March 7-9, 2018 Volume 28 - No. 20 • 3 Sections - 20 Pages
PH best country to invest in—report by AJPRESS THE Philippines is the top investment destination across the globe, according to a United States-based firm. In its recently released 2018 Best Countries report, U.S. News & World Report has named the Philippines as the “best country to invest in.” “In contrast to declining inflows of foreign direct investment, or FDI, to Southeast Asia as a whole, the Philippines continued to perform well, according to United Nations (UN) data,” the global firm said. According to the latest Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas data, the Philippines’ net FDI inflows as of November last year amounted to $8.7 billion—which has already succeeded the $8-billion target for 2017. “In years to come, the country is expected to receive more FDI from within the region from powerhouses like China that are looking to utilize available labor in
DATELINE
developing nations,” U.S. News & World Report further added. In a statement, the Philippine Department of Finance (DoF) attributed the country’s rank to its young and hardworking workforce, an excellent inclusive growth momentum, an expanding middle class, politically stable environment, and strong and popular leadership. The DoF also took note of the country’s fiscal discipline, stable monetary policy, membership in ASEAN, an achievable infrastructure program, a strong anti-corruption drive, and improved revenue collection. Next to the Philippines, Indonesia ranked second among 80 countries included in the study, followed by Poland, Malaysia, and Singapore. Completing the top 10 best investment sites are Australia at 6th, followed by Spain, Thailand, India and Oman. U.S. News & World Report said it based
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
US official stresses rule of law amid combating drug menace THE rule of law must always serve as the “benchmark” in prosecuting suspected drug personalities, a United States official has reminded the Philippines, whose government is conducting an intensified campaign against illegal drugs. Upon his visit in Manila, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Undersecretary and Counterterrorism Coordinator David J. Glawe has met with senior Philippine officials, including Philippine Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. In an interview with reporters on Friday, March 2, Glawe said he discussed with Aguirre a wide range of security issues, including drug menace.
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Duterte to ICC: You can’t acquire jurisdiction over me not in a million years NOT in a million years. This was what President Rodrigo Duterte’s message to the International Criminal Court (ICC) as he insisted that he would not allow the tribunal to investigate him and his controversial crackdown on illegal drugs. “You cannot acquire jurisdiction over me not in a million years kaya ‘di ko sinasagot. Totoo ‘yan. Ayoko sabihin that has always been my weapon ever since. Shit. Maniwala ka diyan,” Duterte said in a speech at the oath-taking ceremony of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission officials in Malacañang on Tuesday, March 6. (You cannot acquire jurisdiction over me not in a million years that’s why I am not answering. That is true. I do not like to say that it has been my weapon ever since. Shit. Do not believe them.) “They cannot ever ever hope to acquire jurisdiction over my person ‘di nga ako maniwa-
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10TH FILIPINA ENTREPRENEURSHIP SUMMIT. President Rodrigo Duterte greets former President and Incumbent Pampanga 2nd District Representative Gloria Arroyo on the sidelines of the 10th Filipina Entrepreneurship Summit (FES10) at the World Trade Center in Pasay City on Tuesday, March 6. Also in the photo are Trade and Industry Secretary Ramon Lopez and Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion. The president led the event, which is held annually in line with the celebration of the International Women’s Day and the National Women’s Month. In his speech, he expressed gratitude to the women entrepreneurs for being critical drivers of the country’s economic growth. Malacañang photo by Albert Alcain
Poe: No way Duterte is involved in alleged 2016 poll fraud by DANA
SIOSON AJPress
FOR Senator Grace Poe, it is hardly possible for Philippine President Rodrigo to be involved in the alleged irregularities during the 2016 elections. Poe, who also ran in the previous presidential elections expressed belief that there is no way Duterte could have manipulated the poll results—especially with the public’s clear overwhelming support to him. Poe made the assertion on TuesSenator Grace Poe
Inquirer.net photo
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President Rodrigo Duterte is considering public safety and health in possibly declating a state of calamity in Boracay. Inquirer.net photo Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III delivers a privilege speech on Tuesday, March 6, where he talked about the alleged irregularities during the 2016 elections. Senate photo by Albert Calvelo
SolGen asks SC: Kick out Sereno by DEXTER
CABALZA & MARLON RAMOS Inquirer.net
SOLICITOR General Jose Calida did what Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez suggested a week ago — bring the fight against Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno to the Supreme Court. Calida filed a quo warranto petition in the Supreme Court on Monday to seek Sereno’s ouster as Chief Justice on the grounds that she was unlawfully holding the position and that she did not prove her integrity as an applicant for the judiciary’s top post.
“We are asking [Sereno], ‘By what authority is she holding the position of Chief Justice?’ She violated the constitutional requirements for eligibility,” he told reporters. Calida likened the quo warranto petition to “an act of kindness from a lawyer to respondent Sereno.” “I don’t want her to suffer the ignominy of what the late Chief Justice Renato Corona suffered at the hands of politicians who judged him unfairly,” he said. Corona, Sereno’s predecessor, was un-
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Duterte eyes state of calamity in Boracay by CHRISTINA
MENDEZ
Philstar.com
PRESIDENT Duterte is eyeing the declaration of a state of calamity in the island resort of Boracay, citing issues of public interest, health and safety. Speaking at the oathtaking of new officers of the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission in Malacañang, Duterte said he has given Interior and Local Government acting Secretary Eduardo Año six months to deal with the problem. “In the meantime, if I were from
Boracay, you guys there, the best thing for you to do is cooperate in the cleanup,” he said. “For as long as there are sh*t coming from the pipes, draining to the sea, I will never give you the time of day to return,” Duterte said. Since Boracay is a booming tourism destination, the president said his concern is the public interest. He also cited public safety and health. “I am invoking it,” he said. “I can order for this to happen be-
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PNP allays fears of terror threats in Metro Manila subleader last week. Bulalacao told the public that the PNP and the AFP (Armed THE Philippine National Police Forces of the Philippines) are “in (PNP) has assured the public that control of the situation.” the recent arrest of a Maute ter“Pero yung kanyang pagpunta rorist group sub-leader in Tondo, dito sa Manila (But his escape to Manila should not be cause for Manila) should not be a cause for alarm. alarm for our citizens dahil ang In a radio interview on Tues- ating (because our) Philippine day, March 6, PNP spokesper- National Police naman and [the] son Chief Supt. John Bulalacao AFP are on our toes,” Bulalacao allayed fears of any impending said in an interview with Radyo PNP spokesperson Chief Supt. John Bulalacao allayed fears of any impending terror attacks in Metro Manila, Inquirer. Maute sub-leader Nasser Loterror attacks in Metro Manila. Inquirer.net photo following the arrest of a Maute
by AJPRESS
mondot alias “Muhamad Lomondo,” and his wife Raisalam Lomondot, were arrested at their clothing stall in Recto Avenue on Saturday, March 3. Bulalacao said that initial reports indicate that Lomondot solely came to Manila to seek refuge from the pressure of martial law in Mindanao. “And at the same time makapagpahinga dito dahil siguro doon sa naging experience niya na five months na gyera
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From the Front Page
PH best country to...
in terms of being open for business, and 37th in terms of quality of life. Overall, the Philippines ranked PAGE A1 corruption. 49th of “Best Countries” across Respondents include 6,000 the globe. its list of top countries to invest Switzerland, on the other hand, in on the following attributes: participants who act as “decision entrepreneurship, economic sta- makers in business around the was named the best country overall. Coming in second was Canada, bility, favorable tax environment, globe.” The Philippines also ranked followed by Germany, the United innovation, skilled labor, technological expertise, dynamism, and 16th in terms of adventure, 34th Kingdom, and Japan. n
Duterte eyes state... PAGE A1 cause of public interest, public safety and public health.” He also cautioned the courts not to issue a temporary restraining order “so as not to exacerbate the issue.” Amid opposition from several stakeholders, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) maintained that a temporary closure of Boracay Island is necessary. “We need to tear down the road system to check the drainage as well as the establishments that illegally connect to it,” DILG
Assistant Secretary for plans and programs Epimaco Densing III told radio station Bombo Radyo on Tuesday, March 6. Densing also lamented the discovery that five of the island’s nine wetlands have been wiped out, causing floods last December. “Definitely, that’s a violation of a major environmental law. If you try to think about it, wetlands are the natural catchbasin of rainwater. It could stop flooding of a place,” he said. The DILG has been keeping a close watch on illegal settlers
who try to build any structure in the remaining wetlands on the island, Densing said. During their aerial inspection last Thursday, Densing concluded that Boracay could not be called paradise anymore, as all he saw were buildings and construction sites. As earlier established, there are hundreds of structures in Boracay that have allegedly violated the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) prohibition on construction on forest lands and easement rules. Densing added that they found establishments that were given a mayor’s permit even without PAGE A4
PH OLYMPIC OFFICIALS. President Rodrigo Duterte on Monday, March 5, swore in new officials of the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) during a simple ceremony in the Malacañang Palace. Among those who took their oaths were POC president Victorio Vargas and POC chairman Abraham “Bambol” Tolentino. Vargas clinched the presidency of the POC ending the reign of Jose “Peping” Cojuangco, who was at the helm of the committee since 2004. Malacañang photo
Poe: No way Duterte...
PAGE A1 day, March 6, after Senate Majority Leader Vicente “Tito” Sotto III bared “irregularities” that supposedly altered the results of the previous elections. “I’d also like to make a point here that I definitely lost the elections,” Poe said. “I know that for sure because of the overwhelming gap in the support the president had.” She added, “I also believe that since the president did not belong to the ruling coalition at that time time, he really had no means to manipulate the results of the elections.” But despite having a “clear winner” in the presidential race, Poe remarked that “other positions should not be looked into especially when the fight is very close.” She went on to say, “I think that is a worthy concern that we need to investigate further not just in the ranking in the senatorial slate but also to be able to prevent this from happening again in the future.” Sotto earlier presented data— which he supposedly acquired from a “concerned and impeccably reliable” source—showing the alleged “irregularities” that “altered” the 2016 poll results. “What I am about to present to you may or may not be gospel truth but very accurate informa-
tion and if these allegations are serious enough and are proven to be true after due investigation, then we have a case of electoral sabotage for the conduct of the 2016 elections,” he said in a privilege speech. Sotto cited two alleged irregularities in the last elections: early transmission of votes and foreign access to election servers. On the alleged early transmission of vote, Sotto claimed that there was a “transmission activity” on May 8, 2016 until the following morning of May 9—which was still prior to the official conduct of the election. He noted that the Board of Canvassers should have convened starting at 3 p.m. of May 9, 2016. “In summary, there has been an alleged early transmission of votes by certain VCMs (voting counting machines) to the Municipal Board of Canvassers. These are only examples of the numerous early transmissions to different Municipal and Provincial Board of Canvassers in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao,” Sotto said. He further pointed out: “The standard answer of Smartmatic would be that these transmissions are only ‘testing transmissions.’ These transmissions cannot be in any way be claimed as ‘testing transmissions’ because as far as
I can remember, the last official testing was made on April, 23, 2016.” Sotto also claimed he and Poe were among those who received zero votes during the early transmissions. On the allegation of foreign access to election servers, Sotto stated that there were “series of access before, during and after the election.” The senator claimed that “our election servers were allegedly accessed remotely and information gathered were copied and submitted to a server in the amazon cloud services in the United States.” According him, a username “e360sync” allegedly made a “critical intrusion to a computer system” a day before the May 9, 2016 elections. He noted that e360 “is a server in amazonaws.com which is a cloud computing service located mainly in the United States,” and likewise “looks very similar to a software product of the Philippine election provider ‘Smartmatic.’” “To conclude the second issue, our election servers were allegedly accessed remotely and information gathered were copied and submitted to a server in the amazon cloud services in the United States,” Sotto said. Sotto called on the Senate to conduct a probe into his allegations, which he said could be considered a “case of electoral sabotage” if proven true. n
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Despite rights issues, US to share assets, intel with PH to combat IS by Anthony
Q. EsguErrA
Inquirer.net
THE United States has reiterated its commitment and support for the Philippines in defeating the Islamic State (IS), an international terror group also referred to the Islamic State Iraq and Syria (ISIS) and its sympathizers in the country. A senior official of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) said the U.S. would provide the Philippines assets it would request despite global concern on the human rights situation and rule of law in the country. In fighting IS, David J. Glawe, DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis, said the Philippines would receive multifaceted support and partnership from the U.S. government. “You can expect a hundred percent of the assets of the U.S. government that the Philippines would request,” Glawe told reporters in an interview on Friday. “We are committed to our partnership and friendship with the Philippines in our global fight against ISIS and Al-Qaeda.” Glawe visited Manila to meet with Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II and the senior officials its attached agencies. They discussed issues of “mutual concerns” in the areas of drug enforcement, child trafficking, global terrorism and transnational crimes. U.S. Department of State recently tagged the Maute Group, which was behind the Marawi siege, as “ISIS-Philippines” and
DAZZLING SHOW. Fireworks from Austria illuminate Manila Bay on Sunday, March 4, during the Philippine International Pyromusical Competition 2018 at the Mall of Asia by the bay. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma
David J. Glawe, US Department of Homeland Security undersecretary for intelligence and analysis. Inquirer.net photo by Anthony Q. Esguerra
designated them as foreign terrorist organization. Glawe said the U.S. and the Philippines had been sharing information “back and forth” that would help address airline safety issues and passenger information. “We know ISIS and Al-Qaeda continue to target aviation and the worse thing that could happen is if we had a successful attack on an airliner,” he said. He said the two countries are cooperating to address the vulnerabilities in the aviation security. But the partnership between Manila and Washington, according to Glawe, is hinged on the rule of law and the humane treatment of people. Asked if the U.S. was concerned that the Philippine government
would use American assets in its bloody war on drugs, the undersecretary said the rule of law is of utmost important. “When we partner with countries we also partner in the rule of law and humane treatment of people and that’s the benchmark of U.S. law enforcement,” he said. Duterte stopped a multimillion helicopter deal with Canada after the latter ordered it reviewed amid concerns about the rights situation in the Philippines. The Canadian government said it would not allow Bell to sell 16 helicopters, which were intended for humanitarian missions, to Manila if these would be used by soldiers “to kill other Filipinos.“ The British government came PAGE A5
PNP allays fears of terror threats... PAGE A1 doon sa Marawi (to rest here probably because of his fivemonth experience of the war in Marawi),” he added. The Maute terrorist group was responsible for the five-months long attack in Marawi City that started on May 23 last year and led to hundreds of deaths, mostly of terrorists. PNP Chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday, March 5 said Lomondot has likely not intended “to create havoc” in Metro Manila but only to “lay low.” “Andito siya sa (He’s been here in) Manila since January this year not to create havoc but to seek
refuge,” Dela Rosa told reporters in a briefing. The PNP chief continued: “Dahil nga naiipit siya sa Mindanao, ‘yung gulo ng Martial Law sa Mindanao, kaya siya lumipad dito sa Manila para may lay low (He’s being pinned by the Martial Law in Mindanao, that’s why he fled to Manila to lay low).” Dela Rosa, however, did not dismiss the possibility of other Maute members staying in the nation’s capital, pointing out the fact that Lomondot was in the area. In a separate statement, the AFP said it “may be possible” for the terrorists to stage attacks on certain urban areas.
AFP Spokesman Brig. Gen. Bienvenido Datuin, Jr. noted that there still remnants of the Islamic State (IS)-affiliated groups in Marawi, which “means that they are still terrorizing and may plan another attack.” Despite this, Datuin assured that the military is keeping a “close watch” on the places where terrorists are likely to stage attacks. “We are closely guarding, monitoring all the metropolis and the urban areas to make sure that they will not be able to make their way in [the urban areas]insofar [as]their terroristic activities and plans are concerned,” Datuin said. n
SolGen asks SC: Kick out... PAGE A1 seated in May 2012 after he was found guilty by the Senate impeachment court of failure to disclose his real wealth in his statement of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALN)—a similar allegation being thrown at Sereno. Sereno is also accused of betrayal of public trust, violation of the Constitution and graft and corruption. Then 52, Sereno was appointed by then President Benigno Aquino III in 2012 as Chief Justice, much to the chagrin of senior magistrates on the Supreme Court, most of whom were appointees of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. Charter provision Citing Section 7(3), Article VIII of the Charter, Calida argued that Sereno had failed to comply with the requirements set by the Judicial and Bar Council (JBC), including the mandatory submission of SALNs. “By submitting SALNs less than those required by the JBC of other applicants for Chief Justice and without lawful justification for her noncompliance, [Sereno] was unable to prove her integrity,” Calida said. He said Sereno filed her SALN only in 1998, 2002 and 2006 during her 20 years as a faculty member of the University of the Philippines College of Law. In urging the tribunal to nullify Sereno’s designation, Calida said Sereno was a “de facto public officer who can be ousted through a quo warranto proceeding.” “[Sereno] is a de facto public officer whose appointment is void ab initio (from the start),” he argued. “A de facto public officer is one who acts under a color of authority, unlike a mere usurper or one who has neither title nor color of right of an office.” ‘Devoid of basis’ Sereno’s camp played down Calida’s legal tactic, insisting that the petition was “devoid of basis” and the Supreme Court should jettison it. “The best act of kindness to
Solicitor General Jose Calida questions the validity of Maria Lourdes Sereno’s appointment as Chief Justice in the quo warranto petition he filed in the Supreme Court on Monday, March 5. Inquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez
the Chief Justice is to transmit to the Senate the articles of impeachment expeditiously,” lawyer Jojo Lacanilao, one of the Chief Justice’s spokespersons, said in a statement. Calida parried insinuations that the petition was proof that the impeachment complaint pursued by President Duterte’s allies against the Chief Justice was weak. “This is, in fact, a proof of the strength of the state to oust Sereno from her office,” Calida said. He added that resolving issues regarding Sereno’s authority would be faster through a quo warranto petition than impeachment proceedings. “It’s up to the justices now. I’ve done my duty as solicitor general,” he said. Calida filed the petition barely a week after 13 magistrates forced Sereno to take an indefinite leave amid the controversies surrounding her impeachment. Interestingly, Calida filed the petition despite the fact that it went beyond the one-year prescription period in resolving such legal dispute as spelled out in Section 11 of Rule 66 of the Rules of Court. “The state is not bound by prescription. Secondly, we will reckon it from the date of discovery [of the offense in December 2017],” he said.
US official stresses rule of law... PAGE A1 “We did talk about the importance of the rule of law…The benchmark of the U.S. law enforcement is the U.S. Constitution,” Glawe said. While acknowledging that the threats of narcotics must be addressed, the U.S. official emphasized that the rule of law must always be placed in the forefront of the anti-illegal drugs campaign. Glawe, also a former Houston police officer and special agent of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), pointed out that simply “attacking the supply” side of
the narcotics problem “without addressing the demand” portion of it would be a failed tack. “I understand the challenges [posed by] criminal organizations and narcotics trafficking. It’s very difficult. But the rule of law always has to be in place when enforcing the law,” he added. The U.S., a decades-long Philippine ally, is one of the countries that expressed concern over the thousands of alleged of extra-judicial killings and human rights abuses linked to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte’s “bloody” drug war.
In a press conference at his office in Makati City, Calida cited precedents of impeachable officers—including former Commission on Audit Chair Reynaldo Villar in 2012 and then Commission on Elections Chair Vicente de Vera in 1949—who were removed from their posts after a quo warranto had been filed in the high court. A senior court official said the justices had included Calida’s petition in their weekly full-court session today. Presidential spokesperson Harry Roque said Malacañang had no preference as to how the allegations against Sereno should be resolved—whether through an impeachment trial or an “unprecedented” petition voiding her appointment as Chief Justice. There is a need to study the move taken by Calida because the process of quo warranto is vague, according to Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III. Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon said the high court should tackle the petition given that it was the “final arbiter of constitutional issues” but added that the justices would be treading on a “slippery slope.” Sen. Francis Escudero said Calida’s move was a “novel theory” but was “standing on shaky ground at best.” n The U.S. official noted: “When we partner with other countries, we also partner in [the implementation of the] rule of law and the humane treatment of people, and that’s the benchmark of the U.S. law enforcement.” Glawe reiterated that the U.S. government “absolutely 100 percent for the rule law.” “That means adhering to search warrants, arrest warrants and due process for people arrested,” he added. Apart from narcotics, the issues of human smuggling, child exploitation, and the global fight against terrorism were also discussed during the meeting. (Dana Sioson/AJPress)
Duterte to ICC: You can’t acquire jurisdiction... PAGE A1 la sa nanay ko sa kanila pa p***** ina ‘yan bwisit kayo (I do not even believe in my mother, how much more in them. You sons of b****, you pests),” he added. The ICC in February launched a preliminary examination on Duterte’s bloody campaign against illegal drugs, which was believed to have killed thousands
of suspected drug criminals. It will determine if there is a “reasonable basis” to proceed with an investigation in accordance to the criteria established by the Rome Statute. The ICC has jurisdiction on genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. The preliminary examination stemmed from the complaint of
Duterte eyes state... PAGE A2 fire safety inspection certificates, warning that workers in the local government units would be held accountable if they are found guilty of wrongdoing. Philippine National Police (PNP) officials were set to conduct on-site inspections of establishments suspected of violations within the week. “This is a strategic action of the PNP to evaluate the current situation on the island and to ensure the maintenance of peace and order there,” Densing said. Earlier, Año was open to an immediate shutdown of Boracay while Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo recommended it be done during the rainy season when tourist arrivals are lean. However, DENR Secretary Roy
Cimatu said the closure would make repairs difficult to monitor. As this developed, the Department of Tourism (DOT) is collaborating with the Department of Labor and Employment to create alternative livelihood options for workers affected by the ongoing cleanup of Boracay. In a statement, Teo acknowledged the possibility of job displacements and economic dislocation due to the current upgrade of the island. Last year, Boracay welcomed over two million local and foreign tourists, a 16 percent rise from 2016. The island also employed the most number of workers in the Western Visayas region last year with 17,737 direct tourism employment, accounting for 66 per-
Jude Sabio, lawyer of Edgar Matobato, a self-confessed Davao Death Squad, which was linked to Duterte when he was still mayor of Davao City. The president has maintained that the anti-drug campaign would continue despite the ICC’s move until the last day of his term. (Jhoanna Ballaran/Inquirer.net)
cent of the entire region. DOT regional director for Western Visayas Helen Catalbas said most of the workers in the island are from Cebu, Negros, Manila and other provinces in Luzon. The DOT said its Western Visayas office is coordinating with other local government units in its efforts to relocate employees who may be laid off during the rehabilitation of the island. “Those who will be affected can work with the demolition of illegal structures and the construction of the improved sewage system and road infrastructure,” Teo said. Meanwhile, the DOT is urging hotel and tourism establishments to polish and update their facilities and manpower during the island upgrade. (With Jennifer Rendon, Catherine Talavera and Paolo Romero)
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Dateline PhiliPPines
SC to tackle same-sex marriage in June by Dana
SioSon AJPress
The Supreme Court (SC) is set to conduct an oral argument on the petition seeking to allow same-sex marriage in the Philippines this June. According to SC Spokesperson Theodore Te, the high court will discuss the petition on June 19, 2018. “The petition is one for certiorari and prohibition challenging certain provisions of the Family Code on marriage where they impact on ‘same-sex’ marriages,” Te said in a press briefing on Tuesday, March 6. In 2015, Atty. Jesus Nicardo M. Falcis III filed a petition seeking to nullify several provisions under the Family Code of the Philippines that prohibit same-sex marriages. Falcis, who identified himself as “open and self-identified homosexual,” urged the high court to particularly abolish Articles 1 and 2 of the Family Code, which limits marriages between man and woman. he also asked for the nullification of Articles 46 (4) and 55
Spokesperson Theodore Te
Inquirer.net photo
(6) of the same law, which cites lesbianism or homosexuality as grounds for annulment and legal separation. Falcis argued that such provisions are unconstitutional because it deprives homosexuals of “their right to due process, equal protection, and the right to decisional and marital privacy.” “The 1987 Constitution does not define marriage solely as between man and woman,” Falcis further argued. In March 2016, former Solicitor General Florin hilbay sought for the dismissal of the petition, which he described as “intrinsically flawed.”
Expanded maternity leave According to Senator Risa hontiveros, the proposed expanded Maternity Leave law will also cover same-sex couples. “The expanded Maternity Leave Bill will indeed cover adoptive parents, especially same-sex couples who want to have children,” hontiveros said. “This is a new member of the family, and we need to adjust—learn how to take care of him/her, let him/her get used to us as new parents.” Under the proposed expanded Maternity Leave law, new mothers will be given a 120 days of paid leave—of which 30 days could be transferred to their partner or close family—so they could devote time in taking care of their new born baby. Single mothers, on the other hand, will be granted 150 days of paid leave. The expanded Maternity Leave ILLEGAL AND DANGEROUS. Customs personnel hold fireworks misdeclared as brackets at the Port of Manila. The BoC-Port of Manila seized bill passed the Senate’s third and two 40-footer vans from China containing misdeclared cigarettes and fireworks worth P8.98 million. final reading last year. however, ManilaTimes.net photo by Andres De La Cruz it still hasn’t been passed into law as the house of Representatives has yet to pass their version. hontiveros, who authored the by William DepaSupil and employment (DoLe) will been laid off in Qatar as a result bill, has decried the the current ManilaTimes.net use as basis to convince over- of a diplomatic spat between 60 days maternal leave a “seriseas Filipino workers (oFWs) to Qatar and Saudi Arabia, United ous public health risk.” n LABoR Secretary Silvestre return to the country. Arab emirates and other Middle Bello III has reiterated his call The move, he said, is part of east countries. on Filipino migrant workers, the government’s efforts for An undetermined number of particularly those in the Middle productive reintegration of re- oFWs in Saudi Arabia also lost share in royalties from the east, to return home for good turning oFWs to reverse the their jobs because of the oil-rich Malampaya gas facility “could and take advantage of thousands country’s decades-old labor ex- nation’s “Saudization” program, which gives priority to Saudi only be utilized for energy-re- of locally available job opportu- port policy. nities amid existing political and “The final aim of the president Arabians for at least 19 job catlated projects.” Despite this, Roque said the economic difficulties in some is to get back our oFWs, not for egories, including drivers. them to return [to their jobs Bello said there were also government has adequate funds Gulf countries. In an administrative order, abroad],” Bello added. companies experiencing difto buy research vessels, citing ashe has created a Job Fair Task ficulties or business reversals, surance made Finance Secretary Bello ordered the Philippine overseas employment Admin- Force that will conduct a spe- which led to retrenchment of Carlos Dominguez III himself. “It was Secretary Dominguez istration (PoeA) and the Bureau cial job fair and skills profiling workers that started when the who said, ‘We have the money of Local employment (BLe) to of oFWs based in Saudi Arabia price of imported oil went down to below $50 per barrel in the anyway, we’ll buy even if we conduct a supply-demand pro- and Qatar. Bello earlier disclosed that world market. don’t have to use Malampaya filing and skills-job matching, funds.’ So the government will which the Department of Labor around 644 oFWs have already u PAGE A7 buy more research vessels,” Roque said. committed gross violation of huDuring the same meeting, man rights. Duterte also reaffirmed his ear- PAGE A4 When IS-inspired groups atlier order to stop all foreign exLloyed Russel-Moyle said the sale ploration in the Philippine Rise. under fire for reportedly selling “makes us complicit in the deaths tacked Mindanao, Washington extended its support to the Philip“The president reiterated that spyware to the Philippines despite of thousands of Filipinos.” the only right that foreigners can Duterte’s brutal war on drugs. Press Attaché Molly Koscina, pines by providing counter-terror The Guardian posted on its who was also present in the me- weapons to Philippine soldiers. exercise in the Philippine rise is the right to innocent passage,” website a story about the is- dia roundtable, cited the Leahy The U.S. also pledged aid in the rehabilitation of the war-torn the Palace official said. “explo- sue written by hannah ellis- vetting process. sold spyration for natural reassures, con- Petersen: “Britain The vetting process under the Marawi City. Last month, Secretary of State duct of scientific research, laying ing gear to Philippines despite Leahy law of the U.S. prohibits the of submarine cables, building of Duterte’s brutal drugs war.” State and Defense Departments Rex W. Tillerson announced that Criticizing United Kingdom’s from providing military assistance Manila has joined the US-led artificial islands are reserved for arms export control, Labor MP to foreign security forces that has Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. n Philippine nationals.” n
Come home, labor chief woos OFWs
PH coast guard tightens security in PH Rise by aJPress The Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) has tightened the security around the Philippine Rise, formerly called Benham Rise. PCG Spokesperson Capt. Armand Balilo said the government has deployed the multi-role response vessel BRP Suluan and the Islander aircraft, a propeller-driven plane, to patrol the area in tandem. The vessels left Legazpi City in Albay province on Saturday, March 3 to conduct patrols around the resource-rich underwater plateau off the coast of Aurora province, which is part of the Philippine territory. Balilo said the ship and the plane “would serve as our ‘eyes’ in the area.” While foreigners may exercise freedom of navigation in the Philippine Rise, Balilo stressed that illegal activities in the area, such as unwarranted fishing and research activities, will not be tolerated.
“They would be allowed to pass but they would not be allowed to conduct any illegal activities in the area,” Balilo said. In a press conference on Tuesday, March 6, Palace Spokesperson harry Roque announced that the government is planning to procure new maritime research vessels to be used in exploring the Philippine Rise. Roque said President Rodrigo Duterte gave the green light for the acquisition of ships during a Cabinet meeting on Monday, March 5. “The president and the Cabinet also noted that we should invest in maritime survey ships so that we can better assess the resources that we can exploit in the Philippine Rise,” Roque told reporters. According to him, there was an initial proposal to use the Malampaya funds to procure research vessels. The proposal, however, was rejected due to possible legal questions, as the government’s
Despite rights issues...
A6 MARCH 7-9, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
Quo warranto
FEATURES
IF the nation’s top officials can be booted out on a whim, it poses the risk of constant government destabilization. On purpose, framers of the Constitution made it difficult to unseat certain top officials. Impeachment is the only mode specified in the Constitution for kicking out the president, the heads of constitutional bodies as well as the chief justice.
Now the government’s top lawyers and detractors of Maria Lourdes Sereno are introducing a novel and simpler way of booting out the Chief Justice. The solicitor general himself filed yesterday a quo warranto petition challenging the validity of the appointment of Sereno as the nation’s chief magistrate, and asking the Supreme Court to void the appointment. Considering the unanimous vote of all the 13 justices who were present at the session last week when the Supreme Court compelled Sereno to go on indefinite leave, the SC might grant the petition. Quo warranto is defined as a legal action that requires a respondent to explain the warrant or basis for holding, claiming or exercising an office or franchise. Among the issues raised against Sereno by those questioning her fitness for her post are her failure to fully comply with the rules involving the annual filing of her official statement of
assets, liabilities and net worth. She also reportedly failed to meet the required score in a psychiatric examination administered in 2012 when she was appointed to the SC as an associate justice. Questions have also been raised about her tax payments, particularly in her work as government counsel in its case against the Philippine International Air Terminals Inc. These are issues that are best resolved in an impeachment trial at the Senate, which is the mode specified in the Constitution for ousting a chief justice. But the law is what the Supreme Court says it is. SC justices, a number of whom joined Sereno’s critics in wearing red yesterday at the high tribunal, must remember that they will be setting a precedent in ruling on the quo warranto petition. The Duterte administration, represented by the administration is going one step further, asking solicitor general, and its political allies are doing the SC to make the process easier. to Sereno what the Aquino administration did to Impeaching a chief justice is supposed to have her predecessor Renato Corona. But the current one main objective: to improve the administra-
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
tion of justice. In ruling on the quo warranto petition, the SC must see to it that its decision will not undermine an already weak justice system. (Philstar.com)
Trump does nothing about Russian meddling in US elections: What hold does Putin have on Trump?
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS WHAT hold does Russian President Vladimir Putin have on U.S. President Donald Trump that up to this day, despite U.S. intelligence reports and indictments against Russians, the hard-hitting, name-calling, and supposed defender of the United States against foreign adversaries has remained the number one guardian of Russia? During a joint press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Stefan Löfven on Tuesday, March 6, Trump said the Russians had “no impact [on] our votes [in 2016] whatsoever.” This, Trump also tweeted via his POTUS twitter handle stating:
.@POTUS: “The Russians had no impact on our votes whatsoever, but certainly there was meddling...You have to be really watching very closely. You don’t want your system of votes to be compromised in any way.” While Trump finally admitted that the Russians meddled in the election, the president said in response to questions of how the U.S. intends to deter Russian efforts in the upcoming election: “We’re doing a very deep study and coming out with strong suggestions in the 18 election,” and even the 2020 elections. The president said the U.S. will counteract whatever they [Russia] do very strongly, and even suggested that it’s “always good to have a paper back up voting
system” as a backup against cyber-interference and vowed to counteract any future influence “very strongly.” How could Trump make the conclusion that the Russians had no impact on the votes? Perhaps Russia did NOT manipulate the actual vote counts and tallies. Intelligence reports have proven that Russia spread fake news against Hillary Clinton, especially in the battleground states, and that would have helped Trump win votes. Of course, this is hard to measure, but that was what the Kremlin cyber warfare was all about. The Republicans on the House Intelligence Committee were quick to say the House investigation should end soon, despite
the Democrats’ counter-argument that many areas of the issue regarding the collusion of Trump with Russia have yet to be investigated on. California Rep. Adam Schiff, the ranking member of the House Intelligence Committee, was quick to respond to Trump’s statements and tweets, saying on Twitter: “No, Mr. President. The FBI investigation began when it was discovered that the Russians had secret discussions with your foreign policy advisor about dissemination of stolen Clinton emails.” “And how can you criticize Obama for not doing more, when you do absolutely nothing?” Schiff went on to state on Twitter, as well as in interviews: “No
cabinet meeting devoted to protecting 2018 elections from foreign interference. Bipartisan sanctions to punish and deter Russian meddling sitting in your desk drawer for months. $120 million allocated by Congress to fight Russian propaganda unspent. This is dereliction of duty.” This claim has already been corroborated by Trump’s own National Security Agency Director Admiral Mike Rogers, who told the Senate Armed Services Committee: “I haven’t been granted any additional authorities, capacity, capability”. ”I need a policy decision that indicates there is specific direction to do that,” Rogers said. The president’s favorite cable news channel FOX News also
reported that $120 million to fight Russia meddling remains unused. The State Department has reportedly spent none of the $120 million allocated by Congress to counter foreign efforts to interfere in U.S. politics, Fox News said. This brings me back to my question: What hold does Putin have on Trump? That is what Special Counsel Robert Mueller is finding out. *** 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.TheFil-AmPerspective.com, https:// www.facebook.com/Gel.Santos.Relos
The law must survive, with or without Sereno IN this season of Lent, the scene at the Opinion Supreme Court brings us back to the scene at Pontius Pilate’s court. The accused Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno bears no resemblance whatsoever FRANCISCO TATAD to the pure and spotless victim before the procurator’s court. But nothing seems to distinguish the lynch mob there from the one at Sereno’s court. Both cry not for justice but for blood. Instead of pressing the impeachment complaint against Sereno in the House of Representatives, her enemies would like her to oust herself, fearing they could not convict her in a Senate impeachment court. Now Solicitor General Jose Calida would like the high court itself to oust her, on a “quo warranto” proceeding, for being allegedly unqualified to sit as chief justice from the very beginning. The basic proposition will not go uncontested. Regrettable start As a firm believer in the Constitution, I have some discomfort about Sereno being Chief Justice. For some reasons, I do not believe she should have been named to that position. Firstly, she was a newcomer to the court when then President B. S. Aquino 3rd physically bribed 19 senator-judges to convict and remove Chief Justice Renato Corona on a non-impeachable charge during his impeachment trial, and replace him with this novice. Secondly, she was among the youngest on the court, and naming her chief meant keeping her there for the next 20 years. That’s the equivalent of a life sentence against the court. Aquino set aside the long-honored tradition of seniority rule, without alleging any compelling circumstance such as exceptional merit. She never dazed nor dazzled any of her contemporaries nor any college of law students. She had no
pretension to being above average. Her entry as associate justice surprised many who thought they knew the limits of her competence; making her Chief Justice appeared unquestionably audacious and
capricious. The real culprit But as ill-conceived as her appointment was, Sereno was not the perpetrator of that mischief. The real offender was B. S. Aquino 3rd, the thoroughly incompetent and malevolent president. Sereno simply found herself in the position of the horse Incitatus, which the mad Caligula had wanted to name consul without at all consulting the beast. To the animal’s and the mad Emperor’s good fortune, the appointment was never consummated. Or so we learn, from the historian Suetonius. Sereno had no such luck. If her appointment was a crime, as Calida and others now seem to argue, the criminal is still at large. He has been publicly identified, and no process server can possibly say his address is unknown and cannot be located. He lives on Times Street, Quezon City, and lately he has been seen answering summonses from Congress. He has committed a number of unpunished crimes—-stamped Smartmatic’s indelible curse upon our electoral process; corrupted the two houses of Congress to ruin and remove a chief justice he could not manipulate; sent 44 of our bravest police commandos to their cruel, avoidable and undeserved death; put the lives of a million schoolchildren at risk by exposing them to an unsafe Dengvaxia vaccine which no other government in the world has dared to use. Like Caesar at the Senate But Aquino’s departure from the presidency appears to have freed him from
all accountability. So, everyone is focused solely on the embattled Chief Justice. After all her Supreme Court colleagues decided she should go on indefinite leave, and the best-intentioned press commentators joined the lynch mob’s shrill cry demanding her hasty exit, a young millennial asked me if the justices were not simply replicating the honorable act of the Roman senators each plunging a knife into the body of the hapless Caesar in the Roman Senate. As I indicated in the beginning, I find it hard to argue against this. My own experience in Sereno’s court makes it even harder for me to do so. Although I am not a member of the Philippine bar, I have been honored to make an oral argument before the court en banc at least twice. First, on the Reproductive Health Law, and second, on the “citizenship” of the senator and presidential candidate, Grace Poe Llamanzares. In both instances, I found Sereno’s reading of the Constitution disturbingly faulty, and her deportment as a magistrate in open court most disheartening. Sereno and the RH Law On the RH law, I argued that since Sec. 12 of Article II of the Constitution provides that the State is “the primary protector of conception” (i.e., ”the life of the mother and the life of the unborn from conception”), it can never and should never be the source and provider of “contraception.” Yet the RH law makes the state the primary provider of contraception. This the court pronounced “not unconstitutional.” Justice Reyes, now retired, wrote the ponencia, and Sereno concurred in it; it describes the RH law as a “population control” measure, but points out, most egregiously, that the Constitution does not prohibit “population control,” which is complete nonsense. The whole Sec. 12 of Article II is a blunt statement against population control, as is the whole of Article XV on
“The Family” an expanded declaration against it. During the orals, Sereno allowed herself to be heard soliloquizing in open court on her doubt about the power of the court, “an unelected chamber,” to nullify the act of Congress, signed into law by the Executive—two elective branches of government. She showed little appreciation of Chief Justice John Marshall’s famous declaration in Marbury v. Madison that it is the business of the court to say what the law is. The majority ruled the unconstitutional law “not unconstitutional” without refuting or referring, even in passing, to my core argument, which said the State cannot be the protector and the destroyer of conception (or child-bearing) at the same time. This is the famous principle of non-contradiction, which every beginner in the study of philosophy learns, that a thing cannot be and not be at the same time. Since the ruling failed to say anything about my objection, I filed a motion for reconsideration through my friend Alan Paguia of happy memory, saying I was not accorded due process, since my basic objection was never refuted at all. The court dismissed my motion by simply repeating what it had said before, without responding to my principal complaint. I asked some notable friends abroad, legal luminaries with long experience with such cases, how the court could so behave; they said the Court could not possibly acknowledge my objection without conceding my point. Sereno and Grace Poe On the Grace Poe Llamanzares case, Sereno argued more like a lawyer for the respondent rather than as an impartial Chief Justice. The ruling, written by Justice Perez, now retired, proclaims Mrs. Llamanzares as a “natural-born” Filipino citizen not on the basis of the Constitution and the facts under it, but on the basis of then Solicitor General Hilbay’s “statistical probabilities.” Grace Poe has
turned out to be one of the more sensible members of the present Senate, and would probably have made a less vulgar president without her citizenship issues. But some lawyers believe the Sereno court’s ruling may have to be revisited. With all the foregoing, some friends tell me I should support a “winning cause” for once and join those calling on Sereno to pack up. Everyday she is accused of a new crime, I am told, there’s no way she could possibly survive. That may well be. But for me it’s not a question of whether or not Sereno will survive; the question is whether or not the rule of law will survive. I don’t know how good a lawyer Calida is, but would he please answer one simple question? Supposing the court succeeds in ousting this Chief Justice, what happens to all the rulings that had been penned, or participated in, by the same? In particular, what happens to the ruling on the RH Law, and on Grace Poe’s citizenship? An impeachment complaint has been filed by lawyer Lorenzo Gadon against Sereno in the House; members of the high court have testified against her in the committee on justice. If there is a case against her, doesn’t the rule of law require that the House impeach her and transmit the case to the Senate forthwith? Otherwise, don’t we deserve some badly needed rest from our justices? Estrada’s case recalled In 2000, at the beginning of the Senate impeachment trial of then President Joseph Estrada, some Church personalities called on Erap to resign. At least eight senator-judges joined that call. Some well-meaning friends, aware of my close personal relationship with some hierarchs of the Church, asked me to join the call. I was the Senate Majority Leader at the time and my duty was to help manage the floor during the impeachment trial. I declined. My friends were shocked at my refusal. Why? PAGE A7
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
LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • MARch 7-9, 2018
A
Court junks Binay Jr.’s bid to junk raps THE Sandiganbayan’s Special Third Division has denied the plea of former Makati Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay Jr. to nullify two charge sheets (Informations) accusing him of graft and another accusing him of malversation in connection with the alleged anomalous construction of the Makati City Hall Parking Building. He is facing the cases, along with his father, former Makati Mayor Jejomar Binay Sr., and other individuals. “The Informations charging Binay, Jr. with the crimes of malversation of public funds and violation of Section 3 (e)
of RA 3019 sufficiently allege the constitutive elements of the said crimes,” the court said in a resolution promulgated on February 22. Republic Act (RA) 3019 is the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act. Sandiganbayan Presiding Justice Amparo Cabotaje-Tang, who leads the court’s Third Division, penned the ruling, which was concurred by Associate Justices Bernelito Fernandez and Zaldy Trespeses. The Makati City Hall carpark building was constructed in five phases with one design phase spanning the respective terms
of Binay Sr. and Binay Jr. as Makati mayor. In 2016, the Office of the Ombudsman filed graft, malversation, and falsification cases against Binay Sr. and other individuals after his term as vice president ended. Binay Jr. is among the accused in the malversation case and in two counts out of the four counts of graft, which were filed against his father and other individuals. The Sandiganbayan’s Third Division found basis to try the cases, in a resolution promulgated on August 31, 2017. (Reina Tolentino/ManilaTimes.net)
Duterte to skip ASEAN meet over PH ‘developments’ by Catherine
s. valente ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDEnT Rodrigo Duterte will not attend the Association of Southeast Asian nations (Asean)-Australia Summit in Sydney next week, Malacañang said, citing “developments” at home. He will be represented in the summit by Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano, according to Palace spokesman Harry Roque. In a news conference, Roque said Duterte will have to skip the summit because of recent developments and events that require
his presence in the country. “The President regrets that he will be unable to attend the Asean-Australia summit this month. Developments at home continue to require the President’s presence in the Philippines,” Roque added. He cited Duterte’s desire to attend the graduation of the Philippine Military Academy on March 18 as “he considers this as an opportunity to dialogue with the younger military officers.” “The President, however, considers the summit very important and has designated Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Alan Peter Cay-
Goverment urged to seek US help over Dengvaxia controversy by Ding
Cervantes anD CeCille suerte Felipe Philstar.com
MAnILA — A lawyer representing several parents of alleged Dengvaxia victims has urged the Duterte administration to ask the United States to probe French pharmaceutical firm Sanofi Pasteur for possible violation of American laws in relation to the administration of the anti-dengue vaccine to almost a million Filipino children. In a letter sent to Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea and three other officials, lawyer Ernesto Francisco Jr. said Filipino children were inoculated with Dengvaxia at a time when even Sanofi’s own clinical trials showed that “there are serious questions on the efficacy and safety” of the vaccine. “This is to request your good offices to study and pursue legal remedies or actions available in the United States of America which the Philippine government may avail against Sanofi or Sanofi Pasteur in connection with the conduct of clinical trials on the anti-dengue vaccine Dengvaxia, then known as CYD-TVD,” Francisco said. “The Philippine government may request the United States government, specifically its Department of Justice or Attorney General, to conduct an investigation of Sanofi for possible violation of (U.S.) laws, including but not limited to the Foreign Cor-
rupt Practices Act (FCPA) and federal statutes on health care,” he added. The 12-page letter, a copy of which was sent to The Star late last week, was addressed to Medialdea, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, Health Secretary Francisco Duque III and Solicitor General Jose Calida. Francisco said he mentioned the FCPA “because of the admissions made by Philippine government officials that they received monetary compensation from Sanofi in connection with their official functions relative to the conduct of clinical trials of Dengvaxia and the issuance of regulatory approvals.” He said the U.S. government would likely accommodate a request to investigate Sanofi because the company has headquarters in Pennsylvania, its shares listed in the new York Stock Exchange. Clinical trials on Dengvaxia were also conducted in Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the U.S. The company has claimed that the clinical development of the vaccine has complied with the standards set by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and U.S.-based foundations were involved in the development of the dengue vaccine. Francisco also claimed that the clinical trials on Dengvaxia were “far from over” at the time Sanofi sought and was granted regulatory approval for the vaccine. n
The law must survive...
PAGE A6 They could not understand. But it was simple enough. I said I was a senator-judge at the impeachment trial, and that I could not do or say anything to prejudge the case. “But you know Estrada is guilty, don’t you?” said one. “I’m sorry, I don’t,” I said. “But assuming I did, which unhappily is not the case, I can only judge him guilty, not on the basis of what I think I know, but on the basis of valid and compelling evidence brought against him before the court.” I lost some esteemed friends with that statement, especially after Estrada was ousted at EDSA following the prosecutors’ walkout in the Senate. In one important meeting of canon lawyers in the country, someone reportedly asked what should be done to this Catholic politician who was
supposed to show an example of unity with the clergy on the issue of the Estrada presidency, but took an independent stand instead. There was apparently a lot of passion behind this, but the visiting Doctor and Professor of Canon Law from Rome, after listening to all the relevant data, said the Catholic politician, namely myself, merely acted according to his conscience based on the correct objective moral principles. Some years later, I had to hear from the same friends that they had been wrong on this issue. I had to thank an old Indian friend who was the first one to remind me that we win some battles today only to lose them tomorrow, and we lose some battles today only to win them tomorrow. This thought could have some value to Sereno. (ManilaTimes. net)
UNITED STAND. Justices of the Supreme Court, backed by judiciary employees, flocked to the high court grounds for their regular Monday flag ceremony, many of them wearing red in a public statement against beleaguered Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno. ManilaTimes.net photo by Rene Dilan
etano, as his special, personal representative,” Roque said. “The special designation will IMPORTANT VISITOR. Health Secretary Francisco Duque visits children vaccinated with Dengvaxia at the Quirino Memorial Medical help ensure that the Philippines Center in Quezon City. Six children who fell sick weeks after being administered with the anti-dengue vaccine are being treated at ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez continues to be engaged with the hospital. Asean and Australia in advancing shared interest in the region and moving forward the common agenda for greater security, stability and inclusive and PAGE A5 OFWs who require further upThrough the joint undertaksustainable development in the The low price of oil has reduced ing, the POEA and the BLE will grading of skills requirements region,” he added. the revenue-generating capacity conduct employers’ forums and of the participating employers Duterte had been invited of Saudi Arabia to fund its devel- gather the number of vacancies, will be referred to the Technical through a letter from the Aus- opment programs, prompting it skills requirements and geo- Education and Skills Developtralian Embassy signed by Aus- to make some adjustments, such graphical locations (local and ment Authority for training pritralian Prime Minister Malcolm as reducing subsidy to its sub- overseas), as well as determine or to their deployment, whether Turnbull himself. jects and other means to bring the companies interested to join local or overseas. The gathering, scheduled from down expenses.. the job fair. Bello also called on all sectors March 16 to 18, is a commemoAlso, the two agencies shall to support the government’s Bello said concerned Philipration of the 14th anniversary of pine Overseas Labor Offices in process the supply and demand continuing efforts to help the Asean-Australia ties. Saudi Arabia and Qatar and oth- profile and come up with labor OFWs, especially those who During the summit, Southeast er countries will do the prelimi- market information that will lost their jobs, through better Asian and Australian leaders are nary skills profiling of the OFWs serve as a guide for matching paying job opportunities to conset to discuss security-related in coordination with the Interna- of available skills and employer vince them to stay for good in issues, including terrorism. n demand for workers. the country. n tional Labor Affairs Bureau.
Come home, labor chief woos...
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Mobile ads reach more online consumers – study by Maria
bellosillo ManilaTimes.net
MOBILE advertising dominated digital ad campaigns in the Philippines in 2017, a recent study from Nielsen reported. According to the Nielsen Digital Ad Ratings Benchmarks report, on-target mobile ad performances also outpaced digital ads served via desktop and total digital in 2017. During the first half of 2017, digital ads targeting the 18 to 49 age group reached their intended audience 81 percent of the time for mobile, while 77 percent for total digital and 59 percent for desktop achieved the same. The Nielsen research also noted that for digital advertising campaigns intended for consumers aged 21-34, those which were served via mobile devices were also on target 81 percent of the time. By compar-
ManilaTimes.net file photo
ison, desktop and total digital performance only reached audiences with 41 percentand 73 percent accuracy. “The increase in mobile advertising reflects the growing penetration of mobile and the mobile-first habits of consumers in the Philippines. While historically, ads served on desktops have had great success in reaching intended audiences than mobile; marketers have made considerable progress in rapidly increasing mobile’s on-target performance in the past year,” noted Tin Amper,
u PAGE B3
Online hiring seen to remain robust by loUella
DesiDerio Philstar.com
ONLINE hiring sentiment in the Philippines is expected to remain positive this year amid expectations of strong economic growth, according to employment website Monster. In a statement, Monster said the positive hiring activity in the country seen last year is likely to be sustained this year. Based on its monthly Monster Employment Index (MEI), which tracks online job posting activities in the country and records the industries and occupations showing the highest and lowest growth in recruitment activity, the Philippines had an average six percent year-on-year growth in online hiring last year. “The Philippines has solidly
positioned itself as a shining spot for economic expansion this year, with a strong gross domestic product growth projection and an overall growth momentum that fell well within targets. This will have an impact on hiring within the country’s key industries which include retail, banking and finance, IT (information technology) and BPO (business process outsourcing), and more,” Sanjay Modi, managing director for Monster.com in Asia Pacific and the Middle East said. He said expansion in export activities, as well as the increase in domestic demand and growth in public sector investment are seen to have an impact on online hiring activity this year. “Such optimism has definite-
u PAGE B3
Investment pledges soar on infrastructure Philstar file photo by riChMonD
MerCUrio
Philstar.com
PROJECT commitments approved by the Board of Investments (BOI) soared five-fold in the first two months due to the influx of new infrastructure investments in support of the administration’s Build Build Build program. The BOI reported on Monday, March 6 that investment pledges leaped by 402.3 percent to P131.6 billion in January and February from P26 billion in the same period last year. “The sound policies of the government and the strong investor sentiment continue
to fuel the growth momentum of the economy as we continue to generate projects and create more jobs for our countrymen,” Trade Secretary and BOI chairman Ramon Lopez said. “There were so many prospects late last year that after seeing the unprecedented growth, they finally decided to roll out new investments and other firms remain bullish with their expansion to take advantage of the expansive economy,” he added. BOI managing head Ceferino Rodolfo said most of the approvals centered on the need to address the growing demand of infrastructure in light of the Build Build Build program.
“The power requirements are enormous and so are the construction part which leads to more cement production and the expansion of transport facilities,” Rodolfo said, noting that the biggest project approvals in February came from power, cement, and air transportation. Five solar power projects of Solar Philippine Commercial Rooftop Projects worth over P60 billion were given the nod by the agency. The projects, according to the agency, are aimed at significantly reducing the cost of power and reduce the country’s dependence on fossil fuels in the long-term. Ionic Cementworks Industries Inc., mean-
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Peso still competitive, trails Asian currencies – DoF by Mayvelin
U. Caraballo ManilaTimes.net
on February 14. The peso’s weakening in relation to other currencies in the THE Philippine peso remains first two months of the year is competitive as it moves in line just a correction for previous apwith other Asian currencies, the preciations, DoF said in an ecoDepartment of Finance (DoF) nomic bulletin. This assessment was based on said on Friday, March 2. The peso returned to above a longer-term analysis comparP51 per dollar after hitting P52 ing the peso’s movements with
that of other Asian currencies between the end-February exchange rate and when the peso was at its weakest against the US dollar in 2004 and at its strongest in 2007. “Note that in all three years, the real GDP (gross domestic product) growth was between 6.6 percent and 6.7 percent,” it
said. The analysis showed that from 2004 to last month, the peso appreciated by 7.3 percent, from P56.27:$1 to P52.16:$1. This made the peso the fifth most appreciated among 12 Asian currencies. Average depreciation of these
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Business news
B MARCH 7-9, 2018 • LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL
Foreign firms push retention of incentives package in Philippines by rIchard
MercurIo Philstar.com
THE Joint Foreign Chambers (JFC) in the Philippines wants government to retain the incentives package it offers to investors, saying this compensates for the country’s comparative disadvantages with its regional counterparts. The JFC, a coalition of the American, Australian-New Zealand, Canadian, European, Japanese and Korean chambers and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc., has called for a status quo in the incentives packages. “We must be careful not to reduce this country’s ability to attract foreign investments into the PEZA zones and special economic zones. Around the world in successful economies, such zones are hubs of investment, innovation, job creation,
What’s New Arlene Al-os, CPA, MBA Audit issues: If you claim deductions for medical expenses, charitable contributions, and employee business expenses in Schedule A of your Federal Form 1040 do not be surprised if you received a letter. Starting January 1, 2018 California will be sending letters related to these deductions. Beware of double dipping your deductions. Some taxpayers claim medical expenses for premiums paid with pretax dollars, donations made to non-qualified charities, and uniforms not required by the employer and profession. Head of household issues: Attach fully completed FTB Form 3532 for Head of Household (HOH) Filing Status. You may be denied for HOH for failing to complete the Form and receive a notice from FTB. Customer Service Dashboard enhancements: If you want to know the time frame of your refund, how long payments are processed, the wait time to contact the FTB, visit the FTB Cus-
incentives promised by the Philippine government. “These incentives compensate for the comparative disadvantages of locating in the Philippines instead of in China, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, or elsewhere,” he said. “We prefer the “We must be careful not to reduce this country’s ability to attract foreign investments into the PEZA zones and special status quo, but we economic zones. Around the world in successful economies, understand the govsuch zones are hubs of investment, innovation, job creation, ernment now wants and progress, as they are in the Philippines,” Japan Chamber to change that. We of Commerce and Industry of the Philippines president Hiroshi must work togethShiraishi said. Philstar file photo er and strengthen – not weaken – our and progress, as they are in the Philippines,” Japan Chamber of public-private partnership so Commerce and Industry of the that our businesses and the PhilPhilippines president Hiroshi ippines continue to prosper together,” Shiraishi added. Shiraishi said. The JFC’s call is in line with Shiraishi said international companies have invested in the the proposed second tax reform country because of the qual- package of the Department of Fiity of Filipino workers and fiscal u PAGE B3
California updates Part 1
tomer Service Dashboard. The “Customer Service Dashboard” was launched in March 1, 2017 with estimated time frames for your wait time. For more information go to: https://www.ftb. ca.gov Use of Schedule X to amend: Starting January 2018, use new Schedule X to amend personal income tax return. You will no longer use Form 540X to amend your income tax return. You may also e-file amended income tax returns beginning tax years 2017 and later. Electronic payments through Electronic Fund Withdrawal (EFT): Starting January 2018, EFT is available for both estimate payments and extensions payments for both business entities and individual. Delayed Form 1099G: You will report the tax refund in the year you actually received it although you may received the Form 1099G at a later date. Deductions for taxes paid or California Other State Tax Credit (OSTC) legal ruling 2017-01: California resident is allowed to OSTC for net income taxes paid to other state. California nonresident is allowed OSTC for net income taxes paid to tax-
payer’s resident state that is also taxed in California if the resident state 1) does not tax income of California resident or 2) allows OSTC to California resident on income sourced within the state. California Competes Tax Credit: The credit is an income or franchise tax credit, available to businesses that stay or expand in California. Applications for are accepted through calcompetes. ca.gov from January 2, 2018 through January 22, 2018. For additional information go to the California Competes Tax Credit webpage at Go-Biz. ***
Disclaimer: Any accounting, business or tax advice contained in this communication is neither intended as a thorough, in-depth analysis of specific issues, nor a substitute for a formal opinion, nor is it sufficient to avoid taxrelated penalties. *** Al-os & Associates Accountancy Corporation provides accounting and tax services to individuals, corporations, LLCs and business entities. The Firm has a niche in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS and other governmental agencies. (Advertising Supplement)
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797
NEDA chief: Gov’t must be ready to cushion poor from inflation AS consumers start to feel the sting of higher excise levies under the tax reform law, the country’s socioeconomic planning chief on Tuesday called on the government to push for measures to shield the poor from the brunt of inflation. In a statement, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the government should remain vigilant and be prepared to implement measures that will mitigate the upside risks to inflation. Headline inflation, as calculated on a rebased index, quickened to 3.9 percent in February, faster than January’s 3.4 percent print and was the highest since
2-4 percent target but still within the BSP’s 4-4.8 percent forecast for the month. Some analysts attributed the surge in inflation to the Duterte administration’s newly-enacted Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law, Pernia also stressed that aside from expanding the Pantawid which raised exPamilyang Pilipino Program which provides conditional cash cise levies on fuel, grants, the government must also replace the quantitative sugary drinks and restrictions on rice. Photo by Ernie Peñaredondo/ cigarettes, among Philstar file photo others. “The transitory impact of August 2014. Under the old base year, in- the TRAIN Law and the continflation jumped to 4.5 percent in ued depreciation of the PhilipFebruary from 4 percent a month pine peso will mainly influence ago, breaching the government’s u PAGE B3
MARRIAGE for many persons is the culmination of one’s life. Getting married signifies the beginning of a new phase in life, both socially and economically. For those persons who lack permanent residency in the United States and have married a United States citizen, marriage also presents an opportunity to obtain permanent residency. However, although the opportunity to obtain permanent residency arises in such situations, one must be aware of and comply with procedures in existence to obtain such status. Due to concerns that persons were becoming married to United States citizens merely to obtain permanent residence status, a two-step procedure under the Immigration Marriage Fraud Amendments of 1986 (IMFA) was set up to ensure such status was given to those only in marriages that are bona-fide and not entered into simply for immigration purposes. Under step one of the procedure, if a person is petitioned by his/her U.S. citizen spouse within 24 months after becoming married, that person is given only conditional permanent residence. Such conditional permanent residence status lasts for two years from the date on which it is granted. Step two of the procedure involves the removal of the conditional label to permanent residence status. Removal of the conditional label is initiated by filing an I-751 Joint Petition to Remove Condition to Permanent Residence (“Joint Petition”). The Joint Petition provides an op-
terminated. Often, the Joint Petition cannot be filed or approved because the marriage, although bona-fide when entered into, has been terminated by divorce. May aliens become threatened of falling out of status once their marAtty. Kenneth riage is in trouble because the UrsUA reyes spouse often refuse to cooperate or has filed a divorce petition. In portunity for the United States such cases there is still hope and Citizenship and Immigration Ser- the prospect of obtaining unconvices (“USCIS”) to inquire as to ditional permanent residence the legitimacy of the marriage status still remains. A waiver after conditional permanent resi- of the joint petition requirement dence is granted. Accordingly, may be sought in such cases. documentation evidencing that *** the marriage was entered into Please note that this article is not for bona-fide reasons should be legal advice and is not intended as submitted as part of the Joint Pe- legal advice. The article is intended tition. The Joint Petition must be to provide only general, non-specific filed with the USCIS service cen- legal information. This article is not ter in the 90 days immediately intended to cover all the issues reprior to the second anniversary lated to the topic discussed. The speof the granting of conditional cific facts that apply to your matter permanent residence. may make the outcome different than Typically, upon the filing of the would be anticipated by you. This arJoint Petition, a one-year exten- ticle does create any attorney client sion of the conditional perma- relationship between you and the Law nent residence is granted. The Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This extension affords the USCIS time article is not a solicitation. to schedule an interview with *** the person seeking permanent Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a residence, and to make a deter- Certified Family Law Specialist. He was mination as to whether uncondi- President of the Philippine American Bar tional permanent residence will Association. He is a member of both be granted for a ten-year period. the Family law section and Immigration In cases in which documentation law section of the Los Angeles County submitted as part of the Joint Pe- Bar Association. He has extensive CPA tition clearly show that the mar- experience prior to law practice. LAW riage is bona-fide and not merely OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is for immigration purposes, INS located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, may approve a Joint Petition Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 without an interview. or e-mail kureyeslaw@gmail.com or visit The procedure described our website at Kenreyeslaw.com. hereinabove applies in situations (Advertising Supplement where the marriage has not been
by Ian
nIcolas cIgaral Philstar.com
What to do with conditional green card status in troubled marriages Barrister’s Corner
Hubris and the folly of youth LONG ago in the island of Crete, there lived a man named Daedalus, who was famed for his skills as an inventor. He worked for King Minos. Foremost among his many achievements was building the labyrinth in which the king kept the Minotaur, a fearsome, legendary beast who was half-man and half-bull that fed on human flesh. It was said that anyone who went into the labyrinth never came out of it again because of its complex, undecipherable winding walls and corridors. Daedalus was brilliant and this was a problem for the king. Although Daedalus had been giving the king great and loyal service all his life, Minos was deeply insecure and feared that Daedalus who was wise, celebrated and ingenious would, one day challenge him to become king. As a preemptive move, Minos imprisoned Daedalus and his son, Icarus in a prison tower. The king underestimated Daedalus, for one dark night, father and son escaped from their prison tower. They found out however that it was well nigh impossible to escape the island with the paranoid King Minos sending out an all points bulletin to his mindless minions. Minos’ soldiers carefully searched every boat that left the island. Father and son took cover in a remote cave along the shore hidden from the watchful eyes of Minos’ soldiers while Daedalus figured out a way to escape. Watching the seagulls for hours soaring and diving for food on the shore, Daedalus was struck with the idea of flight as an escape route. He caught one bird and studied the structure and form of its wings and after careful thought, decided to copy how a wing is made. He instructed Icarus to catch seagulls and pluck their feathers. When there were enough feathers, he sewed them together and used melted wax to bind the feathers on a wooden framework. He created the contraption so skillfully that they looked like a giant replica of a bird’s wings. He customized two pairs of wings for himself and
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette AdevA MAglAyA for his son, careful to take each of their individual body weights into consideration. But having wings was one thing, knowing how to use those
moisture will make your wings too heavy. Fly too high and the heat of the sun will melt the wax in your wings. Take heed and stay close.” Icarus nodded agreement but he was far too excited and his mind was already in the sky. Daedalus took off flapping his wings faster and faster to get vertical lift-off and escape gravity. Icarus followed suit and took off shortly after. As they flew, the people on the ground in Crete watched in amazement wondering whether the winged creatures are the gods themselves flying. Icarus trailed his father closely at first, following his flight pattern and struggling to take heed of his father’s admonitions. But feeling an overwhelming sense of growing power in his ability to fly, reveling in his freedom and giving in to his impetuous, youthful nature, Icarus deviated a little at first, taking little swoops and side trips and catching up with his father who was intently flying on a steady speed and altitude. As Icarus swooped, dived and indulged frivolously in his aerial acrobatics, Icarus soon forgot his father’s words and flew higher and higher towards the noonday sun. Then the wax in his wings melted, the wooden framework broke apart and the feathers blew away. Wingless and panicking, Icarus plunged headlong like deadweight into the blue waters. Daedalus swooped down in hot pursuit to save his son but it was much too late. All he saw were a few feathers floating on the surface. Daedalus, with a heavy heart at the tragic loss of his beloved Icarus, managed to fly to Sicily. In his grief, Daedalus retired his wings, lost his love for life and never flew again. Over and over again through the generations, we see this tendency of some of the young ones to “forget” the things they have been taught and allow hubris and folly to rule. Some throw away everything they have learned and painstakingly worked for in one impetuous decision or action. It is as if their overwhelming sense of
“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy” — Alfred North Whitehead wings to fly was another. So Daedalus strapped his wings and still taking his cue from the seagulls on how to soar, swoop, dive and glide, he proceeded to learn how to fly so that the wings felt like a seamless part of his arms and his body. He studied wind currents, the waters of the sea and the heat of the sun. Having gained the skill, he proceeded to teach his son patiently. At first, Icarus stumbled and fell and when he got past the first few fumbles, the youth learned quickly, his lithe, svelte form seemingly destined for flight. He learned to fly like a bird, swooping and diving, gliding and circling about, looking down below at the blue waters and their island prison, now a mere speck from above, and frolicking about overhead, chasing the seagulls and rolling in the clouds. Freedom was a heady drink. Icarus felt complete elation, knew the incredible lightness of being and tasted the sweet freedom of flight. Then came the day when Daedalus and Icarus were to fly out of Crete. The sun was up, and the wind was mild and Daedalus decided it was an auspicious day to make the great escape. Daedalus sat his son down and looked him in the eyes for serious pre-flight instructions knowing that once in the air, there would be little chance for communication. “Pay attention, Icarus. Stick close behind me and watch your altitude. Fly too low and the sea with its
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BUSINESS NEWS
All about the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
Debt Relief
ATTY. LAWRENCE YANG
THE Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) is a federal law that was enacted in 1978 by the United States Congress to protect consumers from abusive debt collectors. Note, however, that the FDCPA applies only to thirdparty collectors who collect debt for original creditors. It does not apply to the original creditor itself who uses its own employees to collect the debt. Let’s use our beloved Pres. Trump’s businesses as examples since he owns a lot of them. You go to Washington D.C. and stay in his hotel. What’s the name of the hotel? The Trump Hotel. You stay there for a week and rack up a bill of $50,000. The credit limit on your credit card used to secure your stay at the hotel only has a credit limit of $5,000. In short, you owe Pres. Trump $45,000. He sends your $45,000 bill to a debt collector in LA. The LA debt collector calls you 20 times a day and calls you at your place of work and talks to your boss about your debt. Is this debt collector covered by the FDCPA? Sure he is because he is a third party collector. What can this person do and not do to collect the $45,000 from you? 1. He can contact you in person, by mail, telephone, telegram, or fax. However, he may not contact you at inconvenient times or places, such as before 8 a.m. or after 9 p.m., unless you allow it. He may not contact you at your workplace if he knows that your employer doesn’t allow personal calls. 2. He may not use repetitious phone calls that are intended to annoy, abuse or harass you or any person answering the phone. He may not use abusive or profane language. For example, he cannot shout at you on the phone and call you a “no good lazy and good for nothing bum! Pay the $45,000 today in certified bank
funds, or the FBI will arrest you and ship you to a gulag in Siberia in a twenty-foot container with a giant cobra! No, this kind of language is not allowed by the FDCPA. 3. He cannot threaten you with violence. For instance, he cannot tell you that he is going to send the biggest guy in the Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13) gang to separate your head from your shoulders if you don’t pay the $45,000 today. 4. He cannot use any false or misleading statements. These are examples of false statements: A) Implying that they are attorneys or government representatives when they are not. B) Implying that you have committed a crime. C) Falsely representing that they work for a credit bureau. D) Misrepresenting the amount of the debt owed. E) Indicating that papers being sent are legal forms, when they are not. F) Indicating that papers being sent are not legal forms, when they are. G) Saying that you will be arrested if you do not pay the debt. H) They will seize, garnish, attach, or sell property or wages, unless the collection agency or creditor intends to do so, and it is legal to do so. I) Actions, such as a lawsuit, will be taken against the debtor, when such action may not legally be taken, or when they do not intend to take such action. J) Giving false credit info about you to anyone, including a credit bureau. K) Sending you anything that looks like an official document from a court or government agency, when it is not. L) Using a false name. Now let’s assume a different scenario. The Trump hotel uses its own employees to collect the $45,000 from you. Does the FDCPA apply to these employees? No, it does not. The employee can twitter you all they want. They can call you and tell you
that they are going to nuke your house in half an hour if you don’t pay up. They can tell you that they are ready to press the big red button that will send over the swat team of the FBI and the CIA to your door in ten minutes if you don’t pay up. But why even worry about whether the Trump hotel sends a third-party collector or uses their own employees to collect the $45,000 from you when you can file a Chapter 7 petition to wipe out the $45,000 from the face of the earth? You can use a Chapter 7 petition to tell the collector to stop the third party collector or the Trump employees dead in their tracks! They won’t be able to call you or even send you a collection letter. They have to shut up completely and they lose the right to file a lawsuit against you to collect the debt. At the same time, you will be able to keep all of your assets, including your house, your cars, everything in your house, and all of your retirement accounts up to $1.0M. You can get a fresh start in life without having to look over your shoulder to see if there are any FBI or CIA agents chasing after you. If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Disclaimer: The foregoing is an expression of opinion and is not meant to be legal advice to any reader. There is no attorney-client relationship established by this article with the reader. If you want to discuss your situation, you have to set an appointment to consult with the attorney. The first general consultation is free. *** 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 or at 20274 Carrey Road, Walnut, CA 91789.
Hubris and the folly of... PAGE B2 t
freedom, newly-attained independence and sense of power goads them to “fly close to the sun.” Humility gets torpedoed and overweening pride rules. They feel they no longer need guidance from anyone. Sometimes a good scare or a tiny thorn of bad experience can be humbling and worth more than a lifetime of warnings, advice and admonitions to nudge prideful youth back to reality and on the straight and narrow.
While we may think that this tendency of the youth today is unique to our times, we only have to look back several thousand years to know that the scenario may have changed, the cast of characters in every generation in every nation may be different, but the predilection for hubris and folly in some of the youth remains the same. We need to be reminded too that as adults, we were once just as young and just as foolish, per-
haps even more so. But we were lucky and got a pass because life was magnanimous enough to let us get past this harrowing stage with barely a scratch and live long enough to see the cycle repeated in our children. And on and on until the sun dies, the cycle goes. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette. maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
Mobile ads reach more online...
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Nielsen Philippines’ head of media client service. Based on their advertiser category report, advertisers in the Consumer Packaged Goods, Business and Consumer Services, and Computers and Electronics sectors had the easiest time reaching their desired audience via mobile devices, achieving an on-target success of 83 percent, 82 percent, and 81 percent re-
spectively. Amper further noted that due to the rapid change of technology, it is uncertain for the future of mobile to be bright. “Mobile is winning today but tomorrow is a different scenario. As the media habits of consumers evolve, marketers need to consider all the screens when trying to reach their target audience.” Since its launch in Southeast Asia in 2015, the Nielsen Digital
Ad Ratings Benchmarks report has been assessing more than 3,000 digital campaigns. A related white paper by the Malaysia-based iPrice group called The State of e-Commerce 2017, revealed that 72 percent of web traffic in the region came from mobile. Over the past 12 months, mobile traffic increased by an average of 19 percent, with a 15 percent growth attributed to the Philippines. ■
Peso still competitive, trails Asian... PAGE B1 t
currencies was 5.65 percent during the period. From 2007 to last month, the peso depreciated by 25.38 percent, from P41.60:$1 to P52.16:$1. This made it the ninth most appreciated among the dozen currencies.
Average depreciation during the period was 13.51 percent. These movements should not be taken as a sign of structural weakness in the economy, DoF said. This came after First Metro Investment Corp. and the University of Asia and the Pacific projected
the peso to remain under pressure for most of 2018 and end the year at P52.50 against the dollar. According to London-based research consultancy firm Capital Economics, the peso’s recent weakness is not a major economic concern, given the Philippines’ relatively low foreign debt. ■
Investment pledges soar 5-fold... PAGE B1 t
while, is putting up a P12 billion cement plant in Pagbilao, Quezon, the agency reported. Metro Iloilo Hospital and Medical Center Inc. has received approval to build a P620 million hospital in Jaro, Iloilo, while Mabuhay Maritime Express Transport Inc. has been given the green light as a domestic shipping operator of high speed
passenger ship with a P602 million project to service the KaliboBoracay, Aklan route. Overall, power projects accounted for bulk of the approvals at P87.7 billion, followed by the water supply, sewerage and waste management industry with P13.8 billion, and manufacturing with P12.7 billion in committed investments. In terms of location, NCR in-
vestments went down 36 percent for the two-month period to P2.47 billion from P3.87 billion in the same period last year. Other regions were able to offset the slack of investments in the metro, with Central Luzon topping all regions with P61 billion in investment approvals, followed by CALABARZON with P45.8 billion, and the Davao region with P13.8 billion.■
NEDA chief: Gov’t must be ready...
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price movements in the coming months, and we must ensure that mitigating measures should be in place,” Pernia said. Pernia also stressed that aside from expanding the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program which provides conditional cash grants, the government must also replace the quantitative restrictions on rice with tariffs in order to slash the prices of the staple grain. “These measures will ensure better stability in the prices of food items and maintain or raise the purchasing power of the bottom 30 percent of households,” he said.
Cash transfers released The Department of Budget and Management recently said it transferred P24.49 billion to the Land Bank of the Philippines for distribution to the country’s 10 million poorest households to help them weather inflationary conditions. For its part, the Department of Finance said the “unconditional cash transfers” of P200 a month, or a total of P2,400 this year, will be increased in 2019 and 2020 to P300 a month, or a total of P3,600 a year. Separately, Sen. Bam Aquino called on the government to fasttrack the rollout of financial assistance for the poor.
He said he filed Senate Resolution No. 597, urging the appropriate Senate committee to scrutinize the implementation of the unconditional cash transfer to ensure that the subsidy is sufficient to cover the increase in prices of goods and other services. “We want to know if P200 in monthly cash transfer is enough to cushion the impact of surging commodity prices on the poor, especially now that food and power costs are soaring,” Aquino said. The Duterte administration is aiming to cut poverty incidence to 14 percent by 2022 and boost economic expansion to as fast as 7-8 percent. ■
LA MIDWEEK ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 7-9, 2018
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Online hiring seen to remain... PAGE B1 t
ly provided some peace of mind for employers considering a rise in headcount this year,” he said. In terms of occupation groups, he said demand for finance and accounts professionals is expected to continue to rise this year. “The demand for finance and accounts professionals was most notable in 2017 and is expected to continue growing in 2018, backed by strong economic growth, low interest rates, improved asset quality and strong profitability,” Modi said. He added the retail sector which also posted positive
growth in online hiring last year, is another one to look out for this year, given plans to add up to 630,000 square meters of shopping mall space in the next three years, despite the rising e-commerce business. As the country’s IT and BPO sector, as well as the banking sector ended last year with positive hiring activity, Monster anticipates both sectors to sustain such performance this year. Meanwhile, a bumpy road is seen for human resources and administrative roles this year as hiring activity for the sector has been weak last year.
According to the MEI, the occupational group reported a one percent year-on-year decline on average for overall hiring activity in 2017. Monster, for more than 20 years, has served as an online career and recruitment resource, providing relevant profiles to employers and relevant jobs to jobseekers across industry verticals, experience levels and geographies. At present, it has more than 200 million people registered on the Monster Worldwide network and has operations in more than 40 countries. ■
Foreign firms push retention of... PAGE B2 t
nance which seeks to rationalize incentives and reduce corporate income tax rates. Shiraishi, however, pointed out the JFC agrees that old, redundant and unnecessary fiscal in-
centives are no longer necessary. “In recent years, foreign direct investments in the Philippines has reached record levels nearing $8 billion. None of us want to stop expanding or to consider relocating,” he said.
Calendar of Events across
JFC members represent over 3,000 member companies engaged in over $100 billion worth of trade in goods and services and some $30 billion in investment in the Philippines and employ over two million Filipinos. ■
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 11
Fil-Am Association of SCV’s fundraising event and inaugural ball in Valencia, CA The Fil-Am Association of Santa Clarita Valley (SCV), Inc. invites the community to a fundraising event and inaugural ball of the board of officers and trustees on Sunday, March 11 at 5 p.m. It will be held at the Hyatt Regency Valencia — 24500 Town Center Dr., Valencia, CA 91355. The Fil-Am Association of SCV, Inc. is a non-profit that engages in cultural, social, outreach and community service to approximately 8,000 Fil-Ams living in Santa Clarita Valley. This 2018 marks the associations 35th year in serving the community through its outreach and Fil-Am academic and cultural enhancement programs which include scholarship achievement awards, programs for the seniors, youth and single programs, as well as cultural events. For tickets, please contact Josie Maglalang at (661) 607-5665, Zeny Justiniano at (661) 645-0948, Emie Carrillo at (661) 877-2699, and Zony Gordon (661) 312-3422.
MARCH 14
Philippine American Bar Association’s 32nd installation & awards gala in Los Angeles on March 14 The Philippine American Bar Association (PABA) invites you to its 32nd Installation and Awards Gala on Wednesday, March 14 at the Omni Hotel in Downtown Los Angeles. This year’s Gala will feature keynote speaker California Supreme Court Justice Goodwin Liu, a menu of Filipino flavors, and special performances. PABA will be PABA will be honoring Distinguished Leader Ben Hofileña, Jr. (20th Century Fox Film Senior Counsel), Trailblazer Ruthe Ashley (California LAW Executive Director Emeritus), and Community Champion Minh T. Nguyen (The Law Office of Minh T. Nguyen, ALC). During the gala, PABA also will formally unveil its new logo and website, both of which were developed by a Fil-Am-owned start-up and involve colors and designs deeply rooted in the cultural history of the Philippines. A cocktail reception and auction will begin at 6 p.m., while the dinner and program will begin at 7 p.m. To purchase tickets or a sponsorship, please visit: https://www.z2systems.com/np/clients/paba/giftstore.jsp.
MARCH 19
Glenn Miller Orchestra to perform in Stevenson Ranch, CA The world-famous Glenn Miller Orchestra will swing into the Santa Clarita Valley for a special one-night only event to be held at West Ranch High School (26255 Valencia Blvd. Stevenson Ranch, CA 91381) on Monday, March 19 at 7 p.m. The most sought-after big band in the world will take the stage with bandleader Nick Hilscher at the helm, performing beloved hits from their extensive library, which includes “In the Mood,” “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000.” Hosted by West Ranch High School’s music program, the concert will be an event for all ages and offers the chance to experience history, enjoy the magical melodies and walk away knowing you’re supporting a new generation of talented musicians in the processes. Tickets are $25 for seniors/students, $30 for general, and $35 for VIP. Prices increase by $5 at the door the day of the event. Tickets are available online at westranchmusic. com, by phone at (661) 222-1220 ext. 645, or at one of the locations: Nick Rail Music - 25868 McBean Pkwy., Valencia, CA, (661) 288-2345; Nationwide Insurance, 23236 Lyons Ave. #205, Newhall, CA, (661) 254-1714; Innovations Salon - 25830 The Old Road, Stevenson Ranch, CA. (661) 255-5580; or Bella Cucina - 27911 Seco Canyon Rd. in Saugus, (661) 263-1414.
M A R C H 29
Immigration forum in Anaheim, CA There will be a FREE immigration forum on Thursday, February 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Brookhurst Community Center (2271 Crescent Ave., Anaheim, CA 92801). RSVP is a MUST to attend. No registration fee required. Please contact (714) 657-7460 or admin@globallawcenters.com. Attendees will be able to get information on the following topics: How to find H-1B/green card sponsoring companies, tips for a successful H-1B interview, job placement assistance for qualified applicants with start-ups in Orange County, and a list of top 100 H1-B employers in the OC. Global Law Centers strives to inform the immigrant community of its rights and make sure it is knowledgeable about what immigration processes might be available. The forum will also update everyone about new and recent changes which may affect immigrants and their families. Refreshments will be provided to all attendees. For more information about Global Law Centers, please visit www.globallawcenters.com.
APRIL 14
SALIDA: Simbolo at Kultura in Queens, NY AFTA presents its latest fundraising event - “SALIDA: Simbolo at Kultura” – a cultural dinner show featuring the internationally recognized dance troupe from the Philippines, the Leyte Dance Theater, which will kick off their USA TOUR 2018 in NYC. The event is on April 14, 2018, 3:00 pm at the Rock Church in Woodside, Queens. “Salida” aims to raise funds and awareness to support the flagship projects of the Association of Fil-am Teachers of America, Inc. (AFTA) with their partners: The Rock Churches Worldwide and the Leyte Biliran & Samar Federation. Proceeds of this fundraiser will finance AFTA’s projects in the Philippines like Adopt a School (Marawi City, Biliran and Albay, Adopt a Scholar, and Balikturo). For Sponsorship opportunities, contact Roxanne at 347-932-6631 or Nitz at 862-368-1706 or any AFTA officer/board member.
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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People and Events
Teen Tech Week invites students to bring their City of Burbank hosts Veterans Job Fair creativity to the Alhambra Civic Center Library Bringing the community together to get veterans working THE Alhambra Civic Center Library will host a series of activities and workshops to showcase new technology available to the community in celebration of National Teen Tech Week, which runs from Monday, March 5 through Sunday, March 11. Teens are welcome to explore the interactive technology, including a 3-D Printer that will be on hand in the teen room, located next to the circulation desk. The library staff will also have series of raffles, crafts, and puzzles throughout the week, along with a “Build Your Own Robot” program on Thursday, March 8 for kids 7 to 18 years of age. The event will also showcase the Library’s Oculus Virtual Reality machine, which has been a huge hit at the monthly Teen Gaming afternoons. Teens ages 13-18 (with a signed waiver) can explore the interactive, immersive world of virtual reality through a wide variety of games, programs, and educational videos. “We continue to incorporate more technology here at the library and we want to include people into the different ways things are changing … we want teens to have hands-on experience with this evolving technology and know how they can use it for their future,” said Library Assistant, Giana Marini. The Alhambra library recently received grant funding which will be used toward the creation of the city’s first makerspace, a nationally recognized creative hub, which allows for community mem-
EMPLOYMENT
bers to tinker with old, new and present technology as a source of education. The Alhambra space is slated to open by summer 2018. Makerspaces have been thriving as city governments and libraries all over the United States have begun to create programs for kids and adults who have a passion for digital literacy and do-it-yourself learning through “making.” Many of these creative hubs allow for locals to have access to technology many otherwise wouldn’t be able to find for free. National Teen Tech Week is recognized by libraries across the United States as a time to showcase all of the great digital and technological resources available to help teens succeed in school and prepare for college and 21st century careers. For more information on Alhambra’s Teen Tech Week, please contact the Teen Desk: (626) 3001549 or check out the Teen Home Page, https:// www.alhambralibrary.org/teens ■
EMPLOYMENT
Photo courtesy of www.burbankca.gov
MILITARY veterans will have the opportunity to connect with a large number of employers during the City of Burbank’s Veterans Job Fair on Thursday, March 15, 2018. The City of Burbank’s Workforce Connection Office hopes to connect as many veterans as possible with viable employment opportunities during the event that runs from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. at the McCambridge Recreation Center. The fair will also be open to members of the general
public. Participating employers include, but are not limited to; Aflac, City of Glendale, CVS, Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department, MV Transportation, New York Life, Department of Rehabilitation, Vault Mortgage, Powerful Electric, Pollo Loco, Burbank Police and Fire Department, UCLA Department of Medicine, The Salvation Army, California Highway Patrol and Volunteers of America. Job seekers should dress to
EMPLOYMENT
FOR RENT
impress, bring multiple copies of their resume plus a state-issued photo ID and Social Security Card. Registration can be placed in advance online at http://bit.ly/2n6Auvk, or call Burbank WorkForce Connection for more details at (818) 238-5627. This event was made possible through collaboration with the Verdugo Jobs Center and Employment Development Department in Glendale. McCambridge Recreation Center is located at 1515 N. Glenoaks Blvd., Burbank, CA. ■
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cover story The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 7, 2018
Broadway musical ‘Allegiance’ premieres in Los Angeles, highlighting Fil-Am talent by AJPress BROADWAy musical “Allegiance,” starring stage and screen star George Takei, landed in Los Angeles’ Aratani Theatre at the end of february and will be running until April 1. Presented by the East West Players (EWP) and the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center (JACCC), “Allegiance” tells the story of the Kimura family members — son Sammy (Ethan Le Phong/Takei as present day), daughter Kei (Elena Wang), father Tatsuo (Scott Watanabe), and grandfather Ojii-chan (Takei) — who are uprooted from their farm in Salinas, California and are incarcerated alongside other Japanese Americans following the events of Pearl Harbor. The over two-hour play sheds light on a dark period of American history, yet the musical numbers show resilience and hope. The plot is inspired by Takei’s real-life experience during World War II, as he spent ages 5 to 9 in the Rohwer
Incarceration Camp in Arkansas and later Tule Lake in Northern California. The Broadway production of “Allegiance” (music and lyrics by Jay Kuo and a book by Marc Acito, Kuo and Lorenzo Thione) first opened on November 8, 2015 at the Longacre Theater in New york City. Lea Salonga originated the role of Kei Kimura. This year, the staging coincides with the 76th anniversary of Executive Order 9066, which authorized the incarceration of Japanese Americans following Pearl Harbor. “At a time when civil liberties are under threat and our most vulnerable communities are being targeted, ‘Allegiance’ shares an essential American story, one that seeks to speak about the injustice survived by 120,000 innocent Americans persecuted and incarcerated because of their cultural and ethnic heritage,” EWP producing artistic director Snehal Desai and JACCC President and CEO
Elena Wang as Kei Kimura and Ethan Le Phong as Sammy Kimura in the Los Angeles premiere of “Allegiance” starring George Takei at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.
Elena Wang as Kei Kimura in the Los Angeles premiere of “Allegiance” starring George Takei at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.
Leslie Ito wrote in the february issue of Performances Magazine. “Allegiance” held its opening night in Los Angeles on Wednesday, february 28; previews were held the week before and reportedly received standing ovations for each performance. The cast includes Greg Watanabe as Mike Masaoka, Janelle Dote as Executor, Natalie Holt MacDonald as Hannah Campbell, with ensemble members Jordan Goodsell, Sharline Liu, Miyuki Miyagi, Glenn Shiroma, Chad Takeda, and Grace yoo. Also in the production are filipino Americans Eymard Cabling (frankie Suzuki, Kei’s love interest), Cesar Cipriano (ensemble/Ben Masaoka/fight choreographer), Marc Macalintal as music director, and Alison De La Cruz as executive producer of the LA staging. Cabling’s credits include “Miss Saigon,” “The King and I,” “Jane of the Jungle,” while Cipriano has been in previous EWP productions such as “Equus,” “Pippin,” “Be Like Water,” and “La Cage aux folles.” He has also been on the national tours of “Miss Saigon” and “The King and I,” and appearances on TV shows “Being Mary Jane,” “2 Broke Girls,” and “New Girl.” Macalintal is a LA-based musician who has been involved in theatre as a music director (“LA Cage aux folles,” “The Who’s Tommy,” “The Last five years”), a composer (“Krunk fu Battle Battle”), and as an actor (“Damn yankees,” “Master Class,” “The King and I”). He was recently nominated for an Ovation Award for his work in EWP’s “Next to Normal.” De La Cruz, who is the director of performing arts and community engagement at JACCC, said bringing “Allegiance” to LA was a two-year conversation that started between the organization and book writer/producer Lorenzo Thione.
Scott Watanabe as Tatsuo Kimura, George Takei as Ojii-chan, Jordan Goodsell as Hakujin, Elena Wang as Kei Kimura, and Ethan Le Phong as Sammy Kimura in the Los Angeles premiere of “Allegiance” at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center. Photos by Michael Lamont
Upon getting the licensing of the production, JACCC partnered with EWP with special arrangement with Sing Out, Louise! Productions and ATA. “Since then, I have been coordinating with both the East West Players team and JACCC staff, supporting our boards, and really trying to overall help us bring together this landmark production for both organizations and make sure that in all the work we’re doing in Little Tokyo, it’ll represent not only Japanese and Japanese Americans but the larger Asian American community,” De La Cruz told the Asian Journal on opening night. Citing the number of filipino and fil-Am talent, from Martin Nievera to Kayamanan Ng Lahi, that has performed on the Aratani stage, she added “It is a house that’s really built by the Asian American community and artists. Knowing that we had the space to really create a project of this kind, it’s been a wild ride but so rewarding and I’m so proud of all of the folks on this show. There are 130 people working on this production. I love watching this whole company tell the story in a way
Eymard Cabling as Franki Suzuki, Elena Wang as Kei Kimura, and George Takei as Ojii-chan in the Los Angeles premiere of Allegiance starring George Takei at the Aratani Theatre, co-produced by East West Players and Japanese American Cultural & Community Center.
“Allegiance,” starring George Takei, is based on Takei’s real-life experiences during World War II.
that only Los Angeles can.” Even though the story is centered around the Japanese American experience, De La Cruz said filipino Americans will be able to relate to the tight-knit family as well as the filipino immigration history in California. “for filipino Americans, I think we can relate to the family. We know from the filipinoAmerican National Historical Society and other scholars that there have been times in California where signs were up in San Jose saying, “No filipinos or dogs allowed,” so the filipino immigrant history in California is connected to this story,” she said. “for us, it’s also an opportunity to really think about and engage in this moment of history. As filipinos, we have a different relationship with the Japanese community and for me, it has been really powerful to think about and offer this as an opportunity. As Americans, as immigrants or kids of immigrants, how do we want to treat each other?” De La Cruz aims to push boundaries as actress and as a member of the Asian American and Pacific Islander community. “People could really see, we have so much more talent than
we’re getting roles for and that’s really what I want: to accelerate, perpetuate, push out there that we have so much more to do and we have so much more to say and we can do that. We don’t have to wait anymore. That for me is the big moment of today is, if we waited, we wouldn’t be here tonight. If I waited to see what would happen, I don’t know if ‘Allegiance’ would’ve come to me so it is about identifying what we want, being clear and naming it and claiming our place in the greater diversity of Los Angeles, diversity of American theatre. And then I think as filipinos, for us to continue to be partners and allies but claim our place in the larger Asian American and Pacific Islander community.” ** “Allegiance” will run at the Japanese American Cultural & Community Center’s Aratani Theater (244 S. San Pedro St., Los Angeles, CA) until April 1, 2018. Performances will be held Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 p.m. Matinee showings at 2 pm on Saturdays and Sundays. There will be no performance on Sunday, March 18. For tickets and information, please visit AllegianceMusical. com.
Hollywood icon Rita Moreno wears Rachel Grant promotes PH as a tourist destination vintage Pitoy Moreno to the Oscars by Tessa
Mauricio-arriola ManilaTimes.net
If there were an Oscar’s fashion award for “Best Vintage,” it would easily go to Hollywood icon Rita Moreno who wore the same winning gown she wore in 1962 to accept her Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for portraying Anita in “West Side Story.” And get this—it’s a Pitoy Moreno! To be sure, while the Puerto Rican actress obviously came from a very personal reason for re-fashioning the gold and black Pitoy, her gesture is one that besides raising filipino pride, also tugs at the heartstrings what with the legendary designer passing away just this January at age 88. The filipino Moreno was regarded as a pillar of Philippine fashion and the named fashion Czar of Asia, who paved the way for younger designers to break through to the international scene. Still blessed with the slimmest of figures at 86 years old, Rita Moreno wore her Pitoy a little differently almost six decades later with a tube bodice in place of the original haltered sleeveless design, adding more drama with
a thick Egyptian inspired necklace and a quirky black headband. She was quoted by the Vanity fair website telling Ryan Seacrest during the E! broadcast that one “would think it would tarnish! I had no idea I was going to win [in 1962]. I was sure it was going to be Judy Garland for Judgment At Nuremberg. I flew in from Manila
BORN in the Philippines but raised in the United Kingdom, actress Rachel Grant is best remembered as Peaceful fountains of Desire, a Chinese agent working for Mr. Chang as an undercover as masseuse in the James Bond movie “Die Another Day,” starring Pierce Brosnan. She also appeared as Maria Ronson in the movie “Until Death” with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Stephen Rea, in “The Purifiers” with Dominic Monaghan and the latest in the 2017 sci-fi comedy “Snatchers.” Besides doing film, TV and theater, Grant is a certified traveller, especially promotHollywood luminary Rita Moreno proudly wore ing her roots in the Philippines her 1962 Pitoy Moreno gown on the red carpet of as a tourist destination. Her the 90th Academy Awards; she first wore when latest journeys have thus been she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as documented by Storia, a unique Anita in ‘West Side Story’. Photos courtesy of Brettman Collections social multimedia platform that curates and creates user-generin the Philippines just in case, ated contents that entertain and which is where this gown was inform. made.” Her partnership with the A true acting jewel, Moreno is group has given birth to a 12one of only 12 Hollywood heavypart video series titled “fun in weights with the coveted EGOT, the Philippines,” endorsed by meaning she has won an Emmy, the Department of Tourism no Grammy, Oscar and Tony in her less. decades-long career. In one of the released vidShe is currently starring on eos, Grant sips coconut juice as the Netflix reboot of sitcom “One she gets “boiled” inside a large Day at a Time.” wok filled with spring water with
Seizing the moment to ride a carabao in the rice fields of Motag Living Museum in Aklan.
local herbs and flowers. Her Kawa Hot Bath experience was facilitated by the Kayak Inn in Tibiao, Antique. In another, she is thrilled by the possibility of playing footsie at the Labasin Waterfalls Restaurant. Located at Villa Escudero in Tiaong, Quezon, the restaurant affords diners to enjoy local cui-
sine at the base of a waterfall. In her Hundred Islands National Park tour in Alaminos, Pangasinan journey, Grant explores hollow caves and under the water adventures of a lifetime. In nearby town Bani, she helped discover Angel Cave, an Continued on Page 4
McDonald’s starts rollout of fresh beef quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, to US restaurants Rollout complete in approximately 3,500 restaurants as two new fresh beef signature crafted recipes soon to join menu OaK BROOK, ill. — On tuesday, March 6, McDonald’s Usa announced that fresh beef, cooked right when ordered, in all Quarter Pounder and signature Crafted Recipe burgers is now available across approximately 3,500 restaurants in select markets and is on track for rollout to all participating restaurants in the contiguous U.s. by early May*. the move to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers is the latest in McDonald’s food journey to build a better McDonald’s. it’s also one of the latest customer-led initiatives in the U.s. that builds on several other recent milestones, including all Day Breakfast, committing to only sourcing cage-free eggs by 2025 in the U.s. and serving chicken not treated with antibiotics important to human medicine**. “the switch to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers is the most significant change to our system and restaurant operations since all Day Breakfast,� said McDonald’s Usa President Chris Kempczinski. “Over the past two years, we have been listening to our customers and evolving our business to build a better McDonald’s. We are proud to bring our customers a hotter and juicier quarter-pound burger at the speed and convenience they expect from us.� in March 2017, McDonald’s Usa announced the switch to fresh beef, cooked right when
ordered, quarter-pound burgers as a part of a broader commitment to bring customers more craveable and delicious food offerings. the 100% fresh beef quarter-pound burgers are now available in approximately 3,500 restaurants across a number of markets including: - atlanta - Charlotte - Memphis - Miami - nashville - Orlando - Raleigh - salt lake City Over the next month, the company will be rapidly completing the transition to fresh beef quarter-pound burgers, cooked right when ordered, in additional markets, including Denver, Houston, los angeles, san Francisco, seattle and more, with full rollout to participating restaurants by early May. the test markets in Dallas and tulsa found customers love the hotter and juicier*** fresh beef quarter-pound burgers – the company saw a 90 percent customer satisfaction from customers who order the burgers, and 90 percent intent to repurchase. all McDonald’s fresh beef quarter-pound burgers use 100 percent beef with absolutely no fillers, additives or preservatives. Quarter-pound burgers include the Quarter Pounder, Quarter Pounder with Cheese, Double Quarter Pounder and signature
Crafted Recipe burgers. New signature crafted recipe sandwiches McDonald’s also continues to innovate its signature Crafted Recipe sandwiches, which feature premium ingredients and unique flavor combinations. next month, McDonald’s will introduce another flavorful, premium sandwich – Garlic White Cheddar. the signature Crafted Recipe sandwich is made with a fresh beef, quarter-pound burger or chicken (Buttermilk Crispy Chicken or artisan Grilled Chicken) and will be available at participating U.s. restaurants. • Garlic White Cheddar: a mouthwatering, savory combination of creamy garlic aioli and crispy garlic chips piled up with a juicy tomato slice, crisp iceberg lettuce and real white cheddar cheese. Freshly prepared on a fresh beef quarter-pound burger or your choice of chicken (Buttermilk Crispy Chicken or artisan Grilled Chicken) on a toasted artisan Roll. Other new signature Crafted Recipes sandwiches are also expected to debut later this year. * Not available in Alaska, Hawaii or U.S. Territories. ** Farmers still use ionophores, a class of antibiotics that are not prescribed to people, to keep chickens healthy. *** Compared to prior Ÿ lb. beef patty.Â
entertainment 3
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 7, 2018
Iza Calzado’s journey to loving her body by Bianca
Gonzalez Philstar.com
Valentines is Day of this year, actress iza Calzado posted a photo of herself in a bathing suit, with the caption: “i have abused my body the past 35 years and now i just want to tell myself this — you are enough. i will no longer make you suffer. i want to make peace with you, my beautiful and strong body.� it was the first time iza had opened up about surgery, diet pills, and anorexia. and it was received with overwhelming support by both friends and followers. it was not an easy journey for iza to get to this point in her life. Here are 10 moments in iza’s journey to loving her body: Age: 15 Memory: “i just remember my pants size was 42.� “Sabi ko nga, parang mas masaya pa ako ‘nun eh. i had embraced being big and there was no pressure to be anything other than that. Gigising ako sa umaga, i’d think, “i love it, kakain ako!� Hindi ko iisipin yung, “Naku, hindi ako pwede kumain ngayon,� iza recalls. “When you’re big, you don’t go on the weighing scale every day. We didn’t even have a weighing scale at home. i just remember, na-ospital ako ‘nun, and i had to weigh myself. Well, i was 220 pounds.� Age: 16 Memory: “i wanted to lose weight in time for graduation, and the grad picture.� “For vanity talaga. i remem(Advertising Supplement) ber i got chicken pox, so i wasn’t eating much. two weeks ako hindi nakita ng tao, so when they saw me again, people would
tell me, “Uy, pumayat ka! so i thought then, i just had to lessen my food intake,� iza shares. What started as just eating three sandwiches a day, turned into eating one sandwich a day. From eating three crackers a day, she ate just one cracker a day. “i most probably was anorexic. You only get labeled as anorexic when you’re thin tapos lalo kang pumapayat. When you’re fat and losing weight, you’re not labeled as such. But i had all the symptoms of being anorexic—i was weighing myself every day in the school clinic, i was hardly eating, on the weekend i would binge and then throw it up,� iza reveals. “’Dun talaga nag-start yung hate. But then i loved it, too, because i was getting attention i never got before, because i was getting thinner.� Age: 17 Memory: “i had lost almost 80 pounds.� “in one year?� “in a school year. i wasn’t eating, i was taking diet pills, lahat.� “But during that time, you were happy?� “Happy! Yung dream guy ko, the guy who i had the biggest crush on in high school, naging boyfriend ko pa!� “and i didn’t work out. Hindi talaga,� iza adds. “its funny because i had a friend, she was very sporty. she told me, ‘iza, you know you have to eat better. You have to work out, because if not, your skin will sag.’ i told her, ‘Hayaan mo na, wala akong balak mag-sleeveless, wala naman akong balak mag-artista.’ i remember saying that to her! and here we are now.� Age: 19
Iza with her fiancĂŠ Ben Wintle
Photos from Instagram/@missizacalzado
Memory: “My weight went up and down like a yoyo. i loved snacking, but it was also easy to lose weight because i was so young.� “S’yempre, in love, so we’d binge eat. Movie marathon kami and we’d eat junk food! i tried everything, Bangkok pills, uso yun ‘nun, Hydroxycut, lahat. But it was not good for me, even psychologically, hindi talaga.� “i was conscious about my being on the heavy side, pero tanggap ko naman, because like i said, hindi naman ako artista. i did try doing VtRs at that time, though. everytime i would get rejected, sumasama talaga loob ko. i’d think, ‘Hindi pa ba enough? i already lost the weight!’ i would always equate it to, ‘Hindi ako natatanggap dahil mataba ako.’ But, of course, that wasn’t the reason.� Age: 20 Memory: “there’s nobody on tV or in movies that i’ve seen that has my body — with the amount of stretch marks and loose skin that i have.� “i guested on a show called ‘Click,’� iza recalls her first acting stint with GMa. “that served as my audition. then right after, i did my first soap called ‘Kung Mawawala Ka.’� “that time, everything was loose. i’m telling you, my skin was until here,� iza raises her right arm, and gestures a few inches below with her left hand. “i was like a balloon that lost air. My face was slim. But if you saw me up Continued on Page 4
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features The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 7, 2018
Hollywood’s leading Asian stars celebrate the Year of the Dog by Klarize Medenilla AJPress
Dragon dancers greet the crowd with a spectacular performance of the Chinese tradition.
The cast of “Crazy Rich Asians” pose with Filipino-American actor Dante Basco.
THE Lunar New Year is a celebration of the Chinese zodiac, which moves in 12year cycles. 2018 is the Year of the Dog, which signals certain fortunes for those born in 1922, 1934, 1946, 1958, 1970, 1982, 1994, 2006 and 2018. On Friday, February 16, families around the globe rang in the Lunar New Year with family gatherings, grand spectacles of light and sound and, everyone’s favorite part, the coveted red envelopes of money to signal good luck in the new year. As the two-week celebration came to a close, on Thursday, March 1, some of the biggest Asian actors and filmmakers braved the winter cold to celebrate the Year of the Dog at the first annual Lunar New Year Soiree hosted by Lexus at Goya Studios in Hollywood. “Chinese New Year, of course, is very important to a lot of Asian cultures so it’s an honor to be here tonight, celebrating with all the wonderful Asian American actors and artists here,” veteran ChineseAmerican and hostess Kelly Hu (“Arrow”, “The Orville”) shared with the Asian Journal on the red carpet. “Being here to help
ring in the new year with other people who appreciate it who understand the importance and significance of it. It’s great we can all come together tonight.” The Lunar New Year Soiree glamorously blended Chinese traditions with modern innovation. As soon as the program began, guests were welcomed with a dazzling dragon dance featuring a skilled team of dancers in brightly and colorfully lit dragon costumes. Afterward, Japanese-American singer and actress Kina Grannis performed original songs while Asian-inspired hors d’oeuvres were being passed around. Everyone from leading actors to musicians to filmmakers in Los Angeles’s Asian American community gathered in a celebration of Asians in the entertainment industry. Among the guests were the all-Asian cast of the upcoming comedy film “Crazy Rich Asians” including MalaysianBritish actor Henry Golding, Chris Pang and Jimmy O. Yang, who touted his new book, “How To American.” Other high profile guests included Filipina-American singer Liane Valenzuela, Filipino-American actor Dante Basco, Chinese actor Tzi Ma (“Rush Hour”) and veteran Japanese-American actress Amy Hill (“50 First Dates”,
Singer and star of “Crazy Rich Asians” Kina Grannis performs original songs at the Lunar New Year Soiree in Hollywood.
Chinese-American actress and event hostess Kelly Hu kicks off the first annual Lunar New Year Soiree hosted by Lexus.
“Crazy Ex-Girlfriend”). “Isn’t it great that we have this community of Asian and Asian American actors out here tonight? How often do we get to gather together and celebrate our culture? It’s a very tight-knit supportive community of artists, and I feel so honored to be a part of it,” a bright-eyed Hill told the Asian
Journal. The soiree also featured the newly redesigned Lexus LS which features a “radical new design with a coupe-like silhouette, an all-new twin-turbo V6 with 416 horsepower and an interior inspired by traditional Japanese aesthetics,” according to a press release.
AJPress photos by Noel Ty
(Advertising Supplement)
The soiree also featured the newly redesigned Lexus LS, on sale in U.S. markets now.
Fil-Am composer, wife win their 2nd Academy Award
KRISTEN Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez have won their second Academy Award for best original song. The husband-and-wife duo picked up the honor Sunday, March 4, for “Remember Me” from “Coco.” The pair also won best original song for “Let It Kristen Anderson-Lopez, from left, Katie Lopez, Annie Lopez, and Robert Lopez arrive at the Oscars on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles. Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision Go” from “Frozen.” Robert Lopez dedicated the win to his mother who passed away. His wife said she was happy to see their category include a number of female nominees. The Lopez’s song beat out Mary J. Blige’s “Mighty River” from “Mudbound”; Common and Diane Warren’s “Stand Up for Something” from “Marshall”; Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s “This Is Me” from “The Greatest Showman”; and Sufjan Stevens’ “Mystery of Love” from “Call Me by Your Name.” (Philstar.com with reports from Associated Press)
Rachel Grant promotes PH... From Page 2
underground cave system. Her visit to the Western Pangasinan municipality culminates in a visit to the famed Calabeng Falls. The British-Filipino actress is also deeply involved in humanitarian efforts. She initiated to establish an evacuation center for Bani residents displaced by Typhoon Emong in 2009. The center is near a relocation area called Fountain of Love and also serves as the community’s school. In 2016, she released a twominute video titled, “How to pack over 100 items into a carryon,” which has been covered by over 200 websites, aired across the globe and even shared by Oprah, Ashton Kutcher and TIME Magazine. A recipient of the Shorty Award, Grant’s other videos on travel and lifestyle have also accumulated over 100 million views. (ManilaTimes.net)
Iza Calzado’s journey to loving... From Page 3
close then, if you saw my body then, you would understand the changes I had gone through.” Age: 21 Memory: “I had surgeries done. But it didn’t solve the problem because the problem was in my head.” “Honestly, come to think of it, I should have said, “Thank you, but this body is not for Darna. I know it’s a big opportunity, but thank you,” Iza reveals about the time she was cast for the GMA fantaserye “Darna.” “Ang biggest issue ko ‘nun, there were times I would just be crying at home, I wouldn’t go out, and I would think, ‘How will I make it in this industry if my body is like this? How? How?’” “And even after the surgery, hindi naman matatanggal yung stretch marks mo, and you also get scars. During my audition for Darna, galit na galit ako. Naka-body stockings ako nung nag-audition ako. Naka-two piece ako, pero naka-full body stockings. Ang liit liit ng tingin ko sa sarili ko ‘nun,” Iza reveals. “For the longest time, I hated myself for making these stupid decisions. But when that happened, my motivation became, ‘Excuse me, I’m going to prove to myself and to all of you that I’m going to make it. Gagalingan ko maging artista, I’ll take workshops, I’ll do my best, I’ll put my heart into it.’ And that’s what happened.” Age: 23 Memory: “I would be trying all these different diets.” “It was a blessing in disguise because that audition got me my role in ‘Encantadia.’ When I was doing ‘Encantadia,’ I was on a Weightlifter’s Diet. I was only eating tuna, kamote, chicken breast and suha, all with no salt. And I was doing that Monday to Friday. By the time I’d reach Saturday, nangangamote na talaga ako as in I felt ang bobo ko. And at the time I was hosting this lifestyle magazine show called 3R, and hindi ko talaga masabi yung lines ko, ang bobo talaga ng pakiramdam ko ‘nun.” “I was so young then, still conscious, still insecure, but I was already working out around two
times a week.” Age: 26 Memory: “This is when I discovered running, and that empowered me a lot.” “When I was in high school, when I would run, feeling ko dumadagundong yung buong mundo,” Iza recalls. “By this time, I started running 5K, ganun. Then I would also go to the slimming salon around three times a week for two to three hours. Halos nakatira ako ‘dun! It was also a very difficult time because I felt like I was just trying to please the guy I was dating. It wasn’t good for me because it was like I was doing it for someone else and not for myself.” “One time, I was working out doing crunches, tapos umiyak ako. Breakdown na iyak. Hindi ko na kinaya yung pressure sa utak ko. I was thinking, ‘Bakit ganun, kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ko naman makukuha yung katawan ng ibang mga artista?’ I had that frustration.” Age: 32 Memory: “I asked, ‘Is it okay if I don’t put body makeup and wear sleeveless?’” “Honestly, it doesn’t feel good having to wear body make up all the time,” Iza recalls the time she hosted “The Biggest Loser” on ABS-CBN, and she had to wear body makeup to cover her stretch marks. “Naiintindihan ko kung bakit hindi pwedeng wala, because its still TV, but at the same time, masakit ‘yun. I felt, ‘Ganun ba talaga ka-pangit? Siguro nga, ganun ka-pangit.’” “I remember a couple of times that I braved going to events wearing gowns without putting on body makeup, and I’d see comments online like, ‘Ano ba ‘yan, kita yung stretch marks!’ or ‘Diba, as an artista she has to make sure that she looks polished and perfect?’ And I would think, ‘Ganun ba talaga?’” Age: 35 Memory: Ben tells me, “You know, it’s getting tiring. Nobody cares.” Last December 2017, for the first time in her life, Iza went on a beach holiday to Phuket with her fiancé, businessman Ben Wintle, and his family. “Malakas loob ko to wear bathing suits and
Iza Calzado Photo from Instagram/@missizacalzado
bikinis kasi wala naman nakakakilala sa akin ‘dun. But every girl we’d see, I’d really look at their body. Every day I’d tell Ben, ‘Oh, my gosh, I love her thighs,’ or ‘Oh, my gosh, she’s got great abs!’ Other days I’d say, ‘I wish I had her arms,’ or ‘I wish I had her butt!’ Then on the fifth day of the trip, Ben tells me, ‘You keep pointing out other women’s bodies. It’s getting tiring.’” “Para akong binuhusan ng malamig na tubig. And he didn’t say it in a mean way. I realized, I became so self-absorbed, na feeling ko lahat nakatingin sa akin, pinupuna ako, which has always been my problem.” “Ben and I have had a lot of fights about me being too obsessed with my weight and other women’s bodies and my body. One time, we had an argument and he told me, ‘You know how hard it is to be in my position? I don’t want you to have to seek my validation about your body, because you are more than that, Iza.’” She cried tears of joy, of love, right there and then in front of Ben. At 35, Iza Calzado now looks and feels the best she’s ever looked and felt. She uses the hashtag #thebodyloverevolution, and she has inspired many others to share their stories of insecurity and acceptance. Whatever shape or size, we ALL have something we are insecure about. Even those we perceive to be perfect. Iza ends with this: “I now understand that it takes more than just wanting to do the work or putting in the work, there are so many factors that come into play when it comes to our weight and our bodies. We shouldn’t be judging others, and we should be kinder to ourselves.”
The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 7, 2018
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The Asian Jour nal MDWK MAGAZINE - March 7, 2018