palace press briefing. According to Panelo, Tulfo is a responsible man who doesn’t need to be advised. however, he added that he did not agree with Tulfo. “Definitely, Filipinos are industrious. The impression abroad is that we’re industrious, but on a personal level, there are hardworking workers, there are lazy workers. But the general impression is we’re hardworking, we are preferred in other countries.” n
will attend working meetings, discussions, and seminars on how to thwart terrorism, PNP spokesperson Senior Supt. Bernard Banac said in an advisory on Tuesday, March 12. The mission started March 12 and will go on until March 22, Banac said. Accompanying Albayalde in the U.S. official trip is Deputy Director General Fernando Men-
dez Jr., deputy chief for administration of the PNP. Albayalde has designated Deputy Director General Francisco Gamboa, deputy chief for operations, as the officer-in-charge of the PNP during his absence. According to Banac, the FBI has been inviting PNP chiefs in the past to attend similar meetings to discuss ways to combat various forms of criminality. n
‘Medieval’ diseases flare as unsanitary living conditions proliferate in Calif. by anna
Gorman Kaiser Health News
JeNNIFeR Millar keeps trash bags and hand sanitizer near her tent, and she regularly pours water mixed with hydrogen peroxide on the sidewalk nearby. Keeping herself and the patch of concrete she calls home clean is a top priority. But this homeless encampment off a hollywood freeway ramp is often littered with needles and trash, and soaked in urine. Rats occasionally scamper through, and Millar fears the consequences. “I worry about all those diseases,” said Millar, 43, who said she has been homeless most of her life. Infectious diseases — some that ravaged populations in the Middle Ages — are resurging in California and around the country, and are hitting homeless populations especially hard. Los Angeles recently experienced an outbreak of typhus — a disease spread by infected fleas on rats and other animals — in downtown streets. Officials briefly closed part of City hall after reporting that rodents had invaded the building. People in Washington state have been infected with Shigella bacteria, which is spread through feces and causes the diarrheal disease shigellosis, as well as Bartonella quintana, which spreads through body lice and causes trench fever. hepatitis A, also spread primarily through feces, infected more than 1,000 people in Southern California in the past two years. The disease also has erupted in New Mexico, Ohio and Kentucky,
primarily among people who are homeless or use drugs. Public health officials and politicians are using terms like “disaster” and “public health crisis” to describe the outbreaks, and they warn that these diseases can easily jump beyond the homeless population. “Our homeless crisis is increasingly becoming a public health crisis,” California Gov. Gavin Newsom said in his State of the State speech in February, citing outbreaks of hepatitis A in San Diego County, syphilis in Sonoma County and typhus in Los Angeles County. “Typhus,” he said. “A medieval disease. In California. In 2019.” The diseases have flared as the nation’s homeless population has grown in the past two years: About 553,000 people were homeless at the end of 2018, and nearly one-quarter of homeless people live in California. The diseases spread quickly and widely among people living outside or in shelters, fueled by sidewalks contaminated with human feces, crowded living conditions, weakened immune systems and limited access to health care. “The hygiene situation is just horrendous” for people living on the streets, said Dr. Glenn Lopez, a physician with St. John’s Well Child & Family Center, who treats homeless patients in Los Angeles County. “It becomes just like a Third World environment where their human feces contaminate the areas where they are eating and sleeping.” Those infectious diseases are not limited to homeless populations, Lopez warned. “even
someone who believes they are protected from these infections are not.” At least one Los Angeles city staffer said she contracted typhus in City hall last fall. And San Diego County officials warned in 2017 that diners at a well-known restaurant were at risk of hepatitis A. There were 167 cases of typhus from Jan. 1, 2018, through Feb. 1 of this year, up from 125 in 2013 and 13 in 2008, according to the California Public health Department. Typhus is a bacterial infection that can cause a high fever, stomach pain and chills but can be treated with antibiotics. Outbreaks are more common in overcrowded and trash-filled areas that attract rats. The recent typhus outbreak began last fall, when health officials reported clusters of the flea-borne disease in downtown Los Angeles and Compton. They also have occurred in Pasadena, where the problems are likely due to people feeding stray cats carrying fleas. Last month, the county announced another outbreak in downtown Los Angeles that infected nine people, six of whom were homeless. After city workers said they saw rodent droppings in City hall, Los Angeles City Council President herb Wesson briefly shut down his office to rip up the rugs, and he also called for an investigation and more cleaning. hepatitis A is caused by a virus usually transmitted when people come in contact with feces of infected people. Most people PAGE A4
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Catholic priests amid death threats... PAGE A2 You sons of a b****. You meddlesome people).” In a speech on February 25, the president read aloud a text message from Manila Archbishop Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle emphasizing the threats the religious leaders have been receiving. “Good day po. Greetings from Rome. I was informed that Bish-
op David, some priests got death threats from someone claiming to be working for the President’s family. Just to let you know, baka may naninira (someone might be trying to destroy your reputation). Thanks. We pray,” Tagle reportedly said. Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the text “could be coming from pranksters, or could be from anti-
Duterte trolls” to put Duterte “in a bad light.” He said these could also come “from personal enemies of the priests.” “Sending threats via text messages is the easiest and convenient thing to do, you can’t trace the source,” Panelo said. However, critics believed that the chief executive’s tirades emboldened such threats to surface. n
‘Medieval’ diseases flare as unsanitary... PAGE A1 recover on their own, but the disease can be very serious for those with underlying liver conditions. There were 948 cases of hepatitis A in 2017 and 178 in 2018 and 2019, the state public health department said. Twentyone people have died as a result of the 2017-18 outbreak. The infections around the country are not a surprise, given the lack of attention to housing and health care for the homeless and the dearth of bathrooms and places to wash hands, said Dr. Jeffrey Duchin, the health officer for Seattle and King County, Wash. “It’s a public health disaster,” he said. In his area, Duchin said, he has seen shigellosis, trench fever and skin infections among homeless populations. In New York City, where more of the homeless population lives in shelters rather than on the streets, there have not been the same outbreaks of hepatitis A and typhus, said Dr. Kelly Doran, an emergency medicine physician and assistant professor at NYU School of Medicine. But Doran said different infections occur in shelters, including tuberculosis, a disease that spreads through the air and typically infects the lungs. The diseases sometimes get the “medieval” moniker because people in that era lived in squalid
conditions without clean water or sewage treatment, said Dr. Jeffrey Klausner, a professor of medicine and public health at UCLA. People living on the streets or in homeless shelters are vulnerable to such outbreaks because their weakened immune systems are worsened by stress, malnutrition and sleep deprivation. Many also have mental illness and substance abuse disorders, which can make it harder for them to stay healthy or get health care. One recent February afternoon, Saban Community Clinic physician assistant Negeen Farmand walked through homeless encampments in Hollywood carrying a backpack with medical supplies. She stopped to talk to a man sweeping the sidewalks. He said he sees “everything and anything” in the gutters and hopes he doesn’t get sick. She introduced herself to a few others and asked if they had any health issues that needed checking. When she saw Millar, Farmand checked her blood pressure, asked about her asthma and urged her to come see a doctor for treatment of her hepatitis C, a viral infection spread through contaminated blood that can lead to serious liver damage. “To get these people to come into a clinic is a big thing,” she said. “A lot of them are distrustful of the health care system.”
On another day, 53-year-old Karen Mitchell waited to get treated for a persistent cough by St. John’s Well Child & Family Center’s mobile health clinic. She also needed a tuberculosis test, as required by the shelter where she was living in Bellflower, Calif. Mitchell, who said she developed alcoholism after a career in pharmaceutical sales, said she has contracted pneumonia from germs from other shelter residents. “Everyone is always sick, no matter what precautions they take.” During the hepatitis A outbreak, public health officials administered widespread vaccinations, cleaned the streets with bleach and water and installed hand-washing stations and portable toilets near high concentrations of homeless people. But health officials and homeless advocates said more needs to be done, including helping people access medical and behavioral health care and affordable housing. “It really is unconscionable,” said Bobby Watts, CEO of the National Health Care for the Homeless Council, a policy and advocacy organization. “These are all preventable diseases.” This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n
Infectious diseases are resurging in California and around the country, hitting homeless populations especially hard. Photo by Heidi de Marco/Kaiser Health News
Filipina-American Teresita Villasenor is one of the featured artists in the exhibit at the LA City Hall featuring women-made artwork that tackles issues of domestic violence, human trafficking and homelessness. AJPress photos by Klarize Medenilla
Filipina-American advocate showcases art at... PAGE A1 Her painting, called PURPLEX, features the portrait of a woman painted with a kaleidoscope of colors juxtaposed over a rendering of a dark void that represents a woman’s struggle. In that void is a rudimentary sketch of a moon over a roof, symbolizing the conflict of experiencing emotional confinement and silence in domesticity and eventually overcoming that. Painted in July 2017, the work was created around the time she rescued her daughter from an abusive relationship. As a survivor of domestic violence herself, Villasenor felt the need to address the tragic frequency of violence against women through creative expression. “I painted this at a time when I felt very oppressed. I never like to use the word ‘depressed’ because it’s just not in my vocabulary because ‘oppress’ signals taking action and doing something about this feeling inside,” Villasenor told the Asian Journal on Friday at City Hall. Standing in front of the 20” x 16” acrylic on canvas piece, Villasenor has the composed fervor of a politician and the oratory of an impassioned pastor, but she said it took her a long time before she could ever express herself in such a clear, unaffected way. Born in the Philippines, Villasenor was brought to the United States for employment. Like so many who are duped with the promise of fair pay and citizenship, Villasenor received neither. Instead, she slept a few hours and wasn’t given enough food to eat and frequently exploited and abused by employers. But that hardly touches on the traumas Villasenor had to endure in order to become the outspoken, tenacious women’s advocate that she’s become today. “When you see this painting, it’s very clear that even in your own home, you’re not safe. Even with your own husband. Under the roof, under your exclusive home. So what do you do? You get out,” Villasenor said. “That saying we have, ‘ilaw ng tahanan’ [light of the home] where the woman is the light of the house, but how can we have that if things like this are happening? We need light outside the home, and we need to bring that light outside and reach out to say, ‘Hey! We need to stop this violence!’” But the piece isn’t necessarily a pox on men and abusers so much as it is a reflection of feminine resilience that manifests itself in the most unexpected ways. It shines a light on women who have become displaced after escaping a domestic life of violence and the clear gender disparities associated with human trafficking and domestic
violence. Today, Villasenor devotes her time to advocating on behalf of other domestic violence and human trafficking victims seek justice. As a survivor of an abusive marriage, recently Villasenor shared that she married a high school sweetheart and describes her life as a “Cinderella story” where she endured the worst to be able to live her best life in 2019. She hopes that PURPLEX inspires more women to speak out against violence and discrimination against women. But most of all, she hopes that if a woman who is enduring a life of domestic violence sees her painting that it reminds her that there is the strength to leave and that there is always a way out. In 2017, 1,305 cases of human trafficking were reported by the National Human Trafficking hotline, and 89 percent of those survivors identified as women. But what isn’t told is the volumes of stories and cases that have gone untold and unreported. “It’s intense for me to think about a woman feeling connected and empowered with this painting that brought so much out of me and really was something made out of years and years of
PH out of ICC by...
PAGE A1 “Any new information would have to be up until March 16, 2019, only because after March 17, 2019, any new cases, any new allegations for events occurring after March 17 (will no longer be taken),” Santiago said. Palace: ICC violates its own provisions Presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said that the ICC cannot proceed with their investigation after the withdrawal since doing so would be against the regulation of the international court. “We have [been] pointing out that the ICC itself has been violating its own provisions, because, under the law, you cannot proceed when, assuming there’s a withdrawal because they’re saying we can proceed with the investigation even if there’s withdrawal,” Panelo said. “But under the law, it says that they can proceed only if there is a preliminary investigation prior to the withdrawal. But there was no preliminary investigation. There was only preliminary examina-
tion,” he added as reported by The Philippine Daily Inquirer. The spokesperson and chief legal counsel defended that the South African High Court has no jurisdiction over the Philippines. He emphasized that the country was not a member, to begin with. “In the first place, from the very beginning they cannot be doing any investigation because as we pointed out to them, it never acquired jurisdiction over the Philippines from the very inception,” Panelo said. “It does not matter to us because they have no jurisdiction over us. If they force itself to acquire jurisdiction, it only shows that from the very start talagang hindi dapat pumapasok diyan sa ICC dahil (no one should join the ICC since) it’s violating its own provisions,” he added. Panelo clarified that neither the administration nor the Office of the President withdrew from the international court. He said that they explained to the ICC that the Philippines was never a part of their jurisdiction.
struggle,” Villasenor shared. “And that’s what I ultimately hope for: that this encourages women, or even just one woman, to get out and see that there is a light in you. There are so many cases that haven’t been revealed and so many untold stories, so I hope they know that they have to get out and they can.” “Shifting Perspectives: The Strength of Women Survivors” will be on display at City Hall for the entire month of March. If you or anyone you know may be a victim of domestic violence, you may call the Los Angeles County Domestic Violence Safety Plan Hotline at 1-800-978-3600 which operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. In case of an emergency, immediately call 91-1. If you or anyone you know may be a victim of human trafficking, the National Human Trafficking Hotline — 1 (888) 373-7888 — is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You may also text “HELP” or “INFO” to 233733, and the hotline is available in English, Tagalog, Spanish and more than 200 more languages. For more information, you may also visit the hotline’s official website, www. humantraffickinghotline.org. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
“Let me restate our position on the matter. One, we said we didn’t even withdraw, we said from the very beginning we were not under its jurisdiction. That letter was only to inform them as a matter of courtesy that, excuse us, we have not been under your jurisdiction from the very start,” Panelo said. “As argued by the president, there is a requirement of publication and that was never published, hence there’s no jurisdiction over his person and for that matter, over any person in this country,” he added. The high court is presently evaluating 52 cases alleging crimes against humanity. In February 2018, it launched its preliminary examination on the brutal war on drugs, which was accused to have killed thousands of suspected drug criminals, mostly poor. The administration perceived the judicial system as “robust.” “We have a robust judicial system. We’ve been prosecuting people and we have convictions as well as acquittals,” he said. (Nathalie Robles/AJPress)
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A
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Duterte claims female critics depriving him of his right to freedom of expression by alexis
RoMeRo Philstar.com
The water level at Ipo Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan remains normal.
MaNILa — President rodrigo Duterte lashed back at critics who called him out for his remarks about women, saying they are depriving him of his right to freedom of expression. Duterte, who has drawn flak for making remarks that were seen as derogatory to women, claimed his critics are making it appear that he hates and disrespects women. “I can’t remember really na may binaboy ako (maligning anybody). actually, if you review the tapes, it was with a ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan purpose,” the president said during an awarding ceremony in honor of female government employees last Monday, March were due to Manila Water’s “ma- 11. “You women, you... deprived nipulation” of water supplies. “Manila Water’s system main- me of my freedom of exprestains separate reservoirs for re- sion. I was not referring to you. liability and redundancy so if there’s a problem, it’s easier to isolate,” she explained. “allegations of manipulation are not true. that’s just how the system is designed,” she added. Malacañang worried Malacanang on Monday expressed concern about the water situation in parts of Metro Manila and nearby areas. at a press briefing, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo said, “We’re always concerned with respect to any problem affecting the welfare of people.” “We will respond to that. But the problem is the water should come from the sky. What if it does not rain? We may have to wait,” he added. the Department of agriculture, for its part, has instructed its regional offices to conduct cloud seeding operations over Bulacan, Pampanga, and rizal to help fill up the La Mesa Dam. according to the Philippine atmospheric, Geophysical and astronomical Services administration (PaGaSa), hotter days may start this quarter along with lesser rainfall and dry winds and will likely affect 47 provinces in the country. the drought is expected to worsen by May, PaGaSa added. n
Low water supply to continue due to El Niño by Ritchel
Mendiola AJPress
Water concessionaires and the weather bureau recently announced low to no water supply will continue to be experienced by several areas in Metro Manila and nearby provinces due to el Niño, which would last until June. In addition, monitoring of La Mesa Dam in Quezon City last Monday, March 11, showed that the dam’s water reached critical level at 68.92 meters. Several establishments engaged in the water business have already started feeling the effects of the unstable water supply. H2O avenue, a water refilling station depending on Manila Water for its water supply, said that they have had no water at all since Friday. “I follow up with Manila Water every day hoping that we’ll have water. they said that unless there’ll be rains, we will have to bear this kind of situation,” store manager ralph Santos said. Manila Water Communications manager Dittie Galang, for her part, said that they are carefully studying the situation. “even if distribution stabilizes, it does not mean that supply will be back to its normal level. there will still be hours where consumers will have no supply but we will be more accurate as to the specific time,” she told The Phil-
ippine Star. “right now, we are studying our schemes and be more predictable as to when there will be no supply so that consumers will be able to prepare and store water,” she added. areas experiencing unstable water supply include the cities of Makati, Marikina, Pasig, taguig, Mandaluyong, Quezon City, San Juan, and antipolo as well as the towns of Pateros, angono, Binangonan, Cainta, Jalajala, rodriguez, San Mateo, taytay, and teresa. Galang said Manila Water has 27 tankers roaming around its concession areas to provide water to consumers. “We advise them to be more responsible now in using water in their households since several areas will have low water pressure (while) certain areas are possibly experiencing no water at all,” she added. West zone concessionaire Maynilad Water Services Inc. also said water interruptions will be experienced by the areas of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa, Parañaque and Bacoor, Cavite as it temporarily shuts down Putatan Water treatment Plant. the shutdown will give way for the pumps upgrade in preparation for the activation of its newly constructed treatment facility. No manipulations Galang denied allegations that water shortages in certain areas
But you criticize every sentence or word I say. But that is my freedom to express myself,” he added. “even if I am just a president, do not take it. Do not take me away from the crowd of being a Filipino citizen.” Duterte said he never transitioned from mayor to president so he has not changed considerably “except to bow in diplomatic dinners.” the president also disputed claims that he is a misogynist or a hater of women. “I love women. You see, I have two wives. that means, I really like women,” Duterte said. “that does not mean I want to touch them. I just like women... When I say that I like women, (it does not mean) I want to despoil or dishonor. they do not get it,” he added. Duterte went on to justify
some of his controversial remarks that he claimed were misunderstood by his critics. He said he was just lecturing female communist rebels when he said he would shoot their vaginas. the president previously said he was just angry that some female rebels left their children to join the armed struggle. the president also defended his remark that women should stay away from priests, citing the sex abuse scandals involving members of the clergy. “It’s true. It’s happening everywhere. the pope has admitted that priests had abused nuns,” Duterte said. Duterte, who served as mayor of Davao City for 23 years, said he has been portrayed as a womanizer and a killer even before the 2016 polls. “But you have sometimes to PAGE A7
A6 MARCH 13-15, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
Drug trafficking hub
FEATURES
ELITE police Special Action Force teams, complete with armored vehicles, were deployed in an effort to stop illegal activities. Periodic raids were conducted. The most notorious drug dealers were isolated from the rest. And yet here we are again, aghast at reports that drug trafficking in Metro Manila and other areas continues to be directed from within the New Bilibid Prison in Muntinlupa. The trafficker, drug convict Rusico Ygot, used the internet for his business with the help of his girlfriend Jocelyn Encilla, who operated from her house in Cebu, according to the Department of Justice, which has jurisdiction over the Bureau of Corrections. The DOJ is conducting a probe into the latest drug scandal to hit the NBP. Instead of calling in SAF teams and armored vehicles again, prison authorities may want to try something simpler: an honest-to-goodness crackdown on the use of any gadget that allows internet access, particularly cell phones and tablets, by prisoners and their visitors. This is not a human rights violation. By the nature of their legal status, convicted prisoners cannot have all the civil liberties enjoyed by people who have not broken the law and been placed behind bars. The NBP has landlines for the use of inmates. More landlines can be installed to allow
prisoners broader opportunities for communication. The phone number and person called plus the nature of the call – to consult with a lawyer, for example, or contact relatives – can be recorded. Inmates’ visitors must deposit their cell phones and other gadgets at the entrance to the prison facilities. This is done even in certain security offices and foreign embassies. It shouldn’t raise howls of protest in the country’s main prison. The government can also invest in metal detectors for the prisons. The most high-tech security scanners, of course, will prove no match for crooked prison personnel who allow inmates to continue with their criminal activities even behind bars. Only corruption can explain how high-value drug traffickers managed in the recent past to bring in Jacuzzi-equipped bathtubs and expensive household appliances, and to live in air-conditioned comfort in a national prison. With this latest scandal, the government must deal decisively with corruption in the NBP and Bureau of Corrections, sparing no one from punishment. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Trump’s 2020 budget prioritizes border wall, military at the expense of health care, education
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS “SHOW me your budget and spending and I will tell you your values.” Sounds familiar? Life coaches say it, financial analysts say it, our parents say it, politicians say it. Indeed, with limited resources, where we put our money mostly reveals what matters more to us, what our priorities are. This is true among us people. This is true in government. In the United States, the president submits a budget proposal for the next fiscal year and submits it to Congress, the co-equal branch of government accorded the “power of the purse” by the Constitution. For Fiscal Year 2020, President Donald Trump has pretty much revealed what matters most to him, where he thinks our hard
earned taxpayers money should go, and which ones are least important. Sorry, folks. If Trump will have his way, the people, especially ordinary hardworking Americans who are deprived by this broken economic system of a decent living wage to favor the richest people and corporations, will lose much of what matters to us in terms of the safety nets we rely on during challenging economic times, during sickness, and the means by which we and our children can have the fair share of getting ahead and pulling ourselves out of poverty. On Monday, March 11, Trump submitted his “Budget for a Better America” proposal to Congress, asking for a record-breaking $4.75 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year.
Fortune summarizes budget increases, budget cuts, and what will happen to the goal of paying for the expenses in the proposed budget of President Trump for the Fiscal Year 2020. Budget increases The president requested $750 billion for FY2020, a nearly 5% increase in this area, which exceeds what the Pentagon had asked for. Trump also prioritizes asking for more money for his controversial border wall, almost $9-Billion despite its lack of support from the American people, and despite Congress already earlier denying his demand for $5.7 billion for the wall. Beyond military and security spending,Fortune reported that Trump included in the budget funding for efforts to combat the opioid crisis, a 10% increase in health care spending for veter-
ans, $200 billion in infrastructure spending, spending to reduce the cost of prescription drugs, and increased resources for school choice, including federal tax credits. Budget cuts According to the Fortune report, Trump proposes a 5% cut at non-defense federal agencies, including a total of $1.9 trillion in cuts to safety net programs like Medicaid. Trump also proposed new work requirements for Medicaid recipients and turning more power over to states. On Medicare, Trump called for an $845 billion budget cut. Trump’s proposes a 10% decrease in funding for the Department of Education, totaling $62 billion or $7.1 billion less than the department’s allotted funds for 2019. Cuts and other revisions in the
federal student loan program are woven into this budget cut for education. Fortune quoted James Kvaal, president of the Institute for College Access & Success, who said the budget blueprint, subject to congressional changes, would “raise costs and increase student debt,” making borrowers pay $207 billion more on their student loans, which he calls a “dangerously wrong-headed proposal.” Other agencies that would see budget cuts include the Environmental Protection Agency, the State Department, the Transportation Department, and the Department of the Interior, affecting matters such as foreign aid, federal employee retirement programs, and clean energy. Budget deficit One of the campaign promises
Trump made in 2016 was that as president, the United States will pay off the national debt in eight years and earlier suggested that a balanced budget would be a reality in 10 years. But according to Fortune, “ the budget forecasts trillion-dollar deficits through 2022. These deficits build on the already $22 trillion of national debt.” How did we get here? Is America really well off under Trump as he promised? Are the lives of hardworking Americans better under his presidency? What do you experience in your own life? *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos
Why Filipino politicians lie: It’s the media’s fault
Commentary
RICARDO SALUDO HUH? Why is media to blame for such deceptions as bogus academic credentials and baseless claims and accusations? It’s the politicians mouthing untruths, which journalists are supposed to report without comment or embellishment. So, why is it the messengers’ fault if the news contains unfounded or malicious assertions? Well, ask anyone maligned on Facebook, twitter and other social media. While these online channels merely disseminate what users post, it’s now widely expected, if not legally required, that websites validate messages posted and stop fake news, terrorist exhortations and other harmful or false content from going viral. News media commands much more authority and credibility than social media, so it, too, should be at least as vigilant as FB in validating claims, especially from politicians. Many of them bend or twist the truth for ulterior motives, especially during elections, so reporters and editors should always demand proof of politicians’ assertions. Well, often in this country, proof isn’t asked, especially from the opposition. Take the recent claims of Sen. Panfilo Lacson that the House of Representatives inserted tens of billions of pesos in pork barrel items in the proposed
2019 national budget. Did media ask proof from him? If it did, were the bases of his claims ever reported? And was Lacson asked to substantiate his claim that House Speaker Gloria Arroyo, whom he detests for the Dacer-Corbito murder charges filed against him, was behind the alleged insertions in the proposed General Appropriations Act (GAA)? By contrast, reporters are quick to require evidence when the government or administration officials make accusations, like the narcolist of local election candidates suspected of protecting or profiting from illegal drugs. News outlets are even more demanding of proof when one or some of them are accused of wrongdoing. In short, there is a double standard in validating politicians’ statements, partly due to the adversarial stance of American media influencing local press: skeptical toward the administration, but quick to accept opposition and citizens’ claims even without proof. Needless to say, that kind of coverage may lead to untruths outside the government. The art of ‘sabong journalism’ Another factor leading to lies in politics is “sabong” or cockfight journalism. With this habit, some media don’t bother asking the basis of allegations but, instead, turn to those accused or criticized for their retorts, no matter how unfounded the assertions may be. That’s exactly what hap-
pened to the budget pork barrel story, with little validating material presented, but lots of accusing soundbites exchanged. Just think: Has there been any specific item allegedly inserted by the House or the Senate, which has been cited for being illegal, improper, or ill-advised? There was criticism of unspecified “institutional amendments” and “flood-control projects,” but which exactly and why was it wrong for them to be included in the GAA? Rather than verifying claims with hard facts, news becomes a litany of he-says-she-says, with the reputation of contending voices deciding which side gets public acceptance. In the pork barrel squabble, Lacson keeps accusing Arroyo, maybe hoping that her low trust rating would win the argument for him, even without proof. When this writer was a Palace official, journalists routinely asked for comment on opposition remarks. The standard procedure was to first verify that the reported statement was actually made. If it was genuine, one would then ask if the reporter asked for the critic to substantiate his or her allegation. The media would often query if the Palace was demanding proof. One would then repeat the question: Did you, the reporter, ask for proof, as a competent journalist should? Once the opposition had given the basis for their accusation, then the Palace would comment.
Magdalo Rep. Gary Alejano, re-electionist Senator Bam Aquino, human rights lawyer Chel Diokno, Marawi civic leader Samira Gutoc, former Solicitor General Florin Hilbay, election lawyer Romulo Macalintal and former Deputy Speaker Erin Tañada conducted several door-to-door persuasion campaigns. Inquirer.net photo by Gab Lalu
Invariably, reporters promised to get back to this writer with proof of the allegation. None ever came back with evidence, and that ended many baseless stories. Most government spokespersons quickly issue denials, however, instead of asking journalists to do their job by validating claims, not just fishing for comments. So, instead of retiring baseless accusations, Palace denials turn them into headline stories about Malacañang denying this or that. That encourages more unfounded accusations. A couple of times, the press did follow this writer’s urging to demand proof from accusers. In late 2005, ABS-CBN New Channel anchor Carmina Constantino asked then Sen. Serge Osmeña to substantiate his claim that the Ombudsman at the time, Simeon Marcelo, quit over Palace pressure. Osmeña replied: “The peo-
ple will just have to take my word for it.” In 2007, Lacson himself was asked for proof that Philippine National Police (PNP) intelligence funds were the source of bags of money allegedly given to legislators at the Palace, as he claimed. He said the PNP should open its funds to scrutiny. In sum, Lacson wanted the PNP to prove its innocence by doing an utter no-no for any law enforcement agency, as the former PNP chief knew: publicizing its intelligence budget, which would alert lawless elements how to counter its detective efforts. To uphold truth, demand proof In 17 years of international journalism as editor-writer with Asiaweek magazine in Hong Kong, this columnist and his colleagues then always pressed politicians for proof. Not only was it part of professional journalism;
it was also needed in case the publication was sued. In libel cases in Hong Kong, crucial to the defense were efforts to verify claims, rather than just repeating them without asking proof. But libel law may operate differently in the Philippines, which may further make sabong journalism the preferred way to get headline news hereabouts. Especially if asking for proof might just show many allegations to be baseless and unworthy of coverage. But readers should not let sabong journalism blunt their quest for truth. In reading news, one can check if there are any supporting facts and evidence given for statements quoted. If there is none, responsible media would say prominently: “No proof was provided for the allegations.” If journalists did that, it would help stop untruth in politics. (ManilaTimes.net)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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Dateline PhiliPPines
SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCh 13-15, 2019
A
Groups file complaints to CHR over incidents of red-tagging by Gaea
Katreena Philstar.com
CabiCo
MANILA — Rights watchdog Karapatan, church group Rural Missionaries of the Philippines and Kabataan party-list filed complaints at the Commission on Human Rights over the redtagging and terrorist-labeling of these organizations. In the letter submitted to CHR chairperson Jose Luis Gascon, Karapatan said that attacks against the organization increased during the watch of President Rodrigo Duterte. It stressed that these attacks put the lives and liberty of the organization’s members at “grave risk.” “There is substantial basis for all of us to be alarmed with the Duterte government’s stagerring disregard for human rights and its advocates,” Karapatan Deputy Secretary General Roneo Clamor said, noting that at least 47 human rights workers of the organization have been killed since 2001. “In continuing our human rights advocacy, we are exhausting all platforms for redress of grievances. This CHR complaint
and our engagements with the United Nations are part of the measures we are undertaking to end these attacks, to exact accountability and to protect our courageous human rights advocates on the ground,” Clamor added. The complaint submitted by Karapatan to CHR cited the previous speeches of the chief executive tagging Karapatan as a “communist front and terrorist organization, as well as the tarpaulins with message: “Karapatan at CPP-NPA ay iisa at parehong terorista” and flyers branding members of Karapatan and other organizations “terrorist members of the NPA and the CPP.” “Suffice it to say, these are all cowardly, recycled and cheap maneuvers. This is in stark contrast to the bravery and firmness in principle exemplified by the individuals and organizations targeted by this government,” Clamor said. Task force vs insurgency The Karapatan deputy secretary general, moreover, said that the red-tagging and terrorist-labeling seemed to be the work of a national task force created by
Duterte in December last year. Executive Order 70 ordered the creation of a national task force that would address causes of armed conflict with communists and institutionalized a “whole-of-nation approach” in attaining an “inclusive and sustainable peace.” But for Karapatan, the mandate of the national task force is centered on a “smear campaign against human rights organizations, courtesy of taxpayer’s money.” “Sending officials overseas to spread rumors and make unsubstantiated claims about organizations known to be critical of the Duterte government’s policies sets the bar high for desperation for damage control. It is an utter waste of the people’s resources,” Last month, government officials went to Europe to clarify issues confronting the government such as involuntary disappearances and anti-communist terrorist groups. Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar claimed no public funds were wasted in his office’s “information drive” in Europe. n
Palace assures Mahathir: PH won’t fall into China by Catherine
S. Valente ManilaTimes.net
MALACAÑANG on Monday, March 11, assured the public that the Philippines would not fall into a “debt trap,” days after Malaysia Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad cautioned the country to carefully deal with loans from China. Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said economic managers carefully evaluate loan agreements with China to ensure that “we are not at the disadvantage.” “Of course, we will take his advice and the economic managers are evaluating all kinds of loans that we are having with the Chinese government,” Panelo told reporters. “With respect to the Chico Dam, I think the eco[nomic] managers have explained that we are not at a disadvantage,” he added. Panelo was referring to the Chico River Pump Irrigation project, which China funded along
with the Kaliwa Dam and railway projects. Mahathir, who recently visited Manila, had warned the Philippines about the consequences of entering into unfair loan deals with China. In a television interview, Mahathir said the Philippines should avoid repeating the mistakes made by other countries that suffered from unsustainable debt by accepting Chinese infrastructure investments. Mahathir last year canceled a number of Chinese-funded projects worth $22 billion. “If you borrow huge sums of money from China and you cannot pay — you know when a person is a borrower he is under the control of the lender. So we have to be very careful with that,” Mahathir said. President Rodrigo Duterte plans to spend trillions of pesos to bridge the Philippines’ infrastructure gap, and to do so he sought Beijing and other countries’ help for funding to reduce
ARNIS DEMONSTRATION. Filipino Arnis practitioners demonstrate to foreigners on how to fight with bare hands including boxing, wrestling, grappling and the use of wooden sticks at the Quezon Memorial Circle in Quezon City on Tuesday, March 12. Arnis, also known as Kali or Eskrima, is considered the national martial arts of the Philippines. PNA photo by Rico H. Borja
Malacañang admits: Balutan resigned MALACAÑANG on Monday, March 11, said former Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) General Manager Alexander Balutan indeed resigned, confirming the latter’s claim that he was not fired. Palace spokesman Salvador Panelo said Balutan tendered his resignation through a letter submitted to the Office of the President (OP). The spokesman said Balutan “resigned out of delicadeza” over serious allegations of corruption in the charity agency. “The said written communication was, however, formally received by the OP only after the Palace has already announced his cessation from office,” Panelo said in a statement. The Palace official also confirmed that the former military general requested President Rodrigo Duterte to order a fair and impartial investigation in order to “ferret out the truth.”
the strain on his government’s budget. Critics have warned that the Philippines could be the next victim of China’s “debt trap diplomacy,” where Beijing gives “friendly” loans to bankroll infrastructure projects in financially weak states in exchange for control over strategic assets. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez 3rd said this was unlikely to happen in the Philippines, saying Chinese loans would account for just 4.5 percent of the country’s total debts by the time Duterte steps down in 2022. He said Duterte’s ambitious infrastructure push would be funded mostly by new taxes and loans with “the lowest possible PAGE A5 interests rates and the longest defend the government against possible term arrangements.” calumny and slander because “We borrow with great pru- that is the job always of an opdence, aware that it is their tax- positionist,” he said. payer and their children who will “That has been the issue since pay for this debt,” Dominguez I was a mayor. They brought it said. “We made sure the country to the national scene. I have no got the best deals possible.” n problem with that.”
Panelo’s statement on Monday differed from what he said last week that Balutan was fired due to “serious allegations of corruption.” In a statement on Sunday, Balutan said an impartial investigation is in order if there were indeed allegations of corruption against him. “If there are accusations of corruption, I beg for a full and impartial investigations,” he said. Balutan had earlier said that he would resign if somebody from Office of the President or Congress asks him or orders him to do something which “he cannot stomach.” “[Duterte] retired me early from the Marines to help him run his administration. In silence, I did and I excelled. I did not ask for anything from the President in return. The rest was history,” he said. PCSO deputy spokesman
Florante Solmerin also called on Balutan’s accusers to prove their allegations. “Those accusing him [of corruption] should really prove it. What’s important here is he has a clear conscience. Whatever they sling unto him, they should prove it. As he said, he is open to an investigation, anytime, anywhere,” Solmerin told The Manila Times in a phone interview. “These are merely serious allegations, allegations of serious corruption. Balutan said he is open to a full investigation to ferret out the truth so the truth will come out,” he added. Last year, Balutan had a tiff with PCSO board member Sandra Cam, who accused him of spending P10 million for a Christmas party in a five-star hotel in December 2017. Balutan denied it, saying the party had a budget of only P6 million. (ManilaTimes.net)
Duterte claims female critics depriving him... In 2016, Duterte stirred controversy over a statement about the rape and murder of an Australian missionary in Davao City in 1989. Speaking to his supporters, Duterte said the slain missionary looked like an actress and as mayor “he should have been first.” He, later on,
claimed he was just expressing outrage over the crime. A year later, the president drew flak for saying that if a soldier rapes three women, he would own up to it. Officials said the president was just stressing that he would be responsible for the acts of soldiers. n
A MARCH 13-15, 2019 • SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL
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BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY ournal
Duterte infra spending swells to P1.64T More foreign firms eye gas, oil sector by danessa
riVera Philstar.com
Inquirer.net file photo by Ben
O. de Vera
Inquirer.net
THE Duterte administration has spent P1.64 trillion in infrastructure in its first two and a half years, already slightly exceeding the programmed amount as it fast-tracked the massive “Build, Build, Build” program. Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said actual spending on infrastructure and capital outlays during the first 10 quarters that President Rodrigo Duterte held office surpassed the P1.63trillion program for the period. As such, Dominguez said the share of infrastructure spending to the gross domestic product (GDP) climbed to 4 percent as of end-2018. “Compare this with the economic investment of the previous administration. In all its six years, the previous administration spent only about P1.57 trillion in infrastructure and other capital outlays. This is just 78 percent of their programmed spending of P2.01 trillion for their entire term and is equivalent to only 2.3 percent of GDP,” Dominguez said, referring to the term of former President Benigno Aquino III.
For Dominguez, infrastructure development helped boost economic growth. “Our aggressive spending on infrastructure demonstrates that the lead agencies in the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program are moving faster than expected. The old problem of absorptive capacity has been solved,” the finance chief added. Under “Build, Build, Build,” the government plans to start 75 “game-changing” flagship projects to usher in “the golden age of infrastructure” and bring the infrastructure spending-to-GDP ratio to 7 percent, at par with our Asean neighbors. “By the end of the Duterte administration’s term, we expect to invest over P8 trillion in the infrastructure program. By then, we would be able to close the country’s infrastructure gap. This represents major pump-priming for the economy. We have already seen private enterprises prepare to participate in the ‘Build, Build, Build’ program by importing capital goods from abroad. While the massive importation widened the balance-of-trade deficit in the short term, the capital goods that have been acquired will continue
to create wealth for our economy for many years to come,” Dominguez said. “The ambitious ‘Build, Build, Build’ program is made possible by the fiscal space provided by many years of fiscal discipline. That fiscal discipline allowed us to work down our debt to eminently manageable proportions and achieve sound credit ratings that allow us to borrow at more economic costs. International confidence is seen in the willingness of our development partners and foreign governments to help finance the large infrastructure projects,” he added. Dominguez reiterated that even as the government would borrow more through official development assistance (ODA) coming from multilateral lenders and loans from China and Japan, prudent borrowing would keep debt manageable. “It is not true that the infrastructure program is mainly driven by financing from China. As of 2018, our total project debt exposure to China is only 0.66 percent of our total debt exposure. Comparatively, our total project debt to Japan is 9 percent of our total debt exposure,” Dominguez said. n
MORE foreign firms are keen on investing in the country’s oil and gas exploration sector, according to the Department of Energy (DOE). Foreign firms have expressed interest in pre-determined areas (PDAs) offered under Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP), DOE Undersecretary Donato Marcos said. “For the PDAs, there are nine nominations which are mostly foreign companies, while there are 10 parties who have nominated new areas for oil and gas exploration activities,” he said. The PCECP offers 14 pre-determined areas and the option for investors to propose their own exploration area, making oil and gas exploration a dynamic investment prospect for players in the energy sector. Among the foreign companies with serious interest in the Philippine oil and gas sector is Israeli firm Ratio Petroleum Ltd., DOE Secretary Alfonso Cusi said. “Ratio Petroleum has been in town since (last) Monday (March 11) and they are expressing interest in nominating many areas,” he said. Ratio Petroleum is the operator of Service Contract (SC) 76, the first contract signed by President Duterte in October last year. It holds 100 percent of the rights in the block. Their interest is focused on expanding its existing contract and is also looking at another prospect with government. “One of their concern is the expansion of SC 76 to get maxi-
by LOuise
Manilatimes.net file photo
mum area of one million and 500 hectares,” Marcos said. SC 76 covers approximately 4,160 square kilometers at water depths ranging between 900 and 1,700 meters. “The other one is farming in with PNOC-EC (PNOC Exploration Corp.) in SC 37. It’s onshore. It is also looking at joint nomination with PNOC-EC (under PCECP),” Marcos said. SC 37 was awarded to PNOC EC in July 1990, covering an area of 360 km2, originally from 2,200 km2. Another foreign firm looking at projects in the Philippines with Ratio is Delek Group, also an Israel-based firm focused on the gas sector, Cusi said. “They have two interests, one is to drill, in case Ratio will drill in the country. The other one is to nominate also,” Marcos said. The DOE undersecretary also said Rexxon Group has also signified interest in SC 59 offshore Palawan, also of PNOC-EC. SC 59 was awarded to PNOC
EC in January 2006 which covers an area of 14,760 km2 in offshore Southwest Palawan and is located north of the deep-water gas discoveries in offshore Malaysia. Meanwhile, ExxonMobil has participated one of the PDAs under PCECP, Marcos said. The DOE has been pushing for oil and gas exploration and development in the country and launched the PCECP in November last year as part of an intensified thrust to develop the petroleum exploration industry for global competitiveness. Presently, there are only 23 active Petroleum Service Contracts (PSC) in the country, with the Malampaya Deep Water Gas-toPower Project as the most successful PSC stemming from the previous Philippine Energy Contracting Round. The contract for the Malampaya gas field in northwest Palawan will expire in 2024 but this can be applied for extension with the DOE. n
Miss International
nichOLe LOgarta Manilatimes.net
IT happens every so often that people veer off the path laid out before them and, instead, go down another where they shine. So it was in the case of Anna V. Tatlonghari, president of Ayala Land International Sales Inc. (ALISI). A BS Biology graduate of De La Salle University, Dasmariñas, this bubbly and animated professional says she contemplated studying medicine, going so far as to take the National Medical Admission Test. But a career in sales won out. “Sometimes, there are things that happen to you that make you change your mind,” she explains. She landed her first job in retail as a store manager for United Colors of Benetton and Marithe + Francois Girbaud, after which she moved on to merchandising as a buyer. The early to mid-1990s signaled the rise of real estate as a lucrative field, and so Anna rode the wave, getting on board Megaworld Corporation, Shang Properties and eventually, Filinvest Alabang Inc. (FAI) where she spent five years as a senior unit manager. After a year in Cebu helping rebrand Commonwealth Estates, her true passion came in the form of new business development. Ayala Land invited her back with them promising a brand-new position leading a team heading new projects and setting up new endeavors. One project she headed was the conceptualization of commercial pieces of property for rent to potential institutional clients in areas outside Metro Manila such as Bicol, Batangas, Cavite and Antipolo. Another entailed handling the leasing group of Avida as they were gearing up to rent out units. In 2006, Ayala Land wanted a change in the company’s international operations, and Anna was tasked to lead this. In addition to offices in Rome and Milan, where many Filipinos worked, the company wanted to set up a Dubai office in order to cater to the OFW (overseas Filipino workers) market based there. The following year, Anna transferred from Avida to ALISI and was given the task of handling Channel Development as well as Marketing. Channel Development dealt with tapping overseas sellers, brokers from the US, for instance, to help them market their projects. Marketing, on the other hand, involved implementation of traditional and digital techniques. After a mere three years, Anna was promoted from Channel Development and marketing manager to general manager and eventually became the first president to assume responsibilities concentrated solely on operations for ALISI. Commenting on the OFW market, Tatlonghari says: “When you talk about this sector, you’re really talking about the skilled workers and blue-collar professionals, so
Anna V. Tatlonghari, president of Ayala Land International Sales Inc. (ALISI) Manilatimes.net photo
it’s really a wide scope. But if you try to pinpoint where the OFWs are and what they’re doing, or maybe how they’ve progressed in the past 10 years, we feel that the Filipinos have reached a certain point in the corporate environment especially in Asia. “If you go to Hong Kong or Singapore, you meet all these CFOs (chief financial officers), for example, or finance practitioners, advertising or IT professionals. You just feel really proud. Even the bankers and the lawyers in Hong Kong are Filipinos. We’ve already progressed from how people think of OFWs. They are now just like the expats you see here. We’re treated the same way in other countries. Though a big chunk is still made up of the engineering, hotel or retail business, we see an increase already in the professionals.” Their numbers in Ayala Land support that growth. From 400 million pesos in sales in 2005, they have increased to a whopping 10 billion pesos just last year, a clear indicator of the strength of the overseas Filipino market. Working in Ayala Land is advantageous for Anna as it allows her to expand her knowledge and keep abreast of the latest developments in her field. One such opportunity was being part of Harvard Business School’s Executive Leadership Program. “ALISI is very generous in such a way that they feel that the success of the employees, especially the senior leaders, is really dependent on the education and the training that we get,” she says. “Of course, action is very important but so are the principles that you learn from school, the training that you get in the seminars and the skills that you develop along the way.” Several batches, each consisting of 50 Ayala Land middle managers, were selected to join the program taught by actual Harvard professors. Despite the pressure to excel, Anna recalls that it was a fun experience. “Perhaps, the major learning there for me was to just be open to new things.” Travel is also a major factor that makes work fun for the ALISI president. “Who wants to sit in an
office all day?” she laughs. Since their market is based overseas, it only makes sense that they are where the projects are. “You just have to bring in the results.” As president of the international arm of a real estate giant, Anna is constantly bombarded with challenges. Managing relationships and people, whether colleagues or staff, remains a formidable hurdle, especially since the people she works with all have strong personalities. They are competitive by nature. Working with millennials has taught her that the workforce is now composed of individuals who need to find substance and inspiration in their work. “My push to my team is to not just engage people, but to remind them of why they’re here,” Anna says. “We are guided by Ayala Land values of LIVEM: leadership, integrity, vision, excellence and malasakit.” This allows them to strive further and to do things the right way.” When she’s not traveling or office bound, Anna says she enjoys eating out and savoring wine, although she would not call herself a fervent “foodie.” A collector of wines for eight years now, she has visited celebrated vineyards such as Napa Valley, Tuscany and Rioja. On her list for future trips are Bordeaux and Burgundy. Locally, she visits Txanton on Chino Roces Avenue where she claims they have a great selection of jamon and Spanish or Argentinian wine. Her gastronomic penchant stems from childhood. Her FrenchVietnamese mother allowed Anna and her sister to sample different kinds of food growing up. On her free days, she spends time with her sister and her parents, who own Bawai, a Vietnamese restaurant with branches in Tagaytay, White Plains, Quezon City and Bonifacio Global City. If Anna has any words of wisdom to people in all fields and professions, whether old or young, it is this: “Every single thing that happens to you, whether you’re in bad shape or having a good day, just be grateful. “At the end of the day, what really sustains you is your attitude.” n
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Dateline PhiliPPines
SoCal ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 13-15, 2019
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Meet the Fil-Am women pushing Filipino desserts in SoCal by
Christina M. Oriel / AJPress
WITH Women’s History Month underway, the Asian Journal takes a look at the contributions Filipina-American women have made to the dessert scene across Southern California. There is an abundance of examples we can point to, whether these women are pastry chefs at top restaurants or pushing Filipino ingredients like the now ubiquitous ube (purple yam) that has made its way to non-Filipino-owned establishments as well because of its picture-friendly hue and versatility. Sally Camacho-Mueller is the executive pastry chef and managing partner at French restaurant Tesse in West Hollywood. Carissa Ortega of Ninong’s Pastries and Cafe in Northridge has decadent pancake and French toast flavors, from turon to ensaymada. In Cerritos, Karla Purificacion’s Kape Republik considers buko pandan crinkles and baked turon rolls best-sellers. Caroline Adobo Cakes — who shares stunning and mouth-watering photos of her creations and family meals on Instagram — has made-to-order cakes like the ube leche flan bundt cake or halo halo mousse. At artisanal ice cream shop Wanderlust Creamery, co-founder and creative partner Adrienne Borlongan has ube malted crunch (inspired by her Fil-Am upbringing) as a staple flavor at the three locations. This past October, we wrote about how the shop introduced 12 flavors for Fil-Am History Month, such as salted duck egg, sapin sapin, keso de bola, and sans rival. Taking a deeper look, seven SoCal-based Pinay bakers, pastry chefs, and entrepreneurs share their craft and lessons, and where sweets fit into the greater awareness of Filipino cuisine in the United States.
“Baking at République: Masterful Techniques and Recipes,” will be released on April 2 (read more on cookbook recommendations on Page 6). Later this year, she and Walter will open a restaurant at the Herald Examiner building in Downtown LA. What grounds her: “Less is more. Keep it simple as far as baking or trying to conceptualize a dessert. When it gets too much, I remind myself of that.”
Barb Batiste, owner of B Sweet and Big Boi
AJPress photos by Noel Ty Kristine de la Cruz, founder of Créme Caramel in Sherman Oaks and FrankieLucy Bakeshop in Silver Lake. Photo courtesy of Créme Caramel
Halo halo
Margarita “Marge” Manzke
Ube and pandan cookie trio
Photo courtesy of République
Best sellers include ube and buko pandan creme caramel, ube upside down pie and ube horchata drink. AJPress photo by Noel Ty
Ube bread pudding
Barb Batiste - Owner & chef, B Sweet + Big Boi Following the sweet tooth: “I never forget the most important meal, which is dessert. If I could eat it first, I would,” jokes Chef Bibingka Halo Halo Barb Batiste, a former graphic designer who came into the professional world of desserts after developing a chocolate chip banana bread recipe on the side. She would become the executive pastry chef at the Loews Santa Monica Beach and then head pastry chef of LA Art Gallery until she started her own catering company with friend and business partner Kurt Steinitz in 2009. Sawtelle Boulevard in West LA is where Batiste has made her mark, with her dessert shop B Sweet opening in 2014 based on the catering and two dessert trucks. In 2017, savory casual Filipino joint Big Boi opened few doors down. Intuition and sharing: “I’m pretty well-known not to have anything written down. I cook from my heart. That’s how my mom, my lolas, titas cooked. They don’t have a recipe book and would always instruct based on how many sandoks (ladle) used,” she says. “Sometimes I think I should have recipes but every time I follow one, I end up changing it or enhancing it somehow. A little bit Buko Pie Photos courtesy of Sari Sari Store more butter or more cream cheese never hurts.” Going into either B Sweet or Big Boi, you’ll notice a lot of decor alluding to love or the spirit of salamat (thank you), which is how Margarita “Marge” Manzke - co-owner/pastry chef, RépubBatiste grew up. “They feel that whoever owns it — whether they lique + Sari Sari Store know it’s me or not — cares about the quality of the food and On her plate: Marge Manzke, who comes from a family in the desserts and how it’s delivered and present to them. Everything I food and hospitality industry in the Philippines, studied pastry at touch has a level of care,” she says. Le Cordon Bleu in London, then received a degree in culinary arts This is also reflected in the generous portion sizes at both at The Culinary Institute of America in New York. Her extensive places, which comes from seeing her family cook abundantly and résumé includes Spago, Patina (where she met now husband and always have leftovers. business partner Walter Manzke), and Mélisse. The Manzkes have “There’s always that one person you’re not going to make République, Sari Sari Store and Petty Cash in LA, as well as eight happy but I always think about those people who are never going cafés and bakeries in Metro Manila alongside Marge’s sister Ana to be happy with anything,” she says. “You have to realize that’s De Ocampo: Wildflour (six locations), ice cream & soda fountain one out of hundreds of people so how do I take that? It’s very perFarmacy, and the franchise of Pink’s Hot Dogs. sonal to me and I take it in. But it drives me to make sure that the Running a typical day: Manzke starts her day at République desserts are always on point.” at 3 a.m., when she and her team bake the pastries to be ready by A decade of advocating Filipino flavors: Five years after the 7 a.m. Being a multiple business owner also involves dealing with brick and mortar opened and a decade since Batiste started catermanagerial duties or driving down to Grand Central Market where ing, the crowds haven’t dissipated at B Sweet, where she’s infused Sari Sari Store, her Filipino rice bowl concept, is located. Her day sweet Filipino elements into menu staples like ube pan de sal pudends at 4 p.m. when she picks up her kids from school. ding, halo-halo, and halos (pressed donut sandwiches using MagDespite the time of day or weather conditions, you can expect nolia ice cream). “Ube is still a favorite, regardless of whether it’s in a line outside of République or the counter seats occupied at a cheesecake or a cake or just a scoop of ice cream. It still seems to Sari Sari. Creating a dining-friendly ambience and relevant menu be one of the popular Filipino flavors,” she says. “When we don’t continue to draw people to Manzke’s restaurants. “We always try have it — but now we always do — people are quite angry. I don’t to improve every day and think there’s always something to work think people will ever get sick of it.” on and improve and be better at. We push ourselves and our staff At Big Boi, you can find her ube butter with pan de sal or ube to not be content just because there’s a line out there. That can go waffles and turon pancakes at the Sunday pop-up brunch from 8 away easily as soon as we let our guard down and start to relax,” a.m. to 1 p.m. Both places are open Wednesday to Sunday. she says. Batiste is quick to narrate a story of a group of blonde girls who Developing signature desserts: “My desserts and pastries visited the shop this past summer and would tell other customers are straightforward and nothing fancy, but the flavors are what what halo halo is all about. “These are your local California girls speaks,” Manzke says. She doesn’t sit down to write her recipes; who have probably never tried Filipino food until B Sweet came new dessert and pastry ideas arrive “at the spur of the moment along. That speaks so loudly for me...that they were so excited for or get inspiration from traveling.” At République, her best-sellers include crème brûlée and raspberry bombolinis, croissants and pain it not because it was a trendy thing but it actually tasted so good to them,” she says. au chocolat. Sari Sari Store has buko (young coconut) pie and halo More than ube: Even though ube is what has put Batiste on the halo on its daily menu, and specials like bibingka during Christmasmap, she’s just getting started with the Filipino flavors. “Right now, time. The typical canned beans and jar are missing from her halo we’re focused on ube but there are all these desserts that I think halo, which instead uses fresh seasonal fruits, leche flan, coconut about like sapin sapin, which I need to introduce, or polvoron… tapioca and ice cream. Just the candies alone in the Philippines. We talk about ensayma“The Philippines has a big selection of sweets. A lot of people das and whatever we’re used to but people haven’t even seen the know halo halo and buko pie, but there’s so much more than just half of it. There’s still so much to be done in terms of sharing the that,” Manzke says. “I’m trying to little by little introduce some Filipino desserts,” she says. other things.” But she does not force Filipino flavors if they don’t “What we want to do is expose Filipino food and the more that make sense overall. When mangoes are in season, she tries to people work with it and put it out there, whether it’s dessert or develop new desserts around it, like a biko creation last year with savory, we want to reach everybody so it shouldn’t be a competimangoes and coconut jam on top. tion. It’s food,” she adds. Recognitions and what’s next: A four-time semifinalist for the Returning to purpose: “It’s always been about cooking, loving James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Pastry Chef award, Manzke the food, and feeding people and getting the reaction from them. reflects, “I’m very proud and humbled to get nominated. I don’t It’s a tough balance because I’m not a businessperson by trade. I work hard thinking I’m going to get a James Beard award. It’s had to learn all of this…I do have my days where I’m exhausted and what I love to do and what I was born to do. I can’t imagine myself question everything, but my heart is so full and that’s when I know I doing anything but cooking in the kitchen or making pastries. Of course, it’s an honor to represent my heritage.” Her first cookbook, love what I do so much.”
Kristine de la Cruz - Founder, Créme Caramel + FrankieLucy Bakeshop Taking the leap: In July 2009, Kristine de la Cruz completed a 52-page business plan after giving herself a year to work on it centered around her aunt’s leche flan recipe, but was not “emotionally prepared” until November of that year when she sold her first batches. A year later, together with her partner Sean Gilleland, Créme Caramel sold at farmers’ market around the LA area, mostly in non-Filipino areas to test the pulse of prepared foods without having to open a brick and mortar. The first shop was opened in Sherman Oaks in 2013, which marketed itself as a custard and confection dessert bakery. “Three years into the business is when a lot of ube-based stuff started getting a lot of love. Since we had already been selling, it’s like we were already positioned to move through, which was great timing,” de la Cruz says. “Great timing, considering it took four years for us to get that kind of highlight and recognition.” In 2017, a second location called FrankieLucy Bakeshop was opened in Silver Lake in partnership with Found Coffee. It carries all of the items found at Créme Caramel but sells out faster because of the lesser quantities each day. Happy accident: The ube upside down pie continues to be a best-seller, which was unintentionally made as she was preparing ube and pandan creme caramel for their first wholesale account, The Park’s Finest. “At the time, I was the only one baking and I couldn’t afford to waste stuff. The trays that were set aside for them were a little toasty on the top. But you know, leche flan, when you’re baking it, you’re baking the bottom and when you turn it over, no one’s going to see it,” she narrates. “Because it was a wholesale client, it couldn’t look toasty on the top so I ended up putting together a crust and then made some for the farmers’ market that week, which ended up selling out. It was a happy accident of a product that ended up getting a lot of love and continues to be one of our best sellers.” A new generation of Filipino bakeries: Being a Fil-Am food business owner in LA, despite some of its challenges, de la Cruz says the benefit is how welcoming and collaborative other chefs are because there’s that support and less secrecy. “We see the big picture and there’s enough business for everyone. We share the same consumer and we can only benefit from that. The more people try the food, the more likely they are going to try other stuff that’s out there,” she says. This generation is also not afraid to expand to other markets as well outside of the Fil-Am community. “The first ones being like the mom and pop, and turo turos — that generation was just focusing on the Filipino community,” she says. “Whereas, my generation and the ones after are the ones trying to be inclusive of everyone in the community because we have two cultures we’re very proud to be a part of, both the Filipino and American sides.” Quality control: “Early on, we were presented with the opportunity to do wholesale on a grander scale at a factory, but the thing was we would have to compromise on some of the ingredients. It just felt like it was a different business model than what we were going to follow,” she says, but now the business is at a point where it can entertain that option as a way to introduce its products in areas where they can’t open physically. Today, Créme Caramel and FrankieLucy’s desserts can be found at nearly 20 outlets across Southern California, like Oi Asian Fusion and the Parks Finest. On Pi Day (3/14), Mendocino Farms in Sherman Oaks will be selling Créme Caramel pies for a week and depending on the reception, this partnership could blossom to other locations as well. Though her business has gotten a lot of attention on social media, de la Cruz says that upholding the quality and making customers feel like they are getting their money’s worth are important considerations. “It’s easy to be swayed by the stunt food or things that are Instagrammable, and that’s why I feel ube has gotten such love. But at the same time, there has to be an element of something that’s long lasting versus something people will just line up for now,” she says. “There still has to be good customer service, the food still has to taste good. We can’t just try to grab that immediate dollar just to get people through the door.” Human connection: “If my business is centered around providing the need or to ease the pain of having someone have an Instagrammable photo, that’s not sustainable. I’m thankful that people come into our store to try our food and that they return. But we’ve always been about customer service…It’s not like we’re trying to change your world, but we’re just trying to make sure it’s not so transactional, it’s more relationship building. Continued on Page 4
Changing our perception of ‘unhealthy’ Filipino food Chef, food educator and advocate Aileen Suzara aims to promote sustainable and healthy Pinoy food practices
by Malou liwanag-Bledsoe AJPress
WITH Filipino food’s presence increasing in the mainstream, it is also hard to ignore that Filipinos and Filipino-Americans have high rates of chronic diseases such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and heart disease. Because of this, some people tend to take a step back on Filipino cuisine, as they perceive it to be one of the main causes of these diseases. Chef, food educator and advocate Aileen Suzara begs to disagree, explaining that these perceptions are “relatively recent.” “Digging into the roots of Filipino food culture reveals how closely our foods were — and are — tied to the land, sea, and seasons. Traditional methods focused on boiling, steaming, grilling, and naturally fermenting or preserving foods — or serving them fresh as can be, like kinilaw. Meats we consider trademarks today (like pork) could not be staples for most people, given how costly and labor intensive hunting or raising animals used to be,” she explained. “Meats were precious — used more like a flavoring for ulam, in smaller portions than we see today, and for special occasions. Fish and seafood would be more abundant, especially in coastal regions.” Suzara even points out that our idea of rice — which is a staple in Filipinos’ diets — has changed. “I grew up thinking [that] eating a Filipino diet meant eating only white rice and that brown rice was ‘White people health food,’ and had my mind blown realizing there are thousands of varieties of rice, in a rainbow of colors,” she said. Recognizing history and finding connections to health A lot of people have reasoned and acknowledged that Filipino dishes, such as lechon (roasted pig) are greasy and unhealthy. Suzara, however, explained that there are better — and healthier ways to make Filipino food. A start is to look into our history to find the connections to the way we eat and how it has changed. “It’s essential to recognize history, especially as our community faces an epidemic of diet-related chronic diseases like type II diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. I know how frustrating it can be to look for resources on ‘healthy eating’ and not see yourself reflected — the nutrition field is still largely Eurocentric, and has a long way to go in better representing the wisdom of many food traditions found in the U.S. These stereotypes do a disservice when they pose a false choice of culture vs health,” she stressed. During her research into food during World War II and the American colonial period, Suzara learned that the colonial system not only enforced the English language to Filipinos, but also home economics classes tapered to the “American nutrition” at the time. This introduced processed and imported food from brands like Hershey’s and Hormel. “A more common diet — such as munggo (mung beans), fish, vegetables, and colorful rice — would have been considered nutritionally inferior, and we now know is the opposite,” she explained. Suzara believes that we can be healthy without leaving our food culture behind by getting inspiration from a wealth of foods that are both traditional and contemporary. “There are certainly foods that are fatty, sweet and salty — party foods and treats exist in any culture,” she said. “We don’t need to throw these away, either. Instead, we can make more room in our plates and palates for foods that keep us healthy and strong.” Growing up in Hawai’i, Suzara also noted that she was surrounded by markets that are full of produce, such as long beans, bittermelon, eggplants, banana hearts and more, all planted by longtime Filipino farmers. “In CA (California), earlier generations shaped the farmworker and labor movement, and there are still farmers both new and old who carry on these traditions. Elders have [been] practicing ‘urban gardening’ before it became trendy again,” Suzara said.
entertainment
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019
Three Fil-Am chefs named 2019 James Beard Awards semifinalists
also announced that it is now accepting limited reservations, which means that diners do not have to wait outside for hours, THE James Beard Foundaalthough there will be seats for tion has announced the list of walk-incustomers. semifinalists in the running for Margarita Lorenzana Manits 2019 Restaurant and Chef zke and her husband Walter run Awards and three Filipino Republique, a French restaurant American chefs have made the in the Hancock Park neighborlist. The awards,presented to recognize culinary professionals hood of Los Angeles that the couple opened in December in the United States, are sometimes called the “Oscars” of the 2013. Last year, Los Angeles Times named it one of the food world. “101 Restaurants We Love” For the third year in a row, and called Manzke’s desserts Tom Cunanan of Bad Saint as “terrific riffs on classics…so is once again nominated for good that you’ll forget to InstaBest Chef: Mid-Atlantic while République’s Margarita Manzke gram it”. According to their website, makes a return appearance in Margarita oversees Repubthe Outstanding Pastry Chef lique’s Pastry Department, category. bakes the wildly popular breads, Sheldon Simeon’s new and is largely responsible for restaurant in Hawai’i called the success of the daytime Lineage, is up for Best New Café. In 2017, Margarita and Restaurant. Walter opened Sari Sari Store, a In an Instagram post, the Filipino Rice Bowl Stall, in Grand official account of Bad Saint Central Market in Downtown congratulated their beloved Los Angeles. Cunanan and said “His creativBorn and raised in the Philipity, vision, and superlative food pines, Margarita grew up in the are the beating heart of this kitchen since her family owned restaurant.” and operated a hotel and a Cunanan co-owns the restaurant. Her grandparents restaurant with Genevieve Vilfounded the Lorenzana Food Photos by Sana Javeri Kadri lamora and Nick Pimentel and Corporation, which was famous collectively, they came up with for their patis (fish sauce) while the menu that captivated both diners and food critics alike. Bad her parents owned and managed the White Rock Resort in Saint is named after St. Malo, Subic. Louisiana, where the first FilipiAfter studying pastry at Le nos settled in the United States. Cordon Bleu in London, MarCunanan was also named garita enrolled in The Culinary Star Chefs D.C.-Chesapeake Institute of America in New Rising Star in 2018 and Eater York, where she received her named Bad Saint as one of degree in Culinary Arts. America’s 38 essential restauThe couple also co owns the rants. wildly popular Wildflour chain The Eater blurb mentioned in Manila with Margarita’s sister the challenge to this 24-seater Ana Lorenzana de Ocampo. dining destination: its no They opened the first one in reservations policy. That aside, BGC back in 2012 and now they eating at Bad Saint is a must have five locations across the and as Bill Addison, the new metropolis. Los Angeles Times food critic Top Chef alum Sheldon wrote last year, “The payoff: Tom Cunanan’s peerless Filipino Simeon posted his thanks on his Instagram account. cuisine. Inspirations like piniri“Words can’t even start to tong alimasag (fried soft-shell crab in spicy crab-fat sauce) also describe on how honored it is to brilliantly signal the Chesapeake be recognized by @beardfoundation amongst the great chefs region in which he cooks.” and restaurants whom I only Last January, the restaurant by MoMar
g. Visaya
AJPress
Food educator and chef Aileen Suzara
Veggie dishes by Aileen Suzara
Raising the flavor profile of vegan/vegetarian dishes “Our people were among the world’s most skillful vegetable farmers, and our traditional foods reflect this agrarian heritage. I think of this when I hear comments that ‘Filipinos don’t eat vegetables’” she said. For those who are thinking of going meatless (or at least plan to eat more vegetables) but are scared of how it will taste like, Suzara has a few ideas. “If people are unfamiliar with ingredients, or have had them poorly prepared, it can seem like these foods must be bland or boring. Luckily, vegetables can be just as — and sometimes even more than — flavorful and creatively prepared as meat. I’d recommend people try an approach of ‘more’ vs ‘elimination,’ she said and continued, “For example, ‘how can I focus on bringing in more colors, textures, and varieties of vegetables into my daily meals, vs focusing on what to take away?’” She suggests dark leafy greens, like kamote greens, kangkong and bok choy, because of the taste, nutritional value and can cook quickly. Adding seasonings like calamansi or lemon, chilis and garlic help add to its flavor profile. “Making small steps is [the] important thing to getting started! Having a buddy system — a friend or family members — can be motivating and make the process fun,” Suzara said. “For parents who worry they may have the added labor of cooking different foods for themselves and their kids, I’d encourage them to involve kids with cooking ‘new’ foods as much as possible and incorporating it into their diet as well. Easier said than done, for sure, but as I’ve found while cooking and teaching children and youth, kids are more likely to try new foods when they have an active role in preparing it, and also try it multiple times. Some families might opt to make it a weekly tradition and do ‘Meatless Mondays,’ then go from there.” At present, Suzara is also busy with her food business, Sariwa (Tagalog for “fresh”), which she started when she reconnected with her Filipino
roots. “I was inspired by flavors tasted while visiting rural areas of the Philippines, in Hawai’i, and while reconstructing dishes found in old cookbooks. When I spent two years as an organic farmer in coastal California, I was immersed in agriculture and was able to grow, taste and cook with some of the freshest and most delicious ingredients, and I wanted to find out how to make them more accessible,” she shared. Sariwa had its first big pop-up in Oakland in 2011, with the support of the Peoples Kitchen Collective and as a benefit for Filipino/American Coalition for Environmental Solidarity’s (FACES) typhoon relief efforts. “It took more years of experimentation and work in the public health world before I decided to return to the kitchen. I was concern about the growing chronic disease epidemic our community faced, and also disturbed by the times I’d heard friends or community members share that they were instructed to ‘stop eating Filipino food before it kills you,’” she said. “I realized the most direct way of touching people’s palates was through our tastebuds, and to show how eating for health could also taste good and celebrate culture. I wanted to find ways to make health more celebratory, and to find a practical way to support local farmers who are growing heritage crops.” Sariwa has grown as a food business since 2016, with the support of La Cocina, a nonprofit that supports low-income women, people of color and immigrants. Aside from this, Sariwa brings workshops and food demos to schools, clinics and public events, as well as collaborates with community organizations. “Health and wellness are already within our roots. We have a wealth of practices that we can now bring forward to fit our 21st-century lives, and have the tools to feed ourselves in ways that honor our ancestors, heals our bodies, and takes care of the earth,” she said. A podcast featuring Sariwa and healing within FilipinoAmerican foods will soon be posted on https://www. realfoodrealtories.org/.
Tom Cunanan Photo from instagram/@tomccunanan
Margarita Manzke
Sheldon Simoen Photo from Instagram/@chefwonder
have the utmost respect for,” he said. Simeon opened Lineage, Continued on Page 6
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The nal TheAsian AsianJour Jour nalMDWK MDWKMAGAZINE MAGAZINE- - March March 13, 13, 2019 2019
Meet the Fil-Am women pushing Filipino desserts...
From Page 2
mind,” and landed positions at Hatfields and Sycamore Kitchen before becoming pastry chef at Chef Josef Centeno’s Orsa & Winston then overall executive pastry chef at Centeno’s restaurant group (which also included Bar Ama, Baco Mercat, and Ledlow). “I would not be the pastry chef I am today had I not the fine dining foundation and mentorship realized as a line cook. I’ve been lucky to work with some of the best chefs and restaurants in LA,” she says. Self-branding: In 2016, Fabro took a month-long trip to the Philippines, which was the first time she was fully immersed in Filipino culture. She was compelled to venture on her own and consult on other projects, including creating a dessert menu at Alvin Cailan’s incubator Unit 120. Under her pop-up IsaMADE, she creates made-to-order desserts and pastries, such as the royal bibingka pie, food for the gods cake, Bicol express empanadas during the holiday season, and mango royale pie, strawberry sago, and latik pudding in the spring. Her work has garnered features in the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, Bon Appétit, and more. Heritage as a key ingredient: “At this point, anything I do pastry or dessert wise must be Filipino-inspired. The last four years have been my most personal and profound cooking. I’m expressing myself creatively, and this has nurtured a sense of joy and pride in the community. Up until four years ago, I felt very distant from the culture. I’ve learned that this feeling is a more common struggle Chari Heredia-Reyes started Ensaymada Project from the kitchen of her Canyon Country home. amongst first generation immigrants like myself, so I’m hoping that Photo courtesy of Ensaymada Project my dedication will help others open doors and rediscover roots.” Where to find her in 2019: In the past three years, Fabro has held pop-ups at local cafés and has been visible at various culinary events and festivals (remember her viral halo halo at Coachella that had fruity pebbles?). This May, she’ll be back for the LA Food Bowl for events with chefs Diep Tran of Good Girl Dinette and Saengthong Douangdara of Saeng’s Kitchen, and will be at Guest Chef Burger Night at Esters Wine Shop & Bar in Santa Monica, where she’ll make a kare kare burger and surprise dessert. She also has some projects that are still under wraps. “Whatever I do, I will take every opportunity to make Filipino food because it is my chance to A self-taught baker and former stay-at-home mom, Ginger Lim-Dimapasok started Cafe 86 with her keep the culinary conversation going. It is my honor to present our husband James in Chino, California, which has now grown to three other locations. cuisine to as many people as possible,” she adds. AJPress photo by Noel Ty Best career advice: Fabro says that the power lies within you to figure things out. “We all need teachers starting out, but there comes a point when you have to stop being a student and put the responsibility in your own hands. There’s a lot of self-study required, especially if you have a unique vision. The longer you work at something, that Ensaymada Project, which is sold online, through pick-up or at special events, has 22 flavors each vision will become more clear and entirely your own. No one else week, including ube, salted egg and maple bacon. Photo courtesy of Ensaymada Project can get you where you want to be except for yourself. Once you have this, your team, systems and operations will fall into place, but Chari Heredia-Reyes - Owner & baker, Ensaymada Project remember, it always starts with you.” Passion for baking: Growing up in the Philippines, Chari Heredia-Reyes remembers helping her mom who had a holiday business of selling desserts. Though she would pursue a career as an educator and move to Southern California, Heredia-Reyes missed baking so she slowly started making ensaymada — brioche butter pastry topped with cheese and sugar — for family occasions and gifts for friends. That soon became a full-fledged business out of her Canyon Country home, alongside her chef husband Ramon and their four children pitching in. Her mission: to bring “authentic Filipino ensaymada” to people around the U.S. and even worldwide. “We regard the ensaymada as a venerable bread handed down through generations, holding a special place in our Philippine heritage,” she says. “These are crafted by hand and flawlessly presented using an artisanal recipe that leaves no room for compromise.” Mastering the product: It’s a meticulous process in creating each batch of ensaymada, with Ensaymada Project nailing it down to 10 hours when it usually takes 14 on average. On any given day, Gigi Pascual (right), former of the Buttermilk Truck, owned up Dough & Arrow in Costa Mesa with her Ensaymada Project produces around 70 dozen ensaymadas, which business partner Jennifer Green based on her childhood love for cookies. come in 22 rotating flavors each week, from ube, salted egg, matPhoto courtesy of Dough & Arrow Cafe 86 has about 50 items incorporating ube, from the cake truffles using Oreo crumbles, cupcake cha, cookie butter, maple bacon and more. The different flavors, topped with leche flan, and cheesecake. AJPress photo by Noel Ty Heredia-Reyes says, shows how versatile ensaymadas can be. Ensaymada Project started off selling through its website and Ginger Lim-Dimapasok - Owner, Cafe 86 would ship orders to customers. Boxes can also be picked up daily Switching gears: Growing up in the Philippines, Ginger Limat her Canyon Country home and weekends at the new kitchen in Dimapasok’s mother ran a turo-turo restaurant, which was next to a Canoga Park. The brand can now be found weekly at Smorgasburg bakeshop where she would sneak off to and watch the bakers frost and other events in Southern California, like 626 and OC Night cakes and design cookies. “That’s what triggered my passion for Markets and LA Food Bowl, and retail partners like Titas of Manila baking,” she recalls, adding role models like Nora Daza, Doreen in West Covina and LA Rose Cafe in Hollywood. Fernandez, Martha Stewart and Julia Child. Passing down traditions: Just like her mom passed down her Lim-Dimapasok, a stay-at-home mom to two kids, put those ensaymada recipe, Heredia-Reyes hopes that by eating one of her baking skills to use when she and her husband first opened Cafe 86 pastries, it will educate others on the history of the dessert bread in their city of Chino. The couple wanted a business of their own, and the traditions around it, including how it is popular in the Philas well as a place where James could host his weekly car meets. ippines during the holidays. “It is our hope that Ensaymada Project Originally conceptualized as a coffee and boba shop, Lim-Dimapa- will continue a centuries-old legacy that fosters such global ties sok infused Filipino flavors like calamansi and ube into the various – one ensaymada at a time,” she says. drinks. Her husband encouraged her to bake a few desserts for Her secret: “Focus on quality and customer service — it’s the the soft opening — Thai tea brownies, ube cinnamon rolls and ube secret to success. Also take good care of your employees, the truffles — which were resounding hits. backbone of the company.” Today, Cafe 86 has somewhere around 50 menu items that Pascual, who describes the perfect cookie as crispy but gooey in the middle, knew she had to incoruse ube in some way, from lattes to milkshakes to desserts. Some porate the popular ube flavor into one of her recipes, which resulted in a cooke topped with toasted signature pastries, which are ever present on Instagram, include coconut. Photo courtesy of Dough & Arrow the ube cupcake topped with leche flan, ube cake truffles, and halo halo bread pudding. Gigi Pascual - Co-owner & pastry chef, Dough & Arrow “Sharing Filipino culture through our food is a very important On her second wind: Gigi Pascual, who studied pastry arts at milestone for us because it’s not something that I imagined I would the French Culinary Institute in New York, was previously featured be doing,” she reflects. “It feels like I was able to share what my in the Asian Journal for her breakfast Buttermilk Truck, considmom taught me in the beginning on how to treat people, how to ered one of the first 10 food trucks in LA in 2009. It turned into a entertain, and take care of customers. Being able to translate that product line of red velvet and ube pancake mixes, which were sold through our food and stores is pretty amazing for us.” at mainstream stores like Crate & Barrel and Sur La Table and were Scaling recipes: Lim-Dimapasok recounts that the transition used at shops like DK’s Donuts and Friendly Donuts. Pascual took from her home to a professional kitchen “was one of the most some time off when her first child was born, but last year launched daunting experiences I’ve ever had because I was going from usDough & Arrow, a cookie and coffee shop, in Costa Mesa with ing a little KitchenAid and all of a sudden, we bring in a 50-quart business partner Jennifer Green, formerly of Nom Nom Truck. mixer.” She adds, “You don’t know that you can’t scale a recipe Playing on childhood memories: Pascual recalls growing up times 10 without it having any repercussions on how it affects the eating Mrs. Fields cookies as a child, and ever since, she has been recipes. We had to learn and go through a lot of trial and error.” “playing around with different cookie recipes.” “When you go into The ube truffles, which are coated with crushed Oreos, continue Dough & Arrow, for me it’s a nostalgic factor because cookies are to be popular across the board because they are a “gateway” to something I grew up with. When you walk in, one of the first things what the purple yam for those who are unfamiliar. Though not evyou’ll notice is the smell because we’re baking small batch cookeryone has a liking for flan, the ube leche flan cupcake is the most ies throughout the day and also the smell of coffee,” she says. “As photographed because of its presentation. It’s a nod to growing you walk up to the counter, you’re going to see the display of the up at Filipino parties where the dessert table would have putong cookies and the espresso machine. We’re playing on the sights and (steamed rice cake) ube and leche flan. “It’s nothing new but coming to America and seeing it here makes it mind-blowing all of a Pastry chef Isa Fabro brings Filipino flavors through her own venture IsaMADE. Photo by Luz Gallardo the smells and then when you do eat it, it’s bringing you back to childhood.” sudden,” Lim-Dimapasok notes. Making the perfect cookie: Some may knock cookies as a Saturating the market: Lim-Dimapasok proudly patrons other basic dessert, but Pascual argues that there a multitude of ways to Fil-Am establishments and doesn’t see them as competitors. “We craft a cookie. “You can make it crispy or chewy, depending on the serve different things, but even when we do something similar, the preference of the chef or whoever is curating the menu. My favorite whole point of the whole Filipino food movement is for us to be cookie is a little bit crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle, able to saturate the way there’s Japanese food in every corner, the sometimes even a little gooey so that was the basis of Dough & way there’s Korean BBQ in almost every city now,” she says. “The Arrow,” she explains. way we see vanilla, chocolate, matcha green tea ice cream in every At Dough & Arrow, you can find options like sea salt chocolate ice cream spot, we want to be able to see ube there. We want to chip, cereal killer (which has rice crispies and captain crunch), and be able to see ube cupcakes at Sprinkles. That’s the goal.” ube toasted coconut. There are seasonal, gluten-free and vegan Sustainable expansion: With four locations in Chino, Pasadena, options as well. The menu has coffees, cold brews and teas to Artesia and Las Vegas, Lim-Dimapasok shares that being able to complement the sweets. open a new store nearly every year in business has been a feat. The Ube as a mainstay: Pascual, who was one of the early chamareas were chosen based on asking customers where they were pions of ube, says that she doesn’t have to explain what it is coming from; the common responses were Glendale, Eagle Rock, anymore. “Even if we don’t explain what it is, people already Cerritos and Las Vegas. “At the beginning, we didn’t want to focus know. It’s amazing to see how that’s evolved already over the past on our market being purely Filipino — that’s why we opened in couple years. It was just natural to me to introduce that because Fabro’s famed Mango Royale, which she custom makes per order during the spring. places like Pasadena. But Artesia actually became our busiest and Photo by Jessica Marx it’s already something that people are familiar with. It’s also a really most successful store because of all the Filipino support,” she says. pretty color. It’s probably one of my favorite Filipino flavors growLater this year, Cafe 86 will be opening in San Diego late and Isa Fabro — Owner & pastry chef, IsaMADE ing up,” she adds. offer nationwide shipping of some of its products. “In order to On recognizing the calling: It’s been 14 years since Isa Fabro Going back to roots: Pascual observes a dessert trend being grow your business, you need to understand what goes on around transitioned from a career in music to food. After falling ill and mixing classic techniques with flavors of one’s heritage or childyou, your community, and your staff,” she muses. “A lot of things hood influences. “That’s a common theme and the best way to will sound so tempting in this industry and money will always sound spending time in the ICU, it took a year for her to fully recover, express yourself by using techniques that you know and introduce so attractive but you can’t make it your main thing because it’s also when she realized that cooking was “the only kind of work that gives me the biggest challenge and fulfillment.” Fabro started off flavors that you’ve grown up with or maybe your family has grown the root of all evil.” as a line cook on the savory side for the first seven years, working up with,” she says. Strong morals: “Work with integrity no matter what you do. with Michelin-starred and James Beard-nominated chefs and resCore values: “Especially after having a child, the most imporIt’s not always going to be money-driven. If we’re just going to focus on money, it would tell me to get out of it right now because taurants, until she experienced back issues. She switched to pastry, tant thing is your family — to always take care of yourself and your which she says employs “the best of my formulaic and calculated family and everything else falls into place.” there’s not a lot of it coming through all the time.”
6 Filipino-authored cookbooks to add to your shelf by Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
AS mentioned in the Asian Journal’s recent profile on Now Serving — Los Angeles’ only cookbook store owned by Filipino-American couple Ken Concepcion and Michelle Mungcal — cookbook sales have significantly increased in the past two years because of the preference of dining at home, learning about regional cuisines, or keeping the book on a coffee table or kitchen shelf for display and aspirational purposes. On what makes a great cookbook, Concepcion had shared “You have a narrative or a distinctive point of view from the author. Once you have that, you’re able to really take a deep dive with the recipes or the history of the cuisine or if it’s about the restaurant, it’s a story about it. Beautiful pictures always help.” With more Filipino centered restaurants emerging across the United States, there has also been a handful of cookbooks published on the cuisine that goes beyond the popular classic dishes and delve deeper into the Filipinos’ culture of feasting and the regional influences. In this issue, we take a look at several cookbooks published within the last year, as well as those
I Am a Filipino
to look out in 2019, that are notable. “I Am a Filipino (And This is How We Cook)” by Nicole Ponseca & Miguel Trinidad of Maharlika and Jeepney in
New York City landed spots on Best of 2018 lists and was one of the Asian Journal’s book recommendations to kick off 2019. From classic dishes to street food, this cookbook came from Ponseca and Trinidad’s experiences cooking the cuisine as well as their travels to learn about the Philippines’ history and culture. “I want them to come away with an understanding that it is a world cuisine. It is a cuisine to be respected and learned. In my restaurant life, I worked for French and Italian restaurants; and now Nordic food and Israeli cuisine are revered and understood. Filipino food is equally important. There’s a discipline behind it,” Ponesca
need to have a good time.”
Pulutan! Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats
“Pulutan! Filipino Bar Bites, Appetizers and Street Eats” is the second cookbook by Marvin Gapultos, author of food blog Burnt Lumpia. Published last fall, “Pulutan!” — using the Filipino term for food paired with alcoholic drinks — was inspired by Gapultos growing up in a family “where snacking and drinking were a common occurrence” and his interest in cocktails and writing about and cooking Filipino food. “So to be able to write a cookbook focusing specifically on the drinking food of the Philippines just goes to show that there is so much breadth, depth, and diversity to Filipino cooking,” Gapultos shared with the Asian Journal, noting the lack of Filipino cookbooks The New Filipino Kitchen: Stories and Recipes in the United States only from Around the Globe a decade ago. “There’s so told Saveur. much more to our cuisine for “The New Filipino Kitcheverybody to discover and en: Stories and Recipes from enjoy, and there are so many Around the Globe” edited different dishes and flavors by Jacqueline Chio-Lauri was that can be replicated by the released in 2018 after nearly home cook, so I hope people three years in the making. come away with an appreciaIt features 30 recipes and tion for that.” stories from international The book contains over 60 Filipinos — including White recipes, with each one sugHouse executive chef Crisgesting a beer or cocktail as a teta Comerford, Bocuse d’Or complement, for any cookNorway winner Christian André ing level. You’ll find a range Pettersen, 2015 MasterChef of kinilaw dishes, like shrimp New Zealand runner-up Leo kinilaw with gin and pomelos, Fernandez, five-time Palanca and other creations from Bicol Award winner and poet Francis Express meatballs, squid sisig, Macansantos, and the “Food pig ear lumpia, Bacon isaw, Buddha” Rodelio Aglibot. and papaitan, a beef and tripe “Having lived in many stew. places with no Filipino food “Food doesn’t have to be presence, I long for our cuisine fancy to be good, and you to be more accessible globdon’t need a special occasion ally,” Lauri, who now lives in to socialize with friends or the United Kingdom after six family,” Gapultos said. “That’s other countries outside of the the great thing about Pulutan. Philippines, said in her interSimple food, easy drinks, and view with the Asian Journal in a casual setting are all you January.
Quintessential Filipino Cooking
“Quintessential Filipino Cooking” by Liza Agbanlog is an extension of her recipe blog Salu Salo, which was born out of making Filipino dishes using locally available ingredients in Vancouver, Canada, where she has lived with her husband and children since the 90s. The result is an index of 75 recipes developed based on childhood memories, those learned from relatives and friends, or modern adaptations. Some stand-outs include the sinampalukang manok (chicken tamarind soup), pork rib adobo, crispy pork binagoongan (shrimp paste), and fresh lumpia, which is Chineseinfluenced and was handed down by a cousin. “For those who grew up eating Filipino food, I hope that this book will help them make the dishes they grew up eating,” Agbanlog told the Asian Journal. “For those who are not familiar with Filipino cuisine, I hope they can give Filipino cuisine a try and get an appreciation for the cuisine.”
No Forks Given
“No Forks Given” by Yana Gilbuena is more than a cookbook — it’s a compila-
entertainment
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019
tion of stories and recipes from Gilbuena’s mission to bring Filipino food to all 50 U.S. states through the SALO Series. Gilbuena told the Asian Journal that this book is a testament that cooking Filipino food is accessible to anyone and that Filipinos can connect with and remind themselves of the Philippines through food. “It is by no means a com-
pendium of Filipino dishes or an encyclopedia of Filipino food, but it is meant to share some knowledge to folks who are interested in adapting local and seasonal ingredients into Filipino dishes,” she said. Some notable recipes in it are the sinigang poke, lengua kare-kare, halo-halo turon, for example. The book was announced Continued on Page 6
Marvel to introduce first Filipina superhero
entertainment The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019
by aJPress
WITH the release of “Captain Marvel� — the first woman superhero to have its own major film in the film franchise, a Filipina superhero will be gracing the pages of the Marvel comic book pages. Just in time for International Women’s Day, comic book writer and filmmaker Greg Pak on March 9 unveiled “Wave� on Twitter, designed and co-created by Filipino comic book artist Leinil Francis Yu. Though there is not much information about Wave, she was described by Marvel as “a mysterious new Filipino heroine.� She has identifiable Filipino “morena� skin, donning a green and gold costume as well as weapons and will be teaming up with heroes from China named Aero and Sword Master. Wave will debut in “War of the Realms: New Agents of After interviewing Brie Larson, aka Captain Marvel for the movie series’ Facebook page, Pia Wurtzbach said she might be working with Marvel and Disney again. Photo from Instagram/@piawurtzbach Atlas #1,� the first of four “War of the Realms� issues to be released in May. The story will be set in Asia and will center on the New Agents of Atlas led by Korean-American superhero Amadeus Cho (aka Brawn, previ-
Will Pia be introduced as the next Marvel heroine? by MJ
Marfori ManilaTimes.net
AFTER her interview with Captain Marvel Brie Larson — now up on Marvel’s official Facebook page — it looks like Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach imbibed the superhero aura when she arrived at the red carpet premiere of this month’s biggest superhero movie. She turned every head at the Mall of Asia Imax Theatre
with a feisty hairdo, denim dress and killer white boots. She was both proud and giddy to share her one-on-one with Brie and their conversation on women empowerment, which our Miss Universe believes left a pretty good impression on Captain Marvel herself. “I’m really kilig because after I did the interview with her, she was already saying goodbye to everyone. She was about to leave but she came back to me and she shook my
hand and said, ‘Thank you for everything that you do.’ Sobrang kinilig ako. I really feel like I met a superhero!� Pia then hinted she might be working with Marvel and Disney again for an upcoming project. Without giving away anything more though, she simply said “Fingers crossed, matutuloy pa ‘yung isang pinaplano namin! It’s always going to be a dream for me to one day play a superhero, so tingnan natin.�
Three FilAm chefs named 2019...
From Page 3 his second solo restaurant in October last year. He opened Tin Roof in Maui, his first venture back in 2016. He was in two seasons of the Bravo reality show Top Chef, first in the show’s 10th season in Seattle and in the show’s 14th season shot in Charleston. Lineage’s menu is a nod to Simeon’s Filipino heritage as
well as his growing up years in Hawai’i. A Hemispheres feature showcased one of the restaurant’s specialties: lauya, a bone broth soup famous in the northern regions of the Philippines. “The restaurant is right down the street from several fancy hotels, so we wanted to showcase an off-cut, like beef shank,� Simeon told the maga-
zine, “something that’s going to take time to cook properly.� “Bone broth with ginger is already warming and soothing,� Simeon added. “We always have herbs left over from other dishes, so we throw those in, too.� The winners will be announced on March 27 and the James Beard Awards Gala will happen on May 6 in Chicago.
Wave
ously the Hulk). Also joining his team (aside from Wave) are Chinese Kung-Fu master ShangChi, Korean-American heroine Silk and SHIELD agent Jimmy Woo. “Thank you so much for the huge response to Wave, Marvel’s new Filipina superhero, who’ll debut in War of the Realms: New Agents of Atlas #1! Huge thanks to [Leinil Yu], who co-created and designed
Photo from Instagram/@leinilyu
her,� he posted on Twitter. In an interview published on Marvel’s website, editor Will Moss said that “War of the Realms� will involve all the heroes from the “Avengers,� “Fantastic Four,� “Wolverine� — pretty much the whole line. All these superheroes are out to fight Malekith, the king of the dark elves, who is conquering all realms including Midgard or Earth.
6 Filipino-authored...
From Page 5 on Kickstarter in 2017 and garnered 600+ backers who pledged $44,925. Those who supported the campaign will be receiving a physical copy of the book this March, but it’s currently available onsaloseries.com in eBook form. “It is structured just how my tour was, starting from Key West and ending in Hawaii. It has anecdotes of the people I met, my experience in each state and the recipes I developed,â€? she explained. “The title is very tongue-incheek‌it is about dining with your hands where no plates or utensils are given. At the same time it embodies a lot of my attitude/approach in my work. I give no forks.â€? “Baking at RĂŠpubliqueâ€? by Margarita “Margeâ€? Manzke arrives this April for aspiring home cooks and pastry chefs who want to replicate the
pastries and sweets Manzke makes almost daily. Manzke, who owns RĂŠpublique and Sari Sari Store in Los Angeles plus eight cafĂŠs like Wildflour in Manila, is a four-time semifinalist for the James Beard Foundation’s Outstanding Pastry Chef award. Her credentials and skill level should not intimidate those seeking to learn how to bake, however, as this book delivers clear instructions on how to master brioche, croissants, or a basic cake batter. “The book has a range of easy, you can start from cookies that literally have four ingredients, to something that requires a little bit more practice or skill‌I hope it brings readers joy,â€? Manzke told the Asian Journal. Though Manzke is known for her French-influenced desserts, the cookbook has a host of desserts based on her
Baking at Republique
upbringing in the Philippines and those she serves as Sari Sari Store. “There are a couple of Filipino recipes like the halo halo, which is a very long recipe, a coconut cream pie derived from buko pie, bibingka, and ginataan, which is perfect for rainy days,� she shared.
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community 7
The bucket list
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond
Let the music move you (10th of a series)
MONETTE ADEVA MAGLAYA CARE to dance? Most people have rhythm embedded in their DNA. Music moves them emotionally and physically. Music is a powerful gravity-defying force that can speak to the soul. Watch when people listen to an upbeat Michael Jackson tune or even a Strauss waltz piece and before long, they will transform any empty space into a dance floor, dancing by themselves, or even trip the light fantastic if they are lucky enough to be with someone who shares their love for music and dancing. Test yourself if you have rhythm in you. See if a few strains of any kind of music move you emotionally and get you busting a few moves yourself. Want to see real honest to goodness dancing? Check out the video on youtube titled “Old movie stars dance to Uptown Funk” sang by Bruno Mars. It is this wonderfully edited and seamlessly spliced YouTube video of the Hollywood stars of a past golden era, exhibiting real talent in dancing. I just love watching the mixing of dance talent and current modern beat. The video editor, whoever he or she may be, deserves praise. Kudos! Fred Astaire, in my opinion, is beyond compare. There will never be another Astaire on earth who can take to the dance floor and make it look so easy. Sigh … The music he danced to seemed welded into his bones. But such perfection in movement didn’t come without a price. He must have practiced until his bones and muscles at the end of each rehearsal day cried out for mercy. He must have burned out so much energy that accounted for his lean physique and lightness of feet. But we don’t’ have to be that great of a dancer to enjoy the music and move to its beat. Dancing is exhilarating. If you want real justification to ‘bust a move’ as they say, dancing is real good exercise and is fun! Exercise, as you probably know, is one of only 2 ways (laughter being the other
“ … And those who were seen dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.” –Ascribed to Friedrich Nietzsche one) that the body naturally produces endorphin — that feelgood, healthy hormone that is still by far, the best medicine for both body and spirit. We all have it in us and is absolutely free. So go ahead, even if you have two left feet, and tend to step on your partner’s feet when dancing. Shed your inhibitions and DANCE! Let the music move you. With dedicated repetition and practice, you might even surprise yourself one day with a dance routine. Cut back the time spent online. We fritter away much of our time browsing and imbibing toxic things from the internet that wear away and erode the joy of our souls during our time here on earth. Get off your backside and listen to music that resonates with your body as you cook, clean your car, clean out the garage or do other mind numbing chores. If all else fails, start humming as you work. My cousin, who has been a dentist for decades and has just retired in her early eighties, used to hum as she worked on her patients’ mouths. She was passionate about her work and it showed. The music pours out of her. When her husband was still alive, they would hit the dance floor at parties whenever they could. Music makes things easier as the arduous tasks get done. If you do mental work like writing or analysis that needs intense focus and you tend to get easily distracted, listen to soft, unobtrusive instrumental music so the words don’t get in the way. On hot summer nights when sleep is elusive and the air conditioning is busted, listen and fall asleep to the sounds of gentle rain on your smartphone. It’s hypnotic. This beats having to drink those dangerous sleep aids with horrid side effects.
Not all music soothes the soul though. Choose wisely. There is a smorgasbord of music to choose from and like anything else, our choices determine the outcome. It is no wonder that the younger generations who grew up listening to that so-called music genre of troubling, raspy, jagged sounds that focus on the seedy side of life such as blood, sex, violence, gang culture and others have strayed so far away from what is good. It was said that there were celestial strains of music by a host of angels floating above the stable in Bethlehem at the time Christ was born more than two thousand years ago. My wild guess is it may have been musical strains of Handel’s “Messiah.” Was there music in the Garden of Eden? Perhaps yes before sin came to be and Eden went dank and dark. And if you are living and trying to get to heaven, you may wonder if there is going to be music and dancing there as well. If lightness of being and freedom from the stranglehold of gravity and earthly concerns characterize life beyond death, the answer is probably a big resounding YES. So while alive and your body and limbs are functional, dance with sheer abandon as you let good music move you. It is purely speculative but I have a gut feeling there is going to be a lot of dancing on an immense celestial dance floor as you bust your heavenly moves on a conga line. Stand aside, Fred. You’ve got some serious competition up there. Next week: Another idea to consider for The Bucket List … *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
What is the minimum payment in Chapter 13?
Debt Relief
ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG AS you probably are aware of, an individual can file either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 under the bankruptcy code when he or she needs relief from accumulated debt. In Chapter 7, the debtor gets a fresh start in life, without having to pay anything to creditors. The debtor gets to keep most, if not all of his assets, including the house, furniture, cars, retirement accounts, bank deposits etc., subject to qualifying under a system of asset exemption. In order to keep the assets, there has to be an applicable exemption under the law. For instance, if you have a 401K of $750,000, can you keep this asset in Chapter 7? Yes, you can. There is applicable exemption for qualified retirement accounts up to about a million dollars, therefore the Chapter 7 debtor with a 401k of $750,000, can wipe out credit cards, medical bills, business credit lines and any other kind of debt which are not excepted from discharge, in any amount, even $500,000 or $50-M. There is really no limit to the amount of debt that an individual can wipe out in Chapter 7, and still be able to keep his $750,000 of 401K. Let’s say that debtor owed $100,000 of credit cards, $50,000 of business credit lines, and medical bills of $500,000 because he guaranteed the hospital bill of his father who was visiting from abroad and did not have travel insurance but got a heart attack when they went to Disneyland. The Chapter 7 discharge will wipe out all $650,000 of debt while he keeps his $750,000 of retirement account. That’s a great deal. He gets a fresh start in life without $650,000 of debt but with his asset of $750,000 still whole. Now, where in the world can you have such a great deal in life? Everything in your life stays the same; you don’t lose anything other than your accumulated debts. But let’s say that you can’t qualify for Chapter 7, the next best alternative for debt relief is Chapter 13. This is sometimes called a financial reorganization. In the above example, let’s assume that
debtor also owns a house with equity of $120,000 and he or she is not yet 65. Another modification we will make to the above debtor is that he does not owe medical bills of $500,000, but he does owe $100,000 of credit cards and $50,000 of business credit lines. So he owes $150,000 of unsecured debt. The question is: What is the minimum Chapter 13 payment that he will have to pay? Generally speaking, he will have to pay at least the non-exempt portion of any assets that he has. In this example, we said that his house has equity of $120,000. This means that if he has another relative living in the house, his home equity exemption is $100,000 maximum. But because his total equity is $120,000, there is $20,000 that is a non-exempt asset. Therefore, in this example, his minimum Chap-
size of debtor’s family in California. Rent is also subject to IRS standards depending on family size. There are laws that apply to allowable expenses that your lawyer knows. For instance, you may have two kids in college. He gives them allowances of $500 each per month. Sorry, that’s not an allowable expense. What happens if all assets are exempt? The minimum Chapter 13 payment would then depend on the disposable income of debtor’s household using the foregoing described calculation method. There is no set formula for calculation. Lawyers have bankruptcy software that helps them do this calculation. But the software normally is not accurate because each case has subtle differences from other cases. So the lawyer’s experience comes into play in this calculation. It’s important to consult your case with an experienced bankruptcy lawyer. The calculation is almost an art. What happens when you complete all plan payments? In this example, the debtor will make 60 monthly payments at $350 per month. Upon completion all plan payments in five years, he will have paid the Chapter 13 trustee who has the responsibility of distribution these payments among all his creditors, a total of $20,000. So what happens to the difference between his total debt of $150,000 and his total payment of $20,000? In other words, what happens to the $130,000 that he did not pay? The $130,000 disappears and is wiped out by the bankruptcy court’s order discharging his debts. The $130,000 is forever wiped out. It doesn’t come back forever, even if debtor’s income increases ten times in the future. If you need debt relief, please set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally.
“The debtor gets to keep most, if not all of his assets, including the house, furniture, cars, retirement accounts, bank deposits etc., subject to qualifying under a system of asset exemption.” ter 13 payment will be $20,000 over five years, or more or less $350 a month of 60 equal monthly payments. Why is this the minimum? Because in Chapter 7, creditors will have a right to get $20,000, so in Chapter 13, creditors must at least get paid $20K over 5 years. Make sense? Of course, it does. In this situation, debtor’s household income and expenses must be able to show that he has at least $350 of disposable income every month. What is disposable income? Disposable income is net income (gross income minus allowable deductions such as social security and taxes, union dues etc.) minus allowable expenses. The calculation is not that simple because not all expenses are allowed to be deducted. For example, charitable contributions are deductible without any set limit. But food expenses are subject to IRS standards for the
*** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019
Will a domestic violence finding affect my claim for sole or joint custody of our children? AN action under the DVPA (Domestic Violence Protection Act) seeking a restraining order often is necessary to protect parties from abuse or domestic violence perpetrated by the other spouse or significant other. At times, it is effective in preventing harm to one of the parties. At the same time, this process is sometimes abused by family law litigants as a strategy for obtaining an advantage in a child custody case. The basis for this is the presumption against sole or joint custody under California family code section 3044. California Family Code Section 3044 (a) provides “Upon a finding by the court that a party seeking custody of a child has perpetrated domestic violence against the other party seeking custody of the child or against the child or the child’s siblings within the previous five years, there is a rebuttable presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child, pursuant to Section 3011. This presumption may only be rebutted by a preponderance of the evidence. In determining whether the presumption in family code 3044(a) has been overcome, the court shall consider all of the following factors:(1) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has demonstrated that giving sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to the perpetrator is in the best interest of the child. In de-
Barrister’s Corner ATTY. KENNETH URSUA REYES termining the best interest of the child, the preference for frequent and continuing contact with both parents, as set forth in subdivision (b) of Section 3020, or with the noncustodial parent, as set forth in paragraph (1) of subdivision (a) of Section 3040, may not be used torebut the presumption, in whole or in part.(2) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a batterer’s treatment program that meets the criteria outlined in subdivision (c) of Section 1203.097 of the Penal Code. (3) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a program of alcohol or drug abuse counseling if the court determines that counseling is appropriate. (4) Whether the perpetrator has successfully completed a parenting class if the court determines the class to be appropriate. (5) Whether the perpetrator is on probation or parole, and whether he or she has complied with the terms and conditions of probation or parole. (6) Whether the perpetrator is restrained by a protective order or restraining order, and whether he or she has complied with its terms and conditions. (7) Whether the perpetrator of domestic violence has committed any further acts of domestic violence.
Calendar of Events across
A person has “perpetr33ated domestic violence” when he or she is found by the court to have intentionally or recklessly caused or attempted to cause bodily injury, or sexual assault, or to have placed a person in reasonable apprehension of imminent serious bodily injury to that person or to another, or to have engaged in any behavior involving, but not limited to, threatening, striking, harassing, destroying personal property or disturbing the peace of another, for which a court may issue an ex parte order pursuant to Section 6320 to protect the other party seeking custody of the child or to protect the child and the child’s siblings.The requirement of a finding by the court shall be satisfied by, among other things, and not limited to, evidence that a party seeking custody has been convicted within the previous five years, after a trial or a plea of guilty or no contest, of any crime against the other party that comes within the definition of domestic violence contained in Section 6211 and of abuse contained in Section 6203, including, but not limited to, a crime described in subdivision (e) of Section 243 of, or Section 261,262, 273.5, 422, or 646.9 of, the Penal Code. The requirement of a finding by the court shall also be satisfied if any court, whether that court hears or has heard the child custody proceedings or not, has made a finding pursuant to subdivision (a) based on conduct occurring PAGE B8
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 MARCH 30
Philippine Medical Society of Northern California installation of officers in Foster City, CA The Philippine Medical Society of Northern California will hold its 47th anniversary and installation of officers for 2019-2021 at the Crowne Plaza in Foster City, CA on Saturday, March 30. For sponsorship information, please contact Dr. Clementina Manio at drtina0427@gmail. com or visit https://www.pmsnc.org/.
United Bicolandia Los Angeles induction in Montebello, CA United Bicolandia Los Angeles will hold its 45th Anniversary and Induction Ceremony at Quiet Cannon in Montebello, CA on Saturday, March 30. For tickets and sponsorship information, please contact Lanie Berrei at lanieberrei@hotmail.com or (818) 281-3169.
APRIL 7
Ryan, Ryan! The Maestro and the Ryan Cayabyab Singers in Glendale, CA Recently proclaimed National Artist for Music Ryan Cayabyab’s works will be showcased on Sunday, April 7 at the John Wayne Performing Arts Center (1440 E Broadway, Glendale, CA 91205) at 6 p.m. by his multi-talented singing group, the Ryan Cayabyab Singers joined by some local artists like Mon David, Annie Nepomuceno, Louie Reyes and many more. Come and hear how his work that spans five decades has made an indelible impact on Filipino culture. Copresented by Philippine Patrons of the Arts USA, a 501 (c) 3 organization that brings exemplary Filipino Artists to U.S. stages. For ticket information ($35-$125) visit www.philpatrons.org and to learn about other tour stops in Las Vegas (April 7), San Diego (April 12) and Seattle (April 14).
APRIL 13
2nd annual Filipino mental health well-being summit in LA The 2nd annual Filipino mental health well-being summit will take place from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday, April 13 at The Center of Cathedral Plaza (555 West Temple Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012). In partnership with the LA County of Department of Mental Health, registration begins on March 11. This is a FREE event for all. Breakfast and lunch included with registration. Please email FilipinoWellBeing@Gmail.com or visit https://www.facebook.com/FilipinoWellBeing for more updates.
A P R I L 25 -28
Philippine Nurses Association of America - North Central Regional Conference in Columbus, Ohio The Philippine Nurses Association - Central Ohio will hold a regional conference from April 25 to 28 at the Embassy Suites (2886 Airport Drive, Columbus, Ohio). For more information, please visit http://www.mypnaa.org/.
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Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii The Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Global Association (SMISGA) and the Santa Marians of Hawaii are sponsoring the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 17-19, 2019. The festivities will start with a meet and greet on May 17 at 5 p.m. at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom to be followed by a gala night on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai Ballroom. A picnic is also scheduled at Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island on Sunday, May 19 starting at 10 a.m. The ticket to attend all the events is $130.00 per person. Due to limited space, reservations must be made not later than March 31, 2019. Hats and tshirts will also be on sale for $20. For further information, call Nena Empleo at (808) 384-0394, Carlito Soria at (808) 487-3370, Alex Pena at (702) 373-9522 or Orlino Baldonado at (865) 7898324. Leave a message if there’s no answer. Additional information is also on SMISGA.com and Facebook @ SMISGA19FB. Proceeds from the events will be for various projects in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur and in Hawaii. Donations are tax deductible since SMISGA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
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
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019
Will a domestic violence finding affect... PAGE B7 t within the previous five years. In Christina L v. Chauncey B, 229 Cal. App 4th 731 (2014),the Court of appeal held that because a Domestic Violence restraining order must be based on a finding that the party being restrained committed one or more acts of domestic abuse, a finding of domestic abuse sufficient to support a DVPA restraining order necessarily triggers the rebuttable statutory presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child. Cal. Fam. Code §§ 3044. The presumption that an award of sole or joint physical or legal custody of a child to a person who has perpetrated domestic violence is detrimental to the best interest of the child changes the burden of persuasion, but may be overcome by
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a preponderance of the evidence showing that it is in the child’s best interest to grant joint or sole custody to the offending parent. Cal. Fam. Code § 3044. In that case, the father had a history of perpetrating domestic violence against the mother. Domestic Violence restraining orders has been issued multiple times over the years including within the last 5 years. The trial court ignored both the existing restraining order, the legal effect of such a judicial finding, and failed to apply the family code 3044 presumption and instead awarded joint custody to father. The Court of appeal reversed and remanded the case back to the trial court. (copyright 7/7/15) *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all
the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail HYPERLINK “mailto:kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com” kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)
MOTHER Movement celebrates Int’l Women’s Day with signature campaign
LAST Friday, March 8, various groups all over the world celebrated International Women’s Day. It also was the motivation for senior citizens of Historic Filipinotown to start a signature campaign urging Philippine legislators to re-file the MOTHER Movement. The MOTHER Movement mandates that self-defense be taught as part of the Physical Education curriculum in schools. The proposed bill seeks to endorse that all women Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) undertake a crash course on self-defense. It also includes self-defense as a program for women in all barangays, and as part of the gender and development program in public and private institutions in the country. Arnis being the official martial sports in the Philippine has now been incorporated in the proposed revised bill.
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Senior citizens are shown in photo enthusiastically signing the petition calling for legislators to re-file the MOTHER bill in the Philippines. They will invite others to hop on the women empowerment bandwagon and do a multiplier effect by reproducing copies of the petition, as well as starting a digital campaign through social media.
The campaign calls for a global attention among Filipinos living abroad to also influence their relatives back home to support the advocacy. The bill was initiated by a group of OFWs in Riyadh in 2000, a flagship project of Perla Santos. It has been re-filed by various senators and representatives in both
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the Senate and House. It may be recalled that the bill was initiated by a group of OFWs in Riyadh in the year 2000, as a flagship project of Perla Santos and for several Philippine congresses, legislation has been refiled by various senators and congressmen in both Senate and the Lower Houses the bill. ■
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 13, 2019