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Volume 17 - No. 10 • 3 Sections – 20 Pages

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US ofﬁ cial stresses rule of law Justice Dept. sues amid combating drug menace California over ‘sanctuary’ policies DATELINE

USA

FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA

Upon his visit in Manila, U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Undersecretary and Counterterrorism Coordinator David J. Glawe met THE rule of law must always serve as the “bench- with senior Philippine officials, including Philippine mark” in prosecuting suspected drug personalities, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. a United States official has reminded the PhilipIn an interview with reporters on Friday, March 2, pines, whose government is conducting an intensi- Glawe said he discussed with Aguirre a wide range fied campaign against illegal drugs. of security issues, including the drug menace. by DANA

Trump administration claims three ‘sanctuary’ laws violate the Constitution

THE U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on Tuesday, March 7 filed a lawsuit against the State of California and two high-ranking state officials over so-called “sanctuary” policies that it said unlawfully protect undocumented immigrants against deportation. The lawsuit called out three recently-passed state laws that, according to the Trump administration, have hampered the federal government’s enforcement of immigration law.

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SIOSON AJPress

by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

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

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SITE INSPECTION. President Rodrigo Duterte talks to the personnel of the Armed Forces of the Philippines on the sidelines of his attendance to the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of Casa San Miguel at Brgy. San Agustin in Concepcion, Tarlac on Wednesday, March 7. Malacañang photo by Rey Baniquet

Palace: State of calamity declaration will hasten Boracay rehabilitation by DANA

SIOSON AJPress

PUTTING the island of Boracay under a state of calamity will hasten the world-famous tourist destination’s rehabilitation, according to Malacañang. Malacañang issued the state-

ment after Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte announced his plan to declare Boracay under a state of calamity amid environment issues hounding the island. “This is to hasten the rehabilitation of Boracay,” Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said in a press

Boracay attracts local and foreign tourists all year round.

briefing on Wednesday, March 7. Malacañang also noted that Duterte’s order to clean up Boracay applies to other tourist destinations in the country. “The president’s words are clear, although his statements are for Boracay, it’s applicable to all other tourist destinations in the Philippines,” Roque said. “Start enforcing the laws, including the setback [requirement]. Demolish all the structures that violate the setback because the local government may be slapped with charges if they do not implement it as soon as possible,” he added. A day earlier, Duterte threatened to put Boracay—which he previously described as “cesspool” due to the island’s dysfunctional sewerage system—under a state of calamity if his six-month ultimatum to clean it up is not met.

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PNA photo by Joey Razon

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

Marcos camp: Comelec, Smartmatic must answer questions on 2016 polls by AUDREY

MORALLO Philstar.com

MANILA — The Commission on Elections and its technology provider Smartmatic should answer questions on the integrity of the 2016 elections, the spokesperson of former Sen. Ferdinand

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Duterte: ICC has no jurisdiction over me PHILIPPINE President Rodrigo Duterte remained confident that the International Criminal Court’s (ICC) proceedings against him will not prosper beyond the preliminary examination due to lack of jurisdiction. In a speech on Wednesday, March 7, Duterte insisted that he could not be tried over the controversies hounding his anti-illegal drugs campaign, saying that the ICC will “never, never, never” have power over him. “They want me haled before the ICC,” Duterte said. “I do not want to say this now, but they will never, never, never acquire jurisdiction over my person.” Last month, the ICC began its preliminary examination into his administration’s campaign against illegal drugs that reportedly resulted in thousands of deaths of suspected drug personalities. The preliminary examination aims to determine if there is a basis to

US urged to help over Dengvaxia controversy

“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.

from within the region from powerhouses like China that are looking to utilize available labor in 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 anticorruption 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 its list of top countries to invest in on the following attributes: entrepreneurship, economic stability, favorable tax environment, innovation, skilled labor, technological expertise, dynamism, and corruption. Respondents include 6,000 participants who act as “decision makers in business around the globe.” The Philippines also ranked 16th in terms of adventure, 34th in terms of being open for business, and 37th in terms of quality of life. Overall, the Philippines ranked 49th of “Best Countries” across the globe. Switzerland, on the other hand, was named the best country overall. Coming in second was Canada, followed by Germany, the United Kingdom, and Japan. ■

Former Sen. Marcos shows a l l e g e d evidence of irregularities of the ballots in the recent elections during a press conference in Manila on January 29. Philstar.com photo by Ben Nabong

“Bongbong” Marcos Jr. said. Vic Rodriguez, Marcos’ spokesman, also congratulated Sen. Vicente “Tito” Sotto III for claiming in a privilege speech at the Senate that several national candidates benefitted from vote manipulation done by Smart-

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From the Front Page

US official stresses rule of law... PAGE A1 t 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. 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,

Palace: State of calamity...

PAGE A1 t

The president said he made the decision following a recommendation from the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG). Section 3 of the Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010 defines state of calamity as “a condition involving mass casualty and/or major dam-

ages to property, disruption of means of livelihoods, roads and normal way of life of people in the affected areas as a result of the occurrence of natural or humaninduced hazard.” Duterte also threatened to arrest local government officials and resort owners if they refuse to cooperate or protested the ongoing investigation and efforts to

and that’s the benchmark of the U.S. law enforcement.” Glawe reiterated that the U.S. government is “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. n rehabilitate Boracay. “If they refuse to cooperate and begin to protest—you were the ones responsible for the damage all these years, as well as the local officials who are all nonchalant of the problem there—I will arrest you all,” Duterte said. He further warned, “And if you put up a fight I will charge you for sedition, preventing government to do what is good for the Filipino people.” n

RESERVE OFFICERS. Senators Loren Legarda and Emmanuel Pacquiao, along with House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez and House Majority Floor Leader Rodolfo Fariñas, pose in their uniforms as reserve officers of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), during the Commission on Appointments (CA) Committee on National Defense hearing on Wednesday, March 7. The CA later confirmed the nominations of the four lawmakers, who all now hold the rank of colonel in the AFP. Senate photo by Joseph Vidal

Duterte: ICC has no jurisdiction... PAGE A1 t

conduct a formal investigation against Duterte, based on criteria established by the Rome Statute. The ICC’s move stemmed from the communication filed by Filipino lawyer Jude Sabio in April last year. Sabio accused Duterte of committing crimes against humanity when the latter launched his bloody drug war. The ICC is the “court of last resort” that has jurisdiction over genocide, war crimes, and crimes against humanity.

Malacañang, however, insisted that the drug war could not be considered as a crime against humanity because its “legitimate purpose” is to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs. “Nothing has changed. The president’s stance remains the same — that because the Philippine courts are able and willing, the International Criminal Court has no jurisdiction,” Palace Spokesperson Harry Roque said. “And secondly, in terms of merit, the war against drugs

cannot be considered as crimes against humanity because it does not target just civilian population, but it is also an official exercise of the police powers of the state and has a legitimate purpose – to curb the proliferation of illegal drugs,” he added. Roque further stressed that the Philippine government has not shown an unwillingness to prosecute erring officials. “Philippine courts are still open to trying the case,” he said. “So there‘s no inability or unwillingness. Presidents have no immunity from prosecution for life.” n

Justice Dept. sues California over... PAGE A1 t “California, we have a problem,” U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions said at a gathering of law enforcement organizations in Sacramento. “The Department of Justice and the Trump administration are going to fight these unjust, unfair and unconstitutional policies that have been imposed on you.” The three laws the administration is challenging include SB 54, the all-encompassing “sanctuary state” law that restricted law enforcement from sharing information with federal agents that would lead to the capture and deportation of criminal undocumented immigrants. The other two laws are AB 450, which prohibits private employers from complying with immigration agents who conduct operations on worksites, and AB 103, which calls for regular inspections of detention facilities that hold immigrants who face deportation. The two top leaders that the lawsuit also named were California Governor Jerry Brown and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra. At a Tuesday night press conference, Becerra asserted that, through the Tenth Amendment, states have the right to handle public safety in the ways they see fit. Calmly poised, Becerra assured Californians that the claims made in the lawsuit dem-

onstrated “there’s nothing really new there that we weren’t already familiar with.” “We’re prepared to deal with this,” Becerra told reporters. “We believe we are in full compliance with the federal constitution and federal law.” As soon as the Trump administration announced the lawsuit, Brown brazenly fired back at Sessions, calling the move a “political stunt.’ “What Jeff Sessions said is simply not true and I call upon him to apologize to the people of California for bringing the mendacity of Washington to California,” Brown said at a joint press conference with Becerra on Wednesday, March 7. “This is basically going to war against the State of California, the engine of the American economy,” Brown added. “It’s not wise. It’s not right, and it will not stand.” Brown also made accusations toward Sessions, who Brown said lied about the state’s immigration policies. Sessions has falsely claimed that Becerra called for an open border, protection for criminals and secession from the U.S. “We know the Trump administration is full of liars. They have pleaded guilty already to the special counsel,” Brown said, referencing the federal investigation on Russian collusion. Earlier in his presidency, Trump signed an executive or-

US urged to help over... PAGE A1 t 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 CYDTVD,” 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,

der that called to rescind federal grant funding to jurisdictions that reject cooperation with U.S. immigration authorities. The lawsuit comes weeks after the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) conducted multiple raids across California. In the Los Angeles area, more than 150 people were detained and in Northern California, about 232 people were arrested in a massive 4-day sweep, as previously reported by the Asian Journal. State officials saw these massive raids as a response to the state’s refusal to cooperate with federal immigration officials. Asian Americans Advancing Justice-California also condemned the lawsuit, calling it an “attack on California’s policies that protect our immigrant communities.” “Studies have shown that jurisdictions with sanctuary policies are safer and more economically prosperous than non-sanctuary jurisdictions. Immigrants help California thrive,” Advancing Justice-CA said in a statement. “The Trump administration has been obsessive in their attack and scapegoating of immigrants, fueled by hate, xenophobia, and racism. But the Constitution is clear: the federal government cannot commandeer California’s resources to carry out deportations.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press) including but not limited to the Foreign Corrupt 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 ad-

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Dateline USa

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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mARCh 9-15, 2018

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 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, accord-

David J. Glawe, US Department of Homeland Security undersecretary for intelligence and analysis. Inquirer.net photo by Anthony Q. Esguerra

ing 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 under fire for reportedly selling spyware to the Philippines despite Duterte’s brutal war on drugs. The Guardian posted on its website a story about the issue written by Hannah EllisPetersen: “Britain sold spying gear to Philippines despite Duterte’s brutal drugs war.” Criticizing United Kingdom’s arms export control, Labor MP Lloyed Russel-Moyle said the sale “makes us complicit in the deaths of thousands of Filipinos.” Press Attaché Molly Koscina,

USS Bonhomme Richard, part of Amphibious Squadron 11, is operating in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region as part of a regularly scheduled patrol and provides a rapid-response capability in the event of a regional contingeny or natural disaster. US Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Todd C. Behrman

US amphibious assault ship arrives in Manila by PAtriciA LourdEs Philstar.com

VirAy

AN amphibious assault ship of the U.S. Navy is in Manila for a port visit and to participate in a community relations project. The crew of USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) are in Manila to enhance Philippines-U.S. ties and to experience Filipino culture, according to a release from the U.S. Embassy.

“Following exercise Cobra Gold, we’ve continued our shipboard training and patrol, and now we have the opportunity to experience liberty in Manila. I’m grateful for the chance to share the amazing culture of the Philippines with the crew during this port call,” Capt. Larry McCullen, Bonhomme Richard commanding officer. said. The more than 2,500 sailors

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Marcos camp: Comelec...

PAGE A1 t

matic. “All the issues raised by Senator Sotto need to be investigated and all the questions he asked need to be answered by both Smartmatic and the COMELEC,” Rodriguez said in a statement. Marcos has an ongoing electoral protest against Vice President Leni Robredo. Rodriguez said that other “patriotic leaders and stakeholders” had already seen the extent of the so-called “conspiracy, interference and manipulation” of election results by Smartmatic and had begun to speak out. “We have never understood COMELEC’s insistence in again awarding Smartmatic despite the multitude transgressions attributed to it,” said Rodriguez, who claimed that “informed observers” he did not name had “evidence of massive cheating” in the 2016 polls, which saw Liberal Party presidential candidate Manuel “Mar Roxas” II lose to Rodrigo Duterte. On Tuesday, Sotto also sought to ban Smartmatic from participating in the next national and local elections and called for an

inquiry into supposed poll fraud facilitated by the company. Sotto said that a “highly reliable source” provided him with confidential information that supposedly showed that there was transmission of votes before the elections on May 9, 2016 and that the computers were remotely accessed from the US. The majority leader said he is concerned about the Comelec announcement regarding the purchase of some 97,000 vote counting machines for Smartmatic for use in the elections next year. Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said the commission has already communicated with the office of Sotto regarding his claims of fraud. Jimenez said that the Comelec has asked for the documents that the majority leader presented in the Senate as he announced that the poll body would conduct its own probe. He said that conclusions could not be made based on Sotto’s allegations, which he said were “interpreted in a particular way, which is not the exclusive possible alternative.” n

who was also present in the media roundtable, cited the Leahy vetting process. The vetting process under the Leahy law of the U.S. prohibits the State and Defense Departments from providing military assistance to foreign security forces that has committed gross violation of human rights. When IS-inspired groups attacked Mindanao, Washington extended its support to the Philippines by providing counter-terror weapons to Philippine soldiers. The U.S. also pledged aid in the rehabilitation of the wartorn Marawi City. Last month, Secretary of State Rex W. Tillerson announced that Manila has joined the USled Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS. n

PROTESTING SOGIE BILL. Senator Joel Villanueva on Wednesday, March 7 joined the Christian Coalition for Righteousness, Justice, and Truth (CCRJT) composed of Philippines for Jesus Movement (PJM), Intercessors for the Philippines (IFP), Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches (PCEC), Negros Island House of Prayer (NIHOP), NFS Ministry, together with the G12 Philippines, at the prayer rally outside the Senate of the Philippines to express their strong opposition to the SOGIE (Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity and Expression) Bill. According to the CCRJT, about 30,000 Christian believers from all over the country gathered to reiterate that the SOGIE Bill violates one’s freedom to express his or her religious beliefs which is embedded in the Constitution. Villanueva further lamented that cases of discrimination exist not just against the LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender) community but also against people from different religion or belief, social class, civil status, age, race, and medical condition. “We need an anti-discrimination law that will promote genuine equality--a measure that is concrete and holistic. We will never allow the suppression of people’s rights to exercise their religious freedom or cultural beliefs,” Villanueva said. Senate photo

US urged to help over... PAGE A1 t missions 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. (Ding Cervantes, Alexis Romero/Philstar.com)

Dateline USa

march 9-15, 2018 • NOrcaL aSIaN JOUrNaL

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Palace grateful for EU’s P242-M aid to drug war by Catherine

S. Valente ManilaTiames.net

FORMER REBELS VISIT AFP. A former female rebel and other civilian returnees tour the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) museum and theater at Camp Aguinaldo in Quezon City on Tuesday, March 6. The group, composed of 188 former New People’s Army (NPA) members and supporters from Mindanao, later proceeded to Malacañang for a dinner with President Rodrigo Duterte. PNA photo by Joey Razon

United Nations narcotics board: Treatment better than prevention by pia lee-Brago Philstar.com

A UnITED nations-backed narcotics control board has strongly condemned extrajudicial responses to drug-related criminality. The International narcotics Control Board (InCB) urged governments to invest more in drug treatment and rehabilitation rather than just focusing solely on prevention. In its latest report, the InCB revealed that only one in six people globally who needs help has access to drug treatment and rehabilitation services. Even where treatment is available, the report said the quality is often poor or substandard. “Our report shows that treatment of drug dependence is highly cost-effective and, most importantly, treatment of drug

dependence should be seen as part of the ‘right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health,’ and as such, an element of the right to health,” InCB president Viroj Sumyai said. The InCB is an independent quasi-judicial body that monitors implementation of three Un international drug control conventions. The InCB emphasized the need to address the global gap in access to controlled narcotic drugs and psychotropic substances for medicinal and scientific purposes. This “global pain divide” disproportionately impacts lowand middle-income countries, according to InCB. The InCB noted that 2018 marks several anniversaries, including 70 years since the proc-

lamation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Considered a “milestone document” by the Un, the declaration recognizes the inherent dignity of all human beings. “In this context, InCB once again calls on countries to ensure that any drug control measures are in full compliance with international human rights standards and norms,” the InCB said. “This includes protecting and guaranteeing the rights to health, the rights of alleged drug offenders, and drug users and ensuring proportional responses in dealing with drug offences, including abolishing the death penalty for drug-related offences,” it added. According to results of its 2015 national drug use survey, there were about 1.8 million drug users in the Philippines. n

Ancajas replacing Pacquiao in Crawford-Horn undercard not yet final by Dino

Maragay Philstar.com

IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas isn’t a lock to replace Manny Pacquiao in the undercard of the fight between Terence Crawford and Jeff Horn in Las Vegas on April 14. But the rising star’s camp is ready to step in just in case they get the call, which should come anytime soon. “Hindi pa po sir (Not yet, sir),” Ancajas’ manager and trainer Joven Jimenez told Philstar. com when asked if his ward’s inclusion in the fight card is already final.

“Pero handa na kami sa April 14 (But we’re ready for April 14),” added Jimenez. Top Rank, which promotes Ancajas, has given the 26-year-old boxer a heads-up about possibly replacing Pacquiao in the Crawford-Horn card. now, the likelihood of Ancajas taking over has become greater with Pacquiao passing up on Top Rank’s offer for him to fight Mike Alvarado in the same card. As reported by various media outlets on Thursday, March 1, the Filipino icon said he felt “insulted” by Top Rank’s plan to have him fight only in a support

bout to Horn, whom he lost to in their tussle last July. Ancajas, for his part, told scribes on Tuesday, March 6, at the annual Philippine Sportswriters Association Awards — where he was feted as an Athlete of the Year — that he is training for a possible call-up. The Cavite City-based fighter is coming off a smashing U.S. debut, knocking out Mexican Israel Gonzalez in the 10th round. Jimenez said they are expecting to get word of Ancajas’ participation in the Crawford-Horn undercard before the end of the week. n

THE government on Monday, March 5, expressed its gratitude to the European Union (EU) after the latter offered 3.8-million euro (P242-million) aid to fund the government’s drug rehabilitation programs, saying such move “runs parallel” to President Rodrigo Duterte’s “holistic approach” to the narcotics problem in the Philippines. “We thank the European Union, likewise, for offering 3.8 million euro aid to fund the drug rehabilitation projects in the country,” Palace spokesman Harry Roque said. “That being said, the EU’s desire to support our drug rehabilitation centers runs parallel to the Duterte administration’s holistic approach to the drug problem by treating it not just as a national security issue but a public health concern as well, including rehabilitation and reintegration of the drug dependents,” he added. Roque, however, maintained that President Duterte would

reject any aid that would come with “unilateral conditions” that would interfere with the Philippines’ domestic policies. “The President, as we all know, is amenable to accepting any aid but without unilateral conditions. He will reject as he made in previous occasions offer of assistance with any condition that will interfere with our domestic policies,” he said. “The President will not compromise the nation’s dignity over any amount of foreign aid,” the Palace official added. On Friday, March 2, European Commission Director General for International Cooperation and Development Stefano Manservisi announced that the EU would release the funds in the “coming days.” The fund, which would be channeled through the Department of Health, would finance drug rehabilitation centers and its programs, Manservisi said. Duterte has criticized the EU since the body took a strong stance against the administration’s war on drugs.

The President announced in May 2017 that the government would no longer accept EU aid, as he claimed that it comes with conditions for the Philippines, particularly on human rights and the rule of law. In December 2017, the country formally rejected €6.1 million (P382.45 million) in aid from the EU. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez had said the EU aid was not accepted because of the “unacceptable language” on sovereignty. According to the President, it would be better for the Philippines not to accept grants from the EU, which continues to be “imperialist.” “I will not allow the government to be beholden to no one except to the people. Why should I listen to you?” he said. “EU, you never have really ceased to be imperialists. You have always been imperialism ever since. You impose your own values, you want countries to follow a certain norm of conduct, the ethos, because this is the right way,” Duterte added. n

Jordan Clarkson laments being unable to play for Gilas, recalls chess session with Pacquiao by DeniSon

rey a. Dalupang Philstar.com

CLEVELAnD’S Jordan Clarkson has donned two jerseys in his young nBA career. But when is he going to don the Philippines’? Speaking to John Michael and Rafa Brito-Hernandez in the CavsHQ podcast, the FilipinoAmerican guard hinted on his frustrations on not being able to sport the Gilas tricolors and his plans down the line. “It’s definitely you know, something I want to do,” he told BritoHernandez when asked about missing Gilas trainings and the chance to play for the Philippines in the international arena due to the nBA scheduling. “Everything just kind of didn’t work out, FIBA rules and all that stuff,” he revealed with a sigh. In the same interview, Clarkson, now playing alongside LeBron James and the Cavaliers, recalled his short vacation in the country that was highlighted with multiple workouts with Gilas and a visit at Manny Pacquiao’s residence.Clarkson, for one, couldn’t forget taking on the decorated boxer in the game of chess. “We played chess, man!” he shared enthusiastically. “For a long time in his house! I think we went through like two or three boxes of KFC. I’m just sitting there eating the whole time while playing.” “That’s why I stayed there so long. I was trying to beat him,” he remembered with a chuckle. “He whooped my tail off.” Clarkson, whose Filipino lineage could be traced to his

Jordan Clarkson

mother Annette’s roots in Pampanga, carries a Filipino passport, which he has had since his pre-teen years, according to the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas. He was in consideration for inclusion into the Gilas lineup since 2015, but FIBA rules have been rigorous for the young cager. The basketball governing body deemed him ineligible to

Philstar.com photo

play as a Filipino for a shortage in documents supporting that he has obtained a Philippine passport before turning 16. He is only qualified to play as a naturalized Filipino — a slot that has been held by Andray Blatche for quite some time. “Hopefully it comes out soon, you know, [that] I’d be able to suit up,” Clarkson offered with optimisim. n

US amphibious assault ship... PAGE A3 t and Marines aboard Bonhomme Richard participated in the multinational exercise Cobra Gold in Thailand prior to the port visit in the Philippines. Among the participants of Cobra Gold, which focused in humanitarian assistance and disaster relief, were Indonesia, Japan, Thailand, Malaysia, South Korea, Singapore and the U.S. In Manila, the crew members of Bonhomme Richard will pack food and other supplies for distribution to those affected by the eruption of Mayon Volcano Senate photo in Albay.

IBF super flyweight champion Jerwin Ancajas with Sen. Manny Pacquiao

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Lt. David Hammond, assistant command chaplain, said that they chose this community relations project in response to a current natural disaster that displaced an estimated 90,000 Filipinos. “Although we’re unable to have personal interaction with the evacuees, we know that our work will reach them. We’re grateful for the invitation to play a small role in pitching in to help provide for others during a time of need,” Hammond said. Part of the Amphibious Squadron 11 of the U.S. navy, Bonhomme Richard operates in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region as

part of a regularly scheduled patrol. The ship is named after the frigate commanded by John Paul Jones, a naval commander during the American Revolutionary War. Just last week, Los Angelesclass attack submarine USS Bremerton docked at Subic Bay for a routine visit during its deployment to the Indo-Pacific region. The visit of Bremerton, a part of the U.S. 7th Fleet, demonstrates the commitment of the U.S. navy to regional stability and maritime security in the region, the U.S. Embassy said. n

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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 samesex 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 bill passed the Senate’s third and final reading last year. However, it still hasn’t been passed into law as the House of Representatives has yet to pass their version. Hontiveros, who authored the bill, has decried the the current 60 days maternal leave a “serious public health risk.” ■

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

share in royalties from the Malampaya gas facility “could only be utilized for energy-related projects.” Despite this, Roque said the government has adequate funds to buy research vessels, citing assurance made Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III himself. “It was Secretary Dominguez who said, ‘We have the money anyway, we’ll buy even if we don’t have to use Malampaya funds.’ So the government will buy more research vessels,” Roque said. During the same meeting, Duterte also reaffirmed his earlier order to stop all foreign exploration in the Philippine Rise. “The president reiterated that the only right that foreigners can exercise in the Philippine rise is the right to innocent passage,” the Palace official said. “Exploration for natural reassures, conduct of scientific research, laying of submarine cables, building of artificial islands are reserved for Philippine nationals.” ■

WILL IT BE READ? Children vaccinated with Dengvaxia write a letter to President Rodrigo Duterte during the dengue vaccine awareness caravan held on Sunday, March 4 in Valenzuela City. ManilaTimes.net photo by Roger Rañada

20 cruise ships to visit Subic in 2018

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT — The Subic Bay Freeport will receive at least 20 cruise ship visits this year to cement its claim as the new cruise-ship playground in Asia. According to Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma, five different cruise ships have so far scheduled a total of 19 visits to Subic from March to October this year. More cruise ship arrivals by the yearend are being coordinated with shipping agencies that handle ship itineraries, she added. “Clearly, Subic is marking a new milestone in terms of cruise ship arrival. This is not your usual once-in-a-blue-moon accidental port call; this is a surge— and a very welcome surge for the Freeport at that,” Eisma said, as SBMA officials and employees awaited the arrival of the Italianflagged cruise ship Costa Atlantica on Tuesday for its second voyage here. The 85,619-ton Costa Atlantica, which has a capacity of 2,114 passengers on top of its 897 crew, first arrived here on February 10 and returned barely a month later on March 6. Eisma said its first visit be-

Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority Chairman and Administrator Wilma Eisma and students from Olongapo City welcome passengers of the cruise ship MV Costa Atlantica (top photo) on March 6. ManilaTimes.net photos

came a litmus test for Subic, which is raring to redefine itself as a cruise ship destination after serving for decades as a port of call for U.S. Navy warships and cargo vessels later on. “Now, Subic is ready to offer the best tourism facilities and services for cruise ship passengers, and we are betting that our visitors would find their experiences here — as well as in the neighboring areas of Zambales and Bataan — most memorable,” she added. A list of scheduled cruise ship visits to Subic from the SBMA Tourism Department indicated

the arrival of six cruise ships this month. These are MV Costa Atlantica, which will dock on March 6 and 20; MV Glory Sea, which will arrive on March 31; and MV Superstar Gemini, on March 13 and 21. MV Glory Sea, which is operated by Star Cruises/Genting of Hong Kong, has a passenger capacity of 838 on top of its 230 crew, while MV Superstar Gemini, also operated by Star Cruises/ Genting, carries 1,750 passengers, aside from its crew of 700. The SBMA schedule also showed that MV Costa Atlantica PAGE A7

MARCH 9-15, 2018 • NORCAL 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’ counterargument 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

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Dateline PhiliPPines

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mARCh 9-15, 2018

Come home, Labor chief woos OFWs by William

Depasupil ManilaTimes.net

LABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III has reiterated his call on Filipino migrant workers, particularly those in the Middle East, to return home for good and take advantage of thousands of locally available job opportunities amid existing political and economic difficulties in some Gulf countries. In an administrative order, Bello ordered the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Bureau of Local Employment (BLE) to conduct a supply-demand profiling and skills-job matching, which the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) will use as basis to convince overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to return to the country. The move, he said, is part of the government’s efforts for productive reintegration of returning OFWs to reverse the country’s decades-old labor export policy. “The final aim of the president is to get back our OFWs, not for them to return [to their jobs abroad],” Bello added. He has created a Job Fair Task Force that will conduct a special

job fair and skills profiling of OFWs based in Saudi Arabia and Qatar. Bello earlier disclosed that around 644 OFWs have already been laid off in Qatar as a result of a diplomatic spat between Qatar and Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and other Middle East countries. An undetermined number of OFWs in Saudi Arabia also lost their jobs because of the oil-rich nation’s “Saudization” program, which gives priority to Saudi Arabians for at least 19 job categories, including drivers. Bello said there were also companies experiencing difficulties or business reversals, which led to retrenchment of workers that started when the price of imported oil went down to below $50 per barrel in the world market. The low price of oil has reduced the revenue-generating capacity of Saudi Arabia to fund its development programs, prompting it to make some adjustments, such as reducing subsidy to its subjects and other means to bring down expenses.. Bello said concerned Philippine Overseas Labor Offices in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and oth-

er countries will do the preliminary skills profiling of the OFWs in coordination with the International Labor Affairs Bureau. Through the joint undertaking, the POEA and the BLE will conduct employers’ forums and gather the number of vacancies, skills requirements and geographical locations (local and overseas), as well as determine the companies interested to join the job fair. Also, the two agencies shall process the supply and demand profile and come up with labor market information that will serve as a guide for matching of available skills and employer demand for workers. OFWs who require further upgrading of skills requirements of the participating employers will be referred to the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority for training prior to their deployment, whether local or overseas. Bello also called on all sectors to support the government’s continuing efforts to help the OFWs, especially those who lost their jobs, through better paying job opportunities to convince them to stay for good in the country. n

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

will return to Subic on April 3 and 17, May 1 and 22, June 5 and 19, July 3, 17 and 31, and August 14 and 28 for a total of 13 trips to Subic starting the month of March. Two of the biggest cruise ships operated by the Royal Caribbean Cruise Line (RCCL) will be in

Subic this year: MS Ovation of the Seas on June 9, and MS Voyager of the Seas on August 26. Ovation of the Seas has a capacity of 4,905 passengers and 1,500 crew, while Voyager of the Seas has a capacity of 3,138 passengers and 1,181 crew. Eisma earlier accompanied cruise ship officials in assessing tourism attractions and activi-

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

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 PAGE A6 t Tolentino/ManilaTimes.net) 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 ties that would be included in the or say anything to prejudge the Subic itinerary for cruise ship case. passengers. “But you know Estrada is guilty, The approved activities include don’t you?” said one. visits to major theme parks in the “I’m sorry, I don’t,” I said. “But Subic Bay Freeport, mango-fruit assuming I did, which unhappily picking at a farm in San Narciso, is not the case, I can only judge Zambales, and a tour of the fa- him guilty, not on the basis of mous heritage houses at Las Ca- what I think I know, but on the sas Filipinas de Acuzar in Bagac, basis of valid and compelling eviBataan. dence brought against him before

20 cruise ships to visit Subic... PAGE A5 t

BEAUTY AND GRACE. An egret flies over fields in Biñan, Laguna. The United Nations declared March 3 World Wildlife Day to raise awareness on the need to protect wild animals and plants. ManilaTimes.net photo by Russell Palma

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 Cayetano, as his special, personal representative,” Roque said. “The special designation will help ensure that the Philip-

The law must survive... 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 Pro-

pines continues to be engaged with Asean and Australia in advancing shared interest in the region and moving forward the common agenda for greater security, stability and inclusive and sustainable development in the region,” he added. Duterte had been invited through a letter from the Australian Embassy signed by Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull himself. The gathering, scheduled from March 16 to 18, is a commemoration of the 14th anniversary of Asean-Australia ties. During the summit, Southeast Asian and Australian leaders are set to discuss security-related issues, including terrorism. n fessor 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)

MARCH 9-15, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

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CJ1

BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY OURNAL

Naturalization is a family affair ONE important reason to consult an attorney before applying for U.S. citizenship (also known as naturalizing) is to understand how your becoming a citizen will affect the rest of your family. For example, your lawful permanent resident (LPR) children under age 18 may become U.S. citizens as derivatives of your naturalization. Under current law (which may change), naturalization also allows you to begin the process of sponsoring your parents, married sons and daughters, or siblings. And, if you have already started to sponsor your spouse or unmarried sons and daughters, the timing of your naturalization matters to them too. Becoming a U.S. citizen will change the classification of the immigrant petitions you filed for them as an LPR. Non-immediate relative family-based categories have backlogs and varying-time waiting periods. When you become a citizen, your petition converts from a spouse/child under 21 years old of an LPR (F-2A) to an Immediate Relative petition (parent/spouse/child of a U.S. citizen), and your spouse becomes eligible for a green card or visa immediately. On the other hand, the Immediate Relative category has no derivatives. They have to be applied for separately. You can wait to naturalize until your spouse and children have immigrated with your spouse’s petition, or file new separate Immediate Relative petitions for the children. The best choice for your family will depend on many factors which should be discussed thoroughly with your immigration attorney. Under the Child Status Protection Act, when you become a citizen, your F2A petition converts to that of Immediate Relative and the law freezes your under 21year old child’s age. Thus, your child stays in Immediate Relative status. The United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit (which is where California is located) just issued a decision

Your Immigration Solution LORELLA T. HESS AND NANCY MILLER which extends this protection to children who turn 21 shortly after their parent naturalizes, in certain situations. When you file a petition for your under 21-year old child and that child turns 21 before getting their green card, the category of your petition is converted from category F2A to F2B (LPR’s unmarried son/daughter age 21+). When you become a citizen, your

later ends, your petition converts back to F1 without a derivative spouse. LPRs cannot petition for married sons and daughters, so your petition is revoked or denied as a matter of law immediately upon the marriage. Unfortunately, even if the beneficiary’s marriage ends, your petition cannot be revived. As a citizen, you could start over with a new F3 petition for your married son (or a new F1 petition for your widowed or divorced daughter), but the new petition will have its own waiting period. If you are naturalizing and have petitioned for a son or daughter who wants to marry, you should all be aware that a wedding before you take the citizenship oath will kill the petition. On the other hand, a wedding after your oath will convert your petition from F1 to F3 and make the spouse a derivative beneficiary for as long as the marriage lasts. Achieving U.S. citizenship can be the culmination of a lifelong dream. Like most aspects of immigration law, it is complicated and has less-than-obvious potential pitfalls. When to apply for citizenship and how that will affect your family members is something that should be discussed in depth with a knowledgeable and experienced immigration attorney before you decide to apply.

“ You can wait to naturalize until your spouse and children have immigrated with your spouse’s petition, or file a new separate Immediate Relative petitions for the children.” petition converts again, from F2B to F1 (U.S. citizen’s unmarried son/daughter age 21+). The waiting time in these categories can be ten years or more. Often the wait is shorter for F2B than for F1; in that case a beneficiary can “opt out” of the conversion and go back to category F2B. When you become a citizen your petition converts from F2B to F1 as above, and the still-unmarried beneficiary may opt out of that conversion. If the beneficiary later gets married, s/he keeps the F1 conversion and your petition converts again to category F3 (U.S. citizen’s married son/daughter). The waiting time for F3 petitions is 5-10 years longer than for F1 petitions, but your petition itself survives the wedding and the new spouse becomes a derivative beneficiary. If your son or daughter’s marriage

*** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration ﬁrms in the United States with ofﬁces in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com website: www.rreeves.com

P1 trillion needed for power infrastructure until 2025 Based on the Department of Energy’s Distribution Development Plan, power distributors have proposed a lineup of distribution projects until 2025 to ensure reliability and security of electricity supply to the member-consumers. Philstar ﬁle photo by DANESSA

RIVERA Philstar.com

NEARLY P1 trillion is needed in distribution infrastructure projects until 2025 to meet the growing power requirements of the country, according to power distributors. Based on the Department of Energy’s Distribution Development Plan (DDP), power distributors have proposed a lineup of distribution projects until 2025 to ensure reliability and security of electricity supply to the member-consumers. These include 5,577 circuitkilometers (ckt-km) for the expansion and rehabilitation of sub-transmission lines, 34,233

ckt-km for the expansion and rehabilitation of distribution lines; and 16,375 MVA additional substation capacity. “All these proposed capital expenditure projects will require P968.41 billion for implementation, including the financing requirements for electrification projects, network and non-network projects,” the report read. The DDP, started in 2015, expects distribution utilities’ (DUs) customer count to have an annual average growth of 3.87 percent. This means that from 17.7 million in 2015 and 18.5 million in 2016, customer connection is projected to increase to 26 million in 2025, bulk of which is located in the National Capital

Region (NCR) at 15.85 million, followed by Mindanao at 5.39 million and Visayas at 4.74 million. With the rise in customer connection, energy sales is forecasted to rise by 5.51 percent per year from 56,393 gigawatt-hours (gwh) to 95,626 GWh by 2025. On the other hand, DU energy sales is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.32 percent. From a total of 69,340 gwh in 2015 and 73,103 gwh in 2016, it will continue to grow to 105,874 gwh by 2025. For the peak demand, DUs registered a peak of 11,764 megawatts (MW) in 2015, which is projected to grow annually at 4.3 percent from 12,474 MW in 2015 to 17,914 MW in 2025. ■

Canned goods makers to hike prices by RICHMOND

MERCURIO Philstar.com

*** MANUFACTURERS of canned goods are expected to jack up prices of their products in the coming months in line with the rising prices of tinplates and foreign exchange movement. “There is an indication to increase prices of canned products. There is a request submitted to us, anywhere from P1 to P2 per can increase,” (Advertising Supplement Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secre-

The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case.

“There is an indication to increase prices of canned products. There is a request submitted to us, anywhere from P1 to P2 per can increase,” Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said Monday, March 6. Philstar ﬁle photo

u PAGE CJ3

Community Journal

MARCH 9-15, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

What’s new in immigration

The CTV Files atty. lilli B. BaCuli ICE Raids in the Bay Area. Calls for Congress to act on DREAMers rights. The Supreme Court declines to take on DACA. These are just a few headlines of late, as lives are put on hold and families wonder: “what will tomorrow look like for us?” We do not hold all the answers to the multitude of questions you may have. What we offer you all with this article is, hopefully, a sense of calm in these uncertain times. If you or anyone you know is a non-citizen undocumented immigrant, or non-citizen lawful permanent resident, the following may apply to their situation. It is important to consult with an experienced and licensed immigration attorney who will be able to guide you through the options available to you under evolving U.S. immigration laws. The following are still available to those who are eligible: Application for Naturalization. We encourage lawful per-

manent residents (LPR) who are eligible to apply for Naturalization to do so without delay. If you have been a permanent resident for 5 years, or if you have been a permanent resident for 3 years, have been married for to a U.S. citizen spouse for those 3 years and continue to live in marital union with said U.S. citizen spouse, please consult with an immigration attorney regarding your eligibility to apply for naturalization. RENEWAL of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) still available. Due to a Federal Court order, the U.S. Immigration and Citizenship Services (USCIS) has resumed accepting requests to renew a grant of deferred action under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. Until further notice, the DACA policy will be operated on the terms that were in place before the program was rescinded on September 5, 2017. Individuals who were previously granted DACA may request renewal of their deferred action and their employment authorization with the appropriate fee or approved fee exemption request

at the USCIS designated filing location, and in accordance with instructions in the Form I-821D and form I-765 applications. USCIS is not accepting requests from individuals who have never been granted deferred action under DACA. Moreover, USCIS will not accept or approve applications for Advance Parole request from DACA recipients. If you are a previous recipient of a DACA grant and your DACA expired on or after September 5, 2017, you may still file your DACA renewal request. Provisional Waiver of Unlawful Presence still available. The Provisional Waiver of Unlawful Presence was introduced in 2013. The Provisional Waiver waives the unlawful presence ground of inadmissibility for immediate relatives of U.S. citizens who are physically present in the United States, and the waiver is based on the extreme hardship the U.S. citizen spouse or parent will suffer if the waiver is not granted. Recently, the Provisional Waiver was expanded to include those who have approved family-based or employment-based immigra-

Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS

FOR some people, to even think that the church could be persuaded to endorse porn or abortion is ridiculously absurd! The title is a satirical statement to highlight the stupidity of the suggestion that the Department of Health (DoH), the very guardian and sentinel of health of our country, should endorse vaping! The health experts call it ludicrous. I say it is idiotic. Vaping is the inhalation and exhalation of the vapor produced by an electronic cigarette or similar device, which is loaded with toxic chemicals. Since the use of cigarettes has declined in many countries, vaping, which is no less harmful, is being marketed as a substitute for smoking. Here are important statements I am reprinting from the email this column received from the disease prevention advocacy agency, HealthJustice: “It would be the height of abu PAGE CJ3 surdity for the Department of Health to endorse vaping. As far as the national and international scientific and medical community is concerned, vaping or the use of electronic cigarettes is not safe because these still emit toxic chemicals. And it is crucial that the public be informed about it,” said Dr. Jaime Galvez Tan, board member of HealthJustice and former secretary of the DoH. According to Dr. Domilyn Villarreiz, Smoke-free Program Manager of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA), studies show that “vaping involves the inhalation of nicotine at the same levels as cigarettes and can maintain nicotine addiction. It also increases one’s likelihood of developing cancers and cardiovascular diseases. Fetal and adolescent exposure to it has particularly adverse effects on brain development. These are just a few reasons why vaping must also be banned in all public places where smoking is also banned.” Aren’t we getting enough polluted and toxic air from our environment, and illnesses and deaths from smoking tobacco that we have to acquire another habit and harm our body even greater? When do we stop being masochistic and self-destructive? As for the “pushers” of vap-

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Vatican to endorse porn? ing, I suspect that they are the same mindless and unconscionable sectors of our society, the greedy entrepreneurs and money-hungry politicians who supported and promoted the use of tobacco, who would again financially profit from the misery their fellowmen. Much like those who, historically, had pushed for tobacco use and also those now pushing to legalize recreational marijuana. Vaping a safer alterntive? Going from cigarette smoking to vaping is just like jumping out of a frying pan to the fire. It does not make sense. The only rational way to quit breathing in more toxic air from our present poison-contaminated atmosphere is to stop inhaling from another source of toxic chemicals, like in vaping. This is just plain common sense. No doctorate degree needed to understand this. Just ask any child in the kindergarten. Electronic cigarettes and other vaping products would outsell tobacco in five years. Young people are especially attracted to this new mode of self-destruction and suicide. While the old generation of the 1600s (when tobacco was first introduced in Brazil and England) and up to early 1900s did not have the scientific information that tobacco was a factory of diseases and a killer of man, today’s youth, in this informational age, have tons of evidence-based data that vaping is no less health destructive and is equally deadly as smoking. Let’s review what smoking has done to people, which e-cigarettes and vaping would do, with equal impunity. Smoking kills. It is that plain and simple. There is no more doubt today that tobacco (cigarette smoking) is the predominant cause of lung cancer, besides other malignancies and cardiovascular diseases that maim, kill men and women and hurt our society, especially our children. In the United States alone, almost half a million die each year from smoking-related illnesses. These are preventable deaths! Demographic studies have shown that smokers are about 10 times more prone to die premature deaths than non-smokers. This unnecessary loss of lives is at an immense direct cost for non-smokers in terms of increased health risks from passive smoking, in higher health

insurance premiums and taxes, not to mention personal and family tragedies in all shapes and forms. As we have alluded to in a previous column, secondhand smoke is even more dangerous, equally fatal. Tobacco use leads to four times as many deaths annually compared to all other drugs and alcohol abuse combined, ten times more than all automobile fatalities per year, twelve times more than deaths from AIDS, and much more than all the American military casualties (in all wars) in this century put together. That’s how dangerous and damaging tobacco is to the human body and to society as a whole. Today, lung cancer has become the main killer among men and women. Since women started “really” smoking in the 1950s, “because it was glamorized in ads by actresses and models as a sophisticated and fashionable habit,” lung cancer in females has increased at least six-fold, an alarming rate, with death rate comparable to that in males. Women also have added risks: osteoporosis, thrombophlebitis (vein inflammation and blood clot formation), arthritis, infertility, cervical cancer, and menstrual irregularities. Pregnant smokers face miscarriages, stillbirths, low-birth weight and SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome) babies. Almost 30,000 female lives are snuffed out every year as a result of smoking. Of the 4 billion cigarette-related deaths in the world each year, about half a billion are women. It is now the top killer among women. Today, one woman dies from cigarette-related illness every three minutes! Shall we look the other way and allow e-cigarette and vaping to replicate the pandemic of misery and deaths with tobacco? *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com (Advertising Supplement

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 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

Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette aDeva Maglaya 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

ity. 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 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

“The deepest definition of youth is life as yet untouched by tragedy” — Alfred North Whitehead 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 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 grav-

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

Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ A Filipino and his U.S. citizen wife came to my office recently for a consultation. They drove several hours to see me in person. He came to my office crying, and begging me to accept his case. But I advised him to wait until there would be further changes in law. He is not eligible to apply for a green card. To do anything now would likely result in a denial and he spending money for nothing. This man had entered the U.S. on a crewman’s visa. He did not have the benefit of section 245(i), which is a law that might enable a crewman to adjust status (be interviewed in the U.S. for a green card), provided he was petitioned before April 30, 2001. He was not petitioned before that date. He also committed fraud by entering into the U.S. under a different name. He then asked about “provisional waiver”, as he had seen success stories on my television show, “Citizen Pinoy,” involving crewmen who were able to go

COMMUNITY JOURNAL

Bad truth or good ‘bola?’

back to Manila for their immigrant visa and return to the U.S. without being subject to the 10 year bar. I pointed out that provisional waiver is available if the person’s ONLY immigration violation is he overstayed. It is not available if a person has other immigration violations such as FRAUD. Therefore, he was not eligible for a provisional waiver. This person had consulted with me a few years earlier, and I had told him the same thing: he’s not eligible to apply for a green card at this time and he should wait. He did not like that answer, and went to an immigration consultant, and paid the consultant over $10,000 based on this consultants promises and assurances that his case was “easy”, and the consultant would be able to obtain his green card. After paying all that money, as I told him it would be, his case was denied. There was no change in immigration law since the last time he consulted with me, and so, my advice was the same. But my point is, when you seek advice, what is it you want? Good “bola,” or bad truth? Sometimes the truth is not what you want to hear, such as there may not be anything that could be done right now. People tend to listen to the

bola. But I’m glad that there are many Filipinos who consult with me, saying they came to me to get a “straight answer.” I’m not saying every case is hopeless, but consult with an immigration attorney, as there could possibly be hope in your case. Do not rely on consultants’ promises that sound too good to be true, as you may end up like this man.

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 9-15, 2018

What’s new in immigration... PAGE CJ2 t

tion petitions, special immigrant petitions, or if they are beneficiaries of the diversity visa lottery. As well, legal permanent spouses or parents are now included as qualifying relatives for purposes of extreme hardship. In other Immigration News: Filing Fees Can Be Paid Via Credit Card. USCIS recently announced that it will accept credit cards as a form of payment for certain applications, such as Ad*** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney justment Applications. Previousfor over 35 years and is licensed, and an ly, USCIS had begun to accept active member of the State Bar of California credit cards as a form of payment and New York. All immigration services are for Naturalization applications. provided by, or under the supervision of, an However, Form I-821D (DACA active member of the State Bar of California. Application) is not among those Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and reenactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorneyclient relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel. com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve

you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES (Advertising Supplement)

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applications which can be paid via credit card. Negative consequences of Criminal Convictions. It is and has always been the case that a negative criminal conviction will have serious consequences, the worst of which is deportability, for an individual who is not a U.S. citizen, even if s/he is a lawful permanent resident (green card holder). If you are a non-citizen and you are facing a possible criminal conviction, it is best to consult both with a criminal attorney and with an experienced criminal immigration attorney who handles deportation defense before pleading to anything in criminal court.

*** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law ﬁrm with ofﬁces in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www. chuatinsayvega.com. (Advertising Supplement)

Hubris and the folly of...

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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, perhaps 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 re-

Calendar of Events across

peated 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

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 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. THE UPS AND DOWNS, AND THE BITTERSWEET ENDING OF A SPECIAL CASE ABOUT A SPECIAL SON WHO HAD AUTISM ON THIS SUNDAY’S “CITIZEN PINOY!” When Norma immigrated to the U.S., she had to leave behind their autistic son, Michael because he aged out. The separation broke her heart. Norma and husband Joy (left) went to three other attorneys who were unable to deliver results, until they decided to retain leading U.S. immigration attorney Michael J. Gurﬁnkel, who was ﬁnally able to bring Michael to the U.S., to be reunited with his parents. Watch the heartfelt journey of Michael and his family that led to a pleasant reunion, but with a painful ending, on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)

Canned goods makers to hike... PAGE CJ1 t

tary Ramon Lopez said Monday, March 6. “Their basis for increase is the increase in prices of the tinplates and other raw materials, which have a bigger percentage compared to the percent contribution of fuel in the production cost. There is also the change in forex since they import the tinplates,” Lopez added. Lopez, however, said DTI estimates that any price adjustment due the factors cited should only result in an adjustment of between 36 centavos and 50 centavos per can. Lopez said the proposed P1 to P2 per can increase of some manufacturers would be allowed even though it is higher than the DTI estimates, as long as not all players would implement it. He said the agency would step in and investigate if all brands implement the similar P1 to P2 per can price hikes at the same time. “So down the road that’s probably an adjustment we will see, anywhere between 50 cents to P1 in these canned products,” Lopez said, noting that companies are also weary of increasing their prices too much for fear of losing market share. Last year, the DTI has scrapped the practice of pre-approval on the setting of suggested retail price (SRP) of basic necessities and prime commodities as it decided to hand over the control to

manufacturers. Manufacturers, however, are still required to submit updated SRPs of basic necessities and prime commodities and notify DTI Consumer Protection and Advocacy Bureau of any adjustments. Based on its monitoring activities in recent months, Lopez said prices of basic necessities and prime commodities have so far remained stable, with most brands selling below the SRP. Alfonso Cusi said. In putting up charging stations, the energy chief said the country’s two largest oil companies have expressed interest to incorporate charging stations in their respective retail networks. “Shell already committed, Petron also…they are very interested,” Cusi said, noting that the rollout of charging stations is just awaiting a formal timeline for the project. Last year, the DOE formed an Ad-Hoc Technical Working Group (TWG) to determine the suitability of gasoline stations, and possibly in parking areas of malls, for charging stations in preparation for a wider adoption of e-vehicles in the country. The lack of charging stations in localities have been one the main issues e-vehicle players have raised in pushing for developments in the industry. In partnership with the Asian Development Bank (ADB), the DOE is rolling out 3,000 electric

tricycles (e-trikes) – which was stalled due to the steep prices of units – by the middle of this year. BEMAC Electric Transportation Philippines Inc. bagged the $30-million contract in 2016 to produce 3,000 e-trikes but these units have remained in the manufacturer’s warehouse because there are no takers from local government units (LGUs) due to the steep cost – at P450,000 per unit. The Philippine government has then worked with the ADB to modify the e-trike deployment, restricting it only for LGU distribution. Of the total number of e-trikes, the DOE deployed 200 units to Marawi City. Apart from Marawi City, Cusi said the agency is also looking to donate the rest of the e-trike units to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), Philippine National Police (PNP) and other eligible local government units (LGUs). Eligible LGUs include those that have been hit by natural or man-made disasters; those that have historical and/or tourism significance; those that have existing ordinances supporting electric vehicles; those that have existing electric vehicles in their locality; those with poor air quality due to tricycle emissions; and those that will facilitate the set up of charging infrastructure and demonstrated plan to support the project. ■

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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MARCH 9-15, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

People & Events 12U baseball team from the SF Peninsula is Cooperstown-bound July 2018 Won four tournament championships SAN BRUNO, CA – Thirteen tournaments, ten championship games, four championships. This group, of 12-year old boys, has come a long way since their team was formed in the summer of 2017. But, it was not always this easy. It took a while to form this team of 12-year old boys. They faced challenges in the beginning. They encountered hindrances. Most of them started as strangers – two kids from San Bruno, one from South San Francisco, six from Millbrae, and four from Daly City. They all played in their city’s respective baseball leagues since they were four- and fiveyear olds. But there was never a hint of awkwardness, even from those initial moments of getting to know each other. They even had mismatched hats during the first few tournaments. But they all have one thing in common. They all share a deep love for the game of baseball. Their three coaches (Dale Brewer from San Bruno, Eric Ginebra from Millbrae and Angelo Manila from Daly City) are equally passionate. Within a month or two, they started to win games, finish second and eventually win championships. Tournaments Every weekend tournament they joined would take them miles away from the Peninsula. Their families would wake up and drive out early to Santa Cruz, Antioch, Fremont, Sunnyvale and other cities in Northern California. There they would stay late into the night as the boys play 2-3 games a day and return the next day for the playoffs. All their victories were because they choose to play as a team. When one player is down, the next kid picks him up. They have shown grit, perseverance and hard work. Championships After thirteen tournaments, they have earned four championships together. The latest victory was earned last March 3-4 at the March Madness Baseball

EMPLOYMENT

Golden Gaters team was formed in the summer of 2017.

Tax savings for families and seniors

Office of the Assessor-Recorder Carmen Chu, City & County of San Francisco

March Madness championship win (March 2018) in Sunnyvale, California

ARE you planning to pass on property to your children? Did you know that California tax laws allow parents to transfer ownership to their children (and vice versa) without reassessing the property to market value? Prop 13, passed in 1978, caps the yearly assessment increase on a property at 2 percent. However, when there is a change in Halloween Havoc championship win (October 2017) in Antioch, ownership, properties are generCalifornia. (1st row) Javi Manila, Coach Angelo Manila; (2nd row) ally reassessed to market value, Tyler Chan, Ricardo Uribe, Jr., Jake Brewer, Sebastian Conclara, Aidan Adeva, Aaron Academia; (3rd row) Oliver Ginebra, Parker Mendoza, Millbrae Invitational Tournament championship win (January 27-28) but there are exceptions. If a Jeric Buncio, Jr., Edgar Magaña; (last row) Coach Eric Ginebra, Ryan when all 13 players were present. claim for Prop 58 tax exclusion Bower, and Coach Dale Brewer is submitted, property owners may be able to keep the current Tournament organized by the er Mendoza (Daly City), Ricardo assessed value on the property. Northern California Tournament Uribe, Jr. (Daly City), Aidan AdIf that’s the case, children reBaseball in Sunnyvale, Calif. eva (Millbrae), Tyler Chan (Millceiving the property may continThe team’s three other cham- brae), Edgar Magaña (Millbrae), ue to pay property taxes at their pionships were earned at the Matteo Fabbi (Millbrae), Oliver parents’ level (not market value). following tournaments: Hallow- Ginebra (Millbrae), Jordan ZaLast year, the Assessor’s office een Havoc in Antioch (October har (Millbrae), Jake Brewer (San granted close to 2,000 Prop 58 28-29); Toys for Tots Baseball Bruno), Ryan Bower (SSF/San exclusions for transfers between Tournament in Fremont (Decem- Bruno) and Sebastian Conclara parents and children. ber 2-3); and at the Millbrae In- (San Bruno). On the other hand, if there are vitational Baseball Tournament Fundraisers seniors in your family consider (January 27-28). Meanwhile, the team and moving to a smaller home or Cooperstown, New York their families are raising funds Halloween Havoc championship win more convenient property, reAll the boys’ hard work are to cover their participation fee in mind them of Prop 60 tax-saving meant for their ultimate objec- Cooperstown and the boys’ travel program. Buying and relocattive of winning against teams expenses. ing to a new house often means from other states in CooperThey have organized several a higher property taxes as propstown, New York. The Golden few fundraisers in recent months erty maybe reassessed to market Gaters are scheduled to play at as well as started a GoFund Me value where there is a change in the Dreams Park in Cooperstown page. If you wish to support ownership. The good news is that on the week of July 20-26, 2018. this team of boys, please dothere is a California tax law, Prop They will be pitted against other nate through this link: https:// 60, which allows seniors who are 12u teams from across the coun- www.gofundme.com/golden55 years old or older to transfer try for a higher caliber and level gaters2018 their Prop 13 assessed value to a of competition. The team can be reached new property if both properties The boys of the California through their team manager, are located in the same county. Golden Gaters (Cooperstown Eric Ginebra, through email adIf you are interested in learn2018) are: Javi Manila (Daly City), dress: cagoldengaters18@gmail. Toys for Tots championship win (December 2017) in Fremont, California ing more on tax savings, estate Jeric Buncio, Jr. (Daly City), Park- com. ■

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SERVICES

planning and family asset building, please join Family Wealth Forum on March 24, 2018 (Saturday) at Lincoln High School (2162 24th Avenue, San Francisco, CA 94116). The event is free and Spanish translation is provided. Visit sfassess.org/familywealthforum to register today! Also, tax season is here, be prepared for income tax filing ! As you are preparing for your income tax this year, don’t forget to bring your property tax bills and payments to your accountants or tax filers! Property taxes paid are typically tax deductible, which means those expenses can be deducted from your taxable income to lower your income tax dues! Other tax-deductible items may include: - Homebuyer tax credit, mortgage interest - IRA contributions - Education costs, student loan interest - Medical Savings Account (MSA) contributions - Self-employed health insurance or other medical expenses - Charitable contributions/donations - Childcare cost - Job and moving expenses Moreover, the maximum Earned Income Tax Credits (EITC) for this year has increased! Families with income under $54,998 may be qualified to receive a tax credit for up to $6,444! Visit www.irs.gov/credits-deductions-for-individuals for more information. ■

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

NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MARCH 9-15, 2018

DARE TO INSPIRE. DARE TO LEAD.

Transforming Filipino women and men of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds into global leaders and influencers who ignite, drive, and fuel the greatness of the Philippines.

GLOBAL AMBASSADOR CATEGORIES 01 & 02

03 & 04

05 & 06

07 & 08

MADAME / SENIOR LOVE OF COUNTRY GLOBAL AMBASSADORS Ages 50 and over

MRS. / SIR LOVE OF COUNTRY GLOBAL AMBASSADORS Ages 28-49

MR. / MISS LOVE OF COUNTRY GLOBAL AMBASSADORS Ages 18-27

MISS YOUTH / YOUTH LOVE OF COUNTRY GLOBAL AMBASSADORS Ages 13-17

DELEGATE REQUIREMENTS 01

LIFE ACCOMPLISHMENTS All applicants must have displayed or indicate strong willingness to pursue excellence in his/her community, field of study, or work.

EDUCATION

PERSONALITY

ETHNICITY

NOMINATION

Proof of educational attainment.

All applicants must display vibrance of personality and good moral character.

All applicants must be at least 1/4th Filipino to join.

All applicants must be recommended or nominated by at minimum 1 family member, friend, colleague, or professor.

PERSONAL STATEMENT All applicants are required to write a personal statement about her/his dreams and goals for the Philippines.

FOR INTERESTED DELEGATES FROM SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEVADA, AND ARIZONA, PLEASE CALL PAGEANTRY GLOBAL AND ASK FOR TRINI FOLIENTE AT (818) 455-2132 OR CORA SORIANO AT (213) 999-1993. For more information, visit www.LOVEOFCOUNTRYAMBASSADORS.com or email Info@AsianJournalinc.com.

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MARCH 9-15, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL

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

Friday, March 9, 2018

SF2

cover story The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 9, 2018

From tech entrepreneur to travel journalist:

Garrett Gee and his ‘bucket list’ by

Christina M. Oriel / AJPress

n nearly three years, Garrett Gee and his wife Jessica have traveled to 45 countries and have been on over 150 flights with their two toddlers in tow, digitally documenting the adventures along the way as the “Bucket List Family. Their travels have been widely followed on platforms like YouTube and Instagram, as they’ve spent days in places such as Nepal, Greece, Indonesia, and Germany. For Gee — a 28-year-old Utah-native who is Filipino from his mother’s side — a trip that continues to be memorable was in 2016 when the family was en route to Turkey as political unrest transpired. “We were on the plane so we weren’t connected to the Internet and didn’t hear anything about the unrest in the air. By the time we landed in Turkey, the U.S. government had put an alert, like evacuation warnings for Americans to get out of Turkey as soon as possible,” he told the Asian Journal in an interview. “There was no flight to get us out so we were stuck in Turkey for 24 hours during the evacuation. We were terrified and we didn’t sleep that night. Just going through something that scary and emotional really made us closer.” However, the family ended up staying in Turkey for five days, during which they realized that the country “wasn’t a scary place” that the media had been portraying it as. “When people ask us ‘who are some of the nicest people and cultures in the world?’ We have an ongoing list but number one for… the nicest, most affectionate and loving people in the world are the people of Turkey. So that was a big life lesson to us as a family, you can’t really judge people based on what you hear or what you hear in the media and the rumors. You have to find [out] and learn for yourself,” Gee said. Lessons like this are what continue to drive the Bucket List Family and the invaluable real-life education that their young children are receiving, being exposed to different cultures and customs around the globe. From tech to travel Gee and Jessica had met in Russia as missionaries serving the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and married in 2009 while both attending Bingham Young University (BYU) in Utah. As a freshman at BYU, Gee founded Scan, a QR code-scanning mobile app. Four years later, the app was acquired by Snapchat in 2014 for $54 million. “There are some weird thoughts that come into your mind when you sell your company, especially when it’s for a lot of money. There’s kind of a lot of soul-searching during that time,” Gee recalled, noting that he didn’t want to spend his earnings on material possessions like a house or car as young families were doing. “And one of the things that I realized, I had the fortune, opportunity and position for whatever I want to do next in life, like how I want to live my life, where I want to live my life, what career, what industry.” That led him to “pick an industry [he] was absolutely passionate about” — one that allowed him to pull away from sitting at a computer all day and instead use that time to spend with his growing family. From there, the Bucket List Family was created in 2015 — an online journal (blog, YouTube, and social media accounts) that follows Gee’s global adventures with wife Jessica (“Settie”), daughter Dorothy, and son Manilla. At the time, Dorothy and Manilla were 3 and 1, respectively. The family sold all of their belongings for $45,000, which funded six months of travel to places like Thailand, Australia, Tahiti and Hawaii. The money — an undisclosed amount — Gee made from the Snapchat purchase hasn’t been used for any of their trips and remains in a savings account. “Living as a travel journalist has enabled me to all day, every day be together with them,” he said. In their travels, the family of four focuses on three aspects: adventure, culture, and service. At the end of 2015, they were able to cover LASIK surgery for five individuals and helped build a school in Nepal in 2016. Another one of their missions is to debunk the idea that travel has to be expensive or that you need to pack a lot of possessions

Garrett Gee (center right) with his daughter Dorothy, wife Jessica, and son Manilla

when going abroad. “Along the way we figured out there are tons of things you can do to save money and be more frugal as you travel. And you don’t need that much stuff, so we tried packing in a more minimalistic way to the point where now as an entire family, we just have the two bags that we travel with, which is more than enough,” Gee said. He added that vacations don’t necessarily mean eating out every night, going to theme parks or on pricey tour groups. “Our favorite way to travel is to experience something local and a lot of that means going to the smaller cafes or the farmer’s market, just going to the park and doing the things that local people do like going to the beach. Most of the things are free so when you do it that way, traveling is very affordable,” he said. Now with a sizable online following — the Instagram account reached 1 million followers in late January this year — the family partners with brands to get trips sponsored, which Gee said was one of their goals once the $45,000 ran out. Last summer, the family won Disney’s 30 Stays in 30 Days contest which granted them a month at Disney World, staying at a different hotel each night and exploring the four theme parks and two water parks. In raising two young children in a hyper-connected world, the Gees hold standards about privacy, what they share, and not using technology excessively while on their travels. Instead of doing daily videos, they publish longer weekly videos, which lets them “be a regular family” and balance between documenting and savoring the present moment. “Then we combine those [videos and photos] into one weekly video. So, you know, we don’t have our cameras out too much more than the average family and then we have that kind of relief in our minds to live regular lives and keep our lives more private,” Gee said. As for safety, they are cautious about not posting in real-time. “If we’re posting on social media that we’re at a current location, we always post delayed,” he explained. “Nobody could ever find us or track us based on our location that we’re posting online. But then that’s our privacy, something you kind of give and take or you forfeit when you put your lives out there so much on social media. I think for us it’s been finding that balance and drawing that line about how much we want to post on social media.” Discovering roots In 2017, Gee starred in a web series called “Discovering Routes,” developed by ABS-CBN Global Studios, Myx TV and Go Button Media, in which he and his older sister Miristi (a yoga and dance instructor) journeyed across the Philippines to learn more about their Filipino heritage. The idea came after ABS-CBN profiled Gee, and then reached out again and proposed doing a follow-up, documentary-style story. “Everyone in the world has plugged into the Bucket List Family YouTube channel, and is familiar with Garrett the dad, Garrett the traveler, and Garrett the tech entrepreneur. Seeing him with his sister and interacting with his mom — just seeing him in that space really reminds me that people are so multifaceted and that who

Photos courtesy of Garrett Gee/the Bucket List Family and Discovering Routes

Garrett and Miristi was joined by their mother Mel Gee Henderson for the final episode of “Discovering Routes.”

Garrett has become today as a very special business person and travel adventurer is very largely rooted in how he was raised in his family and they’re very, very wonderful people,” Keesa Ocampo, executive producer of “Discovering Routes,” told the Asian Journal. The 20-webisode season, which was shot over 17 days and made its debut last September, featured stops in Coron, Palawan to visit the Tagbanua tribe and Kayangan Lake, harvesting rice at the Chocolate Hills in Bohol, and dancing to Bruno Mars’ “Uptown Funk” alongside inmates at a maximum-security prison in Cebu. In the final episode aired in November, the siblings were joined by their mom, Mel Gee Henderson, in Iloilo to participate in the Pintados de Passi festival. “Growing up really close to my Filipino grandma, I instantly felt a sense that I belonged in the Philippines. The more people I met and the more halo-halo I ate, I became convinced that the best things about me are from this culture,” Miristi said. In addition to it being his first immersive trip to the Philippines and feeling like he fit in spiritually and physically, Gee said the “one-on-one time” with his sister was “rare and unique” and strengthened their relationship. Ocampo added, “The way that Garrett and Miristi are portrayed is exactly how they are. They’re funny, they’re compassionate, they are emotional and revealing, but at the same time, very adventurous and mischievous like that’s exactly who they are. And on the part of the network, it’s such an honor to be able to develop a very trusting relationship with them to create something that’s entertainment but also very real.” As for a Philippines trip for the Bucket List Family, Gee said it’s bound to happen, but it wouldn’t be treated like any other trip. “A lot of people ask us, we’ve been to 45 countries so far away, why haven’t we been to the Philippines? The honest truth is because the Philippines is such a special place to me. I didn’t want to make it just like one of the many countries we’ve visited. I wanted to give it special attention and special planning and special preparation. We’re just waiting for that special time when we as a family can go and spend a really long time there,” he said. 2018’s bucket list The family recently welcomed a third child, another boy in February. Despite plans to find a house for the brief period that Jessica can’t travel, Gee remarked that he doesn’t anticipate their jaunts to wind down. “We know that we’re going to continue to travel because it’s just become a part of who we are especially as a family,” he said. The newest addition to the “Bucket List” family was named Calihan (“Cali” for short), and already has an Instagram account with over 158,000 followers, as of this writing. This past January, the family uploaded a close to 30-minute video answering commonly asked questions from followers, including what their 2018 will look like (Central America trips and trapeze lessons are among the plans) and how they’ll educate their kids as they approach school age (leaning toward traditional schooling). However, the parents agree that nothing beats what the children are learning through world experience. “I wish every parent could be able to let their kids experience travel because during these developmental years, they’re coming into a space emotionally and mentally, and it’s just so cool that they’re growing up not really understanding the differences of countries and nationalities. To them, it’s just one big open world. I think it’s been really special for them,” Gee said. At not even 30 years old — having achieved success in the tech industry and traveled to 45 countries — what else remains on Gee’s “bucket list”? “Now I think the next chapter needs to be me using those opportunities and gifting them to others, sharing them with others and hopefully enabling other people to do the same and make the most of their life,” he said. “Just trying to serve others, you know speaking out humanitarian opportunities and charity opportunities. And then also hopefully inspiring others and empowering them to follow in our footsteps.”

Hollywood icon Rita Moreno wears 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 in the Philippines just in case, which is where this gown was made.” A true acting jewel, Moreno is one of only 12 Hollywood heavyweights with the coveted EGOT, meaning she has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony in her decades-long career. She is currently starring on the Netflix reboot of sitcom “One Day at a Time.”

Hollywood luminary Rita Moreno proudly wore her 1962 Pitoy Moreno gown on the red carpet of the 90th Academy Awards; she first wore when she won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress as Anita in ‘West Side Story’. Photos courtesy of Brettman Collections

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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

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

won best original song for “Let It 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 as a tourist destination 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 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 promoting her roots in the Philippines as a tourist destination. Her latest journeys have thus been documented by Storia, a unique social multimedia platform that curates and creates user-generated contents that entertain and inform. Her partnership with the group has given birth to a 12part video series titled “Fun in the Philippines,” endorsed by the Department of Tourism no less. In one of the released videos, Grant sips coconut juice as she gets “boiled” inside a large wok filled with spring water with local herbs and flowers. Her Kawa Hot Bath experience was facilitated by the Kayak Inn in Tibiao, Antique. In another, she is thrilled

Seizing the moment to ride a carabao in the rice fields of Motag Living Museum in Aklan.

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 cuisine 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

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

The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – March 9, 2018

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 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 ¼ lb. beef patty.

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 quarterpound 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

two-minute video titled, “How to pack over 100 items into a carry-on,” 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)

(Advertising Supplement)

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celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 9, 2018

celebrity world By Ferdie Villar FoRMeR azkals soccer player aly Borromeo seemed very clueless about rumors circulating that he and girlfriend, actress KC Concepcion, have called it quits. in an exclusive interview with Philippine entertainment Portal (PeP.ph), aly said that they’re relationship is good. “We’ve been very close to each other, we’ve been like that ever since. so i guess, right now, we’re working on things outside our relationship in terms of business, more on getting to the next level, working on things, getting to the next level,” he said. When asked about what he meant on “getting to the next level,” the 34-year-old athlete did say that plans for marriage may be “soon.” However, he did added that he and KC have not really talked about settling down. “Hindi pa, hindi pa, hindi pa...We’ll see, there’s no plans yet. But what is important is KC and i have a good relationship, and our communica-

tion is always very good,” he explained. aly also said that if ever they do decide to get married, they will let the public know. “of course, of course. it’s all up to her, what she wants to do. But right now, we’re not talking about marriage. We’re concentrating on our personal careers at the moment.” at present, aly is focusing on what he wants to do now that he is retired from football. KC on the other hand, has just started her passion project involving jewelry. it been almost two years since KC admitted that they’ve been dating, and for aly, the actress has a very positive influence in his life. “i think...for her, she drives me like no other, she’s everything i’m not,” aly shared. “Kasi i grew up always an athlete in my life. she made me explore the world, everything that’s out there besides football, everything outside the game. there’s more to life, she brought me into the

The Catholic Church of the Ascension’s Filipino American association held its 2018 induction of officers recently at Miller Avenue in Saratoga, CA. Shown in photo above are (from left) Sonia Olivar, president; Marie Maraschin, Vice President; Rev. Jose Galang, Pastor of the Church of the Ascension; Letty Manalo, secretary; Maureen Mijares, treasurer; and Joyette Williams, auditor.

KC Concepcion’s bf Aly Borromeo dispels rumors of breakup

next step.” *** actress aiko Melendez recently confirmed that she is in a relationship now through a comment in her social media account. Just this weekend, the 42-year-old actress posted a photo of her and kids andre and Marthena. andre is her son with first husband anjo Yllana, while Marthena is her daughter with second husband Martin Jickain. in the comment section, one netizen posted that they shared the same life, saying that life is happier being with her kids than a husband. With that comment, aiko answered that the right time will come for them. then she added, “i am in a relationship now. Praying that he will be my life companion with my kids! i prayed for this.” although the actress did not reveal who she’s with now, aiko did confirm in 2017 that she was dating a politician and that they enjoy each

Five-time Grammy Award winner Celine Dion is shown in photo above with San Ramon FilipinoChinese executive Richard Lao after one of the live concerts of Dion in Las Vegas recently.

According to former Azkals player Aly Borromeo, he and girlfriend KC Concepcion are doing good.

Football player Aly Borromeo said that although there are no talks of marriage with girlfriend KC Concepcion, they do are working on bringing their relationship to the next level. (Photo from azkalsphil.blogspot.com) Philippine President Rodrigo Roa Duterte celebrates his 73rd birthday on Wednesday, March 28.

other’s company. *** Geraldino “Dino” Quizon, son of the late Comedy King Dolphy, passed away last sunday, March 4, in los angeles, California. He was only 45. He would have been 46 on March 18. Dino is the third of Dolphy’s four children with former actress Gloria smith. the Comedy King has 18 kids with 6 different women. Born March 18, 1972, Dino briefly ventured into showbiz, acting in his father’s films and tV shows such as “Home alone da Riber” (2002), “espadang Patpat” (1990) and “tataynic” (1998).

Actress Aiko Melendez recently confirmed on social media that she is in a relationship.

Dino’s remains lay at Valley Funeral Home in Burbank. Viewing services are on March 17 and 18. His friends from the Philippines, specifically from Malate Catholic school where he finished high school, will of-

Geraldino “Dino” Quizon, one of Dolphy’s children, passed away last Sunday, March 4, in Los Angeles, California. He was only 45. (Photo from Facebook/Dino Quizon)

fer a Holy Mass at the our lady of Remedies (Malate Church) on saturday, March 10 at 4 p.m. our sincerest condolences to the whole Quizon clan.

Iza Calzado’s journey to loving her body by Bianca

Gonzalez Philstar.com

What started as just eating three sandwiches a day, turned into eating one sandwich a day. From eating three crackers a day, Valentine’s Day of this she ate just one cracker a day. year, actress iza Calzado posted “i most probably was anorexic. a photo of herself in a bathing You only get labeled as anorexic suit, with the caption: “i have when you’re thin tapos lalo kang abused my body the past 35 pumapayat. When you’re fat and years and now i just want to tell losing weight, you’re not labeled myself this — you are enough. as such. But i had all the sympi will no longer make you suffer. toms of being anorexic—i was i want to make peace with you, my beautiful and strong body.” it weighing myself every day in the was the first time iza had opened school clinic, i was hardly eating, on the weekend i would binge up about surgery, diet pills, and anorexia. and it was received with and then throw it up,” iza reveals. “’Dun talaga nag-start yung hate. overwhelming support by both But then i loved it, too, because i friends and followers. was getting attention i never got it was not an easy journey before, because i was getting for iza to get to this point in her thinner.” life. Here are 10 moments in iza’s Age: 17 journey to loving her body: Memory: “i had lost almost 80 Age: 15 Memory: “i just remember my pounds.” “in one year?” pants size was 42.” “in a school year. i wasn’t eat“Sabi ko nga, parang mas ing, i was taking diet pills, lahat.” masaya pa ako ‘nun eh. i had “But during that time, you embraced being big and there were happy?” was no pressure to be anything “Happy! Yung dream guy ko, other than that. Gigising ako sa umaga, i’d think, “i love it, kakain the guy who i had the biggest crush on in high school, nagako!” Hindi ko iisipin yung, ing boyfriend ko pa!” “Naku, hindi ako pwede kumain “and i didn’t work out. Hindi ngayon,” iza recalls. talaga,” iza adds. “its funny “When you’re big, you because i had a friend, she was don’t go on the weighing scale very sporty. she told me, ‘iza, every day. We didn’t even have you know you have to eat better. a weighing scale at home. i just You have to work out, because remember, na-ospital ako ‘nun, if not, your skin will sag.’ i told and i had to weigh myself. Well, i her, ‘Hayaan mo na, wala akong was 220 pounds.” balak mag-sleeveless, wala naAge: 16 man akong balak mag-artista.’ i Memory: “i wanted to lose weight in time for graduation, and remember saying that to her! and here we are now.” the grad picture.” Age: 19 “For vanity talaga. i rememMemory: “My weight went ber i got chicken pox, so i wasn’t eating much. two weeks ako hindi up and down like a yoyo. i loved snacking, but it was also easy nakita ng tao, so when they saw to lose weight because i was so me again, people would tell me, young.” “Uy, pumayat ka! so i thought “S’yempre, in love, so we’d then, i just had to lessen my food binge eat. Movie marathon kaintake,” iza shares.

Iza with her fiancé Ben Wintle

Photos from Instagram/@missizacalzado

mi 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 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 Continued on Page SF5

The larger-than-life Filipino designer who goes by the name Michael Cinco By Monet

HE is the talent behind that resplendent jewel-toned gown that Miss Universe 2015 Pia Wurtzbach wore when she passed the crown to Miss Universe 2016 Iris Mittenaere, who also wore a scarlet red ombré couture gown in her final walk designed by the same amazing designer. One of his dresses was featured in the movie “Jupiter Ascending” starring Mila Kunis, and was famed for dressing Miss World 1994 Aishwarya Rai, Mariah Carey, and Lady Gaga, Jennifer Lopez and country singer Carrie Underwood, to name just a few. So when Austrian singer and Swarovski heiress Victoria Swarovski needed a custom-made gown with a six-meter-long train encrusted with Swarovski crystals and laser-cut flowers, there’s no other name that she had in mind but the Dubai-based Filipino designer Michael Cinco. When he is not busy conquering the fashion world one gown at a time, he is inching his way to other ventures such as his first ever perfume called, Impalpable, which he launched in 2012; followed by his limited edition underwear collection for international brand Bench in 2015. While it seemed like he caught all the ‘lucky stars’, Cinco didn’t just luck out in the fashion industry. His fascination for glamourous women in classic Hollywood movies started when he was young. Cinco was born on August 27, 1971 in the province of Samar in the Philippines. It was noted on his website that “the impeccable elegance and sophistication of Marlene Dietrich, Grace Kelly, Joan Crawford and Audrey Hepburn created an indelible impression on his formative design imagination.” “I pictured those fabulous heroines and imagined dressing them up in my creations. I chased after those visions...,” Cinco recalls. Cinco moved to Dubai where he got his first job and was instantly recognized for his fashion acumen. It was in 2002 when Cinco went to Paris and London to seek out more fashion inspiration. He studied at the prestigious Central Saint Martins College of Arts and Design because of his fascination for London’s mix of old tradition and contemporary

entertainment The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - March 9, 2018

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Iza Calzado’s journey to loving... From Page SF4

edginess. The following year, he returned to Dubai and established his own label Michael Cinco. According to his website, Michael Cinco is best known for his fabulous couture gowns. His innate creativity and masterful techniques have catapulted him to the front ranks of fashion. He has cultivated a dedicated following for the luxe and intricacy of his designs, with their fresh, elegant and detailed juxtapositions of fabric and Swarovski crystals. Cinco’s celebrity clients include Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Rihanna, Lady Gaga, Carrie Underwood, Kylie Minogue, Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, Ellie Goulding, Nicole Scherzinger, Fergie Ferguson, Dita Von Teese, Brandy, Ashanti, Chris Brown, Tyra Banks, Naomi Campbell. Jennifer Lopez wore a crystallized Michael Cinco couture when she hosted American Music Awards in 2015. Sofia Vergara wore a stunning Michael Cinco gown at the Golden Globes 2013, who was voted Best Dressed by many TV shows and magazines in the U.S. British pop star Paloma Faith wore his couture dress at the MET Gala in New York. He also appeared on the U.S. hit reality show “America’s Next Top Model,” Cycle 16 and All-Star Cycle 17 finale hosted by Tyra Banks. He was also chosen as the guest designer and guest judge on the new reality show “Asia’s Next top Model,” in Singapore and was highly endorsed by Tyra Banks. He was also chosen as guest designer and guest judge in the new reality show “Asia’s Next Top Model,” in Singapore,

and was highly endorsed by Tyra Banks. He was also featured as a designer and a judge in “China’s Next Top Model” in 2015. In November 2011, Cinco won the Breakthrough Designer award from the WGSN Global Fashion Awards held at Gotham Hall, New York, against top contenders. He won Best Designer award in Grazia’s Style Awards 2016; People’s Choice Award at Dubai Fashion Week 2010; and was chosen as one of the top movers in Dubai in the Ahlan Hot 100 in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2016. Cinco just recently debuted his Autumn-Winter Collection 2016 at the Paris Haute Couture Fashion Week. He wowed audiences at Dubai Fashion Week, Miami Fashion Week, LA Fashion Week, Singapore Fashion Week, Australia Fashion Week, Philippine Fashion Week and did shows in New York and London. As a Filipino, I marvel every time I hear about fellow Filipinos getting recognized worldwide. It brings us so much pride and honor. To Michael Cinco whose largerthan-life success keeps piling up, I wish you all the luck (not that you need it) and may you continue to inspire more and more people by your creative genius. *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, award-winning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon. com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com

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 matatangsalon around three times a week gal yung stretch marks mo, and for two to three hours. Halos you also get scars. During my nakatira ako ‘dun! It was also a audition for Darna, galit na galit very difficult time because I felt ako. Naka-body stockings ako like I was just trying to please the nung nag-audition ako. Naka-two guy I was dating. It wasn’t good piece ako, pero naka-full body for me because it was like I was stockings. Ang liit liit ng tingin ko doing it for someone else and sa sarili ko ‘nun,” Iza reveals. not for myself.” “For the longest time, I hated “One time, I was working out myself for making these stupid doing crunches, tapos umiyak decisions. But when that hapako. Breakdown na iyak. Hindi ko pened, my motivation became, na kinaya yung pressure sa utak ‘Excuse me, I’m going to prove to ko. I was thinking, ‘Bakit ganun, myself and to all of you that I’m kahit anong gawin ko, hindi ko going to make it. Gagalingan ko naman makukuha yung katawan maging artista, I’ll take workng ibang mga artista?’ I had that shops, I’ll do my best, I’ll put my frustration.” heart into it.’ And that’s what Age: 32 happened.” Memory: “I asked, ‘Is it okay Age: 23 if I don’t put body makeup and Memory: “I would be trying wear sleeveless?’” all these different diets.” “Honestly, it doesn’t feel “It was a blessing in disguise good having to wear body make because that audition got me up all the time,” Iza recalls the my role in ‘Encantadia.’ When I time she hosted “The Biggest was doing ‘Encantadia,’ I was on Loser” on ABS-CBN, and she had a Weightlifter’s Diet. I was only to wear body makeup to cover eating tuna, kamote, chicken her stretch marks. “Naiintindibreast and suha, all with no salt. han ko kung bakit hindi pwedeng And I was doing that Monday wala, because its still TV, but at to Friday. By the time I’d reach the same time, masakit ‘yun. I Saturday, nangangamote na tafelt, ‘Ganun ba talaga ka-pangit? laga ako as in I felt ang bobo ko. Siguro nga, ganun ka-pangit.’” And at the time I was hosting this “I remember a couple of lifestyle magazine show called 3R, times that I braved going to and hindi ko talaga masabi events wearing gowns without yung lines ko, ang bobo talaga ng putting on body makeup, and pakiramdam ko ‘nun.” I’d see comments online like, “I was so young then, still ‘Ano ba ‘yan, kita yung stretch conscious, still insecure, but I was marks!’ or ‘Diba, as an artista she already working out around two has to make sure that she looks times a week.” polished and perfect?’ And I Age: 26 would think, ‘Ganun ba talaga?’” Memory: “This is when I Age: 35 discovered running, and that Memory: Ben tells me, “You empowered me a lot.” know, it’s getting tiring. Nobody “When I was in high school, cares.” when I would run, feeling ko Last December 2017, for the dumadagundong yung buong first time in her life, Iza went on a mundo,” Iza recalls. “By this time, beach holiday to Phuket with her I started running 5K, ganun. Then fiancé, businessman Ben Wintle, I would also go to the slimming and his family. “Malakas loob

Photo from Instagram/@missizacalzado

ko to wear bathing suits and 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 selfabsorbed, 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.”

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