LAS VEGAS
We’ve got you covered from Hollywood to Broadway... and Online!
w w w. a s i a n Volume 29 - No. 16 • 2 Sections – 16 pages
.com T h e F i l i p i n o –A m e r i c A n c o m m u n i T y n e w s pA p e r
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, NORTHERN CALIFORNIA, NEw YORk/NEw JERSEY
2770 S. Maryland Pkwy., Suite 200 Las Vegas, NV 89109 • Tel: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
DATELINE
USA
from the AJPress NEWS TEAM AcroSS AMEricA
Three US hitmen face life in prison over murderfor-hire killing of Filipina real-estate agent Case likened to actions usually seen in action movies’
three American men were convicted Wednesday, April 18 for a murder conspiracy plot in which they assassinated a real-estate agent in the Philippines for cash six years ago. former u.s. Army sergeant and sniper instructor Joseph hunter, also known as “rambo,” was found guilty in federal District court in new York, along with Adam samia and carl D. stillwell. the conviction ended a 12-day federal trial during which hunter’s former boss and infamous south African crime lord, Paul Le roux, testified against the three while divulging to
u PAGE A2
A p r i l 2 6 - mAy 2 , 2 0 1 8
Tourists enjoy Boracay prior to shutdown by dana
SioSon AJPress
the area. In a briefing last week, tourism Assistant secretary frederLocAL and foreign tourists en- ick Alegre explained that tourists joyed their vacations in Boracay who arrived prior to April 26 a day before the world-famous “can stay up to the prescribed island’s closure started on thurs- period of their booking but not day, April 26. beyond that.” the island is set to be closed he clarified, however, that to tourists for six months upon there will be “no extension beSTROLLING IN BORACAY. Foreign tourists stroll along the white sands the order of President rodrigo yond their original booking.” of Boracay in Aklan during a cloudy day early this year. Department of Duterte to rehabilitate the is“If that means that they have Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Undersecretary Rod Garcia land. however, tourists who to stay from the 26th to the 28th, earlier said the six-month cleanup and rehabilitation work in the island, have bookings beyond April 26 the responsibility will be coming which will start on April 26, could be shortened or extended, if found will still be allowed to stay in from the hotel operator to tell necessary. PNA photo by Joey Razon
us that they have indeed people that have booked all the way to the 28th so that they can be allowed to finish their booking,” he said. on the other hand, individuals who wish to visit Boracay for business purposes, as well as visitors of the local residents, need to secure a permit from the authorities first. While the island’s closure is set for six months, Boracay will have a soft opening in August, accord-
u PAGE A2
Federal judge ruling: US must continue DACA
Judge John D. Bates joins other federal judges in support of the Obama-era program that provides benefits to undocumented youth by Klarize
Medenilla AJPress
BlueLA, a carsharing program that gives drivers access to a car for as low as $1 a month. AJPress photo by Rae Ann Varona
A new electric car sharing service launches in LA and is the largest of its kind in the US Inaugural hub locations include Historic Filipinotown
In Los Angeles, cars continue to be the preferred method of travel for many of the county’s 10 million residents. this is true even as investments go into expanding the city’s transit network. having a car often means independence, more freedom, and a lot of saved time. Yet many Angelenos do not have affordable access to personal cars, limiting their mobility across the large county. on friday, April 20, a fleet of white fully electric compact hatchback cars paraded out of Los Angeles city college donning
u PAGE A3
the trump administration has been dealt with yet another blow in its mission to terminate a program which grants work authorization and protection from deportation to undocumented youth. Judge John D. Bates of the federal District court for the District of columbia ruled on tuesday, April 24 that the federal government must keep the Deferred Action for childhood Arrivals (DAcA) in place and continue accepting new applications. Like previous federal judges’ rulings, Bates found that the phasing out of DAcA was “arbitrary and capricious” IMPORTANT MATTERS DISCUSSED. President Rodrigo Duterte holds a meeting with some members of his cabinet including Special Assistant because the Department of homeland security (Dhs) to the President Christopher Bong Go, Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar, Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre
u PAGE A2
Bello III, Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayeteno and Environment Secretary Roy Cimatu at the Presidential Guest House in Davao City on Monday, April 23. Malacañang photo by Joey Dalumpines
Duterte vows to pass BBL before May ends by dana
SioSon AJPress
PhILIPPIne President rodrigo Duterte on Wednesday, April 25, has reiterated his promise to pass the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) this year. During a speech in Buluan, maguindanao, Duterte assured the moro people anew of his commitment to pass the BBL, hopefully by the end of may. “so let us fast-track the BBL. I promised that before end of may, it will be passed. If not, I might resign as president. It’s now up to you, I cannot do it anymore,” the president said. “Give me time, this year. I don’t want next
year, next election. this year I will finish it, let’s finish first the BBL,” he added. BBL aims to end decades of conflict in mindanao by granting a fiscal autonomy to a new Bangsamoro region that will replace the current Autonomous region in muslim mindanao (Armm). In a briefing, senate President Aquilino Pimentel III said that the senate will “try” to pass BBL this year, adding that the timeline follows the “game plan” of senator Juan miguel Zubiri, chair of the senate subcommittee on the BBL. Pimentel also said that the measure’s Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano counterpart in the house of representatives was also being tackled.
u PAGE A2
BI orders Sister Fox to leave PH by dana
SioSon AJPress
the Philippine Bureau of Immigration (BI) has ordered Australian catholic missionary Patricia fox to leave the country after it forfeited her missionary visa for engaging in “partisan political activities.” the BI issued its one-page order on fox on monday, April 23. fox was directed to leave the Philippines within 30 days from receipt of the order. “she was found to have engaged in activities that are not allowed under the terms and conditions of her visa,” BI commissioner Jaime morente said on Wednesday, April 25. morente explained that fox’s Australian nun Patricia Fox during her release from detention at the Bureau of Immigration. missionary visa, which is supInquirer.net photo by Marianne Bermudez posed to expire on september 5,
)5(( &2168/7$7,216
only grants her the “privilege to engage in missionary work and not in political activities.” While fox’s missionary visa was forfeited, BI spokesperson Antonette mangrobang clarified that the Australian nun “may still enter and leave the country as a tourist.” mangrobang also noted that the deportation case against fox is still pending as she has yet to submit her counter-affidavit on the case. “It is only after the parties have been heard, will the case be submitted to the Board of commissioners for their deliberation on whether or not she will be deported and barred from entering the country in the future,” mangrobang said.
Malacañang photo
Cayetano pressed to file diplomatic protest against US for detainment and alleged torture of PH activist Activist from Mindanao detained for 28 hours in US airport
by rae
ann Varona AJPress
to the u.s. at the san francisco International Airport for what customs and Border Protection A humAn rights group has (cBP) officials said was a “techcalled on Philippine foreign Af- nical glitch” with his visa. fairs secretary Alan Peter cayAba had been given a 10-year etano on monday, April 23 to file multiple visa by the u.s. embasa diplomatic complaint against sy in manila. the trump administration after “foreign Affairs secretary Alan a young filipino activist was de- cayetano harps on national sovtained in the u.s. for 28 hours ereignty whenever international last week and sent back to the actors criticize the Philippine Philippines. government on its human rights Jerome Aba, a 25-year-old record. If cayetano meant an peace advocate from mindanao, ounce of truth in his pronouncePhilippines, was allegedly sub- ments that the country should ject to “Guantanamo-style tor- fully exercise its rights as a sovu PAGE A2 ture” after being denied entry u PAGE A2
A
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
From The FronT Page
Three US hitmen face life in prison over murder... PAGE A1 prosecutors about his approximately 20-year career as an international crime lord that included selling missile technology to Iran, trafficking methamphetamine out of New York, and shipping guns out of Indonesia among others. U.S. Attorney Geoffrey Berman described the case on Wednesday as “horrifying” and likened its details to those “usually seen in ac-
tion movies.” “Hunter, Samia, and Stillwell conspired to end the lives of people overseas whom they had never met,” said Berman. According to a statement released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office, Hunter, Samia, and Stillwell agreed in 2011 and 2012 to commit murders-for-hires in locations abroad in exchange for payments, including bonuses for
each victim. Hunter at the time was a replacement of Le Roux’s former chief mercenary David Smith who Le Roux had killed after finding out he had been cheating him, reported the New York Times. Le Roux testified that he further instructed Hunter to replace two of Le Roux’s hitmen. Hunter then emailed Samia, a former Army sniper, and Stillwell who was a firearms instructor. In 2012, Samia and Stillwell traveled to the Philippines from North Carolina, and were provided by Hunter information about their targets and what firearms to use in the murders, among other things. The two surveilled their targets — one of whom was Filipina realestate agent Catherine Lee — in January and February 2012 while devising their murder plans which entailed them posing as real-estate buyers. An in-depth report by Atavist Magazine said Lee received an email from a Canadian man living in Manila who said he and a colleague were looking to invest in some property and had found Lee through an online search. Posing as real-estate buyers, the two traveled with Lee to look at properties near her home town of Las Piñas City in Manila. It was on that day of February 12, 2012 that they killed Lee in a Toyota PAGE A4
Duterte vows to pass BBL... PAGE A1 Last month, Malacañang announced that House and Senate leaders made a commitment to pass BBL by May. Congress is currently on break and set to resume session on May 15. Aside from the passage of BBL, Duterte on Wednesday also vowed to declare the whole of Mindanao a land reform area and distribute the government lands to the people “I’ll give it all to you. You find a public land, including those where military camps are situated, that’s yours,” Duterte said. “I will give it all, you plant rubber, you plant palm oil.” The president also promised to “do everything” to achieve peace in the area. n
PLATE MAKING. Department of Transportation (DOTr) Secretary Arthur Tugade (2nd left) and Land Transportation Office (LTO) Assistant Secretary Edgar Galvante (left) inspect a new plate during the 106th LTO anniversary that coincides with the launch of the LTO plate making plant (2nd from left) held at the LTO Head Office in East Avenue, Quezon City on Tuesday, April 24. The plant houses seven machines that can produce a total of 11,200 plates per shift and a total of 22,400 on a two-shift daily operations. PNA photo by Rico Borja
Tourists enjoy Boracay prior... PAGE A1 ing to Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque. Earlier this week, the Philippine National Police (PNP) announced that it will deploy 400 of its officers to monitor the island amid its closure. PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde on Monday, April 23, said that Chief Superintendent
Cesar Binag, regional director for the Western Visayas, will be “in full control and supervision” and will have the “responsibility on how to deal with the misdeeds” in Boracay. “We will monitor that (Boracay situation) 24 hours a day. We will be implementing it on the 26th,” Albayalde said. While the PNP is expecting
less resistance, Albayalde assured that the police force will implement maximum tolerance against possible protesters. The move to shut down the world-famous island comes amid efforts to fix the area’s environmental issues. Duterte, in a previous speech, even likened Boracay to a “cesspool” due to the island’s dysfunctional sewerage system. n
Federal judge ruling: US must continue DACA PAGE A1 lacked an adequate explanation for “its conclusion that the program was unlawful.” He also said that the administration provided “meager legal reasoning” in its justification of ending the program. Given that hundreds of thousands of DACA recipients (nearly 650,000 by some estimates) came to the U.S. as children, Bates has called the move to end DACA “particularly egregious.” Bates’ ruling will take place in 90 days to give enough time “to allow the agency an opportunity to better explain its rescission.” DACA was first put into effect via an executive order by former President Barack Obama in 2012. Since then, hundreds of thousands of undocumented youth have been able to work (through renewable two-year permits) and have reported better career and
education opportunities because of DACA. In addition to work opportunities and protection from deportation, DACA recipients are granted other benefits that vary from state to state. In California, for example, DACA recipients may apply for a driver’s license. Bates’ decision adds to a string of the Trump administration’s legal defeats in their multiple attempts to terminate the program. Although the administration maintains its view that the passing of DACA violated the Constitution, no federal court so far has found it to be unconstitutional. In response to the ruling, the Justice Department (on behalf of the Trump administration) released a statement standing by the administration’s initial reasoning, reiterating its view that DACA is an “unlawful circumvention of Congress” and that it will continue
to make its case to the court. “The Department of Homeland Security therefore acted within its lawful authority in deciding to wind down DACA in an orderly manner,” DHS spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement. “Promoting and enforcing the rule of law is vital to protecting a nation, its borders, and its citizens. The Justice Department will continue to vigorously defend this position, and looks forward to vindicating its position in further litigation.” For the last eight months, DACA recipients and their families have been scrambling to secure their benefits after Trump announced the termination on September 5, 2017. As previously reported in the Asian Journal, after many federal judges’ rulings, DACA has already been allowed to resume after its March 5, 2018 deadline administered by the president. n
Cayetano pressed to file diplomatic protest...
PAGE A1 ereign nation, he should uphold the rights of a Filipino citizen who suffered Guantanamo-style torture, among other violations, under the U.S. government,” said Karapatan secretary-general Cristina Palabay in a statement Sunday, April 22. “We challenge him [Cayetano] to file a diplomatic protest against the Trump administration for the cruel and inhuman acts of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Customs and Border Protection against Filipino Moro human rights activist Jerome Succor Aba,” she added. Aba had been invited by the U.S. chapter of the International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines (ICHRP), and was on route to Washington D.C. to talk with human rights organizations and U.S. congressional offices about the experiences of the Moro and indigenous people under the Duterte-declared martial law in Mindanao last year. Opening up about his experience, Aba told media reporters that as an advocate, he wasn’t used to being a victim of human rights violations. He also said he was denied access to a lawyer, and was commanded
to undress and stand in a cold empty room where an industrial cooling fan was brought in and turned on. He added that he was intimidated with the threat of being shot. “I was afraid to use the restroom, because they might make a drama that I was trying to escape and they might shoot me,” Aba was quoted saying in an ICHRP-U.S. statement. He said he remembered an agent saying, “Be good here, be nice here, if you do anything bad, I will not hesitate to shoot you”, saying the agent would reach for his side arm whenever he would move. An attorney from the National Lawyers Guild (NLG) was at the airport attempting to talk with CBP, according to the statement. Callers from NLG to CBP offices were told they would be called back. ICHRP said that offices of Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi and Senator Dianne Feinstein also made calls to CBP officials and were told Aba was being detained on a “soft disposition” or “something that could easily be overcome.” Aba said he further experienced anti-Muslim comments,
BI orders Sister Fox to... PAGE A1 Fox, who has been living in the Philippines for 27 years as a missionary and as an advocate of farmers’ rights, was arrested by BI officers on April 16, for engaging in “illegal political activities” in the country. She was released on April 17 after validating her missionary visa. In a statement, Fox said she was surprised when she heard the news about the BI’s order directing her to leave the country after her missionary visa was forfeited. “I was surprised, as I had thought the process was that I would have 10 days to put in a counter-affidavit to answer the charges. It was through the media that I heard of the decision, as I, or my legal counsel, don’t yet have a copy. I am very sad that the decision at present is that I leave the Philippines,” Fox said. She then added, “I may lose my
right to be in the Philippines but I can never lose the learnings and beautiful memories.” Fox also expressed hope “for a chance to explain how I see my mission as a religious sister and maybe the decision can be reconsidered.” In a television interview, Jobert Pahilga, Fox’s lawyer, slammed the BI’s directive, claiming it violated the nun’s right to due process. “What we received yesterday was the supplemental report of the intelligence division. We were given 10 days to supposedly file our counter affidavit. That’s why we were surprised there was an order by the BI to forfeit her visa,” Pahilga told ANC. Pahilga said their camp will file a motion for reconsideration. He also insisted that Fox has only engaged in missionary work and not in political activities during her stay in the Philippines.
was interrogated about his beliefs and rally participations, and was accused of being a “terrorist” and “communist.” On two separate occasions, he said he was left in a room with a gun and a grenade which he saw as CBP attempts to “entrap him into using the items.” CBP spokesman Jamie Ruiz said in a statement that “U.S. Customs and Border Protection does not consider country of origin or human rights activism to be determining factors for admissibility.” Before being released, Aba said he was coerced to cover up details of his detainment by recording a video statement of him saying he had not been tortured. A “foot-tall stack of papers that the agents purported were their profile on him” was shredded in front of him before his release, according to the ICHRP-U.S. statement. To Cayetano, Payaba added, “The filing of a diplomatic protest against the U.S. government will be an indicator if Cayetano and the Philippine government are indeed capable of exercising the country’s sovereignty, or if it is just rhetoric used to conveniently dismiss critics.” n
Mangaronbang, however, clarified that forfeiting Fox’s visa and her possible deportation were different cases. “The issuance and grant of a visa is a privilege, not a right, hence a hearing is not necessary in visa forfeiture proceedings,” Mangrobang said, noting that it is the bureau’s discretion whether or not it would cancel a foreigner’s visa. Meanwhile, Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III agreed that the BI has the power to order the Australian nun to leave the country. “I think that is within the power of our immigration bureau. Especially if the foreigner has violated some of our laws,” Pimentel told Inquirer. “I don’t know the details of this particular case. But as to the theory being followed by the BID they are correct as they have such a power.” n
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Dateline USa
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
A
SC rules foreign divorce valid in PH by Dana
SioSon AJPress
THE Philippines now recognizes a divorce obtained by a Filipino citizen against a foreign spouse outside the country, according to the Supreme Court (SC). In a landmark ruling on Tuesday, April 24, the SC ruled “that a foreign divorce secured by a Filipino against a foreign spouse is also considered valid in the Philippines, even if it is the Filipino spouse who files for divorce abroad.” According to SC spokesperson Theodore Te, ten justices upheld the CA ruling, while three dissented: Associate Justices Mariano Del Castillo, Estela Perlas(L-R) in group photo: CARB vice chair Sandra Berg, U.S. Representative Jimmy Gomez, Deputy Mayor Barbara Romero, Blue Solutions CEO Marie Bernabe, and Alfredo Benjamin Bolloré, LADOT general manager Seleta Reynolds, and 13th District City Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell. AJPress photos by Rae Ann Varona Caguioa. Associate Justice Francis Jardeleza, meanwhile, took no part in the decision as he was solicitor-general when the case was PAGE A1 brought to the SC. “BlueLA” logos on their doors. Te said the SC based its ruling BlueLA is a carsharing proon Article 26 (2) of the Family gram that gives drivers of at least Code, which provides that “where 18 years, access to a personal a marriage between a Filipino car anytime they want for as low
A new electric car sharing service launches... as $1 a month, and 15 cents per minute depending on income level. The program sprung from a partnership between Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT) and Blue Solutions — a carsharing subsidiary of France’s Bolloré group — and is the largest of its kind in the U.S. BlueLA’s mission is to provide an alternative and environmentally friendly mobility solution to underserved communities. “Blue Solutions recognizes that mobility is a key factor in creating inclusive communities. By providing a convenient and fully electric car sharing service at a more affordable cost,” said Marie Bolloré, CEO of Blue Solutions. “By providing a convenient and fully electric car sharing service at a more affordable cost, we believe that BlueLA will promote both inclusivity and sustainability.” Currently, cars can be found in seven initial hubs including Los Angeles City College, Koreatown, MacArthur Park, Chinatown, Pico Union, Boyle Heights, and right in front of the Pilipino Workers Center in Historic Filipinotown. Three more stations are scheduled to be opened in less than two weeks, working up to 40 stations and 100 electric cars around the city by the end of the year.
citizen and a foreigner is validly celebrated and a divorce is thereafter validly obtained abroad by the alien spouse capacitating him or her to remarry, the Filipino spouse shall likewise have the capacity to remarry under Philippine law.” The SC was acting on the case of Marelyn Tanedo Manalo, who was married in the Philippines to Japanese national Minoru Yoshino. The Japanese court granted her motion for divorce on Dec. 6, 2011. The Dagupan City Regional Trial Court, however, denied having her divorce recognized in an Oct. 15, 2012 decision due to “lack of merit.” “The court a quo ratiocinated that the kind of divorce recognized here in the Philippines are those validly obtained by the alien spouse abroad, not by the Filipino spouse, pursuant to Article 26 of the Family Code,” it ruled. Manalo filed an appeal but was denied. She then elevated her case to the Court of Appeals (CA), where she scored a victory
in 2014. “Considering that the said Japanese is already free to remarry, petitioner (Manalo) must likewise be allowed to remarry under the Philippine law,” the appeals court ruled. It added that non-recognition of a divorce filed by a Filipino spouse will result in “inconsistency between the recognition of the effectivity of the foreign judgment and public records in the Philippines.” The Philippines and the Vatican are the only two countries that have no divorce law. Last month, the House of Representatives approved on the third and final reading House Bill 7303, which seeks the legalization of divorce and dissolution of marriage in the country. The divorce bill, however, may have a hard time getting approval in the Senate as several senators have already expressed opposition to the measure. President Rodrigo Duterte also declared that he will not support the bill. n
Ex-envoy to UN Baja gets 27 years for graft, malversation by DJ
Yap Inquirer.net
Marie Bolloré, CEO of Blue Solutions, which partnered with LADOT to start BlueLA.
How BlueLA works Designed by the Italian auto design house Pininfarina, the BlueLA cars were made specifically for car sharing, seating up to four adults comfortably. On a full charge, the cars can get up to 125 miles thanks to the systems and batteries made by the Bolloré group. Using the carsharing service is simple, and is great for trips to the grocery, running errands, picking kids up from school, and so forth. Once registered, drivers can reserve a car using the program’s
app, or through an easy to use reservation kiosk located at any of the hubs. Using either a Metro TAP card or a BlueLA card which gets sent through the mail, drivers simply unplug the car from the charging station, tap their card near the car’s door, and begin their trip. On their trip, drivers have access to the car’s own navigation system, car-return system, and a blue telephone button that connects drivers to 24/7 customer service should they need any assistance.
u PAGE A4
FORMER Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja Jr. was meted a combined maximum sentence of 27 years in jail on graft and malversation charges for misappropriating $17,524.27 (about P895,000) in insurance claims for his official residence in New York in 2006. Baja, who served as the country’s permanent representative to the United Nations during the administration of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, was also ordered to pay a fine equivalent to that amount by the Sandiganbayan’s Fourth Division. In a decision promulgated on April 13 but made public on Friday, the antigraft court found Baja guilty on both counts of violation of the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act and malversation for the misuse of public funds. The funds represented proceeds of an insurance claim for $780 and $12,504.56 for personal and building damage in the Philippine government-owned townhouse that served as Baja’s residence in New York, “holdback” of $1,739.51, and a separate claim of $2,500 for lost cash and jewelry belonging to Baja’s wife.
Former Ambassador to the United Nations Lauro Baja Jr. Inquirer.net photo
Baja said in a statement that he would appeal the decision. Three checks “We were very confident of acquittal because no injury was done to government, no evidence I pocketed the money, all funds were used for the repair of the damaged building which was acknowledged by the insurance company itself and all disbursements covered by receipts of construction company,” he said. Court records showed that the Philippine Mission to the United Nations in New York filed a claim for damage caused by a broken heating system pipe on the second
floor of the townhouse at 15th East 66th Street in 2004, prompting the insurance company to issue three checks. The checks should have been deposited to the Mission’s Philippine National Bank account but Baja and finance officer Tomas Valerio opened a new account under the name “Philippine Mission to the UN-Renovation of Townhouse,” to which the money was deposited. Baja then made several withdrawals in 2006 of the insurance proceeds and contracted a certain James McDonnell for the repair of the townhouse without bidding, records showed. Valerio testified that he told Baja that the insurance proceeds ought to be deposited in the mission’s official bank account. But the Sandiganbayan said there was “evident bad faith” in Baja’s handling and disposal of the insurance payments. “Jurisprudence describes ‘evident bad faith’ as something that connotes not only bad judgment but also palpably and patently fraudulent and dishonest purpose to do moral obliquity or conscious wrongdoings for some perverse motive or ill will,” the court said. n
A
april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
Dateline USa
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
A new electric car sharing service launches... PAGE A3
To return the car and end a trip, all drivers have to do is park at any of the hubs, and plug it back in for free battery charging. “The car sharing system is very good because you park in a station where you booked in advance, your parking spot,” Bolloré told the Asian Journal. The only requirements for the service are that drivers be at least 18 years old, have a valid U.S. driver’s license or international driver’s permit, and have a
debit or credit card to set up an account. The service also provides auto insurance coverage up to the state minimum limit, secondary to the driver’s personal insurance. Membership prices start as low as $1 per month, and 15 cents per minute for households earning an annual income of $35,000 or less. That equates to around $9 per hour. A standard membership costs $5 month, 20 cents per minute.
Environmentally friendly transportation alternative While the county of Los Angeles has been investing in its public transit system through expansions and improvements of rail and bus connections, putting the new BlueLA cars on Los Angeles roads is about being an environmentally friendly transportation alternative to those who could benefit from the mobility. “It really provides a mobility option for folks,” chief sustainability officer at LADOT, told the Asian Journal. “For families that may be a one car household, or zero car household, here’s another option that you can use to both support using the bus and rail.” Because the cars are 100-percent electric, they fall in line with Los Angeles Mayor eric Garcetti’s electric vehicle goals set in his mission for a cleaner environment and stronger economy. Garcetti said, “We all want a healthier planet for our children and our grandchildren. BlueLA will make our collective effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions more inclusive by providing underserved communities with an environmentally friendly way to get around town — at an affordable price.” The service runs 24 hours a day, seven days a week which is helpful when metro rails or busses may not be in service. Many of the stations are even located around existing metro stops. “So you can imagine yourself getting off of the subway or a bus, using BlueLA to complete your errands, come back, and then maybe jump back on the bus or rail,” said Parras. “For folks that are maybe needing to go from the Pilipino Workers Center to Union Station, it’s going to be a quick trip,” he added as an example. It’s all part of what they call their “first mile-last mile” solution that they’re integrating. BlueLA received $10 million in investment from Blue Solutions which has already started similar programs in Indianapolis, Singapore, London, Paris, and other european cities. It is also funded in part by California Air Resources Board and the California Climate Investment Program. More information on the the service and how to become a member can be found on BlueLA. com, or by emailing contact@ bluela.com. (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)
NEW CLARK CITY STADIUM. Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) Secretary General and Philippine Sea Games Organizing Committee (PHISGOC) Director General Patrick Gregorio leads the concrete pouring ceremony for the athletics stadium located at the National Government Administrative Center (NGAC) in New Clark City, Tarlac on Wednesday, April 25. The first phase of the project, which sits on a 60-hectare lot, will cost PhP 13.16 billion. PNA photo by Jess Escaros Jr.
PH condoles with Canada amid van incident The Philippines expressed its condolences to Canada after an incident in which a rented van plowed into pedestrians, killing 10 and leaving 15 others injured. There have been no reports yet of Filipinos among the casualties or injured, according to the Philippine embassy in Ottawa. The Philippine Consulate General in Toronto, meanwhile, is checking with authorities to ensure the safety of the 270,000 Filipinos in the area. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of Canada. We mourn with the families of those
who lost their lives in this tragedy,” Foreign Affairs Secretary Alan Peter Cayetano said in a statement. Toronto police identified the suspect as Alek Minassian, a 25year-old from the Toronto suburb of Richmond hill. Deputy Police Chief Peter Yuen says the driver of the van is in custody but Yuen has not provided any possible cause or motive in the incident on Monday, April 23. he says the investigation is continuing. Police Chief Mark Saunders said the incident “definitely looked
deliberate. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that the government will work with law enforcement partners while the investigation continues. “It was with great sadness that I heard about the tragic and senseless attack that took place in Toronto this afternoon. On behalf of all Canadians, I offer my heartfelt condolences to the loved ones of those who were killed, and my thoughts for a fast and full recovery to those injured,” Trudeau said in a statement. (Patricia Lourdes Viray with Associated Press)
Three US hitmen face life in prison over murder... PAGE A2 van — Stillwell driving and Samia shooting Lee multiple times in the face with a .22-caliber gun. The two then dumped her body onto a pile of garbage. The New York Times reported that Le Roux had suspected Lee had cheated him. By early March, hunter had driven both men to the airport. Samia and Stillwell returned to North Carolina where they stayed until they were tracked down by Drug enforcement Administration (DeA) agents and arrested with warrants in July 2015. The U.S. Attorney’s Office statement said that hunter paid Samia and Stillwell $35,000 each. hunter’s sentencing has been scheduled on September 7, 2018. Samia and Stillwell are scheduled to be sentenced a week after on September 14, 2018. ‘Ringleader of trained assassins’
Prior to Wednesday’s conviction, hunter had already been serving 20 years in prison for numerous high crime charges including another conspiracy to murder a DeA agent, and DeA informant in 2013. he pled guilty and was sentenced to prison in February 2015. hunter’s capture came as Le Roux helped the DeA catch him in 2013 through an arranged sting operation in Phuket, Thailand. Le Roux himself had been captured late 2012 in Liberia by the DeA. “hunter and his cohorts turned from serving their countries as soldiers to becoming mercenaries for hire, plotting to kill a DeA agent and informant and trafficking in massive quantities of cocaine,” said former U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara. For the hit, hunter had hired four former U.S., German, and Polish soldiers to serve as security
and hitmen for what they thought was a Colombian drug trafficking organization. hunter was recorded describing the mission to his recruits as being “just like a military mission.” “This is real [expletive]. You know, you see everything. You see James Bond in the movie and you’re saying, ‘Oh, I can do that.’ Well, you’re gonna do it now,” a statement by the U.S. Attorney’s office quoted hunter saying. Following the sentencing in May 2016, Bharara said: “The sentencing of Joseph hunter, an admitted contract killer, convicted drug trafficker, and ringleader of trained assassins, ends another chapter in a chilling criminal case that spanned the globe.” Manhattan prosecutors are also managing the current Lee case as both cases came from the same investigation. (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
D ateline PhiliPPines House panel approves use of Baybayin
A
as country’s national writing system by Audrey
MorAllo Philstar.com
MANILA — Filipinos may have to learn to write in and read Baybayin, a pre-Spanish script of the Philippines, after a House committee approved a bill designating it as the country’s official national writing system. The House Committee on Basic Education and Culture has approved House Bill 1022, or the proposed “National Writing System Act,� which seeks to declare Baybayin as the Philippines’ national writing system, generate a greater awareness on its plight and develop wider appreciation for its importance and beauty. The bill, filed by Rep. Leopoldo Bataoil (Pangasinan), was supported by the Department of Education, the National Commission for Culture and the Arts and Buhayin, a Baybayin advocacy group. “The importance of writing in general and of the alphabet in particular for the preservation and progress of civilization is incalculable,� Bataoil said in a press release from the House Press and Public Affairs Bureau. If passed into law, the measure will require all manufacturers of locally-produced food products to inscribe Baybayin scripts and provide a Baybayin translation on their labels. The proposed law will also
WHAT NOW? A farmer looks at his parched land in Tanza, Cavite. Without rainfall or irrigation, farmers in areas that are starting to feel the pinch of a drought will be unable to plant crops. The weather bureau had warned that the temperature will continue to rise in the coming weeks. ManilaTimes.net photo by Andrea de la Cruz
A House committee has recently approved a bill mandating the recognition and use of Baybayin as the country’s national writing system. Philstar.com photo by Analyn Camntigue
mandate local government units to included Baybayin signs for street names, public facilities, public buildings and other necessary signage for public offices like hospitals, fire and police stations, community centers and government halls. Newspapers and other print publications will also be required to provide a Baybayin translation of their names, according to the bill. Government agencies will also be directed to disseminate knowledge and information about Baybayin by distributing reading
materials on all levels of education and in government and private agencies and offices. Bataoil said that these materials would raise awareness on Baybayin as the national writing system. He added that appropriate training should be conducted for the proper handling of these documents. The NCAA together with DepEd, the Department of Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Higher Education will formulate the implementing rules and regulations of the bill. n
Duterte Cabinet to work ‘double time’ after drop in ratings by AJPress THE administration of Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte will double its efforts to improve the plight of Filipinos, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque Jr. said on Sunday, April 22. After seeing a drop in the satisfaction ratings of Duterte’s Cabinet, MalacaĂąang assured that the executive branch will continue to serve the “best interestâ€? of the public without getting distracted by the political noise. The latest Social Weather Station (SWS) survey results showed that the ratings for the Duterte’s Cabinet went down by 10 points from +38 in the last quarter of 2017 to +28 in the first quarter of 2018, “This is the lowest in almost two years, since the moderate +22 in April 2016,â€? SWS said.
Decreases that made up the drop from “goodâ€? to “moderateâ€? satisfaction ratings involve all areas: a decline of 29 points in Mindanao, seven points in Balance Luzon, two points in Visayas, and a point in Metro Manila. The net satisfaction rating of the Cabinet remained “goodâ€? in Metro Manila at +30 from the +31 in the previous quarter. It also stayed “goodâ€? in the Visayas at +31 from +32. However, it fell by two grades from “very goodâ€? to “moderateâ€? in Mindanao at +23 from +52 in the last quarter of 2017; and one grade from “good to “moderateâ€? in Balance Luzon at +28 from +35. In a statement, MalacaĂąang noted that many agencies have made significant strides in their respective areas and fields.
“The departments under the executive branch will continue to serve the nation and the best interest of our people by bringing comfortable life to disadvantaged and marginalized families, unmindful of the distraction and political noise,â€? Roque said. He continued: “We shall therefore work double time in highlighting policies and programs of the current administration that have the most impact to the lives of our countrymen.â€? The results of the first quarter-2018 satisfaction poll was released on Friday, April 20. It was taken from March 23 to 27 using face-to-face interviews to 1,200 adults nationwide. The poll had sampling error margins of Âą3 percent for national percentages, and Âą6 percent each for Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. n
‘Bringing Sereno issues to UN reckless, absurd’ by Alexis
roMero Philstar.com
MANILA — Bringing the issues involving Chief Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno before the UN is “reckless� and “absurd,� President Duterte’s chief legal counsel said. Chief Presidential Legal Counsel Salvador Panelo said the effort to remove Sereno from office is being discussed in the Supreme Court so there is no need to involve the international body in the matter. “The Supreme Court itself has already given due course to the petition and has in fact allowed Chief Justice Sereno to respond thereto. As its propriety is already being heard by the Supreme Court, these groups should have just sought remedies available to them before the said court to raise their concerns,� Panelo said in a statement. “Involving the UN on purely internal affairs of the state is a reckless if not pitiful foray to absurdity,� he added. Sereno, an appointee of former president Benigno Aquino III, is facing ouster moves on two fronts. She is facing an impeachment complaint over her supposed failure to file statements of assets, liabilities and net worth (SALNs), using state funds to stay in luxurious hotels, buying a
Land Cruiser and delaying action on the petition for the retirement benefits of justices, judges and surviving spouses, among other allegations. The Office of the Solicitor-General has also filed a quo warranto petition questioning the eligibility of Sereno, citing her failure to file and submit SALNs for 10 years to the Judicial and Bar Council. Sereno has maintained that she can only be removed from her post through impeachment. She also believes Duterte is behind the quo warranto petition against her. The allegation drew the ire of Duterte, who responded by ordering the Office of the Solicitor General to do its best on the quo warranto petition and urging Congress to fast-track the impeachment against Sereno. Duterte also declared that he has become an “enemy� of Sereno, who he said is “bad for the country.� Lawyers’ groups have asked the UN special rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers to act on the President’s statements as they accused him of trying to influence the judiciary. The Integrated Bar of the Philippines, National Union of People’s Lawyers, Alternative Law Groups, Ateneo Human Rights Center, Free Legal Assistance Group, Manananggol Laban sa EJKs and the International Pro Bono
Alliance believe Duterte’s tirades against Sereno threaten judicial independence. Panelo dismissed the groups’ action as an attempt to discredit the President before the international community. “The statements of the president against Chief Justice Sereno are not an affront to judicial independence. They were simply reactions to Chief Justice Sereno’s voiced attacks against him,� Panelo said. “It is Chief Justice Sereno who has infringed and continues to infringe upon executive independence by resorting to the media and taking advantage of her position as head of one of the branches of the government in expressing her dismay against this administration on account of the situation in which she put herself into,� he added. Panelo stressed that the impeachment proceedings against Sereno are based on legal grounds and are not just political attacks. “More importantly, the president did not initiate the impeachment proceedings against Chief Justice Sereno, nor did he play any part in the same. The proceedings were initiated by complainants before the House of Representatives, a chamber in Congress which the executive department does not have control of,� Panelo said. n
Over 1 million file COCs for barangay, Sangguniang Kabataan elections by MAyen JAyMAlin Philstar.com
MANILA — Over a million aspirants have filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) for the barangay and Sangguniang Kabataan (SK) elections. Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez reported that the poll body received a total of 1,140,987 COCs as of the last day of filing. Jimenez said the number of Commission on Elections (Comelec) spokesman James Jimenez reported that the poll body received PAGE A7 a total of 1,140,987 COCs as of the last day of filing. Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales
PH down 6 notches on World Press Freedom Index by GAeA
KAtreenA Philstar.com
CAbiCo
DESPITE being touted as the country with the freest and liveliest press in Asia, the Philippines sank lower in the 2018 World Press Freedom Index of media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (Reporters Sans Frontières, RSF). The country slipped to 133rd from 127th out of the 180 countries on the list. The Philippines has a score of 42.53. The dynamism of the Philippine press has been challenged by President Rodrigo Duterte, who repeatedly hurled threats against journalists, RSF noted. “There have been countless examples of Philippine government harassment of media that voice any kind of criticism of Duterte’s ‘war on drugs.’ Here, again, verbal violence and physical violence are closely linked,â€? it said. RSF also noted that the Philippines is the deadliest country for journalists in Asia after four of five media workers targeted by gunmen were killed in 2017. President Duterte created the Presidential Task Force on Media Security in 2016 to address media killings but has also gone on tirades against journalists and media outlets that have been criticial of his policies. Last January, the Securities and Exchange Commission revoked
The dynamism of the Philippine press has been challenged by President Rodrigo Duterte, who repeatedly hurled threats against journalists, Reporters Without Borders noted. Philstar.com photo by Kriz John Rosales
the license of news outlet Rappler after it ruled that the news website had violated constitutional prohibition on foreign ownership of media. The SEC probe was prompted by a letter from Solicitor General Jose Calida, who was appointed by Duterte. Duterte himself took shots at Rappler during his 2017 State of the Nation Address, accusing the news website of being owned by Americans. Malacaùang has also barred one of its reporters from covering the president’s events. Rights and media groups slammed the attacks against Rappler, one of the most critical
media outfits under Duterte, calling these politically motivated and an attempt to silence criticisms of the government. Duterte has also called out ABSCBN and Philippine Daily Inquirer for their supposedly “slantedâ€? reporting. He also threatened that he would block the franchise renewal of the Lopez-owned media company. MalacaĂąang has repeatedly maintained that the government’s moves are “not an attack on press freedom.â€? Norway is still the top country in world for press freedom. North Korea also continues to be ranked last on the index. n
Karagdagang impormasyon sa Filipino (Tagalog) ay makikita rin sa website ng Clark County Election Department sa: www.clarkcountynv.gov/vote. NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Registrar of Voters of Clark County, Nevada, will conduct a UHJLVWUDWLRQ RI TXDOLÂż HG HOHFWRUV IRU WKH 3ULPDU\ (OHFWLRQ WR EH KHOG RQ 7XHVGD\ -XQH $Q\ TXDOLÂż HG HOHFWRU ZKRVH QDPH GRHV QRW DSSHDU RQ WKH RIÂż FLDO UHJLVWU\ OLVW PD\ DSSO\ IRU UHJLVWUDWLRQ LQ SHUVRQ E\ PDLO RU RQOLQH LQ WKH PDQQHU DSSURYHG E\ ODZ DFFRUGLQJ WR WKH GHDGOLQHV OLVWHG EHORZ 2018 PRIMARY ELECTION VOTER REGISTRATION DEADLINES AND EXTENDED OFFICE HOURS Method of 5HJLVWHULQJ
'DWHV
+RXUV
%RWK 0DLO $QG Over the Counter
7XHVGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
:HGQHVGD\ 0D\ Âą )ULGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
6DWXUGD\ 0D\ 6XQGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
0RQGD\ 0D\ 7XHVGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
7XHVGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
:HGQHVGD\ 0D\ Âą )ULGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
6DWXUGD\ 0D\ 6XQGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
0RQGD\ 0D\ 7XHVGD\ 0D\
D P Âą S P
Clark County (OHFWLRQ 2IÂż FHV Clark County Election Department VW )ORRU Clark County Government Center 6 *UDQG &HQWUDO 3NZ\ Las Vegas, NV
Clark County Election Center 7UDGH 'ULYH 6XLWH $ North Las Vegas, NV
,Q 3HUVRQ Registration Only
%RWK 0DLO $QG Over the Counter
927(
,Q 3HUVRQ Registration Only
9RWHU UHJLVWUDWLRQ DSSOLFDWLRQV DQG UHJLVWUDWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ XSGDWHV ZLOO EH DFFHSWHG WKDW DUH FRPSOHWHG RU PDLOHG XS XQWLO GD\V EHIRUH WKH HOHFWLRQ 7KHUHDIWHU XQWLO GD\V EHIRUH WKH HOHFWLRQ YRWHU UHJLVWUDWLRQ DSSOLFDWLRQV DQG UHJLVWUDWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ XSGDWHV PXVW EH Âż OHG RQOLQH DW ZZZ FODUNFRXQW\QY JRY YRWH RU LQ SHUVRQ DW HLWKHU RIÂż FH RI WKH &ODUN &RXQW\ 5HJLVWUDU RI 9RWHUV $ TXDOLÂż HG HOHFWRU ZKR SRVVHVVHV D 1HYDGD GULYHUÂśV OLFHQVH RU '09 LVVXHG ,GHQWLÂż FDWLRQ &DUG PD\ UHJLVWHU RU XSGDWH KLV KHU YRWHU UHJLVWUDWLRQ LQIRUPDWLRQ RQOLQH until 11:59 p.m., May 24, 2018, exclusively at only one website 1HYDGD 6HFUHWDU\ RI 6WDWH ZKLFK LV DFFHVVLEOH WKURXJK ZZZ FODUNFRXQW\QY JRY YRWH 1HYDGD DQG IHGHUDO ODZ UHTXLUH Âż UVW WLPH UHJLVWUDQWV WR SURYLGH DQ LGHQWLI\LQJ QXPEHU 1HYDGD GULYHUÂśV OLFHQVH QXPEHU RU WKH ODVW IRXU GLJLWV RI WKHLU VRFLDO VHFXULW\ QXPEHU ,I WKHVH GR QRW PDWFK WKH UHFRUGV PDLQWDLQHG E\ WKH 'HSDUWPHQW RI 0RWRU 9HKLFOHV RU 6RFLDO 6HFXULW\ $GPLQLVWUDWLRQ WKH UHJLVWUDQW ZLOO EH UHTXLUHG WR SUHVHQW LGHQWLÂż FDWLRQ EHIRUH EHLQJ DOORZHG WR YRWH )RUPV RI FXUUHQW DQG YDOLG LGHQWLÂż FDWLRQ LQFOXGH D 1HYDGD 'ULYHUÂśV /LFHQVH 1HYDGD , ' &DUG PLOLWDU\ LGHQWLÂż FDWLRQ FDUG 25 D FRS\ RI D FXUUHQW XWLOLW\ ELOO EDQN VWDWHPHQW SD\FKHFN RU GRFXPHQW LVVXHG E\ D JRYHUQPHQW HQWLW\ OLVWLQJ WKH UHJLVWUDQWÂśV QDPH DQG UHVLGHQWLDO DGGUHVV 7KHVH LQGLYLGXDOV KDYH EHHQ QRWLÂż HG E\ PDLO RI WKLV UHTXLUHPHQW ,Q SHUVRQ UHJLVWUDWLRQ IRU HOHFWRUV IRU WKH 3ULPDU\ (OHFWLRQ ZLOO EH FORVHG DIWHU S P 7XHVGD\ 0D\ 2QOLQH UHJLVWUDWLRQ IRU HOHFWRUV IRU WKH 3ULPDU\ (OHFWLRQ ZLOO EH FORVHG DIWHU S P 7KXUVGD\ 0D\ '$7(' $35,/
-26(3+ 3 */25,$ Registrar of Voters 38% $SULO DQG 0D\ /DV 9HJDV $VLDQ -RXUQDO
A
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
OpiniOn
Saving Earth
Features
THE country joined the international community in observing Earth Day last April 22 as Boracay prepared for an unprecedented monthslong shutdown to give way to a massive cleanup. Across the country, many other travel destinations can use more aggressive action, although not the draconian measures being applied in Boracay, to stop pollution and protect the environment. The concept of sustainability has yet to take root in this country. The worst pollution can be found in urban areas that are not deemed to be travel destinations. At the San Juan River in Kalentong, Mandaluyong, for example, truckloads of solid waste were collected as part of Earth Day activities. This year’s Earth Day theme focuses on curbing plastic pollution. As the experience in this country has shown, this calls for a nuanced, realistic solution – one that encourages plastic recycling, better waste management and a general attitude change toward garbage disposal. Plastic remains indispensable in modern life. Put meat, fish, frozen goods or even leafy vegetables in a paper or eco bag and see what happens within a few minutes. The ban on plastic bags in several cities led to the widespread use of extra thick, double layer paper bags, and paper comes from trees. Supermarkets and wet markets ended up using thin
plastic bags or wrappers anyway for wet, frozen and fresh goods before the items are placed in paper bags. Plastic bags are also the most convenient shopping containers for people who can only afford to commute and have no maids or drivers to carry their shopping bags. Companies that manufacture plastic products such as PVC pipes rely on used plastic for their raw materials, and have expressed readiness to step up recycling efforts. The government can facilitate linkages among these companies, local government units, garbage handlers and community organizations to institutionalize plastic recycling. Biodegradable plastic is also available, and some of the biggest companies are now using them. Single-use plastics can be phased out to make way for the new versions that are kinder on the environment. The greenest materials, however, will still contribute to pollution if they are disposed of indiscriminately. The planet is polluted not just with plastic but also with non-biodegradable tin cans, bottles and metals. Unless people get rid of filthy habits, the planet cannot be saved. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
The Fil-Am Perspective Gel SantoS-ReloS BORACAY — consistently ranked as one of the best islands and beaches in the world, as it has been voted to the top many times by travelers worldwide. For me, Boracay is personal. This tropical paradise has been so much a part of my family’s history. That is why the news that Boracay will be closed for six months to rehabilitate is like me getting a news that a family member is sick and would have to go to the hospital for surgery and recovery. Beginning April 26, Boracay will shut down and will no longer accept tourists and visitors for six months. Only local residents will be allowed on the island. Checkpoints will be manned by police officers and soldiers have already been set up at piers make sure this is strictly followed, or hefty fines will be imposed.
PeaceMaker FoRmeR SpeakeR JoSe C. de VeneCia, JR. ThERE is a clear focused movement in inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korean talks, prior to formal difficult negotiations among the heads of government, that hopefully could lead to eventual peace in the Korean Peninsula, long awaited by Asia and the global community. The news in the last few days is that CIA Director Mike Pompeo, who will soon assume the post of U.S. Secretary of State uponSenate confirmation, quietly met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-Unin the North Korean capital of Pyongyang, signalling the upcoming meeting between President Donald Trump in May or June, with North Korean leader Kim JongUn. The South Korean President Moon Jae-In, who initiated the fast-moving diplomacy, will meet perhaps as early as next week with the North Korean leader. We believe the objective is to achieve North Korean denuclearization, which is not easily achievable considering that it will mean that North Korea will give up its nuclear weapons, atomic and hydrogen bombs, and delivery systems,aftergreat North Korean expense and sacrifice in their development. But the fact that North Korean Kim has agreed to the conven-
Philstar.com photo
Get well soon, Boracay!
While marine scientists say it may take more than six months to fully rehabilitate the island, in fact, they say Boracay needs 300 years to fully recover from the deterioration resulting from environmental abuse, President Rodrigo Duterte’s bold and decisive move will serve as an impetus toward the island’s healing. As ABS-CBN news reported, even compliant establishments will be covered by the closure. The government will also demolish some 900 structures within the 30-meter shoreline easement or no-build zone, including those in wetlands and forest lands. The worsening problem of pollution that has been damaging the ecosystem of the island has also been caused by illegally connected sewers and pipelines that have been discharging waste to inland streams, according to a report of ABS-CBN News. Eeeewww… I know…All these problems really need a major “surgery” that will take some time to correct and for businesses to be made compliant with
health, safety and environmental laws and regulations. This diagnosis of Boracay is so unthinkable during my first visit to this island in 1992. While there had already been a few small local businesses and tourists as early as the 70s, my first Boracay experience had given me a benchmark by which I compare all other beach destinations in the Philippines and around the world. The pure fine white sands that felt cool even during tanghaling tapat.... The clean, crystal clear sea water where my kids got to snorkel and play with different kinds of fishes just a few steps away from of the bahay kubo style beach houses... The coconut trees, tropical plants around the island, the bountiful fresh seafood, the clean fresh air, the blue sky, the sun and the moon and the stars, the famous Boracay sunset... I could go on and on as I reminisce how Boracay was almost 30 years ago. My family would go back to the island almost every year since
then. I was also privileged to produce the program “Tatak Pinoy” for ABS-CBN cable channel and my staff featured the island in all its glory. This yearly sojourn just stopped when we immigrated to the United States in 2001. In 2009, my family had the chance to go on a vacation to the Philippines and we went back to Boracay. What a difference eight years made. My husband and I went back again just last January, and it pained us to see how all the more crowded, commercialized, noisy and dirty the island has increasingly been through the years. Truly, the local government of Aklan, as well the national government, had failed in protecting this beautiful island. This solution ordered by Duterte, however, makes me think of the business owners and the ordinary people of Boracay and nearby towns who live by the income they get from the tourism industry of Boracay. Six months is a long time not to have a source of income. Setting
Possibilities for peace in the two Koreas ing of the talks with President Trump and his South Korean counterpart, President Moon Jae-In says a lot. We believe that over and above the giving up of its nuclear weapons, it would be realpolitik to expect that North Korea would hope for an iron-clad Omnibus Agreement leading to a Permanent Peace Treaty, with the South and the U.S. that could likely include the following: North Korea (The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, DPRK) and South Korea (Republic of Korea, ROK), as separate independent Republics, but perhaps connected together by a looseConfederation, until at some point in the near or distant future, they can consider uniting like the two Vietnams or the two Germanys; Withdrawal of U.S. troops from South Korea; Withdrawal of large North Korean and South Korean troops from the areas of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the 38th Parallel to make the DMZ really demilitarized; Development of a concrete formula for South-North Confederation where the two Koreas will be separate and independent but develop common inter-dependent synergies until they can set-up a Union or what the Greeks call “Enosis” in 15 to 25 years or earlier; Develop inter-Korea commercial flights, highways, and a common railway system for
the two Koreas from Pusan at the end of the Korean South facing Japan to North Korea’s Yalu border with China, which, it is hoped, will interlinkwith the Trans-Siberian Railway to Russia and to Europe; Develop close political and economic relations between North and South and with China, Japan, the U.S., Russia, and ASEAN and work with the U.N. system and the global community; Develop and industrialize the North Korean economy and agriculture, put an end to the recurring causes of famine, expand the education system, and immediately open the region toactive tourism; North Korea or DPRK to immediately join ASEAN Plus 3 (Japan, China, South Korea) to become ASEAN Plus 4; Immediately organize an adequate Development Fund for compensating North Korea for terminating its nuclear weapons and delivery system, which Fund shall be used for the North’s economic and social development and augmentation of the national budget; Consider a state of Neutrality for the two independent Koreas which shall actively interact with the regional and global economy so that the North, with itshydrocarbons potential, mining, and hydro-electric resources, etc. can join the South, which has already developed much earlier into a credible major economic power.
We had pointed out before that the successful dynamics of North Korea’s nuclear development could be channeled to economic mobilization. We added that the “long-suspended Six-Nation Talks could have a business-focused auxiliary to develop economic joint ventures for deployment in the Korean north.” We believe that the potential of the two Koreas in cooperating together or united in peace could eventually lead to a prosperous second- or first-world nation in the third decade of the 21st Century. Since our last 1990 visit to Pyongyang where we conferred with North Korea’s founding President Kim Il-Sung, grandfather of today’s young leader Kim Jong-un, which immediately led to the establishment of Philippine-North Korean (DPRK) diplomatic relations, supported then by the late President Corazon Aquino and late Foreign Secretary Raul Manglapus, we hoped that at some point the long crisis and twilight struggle in the Korean peninsula will come to an end. We are meeting in London for the second conference of the Asian and European political parties on May 17-20 and then in Moscow in October, of the Asian political parties of the left, center, and right, and hopefully we can make even a small contribution to the long struggle for peace in the Korean peninsula. n
Kids enjoy making a sand castle along the white sands of Boracay, Aklan. The island will be closed to pave way for its clean-up and rehabilitation works for a maximum period of six months beginning Thursday, April 26. PNA photo by Joey Razon
aside the issue of a big casino that is reported to be built in the island, doing nothing is NOT an option, or the island of Boracay will cease to live. GET WELL SOON, Boracay. We have made a lot of memories as a couple, as a family in your paradise. I hope to bring my grandbabies to you someday, so that they,
too, will experience nature at its best as we knew it then. *** Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos
De Lima’s bizarre award confirms: US media on an all-out campaign to take out Duterte Commentary
RiGobeRto tiGlao IF you didn’t notice, even the Liberal Party and other Yellow leaders didn’t profusely congratulate the jailed Sen. Leila de Lima for her inclusion by Fortune magazine in its 2018 list of “50 World’s Greatest Leaders.” I guess even they felt that the award was so bizarre, so over the top in the magazine’s attempt to paint her as the Philippine version of Myanmar’s Aung San Suu Kyi, that it was embarrassing. I don’t think even Yellow leaders Benigno Aquino and Mar Roxas would say that De Lima ranks with such personalities in the 2018 list as Bill and Melinda Gates (the biggest philanthropists of all time), French President Emmanuel Macron, and tennis champion Serena Williams. Why, De Lima at the 39th slot even outranks SpaceX president Gwynne Shotwell (42nd) and Ana Botin (46th), the first female to head a world-class bank. If you still don’t realize how perplexing de Lima’s inclusion in the list is, past members of this super-elite list (started in 2014) were Pope Francis (for two years), Germany’s
Angela Merkel, and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, who is assuming the stature of the titan Mao Zedong. C’mon, I don’t think there’s anybody who would even objectively put De Lima in a list of 100,000 greatest leaders of the world. She couldn’t even influence her lover, her driver Ronnie Dayan, not to testify against her. Who is she leading? Fortune’s explanation on why De Lima landed in its list is so grossly inaccurate it boggles the mind: “President Rodrigo Duterte’s hardline policies against drug dealers are polarizing globally, but in the Philippines they’ve faced little dissent. De Lima, who headed a committee investigating hundreds of extrajudicial killings under Duterte’s leadership, has been a noble exception. Last February she was arrested and jailed for as-yetuntried crimes, but imprisonment hasn’t stopped the firebrand from continuing to speak out publicly.” Huge lies how can a purportedly worldclass media outfit print such huge lies? If the committee it mentioned was the Commission on human Rights that De Lima headed during President Arroyo’s administration, it did investigate the alleged “death squads” of Davao City. Its report though was inconclusive, and didn’t accuse Duterte of any-
u PAGE A7
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
aDVErTiSiNG aND aDVErTOrial pOliCiES ROGER LAGMAY ORIEL Publisher & Chairman of the Board
CORA MACABAGDAL-ORIEL President main Office: 1210 S. Brand Blvd Glendale, Ca 91204 Tels: (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 Fax: (818) 502-0858 • (213) 481-0854 e-mail: info@asianjournalinc.com http://www.asianjournal.com
manila Office: 2/F D&E Fort palm Springs Cond. 30th St., Cor. 1st ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig Tel.: (632) 856-4921 • 856-0397 • Fax: (632) 856-1661
Northern California: 1799 Old Bayshore Hwy, Suite 136 Burlingame, Ca 94010 Tel.: (650) 689-5160 • Fax: (650) 239-9253
New york office: 133-30 32nd ave., Flushing, Ny 11354 Tel.: (212) 655-5426 • Fax (213) 481-0854
las Vegas Sales Office: 2770 S. maryland pkwy., Suite 200 las Vegas, Nevada 89109 Tel.: (702) 792-6678 • Fax: (702) 792-6879
New Jersey office: 2500 plaza 5, Harborside Financial Center, Jersey City, NJ 07311 Tel: (212)655-5426 • Fax: (818)502-0858
ELIZABETH HILARIO SISON Chief Financial Officer ROBERT MACABAGDAL Vice President & General Manager Las Vegas Asian Journal MOMAR G. VISAYA Executive Editor German P. Palabyab Advertising and Business Development Director
asian Journal publitions, inc. (“aJpi”) reserves the right to refuse to publish, in its sole and absolute discretion, any advertising and advertorial material submitted for publition by client. (“Client’s material”) Submission of an advertisement or advertorial to an aJpi sales representative does not constitute a commitment by aJpi to publish a Client’s material. aJpi has the option to correctly classify any Client’s material and to delete objectionable words or phrases. Client represents and warrants that a Client’s material does not and will not contain any language or material which is libelous, slanderous or defamatory or invades any rights of privacy or publicity; does not and will not violate or infringe upon, or give rise to any adverse claim with respect to any common law or other right whatsoever (including, without limitation, any copyright, trademark, service mark or contract right) of any person or entity, or violate any other applible law; and is not the subject of any litigation or claim that might give rise to any litigation. publition of a Client’s material does not constitute an agreement to continue publition. Client agrees and covenants to indemnify aJpi and its officers against any and all loss, liability, damage, expenses, cost, charges, claims, actions, uses of action, recoveries, judgments, penalties, including outside attorneys’ fees (individually and collectively “Claims”) which aJpi may suffer by reason of (1) Client’s breach of any of the representations, warranties and agreements herein or (2) any Claims by any third party relating in any way to Client’s material. aJpi will not be liable for failure to publish any Client’s material as requested or for more than one incorrect insertion of a Client’s material. in the event of an error, or omission in printing or publition of a Client’s material, aJpi shall be limited to an adjustment for the space occupied by the error, with maximum liability being ncellation of the cost of the first incorrect advertisement or republition of the correct advertisement. Under no circumstances shall asian publitions, inc. be liable for consequential damages of any kind.
ASIAN JOURNAL PUBLITIONS, INC. publishes the Los Angeles Asian Journal, published twice a week; the Orange County and Inland Empire Asian Journal, Northern lifornia Asian Journal, Las Vegas Asian Journal and the New York / New Jersey Asian Journal which are published once a week and distributed to Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino, Orange Counties, Northern lifornia, Las Vegas and New York and New Jersey respectively. Articles published in this paper do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the publisher. Letters to the Editor are welcome. Letters must contain complete name and return address. The materials, however, are subject to editing and revisions. Contributions and advertising deadlines are every Mondays and Thursdays. For advertising rates and other informations, please ll the L.A. office at (213) 250-9797 or the Las Vegas Sales Office at (702) 792-6678 or send us an email at info@asianjournalinc.com
Dateline PhiliPPines
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
A
Lacson challenges Dela Rosa to stop illegal drug trade from Bilibid by Kristine Joy
Philstar.com
Patag
MANILA — Sen. Panfilo Lacson has given incoming Bureau of Corrections Director Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa a tall order to eradicate the illegal drug trade in the New Bilibid Prison. Lacson, who chairs the Senate Committee on Public Order and Dangerous Drugs, said that Dela Rosa should address “corruption, connivance and conspiracy between jail guards, BuCor personnel, inmates and drug lords.” Sen. Leila De Lima, who has been in detention on for drugrelated cases since last year, has been accused of allowing the drug trade in Bilibid when she was Justice secretary to President Benigno Aquino III and of accepting drug money to fund her senatorial campaign. She has denied the allegations and has yet to be arraigned. “Once [Dela Rosa] solves the drug problem emanating from the inside of [Bilibid] —not the users inside the prison, but those who direct the drug trade—if he can solve that, that will have a great impact on our anti-drug
operations,” Lacson, a former Philippine National Police chief like Dela Rosa, said in a radio interview over the weekend. Dela Rosa retired last week, and is set to head the BuCor, which oversees the operations of the national penitentiary. The BuCor is an attached agency of the Department of Justice, which is now headed by Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra. Guevarra had scheduled meetings with other heads of the DOJ’s attached agencies but has not yet done so with Dela Rosa, who has yet to formally assume the post. Dela Rosa, as PNP director general, deployed troopers of the elite PNP Special Action Force to guard Bilibid in place of Bureau of Corrections officers. ‘Trade always traces back to Bilibid’ Lacson said that the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency and the Philippine National Police, whether using human, technical or signal intelligence, always trace the illegal drug trade to within the walls of the NBP. Lacson also noted that Dela Rosa has been passionate in
the campaign against illegal drugs. “On that note alone, he has a huge advantage because he can focus there.” “He should be very strict on the supervising the jail guards because incarcerated drug lords cannot operate [the trade] if there is no connivance with jail guards,” Lacson added. The senator also said that due to the drug trade, NBP personnel and their families have been the subject of threats. He recalled speaking to former BuCor Director Francis Bucayu, who said he opted to resign because of threats on his life and on his family. Lacson said that if the drug lords can operate inside the NBP “Mafia-style,” they can threaten the families of authorities. “[Director General] Dela Rosa should address that.” Law enforcement agencies have repeatedly conducted raids within the walls of the national penitentiary. The operations, which were carried out even when De Lima was Justice secretary, yielded weapons and mobile devices believed to be used by drug lords in their operations. n
Over 1 million file COCs for barangay...
PAGE A5 COCs filed could still increase since the latest figures came only from 1,625 out of the 1,633 cities and municipalities nationwide. According to Jimenez, the figure reflected only the number of COCs filed and not the official candidates yet. Of the figure, Jimenez said, 722,081 COCs were filed for the barangay elections while 418,906 were submitted for the SK polls. He said that 87,127 are running for barangay captain while 634,954 want to become village council members or kagawad. For the youth councils, 83,127 bets want to become chairman while 335,779 are running for kagawad. A majority or 759,077 of those who filed their COCs were males. Female aspirants accounted only for 381,910. According to Jimenez, the data came from 1,625 cities and municipalities nationwide. The filing of COCs started last April 14 and ended on April 20.
The Comelec also reported that it is set to come out on Friday with the list of areas to be placed under control of the commission during the barangay and SK elections. “We are now in the process of determining the areas to be placed under Comelec control and will come out with a list by Friday,” said acting Comelec Chairman Al Parreño. The Philippine National Police (PNP) had earlier identified 7,544 election hot spots in the country. Parreño said the high number of election hot spots is not surprising since the figure is commonly high during barangay elections because the candidates reside in the same area. “During barangay elections, usually there are more incidents being monitored,” the poll official said. For this reason, the Comelec asked the PNP to strictly implement checkpoints in accordance with the poll body’s guidelines and protocols.
He said the Comelec is also set to discuss the procedures in the declaration of Comelec controlled areas. With the barangay and SK polls just a few weeks away, the Comelec sought the appointment of two more commissioners to fill the remaining vacancies in the poll body. Parreño said the agency hopes resident Duterte will fill the remaining vacancies after the appointment of retired Court of Appeals (CA) associate justice Socorro Inting as new poll commissioner. Inting is scheduled to assume her post in early May. “Of course we would want a complete en banc,” Parreño said, noting that it would greatly help if the seven-man commission will have full membership before the May 14 elections. He said the work will be much easier if all the seats in the commission are filled. The [resident earlier appointed Inting to replace retired commissioner Arthur Lim. n
FOOTSTEPS OF JESUS Madaba, Mt. Nebo, Petra, Aqaba, Jordan
(Tiberias, Ceasarea, Haifa, Meggido,Magdala, Nazareth, Cana, Mt Carmel, Capernaum, Mt. Beatitude, Jericho, Bethany, Mt.Tabor, Mount Zion, Mt. of Olives, Old & New Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Qumran, Masada Dead Sea, Allen by Bridge, Madaba, Mt Nebo Petra, Aqaba Jordan)
OCTOBER 18 to NOVEMBER 1, 2018 SPIRITUAL CHAPLAIN: REV. ANTONIO FLORES Oct. 18, 2018( Thursday) Day 1 – MNL HKG, TEL AVIV, ISRAEL Oct. 25, 2018 (Thursday) Day 8 - Jerusalem Trans-Atlantic flight from LAX to Ben Gurion International Airport, Tel Aviv, Mass at the Holy Eucharist Church of St Peter in Gallicantu “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us...” (John 1:14) Israel. (Meals served in-flight) We will walk to view the Dome of the Rock from the outside, and visit the Oct. 18, 2018 (Friday) Day 1 – Arrive at Ben Gurion Airport, Tel Aviv/ Western Wall, ( Wailing Wall ) the only part of the Herodian Temple still Tiberias standing and the most sacred place in the world for Jews. Then, we will Arrival from Manila still Oct. 18,2018 late in the evening. After we clear drive to Mt. Zion, to visit the Upper Room, revered as the site of the Last Immigration and Customs, will be met by our driver for transfer to tiberias . Supper, then survey the Dormition Abbey, and the Church of St. Peter in enjoy the panoramic view of the Mediterranean. We will spend our first night Gallicantu, the site where Peter denied Jesus three times. After the day’s in Tiberias. Dinner and overnight (D). Gai Beach Hotel (Oct. 19, 2018) Holy tour, we will return to our hotel for dinner and overnight. Jerusalem (B, D) Eucharist Notre Dame Vatican Hotel Oct. 20, 2018 (Saturday) Day 3 - Tiberias/ Meggido/ Nazareth/ Cana / Oct. 26, 2018 (Friday) Day 9 - Mount of Olives/Gethsemane/Bethlehem/ Mt Tabor Jerusalem (New City)/Ein Karem We will have short stop in Meggido and the Plains of Armageddon, known in Mass at the Church of Nativity Hebrew as Meggido, a giant fortress and City built by King Solomon. In the New “O mountain of God, receive me, a mother, with my child.” (Protoevangelium Testament book of Revelation, it is referred as the sites of the “final battle”. of James 22:3) From there, we will continue our drive into Nazareth, where we will have Mass We will arrive at the Mount of Olives, to enjoy another view of Jerusalem, in the Church of the Annunciation, the Cave of the Annunciation and visit the Chapel of Ascension, Pater Noster Church and the Dominus visit Joseph’s Workshop and Then we will move on to Cana of Galilee, where Flevit (“God wept”) sanctuary. Next, we’ll walk the Palm Sunday Road to the Our Lord performed His first miracle: changing water into wine at the wedding Garden of Gethsemane, and visit the Rock of Agony and the Church of feast. We will invite couples to Bless their marriage vows, Continue to Mount all Nations. In the afternoon, we’ll drive to Bethlehem, a city whose name is Tabor, site of Jesus Transfiguration Afterward, we will head to Tiberias. Dinner recognized around the world. After celebrating Mass at the Church of Nativity, and overnight in Tiberias. (B/D).Gai Beach Hotel. we will see the Manger; visit the Church of St. Catherine, the Grotto of St. Oct. 21, 2018 (Sunday) Day 4 - Tiberias/Mount Beatitude/ Multiplication / Primacy/ Capernum/Boat Ride “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” Early AM departures to Mt. Beatitude Drive up to Mount Beatitudes, visit the site of the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus preached to the people. Eucharistic Celebration. Enjoy a scenic boat ride across the Sea of Galilee to Capernaum, home of Our Lord during his ministry. After visiting the Synagogue where he taught, proceed to Tabgha, the site of the miracle of the loaves and fishes. Then to the Church Primacy of St Peters. Overnight Magdala ( BB, D)
Jerome and the Shepherds’ Fields. Then we will return to Jerusalem (New City), to view the Temple Model to see how it looked during the time of Jesus. Here, we will gain a better understanding between the old and new cities of Jerusalem. Up next is a trip to Ein Karem, birthplace of St. John the Baptist, to see the Visitation Church, where Mary proclaimed her famous “Magnificat”. We will end our day by returning to our Hotel. (B/D).
Oct. 23, 2018 (Tuesday) DAY 6 - Jordan Valley/Jericho/Bethany/ Jerusalem Mass at the Church of St. Lazarus MAGDALA, Israel – 2009 Discoveries from a new archaeological dig are creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the home of Mary Magdalene.”She lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue dating back to the time of Jesus. According to archaeologists, it’s the first one discovered in the Galilee.
famous mosaic map of the Holy Land. Then we will drive down to Aqaba. Overnight in Aqaba (B/D). Movenpick Resort & Residence.
Oct. 27, 2018 (Saturday) Day 10 - Jerusalem/ Dead Sea/ Qumran/ Masada Mass at the Church of all Nations After breakfast, we will celebrate mass at the Church of all Nations and then we will drive to Dead Sea, the lowest spot on earth. Visit Qumran; see the Oct. 22, 2018 (Monday) Day 5 - Magdala Full day retreat , Focus will Include programs based on the historical caves where the Dead Sea scrolls were discovered. Continue to Masada, visit Herod’s fortress and the Jew’s last stronghold against the Roman. Return to and Religious value of the Magdala sites Jerusalem for dinner and Overnight (B, D) More info coming up as we get closer to the dates MAGDALA, Israel – 2009 Discoveries from a new archaeological dig are Oct. 28, 2018 (Sunday) Day11 - Jerusalem/Allenby Bridge/Madaba/ creating excitement in the area where Jesus began his ministry. The village is Jordan/Mt. Nebo/ Aqaba called Magdala (Migdal in Hebrew), and it’s the home of Mary Magdalene.”She Mass at Mount Nebo lived here and she met Jesus here and she continued with Him. Yes, it’s On this day, we head to Allenby Bridge and cross into Jordan. We will go to that place The most important discovery in Magdala has been a synagogue the Baptismal Site at Bethany, which Pope John Paul II visited in 2000. dating back to the time of Jesus. According to archaeologists, it’s the first one Then, it’s on to Mount Nebo, where Moses viewed the Promised Land. Our discovered in the Galilee. next stop will be the Church of St. George in Madaba, which hosts the
Oct. 24, 2018 ( Wednesday) Day 7 - Jerusalem (Old City)/Via Dolorosa/ Mount Zion Mass at the Church of the Holy Sepulcher “And he bearing his cross went forth into a place called the place of a skull, which is called in the Hebrew Golgotha.” (John 19:17) We will enter the Old City of Jerusalem and will follow the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) and say the Station of the Cross to the holiest shrine in Christendom, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, visit Golgotha and the Tomb of Our Lord. After mass, we return to the hotel for breakfast. After breakfast, we will enter the Old City, sing a hymn in the Church of St. Anne and view the Pool of Bethesda. Then we will visit the Chapel of Flagellation, Lithostratos (where the soldiers played the Game of Kings) and the Arch of the “Ecce Homo”. Dinner/Overnight Notre Dame Vatican hotel
Oct 29, 2018 (Monday) Day 12 - Aqaba/Petra Mass at Stella Maris Church – Aqaba After breakfast, we will journey through the Siq, until we get our first glimpse of the Khazneh (Treasury). Then will we walk down to visit the Temple and view the many caves all around the Theater. At the end of the tour, we will drive back to Aqaba for overnight and dinner (B/D). Movenpick Resort & Residence Oct. 30, 2018 (Tuesday) Day 13 - Aqaba/ Jerusalem We Cross the Jordanian Border to return to Jerusalem. Dinner/Overnight Oct. 31, 2018 (Wednesday) Day 14 - Jerusalem /Yad Vashem Museum/ TLV/ LAX After breakfast, we will visit the Yad Vashem Museum,is Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust. It is dedicated to preserving the memory of the dead; honoring Jews who fought against their Nazi oppressors and Gentiles who selflessly aided Jews in need; and researching the phenomenon of the Holocaust in particular and genocide in general, with the aim of avoiding such events in the future. After the Western Wall, Yad Vashem is the second-most-visited Israeli tourist site. Return to the hotel for lunch and relaxation in preparation for our return flight back to the USA after early dinner will be transferred to the airport for flight Oct 31, 2018 8:45 PM departure from TLV End of Our Memorable Pilgrimage to Jesus Home Land!!!
HARD STRAW. A girl examines a straw made of bamboo sold in Manila as the country observed Earth Day. This year’s celebration focused on the reduction of plastic wastes. ManilaTimes.net photo by Andrea de la Cruz
De Lima’s bizarre award confirms... PAGE A6 thing. It merely asked the justice department to further investigate the allegations. If the committee was the Senate committee on justice that De Lima had headed, it was her colleagues in the 2016 senatorial elections, Senators Sherwin Gatchalian, and Joel Villanueva, Senator Grace Poe who ran against Duterte in that election, and nearly all of its members, who voted to remove her as its chairman. Gatchalian very aptly explained why: She was making the committee “a hollow vehicle for the fulfillment of personal political vendettas.” That committee when it was cochaired by the independent senators Richard Gordon and Panfilo Lacson concluded after six hearings that “there is no sufficient evidence to prove Duterte’s administration is sponsoring summary killings” in the country. “Arrested and jailed for as yetuntried-crimes”? It was De lima who delayed the trial against her by filing a case at the Supreme Court that she should be tried not by the regular courts but by the Sandiganbayan. That was a preposterous claim, intended to delay a trial. Any college student would know that since the charges against her were for her involvement in the illegal drug trade, it is a regular court that will try her. The Sandiganbayan is a special court that tries cases of government corruption. Eight months after De Lima filed the case at the Supreme Court, it threw it out October last year. But she filed another petition asking to change its decision. The Court, after a thorough review, upheld its decision last week. Yet Fortune claims that De Lima is in jail with-
out trial? Fortune doesn’t even mention that De Lima is in jail on horrendous illegal-drug charges. One of these would be shocking to Westerners: The Bilibid prison, purportedly the country’s highsecurity prison where the most terrible criminals are jailed, had been transformed when it was under De Lima’s supervision as justice secretary, into a command and even distribution center of drug lords who had been serving time there. Bilibid Hilton And the charges against her aren’t just for command responsibility for this. Witnesses, which included her lover Dayan and the former head of the prison, testified that she was getting huge amounts of bribes so she would allow the national penitentiary to be a command center of drug lords. These criminals were even allowed to construct hotel-like facilities where they lived, that the prison had been dubbed the Bilibid Hilton. The shocking details of De Lima’s involvement were even televised in the hearings by the House of Representatives justice committee which heard hour upon hour of testimony from more than 30 witnesses, which even included the former head of the prison and the drug lords themselves. I am belaboring the point: Not by any stretch of the imagination is there an iota of truth in Fortune’s portrayal of De Lima as a “prisoner of conscience,” much less as among the world’s greatest leaders for 2018. Even her colleagues at the Liberal Party have started to ignore her that no leader of the opposition has even visited her in the past several months. But there is reason for Fortune’s
madness in including her in its list of world leaders. The bizarre award, just like the Pulitzer Prize recently given to Reuters’ extremely biased series on “Duterte’s War,” is part of the U.S. media’s heightened campaign—helped by the Yellow Cultists and especially by a New York-based FilipinoAmerican tycoon—to bring down this president, by portraying him to the world as a mass murderer. Over-used narrative It is an old, over-used narrative that the American media has often deployed that it is so transparent: A persecuted woman who boldly defies a strongman, as in the case of Cory Aquino or Aung San Suu Kyi, both of whom ironically turned out to be worse in terms of adherence to human rights than the dictators they brought down. Why would U.S. media do that? Partly because of its mindset that it is the world’s champion of human rights, and after Duterte was tagged as violator, it ignores whatever proof presented that he is not. Media as anywhere in the world delights in fighting a perceived evil-doer, and they believe U.S. journalists are infallible. There is though a more important reason: Duterte is the first ever Philippine president to defy the U.S. which has been the country’s master for decades. He is bringing the country closer to the emerging superpower, China, which the U.S. perceives as its biggest competitor, and even enemy in the coming decades. He is moving in his own way to weaken U.S. hegemony in the world, and to usher in a multipolar world. The U.S.’ Deep State just cannot allow that, especially as other nations may just follow Duterte’s precedent. (ManilaTimes.net)
Marian Pilgrimage France, Spain & Portugal September 8 to September 21, 2018 Spiritual Director: rev. John Duy nguyen Still one of the great pilgrimages shrines in the world, visited by thousands of pilgrim’s. Arrive in Lourdes in the late afternoon, orientation to the shrines and spends some time in the sanctuary. Dinner & overnight. Sept. 9, 2018 - (Sunday) Day 2 - Paris (CDG) Arrived Paris CDG, Then after we clear immigration and collect our (BB, D) Luggage,. you will proceed to your hotel and have mass and dinner. Sept. 15, 2018 - (Saturday) Day 8 - Lourdes Overnight in Paris. (D) You will have early morning bath at the healing water of Lourdes. Then return to the hotel for breakfast. There after attend Holy Mass Sept. 10, 2018 - (Monday) Day 3 - Paris Paris is one of the most popular tourist destinations in the world, also at the Grotto. continue the day with a walking tour of the shrines and known as the City of Light. Full day touring with local guide, including places associated with the life of St. Bernadette. Spend some time visit of the Eiffel tower, Notre Dame Cathedral, Basilica of Sacre meditating on the passion of our Lord through more than life size Coeur, The chapel of the Miraculous Medal in Rue de Bac is the site exotic way of the sacrament and prayers. Afternoon will be free time of Marian Apparitions and contain the reliquaries of St. Catherine for private devotion. Dinner/overnight (BB, D) Laboure and St. Louise De Marillac. The shrine of St. Vincent the Paul is within walking distance, a few blocks from Rue De Bac, visit Sept. 16, 2018 - (Sunday) Day 9 - Lourdes / Zaragoza the chapel which houses the relic of St. Vincent the Paul. Overnight After Breakfast, you’ll continue your drive towards Zaragoza, Spain. Visit the shrines of Our Lady of Pillar, the 2nd most popular in Paris (BB/D) pilgrimages sites in Spain. See the Magnificent altar in the Basilica, built on site where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to the apostles Sept. 11, 2018 - (Tuesday) Day 4 - Paris/Lisieux After breakfast, Full day in Lisieux, home of St Therese, who at age St. James, before her assumption into heaven. Dinner/overnight 15, entered the convent and became Carmelite nun, she took the Zaragoza (BB, D) religious name of St Therese of the child Jesus and the Holy face. The spirituality of her little ways was not about extraordinary things, but Sept. 17, 2018 - (Monday) Day 10 - Zaragoza / Salamanca rather about doing simple things of life well and with extraordinary After breakfast you will embark on a trip to Salamanca. You will have love. She believed and taught that “Everything is Grace”, God’s face a short stop and panoramic tour of Avila. Upon arrival in Salamanca, and presence could be experienced in every person and situation of you will visit the Old Cathedral and tour the city. Dinner /overnight our lives, if we just attend with love and expectancy. She died at the Salamanca (BB, D) age of 24 believing that her life was really the beginning for God, promising to spend her heaven doing good on earth, her promised” Sept. 18, 2019 - (Tuesday) Day 11 - Salamanca / Fatima shower of Roses” began and have become a torrent in the church After Breakfast, you will spend the first half of the day touring ever since. Return to Paris, Dinner in a restaurant near the hotel. Salamanca. You will visit the new cathedral with a short stop at Plaza Mayor for lunch. After lunch you will continue to Fatima, the Overnight in Lisieux (BB, D) famous Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. Upon arrival you will have a Sept. 12, 2018 - (Wednesday) Day 5 - Lisieux / Nevers / Paray- short orientation tour of the Sanctuary. Attend the nightly Candlelight procession at the Shrine. Dinner and Overnight Fatima (BB, D) Le-Monial After Breakfast, Continue your drive to the picturesque Loire valley to Nevers, visit the convent of St. Gillard, where St. Bernadette’s Sept. 19, 2018 - (Wednesday) Day 12 - Fatima incorrupt body miraculously preserved since her death in 1879. Breakfast, then Visit the Museum dedicated to the Blessed Virgin At the conclusion of the eighteen apparitions of the Virgin Mary Mary followed by Mass at the Apparitions chapel, Full day Guided in Lourdes, St. Bernadette lived for 12 years as a member of the tours includes the Shrines ground, visit of the tombs of Francisco congregation of the sisters of charity of Nevers. St Gildard convent and Jacinta in the Basilica, In Aljustrel and Valinhos, you see the is her final resting place. After she was blessed with the apparitions two homes of the shepherds, site of Our Lady’s fourth apparitions. of the Virgin Mary in Lourdes, St. Bernadette retired in Nevers. She Stop at the Parish church where the seers were baptized, and the received her religious habit in 1866. Continue to Paray-Le-Monial for cemetery where Francisco and Jacinta were once buried. You will do the station of the Cross. We encourage everyone to spend some time Dinner & Overnight (BB, D) in the Blessed Sacrament, which is open every day. Dinner/overnight Fátima. (BB, D) Sept. 13, 2018 - (Thursday) Day 6 - Paray-Le-Monial After Breakfast, you will tour Paray-Le-Monial. Your first stop is the Basilica of the Sacred Heart and here you will celebrate Holy Sept. 20, 2018 - (Thursday) Day 13 - Fatima / Lisbon Eucharist. Then you will tour and admire the Romanesque basilica After breakfast ,you will proceed to Lisbon with stops at Santarem and see the Chapel of Apparitions. After the Basilica, you will proceed to visit the church of the Holy Miracle containing the Glorious to the Monastere e la Visitation. Visit the reliquary of Saint Margaret 13th century Eucharistic Miracle of Santarem .Then you will do a Mary of Alocoque at the Chapel of Visitation. Still to see and visit after panoramic city tour of Lisbon, with a visit to the Basilica of St Anthony lunch is the Park of the Chaplain and the Chapel of St. Colombiere. de Padua, St Jeronimo’s Monastery and the famous Belem Tower. Dinner/Overnight Lisbon (BB, D) Dinner & Overnight (BB, D) Sept. 8, 2018 - (Saturday) Day 1 USA/PARIS Transatlantic flight from USA to Paris (CDG )Meals serve on board.
Sept. 14, 2018 - (Friday) Day 7 - Paray-Le-Monial / Lourdes Sept. 21, 2018 - (Friday) - Early AM transfer to Lisbon After breakfast you will continue your pilgrimage to Lourdes. Lourdes, Airport for flight home to USA celebrating 160 Years of apparitions of Blessed Virgin to Bernadette. Full of wonderful memories of Our Pilgrimage
A
april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
VEGAS&STYLE
B
Journal
Stargazer: Filipina aura reader, clairvoyant, psychic medium on helping individuals reach their potential By Christina
M. Oriel
AJPress
“Since i was a young child, i was kind of different,” Stargazer — her chosen professional name — begins narrating how she realized her “gift.” Her gift? The ability to look at individuals by tapping into their auras, energies, and vibrations and then telling them who they are; and also serving as a channel between the spiritual and physical worlds. “Different in the sense that i would talk to people but it’s like talking without saying much or not verbalizing anything,” she continues. “i could feel a person or i could read their mind as early as when i was a small child. i would say things ahead of what the other person would say.” early on in this interview, however, Stargazer makes it clear that she is not a fortune teller — she doesn’t need to rely on a crystal ball or cards to tell the story— nor does she embody a modern day version of God. Rather, she refers to herself as an aura reader, clairvoyant and psychic medium who uses readings to help individuals move forward by clearing negative blocks
and achieve their potential. “Life coaching from a different perspective,” she says. “The goal is to boost prosperity, good luck, good health and harmony.” She also emphasizes her faith in God as a practicing catholic and that her readings are not meant to alter or interfere with the higher being. “i bring them closer to God because i have proof that the negative spirits are afraid of God. When you see them, why is it that exorcism prayers work? When you drive them away, when you bombard them with the white light, they go away. it’s because they acknowledge the presence of God. it’s not a man-made thing that it’s my power. There’s no such thing as your power. You still have to hold onto God,” she says, explaining the power of prayers. When she speaks, it is softly and sensitively, pausing at times to let the recipient soak her readings in. Though she bares the “truth,” she does not pour out everything she sees in a person, as she believes certain things will reveal themselves at the right times. “i don’t want people dependent on me. There are people who seek my guidance. But when they
Stargazer hosts a two-hour radio show on Sundays called “Pinoy Vibes” on DZMM, wherein she does on-air readings for callers.
become too dependent on me, i stay away. i let you make your decisions. i tell you what is right, i give you the guidelines. i clear your energies and that’s it. now you make your decisions because you have to make your choices because what your choices are, you answer for your own karma. But if ever there are some things that are negative, i may help you. if you do it with [the] sincerity in your heart and if you’re made to really fight negative spirits and clear energies, then do it.” Training the gift There are many instances during her elementary school years wherein she would have encounPAGE B2
Korina Sanchez and Kris Aquino once shared hosting duties on ‘Morning Girls with Kris and Korina;’ today politics is their common denominator. ABS-CBN photo
Kris hits Korina for featuring ‘deadbeat’ ex-husband by Christina
alpad ManilaTimes.net
Stargazer’s tips for spring cleaning your energies for a more positive life in an exclusive interview with the Asian Journal, Stargazer shares her top pieces of advice for moving positive energy within yourself and your surroundings. On continuing the year right. “First, you have to acknowledge mistakes in the past. Acknowledging means not denying. it’s a review of your past year. Where did i go wrong? And moving forward, what should i do now? You know that we are not perfect but we can do better. So if you know that this strategy or what you did in the past is wrong, what are you planning to do? it must be something like move forward.” On timing. “if there are people who you’ve broken your bridges or burned bridges with, let it be. it takes time. Do not force yourself to resolve issues at your own timing.
You have to respect the timing of others also.” On a positive mindset. “There is such a thing as calculated risk and calculated positivity. Sometimes there are people too overly positive, which makes them too aggressive and not thinking of ‘what ifs.’ You have to have a healthy way to look at positivity. it’s not being too unrealistic, but it’s a realistic positivity. So there are people who say, ‘Ah, kaya ko ‘to!’ (I can do this), but honestly how? if you don’t have the resources? So you move or you think and you aim for something positive but realistic. You start with what is achievable. if people go for the unachievable, then that’s where failure comes in. That’s why you have to move slowly but surely. PAGE B2
JuST when netizens thought Kris Aquino had said enough in two lengthy—and cutting—instagram posts about ex-husband James Yap, accusing him of being an absentee father to their son Bimby, the erstwhile “Queen of All Media” turned “Queen of Digital infotainment” called out broadcaster Korina Sanchez on Sunday for featuring Yap and his new son
with partner Michela cazzola on “Rated K.” “i have really had enough,” Aquino wrote, starting a fresh page on instagram, which curiously showed her photo with President Rodrigo Duterte, insinuating she had wanted to support the former Davao Mayor rather than Sanchez’ husband Mar Roxas for president in 2016. “Simple lang—minsan lang PAGE B2
James Reid morphs into an acting idol by Christina
alpad ManilaTimes.net
JAMeS Reid definitely has the looks of a star, boosted by his singing and dancing skills; but despite several hit teleseryes and blockbuster movies, there have long remained doubts about his acting capabilities—that is, until “never not Love You” hit cinemas these last few weeks to box office success. noted as Reid and perennial co-star and real-life girlfriend nadine Lustre’s most mature movie to date, the Viva entertainment release cemented the latter’s acting prowess while proving critics 24-year-old James Reid shines bright in his that her man can hold his own latest movie ‘Never Not Love You’. PAGE B3
B april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
EntErtainmEnt
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Cole Sprouse shares fond memories of PH visit Breaking borders with Maja Salvador by C.
Mendez Legaspi Philstar.com
Cole Sprouse, star of the TV series “Riverdale,” was a recent Manila visitor. Since Cole earned a degree in the humanities and archaeology at New York University, talking to him on such a seemingly “superficial” topic as fashion, one would be illuminated with his stylish—and scientific—take on his personal sartorial aesthetic and expression, and his intellectual pursuits. He is bubbly in person, as opposed to the brooding Jughead he plays on the show. What is most impressive is that having enjoyed a successful career, shared with twin brother Dylan (“Big Daddy,” “The Suite life of Zack and Cody”), at a young age, Cole did not spiral into the madness that befell some of the biggest child stars of his generation (Miley Cyrus, lindsay lohan, Amanda Bynes, Aaron Carter, to name a few). At his press con as a Bench endorser at the Makati Shangri-la, the 25-year-old matinee idol was grilled on his latest gigs and gamely answered questions thrown his way. He was candid, gesticulating like an Italian (he was born in Tuscany) and always with a mischievous smile. On working with Filipinos “Well, they’d just been paying me with food, so it’s great. Yeah, that was part of the agreement that I come over for free as long as they give me the best food around. (He had been food-tripping at Divisoria, Poblacion, seafood market, Bench Cafe.)” “It’s fantastic (working with Bench). Until ‘Riverdale’ has seen some success, I didn’t realize how large the audience was here. In social media, it has given as an awareness, how big the show has really been out here. So the second that Bench reached out and gave me an opportunity to come out here, we jumped on it,” Cole said. “This has really been a wonderful experience. last night as I was out with Ben Chan, I happened to mention that I had a great collection of masks. I collect antique masks. And he showed up today with a beautiful antique mask and I was so flattered. What he didn’t know was if he put that as a payment for the entire thing, I would have come over and stayed for the rest of my life. Just bribe me with masks and I’ll be right here again, guys!” On personal style “The pieces that I might reach for are actually things that might be in my father’s closet. As a culture
by MJ
Marfori
ManilaTimes.net
THe Philippine entertainment industry is really out to invade the world as Maja Salvador proved during her european getaway early this month. The Times caught up with the prime drama actress during ger launch as the face of Blair Cosmetics, and she excitedly talked about joining the “Kapamilya Fiesta World” show in Paris with celebrity pals enchong Dee, erich Gonzales and Piolo Pascual. Besides seeing the magical eiffel Tower for the first time, a highlight for Maja was to be recognized by foreigners all over the world for her body of work. “Nagpapaka-turista kami ni enchong kasi nga first time ko Cole Sprouse receiving a gift of antique mask from Bench founder Ben Chan. Philstar.com photo makita ang eiffel Tower. Sabi ko, ‘enchong, dali picture-an mo ako.’ right now, we have a fascination wanted.” Tapos habang pini-picture-an ako He even gave some notes on may hop-on hop-off bus na tumigwith nostalgia. The style trends from the ‘90s are coming back, branding. il. Akala namin tutulungan kami “Seeing how it made me feel to trends from the ‘70s are coming back. I can fit anywhere from the wear those articles of clothing and ‘20s to the ‘60s. For me, that kind craft it into the kind of way I choose of reinforces the stuff I pick out. But to wear clothes now. In terms of PAGE B1 as I’ve said earlier, my brother and how it imbibes an edge, I think we I’s working-class lineage definitely get wrapped up in the narrative akong pinakiusapan ng kapatid informs my choice in clothing. (Dad of branding and brands and how ko—never para sa sarili nya pero Matthew and Mom Melanie are they stick to a specific look. The para sa kandidatong inendorso truth is you can find ways to turn nya. Dahil mahal ko sya ginawa english teachers.)” “I think everyone puts effort into anything into your kind of personal ko. Lahat ng batikos ng dahil sa pagtulong na yon tinaggap ko… what they wear. I think people that expression.” Why he endorses a Filipino Tatlong beses akong nagpunta sa create the illusion that they don’t Davao—sa kampanya nung 2010, put effort in what they wear is sim- brand At the height of their popu- kampanya 2013 para kay Sen Chiz ply lying. I think from the moment we get up, we choose to give an larity, the twins ventured into a and Sen Grace at nung nag Kris TV. interaction to the world around us licensing agreement with Dualstar Si PRRD lahat nung pagkakataon based on how we dress ourselves,” entertainment, owned by that na nagkaharap kami, mabuti ang other “wonder twins” Mary-Kate pinakita sa akin,” she revved up he enthused. “Wardrobe, from an archaeo- and Ashley olsen. They hawked her latest litany. “Sampal sa mukha ko ang inilalogical approach, or external rep- a clothing line, comics series, resentation is a tremendously magazine, personal hygiene line bas na feature ngayong gabi nung important way of interacting with and sportswear. The venture was misis ni Mar Roxas,” she said more directly. your environment and the world, from 2005 to 2012. From 2002 to 2004, Aquino Cole and Dylan are represented so I do put effort into what I wear. As an entertainer, (you should be by IMG Models under “Talent,” co-hosted a show with Sanchez mindful of) how people perceive together with Cara Delevingne, Ci- via “Morning Girls with Kris and you and fashion is one of those ara, Gal Gadot, luke evans, Chrissy Korina.” “Yes pinepersonal ko dahil Teigen and Zachary Quinto, as well extensions.” According to him, he had “a as Penshoppe endorsers Cameron binuwis ko ang kinabukasan namin ng mga anak ko ng walang long period of explorations when Dallas and lucky Blue Smith. The American also shared what inasahang kapalit. At ang ganti sa it comes to my personal style especially when I was in college where I he loves most about Filipinos and ‘kin at sa mga anak ko ngayon ay was wearing the most insane things the Philippines. “For me, I enjoyed it because it that most people were absolutely disgusted by. over time as I found was family-oriented. It also gave me myself and my style became more a chance to interact with an audi- PAGE B1 firmly entrenched and I needed ence I didn’t perceive was this big. to stick to something… In New Quite frankly, it gave me a chance ters with spirits. one such story York, it’s a great place to do that. to travel. It gave me a chance to ex- was during a field trip in the fourth Personal style is so much more ac- perience the Philippines. That alone grade at a park when she noticed cepted out there and differences is would have been enough and it just a female classmate foaming at the sort of celebrated unlike anywhere so happens to have also been sur- mouth and mumbling incoherently in the United State, so it allowed rounded by good, family-oriented before falling. “For whatever reason, I put me to wear whatever the heck I and loyal people.” my left hand over her head and said, ‘Mama Mary, Papa Jesus, please help her.’ And she fell,” Stargazer recounts. “one of the [nuns] saw and thought that I pushed the girl and I was sent to the principal’s office. My grandmother was called…and was not surprised because she knew as a child, she knew I was special and she didn’t say anything because the sister thought that I pushed the girl and that’s why she fell. When C<>8C @DD@>I8K@FE `j X 9@> @JJL< k_\j\ [Xpj% D8EP `e fli Zfddle`kp E<<; the girl was interviewed, she said, pfli j\im`Z\j% K_\i\ Xi\ k_fljXe[j n_f dXp nXek kf \og\[`k\ k_\`i i\j`[\eZp fi ‘No she didn’t.’ Because we were glijl\ ]lcc Z`k`q\ej_`g Ylk [feËk befn _fn kf Y\^`e Xe[ n_\i\ kf ^f% playing and she was on the other side of the aviary. She was on the other side [when] we were doing peekaboo and I just approached her because I saw something different… in [her] eyes.” 8J@8E AFLIE8CËJ GIF=<JJ@FE8C J<IM@:<J ;@I<:KFIP# n`cc efn Y\ Another time, Stargazer stayed ilee`e^ n\\bcp# \m\ip K_lij[Xp f] CXj M\^Xj <[`k`fe% late at school because she was tasked with summarizing the news on a blackboard. She says when she left the classroom, she saw 8AËj GJ; ZXe _\cg PFL i\XZ_ flk kf k_\d X]]fi[XYcp Xe[ \]]\Zk`m\cp% a man standing in the hallway. “I thought he was walking to me but he was floating towards me so...he wasn’t walking. Then I saw the red eyes. I ran because I didn’t know what to do. I was a young kid.” She could spend hours sharing these anecdotes. She later men8jb XYflk fli GIFDFK@FE8C @EKIF;L:KFIP G8:B8>< GI@:@E> n_`Z_ ilej tions how her grandmother knew pfli X[ n\\bcp ]fi dXo`dld \ogfjli\ Xk kilcp X]]fi[XYc\ iXk\j% and understood the gifts. “I remember [them] vividly even if I was young because these Fli gi`ek \[`k`fej ile `e kXe[\d n`k_ 8AËj Gi`ek <[`k`fe Fec`e\% are memories that matter,” she notes, mentioning that she tried Fec`e\1 _kkg1&&`jjll%Zfd&Xj`XeaflieXc[`^`kXc\[`k`fe to forget about her experiences when she entered high school. It wasn’t until her first year at
mag-picture, pero may lumapit sabi sa amin, sabi, ‘You’re Margaux and you’re ethan.’ Nagulat kami kasi characters pa namin yun sa ‘Ina, Kapatid, Anak’ nung 2012 and yung fan na foreigner taga-Kenya! Grabe na talaga iyong nagagawa ng mga teleserye ng ABS-CBN.” Maja considers the moment as a career highlight. “Ang sarap sa pakiramdam na nasa Paris kami pero ang nakakilala sa amin hindi isang Pilipino,” she gushed. Besides Kenya, Maja’s shows such as “Bridges of love” and “legal Wife” are huge hits in Thailand and Peru. Now breaking borders as an actress, Maja is inspired to promote Filipino entertainment to the rest of the world. “Kung dito sa Pilipinas Koreananovela ang pinapanuod, sa ibang bansa teleserye ng Pilipino ang pinapnuod nila kaya ang laki ng chances na mas makilala pa
Maja Salvador
ABS-CBN photo
tayo.” But while Maja is on break from prime time TV, with “Wildflower” ending triumphantly, she is scheduled in June to fly out to Thailand for a project with a big star there.
Kris hits Korina for featuring ‘deadbeat’... binida pa ang deadbeat na tatay,” Aquino continued. “I apologize sa Kuya ko, humihingi rin ako ng paumanhin sa ninang ko na nanay ni Mar—pero klarong klaro sa kin kung bakit ang nanalong Pangulo ay si Duterte,” she abrubtly ended. It will be remembered that over the weekend, Aquino explained that Yap’s “hypocritical” birthday greeting for their 11-year-old son Bimby pushed her to reveal the ugly truth about the basketball player’s relationship with their son. Besides his absence in his life, she called him out for never giving his share of tuition fees for the boy after receiving millions in settlement from their annulment. on Sunday, April 22, Sanchez’ “Rated K” featured Yap and his young family with Cazzola in a segment called “Baby Idol,” where other celebrity children were also introduced. Three hours after publishing her angry post about Sanchez,
however, she went online to write a follow up, saying, “…I apologize for including politics, but that is the unfortunate baggage and responsibility of my last name. But I will not delete any posts because my anger comes from the heart of a mother who has been unnecessarily stepped on by someone who has been blessed with a loving and devoted husband and does not know the hardship of having to go (at) it alone (rewritten after some prayers)… “I do sincerely apologize to my brother. And I apologize to President Duterte. And Mar, to you I am sorry. In the same way I would always wonder why I would be dragged into issues not of my doing—I was guilty of that tonight…” part of the second post read. The following day, Sanchez responded with a cryptic post on her own Instagram account that said, “life is like a merry-go-round. Remember to ride with the eyes of a child and stay happy!”
Stargazer: Filipina aura reader, clairvoyant...
:8IG< ;@<D
8KK<EK@FE @DD@>I8K@FE C8NP<IJ
JK8E; FLK =IFD K?< G8:B%
:8CC PFLI 8::FLEK D8E8><I .') .0)$--./
Stargazer doing a reading in Melbourne, Australia in September 2017
Ateneo De Manila University as a communication arts major when she started to develop her gifts. She entered college at 15 after skipping a few grades. one afternoon, she was walking with four books in tow (each about Taoism, Zoroastrianism, Buddhism, and Islam) when a man approached her, causing her to drop the books. The man was the late Jaime Bulatao — a Jesuit priest and chair of the university’s psychology department at the time, known on campus as “Father Bu” — who picked up the books and introduced himself, grabbing her hand. (He passed away in 2015 at the age of 92 and is considered one of the fathers of Philippine psychology.) “He was touching my hand in a very weird way. He was trying to rub the middle of my palm. He said, ‘Do you want to develop your third eye?’ I said, ‘oh, should I develop it?” And he said, ‘It’s up to you.’”
Still hesitant about the offer to train with him, another encounter with Father Bu guided her decision. “When my friends and I would walk going toward our classrooms, we would see him talking [and] standing in front of a tree. He was saying something and we would approach him and ask him, ‘Father, what’s there? What you see?’ ‘oh, there’s a white lady here.’ And me being clairvoyant, I could see the white lady. All the while, I thought there [actually] was a lady. She was seated on the tree. I thought it was really odd,” Stargazer narrates, describing how she can “see” spirits as actual humans, translucent figures, outlines, or energies. But to her, this “white lady” looked like an ordinary student sitting on the tree. “With this, the more the priest reminded me to come to him and be guided,” she recalls. Her lessons with Father Bu PAGE B3
Stargazer’s tips for spring cleaning your... PAGE B1 On love one’s self and others. “love more. When you start the year, you say, ‘I will love myself more.’ People always forget to love themselves when we give too much and you think too much. loving yourselves may simply mean that I take time for myself. It’s not saying that I won’t love my family but I will love myself more. I will allow myself space, I will allow myself to do other things for the enrichment of myself. You may devote your time for family and work but also leave space for yourself.” On decluttering. “Declutter. In your house, leave room for energies to move around. What is leaving room for energy to move around? Paths and ways where you walk — leave them open so energies can move in. once a week, try to open your windows and let the fresh air come in. Curtains, draw them towards the sides. let the sunshine come in, that’s how you make the new year right. Play music or have a bell and
move around, try to sound the bell in each room. There are rooms that you don’t occupy or there are rooms that you just have it as a stock room or you put things, open it, open the lights, open the windows and then ring the bell. Also, put some rock salt or Himalayan salt, put them in small shot glasses and put them around the house. It absorbs negativity. If it turns hard or it absorbs humidity, it becomes liquid, throw them away but be careful, wear gloves. Throw the salt. Flush them in the toilet and put salt again.” On plants and crystals. “Put more plants around the house. Don’t put [cacti]. I don’t like [them] because they have thorns. Get something friendly — get a fortune plant or a bamboo plant. Put them in places where you feel it’s dull. If it dies, replace until the energy is good; you would know that the energy is good if it stops dying and if it continues to grow then you have good energy. For people who believe in crystals, it’s also nice to have crystals around
the house. But please don’t put hot crystals beside your bed because you won’t be able to sleep if you have high energy crystals. What is nice by the bedside is an amethyst or a rose quartz.” On meditation. “It’s very simple. Music anything you respond to, some people do not respond to the birds chirping, anything that relaxes you but not heavy metal, not things with drums because it makes your heart beat more. It makes you palpitate. Something soothing, you start with that. And when you’re able to relax and let go of your worries and what you’re thinking of, that can be the start. It’s not yet meditation. So you just have to relax and then later on, you go into focusing. Focusing means you are able to focus on object in front of you and hold it in your mind when you close your eyes. Put it in your mind and you are able to picture the object — that is already focusing techniques. Meditation is simply relaxing. The simple one is letting go of several thoughts.”
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
EntErtainmEnt
Shaina Magdayao says she’s not bothered by being single by Clarizel
G. abanilla
Inquirer.net
IT has been a while since Kapamilya actress Shaina Magdayao has last been a relationship. Nonetheless her affairs have always been among the most controversial in showbiz. Despite the failures of her attempts at love, she never really feared falling in love again. “Wala naman. Nothing major na fear ng commitment. Siguro nag-e-evolve lang,” she said at the press conference for her upcoming movie “Single Single” with Matteo Guidicelli. “When you’re younger you’re more fearless, you’re more careless but as you grow older mas calculated na ‘yung ginaagawa mo sa buhay mas pinag-iisipan mo yung mga risks involved,” “Di naman po ‘yung tipong phobia. Pero ‘yun nga po, you think about your decisions first before going into a relationship,” she added. She’s also very much open to entertaining a new love but is not at all pressuring herself into
having one. While most women her generation are gearing towards getting married or starting a family, Magdayao’s priority is her career and chooses to let love happen if it would happen. “Ako okay pa naman. Oo naman, if it comes, it comes. If it happens, it happens, she said. “Habang hindi pa, do things that are productive gaya ng trabaho. Marami pang nangyayare sakin na maganda eh, nonstop from ‘The Better Half’ and now ‘Asintado’ na hindi rin biro ‘yung mga trabahong napupunta sa akin.” Not too long ago, actor Piolo Pascual publicly admitted that he had been “exclusively dating” the actress for over five years already. The statement spurred an immediate shocked reaction from the public. The actress had to clarify Pascual’s “exclusively dating” statement. In past interviews, Magdayao stressed that, while Pascual had been consistently someone she could rely on, they were both free
people have requests or I know there are people that I’m handling, I pray for them so that I see to it that once a month, I go out.” Return to the calling Though she trained with Father Bu while in college, after graduating, she took up a year-long course at the Philippine School of Interior Design and immediately didn’t turn her innate gift into a profession. “I just wanted to be normal in the Philippines,” she says. “I said that I was going to turn away from the gift because I want a normal family.” She spent a few years working with a real estate development and construction firm, where she could identify and advise the head boss on “good projects.” Then she joined her family’s telecommunications business, focusing on getting permits to build cell towers. “I said, ‘Where am I going? Why is it that I’m being brought back to practicing this [gift]?’” She says. “But you see one thing I realized is, okay, maybe God allowed me to for a short time to have [three] children and a husband.” “Many people would come and they would ask for help until I didn’t want to be acknowledged. I didn’t want to be in public,” she says of coming forward with her skills. In 1993, she was interviewed on “Teysi ng Tahanan,” a daily morning talk show on ABSCBN, about her ability, but she had her identity hidden. Nearly a decade later, TV personality Amy Perez approached Stargazer to be a guest on “Diretsahan,” a show on Channel 5. “It was spirit questing. It was a house that we went to where there are spirits and everything. It was the first time I showed myself on TV,” she recalls. From there, she has appeared on various talk and investigative shows on both ABS-CBN and GMA, like “Imbestigador” “Rated K,” “Magandang Umaga Pilipinas,” and “Kris TV.” Since 2007, she has hosted a two-hour program from 1 to 3 a.m. on Sunday mornings, called “Pinoy Vibes,” on Filipino radio station DZMM. Though primarily based in the Philippines, she gives individual readings and lectures on the paranormal across the globe, including Australia and the United States. There have been some scenarios wherei n she would be asked to piece together unsolved crimes, read mysterious deaths or unfinished business with spirits. Stargazer is asked, “Why do certain things happen to us?” “On the plane once, I was having a conversation with a healing priest and he told me, ‘Star, it is not true that God gives us challenges. God loves us. God gives us good things. But why do we have challenges? These are products of what we did,’” she recounts. “He said, ‘When you say you have cancer, it can be that it’s your lifestyle, the food you eat, if you smoke, if you’re not healthy. But there’s another thing also, it’s genetics.’ It’s very rare that other spirits would cause you harm but then you know, spirits also can do you harm but probably cancer. They would give you certain sicknesses or diseases but not cancer. Or it’s more of what we did in the past. That’s why when you say past life, it’s what we did in the past but it’s also very sensitive when we talk about real past lives. Like generations ago or whatever in another year, you were a princess before, that’s a different school of thought.” “You don’t blame anyone. You don’t blame God. For one thing, never blame God,” she remarks. What does karma mean to Stargazer? “Since Catholicism does not talk about past lives, what I do
B
Director is thrilled to work with Piolo by riCky
Calderon ManilaTimes.net
BOx-OFFICE writer-director Antoinette Jadaone is very pleased to be working with the ultimate heartthrob Piolo Pascual in the new ABSCBN primetime series, “Since I Found You.” The show started airing Monday this week. “Who wouldn’t want to work with Piolo,” gushed the lady director who is behind the latest blockbuster movie, “Never Not Love You,” starring Nadine Lustre and James Reid. “Since I Found You” marks Piolo’s return to the primetime slot as a romantic leading man. “We haven’t seen him for quite a while on TV but now he’s back with the support of four actors who are also good [at what they do],” said Direk Antoinette. Piolo is playing a different kind of role in “Since I Found You”—he’s been a boss before but this one isn’t loveable. “The series starts with Piolo being hated by everyone in the company he owns because of his somewhat bad attitude. As the story progresses, it will reveal how the four other characters interacting with him will change Piolo’s character for the better because of love,” said the director. Also in the series are Alessandra de Rossi, Arci ABS-CBN photo Munoz, JC De Vera and Empoy Marquez.
Shaine Magdayao Photo from Facebook/@Shaina Magdayao
to date whomever they would want to date. It’s just that incidentally they had not seen anyone but each other during the time together. But perhaps her most controversial ex-boyfriend would have to be actor John Lloyd Cruz. Their relationship has been bombarded with controversy after controversy even after their bitter break-up in 2012. Actor-director John Prats was also a boyfriend of the actress.
Stargazer: Filipina aura reader, clairvoyant... PAGE B2 began with profiling then delved into mental sending and receiving messages, and remote viewing — the practice of detailing objects or scenes that are far away. “He taught me how to zero in on certain things and see the anomalies. What is wrong? And because from afar you can see what kind of energies are there,” Stargazer says. “When you are doing a remote viewing, you would also be seeing energies if there are spirits there. So you would see beings of light [and] beings of darkness going around.” Though she didn’t see him frequently, she would be given “assignments” to practice for a month or so before she would report back to him. With these lessons, Father Bu was able to identify her areas of expertise and strengthen them. He even taught her how to communicate with comatose patients. “My forte is really remote viewing, talking to spirits. He told me when you talk to spirits, confirm whether that person or that spirit you’re talking to is the real spirit. Because there’s what you call doppelgängers. They pretend they’re your loved ones but they’re not. They’re evil spirits. Because sometimes they lure you, especially the young children — they lure the children like going down the stairs and there might be accidents. Usually when there are doppelgängers, there are accidents,” she explains. How does one distinguish a real spirit from a doppelgänger (an apparition or double of a living person)? She simply states that when loved ones show themselves to you, it’s accompanied with a message, whereas a doppelgänger will just “walk with no message.” “The spirit just tries to imitate somebody else because probably that person or that spirit is playing a trick on you or means harm to you. But you know a lot of people would ask, ‘Somebody saw a doppelgänger of me, am I going to die?’ No, that’s not it,” she continues. She also considers telekinesis — the ability to move objects at a distance by mental power — one of her specialities. During one lesson, she recalls moving a ball 1 1/2 inches. “That was a good thing about not having technology, learning to communicate with your mind,” she says. “I can read minds but the thing is I also do not like to read minds because it’s like an invasion of privacy.” With the years of training, Stargazer says she has been able to switch the mind reading on and off, especially at social gatherings. “Before, I could not. I could always feel what the person feels like you can empathize with a person and I can feel. I had to contain it. I had to control it because otherwise I would always be affected,” she says. “But as I grew older and I went on, I learned how to shut [it] off when there’s a party. It’s also why it’s so hard to invite me for a party because sometimes I get so dizzy with a lot of energies.” To recuperate her own energy after being in public or reading clients one after another, Stargazer turns to the outside, by inhaling fresh air, touching a tree or spending a few days out of town to “cleanse” and be in nature. “One of the things that I do regularly is pray and go to church. Churches that are far, I don’t go to just the church nearby. I see to it that I go to Batangas or to Laguna. I go far places because it’s part of, you know, for me when you do sacrifice and when I pray, I make sure I pray for everyone else. So it’s like recharging but when you pray, you pray for others. So if
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
believe in, let’s talk about the present… But let’s focus on what karma really is, karma simply is the scientific law of cause and effect. Karma, in Sanskrit, simply says your actions will have specific reactions. In the Bible, it says ‘what you sow, you shall reap’ and even the golden rule, ‘Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.’ I have this book that is written by Mother Teresa. It says, the karma thing is also seen in Islam and Buddhism, in Taoism, in all schools of thought. It’s simply energies that you put out will be the energies that will come back. It’s like a boomerang when you throw the bullet, it definitely goes back,” she says. However, when that action comes back, she continues, “Why is it that when it comes back, it’s in threefold? Because energy when you throw, remember it has momentum… and when it comes back…it has tripled its force because of the scientific law. That’s why you have to be careful.” Intentions and the energies behind actions and thoughts are meaningful, Stargazer adds. “That’s why you say you’re blessed, it’s because when you give out even a small thing, it comes back to you. Many people will now be helping you out. That is why it is very important that you watch out for your intentions and your actions. If you intend to do [something] to a person, it will always come back to you.” “So for me, karma is simply even your thoughts can cause karma. If I plan something bad against you, I’m already sending negative energies to you. Sometimes you can’t help it when you’re angry. That’s why it’s helpful when you’re angry, walk away. Before I was kind of confrontational. I have learned now that I will just step away, move back, turn my back against you and we’ll talk some other time because I am afraid of what I say might cause some negativity towards you. Because since I am that trained to focus my energies, I’m so afraid to be angry,” she says. There’s a quote by Wolfgang Riebe that says, “Everyone is gifted, but some people just don’t know how to open their package.” That statement is along the lines of what Stargazer believes — that everyone does have a gift and extra sensory perception. “It’s just that people do not recognize it because sometimes they’re too objective, they are too closed. They’re not open. Their minds are too cluttered,” she says. “Their minds are too obsessed with other things but if you get to see beyond…Sometimes when we pray, some things come to our mind [and] it gives you answers. That’s why meditation is very important. When you meditate and you remove the clutter in your mind, that’s when things become clear and you know.” With the demonization of psychics, mediums, fortune tellers, and the like, Stargazer wants to dispel those notions and warn individuals before they seek out a reading. “How would you know if a psychic is fake? They would fish out information from you. I had so many experiences. Of course, I will try other psychics in Sedona, they would fish out certain things,” she says. “But a good psychic will also focus on the positive to help you out. Just beware of people. There are also good people that would focus on someone dying in your family or someone getting sick. Those are the negative things — they’re easier to feel than the positive. For me, I warn people of the negative because I know that they can do something about it. I want to prevent. I don’t want to scare.”
Piolo Pascual
James Reid morphs into an... PAGE B1
in portraying a very challenging character as reckless lovers Joanne and Gio respectively. Under the direction of Antoinette Jadaone, Reid and Lustre both received glowing reviews, proven by the fact that the movie is still showing in several cinemas three weeks since opening day. Arguably though, viewers were more surprised to see Reid, whose acting gigs outside their love team JaDine had been a mix of fantasy and comedies, in an intense portrayal. As Twitter user @stevemmp_ 22 wrote, “I believe this is a breakthrough performance for @ tellemjaye. His delivery [of lines and emotions]is straight to the point. He showed that he is not the type of star that only catches the audience’s attention with a matinee idol’s smile. His acting is solid,” @MASosyolohiya, on the other hand, went as far as saying, “If award-giving bodies would be fair, James could get his very first acting award, a grand slam perhaps?” Moreover, even the Cinema Evaluation Board (CEB), which gave the movie a Grade A for meeting their standards, took notice of Reid and even compared his acting with that of late Hol-
lywood icon James Dean. “James Reid did not disappoint, channeling his inner James Dean to the big screen well into another century,” CEB wrote in its report. ‘Overwhelmed’ With such positive reviews, one can only expect Reid to be floored. “I was overwhelmed most especially because at first I was so nervous about my performance,” Reid shared at the sidelines of his launch as the new endorser of soft drink brand Mountain Dew. Asked why he was anxious, he elaborated, “Because the script was heavily character-based, not storyline-based. And so, it put a lot of pressure on me and Nadine.” And if those who have seen the movie are commending Reid for his natural acting, the actor further revealed that all he had to do was to dig deep into his own emotions. “Actually, to be honest, the character you see there is very close to me in real life; I was really trying to be as natural as possible,” he said with a smile. What’s next for JaDine Raking in box office sales of P92 million as of April 15—closing in on their movie “Diary ng Panget’s” estimated P120 million,
and their highest grossing title to date—”Never Not Love You” is shaping up to be another milestone for the love team. According to Reid, however, fans will have to wait a while longer before they shoot another movie again, as he and Lustre will only work on musical collaborations for a time. “We have a bunch of solo projects after ‘Never Not Love You’. Maybe our next would be a song that I am producing for the both of us,” he shared. The actor is currently busy shooting for the Filipino film adaptation of the Korean movie “Miss Granny” opposite Sarah Geronimo who will be playing the titular role. “We’ll resume shooting in May. It’s a funny movie cause my character falls in love with Sarah who I don’t know is my grandma.” Reid is also in the middle of shooting the film adaptation of the quintessential Filipino comic hero Pedro Penduko. Best of all, his relationship with Lustre is going strong, which is why they are both inspired to pursue their careers even in separate projects. “I just feel happy, blessed and lucky,” ended showbiz’ latest acting idol.
SATURDAY, APRIL 28
8pm at M Pavilion / Doors open at 7pm TICKETS STARTING AT $29.99 PLUS TAXES AND FEES
Purchase tickets online at Ticketmaster.com or by calling 800.745.3000
12300 Las Vegas Blvd S. Henderson, NV 89044 Reservations: 1-877-673-7678 • themresort.com
Features
B april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Goodbye Boracay — see you in six months The LINQ Promenade hosts a weekend full
of sustainable activities and entertainment
By Monet
LAS VeGAS – hundreds of revelers celebrated earth Day at The LInQ Promenade on Saturday, April 21. The LInQ Promenade went green by showcasing sustainable art and demonstrations by Las Vegas locals and pop-up shops along the outdoor entertainment district throughout the weekend. On Saturday, Desert Pines high School students spoke regarding waste and litter reduction as part of their year-long class project on the art of activism through public speaking. Artist John Born created a live Guests Gather at The LINQ Promenade for Earth Day. painting that was synced with the “Lights at The LInQ” show, a live entertainment experience that is comprised of more than 2,000 individual energy-efficient LeD lights syncopated to music. Born also painted on a variety of surfaces ranging from canvases to cars and even live models while simultaneously singing and dancing. On Sunday, pop-up shops featured works of art from local artists including Paper Flower Couture, Recycled Propaganda, Cliff’s Airbrushing, Artist John Born Performs at The LINQ Promenade.
Lu
When an island becomes an income-generating tourist spot and has drawn millions of people to its powder-white sand beaches and coral reefs, it is hard to imagine that it will suddenly come to an end – at least temporarily. I have been to Boracay and the place never fails to give me a mix of emotions. On one hand, I love that it has been a haven for travelers looking to still gain some normalcy in their routine (or nightlife) by shopping and hanging out at bars and restaurants like they are actually in a city and not on a secluded island. But of course, this comes at a cost, hence the temporary closure. As news reports have said, the rapid development and pollution that threatened its idyllic shores have led to the closure order to tourists for six months. President Rodrigo Duterte has said that inadequate sewage treatment Boracay has turned its beaches into a “cesspool.” While I am in favor of cleaning the once-virgin island that boasts of pristine clear waters and warm sands, I think this decision to close it temporarily will threaten the livelihood of thousands of people. Most of the roughly 40,000 residents of the four-square-mile island are dependent on tourism. Ms. Graf, an operator on the western side of the island says, “We want the government to help us. But closing the island is another matter altogether. We don’t want that.” “Closure means the end of jobs,” she said, asking how local workers were “going to eat in the next six months.” She predicted that it would have ripple effects across the entire Philippine economy. “You close us down, and we will likely not recover from it,” she added. “Tourism in Asia is very competitive.” The Boracay’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry also asked Mr. Duterte to reconsider, arguing that not all businesses are violators, and that those
EMPLOYMENT
found to be polluting should instead be cut off from the water supply. There are mixed reactions from the residents. Some understand the logic and thought it would be worth it in the long run. I remember back in 2010, the new York Times described Boracay as being known for its laid-back party culture and Asia’s next tourism hot spot. Since then it has landed on the covers and “best” lists of travel magazines. Foreigners, most of them Chinese or South Korean, crowd its beaches and shops, and local officials say the island drew two million visitors last year. The race for tourist dollars fueled rapid development. Bamboo huts and modest, wood-framed inns gave way to modern hotels, mall outlets and American chains like Starbucks, KFC and McDonald’s, and Caticlan Airport recently expanded to handle the flow of tourists. The boom brought jobs and money, but it also brought trash and overtaxed the island’s water and garbage disposal systems and, crucially, its sewers and storm drains. This is the reality of having a commercialized vacation spot. We reap what we sow and now ‘payback’ has followed us to this day. It’s hard to say goodbye to Boracay, but the situation has left us no other choice. I just hope that the government is sincere in this project. Rumor has it that they signed an agreement with Galaxy entertainment, a Macau-based casino operator,
and a Philippine partner to begin construction next year on a $500 million beachfront casino that would add to the burdens on the island’s infrastructure. however, a local newspaper reported that the new casino would need to secure an environmental clearance certificate from the agency before opening. Besides, that would actually defeat the purpose of having the island cleaned only to open up a bigger establishment that will eventually – or swiftly turn the place into an even bigger cesspool. Whatever the government is planning (or hiding), I feel it is fitting that I write my goodbye piece to this marvelous island that has brought pride and economic benefits to our countrymen. Six months may seem like a short time to recuperate from the damage that commercialism has caused this paradise but I am keeping my fingers crossed. So long, ‘Bora’, may you be as beautiful, if not more glorious than you have ever been. The High Roller Observation Wheel Lit Green *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning 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
Photos courtesy of Isaac Brekken
nerdy nat Crafts and Metamorphosis collection. The weekend wrapped with the Project Greenway runway show spotlighting ensembles created by Las Vegas Fashion Council students. The show was hosted by Andrew Ryan from “Frankie Marino’s Divas Las Vegas” where the first round featured looks the students created in advance for the show from items found at Goodwill of Southern nevada. Following the first round, participants were given a “surprise” bag with one clothing item or accessory that must be included in the making of their second look. Students had only 45 minutes to produce the second design. Peter Morales took home the first-place prize of $500 prize donated by The LInQ Promenade with runners-up received $100 Goodwill of Southern nevada gift certificates. Judges included Joanna, Sunny 106.5 FM radio personality, and Thrifters Anonymous Bloggers, edwina and Shana. Project Greenway Fashion Show Hosted by Andrew Ryan of Frank Marino’s Divas Las Vegas
EMPLOYMENT
PSYCHIC
FOR RENT
SERVICES
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Community Journal
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
B
Supreme Court strikes down ‘crime of violence’ definition, sparing many from deportation Your Immigration Solution Atty. Eric WElsh & NANcy MillEr The Supreme Court issued a decision on Tuesday that will potentially spare thousands of immigrants from deportation, and allow many others to seek relief that they were previously told was not available. In Sessions v. Dimaya, the Court held that part of the definition of a “crime of violence” is unconstitutionally vague. The decision should immediately benefit any immigrant who is charged with removability as an alien convicted of a “crime of violence,” and will open doors that were previously closed to immigrants with certain criminal convictions. The case concerns the applica-
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond MoNEttE ADEvA MAglAyA YeARS ago, I came across an email message from a legitimate contact telling a sad story and asking for emergency money in a faroff land. I searched some phrases and sure enough, it was a scam. Out it went with the spam trash. My take on this: my contact’s email was breached and his contact list hacked. This is one of the reasons I am loath to forward emails sent by well-meaning friends, no matter how funny. What is amazing is that people have been victimized by this scam all over the world when a few keystrokes would have verified it and a bit of common sense and a smidgen of cynicism would have raised one’s hackles and suspicions. There are rough estimates of $183 million per year on average that have been scammed from the unsuspecting on the internet. The figure could be more since a big percentage of people will not admit to being conned. The electronic age has brought us wonders and unbelievable convenience defying space/time constraints and accomplishing things we can only do in previous times if we were physically present in one place. With an internet connection, we can do great and wonderful things that were the stuff of science fiction not so long ago. But there is a sinister side to the internet — a very sinister side. And it gets darker as moral turpitude and relativism appear to be on the rise and our capacity to be shocked is diminished with every jaw-dropping crime. There was a time when crime was met with swift and appropriate punishment. Sadly, we have archaic laws governing these types of crimes and enforcement is nearly non-existent. We are in uncharted territory. For as long as these laws which were structured in the past cannot keep up with the overwhelming volume of cyber crimes, it is in our best interest to learn how to become savvy net users and defend ourselves from the onslaught that comes electronically. The amount of available crud (translate that to disgusting things like porn, pedophilia, scams and gambling and some such variation of evil) on the net is staggering. In the book I wrote, there is a chapter dedicated on avoiding the pitfalls of scams and the schemes of con artists designed to separate you from your hard-earned money. This time, the level of sophistication is up several notches higher as many unscrupulous and oftentimes, amoral and downright evil people everywhere around the world see the internet as the modern, deceptively innocuous version of highway robbery using a computer instead of a gun. If we are internet users, we are all at risk, unless and until we take the necessary psychological and physical precautions to deal with this and become relatively “scam proof.” No one is sacrosanct. These scams are designed to prey upon two basic weaknesses ingrained in our DNA wiring as humans: GReeD and FeAR. here’s one blanket caveat to keep us on our toes about how lottery scams and cons play out in cyberspace. ReMeMBeR — and I can’t emphasize this often enough, on this matter, and perhaps, other significant areas of life — IF IT’S TOO GOOD TO Be TRUe, IT PROBABLY IS. Okay, repeat that as your mantra. The scams that feed on greed are so sophisticated that they can send a seemingly authentic check by mail from a real bank with so many zeroes on it. If you bite at the first overture, they then ask for a processing fee from you for you to get the rest of the winnings. This is called the Nigerian scam apparently because the first perpetrators allegedly were well educated but destitute Nigerians
tion of the aggravated felony ground of deportability, and provides important limits on the lengths that immigration judges can go to in finding that a person should be removed from the U.S. or barred from relief. Under the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA), an alien convicted of an aggravated felony is deportable from the United States, and ineligible for certain forms of relief including cancellation of removal. If an alien is out of status and convicted of an aggravated felony, Immigration & Customs enforcement (ICe) can order deportation without ever appearing before a judge. Aggravated felonies can render an alien ineligible for waivers, discretionary relief, and even asylum. In short, the consequences of a conviction for an aggravated felony are severe. The INA sets forth twenty-one different classes of crimes that constitute aggravated felonies. One of those classes is a “crime of
violence” for which the term of imprisonment is at least 1 year. The term “crime of violence” is defined in the federal criminal code (in part) as “any offense that is a felony and that, by its nature, involves a substantial risk that physical force against the person or property of another may be used in the course of committing the offense.” Applying this definition, an immigration judge determined that a conviction for California first-degree burglary constituted a crime of violence, and ordered James Dimaya, a lawful permanent resident, to be deported. The Supreme Court accepted the case for review in order to resolve a conflict amongst the circuit courts regarding the constitutionality of the definition. Writing for the Court, Justice elena Kagen began by affirming that the prohibition of vagueness in criminal statutes is essential to due process, “required by both ‘ordinary notions
Scam-proofing basics 101 “ There is a sucker born every nanosecond.”
–A play on a qoute mistakenly ascribed to circus impresario, P.T. Barnum who found that their facility for the english language could be exploited to scam millions using the internet. The scam has spread and morphed with mind-boggling variations but with only one nefarious purpose — to separate you from your money. No one race or culture has the monopoly on these. These can originate anywhere in the world. I have had mine come in purportedly from G8 as well as impoverished countries. If you have not consciously joined any lottery, why in heaven’s name would you think you have a snowball’s chance in hell of winning even one thin dime? Also, legitimate lotteries will NeVeR, repeat NeVeR, ask you for money in order for a winner to claim a prize. Some scams feed on your fear. One of the most deceptive things is to receive an email from your bank instructing you to click on a link and verify your information since someone supposedly is accessing your account and if you don’t verify your information, particularly your pin number or password, this can result in a temporary hold on your funds. The modern term for this is “phishing” which refers to the activity of defrauding an online account holder of financial information by posing as a legitimate company. I received one of these phishing calls which had a legitimate ID on the caller ID asking us to call a number and even left a reference number claiming to check on some gas card purchases. I told her I need to verify if her call is legitimate. I detected a hint of dejection in her response. Sure enough, a check on the phone number she left indicated it was a phishing call. No legitimate financial entity will ask you for financial information online. Cut scammers off at the knees with the simple expediency of calling the fraud unit of your bank or credit card company yourself. Take the bull by the horns. Generate the call. Get the telephone number from your statement or your card and DO NOT CALL The NUMBeR that the caller or e-mailer provided you with. It’s a TRAP. If it is an email, hit the spam button and empty the trash. Don’t just delete it. Sure, they will morph into another form but be proactive and make it more difficult for them. These scams are like viruses or shape shifters and can mutate faster than the speed of light. PC users are more vulnerable to spammers/scammers and pesky pop-ups than Mac users. But this too can change. C’est la vie. Is there karmic justice? Because con artists rarely ever see the faces of their victims or know the full extent of the damage that they wreak on real people with real lives, these crimes seem impersonal in nature and rarely, if ever, do con artists get their comeuppance. Translate that to jail time or some form of punishment, like being exposed to an anthill, boiled in oil or tickled to oblivion… Just kidding of course… Con artists should be happy we no longer live in Medieval Times. Often, these scammers are based overseas outside of any jurisdiction. The wheels of justice grind ponderously, exceedingly slow and you sometimes wonder if crime stoppers and society in general, would ever catch up with this distinct phenomenon of the interesting times we live in. If you think only the “little people” are at risk, think again. Governments and institutions have become easy targets for sophisticated, often juvenile hackers. Cyber crime has reached daunting proportions and has reached
the institutional level. Supposedly uber secure websites such as that of the CIA, NSA, FBI, Scotland Yard, the US Congress and megacorporations like Sony, Nintendo, Citibank and a host of others have recently been either hacked or brought to a halt from the comforts of a teen-ager’s bedroom in a foreign land. A few years ago, a 19 year old, baby-faced, reclusive boy from england named Ryan Cleary, is alleged to have been responsible for bringing down the websites of the CIA and Scotland Yard. The teener stayed glued to his computer holed up all day in his room filled with posters of scantily clad women. The upside to be gleaned from such high-level security breaches is that this exposes the weaknesses of such websites. It also shows how vulnerable we all are. The electronic security industry sees the potential of a business that can change the architecture of the internet by piping the flow of information. For government operatives to use unsecured email to conduct top secret operations is like dangling fresh bait to a sea of sharks. Clearly, these breaches, like Julian Assange’s wikileaks, are not for monetary gain but for the notoriety and the bragging rights of being a once lowly unknown gnat bringing down behemoths. The motive is deeply rooted in probably what Andy Warhol once said in 1968, “In the future, everyone will be world famous for 15 minutes.” But those big holes are for the big boys to plug. As for the ordinary cyber citizens, simply proceed with caution when online. In cyber matters, a healthy dose of cynicism and a smidgen of common sense work as well as an ounce of prevention. Be on guard. Better yet, UNPLUG for long stretches from Facebook, Twitter, Gab, Instagram, Reddit or any other social media or from following inane and insane celebrity tweets on Twitter. Strive to live in the ReAL WORLD. The virtual world STILL cannot hold a candle to the real world. You can’t feel the sensation of a good sneeze virtually. Or that of a hug or a kiss… Or of the wonderful feeling of being in your bed sipping a warm mug of cocoa as you listen to the gentle pelting of the rain on the roof at night as you prepare to go to sleep… There is a lot of real living for us to do. The internet has its place in our world. But you are the boss and you can decide to curtail its influence on the quality of your own life. We get to pass this way but once. Choose well. Grill salmon steaks brushed with butter (Yup! Butter makes it better!) and sprinkled with lemon on a summer’s day. Create panini sandwiches for friends or loved ones on your grill pan. Dance. Fly a kite. Knit a shawl. Take time to sip your tea or tend to your garden in the spring. Laugh with the kids. Log off for long stretches of time and create something with your hands that will make your heart glad and make the people in your immediate orbit praise God for having you in their lives — even for just a short while. The virtual world is a blessing simply meant to enhance life, NOT RePLACe IT. That’s all it does. even with all its bells and whistles, it is a spice, not the main entree. After all, life tethered on terra firma, is for real living, right here, right now. *** Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. To send comments, e-mail monette.maglaya@ asianjournalinc.com
of fair play and the settled rules of law.’” Justice Kagen rejected the Government’s argument that a less exacting form of void-for-vagueness should apply to immigration proceedings, noting that under binding precedent, the most exacting standard for vagueness should apply in immigration proceedings “in view of the grave nature of deportation—a drastic measure often amounting to lifelong banishment or exile.” Applying this exacting standard, the Court concluded that the definition of “crime of violence” is unconstitutionally vague. Justice Kagen noted that the definition required a fact-finder to “imagine” a hypothetical “idealized ordinary case of the crime,” an invitation to speculate from “whole-cloth” based on nothing more than gut instinct. Moreover, according to Justice Kagen, the definition did not specify “what threshold level of risk made any given crime a
Health@Heart PhiliP s. chuA, MD, FAcs, FPcs RestauRant menus Following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rule introduced in 2012, restaurant menus today in about two-thirds of the largest restaurant chains have eliminated the highest caloric food items on their menus. In these 66 chains, higher calorie sandwiches, which have 52 to 71 more calories than their average items, were dropped. This is a healthy trend, but desserts, which are in carbohydrates, and soft drinks, which are toxic to the body, have remained unchanged. Low-carbs, low-fat, more vegetables and nuts are in. Indeed, long overdue. COPD among non-smokers? Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD), which chronic tobacco smokers inevitably acquire after years of exposure (firsthand or secondhand) to the countless toxic agents in cigarettes, could also result from other causes, like environmental chemical pollution, and rarely, from a genetic disorder called alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, a hereditary condition. Unbeknownst to many, COPD could also be caused by GeRD (Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease), where the valve between the stomach and the esophagus (food pipe) is incompetent (loose), allowing stomach hydrochloric acid (which normally helps in food digestion) to backup to the esophagus and higher up. The acid could also flow into the windpipe, frequently causing small coughs, and over the years, leading to inflammation in the respiratory track, leading to COPD, with lung congestion, bronchial spasm, some shortness of breath and wheezing, similar to asthmatic attacks. For this, metered dose inhalers (MDI) with bronchodilators, some with steroids, is part of the treatment, besides the use of Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) to reduce acid formation, abstention from spicy foods/alcohol, and sleeping with the head of the bed elevated. Oral-cardiac health link There is an intimate relationship between oral health and cardiac health. Any infection in the mouth, dental/oral, causes bacterial invasion and inflammatory processes that increase the risk for the development of heart attack and stroke. In the U.S., greater than 80 percent of Americans have undiagnosed periodontal or gum disease. This is the reason why it is vital to have maximal oral health by maintaining good oral hygiene and having dental checkup at least two times a year. As we have alluded to in this column in past articles, inflamma-
‘violent felony.’” Combined, these two features result in “grave uncertainty” and a lack of predictable application. As such, the definition is void-for-vagueness, and unconstitutional. The decision in Dimaya will considerably limit the Government’s ability to remove certain aliens with criminal convictions. Any alien who has been found deportable for a “crime of violence” conviction or deemed ineligible for relief on that basis may be able to challenge that conclusion and avoid deportation or apply for relief. The Dimaya decision is a reminder that the immigration laws have constitutional limits, and an immigration judge cannot deport a person simply because that judge believes that a particular crime seems “violent.” To trigger the draconian consequences that attend to an aggravated felony, the alien must be convicted of a crime that leaves no doubt as to the risk of violence
involved in its commission. Gut instinct alone is not sufficient. Any alien with a criminal record should consult an experienced immigration attorney to determine the consequences of a conviction, and the options for relief. The laws are constantly evolving, and doors once closed can be opened again. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration fi rms in the United States with offi ces in Los Angeles, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. For more Information please call (800) 7958009 or visit www.rreeves.com. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com Website: www.rreeves.com. *** The analysis and suggestions offered in this column do not create a lawyer-client relationship and are not a substitute for the personalized representation that is essential to every case. (Advertising Supplement)
Health info capsules tion in oral cavity or any part of the body, evidenced by elevated C-reactive protein, is the cause of most major illnesses known to man. shotgun approach versus cancer In view of the deadly nature of cancer in general, medical science and technology are unceasingly finding new and more effective ways to target cancer with this multi-pronged approach: pre-emptive recognition of genetic risks, prevention (lifestyle, vaccines), discovery of markers, early diagnosis, more precise targeted treatment, immunotherapy, and more accurate prognostication. This evidence-based approach is aimed at conquering this killer disease to allow victims to live longer or even attain total cure. Genetics, genomics, mapping The new frontier in screening tests for cancer are in the area of genetics and genomics. On such test searches for BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes, which predispose women to develop breasts and ovarian cancers, like in the case of renowned actress Angelina Jolie, who had her breasts and ovaries surgically removed as a prophylactic measure. Today, there is also a home test that detects changes in feces that identify colon cancer. A great advance in cancer care is the mapping of the genetic blueprints of 33 cancer types. The DNA similarities would allow more precise target treatments of cancers, because greater success in the fight against cancer can be achieved if we can first classify them according to their genomic and molecular makeup. This would identify their vulnerabilities. Biomarkers and liquid biopsy Biomarkers are substances in urine, blood, and other body fluids that reveals cancer. These tests are: Liver cancer: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP); Prostate cancer: prostatespecific antigen (PSA); Thyroid cancer: Thyroglobulin (TG); and non-small cell lung cancer: ALK gene. Biomarker proteins for pancreatic cancer for its early diagnosis are still being investigated. Standard biopsy is done on solid tissues or tumors. Liquid biopsy, newly approved by the FDA in 2016, is a blood test that could detect cancer DNA circulating in the blood stream. Besides revealing changes to the eGFR gene in the serum of patients with non-small cell cancer of the lungs, liquid biopsy for other forms of cancers are underway. anti-cancer vaccines Like vaccination for the prevention of chickenpox, measles, etc., vaccines, which works with our immune system to prevent, or even treat, cancer are a welcome regimen in our fight against these killer diseases. Gardasil, the very
Calendar of Events across
effective vaccine against cervical cancer we reported in this column in 2006, has dramatically reduced human Papilloma Virus (hPV) infection by 64 percent and correspondingly cervical cancer. The other two are the hepatitis B vaccine, which significantly prevent deadly hepatoma (liver cancer), and sipuleucel-T (Provenge) vaccine, which treats prostate cancer. Investigations worldwide are going on for vaccines against other types of cancers, like melanoma (skin cancer) and colon cancer. screening tests for cancers Since most of our screening tests for cancer have potential side-effects, like radiation from mammogram or CT scans, false positive results from biopsies from gastroscopy/colonoscopy, more precise indications are needed to find out which individuals are more at risk and really need to be screened. If prevention does not succeed, finding cancers in their early stage before they spread is the next best strategy to get a possible cure, so screening tests are important. Pills in your home against cancer You may not realize it but, most likely, you have pills in your medicine cabinet at home today which could help in the prevention of colon cancer and heart attack. Some of you may have been taking it already. I am referring to aspirin (acetylsalycilic acid), first introduced in 1899, which, when taken in its 81 mg low-dose regimen once daily for at least 4 years could reduce deaths from heart attack by 25 percent and from colon cancer by 44 percent, if taken for ten years. The US Preventive Services Task Force states those 50 to 59 could benefit from this mini-dose aspirin therapy. There is also a group of medication that blocks estrogen receptors and lowers the risk for breast cancer. Drugs called aromatase inhibitors may also prevent breast cancer. Consultation with your physician is advised before taking any medication. When it comes to warding off diseases, including heart attack and stroke, and especially cancer, a healthy lifestyle is at the top of the list of preventive measures at our disposal. The ball is in our court, our future largely in our hands. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com
America
A p R I L 29
Pilita Corrales concert in New York
Pilita Corrales, “Asia’s Queen of Songs,” will headline a dinner and show entitled “A Million Thanks to You” on Sunday, April 29. The dinner will be buffet and comes with a ticket. Show begins at 5:30 p.m. at the Sheraton LaGuardia East Hotel (135-20 39th Ave, Flushing, NY 11354). For tickets, please contact: Baby Lantin at (917) 916-6770 / (718) 608-7771, Ching (917) 294-6783, Nel (347) 738-3025, Joji (908) 783-2680, Tessa (732) 492-4170, or Bong (646) 289-0917.
ApRIL 30
East West Players’ 52nd Visionary Awards & Silent Auction in Los Angeles East West Players celebrates its 52nd Anniversary at the Annual Visionary Awards Dinner & Silent Auction. The Visionary Awards laud the achievements of individuals who have raised the visibility of the Asian Pacific American (APA) community through their craft. Proceeds from the gala will benefit East West Players’ educational and artistic programs. It will be held at the Hilton Universal City (555 Universal Hollywood Drive, Universal City, CA 91608) on Monday, April 30. At 5:30 p.m., VIP Reception*, silent auction, and registration begin. Dinner and awards show begin at 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit: http://www.eastwestplayers.org/news/east-west-players-52nd-anniversary-visionary-awards-dinner-and-silent-auction/.
JUNE 9
Kalayaan Incorporated presents Philippine Independence gala in LA Kalayaan Incorporated, Southern California’s foremost celebrant of Philippine Independence will host the celebration of the 120th anniversary of the proclamation of Philippine Independence on June 9, at the Universal Hilton Hotel, Universal City, California. For more information, contact Erlinda Granada-Sabah at (562) 682-9576; or Malou Perez at mperez0813@aol.com.
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
B april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
Features
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Dentistry for Every Village Foundation inks agreement with ABS-CBN to provide enhanced charity dentistry in the Philippines CANOGA PARK, CA — Dentistry For Every Village Foundation, Inc., a public non-profit corporation based in this city signed an agreement with the giant multinational TV, radio and print media in the Philippines, ABS-CBN. The objective of the agreement is to provide enhanced charity dental care to various residents of poor, neglected and underserved villages in the Philippines. The agreement covers four charity dental missions for the year 2018 and it is subject to extensions in the years to come. Canoga Park dentist, Dr. Ed de la Vega, founded Dentistry For Every Village Foundation in late 2015. The mission of the foundation is to “improve access to dental care for indigent patients, one village at a time.” This mission is accomplished by doing four yearly charity dental missions in different villages in the Philippines identified as “in most need” by foundation representatives based in the Philippines; and by building and donating full-service dental offices to responsible entities who have the ability to manage the offices and provide free basic and emergency dental care to those in need. To date, the foundation has done dental missions in various places in the country in areas where dentistry is most needed. Amongst the villages they have been to includes Mount Tag-ao in Dumarao, Capiz to attend to the Ati People and in Porac, Pampanga where they provided dentistry to the indigenous Aeta people. The Foundation also built and donated two full-service dental offices so far, one at the St. Scholastica’s Mission Hospital in Barangay Cababto-an Pambujan, Northern Samar and another at the Rogationist Formation Center at Merville Village in Paranaque. Both offices are now fully operational and are serving hundreds of indigent patients The foundation signed the aforementioned agreement with a specific branch of ABS-CBN called Lingkod Kapamilya Tulong Center, a unit run by the company’s Integrated Public Service Division headed by Mr. Higino T.
Dr. Amry Chavez, Special Assistant to the D4EVF President, and Mr. Higino T. Dungo, Jr., sign the agreement paper.
Holding a medical mission document, Batangas Governor Dodo Mandanas, guest speaker at the Lombard by the Bay presentation at the D’Pinoy Joint Restaurant in Las Vegas, poses with (L-R) Danny Fabito, MD, FACS, FPCS, president of the Philippine American Association in Nevada; Roger L. Oriel, Publisher and Chairman of the Board, Asian Journal Publications, Inc., Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, chairman of the Filipino United Network- USA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States; Dr. Farida Chua; and, Dr. Melinda Ayala Fabito.
DDAREC, a Toastmasters’ Empowerment Awards Celebration Leaders from ABS-CBN and the Dentistry For Every Village Foundation pose for prosperity after signing the MOA. Seated L-R are Ms. Vicky Libao, Dr. Labelle Tan Frondozo, Dr. Amry Chavez, and Mr. Higino Dungo Jr. Standing L to R are Ms. Jasmine Gonzales, Dr. Luz Villanueva, Dr. Cecily Rios Vera Cruz, and Ms. Ivy Castillo.
Dungo, Jr. and supervised by Ms. Victoria Libao. Lingkod Kapamilya Tulong Center runs many charity events including dental missions. However, because of limited volunteers and dental supplies, it can only provide tooth extractions. With its partnership with the foundation, ABS-CBN dental services will now be greatly enhanced. The foundation has several portable equipment, including a handheld portable X-ray unit with a laptop computer with software systems and supplies stored in the Philippines at the Rogationist Formation Center. Most of their supplies were donated by the International College of Dentists’ Global Visionary Fund and fulfilled by Henry Schein Cares Foundation, the Academy of Dentistry International and various donors from all sectors in the community. With that the foundation provides non-invasive periodontal therapy, simple and emergency
canal procedures, composite resin bonded fillings, oral prophylaxis, extractions , long term provisional crowns and bridges as well as patient education. ABS-CBN provides hotel accommodations, all local transportation costs, and food for the staff of the foundation and the more than two dozen volunteers in the country who carry out the actual treatment of the patients. It also provides all dental supplies and sundries best bought in the country. With the dates of the succeeding missions already set, Dentistry For Every Village Foundation wants to reach out to the Filipino communities in the U.S. for donations and grants to purchase more supplies and instruments to further expand their charitable services. Donations can be made through the foundation website at www.D4EVF.com. All grants and donations are tax deductible.
DDAREC – Division D Appreciation & Recognition Empowerment Celebration, a special event organized by the District 33 Division D Team led by its Division D Director Minerva M. Honkala DTM. Its goals are to give recognition, show appreciation and express thanks to the many Toastmasters’ men & women who made significant contributions to achieve club, area, division and district goals. Its purpose is also to encourage, motivate, inspire and uplift Toastmasters’ men and women in the fulfillment of their own personal and professional goals as related to communication and leadership building skills. The event will take place on Saturday, April 28 at 9:00 am – 11:00 am at the Fellowship Hall, First Christian Church, 101 S Rancho Drive, Las Vegas, NV 89106. All the 23 Clubs’ Toastmaster of the Year & Spark Plug of the Year will be recognized and awarded a Certificate of Recognition by District Director Guy Dawson DTM. He will be honored by Division D as its recipient of the “C & L Award”, a Toastmaster’s tradition for his exceptional achievements in the Toastmasters International Communication & Leadership
Programs. The same award will be given to a community leader, Paul Joncich for his exemplary, outstanding & dedicated service to the community as the Media Relations Manager, UNLV, School of Medicine. Other awards include Division D Toastmaster of the Year, Division D Spark Plug of the Year, Division D Area Director of the Year, Division D TM Club Sparkler of the Year, Division D TM Rising Star of the Year, Division D Toastmaster Club of the Year, ( Presidents’ Distinguished Club ). Similar awards will be given to the Area. Division D has 4 areas led by the following Area Directors: Luzette Pressley ACB/CL, Liz Del Signore, ACB/ALB, Kelvin Bell ACS/ALB/EC3 and Sean Scruggs ACB/ALB. The famous psychologist William James said, “The deepest craving in human beings is the need to be appreciated.” Everyone no matter how sophisticated, educated or mature, wants respect and recognition. Let us join forces and be one in recognizing, expressing our appreciation and thanks to the Toastmasters men and women who had made themselves available during the year in helping the club, area, division and district in
WITH the closing last year of Cashman Center, Harvest Festival is very pleased to announce that the future home for this great annual shopping experience is the – WORLD MARKET CENTER, PAVILION 2 Easy access at the Charleston exit on I-15. It is on ground level, with lots of available parking! Only minutes away from Cashman, at 209 South Grand
Central Parkway, Las Vegas, NV. 89106 The Las Vegas Harvest Festival® Original Art and Craft Show will be September 7- 9, 2018, ready to again impress all attendees with new vendors, exciting entertainment and important community service efforts! With over 250 exhibitors, the Las Vegas Harvest Festival boasts over 24,000 American handmade
Paul Joncich
achieving its goals of excellence. Let us stand up together and uphold the values that Toastmasters had been teaching us all along: Integrity, Respect, Service and Excellence. Let us CELEBRATE & EMPOWER all. The event will be hosted by two prominent Toastmasters, Sherrie Parker DTM/PDG and Jesse Oakley III DTM/PDG/PRA. All Toastmasters, its dignitaries, friends and supporters are all invited to this event. The cost for Admission is $5.00 with food, drinks, and opportunity drawing.
Las Vegas Harvest Festival Original Art & Craft Show continues this year at the World Market Center, Pavilion 2
arts and crafts, including jewelry, woodturnings, art and photography, specialty foods, clothing, décor and more. Attendees come to shop the handcrafted wares but stay for the unique entertainment acts, live music, prize drawings, artist demonstrations, and delicious foods! For more information, call (925) 392-7300 or visit www. harvestfestival.com.
PAAN heads 2 PH med-surgical missions THE Philippine American ASSOCIATION of Nevada spearheaded two medical missions in the Philippines early this year, an annual project organized by Danny C. Fabito, MD, FACS, FPCS, PAAN president and former President of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America. Co-sponsors of the missions were Phil-Am Charity Foundation(PACF) and the Nevada Chapter of the FEU-DNR-School of Medicine Alumni Foundation. The tandem 2018 annual medical missions in Alaminos, Laguna (Feb. 4-8), and at Kamay ni Hesus in Lucban, Quezon (Feb. 8-12) ministered to almost 2,000 patients,. The back-to-back missions provided surgical care (150 minor surgeries including circumcisions) and adult medical and pediatric care, distributing free medications and giving personal health education to the community people, patient by patient. Dr. Dan Fabito and Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, chairman of the Filipino United NetworkUSA, led the team of 25 missionaries from various institutions, several of them PAAN members. Held annually, this project is funded by the missionary volunteers of these two missions themselves and supported by Mayor Loreto Masa of Alaminos, his wife, and his cousin, Mrs. Lily Starkman of Illinois, and Fr. Joey Faller, the Healing Priest at Kamay ni Hesus
Pilgrimage Shrine. “Partnering with healthcare volunteers from different universities, and working as a team in this humanitarian endeavor to help our less fortunate fellowmen back home, provides a deep sense of inner joy and satisfaction,” according to the missionaries. The medical missionaries included: Melinda A. Fabito, MD, Farida I. Chua, MD, Napoleon Santos, MD, Carolina Santos,
RN, Rudy Almase, MD, Thelma Cepedes, MD, Zosimo Micabalo, MD, Luz Micabalo, RN, Rodrigo Farrales, MD, Elouisa Farrales, MD, Bert Galang, MD, Ruth De Peralta, MD, Gerry Reyes, MD, Maria Salud, RN, Filemon Oligario, MD, Josie Olegario, RN, Mark Panganiban, RN, Marissa Panganiban, RN, Cynthia Deriquito, RN, Antonio and Angie Bolinao, Resty Lopez, and, Dante and Veronica Fontimayor.
(702) 792-6678 • http://www.asianjournal.com
LAS VEGAS ASIAN JOURNAL • ApRIL 26-mAy 2, 2018
B
:+$7 ,6 $ */2%$/ $0%$66$'25" $ /RYH RI &RXQWU\ /2& JOREDO DPEDVVDGRU LV D EULJKW DQG EULOOLDQW LQGLYLGXDO RI DQ\ DJH RU EDFNJURXQG ZKR FDQ XVH KLV RU KHU YRLFH DQG LQIJXHQFH WR LQVSLUH IHOORZ RYHUVHDV )LOLSLQRV WR FRPH KRPH WR KHOS LJQLWH GULYH DQG IXHO HFRQRPLF JURZWK LQ WKH FRXQWU\ %\ YLVLWLQJ WKH KRPHODQG WR LPPHUVH LQ FXOWXUH DGYHQWXUH DQG H[SORUDWLRQ OHDGHUVKLS DQG DUWLVW WUDLQLQJ KXPDQLWDULDQ ZRUN FOLPDWH FKDQJH DZDUHQHVV DQG DJULFXOWXUH XQGHUVWDQGLQJ WR IXOO\ H[SHULHQFH ıUVWKDQG WKH FRXQWU\ŖV ZRQGHUV DQG SRWHQWLDO DQ DPEDVVDGRU PDNHV LW D SHUVRQDO PLVVLRQ WR FRPH KRPH IURP WKH /2& DPEDVVDGRUV H[SHULHQFH DQG SURPRWH WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV RQ D QDWLRQDO DQG JOREDO VFDOH :LWK :LWK RYHU PLOOLRQ )LOLSLQRV LQ WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV DQG DQRWKHU PLOOLRQ ZRUOGZLGH WKH IXWXUH RI WKH FRXQWU\ DQG LWV SHRSOH FDQ EH HQVXUHG WKURXJK WKH VWUHQJWKHQLQJ RI WKH )LOLSLQR LGHQWLW\ *OREDO )LOLSLQR FRPPXQLWLHV FDQ ZRUN WRJHWKHU WR KHOS WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV UHDFK LWV HFRQRPLF JRDOV DQG XQYHLO WKH FRXQWU\ŖV KLGGHQ FDSDELOLWLHV
4HE TOP WINNER WILL RECEIVE A ROUNDTRIP TICKET FROM ,OS !NGELES TO -ANILA AND DAY TOUR OF THE 0HILIPPINES
$ JOREDO DPEDVVDGRU ZLOO OHDG PRUH DQG PRUH RYHUVHDV )LOLSLQRV WR KDYH D FORVHU ORRN DW WKH 3KLOLSSLQHVŖ HFRQRPLF VWDWH DQG FRQYLQFH WKHP WR LQYHVW YLVLW WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV WR OHDUQ DERXW WKHLU URRWV DQG VHH DOO LWV EHDXW\ DQG ZRQGHUV DQG VSUHDG WKH ZRUG RQ ZKDW WKH FRXQWU\ KDV WR RijHU !CCEPTANCE LETTERS WILL BE SENT OUT ON OR BEFORE -AY
C$I1 AXZhl\c`e\ 8cYXp$P\ee\p# ?XeeX_ 8e^\c`ZX DXik\# 8i`XeX :fe\Z_X[f# 8e^\c =X`k_ Jfc`m\e# B`dY\icp G\Xic DXihl\q# Af_Xb`d >XYY`\ GXe^Xe# EXkXc`\ 9Xiip Xe[ A\[[X_ 9\iXd\ G_fkf Zi\[`kj1 ;`e^ :Xii\fe& 8A Gi\jj
:+< <28 6+28/' $33/< 72 %( $ */2%$/ $0%$66$'25 0D\EH \RXŖUH VWLOO GHFLGLQJ RQ ZKHWKHU RU QRW \RX DUH JRLQJ WR JLYH LW D VKRW DQG DSSO\ EHIRUH WKH GHDGOLQH RQ $SULO 7R KHOS \RX PDNH XS \RXU PLQG ZH KDYH FRPH XS ZLWK IRXU UHDVRQV ZK\ \RX VKRXOG FOLFN WKDW ŗ$SSO\ QRZŘ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ijHUHQW DVSHFWV RI WKH FRXQWU\ $Q LQVLGH ORRN DW WKH HFRQRP\ DQG LQYHVWPHQW SRWHQWLDOV 2XU JRDO LV WR JHW RYHUVHDV )LOLSLQRV IURP DOO RYHU WKH JOREH LQWHUHVWHG LQ KHOSLQJ IXHO HFRQRPLF JURZWK LQ WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV E\ LQYHVWLQJ LQ LW 2XU :KHWKHU LWŖV GHFLGLQJ WR SXW XS D EXVLQHVV RU SXUFKDVLQJ D KRPH RU FDU \RX ZLOO JDLQ XVHIXO LQIRUPDWLRQ DERXW WKH HFRQRPLF FOLPDWH DQG KDYH D EDFNVWDJH ORRN DW WKH JURZLQJ PDUNHW LQ RUGHU IRU \RX WR PDNH WKH EHVW GHFLVLRQ RQ ZKHUH EHVW WR LQYHVW ,W ZLOO ORRN DPD]LQJ RQ \RXU UHVXPH :KHWKHU \RX DUH DSSO\LQJ IRU D QHZ MRE RU D QHZ VFKRRO WKHUH LV DEVROXWHO\ QR GRXEW WKDW EHLQJ D 3KLOLSSLQH JOREDO DPEDVVDGRU ZLOO ZRUN LQ \RXU :K IDYRU :LWK RXU LQWHQVLYH SURJUDP WKDW LQFOXGHV OHDGHUVKLS DQG DUWLVW WUDLQLQJ KXPDQLWDULDQ ZRUN DQG FOLPDWH FKDQJH DZDUHQHVV ZH DUH SRVLWLYH WKDW \RX ZLOO FRPH KRPH KDYLQJ PRUH LPSUHVVLYH WKLQJV WR DGG WR DQ DOUHDG\ LPSUHVVLYH UHVXPH 7KH FRXQWU\ QHHGV \RX $ERYH HYHU\WKLQJ HOVH WKLV SURJUDP LV IRU RXU KRPH DQG RXU FRXQWU\ :H KDYH QR GRXEW LQ RXU PLQG WKDW WKH 3KLOLSSLQHV LV D GHYHORSLQJ FRXQWU\ $E ZLWK D ZKROH ORW RI SRWHQWLDO :H QHHG \RXU YRLFH DQG LQIJXHQFH WR FRQYLQFH RYHUVHDV )LOLSLQRV WR FRPH KRPH DQG VHH ıUVWKDQG WKDW QRZ LV D JUHDW WLPH WR LQYHVW LQ WKH FRXQWU\
C$I1 :Xd`cc\ Befnckfe# I`c\p GfjX[Xj# Cpe\kk\ J`X_XXe# 8dd`cpe ;X\kX# 8e^\c =X`k_ Jfc`m\e# EXkXc`\ 9Xiip Xe[ AXe`e\ JXdjfe% D`jj Pflk_ K\\e 8dYXjjX[fij G_fkf Zi\[`kj1 ;`e^ :Xii\fe& 8A Gi\jj
C$I1 AXd\j :Xjk`ccf# 8k_\eX >XiZ`X# IXcg_ CXli\e 8jleZ`fe# 8i`XeX :fe\Z_X[f# 8dd`cpe ;X\kX# 8e^\c =X`k_ C$I1 M\ife`Zf 8^Xk\g# M`fc\k GXcfdf# :fiX D`cc\i# D\c\kk\ CXdg`ef# >cfi`X I\jlii\Z`fe Xe[ 8iklif =cfi\j Jfc`m\e# AXZhl\c`e\ 8cYXp$P\ee\p# M`fc\k GXcfdf# :fiX D`cc\i# D\c\kk\ CXdg`ef# >cfi`X I\jlii\Z`fe# Cpe\kk\ G_fkf Zi\[`kj1 ;`e^ :Xii\fe& 8A Gi\jj J`X_XXe# Af_Xb`d >XYY`\ GXe^Xe# 8dXe[X Pl# Xe[ CXdY\ik >lX[\q# efk `e k_\ g`Zkli\# :Xd`cc\ Befnckfe# I`c\p GfjX[Xj# ?XeeX_ 8e^\c`ZX DXik\# EXkXc`\ 9Xiip# AXe`e\ JXdjfe# A\[[X_ 9\iXd\# Cfli[\j >XiZ`X# M\ife`Zf 8^Xk\g# 8iklif =cfi\j# AXZfY 8]XYc\% G_fkf Zi\[`kj1 ;`e^ :Xii\fe& 8A Gi\jj
B april 26-may 2, 2018 • laS VEGaS aSiaN JOUrNal
http://www.asianjournal.com • (702) 792-6678
Located in Montemaria, home to the ninth largest monument in the World—the shrine to Mother Mary,Tower of Peace.
A world-class township development located in Montemaria, Batangas City, the Philippines.
“For your retirement, family vacation, pilgrimage, and investment...for generations.�
THE TOTAL LAND AREA OF THE MONTEMARIA DEVELOPMENT IS APPROXIMATELY 130 HECTARES WHICH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING TOWNSHIP* PROJECTS: 01 Condominiums, hotels, and resorts 02 Commercial developments such as a shopping center which includes restaurants and cafes 03 Golf Course and Water Park 04 Spa and Wellness Centers 05 Marina and Fisherman’s Wharf 06 Housing, residential subdivision, and retirement village 6XEMHFW WR ƓQDO GHYHORSPHQW SODQ TOTAL LAND AREA 2.1 Hectares
INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
01 Development site is adjacent to the Statue of Virgin Mary. 02 5HVRUW VHWWLQJ ZLWK PDJQLĆ“FHQW YLHZ RI WKH ED\ 03 High-quality asset with world-class exterior and interior design. 04 Designed by award winning and internationally renowned Architecture and Design Firm, ARCH HAUS ASIA. 05 Montemaria is located on top of the Batangas Bay Peninsula facing the Verde Island Passage, reputed to be the U.N. recognized “Center of the Center of Marine Bio-Diversity of the World.â€?
DATE OF COMPLETION Second Quarter of 2020 TOTAL NUMBER OF UNITS PHASE 1 866 Units BUILDING 1 164 units
BUILDING 2 Clubhouse
Lombard By The Bay is a joint venture development project between 3UHPLHU $VLD 3DFLĆ“F 5HDO (VWDWH DQG Development Corp.and Omnicor ,QGXVWULDO (VWDWH 5HDOW\ &HQWHU ,QF
FOR MORE INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT SUSAN K. GROSS-NIEDERMEYER AT (480) 227-7782 SUSAN@SUSANGROSSREALTOR.COM I SUSAN.GROSS@PREMIERASIAPACIFIC.COM I LOMBARDBYTHEBAY.COM