MAY 18-21, 2019 Volume 29 - No. 38 • 4 Sections – 30 Pages
Comelec: One proclamation for Trump unveils new merit- both Senate and party-list winners based immigration plan DATELINE
USA
FROM THE AJPRESS NEWS TEAM ACROSS AMERICA
that would determine who is allowed entrance into the US
About 314,000 Filipinos on green card waiting list could be affected PRESIDENT Donald Trump this week unveiled a sweeping plan that will dramatically reform and tighten the country’s immigration system for those seeking to relocate to the United States. In a speech delivered at the White House Rose Garden on Tuesday, May 14, Trump unveiled his plan, which did not address plans for the 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the United States currently. Rather, it would tighten up the process for those seeking green cards, asylum claims and other immigration modes for newcomers. Trump outlined a system that is “meritbased” and limits those who can come to the U.S. by setting clear parameters for admisu PAGE A3
Filipina American Iraq War veteran announces another bid for Congress seat A FILIPINA American Air Force veteran announced this week that she is seeking another bid for Congress in 2020, after narrowly losing in the 2018 midterm election. Gina Ortiz Jones, who caught national attention for running in one of the tightest battleground races in 2018, declared on Tuesday, May 14 that she’s throwing her hat in the ring yet again in an attempt to unseat Republican Rep. Will Hurd for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District. In a Twitter video, the 38-year-old Fil-Am shared that she came 926 votes short in the last cycle but has “never been one to back down because the promise of our country is worth fighting for.” “It’s why I served in the military and deployed to Iraq, it’s why I served in President Obama’s administration, and it’s why I’ve dedicated my life to public service,” she said. “And it’s why I’m stepping up again to run for Texas’ 23rd Congressional District.” She grew up in San Antonio, Texas with a
by NATHALIE
ROBLES
AJPress
THE Philippine Commission on Elections on Friday, May 17, said that the proclamation of winners for the senatorial and party-list races will be done at the same time.
Comelec spokesperson James Jimenez said that the plan to announce them simultaneously is seen as “more efficient [and] better for everyone.” “One of the directions we’re going is one proclamation for both Senate and party-list winners. So we cannot rush because we still need to compute
Bato gets most overseas votes so far by JAIME LAUDE Philstar.com
MANILA — Former Philippine National Police chief Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa has so far obtained the most number of votes from overseas absentee voters (OAV). According to the Parish Pastoral Council of Responsible Voting’s (PPCRV) partial and unofficial tally as of 1:01 p.m. Friday, May 17, Dela Rosa got 124,361 overseas votes. Trailing behind Dela Rosa is Willie Ong, who is running under the Lakas–Christian Muslim Democrats (LAKAS CMD), who got 120,600 overseas votes and former Presidential aide Christopher “Bong” Go who got 119,990 overseas votes. Below are the leading top 12 senators based on overseas absentee voting: Bato Dela Rosa – 124,361 votes Doc Willie Ong – 120,600 votes Bong Go – 119,990 votes Imee Marcos – 118,100 votes u PAGE A2
Six PH companies among Forbes Global 2000 Filipino Bishop Alex Aclan ordained Partial and unofficial 2019 midterm election results from PPCRV-Inquirer Transparency Server as of 9:03 p.m. on Friday, May 17, 2019. AJPress infographic by Kendrick Tan
by AJPRESS
SIX Philippine companies are included on the 2019 Forbes Global 2000 list, comprising of the world’s biggest, most powerful and most valuable companies. The Filipino companies considered among the largest public companies in the world are BDO Unibank, SM Investments Corporation, Top Frontier Investment Holdings, Ayala Corporation, Metropolitan Bank & Trust Corporation and JG Summit Holdings Incorporated. Topping the list of the Filipino companies is BDO, ranking 1,018 with a market value of $11.2 billion, followed by SM Investments at the 1,092th spot with a market value of $21.6 billion. Both companies are owned by the Sy family.
u PAGE A3
THE Philippine midterm elections drew in some surprising results as longstanding political figures and dynasties were defeated. Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile expressed his gratitude to supporters as he conceded after ranking 22nd in the partial and unofficial results of the Senate race with 5,269,115 votes. “Maraming salamat sa lahat ng nagpakita ng suporta nitong mga nakaraang buwan! (Thank you to everyone who supported me in the past months!)” Enrile said in a statement.
“Nakakataba ng puso ang makita kayong lahat muli para sa ikabubuti ng kinabukasan ng ating bansa! (It is heartwarming to see you all for the betterment of our nation’s future),” he added. The 95-year-old will retire after more than 50 years of public service. He was previously in position for four terms in the Senate during the 8th (1987-1992), 11th (1995 to 2001), 13th to 16th (2004 to 2016) Congresses. Enrile served during seven presidents throughout his political career: Ferdinand Marcos, Corazon Aquino, Fidel Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Macapau PAGE A2
as newest auxiliary in Los Angeles Catholic community welcomes Aclan as second ever Filipino bishop in the US
by RAE
ANN VARONA AJPress
OUTSIDE the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in Los Angeles, tour buses lined up waiting for some of the thousands of faithful Catholics from throughout the city’s Archdiocese who u PAGE A2 attended the ordination of Filipino Bishop Alejandro “Alex” D. Aclan on Thursday, May 16. Inside, attendees eagerly watched and participated in the service which featured songs and readings in both English and Filipino — breaking into applause as Aclan made his way around the cathedral while holding the papal decree signed by Pope Francis, and again after officially being ordained as an auxiliary bishop. Aclan, 68, was named the newest auxiliary bishop for the Archdiocese of Los Angeles by the Vatican in March, becoming the second Filipino to ever be presented as bishop in the United States after Bishop Oscar Solis who served as an auxiliary in Los Angeles from 2004 to 2017. Before reading Pope Francis’ mandate formally appointing Aclan as bishop, Archbishop Former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile Christophe Pierre, the Apostolic Auxiliary Bishop Alex Aclan was officially ordained to serve the Archdiocese of Los Angeles u PAGE A4 in front of over 4,000 guests on Thursday, May 16. Inquirer.net photo AJPress photos by Noel Ty
Enrile concedes defeat for Senate seat, while political dynasties tumble in Metro Manila by AJPRESS
[votes] in party-list race,” Jimenez said. The Comelec spokesperson also said winners could be proclaimed as early as Sunday but the date is not yet final. According to Jimenez, “Sunday is too tentative. As a heads up, it’s a reasonable winu PAGE A2
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From the Front Page
Six PH companies among Forbes Global...
PAGE A1 t Top Frontier sat at 1,196th with a market value of $1.7 billion. The majority of the shares in the investment holdings are held by the diversified conglomerate San Miguel Corporation. Ayala Corporation is at the 1,236th ranking with a market value of $11 billion, followed by
Metrobank in the 1,639th spot with a market value of $6 billion and JG Summit Holdings Incorporated at 1,720th with a market value of $8.5 billion. The global media company explained that the rankings were made considering four categories: sales, profits, assets and market value.
“Companies are ranked according to a composite score from equally-weighted measures of the revenue, profits, assets and market value, and the results reveal the major trends shaping the global economy this year,” Forbes stated. The 2,000 companies on the annual list amount to over $40 trillion in revenue this year and more than $186 trillion in global assets. For the seventh consecutive year, Industrial & Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) is the top company on the list, followed by JPMorgan Chase & Company, which overtook China Construction Bank for the second spot. China’s “Big Four” banks are still within the top 10 of the list: ICBC (No. 1); China Construction Bank (No. 3); Agricultural Bank of China (No. 4) and Bank of China (No. 8). Forbes said that the list is a reflection of the strong performance of businesses across the globe. Companies listed have seen steady increases in overall revenue, profits and market cap. Companies on the 2019 list come from 61 countries, with the United States contributing the most with 575, followed by China and Hong Kong with 309 companies, up from 291 the previous year. n
Bato gets most overseas...
PAGE A1 t Pia Cayetano – 106,567 votes Cynthia Villar – 97,034 votes Francis Tolentino – 84,927 votes Glenn Chong – 78,970 votes Sonny Angara – 68,064 votes Larry Gadon – 67,438 votes Koko Pimentel – 55,444 votes Grace Poe – 55,275 votes The data from the PPCRV transparency server did not indicate the percentage of overseas absentee votes that have already been counted. However, for the midterm elections, over 1.8 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) were registered voters. n
RANDOM AUDIT. Public school teachers process ballots during the random manual audit of votes at the Diamond Hotel in Manila on Wednesday, May 15. The random audit is being held by the Commission on Elections, Legal Network for Truthful Elections and Philippine Statistics Authority. ManilaTimes.net photo by Enrique Agcaoili
Comelec: One proclamation for...
PAGE A1 t
dow but not confirmed yet.” Other sectors have been urging the Comelec to suspend the proclamation due to reports of discrepancies in the voting machines as well as allegations of electoral fraud and irregularities. However, Jimenez said that the proclamation of winning candidates will not be suspended. “There was a problem with a small part of the process but it would not affect the integrity of the results,” the poll spokesper-
son said. Partial and unofficial results As of 3:03 p.m. on Friday, May 17 (Philippine time) a total of 97.60 percent of votes were tallied ranking the following senatorial candidates and their respective political parties. Still topping the list is Cynthia Villar (NP) with 25,040,325 votes; followed by Grace Poe (Independent) with 21,864,211 votes; Bong Go (PDP-Laban) with 20,365,860 votes; Pia Cayetano (NP) with 19,576,839 votes.
Fifth on the list is Bato dela Rosa (PDP-Laban) with 18,720,760 votes; Sonny Angara (LDP) with 17,995,167 votes; Lito Lapid (NPC) with 16,834,115 votes; Imee Marcos (NP) with 15,687,076 votes. Followed by Francis Tolentino (PDP-Laban) with 15,302,733 votes; Bong Revilla (Lakas-CMD) with 14,490,537 votes; Koko Pimentel (PDP-Laban) with 14,487,551 votes and Nancy Binay (UNA) with 14,410,240 votes. n
Enrile concedes defeat for Senate seat... PAGE A1 t
gal-Arroyo, Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III and Rodrigo Duterte. Political dynasties tumble in Manila, San Juan and Pasig The reign of the Estradas in Manila and San Juan reached its end in the midterm as their respective opponents snatched the top posts from within their reach by a wide margin. Former President and incumbent Mayor Joseph Estrada lost to Francisco Domagoso, more popularly known as Isko Moreno, in the mayoral race. Domagoso received 357,925 votes against Estrada’s 210,605.
“I thank God and every Manileño who participated in this democratic process. We have received the mandate of the people and we are faced with a great challenge to uplift the lives of the people of Manila,” Domagoso said as reported by The Philippine Star. Meanwhile, in San Juan, Estrada’s granddaughter — incumbent Vice Mayor Janella Ejercito — was defeated by Francis Zamora in the mayoral race. Zamora garnered 35,060 while Ejercito got 24,813 votes. Zamora ended the five-decade rule of the Estrada-Ejercito clan in
San Juan, which started in 1969. Vico Sotto — son of a showbiz couple comedian Vic Sotto and actress Connie Reyes — ended the 29-year reign of the Eusebio political clan in Pasig City as he garnered 204,611 votes against incumbent Mayor Bobby Eusebio with 118,571 votes. Binay still holds Makati Incumbent Makati Mayor Abby Binay won the mayoral race over her brother Junjun. However, their father, former Vice President Jejomar Binay, lost to rival Kid Peña in the race for first district congressman. Peña got 71,035 votes against Binay’s 65,229. n
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How to find and use new federal ratings for rehab services at nursing homes by Judith
Graham Kaiser Health News
LITTLE ATHLETES. The Philippine Army (PA) Little Athletes on parade during the opening ceremonies of the 2019 Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)-Philippine National Police (PNP)-Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) Olympics held at Lapu-Lapu Grandstand in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Wednesday, May 15. The AFP Office of the Chief Special Services will administer the conduct of the 2019 AFP-PNP-PCG Little Olympics summer games for the dependents of all active military and civilian personnel. PNA photo by Joey O. Razon
US: South China Sea operations not meant to be provocative
AS the U.S. Navy vows to maintain its presence in the South China Sea, its chief clarified that naval operations in the region are not meant to provoke any country. China has been protesting U.S. freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea, the latest of which was when two U.S. warships sailed near Gaven and Chigue reefs in the Spratly Islands last week. The Chinese Foreign Ministry expressed “strong dissatisfaction and resolute opposition” to the operation, claiming that the US ships entered without permission. “The relevant actions of the U.S. warships violated China’s sovereignty and undermined peace, security and good order in the relevant sea areas,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Geng Shuang said. Adm. John Richardson, U.S. Navy chief, clarified that these operations are “just normal” types of operations for them. “Certainly not meant to be provocative in any sense. Just a normal advocacy for international law,” Richardson said in a telephone briefing Thursday. Richardson stressed that the U.S. Navy’s freedom of navigation operations in the South China Sea abide by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
These operations signify Washington’s advocacy for a rules-based order brought together by the UNCLOS, the admiral added. “The operations, we do a dozen or so of these throughout the world including contesting the excessive maritime claims of even our allies and partners,” Richardson said. As they have done so in the past 70 years, the U.S. will continue to maintain its presence in the South China Sea, part of which is the West Philippine Sea. “Our operations there have really not fluctuated much over those seven decades, including in recent times. And so we’ll consistently be present. We have a tremendous amount of national interest,” the U.S. Navy chief said. As for China’s expansion in the region, Richardson said Washington hopes Beijing would would abide by the rules-based order in their activities in the disputed waterway. “We shouldn’t hesitate or be concerned about competition. Again, it’s a natural thing. But by abiding by the rules-based order, by being transparent in our activities and actions, whether it’s in the South China Sea, the Taiwan Straits, or around the world, this once again engenders consistency with those rules, engen-
Filipina American Iraq War veteran... PAGE A1 t single mother, Victorina Ortiz, who is originally from Pangasinan, Philippines. In addition to her Air Force service, Ortiz Jones was a special adviser at the Defense Intelligence Agency and was a director for investment at the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative under Presidents Barack Obama and Donald Trump, before leaving in June 2017. Ortiz Jones ran last year in an endeavor to make history by becoming the first Filipina American to be elected to Congress, as well as the first first openly gay, first Iraq War veteran and first woman House representative from Texas’
23rd district, which runs along the state’s border with Mexico. “I would be honored to be the first [Filipina American] but it is important that I am not going to be the last because I am only here because of the opportunity my community, my country afforded for me. This is very much about protecting those opportunities for others that are just as talented, just as hungry and need a little bit of help,” Ortiz Jones told the Asian Journal in an interview before the midterm election in 2018. On Wednesday, her campaign announced that she had raised over $100,000 in the first day. (AJPress)
Trump unveils new merit-based... PAGE A1 t sion, mentioning that the current system is based on “random chance.” “We want immigrants coming in [and] we cherish an open door, but a big proportion of those immigrants should come in through merit and skill,” the president said in his speech, which was softer in tone compared to the coarse rhetoric he’s used in the past when discussing immigrants. That means that family reunification — wherein individuals petition family members for naturalization — would be cut to only children and spouses. Other elements of the proposal include doubling down on the border wall construction, regulating the flow of lowerwage workers as a way to protect Americans’ incomes and limit the asylum system. Some of those qualified immigrants who would be fit within the meritbased system include laborers for important American industries, The proposal does not address any pathway to citizenship for young undocumented immigrants brought to the U.S. as children — some of which identify as DREAMers. White House press secretary Sarah Sanders addressed this omission from the plan by saying that DACA is “a serious program” and that “every single time that we have put forward or anyone else has put forward any type of immigration plan [that] included DACA, it’s failed. It’s a divisive thing.” But DACA and providing support for DACA recipients has had bipartisan support in Washington and among the general public. A 2018 Gallup poll found that
83 percent of American support granting citizenship to recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program. The pieces that are likely to deter Democrats from agreeing to this proposal are the insistence of Trump’s border wall and the limitations on family-based visas, which is one of the most utilized modes to reuniting AAPI families since the 1980s. According to the State Department, per this proposal, about 4 million people would get kicked off the green card waiting list, which, as many immigrants know too well, could take decades. About 1.4 million of those individuals would be immigrants of Asian descent, of which Filipinos comprise of about 314,000. In a statement provided to the Asian Journal, AAPI Director of the Democratic National Committee John Santos wrote that the plan “is an attack on immigrants and is not based on fact.” “Our immigration system is broken, but Trump’s plan doesn’t address the most pressing immigration issues AAPIs face,” Santos said. “His ‘fix’ to the system includes drastically reducing the family-based visas that 57% of AAPI immigrants used to come to the U.S. and making it harder for asylum seekers to flee persecution, in favor of a system that privileges wealthier green card seekers. His plan does not address the status of the 120,000 AAPIs eligible for DACA nor does it address the backlog in familysponsored visa applications that have caused some immigrants to be stuck in limbo for decades. We need to fix our immigration system, but Trump’s plan falls far short.” (Klarize Medenilla/AJPress)
ders trust and confidence with other parts of the international system, and certainly minimizes the risk and vulnerability of some kind of a miscalculation which would be a setback for everybody involved,” Richardson said. Earlier this week, the U.S. Navy chief also said he did not want maritime tensions with China to boil over. Speaking at the sidelines of a security forum in Singapore, Richardson said the U.S. will maintain communications with China to avoid any untoward incident. (Patricia Lourdes Viray/ Philstar.com)
FOR the first time, the federal government is shining a spotlight on the quality of rehabilitation care at nursing homes — services used by nearly 2 million older adults each year. Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare website now includes a “star rating” (a composite measure of quality) for rehab services — skilled nursing care and physical, occupational or speech therapy for people recovering from a hospitalization. The site also breaks out 13 measures of the quality of rehab care, offering a more robust view of facilities’ performance. Independent experts and industry representatives welcomed the changes, saying they could help seniors make better decisions about where to seek care after a hospital stay. This matters because highquality care can help older adults regain the ability to live independently, while low-quality care can compromise seniors’ recovery. “It’s a very positive move,” said David Grabowski, a professor of health care policy at Harvard Medical School. He noted that previous ratings haven’t distinguished between two groups in nursing homes with different characteristics and needs — temporary residents getting short-term rehabilitation and permanent residents too ill or frail to live independently. Temporary residents are trying to regain the ability to care for themselves and return home as soon as possible, he noted. By
contrast, permanent residents aren’t expecting improvements: Their goal is to maintain the best quality of life. Three separate ratings for the quality of residents’ care now appear on the Nursing Home Compare website: one for overall quality (a composite measure); another one for “short-stay” patients (people who reside in facilities for 100 days or less, getting skilled nursing services and physical, occupational or speech therapy) and a third for “long-stay” patients (people who reside in facilities for more than 100 days). Ratings for short-stay patients — available for 13,799 nursing homes — vary considerably, according to a Kaiser Health News analysis of data published by the government in late April. Nationally, 30% of nursing homes with a rating received five stars, the highest possible. Another 21% got a four-star rating, signifying above-average care. Twenty percent got three stars, an average performance. Seventeen percent got two stars, a worse-than-average score. And 13% got one star, a bottom-of-the-barrel score. (Altogether, 1,764 nursing homes did not receive ratings for short-stay patients.) Here’s information about how to find and use the new Nursing Home Compare data, as well as insights from Kaiser Health News’ analysis: Finding data about rehabilitation. Enter your geographic location on Nursing Home Compare’s home page, and a list of facilities
will come up. You can select three at a time to review. Once you’ve done so, hit the “compare now” button at the top of the list. (To see more facilities, you’ll need to repeat the process.) A new page will appear with several tabs. Click on the one marked “quality of resident care.” The three overall star ratings described above will appear for the facilities you’ve selected. Below this information, two options are listed on the left side: “short-stay residents” and “longstay residents.” Click on “shortstay residents.” Now you’ll see 13 measures with actual numbers included (most but not all of the time), as well as state and national averages. Understanding the star rating. Six measures are used to calculate star ratings for the quality of rehab care for short-stay patients. Two of them concern emergency room visits and rehospitalizations, potential indicators of problematic care. Another two examine how well pain was controlled and bedsores were managed. One measure looks at how many patients became better able to move around on their own, an important element of recovery. Yet another examines the rate at which antipsychotic medications were newly prescribed. (These drugs can have significant side effects and are not recommended for older adults with dementia.) One measure of great interest to seniors is the percentage of residents who return successPAGE A4
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Palace hits ‘falsehoods’vs Duterte on Netflix’s ‘Patriot Act’ by Nestor
Corrales Inquirer.net
MALACAñANG slammed American comedian Hasan Minhaj for his latest episode of Netflix’s political-satire show “Patriot Act” where he presented “erroneous narratives” about President Rodrigo Duterte and Philippine politics. In the newest episode, which streamed on May 12, a day before the midterm elections, Hasan criticized Duterte’s war on drugs and shared his thoughts on the President’s senatorial candidates. “We find it desperate that, on the eve of the Philippine midterm elections, the vociferous detractors of President Rodrigo Roa Duterte would use an American comedy show, aired on Netflix, to demonize the Chief Executive and his government in its episode entitled ‘Brazil, Corruption and the Rainforest’ before the global audience,” Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in a statement late Tuesday night. Andanar hit Hasan for calling Duterte an “autocrat” and for his “exaggerated” figures on the death toll in the government’s war on drugs.
“Mr. Hasan Minhaj, an American comedian and host, maliciously implied that President Duterte is an ‘autocrat’ who ‘every so often goes on a killing spree,’” he said. “He cited an exaggerated figure — 27,000, which is way higher than the official figure – to besmirch the government’s campaign against illegal drugs,” he added. Citing government data, Andanar said, “there are about 5,050 drug personalities who died during the 115,435 antidrug operations from July 2016 to November 2018.” He cited the report of the Philippine National Police “that a large number of deaths were done by the hands of vigilantes due to the rivalry between drug gangs.” Aside from law enforcement, the Palace official said the government had rehabilitation programs. “We express outrage that such erroneous narratives, obviously peddled by anti-Duterte haters and trolls, would find their way to the gullible TV host and his comedy show and unwittingly parrot these falsehoods to an audience unaware of the real score in the
Philippines,” he said. Andanar cited recent surveys that showed 6 out of 10 Filipinos, saying illegal drug users in their areas, “attesting that the campaign is effective.” He added that “7 out of 10 Filipinos mentioned that the Duterte Administration is serious in solving the killings in the country.” “With regard to the root cause, which is poverty,” he said, “the Duterte administration remains committed to bringing comfortable lives for all.” He again cited the latest survey, which showed that hunger incidence among Filipino families decreased to 9.5% while adult joblessness dropped to 19.7%. In his video, Hasan also criticized Duterte’s endorsement of some senatorial candidates. “The Philippines, like the USA, is a country where democracy is vibrant and the will of the people reigns supreme. Ultimately, it is the Filipino people who will choose their own set of leaders and we simply have to respect the results of the elections,” Andanar said. He said the results of the midterm elections, which showed
u PAGE A5
HER FIGHT CONTINUES. Opposition Senator Leila M. de Lima flashes her D5 handsign to greet reporters and onlookers as she arrives at the Quezon City Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) Branch 34 earlier on Wednesday, May 15, for the resumption of her trial on the “Disobedience to Summons” case filed against her back in 2016. The Prosecution failed to produce their witness designated to testify today, prompting the Court to reset the hearing, once again, to June 19. Senate photo
Cavs’ Sexton trains with Kai Sotto, thinks prospect can make it to NBA by abaC
Cordero Philstar.com
TO pursue his NBA dream, Filipino basketball phenom Kai Sotto left for the United States in April. Since then, Sotto has been rubbing elbows with world-class trainers and players — including Cleveland Cavaliers’ Collin Sexton. Sexton apparently works out with Kai during his training in Atlanta, and the rookie sees a lot of potential in the Filipino cager. “That’s my guy... he’s a great player,” Sexton said to Philippine media on Wednesday, April 15. “I feel like he can make it,” Sexton said.
Kai Sotto left for the US in April to pursue his NBA dream.
Drafted eighth overall by the Cavaliers last year, Sexton averaged 16.6 points per game in his first NBA season. The rookie standout said that he saw Sotto’s development during their time together.
Philstar.com photo
“He’s been getting a lot better... when he comes back, you’ll all see,” Sexton said. Sotto is set to return to the Philippines in June to join the Gilas Youth training for the FIBA U-19 Basketball World Cup. n
Catholic community members gathered at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels on Thursday, May 16 to witness the ordination of Filipino priest Alex Aclan as auxiliary bishop.
Filipino Bishop Alex Aclan ordained as newest... PAGE A1 t Nuncio to the U.S., introduced Aclan to the audience as being another Filipino bishop at which another applause broke out. “I know that you wanted a nice and quiet sabbatical, but the Holy Father has called you to something great in the service of the Church,” Pierre joked to Aclan. “Now God is calling you to something heroic — to preach His Gospel and lift the burdens of His people,” he added. “These days, everyone wants to see the Avengers movie. I suppose we could speculate about your superhero name, but there can be no question about your superpower — the power of prayer.” Ordaining Bishop Aclan was Archbishop José H. Gomez, along with Archbishop Emeritus Cardinal Roger Mahony and Bishop Solis. In his homily, Gomez said to Aclan: “So, my brother Alex, God has called you in this time and place, in this moment in the Church. Today He consecrates you and appoints you to be a bishop — in a time of renewal and reform in the Church. It is a time, as we know, with shadows and uncertainty. But it is also a time of bright hope and new possibilities.” “My brother, Jesus reminds you today in the Gospel that as a bishop — you are not a ‘lord,’ but a servant. You are not a ‘master,’ but a father,” added Gomez. “As a bishop, you need to let Jesus be your only teacher.” Emphasizing the priestly duties of bringing about reconciliation and peace, Aclan said, “Christ is all about reconciliation and peace and we know from the gospel of John that his prayer is what that we be one.” “Ours is a church that is very diverse, and the challenge is great. I ask that we continue to pray for our archdiocese, and do so even more, so we too can achieve our ultimate goal — oneness in Christ Jesus our Lord,” added Aclan. ‘A voice for Filipino Catholics’
Aclan becomes the second-ever Filipino bishop in the United States.
In the audience that packed the 3,000 people capacity cathedral, the Filipino-American Catholic community presence was strong as attendees came dressed in their traditional barong Tagalogs and Filipinianas. “I cannot express — it was so beautiful and outstanding. Praise the Lord,” said Generoso Toledo, a Filipino Catholic from the Holy Family Catholic Church in Artesia, California. Following the ordination, attendees made their way outside and patiently waited in line to meet Bishop Aclan. “It is really a great honor that we have another Filipino bishop, especially he’s a member of the Cursillo Movement. He is great,” added Toledo, referring to the Catholic Church lay movement which looks to instill in individuals the fundamentals of being a Christian. Born in Pasay City, Philippines, Aclan moved to the U.S. at the age of 31 where he soon after decided to enter the seminary. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1993, and served as parochial vicar, pastor, Associate Vicar for Clergy, and Vicar for clergy throughout Southern California in the years after. In announcing the new appointments in March, Gomez described Aclan as a “proud son of our vibrant community.” Further describing Aclan as a man of prayer, Gomez continued, “And I know he will be a voice for Filipino Catholics, who are a beautiful sign of growth and renewal in our Church here in Los Angeles and throughout
AJPress photos by Noel Ty
the country.” In Aclan’s most recent interview with the Asian Journal, he emphasized the importance of community both in the Philippines and in the U.S. during his journey to the priesthood and now as a bishop. During his ordination, Aclan again expressed gratitude to those who supported him throughout the years — thanking his family seated at the front, and tearing up when thanking his deceased mother and father. “We know that our liturgies — especially the Eucharist — are a foretaste of heaven on earth,” said Aclan. “I cannot think of a better foretaste of heaven than this.” Bishop Aclan will serve as episcopal vicar for the San Fernando Pastoral Region of the Los Angeles Archdiocese, which is the largest Archdiocese in the U.S. with approximately 5 million Catholics. n
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How to find and use new federal ratings... Outgoing EU envoy wishes Duterte success, good health
PAGE A3 t fully home after a short nursing home stay. But actual numbers aren’t available on the Nursing Home Compare website this time around: Instead, facilities are listed as below average, average or above average. The national average, reported in April, was 48.6%, indicating room for improvement. Tracking variations in performance. Some facilities outperform others by large margins on measures of quality of care for shortstay residents. And some facilities have high scores in some areas, but not in others. For instance, the nursing home at Westminster Village, a highend continuing care retirement community in Scottsdale, Ariz., had the highest score for rehospitalizations — 39.9% — out of 68 facilities in and around Phoenix. (By contrast, the lowest score in the Phoenix area was 15.4% and the state average was 23.5%.) It also had the highest rate of helping residents improve their ability to move around on their own — 88.6%. (The lowest score was 37.6% and the state average was 63.6%.) In an email, Lesley Midkiff, marketing director at Westminster Village, said that the facility’s staff is vigilant about sending residents back to the hospital if health issues arise. At the same time, she said, staffers “push the residents just enough to regain independence and recover quickly from their short term stays.” Both priorities have the “residents’ best interest” in mind, she said. If a facility has an average or low quality score, Dr. David Gifford, a senior vice president at the American Health Care Association, a nursing home industry group, recommended that people look closely at various measures and try to figure out where the institution fell short. Call the facility and ask them to explain, he said.
Also, review Nursing Home Compare’s information about staffing and health inspections, Gifford suggested, and visit the facility if possible. Variations within nursing homes. The newly published Nursing Home Compare data also shows that institutions aren’t always equally adept at caring for short-stay and long-stay residents. Disparities in facilities’ ratings for short- and long-stay patients are common. Of 13,351 nursing homes that received both ratings, 32% received the same star ratings for the quality of care received by short-stay and longstay residents. Another 32% of facilities received higher star ratings for short-stay residents, while 36% got higher ratings for long-stay residents. About onethird of the time, these rating categories were one star apart, but in another third of cases, they varied by two or more stars — a significant discrepancy. (This analysis does not include 2,212 nursing ahomes for which data was missing.) In Phoenix, Desert Terrace Healthcare Center, which bills itself on its website as the city’s “premier location for short-term rehabilitation and long-term care,” is one such facility. Its quality-of-care rating for short-term residents was two stars, while its rating for long-term residents was five stars. Notably, hospital admissions and ER visits for shortstay patients were higher than the state average, while the portion of short-stay residents whose mobility improved was lower than average. In an email, Jeremy Bowen, the facility’s administrator, wrote that the facility had a good record of managing pain and bedsores and limiting antipsychotic prescriptions for short-stay patients. Factors such as hospital readmissions
depend on community resources and patients’ understanding of their health needs, which are difficult to control, he noted. Sierra Winds, part of a continuing care community in Peoria, Ariz., has a similar split in quality ratings (two stars for short-stay residents, five stars for long-stay residents). On four of six measures used to calculate star ratings for short-stay residents, it performed worse than the state average. “Sierra Winds remains committed to providing the highest quality care and services to its residents,” wrote Shannon Brown, the facility’s executive director, in an email. “We are proud of our 4-star rating with CMS [the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services].” That’s the facility’s overall rating (this includes data about staffing and health inspections). But it doesn’t address the split in scores for short-stay and long-stay patients, which raises a red flag and should certainly cause seniors and their families to ask follow-up questions. “If I’m a patient looking for a place for a short-term rehab stay, I really want to know how patients who look like me did,” said Dr. Rachel Werner, executive director of the Leonard Davis Institute of Health Economics at the University of Pennsylvania and a qualitymeasurement expert. KHN senior correspondent Jordan Rau contributed to this report. We’re eager to hear from readers about questions you’d like answered, problems you’ve been having with your care and advice you need in dealing with the health care system. Visit khn. org/columnists to submit your requests or tips. This story was produced by Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation. n
Palace hits ‘falsehoods’ vs Duterte on Netflix’s...
PAGE A4 t Duterte-backed candidates dominating the Senate’s top 12, proved Filipinos still favored Duterte. “The president called on the public to vote for those who support his measures to uplift people from poverty and have a stable, comfortable, and peaceful life that they deserve. He also called on the public to dismiss black propaganda against the administration amid the midterm elections,” he said.
“The preliminary results of the nationwide polls affirmed that the public indeed heeded the president’s call. This proves that the voting population continues to believe in the genuine reforms advocated by the candidates endorsed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” he added. Hasan also mentioned detained Sen. Leila de Lima and Rappler chief Maria Ressa for “standing up against Duterte.”
“On Ms. Ressa and Senator De Lima, their cases underwent legal processes and their politics, or opposition to President Duterte, has nothing to do with the charges that they are now facing,” Andanar said. “Both personalities violated domestic laws with Ms. Ressa committing tax evasion, breach of anti-dummy laws, and violation of cyber laws; and Senator De Lima transgressing anti-drug laws,” he added. n
by Helen
Flores Philstar.com
best,” he said. “I will now like to bring a toast for President Duterte, wishing OUTGOING European Union him success, good health, and a Ambassador Franz Jessen long life,” he said. wished President Duterte sucJessen said he is looking forcess, good health and a long life ward to better Philippines-EU and expressed confidence that relations, citing shared interthe Philippines “will do well” in ests. the years to come. “We can still do better, and In a speech on the occasion I hope that during the years to of EU Day, Jessen described his come we will together fully benfour-year term in the country efit from the many shared interas “happy” with “interesting” ests that we have,” he said. and “occasionally challenging In early 2017, Duterte had times.”“Looking back at the past four years, I note that we did get some things right,” the envoy said of EU-Philippines relations. He cited the ratification of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement (PCA) last year, the return of its development assistance in the country and the “still strong” foundations of the two countries’ relationships. He also underscored the European business community’s growing interest in the Philippines. “The EU business community in the Philippines continues to do good work, in their own interest and in the interest of the country,” he said. Since 2015, three new EU diplomatic missions have been established, the ambassador said. These are Hungary, Poland and Sweden. “We are now 15 up from 12,” Jessen said, noting that the increase is “a tangible reflection of the EU’s increased interest in the Philippines” and “of the increased weight of the Philippine economy and of its diplomacy.” Jessen is optimistic the Philippine economy will continue to grow – boosted partly by the country’s young and educated workforce. “Looking forward, I am confident that the Philippines will do well. I pin much of that confidence on the young, ambitious, increasingly better educated workforce that will join the job market in the years to come,” he said, adding the government has the task to unleash this great potential. “The EU continues to stand ready to work with the Philippine government and with the Duterte administration to channel this great potential into further sustainable economic growth and to together promote a rules-based system, where the voices of all countries are fully respected: a system which in my view serves both our interests
repeatedly lambasted the EU for supposedly meddling in the country’s domestic affairs, following the bloc’s criticisms of his administration’s bloody war on drugs. The President had also threatened to expel EU envoys “within 24 hours.” The government likewise rejected billions of pesos in foreign aid from the EU. In the same year, however, Duterte appointed the late senator Edgardo Angara as special envoy to EU. n
A May 18-21, 2019 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOURNaL
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D ateline PhiliPPines Dismissed Aklan mayor reelected despite Boracay mess by Jennifer
rendon Philstar.com
ILOILO CITY — The dismissed mayor of Malay town in Aklan, Ciceron Cawaling, has a fresh mandate after he was proclaimed winner in the mayoralty race. The Office of the Ombudsman had ordered the dismissal of Cawaling in April for graft, gross neglect of duty, grave misconduct, conduct unbecoming of a public official and conduct prejudicial to the best interest of the service in connection with the environmental problems in Boracay. The mayor incurred the ire of President Duterte, who lamented that Boracay Island had turned into a “cesspool.” Cawaling, of the Nacionalista Party, garnered 16,277 votes, defeating former mayor John Yap of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, who got 12,260 votes. Independent candidate Rodgiet Ranara got 1,200 votes. Frolibar Bautista, runningmate
of Cawaling, won as vice mayor over incumbent Mayor Abram Sualog and Eliberto Daguno. On April 24, the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) served a dismissal order on Cawaling hours after he reported for work from his sixmonth preventive suspension. Also dismissed was Jen Salsona, licensing officer III of Malay town. Cawaling’s camp had denied the charges and vowed to appeal the decision before the Supreme Court (SC). “With his reelection, it only shows that the people don’t believe the accusations thrown against him,” Rowen Aguirre, Cawaling’s executive assistant, said. “He was blamed for everything. Parang ginawa siyang scapegoat for everything that happened, for all the violations,” Aguirre said. The complaint against Cawaling was filed by DILG Undersecretary Epimaco Densing. The charges against 15 other lo-
cal officials, including Aklan Gov. Florencio Miraflores, Malay Vice Mayor Abram Sualog, members of the provincial board and Valentin Talabero of the Provincial Environment Natural Resources Office, were dismissed for lack of merit. Another mayoralty candidate, Frankie Locsin of Iloilo, emerged victorious despite being disqualified from public office. Locsin, former mayor of Janiuay, won the mayoralty race. The Sandiganbayan sentenced Locsin to up to 10 years in prison and barred him from holding public office after he was found guilty of graft in connection with the allegedly anomalous purchase of medicine worth P15 million. Security supervisor Daniel Tamala surevised the dumping of garbage at Capas Tarlac Landfill in Capas, Tarlac under the management of Metro Reports said the SC has junked Clark Waste Management Corporation which allegedly were the garbage coming from Canada was dumped. Locsin’s motion for reconsideraPhilstar.com photo by Ernie Peñaredondo tion and affirmed the anti-graft court’s decision dated Feb. 23 and June 8, 2015. The camp of Locsin’s opponent, The Philippines will not hesiJapanese enthronement ceremoby Pia Lee-Brago incumbent Vice Mayor Jojo Luteny, DOF informed me that Cana- tate to impose necessary penalPhilstar.com ro, said the Sandiganbayan’s decida did not show up at a meeting ties on the contractor or whoever sion was final and executory. n MANILA — The Philippines with Customs and that was the was responsible for the shipment has recalled its ambassador to trigger,” Locsin said. of the trash from Canada, the PalCanada after the Canadian govHe accused unnamed “fellow ace official said. ernment failed to meet the May officials” of wanting to maintain He said Canada has already 15 deadline for its retrieval of tons friendly relations with Canada made a commitment to take back of garbage illegally shipped to the even if it would mean defying the trash. “Since they already OVER 17 YEARS Philippines by a private firm six President Duterte. committed to it, that’s the differyears ago. “I am having problems with ence now, unlike before when Foreign Affairs Secretary Te- fellow officials hungry to emi- they refused to take it back,” Panodoro Locsin Jr. announced yes- grate to Canada so want to keep elo added. terday on Twitter the recall of friendly relations at the expense The 103 containers of garbage Ambassador Petronilla Garcia as of defying Duterte and keeping – sent between 2013 and 2014 well as consuls to set the stage for Canadian garbage here,” he said and mislabeled as recyclable a “diminished diplomatic pres- without naming the officials. plastic scraps – consisted largely ence” in Canada “until its garbage “If our officials had done some- of kitchen scraps and diapers as is shipbound there.” thing about it, Canadian garbage well as electronic waste. Part of “At midnight last night, letters would have been long returned to the trash, contained in 26 confor the recall of our ambassador sender,” he said. tainers, was buried in a Tarlac and consuls to Canada went out. Locsin also said the President’s landfill. They are expected here in a day threat of war on Canada should Last month, Duterte threatened be taken seriously. to “declare war” against Canada Darrick V. Tan, Esq. or so,” Locsin tweeted. “To our posts in Canada: you “When the President speaks as over the garbage issue. Licensed in California for have your orders. You are re- he did to the extent of ‘declaring “I will declare war against them. over 17 years called. Get the next flight out,” he war on Canada’ for its garbage I will advise Canada that your Licensed in Nevada for said. He said the recall was neces- here, he is to be taken seriously garbage is on the way. Prepare over 12 years* sary because “Canada missed the and not metaphorically; at least I a grand reception. Eat it if you UCLA, Bachelor of Arts, Political Science with Cum Laude honors May 15 deadline.” The Canadian do because I do not think I know want to. Your garbage is coming embassy in Manila declined to better than he does. Some of his home,” the President said. Southwestern University Law comment. officials do,” Locsin said. Last Canadian Prime Minister Justin School, Juris Doctor Admitted to U.S. District Court, At Malacañang, presidential April 23, Duterte threatened to Trudeau had been quizzed about Central District of California spokesman Salvador Panelo said declare war against Canada over the garbage issue during his visMember, American Immigration the recall of the ambassador the trash shipment. its to the country but gave no satLawyers Association and the consuls shows President In response, the Canadian em- isfactory answer. Member, Consumers Attorney Duterte’s seriousness in com- bassy in Manila issued a stateIn 2017, he said it was “theoAssociation of Los Angeles pelling Canada to take back its ment stressing that Ottawa is retically possible for Canada to Former Member, Board of garbage, even at the expense of “strongly committed to collabo- deal with the trash.” Governors, Philippine American Manila’s diplomatic relations with rating with the Philippine governLast week, Panelo announced Bar Association Ottawa. ment to resolve the waste issue that Canada had agreed to shoul*Inactive “We are very serious in asking and it is aware of the court deci- der the expenses of shipping out (Canada) to get back their gar- sion ordering the importer to ship the containers of trash. bage. Otherwise, we’re gonna se- the garbage back to Canada.” “The DFA and the Department vere relations with them,” Panelo In 2016, Canada amended its of Environment and Natural Resaid. regulations on hazardous waste sources noted that the Canadian He also said Duterte knew shipments to prevent such inci- government is committed to about Locsin’s move. dents from happening again. shouldering all the expenses to “That order of the recall is to Senate investigation ship out all the 69 waste containpersuade them to make it fast. Senate President Vicente Sotto ers,” Panelo said in a statement. The more they delay, the more III voiced support for the DFA’s Duterte had declared in a Cabipersonnel will be coming back. I recall of the ambassador and the net meeting early this month that issued a statement that the refusal consuls and called for a probe on Manila would no longer accept to bring the garbage back to their the local importer or consignee of garbage shipments from other shores is disruptive of our diplo- the trash. countries. matic relations,” he said. “He (Locsin) has every right “The President is firm that we The President’s spokesman, to do so. I support the decision,” are not garbage collectors, thus meanwhile, gave assurance the Sotto told the Kapihan sa Senado he ordered that the Philippines issue won’t affect the lives of Fili- forum. will no longer accept any waste pino workers in Canada. “I don’t “What should also be investi- from any country,” Panelo said. think there will be problem. They gated is, who’s the importer, or FOI tapped are legally working, and Canada why is there recipient? Why are Meanwhile, environmental also needs our workers,” he said. we not talking about the recipi- group EcoWaste Coalition has “Whatever the consequence, ent?” he said. filed a request under the governthis government will be protective He said the local contact or ment’s Freedom of Information of the interests of our countrymen consignee must also be held ac- program to obtain facts related in any part of the world,” Panelo countable. to the local disposal of eight of said. Earlier, Panelo said some un- the 103 containers of trash from Specifically triggering the re- completed documentation might Canada. call, Locsin pointed out, was Can- delay the shipment of the garAileen Lucero, the group’s ada’s failure to send a representa- bage back to Canada for one to national coordinator, on Friday, tive to a meeting on the issue at three weeks. May 17, filed the request after the Bureau of Customs. “There might be a slight delay getting confirmation from the “That the government may con- because of the documentation. If BOC that 34 of the 103 containsider a 2 to 3 week delay DOES it’s just a slight delay, the Presi- ers have already been disposed NOT EXTEND THE DEADLINE. dent has a reasonable mind. What of locally, and that only 69 conOur diplomatic presence in Can- is important is, they will take back tainers would be shipped back to ada shall be de minimis. At the their waste,” Panelo said. Canada. n
DFA recalls PH ambassador over Canada trash
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Pacquiao, Pimentel to push for federalism
MANILA — Is the Senate eyeing a shift to federalism after the midterm elections? Senators Manny Pacquiao and Koko Pimentel, both allies of President Duterte, have expressed support for the push for federalism in the incoming 18th Congress. Pacquiao on Thursday, May 16, said he would still support federalism as it as an equalizer between the national and local government, and would give a new face to the Constitution. He did not mention whether he would support the federal constitution drafted by Congress or that of the consultative committee (Concom) created by Duterte. Pacquiao was the campaign manager of Duterte’s PDP-Laban during the midterm elections, wherein he endorsed the candidacies of Pimentel, Bong Go, Ronald dela Rosa, Francis Tolentino and Dong Mangudadatu. Mangudadatu is the only senatorial bet of the PDP-Laban that did not make it to the top 12 based on recent partial and unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections (Comelec). Pimentel said the shift to federalism is one of his priorities as he
vowed to support the draft federal constitution of the Concom. He said there are provisions in the Concom’s draft that he would not support, including the proposal on creating four Supreme Courts (SC) to avoid conflict between the courts. “I cannot tell for the whole Senate, but for me, this is my priority. I will support that of Concom’s, but not 100 percent as there are ideas that I don’t like, like the proposal for four Supreme Courts,” Pimentel told The Star. “It’s too much, it will create conflict among the courts,” he added. Pimentel allayed fears on the Senate’s independence with the dominance of Duterte allies as far as the government’s shift to federalism is concerned. He said Duterte allies are expected to support the shift to federalism, but some of them are still against it. Members of Duterte’s Concom welcomed the decision of the senators to prioritize the shift to federalism, but warned the public to be vigilant as they might push for the Congress draft. Concom member and lawyer Roan Libarios said they appreciated the senators’ pronounce-
ments, but that the shift to federalism should be in accordance with their draft. “We welcome the push for federalism as long as it is in accordance with the major components of the Concom’s draft because we disagree with the drafted federal constitution of the Congress,” Libarios told The Star. Under Congress’ proposed federal constitution, it retains the present presidential system and scraps the term limits for elected officials and does not create federal states, which is contrary to the drafted constitution of the Concom. Libarios refused to speculate as to what draft constitution the senators would support, saying the desire to come up with the shift to federalism is more important for now. Pimentel’s father, former Senate president Aquilino Pimentel Jr., reiterated Libarios’ sentiments, saying he is thankful for the commitment of the senators to push for federalism. He said the new senators should ensure to remove political dynasties and warlords, retain the term limits for elected officials and ensure a speedy delivery of justice. (Philstar.com)
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Dateline PhiliPPines
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAy 18-21, 2019
A
Sacked FDA chief ready to face probe 8 in 10 Filipino kids not drinking enough water by Sheila
CriSoStomo, edith regalado Philstar.com
MANILA — Fired Food and Drug Administration (FDA) chief Nela Charade Puno denied accusations of corruption, saying she is ready to face any investigation. “I received my letter of termination yesterday afternoon [Fridat, May 17]. As a presidential appointee, I serve at the pleasure of the President and therefore I accept his decision without any ill-feelings,” Puno said in a statement. She thanked President Duterte for the opportunity to serve as head of the FDA, but she maintained that she takes exception to the mention of corruption allegations “because I am clueless as to what these are.” “I have not been charged in any legal proceedings nor am I aware of any official investigation being undertaken in relation to corruption involving me,” she added. Puno said she left the FDA with “a clear conscience and what I believe to be a clean record.” “It is completely unnecessary
to sully the personal and professional reputations of people who sacrifice to render public service,” she said. Quoting a one-page dismissal order dated May 15 and signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea, presidential spokesman Salvador Panelo on Thursday, May 16 announced that Puno was terminated for corruption. The order said the move was part of Duterte’s campaign against corruption in government. Before she was appointed to the FDA in 2016, Puno said she was with the private sector and “completely unfamiliar with the political maneuverings in the bureaucracy.” She gave assurance that she led the agency for almost three years with “complete honesty, diligence, dedication and loyalty.” Puno said it was during her term that the FDA gained three ISO certifications and was recognized by the ASEAN as the fifth member-state whose regulatory standards were ISO accredited, among other accomplishments. “I also decentralized and re-
by ranier
allan ronda Philstar.com
Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) director general Nela Charade Puno speaks during a hearing on Dengvaxia case at House of Representative. Philstar.com photo by Michael Varcas
gionalized the FDA, digitized its registration process, supported the MSMEs in a joint effort with the Department of Trade and Industry and strictly enforced FDA regulatory laws in cooperation with the Philippine National Police,” she said, referring to micro, small and medium enterprises. Puno said she “consciously and vigorously resisted the regulatory
u PAGE A10
JV twits brother Jinggoy: I’m still the good one by PatriCia lourdeS Philstar.com
Viray
MANILA — Responding to his half-brother’s remarks on the senatorial race, Sen. JV Ejercito stressed that he is still “the good one.” On Thursday night, May16, former Sen. Jinggoy Estrada conceded in the senatorial election as he currently ranks 15th in the partial, unofficial tally of the Commission on Elections transparency server. In a Facebook post, Estrada congratulated former colleagues Sonny Angara, Koko Pimentel, Grace Poe, Cynthia Villar, Pia Cayetano, Lito Lapid and Nancy Binay, who are all in the “magic 12.” Estrada hailed Binay, who is currently placed in the 12th spot. His half-brother Ejercito trails behind Binay in the 13th place. “Kay Sen. Nancy, alam ko marami ka pang magagawa sa Senado na makakatulong sa ating mga kababayang mahihirap. Keep it up! You deserve to keep the 12th spot because you have a very big heart for the poor
This file photos shows half-brothers Jinggoy Estrada and JV Ejercito on the campaign trail. Also in the photo are Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and Manila Mayor Joseph Estrada, who was convicted of plunder in 2007. Philstar.com photo by KJ Rosales
and you are the BETTER person among others. Congratulations my friend,” Estrada said on Facebook. Sharing a news article of his brother’s statement on Binay, Ejercito tweeted, “And I am really the Good One.” A few hours after tweeting that he is the “good one,” Ejercito posted a cryptic tweet which only read “Bitter.” Both Estrada and Ejercito are backed by administration coalition Hugpong ng Pagbabago. During their final campaign
rally before the May 13 elections, Estrada introduced his younger brother Ejercito as “the good one.” Estrada, however, labeled himself as “the better one.” As of 8:29 a.m. Friday, partial unofficial tally show that Ejercito is at the 13th spot with 14,183,061 votes, which is not far away from Binay’s 14,409,333 votes at the 12th place. Estrada is still at the 15th spot with 11,268,201 votes, with 97.88% of total election returns processed. n
their water needs with the sensation of thirst, but this is not the case in children and the elderly when thirst comes late, and they are dependent upon others for their hydration needs. “This is also not the case in conditions where fluid requirement is increased during physical activity or warm temperature,” he explained. Florentino said dehydration of as little as two percent of the
body has negative effects on children’s performance. Among the signs of dehydration are dry lips and mouth and dark-colored urine. In the long term, Florentino said dehydration may also slow down a person’s physical and mental performance. He said chronic dehydration increases the risk of developing kidney stones, urinary tract infection, hypertension and stroke. n
MANILA — Eight of every 10 Filipino children are suffering from dehydration, according to a study by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute (DOST-FNRI). Czarina Martinez, science research specialist II at the FNRI Technology Diffusion and S&T Services Division, said 83 percent of Filipino children are not drinking enough water to keep them hydrated and healthy. “It is alarming because hydration is important in the development of children,” she said. The DOST-FNRI launched on Wednesday #UHAWAreYou? in partnership with juice manufacturer Tang to increase hydration awareness. “Misconceptions are the major barriers to proper hydration, especially in countries such as the Philippines,” said Dr. Rodolfo Florentino, chairman of the Nutrition Foundation of the Philippines. Czarina Martinez, science research specialist II at the FNRI Technology Diffusion and S&T Florentino said under normal Services Division, said 83 percent of Filipino children are not drinking enough water to keep conditions, adults can satisfy them hydrated and healthy. Philstar.com photo by Edd Gumban
A8 MAY 18-21, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
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OPINION
FEATURES
Young blood
NATURALLY, the losers are feeling wounded. But the victory in the midterm elections of several youthful candidates, especially those who toppled entrenched dynasties, has been largely welcomed by the public. Now the winners must meet public expectations that young blood can bring significant reforms in governance. Public servants belonging to the generation used to instant gratification are expected to deliver basic services faster and produce better results. Youths used to obtaining goods and services with a tap on their smartphones and tablets are expected to cut red tape and other opportunities for corruption. They are also expected to have a keen grasp of concepts of sustainability and livability, which they can translate into policies that can ease doing business and improve the quality of life in their communities. Some of the winners also belong to entrenched political clans or entertainment families. A number of them are actually approaching middle
age, but compared with their rivals, they are seen as spring chicken. Still, they have captivated voters with their ideas and promises for reforms, of new or slightly better ways of serving the public. As the poll results are showing, the promise of change is enough for many voters. It’s like the end of a year: people are sweeping out the old and ringing in the new, with hopes that life will be better. Public expectations can prove unrealistic; even youths can be easily swallowed up by the system and their reform agenda derailed by weak institutions. The period after elections, however, provides room for hope. The future of the nation is in the hands of the youth; they must not disappoint. (Philstar.com)
Editorial
Philstar.com photo
Filipino Americans protest against corruption and Honoring those who assault on democracy in the PH midterm elections have stayed behind
The Fil-Am Perspective GEL SANTOS-RELOS FILIPINO AMERICANS are protesting from East to West to defend democracy, fight for accountability, and for many — to reject President Rodrigo Duterte. Kababayans from New York, Jersey City, Washington D.C., to San Francisco, Los Angeles, Portland and many other cities took to the streets beginning the day after the Philippine Midterm Elections, Tuesday, May 15 up to Friday May 17, and online with the hashtag #Halalan2019, #LabanBayan, #KontraDaya, among others. Despite the promise of the Philippine Ambassador to the United States Jose Manuel Romualdez that “all of us are committed to ensuring that our elections are free, fair and credible” and the efforts of the Embassy and Consul Generals in different jurisdictions to keep their offices open daily, including weekends and holidays, for the purposes of the May 2019 elections, kababayans in America have continued to be vigilant especially after the May 13 elections. In San Francisco, Balitang America Correspondent Rommel Conclara reported on Filipino American activists rallying in front of the Philippine Consulate demanding accountability for what
they are calling a dirty and corrupt midterm election in the Philippines, citing disenfranchisement through lost ballots, reported election fraud, illegal campaigning, the broken voting machines, etc. Balitang America Correspondent Steve Angeles reported on Tuesday that in LA, the counting of ballots at the Philippine consulate coincided with Fil-Am activists protesting the apparent domination of president Rodrigo Duterte’s endorsed candidates. Activists say puts the Philippine democracy at risk. Balitang America Correspondent Don Tagala reported that the East Coast boasts of a 21% turnout out of the 42,758 registered voters in the ten states covered by the New York overseas absentee voting. Filipinos there believe that while the low turnout is expected in a non-presidential election cycle, this may have been aggravated by the late rollout ballots as well as ballot packets mailed out to the wrong addresses. Filipino Americans are also reacting to the news that over 1 million overvotes for the Senate race were recorded during the May 13 midterm elections, based on a study done by ABS-CBN Data Analytics. According to the report by ABSCBN News — of the 45,659,724
who cast their votes in the senatorial race as of 95.11 percent of election returns transmitted, a total of 1,170,331 had ballots with overvotes, which meant that these were not counted by machines. The report further exp[lained that vote counting machines will only accept votes for senator if ovals next to names of up to 12 candidates were shaded, even if some positions were left vacant. Former Commission on Elections chairman Sixto Brillantes Jr. told ABS-CBN News that the high number of overvotes was “alarming” and shows lapses in education campaigns for voters. “There was just not too much publicity on the repercussion of an overvote or the simple statement na pag nagovervote na mawawala ‘yung boto (that when you overvote, your votes won’t be counted).” Brillantes further opined that voters may have also been confused on the supposed number of senatorial candidates that they should vote for given that both the administration and opposition did not field 12-member lineups. Reacting to this news, East Coast Community Leader Dr. Bambi Lorica told me in a message that “based on current numbers, slots 10th to 18th are affected by the 1.18million votes invalidated. Bam and Mar can get in magic 12.” “Hi (sic) probability that the
invalidated ballots voted for the admin 13. May God be with us, “ Lorica added. As of Friday, May 17, 2019, here are the partial, unofficial results taken from COMELEC data at 98 percent, on the Senatorial Race. Many Fil-Ams are grappling with the thought that the Magic 12 includes names of celebrity senators/their families convicted of plunder and other transgressions against the country, a police chief who carries out Duterte’s inhumane extrajudicial killings in his war against drugs, candidates belonging to the so-called political dynasties, those implicated in the drug cartel, among other offenses. 1. Cynthia Villar 2. Grace Poe 3. Bong Go 4. Pia Cayetano 5. Bato Dela Rosa 6. Edgardo Sonny Angara 7. Lito Lapid 8. Imee Marcos 9. Francis Tolentino 10. Koko Pimentel 11. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr. 12. Nancy Binay ***
Gel Santos Relos is the anchor of TFC’s “Balitang America.” Views and opinions expressed by the author in this column are solely those of the author and not of Asian Journal and ABS-CBN-TFC. For comments, go to www.TheFilAmPerspective.com, https://www.facebook. com/Gel.Santos.Relos
I AM writing this in Lourdes, France, the town of St. Bernadette to whom the Blessed Virgin Mary showed herself 18 times over a period of six months, from February to July 1858. My wife and I are part of a pilgrimage to holy sites where MothGREG B. MACABENTA er Mary appeared before young children to deliver messages to the world. Our trek began in Fatima in Portugal, stopped over in Madrid and Barcelona in Spain, and will culminate in Rome, with a visit to the Vatican and, hopefully, an audience with Pope Francis. Nearly all of the 43 people in the group are Filipino Americans from the San Francisco Bay Area, mostly from St. Joseph church in Pinole and St. Anne parish in Union City. The organizer of the pilgrimage is Fr. Geoffrey Baraan, pastor of St. Joseph and formerly of St. Anne. The Fil-Ams are all accomplished individuals, mostly retirees, who chose to build their lives and seek their fortunes in America. Fr. Baraan himself finished his priestly studies in the U.S., in spite of belonging to a prominent family in Pangasinan (two brothers, Francisco III and Rafael were former Justice Undersecretary and Provincial Administrator, respectively). Not surprisingly, they attribute their success in life to having sought it overseas, instead of in the Philippines. In the course of earlier trips to Europe and around the U.S., I have met similarly successful Filipinos who believe that they would not have “made it” if they had remained in the land of their birth. In fact, it was to acknowledge the achievements of these fellow Pinoys that I conceived and persuaded GMA Network to sponsor the Alex Esclamado Memorial Awards for Community Service. The late Alex Esclamado was himself a high achiever in America. Among many honors, he was a recipient of the Philippine Legion of Honor, conferred by President Corazon Aquino for his courageous campaign against the Marcos dictatorship, as publisher-editor of Philippine News, a nationally circulated Fil-Am newspaper. Several years ago, I met in San Francisco some remarkable alumni of the University of Santo Tomas. It was one of those occasions when I regretted having prematurely and unceremoniously left UST in my
Street Talk
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A foretaste of heaven: Witnessing the Episcopal ordination of LA Auxilary Bishop Alex Aclan
Rhizomes
PROSY ABARQUEZDELACRUZ, J.D. “We know that our liturgies— especially the Eucharist—are a foretaste of heaven on earth, I cannot think of a better foretaste of heaven than this.” – Bishop Alex D. Aclan, Auxiliary Bishop for the San Fernando Region of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles “This ordination is such a witness of our faith in God and joy of spirit. I hope this spiritual experience gives hope and encouragement, especially to those in need of comfort and strength.” – Mary Jolisa Lazaro, Sister of Notre Dame representing Provincial Sister Anncarla, 2019 GRAY skies greeted us on the morning of May 16. Rains kept coming down, strong enough to give cars a good bath and to wash off the streets’ grime and dirt. A silent prayer was offered that the sun comes out, while thinking of the thousands expected to attend. The gray skies were gone in an hour and the warm sun with blue skies appeared. It set the tone for over three thousand who attended the episcopal ordination. The last ordination we attended was that of Bishop Oscar Solis in 2004. We were seated at the front row, courtesy of Fritz Friedman’s invitation. That ordination brought in a New Orleans’ con-
tingent of well-dressed women, complete with their fascinators and lots of tears, sacredness and some laughter, as Bishop Solis has a comfort and confidence to put his audience at ease. Fast forward to 2019, Msgr. Lorenzo Miranda warmly greeted me, who in his generosity of spirit, sat and kept me company. “I like this weather, cool enough for us to feel comfortable,” he said, while we waited 1-½ hours before the ordination at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels. I shared a copy of the article I wrote for the Balikbayan Magazine, “Harvesting Miracles in the Holy Land.” He gave the article a quick read and synthesized the themes: ecumenism, unity, solidarity, and miracles, and said that it would be a good gift for the new bishop. “That is a lot to write about, given these days of moral mediocrity,” he said. “We are in a fractured and divided world.” “Yes, Msgr, and humanity, solidarity and love are the life themes I go by these days. He affirmed that is what we need and lamented the surge in homelessness in Los Angeles, while over 48,500 storage facilities are built in the U.S., for the commodities we do not use and now are put away. “Why not
Bishop Alex Aclan, Auxiliary Bishop of Los Angeles
house these folks?” Close to a dozen stopped to say hi to Msgr., including a priest who went inside the café, and thoughtfully got him a cup of coffee. “Look at what he did, and with a big smile.” Beth, an elderly woman dressed in her barong Tagalog, also greeted Msgr. Lorenzo and she shared spontaneously, “Fr. Alex healed me.” She got sick while on a trip to Italy and was hospitalized. Unable to speak the language, she kept praying. Lo and behold, a friend of a friend showed up with a priest who lives in Rome, who translated for her. When Beth was well enough
AJPress photo by Noel Ty
to travel, she flew back to LA to seek health care. “Fr. Aclan came to visit me. I was healed by him,” she declared, “That is how good he is.” I heard many more stories of Bishop Aclan’s goodness, while we were waiting to have our photos with him, after the ordination. The line snaked almost the entire circumference of the plaza, with winds quite vigorous. I told Bishop Aclan that even the Holy Spirit must be happy with his ordination, as to have these strong winds with us this afternoon, including an abrupt change in the weather. To the atheist, that will be dismissed as changing weath-
er patterns. The ordination at the Cathedral of Our Lady of Angels I was moved to see Bishop Aclan walking by himself, in his full regalia as a bishop, and sat in his bishop’s chair, an altar decorated with white phalaenopsis orchids, in the presence of the Apostolic Nuncio Most Reverend Christophe Pierre, a representative of Pope Francis, and followed by the principal ordaining bishop, Most Reverend Jose H. Gomez, Archbishop of Los Angeles and two co-ordaining bishops: His Eminence Cardinal Roger Mahony, Archbishop Emeritus of Los Angeles and Most Reverend Oscar Solis, Bishop of Salt Lake City, Utah. I actually cried, realizing I have witnessed two Filipino priests, born in the Philippines, now both ordained as bishops of Los Angeles. Apostolic Nuncio Pierre spoke that Aclan is now being ordained to the office of Bishops, to the full stature of Christ, his chosen journey, and to serve many, an appointment letter signed by Pope Francis, to which was written: “Having grown in the Philippines, you know about change. Help us serve the local church of Los Angeles.” “‘I know that you wanted a nice, quiet sabbatical, but the
Holy Father has called you to something great in the service of the Church. Now, God is calling you to something heroic, to preach his Gospel and and lift the burdens of his people,’ the nuncio told Aclan. ‘These days everyone wants to see the Avengers movie. I suppose we could speculate about your superhero name, but there can be no question about your superpower, the power of prayer,’” Pablo Kay of Angelus News quoted Pierre on May 16, 2019. It was a very endearing moment when Bishop Aclan shared the copy of Pope Francis’ appointment letter with the VIP – seated section of the crowd, as part of the 3,000 plus gathered inside the Cathedral. The tapestries hung inside, without designations of saints, that to the ordinary visitors, Sister Jolisa teaches her students, simply represented, “humanity in all its colors,” the diversity of Los Angeles. Archbishop Gomez jokingly said that Aclan should show the appointment letter to the back – that’s where your fans are. Gomez welcomed him to the College of Bishops and summoned that “by your holy life be a true witness of God.” He said, “My brother, Jesus
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OPINION & FEATURES
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 18-21, 2019
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A foretaste of heaven: Witnessing the... The fall of the Estrada, Binay and Eusebio dynasties PAGE A8 t
reminds you today in the Gospel that as a bishop – you are not a ‘lord,’ but a servant, you are not a ‘master’, but a father. As a bishop, you need to let Jesus be your only teacher. Grow deeper in the heart of Jesus so his heart becomes yours, not only for you but for others, in humility and in loving service.” Gomez called for a conversion of hearts to Jesus, reminding us, “The Church does not belong to any of us. It belongs to God.” Each of the 17 bishops, dressed in their capes and mitre or diadem placed their hands on Aclan’s head and offered their blessings on him. In the side of the altar, to the left, were seated hundreds of Catholic priests. We recognized our pastor Fr. Rolly Clarin, past pastor Fr. Rodel Balagtas, Fr. Freddie Chua, Fr. Joy Lawrence Santos and Fr. Raymond Decipeda. To the right of the altar were deacons, accompanied by their wives, and in the front: two Greek Orthodox priests, one of whom is Most Reverend Fr. Alexei Smith. Eleven years ago, I prayed to God that my column, Rhizomes, which is published weekly on Saturday in Los Angeles, be a witness to transformation. I prayed to witness Pope Francis’ visit the U.S. in the White House under then 44th U.S. President Barack Obama’s tenure. I was so humbled when my prayers were answered. I am now witnessing another transformation of a pastor, a parish priest in Aclan, whom I interviewed in St. Madeleine Catholic Church in Pomona, who was forthright in sharing about the victim of a gang shooting, comforting the family of a three year old, Ethan Esparza, then surrounded by white flowers and photographs, and said: “We leave Ethan in the hands of the Lord,” in Spanish. Years later, he was promoted to Vicar General and now, a Bishop. Speaking fluidly in English, Tagalog and Spanish, Fr. Aclan served as St. Finbar’s associate priest where he started a Filipino ministry. Striving to learn from Fr. Aclan’s systems-oriented, clear thinking, I asked how he formed the ministry. “First, identify the leaders. Organize a get-together, and assign them. The key is to involve them in the parish for invariably, their talents would be found and they will like being in the
Commentary
RAMON TULFO
Rev. Rodel Balagtas, Auxiliary Bishop Alex Aclan and Msgr. Lorenzo Miranda
ministry. Their various tasks included giving sacraments, going to the choir, doing the apostolic work amongst the poor, the sick and doing door-to-door visitation amongst the parishioners.” Aclan also became one of the vocation directors of the Archdiocese while in residence at the Immaculate Heart of Mary, with teenagers as his primary target group. He then became the Associate Pastor of St. John of God in Norwalk and organized the Filipino ministry, including a bereavement ministry to support the beginning experiences for the widows, widowers and a Respect Life group. He was the spiritual director of the Filipino Cursillo Group in 2009-2010 and served for five years as the Archdiocesan Liaison for Filipino Charismatic groups. It is what Msgr. Miranda referred to as “building the spirit of the Church.” Fr. Rodel Balagtas, the incoming parish priest of the Incarnation Church in Glendale and outgoing faculty of St. John’s Seminary and its commencement speaker in their 2019 graduation, had this to say, “ A good, wise, and prayerful man! I like that he could not hold his tears upon thanking Mama Mary during his speech. I could identify with his sentiment; He has learned to be more open, understanding and “real” as he ministers to people. And yet, he challenges people too to be faithful to the Gospel. He’s fun to travel with—lots of humor and playfulness. You never get bored with his stories. He’s an excellent
steward of financial resources. He spends wisely and saves. His “humanness” comes from the facts that he enjoys seeing movies and going out to eat. He loves working in the yard. He takes care of his health. He is very organized and clean with his work. He’s a hardworking priest!” Bishop Joe Brennan wrote, “The good news is that my successor, Msgr. Bishop-elect Alex Aclan is wonderful and will guide this Region of San Fernando in the most beautiful and pastoral way imaginable.” The genesis of his priesthood It was two years ago when I interviewed the Bishop, then the Vicar for Clergy of the Archdiocese of LA for a feature article. I still recall what he said, “My sheep hear my voice. I know them and they follow me. (John 10:27-30). It’s important to think of Jesus’ message—it is a voice [there are] lots of voices around us, learn to identify Jesus’ voice amidst all the voices we hear in our lives. A voice comes as personal, warm, it is comforting and it is not cold.” When we got to a natural end of the interview at a pizza place, near Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Los Angeles, I asked Fr. Aclan what makes him realize God exceeds science. His response was persuasive: “It is the experience. I cannot show empirical data. I know what I am feeling is authentic, it is true.” After all, he was a tenured instructor at the University of Santo Tomas for the sciences:
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IN the 1987 and 1988 elections, all the candidates whose hands were raised by President Cory Aquino won. That phenomenon was dubbed Cory’s “kili-kili (armpit) power,” probably in reference to her underarms showing whenever she raised the arm of the candidate that she was endorsing. Now, it’s Digong’s kili-kili power that has made most administration candidates win. DU30’s pet bills will now pass unhampered in the Senate in the remaining three years of his presidency, with administration senators clearly in the majority. In the House of Representatives, most of the winners are the administration’s candidates, or those whose hands were raised by President Digong. The just concluded midterm elections saw the fall of at least three political dynasties: Estrada, Binay and Eusebio. My friend and drinking buddy, former President Joseph “Erap” Estrada, suffered a humiliating defeat at the hands of his old ward, Isko Moreno, in the Manila mayoralty race. Erap’s granddaughter, 28year-old Janella Ejercito, lost to Francis Zamora for mayor of San Juan City. Another dynasty has taken over in the city once dominated by the Estradas (Ejercitos) — the Zamora dynasty. Reelectionist congressman Ronnie Zamora trounced actor Edu Manzano. Erap’s two sons, JV Ejercito and Jinggoy Estrada, are hanging by a thread in the senatorial race. ER Ejercito, Erap’s nephew, likewise suffered a humiliating loss to Ramil Hernandez in the gubernatorial race in Laguna. In Makati City, former vice president Jojo Binay lost to Romulo “Kid” Peña, in the congressional race for the premier town’s first district. It’s a sweet victory for Peña, who was defeated by Abby Bi-
nay in the 2016 Makati mayoralty race. Peña had served the remaining term of Junjun Binay as Makati mayor after the Office of the Ombudsman dismissed the latter for corruption. Jojo Binay’s daughter, Nancy, was hanging precariously in 12th place as of Tuesday afternoon, <ay 14, with JV Ejercito following close behind her for the last slot in the “Magic 12.” The Eusebio family, which has ruled Pasig since 1992, ended its rule with the defeat of Robert Eusebio at the hands of Vico Sotto, the nephew of Senate President Tito Sotto. The Eusebios, like the Binays of Makati, ruled Pasig for 27 years. The Eusebio patriarch, Vicente, was succeeded as mayor, one after the other, by wife, Soledad, and then son, Vicente Paulino, and daughter-in-law Maribel and finally, Maribel’s husband Robert. Pasig City voters must have finally come to their senses when they rejected the Eusebios in the May 13 election. You see, there were reports, albeit unconfirmed, that the Eusebios were protecting the illegal drug trade in the city. In 2006, my brother Erwin and I tipped off the Philippine National Police about the existence of a shabu tiangge (flea market) on a one-hectare lot where crystal meth was being sold openly. The tiangge was a mere spitting distance from the Pasig City Hall. It was impossible for Vicente Eusebio, who was mayor at the time, not to have known about the shabu flea market. *** What lessons have we learned from the defeat of the once powerful political clans? That nothing in this world is permanent. Everything comes to an end. Birth follows death; death is an inevitable outcome. What was sweet and palatable before becomes stale and yucky today. The young, vibrant and popular today will become a hasbeen tomorrow. The Estradas, Binays and Eusebios know that only too well now.
*** Joseph Cua, who’s in the list of the Philippine Enforcement Agency (PDEA) as a drug trafficker and even manufacturer of crystal meth (shabu in street lingo), won the gubernatorial race in Catanduanes. The island province in Bicol is notorious for being the source of the shabu that finds its way to Luzon and the Visayas. Reelectionist Cua has been given a new mandate by the Catanduanes electorate despite his being tagged as a narcopolitician. Oh well, the power of money. *** I was never motivated by politics when I exposed Mark Red Mariñas as one of the alleged leaders of the human trafficking syndicate when he was still an assistant commissioner of the Bureau of Immigration. Mariñas lost to reelectionist Jaime Fresnedi in the mayoralty contest in Muntinlupa City. I don’t know Fresnedi from Adam. I’ve never seen or talked to him. It just so happened that a disgruntled immigration officer, whom I call Deep Throat, exposed the syndicate at a time when Mariñas was running for mayor of Muntinlupa. I was told that Mariñas was leading in the early pre-election surveys, but the Muntinlupa electorate dropped him like a hot potato after the exposé. Somebody asked me if I felt sorry that Mariñas had lost because of my exposé. No, and why should I be? It’s my duty as a journalist to expose the truth. If I didn’t regret criticizing my own brother Ben in the P60-million tourism advertising scam, why should I be remorseful about exposing the shenanigans of a complete stranger? Other journalists and newspapers have not followed up on my exposé on the syndicate when it’s a real issue. I am told that certain reporters, editors and columnists are on the payroll of the human trafficking syndicate, which was earning P50 million a day before my exposé. I’m just thinking aloud. Bato-bato sa langit… (ManilaTimes.net)
A10 May 18-21, 2019 • La WEEKEND aSIaN JOURNaL
Dateline PhiliPPines
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Robredo to supporters: Reach out to fellow Filipinos by JAnvic
mAteo Philstar.com
MANILA — Following the loss of the entire opposition slate in Monday’s midterm elections, Vice President Leni Robredo urged her supporters not to resort to name calling and instead to reach out to fellow Filipinos. In a post on social media on Wednesday, May 15, the Vice President told her supporters not to name call and demean compatriots, saying they are the ones that the opposition must reach out to and connect at the most crucial times. “In the last couple of days, I
know that many of us have felt overwhelmed by frustration, disappointment and even anger. We have worked hard and fought against all odds for our motherland, and in the face of all that sacrifice and effort, the results of the elections and the numbers we are seeing so far are not easy to accept,” she wrote. “But it is in these difficult moments when we must pass our biggest test. To be generous when we feel empty. To be hopeful when we feel lost. To be humble instead of looking for someone to blame,” she added. Robredo said the fight is not over, citing challenges ahead
following the failure of the opposition bets to make it to the winning circle of the senatorial race. “The battle is not yet over. In fact, it has just begun and this is the time for us to show our greatest strengths, never to be clouded by our greatest fears,” she added. Robredo actively campaigned for the eight opposition candidates, all of whom failed to crack the so-called Magic 12 in both the official and unofficial counts. The best performing among them, re-electionist Sen. Bam Aquino, is currently at 14th place. n
Honoring those who have stayed... PAGE A8 t
youth. Despite my meager academic credentials, I had been invited to the annual reception and awards presentation of the Thomasians USA, an association of UST alumni residing in Northern California, because they needed a co-emcee for ABC TV anchor, Sydnie Kohara. I had the good fortune of being seated with two of the evening’s awardees. Their credentials and those of the third honoree were truly impressive. Dr. Jesus C. Bacala’s curriculum vitae read like that of five people combined: doctor of medicine, registered nurse, obstetrician, gynecologist, medical professor, dean of the UST College of Nursing, newspaper columnist, editor, poet, author of several nursing textbooks, soldier and lay minister. A resident of Indiana, he had helped found the American College of International Physicians, the Indiana Philippine Medical Association, the Philippine Heritage Association and the Philippine American Society of Indiana and Kentucky. The second awardee was Dr. Lupo T. Carlota whose book, “Quantum Theory of Acupuncture,” laid the scientific basis for the practice of the centuries-old art of healing. The book earned him the honor of an invitation to lecture in Beijing, Nanjing, Shanghai and in Taipei at the annual convention of the International Acupuncture Society. Dr. Carlota was the founder and president of the Medical Acupuncture Research Institute of America (MARIA), which provided physicians across the US with advanced
training in acupuncture and the application of his Meridian Regulatory Acupuncture (MRA) system of therapy, as well as the use of a digital precision instrument that he had invented. He had graduated Meritissimus from the UST College of Medicine and, at the time of the awards, was president of the Association of Philippine Physicians in America and the American Board of Acupuncture Medicine. Several years later, at the start of the incumbency of President George W. Bush, Dr. Carlota was appointed to the president’s commission on Asian American affairs. He had also been elected, at one time, to the city council of Lakeland, Tennessee where he and his family resided. The third awardee was Dr. Cecilia M. Loleng, a full colonel in the U.S. Army and a member of its medical training staff. She was one of the highest-ranking Filipinos in the American armed forces and had received three Army Commendation Medals and a Meritorious Service Medal. Dr. Loleng was a graduate of Class ’63, UST College of Medicine, and was married to Dr. Gregorio Loleng, also a Thomasian. As I conversed with Dr. Bacala and Dr. Carlota, I felt proud of their achievements in the U.S. mainstream, but sad that the Philippines had to lose such brilliant people to America. However, I could understand why they left. My own elder sister, Dr. Evangeline Garcia, herself a UST medical graduate, had found it necessary to immigrate to the U.S. in the late 1960s. I guess, she felt that her medical practice would not flourish in the
Philippines. Like Dr. Loleng, she was also an officer in the U.S. armed forces. She would later retire as an Air Force lieutenant colonel. On the other hand, I had a younger brother who was also a doctor and a graduate of the U.S. College of Medicine. Vicente had never felt the need to leave the Philippines. As a matter of fact, upon passing the medical board exams in Manila, he decided to go home to Leyte to work as a rural doctor. I think he, too, would have flourished overseas. He had many opportunities to pull up his roots, having worked with the World Health Organization on primary health care and having participated in several medical conferences abroad as a resource speaker. But he preferred to stick to his low-paying job as an assistant provincial health officer in Biliran, Leyte. Every time I asked him about any plans to move to the U.S., where I had already taken up residence, he had one simple reply: “They have enough doctors in America. This is where I’m needed.” Vicente died in his mid-40s, while still working as a rural doctor. He would not have it any other way. Today, as an overseas Filipino, enjoying the fruits of my labors in a foreign land and seeing many of our countrymen honored for their achievements abroad, I cannot help thinking of my younger brother. I also cannot help wondering why we often forget to honor those who have chosen to stay behind. (gregmacabenta@hotmail. com)
BASKETBALL CHAMPS. San Miguel Beermen (SMB) won the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup, scoring a sensational come-from-behind, 72-71 , win over Magnolia Hotshots at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, May 15. The Beermen wins the best-of-7 series, 4-3, capturing a record five straight titles in the Philippine Cup. PNA photo by Jess M. Escaros Jr.
At least 10 business deals expected signed during Duterte’s Japan trip by Alexis
RomeRo Philstar.com
MANILA — At least 10 business deals are expected to be signed during President Rodrigo Duterte’s visit to Japan this month, a Cabinet official said on Thursday, May 16. Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the deals would allow some Japanese companies to expand their businesses in the Philippines. “So far, we have about two [Memoranda of Understanding]’s and about eight letters of intent. In other words, companies that are already here that are intending to expand their operation, invest more, expand the operations. These are big Japanese companies we cannot also ignore,” Lopez told reporters in
Malacañang. “They (Japanese firms) still want to express their support and confidence for the current administration and they want to indicate their intent to invest more,” he added. Lopez said the deals involve potential investments in electronics, manufacturing, data analytics, services, manufacturing, energy, tourism and transportation. He said the number of deals may still go up as they are still receiving updates from other agencies. The Trade chief could not say the amount of investments to be generated by the deals but claimed it would be “substantial.” Duterte is set to visit Japan to attend the 25th Nikkei Conference on the Future of Asia from
May 30 to 31. Lopez said the president is expected to urge investors to invest in the Philippines by highlighting the country’s credit upgrade. “I’m sure he will be talking to the business sector, so all the gains, I’m sure the S&P credit rating upgrade, the reforms that we are doing and we will continue to do especially with the new Congress, the new Senate, and these are reforms that will definitely attract more investments and entice more investments,” Lopez said. “More importantly of course, the security aspect is really important...security is important in attracting also investments. His passion to stop all corruption, that’s always his commitment to investors so I’m sure he will highlight it also,” he added. n
20, Monday to tackle, among others, the passage of significant bills awaiting the chamber’s final approval. He said he would also talk to Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon before they convene for the resumption of the regular session of the 17th Congress on Monday. Sotto said the proposed AntiTerrorism Act has to be passed to boost the Human Security Act. “Human Security Act natin parang kakampi sa terrorists e. Sobrang maluwag e, di ba? (The Human Security Act seems to favor to the terrorists. It’s too loose, right?),” he said. The proposed Anti-Terrorism Act, or Senate Bill 1956, was filed by Sen. Panfilo Lacson in August. Under the bill, the term “terrorist acts” instead of “terrorism” is used to remove the requirement of the acts being perpetrated for the purpose of coercing the gov-
ernment to give in to a specific demand. “This has the effect of punishing the act of committing crimes that sow widespread extraordinary fear and panic, and not the purpose behind the commission of such acts,” said Lacson, chairman of the Senate public order and illegal drugs committee. He said the bill also penalizes foreign terrorists, including those who travel to a state other than their state of residence to commit or organize terrorist acts; and those residing abroad who come to the Philippines in transit to commit or take part in terrorist acts to target countries. Lacson said the bill makes it clear that terrorist acts shall exclude legitimate exercises of the freedom of expression and right to peaceably assemble, “where a person does not have the intention to use or urge the use of force or violence or cause harm to others.” (ManilaTimes.net)
Passage of anti-terror bill pushed SENATE President Vicente Sotto III on Wednesday, May 15, stressed the need for the immediate passage of the bill that seeks to strengthen the Human Security Act amid reports that Islamic State jihadists are seeking to extend their presence in the Philippines. “It is imperative that we pass it within the remaining session days of the current 17th Congress,” Sotto said. He said martial law, which is being implemented in Mindanao, is not enough to prevent terrorism. “The martial law we have now is a far cry from the old martial law of the 1935 Constitution. Tiger noong araw, pusa na lang ngayon; may lagnat pa ‘yung pusa,” (The tiger then is now a mere cat with a fever),” he added. The Senate chief said he has called members of the majority bloc to a lunch meeting on May
Sacked FDA chief ready to... PAGE A7 t
capture of the FDA.” Last year, Puno survived an ambush by unidentified men in Camarines Sur that killed three of her police escorts and wounded three others. She was diagnosed with breast
cancer early last year and has since advocated for early cancer detection. ‘Too many complaints’ There were reportedly too many complaints against Puno. “They were all big and small companies alike. They have been
sending complaints and these reached the President,” a source told The Star. Based on the alleged complaints, monetary consideration was involved for every act that needed approval of the FDA. n
do. Miraculously, in less than a week after the need arose, a visiting priest, who had permission from his religious community to propagate the devotion to the Sacred Heart, came to our office to offer his services, and this priest whose first language [Vietnamese] was different happened to have done his theological studies in the second language [Japanese] that we needed for this parish. He did not only speak Japanese, he reads and writes it as well. That became my “Oh my God’ moment!” His motto, “One Body - One Spirit has been both a personal philosophy of life and a family dictum, and sometimes even a cry for battle. But in Church heraldry, a prelate’s personal motto has always been intended to represent his personal spirituality and theologically based philosophy of life and is most grounded in Sacred Scripture and spiritual reflection. It comes from the Ephesians 4:4:” With all humility and gentleness, and with patience, support each other in love. Take every care to preserve the unity of the Spirit by the peace that binds you together. There is one Body, one Spirit, just as God and Father of all, over all, through all and within all.” “The bishop’s entire coat of arms is grounded in this particular dictum and so it is most appropriate that the motto that he has chosen likewise forms the theme for his overall coat of arms design. Upon the banderole (motto ribbon) appears the emblem taken from the Philippine flag. This is an official homage to the bishop’s homeland. Catholic
heraldic rubrics forbid the inclusion of political emblems within the shield itself. And so here on the banderole, the Filipino emblem of national pride has been placed. The designers deliberately placed it so that it falls in a direct line with the blue stone in the cross above symbolizing California, his chosen home the former and the present in line symmetrically. “The main portion…in its design is found perfection both as a whole and as three separate unique parts, in the same way that the Triune God is absolutely perfect as a whole and also when separated into our understanding of the Trinity’s three distinct Persons. God is the metal reserved in Catholic heraldry to represent purity and the divinity and the perfection of God and so it was specifically selected for this special Trinitarian emblem,” the ordination booklet reads.
A foretaste of heaven: Witnessing the... PAGE A9 t
chemistry, botany, physiology, hematology and microbiology. Then, a computer programmer at Meralco, a power utility company, and later a systems manager. He moved to Summa Computers, FNCB Finance and San Miguel Corporation, the biggest manufacturer of beer in the Philippines. When he got to the U.S., he worked as a systems analyst at Union Bank and two years later, a systems manager overseeing six employees and a budget of $1,000,000. He became a priest at age 42, and pursued his Master’s of Divinity at St. John’s Seminary in Camarillo. He got ordained as a priest in 1993 by Cardinal Roger Mahony, who was present as coordaining bishop as Bishop Oscar Solis and Archbishop Jose Gomez. “Bishop Aclan reflects on how those previous professions were there for a purpose, I once thought I would be a physical doctor, a doctor of the body, and I’ve ended up a doctor of the soul. In computer programming, I now see that it was God’s way of teaching me administration— preparing job descriptions, interviewing candidates, finding the right people. This is one of the important demands of a priest today,“ as his episcopal ordination booklet reads. I still recall the story that he shared with me, looking for a priest who spoke Japanese for St. Francis Xavier Chapel–Japanese Catholic Center. He was at a loss as to where to find this priest. “We did not know what to
*** Prosy Abarquez-Delacruz, J.D. writes a weekly column for Asian Journal, called “Rhizomes.” She has been writing for AJ Press for 10 years. She also contributes to Balikbayan Magazine. Her training and experiences are in science, food technology, law and community volunteerism for 4 decades. She holds a B.S. degree from the University of the Philippines, a law degree from Whittier College School of Law in California and a certificate on 21st Century Leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She has been a participant in NVM Writing Workshops taught by Prof. Peter Bacho for 4 years and Prof. Russell Leong. She has travelled to France, Holland, Belgium, Japan, Costa Rica, Mexico and over 22 national parks in the U.S., in her pursuit of love for nature and the arts.
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Journal
Filipinos go on ‘epic’ martial arts showdown with Keanu Reeves in ‘John Wick 3’ by Jan
Milo Severo Philstar.com
HOLLYWOOD actor Keanu Reeves is back for another installment of the action-packed “John Wick: Chapter 3–Parabellum” and this time, he is facing Zero, a vengeful antagonist played by Filipino American actor Mark Dacascos. Known for its action-packed fight scenes, the movie’s third installment showcases Keanu in a kill fest with opponents, most especially, Dacascos. Keanu and Mark had an epic
martial arts showdown in the latter part of the movie. Before they met for a fight scene, Keanu also had an encounter with two of Mark’s personnel, which also seem like Filipinos since they greeted John Wick in a Philippine provincial dialect. The Filipino-American Dacascos has been popular for his roles as Mani in the French film “Brotherhood of the Wolf,” Toby Wong in the 1997 film “Drive and Ling,” and in the 2003 film “Cradle 2 the Grave.”
He is also known as The Chairman in the Food Network’s hit show, “Iron Chef America.” He also directed the 2016 movie “Showdown in Manila,” starring Casper Van Dien, Alexander Nevsky, Filipino-American actress Tia Carrere, and Filipino actors Iza Calzado, Jake Macapagal, Mon Confiado, Don Gordon Bell and Monsour del Rosario. “John Wick: Chapter 3– Parabellum” is now showing in SM Cinemas nationwide.
The third installment of the John Wick film series picks right up after the events of “John Wick: Chapter 2.” After killing Santino D’Antonio on Continental grounds, John Wick is declared “excommunicado” and goes on the run with a $14 million global contract for his death. With a horde of the world’s top assassins on his tail, John must find his way around the city of New York and try to make it out alive. Mark Dacascos (right) with Keanu Reeves and Koa Dacascos
Andrea Torres and Derek Ramsay get close while doing ‘The Better Woman’ by lhar
Santiago ManilaTimes.net
AS Andrea Torres and Derek Ramsay continue to work together in their GMA series “The Better Woman,” the actress admits that they have become more comfortable with each other. The set has become their bonding place, even as they talk about everything and anything, including personal matters. Being together three days a week has done good for both Andrea and Derek, allowing them to discover a lot of things about each other. “He is a very nice guy. Madali siyang pakisamahan. Dami na nga naming napagkuwentuhan, we actually have a lot of things in common. Pareho kaming mapagmahal sa pamilya. Like me, he is very close to his parents. I knew it because he has a lot of stories about them and he has a lot of good plans for them,” Andrea shared to Showbuzz. When it comes to acting, Andrea is hats-off to Derek. She sees
Andrea Torres and Derek Ramsay
how serious he is with his role. “It’s always good to see him study the scenes he is about to do. Maganda sa amin, we discuss the scenes that we will do together. Kumbaga, we are synergized. Nakakatuwa nga kasi pag pina-
Photo from Instagram/@andreaetorres
panood namin yung playback, makikita talaga na in synch kami sa ginagawa namin,” the pretty actress further related. Speaking of roles, Andrea feels so challenged with her dual PAGE B2
Photo from Instagram/@dacascosmark
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EntErtainmEnt
KC Concepcion looks back on past film: ‘I miss acting’ by Cody
Cepeda Inquirer.net
KC Concepcion’s hiatus from acting has done her well, as it allowed her to pursue passion projects, one of which was putting up her own bespoke jewelry line, “Avec Moi by Kristina” last year. Lately, however, Concepcion has expressed she misses acting. This was made clear when she looked back on her role as Marla Dee in Chito Roño’s 2013 action film “Boy Golden: Shoot to Kill.” Conception took to social media where she shared clips of her scenes from the film last May 8, keeping in spirit with the 2019 Met Gala’s camp theme. “Did someone say CAMP?” Concepcion quipped. “Because I’m in the MOOD.
Ohh man I’d play fierce roles like her again and again…,” she added. “Nang dahil sa #MetGala2019 napa post ako nito eh! Namimiss ko na umarte ha!!!” “Boy Golden” was an entry in the 2013 Metro Manila Film Festival and saw Concepcion play female gangster Marla Dee out for revenge, a demanding role that had her train in mixed martial arts and gun firing. “I trained five hours a day for three months. I had to be adept at fighting, especially since I’m the only female gangster in the movie,” she said back in 2014. “I just really stuck to my character.” Concepcion considers her role of Marla in “Boy Golden” as the toughest she’s ever had to date and she’s down to play roles like her again and again—in her own KC Concepcion good time. Photo from Instagram/@itskcconcepcion
Jasmine: I want something to call my own by
allaN poliCarpio Inquirer.net
JASMINE Curtis-Smith is hopeful that she’ll end up marrying her boyfriend, Jeff Ortega, in the future. But before she seriously considers settling down, the actress wants to see to it first that she grows and reaches her “100 percent as an individual.” “There are still many things I want to achieve on my own … as a sister, daughter, actress … for myself,” Jasmine told reporters recently. “I want to have something I can call my own, without the help of my family and boyfriend.” “I have to fix whatever needs fixing… I don’t want to burden him with whatever I’m carrying,” added the Kapuso talent, who’s set to open a boutique hotel with Jeff in La Union soon. “I want to learn and go through the process. I tell him that we have this project together in addition to our relationship. But acting is mine,” she pointed out. “We don’t want to deprive each other of doing our own thing … So, when it’s time to tie the knot—God willing—we can be sure that we have no regrets; that we supported AJ Ads 89 April 2017_Layout 1 4/17/17 11:50 PM Page 1 one another,” Jasmine added. Jasmine Curtis-Smith
by
Nathalie tomada Philstar.com
JODI Sta. Maria celebrated the recent Mother’s Day with solo parents, offering them some business ideas and giving them inspiration being a single parent herself. “I do cook, mga lutong bahay, especially when I have time. Me and my son, whenever we travel, it cannot be without attending a cooking class because he loves to cook also,” Jodi told the Star. Apart from their family trips, she also finds joy in the little things they do together. “I think the hugs and kisses that we get from our children, that’s one. And if you see them growing up to be good people, may takot sa Diyos, yun yung mga joys and rewards of motherhood. And it’s fulfilling, you know. It’s actually a privilege that God has entrusted you with this human being, another life for you to take care of, to experience life with, it’s so meaningful.” It’s hard to believe that Jodi, who started in showbiz as a 15year-old teenager is now a mom to a 14-year-old teenager. When asked about what she has been telling Thirdy about the teen life, girls and crushes, she said, “Parang wala pa siya dun (crushes). That’s what I know so far, malay ko ba (laughs) but I know naman my son and he’s very open to me. He’s very focused on sports and academics, parang wala pa siyang mga crushes, well he had a crush when he was in Grade 3, sorry babe (laughs).” She continued, “There’s nothing wrong with having crushes, kasi di ba, if you find somebody beautiful, if you appreciate another being’s beauty, I don’t think anything is wrong with that. But, of course, as a mom, what I always tell my anak about
Jodi Sta. Maria
girls is that I hope and I pray, he sees them how God sees them, that they’re also fearfully and wonderfully made. And to treat them properly, with respect and with love.” From the looks of it, Jodi has been “wonderfully” raising Thirdy. Plus, with how she’s handling herself like continuously educating herself (she’s expected to graduate next year with a Psychology degree and with honors), how she’s living her life and career, not to mention unabashedly sharing encouraging thoughts and life’s lessons through her social media platforms, no wonder she’s being viewed as a rolemodel mom and woman. Jodi has been approached by a top publishing company to turn her musings into a book and though she claims that she doesn’t have the “confidence” to pen one, that’s something Jodi can very well consider and explore in the future. Meanwhile, the Star asked her for some advice to struggling solo
Photo from Instagram/@jodistamaria
parents. Jodi said, “Just take it easy. I know it’s not easy. But we have to breathe, we have to take it easy and I know that the Lord has plans and purposes for our lives as single parents. They need not have to worry, even if it’s hard not to worry, but at the end of the day, before our children were our children, they were His children first. So, if the Lord entrusted them to us, it means He sees us fit to raise these children and they are not parenting their children alone because God is their parent.” Jodi also took the opportunity to thank and pay tribute to her own mom. “(I’m thankful to her for) so many things — for being patient with me, for guiding me, for always supporting me, for calling me out when I’m wrong, for the discipline, for everything. Alam ko na hindi rin naging madali for her to raise me na sobrang hard-headed, especially when I was a teenager, but I’m glad that very strong si Mama and I thank the Lord for her life.”
A still from the film “Between Maybes”
Gerald Anderson and Julia Barretto’s fresh take on fleeting romances
Fish and Shellfish Are a Great Catch for Health
IT has been the fantasy of many to let go and leave everything behind in search of something new and different. In “Between Maybes,” Black Sheep wanted to bring to life Jason Paul Laxamana’s story about two people who found peace in the most unlikeliest places — in each other’s company. For the first time on the big screen, Gerald Anderson is paired up with Julia Barretto in a film shot on location in Saga, Japan. After his first project with Black Sheep, 2018’s “To Love Some Buddy,” filmmaker Laxamana wanted to create a story that reflected the serenity and calm nature of the location. In “Between Maybes,” Barretto plays Hazel, an actress experiencing troubles in her career and not having control over her life. Feeling lost and wanting to escape, she books a random flight and eventually ends up in the secluded prefecture of Saga, Japan. There, she finds an unexpected confidante in Louie (An-
Garlic Crab Royale Serves 2–4 Ingredients 2 large Dungeness crabs, cut in half, or 4 small whole crabs 1/2 cup soy sauce 1/4 cup sugar 1/4 cup mirin (seasoned rice wine) 1/4 cup lime juice (about 2 limes) Pinch of ground pepper 1/4 cup olive oil Cloves of 1 head of garlic 3 scallions, cut into long strips
1. Steam the crabs in a stockpot for 20 minutes. Smaller crabs may be done sooner. Remove crabs and set aside. 2. In a small saucepan, combine the soy sauce, sugar, mirin, lime juice, and pepper. Cook over low heat for 5 minutes. Set aside. 3. Heat the oil in a large wok or skillet over medium-high heat. Sauté the garlic cloves until brown, about 3–4 minutes. Set aside half the sautéed garlic. 4. Add the soy sauce mixture to the wok. Add the crabs, cut side down. Cover wok and cook for 5 minutes. 5. Remove cover and boil crabs for 8–10 minutes. 6. Add the scallions and cook for 2 minutes. 7. Turn crabs in wok until evenly coated with sauce. Remove and serve with reserved garlic.
derson), who isolated himself after experiencing heartbreak from his family. The two develop a functional relationship — Hazel asks Louie to check on her as she’s not used to being on her own while Louie finds Hazel’s company and noise amusing as it’s a break from his simple world lacking human connection. Amidst the silence and isolation, Hazel and Louie find comfort in each other as they both needed it at that certain point in their lives. But knowing how far apart their worlds are, they can only hold on to the belief that some encounters are special because of how fleeting they are. Both Anderson and Barretto went into the project with such admiration for the roles they are portraying and they both had a profound connection to their characters. “My recent trip to South America was a means to step back and re-calibrate from my busy schedule,” the 22-year-old actress shared.
Meanwhile, Anderson confessed, “ I felt that isolation often feels like a good choice just to get away from my daily life, even if only for a while.” The two actors went through a series of workshops with Laxamana and shot the majority of the film on location in Japan during the bloom of the Sakura trees. Although Saga is a quiet prefecture with a small population, the serene nature of the place lends another layer to the story of Hazel and Louie. A brand new version of Rico Blanco’s hit song “Your Universe,” is created specifically for the film by Acel, the original singer of Moonstar88. Audiences seeking for an escape might need a dose of Black Sheep and Laxamana’s refreshing take on fleeting romances and little moments that linger forever. After the loud noises of the election season and the endless superhero brawls on multiplexes, maybe it’s time to experience the beauty of “Between Maybes.” (ManilaTimes. net)
Andrea Torres and Derek Ramsay get
© 2017 by FoodTrients.com
Crab provides the selenium in this dish while garlic brings a host of impressive health benefits to the table through the compound allicin. Allicin has been shown to lower cholesterol, reduce plaque buildup in arteries, and keep blood platelets from sticking together too aggressively. I’ve served this dish to presidents and to royalty. It consistently wins raves.
Jodi offers advice to struggling solo parents
GMA photo
age gracefully
BY GRACE O Fish and shellfish are great immune-boosting foods, so be sure to include lots of them during flu season and throughout the year. Oysters, lobsters, crabs, and clams contain significant amounts of the trace element, selenium, which is protective against cancer and helps white blood cells produce cytokines, proteins that help clear the body of flu viruses. Wild salmon, mackerel, and herring are rich in omega-3 fats, which reduce inflammation, increasing airflow and protecting the lungs from respiratory infections.
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GRACE O is the creator of FoodTrients®, a unique program for optimizing wellness and longevity. She is the author of two award-winning cookbooks – The Age Gracefully Cookbook and The Age Beautifully Cookbook, which recently won the National award for Innovation from the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards. She is a fusion chef with a mission to deliver delicious recipes built on a foundation of anti-aging science and her 20 years in the healthcare industry. Visit FoodTrients.com to learn more. Email us at info@FoodTrients.com
PAGE B1 role in “The Better Woman.” Although this is not the first time she’s portraying dual characters, Andrea makes sure that her characters are poles apart. “May conscious effort on my part to really make my two characters different, sa kilos at sa pagsasalita and it’s not actually easy,” she swore. A lot of people say that Andrea is so fortunate to have Derek as her partner in a soap. But for the GMA actress, having Derek as leading man means more hard work for her. It entails a lot of physical preparation. “Siyempre Derek Ramsay yan, one of the sexiest men not only in showbiz but in the country. Sa abs pa lang, kita mo naman, eight packs. So kailangan hindi ako magpahuli. I have to really work hard para naman we look good together. Hindi naman puwedeng yummy ang leading man tapos yung leading lady, losyang,” she said laughing. The longer they work together, the more Andrea and Derek get
to know each other deeper. As of now, it’s not only on the set where they talk. They now call each other on the phone. “He calls me whenever he has questions about the script or about our location. Basta, panay tungkol lang sa trabaho ang pinag-uusapan namin. Wala namang ibang topic,” Andrea admitted. But doesn’t it start from there? You talk on the set. You talk on the phone. You talk about work. Before you know it, you are already talking about you. What if Derek falls for Andrea? “Ay!” Andrea exclaimed. “Ayokong isipin. I refuse to think about it. Masarap siyang kaibigan pero hindi ako mag-a-assume. I want to focus on our work. Huwag nating haluan ng mga ganyang bagay kasi hindi naman dapat. We just want to give viewers a very good show that they can really enjoy watching.” Although Andrea is single at the moment, she is not in a rush to enter into a relationship. She enjoys spending her free
time with her family. During her birthday last May 4, she chose to celebrate with her parents and siblings. “Good timing yung birthday ko because our family was complete. My kuya came home from Australia where he is based so it was a good time to celebrate.” Andrea actually had two birthday celebrations. The first one was with her family on the very day of her birthday and the second one was a belated birthday get-together with her fans held at a videoke bar. “I love spending time with my fans. I love talking to them because that is one way for me to express my gratitude to them for their support. Like itong celebration namin, we had a great time chatting and singing. I even sang with them,” she beamed with pride. And what is Andrea’s birthday wish? “Good health for my family and the success of ‘The Better Woman’ when it airs,” she said as she clasped her hands.
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A touch of Central Europe by Emil
HER “AMERICAN DREAM” SHATTERED WHEN HER CASE WAS DENIED AND HER TWO ATTORNEYS TOLD HER THE ONLY SOLUTION WAS TO JUST “HIDE.” Mariel (left) was devastated when her adjustment of status was denied after USCIS concluded she was out of status. Distraught and lost, especially after her first two lawyers’ only advice was to “hide,” Mariel decided to consult with “Attorney-of-LastHope” Michael J. Gurfinkel who sought reconsideration and was able to get Mariel her elusive green card in record time. Watch Mariel’s dream come true on an encore episode of “Citizen Pinoy” – on Sunday at 6:15 p.m. (PST) on TFC. (Advertising Supplement)
Health@Heart PhiliP S. Chua, MD, FaCS, FPCS WEDNESDAY last week, while waiting at O’Hare Airport in Chicago for our flight to Lake Charles, Louisiana, to attend the graduation of our granddaughter Sydney; my wife, Farida, and I saw a cute, cheerful, very active toddler, who reminded us fondly of our five children and ten grandchildren at that age. As a pediatrician, Farida guessed the baby girl’s age correctly, as we overheard the father telling a lady “16 months old.” Personally, I find them most enjoyable and adorable between ages one to three, and especially challenging at age two: Terrible Two, when they start to develop their personality and love to say “no!,” asserting their independence. The stage I truly marvel at, even today, is the initiation of life when the sperm meets the ovum which starts fertilization from one cell, geometrically and progressively dividing, eventually growing into an embryo, then fetus. How a new human being comes to life and how DNA maps and guides the entire process are amazing and mind-boggling, to say the least. To me, it is nothing short of a miracle.
Miracle of life
The progress of the fetal development compounds the excitement and interest. And the curiosity and the queries abound. What is the timeline of fetal development? The cells in the embryo begin to organize themselves into the fetus’s brain, face, eyes, ears, and nose between the 4th and 5th week of pregnancy. The heart starts to beat at about 22 days after conception, but on the ultrasound, the beating heart of the fetus is seen in about 5 weeks from the last menstrual period of the mother. At 18 weeks, the baby begins to hear, more sensitive at week 24 when the ears are developing better. Between weeks 25th and 26th, it responds to voices and noise in the womb. The baby at this stage is able to hear music, the mother’s breathing, motion, stomach growls, and heartbeat. Outside sounds are muted by half in the uterus, muffled by the amniotic fluid (like a shock absorber), where the baby floats. Constant exposure to loud noises could cause hearing defect in the fetus. The mother’s voice is the most significant, familiar and soothing sound the baby hears, which the baby in the womb can recognize by the third trimester (28 weeks). Its heartbeat increases when the mother is speaking, showing their
awareness and alertness. How large is the fetus at 25 weeks? At 25 weeks of gestation, the fetus is about 13.1 inches tall and 1.7 pounds in weight. They already look like a human being, a very tiny version of a full term baby. Normal full term delivery is 40 weeks (10 months). Those born at 25 weeks are tiny and fragile, but with modern neonatology care, most make it, but some do not survive. What are the items not to eat/drink when pregnant? Some of the foods/drinks to minimize or, better yet, to avoid during pregnancy, a vital and truly delicate stage in the life of a woman and her baby, include: high-mercury contaminated fish (swordfish, tune, especially albacore tuna, king mackerel, shark. The US-FDA recommends 8-12 ounces of fish low in mercury, like salmon, shrimp, cod, catfish, tilapia, canned-light non-albacore tuna. These fatty-fish are high in omega-3 fatty acids, healthy, and important to the growing fetus. Soft drinks are toxic. To avoid bacterial and parasitic infections for herself and the baby, expectant mothers should totally avoid undercooked or raw fish, raw meat, raw eggs, raw sprouts, unwashed PAGE B4
PErito
ACCORDING to Pope Benedict XVI, to go on pilgrimage is not simply to visit a place to admire its treasures of nature, art or history. “To go on pilgrimage really means to step out of ourselves in order to encounter God,” he said. Past its beautiful sceneries and romantic sights, Central Europe offers various spiritual locations that are perfect for a life-changing pilgrimage. With Air Plus Travel, you can embark on a religious journey with a touch of Central Europe. The region’s destinations are varied and holistic, from magnificent cathedrals and basilicas, to solemn homes of Saints and Popes who played important roles in the history of Christianity in Central Europe. Here are three of its most notable itineraries that will surely leave you nourished in mind, body, and spirit: Auschwitz All over the world, Auschwitz has become notable for being the largest of the Nazi concentration and death camps. This museum, which attracts over 2 million visitors per year, is made up of three parts: Auschwitz I, the first and so-called “main camp;” Auschwitz II-Birkenau, the largest part of the Auschwitz complex where majority of the victims were murdered; and Auschwitz III-Monowitz, the primary site of the Nazi’s “final solution to the Jewish problem.” Upon entering the camp, visitors will pass by a sign that says “Arbeit macht frei” which means work sets you free. Inside, you can see camp barracks, the prisoners’ personal belongings, pictures of some of the prisoners, the Death Wall — a place where people were executed by shooting, and the gas chambers. Wadowice A small city with about 20,000 population, Wadowice got its international recognition for being the birthplace of Pope John Paul II — one of the greatest and most important figures in the 20th century. Born in May 1920 as Karol Wojtyla, the future Pontiff lived in Wadowice until 1938 when he moved with his father to Krakow
Auschwitz
and enrolled at Jagiellonian University. For tourists visiting Wadowice, there is no better site to explore than the Pope’s former home situated in the town’s heart, near the baroque church of the Presentation of the Blessed Virgin Mary at the central square. The apartment has since been turned into a museum, which exhibits the Wojtylas family’s former possessions, and is annually visited by about 250,000 people from all over the world. Wadowice also has the Virgin Mary’s Offertory Minor Basilica, where Pope John Paul II received his First Communion and the sacrament of confirmation, and the John Paul II Statue, which was built on a granite rock in 2006. Divine Mercy Located in the southern suburbs of Kraków is the Shrine of Divine Mercy, one of the most popular destinations in Poland for Catholic pilgrims. It is a Roman Catholic basilica dedicated to the Divine Mercy devotion as well as the resting place of Saint Faustina
Photo by Erica Magugliani on Unsplash
Kowalska. Sister Faustina Kowalska was known for her vision that devotion to Divine Mercy. On the first Sunday of Lent in 1931, Jesus Christ in white robes with two rays leaving his pierced heart showed himself to Sister Faustina and ordered the establishment of the Holiday of Mercy on the first Sunday following Easter. The image of Christ is immortalized in a painting with the inscription Jesus, In You I Trust — an image that is now known and recognized throughout the world. Countless pilgrims visit the shrine to pray by the painting, which is considered to be miraculous. Reports miracles that happened here have been well-documented and paved the way for the beatification of Sister Faustina. Established in 1995, Air Plus Travel specializes in religious travel. Join us in one of our pilgrimages and private tours. For more information, contact Air Plus Travel at (562) 863-0624, or visit www.airplustravel.net. (Advertising Supplement)
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Miracle of life...
PAGE B3 produce, unpasteurized milk and dairy products, processed meats (hot dogs, ham, bacon, sausages), and organ meats. Some of the infections from any foods could lead to premature or stillbirth. Caffeine intakes should be less than 200 mg, about 2 cups a day. Of course, smoking (cigarettes or e-cigs) and alcohol intake are absolutely prohibited, since they increase the risk for premature/still birth, lowbirth weight, mental deficiency,
increased risks for respiratory and many other diseases. Why the title of my book? I have been asked countless times why I chose to title my book “Let’s Stop ‘Killing’ Our Children,” when in fact it is a home health reference manual for healthy lifestyle and disease prevention at the cellular (DNA) level of children and adults as well. It is a pre-emptive-proactive strategy for parents to save their children, no matter the age, from unhealthy habits
http://www.asianjournal.com • (818) 502-0651 • (213) 250-9797 and behaviors and illnesses. It has nothing to do with abortion or murdering children. My rationale: If we do not teach our children by example (like parents who smoke, drink alcoholic beverage beyond one or two drinks a day, who do not watch their diet and weight, who do not exercise, and who allow their children to consume soft drinks of any kind, which are literally toxic), are obviously exposing their children to bad habits and unhealthy behavior…thus contributing to, and increasing, their to risk to develop diseases, shortened life span and premature death. The word “killing” (as in killing or pampering or spoiling children in the name of love) is in quotation marks as a metaphor. Children are best nurtured with wisdom-guided love and care. Parents and guardians not positively contributing to their children’s health by default are certainly shortening their potential longevity. (Reference available at philipSchua.com, amazon.com, and at central.com.ph) How should society manage population growth? The total world population is more than 7.7 billion and the global population clock is continuously ticking (about 200,000 growth a day) as new births and deaths are officially counted. If society wants to manage global (or even domestic) population growth for the survival of the human species, it is certainly wiser and more compassionate to achieve the goal by avoiding pregnancy and providing excellent environment and healthcare for all people, especially for children and our senior population. Not by ethnic cleansing, murder, or any form of termination of life. The most important tenet in the Hippocratic Oath we took as physicians is Primum non nocere, a Latin phrase meaning, “First, to do no harm,” a sacred, solemn, and poignant promise healers thousands of years ago and today have made. If we are unable to do anything to help a fellowman or any living creature, the least we can do, as healthcare providers, or even as ordinary people anywhere in the world with integrity and compassion, is to respect life and do no harm. *** Philip S. Chua, MD, FACS, FPCS, a Cardiac Surgeon Emeritus based in Northwest Indiana and Las Vegas, Nevada, is an international medical lecturer/author, and Chairman of the Filipino United NetworkUSA, a 501(c)3 humanitarian and anti-graft foundation in the United States. Websites: FUN8888.com, philipSchua.com Email: scalpelpen@gmail.com (Advertising Supplement)
The birdman of Woodland Street
MOONLIGHTING by MYLAH DE
LEON
THIS might as well be a story for the birds — light, gay and cheery. I can’t recall any other welcome in my whole life as I had in Alan Abellanosa’s home, the birdman on Woodland Street. His living room was a busy presence, active and acrobatics; with birds of every color, size and shape and varied voices. The pigeons and doves variable plumage with purple and green on its grey coat; iridescent on the neck of a feral pigeon. They were cooing constantly and Alan explained the reason. “They were communicating,” he said and then continued, “Pigeons and the cockatoo were gregarious, sweet and loving and so easy to tame.” Enchanted by a parrot, I am quickly cautioned, they were greats and gregarious pets, but they bite! The birdman lectured and tried to inject humor as we started our conversation. “The sex of the pigeon is based on appearance and they have excellent hearing abilities and like the dove, the are monogamous — one mate in a lifetime. But there is an extra pair of mating that do occur, initiated by the male.” Alan is handsome, respectful and utterly charming; and not only to his birds. He tells me of a childhood (as early as seven) he had spent his most delightful times, not playing games with other children, but pitting and taking care of his bird menagerie and assisting and learning his mom’s dishes, that were renowned and to die over. When he moved his family here in the U.S., the only grief he felt most, was leaving his birds. But birds would find him. They came in pairs, singularly or as gifts from friends, and swelled through the years. He bred from eggs to birdies into birds. He had canaries, finches, pigeons, doves, cockatoos, parrots, and sparrows. He would give them the funny simple names in the dialect such as “MacMac,” “Balut,” and “Zebra.” Each one had its own peculiarities, as he personally hatched the newborn. He listened to each express their joys, anger (when feeding was late) and excitement. He has learned the salty pain of each passing. They had a secret language, whispers to his ears, or exchanges, pleasantries with their mouths. He has learned when to whisper, tiptoe and move about with caution, because in the early morning if they can hear his most minute sound, and they will be so excited they could wake the whole house! All around the living room, they were waiting, shuffling with their waddling gait as they flew
Alan Abellanosa
Menagerie of his Filipino food eating birds.
excellently all over. I listened, as they provided many different calls as they express excitement with others. I noted the “begging call” used by the young, as if soliciting food from their parents, or Alan, who is always on standby. Their typical song is simple, almost musical. They are all plumage, with their toothless beaks, four chambered hearts, lightweight skeletons. The tiniest bird is the 2-inch hummingbird and the largest the 9-feet ostrich. The parrot, which does not have vocal cords is among the most intelligent birds and has the ability to imitate human voices that enhance their popularity as pets. Most eat fruits to get the seeds. Also, the birdman is a chef, who caters to a few frinds when he’s not doing his full time job as a apartment building manager I had asked Alan how he felt about the humanity services to the birds, such as battery farming, hunting, captivity, caging, stuffing
and plucking for clothes, hats and meat. His face grew sad, he became pensive, and the smile disappeared from his face. It disappeared for a while, as he cheered up quickly and said, “How about some bird thoughts?” He then added, “Birds are found in mangroves, fish ponds and trees.” But did one think that birds came to the same tree each night? They don’t. The mynah talking bird as pets, are trained to talk. It keeps a house cheerful and entertains children. Birds sing after a storm. The one swallow doesn’t make a whole summer. But lovebirds, doves and pigeons have only one mate in a lifetime. Which reminds me of “Oh, that a bird can fall in love with a fish, but where will the live? (Thoreau)” This evening at a Chinese dinner, I passed — when the fired pigeon delicacy was served. *** E-mail Mylah at moonlightingmdl@aol.com
Welcoming the spring season — the Filipino way BY MONET
LU
HAVING four seasons in a year is an idea that is quite foreign to Filipinos who grew up in the Philippines. Back there, we only have dry (summer) and wet (rainy) season. Then there are those, like me, who migrated outside the Philippines to a place that has more than two seasons. This change also requires changes in wardrobe, food, scenery, and pastimes. So how does the typical “Pinoy” deal with the changing of the season? Food Filipinos love to eat and foreigners know that about us. One of the running jokes about Filipinos is that “wherever there’s food, that is where the Filipinos are.” Now that is good if they meant that we cook great food, otherwise, it could mean that we’re known as gluttons. Either way, food is a just in the core of every Filipino. And a food-loving Filipino has adapted the ability to adjust his palate according to the season. Spring season calls for a parade of spring rolls. And by that, I meant spring rolls of different varieties such as lumpiang Shanghai (pork spring rolls), lumpiang sariwa or lumpiang ubod (bamboo shoots spring rolls) and lumpiang gulay or lumpiang toge (bean sprouts spring rolls) are the best sellers in a company potluck or spring banquet. And because we just love to dip everything in sauce, we even have the appropriate sauce for each of spring rolls. Sweet and sour chili sauce, peanut sauce, and of course, lumpiang toge’s faithful partner: sukang puti (white vinegar). Spring is also a great time to
check out the newest Filipino restaurants or Asian fusion cafes that invaded Southern California. You can also venture further south like San Diego and I bet you will the aroma of inihaw na liempo would lead you to these Filipino restaurants. Either that, or a park filled with Filipinos with picnic baskets filled with Filipino delicacies. Filipino food is just everywhere and I credit that to the talented cooks and chefs who make Los Angeles such a delicious place to live. Fashion Spring is the second season of the year. And second to adjusting this season’s menu is switching clothes. This is the time where thermal jackets and winter boots are stored away. Unless you have a perfectly good reason for wearing that fur coat, it should be in the closet. For Pinays, they don a flowery sundress, spring colored jumpsuit, or some cute separates; like a good statement skirt with comfortable and flattering cotton top. Pair it with an accent pump and minimal accessories, and they swing their way to spring! For the men, skinny jeans are not as cool as they were before but still is a known staple in any man’s wardrobe. It’s the season to loosen up a bit, so straight cut cool print chino pants is a great alternative to tight and dark jeans. Pair these up with a lightweight cardigan and statement eyewear and you’re off to great spring. Places One of the best things about this season is the blooming of flowers and fruit trees. This is also one of the things about spring that we, Filipinos, can relate to. And it’s not because we
have spring season but because planting and harvesting is a way of life to us. We harvest vegetables and fruits, and plant more tropical plants that our gardens could handle. This season means a picnic at the park, checking out the Botanical Garden and Knottsberry farm, you know, the stuff that you do while you bond over food and wear your flowery and light cotton shirts. Forget about hibernating in your pajamas, walking around your house wearing thermal socks. That is so winter ago! Go out there and watch the cherry blossom, the tulips, open the windows and enjoy the warm sun. As this new season unfolds, we should make the most of it by welcoming spring in all its glory. I do that by thinking of spring as snow finally melting, trees blooming, and the streets looking lively and green again! For most people, spring is a time of change. Thoughts of rebirth, rejuvenation, renewal, resurrection and hope come to us when we wake up from a cold winter night to a warm spring morning. Oh, spring, you bring so many beautiful things. And as Filipinos fondly say – and let me say it with cheers to a spring season full of hope: “Mabuhay!” *** Monet Lu is a Marikina-born, awardwinning celebrity beauty stylist with his own chain of Monet Salon salons across Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. Ultimately, Monet is known as an all-around artiste who produces sold-out fashion and awards shows as well as unforgettable marketing campaigns. Monet is also the founder of the revolutionary all-natural beauty products such as Enlighten, your solution to discoloration . To contact Monet, please visit www.monetsalon.com or email him at monetsalon@aol.com
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LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 18-21, 2019
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COMMUNITY
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 18-21, 2019
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Journal
UST Medical Alumni Association of Southern California celebrates 25th year anniversary
USTMAASC 2018-2019 Executive Council with Presidential Adviser and Past Presidents
25th Anniversary Ball sponsors: Dr. Noli & Nena Zosa, Dr. Pantaleon De Jesus, Drs. Antonio and Jesusa Romero, Drs. Elmo and Rechilda Orlino, Dr. Evelyn Basco and Global Medical Alliance, Dr. Roberto Ang, Dr. Remy Almirante, Dr. Salvador Abiera, and Dr. Marilou Dichoso.
EXCITEMENT is brewing among UST Medical Alumni residing in SoCal as USTMAASC prepares for its grand 25th year celebration on June 29, 2019 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County. The current Medical Dean, Dr. Ma. Lourdes Domingo-Maglinao, will be the keynote speaker. For 25 years, the Association has provided professional and cultural enhancement as well as community service opportunities to its members. The UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery with its various scholarship and educational programs, and the Clinical Division has received generous donations
through the Association’s members and fundraising activities. During the celebration, Past Presidents and staunch supporters will be honored and recognized. USTMAASC has launched a Fundraising Campaign in order to raise at least 1 Million pesos which will be donated to the Faculty of Medicine and Surgery’s current project, the establishment of the Simulation and Research Center. Part of the proceeds will also support medical missions conducted by Hospital on Wheels. For donations, dinner tickets and souvenir program advertisements, contact Dr. Marilou Dichoso at (310) 387-
UST Medicine Dean, Dr. Ma. Lourdes Domingo-Maglinao
1632. Deadline for reservations is June 1. Visit the website www. USTMAASC.org. n
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Community Journal
Three tax changes to estate, gift, AMT, and pass-through income Estate and gift tax exemption: The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (the “Act”) increased exemptions (nice) for estates and gifts to $11.2 million ($22.4 million for married couples). Before tax reform, few estates were subject to the estate tax, which applies to the transfer of property after someone dies. Now, even fewer people have to deal with it (nicer). The amount of money exempt from the tax has been doubled. Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) exemption: AMT is a second set of tax rates that was initially designed to ensure that wealthy individuals with tax shelters pay their fair share of taxes. That was then. This reviled provision now snares ordinary folks like you and me. We are now required to calculate our taxes under AMT rules alongside the rules for regular income tax. President Trump wanted to abolish these onerous provisions but Congress prevailed to retain them. On a
Commentary
IN this week’s column, we will discuss the most common path to United States citizenship. This path allows a green card holder (lawful permanent resident) of at least five years to apply for naturalization. The general requirements are that you must: • Be at least 18 years old at the time of filing • Be a permanent resident for the US for 5 years (or 3 years if married to a US citizen) • Demonstrate physical presence within the US for a required period of time (typically 2.5 out of last 5 years total have to be in the US) • Demonstrate continuous residence within the US for a required period of time (generally no trips outside the US for more than 6 months) • Demonstrate good moral character • Supports the principles and ideals of the U.S. Constitution • Demonstrate basic knowledge of U.S. history and government (“civics”) and ability to read, write, speak and understand basic English (certain waivers are available
Tax Tips Victor Sy, cPA, MBA
positive note, the exemption was increased to $109,400 for joint filers ($54,700 for married taxpayers filing separately), and $70,300 for unmarried taxpayers. The exemption is phased out for taxpayers with alternative minimum taxable income over $1 million for joint filers, and over $500,000 for all others. New deduction for qualified business income: You are now allowed a deduction equal to 20 percent of “qualified business income,” otherwise known as “pass-through” income from partnerships, S corporations, LLCs, and sole proprietor-
ships. The income must be from a trade or business within the U.S. Investment income does not qualify, nor do amounts received from an S corporation as reasonable compensation or from a partnership as a guaranteed payment for services provided to the trade or business. *** Victor Santos Sy graduated Cum Laude from UE with a BBA and from Indiana State University with an MBA. Vic worked with SyCip, Gorres, Velayo (SGV - Andersen Consulting) and Ernst & Young before establishing Sy Accountancy Corporation in Pasadena, California. *** He has 50 years of experience in defending taxpayers audited by the IRS, FTB, EDD, BOE and other governmental agencies. He is publishing a book on his expertise - “HOW TO AVOID OR SURVIVE IRS AUDITS.” Our readers may inquire about the book or email tax questions at vicsy@live.com. (Advertising Supplement)
The most common path to US citizenship depending on age and length one has had their green card, or applicable mental impairment) • Take an Oath of Allegiance to the United States (certain waivers are available if the applicant cannot comprehend an understanding of the oath for religious or mental reasons) Even if you believe that you meet these requirements, it is important to consult with an experienced immigration attorney before you file your application. Some of the requirements are not straightforward, especially if you have had any negative immigration or criminal history. For instance, “good moral character” is a term of art in immigration law, and an immigration attorney may need to analyze your specific circumstances to confirm that you meet this requirement. Once you confirm your eligibility, you can download Form N400, Application for Naturalization on the USCIS website. For low-income earners, there is a full or partial fee waiver available depending on your income. If you need assistance, Advancing Justice - L.A. hosts free citizenship application workshops where our staff and volunteers help verify your eligibil-
ity for citizenship, complete your citizenship application and prepare your fee waiver request if you cannot afford the filing fee. Keep in mind that the information above is not a substitute for legal advice. For advice about your individual situation, you should consult with an experienced, trustworthy immigration attorney or DOJ accredited representative. If you have questions about your eligibility for citizenship and need legal assistance, please contact Advancing Justice - L.A’s Tagalog helpline at (855) 300-2552. *** Asian Americans Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice - LA) is the nation’s largest legal and civil rights organization for Asian Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders (NHPI). Founded in 1983 as the Asian Pacific American Legal Center, Advancing Justice - LA serves more than 15,000 individuals and organizations every year. Through direct services, impact litigation, policy advocacy, leadership development, and capacity building, Advancing Justice - LA focuses on the most vulnerable members of Asian American and NHPI communities while also building a strong voice for civil rights and social justice. For more information, please visit https:// www.advancingjustice-la.org/.
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The Prophetic Voice reVerend rodel G. BAlAGtAS (Excerpt from my commencement speech to the graduates of St. John’s Seminary, Camarillo, CA on May 14, 2019) What words of advice should I leave you, my dear graduates and seminarians? First, believe! Believe in yourself and all the gifts that God has given you. Don’t listen to the voices of negativity that tell you that you’re not gifted, or you don’t have what it takes to be a good priest. The goings may get tough. You may find it difficult to live or to work with fellow priests and people You may hear that people don’t like you and what you’re doing but believe in your good intentions. Yes, listen to people, but never lose sight of your capacities to learn from your mistakes, from others, and to keep growing in leadership and ministerial skills. You will get sick; you will get frustrated; you will have sleepless nights, but don’t lose your belief in God who calls you to be faithful to your vocation. Yes, you will suffer, but remember that when you suffer, you become wiser! Second, be radical! The word radical comes from the Latin word radix, meaning root. Remember always the root, the origin of your calling: your love for the Lord and his people. Be like Peter in the First Reading two Sundays ago. When the Sanhedrin gave the disciples strict order not teach in the name of Jesus, Peter boldly answered, “We must obey God rather than men!” Peter’s words reminded me of my favorite Gospel passage when Jesus asked Peter, “Do you love me?” Every time that Peter responded with the words, “Yes, Lord, I love you,” Jesus answered back, “Then feed my sheep.”. Yes, my friends, remember again that your ordination is for the service of the people of God. So, don’t complain if you have to
Tapat Sa Batas Atty. rheA SAMSon NOONG isang linggo ay aking tinalakay ang pagkuha ng green card sa pamamagitan ng family-based petitions. Ang isa sa pinakakaraniwang paraan sa pagkuha ng green card ay sa pamamagitan ng kasal sa isang US citizen (USC) o green card holder/lawful permanent resident (LPR). Magkaiba ang proseso at waiting period sa familybased petition ng asawa ng USC at asawa ng LPR. Ito ay dahil ang asawa ng USC ay immediate relative (hindi kailangang maghintay ng visa availability), habang ang asawa naman ng LPR ay may immigration preference category na Second Preference (F2A). Ito ay may mahigit na isang taong waiting period kung ang dayuhang asawa ay Pilipino. Kung ang dayuhang asawa ng USC o LPR ay nasa US, ang mga sumusunod ang eligibility requirements para sa adjustment of status application o pag-file ng I-485 green card application: (1) Ang aplikante ay sinuri sa US port of entry at pinapasok ng opisyal ng US Border and Cus-
Barrister’s Corner Atty. Kenneth UrSUA reyeS IN the absence of a premarital agreement, the general community property presumption under California family code section 760 controls which provides “ ….all property, real or personal, wherever situated, acquired by a married person during the marriage while domiciled in this state is community property.” Family Code 760. This becomes a problem if you are the spouse that has the substantially higher income or the one who accumulates the majority of the assets during the marriage. You are called in family law lingo “the in spouse.” The other spouse (or in our lingo also called the “out spouse” gets a half interest on everything accumulated during the marriage even if the asset is under your name alone or it was accumulated solely due to your sweat and hard work. The out spouse, who stayed at home most of the marriage, gets a one half interest on all the accumulations during the marriage under California community property law. For example, if you opened a savings
Be brave!
say three Masses on Sunday because of a lack of priests. Don’t get upset if there are hundreds of people in line for Confession. Don’t complain if you must to do three funerals during the week, and you must switch your day-off. To be radical in today’s world means to be passionate about the Gospel, to have a vision for a better Church, and to move on despite the trials and scandals of the Church. To be radical means to be a witness to Christ by the simplicity of our lives and our selfless service. To be radical means to love our people, even those we find unattractive. They may have their idiosyncrasies; you may not speak their language, eat their food, or agree with their ideas, but give yourself to them who are not like you. Third, be authentic, be real! Rumble with your emotions; you’re still the same person after ordination, with all your insecurities and anxieties. Know that you cannot do everything. You’re wired for connections; you need to surround yourself with good people. A pastor once gave me this advice me when I was a young priest, “Learn to share your success with other people.” Fourth, be vigilant! Let your ministry be rooted in prayer. Remember to approach everything with the eyes of faith, even the administrative work which you may probably hate. Be prayerful but be proactive. Know your strengths and your limits. Be wise—have prudent zeal and good pastoral judgment. Take care of your health. Don’t wait until situations get worst. Consult with people, with experts. Be humble, you don’t know everything; the priesthood is life-long learning and re-learning! Fifth, be excited about the ministry! Don’t lose your zeal and positive spirit. My early years as an associate pastor were the defining years of my ministry. I enjoyed them— my involvement with school children and youth, the summer camps, the youth retreats, my ministry with families and seniors. Even now, I get excited as I begin
another journey and mission. Believe, be radical, be authentic, be vigilant, and be excited in your ministry! If you put the beginning letter of these words, you will come up with the acronym B.R.A.V.E. –Brave! So, be brave! Be brave to face those who are hurt and disgusted by the Church and those who don’t have religious affiliations. Dialogue with them. Be brave to have respectful religious disagreements. Be brave when you don’t have the answers and be brave to come back with the answers! Be brave when you must make hard decisions as a pastor. Be brave to face your critics, when you don’t have to be “nice” to people all the time. Be brave to deal with failures, sickness, and anxieties. Remember the words of Theodore Roosevelt in his speech “Citizenship in Republic”: “It’s not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcomings; but who does actually strive to do the deeds, who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at best knows in the end the triumphs of high achievement, and who at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly…” *** From a Filipino immigrant family, Reverend Rodel G. Balagtas was ordained to the priesthood from St. John’s Seminary in 1991. He served as Associate Pastor at St. Augustine, Culver City (1991-1993); St. Martha, Valinda (1993-1999); and St. Joseph the Worker, Canoga Park (19912001). In 2001, he served as Administrator Pro Tem of St. John Neumann in Santa Maria, CA, until his appointment as pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary, Los Angeles, in 2002, which lasted 12 years. His term as Associate Director of Pastoral Field Education at St. John’s Seminary began in July 2014.
Green card through marriage toms Patrol (CBP). Ang Form I-94 (Arrival/Departure Record) ang magpapakita na ang dayuhan ay sinuri at pinapasok sa US. Mula noong April 30, 2013, ang Form I-94 na binibigay ng CBP ay electronic I-94 - maaaring makakuha ng paper I-94 sa CBP website; (2) Ang aplikante ay eligible para sa immigrant visa; (3) Ang immigrant visa ay available na. Para sa asawa ng USC, ang immigrant visa ay laging available bilang immediate relative, habang para sa asawa ng LPR, ang immigrant visa ay available lamang pagkalipas ng higit sa isang taong waiting period bilang F2A category; (4) Ang aplikante ay kailangang admissible sa United States. Maaaring maging inadmissible sa US ang aplikante dahil sa health-related grounds tulad ng nakakahawang sakit o mental o pisikal na karamdaman na maaaring banta sa kaligtasan at kapakanan ng dayuhan at ng ibang tao; mga krimen kung saan napatawan ang dayuhan ng pagkakulong na isang taon o kaya ay pagkakasangkot sa mga ilegal na droga, at security-related risks, tulad ng terorismo. Maliban sa nasa itaas, kailangang patunayan ng dayuhan at kanyang USC o LPR na asawa na ang kanilang kasal ay totoo.
Ayon sa USCIS, ang mga sumusunod ay magpapatunay na ang kasal ay totoo: mga dokumentong magpapakita ng magkasamang pag-aari ng mga ari-arian tulad ng mga titulo ng bahay at kotse; lease agreement na magpapakita na ang mag-asawa ay nakatira sa iisang bahay; mga dokumentong magpapakita na ang mag-asawa ay nagsama na ng kanilang pera tulad ng joint bank statements at joint credit cards; mga birth certificates ng mga anak nila; at mga sinumpaang salaysay ng mga kaibigan, katrabaho, kapitbahay at mga kamag-anak na may personal na kaalaman tungkol sa pagiging totoo ng kasal ng dayuhan at ng kanyang asawang USC o LPR. One of the most common ways to get a green card is by familybased petition through marriage to a US citizen (USC) or a green card holder/lawful permanent resident (LPR). The process and waiting period for familybased petitions of a USC spouse is different from that of an LPR spouse. This is because the spouse of a USC is an immediate relative – visa is always available so there is no waiting time for a visa number; while for a spouse of an LPR, there is an immigrant preference category of Second
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Do I need a premarital agreement before getting married? account during the marriage under your name alone for which you religiously and diligently stash away 25% of your earnings during the marriage while your spouse blows away his/her salary during the marriage, your spouse still gets a half interest in the money you saved in your savings account. Another example would be if you purchase a piece of real property during the marriage under “your name alone” and have your spouse sign a “quit claim” deed, your spouse may still have a claim for a half interest in your real property. Another example would be if you owned a business prior to marriage, but due to your hard work, long hours of labor, and efforts, the business grew exponentially during the marriage, your spouse may still have a claim for an interest in the business. Signing a premarital agreement may serve as added protection to the future “in spouse” and a hurdle for the future “out spouse” by avoiding or altering the applicability of California community property law to assets 1) already owned by each
and 2) to property and income to be acquired or earned during their marriage. Marriage of Dawley (1976) 17 C3d 342, 349, 131 CR 3, 7; Marriage of Grinius (1985) 166 CA3d 1179, 1186, 212 CR 803, 807 Premarital agreements may validly provide that the earnings and accumulations of each party during marriage will remain that party’s separate property, free of any claims, community property or otherwise, of the other party. Marriage of Dawley, supra, 17 C3d at 350, 131 CR at 8; Cheney v. City & County of San Francisco Employees Retirement System (1936) 7 C2d 565, 569, 61 P2d 754, 756. Premarital agreements may also serve to preserve a person’s estate for his or her heirs, free of the other party’s inheritance claims. Estate of Wamack (1955) 137 CA2d 112, 115, 289 P2d 871, 872. Pursuant to Family Code 1612(c ),“ Parties to a premarital agreement may contract with respect to all of the following:(1) The rights and obligations of each of the parties in any of the property of either or both of them when-
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Community Journal
Firing an employee for using their family leave rights may be retaliation ERIC Hazard worked for 17 years for Raley’s as a pharmacy manager. Eric’s son, Andrew, is 32 years old and disabled with hydrocephalus, a buildup of water on the brain, and scoliosis that has left him permanently paralyzed. Due to his son’s health, Eric requested leave under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) on two separate occasions. He also requested intermittent leave in October 2015 and November 2016. Both requests were granted by the employer. Eric was fired in March 2017 after supervisors accused him of violating Raley’s policies on filling family prescriptions and pharmacy entry after normal business hours. Eric argued that Raley’s had an unwritten policy that allowed its pharmacists to open a closed pharmacy and fill family members’ prescriptions in emergencies as long they told supervisors and no money changed hands. Eric sued the employer claiming retaliation in violation of FMLA/CFRA. He claimed that the real reason for his termination was that his supervisors were “hostile” to his requests to take time off. His multiple requests to take days off to drive his son to doctors’ visits were rejected. The pharmacy operations director suggested that Eric used his son’s disability an excuse to take days off of work. This same director told Eric he “should not hide behind your son’s medical condition to not do your job.” A series of emails prior to Eric’s termination between the director and a pharmacy supervisor appeared to indicate their increasing frustration with
Debt Relief
Atty. LAwrenCe yAng THE first client is 48, married, and has a good job that pays $80,000 a year. His wife makes another $40,000 a year. Together, they make $120,000 gross a year. They have 3 children aged 5 to 12. The wife has no credit card debt, but the client has about $30,000 of credit cards left unpaid. According to him, he has been paying $800 a month to a debt consolidator out of state for one year. However, the $800 a month is proving to be too much of a burden. He asked if he qualified for Chapter 7 fresh start without any payments to wipe out the $30,000. The problem it appears is not really his gross household income of $120,000. He does have enough qualifying expenses under the means test that could make him eligible for Chapter 7. The issue is that they own a house with a net equity of $200,000. Since their homestead exemption is $100,000 of equity, he has $100,000 of nonexempt equity. Hence, under the Chapter 7 liquidation analysis comparison, the $30,000 of credit cards would get paid in full if he were to file a Chapter 7 because the Chapter 7 trustee could very well sell his house, give him $100,000 of cash to pay him for his homestead exemption, and use the rest of the $100,000 to pay the $30,000 of credit cards in full and to pay legal and administrative costs of the trustee which is quite substantial. I represented a client as a creditor in a Chapter 11, which subsequently converted to Chap-
able. The notice must state the reason for the leave and its anticipated duration. An employer may require 30 days advance notice if the need for the leave is foreseeable. If the leave is an emergency, notice must be given as soon as possible. The Atty. C. Joe SAyAS, Jr. employer must immediately respond to a leave request and no Eric’s use of family leave time later than ten calendar days afand their intended search for a ter receiving the request. After granting a CFRA leave, replacement. The California Family Rights the employer must reinstate the Act (CFRA) protects employees’ employee to the same or comrights to take a leave of absence parable position and provide such a guarantee if requested for the following reasons: For the employee’s own seri- by the employee. The employer may deny reinstatement of an ous health condition For the serious health condi- employee if, for example, the tion of the employee’s child, par- position no longer exists. Finally, the employer must continue ent or spouse Birth of a child for purposes of health care coverage during their CFRA leave up to a maxibonding Placement of a child in the mum of 12 work weeks in a 12employee’s family for adoption month period. Violations of CFRA may reor foster care California employers are sub- sult in significant damages for ject to CFRA if they employ 50 or the fired employee. In Eric Hazard’s case, after more part-time or full-time employees. Covered employers also trial, the jury found in his favor include the State of California, its and awarded him $1,475,000 in political and civil subdivisions, damages. and cities and counties, regard*** less of the number of employThe Law Offices of C. Joe Sayas, Jr. ees. To be eligible for CFRA leave, welcomes inquiries about this topic. All an employee must be a full-time inquiries are confidential and at no-cost. or part-time employee with more You can contact the office at (818) 291than 12 months of service with 0088 or visit www.joesayaslaw.com” the employer, and have worked at www.joesayaslaw.com. [C. Joe Sayas, least 1,250 hours in the 12-month Jr., Esq. is an experienced trial attorney period before the date the leave who has successfully recovered wages begins. Qualified employees may and other monetary damages for be entitled to a total of up to 12 thousands of employees and consumers. workweeks in a 12 month period, He was named Top Labor & Employment which does not need to be taken Attorney in California by the Daily Journal, consistently selected as Super continuously. Employees must give advance Lawyer by the Los Angeles Magazine, notice to take a CFRA leave. While and is a Presidential Awardee for a verbal notice is sufficient, pro- Outstanding Filipino Overseas in 2018.] viding a written notice is advis(Advertising Supplement)
Protecting Employee & Consumer Rights
Young clients seek Chapter 13 relief for different reasons ter 7. At the time of conversion to Chapter 7, the bankrupt debtor had $400,000 of cash in the bank. That’s right, close to half a million dollars in cash was available for distribution. My client’s unsecured claim was $300,000. The trustee sided with another major creditor who challenged my client’s claim saying, “The entire $300,000 had been paid off by debtor prior to filing for bankruptcy.” This claim was certainly absurd. The client had an open account relationship with the debtor and had at the high point shipped debtor over $2 million of merchandise on credit. The debtor paid $1.7 million, and left $300,000 unpaid. We defended the adversary complaint and won. The court judgment after the trial was for the client for $300,000. After another year of trustee proceedings, the $400,000 was down to, would you believe, $15,000. My client got a distribution of $5,000 on their unsecured claim of $300,000. In this case, the young client’s option is not Chapter 7, but Chapter 13. In Chapter 13, the trustee has no power to sell debtor’s house. And, the debtor can dismiss his Chapter 13 case at any time, for any reason. Whereas, a Chapter 7 case, once filed is very difficult to dismiss. In Chapter 13, he would be paying $500 a month for 60 months to pay the $30,000 in full without interest, while protecting his house from judgment liens arising from the $30,000. Still, $500,000 a month is, guaranteed to get rid of the $30,000 and guaranteed to stop all collection efforts by lawsuits by creditors. This is absolute peace of mind. No more creditor
harassment immediately. Unlike, consolidation through a third party, his payments may just be funding the consolidator’s retirement account or the guy’s vacation house in the Mediterranean, and indeed, there is no protection against creditor lawsuits as some of them may opt to just garnish debtor’s wages instead of agreeing to freely accept monthly payments. A Chapter 13 is consolidation by the bankruptcy court. The court-appointed trustee will not run away with his monthly payments. He can sleep soundly with the thought that his payments are being distributed by the trustee, and assured with the guarantee that the court’s injunction order will stop all creditor collection efforts, including lawsuits, letters and phone calls and wage garnishments and bank levies. All collection efforts are stopped immediately by court order. This is the peace of mind and order out of chaos guaranteed by law. The second client is 45. He is single. He owns a house with $300,000 of equity. But he doesn’t owe any credit cards or unsecured debt. The client went back to his country of origin to attend the funeral of his father. After the funeral, he decided to stay there for some time. I guess he was having a good time visiting friends whom he had not seen for 20 years, and lost track of time. While he was there, he forgot to pay the first and second mortgage on his house. When he came back, he realized that he had $10,000 of arrears in his first mortgage because the bank would no longer accept his cur-
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Green card through marriage PAGE C2 t
Preference (F2A), which has a waiting period of over one year for Filipino citizens. If the foreign spouse of the USC or LPR is physically present in the US, the following are the eligibility requirements for an adjustment of status application or I-485 green card application: (1) The applicant is inspected at the US port of entry and admitted into the US by a US Border and Customs Patrol (CBP) Officer. Form I-94 Arrival/Departure Record is the evidence that the alien has been inspected and admitted to the US. Since April 20, 2013, Form I-94 has been issued electronically - a paper I-94 may be obtained from the CBP website; (2) The applicant must be eligible to receive an immigrant visa; (3) An immigrant visa must be immediately available when the adjustment of status application is filed. For the spouse of a USC, the immigrant visa is always available as the alien spouse is an immediate relative of the USC. For the spouse of an LPR, the visa is available after a waiting period of more than one year as
the alien spouse falls under the F2A category; (4) The applicant is admissible to the United States for lawful permanent residence. The following are considered as grounds for inadmissibility under the Immigration and Nationality Act: health-related grounds, such as communicable disease or mental or physical disorder that may pose a threat to the property, safety, or welfare of the alien or others; criminal and related grounds, such as conviction for which the penalty is imprisonment for one year or illegal trafficking of controlled substances; and security and related grounds, such as terrorist activities. Aside from the above, it must be proved that the marriage of the alien to the USC or LPR spouse is bona fide. Under USCIS regulations, the following documents are considered as evidence of a bona fide marriage: documentation showing joint ownership of property such as titles to property; lease agreement showing joint tenancy of a common residence or showing that the couple lives in the same address together; documentation
showing that the spouses have combined their financial resources, such as joint bank statements; birth certificates of children born to the marriage; affidavits of third parties sworn under penalty of perjury that they have personal knowledge of the bona fides of the marital relationship. *** ATTY. RHEA SAMSON is a Partner at LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM. Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson are both licensed to practice law in California and in the Philippines. Both Attorneys were also professors. LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM aims to provide excellent and efficient legal representation to clients, and support clients in achieving their goals and dreams. As professors, Atty. Lindain and Atty. Samson wish to educate the younger generation, as it is through education and continuous study that one can achieve success and serve others. Please visit our office: LINDAIN & SAMSON LAW FIRM 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 1710, Los Angeles, CA 90010 Call or text us: (213) 381.5710 Email us: attorneys@lindainsamsonlaw. com. (Advertising Supplement)
LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL • MAY 18-21, 2019
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Will my divorce reduce my wait time for green card?
DEAR Attorney Tan, I am a Filipino living in Los Angeles. I am a US Citizen who filed an immigrant petition for my adult son in June 2005. At the time when the petition was filed, my son was unmarried and 25 years old. In 2010, my son became married. Due to difficulties in his marriage, his wife is presently in the process of obtaining a divorce in Nevada. Is my son eligible for a green card? -- C.P. Answer: Dear C.P., When you filed the immigrant petition in June 2005, your son was classified under the “First Preference” category, as an unmarried adult son of a US citizen. As a preference category relative, your son has to wait for a visa number to become available before he could obtain an immigrant visa or adjust status to permanent residence. The wait time for visa number availability varies, depending on preference category. If an unmarried adult son or daughter beneficiary is married before an immigrant visa or green card is issued (i.e. while waiting for a visa number to become available), the beneficiary’s petition automatically converts from a “First Preference” petition to a “Third Preference” petition--a petition for a married son or daughter of a US Citizen. In your case, when your son married in 2010, the petition that you filed for your son automatically converted to a “Third
Legal Advice Atty. DArriCk tAn Preference” petition. As a “Third Preference” beneficiary, your son became subject to a longer wait time to obtain an immigrant visa or green card, compared to when he was classified under the “First Preference” category prior to marriage. If a “Third Preference” beneficiary (married son or daughter of US Citizen) becomes widowed or divorced, the petition filed on his behalf automatically converts to the “First Preference” category. In your case, once your son gets divorced, the Petition that you filed in June 2005 automatically converts back to “First Preference” category. With the automatic conversion, the wait time for a beneficiary is significantly lesser. Under the May 2019 visa bulletin, immigrant visa and green card applications are being processed for “First Preference” petitions that were filed May 15, 2007 or earlier. For “Third Preference” petitions, visa and green card applications are being processed for petitions that were filed on or before October 8, 1996. Your son would be eligible to apply for a green card immedi-
ately upon divorce since USCIS is presently processing green card applications based on petitions filed May 15, 2007 or earlier for those in the “First Preference” category. Until he gets a divorce, as a “Third Preference” beneficiary, your son is subject to an approximate wait time of 9 years before he can get his green card. He would have to wait until USCIS advances the date for the Third Preference category from October 8, 1996 to the date on which you filed the petition for your son (June 2005). P.S. I warn against getting a “quick divorce” in Nevada if neither your son nor daughter-in-law is a resident there. There are certain residency requirements for a valid divorce decree in Nevada. Your son will have to present a valid divorce decree to USCIS to show that he is unmarried, and properly classified under the “First Preference.” *** Darrick V. Tan, Esq. is admitted to practice law in California and Nevada. Mr. Tan is a graduate of UCLA and Southwestern University School of Law. He is a member of the Consumers Attorney Association of Los Angeles and is a former member of the Board of Governors of the Philipp ine American Bar Association. *** LAW OFFICES OF DARRICK V. TAN, 3580 Wilshire Boulevard, Suite 900, Los Angeles, CA 90010. Tel: (323) 639-0277. Email: info@dtanlaw.com. (Advertising Supplement)
Do I need a premarital agreement... PAGE C2 t ever and wherever acquired or located. (2) The right to buy, sell, use, transfer, exchange, abandon, lease, consume, expend, assign, create a security interest in, mortgage, encumber, dispose of, or otherwise manage and control property.(3) The disposition of property upon separation, marital dissolution, death, or the occurrence or nonoccurrence of any other event.(4) The making of a will, trust, or other arrangement to carry out the provisions of the agreement.(5) The ownership rights in and disposition of the death benefit from a life insurance policy.(6) The choice of law governing the construction
of the agreement.(7) Any other matter, including their personal rights and obligations, not in violation of public policy or a statute imposing a criminal penalty. However, the right of a child to support may not be adversely affected. Family Code 1612(b). Premarital agreements that are entered into voluntarily by parties who are each represented by independent counsel and aware of the effect of the agreement, a post 1985 premarital waiver of post dissolution support does not offend contemporary public policy and is not per se unenforceable. Marriage of Pendleton & Fireman (2000) 24 C4th 39, 53–54, 99 CR2d 278,
288–289; Marriage of Facter (2013) 212 CA4th 967, 981, 152 CR3d 79, 90. Under both the Uniform Premarital Agreement Act and prior law, the spouse claiming the agreement is invalid or not enforceable bears the burden of proof on that allegation. Family Code. 1615(a); Marriage of Bonds, supra, 24 C4th at 27, 99 CR2d at 269; Marriage of Iverson (1992) 11 CA4th 1495, 1502, 15 CR2d 70, 74–75; However, the UPAA (as amended effective 1/1/02) deems that a premarital agreement was not executed voluntarily unless the court makes five prescribed findings
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PEOPLE AND EVENTS
C4 MAY 18-21, 2019 • LA WEEKEND ASIAN JOURNAL
Calendar of Events across
A
merica
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 1 8 -1 9
Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii The Santa Maria Ilocos Sur Global Association (SMISGA) and the Santa Marians of Hawaii are sponsoring the Santa Maria Ilocos Sur 12th Global Reunion in Honolulu, Hawaii from May 18-19, 2019. The festivities will start with a meet and greet on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Ala Moana Hotel Hibiscus Ballroom to be followed by a gala night on May 18 at 5 p.m. at the Dole Cannery Pomaikai Ballroom. A picnic is also scheduled at Ala Moana Beach Park’s Magic Island on Sunday, May 19 starting at 10 a.m. The ticket to attend all the events is $130.00 per person. Due to limited space, reservations must be made not later than March 31, 2019. Hats and tshirts will also be on sale for $20. For further information, call Nena Empleo at (808) 384-0394, Carlito Soria at (808) 487-3370, Alex Pena at (702) 373-9522 or Orlino Baldonado at (865) 7898324. Leave a message if there’s no answer. Additional information is also on SMISGA.com and Facebook @ SMISGA19FB. Proceeds from the events will be for various projects in Santa Maria Ilocos Sur and in Hawaii. Donations are tax deductible since SMISGA is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization approved by the Internal Revenue Service.
M AY 1 8
Free oil filter & motor oil recycling event in East Los Angeles ATTENTION ALL EAST LA RESIDENTS – Everyone is invited to bring in their used motor oil and used oil filters in exchange for a free new oil filter on Saturday, May 18 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It will be held at O’Reilly Auto Parts (722 S. Atlantic Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90022). 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.
Pan Asian Citizenship Event in Monrovia, CA Advancing Justice - Los Angeles (Advancing Justice-LA) will be hosting a free Pan Asian Citizenship Clinic on Saturday, May 18 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Santa Anita YMCA (501 South Mountain Avenue, Monrovia, CA 91016). The clinic will provide attendees free citizenship services, including: eligibility screenings, application assistance, and legal review by qualified immigration attorneys. Services will be offered in seven Asian languages and Spanish. Appointments are required - for more information, or to schedule an appointment, please call: (888) 349-9695 for English or (855) 300-2552 for Tagalog.
M AY 1 8 - J U N E 29
“Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight” exhibit in San Pedro, CA An interactive homage to Indigenous California Habitat will be on exhibit from May 18 to June 29, 2019. Created by LA-based artists-collaborators, champoy and Sarita Doe, it will open on Saturday, May 18th, 2019 from 3:00pm-6:00pm at Pinta*Dos Philippine Art Gallery which is located at 479 W Sixth Street, Suite 108, Historic Arts District, San Pedro, CA 90731. Tagolilong: Hidden in Plain Sight will be the sixth exhibit at Pinta*Dos Gallery since it was inaugurated in June 2017. The Gallery is open from Wednesday to Friday, 3:00pm to 6:00pm except on First Thursdays when it is open until 8pm. It is also open by appointment. For further information, email Linda Nietes-Little, Founder of the gallery at info@pintadosgallery.com Also visit their website: http://www.pintadosgallery.com , facebook and instagram pages.
M AY 25
Marist School Marikina to celebrate 55th anniversary in Buena Park, CA
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Do I need a premarital agreement... PAGE C3 t
provided for under Family Code. 1615(c) (1) The party against whom enforcement is sought was represented by independent legal counsel at the time of signing the agreement or after being advised to seek independent legal counsel, expressly waived, in a separate writing, representation by independent legal counsel. (2) The party against whom enforcement is sought had not less than seven calendar days between the time that party was first presented with the agreement and advised to seek independent legal counsel and the time the agreement was signed. (3) The party against whom enforcement is sought, if unrepresented by legal counsel, was fully informed of the terms and basic effect of the agreement as well as the rights and obligations he or she was giving up by signing the agreement, and was proficient in the language in which the explanation of the party’s rights was conducted and in which the agreement was written. The explanation of the rights and obligations relinquished shall be memorialized in writing and delivered to the party prior to signing the agreement. The unrepresented party shall, on or before the signing of the premarital
agreement, execute a document declaring that he or she received the information required by this paragraph and indicating who provided that information.(4) The agreement and the writings executed pursuant to paragraphs(1) and (3) were not executed under duress, fraud, or undue influence, and the parties did not lack capacity to enter into the agreement.(5) Any other factors the court deems relevant. In addition, the parties are required to provide each other with full disclosure of all material financial information. A premarital agreement may be unenforceable if found to be unconscionable when it was executed and the requisite disclosures were lacking and not waived Additionally, a spousal support provision in a premarital agreement executed under the UPAA, whether before or after January 1, 2002, is not enforceable if found to be unconscionable at the time of enforcement. Family Code 1612(c). If you are the higher earning spouse and have assets to protect, it is important to seek the representation of experienced counsel in drafting a premarital agreement to make sure that all statutory requirement are met which increases the likelihood that your premarital agree-
ment will be deemed enforceable when attacked in court in case of a divorce. *** Please note that this article is not legal advice and is not intended as legal advice. The article is intended to provide only general, non-specific legal information. This article is not intended to cover all the issues related to the topic discussed. The specific facts that apply to your matter may make the outcome different than would be anticipated by you. This article does create any attorney client relationship between you and the Law Offices of Kenneth U. Reyes, P.C. This article is not a solicitation. *** Attorney Kenneth Ursua Reyes is a Certified Family Law Specialist. He was President of the Philippine American Bar Association. He is a member of both the Family law section and Immigration law section of the Los Angeles County Bar Association. He is a graduate of Southwestern University Law School in Los Angeles and California State University, San Bernardino School of Business Administration. He has extensive CPA experience prior to law practice. LAW OFFICES OF KENNETH REYES, P.C. is located at 3699 Wilshire Blvd., Suite 747, Los Angeles, CA, 90010. Tel. (213) 388-1611 or e-mail “mailto:kenneth@kenreyeslaw. com” kenneth@kenreyeslaw.com or visit our website at Kenreyeslaw.com (Advertising Supplement)
Young clients seek Chapter 13 relief... PAGE C3 t
rent mortgage payment. The bank returned his current mortgage payment to him and said they would not accept the payment because his arrears were too big. After a week, the second mortgage creditor sent him a notice of auction sale for the end of this month saying that the entire mortgage of $30,000 had come due. This is a slam-dunk case for Chapter 13. Chapter 13 will immediately stop the foreclosure of his house by the second mortgagee. And Chapter 13 will give him five years to pay off the arrears on the first, as well as the entire $30,000 of the second mortgage, the entirety of which has come due. Chapter 13 will protect the debtor’s house from foreclosure, and give him enough time to cure the default on the first and
the second mortgage. There’s no problem on the income side, the debtor is self-employed with several sources of income that give him a monthly net of $6,000. That’s good enough. Reminder: Even if you go abroad, don’t forget to pay your mortgages! The third client is 43. She is going through a divorce and owes $20,000 of credit cards, and other unsecured debt. She doesn’t own a house. She cannot file a Chapter 7 because her last bankruptcy filing was five years ago when she discharged $50,000 of cards. The only choice now is Chapter 13 where she will be given five years to pay off the $20,000 in 60 monthly installments. Her monthly payments to the trustee will be about $350. She wants to do it immediately so she can forget about making payments to several dif-
ferent creditors and just paying the minimum. She also wants to stop all the creditor phone calls. In addition, the stress caused by her divorce is a little bit much for her to handle with creditor problems. Getting rid of creditor calls and collection efforts will give her at least a lot less stress on the financial side. If you need debt relief, set an appointment to see me. I will analyze your case personally. *** Lawrence Bautista Yang specializes in bankruptcy, business, real estate and civil litigation and has successfully represented more than five thousand clients in California. Please call Angie, Barbara or Jess at (626) 284-1142 for an appointment at 1000 S. Fremont Ave, Mailstop 58, Building A-1 Suite 1125, Alhambra, CA 91803. (Advertising Supplement)
People and Events
LA’s mental health festival is back May 18-27
Marist Alumni Abroad, coordinated by Arthur ‘Jojo’ P. Armada ‘77, invites alumni, family and friends, and the public who are interested, to the 55th anniversary grand reunion of the Marist School Marikina, to be held on Saturday, May 25, at the Knott’s Berry Farm Hotel (7675 Crescent Ave., Buena Park, CA 90620). The event’s theme is “Celebrating Our Marist Life...The Legacy Continues,” hosted by Marist Alumni Abroad. Dinner and dance: 6 pm to 11 pm; donation: $55/pax (per person). Contact person is overall chair Jojo P. Armada at (626) 216-3529 or email: armadaarthur@yahoo.com.
M AY 25 -26
Bulacan high schools reunite in Rosemead, CA The 2019 Global Gathering of Marcelo H. Del Pilar High School (MHPHS) of Malolos, Bulacan will be held on May 25-26, 2019 at the Double Tree Hotel in Rosemead, CA. For further information, please contact any of the following: Lourdes Ople-Smith at lourdesosmith@gmail. com / (310) 662-1948; Charito Aldaba-Gabriel at chato_gabriel1019@yahoo.com / (818) 6536047; Leni Flor Cruz-Florentino at lenflorcruz529@yahoo.com / (818) 282-0928; Tristan Zafra at tristan@trisoftco.com / (714) 686-3345; Gerry Torres, Jr. at gerrytorres50@gmail.com / (213) 249-1633; and Perfecto T. Martin at perfecto.martin@gmail.com. Souvenir Program please con-
JUNE 1
7th Historic Filipinotown Kalayaan Parade and Festival in LA The UST Medical Alumni Association of SoCal will have its 25th year anniversary ball on Wednesday, June 29 at the Hyatt Regency Orange County (11999 Harbor Blvd, Garden Grove, CA 92840). Mass begins at 5:30 p.m., with dinner reception at 7:30 p.m. Part of the proceeds will benefit the UST Faculty of Medicine and Surgery and Hospital on Wheels. Tickets are $110 for premier and $90 for regular. Please RSVP by June 1 to Marilou Dichoso, MD at (310) 3871632.
Kalayaan Incorporated’s annual Philippine Independence Day gala in LA Kalayaan Incorporated invites the community to its celebration of the 121st Anniversary of the Proclamation of Philippine Independence on Saturday, June 1, 2019, at the Los Angeles Airport Marriott Hotel (5855 W. Century Blvd. Los Angeles, CA). Kalayaan is extremely proud to have Honorable Risa Hontiveros, an incumbent senator who assumed office on June 30, 2016, as the grand gala’s guest of honor and speaker. For tickets to the Gala Night, please contact Annie Cuevas-Lim, Kalayaan President at (213) 447-7078. For more information, contact KI PROs Violet Mislang at vmislang@gmail.com or Lady Hope Robillos at lhopepr@yahoo.com.
Diva2Diva concert in Arcadia, CA The JIR Foundation enthusiastically presents Diva2Diva on Saturday, June 1 at 6:30 p.m. at Arcadia Performing Arts Center (188 Campus Drive, Arcadia, California 91007). The concert will feature Kuh Ledesma, Zsa Zsa Padilla, Mitch Valdes and Nanette Inventor. Ticket prices are $145, $100, $75, $60 and $50. Call or text (818) 726-6333 or (818) 612-4500 or visit ladiva2. eventbrite.com.
JUNE 2
PeDRO tees off with The Filipino Channel Unity Cup Los Angeles TThe Philippine Disaster Relief Organization (PeDRO), in partnership with The Filipino Channel, will have its charity golf tournament on Sunday, June 2, 2019, at the Westridge Golf Club, 1400 S. La Habra Hills Drive, La Habra, CA 90631. The 2019 TFC Unity Cup Los Angeles tournament is an expansion leg of the TFC Unity Cup in the Bay Area, Northern California. Proceeds of the golf tournament will be for the benefit of ABS-CBN Foundation International, a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit that serves as the public service arm of TFC. Check-in time starts at 12 p.m. Tee Time starts promptly at 1:00 p.m. Registration fee of $125 includes Cart, Range Balls, Raffle Prizes and Buffet Dinner. Late registration fee of $135.00 takes effect May 20 through May 26, 2019, subject to space availability. For more information, contact PeDRO President Benito Miranda at (310) 600-5675 and Event Chairperson/Treasurer Joey Cruz at (310) 938-4907. Or contact PeDRO at gopedrosports@yahoo.com. Visit http://www.gopedro.org and https:// www.facebook.com/PeDRORelief.
J U N E 22
Fiesta ng Calamba in Carson, CA The Association of Calambeños of Southern California invites everyone to the Fiesta ng Calamba, St John the Baptist Feast Day on Saturday, June 22. It will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Veterans Sports Complex ( 22400 Moneta Ave., Carson, CA 90745 ). For more information, please contact Ed Lim at (949) 285-1403 or connect on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/groups/Calambenos/ or the website: www.acasca.org.
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
LOOKING for activities in LA this weekend? Consider checking out WE RISE LA, a 10-day pop-up immersive experience featuring performances, an art exhibition, and workshops around mental wellbeing, in time for May as Mental Health Awareness Month. The festival, which runs from Saturday, May 18 to Monday, May 27 in Downtown LA’s Art District, will bring together artists, activists and mental health professionals for a range of programming. The schedule is intended to “raise awareness about available resources designed to support a sense of belonging,” the event promises. Some events include: A Workshop on Connection, Mental
Health & Work (Sunday, May 19); A Social Think Tank on the Arts, Mental Health & Education (Tuesday, May 21); a Teen Town Hall (Friday, May 24); and a Memorial Day BBQ (Monday, May 27). With LA’s diversity, WE RISE LA also seeks to open up these conversations and resources across the city’s cultures, like the Filipino American community. “Being a second-generation Filipino, I remember growing up and having really difficult conversations with my parents regarding how I’m feeling or how I’m thinking, and then not really wanting to talk about it,” said Audra Casabella, a supervisor for the law enforcement unit at the LA County Department of Mental Health. “So
I feel like this gives the Filipino community an opportunity to normalize some of the things we’re thinking and feeling that sometimes in our families it’s a difficult conversation to have.” The 10-day festival is sponsored by the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health through funding from the California Mental Health Services Act. WE RISE LA takes place at 1262 Palmetto Street, Los Angeles, CA 90013. It runs 5 to 10 p.m. on weekdays and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. on weekends. The access hotline operates 24/7 at 1-800-854-7771 or you can be connected to a crisis counselor by texting “LA” to 741741 anytime. ■
Gladeo helps youths find their dream careers
Award-winning digital platform helps underserved youth with career exploration and planning LOS ANGELES – According to a recent report by Burning Glass Technologies and the Strada Institute, researchers suggest school advisors should place emphasis on helping students explore their interests and making those connections between their studies and occupations early to acquire skills that have value in the workplace. To help bridge the gap between education and employment, founders Michelle Cho and Grace Cho launched media and tech nonprofit Gladeo, an award winning, free digital platform to equip students with career readiness tools, engaging content and Q&A videos of real working professionals. Through its interactive site, Gladeo displays a wide variety of exciting careers and industry specific roles. Upon entering the site, students have the option to take a personalized Gladeo quiz to find which careers are best suited for one’s personality, strengths and interests. Users can directly focus on a specific industry of their choice such as; media & entertainment, engineering, technology,
marketing, healthcare, and many more. Within each industry, the site displays detailed information from first hand interviews on job responsibilities, salary expectations, education, training, and much more. The best feature about Gladeo’s site is its spotlight section where users can view high quality produced videos of industry professionals sharing their own stories and tips on how to get your foot in the door. “Our online platform helps students discover the many career paths by letting them explore the experiences of others through diverse storytelling, learn what steps to take to pursue a particular career and connect them with the necessary resources, content and organizations to pursue their goals,” said Executive Director Michelle Cho. Korean-American born sisters Michelle and Grace are both passionate about helping underserved students succeed beyond school. Michelle is an award-winning film producer who graduated from Stanford University and Grace
serves as vice president of deal analysis and brand finance at 20th Century Fox Film studios with a degree from Harvard University. Michelle served as a mentor and volunteer in low-income communities, she realized her students had so few career role models and inadequate resources to help them. “As children of immigrants, we were told education is the key to succeeding in America and in part, it was true. However, what children of immigrants, low-income students and historically marginalized populations lack is exposure to career options across a variety of industry sectors and seeing diverse professionals share valuable insight into their own careers. You need to see it, to believe it in order to achieve it,” said Michelle. Gladeo’s hope is to continue partnering with schools and youth nonprofits across the country to help students learn about and access careers in ways that are inspiring, engaging, relatable and actionable. For more information on Gladeo, please see www.gladeo.org ■
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PeoPle and events
How new college grads can benefit from Covered California’s special enrollment
CONGRATULATIONS — the moment you have worked so hard for is finally here! You are ready to walk across that stage, grab that diploma and begin the rest of your life. But life can be complicated, and it’s imperative to have the important things — like your health — covered. Graduation can mean coming off a schoolsponsored health plan, or turning 26, the limit for when you can remain on your parents’ health plan. As an older college student, Saul Guevara had to think about some of those things even before he graduated from the University of Southern California earlier this month with a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Management. Now 28, Guevara has been a Covered California consumer for the past two years while finishing work toward his degree. “I chose to become a Covered California consumer because I learned that I qualified for federal subsidies to pay for my monthly health care payment,” Guevara said. “I’m paying $109 a month now instead of $316. Covered California has allowed me to get my medical needs met with the same primary care physician at a fraction of the cost.” Guevara will begin working for the federal government this summer and plans to keep his Covered California plan until he gets a plan through his employ-
er. Working part-time is a reality for many college graduates, as is getting married and starting your own business. “Congratulations to all of this year’s college graduates for all you have accomplished,” said Covered California Executive Director Peter V. Lee. “But amidst all of the changes in your life, make sure you always know what you will be doing for health care. If you are leaving your coverage behind when you graduate, then you may be eligible to enroll during Covered California’s ongoing special-enrollment period. Taking care of your health gives you the freedom to pursue your dreams.” There are currently more than 336,000 Californians between the ages of 18 and 34 enrolled in a plan through Covered California, and they are receiving quality, name-brand insurance coverage. The following circumstances are among the more common reasons people become eligible for special enrollment: Losing health coverage because you have lost or changed jobs. Getting married or entering a domestic partnership. Having a baby or adopting a child. Moving and gaining access to new Covered California health insurance plans that were not available where you previously
lived. Becoming a citizen, a U.S. national or a lawfully present individual. If you qualify under any of these conditions, you are eligible to get health insurance coverage and join your fellow Californians in having one less thing to worry about. Make sure you take advantage of the financial help available to you and your family. For more information on special-enrollment rules, visit http:// www.CoveredCA.com/individuals-and-families/getting-covered/special-enrollment. Those who qualify for MediCal may enroll through Covered California year round. Eligible consumers who are interested in signing up should go to www.CoveredCA.com where they can get help to enroll. They can explore their options and find out if they qualify for financial help by using the Shop and Compare Tool. They can also get free and confidential enrollment assistance by visiting www.coveredca.com/ find-help/ and searching among 800 storefronts statewide, or more than 17,000 certified enrollers who can assist consumers in understanding their choices and enrolling, including individuals who can assist in other languages. In addition, consumers can reach the Covered California service center by calling (800) 300-1506. n
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June 2019 priority dates Bank reserves cut next in line, economists say
Immigration Corner
The Priority dates for the Philippines are as follows: Application Filing Date
FAMILY CATEGORY:
ATTY. MICHAEL GURFINKEL, ESQ
April 22, 2008
June 22, 2007
March 8, 2019
July 15, 2017
(2B) Unmarried sons and daughters (21 years old or older) of green card holder
July 1, 2008
November 15, 2007
Third Preference
Married sons and daughters of US Citizens.
November 1, 1997
February 1, 1997
Fourth Preference
Brothers and sisters of US Citizens.
March 1, 1998
June 1, 1997
Application Filing Date
Visa Issuance Date
Current
Current
First Preference
EACH month, the Visa Office of the State Department publishes, in the Visa Bulletin, the priority dates for that particular month, for the various family and employment based categories. A priority date is a person’s “place in line” for a visa, meaning immigrant visas (or green cards) would be available for persons whose priority date is earlier than the cut-off date listed below. If your priority date was “current,” but later retrogressed (or “moved backwards” and became unavailable) before your immigrant visa was issued (or before you adjusted status in the U.S.), you would have to wait until it becomes current again. Beginning last October 2015, the format of the Visa Bulletin changed, in that a new column was added, called the “Application Filing Date.” If a person’s priority date is earlier than the Application Filing Date, they can already file for adjustment of status and work authorization (provided they are otherwise eligible and USCIS indicates on its website it will use the Application Filing Date for that month). This could allow people to obtain work authorization much sooner than before, where they had to wait for the priority date to be current (in the Visa Issuance Date column) in order to both file for adjustment and be eligible for a green card. *** 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
Unmarried sons and daughters of US citizens (over 21 years of age)
Visa Issuance Date
(2A) Spouse and Second Preference minor children (below 21 years old) of green card holder
LABOR CERTIFICATION:
Second Preference Advanced Degree (Masters) Third Preference
Professional/ Skilled Workers
January 1, 2019
November 1, 2018
Other Workers
Non-Skilled Workers
January 1, 2019
November 1 , 2018
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 (Advertising Supplement)
Business Quote of the Week “In whatever you do, you’re not going to stand out unless you think big and have ideas that are truly original. That comes from tapping into your own creativity, not obsessing over what everyone else is doing.” — Sophia Amoruso, founder of Nasty Gal
ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said the BSP’s Monetary Board is likely to resume the reduction of the RRR – the level of deposits banks are required to keep with the central bank – as the 25-basis-point rate cut last Thursday, May 16, would do little to boost economic growth. Philstar.com photo by Bernardo Batuigas
ING Bank Manila senior economist Nicholas Mapa said the BSP’s Monetary Board is likely to ECONOMISTS expect the resume the reduction of the RRR Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas – the level of deposits banks are (BSP) to follow suit with a reduc- required to keep with the cention in banks’ reserve require- tral bank – as the 25-basis-point ment ratio (RRR) this week to rate cut last Thursday, May 16, free up more funds to boost the would do little to boost economic growth. country’s slowing economy. by LAWRENCE
AGCAOILI Philstar.com
“The BSP moved to slash policy rates to give the economy a shot in the arm now that inflation is within target and projected to remain so even until 2020. However, given that the financial system has a mere P290 billion parked at BSP overnight facilities, the reverse repurchase PAGE D2
PH taps China debt anew 2.5B renminbi worth of panda bonds offered
by BEN
O. DE VERA Inquirer.net
THE renewed trade tensions between the U.S. and China may hurt local industries, according to the Department of Finance (DOF). During the weekly economic briefing in Malacanang Wednesday, May 8, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez said the Philippine economy may be negatively affected if the U.S. makes good on its threat to hike tariffs on Chinese products. “We’re going to be affected by that because a lot of our exports to China are parts of, let’s say, telephones and computers, which are assembled in China and then re-
exported to the U.S.,” Dominguez said. Nevertheless, the finance chief expressed hope that the impact would not be significant given that the Philippines is not a huge exporting country. “The Philippines is not a big trading country. Our exports aren’t very large. We rely more on domestic investments to drive our GDP, as well as exports of services like our BPOs (business process outsourcing) and exports of our manpower, which are not subject to these items,” he said. President Donald Trump announced recently that he would raise tariffs on $200 billion worth of Chinese imports to 25 percent
from the current rate of 10 percent starting Friday, May 10, U.S .time. Trump also said that the $325 billion worth of Chinese products that have remained untaxed would be slapped with a 25 percent tariff. To assess the impact of the pssible increase, the finance chief said the DOF is planning to meet with representatives of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the private sector. “We are meeting with the industry to find out how exactly they are going to be affected,” he said. Dominguez said the two agencies would release contingency plans to determine how the government could help the affected industries. ■
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Bank reserves cut next in line... ‘2019 inflation likely to settle at 2.9%’
PAGE D1 t rate reduction of 25 basis points would do little by way of funneling additional funds to productive ventures,” he said. Mapa likened the rate cut to a “pacemaker” and now that the BSP has primed the pace of liquidity flow for growth, it would be wise to complement its recent move by way of a liquidity transfusion to help alleviate still tight liquidity conditions. “The 2019 version appears to have the central bank reintroducing RRR as moving in line at least with the policy stance and we feel this leaves the door wide open for a RRR reduction in the near term, with this Thursday a real possibility,” he added. For every one percentage point reduction in RRR, about P90 billion in additional funds would be pumped into the financial system to support economic growth. “Doing so would complement and truly complete the easing of
the RRR cut and help the economy return to its six percent growth while inflation remains roughly at three percent,” Mapa said. Michael Ricafort, economist at Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. (RCBC), said a cut on large banks’ RRR from the current level of 18 percent is possible on May 16 as part of the late BSP governor Nestor Espenilla Jr.’s commitment to bring down this level to below 10 percent by 2023. Ricafort said the timing is ripe for an RRR reduction as the gross domestic product (GDP) growth eased to its slowest level in four years to 5.6 percent in the first quarter and inflation has slowed for six straight months to a 16-month low of three percent in April. He added liquidity growth is also at its slowest level in nearly 11 years while credit growth is at its slowest in more than eight years. The BSP slashed the RRR by
two percentage points last year, freeing up about P190 billion in fresh funds. Injecting more liquidity through a reduction in RRR could lead to lower interest rates, higher stock market prices, higher lending by banks as well as greater economic activities and higher GDP growth. Last Thursday, the BSP slashed benchmark rates by 25 basis points on the back of easing inflation as well as the lowerthan-expected economic expansion in the first quarter. This reversed the tightening cycle last year wherein the Monetary Board lifted interest rates by a cumulative 175 basis points in five straight rate-setting meetings from May to November to prevent inflation from spiraling out of control. Inflation averaged 5.2 percent last year from 2.7 percent in 2017 and exceeded the BSP’s two to four percent target range due to elevated oil and food pric- In this undated photo, a man arranges the vegetables he is selling at his stall in an unidentified market in Manila. Manilatimes.net file photo es as well as the weak peso. n cent in April from 3.3 percent in out-quota imports from members by AnnA LeAh e. GonzALes Manilatimes.net March, due to the slower increase of the Association of Southeast in the prices of food and other Asian Nations (Asean) will be levRIZAL Commercial Banking commodities. ied a uniform 35-percent duty. A Corp. (RCBC) on Wednesday, May “Prices of other food/agricul- 40-percent tariff will be imposed 15, revised downward its inflation tural products have also gone on shipments from non-Asean projection for this year to 2.9 per- down amid the summer harvest members within the minimum accent from the earlier 3.0 percent. season and the recent non-mone- cess volume of 350,000 MT, rising In its Report on the Economy tary measures by the government up to 180 percent for out-quota and Financial Markets released on since the latter part of 2018,” the imports. Wednesday, RCBC said it revised report said. RCBC said other factors that its projection on account of the ex“Once the Rice Tariffication would contribute to the inflation pected decline in rice prices. [law] fully takes effect, we esti- downtrend include the stronger “Rice prices have gone down mate inflation to go even lower to peso exchange rate and “slower sharply in recent months, even [the] 2-percent levels in the com- global economic growth outlook, before the full effects of the Rice ing months of 2019,” it added. especially in developed countries Tariffication law took place,” the Signed in February, this law that also fundamentally lead to bank explained. — officially known as Republic lower global, as well as local, inThe report comes a week after Act 11203 or the Philippine Rice flationary pressures.” the Philippine Statistics Authority Tariffication Act — replaces the For next year, RCBC forecasts reported that the rate of the in- country’s rice-importation quota inflation to settle at 3.1 percent, crease in the prices of goods and system with tariffs. slightly hugher than the previous services further eased to 3.0 perUnder the measure, in- and 3.0 percent. n
OFW remittances reach 3-month high in March by MAyveLin
U. CArAbALLo Manilatimes.net
MONEY sent home by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) rose to a three-month high in March, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported on Wednesday, May 15. Personal remittances — made up of OFWs’ net compensation; personal transfers, whether in cash or kind; and capital transfers between households — reached $2.796 billion in the month, 6.4 percent higher than the $2.627 billion posted a year earlier, and 9.3 percent higher than the $2.557 billion booked in February. The amount was the highest posted since December 2018. In a comment, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. economist Michael Ricafort attributed the latest growth to base effects and seasonality. “The faster growth… may have to do with lower base/denominator effects a year ago,” Ricafort said. He noted that remittances in March last year fell by 9.9 percent after the government briefly banned the deployment of OFWs to Kuwait and threatened to do the same in other countries that have cases of abused Filipino workers. “In a typical year, seasonal in-
Filipinos withdraw money from automated teller machines inside a mall in Makati. Manilatimes.net photo by Justine Ruth Bitancor
crease in OFW remittances and conversion to pesos also happen in March to fund increased spending for graduation celebrations, as well as preparations for Holy Week holiday-related spending (considered also as a major spending for families in a typical year), and also for upcoming tuition payments,” Ricafort said. The March figure brought firstquarter remittances to $8.098 billion, 3.7 percent higher than the $7.809 billion registered in the comparable 2018 period.
“The continued growth in personal remittances during the first three months of 2019 was driven by steady remittance inflows from land-based OF workers with work contracts of one year or more, which aggregated to $6.2 billion, and compensation of sea-based workers and landbased workers with short-term contracts, which totaled $1.7 billion,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement. Cash remittances, which only count money coursed through PAGE D3
Debt watchers, economists see policy continuity in Senate results by CAtherine
tALAverA Philstar.com
THE likely entry of more administration allies in the Senate ensures policy continuity during the remainder of President Duterte’s six-year term and is seen to ease the passage of economic reforms, financial experts said. “The strong performance by Duterte’s supporters in the midterm elections should lead to further progress on pushing
through economic reforms,” London-based think tank Capital Economics said. Sagarika Chandra, associate director of the sovereigns team at debt watcher Fitch Ratings, said this outcome “could bode well for policy continuity during the President’s remaining term.” “The key economic factors that we would be watching in the period ahead remain - the Philippines’ growth outlook, progress
on tax reforms and fiscal policies,” Chandra said. The debt watcher has assigned a BBB rating or a notch above minimum investment grade on the Philippines. Its research arm, Fitch Solutions, said initial results from the May 13 mid-term elections suggest incumbent President Duterte has further consolidated his power, ahead of the final three years of his term. PAGE D3
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Impact of US-China trade war on PH seen minimal Debt watchers, economists see...
TRADE tensions between the United States and China are unlikely to make a dent on the Philippines’ economic growth this year as the country’s trade with these two economic giants remained small, London-based Capital Economics said. “The trade war between the United States and China has so far had a very small impact on the rest of Asia, which has been dwarfed by the much bigger impact of the slowdown in global growth and the downturn in the technology sector. Even for the most exposed countries, a further escalation in the trade war is not likely to have a significant effect on growth over the next year,” Capital Economics senior Asia economist Gareth Leather said in a May 13 report titled “The impact of the trade war on the rest of Asia.” Capital Economics said that even as the trade war between Washington and Beijing escalated last week, “the overall effect
of the trade war to date has been small.” China already vowed retaliatory” tariffs after the United States jacked up import duties to 25 percent from 10 percent previously on $200 billion worth of goods from the mainland. “For the region’s least open economies such as India and Indonesia, the impact will have been negligible. For Taiwan and South Korea, the effect is also likely to have been small as an increase in exports to the United States has helped to offset a decline in exports to China,” Capital Economics said. In the case of the Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, “the net effect of the trade war will have been to knock only 0.1-0.2 percentage point from GDP growth,” it said. For Capital Economics, policy easing would help cushion the blow even further. “Most governments in the region have loosened fiscal policy
over the past year to help offset the drag from weak export demand. The strong fiscal position of most countries in the region means policy could be loosened further. The worsening of the trade war also increases the likelihood of further monetary policy easing. So far this year, the central banks of India, the Philippines and Malaysia have cut interest rates. We expect further easing in all three, as well as in South Korea,” Capital Economics said. Last Thursday, May 16, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ policy-making Monetary Board cut the policy rate by 25 basis points (bps) to 4.5 percent as it cited the declining headline inflation rate, making the outlook on prices “manageable.” The rate of increase in prices of basic commodities fell to a 16month low of 3 percent in April, averaging 3.6 percent during the first four months—already within the government’s 3-4 percent target range. n
“The election was widely seen as a test of Duterte’s popularity and as an opportunity for him to consolidate power by gaining control of the Senate, which had proved an obstacle to his policy plans in the first three years of his presidency,” Fitch Solutions said. It added that the strong show of support for Duterte would both give him the confidence and ability to push ahead with his reform program. “The Senate has proved a sticking point for Duterte, as seen by the delay to the passing of the 2019 budget. Duterte will hope that with increased support in the Senate, his reforms and fiscal plans will face less obstacles,” it said. Fitch Solutions said key reforms include shifting towards a federal system of governance, cutting corporate tax rates and the reinstating of the death penalty. However, it said reduced opposition within the Senate lowers the potential for checks and balances on Duterte’s administration and may over time see a decline in the long-term political risk index score of 65.4 out of 100 for the country. “The result gives Duterte a majority in the 24-seat Senate, and should make it easier for the president to push through legislation,” Capital Economics said. It highlighted that the Duterte administration has so far introduced a number of useful economic reforms such as the TRAIN law and scrapping of import rice quotas. The enactment of the first batch of tax measures under TRAIN last year, has widened the tax base and raised government revenues. “This should help to fund the much-needed upgrades to the country’s infrastructure which we have long argued is vital to improving the economy’s long-term prospect,” Capital Economics said. Meanwhile, the scrapping of “There was no contract. It was not approved,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat told rice quotas has resulted tin lower The STAR regarding the country’s hosting of the World Street Food Congress. rice prices. The opening up the Philstar.com file photo agricultural sector to more comEarlier this year, the WSFC working relationship with the petition is seen to help boost productivity over the longer term. said it would hold the Philippine ground team,” the WSFC said. For his part, Nomura Securiedition of the congress in BonifaWSFC apologized to local and cio Global City this October. international food fans, sponsors, ties economist Euben Paracuelles It added that it has already partners and entrepreneurs who said the outcome of the mid-term invited chefs, cooks, street food have already placed their interest elections is supportive of political stability and the government’s reprofessionals and vendors from in this year’s event. 14 countries for the event. “But fret not, we still believe form agenda. Fiscal reform, which has been “This in unbecoming of the this event is good for the PhilipTPB and DOT, but we doubt this pines and we will press on to de- delayed and has lost some visis personal as we have a good PAGE D5 ibility, is likely back on the radar
Philippines thumbs down hosting of World Street Food Congress by Catherine
talavera Philstar.com
THE country’s hosting of the World Street Food Congress (WSFC) was never approved by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) due to the high cost of staging the event, the chief of the Department of Tourism (DOT) said. “There was no contract. It was not approved,” Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat told The STAR. “When it was discussed in the board, they felt it was too expensive for a few days even. It was never approved by the board.” She said the cost for hosting the WSFC would amount to P47.8 million, with a licensing fee of P34 million. On Tuesday, May 14, Makansutra (S) Pte Ltd., the organizers of the WSFC, took to social media its disappointment on the disapproval of the project, noting that the DOT and TPB did not explain their reasons for cancelling the project. “No reason nor rhyme was given and this was after six months of legwork the WSFC did in curating and accommodating the TPB and DOT ideals for the event,”the WSFC said on its Facebook page.
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screen as a result of President Duterte’s stronger support base in Congress after the mid-terms. “Specifically, we believe the next package on fiscal incentive rationalization combined with corporate income tax cuts may now have a more realistic chance of enactment than not within this year,” Paracuelles added. Paracuelles said the passing fiscal reforms remain crucial, as these are designed to help fund an ambitious infrastructure program while at the same time maintain-
ing fiscal sustainability. Robert Dan Roces, chief economist at Security Bank, said future budget proposals may most likely be passed within the time frame and the tax reform program would likely be revived as the Senate is now controlled by administration bets. “With the credit rating upgrade recently, both chambers will consider expediting passage of those bills that will boost the country’s chance for an A rating upgrade,” Roces said. n
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Ayala to invest P32B in tourism sector Govt tax effort up 14.6% in Q1 by mayvelin
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PROPERTY giant Ayala Land Inc. seeks to deepen its involvement in the Philippine tourism space by investing an additional P32 billion to build new hotels and resorts this year through 2022. ALI has invested P28 billion in tourism since 2009 and is projected to make the additional investment up to 2022 to expand its portfolio of hotels and resorts, Ayala Corp. chair and chief executive Jaime Zobel de Ayala said in a speech at the recent Asean Tourism Summit. Zobel said the group’s investments were guided from the planning stage to operations by “sustainable and responsible” tourism, which keeps in mind the environment, socio-cultural or community and economic impact. “Tourism ultimately benefits local communities. We establish partnerships with local government units across the country, who have embraced our develop-
ments and recognized a shared vision toward providing for the needs of their communities,” he said. “We are committed to seeing local communities that host our projects grow with us and jointly create value,” Zobel said. About 70-90 percent of jobs created by the group’s projects tap local manpower, he noted. The goods and services required by the operations are sourced from the local community as much as possible, he said. These tourism projects are likewise seen as an opportunity to highlight Filipino products and architecture. “We are great believers in Filipino design and do as much as we can to highlight what is Filipino. We buy from local manufacturers who create export-grade Philippine products like furniture from Cebu which is installed in almost all our hotels, or interior accents bought from local entrepreneurs in the province or region. We have also focused on the use of endemic landscaping and locally sourced materials to
showcase local biodiversity and talent,” Zobel said. As a strategy, the Ayala group also seeks to focus on large-scale tourism estates to create greater positive social and economic impact. “Scale also enables us to analyze and plan on the basis of a site’s natural resources as well as its cultural attributes,” Zobel said. “One example of this is Lio in El Nido. At Lio, you’ll see an uninterrupted four-kilometer stretch of beach, preserved wetlands for the protection of endemic flora and fauna, native landscaping and pedestrian infrastructure like footbridges built without impeding root systems of trees. We also built a number of boutique resorts, a retail center, an airport, an artists’ village and other facilities. And yet, as you approach from the sea, none of that is visible; its natural beauty is preserved,” he said. To boost air access to its projects, especially those in island destinations, ALI opened its boutique airline called AirSwift. n
THE government’s tax effort climbed in the first quarter of 2019 on the back of a doubledigit expansion in tax revenue, the Department of Finance (DoF) reported on Wednesday, May 15. Tax collections as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP) rose to 14.6 percent in the first three months of the year from 14.3 percent a year earlier, it said in an economic bulletin. Tax revenues grew by 10.2 percent in the three months to March as collections of the Bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR) and of Customs (BoC) rose by 10.7 percent and 9.3 percent, respectively. In nominal terms, BIR collections reached P468.2 billion, while BoC recorded P141.9 bil-
lion during the period. “This is due to second phase of Train 1 and continued tax administration reforms,” the DoF said. Implemented at the start of 2018, Train or Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion law exempts those earning annual taxable incomes of P250,000 and below from paying personal income taxes. In exchange, new taxes were imposed on fuel, sugar-sweetened beverages and non-essential cosmetic procedures, among others. ING Bank Manila Senior Economist Nicholas Antonio Mapa said, “the continued improvement in tax collections shows that the Philippines can rely on increased efficiency working in tandem with new streamlined and rationalized tax codes to help fund the ambitious spending plans of the government.” “The Philippines
can continue to improve collections and the overall tax effort to eventually lower reliance on borrowing,” he added. Non-tax revenues, meanwhile, rose by 17.6 percent “due to higher collections of dividend remittances on national government shares of stocks, guarantee fees, and share in the profits of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. or Pagcor,” the DoF said. Earlier, Pagcor said it remitted an all-time high P16.17 billion in dividend contributions to the national treasury this year. Overall, national government revenues rose by 11 percent to P687.7 billion during the threemonth period. This resulted in a revenue effort of 16.3 percent, 0.5 percentage point higher compared to the 15.8 percent posted in the same quarter of last year. n
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Philippines thumbs down hosting... PAGE D3 t liver it, albeit, we have to go back to drawing table. “Which was also why we even suggested to the “Street Food Show” team on Netflix that the Philippines be featured,” it added. Asked if organizers of WSFC can resubmit the project proposal in the coming years, Puyat said
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it is possible if licensing fees are lowered. “Maybe if we can discuss that they lower the licensing fee, but if its a P47.8 million project and licensing fee is P34 millon, it’s too expensive,” Puyat said. The Philippines hosted the WSFC in 2016 and 2017 and it was also slated to host last year’s edition of the congress, but or-
ganizers said the TPB decided to cancel the project due to circumstances beyond its control. Apart from canceling the WSFC, the DOT also announced last year that it would put on hold the country’s hosting of food festival Madrid Fusion Manila (MFM) as it focuses its resources on its sustainable tourism efforts. n
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