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DATELINE Fil-Am father shot to death by SFO worker FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
Prosecutors said the shooter was in love with the victim’s fiancée, acted out of jealousy
A FILIPINO-AMERICAN man was shot and killed last week by a San Francisco International Airport (SFO) employee who was reportedly in love with the victim’s fiancée, who also worked at SFO. Mark Mangaccat, 31, was picking up his fiancée, Thandel Seinn, from her job at SFO on Wednesday, April 25, when Seinn’s coworker, 31-year-old Kevin Prasad — who was allegedly in love with her — followed the couple on their way home in Daly City.
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New border enforcement policy will separate children from parents
Also published in LOS ANGELES, ORANGE COUNTY/INLAND EMPIRE, LAS VEGAS, NEW YORK/NEW JERSEY
Philippines, US begin largest military drills under Duterte by RAE
ANN VARONA AJPress
PHILIPPINE and U.S. military forces began on Monday, May 7, their annual military exercises — the first and largest since Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte entered
office. The annual Balikatan exercises — now in its 34th year — launched in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City with around 8,000 soldiers from the two countries. Nearly 3,000 soldiers from the U.S. joined with approximately 5,000 from the Philippines,
and will work alongside soldiers from the Australian Defense Force and the Japan Self-Defense Force. U.S. and Philippine officials commended the longstanding relationship between the two countries dating back to World War II. “Each year, through Balikatan, we
reaffirm our commitment to each other under the mutual defense treaty and conduct an array of multilateral training opportunities to help us develop as allies,” said U.S. Lt. Gen. Lawrence Nicholson, commanding general of III Marine Expedition-
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Total of 4,251 drug personalities killed, say PH government officials by RAE
ANN VARONA AJPress
IN order to tighten up immigration enforcement, the Trump administration will escalate criminal prosecutions of parents illegally entering the United States and place their children in protective custody, according to federal immigration officials. Speaking at Friendship Park in San Diego adjacent to the U.S.-Mexico Border on Monday, May 7, U.S. Attorney General Jeff Ses-
A TOTAL of 4,251 drug personalities have been killed as part of Philippine president Rodrigo Duterte’s war on drugs, Philippine government officials said on Monday, May 7. The data was presented by the Philippine National Police (PNP) at its Camp Crame headquarters in Quezon City during a briefing on its #RealNumbersPH campaign. Presenting the data was former PNP chief of operations and current National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) Director, Camilo Cascolan, who added that 142,069 drug suspects were arrested as part of 98,799 police operations recorded from July 1, 2016 to April 20, 2018. Cascolan authored the PNP’s infamous Oplan Tokhang and Oplan Double Barrel.
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Parents who are criminally charged will be referred to federal court while their children will be placed in government custody
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NEW MONEY. President Rodrigo Duterte is accompanied by Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III as he receives a complete set of New Generation Currency bank notes and coins from Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Nestor Espenilla at the Malacañang Palace on Tuesday, May 8. The president is encouraging the public to use the new currency wisely and responsibly for national development. Malacañang photo
Duterte accepts Wanda Teo’s ‘voluntary’ resignation, RomuloPuyat new Tourism chief by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
May 8. “Yes accepted,” Roque said in a text message, when asked if the PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte president has accepted Teo’s reshas accepted the resignation of ignation. Tourism Secretary Wanda TulfoTeo was accused of conflict of (L-R) Philippine Pres. Rodrigo Duterte, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Chinese Pres. Xi Jinping, Teo, Presidential Spokesperson interest after state auditors found Resigned Tourism Secretary Wanda Tulfo-Teo will be replaced by Department of Agriculture Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin and U.S. Pres. Donald Trump. Photos courtesy of Forbes Nagazine Harry Roque confirmed Tuesday, u PAGE A3 Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat. Philstar.com photos
Duterte on Forbes’ most powerful people list once again by GAEA
KATREENA Philstar.com
CABICO
MANILA — President Rodrigo Duterte has been included in Forbes Magazine’s Most Powerful People of 2018. Duterte ranked 69th of the 75 leaders, advocates and entrepreneurs in the international business magazine’s roster of who it deems the most powerful people worldwide. In 2016, he placed 70th. The entry about Duterte took note of his rise to power on the back of his campaign that promised to eradicate street crimes and the drug trade. “So far, his war on crime has already resulted in the killing of thousands of people across the archipelago country,” Forbes
said. It also cited the chief executive’s “raw and vulgar vocabulary.” “He called Obama ‘son of a whore’ and has used homophobic slurs to describe opponents,” Forbes said. His inclusion on Forbes’ list came days after he was named as of one of the strongmen in TIME magazine’s cover story. He, however, denied that he is a leader who rules with force. In several speeches, Duterte allayed fears that he would become a dictator. But there were also instances when he defended his brand of leadership, stressing that there would be no progress if he did not act like one. Duterte’s ally, Chinese Presi-
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Iglesia ni Cristo breaks 3 Guinness records that formed the sentence “You can you will” in 2016. The participants gathered as THE Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) early as 12 a.m., and started to officially broke three Guinness walk at 6 a.m. along the 1.6-kiloWorld Records when it held its meter stretch of Roxas Boulevard charity walk event that over 1.5 from the Cultural Center of the million members participated at Philippines in Pasay City to Rizal the Quirino Grandstand in Ma- Park in Manila. The walk was concurrently nila on Sunday, May 6. The event, named “Worldwide held in 300 sites across 18 time walk to fight poverty,” broke the records for largest human sentence, largest charity walk at a single venue and largest human mosaic, according to Adam Brown, official adjudicator and representative of Guinness World Records. A total of 23, 235 participants lined up to form the sentence “Proud to be a member of Iglesia ni Cristo” for the first record, beating India’s previous record which had 16,550 participants by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
FOR THE RECORD. Religious group Iglesia ni Cristo (INC) or Church of Christ on Sunday, May 6 set a Guinness World Record for the largest human sentence during its charity walk at Quirino Grandstand in Manila’s Rizal Park (Luneta). Clad in various colors, 23,235 participants formed the sentence “Proud to be a member of Iglesia Ni Cristo.” According to Guinness adjudicator Paulina Sapinska, the participants had beaten the previous largest human sentence “You can you will” set by 16,550 students on August 10, 2016 who celebrated World Youth Day in India. ManilaTimes.net photo
zones by INC members. INC’s charity event also broke the record for largest charity walk in a single venue with 238,171 participants, beating its previous record of 175,509 participants from its first Worldwide Walk to Fight Poverty held on February 15, 2014 The event also broke the world
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may 11-17, 2018 • NORCaL aSIaN JOURNaL
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From the Front Page
Philippines, US begin largest... PAGE A1 t ary Force. “We as military are charged with being ready when our nations need us most.” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) Lt. Gen. Emmanuel B. Salamat, exercise director for this year’s exercises, said, “I’m greatly honored to stand sideby-side with our U.S. military counterpart to share our mutual responsibility and commitment in making this Phil-U.S. bilateral exercise a success.” “We extend this commitment to strengthen our alliance and learn from both forces to improve our interoperability,” Salamat added. The drills come shortly after China installed anti-ship cruise missiles and surface-to-air missile systems on three of its outposts in the South China Sea, as reported by NBC. But officials, not mentioning China, said the focus of the Balikatan exercises will be focused on missions including mutual
defense, disaster relief, humanitarian assistance, and counterterrorism. Lieutenant Liezl Vidallon, a spokesperson for the Balikatan exercises, told Rappler last month that humanitarian civic action activities, including medical missions and school buildings in areas in Cagayan and Central Luzon, would also be featured. The drills also come nearly a year after U.S. special forces came to the Philippines to aid local troops fight against ISISbacked Islamist militants who took hold of the southern Philippine city of Marawi last May. “We want both our forces to learn from our great and hard-earned experience in our past battles like Marawi,” said Salamat. “We just want to help each other to be able to effectively combat future scenarios.” While in Marawi, U.S. soldiers were only able to provide
technical support as local laws prohibit troops to take part in combat. Salamat said that by the end of the Balikatan exercises, they expect both countries’ troops to learn from each other, from both training and “hard-earned experience of both our forces.” “May this exercise add value on only in the spirit of our U.S.Phil Mutual Defense Treaty engagement and friendship of our armed forces, but also in our commitment to better perform our mandate in protecting our people and state,” said Salamat. “Our alliance remains a key source of strength and stability in the Indo-Pacific region,” said Nicholson. “It is paramount to recognize that Balikatan is a training opportunity that will test and enhance our readiness while strengthening the bond between our nations.” The drills and operations will continue until May 18. n
FIGHTING GRAFT AND CORRUPTION. Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) Undersecretary Atty. David Erro (left) said his agency is investigating 800 cases of corrupt practices involving employees and officials, including directors from current and past administrations, in cooperation with the Presidential Anti-Corruption Commission (PACC), which is tasked to investigate graft and corrupt practices in government. Erro speaks during a press briefing held at the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) central office in Quezon City on Tuesday, May 8. PNA photo by Joey Razon
Total of 4,251 drug personalities killed... PAGE A1 t Referring to the government’s Recovery and Wellness Program (RWP), Cascolan said that 184,252 drug surrenders were graduates of the program — 79,099 from the PNP-initiated RWP, and 105,153 from supported community centers. Of the PNP’s own personnel, the numbers from the PNP Internal Affairs Service counted 302 uniformed personnel and eight non-uniformed personnel as having tested positive for illegal drugs — 265 have been dismissed from service. Of government workers, 504 were arrested, comprising of 239 government employees, 217 elected officials, and 48 uniformed personnel. Cascolan said that 2,676 kilos of shabu — the slang term for crystal meth — were seized, totaling PHP13.81 billion or over $265 million. In total, PHP20.23 billion worth of drugs and laboratory equipment have been seized. Number wars The Philippine Drug Enforcement (PDEA) and the PNP held its first “RealNumbersPH” forum in May of last year in an attempt to quash claims that Duterte’s controversial war on drugs is as
deadly as international and local rights groups and media make it out to be. After criticisms on the numerous killings of drug suspects, the PNP was twice removed from leading the government’s anti-illegal drug campaign. But in December of last year, Duterte reinstated them back to the frontline to support the PDEA. With the resulting death toll being central to the condemnation of the president and his administration, rights groups and lawyers have since been critical of the accuracy of its numbers, saying they are way too low. Human Rights Watch, among others, hold the count of people killed by police in the administration’s war on drugs to be closer to around 12,000. But those behind the forum say they’ve been nothing but transparent about their findings, blaming human rights groups and political agendas of the president’s opponents for causing obscurity. “Despite significant gains, many side issues — and to some extent — delivery of this information, continue to obscure the true picture of our anti-drug operations, often mislabeling the pure and good intention of the
campaign with human rights issues and political undertones,” said PNP Director General Oscar Albayalde as he opened up Monday’s forum. Last month, members of the European Parliament called on the Philippine government to stop the extrajudicial killings, while expressing concern that the police had been “falsifying evidence to justify extrajudicial killings.” Albayalde responded, telling the European Parliament to show proof of the 12,000 killed under the drug crackdown by having the victims listed “one-by-one.” Yet despite criticism, Albayalde said Monday that the PNP were “winning” the war on drugs. To reporters, he said, “It is really hard to quantify but with what we see in its effects, we know that we are winning this war on drugs.” He added, “There are less street pushers. The situation was not like before that buying drugs on the street was like buying a cigarette. It translates to lower crime volume all over the Philippines but on a personal note, maybe this more or less half.” The PNP did not say Monday how many of those reported to be facing drug charges have been cleared or convicted. n
Duterte on Forbes’ most powerful people... PAGE A1 t dent Xi Jinping, seized the top spot in the 2018 ranking. He replaced Russian President Vladimir Putin, who held the title for four consecutive years. United States President Donald Trump and German Chancellor Angela Merkel placed third and fourth, respectively. Here are the top 10 World’s Most Powerful People: 1. Chinese President Xi Jinping 2. Russian President Vladimir Putin 3. US President Donald Trump 4. German Chancellor Angela Merkel 5. Amazon’s Jeff Bezos 6. Pope Francis 7. Bill Gates
8. Saudi Arabia Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud 9. Prime Minister of India Narendra Modi 10. Google’s Larry Page Forbes said the factors taken into account to select the world’s most powerful people were: the number of people they influence, the financial resources they control, spheres of influence and the individuals’ active use of their power. ‘Real power emanates from people’ Duterte’s true source of power is the people, Malacañang said Wednesday, May 9. “The presidency, in the mind of [Duterte], begins and ends with public trust where real power emanates,” presidential spokes-
person Harry Roque said. Roque was reacting to Duterte’s inclusion in Forbes Magazine’s list of the most powerful people in 2018. “As chief executive for almost two years, he has faithfully served our people by promoting the interests of the Filipino people and the Filipino nation first,” the president’s mouthpiece said. Roque also said that the pursuit of a so-called independent foreign policy, the pro-poor policies and program of the current administration, and the war on drugs—which has killed more than 4,000 in law enforcement operations—reflect the government’s “advancing the welfare of the greatest number of our countrymen.” n
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Fil-Am father shot to death...
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Twenty-five-year-old Donovan Rivera drove the car that Prasad was following the couple in. As Mangaccat was backing into their garage, reports said that Prasad exited the car, walked up the driveway and fired five to six shots at Mangaccat. Seinn was not shot. Mangaccat’s mother, who was at the home when the shooting took place, rushed to the garage to find her son with multiple gunshot wounds. “I saw my son with the blood in his mouth, and I saw a hole and I said, what happened?” said the mother. “So I ran upstairs and called 9-1-1 and came back and tried [CPR] to my son.” Seinn said that she never saw the shooter at the time of the killing. “I’m waiting and I’m sad and crying. Heartbroken,” Seinn told reporters. “So I’m crying and I’m thinking, ‘What happened?’ He has no enemies. I don’t have enemies either.” After the shooting, Prasad reportedly hurried back to the car and Rivera drove them away from the scene. However, investigators were able to identify and arrest them the next day, officials said. Seinn said that she saw Prasad as a friend who knew that she and Mangaccat had been in a se-
rious relationship for years. According to prosecutors, Prasad had been trying to start a romantic relationship with Seinn and wanted her to leave Mangaccat, but Seinn didn’t take Prasad’s requests seriously and rejected his advances. “He just tell me, ‘Don’t go’ and ‘I want to be with you,’” said Seinn, “He would just say something like a friendly joke.” Officials have defined the motive as an act of jealousy toward the victim. “The working proposition for the motive is, “If I kill him and get him out of the way, then I could be there to start the relationship with the grieving widow,” San Mateo County District Attorney Steve Wagstaffe said, as quoted by ABC7. “That’s pretty bizarre.” The couple had a 3-year-old daughter and were about to move the family to Las Vegas together before Mangaccat’s untimely death. Wagstaffe said that last Wednesday was Seinn’s last shift at SFO. “I didn’t want to lose my husband. He was my soulmate,” Seinn said. Prasad and Rivera were charged with murder and made their first court appearance on Monday, April 30. They didn’t enter pleas and will return to court on May 8. (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
sions and Thomas Homan, acting director of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said the administration is adopting a “zero-tolerance policy” toward anyone crossing the border. In other words, asylum seekers would be immediately directed to the Department of Justice (DOJ), and everyone would be taken to jail and prosecuted for the misdemeanor of illegal entry into the U.S. “People are dying trying to enter this country. There is a right way to do it and a wrong way to do it,” said Homan. Sessions said that at this time, parents may be separated from their children after the arrest. Parents will be sent to adult detention facilities while their children will be sent to juvenile shelters under the Office of Refugee Resettlement. Until now, border agents kept parents and their children together at the same centers. “This border is not open. Don’t come unlawfully. We cannot take everyone on this planet who is in a difficult situation...If we do our duty to prosecute most cases, then children inevitably for a period of time might be held,” the attorney general said, prompting outrage from protestors on both sides of the border. Previously, individuals who were apprehended at the border would be immediately deported without criminal charges. An asylum seeker who crossed into the U.S. illegally would have officially committed a federal misdemeanor, but the Dept. of Homeland Security would process their asylum case before being referred to the DOJ for prosecution. Even after being referred to prosecution, the DOJ wouldn’t prosecute until the asylum case was processed and completed. This new law would send asylum seekers straight to federal prosecution without having to process an asylum case first. Sessions has postulated that many asylum claims are fraudulent and propagated by “dirty immigration lawyers.” Additionally, this new law, while adhering to the administration’s mission to stiffen immi-
“If you are smuggling a child, then we will prosecute you and that child will be separated from you as required by law,” Sessions put it in an earlier meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. The administration’s plan to impose immediate criminal charges on border crossers and asylum seekers comes as no surprise. Ending the phenomenon known as “catch and release” has been a key part of the president’s immigration agenda. For decades, thousands of Central Americans have been trying escape gang violence and political turmoil of their native countries by seeking asylum in the U.S. In recent years as violence and unrest continues to plague the region, more and more asylum seekers have been trying to find a way into the United States. Many of these asylum seekers travel in large caravans every year in order to protect themselves. A caravan of 300 people from Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador is currently trying to make its way through Mexico in groups of about 50 to seek asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border. Global human rights organization Amnesty International USA slammed the new policy to separate parents from their children and have said they planned to challenge it in a court of law. “The idea that children can be protected by tearing them away from their families defies all sense of logic and humanity,” said Executive Director of Amnesty International USA Margaret Huang. “These are children who have already suffered the trauma of violence and persecution in their native countries and arduous journey to seek safety. Why in the world would the U.S. government institute a policy that would compound their distress by separating them from their families, claiming it’s for their own good? This is a monstrous policy that flies in the face of human rights and should be rescinded immediately.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJ Press)
Duterte accepts Wanda Teo’s... PAGE A1 t that the Department of Tourism (DOT) approved placing advertisements with Bitag Media Unlimited Inc. (BMUI), which produces “Kilos Pronto,” a blocktimer show on state-run PTV-4 hosted by her brothers, Ben and Erwin Tulfo. The Commission on Audit (COA) flagged the payment of P60.01 million to BMUI, which is owned by Ben Tulfo, for airing DOT’s commercial advertisements on “Kilos Pronto” despite the lack of a memorandum of agreement or contract. Teo has come under fire following the COA report, but Roque said the Office of the Ombudsman is the only institution that can determine if the Tourism chief must be held criminally liable. Amid the controversy, the Tulfos announced that they would return the P60-million to the government. “It was more of delicadeza to protect the family name and to show that the Tulfos do not wish to benefit from any government funds,” Teo’s lawyer, Ferdinand Topacio, said. According to Roque, the plan to return the money was a “good gesture” but said “it will not completely exonerate what has been violated.”
Teo is the fifth official to leave the Duterte Cabinet, following the resignation of former Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II. “We wish to clarify that there was no demand on the part of the president for Secretary Teo to resign, and that the decision to do so was purely out of her own volition,” Topacio said in a press briefing at the DOT office in Makati. New tourism chief Department of Agriculture Undersecretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat has been appointed by Duterte as the new head of DOT, replacing Teo. This was confirmed on Tuesday, May 8, hours after Teo announced her resignation to Special Assistant to the President Christopher “Bong” Go. Puyat is the daughter of former Senator and Foreign Affairs Secretary Alberto Romulo. She is also a grandniece of Carlos P. Romulo, the first Asian president of the United Nations General Assembly, and the great-granddaughter of Pio Valenzuela, the man whom Valenzuela City is named after. She is an economist, who has worked in the government as early as 2005, when she was a consultant to the Presidential Management Staff under the Arroyo administration. ■
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 11-17, 2018
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Two Fil-Am educators among 2018 Social Justice Activist of the Year Award finalists
TWO Filipino-American high school teachers have been nominated to receive the National Education Association (NEA) 2018 Social Justice Activist of the Year Award, which commends educators who have shown leadership on social and racial justice issues both in and out of their classrooms. Gabriel Tanglao of Bergen County, New Jersey and Erica Viray Santos of San Leandro, California are among the seven educators from around the U.S. nominated for the award presented by the NEA EdJustice program. “Education advocacy and social justice advocacy go hand in hand, as an increasingly diverse kaleidoscope of students and educators must feel welcome in our public schools,” read the NEA announcement. It added, “The 2018 Social Justice Activist of the Year award will be presented to the exceptional efforts that demonstrate the ability to lead, organize and engage educators, parents, and the community to advocate on social justice issues that impact the lives of students, fellow educators, and the communities they serve.” The NEA is the largest professional organization in the U.S., representing over three gration policy, could overwhelm million elementary and secondthe already-crowded detention ary teachers, higher education centers and add on to the mas- faculty, school administrators, sive backlog of cases in immigra- education support professionals, retired educators, and fution courts.
New border enforcement policy...
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DATELINE USA
Erica Viray Santos (center)
ture teachers. Gabriel Tanglao, New Jersey A graduate of New Jersey Public Schools, Tanglao went on to receive an MA in economics education from the University of Delaware, and an MS in teaching and BA in political science from Pace University. Tanglao teaches social studies and specializes in Advanced Placement (AP) economics, financial literacy, world history and global issues. Outside of the classroom, Tanglao acts as an advisor to the National Social Studies Honor Society, Model United Nations, and served as a STEM Mentor. In the union, he serves as local treasurer and chair of the legislative action team. He is also an alumni of New Jersey Education Association (NJEA) Union School, and the NJEA Apprentice Program. He also leads NJEA’s first Minority Leadership Training Cadres.
Gabriel Tanglao
Photos courtesy of National Education Association
“He is committed to the power of public education both inside and outside of the classroom,” read the NEA announcement for the award nominees. “This commitment has led him to empower diverse communities through programming and events that cultivate a culture of civic activism around racial justice in public education.” Erica Viray Santos, California A teacher and program director at The Social Justice Academy of San Leandro High School, Santos has been an educator since 2005 and began teaching at the academy in 2008. She currently teaches U.S. history, government, economics, and
social justice courses. With a background in ethnic studies and community organizing, Santos has been vocal about many issues related to Fil-Am and minority culture and experiences, such as the budget cuts to San Francisco State University’s College of Ethnic Studies, and the proposal to rename a Union City high school after Fil-Am labor movement leaders Philip Vera Cruz and Larry Itliong. She was also very active in campaigning with her students in supporting officials and residents of San Leandro when they declared their city a sanctuary city for immigrants last year. “We have been working on the campaign since November and didn’t expect a unanimous vote at both the school board and the city council meeting,” the Inquirer quoted Santos saying. The NEA said of Santos, “Her commitment to equity and passion for creating an inclusive school climate that empowers students to learn and become social justice activists has led to her becoming a driving force in developing, sustaining and directing a school campus focused on social justice.” Voting for the award is open to educators, public education allies and partners, and ends at midnight of May 25, 2018. Voting can be done on www.educationvotes.new.org/2018sja/. (Rae Ann Varona / AJPress)
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Gubernatorial hopefuls look to health care for election edge by AnnA
GormAn Kaiser Health News
California’s leading gubernatorial candidates agree that health care should work better for Golden state residents: insurance should be more affordable, costs are unreasonably high, and robust competition among hospitals, doctors and other providers could help lower prices, they told California SPORTS EDUCATION. Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairman William Ramirez (right) announce the United States Sports Academy Healthline. and PSC Consortium Program to provide a sports education curriculum and certificate program to athletes and coaches at the PSC Board What they don’t agree on Room, Manila on Wednesday, May 9. The program, which has an initial budget of PhP 25 million, will be finalized through a memorandum of is how to achieve those goals agreement with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED). Also in photo are Professor Henry Daut and Deputy Director for Grassroots — not even the Democrats who Sports Development Program Dr. Sergio Opena. PNA photo by Jess Escaros Jr. represent the state’s dominant party. “Health care gives them the perfect chance to crystalize that divide” between the left-wing by nestor CorrAles Time titled “rise of the strong- mukha [namin],” Duterte said progressives and the “moderate Inquirer.net man,” along with russian Presi- on Tuesday, May 8. pragmatists” of the Democratic The president then slammed Party, said Thad Kousser, a poPrEsiDEnT rodrigo Duterte dent Vladimir Putin, Hungarian took offense at the cover photo Prime Minister Viktor orban, TIME for including him on the litical science professor at the of the international edition of and Turkey President recep list of dictators. University of California-san DiThe 72-year-old chief execu- ego. the TIME magazine, saying he Tayyip Erdogan. looked like a “monster.” “Sinabay pa ako doon sa apat tive had earlier said he was not Consider the top two Demoin its May 14, 2018, edition, kami na mga… mukhang mon- a strongman contrary to TIME’s cratic candidates, who both aim Duterte landed on the cover of ster pa ang pagka-drawing ng depiction of him. n to cover everyone in the state, including immigrants living here without authorization. lt. Gov. Gavin newsom — billed as a liberal Democrat — supports a single-payer health care system. That means gutting the health insurance industry to create one taxpayer-funded
Duterte on TIME cover: I’m not a monster
health care program for everyone in the state. But former los angeles Mayor antonio Villaraigosa has called single-payer “unrealistic.” He advocates achieving universal health coverage through incremental changes to the current system. Under California’s “top-two” primary system, candidates for state or congressional office will appear on the same June 5 ballot, regardless of party affiliation. The top two vote-getters advance to the november general election. a poll in late april by the University of California-Berkeley institute of Governmental studies puts newsom in first place with the support of 30 percent of likely voters, followed by republicans John Cox, with 18 percent, and Travis allen with 16 percent. Trailing behind were Democrats Villaraigosa, with 9 percent, John Chiang with 7 percent and Delaine Eastin with 4 percent. Thirteen percent of likely voters remained undecided. Health care is in the forefront of this year’s gubernatorial campaign because of recent federal attempts to repeal the affordable Care act, which would have threatened the coverage of millions of Californians, said Kim
nalder, professor of political science at California state University-sacramento. California has pushed back hard against republican efforts in Congress to dismantle the law. “There’s more energy in California around the idea of universal coverage than you see in lots of other parts of the country,” nalder said. Democrats and those who indicate no party preference make up almost 70 percent of registered voters. Those voters care more about health coverage than republicans, she said. “Whoever is most supportive [of universal health care] is likely to win the votes,” she said. The top republican candidates, Cox and allen, are not fans of increased government involvement, however. They favor more market competition and less regulation to lower costs, expand choice and improve quality. “Governments make everything more expensive,” said Cox, a former adviser to former House speaker newt Gingrich during his presidential run. “The private sector looks for efficiencies.” This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n
‘No more fighting’: Mayweather says no to rematch with Pacquiao by ritChel
mendiolA AJPress
BoxinG champion floyd Mayweather Jr. confirmed that there will be no rematch between him and fellow boxer Manny “Pacman” Pacquiao. stylish and luxurious, he arrived at the ninoy aquino international airport (naia) last Tuesday, May 8, and readily answered questions. “i’m an old man. There’s no more fighting in floyd Mayweather,” he said, rejecting the possibility of a rematch with filipino eight-division world boxing champion, Pacquiao. However, there is one thing Mayweather would like to do with Pacquiao if given the chance — shoot some hoops. “My love for boxing is like my love for basketball,” the retired boxer said. Mayweather is currently on a world tour aboard his $3 million Gulfstream iV on a personal mission to meet and greet boxing fans the world over. “i’m touring the world and embracing my fans, and getting love from around the world. right now
Photo from Instagram/@dyancastillejo
i’m retired,” he said. The unbeaten world champion boxer has already travelled to Dubai, singapore, indonesia, Thailand and now Manila. He wasted no time and immediately travelled to sun-soaked island of Palawan. He is currently staying in El
nido’s premier luxury resort in Pangulasian island along with his friends from the The Money Team (TMT) and Dyan Castillejo. “it’s been great,” Mayweather said of his visit to the Philippines. “People have been nice, real generous, real respectful, fun, caring. i like it.” n
Senate passes bill to support those found innocent and released from prison
saCraMEnTo — on Thursday, May 3, the California senate passed senate Bill 1050 by a unanimous 38-0 vote to extend services and support for exonerated people released from prison after their wrongful convictions are overturned. sB 1050 is one of five bills in the #EquityandJustice2018 package carried jointly by sens. Holly Mitchell and ricardo lara as follow-up measures to their initial #EquityandJustice bills last year. since 1989, there have been a total of 192 exonerations in California. “Under no circumstances should a person be convicted and sentenced for a crime they did not commit,” Mitchell said. “That it happens is a grave indicator of a broken system that desperately needs all of our focused attention. i ask that everyone support not only sB 1050 today, and also support our current fight for #EquityandJustice2018.” lara agreed. “The irony is that we provide more services to people who have actually committed a crime upon release than to the exonerated. Exonerees deserve better than being thrown out with nothing but the clothes on their backs,” sen. ricardo lara said. “Justice has already failed these people. We cannot allow the state to fail them twice.”
The need to support exonerated people was highlighted by Gov. Brown’s recently pardon of Craig Coley, who was imprisoned for 38 years for a crime he did not commit – the longest time served by a wrongfully convicted person in California history. The #EquityandJustice2018 package includes bills that give healthcare and other support to exonerated people after prison, reform mandatory sentencing rules, and require youth age 14 and 15 who commit crimes be tried as juveniles not as adults. The remaining bills in the #EquityandJustice2018 package by the los angeles-area Democrats are: SB 439 – Minimum Age Incarceration This juvenile justice-reform measure would exclude children age 11 and younger from juvenile court jurisdiction and would promote the rights, health and well-being of the child by curbing premature exposure to incarceration. status: awaiting review by the assembly Public safety Committee. SB 1391 – Justice for children under age 16 Ensures that youth ages 14 and 15 who commit crimes get the services and help they need by prohibiting them from being tried as adults and keeping them in the juvenile justice system.
Iglesia ni Cristo breaks...
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record for largest human mosaic formed by 9,000 members forming the inC flag, which was previously set by abeer medical group from saudi arabia with 4,500 participants in observance of World Diabetes Day on november 14, 2017. according to Brown, they were still verifying two possible world records for the event – largest charity walk at multiple venues and the most nationalities in a charity walk. The number of
participants from the other 300 sites will be verified as well as he passports of those who participated in the event. Edwil Zabala, inC spokesman, said only those whose wristbands have been deposited in the drop boxes at the end of the finish line were counted for the world record. “some might have not finished the walk or kept the wristband as a souvenir. so only those who surrendered their wristbands were counted,” he said. sunday’s charity walk was for
status: awaiting review by senate appropriations Committee. sB 1392 – one-Year repeal This proposal would repeal the 1-year sentence enhancement for felony convictions status: Waiting to be taken up by the senate. SB 1393 – Five-Year Judicial Discretion This proposal would return to prior statutory authority for judicial discretion on 5-year enhancements for serious felony convictions. status: Waiting to be taken up by the senate. sen. ricardo lara is chair of the senate appropriations Committee and was first elected to the legislature in 2010. He represents nearly 1 million residents of senate District 33, which includes long Beach and the southeast los angeles cities of Bell, Bell Gardens, Cudahy, Huntington Park, lakewood, lynwood, Maywood, Paramount, signal Hill, south Gate, and much of los angeles. More at www.senate. ca.gov/lara. sen. Holly J. Mitchell is chair of the senate Budget and fiscal review Committee. a member of the legislature for more than six years, she represents nearly 1 million residents of senate District 30, which includes Culver City and much of los angeles. learn more at www.senate. ca.gov/Mitchell. n
for the benefit of the less fortunate in selected communities, especially in africa where poverty is the principal cause of hunger. “Poverty is the principal cause of hunger in africa and elsewhere. The Church recently established an eco-farming project in ladybrand, south africa aimed at helping address the pressing concerns of hunger and malnutrition in that area,” the inC said. “Proceeds of the second Worldwide Walk will be used to continue providing food and medical assistance for those in immediate need in impoverished communities,” the church added. n
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Duterte to tap ‘all-Asian’ team for Dengvaxia probe by CATHERIN
S. VALENTE ManilaTimes.net
PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte will form a three-man, “all-Asian” panel of experts to investigate the controversial Dengvaxia vaccine, Malacañang said on Tuesday, May 8. Palace spokesman Harry Roque said Duterte made the decision during a recent Cabinet meeting in Malacañang. “The president after much discussion said that he will create a three-man panel of experts, all Asians, no Westerners and he will be bound by the findings of these three-man experts on the issue of whether or not dengvaxia actually caused deaths,” he added. In a news briefing, Roque said conflicting findings of the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO) and the University of the Philippines-Philippine General Hospital (PGH) prompted Duterte “to seek further advice” through the foreign panel of experts. “The problem of the president is although there is a finding of a PAO expert and there is a PGH panel of experts’ finding, as a lawyer and a former prosecutor, he knows that expert witnesses can cancel out each other’s testimonies,” he added.
“In effect, he said that with conflicting testimonies from the experts from the PAO and the PGH, he is constrained to seek further advice from disinterested parties,” Roque said. According to him, the foreign experts must have no ties with the Philippine government and the Dengvaxia manufacturer, Sanofi Pasteur. “He [Duterte] requested that the panel of experts should be foreign, should have no links absolutely with the Philippine government… at siyempre dapat walang links sa Sanofi [and of course must have no links with Sanofi],” Roque said. “Pakikinggan po niya ang report at opinyon ng mga ekspertong ito nang maka-usad na tayo dito sa isyu ng Dengvaxia. Sa ngayon po, nag-aantay pa ng mas malinaw na scientific finding ang ating presidente kaya nga po bubuuin niya itong three-man panel na experts para malaman talaga kung ano ang dapat gawin dito sa Dengvaxia (He will listen to the report and opinion of the experts for us to move on from this issue. For now, the president is just waiting for more transparent scientific finding that’s why he wanted to form the three-panel of experts for us to know what we can do about this Dengvaxia
controversy),” he added. Dengvaxia maker Sanofi earlier hailed the vaccine as a breakthrough in combating dengue, which kills hundreds of people in the Philippines, mostly children, every year. But the French company set off a panic when in November it said a new analysis showed that the vaccine could lead to more severe symptoms for people who had not been infected with the dengue virus. In February, the Department of Health (DoH) confirmed that of the 14 children who died of various causes some time after receiving Dengvaxia, only three died of dengue, but none of the deaths could directly be attributed to the vaccine. The PAO, however, is standing by its findings and has even filed criminal charges against former Health Secretary Janette Garin and several others over the deaths of some schoolchildren administered with the vaccine. More than 830,000 public school students were injected with Dengvaxia as part of the anti-dengue immunization program. The Philippine government suspended the vaccination program in December 2017 and threatened to sue Sanofi.
Manila begins ‘back-channel talks’ with Reds by CATHERIN
S. VALENTE
ManilaTimes.net
TO enable peace talks to resume soonest, the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) are now engaged in “informal back-channel talks” in Europe, according to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP). In a statement, the OPAPP on Tuesday, May 8, said Presidential Peace Adviser Jesus Dureza and government peace panel chairman Silvestre Bello 3rd informed President Rodrigo Duterte during Monday’s Cabinet meeting that “efforts to resume peace negotiations with the CPP/NPA/NDF are underway, with informal back channel talks
now taking place in Europe.” NPA refers to the New People’s Army, the armed wing of the CPP, and NDF to the National Democratic Front, an umbrella group that counts the NPA and the party as members. The OPAPP said Dureza and Bello had informed the President that his clear directives were being relayed “across the table” and are now subjects in ongoing meetings. “Our team is now in Europe and we are informed that there are initial positive results so far,” Dureza said, as quoted by the OPAPP. Bello, meanwhile, said the team would return home soon to personally brief the President on the results of the informal talks.
“We are doing our best to meet the deadline set by the President about the resumption of talks within 60 days,” he added. Duterte earlier set a 60-day timeframe for the peace negotiations that he is seeking to revive with the communist group, urging its leaders to accept his offer for renewed talks. “Take advantage of those 60 days. If it [timeframe]succeeds, I would like to thank God first, and the Filipino people and the military and the police for their understanding,” the President said. Duterte reiterated his invitation to exiled CPP founder Jose Maria “Joma” Sison to come home to hammer out a deal. PAGE A7
NEW PISTOLS. Quezon City Mayor Herbert Bautista (right) presents a .40 caliber Taurus pistol to Philippine National Police chief Oscar Albayalde. With them is Metro police chief Camilo Cascolan. QCPD director Chief Supt. Joselito Esquivel Jr. thanked the city government for its logistical support. He said the 1,250 Taurus Cal. 40 Model PT840 semi-automatic pistols will be issued to policemen who have just been assigned to the city. The three vehicles will be for the official use of the PNP chief, NCRPO director and QCPD head. ManilaTimes.net photo by Ruy Martinez
Ombudsman erred in dismissing Junjun Binay, CA says by RITCHEL
MENDIOLA AJPress
THE Court of Appeals (CA) reversed the ruling of the Office of the Ombudsman to dismiss and perpetually disqualify from government service former Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, Jr. over the construction of the Makati City Hall parking building worth P2.28-billion. In a 159-page decision penned by Associate Justice Edwin Sorongon, the appellate court dismissed the administrative case against Binay based on the socalled “condonation doctrine” — which bars the administrative disciplining of an elective official for a wrongful act committed during his/her immediately preceding term. The Supreme Court struck down this doctrine, which was laid down in the Aguinaldo v. Santos case in November 2015 due to lack of basis under the 1987 Constitution. However, according to the CA it is still applicable in Binay’s case. The CA said that “the abandonment of the condonation doctrine should not be given any retroactive effect as to prejudice Binay, Jr.” for the acts he allegedly com-
Former Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin “Junjun” Binay, Jr. Philstar.com photo
mitted when said doctrine was still in effect and duly recognized — referring to the alleged irregularities in Phases III to V of the Makati City Hall Parking Building (MCHPB). “Considering that the present case was instituted prior to the ruling of the Supreme Court in Carpio-Morales, the condonation doctrine may still be applied,” the CA added. The appeals court explained that the alleged irregularities that Binay allegedly committed happened before he was elected in 2013. “Clearly, these pertained to acts which transpired before Binay, Jr., was subsequently elect-
ed and continued in public office on May 14, 2013. It is uncontroverted that Binay, Jr. served as the City Mayor of Makati from June 28, 2010, and was re-elected into the same office on May 14, 2013,” the CA said. The Ombudsman dismissed Binay and 20 others because “flagrant anomalies were found to have been committed by Binay, Jr. and the other respondents in the design and construction of the building consisting of six phases” in its 103-page joint decision in 2015. According to the Ombudsman, the condonation doctrine could not be applied because the alleged anomalies were committed after his reelection in May 2013, during his second term — which the CA contracted by saying that the disbursement vouchers contested in the case were signed by Binay before he was elected. “Indubitably, this Court cannot sustain the OMB with respect to Binay, Jr. without utterly disregarding the foregoing pronouncements of the Supreme Court,” the CA held. “Given the factual circumstances herein and the prevailing jurisprudence, this Court holds PAGE A7
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MAY 11-17, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
OPINION
Setting a precedent
FEATURES
THE law is what the Supreme Court says it is, and the high tribunal must not take this responsibility lightly. Every decision of the SC sets a precedent that can be applied to similar cases in the future. This week the high tribunal is expected to decide on an unprecedented petition that seeks to unseat the chief justice merely by a vote of her peers. Several of the SC justices have openly resented the promotion of the second most junior member of the tribunal to the post of chief magistrate. But no SC justice has heeded calls to inhibit from deliberations on a quo warranto petition seeking the ouster of Maria Lourdes Sereno. The petition was filed by the government’s chief lawyer, who argues that Sereno’s appointment was void from the start. Sereno also faces ouster efforts before Congress, this time through the constitutional process of impeachment. While the super majority in the House of Representatives is expected to vote for Sereno’s removal, her conviction after trial by the Senate is uncertain. The chief justice is one of only a handful of government officials led by the president who
are specifically mentioned in the Constitution as impeachable public servants. Because these officials hold such sensitive posts, the Constitution was crafted to insulate them from arbitrary and whimsical efforts to remove them from office. Concerns have been raised that the quo warranto petition will circumvent and undermine the constitutional process. If the solicitor general can move for the speedy ouster of the chief justice, there are also valid concerns that it will undermine the independence of the judiciary, which is weak enough as it is. Speculative reports indicate that the SC justices are unfazed and are set to vote for the ouster of Sereno. Once this mode of removing a chief justice succeeds, there is no stopping the next administrations from doing the same thing. In deciding on the quo warranto petition, SC justices must rise above their personal concerns and decide with the best interest of the nation in mind. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
History and national identity
Commentary
CECILIA GAERLAN IT is a moral outrage when one country tries to suppress the history of another through various forms of coercion. But it is a bigger offense when one’s own government colludes in this crime and commits a breach of trust against its own people. The recent stealth removal by the Philippine government of the Comfort Women Statue in Manila is a massive indignity to the Filipino people and to all those who believe in the sanctity of freedom. More than 76 years ago, the Philippines, a U.S. Commonwealth at that time, was attacked by the Empire of Japan just hours after Pearl Harbor was bombed. The United States declared war against Japan but the ravages of war did not reach the continental United States and instead the war was fought
Philstar.com photo
in its colony, the Philippines. In any war, the majority of casualties are civilians. Approximately 1 million Filipino civilians died during WWII. Yet today, the legacy of those who made the ultimate sacrifice is but a dim memory, forgotten by the leaders of the Filipino nation. Young students grow up without any knowledge of their ancestors’ heroic deeds, many of whom chose death over a life of bondage. And memorials to Filipinos who suffered so much during the war are dismantled in favor of the Japanese occupiers who inflicted pain and tyranny. Seventy-four years after World War II ended, one would think that it was the Empire of Japan that won the war in the Philippines. Perhaps it did. Otherwise, why are we allowing a foreign power to dictate how our history is being presented? Many of our leaders have deliberately chosen to forget the nation’s glorious past in favor of the road to economic prosperity. In
doing so, we have lost our sense of national identity. Without this, the Filipino nation cannot become a leader in its own right. In the long run, a nation’s self-worth is just as important, if not more, than economic prosperity. As a country, there is no true sovereignty unless a nation has a sense of identity and self-worth. If we do not have that, then our ancestors’ sacrifices were all in vain and our nation will remain a vassal of other mightier countries. In California, several generations of Filipino Americans, which now make up the largest Asian population in the state, grew up without a sense of identity because the legacy of their ancestors were not being taught in schools. The Filipinos’ contribution during WWII was a seminal part of U.S. history and this should be learned not just by Filipino Americans but by all students in the United States so that they can appreciate the sacrifices that were made in fighting
for their freedom by an entire nation some 5,000 miles away. It is for this very reason that Bataan Legacy Historical Society, with support from the community, fought for the inclusion of WWII in the Philippines in California’s high school history curriculum framework. On July 14, 2016, it was finally approved for inclusion in California’s Grade 11 U.S. history curriculum framework. Because California is one of the two largest consumers of textbooks in the country (Texas being the other), publishers are mandated to include any changes in the curriculum framework in these two states. These textbooks are distributed nationally so it is only a matter of time before WWII in the Philippines will be taught across the U.S. This was presented during the last conference of the National Historical Commission of the Philippines in August 2017 in Pampanga. It was received with much enthusiasm and teach-
ers and historical societies were clamoring for its introduction in the Philippines. Except for one paragraph about the Bataan Death March in the social studies curriculum, why is it that WWII in the Philippines is not taught in high schools when two weeks are devoted to the EDSA revolution (downfall of Marcos regime)? Why is there no political will to do this? The recent removal of the Comfort Women Statue, a memorial to many Filipina women who were enslaved by their Japanese occupiers, is a wakeup call to a nation that needs a strong national identity. A country’s history should be presented in its unvarnished form. It should never be tampered with, suppressed or embellished. Students should be able to make their own determination and hopefully, they will become more engaged in their civic affairs. If we do not heed to this call, we will lose a golden opportunity to awaken our youth so that they can take pride in their heritage and become better citizens of their country and the
world. I am calling on the leaders of the Philippines to invest in their country’s future by educating its youth of its proud legacy – a history unencumbered by economic interests. I am also calling on the entire Filipino diaspora to take a stand as one nation and not rely on the old proverb “Dios na ang bahala.” (God will provide). What so many fail to recognize is that this is only half of the proverb “Nasa Tao ang Gawa, Nasa Dios ang Bahala” (loosely translated God helps those who help themselves). As descendants of the greatest generation, we have a moral obligation to ensure that the legacy of our ancestors will live on in future generations. It is time for Filipinos to take matters into their own hands so that they can have a strong national identity. Only then can we have a future that is strong and filled with possibilities. Mabuhay ang Pilipinas! *** Cecilia Gaerlan is the Executive Director of Bataan Legacy Historical Society. For more information, log on to www.bataanlegacy.org.
If China deploys missiles, so should we Opinion
RICARDO SALUDO FIRST, let’s get real. No amount of global protest will make China remove anti-ship and anti-aircraft missiles reportedly installed on the three islands it reclaimed in the South China Sea. Assuming President-for-life Xi Jinping approved deployment, it would be a huge climbdown before the world if he orders them out. That would weaken him in front of 1.38 billion Chinese, and potentially destabilize the country. No way. And if Xi didn’t actually allow the missiles to be installed or know about them, then we may have a bigger problem: rogue elements of the People’s Liberation Army making major, regionally destabilizing decisions outside Beijing’s control. That’s highly unlikely. Rather, what’s almost sure is that the Chinese leadership agrees with the PLA that the missiles should be installed on the three islands, despite the international reaction. Why Beijing put up missiles So, what pressing factors could have prodded Beijing to arm its man-made islands with ship-sinking and plane-downing projectiles sure to alarm all nations with vessels and aircraft passing the South
China Sea? Of the many reasons, let’s ponder just one: the possibility of war with the United States over the North Korean nuclear missile crisis, or Taiwan’s leanings toward independence. The latter got a recent boost from a new U.S. law calling for Cabinet-level contacts with the island. That’s an utter no-no for Beijing, which insists that Taipei is a renegade regime not entitled to direct relations with sovereign states. Plainly, if there may be armed conflict, then China — like the US and any other major power — will take all military measures necessary to defend its security and interests, even if every nation on earth objects. So, with or without international protests, the PLA has put up missiles to protect the islands and nearby Chinese shipping routes from air and sea threats. Those sea lanes are immensely vital to China, carrying among other essential commodities, four-fifths of its oil imports. And no less than a U.S. Armyfunded study by the RAND thinktank, “War with China: Thinking Through the Unthinkable,” explicitly urged that one war strategy against the PLA should be “cutting off Chinese access to seaborne supplies of oil and liquefied natural gas.” Now, if a potential adversary has said that it was a good idea to cut off your country’s fuel imports during war, would you deploy missiles, warplanes, and radar
jammers on island bases to protect your ships, especially your oil tankers? Absolutely, and no power in the world would stop you. What makes China even more fearful are the increasing number of potentially hostile ships and planes coming around, with the US Navy’s freedom of navigation operations (fonops) challenging Beijing’s claim over nearly all the South China Sea, as well as the claimed territorial waters up to 12 nautical miles from its reclaimed islets. Plus: Japan, Australia and India, all part of the U.S.-led Quadrilateral alliance seeking to secure the Indo-Pacific region, have also begun naval sailings in the South China Sea. Recently, China warned Australian warships patrolling the area. And if the Philippines ever moved ahead to fully implement the 2014 Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, then Washington may proceed with its announced plan to deploy 60 percent of its naval assets in the region under its pivot-to-Asia policy. The EDCA would treble rotations of US forces in the country, and give them access to several military bases. Now, is all that reason enough for China to put missiles, planes and radar jammers on three small islands? Just to be very clear: the foregoing discussion is meant to explain — but not justify — Beijing’s deployment of island bases, warplanes and missiles in the South China Sea.
The graphic from Rep. Gary Alejano shows the range of missiles recently installed by China on three of its artificial reefs in the South China Sea.
And besides securing its shipping, there are other reasons for China’s militarization of the South China Sea, from asserting its regional supremacy, just as the U.S. did in the Americas in the 19th century under the 1823 Monroe Doctrine; to addressing the PLA’s main naval challenge of being hemmed in by the Japanese, Philippine and Indonesian archipelagos — all U.S. allies — the so-called First Island Chain. But the naval threat to Chinese shipping is more than enough reason to brave global opprobrium to put up missiles in the Spratlys. Now, what should the Philippines do? How to secure our ships First, President Duterte may wish to call the National Security Council, which may include not just the Cabinet and defense officials, but also congressional leaders and former presidents. With the NSC meeting the national leadership can achieve
two imperatives: discuss security issues in confidence, and get everyone behind the chosen action points. By contrast, the public hearing on the Chinese missiles urged by some senators, while grabbing TV publicity for those due for reelection next May, would only serve to publicize hugely sensitive security deliberations and information. It would also heighten partisan divisions, denying the nation the leadership unity needed to deal with China. Second, the NSC may wish to consider one military option: acquiring anti-ship missiles and anti-aircraft systems, as urged by this column <http://www.manilatimes.net/defend-seas-get-missiles-not-ships/383395/>. Then, if our ships are targeted by China, we can retaliate against its vessels, thousands of which sail between China and Luzon — well within missile range. Now, if China doesn’t mean to threaten our ships with its mis-
siles, then its shipping should not fear our rockets. At the same time, our projectiles, with a range encompassing the 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, can deter intruders in our EEZ. Third, the Philippines must forge a joint defense agreement among Southeast Asian nations around the South China Sea. Under the accord, if a country’s ships are attacked by China, the alliance blocks Chinese shipping in waters within range of their forces. This purely defensive agreement would be far preferable to Beijing than getting Uncle Sam and its Quadrilateral allies to defend Asean. Now, which is the best response to Chinese reclamation and militarization — diplomatic protests Beijing will just ignore, U.S. forces sure to be targeted by the PLA, or our own missiles and mutual neighborly defense? (ManilaTimes.net)
The views expressed by our Op-Ed contributors are solely their own and do not necessarily reflect the predilection of the editorial board and staff of Asian Journal.
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • mAy 11-17, 2018
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DFA, labor officials trip to Kuwait cancelled Australian community throws support behind Sister Patricia Fox by alexis
romero Philstar.com
by Gaea
Katreena Philstar.com
CabiCo
MANILA — Australians expressing support for Sister Patricia Fox called on the Philippine government to rescind its order against the 71-year-old nun to leave the country. Nearly 500 leaders and members of the religious community, politicians, and union and community members signed the campaign initiated by Movement Against Tyranny Australia, International Coalition for Human Rights in the Philippines and Migrante Australia. They are urging President Rodrigo Duterte and the Bureau of Immigration to restore the missionary visa of Fox, a Melbourne native, and thank her for dedicating 27 years of her life to help the poor and the marginalized. “We unreservedly condemn the detention of Sr. Pat on April 16 to 17, 2018 and the subsequent 30day deportation order of April 25 as an arbitrary act of repression against her and against all foreigners who have committed to assist and support the Filipino people in their struggles to live in a poverty-stricken, exploited and violent society,� the collective statement
In this May 4, 2018 photo, Australian Catholic nun Sister Patricia Fox, center, is greeted by supporters after filing documents at the Bureau of Immigration in Manila.
read. BI is seeking the expulsion of Fox from the country, citing her alleged violation of immigration rules by participating in partisan activities while she is in the Philippines with a missionary visa. On May 3, Fox filed her 26-page counter-affidavit on the deportation case, arguing that Intelligence Agent Melody Penelope Gonzales “has no right to define and delimit what constitute the apostolate and missionary works of the Sisters of Our Lady Sion.� The Australian community
stressed that the nun did not commit any illegal political activity in the Philippines and applauded Fox for fighting for her right to stay and do her duties in the country. “As she has stood alongside the poor farmers, workers and indigenous people these last 27 years, we are proud to stand alongside her now,� they said. In a speech last month, an angry Duterte blasted Fox for her supposedly having a “shameful mouth� and admitted that he was the one who ordered immigration officials to investigate her. n
MANILA — A scheduled trip to Kuwait by labor and foreign affairs officials has been cancelled. “Everything is now up to the DFA (Department of Foreign Affairs). We defer on all diplomatic initiatives to the DFA,â€? presidential spokesman Harry Roque said in a chance interview. Roque made the remark a week after Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said he and other officials were flying to Kuwait to discuss the diplomatic row with their Kuwaiti counterparts. MalacaĂąang is leaving it to the DFA to handle all diplomatic initiatives, including the issues between the Philippines and Kuwait that stemmed from the conditions of migrant workers, he said. Roque said the meeting between Philippine and Kuwait officials in the Gulf state was supposed to touch on the proposed memorandum of understanding that would improve the working conditions of overseas Filipino workers. Asked if the trip would push through, Roque said: “None, there’s no such trip.â€?
He was supposed to be part of the Philippine delegation to Kuwait. Last February, Duterte banned the deployment of workers to Kuwait, citing reports about the death of eight Filipinos allegedly maltreated by their employers. He also demanded better working conditions for migrant workers in Kuwait, including allowing them to sleep for at least seven hours, cook their own food and grant them a day off each week. Last month, videos showing Philippine embassy staff rescuing Filipinos from their employers were uploaded on the internet, drawing the ire of the Kuwaiti government which regarded it as an affront to their sovereignty. The Kuwaiti government had asked Philippine Ambassador Renato Villa to leave and declared him persona non grata. The Philippines apologized for the incident and insisted that the rescue was a “rightful exercise� of its duty to protect its citizens. The president has urged Filipinos in Kuwait to come home and vowed to provide for their needs. He has also announced a plan to make the deployment ban permanent but Bello later clari-
fied that the sending of workers may resume once a bilateral agreement protecting workers is signed. Meanwhile, local recruiters are seeking the reopening of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as an alternative destination for displaced Filipino domestic helpers from Kuwait. At a media forum, the Philippine Manpower Agencies for the United Arab Emirates (PAMA-UAE) urged the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to lift the suspension of the deployment of Filipino household service workers (HSWs) to UAE. “We reiterate our call to DOLE Secretary Bello to promulgate the directive allowing the accreditation of job orders to the UAE because it will be a good solution to the Kuwait problem,� PAMA president Dolly Uanang said. “It will not be that difficult to transfer our HSWs because the salary, the situation, rules on welfare and protection are the same,� she said. The DOLE is reportedly studying the possibility of resuming the deployment of Filipino domestic helpers to UAE. n
Ombudsman erred in dismissing Junjun Binay... PAGE A5 t that the undisputed and subsequent reelection of Binay, Jr. in the year 2013 is a condonation of his administrative liabilities,� it added. The CA also dismissed the administrative complaints against Marjorie De Veyra, Cecilio Lim III, Eleno Mendoza Jr. and Virginia Hernandez for lack of juris-
diction. On the other hand, the CA affirmed the Ombudsman’s ruling over 11 other city officials involved in the case namely City Legal Officer Pio Kenneth Dasal, City Budget Officer Lorenza Amores, Civil Engineer of the Central Planning Management Office (CPMO) Arnel Cadangan, CPMO chief Line
dela Pena, City Legal Officer Giovanni Condes, Technical Working Group (TWG) officer Rodel Nayve, General Services Department staff Norma Flores, Bids and Awards Committee (BAC) member Ulysses Orienza, CPMO staff Connie Consulta, BAC secretariat Manolito Uyaco and BAC member Gerardo San Gabriel. n
Manila begins ‘back-channel talks’... PAGE A5 t “I am talking to Sison now. It is an off-and-on thing and probably the military and the police have misgivings‌ I need not go there, but I invite you to come here and I will answer your traveling [expenses]including fare, billeting and food,â€? he said. Sison has been in exile in The Netherlands since his release from prison in the late 1980s. Duterte had also promised the safety of NPA members during the
new negotiations. “I will give you complete freedom to move. I will not harass anyone and I will order the military and the police to be nice to you,� the President said. The communist insurgency has raged for half a century and supposedly left more than 40,000 people dead. On-off negotiations to end the revolt have been brokered by Norway since 1986. Last month, Duterte ordered his Cabinet to work on a truce to
revive the talks but the communist rebels rejected preconditions. Ending the conflict was among Duterte’s priorities when he took office in 2016. But he abandoned peace efforts in November, infuriated by the NPA’s repeated attacks on government troops. In early April, Duterte said the rebels, before resuming talks, must agree to a ceasefire, a stop to their extortion activities and an abandonment of their proposal for a coalition government.
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may 11-17, 2018 • NORCaL aSIaN JOURNaL
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 11-17, 2018
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BUSINESSJ& COMMUNITY OURNAL Life in the United States after a false claim to US citizenship
Your Immigration Solution ATTY. LORELLA T. HESS AND NANCY MILLER OVER 20 years ago, Congress tightened the law regarding the immigration ramifications of knowingly making a false claim to U.S. citizenship for a purpose or benefit under federal or state law. False claims always rendered a person inadmissible (not eligible for lawful entry) or removable (deportable even if you already are here lawfully). But one who made such a claim was eligible for a waiver of the misrepresentation provided they had a qualifying relative who would suffer extreme hardship if the alien were not permitted to enter or remain in the United States. That waiver still exists for false claims to citizenship made on or before September 30, 1996. However, false claims to U.S. citizenship made on or after October 1, 1996 are no longer waivable. A very limited exception to inadmissibility or removability exists for one who made a false claim if each natural or adopted parent is or was a citizen, the alien permanently resided in the U.S. prior to attaining the age of 16 and the alien reasonably believed at the time of making the claim to citizenship that he was a citizen. A separate but related ground of removability exists for one who votes in violation of any Federal, State or local constitutional provision, statute, ordinance or regulation. The nuances of that ground of removability are beyond the scope of this article. If the results are so draconian, why do non-citizens falsely claim to be a U.S. citizen? Like most instances where people misrepresent, they fear that telling the truth will not get them what they want or they are desperate to get that which the false claim will provide them. People come to the United States in order to make a better life for themselves and their family members. Starting
in 1996, Congress required that employers confirm that their employees have some lawful status that allows them to work in the United States. Employees were and are required to complete a form called an I-9 which states under what immigration status they are permitted to work. If they claim to be here on a work visa or a green card, they need to show that document to the employer. Strangely enough, if they claim to be a U.S. citizen, they do not need to show proof of that status. As a result, many desperate people check the U.S. citizen box on the form. Under
“A false claim to citizenship, even one that cannot now be cured by timely retraction, is not a complete bar to immigration relief.” the same rationale, aliens without status will check that they are citizens when they are applying for student loans or mortgages or driver’s licenses in states that require lawful status for that benefit. And, they usually don’t realize what a dreadful position they are putting themselves in. So, what happens if the non-citizen is remorseful and wracked with guilty feelings and wants to undue the false claim? Is that possible to walk-it-back? The answer is yes, possibly, depending on the facts, under the Doctrine of Timely Retraction. Timely retraction means taking a voluntary action, not under threat of discovery or punishment, with the intent to correct the misrepresentation. What action might be required for a timely retraction is again very dependent on the circumstances of the particular false claim. A false claim to citizenship, even one that cannot now be cured by timely retraction, is not a complete bar to immigration relief. For example, false claims do not rule out eligibility
for S-, T-, or U-visas for criminal informants, trafficking victims, or victims of other serious crimes. Someone who has made a false claim is also eligible for voluntary departure at the conclusion of immigration proceedings, allowing that person to avoid a removal order and forced deportation. Generally, false claims to U.S. citizenship may not statutorily bar an applicant from seeking cancellation of removal for lawful permanent residents or non-lawful permanent residents. However, the false claim presents two issues. To be eligible for cancellation for non-permanent residents, the applicant must show good moral character and false testimony for the purpose of obtaining a benefit under immigration law is a bar to a finding of good moral character. So, an important question is, was the claim false testimony? And, the other issue is whether the immigration judge should favorably exercise discretion on behalf of the one who made a false claim. As in all requests for benefits, the one applying for the relief bears the burden of providing oral and documentary evidence to prove that they are eligible under the law and as an exercise of discretion for the benefit sought. Congress intentionally made it hard to overcome a false claim to citizenship. But it is possible. The first step is to consult an experienced and knowledgeable immigration lawyer. *** Reeves Miller Zhang & Diza is one of the oldest, largest and most experienced immigration firms in the United States with offices in Pasadena, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Manila and China. Telephone: (800) 795-8009 E-mail: immigration@rreeves.com website: www.rreeves.com
ADB sticks to robust growth outlook for Philippines by LAWRENCE
AGCAOILI Philstar.com
THE Philippine economy is set to grow at an even faster clip in the years ahead on the back of rising manufacturing and other investments, a top official of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) said. ADB director general for Southeast Asia Ramesh Subramaniam said rising labor productivity and investments in manufacturing as well as technology are building up the economy’s productive capacity.
“This means, there’s even further room for the Philippine economy to grow,” Subramaniam said in a media briefing during the 51st ADB annual meeting. He said the ADB does not see any material risk of overheating for the Philippines, even as it has become one of the fastest growing economies in Asia in recent years. Rising investments are sufficiently meeting robust domestic demand, thus helping keep inflation relatively manageable. The multilateral lender sees the gross domestic product
(GDP) of the Philippines growing by 6.8 percent this year and 6.9 in 2019 from 6.7 percent a year ago. The government expects the Philippines to hit upper middle income status by 2019 and to slash poverty by about a third to only 14 percent by 2022. Growth drivers include rising private-sector investments, government infrastructure spending, and household consumption. He pointed out the ADB is keen on adapting to the changing financing needs of member
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GMCAC ready to embark on 2nd phase of MCIA development by MARIANNE
Philstar.com
GO
EVEN as it is just about ready to inaugurate and start full operations of its newly constructed Terminal 2 of the Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) by June this year, GMR-Megawide Cebu Airport Corp. (GMCAC) is preparing for the second phase of its 50-year masterplan for the coun*** The analysis and suggestions offered in try’s second international gateway. this column do not create a lawyer-client In a briefing and preview of the MCIA Termirelationship and are not a substitute for nal 2, Louie Ferrer, president of GMCAC, and the personalized representation that is Andrew Harrison, chief executive advisor of GMessential to every case. CAC, told reporters, that they are already working (Advertising Supplement) on getting the necessary regulatory approvals to
The Mactan Cebu International Airport Terminal 2 is on track for the June 7 inauguration which will be led by President Philstar file photo Duterte.
start development work on the second phase of their 50-year masterplan for MCIA which would involve an estimated $4 billion expansion of the
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Community Journal
MAY 11-17, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
California divorce frequently asked questions I JUST moved to California last month, and I’d like to file for divorce. Can I file now? To file for divorce in the State of California, the person filing (called the “Petitioner”) must first meet the jurisdictional requirements: (i) residence in the state of California from the past 6 months; and (ii) residence in the county where that person is filing (e.g., San Diego County) for the past 3 months. Residence – put simply, where the Petitioner lives – also determines which courthouse the Petition for Divorce should be filed. “What if my husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce?” or “My husband/wife does not want to sign the divorce papers, what can I do.” California is a no-fault divorce state. A party filing for divorce does not need the consent of the other in order to file a Petition for Dissolution (Divorce) or, in some instances, to get a judgment of divorce. What is “Service of Process?” Can I just mail the divorce papers to my ex-spouse? Service of Process is a crucial procedural step in the divorce proceedings,
The CTV Files Atty. LiLLi B. BAcuLi because the law reserves for the ex-spouse (called the “Respondent”) the right to respond and appear in court, if s/he wants to. In proceeding in an action for divorce, there are procedural requirements dictated by law that must be followed to ensure that the other party has notice of the action (that is, that s/he is being brought to court for an action of divorce) and that s/he is given time to respond. However, there is no requirement for the other party to respond. There is no requirement that s/he sign any document at all. All that needs to happen is that s/he is properly served with process according to the rules. Note that “proper service” is defined in the Family Code and must be followed, and the validity of any Judgment for Divorce rests on the proper ser-
vice of the Respondent. “What? I have to share my retirement earnings? This is mine, I worked hard for it!” California is a community property state and so once you get married, all property acquired during marriage is community property. Separate property are “all property acquired before marriage; all gifts, bequests, devise, or descents. All property acquired or exchanged with traceable separate property; and all property acquired after separation.” However, if anything out of the community property is used towards separate property, the community might have a claim on part(s) of separate property. “I don’t want to pay spousal support.” Whether you like it or not, spousal support will be ordered if the other party makes a request, and the court deems that the circumstances call for it. Some of the factors that the Court will look at to determine whether there is basis for support, and if so, in what amount, are – length of marriage, age of parties, if there are minor children in the marriage, income of
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Health@Heart PhiLiP S. chuA, MD, FAcS, FPcS How common is cancer of the colon and rectum? Colorectal cancer is the thirdmost common cancer in humans, topped only by cancer of the lungs and female breasts. More than 150,000 people in the United States each year discover they have cancer of the colon or rectum, and approximately 46,000 will die from it this year alone. The incidence starts to rise at the age 40 and the peak is between ages 60 to 75. Colon cancer is more common among women and cancer of the rectum among men. About 5% of the patients have both (synchronous cancer). Does genetics play a role in colorectal cancer? To some degree yes, but there is really a low genetic predisposition to cancer of the large intestine. Exception to this is seen in “cancer-families” and “colon cancer-families,” where colorectal cancer victimizes family members cross several generations, usually occurring before the age of 40. Predisposing factors include chronic ulcerative colitis, ganulomatous colitis, and familial polyposis. The older the person is, the higher the risk. Are meat-eaters more prone to colorectal cancer? It appears to be so, because colorectal cancer is found more prevalent in populations that low-fiber diets that are high in animal proteins, fats, and refined carbohydrates. The incidence of colorectal cancer is indeed high among those who eat red meat (pork, beef, etc) compared to those who eat high-fiber diets (vegetables, fruits, wheat, bran, etc) and fish. What are the signs of colorectal cancer? The person may not have symptoms at all. It could be so subtle, like fatigue and anemia. Blood in the stool (black or bloody red stools) is one common sign. The others include change in the bowel habits, diarrhea or constipation, stools more slender or flatter than usual, stomach discomfort, bloating, fullness, abdominal cramps, frequent gas pains, unexplained weight loss, a sensation that the rectum does not empty completely. Not all these symptoms and signs need to be present, or necessary,
Immigrant Living: 101 and Beyond Monette ADevA MAgLAyA (Continued from last week …)
ğ įōíľ ÀðıÃæµįPçį ʼn æIJįıÀ ØÃĉÃæîÂ ß ğÃqPç qíß߼æÃıŎįĤÀíĽØ ÕæíŊįPdíĽIJĕ If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, email us the details (title, description, time & date, location, etc.) at info@asianjournalinc.com. And for consideration in our print calendar, please send submissions at least three weeks before the date of the event. To be included in our online calendar/ e-newsletter, please allow at least two to three weeks' notice. The Asian Journal would be delighted to list your event in our Calendar of Events.
THE belief in the presence and power of angels to intervene is strong in popular conservative culture. In a remarkable 1999 Hallmark film, “A Season for Miracles,” an angel plays a pivotal role in helping a loving aunt to two children whose incarcerated, drug addicted mother places them in a situation forcing them to run and escape from the foster care system that threatens to split them apart during Christmas. The film is based on a novel by Marilyn Pappano and scripted by Maria Nation. It was very ably directed by Michael Pressman. It is a heartwarming story set in a small town called Bethlehem during Christmas with engaging characters like Agatha and Corrina. For those with a penchant for romance, the story has spades of it as well. So check this film out on youtube whether it is Christmas or not. In my opinion, this is a timeless piece of good work worth watching a hundred times. It will be an hour and some minutes to lighten your load and feel the presence of angels in your life as well. Suspend disbelief. That is the only way to enjoy stories about angels. Trawl the internet and social media and read about how angels, though unseen in many instances, can be felt by many who believe in them. There are many instances when the presence and oftentimes the direct interventions of one’s personal guardian angel are a part of the twists and turns of the unraveling story of many people’s lives. Many have written about their encounters with angels, docu-
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Warning: Colorectal cancer to suspect possible presence colorectal cancer. Any one of these, if persistent, should alert one to seek medical help. What are intestinal polyps? These are small benign tumors (not cancerous growths) in the colon, but they may become cancerous over a period of time, hence termed “precancerous.” Detecting and removing polys is one strategy to prevent colorectal malignancy. In most instances, polyps can be removed by colonoscopic procedure (long, tubelike flexible fiberoptic lighted “tele” scope, about the diameter of the index finger, inserted thru the anus, to inspect the rectum and colon, make biopsy and/or excision of polyps). This saves the patient from an abdominal surgery. About 60 percent of all colorectal cancers are within the reach of flexible fiberoptic sigmoidoscopy, popularly known as colonoscopy. When should colonoscopy be done? Anyone who is 50 years old and older should have an annual fecal occult blood test and a prophylactic colonoscopy every 3 to 5 years, in coordination with a physician. Since blood in the feces is one of the earliest sign of colorectal cancer, testing for blood in the stools yearly among those 50 and older is essential, and could be lifesaving. And so with prophylactic colonoscopy. How do we prevent colorectal cancer? As mentioned above, a high-fiber (fruits and vegetables, bran, oat, wheat) and fish diet will tremendously reduce the risk of colorectal cancer. Therefore, staying away from animal protein, like red meat (pork, beef and anything made of these) is a big factor in preventing the development of colorectal cancer, besides heart attack and stroke. Daily exercises make our body healthier and more resistant to illnesses. Abstinence from tobacco is a must. Checking your stools for blood every time you defecate and reporting any warning signs listed above to your physician will help. For those 50 and older, having a yearly fecal occult blood test and a colonoscopy every 3 to 5 years, is strongly recommended for early detection and cure of the disease. What is the treatment for colorectal cancer? Depending on the stage and location of the colorectal cancer, the primary strategy is wide surgical resection of the cancer
and regional lymphatic drainage. Cure is possible in 75 percent of surgical patients. For cancer limited to the mucosa (surface lining of the wall of the colon), 5-year survival is about 90 percent; those cancer going deeper into the mucularis propia (muscle-layer of colon), 80 percent; those with positive lymph nodes, meaning cancer already spreading to the lymph nodes, 30 percent. Other modes of treatment includes pre-operative radiotherapy, adjuvant radiotherapy, chemotherapy. When surgery and/or any of these other modalities are indicated will depend on the location, extent and stage of the colorectal cancer. What is the outlook for colorectal cancer patients? There is no question that the outlook for colorectal cancer, and most other cancers in general, is much better today. But we cannot overemphasize the commonsense wisdom that prevention is the best “treatment,” especially when dealing with any potentially deadly disease like cancer, heart attack, stroke, AIDS, etc. New hopes for cancer victims are in the pipeline of dozens of research/clinical laboratories in the United States and other countries around the world. Before the advent of the oral medications for pulmonary tuberculosis, the disease acted like cancer, spreading from the lungs to the brain, bones, liver, kidneys, spleen, lymph nodes, etc. We predict that someday soon, hopefully in the not too distant future, many forms of cancers, if not all, will be cured by simply taking anticancer pills. In the meantime, it behooves each one of us to play an active role in protecting ourselves from becoming cancer victims by living a healthy lifestyle and by being ever vigilant about our health and that of our loved ones. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus in Northwest Indiana and chairman of cardiac surgery from 1997 to 2010 at Cebu Doctors University Hospital, where he holds the title of Physician Emeritus in Surgery, is based in Las Vegas, Nevada. He is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the Philippine College of Surgeons, and the Denton A. Cooley Cardiovascular Surgical Society. He is the chairman of the Filipino United Network – USA, a 501(c)(3) humanitarian foundation in the United States. For more data, visit philipSchua.com; Email: scalpelpen@ gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)
Angels among us
(Second of 4 parts) menting how their guardian an- to stray from the straight and gels are a real part of their lives narrow. In Frank Capra’s classic guarding, guiding and protecting them from harm and on many Christmas film, “It’s a Wonderoccasions, even from death, be- ful Life,” Clarence, a portly, cause their time had not yet come. bumbling character aspiring to I am sure many others have their become an angel must earn his own personal stories to tell about wings by doing something good this unseen entity that can be as- for a human being in desperate cribed to the presence of God need and contemplating suicide. himself – an ever-present help to “Every time a bell rings, an angel aid us in navigating life on earth. gets his wings,” is a memorable The common image of an line in this classic film that is inangel is a beautiful heavenly tended never to get old and aptly being with piercing eyes, big becomes new again for a new white pair of wings and long generation around the Christmas cascading golden hair, robed in season. On the other hand, in the androgynous white gown and who is neither male nor female warped imagination of liberal film makers, “Michael” supposedly about Michael, the Archangel, the highest seraphim who fought Satan and flung him to the burning sulfurous depths of hell and believed to be the protector of the nation of Israel, is portrayed as somewhat of a sleaze who is more human than angelic. In this film, Archangel Michael but to which we ascribe the word “he” just for convenience. can charm females because he An angel, who is an eternal smells of cookies and who is a celestial being, is not subject bit of a Lothario to boot. It may to the constraints of gravity, be somewhat funny to color time, space or language prob- outside the lines in portraying lems. Communication between angels but don’t be fooled by protector and protectee is often the liberal yarn on angels. Holwordless and automatic. Some lywood, in my opinion, has no are messengers and some bring gravitas on angelic matters. Trust your own instincts. Your punishment and death but each has a definite purpose, most of own personal experience will colwhich are beneficial to humans. or the lens with which you view Some claim to have seen their and relate with your personal angels appearing differently from guardian angel. God so loved the the common image we believe world, He sent His only son to of winged beings. Some morph redeem us from sin and death so into human form to lend a hand, we may gain eternal life. Angels to protect from danger or avert are sent to help us during our disaster then disappear quickly. time here on earth towards this They appear specially when arduous journey to eternal life. (To be continued …) the humans they are protecting find themselves in dire straits *** and need help. As one might Nota Bene: Monette Adeva Maglaya is imagine, angels are extremely SVP of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. busy considering the weakness To send comments, e-mail monette. of humans and their predilection maglaya@asianjournalinc.com
“ Every time a bell rings an angel gets his wings.” – From Frank Capra’s film “It’s a Wonderful Life”
ADB sticks to robust growth outlook...
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economies, including those that are reaching higher income levels like the Philippines. ADB earlier expressed support to the Philippines’ most ambitious infrastructure program to date. The Duterte administration has allocated about P8.4 trillion
to bankroll crucial infrastucture projects until 2022 under the Build Build Build program. Funding will come from a mixture of tax revenues and borrowings, including official development assistance (ODA) funds that offer interest rates much lower than commercial rates. Among the recently announced
infrastructure financing from the ADB is a $380 million loan that will help improve 280 kilometers of national roads and bridges in Mindanao. The project is expected to expand access to social services and economic opportunities particularly in the poorest regions in the South. n
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Titanic problems
Immigration Corner ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ ALMOST every Filipino has seen the movie Titanic, the story of Jack and Rose who sailed that doomed ship, which hit an iceberg and sank. During consultations, I sometimes compare the person’s immigration situation to sailing on the Titanic. What do I mean by that? If a person wants to buy a ticket on the Titanic, I want to tell them about all of the possible “icebergs” they may encounter. In the same way, if a person wants to pursue a particular immigration benefit, I think they should be advised of all the possible issues, problems, dangers, and the like (icebergs), in addition to being told of the requirements and chances. I know this approach is counter-productive for business. I probably could have more sign ups if I focus solely on the positive, and downplay the negative. But Filipinos tell me they appreciate my approach. They relate
how they went to consultants or others with their situation, and no matter how serious the case, they were told their case is “no problem,” that they have a 95% chance of success, etc., and were asked to immediately sign the retainer contract. But they felt the law office or paralegal was more interested in getting the sign up and down payment than in giving them a realistic assessment of their situation. In fact, I have turned down many cases, where I felt the chances were slim, or the risks too great. But I think I owe it to the person to point out their “icebergs”, rather than telling them it will be smooth sailing, when I already know they will encounter problems, issues, or icebergs. And after pointing out those issues, they can make an informed decision to go forward, or wait for new developments in immigration laws. And I want to be clear I am not “guaranteeing” success or approval on any person’s case, even a case that seemingly has no icebergs. But I believe it is important for a person to fully understand and be informed on
all aspects of their case and situation, not just the positive, but also the negative, so they can determine whether to proceed, and how to possibly deal with and avoid the icebergs. *** Michael J. Gurfinkel has been an attorney for over 35 years and is licensed, and an active member of the State Bar of California and New York. All immigration services are provided by, or under the supervision of, an active member of the State Bar of California. Each case is different. The information contained herein including testimonials, “Success Stories,” endorsements and re-enactments) is of a general nature, and is not intended to apply to any particular case, and does not constitute a prediction, warranty, guarantee or legal advice regarding the outcome of your legal matter. No attorney-client relationship is, or shall be, established with any reader. WEBSITE: www.gurfinkel.com Follow us on Facebook.com/GurfinkelLaw and Twitter @GurfinkelLaw Call Toll free to schedule a consultation for anywhere in the US: (866)—GURFINKEL Four offices to serve you: LOS ANGELES · SAN FRANCISCO · NEW YORK · PHILIPPINES
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NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 11-17, 2018
Calendar of Events across
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ADVERTISE YOUR EVENTS! PRE-EVENT AND POST EVENT GO DEEPER. GO WIDER. LET THE WORLD KNOW. CALL ASIAN JOURNAL: (818) 502-0651 DISPLAY AD SIZES AT SPECIAL RATES FOR NON-PROFIT GROUPS M AY 3 -1 2
34th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival The 34th Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival will be presented May 3 - May 12, 2018 at select cinemas in the Los Angeles area. A key highlight of the annual Asian Pacific American Heritage Month activities, the Festival is produced by Visual Communications, the nation’s premier Asian Pacific American media arts center, and enjoys broad support from cinema artists and audiences alike. Since 1983, the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival has presented over 4,000 films, videos, and digital mediaworks by Asian international and Asian Pacific American artists, and additionally features seminars and panels, in-person guest appearances, and filmmaker awards. The Film Festival continues to be the largest festival of its kind in Southern California and is the premier showcase for the best and brightest of Asian Pacific American and international cinema. To learn about Visual Communications, visit www. vconline.org.
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Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown hosts “Rotary Pride” in LA Rotary Club of Historic Filipinotown cordially invites you to its “Rotary Pride” event on Saturday, May 12, 2018 from 6 p.m. to 12 a.m. With a FUN evening of Dinner, live band entertainment, dancing & door prizes with a surprise presentation. It will be held at Filipino Cultural Center (FCC) — 1740 Temple St., Los Angeles, CA. It is $50 per person ($65 per person after May 3). Proceeds to benefit a rotary project in the community and internationally.
Archdiocese of Los Angeles hosts Santacruzan-May Crowning Everyone is invited to the 14th Annual Santacruzan-May Crowning sponsored by the Filipino Ministry of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles to be held on Saturday, May 12, 2018 at 2:45 p.m. at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels (555 W. Temple St., Los Angeles, CA 90012). Msgr. Alex D. Aclan, Vicar for Clergy of Archdiocese of LA, will be the principal celebrant. Highlights include presentation of “Sagalas” who are young girls and women comprising the Court of Honor for the Procession of the image of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Eucharistic Celebration, Crowning of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Flower Offering, and a “Banda Musiko”accompanied Procession. It will be participated by different civic, religious, devotional, and ethnic organizations including the Philippine Consulate General in LA. The theme of the celebration: “Immaculate Mary, Caring Mother of Missionary Disciples.” The celebration is capped by a Dinner-Dance at Casa Italiana (1051 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012, 6:30 p.m.) For more information, please contact: Chairperson Arnel Bailon at (818) 310-3663 / nyarface2@yahoo.com or Co-chair Fe Amit at (323) 376-8448 / fe.amit@gmail.com. TWICE, HE APPLIED FOR AN IMMIGRANT VISA, TWICE HE WAS DENIED. FIND OUT THE FINAL SCORE THIS SUNDAY, ON “CITIZEN PINOY!” Joseph (center) was initially petitioned as a minor child of a green card holder, but his visa was refused at the interview because he admitted to drug use. When he aged out, his petition was reclassified to F-2B. At his second interview, he was denied for the same reason. His mother, Josie (right), and his sister, Evelyn (left), felt hopeless. They were running out of options, and were desperate. It felt like Nanay Josie’s promise of having the family reunited in America would just remain a dream. Mother and daughter consulted with leading U.S. attorney Michael J. Gurfinkel, after seeing a case similar to Joseph’s that was featured on “Citizen Pinoy.” Atty. Gurfinkel went to the U.S. Embassy in Manila and becomes a major contributor to a landmark decision and policy change that benefitted Joseph and many more. Watch a mother’s promise fulfilled on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
Business News Jollibee ordered to suspend online delivery system over privacy concern
NPC: Privacy of 18M people in fast-food chain’s database in high risk THE data of 18 million people in the online delivery database of popular fast food chain Jollibee Foods Corp. (JFC) are in “high risk” of being exposed to harm due to vulnerabilities in the system although its database has not been breached, the National Privacy Commission (NPC) said. In an order posted online on Tuesday, May 8, the NPC ordered Jollibee to suspend operations of its online delivery system until the site’s vulnerabilities are addressed. When asked about the kind of personal information accessed, Francis Euston Acero, head of NPC’s Complaints and Investigations Division (CID), said the government is not revealing this yet.
Still, Acero said it is similar to the case of Wendy’s Philippines, another fast food chain that faced a similar privacy concern. The main difference is that Wendy’s database had been breached while JFC only has the potential to be hacked given their system’s vulnerabilities. “We withheld that information deliberately because giving that information would give potential attackers avenues in,” Acero said in a phone interview with the Inquirer. The risk was first discovered in December last year, when an uncontracted cybersecurity firm noted a “security gap” in the online delivery system. “While their group was able to exploit the vulnerabilities, their
firm insisted that they did not scrape or exfiltrate any data, because they merely demonstrated their ability to access the data in Jollibee’s database if they so desired,” the NPC order read. In February this year, NPC said that the site remains to be vulnerable, that even those “with little to moderate technical knowledge and skill” could access personal information of Jollibee patrons through the website. “Considering that smaller systems with more robust security measures have been exposed, there is a very high risk that approximately 18 million people currently on the database will be exposed to harm,” NPC said. (Inquirer.net) ■
BSP: We’ll not leave farmers, MSMEs behind by MAYVELIN
U. CARABALLO ManilaTimes.net
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) vowed on Sunday, May 6, to not let its financial inclusion initiatives leave farmers and micro, small, and medium businesses (MSMEs) behind after the World Bank said they remained disadvantaged. In its 2017 Global Findex report, the Washington-based multilateral lender said those who borrowed to start, operate, or expand a farm or business declined to 4.2 percent last year from 13.6 percent in 2014. One in five adults received payments for agricultural goods, slightly unchanged from 2014 to 2017, it added. “Aligned with this finding, the BSP is focusing its financial inclusion work to sectors that have long been wanting for much needed financial services, such as agriculture and MSMEs,” the central bank said in a statement. The envisioned approach goes beyond facilitating credit provision, and involves creating a financing ecosystem that supports value chains and addresses issues in financial infrastructure, it added.
These include guarantees, crop insurance, movable collateral registry, and the credit information system, the Bangko Sentral said. According to the report, over a third of Filipinos 15 years and older own a formal account, or one held in financial institutions, such as banks, cooperatives, and microfinance institutions. Data showed that 34.5 percent of Filipino adults have a formal account that can be used to save money, make or receive payments, and receive wages or financial help, it said. The report also said formal account penetration in the country climbed by 3.2 percentage points from 31.3 percent in 2014. This translated to more than 3.7 million Filipino adults who opened an account in the past three years. While gains are modest, the Philippines made remarkable strides in indicators related to digital payments, it added, noting that adults who used the internet to pay bills or buy something online grew by 6.3 percentage points to 9.9 percent in 2017. Those who made or received digital payments in the past year rose by 5.6 percentage points to 25.1 percent last year, the report said.
“The prospects look bright as the Philippines takes deliberate measures towards digitization,” the central bank said, stressing that it continued to champion its flagship digital finance program National Retail Payment System. The government is also laying the foundation of a digital ecosystem through such measures as the biometric national ID bill and Payment Systems Act, it added. Compared with its Southeast Asian neighbors, the Philippines ranks in the middle, according to the report. Singapore (97.9 percent) lies at one end of the spectrum and Cambodia (21.7 percent) at the other. The country’s level of account ownership fell short of the average for East Asia and the Pacific (70.6 percent) and lower middleincome countries (57.8 percent), it added. “The results of the 2017 Global Findex will be enriched by the BSP’s own financial inclusion survey which will be released soon,” the Bangko Sentral said. The “survey has a more indepth look at the state of financial inclusion in the country to complement the topline country indicators of Global Findex,” it added.■
Free oil filter & motor oil recycling event in Baldwin Park, CA ATTENTION ALL BALDWIN PARK RESIDENTS – Free Oil Filter & Motor Oil Recycling Event! Everyone is invited to bring in their used motor oil and used oil filters. All those who recycle their used oil filter will receive one FREE new Oil Filter. Recycling motor oil and filters helps save our environment and keeps our water clean. So don’t miss out – we’re making it easier for you to keep your car running smoothly and efficiently. It will be held on Saturday, May 12 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at O’Reilly Auto Parts (14503 Ramona Blvd., Baldwin Park, CA 91706).
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TIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run in San Mateo, CA ABS-CBN International The Filipino Channel (TFC) will hold the 1st TIKIM Filipino Food Fun Run at the Coyote Point Recreation Area (1701 Coyote Point Drive) in San Mateo on Sunday, May 13. The run starts at 8am, while the food festival (Duck Pond area/picnic sites 5-8) starts at 10am. The purpose of the event is to celebrate on Mother’s Day everything about family, fitness, fun and Filipino food flavors. The event is open to all ages, gender and races. Every kilometer of the 5K fun run will have Filipino taste stations, with a food festival and entertainment past the finish line. More importantly, participants who register and join the fun run help provide meals for 10 malnourished children in the Philippines via ABS-CBN Foundation International’s Bantay Bata (Child Watch) program. Every month, the program feeds 300 children with one nutritious meal a day during school time. For more information about the TIKIM event and AFI Bantay Bata can be found by visiting https://mytfc.com/tikim and http://www.abscbnfoundation.org/.
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The Asian American Group to celebrate first annual Asian Culture Day On Friday, May 18, the Asian American Group (AAG) will celebrate the first annual Asian Culture Day. The event will be held at the Conference Center of Las Vegas (6590 Bermuda Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89119), and will start at 6 p.m. There will be a variety of Asian dishes and cultural performances at the celebration. The primary goal of the Asian Culture Day celebration is to invite and unite the Asian nations of the world, and to educate and share their respective cultures in order to achieve greater understanding and fellowship between nations. The annual Asian Culture Day was established by Senate Bill 175, which proclaims every 18th of May as Asian Culture Day in the state of Nevada. The bill was introduced and authored by State Senator Scott Hammond, and was signed into law by Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval last year. The bill gives recognition to the Asians and Asian-Americans who were instrumental in the settlement and early development of the State of Nevada; the culture and traditions shared by Asians and Asian-Americans; and the Asian and Asian-American communities that continue to make important contributions to the cultural, religious, political, and business environment. To purchase tickets visit https://www.asianamericangroup.org/saac-2/.
Makati Nights in Los Angeles Honeydew Productions presents Makati Nights on Friday, May 18 at the Hotel Indigo in Downtown LA starting at 9 p.m. It is $20 presale. For bottle service, birthdays, & hotel accommodations, please contact bottleservice@makatinightsla.com.
Case for Kids Fundraiser in Tracy, CA The Mountain House Rotary Club and the Central Valley Oil-Am Business Club will host a fundraiser for Case for Kids on Friday, May 18 via “The 6ix, A Comedy Show” at The Grant Bar & Lounge (2706 Pavilion Parkway, #101) in Tracy, CA. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. Case for Kids is a nonprofit organization that donates a customized case for kids run foster care. The customized cases are packed with new clothes, bedding, toiletry items, stuffed animals and ageappropriate Christian books for each child. Hosted by TV/radio reporter and anchor Yvette Fernandez, the featured comedians performing in this event include Dennis Gaxiola (Comedy Central/BET/Fox), Joe Hughes, Frankie Marcos, Jason Sohm and Pryanka Wali. Tickets are available at www.eventbrite.com; for more information on the event, call event coordinator Leilani Opiana at (209) 221-1158 (lanfon0610@gmail.com) or Joe Hughes at (925) 727-9996 (thevinylthought@yahoo.com).
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Long Beach community health fair On Saturday, May 19 from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., the public is invited to the Long Beach Community Health Fair. All services are free, including mammograms, HIV/STI tests, Hepatitis B & C testing, blood pressure. It will be at the Cambodian American United Methodist Church (1700 Temple Ave., Long Beach, CA 90804). For more information, please contact Koy Parada at (818) 599-9132 / kparada@apu.edu.
If you have an upcoming event and would like us to post it, please email us the details at info@asianjournalinc.com or calendar@asianjournalinc.com
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MAY 11-17, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
Poverty eradication tops ADB’s long-term strategy by Czeriza
ValenCia Philstar.com
ASIAN Development Bank (ADB) president Takehiko Nakao recently announced 10 priority areas where the bank’s resources would be focused on under its Strategy 2030 which is expected to be completed mid-2018. Addressing the opening session of the ADB Board of Governors meeting, the head of the international finance institution said the global economic center of gravity is shifting to the Asia and Pacific region as most of its developing member countries (DMCs) have advanced to middle income status but large challenges to development still remain and new ones are emerging. “Our region has experienced a fundamental transformation. Half a century ago, Asia was the poorest region in the world. Today, the economic center of gravity is shifting to Asia and the Pacific, and almost all our developing member countries have advanced to middle-income status,” Nakao told delegates attending the 51st ADB Annual Meeting. “Yet, large challenges remain, and new ones are emerging. There is still persistent poverty. We must address rising inequality, growing environmental pressures, and rapid urbanization. Aging in some countries and an increasing youth population in others present opportunities as well as challenges,” he added. Thus, on top of ADB’s development finance agenda leading up to the next 12 years is eliminating pockets of poverty in DMCs and decreasing income inequality by helping DMCs create quality jobs, promote secondary and tertiary education, expand universal health care, and strengthen social protection programs. “We will focus on lagging areas and pockets of poverty even in middle-income countries,” he said. Another area high in ADB’s agenda is helping countries accelerate progress in gender equality by incorporating gender elements in the design and implementation of projects and programs. The bank will also support gender-focused projects in education, health, and financial inclusion. ADB will also scale up support for climate change and disaster
EMPLOYMENT
BSP bats for information sharing vs cyber attacks by Ma. lisbet
K. esMael
ManilaTimes.net
resilience projects and enhancement of environmental sustainability. “ADB will help countries to achieve their Nationally Determined Contributions under the Paris Agreement. We will invest in the conservation and restoration of natural capital. We will improve the water-food-energy nexus,” said Nakao. The multilateral bank will also help cities expand sources of funding for the development of its mass transport systems and water sanitation systems with the goal of making cities liveable, resilient and inclusive. ADB will likewise invest more on rural development and food security by focusing on developing agricultural value chains through investments in rural roads, storage facilities, and mobile connectivity. The use of advanced technologies in farming will be promoted. The bank will also help governments enhance their capacity to prepare, implement and operate high-quality projects. Nakao said ADB will also support projects that will strengthen regional cooperation and integration. “We will build on our experience in subregional cooperation initiatives since the 1990s in Central Asia, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific. We will promote regional public goods such as transportation and logistical networks, and protection against communicable diseases. We will support a regional approach to energy security, education, tourism, and financial stability. ADB will cooperate with existing and emerging international and regional initiatives,” he said. Operations in the private sector will also be strengthened to mobilize private sector resources
to meet the region development financing needs. Through its private sector department ADB invests in privately-held and statesponsored companies across a wide range of industries across Developing Asia. The last two priority items on the long-term agenda involve strengthening the bank’s role as a provider and facilitator of knowledge and expanding its presence on ground through greater investment in its workforce. “We will invest in our workforce, promote diversity including gender balance, and ensure a respectful workplace. We will expand our presence on the ground. We will dramatically modernize business processes to speed up our services to clients,” said Nakao. Extensive consultations, he said, have already been held for the new long-term plan which replaces Strategy 2020 to adapt to the socioeconomic challenges faced by its developing member states. “Our task ahead is to reinvent ADB and meet the challenges of a transforming Asia and the Pacific,” said Nakao. These priorities, he said, will be aligned with the international agenda, such as the Sustainable Development Goals and the Paris Agreement on climate change. Nakao maintains a positive growth outlook for the region particularly for DMCs in the ASEAN region which are growing at a rate close to seven percent. “In countries like Bangladesh, Cambodia, the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, Myanmar, the Philippines, and Viet Nam, growth continues at 7 percent or even more. At this pace, gross domestic product (GDP) will double in about 10 years,” he said. n
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INFORMATION sharing is vital to strengthen the banking sector’s fight against cyber attacks, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said on Wednesday, May 2. BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier acknowledged that while emerging technologies advance the way banks design and deliver their services and products, they also “place additional dimensions to cyber-risks that we should all be worried about.” She added cybercriminals have been aggressively introducing more threats targeting critical infrastructures to get confidential information. “Financial losses, operations disruptions, reputational risks and public distrust—these are just some of the negative consequences of a cyber attack, as highlighted in recent incidents,” the BSP official said in her speech during the “Managing Cybersecurity in the Age of Digital Transformation” forum in Taguig City. This, she stressed, calls for the need to practice information sharing on cyber security threats. “Beyond merely enforcing compliance, cooperation and collaborative engagements among relevant stakeholders, which in-
clude fellow regulators, the banking industry, as well as relevant government agencies, play a critical role in enhancing the financial system’s cyber resilience,” she said. Fonacier also urged BSP-supervised financial institutions that while they heighten their system, they also need to “step-up their information security posture … beyond their respective networks.” “So, it would not BSP Deputy Governor Chuchi Fonacier Manilatimes file photo just your network. in Asean members in strengthenInformation sharing allows BSPsupervised financial inclusion to ing international cooperation,” enhance the threat intelligence, Allan Cabanlong, DICT Assistant enables the quick identifica- Secretary, in-charge for cybersetion, prevention and response to curity and enabling technologies, emerging and persistent threats,” said during his presentation. Cabanlong also expressed conshe added. The Department of Information fidence with the country’s bankand Communications Technology ing industry. “Financial institutions are be(DICT), on the other hand, said it has partnered with international ing attacked [every single day], computer emergency response [but they remain]resilient. They team (CERT) to share threat in- can still operate even under attack,” he said. formation. “If not, then maybe you’ll “We just partnered with Malaysia, other countries. Australia is withdraw your money from the coming soon, other governments banks,” the DICT official added. n
GMCAC ready to embark on... PAGE CJ1 t
runway facilities of the airport. Ferrer and Harrison said apart from the construction of the new Terminal 2 and renovation of Terminal 1, the development plan for MCIA would logically involve the expansion of the runway facilities of the airport. GMCAC, Ferrer said, has actually gotten original proponent status for its runway development proposal as early as February this year, but would still need regulatory approval for the project from the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The second phase of its development plan for MCIA would include construction of a parallel emergency runway beside the existing runway so that re-
pair and upgrade of the original runway could be undertaken without disrupting operations. A longer third runway would also be built to accommodate an expected increase in aircraft traffic, but it would involve some land reclamation and relocation of the existing Mactan Export Processing Zone. For now, though, GMCAC is on target for the June 7 formal inauguration of the 65,000 square meters Terminal 2 by no less than President Duterte, although full commercial operations would start on June 22. Upon its full commercial operations on June 22, MCIA T2 would service all international operations and Terminal 1 would be dedicated to domestic flights.
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GMCAC would also finally start work on a one-year upgrade and renovation of Terminal 1. It is expected that with the opening of Terminal 2, MCIA would increase its passenger capacity to 12.5 million. GMCAC has a 25-year operations and maintenance concession agreement for MCIA. MCIA’s O&M was turned over to GMCAC in November 2014, but construction of Terminal 2 was initially delayed due the government’s failure to secure the right of way and relocate the Philippine Air Force facilities adjacent to MCIA. However, despite the delay, GMCAC was still able to catch up and deliver ahead of its deadline, Ferrer said. n
(650) 689-5160 • http://www.asianjournal.com
Arbor Day Foundation offers tree-care booklet with $3 donation THE Arbor Day Foundation is offering a handy tree-care booklet designed to help people plant and care for trees. Anyone can receive Conservation Trees, a user-friendly booklet featuring illustrations, colorful photos, and easily understood descriptions, by making a $3 donation to the Foundation this month. “Conservation Trees is an ideal resource for tree planters,” said Matt Harris, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Taking care of existing trees is
Community non-profit grant program call for applications THE City of San Carlos is seeking applications from qualified community non- profits for funding through the Community Non-Profit Grant Program (Grant Program). Funds are typically set aside by the City Council to award grants to qualifying non-profits. The City Council supports community groups and individuals who contribute to the development and well-being of the San Carlos community. Every two years as part of the biennial budget, the City Council considers establish-
ing funding for this competitive Grant Program. Questions on this Call for applications should be directed to Tara Peterson, Assistant City Manager at tpeterson@cityofsancarlos.org or (650) 802-4230. All interested organizations can read the full text of the Call for Applications at https://www. cityofsancarlos.org/Home/Components/RFP/RFP/6/371. All proposals must be received by the City of San Carlos, City Clerk’s Department, by 5 p.m. on Friday, May 18, 2018.n
California divorce frequently... PAGE CJ2 t both parties. “Why do I need an attorney?” You don’t need an attorney. There is no requirement that you must have an attorney. However, in cases involving issues such as domestic violence, custody disputes, child support, spousal support, and division of community property assets it would be wise to seek advice from a licensed and experienced attorney so as not to waste your time and money, not to mention the court’s time and resources, especially when you have to keep going back to court because of incomplete or missing documents that could have been addressed from the very beginning by a competent and knowledgeable attorney. Not all divorce cases are the same. It is important to be properly informed about your rights
and responsibilities under California law in divorce proceedings. The wrong advice or information can and will hurt you, and waste your time and money. Consult a licensed and experienced family law attorney to help you navigate through your divorce. *** Atty. Lilli Berbano Baculi is an associate attorney with Chua Tinsay & Vega, A Professional Legal Corporation (CTV) - a full service law firm with offices in San Francisco, San Diego, Sacramento and Philippines. The information presented in this article is for general information only and is not, nor intended to be, formal legal advice nor the formation of an attorney-client relationship. Call or e-mail CTV for an in-person or phone consultation to discuss your particular situation and/or how their services may be retained at (619) 955-6277; (415) 4958088; (916) 449-3923; lbaculi@ctvattys. com. For general information visit www. chuatinsayvega.com. (Advertising Supplement)
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Rattlesnake safety in the Regional Parks
bor Day Foundation, 100 Arbor Ave., Nebraska City, NE 68410, or order online at arborday.org/ conservationtrees. About the Arbor Day Foundation Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than 1 million members, supporters, and valued partSPRING and Summer are acners. tive snake seasons in parks and More information is available open spaces. As the weather at arborday.org. n heats up, rattlesnakes especially become more active. They, like humans, like to explore when the weather gets warm. The East Bay Regional Park District is advising the public take snake safety precautions when visiting a Regional Parks. • Street light problems (traffic Safety tips for visiting Resignal outages should be called gional Parks: in right away) • Always hike with a friend so • Parking meter maintenance you can help each other in case • Damaged sidewalks of emergency. • Park maintenance • Look at the ground ahead of An important note: While City you as you are walking. staffers will be receiving and • Look carefully around and tracking requests no matter how under logs and rocks before sitthey come in, for emergency and ting down. urgent issues, residents should • Avoid placing your hands or always call. Examples of urgent feet where you can’t see clearly. issues that should get a phone • Check the area around piccall include: nic tables, campsites, and barbe• Objects blocking the roadcues before using them. If you way encounter a rattlesnake in these • Fallen trees or branches Photo courtesy of www.oaklandca.gov areas, notify park staff. • Downed road signs such as stop signs • Flooding • Mudslides and landslides • Sewer overflows • Manholes overflowing onto streets and sidewalks OAK 311 operators answer calls from 8:00am to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and on off hours the system can connect callers to the City’s emergency dispatchers, so urgent issues may be reported 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Previous methods for reporting problems are still functioning, and all requests are tracked by the City in the same database, regardless of which method is used. Essentially: if a resident has an old way of requesting services that worked for them, they can still use it! Transitioning to a 311 system is designed to simplify the process for anyone who is tired of navigating multiple, longer phone numbers, web addresses and e-mail accounts. Of course, some services still fall outside of OAK 311’s operations. For reference, some of those include: • For downed power lines or if you smell natural gas, leave the area immediately and then call 91-1 or PG&E at 1-800-743-5000. • For power outage alerts go online to pge.com/outagealerts. • For water service emergencies (e.g., no water service, broken hydrants, broken water main pipes), contact EBMUD at 1-866403-2683. • For life-threatening emergencies, call 9-1-1 from a land line or (510) 777-3211 from a cell phone.n just as critical as planting new ones, and proper care ensures communities are able to fully enjoy the diverse benefits of urban forestry.” The booklet provides details about the right way to plant and prune trees. It also includes tips on using shade trees and windbreaks to save on energy costs, attract songbirds, and create a living snow fence. To receive the Conservation Trees booklet, send a $3 check along with your name and address to Conservation Trees, Ar-
City of Oakland launches OAK 311 service for reporting problems & requesting maintenance THE City of Oakland has launched OAK 311, a new service to make it easier for Oaklanders to report problems and request infrastructure maintenance. This new service is designed to make it easier than it’s ever been for residents to request the City’s help with issues including potholes in their streets, graffiti on their neighborhood public spaces, and piles of dumping left on their sidewalks. Oaklanders can begin using the service now to request infrastructure maintenance services and report problems. There are four basic ways to reach OAK 311: Phone: Call 311 from any phone within Oakland. (If you are calling from outside Oakland, continue to use the number (510) 615-5566.) E-mail: OAK311@oaklandnet. com Web: 311.oaklandca.gov App: OAK 311, available free for Apple and Android smart devices (powered by SeeClickFix) “One of our highest priorities is to make Oakland a more responsive and transparent government,” Mayor Libby Schaaf said. “We are launching OAK 311 to make ourselves easier to reach for every Oaklander who needs a pothole patched or a pile of dumped trash removed from their sidewalk.” Even in cases where residents have reported issues before and not seen the changes they requested, the City is encouraging them to keep reporting. With finite resources the City cannot always respond immediately to every request – but every complaint is tracked, and the more data City leaders have about where residents’ issues are located, the better they can organize City resources to tackle long-term issues. Routine services residents can request by contacting OAK 311 include: • Dumping on public streets and sidewalks • Potholes/sinkholes • Graffiti on public space and buildings • Traffic safety issues (nonemergency) • City building maintenance
NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 11-17, 2018
• Also bring plenty of water for yourself and your pets as many parks do not have direct water supply. • Keep pets on the designated trails and away from snakes if they see one. What to do if you see a rattlesnake: •Leave it alone. Do not try to capture or harm it. All park wildlife is protected by law. • If you see a snake on a trail, wait for it to cross and do not approach. Then move carefully and slowly away. What to do if bitten by a snake: • If bitten by a rattlesnake, stay calm and send someone to Call 911. Remain calm by lying down with the affected limb lower than the heart. If you are by yourself, walk calmly to the nearest source of help to Dial 911. Do Not Run. • If bitten by any other kind of snake, leave the snake alone.
Wash the wound with soap and water or an antiseptic and seek medical attention. • If you are not sure what kind of snake bit you, check the bite for two puncture marks (in rare cases one puncture mark) associated with intense, burning pain. This is typical of a rattle snake bite. Other snakebites may leave multiple teeth marks without associated burning pain. Snakes are an important resource in the natural environment. They are prime controlling agents of rodent, insect, and other reptile populations. They must be enjoyed from afar and left where they are found. It is illegal to collect, kill, or remove any plants or animals from the East Bay Regional Park District. Please help us to protect wildlife and their environment for present and future generations. Additional information available at www.ebparks.org/parks/safety/ #Snakes. n
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MAY 11-17, 2018 • NORCAL ASIAN JOURNAL
http://www.asianjournal.com • (650) 689-5160
Friday, May 11, 2018
SF2
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Other Filipino-interest films at CAAMFest 36 Mom hopes to inspire more Fil-Ams to The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 11, 2018
become resource families in LA County by Christina M. Oriel / AJPress WITH Mother’s Day approaching this weekend, Armida Chow is quite sentimental. It will mark one year after she and her husband Brandon adopted Delaney, whom they had been fostering since she was four days old. It was a 15month process toward adoption. “For me, I’ve learned that motherhood means that the children don’t necessarily have to come from your stomach,” Armida Chow, a teacher at an adult education school, told the Asian Journal. To date, the Chows have fostered five children at their three-bedroom home in the San Gabriel Valley, where they live in a community near families who have adopted or are fostering children. Before Delaney, who turned 2 earlier this year, the couple adopted a son named Cooper, who is now 6 years old and in kindergarten. “During the first placement, it was a challenge because I got attached and didn’t want to let them go. At the same time, reunification is important. I’ve been teaching my own children that we’re taking care of other kids temporarily,” Chow said. Eight years ago, the Chows took classes as they were looking to adopt a child from abroad. However, they realized that there are thousands of children here in the United States who are in need of a home and family. The couple became a resource (foster) family — an allencompassing term in California for caregivers who provide out-of-home care for children in foster care — through the Los Angeles County Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) and have been licensed to care for one child at a time. They had no race or gender preferences but wanted a child between infancy to 8 years old. In the separate cases of Cooper and Delaney, the Chows were called to pick them up at the hospital, as their mothers gave them up under California’s Safely Surrendered Baby Law, which allows babies less than 72 hours old to be relinquished at a hospital or fire station anonymously and without any questions asked. (The caveat is that the baby’s parents have 14 days to change their minds.) “I’ve learned to be flexible as a mom. You have to laugh about things. I became resourceful getting services for the children and advocating for them because they can’t speak for themselves. The number one job of being a resource parent is advocating and protecting them,” Chow said. She narrates several experiences they’ve had, including fostering an Asian American teenage girl who was separated from her parents who were verbally abusive. Another instance was Christmas Day two years ago when they got a call about a one-year-old girl who was in the hospital. They went to see her the following day and noticed she had cigarette burns on her head and some older ones on her body. “It changed our perspectives and made us realize how
sheltered we were. You’ll never get to experience that…It was one of those heartbreaking things where we could have kept her,” Chow said. The couple ended up fostering her for seven months and had anticipated to eventually adopt her but she was adopted by her grandfather instead. “Attachment is important. If you can attach, then you’re going to be a good resource parent because the children need attachment and need to be loved. It’s not easy because you can’t fall in love with them right away but the kids need to be protected and feel safe in order to develop trust because most of the time they can’t trust grown-ups,” Chow said. The foster children who had been placed under the Chows’ care were reunited with their biological parents or relatives, which is considered the primary goal. Second would be putting the children with relatives; but if those two options don’t work out and parental rights are terminated, foster/resource parents will be presented with the choice of adoption. “Sometimes my kids will say, ‘Remember when we were in your tummy?’ I’ll remind them that they’re actually adopted, but they came from my heart,” Chow said. “It’s our everyday language that they’re adopted. In between my kids, we’ve had placements so we were able to have pictures of children who have lived with us and I’ve shown my son and told him that we cared for them while their parents had to work through some things.” She mentions that books like “Yes, I’m Adopted!” by Sharlie Zinniger and Tiffany Cunliffe or “Tell Me Again About the Night I Was Born” by Jaime Lee Curtis are staples in their home, as are conversations about how superheroes like Iron Man and Superman were adopted. When asked if her son has started to ask questions about his background, she said, “He’s still young where he hasn’t been too curious yet, but I’m sure pretty soon he’ll realize, ‘my parents are Asians.’ But he hasn’t asked about race. They say in third grade that’s when it kind of gets visible. Right now, he doesn’t see color. That’s the beauty of a child.” The Chows’ household is multicultural with Chow being Filipina, her husband is Chinese/Hawaiian, Cooper is Caucasian, and Delaney is Latina. “We teach the kids about what it means to be Filipino through food and Tagalog words. They call my parents ‘lolo’ (grandfather) and ‘lola’ (grandmother). My daughter calls my son ‘kuya’ (older brother) because I wanted to make sure they knew the Filipino customs,” Chow said. “Still, we try to expose them to their birth culture. Since Cooper is white, we make sure we have friends who are Caucasian. For both of our kids, I pick three couples who come alongside with us and parent alongside us. For my daughter, who is Latina, I have friends who are Latinos so she can be exposed to her culture as well.” She added, “At the end of the day, this is my family and
Illustration By Tristan Yuvienco
InterestIng FACts AbOut MOthers And MOther’s dAy
• THE first Mother’s Day was celebrated in 1908. Anna Jarvis honored her mother Ann Jarvis with a memorial. Ann Jarvis had started a committee in 1868 to establish ‘Mother’s Friendship Day’. Her motivation had been to reunite families after the Civil War. She died in 1905, before Mother’s Day became a holiday. • Mother’s Day became a recognized holiday in 1914 in the United States. • Americans spend $14.6 billion on gifts on Mother’s Day, including $671 million on cards and $1.9 billion on flowers. Armida and Brandon Chow, with their adopted children, Cooper and Delaney, take a family photo during Easter • Carnations are very popular flowers for Mother’s Day and 2018. are thought to be made from the tears of Jesus’ mother (Mary) when she wept at his feet the day He was crucified. Wearing a colored carnation on Mother’s Day indicates that a person’s mother is living. A white carnation means that a person’s mother is dead. • There are about 122.5 million phone calls on Mother’s Day, making it one of the busiest phone days of the year. • The U.S. National Restaurant Association reports that Mother’s Day is the year’s most popular holiday for eating out. • Although the U.S. spends more money than any other country on health care as well as on maternal care, it is more dangerous to give birth in the U.S. than in 49 other countries, including Kuwait, Bulgaria, and South Korea. • There are an estimated 85.4 million mothers in the United The Chows during Delaney’s (3rd from left) adoption ceremony in May 2017. States. There are about 2 billion moms in the world. Photos courtesy of Armida Chow • Mothers do about 88 percent of laundry in the U.S. This equals 330 loads of laundry and 5,300 articles of clothing per year. be somewhere between 100 I’m okay with that. I actually The least favorite job for moms is vacuuming the stairs. to 200 Filipinos, making them forget that my kids don’t look • Even though motherhood is becoming less popular, a the largest population of AAPI like me or my husband until majority of women still become mothers. Modern moms are more foster children, according to other people are staring at us likely to be more educated, single, and older. data the AFFI shared with the and that’s when you realize.” • In the Bible, Eve is credited with being the ‘Mother of All Asian Journal. Chow said that when she the Living.’ Alice Lee, the initiative’s and her husband attended Source: 57 Interesting Facts about Mothers | FactRetriever.com program manager, said Filitrainings, they were noticeably the only Asian Americans in the pinos in the system are most likely undercounted since room. She wondered if there Filipino surnames could be were other resource couples Spanish-sounding. like them. The social workers at AAFI They were contacted by the Korean American Family Servic- told the Asian Journal that the top reasons why AAPI children es (KFAM), as the organization was looking for Asian American get taken away from their families are cultural differences and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Filmmaker Maritte Go discusses ‘Remittance’, (parenting styles in the U.S. resource families to share their inspirations and thoughts on Asian versus back in Asia), neglect experiences and guide others (i.e. leaving underaged children who were interested in going representation in film and TV alone for a lengthy period of through the process as well. time or not feeding them), and Chow was familiar with KFAM by Klarize Medenilla/AJPress drug or alcohol abuse. because she had seen their IF there’s one thing to be 2017 data from the DCFS commercial on a local public said about the Filipina mother, showed that 31.7 percent of TV station. it’s that she puts her children children in the LA County sysPush for more AAPI refirst. tem were removed from their source families That’s the thematic nucleus families for general neglect, Located in the heart of LA’s of the new short film “Remitfollowed by at-risk/sibling Koreatown — in a multilevel tance” by Filipina-American abuse and physical abuse. building that’s a one-stop shop filmmaker and producer Maritte “The reason for the high with organizations and busiGo, who won third place in number of Filipino kids in the nesses that cover an array of the second annual HBO Asian system is similar to the other services — KFAM has catered Pacific American (APA) VisionAsian cultures in that Filipinos the Korean-American comare not aware of how to parent aries Short Film Competition, munity since 1983 through where filmmakers had to tell their kids. It’s different from counseling, domestic violence stories surrounding the theme how to parent your children in and child abuse intervention, of “home.” your home country coming to community workshops, and a Filipina-American filmmaker and producer Maritte “Remittance” tells the a Western society,” Chow said, food program. Go sharing some of what she along story of a Filipina cruise worker In 2014, it started the “She raised me to work for (played by Go) who is notified with other resource parents Korean Foster Family Initiative, my family and that everything have observed. “Here, teachers via voicemail that her son is in which helped Korean families we do is for family. She’s really the hospital. Stuck working on are mandated reporters. Kids receive in-language resource my inspiration for everything I an Alaskan cruise, the mother can just be telling stories like family training who were then do,” Go shared with the Asian referred to partner foster agen- ‘my parents don’t feed me’ and desperately tries to get a hold of her family which proves to be Journal in a recent phone if teachers hear that, that’s a cies in order to be certified. In interview. “She’s just incredibly a physical and emotional chalred flag. It’s more of a parentsubsequent years, it branched strong and works so hard, and lenge. ing issue.” out to include other Asian so when I saw that HBO called The film is a reminder of Though AAPI children comgroups like Chinese, Vietnamto make a film about ‘home’ I a mother’s hardship and the prise approximately 2 percent ese, and Filipino, rebranding sacrifices many overseas Filipino thought this is perfect because itself as the Asian Foster Family of the foster care population I’ve always seen [how] my mom in LA County, there has been a workers (OFWs) make to proInitiative (AFFI). misses home so much and evvide for their families. Though lack of attention on minimizing The AFFI became a state erything she does is for her famcultural differences the children she’s thousands of miles away licensed foster family agency ily and all the money she makes may face when they are placed from home, hearing her son’s (FFA) last year, making it the she goes to them. So home isn’t voice over the phone reminds in homes. first non-profit organization in necessarily where you are but her that home isn’t a location “It would be ideal to put Los Angeles that focuses on where you’re heart is and her but rather the unbreakable them with a family that looks connecting Asian foster familike them, eats similar food and bond between a mother and her heart was always back in the lies with Asian children in the Philippines back there.” speaks the same language they child. foster system. With very few lines of diaGo, a USC Film and TV Prodid at home,” Lee said. Its campaign has been to logue, “Remittance” profoundly duction graduate, drew inspiraThe AFFI shares one story recruit more Asian families as tion from her family’s experienc- captures the internal conflicts of in particular during its orientalicensed foster care providers es and chose this story to evoke a distressed mother who begins tions wherein a three-year-old through the DCFS. It is seeking to question the decision to the vast meaning of home. Korean boy lost his entire to hire additional social workseparate herself from her son, a But she was particularly family to an accident and was ers who specifically focus on feeling very familiar to the more inspired by her own mother’s placed in non-Asian foster the different Asian groups. than 10 million OFWs around story. With the help of her famhomes so he didn’t have an To be a resource parent, the world. appetite and couldn’t speak his ily, Go’s mother, an immigrant there is a long list of requireLike many Filipino families, from the Philippines, was able native Korean language. ments, including being at least she has relatives working as to become a doctor in the U.S. His foster mom learned 25 years of age, attending OFWs who have spent most of and, for her, family was the sole how to make a kimbap (seapre-approval trainings, and driver for all her hard work. Continued on Page SF3 weed rice roll) and he ate that complying with home safety at every meal for an entire inspections and background month, Lee said. checks. The AFFI recently hired The organization has its first Filipino social worker, helped some 40 Asian families Mariah Oca, who is slated to with certification so far. start this summer ahead of In any given month, there the organization’s two-hour are close to 35,000 children in orientations on Saturday, June the LA County foster system. 9 (English) and Tuesday, June Nearly 700 of whom are of 19 (Tagalog/English) for those Asian and Pacific Islander in the Filipino-American comdescent — that entails both munity who want to learn what children who immigrated to it takes to be a resource parthe U.S. with their parents and The Asian Foster Family Initiative (AFFI) was started by the Korean American Family Services (KFAM) in ent. It also plans to hold other 2014 and became a state licensed foster family agency last year, making it the first non-profit organization those who were born in the outreach activities. in Los Angeles that focuses on connecting Asian foster families with Asian children in the foster system.The country. organizations office’s are located in LA’s Koreatown. AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel Of that figure, there could Continued on Page SF4
Filipina-American filmmaker’s short film about motherhood earns third place in hbO competition
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Gary V. sits up on day 3 post-op SHouT for joy! So goes one of oPM icon Gary Valenciano’s greatest hits— a line his family must be singing now what with this very positive update, which The Manila Times received on Tuesday, May 8, regarding his condition. Following his emergency open heart surgery on May 5 to remedy a blocked and thinning major artery, “Day 3” of his recovery, as wife Angeli Pangilinan noted in a text message, showed “major breakthroughs.” Pangilinan began her update with a very happy vibe as she exclaimed, “Thank you for all your prayers!” She then detailed, “Four tubes were taken out [from Valenciano today]. Boy, when I saw the 2 0.6-cm width tubes on his stomach taken out by the surgeon, my knees felt like jello. “Then less than an hour later, Mr. Pure energy Gary sat up, with the help of 3 nurses. He stood up and walked a few steps to his lazyboy in the CCu (coronary care unit) and gave a HuGe smile when he sat down! “Baby steps but huge breakthroughs! on the third day he rose again! Halleluiah!,” Pangilinan’s text ended. The entertainment industry and Valenciano’s supporters have been on prayer vigil since news broke about his surgery on Monday, May 7. The multiawarded singer whose career spans over three decades wrote an open letter just before going under the knife to be sure the public only receives facts about his condition.
Gary Valencino says his diabetes had blocked and thinned the wall of the heart’s main valve, requiring an emergency operation. It was after a high-powered dance number with his son Gab some two weeks ago, when he felt something was not right. Photo courtesy of AngeliPangilinan
Physically active despite living with Type 1 diabetes for four decades now, the 53-yearold singer related how his heart is still very strong but that his chronic condition affected his major artery. Professional as ever, he apologized for scheduled commitments he has had to cancel over the last two weeks and assured the public his faith is getting him through this difficult time. “I believe in my God who restores; my God who heals, and rescues, my God who is my strength, and my God who gives each of us a thousand second chances,” he wrote. Later on Tuesday, Valenciano uploaded a video from his hospital bed looking well as he said, “Hi everyone, I’m A-okay. I’m here in the hospital pa rin. I’m recuperating, I did have a major bypass but I ‘m getting better day-by-day. one of these
days, babalik din ako sa ‘ASAP,’ babalik din ako sa ‘Your Face Sounds Familiar,’ and ‘Tawag ng Tanghalan.’ Paminsan minsan siguro mag a-absent pa rin ako just to make sure I’m in good shape but the doctors are very satisfied with how it all turned out.” “My heart is actually in very good condition, dun lang sa isang part na medyo delikado talaga. But I’m here, I’m okay. I love you all and I’m thankful that God has given me so many people that have shared their love with me. And I’ll see you soon, okay? Don’t worry na. I’ll be okay. Pure energy ulit. God Bless.” Asked in which area of the metro Valenciano’s hospital is located, his publicist Chuck Gomez respectfully told The Manila Times the family has requested to keep that particular information private. (Tessa Mauricio-Arriola/ManilaTimes.net)
Filipina-American filmmaker’s short film... From Page SF2 their lives away from the family in order to provide for it. “There’s people from around the world, you know, people who have to find the work wherever it is to be able to support the family whether that’s working on a cruise ship or at a hotel,” Go said, highlighting the collective struggle of all oFWs who have the bravery to be separated from loved ones. “It’s being able to move there, and
The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE – May 11, 2018
sacrifice your own happiness so that your family can live a good life is heartbreaking, but it’s also beautiful and so moving in that you’ve given that up so that your family can succeed.” In February, “remittance” was selected as a finalist for HBo’s APA Visionaries Short Film Competition, a competitive program that provides emerging APA filmmakers a chance to feature their talents. In addition to Go’s “remit-
tance,” two other films were selected as finalists: “June” by Tawainese Huay-Bing Law and “Jiejie” by Feng-I Fiona roan. The three films were then screened at the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival on May 4, where Law and roan took first and second place, respectively. “remittance” and the other short films are now available to stream on HBo NoW and HBo Go.
LOMBARD BY THE BAY. Giovanni and Rosemarie de Vera Javier recently signed a letter of intent for the reservation of Penthouse unit at Lombard by the Bay at Montemaria project during the Marketing Partners Orientation and Training. Also in photo are Rene Cinco, President and CEO of Premier Asia Pacific Real Estate and Development Corp and Roger Oriel, Publisher and CEO of Asian Journal Publications, Inc. (Advertising Supplement)
Lombard by the Bay: Peace of mind in the heart of Batangas ForMer beauty queen, model, singer and actress rosemarie de Vera-Javier believes that when it comes to choosing a property — whether for personal or ainvestment — security would be one of the most important things to look at. That is why it was not hard for her and her husband, Giovanni Javier, to reserve two units at Lombard by the Bay. “The number one concern of all balikbayans and foreign investors is the security [of a place]. At Lombard, the property will be secluded, giving you peace of mind,” de Vera-Javier said. Apart from security, the former Mutya ng Pilipinas-Asia 1980 and Miss Asia Pacific Quest 1980 was also in awe of how close the property is to nature. “We bought the penthouse and a unit facing Isla Verde,” shared de Vera-Javier. “If we are not mistaken, this is where the sun rises, with no obstructions of the view even in the future.
We feel that it has a sense of harmony to the nature especially if you are an artist (which runs in the family). A very healthy environment — the clean air, and the cool breeze from the bay and ocean. It has a calming effect to your body.” Aimed at providing the most fulfilling experience for its residence and guests, Lombard By The Bay is just a two-hour drive from Manila. Situated on a plateau overlooking the beautiful Verde Island Passage which is considered the center of marine biodiversity in the world, it promises to be the perfect destination for retirees and tourists — local or not. It is also in close proximity to the tallest statue of the Virgin Mary, Mother of All Asia, towering at 317 ft. “We love the building renditions of the condos — it is modern with a touch of european style, all world-class designs,” she explained and continued, “Lombard By The Bay has breathtaking views of two incredible bodies of water
— Batangas Bay and the Pacific ocean, located on high elevation with lush panoramic green mountains. We could not ask for more.” on the business side, de Vera-Javier believes Lombard By The Bay is a good investment. “You buy and sell the units then later, if you want to rent out your property, the rate is very good especially during the summer,” she said. “It is a win-win situation for investors because the prices are still low and later the demand will raise it high. And what they always say in the realty world — location, location, location.” Lombard By The Bay is a 2.1hectare condominium project within the 130-hectare development area at Montemaria, Batangas City in the Province of Batangas, Philippines. It is a joint venture between Premier Asia Pacific real estate and Development, Inc. and omnicor Industrial estate & realty Center, Inc. and design by Arch Haus Asia. (Advertising Supplement)
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celebrityworld The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 11, 2018
celebrity world By Ferdie Villar EvEn before Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo broke down at her recent concert in Las vegas, boyfriend Matteo Guidicelli already told reporters that he’s ready to marry and support the singer should she decide to quit her career. “Syempre, we wanna give, when we get married to the person we really want to be, we wanna give them everything, ‘di ba? As the man, we want to give them a home, everything, and really work hard for it. And you can’t say ‘Stop, I take care of it.’ It’s a process, kung baga,” he explained in an interview with The Philippine Star. “Kahit sino naman, pwede naman, ‘di ba?,” he said when
Eren Padilla, daughter of Daly City community leaders Edwin and Brenda Padilla, her 10th birthday on Saturday, May 26, at Gellert Park Community Hall at 12 noon.
asked if he can say he is stable enough to raise a family with the pop star. However, Matteo said that he still has a lot of goals to achieve so there are no wedding bells for him and Sarah — not in the near future. “But I still have lots of goals, a lot of dreams. I still have a lot of personal goals I want to achieve. We’re still moving forward,” he said on why he and Sarah have no wedding plans as of the moment. Though he has been responsibly paying his bills since he started in showbiz at the age of 16, Matteo admitted that he is still on his way to being financially independent.
Rev. Fr. Abraham Alonzo of St. Catherine’s in Vallejo will officiate the Holy Mass for beauty impresario Ferdie Syquia de Villar on his birthday on June 2, at his residence in South San Francisco at 12 noon.
Matteo Guidicelli says he’s ready for marriage
Handsome and talented actor Derrick Monasterio will be the lead actor of the newest teleserye, “Inday Will Always Love You,” with beautiful young actress Barbie Forteza.
Popstar Princess Sarah Geronimo received a lot of support and praise from fans and friends for being honest and professional after she broke down due to fatigue at a recent concert in Las Vegas.
“I hope so. I’m getting there. I’m 27 years old and I can say that I’ve saved and invested my money properly,” he enthused. One of the ways he is preparing for his future is by saving his earnings and investing in mutual funds. As for the issue of Sarah’s fame or money, Matteo said he feels no pressure about it, adding that he also appreciates how Sarah fights for their relationship. “Definitely she does. We do for each other.” *** Another couple who have been seen to heading off to the altar are Tv host Luis Manzano and actress Jessy Mendio-
la. A lot of people have been asking the couple about when they will tie the knot. However, according to the 37-year-old Tv host, Jessy is still young (25 years old) and still has many plans for her career. Speculations about a possible engagement rose when the couple posted a photo of Luis’ birthday party with both their families present. But the actress denied that there was any kind of proposal from Luis that time. “Hindi, hindi pa, pero ngayon lang, we’re waiting for the perfect timing,” the actress said. “Saka depende lang naman sa kanya yun, e, ako naghihintay lang ako.”
Matteo Guidicelli recently shared that he is stable enough to marry and support girlfriend Sarah Geronimo should she decide to quit showbiz.
TV host Luis Manzano has always been vocal about wanting to settle down with girlfriend Jessy Mendiola but respects that the young actress still has a lot of plans for her career.
Actress Jessy Mendiola shared that she is just waiting for boyfriend Luis Manzano’s perfect timing for a marriage proposal.
Lea Salonga speaks up on racial Jake Zyrus opens up about diversity issue in int’l theater depression, suicidal thoughts the movement as she shared her iconic roles over the years. “you ain’t ready for this. BrOADWAy star Lea SaTime for me to #vavavoom,” longa joins the chorus of black, she said with her typical sass as Asian and minority ethnicity she featured her “Les Misera(BAME) actors denouncing an bles” performance. agent’s statement that minorShe also posted her roles ity actors are taking white in Broadway’s “Miss Saigon” performers’ jobs. and in Disney movies. Salonga United Kingdom agent provided the singing voice to Gemma Hamilton of Lowy characters Princess Jasmine in Hamilton Artists wrote in a “Aladdin” and Mulan. private forum that “BAME“For the longest time, we only breakdowns” exist only people of color don’t always to “[add] that va-va-voom to see ourselves represented on the cast list.” She complained stage, film or Tv. We should that it’s been “putting talented celebrate that we’re now able Lea Salonga ABS-CBN photo to, more than before. To resent ‘white’ performers out of work.” Incidentally, she herself gized, but the remark “va-vainclusion? not classy,” Salonga voom” has since been reis white. stressed. claimed in a hashtag on Twitter However, a screenshot of “And ‘closed forums’ don’t where actors of minority eththe comment has been circuexist,” she added. nicities celebrate productions lated on social media and has The actress is currently triggered criticism from the UK they’ve been a part of. part of Broadway’s “Once on In a series of tweets, Satheater community. This Island,” which features a longa expressed support for Hamilton has since apoloracially diverse cast. by Niña
V. GuNo
Inquirer.net
Oca said in an email that she intends to “shed light to not only to resource families but to the general Filipino community about the kind of support that Filipino children in the foster care system need.” Lee shared that the organization is willing to hire more qualified social workers to handle the number of Fil-Am kids in foster care.
One of the rooms in KFAM’s office used for family visits
“It’s a very labor intensive process from our perspective,” she said. “When the family has to go through that much work, the social worker has to go through even more paperwork. The number of social workers does make a difference.” Reducing hesitations With May as national Foster Care Month, the DCFS is looking to raise awareness on the growing need for families to
Marfori ManilaTimes.net
IT happens to the best in showbiz, and Jake Zyrus (formerly known as Charice Pempengco) was among those who had difficulty constantly living life in the spotlight. We caught up with Jake at the newly opened Axiaa Hotel in Quezon City where the singer held a 10th anniversary concert press conference. Following Sarah Geronimo’s now infamous breakdown at her Las vegas concert the past week, Jake opened up about a dark phase when, still as Charice, “Hindi ko siya na-handle nang maganda sa totoo lang. Hindi naman po ako superhero na pag dumating ang depression I would say, ‘Oh I am strong, kaya ko ito’.” Jake fully supports Sarah and even backed her up by saying emotional struggles are the hardest for artists and performers because, “people expect you to be happy kasi all the time. They foster, adopt or mentor children expect you to be the one to give them joy. Paano na lang, di ba, if in the system. There were less kami ang nalulungkot?” than 4,000 foster homes in LA Jake also offered a piece County, as of 2015. of advice for fans to be more One of the ways is holding understanding. orientation classes and letting “normal lang po yun. interested families know that the county provides financial support since the cost of child “Many families do not have care can be a burden. Accord- a realistic portrayal of foster ing to recent rates, the monthly youth and are concerned they stipend is at least $923 a may not be up to the task. month. They may perceive foster youth as ‘damaged goods,’” neil Zanville of the DCFS’ Office of Public Affairs told the Asian Journal in an email. “The fact is, foster youth are very resilient and capable of achieving great things with the support of a stable and caring resource family. A good stepping stone to becoming a foster parent is to first mentor a youth to see firsthand what’s involved.” Lee said that AFFI doesn’t “sugarcoat” the experience because it could take anywhere from four to six months to become a resource parent. The organization is upfront about the expectations and since it is a foster family agency now, it can not only recruit, certify and train families, but also provide support to them once they AJPress photo by Christina M. Oriel receive placements, like how to
Mom hopes to inspire more Fil-Ams... From Page SF2
by MJ
Minsan, di ba, like sina Celine Dion, Mariah Carey… sometimes they cancel shows kapag hindi nila kaya. Yun ang kailangang intindihin ng mga fans dahil ako, fan din ako. Yun ang kailangang intindihin, kaysa naman talagang mapagod ang isang singer.” “Napakahirap, napakahirap talaga,” Jake continued. “Kung talagang alam ng isang singer na hindi mo kaya, it’s okay.” According to the artist once dubbed by Oprah as “the most talented girl in the world,” there was even a time suicide came to mind. Jake was in an extreme state of confusion, detailing, “Ito yung tipong nakatulala ka lang and lahat ng weakness mo papasok sa ‘yo. Marahas talaga like suicide attempts and everything.” Thankfully, Jake got through the ordeal and is finally happy and content, both personally and as an artist at this point in life. If there was a lesson that stuck with Jake, it is this: “Ang na-realize ko na kailangan ko noong time na yun ay hindi lang mga tao na makikinig sa akin. Iba po kasi yung mga taong makikinig lang sa iyo sa mga tao na iintindihin ka.” Jake’s upcoming anniversary concert is titled “Music And Me” to celebrate the artist’s first care for the child and dealing with social workers and the county. Chow’s parents have been supportive of her fostering and adopting children, but shared that she still gets criticized by extended family members because they don’t understand why she does it. She hopes that AFFI’s information sessions will reduce the stigma of foster parenting within the Fil-Am community. “Some of my relatives think it’s silly and crazy. It’s the mentality of ‘why are you doing this? Don’t you want to have your own child?’ Of course everyone has an opinion. There are many children out there, why would I have one when I can actually help out?” she said. Life for the Chows hasn’t stopped, despite the long and tedious procedure surrounding adoption and taking in foster children. “It’s like carrying your biological children, for me.
Jake Zyrus
Photo cuortesy of Star Records
decade in the music industry. With his hormonal treatments, the singer further imparted that besides being a pop belter, Jake’s voice has now has fully transformed into the likes of Frank Sinatra. “Sa concert ko po huwag na nila asahan si Charice. I’m now inspired by the music of Shawn Mendez as well and enjoying singing songs like ‘Fly Me To The Moon,’ which really fits my range as a performer.” We still have fun. Even though they’ve gone through challenges… it doesn’t mean that we’re living a sad story. We live like a family and take them out, eat out, and go on vacation — except we just report it to DCFS,” she said. “When you and your partner or spouse need a break, have someone you can rely on to take care of your kids and still go out on dates. your life and relationship don’t have to stop. Take care of your emotional health. If you do this with a spouse, take care of each other emotionally because it can strain a relationship.” “Don’t let your fear hinder you from becoming a resource parent. If you have the heart to help, follow it. I always tell people that my children are worth it. It was a hard journey from fostering to adopting, but in the end, it’s rewarding. I wouldn’t change a thing and would do it all over.”
entertainment The Asian Jour nal SF MAGAZINE - May 11, 2018
SF5
BAKE cheese tarts now available in US
BAKE cheese tarts have officially landed in American shores as the company opened its first, and so far only, store in the United States at Westfield Mall in downtown San Francisco last Friday, May 4. BAKE Cheese Tart is located at the basement level beside Sur la Table, and facing the stairs and escalators. With BAKE Inc. CEO Shuhei Nishio and BAKE USA Inc. VP for Operations Jun Kawachi leading the way, company officials, invited guests and media were on hand to attend the grand opening, as well as a long line of customers excited to taste the company’s wellloved cheese tart. For Mr. Nishio, the open-
ing of BAKE Cheese Tart in San Francisco represents a realization of a dream. He feels that the company and what San Francisco represents jive together perfectly. “Even before we opened here, I have dreamed about opening here in San Francisco,” Nishio told the Asian Journal and other media via his interpreter Masatsugu Sawaki, who is a consultant with the company. “San Francisco consists of art, fashion and food… with our mission statement of developing the value of the pastry, I think it is a great match to open here in San Francisco.” “This is our first store in the U.S. Since our company was established in 2013, we have
BAKE Inc. CEO Shuhei Nishio (center) displays a certificate presented to him by Supervisor Jane Kim’s office on behalf of the SF Board of Supervisors. With Nishio in photo are consultant Masatsugu Sawaki (left) and BAKE USA Inc. VP for Operations Jun Kawachi.
Cheese tarts, both regular and chocolate flavors, are ready to be purchased by customers at the grand opening.
developed over 87 stores. This is going to be the 88th store as a BAKE group, and as for the BAKE cheese tart, it is going to be the 47th store,” Mr. Nishio stated. “As our mission statement is to develop the value of the pastry and cater to every single people in the world, we put our maximum effort to every process of baking, especially ingredients, presentation and freshness.” According to Mr. Nishio, he is happy to have actually brought the cheese tart produced thousands of miles away in Hokkaido, Japan to the U.S. and is thankful to all the company’s suppliers and vendors who helped make it happen. The BAKE Inc. CEO added that he is happy to collaborate with Dandelion Chocolate Japan in offering a chocolate cheese tart for a limited time as part of BAKE’s grand opening. It was through a meeting with Mr. Horibuchi of Dandelion Japan where Nishio learned how Dandelion Chocolate, a Bay Area chocolate company, built their product from scratch – from a quality and process standpoint, the collaboration with Dandelion, according to Mr. Nishio, is a great partnership owing to the two companies’ similarities. For his part, Mr. Kawachi stated that “we’re happy to be here in Westfield in San Francisco. There’s a lot of foot traffic, which is important to our business. Given our experience and
BAKE Cheese Tart is located inside the Westfield San Francisco Centre, beside Sur la Table and near the BART entrance.
BAKE Inc. CEO Shuhei Nishio (3rd from left) cuts the ceremonial ribbon opening BAKE’s first location in the U.S. With Nishio are company officials and invited guests.
business history, foot traffic is essential to our operations and Westfield Mall is one of the busiest places in San Francisco.” Both Nishio and Kawachi said that growing the business in the U.S. is something they look forward to. Aside from looking at Los Angeles, San Diego, Portland and other major cities, the company is looking at different
A long line of customers waited patiently for their first taste of the BAKE cheese tart at the store’s grand opening last May 4.
expansion models, including franchising, wholesale, retail, B2B, catering and other forms of collaboration. Judging from the lines that formed at the grand opening, it is conceivable that BAKE’s cheese tarts will become a San Francisco favorite. Tina, a Filipino American who was at the grand opening, remarked that the cheese tart’s crust and cheese filling are both very good. Although it was her first time to try a BAKE cheese tart, she considers it already a favorite. “It’s really crunchy and the cheese really melts in your mouth. I think I forgot my name,” she said, with a chuckle. “It’s really good. I have tasted cheese tarts from other makers but I think I prefer this one. I like that I am able to taste the cheese and I like the richness of the filling.” Mike, another Filipino
American who was also among the early birds who lined up for BAKE’s grand opening, said that “it’s no ordinary cheese tart. It is smooth and creamy inside. I think I prefer to eat it warm though because that way the tart’s center is still soft.” Another Filipino American couple who waited in line to get their cheese tarts were glad they waited patiently as they raved about the taste. “The crust and the filling are the perfect match to each other,” they remarked after having tasted the cheese tart. “We’re going to come back again and again… these are so good!” [BAKE Cheese Tart is located at 845 Market Street (inside Westfield San Francisco Centre) near the Food Court. For more information, visit www.cheesetart.com or follow them on Facebook and Instagram.] (Advertising Supplement)
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The Asian Jo ur na l SF M A G A Z I NE - M a y 11, 2 0 1 8
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